†Saint Quote
"All the things in this world are gifts of God, created for us, to be the means by which we can come to know him better, love him more surely, and serve him more faithfully."
— St. Ignatius of Loyola †Meditation of the Day
"Without doubt, Jesus Christ could have abolished pain at a single stroke, and, by virtue of the infinite grace of the Redemption, restored man to the state of complete, unmixed bliss that he enjoyed in the paradise of innocence. He did not so wish. He judged that, for some, suffering would be a source of merit, a gain, a source of glory, and a means of renewal and triumph; that, for the greater number, it would be a necessary expiation. He therefore maintained suffering, but purified, ennobled, and transfigured it by taking it upon Himself. He became the man of sorrows, virum dolorum, in the strict and absolute sense of these words."
— Fr. Charles Arminjon, p. 276
An Excerpt From
The End of the Present World †Verse of the Day
"So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you."
1 Peter 5:6-7 |  click to read more | | St. Kilian St. Kilian (c. 640-689 A.D.), also known as St. Cillian, was born to a noble family in Ireland. As a child he was known for his piety and love of study, which led him to the priesthood. He became a traveling bishop on the island, and in 686 A.D. left Ireland with eleven companions to travel throughout Gaul (present day France and parts of Germany) to preach the Gospel. From there he traveled to Rome to get official sanction from the Pope to become a missionary. Once obtained, St. Kilian returned north and settled in Würzburg as his base of activity along with two of his original companions. He began his work evangelizing the pagans in large parts of Franconia and Thuringia (north and central Germany), earning the name 'Apostle of Franconia.' Saint Kilian converted the Duke of Würzburg and convinced him to end his unlawful marriage. This greatly angered the Duke's wife, who resisted St. Kilian's attempts to convert her. While her husband was away, she had St. Kilian and his two missionary companions beheaded as they were preaching. A cathedral was built on the spot of their martyrdom by the first bishop of Würzburg. On St. Kilian's feast his relics, along with those of his two companions, are paraded through the streets and put on display in the Würzburg Cathedral, which is dedicated to him. St. Kilian's feast day is July 8th. | Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 386
Reading I Gn 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5 Judah approached Joseph and said: "I beg you, my lord,
let your servant speak earnestly to my lord,
and do not become angry with your servant,
for you are the equal of Pharaoh.
My lord asked your servants, 'Have you a father, or another brother?'
So we said to my lord, 'We have an aged father,
and a young brother, the child of his old age.
This one's full brother is dead,
and since he is the only one by that mother who is left,
his father dotes on him.'
Then you told your servants,
'Bring him down to me that my eyes may look on him.
Unless your youngest brother comes back with you,
you shall not come into my presence again.'
When we returned to your servant our father,
we reported to him the words of my lord. "Later, our father told us to come back and buy some food for the family.
So we reminded him, 'We cannot go down there;
only if our youngest brother is with us can we go,
for we may not see the man if our youngest brother is not with us.'
Then your servant our father said to us,
'As you know, my wife bore me two sons.
One of them, however, disappeared, and I had to conclude
that he must have been torn to pieces by wild beasts;
I have not seen him since.
If you now take this one away from me, too,
and some disaster befalls him,
you will send my white head down to the nether world in grief.'" Joseph could no longer control himself
in the presence of all his attendants,
so he cried out, "Have everyone withdraw from me!"
Thus no one else was about when he made himself known to his brothers.
But his sobs were so loud that the Egyptians heard him,
and so the news reached Pharaoh's palace.
"I am Joseph," he said to his brothers.
"Is my father still in good health?"
But his brothers could give him no answer,
so dumbfounded were they at him. "Come closer to me," he told his brothers.
When they had done so, he said:
"I am your brother Joseph, whom you once sold into Egypt.
But now do not be distressed,
and do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here.
It was really for the sake of saving lives
that God sent me here ahead of you." Responsorial Psalm 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21 R. (5a) Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
or:
R. Alleluia.
When the LORD called down a famine on the land and ruined the crop that sustained them,
He sent a man before them, Joseph, sold as a slave.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They had weighed him down with fetters, and he was bound with chains,
Till his prediction came to pass and the word of the LORD proved him true.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The king sent and released him, the ruler of the peoples set him free.
He made him lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia Mk 1:15 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand:
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 10:7-15 Jesus said to his Apostles:
"As you go, make this proclamation:
'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.
Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts;
no sack for the journey, or a second tunic,
or sandals, or walking stick.
The laborer deserves his keep.
Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it,
and stay there until you leave.
As you enter a house, wish it peace.
If the house is worthy,
let your peace come upon it;
if not, let your peace return to you.
Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—
go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.
Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment
than for that town." | Daily Meditation: Genesis 44:18-21, 23-29; 45:1-5 It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent me here ahead of you. (Genesis 45:5) The movie Forrest Gump tells the story of a man who seems to drift through life from one circumstance to another. He was present for many pivotal moments in the twentieth century, like the Vietnam War and Civil Rights protests. But Forrest floated through these events, only partially aware of what was going on around him. His life is summed up by the image from the movie's final scene: a feather drifting upwards and away. Joseph might seem a little like Forrest Gump—his life changed in dramatic ways as he witnessed the world around him transform during a time of global upheaval. But the difference is that Joseph saw God's hand at work in these changes, and he took every chance he could to cooperate with God. He maintained his faith even after his brothers threw him down a well and sold him into slavery. He held on to his integrity when Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him. He humbly pointed to God when interpreting dreams for Pharaoh. In the end, he recognized that God made him chancellor of Egypt to help his family and to prevent his people from starving to death. It's easy to feel like Forrest, subject to the whims of circumstance. But if you take Joseph's view, you'll trust that God is with you no matter what happens to you or around you. He can use every situation to bring about his plans—even tragedy, failure, and sin. And like Joseph, you can participate with him by seeing every day as an opportunity. You can cooperate with him and honor him wherever you are right now. So when something unexpected happens, choose to imitate Joseph. In the midst of your own challenges and the challenges around you, know that God is with you. But don't stop there. Act on that knowledge. Believe that he is opening a path for you to serve him. God will always give you opportunities to participate with him in building his kingdom. "Lord, I trust that you can work in any circumstance. I want to cooperate with you and build your kingdom." Psalm 105:16-21
Matthew 10:7-15 |  Listen to 2cents | my2cents:
We heard in Holy Scripture:
""Come closer to me," he told his brothers.
When they had done so, he said:
"I am your brother Joseph, whom you once sold into Egypt.
But now do not be distressed,
and do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here.
It was really for the sake of saving lives
that God sent me here ahead of you." Joseph was betrayed by jealous brothers. Then Joseph eventually is seduced, or was failed to be seduced by temptations with one's wife, and was imprisoned. The innocent man just keeps getting hit hard. This is why many decide not to be faithful to God...it's too hard. And it is true...at first. If it is a proving ground for saints, then Saints, step up! We are given free will, and my job is to push you to step up! So step up to the plate and watch what is being served. More on that, but first, let us pray. | We pray in the Holy Psalms: "The king sent and released him, the ruler of the peoples set him free.
He made him lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions. Remember the marvels the Lord has done."
Eventually, Joseph brings the family to Egypt, which is fine, it had stability, it offered a safe haven, but also, it carried some serious flaws, pagan religions, pagan gods, idols, and all sorts of worship. These things can and have always introduced evils and demons into lives of so many people, that if you could see, would be innumerable, and would make the sky completely dark. We are constantly bombarded, day in and day out, in and out of home and even in your sleep! We need constant protection and to do that, pick up our shield, and armor, faith and prayer. And for what? To be on defense mode only? No. We are the Church Militant on earth, we are to be on the offense too! Why sit and defend constantly? Just recently they said that the gay men are "going after your children" in new ways, and just recently, there are new religions popping up that preach children are bad, and having children is bad. Egypt has reared its gods, the pagan religions, especially agnosticism are brooding grounds for evils that call for bloodshed...of the innocent. Think abortion, think even deeper though...think all souls. | In the Holy Gospel we heard;
"Jesus said to his Apostles:
"As you go, make this proclamation:
'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.
Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick."
As I read this, and I try to comply with God's word, I feel it is a lot of work! 4 things right off the top:
1.) Cure the sick.
2.) Raise the dead.
3.) Cleanse the lepers.
4.) Drive out demons.
Is it possible to do all of this? Yes. But how?
Together. That's how. But can one do all of these things by themselves? Sure, why not? 1.) I can cure the sick, tend to the sick, pray for the sick, visit the sick (so many healings come just from love!).
2.) Can I raise the dead? Sure I can. I can enter the house of the dead and raise at least one. LOL, don't think of a morgue or mortuaries. There are those who are walking dead people, dead spiritually. Raising dead people is to turn on the faith of the people. And if a physical death is revived, that is a sign of faith alive. | 3.) Cleanse the lepers. Definition of leper
1 : a person affected with leprosy
2 : a person shunned for moral or social reasons.
Leprosy exists in physical form still, but it is not a widespread pandemic as it used to be. But would you cleanse the leper you knew or ran into? Most would not, few actually would cleanse a leper. Now things are getting tough my friend. You know I don't sugar coat things here. There are some that won't even take of their parents, won't cleanse them, just ship them off to an asylum called "nursing home". Curing the sick calls for time, and love, a whole lot of hard work. But this is physical stuff. There are many lepers in society, the untouchables, the forgotten, the shunned, the ones many are afraid to come to. Who are they? My friend, I believe they are those we are afraid to talk to...or to forgive. Yet, it is those who need healing of the Body, and into the body of Christ. You know who they are, the fallen away, the lost sheep, the ones who belong to the flock...for Salvation.
4.) Drive out demons. Is this job for exorcists! For priests? Sure, but not all. Most of the time the exorcists need the infected person to do their part. You don't just get healed in serious cases in one fail swoop. It takes a concerted effort...in essence...a real conversion...a real call for repentance....a real asking of one to exorcise THEMSELVES. Go to confessions. Go to the Holy Sacraments, Go to Mass at LEAST every week. I say that because we can go much more than weekly . Pray. Faith. Shield. Sword in hand. The disciples carried swords, probably just as a tool, not for fighting, but they were constantly praying with Jesus, and this is our spiritual sword. How often do you pray?
My friend, you can pray all day. How? Let's say you're a busy cashier at a store, how can you pray all day? Most of the time I hear our local store cashiers sending me off with a blessing, believe it or not, they say "God bless you" to me. That is a prayer, but if I were that cashier, I would be praying for every person I encounter, not just say God bless you. And one more thing on that "God bless you" line, there is a response we should say, either "thank you" or "God bless you too". I prefer the return blessing, because you don't know what that person is going through either!
So, can we drive out demons! LOL, I went off a lil bit.
Yes! I can cut off my arm if it causes me to sin. Too many of us rather keep the arm and not go into Heaven! But it's easy to cut off, to cut out what is causing us to sin. For some it is cutting out social media. Or, for some it'd be a matter of using social media for the good stuff, not bad stuff which is what most see. My computers and phones is now swarming with good stuff, tons of daily reflections, daily videos, blogs, prayers, novenas, where it used to be just junk that I used to seek online. My life is surrounded with God stuff, I wear blessed objects, I pray constantly, as I'm writing this bit, at work, I'm bombarded with phone calls and people entering 5 doors that lead to my office, and guess what I'm doing? Praying, for them, for you, all day. Let's pray!
Lord, You have called us and brought us to work. You have called us to cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and to drive out demons. I believe we can do this, with self and for others, and I pray we can do this together, as Your Family Lord, the ones coming to You as they did with Joseph in Egypt...we come to You and pray for Your Protection, to stay with You always, please Lord, help us Love Thee more and more. | from your brother in Christ our Lord,
adrian |  click to hear | Random Bible Verse from online generator: Psalm 23
23 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
