†Saint Quote
"It is requisite for the relaxation of the mind that we make use, from time to time, of playful deeds and jokes."
— St. Thomas Aquinas †MEDITATION OF THE DAY
"He who is humble, even though he fall through frailty, soon repents with sorrow and implores the divine assistance to help him to amend; nor is he astonished at having fallen, because he knows that of himself he is only capable of evil and would do far worse if God did not protect him with His grace. After having sinned, it is good to humble oneself before God, and without losing courage, to remain in humility in order not to fall again . . . But to afflict ourselves without measure and to give way to a certain pusillanimous melancholy, which brings us to the verge of despair, is a temptation of pride, insinuated by the devil . . . However upright we may be, we must never be scandalized nor amazed at the conduct of evildoers, nor consider ourselves better than they, because we do not know what is ordained for them or for us in the supreme dispositions of God."
— Rev. Cajetan da Bergamo, p. 56-57
AN EXCERPT FROM
Humility Of Heart † VERSE OF THE DAY
"And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'"
Matthew 25:40 |  click to read more | | ST. GILES St. Giles (7th c.) was born to a wealthy and noble Greek family. He devoted his life to the things of God and grew in sanctity, but found that his material and spiritual riches drew unwanted praise and attention. To escape prestige, he sold all of his possessions, gave his wealth to the poor, and moved away to Gaul (present day France) to live in solitude in the wilderness as a cave-dwelling hermit. He lived in this way without companionship for many years while practicing severe penances. He became so impoverished that God sent a deer to be his companion and to nourish him with its milk. One day a royal hunting party in pursuit of the deer chased it into the saint's cave. A hunter shot an arrow into the cave, and instead of hitting the deer, he injured the saint. St. Giles was discovered and soon became known throughout the countryside as a holy hermit, the king himself often coming to visit him. St. Giles consented to receive disciples who desired to imitate his way of life. The king built a monastery for these followers, who lived as monks under the Rule of St. Benedict with St. Giles as abbot. St. Giles was known as a miracle worker during his life, and his monastery and the town that grew around it became a shrine and place of pilgrimage, especially for crippled beggars. St. Giles became one of the most popular saints in the Middle Ages, and is the patron of many causes including lepers, hermits, cripples, epileptics, cancer patients, the mentally ill, the disabled, and the poor. St. Giles' feast day is September 1st. | Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 433
Reading I Col 1:1-8 Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,
and Timothy our brother,
to the holy ones and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae:
grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
when we pray for you,
for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus
and the love that you have for all the holy ones
because of the hope reserved for you in heaven.
Of this you have already heard
through the word of truth, the Gospel, that has come to you.
Just as in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing,
so also among you,
from the day you heard it and came to know the grace of God in truth,
as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow slave,
who is a trustworthy minister of Christ on your behalf
and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. Responsorial Psalm 52:10, 11 R. (10) I trust in the mercy of God for ever.
I, like a green olive tree in the house of God,
Trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.
R. I trust in the mercy of God for ever.
I will thank you always for what you have done, and proclaim the goodness of your name before your faithful ones.
R. I trust in the mercy of God for ever. Alleluia Lk 4:18 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor
and to proclaim liberty to captives.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 4:38-44 After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon.
Simon's mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever,
and they interceded with him about her.
He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her.
She got up immediately and waited on them. At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him.
He laid his hands on each of them and cured them.
And demons also came out from many, shouting, "You are the Son of God."
But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak
because they knew that he was the Christ. At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place.
The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him,
they tried to prevent him from leaving them.
But he said to them, "To the other towns also
I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God,
because for this purpose I have been sent."
And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. | Daily Meditation: Colossians 1:1-8 To the holy ones and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ . . . (Colossians 1:2) Holy and faithful! It sounds as if the Colossians were doing well. Like us, they had been baptized and were trying their best to live as disciples in a secular world. They were also striving to navigate a culture that emphasized supernatural powers and extreme self-denial. And for the most part, they were succeeding. But the rest of Paul's letter shows that they also had their share of problems. So is Paul turning a blind eye to their weaknesses? Not at all. In fact, he spends the first part of his letter reminding them of who Christ is—the one Paul says they are "in" (Colossians 1:2). This Christ is "the image of the invisible God," the one who holds all creation together (1:15, 17). Paul goes on to show that the pagan practices and beliefs were mere shadows. Jesus is the fullness, the reality (1:19; 2:17). Paul could call them holy and faithful for one clear reason: "Christ in you, the hope for glory" (Colossians 1:27). Jesus, the holy and faithful one, lived in them. Despite their struggles with sin, their incomplete understanding, and their need to grow in love, Jesus was at work within them. By the power of the Spirit, he was making them holy and helping them to be faithful. If they cooperated with the Spirit, their lives would reflect the gift they had already received. This month, our articles focus on this mystery—that the all-holy God dwells in "earthen vessels" like us (2 Corinthians 4:7). If we are willing, Jesus can make us holy and faithful. Let's spend a few minutes with him each day in prayer. Let's marvel that the one who formed the universe lives in our hearts. And let's yield to him by being faithful to the tasks before us and by loving the people he has placed in our lives. "Lord, make me more like you today." Psalm 52:10-11
Luke 4:38-44 |  Listen to 2cents | From Saint Paul:
"We always give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
when we pray for you,
for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus
and the love that you have for all the holy ones
because of the hope reserved for you in heaven." | We pray in the Holy Psalms:
"I will thank you always for what you have done, and proclaim the goodness of your name before your faithful ones. I trust in the mercy of God for ever." | Our Lord enters:
"After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon.
Simon's mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever,
and they interceded with him about her.
He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her.
She got up immediately and waited on them." Let's focus for a moment on the last verse here, when Simon's mother got up and waited on them...served them...immediately.
Perhaps, if she wasn't ill, she'd be serving them...but this time, let's put ourselves in her shoes..as much as she wanted to, she couldn't, she was out with a fever, and back in those days, it was a deadly episode. Nowadays we can contain fevers and diagnose their cause, but back then, nobody knew but to wait and see, with a few natural remedies they had.
But our Lord enters the scene. He stood over her, like the waters over the seas of the dark night. When the earth was being formed for us, He stood over the seas and made sure they were good. He rebukes the fever as the time He would rebuke Satan from Simon's mouth. "Get behind ME!" says our Lord. Never get in front of our Lord. Let Him lead. Let Him show the way. Let Him part the seas. Let Him prepare the promised land. Let Him feed you. Let Him heal you. Let Him first, and let Him be who He is....GOD our FATHER. | And the Gospel continues:
"At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him.
He laid his hands on each of them and cured them.
And demons also came out from many, shouting, "You are the Son of God."
But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak
because they knew that he was the Christ." Wouldn't it be amazing today if we could see what these people saw? The Lord Himself curing people left and right, just about everyone was being healed! How exciting! What an opportunity! It was a sign of hope. It was a sign of the time, for the time had come. Did everyone realize this? The demons were announcing it, but He'd rebuke them to silence. What was it about the good and the bad working together? It is a force of energy, like when the hot winds hit the cold winds, something brews with power that can change the landscape. It is the positive and negative energy that makes something happen, like lightning, or light itself. So how can we turn negative stuff into positive? Well, it's a matter of turning to our Father. He makes all things good. Surrender your sinful self, and become that saint He desires you to be. I've a point on this but let's finish the Gospel: "At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place.
The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him,
they tried to prevent him from leaving them.
But he said to them, "To the other towns also
I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God,
because for this purpose I have been sent."
And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea." Have you ever dreamed of going to towns to proclaim the Gospel? Or is it just me? And I have, in retreats, in talks, and songs, and prayer gatherings. But I have not gone off very often to a deserted place. In a recent confession, God spoke to me through the priest, there in the confessional and said literally: "I need you to spend more time with Me, as if you were wasting time (with Me)". That my friend is a tall order for a busy body like me. 10 minutes per day! That's...alot! I already go to Mass every day, I already pray the rosary every single day! I already spend one or two hours on weekdays reflecting on scriptures! Plus all the other ministries! 10 minutes to waste!? It was bitter sweet. The rich young man left the confessional afflicted. "God wants special time". God speaks in the Holy Sacraments.
And so we can come back to find Him...alone, in a deserted place. To be separated (Ke'dosh) means to be Holy. God separated a group of people on earth and called them "light of the world", and it began with Father Abraham, and then to all the prophets and to each of us now baptized as prophets. You my friend, are a prophet.
I look to you as you look to me.
Yesterday, a little old church lady that is very soft spoken came to me after the funeral Mass, and she made her way slowly to me as everyone walked out, just to thank me for doing what I do, in choir and such. I said "no thank YOU for what YOU do". And I gave Lupita (or lidia I FORGET!) a great side hug (because that's as close as you'll ever get to me LOL). She seemed to really have enjoyed the hug and thank you. But I wasn't putting on a show, I admire her humility because I know what she does is from the heart, and she is so soft spoken, and perseveres, and as feeble as she physically is, she is still helping as much as she can, teaching the youth and such, and for that, I truly thank her, because that is a light to me, a light in the dark.
Very few take to the front lines as she does. Very few are in the military of Saints as she is. Serving God.
Jesus serves God our Father with great fear and honor. It is evident all the way to the cross.
The time has come, my dear loved ones, to break out of your fear. The devil has done tremendous things with wars, pandemics, disease, for some famine in parts of the world. It is a brooding ground here for proud people to hurt others. From now on, you, the prophet, must speak boldly in love with Christ. For Christ is right. Christ is Love of God. Christ is one in us, in the Holy Spirit. Christ is Father and guide forever. Christ Jesus is the Way and Life and Truth. Let's pray:
My dear Savior, Christ Jesus,
I pray that we become emptied of what we desire, and only desire what You desire.
I am not sure what path to take and so I take this moment, from now on, every moment, and pray that You guide the next, and I will follow. I will follow Thee closely. I will not wander nor wonder. I will hold You daddy, by the hand, and I will trust in You, and I will love You both now and forever with all my heart, all my soul, all my strength, as I give this heart to You. Amen. | from your brother in Christ,
Adrian |  click to hear | Random bible verse generator: Christ Has Set Us Free Galatians 5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
