†Saint Quote
""Love takes up where knowledge leaves off."
–St. Thomas Aquinas †Today's Meditation
"You judge me, O Lord, for, although no one 'knows the things of a man but the spirit of man which is in him,' there is something further in man which not even that spirit of man which is in him knows. But you, Lord, who made him, know all things that are in him. Although I despise myself before your sight, and account myself but dust and ashes, yet I know something of you which I do not know about myself. In truth, 'we see now through a glass in a dark manner,' and not yet 'face to face.' … Let me confess, then, what I know about myself. Let me confess also what I do not know about myself, since that too which I know about myself I know because you enlighten me. As to that which I am ignorant of concerning myself, I remain ignorant of it until my 'darkness shall be made as the noonday in your sight.'"
— St. Augustine, p. 197 An Excerpt From
The Confessions of Saint Augustine †Daily Verse
"Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father."
–Matthew 5:16 |  click to read more | | Pope St. Hyginus Pope St. Hyginus (d. 142 A.D.) was born in Athens, Greece, and became the ninth successor to the Chair of St. Peter. He reigned as pope for four years from about 138-142 A.D. Many of the details of his life have not been preserved, although various actions are credited to him: defending the Catholic faith against the Gnostic heresy which spread in Rome; beginning the practice of including godparents at infant baptisms to help the newborn child receive a Christian upbringing; and decreeing that all churches must be consecrated. Pope St. Hyginus is buried near the tomb of St. Peter on Vatican Hill. It is uncertain whether he became a martyr under the persecutions of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. His feast day is January 11. | Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time Reading I 1 Sm 1:9-20 Hannah rose after a meal at Shiloh,
and presented herself before the LORD;
at the time, Eli the priest was sitting on a chair
near the doorpost of the LORD's temple.
In her bitterness she prayed to the LORD, weeping copiously,
and she made a vow, promising: "O LORD of hosts,
if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid,
if you remember me and do not forget me,
if you give your handmaid a male child,
I will give him to the LORD for as long as he lives;
neither wine nor liquor shall he drink,
and no razor shall ever touch his head."
As she remained long at prayer before the LORD,
Eli watched her mouth, for Hannah was praying silently;
though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard.
Eli, thinking her drunk, said to her,
"How long will you make a drunken show of yourself?
Sober up from your wine!"
"It isn't that, my lord," Hannah answered.
"I am an unhappy woman.
I have had neither wine nor liquor;
I was only pouring out my troubles to the LORD.
Do not think your handmaid a ne'er-do-well;
my prayer has been prompted by my deep sorrow and misery."
Eli said, "Go in peace,
and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."
She replied, "Think kindly of your maidservant," and left.
She went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband,
and no longer appeared downcast.
Early the next morning they worshiped before the LORD,
and then returned to their home in Ramah. When Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah,
the LORD remembered her.
She conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son
whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the LORD for him. Responsorial Psalm 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd R. (see 1) My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"My heart exults in the LORD, my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my enemies; I rejoice in my victory."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"The bows of the mighty are broken, while the tottering gird on strength.
The well-fed hire themselves out for bread, while the hungry batten on spoil.
The barren wife bears seven sons, while the mother of many languishes."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"The LORD puts to death and gives life; he casts down to the nether world; he raises up again.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he humbles, he also exalts."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"He raises the needy from the dust; from the dung heap he lifts up the poor,
To seat them with nobles and make a glorious throne their heritage."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior. Alleluia See 1 Thes 2:13 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,
but as it truly is, the word of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 1:21-28 Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers,
and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught.
The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!"
Jesus rebuked him and said, "Quiet! Come out of him!"
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another, "What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him."
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
| Daily Meditation: 1 Samuel 1:9-20 I was only pouring out my troubles to the Lord. (1 Samuel 1:15) "Don't make a scene!" You might whisper this when you are in a quiet public setting and a companion starts displaying too much emotion. That is what the priest Eli said to Hannah, thinking she was drunk. In reality, Hannah was praying silently, but with such passion that she was making a scene; she was pouring out her heart to God. The image of "pouring" is full of meaning: you can imagine Hannah so carefully holding in her inmost thoughts and desires as in a cup. Every time her rival, Peninnah, ridiculed her for being childless, another painful portion filled her. Finally, in desperation before the Lord, she tips the cup, and everything she has been holding in begins pouring out. This kind of prayer may not mesh with the beautifully worded prayers found in Scripture or in the prayers of the Church. But in fact, the biblical notion of prayer is not always quiet or contemplative. David "poured out his soul" (see Psalm 42:5). In the Gospels, many people "made a scene" trying to get to Jesus—breaking through a roof, climbing a tree, weeping on his feet, even shouting (Mark 2:4; Luke 9:14, 7:38; Matthew 9:27). There is something very honest about these examples of prayer. When a person is suffering like Hannah, has tried every natural remedy, and is out of options, there is no more room for pretense or posturing, no patience left for peaceful waiting. We can imagine that Hannah may have prayed, "God, don't you care about me?" Perhaps we have muttered those words ourselves. In your prayer today, or any day, don't be afraid to "make a scene." You can be honest about what is on your heart, whether that is suffering or hopes and desires. Follow Hannah's example and lay them all before the Lord: what hurts, what you were hoping for, what you are afraid of. Pour out your heart to him, and you may notice something. You are creating space to allow God to pour in whatever he wants to give you. It's as though God is saying, "At last! Now let me pour out my heart to you." "Lord, you know what is in my heart; I pour it out to you." (Psalm) 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-8
Mark 1:21-28 | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"Eli said, "Go in peace,
and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."
She replied, "Think kindly of your maidservant," and left."
There's one other time we can hear the words "Go in Peace", and the words come from our Lord after Holy Confession. And there is power in the words. | We pray in Psalms:
"The LORD puts to death and gives life; he casts down to the nether world; he raises up again. The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he humbles, he also exalts." | We heard in the Gospel today:
"In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!"
Jesus rebuked him and said, "Quiet! Come out of him!" | "Quiet" He says. "Come out", He says. Gently. With authority. There is a Scripture where we heard in Isaiah on Sunday that said: "... he shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench, until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching."
And so our Lord fulfills the prophecies. Gently. And how gentle are we? With our words? With our thoughts? With our commands? How merciful are we? Grace enters the picture. How merciful are we with God Himself? I know in my prayers as of late, I've become insistent, but have I been too pushy? At what point have I prayed like Hannah, and at what point have I gone too far? For sure, persistence pays. Hannah prays until something happens...Samuel is born. Samuel is given to God. Samuel is accepted by God. We are to give thanks to God. Real life thanksgiving, real life offerings, real life sacrifice. So if you want to go in peace, then go to the Lord, and you'll receive what He has...if you are open to it. Let's pray:
Lord, Father, we want peace,
give us grace to find peace,
to find faith, and in the end, to
find You Dearest Lord and Savior.
I pray for grace and healing, for my family, in your Precious Name Lord Jesus we pray. | from your brother in Christ,
Adrian |  click to hear | Random bible verse generator: Ecclesiastes 7:9 Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart1 of fools. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment