†Saint Quote
"The patient and humble endurance of the cross—whatever nature it may be—is the highest work we have to do."
–St. Katharine Drexel †Today's Meditation
"The invitation to lift up our hearts at the most important part of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is an invitation by Jesus through the voice of the priest to give our hearts to the Father, as He gave His life for us. We prepare to make our hearts and lives a total self-gift to the Father as Jesus made Himself a total gift to the Father for us on the Cross."
—Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila †Daily Verse
"So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." –Ephesians |  click to read more | | St. William of York St. William of York (d. 1154) was born to a powerful family in England, the nephew of the king. He became a priest and then treasurer of York Minster Cathedral at the time when the English crown was contested by two grandchildren of William the Conqueror. When the Archbishop of York died, William was chosen to take his place. Kind-hearted and generous to the poor, he was well-liked by the people; however, he faced political and ecclesiastical opposition from the rival to the English throne. Because he was consecrated without papal approval, William was accused of wrongdoing by those who wanted their preferred prelate in the position; even St. Bernard of Clairvaux opposed him. Although he eventually confirmed William's appointment, the Pope died before the pallium was given, and the new pope took the side of William's detractors. A new archbishop was ordained in his place while William went to live as a monk with his uncle, a bishop, in quiet prayer and penance. The people of York, upset that their favorite had been deposed, took to rioting. Six years later the Archbishop of York died, and another new pope made William the successor. The people were overjoyed at his return—so many came to greet him as he entered the city that a bridge collapsed under their weight; the fact that no one was hurt was considered a miracle. A few months later, after celebrating Mass on Trinity Sunday, William became ill and died. Poisoning was suspected but never confirmed. Miracles took place at his tomb which gave rise to his canonization in 1227. His feast day is June 8th. | Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 361 Reading I 1 Kgs18:20-39 Ahab sent to all the children of Israel
and had the prophets assemble on Mount Carmel. Elijah appealed to all the people and said,
"How long will you straddle the issue?
If the LORD is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him."
The people, however, did not answer him.
So Elijah said to the people,
"I am the only surviving prophet of the LORD,
and there are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal.
Give us two young bulls.
Let them choose one, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood,
but start no fire.
I shall prepare the other and place it on the wood,
but shall start no fire.
You shall call on your gods, and I will call on the LORD.
The God who answers with fire is God."
All the people answered, "Agreed!" Elijah then said to the prophets of Baal,
"Choose one young bull and prepare it first,
for there are more of you.
Call upon your gods, but do not start the fire."
Taking the young bull that was turned over to them, they prepared it
and called on Baal from morning to noon, saying,
"Answer us, Baal!"
But there was no sound, and no one answering.
And they hopped around the altar they had prepared.
When it was noon, Elijah taunted them:
"Call louder, for he is a god and may be meditating,
or may have retired, or may be on a journey.
Perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened."
They called out louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears,
as was their custom, until blood gushed over them.
Noon passed and they remained in a prophetic state
until the time for offering sacrifice.
But there was not a sound;
no one answered, and no one was listening. Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me."
When the people had done so, he repaired the altar of the LORD
that had been destroyed.
He took twelve stones, for the number of tribes of the sons of Jacob,
to whom the LORD had said, "Your name shall be Israel."
He built an altar in honor of the LORD with the stones,
and made a trench around the altar
large enough for two measures of grain.
When he had arranged the wood,
he cut up the young bull and laid it on the wood.
"Fill four jars with water," he said,
"and pour it over the burnt offering and over the wood."
"Do it again," he said, and they did it again.
"Do it a third time," he said,
and they did it a third time.
The water flowed around the altar,
and the trench was filled with the water. At the time for offering sacrifice,
the prophet Elijah came forward and said,
"LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,
let it be known this day that you are God in Israel
and that I am your servant
and have done all these things by your command.
Answer me, LORD!
Answer me, that this people may know that you, LORD, are God
and that you have brought them back to their senses."
The LORD's fire came down
and consumed the burnt offering, wood, stones, and dust,
and it lapped up the water in the trench.
Seeing this, all the people fell prostrate and said,
"The LORD is God! The LORD is God!" Responsorial Psalm 16:1b-2ab, 4, 5ab and 8, 11 R. (1b) Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you."
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
They multiply their sorrows
who court other gods.
Blood libations to them I will not pour out,
nor will I take their names upon my lips.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
O LORD, my allotted portion and cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope. Alleluia Ps 25:4b, 5a R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Teach me your paths, my God,
and guide me in your truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 5:17-19 Jesus said to his disciples:
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven." | DAILY MEDITATION: 1 KINGS 18:20-39
If the Lord is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him. (1 Kings 18:21) Elijah could have felt incredibly discouraged. After all, he was just one person standing against so many who opposed the worship of God. He could have given in to the pressure he was under to turn away from his life of service to the Lord and his people. But this one man spoke out boldly and forcefully: "If the Lord is God, follow him!" (1 Kings 18:21). It can be hard to persevere in faithfulness to God when we feel alone. When we feel as if we are the only one staying true to God's word and to Church teaching, Elijah's example invites us to have courage. He reminds us that we're still called to speak out, even in times of great pressure. Interestingly, Elijah didn't respond to the people's silence and weakness with criticism or condemnation. Instead, he led by example. And after the entire offering was burned up—meat, wood, water, and all—the people answered Elijah by proclaiming, "The Lord is God!" (1 Kings 18:39). While we are not all called to be full-time prophets, our baptism gives us a share in the prophetic mission of Jesus. As prophets, we can speak on behalf of God. Sometimes this might involve offering words of comfort to people we know who are experiencing sadness or loss. Sometimes it might involve speaking words of hope to those experiencing discouragement or extended periods of suffering. And at other times, our prophetic calling might involve inviting someone to turn away from sin and to give a wholehearted yes to God. As you bring the needs and situations of the people around you to the Lord, ask him to help you rejoice for the things that make his heart rejoice and to hurt for the things that make his heart hurt. Ask him as well to give you words that you can share with them. Then, look for opportunities to share those words. Being a prophetic voice requires courage. It can be tempting to stay quiet as the people around Elijah did, but don't let that happen. Embrace your prophetic calling, and help others to recognize that God is indeed worthy of all their trust. "Holy Spirit, give me the courage and boldness to speak the truth of your love to everyone I meet." Psalm 16:1-2, 4-5, 8, 11
Matthew 5:17-19 | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
" "How long will you straddle the issue?
If the LORD is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him." How many today straddle issues, with one foot one one side and another on the other side?
This causes havoc for the whole.
It is not good to be neutral in the things of faith.
It is detrimental. Your inability to choose becomes an inability to move. | We pray in Psalms:
"They multiply their sorrows
who court other gods.
Blood libations to them I will not pour out,
nor will I take their names upon my lips.. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope." Watch the side of darkness and how they use violence all while they accuse us of violence. In the meantime the world watches the innocent slaughtered in abortion and while praying in churches and faintly lift a finger because of the sheer hatred of the light. | In today's Gospel we heard our Lord:
"Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven." | From Bishop Barron today: "Friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus promises that he has not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. Matthew says that Jesus went up a mountain, sat down, and commenced to teach, calling to mind Moses, who went up Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments from God. Therefore, Jesus is being presented here as the New Moses who will promulgate from this Galilean mountain the definitive Law. I realize that this immediately poses a problem for contemporary readers, who are put off by a religion that leads with laws, rules, and prohibitions. An Irish wag once summed up the Catholicism that he was taught with this phrase: "In the beginning was the word, and the word was no!" Since the Ten Commandments have been honored mostly in the breach, why should anyone think it a good idea to introduce new and even more stringent laws? But then we attend to the first word out of the mouth of the lawgiver: "Blessed," "Happy." The law that the New Moses offers is a pattern of life that promises to make us happy." ............ What are you teaching others?
And what are you teaching by how you live?
What does your life say about God?
How much does my life shine His light?
Do I just blend into the bland neutrality of the world?
I saw skittles candies celebrating gay month by making skittles gray. No more colors. This is perfect to show what they want the world to be...gray...dull...and even darkness with light.
Looks gross to eat.
God said He wants you hot or cold or He will vomit you out.
He designed colors and the world hates them...because they refract light like a clear prism...preferring darkness. Lord help us be clear teachers of Your law of Love. | Your brother in Christ our Lord and Savior, our Love in Heaven,
adrian |  click to hear | Random bible verse generator: .
Nahum 1:7
[Nahum 1] 7 The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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