.: † "..You Are The. . ."

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

† "..You Are The. . ."

†Saint Quote

Quote of the Day
"Whatever you do, think not of yourself, but of God."
–St. Vincent Ferrer

†Today's Meditation
"People often think of Christian morality as a kind of bargain in which God says, 'If you keep a lot of rules I'll reward you, and if you don't I'll do the other thing.' I do not think that is the best way of looking at it. I would much rather say that every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God, and with its fellow-creatures, and with itself. To be the one kind of creature is heaven: that is, it is joy and peace and knowledge and power. To be the other means madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness. Each of us at this moment is progressing to the one state or the other."
—C. S. Lewis, p. 92

An Excerpt From
Mere Christianity

†Daily Verse
"In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe, who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word. When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high."
–Hebrews 1:1-3

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Sts. Peter and Paul

St. Peter and St. Paul (1st c.) were the foremost Apostles of Jesus Christ; St. Peter was the leader of the Twelve, while St. Paul followed Christ after His ascension into heaven. Together the two saints are the founders of the Church in Rome through their apostolic preaching, ministry, and martyrdom in that city. They are the solid rock on which the foundation of the Catholic Church is built, and they will forever remain her protectors and guides. To them Rome owes her true greatness, for it was under God's providential guidance that they transformed the capital of the Roman Empire into the heart of the Church, with the mission to radiate the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ throughout the world. Both saints were martyred in close proximity to one another; Peter first, then Paul, though some traditions claim they were killed on the same day. St. Peter was crucified upside down and buried on the hill of the Vatican where St. Peter's Basilica now stands. St. Paul was beheaded on the via Ostia and buried where the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls now stands. St. Peter and St. Paul are the patron saints of Rome and they share a feast day on June 29, a tradition going back to the earliest centuries of the Church. See more about St. Peter. See more about St. Paul.

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
Mass during the Day

Lectionary: 591
Reading I

Acts 12:1-11

In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them.
He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword,
and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews
he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
–It was the feast of Unleavened Bread.–
He had him taken into custody and put in prison
under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each.
He intended to bring him before the people after Passover.
Peter thus was being kept in prison,
but prayer by the Church was fervently being made
to God on his behalf.

On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial,
Peter, secured by double chains,
was sleeping between two soldiers,
while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison.
Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him
and a light shone in the cell.
He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying,
"Get up quickly."
The chains fell from his wrists.
The angel said to him, "Put on your belt and your sandals."
He did so.
Then he said to him, "Put on your cloak and follow me."
So he followed him out,
not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real;
he thought he was seeing a vision.
They passed the first guard, then the second,
and came to the iron gate leading out to the city,
which opened for them by itself.
They emerged and made their way down an alley,
and suddenly the angel left him.
Then Peter recovered his senses and said,

"Now I know for certain

that the Lord sent his angel

and rescued me from the hand of Herod

and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting."

Responsorial Psalm

34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (5) The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
I will bless the LORD at all times;

his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;

the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
Glorify the LORD with me,

let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.
R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,

and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,

and from all his distress he saved him.
R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
The angel of the LORD encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;

blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

Reading II

2 Tm 4:6-8, 17-18

I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation,
and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have competed well; I have finished the race;
I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance.

The Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat
and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Alleluia

Mt 16:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mt 16:13-19

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples,
"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter said in reply,
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Daily Meditation: Acts 12:1-11

Follow me. (Acts 12:8)

Today we celebrate Sts. Peter and Paul, two pillars of the Church with starkly different personalities. Simon, the fisherman, left his nets to follow Jesus (Matthew 4:19). Renamed Peter, he became the leader of the Church (16:18). In contrast, Saul was a well-educated Pharisee who persecuted the Church until Jesus revealed himself to him (Acts 9). From that point on, he became the apostle to the Gentiles, using the Roman name Paul (Romans 11:13).

Peter and Paul built up the Church in very different ways, but despite their differences, both men chose to obey Jesus' call to "Follow me" (Acts 12:8). They didn't become like each other or lose their personalities. Instead, through the Spirit, they became more like Jesus. Today, we honor them together because in the end, they followed Jesus unto death, both dying as martyrs in Rome.

Both Peter and Paul followed Jesus by following the Holy Spirit. Peter boldly proclaimed the gospel after he was filled with the Spirit at Pentecost. His preaching cut people to the heart and led thousands to faith in Jesus (Acts 2). Freed from guilt over having denied the Lord, Peter spent the rest of his life leading the Church, first in Jerusalem, then in Antioch, and then in Rome.

Paul also yielded to the Spirit. After he was baptized by Ananias, he immediately began to proclaim that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 9:19-20). And he never stopped. Traveling all around the Mediterranean, he proclaimed the gospel and established churches far and wide before ending up in Rome, where he worked side by side with Peter until the end.

Each of us is unique, but whatever our personalities, this one truth is the same: the same Spirit that empowered Peter and Paul lives in us. Do you feel unqualified to serve the Lord? Are you burdened by your past? Look to these two heroes of the faith. Their lives were changed by the power of the Spirit, just as yours can. Today, ask them to pray for you as you seek to yield to the Spirit and follow Jesus wherever he leads you.

"Holy Spirit, help me to follow Jesus today."

Psalm 34:2-9
2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18
Matthew 16:13-19

From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"Then he said to him, "Put on your cloak and follow me."
So he followed him out"

Am I dreaming? St. Paul must've thought the whole time he was following an angel out of jail. But, whatever the case was, we know St. Paul followed God, wherever he was leading. Follow the lead.

We pray in Psalms:
"The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him"

They say that our guardian angels turn away from us when we are sinning. What does this mean? It means much more than we care. Our Lord says that the face of our angel is always facing Him...Mt 18: "10 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven." We are then connected to God in a special way, with angels. We are honored and guarded. Our angels must ascend as they descend upon the Father. Let our prayers then...be heard.

In today's Gospel we heard our Lord:
"And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it."
Our Lord then built a church. Nowadays, protestants deny that Jesus actually built a church, a religion so to speak. And what is religion? It is a set of beliefs. And our Lord is the Messiah of the Israelite people, descendants of Abraham. We are a Christ people, Messianic People, Savior people. We are called to be saviors of the world with the One Savior that has joined us body and soul from the cross and into our hearts forever. Let us not forget what we are.
We are called to be one in Him, both now and forever.

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Random bible verse generator:

Matthew 5:23–24
23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace

Going4th

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