†Saint Quote "If we could comprehend all the good things contained in Holy Communion, nothing more would be wanting to content the heart of man."
–St. John Vianney †Today's Meditation
"Jesus Christ could have appeared among us, radiant with joy and encompassed by divine splendor, amidst the glitter and pomp of His sovereign majesty. He deemed it more worthy of His glory and more profitable to the salvation of men, to show Himself to them girt with a diadem of thorns, clothed in purple and stained with blood, His face bruised, the gaping grimace of death on His lips, bearing the bloody unction of the nails imprinted on His hands and feet. In uniting Himself closely with suffering, Jesus Christ assuredly did not smooth all its severity and all its pangs; but He removed part of its bitterness, corrected and destroyed its poison. He made the chalice of His Blood fruitful. Like the brazen serpent set up by Moses in the desert, He implanted Himself in the center of the world as an inexhaustible instrument of mercy, life, and health. Owing to this transformation, His divine wounds, like fountains ever gushing, remain eternally open to all straying and fallen souls who are eager to escape from their coarse, sensual aspirations, wanting to immerse themselves anew in the joys of sacrifice and the honor of purity."
—Fr. Charles Arminjon, p. 276-277 An Excerpt From
The End of the Present World †Daily Verse
"Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.""
–John 20:29 |  click to read more | | St. John Vianney (Cure of Ars) St. John Vianney, also known as St. Jean Marie Vianney (1786–1859) was born in France to a farming family, one of six children of devout Catholic parents. He was baptized on the day of his birth. When he was four years old the French Revolution erupted, and priests were forced into hiding. Every day they risked their lives to give the sacraments, and John looked up to them as heroes. His First Holy Communion and Confirmation were made in secrecy. After the Church in France was reestablished, John studied for the priesthood. He had difficulty in his studies due to his lack of formal education during the turmoil of the revolution, but his great desire carried him through. After his ordination he became a parish priest assigned to the small country town of Ars. There he ministered to the carnage the revolution had left in the souls of the French people. Many were indifferent to, and ignorant of, the Faith. John performed great penances for the people and received many graces for their conversion. He had the gifts of miracle-working, prophecy, hidden knowledge, and discernment of spirits. He was soon known internationally, and people came from afar to see him. Year after year he spent 11-12 hours a day in the confessional, and up to 16 hours in the summer. By 1855 there were 20,000 pilgrims traveling annually to Ars. Because of this St. John Vianney was tormented by evil spirits throughout his life, especially when he attempted to get his two to three hours of sleep a night. He died at the age of 73 after serving 40 years as a parish priest. Over 300 priests and 6,000 people attended his funeral. St. John Vianney is the patron saint of confessors and priests. His feast day is August 4th. | Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest Lectionary: 410
Reading 1 Jer 31:31-34 The days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel
and the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers:
the day I took them by the hand
to lead them forth from the land of Egypt;
for they broke my covenant,
and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD.
But this is the covenant that I will make
with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD.
I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives
how to know the LORD.
All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD,
for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more. Responsorial Psalm Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19 R. (12a) Create a clean heart in me, O God.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God. 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 16:13-23 Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
and 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."
Then he strictly ordered his disciples
to tell no one that he was the Christ. From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples
that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly
from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.
Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him,
"God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you."
He turned and said to Peter,
"Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." | Daily Meditation: Matthew 16:13-23 You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do. (Matthew 16:23) We can certainly understand Peter's reaction when he heard Jesus predict his passion and death: "God forbid, Lord!" (Matthew 16:22). Like Peter, we don't want to see anyone die, especially those closest to us. But Jesus rebuked Peter and told him that he was thinking not as God does but as human beings do (16:23). We might wonder how the Lord could expect Peter, a human being, to think like God. But Jesus knew that Peter would need to adopt a heavenly perspective if he was going to spread the gospel and lead the Church. For Peter, this call would involve suffering and ultimately death. Before he could embrace it, he would have to deal with some blind spots. Let's see what they were and how they might distort our own thinking as well. First, Peter couldn't see that Jesus' suffering and death would bring about the greatest good the world has ever seen—our salvation. As we said in our first article in this issue, because of what Jesus suffered, our own suffering can have meaning and purpose. God can always bring good out of suffering, even when we can't see it at the time or even if we don't see it this side of heaven. Second, Peter couldn't see that Jesus would rise from the dead and that his resurrection would give life to the whole world (John 6:33). For those who put their faith in Jesus, death no longer has the final word. As painful as it is to lose someone we love, and as hard as it is to face our own death, Jesus has given us the hope of an eternal, heavenly existence unlike anything we can imagine now. That's what Jesus' death and resurrection did for us! Because we are human, we will always struggle to think as God does. But that doesn't mean we should just throw up our hands. As we follow the Lord and stay close to him, God will help us overcome our blind spots. Over time, he will reveal more of himself and his plan to us. His perspective is so much wider and broader than our own. As Peter ultimately discovered, it's a gift to see things God's way! "Jesus, open my mind and heart to think and see as you do." Jeremiah 31:31-34
Psalm 51:12-15, 18-19 | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more." Is it possible not to remember a sin no more? Perhaps not to us. Right? What does this mean?
Can I decide not to remember? What if memories come back? You forgive...again, and again. Love is a choice. Jesus still has to forgive us again and again, but don't sins hurt? Let's not fall for what the world teaches, especially the protestant juice "once saved always saved". That's not the whole truth. The truth is, love hurts. How often do loved ones hurt us? How often must we forgive? Imagine Jesus our Lord hurting and forgiving to the tune of millions of times. Can we help the situation?
Yes. | We pray in Psalms:
"A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me." | 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." And protestants bypass this verse to bypass the obedience factor of God, albeit inadvertently. A church was formed. It is God's Church. It is the true Church of God. It is the very First Baptist. It is the methodist, and it is the pentecostal Church. It is all in one. It is Universal as the name Catholic is defined.
The Church is build to withstand all the winds and tests of time. And time has proven it is so. The gates of hell have knocked at the doors, with Nazis, a very crooked cross, twisted, knocking and screaming and saying "we want man to rule the world...not God".
But it will never be so, it cannot be, for this would mean to self destruct, for His life itself. | ...............................
From Bishop Barron today:
"Friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus asks his disciples that devastating question: "But who do you say that I am?" But the disciples don't speak. Are they afraid? Perhaps. Finally, Simon Peter speaks: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." You are the Mashiach, the "anointed one," the long-awaited Savior; but more to it, you are the Son of God, not just a human hero. This is the mystical faith that stands at the heart of Christianity. To hold this Petrine faith is to be a Christian; to deny it is to deny Christianity.
And then those amazing words of Jesus: "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father." This insight did not come from Simon's own intelligent speculation. It came from above, through grace, from God. And this is why Peter is a rock.
The Church is built not on a worldly foundation of any kind but on a mystical foundation, born of Peter's faith in the revealing God. The Church is neither democratic nor aristocratic—it is charismatic. And this is where its power comes from."
.................................. And so we see on TV and movies, a version of a clean cut hero. Nothing at all like the crucified Christ. Why?
I was thinking of what it has been like to be involved with prison ministry in the past, and helping the orphans, or those on the streets. It's not pretty my friend. It can get messy. And at times perhaps, even dangerous. The saint should be seen wearing a towel on his waste, and on his knees, tending to the feet of the others. The saint should be hidden and found slaving away, toiling the earth, and you know the humus is the making of a human with God's Spirit. God loves His vineyard, but even more...His own children.
Can I remember the harm my children have done to me? It is very difficult. As a matter of fact, I can't remember. What can they do to me? Have me tortured on a cross? How could I be mad...but suffer...in Love. God Loves you my child, and the thought is amazing...the impossible all made possible...and forever. Can we show God we love Him a little more? |  click to hear | Random bible verse generator: Matthew 11:28–30 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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