†Saint Quote
"Build an oratory within yourself, and there have Jesus on the altar of your heart. Speak to Him often while you are doing your work. Speak to Him of His holy love, of His holy sufferings and of the sorrows of most holy Mary."
–St Paul of the Cross †Today's Meditation
"Whoever confesses his sins … is already working with God. God indicts your sins; if you also indict them, you are joined with God. Man and sinner are, so to speak, two realities: when you hear 'man' – this is what God has made; when you hear 'sinner' – this is what man himself has made. Destroy what you have made, so that God may save what he has made … When you begin to abhor what you have made, it is then that your good works are beginning, since you are accusing yourself of your evil works. The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works. You do the truth and come to the light."
—The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1458 An Excerpt From
The Catechism of the Catholic Church †Daily Verse
"Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of any one, says the Lord God; so turn, and live."
–Ezekiel 18:31-32 |  click to read more | | St. Paul of the Cross St. Paul of the Cross (1694–1775) was born near Turin, Italy, the second of sixteen children—only six of whom survived infancy. His devout parents ensured his strong religious upbringing. In his childhood Paul went to daily Mass, spent much time before the Blessed Sacrament, and attended to his studies. He taught catechism in the local churches before experiencing a deep religious conversion at the age of 19 through the writings of St. Francis de Sales. After a brief stint as a soldier and declining an offer for a good marriage, at the age of 26 he learned through prayer that God was calling him to found a new religious order which came to be known as the Congregation of the Passion, or the Passionists. He was instructed in a vision as to what the new habit of his order should look like: a black tunic bearing a heart surmounted by a white cross, with the words "Passion of Jesus Christ" written inside the heart. To the religious vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience he added a fourth: to spread devotion to Christ's Passion among the faithful. His mission was to ignite a love for Jesus in the hearts of the faithful at a time when many saw Him only as a great moral teacher. St. Paul of the Cross was one of the most powerful preachers of his day, as well as a mystic, and he was known to bring even the most hardened sinners to tears. He also took special care of the sick, poor, and suffering. His feast day is October 20th. | Thursday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 EPH 3:14-21 Brothers and sisters:
I kneel before the Father,
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory
to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self,
and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;
that you, rooted and grounded in love,
may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones
what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine,
by the power at work within us,
to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus
to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Responsorial Psalm PS 33:1-2, 4-5, 11-12, 18-19 R. (5b) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
For upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Alleluia PHIL 3:8-9 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I consider all things so much rubbish
that I may gain Christ and be found in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel LK 12:49-53 Jesus said to his disciples:
"I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division.
From now on a household of five will be divided,
three against two and two against three;
a father will be divided against his son
and a son against his father,
a mother against her daughter
and a daughter against her mother,
a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." | Daily Meditation: Ephesians 3:14-21 . . . rooted and grounded in love. (Ephesians 3:17) The biggest known living tree in the world is located in Sequoia National Park in California. Named the "General Sherman," the tree is estimated to be anywhere from 2,200 to 2,700 years old and measures 102.6 feet around at the base. We can only imagine the intricate root system that has kept this tree alive and thriving for thousands of years. In today's first reading, Paul urges the community in Ephesus to be "rooted and grounded in love" (3:17). Just as a tree draws water and nutrients from the ground, so the Ephesians would need to draw on God's love so that they could be strengthened and sustained through whatever trial they might face. Paul spoke out of his own experience. Surely being rooted and grounded in God's love was how he endured arrest, stoning, and imprisonment as he tirelessly preached the gospel. So how do we become rooted and grounded in God's love? It doesn't usually happen overnight. It begins as a seed at our baptism, takes root as we come to understand more of what God has done for us, and continues to grow throughout our lives as we experience his love for us personally. It is in times of trial, however, that the roots of our faith can grow and be strengthened in an even deeper way. These "dry" seasons of life can be difficult, but they force us to stretch out these roots and go deeper with the Lord—just as any tree does during a drought. By turning to Christ continually and seeking the life-giving water of his Spirit, we discover that he is loving us through our hardships and caring for our every need. Then the next time we go through a dry season, we already have a well-developed "root system" that nourishes and sustains us. Whether you're in a dry season or a fruitful one, the Lord wants you to "comprehend . . . what is the breadth and length and height and depth" of his love for you (Ephesians 3:18). Sit quietly for a few minutes today and allow him to fill you with a love that has no limits. Know that the more you abide in his love, the more you can thrive and flourish through any season in your life. "Lord, show me your love. Help me to stay rooted in you." Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 11-12, 18-19
Luke 12:49-53 | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"Now to him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine, by the power at work within us,
to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus
to all generations, forever and ever. " You know there's a fad that's not new, that says church is not important. Who is the leader of this mad fad? Who is the deceiver behind that dark cult? St. Paul says we are to glorify God in the Church. And nowadays, protestants define church as the whole body of Christ. Well, that is only somewhat true. We are incorporated in Baptism, yes, but there is truly TRULY a church that St. Paul is talking about...it is the one founded by Christ...a holy institution, and I did not say a perfect institution. We, together, glorify God in the church as the church. | We pray today;
" But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, To deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord." And so, my mind gets baffled with the question "who fears the Lord?" If we truly feared Him, we would be afraid to offend Him! If we truly fear! But why aren't we afraid? So, Thinking of someone you love. You would be afraid to offend them. Right? My fear, is this; that we would be afraid to lose eternity, the greatest prize...heaven...for those who strive with all their heart. | In the Gospel today we heard our Master and Teacher:
""I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
...
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division." What in the world? He came to establish division? I thought we were supposed to work for unity! Right?
Of course in the name of love.
But what happens when someone turns from darkness to light?
A natural division, for there is no middle ground. God wants us hot or cold, not neutral warm, as He says in the book of Revelation. | From Bishop Barron today: "Friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus declares his desire to spread eternal life among human beings. He said, "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!" What is that fire? His forerunner, John, gave us a clue: "I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. . . . He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." Jesus came in order to torch the world with the heat and light of the divine Spirit, which is none other than the love shared by the Father and the Son, the very inner life of God. Jesus is a prophet because he teaches; he is a king because he leads and shepherds; but he is a priest because he is the spreader of the sacred fire. Every one of the baptized shares in the priesthood of Christ and is therefore obligated to be a conduit of holiness, a bearer of the divine life, a spreader of the fire that sets the world ablaze." .................................................... We are all baptized, right? This means incorporation into Christ. This means the Holy Spirit is instilled in us with habitual grace, and this means hope.
But our Lord goes further, into a baptism of fire. Sure, you got life now...and now what? What do you do with this gift of God? Our Lord gave His life to God and fellow man, neighbor...all of them.
A perfectly perfect soul to suffer to pay for souls that were imperfect, to suffer for our imperfections...and this means love beyond measure and normal comprehension.
How much would you suffer for a loved one to be saved? How far would you go? What all would YOU do? Can you give your life to our Lord?
................ Lord, this is why I am here...to learn to give all the way to Heaven .................... adrian |  click to hear | Random Bible Verse 1
1 John 4:7–8 God Is Love 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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