†Saint Quote
"When you have free moments, go faithfully to prayer. The good God is waiting for you there."
–St. Julie Billiart †Today's Meditation
"In the throes of pains too excruciating to wrap our minds around, Jesus revealed a most precious gift offered for all of us: his mother. Among His seven last words, or phrases, Jesus said to St. John the Beloved, "Behold, your mother!" (Jn 19:27). Scripture says that from that hour on, John took Mary "to his own home." Pope Benedict XVI said that the Greek translation of the phrase "to his own home" is far deeper and richer than the English. He writes, "We could translate it: he took Mary into his inner life, his inner being…into the depths of his being. To take Mary with one means to introduce her to the dynamism of one's own entire existence. It is not something external." John served as a symbol for the rest of us. Like him, we are given the gift of a true spiritual mother, one who can mold the very depths of our being and transform us. As a trusted mother, she always points us to her Son."
–Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering, p. 203 An Excerpt From
Theology of Home †Daily Verse
"So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs."
–Mark 16:19-20 |  click to read more | | Bl. Bartholomew of Vicenza Bl. Bartholomew of Vicenza (1201-1270), also known as Bartholomew of Braganca or Breganza, was born to a noble family in Vicenza, Italy. While studying in Padua he entered the newly established Dominican Order as one of their first friars, receiving the habit from St. Dominic himself. Bartholomew quickly advanced to positions of prominence within the Order, becoming prior and then overseeing several convents. He was sent to preach against the heretics in Lombardy, and was so successful that in 1235 the Holy Father made him Master of the Sacred Palace (an office known as "The Pope's Theologian") a position which was first held by St. Dominic. In this role he also founded a military order of knights for the purpose of maintaining civil order and peace throughout Italy called the Order of the Knights of the Mother of God (or the Knights of St. Mary). He was later made bishop of Cyprus, and also served as papal legate and confessor to St. Louis King of France, who was then leading a crusade in the Holy Land. From this friendship Bartholomew received the gift of a relic of the True Cross and a thorn from the Crown of Thorns. When Bartholomew returned to his native Vicenza as the city's bishop he built a church to house the precious relics called the Church of the Holy Crown. Bl. Bartholomew of Vicenza was an effective mediator between the factions and feuds of his day, even converting the leader of a heretical party back to the Catholic faith. His feast day is October 27th. | Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 EPH 6:10-20 Brothers and sisters:
Draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power.
Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm
against the tactics of the Devil.
For our struggle is not with flesh and blood
but with the principalities, with the powers,
with the world rulers of this present darkness,
with the evil spirits in the heavens.
Therefore, put on the armor of God,
that you may be able to resist on the evil day
and, having done everything, to hold your ground.
So stand fast with your loins girded in truth,
clothed with righteousness as a breastplate,
and your feet shod in readiness for the Gospel of peace.
In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield,
to quench all the flaming arrows of the Evil One.
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God.
With all prayer and supplication,
pray at every opportunity in the Spirit.
To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication
for all the holy ones and also for me,
that speech may be given me to open my mouth,
to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel
for which I am an ambassador in chains,
so that I may have the courage to speak as I must. Responsorial Psalm 144:1B, 2, 9-10 R. (1b) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
My mercy and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust,
who subdues my people under me.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten-stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock! Alleluia See LK 19:38; 2:14 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.
Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel LK 13:31-35 Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said,
"Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you."
He replied, "Go and tell that fox,
'Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow,
and on the third day I accomplish my purpose.
Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day,
for it is impossible that a prophet should die
outside of Jerusalem.'
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you,
how many times I yearned to gather your children together
as a hen gathers her brood under her wings,
but you were unwilling!
Behold, your house will be abandoned.
But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say,
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."
| Daily Meditation: Ephesians 6:10-20 Stand firm against the tactics of the Devil. (Ephesians 6:11) Have you ever heard the old adage "The best defense is a good offense"? Well, in today's first reading, Paul seems to flip that idea on its head. He describes a struggle not against other people but against the lies and temptations of the devil. And for Paul, the best way to triumph over Satan is not by launching an offensive but by putting on the "armor of God" (Ephesians 6:11). In other words, the best spiritual offense is a good spiritual defense. But putting on God's armor is not as easy as putting on a piece of clothing. It happens over time as we become "girded in truth" (Ephesians 6:14). That means immersing ourselves in those truths and asking the Holy Spirit to bring them to life for us. As we do, we become better able to "stand firm" against the devil's tactics (6:11). For example, if you meditate on the truth of God's love for you, you'll be less likely to fall prey to the evil one's efforts to convince you that the Lord doesn't care about what's going on in your life. If you know for certain that Jesus died to save you, you won't be tempted to believe that his forgiveness is for other people but not for you. Such gospel truths are the armor that keeps the enemy's lies at bay. So where do you encounter these truths? First and foremost in the Scriptures! That's why St. Paul calls the word of God "the sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17). The more you meditate on God's word, the more his truths become embedded in your heart and mind. Studying and praying with Scripture will also strengthen your faith, which Paul calls a "shield" that can "quench all the flaming arrows of the Evil One" (6:16). Today, choose a verse from today's Gospel reading or another Scripture passage that speaks to you. Then ask the Lord to help you understand it in a deeper way. You might even want to memorize it so that you have it readily available whenever you are tempted to listen to Satan's lies. As you make it part of your spiritual "armor," your best offense will become a good defense! "Jesus, help me to put on your armor so that I can stand firm." Psalm 144:1-2, 9-10
Luke 13:31-35 | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens." Next time you are in a heated debate, or in a heated anything for that matter, at the moment of temptation, take a few seconds to breathe and pray, this is, to realize couple things: let the Holy Spirit in on the situation, and put light on what is going on, perhaps darkness is trying to creep in. By no means is this easy, especially if you are severely tempted or angry, but by all means...it is necessary! Lord we need you. | We pray today;
" Blessed be the Lord, my Rock! Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war."
I witnessed a couple arguing, and the situation was rapidly escalating, like a fire trying to catch the whole place on fire. I witnessed one of their little children praying with tears and trembling, the little boy's hands were clutched, his little fingers interlaced, and those little hands were trained to pray in case of fires, and I believe he hosed that fire that day. Angels heard prayers. The sprinklers worked, tears fell, but tears of bitter remorse, and the tears of a warrior. I bet there have been many a tearful saints, we just don't hear about it that much. Because, in my attempt to be a saint, I experience blood, sweat, and tears, and this just in a family festival! LOL, we hurt ourselves with putting it up together, we sweat all day in the sun sometimes, and I cry frustrated for whatever reason, but, guess what? These are all valid things we can offer to our Lord! Blood, sweat, and tears! Just like our Lord and our Blessed Mother Mary. | In the Gospel today we heard our Master and Teacher:
"Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day,
for it is impossible that a prophet should die
outside of Jerusalem.' Our Lord is our Master, whom we follow, in His Way, in His Life.
And where is Jerusalem that we should follow Him there too?
Didn't He die for everyone? Why should I have to die...like Him...and for the same reasons?
LOL. Protestants detest the thought of suffering, and the atonement that it calls for. But as Catholics, we are called to a death like Christ. Think of all the martyrs in our faith, to the tune of thousands, and many as of late, mostly in 3rd world countries, dying for their religious life. And so, we have people say now "oh, I'm spiritual but NOT RELIGIOUS"!
As if to be religious is a bad thing!?
It is bad to a dark world. But it is good to a world of light. Therefore, practice your life of eternity now...in God's presence, in His Holy Communion, of eternal adoration, of glorification, of honor, and reverence to what is good and holy. These are things being lost in our world. In a world of the god of the stomaches, we need fasting. In a world of sensual pleasures, we need mortification. In a world of disarray and depression, we need harmony, and true joy from Heaven. We are dying of spiritual malnutrition, and we don't even know it!
You are reading this because you are being called to be an agent of change, an agent of light, of the Gospel of the Lord. | "But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say,
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."
We say these words in the HOLY HOLY HOLY prayer before receiving Him.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
What does this mean? It means it is for the believer, and it means it is for His glorification. The one who brings Christ to you is being blessed, and you are being blessed too for bringing Christ to the world, the light of the world. We are not destined for darkness, no. We are destined for so much more, more than we deserve. But what of all that if it is not for the sole purpose of satisfying God Himself?
.....................
Master, that I may live and die for You forever
...................................... bro adrian |  click to hear | Random Bible Verse 1
WOW Luke 19:10 [Luke 19] 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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