Wednesday, November 2, 2022

† ".For this is the will of my . . "

†Saint Quote

"Persevere in labors that lead to salvation. Always be busy in spiritual actions. In this way, no matter how often the enemy of our souls approaches, no matter how many times he may try to come near us, he'll find our hearts closed and armed against him."
–St Cyprian

†Today's Meditation
"Many are heading straight on for purgatory. They live until their last hour, even though they are seriously ill, even on their deathbed, as if everything is all right. Exclusively directed to the earthly, they don't think at all about calling upon the mercy of God. Although by doing so they would be spared at least a severe purgatory. For God is infinitely merciful for all who call upon Him and trust Him."
—Hungry Souls, p. 120

An Excerpt From
Hungry Souls

†Daily Verse
"I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins."
–Isaiah 43:25

All Souls Day

November 2nd is All Souls Day, sometimes called the Day of the Dead. On this day, and during the month of November, the Church prays in a special way for the souls of the faithful departed, and individuals pray especially for those whom they have known and loved. The Holy Souls in purgatory died in the mercy of God, thus they are called "holy." However, because they still had attachment to sin at the time of their death, they must undergo the spiritual purification of their souls before they are able to fully love God with their whole heart, mind, and soul for all eternity. As they are nevertheless part of the communion of saints, they depend upon us to help ease their suffering and quickly advance them through their purification so that they can join the saints in heaven. Those in purgatory cannot pray for themselves, this is why they are also called "poor." They can no longer merit anything for themselves and rely entirely on living souls to pray and make sacrifices on their behalf.

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Blessed John Bodey

Blessed John Bodey (1549-1583) was born in Wells, England, the son of a wealthy merchant and former mayor. He studied at Oxford and became an Oxford Fellow in 1568 at the age of 19. Later he, along with seven others, was deprived of his fellowship for being a Roman Catholic by the Anglican Bishop of Winchester. Bodey, a married layman and schoolmaster, was arrested in 1580 for continuing to practice the Catholic religion and rejecting England's newly-established heretical Church of England. He was kept in iron shackles for three years, which he called his "school of patience." In 1583 he was tried for treason, both for being a faithful Roman Catholic and for repudiating King Henry VIII's claim of supremacy of the Church in England over against the Holy Father. Bodey wrote that his iron chains were earning him glory in heaven, even kissing the chain halter around his neck. He was executed under Queen Elizabeth on November 2, 1583 by being hanged, drawn, and quartered at Andover. He died with the name of Jesus on his lips. His mother rejoiced that her son persevered to the end and won the crown of martyrdom; she gave a feast in honor of him being numbered among the saints in heaven. John Bodey was beatified in 1929 and is one of the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales. His feast day is November 2nd.

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed

The following are a selection of the readings that may be chosen for this day.

Reading I Wis 3:1-9

The souls of the just are in the hand of God,

and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;

and their passing away was thought an affliction

and their going forth from us, utter destruction.
But they are in peace.
For if before men, indeed, they be punished,

yet is their hope full of immortality;
chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,

because God tried them

and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace, he proved them,

and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.
In the time of their visitation they shall shine,

and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;
they shall judge nations and rule over peoples,

and the Lord shall be their King forever.
Those who trust in him shall understand truth,

and the faithful shall abide with him in love:
because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,

and his care is with his elect.

Responsorial Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;

he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
He guides me in right paths

for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley

I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff

that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
You spread the table before me

in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
Only goodness and kindness follow me

all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.

Reading II Rom 6:3-9

Brothers and sisters:
Are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death,
so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father,
we too might live in newness of life.
For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his,
we shall also be united with him in the resurrection.
We know that our old self was crucified with him,
so that our sinful body might be done away with,
that we might no longer be in slavery to sin.
For a dead person has been absolved from sin.
If, then, we have died with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with him.
We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more;
death no longer has power over him.

Alleluia Mt 25:34

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come, you who are blessed by my Father;
inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 6:37-40

Jesus said to the crowds:
"Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day."

Daily Meditation: Romans 5:5-1

While we were still sinners Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8

What do you think of when you hear the word "sinner"? How about "ungodly" or "enemy of God"? They're not the kind of words we would use to describe our best friends, our spouses, people we admire, or ourselves, for that matter. But that's how Paul describes all of us, fallen humanity (Romans 5:6, 8, 10). He even called himself the "foremost" of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). And yet, he says, Jesus loved us so much that he died for us.

This is a stupendous truth! Jesus values all of us so deeply—sinners that we are—that he was willing to endure the cross for us. There is not a single person whom he considers unworthy of his love and care. He sacrificed himself for each and every one of us. He even prayed, "Father, forgive them" as his executioners drove the nails into his hands and feet (Luke 23:34).

This is the message of All Souls Day. Today we celebrate the truth that no one is so sinful that they are outside of the scope of God's love. Everyone has the chance to experience that love—countless chances, in fact. Anyone who turns to the Lord at any point in their lives can receive it.

While we were still sinners . . . For anyone who has not closed himself off completely from God's love, this promise extends even beyond death. This is the heart of the Church's teaching on Purgatory. The Catechism tells us, "All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; . . . after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven" (1030, emphasis added).

So don't give up on any of your loved ones—or any of your enemies. And for heaven's sake, don't give up on yourself! You may be a sinner, but you are a beloved, cherished sinner for whom Christ died. He is always ready to heal, to forgive, and to cleanse. Always. Even today.

"Lord, may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace."

Wisdom 3:1-9
Psalm 23:1-6

From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
_" They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;

and their passing away was thought an affliction

and their going forth from us, utter destruction.
But they are in peace."_

Today we remember, not the dead, but the living. Right?
This is where our faith is...at the nitty gritty, the crossroads, the pivotal moment of all things, the momentum of truth to which our Lord came from Heaven to show us the way.

We pray today;
"He guides me in right paths for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want."
Does His rod and staff give you comfort? What is the rod? His rule. What is His staff? His shepherding. Again, faith comes in...will you follow? Will you let yourself be led?

In the Gospel today we heard our Master and Teacher:
"And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day."

They say that we cannot out-give God.
They say that His mercy is bottomless. If this is true, can you imagine a forgiven sin, therefore...a forgiven soul?
In a spanish reflection, it recalls the scripture of the Crucifixion where a thief asks Jesus to be remembered when He enters His Kingdom.
And our Lord turns to Him and says "today you will be with Me in paradise". How much mercy is that! And what can we take from this? Leave it all to the last minute of your life to ask God for forgiveness? NO! We should not pre-suppose, for that too is a sin in of itself "ah...God will forgive me anyway". That is a horrible sin.
Today, we recall those who have taken the plunge into eternity.

Pray for them! PRAY! Protestants teach you NOT to pray. But we are of Jewish Descent and they TOO PRAYED for the dead. We are given witnesses of thousands that come to the living asking for prayers from purgatory. PLEASE.

The Book of Heaven talks about constant prayers and offerings and sufferings for mercy.
PRAY. Do not pre-suppose you know who is where in eternity. We are to live by God's mercy.
Today, and always.

.................
Lord, today I pray for all our loved ones who have passed on to Your mercy. Have mercy on them all. This I pray every day at 3pm and in all my prayers in Mass....I PRAY LORD!
...............................................

adrian

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Random Bible Verse 1
Romans 8:31

[Romans 8]
God's Everlasting Love

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be1 against us?

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