†Saint Quote
"Advent's intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within us, namely, the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope."
–Pope Benedict XVI †Today's Meditation
"When our Lord bade us "to pray always" He did not mean to ask us to be constantly in the act of prayer but only to live in the state of prayer. Let us note the difference: to be constantly in the act of prayer would be to fill our life's course with religious exercises alone!…Even in the most contemplative lives, this is never done. There is always a place for certain activities that are more or less secular: meals, recreations, sleep, and the like. Living in a state of prayer does not aim at an impossible existence. The part of our lives devoted to religious exercises will mean that in all things, although it might be a question of a secular action, we will have no other purpose than to give glory to God…always to have an intention directed as much as possible toward God."
—Raoul Lus, S.J., p. 32-33 An Excerpt From
Uncommon Virtue †Daily Verse
"Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! Thou hast said, "Seek ye my face." My heart says to thee, "Thy face, Lord, do I seek." Hide not thy face from me. Turn not thy servant away in anger, thou who hast been my help. Cast me not off, forsake me not, O God of my salvation!"
–Psalm 27:7-9 |  click to read more | | †St. Edmund Campion St. Edmund Campion (1540–1581) was born in London, England, the son of a bookseller. He was a promising student and went on to become an esteemed and celebrated Oxford scholar, winning the high regard of Queen Elizabeth who admired his wit and pleasant disposition. Although raised Catholic, he was ordained an Anglican deacon. Unsettled by his move away from the Church, he repented and returned to the Catholic faith. While in disguise to protect his safety following his reversion, he witnessed the martyrdom of a fellow scholar and recognized his vocation. He went to Rome and became a Jesuit priest, and while assigned to minister in Moravia he received a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary who foretold his martyrdom. He later returned to England as an undercover priest during the severe persecution of Catholics upon the Pope's excommunication of Queen Elizabeth. His mission was to strengthen Catholics wavering under government pressure and win converts among the Protestants. St. Edmund was eventually hunted down, imprisoned in the Tower of London, and tortured. After being found guilty of treason, he said, "In condemning us, you condemn all your own ancestors, all our ancient bishops and kings, all that was once the glory of England — the island of saints, and the most devoted child of the See of Peter." After spending his last days in prayer, he was dragged with two fellow priests to be hanged, drawn, and quartered on December 1st, 1581 at 41 years of age. His feast day is December 1st. | Thursday of the First Week of Advent Reading I Is 26:1-6 On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah: "A strong city have we; he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us. Open up the gates to let in a nation that is just, one that keeps faith. A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace; in peace, for its trust in you." Trust in the LORD forever! For the LORD is an eternal Rock. He humbles those in high places, and the lofty city he brings down; He tumbles it to the ground, levels it with the dust. It is trampled underfoot by the needy, by the footsteps of the poor. Responsorial Psalm 118:1 and 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a R. (26a) Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Open to me the gates of justice; I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.
This gate is the LORD's; the just shall enter it.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me and have been my savior.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, grant salvation! O LORD, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD; we bless you from the house of the LORD. The LORD is God, and he has given us light.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia Is 55:6 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call him while he is near.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 7:21, 24-27 Jesus said to his disciples:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,'
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
"Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined."
| Daily Meditation: Matthew 7:21, 24-27 Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the Kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 7:21) We all know that talk is cheap. If our actions don't back up our words, our words don't mean much. So when we say, "Jesus is Lord," we have to back it up by the way we live. Yet we all struggle with living out this truth every moment of every day. So what hope do we have of entering Jesus' kingdom if our words are not enough? We can place our hope in Jesus! He has given us the gifts we need to build our spiritual house on a solid foundation. These are the gifts that enable us to live out the words we say every time we call Jesus our Lord and Savior. First and foremost, he has given us the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, which cleanse us of original sin and empower us through the Holy Spirit. Second, he has given us the Scriptures and the teachings of the Church, which are the "blueprints" for our spiritual house. We also have the gift of the Eucharist, Jesus' own Body and Blood, to fill us with his life and strengthen our hearts for the calling God has for us. With all these gifts, you would think that building our house on the solid rock of Jesus' word would be easy. But we know that's not always true. Temptation is never far away, and we sometimes give in. When this happens, our spiritual house can become weakened or fall into disrepair. If it happens too often, we risk seeing our house collapse altogether. What a good thing, then, that Jesus has also given us the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which can help repair our spiritual foundation. Confession can be a wonderfully freeing experience! As you lay your sins at the foot of the cross, you can find yourself refreshed and renewed. As you listen to the words of forgiveness and consolation from the priest, you can find the strength and encouragement to get back to building your life on the most reliable and trustworthy foundation ever: Jesus himself. So try to get to Confession before Christmas, and see what God does in your heart as a result. "Jesus, give me the courage to make a good confession this Advent." Isaiah 26:1-6
Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27 | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace; in peace, for its trust in you." Trust in the LORD forever!" Have you ever had a gut feeling, that, God actually knows what He is doing? And in that, for that reason...u can actually trust HIM?
What if you could trust God? How different would your life be? How different would the nation be? What if we actually trusted Him? How can you show you trust Him though? Just no worry about stuff? Well, yes and no. To show trust would also mean to believe Him and in Him. .. to do what He asks us to do. And we go deep into sincerity...and purity. | We pray today;
"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." So who's world is this anyway? Right? Is this really my world? Nope. It is your life maybe to give as you please! So, is this worry about work and family a big deal? What about church and what God asks? What if all my problems are because I don't have my priorities straight? Most of the world's anxieties and depressions would disappear, if we would only truly hear...the Lord's call. | In the Gospel today we heard our Master and Teacher:
""Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven." If there is one scripture that scares me more than anything is this very verse. Because I am a person that calls out all the time "Lord! LORD!". I'm calling Him and as I call out to Him LORD, the question is "who are you calling Lord of your life? Is He truly your Lord? What is Lord? A Master, right? This means you are the slave, right? My Lord. How we lose the sense of words. How we fail to recognize who is King and who owns this world. Jesus is King and owner my friend, for God the Father has said it. The reason we don't want the king? Because we don't like being told what to do, and how to do it, and when to do it, and who to do it for.
My eyes always fail to see what God sees.
My ears have failed to hear what God wants me to hear.
My heart has failed to give as God has asked me to give.
Will there be a pro-life nation left on earth? Jesus calls Himself "THE LIFE".
Too many nations call themselves good and the best and even "Christian". But the world has two faces. Many see it repugnant to be religious, and in doing so, are intolerant.
Has the pandemic not brought about a greater desire to come closer to God?
Why has it driven many further away?
Why doesn't pestilence and stench scare us into a realization of how precious life is?
Why doesn't Jesus on the cross draw us closer to God? Does this message scare us? As if to say "If you follow God, this is what happens". And we are afraid to suffer, and afraid to die. But that is a twisted message from darkness.
What we need to see is the cause of His death.
What caused it? Our horrible sins we can't let go of?
What if I propose to you something else; that He chose to show the world He loves us to eternal life. What does this mean?
Just that. That by dying, and opening His arms on the cross, He would now open the impossible for us all...gates of Heaven.
Was there no heaven before?
LOL. Heaven has always existed.
What had not existed before Jesus died...was the chance, the hope, the very salvation we would need.
Do you understand how precious this gift is?
And we call it thankfulness in Holy Mass...Eucharist. Both love and atonement, wrapped in one common union, Holy Communion.
If the world needs to be more pro-life, then it must start within you.
Pro-Life is Pro-God, and pro-God is Pro-LOVE. | ........................................
Lord, LORD! I desire mercy. May I always act on Your Word, and do Your Holy Will, give me the strength to say yes in every small act of my life, for Your greater Glory.
............................................... adrian |  click to hear | Random Bible Verse 1
James 4:7 [James 4] 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment