†Saint Quote
""Happiness can only be achieved by looking inward and learning to enjoy whatever life has, and this requires transforming greed into gratitude."
–St. John Chrysostom †Today's Meditation
"I would, then, that I could convince spiritual persons that this road to God consists not in a multiplicity of meditations nor in ways or methods of such, nor in consolations, although these things may in their own way be necessary to beginners; but that it consists only in the one thing that is needful, which is the ability to deny oneself truly, according to that which is without and to that which is within, giving oneself up to suffering for Christ's sake . . . For progress comes not save through the imitation of Christ, Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and no man comes to the Father but by Him."
—St. John of the Cross, p. 91 An Excerpt From
Ascent of Mt Carmel †Daily Verse
"Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me. I cried aloud to him, and he was extolled with my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has given heed to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!"
–Psalm 66:16-20 |  click to read more | | St. John of God St. John of God (1495-1550) was born in Portugal to poor and devout Christian parents. How he came to be separated from them and homeless at the age of 8 is uncertain, but he eventually found work as a shepherd until the age of 22. At that time he enlisted as a soldier in the Roman Emperor's army to escape an offer of marriage to the shepherd's daughter. There he led a wild and dissolute life; fond memories of his parents is all that kept the spark of faith alive in his heart. At the age of 40 he left the army and reformed himself, beginning with a penitential pilgrimage to St. James of Compostella (The Way of St. James) in Spain. Appalled at his sinful and wasted life, he was determined to spend his remaining days in good works. He was affirmed in this direction by a vision of the Infant Jesus and a sermon of St. John of Avila, who was to become his spiritual director. He later dedicated his life in service to the poor, homeless, and sick, especially the mentally ill, by starting a hospital and homeless shelter. Many people were attracted to him and his work, and he organized his followers into the Order of Hospitallers. They were approved by the Holy See as the Brothers Hospitallers of St. John of God, which still exists to this day. St. John of God is the patron saint of many causes, especially of hospitals, hospital workers, nurses, the sick, and the dying. His feast day is March 8.
Find a Devotional for This Saint | Tuesday of the First Week of Lent Lectionary: 225
Reading I Is 55:10-11 Thus says the LORD:
Just as from the heaven the rain and snow come down
And do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats,
So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it. Responsorial Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19 R. (18b) From all their distress God rescues the just.
Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
The LORD has eyes for the just, and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just. Verse before the Gospel Mt 4:4b One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. Gospel Mt 6:7-15 Jesus said to his disciples:
"In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. "This is how you are to pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. "If you forgive men their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions." | Daily Meditation: Matthew 6:7-15 This is how you are to pray. (Matthew 6:9) By teaching us the Lord's Prayer, Jesus is offering us more than the right words to say. He is giving us the keys to a more intimate, fruitful, and fulfilling relationship with his heavenly Father. Today, let's focus on several phrases in this prayer to see how they can help us deepen our friendship with him. Our Father (Matthew 6:9). You have the same heavenly Father as Jesus, and as his adopted son or daughter, you belong to him. In fact, you can be just as secure in his love for you as Jesus was—and as any child is who has a good and loving parent. Thy will be done (Matthew 6:10). Your Father wants you to pray for his will to be done because it's what will bless you in the most perfect way. He sees a much bigger picture than you do. This requires you to trust that his way is better than yours and to obey him, even when you'd rather go your own way. Give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11). God wants you to depend on him to provide for all your needs. He is the source of everything you have—every breath you take, every bite of food you eat, and every other blessing you enjoy. Beyond just material blessings, he wants you to ask him for the grace, strength, and love you need to follow him each day. Forgive us our trespasses (Matthew 6:12). Your Father sent his Son to earth to open the way to heaven. He wants everyone to be saved. All he asks of you is to repent of your sins and try your best to follow him. He knows how hard this can be, so he promises that every time you say the Lord's Prayer, you have the opportunity to be reconciled with him. Love, trust, obedience, dependence, and repentance. Today, as you pray the Our Father, consider how it contains within itself the ingredients for the kind of relationship that God desires with each one of us, his beloved sons and daughters. Thank him for the ways you've experienced his fatherly care in your life—and then keep the conversation going! "Jesus, thank you for teaching me how to pray 'to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God'" (John 20:17). Isaiah 55:10-11
Psalm 34:4-7, 16-19 | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; It shall not return to me void, but shall do my will" One of the scariest messages I received from our Lord during my dad's suffering and even passing was to have heard throughout our Lord saying basically "You don't tell ME what to do, I tell YOU what to do". But I still prayed, implored, wept and pleaded for my will. Can God be moved? There have been a few times when He has been moved to pity, and mercy, and we are talking about our Father in Heaven, creator of the known and unknown universes. Today, He reminds us that His word, it will not be voided out, but Do HiS Will. And our Lord was born. His Son. God Himself. And He did our Father's will. And Our Lord Jesus says we must now do the will of the Father and follow Jesus, for salvation, that we may become co-redemptorists in His salvific plan. That is, we shall be one with Him in our mission of saving souls, and all the way being light in a dark world. | We pray in Psalms:
" From all their distress God rescues the just. Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name. I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears." I was watching the near death experience of an Australian man. During his experience, I was astounded by a point he made, about fear. When he saw angels, and then our Lord during the experience (he wasn't in heaven), he said at one point he began to experience great fear, for his children, one in a wheelchair, like he feared for them greatly, to which he said the angels quickly began working on him as if to be telling him "we don't do that here" and they tried so much to calm him, and stop doing that. It impacted me greatly, and I'm reminded me of the scripture that says "There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love." 1Jn 4:18. Since then, a few days ago, I've been realizing how much fear has been inside of me, with my dad's ordeal, and even now that he's not here physically, how empty are my prayers and life when they involve fear. The man said "really it's like that quote that says there is nothing to fear but fear itself". Be afraid to be afraid. Fear involves doubt. And boy have I been bombarded with temptations...to doubt. What are you afraid of? | Our Lord speaks:
"Jesus said to his disciples: "In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them." Here is where protestants criticize Catholics, saying we babble on in the rosary with repetitive prayers. We know it is not about the words in the rosary, but about the meditations of the life of Christ we go into. And if you listen to how they pray, they always repeat themselves too! So who is right? Let's turn to the source, our Lord Himself. Firstly, God knows. Our Lord says in the very next verse: "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
Before you even open your lips, He knows what's about to come out. How? He knows everything, and your heart.
And so He teaches HOW we are to pray, not all WHAT we are to pray.
The Lord's prayer ensues, and our Lord summarizes all the 13 daily Jewish prayers into one prayer. He joins everything. He joins everyone. He opens the doors to nonbelievers. He opens His arms and His side to those that will come to Him. Realize the Lord's prayer. He wants us to make the prayer our living day reality. The whole prayer is a creed. A statement of all we are to live and believe. | 1. Our Father- We have a true Father, creator of us all.
2. who art in heaven- He's home
3. Hallowed be thy name- Holy is He, calling us to be holy
4. thy Kingdom come- He shall be King of ALL
5. thy will be done- We shall Do HIS will
6. on earth as it is in heaven- Here, now, and forever
7. Give us this day our daily bread- Mana, Jesus, Eucharist
8. and forgive us our trespasses- Have mercy on Us Lord
9. as we forgive those who trespass against us- let us give mercy to all.
10. and lead us not into temptation- help us stay away from temptation, (in spanish says 'do not let us fall into temptation!)
11. but deliver us from evil- may we be freed from the snares of darkness, may our Lord be Our Savior forever.
| 1. | Our Father- We have a true Father, creator of us all. | | 2. | who art in heaven- He's home | | 3. | Hallowed be thy name- Holy is He, calling us to be holy | | 4. | thy Kingdom come- He shall be King of ALL | | 5. | thy will be done- We shall Do HIS will | | 6. | on earth as it is in heaven- Here, now, and forever | | 7. | Give us this day our daily bread- Mana, Jesus, Eucharist | | 8. | and forgive us our trespasses- Have mercy on Us Lord | | 9. | as we forgive those who trespass against us- let us give mercy to all. | | 10. | and lead us not into temptation- help us stay away from temptation, (in spanish says 'do not let us fall into temptation!) | | 11. | but deliver us from evil- may we be freed from the snares of darkness, may our Lord be Our Savior forever. | May we Love Our Father with all we've Got.
AMEN | from your brother in Christ,
Adrian |  click to hear | Random bible verse generator: WOW Mark 12:30–31
30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
