.: 06/03/22

Friday, June 3, 2022

† ". When You Were Younger . ."

†Saint Quote
"Let every knee bend before Thee, O greatness of my God, so supremely humbled in the Sacred Host. May every heart love Thee, every spirit adore Thee and every will be subject to Thee!"
–St. Margaret Mary

†Today's Meditation
"Oh, how sweet and pleasant to that soul and to Me is holy prayer, made in the house of knowledge of self and of Me, opening the eye of the intellect to the light of faith, and the affections to the abundance of My charity, which was made visible to you, through My visible Only-begotten Son, who showed it to you with His blood! Which blood inebriates the soul and clothes her with the fire of divine charity, giving her the food of the Sacrament . . . that is to say, the food of the Body and Blood of My Son, wholly God and wholly man, administered to you by the hand of My vicar, who holds the key of the Blood."
—St. Catherine of Siena, p. 92

An Excerpt From
Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena

†Daily Verse
"My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways."
–Proverbs 23:26

click to read more

†St. Kevin of Glendalough

St. Kevin of Glendalough (498-618 A.D.) lived in Ireland during the age of the great early Irish saints, many of whom were his contemporaries. He was baptized by St. Cronan, and from age seven was taught by St. Petroc. From age twelve he studied under the Irish monks as a student of St. Eonagh, and eventually became a monk himself. Among his friends were St. Comgall, St. Columba, St. Cannich, and St. Kieran. After his ordination he lived a penitential life as a cave-dwelling hermit for seven years. Word of his holiness spread, and he attracted a group of followers which led him to found the famous monastery at Glendalough. Because of his fame this remote spot became a town and then a city, with offshoots of several other monastic foundations rising up around it. He served as abbot at Glendalough, and once the monastery was well-established he withdrew to live as a hermit again for four years. He was then called back to Glendalough, and continued to serve as abbot there until his death at age 120. St. Kevin has many legends surrounding him involving wild animals obeying his commands, seeking him for refuge, and helping him feed others. St. Kevin is the patron of blackbirds, Glendalough, the Archdiocese of Dublin, and he is one of the patron saints of Ireland. His feast day is June 3rd.

Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs

• Readings for the Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and companions, martyrs

Reading I Acts 25:13b-21

King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea
on a visit to Festus.
Since they spent several days there,
Festus referred Paul's case to the king, saying,
"There is a man here left in custody by Felix.
When I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews
brought charges against him and demanded his condemnation.
I answered them that it was not Roman practice
to hand over an accused person before he has faced his accusers
and had the opportunity to defend himself against their charge.
So when they came together here, I made no delay;
the next day I took my seat on the tribunal
and ordered the man to be brought in.
His accusers stood around him,
but did not charge him with any of the crimes I suspected.
Instead they had some issues with him about their own religion
and about a certain Jesus who had died
but who Paul claimed was alive.
Since I was at a loss how to investigate this controversy,
I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem
and there stand trial on these charges.
And when Paul appealed that he be held in custody
for the Emperor's decision,
I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar."

Responsorial Psalm 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab

R. (19a) The Lord has established his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;

and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord has established his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,

so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,

so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R. The Lord has established his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD has established his throne in heaven,

and his kingdom rules over all.
Bless the LORD, all you his angels,

you mighty in strength, who do his bidding.
R. The Lord has established his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Alleluia Jn 14:26

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Holy Spirit will teach you everything
and remind you of all I told you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Jn 21:15-19

After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them,
he said to Simon Peter,
"Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"
Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs."
He then said to Simon Peter a second time,
"Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
He said to him, "Tend my sheep."
He said to him the third time,
"Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time,
"Do you love me?" and he said to him,
"Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you."
Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.
Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,
you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;
but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,
and someone else will dress you
and lead you where you do not want to go."
He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.
And when he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me."

Daily Meditation: John 21:15-19

Do you love me? (John 21:15, 16, 17)

Why did Jesus ask Peter this question three times? Probably because on the night before Jesus' crucifixion, Peter denied knowing him three times. So each time Jesus asked Peter if he loved him, he was giving Peter a chance to renounce his earlier denials and affirm his devotion to his Lord once again.

Peter seemed hurt by the re-peated questions, but it was never Jesus' intention to shame or berate him. He did it to strengthen Peter's faith in him so that the disciple could undertake the mission that God had given him—to pastor his flock, the Church.

We might feel like Peter in those times when it seems that the Lord is repeatedly asking us the same "question." For example, as we battle a chronic, serious health issue, he might be asking us, "Do you trust me?" If we are worried and anxious about an elderly parent or our finances, he might be asking, "Will you surrender this to me?" Or if we are experiencing the same temptation again and again, he might be saying, "Do you believe that my grace is enough?" Like his exchange with Peter, Jesus doesn't do this to shame or test us. Instead, he is encouraging us to put our faith in him, no matter what our challenges.

When you face such questions from the Lord, how do you respond? Peter was hurt and probably exasperated by Jesus' questioning. You might be tempted to feel the same way. But like Peter, the best thing you can do is to just keep saying yes to Jesus: "Yes, I love you. Yes, I trust in you. Yes, I surrender to you." Believe that through your circumstances, God is at work in you, strengthening your resolve to keep pressing on.

If the Lord is inviting you to respond with faith, it's because he loves you and sees the next step forward in your life with him. Remember, Jesus chose Peter to be the head of the Church; his questioning didn't mean that Peter wasn't qualified to lead or that he lacked faith. Just so, God knows that you have faith in him, and he is pleased with you. Yet he is always ready to deepen the faith you already have.

"Make me ready to receive what you have for me, Lord!"

Acts 25:13-21
Psalm 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-2

From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"Since I was at a loss how to investigate this controversy, I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these charges."

We had a spat between loved ones and I told the younger ones "I wish I could tell you otherwise, but things are never going to change...the only one that can change is you". And then I was rushed off. Are you willing to face what is coming...with the courage of the Lord? St. Paul did. St. Paul, pray for us.

We pray in Psalms:
"Since I was at a loss how to investigate this controversy, I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these charges."
And the other psalm says: "he LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Bless the LORD, all you his angels, you mighty in strength, who do his bidding."
And so a question arises in me: "do angels have free will?". Apparently so, because we hear about fallen angels from the beginning of our time. And what's even more...we are too called to be like angels, made a little less than angels.

In today's Gospel we heard our Lord:
""Do you love me?" and he said to him,
"Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep."

Twice our Lord asked St. Peter our first Pope, to feed His sheep, and once, to tend to them. What does this mean? And He said this after breakfast. We should take a cue from our Lord.
Our Lord had just cooked breakfast, providing everything in the meal, for He was being the servant to the servants. And His message is about to go even deeper into the realms of Love. Let's go there now.

"Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;
but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."

Think of our Lord's dive into the realms of...humility. Somewhere most dare not go...that's where He goes.
The older I grow in Christianity, the more I venture into these lonely waters...of humility. And we are taken into the unknown, where faith is called upon even more. But you should see what I can see over here. Faith is more. Love is true.

When I was young and naive, I was ignorant of faith. I had faith, but not like today, where it is more truly lived and spread.

The world needs to venture into the realms of humility. Christ our Lord proved the greatest light of love, mercy, and humility, obedience to God on the cross which He made holy.

Let us follow Him to these waters...and see what fish we can provide for the world...and our King in Heaven.

Your brother in Christ our Lord and Savior, our Love in Heaven,
adrian