† "..Why Are You .. ." 1

†Saint Quote "Act as if everyday were the last of your life, and each action the last you perform." –St. Alphonsus Liguori †Today's Meditation "An

Web Version   Subscribe   Forward   †Saint Quote "Act as if everyday were the last of your life, and each action the last you perform." –St. Alphonsus Liguori †Today's Meditation "And so, in the redemptive economy of grace, brought about through the action of the Holy Spirit, there is a unique correspondence between the moment of the Incarnation of the Word and the moment of the birth of the Church. The person who links these two moments is Mary: Mary at Nazareth and Mary in the Upper Room at Jerusalem. In both cases her discreet yet essential presence indicates the path of 'birth from the Holy Spirit'. Thus she who is present in the mystery of Christ as Mother becomes—by the will of the Son and the power of the Holy Spirit—present in the mystery of the Church. In the Church too she continues to be a maternal presence, as is shown by the words spoken from the Cross: 'Woman, behold your son!'; 'Behold your mother.'" —Pope St. John Paul II, p. 94 An Excerpt From Mary: God's Yes to Man †Daily Verse "For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite."" –Isaiah 57:15 click to read more St Irenaeus of Lyons St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 125 – 203 A.D.) was born in Asia Minor at a time when the direct memory of the Apostles was still alive. He was well educated in Sacred Scripture, theology, philosophy, and literature. He became an astute disciple of St. Polycarp, who himself was a disciple of St. John the Evangelist, one of the Twelve Apostles who belonged to Jesus' inner circle. St. Irenaeus is therefore an early witness of the authentic teaching of the Apostles preserved and handed down in both the written and oral tradition. St. Irenaeus was ordained a priest and became bishop of Lyons in modern-day France. He was one of the Church's first great theologians and apologists, writing his famous and important work 'Against Heresies' to combat the heresy of Gnosticism which greatly threatened the early Church. He is also an early witness of the primacy of Peter over the other Apostles, and thus the authority of the Roman See over the whole Church. St. Irenaeus is one of the most important early Church Fathers and is a Doctor of the Church. His feast day is June 28. Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr Lectionary: 378 Reading I Am 3:1-8; 4:11-12 Hear this word, O children of Israel, that the LORD pronounces over you, over the whole family that I brought up from the land of Egypt: You alone have I favored, more than all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your crimes. Do two walk together unless they have agreed? Does a lion roar in the forest when it has no prey? Does a young lion cry out from its den unless it has seized something? Is a bird brought to earth by a snare when there is no lure for it? Does a snare spring up from the ground without catching anything? If the trumpet sounds in a city, will the people not be frightened? If evil befalls a city, has not the LORD caused it? Indeed, the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants, the prophets. The lion roars— who will not be afraid! The Lord GOD speaks— who will not prophesy! I brought upon you such upheaval as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah: you were like a brand plucked from the fire; Yet you returned not to me, says the LORD. So now I will deal with you in my own way, O Israel! and since I will deal thus with you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel. Responsorial Psalm 5:4b-6a, 6b-7, 8 R. (9a) Lead me in your justice, Lord. At dawn I bring my plea expectantly before you. For you, O God, delight not in wickedness; no evil man remains with you; the arrogant may not stand in your sight. R. Lead me in your justice, Lord. You hate all evildoers; you destroy all who speak falsehood; The bloodthirsty and the deceitful the LORD abhors. R. Lead me in your justice, Lord. But I, because of your abundant mercy, will enter your house; I will worship at your holy temple in fear of you, O LORD. R. Lead me in your justice, Lord. Alleluia Psalm 130:5 R. Alleluia, alleluia. I trust in the LORD; my soul trusts in his word. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 8:23-27 As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" He said to them, "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?" Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. The men were amazed and said, "What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?" Daily Meditation: Matthew 8:23-27 Why are you terrified? (Matthew 8:26) It is easy to wonder how Jesus could chastise the disciples for having "little faith" (Matthew 8:26). They were, after all, in the middle of a violent storm and in danger of drowning. They did not know the future and could not have known that Jesus would miraculously calm the storm. Were they supposed to sleep too and let the boat just sail itself? The disciples were dealing with a deep-seated fear—one that we all experience when we are in danger or facing death. But Jesus wasn't afraid. Why? Because he knew that whatever happened in the boat that day, his Father was holding him in the palm of his hand. He knew that nothing—no storm, no waves, no danger at all—could separate him from his Father. As St. Paul later wrote so confidently, "Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's" (Romans 14:8). This kind of faith—the same faith that Jesus had—can help prevent us from being terrified even when we feel utterly lost and exposed. And not only when we're in physical danger, but in other frightening situations as well. Jesus knows that, like the disciples in the storm, we all struggle with fear. He also knows that, like the disciples, we need more faith. That faith comes from a trusting relationship with our Father. The more secure we are in the knowledge that we are the sons and daughters of a loving, all-powerful God, the less we have to fear. We can trust that God is with us and cares for us, even if it sometimes seems like he is "sleeping." After Jesus' death and resurrection, the disciples faced many more precarious, life-threatening situations. Yet they still preached the good news with courage and boldness. They grew in their faith and trust of the Father, and so can we. Today, sit with the image of Jesus sleeping in the back of the boat surrounded by terrifying wind and waves. There is the Son, completely secure in the knowledge that his Father loves him and provides for him. This is the trust that Jesus had in his Father. And this is the trust he wants to give you. "Jesus, I will trust in you, even when it seems you are 'sleeping.'" Amos 3:1-8; 4:11-12 Psalm 5:4-8 From today's 1st Holy Scripture: From today's 1st Holy Scripture: " The lion roars—who will not be afraid! The Lord GOD speaks— who will not prophesy!" The Lion Roars. God Speaks. Those who are not afraid will be devoured. It is a warning, when a prophet speaks. And there have been many prophecies lately! We pray in Psalms: "You hate all evildoers; you destroy all who speak falsehood; The bloodthirsty and the deceitful the LORD abhors. Lead me in your justice, Lord." What if it is true that God hates evil? How does that fly in the face of evil lovers that say "you can do whatever you want, God loves you anyway". And that is a hidden mantra behind much of protestants, "once saved always saved" if you don't watch it tight and right. We can't prophecy "do whatever you want" or "believe whatever you like" because the truth is out, and it is what is needed in our world. Jesus. In today's Gospel we heard our Lord: "He said to them, "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?" Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm." How often do you become afraid? How often do things terrify you? If you are not strong in the faith, your boat will get rocked seriously, so serious that it aims to kill you, to swallow you up in darkness, to suffocate you in the waters. My advice here, in the most terrible moments of temptation, pray. Whatever temptation it may be, do not be afraid...to call out to our Lord. He will see you through it. Lord, help us be more united, with each other, and with Thee in Heaven as on earth. click to hear Random bible verse generator: WOW Psalm 86:4–5 4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. https://audio.esv.org/hw/19086004-19086005.mp3 If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com God Bless You! Peace Going4th For questions or comments contact Adrian@going4th.com. For more go to www.Going4th.com ©2022 Going4th | Andrews TX Preferences   Subscribe   Forward   Unsubscribe     Powered by GoDaddy Email Marketing ®