†Saint Quote
"We are placed in our different ranks and stations, not to get what we can out of them for ourselves, but to labor in them for Him. As Christ has worked, we too have but to labor in them for Him. As Christ has His work, we too have ours; as He rejoiced to do his work, we must rejoice in ours also."
–St. John Neumann †Today's Meditation
"For those that devote themselves to mental work, reading can be one of the most habitual forms of laziness. How many people forbid themselves to think, to reflect, to compose—to work hard or to produce something, in whatever field it might be—because they find a journal, a magazine, or sometimes, but more rarely, a book, and they do not resist the temptation to take it and spend their time with it, quite often without much profit. They have the illusion of being occupied. Occupation is the counterpoint to real work. There are many people who are occupied and even busy, but there are few persons who really work, that is, produce. This in turn means to put their soul, or something of their soul, energetically and, if possible, powerfully into the activity which their duty assigns them."
—Raoul Lus, S.J., p. 50-51
-Uncommon Virtue †Daily Verse
"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears turned to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against evildoers."
–1 Peter 3:12 Daily Mass Readings |  click to read more | | St. John Neumann St. John Neumann (1811-1860) was born in Bohemia in what is now the Czech Republic. He entered the seminary, and when the day came for his ordination to the priesthood, his bishop fell ill and couldn't proceed with the ceremony. However, because Bohemia had an over-abundance of priests, John's ordination was never rescheduled. Undeterred in pursuing his priestly vocation, John decided to go to America to seek ordination. He came to the United States in 1836 as a missionary priest to serve America's European immigrant population. He was ordained in New York, joined the Redemptorists, and was later consecrated a bishop. He is famous for knowing twelve languages and for being the first American man and American bishop to be canonized. St. John Neumann left his impact on the United States by building a vast number of churches, schools, hospitals, and orphanages. The number of parochial school students greatly increased in his diocese. St. John Neumann had a strong effect on the religious life of the laity in the United States, especially in his promotion of devotion to the Holy Eucharist. His feast day is January 5th. | Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop Reading 1 1 Jn 3:11-21 Beloved:
This is the message you have heard from the beginning:
we should love one another,
unlike Cain who belonged to the Evil One
and slaughtered his brother.
Why did he slaughter him?
Because his own works were evil,
and those of his brother righteous.
Do not be amazed, then, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.
We know that we have passed from death to life
because we love our brothers.
Whoever does not love remains in death.
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer,
and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.
The way we came to know love
was that he laid down his life for us;
so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
If someone who has worldly means
sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion,
how can the love of God remain in him?
Children, let us love not in word or speech
but in deed and truth. Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth
and reassure our hearts before him
in whatever our hearts condemn,
for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence in God. Responsorial Psalm PS 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5 R. (2a) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise;
Give thanks to him; bless his name.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
The LORD is good:
the LORD, whose kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A holy day has dawned upon us.
Come, you nations, and adore the Lord.
Today a great light has come upon the earth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 1:43-51 Jesus decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip.
And Jesus said to him, "Follow me."
Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter.
Philip found Nathanael and told him,
"We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law,
and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth."
But Nathanael said to him,
"Can anything good come from Nazareth?"
Philip said to him, "Come and see."
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,
"Here is a true child of Israel.
There is no duplicity in him."
Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?"
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."
Nathanael answered him,
"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel."
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?
You will see greater things than this."
And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will see the sky opened and the angels of God
ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
| Daily Meditation: John 1:43-51 Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree. (John 1:48) We don't know why Nathanael was sitting under a fig tree. But we do know that Jesus saw him there. He saw Nathanael's searching heart and his openness to God. And realizing that he was seen by Jesus touched Nathanael deeply. Those three words, "I saw you" (John 1:48), told Nathanael that he was not only seen by God; he was known by God. He was loved. The Hebrew name for God sees is El Roi. In the Scriptures, it was Hagar, Sarah's maidservant, who first used this name for the Lord. When God spoke to her in the wilderness and promised to provide for her and her son, Ishmael, Hagar confessed, "You are God who sees me" (Genesis 16:13). It was El Roi who saw the Israelites in slavery and was moved to deliver them (Exodus 2:25). These stories show us that God sees what no one else sees. And when he sees, his heart is filled with compassion, and he responds with love. Do you believe that the Lord sees you? That he knows you and your needs? And that knowing you, he is stirred with love and mercy toward you? Before you were even born, he saw you (Psalm 139:13-16). Even today, he sees your heart and knows each challenge you face. If you feel isolated, or even when you try to hide from God, he still sees you and loves you. He still tells you that you are not alone and that he is ready to help you and call you to himself. In those times when you're questioning your faith, he sees the questions, he understands your doubts, and he guides you to answers. Nothing escapes his watchful eyes. Even if you feel as if nobody else sees you, your heavenly Father sees you. He never takes his eyes off you. When your heart is troubled or rejoicing, and even during the ordinary, everyday moments of life, his eyes are on you and his love follows you. Yes, he is more aware of your sins and failings than you yourself are, and yet he continues to watch over you and invites you to come to him. Let that knowledge inspire you, like Nathanael, to love the Lord and to follow him in return. "Lord Jesus, thank you for being the God who sees me. Thank you for your loving mercy!" 1 John 3:11-21
Psalm 100:1-5 | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"Why did he slaughter him? Because his own works were evil, and those of his brother righteous." The first words of today's Holy Scripture were: "This is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another...".
You will get further in the spiritual life, if you dive further into what God wants...and I've said it before, especially because of a vision I had, and I hate bringing them up because, it is double edged sword, but I'm being led to speak. You may recall the time I was recording hundreds of songs for the Lord, hundreds of hours in the studio at home, and once, and only once was I caught up suddenly in a vision, and it was Mother Mary, I just knew it was her, that swept me under her veil into the celestial place, where I cannot tell you the size of the place, I say place because I can only equate it to a temple but a palace, but more than that, tremendous, fitting millions if not billions in it. Amazing cannot describe it, mind-boggling is more like it. Anyhow, I saw souls from Heaven and earth bringing to God at the center their offerings, however it may be that they are brought, maybe the angels were delivering, I don't know, anyhow, what I also knew, like the awesome Mother we have, that what was being brought was love offerings, and I mean literally, the love acts and offerings, they were all being deposited into a great light at the center. And that is all I can say about that because then I was rapidly back in our world. And so, my testimony is that of love, no matter who or what, but to love like a true mother and a true Father from Heaven, for He desires to act within us today, and now, in each of us. I feel like when I see someone, strangers, or even my own children, I feel a love of a father inside of me, for they need that, I feel like God is seeing and feeling through me for others. And we are to be the true body of our Lord and our Father. | We pray today;
"Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise;
Give thanks to him; bless his name.
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
The LORD is good: the LORD, whose kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations." | In the Gospel today we heard:
_"Jesus answered and said to him,
"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree." _ Nathanael was the only one that knew this was God seeing Him.
God sees everything. How? What's that word again? Omniscient? Omnipotent? No my dear, the word I said was "mind boggling". There is no way to comprehend Him, and it is better for Him to remain a mystery forever. When there is mystery, there is fear, and where there is fear, there is reverence, and where there is reverence, there is honor, and where there is honor, there comes the works...the works our Lord desires, His Holy will to be done. | And His Holy will is made evident:
""Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him."
Wouldn't you like to hear those words my child? That God sees you are not living a double life, with one foot in one door and one foot in another?
And it is possible, all it takes is a will. A will to do His will! Let's not make it too awful hard. Let's just do it the simple way folks, and how? Obedience. Oh my Lord, how He wants obedience....that will take us further than our minds will allow.
Atheists want control. That's why they refuse to believe. And faith asks for God to be in control. There's where obedience can make things smoother.
my child, there's been some beautiful things revealed to you here. Let's do what He is asking...not like robots, but like real caring people in their own unique way by being a uniquely created person that you are...His special love, to love like nobody else can! Isn't that amazing? .......................†........................
Lord, You are amazing, I only wish to amaze you, may my will be what You will....forever.
.................................................. adrian |  click to hear | Matthew 6:1
Giving to the Needy 6
"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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