†Quote of the Day
"Reading the Holy Scriptures confers two benefits. It trains the mind to understand them; it turns man's attention from the follies of the world and leads him to the love of God."
–St. Isidore of Seville †Today's Meditation
"Man was created for a certain end. This end is to praise, to reverence and to serve the Lord his God and by this means to arrive at eternal salvation. All other beings and objects that surround us on the earth were created for the benefit of man and to be useful to him, as means to his final end; hence his obligation to use, or to abstain from the use of, these creatures, according as they bring him nearer to that end, or tend to separate him from it."
—St. Ignatius of Loyola, p. 18 An Excerpt From
The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius †Daily Verse
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."
–Matthew 7:7-8 |  click to read more | | St. Simeon Stylites the Younger St. Simeon Stylites the Younger (521-596 A.D.) was born in Antioch in ancient Syria (present-day Turkey). Like his namesake and predecessor, Simeon was drawn from a young age to a life of penance and austerity out of his great love for God. His mother was considered a saint. As a young boy he attached himself to a monastery of hermits. Their spiritual director, John, lived night and day at the top of a tall pillar, or "style", within the monastery enclosure. The holy hermits who lived in this manner, separated from the world on top of a pillar, were called "stylites." Simeon the Younger imitated John and lived on a smaller pillar erected near his larger one. Simeon continued to live in this way on three different pillars, each one higher than the next, from boyhood until his death. His final pillar was 12 meters high. During his life he was ordained a deacon and a priest. Disciples gathered around him and would climb a ladder to receive Holy Communion from his hands. He worked many miracles during the course of his life. Hearing of his great sanctity, people came from distant countries for his blessings, cures, prophesies, and spiritual advice. After his death his pillar remained a place of pilgrimage, the ruins of which still exist today. His feast day is May 24. | Acts 20:28-38 At Miletus, Paul spoke to the presbyters of the Church of Ephesus: "Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the Church of God that he acquired with his own Blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock. And from your own group, men will come forward perverting the truth to draw the disciples away after them. So be vigilant and remember that for three years, night and day, I unceasingly admonished each of you with tears. And now I commend you to God and to that gracious word of his that can build you up and give you the inheritance among all who are consecrated. I have never wanted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. You know well that these very hands have served my needs and my companions. In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort we must help the weak, and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" When he had finished speaking he knelt down and prayed with them all. They were all weeping loudly as they threw their arms around Paul and kissed him, for they were deeply distressed that he had said that they would never see his face again. Then they escorted him to the ship. Psalm 68:29-30, 33-36 R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
or R. Alleluia.
Show forth, O God, your power,
the power, O God, with which you took our part;
For your temple in Jerusalem
let the kings bring you gifts. R. You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God,
chant praise to the Lord
who rides on the heights of the ancient heavens.
Behold, his voice resounds, the voice of power:
"Confess the power of God!" R. Over Israel is his majesty;
his power is in the skies.
Awesome in his sanctuary is God, the God of Israel;
he gives power and strength to his people. R. Gospel Acclamation Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in truth. Cf. Jn:17b, 17a
Alleluia, alleluia. John 17:11b-19 Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying: "Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the Evil One. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth." | Daily Meditation: John 17:11-19 Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. (John 17:17) Have you ever set something apart for a specific purpose? For instance, you probably use your fine linens and best dishes for a holiday celebration, not for a quick snack. You wear a tuxedo or a fancy gown for a formal dinner, not to mow the lawn. That's the theme of today's Gospel. Jesus is asking his Father to consecrate us—to set us apart— for a holy purpose. He is praying that we be dedicated in service to the truth. To be consecrated to Jesus and his truth means to be right where he wants us. It means to be ready to do whatever will help him accomplish his purposes. It also means that we can't give unholy thoughts and desires a place in our minds and hearts. Nor can we allow our minds to be filled only with our plans and agendas. We don't want to miss opportunities to share God's love with someone, for example, or to offer to pray with a friend. Jesus knew how difficult it would be for us to remain set apart for him in a world filled with temptation. So he prayed that we would remain faithful to our calling: "Holy Father, keep them in your name" (John 17:11). He prayed that we would live in unity with each other: "That they may be one just as we are" (17:11). He prayed that we be delivered from the devil's deceptions: "That you keep them from the Evil One" (17:15). Even today, he continues to pray for us, always asking his Father to keep transforming us and renewing our minds for his purposes. You will find each of these petitions of our Lord echoed in the prayer that he taught us. When you pray the Our Father, imagine that you and Jesus are praying together that you be set apart with the Father: "Hallowed be thy name." You ask the Father to help you live in unity with others: "As we forgive those who trespass against us." And you can ask him to keep you from the evil one: "Lead us not into temptation." May we be consecrated in the truth! May we all set out the fine china and brush off our best outfits so that we're ready to work for God's holy purposes! "Our Father in heaven, set me apart and use me for your glory." Acts 20:28-38
Psalm 68:29-30, 33-36 | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
" So be vigilant and remember that for three years, night and day, I unceasingly admonished each of you with tears. And now I commend you to God and to that gracious word of his that can build you up and give you the inheritance among all who are consecrated" St. Paul was about to depart...for good, from them, never to be seen again. They cried. They loved each other. The church was united in love. What was uniting them in Love? You probably won't want to hear the truth...but hardships united them. You see, when true love is involved, we are more united in hardships. This is the meaning of living life and faith on the rock. | We pray today:
"Over Israel is his majesty;
his power is in the skies.
Awesome in his sanctuary is God, the God of Israel; he gives power and strength to his people." | In the Gospel today we heard: "Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely." Isn't it amazing that there is power in a word? And so, in that thought, and truth, it is how our Lord and Father in Heaven decided that it would be...that by the Holy Name of Jesus that there would be unification and salvation. | From Bishop Barron today:
"Friends, today's Gospel is the high-priestly prayer of Jesus the night of the Last Supper. Here are the first words of the Lord: "Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one." God is, in his innermost nature, a community of love, and God's purpose vis-à-vis the world is to draw it into his unity. God is a great gathering force.
Jesus continues: "I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the Evil One." Precisely because the world is so opposed to the way of Jesus, it is always tempting for Christians more or less to flee, to seek to live in private enclaves where we can cultivate the life of discipleship.
It is true that, at times, the Church must hunker down in order to preserve its life against a hostile culture. But the ultimate purpose of the Church is never hunkering down or escaping. It is the transformation of the culture. The Church always exists for the world. If God simply took us out of the world, he would be removing the leaven necessary for the rising of the dough."
end quote Bishop Barron.
....... . .
Our Lord continues saying: " I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the Evil One. " says our Lord. And don't we pray "deliver us from evil" in the Lord's prayer?
And why does the world hate those who belong to the Word? Because, of the roots of evil...envy, and pride, and greed and more. It is because we achieve an unworthy inheritance in the Word and the Holy Name of our Lord. If there is so much worth in the name and the Word, then, think about how much more worth comes...from His very Blood and Body...in the Most Holy Eucharist.
God has held nothing back from us.
It is us who are holding back. Let's pray:
Lord, I am not of this world, because You are not of this world, but we are in the world, at the time You have seen fit, and at a place this seed would fall. Let my soul magnify Your word and Your name. Praise to You forever! | Random Bible Verse 1
Psalm 99:9 Exalt the LORD our God,
and worship at his holy mountain; for the LORD our God is holy! | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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