†Quote of the Day
"Be gentle to all, and stern with yourself."
–St. Teresa of Avila - Teresa of Jesus †Today's Meditation
"Keeping quiet by mastering one's lips and tongue is a difficult, blazing, and arid work. But we must delve ever deeper into the interior realities that can shape the world usefully. Man must stand silently before God and tell him: God, since you gave me knowledge and the desire for perfection, lead me continually toward the absolute of love. Make me love more and more, because you are the wise artisan who leaves no work unfinished, as long as the clay of the creature does not oppose you with obstacles and refusals. I surrender wordlessly to you, O Lord. I want to be docile and malleable like clay in your hands, for you are a skillful, benevolent potter."
–Robert Cardinal Sarah, p.42 An Excerpt From
The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise †Daily Verse
"Who has commanded and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and evil come? Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins? Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord! Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven."
–Lamentations 3:37-41 |  click to read more | | Sts. Gervase and Protase Sts. Gervase and Protase (2nd century) were twin brothers born in the Roman Empire to Christian parents. Their parents were killed for their Christian faith, and the brothers likewise suffered martyrdom. They were imprisoned, scourged, and beheaded in Milan, Italy under the brutal persecutions of the Roman Emperor. In the year 386 A.D. the location of their relics was revealed in a dream to St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, just as he completed the building of the magnificent Milan basilica. He had the sacred relics moved to the new basilica, today called the Basilica of St. Ambrose, for veneration by the faithful. The relics established that the brothers were indeed beheaded as tradition had handed down. Many miracles occurred at their finding, confirmed by St. Ambrose and his disciple St. Augustine. Sts. Gervase and Protase are the patron saints of Milan. Their feast day is June 19. | Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 366
Reading 1 2 Cor 8:1-9 We want you to know, brothers and sisters, of the grace of God
that has been given to the churches of Macedonia,
for in a severe test of affliction,
the abundance of their joy and their profound poverty
overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
For according to their means, I can testify,
and beyond their means, spontaneously,
they begged us insistently for the favor of taking part
in the service to the holy ones,
and this, not as we expected,
but they gave themselves first to the Lord
and to us through the will of God,
so that we urged Titus that, as he had already begun,
he should also complete for you this gracious act also.
Now as you excel in every respect,
in faith, discourse, knowledge, all earnestness,
and in the love we have for you,
may you excel in this gracious act also. I say this not by way of command,
but to test the genuineness of your love
by your concern for others.
For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that for your sake he became poor although he was rich,
so that by his poverty you might become rich. Responsorial Psalm Ps 146:2, 5-6ab, 6c- 7, 8-9a R.(1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD, my soul!
I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God while I live.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD, his God,
Who made heaven and earth,
the sea and all that is in them.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Who keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia Jn 13:34 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I give you a new commandment:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 5:43-48 Jesus said to his disciples:
"You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." | Daily Meditation: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9 Jesus Christ . . . became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9) In 2010, an Austrian millionaire announced that he was selling all of his properties and businesses. At age forty-seven, he had become convinced that he needed to stop what he was doing and begin living in a different way. So he set up an organization to help people in developing countries. Then he transferred the bulk of his money to that organization. A rich man, he made himself poor in order to enrich the lives of the needy. That's a good way to understand today's first reading. Paul tells us that Jesus emptied himself for us so that we could be filled with his spiritual riches. Imagine: Jesus was seated with the Father and the Holy Spirit in heaven. He felt no need or shortage at all, only perfect love, majesty, and holiness. At his word, glorious things came to be. He was surrounded by angels who worshipped him day and night. It's hard to imagine any greater richness! And yet as rich as he was, Jesus gave it all up when he became a man. He was born in a stable to a poor carpenter and his wife. He spent his childhood in simplicity, learning his father's trade. Then he left home and began traveling the countryside preaching the gospel and healing those who were broken and sick. He spent sleepless nights in prayer and endless days in ministry. In the end, he died a shameful death, abandoned even by his followers. Why did Jesus go through all of that? Simply to make you rich. He set aside his glory so that he could give you unlimited forgiveness, access to heaven, and the ability to know God personally. Now, because of the riches of his grace, you can walk with him and love other people as fully as he did. Why live like a pauper when Jesus has made you wealthy? Don't be afraid to ask him for more—more mercy, more forgiveness, more wisdom, more joy. Jesus doesn't want to see you living as if you're bankrupt. Because you're not. He gave up everything—for you! "Jesus, thank you for your immense generosity. Help me accept all the riches you have offered me." Psalm 146:2, 5-9
Matthew 5:43-48 | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"I say this not by way of command, but to test the genuineness of your love by your concern for others. For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich." end of verse. My brothers and sisters, it would be safe to say, that love is tested. Love is always tested. And when it comes to the Love of God and neighbor, it is tested by fire. Then, genuine love is revealed, and molded, and formed. | We pray today:
" The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
Praise the Lord, my soul!" end of psalm. | In the Gospel today we heard:
"For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?" end of verse. | From Bishop Barron today:
"Friends, today, in the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord commands us to love our enemies.
What is the test of love? Jesus couldn't be clearer in the discourse he delivers the night before he died. "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." If love is willing the good of the other as other, this has to be the fullest expression, the final word, of love.
There is another way to test love: the love of enemies, those who cannot or will not pay you back. This also takes place in the cross of Jesus. Jews, Romans, Pharisees, Sadducees, his own disciples—everyone betrays him, runs from him, denies him, actively arranges for his death. And yet these are the very people that he loves, the very people for whom he gives his life.
The final test is what Jesus does when he returns from the dead. To the very people that contributed to his demise he says, "Shalom." This is how we are loved; this is how we must love. Everything else is commentary."_ end of quote.
Through the pandemic and still lately, I have helped at so many funerals, about to do another today and another tomorrow.
It makes me really realize the brevity and the fragility of life on earth. Everything is temporary. But something is eternal. What is eternal is God's business. And God is love. Love is eternal through the Father's will. He makes all things connected with this precious commodity in Heaven. They say the Holy Spirit is love. And so I say, let love live. Not just with those you are comfy with, but with all who make life hard on you too. Love changes things. Love changes people. Love saves people. Love chooses life. Love of neighbor shows God we love Him, because He lives in them too! Let's pray:
Let Your Holy Spirit shine in every one of us, both now and forever! |  Hear it click | Random Bible Verse 1
Hebrews 2:18 [Hebrews 2] 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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