†Saint Quote of the Day
"The devotion to the Eucharist is the most noble, because it has God as its object; it is the most profitable for salvation, because it gives us the Author of Grace; it is the sweetest, because the Lord is Sweetness Itself."
–St. Pius X †Today's Meditation
"The life of faith is nothing less than the continued pursuit of God through all that disguises, disfigures, destroys and, so to say, annihilates Him. It is in very truth a reproduction of the life of Mary who, from the Stable to the Cross, remained unalterably united to that God whom all the world misunderstood, abandoned, and persecuted. In like manner faithful souls endure a constant succession of trials. God hides beneath veils of darkness and illusive appearances which make His will difficult to recognize; but in spite of every obstacle these souls follow Him and love Him even to the death of the Cross."
—Fr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade, p. 25 An Excerpt From
Abandonment to Divine Providence †Daily Verse
"Finally, all of you, be of one mind, sympathetic, loving toward one another, compassionate, humble. Do not return evil for evil, or insult for insult; but, on the contrary, a blessing, because to this you were called, that you might inherit a blessing."
–1 Peter 3:8-9 |  click to read more | | Pope St. Pius X Pope St. Pius X (1835-1914) was born Giuseppe Melchiore, one of ten children from an impoverished family living in Venetia, then under the political control of the Austrian Empire. His parents valued education and ensured that Giuseppe walked nearly four miles to school every day. Drawn to the priesthood, he received a scholarship to enter one of the best seminaries of his day, and was ordained in 1858. After the death of Pope Leo III, who made him cardinal, he was elected Supreme Pontiff in 1903. Saint Pius X was a man of virtue, sanctity, and zeal, and a great defender of the Catholic faith against heresy. He ranks as one of the greatest reforming popes in history. In his eleven-year pontificate he contributed to reforms in papal elections, seminary life, Eucharistic practice, liturgy, biblical studies, the Divine Office, catechesis, the organization of the Roman Curia, and canon law. He was also known as a pastoral pope for encouraging Catholic social action as well as the development of personal holiness, piety, and a daily lifestyle which reflected deep Christian values. He promoted the reading of Sacred Scripture by all the lay faithful, and harshly denounced the evil of Modernism as "the summation of all heresies." He also lowered the age of First Holy Communion to the age of reason. He was particularly devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Confidence. Pope St. Pius X is the patron of pilgrims and first communicants. His feast day is August 21st. | • Readings for the Memorial of Saint Pius X, pope Reading I Jgs 2:11-19 The children of Israel offended the LORD by serving the Baals.
Abandoning the LORD, the God of their fathers,
who led them out of the land of Egypt,
they followed the other gods of the various nations around them,
and by their worship of these gods provoked the LORD.
Because they had thus abandoned him and served Baal and the Ashtaroth,
the anger of the LORD flared up against Israel,
and he delivered them over to plunderers who despoiled them.
He allowed them to fall into the power of their enemies round about
whom they were no longer able to withstand.
Whatever they undertook, the LORD turned into disaster for them,
as in his warning he had sworn he would do,
till they were in great distress.
Even when the LORD raised up judges to deliver them
from the power of their despoilers,
they did not listen to their judges,
but abandoned themselves to the worship of other gods.
They were quick to stray from the way their fathers had taken,
and did not follow their example of obedience
to the commandments of the LORD.
Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, he would be with the judge
and save them from the power of their enemies
as long as the judge lived;
it was thus the LORD took pity on their distressful cries
of affliction under their oppressors.
But when the judge died,
they would relapse and do worse than their ancestors,
following other gods in service and worship,
relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn conduct. Responsorial Psalm 106:34-35, 36-37, 39-40, 43ab and 44 R. (4a) Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They did not exterminate the peoples, as the LORD had commanded them,
But mingled with the nations and learned their works.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They served their idols, which became a snare for them.
They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They became defiled by their works, and wanton in their crimes.
And the LORD grew angry with his people, and abhorred his inheritance.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Many times did he rescue them, but they embittered him with their counsels.
Yet he had regard for their affliction when he heard their cry.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people. Alleluia Mt 5:3 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are the poor in spirit;
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 19:16-22 A young man approached Jesus and said,
"Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?"
He answered him, "Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."
He asked him, "Which ones?"
And Jesus replied, "You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself."
The young man said to him,
"All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?"
Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me."
When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad,
for he had many possessions.
| Daily Meditation: Matthew 19:16-22 You will have treasure in heaven. (Matthew 19:21) Haven't you felt it? That unsettled feeling, that dissatisfaction that asks, "Isn't there something more?" The young man in today's Gospel certainly did. His restlessness, his unsatisfied thirst led him to search for Jesus. Notice that he seems to have done everything right: he possessed earthly riches, but he didn't use it to chase after fame, power, or pleasure. He already knew that human beings needed more than that; they needed to seek God. He kept the commandments and lived an honorable life. Still, it wasn't enough. So he asked, "What do I still lack?" (Matthew 19:20). In reply, Jesus put his finger on the restlessness that we all sense. What do I still lack? It's one of the most important questions we can ask, and it speaks to something deep within us. Each of us has an inborn desire, a longing or thirst that cannot be satisfied with the things of this created world, no matter how good they are. Some theologians even go so far as to say that we are "living thirsts." Everyone is thirsting for more, but not everyone recognizes that this thirst is really a longing for God. St. Augustine expressed it this way: "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you." So our thirst is a gift meant to lead us back to the God who made us. Back to the God who knows that nothing else will ever satisfy us. Back to the God who offers us true treasure in heaven (Matthew 19:21). Jesus wanted the young man to see that he was trying to satisfy himself with his "many possessions" (Matthew 19:22). He was gently showing the man that his wealth was holding him back. His possessions were preventing him from receiving the true treasure of knowing Jesus. Unfortunately, the man went away sad and still restless. Jesus doesn't want to take away all the good things that you love. Instead, he points to the things that hinder you because he knows that they will not satisfy. He knows that if you hold them tightly as your treasure, you can't open wide your arms to receive the treasure that is more real, more lasting, and more satisfying than anything you have ever known: God himself. "Lord, you are my treasure." Judges 2:11-19
Psalm 106:34-40, 43-44 |  click to hear 2cents | audio link
Reflections with Brother Adrian: | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"They were quick to stray from the way their fathers had taken, and did not follow their example of obedience
to the commandments of the LORD......" end of verse. Look at the keyword here, among many important clues our Lord gives us...fathers, obedience, and lastly...commandments.
Obey the Father's commandments. | We pray today:
" They became defiled by their works, and wanton in their crimes. And the LORD grew angry with his people, and abhorred his inheritance. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people......."_ end of Psalm. | In the Gospel today we heard:
""Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?"
He answered him, "Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."...." end of Gospel verse. | From Bishop Barron today:
"Friends, in today's Gospel, a young man comes to Jesus and asks, "Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?" This honest and searching question symbolizes the universal longing of the human being for moral integrity. As such, it is not primarily a question regarding rules, commandments, and prohibitions but a quest for "the full meaning of life."
Jesus' initial response is somewhat enigmatic: "Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good." In fact, it cuts to the heart of the matter. The greatest mistake that the moral searcher can make is to presume that the goal of his quest can be found in any good or truth other than God.
One of the most insistently repeated themes of the Bible is that, since we are made according to God's image, we will not find fulfillment in anything other than God. And this insight is repeated by practically every major figure in our tradition, most famously and poetically by Augustine: "Our hearts are restless till they rest in Thee." end quote from Bishop Barron.
What must we do to inherit eternal life? And life means life! Not damnation! Right? We want eternal life with God, amen? Amen?
Then we must follow the commands of our God.
And most of us could say we've done most of the commandments ok, but remember our Lord takes it up a notch, with no fowl language, or ill will for others, and lust alone by merely looking at someone wrongly can mean cause for damnation. But that's not what the world teaches!
And let's say that young man that approached Jesus was living out these commandments right, he dared to ask "what else must I do, what am I missing?"
It's as if he felt something lacking. A well formed consciousness should make us all feel lacking, because we are lacking, we are sinners! In other words, we should be humble before our Lord.
And so our Lord replies "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me. When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions." So, do you really want to know what you are lacking? LOL. Do you really want the truth of where you stand before the Lord? Do you really want to step it up a notch? All our Lord said was "give it all up...and follow me".
And that there is the problem for most people. We don't want to give up our life! We don't want to spend much on the poor or church. We don't want to spend much time in church activities or work at church ministries. We don't want to spend or give up our possessions, and why? Because we are possessed by our possessions! When people move to America for the "American Dream" of success, they don't know the truth about the dream, of what it really costs...your very soul.
So the majority that come, they come to work to provide for themselves and their families, but, in reality, they become engrossed by work and get in huge debts. And so many people find themselves in what they call "a golden birdcage." The bird that once was free to fly the skies is now caught and trapped and can no longer be free.
Can you see now the false gods of mammon and the baals, of money and human sacrifice?
If we could see how gross these things are, like the depravity of lust and greed and so forth, we would shy away and fly away like a true and free bird of the sky.
And so when I ask men to come to a conversion retreat, they shy away. One told me today's parable frightened him and so he didn't want to sell all he had to follow Jesus. And so he never went to a retreat. And he's doing OK financially, but spiritually suffering a miserable death. He was at that time a prominent business owner, and as time progresses, his health is rapidly deteriorating, and now losing that business and his daughters have no desire to be faithful in the church.
Back to obedience.
Back to the commandments.
The commandments are good and they are good for us.
Love thy Lord with all thy heart, mind, and soul and strength!
Is that so much to ask?
To love Him with all you got? Your whole entire life? ........
Let us pray:
Lord, I lay my life before Thee, accept this small sacrifice of love, as I attempt to make my own life offering daily, as You do upon every altar across the world, every single day! |  Click To Hear | Random Bible Verse 1
Isaiah 30:21 21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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