†Quote of the Day
"The goodness of God is the highest object of prayer, and it reaches down to our lowest need. It quickens our soul and gives it life, and makes it grow in grace and virtue."
–St. Julian of Norwich †Today's Meditation
"All creatures that exist are in the hands of God. The action of the creature can only be perceived by the senses, but faith sees in all things the action of the Creator. It believes that in Jesus Christ all things live, and that His divine operation continues to the end of time, embracing the passing moment and the smallest created atom in its hidden life and mysterious action."
—Fr. Jean-Pierre de Caussade, p.21 †Daily Verse
"For God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to bring to light the knowledge of the glory of God on the face of [Jesus] Christ. But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us."
–2 Corinthians 4:6-7 |  click to read more | | Pope St. Evaristus Pope St. Evaristus (1st century) was the fifth Pope of the Holy Roman Catholic Church and was elected to succeed Pope St. Clement I. During this time the Roman empire was ruled by Trajan. Not many details have been recorded about the life of Pope St. Evaristus, however he is known to have ordained deacons to help serve the faithful in Rome. He is thought to have suffered martyrdom and is buried near St. Peter in the Vatican. His feast day is October 26th. | Thursday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Rom 6:19-23 Brothers and sisters:
I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your nature.
For just as you presented the parts of your bodies as slaves to impurity
and to lawlessness for lawlessness,
so now present them as slaves to righteousness for sanctification.
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness.
But what profit did you get then
from the things of which you are now ashamed?
For the end of those things is death.
But now that you have been freed from sin and have become slaves of God,
the benefit that you have leads to sanctification,
and its end is eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Responsorial Psalm Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 R. (Ps 40:5) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. Alleluia Phil 3:8-9 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I consider all things so much rubbish
that I may gain Christ and be found in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 12:49-53 Jesus said to his disciples:
"I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division.
From now on a household of five will be divided,
three against two and two against three;
a father will be divided against his son
and a son against his father,
a mother against her daughter
and a daughter against her mother,
a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."
| Daily Meditation: Romans 6:19-23 The benefit that you have leads to sanctification, and its end is eternal life. (Romans 6:22) When we renew our baptismal promises, we "reject the glamour of evil" and "refuse to be mastered by sin." That language comes from the images St. Paul uses in today's first reading. By rejecting the allure of evil and refusing to let sin be our master, we are agreeing to a kind of transfer of "ownership." Where once sin and death held a claim over us, in Baptism we are instead "claimed" for Christ. We now belong to the Lord! Oh, if only it were that easy! If only we could live completely free from sin from the moment of our Baptism on! Fortunately, Paul is realistic about human nature. He knows that everyone—including himself—struggles with sin. So that's why he talks about "sanctification," or holiness, as a process. Baptism cleanses us from original sin and makes us into a new creation, but we still need to learn to live out that new creation. We still need to learn how to "present" ourselves every day as "slaves to righteousness" (Romans 6:19). But why "slaves"? Isn't slavery a dehumanizing and sinful practice? Yes, it is! At least human slavery is. Slaves are at the mercy of their masters and receive no wages for all their work. But that's not what "slavery" to the Lord looks like. Paul promises that if we submit to our new Master, Jesus, we will receive something far better—"the gift of God," which is nothing less than "eternal life" (Romans 6:23)! That's because our new Master is good and kind and generous. He never asks us to do anything that he isn't willing to help us do. And everything he asks of us is meant to bring us closer to that goal of eternity. So the next time you face a strong temptation, keep the end in mind! Remember that Jesus has claimed you as his own, and you belong to him now. Remember that the wages of sin are a dead end—quite literally—but that you have traded slavery to sin for a new status as a beloved child of God. And be patient with yourself, as God is patient with you. The path of sanctification takes a lifetime, and Jesus promises to be with you all the way. "Jesus, I belong to you!" Psalm 1:1-4, 6
Luke 12:49-53 |  click to hear 2cents | Reflections with Brother Adrian:Audio Link | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your nature. For just as you presented the parts of your bodies as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness for lawlessness, so now present them as slaves to righteousness for sanctification..........."
. . . We are weak by nature, but we are not weak when Christ our Lord is in us and among us and when we ask Him to be with us. The easy thing to do, in weakness, is to give up, to give in, and to leave, or even ask for death, to curl up in a ball of fright, and let yourself be taken away, isn't it?
Weakness is a sign though. It is a sure sign that we need Christ our Lord and Savior, Jesus, God Himself.
We need Him. We've been weak to sin, look at where it has got us? It has led us to a darker world. Schools not allowed to pray, and there is a sexual revolution that has killed marriages and is still on its way to kill life itself...babies, unborn, and purposely avoided at all costs in a pride movement. That's what weakness has done...and the ultimate goal? Deviation and a pulling away from Christ our Lord and His Way, Truth, and Life.
Weakness then, should be a sure sign, that we need Christ, more than anyone or any thing in the world, and this...always. | We pray today:
"Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord ......." | In the Gospel today we heard our Lord:
"I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized,
and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division......." end of Gospel verse. | From Bishop Barron Today:
"Friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus declares his desire to spread eternal life among human beings. He says, "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!"
What is that fire? His forerunner, John, gave us a clue: "I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me . . . He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." Jesus came in order to torch the world with the heat and light of the divine Spirit, which is none other than the love shared by the Father and the Son, the very inner life of God.
Jesus is a prophet because he teaches; he is a king because he leads and shepherds; but he is a priest because he is the spreader of the sacred fire. Every one of the baptized shares in the priesthood of Christ and is therefore obligated to be a conduit of holiness, a bearer of the divine life, a spreader of the fire that sets the world ablaze...." end quote Bishop Barron.
Our Lord sets the world on fire, it is His desire. And this fire is often misconstrued, and has cost the very lives of many faithful followers. GK Chesterton, the "Apostle of Common Sense" as some have called him, said that those who often attack the church for its beliefs don't know that many of those accusations are things we too consider heresy. The Catholic Church is most misunderstood. Like today, the Pope is often misquoted, and often to lead the rebellion against sound Catholic Doctrine. Or like the many that accuse Catholics of worshipping the Virgin Mary, which we consider a heresy, for God is the only one due total worship and adoration, Mother Mary wouldn't have it any other way.
And so, the fire of our Lord becomes a formidable force and is always looking to be extinguished by the dark side.
Fortunately, the fire will never be extinguished. How can a person extinguish the sun? Even if man could do it, you cannot extinguish the galaxy, the universe, any world, because it is not ours for the taking.
The only thing one can do to avoid (not extinguish) the light is turn away, and this is exactly what we do when we sin.
Therefore, because of this struggle, we will always face wars and problems at home, in the community, and among nations, and why? Because people will choose to turn away.
My job is to persuade you to turn to the light. I cannot force you. I've tried! But the Kingdom of God cannot be taken by force.
Your heart cannot be converted or forced to repent, that can only come from you.
All I can say is what our Lord has revealed to me; God Loves Love.
He loves it when you show sincere and even spontaneous love acts. He loves it when you visit Him. He loves His flock gathered loving on Him.
What can we offer to Him? Well, what does He offer you? Especially in a Holy Mass or a Blessed Visit or in Holy Confession? He offers himself...His presence. And that is what we can offer of ourselves too.
And then, His fire will spread into your kindling, your heart that is ready for light. And then the love of God grows and shows. ........
Let us pray:
Lord, help us desire Your true presence, so that we may ever know it, and ever offer ours, to be united in love forever. |  Click To Hear | Random Bible Verse 1
Exodus 20:16
16 "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
