†Quote of the Day
"Don't spend your energies on things that generate worry, anxiety and anguish. Only one thing is necessary: Lift up your spirit, and love God."
–Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina †Today's Meditation
"I think the main reason we keep returning [to Confession] with the same list [of sins] is that we don't understand what Christ wants to do in the confessional. We go simply wanting our sins forgiven, not realizing that He wants to do much more. He wants to heal us of the attitudes, disordered desires, problems, and wounds that are causing us to keep committing those sins…Since the purpose of every sacrament is to give grace, and the purpose of grace is to heal and sanctify, then the ultimate goal of each sacrament is to heal us and make us holy so that we can become like God."
– Vinny Flynn p.26-27 An Excerpt From
7 Secrets of Confession †Daily Verse
"In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised holy Spirit, which is the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption as God's possession, to the praise of his glory."
–Ephesians 1:13-14 |  click to read more | | St. Alphonsus Rodriguez St. Alphonsus Rodriguez (1532–1617) was born in Segovia, Spain, the son of a wool merchant. He was prepared for his First Holy Communion by St. Peter Faber, one of the first Jesuits. When his father died, Alphonsus had to leave school at the age of 14 to take over the family business, which eventually failed. He married and had three children, and was left a widower at the age of 31 when his wife died in childbirth. In subsequent years he also lost his mother and all three of his children. Alphonsus developed a life of prayer, intense piety, and rigorous penances, with a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother under her title of the Immaculate Conception. His desire for the religious life increased and he attempted to join the Jesuits as a late vocation, but his lack of education made him a poor candidate. To amend his deficiency he went back to school, while begging alms to support himself and enduring ridicule from his much younger classmates. After a long delay he was finally admitted to the Jesuits when he was nearly 40 years old, but only as a lay brother. He was given the humble job of a porter (doorkeeper), a job which he served with dedication for 46 years. Many people within the religious community, as well as many visitors, recognized his holiness and sought his advice and spiritual council. St. Peter Claver was one of his disciples, and St. Alphonsus is credited for directing him in his mission to African slaves. St. Alphonsus was known for his rigorous obedience and discipline, and for suffering from scrupulosity, temptations, and attacks from the devil. He took his final vows with the Jesuits at the age of 54. He continued to serve and even preach sermons into his 80's. He is credited with popularizing the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, copies of which he stockpiled and distributed. His feast day is October 30th. | Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 479
Reading 1 Rom 8:12-17 Brothers and sisters,
we are not debtors to the flesh,
to live according to the flesh.
For if you live according to the flesh, you will die,
but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,
you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you received a spirit of adoption,
through which we cry, "Abba, Father!"
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
if only we suffer with him
so that we may also be glorified with him. Responsorial Psalm Ps 68:2 and 4, 6-7ab, 20-21 R. (21a) Our God is the God of salvation.
God arises; his enemies are scattered,
and those who hate him flee before him.
But the just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
R. Our God is the God of salvation.
The father of orphans and the defender of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.
R. Our God is the God of salvation.
Blessed day by day be the Lord,
who bears our burdens; God, who is our salvation.
God is a saving God for us;
the LORD, my Lord, controls the passageways of death.
R. Our God is the God of salvation. Alleluia Jn 17:17b, 17a R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 13:10-17 Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.
And a woman was there who for eighteen years
had been crippled by a spirit;
she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.
When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said,
"Woman, you are set free of your infirmity."
He laid his hands on her,
and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.
But the leader of the synagogue,
indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath,
said to the crowd in reply,
"There are six days when work should be done.
Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day."
The Lord said to him in reply, "Hypocrites!
Does not each one of you on the sabbath
untie his ox or his ass from the manger
and lead it out for watering?
This daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,
ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day
from this bondage?"
When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;
and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him. | Daily Meditation: Romans 8:12-17 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. (Romans 8:16) Paul gives us what might be a new perspective on holiness in today's first reading. For many of us, holiness is something we think is all but unattainable, especially when we consider our faults and sins. Just look at the saints—they lived lives of heroic virtue. Sure, we hope to get there one day, but it will take a long time and a lot of hard work. But Paul says that we can be "led by the Spirit of God" and "put to death the deeds of the body" (Romans 8:13-14). How can this be? Because we have been made children of God! He has placed his own Spirit within us, and that Spirit bears witness to our adoption as sons and daughters of God. That same Holy Spirit gives us grace and guidance to take on a resemblance to our heavenly Father. Because living a holy life means thinking and acting and loving like our Father. Sometimes we forget what incredibly good news that is. We have been adopted into God's family! We no longer have to be led by the flesh, governed by our inclinations to sin or haunted by our past failures. We can be directed by the Spirit and live more virtuous lives now. We can go beyond what is possible on our own because holiness isn't something we achieve on our own. So keep your eyes open for the opportunities God will give you today to be led by the Spirit. Perhaps you will feel prompted to offer to pray for someone going through a hard time. Or maybe you'll be able to resist the temptation to lose your temper, to indulge yourself, or to neglect an important but difficult task. In so many situations, the Spirit wants to help you be holy and live as a child of God. So be sure to call on him, even before you start your day. Ask him to fill you. Ask him to guide you and give you his peace, joy, and strength. You are a child of God, and his Spirit will always help you to live like one! "Thank you, heavenly Father, for giving me your Spirit to guide me into holiness!" Psalm 68:2, 4, 6-7, 20-21
Luke 13:10-17 |  click to hear 2cents | Reflections with Brother Adrian:Audio Link | From today's 1st Holy Scripture:
"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you received a spirit of adoption,
through which we cry, "Abba, Father!"..........."
. . . The most strangest sensation in the world was when I saw our Lord, literally, on the cross, in the darkest of moments, and all I knew, more than anything I've known for sure...that this was Father, real, REAL Father, my inner being, everything I am made of knew it. There is no thinking about it, no processing, it was more than natural, even more natural than my dad that I had on earth. I told this to my dad in his last days on earth, as I tried to encourage him, in his faith, because he was himself a faithful father, and I am trying to be one too, trying to be like Abba, Our Father. | We pray today:
"Our God is the God of salvation.
God arises; his enemies are scattered,
and those who hate him flee before him.
But the just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
Our God is the God of salvation.
The father of orphans and the defender of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
he leads forth prisoners to prosperity......" | In the Gospel today we heard our Lord:
"The Lord said to him in reply, "Hypocrites!
Does not each one of you on the sabbath
untie his ox or his ass from the manger
and lead it out for watering?
This daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,
ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day
from this bondage?"
When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;
and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him......." end of Gospel verse. | From Bishop Barron Today:
"Friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus heals a woman who had been crippled for eighteen years. Can we see the power that flows from faith in rather obvious and spectacular ways?
Going back to Jesus himself, of course, and up through so many of the saints in the tradition, you will see the power of faith manifested in healing. It's as though a Christian becomes a conduit of the divine power, as though God's power, which creates and sustains the cosmos, can flow through the person of faith for healing.
We can also experience spiritual healing of the soul. Its source is the energy, the power, the Spirit, the new being, that appeared in and through Jesus Christ. We heal the soul by bringing to bear the salvator, the healer, the one who in his person reconciled God and us, who opened the soul to the divine power. Where is this new being available? In Scripture, the liturgy, and the sacraments...." end quote Bishop Barron.
It has always been a mystery on how our Lord heals. It just happens! Right? But it is even stranger now, because thousands of years later, it still happens. And it happens with His word, His touch, His will, that our souls are touched and healed, and the physical manifestations are secondary, if healing, glory to God, if not physical healing, then it can be for the greater good, and a message that says "hang in there, Christ is with you on this offering". But we all want glory....no guts. But it takes guts to make glory. It takes sacrifice to see the light.
In today's Gospel, our Lord heals on the Sabbath. All signs should be pointing that this is truly God, that God is manifested in the Son of Man, and this means the Son of God in the Son of Man, humankind. He is made flesh. Are you open to the signs of God's works?
How can we know this?
If you are calling out to Him, like Mother Mary, to do His will in your life, no matter the cost...then it is a sure sign you are truly open.
This is our Lord's life on earth, experiencing the Father, in the good, and the bad. Are you open to praising like that?
Adoration times are open in your parish. Are you open to His openness?
The Holy Eucharist is being offered daily, are you opening yourself up to His offering of His very blood, body, soul, and divinity?
Confession times are open to heal your soul, are you willing to drag yourself there weekly if you have failed the commandment of loving?
You see, bondage keeps you from being open. Sin binds you. And sin don't want to let go. I'm encouraging you to let go, and Let Father in! ........
Let us pray:
Lord, Father, my soul yearns for You, I am thirsty for You! I need You. I need to see You. Your sight alone will cover me and heal me. You will fill me for ages to come! |  Click To Hear | Random Bible Verse 1
Philippians 4:4 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
