† Quote of the Day "You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them." — St. Therese of Lisieux Today's Meditation "We live in a fallen world. We must therefore work out our destiny under the conditions created by sin. Did we but realize this truth, we would accept each of life's trying changes in the same spirit in which we accept the penance from the confessor. Were we truly convinced that our hope of pardon, and consequently our salvation, depends upon repentance, we would willingly undergo all the sufferings of life's warfare." —John A. Kane, p. 81
An excerpt from How to Make a Good Confession Daily Verse "Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." — 1 John 3:2 | St.s Gervase And Protase Juliana Falconieri was born in Florence, Italy in 1270. Her family was wealthy and active in the affairs of the city. When Juliana's father died, her uncle, Alessio Falconieri, helped take care of her. Alessio had dedicated his life to God and was one of the founders of the Servants of Mary (the Servites). His vocation had a profound effect on Juliana and she, too, began to wear the habit and serve the poor. At the young age of sixteen she became a Servite Tertiary. After her mother died in 1204, Juliana gathered like-minded women, wrote a rule, and founded the Sisters of the Third Order of Servites. Juliana and her sisters offered fasting and many sacrifices in atonement for the violence that was common in Florence during the Middle Ages. Towards the end of her life, Juliana became ill and was unable to eat solid food. Eventually she was unable to swallow any food. This made it impossible for her to receive the Holy Eucharist. As her death drew near, a priest came to administer Last Rites and give her Viaticum. Juliana asked for a corporal to be spread across her chest and the Blessed Sacrament was placed there, close to her heart. When Juliana died, the Sacred Host disappeared! On Juliana's chest, at the place where the Blessed Sacrament had rested, appeared a cross similar to the one that had been on the host. The Servites continue to include this symbol of the Eucharistic miracle on their religious habit. St Juliana Falconieri died in 1341 and was canonized by Pope Clement XII in 1737. Her feast day is June 19. | Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 367
Reading 1 2 Kgs 2:1, 6-14 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind,
he and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
Elijah said to Elisha, "Please stay here;
the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan."
"As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live,
I will not leave you," Elisha replied.
And so the two went on together.
Fifty of the guild prophets followed and
when the two stopped at the Jordan,
they stood facing them at a distance.
Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up
and struck the water, which divided,
and both crossed over on dry ground. When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha,
"Ask for whatever I may do for you, before I am taken from you."
Elisha answered, "May I receive a double portion of your spirit."
"You have asked something that is not easy," Elijah replied.
"Still, if you see me taken up from you,
your wish will be granted; otherwise not."
As they walked on conversing,
a flaming chariot and flaming horses came between them,
and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
When Elisha saw it happen he cried out,
"My father! my father! Israel's chariots and drivers!"
But when he could no longer see him,
Elisha gripped his own garment and tore it in two. Then he picked up Elijah's mantle that had fallen from him,
and went back and stood at the bank of the Jordan.
Wielding the mantle that had fallen from Elijah,
Elisha struck the water in his turn and said,
"Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?"
When Elisha struck the water it divided and he crossed over. Responsorial Psalm Ps 31:20, 21, 24 R. (25) Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
How great is the goodness, O LORD,
which you have in store for those who fear you,
And which, toward those who take refuge in you,
you show in the sight of the children of men.
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence
from the plottings of men;
You screen them within your abode
from the strife of tongues.
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.
Love the LORD, all you his faithful ones!
The LORD keeps those who are constant,
but more than requites those who act proudly.
R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord. Alleluia Jn 14:23 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him
and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 6:1-6, 16-18 Jesus said to his disciples:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. "When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you." | Daily Meditation: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them. (Matthew 6:1) Image is everything. At least that's what a famous camera advertisement proclaimed decades ago. The camera would give you a perfect image—sharp focus, flawless contrast, and saturated color. But our modern experience, especially from social media, tells us that there's usually a lot more going on that an image can't capture. For God, image isn't everything. What matters to him goes far deeper than appearances. That's why, in today's Gospel, Jesus warns his disciples in three different ways "not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them" (Matthew 6:1; see 6:2, 5, and 16). The examples of "righteous deeds" that Jesus talks about—prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—might have you feeling as if it should be Lent. But his point spans all liturgical seasons and all types of sacrifices you might offer to the Lord: do it without fanfare, and your Father, who sees in secret, will "repay" you (6:4, 6, 18). Of course, it can be gratifying to be noticed and even praised for doing something good. That's not necessarily a bad thing. The danger lies in allowing recognition from other people to become the main motivation for our actions. Because it's not the approval of other people that we should be looking for when we're doing something for God. It's the joy and satisfaction that come from becoming an instrument of his blessing. Our Father in heaven sees the sacrifices we make "in secret" (Matthew 6:6). He is the audience that matters; he is the One we are trying to please. And as we cultivate the habit of performing good deeds for his eyes alone, we will find that he "repays" us with a deepening love for him and for the people we serve. Our growth in holiness has little to do with flashy appearances or impressive demonstrations of devotion. It consists in offering our hearts without fanfare to God, who sees and treasures not an external image, but what lies within. "Heavenly Father, I want all of my actions to be for you and pleasing to you." 2 Kings 2:1, 6-14
Psalm 31:20-21, 24 |  HEAR it read by AI | Reflections with Brother Adrian: | In the Holy Scripture we hear today:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father......." end quote. | From Bishop Barron today:
"Friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus prescribes the essential disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Let's focus on fasting and almsgiving.
The appetites for food and drink are so pressing, so elemental, that, unless they are quelled and disciplined, they will simply take over the soul. They are like children who clamor constantly for attention and who, if indulged, will in short order run the house.
Therefore, if the passion for God is to be awakened, the more immediately pressing desires must be muted, and this is the purpose of fasting. We go hungry and thirsty so that the deepest hunger and thirst might be felt. In a way, fasting is like the "calming of the monkey mind" effected by the Rosary: both are means of settling the superficial mind that darts from preoccupation to preoccupation.
But food and drink are not the only objects of concupiscent desire. Material things and wealth are also ready substitutes for the passion for God. Thus, a kind of fasting from what money can buy is an important practice. How often Jesus recommends that his disciples give to the poor, and how often throughout the Christian tradition has almsgiving been emphasized....." end quote Bishop Barron.
Our Lord began today with these words:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father."
Then He proceeded about talking about giving:
Alms. Keep it secret. Anonymous donor better.
Praying. Keep it on the down low. No need to call attention to yourself, it's all about God our Father, right?
Fasting. No need to let the world know you are fasting by looking gloomy or suffering. The Lord loves a cheerful giver, amen?
And then He ends with the same as the beginning:
"And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you." And this is where we have an ego problem. People like to be thanked and recognized for all their hard efforts, don't they?
In my own little world, in the parish I've been at for basically my whole life, I would often wonder about those who built our church and haul. There are many planners and helpers that have gone unknown, total secrecy. They have become forgotten and unsung heroes of my world. And I believe that is more awesome than those who have put their names on plaques to be remembered and recognized, even though I appreciate them too.
Do you give anonymously? Do you give to God fruit of deep personal prayers of thanksgiving and offerings?
Do you fast for purity and for others?
What is the common denominator in all of these? Giving to God our Father! Time, talent, and treasure, and without any recognition. There are times when a visiting priest or sometimes our priest recognizes me and the choir, or me for something done in the parish and the people applaud. You should see how that makes me feel inside, and it is not good! I get defensive somehow, like I want to hide under a rock. Not embarrassed, no, I'm an extrovert, I'm always making announcements and leading large events. No! I mean, it's not about me. When people want to pay me for doing a rosary at a funeral or singing, I say "I don't want you to pay me for inviting me to pray with you". And this is how it is with those applause. Awkward moment to the max! I'm just praying with you! I'm just helping you in events! Why doesn't the janitor get a round of applause instead for doing such good work? What's the difference?
What's more, is that you have taken away from me the recognition I want only God to have for me in secret.
Like when you open the door for someone and they walk right in without saying thank you.
In this case, wouldn't you rather have God thank you in secret, than to have a human being say thank you? Which is worth more? Many will argue with me on this, but it is the message of the cross, and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sacrificial love.
Which leads me to a hard but simple sacrificial advice I can relay: When you have a smart or snarky remark to make, hold it back in the name of love, the Sacred Heart.
When you feel like getting angry, hold it back, in the name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This is a secret giving that nobody will ever know!
When someone insults you, take it in with a prayer, and turn it into a secret offering to God for all the suffering He endures all day long from us sinners. He loves that sharing! The Sacred Heart of Jesus loves Love!
LOL.
With that said, I've told you many times that I fast before reaching out to you. I'm praying and sacrificing for you! Someone loves God and you that much.
But the secret of giving is that both benefit from it. I benefit in grace and you benefit in grace. So that together, we are receiving grace from God.
You are giving of your time by listening. You are giving of your talent by listening. You are giving of your treasure by listening. We both are! And this is good. The right hand needs the left hand clasped together to worship and adore the Sacred Heart of God! Sacred Heart of Jesus, by our Love! |  Click for Audio | WOW!
Random Bible Verse 1
Colossians 3:23–24 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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