† Quote of the Day "If a tiny spark of God's love already burns within you, do not expose it to the wind, for it may get blown out… Stay quiet with God. Do not spend your time in useless chatter… Do not give yourself to others so completely that you have nothing left for yourself." — St. Charles Borromeo Today's Meditation "[Mary] watched constantly over her own heart ... She watched over her every word as though she could not trust her tongue. In her conception she was given all the privileges that go with sinlessness, yet she decided to live permanently as a penitent! We, on the contrary, are surrounded by flattering, treacherous enemies whose sole aim is to use our natural weaknesses to bring about our fall. Yet we have no fear and are not watchful at all. We admit that we are weakness incarnate, yet frequently we expose ourselves to temptations that would bring down even the strongest soul." —Alexander De Rouville, p. 21 An excerpt from The Imitation of Mary Daily Verse ""The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." — Lamentations 3: 24-26 | St.s Mark Marcellian Sts. Mark and Marcellian (d. 286 A.D.) were twin brothers who were martyred for their faith in Rome under Emperor Diocletian. According to legend they were both deacons from a distinguished family who were thrown into prison for being Christians. Their mother and father, who were pagans, visited their sons in prison and pleaded with them to return to the worship of false gods so that they could be saved. At the same time, St. Sebastian also visited the brothers and encouraged them to stand strong in their faith. St. Sebastian's exhortation was so persuasive that the parents of Marcellian and Mark were converted, along with several friends who were present, as well as the other prisoners. All of these new Christian converts were eventually martyred alongside Mark and Marcellian. The brothers had their feet nailed to a wood post, and later their bodies were pierced with lances. Their feast day is June 18th.
Find a devotional for this saint | Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Kgs 21:17-29 After the death of Naboth the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite:
"Start down to meet Ahab, king of Israel,
who rules in Samaria.
He will be in the vineyard of Naboth,
of which he has come to take possession.
This is what you shall tell him,
'The LORD says: After murdering, do you also take possession?
For this, the LORD says:
In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth,
the dogs shall lick up your blood, too.'"
Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me out, my enemy?"
"Yes," he answered.
"Because you have given yourself up to doing evil in the LORD's sight,
I am bringing evil upon you: I will destroy you
and will cut off every male in Ahab's line,
whether slave or freeman, in Israel.
I will make your house like that of Jeroboam, son of Nebat,
and like that of Baasha, son of Ahijah,
because of how you have provoked me by leading Israel into sin."
(Against Jezebel, too, the LORD declared,
"The dogs shall devour Jezebel in the district of Jezreel.")
"When one of Ahab's line dies in the city,
dogs will devour him;
when one of them dies in the field,
the birds of the sky will devour him."
Indeed, no one gave himself up to the doing of evil
in the sight of the LORD as did Ahab,
urged on by his wife Jezebel.
He became completely abominable by following idols,
just as the Amorites had done,
whom the LORD drove out before the children of Israel. When Ahab heard these words, he tore his garments
and put on sackcloth over his bare flesh.
He fasted, slept in the sackcloth, and went about subdued.
Then the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite,
"Have you seen that Ahab has humbled himself before me?
Since he has humbled himself before me,
I will not bring the evil in his time.
I will bring the evil upon his house during the reign of his son." Responsorial Psalm Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 11 and 16 R. (see 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense,
and my sin is before me always:
"Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight."
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Turn away your face from my sins,
and blot out all my guilt.
Free me from blood guilt, O God, my saving God;
then my tongue shall revel in your justice.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned. 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: Matthew 5:43-48 Pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:44) Pray for our persecutors? How can we do that when they're out to hurt us? But that's what Jesus asks of us. So let's look at some ways God might answer you when you pray for your enemies. In response to your prayers, the Lord might help your "enemies" to face up to the wrong they have done, to repent, and change their ways. That's what happened in today's first reading. When the prophet Elijah uncovered King Ahab's wrongdoing, Ahab seemed genuinely sorry for what he had done to his neighbor Naboth (1 Kings 21:27). At least in the short term, it had a profound effect on the king. Elijah's example can encourage us to pray boldly that those who have harmed us would have a change of heart. Perhaps God will inspire you to undo some of the harm your enemies have caused. You may be able to offer direct assistance to people in your community whose lives have been upended by their enemies. Think of refugees or victims of abuse or people who are economically disadvantaged. Many organizations are bringing practical help to people devastated by violence or aggression. Sometimes as you pray, God will change your own attitudes toward those you formerly regarded as enemies. You might take another look at the person who hurt you and see how deeply he himself has been wounded. Or you could come to discern the good intention behind an action that wound up inflicting harm. It's good to remind yourself that God never gives up on any of his children. He longs to pour out his love and mercy even on your enemies. That means you can be an instrument of God's love and mercy in your corner of the world! Whether or not you see any way to cooperate with God's mercy directly, you can sincerely pray for your enemies and trust God to work for good in their lives. Because your love and your prayers do make a difference! "Lord, soften my heart toward my 'enemies.' Teach me how to pray for your blessings upon them!" 1 Kings 21:17-29
Psalm 51:3-6, 11, 16 |  HEAR it read by AI | Reflections with Brother Adrian: | In the Holy Scripture we hear today:
"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."......" end quote. | 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 dies: "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 quote Bishop Barron.
Most people I meet in church will say they don't really have enemies.
This may be true of most that can't think of a personal enemy or someone they hate. But we all do have a common enemy, someone that is always out to get us, right?
This is a formidable enemy. This enemy is not to be ignored.
Do you think that our country is asleep at night, letting our guard down?
We have the military that is fully alert, 24 hours a day, all year long, or at least we hope so right?
What makes you think you can let your guard down, ease up on prayer, start skipping church, and start giving into feelings of pleasure or any animosity? Those are the little things that the enemy is just waiting for...a permission, a small entry.
This morning, I woke up, went to the restroom as most normal people would do right? And I remembered as many times, as I looked towards the toilet, years ago, there was a small rattlesnake curled up by the toilet. I was shocked! How in the world did this snake come into my house and into my bedroom restroom? How? Why? Who would allow this to happen? Now what?
I also remembered that at the exact spot it was curled up in, I had seen a few days ago a small mouse.
I put mouse traps, I believe I got the mouse. But snakes are tremendous hunters, they can smell the trail and enter where the prey is days later.
After much investigations in my house, I told myself, that I no longer wanted mice, so I walked around my home and sealed up everything, under doors, and holes in the walls, one of which was a very small hole coming from under our tub.
I have not seen mice or snakes any more.
Why have I wasted your time with this story?
The enemy.
The enemy loves to follow the mice in your life, with the holes that are made without you knowing into your mind and then settle in your heart. The holes of your ears, the senses, the holes in the eyes, what comes in unfiltered, the holes in your heart where there is disgrace with gossip and cursing and resentments. All of these things allow the snake of evil into your life. The enemy then will seek to take over. The enemy will then seek to destroy any relationships, especially with God, so that it can reign freely.
Notice how sinners are separated from God, this is how the predators separate their prey from the pack, the herd. They are weakened and then separated.
How can you ever let your guard down? How can you let yourself be weakened by the devil? This is a fall from grace, the very onset of the book of Genesis.
Our Lord says to you and me today: "For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?...
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."
The world loves to preach and teach "we aren't perfect, why even try?". But our Lord is commanding us to be perfect.
Do your imperfections keep you away from God though?
WHY? Your imperfections are the reason to come to God the Father! We are fooled!
God the Father, our Father is offering us His Sacred Heart!
He is now asking us to come to Him with all your imperfections. Pray for your enemies. Pray for the ones putting you down. Pray the evil away too! That's what I do, when people insult me, I pray for them and for the evil one to go away and stay away! Seal up them holes! Don't let the rats in, because even worse will come, first destruction, then utter mayhem.
This message goes for you, to your family, to your community, to the whole nation!
Sacred Heart of Jesus, be our Love! Be our Salvation. |  Click for Audio | Random Bible Verse 1
James 5:8 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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