†Quote of the Day "In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life's different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship but to keep her on her course."
–St. Boniface Today's Meditation "In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life's different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship but to keep her on her course."
–St. Boniface Daily Verse "God chose Joseph to shower Jesus with his love. God wanted Jesus to experience human love in a way that would prepare him for his ministry of mercy and compassion for all. As Joseph welcomed Jesus into the world with a kiss, he is inviting us to find God's fatherly love for us in the example of his life."
–Katy Micheli, p.182 | Saint Martina of Rome St. Martina of Rome (d. 228 A.D.) was born to a noble Roman family and orphaned at a young age. She was zealous in the practice of her faith, remained a virgin, and, in preparation for the Christian persecutions sweeping the city, gave much of her inheritance to the poor. She was martyred under Roman Emperor Alexander Severus. According to the accounts of her martyrdom, she was discovered praying in a church and was arrested by Roman soldiers. She was ordered to pay homage to the pagan gods, which she refused. She was then cruelly tortured over several days. She was raked with iron hooks and scourged, and when a bright light enveloped her, some of her torturers were converted to the Faith amid her fervent prayers. She was then taken to the temple of Diana to be forced to offer sacrifice, but at her presence the temple's demon left with a scream. They next tried to throw her to a lion (it showed no interest in her) and to burn her alive, but she would not catch fire. Finally, she was beheaded. St. Martina's feast day is January 30. | Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 2 Sm18:9-10, 14b, 24-25a, 30–19:3 Absalom unexpectedly came up against David's servants.
He was mounted on a mule,
and, as the mule passed under the branches of a large terebinth,
his hair caught fast in the tree.
He hung between heaven and earth
while the mule he had been riding ran off.
Someone saw this and reported to Joab
that he had seen Absalom hanging from a terebinth.
And taking three pikes in hand,
he thrust for the heart of Absalom,
still hanging from the tree alive. Now David was sitting between the two gates,
and a lookout went up to the roof of the gate above the city wall,
where he looked about and saw a man running all alone.
The lookout shouted to inform the king, who said,
"If he is alone, he has good news to report."
The king said, "Step aside and remain in attendance here."
So he stepped aside and remained there.
When the Cushite messenger came in, he said,
"Let my lord the king receive the good news
that this day the LORD has taken your part,
freeing you from the grasp of all who rebelled against you."
But the king asked the Cushite, "Is young Absalom safe?"
The Cushite replied, "May the enemies of my lord the king
and all who rebel against you with evil intent
be as that young man!" The king was shaken,
and went up to the room over the city gate to weep.
He said as he wept,
"My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom!
If only I had died instead of you,
Absalom, my son, my son!" Joab was told that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom;
and that day's victory was turned into mourning for the whole army
when they heard that the king was grieving for his son. Responsorial Psalm PS 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 R. (1a) Listen, Lord, and answer me.
Incline your ear, O LORD; answer me,
for I am afflicted and poor.
Keep my life, for I am devoted to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God.
R. Listen, Lord, and answer me.
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for to you I call all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
R. Listen, Lord, and answer me.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R. Listen, Lord, and answer me. Alleluia MT 8:17 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Christ took away our infirmities
and bore our diseases.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 5:21-43 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat
to the other side,
a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.
One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.
Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying,
"My daughter is at the point of death.
Please, come lay your hands on her
that she may get well and live."
He went off with him
and a large crowd followed him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.
She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors
and had spent all that she had.
Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.
She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd
and touched his cloak.
She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured."
Immediately her flow of blood dried up.
She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,
turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?"
But his disciples said to him,
"You see how the crowd is pressing upon you,
and yet you ask, Who touched me?"
And he looked around to see who had done it.
The woman, realizing what had happened to her,
approached in fear and trembling.
She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.
He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you.
Go in peace and be cured of your affliction." While he was still speaking,
people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said,
"Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?"
Disregarding the message that was reported,
Jesus said to the synagogue official,
"Do not be afraid; just have faith."
He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside
except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.
When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official,
he caught sight of a commotion,
people weeping and wailing loudly.
So he went in and said to them,
"Why this commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead but asleep."
And they ridiculed him.
Then he put them all out.
He took along the child's father and mother
and those who were with him
and entered the room where the child was.
He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum,"
which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!"
The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around.
At that they were utterly astounded.
He gave strict orders that no one should know this
and said that she should be given something to eat.
| Daily Meditation: Mark 5:21-43 If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured. (Mark 5:28) So often, we judge by appearances. We focus on how people look and draw a conclusion about their need for God. We even think about ourselves in a similar way! In today's Gospel, the two people who came to see Jesus could not have looked more different. One was wealthy, influential, and a respected leader of the synagogue. The other was an outcast, sick, and deemed ritually unclean (Mark 5:22, 25-26). Yet they both found themselves in a strikingly similar position: suffering and in need of help. What can we learn from these two people as they sought out Jesus? We may experience seasons when life is challenging, and we feel discouraged, much like the suffering woman. Maybe we have exhausted all other options and are losing hope that God cares about our pain. At these moments, we can remember the woman's perseverance and tenacity as she pushed her way through the crowds to reach out to Jesus. We can trust that God does hear our cries. He will give us the strength we need. In other seasons, we may appear to have it all together. Life may be going great, our parish is thriving, and our family life is fulfilling. However, Jairus serves as a sobering reminder that no matter how secure we may feel, our lives remain fragile. No matter what we look like, we all need God's tender care. Comfort or wealth can blind us to that need. Jairus came to a realization of his need amid tragedy, but his need for Christ was no less after his daughter was healed. So it is for us: even when everything appears secure, we still need Jesus. We need his love, his care, and his presence. Jairus and the hemorrhaging woman sought out Jesus because of the circumstances in their lives. They needed him that day by the Sea of Galilee, and they would always need him. And so will we. This is why Jesus came. Whatever your current circumstances, go to the Lord today and confess your need for him. In that honest place, he will always meet you. "Father, I need you. I know that if I reach out my hand to you, you will lift me up." 2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14, 24-25, 30–19:3
Psalm 86:1-6 |  click to hear 2cents | Reflections with Brother Adrian:
Audio English | In the Gospel today we heard:
"So he went in and said to them,
"Why this commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead but asleep."
And they ridiculed him.
Then he put them all out.
He took along the child's father and mother
and those who were with him
and entered the room where the child was.
He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum,"
which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!"....." end of Gospel verse.
. . . | From Bishop Barron:
"Friends, today's Gospel tells of the raising of the daughter of Jairus.
Jesus continues his assault on death, upbraiding the people for their ostentatious moaning and mourning. He is impatient with the whole culture of death, all that has grown up around the supposed finality of death. And this is why he says, "The child is not dead but asleep." Relativizing death—that is the name of Jesus' game.
When news arrives that the child has died, the suggestion comes that Jesus should not be troubled any further. But Jesus says to the leader of the synagogue: "Do not be afraid; just have faith." There, in a nutshell, is the Gospel: a passion for the impossible, a firm belief that the reign of death is ended. Faith replaces fear.
The Talitha koum (little girl, get up) is a reminder of the absolute centrality of resurrection in the Jesus event. God is the Lord and giver of life, and he accordingly battles all those forces of death that bedevil us." end quote Bishop Barron.
I wrote a song for a competition for our ongoing National Eucharistic Revival which is set to end this year and thousands will flood Lucas Stadium in Indianapolis this summer with a Eucharistic Congress. I entered the song lyrics but not sure if I entered correctly. Regardless, this is what I wrote for the competition:
Talitha Verse 1
"Why this commotion and why do all weep?
The child is not dead, she is nothing but asleep."
And they ridiculed him, He simply sent them away,
He took along the child's true family, and showed them the way. Verse 2
"Talitha koum," "Little girl, I say arise!"
The girl, arose now walking, opening all eyes,
He said that no one should know this feat,
He said she should be given something to eat. Chorus
Give me your food my Lord,
On my knees this I extoll,
Your precious body and blood my Lord,
And I will give you my soul. ...
Bridge- Exultation:.
I am hungry now my Lord,
I am tired of the negative world,
I am hungry for Your light,
I am ready to be all yours.
....
Verse 3
"Who has touched my clothes?"
My Lord, Nobody knows.
"The crowd is pressing on you,
and yet you ask, Who?" ......
Verse 4 Suffering woman, tremble in fear,
"Daughter, your faith has saved you.
Go in peace and cured" dry your tears.
What other food could we ask for than Jesus?
What does the name Jesus mean again? It means "He Saves".
He is savior. And we shall always give glory to that name above all names that saves.
And why does our Lord save a person from death and then have them eat?
Let's think about confession. You are dead spiritually, or dying, and you confess, meet our Lord, He forgives and saves, but then....we are commanded to eat.
And what are we to eat? After confession, we are to eat the Eucharist. You've been emptied. And now, fill yourself up with the best sealer of goodness, to fill your empty soul, to never again allow false foods, ideals and gods to take over you, for they only provide bitter tears and anguish.
Little girl, arise!
I wrote another song about our Lord taking a woman by the hand and raising her up, and it was a woman when she was about to be stoned to death for being caught in adultery. He told her to go and sin no more and she was saved. These are the things that happen in Confession. You actually hear these words by an authorized Person of Christ, the Father in the priest.
When God touches you, there is no turning back. What these touched souls are about to eat is Eucharist, Jesus Himself. We are dying and He is dying to feed us, nourish us, and strengthen us so that we might live and live more abundantly....in His Grace. When science fails, God does not.
When men fail, God does not.
When your mom and dad fail, God does not.
Even shall they forget you, He will not. He saves, and this is good news. It means Emmanuel, God is with us. And this should cause us to give our lives to Him.
How? Be devoted in Church? Sure! Be so humble that you will confess more often? Sure! Why wouldn't you want a personal encounter with our Lord? Be devoted in more daily prayer alone and with your family? Yes! This is fundamental to a life in Christ!
But we still have yet to hit the nail on the head.
Eucharist means thanksgiving.
The song isn't about saving one's fleshly life, but one's soul. And so, if our Lord saves your soul, how can you thank Him in this temporal world forever? You can't! And for that, we have the Eucharist, the eternal offering, which in turn, in Him, is eternal thanksgiving. One thing for another. God with Man, and this case, Woman, which means a creation born from His side, His love.
You are His Love! Believe it or not. If you see a flower in your life, it was God's gift to you. If someone smiles at you today, it is God's gift to you! So why don't you smile and change someone's life!
I'm not a smiley guy, or a hugging type of guy, but I'll force it and then joy comes after. The flesh is weak, but the spirit is willing.
And then life happens, light happens, Christ comes into the world with true compassion and humility. Let us pray today:
Lord, You are Amazing, I want to thank you Eternally in Heaven! Let me start now, with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my strength, with all my Soul! |  Click for Audio | Random Bible Verse 1
Isaiah 52:7 7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
