†Quote of the Day ""The true measure of loving God is to love Him without measure."
–St. Bernard of Clairvaux Today's Meditation "When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart, I was stupid and ignorant, I was like a beast toward thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee; thou dost hold my right hand. Thou dost guide me with thy counsel, and afterward thou wilt receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is nothing upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever."
–Psalm 73:21-26 Daily Verse "Persevere in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving; at the same time, pray for us, too, that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak of the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, that I may make it clear, as I must speak. Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you know how you should respond to each one."
–Colossians 4:2-6 | St. Louise De Marillac St. Louise De Marillac (1591-1660) was born in Paris, France to a noble family and received her education at a Dominican convent. Her mother died shortly after her birth, and her father when she was sixteen years of age. It was then necessary for her to decide her vocation, and being dissuaded from entering religious life by her spiritual director, as was her desire, she married and bore a son. Later she worried that she had rejected a divine call to the religious life, and vowed that should her husband die, she would not remarry. Two years later her husband died after a long illness. During this time she met a holy priest, St. Vincent de Paul, and placed herself under his spiritual direction. Through his influence she worked among the poor and disadvantaged in Paris, and co-founded the Sisters of Charity with him in 1642. After writing their rule of life she traveled around France establishing her new religious order to work in hospitals, orphanages, and other institutions that aided the poor. She was especially gifted at spiritual guidance and served as the superior of the Sisters of Charity in Paris until her death. St. Louise De Marillac is the patron saint of social workers, the sick, widows, and against the loss of parents. Her feast day is March 15th. | Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent Reading 1 Wis 2:1a, 12-22 The wicked said among themselves,
thinking not aright:
"Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us;
he sets himself against our doings,
Reproaches us for transgressions of the law
and charges us with violations of our training.
He professes to have knowledge of God
and styles himself a child of the LORD.
To us he is the censure of our thoughts;
merely to see him is a hardship for us,
Because his life is not like that of others,
and different are his ways.
He judges us debased;
he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure.
He calls blest the destiny of the just
and boasts that God is his Father.
Let us see whether his words be true;
let us find out what will happen to him.
For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him
and deliver him from the hand of his foes.
With revilement and torture let us put him to the test
that we may have proof of his gentleness
and try his patience.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death;
for according to his own words, God will take care of him."
These were their thoughts, but they erred;
for their wickedness blinded them,
and they knew not the hidden counsels of God;
neither did they count on a recompense of holiness
nor discern the innocent souls' reward. Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:17-18, 19-20, 21 and 23 R. (19a) The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
He watches over all his bones;
not one of them shall be broken.
The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. Verse Before the Gospel Mt 4:4b One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. Gospel Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 Jesus moved about within Galilee;
he did not wish to travel in Judea,
because the Jews were trying to kill him.
But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near. But when his brothers had gone up to the feast,
he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret. Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said,
"Is he not the one they are trying to kill?
And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him.
Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ?
But we know where he is from.
When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from."
So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said,
"You know me and also know where I am from.
Yet I did not come on my own,
but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.
I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me."
So they tried to arrest him,
but no one laid a hand upon him,
because his hour had not yet come.
| Daily Meditation: John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me. (John 7:29) Where are you from? How many times have you been asked that question? We usually respond with the name of the city, state, or country where we grew up or have lived for a long time. That place has become part of our identity. The way we talk, the foods we eat, the sports teams we root for—all these and more are often influenced by where we come from. The people in Jerusalem knew that Jesus was from Nazareth in Galilee. He probably even had a Galilean accent. And that was the problem. "When the Christ comes," they said, "no one will know where he is from" (John 7:27). Granted, one Old Testament prophecy said the Messiah would come from Bethlehem, the city of David (Micah 5:1). But Galilee? No way! Jesus didn't deny his roots: "You . . . know where I am from" (John 7:28). But his roots went much deeper than Nazareth. They went deeper even than his family ties. He was the Son of God who came from the Father who had sent him. That was the focal point around which everything else in his life—what he thought, said, and did—revolved. You were born to a specific family in a specific time and place, and this influences who you are today. But your deepest identity comes from God your Father. He created you, and by virtue of your Baptism, you have become his son or daughter. Like Jesus, that should be the focal point around which everything else in your life revolves. Being deeply grounded in our identity as God's son or daughter will change us. It will affect what we choose to do with our time and energy. It will move us to pray and celebrate the sacraments. It will influence the way we relate to people and the way in which we speak to them. It will make us more aware of the needs of the poor. And it will give our lives purpose and meaning—because like Jesus, we, too, have been sent to proclaim the good news of God's merciful love. What an honor it is to be called a son or daughter of God! "Father, help me to live out my identity in you." Wisdom 2:1, 12-22
Psalm 34:17-21, 23 |  click to hear 2cents | Reflections with Brother Adrian:
Audio English | In the Gospel today we heard:
"Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said,
"Is he not the one they are trying to kill?
And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him.
Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ?
But we know where he is from.
When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from."
So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said,
"You know me and also know where I am from.
Yet I did not come on my own,
but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.
I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me."......" end quote. | Judea was the place. This was the place where they wanted to kill him. The lion comes to mind. The lion of Judah. Why? Because we are speaking of the ones in Judea. If you've seen or heard about the "Lion King", which is also a famous animation film, you see that there is an evil lion brother that tries to kill the "King" so he can be the king. He kills the king as the king is trying to save his only son from being ran over by a herd in a canyon, all an evil plot disguised by the evil lion brother. The king's son, the cub is then accused and blamed and is banned by the evil uncle. The cub is raised outside of the kingdom. Eventually he makes his way back as a mature Lion. And eventually there is a fight, and the righteous Lion, the King's only son wins back the kingdom that was turning dark, into a barren landscape.
It's a good story and reminder of our Lord, if you think about it.
In beginning book of the the bible we hear:
"Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons will bow down to you. You are a lion's cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his. He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk" (Genesis 49:8-12).
In the last book of the bible again we will hear about the Lion: "Then one of the elders said to me, 'Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals'" (Revelation 5:5). In comes the Lion into the evil lions den, those attempting to take over the Kingdom. It is about light and dark.
And the story is not over.
No.
God decided to do something amazing from the time Jesus His Heart walked on earth. He said in a sense: "I Am going to make myself one with my people, live in their hearts, and I will love people, my children personally". And so He does now, and so far for over 2,000 years. The whole light and dark thing is still here. There are those on the dark side, anti-Love, anti-God that want to rule the world by their laws, their ways, their ideas, their version of life which culminates in sin and death in their pride.
It is really a fruitless battle, for the war has been determined and won, and so it is a battle within every soul.
This lent has been designed to culminate then, in a death. To do the Father's will. We can die and let it be, or kill the will.
I am encouraging you to fight the good fight. And it is within principally, against principalities, not people per say, but ideas, ways of living and such which includes feelings that are disguised many times as good and they are not.
Let it be clear, there is one truth, and it is the Lion and the Lamb in one, the King of the World whom we are to bow down and worship and adore...Jesus. My Lord, Your word is enough to bring light into our darkness. Pierce my darkness in my soul, illuminate the way to Your Sacred Heart, and let our Hearts be inflamed with the fire and light of the Love of God forever. |  Click for Audio | This is amazing, this says it all!: Random Bible Verse 1
1 John 4:7–8 God Is Love 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
