† Quote of the Day "O Holy Mary! My Mother; into thy blessed trust and special custody, and into the bosom of thy mercy, I this day, and every day, and in the hour of my death, commend my soul and body. To thee I commit all my anxieties and sorrows, my life and the end of my life, that by thy most holy intercession, and by thy merits, all my actions may be directed and governed by thy will and that of thy Son." — St. Aloysius Gonzaga Today's Meditation "When needed, Mary provides for the defense and salvation of her children extraordinary graces and wonderful miracles. What wonders have caused, sustained, spread everywhere, a confidence among Christian people! What striking proofs of her protection the Church recalls to our memory in solemn feasts and devout practices, enriched by precious indulgences! What titles Christians give her to testify to their gratitude, 'Help of Christians, health of the sick, comfort of the afflicted, refuge of sinners, gate of heaven, our life, our sweetness, our hope!' What a multitude of people gather to the places where she is most honored, where she obtains the most assistance to those who call on her! What prayers and acts of thanksgiving are offered at the foot of her altars! In our days, what conquests have been made by Our Lady of Victories! What favors have been bestowed on all hearts devoted to the heart of Mary!" —St. Ignatius of Loyola, p. 156
An excerpt from Manual for Marian Devotion Daily Verse "We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being given up to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh." — 2 Corinthians 4:8-11 | Our Lady Miraculous Medal On November 27, 1830, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in Paris, France and gave her a vision of an image, with instructions to strike the image, front and back, onto a medal. With this medal Our Lady promised that, "All those who wear it will receive great graces; these graces will be abundant for those who wear it with faith." The medal bears an image of Our Lady standing on the world, the serpent crushed under her feet, with arms extended and graces pouring forth from her hands. On the reverse is a cross surmounted by the letter 'M', and beneath it the side-by-side symbols of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, all encircled by twelve stars. The medal symbolizes Mary's perfect spiritual union with Jesus' redemptive mission, and, consequently, her intercessory role in salvation history as the mediatrix of God's graces to mankind through her Son. The medal spread widely and became a source of many graces and miracles for its wearers, earning the name "Miraculous Medal." It is traditionally worn around the neck and has become a treasured sacramental of the Catholic Church. Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal's feast day is November 27th. | Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 505
Reading 1 RV 15:1-4 I, John, saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring:
seven angels with the seven last plagues,
for through them God's fury is accomplished. Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire.
On the sea of glass were standing those
who had won the victory over the beast
and its image and the number that signified its name.
They were holding God's harps,
and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God,
and the song of the Lamb: "Great and wonderful are your works,
Lord God almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
O king of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
or glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All the nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed." Responsorial Psalm PS 98:1, 2-3AB, 7-8, 9 R. (Rev. 15: 3b) Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
Let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to rule the earth;
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God! Alleluia RV 2:10C R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel LK 21:12-19 Jesus said to the crowd:
"They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents,
brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives." | Daily Meditation: Revelation 15:1-4 Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God almighty. (Revelation 15:3) The Book of Revelation is filled with grim imagery of what the end times will look like. In today's first reading, John sees "seven angels with the seven last plagues." Through these terrible plagues, "God's fury is accomplished" (Revelation 15:1). These calamities appear to be reserved for those who reject God, but that doesn't mean that believers are spared. In today's Gospel, Jesus warns that his followers will be persecuted as the end draws near (Luke 21:12). The reality is that we will all face some sort of suffering before God's kingdom is fully established on earth. It might seem counterintuitive, but one of the best ways to hold onto your hope when you are experiencing trials is to proclaim the great and wonderful works of God. The saints and martyrs described by John as "those who had won the victory" did just that when they sang the "song of the Lamb" (Revelation 15:2, 3). We can do the same thing when we remember God's mighty works described in Scripture, along with the wonders he has worked in our own lives. This is one sure way we can grow in confidence that God will be victorious over any of our current struggles. So take heart! The God who created the world from nothing can create something good out of your trials and challenges. The God who led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt is the same God who can lead you out of any sinful habit that is keeping you bound. He who fed the five thousand, walked on water, and healed the blind certainly has the power to free you from fear, restore your relationships, and heal you physically and emotionally. Most important, he who forgave those who were crucifying him stands ready to forgive you. He is able, so trust in him! Today, make a list of some of the ways you have seen God at work in your life. How has he saved you, healed you, guided you, and provided for you? The more you recall God's "righteous acts" (Revelation 15:4), the more you will want to join the saints and martyrs in heaven who are even now glorifying our mighty God! "I praise you, Lord, for the great and wonderful works you have accomplished in my life!" Psalm 98:1-3, 7-9
Luke 21:12-19 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Click to hear Audio | In the Holy Scripture we hear today:
"They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents,
brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives.. ....." end Gospel quote, word of the Lord. | From Bishop Barron:
"Friends, in today's Gospel, the Lord cautions us to expect persecution until the end of time: "They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors." When will the Church stop being persecuted? When the Lord returns, and not before.
None of the saints lived a serene life, a life free of worry, threat, persecution. It always strikes me as odd that somehow it is assumed that those who believe in God expect their lives to be a bowl of cherries. Absolutely nothing in the Bible or in the great tradition of the Church should lead us to expect this.
Instead, they found courage in the struggle. The Lord himself promised to prepare them for their defense. "I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute." Their courage got them through the negativity.
I'm reminded of a verse from an Eva Cassidy song: "No storm can shake my inmost calm, while to that rock I'm clinging. Since love is Lord of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing?"...." End quote Bishop Barron.
From a spanish reflection today as if our Lord in conversation with disciples:
Jesus: 'Then everyone will see the Son of God coming on a cloud with great power and glory.'
Disciple 1: "Master, what should we do?"
Disciple 2: "Should we be happy or sad?"
Jesus: 'When this begins to happen, stand up and lift up your heads, because your liberation is drawing near.'
Disciple 1: "It will seem like a party to us!"
Disciple 2: "What a great time we will have."
Jesus: 'Be careful, don't fill your heads with vices, with drink and worry about money. That day will fall upon you like lightning.'
Disciple 1: "So...what should we do?"
Disciple 2: "Yes, yes, Master, what should we do."
Jesus: 'Be alert and pray at all times so that you can escape everything that is going to come and be able to present yourself before the Son of God. Luke: Well, you have already heard it, as I have told you in my gospel. What you have heard, you must put into practice.' end quote from reflection from Fr. Emilio DÃez Ordóñez and Fr. Javier Espinosa Fernández.
It is as if we are called to stay on our toes. To be alert. Not to feel relaxed. Be ready to give account, watch for when those around you turn against you for aligning yourself with our Lord.
It happens. And it will always happen, so long as we are in the world.
With that said though, the tides can still turn for the Lord.
I believe the world is getting tired of sweets, and easy going lifestyles that are really all about dabbling with sin. We should be tired of the filth that brings about violence. Sex brings violence. Impurity brings darkness. We should be getting tired of this vile spin that has been taking advantage of so many innocent souls. They say the biggest reason souls go to hell is because of impurity. Being lazy and having nothing to do can bring about sin more easily. And I'm talking about the evil spirits that pull us away from a prayerful and holy life. We would all like to be fit, right? But what about spiritually? Do we want to be caught red handed, or with our lives being poured for the holiness of God alone.
I for one, cannot live on like as if God's will is not important. But I fight, the distractions are endless. For instance, I want to visit a guy in the hospital who was accidentally shot a few days ago. Yet, just like a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, I get distracted. And this soul is locked up, without anyone to visit him in the name of the Lord, to bring healing to his soul.
It is the same for all of us who cannot pray, or have a hard time praying. Why is it so hard? This is a real problem! If we don't like to pray, we may have some battling to do with bad spirits that keep us from prayer.
I think of the Sundays, we are to keep holy, yet, some don't go to church, and some go to Mass for an hour, and falsely believe they have fulfilled all they had to do as Christ follower. Did you know that the entire day is meant to be dedicated to the Lord, in all we do, gather, and offer that day? Yet, for some, this is one of the most hardest things to do.
But do what is tough. Then it gets easier, like when your body lifts weights, at first it is hard, then you get stronger, and it is easier, then you can do more...and more, and the same for God, you can grow, and do more and more for Him, and it does not hurt anymore, but rather, the hurt is addicting, because what starts burning inside are the flames of Jesus and Mary, a sacred heart united with the fire of God's love. |  audio | Random Bible Verse 1
1 Peter 5:10 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
