† Quote of the Day "To use this life well is the pathway through death to everlasting life." — St. John Almond Today's Meditation "Love proves itself by deeds, and how shall I prove mine? ... I can prove my love only by scattering flowers, that is to say, by never letting slip a single little sacrifice, a single glance, a single word; by making profit of the very smallest actions, by doing them all for love. I want to suffer and even rejoice for love, for this is my way of scattering flowers." —St. Therese of Lisieux, p. 165
An excerpt from The Story of a Soul Daily Verse "So then, my beloved, obedient as you have always been, not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent, work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work." — Philippians 2:12-13 | St. Nicholas St. Nicholas of Myra (270 - 343 A.D.) was the only child of a wealthy Greek Christian couple living in what is today the country of Turkey. He was a pious child, and upon the death of his parents Nicholas was raised by an uncle who was a bishop. St. Nicholas grew in holiness, was ordained to the priesthood, and eventually consecrated a bishop. He was famous for generosity to the poor, protection of the wronged, zeal against heresy, and performance of miracles. Many famous legends are told of him. When a poverty-stricken man was to be forced to sell his daughters into slavery, St. Nicholas secretly tossed bags of coins into their home to serve as the girls' dowry, thus enabling them to marry and be provided for. The money was said to have landed in their stockings drying by the fireplace, which is the origin of gifts in children's stockings and shoes at Christmastime. At the Council of Nicea, Nicholas prevailed against the heretic bishop Arius; he was also instrumental in defending the doctrine of Jesus' divinity and formulating the Nicene Creed. His relics are still preserved in the Basilica of St. Nicholas in Italy. On his feast day they emit a miraculous myrrh, which is distributed around the world. Many countries have the custom of portraying him as the secret giver of gifts to children on his feast day and/or on Christmas Eve. St. Nicholas of Myra is the patron saint of many causes, professions, cities, and countries; but he is most notably the patron of children, sailors, prisoners, and maidens seeking to marry. His feast day is December 6th. | Friday of the First Week of Advent Reading 1 IS 29:17-24 Thus says the Lord GOD:
But a very little while,
and Lebanon shall be changed into an orchard,
and the orchard be regarded as a forest!
On that day the deaf shall hear
the words of a book;
And out of gloom and darkness,
the eyes of the blind shall see.
The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD,
and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
For the tyrant will be no more
and the arrogant will have gone;
All who are alert to do evil will be cut off,
those whose mere word condemns a man,
Who ensnare his defender at the gate,
and leave the just man with an empty claim.
Therefore thus says the LORD,
the God of the house of Jacob,
who redeemed Abraham:
Now Jacob shall have nothing to be ashamed of,
nor shall his face grow pale.
When his children see
the work of my hands in his midst,
They shall keep my name holy;
they shall reverence the Holy One of Jacob,
and be in awe of the God of Israel.
Those who err in spirit shall acquire understanding,
and those who find fault shall receive instruction. Responsorial Psalm PS 27:1, 4, 13-14 R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge; of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, our Lord shall come with power;
he will enlighten the eyes of his servants.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel MT 9:27-31 As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out,
"Son of David, have pity on us!"
When he entered the house,
the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them,
"Do you believe that I can do this?"
"Yes, Lord," they said to him.
Then he touched their eyes and said,
"Let it be done for you according to your faith."
And their eyes were opened.
Jesus warned them sternly,
"See that no one knows about this."
But they went out and spread word of him through all that land. | Daily Meditation: Matthew 9:27-31 Do you believe that I can do this? (Matthew 9:28) Something big was going on. Stories of Jesus' miraculous healings were circulating among the people, leading to crowds and commotion wherever he went. Could Jesus be the long-awaited Messiah? The two blind men calling out to Jesus, "Son of David, have pity on us!" (Matthew 9:27), must have thought so. Maybe Jesus could heal them, too! With boldness they followed him inside the house and stood before him. Up until this point, they were focused on being healed of blindness. But with his question, "Do you believe that I can do this?" Jesus changed their focus from their need for a healing to their faith in him (Matthew 9:28). He wanted his encounter with these two men to extend beyond just restoring their sight; he wanted them to know him: who he was and what he had come to accomplish. And that seems to be what happened. After the men received their sight, they didn't just go back to their homes and resume their day-to-day lives. Instead, "They went out and spread word of him through all that land" (Matthew 9:31). We may have a serious need for physical healing, as these blind men did, or we may have any number of other pressing needs. Seeking out the Lord for these things is good and a blessing, but it's just the beginning of what he has in store for us. Because it is when we seek him out in this way that he captures our hearts and invites us into a deeper relationship with him. Are you calling out to the Lord today for some very practical need? He hears you and asks, "Do you believe that I can do this?" Trust that he can do what you are asking of him, even if you don't receive an answer right away. But trust, also, that he has so much more that he wants to give you. As he invites you into a deeper relationship, he will soften your heart, unburden your conscience, bless you with joy and peace, and share a love beyond measure. Just like these two blind men, the need that brought you to Jesus is just the beginning of a transformation that has no end! "Lord, let today be the beginning of my journey of following you, hoping in you, and understanding you more deeply!" Isaiah 29:17-24
Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Click to hear Audio | In the Holy Scripture we hear today:
"As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out,
"Son of David, have pity on us!"
When he entered the house,
the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them,
"Do you believe that I can do this?"
"Yes, Lord," they said to him.
Then he touched their eyes and said,
"Let it be done for you according to your faith."
And their eyes were opened.
Jesus warned them sternly,
"See that no one knows about this."
But they went out and spread word of him through all that land........" end Gospel quote, word of the Lord. | From Bishop Barron:
"Friends, today in our Gospel, two blind men beg Jesus to heal them.
Blindness in the Bible is very often a symbol of spiritual blindness: the incapacity to see what truly matters. Focused on the worldly goods of wealth, pleasure, power, and honor, most people don't see how blind they are to the truly important things: giving oneself to the grace of God and living a life of love. If you have not surrendered to the grace of God, you are blind. How wonderful it is, then, that these men in the Gospel can cry out to Jesus in their need.
They are, of course, making a petition for physical healing, but it's much more than that for us. It's asking for that one thing that finally matters: spiritual vision—to know what my life is about, to know the big picture, to know where I'm going. You can have all the wealth, pleasure, honor, and power you want. You can have all the worldly goods you could desire. But if you don't see spiritually, it will do you no good; it will probably destroy you...." End quote from Bishop Barron.
Often our Lord asks "Do you believe?"
And then says "Let it be done according to your faith". And then things happen or they do not.
What happens when they do not? What about your faith then?
It should be even more resilient and faithful. God, I do believe, help my unbelief!
I want to see.
I want to walk on water.
I want to heal! Please Lord! |  audio | Random Bible Verse 1
John 8:32 [John 8] 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
