† Quote of the Day "To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible."
— St. Thomas Aquinas Today's Meditation ""The Passion is described as the mystery of Christ's suffering. It was a mystery at the time because people could not reconcile it with what they had expected. In the sense that we can never fully understand the idea of God suffering, the Passion is still a mystery. Now if our sufferings are somehow or other to fit into the Passion of Christ—and this is no fiction because this is where they belong—there will surely be an element of mystery about them. They will make demands on our faith." —Fr. Hubert van Zeller, OSB Daily Verse "Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show his works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom."
— James 3:13 | St. Euphrasia St. Euphrasia (380-410 A.D.) was the only child of noble Christian parents serving the court of the Christian Emperor Theodosius I, their relative, in Constantinople. After her birth her parents vowed to remain celibate in order to commit their lives fully to prayer and penance. Her father died soon after, and Euphrasia moved with her mother to Egypt near a large monastery of nuns. At the age of seven Euphrasia vowed her virginity to Christ and desired to join the monastery. Her mother gladly presented her to the abbess, and then died soon after. When the Emperor heard of her mother's death, he sought out Euphrasia for an arranged marriage. Euphrasia denied the offer due to her vow, and requested that her large estate be sold with the money given to the poor, and all her slaves freed. The Emperor was greatly pleased with her chosen course in life, and did all that she asked. As a nun Euphrasia did great penances. In order to resist temptations to sin, she would perform difficult manual labor, often lifting heavy stones and moving them from one place to another for days on end, and other such drudgery. She was known to perform miracles both before and after her death at the age of thirty. Her feast day is March 13th | Thursday of the First Week in Lent Reading 1 Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25 Queen Esther, seized with mortal anguish,
had recourse to the LORD.
She lay prostrate upon the ground, together with her handmaids,
from morning until evening, and said:
"God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you.
Help me, who am alone and have no help but you,
for I am taking my life in my hand.
As a child I used to hear from the books of my forefathers
that you, O LORD, always free those who are pleasing to you.
Now help me, who am alone and have no one but you,
O LORD, my God. "And now, come to help me, an orphan.
Put in my mouth persuasive words in the presence of the lion
and turn his heart to hatred for our enemy,
so that he and those who are in league with him may perish.
Save us from the hand of our enemies;
turn our mourning into gladness
and our sorrows into wholeness." Responsorial Psalm Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8
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R. (3a) Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name. R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Because of your kindness and your truth;
for you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me. R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands.
R. Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me. Verse Before the Gospel Psalm 51:12a, 14a A clean heart create for me, O God;
give me back the joy of your salvation. Gospel Matthew 7:7-12 Jesus said to his disciples:
"Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone
when he asked for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asked for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things
to those who ask him. "Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets." | Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: Matthew 7:7-12
Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread? (Matthew 7:9) Jesus assures us in today's Gospel that God is a loving Father who always responds to his children's pleas. When we ask or seek or knock, we can be confident that our Father will give us good gifts. But sometimes it can be hard to recognize what God is offering as a gift. We come to him and ask for the bread we need and open our hands to receive it. But then, as we look down, we discover that what we've been given looks like a stone! How can this "gift" possibly fit into God's greater plan? When this happens, know that you're not alone. Holy men and women through the ages have asked and knocked and sought God. Sometimes what they received didn't look much like a gift. But they kept seeking. And in their seeking, their eyes were opened to see God's blessing in their lives. Think about Venerable Fr. Augustus Tolton, who had been born into slavery in Missouri in 1854. After the American Civil War, he felt called to the priesthood, but no American seminary would accept him because of his race. He kept asking, seeking, and knocking, and he was eventually admitted to a seminary in Rome. He was ordained a priest in 1886 and sent back to the United States as a missionary to African-American Catholics. All the "stones" of that rejection ultimately served to strengthen Tolton's resolve to persevere. Or consider Servant of God Michelle Duppong (1984–2015), a joyful missionary who shared the gospel on college campuses and mentored young people. At age thirty, she was diagnosed with cancer and died a year later. She refused to see her suffering as a "stone." Instead, she asked the Lord to help her continue to bring hope and joy to the people around her. Our loving Father wants to share the "bread" of his blessings with each of us, but not everyone can recognize it. How can you imitate the holy men and women who have gone before us and find God's goodness in your life? "Father, open my eyes to see the bread you are offering me!" Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25
Psalm 138:1-3, 7-8 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: | From today's Holy Gospel: "If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.
"Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the law and the prophets."......." - Word of the Lord! | Bishop Robert Barron said today: "Friends, today's Gospel assures us of the power of prayer. When some people ask in a spirit of trust, really believing that what they are asking for will happen, it happens. Just as Jesus suggests in the Gospel, "Everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."
The power of prayer is the confidence that we are being guided and cared for, even when that guidance and care are not immediately apparent. It is what allows someone to live in detachment from all the ups and downs of life. In the language of St. Ignatius of Loyola, "We should not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, honor to dishonor, a long life to a short life. . . . Our one desire and choice should be what is more conducive to the end for which we are created . . . to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord."
Someone that lives in that kind of detachment is free, and because they are free, they are powerful. They are beyond the threats that arise in the context of this world. This is the source of dynamis, real power. This is the power that Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day, and John Paul II wielded: world-changing power......" end quote from Bishop Barron.
There is that mantra from atheists that always suggest that our Lord is NOT good therefore NOT all knowing, as if we are to know better on what goodness is.
What does message call for? Distrust. A message that has reounded through the ages for all who have decided to doubt.
And this is hard for the world. Why?
A doubting pessimist place is no place to be. Where is the faith? Where is the hope? Where is the love that calls on faith and hope?
Let us consider the immense creator our God. He has not left us. He sent us Himself His Son and then went deeper through the Holy Spirit to cover the world in Himself.
This is how prayers are heard...in the stillness of faith, hope, and love....our rock...our Lord Himself.
Lent is calling us to Himself in a deeper way....more than before. | Random Bible Verse 1
Proverbs 16:3
[Proverbs 16] 3 Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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