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Quote of the Day
"You change your life by changing your heart." — St. Benedict of Nursia
Today's Meditation "Every human being is infinitely loved and infinitely precious. We haven't earned that divine dignity; it is a gift. Nonetheless, we convince ourselves that we must somehow show ourselves worthy of God's love–that if we are charming or charitable or brave enough, He will feel obliged to reward us. Self-abasement is the antidote to this delusion. It is the practice of reminding ourselves that we are nothing without God's grace and will never earn it. Ironically, this healthy sense of nothingness, understood correctly, brings with it a deeper sense of confidence and freedom." –J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B, p.101
Daily Verse "For ever, O Lord, thy word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Thy faithfulness endures to all generations; thou hast established the earth, and it stands fast. By thy appointment they stand this day; for all things are thy servants." — Psalm 119:89-91 | St Benedict Of Nursia St. Benedict of Nursia (480-547 A.D.) and his twin sister, St. Scholastica, were born to a Roman nobleman and his wife in Nursia, Italy. He spent his childhood with his parents in Rome. As a young man he found in himself a strong desire to escape the trifling things of the world and serve God. He left his family and wealth and settled in the mountainous region of Subiaco. After three years living in solitude as a cave-dwelling hermit, he was asked to lead a monastery in the place of an abbot who had died. Benedict did as they asked, but his way of life was too extreme for the monks and they tried to poison him. He thwarted their evil designs by blessing the poisoned cup, rendering it ineffective. Benedict returned to his cave, where news of his sanctity and miracles began to spread. Soon a community of men surrounded him wanting to adopt his way of life. To house them Benedict established twelve monasteries, including the world-famous Monte Cassino, and gave them a rule of life to live by, known as the Rule of St. Benedict. His Rule—still observed by Benedictines today—helped form the civilization and culture of Europe. Because of the organization, structure, and discipline he brought to the monastic life, he is known as the Founder of Western Monasticism. He is the patron saint of monks, students, farmers, all of Europe, and more. He is also especially known for his intercession against poison, temptations, and witchcraft. His feast day is July 11th in the Latin rite, while the Benedictines celebrate his feast on March 21st. | Genesis 46:1-7, 28-30 Israel set out with all that was his. When he arrived at Beer-sheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. There God, speaking to Israel in a vision by night, called, "Jacob! Jacob!" He answered, "Here I am." Then he said: "I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you a great nation. Not only will I go down to Egypt with you; I will also bring you back here, after Joseph has closed your eyes." So Jacob departed from Beer-sheba, and the sons of Israel put their father and their wives and children on the wagons that Pharaoh had sent for his transport. They took with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan. Thus Jacob and all his descendants migrated to Egypt. His sons and his grandsons, his daughters and his granddaughters—all his descendants—he took with him to Egypt. Israel had sent Judah ahead to Joseph, so that he might meet him in Goshen. On his arrival in the region of Goshen, Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot and rode to meet his father Israel in Goshen. As soon as Joseph saw him, he flung himself on his neck and wept a long time in his arms. And Israel said to Joseph, "At last I can die, now that I have seen for myself that Joseph is still alive." Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40 R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Trust in the Lord and do good,
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will grant you your heart's requests. R. The Lord watches over the lives of the wholehearted;
their inheritance lasts forever.
They are not put to shame in an evil time;
in days of famine they have plenty. R. Turn from evil and do good,
that you may abide forever;
For the Lord loves what is right,
and forsakes not his faithful ones. R. The salvation of the just is from the Lord;
he is their refuge in time of distress.
And the Lord helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him. R. Gospel Acclamation Alleluia, alleluia.
When the Spirit of truth comes,
he will guide you to all truth
and remind you of all I told you. -Jn 16:13a; 14:26d
Alleluia, alleluia. Matthew 10:16-23 Jesus said to his Apostles: "Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. But beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes." | Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: Genesis 46:1-7, 28-30 Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt. (Genesis 46:3) Moving is always stressful, and pulling up roots to move to a foreign country is ten times as challenging! So imagine, in today's reading, Jacob assembling his caravan—his growing family, their possessions, and all the flocks and herds they tended. He had indeed grown prosperous in the land of Canaan, the place God had promised to give to his grandfather, Abraham. So it's no surprise that he was anxious, once again "wrestling" over whether he really wanted to go (Genesis 32:25). In the end, Jacob concluded that he possessed so much more than family and livestock. He carried with him the very promises of God, the blessing of his father, and a new name bestowed on him by an angel. He even had God's own assurance: "I will go down to Egypt with you" (Genesis 46:4). And so he resolved to set out on this new chapter, trusting in the God of his father. You are more like Jacob than you may realize. You are an heir to the promises of God—promises, in fact, that even surpass his promises to all the heroes and heroines of the Old Testament! That means you can trust that the Lord will go with you no matter where you wander. Because you are baptized into the death and resurrection of his Son, you don't have to be afraid of the sin in the world around you. And because you have been filled with his Spirit, you don't have to worry when you are beset by adversity. Jesus promises, "Do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows" (Matthew 10:31). You may find yourself today in new circumstances or unfamiliar territory. You may be facing opposition from someone close to you. You may even end up wrestling with old patterns of thinking or habitual sin. Yet these are the times when God's promises mean the most. So whatever you are facing, you can also expect the Lord to stay close to you. Even if you have to "go down to Egypt" today, know that you won't be going alone! "Lord, help me to stand on your promises and take refuge in your presence!" Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40
Matthew 10:16-23 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Hear AI Read it for u | From today's Holy Gospel: " Jesus said to his Apostles: "Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. But beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. ...." end quote. | From Roberto Juarez:
"The faithful following of Christ is echoed in history. St. Benedict did not seek recognition, but his life bore fruit in generations. Their witness not only built monasteries, but also culture, education and prayer for entire peoples. Fidelity to Christ leads to sharing in his glory, not by human merits, but by the grace of a life given in faith and love.
Today Europe - and the world - needs men and women like Benedict, who live for God, from faith, responsible work and firm charity. • Is my following of Christ total or partial, conditional or generous?
Let us conclude by asking the Lord, just as he called Peter, Benedict and so many others to leave everything, to awaken us also from the lethargy of the superficial and to know how to trust, detach ourselves, and work with faith, to sow his Kingdom today in our world thirsting for meaning." end quote.
From Bishop Barron:
"Friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus predicts the persecution of his followers. A vast army of martyrs have in the course of Christian history given their lives for the sake of Christ and his Gospel. They are from every culture, country, language, and background. This is the army that stands opposed to worldly armies that do their work through violence, threats, and oppression. They witness to the power and authority of the risen Lord and therefore they are fighters—but they do not fight with the weapons of the world. One might think of St. Peter himself, crucified upside down; or Felicity and Perpetua, thrown to wild animals; or of Thomas Becket, who resisted King Henry II's attempts to manipulate the Church and was butchered by his henchmen; or Thomas More, who resisted another King Henry and paid for it with his head. One might think of Paul Miki, the Japanese Jesuit, who was crucified for announcing the Christian faith; or Miguel Pro, who was shot to death for defying a repressive Mexican government, shouting as he was martyred, "Viva Cristo Rey!"
End quote from Bishop Barron.
We can think of martyrdom in 2 ways, a white martyrdom, and a red martyrdom.
The vast majority can suffer death for Christ in a white martyrdom, and a select few in a red martyrdom.
In Catholic tradition, "white martyrdom" refers to a life of self-denial, asceticism, and spiritual struggle for the sake of faith, without necessarily involving physical death. It's a form of martyrdom that doesn't involve shedding blood, but rather a daily "dying to self" through acts of sacrifice and devotion.
The life we live on earth is not all roses, glitz, and glamour. We all love peace and joy and no struggles, but all of that can only come through a hard fought Alleluia. What does "Alleluia" even mean? It means praise be to God! In all things we do, we are to praise God. Through the tough times and the good times, amen? There are some who have learned this secret, and when calamity strikes, they immediately say "praise God".
What does that even mean?
What does the message of the cross even mean? Right? It means so much more than meets the eye. It means "Jesus, I Trust In You" and "I lift Your name and offer this too".
Praise God in the Storm.
Praise God in the life He's given.
Praise God both now and forever.
Amen. |  audio | Random Bible Verse 1
Philippians 3:13–14 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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