† Quote of the Day "O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams." — St. Augustine Today's Meditation "There are two loves, the love of God and the love of the world. If the love of the world takes possession of you, there is no way for the love of God to enter into you. Let the love of the world take the second place, and let the love of God dwell in you. Let the better love take over." —St. Augustine, p. 34 Daily Verse "I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching." — 2 Timothy 4:1-2 | St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 A.D.) was born in North Africa to a pagan father and a Christian mother, St. Monica. His mother did her best to raise him in the Christian faith, but Augustine, a brilliant and promising young student, was carried away into worldy attractions, lust for women, and pagan philosophies. This put his faith and morals into a state of crisis for many years. His waywardness gave his holy mother great pain and anxiety as she watched her son pursue materialistic ambitions and keep company with heretical sects. Through her constant prayers and the holy preaching of St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, St. Augustine came to recognize the truth of Christianity; but only after several spiritually tumultuous years of seeking God through his philosophical studies. He underwent a profound conversion and was baptized, after which he lived a holy life of purity, prayer, and penance. His life is one of the greatest sinner-to-saint stories in the history of the Church. St. Augustine eventually became a priest, bishop, theologian, writer, and the founder of a religious order of priests. He was declared a Doctor of the Church and is considered one of the most influential saints and theologians to have ever lived, one whose writings are widely read to this very day. His feast day is celebrated on August 28. | Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church • Readings for the Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Reading 1 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13 We have been reassured about you, brothers and sisters,
in our every distress and affliction, through your faith.
For we now live, if you stand firm in the Lord. What thanksgiving, then, can we render to God for you,
for all the joy we feel on your account before our God?
Night and day we pray beyond measure to see you in person
and to remedy the deficiencies of your faith.
Now may God himself, our Father, and our Lord Jesus
direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase
and abound in love for one another and for all,
just as we have for you,
so as to strengthen your hearts,
to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father
at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 90:3-5a, 12-13, 14 and 17 R. (14) Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
You turn man back to dust,
saying, "Return, O children of men."
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night. R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants! R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
And may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands! R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy! Alleluia Matthew 24:42a, 44 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stay awake!
For you do not know when the Son of Man will come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Matthew 24:42-51 Jesus said to his disciples:
"Stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this: if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. "Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant,
whom the master has put in charge of his household
to distribute to them their food at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so.
Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property.
But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is long delayed,'
and begins to beat his fellow servants,
and eat and drink with drunkards,
the servant's master will come on an unexpected day
and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely
and assign him a place with the hypocrites,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."
| Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: Matthew 24:42-51 Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant? (Matthew 24:45) In today's Gospel, Jesus warns his disciples to stay awake, because "you do not know on which day your Lord will come" (Matthew 24:42). Then, he explains how to be prepared for his return—by being like a "faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food" (24:45). When the master returns, he is happy to find that this servant is simply "doing so" (24:46). That's it? Apparently so. Jesus then contrasts this faithful servant with a "wicked" one, who responds differently to his master's absence. Seeing that his "master is long delayed," he pursues his own interests rather than helping care for his fellow servants (Matthew 24:48). He gets drunk and even abuses them. He takes his master's delay as an opportunity to give free rein to his selfish desires. Jesus wanted his disciples—and us—to understand that although his return will be delayed, we should still obey God's commands. In fact, our true character is formed and revealed when nobody is watching. God wants us to care for his "household," the Church, by "feeding" and providing for our neighbor, just as he did (Matthew 24:45). Two thousand years have passed, and the Lord's coming is still delayed. So how can we be like the faithful servant? By doing what he's given us to do. First, we can hold fast to our faith. One day he will return and establish his kingdom "on earth as in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). Although life may seem very unheavenly at times, the Lord will strengthen our hope as we seek him each day in prayer and try to walk in his ways. Second, we can persevere in obedience. We can try not to grow weary in doing the good he has given us to do, especially when it comes to caring for the people around us. Jesus is delighted when he sees us working hard at our jobs, caring for our families, and providing for his people in need. That's it. That's all it takes. If we can strive just to be faithful, Jesus promises us great rewards both in this life and in the next. "Lord, help me to be your faithful servant. Lead me in simply doing what you ask of me." 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13
Psalm 90:3-5, 12-14, 17 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Hear AI Read it for u | From today's Holy Gospel: "Jesus said to his disciples:
"Stay awake!
For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.
Be sure of this: if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.........." Word of the Lord. | Roberto Juarez of a spanish reflection said:
"The homeowner can arrive at any time, and the question is: what will he find? Will you find a watchful heart, living in grace, or a distracted heart, caught up in the things of the world?
Vigilance is to live aware that everything is a gift, and that every day can be the last. Lord Jesus,
You invite us to watch and to be awake.
Don't let us sleep in comfort,
nor distracted by what does not matter.
Make us faithful in the small,
responsible in our tasks,
and attentive to the needs of the brothers.
That when you come, you will find us awake,
with the lamp lit of love.
Amen. " end quote.
Stay awake...or else. Right? The end of the Gospel we heard about the steward that decided otherwise, and wound up in a place of torment.
How is this a good God? Easy. Hypocrites belong with hypocrites, where they torture each other. Our Lord asks us to be set aside, a light in the dark. He asks us to strive to be strong to enter the narrow gate where only the strong can enter.
You see, the world calls religious people "weaklings", but they are wrong. Evil thrives on weakness, it is the irreligious that are weak and mislead.
So who are the strong?
Stay awake. Listen to Him.
Mother Mary said "do whatever He tells you".
God the Father said "This is MY BELOVED SON, with whom I am well pleased".
Why is the Father pleased with the Son? It is about the volition, the holy will to do solely the Father's will above one's own.
On earth, we pray, as it is, and should be always...in Heaven.
Our strength then, is in the Lord, in remaining in Him, and doing His will, ALWAYS. Not every once in a while. Not only on Sunday for a bit, but at every second, every thought that we possess. This is to be aware, to be awake, to be ready for Him, with our lights on.
With lights at night, we can see where we step. With the lights in the dark, we can see dangerous slithering creatures. But if you live in the dark, with no light, how terribly dark it will forever be.
God wants all souls to see the light...of truth.
This is Jesus.
God, Jesus, be our Light and our Salvation! Oh help us love Thee more and more! |  audio | Random Bible Verse 2 Corinthians 4:7–10 [2 Corinthians 4]
Treasure in Jars of Clay " But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies."
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