† Quote of the Day "Act, and God will act, work and He will work." — St. Joan of Arc Today's Meditation "God's delays are mysterious; sorrow is sometimes prolonged for the same reason for which it is sent. God may abstain for the moment from healing, not because Love does not love, but because Love never stops loving, and a greater good is to come from the woe. Heaven's clock is different from ours." —Fulton J. Sheen, p. 357
An excerpt from Life of Christ Daily Verse "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers." — Psalm 1: 1-3 | St. Catherine Del Ricci St. Catherine del Ricci (1522-1590) was born with the name Alessandra in Florence, Italy, to a respectable merchant family. Her mother died while she was very young, so that from her childhood Alessandra took the Blessed Virgin Mary as her mother. She was given to prayer and religious fervor, and at the age of fourteen decided to enter a strict Third Order Dominican convent, taking Catherine as her religious name. She developed into a great mystic with an intense devotion to the Passion of Christ. For many years Catherine would go into ecstasy from noon every Thursday through 4 p.m. on Friday, experiencing in a mystical manner the sufferings of Christ during his Passion. She was also given the spiritual gift of the stigmata; Christ's wounds would appear on her body through the course of the ecstasy. After enduring much humiliation for years on account of these sufferings, she was eventually accepted as a holy woman and later became prioress. Her advice was widely sought on many spiritual and practical matters. Despite being cloistered, she kept up a loving correspondence with many relatives, friends, and her spiritual children. Among those in her correspondence were three future popes, Pope Marcellus II, Pope Clement VIII, and Pope Leo XI. Her feast day is February 13. | Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Genesis 2:18-25 The LORD God said:
"It is not good for the man to be alone.
I will make a suitable partner for him."
So the LORD God formed out of the ground
various wild animals and various birds of the air,
and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them;
whatever the man called each of them would be its name.
The man gave names to all the cattle,
all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals;
but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man. So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man,
and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs
and closed up its place with flesh.
The LORD God then built up into a woman
the rib that he had taken from the man.
When he brought her to the man, the man said: "This one, at last, is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
this one shall be called 'woman,'
for out of 'her man' this one has been taken." That is why a man leaves his father and mother
and clings to his wife,
and the two of them become one flesh. The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 R. (see 1a) Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored. R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table. R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord. Alleluia James 1:21bc R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you
and is able to save your souls.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mark 7:24-30 Jesus went to the district of Tyre.
He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it,
but he could not escape notice.
Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him.
She came and fell at his feet.
The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth,
and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.
He said to her, "Let the children be fed first.
For it is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs."
She replied and said to him,
"Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps."
Then he said to her, "For saying this, you may go.
The demon has gone out of your daughter."
When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed
and the demon gone.
| Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: Mark 7:24-30 Jesus went to the district of Tyre . . . , but he could not escape notice. (Mark 7:24) Why did Jesus go into Gentile territory? It's possible that he wanted a place where he could rest—a place where no one had heard of him. Looking back over Mark's Gospel, we see that, prior to today's passage, Jesus had fed five thousand people, calmed a storm, and walked on water. As a result of these works of wonder, people "immediately recognized him" and "began to bring in the sick . . . to wherever they heard he was" (6:54, 55). News about his miracles was spreading fast—even beyond the Jewish people. But even though Jesus didn't want anyone to know that he was there, "he could not escape notice" (Mark 7:24). The news of his miracles led the woman in today's Gospel to him. She was hoping that he could heal her daughter. And after praising her faith and teaching his reluctant disciples that he had come for the Gentiles, too, that's exactly what he did! When God works in our lives and pours out his grace on us, we might feel, like the apostles after Pentecost, that "it is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20). Remember, too, that the Lord has told us to go and share the good news about his works to all the corners of the world (Mark 16:15). So how can we stay quiet? What miracles have you seen in your life? Maybe it's the healing of a serious illness, or maybe a broken relationship that has been restored. Maybe you feel the Spirit has given you wisdom to help you guide your children closer to the Lord. Or maybe he just helped you find the right parking spot when you were in a hurry! Every day Jesus is working in your life in big and small ways. Sometimes it takes time to realize what he has been doing, but he is always at work. So ask the Lord to show you all the blessings he has given you, and then go and share the good news with everyone. Jesus doesn't want to escape notice anymore! "Lord, help me to see the blessings you give me every day so I can share the news with the people around me!" Genesis 2:18-25
Psalm 128:1-5 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Hear AI Read it for u | From today's Holy Gospel: "She came and fell at his feet.
The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth,
and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.
He said to her, "Let the children be fed first.
For it is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs."
She replied and said to him,
"Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps."
Then he said to her, "For saying this, you may go.
The demon has gone out of your daughter."
When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed
and the demon gone........" - Word of the Lord! | From Bishop Barron:
"There is a long tradition that stresses the woman's perseverance in the face of the "test" that Jesus sets for her. There is another reading that shows how the woman exemplifies the proper attitude toward God, a combination of humility and boldness, of deference and defiance.
But the reading I want to emphasize is one conditioned by the philosophy of the "other." The Old Testament speaks insistently of "the stranger, the widow, and the orphan," those who have no one to care for them. They press upon us even when we would greatly prefer them just to go away.
We the Church are the Body of Christ, the physical presence of Christ in the world. And so people come to us demanding food, sustenance, friendship, love, shelter, liberation. So often we are tempted to do what Jesus does initially and what the disciples do: tell them to back off.
But the whole of the Christian life consists in remembering the suffering and need of the annoying other." end quote. From Roberto Juarez:
"Far from being offended, the woman responds with humility and intelligence: "Lord, but even the little dogs under the table eat the crumbs left by their children" (Mk 7:28). Their attitude shows authentic faith and total trust in the mercy of Jesus.
Jesus, seeing her faith, grants her the miracle: her daughter is freed from the devil.
• Do I have a persevering faith that does not give up in the face of trials?
• Do I approach God with humility, trusting fully in his love?
This passage teaches us that God's salvation is for everyone. Jesus excludes no one, but seeks hearts willing to believe. The Syrophoenician woman's faith is an example of trust and humility, reminding us that God always listens to those who seek Him with sincere desire.
Roberto Juárez..." end quote.
"Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps."
The Lord then, only then, had pity on her.
Right now, I feel like that pleading and tormented woman. I don't have a demon possessed child, but I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders, barely making it to pay employees, customers not paying on time, waiting for months for a check for work done months ago, it is nerve racking, when accounts we use for credit are closing up, denying credit, doors are shutting one by one, and all the decisions come down to one guy, one false move, or one smart move could probably make the difference. I know its not mortal issues, but it is a life we are given to sustain other lives. So it is important. It is moral obligation to do our best.
But there are times when things are mortal, and evil spirits are haunting us and taking over loved ones. In this case, we are to pray. But we must watch how we pray. Sometimes, we can demand things from God with our stress and anxiety, I know I've been there, like when my dad was dying in the hospital, and he was our boss, here at our family business.
I know I prayed with the most stress and anxiety of all times on my knees, every night, with a broken heart and tears flowing down my face. Yes, I was praying, but not like I should. One time, I actually heard God say to me "I HAVE HEARD YOUR PRAYERS". But I knew it didn't mean He was going to answer them, it was a stern voice. Perhaps, like the negation of the woman today, but...she persisted, and with the right attitude. "Even the dogs eat the scraps from the table".
Will we settle for scraps? She realized and admitted she was not a child of Israel, but she deserved sympathy, compassion, and mercy because she knew this is who He was.
Our hearts would do better if we realized this kind of attitude in faith. Not the kind that relents and has to repent later, but the kind that desires what is good from God, and to trust in Him with what is most dear.
If we love, God loves more.
If we persist, God may listen.
If we accept His will, whatever it may be, our love will grow.
My mom just stepped in and told me she dreamed about dad, that he was at church and was leaving, he had to take care of business. Another uncle, his oldest brother said he dreamed my dad too, saying he seemed he had a stack of papers, lots of work ahead of him. My dad was a workaholic, and a faithful man, not perfect, but faithful.
I too must be about Our Father's business. I have much to do, and much to grow in the faith, like this woman, in humble disposition. Lord, may we grow in love and faith together, live inside of me, thrive inside of us, let us all unite to bring a vibrant faith into the world. Let your Truth Shine, both now and forever. |  audio | Random Bible Verse 1
Hebrews 13:15 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
