† Quote of the Day "Put up willingly with the faults of others if you wish others to put up with yours." — St. John Bosco Today's Meditation "We trust ourselves to a doctor because we suppose he knows his business. He orders an operation which involves cutting away part of our body and we accept it. We are grateful to him and pay him a large fee because we judge he would not act as he does unless the remedy were necessary, and we must rely on his skill. Yet we are unwilling to treat God in the same way! It looks as if we do not trust His wisdom and are afraid He cannot do His job properly. We allow ourselves to be operated on by a man who may easily make a mistake—a mistake which may cost us our life—and protest when God sets to work on us. If we could see all He sees we would unhesitatingly wish all He wishes." —Fr. Jean Baptiste Saint-Jure, p. 90 An excerpt from Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence Daily Verse "Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to thee, when my heart is faint. Lead thou me to the rock that is higher than I; for thou art my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. Let me dwell in thy tent for ever! Oh to be safe under the shelter of thy wings!" — Psalm 61:1-4 | Blessed Alvarez Of Cordova Bl. Alvarez of (Córdoba) Cordova (1350-1430) was born to a noble family in Zamora, Spain. He joined the Dominican Order and preached throughout Spain, and served at the court of Queen Catherine. He went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and upon his return preached the crusades against the Muslims. He founded the famous priory of Scala Caeli (Ladder of Heaven) at Cordova, a convent of strict observance, and it is said that angels helped provide its building materials. He erected pictures of the holy places in Jerusalem in its gardens, popularizing the custom of the Stations of the Cross. He lived a life of great austerity and begged for alms even though he could easily obtain what he needed from the royal court. Numerous miracles are attributed to him. It is told that he once found a dying beggar, wrapped him in a blanket, and carried him back to the convent. Upon unwrapping the cloth he found only a crucifix. Blessed Alvarez was dedicated to Christ's Passion and helped spread devotion to the Way of the Cross throughout western Europe. He also successfully led a resistance against the anti-pope and brought Spain under allegiance to the true pope in Rome. His feast day is February 19. | Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Genesis 8:6-13, 20-22 At the end of forty days Noah opened the hatch he had made in the ark,
and he sent out a raven,
to see if the waters had lessened on the earth.
It flew back and forth until the waters dried off from the earth.
Then he sent out a dove,
to see if the waters had lessened on the earth.
But the dove could find no place to alight and perch,
and it returned to him in the ark,
for there was water all over the earth.
Putting out his hand, he caught the dove
and drew it back to him inside the ark.
He waited seven days more and again sent the dove out from the ark.
In the evening the dove came back to him,
and there in its bill was a plucked-off olive leaf!
So Noah knew that the waters had lessened on the earth.
He waited still another seven days
and then released the dove once more;
and this time it did not come back. In the six hundred and first year of Noah's life,
in the first month, on the first day of the month,
the water began to dry up on the earth.
Noah then removed the covering of the ark
and saw that the surface of the ground was drying up. Noah built an altar to the LORD,
and choosing from every clean animal and every clean bird,
he offered burnt offerings on the altar.
When the LORD smelled the sweet odor, he said to himself:
"Never again will I doom the earth because of man
since the desires of man's heart are evil from the start;
nor will I ever again strike down all living beings, as I have done.
As long as the earth lasts,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
Summer and winter,
and day and night
shall not cease." Responsorial Psalm Psalm 116:12-13, 14-15, 18-19 R. (17a) To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia. How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD. R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones. R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the house of the LORD,
in your midst, O Jerusalem. R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia Ephesians 1:17-18 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our hearts,
that we may know what is the hope
that belongs to his call.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mark 8:22-26 When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida,
people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.
Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man and asked,
"Do you see anything?"
Looking up the man replied, "I see people looking like trees and walking."
Then he laid hands on the man's eyes a second time and he saw clearly;
his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly.
Then he sent him home and said, "Do not even go into the village."
| Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: Genesis 8:6-13, 20-22 Noah built an altar to the Lord. (Genesis 8:20) As the rain ceased and the waters receded, Noah and his family stepped out of the ark. It had been quite an ordeal. Of course, there were the forty days of rain, followed by nearly a full year in the ark with all those animals, but let's not forget the decades of preparation beforehand! Throughout all those long years, God was close to Noah. He was there, helping him to be faithful as he built the ark. And maybe best of all, he brought Noah and his family into the safety of the ark when the floods came (Genesis 7:16). So what was the first thing Noah did when he set foot on dry land? He built an altar and offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord! You can imagine all the memories flooding Noah's mind as he looked up at the clear sky—memories of all the times the Lord had led and guided him, protected him, and shown his power in the face of fearsome circumstances. Naturally, gratitude welled up in his heart. But that wasn't all. This first step out of the ark was a new beginning for Noah and his family. The altar and the sacrifice were not only thanksgiving for the past, but a rededication to the Lord for the years to come. As the Lord had been faithful in the past, Noah and his family could trust him in the future. Facing life after the flood, they knew they needed God's protection and direction just as much as before. And they knew they could trust that he would take care of them. So they dedicated themselves to the Lord. You can do that, too. Imagine building an "altar" in your heart, a place where you can offer thanks to God and rededicate your life to him. You can praise God for his protection when you have been called to stand in the face of a storm. You can thank him for the strength he has given you to follow him over the years. And like Noah, you can dedicate yourself anew each day to the God who has been so faithful to you. Each day is a new beginning. So take the time to offer this new day to the Lord and give thanks to him for his faithfulness! "Lord, I come to you with thanks and praise today. I surrender my life once more to your loving protection!" Psalm 116:12-15, 18-19
Mark 8:22-26 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Hear AI Read it for u | From today's Holy Gospel: "When Jesus and his disciples arrived at Bethsaida,
people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.
Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man and asked,
"Do you see anything?"
Looking up the man replied, "I see people looking like trees and walking."
Then he laid hands on the man's eyes a second time and he saw clearly;
his sight was restored and he could see everything distinctly.
Then he sent him home and said, "Do not even go into the village."......" - Word of the Lord! | From Bishop Barron:
"One of the origins of this spiritual debility is too much time in the village. Jesus the healer and judge has to lead us blind people out of the city and give us sight—and then strictly enjoin us not to return to the blinding ways of the village.
fortunate village dwellers must, through the power of Christ, put on the mind of Christ. And then we must live in a new town, the community of love and justice which is the Church. It is this city of vision that effectively challenges (and judges) the enduring power of the blinding society......." end quote.
From Spanish Reflection of Roberto Juarez:
" The community brings the blind man to Jesus, showing confidence in his power. Here we see the importance of intercession: many times we need others to help us draw closer to God, especially when our spiritual "vision" is clouded.
• Do I accompany others on their journey of faith, helping them to draw closer to Jesus?
• Do I allow them to help me when my faith is weak?
Jesus leads the blind man out of the crowd, giving him a personal and intimate encounter. The use of saliva and the laying on of hands reminds us that God acts in concrete and close ways.
• Do I allow myself to be led by Jesus, even when I don't understand where he's leading me?
• Do I seek moments of intimacy with God to hear His voice? Unlike other instant healings, this miracle occurs in two stages. First, the blind person regains blurred vision, and only then does his sight become completely clear. This symbolizes our own growth in faith, which is a gradual process.
• Am I being patient with my process of conversion and spiritual growth?
• Do I trust that God will continue to work in my life, even if I don't see clearly yet? Jesus does not abandon the blind man in his partial vision, but completes his healing. This shows us that God does not leave His work halfway, but brings it to its fullness.
• Do I trust that God will continue to work in my life until His plan is completed?
• Do I ask God to increase my faith and my ability to see His will clearly? Jesus asks the man not to return to the people, perhaps to avoid the unbelief or skepticism of others. This reminds us that once we have received the light of faith, we must cherish it and not be influenced by environments that may weaken it.
• Am I protecting my faith from negative influences?
• Do I live my life differently after I have encountered Christ? This miracle teaches us that our relationship with God is a progressive path. Sometimes our vision is blurred, but if we persevere in closeness to Jesus, He will complete His work in us...." end quote.
Lately I've been monitoring my health, doctor said cholesterol is on my radar, to be watchful, but even more so of concern is bilirum levels and may be a fatty liver. I've done some research, and got scanned yesterday, waiting on results, but it seems as though, as I have been fasting for years, I drink no water from the night before until noon most of the time the next day. That is a long time for a body not to have water. And, the doctor suggests vitamin D, which normally we get by being in the natural sun light, another thing I don't do, because I am mostly stuck in the office stressing about work all day long, which is another burden on the body. But notice, we need water, and sunlight, just like the trees, or else, things don't go too good for the tree...that is, the body.
The blind man that is being healed by our Lord's spittle, some spit and some dirt, calls to mind the humus, the dirt humans are made of, and the water that brought about trees that bring about fruit, and shelter for the world. We need His spit to see. His Holy water. We need His healing touch, as He sets us apart from the crowds, and the world. We need His communication, but how will you ever, if you never are set apart...that which means, to be holy. Our Lord did not make a mistake when He made the man see people like trees walking around. "Every tree will be known by its fruit", says the Lord. And trees that do not produce enough fruit, well, it may be pruned, and it hurts to be pruned, like the loss of a loved one. Or a tree that does not give fruit will be cut down and burned, like the loss of Heaven, by forgetting the Holy Will of our Father in Heaven.
What is His will? Living in Him, and letting His holy sap to course through our body, His living essence, to course through our veins, such as grace, and metaphysically, the Holy Eucharist.
My Lord, I have forgotten to take of the living waters, of faith, of grace, of the life sustenance that we need that comes from Your Sacred Heart.
Prepare our hearts, as we prepare for Lent, so that we may let You live in us, and grow into a beautiful structure, a body, a living tree, that grows eternally to Heaven. |  audio | Random Bible Verse 1
James 1:5–6 [James 1] 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
