Quote of the Day "Know that the greatest service that man can offer to God is to help convert souls." — St. Rose of Lima Today's Meditation "There is another reason also why the soul has traveled safely in this obscurity; it has suffered: for the way of suffering is safer, and also more profitable, than that of rejoicing and of action. In suffering God gives strength, but in action and in joy the soul does but show its own weakness and imperfections. And in suffering, the soul practices and acquires virtue, and becomes pure, wiser, and more cautious." —St. John of the Cross, p. 149
An excerpt from Dark Night of the Soul Daily Verse "Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father." — Matthew 10:32-33 | Pope St. Soter Pope St. Soter (c. 174-175 A.D.) was born in Fondi, Italy. Nothing is known of his early life. He served as the 12th bishop of Rome from c.167 to 175 A.D. He was praised for his fatherly tenderness in comforting, both with words and generous alms, those who suffered for their Catholic faith, especially remote Christian churches living in poverty. He is said to have written an encyclical against Montanism – a heresy which maintained that a Christian who sinned gravely could never be redeemed. Pope St. Soter also declared that marriage was only a valid sacrament when blessed by a priest. The manner of Pope St. Soter's death is uncertain; one tradition holds that he was martyred on April 22, 175 A.D., under the Christian persecution of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. He was buried in Rome on the Appian Way in the catacombs of St. Callixtus. His feast day is April 22nd. | Tuesday in the Octave of Easter Lectionary: 262 Reading 1 Acts 2:36-41 On the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the Jewish people,
"Let the whole house of Israel know for certain
that God has made him both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified." Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,
and they asked Peter and the other Apostles,
"What are we to do, my brothers?"
Peter said to them,
"Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children
and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call."
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them,
"Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."
Those who accepted his message were baptized,
and about three thousand persons were added that day. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20 and 22 R.(5b) The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full. R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine. R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia. Sequence -- optional Victimae paschali laudes Christians, to the Paschal Victim Offer your thankful praises! A Lamb the sheep redeems; Christ, who only is sinless, Reconciles sinners to the Father. Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous: The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal. Speak, Mary, declaring What you saw, wayfaring. "The tomb of Christ, who is living, The glory of Jesus' resurrection; bright angels attesting, The shroud and napkin resting. Yes, Christ my hope is arisen; to Galilee he goes before you." Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining. Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning! Amen. Alleluia. Alleluia Psalm 118:24 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel John 20:11-18 Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"
She said to them, "They have taken my Lord,
and I don't know where they laid him."
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you looking for?"
She thought it was the gardener and said to him,
"Sir, if you carried him away,
tell me where you laid him,
and I will take him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary!"
She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni,"
which means Teacher.
Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to me,
for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go to my brothers and tell them,
'I am going to my Father and your Father,
to my God and your God.'"
Mary went and announced to the disciples,
"I have seen the Lord,"
and then reported what he had told her.
| Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: John 20:11-18 Whom are you looking for? (John 20:15) We're very familiar with the story; we heard it yesterday, in fact! But today, we hear it from St. John's point of view. Mary Magdalene went to Jesus' tomb to anoint his body, a sacred task that she had to postpone until the Sabbath was over. While everyone else was celebrating the feast of Passover, Mary and the other disciples were grieving and hiding from the religious leaders. Nevertheless, on Sunday, early in the morning, she went to the tomb with the spices and perfumed oils she had prepared. But when she arrived, she found that his body was missing. Her pain increased, and all she could do was weep. She had lost her beloved Teacher and Master. Where is Jesus? Oh God! This is too much to endure! How did you allow this to happen? Maybe we can relate to Mary's sorrow. Sometimes we can find ourselves asking similar questions. One day we were walking with the Lord, knowing that he was guiding us, teaching us, and taking care of us. But then somehow we stopped following him, and it felt as if Jesus was no longer there. Where is he? At times like these, it can be helpful to go back to "Jerusalem," to the rest of today's story, and keep seeking the Lord. There we find that Mary stays at the tomb and waits. Suddenly she sees a man who asks her, "Whom are you looking for?" (John 20:15). She thinks it's the gardener, until she hears him call her by name: "Mary!" (20:16). It's Jesus! The risen Lord is standing right beside her! Filled with joy and propelled by his words to her, she races back to the apostles and announces, "I have seen the Lord" (20:18). When we feel lost, when we feel we can't find Jesus anymore, he wants us to remember that he is right there, next to us. He asks us to keep looking for him in daily prayer, to keep searching for him in the Scriptures. He wants us to find him in the Eucharist and in the people who surround us. And when we find him and recognize him as Mary did on that glorious morning, we can go and tell everyone the good news that Jesus is risen! "Lord, help me to find you in everything I do and everyone I meet. Fill me with the joy of your resurrection!" Acts 2:36-41
Psalm 33:4-5, 18-20, 22 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Hear AI Read it for u | From today's Holy Gospel: In the Gospel we hear today:
"Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping.
And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb
and saw two angels in white sitting there,
one at the head and one at the feet
where the Body of Jesus had been.
And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?"
She said to them, "They have taken my Lord,
and I don't know where they laid him."
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there,
but did not know it was Jesus......" - Word of the Lord! | From Roberto Juarez:
"Mary Magdalene remains in the place of pain, but her fidelity leads her to find life. How many times do we stop searching when faith becomes difficult? The gospel invites me to remain and seek the Lord with persevering love, even if I don't see it clearly.
God knows me. He doesn't call me generically. In prayer, in the Word, in events, the Lord also calls me by name. Do I recognize his voice? Do I allow myself to be touched by Him like Mary?
The encounter does not end in personal experience: I am sent. Like Mary, I am called to say, "I have seen the Lord," not only with words, but with my life. Do I live in such a way that others can also encounter the Risen One?... " End quote.
From brother Adrian:
It is amazing, for the many scriptures we are reading about an encounter with our Lord, even those that physically met Him, lived with Him, worked with Him, they could not tell who He was and He was standing there in their midst. How can He hide in plain sight?
Our eyes cannot grasp the reality of His presence...only our hearts.
And that is something that I have been attempting to accustom my heart to...as if in training, and there is no better place to do this, than at the Blessed Sacrament.
When you visit our Lord, do you feel His presence?
Even non catholics that visit a church can feel the Presence of God. No need to ask where He is at. He is there.
But how can you take that presence, the knowing, out into the public? How can you have a radar for Christ? Should He come speak to you today, would you even know it?
There are some signs that you can know He is speaking, firstly, in what is said, most often, an invitation to total truth and love. Sometimes, you may not like it, truth hurts, right? But we are called to it anyway, the cross was not pretty, but the glory for it is very amazingly beautiful.
How else can you know it is Christ? As for me, I probe the mind and heart with my mind and heart, even asking "is it you Lord?" in my mind. And in doing so...I treat them as Christ.
And then amazing things begin to happen, others become more, I become less. And we begin the transformation of the world, where God becomes more, and we become what we are rightly created to be...totally His.
My Lord, I do not want to doubt anymore...I want to believe always, and love Thee always both now and forever! | Random Bible Verse 1
Psalm 34:8 "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!" Word of the Lord. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
