Quote of the Day "The Rosary is the most powerful weapon to touch the Heart of Jesus, Our Redeemer, who loves His Mother." — St. Louis de Montfort Today's Meditation "If we do not die to ourselves, and if our holiest devotions do not incline us to this necessary and useful death, we shall bring forth no fruit worth anything, and our devotions will become useless. All our good works will be stained by self-love and our own will . . . We must choose therefore, among all the devotions to the Blessed Virgin, the one which draws us most toward this death to ourselves, inasmuch as it will be the best and the most sanctifying. For we must not think that all that shines is gold, that all that tastes sweet is honey, or that all that is easy to do and is done by the greatest number is the most sanctifying." —St. Louis De Montfort, p.40 An excerpt from True Devotion to Mary Daily Verse "But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust." — Matthew 5:44-45 | St. Louis De Montfort St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673 – 1716) was born in Brittany, France, to a large farming family. As a child he displayed an unusual spiritual maturity and spent much time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. At the age of 19 he went on foot to Paris to study theology at a prestigious school with the support of a benefactor; along the way he gave his possessions to the poor and made a lifelong vow to live in poverty supported entirely on alms. He was ordained a priest at the age of 27, and at 32 discovered his calling to be an itinerant preacher, receiving the title of "Apostolic Missionary" from the Pope after his bishop tried to silence him. For the next 17 years he preached missions in countless towns and villages throughout France with an emphasis on renewal and reform. His fiery devotion, oratory skill, and identification with the poor led many souls to conversion. He was persecuted by the Jansenists, who, in their spiritual pride, poisoned him, banished him from preaching in their dioceses, and made an assassination attempt on his life. He had a profound devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and taught on the power of the Holy Rosary. He also wrote a number of classic works on Marian devotion, the most famous being True Devotion to Mary. His feast day is April 28th. | Monday of the Second Week of Easter Lectionary: 267
Reading 1 Acts 4:23-31 After their release Peter and John went back to their own people
and reported what the chief priests and elders had told them.
And when they heard it,
they raised their voices to God with one accord
and said, "Sovereign Lord, maker of heaven and earth
and the sea and all that is in them,
you said by the Holy Spirit
through the mouth of our father David, your servant: Why did the Gentiles rage
and the peoples entertain folly?
The kings of the earth took their stand
and the princes gathered together
against the Lord and against his anointed. Indeed they gathered in this city
against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed,
Herod and Pontius Pilate,
together with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
to do what your hand and your will
had long ago planned to take place.
And now, Lord, take note of their threats,
and enable your servants to speak your word
with all boldness, as you stretch forth your hand to heal,
and signs and wonders are done
through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook,
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 2:1-3, 4-7a, 7b-9 R. (see 11d) Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Why do the nations rage
and the peoples utter folly?
The kings of the earth rise up,
and the princes conspire together
against the LORD and against his anointed:
"Let us break their fetters
and cast their bonds from us!" R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He who is throned in heaven laughs;
the LORD derides them.
Then in anger he speaks to them;
he terrifies them in his wrath:
"I myself have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain."
I will proclaim the decree of the LORD. R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.
You shall rule them with an iron rod;
you shall shatter them like an earthen dish."
R. Blessed are all who take refuge in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia
Colossians 3:1 R. Alleluia, alleluia. If then you were raised with Christ,
seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel John 3:1-8 There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
He came to Jesus at night and said to him,
"Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God,
for no one can do these signs that you are doing
unless God is with him."
Jesus answered and said to him,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."
Nicodemus said to him,
"How can a man once grown old be born again?
Surely he cannot reenter his mother's womb and be born again, can he?"
Jesus answered,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and Spirit
he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
What is born of flesh is flesh
and what is born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you,
'You must be born from above.'
The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." | Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: John 3:1-8 How can a man once grown old be born again? (John 3:4) As a learned Pharisee, Nicodemus would have been familiar with the idea of a spiritual rebirth. Groups like the Essenes—devout Jews who lived a life of prayer and fasting—often spoke about the need for it. But it still perplexed him to hear Jesus speak like this. What was he getting at, Nicodemus wondered? How could a man, once old, be born again? Nicodemus' question may strike you as odd because you already know the answer. This new birth was something that Jesus made possible for us through his death and resurrection. It's the gift we receive when we are baptized. We are washed clean from sin and born again, born from above by the power of the Spirit (CCC, 1212). It's stunning to think about, isn't it? At Baptism, you became a new creation. Jesus freed you from the power of sin and death. You became a child of God, which means you can now enter into a relationship with him. You can know his love and hear his voice when you pray and read his word. You have entered into God's own divine life! Sometimes we can take all this for granted. We've heard it all before. We've read this passage from John's Gospel time and again. But just for a moment, imagine that this is all new to you, like it was to Nicodemus. Then consider how amazing it must have been for him when he became a follower of Jesus, when he finally did experience this rebirth for himself. It changed him so much that instead of coming to Jesus under the cover of night, he joined Joseph of Arimathea in taking Jesus' body from the cross and anointing it for burial (John 19:39). Brothers and sisters, you have been "born from above" (John 3:3), born of the Spirit of the living God! You are not simply a member of a parish. You are a member of the kingdom of God. You have received God's own life, a life that extends from now into eternity! So spend some time thanking Jesus for all he has done for you. Thank him for giving you a new birth and for opening you up to a new and ever-deepening relationship with him. "Lord, thank you for making me into a new creation!" Acts 4:23-31
Psalm 2:1-9 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Hear AI Read it for u | From today's Holy Gospel: In the Gospel we hear today:
"Nicodemus said to him,
"How can a man once grown old be born again?
Surely he cannot reenter his mother's womb and be born again, can he?"
Jesus answered,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and Spirit
he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
What is born of flesh is flesh
and what is born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you,
'You must be born from above.'
The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."......." - Word of the Lord! | From Roberto Juarez:
"Jesus invites us to be born of water and of the Spirit. This "new birth" is a life renewed by grace, which begins in Baptism and is nourished each day with openness to the Spirit.
Am I allowing the Holy Spirit to renew me inwardly? Or do I settle for a routine, unconverted faith?
Jesus reminds us that the Spirit acts in ways we don't always understand. Sometimes we want to control or measure the spiritual, but God does not allow himself to be enclosed. His grace can surprise us in the least expected moments.
Am I attentive to the breath of the Spirit in my life? Do I let myself be guided by Him or do I resist what I cannot control?
Lord Jesus, like Nicodemus, I also seek you. Help me to be born again, to let your Spirit transform me. Give me a free heart willing to follow your will, even if I don't understand everything.
Lord, you invite us to be born again, to begin each day under the action of your Spirit. Today I want to open myself to that breath of life, to leave behind fear, routine and selfishness. Transform me from within, and make me live as a child of the Kingdom. Amen.... " End quote.
From brother Adrian: Bishop Barron ends his reflection today with "It is precisely that fearful rationalism that Nicodemus must abandon in the painful process of rebirth and reconfiguration of the soul". What is being reborn? Protestants always bring that term up, and get baptized by it. But is that it? Just a baptism?
Yesterday, Divine Mercy Sunday, they said it was a perfect day to confess and receive the Eucharist, because it would be just about the equivalent of a baptism, in which your sins would be washed away and even be free of punishment.
You see, there is forgiveness, but there is a cleansing, a punishment, something to pay for it. Jesus wasn't the one being punished for our sins as they preach, no, He made atonement for our sins, a way to get payment through His blood, because it is only through Him that we can be saved by...grace. And we can all agree, we are ultimately saved by God's grace.
And this is the life Jesus our Lord is inviting us to.
The Holy Sacraments avail grace like no other way on earth. Someone showed me yesterday where in the Koran it says the Jesus is the word of God, therefore, He is creator, God. I told the person, yes, Holy Scripture points to Jesus, in the bible, but before the bible was written, we had the Holy Sacraments.
We all must then, be baptized in the water, and in the fire, that is, both in the Holy Spirit.
I went to a Knights of Columbus State convention with my wife this weekend. It seemed almost a couple thousand were there and a bishop spoke about how the Knights are lacking in being spiritual leaders. And, I like the part where he said, we are all called to be "mystics". Mystics are far and few between, but by our Holy Baptism, we have that ability to be mystics, with the vision and mission of Christ at hand. His Kingdom, His closeness. His unity.
A quick search says: "In Catholicism, a mystic is someone who experiences a deep and intimate union with God, often characterized by a profound sense of God's presence and a transformation of their heart. While not limited to formal practices, mysticism often involves contemplation, prayer, and a striving for holiness in everyday life. Mystics are believed to be entering the mystery of God and seeking a deeper, more personal relationship with Him.
This is what God is calling us to when He is saying we must be reborn, the world behind us, and God ahead...one step and one day at a time.... |  audio | Random Bible Verse 1
Romans 13:10 [Romans 13] 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
