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Quote of the Day "If a tiny spark of God's love already burns within you, do not expose it to the wind, for it may get blown out… Stay quiet with God. Do not spend your time in useless chatter… Do not give yourself to others so completely that you have nothing left for yourself." — St. Charles Borromeo
Today's Meditation
"[Mary] watched constantly over her own heart ... She watched over her every word as though she could not trust her tongue. In her conception she was given all the privileges that go with sinlessness, yet she decided to live permanently as a penitent! We, on the contrary, are surrounded by flattering, treacherous enemies whose sole aim is to use our natural weaknesses to bring about our fall. Yet we have no fear and are not watchful at all. We admit that we are weakness incarnate, yet frequently we expose ourselves to temptations that would bring down even the strongest soul." —Alexander De Rouville, p. 21
Daily Verse ""The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." — Lamentations 3: 24-26 | Sts. Mark and Marcellian (d. 286 A.D.) were twin brothers who were martyred for their faith in Rome under Emperor Diocletian. According to legend they were both deacons from a distinguished family who were thrown into prison for being Christians. Their mother and father, who were pagans, visited their sons in prison and pleaded with them to return to the worship of false gods so that they could be saved. At the same time, St. Sebastian also visited the brothers and encouraged them to stand strong in their faith. St. Sebastian's exhortation was so persuasive that the parents of Marcellian and Mark were converted, along with several friends who were present, as well as the other prisoners. All of these new Christian converts were eventually martyred alongside Mark and Marcellian. The brothers had their feet nailed to a wood post, and later their bodies were pierced with lances. Their feast day is June 18th. | Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading I 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 Brothers and sisters, consider this:
whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver.
Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you,
so that in all things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good work.
As it is written: He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.
The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food
will supply and multiply your seed
and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
You are being enriched in every way for all generosity,
which through us produces thanksgiving to God. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 112:1bc-2, 3-4, 9 R. (1b) Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth; the upright generation shall be blessed. R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Wealth and riches shall be in his house; his generosity shall endure forever.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright; he is gracious and merciful and just. R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Lavishly he gives to the poor; his generosity shall endure forever; his horn shall be exalted in glory.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia John 14:23 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him
and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Jesus said to his disciples:
"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.
When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you,
as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets
to win the praise of others.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites.
They neglect their appearance,
so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
so that you may not appear to others to be fasting,
except to your Father who is hidden.
And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."
| Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 Whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. (2 Corinthians 9:6) We don't often think of Paul as a fundraiser, but that was a role that he took up as he visited the churches he had already established. The money he raised was for the believers in Jerusalem, who were living through a series of famines and economic hardships that had hit the region. So in today's passage, we encounter Paul asking the Corinthians to contribute generously to the collection for their brothers and sisters in Christ. Using a farming metaphor, he assures them, "Whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully" (2 Corinthians 9:6). Every farmer knows that if you want a good crop, you have to be willing to spend money on quality seeds. And once you've purchased those seeds, you have to "lose" them by sowing them into the soil and waiting. If you're a good farmer, you're relatively confident. You know that "losing" your seeds isn't really a loss. You trust in the vitality of the seeds and the soil; everything will work out. Similarly, Paul says, the Corinthians can give confidently to the church in Jerusalem. They'll reap a bountiful harvest if they do. Not because God owes them anything, but because of the vitality of the seeds of generosity and solidarity they are sowing. He assures them that God sees their acts of kindness, and he "is able to make every grace abundant" for them as they give freely and with open hearts (2 Corinthians 9:8). What Paul said about the collection we can easily apply to our life of discipleship. The seed we have is the seed of the gospel message, and that's the most powerful and most life-giving seed the world has ever known. There's no such thing as waste when you sow this seed. Whether it's in acts of service, in sharing your faith, in prayers of intercession, or in giving to the poor, you can be confident that your seeds will do what all seeds do—grow and bear fruit. So sow generously! Give from the abundance the Lord has given you: your money, your time, and your talents. Every time you do, you'll be revealing God's merciful love to someone who needs it. "Thank you, Lord, for calling me to sow seeds of the gospel!" Psalm 112:1-4, 9
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Hear AI Read it for u | From today's Holy Gospel: "But when you give alms,
do not let your left hand know what your right is doing,
so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites,
who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners
so that others may see them." end quote. | From Bishop Barron: "Friends, in today's Gospel, Jesus prescribes the essential disciplines of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Let's focus on fasting and almsgiving.
The appetites for food and drink are so pressing, so elemental, that, unless they are quelled and disciplined, they will simply take over the soul. They are like children who clamor constantly for attention and who, if indulged, will in short order run the house.
Therefore, if the passion for God is to be awakened, the more immediately pressing desires must be muted, and this is the purpose of fasting. We go hungry and thirsty so that the deepest hunger and thirst might be felt. In a way, fasting is like the "calming of the monkey mind" effected by the Rosary: Both are means of settling the superficial mind that darts from preoccupation to preoccupation.
But food and drink are not the only objects of concupiscent desire. Material things and wealth are also ready substitutes for the passion for God. Thus, a kind of fasting from what money can buy is an important practice. How often Jesus recommends that his disciples give to the poor, and how often throughout the Christian tradition has almsgiving been emphasized....." end quote Bishop Barron.
Fasting, is giving...to God. Sacrifice, is giving, is it not?
We take from the store, and give right? From what store?
Our Lord speaks about a store. Does He not? He speaks about what comes from within, right?
He speaks about tithing. That is a sacrifice too. Do we give alms? Do we give to church? Do we give as we ought?
I've given to many, money, and many have decided not to pay back, and some of those have avoided me at all costs, my calls, my texts, there is not an ounce of gratitude it seems.
Some people continuously ask for money, and after months, or years, I begin to ask myself if I'm doing the right thing...am I helping or am I not helping the people in the needs they say they need. And I'm speaking personal loans and frequent gas money etc. But, we are asked to be cheerful givers! What store do you give from?
And praying...how do we pray? From what store do I pray? Do I pray with thanksgiving? Do I pray with love? Do I pray with faith? Or do I just rattle off prayers? These are questions that I often find question myself with. Do rattled prayers have merits? Very little. But prayers that are more sincere carry greater weight. The store of the heart matters.
And so, praying, fasting, and almsgiving all boils down to the heart. May we give our Lord from the heart, Himself and to our neighbor... |  audio | Random Bible Verse 1
Hebrews 12:1–2 [Hebrews 12]
Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith 12
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
