† Quote of the Day "We are missionaries of mercy, sent by the father of mercy, to distribute the treasures of mercy to those in need." — St. John Eudes Today's Meditation "Undertake courageously great tasks for God's glory, to the extent that he'll give you power and grace for this purpose. Even though you can do nothing on your own, you can do all things in him. His help will never fail you if you have confidence in his goodness. Place your entire physical and spiritual welfare in his hands. Abandon to the fatherly concern of his divine providence every care for your health, reputation, property, and business; for those near to you; for your past sins; for your soul's progress in virtue and love of him; for your life, death, and especially your salvation and eternity—in a word, all your cares. Rest in the assurance that in his pure goodness, he'll watch with particular tenderness over all your responsibilities and cares, arranging all things for the greatest good." —St. John Eudes, p. 363
An excerpt from A Year with the Saints Daily Verse "If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you." — John 15:18-19 | St John Eudes St. John Eudes (1601–1680) was born in Normandy, France, to a farming family. His devout parents consecrated him to the Blessed Virgin Mary when he was a child. At the age of fourteen he took a vow of chastity, and studied under the Jesuits where he earned the reputation of being a brilliant student. After his ordination to the priesthood he ministered to his countrymen who were suffering from an outbreak of the plague. He later became a missionary priest, traveling throughout France and preaching strong sermons to large crowds in churches, open fields, and in the courts of the royalty and nobility. The force of his sermons was bolstered by his great sanctity; he was considered to be a prodigy and the greatest preacher of his age. He was instrumental in spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary throughout France during a time when religious fervor had grown cold. He was responsible for influencing the Church to establish these two devotions with liturgical feasts, himself composing their Mass and Office. St. John Eudes founded several organizations including the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge, which provided a new life for repentant prostitutes, and the Society of Jesus and Mary (the Eudist Fathers) which specialized in improving the training of seminarians by promoting greater virtue and dedication to the preaching of parish missions. His feast day is August 19th. | Tuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Reading I Judges 6:11-24a The angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth in Ophrah
that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite.
While his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press
to save it from the Midianites,
the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said,
"The LORD is with you, O champion!"
Gideon said to him, "My Lord, if the LORD is with us,
why has all this happened to us?
Where are his wondrous deeds of which our fathers
told us when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?'
For now the LORD has abandoned us
and has delivered us into the power of Midian."
The LORD turned to him and said, "Go with the strength you have
and save Israel from the power of Midian.
It is I who send you."
But Gideon answered him, "Please, my lord, how can I save Israel?
My family is the lowliest in Manasseh,
and I am the most insignificant in my father's house."
"I shall be with you," the LORD said to him,
"and you will cut down Midian to the last man."
Gideon answered him, "If I find favor with you,
give me a sign that you are speaking with me.
Do not depart from here, I pray you, until I come back to you
and bring out my offering and set it before you."
He answered, "I will await your return."
So Gideon went off and prepared a kid and a measure of flour
in the form of unleavened cakes.
Putting the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot,
he brought them out to him under the terebinth
and presented them.
The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and unleavened cakes
and lay them on this rock; then pour out the broth."
When he had done so,
the angel of the LORD stretched out the tip of the staff he held,
and touched the meat and unleavened cakes.
Thereupon a fire came up from the rock
that consumed the meat and unleavened cakes,
and the angel of the LORD disappeared from sight.
Gideon, now aware that it had been the angel of the LORD,
said, "Alas, Lord GOD,
that I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!"
The LORD answered him,
"Be calm, do not fear. You shall not die."
So Gideon built there an altar to the LORD
and called it Yahweh-shalom. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 85:9, 11-12, 13-14 R. (see 9b) The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD–for he proclaims peace
To his people, and to his faithful ones, and to those who put in him their hope. R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him, and salvation, along the way of his steps. R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people. Alleluia 2 Corinthians 8:9 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich
so that by his poverty you might become rich.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Matthew 19:23-30 Jesus said to his disciples:
"Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich
to enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Again I say to you,
it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God."
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said,
"Who then can be saved?"
Jesus looked at them and said,
"For men this is impossible,
but for God all things are possible."
Then Peter said to him in reply,
"We have given up everything and followed you.
What will there be for us?"
Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you
that you who have followed me, in the new age,
when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory,
will yourselves sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters
or father or mother or children or lands
for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more,
and will inherit eternal life.
But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first." | Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: Matthew 19:23-30 It will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 19:23) This is one of those "hard sayings" from Jesus that we can struggle to grasp. Does the size of your bank account really determine how difficult it will be to find salvation? Jesus made this statement in reply to his disciples, who were shocked by the way he asked a rich young man to sell all his possessions, give the money to the poor, and then follow him. The man found he could not make such a radical change in his life, so he went away with a heavy heart. But was money the real problem? Not entirely. It was the grip that money had on the man's heart. He was so attached to his worldly treasures that there was no room in his heart for the life Jesus was offering him—a life of peace in this life and eternal joy in his kingdom. The truth is, any number of things can take hold of our hearts and blind us to the treasure Jesus is offering us. The only reason Jesus spoke so forcefully about money is that he knew how strong a force it exerts on us. There is not much else that can offer us so much security and satisfaction. In fact, money can be a good thing when we use it to fulfill our basic needs. But no matter how much we have, we may still experience a voice inside urging us to seek more. And "more" doesn't come easily! It requires consistent dedication, thoughtful planning, careful attention. But this pursuit can gradually consume us. Is there something in your life that, if taken away from you, might make you wince? Is there something that preoccupies your mind and heart so much that it obscures your devotion to the Lord? If so, sit quietly before the Lord and picture yourself placing it into Jesus' hands. If this isn't easy, know that he is patient. Just give him as much as you can. He will always meet you in that act of surrender and fill whatever space you have opened up in your heart. St. John of the Cross once said, "To possess everything, desire to possess nothing." So let Jesus give you "everything"—his very self! "Jesus, help me to treasure you above everything else!" Judges 6:11-24
Psalm 85:9, 11-14 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Hear AI Read it for u | From today's Holy Gospel: "Jesus said to his disciples:
"Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich
to enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Again I say to you,
it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God....." Word of the Lord. | From Roberto Juarez today:
"The Kingdom of God inverts the values of the world, where the last will be first and the first will be last. This challenges us to reconsider our priorities and to live in a way that reflects Kingdom values. Do we live according to the values of the Kingdom of God, seeking humility, justice, and love? Or are we more concerned with achieving success and recognition by the world's standards?
Today we are challenged to reevaluate our attitudes toward riches, God's grace, and the rewards we seek in life. Jesus calls us to a life of detachment, trust in divine grace, and a willingness to follow Him radically, trusting that any sacrifice made for the Kingdom will be richly rewarded." end quote.
Our Lord said something strange to us: "...it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God..". Some scholars have said it was to compare how they would travel with camels through a small narrow door in the walls of a city. To enter, everything had to be stripped off the camel. Meaning, to us, that we will have to be stripped.
They say one of the purposes of purgatory is to strip us of our tendency to sin, our fondness to sin. If our material goods is a cause of sin, we should get rid of the material goods. But how? Everybody in the 3rd world countries want to die trying to come to the United States, where they see wealth and opportunity. They say this was the driving force for superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger, and he actually did it, even to the point of one of his goals, to be president, and he almost went for that after being governor for a short while. But as the bible and song says by Toby Mac says "I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul".
Yet, it happens.
Mexicans come, and they sing the song of Los Tigeres Del Norte "Jaula de Oro" meaning cage of gold. They leave all their loved ones and freedoms, to be cooped up in a pretty little house, and cars, bound to the death nearly in loans and interest payments, leaving them unable to go back home, if any at all.
I can attest to the freedom in the 3rd world countries, I grew up with dirt floors and no restrooms but just outhouses and kerosene lamps at night. But my fondest and most freeing life moments are of those short few years that seemed to last forever...freedom without words.
And so, the reflections ask us to consider the attachment, to material things that bind us, yes, but what about the spiritual things we get attached to in them. You see, to have much is to fill emptiness. The truly poor desire nothing, they are content, and the ones who are in grace, desire nothing but God on earth, as it is in Heaven.
And so we must then, consider the pride, the greed, the avarice, the envy, and again, the root of all this...pride. To impress everyone but God. To fill yourself now, and be empty forever without God in hell.
You see, all my studies are revealing to me a few things; Only Saints are in Heaven, detached holy souls. And, God has inumberable rooms in His House...unfilled rooms. And this saddens Him tremendously.
There is room for you and me, more than we will ever need.
What does this mean? Room in His home. Room in His heart. Room in his family. Room for you availed...if only, we lose it all for Him.
They say the path to hell is very broad, and millions of souls fall daily.
They say the path to hell is narrow, and few take to it daily.
The daily rescuing, it is happening. Souls die mortally daily, but they are saved daily from eternal damnation. It is happening to the millions of souls per day, more loss than gains. Why? Because we are susceptible to the ruler of the world. But God wants light from our souls. We are capable of producing something beautiful. Not that He needs it, but that we need it, humans for humans, but made available through his grace.
Much has been said. Detachment. Yes.
Much has been asked. Self surrender. Yes.
Taking the the path less taken, humility, all contrary to pride, yes.
The Jews believed being rich was a sign of God's favor.
But Jesus came and showed the true favor rests on the humble. As the Archangel Gabriel said "HAIL FAVORED ONE" and He spoke to a humble little girl. And the light was introduced into the world...God's business, God's Kingdom, and we are born into it in Holy Baptism!
LORD GIVE US THY GRACE TO DO THY HOLY WILL!! |  audio | Random Bible Verse 1
Galatians 6:9–10 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
