† Quote of the Day ""I am sent not only to love God but to make Him loved. It is not enough for me to love God, if my neighbor does not love Him."" -St. Vincent de Paul Today's Meditation "In God there is no difference between His goodness and His power. God is infinite being itself, and we have to make distinguishing categories in our minds in order to understand Him. But God is solely one perfect, simple act of being, or perfection. So, there is no way God can misuse His power for evil because He is, by definition, good...We are fallen creatures, and because of this we need checks and balances to keep us from using our power to abuse others...The only being that can handle absolute power is that being Who is also absolute goodness by necessity, or God." —Matt Fradd, p.63 An excerpt from How to Be Happy, Saint Thomas' Secret to a Good Life Daily Verse | St Brocard St. Brocard (d. 1231 A.D.) was a Frenchman who traveled to the Holy Land to enter into religious life there. He was among the first group of hermits to establish a community of monks on Mount Carmel. Details of his life are scarce, but it is believed that St. Brocard was the prior of the community after the death of St. Berthold, who is considered to be the founder of the Carmelites. Brocard, as the new leader of the community, desired to formalize the monks' way of life on Mt. Carmel. He requested that St. Albert, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, write and establish a rule of life for the community, which he then imposed on the group as their discipline. The Rule of St. Albert established the Carmelites as a new religious order. St. Brocard was considered an expert on Islam and Eastern affairs and was to accompany St. Albert to the Fourth Lateran Council, were it not for St. Albert's murder before the Council convened. The Council suppressed the creation of new religious orders, which put the Carmelites in a tenuous position as they were not approved by the Holy See prior to this new decree. St. Brocard led the community through an uncertain period until they achieved special approval from the Holy Father. St. Brocard's feast day is September 2nd. | Tuesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11
Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters,
you have no need for anything to be written to you.
For you yourselves know very well
that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night.
When people are saying, "Peace and security,"
then sudden disaster comes upon them,
like labor pains upon a pregnant woman,
and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness,
for that day to overtake you like a thief.
For all of you are children of the light
and children of the day.
We are not of the night or of darkness.
Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do,
but let us stay alert and sober.
For God did not destine us for wrath,
but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep
we may live together with him.
Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up,
as indeed you do. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 R. (13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid? R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple. R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD. R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. Alleluia Luke 7:16 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A great prophet has arisen in our midst
and God has visited his people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Luke 4:31-37 Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee.
He taught them on the sabbath,
and they were astonished at his teaching
because he spoke with authority.
In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon,
and he cried out in a loud voice,
"What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!"
Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be quiet! Come out of him!"
Then the demon threw the man down in front of them
and came out of him without doing him any harm.
They were all amazed and said to one another,
"What is there about his word?
For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits,
and they come out."
And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.
| Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11 You are children of the light and children of the day. (1 Thessalonians 5:5) In today's first reading, St. Paul says that the second coming of Christ will happen "like a thief at night" (1 Thessalonians 5:2). This wasn't a clever invention of Paul's—it comes directly from Jesus: "If the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake" (Matthew 24:43). Jesus understood that the day of his return would remain hidden, so he urged his followers to remain awake and alert, ready to greet him whenever he would arrive. Jesus and Paul's call for us to be ready for something that could happen any day is really a call to balance two impulses. No one wants to spend every night tossing and turning for fear that a thief might break into their house—or out of fear that Jesus might return. But at the same time, we don't want to become so casual about it that we leave our doors unlocked. We should be "alert," as St. Paul says, but not anxious (1 Thessalonians 5:6). But how do we do that? Think about how you make an effort to be alert to your loved ones or your coworkers or your close friends. You listen to them attentively, you look them in the eye, you demonstrate a concern for them. Maybe you try to pay attention to what might make them happy, even if it involves some kind of sacrifice on your part. These are all ways that we can be alert to the Lord throughout the day. If we can keep our eyes fixed on him, if we can try to deepen our relationship with him, he will guide us away from sin and toward holiness. We will want to make our relationship with him a priority—our highest priority, in fact! Because we love him and have committed ourselves to following him, we will be better prepared to welcome him when he returns. You don't have to feel trapped in fear over the thought of Jesus' return. You are one of countless "children of the light and children of the day" (1 Thessalonians 5:5). The more attentive you are to the One who loves you, the more excited you will be for that day! "Jesus, help me to be ready to greet you." Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
Luke 4:31-37 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Hear AI Read it for u | From today's Holy Gospel: "....What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!"
Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be quiet! Come out of him!"
Then the demon threw the man down in front of them
and came out of him without doing him any harm.
They were all amazed and said to one another,
"What is there about his word?
For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits,
and they come out."
And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region....." Word of the Lord. | Did you notice...the accuser speaks out, lashes out at our Lord.
Has that ever happened to you? Where you accused of something in front of everybody?
I do...and often! LOL. After a while, you kind of know who is doing this, and I'll give you a hint, it isn't the person speaking!
It is the accuser.
Great. Now you've spotted the accuser, the devil, the evil, the one that is to accuse us before our Lord, even on judgement day, and all the way there.
Now what do you do? How do you handle the accusations?
Our Lord is gentle. He says in front of all in the temple: " Be Quiet. Come out of Him!". And then the spectacle, much like what is seen in exorcisms, the person rolls around on the floor, some scream, and soon enough, the unclean spirit leaves.
Who has this authority? In extreme cases, the Holy Catholic Church has the ultimate authority. But in smaller cases, I would say, most of us have that authority.
We can command evil spirits away, from our lives, and our loved ones. Fathers of families have a special authority, and the Priests have even more authority. This is the importance of being intimate with the fathers...and I'm speaking of a sacramental, and grace filled life.
I would not be saying this if it were not true. Try it next time, you will know the presence of evil, in anxiety, in an oppressive aura in the room, no peace. All things opposite of grace, and a life filled with Christ. Demand that the evil spirits go away, from within yourself, and your loved ones, and bring up the most holiest name of all...Jesus. See what happens. What will happen, when you are serious in faith, is the bringing about of peace, Christ Himself. Sin makes life uneasy. It is natural. Sin invites evil spirits...that is natural. But there are unnatural ways too, touching things, being exposed to things, basically things that are inadvertently the so called "accidents" of life, the happenings, happenstances they say.
Ultimately, this is a calling to a life with Christ, a unification, because He is grace...He is the solution, He is the love that we need, the light that the world needs.
And when you experience Him, you will be like the people around Him...amazed. Being amazed at God is a sign of wonder and awe...the true fear of the Lord.
It is then, Christ within that casts out evil spirits...it is then, Christ that is the light we are to have within, His light. Not mine. His life. Not mine. His grace, not mine. His love...not mine.
Lord, that I may decrease...so Your love and Your light, Your grace may increase ever and forever more in us all! |  audio | Random Bible Verse Revelation 4:11 "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."
Word of the Lord! | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
