† Quote of the Day ""The closer one approaches to God, the simpler one becomes."" -St. Teresa of Avila Today's Meditation "Meekness is spiritual; meekness is joy. And we should all strive to have in our hearts that joy that is contagiously cheerful. We need not think that we must be continually joking; nor should we believe that even-temperedness must express its happiness in laughter. We may and undoubtedly will have bothersome worries, but we can and should be even-tempered, retain our peace of heart, be meek in spite of them. We can at least bear with life's small problems in such a way as not to allow them to rush upon others. Even temper is attractive, helps the community spirit, keeps down all that ends to anger for it seeks under varying circumstances to be pleasant, amiable, agreeable, mild, patient. It is, in fact, the practice of many virtues." —Matt Fradd, p.79
An excerpt from Rooting Out Hidden Faults - How the Particular Examen Conquers Sin Daily Verse Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is his name: Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things which you have not known. -Jeremiah 33: 2-3 | St. Januarius (d. 305 A.D.), also known as San Gennaro, was the Bishop of Benevento, Italy. Little is known of his early life. He was arrested and imprisoned for his faith while visiting other Christians in jail during the persecution of Roman Emperor Diocletian. Many attempts were made to kill him, but one after another they failed. He was thrown into a fiery furnace, but he came out unscathed. He was then thrown to wild beasts in the amphitheater, but they did not attack. He was finally beheaded, and his blood was collected by Christians and kept in a sealed glass vial for veneration. The vial of blood is still kept today in the Naples cathedral, and it has continually demonstrated miraculous properties for which no scientific explanation has been offered. St. Januarius' blood liquefies and becomes fresh on particular occasions throughout the year, especially his feast day, for which the saint has become famous. This phenomenon has been occurring with regularity for centuries, and is one of the "blood miracles" that is historically well-documented among the relics of certain saints. He is the patron saint of blood banks and the city of Naples, Italy. St. Januarius's feast day is September 19th. | Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Timothy 6:2c-12 Beloved:
Teach and urge these things.
Whoever teaches something different
and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ
and the religious teaching
is conceited, understanding nothing,
and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes.
From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions,
and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds,
who are deprived of the truth,
supposing religion to be a means of gain.
Indeed, religion with contentment is a great gain.
For we brought nothing into the world,
just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it.
If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that.
Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap
and into many foolish and harmful desires,
which plunge them into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is the root of all evils,
and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith
and have pierced themselves with many pains. But you, man of God, avoid all this.
Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion,
faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Compete well for the faith.
Lay hold of eternal life,
to which you were called when you made the noble confession
in the presence of many witnesses. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 49:6-7, 8-10, 17-18, 19-20 R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Why should I fear in evil days
when my wicked ensnarers ring me round?
They trust in their wealth;
the abundance of their riches is their boast. R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Yet in no way can a man redeem himself,
or pay his own ransom to God;
Too high is the price to redeem one's life; he would never have enough
to remain alive always and not see destruction. R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Fear not when a man grows rich,
when the wealth of his house becomes great,
For when he dies, he shall take none of it;
his wealth shall not follow him down. R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Though in his lifetime he counted himself blessed,
"They will praise you for doing well for yourself,"
He shall join the circle of his forebears
who shall never more see light. R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs! Alleluia See Matthew 11:25 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Luke 8:1-3 Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources. | Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: 1 Timothy 6:2-12 Religion with contentment is a great gain. (1 Timothy 6:6) We all want "gain," right? So what is the "great gain" that comes with "religion with contentment" (1 Timothy 6:6)? The Greek word Paul uses for contentment is autarkeia, and it means detachment or independence from worldly goods or material acquisitions. So for Paul, the "great gain" that we receive as believers in Christ doesn't come from material wealth or fame or power. It's more than a bigger bank account or popular acclaim. So what is it? It's the gain of finding Christ and knowing we have everything we need in him! He heals us from the disordered desires that so often cause our discontent. As we become more attached to him, material goods don't tie us down, and the pursuit of wealth doesn't consume us. We are able to walk peacefully in this world. Everything else pales in comparison to the salvation and healing we have received. We are content. Look at St. Paul. His life was uncluttered because he was not attached to his own plans or driven to seek approval or power. He was free to go wherever God led him and do whatever God asked of him. As he reminds Timothy, "We brought nothing into the world, just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it" (1 Timothy 6:7). Contentment like that makes us free. Earlier in this letter, Paul tells Timothy that this attitude toward religion "is valuable in every respect, since it holds a promise of life both for the present and for the future" (1 Timothy 4:8). We can not only look forward to eternal life with Jesus, but we can also experience it in our lives today. It's in the freedom we experience as we seek first the kingdom of God. It's in the joy that expands our hearts as we give of ourselves for someone else. It's in the consolation we receive when we pour ourselves out in prayer. So pursue "religion with contentment" today. Let Jesus show you the blessings that he has in store for you. Follow him, and you'll find the greatest gain of all. "Lord, thank you that you provide everything I need! Help me to find my contentment in you alone." Psalm 49:6-10, 17-20
Luke 8:1-3 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Ai Audio 2cents | From today's Holy Gospel: "Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources....." Word of the Lord. | From Roberto Juarez: "Jesus breaks with the social conventions of his time by including women in his circle of disciples and allowing them to actively participate in his ministry. This reflects the inclusive nature of the Kingdom of God, where there is no distinction of gender, social status, or past. All are welcome and can contribute to the advancement of the Kingdom.
...
The mention of these women who followed and sustained Jesus underscores the importance of their role in the mission of the Church from the beginning. It invites us to reflect on how we value and support the participation of all, especially women, in the life and mission of the Church. Do I recognize and value the contribution of all people in the Christian community, regardless of gender or status?
The women mentioned had been healed by Jesus and, in response, followed him and supported his ministry. Their discipleship was born out of deep gratitude and love. It calls us to reflect on how we respond to God's work in our lives. How am I responding to the love and grace I have received from Jesus? Am I willing to devote my resources, time, and talents to the service of God's Kingdom?" end quote.
It is fascinating....God calls men to answer, but women...they just followed without a direct call, their calling was direct to the heart.
And this is a huge message, because humanity is the wo-man of our Lord, the bride, the one to help the other, to love, to hold through thick and thin.
And so the calling then, is from the Sacred Heart, to the human heart.
I look at daily Masses. 90% women. What does this mean?
It means there is much work to be done for men, in the sense of encouraging them to do THEIR role as well, in the Kingdom of God. They are dying, and suffering, spiritual poverty. Many men are left to do whatever they want. Much sacrifice is needed, much prayer, much encouragement. The first thing I ask a woman is "where is your husband". It was weird yesterday though, me and my wife sat and met a former catholic at a table and she responded "we are divorced" and I said "I'm sorry, I haven't spoke to him in years" and she said "neither have I". He is gone. From the faith. From the marriage. From God. From faithfulness.
Men are easily duped into stupidity. Just look at the murderer that assassinates, all men. Right? That aggressiveness. That power that is used for the wrong reasons.
I say that, but I can, because my ministry has been heavily focused on men, in prison, in men's cursillo, in men's conferences, and in weekly classes for adults.
Thank God for faithful women that love Jesus. But women, this encouragement has to be taken to the next level. Without Godly men, all this unused power is as if nothing, squandered. And we remain as a whole, weak as a church. Everyone activates the next. It is a great awakening, this whole thing called "the love of God and His Kingdom". |  Audio of Random Verse | Random Bible Verse 1
1 Corinthians 11:32 "But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined1 so that we may not be condemned along with the world."
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