† Quote of the Day ""Consider God's charity. Where else have we ever seen someone who has been offended voluntarily paying out his life for those who have offended him?"" -St. Catherine of Siena Today's Meditation "I remind you, My daughter, that as often as you hear the clock strike the third hour, immerse yourself completely in My mercy, adoring and glorifying it; invoke its omnipotence for the whole world, and particularly for poor sinners; for at that moment mercy was opened wide for every soul. In this hour you can obtain everything for yourself and for others for the asking; it was the hour of grace for the whole world—mercy triumphed over justice. My daughter, try your best to make the Stations of the Cross in this hour, provided that your duties permit it; and if you are not able to make the Stations of the Cross, then at least step into the chapel for a moment and adore, in the Blessed Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of mercy; and should you be unable to step into the chapel, immerse yourself in prayer there where you happen to be, if only for a very brief instant." —Jesus to St. Faustina Kowalska, (1572)
An excerpt from Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska - Divine Mercy in My Soul Daily Verse "So, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him and built upon him and established in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." -Colossians 2:6-7 | St. Cleophas (1st c.) was one of Jesus' seventy disciples, and one of the two disciples who were traveling along the road to Emmaus after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus in Jerusalem, as recounted in Luke's Gospel. The resurrected Jesus appeared and walked along the road with St. Cleophas and his companion, explaining the events of his Passion and how they fulfilled the Holy Scriptures. According to one tradition, Cleophas (also known as Alphaeus), was a relative of Jesus; he was the brother of St. Joseph, and therefore was Jesus' uncle. Cleophas was the husband of St. Mary of Cleophas, and they had three sons we know by name: St. Simon, St. James the Less, and St. Jude. St. Cleophas, through his daughter Mary Salome, was also grandfather to St. James the Greater and St. John. Therefore three of his sons and two of his grandsons were among the Twelve Apostles. According to tradition, St. Cleophas was martyred by the Jewish authorities in the same home in which he received Jesus as a guest. His feast day is September 25th. | Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 452
Reading 1 Haggai 1:1-8 On the first day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius,
The word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai
to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel,
and to the high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak: Thus says the LORD of hosts:
This people says:
"The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD."
(Then this word of the LORD came through Haggai, the prophet:)
Is it time for you to dwell in your own paneled houses,
while this house lies in ruins? Now thus says the LORD of hosts:
Consider your ways!
You have sown much, but have brought in little;
you have eaten, but have not been satisfied;
You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated;
have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed;
And whoever earned wages
earned them for a bag with holes in it. Thus says the LORD of hosts:
Consider your ways!
Go up into the hill country;
bring timber, and build the house
That I may take pleasure in it
and receive my glory, says the LORD. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b R. (see 4a) The Lord takes delight in his people.
Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king. R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory. R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people. Alleluia John 14:6 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Luke 9:7-9 Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening,
and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,
"John has been raised from the dead";
others were saying, "Elijah has appeared";
still others, "One of the ancient prophets has arisen."
But Herod said, "John I beheaded.
Who then is this about whom I hear such things?"
And he kept trying to see him. | Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: Luke 9:7-9 He kept trying to see him. (Luke 9:9) Did you ever think that curiosity might be a gateway into a relationship with God? In today's Gospel, Herod the tetrarch was curious. Also known as Herod Antipas, he was the son of Herod the Great, the king who had ordered the massacre of the young boys in Bethlehem after Jesus' birth (Luke 9:7; Matthew 2:16-18). When his father died, Herod Antipas became ruler over Galilee. It was this Herod who was "greatly perplexed" over reports about Jesus. Curious, he "kept trying to see him" (Luke 9:7, 9). Herod did eventually see Jesus—on Good Friday. After questioning the Lord—who did not answer him—Herod sent him back to Pilate (Luke 23:8-9). Apparently, he had only hoped to see Jesus perform one of his miracles, and his curiosity stopped there. It could have led to Herod coming to know who Jesus was and what he had come to do. It could have been the key that opened the door to his heart. For some people, curiosity is that first step in coming to know the Lord. They might want to know why their relatives are willing to give up their Sunday mornings to attend Mass. They might wonder how a Christian coworker can respond so graciously to a brusque colleague. They may even want to explore what the Gospels say about Jesus. As was the case with Herod, their curiosity might not lead anywhere. But it could also be the catalyst for a life-changing conversion. That's especially true if we listen to the Holy Spirit when we encounter a curious person. We might sense that a person has questions and take the time to listen. Then we can seek insight from the Spirit about how to respond. It's also important to resist the temptation to overload them with too much information—and to understand that they may need time to move beyond simple curiosity. Do you know someone who is "trying to see" Jesus? Pray for them. Ask the Spirit to guide you in how to approach them and what you should say. Above all, try to be as loving and as patient with them as God is with you! "Jesus, help me to lead others to you!" Haggai 1:1-8
Psalm 149:1-6, 9 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Ai Audio 2cents | From today's Holy Gospel: "Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening,
and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,
"John has been raised from the dead";
others were saying, "Elijah has appeared";
still others, "One of the ancient prophets has arisen."
But Herod said, "John I beheaded.
Who then is this about whom I hear such things?"
And he kept trying to see him....." Word of the Lord. | From Bishop Barron: "Friends, in today's Gospel, we see Herod interested in and perplexed by Jesus. Political rulers don't come across well in the New Testament. In Luke's Christmas account, Caesar Augustus is compared very unfavorably to the Christ child. And in Matthew's account that child is hunted down by the desperate Herod. Later, Herod's son persecutes John the Baptist and Jesus himself. More to it, the Jewish authorities are seen in all of the Gospels as corrupt. And Pontius Pilate is a typical Roman governor: efficient, concerned for order, brutal. Like the other rulers of the time, he perceives Jesus, quite correctly, as a threat. "Then you are a king?" Pilate asks. Jesus says, "My kingdom does not belong to this world." This does not mean that Jesus is unconcerned for the realities of politics, with the very "this-worldly" concerns of justice, peace, and right order. When he speaks of his kingdom not belonging to the "world," he shades the negative side of that term. The "world" is the realm of sin, selfishness, hatred, violence. What he is saying is that his way of ordering things is not typical of worldly powers like Pilate, Caesar, and Herod."
Herod is depicted as curious. Some of us are like that...neutral. And this neutrality we will hear about on Sunday...with poor Lazarus, and the rich man. The rich man was neutral, didn't move, wasn't moved. Neutrality is brooding grounds for detriment for others. We cannot be stuck. We must get uncomfortable, the cross is not comfortable. It is pain...Love pains. |  Audio of Random Verse | Random Bible Verse 1
Psalm 27:1 [Psalm 27]
The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation
Of David. "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold1 of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
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