† Quote of the Day "Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything. Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices." -St. Teresa of Avila Today's Meditation "Perhaps we do not know what love is, nor does this greatly surprise me. Love does not consist in great sweetness of devotion, but in a fervent determination to strive to please God in all things, in avoiding, as far as possible, all that would offend Him, and in praying for the increase of the glory and honor of His Son and for the growth of the Catholic Church." —St. Teresa of Avila, p. 54-55
An excerpt from Interior Castle Daily Verse "If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, his religion is vain. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world." -James 1:26-27 | St. Teresa of Avila (1515–1582), also known as St. Teresa of Jesus, was born in Spain to a large, devout, and prominent Catholic family. Fascinated with the lives of the saints taught to her by her pious parents, as children she and a brother tried to run away from home to seek martyrdom among the Moors. After an uncle found them and returned them home, they built hermitages for themselves in the family garden. At the age of 14 Teresa was plunged into sorrow upon the death of her mother; to find consolation she asked the Virgin Mary to be her new mother. When she began to exhibit worldly vanities, her father placed her in a convent to be educated with other ladies of her social class. Determined to avoid marriage, and motivated more by the need for security than love for God, at the age of twenty Teresa entered religious life as a Carmelite nun. For two decades she led what she describes as a mediocre prayer life, hindered by too much socialization with visitors. However, an intense prayer experience in her forties helped her to renounce worldly attachments and enter deeper into a life of prayer. She advanced rapidly and taught others to do the same, being encouraged by a vision of the place reserved for her in hell if she was unfaithful to God's graces. She had many profound mystical experiences for which she was often slandered and ridiculed. After the reform of her own life she worked hard to reform the laxity of many Carmelite convents, and was successful even while being greatly opposed in her efforts. She was a strong and important female figure of her era, and her great progress in the spiritual life led her to write the spiritual classics Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection. For these works St. Teresa of Avila was named the first female Doctor of the Church. Her feast day is October 15th. | Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church • Readings for the Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church Reading I Romans 2:1-11 You, O man, are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment.
For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself,
since you, the judge, do the very same things.
We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is true.
Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things
and yet do them yourself,
that you will escape the judgment of God?
Or do you hold his priceless kindness, forbearance, and patience
in low esteem, unaware that the kindness of God
would lead you to repentance?
By your stubbornness and impenitent heart,
you are storing up wrath for yourself
for the day of wrath and revelation
of the just judgment of God,
who will repay everyone according to his works,
eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality
through perseverance in good works,
but wrath and fury to those who selfishly disobey the truth
and obey wickedness.
Yes, affliction and distress will come upon everyone
who does evil, Jew first and then Greek.
But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone
who does good, Jew first and then Greek.
There is no partiality with God. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 62:2-3, 6-7, 9 R. (13b) Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.
Only in God is my soul at rest; from him comes my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed at all. R. Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.
Only in God be at rest, my soul, for from him comes my hope.
He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed. R. Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.
Trust in him at all times, O my people! Pour out your hearts before him; God is our refuge! R. Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works. Alleluia John 10:27 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Luke 11:42-46 The Lord said:
"Woe to you Pharisees!
You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb,
but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God.
These you should have done, without overlooking the others.
Woe to you Pharisees!
You love the seat of honor in synagogues
and greetings in marketplaces.
Woe to you!
You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk."
Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply,
"Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too."
And he said, "Woe also to you scholars of the law!
You impose on people burdens hard to carry,
but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them."
| Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: Romans 2:1-11 The judgment of God . . . is true. (Romans 2:2) Imagine yourself in heavy traffic, anxious to get somewhere. Drivers begin to find "creative" ways to get ahead of each other, and you, in their attempts to make up their own time. You start to get irritated, and silently—or not so silently—you condemn them. But what if that annoying person in the car to your left is rushing his wife to a doctor's appointment? Or what if the woman who just cut you off on your right is trying to make it to her job on time so she can provide for her family? Granted, it's only traffic. But this familiar scenario highlights our all-too-human tendency to want to sit in judgment over other people or to focus our attention on all the ways they're wrong. Many times, we even excuse ourselves for the very things we condemn in other people. The reality is, only the Lord knows the whole picture. And that's why his judgment is true (Romans 2:2). As St. Paul says, "There is no partiality with God" (2:11). He sees everything equally, he loves everyone equally, and he alone is wise enough to judge everyone justly. And so we will all stand before the Lord, who knows everything about us and who will repay us according to our works. Thank God he is patient as well! God does not rush to judgment the way we often do. Out of kindness and love, he withholds his judgment while he seeks to lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4). God also wants us to withhold judgment (Matthew 7:1). As we refrain from rash judgments—including judgments against those poor drivers out there—we are opening up space in our hearts to receive more of his peace. We recall the ways he has shown us mercy and forbearance, and that helps us grow in patience with the people who annoy us the most. Only God is the final and just judge. Only he can set everything right. His ways and his thoughts are not ours. So let's all slow down, breathe a short prayer, and ask him to fill us with his patience and kindness. His judgments are true—and they are merciful! "Father, help me withhold judgment as you do, especially in those situations that are the most challenging to me." Psalm 62:2-3, 6-7, 9
Luke 11:42-46 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Ai Audio 2cents | From today's Holy Gospel: ".. The Lord said:
"Woe to you Pharisees!
You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb,
but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God.
These you should have done, without overlooking the others. ...." Word of the Lord. | From Bishop Barron: "Some religious leaders get their kicks from burdening people, laying the law on them heavily, making demands that are terrible, exulting in their own moral superiority. At the core of Jesus's program is a willingness to bear other people's burdens, to help them carry their loads. And this applies to the moral life as well. If we lay the burden of God's law on people, we must be willing, at the same time, to help them bear it. When were you cured by Christ and how? What was it like to receive, through the Church, his healing touch? When did you feel ostracized, despised, unworthy—and how did Christ, through his Church, restore you to health and communion? Remember that moment and share it."
end quote.
Our Lord said two critical things today to us all, not just the Pharisees and the scholars. 1.) "...you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God."
and
2.) "You impose on people burdens hard to carry,
but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them." Do you pay attention to judgement and to love for God? Or, have we slipped away from our Love of God? Have we slipped into the second verse, focusing more on the law, than the love of fellow man, that is, human relationships?
Because, it is just that, isn't it? It is about the relationship with God our Father, and relationship with our fellow human beings. And it is God Himself that wants to have an intimate love relationship with us, and how does that work? How does love work? Let love work and you shall see.
And a fair warning...love hurts. If you haven't been challenged, then perhaps you have not been giving to God until it hurts! In my ministries, most of them, I find much trouble. I see quarreling. I see the devil at work, or childishness at work. And then the fight comes to me, as if inviting me into it, to see who separates with who. I don't choose sides, and often, one points to me as the main problem. I tell everybody "I don't want anybody to leave!". And they keep fighting. Where is the love of God? With what heart are you serving God? We are missing the point, the very love of God that keeps us together.
And that there is the definition of sin in its Hebrew translation, sin means "to miss the mark". This can take a toll on a heart... I can only imagine the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the pains, but from what I have studied, the real pains are from the ones that are entrusted with much! Priests! Yes. And those in leadership, yes. But mostly, with those who are to be His hands and feet. And yet, we are called, the body of Christ. We are entrusted with the heart of Christ, the very....love of God. Lord, we need grace, help us do Your holy will. |  Audio of Random Verse | Random Bible Verse 1
Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons1 of God."
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