† Quote ""Can there be a more fitting pursuit in youth or a more valuable possession in old age than a knowledge of Holy Scripture? In the midst of storms it will preserve you from the dangers of shipwreck and guide you to the shore of an enchanting paradise and the ever-lasting bliss of the angels."" -St. Boniface Today's Meditation "Know that our faith is strengthened by the resurrection of Christ. The passion of Christ represents the misery of our present life, while the resurrection of Christ gives us a brilliant glimpse of the happiness of the future life. Let us apply ourselves energetically in the present life, and hope in the future. Now is the time for painful struggle; then will come the recompense. Those who are lazy about carrying out their work will be brazenly impudent if they expect the recompense." —St. Augustine, p. 61
An excerpt from Augustine Day by Day Daily Verse "Therefore, from the day we heard this, we do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God." -Colossians 1:9-10 | Bl Maria Fortunata Viti
Blessed Maria Fortunata Viti (1827–1922) was born in Italy, the eldest daughter of nine children. Her father had a gambling and alcohol addiction, and her mother died when she was 14 years old. Maria then cared for her younger siblings and worked as a housekeeper to earn money for the family as her father sunk deeper into his addiction. Maria rejected an offer for marriage, deciding instead to become a Benedictine nun at the age of 24. Sr. Maria Fortunata, illiterate her entire life, spent more than seventy years in the monastery as a housekeeper attending to the washing, sewing, and other simple tasks, which was her path to holiness. She was admired for her great simplicity of heart, and her confessor testified that she was often accosted by the devil with threats, physical attacks, and vile insults in attempts to break her virtue. She had great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and made frequent visits to the chapel tabernacle as she carried out her daily tasks. She died at the age of 95, and after her death miracles were reported at her grave. She is a patron saint against poverty, temptations, loss of parents, and mental illness. Her feast day is November 20th. | Thursday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time Reading I 1 Maccabees 2:15-29 The officers of the king in charge of enforcing the apostasy
came to the city of Modein to organize the sacrifices.
Many of Israel joined them,
but Mattathias and his sons gathered in a group apart.
Then the officers of the king addressed Mattathias:
"You are a leader, an honorable and great man in this city,
supported by sons and kin.
Come now, be the first to obey the king's command,
as all the Gentiles and the men of Judah
and those who are left in Jerusalem have done.
Then you and your sons shall be numbered among the King's Friends,
and shall be enriched with silver and gold and many gifts."
But Mattathias answered in a loud voice:
"Although all the Gentiles in the king's realm obey him,
so that each forsakes the religion of his fathers
and consents to the king's orders,
yet I and my sons and my kin
will keep to the covenant of our fathers.
God forbid that we should forsake the law and the commandments.
We will not obey the words of the king
nor depart from our religion in the slightest degree."
As he finished saying these words,
a certain Jew came forward in the sight of all
to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein
according to the king's order.
When Mattathias saw him, he was filled with zeal;
his heart was moved and his just fury was aroused;
he sprang forward and killed him upon the altar.
At the same time, he also killed the messenger of the king
who was forcing them to sacrifice,
and he tore down the altar.
Thus he showed his zeal for the law,
just as Phinehas did with Zimri, son of Salu.
Then Mattathias went through the city shouting,
"Let everyone who is zealous for the law
and who stands by the covenant follow after me!"
Thereupon he fled to the mountains with his sons,
leaving behind in the city all their possessions.
Many who sought to live according to righteousness and religious custom
went out into the desert to settle there. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15 R. (23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
God the LORD has spoken and summoned the earth, from the rising of the sun to its setting.
From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
"Gather my faithful ones before me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice."
And the heavens proclaim his justice; for God himself is the judge. R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
"Offer to God praise as your sacrifice and fulfill your vows to the Most High;
Then call upon me in time of distress; I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me." R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God. Alleluia Psalm 95:8 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Luke 19:41-44 As Jesus drew near Jerusalem,
he saw the city and wept over it, saying,
"If this day you only knew what makes for peace–
but now it is hidden from your eyes.
For the days are coming upon you
when your enemies will raise a palisade against you;
they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides.
They will smash you to the ground and your children within you,
and they will not leave one stone upon another within you
because you did not recognize the time of your visitation."
| Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: Luke 19:41-44 He saw the city and wept over it. (Luke 19:41) Today's Gospel makes it clear that Jesus experienced the full range of human emotions. He didn't just mention Jerusalem's lack of faith, and he didn't make his disapproval known by reciting a list of accusations. He shed tears of sadness over the state of the holy city. He had come to share with the people of God "what makes for peace," but they had rejected him (Luke 19:42). He could tell that by remaining in their sin, they were bringing disaster upon themselves and their Temple. And the thought of that disaster made him weep. In his mourning over Jerusalem, Jesus joined a long line of prophets who also lamented over the state of God's people. Elisha wept when he saw that the king of Aram would destroy Israel (2 Kings 8:11-12). Nehemiah wept when news reached him of the desperate state of his people in a burned-out Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1:4). And Jeremiah, known as "the weeping prophet," shed bitter tears "over the great destruction which overwhelms . . . my people" (Jeremiah 14:17). It's not just Jesus or the ancient prophets, though, whose hearts were filled with sorrow. Many of us have wept over someone who has lost their faith or who never believed in the Lord. Maybe they see no need for God, or doubt his mercy, or are angry with him. Their suffering pierces our hearts, and we grieve for them. We want nothing more than for them to taste the peace and mercy that we know. How comforting to remember that Jesus weeps with us! He longs for their healing and reunion even more than we do. But look beyond today's Gospel, and you'll see what happened after Jesus' lamentation over Jerusalem. He continued to preach and teach and offer his mercy to every person who was willing to accept him (Luke 19:47). Then he gave his life for them—and for us. Day after day, God continues to reach out to his children. Every day is a new "visitation" (Luke 19:44). Every moment, he offers your loved ones a fresh opportunity to return to him. And he will never stop. "Thank you, Lord, that you love the person I am praying for even more than I do. Help them to see you and to welcome your salvation." 1 Maccabees 2:15-29
Psalm 50:1-2, 5-6, 14-15 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: | From today's Holy Gospel: "...As Jesus drew near Jerusalem,
he saw the city and wept over it, saying,
"If this day you only knew what makes for peace–
but now it is hidden from your eyes.
For the days are coming upon you...They will smash you to the ground and your children within you...because you did not recognize the time of your visitation...." Word of the Lord. | From Roberto Juarez:
"Perhaps this page of the Gospel is a call to wake up, to review what part of our heart is still walled off.
Jesus' tears are not to frighten us, but to move us to conversion, to a renewed encounter with Him.
Jesus weeps before Jerusalem so that Jerusalem does not have to mourn its destruction.
God speaks to us today with the same tenderness: "Let me give you peace."
May this Gospel help us to recognize the Lord's visit in our lives. That we do not let their calls pass. That we do not live distracted. That we open our eyes and our hearts.
For if we welcome his presence, if we listen to his Word, if we trust in him... then, yes: we will understand what leads to peace." end quote.
This is another instance when we hear the Son of GOD weeping. Another time was when Lazarus, His dear friend had died.
Our Lord faced tribulation more often than is mentioned.
But this time, He cried for an entire city?
Jerusalem? The place where prophets are slaughtered? Why would He weep over that?
Think, Noah's ark. Think, Sodom and Gomorrah. Think of the Exodus.
Think Jonah and the city of Nineveh. Each time here, there is an issuance of a cry from God. Repent! Or else.
But this time, Jerusalem means much more. The temple He visited since childhood...all the life of the Mosaic Law and the Jews, and so many men, women, and children, would now have to die....and why?
Because of the failure to recognize.
Why didn't they recognize our Lord and Savior?
Because, they weren't ready.
So many times the Lord in the Word asks us to be ready, with oil in our lamps, to be shrewd, to realize the brevity of our lives, to realize the fruits that God calls for. The whole of many part of the liturgical year are a continuous preparation for His coming. Repentance. Reconciliation. Jubilee, indulgences are offered, our Lord is continuously offering Himself and availing Himself, simply asking us to make room for Him in our home of our hearts, so that we could have an eternal room in His heart and home. The trade off is phenomenal....if only we would take Him at His word...and deed.
And then we could rightly sing the Psalm "Let us go rejoicing...to the house of the Lord".
A gay man died, saw a narrow gate into Heaven, but He could see inside the walls, two women leaving to do God's work, and they were so honored and so happy to have been called to do God's work that day and this impacted Him to give His life truly to God when He came back. And now is straight, married a woman, and knows his true calling....Heaven.
But, how backwards are we? If I ask anybody to come to any ministry, I get lots of excuses. Do we not realize what God is calling us to? There is much more to do than just to sit there with your job and home, we are called to evangelize, your job, your home and the community...together.
Recent gallup polls say protestant Christianity is dwindling and fast, as many still say they are religious but not affiliated. Community is dying there. And the slaughtering of Christian communities in Nigeria continue and other parts of the country and world.
What am I saying?
Time to get uncomfortable. Time to realize our Lord. What does this mean? Tending to Him, hand and foot. In any and all ministries. It is not a time to sit back. As a matter of fact, I've been instigated into making a huge ecumenical event to bring protestants together, to help them realize how much of the Lord we need. Will it happen? I am not sure. But it is time to get the fire of Love of Jesus going like no other.
I can feel centuries of a Good Kingdom to come, because Jesus said "The Kingdom of God Is at Hand". And where 2 or 3 are gathered, there He is.... OUR KING! Lord, we Love You, Our King! |  Click for Audio | Random Bible Verse 1
Matthew 18:20 " For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." . . . . . . . . Word of the Lord! | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
