† " If you are willing to ..."

† Quote of the Day ""He who carries God in his heart bears heaven with him wherever he goes."" -St. Ignatius of Loyola Today's Meditation "At this

Web Version   Subscribe   Forward   † Quote of the Day ""He who carries God in his heart bears heaven with him wherever he goes."" -St. Ignatius of Loyola Today's Meditation "At this point in the season, we always stand teetering between a fuller engagement of the real point and purpose of Advent or getting swept away in the often overwhelming material preparations. Gaudete Sunday invites us to pause in the midst of the activity and breathe deeply. The material celebrations of Christmas come and go each year. But if we let the rich invitation of Advent seep to the core of our hearts, we actually find ourselves freed to prepare more intentionally and celebrate more fully with family and friends." —Fr. John Burns An excerpt from Adore: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation Daily Verse Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. -Matthew 5:19 Pope St Damasus I Pope St. Damasus I (306-384 A.D.) was born into a Christian family in Rome. He became a deacon and served at the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Rome where his father served as priest. After the death of Pope Liberius, Damasus was elected Pope in the year 366 A.D. Violence broke out as a rival pope was also elected, and the two factions fought to enforce their candidate. Damasus was confirmed as the rightful pope by the Roman Emperor, and the anti-pope was banished from the city. Pope Damasus chose the scripture scholar St. Jerome as his personal secretary, to whom he commissioned the translation of the Bible into Latin (the Latin Vulgate). It was during Damasus' reign that Christianity was declared the religion of the Roman state. Pope Damasus also called the Council of Rome in 382 A.D. to clarify the canon of Sacred Scripture. He opposed heresy, worked to preserve the catacombs, and advocated for devotion to the Christians martyred under the Roman persecutions. His feast day is December 11. Thursday of the Second Week of Advent Reading I Isaiah 41:13-20 I am the LORD, your God, who grasp your right hand; It is I who say to you, "Fear not, I will help you." Fear not, O worm Jacob, O maggot Israel; I will help you, says the LORD; your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. I will make of you a threshing sledge, sharp, new, and double-edged, To thresh the mountains and crush them, to make the hills like chaff. When you winnow them, the wind shall carry them off and the storm shall scatter them. But you shall rejoice in the LORD, and glory in the Holy One of Israel. The afflicted and the needy seek water in vain, their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open up rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the broad valleys; I will turn the desert into a marshland, and the dry ground into springs of water. I will plant in the desert the cedar, acacia, myrtle, and olive; I will set in the wasteland the cypress, together with the plane tree and the pine, That all may see and know, observe and understand, That the hand of the LORD has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 145:1 and 9, 10-11, 12-13ab R. (8) The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness. I will extol you, O my God and King, and I will bless your name forever and ever. The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works. R. The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness. Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom and speak of your might. R. The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness. Let them make known to men your might and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom. Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages, and your dominion endures through all generations. R. The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger, and of great kindness. Alleluia See Isaiah 45:8 R. Alleluia, alleluia. Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Savior. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Matthew 11:11-15 Jesus said to the crowds: "Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. Whoever has ears ought to hear." Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! Daily Meditation: Isaiah 41:13-20 I will help you, says the Lord. (Isaiah 41:14) Today's first reading describes a promise for the Jewish people while they were exiled in Babylon. Through his prophet, God speaks words of comfort and strength as the people await their return to Jerusalem. But these words also contain a promise for us as we, too, look to God for comfort and strength. I will help you, says the Lord (Isaiah 41:14). The Israelites felt abandoned by God as they endured decades of exile. But God reassured them that he was with them, grasping their hand (41:13). On days that you feel burdened or on nights when grief lingers, know that Jesus is close to you. He offers you his presence, his comfort, and his consolation. I will make of you a threshing sledge (41:15). The Israelites felt weak, hardly the kind of people who could "thresh the mountains and crush them" (41:15). But God promised to strengthen them for the journey back home. He promises to strengthen you, too. He will enable you to "crush" the "mountains" that act as obstacles in your own life. Whether it's fear about a job interview you've been waiting for, frustration over a presentation you need to give, or a sense of weakness in the face of the enticements of the world, Jesus will make you strong and help you to overcome. I will open up rivers on the bare heights (41:18). In place of the desolation the people were living in, God promised to bring life and joy. Are you faced with the barrenness of feeling lonely? The Lord can open your eyes and lead you to people who can become your friends and companions. Are you going through a spiritual desert and feeling distant from God? He wants to refresh you with his Spirit. He is able to transform even the driest places of your heart into flowing rivers of fulfillment and peace. That all may see and know, observe and understand, That the hand of the Lord has done this (43:20). Finally, know that as he refreshes you, God will also make you into a living witness to his love, just as the Israelites were. When people see you, they will see God's own presence and strength and goodness! "Lord, you are my help, my strength, my source of life. I put my trust in you." Psalm 145:1, 9-13 Matthew 11:11-15 Reflections with Brother Adrian: Audio of 2 Cents From today's Holy Gospel: "... Jesus said to the crowds: "Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. ..." Word of the Lord. From Roberto Juarez: "Today's Gospel invites us to unite two realities: – John's courage, who calls us to consistency, conversion and authenticity. – The grace of the Kingdom, which Jesus gives us, and which is infinitely greater than we can imagine. Let us ask the Lord to grant us a heart like John's: available, humble, God-centered. And let us also ask for the ability to welcome the grace of the Kingdom with joy, to allow ourselves to be transformed by Christ, and to respond decisively. May Mary, a woman totally given and totally available to God's will, accompany us on this journey." end quote. We will hear about Saint John the Baptist's arrest even on Sunday, and we will hear about our Lord referencing Saint John. It was the arrest of Saint John that launches our Lord to action...into public ministry, right? Jesus would now move to Galilee and begin preaching and healing, fulfilling his forerunner role as "He must increase, but I must decrease," with John's eventual beheading highlighting the transition from Old Covenant prophecy to the Messiah's new work. And we hear that "Elijah's role in salvation history is pivotal as a dynamic Old Testament prophet who championed pure worship of God against idolatry, restored priesthood power, and foreshadowed future figures like John the Baptist, all culminating in his prophesied return to prepare the way for the Lord's Second Coming, particularly by sealing families for eternity through the restoration of sacred covenants. He's seen as a forerunner, a restorer of keys, and a symbol of hope, transforming hearts and ensuring God's everlasting covenant." So, Elijah is kind of a big deal, amen? Elijah is "sealing families for eternity", music to my ears, families are being united to God our Father....for eternity. In comes Jesus...in Advent, in a most special way, His birth. The greatest birthday ever! Amen? Everybody gets a present! Amen? Not physical presents, but we all get Jesus offered! Amen! I told a bible study group last night, that we do seem to forget Him though at Christmas. Nowadays, media and culture have cute "other" names for Christmas, like "Grinchmas" or "Santa Claus" all other names but CHRIST's-Mass. I am at every Christmas Mass, the night before until midnight and the next morning....and it is half full, but we know very well everyone is celebrating somehow, with presents, family, or even just enjoying a day off....for themselves. But what about Christ's Mass? There, Jesus is born! He is incarnated! He is born. How is He born? Through us and our baptism. Did you know that this day is so special in Heaven, that many, MANY souls in purgatory are released into Heaven? Our Lord Jesus is so happy this day, if only we would bring Him souls...as our present to Him. And how? No problem really, He does all the work, if we allow. And so, the present, is ourselves. We can give ourselves to Him. What a gift He would love! HE would love to be so intimate with you. Not as God the Father, but as the most powerful love you will ever experience on earth and forever. Click for Audio Random Bible Verse Psalm 115:3 " Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases." . . . . . . . . Word of the Lord! If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com God Bless You! Peace Going4th For questions or comments contact Adrian@going4th.com. For more go to www.Going4th.com ©2025 Going4th | Andrews TX Preferences   Subscribe   Forward   Unsubscribe     Powered by GoDaddy Email Marketing ®