† Quote of the Day " "Let us love the Cross and let us remember that we are not alone in carrying it. God is helping us. And in God who is comforting us, as St. Paul says, we can do anything."" -St. Gianna Molla Today's Meditation "I love the mystical body metaphor because it helps us understand so many Catholic doctrines. It provides a brilliant way for understanding how the Church is not primarily an institution but a living, spiritual organism that Jesus lives in and continues to work through in order to carry out this saving mission in the world. Through this metaphor, we learn that Jesus continues His saving mission on earth through incorporating - embodying into his mystical body - men and women who allow themselves to become His members and co-workers...The mystical body metaphor shows us that there are many members of the body of Christ, and because it is the body of Christ, it is permanent. Each member of the body has a particular function to perform, and each member is unique and important. —Donald H. Calloway, p. 70-71
An excerpt from Under the Mantle Daily Verse "Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for others, knowing that you will receive from the Lord the due payment of the inheritance; be slaves of the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will receive recompense for the wrong he committed, and there is no partiality." -Colossians 3:23-25 | St Adelaide Of Burgundy St. Adelaide (931-999 A.D.) was the virtuous daughter of King Rupert II of Burgundy, France. She became the Queen of Italy after being given in marriage to the future King of Italy. When her husband died, she was imprisoned for refusing a second politically-driven marriage. However, when the German Emperor Otto came to rule Italy, she accepted his rescue and offer of marriage. They had four children, the future Otto II and three daughters, two of whom became nuns. Pope John XII crowned Otto the Holy Roman Emperor in 962 A.D., and Adelaide was crowned as the Holy Roman Empress. When her son, Otto II, succeeded her husband as Emperor, she was driven from court by her jealous daughter-in-law. When they both died, Adelaide returned to court to rule the empire as regent Queen until her grandson was of age. She used her position, power, and influence to help the poor, evangelize her people, and to build and restore monasteries and churches. She afterwards retired to a convent in Germany, spending her remaining days in prayer. St. Adelaide is the patroness of princesses, empresses, second marriages, widows, parenthood, brides, exiles, and abuse victims. Her feast day is December 16. | Tuesday of the Third Week of Advent Reading I Zephaniah 3:1-2, 9-13 Thus says the LORD:
Woe to the city, rebellious and polluted, to the tyrannical city!
She hears no voice, accepts no correction;
In the LORD she has not trusted, to her God she has not drawn near.
For then I will change and purify the lips of the peoples,
That they all may call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one accord;
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia and as far as the recesses of the North, they shall bring me offerings. On that day
You need not be ashamed of all your deeds, your rebellious actions against me;
For then will I remove from your midst the proud braggarts,
And you shall no longer exalt yourself on my holy mountain.
But I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly,
Who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD: the remnant of Israel.
They shall do no wrong and speak no lies;
Nor shall there be found in their mouths a deceitful tongue;
They shall pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 34:2-3, 6-7, 17-18, 19 and 23 R. (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor. I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear me and be glad. R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him. R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
The LORD confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all their distress he rescues them. R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
The LORD redeems the lives of his servants; no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him. R. The Lord hears the cry of the poor.
Alleluia R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come, O Lord, do not delay;
forgive the sins of your people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Matthew 21:28-32 Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
"What is your opinion?
A man had two sons.
He came to the first and said,
'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'
The son said in reply, 'I will not,'
but afterwards he changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order.
He said in reply, 'Yes, sir,' but did not go.
Which of the two did his father's will?"
They answered, "The first."
Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you,
tax collectors and prostitutes
are entering the Kingdom of God before you.
When John came to you in the way of righteousness,
you did not believe him;
but tax collectors and prostitutes did.
Yet even when you saw that,
you did not later change your minds and believe him."
| Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17 . . . one who sees what the Almighty sees. (Numbers 24:4) Just what did Balaam, the revered Ammonite prophet, see when he looked at the Israelites' encampment? He would have seen a people worn-out from their long journey through the Sinai Desert. Their tents certainly did not gleam in the sunshine—they were likely tattered, stained, and faded from overuse. And the people were diminished in number and exhausted from having entered into so many battles against pagan armies—and against each other. In other words, it would not have been a very impressive sight! But when he opened his mouth to curse the Israelites as the king of Moab had hired him to do, Balaam couldn't do it. That's because God had given him a vision of the people that defied their outward appearance. Balaam had his eyes opened to see Israel as God saw them: an encampment that was "goodly" and whose tents were arranged like "gardens beside a stream" (Numbers 24:5, 6). Balaam saw God's chosen people, not just a bunch of aimless nomads! What do you think God, the Almighty, sees when he looks at you? Does he see the ways you fall into envy or resentment? Does he see the aspects of your life that make you feel raggedy and worn-out, like the Israelites in the desert? Sure, but that's not all he sees. He also sees the ways you are trying to love people. He sees your desires for peace in your relationships and how you long to please him. He sees it all and loves you completely. What's more, God doesn't focus only on your thoughts and actions, however good they may or may not be. He sees the unique, "very good" way you reflect his own goodness (Genesis 1:31). He sees the image of his beloved Son, Jesus. He sees you, the "wonderfully made" person he created out of love, redeemed from sin, and filled with his Spirit (Psalm 139:14). Keep this vision close to your heart today. You are more than the good or bad things you say or do. You are a chosen and beloved child of God. "Lord, thank you for seeing into my heart—and for loving what you see! Help me to live out your vision for my life today." Psalm 25:4-9
Matthew 21:23-27 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Audio of 2 Cents | From today's Holy Gospel: "... Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you,
tax collectors and prostitutes
are entering the Kingdom of God before you.
When John came to you in the way of righteousness,
you did not believe him;
but tax collectors and prostitutes did.
Yet even when you saw that,
you did not later change your minds and believe him."
- - -..." Word of the Lord. | From Roberto Juarez: "Let us ask the Lord for the grace not to remain in an empty "yes", nor to despair of our "no's".
May we know how to repent, get up and set out on a journey. May our faith be noticed in life.
And may Mary, who said "let it be done" and lived it to the end, teach us to do the Father's will with fidelity and love." end quote.
From Bishop Barron today: "The obedience that Jesus desires is a surrender to the one who wants what is best for the surrenderer. The entire to-be of the Son is a listening to the command of the Father, and the creature, consequently, is meant to be nothing but a listening to the command of the Son. This is why Jesus says in the Gospel of John, "You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves. . . . I have called you friends" (John 15:14–15). What was lost in the garden of Eden was friendship with God, symbolized by the easy fellowship enjoyed by Adam and Yahweh. The whole of the biblical revelation—culminating in Jesus—could be construed as the story of God's attempt to restore friendship with the human race. In the Last Supper discourse, we hear the conditions for this restoration: coinherence with God. " end quote.
Our Lord said: "When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did." Who is it that we are not believing?
What if prostitutes are entering heaven right now, and what of those who thought they were on the right path are not entering, but suffering?
Our Lord said it was actually happening, and why wouldn't it be true today?
What is it that we are not believing?
Do you know how hard it is to have hardened sinners to change their lives? Something good is going on here.
And it can happen today, that we see good things happen, and some, even church, want to shut it down.
I can think of one major example in the church, the charismatic movement. It made way for the Holy Spirit to bring about a powerful move to join, to pray, to heal others in ministry, and in song and dance. But, there is a radical traditional movement that seems to be intolerant to this, even when some of the top renowned exorcists say it is good, for the church, of which we hear: "The Catholic Church views the Charismatic Renewal as a valid, Spirit-led movement for revitalizing faith, emphasizing personal encounter with Jesus and gifts like tongues, but stresses it must remain within Church teaching, tradition, and authority, requiring discernment to avoid excesses like those seen in some Protestant expressions, with Popes from Paul VI to Francis offering support while urging fidelity to Catholic identity and Magisterium.
And in our own families, we have those that will want to shut us down, to shut us up.
Do you believe? It is the same as when our Lord was here, when He said that not even those will despise you and there will be divisions.
In the Gospel, two sons were called, one said yes and the other said no, but the yes was a flop, never showed up. The one that said no, repented.
It is that time, always....to be ready...to repent.
It is advent, but it is always appropriate to be ready for His coming....
When you see people changing their lives, repenting, it is good, and we need to learn to discern the good...when God is working, and let our hearts learn to Love Him, rejoice.... |  Click for Audio | Random Bible Verse 1
Romans 5:1 Peace with God Through Faith
"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we1 have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.' . . . . . . . . Word of the Lord! | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
