 From: MorningOffering Website | Quote: "Who except God can give you peace? Has the world ever been able to satisfy the heart?" -St. Gerard Today's Meditation "God wishes us to be meek even toward ourselves. When a person commits a fault, God certainly wishes him to humble himself, to be sorry for his sin, and to purpose never to fall into it again; but He does not wish him to be indignant with himself, and give way to trouble and agitation of mind; for, while the soul is agitated, a man is incapable of doing good." —St. Alphonsus De Liguori, p. 259
An excerpt from The Sermons of St. Alphonsus Liguori Daily Verse "Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread forth the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: "I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness." -Isaiah 42: 5-7 |  EWTN Daily Saint | | St Walburga St. Walburga (710-777 A.D.) was born near Devonshire, England, the daughter of St. Richard the Pilgrim (a Saxon king) and the sister of Sts. Willibald and Winebald. When she was eleven her father and brothers went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, while her father placed her in a convent famous for its holiness. She was well educated according to her rank, became a nun, and lived there for twenty-six years. Her uncle, St. Boniface, then brought her to what is now Germany to help him evangelize that country and establish the Church there. In this missionary activity she joined her brothers who were also laboring for the faith in that country, one as an abbot, the other as a bishop. Because of her education she was able to document the travels of her brother in the Holy Land, and for this work she became the first female author of England and Germany. She was known as a miracle worker and healer both in her life and after her death. St. Walburga's relics have the miraculous property of exuding oil to which many cures have been ascribed through the centuries. St. Walburga is the patron saint of sailors, mariners, and farmers, and against hydrophobia, famine, coughs, rabies, plague, and storms. St. Walburga's feast day is February 25th.
Find a devotional for this saint | Wednesday of the First Week in Lent Lectionary: 226 Reading 1 Jonah 3:1-10 The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:
"Set out for the great city of Nineveh,
and announce to it the message that I will tell you."
So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,
according to the LORD's bidding.
Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;
it took three days to go through it.
Jonah began his journey through the city,
and had gone but a single day's walk announcing,
"Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,"
when the people of Nineveh believed God;
they proclaimed a fast
and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh,
he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe,
covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes.
Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh,
by decree of the king and his nobles:
"Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep,
shall taste anything;
they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water.
Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God;
every man shall turn from his evil way
and from the violence he has in hand.
Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath,
so that we shall not perish."
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,
he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;
he did not carry it out. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19 R. (19b) A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. Verse Before the Gospel Joel 2:12-13 Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart
for I am gracious and merciful. Gospel Luke 11:29-32 While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,
"This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation.
At the judgment
the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation
and she will condemn them,
because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon,
and there is something greater than Solomon here.
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here." | Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! |  From Word Among Us WAU.org | Daily Meditation: Luke 11:29-32 There is something greater than Jonah here. (Luke 11:32) The crowds that were gathered around Jesus were much like us. Consider how our attention is easily drawn to the latest sensation. It's likely that many of the people in today's Gospel had heard about this preacher and wonder-worker named Jesus, but they didn't know what to make of him. Most likely some were captivated by his parables and others by his public confrontations with his opponents. Certainly some were comforted, others confused, and still others offended by what he said and did. But whatever most people thought, one thing was true: there truly was something "greater than Jonah" there (Luke 11:32). There truly was something—Someone—worth paying close attention to. As it was in his time, so it is today: Jesus is always looking for something more than the fleeting attention of an audience that "seeks a sign" but that doesn't take his words to heart (Luke 11:29). He is looking for disciples who will try to do what he says, not onlookers who are waiting for the next miracle. He is looking for friends who will love his Father, not just acquaintances who are satisfied with a few sound bites from his teaching. He is looking for people who recognize that "something greater than Jonah" is in their midst (11:32). It's important to see that Jesus' reaction to such an attitude is not one of condescension or condemnation; it comes from a heart yearning to see his people turn to his Father. He devoted all of his time to healing, teaching, and proclaiming the kingdom, not for a spectacle, but in order to bring about conversions. He knew that conversions come about as the result of an encounter, as people listened to him with the same openness that the "queen of the south" had with Solomon (Luke 11:31). Conversions happen as people who hear him are cut to the heart, just as the people of Nineveh were at the preaching of Jonah (11:31-32). Ask the Holy Spirit to stir your heart today. Make time for quiet listening so that you can hear his voice in a noisy world. Jesus is greater than Jonah. He is greater than Solomon. He is greater than any celebrity or politician or internet influencer. And yet, as great as he is, he wants to spend time with you. "Jesus, open my ears and my heart to receive your words!" Jonah 3:1-10
Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Audio of 2 Cents | From today's Holy Gospel: "... At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it,
because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,
and there is something greater than Jonah here." ..." Word of the Lord.
| From Bishop Barron: What would its conversion look like? A turning back to God as the only enduring good. After hearing the word of Jonah, the Ninevites proclaim a fast, and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth. What is the purpose of these ascetic practices? To wean people away from an attachment to worldly pleasures. Go beyond the mind that you have. Repent. Live as though nothing in this world finally matters. And you will be living in the kingdom of God!
Our Lord said today: ""This generation is an evil generation;
it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,
except the sign of Jonah.
Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,
so will the Son of Man be to this generation." A-I Overview "According to Catholic understanding, the
sign of Jonah refers primarily to the prefiguration of Christ's death, three-day burial, and resurrection. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days before emerging, Jesus predicted He would spend three days in the "heart of the earth" before rising Key details of this understanding include: ▪ The Paschal Mystery: The core interpretation is the death and resurrection of Jesus.
▪ Preaching Repentance: It also refers to Jesus' preaching, which, like Jonah's to Nineveh, calls for conversion.
▪ A "Greater" Sign: Jesus emphasizes that while Jonah was a sign, He is "greater than Jonah".
▪ Context: Jesus gave this sign in response to the Pharisees' demand for a spectacular, miraculous sign. "
| ▪ | The Paschal Mystery: The core interpretation is the death and resurrection of Jesus. | | ▪ | Preaching Repentance: It also refers to Jesus' preaching, which, like Jonah's to Nineveh, calls for conversion. | | ▪ | A "Greater" Sign: Jesus emphasizes that while Jonah was a sign, He is "greater than Jonah". | | ▪ | Context: Jesus gave this sign in response to the Pharisees' demand for a spectacular, miraculous sign. " | Let's simplify this more.
What is the sign that we will all see...at the end of Lent?
You will see the sign on Good Friday. Where our Lord experiences death Himself. But before, the way He goes out, is amazing. With open arms. For You! All for you!
I'm about to say something so crazy. Hear me out.
I am in many ministries. I study daily the Word. I hear great bible scholars and theologians and also tune into many near death experiences and exorcists. All for what? To gain Heaven, allbeit, the hard way. The easy way? Repentance, like the good thief at the cross with open arms and heart...to Jesus our Savior. I digress.
Here is what I am about to say: It's as if our Magnificent Lord, God and Father has created a unique and custom world...for you. You are unique, unlike any other in totality in the making of the world. Yeah, you may have similarities with others, but you are so uniquely His. You, to Him, are amazing.
Back to the Gospel. It pains to hear it, but God said it in other gospels ""Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear".
I spend years preaching. Not just at church or prisons or nursing homes or retreats and conferences, or blasting invites from the pulpit, and I see something that is amazing, but not in the good way.
The message goes out...to deaf ears.
Like my preaching this morning at our company safety meeting. I beg and plead them for years and years, for their own safety and to save their own lives, "stay away from electricity". For years, "stay away from poles", and "stay at LEAST 10 feet away from high power lines". But, in the last couple years, we've struck lines and I said "I am so amazed we are still alive".
The message goes in one ear and out the other. Accidents happen and mostly things that can be avoided.
And it is the same for our Lord's pleading and teachings.
Why do we ignore it? Why do we play dumb? Why do we not...truly care?
It is for your own life! Take Him at HIS WORD! He is TRUTH! HE is the WAY! He is the LIFE!
It is evident if you taste and see and indulge in Him, His grace and mercy.
Have I spoke too much?
When it comes to Him, we can never speak enough of His boundless glory and praises.
Let us make a sincere lent. So that we too can come to the cross, stripped of everything, beat up even, for greater glory, for a greater love of God our Father.... |  Click for Audio | Random Bible Verse Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice." . . . Word of the Lord! | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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