Quote: "Only God knows the good that can come about by reading one good Catholic book." -St. John Bosco Today's Meditation "It almost always happens that interior sentiments of pride precede the commission of grievous sins. Peter was not aware of his own weakness. He preferred himself before others; he trusted in himself as though he were incapable of sinning, boasting that no temptation would separate him from Jesus. He would not even believe the assurance of his Divine Master, that he would deny him thrice. Deceived by this vain confidence in his own strength, he neglects to pray, and to have recourse to God; and God, in His justice, permits him to fall, in punishment of his pride. There is nothing more dangerous than to confide in our own strength, and trust to feelings of fervor. We are full of malice, and capable of committing the most enormous crimes, unless God supports us." —Fr. Ignatius of the Side of Jesus, p. 85-86
An excerpt from The School of Jesus Crucified Daily Verse "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." -Jeremiah 17:7-8 |  EWTN Daily Saint | | Blessed Thomas Maria Fusco Blessed Thomas Maria Fusco, also known as Tommaso, (1831-1891) was born to a noble and pious family in Italy, the seventh of eight children. He was orphaned at an early age and raised by his uncle, a priest, who oversaw his education. He had a deep love for the faith, especially to the Passion of Christ and Our Lady of Sorrows. He became a priest at the age of 24 and opened a school in his own home. He later became an itinerant missionary throughout southern Italy. After traveling for a number of years he opened another school, this time to train priests on how to be good confessors. He also founded the Priestly Society of the Catholic Apostolate to support the missions, which gained papal approval. During his work with the poor he discerned a call to start a new religious order of sisters, the Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious Blood, to minister to orphaned children. In addition to all of this, Fusco was also a parish priest, a confessor to a group of cloistered nuns, and a spiritual father to a lay group at the nearby Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. He died of liver disease at the age of 59. He was beatified by Pope St. John Paul II in 2001. His feast day is February 24. | Tuesday of the First Week of Lent Lectionary: 225 Reading 1 Isaiah 55:10-11 Thus says the LORD:
Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19 R. (18b) From all their distress God rescues the just.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
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. From all their distress God rescues the just.
The LORD has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
R. From all their distress God rescues the just. Verse Before the Gospel Matthew 4:4b One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. Gospel Matthew 6:7-15 Jesus said to his disciples:
"In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. "This is how you are to pray: Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. "If you forgive men their transgressions,
your heavenly Father will forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men,
neither will your Father forgive your transgressions." | Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! |  wau.org | Daily Meditation: Matthew 6:7-15 Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done. (Matthew 6:10) Children can be taught to say the Lord's Prayer from a very young age. Those seven words, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done," are especially easy to say—they almost rhyme! These word express a great mystery: that God chooses to partner with us in his work of transforming the world. We pray that our Father would make earth become more like heaven, a place where every person knows and loves him fully, and where we love and care for one another. But we don't just sit back and wait for God to make it happen! Neither do we pray these words as a formality but then roll up our sleeves to "get the job done" by ourselves. Instead, like a dad who gladly includes his child in a household project, God has already started the work, but he wants us to participate as well. Praying this prayer nudges your heart toward a different place. It helps you to will what your heavenly Father wills. It teaches you to prioritize his plans for the world over your own. It can even move you to sacrifice your way of doing things and to take on his way—just as a child working with his father almost naturally learns how to think and act like his father. That's why Jesus doesn't just tell us to go and do God's will; he tells us to do it prayerfully, with a heart open to him. He knows that we can't fully grasp it on our own. We need to hear and learn from him. For example, if you are praying for renewal in the Church and in the world, you might find the Spirit equipping you with the words you need to tell a friend about the joy and hope you find in knowing God. If you are praying for world peace, God might give you the grace to cheerfully sacrifice your own preferences for the good of those around you. So whenever you pray for God's kingdom to come, picture yourself and the Father building that kingdom side by side. Be open to him working in your heart as he teaches you what his kingdom looks like. Pay attention to what he is already doing in the world. And then wholeheartedly declare, "I delight to do your will, my God!" (Psalm 40:9). "Father, thy will be done through me!" Isaiah 55:10-11
Psalm 34:4-7, 16-19 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Audio of 2 Cents | From today's Holy Gospel: "... Jesus said to his disciples:
"In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. "This is how you are to pray: ..." Word of the Lord.
| From Bishop Barron: "And so let us attend carefully to the first words of Jesus's great prayer: "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name." Our basic problem is getting our priorities mixed up. We seek all kinds of worldly things—money, pleasure, power, honor—all of which are unsatisfying. What we should desire, first, is God. This is precisely what the prayer to hallow the name of God is all about. It's not that God's name isn't in fact hallowed, but we're praying that we might keep it that way, that we might honor God in all things. We're praying for a radical reorientation of our consciousness."
From artificial intelligence when I prompted these words "catholic understanding of the Lord's prayer petitions and honor". (Notice I always include the word Catholic, otherwise, you'll get thousands of thoughts of protestant denominations and theories.)
A-i said what I wanted to say:
"The Catholic understanding of the Lord's Prayer focuses on seven petitions (according to Catechism 2803-2806) that prioritize God's glory and honor first, followed by human needs. It is divided into three petitions for God's glory ("thy") and four for human needs ("us"), covering spiritual, physical, and moral life. The Seven Petitions (Catholic Perspective) ▪ Hallowed be Thy Name: We pray that God's name is kept holy and honored, both in the world and in our own lives, acknowledging Him as holy.
▪ Thy Kingdom Come: A plea for the reign of God (justice, peace, joy) to grow in our hearts and for the final return of Christ.
▪ Thy Will Be Done: We pray for the grace to align our will with God's, fulfilling it on earth as it is in heaven.
▪ Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread: A request for physical sustenance (food, necessities) and spiritual nourishment, primarily the Eucharist.
▪ Forgive Us Our Trespasses...: We ask for God's mercy while committing to forgive others, recognizing our dependence on His grace.
▪ Lead Us Not Into Temptation: A plea for God to not allow us to take the path that leads to sin, asking for the strength to fight spiritual battles.
▪ Deliver Us From Evil: A final request to be freed from the power of the Evil One and from all moral evil.
| ▪ | Hallowed be Thy Name: We pray that God's name is kept holy and honored, both in the world and in our own lives, acknowledging Him as holy. | | ▪ | Thy Kingdom Come: A plea for the reign of God (justice, peace, joy) to grow in our hearts and for the final return of Christ. | | ▪ | Thy Will Be Done: We pray for the grace to align our will with God's, fulfilling it on earth as it is in heaven. | | ▪ | Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread: A request for physical sustenance (food, necessities) and spiritual nourishment, primarily the Eucharist. | | ▪ | Forgive Us Our Trespasses...: We ask for God's mercy while committing to forgive others, recognizing our dependence on His grace. | | ▪ | Lead Us Not Into Temptation: A plea for God to not allow us to take the path that leads to sin, asking for the strength to fight spiritual battles. | | ▪ | Deliver Us From Evil: A final request to be freed from the power of the Evil One and from all moral evil. | Key Aspects of Catholic Understanding ▪ Order of Importance: The prayer teaches that God's glory and honor are the primary intentions of prayer, regardless of our personal requests.
▪ The Seven Petitions: The Catechism 2803-2806 outlines seven petitions.
▪ Eucharistic Connection: "Daily Bread" is understood to mean not just daily physical needs but specifically the Eucharist, which is central to Catholic worship.
▪ Summary of the Gospel: The Lord's Prayer is considered a "summary of the whole Gospel". " end quote.
| ▪ | Order of Importance: The prayer teaches that God's glory and honor are the primary intentions of prayer, regardless of our personal requests. | | ▪ | The Seven Petitions: The Catechism 2803-2806 outlines seven petitions. | | ▪ | Eucharistic Connection: "Daily Bread" is understood to mean not just daily physical needs but specifically the Eucharist, which is central to Catholic worship. | | ▪ | Summary of the Gospel: The Lord's Prayer is considered a "summary of the whole Gospel". " end quote. |
Roberto Juarez (whoever he is giving reflections LOL) said it nicely too at the end of his reflection: "This Gospel invites us to review our prayer: Do I pray as a child or as one who recites formulas? Does God Occupy the Center of My Requests? Am I willing to truly forgive? Perhaps the most fruitful Lenten practice is not to add many prayers, but to pray the Lord's Prayer better, slowly, consciously, allowing ourselves to be transformed by each word.
Jesus doesn't just teach us to pray; reveals to us who God is. He is not a distant judge. It is not a capricious power. He is Father. And from that certainty, Lent becomes a confident return. That every time we pronounce "Our Father" we do so with truth, with humility and with a willingness to live what we say. Because authentic prayer does not end on the lips; it transforms the heart."
I tune into purgatory findings from a youtuber named Alvaro, and I saw one lately where he explains the importance of not just praying or adding prayers, but to pray what we got sincerely. Perhaps this is what we ought to do for Lent. Be more sincere.
Be more Christ.
Be more of what God wills.
It is written in our hearts. To be His. As Saint John Paul II said "Totus Tuus", meaning in latin, "Totally Yours".
Then, we can joyfully meet our Lord with open arms...of openness to sacrificial love at the end of lent, after passing the narrow gate...which is Jesus our Christ Himself. |  Click for Audio | Random Bible Verse 1
Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." . . . Word of the Lord! | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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