†Saint Quote of the DayPrayer is the best armor we have, it is the key which opens the heart of God. Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina
Today's Meditation“In the case of biblical parables we must always expect that the addressees will be brought into a situation in which they believe they are going to enjoy a thrilling story—and then all at once everything changes: they are confronted with the will of God or the evil situation in which they are living in God’s eyes.” —Gerhard Lohfink, p.17
Daily Verse †If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. ▪ John 14:15-17
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EWTN Daily Saint
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Pope St. CorneliusPatron Saint of: Domestic animals, earache sufferers, and against epilepsy
Feast Day: September 16 Pope St. Cornelius (d. 253 A.D.) was a Roman citizen and a holy priest who became the twenty-first successor to the chair of St. Peter, following a fourteen-month vacancy when Pope St. Fabian was martyred by Roman Emperor Decius. When the Emperor temporarily left Rome, the persecution against the Christians subsided long enough for the Church to elect St. Cornelius as the new Roman Pontiff. During Pope St. Cornelius’ two year reign a great controversy arose as to what to do with Catholics who apostatized from the Christian faith under threat of death during the persecution. Many were being received back to the sacraments without any penance. In response to the scandal, some maintained that apostates could not be forgiven and could only be admitted back to the sacraments if they were re-baptized. Chief among them was a priest named Novatian, who, as a result of the scandal, caused a schism when he had himself consecrated as an anti-pope. In response, Pope St. Cornelius convened a synod of bishops to confirm his rightful authority as Pope. Novatian was excommunicated and his doctrine was condemned as heresy. Pope St. Cornelius proclaimed that the Church had the power and authority to forgive repentant apostasy, and that converted apostates could be readmitted to the sacraments after true contrition with adequate penance. Soon a new wave of persecution against the Christians broke out, and Pope St. Cornelius was driven into exile and martyred. His feast day is celebrated on September 16th.
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Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, MartyrsLectionary: 445 Reading 11 Corinthians 12:31-13:13 Brothers and sisters:
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in human and angelic tongues
but do not have love,
I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.
And if I have the gift of prophecy
and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;
if I have all faith so as to move mountains,
but do not have love, I am nothing.
If I give away everything I own,
and if I hand my body over so that I may boast
but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind.
It is not jealous, love is not pompous,
it is not inflated, it is not rude,
it does not seek its own interests,
it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,
it does not rejoice over wrongdoing
but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing;
if tongues, they will cease;
if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.
For we know partially and we prophesy partially,
but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I used to talk as a child,
think as a child, reason as a child;
when I became a man, I put aside childish things.
At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,
but then face to face.
At present I know partially;
then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.
So faith, hope, love remain, these three;
but the greatest of these is love. Responsorial PsalmPsalm 33:2-3, 4-5, 12 and 22 R. (12) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
For upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. AlleluiaSee John 6:63c, 68c R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life,
you have the words of everlasting life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. GospelLuke 7:31-35 Jesus said to the crowds:
“To what shall I compare the people of this generation?
What are they like?
They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.
We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’ For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine,
and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said,
‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”
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Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ!
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From Word Among Us WAU.org
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Daily Meditation: 1 Corinthians 12:31–13:13Love is patient, love is kind. (1 Corinthians 13:4) Today’s first reading is one of the most popular passages chosen for weddings—and for good reason! Not only does it provide a very practical description of love, but it’s also a reading that everyone can relate to since God created us for love. But look at the list of all the ways we’re supposed to love: be kind and patient, rejoice with the truth, bear all things. If we’re honest, we know that we come up short pretty often. And on top of our imperfect efforts to love, we have the challenge of accepting other people’s imperfect efforts to love us. Those especially close to us can disappoint us the most, leaving us feeling unappreciated or hurt. The good news is that there is a love that never fails—God’s love. It’s the one love you can count on when all other loves fall short. It is a love that will never abandon or take advantage of you. It’s a love that envelops you, lifts you up, and carries you through good times and bad. It’s a love that knows how much we struggle to love and yet doesn’t condemn us—a love that applauds our every effort to become like Christ. By contrast, our approach to love can sometimes be immature, like the childish thinking Paul talks about. We are prone to mistake infatuation, sex, or expensive gifts for love. Age and experience can help us wise up, but the only thing that will truly teach us about love is God—who is himself love! Through him, we learn that the less we focus on the way people are (or are not) loving us and the more we focus on the way we are loving them, the more we will experience his unfailing love. Every day, your heavenly Father gives you countless ways to encounter his love: in prayer, in nature, in loved ones, and even in your enemies. He also gives you countless opportunities each day to share his love. So pay attention and keep your heart soft. Follow Paul’s advice and “pursue love” wherever you see it (1 Corinthians 14:1). If you do, you’ll find that God in his love has always been pursuing you. “Lord, pour out your perfect love on me so that I can learn how to love perfectly.” Psalm 33:2-5, 12, 22
Luke 7:31-35
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Reflections with Brother Adrian:
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From today's Holy Gospel: "..For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine,
and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said,
‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”
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From Roberto Juarez: "Today's Gospel invites us to review a very concrete attitude: the ease with which we find excuses not to respond to God. John was too austere. Jesus was too close. And so, rejecting one and the other, some managed to listen to none. May we not do the same. May we not seek a comfortable faith tailored to our needs. May we know how to recognize God when he speaks to us, even if he does so in a way we did not expect. And when the Lord shows us something that we have to change, we do not respond with a new excuse. Let us ask him: "Lord, open my heart. May I not look for reasons to distance myself from you. May I know how to recognize you when you speak to me. Give me courage to convert, humility to allow myself to be corrected
and generosity to respond to your call". May we too be able to say every day: "Lord, here I am. Speak, for your servant hears". end of quote from Roberto.
Bishop Barron said on this: "The Church is the mystical body of Jesus, the living organism that makes present Christ’s mind and will in the world. It is his love made flesh throughout the ages, his hands and feet and eyes and heart. We are all, through baptism, members of that body. Our purpose is his purpose—to carry the nonviolent and forgiving love of God to a hungry world; to go to the darkest places, to the far country in quest of sinners; to be both judge (sign of contradiction) and bearer of salvation." end quote.
From Brother Adrian: The news of the resurrection of our Lord, is like a flute. A great cause for joy, rejoicing, and gratitude to God our Father.
But it does not phase many.
The news of the Lord's crucifixion is like a dirge, but it is ignored, like the sirens on the streets.
Another flute: The news of someone being miraculously saved amazes some, but to others, it goes with a shrug of their shoulders.
Another dirge: The news of the death of a loved causes great grief, and outcry to the Lord for comfort…but to others, they simply "move on" and say "well, that's how things go". This should be an eye opener. Who cares?
Who REALLY cares?
We say God does. He sent Himself in His Son to the world.
Who cares now? The people, the church of then, did not all care, they were the very ones that crucified Him! That is why He came…to open our eyes to that very fact!
Families are a good pulse on that.
Do they pray together on their knees daily? Do they care?
Do they fill up the church on Sundays? Do they care?
Why do some churches in big cities close down and turn into wretched and dark dance clubs?
It is a sign of the community? Of their loves and gods?
Who cares?
As we speak, many are not speaking, about what is taboo…true religion, true credence, true faith. And so, instead of love abounding…sin abounds.
Can you see?
Do you care about Scripture, God's love letters? Do you seek the truth of where they came from? Do you care?
What if they were written with blood? As most were, with the prophets' blood.
You see, there is a prince of peace in the world as is depicted in the bible. A quick Ai says: "In biblical prophecy, the "false prince of peace" refers to the Antichrist, who mimics Jesus Christ by offering a deceptive and temporary global peace at the start of the end times."
Who is that prince? Darkness. When is it coming? I say it is in the always, now. And the mark of the beast? Now we are visiting protestant tribulations, all confused in Revelation.
The false peace you are going for has been presented.
What is it? Do you really want to know? What do YOU CARE?
If I tell you, will it make you move….or lift a finger…for the Kingdom?
I am amazed how how little effort we put into HIS business. I see the numbers, tremendous lines to receive the Eucharist, say, 300, and maybe 3 to 10 of those having a contrite heart in Confession within a month.
Or, the dollars, 1 dollar from every 10 dollars a person has, into the tithing basket.
Or, the hours of services, 1 hour given, for a month, or every 4 months for some. And THAT is a big deal to plan around all their personal lives.
This morning I told a young worker jokingly "you need to find another girlfriend at church to replace the one that left you, because when you were with her, you would go to church". He said "I know I have not been going to church, I have games on Sundays now". I said "Then God is lower on the list of loves and priorities. He walked away quiet acknowledging. And this to a young man I have taught in retreats and studies. Who cares?
Yesterday, I went to a job site to give them a quote, the new home construction is upwards of a million dollars, and as we spoke about the costs, high costs of everything, the owner said "well, we are going to spend the money on something anyway, right?" And I said, "yes, it is the truth about how we spend our time as well".
I was hoping to see him at church too.
And so we have tremendous opportunities as we live on earth, to be about our Father's business.
But, the majority is giving into the false prince.
Oh! Did I forget to tell you who I think that false prince is?
It is my opinion, that it is a masked ideal, that keeps you stuck in the spiritual life so you do not move for the Lord, yes masked well, and the way to notice it is if you are neutral.
This could be the mark of the beast. This group of people is HUGE! They have their mantra "Coexist" but they are proposing a religion there, a set of beliefs too!
And watch how you are duped into it, by being ashamed to proclaim the Truth of our Lord.
Every day is a battle. God knows. GOD KNOWS You are in a battle.
And if you get stuck, you need to call. Some are too proud to make the call. Some stuck souls have said God hates them. And these are duped souls.
I have much to say to this, because I play flutes and dirges as I play at weddings, baptisms, Mass, and at funerals.
God came unto our world, and has set the sword to split us from the dark neutrality. The sword? His Word. And it becomes flesh. It is the Lord Himself.
He isn't inviting us to ponder His words, He is commanding us, calling His sheep to follow His steps up a mountain.
Then we can move the mountain, once you follow and see.
Faith. Following is faith. The more closely you follow Him, the less you have to carry, because He is yoked tightly, and He is strong. Again, the strongest man I know, our Lord. An absolute beauty of Heaven, the most beautiful. The seers and visionaries of Mary say how beautiful she is.
Yet, God calls us to beauty. Purity is beauty. Holiness is beauty. His light is stark in the dark.
This weekend a beloved doctor in our town was involved in a deadly accident in Mexico traveling to go on a hot air balloon ride. He wrote on Facebook that he about passed away and seen God, in light. He broke many ribs, he is very hurt. He said "God is not done with me, my mission on earth so he sent me back".
You see, we are on a mission on earth. After a holy mass we are co-missioned on the final blessing prayer.
We are in the Church militant on earth.
Stuck soldiers need help. Your help. Holy Church is the main proponent for God's Kingdom. And if you will believe me, God sees how important His light through this has to be.
I get this from 20 volumes in on the book of Heaven.
His Holy Will, task is at hand.
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Wow. Random Bible Verse 1
Matthew 5:11–12 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Word of the Lord!
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Month of Our Lady of Sorrows (Mater Dolorosa)
Devotion of the Month Opening prayer of Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: O, Mother most holy and sorrowful, Queen of Martyrs, you who stood by your Son as He agonized on the cross; by the sufferings of your life, by that sword of pain that pierced your heart, by your perfect joy in heaven, look down on me kindly as I kneel before you, sympathizing with your sorrows and offering you my petition with childlike trust. Dear Mother, since your Son refuses you nothing, ask of His Sacred Heart to mercifully grant what I ask, through the merits of His sacred passion, along with those of your sufferings at the foot of the cross. Mother most merciful, to whom shall I go in my misery if not to you who pities us poor, sinful exiles in this valley of tears? In our name, offer Jesus but one drop of His most precious blood, but one pang of His loving heart. Remind Him that you are our sweetness, our life, and our hope, and your prayer will be heard. Amen.
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God Bless You! Peace
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