† “We are missionaries of mercy, sent by the father of mercy, to distribute the treasures of mercy to those in need.” St. John Eudes
Today's Meditation"Undertake courageously great tasks for God's glory, to the extent that he'll give you power and grace for this purpose. Even though you can do nothing on your own, you can do all things in him. His help will never fail you if you have confidence in his goodness. Place your entire physical and spiritual welfare in his hands. Abandon to the fatherly concern of his divine providence every care for your health, reputation, property, and business; for those near to you; for your past sins; for your soul's progress in virtue and love of him; for your life, death, and especially your salvation and eternity—in a word, all your cares. Rest in the assurance that in his pure goodness, he'll watch with particular tenderness over all your responsibilities and cares, arranging all things for the greatest good." St. John Eudes
Daily Verse"If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you." John 15:18-19
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EWTN Daily Saint
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St John EudesPatron Saint of: Missionaries, diocesan priests, and devotion to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Feast Day: August 19
Find a Devotional St. John Eudes (1601–1680) was born in Normandy, France, to a farming family. His devout parents consecrated him to the Blessed Virgin Mary when he was a child. At the age of fourteen he took a vow of chastity, and studied under the Jesuits where he earned the reputation of being a brilliant student. After his ordination to the priesthood he ministered to his countrymen who were suffering from an outbreak of the plague. He later became a missionary priest, traveling throughout France and preaching strong sermons to large crowds in churches, open fields, and in the courts of the royalty and nobility. The force of his sermons was bolstered by his great sanctity; he was considered to be a prodigy and the greatest preacher of his age. He was instrumental in spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary throughout France during a time when religious fervor had grown cold. He was responsible for influencing the Church to establish these two devotions with liturgical feasts, himself composing their Mass and Office. St. John Eudes founded several organizations including the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge, which provided a new life for repentant prostitutes, and the Society of Jesus and Mary (the Eudist Fathers) which specialized in improving the training of seminarians by promoting greater virtue and dedication to the preaching of parish missions. His feast day is August 19th.
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Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary TimeLectionary: 421 Reading 1Ezekiel 34:1-11 The word of the Lord came to me:
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel,
in these words prophesy to them to the shepherds:
Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the shepherds of Israel
who have been pasturing themselves!
Should not shepherds, rather, pasture sheep?
You have fed off their milk, worn their wool,
and slaughtered the fatlings,
but the sheep you have not pastured.
You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick
nor bind up the injured.
You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost,
but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally.
So they were scattered for the lack of a shepherd,
and became food for all the wild beasts.
My sheep were scattered
and wandered over all the mountains and high hills;
my sheep were scattered over the whole earth,
with no one to look after them or to search for them. Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
As I live, says the Lord GOD,
because my sheep have been given over to pillage,
and because my sheep have become food for every wild beast,
for lack of a shepherd;
because my shepherds did not look after my sheep,
but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep;
because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I swear I am coming against these shepherds.
I will claim my sheep from them
and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep
so that they may no longer pasture themselves.
I will save my sheep,
that they may no longer be food for their mouths. For thus says the Lord GOD:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep. Responsorial PsalmPsalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness will follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. AlleluiaHebrews 4:12 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
able to discern the reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. GospelMatthew 20:1-16 Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o'clock,
he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.'
So they went off.
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o'clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o'clock,
he found others standing around, and said to them,
'Why do you stand here idle all day?'
They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.'
He said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard.'
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
'Summon the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with the first.'
When those who had started about five o'clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,
but each of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
'These last ones worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us,
who bore the day's burden and the heat.'
He said to one of them in reply,
'My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?'
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last."
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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: Ezekiel 34:1-11I myself will look after and tend my sheep. (Ezekiel 34:11) The Lord had just chastised the Israelite leaders for falling woefully short of being the shepherds he had called them to be. His blunt words reflected his sorrow that they had failed to share the deep love that he himself had for his people. In that moment, he proclaimed an amazing promise: “I myself will look after and tend my sheep” (Ezekiel 34:11). God speaks this same promise to all his people. So let’s consider the perfect attentiveness and compassion of the true Shepherd: Our true Shepherd takes great care in watching over his sheep. He does everything he can to make sure the sheep stay close to him. You are his sheep, and he watches over you with complete commitment to your well-being. You are never alone or forgotten. Our true Shepherd calls the sheep his own and leads them to pastures that offer the best grazing on the freshest grass. He moves them from good pasture to good pasture. You are his sheep, and the Lord constantly provides for you, even when circumstances in your life are changing. He takes you to places that draw you closer to his heart. Our true Shepherd searches for any sheep that have been scattered. Whether they have scattered because of those trying to cause harm or simply because they wandered off, the shepherd keeps looking until each one is found. You are his sheep, and he searches for you at times when you are hurt or have wandered into sin. If you have drawn away from him, he won’t stop until he finds you. He may even put people in your path as a reminder of his love and truth. Our true Shepherd binds up the wounds of the sheep and brings healing. You are his sheep, and he restores your broken heart with his love. He heals you when you come to him wounded by sin. He restores you to your brothers and sisters and, through them, provides you with encouragement and hope. “Lord Jesus, thank you for being my Shepherd. I praise you for your promise to lead me. I am so grateful to be one of your flock.” Psalm 23:1-6
Matthew 20:1-16
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Reflections with Brother Adrian:
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From today's Holy Gospel: ".... He said to one of them in reply,
'My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?'
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last." ...”
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From Robert Juarez: "Perhaps one of the most consoling words of this Gospel is precisely this: It is never too late for God. The good thief found Christ's mercy at the last moment. St. Paul began by persecuting Christians and ended up giving his life for the Gospel. It took St. Augustine years to respond to God's call. Many Saints began their journey after a late conversion. God doesn't just look at how long we've been working. Look at the heart with which we respond to his call. That is why we should never despair of anyone. Not even ourselves.... Today's Gospel invites us to change our gaze. Let's stop asking, "What is my due?" And let's learn to ask, "What can I be thankful for?" Let us stop comparing ourselves with others, measuring God's love, thinking that some deserve more mercy than others. God is good. And his goodness is not diminished by sharing it with others. On the contrary: God's mercy is so great that there is always room for one more in his vineyard. Perhaps today some of us need to remember that God continues to call us. Others need to be happy because someone has returned. Others need to abandon an envy that robs us of peace. And we all need to recognize that we are actually last-minute workers: we have received everything from God. Let us ask the Lord for a grateful, humble and generous heart. May we know how to rejoice in the good of others. May we never close the doors to those who are late. And may we work in the Lord's vineyard not out of fear or to accumulate merits, but out of love and gratitude. May the Virgin Mary, the humble servant who knew how to recognize the wonders of God, teach us to proclaim ourselves: "The Lord has done great works in me." And that at the end of our lives we can receive, not the salary we think we deserve, but the gift that God has prepared for all his children: eternal life with Him.
" end quote.
From Brother Adrian:
It seems all this week, we have been hearing about money in the Gospels. Mostly about the rich young man... and today about fairness.
It seems some others got a better deal than others. Some worked all day for the same payment others only worked an hour or two.
But in the things of God, the vineyard owner, He is the one that has the right to declare what is fair.
What is the lesson? Perhaps there are many.
But why did the rich young man walk away sad? Do you remember why? It shows us where his heart is. This is why it is difficult to enter Heaven...if your heart is in the wrong place, your aim is off.
And today, those who worked all day, why can't they rejoice that someone came and worked a little bit for the same pay?
What if the good thief dying on the cross arrived to Heaven before all of the Apostles?
The apostles worked for years, giving up homes, families, and jobs and their own life for JESUS! And the good thief only repented at the last dying moment! How fair is that for salvation and eternity!
What if the good thief greeted the Apostles in Heaven?
What if the prodigal son is waiting at Heaven's gates for his brothers and sisters?
Yet, the message resounds.
We have a big lesson to learn about the vineyard. What comes to mind is the word: Work.
People are invited to WORK.
Oh boy, please do not share this scripture with denominations that preach "faith alone" and no works.
Yet our Lord speaks about payment for work and payment for sin, many times.
He says to ask the Lord for help, for the harvest is huge, and the laborers are few. There is work. Much work.
Every year, parishes across the globe are short handed, teachers are needed, teachers are in high demand.
Every year, we are short handed in prison ministry and in retreats like Cursillo.
Every ministry needs help. I say this because I am in many ministries, and they all need help.
But forget active ministry life.
The vineyard goes deeper than that.
God needs you to be His instrument in every facet of every day life.
If you can do this, these high demand positions will be better filled. Why? How? Because more will come to the Lord, and out of those, there will be more teachers, and helpers, all those workers for God's vineyard, God's Kingdom.
And so, the message goes in deep today. Mercy. It is God's amazing gift of self. Humility, it is God's amazing gift of self surrender. God did not give you a bad deal...but an amazing opportunity. If you only knew... The good thief and the prodigal son could tell you....they WISH they could have the suffering you were dealt with....For the Love of GOD!!!
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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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God Bless You! Peace
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