Whispers – Daily Mass Quotes begins after this Intro.
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Elijah’s Whisper – My Whisper
Then the LORD said (to Elijah), “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.” A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD – but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake – but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire – but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, “Elijah, why are you here?” 1 Kings 19:11-13
Why are YOU here, beloved?
Was it to discover magnificent colors? Was it to find colorful music or awesome videos? Was it just curiosity? Was it accidental? Were you really looking for God, for Hope, for true LOVE somewhere in this menagerie we call the web?
Or were you just hiding in a cave, waiting on the Lord to Whisper in your ear – a Word – LIFE! Life, it’s in You! And YOU are beautiful in the Eyes of God, no matter what the world may say or think.
You are Loved!!
Every day the Lord whispers in our ears – Words of HOPE, Words of LOVE, and maybe not even words – just His JOY in our hearts.
Let’s follow the Scriptures of our daily Mass and see if we can catch those Words – simple but beautiful – Whispers to the Wind . . .
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07-31-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 31, 2016
(18th Sunday Ordinary Time, C)
Jesus told a parable about a rich man pondering his retirement: The rich man said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’
But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’ Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.” Lk_12:13-21
What a quagmire this life is. We work and work so that one day we don’t have to work any more because we’ve saved up enough to finally catch our breath and rest. But then that savings ends up being worthless because of inflation, or theft, or unexpected and expensive surprises. As the writer of Ecclesiastes says – “vanity of vanities!”
So what’s the answer? Well, we can all become Franciscans. Give up everything we own and live in rags. OR, we can stay the Christians we are and share some of our valuable talents and treasure with others. Believe it or not, God WILL still take care of us! That’s becoming rich in what matters to God! And we can still become Franciscans. Just maybe not to the extreme that St. Francis lived. God will still recognize the goodness in our hearts!
07-30-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 30, 2016
(St. Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor of the Church)
Jesus said, “Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” Mt_5:10
In today’s Scripture readings we hear how the people wanted to kill the Prophet Jeremiah because he was telling them that what they were doing was wrong in God’s eyes.
In our Gospel reading, Herod recalls how he had John the Baptist beheaded because John insisted that Herod’s adultery was wrong in God’s eyes as well.
Jesus was sent by God to let us all know that it’s important to do what is right in God’s eyes. And if we do, we will be rewarded with eternal life with God, because God loves us so incredibly much. They killed Jesus too!
So what about us, beloved? Are we willing to stand up for God’s righteousness? Are we willing to die for it? If so, then Jesus says, “Blessed” are we!
07-29-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 29, 2016
(St. Martha)
Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” Jn_11:19-27
Can we focus, can we center on these Words, beloved?
Do we truly believe them?
“… even if he dies, will live” “… will never die” . . .
IF . . .
IF we BELIEVE in Jesus!
. . . . .
Do we TRULY believe in Jesus enough to believe every Word He said?
Do you know what this does to ‘death’?
It makes it MEANINGLESS!
And if death is meaningless,
do you know what that does to FEAR?
Meaningless!!!
And all that’s left then, is LOVE!
All that’s left – is GOD!
Come, beloved.
Believe!
07-28-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 28, 2016
Jesus said, “. . . every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” Mt_13:47-53
Jesus’ focus on the Kingdom today had to do with “the end of the age,” the ‘Final Judgment.’ The Kingdom, as a net, would catch good and the bad, the righteous and the wicked, the old and the new. And there would be a separation.
Maybe we’re the old and wicked. Maybe we’re the new and righteous. What really is – good and bad? Maybe we’ve got it all backwards. Maybe only God really knows for sure. We think we’ve been raised good, and yet, are we judgmental of those who were raised differently? It’s not ours to judge. All we can do is keep on being the best we think we can be. And yet, as the “scribe,” we have to be open to both the old and the new.
So here’s my shot at it:
07-27-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 27, 2016
Jesus said to his disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Mt_13:44-46
He sells ALL that he has! His home, his comfort, his financial security, his family, his shelter, his transportation, his hobbies, his vices, his friends, his food, his clothing, his power, his education, his likes, his loves. How strongly do we desire to gain the Kingdom of heaven, beloved, even at the cost of it ALL?
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Link to all of today’s readings . . .
A Reflection . . .
The prophet Jeremiah was living in a time when the world around him had lost its way. And he saw that his brothers and sisters were going to fall into a pit that he knew – was not necessary for them to fall into. And so he would preach on the street corners. He would preach in the fields, and he would preach in the cities, as God directed him.
But there’s a funny thing that happens when you try to save people.
Not only, do they generally refuse to listen, but they begin to hate you for even wanting to warn them; for telling them that – with a little change, their lives could actually be – quite wonderful. They would rather suffer a thousand pins and needles than allow that doctor to cut out the cancer that was causing the pain, that was slowly killing them.
And so they conspired to kill the doctor instead.
Jeremiah feared for his own life when he saw the whole world around him, unnecessarily falling apart. And yet he knew – that what he was doing – was what God had told him to do. You see, Jeremiah had found the “Treasure in the field” and the “Pearl of great price” – that Jesus spoke of. And that treasure was God.
And today, the world we live in is not a whole lot different from that of Jeremiah’s time . . .
Except for one major fact . . .
In Jeremiah’s time, the God that the Israelites worshiped was a God of ‘signs.’ He was the God of their ancestors, whom they could not see and they did not know. And the stories that they heard, of God’s great rescues from the hands of the Egyptians and the Philistines, were beyond their concern.
You see, Jeremiah’s neighbors never believed that their actual lives were in danger. They couldn’t see – that the crack in the dam was about to give way . . . The murders that happened in foreign countries, and even those in distant States of their own country, didn’t seem to personally affect them. So they sat on their comfortable indifference, and allowed idiots and conspirators to lead their nation.
And they permitted immorality and even murder in the name of “Tolerance,” because they replaced the Saving and Guiding God of their ancestors with powerless, ignorant gods who were: themselves.
But there is one major difference between the Invisible, God-of-Signs, of the Israelites, and the God we have come to know.
You see, because God’s love for us is so boundless, Our God, has actually come to live among us, in order to show us how Life should really be lived. And so, we can no longer say that we don’t know our God.
Jesus actually lived the ‘struggle’ we call life. Jesus suffered the rejection of Jeremiah, and the martyrs, and all of us, who devote our lives to saving the souls of our lost neighbors. And Jesus proved to us, by His own Resurrection, that every Word He said about a Kingdom of Everlasting Life – is TRUE.
And it’s ours for the asking!
You see, brothers and sisters, life doesn’t have to be the disaster, the tragedy that the world wants to make of it. There is incredible beauty in God’s awesome Grace of Life. We can see it in the beauty of our neighbors. We can see it in the innocence of a little child. We can see it in the joy of helping others. And we can feel that Kingdom of God’s Love all around us.
When we can accept that priceless Pearl of God’s love. When we can live in its magnificent Light, and share its Hope, then, no matter what the world throws at us – we will BE – His Kingdom, both here and now, and in our Eternal Lives – yet to come.
And that’s a Pearl worth giving up EVERYTHING for!
jmp 07-27-16
07-26-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 26, 2016
(Sts Joachim and Anne)
Jesus said, “… so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.” Mt 13:36-43
A joy for some to hear. A disaster for others. But I think it’s mostly a warning for all of us. Have we done evil? Have we caused others to sin? Or can we truly be called righteous??? I know I’ve got a ways to go yet, in that regard, beloved. Let’s pray for each other today! Blessed are those who care enough for their brothers and sisters that they are willing to pray for their protection against temptation and all evil. Blessed are you when you put your trust in Jesus! Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of us your faithful!
07-25-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 25, 2016
(St. James, Apostle)
Jesus said, “whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.” Mt_20:20-28
And we might be thinking, ‘Yeah, it’s easy for Jesus to say that to us, although He was famous, powerful and master!’ But then again, when we think about it, it was Jesus who washed the disciples’ feet – something that only the lowest of low would do. It was Jesus who approached and even touched the untouchable lepers. It was Jesus who, as a Jew, visited the (un-visitable) Samaritans, ate with the (despised) tax collectors and allowed the Romans to manhandle, torture and kill him.
So who really was the master and who the slave. If we ever get to thinking that we’re the master, beloved, just plan an outside picnic, wash your car, or plan the perfect wedding and see how perfectly it all comes out! We surely are not in control.
But when we can accept life as it comes to us and pray that the true Master, our God, has mercy and brings His kindness upon us; when we give thanks for every blessing of grace in life we experience and then offer that blessing to others as slaves of the “true” Master – then we’ll find what a magnificent gift this life truly is.
We are your unprofitable servants, Lord. Do with us as You desire, and we will give thanks for the privilege of serving You!
Blessed be our God!
07-24-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 24, 2016
(17th Sunday Ordinary Time, C)
Jesus said, “What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” Lk_11:1-13
Out of our love comes our giving. Our giving doesn’t bring or deserve love of us. Our giving doesn’t merit us any blessings from heaven. But our love brings, deserves and merits the Love of God, which is there all along. Recognize His love, beloved, and share it with everyone you meet. And from it you will be blessed beyond measure!
07-23-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 23, 2016
(St. Bridget of Sweden)
My soul yearns and pines
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest
in which she puts her young—
Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my king and my God!
Blessed they who dwell in your house!
continually they praise you.
Blessed the men whose strength you are!
They go from strength to strength. Ps 84
And when we find our Love . . .
Then we will realize how very Blessed we are.
Blessed are we who dwell in your house,
and You in ours!
07-22-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 22, 2016
(St. Mary Magdalene)
The Bride says: On my bed at night I sought him whom my heart loves – I sought him but I did not find him. I will rise then and go about the city; in the streets and crossings I will seek Him whom my heart loves. I sought him but I did not find him. The watchmen came upon me, as they made their rounds of the city: Have you seen him whom my heart loves? I had hardly left them when I found him whom my heart loves. SGS_3:1-4b
Is it not, beloved, in all of our hearts, this searching, this longing for the One of whom we truly desire? Do we not go through our entire lives seeking, searching? And yet, He is right there! He is not missing at all. All we have to do is LOOK!
And then, there’s that moment of recognition!
Mary Magdalene turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. Jn_20:1-2,11-18
Funny how our own minds can keep us from seeing, for our presuppositions can blind us from the truth. If we open our eyes and hearts and look, we will find our lover, right there in the eyes of the needy, in the eyes of our brothers and sisters, in the eyes of our parents and neighbors – even somewhere deep within the eyes of our enemies. Jesus says “Come.” He is right there waiting for us!
07-21-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 21, 2016
(St. Lawrence of Brindisi, OFM-Cap, Priest)
Jesus quoted the Prophet Isaiah, saying, ‘Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and be converted and I heal them.’
Then He continued, saying to His disciples, “But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” Mt_13:10-17
Are we the blind and deaf, beloved, or are we the blessed ones who see and hear and understand?
Everything the Evangelists recorded about Jesus, His words and actions are available to us in the Gospel accounts. These are those same mysteries He revealed to His disciples. Do we understand that it was all about God’s love for us. It was not about how beautiful we look or how rich we are. It was not about how many toys we have or what our title is. But it is – all about what we are doing to help those in need of the very basics of life. How are we providing for the poor and the homeless? How are we supporting those who go hungry day after day? How are we making our own environment, work or home or family, a pleasant place – that’s filled with hope and love and caring, and being God’s blessing to others? This is the open eyes and ears and hearts that Jesus wants us to have. And when we do, we truly see how silly all the rest of that stuff is.
In our world today, we’re confronted with choices. We can choose to take life or honor it. We can choose prejudice and hatred or we can choose mercy and love. We can choose to believe all that Jesus taught us, or we can choose the “broken cisterns” of our own making, when God offers us springs of everlasting goodness instead.
Which and who do you choose?
As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord! (Jos 24:15)
07-20-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 20, 2016
The word of the LORD came to me (Jeremiah) thus: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you. . . .
To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak. Have no fear before them, because I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD. Jer_1:1,4-10
So speak out, beloved, for the LORD is with you! Let them know how much God loves us all. Let them know the tremendous value of all LIFE to God. The life of the infant in the womb. The life of the aged. The life of the incarcerated. The life of everyone! As Catholic Christians we believe in Life, just as God desires us to believe. And we have no fear of those who have yet to learn of God’s love. And even in death we will still live! We will live with God and our brothers and sisters forever. Praise be to God in our Lord, Jesus Christ!
07-19-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 19, 2016
Jesus said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.” Mt_12:46-50
Hello, family of Jesus. So glad we’re all together here! Looking forward to meeting you all some (place) time soon!
07-18-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 18, 2016
Jesus said to the unbelieving Pharisees, “Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.” Mt_12:38-42
Three days and three nights. Just enough time for a total transformation! Jonah was converted from a fearful runaway to a zealous messenger of God. Peter was converted from a fearful denier of the Lord to a proclaimer of the Gospel. Jesus not only overcame death and freed the souls of the dead, but He brought us the hope of resurrection and eternal life. Three days! That’s all it takes, beloved. Believe!
07-17-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 17, 2016
(16th Sunday Ordinary Time C)
Martha was hot and exhausted and the “to do list” was still endless. As she pondered how she’d ever get it all done, she watched as her sister sat there doing nothing. And the resentment began to well up in her. So she asked her friend Jesus if He could convince Mary to give her a hand. And in a surprise response back, Jesus said, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing.” Lk_10:38-42
OK, so we won’t eat. We won’t have a clean house. We’ll just all sit around doing nothing! Hmmmm? Well, maybe that’s not quite what Jesus had in mind when He replied to Martha. Maybe He was just trying to get her to lighten up a little. And the truth of the matter was (and is) that the work would ALWAYS be there, but the Master would not.
We need to spend some time with the Master so that the anxiety, the resentment and our jealousy of others can fade away into the background. The most important part was and is – our relationships with others.
For Jesus said that we should love God and our neighbor above all! And in that we have chosen “the better part.” Jesus is always the better part, beloved! Always choose Jesus first!
07-16-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 16, 2016
The LORD spoke through the prophet Isaiah about Jesus saying,
I shall place my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
He will not contend or cry out,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory.
And in his name the Gentiles will hope. Mt_12:14-21
Today we seem to take justice to mean revenge. When someone does something bad to me that gives me all the right to do something even worst to him – in the name of Justice! WRONG! That is not what justice means. As a matter of fact that’s just the opposite of justice.
Justice is doing the right thing in the first place. If hurting someone else by any means and to any extent is wrong, then revenge is just as unjust as the wrong done in the first place. Justice comes to victory when wrongdoing is met with mercy. Justice comes to victory when wrongdoing never happens because just people prevent the wrong through love. Justice is a world of righteousness, a world of love, a Kingdom of God! And it starts with me!
07-15-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 15, 2016
(St. Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church)
Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: “Go, tell Hezekiah: Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you: in three days you shall go up to the LORD’s temple; I will add fifteen years to your life. I will rescue you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; I will be a shield to this city.” Is_38:1-6,21-22,7-8
The Lord is our hope! Just like Hezekiah, beloved, when we turn to the Lord with our whole heart and mind and soul, He will rescue us. He will mercifully forget all the sins of our past and take us back into His loving embrace. Turn to Jesus, beloved, and you will be saved!
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A Prayer of St. Bonaventure
O sweetest Lord Jesus Christ, I implore Thee, pierce the very marrow of my soul with the delightful, health-giving dart of Thy love, with true, tranquil, holy, apostolic charity, so that my whole soul may ever languish and faint for love of Thee
and for desire of Thee alone.
May it long and pine for Thy courts;
may it ever desire to be dissolved and to be with Thee.
Grant that my soul may hunger for Thee,
Who art the bread of angels,
the comforting nourishment of all holy souls,
our daily and most delectable bread,
our supersubstantial bread,
in which is found every sweet delight.
May my heart ever hunger for Thee,
on whom the angels lovingly gaze;
may it feed on Thee;
and may the innermost depths of my being be filled
with the sweetness which comes from having tasted Thee.
May my soul ever thirst for Thee,
Who art the source of life,
the fount of wisdom and knowledge,
the brightness of everlasting light,
the flood of all true happiness,
the riches of the house of God.
May I at all times think of Thee;
may I ever seek Thee and ever find Thee;
may I always follow thee and reach Thee;
may Thy holy name be in my heart and on my lips;
and to Thy praise and glory may every work of mine be done.
Humble and discreet, loving and happy,
ever ready and cheerful in Thy service,
may I persevere, by Thy grace, even unto the end.
Be Thou alone and evermore my hope;
be Thou all my trust;
be Thou my wealth,
my delight, my joy, my consolation,
my rest, my endless peace.
Be Thou to me as a goodly taste,
as a pleasant perfume,
as a soothing sweetness.
Be Thou my food and my refreshment;
my refuge and my help;
my wisdom; my portion,
mine own possession and my treasure.
In Thee, O Lord, may my mind and my heart remain fixed and firm, and rooted immovably for evermore.
Amen.
from: http://www.liturgies.net/saints/bonaventure/prayer.htm
07-14-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 14, 2016
(St. Kateri Tekawitha, Virgin)
Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Mt_11:28-30
Oh, what a hope and peace filled verse.
How can we possibly find rest in our labor, under the burdens of life, beloved? Come to Jesus. Jesus will help us endure. Jesus will show us the BEST way. Jesus will bring us the hope to understand that it is all passing away, and then, all that will be left is Him. He IS all that we need! Trust and come to Him!
07-13-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 13, 2016
Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.” Mt_11:25-27
While ‘life’ conditions us to grow in wisdom and knowledge, our relationships can also condition us to lose trust in pretty much everything and everyone. We’re afraid to answer our phones or doors because we don’t want to be confronted with a pushy salesperson, or worse. We don’t look people in the eye because of those same fears. We can’t believe the media. We don’t believe the government. And we may even be a little uncertain about our own church.
When we think about it, the bottom line is, that we’ve totally lost that child-like innocence, that Trust that Jesus is talking about. And if we try to rekindle it, the world will certainly call us foolish or naive. The question is, where’s the happy medium?
Jesus isn’t telling us to allow the world to walk all over us. But He IS telling us that IF we place our Trust in Him, He will support us with love, with ideas, with confidence, with peace, and even with healing. It all ties together hand in hand.
But then, in our skepticism, we still might wonder if WE are the ones Jesus was talking about when he said, “no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him” ibid. Maybe we’re the ones He doesn’t want to reveal Himself to! How do we know?
And that’s where all that worldly wisdom and skepticism and loss of trust will Block us from truly finding God. You see Jesus offered His bodily life out of God’s pure LOVE for EVERYONE! NO ONE is exempt! The only way He is not revealed to us, is if WE prevent Him.
It’s OUR choice!
And to prove that fact, all we have to do is take a peak in the Gospels. Jesus healed and saved not only the Jews who believed in Him, but the Roman Centurion, the Gentiles, the Samaritans, the Lepers, the blind, the tax collectors, some Pharisees, and even the criminal on the cross next to His. And in doing so, He always sought their faith, their belief first.
You see, beloved, God truly does love everyone: the saints and the sinners, the Muslims and the Jews, the gun owners and the pacifists, the blacks and the whites, the Chinese and the Indians, the young and the ‘seasoned’. And He calls us ALL to do the same . . .
The question is, how willing are we to rekindle that Child-like faith again, and LOVE?
P.S. Happy Birthday Brother James, our son, our brother, God’s child, St. Francis’ Friar and one day, our Father!
07-12-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 12, 2016
Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. . . .
He said, “For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” Mt_11:20-24
Sodom and Gomorrah! Oh yeah, we’ve been there before, and we won’t rehash old (and continued) sins. But we do know that for those sins, those towns of old had been totally obliterated.
Now, Jesus was saying to the people of His time that they were in an even worse state than old Sodom! And we might ask, “What could possibly be worse?”
Well, when we are aware of our wrongdoings and continue on that path; when we know who Jesus is and what He has done and still refuse to believe; when we refuse to ‘repent’ – ask true forgiveness for our sins – be they to other people or to God, then the deal is, that we have OURSELVES, decided to cut ourselves off from God and suffer the consequences. And the consequences are worse than anything we could possibly imagine as bad, here in this life. Even worse than death! And that’s something, that’s some place that we never never want to go!!!!
Always remember, beloved, that God loves us so very much, that he wants nothing less than for us to be with Him for eternity. And He’ll give us chance after chance to make amends. But in the end – IT IS OUR CHOICE!
Choose LIFE, beloved! Choose Jesus!
. . . for He has chosen us!
07-11-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 11, 2016
(St. Benedict, Abbot)
The LORD spoke through the Prophet Isaiah saying, “Though you pray the more, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood! Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good. Make justice your aim: redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.” Is_1:10-17
Say there was a person at your work, whom you just could not stand. Just the very sight of him or her would turn your stomach and raise your blood pressure. And yet that same person was a key part of your every day job. Without them you absolutely could not perform your work. Then one day that person decided to throw a party for your whole department. Of course you were obliged to go for the sake of business etiquette. And for the sake of thanks, you also needed to get that same person a gift. And so you did. And yet you hated every moment of it all.
Funny how we put on masks to fulfill a duty, to look good to others, or to make an impression that’s not really true. Well God knows our hearts well enough to tell the difference. Is our prayer, our Mass attendance, our helping of others all just a show? Do we think that doing things we don’t really like doing is going to put us in good standing with God? Today, the LORD is speaking to us as well as those Israelites of old. IF we truly love the Lord, it must begin in our hearts. And from there – extend to our prayer life and our worship and our actions – not the other way around!
Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart!
07-10-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 10, 2016
(15th Sunday Ordinary Time, C)
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply,
“You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself.”
He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” Lk_10:25-37
Funny how we’re always seeking the answer from someone else. What’s the answer to my employment problems? What’s the answer to my marital problems? What’s the answer to my financial problems? Who can give me the answer?
Today Jesus proved that the answer is within ourselves. All we have to do is look. Am I loving God with all my heart and soul and strength? Or am I expecting some bolt of lightning to come out of the sky for God to prove Himself to ME? Well, that’s already happened for all of us, beloved – and His name is Jesus! Am I expecting that job to appear out of thin air? Well maybe it will take just a little effort on my own part. Am I wondering why I have no friends? Well, maybe I just need to be a little more neighborly to others first.
You see, God has given us the answers to ALL of our problems, the least of which is Peace. And it all starts with the Love that’s right there within our own hearts. Find that, beloved, and the peace you seek will be there, within your own grasp!
07-09-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 9, 2016
The Prophet Isaiah, in a vision heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” “Here I am,” I said; “send me!” Is_6:1-8
Jesus said, “Everyone who acknowledges me before others
I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.” Mt_10:24-33
Being in the presence or even “acknowledged” before God the Father could be pretty daunting, even downright scary, because we are just such sinful humans. But God is merciful. He will send His angels to cleanse our lips and the Holy Spirit to refresh our souls. And we can have no one better than Jesus to recommend us to His Father. So, “Send us,” Jesus. We will go for you!
This evening I got a call from a frightened great-grandmother that her very ill great-granddaughter had not yet been baptized. My immediate thought was, “Send me, Lord! That’s what I’ve been ordained for!” Well, we were able to find a priest who would be available to perform the emergency baptism. But praise the Lord for His Love and for our great compassion for one another. And please pray with me, beloved, for little Addalynn’s healing – in Jesus’ Name and according to God’s will.
Amen!
07-08-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 8, 2016
Jesus said to His disciples, “When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” Mt_10:16-23
There is a power, beloved, in allowing the Holy Spirit to live within us that is so great that no force on earth can conquer it, even death. The Holy Spirit will speak God’s Word through us if we let Him. The Holy Spirit will give us answers to the most unanswerable questions. The Holy Spirit will bring us peace. All we have to do is Let Her!
07-07-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 7, 2016
Jesus said to his Apostles: “As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.” Mt_10:7-15
Without cost!
How can we not give and give and give, beloved?
Jesus paid the price. And every thing, every blessing, every breath we take comes to us without cost.
The Kingdom is at hand!
Take with thanksgiving. And give with God’s blessing!
07-06-16 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
July 6, 2016
(St. Maria Goretti, Martyr)
Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” Mt_10:1-7
We hear of two kinds of people today. There are those who have NO IDEA, the pagans. And then, there are those who know and forgot, or wandered astray, or were enticed to believe otherwise. Those are the lost sheep. Jesus asked His disciples to go after the lost sheep first. Sometimes, beloved, this group is even harder to bring back than those who have no idea. Pray for them, always. They may be a friend or relative. They may seem like an enemy or at least are making themselves one to you. God gives them every benefit of the doubt. Keep on praying! One day they just may come back. They just may be found. And how very blessed are those who are!
P.S. Missed the last several days quotes because I was in an internet dry environment. It’s amazing how invigorating that can be! Unfortunately we always have to come back to reality and of course, there is then the need for a couple days of heavy duty catch up, which is actually still in progress. So, we’re back again, and today should begin our return to the road of consistency. Blessings always! Joe
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Happy July, beloved!
Please stop by and visit June’s Daily Mass Quotes too…
Link below.
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