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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06-30-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 30, 2022
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” Mt_9:1-8
It’s ALL about Faith and Love, beloved. If we have faith in Jesus, He will fill us with His love. And in His love, we’ll find that we can do all things. We can forgive the sins of others against us. We can love the unlovable. We want to help the helpless and support those who are being abused by others. We can even heal those who are paralyzed by a world bent on destroying rather than creating. You know, when we think about it, through our Faith in God, in Jesus and our reliance on the Holy Spirit, we can help create a whole new kingdom of love in our world, one smile, one love at a time! The Kingdom of Heaven!
06-29-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 29, 2022
(Ss. Peter and Paul, Apostles)
Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” Mt_16:13-19
Sometimes, coming up with the right answer, beloved, really pays off. And then again, it just might depend on how you look at it. Peter became the leader. But leadership had its costs as well. There were those who disagreed with you. There were those who scorned you and became your adversaries. But then there were those times when you were able to heal the needy, encourage the downtrodden and build exactly what Jesus wanted – His Church. And here we are 2000 years later, still prevailing, this Rock of ours! With Peter’s successor leading us today, through our ups and down, through error and fault and sin, we still prevail. And today we give thanks to both Peter and Paul for having stood up to all that was contrary to what has made the Catholic Church BE. Now it’s up to us, with the help of the Holy Spirit to continue in the Tradition that Jesus began!
06-28-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 28, 2022
(St. Irenaeus, Bishop, Martyr and Doctor of the Church)
As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. Mt_8:23-27
So, beloved, are we living the calm or the storm? Are we relying on the One who has all the power to bring about the calm? Or are we relying only on ourselves and our meager abilities to solve the world’s and our silly little problems? “Why are you so terrified, O you of little faith?” Place your trust in Jesus and Jesus will see to it that all your storms are calmed (even when it might not immediately seem so).
Trust in Jesus!
06-27-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 27, 2022
(St. Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop and Doctor of the Church)
Remember this, you who never think of God.
“Why do you recite my statutes, and profess my covenant with your mouth, Though you hate discipline and cast my words behind you?” Ps_50
A scribe approached and said to him (Jesus), “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But Jesus answered him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.” Mt_8:18-22
In our Scriptures today, we can sense that tension, that contrast between life in the body and life in the spirit, between the human and the divine. We can see how in our bodies, our human natures, tend to be centered purely on worldly goodness: our comfort, our happiness, our selves, while in our soul, our spirit is focused on God, on heaven, on the divine, and on the happiness and salvation of others.
We can see that tendency in our human nature to invent and devise our own, small ‘g’ gods that glorify ourselves rather than the One True God. These are the gods of sex, the gods of power, and the gods of greed, and not the God of creation, and salvation, and justice.
At the time of Amos the Prophet, Israel had fallen into the extreme of forgetting the God of their creation and their salvation, and instead, worshiped the gods of their own making, the gods of humanity instead of divinity. And in the process, they lost compassion, and they lost justice, and they lost morality. And they found themselves doomed to what happens when all their dependence on body, and not spirit, comes crashing down upon them. For it was only 40-years after Amos had made all of those warnings that the Israelite capital of Samaria would fall to the Assyrians. And all of the prophesies of all of Israel’s prophets would come true. And their futures would simply consist of death or exile.
Jesus sees a similar reliance on the flesh in the people of His own time. He sees their desperate need for a place, a home. And in their desire to follow Him, He has to remind them that He has no worldly place to call home, no comfy bed, no TV, no internet.
Jesus also sees their stress, or even desire to fulfill all kinds of other obligations, other responsibilities, while wanting to follow Him, as well. Their families, their houses, their jobs, their hobbies, all of which take their minds and their hearts away from the spiritual life of divinity and into the physical life of humanity. “How can you follow me with all of your heart, when half of your heart is anchored in the world?”
Tough question, brothers and sisters, but one we have to contend with every day of these human lives of ours. You see, this story, this tightrope of balance, between flesh and spirit is the story of life. We’re plunged into a world that either follows God or does not: Judah or Israel, Jesus or Satan, heaven or hell.
Every day we see another view of the same story Israel lived out, while we try to remain faithful to the Truth. After 49-years, our nation finally has a government body, our Supreme Court, that is willing to break down that “golden calf” of nationally sanctioned abortion. . . . Of course, to the great dismay of the snake wrapped around it, and all the ants bowing down to that snake.
And we know that this monumental decision comes at the risk of rebellion and further division, within our already divided nation, and at the risk of the very lives of those decision makers themselves. But, you know, there are always risks involved in standing up for justice, standing up for Truth, and Right, and Life. And maybe, like the Prophet Amos, and like Jesus, our 21st Century prophets, our defenders of the Truth, will simply be deposed or destroyed, but in our lifetimes, we’re clearly seeing the reenactment of exactly what we read about in our Scriptures.
And whether we come to their same end, or worse, we know that the future doesn’t lie in the worldly, but in our Spiritual, our Divine life with God forever. And that, THAT, beloved, helps us, along with the Holy Spirit, to be strong in a tension that we have no control of.
With our support, and through our prayers, and in our Love for one another, we will build that Kingdom that Jesus died to teach us about. And Follow Him, we will!
06-26-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 26, 2022
(13th Sunday Ordinary Time, Yr C)
When the days for Jesus’ being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him. On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village. Lk_9:51-62
It was getting close to the finish line and Jesus had a GOAL. But reaching His and our destinations is not always an easy undertaking. “You’re from WHERE? You’re going WHERE? You’re a republican? You’re a Christian? You’re white or black, or too young or too old. You like police, or you believe that the lives of unborn children are more important than our “freedom”! Nah, you’re not welcome here!”
You know, beloved, we are so blessed to have so many people to minister to. But, you see, just like the disciples, we too have this innate human nature that wants to strike out, before we ever listen in love. Sometimes, yes, it’s just better to just move on. But sometimes an empathetic ear, a kind word, or a well put question back, could be even more effective than a preaching belittlement of their ignorance of us or our ignorance of them. Jesus wants us to always keep love in the center of everything we are and all that we do!
06-25-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 25, 2022
(Immaculate Heart of Mary)
After searching for three days for their son, Joseph and Mary finally found Him in the Temple with the Jewish teachers. . . . his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. Lk_2:41-51
. . . a heart filled with love. A heart filled with unknown. A heart that had to be filled with some anxious expectation as well, but total trust in God. And Jesus understood it all. Oops, guess I should have let them know. But why didn’t they know? And what was all the worry about? Well, it was all about exactly what Jesus came to teach about, LOVE! The hearts of His mom and step-dad were so enormously filled with love for Him, love for God, love for all – and that’s exactly what Jesus is looking for in us too, beloved. Love!
06-24-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 24, 2022
(The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus)
Thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will look after and tend my sheep. As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep. Ez_34:11-16
Brothers and sisters: The love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For Christ, while we were still helpless, died at the appointed time for the ungodly. Rom_5:5b-11
When we think about shepherds and, in particular, “Good Shepherds,” we tend to immediately think about Jesus, His time, His birth and His parables. And that’s not a bad thing. But from a Biblical perspective, we can see today, how the allegory of God, shepherding His sheep, His children, goes all the way back to the Prophets, like Ezekiel and Isaiah.
We remember the good shepherd boy, David, protecting his sheep from wolves with just a little sling shot, and later becoming the King of his nation. And, of course, we remember that 23rd Psalm of his: “The Lord is my shepherd…”
But when we go even further back, we know, of course, that there would BE no sheep, if Noah, if God, had not led them into that Ark, before the Great Flood. And digging even deeper, we might even remember that Abel, Adam’s second son, was a good shepherd as well, unknowingly giving his life for his Love of God. So, mankind has had an association with sheep for a long, long time, sometimes leading them, and sometimes, symbolically, BEING them.
But, you see, there’s something about sheep and shepherds, and wool and lambs, and sacrifice and hearts that might all seem pretty foreign to us in our modern, American culture, save for reading about them in books, seeing them on TV and hearing about them in Mass. How can we tell a “good shepherd” from a bad one, when we may have never even seen a real sheep, except, maybe in a zoo?
It could be challenging. But you know what? We actually DO have an overabundance of anthropomorphic – cat and dog stories! And we certainly do know a good dog owner from a bad one. And even more so, IF we are a cat or a dog owner, we can certainly come to understand the Love, the heart connection, that we develop, between those obedient little critters and ourselves. And we can also understand the challenge that it sometimes takes to convince them of the value of obedience to themselves.
And we can surely say the same thing with our own kids.
And so, IF we’re a kid with a dog, or a parent with a child, or a shepherd with a sheep, we can now understand, or at least get a glimpse of those relationships, those Love relationships (of sheep and shepherds, of us and God) from God’s perspective!
That Love, that Bond, which endures even disobedience, even stubborn independence, even wandering ignorance, is SO strong, that we might even go as far as offering our own heart, or our kidney, or even our very life for the sake of the one we Love. And so it is with God.
St. Paul tells us how Christ,
– while we were still helpless,
– while we were still sinners,
– while we were lost, or rebellious, or ignorant,
Christ died for us.
THAT’s – True Love!
And That is the Love WE receive from this Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Recognized by our ancient Church Fathers; renewed in devotion by our 12th and 13th century Saints, like, Bernard of Clairvaux and Francis of Assisi; envisioned by the great mystics between the 13th and 19th centuries, like, Lutgarde, Mechtilde, Gertrude and Margaret Mary Alacoque; liturgized by St. John Eudes in 1670; authorized as a universal Feast Day by Pope Pius 9th, in 1856; made a Solemnity in 1969; and extended to include the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests in 2002 . . .
This Most Sacred Day calls us – to remember God’s Love and Mercy, to remember the sacrifice Jesus made based on that Love, to remember our reconciliation with God through the Holy Spirit, in our Baptisms, and to remember the JOY that God and we discover with every Loss that becomes FOUND,
For we are ALL God’s children,
– Bound together in Body and Blood,
– in Mind and Heart, and in
– our Love for one another.
And so we exault, Blessed be God, in His angels and in His saints, and most especially, in this Most Sacred Heart of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
06-23-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 23, 2022
(The Nativity of John the Baptist)
The neighbors of Elizabeth and Zechariah made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel. Lk_1:57-66,80
I recently painted one of the bedrooms in our house. Now, this was formerly a room that was occupied by our two sons, many years earlier. And it had never been repainted since our house was built, 32-years ago. And I had great hopes for a new look and a new life for that room.
But the walls were pock-marked with holes and gouges, and there were marks that I didn’t even want to try to guess where they came from. So, before I would ever touch those walls with that $60/gal paint, I knew that they needed a lot of “prep work.” Kind of, just like our souls, before we start every Mass or Communion Service (Well, we’re hopefully not quite as bad as that room was.) But, kind of, just like the preparation those Israelites needed before the coming of their Messiah.
And so, God gave them, gave us, someone the Church calls “the Precursor,” and the Old Testament often calls “the Messenger.” And his name was John! But, as “the Messenger,” John’s job, John’s calling, was not merely to announce the coming of God’s Salvation, the hope of beautiful new walls for our aged and dirty rooms, John’s job was to make sure those walls were totally “prepped;” plastering over the holes and gouges in our lives, sanding down the rough spots, erasing the stains of sin and evil, and priming our hearts for the reception of our God.
“Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand,” John would cry out.
You see, like all of the most remarkable characters in God’s Salvation story: like the births of Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah, like Samson and Samuel, and Mary, and Jesus, something about their appearance into this life, into this history of ours, had to be more than just remarkable. It had to be miraculous . . . birth from the barren, birth from the aged, birth without a human spouse. And John’s conception and birth were no different.
Barren, aged, and ridiculed because of it, the only thing Elizabeth and Zechariah had going for themselves was their holiness. And even that, was a little flawed. Because when the long-awaited and prepared-for revelation finally came to Zechariah, the priest, he refused to believe it – without proof. He needed proof, proof beyond the miraculous appearance of an angel, which should have been more than enough proof – for a priest.
And so, the Angel Gabriel gave Zechariah 9-months to ponder the greatness of His God, to grow in his silence, by rendering him mute. And it wasn’t until the birth of John that the greatness of God, in this new episode of salvation history, was finally revealed to the world. Revealed, not only by Zechariah’s healing, but through his world-renowned Canticle, which, even to this day, is still recited by every priest and deacon in the daily Office of Lauds.
When we study the Scriptures, and the works of the Scripture Scholars, and the dogma and the doctrine of the Church, we come to discover a whole lot more about this Nativity of John the Baptist than we may have ever, even thought about.
Like its timing for example. Being 6-months before the birth of Jesus, John’s birth in June, coincides with the summer solstice, when daylight begins to diminish. This, comes in comparison with Jesus’s birth in December, near the winter solstice, when daylight begins to increase. St. Augustine shows us how this timing, then relates to John the Baptist’s explanation to his disciples, of how Jesus “must increase, while he must decrease.” Jn_3:30
And then there’s the story of John leaping in the womb of Elizabeth, his mother, at the sound of Mary’s voice. Luke shows us how this was the very moment when John and Elizabeth were being filled with the Holy Spirit in the presence of our Lord, Jesus, (yet in the womb Himself) just as the angel had predicted to Zechariah, when he said, “John will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb” Lk_1:15
And from that indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and knowing that the Holy Spirit does not dwell where there is sin, the Church recognizes that, it was at that very moment, that John was cleansed from the stain of original sin, in the womb of his mother, before he was ever born.
You see, this Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist, since its inception in 506 AD, at the Council of Agde, in Southern France, has been designated in the Church, as a yearly celebration, to take place on June 24th. Its liturgy takes precedence over the liturgy of Ordinary Sundays, when the 24th falls on a Sunday, but it does not take precedence over the Solemnities of Corpus Christi or of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which always falls on the 3rd Friday after Pentecost. And it’s for this reason that, this year, John’s celebration was moved to today, June 23rd. For tomorrow we celebrate the Sacred Heart!
Finally, at the conclusion of today’s Gospel reading, Luke tells us that the child, John, “grew and became strong in Spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.” Lk_1:80 Some Scholars claim that John may have been trained in the Essene community, in the desert of Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. The truth of this is still being debated. But, true or false, like Jesus’ post-baptismal retreat and temptation in the desert, John was similarly being prepared by God, just as WE are brothers and sisters in our sometimes-desert and sometimes-paradise – life in the flesh.
John brings to us – the Hope, that our new walls are still to come. And He reminds us too, that before we ever get there, we need to prepare.
06-22-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 22, 2022
(Ss. Thomas More, Martyr and John Fisher, Bishop and Martyr)
Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them.” Mt_7:15-20
Today’s is the last reading we’ll hear from the 2nd Book of Kings. And, between yesterday’s reading and today’s, the nation of Judah has moved on, historically, from the faithful, King Hezekiah, through two heathen kings, to King Josiah.
If you remember, it was King Hezekiah, who, by his faith in God and the support of Isaiah the Prophet, was able to save his nation from the destroying hand of Assyria. Hezekiah’s faith also acted, in adding 15-years to his life, after a fatal illness. But unfortunately, those new-found years also revealed a ‘chink’ in Hezekiah’s armor, a weakness in his character that, in one way or another, we all have at least a little bit of – and it’s called Gullibility!
For while Hezekiah and Judah were temporarily reveling in their respite of peace and security, the King of Babylon sent emissaries to butter up Hezekiah with gifts and kindness, in order to scope out Babylon’s new-found target for conquest. And a worthy and easy target it was! For the people of Judah were not united in purpose. They were not all as firm in their faith as was Hezekiah. There was bickering and infighting, crooked politicians and radical factions. There was economic abuse, idol worship and, worst of all, apathy by those who had the wealth, and the power, and the faith to make a difference!
And Hezekiah, in his naïve trust, revealed to the Babylonian spies, all the treasures of Jerusalem. As Jesus warns us today, these were the “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” These were the ones who would eventually devour all that was left of a dysfunctional nation.
For after the two heathen kings who followed Hezekiah and dismantled everything that was reassembled of the Faith. And after one final spark of return to God by King Josiah and his faithful priests and scribes, whom we’ve heard about today, four evil kings later, in the year 587 BC, Jerusalem itself would fall to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.
Jesus warns us, “by their fruits you will know them.” It truly IS a wake-up call for us too, brothers and sisters. And it makes us ponder, again: “How strong is our own Faith in God, in Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, in our Most Blessed Sacrament? Is it strong enough to die for, as it was for St. Thomas More, for St. John Fisher, and for Jesus Himself? Is it strong enough to truly discern the “wolves” from the “sheep” in our own dysfunctional nation? Strong enough to stand up for all that Jesus taught us?
Now, I know that I’m preaching to the Choir today. But even if it causes just one extra prayer, just one undeserved smile, just one forgiving gesture to the unforgivable, just one step out of our way to support God’s Truth, it’s well worth the effort. The effort that just might keep Babylon at bay for a little while longer.
God knows, we’re all worth His Love, and our love for one another.
06-21-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 21, 2022
(St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious)
Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces. “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the Law and the Prophets. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many.” Mt_7:6,12-14
In the historical records of the Kings of Israel, which didn’t take long after the reigns of Kings David and Solomon, to become the two separate Kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the Books of 1st and 2nd Kings introduces each new King in the following way.
For the Kings of Israel, for example, we hear it said: “In the twelfth year of Ahaz, King of Judah, Hoshea, son of Elah, began his 9-year reign over Israel in Samaria. He did evil in the sight of the Lord.” 2_Ki_17:1-2 Yesterday, we heard, how after twenty successive kings in Israel, nineteen of which “did evil in the sight of the Lord,” in the year 721 BC, Samaria, Israel’s Capital, fell to the Assyrians. And the Israelites learned that the gate and road that lead to destruction are wide open for those who refuse to follow the Lord.
And then, for the Introductions to the Kings of Judah, we similarly hear: “In the third year of Hoshea, son of Elah, King of Israel, Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, King of Judah, began to reign. He was 25-years old when he became King, and he reigned 29-years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi, daughter of Zechariah. He pleased the Lord just as his forefather David had done.” 2_Ki_18:1-3
You see, by the time we reach King Hezekiah, the Kingdom of Judah had an equal number of evil and faithful Kings reigning over their nation. The bold Assyrians, however, having successfully conquered the evil nation of Israel, now began their attack on Judah, besieging city after city, and instilling the fear of destruction on King Hezekiah. So after Hezekiah tried as he would, to appease King Sennacherib by paying him tribute in gold and silver, Sennacherib responded in a psychological war of deception, in much the same way the snake did in the Garden of Eden. “Who is this God of yours?” “He didn’t save all of your other cities.” “What makes YOU think He will save you?”
Isn’t it the same voice we sometimes hear in the back of our own heads, brothers and sisters?
Jesus advises us, “Don’t give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.” You see WE are the holiness, the pearls in God’s hands. And it’s not our place to give in to evil temptations and slanderous abuse – of ourselves, or of our God. For we know, just as Hezekiah did, just as Isaiah did, who upheld Hezekiah’s arms, in the same way Joshua did for Moses in his old age, and just as the Holy Spirit will do for every one of us – in our moments of greatest battle against evil, Hezekiah took the constricted road and the narrow gate to Salvation.
And the Salvation he obtained, as we’ve heard, 185,000 fold over, sent Sennacherib back home with his tail between his legs. You see, that salvation was not obtained by physical battle, by fighting evil with evil, but by Faith in our God, who never, ever disappoints.
Our call now, brothers and sisters, is to keep our Trust in Him, and know, that by our Faith, we will be saved as well.
06-20-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 20, 2022
Jesus said to his disciples: “Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye?” Mt_7:1-5
Nuff said. Now all we need do is learn to observe it and obey it.
“Stop judging!”
06-19-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 19, 2022
(Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ)
the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 1_Cor_11:23-26
The source and summit of our faith!
06-18-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 18, 2022
Jesus said to his disciples: “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Mt_6:24-34
Life may seem like such a paradox! We need to eat to live and we need to pay money (mammon) in order to get the food to eat. And we need to work in order to get the money for that food And often that money is barely enough to pay for our shelter and gas and food. And if we have a family, multiply that need for money by the number of people. And if those kids are old enough to hear the world around them, they’ll be screaming at you for even more money for their own toys and gadgets. It all seems like an endless cycle leading us into total disaster or depression. So where do we separate the needs for life from the needs for God? Well, Jesus is telling us today to always, ALWAYS, put God first. God will provide for our needs, when we need them. Not enough, God will provide, no job, God will provide, rising inflation, God will provide. Trust in God, beloved, and when we TRULY do, we’ll find His provision in all our needs. Never let our need for mammon pull us into depression. GOD WILL PROVIDE! TRUST!
06-17-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 17, 2022
Jesus said to His disciples, “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness. And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.” Mt_6:19-23
The Israelites were often called a “stiff-necked people.” And being stiff-necked was not necessarily a bad thing, because it represented persistence. And persistence is good when it is directed toward the right goals. Like getting a college degree and career. Like finding a good husband and starting a family. And like following the guidance of the One True God.
But when our goal is not in the interest of some common Good, some greater Good, then that virtue of persistence could lead us right down a path of doom, instead of prosperity. And the problem the Israelites and many of us have, even today, is the lack of a compass to tell us which goals are good, and which are not. You see, it all depends on where our focus, our center is. If it’s purely on ourselves, then we find ourselves bouncing from one whim to another, as we are so easily influenced by our environment.
The Israelites wanted a king, just like all the other nations. But their kings never seemed to work out, because their center was often on themselves or some unreal god who left them and their nation at the mercy of more ruthless kings. And their kingdom, their nation of Israel, which was not even one united nation anymore, found itself being torn apart, not only because of misdirected kings with the wrong focus and center, but because they couldn’t even agree on anything themselves.
They were like a car, driving around without a steering wheel, because they thought the wheels were their center. And their persistence drove them in four different directions at the same time because they had No compass, No focus, No steering wheel.
Some were driven by greed, others by passive relativism, where anything goes, everybody’s right and there is no moral Truth. Some were driven by morality, and still others, by devotion to some unreal god. And the winner of the moment always ended up being the loser of the next.
Unfortunately, for all the souls of that nation, that misdirected kingdom, their car would finally end up off the edge of a cliff, or else, it’s unused steering wheel would land in the hands of a foreigner, only to drive them into an even worse situation.
Jesus explained it to His disciples in terms of the body. If we walk around with our eyes closed, we’ll find ourselves walking into walls. And if we open our eyes, but walk around in the dark, we’ll end up doing the same thing, walking into walls. But if we open our eyes to the light of God’s guidance, the light of His Love, the light of True focus and meaning in life, then, the light of the Holy Spirit will guide our every thought and action, and strengthen us to live in His light by the very purpose for which we were created.
When we live with God as our goal, and purpose, and guidance, then we will begin to understand the reality of the world in which we live, the reality of human nature, and the Hope that we have, despite our other three wheels heading in wrong directions.
There is Hope when we have God at our steering wheel! And it’s there, in that Hope, in God, that we’ll find our Treasure!
06-16-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 16, 2022
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.” Mt_6:7-15
Pray from your heart, beloved. Pray in the Holy Spirit. Pray in confidence that God hears you and that His will be done. Pray in love and love will answer your prayer.
06-15-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 15, 2022
Jesus said, “when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” Mt_6:1-6,16-18
. . . A little piece of our Ash Wednesday reading on Jesus’ discourse about prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Just a reminder that our piety is not done for the world to give glory to us, but to God. It’s also a good reminder that nothing we do is unseen by God. So we are to watch out for what we watch, what we listen to and what we say and do in the world, because the world IS watching too. And we can’t profess to be Christian and act as heathens without being scandalous to God, who sees and knows all! So pray for the strength to be as good as God wants us to be, always!
06-14-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 14, 2022
Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, . . .” Mt_5:43-48
And who is my enemy? Well, usually our worst enemy is in our own minds. He’s the one who makes me jealous of others, the one who makes me judgmental, the one who makes me greedy, the one who makes me possessive and selfish. Yes, there are always those who feel the same way about us. They might even hate us for reasons totally unknown to us. But that’s what yesterday’s advice from Jesus was all about. How do we disarm a nasty attitude or a gun? Not by reflecting back the same attitude or destroying the holder of that gun with another gun, but by blinding them with the light of Love, and by trying to understanding the why behind the intense violence shrouding our country and world.
It’s been a long, long, slippery road that we’ve been traveling down. We’ve indoctrinated our children with violence on TV and in their games for so many years, that, now as adults, their respect for life has totally disappeared. Today we’re so accepting of so many different kinds of immoralities and death that what’s the difference if it hits our children, or the innocent citizens of a targeted nation, or if genocide by race or religion occurs pretty much anywhere in the world. We’ve become callus to it. (And please forgive me if this sounds hopeless. There are still many of us who disagree or believe otherwise. But how are we standing up for the morality we embrace? Or are we sitting down on it?)
If we ever want peace in the world, we MUST, return to moral righteousness. Knowing right from wrong and why. Loving despite hatred. Moving toward fully understanding the importance of human dignity, from the pre-born to the lost to the most aged. We are all God’s children, and it’s time to recognize that Truth!
06-13-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 13, 2022
(St. Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church)
Jesus said to his disciples:“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.” Mt_5:38-42
Why is it, beloved, that we struggle so much with this saying? Jesus, here is talking about total self-giving. Not just giving of your reserve, your extras, your unwanted, but even those material and personal things that are special to you. Remember, Jesus went even as far as giving his very life.
So what is it then, beloved, that holds us in such ‘bondage’ that we’re willing to strike back so easily? Our reputation? Our pride? Our possessions? Our beliefs? Scripture scholars infer to us that Jesus was not implying letting go of our beliefs, but letting go of our vindictive nature, our possessive clinging (selfishness) and our restrictive giving. Total self-giving says, not I, but God owns all. And if God wants back or wants more, who am I to withhold it? Maybe that other person needs it a whole lot more than I ever did. So, give with a joyful heart, beloved, and in your giving you will find a mountain of whatever it was you gave in even greater abundance. This is LOVE!
St. Anthony, pray for us, especially in our losses!
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Happy Birthday wishes to our wonderful niece and Godchild, Tammy!
06-12-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 12, 2022
(Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity)
Thus says the wisdom of God: “When the Lord established the heavens I was there, when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep; when he made firm the skies above, when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth; when he set for the sea its limit, so that the waters should not transgress his command; then was I beside him as his craftsman, and I was his delight day by day, playing before him all the while, playing on the surface of his earth; and I found delight in the human race.” Prv_8:22-31
St. Paul wrote: Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. Rom_5:1-5
Jesus said to his disciples: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.” Jn_16:12-15
. . . . . . .
In the first three verses of the first chapter of the very first Book of the Bible, Genesis, God reveals the mystery and the majesty of His Trinitarian Nature to all who are willing to listen! Let’s see if we can find it.
It says: “In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters. Then, God said, ‘Let there be light’ and there was light.” Gn_1:1-3
Can we see it, brothers and sisters? First there is God, the Father, the Creator of all that is, and was, and ever will be. “God created,” EVERYTHING!
Then, we see God, the Holy Spirit in that ‘mighty wind’ who enlivens and sanctifies, the waters of our seas, and of our baptisms, and of our very beings?
And then, “God said…” And there we see – God the Son, Jesus, in His very Word, fulfilling the desires of God the Father in Creation, and moving in all of life through the Wisdom and Truth of the Holy Spirit.
You see, this first chapter of Genesis goes on to describe all that our Trinitarian God had created in our world, including us: us, in His divine image and likeness; we, in our disobedience and our obedience; we in our shame and in our Glory.
And, while the Book of Genesis introduces the setting and the characters, the next 72-Books of the Bible continue to reveal our God in all His fullness; Our God, in His delight and in His disappointment of us: in His love and in His great mercy; and in His Salvation – of those of us who choose to believe in Him.
Seventy-three Books – of the greatest Love Story ever told!
The Books of Proverbs and Wisdom, for example, describe the beauty, the grace, and the communion or unity that the Holy Spirit brings to us. They describe how, in our union with the Holy Spirit, we become One with our Triune God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and with one another. And they describe how, in that unity, we can experience the peace, and joy, and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, right here, within ourselves.
The Books of the Prophets and the Letters of St. Paul move that Unity with our God into Bold Proclamation, through the Holy Spirit. And in our proclamation of this Great Love that God has for every, single one of us, His Children, we discover: the same bias and prejudice and persecution that the Prophets, and Jesus, and the Apostles had to endure. And yet, as St. Paul tells us today, when we recognize the Life of God – the Holy Spirit, within us, those persecutions do nothing less than make us even stronger and more bold in proclaiming the Truth of our Loving God.
Then, in the Gospels, besides Jesus preparing our hearts for the outpouring and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, they show us, in concrete ways, how truly much our God loves us, through His Incarnation: born of the Virgin Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus, in consubstantial unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit, begotten, not made, equally divine and human, came among us, out of God’s immeasurable Love, to teach us what Love really means.
John’s Gospel Prologue, most succinctly and beautifully, brings us back to Genesis 1, in describing Jesus as the, capital “W,” Word of God. There he said: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through Him, and without Him nothing came to be. What came to be through Him was Life, and this life was the Light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Jn_1:1-5
After all the wars and diseases. After all the petty squabbles, published lies and blatant immorality. After all the dictatorial persecutions, the starvation, abuse and insurrections against God, that we’ve committed, our Triune God still loves us and offers TO us Himself (on the crucifix, in the Most Blessed Sacrament and within ourselves), His very life and His peace.
All we need do, beloved, is to look for His light, and then let it shine through our love for one another, just as Jesus taught us. . . .
And in the process: the Grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and the Love of God our Father, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit will be with all of us, now and forever.
06-12-22 jmp
06-10-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 10, 2022
Elijah was hiding, because it seemed the whole world was out to get him. There.. 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?” He replied, “I have been most zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. But the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to the sword. I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.” 1_Kgs_19:9a,11-16
Ever feel abandoned, beloved? Then it’s time again to seek our the Lord our God who loves us no matter what! He will renew our purpose, give us the strength and courage to accomplish it and re-invigorate our spirit. Trust in Him beloved, and you will never be alone!
06-09-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 9, 2022
(St. Ephrem, Deacon and Doctor of the Church)
Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment’. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.” Mt 5:20-26
And so, we are called, beloved, to drop all judgment, vindictive behavior and hatred. Instead, keep love in your hearts and love will bless you all the days of your life!
06-08-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 8, 2022
Jesus said, “whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” Mt_5:17-19
All summed up as: You shall love your God and your neighbor!
How are we doing on that, beloved?
Remember God is loving and merciful!
Ask forgiveness, and it shall be forgiven.
And then, “Sin no more!”
06-07-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 7, 2022
Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” Mt_5:13-16
This is the light of the Holy Spirit within us beloved. And it is shown as joy, peace, patience, love, fortitude, hope, wisdom, balance and faith. We are called to let the world see – that Christ in us is the same Christ who could be in them as well.
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Blessed birthday wishes to our awesome grandson Warren today
06-06-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 6, 2022
(Mary, Mother of the Church)
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” Jn_19:25-34
In 2018, Pope Francis added a new feast to the Roman Calendar to be celebrated on the Monday after Pentecost: the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.
FROM the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
- PART ONE: THE PROFESSION OF FAITH
- SECTION TWO I. THE CREEDS
- CHAPTER THREE I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
- Article 9 “I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH”
- Paragraph 6. MARY – MOTHER OF CHRIST, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH
- Article 9 “I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH”
- CHAPTER THREE I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
- SECTION TWO I. THE CREEDS
Paragraph 6. MARY – MOTHER OF CHRIST, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH
963 Since the Virgin Mary’s role in the mystery of Christ and the Spirit has been treated, it is fitting now to consider her place in the mystery of the Church. “The Virgin Mary . . . is acknowledged and honored as being truly the Mother of God and of the redeemer…. She is ‘clearly the mother of the members of Christ’ … since she has by her charity joined in bringing about the birth of believers in the Church, who are members of its head.”500 “Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church.”501
06-05-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 5, 2022
Pentecost Sunday
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. Acts_2:1-11
Brothers and sisters: No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 1_Cor_12:3b-7,12-13
06-04-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 4, 2022
John wrote, “there are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.” Jn_21:20-25
God IS totally beyond our comprehension! Jesus is our God. We are to seek Him beyond just books. The Holy Spirit is within us. Listen to Him!
06-03-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 3, 2022
(Ss. Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs)
Jesus said to Peter, the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jn_21:15-19
Jesus devoted His earthly ministry to the tending and feeding of the lost “Sheep” of Israel, the Jewish people. In the process, what He found, was that often, the non-Jewish, Gentiles, who listened to His preaching, had greater faith in Him than many of the Jews.
But we know that God’s Love is not bounded by race or nationality. And His grace is freely given to all who have faith in Him. You see, these Gentiles, actually everyone else in the whole world who were not Jews, were Jesus’s “Lambs.” And just as the Sheep need tending and feeding, so do the Lambs.
Today we see, in Jesus’s commissioning of Peter, both a requirement and an order, actually a Holy Order. And these are the same Requirements and Holy Orders that every priest, in God’s holy Church must accept. The requirement, of course, is Love.
Jesus asked Peter to affirm his Love, his Faith in Jesus – three times. And that Love, then, extends, not only to God, to Jesus alone, but to everyone, and especially the faithful Sheep and Lambs of Jesus. You see, before Peter could do anything FOR Jesus, he had to BE the very embodiment of God’s Love.
And with that Love in his heart, Peter was then called to Holy Orders. “Feed my lambs,” “Tend my sheep” and “Feed my sheep,” Jesus ordered. As the “Papa” of God’s Church, Peter was called to feed and to tend, not only the Jewish and Gentile believers – who would become the priests and bishops, of that Church, but also, all the laity – who believe and serve one another in Christ’s Love, as well.
Jesus then told Peter that these orders would not come easy. There would be a price to pay for Faith. And that price would be the jealousy, the resentment and the persecution of the non-believers. It’s the price that every Faithful Believer, from the Pope to the Laity, would have to pay for sharing the Good News of God’s love for everyone.
Peter and the Apostles, Paul and the heroic saints, like the Ugandan martyrs whom we commemorate today, all paid the price of martyrdom for taking a stand – for morality, for human dignity, and for God’s love!
But, what we must always remember, beloved, is that neither they, nor we are ever left alone in our commission, our holy order to bring God’s love to the world. . . .
We have the Words of Jesus.
We have the Strength and Wisdom of the Holy Spirit.
We have the models of the Saints, and especially Mary, our Mother, for guidance.
And we have one another – for encouragement, companionship and love. . . .
All under the umbrella of God’s merciful and abounding Grace.
How could we possibly not want the same – for every living Soul we encounter?!!!
As we come to His Table today, in the light of His Love, His Sacrifice and His most holy Orders, we come in thanksgiving for all of these glorious blessings. Blessings we’ve been given – to share!
06-02-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 2, 2022
(Ss. Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs)
Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying: “I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.” Jn_17:20-26
Oh, that the world might believe! What a wonderful world this could be!
06-01-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
June 1, 2022
(St. Justin, Martyr)
Jesus prayed to His Father for His disciples, saying, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the Evil One. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth.” Jn_17:11b-19
This world is just something we have to go through, like fetal life, like military service, like college. And after it’s over, the best is yet to come, but much much better than the products of all of those “worldly” preparations. And yet, Jesus tells His Father, they do not “belong” to this world any more than He does. We are to be very careful not to make those preparations a life-long endeavor. This world is not our goal. And there will be many challenges to make us think it is. To make us think that Heaven is actually NOT “for real.” But we know better. And to keep us on track, we have the Bible, our holy Mass, prayer, and our community of believers. Stay plugged into them, beloved, and you will not fail. God is waiting for us with open arms. Keep focused on Him!
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Happy June, beloved!
God’s blessings!
Please come visit May’s Daily Mass Quotes too…
Link below.
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EARLIER MONTH’S QUOTES can be found
in monthly subcategories of – “Whispers“
Link to Previous Month’s Whispers
Link to Next Month’s Whispers
Link back to Whispers to the Wind
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(also in Time page, under Liturgical Seasons section)
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Whispers to the Wind 