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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09-30-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 30, 2022
(St. Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church)
Jesus said to His disciples, “Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” Lk_10:13-16
Every word in the Scriptures is one more step closer to Jesus. Listen to Him through His words and then follow all that He advises us. In this journey we are also growing closer to God the Father. For Jesus is a reflection of the Father and our job is to capture that reflection and let it shine through us to the world around us. In doing this we are building the kingdom that Jesus calls all of us to dwell in.
09-29-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 29, 2022
(Ss. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels)
Jesus said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” Jn_1:47-51
Jesus, the ladder, the bridge that leads us to heaven. We, ministered by the angels, who defend us, bring us messages and heal us, just as they did in the revelation of heaven to John (Michael), in the messages to Mary, Elizabeth and Joseph (Gabriel), and just as Raphael did in healing Sarah, Tobias and his father Tobit. Blessed be God’s archangels who work constantly for Him and for us!
09-28-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 28, 2022
(St. Wenceslaus, Martyr)
As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, “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.” Lk_9:57-62
Following on the heals of yesterday’s rejection by the Samaritans, today, we hear of someone who is still willing to follow Jesus, even to the extreme of going to Jerusalem. Maybe this was one of the Samaritans who refused to reject Jesus because of the destination of His journey, because He was a Jew and not a Samaritan like themselves. But Jesus responds to the man that this journey will not be an easy one. You just might have to sleep on the ground with a rock as your pillow, like Jesus’ ancestor Jacob.
This journey of ours, beloved, is not necessarily one of great comfort either. And we always have to remember that it IS just a journey. It’s not our true home! That will come in the next phase of our lives. And if we stay on track. And if we keep the faith, we will find that true home with Jesus, with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, just a Jesus promised! Maybe the birds and the foxes find their homes here, but we, with Jesus, will not rest until we are truly Home!
09-27-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 27, 2022
(St. Vincent de Paul, Priest)
The disciples of Jesus 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_9:51-56
Jesus insisted that we are not called to punish, to inact revenge, or even to judge the actions of other’s. Yes, their actions are often malicious. Yes, they may be unaware of the love that God has for them, even in their distress. And they may even take their own revenge on us, because we stand for some one, some thing they do not understand or refuse to believe. But instead of judgment and punishment, we are called to pray for them. Pray for a little compassion, pray for a little understanding, and pray for our own patience in so many situations that don’t seem to go our way.
Today we hear a continuation of the story of Job. As good as Job was, faithful and loving of God, even he had difficulty understanding the disaster that fell upon his household and himself. And yet that faith in God never wavered. He may have thought less of himself. He may have wondered what was going on with God. But the love and fear of his Creator was always there.
Yes, we fall. Yes Satan tempts. Yes, we have all kinds of doubts. But, like Job, we must never lose our faith in God. He is the ONE constant in it all. Hang on it, beloved. And all WILL be well in the end! Jesus assures us of that!
09-26-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 26, 2022
(Ss. Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs)
Job said, “Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I go back again. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!” Jb_1:6-22
Sometimes, beloved, things just do not go quite the way we want them to. We gain, we lose, we thrive, we suffer, we’re joy filled or we’re sorrowful. But there is never reason to blame the Lord. For the Lord is the source of all that is good. So bless the name of the Lord in your joys and grief, in your success and your failure. For it’s in our struggles that we grow in understanding, we grow in patience and we grow in strength to endure even more the next time around. Praise the Lord for giving us resilience. And thank God for allowing us to know Him, in Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit!
09-25-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 25, 2022
(26th Sunday Ordinary Time, C)
The dead rich man cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’ Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’
He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’” Lk_16:19-3
The rich and the poor. The haves and the have-nots. The takers and the givers. The blessed and those who refuse the blessing. Where are we beloved? Do we respect those who have less than us? Do we give like there’s no tomorrow? Or do we hoard, and abuse, and take advantage of the weaknesses of others? Today we learn of the “chasm” at the end of time. And there will be no crossing over in those days, neither to help our compassion-blind brothers and sisters nor for them to change their ways. Take heed, beloved, that if we’re not physically helping those in greater need than us, we should at least be praying for them with all our hearts, as well as for those who are blinded to the needs of others! We are all ONE family and children of our God.
09-24-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 24, 2022
Rejoice, O young man, while you are young and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart, the vision of your eyes; Yet understand that as regards all this God will bring you to judgment. Ward off grief from your heart and put away trouble from your presence, though the dawn of youth is fleeting. Eccl_11:9-12:8
Enjoy, but beware! Love unconditionally, but don’t live based on love. “Vanity of vanities.” Live instead, based on God! And God will see you through it all. Trust in Him unwaveringly and judgment will not thwart nor dishearten you.
In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Ps 90 Response
And always will be!
Amen!
09-23-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 23, 2022
(St. Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest)
God has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts, without man’s ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done. Eccl_3:1-11
Jesus told His disciples, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” Lk_9:18-22
. . . EVEN a time for Salvation through suffering.
In ALL things, beloved, give thanks to God
for His love and His mercy towards us!
Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
09-22-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 22, 2022
Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father except through me.” Jn_14:6 Alleluia Verse
If we can’t come to the Father except through Jesus, we can’t come to Jesus without letting go of whatever else in this world is clinging on to us, or we’re clinging on to. It just reminded me of that old story of how to catch a monkey. You see, monkeys are pretty swift at getting away when they don’t want to get caught. But they also love their treats. So put a treat of just the right size in a bottle and the monkey will surely grab for it. But when the treat and his fist refuse to fit back out of the bottleneck, the monkey will also refuse to let it go. Thus the monkey with a bottle stuck on its arm is much easier to catch. Sometimes we just need to let go of what we THINK is so alluring in order to truly become one with Jesus. And in doing that we’ll discover that Jesus provides much better and much more than we could have ever had without Him. Jesus IS the way, the truth and the life. Follow Him!
09-21-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 21, 2022
(St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist)
As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. . . . Jesus said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” Mt_9:9-13
Well, what a way to be remembered, as a tax collector and sinner. And yet, Matthew redeemed himself in his writing skills, and his Gospel is still read by billions, these 2,000-years later. What a way to go from the most despised to the most loved, simply by remembering and recording the words of Jesus.
You know, beloved, we can all do the same thing as well. Maybe not having billions of followers, or seeing our work last thousands of years, but every little utterance, every little quote of Jesus that we use, redeems us from our lowly, sinful state to a more glorious state in God’s eyes. And actually, that’s all that really matters, isn’t it! You are beloved! A diamond in God’s treasure box! A hero(ine) in Jesus’ hospital!
09-19-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 19, 2022
(St. Januarius, Bishop and Martyr)
Jesus said to the crowd: “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.” Lk_8:16-18
Common sense leads to extraordinary wisdom. So Jesus implores us to keep our eyes open to all things and discern them from our faith in God. The Truth sometimes overwhelms us, in comparison to the lies that so many take to heart. Light your lamp and shine that Truth through the common sense you use in everyday life. And all will know that only from God does such Truth come. And only in God will it be lived in our world!
09-18-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 18, 2022
(25th Sunday Ordinary Time, C)
Jesus said, “If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant 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 both God and mammon.” Lk_16:1-13
When you think about life from the point of view of it all being God’s creation, then our very bodies, the food we eat, the jobs we have, the earth we live on, all belong to God. So then, we might ask, are we truly trustworthy of what belongs to God? What aspect of ourselves, our environment, our job, our family, our finances, may we not be quite as trustworthy with as we should be in the eyes of God? And maybe, as Jesus tells us, we should be loving God above all those objects of His ownership, instead of loving them in themselves. For in themselves they have no true power to make us happy. But in loving God, all else will take care of itself. All it takes then, is our trustworthy handling of them! Blessed be God forever!
09-17-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 17, 2022
(St. Hildegard of Bingen, Virgin and Doctor of the Church)
St. Paul wrote, Brothers and sisters: Someone may say, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come back?”You fool! What you sow is not brought to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be but a bare kernel of wheat, perhaps, or of some other kind. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown corruptible; it is raised incorruptible. It is sown dishonorable; it is raised glorious. It is sown weak; it is raised powerful. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual one. 1_Cor_15:35-37,42-49
Just don’t over-think it!
09-16-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 16, 2022
(Ss. Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop; Martyrs)
St. Paul wrote, “Brothers and sisters: If Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching; empty, too, your faith.” 1 Cor_15:12-20
From our short, first reading about the resurrection, we get the feel that St. Paul had a very methodical, logical, mind. He would have been a good lawyer, rhetorician, musician or geometry teacher. Remember, if a = c, and d = g, then b must equal h. Well, I’ll let you figure that one out on your own.
But, it prompted me to ponder our whole Christian Faith. Sure there will be no beatific vision, no heavenly bliss, no final retribution, and no everlasting life – if there is no resurrection of the dead. But what if there really was no Jesus?
So, let’s see what we got here, and this is just scratching the surface. Here we are in the year 2022, and if there were no Jesus, we’ve got 2000 years of false belief. And that’s a lot of people worth of time! Smart people and not so smart ones. Martyrdoms, huge organizational structures, wars, buildings, churches, cities – all based on something that never existed?
If we just look at one little snapshot of the Christian Faith today, we have some 2.6 Billion Christians in the world, making up some 45,000 denominations, and 1.4 Billion of those are Catholics. And that’s ALL based on the existence of Jesus.
But, not only, on His existence. In degrees from – only having heard His name, to actually believing everything Jesus taught and did, we have, not only an entire culture, that keeps people rational, moral and hopeful, but, we have the foundational Rock upon which everything in life – can and should be based.
And that Rock is the Love that Jesus taught. The Love of God for us, the Gospel Good News! Love that allows us to survive even the most difficult challenges in life. Love that unites and strengthens us as a human race. Love that brings us, not just the Hope of eternal life, of resurrection from the dead, but the reality of it, simply by the fact that Jesus proved it.
You know, for 2000 years people have been trying to disprove the existence of God, and they will continue for a long, long time to come. But, it’s funny, you just can’t disprove Truth. And we know, in the deepest depths of our hearts that our Trinitarian God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and His Love, a love that binds us together for all eternity, will endure even the most challenging rhetoric.
St. Paul sum up his defense of life, love and Jesus with these most beautiful words. He says, “when this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality, then the word that is written shall come about: “Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God – who gives us the victory – through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1_Cor_15:53-57
09-15-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 15, 2022
(Our Lady of Sorrows)
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 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.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. Jn_19:25-27
Seven Sorrows of Mary
The Seven Sorrows (or Dolors) are events in the life of Mary that are a popular devotion and are frequently depicted in art.[1] Traditionally, the Seven Sorrows, not to be confused with the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, are:
- The Prophecy of Simeon in Luke 2;
- The Flight into Egypt in Matthew 2;
- The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem, also in Luke 2;
- Mary’s meeting Jesus on the Via Dolorosa, the Fourth station of the Cross not found in Bible;
- The Crucifixion of Jesus on Mount Calvary in Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and especially John 19;
- Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross in Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 19;
- The Burial of Jesus by Joseph of Arimathea[2] also in Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 19;
Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows
Our mother of sorrows, with strength from above you stood by the cross, sharing in the sufferings of Jesus, and with tender care you bore him in your arms, mourning and weeping.
We praise you for your faith, which accepted the life God planned for you. We praise you for your hope, which trusted that God would do great things in you. We praise you for your love in bearing with Jesus the sorrows of his passion.
Holy Mary, may we follow your example, and stand by all your children who need comfort and love.
Mother of God, stand by us in our trials and care for us in our many needs. Pray for us now and at the hour of our death.
Amen!
09-14-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 14, 2022
(Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross)
Moses, according to God’s instructions, made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he lived. Nm_21:4b-9
Jesus said to Nicodemus: “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” Jn_3:13-17
St. Paul wrote, Brothers and sisters: Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil_2:6-11
Faith, love, obedience, humility, subjection, suffering, salvation, eternal life. This is what it’s all about, beloved! Jesus out of His great love, God’s love, became incarnate that we might learn to love equally. This cross is the sign of that love. What greater love!!!
09-13-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 13, 2022
(St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church)
St. Paul wrote, Brothers and sisters: As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit. 1_Cor_12:12-14,27-31a
And, St. Paul goes on to describe how not all the parts are exactly the same. Some see, some hear, some walk and some touch. But there should never be any dissension between them. Just because some can do particular things better than others, that does not give them cause for judgment and comparison. We were all given different talents and abilities so that we can and must work together in order to grow and improve, and even survive.
Without a mouth we would all starve. And without lungs, we would never have the oxygen we need to stay alive. And without a heart our foot and head and fingertips would not get the blood they need to work properly. Thus all the parts of the body, as well as every one of us diverse humans, animals, plants and air are a necessity for survival. We are all one, as we are in Christ! Now all we need do is always remember that, giving thanks to God for our unity and complementarity!
09-12-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 12, 2022
(Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
St. Paul wrote, I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that 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.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. 1_Cor_11:17-26,33
After requesting that Jesus come to heal his servant, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed.” Lk_7:1-10
Our Eucharistic prayers! Prayers of remembrance and prayers of humble petition. “Heal us Lord, from all that separates us from you.”
09-11-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 11, 2022
(24th Sunday Ordinary Time, C)
In response to the Pharisees complaint about Jesus entertaining “sinners,” Jesus told three parables about people and things lost: a lost coin, a lost sheep and two lost sons. The one son, who disrespected his father, returned in repentance, while the second son allowed his anger to fester within him until he finally blew up. The father said in response: ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ Lk_15:1-32
In just the same way our heavenly Father rejoices when any one sinner returns back to Him, even us, beloved, even us!
09-10-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 10, 2022
Jesus said to his disciples: “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. Lk_6:43-49
And yet, God loves us all!
09-09-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 9, 2022
(St. Peter Claver, Priest)
Jesus said, No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Lk_6:39-42
So, we must be very discerning about whom we choose as teachers. And Jesus is the very best of teachers about life. Some may teach us economics, some science, some engineering and some homemaking. But when we want to learn about life, we need to turn to Jesus Himself. Be cautious of those who interpret His teachings. Be cautious of those who twist their own agenda onto Jesus’ teachings. But trust in our Catholic Magisterium. Trust in Catholic Tradition and immerse yourself in the Scriptures, and you will find LIFE!
09-08-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 8, 2022
(Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
Brothers and sisters: We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Rom_8:28-30
The canonical Scriptures are clearly lacking when it comes to details about the Blessed Virgin Mary, and in particular, her Immaculate Conception and birth. And so in our readings today we hear Scriptures describing the nativity and genealogy of Jesus. And many a Catholic are still confused about the true meaning of the Immaculate Conception. Thus we look to the Apocryphal writings, and in particular, the Protoevangelium of James. A link to some of this writing is made in the header above. It’s a fun read and gives us a little more background on the Church’s stance on the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Enjoy!
09-07-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 7, 2022
Jesus said, Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. Lk_6:20-26
Of all the beatitudes, contrary to human nature, contrary to the way we think: blessed poverty, blessed humility, blessed hunger, blessed mourning, this last beatitude is always the hardest to swallow. Blessed are we when we are persecuted because of our Christianity. You see, Jesus knows the nature of humanity and He knows that the world will reject any call for obedience, for love of anyone greater than themselves and for the worship of the true God. And so when persecution comes our way, it’s only proof that we are truly serving as disciples of Jesus. Our Christianity is showing! And THERE is our reason to rejoice. As the old children’s song goes, “They’ll know we are Christians by our love.” (And we’ll know they’re not by their hate.) Gives us someone to pray for, beloved. Someone to love even more!
09-06-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 6, 2022
Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles: . . . Lk_6:12-19
Would have been a long night of prayer, discernment and discussion between Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit! Would have been fun to listen in on too. (hypothetically, we can just imagine…) “Well I like George!” “But George is too young, too smart, too . . . whatever.” “Well what about Harold then?” “No, Harold smokes, or gambles or . . .” “OK, then, what about Peter?” “Yeah, I think I like Peter. But will he get along with Matthew? . . . ”
Well maybe George and Harold and hundreds of others did end up a little disappointed in the end. But they probably never realized the cost (of discipleship). Nor fully appreciated the rewards! Which leaves us, beloved. Even though we weren’t one of the twelve, we are the “Baptized!” And being a brother to Jesus and child of God is no trivial matter either. We have a heroic mission and we’ll receive just as bountiful a reward when we follow Him with all our hearts and minds, and share His “Good News” of God’s love. What a blessing!
09-05-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 5, 2022
On a certain Sabbath Jesus said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up and stand before us.” And he rose and stood there. In the meantime there were a batch of Scribes and Pharisees looking for a reason to condemn Jesus, like a hoard of buzzing bees. Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” Looking around at them all, he then said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so and his hand was restored. Lk_6:6-11
Sometimes, beloved, we have to prioritize moral righteousness over legality. Saving life over allowing death because of some law. Helping even when it’s not cool. Loving even when there’s Covid. “There is a time and a season for everything under the sun.” Eccl. We are called to be flexible and loving always. Prioritizing life even at the cost of persecution! Blessed be our God, forever!
09-04-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 4, 2022
(23rd Sunday Ordinary Time, C)
St. Paul wrote to his friend Philemon, in compassion for both Philemon and his runaway slave Onesimus, saying: “if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me.” Phmn_9-10,12-17
We are often challenged with situations where contention falls between friends and we become involved. Do we side with one or the other? Do we ignore the whole issue? Or do we try to become peacemakers in the situation. Paul gives us a beautiful example of peacemaking in this story of Philemon and Onesimus. With its true ending unknown, we can only surmise the multiple scenarios in which the story was completed. But what we do know is that through the intercession of Jesus, Paul tied all four of them together in what could have been a wonderful and blessed union. We pray that was the case in Philemon’s dilemma. And in all of ours as well, beloved. Always remember to keep Jesus in the picture!
09-03-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 3, 2022
(St. Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church)
St. Paul wrote, “We are fools on Christ’s account, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clad and roughly treated, we wander about homeless and we toil, working with our own hands. When ridiculed, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we respond gently.” 1_Cor_4:6b-15
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness!” Mt_5 For in their bringing many souls back to God, through Jesus, theirs will be the Kingdom of Heaven! Blessed may you be, beloved, now and forever!
09-02-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 2, 2022
St. Paul wrote, Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts, and then everyone will receive praise from God. 1_Cor_4:1-5
The Psalmist wrote, The salvation of the just is from the LORD; he is their refuge in time of distress. And the LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him. Ps_37
Jesus said, “no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins. And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’” Lk_5:33-39
Today’s Scriptures are actually a beautiful picture of hope . . . The hope of eternal Salvation, the hope of daily Salvation, or refuge, and through a simple lesson, our hope for the Salvation of the world. It’s one of those word pictures that we’d just love to hang on our walls as a constant reminder of God’s love for us and our responsibilities.
And yet, within those three readings today, there appears to be at least two or three main topics. But we’ll very shortly see, how they really are – all One.
In our Gospel, for example, we find the Pharisees, as usual, griping about, yet another thing that Jesus and His disciples were doing wrong. Today’s protest had to do with Fasting. And, the Pharisee’s defense of the issue was, what we’d call, Comparative. “Look, we’re the leaders here, and WE fast.” “And you say that John the Baptist is supposed to be on your side, and yet HE fasts too.” “So why don’t you and your disciples fast as well?”
You see, this was another one of those thousand-year old, Mosaic Laws that the Pharisees took to extremes. And they used it as another flogging whip to beat the, already miserable, people into further submission. Of course, we know that, if the Pharisees were good at anything, it was observing and judging others. Not that we’re being judgmental of them.
But remember, at one point, Jesus chastised them, when He quoted the Prophet Hosea as saying, “Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice” Mt 9:13 In essence, He already answered their complaint, and it wasn’t about fasting, but about being non-judgmental, about offering mercy instead of sacrifice
So, today’s response by Jesus was a little different, as He shared His Parables of the Old and the New: – The Old Cloak and the New Patch, The Old Wineskins and the New Wine. You see, some things are just not compatible with one another, and don’t even make any common sense together. And yet, the griping continues and it will always continue! . . .
“What happened to the ‘Good old days,’ when the sky was blue, and the gas was a dime and people understood morality, we’d ask? And the millennials would respond to us, saying, “Oh, you mean like: – ‘9-11’, 21-years ago, – or the peaceful 60’s, – or the warless 40’s, – and the prosperous 30’s, – or the happy Crusades, – and the healthy plagues, – and the joyful Roman persecutions? THOSE Good old days?”
You see, there’s always the Worse, and there’s always the Better, the Us and the Them, the Dark and the Light, the Good and the Bad.
And if there’s nothing other than this, that we learn today, it’s that WE are NOT supposed to be the Judge, the Jury, and the Hangman. We are not the Pharisee with the whip, nor the hermit with his head in the sand. Our call is not to judge, but to discern. And there’s a huge difference between the two.
The Judge views everything from a relativistic Bias, his bias, from total Control, and with an ultimate end of Condemnation and Punishment. And his reward is Power, Self-centeredness, and a very heavy Conscience – or else Insanity.
Whereas, to the contrary, the Discerner views everything from the Moral and Absolute Truth of God, not for control, but for Understanding, and not with an ultimate goal of Punishment – for he knows that God is the only true source of punishment or redemption. But the Discerner moves from Understanding to Mercy, to a healthy conversion of himself or others.
And when conversion of others is not obvious, she knows by her Prayers, that it all rests in the hands of God. And her reward, rather than Guilt, is total Freedom, knowing that her discernment makes her a better person, both in the eyes of God and in the world. And therein lies our HOPE! The beautiful and freeing Hope of Jesus!
09-01-22 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
September 1, 2022
Brothers and sisters: Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God, 1_Cor_3:18-23
Jesus saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. . . . After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. Lk_5:1-11
In the end, no matter how wise we think we are, it’s pure ignorance in comparison with God. Simon had enough wisdom and enough faith in Jesus to just follow His lead, His orders. And that’s the wisest we could possibly get. Follow His lead, beloved, in faith, no matter how wise we may think we are. And we will discover all the answers, all the wisdom we ever need.
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Happy September, beloved!
May God bless you!
Please come visit August’s Daily Mass Quotes too…
Link below.
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