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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02-28-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 28, 2023
One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. Mt_4:4b
“Blessed are the . . .”
(Mt_5:3-12)
“Blessed are you . . . because of me” (Jesus)
Our LIFE!
02-27-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 27, 2023
(St. Gregory of Narek, Abbot and Doctor of the Church)
Jesus said, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ Mt_25:31-46
The question we could expect at the final judgment (as per Jesus), is just this, “What have you done?” Was it done purely for the ‘me,’ or was it done for the betterment of the world – in one way or another? Was it done at the will of the “boss” and the for the sake of the dollar – to be used, again, purely for the me? Or was it done at the will of God, for the needy, for the hungry, for the thirsty, for the lonely, for the imprisoned, for the betterment of others, maybe even at the cost of ‘the me?’ Jesus wants us to be cognizant of ‘The Other!” To be a little compassionate. To even be, a little loving, and sometimes without any love in return! It’s not always easy, beloved. So scare us with hell, or entice us with heaven, with eternal life, this is our call, this is our choice. When we truly come to understand the gravity of the big picture. When we understand the brevity of this humanity compared to the immensity of eternity, following this simple command is pretty trivial. And with every encouragement, with every tiny show of our love for others, we, in reality, are vastly improving God’s Kingdom right here and now in our world. And that’s pretty awesome!
02-26-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 26, 2023
(1st Sunday of Lent, Yr. A)
After 40-days and nights of fasting in the desert, the tempter approached and said to him (Jesus), “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He said in reply, “It is written: ‘One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.’” Mt_4:1-11
Jesus quotes the Scriptures in response to the devil’s temptation, but we find that the devil knows the Scriptures as well. And thus, in his second temptation Satan comes back at Jesus with a Scripture quote of his own (twisted, of course to his own fitting). Jesus comes back at him with a correct interpretation. Finally Jesus simply tells Satan to get lost, which he does (for a little while, anyway).
It’s a good reminder, beloved, that Satan is no stupid or blatantly obvious deceiver. He is insidious, sneaky, persistent and even uses our own faith beliefs or weaknesses to trap us into sin. And with every sin we commit, we can just hear him chuckling in the background, “Got you! Again!”
Prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These are our weapons of protection against Satan’s wiles. Stay in the Scriptures, beloved. Be discerning (with the Holy Spirit’s help). Practice discipline. And always count on Jesus to help us through those times of most difficult temptation. His yoke is easy and his burden light. Mt_11:30
02-25-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 25, 2023
I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord, but rather in his conversion, that he may live. Ez_33:11
What a contradiction to the ways of the world. And yet, this is exactly the way God would like us to think as well. Rather than taking revenge and harboring hatred for those who are so lost that all they know is evil, we are to show them there is another, a better way to live. Yes, the evil hurts. It always hurts. But the rewards for converting a soul from a life of evil to life with God so out weighs the temporal joy of revenge with its concomitant guilt, that once we succeed (or allow God to help us succeed), in converting just one soul, we’ll never want to go back to the world’s way of hatred and revenge again. This is exactly what Jesus was meaning when He said, ‘love your enemies.’ There is a greater pleasure, a greater joy than what the world is adulterating our minds with. It’s called Love!
02-24-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 24, 2023
Is this the manner of fasting I wish, of keeping a day of penance: That a man bow his head like a reed and lie in sackcloth and ashes? Do you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am! Is_58:1-9a
And THERE is the Answer we’ve been searching for all our lives. Through our own actions! The Works of Mercy! Come Lord Jesus!
02-23-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 23, 2023
(St Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr)
Moses said to the people: “Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom. If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin on you today, loving him, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live and grow numerous, and the LORD, your God, will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy. Dt_30:15-20
Not a hard, hard rule, because there is badness that can happen to good people. We all have our examples, our St. Polycarp being a case in point. But keeping within the framework of God’s guidelines will surely make it much less likely, that we will bring evil upon ourselves. We were created for Good! And God wants nothing less than goodness to fill our lives. Follow Him, and be blessed in eternal life!
02-22-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 22, 2023
(Ash Wednesday)
Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting, and weeping, and mourning;
Rend your hearts, not your garments,
and return to the LORD, your God.
Jl_2:12-18
Sometimes, beloved, we just need a reminder to come back home.
God is waiting for us, with mercy and love.
Lent is that time. Actually, it’s always!
Jesus wants to meet us in the Scriptures, in our prayer, in our communities.
Let’s get together again!
02-21-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 21, 2023
(St. Peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor of the Church)
Jesus sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” Taking a child, he placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it, he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.” Mk_9:30-37
Letting go of pride. Letting go of competition. Letting go of self-centeredness. Recognizing others, even the lowest of the low. These are the calls to righteousness, the calls to holiness! Jesus doesn’t want great, He just wants us!
02-20-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 20, 2023
Jesus said, “Everything is possible to one who has faith.” Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!” Mk_9:14-29
If that’s not a request we can all make! Help our unbelief!
Whatever or whoever we have a difficult time believing in, beloved, “help our unbelief.” Moving mountains, healing the “unhealable,” getting through a crisis, speaking in public – help our unbelief Lord! “EVERYTHING is possible to one who has faith.” Believe!
02-19-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 19, 2023
(7th Sunday Ordinary Time A)
St. Paul said, Brothers and sisters: Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? . . . If any one among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to become wise. 1_Cor_3:16-23
Jesus said to His disciples, “When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand over your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go for two miles.” . . . “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, . . . So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Mt_5:38-48
Funny, how, when we’re conditioned by the world, the wisdom of God sounds so contradictory to it. So what is this wisdom of God? Well, it’s all centered on Love. When love fills our hearts, there are no enemies. When love fills our hearts, there is no me or you, just us. And when something attempts to or severs our ties the pain affects us both, along with everyone else around us. So our jobs in this life are to eliminate any possibility of severance coming from our doing. And that’s accomplished by/through our love. Yes, the world could be a real challenge to this philosophy. It might even sound contradictory to the principles of self-preservation. But in reality, self-preservation is only accomplished through self-renunciation, recognizing that it’s not all about me, but US, including God, in everything.
02-17-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 17, 2023
(The Seven Founders of the Servite Order, Religious)
Jesus summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it.” Mk_8:34-9:1
And what do we lose and what do we gain? Can we lose the ego while keeping self-respect? Can we lose the pride while keeping that sense of accomplishment? Can we know in our hearts that we’re doing the best we possibly can, while we know in our hearts that better is always possible, and it’s not coming from us? Can we lose the “self” to find the “other?” Can we surrender to God while still occupying ourselves with the necessities of serving our family, our job, our church? Life gets to be, not a matter of saving ourselves, but of losing ourselves (our “lives”) in order to fully serve our God, in our world and in eternity! And what we gain is “life to the full” here and now, and true life forever!
02-16-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 16, 2023
God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them: “Be fertile and multiply and fill the earth. Dread fear of you shall come upon all the animals of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon all the creatures that move about on the ground and all the fishes of the sea; into your power they are delivered. Every creature that is alive shall be yours to eat; I give them all to you as I did the green plants. Only flesh with its lifeblood still in it you shall not eat. For your own lifeblood, too, I will demand an accounting: from every animal I will demand it, and from one man in regard to his fellow man I will demand an accounting for human life. Gn_9:1-13
So there we have it. By the ninth Chapter of the Book of Genesis (and actually well before that), God was so familiar with the desires and deficiencies of man’s hearts that some guidelines were clearly necessary. He reminded this newly “saved” tiny portion of His creation (Noah and his family) that everything they possessed and ate were purely His gift to them. And what they did with that gift, those gifts, was to be held in great reverence with regard to His preferences.
Killing animals for food was within their power, but it could only be done for the sake of nourishment. And under no circumstance was mankind permitted to kill other humans, nor ingest any of God’s animals with it’s lifeblood still present. And if we do, well, then we have an accounting to do for it. We ARE being held accountable for the well being of our brothers and sisters, even when we may not agree with them, even when we may not like their looks or their habits, or think that anyone is less important than we are to God. That cuts out capital punishment, abortion, euthanasia and war. It works on our pride and operates in the realm of humility. It submits us to subjection and dependence on God, despite any power or wisdom or priority we think we have.
It is the Rule of Life!
A rule that can only be upheld through Love!
Love of God and love of one another.
And Jesus is our model!
02-15-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 15, 2023
Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Putting spittle on his eyes he laid his hands on the man and asked, “Do you see anything?” Looking up the man replied, “I see people looking like trees and walking.” Mk_8:22-26
What do YOU see, beloved? Do you see walking trees, or barking cows, or beautiful people and wondrous landscapes? You know, sometimes we see more of what we imagine than what we actually see. And sometimes we see more of the beauty than the ugliness of our world. Yes, there’s always and always will be the ugliness. But how good are we at finding the beauty? Did you notice the instant beautiful sunshine immediately after that pouring rainy day. Did you notice and take in the fresh air from our cleanly rinsed off world? Did you get the free car wash, or hear the grass cheering for getting some desperately needed water? Was it a gray day, or a sunny day for you? We had both! Jesus wants us to see the good in all. And then spread the joy in thanksgiving to God for it all!
02-14-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 14, 2023
(Ss. Cyril, Monk and Methodius, Bishop)
Jesus said to His disciples, “Do you still not understand?” Mk_8:14-21
Even with straight forward teaching from the Lord himself, the Apostles still did not understand about God’s boundless mercy and love and His abundance in giving. Love the Lord, beloved, with all your heart and soul and might, and you will never have to worry about provision again. God will provide all you ever need!
Valentines blessings and love to you all . . .
in the Name of Jesus!
02-13-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 13, 2023
The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went off to the other shore. Mk_8:11-13
Sometimes, beloved. Sometimes, but not always, we just have to take a deep breath and walk away. Life can become so exasperating, it’s better to regroup, it’s better to let them wallow in their ignorance, than to try to make sense of it all, then to fight a battle that you can never win. Jesus won the war, without their approval! And He won it for us! Never lose sight of HIM!
02-12-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 12, 2023
(6th Sunday Ordinary Time, A)
If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you; if you trust in God, you too shall live; he has set before you fire and water to whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand. Before man are life and death, good and evil, whichever he chooses shall be given him. Sir_15:15-20
Choose water, beloved. Choose good. And choose life. For I really do want to get to meet and know you in “eternal life.”
Jesus has gone through excruciating detail describing what that choice is all about. Don’t make vows that can be broken. If you are in a vow, keep it. If you’re asked to go one mile, go two. And there’s one commitment that’s crucial to keep. It’s keeping God’s commandment to love one another. When we’re committed to that, everything we do and don’t do is based on that love. Compassion, forgiveness, patience, understanding and maybe even a little suffering to keep our love commitment. This will bring us life. Not only now but forever!
May our loving God and our brothers and sisters bring you peace and love, beloved! You ARE loved!
p.s. Happy birthday President Lincoln!
02-11-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 11, 2023
(Our Lady of Lourdes)
There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Jn_2:1-11
I’m not sure where you all were, or what you were doing in 1958, but, as a grubby little 5-year old, on the streets of North Jersey, I really had no idea that something so tremendously significant to my later-life would be happening, some thousand miles away, in a little cornfield in central Missouri. And yet, it would not only prove to be momentous to MY life, but to the lives of every one of us here.
You see, there’s a thread that ties every Physical, every Human aspect of our stories together, and we might even say, our entire human existence, and that thread is called WATER. And there’s another thread that ties every divine, every Spiritual aspect of our stories together, and He’s called GOD.
And it’s only TO God, as St. Paul tells the Corinthians, that we can give the Glory FOR it all . . .
– The Glory for Mary, our Mother;
– The Glory for Jesus, our Savior;
– The Glory for ALL of God’s messengers in our lives;
– and the Glory for our wonderful world, even with its challenges and its pitfalls.
Did you happen to notice in John’s Gospel story of the Wedding Feast at Cana, today, how the headwaiter didn’t give his kudos to Jesus for the good wine, but to the bridegroom instead? You see, Jesus never grasped for the fame, just for our hearts. And, just like that headwaiter, we may not always know the source of life’s goodness, but we should still, and always, give the Glory to God, just as John did in his telling of this story.
And, while we’re on the Cana Story, did you also happen to notice how Mary never actually told Jesus to turn the water into wine? But she did tell the servants to DO – whatever Jesus told them, the same way that she always points us back to her Son.
– Water to wine.
– Ordinary to extraordinary.
– Thirst to refreshment.
Water!
It truly IS the thread that binds.
But now we’re getting ahead of ourselves. So let’s take a little journey back to what led us to 1958, both in the Water, and in the Spirit.
We might say that it all began in the very first two verses of Genesis, in the Waters of Creation, over which swept the mighty wind of the Holy Spirit. And we can see those waters flowing through every one of our beautiful stained glass windows, from Creation to those heavenly gates. (https://colorme4life.com/time/stained-glass-splendor/) And that might even clue us in to the BIG Picture.
So, we don’t really have to go back
– to Noah’s flood,
– to Moses crossing of the Red Sea,
– to God’s water from a rock,
– to Joshua’s crossing of the Jordan,
– to Ezekiel’s River of Life,
– to John’s baptism,
– to Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, or even . . .
– to the Blood and Water that flowed from the side of our crucified Lord . .
in order to see how this thread of Water ties us, not only through the watery wombs of our mothers, but through our own Baptisms, TO our Union together, with one another in Body and Spirit, and with God. (Link to my Bible video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUOB6xeqd-4)
And yet, as time came and went,
– through the peace and the wars,
– through the politics and the technology,
– through the births and the deaths, just like the Israelites, we would often forget our ties, and we would forget our Lord, and we would turn inward in our solitude, away from the very source of our existence, save for some occasional, but rare sparks of light and remembrance, offered by people like Augustine, and Francis, and Theresa of Calcutta. And in our blindness, and in our solitude, God would also speak to us – through the lips of the poor and the little children.
You see, it wasn’t until 1854 that our great Church leaders would finally acknowledge in an official, ex-cathedra, infallible, proclamation by Pope Pius the 9th, the Dogma of – the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. If you never heard or read the statement of an infallible dogma, I think you’ll enjoy hearing this little piece from the Pope’s document “Ineffabilis Deus,” where He wrote,
“We declare, pronounce and define that the doctrine which asserts that the Blessed Virgin Mary, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, was preserved free from every stain of original sin is a doctrine revealed by God, and for this reason, must be firmly and constantly believed by all the faithful”
THE Immaculate Conception!
In a mid-1800’s world, without radio, or television, or internet, and especially in the poverty-stricken outskirts of rural, southern France, a young, 14-year old girl would NOT have had a clue as to the goings-on of the Pope, at the Vatican, in Italy, 4-years earlier.
And it was there, on a frigid, February morning of 1858, outside of a muddy cave called the Grotto of Massabielle, about a mile from the town of Lourdes, France, it was there that the young Bernadette Soubirous would encounter, in the gust of the Holy Spirit’s wind, a beautiful Lady with a message of God’s love. (1943 Song of Bernadette movie link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6zAoq8tRfI)
Bernadette was, at first, so unsure of what to make of the vision, that in a subsequent encounter, of which she had 18 in total, she brought along some Holy Water with which to sprinkle the “lovely Lady,” just to confirm that she was from God, and not from the devil. The historians tell us that “the gesture brought a smile to the Lady’s countenance!”
You see, that message of Love, given to Bernadette, and to the world, would manifest itself in both WORD and FORM:
– In WORD, the Lady requested prayer and penance for sinners.
– In Word, the Lady requested a Chapel to be built, and a Procession to be held.
– In Word the Lady would NOT promise happiness in a World of pride, and greed, and solitude, but, rather, only in a world of charity and justice and love.
– In Word, the Lady, when pleaded by Bernadette for her name, would finally reveal herself, as The Immaculate Conception; a title, totally unknown to young Bernadette. But to a Church, that just 4-years earlier, formally entitled the Blessed Virgin Mary with that very same name, it was the first of many undeniable proofs of the authenticity of Bernadette’s encounter.
WE had HEARD her WORD, and through the lips of a poor and young child, as well!
Then, in FORM, the world would witness Bernadette’s ecstasy in the presence of our Blessed Mother.
– In Form, the world would witness Bernadette’s humility, just as they did our Savior, Jesus.
– And in Form, then and there and in all the years to follow, the world would be witness to a Healing Spring of WATER, dug by the very hands of Bernadette at the request of the Holy Mother of Jesus.
Our Mother, who always points us to her Son.
(Grotto at the Shrine in Lourdes, France)
It truly was a crowning moment in the history of the Church, as the apparition was approved ‘authentic’ just 4-years later, in 1862. And Bernadette was canonized as Saint Bernadette, in 1933.
You see, there again, and through it all was that essential thread of Water tying all of humanity to each other and to that unconditional and healing Love of God.
In the years to follow, Pope John Paul II would designate February 11 as the “World Day of the Sick” in remembrance of that healing spring of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Of course, it is by no coincidence that the street upon which our Church is built is called – Bernadette Drive. For it was in 1958, in the fifth year of my life, just two years after the establishment of the Diocese of Jefferson City, and in the year of the 100th Anniversary of the Lourdes apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Bernadette, that our original Church, constructed in a rural cornfield, was dedicated by Bishop Marling as Our Lady of Lourdes Church of Columbia, Missouri. (Link to our website – https://ourladyoflourdes.diojeffcity.org/)
And even today, the waters still flow, baptizing newcomers into our Faith, and building our Church, just as Jesus asked of us. Sixty-five years later, we’ve grown to more than double the size of our original community, thanks to all of us and, of course, all to the Glory of God, our Father, all for the Love of Jesus, our Savior, and all with the comfort, support and encouragement of Mary, our ever-blessed Mother.
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,
. . . that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
jmp 02-11-23
02-10-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 10, 2023
(St. Scholastica, Virgin)
The people brought to Jesus a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”) And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. Mk_7:31-37
Sometimes, beloved, it takes our own faith to overcome our impediments, and sometimes it can be accomplished through the faith of others. The greater our faith the more that can be accomplished, all in the name of Love! All in our belief in Jesus!
02-09-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 9, 2023
The LORD God said: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.” . . . So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the man, the man said: “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called ‘woman,’ for out of ‘her man’ this one has been taken.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh. Gn_2:18-25
“THAT IS WHY!!!” Only Man and Woman! “The two become ONE flesh.” Men can be buds. Women can become BFF’s. But only man and woman can become husband and wife through the SACRAMENT of Holy Matrimony. So don’t push all your xyzlqm on us, Sodom and Gomorrah. It’s not God’s will, nor intent, nor design for humanity. We are ALL God’s children. Loved by Him and one another. And we all sin in one way or another. But please, keep your sins to yourself and stop pushing it on us and our kids! Blessed be God forever!
02-08-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 8, 2023
(St. Josephine Bakhita, Virgin)
Jesus said, “Do you not realize that everything that goes into a person from outside cannot defile, since it enters not the heart but the stomach and passes out into the latrine?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) “But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him. From within the man, from his heart, come evil thoughts, . . .” Mk_7:14-23
And there is where the change needs to come, from right within ourselves. They say that love conquers all evil. So that is where we need to start. And there’s no better way to learn love than from the Master, himself. Follow Him!
02-07-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 7, 2023
(Bl. Pius IX, Pope)
When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you set in place, What is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him? Ps_8
Then God said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.” God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them, saying: “Be fertile and multiply;” Gn_1:20-2:4a
Mere man, but glorified by God, with creation in the divine image. Thus, we are not to disrespect God by disrespecting ourselves. God loves us unconditionally. And we should feel the same about ourselves and all of God’s creation, pleasant or not – we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Believe it, beloved! And live in Him!
02-06-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 6, 2023
(St. Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs)
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_1:1-19
Out of the immensity of His love, God created. First a place for His humanity to dwell, then their food for nourishment, their earth for enjoyment, their lights to guide them and their sea to hydrate them. And it was in those very first two sentences of the first book of the recording of this history that God revealed Himself. God the Creator, who created the heavens and the earth. God the Holy Spirit, the power sweeping over the waters. And God the Word from which the commands of creation emanated. His presence filled it all, the heavens and the earth, the sea and the land, the vegetation, the animals, the sea creatures and humanity. Men and women created in the likeness of God. Oh what awesome grace from which we originated. Blessed be our God forever!
02-05-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 5, 2023
(5th Sunday Ordinary Time, A)
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
There’s one, beloved, to hang on our dashboards! “You are the light of the world!”
Not a light to be hidden in our pockets. Not a light to be stashed in our secret place, to brighten our day, but nobody else’s. God’s light in us is given for us to shine on the world! To make it a better place by our good deeds – TO the Glory of God! To give in thanksgiving for Jesus and with the courage and strength of the Holy Spirit within us! Shine that LIGHT, beloved! It’s in YOU!
02-04-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 4, 2023
When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. Mk_6:30-34
Why were they like sheep without a shepherd? Guess it implies that their shepherds were not feeding them. Were not guiding them. Were not leading them. And then we might ask, just as well, who’s leading us? Is our government leading us??? Is our media leading us? Is even our church leading us? Where’s the Truth and where are we in all of it? If we find ourselves being pulled by the earring through our noses, by the screens in our hands, or by the pods in our ears. If we find ourselves believing everything we see and hear and seem to ignore all those pin pricks of conscience, of truth, every time we hear another lie, then maybe it’s time to wake up to Christ in our lives. Maybe like those lost Jews, we need to follow Him across the sea, follow Him across the desert, seek Him in the Scriptures and find him in the congregations of our churches, in the poor and needy, in our very hearts! He’s there, beloved! We have no need for any other shepherd, but Jesus!
“The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.” Ps_23
02-03-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 3, 2023
(St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr)
Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels. Be mindful of prisoners as if sharing their imprisonment, and of the ill-treated as of yourselves, for you also are in the body.
Let marriage be honored among all and the marriage bed be kept undefiled, for God will judge the immoral and adulterers.
Let your life be free from love of money but be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never forsake you or abandon you.” Thus we may say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?”
Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Heb_13:1-8
If we jumped into the world of Scripture and Church, we’d get the feeling that today was not a very good day, and yet it IS a good day – for NECKS.
And if we listened close enough, it almost seems as if – our First Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews – was written specifically to coincide with today’s Gospel reading from St. Mark. It speaks of Hospitality. It speaks of Compassion for the imprisoned. It talks about Fidelity in Marriage, keeping Wealth in its proper perspective, and living the Wisdom of God’s Word, in faith.
And it all begins with a reminder of the importance of Hospitality, which was precisely what King Herod was expressing with his birthday party. And yet, knowing Herod, he more than likely had some ulterior motive for buttering up the local dignitaries. Unfortunately, his demonstration of generosity and wealth, backfired when he was confronted with the CHOICE of “Saving Face,” or losing his captive, John the Baptist, whom he both feared and enjoyed listening to.
And it was exactly that choice that exposed Herod’s self-centeredness, his LACK of compassion for the imprisoned, and his total disregard for the respect of human life.
Of course, we know that it all began and ended with a case-study in marital infidelity. For when John brought God’s Wisdom in the importance of marital integrity, and their illicit union, to the attention of Herod and Herodias, this did not bode well with Herodias, who insisted that Herod arrest John. Then, at the first chance she could get, Herodias had John silenced for good.
In the end, it’s pretty obvious, that Herod was NOT very hospitable, because I’m sure none of the dignitaries expected a slaying party. Neither could Herod seem to get over his obsession with money and his boasting about it. He didn’t care about God’s Wisdom, with respect to his marital relationship. And he was also, not very compassionate for the imprisoned, as attested by John’s demise.
And poor John ended up with his neck severed.
It truly, was not a very good day all around.
On the contrary, the Bishop, St. Blaise, was credited, as the legend tells us, with SAVING a young child who had a bone stuck in his neck. Although St. Blaise himself met the same fate as John the Baptist, he is still remembered some 1700-years later for his heroic acts, his miracles, his wisdom and his Faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
And so, today, in thanksgiving for both Ss. John and Blaise, we give thanks to God our Father for blessing us with their lives!
02-02-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 2, 2023
(Presentation of the Lord)
When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Lk_2:22-40
All according to the prescriptions of the Law! Joseph and Mary were faithful to their Jewish faith. The same faith in which their Son, and our Lord, was raised. You know, beloved, sometimes we may not always be thrilled with all the laws and restrictions of our own faith, but like Mary and Joseph, and in faith to Jesus, we remain, quiet and obedient, seeking only the reward of that faith – life with Jesus forever! Blessed be our God and the Holy Spirit for giving us the strength to endure, and the grace to continue!
02-01-23 Catholic Daily Mass Quotes
February 1, 2023
All discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it. So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed. Heb_12:4-7,11-15
Learn, accept, strengthen and be healed!
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Happy February, beloved!
God’s blessings!
Please come visit January’s Daily Mass Quotes too…
Link below.
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EARLIER MONTH’S QUOTES can be found
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