Hello my friends! The weather was good, we went to that Parish - it was a very nice time there, did sell a little, at least it wasn't a waste of time, got to meet Father Charlie again who knew my uncles from the Crosier Order, he was promoting vocations to the Crosier Order of Priests. Lori's surgery won't happen next Saturday now because she has a stigmatism and will need more time in surgery - so that has to be rescheduled. Thanks all for your prayers, and you all are in mine. God bless you!
The important thing is not how long your life is, but how good your life is.
Lord, may I glorify You all the days of my life.
S C R I P T U R E F O R T H E D A Y
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were
called in the one body. And be thankful." ~Colossians 3:15
M E D I T A T I O N F O R T H E D A Y
We can be at home and comfortable in the world. Yet some of us live
lives of quiet desperation. This is the opposite of being at home and at
peace in the world. We can let our peace of mind be evident to those around
us.
We can let others see that we are comfortable, and seeing it, know that it
springs from our trust in God. The dull, hard way of resignation is
not God's way. Faith can take the sting out of the winds of adversity and
can bring peace even in the midst of struggle.
P R A Y E R F O R T H E D A Y
I pray that I may be more comfortable in my way of living. I pray that
I may feel more at home and at peace within myself.
Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you
for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living
water."
John 4:10
Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water shall thirst
again: 14But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never
thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water
springing up into everlasting life." John 4:13,14
Hydration
Right up there at the top of the list of things I don't like to do would be
ironing. When I was about eight or nine, I had a toy iron that I used to
iron doll clothes; later my mom taught me just how to do shoulders sleeves
seams and all the rest. I have done a fair amount but still don't like doing
it.
Yesterday I washed a pair of trousers and hung them up to dry while damp,
carefully- so as to not wrinkle them. I was absolutely amazed to see if they
were bone dry in no time. The dry air had sucked the moisture right out of
the cloth.
That is what happens in our atmosphere. What about our spirit? We are 80%
water and we have to drink water continually to stay hydrated; we can live
without food but we cannot live without water. And what about our souls?
What about our spirit? Our spirit cannot be refreshed without water too.
What happens to old stagnant water? It becomes polluted and a breeding place
for insects. We need fresh water for our souls - living water.
About living water, Jesus said, "living water ...whoever drinks of the water
that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give
him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
An awesome promise, that is GOOD news.
Inspirational Messages, Sally I. Kennedy ©2013
www.sallyikennedy.com
THE STORY OF SOUL
Author Unknown
There once was a man named Soul who was walking in a garden. He was
whistling a real sweet tune for he was saved and had the joy of the
Lord, but he was a baby Christian. As Soul was walking, a beautiful
and seductive woman came out from behind a tree. Soul was very
startled. He said, "Hello, I'm Soul, what is your name?"
She replied, "I am Temptation, I have what you want."
"What do I want?" replied Soul.
"You want to do all things which are of the flesh," said Temptation.
Soul replied, "O.K., lead me."
So he and Temptation went off and fulfilled the desires of the flesh.
When Soul returned to the garden, he met a man named Condemnation.
Condemnation said, "Hey, I see you have met my friend, Temptation."
Soul said, "Yes, who are you?"
"I am Condemnation, I come after Temptation. We work hand-in-hand. "
Then Condemnation jumped on Soul's back and began to beat him. He hit
him in the face and kicked him when he was down. This went on for
several days.
On about the third day, a man named Mercy came running and said, "I
command you, Condemnation, to stop beating Soul."
Condemnation snickered, "Make me."
So Mercy unsheathed his sword and cut Condemnation in two.
As Soul watched in astonished pain, he was overtaken by the power of
Mercy. Mercy walked up to Soul and said, "I have dealt with
Condemnation before. He should not show up around you anymore."
Soul replied, "How can I ever thank you?"
"Well," replied Mercy, "I was sent here by God and He told me to
introduce you to a dear friend of mine. His name is Redemption."
Redemption walked up and said, "Hello Soul, I see that you are not
doing well."
Soul replied, "Not until Mercy came along. It is a pleasure to meet
you Redemption."
"Well", said Redemption," I am glad to meet you. Are you ready to
accept me?"
"What do you mean?" asked Soul.
Redemption said, "Well, when you accepted Jesus and decided to walk
with Him, then you chose to accept the things of Him and His love. I
am a part of Jesus' love. I help you feel forgiven. You will never
have to deal with Condemnation again. Temptation may come around, but
I have someone I would like for you to meet who can help you with
that. His name is Grace."
Grace walked up to Soul and said, "Hello Soul, I have been waiting for
you. As a matter of fact all three of us have been waiting to meet
you.
I will help you take the way out of Temptation that God gives you as
it comes up. The last person we want you to meet is Faith."
"Hi Soul, I am Faith, and I will help you stay strong and keep your
beliefs strong," said Faith.
Soul began to cry. When he began to cry Redemption said, "This is what
we were here for. Jesus redeemed you, saved you by Grace through Faith
and gives you his Mercy. Jesus loves you Soul."
Soul said, "I love you, Jesus."
Meditations by Padre Pio
"As long as you are afraid, you will not sin." "Maybe, Father, but I suffer
a great deal." "Certainly, one suffers, but one must have confidence; there
is the fear of God and the fear of Judas." Too much fear makes us act
without love, and too much confidence cause us not to consider and fear the
danger that we must overcome. One should help the other, and go together
like two sisters. Always, when we become beware of being afraid, of having
too much fear, we should remember to become confident. If we are excessively
confident, we should become instead a little fearful. Love tends to the
object loved, however, in its approach, it is blind, it does not see. But
holy fear enlightens it.
[Pictorial Lives of the Saints: The Conversion of Saint Paul]Article
The great Apostle Paul, named Saul at his circumcision, was born at Tarsus,
the capital of Cilicia, and was by privilege a Roman citizen, to which
quality a great distinction and several exemptions were granted by the laws
of the empire. He was early instructed in the strict observance of the
Mosaic law, and lived up to it in the most scrupulous manner. In his zeal
for the Jewish law, which he thought the cause of God, he became a violent
persecutor of the Christians. He was one of those who combined to murder
Saint Stephen, and in the violent persecution of the faithful, which
followed the martyrdom of the holy deacon, Saul signalized himself above
others. By virtue of the power he had received from the high priest, he
dragged the Christians out of their houses, loaded them with chains and
thrust them into prison. In the fury of his zeal he applied for a commission
to take up all Jews at Damascus who confessed Jesus Christ, and bring them
bound to Jerusalem, that they might serve as examples for the others. But
God was pleased to show forth in him His patience and mercy. While on his
way to Damascus, he and his party were surrounded by a light from heaven,
brighter than the sun, and suddenly struck to the ground. And then a voice
was heard saying, “Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me?” And Saul
answered, “Who art thou, Lord?” and the voice replied, “I am Jesus whom thou
dost persecute.” This mild expostulation of our Redeemer, accompanied with a
powerful interior grace, cured Saul’s pride, assuaged his rage, and wrought
at once a total change in him. Wherefore, trembling and astonished, he cried
out, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” Our Lord ordered him to arise and
to proceed on his way to the city, where he should be informed of what was
expected from him. Saul, arising from the ground, found that though his eyes
were open, he saw nothing. He was led by hand into Damascus, where he was
lodged in the house of a Jew named Judas. To this house came by divine
appointment a holy man named Ananias, who, laying his hands on Saul, said, ”
Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to thee on thy journey, hath sent
me that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.”
Immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he recovered
his eyesight. Then he arose, and was baptized; he stayed some few days with
the disciples at Damascus, and began immediately to preach in the synagogues
that Jesus was the Son of God. Thus a blasphemer and a persecutor was made
an apostle, and chosen as one of God’s principal instruments in the
conversion of the world.
Reflection – Listen to the words of the “Imitation of Christ,” and let them
sink into your heart: “He who would keep the grace of God, let him be
grateful for grace when it is given, and patient when it is taken away. Let
him pray that it may be given back to him, and be careful and humble, lest
he lose it.”
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