Today's Readings:
Acts 17:15, 22-18:1
Ps 148:1-2, 11-14
Jn 16:12-15
http://www.fatherryan.org
We believe the Spirit guides us to the will of the Father, but what is that will for us? We know the general answer: to live good Christian lives, loving God and neighbor; but what specifically am I being called to today? Each of us must choose to follow God's will in our lives, but before we do this, we have to attempt to understand what it is God is calling us to. To know this, we must be open to his Holy Spirit and ready to follow him when he calls. Today let ask the Spirit to reveal what the Father wishes for us and to follow him wherever he may call. Have a great day and God Bless.
Prayer: Speak Lord, your servant is listening...
Saint of the Day - St. Nereus, St. Achilleus, & St. Pancras
Nereus and Achilleus were Roman soldiers who died around 304. They were probably Praetorian guards under Emperor Trajan. We know little else about them. But what we do know comes from two popes who lived in the fourth century, Pope Siricius and Pope Damasus. In 398, Pope Siricius built a church in their honor in Rome. Pope Damasus wrote a brief tribute to the martyrs. He explained that Nereus and Achilleus were converted to the Christian faith. They left behind their weapons forever. They were true followers of Jesus even at the cost of their own lives. Nereus and Achilleus were sent into exile to the island of Terracina. There they were beheaded. In the sixth century, a second church was built in another part of Rome to honor these two martyrs. St. Pancras, a fourteen-year-old orphan, lived at the same time. He could possibly have been killed on the same day. Pancras was not a native of Rome. He was brought there by his uncle who looked after him. He became a follower of Jesus and was baptized. Although just a boy, he was arrested for being a Christian. Pancras refused to give up his faith. For that, he was sentenced to death. Pancras was beheaded. He became a very popular martyr in the early Church. People admired him for being so young and so brave. In 514, a large church was built in Rome to honor him. In 596, the famous missionary, St. Augustine of Canterbury, went to bring the Christian faith to England. He named his first church there after St. Pancras.
Reflection: With the help of the prayers of these three saints, may we understand what it means to be members
Saint information comes from: http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/dailysaint/may/0512.asp
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
God's Right Hand
Today's Readings:
Acts 16:22-34
Ps 138:1-3, 7-8
Jn 16:5-11
Christ prepares his disciples and us for the coming of the Holy Spirit that will fill us with the knowledge that truly, God's right hand has saved us. Through trials and triumphs, the hand of the Lord remains steadfast in his care for his children, for those who have heard his Word and follow it in their lives. Today let us do just that and take some time to thank the Spirit for his continued presence and love in our lives. Have a great day and God Bless.
Prayer: Come Holy Spirit, enkindle in us the fire of your love...
Saint of the Day - St. Ignatius of Laconi
Ignatius was the son of a poor farmer in Laconi, Italy. He was born on December 17, 1701. When he was about seventeen, he became very ill. He promised to be a Franciscan if he would get better. But when the illness left him, his father convinced him to wait. A couple of years later, Ignatius was almost killed when he lost control of his horse. Suddenly, however, the horse stopped and trotted on quietly. Ignatius was convinced, then, that God had saved his life. He made up his mind to follow his religious vocation at once. Brother Ignatius never had any important position in the Franciscan order. For fifteen years he worked in the weaving shed. Then, for forty years, he was part of the team who went out from house to house. They requested food and donations to support the friars. Ignatius visited families and received their gift. But the people soon realized that they received a gift in return. Brother Ignatius consoled the sick and cheered up the lonely. He made peace between enemies, converted people hardened by sin and advised those in trouble. They began to wait for his visits. There were some difficult days, too. Once in a while, a door was slammed in his face, and often the weather was bad. Always, there were miles and miles to walk. But Ignatius was dedicated. Yet people noticed he used to skip one house. The owner was a rich moneylender. He made the poor pay back much more than they could afford. This man felt humiliated because Ignatius never visited his home to ask for donations. He complained to Brother Ignatius' superior. The superior knew nothing about the moneylender so he sent Ignatius to his home. Brother Ignatius never said a word, but did as he was told. He returned with a large sack of food. It was then that God worked a miracle. When the sack was emptied, blood dripped out. "This is the blood of the poor," Ignatius explained softly. "That is why I never ask for anything at that house." The friars began to pray that the moneylender would repent. Brother Ignatius died at the age of eighty, on May 11, 1781. He was proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius XII in 1951.
Reflection: This saint showed us that one of the best gifts we can give anyone is good example. What message to others does my example give?
Saint information comes from: http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/dailysaint/may/0511.asp
Acts 16:22-34
Ps 138:1-3, 7-8
Jn 16:5-11
Christ prepares his disciples and us for the coming of the Holy Spirit that will fill us with the knowledge that truly, God's right hand has saved us. Through trials and triumphs, the hand of the Lord remains steadfast in his care for his children, for those who have heard his Word and follow it in their lives. Today let us do just that and take some time to thank the Spirit for his continued presence and love in our lives. Have a great day and God Bless.
Prayer: Come Holy Spirit, enkindle in us the fire of your love...
Saint of the Day - St. Ignatius of Laconi
Ignatius was the son of a poor farmer in Laconi, Italy. He was born on December 17, 1701. When he was about seventeen, he became very ill. He promised to be a Franciscan if he would get better. But when the illness left him, his father convinced him to wait. A couple of years later, Ignatius was almost killed when he lost control of his horse. Suddenly, however, the horse stopped and trotted on quietly. Ignatius was convinced, then, that God had saved his life. He made up his mind to follow his religious vocation at once. Brother Ignatius never had any important position in the Franciscan order. For fifteen years he worked in the weaving shed. Then, for forty years, he was part of the team who went out from house to house. They requested food and donations to support the friars. Ignatius visited families and received their gift. But the people soon realized that they received a gift in return. Brother Ignatius consoled the sick and cheered up the lonely. He made peace between enemies, converted people hardened by sin and advised those in trouble. They began to wait for his visits. There were some difficult days, too. Once in a while, a door was slammed in his face, and often the weather was bad. Always, there were miles and miles to walk. But Ignatius was dedicated. Yet people noticed he used to skip one house. The owner was a rich moneylender. He made the poor pay back much more than they could afford. This man felt humiliated because Ignatius never visited his home to ask for donations. He complained to Brother Ignatius' superior. The superior knew nothing about the moneylender so he sent Ignatius to his home. Brother Ignatius never said a word, but did as he was told. He returned with a large sack of food. It was then that God worked a miracle. When the sack was emptied, blood dripped out. "This is the blood of the poor," Ignatius explained softly. "That is why I never ask for anything at that house." The friars began to pray that the moneylender would repent. Brother Ignatius died at the age of eighty, on May 11, 1781. He was proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius XII in 1951.
Reflection: This saint showed us that one of the best gifts we can give anyone is good example. What message to others does my example give?
Saint information comes from: http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/dailysaint/may/0511.asp
Monday, May 10, 2010
Strength in Christ
Today's Readings:
Acts 16:11-15
Ps 149:1-6, 9
Jn 15:26-16:4
In our Gospel Jesus prepares his disciples for times of trouble that were to come for the early Church, but he is also preparing us for those times as well. With recent events many of us are experiencing those troubled times now; times of unsurity, instability, confusion, sadness and loss, even anger. Through them all though we believe that our Lord is with us; the Holy Spirit guides us, even in our darkest hour. We trust that our God has a plan, though we may not know what that plan is. Today let us appeal to the Holy Spirit to be with us and guide us and strengthen us as we continue our journey of faith. God Bless.
Prayer: My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that, if I do this, You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone. - Thomas Merton
Saint of the Day - St. Antoninus
St. Antoninus lived in the fifteenth century. Even as a boy he showed that he had good sense and will power. The story is told that when he was fifteen, he asked to join the Dominican order. He looked young, and he was small. The prior studied him for a moment and then said, "I'll accept you when you know 'Gratian's Decree' by heart." "Gratian's Decree" was a book, several hundred pages long. So, in other words, the prior was telling Antoninus "no." But Antoninus accepted the challenge. One year later he returned. It would be hard to describe the prior's amazement when he found that Antoninus had memorized the whole decree! Needless to say, he was accepted at once. (It was not his ability to memorize that changed the prior's mind, though. It was because he had proved he was serious about his vocation.) Though just sixteen, Antoninus continued to surprise everyone by the way he lived the life of his order. As he grew older, he was given one important position after another. He was a good influence on his fellow Dominicans. They loved and respected him. This is proved powerfully in the life of Blessed Anthony Neyrot whose feast is April 10. In March, 1446, Antoninus became the archbishop of Florence, Italy. "The father of the poor" was the name given this saint. He never refused to help anyone. When he had no more money, he would give his clothes, his shoes, his furniture or his one mule. Many times this mule was sold to help someone. Then it would be bought back for him by wealthy citizens. Of course, he would sell it again to help someone else! Often St. Antoninus would say, "A successor of the apostles should not own anything except the wealth of virtue." St. Antoninus died in 1459. He was proclaimed a saint in 1523.
Reflection: "A successor of the apostles should not own anything except the wealth of virtue."-St. Antoninus
Saint information comes from: http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/dailysaint/may/0510.asp
Acts 16:11-15
Ps 149:1-6, 9
Jn 15:26-16:4
In our Gospel Jesus prepares his disciples for times of trouble that were to come for the early Church, but he is also preparing us for those times as well. With recent events many of us are experiencing those troubled times now; times of unsurity, instability, confusion, sadness and loss, even anger. Through them all though we believe that our Lord is with us; the Holy Spirit guides us, even in our darkest hour. We trust that our God has a plan, though we may not know what that plan is. Today let us appeal to the Holy Spirit to be with us and guide us and strengthen us as we continue our journey of faith. God Bless.
Prayer: My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that, if I do this, You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone. - Thomas Merton
Saint of the Day - St. Antoninus
St. Antoninus lived in the fifteenth century. Even as a boy he showed that he had good sense and will power. The story is told that when he was fifteen, he asked to join the Dominican order. He looked young, and he was small. The prior studied him for a moment and then said, "I'll accept you when you know 'Gratian's Decree' by heart." "Gratian's Decree" was a book, several hundred pages long. So, in other words, the prior was telling Antoninus "no." But Antoninus accepted the challenge. One year later he returned. It would be hard to describe the prior's amazement when he found that Antoninus had memorized the whole decree! Needless to say, he was accepted at once. (It was not his ability to memorize that changed the prior's mind, though. It was because he had proved he was serious about his vocation.) Though just sixteen, Antoninus continued to surprise everyone by the way he lived the life of his order. As he grew older, he was given one important position after another. He was a good influence on his fellow Dominicans. They loved and respected him. This is proved powerfully in the life of Blessed Anthony Neyrot whose feast is April 10. In March, 1446, Antoninus became the archbishop of Florence, Italy. "The father of the poor" was the name given this saint. He never refused to help anyone. When he had no more money, he would give his clothes, his shoes, his furniture or his one mule. Many times this mule was sold to help someone. Then it would be bought back for him by wealthy citizens. Of course, he would sell it again to help someone else! Often St. Antoninus would say, "A successor of the apostles should not own anything except the wealth of virtue." St. Antoninus died in 1459. He was proclaimed a saint in 1523.
Reflection: "A successor of the apostles should not own anything except the wealth of virtue."-St. Antoninus
Saint information comes from: http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/dailysaint/may/0510.asp
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