Imagine

Day's Saints

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Columbanus the Younger, Martyr

Gospel Lk 19:1-10
At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.
Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
was seeking to see who Jesus was;
but he could not see him because of the crowd,
for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
who was about to pass that way.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
"Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house."
And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying,
"He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner."
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
"Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,
and if I have extorted anything from anyone
I shall repay it four times over."
And Jesus said to him,
"Today salvation has come to this house
because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost."

+

Feast with the Lord and give thanks.

Imagine if the richest politician in Congress did what Zacchaeus did; what a stir there would be. But that is not what people do. If they can press any advantage, they press it until it bleeds and then press it some more.

Rather than sit down in the halls of Congress and decide the important matters of the people, they plot to defraud the people, hiding the evil they have perpetrated against those they trusted, and send away orphans and the poverty stricken and elderly and homeless as if they were criminals. Anyone who does so will not be eastly received into Heaven.

The people of ages past, during the time of great empires were done in by tiny fleas who spread deadly plague across Asia and Europe until at least a quarter of the population was dead. Scientific research says that a sudden cold spell was responsible for the spread of the plague. The fleas that gorge themselves on blood starve to death with a full gut because their meal blocks their internal anatomy, but not before biting human beings and spreading the pathogens far and wide.

The same pathogen exists today in many places in the world, but the circumstances that allowed the sudden outbreak of the horrors that was the black death.

For all our advantages we ought to thank God and praise His Name if we live with plenty and can go our own way without some military oppression casting a pall over everyone.

For all those suffering, do not ask why as if you were to blame, for many who entered eternal happiness thought themselves surely doomed but were embraced in affectionate love by the Lord. Those who perceive faults and blame but who avoid sinning and displeasing the Lord are not by any means doomed, but beloved of the Lord, resting in the Garden of His love.

The enemy seeks to agitate and fill our hearts with fear, and those who spread these evils lose sight of the day of their confinement whence they will never escape. Those who love the Lord, instead praise His Name for they know His goodness and give thanks for His bounty. Listen, and if you hear songs and praise rising up in gloomy darkness, seek out those who rejoice and join then, adding your gratitude to theirs, for the kingdom they approach they will enter without sorrows.

Imagine

Day's Saints

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Columbanus the Younger, Martyr

Gospel Lk 19:1-10
At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town.
Now a man there named Zacchaeus,
who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man,
was seeking to see who Jesus was;
but he could not see him because of the crowd,
for he was short in stature.
So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus,
who was about to pass that way.
When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
"Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house."
And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying,
"He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner."
But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
"Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor,
and if I have extorted anything from anyone
I shall repay it four times over."
And Jesus said to him,
"Today salvation has come to this house
because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.
For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost."

+

Feast with the Lord and give thanks.

Imagine if the richest politician in Congress did what Zacchaeus did; what a stir there would be. But that is not what people do. If they can press any advantage, they press it until it bleeds and then press it some more.

Rather than sit down in the halls of Congress and decide the important matters of the people, they plot to defraud the people, hiding the evil they have perpetrated against those they trusted, and send away orphans and the poverty stricken and elderly and homeless as if they were criminals. Anyone who does so will not be eastly received into Heaven.

The people of ages past, during the time of great empires were done in by tiny fleas who spread deadly plague across Asia and Europe until at least a quarter of the population was dead. Scientific research says that a sudden cold spell was responsible for the spread of the plague. The fleas that gorge themselves on blood starve to death with a full gut because their meal blocks their internal anatomy, but not before biting human beings and spreading the pathogens far and wide.

The same pathogen exists today in many places in the world, but the circumstances that allowed the sudden outbreak of the horrors that was the black death.

For all our advantages we ought to thank God and praise His Name if we live with plenty and can go our own way without some military oppression casting a pall over everyone.

For all those suffering, do not ask why as if you were to blame, for many who entered eternal happiness thought themselves surely doomed but were embraced in affectionate love by the Lord. Those who perceive faults and blame but who avoid sinning and displeasing the Lord are not by any means doomed, but beloved of the Lord, resting in the Garden of His love.

The enemy seeks to agitate and fill our hearts with fear, and those who spread these evils lose sight of the day of their confinement whence they will never escape. Those who love the Lord, instead praise His Name for they know His goodness and give thanks for His bounty. Listen, and if you hear songs and praise rising up in gloomy darkness, seek out those who rejoice and join then, adding your gratitude to theirs, for the kingdom they approach they will enter without sorrows.

Glory

Day's Saints
Mechtilda of Helfta
Blessed James of Benefatti, Dominican & doctor of Theology

Gospel Mt 25:14-30
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,
and made another five.
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground
and buried his master's money.
"After a long time
the master of those servants came back
and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents came forward
bringing the additional five.
He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,
'Master, you gave me two talents.
See, I have made two more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,
'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,
harvesting where you did not plant
and gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.
Here it is back.'
His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant
and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank
so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has,
more will be given and he will grow rich;
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"

+

Behold the glory of the Lord; let it match your longing for Him.

If the Master of Heaven and earth entrusts you with talents, invest them wisely in your brothers and sisters, where it will be obvious to the world, that you belong to the Lord.

What evidence might be obvious of the Lord's servants at work? His brothers and sisters gather together to pray, rather than attend a feast, and they likewise see that everyone has something to eat, clothing to wear and good cheer of brothers who love one another the way God loves them.

Listen to the Lord and hear what will save you. There is enough of men opening their mouths to terrify and intimidate; God has control over the lives of men and can protect His beloved so that no harm comes to them. Of those who cannot shut their mouths I can say only that clods of earth will fill their mouths and God will not be mocked. In Heaven there is no war and killing, nor is anyone overbearing or dominating, because they feel naked without humility.

If you recognize merit in your brother, commend him and see to it the blessings in his words edify the children of God. Let no one ascribe denigrations to him. Invite the worthy to the communion of souls who love the Lord that they may enter into Heaven with you on the day set aside for that. Associate with one another as children of God. Strength lies in unity, and a bundle of rods cannot be broken; neither can the evil in the world for all its trying, separate what belongs to God from His friendship and reverence. If the earth shakes and the mountains explode, give thanks to the Lord for your life and praise Him that He desired you should be with Him where He is, for He is everywhere so that He might receive your praise. God is worthy of praise, and glory is His, and honor radiates in brilliance from Him. If the heavens are shaken, bless His Name the same as if it had not, so that at all times there might be reverence toward Him. Address Him when you go to bed, and when you rise in morning bless His Name, so that from dawn to dusk and day to day praise bubbles forth from you as His child so He will embrace you in affection. If you hear Him call you, come to the garden to be alone with Him that He may be happy for your sake. Thus you will be filled with the Lord and His glory day to day and abide in His happiness.

Glory

Day's Saints
Mechtilda of Helfta
Blessed James of Benefatti, Dominican & doctor of Theology

Gospel Mt 25:14-30
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,
and made another five.
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground
and buried his master's money.
"After a long time
the master of those servants came back
and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents came forward
bringing the additional five.
He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,
'Master, you gave me two talents.
See, I have made two more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,
'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,
harvesting where you did not plant
and gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.
Here it is back.'
His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant
and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank
so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has,
more will be given and he will grow rich;
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"

+

Behold the glory of the Lord; let it match your longing for Him.

If the Master of Heaven and earth entrusts you with talents, invest them wisely in your brothers and sisters, where it will be obvious to the world, that you belong to the Lord.

What evidence might be obvious of the Lord's servants at work? His brothers and sisters gather together to pray, rather than attend a feast, and they likewise see that everyone has something to eat, clothing to wear and good cheer of brothers who love one another the way God loves them.

Listen to the Lord and hear what will save you. There is enough of men opening their mouths to terrify and intimidate; God has control over the lives of men and can protect His beloved so that no harm comes to them. Of those who cannot shut their mouths I can say only that clods of earth will fill their mouths and God will not be mocked. In Heaven there is no war and killing, nor is anyone overbearing or dominating, because they feel naked without humility.

If you recognize merit in your brother, commend him and see to it the blessings in his words edify the children of God. Let no one ascribe denigrations to him. Invite the worthy to the communion of souls who love the Lord that they may enter into Heaven with you on the day set aside for that. Associate with one another as children of God. Strength lies in unity, and a bundle of rods cannot be broken; neither can the evil in the world for all its trying, separate what belongs to God from His friendship and reverence. If the earth shakes and the mountains explode, give thanks to the Lord for your life and praise Him that He desired you should be with Him where He is, for He is everywhere so that He might receive your praise. God is worthy of praise, and glory is His, and honor radiates in brilliance from Him. If the heavens are shaken, bless His Name the same as if it had not, so that at all times there might be reverence toward Him. Address Him when you go to bed, and when you rise in morning bless His Name, so that from dawn to dusk and day to day praise bubbles forth from you as His child so He will embrace you in affection. If you hear Him call you, come to the garden to be alone with Him that He may be happy for your sake. Thus you will be filled with the Lord and His glory day to day and abide in His happiness.

Happy Dance

Day's Saints

Elizabeth of Hungary
Aignan of Oreleans, Hermit

Gospel Lk 17:26-37

Jesus said to his disciples:
"As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be in the days of the Son of Man;
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage up to the day
that Noah entered the ark,
and the flood came and destroyed them all.
Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot:
they were eating, drinking, buying,
selling, planting, building;
on the day when Lot left Sodom,
fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all.
So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
On that day, someone who is on the housetop
and whose belongings are in the house
must not go down to get them,
and likewise one in the field
must not return to what was left behind.
Remember the wife of Lot.
Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it,
but whoever loses it will save it.
I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed;
one will be taken, the other left.
And there will be two women grinding meal together;
one will be taken, the other left."
They said to him in reply, "Where, Lord?"
He said to them, "Where the body is,
there also the vultures will gather."

+

Saint Aignan abandoned the things of the world and lived in a cave. Because he became holy, the Lord led him to manage the affairs of the world, and by his holy example, people were delivered from the scourge of the Huns.

Things may be taken away, but do not try to get them back if you want to live in peace. 

Acceptance of the Will of God and abandonment to His divine providence will assure you peace and rest, and shame or sin will not trouble, because the presence of the Lord will deter the enemy.

We are imperfect in both body and soul. If we seek to be perfected, we ought not to waste our time with considerations of the body, when the soul is more important. God provides what we need, and we need to use the grace to know how to manage our lives for the profit of the spirit. We believe in the resurrection of the body and union with the Lord; let us act as if we believed it.

When we pray the Rosary, we recite the Creed as an affirmation of the truth , and if we act as if we believe what we profess, we will not be prevented from uniting with our Lord.

Happy Dance

Day's Saints

Elizabeth of Hungary
Aignan of Oreleans, Hermit

Gospel Lk 17:26-37

Jesus said to his disciples:
"As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be in the days of the Son of Man;
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage up to the day
that Noah entered the ark,
and the flood came and destroyed them all.
Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot:
they were eating, drinking, buying,
selling, planting, building;
on the day when Lot left Sodom,
fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all.
So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
On that day, someone who is on the housetop
and whose belongings are in the house
must not go down to get them,
and likewise one in the field
must not return to what was left behind.
Remember the wife of Lot.
Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it,
but whoever loses it will save it.
I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed;
one will be taken, the other left.
And there will be two women grinding meal together;
one will be taken, the other left."
They said to him in reply, "Where, Lord?"
He said to them, "Where the body is,
there also the vultures will gather."

+

Saint Aignan abandoned the things of the world and lived in a cave. Because he became holy, the Lord led him to manage the affairs of the world, and by his holy example, people were delivered from the scourge of the Huns.

Things may be taken away, but do not try to get them back if you want to live in peace. 

Acceptance of the Will of God and abandonment to His divine providence will assure you peace and rest, and shame or sin will not trouble, because the presence of the Lord will deter the enemy.

We are imperfect in both body and soul. If we seek to be perfected, we ought not to waste our time with considerations of the body, when the soul is more important. God provides what we need, and we need to use the grace to know how to manage our lives for the profit of the spirit. We believe in the resurrection of the body and union with the Lord; let us act as if we believed it.

When we pray the Rosary, we recite the Creed as an affirmation of the truth , and if we act as if we believe what we profess, we will not be prevented from uniting with our Lord.

Garden

Day's Saints
Albert the Great Doctor of the Church & Dominican
Blessed Lucy of Narni, Stigmatic
Gospel Lk 17:11-19
As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying,
"Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"
And when he saw them, he said,
"Go show yourselves to the priests."
As they were going they were cleansed.
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
"Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine?
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?"
Then he said to him, "Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you."

+

Never grow tired of the garden for He lives there
for you.

There is only so much one man can do, yet, when i feel I have come to the end of my rope, He finds a way for me to continue, and I bear my share of His cross in peace.

Just when I thought the news of the world could get no more vile and evil, it gets worse, and the world continues to do the nonsensical.  This only means more sorrow and sufferings for those who are innocent and deserving of better. How shall anything improve without us asking the Lord? If it is decreed that we shall suffer, how will we not? Yet, if we are just and cannot be accused, how is it so much more sorrow washes over us it is sores and despairs? Do not lose hope, nor forsake the Lord no matter how persuasive you maladies become, for He felt enough pain for all of us, so that we might take refuge in His affectionate love, and even those nailed to the cross have the strength not to cry out or complain. This being so, call upon His Name frequently, and surrender yourselves all the most determinedly, for He is attentive to our every word.

If it be so that we endure darkness, obscurity and solitude, nevertheless He is with us, and we are not alone, for He never abandons those He loves. Do, therefore, all that He asks, and what He has not asked so you may reflect His affection and love to Him to quench His pain and cause yourselves to become lost in Him. Then, in the garden where it is peaceful and quiet and you may rejoice in His happiness, give thanks all the more that your abode is His Heart itself.

He will give you consoling words; speak them. He will lift you up; rejoice. Share your lot with you brothers who likewise sojourn with the cross, for we all abide in the garden of His delights, and the darkness becomes light, and the solitude become exaltation in His bliss, for He is longing to share it with us.

I  have not abandoned you, nor have I forgotten those who were fastened with me to the cross so they might share in my glory even as they live and draw breath in this world, anticipating heaven and our union with Him.

The Lord speaks, listen ! Hear words to inflame your hearts and be exalted to high heaven to hear His Voice. Do good and devise new ways to do it, and He will bless the world which will rejoice where it had anticipated misery instead. Deny yourselves some little things that you may please Him, for He cherishes you all.