Need

The hermitage where I used to live.

You don't get what you need by taking what you want. Many times, something less expensive is more comfortable and useful than the thing someone is hawking in the marketplace.

In fact, one does not get a long life without risking it, and making considerable sacrifices. One does not get freedom by taking it from someone else, even if they have committed great wrongs. One does not get children, for instance, without sacrificing considerable freedom over time, safeguarding the infant, and welcoming the child into your life, in spite of the demands made on your time and resources.

Speaking lies is not without risks, and cheating does not ensure power. There is always someone smarter who can see through the lie and alert their friends and loved ones to avoid the trap. Going through life always looking for the advantage is a sure way to eventually lose it all. While it might be regrettable that one did not get some prize thing, low hanging fruit isn't always ripe or palatable. And if the only person you spend any effort pleasing is yourself, you have had your pleasure, and soon enough it fades and withers like a rose.

We have fought two wars that engulfed the whole world and the entire human race, and still, people react to their anger and the transgressions of others with ever-increasing, efficient violence and destruction. Now we can do it in a fraction of the time it used to take.

The people who were killed in the wars we have fought cannot come back to tell you to your face, what it was like to be torn to bits by bullets or to be shot out of the sky, or be blown up in a bombing raid on a ship. They will tell you of the extreme cost, and warn you that to take their lives for granted is not a way forward as a civilization, that leads to fruitful, satisfying life. 

Too many times, too many people have had their lives cut short, and are cutoff from the happiness that for a moment was all too close. Their opportunity to hold their sleeping infant son in their arms was snatched away from them forever, and they will do all in their power to make you recognize the depth of the pain of their sacrifice.

If we take the easy road in life all the time, and consider nothing but out own pleasure and happiness, no one will be happy, and there isn't a drug strong enough to swallow up regret.

If you have the opportunity to make a sacrifice to God, then do so; the opportunity may not be yours again, and the one whose suffering might have been lessened will have to endure without relief.

People have made tremendous sacrifices so you can enjoy a life happiness, but you cannot always be happy, and the most unhappy persons in the world lived selfishly to the extreme, and perhaps dodged the finger of chance, but we will be judged by God and our fellow human beings, because everything will be plain to see. Make it easier on yourself by doing penance, making sacrifices and atoning for your sins, so at least you may be clothed in happiness when your time comes to stand before God.

The most dangerous people on earth do not believe in God or morality or treating others with dignity and equality. You must be the just person who stands before God now as if it were the judgement day, and pleads for others as well as himself.

Need

The hermitage where I used to live.

You don't get what you need by taking what you want. Many times, something less expensive is more comfortable and useful than the thing someone is hawking in the marketplace.

In fact, one does not get a long life without risking it, and making considerable sacrifices. One does not get freedom by taking it from someone else, even if they have committed great wrongs. One does not get children, for instance, without sacrificing considerable freedom over time, safeguarding the infant, and welcoming the child into your life, in spite of the demands made on your time and resources.

Speaking lies is not without risks, and cheating does not ensure power. There is always someone smarter who can see through the lie and alert their friends and loved ones to avoid the trap. Going through life always looking for the advantage is a sure way to eventually lose it all. While it might be regrettable that one did not get some prize thing, low hanging fruit isn't always ripe or palatable. And if the only person you spend any effort pleasing is yourself, you have had your pleasure, and soon enough it fades and withers like a rose.

We have fought two wars that engulfed the whole world and the entire human race, and still, people react to their anger and the transgressions of others with ever-increasing, efficient violence and destruction. Now we can do it in a fraction of the time it used to take.

The people who were killed in the wars we have fought cannot come back to tell you to your face, what it was like to be torn to bits by bullets or to be shot out of the sky, or be blown up in a bombing raid on a ship. They will tell you of the extreme cost, and warn you that to take their lives for granted is not a way forward as a civilization, that leads to fruitful, satisfying life. 

Too many times, too many people have had their lives cut short, and are cutoff from the happiness that for a moment was all too close. Their opportunity to hold their sleeping infant son in their arms was snatched away from them forever, and they will do all in their power to make you recognize the depth of the pain of their sacrifice.

If we take the easy road in life all the time, and consider nothing but out own pleasure and happiness, no one will be happy, and there isn't a drug strong enough to swallow up regret.

If you have the opportunity to make a sacrifice to God, then do so; the opportunity may not be yours again, and the one whose suffering might have been lessened will have to endure without relief.

People have made tremendous sacrifices so you can enjoy a life happiness, but you cannot always be happy, and the most unhappy persons in the world lived selfishly to the extreme, and perhaps dodged the finger of chance, but we will be judged by God and our fellow human beings, because everything will be plain to see. Make it easier on yourself by doing penance, making sacrifices and atoning for your sins, so at least you may be clothed in happiness when your time comes to stand before God.

The most dangerous people on earth do not believe in God or morality or treating others with dignity and equality. You must be the just person who stands before God now as if it were the judgement day, and pleads for others as well as himself.

Splendid

Day's Saints
Alberic of Citeaux, Benedictine
Conan of Iona, monk

Gospel Mk 4:26-34
Jesus said to the crowds:
“This is how it is with the Kingdom of God;
it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day
and the seed would sprout and grow,
he knows not how.
Of its own accord the land yields fruit,
first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,
for the harvest has come.”
He said,
“To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.
But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”
With many such parables
he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.
Without parables he did not speak to them,
but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

+ 

His creation is indeed splendid, and you
are part of what makes it so :) +

Do not judge by appearances. While it seems as if there is an eternity of time to make right our ways before God, there is no such thing. When the new kingdom is at hand, it will appear and no one will be spared. For those who love the Lord, that is not a problem, because they knew the only thing worthy about them was God's choosing to dwell in them.

Yes, everything will change, and the day before the correction, there will be the warning and then it will indeed be time to repent.

Guard against irrational rejection of the truth, for stubborn men go down into the abyss and do not emerge again. Having your own way all the time is not only boring, but entrenches a lie in your heart and one grows to reject God and His Law, to his downfall. The way of righteousness is not to judge other people as if they were lost, but seeing them in error, the loving man, who is just, tries to persuade this brother of the truth, and goes as far as to risk his own life to save him, for the love of a brother, just like Jesus Christ.

Jesus was crucified, actually died, and was resurrected to ascend into heaven to rejoin His Father.  the manner of His death was unpleasant and uncomfortable in the utmost extreme. So much so, that some He loved unusually well, and He joined them to Him in the Passion so others might have eternal life and His saving act be extended in time until today. They, in the excess of love, suffered as Jesus suffered, and died, patiently waiting for the end, so they may hand intact, their sacrifice to Jesus to join to His own so they might be well.

St. Padre Pio, Capuchin

God will illumine you to know what He wants. Wait for Him, and watch steadfastly faithful to Him, and you will not fail to please or be useful to Him, no matter how ordinary your life. In fact, there is no such thing as an ordinary life, for God's love, given us abundantly, is extraordinary in His Heart and Mind. Thus, whether you live in a single room, or in a splendid castle on a hill, both people live to please God, and out of pure love, sacrifice many things to Jesus, to reveal that He is the good shepherd and Lord of all. 

Do not halt your prayers or be interrupted in them by anything else, but the more you are tempted to give up, cry out to Him all the more, that you love Him, and you will always be at His side to please Him, and on the last day, will have nothing to fear, since love has defended you against evil which is foul hatred and lies, murderous acts and violence. In order to put these things to death, He died, and we will be resurrected and awaken to His love as a consequence.

St. Gemma Galgani, Passionist

I know these things as one who has lived what he relates. I do not claim to be perfect or spotless, for I have made mistakes as all men do, but the Lord who loved me, did not cast me aside, but cherished me all the more for my distance, and in time, overwhelmed my sins with His love, and He made my sacrifices fruitful. Thus, in the end, love is all there is that is worthy, and we are privileged to live in perilous times so that we may see the triumph of good over evil and a world free of evil, and abundant with His love.

You have but to reach out to heaven and cry out your love, and you will encounter love, and deprivations and desolation will not matter, because He has emphatically proclaimed His love for all people, great and small.

Splendid

Day's Saints
Alberic of Citeaux, Benedictine
Conan of Iona, monk

Gospel Mk 4:26-34
Jesus said to the crowds:
“This is how it is with the Kingdom of God;
it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land
and would sleep and rise night and day
and the seed would sprout and grow,
he knows not how.
Of its own accord the land yields fruit,
first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once,
for the harvest has come.”
He said,
“To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,
or what parable can we use for it?
It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.
But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants
and puts forth large branches,
so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”
With many such parables
he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.
Without parables he did not speak to them,
but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

+ 

His creation is indeed splendid, and you
are part of what makes it so :) +

Do not judge by appearances. While it seems as if there is an eternity of time to make right our ways before God, there is no such thing. When the new kingdom is at hand, it will appear and no one will be spared. For those who love the Lord, that is not a problem, because they knew the only thing worthy about them was God's choosing to dwell in them.

Yes, everything will change, and the day before the correction, there will be the warning and then it will indeed be time to repent.

Guard against irrational rejection of the truth, for stubborn men go down into the abyss and do not emerge again. Having your own way all the time is not only boring, but entrenches a lie in your heart and one grows to reject God and His Law, to his downfall. The way of righteousness is not to judge other people as if they were lost, but seeing them in error, the loving man, who is just, tries to persuade this brother of the truth, and goes as far as to risk his own life to save him, for the love of a brother, just like Jesus Christ.

Jesus was crucified, actually died, and was resurrected to ascend into heaven to rejoin His Father.  the manner of His death was unpleasant and uncomfortable in the utmost extreme. So much so, that some He loved unusually well, and He joined them to Him in the Passion so others might have eternal life and His saving act be extended in time until today. They, in the excess of love, suffered as Jesus suffered, and died, patiently waiting for the end, so they may hand intact, their sacrifice to Jesus to join to His own so they might be well.

St. Padre Pio, Capuchin

God will illumine you to know what He wants. Wait for Him, and watch steadfastly faithful to Him, and you will not fail to please or be useful to Him, no matter how ordinary your life. In fact, there is no such thing as an ordinary life, for God's love, given us abundantly, is extraordinary in His Heart and Mind. Thus, whether you live in a single room, or in a splendid castle on a hill, both people live to please God, and out of pure love, sacrifice many things to Jesus, to reveal that He is the good shepherd and Lord of all. 

Do not halt your prayers or be interrupted in them by anything else, but the more you are tempted to give up, cry out to Him all the more, that you love Him, and you will always be at His side to please Him, and on the last day, will have nothing to fear, since love has defended you against evil which is foul hatred and lies, murderous acts and violence. In order to put these things to death, He died, and we will be resurrected and awaken to His love as a consequence.

St. Gemma Galgani, Passionist

I know these things as one who has lived what he relates. I do not claim to be perfect or spotless, for I have made mistakes as all men do, but the Lord who loved me, did not cast me aside, but cherished me all the more for my distance, and in time, overwhelmed my sins with His love, and He made my sacrifices fruitful. Thus, in the end, love is all there is that is worthy, and we are privileged to live in perilous times so that we may see the triumph of good over evil and a world free of evil, and abundant with His love.

You have but to reach out to heaven and cry out your love, and you will encounter love, and deprivations and desolation will not matter, because He has emphatically proclaimed His love for all people, great and small.

Tied Up

 Day's Saints
Vincent of Saragossa, Martyr
Blessed Giuseppe Nacimbeni, Franciscan

Gospel
Mk 3:22-30
The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,
"He is possessed by Beelzebul," and
"By the prince of demons he drives out demons."
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,
"How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,
he cannot stand;
that is the end of him.
But no one can enter a strong man's house to plunder his property
unless he first ties up the strong man.
Then he can plunder his house.  
Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies
that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an everlasting sin."
For they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."

+

Beware, and pay heed to what He says about how a house is plundered; the thief must first tie up, restrain or incapacitate a person before he can help himself to his property.

For us, it is a warning equally applicable, concerning our treasure. We cannot be blinded or bound by evil without our consent, and he knows enough tricks to bind many, and without the mercy of the Lord, they cannot be freed. One may implore the Lord to be freed and do penance to atone for sins, and gain His favor. But do not wait to act, lest you be called before Him and must explain, for what can you says but " I have sinned in your sight and I ask your mercy", as you work to atone. He may allow us to do more when we have stood before Him by way of purgation in suffering because we are not rejoined to Him to remain forever.

Pray for one another, and do not hesitate to do penances for each other, for such a kindness deserves a considerable blessing. If you suffer, do not hesitate to use it to advantage for souls, for you will earn no punishment that way, but rather your eyes will be cleansed so you may see Him clearly, a blessing much desired by holy souls.

Do not be startled or dismayed by what evil men say to gain power over people so that they may plunder and ravage and do all sorts of evil. Those who do such things are anti-Christs, and God gives them no power. Nations might be annihilated, but the children of God will be protected by God, while the enemy is being cast into the shouldering depths of hell. If their sins are revealed to all, they are to be shunned as the evil they are.

Tied Up

 Day's Saints
Vincent of Saragossa, Martyr
Blessed Giuseppe Nacimbeni, Franciscan

Gospel
Mk 3:22-30
The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus,
"He is possessed by Beelzebul," and
"By the prince of demons he drives out demons."
Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables,
"How can Satan drive out Satan?
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand.
And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,
he cannot stand;
that is the end of him.
But no one can enter a strong man's house to plunder his property
unless he first ties up the strong man.
Then he can plunder his house.  
Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies
that people utter will be forgiven them.
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will never have forgiveness,
but is guilty of an everlasting sin."
For they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."

+

Beware, and pay heed to what He says about how a house is plundered; the thief must first tie up, restrain or incapacitate a person before he can help himself to his property.

For us, it is a warning equally applicable, concerning our treasure. We cannot be blinded or bound by evil without our consent, and he knows enough tricks to bind many, and without the mercy of the Lord, they cannot be freed. One may implore the Lord to be freed and do penance to atone for sins, and gain His favor. But do not wait to act, lest you be called before Him and must explain, for what can you says but " I have sinned in your sight and I ask your mercy", as you work to atone. He may allow us to do more when we have stood before Him by way of purgation in suffering because we are not rejoined to Him to remain forever.

Pray for one another, and do not hesitate to do penances for each other, for such a kindness deserves a considerable blessing. If you suffer, do not hesitate to use it to advantage for souls, for you will earn no punishment that way, but rather your eyes will be cleansed so you may see Him clearly, a blessing much desired by holy souls.

Do not be startled or dismayed by what evil men say to gain power over people so that they may plunder and ravage and do all sorts of evil. Those who do such things are anti-Christs, and God gives them no power. Nations might be annihilated, but the children of God will be protected by God, while the enemy is being cast into the shouldering depths of hell. If their sins are revealed to all, they are to be shunned as the evil they are.

Caring

 It is as much work not caring as it is caring. One can go through life oblivious of the outrageous behavior of nations and their leaders, but what will you say to the Lord when you stand before Him having lived your life as a slob who didn't care?

For me, my pain is private, and if they have any clue, it is hard to tell. I only know I can greet the stranger and welcome the immigrant ( and we have many here). But the Lord is present in my pain, and my happiness is in His embrace that reassures and comforts me, so I may extend it to the other people in my life.

I have said often enough, that we should occupy ourselves doing penance for our sins, so we can so penance for those who do not seek foregiveness because they are afraid to ask, lest they be forbidden.

But if His life tells us anything, He never withheld His mercy or His love, and on too many occasions, those who were leaders were uncaring and saw nothing wrong with treating others as merely disposable objects.

None of us likes to be treated as disposable, as if our feelings do not matter and our pain nothing that requires us to make any effort to care or to comfort. Nevertheless, we all need His care and His love, and we need to realize just how much effort He put into His children's well-being.

To counteract the the violence and destructive hatred in the world, we need to care beyond our strength. We cannot grow weary or give up in despair, because His power is total, not limited like nations and armies.

The earth displays its violence on occasion, and then it is all open and visible to see, nothing hidden, as homes and lives are overturned and destroyed. He cares, whatever happens to us. If we wish it for ourselves, we must make sure we care for others, and then what we have afforded others comes back as our consolation.

In our daily lives, we are meant to ponder and penetrate the mystery of His passion. It was a passonate passion; He cared and spare Himself nothing in order to reach the point of sacrifice which could redeem us. The temple veil was torn from top to bottom, the sky was dark for three hours, and the earth trembled and tossed in the moments after He died, a fact noted in the Gospels.

Do you honestly think that He shows no signs in our world around us of His love for us? You are mistaken. Take hope and comfort one another and do not give up. Do not give up feelings because you are tired of hurting without rest. Jesus did not give up during the three hours He hung crucified. His last act on the cross was to forgive the centurion who lanced His Heart.