Archive for November, 2019

Today Christians Celebrate Feast of St. Leonard of Port Maurice, Patron Saint of Parish Missions

Tuesday, November 26th, 2019

St Leonard Port MauriceSt. Leonard of Port Maurice (1676-1751)
Image: St. Paul Street Evangelization

(CNA) Born in Italy at Port Maurizo, he was given the name Paul Jerome Casanova by his seafaring father Capt Domenico Casanova and mother Anna Maria Benza — When young Paul was 13 yrs of age, he was placed in the care of his uncle Agostino to study for a career as a Physician however when he decided that he wanted to pursue something besides Medicine his uncle disowned him.

Subsequently entered the Jesuit College in Rome and joined the ‘Riformella’ (branch of the Franciscans) according to SQPN  and took the name Brother Leonard, in 1703 he was Ordained.

For a period of time thereafter, Fr. Leonard began to teach, expecting to become a Missionary to China however a bleeding ulcer kept him from traveling afar, it took him several years to recover and to regain his strength.

In 1709 following his recovery, Fr. Leonard was sent to Florence where he would minister in the city and nearby region becoming known as a great preacher, Fr. Leonard was soon invited to visit and minister in other areas. where he worked to increase devotion to the: Blessed Sacrament; Sacred Heart; Immaculate Conception and the Stations of the Cross. — One of his chief accomplishments which he became widely known for was to set up the ‘Stations of the Cross’ in over 500 different places including the Roman Colosseum.

Fr. Leonard in 1744 was sent by Pope Benedict XIV as a Missionary to Corsica in order to restore discipline to the Holy Orders, local politics however would greatly limit his success in his ministry. Sometime thereafter, Fr. Leonard would return to Rome exhausted, where he would spend the rest of his life. — Fr. Leonard, passed away this month in 1751 at the Monastery of Saint Bonaventura.

In 1796 Fr. Leonard was Beatified by Pope Pius VI and in 1867 he was Canonized by Pope Pius XI and named Patron of Parish Missions.

More here from Catholic Online and here by Fr. Dominic Devas

An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today

Friday, November 8th, 2019

Whoever keeps the Word of Christ,
the Love of God is truly perfected in him. (cf.) 1 John 2:5

Praise The Judge of the World

The Lord has revealed His vindication in the sight of the nations. (Psalm 98:2B)

O sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things.

His right hand and His Holy arm have gotten Him victory.

The Lord has revealed His vindication in the sight of the nations. (Psalm 98:2B)

The Lord has made known His victory;

He has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.

He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the House of Israel.

The Lord has revealed His vindication in the sight of the nations. (Psalm 98:2B)

All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of Our God.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous songs and sing praises.

The Lord has revealed His vindication in the sight of the nations. (Psalm 98:2B)

Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,

with the lyre and the sound of melody.

With trumpets and the sound of the horn, make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!

Let the sea roar and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it.

Let the floods clap their hands, let the hills sing together for joy at the presence of the Lord,

for He is Coming to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity. –Psalm 98:1-9

Christ Our Advocate

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin but if anyone does

sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous and He is the atoning

sacrifice for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

Now by this we may be sure that we know Him, if we obey His Commandments. Whoever says,

‘I have come to know him’ but does not obey His Commandments is a liar and in such a person

the truth does not exist but whoever obeys His Word, truly in this person the love of God has

reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in Him: Whoever says, ‘I abide in Him,’

ought to walk just as He walked.

A New Commandment

Beloved, I am writing you no new Commandment but an old Commandment that you have had

from the beginning; the old Commandment is the Word that you have heard. Yet I am writing

you a new Commandment that is true in Him and in you because the darkness is passing away

and the true light is already shining. Whoever says, ‘I am in the light,’ while hating a brother or

sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light and in such a

person there is no cause for stumbling but whoever hates another believer is in the darkness,

walks in the darkness and does not know the way to go because the darkness has brought on

blindness.

I am writing to you, little children because your sins are forgiven on account of His name.

I am writing to you fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning.

I am writing to you young people because you have conquered the evil one.

I write to you children because you know The Father.

I write to you fathers because you know Him who is from the beginning.

I write to you young people because you are strong and the Word of God abides in you

and you have overcome the evil one.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love

the world; For all that is in the world — the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride

in riches — comes not from the Father but from the world and the world and its desires are

passing away (See: James 4:14) but those who do the will of God will live forever.

Warning Against Antichrists

Children, it is the last hour!

As you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. From this we

know that it is the last hour. They went out from us but they did not belong to us for if they had

belonged to us, they would have remained with us but by going out they made it plain that none

of them belongs to us.

You have been anointed by the Holy One and all of you have knowledge. I write to you not

because you do not know the truth but because you know it and you know that no lie comes

from the truth.

Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ. This is the antichrist, the one

who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; Everyone who

confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If

what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the

Father and this is what He has promised us, eternal life!

I write these things to you concerning who would deceive you. As for you, the anointing that

you received from Him abides in you and so you do not need anyone to teach you but as His

anointing teaches you about all things and is true and is not a lie and just as it has taught you,

abide in Him.

Now little children, abide in Him, so that when He is revealed we may have confidence and not

be put to shame before Him at His coming.

Children of God

If you know that He is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who does right has been born

of Him. –1 John 2:1-29

Related: For Today’s Bible Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB

An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today

Thursday, November 7th, 2019

For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God;
Each of us shall give account of himself to God. –Romans 14:10B;12

We do not live to ourselves and we do not die to ourselves. If we live to the Lord and if we die,

we die to the Lord; So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this

end Christ died and lived again, so that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Why

do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or

sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written,

‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall give praise (confess)

to God.’ (Isaiah 45:23) So then, each of us will be accountable to God. –Romans 14:7-12

Triumphant Song of Confidence

The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh — my adversaries and foes — they shall stumble

and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; Though war rises up

against me, yet I will be confident. One thing I asked of the Lord, that I will seek after; To live in

the House of The Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in

His Temple. For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under

the cover of His tent; He will set me high on a rock. Now my head is lifted up above my enemies

all around me and I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make

melody to the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! ‘Come’

my heart says, ‘Seek His face!’ Your face Lord, do I seek. Do not hide your face from me. Do not

turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake

me, O God of my salvation! If my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up.

Teach me Your way O Lord and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Do not give me

up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me and they are

breathing out violence. I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the

living. Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage;

Wait for the Lord! –Psalm 27:1-14

Related: For Today’s Bible Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB

Today Christians Commemorate St. Ernest of Mecca, Martyr for Jesus Christ

Thursday, November 7th, 2019

St ErnestSt Ernest of Mecca  -Image Courtesy: St. Paul Street Evangelization

(Catholic Online) Born in Germany, Ernest was a Benedictine Monk then Abbot of the Benedictine Abbey of Germany Zwiefalten during the 12th century.

Ernest would go and minister in Arabia and Persia (present day Islamic Fascist Iran) during the the Second Crusade fought between Christians and the Moors (Muslims) 1145 to 1149 where he was captured and tortured to death in Mecca.

More here from SQPN

Related: Today’s Alternative Feast Day: Saint Didacus

An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today

Wednesday, November 6th, 2019

Blessed is the man who is gracious and lends to those in need. – (cf.) Psalm 112:5

Love For One Another

Owe no one anything, except to love one another; For the one who loves another has fulfilled

The Law. The Commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder;

You shall not steal; You shall not covet” (Exodus 20:13-17Deuteronomy 5:17-21)

and any other Commandment are summed up in this word, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Love does no wrong to a neighbor; Therefore, love is the fulfilling of The Law. –Romans 13:8-10

Blessings of the Righteous

Praise The Lord!

Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in His Commandments.

Their descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.

Wealth and riches are in their houses and their righteousness endures forever.

They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful and righteous.

It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice.

For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever.

They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord.

Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid;

In the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor;

Their righteousness endures forever; their horn is exalted in honor.

The wicked see it and are angry; they gnash their teeth and melt away; the desire of the wicked

comes to nothing. –Psalm 112:1-10

Related: For Today’s Bible Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB

An Inspiration Of Time With God For Today

Saturday, November 2nd, 2019

“If we had no care for the dead, we would not be in the habit of praying for them.” –St. Augustine
Image Courtesy: St. Paul Street Evangelization

The Destiny of the Righteous

The souls of the righteous are in the hands of God and no torment will ever touch them. In the

eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died and their departure was thought to be a disaster

and their going from us to be their destruction but they are at peace. For though in the sight of

others they were punished their hope is full of immortality. Having been disciplined a little,

they will receive great good because God tested them and found them worthy of Himself. Like

gold in the furnace He tried them and like a sacrificial burnt offering He accepted them. In the

time of their visitation they will shine forth and will run like sparks through the stubble. They

will govern nations and rule over peoples and the Lord will reign over them forever. Those who

trust in Him will understand truth and the faithful will abide with Him in love because grace

and mercy are upon the Holy ones and He watches over His elect.

The Destiny of the Ungodly

The ungodly will be punished as their reasoning deserves, those who disregarded the righteous

and rebelled against the Lord. For those who despise wisdom and instruction are miserable.

Their hope is vain, their labors are unprofitable and their works are useless. Their wives are

foolish and their children evil, their offspring are accursed.

On Childlessness

For blessed is the barren woman who is undefiled, who has not entered into a sinful union; She

will have fruit when God examines souls. Blessed also is the eunuch whose hands have done no

lawless deed and who has not devised wicked things against the Lord; For special favor will be

shown him for his faithfulness and a place of grat delight in the Temple of the Lord. For the

fruit of good labors is renowned and the root of understanding does not fail but children of

adulterers will not come to maturity and the offspring of an unlawful union will perish. Even if

they live long they will be held of no account and finally their old age will be without honor. If

they die young, they will have no hope and no consolation on the day of judgment. For the end

of an unrighteous generation is grievous. –Wisdom 3:1-19

Related: For Today’s Bible Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB