JESUS TO ST CATHERINE OF SIENA: "MY DAUGHTER, IF YOU THINK OF MY BUSINESS FIRST, I WILL THINK OF YOURS FIRST."

"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 10: 34.... 11:1).

Monday 11th July 2022, of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of a pivotal figure in the history of Christianity: St Benedict of Nursia, Abbot. (480 - 547). Italian and founder of the Benedictine Order. His twin sister St Scholastica embraced religious life and became a leader in monastic movement for women.
St Benedict is the co-patron saint of Europe. He is also the patron saint of monks, witchcraft, diseases among others. His rules for monastic life is still widely used. His motto is: "Pray and Work."

Do you find anything difficult in today's Gospel? I find many tough challenges. There are No Half Measures in the words of Jesus!! Jesus did not say:
It is OK if you love your father or mother 50% and love Me Jesus 50%. It is OK when you pick up your cross whenever you feel like and follow Me.
Jesus says what He means. He means what He says. If you follow Me, it has to be fully if you want to reap the full benefits.

Do you now understand why some people say that Christianity does not work for them? In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says:
"First and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also." (Matthew 6: 33 AMP).

If you desire all your needs to be met, you know what to do. You  make God's business your top priority.

Thank You Jesus for the promise below.

"My Heart is open to your prayers and I receive them with favour because it is I who inspire you to speak to Me in this way. This is the secret of prayer pleasing to My Heart: it rises out of a grace that I have already planted in the soul, even before you come into My presence, even before you open your mouth, or take up your pen, or begin to formulate words. These are the prayers that I answer most readily; these are the prayers that I answer unfailingly, because they are the fruit of the work of the Holy Spirit in the soul, teaching the soul to pray in perfect harmony with the desires and designs of My own Sacred Heart." (IN SINU JESU page 120).

7. 11. July is the Month dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ.

“Sometimes let us kindle in our souls an ardent affection, considering his great affection towards us, which upon the cross he declared and manifested to the whole world. And the benefit which he bestowed upon us in his passion, because he bought us with the inestimable price of his precious blood, of which only, we reap the benefit and commodity.”  (St. Peter of Alcantara).

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"AS LONG AS ANYONE HAS THE MEANS OF DOING GOOD TO HIS NEIGHBORS AND DOES NOT DO SO, HE SHALL BE RECKONED A STRANGER TO THE LOVE OF THE LORD." (ST IRENAEUS).

“And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus replied,  “A man fell victim to robbers."
"A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight."
"Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”  (Luke 10: 25 - 37)

Our key Scripture for today is from the Parable of the Good Samaritan. You may call this a story of mercy.
What is mercy? From the Parable, we may say that mercy is when someone shows you a totally unexpected pity in a moment of great need.

Our neighbor is every person in need.

Jesus ends what we call the Parable of the Good Samaritan by saying to the scholar of the law: Go and do as the Good Samaritan. Every person in need is our neighbor.

Be a good neighbor.
Allow someone to be a good neighbor to you. Jesus is always a good neighbor.

Jesus gave us the Divine Mercy Devotion through St Maria Faustina. This devotion is summarized through the ABC of Mercy:

A = Ask for mercy.
B = Be Merciful.
C = Completely trust Jesus for mercy.

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"YES, THE HOUR IS COMING, FOR EVERYONE WHO KILLS YOU, TO THINK HE IS OFFERING WORSHIP TO GOD." (JOHN 16: 2).

MY BRETHREN, THAT HOUR MAY BE VERY CLOSE!

“Jesus said to his Apostles: “Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. But beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans.

"When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved.

"When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” (Matthew 10: 16 - 23).

Friday 8th July 2022, of the 14th Week of Ordinary Time.

Our Gospel for this Friday is from the Missionary Discourse of Jesus. Jesus continues to train His disciples for future missionary work. He tells them and us what to expect. They are:

#1 The mission field is Wolfland. Their shrewdness will come from their awareness that they are not alone. "Behold I am with you always."

#2 They will be arrested and arraigned before courts. They should not be anxious about how to defend themselves. "For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you." (Matthew 10: 20). The Holy Spirit, the Paraclete and Advocate is the Voice that speaks in Court. Be calm and confident and allow Him to do His job.

#3 "You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved." (Matthew 10: 22).

The missionary is not a baby-kissing politician, a movie star or a socialite. He is the ambassador of the One who calls Himself "the Truth, the Way and life." Caesar and the powers of this world will ask scornfully "What is truth?" So do not expect to be welcomed everywhere with open hands.

Don’t plan to come down from the cross. Once you put your hands on the plough, it is forward march to the very end. Salvation belongs to those who persevere to the very end.

Jesus also predicted a great deal of victory and consolation for His disciples. Arraignment before governors and magistrates will be an opportunity for them to see the power of the Holy Spirit in their defense. We see the fulfillment of this when Peter and John faced the full Sanhedrin.

We see the same power at play when Paul was before Festus, the Roman high official. Jesus was not kidding. He promises to support His disciples. He does so always.

"The movement of persecution that is about to break out against My Church will focus on three objects. In fact, this has already begun. I will be attacked in My priests; they represent My Eucharistic Face. The face of the priesthood is My Face, once again mocked and covered with mud, spittle, and blood. I will be dishonoured in the Sacrament of My Body and Blood. You will see an increase of sins against the mysteries of My Body and Blood: sacrilege, desecrations, and mockeries. I will be attacked in the weakest and most vulnerable members of My Mystical Body. This too has already begun, but it will increase until it reaches proportions that will oblige My Father to avenge the blood of His beloved innocents." (IN SINU JESU pg 91).

7. 8. We honor the Most Precious Blood of Jesus in July.
“This blood, when worthily received, drives away demons and puts them at a distance from us, and even summons to us angels and the Lord of angels. This blood, poured out in abundance, has washed the whole world clean. This is the price of the world; by it Christ purchased the Church.” (St John Chrysostom).

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