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September 21, 2015 Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist Reading 1 Eph 4:1-7, 11-13 Brothers and sisters:I, a prisoner for the Lord,urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,with all humility and gentleness, with patience,bearing with one another through love,striving to preserve the unity of the Spiritthrough the bond of peace:one Body and one Spirit,as you were also called to the one hope of your call;one Lord, one faith, one baptism;one God and Father of all,who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of...

My niece had a baby 2 weeks ago, Ezra, strapping little boy. Six days ago he stopped eating. Four days ago he had surgery to repair what was thought to be a bad Pyloric valve in his stomach. Surgery went 'well' but it did not solve the problem, still will not keep anything down. Today they are doing ultrasound, again. Little guy is now 1.5 pounds below his birth weight and still not keeping any food down. Doctors say not to panic, yet. Mom and dad are beside themselves already, and the little one is hooked up to machines, scary....

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem Character Studies From The Bible Esther 3 After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. 2 All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor. 3 Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?” 4 Day after day they spoke to him but...

A Prayer for An America that Is Without God We praise You Almighty God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for You alone are God, and there is no other God than You. We pray this day for our nation, the United States of America. We pray that You would pour out Your Spirit on America and on those of its leaders who are faithful. The nation is experiencing turmoil, difficulty, war, and disillusionment. We pray, therefore, Lord, for Your outpouring to be recognized by all our people. We pray that You would make clear to them Your will, so that...

September 20, 2015 Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Wis 2:12, 17-20 The wicked say:Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us;he sets himself against our doings,reproaches us for transgressions of the lawand charges us with violations of our training.Let us see whether his words be true;let us find out what will happen to him.For if the just one be the son of God, God will defend himand deliver him from the hand of his foes.With revilement and torture let us put the just one to the testthat we may have proof of his gentlenessand...

On the occasion of Pope Francis' visit to the US and Cuba, I wanted to re-post a Litany for Priests from EWTN's website dedicated to the Year of the Priest. Please pray for Pope Francis and all priests. They really need constant, ongoing prayer. Thanks so much. <3 THE LITANY FOR ALL PRIESTS Let us pray for the Holy Father, Fill him with your grace, Lord. Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops Give them your gifts, Lord. Diocesan priests, Never leave them, Lord. Priests in seminary work, Give them your wisdom, Lord. Priests in hospital work, Give them constancy, Lord. Priests who...

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem Character Studies From The Bible Esther 19 When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. 20 But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up. 21 During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. 22 But Mordecai found out about the plot...

September 19, 2015 Saturday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Tm 6:13-16 Beloved:I charge you before God, who gives life to all things,and before Christ Jesus,who gave testimony under Pontius Pilatefor the noble confession,to keep the commandment without stain or reproachuntil the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christthat the blessed and only rulerwill make manifest at the proper time,the King of kings and Lord of lords,who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light,and whom no human being has seen or can see.To him be honor and eternal power. Amen. Responsorial Psalm PS 100:1b-2, 3,...

One died and 18 others were injured when a Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) rolled during routine training on Sept. 10.Of the seven still hospitalized, four are in critical condition, and three are in stable condition, according to 1st Lt. Colleen McFadden. All others have been sent home to recover. On Sept. 10, Corporal Bryan Michael Lauw, 21, died and 18 others were hurt when a Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) rolled during routine training Thursday. Lauw, a resident of Denham Springs, Louisiana, was assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division. During his career,...

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem Character Studies From The Bible Esther 12 Before a young woman’s turn came to go in to King Xerxes, she had to complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women, six months with oil of myrrh and six with perfumes and cosmetics. 13 And this is how she would go to the king: Anything she wanted was given her to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. 14 In the evening she would go there and in the morning return to another part of the harem to the care of Shaashgaz,...

Pray For Our American Heroes and Our Nation Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity. Joel 2:13 (NIV) ----

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem Character Studies From The Bible Esther 2 Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. 2 Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. 3 Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let...

Pray For Our American Heroes and Our Nation Stand Firm Romans 5:2-5 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

September 17, 2015   Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Tm 4:12-16 Beloved:Let no one have contempt for your youth,but set an example for those who believe,in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.Until I arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching.Do not neglect the gift you have,which was conferred on you through the prophetic wordwith the imposition of hands by the presbyterate.Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them,so that your progress may be evident to everyone.Attend to yourself and to your teaching;persevere in both tasks,for by doing so you will save...

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem Character Studies From The Bible Esther 1 This is what happened during the time of Xerxes,[a] the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush[b]: 2 At that time King Xerxes reigned from his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, 3 and in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. The military leaders of Persia and Media, the princes, and the nobles of the provinces were present. 4 For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor...

September 16, 2015   Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs Reading 1 1 Tm 3:14-16 Beloved:I am writing you,although I hope to visit you soon.But if I should be delayed,you should know how to behave in the household of God,which is the Church of the living God,the pillar and foundation of truth.Undeniably great is the mystery of devotion, Who was manifested in the flesh,vindicated in the spirit,seen by angels,proclaimed to the Gentiles,believed in throughout the world,taken up in glory. Responsorial Psalm PS 111:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 R. (2) How great are the works of the Lord!I will...

Took a fall off a step ladder yesterday while picking apples and broke my wrist. Surgery tomorrow at noon to put in a plate. Please pray that it goes well. Thanks. EV

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem Character Studies From The Bible Daniel 9 In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes[a] (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian[b] kingdom— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord,...

I am captain of the host of the LORD; I am now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said unto him: 'What saith my lord unto his servant?' And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua: 'Put off thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy.' Joshua 5:14-15