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[Catholic Caucus Devotional] My Catholic Life! The Beauty of Repentance - Saturday, April 26, 2025
My Catholic Life! (YouTube) ^ | April 26, 2025 | My Catholic Life!

Posted on 04/26/2025 6:21:19 AM PDT by fidelis

Daily Readings from the USCCB

When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. Mark 16:9

The first person recorded in Scripture to whom Jesus appeared was Mary Magdalene. Notably, she was the one out of whom Jesus cast seven demons. Being possessed by seven demons has traditionally been understood to mean that she was completely possessed. Prior to Jesus freeing her, satan and His demons had completely taken over her will by her free submission to evil. And yet, it was to her, a woman with such a horrible past, that Jesus chose to give the honor of His first appearance. What an amazing fact!

Everyone has a past. Some have been grave sinners. Others, like Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, have never committed a mortal sin. Obviously, the beauty of a soul like Saint Thérèse is deeply admirable, and such a soul will be greatly rewarded in Heaven. But what about the grave sinner? What about those like Mary Magdalene who have lived horribly sinful lives? What does our Lord think about them?

The fact that Mary Magdalene is the first person recorded in Scripture to have seen the risen Lord should tell us much about how Jesus views a person who has greatly struggled with serious sin but has later overcome that sin and turned wholeheartedly to our Lord. Sin is demoralizing. When unrepented, it leaves a loss of dignity and integrity. However, even after one has repented, some people will continue to struggle with unhealthy guilt and shame. And for some, these struggles can become a weapon by which the evil one tries to discourage them from feeling worthy to serve our Lord with zeal and passion.

But the truth in the mind of God is that repentant sinners are true jewels and beautiful in the eyes of our Lord. They are worthy of the greatest honors. God does not dwell on our past sin. Instead, our past sin, when it has been repented of and forgiven, will be an eternal sign of the love and mercy of God.

How do you deal with your past sin? First, have you completely acknowledged it, repented of it and sought forgiveness from our Lord? If so, does it still haunt you? Does the evil one still try to remind you of your past and strip away your hope in the mercy of God?

Reflect, today, upon the most grievous of your past sins. If you haven’t yet confessed them, then do so as soon as you can. If you have, try to see your soul through the eyes of God. God does not see your past sins with anger and disgust. Rather, He sees only the depth of your conversion, sorrow and repentance. And, to Him, this is holy and beautiful. Ponder the beauty of your repentant heart and know that, as you do, you will be looking at your own heart through the eyes of God.

My most merciful God, You love the sinner and hate the sin. You love me in ways that are beyond my understanding. Help me to understand how deeply You love my heart when I completely repent. And help me to see my heart only through Your eyes. I thank You for Your love and mercy, dear Lord. Help me to love You all the more. Jesus, I trust in You.


TOPICS: Catholic; Prayer; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholic; christian; devotional; mycatholiclife

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A daily Catholic Caucus devotional reflection on the Gospel reading. Please FReepmail me if you would like to be added or removed from the ping list.

Please keep in mind that this is a Catholic Caucus/Devotional thread for the purpose of prayerful reflection on the Sacred Scriptures and is closed to debate of any kind. Per FR policy on Religion Caucus threads, off-topic, argumentative, and abusive comments are not allowed and will be submitted to the Mods for deletion. Thanks, and God bless you.

1 posted on 04/26/2025 6:21:19 AM PDT by fidelis
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To: fidelis; redryder_90; annalex; NorthMountain; Salvation; Pajamajan; pax_et_bonum; notaliberal; ...
Pinging the daily My Catholic Life! list!
2 posted on 04/26/2025 6:21:40 AM PDT by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia!)
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Click here to go to today’s Catholic Daily Reflections video reflections on today’s Mass Readings from Dr. Tim Gray of FORMED (Augustine Institute).

3 posted on 04/26/2025 6:22:29 AM PDT by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia!)
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April is the month dedicated to devotion to the Blessed Sacrament:

“ So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat
the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in
you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I
will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my
blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood
abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live
because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me.
This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the
fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever.”

(John 6:53-58)

4 posted on 04/26/2025 6:23:14 AM PDT by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia!)
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Prayer for Imploring Holy Popes — Bishop Schneider

Kyrie Eleison! Christe Eleison! Kyrie Eleison!

Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Good Shepherd! With Your almighty hand You guide Your pilgrim Church through the storms of each age. Adorn the Holy See with holy popes who neither fear the powerful of this world nor compromise with the spirit of the age, but preserve, strengthen, and defend the Catholic Faith unto the shedding of their blood, and observe, protect, and hand on the venerable liturgy of the Roman Church.

O Lord, return to us through holy popes who, inflamed with the zeal of the Apostles, proclaim to the whole world: “Salvation is found in no other than in Jesus Christ. For there is no other name under heaven given to men by which they should be saved” (see Acts 4:10-12).

Through an era of holy popes, may the Holy See—which is home to all who promote the Catholic and Apostolic Faith—always shine as the cathedra of truth for the whole world.

Hear us, O Lord, and through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of the Church, grant us holy popes, grant us many holy popes! Have mercy on us and hear us! Amen.

5 posted on 04/26/2025 6:23:51 AM PDT by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia!)
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God's Love For You

6 posted on 04/26/2025 6:24:21 AM PDT by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia!)
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To: fidelis

Ephesians 2:8-9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.


7 posted on 04/26/2025 6:41:38 AM PDT by InkStone (ONLY returning to Faith in God, thru Jesus Yeshua, will save America)
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To: InkStone
Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Amen.

8 posted on 04/26/2025 10:21:32 AM PDT by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia!)
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Click here to go to Salvation’s Catholic Caucus thread on the Daily Readings

9 posted on 04/26/2025 10:24:53 AM PDT by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia!)
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