Gospel of the day...

Monday 16/JUL/12
Gospel of the day

Mt 12, 46-50.

Our Lady of Carmen.

At that time Jesus was speaking to the crowd, when his mother and his relatives, who were outside, trying to talk to him. Someone said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to talk." Jesus replied, "Who is my mother and who are my brothers?". And pointing out to his disciples, said: "These are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, my sister and my mother. "

reflection:

Today is the Memorial of Our Lady of Carmen. At a time of great distress for the Carmelite Order, St. Simon Stock begged the Mother of God to give him a sign of His protection. And on July 16, 1251 the Blessed Virgin appeared with the Infant Jesus and presented him with a scapular, promising that all who die with him would not suffer eternal fire. "It is therefore a sign of salvation, safeguard in dangers, an alliance of peace and everlasting protection," said the Mother of God. The meaning of this promise is that the person who dies with the Scapular of the Virgin Mary will receive, at the time of death the grace of perseverance in the state of justice if it, or, otherwise, the grace of conversion and final perseverance. This "great promise" is valid not only for religious people who die along with the Scapular, but also for the faithful who wear the Scapular medal-small or scapular.

Jesus, Mary, I love you, save souls.

Saints...

Saints †

Our Lady of Carmen
Mount Carmel
Carmel is a mountain of Israel, starting from the region of Samaria, ends up sinking into the Mediterranean Sea, near the port of Haifa.
This height has a peculiar charm. It is different from Mount Nebo in Jordan, the massif of Sinai and the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.
All the mountains have their memories theophanic Palestinian (ie manifestation of God), the peaks become sacred and mystical. But not so suggestive as Mount Carmel. Why San Juan de la Cruz took it as the symbol of the mystical ascent? Surely it was suggested the name of his own Carmelite Order. But surely there was some deeper intent that made her sympathetic to the mystery of the sacred mountain of the prophet Elijah.
A pious tradition holds that, since the days of the prophets Elijah and Elisha, in that area were men of prayer who lived in solitude in search of God. In the period of the Crusades arose among Christians the desire to live on that mountain of life dedicated to Christ. Thus arose in Carmel Carmelite life. The convent of Mount Carmel has an evocative name: "Stella Maris" (Star of the Sea). It's a beautiful building to 500 square meters above the sea level Mediterrano in the city of Haifa.
The center of the convent is occupied by the sanctuary of the Virgen del Carmen. In the high altar of this beautiful church on a Greek cross is venerated statue of the Virgen del Carmen, by an Italian sculptor in 1836.
Under the altar is the cave of Elijah. According to tradition, this was the place where the Prophet refuge. A statue reminds the zealous defender of the religion of Yahweh.
Carmelite Fathers tell us that it was not easy to remain Catholic on this mountain. It is true that, at the time of the Crusades, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Saint Albert, could give the hermits of Mount Carmel, a religious rule 1212. It is said that the Carmelite St. Simon Stock happened around here before his famous vision of Carmelite scapular.
Also went on pilgrimage to this holy mountain King St. Louis of France in 1254 in thanksgiving for being saved from a shipwreck.
With the fall of the city of Acre in 1291 came the Arab persecution led to the martyrdom of not a few religious. After a long interruption of monastic life in the mountains that gave rise to the expansion of the Carmelite ideal for the West, religious del Carmen returned to Mount Carmel by the seventeenth century.
The Star of the Sea
The sailors before the age of electronics trusted their way to the stars. Hence the analogy with the Virgin Mary who as star of the sea, guides us through the tricky waters of life towards the safe haven that is Christ.
For the invasion of the Saracens, the Carmelites were forced to leave Mount Carmel. An ancient tradition tells us that before leaving the Virgin appeared to them as they sang the Salve Regina and she promised to be for them the Star of the Sea that beautiful name also known as Our Lady Mount Carmel rises like a star next to sea

Gospel of the day...

Sunday 15/JUL/12
Gospel of the day

Mk 6: 7-13.

The Lord sends us.

Jesus called the Twelve and sent them two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits. And commanded them that they should take to the road more than a stick, no food, no supplies, no money, they were shod with sandals and did not have two tunics. He said, "Stay in the house where accommodation to give them time to leave. If you do not receive a place and people will not listen, to get out, shake the dust from their feet for a testimony against them. "Then they went to preach, urging conversion, drove out many demons and healed many sick, anointing them with oil.

reflection:

Also today Jesus sends his apostles, that we are Catholics. And how should we preach? With the word but especially with our actions. Invite the conversion is urgent at this time, since according to several apparitions of the Blessed Virgin are very close to the Lord's Day, and we must be converted to meet that day to be prepared to meet the Lord who comes. Turn means to begin fulfilling the commandments of the Law of God and follow the teachings that Jesus left us in his Gospel, to live well in God's grace and be prepared for the coming of the Lord, either to his Second Coming at the end of the times, or for particularly coming for each of us at the time of our death.

Let us ask the Blessed Virgin the grace to be ardent evangelists in these times as strong, marked by the mercy of God and that we seize every moment and circumstance to be apostles of the Lord.

Jesus, Mary, I love you, save souls.

Spiritual childhood...

spiritual childhood

Joy.
Something we must cultivate in ourselves if we are infants in the spiritual life, the joy, because the evidence of life try to hacérnosla lose and a life without joy is very difficult to live.
And how not to lose the joy with the terrible things that happen in the world?
Just know that whatever happens, how terrible it is, is governed by God, and if it has happened, is because God willed it, or at least, has allowed for good.
Then, knowing that God rules all and loves us all and we are happy to retain the joy despite all evidence that we put the devil on the road.
And if we have a constant joy, then invoke Mary, the Rosary recémosle, Let us sing songs and praises, and then yes we will be happy all the time, with a smile to our neighbors. And not only we will be happy, but give happiness, joy and peace to our people and everyone who crosses our path.
Let us imitate the birds who are always happy with some settle, and sing to the rising sun and are not ambitious. Sometimes we lose our peace and joy because we envision what we should not covet, and how we fail, we get sad and melancholy, even morose.
Let go of those chains that have imprisoned us and fly free in the love of God in the joy of knowing we are loved by God, and with the certainty that awaits us down the road, happiness without end and without measure.

Beware...

Beware

Be careful with life ...
Do not be looking for news!
Because it is an extravagant experiment,
or a technique of our time, not a theory
newly invented. And thus defy
you can turn into defeat.

Be careful with life ...
Do not be looking for news!
Because it is a fad that can
drive at your leisure ...
or a puzzle that can
love your convenience ...
Not a top you can move your will ...
And much lower values,
you can melt into tears.

Be careful with life ...
Do not be looking for news!
Because it is an instrument of pleasure ...
Not a rope to stretch until you want ...
Not a toy that you put to work for fun ...
And both play with it, you can break
hands.

Be careful with life ...
Lest looking for new,
strangeness and sophistication ...
You go to escape salvation!

Bacardi Zenaida Argamasilla

El Apocalipsis...

El Apocalipsis en la Obra de María Valtorta

No se convierten. 

Dice Jesús:

“Yo vendría a morir por segunda vez, para salvarles de una muerte más atroz todavía... Pero mi Padre no lo permite... Mi Amor lo permitiría, la Justicia no. Sabe que sería inútil. Por ello vendré tan sólo en la última hora. Pero ¡ay de los que en aquella hora me verán habiendo elegido por su señor a Lucifer! No se necesitarán armas en manos de mis ángeles para vencer la batalla contra los anticristos. Bastará mi mirada.

¡Oh! ¡si los hombres supieran todavía volverse a Mí que soy la salvación! Sólo deseo esto y lloro porque veo que nada es capaz de hacerles levantar la cabeza hacia el Cielo desde donde Yo les extiendo mis brazos.” 

(Los cuadernos 1943 – María Valtorta) 

Comentario: 

¡Pobre Dios que no sabe cómo llamar a los hombres a la conversión, al arrepentimiento! Nos cubre de dones y los usamos mal y para pecar. Nos manda castigos, permitiéndolos, y nos rebelamos contra Él. Nos da salud y la usamos para el mal. Nos envía la enfermedad y el sufrimiento, y no sabemos sufrir con resignación y paciencia, acusamos a Dios y no aprovechamos ese dolor para purificarnos.

El libro del Apocalipsis es muy claro cuando relata las pestes y calamidades que suceden a los hombres al fin de los tiempos, y que ellos en lugar de convertirse, siguen en su pecado hasta el fin.

Que no nos suceda esto a nosotros y aprovechemos todo lo que Dios quiera o permita en nuestras vidas, porque todo será por amor hacia nosotros, ya que Dios, todo lo que hace o permite, lo hace o permite por amor, aunque no lo entendamos de momento, e incluso aunque no lo entendamos nunca en este mundo.

Preparémonos a los tiempos difíciles que se avecinan y no juzguemos jamás a Dios, aunque nos parezca que sus castigos son muy duros. Lo que sucede es que el pecado es muy grande.

Gospel of the day...

Friday 13/JUL/12
Gospel of the day

Mt 10, 16-23.

Perseverance is the key.

Jesus told his apostles: I send you as sheep among wolves: be so wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues. Because of me, will be brought before governors and kings, to testify before them and the pagans. When arrested, do not worry about how they will speak or what they will say what they should say they will release at the time, it is not you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking in you. Brother will betray his brother to be sentenced to death, and the father his child; children will rebel against their parents and put to death. You will be hated by all because of my name s, but he who endures to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one city, flee to another. I assure you that will not break through the cities of Israel before it reaches the Son of man.

Reflection:

We're entering that time announcing the Lord in this Gospel, because the world becomes increasingly pagan and contrary to God and Christ and all that is Christian is being increasingly persecuted and hated.

So we need to arm ourselves of perseverance, because, as Jesus says in this Gospel passage: "He who endures to the end will be saved."

It better be for a while in the grace of God, but we must always live in grace, fulfilling the Ten Commandments and being kind to everyone. And if we have the misfortune to fall into grievous sins, it is necessary to lift us to become a sincere confession with the priest and continue on their way, without ever stopping, no matter what, because the award is excessive and is promised to no that are flawless, but for sinners who keep getting up over and over again of his sin, and ultimately reach perfection.

If we are true Christians, then the world will follow us, because the highest in the world are opposed to the wisdom of Christ, and necessarily, if we want to be consistent with the Gospel and live it, we're going to the world, now more than ever is in power the Evil One.

But what can happen to us bad, really bad, God is with us? Absolutely everything is ruled by God, and He will not allow anything in our life that is truly harmful. So we have great faith and trust in God and his Mother, who run our lives.

Let us ask the Blessed Virgin the grace of perseverance in good and in the grace of God, that we are saved not only us, but while we are like magnets that attract other souls to salvation.

Jesus, Mary, I love you, save souls.