All Saints' Day

Jacob Epstein's Michael the Archangel--Photo by duncan on flickr.com

"I, John, saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God." (Rev. 7:2)

                                                                                              --from the readings for the Mass  

                                                                                 

Remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.

They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires."  These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Letter of St. Jude, v. 17-20. His symbol is the ship, for his missionary activities. His feast day is October 28.

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."  --Matthew 7:7

"...let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith."    --James 1:6

 Ask. And if you need faith, ask for that too.

Happy Saint Francis' Day!

"Religious and social cranks of all sorts have appealed to him for justification, and he has completely won the hearts of the sentimental. But the idylls that are associated with his name--the marriage with Lady Poverty, the listening birds, [etc.]...were only, so to speak, the 'trimmings' of a character which was wholly imbued with the spiritual, inspired by Christian dogma, and devoted not simply to Christ but to the crucified Christ." (Butler's Lives of the Saints)




Francis re-building (literally) the church.

Had some heavy lifting today, so I just cut out sweets.

We're swiftly moving into fall. Such an evocative time of year! Summer is so beautiful, the "way life is supposed to be."  No matter how beautiful autumn is, it's always tinged with sadness. Winter lurks in the background.

Our faith gives us hope. "All my springs are in thee." (Ps. 87)

Even Jesus "went not up to joy but first He suffered pain."  Teach us, o Lord, patience, courage, long-suffering and hope.

Fast, Pray, and Prioritize

		"Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well."