A Favor To Ask

As many regular readers know, due to my employment changes, the last several months have been a financial burden on me, as well as many of you.

I have gone from 40 hours a week to about 28 a week (on a good week) and, as is the case for many of us, I end up with far too much month left at the end of the money. In fact, the day after my computer went down, I also had the experience of having my electric power shut off for the first time in my life. I had gotten paid that day, but it took all the money that I had to get the power turned back on later that night. The power company is requiring that I pay an additional amount as a “deposit” by my next pay day on May 24 (which is kind of funny as that is two days after my birthday).

So, I have added a “Tip Jar” over on the top right hand sidebar of each blog if anyone would like to give me a hand. The “Donate” button utilizes PayPal, which is familiar to most internet users. I appreciate what you can do, and I would especially appreciate your prayers more than anything!

Once again, I would like to thank all of you who have clicked the various ads that appear on these blogs, and for using my links to purchase Mystic Monk Coffee, and the products I have from Zazzle. If it hadn't been for the purchases of Mystic Monk Coffee that literally poured in after Christmas through March, I would not have been able to have made it through the winter.

Let me say, that I am embarrassed to post this, but I am to the point of not knowing what else I can do, except rely on God, who has seen me through many storms. God has been good to me, and has helped me out with so many trials that I can not begin to recount them all.

So, please keep me in your prayers. I appreciate that more than you could ever know!

May God Bless you and Our Lady keep you in her care!

Mass Readings for Tuesday, August 14, 2012

"Jesus and the Little Child" --by James Tissot

Memorial of Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe, Priest and Martyr

FIRST READING: Ezekiel 2: 8 - 3: 4

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8 "But you, son of man, hear what I say to you; be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth, and eat what I give you."

9 And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and, lo, a written scroll was in it;

10 and he spread it before me; and it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe.

1 And he said to me, "Son of man, eat what is offered to you; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel."

2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.

3 And he said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it." Then I ate it; and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey.

4 And he said to me, "Son of man, go, get you to the house of Israel, and speak with my words to them.

PSALM: Psalms 119: 14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131

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14 In the way of thy testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.

24 Thy testimonies are my delight, they are my counselors.

72 The law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

103 How sweet are thy words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

111 Thy testimonies are my heritage for ever; yea, they are the joy of my heart.

131 With open mouth I pant, because I long for thy commandments.

GOSPEL: Matthew 18: 1 - 5, 10, 12 - 14

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1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them,

3 and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

4 Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.

10 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.

12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?

13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.

14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Mass Readings for Monday, August 13, 2012

FIRST READING: Ezekiel 1: 2 - 5, 24 - 28

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2 On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoi'achin),

3 the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chalde'ans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was upon him there.

4 As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness round about it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming bronze.

5 And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the form of men,

24 And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the thunder of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of a host; when they stood still, they let down their wings.

25 And there came a voice from above the firmament over their heads; when they stood still, they let down their wings.

26 And above the firmament over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness as it were of a human form.

27 And upward from what had the appearance of his loins I saw as it were gleaming bronze, like the appearance of fire enclosed round about; and downward from what had the appearance of his loins I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness round about him.

28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

PSALM: Psalms 148: 1 - 2, 11 - 14

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1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights!

2 Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host!

11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!

12 Young men and maidens together, old men and children!

13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven.

14 He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the LORD!

GOSPEL: Matthew 17: 22 - 27

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22 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men,

23 and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day." And they were greatly distressed.

24 When they came to Caper'na-um, the collectors of the half-shekel tax went up to Peter and said, "Does not your teacher pay the tax?"

25 He said, "Yes." And when he came home, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their sons or from others?"

26 And when he said, "From others," Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free.

27 However, not to give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook, and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel; take that and give it to them for me and for yourself."

Sunday Mass Readings For August 12, 2012

FIRST READING: 1 Kings 19: 4 - 8

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4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree; and he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am no better than my fathers."

5 And he lay down and slept under a broom tree; and behold, an angel touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat."

6 And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank, and lay down again.

7 And the angel of the LORD came again a second time, and touched him, and said, "Arise and eat, else the journey will be too great for you."

8 And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.

PSALM: Psalms 34: 2 - 9

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2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and be glad.

3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!

4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.

5 Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed.

6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 O taste and see that the LORD is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him!

9 O fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no want!

SECOND READING: Ephesians 4: 30 - 32

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30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice,

32 and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

GOSPEL: John 6: 41 - 51

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41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven."

42 They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, `I have come down from heaven'?"

43 Jesus answered them, "Do not murmur among yourselves.

44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

45 It is written in the prophets, `And they shall all be taught by God.' Every one who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.

46 Not that any one has seen the Father except him who is from God; he has seen the Father.

47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.

48 I am the bread of life.

49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.

50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die.

51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh."