Quote of the Day IV

Can You see that as soon as the day breaks I think of You? As evening comes, I am near You. I am near You at every moment. I love You, Jesus!

--St. Gemma Galgani

November 10th Gospel

"Ten were cleansed were they not?" Ok, well, that's the Second Person of the Holy Trinity asking that question...pretty sure He knows the answer. I love rhetorical questions. Especially when God asks them. 'Cause, yeah, what are you going to say, "Well, Jesus, actually, you miscounted, there were only nine..."?

Jesus knew there were ten cleansed, and He already knew that only one of them would be coming back. But He cleansed them anyways. I feel like we would be in a very bad position if God didn't forgive our sins or heal us in any way if He already knows we're going to fall again. Such is the beauty of the Mercy of God.

I also really love how, once again, it's an outsider who is shown being the good guy. First the Samaritan in the Good Samaritan parable, now it's a Samaritan thanking Jesus for His goodness. I truly wonder what happened with the other nine. It actually kind of bugs me. I really can't imagine this one wandering off from them without them knowing that he was going back to see Jesus...why didn't they tag along? And he would've returned to them probably after seeing Jesus...did they feel guilty about not thanking the Man who just saved them? I feel like I could totally put myself in their shoes sometimes, because there are certain times I just don't even think to thank God for a blessing. Even those big, earth-shattering, I'm-no-longer-a-leper kind of moments. Sometimes I think about how Jesus was agonizing in the garden and thinking of everyone...everyone...me. I think about Jesus thinking about me. (And then I can get really complicated and start thinking about how Jesus was thinking about me thinking about Him...yay for circular thinking!) He saw...everything. In the moments before the authorities seized Him He knew exactly what He was suffering for. He knew I wouldn't be grateful. And He provided the Eucharist as a means of reminding me...us.

God is such a planner...which is quite awesome. He saved Our Lady by the Cross ahead of time at her Immaculate Conception. He knew we would forget...all of us, leper, cripple, blind, sinners...so He gave us the visible reminder of the Eucharist of the price He paid. I know without the Sacrament I would forever be forgetting to kneel at His feet. Maybe that's why the other leper's forgot, they just...couldn't see. Praise God for the one who had the eyes of faith!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMLZpyFu43g

Daily Prayer to Mary

So, I'm always really nervous about plagiarizing with stuff like this, so I'll be a nerd and cite my source at the beginning :D.

Evert, Crystalina. Pure Womanhood. San Diego: Catholic Answers, 2005. Print.

Mary, loving daughter of God the Father, I entrust my soul to you. Protect the life of God in my soul. Do not let me lose it by sin. Protect my mind and my will so that all my thoughts and desires will be pleasing to God.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Mary, loving Mother of God the Son, I entrust my heart to you. Let me love you with all my heart. Let me always try to love my neighbor. And help me avoid [people] who might lead me away from Jesus and into a life of sin.
Hail Mary...
Mary, loving spouse of the Holy Spirit, I entrust my body to you. Let me always remember that my body is a home for the Holy Spirit who dwells in me. Let me never sin against Him by any impure actions alone or with others.
Hail Mary...
St. Joseph, pray for us.
St. Raphael the Archangel, pray for us.
St. Maria Goretti, pray for us.
Amen.

This prayer...helped me in so many ways beyond explanation my senior year. And it never ceases to amaze me. Our Lady is so concerned with us. Never be afraid to run to her :).