Today's Bible Reading--Psalm 23:1-3, Mark 6:30-32

1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want; 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.


30 The apostles returned to Jesus, and told Him all that they had done and taught. 31 And He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a lonely place by themselves.

Give Thanks

Today's Bible Reading--Malachi 2:10-16

10 Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 May the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob, for the man who does this, any to witness or answer, or to bring an offering to the LORD of hosts! 13 And this again you do. You cover the LORD's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor at your hand. 14 You ask, "Why does he not?" Because the LORD was witness to the covenant between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 Has not the one God made and sustained for us the spirit of life? And what does he desire? Godly offspring. So take heed to yourselves, and let none be faithless to the wife of his youth. 16 "For I hate divorce, says the LORD the God of Israel, and covering one's garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So take heed to yourselves and do not be faithless."

Today's Bible Reading--Luke 5:12-16

12 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and besought him, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." 13 And he stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And he charged him to tell no one; but "go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to the people." 15 But so much the more the report went abroad concerning him; and great multitudes gathered to hear and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.

Today's Bible Reading--Ruth 1:15-22

15 And she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law." 16 But Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God; 17 where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if even death parts me from you." 18 And when Na'omi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more. 19 So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. And when they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them; and the women said, "Is this Na'omi?" 20 She said to them, "Do not call me Na'omi, call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Na'omi, when the LORD has afflicted me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?" 22 So Na'omi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

Today's Bible Reading--Mark 4:26-29

26 And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground, 27 and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how. 28 The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

To St. Joseph, Patron of Workers

GLORIOUS ST. JOSEPH, pattern of all who are devoted to toil! Obtain for me the grace to toil in the spirit of penance, in order thereby to atone for my many sins; to toil conscientiously, putting devotion to duty before my own inclinations; to labour with thankfulness and joy, deeming it an honor to employ and to develop by my labour the gifts I have received from Almighty God: to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from weariness and difficulties; to wok above all with a pure intention and with detachment from self, having always before my eyes the hour of death and the accounting which I must then tender of time ill-spent, of talents unemployed, of good undone, and of empty pride in success, which is so fatal to the work of God.
All for Jesus, all through Mary, all in imitation of thee, O Patriarch Joseph! This shall be my motto in life and in death. Amen.


The Story of St. Joseph
from: http://www.stjosephmantua.com/

Saint Joseph, a man with a common touch. Quiet, giving, on the verge of mystery. He was left with dreams and the work of his hands. Displaced, a common worker, no name but carpenter this Joseph. Despite his humble work and means, Joseph came from a royal lineage, descended from David, the greatest king of Israel. We know he was a compassionate, caring man. The just man was simply, joyfully, wholeheartedly obedient to God - in marrying Mary, in naming Jesus, in shepherding the precious pair to Egypt, in bringing them to Nazareth, in the undetermined number of years of quiet faith and courage. He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Joseph's wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying: 'Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord".

Two feast days are celebrated for Joseph:
March 19 for Joseph the Husband of Mary and May 1 for Joseph the Worker.

Today's Bible Reading--2 Corinthians 4:5-18a

5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you. 13 Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, "I believed, and so I spoke," we too believe, and so we speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. 17 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Who Am I

Today's Bible Reading--Luke 6:27-36

27 "But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30 Give to every one who begs from you; and of him who takes away your goods do not ask them again. 31 And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them. 32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

To St. Christopher

ST. CHRISTOPHER, patron of travellers, to you I entrust myself and those who will accompany me on my journey, praying you to keep us from all harm and to bring us safely to our destination. O great saint, true Christ-bearer, who converted multitudes to the Christian faith and who for love of Jesus Christ suffered cruel torments in your martyrdom, I implore your intercession to enable me to avoid every sin, the only real evil. Preserve me and those dear to me against the forces of the elements, such as earthquakes, tornadoes, lightning, fire and flood, and guide us safely through the dangers of this life to the eternal shores. Amen.


The Story of St. Christopher
from: www.stchristopher.on.ca

According to tradition, St. Christopher died a martyr in Lycia in 251 A.D. during the reign of Decius, a Roman Emperor who conducted the first systematic persecution of Christians. Very little is known about Christopher's life, but many legends have developed around his name.


One of the most popular legends describes the saint as a tall man of tremendous strength who made a living carrying people across a raging river. One day his passenger was a child who grew so heavy as they crossed the river that he feared they would both drown. Christopher was amazed that one so mighty as himself could be overcome by one so small. The child then revealed that he was Christ, and the heaviness was caused by the weight of the world which he bore. The name "Christopher" means "Christ-bearer", and it is no surprise that he is often depicted as carrying a child, who, in turn, is carrying a globe.


It was a common medieval custom to place a large mural of the saint opposite the south door of the church, in belief that the sight of it would safeguard the passer-by from accident that day. In modern times, St. Christopher is considered to be the patron saint of travelers, especially of motorists.


St. Christopher is listed among the "Auxiliary Saints", or the Fourteen Holy Helpers, venerated for the efficacy of their prayers in time of need. His feast day is celebrated on July 25.