This is the place where "Rosary-Man-Jim" Author of 2 books, writes and shares a daily reflection about the day’s gospel, along with sharing his love for the Rosary. This is also the place where his life’s journey from husband to dad of 5, to care-taker to widower, Single, and grandpa of 1 is shared... if you would like to be added to his email list to receive this blog every single day, email him and let him know at: jimdaceyjunior@yahoo.com Podcast's will be sent also.
Today’s Gospel: Luke 8:16-18 (Parable of The
Lamp) "No one after lighting a lamp covers it
with a vessel, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, that those who
enter may see the light. For nothing is hid that shall not be made manifest,
nor anything secret that shall not be known and come to light. Take heed then
how you hear; for to him who has will more be given, and from him who has not,
even what he thinks that he has will be taken away."
Reflection: Living in God’s light means that all our secrets are brought out into the
light for God to see. Yes, that can be frightening if we are hiding something;
but it can also be a blessed freedom of joy to, to be out of the darkness. Our
mission if we are to assume one in this life; is to be the one who brings the
light of Christ to others. To help them see the truth of the Gospel, free help them
from the blindness of their sin and help them out of the deception of this world.
Yes, we have a lot of work to do.
Do you know there is so much Joy living in the Light of Christ? None of us are
perfect, no not one! But we are all children of God and we are all saved and
forgiven and cleansed of our sin by His Holy Blood. All we must do is ask, seek
and knock and Jesus will there for us for all eternity. Surrender to Jesus
fully my friends, there is no better life to live. Those who choose to be
against God I believe only do so because they have never ever had a
relationship with Him. If they knew of His love and mercy and compassion they’d
never a life that did not embrace Jesus.
I reach out to all of you who maybe never considered a life devoted to Our
Lord. I reach to you, to tell you He is the One the Only One who you should be
worshiping and adoring. Jesus Christ died so that you, me, all of us might live
eternally with Him and The Father in Heaven. If you don’t know Jesus Christ, maybe
it’s time to get to know Him. Kneel down wherever you are, bow your head and
ask for Jesus to come into your life. He will change your life for the better.
He will never ever leave you or forsake you. He will always be there for you.
He will always give you a feeling a calmness and peace in this world of discontent.
Even if someone is shouting at you for loving Jesus or threatening you because
of your love for Jesus, you will find peace even in that situation. Nothing can
or could or would ever separate you from His love. Nothing! See you all
tomorrow.
LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
**(NEW DAILY FEATURE)
Today is Monday: We pray the Joyful Mysteries: The Joyful Mysteries
1. The Annunciation (Humility) – Luke 1:26-28
2. The Visitation (Love of Neighbor) – Luke 1:39-45
3. The Birth of Jesus (Poverty of Spirit) – Luke 2:1-20
4. The Presentation (Purity of Mind and Spirit) – Luke 2:22-38
5. Finding in The Temple (Obedience) –Luke 2:41-50
I simply love the morning, because they always
begin with the Rosary.
"He
also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a steward, and
charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. And he called
him and said to him, `What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account
of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.' And the steward said to
himself, `What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from
me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what
to do, so that people may receive me into their houses when I am put out of the
stewardship.' So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the
first, `How much do you owe my master?' He said, `A hundred measures of oil.'
And he said to him, `Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' Then
he said to another, `And how much do you owe?' He said, `A hundred measures of
wheat.' He said to him, `Take your bill, and write eighty.' The master
commended the dishonest steward for his shrewdness; for the sons of this world
are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of
light."
And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so
that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations. "He
who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is
dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been
faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches? And
if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you
that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will
hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise
the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
Reflection: Mammon! Tough topic for some and an even more difficult topic for others.
When you look at the word mammon it’s
difficult to find an exact meaning, after all it is an ancient biblical word.
So I will share with you what I have found:
Merriam-Webster definition of Mammon:
Material wealth or possessions especially as having a debasing influence <you
cannot serve God and mammon — Matthew 6:24 (Revised Standard Version)
The Free Dictionary’s definition of Mammon: Bible Riches, avarice, and worldly gain personified as a false god in the New Testament.
And often mammon Material wealth regarded as having an evil influence.
Interesting find. There are many other translations of definition all of the similar
nature, many referring back to scripture. And oddly enough even in scripture
the word “mammon” isn’t there as often as we may think. Yes, in today’s
scripture we see it, but more often than not, scripture uses the word “money”
instead. Take the NIV Bible, if you look up the word “money” you will
find it 113 times (61 times) in the Old Testament and (52 times) in the New
Testament. In-fact when I was typing in the word mammon I was getting references
back to the word money. I use www.biblegateway.com
for all my biblical reference studies. It is an amazing resource. I gain
nothing by referring you to go check out them out. You’ll love all the
features.
So this money thing?? Hmm I know, Money is not evil… “We need money to live,
we need money to pay our bills, we need money to buy food, we need money to
help others.” Believe me, I have heard all those arguments about money my
entire life. But let’s face it, money can’t be evil, but the people who possess
it or cling to it; well I won’t say it, but those people can make some
seriously bad choices because of it. Many have died because of a lack of it (hunger,
homelessness, etc.). Some have died because someone else was paid to do it.
Some are unable to obtain it due to physical issues and must suffer because of
their inability to gain it. So I guess maybe, in many ways money can be very
evil. But I still believe the choices come from the people holding it. Remember
what Jesus said today, “You cannot serve God and mammon."
How do you see money? How do you embrace and hold your money? Do you cling to
your money as your sole security in life? If you had choices to make, hard
ones, difficult ones, would you ever consider putting money first? Hmm, some
people have. Look at just one of these crazy questions and its results:
When Polled: Arm for a Million Dollars?
475 people voted:
29 (6.11%) would trade their arm for the money.
446 (93.89%) said NO WAY!
What are those 29 people thinking?
In my research I also found this write up, written by Len Penzo (What Would You Be Willing to Do for a
Million Dollars?) WOW! http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id816-what-would-you-be-willing-to-do-for-a-million-dollars.html
It is definitely worth a few minutes to read this, it will blow your mind to
read how much people are willing to sacrifice almost anything, to get their
hands on this kind of “money”. This is actually very sad on so many levels. So
my sisters and brothers, what controls your life? Who is your real lord and master?
Who or what governs your every thought? Idea? Desire? Does your love of money
and possessions rule your heart so much that you will do whatever it will take
to obtain it and keep it? Even at the cost of another? Hmm, well…
Whatever tends to control you will ultimately control every single aspect of
your thinking, whether you want it to or not. If your desire is chocolate, your
body and your mind each day will devise a plan to obtain chocolate, through buying
it, or taking it from another, or stealing it, regardless you will get it each
day. How great are your desires? You can lust after anything and desire it so
greatly that your choices will be very bad, even evil, even illegal. Many have
gone to jail for all different kinds of vises they hold in their hearts and
have acted upon. I don’t have type them all here, just look in the news; there
is some crazy things going on around the world and some of it is to fulfill
desire and passion. Who is your master, what is that governs your passions?
Simply ask Jesus to fill your heart with generosity and love and ask him to
give you the desire to share. Sharing with others is a wonderful Joy, the
benefits and Joy are eternal and Our Lord will be so happy knowing your heart
is in the right place. All that we have was first God’s. He blessed us with
whatever we have no matter how little or great it is. It is our job as Children
of God to do what is right with His stuff; and that is to share it with others.
Hoarding and protecting His blessings when we can be blessing others is utterly
insane. Think of it this way. You walk past a hungry homeless man. You buy 2
cheeseburgers, but because you saved your money and the store had a special the
owner said, “Sir, you have gained 2 more
cheeseburgers.” So what do we do? Hoard and hide and keep them? NO! Give them
to the homeless man you passed. Pass the blessings on to those who are in need.
Selfishness only leads to someone else going hungry. Think about it. I know one
person can’t solve all the problems of the world. But one person can feed
another person or two or three. One person can make a difference when they take
selfishness out of the equation of their decisions.
Pray often asking our Lord for direction and He will do just that for you.
Kindness and generosity go a long way; always think of others first, not only
ourselves. See you all tomorrow. God Bless You.
LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
**(NEW DAILY FEATURE)
Today is Sunday: We pray the Glorious Mysteries: The Glorious Mysteries
1. The Resurrection (Faith) –Mark 16:1-8
2. The Ascension (Hope) –Luke 24:50-53
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Love) –Acts 2:1-4
4. The Assumption of Our Lady
(Grace of a Happy Death) –Rev 12:1-6
5. The Coronation of Mary (Mary’s intercession) –Judith 15:9-10
Today’s Gospel: Luke 8:4-15 (Parable
of The Sower)
"And
when a great crowd came together and people from town after town came to him,
he said in a parable: "A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was
trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock; and as it grew
up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And
some fell into good soil and grew,
and yielded a hundredfold." As he said this, he called out, "He who
has ears to hear, let him hear." And when his disciples asked him what
this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets
of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they
may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The
seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then
the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not
believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear
the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while
and in time of temptation fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns,
they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the
cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.”
Reflection: How deep is your love? I read today’s gospel and I got that 1977 Bee Gees
song stuck in my head; I did not do that on purpose, it just happened. By the
way, I know why you read my blog; you come here for the unexpected and crazy
un-orthodox way I sort of do things here. LOL! Well now that I said that. How
deep is your love for Jesus? The path! The rocks! & The thorns! They have
all been proven failures when it comes to depths of sincere love. Only the good
soil will be fruitful and yield a hundredfold. But how many of you are in the
good soil? Look how Jesus explains the parable. Jesus is direct and fully open
with His explanation, no one can say they did not understand.
Jesus says “The seed is the Word ofGod.” I love our Lord’s explanation
in today’s gospel. He goes through each one of these examples, making sure you
fully understand which category you may fit into, if any. That way you can make
the necessary adjustments in your life, to get yourself into the good soil in
the end. But you must first have clarity, so you understand what Jesus is
saying. Look at this amazing breakdown of Jesus’ way of explaining this
incredible parable.
“The ones along the path are those who
have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts,
that they may not believe and be saved.”
“And the ones on the rock are those who,
when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they
believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.”
“And as for what fell among the thorns,
they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the
cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.”
I love reading the words Jesus spoke. We are so blessed to have the Holy Bible
(scripture) in our lives, the true Living
Word of God. It takes my breathe away sometimes, how truly fortunate and
blessed we really are. That is why we should be reading and carrying our bible
everywhere, every single day. Write in your bible, make notes and underline and
write dates and comments to scripture that has affected your spiritual journey.
God’s Word is sacred YES. But the book is a book for our journey. Fr. Mullally
advised of that decades ago. I have highlighted and dated and noted spots
throughout my many bibles. Embrace God’s Word and make it an intricate part of
your daily life. Till tomorrow my friends, sing with me. LOL. Yes, I pulled up
the Bee Gees song. I have the YouTube link at the end of today’s blog for you.
See you tomorrow.
LOVE
YOU GUYS !!!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
**(NEW DAILY FEATURE)
Today is Saturday: We pray the Joyful Mysteries: The Joyful Mysteries
1. The Annunciation (Humility) – Luke 1:26-28
2. The Visitation (Love of Neighbor) – Luke 1:39-45
3. The Birth of Jesus (Poverty of Spirit) – Luke 2:1-20
4. The Presentation (Purity of Mind and Spirit) – Luke 2:22-38
5. Finding in The Temple (Obedience) –Luke 2:41-50
I simply love Saturday mornings, because Saturday
like every other day of the week -it begins with the Rosary.
Today’s Gospel: Luke 8:1-3 (Women
Disciples of Jesus) "Soon
afterward he went on through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the
good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some
women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called
Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza,
Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of
their means.”
Reflection: Are you ready to serve the Lord using your own personal resources (aka: cash, time, treasures, skills, etc.)?
WHAT? Someone once said to me, “I thought
the church did that?” You know what my answer was before I even type it
here, I told him, “We are the church!”
It baffles me how anyone who says they love Jesus then nickel dimes Him about
such petty expenses; and yet Jesus openly and willing gave His life to save
ours, without reservation or complaint. What we do know about these women who
served Jesus and the disciples: some had money, but most didn’t; but they all
gave of their time and services to serve their Lord. Why is that so difficult
for some?
Why is it that the tendency of mankind is to want to be served, rather than to
serve? Even Jesus said He came to serve, not be served. We must embrace the
lowest place and know that that place of a servant unto our Lord is the place
we should desire to be. Living a selfless sacrificial life that is humble and
giving is good; not only in our love for our Lord, but it is good for society
as a whole. Imagine if countless thousands, even millions upon millions in all
communities around the world would live a selfless sacrificial life. There
would be World Peace! No one would be hungry! No one would be living on the
street. Kindness and compassion would cover the streets. It kind of sounds like
Heaven.
Jesus knows our hearts and the depths of
our intentions. If all you can do is simply wipe the sweat off the brow of
someone’s forehead or give them a glass of water, and you can’t afford to or
you are unable to do anymore, that is ok. Jesus knows this and loves you so
much for all you have done. Every little bit counts, every ounce of love counts,
every embrace of compassion counts. Jesus
knows our hearts and the depths of our intentions. He alone knows when we
have given our all. But keep in mind He also knows when we hold out, meaning
that we have much more -but we either don’t or won’t give to His Church or
others. That’s all I’ll say about that. But, we simply must remember everything
(money, skills, gifts, ability, etc.)
we have, was first God’s; we have been fully entrusted with it. It is what we do with it, that is going to
matter. Pray that God gives you the love and compassion for our Lord that you
need, to guide your heart. Trust in Him and He will guide you. Cheerio, till
tomorrow my good friends.
LOVE
YOU GUYS !!!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
**(NEW DAILY FEATURE)
Today is Friday: We pray the Sorrowful Mysteries: The Sorrowful Mysteries
1. Agony on the Garden (Sorrow for sin) –Matt 26:36-46
2. Scourging at the Pillar (Purity) –Mark 15:1-16
3. Crowning with Thorns (Moral Courage) –Matt 27:27-31
4. Carrying of the Cross (Patience) –Mark 15:20-22
5. The Crucifixion (Perseverance) –Luke 23:33-46
FRIDAY’S I share this meditation I
wrote back in 2010. Here I share my own personal insight and experience, as I
journey with our Lady from station to station.
Many
Franciscan groups around the world use this for their own group gathering while
they meditate the Stations with our Lady. http://beads-of-joy-blog.blogspot.com/2010/03/marys-way-of-cross.html It is unique and
emotionally very moving as you move from station to station… From my heart to
yours.
Today’s Gospel: John 19:25-27 (Our
Lady of Sorrows) "But
standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary
the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the
disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold,
your son!' Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother!' And from that
hour the disciple took her to his own home.”
Reflection: I have spoken to many Catholics, Roman Catholics over the past 33 years and
some have said, “Oh, how I wish I was
there at the Crucifixion.” Really? This is not the red carpet at some
event, somewhere in Hollywood. I don’t know that I’d want to be there. Part me
would like to have been present during Jesus’ time, hear His teachings; but
during the most sorrowful and most difficult times I’m sure I could have
handled it emotionally. I did write a blog called “Mary’s Way of The Cross”
Here is the link: http://beads-of-joy-blog.blogspot.com/2010/03/marys-way-of-cross.html
I wrote this back in 2010. This is an emotionally charged account of “me”
walking with Our Lady, it slowly builds up more and more and it gets very
emotional. I invite you to take the journey with me.
When you see Jesus bear His Cross, does it give you strength to carry your own?
It does for me. Some of us have light manageable ones, while other have heavy
ones that buckle our knees. Jesus knows what we can handle and He entrusts the
ones that He gives us. We must learn to embrace them and no matter how
difficult the days get or the hours seem, we must forge forward bearing that
Cross. What I have learned is that the more focused and the more you live your
life for Jesus, detached from this world; the heavy your Cross gets. But that’s
ok. I like that. Jesus knows the hearts of those who love Him and follow after
Him.
Did you know that there were seven
sorrows that our Lady (Jesus’ Mom) endured in Scripture? I also wrote about
this in another one of my blogs. I do write a lot about our Lord, our Lady and
the Rosary. Just take the time to either sift through this blog or Google
search: Beads of Joy, (….) whatever you are looking for. A scripture? The rosary?
A Mystery? Here are the Sorrows of our Lady with each Scriptural reference.
Followed by a Prayer Video today. See you all tomorrow.
SEVEN
SORROWS OF OUR LADY First Sorrow:The prophecy of Simeon. “When Mary and Joseph
present the infant Jesus in the temple, Simeon predicts that a "sword” (of sorrow) will
pierce her soul.” Luke 2: 25-35.
Second Sorrow: The flight into Egypt “When King Herod orders the death of all male children age two or
younger, Mary and Joseph flee to Egypt with the infant Jesus.” Matt 2:13-15.
Third Sorrow: The Child Jesus Lost
in the Temple “Mary and Joseph search for
the child Jesus for three days, finding him at last in the temple.” Luke 2;
41-50.
Fourth Sorrow: Mary meets Jesus
carrying the cross “Mary shares Jesus' suffering as He carries the cross through the streets of
Jerusalem.” Luke 23: 27-29.
Fifth Sorrow: Mary at the foot of the
cross. “Mary witnesses the
crucifixion and death of Jesus.” John 19: 25-30.
Sixth Sorrow: Mary receives the body
of Jesus. “Jesus is taken down from
the cross and his body is placed in Mary's arms.” Psalm 130.
Seventh Sorrow: Mary witnesses the
burial of Jesus. “The body of Jesus is laid
in the tomb and Mary awaits the Resurrection.” Luke 23: 50-56.
Prayer to Our Lady of Sorrows
LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
**(NEW DAILY FEATURE)
Today is Thursday: We pray the Luminous Mysteries: The Luminous Mysteries
1. The Baptism of Jesus (Matt 3:13-17)
2. Wedding Feast of Cana (John 2:1-12)
3. Proclamation of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:15)
4. The Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-13)
5. Institution of the Holy Eucharist (Matt 26:17-30)
Today’s Gospel: John 3:13-17 (Exaltation of The
Holy Cross)
(Jesus answered) "No one has ascended into
heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man. And as Moses lifted up
the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that
whoever believes in him may have eternal life." For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever
believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent
the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be
saved through him.”
Reflection: The greatest proof that God loves us can be found in the Holy Cross; but we
can also look into an ancient Easter Vigil prayer called (The Exultet) that expresses God’s love for us. God sent His Son to
become one with humanity and then gave His life to set us free. Jesus dying on
the Cross was the perfect sacrifice of atonement and the total and complete offering
from God. While the Cross can be scary and even brutal to some who look upon
it; once you truly understand the love that is in it, you are able to embrace
it. God’s love for us is unlimited and He cannot and will not rest till all of
His children return home.
“God loves each one of us as if there were
only one of us to love.” ~St. Augustine
Yes, we have the free-will to love God or not. God loves us so much that He
does not force us to love Him back. He wants our love to be of our own
free-will. Do you love God and all that is good? Do you place Him before anyone
and anything in your life? Are your everyday choices based on your love for
Him? There is so much to think about. If you love The Father, The Son and The
Holy Spirit with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind; your life
will never be the same, your life will be constantly and completely always
filled with Joy. Try this for 30 days and you won’t be able to stop, I guarantee it.
See you all tomorrow. I leave you with this amazing ancient prayer.
Here is The Exultet:
Rejoice, heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels!… Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!… Rejoice, O Mother Church! Exult in glory!… Let this place resound with joy, echoing the mighty song of all God’s people!… This is the night when Jesus Christ broke the chains of death and rose triumphant from the grave… Father how wonderful your care for us! How boundless your merciful love! To ransom a slave you gave away your Son. O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so great a Redeemer!… Night truly blessed when heaven is wedded to earth and man is reconciled with God!…
LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
**(NEW DAILY FEATURE)
Today is Wednesday: We pray the Glorious Mysteries: The Glorious Mysteries 1. The Resurrection (Faith) –Mark 16:1-8
2. The Ascension (Hope) –Luke 24:50-53
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Love) –Acts 2:1-4
4. Assumption of Our Lady (A Happy Death) –Rev 12:1-6
5. The Coronation of Mary (Mary’s intercession) –Judith 15:9-10
Today’s Gospel: Luke 7:11-17(Jesus
Raises The Widows Son)
“Soon
afterward he went to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd
went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had
died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow;
and a large crowd from the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her,
he had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep." And he came
and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young
man, I say to you, arise." And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And
he gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all; and they glorified God,
saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has
visited his people!" And this report concerning him spread through the
whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.”
Reflection: How do you respond to the misfortunes
and sorrows of others? There are so many in scripture that Jesus is moved
so deeply by; one person’s story of pain and suffering becomes a miracle and
prayer answered for us to read about. His compassion for them grabs you through
the very words of scripture. In today’s gospel Jesus knew that this woman was
on her way to the cemetery with her only son, her only means of support, her
future. Our Lord’s compassion and grief could not allow her to suffer any
longer.
How do you respond to the misfortunes and
sorrows of others? Our Lord has given us the ability to also have same compassion
and grief and love towards those suffering. Do you simply pass by and by the
time you have passed them, you forgot them; or have you stopped and grieved
with them, consoled them and did all you can to help them. There are so many
ways to interpret today’s gospel. It gets me sick when very capable people do
nothing to help those who are suffering. How do they sleep well at night? How
do they have any sort of clear conscious knowing their heads rest on the soft
pillow, while a family a mile away is sleeping in their car? Or walking the
street? Has society come that low? Have we become that selfish, that hardnosed?
Have we lost all compassion and love as children of God?
Dear Lord, why do so many people
suffer while so many people have beyond what they need and share nothing to
help those who are hungry? I ask you Lord, please touch the hearts of those who
have the ability to help the suffering. Please lead them to be loving and compassionate
to those who have nothing, some who don’t even have food to eat today Lord.
Please Lord only you can turn their selfishness into selflessness. Only you
Lord can open the hearts of those who have, to be there for those who have not.
In this we pray. Amen. How do you respond to the misfortunes and
sorrows of others? Yes, this issue of suffering bothers me a lot. It’s
personal! In the past when we were very capable of helping people and families
who knew and we did. We’ve told no one, but I tell you this now, not for compliments
or pride. I say it because we have sat on both sides of the fence and when you
do -two things happen. One, this gives me the authority to speak of the
experience first-hand from both perspectives and two, if you have ever
suffered, truly suffered, then you will understand suffering and sorrow in ways
even these words can’t express. So please know that I speak from the heart, not
with bitterness, but with Joy knowing that Jesus has sent many of His true
angels and saints to us. Jesus knew what and who we needed in our lives and
they have arrived and miracle after miracle keeps happening. We have been
blessed by the unexpected souls our Lord has sent to be by our family’s side.
Never lose hope my friends. Jesus will send you an angel and that angel will
bring you Joy. Till tomorrow may your day be filled with Jesus’ love.
LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
**(NEW DAILY FEATURE)
Today is Tuesday: We pray the Sorrowful Mysteries:
The Sorrowful Mysteries
1. Agony on the Garden (Sorrow for sin) –Matt 26:36-46
2. Scourging at the Pillar (Purity) –Mark 15:1-16
3. Crowning with Thorns (Moral Courage) –Matt 27:27-31
4. Carrying of the Cross (Patience) –Mark 15:20-22
5. The Crucifixion (Perseverance) –Luke 23:33-46
Today’s Gospel: Luke 7:1-10 (A
Centurion’s Request)
“After
he had ended all his sayings in the hearing of the people he entered Capernaum.
Now a centurion had a slave who was dear to him, who was sick and at the point
of death. When he heard of Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him
to come and heal his slave. And when they came to Jesus, they besought him
earnestly, saying, "He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves
our nation, and he built us our synagogue. "And Jesus went with them. When
he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to
him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come
under my roof; therefore, I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and
let my servant be healed. For I am a man set under authority, with soldiers
under me: and I say to one, `Go,' and he goes; and to another, `Come,' and he
comes; and to my slave, `Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this
he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude that followed him,
"I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." And
when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well.”
Reflection: A Roman official looking for Jesus for a healing request? What? Is this man
crazy? A daring bold move and even more daring he calls Jesus, Lord. This
Centurion was indeed bold and courageous and his faith must have been
incredible, to believe so strongly. He really believes in Jesus’ power to heal
his moved loved servant. Jesus without hesitation gave this man his wish, a
healing immediately as he requested. How can this scripture be explained other
than the depths of this man’s faith? He had no fear of ridicule or backlash
from his fellow officials. His only concern was that his servant was healed by
the Lord he knew would and could heal him.
Can we live a life so boldly and so confident in Jesus’ healing power? Or do we
fear ridicule from our fellow workers, neighbors, friends, siblings? What’s
stopping you from being so bold for Jesus? Just imagine if even a small
percentage of Catholics were this faithful and strong in their faith. Wow! What
an incredible faith we would have and how many more would we be able to
evangelize with such bold humble faith. Think about what kind of witness that
would be. I’m not anyone special, but I wear my faith on my sleeve. Everywhere
I have ever worked I have shared my faith, my prayer life, my love for the
Rosary and well just as much as I share with all of you. I guess I live and
breathe my faith. And yes, I have had ridicule to content with. It never bothered
me. I didn’t care.
We must be bold and brave in our faith. If death be the price, so be it. Jesus
paid the ultimate price, for us. What makes us any different from him. Jesus
did say, “If the world hates you, know
that it has hated me before it hated you.” John 15:18. So we know the cost beforehand,
no excuses. If you don’t live for something worth dying for, then you live for
nothing. Your life has been wasted. So either toughen up and be bold with your
faith; or go latch on to some worldly affair of activities and status and live
your life. Jesus wants all of us, fully and completely. One leg in and one leg
out, not a good choice. You are either in or you are out. I’m just saying. In
the end Jesus decides if the life we lived was selfish or selfless and bold for
Him. Think about it. Remember Jesus knows our ulterior motives (why we really do the things we do). Don’t
waste your life away. Pride and status and worldly security can’t be packed in
a coffin. I pray that you be like this Centurion and have no fear to be so bold
for Jesus. See you all tomorrow.
LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
**(NEW DAILY FEATURE)
Today is Monday: We pray the Joyful Mysteries:
The Joyful Mysteries
1. The Annunciation (Humility) – Luke 1:26-28
2. The Visitation (Love of Neighbor) – Luke 1:39-45
3. The Birth of Jesus (Poverty of Spirit) – Luke 2:1-20
4. The Presentation (Purity of Mind & Spirit) – Luke 2:22-38
5. Finding in The Temple (Obedience) –Luke 2:41-50
I simply love mornings, because
they always begin with the Rosary.
Today’s Gospel: Luke 5:1-32 (So Much Lost -But
All Found)
“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all
drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying,
"This man receives sinners and eats with them." So he told them this
parable: "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the
ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he
finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And
when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to
them, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.' Just so, I
tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than
over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. "Or what woman,
having ten silver coins, if she loses
one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently
until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends
and neighbors, saying, `Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had
lost.' Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one
sinner who repents.
And he said, "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them
said to his father, `Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.'
And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son
gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he
squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a
great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and
joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his
fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine
ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, `How
many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish
here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him,
"Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer
worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants."' And
he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father
saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the
son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no
longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants,
`Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand,
and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat
and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they
began to make merry.
Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house,
he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what
this meant. And he said to him, `Your brother has come, and your father has
killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.' But he was
angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he
answered his father, `Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never
disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry
with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living
with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!' And he said to him, `Son,
you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make
merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost,
and is found.'"
Reflection: Wow. Today is one power packed gospel, chock full of way too much to talk
about. But the gem is The Parable of The
Prodigal Son. A son who was full of contempt and pride forcing division
within his family; returns finding mercy and forgiveness and restoration as the
family unites and celebrates. When Jesus tells a parable it’s always a story
about something we need to understand and learn. Here the prodigal son is (all of us) and the father the son
returns to, is Almighty God. It’s a vivid picture but we can see it. Look at
the character of God towards the returning son (His child) who was ungrateful and demanding. Upon his return there
was NO Judgment, NO slander, NO reprimand, NO hardship! ONLY LOVE!!
Can we learn of His love? Can we love our children and others with His love?
This father never lost hope, nor has he ever given up, that his son would
return to him. As our Lord continues to hope, never giving up on us, that all
of us would return our love and faith and lives to Him and return home. Do you
know the kind of love Jesus and God the Father have to offer us? It's far beyond
anything we could ever imagine. It is deeper and more sincere and more loving
than any love we could ever receive in this life. God the Father will never hold
anything against us. His love is the purest and most giving of all. When He
welcomes us “home” it will be with
open arms and an open heart full of generosity and kindness and forgiveness
that will shower us with so much Joy. All of our needs will be fulfilled and He
will love us unconditionally for all eternity.
What did the prodigal son realize and learn while he was away? A great deal
indeed. He returned humble and even said how he would speak to his father
saying, “Father, I have sinned against
heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as
one of your hired servants." This son (a child of God) was repenting in the deepest most humiliating way. He
openly admitted his sin and guilt; doing all he can to reconcile with his
father. There is no way he would have ever imagined the response his father
gave him. Just as Almighty God gives each one of us, every time we turn to Him
and ask for forgiveness in confession. Jesus wants all of us to “return home” and be the daughters and
sons he has always wanted us to be. While some walk off with worldly wealth
with Almighty behind them; our Lord stands in hope of their return to His arms.
Transform your hearts my sisters and brothers, love Jesus above all things, don’t
get caught up in the swine and mud of this worlds pleasures. It will only distract
you and keep you away from the Father. He is waiting for you, waiting and
hoping for your return. His arms are open. Love you guys. More to come
tomorrow, but you already knew that.
The Parable of The Lost Sheep
The Parable of The Lost Coin
The Parable of The Prodigal Son
LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
**(NEW DAILY FEATURE)
Today is Sunday: We pray the Glorious Mysteries:
The Glorious Mysteries
1. The Resurrection (Faith) –Mark 16:1-8
2. The Ascension (Hope) –Luke 24:50-53
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Love) –Acts 2:1-4
4. The Assumption of Our Lady
(Grace of a Happy Death) –Rev 12:1-6
5. The Coronation of Mary (Mary’s intercession) –Judith 15:9-10
Today’s Gospel: Luke 6:43-49 (Wise
and Foolish Builder) “For
no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for
each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor
are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good man out of the good treasure of
his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces
evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. "Why do you
call me `Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and
hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man
building a house, who dug deep, and laid the foundation upon rock; and when a
flood arose, the stream broke against that house, and could not shake it, because
it had been well built. But he who hears and does not do them is like a man who
built a house on the ground without a foundation; against which the stream
broke, and immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
Reflection: Ok here we go… Homebuilder’s, carpenters, electricians, brick layers and I
know so many others, lend me your ears (Yes,
I’ll give them back!). Today Jesus taught a parable you might want to read.
I’m only going to reflect on His teaching. I personally never build a house, at
least not with a hammer and nails. I’ve draw homes (and built scaled models with balsa wood) on an architectural level including
all building requirement specifications; so I have some simplistic
semi-educated knowledge. I did all that throughout High School and my first
year of College. My initial career choice was to be an Architect. So home
design (foundation to chimney top)
was something I loved since I was a teenager. Still do to some degree. Not with
brick and mortar and getting my hands dirty of cause; but with the creative ideas
of my mind on paper.
Building a house takes great planning, it’s not only a floor plan and a bunch
of pictures of what the future inside will look like. But the location must
also be taken into account. And when you pick the location, you must take into
consideration the seasons, current and past. Even though it may look beautiful
today, maybe three years ago there was a flood in the very spot you have
chosen. I’m sure you are wondering, what does all this have to do with our
faith? I thought the same thing to, the very first time I heard this scripture.
But think about it. The basic concept here is the “foundation” and what the house is built upon.
What is your house built upon? YOU, your heart, your ulterior motives, your
desires, your intentions, your choices; the very character of who we are. That
my sisters and brothers is our foundation. The house that is built upon it, is
our words, our sincerity, our gestures, our faith, our intentions, our motives
and our actions. Do you speak out of the both sides of your mouth? Do you know
what that means? It means on one side you say one thing and then on the other
side you say and do the complete opposite. God sees that. He knows the
Character of His children. We must build our lives on a solid foundation of
faith and keep our house in order. If we say we are Christians and we care for
others and love our Lord; then we need to live a life that reflects just that. We
must say and do what we mean and live by what we claim we live by. There are
way too many phony people in the world today! Don’t be one of them! Turn to
Jesus and promise Him your honest, reliable self and live a life pleasing to
Him; while helping and serving others with His hands and His love. God loves
you all. See you tomorrow.
“Our words matter, for the very words
we speak; come from the very foundation we are built upon.” ~me
LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
**(NEW DAILY FEATURE)
Today is Saturday: We pray the Joyful Mysteries:
The Joyful Mysteries 1.
The Annunciation (Humility) – Luke 1:26-28
2. The Visitation (Love of Neighbor) – Luke 1:39-45
3. The Birth of Jesus (Poverty of Spirit) – Luke 2:1-20
4. The Presentation (Purity of Mind & Spirit) – Luke 2:22-38
5. Finding in The Temple (Obedience) –Luke 2:41-50
I simply love Saturday mornings,
because Saturday like every other day of the week -it begins with the Rosary.
Dad of 5, Widower after 30 yrs of marriage, Secular Franciscan-OFS (professed in 2008) I'm a Rosary Maker since 1989. 2nd Degree Knight. Eucharistic Minister. I love making my homemade Italian sauce, lasagna, etc! Author of 2 books, former Business Owner. Making Rosaries is my favorite hobby.
