Wednesday, February 28, 2018

You Will Drink My Cup


BEADS OF JOY 02-28-18
“You Will Drink My Cup”
©2018 James Dacey, Jr. OFS

My Friends,


Today’s Gospel: 
Matthew 20:17-28 (Request of James and John)
“And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day." Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him, with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom." But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able." He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father." And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Reflection:
I don’t think James and John nor their mother, have any clue what they are asking for. Yes, they said that they can drink the cup Jesus is about to drink; but I am sure at the sight of the crucifixion they will reflect upon this day. Are we so bold and true to our Lord that we too, would be willing to lay down our lives and die for our Lord? Many in the world still die in the Name of Jesus, because they won’t deny Jesus in their life. Today’s gospel has me thinking of another scripture I just have to share:

Luke 21:12-19 “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. So, make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all because of My name. Yet not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.”

It’s been said to me, that “You have faith, religion, Jesus in your life; because you are weak, you need that.” No, on the contrary, you better be bold and strong and passionate about your faith and love for Jesus, because it could cost you your life. How bold are you in your faith? Jesus says, in Matthew 10:38, “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.”

Pondering these thoughts today: Today’s gospel is straight forward to our understanding. Let us embrace Jesus with all our hearts, with all our minds and all our being. For He must be the center of our lives. He must come first in everything and should we be confronted with having to stand up for our faith and Jesus being our Lord, we must do so. One final scripture to keep in mind, Jesus says in Matthew 12:30. I don’t mean to scare you in today’s blog, but let’s seriously understand our faith. We must be loyal and hold our allegiance to Jesus no matter what.

The Unpardonable Sin
“He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.”

LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!

Your brother in Christ Jesus 
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS

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. The Assumption of Our Lady (A Happy Death) –Rev 12:1-6
5. The Coronation of Mary (Mary’s intercession) –Judith 15:9-10

Glory and Honor and Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ!




MY FIRST BOOK. More to come…

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Tuesday, February 27, 2018

One Master, The Christ


BEADS OF JOY 02-27-18
“One Master, The Christ”
©2018 James Dacey, Jr. OFS

My Friends,


Today’s Gospel: 
Matthew 23:1-12 (Denunciation of the Scribes & Pharisees)
“Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; so, practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice. They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ. He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Reflection:
Let’s start with this: St. Augustine asks, “Who are the proud? Those who do not perform penance and confess their sins in order to be healed through humility. Who are the proud? Those who attribute to themselves the few good qualities they seem to possess and endeavor to diminish the mercy of God. Who are the proud? Those who, while attributing to God the good they accomplish, insult others for not performing such works and raise themselves above them." It is humility that bends our knee and bows our head, before the Lord. It is humility that makes us willing to serve God without ever having any selfish reason or motive to do so.  

With humility there is no room for pride. We must do all we can on this journey following Jesus, to be like Jesus. Philippians 2:5-8 says, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Placing the needs of others before our own is one of the biggest steps we can take towards living a humbler life.

Have you ever given something that was yours that you liked, away to someone you know? Or even better, to someone you don’t know? And upon doing so, you seen them light up, with a smile of gratitude and thanksgiving towards you; and their joy overflowed into you. Isn’t that amazing how that happens? How does that make you feel? It is really a very simple act of just opening our lives to others, giving them our time, our ear to listen and maybe even a hug. Sometimes we all need to know someone cares beyond their own space, and when they do, we both feel the love.

Pondering these thoughts today: Humility is the foundation of what we can really be and do as God’s children. Let us not forget Jesus gave his life to save ours. He put us first, at the greatest cost of all. Try every single day to give something to someone else, maybe it’s a moment of your time; maybe it can be a parking space you were both racing to get. Anything! It doesn’t have to be monetary. Sometimes, someone else is having a bad, a depressing day and all they need is a smile and a little kindness directed towards them, we all a make a difference in another person’s life.

LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!

Your brother in Christ Jesus 
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS

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

Thank you Lord for loving us so much…



MY FIRST BOOK. More to come…

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Monday, February 26, 2018

Judge Not!


BEADS OF JOY 02-26-18
“Judge Not!”
©2018 James Dacey, Jr. OFS

My Friends,


Today’s Gospel: Luke 6:36-38 (Stop Judging Others)
“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back."


Reflection:
Ok… I am going to listen to my own title and Not write about Judging Others or groups of Others to defeat the purpose of this reflection. Instead, let us look at what Jesus wants us to do. He wants us to HEAL our relationships! He wants us to restore them with His love! He wants us to be like Him in many ways and do all we can do build relationships rather than destroy them. So, let’s NOT judge others in any way. Because in all reality, that’s God’s Job, not ours. Let’s leave the Judging to Him, after all He will judge us all. Instead let’s be the peacemakers.

Kindness and mercy go a long way. Remember any judgment can be wrong and misguided, so the best way to avoid a difficult situation that could cause some serious heartache of wrongful accusation, is just avoid it completely. We are not perfect, not one of us can say that we are. So instead, let us think the best of others, to the best of our ability and let us try to always be known for that. Kindness and mercy go a long way. A critical and harsh spirit are hard to love; but a merciful, kind and loving spirit can be easy to love. Be that spirit to all. Shock the world by your kind, merciful love. Think about it, anyone can say, “Look how horrible you are. You fool!” Rather be the one saying. “You’ll get through this, I’m here for you my friend.” Always think this: Kindness and mercy go a long way.

Ask Jesus to fill your heart with His love. His kindness. His mercy. So that you may be more charitable to others in all situations, even when they offend you. Ask our Lord to remove all the sin of selfishness, that puts the judgment of others in your heart. We must practice and focus to do our best daily, to think the best of others always. If the love inside our hearts ever has a chance to grow, then we must not allow the sin of hurting others to grow with that love. They cannot grow together. In order to allow the love inside our hearts to grow, we must tear out the weeds of judgment so that our kindness and our mercy is pure. Kindness and mercy go a long way. Till we meet again tomorrow on these same pages, have a fantastic day.

Pondering these thoughts today: I wrote that reflection back prior to Chrissy’s passing. I can remember early on, in her struggles, how even we got judged by others. Yes, even someone struggling with cancer gets talked about and slandered behind her back. We heard murmurs about, “She shouldn’t have been smoking, serves her right.” Yes, that infuriated me and hurt Chrissy dearly. That’s just the tip of too much to gossip about. I used to get judged from people sending messages through people, because they couldn’t face me and tell me. One time, a friend told me that a common friend of ours said, “Why don’t he just leave her, the rest of his life is only going to be a battle, he isn’t smart to stay with her.” I am a very calm person, I can tolerate a lot of stupid, ignorant comments from people without a heart or a brain; but that comment was uncalled for. Sorry for my words just know, but that hurt. We all must stop judging others or anyone, it’s rude, it’s mean and it’s very hurtful.

Today’s reflection came from a very popular blog I wrote on September 9, 2016, that blog still gets worldwide traffic every week. http://beads-of-joy-blog.blogspot.com/2016/09/stop-judging-others.html

LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!

Your brother in Christ Jesus 
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS

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 Monday mornings, because every morning begins with the Rosary.





MY FIRST BOOK. More to come…
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Sunday, February 25, 2018

Only Jesus!


BEADS OF JOY 02-25-18
“Only Jesus!”
©2018 James Dacey, Jr. OFS

My Friends,


Today’s Gospel: Mark 9:2-10 (The Transfiguration of Jesus)
“Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, "This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!" Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them anymore, but only Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So, they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean.”

Reflection:
All Things Jesus 24/7/365! I don’t know how many of you have read that many of my writings here on the blog; but I have said that starting statement a lot through these past 35 years. After I gave my life to Jesus in 1983, I can’t possibly imagine seeing any other way to live this life. In addition to that, it’s amazing how your perspective on things in general change, as you get older, and you experience losing someone close, while your spiritual life is flourishing. Through all of this I feel at times I am like Paul (busy, busy, non-stop) and other times I feel like Peter (steady as a rock). Both of these men from the New Testament had different tasks to focus on for Almighty God, but their focus was the same. Only Jesus!  

This life in my own opinion, serves one purpose (that matters the most), that we make it to Heaven. Obviously along the way there are many other very important tasks and things we must do; but in the end, if we miss the mark, then what was all this about? To me there is no such thing as “too much Jesus” in this life. In-fact I wish there was more Jesus in my life. One day we won’t be here, and I have no clue on what kind of a perspective we’ll have about our lives then. Somehow, someway, right now, we must stay focused! Only Jesus!

My general perspective on life took a real turn, as I began to physically go through thirty years of all of our stuff. This has been a most incredible journey of memories and decisions, combined with laughter and tears. This journey has me thinking about this question: What is the sum total of our life about? It’s not about the collections or the extra dish set or even all the pictures. No, it is truly about our story, our journey to Jesus and beyond. Stay focused everyone. Only Jesus!

Pondering these thoughts today: Today we are blessed to wake up and see a new day. Let us rejoice and be glad, we have another day to love our Lord and share Him with others. Our time here is unknown but let us keep in mind, that this time is precious and should be guarded and not wasted. Every day we should spend time with Jesus in prayer. Every day we should open the scriptures and read His Word and absorb His love into our lives. The first one on our minds and in our hearts as we awake should be Jesus; then our families of cause. But, our focus and our life should be centered on Jesus! Only Jesus!

LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!

Your brother in Christ Jesus 
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS

Today is Sunday during Lent: 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

Thank you Lord for loving us so much…


MY FIRST BOOK. More to come…

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Saturday, February 24, 2018

Love Your Enemies


BEADS OF JOY 02-24-18
“Love Your Enemies”
©2018 James Dacey, Jr. OFS

My Friends,


Today’s Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48 (Love of Enemies)
“You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Reflection:
This topic and focus is difficult for me. I don’t really have enemies. When I say “don’t really” I am referring to the general enemies; people who want to harm my family, people who wish to take away my freedoms and those threatening me because of my faith. All those enemies are not on a one-on-one personal level with me in my face. An overall general thought of love and forgiveness towards them showers my heart with love when I think of them. I know I am not living in a bubble, if I am then it’s leaking water; because my world is not full of sunshine and roses.

The real enemy I feel the most against these past few years is the cancer Chrissy died from, and the suffering she endured throughout those six years. They are the enemies. So, to be completely honest, when I look at them and remember what cancer and suffering did to my beautiful wife and our family, I hate them. I must embrace both of them. I have no trouble embracing my own suffering and even my own death; I can deal with that and embrace it, but watching those I love suffer, is extremely difficult. But having said all that and here I am hine sight fifteen months later, I will embrace the horror of cancer and suffering.

I must admit, this is very difficult. But, as the Lord tells us, let us pray for this enemy. This enemy has brought many tears to me and my family, we don’t fully understand all these things. On a positive note, it has brought us closer to one another and to our faith. So maybe, just maybe there is a glimmer of light here.

Pondering these thoughts today: Sometimes our enemies aren’t always people, but illnesses that put us to the test of our faith. That is exactly sometimes what an enemy would do, test the purity of your faith and love and cut you to the core. I embrace this disease and all that comes with it, with a willing heart to find a way to see the positive in it. God knows my heart and He knows what this has already done to my Chrissy and our family.

LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!

Your brother in Christ Jesus 
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS

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 -begins with the Rosary.



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Friday, February 23, 2018

First Be Reconciled

BEADS OF JOY 02-23-18
“First Be Reconciled”
©2018 James Dacey, Jr. OFS

My Friends,


Today’s Gospel: Matthew 5:20-26 (Teaching About Anger)
“For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. "You have heard that it was said to the men of old, `You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, `You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire. So, if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison; truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny.”

Reflection:
I’m not comfortable with anger towards anyone, I know too well how it feels to harbor such feelings and I don’t accept those feeling in my heart. I won’t get into the details, but our daughter ran away from home when she was 18; and it was all encouraged and assisted by some other family. This all happened within a few months of Chrissy being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.  She left on Jan 2, 2011. She didn’t return home till the end of 2013, we seen her, maybe 3-4 times during those 3 years. It was a very emotionally difficult time, especially with Chrissy back and forth to the doctors and hospital and now this. And unfortunately, because she was 18, the law protected her; rather than be able to help me as her parents. So, communications with her were cut off pretty much 100%.

How in the world did our family get through this? Lots and lots of prayer. My brain and my heart were so angry at her and that family; that I had to pray even harder and dig very deep to find a way to get through this multi sided wall of hurt that was all happening at the same time. Thank God, Chrissy and I had a very devoted prayer life together. We cried a lot of tears thinking how we were losing our daughter and soon Chrissy, that was tearing our hearts into pieces. Our only refuge, our only peace was The Rosary, day in and day out. Plus, Mass as often as possible.

I don’t have any magical answer here on how to deal with anger, but that’s how we managed it. It was not easy, and we were not expecting it, especially since Chrissy’s medical situation dominated our lives. Our daughter was the oldest of the three kids home at the time. So, you can only imagine the added stress this brought on with her not being there to help. But I will say now, it’s all water under the bridge. Thank God she returned home and spent those three remaining years with her mother, as Chrissy continued to struggle with lung cancer. I am grateful that she didn’t have to carry that pain and hurt if Christine died while she was gone. Our daughter reconciled with us and most especially her mom and the two became inseparable. She was here the day she passed away. I am grateful that in all that hurt and anger, we found peace and love.

Pondering these thoughts today: I think today’s pondering thought should be that of Eusebius, a 3rd century church father, he wrote this: "May I be no man's enemy, and may I be the friend of that which is eternal and abides. May I never quarrel with those nearest me: and if I do, may I be reconciled quickly. May I love, seek, and attain only that which is good. May I wish for all men's happiness and envy none. May I never rejoice in the ill-fortune of one who has wronged me. When I have done or said what is wrong, may I never wait for the rebuke of others, but always rebuke myself until I make amends. May I win no victory that harms either me or my opponent. May I reconcile friends who are angry with one another. May I never fail a friend who is in danger. When visiting those in grief may I be able by gentle and healing words to soften their pain. May I respect myself. May I always keep tame that which rages within me. May I accustom myself to be gentle, and never be angry with people because of circumstances. May I never discuss who is wicked and what wicked things he has done but know good men and follow in their footsteps."

LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!

Your brother in Christ Jesus 
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS

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

Thank you Lord for loving us so much…

MY FIRST BOOK. More to come…

https://www.amazon.com/Marys-Way-Cross-Rosary-Man-ebook/dp/B079TJZFQJ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519240799&sr=8-1&keywords=rosary+man+jim
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Thursday, February 22, 2018

Blessed Are You

BEADS OF JOY 02-22-18
“Blessed Are You”
©2018 James Dacey, Jr. OFS

My Friends,


Today’s Gospel: 
Matthew 16:13-19 (Peter’s Confession About Jesus)
“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you lose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Reflection:
This wonderful Apostle needs no introduction, we all know Peter. But for those who don't know Peter, I ask who is Peter? "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen." Matthew 4:18. What did Jesus say to Peter at his boat? Jesus says this in The Gospel of Matthew, "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it." Matthew 16:18. Ok, now this all making sense I think I know who Peter is. Where else in scripture is Peter with Jesus?



Jesus Walking On Water
Calls Peter To Come

Matthew 14:25-33
"Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”



Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah

Matthew 16:13-20
"When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah."


The Transfiguration

Matthew 17:1-13
"After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist. "


Jesus Reinstates Peter


John 21:15-19
"When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again, Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

There is just so much to share about who St. Peter the Apostle was and is. He is a true man of honor and there is never only one time his allegiance was in question. In all fairness in sharing the whole story, many know it was Peter who denied Jesus, and Jesus predicted it. But Peter repented and remained loyal to Jesus after that. Below here I have listed to the best of my ability the order in which Jesus and Peter interact through the four gospels. I hope this is helpful.

Peter in The Gospels (in order)

-Peter Is Chosen and Called The Rock (Mark 1:16-18)
-Peter's mother in law is Healed (Luke 4:38-39)
-Jesus Walks on The Water, calling Peter (Matt 14:22-33)
-Peter Declares Jesus as Messiah (Matt 16:13-20)
-Jesus Predicts His Death, Peter steps In (Matt 16:21-28)
-Transfiguration. w/Peter James and John (Matt 17:1-9)
-Jesus Washes The Disciples Feet (John 13:1-11)
-Jesus Foretold of Peters Denial (Mark 14:26-31)
-Jesus Prays at Gethsemane, Peter sleeps (Mark 14:32-42)
-Jesus is Arrested, Peter Steps In (John 18:1-12)
-Peter Denies Jesus (Luke 22:54-62)
-The Resurrection of Jesus, to the tomb (Luke 24:1-12)
-Peter Escapes Prison, An angel guided him (Acts 12:1-11)


Peter's Death: "It is certain that Peter died in Rome and that his martyrdom came during the reign of Emperor Nero, probably in 64. Testimony of his martyrdom is extensive, including Origen, Eusebius of Caesarea, St. Clement I of Rome, St. Ignatius, and St. Irenaeus. According to rich tradition, Peter was crucified on the Vatican Hill upside down because he declared himself unworthy to die in the same manner as the Lord. He was then buried on Vatican Hill, and excavations under St. Peter’s Basilica have unearthed his probable tomb, and his relics are now enshrined under the high altar of St. Peter’s. From the earliest days of the Church, Peter was recognized as the Prince of the Apostles and the first Supreme Pontiff; his see, Rome, has thus enjoyed the position of primacy over the entire Catholic Church. While Peter’s chief feast day is June 29, he is also honored on February 22 and November 18. In liturgical art, he is depicted as an elderly man holding a key and a book. His symbols include an inverted cross, a boat, and the cock that crowed." excerpt from Catholic Online

LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!

Your brother in Christ Jesus 
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS

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)

Glory and Honor and Praise -Lord Jesus Christ!! 




Rosary Man Jim's Luminous Reflections: http://beads-of-joy-blog.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-luminous-mysteries.html


MY FIRST BOOK. More to come…
https://www.amazon.com/Marys-Way-Cross-Rosary-Man-ebook/dp/B079TJZFQJ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519240799&sr=8-1&keywords=rosary+man+jim
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Wednesday, February 21, 2018

The Sign of Jonah

BEADS OF JOY 02-21-18
“The Sign of Jonah”
©2018 James Dacey, Jr. OFS

My Friends,


Today’s Gospel: Luke 11:29-32 (Demand For a Sign)
“When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah became a sign to the men of Nineveh, so will the Son of man be to this generation. The queen of the South will arise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh will arise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.”

Reflection:
Today’s title has me thinking about how much Chrissy’s doctors were always looking for a sign of her healing, or sign that things took a turn for the worst. Test results always threw me in panic mode till I was sure. Christine had this blessed peace about the entire waiting process. She knew from the start that according to the doctors that she wasn’t going to beat this. From my perspective, I’ll say this, when you are in the day to day life of someone struggling with a cancer that won’t stop; it keeps you awake at night praying and hoping for a change. Doctors may have a diagnoses and test results; but doctors do not know God’s Will.

I look back often now, more than I think I ever did before, if hardly ever; because some of those days and weeks seemed like months long and there was no time to look back. “Tomorrow” was our goal and our thought each and every day we were in. In-fact, that was part of how Chrissy and I planned our lives, her future. We planned our “tomorrows” together, hoping and praying that because we made these plans, Chrissy would be there. It gave us hope. If the calendar said we had plans tomorrow, well then, we will have plans together tomorrow. Sometimes it was just, “Going out for Ice Cream together.” Other dates on the calendar said, “Pajama Day, TCM Movies and Diner Lunch – Take-out”. She loved those days.

We did all we can to plan our tomorrows, and we did all we can to create our own sign. Looking back, I see that we did indeed create a sign. We made a sign of HOPE and LOVE that helped us forge forward each day with a smile and a hug and an “I’ll see you in the morning!” before we closed our eyes each night. The last few months were the hardest, now I see how that was the “sign”. Christine had internal bleeding that couldn’t be traced or found, even after numerous tests and exams. It got the point, two weeks before she passed away, with her eyes full of tears she said to me, “No more tests Jim, they hurt too much, I can’t do this anymore.” I just hugged her in my own tears and said, “No more tests Christine, no more tests.”

Pondering these thoughts today: Sometimes we get a clear and obvious sign. Other times it’s too cloudy or we can’t take the time to check. No matter what, we need to fully trust in Jesus fully and without question. Chrissy always lived a life fully accepting whatever God’s Will is, and it was OK with her. Period! I thought my faith was strong till I witnessed her solid foundation of faith that was inspiring. Remember when she went into the hospital for 22 days in 2010 and the doctors said, she will never come home. Chrissy was strong, and she knew it wasn’t her time yet, she came home. I miss Christine every day, I hope that by sharing her story, her faith, her legacy, maybe you can create your own.


LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!

Your brother in Christ Jesus 
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS

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. The Assumption of Our Lady (A Happy Death) –Rev 12:1-6
5. The Coronation of Mary (Mary’s intercession) –Judith 15:9-10

Glory and Honor and Praise to You Lord Jesus Christ!

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Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Thy Will Be Done

BEADS OF JOY 02-20-18
“Thy Will Be Done”
©2018 James Dacey, Jr. OFS

My Friends,


Today’s Gospel: Matthew 6:7-15 (The Lord’s Prayer)
“And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our debts, As we also have forgiven our debtors; And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil. For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Reflection:
Today let us reflect on the meaning in all its splendor to this most magnificent prayer. The Lord’s Prayer Aka The Our Father. For starters I will use the Catechism to help direct us through today’s reflection. You will see lots of references today. I share it like this today, because I believe it is so important that we truly down deep in our hearts understand our prayers.

Catechism of the Catholic Church References
#2761: The Lord's Prayer "is truly the summary of the whole gospel. “Since the Lord. . . after handing over the practice of prayer, said elsewhere, 'Ask and you will receive,' and since everyone has petitions which are peculiar to his circumstances, the regular and appropriate prayer [the Lord's Prayer] is said first, as the foundation of further desires."

#2763 All the Scriptures - the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms - are fulfilled in Christ. The Gospel is this "Good News." Its first proclamation is summarized by St. Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount; the prayer to our Father is at the center of this proclamation. It is in this context that each petition bequeathed to us by the Lord is illuminated:

“The Lord's Prayer is the most perfect of prayers. . . . In it we ask, not only for all the things we can rightly desire, but also in the sequence that they should be desired. This prayer not only teaches us to ask for things, but also in what order we should desire them.” ~St Thomas Aquinas

The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.


As we look further into this let us look at how The Lord’s Prayer has 7 Petitions with in it. This is why the #7 is always signified with Jesus.

#2803 After we have placed ourselves in the presence of God our Father to adore and to love and to bless him, the Spirit of adoption stirs up in our hearts seven petitions, seven blessings. The first three, more theological, draw us toward the glory of the Father; the last four, as ways toward him, commend our wretchedness to his grace. "Deep calls to deep."

Here are the 7 Petitions with there (Latin) translation. And a simple brief statement from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (#).

1st Petition:  Hallowed be Thy Name  (Sanctificétur Nomen Tuum)  #2858: By asking "hallowed be thy name" we enter into God's plan, the sanctification of his name - revealed first to Moses and then in Jesus - by us and in us, in every nation and in each man.

2nd Petition: Thy Kingdom come (Advéniat Regnum Tuum) #2859: By the second petition, the Church looks first to Christ's return and the final coming of the Reign of God. It also prays for the growth of the Kingdom of God in the "today" of our own lives.

3rd Petition: They will be done on earth as it is in Heaven (Fiat voluntas tua, sicut in coelo, et in terra) #2860: In the third petition, we ask our Father to unite our will to that of his Son, so as to fulfill his plan of salvation in the life of the world.

4th Petition: Give us this day our daily bread  (Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie) #2861: In the fourth petition, by saying "give us," we express in communion with our brethren our filial trust in our heavenly Father. "Our daily bread" refers to the earthly nourishment necessary to everyone for subsistence, and also to the Bread of Life: the Word of God and the Body of Christ. It is received in God's "today," as the indispensable, (super-) essential nourishment of the feast of the coming Kingdom anticipated in the Eucharist.

5th Petition: And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. (Et dimitte nobis débita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris) #2862: The fifth petition begs God's mercy for our offences, mercy which can penetrate our hearts only if we have learned to forgive our enemies, with the example and help of Christ.

6th Petition: And lead us not into temptation (et ne nos inducas in tentationem) #2863: When we say "lead us not into temptation" we are asking God not to allow us to take the path that leads to sin. This petition implores the Spirit of discernment and strength; it requests the grace of vigilance and final perseverance.

7th Petition: But deliver us from evil (Sed libera nos a malo) #2864: In the last petition, "but deliver us from evil," Christians pray to God with the Church to show forth the victory, already won by Christ, over the "ruler of this world," Satan, the angel personally opposed to God and to his plan of salvation.

Here is a link that sings the Latin version with English subtitles. Well done: 

Pondering these thoughts today: In your quest to “find” Jesus in your life; do you feel that you can approach Him at any time? Every day let us pray the Lord’s Prayer in confidence as we worship, love and adore our Lord. I originally wrote this, the year Chrissy’s oncologist said she would not live to see Christmas that year. In all my writing: 2010 (this is the year Christine was diagnosed and was in the hospital a lot) and 2013 (the year we searched for doctors to get answers) were my two most in-depth years of writing. I come here for peace and security in that I can best express myself in the depths of my study and prayer.

My original post came from July 28, 2013: http://beads-of-joy-blog.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-lords-prayer.html

LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!

Your brother in Christ Jesus 
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS

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

Thank you Lord for loving us so much…

Rosary Man Jim’s Sorrowful Reflection: http://beads-of-joy-blog.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-sorrowful-mysteries_11.html
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