Christ builds his church with living stones

[Weedy]

Christ builds his church with living stones

To call someone a "rock" was one of the greatest compliments in
the ancient world. The rabbis had a saying that when God saw Abraham,
he exclaimed: "I have discovered a rock to found the world upon."
Through Abraham God established a nation for himself. Through faith
Peter grasped who Jesus truly was--the Anointed One (Messiah and
Christ) and the only begotten Son of God. The New Testament describes
the church as a spiritual house or temple with each member joined
together as living stones (see 1 Peter 2:5).
Faith in Jesus Christ makes us into rocks or spiritual stones. The
Holy Spirit gives us the gift of faith to know the Lord Jesus
personally, power to live the gospel faithfully, and courage to
witness the truth and joy of the Gospel to others. The Lord Jesus is
ever ready to draw us to himself. Do you seek to grow in the
knowledge and love of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Prayer:
"Lord Jesus Christ, fill me with the power of your Holy Spirit that I
may grow in the knowledge of your great love and truth. Let your
Spirit be aflame in my heart that I may joyfully seek to do your will
in all things."

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December 4th - St. Barbara, Virgin and Martyr

Died 306)
Saint Barbara was brought up by a pagan father, Dioscorus. With the
intention of protecting her beauty, he kept her jealously secluded in
a lonely but very luxurious tower which he built for that purpose; for
in his own way he loved her. In her forced solitude, this very gifted
young girl undertook to study religion, and soon saw clearly all the
vices and absurdities of paganism; her clear mind realized that there
could be only one supreme Creator-God, and that He is entitled to the
worship of His reasonable creatures. Divine Providence by its
wonderful ways contrived to obtain for her the means to send a message
to Origen, the famous exegete, asking for knowledge of the Christian
faith. That teacher of Alexandria immediately sent to her, at
Nicomedia, a disciple named Valentinian. Soon she was baptized, and
Our Lord appeared to her, as He would appear to others such as Saint
Catherine of Alexandria and Saint Teresa of Avila, to tell her He had
chosen her to be His spouse. Saint Barbara, rejoicing, hoped to be
able to communicate her precious new faith to her father, but would
soon discover that hope was vain.

When she was of an age to marry, many requests for her hand came to
her wealthy father. She was his only heiress, and he rejected her
expressed wish not to accept any such offer, although she said she
wished to remain his consolation for his declining years. When she
continued to refuse every suitor's demands, and when Dioscorus
returned from a journey to find all the idols he had placed in her
tower broken in pieces and scattered about, he was furious.
Discovering his daughter's conversion, he was beside himself with
rage. She escaped and dwelt for a time in a cavern, where she was
concealed by the vegetation growing at the entrance. But finally her
father's threats of chastisement, which he made known during his
searches, for anyone who might be concealing her, caused some local
shepherds who knew of her whereabouts, to reveal her retreat.

Her father denounced her to the civil tribunal, and Barbara was
horribly tortured twice, and finally beheaded. Her own father,
merciless to the last, asked to deal her the fatal blow himself. God,
however, speedily punished her persecutors. While her soul was being
borne by the Angels to Paradise, a flash of lightning struck Dioscorus
and Marcian, the civil prefect, and both were summoned in haste to the
judgment-seat of God.

Saint Barbara is beloved by the Spanish-speaking peoples. She is the
special protectress of the region of Metz in France, where a
magnificent church, later destroyed, was built in her honor in the
1500's. She is invoked against sudden and unprovided death, and
invariably answers all requests for the favor of receiving the Last
Sacraments. A famous instance of her intervention on behalf of a Saint
who was on the verge of death, can be read in the life of Saint
Stanislaus Kostka.

Reflection: Pray often to be protected from a sudden and unprovided
death; and, above all, that you may be strengthened by the Holy
Viaticum against the dangers of your final hour.

Saint Quote:
God had one son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering.
--Saint Augustine of Hippo

Bible Quote:
He hath not dealt with us according to our sins: nor rewarded us
according to our iniquities. For according to the height of the
heaven above the earth: he hath strengthened his mercy towards them
that fear him. (Psalms 102:10-11)

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DAILY ADVENT PRAYER
By Fr Henri J M Nouwen (1932-1996)

Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the darkness,
send Your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We, who have so much to do, seek quiet spaces
to hear Your voice each day.
We, who are anxious over many things
look forward to Your coming among us.
We, who are blessed in so many ways
long for the complete joy of Your kingdom.
We, whose hearts are heavy
seek the joy of Your presence.
We, are Your people,
walking in darkness,
yet seeking the light.
To You we say, “Come Lord Jesus!”
Amen!