FEAST OF SAINTS MARGARET MARY ALACOQUE AND HEDWIG.

 FEAST OF SAINTS MARGARET MARY ALACOQUE & ST HEDWIG. 

"Brothers and sisters: If you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 

"Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like.

"I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 

"In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. 

"Against such there is no law.

"Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires.

"If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit." (Galatians 5: 18 - 25) NABRE).

Wednesday 16th October 2024 in the 28th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647 - 1690). 

St Margaret is the French Visitation Nun that brought the world the private revelations of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Devotees of the Sacred Heart of Jesus owe St Margaret Mary eternal gratitude for her great work. 

Jesus Christ used Margaret's spiritual director, St Claude de la Colombiere, SJ to translate Margaret's visions into what we know today as the Sacred Heart of Jesus Devotion. Thanks also to the Jesuit, St Claude of the Society of Jesus. 

Today is also the feast of St Hedwig (1173 - 1243). Wife of the Duke of Poland and mother of 7 children. After the death of her husband, Hedwig took the habit of a Nun and lived the rest of her life in a Cistercian monastery that she and her late husband had founded.

Paul's Letter to the Galatians continues today as the first Reading. Look at four different translations of the message below:

#1 "If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit." (Galatians 5: 25 NABRE).

#2 "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (NIV).

#3 "Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives." (NLT)

#4 "If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]." (AMP).

The New American Revised Version (the authorized translation for the Liturgy in the USA) renders our key Scripture thus: "If we live in the Spirit..."

The other quoted translations #2 to #4 assume that you, I mean "You" reading this verse knows the Spirit and is reminding you what should be taken for granted.

Are you aware that two different spirits are continually at war in you? The good and the bad spirit. The spirit you feed more wins the war.

How do you feed the good spirit so that you win more the battles of life?

#1 Daily Prayer: Set time, set place and set intention.

#2 Daily word of God. Set reading plan. The daily Mass Readings from the Roman Missal or lectionary are great as a reading plan. You read the Scripture with the Church. Same daily Scripture are read daily everywhere on earth.

#3 Daily examination of conscience. This is critical for checking whether the spirit you are feeding is growing or not.

When you follow the above plan, the life of grace will begin to manifest in you. It will be seen by anyone who knows you. People will notice the change. 

October is the Holy Rosary Month. 

“Say the Rosary every day to obtain peace for the world.” (Our Lady of Fatima, 1917).

For Prayers, Consecration, Litany, Testimony of Jesus about those who pray the Rosary, click the link below:

https://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/09/october-devotion-to-holy-rosary.html?m=1