Gifts....

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 25:6-10a; Matthew 15:29-37

Today God loves the world so much that he gives you, he gives me, to love the world, to be his love, his compassion. It is such a beautiful thought for us—and a conviction—that you and I can be that love and compassion.—Mother Teresa

Jesus taught the crowd of God, cured their illnesses and restored their faculties; he sought to find yet more needs of theirs to fulfill. During this holy season, try to seek out the needs of others and fill them as you are able.
(from American Catholic website)

Feast of All Hallows Eve...

American Catholic has some very nice All Saints Day e-cards.

http://www.catholicgreetings.org/Create.asp?card=512

Blessed Pope John XXIII

One of the most influential people of the twentieth century, he revitalized the Church. He initiated Vatican II council and reached out to other faiths and even to the Soviet Union, seeking healing and reconciliation.

On his deathbed he said: “It is not that the gospel has changed; it is that we have begun to understand it better. Those who have lived as long as I have…were enabled to compare different cultures and traditions, and know that the moment has come to discern the signs of the times, to seize the opportunity and to look far ahead.”

Thought for today...

The God of life summons us to life; more, to be life givers, especially toward those who lie under the heel of the powers. --Daniel Berrigan

Lets us bless our fellow creatures

Thursday, October 4th, is the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. He is one of the most universally loved of all saints, not only among Catholics, but also among Buddhists, Muslims, other Christian denominations, and people who love and care for Mother Earth and her inhabitants.
I am posting some links to Franciscan sites ... for pet blessings and articles on Saint Francis.

First as a possible starting place for prayer and meditation, I offer these two quotes from Francis:

If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men. -St. Francis de Assisi

Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.-St. Francis de Assisi
these quotes were borrowed from:

http://www.myhero.com/myhero/hero.asp?hero=assisi

The page below from a Franciscan magazine includes bios of St. Francis, articles on his life, list of places in the US having pet and animal blessings(a lot of these are this sunday, a bless-your-pet yourself blessing, plus e-cards, prayers etc.) Very interesting article on St. Francis and the Muslims.

http://www.americancatholic.org/features/francis/default.asp

The below link is to a wonderful article by the famous sportswriter Paul Gallico, who also wrote wonderful animal stories (Thomasina, The Small Miracle, The Snow Goose, plus many other novels)...Be good to yourself and read this article.

http://www.cin.org/saints/francisgallico.html

Please pray for Burma (Myanmar)

Refugees and defectors are reporting that hundreds, possibly thousands, of monks have been killed and their bodies dumped in the jungle in an attempt to suppress the opposition to the junta. Please increase your prayers for these people.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=484903

Please pray for Myanmar

With the situation in Myanmar becoming more violent, let us increase our prayers for those
people there attempting to attain justice in a non-violent manner.

Buddhist prayer for peace
Evoking the presence of the great compassion,
let us fill our hearts with our own compassion--
towards ourselves and towards all living
(prayer borrowed from Care2.com)

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/09/26/myanmar.crackdown/index.html?iref=mpstoryview