Meditation of the Day

Meditation:  Through all your days . . . keep the Lord in mind, and suppress every desire to sin or to break His commandments. Perform good works all the days of your life, and do not tread the paths of wrongdoing.  Do not turn your face away from the poor, and God's face will not be turned away from you. Give to the hungry some of your bread and to the naked some of your clothing.  Whatever you have left over, give away as alms; and do not begrudge the alms you give. At all times bless the Lord, and ask Him to make all your paths straight and to grant success to all your endeavors and plans. Tobit 5-7, 16, 19

Meditation Prayer:  Father, teach us today to recognize the presence of Christ your son present in all men and women, especially the poor and in those who mourn.  Amen.

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Being Neighborly

Here’s a nice “poster” picture and a follow-up to “This One is for Our Homeless Neighbors,” a blog that was posted at Homeless In America on Saturday July 13^th . . . .

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.  The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”  Luke 10: 25-37

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• Post checks to - Servants of the Father of Mercy, Inc., P.O. Box 42001, Los Angeles, CA 90042. All Donations are Tax Deductible.

Please, please, please . . .

Please, please, please . . .  Is there anyone out there that can help today in SoCal?  The poor homeless have been going to ER for dehydration and also dying on the streets because of this unusually hot summer with sweltering heat.  As they suffer and die, the requests on their behalf since March of 2013 for a "water bottle and snack Sunday" was recently answered by Msgr. Paul Albee, thanks be to God for Fr. Jim Clarke, spiritual director at St. John's Seminary, he interceded and made it happen.  However, one response does not provide enough supplies.  Possibly you all are the next angels that will follow Fr. Jim Clarke and say a word and inspire others to help save these poor souls from untimely death this summer.  Of course, we are very grateful to Pope Francis for going public asking us all to minimize bureaucracy and theology debates and increase concern for the poor as our Christian essence.  St. Francis is famous for reminding us: "let's preach, but hopefully without words." You and your church pastor working together, you can set up a collection Sunday.  Follow the information on the flyer. Here is a sample church bulletin announcement all ready for you. You can do it!

"Water Bottle & Snack Sunday" for the Homeless

On Saturday, XXXXX and Sunday, XXXXX, we'll be collecting cases of bottled water, as well as flip-top canned tuna, chicken, packaged cookies, raisins, dried fruits, chip snacks, pudding cups, etc. for the homeless to be delivered to them living in remote areas of the Los Angeles Archdiocese - under bridges, in alleyways, warehouse districts, etc. and are at risk of dehydration, ER visits and even death from exposure and dehydration. Upon arriving at church, leave the snacks and water cases at the main doors; Servants of the Father of Mercy, a Catholic homeless mission team will be here to receive your donation, (men's clothing, hotel soaps, socks, blankets are helpful too). The Servants of the Father of Mercy is a private association of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, California Corporation, IRS 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, EIN 26 - 3855133 and listed in the Official Catholic Directory.  They may be reached by mail at S.F.M., 7400 Ralston Street, Ventura, CA 93003 or by calling their cell phone at 310-595-4175.  Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward." Mark 9:41

"Fat, Dumb and Happy"

Interesting scripture stumbled upon that turns conventional wisdom upside down. (The dangers of being "fat, dumb, happy", self-absorbed and unsympathetic to the poor.) "Then the Lord said, 'the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous . . . Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.'” Ezekiel 16:49-50
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• Invite your family and friends to Subscribe! to Homeless In America.
• Scroll down to the bottom of the page and vote in the polls.
• List yourself as a blog follower, middle right column.
• Donate! to the poor homeless deliveries of food, water, clothing, blankets, socks, underwear, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, pocket Bibles, rosaries and prayer cards at http://servantsofthefather.org/donate_2_homeless
• Post checks to - Servants of the Father of Mercy, Inc., P.O. Box 42001, Los Angeles, CA 90042. All Donations are Tax Deductible.

This One is for Our Homeless Neighbors

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.  The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”  Luke 10: 25-37

_______________     

• Invite your family and friends to Subscribe! to Homeless In America.
• Scroll down to the bottom of the page and vote in the polls.
• List yourself as a blog follower, middle right column.
• Donate! to the poor homeless deliveries of food, water, clothing, blankets, socks, underwear, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, pocket Bibles, rosaries and prayer cards at http://servantsofthefather.org/donate_2_homeless

Two New Polls

Two new polls begin today at the Homeless In America blog - now, nearly 1,000 posts since 2006 . . .  Would you like to scroll down to near the bottom of its main page and participate?  Vote in all the polls, your opinion counts!  "Follow" or "Subscribe" on the right side column.

1.  When we say "thank you" or send a thank you note to someone who has been generous, is that act for the well-being of the sender or receiver?

 

2.  Donating to another or helping and serving them, is that act for the well-being of the giver or receiver?

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• Invite your family and friends to Subscribe! to Homeless In America.
• Scroll down to the bottom of the page and vote in the polls.
• List yourself as a blog follower, middle right column.
• Donate! to the poor homeless deliveries of food, water, clothing, blankets, socks, underwear, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, pocket Bibles, rosaries and prayer cards at http://servantsofthefather.org/donate_2_homeless
• Post checks to - Servants of the Father of Mercy, Inc., P.O. Box 42001, Los Angeles, CA 90042. All Donations are Tax Deductible.

Eternal Poor

“The poor you will always have with you…” So said Jesus according to the accounts of three of the four Gospel writers (Matt. 26:11, Mark 14:7, and John 12:8). Could it be that the poor are eternal? How so? Jesus is poor. He is both the poster child for poverty and he is also eternal. Thus, the poor will always be with you. The poor are eternal.
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• Post checks to - Servants of the Father of Mercy, Inc., P.O. Box 42001, Los Angeles, CA 90042. All Donations are Tax Deductible.

Fiesta!

Hello Everyone!

This is your invitation to the Servants of the Father of Mercy “Fiesta!”  Please join us with your family and friends for free at our 5th annual youth and family — kids, mom and dad summer event!  It’s Saturday, July 27th from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Manny’s Auto Shop 1055 East Main Street, Santa Paula.

Here’s what you have to look forward to:  A big garage and rummage sale, handmade jewelry by Sebastian of Ventura, handmade rosaries, tacos, snow cones, funnel cakes, strawberry crepes by Mai Pham of Ventura’s Mai's Cafe, lemonade, iced tea, handmade crafts, home baked goodies, clowns, temporary tattoos, face painting, fresh cut flowers from Carpinteria, book sale, fresh honey from Piru, oranges, lemons, garden plants, live Mexican music and much more!

Servants of the Father of Mercy is an IRS 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt, non-profit, EIN 26 - 3855133 Association of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, listed in the Official Catholic Directory. All donations from the event will help the homeless in the area to receive more deliveries of food, water and clothing from the Servants of the Father of Mercy.

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• Invite your family and friends to Subscribe! to Homeless In America.
• Scroll down to the bottom of the page and vote in the polls.
• List yourself as a blog follower, middle right column.
• Donate! to the poor homeless deliveries of food, water, clothing, blankets, socks, underwear, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, pocket Bibles, rosaries and prayer cards at http://servantsofthefather.org/donate_2_homeless
• Post checks to - Servants of the Father of Mercy, Inc., P.O. Box 42001, Los Angeles, CA 90042. All Donations are Tax Deductible.

Having a Heart for Refugees

"Did we actually vote for someone who really believes in what he preaches?" some within the Curia are now whispering. Once again, according to the Spiegel Online, Francis has taken them fully by surprise. In an almost demonstrative manner, he has been excluding the Vatican apparatus in every way he can. Most recently, this happened with the trip the pope announced he would take on Monday to the island of Lampedusa (photo map) in southern Italy. Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican secretary of state, first learned of the planned trip through a papal press release. And instead of the kind of months of advance-team work used by heads of the Catholic Church for trips in the past, Francis has dispensed with that. Instead, the eccentric Argentinian pope ordered his staff to prepare a plane so that he could fly there in the morning and be back by midday.

Thousands of refugees fleeing Tunisia and Libya revolutions arrive at Lampedusa each year in desperation after making the journey across the Mediterranean from North Africa in small, dangerous boats. Francis wants to pray together with them and also throw a wreath into the sea to commemorate those who have lost their lives trying to make it to Europe. The pope has announced that he doesn't want to meet with the mayor or other authorities. Not completely responsive to the refugees - the poor and their plight, he also requested local church officials to stay away.

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• Post checks to - Servants of the Father of Mercy, Inc., P.O. Box 42001, Los Angeles, CA 90042. All Donations are Tax Deductible.

Pope Francis: Root Out Corruption

Today, the Associated Press reports from Vatican City that Pope Francis counseled future priests and nuns on Saturday to shun costly trappings like the latest smartphones and fancy cars so they can devote more resources to help the poor.

Francis has been waging a campaign to root out corruption and power plays in the Vatican's bureaucracy and to keep sight of what is essential in the church he was elected in March to lead. His remarks in two appearances Saturday drew on his determination to forge what he likes to call a "poor church."

Later, he gave an off-the-cuff lecture to a Vatican auditorium full of seminarians and novices, and to thunderous applause, told the future priests and nuns to keep "freshness" and "joy" in their lives. He took to task seminarians and novices who "are too serious, too sad." "Something's not right here," Francis told his rapt audience.  "There is no sadness in holiness," he added, saying that such clergy lack "the joy of the Lord." 

He warned against seeking "the joy of the world, the latest smartphone, the fastest car."  "It hurts my heart when I see a priest or a nun with the latest model of car," Francis said, then quickly joking that his audience will think "now, we'll have to go around on bicycle."  "Cars are necessary. But take a more humble one," said Francis, who from the day he took office declined to move out of the hotel during the conclave of cardinals and into the ornate Apostolic Palace that is the traditional home to pontiffs. "Think of how many children die of hunger" and dedicate the savings to them, Francis said.

During his remarks, Francis praised the late Mother Teresa, who cared for the most impoverished sick of Calcutta, India, and held her up as a courageous example. "I would like a more missionary church," the pope then told the young people, who seemed to hang on his every word. "Not so much a tranquil church, but a beautiful church that goes forward."

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• Invite your family and friends to Subscribe! to Homeless In America.
• Scroll down to the bottom of the page and vote in the polls.
• List yourself as a blog follower, middle right column.
• Donate! to the poor homeless deliveries of food, water, clothing, blankets, socks, underwear, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, pocket Bibles, rosaries and prayer cards at http://servantsofthefather.org/donate_2_homeless
• Post checks to - Servants of the Father of Mercy, Inc., P.O. Box 42001, Los Angeles, CA 90042. All Donations are Tax Deductible.

California Dream'n

California callers, mark Saturday July 27th on your calendars, 9a - 5p. Servants of the Father of Mercy is sponsoring for Manny, one of our own lay brothers, "Save Manny's Auto Shop" an open house with a gigantic rummage sale and flea market. Manny's is located on the corner of Main Street and Ojai Street, Santa Paula, CA 93060. Get ready for live Mexican music by the BIG X, clowns and face painting for kids, fresh honey from the Piru honey farm, colorful flowers from the fields of Carpinteria, handmade folk jewelry by Sebastian, tacos and snow cones by Mai Pham of Mai's Café, sweet and tangy Sunkist oranges from Fillmore and much, much more. It's a good old-fashioned small-town neighbors coming together to help another. Manny's Auto Repair employees 10 workers from the local community - saving 10 jobs, 10 spouses and 10 sets of kids, the whole community could really benefit from making the event a success. All that's needed is for you, your family and friends to be there. Are you coming? Here are some pics from Manny's shop taken yesterday - the team was hard at work on the 4th of July!

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Invite your family and friends to Subscribe! to Homeless In America.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and vote in the polls.
List yourself as a blog follower, middle right column.
Donate! to the poor homeless deliveries of food, water, clothing, blankets, socks, underwear, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, pocket Bibles, rosaries and prayer cards at http://servantsofthefather.org/donate_2_homeless
Post checks to - Servants of the Father of Mercy, Inc., P.O. Box 42001, Los Angeles, CA 90042. All Donations are Tax Deductible.

URGENT: Keeping the Doors Open for Manny

If you could send this out to all your Ventura, Santa Paula and Fillmore friends . . . Our dear brother in Christ, Manny Arana (picture) who owns Manny's Auto on the corner of Ojai Street and Main Street in Santa Paula, CA is under the threat of imminent tenant eviction on Wednesday this week. He is one month past due on rent - $3,000. God forbid, but if he is shut down (the owner has already evicted the tenants in the front), 8 mechanics, their families and children will be out of jobs, food, housing and stability. What can we all do today to stop by, give him some auto work to do, possibly give him a hug, a prayer and a donation to keep his doors open?

We should also say this about Manny, here is a guy that wears Jesus on his sleeve! He has a 7 foot long altar in the shop with candles, flowers and prayers along with great pictures of Jesus of the Divine Mercy and the Sacred Heart. Also many pictures of Our Lady of Guadalupe proudly displayed. He's the kind of mechanic the area community would be proud to protect and keep around.  If you would like to make a tax deductible gift, you can do so at http://servantsofthefather.org/donate_2_homeless.
_______________     
Invite your family and friends to Subscribe! to Homeless In America.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and vote in the polls.
List yourself as a blog follower, middle right column.
Donate! to the poor homeless deliveries of food, water, clothing, blankets, socks, underwear, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, pocket Bibles, rosaries and prayer cards at http://servantsofthefather.org/donate_2_homeless
Post checks to - Servants of the Father of Mercy, Inc., P.O. Box 42001, Los Angeles, CA 90042. All Donations are Tax Deductible.