GOOD TO THE LAST DROP - One Bread, One Body, 11/08/2023

Wednesday, November 8, 2023,

Romans 13:8-10
Psalm 112:1-2, 4-5, 9
Luke 14:25-33

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GOOD TO THE LAST DROP
"If any man comes to Me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be My disciple." —Luke 14:26, JB

It takes everything we’ve got to live the Christian life. If we don’t make our relationship with Jesus our “all in all” (see Lk 14:26), if we don’t take up His cross daily (Lk 9:23; 14:27), if we don’t renounce all our possessions (Lk 14:33), we will not have what it takes to build the tower (Lk 14:28), fight the war (Lk 14:31), or run the race of the Christian life (2 Tm 4:7). If we successfully complete the Christian life, we will have crossed the finish line with nothing to spare. It takes every ounce of strength, every second of time, and our last penny — all that we have. “Our God is a consuming Fire” (Heb 12:29). If we give anything less than everything, we will fall short of what is necessary to obtain the kingdom of God (Mt 13:44-46).

Therefore, amazed that the Lord would accept our little “everythings,” let us pour out our lives “like a libation” (see 2 Tm 4:6). Let us love Jesus as He loves us — with all our hearts, with all our souls, with all our strength, and with all our minds (Lk 10:27). With great joy and thanksgiving, let us give the Lord our “all”; constantly, daily, till our dying day. Let us drain our lives to the last drop in imitation of Jesus, Who poured out His blood and life for love of us.

Prayer: Father, use me and use me up.

Promise: "Owe no debt to anyone except the debt that binds us to love one another. He who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law." —Rm 13:8

Praise: Fr. John served the Church for over sixty years, well past "retirement." He served the Lord with gladness all his days (Ps 100:2).

(For a related teaching on Developing a Deep, Personal Relationship with Jesus, listen to, download or order our CD 52-1 or DVD 52 on our website.)

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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant the "Nihil Obstat" ("Permission to Publish") for "One Bread, One Body."

"In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from October 1, 2023, through November 30, 2023. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio March 15, 2023"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.

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You can find One Bread, One Body archives, the letter to readers, OBOB eBook edition, and an online donation form at http://www.presentationministries.com/series/obob

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EXERCISE IN THE SPIRIT - One Bread, One Body, 11/07/2023

Tuesday, November 7, 2023,

Romans 12:5-16
Psalm 131:1-3
Luke 14:15-24

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EXERCISE IN THE SPIRIT
"We have gifts that differ according to the favor bestowed on each of us." —Romans 12:6

Doctors recommend regular physical exercise to keep our bodies in shape (see e.g. 1 Tm 4:7-8). Physical therapists recommend specific exercises to enable an injured body part to work normally. Musicians practice exercises on their instruments to develop “muscle-memory.” Thereby musicians hone their physical talents to the point of being automatic, making them free to enter into the spirit of the composition.

In an even greater way, Doctor Jesus commands us to exercise the gifts of the Spirit He has given us (see Rm 12:6, RNAB). By exercising our spiritual gifts, the body of Christ becomes more vigorous. When exercised properly, many spiritual gifts help to heal the wounded parts of Christ’s body (1 Cor 12:9). By exercising our spiritual gifts regularly, we become so “in tune” with the Spirit that we develop “Spirit-memory.” We are more quickly able to recognize the movements of the Holy Spirit, even to the point that we become “co-workers” with the Spirit (1 Cor 3:9).

The risen Jesus has given us the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:8, 10). Now we have a choice. Will we exercise these gifts or make excuses for not using them? (Lk 14:18ff)

Prayer: Holy Spirit, "I will not treat God's gracious gift as pointless" (Gal 2:21). Fill me up and use me up.

Promise: "Do not grow slack but be fervent in Spirit; He Whom you serve is the Lord." —Rm 12:11

Praise: Sister Roberta spends hours each week praying for sinners to return to the Lord in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

(This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
(For a related teaching on Seek the Gifts of the Spirit, view, download or order our booklet on our website.)

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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant the "Nihil Obstat" ("Permission to Publish") for "One Bread, One Body."

"In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from October 1, 2023, through November 30, 2023. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio March 15, 2023"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.

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You can find One Bread, One Body archives, the letter to readers, OBOB eBook edition, and an online donation form at http://www.presentationministries.com/series/obob

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MISERY OR MYSTERY? - One Bread, One Body, 11/06/2023

Monday, November 6, 2023,

Romans 11:29-36
Psalm 69:30-31, 33-34, 36-37
Luke 14:12-14

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MISERY OR MYSTERY?
"...how inscrutable His judgments, how unsearchable His ways!" —Romans 11:33

The Lord has said: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways” (Is 55:8). That we are so different from God is initially seen as a problem. We even wish that God was more like us. However, if we joyfully accept God’s transcendence and mystery, we can begin to look behind the worst situations and see the hand of God. This fills us with hope rather than discouragement.

For example, what if you invited several poor and handicapped people to dinner but never received any invitations to their homes? Here you are — lonely, eating by yourself, and feeling sorry for yourself. Yet if you have the mind of God (see 1 Cor 2:16), you begin to rejoice, for you see that you are in a wonderful situation in which “you will be repaid in the resurrection of the just” (Lk 14:14).

What if you are like St. Paul, in “great grief and constant pain” because your nation is alienated from God? (Rm 9:2) The Lord, however, can enlighten the eyes of your heart (Eph 1:18) to see that He is working together for the good even in the worst circumstances (Rm 8:28).

When we see even the worst of things in God’s way, we exclaim: “How deep are the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How inscrutable His judgments, how unsearchable His ways!...For from Him and through Him and for Him all things are. To Him be glory forever. Amen” (Rm 11:33, 36).

Prayer: Father, fill me with joy because of Your mystery.

Promise: "God's gifts and His call are irrevocable." —Rm 11:29

Praise: Until he met godly Christian men, Abe was not able to believe God could become a man and relate to people.



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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant the "Nihil Obstat" ("Permission to Publish") for "One Bread, One Body."

"In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from October 1, 2023, through November 30, 2023. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio March 15, 2023"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.

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You can find One Bread, One Body archives, the letter to readers, OBOB eBook edition, and an online donation form at http://www.presentationministries.com/series/obob

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THE MESSAGE, NOT THE MESSENGER - One Bread, One Body, 11/05/2023

Sunday, November 5, 2023, 31st Sunday Ordinary Time

Malachi 1:14—2:2, 8-10
1 Thessalonians 2:7-9, 13
Psalm 131:1-3
Matthew 23:1-12
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THE MESSAGE, NOT THE MESSENGER
"We thank God constantly that in receiving His message from us you took it, not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God." —1 Thessalonians 2:13

As a teenager, I attended daily Masses said by Father O’Hare (not his real name). His style rubbed me the wrong way; it was hard for me to concentrate on his homilies. God used him to teach me to concentrate on the message, not the messenger (1 Thes 2:13). Here are some words of God from various “disturbing” messengers over the years that have stayed with me:

• Sin is serious. Repent immediately (Mk 1:15).
• We Catholics have the greatest news ever. We need to share this news with everyone (Mk 16:15).
• “He Who has begun the good work in you will carry it through to completion” (Phil 1:6).
• You have to work for justice if you call yourself Christian.
• Jesus loves you passionately. Why can’t you love Him?
• Here is how you wait on the Lord: “you just wait.”
• The infant Jesus lies in a manger, a feeding trough. By this God shows us that Jesus is Food for us (Jn 6:55).
• Teach the truth (Jn 17:17).

God uses all kinds of messengers to speak His words to us (see e.g. Mal 3:1). He may speak His most profound messages through the messenger we least want to hear. How about you? What words of God can you list from messengers whose style you disliked? What messages of God are you missing?

Prayer: Father, use anyone You want to teach me anything You want. Open my ears that I may hear You at all times.

Promise: "The greatest among you will be the one who serves the rest." —Mt 23:11

Praise: Alleluia! Jesus has risen and will raise me from the dead!

(For a related teaching view, download or order our booklet Conversion-Conversations on our website.)

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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant the "Nihil Obstat" ("Permission to Publish") for "One Bread, One Body."

"In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from October 1, 2023, through November 30, 2023. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio March 15, 2023"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.

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You can find One Bread, One Body archives, the letter to readers, OBOB eBook edition, and an online donation form at http://www.presentationministries.com/series/obob

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“TRYING EVERY POSSIBLE MEANS” - One Bread, One Body, 11/04/2023

Saturday, November 4, 2023, St. Charles Borromeo

Romans 11:1-2, 11-12, 25-29
Psalm 94:12-15, 17-18
Luke 14:1, 7-11

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"TRYING EVERY POSSIBLE MEANS"
"Blindness has come upon part of Israel until the full number of Gentiles enter in, and then all Israel will be saved." —Romans 11:25-26

St. John Chrysostom taught: “God attached so much importance to [man’s] salvation that He did not spare His own Son for the sake of man. Nor does He ever cease to work, trying every possible means, until He has raised man up to Himself and made him sit at His right hand” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 358). The Lord uses every means to call us to conversion. For example, by the Jews’ “transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles” (Rm 11:11). Moreover, the conversion of the Gentiles is “to stir Israel to envy” (Rm 11:11) “and save some of them” (Rm 11:14). Because the Lord wants all saved (1 Tm 2:4), He wants to bring us to conversion through joys, sorrows, birth, death, health, sickness, marriage, victories, failures, peace, rejection, hopes, loneliness, etc.

List three significant events of this week. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to the truth (Jn 16:13) that the Lord is using these events to lead you to a deeper conversion. Don’t complain about what is happening in your life, but say with Mary: “I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to Your word” (see Lk 1:38). Rejoice even “to suffer the distress of many trials” (1 Pt 1:6), “because you are achieving faith’s goal, your salvation” (1 Pt 1:9). “All that matters is that one is created anew” (Gal 6:15).

Prayer: Father, make me "all things to all men in order to save" (1 Cor 9:22) "as many as possible" (1 Cor 9:19).

Promise: "For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled and he who humbles himself shall be exalted." —Lk 14:11

Praise: St. Charles Borromeo wrote, "In meditation, we find the strength to bring Christ to birth in ourselves and in others."

(For a related teaching view, download or order our booklet Conversion-Conversations on our website.)

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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant the "Nihil Obstat" ("Permission to Publish") for "One Bread, One Body."

"In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from October 1, 2023, through November 30, 2023. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio March 15, 2023"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.

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You can find One Bread, One Body archives, the letter to readers, OBOB eBook edition, and an online donation form at http://www.presentationministries.com/series/obob

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PAINFUL LOVE - One Bread, One Body, 11/03/2023

Friday, November 3, 2023, St. Martin de Porres

Romans 9:1-5
Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20
Luke 14:1-6

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PAINFUL LOVE
"I speak the truth in Christ." —Romans 9:1

St. Paul described his sufferings as follows: “...labors and imprisonments, with far worse beatings and frequent brushes with death. Five times at the hands of the Jews I received forty lashes less one; three times I was beaten with rods; I was stoned once, shipwrecked three times; I passed a day and a night on the sea. I traveled continually, endangered by floods, robbers, my own people” (2 Cor 11:23-26). Paul suffered greatly, and much of this was due to his own people’s hatred and persecution of him. Nevertheless, Paul had a deep love for the Jewish people. He even said: “Indeed, I could even wish to be separated from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen, the Israelites” (Rm 9:3-4).

When your enemies try to put you through hell on earth, do you love them? Do you love them so much that you would do anything for them, even be damned for them, if that were possible? Jesus, Paul, and many Christians have had this amazing grace to love enemies. The Lord gives this grace to us, for He cannot command us to love our enemies without giving us the power to do this (Mt 5:44).

“This will prove that” we are sons and daughters of our “heavenly Father, for His sun rises on the bad and the good, He rains on the just and the unjust” (Mt 5:45). Only the Lord and His family love everyone so lavishly. Be like God. Receive a miracle of love. Love deeply those who have hurt you terribly and continue to do so.

Prayer: Father, I want to be like You. May I shine on my enemies and bless them abundantly.

Promise: "He took the man, healed him, and sent him on his way." —Lk 14:4

Praise: Though St. Martin, conceived of biracial and unwed parents, was in a lower rank of society, his holiness and wisdom were such that people from all classes of society sought his godly counsel.



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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant the "Nihil Obstat" ("Permission to Publish") for "One Bread, One Body."

"In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from October 1, 2023, through November 30, 2023. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio March 15, 2023"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.

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You can find One Bread, One Body archives, the letter to readers, OBOB eBook edition, and an online donation form at http://www.presentationministries.com/series/obob

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A LEARNING EXPERIENCE - One Bread, One Body, 11/02/2023

Thursday, November 2, 2023, All Souls

Wisdom 3:1-9
1 Corinthians 15:51-57
Psalm 23:1-6
John 6:37-40
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A LEARNING EXPERIENCE
"As gold in the furnace, He proved them." —Wisdom 3:6

It is “a holy and pious thought” to pray for the dead (2 Mc 12:45). It is a good thing to do, but how good? Should praying for the dead be a footnote in our Christian life, or should it be a high priority? Those who move from purgatory to heaven due to our prayers obviously think it a high priority. Furthermore, our prayers for those in purgatory not only help them but help us to more greatly benefit from the prayers of the poor souls for us (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 958). This is all the more reason to make praying for the dead a priority. Moreover, in the Eucharistic prayers, the Lord calls us through His Church to pray for the dead. Even the controversy from the Protestant Reformation over matters related to praying for the dead may be a sign of the importance of this practice. Satan often spotlights abuses in important issues to tempt us to dismiss the “something important” rather than correct the abuses.

Are you praying for the dead as zealously as you should? Is this as much a priority for you as it is for God? Ask the Lord to teach you about this for the rest of the Church year, that is, in the month of November. Set aside a time each day this month to pray for the dead. Let the Holy Spirit teach you (Jn 14:26) about the importance of praying for those in purgatory.

Prayer: "Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through Your mercy rest in peace. Amen."

Promise: "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me; no one who comes will I ever reject." —Jn 6:37

Praise: Believing in the Church's teaching concerning purgatory, Laura, a young teen, has a special devotion to praying for the holy souls.



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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant the "Nihil Obstat" ("Permission to Publish") for "One Bread, One Body."

"In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from October 1, 2023, through November 30, 2023. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio March 15, 2023"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.

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You can find One Bread, One Body archives, the letter to readers, OBOB eBook edition, and an online donation form at http://www.presentationministries.com/series/obob

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