9/8/24
Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed the long weekend last weekend and I hope your September is off to a good start. About a week ago we celebrated the feast of St. Augustine. He was alive in the 4th century and went through a major conversion in his young adult years and became one of the greatest bishops in the church! We still draw upon his writings frequently.
Here is Augustine recapping part of his conversion in his book "Confessions of St. Augustine." I find this a great spiritual read!
Urged to reflect upon myself, I entered under your guidance into the inmost depth of my soul. I was able to do so because you were my helper. On entering into myself I saw, as it were with the eye of the soul, what was beyond the eye of the soul, beyond my spirit: your immutable light. It was not the ordinary light perceptible to all flesh, nor was it merely something of greater magnitude but still essentially akin, shining more clearly and diffusing itself everywhere by its intensity. No, it was something entirely distinct, something altogether different from all these things; and it did not rest above my mind as oil on the surface of water, nor was it above me as heaven is above the earth. This light was above me because it had made me; I was below it because I was created by it. He who has come to know the truth knows this light.
O Eternal truth, true love and beloved eternity. You are my God. To you do I sigh day and night. When I first came to know you, you drew me to yourself so that I might see that there were things for me to see, but that I myself was not yet ready to see them. Meanwhile you overcame the weakness of my vision, sending forth most strongly the beams of your light, and I trembled at once with love and dread. I learned that I was in a region unlike yours and far distant from you, and I thought I heard your voice from on high: “I am the food of grown men; grow then, and you will feed on me. Nor will you change me into yourself like bodily food, but you will be changed into me.”
I sought a way to gain the strength which I needed to enjoy you. But I did not find it until I embraced the mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who is above all, God blessed for ever. He was calling me and saying: I am the way of truth, I am the life. He was offering the food which I lacked the strength to take, the food he had mingled with our flesh. For the Word became flesh, that your wisdom, by which you created all things, might provide milk for us children.
Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace
Fr. James
Matthew
A Devotional Commentary
Wouldn't it be exciting if we could have a personal conversation with the authors who first captured the words and deeds of Jesus. What would we hope to gain from such an exchange? When we approach the gospels with an eagerness to receive this truth, we can actually do more than have a dialogue with an evangelist. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit we can have a level of communication with each other and learn more about Jesus.
Join us as we journey through the Study of the Bible, Tues. Sept 10 at 6:30 pm at OLG. You can come just to listen, to express your opinion or just sit back and enjoy being with faith minded people. PS: The book we are using is Matthew, A Devotional Commentary and can be ordered on Amazon
Coffee and Conversation
Welcome to Coffee and Conversation…my goal is to encourage women daily…to pray for each other who request prayer…to be a blessing and to add smiles along the way…stop by and say hello and share what is in your heart & on your mind… we strive to bring a bit of happiness with our support of each other…we hope you will share your experiences that may help someone who is going through the same thing… sharing Gods love for us, is our main focus. Love & blessings ~ Mary Leben
Join me at Our Lady of Guadalupe 10am-11am. Mondays weekly starting Sept 9th and ending Dec 16. Text or call me at 216.780.6529
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
Commemorative Bricks
Mark your special occasion by purchasing a commemorative brick at Holy Mary Shrine here at OLG.
Bricks are a $100 donation each and are installed in 7-10 days. Proceeds will benefit the OLG Groundskeeping fund for ongoing beautification.
Make your lasting message in celebration of, in memory of, in gratitude of, in honor of or just because! Order forms are in the periodical kiosk in the church lobby and here on the OLG website with the link below.
Your lasting message can be:
- • In celebration of a special occasion (birthday, anniversary, baptism, communion, confirmation,
wedding, graduation, etc.) - • In memory of
- • In gratitude
- • In honor of
- • In support of
- • A family, organization or group name
Minimum donation per brick: $100
Please include donation with order. Proceeds benefit the OLG Groundskeeping Fund.
