Saturday August 19, 2023 - Catholic Good News Ministries

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For you this week:

Reflection for Saturday: How and why the Blessed Mother really can help
Inside the Ministry: Pope Saint Pius X wants you to know this
And more!

This week’s Trivia Challenge: How old was Joshua, leader of the Israelites after Moses, when he died? (Hint: read this Saturday’s scriptures for Mass. Then check your answer at the end of this newsletter.)

Saturday August 19, 2023

Joshua 24:14-29
Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 11
Matthew 19:13-15
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081923.cfm
Podcast:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/daily-mass-reading-podcast-august-19-2023

Saints Calendar:
gnm.org/saints-find/saints-calendar

“Now, therefore, put away the strange gods that are among you
and turn your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.” (From Saturday’s first reading)

Reflection for Saturday:
How and why the Blessed Mother really can help

This past Tuesday was a special day for me because we celebrated the Assumption of Mary. And this coming Tuesday is another special day: We celebrate her queenship.

Having been raised a Protestant, I didn’t know how to have a personal relationship with the Holy Mother of Christ when I became Catholic (1977).

For several years, I wondered how to experience with Mary what I witnessed in others. For me, praying the Rosary was boring babble. Why did they get so much more out of it? And greater than my desire to pray the Rosary was my longing to feel her motherly care and protection.

To deal with this struggle, I prayed: “Lord Jesus, if You want me to have a personal relationship with Your mother, then You have to make it happen.”

God often tests our sincerity by not giving us what we ask for as soon as we start asking for it. Several months later, I woke up one morning with a personal relationship with Mary. I did nothing to make it happen except leave it all up to Jesus. And so, by his supernatural intervention, I simply woke up and felt a bond with Mary that had not existed the night before.

A few years after that, Mary made me sense her nearness when God called me to found Good News Ministries. One day while I was asking God to give me the opportunity to serve him in a way that would make a big difference in people’s lives, I noticed her motherly presence, dressed in blue, standing close by. Later, when the Lord very clearly announced the calling to start GNM, I knew that Mary had come to me to serve as the Patron Saint and the Queen Mother for this ministry.

How and why Mary really can help us

Is Jesus Prince of Peace and King of Kings? Yes.

Then who is the Queen Mother? Mary of course.

Does a queen have authority? Indeed yes.

How does a good queen use her authority? By helping everyone in the kingdom any way she can.

When Mary passed away and went to heaven, did she lose her authority as queen? Of course not, because she is still the mother of Jesus who is still the King of Kings.

Then what does she do with that authority? Does she just float idly on a cloud while her Son does all the work? No of course not. She is still Mary our Queen — the Queen Mother to all of us who are brothers and sisters of Christ our Savior. And she continually serves God as a good queen by using her authority to do good for those under her care.

As a good queen, she helps us in our relationship with the King. She fights along side us in our battles against the villains who want to hurt our relationship with the King. She crushes the enemy by wielding her authority (fulfilling God’s promise of Genesis 3:15).

Exorcists report that demons fear Mary so much they won’t even say her name. During exorcisms, just a glance from Mary is all it takes to send them fleeing.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, defeater of Satan, crushing the head of the serpent beneath your heel, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Come see the Good News Ministries special consecration to Mary. It uses a demon-conquering adaptation of the Hail Mary. Go to gnm.org/7-warriors-of-the-cross/consecration-to-mary-defeater-of-satan.

Inside the Ministry:
Pope Saint Pius X wants you to know this

This Monday is the Memorial of Pope Saint Pius X, one of my personal patron saints.

He is known as the “Pope of the Eucharist” because he encouraged frequent Communion for adults and he lowered the age of First Communion.

From 1905 to 1910, he issued a series of decrees and clarifications emphasizing that no one in the state of grace should be prevented from approaching the “holy table”, that it is not necessary to go to Confession over venial sins before receiving Communion if the person is sincere about the Penitential Rite during Mass, and that children should be encouraged to receive frequently, even daily, after First Communion.

Pope Saint Pius X showed up in my life the same day that my book about the Eucharist, My Soul Shall Be Healed (gnm.org/mysoul), came out in print. I didn’t ask for him, but there he was! His name showed up twice at the start of my day. It felt like I was supposed to pay attention to it, so I asked for confirmation: “Lord God, make his name show up one more time today — and it has to be today — if it’s true.” Near the end of the workday, there it was again, a third time.

My Soul Shall Be Healed makes clear what happens during the miracle of transubstantiation, unpacking the encyclical of Pope Saint John Paul II Ecclesia de Eucharistia (The Church of the Eucharist). If it’s true that 70% of Catholics (as one recent poll reported) do not believe that the Eucharist is truly and fully Jesus Christ in body and in spirit, my book is extremely important today. Do you agree?

Who do you know who could benefit from reading this book? Consider hosting a study group in your home if not at your church. If your priest is interested in considering it for your parish, I’ll send him a free copy. Or better yet, you can buy it for him and place it in his hands when you start the conversation.

To download Ecclesia de Eucharistia (free) and to order My Soul Shall Be Healed, go to gnm.org/mysoul.

(We can make this book available in Spanish, too, if at least one parish pre-orders 50 copies.)

Good News Prayer Room:

Use our collection of Catholic prayers designed with your needs in mind. They will give you hope and a stronger connection to God’s love and support. What do you need prayers for today?

Visit gnm.org/prayers.

Post your prayer requests @ gnm.org/post-a-prayer.

Good News WordBytes:

WANT MORE FAITH and HOPE in TROUBLED TIMES? WE’RE HERE for YOU! Choose from a variety of topics on our website of Catholic Faith-building articles. What do you need today?

Visit wordbytes.org.

Explore our Catholic Video Library for Faith Growth

Turn Sunday after Mass into a retreat day; watch videos from our library of faith-builders:

Answer to this week’s Trivia Challenge:
How old was Joshua, leader of the Israelites after Moses, when he died? According to this Saturday’s first reading, 110.

God bless you!

Every morning, I lift up in prayer everyone who helps Good News Ministries in any way (donors, volunteers, prayer supporters, etc.) and all the prayer requests posted on our site. What can I cover in prayer for you? Post your prayer request.

How else can the team and I serve you today? Visit our homepage.

Thank you for reading this newsletter.

Your servant in Christ,
Terry Modica, Executive Director
Good News Ministries
gnm.org

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