A Conversion Story

The following link contains a beautiful conversion story from a member at Catholic Answers Forums named Eucharisted.

http://blogsofasoul.blogspot.com/2008/10/conversion.html

I encourage all to go to Eucharistic Adoration. Jesus converts many hearts through His Presence in the Eucharist.

Daily Bible Readings Monday February 16 2008 Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

February 16 2009 Monday Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Saint of the Day – St. Gilbert of Sempringham

About the sources used. The readings on this site are from the Haydock Bible according to the daily Lectionary readings for the American Roman Catholic Church. The Haydock Bible contains traditional Catholic commentary and is free from copyright. Due to verse numbering differences and pastoral deletions in the actual Lectionary, these readings may at times vary from the actual readings.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/021609.shtml

Genesis 4:1-15, 25
Douay-Rheims Challoner

And Adam knew Eve his wife; who conceived and brought forth Cain, saying:

I have gotten a man through God.

And again she brought forth his brother Abel. And Abel was a shepherd, and Cain a husbandman. And it came to pass after many days, that Cain offered, of the fruits of the earth, gifts to the Lord. Abel also offered of the firstlings of his flock, and of their fat: and the Lord had respect to Abel, and to his offerings. But to Cain and his offerings he had no respect: and Cain was exceeding angry, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said to him:

Why art thou angry? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou do well, shalt thou not receive? but if ill, shall not sin forthwith be present at the door? but the lust thereof shall be under thee, and thou shalt have dominion over it.

And Cain said to Abel his brother:

Let us go forth abroad.

And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and slew him.And the Lord said to Cain:

Where is thy brother Abel?

And he answered:

I know not: am I my brother’s keeper?

And he said to him:

What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth to me from the earth. Now therefore cursed shalt thou be upon the earth, which hath opened her mouth and received the blood of thy brother at thy hand. When thou shalt till it, it shall not yield to thee its fruit: a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be upon the earth.

And Cain said to the Lord:

My iniquity is greater than that I may deserve pardon. Behold thou dost cast me out this day from the face of the earth, and from thy face I shall be hid, and I shall be a vagabond and a fugitive on the earth: every one therefore that findeth me, shall kill me.

And the Lord said to him:

No, it shall not so be: but whosoever shall kill Cain, shall be punished sevenfold.

And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, that whosoever found him should not kill him. Adam also knew his wife again: and she brought forth a son, and called his name Seth, saying:

God hath given me another seed for Abel, whom Cain slew.

Responsorial Psalm 49:1 and 8, 16bc-17, 20-21 (Ps 50 NAB)
DR Challoner Text Only

The God of gods, the Lord hath spoken:
and he hath called the earth.
From the rising of the sun, to the going down thereof:
I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices:
and thy burnt offerings are always in my sight.
Why dost thou declare my justices,
and take my covenant in thy mouth?
Seeing thou hast hated discipline:
and hast cast my words behind thee.
Sitting thou didst speak against thy brother,
and didst lay a scandal against thy mother’s son:
These things hast thou done, and I was silent.
Thou thoughtest unjustly that I should be like to thee:
but I will reprove thee, and set before thy face.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Mark 8:11-13
Haydock New Testament

And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. And sighing deeply in spirit, he saith:

Why doth this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, a sign shall not be given to this generation.

And leaving them, he went up again into the ship, and passed to the other side of the water.

Haydock Commentary Genesis 4:1-15, 25
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 1. Through God. Heb. may signify also: “even God,” as if she thought this was the promised seed, who, as Onkelos paraphrases it, would serve the Lord. C. — So little could she foresee the future conduct of Cain, whose name may be derived either from kone, possession and acquisition, or from kun, lamentation. The latter interpretation would have been better verified by the event, and the name of Abel, vanity, or sorrow, for which his parents allege no reason, might also have been reversed, on account of his justice, for which he is canonized by Christ himself, and declared the Just. Pious and significant names were imposed by either parent. Cain was the second man. He was not conceived till after the fall, and was therefore the first born in original sin. H.
• Ver. 4. Had respect. That is, shewed his acceptance of his sacrifice (as coming from a heart full of devotion): and that we may suppose, by some visible token, such as sending fire from heaven upon his offerings. Ch. — The offerings of Cain are mentioned without any approbation: those of Abel are the firstlings and fat, or the very best; by which he testified, that he acknowledged God for his first beginning. Sacrifice is due to God alone, and to Him it has always been offered in the Church. We have the happiness to offer that truly eucharistic sacrifice to God, of which those of ancient times were only figures. What sacrifice can our erring brethren shew? W. C.
• Ver. 7. Over it. This is a clear proof of free-will. To destroy its force, Protestants translate over him, as if Cain should still retain his privilege of the first-born, notwithstanding all his wickedness, and should rule over Abel, who would willingly submit, “unto thee his desire,” &c. But God had made no mention of Abel. The whole discourse is about doing well or ill; and Cain is encouraged to avoid the stings of conscience, by altering his conduct, as it was in his power, how strongly soever his passions might solicit him to evil. H. — The Hebrew is understood by Onkelos, and the Targum of Jerusalem, in the sense of the Vulgate. The latter reads, “If thou correct thy proceedings in this life, thou wilt receive pardon in the next world. But if thou do not penance for thy sin, it shall remain till the day of the great judgment, and it shall stay, lying at the door of thy heart. But I have given thee power to govern thy concupiscence: thou shalt sway it, either to embrace good or evil.” Calmet shews that the Hebrew perfectly admits of this sense. S. Augustine will not allow of the turn which the Manichees gave it. “Thou shalt have dominion over (illius.) What? thy brother! (absit) by no means: over what then, but sin? De C. xv. 7. Protestants formerly abandoned the translation of 1579, (which they have again resumed) and translated better, “unto thee shall be the desire thereof, and thou shalt rule over it,” which R. Abenezra explains also of sin. To which of these editions, all given by royal authority, will Protestants adhere? Luther wrote a book against free-will, and Calvin would not admit the very name. But we, with all antiquity, must cry out with S. Jerom, c. Jov. 2: “God made us with free-will, neither are we drawn by necessity to virtue or vice; else where there is necessity, there is neither damnation nor reward.” W. H.
• Ver. 8. Let us go forth abroad. These words are now wanting in the Hebrew; being omitted, according to Kennicott, since the days of Aquila 130; they are found in the Samaritan copy and version, in the Sept. &c. H. — The Masorets place a mark, as if something were defective here, and in 27 other verses, or in 25 at least. H. — Abel’s violent death was a figure of that of Jesus Christ, inflicted for the like cause. See Heb. xii. 2. C. — In consequence of these crimes, Cain separated from the Church, and the Jews became no longer God’s people: both Cain and the Jews became vagabonds. H. — The Targum of Jerusalem observes, that Cain talked against God’s providence and the future world, which Abel hearing with marked indignation, Cain took occasion to kill him. W.
• Ver. 13. My iniquity, &c. Like Judas, Cain despairs. The Rabbins make him complain of the rigour of God’s judgment, “My sin (or punishment) is too great to be borne.” I must then be driven from the land of my nativity, from the society of my brethren and parents, from thy presence, for ever. Why do I then live? Let the first man I meet, kill me. Liran.
• Ver. 14. Every one that findeth me, shall kill me. His guilty conscience made him fear his own brothers, and nephews; of whom, by this time, there might be a good number upon the earth: which had now endured near 130 years; as may be gathered from Gen. v. 3, compared with Chap. iv. 25, though in the compendious account given in the Scripture, only Cain and Abel are mentioned. Ch. — Cain is little concerned about any thing but the loss of life. M.
• Ver. 15. Set a mark, &c. The more common opinion of the interpreters of holy writ, supposes this mark to have been a trembling of the body; or a horror and consternation in his countenance. Ch. — God gave this first murderer a reprieve, allowing him time for repentance; but he neglected it, and died a reprobate; having been, during life, the head of an apostate church, and of the city of the devil, which has ever since opposed the city of God, and the society of the faithful. Though all his posterity were drowned in the deluge, some were soon found, even in the family of Noe, who stood up for the wretched pre-eminence in wickedness and rebellion, against the truth. See S. Aug. W. &c. H.

Haydock Commentary Mark 8:11-13

• Ver. 11. Jesus Christ did not consent to the petition they made him, because there will be another time for signs and wonders, viz. his second coming, when the powers of heaven shall be moved, and the moon refuse her light. This his first coming is not to terrify man, but to instruct and store his mind with lessons of humility, and every other virtue. Theophy.
• Ver. 12. Jesus Christ fetches a deep sigh on account of their obduracy, and says; why do these ask for a miracle to confirm their belief, when they resist the authority of so many miracles, which are daily performed under their eyes? V. — A sign shall not be given. But by a Hebrew form of speech, if divers times is put for a negative. Wi.

Catena Aurea Mark 8:11-13
From Catechetics Online

• Augustine, de Con. Evan., 2, 51: It goes on, “And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with Him, seeking of Him a sign from heaven, tempting Him.”
• Bede, in Marc., 2, 33: The Pharisees, then, seek a sign from heaven, that He, Who had for the second time fed many thousands of men with a few loaves of bread, should now, after the example of Moses, refresh the whole nation in the last time with manna sent down from heaven, and dispersed amongst them all.
• Theophylact: Or they seek for a sign from heaven, that is, they wish Him to make the sun and moon stand still, to bring down hail, and change the atmosphere; for they thought that He could not perform miracles from heaven, but could only in Beelzebub perform a sign on earth.
• Bede: When, as related above, He was about to refresh the believing multitude, He gave thanks, so now, on account of the foolish petition of the Pharisees, He groans; because, bearing about with Him the feelings of human nature, as He rejoices over the salvation of men, so He grieves over their errors.
• Wherefore it goes on, “And He groaned in spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? Verily I say unto you, If a sign shall be given to this generation.”
• That is, no sign shall be given; as it is written in the Psalms, “I have sworn once by my holiness, if I shall fail David,” [Psa_80:36] that is, I will not fail David.
• Augustine: Let no one, however, be perplexed that the answer which Mark says was given to them, when they sought a sign from heaven, is not the same as that which Matthew relates, namely, that concerning Jonah. He says that the Lord’s answer was, that no sign should be given to it; by which we must understand such an one as they asked for, that is, one from heaven; but he has omitted to say, what Matthew has related.
• Theophylact: Now, the reason why the Lord did not listen to them was, that the time of signs from heaven had not arrived, that is, the time of the second Advent, when the powers of the heaven shall be shaken, and the moon shall not give her light. But in the time of the first Advent, all things are full of mercy, and such things do not take place.
• Bede: For a sign from heaven was not to be given to a generation of men, who tempted the Lord; but to a generation of men seeking the Lord, He shews a sign from heaven, when in the sight of the Apostles He ascended into heaven. It goes on, “And He left them, and entering into a ship again, He departed to the other side.”
• Theophylact: The Lord indeed quits the Pharisees, as men uncorrected; for where there is a hope of correction, there it is right to remain; but where the evil is incorrigible, we should go away.