The red ants around our yard and pool this summer have been out of control! Each time I apply ant poison to a mound- it dissipates, but a new one crops up nearby. Today I had a first hand view of the extensive spread of these insects.

We had one small ant hills by the swimming pool, and I spread the poison.  The next morning I woke up- ready to wash away the residue dirt and  discovered the ants had moved about six yards away and had increased to 6 hills.

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This entire picture reminded me of how the early church spread.  At first, there was just one body of believers- those who comprised the early church, and they loved and worked for the Lord with a passion. Today there are many denominations – still all loving the Lord and serving Him with a glad heart .The Christian church spread, just as the ant mound had done.

It is true that the queen must be at the heart of the ant colony to ensure the life of it.  Likewise, so must we keep the King - our Lord Jesus-  with us as we move geographically. This is the only way we are able to stay alive in our Christian walk. Satan is pouring sin on Christians to try and stifle or kill their faith-but we can move away from this, just as these ants had done today.

Just as the minute red ants pulled together to make their move, so the Body of Christ can pull together in tough times. There is strength in unity, as those ants proved to me today!  Christians need to stand arm in arm- linked to form an unbreakable chain- working together to make the necessary faith moves in life.  The most important factor, however, is keeping the King alive in each believers’ heart .  With His life alive in us- Christians can claim the victory over Satan, because Jesus has proclaimed it so.

- – - Written By Marion Smith

Graces from Holy Mass

1. The Holy Mass is Calvary continued.
2. Every Mass is worth as much as the sacrifice of Our Lord’s life, sufferings and death.
3. Holy Mass is the most powerful atonement for your sins.
4. At the hour of death the Masses you have heard will be your greatest consolation.
5. Every Mass will go with you to judgement and plead for pardon.
6. At Mass you can diminish more or less temporal punishment due to your sins, according to your fervor.
7. Assisting devoutly at Holy Mass you render to the Sacred Humanity of Our Lord the greatest homage.
8. He supplies for many of your negligences and omissions.
9. He forgives the venial sins which you have not confessed.
10. The power of Satan over you is diminished.
11. You afford the souls in Purgatory the greatest possible relief.
12. One Holy Mass heard during your life will be of more benefit to you than many heard for you after your death.
13. You are preserved from dangers and misfortunes which otherwise might have befallen you.
14. You shorten your stay in Purgatory.
15. Every Mass wins for you a higher degree of glory in Heaven.
16. You receive the priest’s blessing which Our Lord ratifies in Heaven.
17. You kneel amidst a multitude of holy angels, who are present at the Adorable Sacrifice with reverential awe.
18. You are blessed in your temporal goods and affairs.

In eternity we shall fully realize that it was certainly worthwhile to have assisted at Holy Mass daily.

Pray for priests that they may offer the Mass with holy love and reference.

Quotes on Holy Mass

“So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven – except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.” - (Matthew 12:31-32)

The Lord made clear that there was a fundamental difference between rejecting Jesus and attributing his power to Satan. Why would Satan destroy himself? He wouldn’t. In fact, if Satan could stop Jesus, he would. But as the Son of God, empowered by God’s Holy Spirit, Satan does not have the power to stop Jesus.

Jesus is delivering people from the power of sin, death, and hell. No other power, but the very power of God in the Holy Spirit, could do such wonderful things (Matt. 12:25-29). To attribute such power to the evil one is to blaspheme the Spirit of God who is bringing the deliverance of God to the broken and the lost. As Nicodemus said in his encounter with Jesus, “We know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him” (John 3:2).

Prayer : O Father, I recognize that Jesus’ awesome teaching and amazing miracles happened because of his allegiance to you as he was empowered by the Holy Spirit. I am thankful that this same power is at work in my life. I am comforted to know that Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to live within me and to be at work in my life. In Jesus’ name I thank you and praise you. Amen.