1 John 4:19---5:4, Psalm 72:1-2, 14-15, 17, Luke 4:14-22

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

1 John 4:19---5:4, Psalm 72:1-2, 14-15, 17, Luke 4:14-22

 http://www.bibleclaret.org/bibles/english.htm

1 John 4:19---5:4

My Beloved, obedience is the sign that indicates that I love.  You loved Your Father and You obeyed Him although it meant that You had to give up Your life for sinners in the horrific passion and death by crucifixion.  You loved God and obeyed Him and if I say I love God then I too must obey all that He commands.  What does God command?  He commands that I love Him above, before and beyond all creatures and created things and that I love my brothers and sisters as I love myself.

This is love that I am willing to lay down my life in love in imitation of You.  Who is born of God?  Everyone who loves is born of God and all who believe that You are the Anointed, the Christ, is also born of God.

Faith is God's gift given to us at our baptism , through faith we win the victory over the world, the flesh and the devil.  Faith reveals all that the God of love has done for us in You His Son.  We gratefully respond to the Father's love and our love encompasses You since You and the Father are one.  If I love God, then I will gladly, joyfully and promptly obey all His commands the chief of which is that I love Him first and then I love my brothers and sisters.  All love flows from God and if He did not first love me and show me the Face of Love revealed in You, it would be impossible for me to know what love is and it would have been impossible for me to love.  Thank You Jesus my Love.

Psalm 72:1-2, 14-15, 17

Thank You Father for appointing Your Son as the only righteous Ruler and King of Your people.  He has shown us what love is and that love is revealed by our willingness to obey all that love demands and commands.  In joyful acknowledgement for the victory You have won for all people of all nations everywhere, may our praise, worship and adoration rise up before God's throne in a pleasing and acceptable fragrance all day and always.  Yes Lord, as the psalmist prays in verse 17.  We too pray and add our own voice to his prayer as we say

17 May his name endure forever;

may his name be as lasting as the sun.

All the races will boast about him,

and he will be blessed by all nations.

Luke 4:14-22

My Beloved, the people of Nazareth wanted to pigeonhole You as the Son of Joseph the Carpenter.  They refused to see beyond the narrow confines of their preconceived opinions.  They refused to go beyond the merely physical and soar into the heights and realms of the supernatural despite the fact that they had never heard anyone like You and they recognized that You spoke because as one who was filled with divine grace.

Filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, You began Your ministry by teaching, preaching and healing.  You ministered to the entire person - body and soul and people everywhere You went recognized that here was something marvellous, something they had never encountered before.  Then You visit Your home town, You went to the synagogue on the Sabbath where everyone recognized You and You revealed boldly to all present who You were when You quoted Isaiah and ascribed the text to Yourself.  But they refused to see beyond what they knew of You in the past and so they condemned themselves by their prejudice.  Like Lot's wife they were unable to move forward and see God revealing Himself through You.  Keep me open to the work of God in His Spirit so I may be able to recognize You everywhere.