Wednesday, August 31, 2016

1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Psalm 33:12-15, 202-21, Luke 4:38-44

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor
and to proclaim liberty to captives. Lk:4:18

1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Psalm 33:12-15, 202-21, Luke 4:38-44 

1 Corinthians 3:1-9

My soul's beloved, it is good to be reminded that as long as there is rivalry and discord between the children of the Kingdom we are still living in the flesh and have not matured in spiritual life. We are still learning, groping and finding our way like children. It is time we set aside our childish way of thinking for you have called us to work at co-workers in Your vineyard. The field are those among whom we work to draw from them the riches of the faith that we helped to plant and water - that is all we do. It is You who cause them grow and to be fruitful.  We are the laborers, You are the Owner, and the field is spread out before us in every direction. Instead of bickering among ourselves like children, grant us the grace to go out and do the work that You have assigned to us joyfully, generously, obediently, promptly, and willingly. Each doing the work that You have called us to do and together let us enjoy and rejoice in what we have helped plant, water, and nurture as the field produces fruit in abundance.


Psalm 33:12-15, 202-21

My soul's beloved, there was a time when nations belonged to You and were proud of their identity. Foolishly, they now refuse to acknowledge their inheritance, they prefer to be identified with the world and with the prevalent culture of the day. These nations have at some moment in their history dedicated themselves and their country to You and You looked down on them and blessed them. You who know all and see all, You who are enthroned in the highest heavens know us for You fashioned us. You knit us together in our mother's womb and no one knows us better than You know us for Your created us and You watch over and see all our works. Call these nations back to Your Sacred Heart. Let them hear Your Voice inviting them to return. Let them know again that there is no satisfaction apart from You and without You we may as well be dead. Hear the prayers of those who call on You to restore Your heritage.
  
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield,
For in him our hearts rejoice;
in his holy name we trust.

Luke 4:38-44 

My soul's beloved, when You enter into our hearts which is Your home, we invite You to heal all that ails us as You healed Peter's mother-in-law of the severe fever that laid her low and kept her in her bed and like her we will be healed and will be able to serve You once more. 

You were attentive to the needs of those around You. We are hardened and every tragedy that lights up our t.v screens in our homes leaves us more deadened to the pain and sorrow that is sown every day all over the world. You reached out to all and You touched them and permitted them to touch You and all were healed. We prefer to erect walls and create boundaries beyond which people may not cross. We are too afraid of getting involved of getting down on our knees in the mud and getting dirty with the grime of the poor, the forgotten, the marginalized. We close our eyes, shudder delicately, make a few sounds of feigned pity, and like the Pharisee and the Levi we cross over to the other side of the road leaving the poor man bleeding by the wayside.

The devil knows exactly who You are but those who work alongside him pretend You do not exist. St Luke tells us,
  
At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases
brought them to him.
He laid his hands on each of them and cured them.
And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.”
But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak
because they knew that he was the Christ.

After a long and tiring day one would have thought that you deserved a well earned rest but instead, exhausted as You were physically and as spiritually drained You knew the importance of prayer of coming in close union with Your Father and renewed and strengthened in His love to go out once again and continue Your work of healing, preaching, teaching and ministering to those whom the world cast aside. Let us take our cue from You and learn from You and have that same zeal to proclaim the Kingdom in season and out of season.

At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place.
The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him,
they tried to prevent him from leaving them.
But he said to them, “To the other towns also
I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God,
because for this purpose I have been sent.”
And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

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