Sunday, March 12, 2017

Genesis 12:1-4, Psalm 33:4-5,18-19, 20, 22, 2 Timothy 1:8-10, Matthew 17:1-9

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS


From the shining cloud the Father's voice is heard:
This is my beloved Son, hear him. Mt. 17:5


Genesis 12:1-4, Psalm 33:4-5,18-19, 20, 22, 2 Timothy 1:8-10, Matthew 17:1-9



Genesis 12:1-4

My soul's beloved, how often have You invited me to leave everything behind and to go where You direct me and how often have I refused preferring my hidebound, familiar existence to being challenged out of my comfort zone. Abraham, our father in faith, is a wonderful example of obedience, humility, and faith in God. You invited him, You made wonderful promises which he himself was never to see fulfilled for it was a promise to his descendants, but he believed. And his name is now a blessing as so many claim to be be is descendants.

May I vow from this day forth to go where You direct me my Lord and my God.

Psalm 33:4-5,18-19, 20, 22

My soul's beloved, the experience of men and women of faith in Sacred Scripture and throughout history reveals that we can confidently place all our hope and trust in You. You are a God of love and of mercy. You are a God of kindness and compassion. You are our Father and no child who belongs to You will lack for anything. You open Your Heart to us and invite us to rest in it. You bid us open our mouth and You fill it with bread made of the finest wheat and honey sweeter than that in the honeycomb. You preserve us from death through a life of grace poured into our soul through the Sacraments. Thank You for Your assurance that our hope in You is never in vain.

2 Timothy 1:8-10

My soul's Beloved, St. Paul reminds us that we are beloved of God and that our strength comes from You alone if we gladly bear our share of the difficulties we may have to face through living the gospel. We are called to be holy and perfect because God our Father is holy and perfect and if we wish to be His children we can do nothing less than strive to imitate Him in all things through the example You have given us. We are not called to struggle on our own but we have grace always available to us. Thank You for destroying death and for restoring to us our lost inheritance through the disobedience of our first parents. Thank You for the Light of the Gospel that has the power to enable us live holy lives. 

Matthew 17:1-9

My soul's beloved, there are those whom You invite to belong to Your inner circle just as Peter, James and John were. You choose from among those whom You know desire a closer, deeper, more intimate relationship with You. Who are prepared to pay the price for this privilege for it will come at a cost. Not all are prepared to suffer willingly and gladly for this awesome gift of Your friendship.

The hour was quickly approaching when they would have to witness the ignominious death awaiting You. They would see You bound like a common criminal although You were sinless. They would abandon You and hide. You knew all this and You also knew that if they were given a glimpse of Your transcendent glory as the Son of God then after they got over their fear they would recall this moment when You revealed to them who You were and they would also recall the Father affirming You as His beloved Son and urging them as well as us to listen to You. 

You were the fulfillment of the law represented by Moses and the prophets represented as Elijah. You were the God Man. Fully human and fully divine. When they beheld Your transfiguration they were transfixed and filled with awe and fear. As always, Your tender heart assured them not to be afraid. 

There is a time and a place for everything. It is prudent for us to remember this. It was prudent for the disciples not to disclose what they had seen for it would not be understood then. When the time was right it was seen and understood in the right context. It is always wise to obey You. It is always wise to show a mature restraint rather than exhibit childish enthusiasm and be roundly rejected for a fool simply because we were not prepared to wait on God's time. 

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