Sirach 39:33-35, Acts 4:31-21, Mark 16:9-15, Psalm 118:1 & 14-21

Daily Meditation:  Sirach 39:33-35

Sirach 39:33-35

33 All the works of the Lord are good and he will satisfy every need in due time.

34 You must not say: This is less good than that, for in its time everything will serve a purpose.

35 So now, with all your heart and in full voice, sing and bless the Name of the Lord.

Beloved, You are truly the delight of my soul.  You make me smile.  You satisfy every need.  My deepest longing is You .  I feel every fiber of my being drawn to You.  I feel like a child with its arms outstretched longing to be picked up and knowing that its wish will not be denied.  I  hunger and thirst for You and my soul is parched for it longs to drink deep of the joy that only You can give.  Truly Beloved, every other misplaced love is counterfeit except love that is true, sacred, pure and good.  Love for You and love for my neighbor. Love devoid of any self promotion or self interest.  Only love of You can help generate a healthy love of self and neighbor.

I will sing Beloved, You know I need no encouragement in this regard and I will bless Your Holy Name all my days.

Beloved, today is the end of the month of April and tomorrow begins Mama's month of May.  O Triune God grant us the grace as a family to pray the Holy Rosary and give her our daily garland of roses to delight her loving heart.

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Daily Mass Readings:  Acts 4:31-21, Mark 16:9-15, Psalm 118:1 & 14-21

Acts 4 :31-21

Beloved, I receive You every morning in the Eucharist.  Do the people I encounter during the day recognize that I have been with You?

Even today Beloved in certain countries Your people cannot speak Your Most Holy Name aloud in public places.  Satan recognizes the power there is in the Name that is above every other name.  Why Beloved, even in western countries that boast of democracy and free speech governments are afraid to permit Your Name to be spoken aloud in the public square.  Evil, ever prevalent in every nation, knows and recognizes that if believers were given free rein, they would stand up boldly, courageously and unafraid to testify to the  marvels that You have done and which You continue to do.

But we know that no power on earth or in the underworld can suppress Your Name for there will always be all kinds of people trained, untrained, educated and uneducated who, like Peter, John and the other Apostles, will stand up and preach the Gospel unafraid of the consequences even to the shedding of their blood, which in turn will help to bring even more people to follow You.  Nothing, not even death can stop the power of Your Name for if they put down one, a hundred more will rise up.  Such is the power of Your Name and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Mark 16:9-15

My Beloved, how often we refuse to accept Your message from those who do not fit our preconceived notions of who Your messengers should be.  You choose whoever You will, often it is the little ones of this world who are chosen to speak Your Word.  Those without guile or malice.  The humble who can be trusted to speak the truth as it is, unvarnished truth.

Mary had seven demons cast out of her by You.  Perhaps the others still judged her uncharitably and she was also a woman.  They could not conceive of the idea that You would choose to reveal Yourself to her first rather than to them, the recognized alpha males of the nascent Church, who were hiding and weeping in repentance and shame at their cowardice.   They would not even accept the testimony of the disciples who encountered You as they were fleeing the city.  Heartbroken, let down, deflated, discouraged.  The entire sequence of events of the last few days had entirely  demoralized the two disciples on the way to Emmaus.  The Messiah was last seen hanging from the Cross and quite dead and finally buried.  All their hopes and visions of grandeur of a new Jerusalem with them holding important and powerful positions, were dead and entombed with You.  It appears that no one had understood Your mission and role as the Messiah even though You spoke so often of all that would happen to You in detail, even to they way You would die, the betrayal, the denial, the scourging, the hanging. 

Am I not like them sometimes Beloved?  I make plans and I expect You to follow my lead rather than trusting You in perfect and loving surrender, even when it does not make sense to me.  Only when You showed Yourself to the chosen eleven were they prepared to believe.  You scolded them for their stubbornness and lack of faith.

Grant me the grace never to reject You when You present Yourself to me in a guise I find difficult to accept.  Give me true simplicity and humility of heart and a docile spirit.  Thank You.

Psalm 118:14

14 The Lord is my strength and my song;

he has become my salvation.

Proverbs 9:5, 6b, 10, Acts 4:1-12, John 211-14, Psalm 1181-2, 22-24, 25-27a

Daily Meditation:  Proverbs 9:5, 6b, 10

Proverbs 9:5, 6b, 10

5 “Come, eat and drink
of the bread and wine I have prepared.
6take the straight path of discernment.”
9 Give to the wise man and he will become wiser each day; teach an upright man and he will increase his wisdom.

10 Fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom and to know the Holy One brings discernment.

To those who wish to live, You invite to partake of the bread and wine - Your Body and Blood that is broken and given to us at every Eucharistic meal where You make present for us the one, holy and perfect sacrifice that You offered as the Lamb of God on Calvary.  

You give me another piece of sound advice, advice I need, "Take the straight path of discernment."  You also tell me how this is possible  in verse 10, "A holy and reverent fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One brings discernment."

"M--- mine, You are worried about being too thin skinned on some occasions and too militant on others.   The way to handle both situations is through my advice to You today.  Discern.  To do this you need to know Me and you need to ask My Holy Spirit to assist You.  If You have a greater knowledge of Me, you will know My will and in every situation, you will act on it.  Always remember that a gentle answer will turn away wrath." 

"Thank You my Beloved."

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Daily Mass Readings: Acts 4:1-12, John 211-14, Psalm 1181-2, 22-24, 25-27a

Acts 4:1-12

Beloved, even to this day nations, governments, and many people all over the world become hostile, becoming greatly disturbed and agitated when they hear the Gospel being preached. They ridicule, condemn, threaten, imprison, deport, torture and are even prepared to murder those who dare speak of You.  There is a great fear of the Christian message of love, peace, sacrifice, mercy, self control, compassion and forgiveness..

The bullies, the despots the greedy, the rich and the cruel who are powerful, know that this is a message that strikes a mortal blow to all they stand for and represent and so just as they killed You and Your Apostles, disciples and followers then, the same persecution continues to this day and will be so until You come again.  The beauty of it is that still there will always be thousands upon thousands who hearing the Good News will believe and thus receive eternal life.  Amazing!!! Awesome!!!

John 2:11-14

Peter and the rest have not yet received their mission.  You have appeared to them twice already and still all of them are at a loss as to what they should do.  Peter decides to go fishing to while away the time in an occupation he excels.  His companions decide to accompany him and they toil all night as they had done on another occasion and once again, they come up empty handed.  What did they speak of the whole night and what conclusions did they come to by day break  when all their labor of the night was in vain and after all their discussions about the turbulent events of the recent past? Suddenly at dawn light broke and there You were o the shore.  You, the One of all Ages, the Alpha and the Omega, called them children lovingly and advised them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat and they were rewarded.  The night's labor was not in vain.

With You in our midst and doing things in accordance with Your will, always yields fruit.  The disciple whom  You loved immediately recognized You and told the rest.  Peter dressed himself (as all of us must do when we come to meet You) and plunged into the healing waters of healing and forgiveness and raced to You.  There on the shore, You already had a fire going and a meal of fish and bread.  You always feed those who come hungry to You and You always satisfy.

Peter, Your Vicar, is always ahead and Your Church must follow where he leads.  Where Peter is there is the Church You founded.  The Church is always casting her net on the right side and will always draw in new members into the the fold of God's all embracing love.

Those who follow You Beloved will always be fed no matter what the circumstances.

Sometimes Beloved, we know that it is You and yet we are afraid to recognize or acknowledge You.  We have yet have to learn that perfect love casts out all fear.

We are told that this is the 3rd time You revealed Yourself after Your Resurrection.  You constantly reveal Yourself to Your disciples in different ways.  You reveal Yourself in us, in our neighbor, in the Church, in its Ministers but most especially and most powerfully in the celebration of the Eucharist.  Thank You.

Psalm 118:27a

27 The Lord is God; may his light shine upon us.

John 15:16, Acts 3:11-26, Luke 24:35-48, Psalm 8:2, 5-9

Daily Meditation:  John 15:16

John 15:16

16 You did not choose me; it was I who chose you and sent you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. And everything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.

  

Beloved, here is a sober reminder that whatever we do, we do it not because we are very good or generous.  It is You who chose us and sent us, empowering us to go out in Your Name and to work for Your Kingdom.  We are called to bear good fruit.  We are also called to ask the Father to help us for we have nothing except that which the Father chooses to give us through You and Your Holy Spirit.

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Daily Mass Readings:  Acts 3:11-26, Luke 24:35-48, Psalm 8:2, 5-9

 Acts 3:11-26

Peter is barely recognizable from the man who denied You to this man filled with zeal and speaking boldly and confidently, quoting Scripture fluently to back his preaching.  This is clearly the work of the Holy Spirit.  Who would have though that there could be such a transformation.  Before Pentecost, he was filled with fear and humiliation at his cowardice and weakness.  Now he is a firebrand - tall, strong, brave, unafraid to speak the truth unequivocally.  He quite rightly gives all the glory to You and Your Holy and all powerful Name.  He announces to all present that faith in You makes all things possible.  He speaks of repentance, forgiveness and restoration all of which are possible in You.  You are the fulfillment of every prophecy in Sacred Scripture.  May Your people, whom You came from and chose, come to the full knowledge of truth and thus find peace.

Luke 24:35-48

My Beloved, we recognize You every time at the breaking of bread in the Eucharist.  You continue to be broken for us and You continue to be food that gives life to the soul.

It is a little amusing Beloved that although the disciples have seen You and know You have risen, are still in panic and fear when they see You again.    They are talking about You and there You are in their midst.  (Beloved, whenever I speak or think of You I know You are present, thank You.)  You have to reassure them that it is truly You and only then are they filled with joy.  

Quite often we to find it hard to recognize You in our life but once we realize that it is You, we too are filled with a deep joy that it is You who is always acting and working in us.  

Everything written in Scripture - the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms is perfectly fulfilled in You.  I get so excited when I read Scripture and see You spoken of so clearly.  Yes, it is the Holy Spirit that enables us to recognize You and understand Your Word.  Thank You Father, Son and Holy Spirit for the joy and the excitement of walking daily with You.  

Jeremiah 32:38-41, Acts 3:1-10, Luke 24:13-35, Psalm 105:1-4, 6-9

Daily Meditation:   Jeremiah 32:38-41

Jeremiah 32:38-41

38 They will be my people and I shall be their God.

39 I will have them think and act in another way, so that they may always fear me for their own good and the good of their children.

40 I will forge an eternal covenant with them by which I shall never cease to do them good and I shall place my fear in their heart so that they may never turn away from me.

41 I shall rejoice in doing them good and I shall plant them securely in this land with all my heart and soul.”

Beloved, this is Your promise to those who have faith in You and put all their hope and trust in You.  I want to belong to You completely and not only I Lord but all those I love as well.

What beautiful promises You make to those who belong to You.  Those who have accepted You as Lord and Savior. Those who look up to You for life and sustenance.  May I and mine live always in the shadow of Your awesome love.

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Daily Mass Readings:  Acts 3:1-10, Luke 24:13-35, Psalm 105:1-4, 6-9

Acts 3:1-10

Beloved, You promised that those who believed and had faith would do even greater things than You did because You were going to the Father.  In Your Name which is above every other name, miracles continue to occur.  At every Eucharist, ordinary bread and wine become Your Body and Blood and is the source of spiritual nourishment through which supernatural life and grace flow, enabling us to live as Your followers in a world that continues to be darkened by sin and evil.   Sustain us Lord so that we continue to live the Good News with faith and courage.

Luke 24:13-35

Beloved, where two or three are gathered in Your Name You are always present.  Those who seek You will find You.  Sometimes it is easy to get discouraged especially when things don't go as we have planned.  We are not prepared to accept consolation and encouragement from anyone because we feel cheated and let down.  We think in purely human terms.  But if we lift eyes of faith to You, we will find an assurance to all that troubles us.   

Stay with me always Lord, especially when it is night and I feel alone.  Illumine the darkness and feed me with the Bread of Life.  May You always set my heart ablaze with the fire of Your love.

Psalm 105:1-4, 6-9

4 Look to the Lord and be strong; seek his face always.

Exodus 22:25-26, Daniel 14:38, Jeremiah 31:31, Acts 2:36-41, John 20:11-18, Psalm 33:4-5, 18-20, 22

Daily Meditation:   Exodus 22:25-26, Daniel 14:38, Jeremiah 31:31

Exodus 22:25-26

25 If ever you take a person’s cloak as a pledge, you must give it back to him by sunset, 26 for it is all the covering he has for his body. In what else will he sleep? And when he cries to me I will hear him, for I am full of pity.

Daniel 14:38 

“You have remembered me, O God, and have not forsaken those who love you.”

Jeremiah 31:31

31 The time is coming – it is Yah­­­­weh who speaks – when I will forge a new covenant with the people of Israel and the people of Judah. 

 The common thread in all these verses clearly points to the truth that You are a God of pity, mercy and compassion.  Whoever turns to You can find in You an ocean of mercy and love.  It is no surprise that You wanted to reveal to the people of this age in the 21st Century, this facet of Your divine nature.  You revealed to St. Faustina that the greater the sinner the greater is his right to Your mercy.  You did say that it is the sick who need a doctor.  You came to seek and find the lost sinner.  How consoling my Beloved.

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Daily Mass Readings:   Acts 2:36-41, John 20:11-18, Psalm 33:4-5, 18-20, 22

Acts 2:36-41

Beloved, from verse 36 we can see that there can be absolutely no doubt about the power that is now available to us through the merits You have won for us through Your passion, crucifixion,death and the glory of Your Resurrection.   We are redeemed by the price You paid.  Anyone who repents and is baptized can and will experience the promise of becoming a child of God.  It seems that in every age we have a crooked generation as St. Peter lamented in the 1st century.  Preserve Your people O Lord.  Grant wisdom to those who have been baptized but  have strayed from the fold for one reason or another. I remember and pray for members of my own family and friends Beloved, for whom I plead each day by name.  Grant each one Your saving help and draw them all back home.

John 20:11-18

 There stood Mary, the one time sinner, alone, weeping, bereft, abandoned.  She too had not understood that You had risen just as You said to those closest to You, not once but several times.  Beloved, sometimes we get so lost in the present misery that we fail to recognize that You are a faithful God and always true to Your promises.  Heartbroken, she bent down to look into the open tomb and she saw not one but two angels and they both addressed her as, 'Woman!' and asked her why she was weeping.  Then Beloved, she turned around and saw You and You too addressed her as, 'Woman!'  But she  did not recognize You. She was full of her own personal grief and loss and thought You were the gardener.  It was only when You called her by her name, "Mary!" that she recognized You.  Scripture tells us,  "I have called you by your name, you are Mine."

My Beloved, may I recognize You every time You call me and may I be ready to do anything You ask of me. My Lord and my God.

Psalm 33:4, 20, 22

4 For upright is the Lord’s word
and worthy of trust is his work.
20 In hope we wait for the Lord,
for he is our help and our shield.
22 O Lord, let your love rest upon us,
even as our hope rests in you.

Isaiah 6:8, Acts 22:14, 22-33, Matthew 28:1-15, Psalm 16:1-2 and 5, 7-11

Daily Meditation: Isaiah 6:8

Isaiah 6:8

8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” I answered, “Here I am. Send me!”

Beloved Jesus, if it pleases You to send me, then empower me with Your Holy Spirit.  Remove all trace of fear and help me to speak boldly and passionately Your Word of Life.

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Daily Mass Readings: Acts 22:14, 22-33, Matthew 28:1-15, Psalm 16:1-2 and 5, 7-11

Acts 22:14, 22-33

32 This Messiah is Jesus and we are all witnesses that God raised him to life. 33 He has been exalted at God’s right side and the Father has entrusted the Holy Spirit to him; this Spirit he has just poured upon us as you now see and hear.

Beloved, You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God seated in glory at the Father's right hand.  All power, all glory, all majesty has been given to You and God has ordained that all creation in heaven, on earth and under the earth bow down and acknowledge that You are Lord.

Matthew 28:1-15

Beloved, You have risen and we have hope.  I offer You heartfelt thanks and praise.

Psalm 16: 8-11

8 He has freed my soul from death,

my eyes from weeping,

my feet from stumbling;

9 I will walk before the Lord

in the land of the living.

10 I have kept faith even when I said,

“I am greatly afflicted.”

11 I have said in my dismay,

“To hope in humans is vain.”

Esther 14:4, 7:2, Acts 10:34, 37-43, Colosians 3:1-4, John 20:1-9, Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

Daily Meditation:  Esther 14:4, 7:2

Esther 14:4, 7:2

4 My Lord, you who stand alone, come to my help; I am alone and have no help but you. Through my own choice I am endangering my life.

2 And again, on that second day, while they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther “Whatever your petition is, Queen Esther, it shall be granted. Whatever request you make shall be fulfilled, even if it were half of my kingdom.”

My Beloved, what can I say.  I am speechless.  Thank You.  My life is Yours to do with as you will.

I want nothing more than to love You passionately with every fiber of my being in this life and to love you perfectly and eternally in heaven.  Grant me this Beloved, I ask for nothing more.

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Daily Mass Readings:  Acts 10:34, 37-43, Colossians 3:1-4, John 20:1-9, Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23

Colossians 3:1-4

• 1 So then, if you are risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things that are above, not on earthly things. 3 For you have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, reveals himself, you also will be revealed with him in Glory.

I  want my life to be hidden in You.  I want to be lost in You.  I want to belong so completely to You that there is no part of me that is separate from You.

Pour Your life and Your Spirit into me and take my life and my spirit and lose it in Yours.

John 20:1-9

For me personally Beloved, the Resurrection is hope.  Each day in my life in passing   draws me ever nearer to You and to the place You have prepared for me.  One day where You are I too may be as You have promised.  This would not have been possible if You had not laid down Your life for me and destroyed the plans of Satan so utterly, that all he can do is froth and fume at being so thoroughly vanquished by You.  He only has power if we give it to him.   Our Mother has crushed his head under her heel and You have overcome death and sin by taking it upon Yourself and rendering both powerless.  

Thank You for the hope I have in You.  Thank You for every new morning that gives me the opportunity to start the day anew in You and for drawing me nearer to You.

Isaiah 54:10 & 13

Daily Meditation:  Isaiah 54:10 & 13

10 The mountains may depart and the hills be moved, but never will my love depart from you nor my covenant of peace be removed, says Yahweh whose compassion is for you.

13 All your children will be taught by Yahweh, and they will prosper greatly.

Beloved, I thank You for Your promise to love me and never to be angry or rebuke me again.  You will never take Your love from me and Your Covenant of Peace - the peace that passes human understanding will always be mine along with Your tender compassion.

Thank You for promising to teach all my children Yourself.  You will ensure they prosper - each one of them.

Isaiah 54:9-10, Isaiah 52:13----53:12, Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:7-9, John 18:1---19:42, Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-17, 25

VIA CRUCIS - THE WAY OF THE CROSS 

Daily Meditation:  Isaiah 54:9-10

Isaiah 54:9-10

9 This is for me like Noah’s waters, when I swore that they would no more flood the earth; so now I swear not to be angry with you and never again to rebuke you. 10 The mountains may depart and the hills be moved, but never will my love depart from you nor my covenant of peace be removed, says Yahweh whose compassion is for you.

My Beloved, during this entire season of Lent culminating in the Paschal Triduum, we see Your boundless love for Your creatures pour itself out for sinful men.  In these beautiful verses that the prophet Isaiah has written, he speaks of this Covenant of Love that You will forge between God and man and ratify with Your Blood and Your Life.  It is a Covenant that will never be destroyed and because of it, all men will find hope.  No matter to what depths of sin we may have fallen, this love will seek, find and rescue the sinner and restore the soul to its pristine beauty, when it is washed in Your Blood in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Thank You Beloved.

M--- mine, if you belong to Me then love Me with all the ardor that you are capable of all through the hours of the day, and let the proof of this love show itself in your love for your neighbor. 

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Daily Mass Readings:   Isaiah 52:13----53:12, Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:7-9, John 18:1---19:42, Psalm 31:2, 6, 12-17, 25

Isaiah 52:13----53:12

Let those who have eyes see and those who have ears hear and seeing and hearing believe in the Good News of what Love has accomplished in order to save us.

The Father sent His Son to the very depths of hell to suffer as no man has ever suffered before.  He suffered both physical, mental and spiritual suffering in order to make reparation for every evil ever conceived and acted upon since the creation of man.

Every verse in today's reading rings out in prophesy of all that the Suffering Servant must undergo in frightening detail. How is it then that all are not converted and fall on their knees in worship,thanksgiving and adoration? We have not been faithful witnesses.  If, like the early Church, we lived like the early Christians, the world would look at us too and say, "See how they love one another."  And many more would have come to know You.

We thank the and wisdom of the Church for giving us this season of Lent each year when  we re-visit and contemplate in love and gratitude all You have done to redeem us.

Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:7-9

My Beloved, how beautifully the Apostle Paul sums up what You have done for us in these verses.  Because You became one like us, You understand our human weaknesses and frailties and You can help us overcome them through the merits You won for us.  We need never doubt that we can approach You with confidence always and expect You to hear, understand, forgive, restore and love us back into the fold.


Verses 9-10 speak eloquently of how You understand our human frailties and plead for us to the Father.  You made perfect atonement for our wickedness, we in turn in imitation of You must always be humble and obedient.  As sinners who have been saved, we must live our lives in loving submission to both God and neighbor, just as You did.  It is in our witness that You become the Light of the world.

 

John 18:1---19:42

Beloved, in the Gospel narrative of Your passion, Judas' name will always be synonymous  with betrayal and despair.   Mother Mary and the two other Mary's along with John with faithfulness, Peter with denial and repentant sorrow, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus with kindness.  They proved to be more brave than the Apostles all of whom fled.  Peter's bravado melted into cowardice denying he ever knew You three times before the cock crowed as You had predicted and he realized to his shame and horror what he had done.  The Pharisees will be forever associated with hypocrisy and jealousy.  They had no qualms of conscience in sacrificing innocent blood in order to keep their temporal positions of power and human respect.


Through the whole narrative, You stand bright as a beacon of light in all that You suffered for our salvation, right to the bitter end, fulfilling to perfection the Father's plan.  Pilate tried feebly to save You but in the end was afraid that he would lose his position with Caesar.  He condemned a Man he knew was innocent, to die the death of a slave, a Man who was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, the price for slave.

The Gospel speaks in stark sentences what You suffered. It is only through the writings of those who have studied in-depth the culture of the time and what each torture involved, does a clear picture emerge as seen visually in the movie 'The Passion' and even that is just a movie and cannot capture the mental and spiritual agony which was even greater than the physical torment.

Until You gave up Your Spirit to the Father, You did not lose consciousness but were aware of all that was needed to be done.  You cried out Your thirst for souls, You gave Your Mother to us for our own, You forgave the thief on the right and promised him paradise - a promise of hope to all repentant sinners.  Then You forgave everyone who had a hand in Your death assuring Your Father that they did not know that they were committing Deicide. Finally You said, "It is accomplished."  All was done perfectly in accordance with the Father's plan.


Your bones were not broken as prophesied in Scripture, but Your side was opened like the side of Adam and Your Bride the Church was formed from that open side.  The Blood and Water are both a source of perennial grace that flow from the Sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist.  The Sacraments of regeneration and new life.

http://cantuar.blogspot.com/2010/04/why-blood-and-water-from-side-of-christ.html


Thank You Beloved for Your obedience and humility and grant me the grace to follow God's plan for me in imitation of You faithfully until the end.

Luke 6:19, Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-15, Psalm 116:12-18

Daily Inspiration:  Luke 6:19

Luke 6:19

The entire crowd tried to touch Him because of the power that went out from Him and He healed them all.

My Beloved, I can see the crowd, waves upon waves of them.  The verses prior to this say that the people had come from all over Judea, Jerusalem, and the coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon.  It would have been like a rock concert.  All of them wanted to touch You because of the power that emanated from You.  The power of the Most High God and we are told that ALL WHO TOUCHED YOU WERE HEALED.  

Contrast this with the tinsel heroes of the world today.  Yes, they too gather huge crowds all of whom are hungry to look up to someone and to receive acceptance.  Their lives are empty, they are lonely and they long to touch and be touched in love.  Lives are wounded, sick and broken in every imaginable way and for a brief spell the crowds are taken up in the frenzy of a momentary togetherness and acceptance.

What is even more tragic is that the people they emulate are as sick, broken, unhappy and empty as they themselves are.  All the baubles in the world don't feed the hunger, nor does it satisfy or replace what our hearts are hungry for which is You and You alone.  All that the world"s present day tinsel heroes offer is a false gospel that preaches a certain way of dress and the acquiring of certain things or being part of a particular group or following the current lifestyle in order to be happy and fulfilled.  The broken lives of these tinsel stars are a testimony of this big lie.  Most of them end up in re-hab centres, they have multiple marriages or partners, and very few of them are genuinely satisfied and filled with the everlasting peace and joy that only comes from You despite our circumstances.

In the Adoration Chapel where You are present Beloved, many like me come to visit You daily.  We know that You are there truly present - heart, mind, soul, body and divinity.  Truly God and truly Man.  We come to worship, adore and offer You our praise and thanksgiving, to confide in You our troubles, to reveal our heartaches, and to tell You of our joys.  We intercede for those we love, family, friends, the world.  We know You are there and we communicate in silence.  We know you love us to visit You and You bless us and answer all our prayers - much like all those who touched You and were healed in every way that healing was needed.

I see them approach and touch the glass behind which You are present in the round, white Host.  They want to get as close as possible to You.  The glass stands between You and they.  I just send You fervent flying kisses as I leave.  I know that I will receive and touch You more intimately in the Eucharist.  We will become one heart, one flesh and for the duration when You remain one with me, You touch me and I am healed.  

Possessing You Beloved and being possessed by You in this marvelous way is exactly as the Father had planned in eternity.  It is a way of being in heaven while we are still on earth.  Thank You Father, thank You my Beloved for doing exactly as the Father wished You to do and which You did do in perfect love for Him and for us.  Thank You Holy Spirit for it is You, the bond of love between Father and Son that makes this miracle possible.

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Daily Mass Readings: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-15, Psalm 116:12-18

Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14

Here, in the beginning of salvation history is a foreshadowing  of the Eucharist.  It is what God intended from all eternity.   Verse 5 says, "5 You will select a perfect lamb without blemish, a male born."  Every word of this verse is significant for it speaks of You.  Every consecrated priest represents You Beloved, the male Lamb, sinless and without blemish the perfect Lamb of God. Ordaining female priests and bishops is a perversion of what You have ordained.  Verse 8 tells us, 8 That night you will eat the flesh roasted at the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.  We receive Your Body that was burned in the holocaust of bitter suffering and offered as a perfect sacrifice and now the unleavened bread, at each Eucharist we celebrate becomes Your Body.  Verse 13 13 The blood on your houses will be the sign that you are there. I will see the blood and pass over you; and you will escape the mortal plague when I strike Egypt.   Your Body seals us in the Covenant of Love with the Triune God and we are marked for eternity with You. Verse 14   14 This is a day you are to remember and celebrate in honor of Yahweh. It is to be kept as a festival day for all gene­rations forever.  This is an echo of what You said, "Do this in remembrance of Me." We will do it through the ages to come until You come again in glory.  Maranatha!!!!

1 Corinthians 11:23-26, 

Beloved, once again St Paul reiterates the Tradition You passed on to us through Your Apostles.  More illuminating are the verses that follow today's Epistle - verses 27-33.  How can all the various denominations be deceived into disbelief in Your True Presence behind what looks, feels and tastes like bread, Beloved?  Satan is alive and well and until the veil of deception is ripped from top to bottom and they begin to believe that what You said and did is literally true, these brothers and sisters will continue to remain our separated brethren - separated from You and us.  Denying this truth, they lack the fullness of Truth.

John 13:1-15

Here it is Beloved, You know that Your hour has finally come. verse 1 speaks so beautifully and eloquently,

• 1 It was before the feast of the Passover. Jesus realized that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father, and as he had loved those who were his own in the world, he would love them with perfect love.

Verse 3 

3 Je­sus knew that the Father had entrusted all things to him, and as he had come from God, he was go­ing to God.  Beloved, You were perfectly aware of all that Your Father had entrusted You to do.

Verse 4-5

4 So he got up from table, removed his garment and taking a towel, wrapped it around his waist.

. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he was wearing.

  

To all those in the world who worship false gods in the shape of their tinsel heroes, here is what a real hero and a true Master does.   The Son of God wears an apron, gets down on His knees and washes our feet.  The Master, out of love becomes our Servant in love in order to teach us the way back to the Father which is through perfect humility and perfect obedience.

Peter knows You are God and so he said, " Why Lord, You want to wash my feet!!!"  Once Peter understood why it had to be so, he gladly submitted and spoke in his usual impetuous way, "9 Then Simon Peter said, “Lord, wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!”  But You responded that all of them (except one) were already clean and did not need to be washed all over.

Once again Judas had a chance to repent, when he head You speak and refer to him as being unclean.  Beloved, may all who call ourselves Catholic and Christian never forget Your words in verses 13-15 beginning with the hierarchy to the smallest member of Your Body, that we are called to be servants, first of God and then to each other.  Convict us Beloved if we expect everyone else to wash our feet while we look down our Pharisaical and hypocritical noses on every one else.

Psalm 116:12-13, 16-17

12 How can I repay the Lord

for all his goodness to me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the Lord.

16 O Lord, I am your servant,

truly your servant, your handmaid’s son.

You have freed me from my bonds.

At every Eucharist, I shall offer grateful praise and thanks for Your goodness to me for setting me loose from the bondage and slavery of sin.  Praise You Lord!!!