Revelations 20:12-15, Isaiah 55:1-3, Romans 8:35, 37-39, Matthew 14:13-21, Psalm 145:8-9, 15-18

Daily Meditation:  Revelations 20:12-15

Revelations 20:12-15

12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before the throne while books were opened. Another book, the Book of Life, was also opened. Then the dead were judged ac­cord­ing to the records of these books, that is, each one according to his works.

13 The sea gave up the dead it had kept, as did death and the netherworld, so that all might be judged according to their works. 14 Then death and the netherworld were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 15 All who were not recorded in the Book of Life were thrown into the lake of fire.

While it is true my Beloved that our good works will not save us, the proof of our faith and love for You is a life of good works.  St. James reminds us that faith without works is dead.  If I believe in You, if I love You then I will look for every opportunity to please You.  In imitation of You, I too will be moved to pity and compassion when I seen another in need, want and suffering.  We are one body in You and it is right that we help each other for love of You and for each other.

There are those who deliberately or ignorantly misjudge Catholics saying that we believe our works will take us to You.  Reason alone will tell us how foolish we would be if we placed our salvation on good works rather than on You.  No one can buy their way into heaven.  However, faith and good works, like so much of Catholic teaching, is not an either or proposition, they are both sides of a coin.  A faith that is vibrant, alive and on fire with love moves us to go out into the world and do what we can to alleviate the misery and suffering of another.

When we stand before You Beloved as our Judge, we will be to provide proof of that love as the above texts so clearly point out.  Even a glass of cold water given in Your Name will be counted as an act of love done to You.

Daily Mass Readings:  Isaiah 55:1-3, Romans 8:35, 37-39, 

                                       Matthew 14:13-21, Psalm 145:8-9, 15-18

Isaiah 55:1-3

We have received salvation through You Beloved. You constantly invite us into a deeper relationship with You. Grafted into You, we must put roots deep into You in order that You life Your Spirit may flow into us enabling us to bear good fruit, fruit that will last.  You feed me in the Eucharist.  I drink of the living waters at every Sacrament and grace is replenished and flows from You to me and from me to those around me.  The food of the world does not satisfy, the pleasures of the world are fleeting and they jade the senses.  The food and drink that we receive from You bring life, fullness and joy.

Romans 8:35, 37-39

No my Beloved, nothing can separate us that's true - only I can separate myself from You through grievous sin.  Be merciful Lord, You how how weak I am, do  not permit me to separate myself from You.  Let your love for me bind me ever closer to You each day, mindful of my frailties and weaknesses.  O Lord guard me as the apple of Your eye.  Spread Your wings over me.  Draw me into Your heard through the wound in Your side and there my Beloved hide me.  Let me lie quietly in sweet stillness, at peace, one with You now and forever.

Matthew 14:13-21

"They  do not need to go away, you give them something to eat."  

Beloved You ask me to give what I have no matter how little it may be and to trust You to bless it as I give it away.  You always make Yourself available when we follow You persistently.  Love will prevails and You show Yourself merciful and compassionate.  You will touch and heal me You will feed me. You will satisfy all the longings of my heart.  You will take all I have to give, little though it is, because I give it in love.  I do love You.  I thank You for feeding me always; in You there is abundance and I am satisfied.  You give me enough and more so I in turn can share all I have received from You.  Give me a generous, giving, grateful heart.

Psalm 145:8-9, 15-18

15 All creatures look to you to be fed in due season;  

16 with open hand you satisfy the living according to their needs.

18 He is near those who call on him, who call trustfully upon his name.

Open my mind Lord in order that I might see You and seeing understand.

Mark 16:17-18, Leviticus 25:1, 8-17, Matthew 14 :1-12, Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 7-8

Daily Meditation:  Mark 16:17-18

Mark 16:17-18

17 Signs like these will accompany those who have believed: in my Name they will cast out demons and speak new langu­ages; 18 they will pick up snakes and, if they drink anything poisonous, they will be unharmed. They will lay their hands on the sick and they will be healed.”

My Beloved, You promise that anyone who believes in Your Holy Name, the Name of Jesus which means one who saves, the following signs will be manifest in them.  They will cast out demons, they will speak new languages, they will pick up snakes and if they drink anything poisonous they will not be harmed.  You also promise that in imitation of You they will lay hands on the sick and they will be healed.

This promise holds true for anyone who has faith in You.  Is this true of me Beloved?  I profess to believe with all the fervor of my soul in Your most Holy Name - surely then these signs should be manifest me.  If not then do I really believe or is my faith and belief weak and shallow?  Do I have such great confidence in Your Word that I am prepared to step out in faith and act on Your Word believing it to be true?

Daily Mass Readings:  Leviticus 25:1, 8-17, Matthew 14:1-12, 

                                       Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 7-8

Leviticus 25:14,17

14 When you sell something to your neighbor or buy something from him, do not wrong one another. 

17 So you shall not wrong one another but you shall fear your God, for I am the Lord, your God.

The world is constantly buying, selling and advertising making boasts based on lies for we buy and sell inferior products and all the advertisements promise more than they deliver.  We live in a world of lies - lies are sold in all forms of the media, the news, in government, in politics, in entertainment and our lives reflect the culture of the day.  We are constantly wronging each other.  Grant us O Lord a holy fear of You and bring us back to the Truth.

Matthew 14:1-12

Today's Gospel speaks of how parents misguide their children setting them up to live immoral lies by the shoddy examples that they give them.  We school our children in ways displeasing to God and innocent minds are corrupted by the way we allow them to dress, dance and speak. Herodias dances in order to arouse which leads Herod to making rash and foolish promises.  He swore oaths and then when common sense prevailed and he had to deliver, he discovered it was too late for he is more concerned about human respect than in pleasing God. So he went ahead and committed murder even though he did not want to do it because he cared too much about public opinion.  We too are prepared to sell the Kingdom of God in order to gain the world which is passing.  In this paltry exchange we lose our soul.

Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 7-8

2 May God be gracious and bless us;

may he let his face shine upon us,

3 that your way be known on earth

and your salvation among the nations.

5 May the countries be glad and sing for joy,

for you rule the peoples with justice

and guide the nations of the world.

7 The land has given its harvest;

God, our God, has blessed us.

8 May God bless us and be revered,

to the very ends of the earth.

Luke 7:37-38, Leviticus 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34-37, Matthew 13:54-58, Psalm 81:3-6, 10-11

Daily Meditation:  Luke 7:37-38, 

Luke 7:37-38

37 And it happened that a woman of this town, who was known as a sinner, heard that he was in the Pharisee’s house. She brought a precious jar of perfume 38 and stood behind him at his feet, weeping. She wet his feet with tears, she dried them with her hair and kissed his feet and poured the perfume on them.

Beloved, like the town sinner I too come to You.  I come because I know that You love me and in You I will find forgiveness for my sins, healing for all that ails me spiritually as well as physically and acceptance despite the fact that I am a sinner.  I in turn give You all I am and have - beginning with my life. I give You all that goes to make me who I am - the good, the bad and the ugly.  I weep O Lord for the times I have wounded You.  I ask You to please forgive me and to restore my relationship with You.  May my sorrow and repentance, and Your forgiveness rise up to heaven as a fragrance pleasing to God. 

Daily Mass Readings:  Leviticus 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34-37, 

                                      Matthew 13:54-58, Psalm 81:3-6, 10-11

Acts 17:28, Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38, Matthew 13:47-53, Psalm 84:3-6, 8, 11

Daily Meditation:  Acts 17:28, 

Acts 17:28

28 For in him we live and move and have our being, as some of your poets have said: for we too are his offspring. 

My Beloved, in You I live and move and have my being for I am grafted to You and because You are His Son, being one with You am His daughter.  What more could I ask for or want?  The only way I could be separated from You is through serious sin which will cut me off from You and I will wither and die.  My God and my Lord, pour Your grace upon me today and always.  Grant me a greater awareness and sensitivity to sin so that I may never displease You.  Stay with me Lord, please, always!!!

Daily Mass Readings:  Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38, Matthew 13:47-53

                                Psalm 84:3-6, 8, 11

Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38

My Lord, in the desert, Your Holy Presence remained with Your people in the form of a cloud by day and fire by night.  The Ten Commandments were placed in the Arc of the Covenant along with manna and Aron's staff.  The commandments represented Your Son, the Eternal Word and my Beloved, the manna, His Body in the Eucharist, and Aron's staff represented His role as the Eternal High Priest who makes a continual sacrifice of Himself once offered at Calvary along with the sacrifice of our lives, as we celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass..

Baptized in You I have now become Your holy temple.  You make Your home in me, You dwell in me.  I consume You in the Eucharist and I am assumed into Your Body - this is how I live and move and have my being in You.  Walk with me my Beloved, remain in Me, do not permit me to sin so I may never be separated from You.  With each day that You permit me on earth, bind me ever closer to You, until that day when our union will be perfect and I close my eyes on earth to open them in Your Holy Presence in heaven.  Amen.

Matthew 13:47-53

You are the Kingdom of heaven, the net is Your Word thrown into the world to catch souls.  Only those who are found acceptable will be gathered into You, the rest will be destroyed.  

All those who come to believe in You bring with them all that is good in their past - it is this that leads them into finding You.  Having  found You they
discover the fullness of truth, the flowering and fruit of discovering You  in the Good News of our salvation.  From our treasury of things both old and new, we are  lead us into a deeper knowledge and understanding of who You are and who we are in God's plan of salvation.

Psalm 84:3-6, 11

3 My soul yearns, pines,

for the courts of the Lord.

My heart and my flesh

cry out for the living God.

4 Even the sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow a nest

where she may lay her young,

at your altars, O Lord of hosts,

my King and my God!

5 Happy are those who live in your house,

continually singing your praise!

6 Happy the pilgrims whom you strengthen,

to make the ascent to you.

11 One day in your courts is better

than a thousand elsewhere.

I would rather be left at the threshold

in the house of my God

than to dwell in the tents of the wicked.

The prayer of the Psalmist is mine today.  I hunger and thirst for You.  I want to live in Your Presence all my days as I journey towards my eternal home to You.  keep me close to You Lord, one hand under my head the other drawing me close to Your heart.  That's all I ask.  

Mark 1:35, Exodus 34:29-35, Matthew 13:44-46, Psalm 99:5-7, 9

Daily Meditation:  Mark 1:35

Mark 1:35

35 Very early in the morning, before daylight, Jesus went off to a lonely place where he prayed.

My Beloved, I too come to You early in the morning before daylight.  We are alone and as I spend time with You in prayer, I raise my heart to You.  I sing, praise, worship and adore You.  I offer You myself in a poor exchange for all of You.   I give You my sins, my poverty, my weaknesses, my poor little life in return for the wealth of goodness, mercy, love and compassion that You freely give me in return.

Morning after morning I have come to You my Lord.  How has my coming to You over a period of so many years changed me?  Have I put roots down deep into You?  Am I unshakable in faith?  Is mine an enduring love and does it include a total gift of self in surrender to You?  Have I begun to resemble You even if only very little?  Am I ready to lay down my life in imitation of You.  Is my love a sacrificial love?  How far am I prepared to walk with another for love of You?

Daily Mass Readings:  Exodus 34:29-35, Matthew 13:44-46, 

                                       Psalm 99:5-7, 9

Exodus 34:29-35

Beloved is this Your answer to all the questions I have asked earlier in this first reading of today.  We are told in verse  29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two slabs of the Statement in his hands, he was not aware that the skin of his face was radiant after speaking with the Lord. 

Moses was unaware that the skin of his face was radiant.  Is my soul radiant my Lord  after my encounter with You in personal prayer, in Adoration before You in the Monstrance in the chapel, and in every Eucharist that I receive daily?  Do I glow?  Does the treasure that I receive in this pot of clay overflow to everyone I encounter so they too can share in Your riches?

Matthew 13:44-46

Today we read in the Gospel Your parables on the treasure in the field and the pearl of great price.  You are the treasure, You are the pearl of great price.  My life is well lost my Lord if I can have You.  Without You there is no joy.  Without You life loses its savor.  But with You even in the midst of tribulation I know peace if I allow my heart to rest in You.

Psalm 99:5-6, 9

5 Extol the Lord, our God; worship at his footstool. Holy is he! And mighty!

6 Among his priests were Moses and Aaron, and Samuel among those who called on his name. They called to the Lord, and he answered them.

9 Extol the Lord our God; worship at his holy mountain. Holy is the Lord our God!

1 Corinthians 3:21-23, Sirach 44:1, 10-15, Matthew 13:16-17, Psalm 132:11, 13-14, 17-18

Daily Meditation:  1 Corinthians 3:21-23

1 Corinthians 3:21-23

21 Because of this, let no one become an admirer of humans, for everything belongs to you, 22 Paul, Apollos, Cephas—life, death, the present and the future. Everything is yours, 23 and you, you belong to Christ, and Christ is of God.

 

It is so easy to get carried away by men.  We see the huge fan following of the so called 'stars' in music, movies, sports, etc.  All these creatures with clay feet are put on a pedestal - usurping Your rightful place. Every created thing is given to us to help us come closer to You.  We belong to You in life and in death, in the present and in eternity.  You have made us caretakers of Your creation.  The world and its resources are ours to use, but we belong to You and You Beloved, belong to God.  

You have claimed ownership of us through our Baptism and You have confirmed us in Your Holy Spirit through Confirmation.  Through these Sacraments You have left an indelible seal on our souls.  I am Yours my Beloved.  All Yours.

Daily Mass Readings:  Sirach 44:1, 10-15, Matthew 13:16-17

                                       Psalm 132:11, 13-14, 17-18

Sirach 44:1, 10-15

Beloved, the Old Testament is full of wise, holy, godly men.  Patriarchs, Priests, Prophets and Kings.  Their deeds are recorded in salvation history.  They had no hope of a Resurrection. The hope of eternal life was a concept that they may or may not have had - if they did it was a very, very dim vision.  They believed that after death their souls went to Sheol and all that remained of them was a memory.  No wonder the Book of Lamentations is so dismal and bleak.

Matthew 13:16-17

But You came into the world my Beloved, and you dispelled all darkness and gloom.  You ushered in the New Covenant age and You revealed the awesome love of God and His wonderful plans for us.  No more animal sacrifice, no more spilling of the blood of bulls, sheep and goats -over and over and over again as a sin offering, they had no power to take away sin and its eternal consequences.  

You showed us the way to the Father.  You revealed a love that was never known before, You opened the gates of heaven by being nailed through the Cross and through Your open side and pierced heart, You opened the gates of heaven.  We now enter into the Kingdom of God united to You as members of Your Body.   We ought to have open-mouthed wonder and awe at all that our loving Father accomplished through Your obedience to His Will.  This is why You tell us that we will be judged more strictly.  Knowing what we know, if we continue to be indifferent and lukewarm You will most certainly vomit us out.  

For those who believe Beloved, give us a fire in our hearts and a burning desire to witness to the Good News of our salvation. 

 

Psalm 132:13, 17-18

13 For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling:

17 From here a savior shall come forth, a son of David; here shall shine forever the lamp of my anointed.

18 In shame will I clothe his enemies, but upon his head a crown shall shine.”

Today as the universal Church celebrates the Feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne, parents of our dearest Mama Mary.  They were chosen by God to bring forth this Mystical Rose, fairest daughter of the Father, Mother of the Son, Spouse of the Holy Spirit.  She was chosen by the Father to incarnate His Son, give Him His Body, and nourish Him with her blood while in her womb.  The same Body and Blood we receive in the Eucharist.  God sanctified her and made her a dwelling fit for God from the moment of her conception.

Happy Feast dear Sts. Joachim and Anne.  Pray for us who are parents and pray for our children.  Amen

Philippians 3:7-8, 2 Corinthians 4:7-15, Matthew 20:20-28, Psalm 126:1-6

Daily Meditation:  Philippians 3:7-8, 

Philippians 3:7-8

7 But once I found Christ, all those things that I might have considered as profit, I reckoned as loss. 8 Still more, everything seems to me as nothing compared with the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord. For his sake I have let everything fall away and I now consider all as garbage, if instead I may gain Christ.

Beloved, what a great writer St. Paul is.  Inspired by the Holy Spirit, he is able to express himself so well and in doing so, he articulates exactly how it is with those who have found You, after foraging in the dustbins and ash heaps looking for crumbs. Discovering You we look back and realize how pitiful our lives were before we permitted You to come and take possession of us.  

Thank You Beloved for the generosity and sheer magnitude of Your love for me.  A love that took You to the Cross.  There is no love more sublime and powerful than this - that You took upon Yourself my shame and my sins.  I deserved the death You died for me.   Thank You Beloved for revealing to me through experience, that if I lose all I possess but have You, I will have more than everything for I have You who are all things.

Daily Mass Readings:  2 Corinthians 4:7-15, Matthew 20:20-28,  

                                       Psalm 126:1-6

2 Corinthians 4:7-15

Father, Your whole plan of salvation boggles the mind.  From creation, to the fall, to the preparation of a people to receive the Savior of the world, Your only Beloved Son.  He became a slave, a Servant and bore upon Himself the sin, the guilt and the punishments of every human being ever created.  All our miseries, our sufferings, our persecutions, our sickness, the horror of lives lived in squalor due to abject poverty, loneliness, rejection, cruelty, all the soul crushing ways in which man de-humanizes man, You took upon Yourself, in order that in dying, death would be destroyed and in rising we could share in the promise of the Resurrection and a life of bliss eternally with You.

How then Beloved, can we not imitate You in loving those You send into our lives and witnessing to Your love, and being ready to accept persecution in perfect imitation of You?  Help me Lord to follow Your example in every way.  Grant me the necessary grace I need each day when I receive You in the Eucharist to be all that You call me to be.  Amen.

Matthew 20:20-28

Beloved, today the Church celebrates the feast of St. James, the first Apostle who was martyred for the faith we profess.  He indeed did drink from Your cup of suffering in imitation of You.  

A disciple is recognized by his close resemblance to the master.  The world tempts us to desire and possess the cheap, tawdry, gaudy, worthless baubles it displays, deceiving us into believing that they are desirable and necessary to be happy and fulfilled.  It is no wonder that You taught us to pray to the Father, "Lead us not into temptation."  May everyone of Your disciples in the Church and all true Christians, be prepared to follow Your example in life and in death.  Teach us to serve as You served, to love as You loved - grant us a sacrificial love that takes us to the Cross and there let us immolate self in the service of our neighbor for love of You.

Psalm 126:3, 6

3 The Lord had done great things for us,

and we were glad indeed.

6 They went forth weeping,

bearing the seeds for sowing,

they will come home with joyful shouts,

bringing their harvested sheaves.