2 Samuel 22:33:37, Exodus 11:10---12:14, Matthew 12:1-8, Psalm 116:12-18

Daily Meditation:  2 Samuel 22:33:37

2 Samuel 22:33:37

³³ The God who has girded me with strength^*

   has opened wide my path.^*

³⁴ He made my^* feet like the feet of deer,

   and set me secure on the heights.

³⁵ He trains my hands for war,

   so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

³⁶ You have given me the shield of your salvation,

   and your help^* has made me great.

³⁷ You have made me stride freely,

   and my feet do not slip;

My Beloved, You have been and are my strength.  You have always been beside me though there have been times I have not felt Your Presence, You have never abandoned me.  At the times of my distress when I called You hastened to answer me and You comforted and consoled me.  When I was in danger of losing my foothold,You held me up and steadied me.  Thank You for being with me always.

Daily Mass Readings:  Exodus 11:10---12:14, Matthew 12:1-8, Psalm 116:12-18

Exodus 11:10---12:14

My Beloved, from the beginning of Creation, God knew that we would sin and we would need a Savior. Throughout the years of preparation, there was a foreshadowing of the great events that would find their meaning and expression in You.   The bitterness of Your betrayal, the sins of men and the passion of Your suffering is represented by the bitter herbs.  We have the roasting of the lamb whole, signifying Your plunging into the very depths of the fire of our humanity with all that it means of both good and evil.  The lamb is consumed whole just as we receive You whole in the Eucharist Beloved, as You offer Your Body as food for our souls.  The blood of the lamb sprinkled on the door post of the houses as a sign of Your protection, signifies the sign on our souls received at Baptism that claims us as Your brothers and sisters and children of Your Father.   Every Eucharist that we celebrate and participate in worthily claims us for Yourself for You have won us for Yourself.

Matthew 12:1-8

Beloved, how is it that so many are blind to the gift of the Eucharist and yet they read Scripture and are knowledgeable in it?  The Word of God in both the Old and New Testament speaks of sacrifice, bread, wine, the lamb of sacrifice that takes away sin, and it all points to You as being our food, drink and the Sacrifice acceptable to the Father for the expiation of our sins. How true are Your words which say, 12 so that the more they see, they don’t perceive; the more they hear, they don’t understand; otherwise they would be converted and pardoned.” Mk 4:12 Thank You for the Church, the Apostles and their successors which have carefully and faithfully preserved and protected the Apostolic Tradition as handed down by You and entrusted to them.

Psalm 116:12-18

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.

14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord

in the presence of all his people.

15 It is painful to the Lord

to see the death of his faithful.

16 O Lord, I am your servant,

truly your servant, your handmaid’s son.

You have freed me from my bonds.

17 I will offer you a thanksgiving sacrifice;

I will call on the name of the Lord.

18 I will carry out my vows to the Lord

in the presence of his people,