1 Peter 1:18-25, Psalm 147:12-15, 19-29, Mark 10:32-45

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS:  1 Peter 1:18-25, Psalm 147:12-15, 19-29, Mark 10:32-45

"Whoever would be first among you shall make himself slave of all."  Mark 10:44

1 Peter 1:18-25

My Beloved, truly over the years I have spent too much of my precious and limited time here on earth on useless and foolish pastimes.  This is especially true of myself before my personal conversion and conscious acceptance of You as my Lord and Savior and the total commitment of my life to You.  However, once I understood how meaningless my life was before I truly understood all that the Father has given me in You, all that You have revealed to me of the Father and Your priceless Gift of Your Holy Spirit to me I began to comprehend the magnitude of God's unconditional love for me.

The Father held nothing back, You in turn hold nothing back and the Holy Spirit who is likened to Water, Fire and Wind also holds absolutely nothing back but cleanses, sanctifies and blows where He wills.  Each of the Divine Persons in the One true God gives me their all as they give each other their all in total and perfect self-giving.  Each gives and receives all to the Other without hindrance or reserve.  

The way to holiness is through interior purity, this becomes a reality when I obey the Truth.  A holy and pure life lived in perfect submission to the will of God will enable me to love as He loves - not in measure but totally.  The only commandment that we are called to obey is love - love of God and love of neighbor.  In obeying these two I fulfill the purpose for which He created me in love.  

The Word of the Lord, the Eternal Word who is Eternal Beauty, Truth and Love endures forever and HE IS MY BELOVED!!!!!! HE IS THE GOSPEL.   HE IS THE GOOD NEWS.

Psalm 147:12-15, 19-29

My Beloved truer words have not been spoken than these.  You strengthen me, You bless my children and You nourish me with the finest wheat in the Bread of Life which is Your Precious Body in the Holy Eucharist.

 Mark 10:32-45

My Beloved, we find that You either go ahead of us so we can follow or You walk beside us as our loving Companion and Friend.  We never hear of You walking behind us - if You did we would have to worry constantly about taking the wrong road.  As long as we can see You and fix our gaze on You we are safe.  

Once again You speak to Your Apostles about the terrible events awaiting You in Jerusalem.  You describe to them exactly what You will have to endure at the hands of Your enemies but You also tell them that You will rise again.  But all this is beyond their limited capacity to understand.  They are too preoccupied with other things.  They permits worldly concerns to cause anxiety of mind and discouragement in spirit.

If our goal in following You is to attain personal glory, to satisfy personal ambition we will be consumed by petty jealousies.  We can see this everywhere even in the highest echelons of the Church and in her hierarchy.  The mission given to us by You is clear we are called to serve with love in perfect imitation of You who are our Master, our Beloved, our Friend, our Savior, our Redeemer and our Bridegroom.

Teach me to serve gladly, joyfully, obediently, promptly and lovingly always.  Thank You.