2 Kings 17:5-8, 13-15, 18, Psalm 60:3-5, 12-14, Matthew 7:1-5

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS:  2 Kings 17:5-8, 13-15, 18, 

                                                              Psalm 60:3-5, 12-14, 

                                                              Matthew 7:1-5

2 Kings 17:5-8, 13-15, 18

My Beloved why is it that even after having a powerful conversion experience, receiving divine insight and witnessing personally the powerful love of God we still remain prone to sin and fall back easily and take up old sinful habits again?  Is it a lack of discipline?  A habit is formed by a repeated action of something which could be either good or bad.  If we are steadfast in repeating a good action over and over again soon it will become a way of life.  Take for example an hour of personal prayer, Scripture reading, good spiritual reading, meditation etc.  But it is so much easier and attractive to the flesh to give in without too much of a fight to the passion that only render us spiritually weak and flaccid.  What easy prey we become to the enemy when we put up a token resistance or no resistance at all.

God sent prophets and holy men to warn Israel over and over again, but they refused to listen.  We see the same thing today Lord, the world refuses to listen.  Whole nations are hell bent on denying their Christian roots and heritage and they seem to be hurtling down the road to destruction in every aspect of life.

When we turn back to You in sorrow, contrition and repentance, our world which is decaying rapidly in morals, will we stop giving off the unbearable stench of death, and only then can there be a new dawn and a new beginning.

In the era in which we live Lord, people despise the common dictates of decency and morality.  There is a kind of diseased hedonism that is sweeping the world.  The body is the new idol and men and women are falling all over ourselves to prostrate before it in worship. 

It is heartening to know that God never destroys completely no matter how terrible His anger against us.  He preserved the tribe of Judah and from here our Savior would eventually be born.  Where there is God there is always hope.

Psalm 60:3-5, 12-14

Verse 13.  Help me Beloved for human help is worthless.  I need You with every breathe I breathe.  I need You, I want You, I desire You, I want nothing and no one but You alone my Lord.  I know that I have lived largely for myself for many years in my youth and there have been periods in my life when I have lived sinfully,  but now I know how sweet it is to belong to You and to love You and be Yours alone - all Yours.

Matthew 7:1-5

My Beloved, You do not mince words and what You say to me today cuts through the chase and pierces the heart.  God has appointed You alone a the righteous Judge and I have often been guilty of nudging You out of Your throne of Justice and Mercy and placing myself on it. Seated on Your throne of mercy I have condemned and consigned everyone left, right and centre to perdition while all the while I am the one most deserving of condemnation.

Forgive me Lord and help me to be most gentle when I look at my neighbor for I know that in all probability I have been where he or she is now most likely I have sunk even deeper in the slime of sin than he. May I first look at my own faults, weaknesses and failings before I turn the blinding searchlight of my critical spirit on others.