Hebrews 10:32-39, Psalm 37:3-6, 23-24, 39-40, Mark 4:26-34

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS:

Hebrews 10:32-39

My Beloved, if we take our faith seriously and live it out faithfully, boldly, and with courage; we can expect to be persecuted. The moral teachings of the Church are divine teachings and so time, culture, fashions, and fads cannot change them, they remain unchanging truths.  The moral law and the natural law are written in the hearts of men by the Finger of God.  We can deny it all we want, loudly, vociferously, with convincing vocabulary, pseudo-intellectualism which seeks to blur the lines of absolute truth or we can try to muzzle it by sheer brute force but nothing can change Absolute Truth.

Your promise to those who remain faithful is an everlasting promise, for You have made an eternal Covenant of Love with Your own.  Those who believe and persevere to the end in the face of the greatest difficulties and persecution will receive eternal salvation.

Psalm 37:3-6, 23-24, 39-40

My Beloved, these verses are most reassuring to those who seek to follow You closely and faithfully in the face of difficulties and persecution.  Sometimes when we are faced with calamities, it is hard to have faith, hope, and trust but it is precisely at these times that we should cling more tenaciously to You.  From You, we can draw the strength we need to endure.  Yes, Beloved, we may stumble for we are only weak, sinful creatures but we will not fall for You hold our hand firmly in Your own.  May I always run to You. May I seek Your protection. May I seek refuge and help from You alone even if that helps seems long in coming.  I know that You are faithful and will never forsake me.  I will rest in perfect peace in the shelter You provide and I will be safe.

Mark 4:26-34

My Beloved, we hear Your Word as the seed that is scattered all the time on the soil of our hearts.  We receive these seeds when we read the Bible, when we attend the Liturgy of the Eucharist, at the homily, in the public prayers we pray in the Church as the Body of Christ, and in our private, personal prayers.  We receive Your Word through others as well.  Much of it may lie on fallow soil before they actually begin to take root and grow. Your Word is constantly at work - some seeds may take time whereas others spring up quickly but every Word will ultimately grow and bear fruit at various stages in our life.  When You call us home at harvest time, You will collect the fruit of our labor which we pray will abound to Your glory.

My Beloved, we ought never to underestimate the power of even a little kindness. Only You know the potential and the power of the Word spoken in a little timely sharing of the Good News. Small as it may be it has the power to eventually grow mightily and in turn to provide refuge, hope, and encouragement to others.