Hebrews 12:4-7, 11-15, Psalm 103:1-2, 13-14, 17-18a, Mark 6:1-6

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Hebrews 12:4-7, 11-15, Psalm 103:1-2, 13-14, 17-18a, Mark 6:1-6

http://www.bibleclaret.org/bibles/english.htm

Hebrews 12:4-7, 11-15

 

Verse 4 "Have you already shed your blood in the struggle against sin?

My Beloved, sin is in the blood and it taints and corrupts everything inside so all the comes from within is tainted.  Often the Lord sends trials in order to get our attention which otherwise is too distracted by the tinsel and baubles of the world.  It is often only when we are brought down to our knees in humility do we realize that God alone can save and true conversion can begin like Saul who became St. Paul.

If we are going through distressing times through sickness, loss or whatever situation in our life is the cause of our present grief, let us not lose confidence or hope, rather let us turn our gaze to You and seek the healing and consolation, comfort and peace that only You can give.  Living in grace and peace in the midst of tribulation is a powerful witness to our faith and can be a great example to others.

If we are at peace with ourselves, with God and with the world and strive always to be holy in thought, word and deed, we will behold Your Face - this is Your promise.

We are called to be our brother's keeper, we are called to be vigilant lest our indifference towards him leads him to sin dragging others with him.

Psalm 103:1-2, 13-14, 17-18a

My Beloved, may my whole life bless You from the moment of my rising to my lying down at night.  Even in my sleep may my soul and my entire being bless and praise You my Lord.  No one knows me as You know me.  You know how weak I am and how much I rely on Your strength to carry me through the day.  "Stay with me Lord!"

I thank You for Your loving assurance that Your loving kindness will be shown not only to me but to my children and their descendants as well.  Thank You for the Covenant of Love that You have made with me and for Your faithfulness in keeping it.

Mark 6:1-6

My Beloved, Verse 5 tells us that You could work no miracles in Your hometown apart from laying Your hands on a few people who came in faith and received healing.  Their lack of faith despite all that they had heard about You surprised You.

My Beloved, we have the habit of compartmentalizing and pigeon holing people and our prejudices often place severe restriction on them rendering them powerless to change our preconceived ideas of who we think they are into the people they have become.  I have been guilty of this myself.  We know people in the past and we judge them from our past experiences of them refusing to acknowledge that they could have changed, grown and matured since we last knew them.  We do this terrible injustice in exactly the same way that the people in Your home town did you a grave injustice as well.  In doing so they lost the opportunity for a real encounter with God.

Preserve me Lord from my own narrow vision, small mindedness and prejudices.  Help me to soar with Your Spirit high above all that is mean  narrow and petty.  Thank You Lord!!!