Sirach 42:15-25, Psalm 33:2-9, Mark 10:46-52

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
Sirach 42:15-25, Psalm 33:2-9, Mark 10:46-52

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

Sirach 42:15-25

Everything in the created world is the work of the Father, upheld and sustained through the Word that is His Son and everything obeys the will of God and serves the purpose for which each was created.  The Life that is in everything is by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The greatest minds the world has ever known and will know possessed only a fraction of all knowledge and there is infinitely more that remains veiled in mystery.

Nothing is hidden from God from whom all things come to whom all return.  His power and glory are visible to all for they are a testimony to Him.  They reflect His knowledge  the infinite variety of all things gives us a glimpse of this wisdom  and knowledge.

Everything He does is perfect and none can add anything or take away anything from all that He has created.  He needs the advise and counsel of no one. Beauty is the hallmark of His work - everything is light for in Him there is no darkness.  All things were created for a purpose and they fulfill the purpose for which they were created for all things serve His will.  He made all things in pairs so each could complete and fulfill the other and together to make a whole.  There is no lack for each bring to the other what the other needs and the two become whole and fulfilled.  

One can never tire of contemplating the wonder, beauty and mystery of His works and fall on our knees in worship of the Creator of all these marvels.

Psalm 33:2

My Beloved, we must spend all our days in praise and thanksgiving for all the Triune God has created. The Father spoke the Eternal Word that reposed in Him eternally and the Breath that brought forth the Word that formed everything in the heavens and on earth.

As the Father willed so it came to be and continues to fulfill His purposes through His Son and in the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Mark 10:46-52

My Beloved, sin clouds our vision and renders us blind.  We are unable to see Your reflection in the beauty of the created world because it becomes invisible.  In baptism we are made children of God and the Sacraments of initiation help us to live good holy lives, pleasing to You but we are weak - the world, the flesh and the devil are constantly at work to lure us from the true, the good and the beautiful.  Often we fall into the snares of the enemy and slowly little by little, we lose our sight.  The loss is often imperceptible for we make little compromises with sin everyday until one day we find we can see nothing. But we always feel the lack, the loss and in often because of this, we recover our shame and sorrow and we begin to long to see again.  

Nothing but contrition and confession can help us our keen sense of loss is sharpened when and this desire. You pass by and hear us call.  You stop and invite us to come to You and make us speak up and implore Your help so we are in no doubt about what we desire. Then You reach out, touch, heal and make whole again.  Once our sight is restored we have to follow You, walk with You, become a disciple.

Sirach 35:1-12, Psalm 50:5-8, 14 & 23, Mark 10:28-31

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
Sirach 35:1-12, Psalm 50:5-8, 14 & 23, Mark 10:28-31

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


Sirach 35:1-12

Keeping the commandments to love God and neighbor faithfully and in all circumstances is a peace offering acceptable to God. To return kindness for harm and to give generously in imitation of the Beloved is praise in action and honors and glorifies God.

To renounce sin and turn resolutely from temptation, to avoid people and places that may lead us to sin and being just in the face of injustices makes atonement for our wrongdoing and God will be moved to forgive us.

All that I give my Lord must be given joyously and generously, God dislikes a stingy giver.  All that we offer God especially when it costs us dearly, must be given with a smile.  Give as God gives with a generous heart, open hands and a cheerful disposition.  God repays more generously than we can ever imagine and more than we deserve.  He exaggerates our good deeds and rewards us sevenfold.  

It is good to know that God judges impartially and all will get a just and fair hearing unlike the judges of this world.

Psalm 50:5-8, 14 & 23

How can I walk blamelessly Beloved if You do not walk with me? If You do not send Your Holy Spirit to dwell in me and inspire me? How can I walk blamelessly my Beloved if You do not stay with me, live in me, move in me and have Your Being in me my Lord and my God?  

Every breath I draw is because of Your goodness to me.  Stay with me my Lord until the end of my journey.  Pity me Lord and help me so I can reach home with Your help and grace.

Mark 10:28-31

My Beloved, I know from experience that no one can outdo You in generosity.  When You give, You give only as a God of Love can give, without limit.  We tend to measure everything by our own yardstick, we are stingy.  How often we have seen people who can afford to give a great deal give less than the poor who more often than not give more than the penny pinching rich.

But as Peter asks, what about those my Beloved who have turned their back on the world? Those who on hearing Your call they have responded to Your invitation to be Your disciples and serve in Your vineyard as priests, religious fathers, brothers, sisters as well as lay brothers and sisters? Those who choose to live celibate lives in the world for the sake of the Kingdom? Or anyone for that matter in any vocation even those that are married or still single?  

We believe Your word my Beloved that anyone who has heard Your call to serve and have given up everything in order to follow You will receive a hundred fold.  Not in the measure that we give do we receive.  You give in the measure that only God can give - full measure, pressed down and running over.

Again we see Your loving contradiction when those who have given up all for You - family, homes, children, land and wealth have been given far more fathers, mothers, children, houses, land and wealth, in addition to peace, joy and persecution as well which is also counted as joy - for this is what we expect from the world.  If they killed You, we can have no doubt that they will attempt to kill us as well.  We go to our death joyfully for no one can steal the reward that You have reserved for us in the Kingdom of heaven where robbers do not steal nor rust destroy.      

Sirach 17:20-24, Psalm 32:1-2, 5-7, Mark 10:17:27

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
Sirach 17:20-24, Psalm 32:1-2, 5-7, Mark 10:17:27

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

Sirach 17:20-24

It is impossible to hide our sins from You my Beloved.  You see everything, You know all things. 

If we truly understood how You look upon our sharing of the good things that You have bestowed upon us, if we shared with a glad and generous spirit -  we would see how precious and lovable we become in Your sight.  Your reward is eternal and You will bless those who have been liberal with the gifts You have given them.

Those who repent and are contrite, those who come home with hearts rend in shame and sorrow for sin, You will forgive and fill once more with grace and hope.

Psalm 32:1-2, 5-7

My Beloved every time we approach the confessional and confess our sins, You will wash away our guilt and wipe away our iniquity.  Once forgiven our sins are removed as far away from us as east from west and all that we experience is the ocean of Your tenderness and mercy.

Sin hidden and unconfessed festers like a sore and its effects pollute our entire spiritual, mental and physical life.  But when I say to You,  "Lord I have sinned, pity me, forgive me, help me overcome my weakness, You hasten to help me, forgive me and take away my guilt and shame.  Thank You my Beloved.

Mark 10:17:27

My Beloved, the rich man had heard of You, he knew You were at a certain place, he made arrangements to travel so he could see you.  Having heard that You were about to leave he made haste in case You left before he got there and having found You, he ran up to You eagerly and paid homage and respect by kneeling before You.  Then he asked the all important question that everyone ought to ask at some point in their lives, "Good Master, what must I do to have eternal life?"  Of course You are good because You are God but the rich man had to make that discovery for himself and not call You good on hearsay. This declaration had to come from conviction and faith. That is why You spoke to him as You did concerning Yourself - none but God is good.

After telling him the obvious that he had to keep the commandments, the man replied, that he had kept them all since his childhood.  You know he spoke the truth because You held his gaze lovingly in Your own and were ready to take him a step further in discipleship.  "You lack one thing, the only thing that weighs you, possesses you, chains you enslaves you. If you desire true liberation in order to serve God with the freedom that comes from not being possessed by anything or anyone, go sell all You have, give the money to the poor and you will gain for yourself an eternal reward. Finally after setting yourself free you can set yourself on the path to perfection. If you heed my invitation and come follow Me - it will then be with a truly undivided heart.

Poor, poor, rich man.  He lost the opportunity to be Your disciple because he refused the challenge.  Mediocrity was his lot and although it brought him no joy, since we are told that he went away sad for he was a man of great wealth, his attachment to his possessions was such that he was a slave to it.  He was never to know the joy that comes from being a true disciple.    

Proverbs 8:22-31, Romans 5:1-5, Psalm 8:4-9, John 16:12-15

SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY TRINITY

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS:

Proverbs 8:22-31, Romans 5:1-5, Psalm 8:4-9, John 16:12-15

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

Proverbs 8:22-31

My Beloved, wisdom is a characteristic of the Divine Trinity and this wisdom is given to those who desire it.  Through wisdom, we come to know about God and about Eternal Truths.  Knowledge Scripture tells us puffs up however wisdom keeps us humble for we see ourselves as we truly are.

Everything in the created world is fashioned and designed by the wisdom of God and therefore it is perfect. 

Romans 5:1-5

Every baptized person receives three gifts from the Holy Spirit- Faith to know and believe in God, Hope in the God that created us for a divine and eternal purpose and Love to be able to reciprocate God's love for us His creatures.  With this knowledge comes peace that the world cannot give.  This peace is also a gift that we receive from the Prince of Peace and we experience it even in the midst of trials and persecutions.

A Christian is one who imitates Christ and images Him in the world.  Like Him, when faced with rejection and persecution, we cling trustfully to God, He makes it possible for the fruits of the Holy Spirit to become visible in us.  He pours the love of God in us and we are able to love God and love our neighbor as we ought. 

Psalm 8:4-9

My Beloved in creating us God generously shares all He has with us without limit.  When we sinned He sent You into the world to redeem us and to ensure we persevere, He sent us the Holy Spirit.  The Father so loved us that He gave us everything we need to be happy here on earth and eternally happy with You in heaven.

John 16:12-15

The Holy Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit One God - three distinct Persons each outdoing the other in loving eternally.  Each giving totally of Himself to the other.  Complete is this Perfection of relational love one with the other generating a Third - the Holy Spirit.  Not needing anything or anyone in the least yet God desired to create us, His poor unworthy creatures in order that we too may taste the heavenly delights of His glorious love.  In loving God above and over all and in loving each other, we become partakers in the Divine Life of the most Holy Trinity.  Nothing is denied us - we each receive according to our desire, our hunger and our thirst.

Sirach 2:1-22, Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40, Mark 9:30-37

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
Sirach 2:1-22, Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40, Mark 9:30-37

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

Sirach 2:1-22

How well the writer speaks of You my Lord and how God is always faithful to those who trust in Him and place all their hope in Him.  While it is true that those who have given their lives to You often face trials and persecution  these only serve to purify us and strengthen our faith in You. If we are steadfast and cling to You all the days of our life, You will reward us in the life to come when we will rejoice in Your Presence wit the angelic hosts and the Saints.

Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40

My Beloved, You who are my cup and my portion, You who are my God and my King, You who satisfies every desire and slakes my thirst, I adore You.  You are my joy and my delight.  In You is my happiness and good.  With You and in You I possess all things.  In times of difficulty and hardship You provide the grace through Your sacraments.  Through them I am able to cling even more closely to You.  Your healing grace and Your consoling loves flows in e enabling me to be still and quiet in You until the storm has passed.

Thank You for reminding that I must spend my days doing good and avoiding evil in every way for You are a God of justice and You hear the cry of Your faithful ones.  Grant O Lord that I am not be counted among the wicked lest I perish.  Save me Lord from the oppression of sin and from the tyranny of the flesh.  Save me Lord as I take refuge in You.  Help me Lord for I have recourse to none but You.

Mark 9:30-37

My Beloved, You will hide from those who run after You only to seek and obtain favors but have no desire for a loving, personal relationship with You.  But You will teach Your disciples to love God and neighbor.  You will help form them in Your image, You will enable them  to understand that if they are to be true disciples they must be prepared to lay down their lives for Your sake just as You lay down Your life for theirs.  There is always a resurrection and if we die with You will will rise again with You.

It is in the kingdom of the world that we lord it over each other, choosing the best place and pushing anyone who gets in our way.  But Your way is different.  It is the way of service.  We see here again a Gospel 

contradiction, in seeking the first place we will be placed last.  

Unless all God's children find a welcome in me I shall never be pleasing to You my Beloved.  It is only when I embrace the children of God and love them that I will discover that I have loved You and welcomed You and in doing so I have welcomed the God of Love.  Help me Lord! 

Acts 2:1-11, Romans 8:8-17, Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31, John 14:15-16, 23b-26

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Acts  2:1-11, Romans 8:8-17, Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31, John 14:15-16, 23b-26

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

Acts  2:1-11

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God who takes all that belongs to the Son, the Beloved of the Father, and makes known to us all that the Savior has done to redeem the world.  The Holy Spirit gives us His sevenfold gifts in order for us to understand why we were created and to help us realize our final destiny.  he helps us to become holy and perfect as God commands us.  He gives us grace through the sacraments to conform us little by little into the image of God's only Son.  Without the coming of the Holy Spirit over Mother Mary and the Apostles and disciples at Pentecost we would have no Church.

Romans 8:8-17

The flesh is temporary, it is destined to die, it is mortal.  The desires of the flesh without the presence of the Holy Spirit will run amok.  It will sink to the depths of degradation and decadence that none of God's creatures can.  Animals are true to their nature, they cannot sink below it as man can.  Only man is capable of of committing such acts of violence as to strike terror and cause mayhem and carnage.  He commits sins of the flesh using the gifts that God has given us in ways that God never intended us to.

But when the Holy Spirit is permitted into our lives and we consent to freely hand over the control of our lives to Him we will become all that God created us to be.  The Gift of God's Holy Spirit to us makes it possible to penetrate and to search the heart and mind of God and to discover beauty, truth, wisdom, knowledge, perfection, wholeness.  He sets us free to love God as we ought.  We are no longer slaves to the desires of the flesh.  He helps us discover the purpose for which God created us, whey He sent His only Son to redeem us and the relationship He desires us to have with Him.  To call Him 'Abba' because we are His children with an eternal destiny, sharers in the inheritance of His Son who came into the world, suffered, died and rose again so wherever He is we too may be.

Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31

My Beloved, God created me in order that my life may give Him pleasure and delight.  This is not possibly on my own I need Your Holy Spirit to sing the songs God created me to sing.

Thank You for sending us the Holy Spirit who makes it possible for us to live as sons and daughters of the Most High God.   Your Father is now ours as well for we are His adopted children since we call You Brother.

Thank You Beloved.

 John 14:15-16, 23b-26

My Beloved, You come to us through Your Holy Spirit.  You live in us, move in have, have Your Being in us through the Presence of Your Holy Spirit who dwells in our body.  You loved us so much, You died for us and to make absolutely certain that we will reach our final destination, You gave us Your Holy Spirit to help us get there.

The Father denies You nothing and so when You asked Him to send Your Holy Spirit to be our Helper, He who conceived the plan of our salvation, had the same desire as well.  You and the Father make Your dwelling place in us through the Holy Spirit.  

The Holy Spirit reveals all that You made known to Your Apostles - the Church Your Body is anointed by Your Holy Spirit as are we its members.  If You should take away Your Holy Spirit we who are but a puff of wind would no longer exist.  Thank You for the glorious destination that Your Holy Spirit makes possible for us because of You.

Acts 28:16-20, 30-31, Psalm 11:4-5, 7, John 21:20-25

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
Acts 28:16-20, 30-31, Psalm 11:4-5, 7, John 21:20-25

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

Acts 28:16-20, 30-31

God can and does use ever circumstance in our lives to bring about a divine purpose.  Most times we are quire unaware of His designs.  We might grumble and often lose heart but in the end we will see how mightily the hand of God was over us and how He used us for His glory.

The life of St. Paul is a marvel and gives every sinner hope.  God can do what He wills with anyone if we will only let Him.

Psalm 11:4-5, 7

My Beloved, Your throne is in heaven but You make Your dwelling place among men.  We are Your temples, You make our body Your sanctuary and our hearts a monstrance when we receive You in Holy Communion.  You make Your dwelling lace in our Churches in our Adoration Chapels  Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity - fully present as God and Man.  We see You here, hidden in the form of Bread and some day we will see You Face to face in heaven.

John 21:20-25

My Beloved, You will not satisfy our curiosity, it is not necessary for us to know anything that does not concern our sanctification in our walk with You.  All that matters is that we obey Your command and follow where You lead.  Everything else pales into insignificance or it should.  Peter was learning all the time and You rapped him on the knuckles until the end and Yet hew as the one on whom Your choice rested to be the Vicar of the Church You founded.

Yes, John was the beloved disciple who was privileged often to lay his head on Your breast with all the confidence of a child.  You loved John very much and yet Peter and not he was appointed as the head of Your body the Church.  Despite all his frailties simply because You would supply all that he needed as he looked to You for guidance, courage and strength. You knew what You could make of Peter because he loved You more than all the others.

My Beloved, how can a finite, transitory world exhaust all that can be said and known of the Eternal Word? It is impossible to speak or record everything that can can be said or is inspired by You.  The world can never contain the Word whose power, wisdom, beauty and grace is inexhaustible.                               

Acts 25:13b-21, Psalm 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab, John 21:15-19

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Acts 25:13b-21, Psalm 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab, John 21:15-19

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


Psalm 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab

GOD'S LITTLE NOTHING IS FILLED WITH GOD'S EVERYTHING

My soul, bless the Lord, all my being bless is Holy Name. Never forget all  His goodness, His kindness, His forbearance when I was a grievous sinner. His compassion when I was contrite and His mercy and forgiveness when I repented.  Such is my God, my Beloved.  My Lord is God - mighty, powerful, awesome.  He rules over all that is - all that is seen and unseen.  All that is gives Him praise, renders Him obedience and bows before Him in loving submission, yielding to His Love.

John 21:15-19

Lord, You know everything, You know that I love You.  It may be a weak, small love my Beloved, but it is all the love that Your poor little creature is capable of.  I love You with all the intensity, fervor, desire and ardor that the heart, mind, body and soul of Your littlest of little creatures is capable of.  It's not much I know Lord but it is all I have to give and I give it without reserve.

Acts 22:30, 23:6-11, Psalm 16:1-2a, 5, 7-11, John 17:20-26

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
Acts 22:30, 23:6-11, Psalm 16:1-2a, 5, 7-11, John 17:20-26

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

Acts 22:30, 23:6-11

Psalms 16:7-8 
7 I will bless the Lord who counsels me; He gives me wisdom in the night.
He tells me what to do.
8 I am always thinking of the Lord;
and because He is so near, I never need to stumble or fall. 

My Beloved, You have taught that we should be shrewd in the ways of the world.  If we know the enemy, we can use this knowledge against them, yet we must remain innocent and as gentle as doves.  The enemy is a master at sowing dissension, division and discord.  Your enemies only unite when they desire to plot evil, it is this purpose alone that draws them together - the destruction of good.

St. Paul was well aware of what divided the two groups who had accused him.  The differences in their beliefs were so radically opposed that they were capable of real violence even to killing each other.  St. Paul used this knowledge to drive a wedge between them thus escaping their malice against him.

When we are divided among ourselves Satan can easily gain entrance and work to destroy us.  Paul had faith You supplied the grace and the courage.  You  had a great mission for St. Paul as a prisoner in  chains and despite what to us is a handicap he permitted You to use him powerfully to spread the Word.

Psalm 16:1-2a, 5, 7-11

 My Beloved, I can trust You to keep me and those I love safe.  We take refuge in You our Rock, our Help, our Comfort and our Shelter.  We choose You as You have chosen us and You will ensure that no harm will come to us.  The enemy will have no power over us.  I thank You for Your Word, for Your Sacraments, for Your Church and for Your anointed who minister to us. 

I thank You for You Holy Spirit indwelling in me.  He makes it possible for me to be in union with You all the time.  M my spirit united with Yours enables me to praise You even when I am asleep at night.  I am assured of joy and peace in the world although I may be in the midst of sorrow and trouble.  Your right hand holds me.  Your love comforts me, my future with You is assured because You have forgiven my sins of the past, You hold my present in Your hands and my future is secure because I trust You.  THANK YOU!!!

John 17:20-26

You prayed to Your Father for me my Beloved.  Through the Word handed down by the Apostles I too believe.  In union with You my Beloved we are invincible, the devil knows this and this is why he works night and day to sow seeds of disunity among us.  We can and will reach perfection in union with You and Your Church.  This unity itself is a powerful witness to the world.  There is nothing so potent as love made visible when brothers and sisters live in harmony with each other, each seeing the well being and the good of the other.

You made known to the Apostles all that the Father made known to You.  We are entrusted to You through the power of Your Name and the presence of Your Holy Spirit.  It is He who draws us into the family of the Holy Trinity and makes us partakers and sharers of divine love and life.

Acts 20:28-38, Psalm 68:29-31 33-36, John 17:11b-19

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
 Acts 20:28-38, Psalm 68:29-31 33-36, John 17:11b-19
 
http://www.bibleclaret.org/bibles/english.htm


Acts 20:28-38

The One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church my Beloved, is Your Church, she is Your Body, She is Your Bride.  You have paid the price for her in Your own precious Blood, redeeming her from death, the flesh and the Satan.  She is free from the slavery of the night and she walks in the freedom of the sons and daughters of the most high God, Your Father and ours.  We are His adopted children - our dignity comes from You who are the Head and Your merits flow from You into her giving her grace, beauty and light.  She is formed by Your Truth, Wisdom and Knowledge. The Holy Spirit makes His dwelling place in her and You have entrusted her to Your Vicar on earth, the successor to St. Peter and to shepherds chosen by You to serve her.  

Some may fail as we have seen in the past.  Some may divide Your Body and lead many astray from the Truth - there have been wolves in sheep's clothing and they have twisted the Truth and spread lies and taken many of the weak and the ignorant with them. But there are also many wonderful good shepherds and they will keep Your flock faithful as they lead them to good pasture and streams of living water.

A generous heart and a kind and gentle spirit belongs to those who know You and love You.  We must not be ashamed to love and demonstrate that love to those who serve us selflessly day and night as they minister to Your people.

Bless them Lord!!!

Psalm 68:29-31 33-36

My Lord and my God - You protect those who love You with power and might.  They shelter in Your wings and trust in Your strength. You destroy their enemies and crush those who seek to devour them. Even those who were once Your enemies and who fought against You will stream into Your Temple bringing gifts. They will acknowledge Your greatness and proclaim Your Lordship. 

You have crushed the enemy and they flee from You and Your people.  You are an awesome God and we receive power and strength from the Sacraments.  Blessed be the Lord our God now and forevermore!!!

John 17:11b-19

Your Father my Beloved will honor Your prayer for unity. We will be one as You and the Father are One.

We are kept safe in Your powerful Name - the Name above all others.  

You have left Your Words with us - Words of Truth, Beauty and Wisdom handed down by the Apostles and entrusted to the Church. She guards this deposit of our faith with her life.  She preserves it in its entirety and will do so faithfully until You come again.

Your Word is our strength, our power, our food, our joy but it is hated by Your enemies.  They will try to destroy those who preserve it and proclaim it with power in its fullness.

We who belong to You are in the world but not of it.  We are consecrated to the Truth of Your Word.  You came into the world to bring us the Word of the Father.  You consecrated the Father's Word on the Cross and  made a perfect offering to Him - it is through this Sacrifice we are saved as we call upon Your Name.

Acts 1:15-17, 20-26, Psalm 113:1-8, John 15:9-17

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Acts 1:15-17, 20-26, Psalm 113:1-8, John 15:9-17 

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

Acts 1:15-17, 20-26

Beloved, the first council takes place with Peter as the head and the spokesperson to whom all deferred according to Your will.  It is not a dictatorship nor is it a democracy. Citing Scripture and seeing clearly the need to choose an apostle to take the place of the one who had betrayed You, it is he who decides that someone must be chosen and appointed to fill the place left vacant by Judas.  The only conditions that the man chosen was to have is that he was to have been with You and with them from the time of John's baptism until Your ascension into heaven.  So it was that lots were cast for the two that were proposed. They prayed for divine guidance and assistance in choosing the one that God desired. They drew lots and the choice fell on Matthias. He joined the apostolic ministry as one of the twelve and become a witness to Your resurrection. 

The One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church acting with one heart and speaking with one voice through the ages is a powerfully impressive witness to the world.

Psalm 113:1-8

My Beloved, only in You are there such delightful contradictions.  I am certainly barren now as I have passed my child bearing years.  My children are young adults now but I have the extraordinary blessing to become a joyful mother  over again as a catechist. Each year You bless me with around 32 children to prepare for First Holy Communion.  What a privilege! What trust You place in me! How good it is to be used in this way Lord to help further Your Kingdom on earth. 

John 15:9-17

There are no degrees of love between the Father's love for the Beloved and the love of the Beloved for us.  He invites us, He draws us, He longs for us to remain in His love, to rest in it.  Nothing can so satisfy us than resting in the love of God.  The one sure way to remain in God's love is to joyfully obey the commandments of love as the God of Love asks us to.

Everything that the Father revealed to the Son, He has made known to His own so that our joy may be complete despite all the sorrows we may experience.  We are called to love as we have been loved - this is our mission.  The Beloved Himself has demonstrated in deed that the greatest most authentic love is the kind that gives one's life for one's friend.  We are no long servants but friends of the Beloved and children of the Father.

We ought never to forget that the God who chose us, who appointed us and who has entrusted us with His mission, also equips us and sends us into the world to bear everlasting fruit for His glory and to accomplish His will.  The Father will grant us ANYTHING we ask in the Name of His Son.

The Church with Peter's successor as the visible head is a beacon of light, love and joy. It draws all nations into the bosom of the Beloved and we are part of this Church, this Light, this saving mission. 

Acts 19:1-8, Psalm 68:2-7, John 16:29-33

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Acts 19:1-8, Psalm 68:2-7, John 16:29-33

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

Acts 19:1-8

Paul and his companions were tireless in preaching the Gospel.  They were constantly looking to win more disciples for You making sure that the believers were well grounded in sound spirituality. They got personally involved in getting to know the brothers and sisters they ministered to on every level.  

If we desire to carry out the work that You have entrusted to us, we must receive the Sacraments frequently in order to become spiritually strong.  The Holy Spirit plays a vital role in our lives for without Him all that we endeavor to do is fruitless.

Conversion must lead to a fuller experience of You through Your Holy Spirit.  Who but the Spirit of God can reveal to us the Truth about God?

Psalm 68:2-7

My Beloved Lord, grant me a full measure of Your Holy Spirit so He can disperse the clouds of my indifference, self-indulgent habits, my lethargy and give me a heart on fire with zeal to work tirelessly for You as St. Paul did.  Only the Holy Spirit can fill my soul with joy so I can exult in You the whole day long.  Just as the Spirit makes His dwelling place in us, just as You make Your dwelling place in us in the Eucharist, so too do we come to You and rest in Your love.  Your Spirit can set us free from the bonds of sin and the tyranny of the flesh.  Free me Lord so I can worship You with my whole being all the days of my life.

John 16:29-33

My Beloved, You never promised that life here on earth will be one of ease and plenty.  If we desire to be Your followers then You will challenge us to live our faith fully.  Being disciples means being witnesses and being witnesses means that we will sometimes be hated and rejected and perhaps persecuted as well.  We must be ready to suffer as You did.  

Merely believing in You is not enough - the Apostles believed and yet were scattered to the four winds by fright when You were arrested.  They did not hang around to offer You the comfort of their presence.  Instead of standing in solidarity with You they chose to run and hide. You do not condemn us because You know we are weak but You make provision for us to overcome our fear though grace made available by Your Holy Spirit through the worthy reception of the Sacraments.

Acts 1:1-11, Hebrews 9:24-28, 10:19-23, Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9, Luke 24:46-53

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
 Acts 1:1-11, Hebrews 9:24-28, 10:19-23, Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9, Luke 24:46-53

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

Acts 1:1-11

At first my Beloved, You taught and instructed Your Apostles Yourself and  when You ascended into heaven You continued to do so through Your Holy Spirit in a way that was different from Your physical presence with them.  Now, Your Spirit lived in them in this way You were in a position to be with them all the time reminding them of all You had said and done. Your Holy Spirit opened their minds and gave them the gifts of wisdom, understanding and knowledge together with the gifts of teaching and preaching.  To add power to their teaching they were also given the gift of Miracles.  They performed wonders and signs just as You had promised they would after You returned to Your Father.

Persecution drove them out of Jerusalem and they took the Good News with them.  They saw You ascending into heaven and they also saw and heard the angels who assured them that You will return again in the same way in which they had seen You go. 

Thank You my Beloved for faith, hope and love.

Hebrews 9:24-28, 10:19-23

You are the new and eternal High Priest who made of Himself the perfect Victim and the perfect sacrifice pleasing to God in atonement for the sins of all men in all times and ages.  You ascended into heaven and are seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty and there You make intercession for us night and day.

Now we can boldly enter the Presence of God, bathed in the Blood of the Lamb, for You are now the Gate through which we, whom You have redeemed and sanctified, may approach the Throne of Grace and Mercy.  

True repentance for sins and a contrite heart will always make it possible for us to obtain the merits that You have won for us by Your passion  death and resurrection. You are a faithful God and we can confidently place all our faith, hope and trust in You.

Psalm 47:2-3, 6-9

My Beloved, You are with the Father in heaven and it has pleased Him to give You dominion, power and majesty over all.  You have ascended into heaven to take Your place as the King of Kings and the the Lord of Lords.  The angels praise You, the Saints worship You and we love You and offer You our hearts full of thanksgiving for all You have done for us.  One day You will return at a time known to God alone to judge the living and the dead and to take Your place as the Sovereign King, claiming for Yourself the world and all its people redeemed by You through the Cross.

Luke 24:46-53

You opened their minds to understand Scripture once again as You had done so many times before.  Understanding Scripture is key to knowing who You are, how God chose and prepared a nation and its people to receive You His only begotten Son born of a Virgin, lived, taught, preached, worked many marvelous signs and wonders, suffered a cruel passion culminating in the most horrific death by  crucifixion,  raised from the dead and ascended into heaven.  

He chose twelve ordinary, unlearned, rough men to carry on His mission to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in His Name from Jerusalem to the far ends of the earth. The ripple effect which began in an insignificant little village called Nazareth encompasses the earth.  We now wait in joyful hope for Your return as we take up the mission to be Your witnesses until You come again in glory to reign as the Prince of Peace over all the earth.

Acts 18:1-8, Psalm 98:1-4, John 16:16-20

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
 Acts 18:1-8, Psalm 98:1-4, John 16:16-20

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

Acts 18:1-8

God is generous and He gives in abundance.  He does not just save the individual as we have seen, but grants His grace to the entire household.  All believe are baptized and saved.

We first saw the jailer and his family are saved, then Lydia and her family and now we see Aquila and Priscilla's entire family become believers, all are baptized and saved. It is God's intention to extend His bounty to all if we believe.  

Beloved in verse 9 Paul has a vision in which it was revealed to him to continue his mission to preach boldly and not to let fear hold him back.  You promise to protect him.  All who put their faith, hope and trust in You my Lord and my God will never be abashed.

Psalm 98:1-4

True to the mission with which You entrusted Your Apostles and disciples they have taken the Good News to the ends of the earth.  All nations revere You and all peoples everywhere praise Your Holy Name.  They speak of Your mighty deed.  You are a God of love and Your faithfulness lasts from generation to generation.  Those who know You lift radiant faces, lit up with joy because they have tasted Your goodness, kindness, mercy and experienced Your faithful love.  You are a God who saves.

John 16:16-20

My Beloved, You do not leave us who love You orphans.  Sorrow and heartbreak turn into joy when You descend in us and make Your home in us through Your Holy Spirit.  He reveals to us the Truth about You, about God's plan of salvation and Your faithfulness in executing that plan to perfection. Everyone is saved and all can come to the knowledge of the Truth of God embodied in You through the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of Wisdom and Knowledge.

Thank You for Your Holy Spirit that binds us to You and the Father and makes known to us everything that the Father has done for us in redeeming us and saving us through the Cross and sanctifying us thorugh the powerful presence of His Own Spirit in us.  We are one with You and the Father and one with each other through Your Holy Spirit.

Acts 17:15, 22-18:1. Psalm 148:1-2, 11-14, John 16:12-15

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Acts 17:15, 22-18:1. Psalm 148:1-2, 11-14, John 16:12-15 

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

Acts 17:15, 22-18:1

Paul was given wisdom by the Holy Spirit.  He knew how to take what was familiar and to use it to speak about You and salvation.  In Athens where the worship of gods and godessess was the norm he found a starting point when he saw a shrine dedicated an  unknown god. He used this brilliantly to make You known to the people of that place.  

God is the origin of all things and He draws all people to Himself using our senses to discover Him no matter how poorly.  It is in the sincerity of our seeking that He makes Himself known to us. How comforting it is to know that God is never far from His people.  He resides in us, feeds us with Himself and once we come to know the Truth we must never turn back from it because on our own strength we will never be able to keep His commandments and precepts. There is a judgement to come at the appointed time and if we have You close behind us we will surely be saved.

John 16:12-15 

"All that the Father has is Mine, the Holy Spirit will take what is Mine and make it known to you." 

My Beloved. God longed to reveal Himself to us and He did so by sending You into the world. But You walked the earth for only a few short years and once You accomplished the work of salvation You returned to Your Father.  How could we also know You as intimately as Your Apostles, disciples and followers of Your time did?  It is only through the Holy Spirit who descended on the Apostles, disciples and all who have been baptized into You that You have made You known to all believers. 

We continue to plumb the infinite depths and riches of Your Holy Word  through the ages. Your Word is ever new and it is able to speak to every human heart in a way that is always fresh and relevant to our time and circumstances.  Through the centuries we  continue to contemplate Your Word, meditate on it, and write about You. As we become familiar with Your Words and deeds the Holy Spirit enables us to grow in intimacy with You. Thank You for the Gift of Your Holy Spirit.