Malachi 3:19-20a, 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12, Psalm 98:5-9, Luke 21:5-19

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Malachi 3:19-20a, 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12, Psalm 98:5-9, Luke 21:5-19

Malachi 3:19-20a

My Beloved, the Day of the Lord is already here.  The Son of Justice has triumphed and His rule and reign are established.  The flaming furnace is the love You bear for us all.  You lay down Your life in order that the Gates of Heaven be opened again.  All who believe in Your Name shall live, all those who reject You condemn themselves to an eternal death.  To those who believe You bring healing and health in heart, mind, soul, body and spirit.

2 Thessalonians 3:7-12

My Beloved, could I dare to say to anyone as You did and as St. Paul too, "You ought to follow my example?" Is my life worth emulating? Can anyone looking at me at any time during the 24 hours allotted to me daily say, "I will imitate her and I shall be the better for it?"  

Work is a divine calling. As long as the day lasts we are called to offer God work that is worship.  We labor diligently, honestly and we carry along with us those that are not as strong and we help them too to reach the goal You have marked for us.  You are the Way to the Kingdom.  You are the Truth that illumines the Way.  You give Life in order that we may not perish by the wayside.  Thank You!! 

Psalm 98:5-9

My Beloved, the rulers of the world are often corrupt.  Justice towards the poor and the weak are more often than not denied.  The cries of the feeble are silenced, crushed or ignored.  The powerful exercise their influence in order to make friends with people in high places.  But with You O Lord on our side no harm can come to us.  No plot against Your chosen ones will succeed.  Even if 10,000 stand against us in battle we will  triumph for You have won the victory for the poor and justice and mercy will be given fairly to all. We rejoice O Lord for You have come into the world to turn our mourning to rejoicing and our tears to laughter.  In You alone O Lord is our peace!

Luke 21:5-19

Here my Beloved is the key to living a life that is trustful and filled with peace and calm.  When things around us are cause for terror and the wicked seem to triumph over the good, You ask us to use these times as opportunities to bear witness to the faith we confess in the Creed.  You assure us not to lose sleep over what to say in our defense, for Your Holy Spirit Himself who is the Paraclete, will give us words of wisdom with which to confound our enemies and which they will find hard to refute..

We must rejoice if we are betrayed, persecuted, harassed, made to suffer and even put to death.  If our life and death is patterned on Yours my Beloved it means that we too will be victorious in You through the way of suffering and the cross.