Isaiah 10:5-7, 13-16, Psalm 94:5-10, 14-15, Matthew 11:25-27

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Isaiah 10:5-7, 13-16, Psalm 94:5-10, 14-15, Matthew 11:25-27

Isaiah 10:5-7, 13-16

My Beloved, the sin of pride in the children of God is anathema to Him.  Pride is the seal of Satan it builds up the ego until there is no room for God.  In the same way the king of Assyria attributed to his own strength his victory over the nations that his army invaded and plundered.  Little did he know that it was God who permitted him to win in order to chastise His people.  To his litany of boasting God responds with fine irony in verses 15-16 revealing to him the absurdity of his claims of valor against the people of God.

God Himself used Assyria to be the instrument through which He would draw His people back to Himself.  We are God's chosen people.  His remnant through whom God will renew the face of the earth.  When we return to You in sorrow and humility wearing the garments of repentance and cover ourselves in sackcloth and ashes and ask You not to abandon us into the hands of the enemy, You hasten to rescue us.  We are weak and our enemies are many, they surround us but we have You as our Defender and our Stronghold.  Be our safeguard our Rock and Shield always.  Thank You Lord!

Psalm 94:5-10, 14-15

My Beloved, although we Your people may be outnumbered and the enemies of Your Church laugh us to scorn, although they surround us, hound us and lay snares to make us stumble and fall.  Though they enact laws to crush us and use all the means available to them to annihilate us and thus hope to blot out Your Name from the earth,, You assure us that they will not succeed.  

You hear our cries even if it is only an inaudible sigh.  We are the people who are given to You by Your Father.  We are Your heritage.  No plan forged against us can hope to succeed.  You vow that we will receive justice and those who are called by Your Name will walk in Your footsteps and receive justice and peace.

Matthew 11:25-27

My Beloved, today Your Church celebrates Your Mama under the title of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.  Today holy Mother Church honors the garment that Your Mother desires her children to wear, the scapular, which is a sacramental and a sign that we are under her maternal protection.

You echo the words Your Mama sang at the Magnificat about raising the lowly.The childlike heart is open to receiving and accepting without worldly prejudice the wonders of God's unconditional love.  He has done the unimaginable and the unknowable until it was revealed to those whom You chose to be Your disciples.  Rough, simple, honest, hardworking men who accepted all that You said and did and believed that You were indeed the Son of God sent into the world.

All that the Father entrusted to You, You made known to those whom You chose, and those You chose in turn reveal the treasures of His wisdom and unfathomable love of the Father.  You choose whom You will and Your preference is always the meek and humble of heart.  

Keep me little Lord so I may be permitted to nestle close to Your heart.  You are generous and have held nothing back, sharing all that the Father has given You unstintingly with us.  Thank You Beloved!