Amos 7:10-17, Psalm 19:8-11, Matthew 9:1-8

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Amos 7:10-17, Psalm 19:8-11, Matthew 9:1-8 

Amos 7:10-17

My soul's beloved, Amos is a good example of an ordinary person being called by God to carry out His mission. Amos is bold. He speaks bluntly and is unafraid to prophecy against the king, the king's minister and the people who had strayed from the worship of the true God. He was prepared for insults and persecution but he did not allow the threats made against him to deter him from the task that God called him to do.

Grant my Lord that I, in my own small way spread Your Light and Your Truth each day. Help me  to be faithful in doing all You ask of me.

Psalm 19:8-11

 My soul's beloved, the law of the Lord is the law of love and this is why it is perfect. The Love of God floods the soul with divine life and grace. You are the Eternal Word of God this is why we can trust His Word - to believe in the Word of Light, Life, and Truth is to receive the Wisdom of God Most High. When we know You my Lord at least in as far as the finite can know and grasp infinity, then we are filled with a holy fear lest we do anything that will displease or offend the God who loves us so much He lay down His life for us so we may live. May we never dare to judge and condemn our brothers and sisters for You alone are the true judge appointed by the Father for Your judgement is wise and true, dripping with mercy an, compassion. It is better to be judged by You than by men.

Matthew 9:1-8 

 My soul's beloved, today You show us that You are pleased when we pray in faith for others and You will heed and answer. It was enough that the friends of the paralytic had faith in Your power to heal him. You looked at the man lying on his bed and You discerned that he needed to be forgiven of his sins which had crippled both his soul and his body. A crippled soul is far more devastating than crippled limbs. You first freed him in spirit but those around You were scandalized. They knew that only God had power to forgive sins and they sat in judgment and condemned You. Being God You were aware of their thoughts and challenged them with the words, "Which is easier to say: 'Your sins are forgiven' or 'Stand up and walk'? You then commanded the man to pick up his mat and go home and this is just what he did as the crowd gazed in amazement. You  proved to them that You were indeed God and had power over the spirit as well as the body.

The right response to power of God in the lives of our brothers and sisters must always be wonder, praise, thanksgiving, worship, and awe.

Acts 12:1-11, 2Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18, Psalm 34:2-9, Matthew 16:13-19

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

FEAST OF ST. PETER & ST. PAUL

Acts 12:1-11, 2Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18, Psalm 34:2-9, Matthew 16:13-19

 Acts 12:1-11

My soul's beloved, what You did for St. Peter You do for all who are members of Your Body. In Your Word to me today You said, "Courage! Don't be afraid. It's Me." And now through today's first reading I seen how You sent an angel to rescue Peter from what seemed to be an impossible situation. Yet we see how calm Peter was. Despite the fact that he was bound by double chains, had two guards beside him, and two guards by the gate he was asleep. He put all his trust in You. He was not afraid. When the angel came to set him free, he did not come by stealth, he did not injure the guards, in fact there light shone in the prison cell and the chains that bound him just fell away from his wrists. Peter was in such a deep sleep the angel had to tap him to wake him up. There was no attempt at making haste the angel made Peter put on his belt, wear his sandals and put on his cloak and when all this was done he told Peter to follow him. Past the sleeping guards, past the guards at the gate where the gates opened by themselves the two walked out unmolested by anyone and when Peter was quite safe the angel left. Once the dazed Peter understood what had just happened his faith was strengthened. 

No matter what evil the devil plots against us he will not prevail for You fight our battles alongside us. You set us free. 

2Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18

My soul's beloved, in the first reading we saw how You rescued Peter from imprisonment and perhaps death in the second reading we see how confident Paul was in his faith in his certainty that all he did was in accordance with Your will and the mission You had entrusted to him. Despite all he had suffered physically in teaching and preaching the Gospel he never for a moment doubted that You had personally given him his mission to make You known and loved by the gentiles. This he did tirelessly and this is why he could say with perfect confidence that he had poured himself out without hesitation in order to do as You asked. He fought the fight, he won the race, he kept the faith and the reward that is promised to all who are faithful to the divine call, was certain to be his.

He was able to fulfill his mission only because You were at his side giving him all the grace and strength required to proclaim Your Word and now at the sunset of his life he waited for You to take him to Yourself and there to remain with You in perfect joy eternally. This is the destiny of all who believe - eternal union with You.

Psalm 34:2-9

My soul's beloved, every soul who is faithful to the divine calling sings some version of the Magnificat when they know that they have done all You have asked. There is no greater joy or satisfaction than this that we have fulfilled our mission effectively because there was not a moment when You were not at our side fighting alongside us, giving us everything we needed from moment to moment. Our triumph is possible because You are with us, at our side always. This is why we exult in You and when we boast our boast is in You. Our mouths sing joyfully in praise that wells up from our heart. 

We are nothing, we have nothing. Every good and perfect gift is given by You. You keep us safe. You feed and strengthen us. And in the end You will come to receive us and accompany us to the place prepared for us from all eternity.

Matthew 16:13-19

 

Amos 3:1-8, 4:11-12, Psalm 5:4-8, Matthew 8:23-27

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Amos 3:1-8, 4:11-12, Psalm 5:4-8, Matthew 8:23-27

 Amos 3:1-8, 4:11-12

My soul's beloved, it is You who called us forth from darkness into Your marvelous light this is why we are accountable when we turn our back on the grace made freely available to us through the power of the Sacraments. You have made an eternal Covenant of Love with us through baptism and we have been given the free gift of faith. The Holy Spirit has been poured into our hearts and it is He who leads us into full knowledge of the Truth. He convicts us of sin and He helps us to plumb the depths of divine Love; this is why when we choose to sin Your judgment will be more severe, for we have not acted in ignorance but  transgressed despite knowing how greatly You love. God so loved us that He sent You His only Son into the world so that we may not die but live. 

Heavenly Father, may we always return back to You even if in weakness we sinned. Do not turn away from us, do not take Your Holy Spirit from us for if You did Father we would surely die and the terrible price paid by Your Son to ransom my soul would have been in vain. Grant O Lord that it shall never be in vain for me.

Psalm 5:4-8

4: From daybreak You hear my voice,

    From dawn I am in Your Presence

    Watching for You.

8: But I, by your love and grace, may 

    Come into Your house. In reverence I

    bow down and worship at Your holy temple.  

My soul's beloved, with the help of Your grace I wake up at dawn. You hear the sound of my voice as I come into Your loving Presence and we spend this most precious hour together. Your love and grace sustain me. I am privileged to spend time before You in the Blessed Sacrament after which I come to partake feast as the Eucharistic banquet of love. Here I offer the Father the one, holy and only pleasing Sacrifice acceptable to Him the fragrance of which fills the highest heavens as I along with my brothers and sisters worship in Your holy temple and we are fed, nourished and sustained by Your Body and Blood.

Matthew 8:23-27

My soul's beloved, through the years I have experienced storms that seem to come from nowhere and whip across my life almost causing me to drown but I have lived through them and have emerged stronger and a little more like You for I have known that You are with me.  You are always with me no matter how strong the winds or how high the waves of the trouble that toss the boat of my life around. But I have never been in danger of perishing for through the gift of faith I have been able to cling to You. You have been my hope and I have known that through it all You will never let go of me. 

You are God and You have claimed me for your own - why should I be troubled when the Son of God is my soul's beloved. "What need I fear when thou art near O King of night and day?"

Amos 2:6-10, 13-16, Psalm 50:16-23, Matthew 8:18-22

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Amos 2:6-10, 13-16, Psalm 50:16-23, Matthew 8:18-22

Amos 2:6-10, 13-16

My soul's beloved, today we are warned that we may sin with impunity and without fear of retribution only for a while. The day of judgment will dawn and when it does nothing can save us. All the things or people in which we placed our trust will not be able to help us to withstand that day when we must stand before God and give an account of our stewardship. It is easy to get caught up with the routine of daily living and to spend all our waking hours caught up with the business of the world. Because You are patient and You stay the hand of punishment we forget that we will have to give a strict account of how we frittered away our eternal  inheritance to indulge and pander our flesh.

Psalm 50:16-23

My soul's beloved, You love us so much that You constantly warn us to wake up from our sleep and work out our salvation with fear and trembling. The hour of reckoning will come like a thief in the night without any warning. The world of hedonism in which we live today is a world that wants to erase the Author of Life, and the Word of Truth. We make false gods and worship before these idols with feet of clay. Sinners congregate with sinners and mock all that is divine, good, noble, true, and pure. Those who strive to be faithful are persecuted, pilloried, and mocked. Keep Your faithful remnant safe in Your love until the end.

Matthew 8:18-22

My soul's beloved, today we read St. Matthew's account of the teacher of the law and a disciple who wanted to follow You. The  crowd pressed around You and many who heard You were impressed by the way You spoke. You taught with authority, Your words were accompanied by powerful signs and wonders which clearly indicated that the power of God was in You and some who were taken up with all You said and did wanted to follow You. You gave the teacher of the law who was used to living  a comfortable life, a reality check telling him bluntly that if he followed You he had to be fully aware of the cost of discipleship. Those who follow You in this life must be prepared to live in poverty, to possess nothing, to face persecution and possible death for if the world treated the Master with disdain His followers can expect no less. Another disciple who wanted first to take care of his family commitments was told that once he had decided to follow You there was no turning back for there can be no half measures in our response to Your call.

1 Kings 19:16, 19-21, Galatians:1, 13-18, Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11, Luke 9:51-62

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

1 Kings 19:16, 19-21, Galatians:1, 13-18, Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11, Luke 9:51-62 

 1 Kings 19:16, 19-21

 My soul's beloved once again we see that it is God who calls,  it is God who appoints and it is God who equips us to do the work that He Himself desires us to do. The work is His and so He provides all that is needed for us to carry out His mission. All He requires is a humble, obedient heart and a willing spirit. When our time on earth is over God will appoint another to continue the mission of spreading the Good News to the ends of the earth. We do all we are appointed to do in the lifespan granted to us and at the end we can go in peace confidant that those who come after us will continue the mission until the appointed time when You will return in glory and power to claim Your inheritance.

Sometimes like Elisha, our initial reaction to the call might be hesitation because we believe there are things we ought to do first however, once we realize that the time is now and cannot be delayed, we must trust God to take care of everything else. When we say yes it must be a total submission to the call and to the will of God.

 

Galatians:1, 13-18

My soul's beloved, St. Paul testifies that it is You and the Father who gave him his mission to spread the Good News of salvation among the pagan nations. He who was a powerful enemy of the nascent Christian faith and sought to imprison and persecute its followers was himself called by God to become an Apostle in a personal encounter with You. 

Created in love by God, we are called from the moment of our conception to make You known and loved. The Good News is this that God became Man so that we could come to know and love God and in turn make Him known and loved. 

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

My soul's beloved, You are my refuge I know that hidden in You I am safe from the wiles of the enemy. You hold me secure in Your heart for I belong to You. I praise You and I thank You for all the good things You have given me both spiritual and temporal. I will bless You with every breath I breathe during the hours I am awake and at the close of day when I close my eyes to rest. Thank You for the wisdom You give me through Your Word, Your Church and Your Spirit. I thank You for showing me the Way, for revealing the Truth and for granting me Life. Thank You that my life will not end in eternal death but to eternal life.

Luke 9:51-62 

 My soul's beloved, in today's Gospel passage You remind us that at the time of Your visitation to us there might be some who are not ready to receive You and while Your followers might want to call down fire and brimstone on them You advise patience. We ought not to provoke anyone rather we give them time and through grace, they will come to You. 

We then go on to see three different people each with a different response to the call of discipleship. The first one is full of admiration for You and is ready to follow You without fully understanding what such a commitment will require of him. You give him a reality check by making it clear to him that You have nothing by way of material comforts to offer him. The second would be disciple whom You call personally wishes to wait until he no longer has personal responsibilities - to him You say that it is more important to follow You than to wait until you bury a loved one. And finally the third one who is called tries to buy time by saying he wants to say goodbye but You bluntly tell him that once we have decided to follow You we cannot look back or we will not be able to advance in our mission to establish God's Kingdom on earth.

When God calls our answer must always be an unequivocal yes. We can trust You to take care of the details.

Lamentations 2:2, 10-14, 18-19, Psalm 74:1-7, 20-21, Matthew 8:5-17

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Lamentations 2:2, 10-14, 18-19, Psalm 74:1-7, 20-21, Matthew 8:5-17 

  

Lamentations 2:2, 10-14, 18-19

My soul's beloved, these verses may as well be wailed loudly by us all who call ourselves Christians and by our guides and shepherds. We are spiritually famished although we are feed ourselves like gluttons on the gospel of the world, imbibe its false culture to the point of drunken stupor and recite its mantras like one who is drowning and clutches on straw to be saved. We are all spiraling downwards to our own destruction and damnation and we are clueless as to what we are doing to ourselves. We are blind and deaf to the truth. We are bloated with death and yet we continue to be seduced by the lies spread by evil. We gladly walk into the traps that are set out for us because the road to perdition is wide, easy, smooth and appeals to our senses. 

Open our eyes Lord before it is too late. Bless the faithful remnant and give them an undying hunger and thirst for the Truth so they keep it alive and shining through the power of Your Spirit.

Psalm 74:1-7, 20-21

My soul's beloved, these verses Your faithful remnant are crying out to You for mercy reminding You that we are chosen by You, formed by Your Word, consecrated to the Father by Your Spirit. The Enemy of the world has sown weeds of lies, they are everywhere and obscuring the Way, stifling the Light and the Truth. The strident voices of evil are everywhere drowning out the voices of reason and wisdom. We are living in an age when sound doctrine has long been forgotten as the liars and thieves go about  marauding and killing all that is good, true and beautiful. We are alone my Beloved, do not forsake those who are struggling to remain faithful. Look with compassion on us and do not let Your Name which is always on our lips be in vain.

Matthew 8:5-17 

My soul's beloved, this is why we have hope that is alive despite all our circumstances as we echo the prophecy of Isaiah, "He bore our infirmities and took on himself our diseases." We know that the Father will never abandon the children His Son has saved as so great a  price. Yes, we are living in a wicked age. The sins that the world commits at the behest of the seductive voice of Evil seem unparalleled since the dawn of history and yet we know that every age has had periods when the world seems to drown in a cesspool of depravity.

Just as the gentile Roman captain came to You with faith You marveled so will faith be rekindled once more from unexpected people. Your Word is alive and powerful and while the nations and its people who were once Christian become insensate to sin there will be others who will hear Your Voice and come to the knowledge of Truth. Then those who have kept the faith together with these new believers will bring to You all the sick of the world and You will heal and restore Your heritage. 

Isaiah 49:1-6, Acts 13:22-26, Psalm139:1-3, 13-15, Luke 1:57-66, 80

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

 

Isaiah 49:1-6, Acts 13:22-26, Psalm139:1-3, 13-15, Luke 1:57-66, 80  

 Isaiah 49:1-6

My soul's beloved, all whom God calls to carry out His work in proclaiming the Kingdom of God, as John the Baptist was called, are equipped by Him. From the moment of conception the Creator all that the one who is called to be and do is given all that he or she will required for God equips those whom He calls. John the Baptist was to be the last of the great prophets with his birth we come to close of one age and the dawn of a new one. He was to be Your herald. He was to prepared the way for the One who was to come and who in his own words said that he was not worthy to loosen the straps of His sandals.

St. John was filled with the Holy Spirit when he come into Your Presence while You both  were still in the your respective mother's womb. Just the sound of the voice of the Mother of God made him leap for joy. You said that there was not a greater prophet than John there was none to match his fearsome boldness, his humility, his passionate commitment to his mission and yet You said that anyone who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than John.

There is nothing more pleasing to God than to see ourselves as who we are and being exceedingly humble for it is God who chooses, God who equips and God who sends. We are only His servants. Let us imitate John the Baptist and ensure that it is always You who increase and we who decrease.

Acts 13:22-26

 My soul's beloved, this is the Good News that God from the dawn of creation has planned that we His creatures would spend a life of perfect joy in His Presence. When we sinned He did not abandon as as we deserved but was prepared to go to the the extreme limits in bringing back fallen humanity back into harmony with Himself. To this end He chose a people and a nation and through them slowly but surely, patiently and lovingly, despite every obstacle that we put in His way, made it possible for Him to put into effect His plan of salvation and redemption. John the Baptist was a part of that plan. As the final prophet of the old age and the first one in the dawn of the new, it was granted to him to prepare the way for You. 

Repentance is the first step towards receiving the new life that You came to give sinners. Thank You Father for not giving up on us but making the ultimate sacrifice in giving up Your Son so He could pay the ransom for our sins. Than You my soul's beloved for lovingly submitting to the will of Your Father and paying the price of our redemption. Thank You Holy Spirit of God for living in us and making it possible with the help of Your grace to live in accordance with the will of God.

Psalm139:1-3, 13-15

 My soul's beloved, I rejoice that You know me as intimately as You do. Your knowledge of me is reassuring. You know my strengths and my weaknesses. You know how I have been fashioned for it is You who did the fashioning. Nothing I say or do surprises You for You know every thought even before I can think it. Your knowledge of Me gives me confidence in You for I know that You do not despise me or look down on me but You understand and love me even when I am weak and I fail. I am so glad that Your gaze on me never wavers and will be on me in time and in eternity.

Luke 1:57-66, 80

My soul's beloved, we see in these verses how God's plan is finally reaching its final stages of completion. All that happens happens at a time of God's own choosing. God sets the time and the place we are called to discern and do all that is asked of us in humility and obedience. When Zechariah acknowledged that the baby would be called John as desired by God and gave the child the name revealed by the angel, he was able to speak again. 

Every child born into the world is a potential John the Baptist. God's hand is with each little one. Each  has a purpose, a mission to carry out, a plan that God has designed and tailor made for this new soul to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. It is a terrible thing when we thwart God's will through the sin of denial of new life of ever being conceived or through the sin of abortion which is an abomination in the sight of God and of creation.

Thank You my soul's beloved, that despite those who hinder God's plan He will always find a way to bring it to completion in His way and in His time so we need not despair but have hope and confidence in His perfect love.

 

2 Kings 24:8-17, Psalm 79:1-5, 8-9, Matthew 7:21-29

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

2 Kings 24:8-17, Psalm 79:1-5, 8-9, Matthew 7:21-29

 2 Kings 24:8-17

 My soul's beloved, we can look at today's reading and see the destiny of those people and nations who have abandoned the Way of Truth that leads to Life. Jerusalem represents the Church on earth and he people have succumbed to evil and have forgotten their Christian heritage and embrace faiths and practices that are alien to truth beauty, purity, holiness and goodness. They have taken captive and are led into exile. Only a remnant are left behind. The poorest, those the world considers weak.God never forsakes those who do not forsake Him and from this remnant will rise up a Church stripped from all that hinders are and she will be stronger, and shine with a greater light that will once again draw people from all nations to come and worship the  One, true, holy God.

Psalm 79:1-5, 8-9

My soul's beloved, the faithful have always been persecuted and we can expect no less. In fact You have said that if they persecuted You we ought not to be surprised when they mete out the same treatment to us. The world hated You and the world hates us who follow You because we shine Your Light and the world prefers the darkness.

Help us to remain faithful and not succumb to the lure of evil no matter how much we are called to suffer for Your sake.

Matthew 7:21-29

My soul's beloved, You once told Your disciples that to do Your Father's will was food and drink to You. So it must be with us. However, it is not enough to pay lip service to You we have to live the Gospel day in and day out, in season and out of season. We must witness to the truth even when we are persecuted, mocked, scorned, imprisoned or even put to death. You warn us that it is not sufficient to say Lord, Lord piously preaching a gospel of prosperity that is the opposite of all that You taught.

Those who are truly Your disciples know You and follow You guided by Your Word they build their house on the firm foundation of the Rock and no matter what difficulties come their way they will remain strong and steadfast for they have built their life on You. Those who follow You are hated by the world but even we can perish if we do not keep our gaze fixed on You and our hand in Yours. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit so we will never abandon the narrow path that leads to salvation.

2 Kings 22:8-13, 23:1-3, Psalm 119:33-34, 36-37, 40, Matthew 7:21-29

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

2 Kings 22:8-13, 23:1-3, Psalm 119:33-34, 36-37, 40, Matthew 7:21-29

2 Kings 22:8-13, 23:1-3

My soul's beloved, in the Word given me today  the Father proclaimed that You are His Son, His chosen one and I must listen to You. In the Liturgy of the day we read how king Josiah believed the Sacred Word in the Holy Book and vowed to keep the covenant as written in it. We know that You are the Eternal Word of God and every baptized Christian is required to make this vow as well to listen to the Word with all our heart and with all our soul and we will always have the life of God in us.

Psalm 119:33-34, 36-37, 40

My soul's beloved, in this Psalm it is revealed how important it is for us to know God Word, to ponder on it, to be guided by it. Knowledge of God's Word gives wisdom and brings healing and strength.  Grant O Lord that Your Holy Spirit living in me will explain Your Word to me and help me to be faithful to all You ask of me. Only through understanding Your Word can I obey it. I am so easily distracted by the world Your Word will enable me to focus on what gives life and will help me desire it. Give me a great hunger and thirst to read and understand Your Word Lord so I will be satisfied and help me to share what I have received generously.

Matthew 7:21-29

My soul's beloved, once again in these words from the Gospel the Word of God today reinforces what He has said. I must remember that just paying lip service to You will get me nothing. I will enter the Kingdom of God only if I do the will of the Father and this is His will that I recognized that You are the One chosen and sent by Him into the world and I must listen to You.

If my life is built on the firm foundation of Your Word. If my roots grow deep into You then I will be able to weather every storm in my life and through the wisdom and strength granted me by Your Word I will remain faithful. I am saved by Your Word if I know it, am familiar with it and follow it faithfully. Ignorance of Your Word is ignorance of You said St. Jerome. Grant O Lord that I may dine on the rich banquet of Your Word every day so I may be nourished by it and be filled with Your strength and Your life. Armed with Your Word I can stay strong and unshaken no matter how great is the battle of evil around me.

2 Kings 17:5-8, 13-15, 18, Psalm 60:3-5, 12-13, Matthew 7:15-20

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

2 Kings 17:5-8, 13-15, 18, Psalm 60:3-5, 12-13, Matthew 7:15-20

2 Kings 17:5-8, 13-15, 18

My soul's beloved, we are told in these verses that God had rejected the whole nation of Israel because they were unfaithful. They forgot what God had done for them and how He had taken them out of slavery and settled them in the promised land. Despite all the warnings that were given them through the mouths of prophets and holy men they chose to indulge in sinful practices by wishing false gods.

The age we live in is no different. We allow the culture of the day to decide what is true or false while closing our ears to the voice of the Church and her ministers. We get our truth from slick, lying, gossip magazines and we avidly read and follow the lifestyles of the rich and famous who worship the flesh, power and money. We are slowly but surely being sucked into the great lie and we are surprised when even nature is turning against us because we now celebrate death instead of life.

However, we know that the world belongs to You. The Father has established Your Kingship over the world and so the faithful remnant need not lose hope. You are Emmanuel God with us and You have saved us.

Psalm 60:3-5, 12-13

My soul's beloved, we have been given aid against the foe. You have not only broken the shackles that held us in bondage, You have not only washed us from the filth of sin but You have poured Your Own Holy Spirit into our hearts to help us to choose You over sin and to direct and guide us to live according to Your will. Thank You for revealing to us that God is our Father, Your Mother is ours as well and we have angelic forces in heaven to battle against the evil unleashed on this world because of sin.

Matthew 7:15-20

 My soul's beloved, once more today You warn in no uncertain terms that we have to be alert and aware of the presence of real evil in the world. The devil is prowling around like a lion ready to devour, steal, plunder and kill. Everywhere we see evil being touted as good. The desires and the will of the individual is taught to be the touchstone by which we decide our own moral truth. We are called to be selfish and callous about those who have no voice to defend themselves. We put pleasure above discipline of our sinful desires.

A good tree cannot produce bad fruit and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. Truth is truth and it will always  prevail.

Zechariah 12:10-11, 13:1, Galatians 3:26-29, Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9, Luke 9:18-24

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Zechariah 12:10-11, 13:1, Galatians 3:26-29, Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9, Luke 9:18-24

 Zechariah 12:10-11, 13:1

 My soul's beloved, from the mouth of the prophet the Lord swears an oath to give to the world from the family of David to those who will come to believe in You a spirit of love. We will share in the power of Your Spirit, the same bond of love that makes the Father and You  One. While the world will reject You, deny You and crucify You yet we will mourn Your death as deeply and as sorrowfully as one who is inconsolable having lost their only child, their first born. Such a grief knows no comfort for it creates a vacuum nothing can fill except the love of God. Thank You Lord for cleansing us from sin and taking away our defilement through the shedding of Your Blood and the Sacrifice of Your Life.

Galatians 3:26-29

 My soul's beloved, through faith in You I am made a child of the Father and I belong to the family of God through baptism. In You we are all equal in the sight of God every member of Your Body has its distinct place and purpose and we all share in the same dignity. It will do us well to remember that God has no favorites. He sent You into the world to redeem us all from the first to the last and we are all saved by You.

Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9

My soul's beloved, grant me this grace - to love You, to long for You, to hunger and thirst for You as the psalmist did. You alone can satisfy all my longings and my deepest need. You alone can comfort and strengthen. You alone can save me from myself and my weaknesses. You have been my help all my days may I never refrain from praising You always for all Your blessings. Teach me to meditate on Your goodness always and especially before I fall asleep at night. May my soul cling to You alone and to nothing and no one else for You alone are all I need always.

Luke 9:18-24

My soul's beloved, we are privileged to have been born into the Catholic faith. For this reason we can exclaim with perfect confident who You are - You are the Christ, the anointed of God, whom He sent into the world to become the means by which all human beings are saved. While many may reject You and people of other faiths may respond in different ways to this question we can say unequivocally that You are indeed the First Born Son of the Living God.

It is no enough for us to testify with our lips alone who You are but we are called to imitate You closely by picking up our cross daily and follow You on the road to perfection and holiness. May we never lose sight of the goal which is be ready to lay down our life in order to have it raised anew in the Kingdom of God.

2 Chronicles 24:17-25, Psalm 89:4-5, 29-34, Matthew 6:24-34

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

 

2 Chronicles 24:17-25, Psalm 89:4-5, 29-34, Matthew 6:24-34

2 Chronicles 24:17-25

My soul's beloved, as we read Sacred Scripture in today's Reading from the Old Testament we see that just as the chosen people abandoned their God for idols and were deaf to the warnings of the many prophets God sent to woo them back to Him, they refused to listen. Christians today are just as indifferent my Lord. Nations that were once proud of their Christian heritage are not bending over backwards to deny that they ever knew You. The idols they worship at today are a personal freedom that panders to the dictates of the flesh. Their gods are images in glossy magazines and movies whose language is foul and whose lifestyle scrapes the bottom of the sewer and we desire to imitate them. We believe the lie and we claim the lie as truth. We are prepared to deny You over and over again, to betray You as Judas did. 

The day of reckoning will come may Your faithful remnant not be found sleeping but be awake watching and praying so we will not be taken by surprise. May we labor tirelessly even if we are persecuted and ridiculed and may we remain faithful to the end. May the little light we shine bring back those who have strayed to the path of Life and Truth in You.

Psalm 89:4-5, 29-34

My soul's beloved, we rejoice because You are faithful from one generation to the next. You will not forget the Covenant of Love that God has pledged to His people. The price paid for salvation and won for us on the Cross will not be in vain because the first Covenant made to Abraham and fulfilled in You who are the Son of God and the Son of Man was sealed and ratified in Your most precious Blood. Your Covenant is eternal and Your Kingdom is being established here on earth - it may not seem so in the present age Lord but Your faithful remnant will labor tirelessly with the help of Your Holy Spirit to ensure that the darkness will not overcome the Light. Truth will triumph over the Father of Lies and through the witness of those who are prepared to lay down their lives as You did, many will come back to their Father's House and will be saved.

Matthew 6:24-34

My soul's beloved, the best cure for stress that kills so many in the world today is revealed in verse 34 of today's Gospel reading: "Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." The world today is diseased in body because it is diseased in mind and spirit. We labor and toil to obtain all that the world trumpets as good, necessary and desirable and in the pursuit of money, power, pleasure, and an impossible physical perfection we kill ourselves a little each day. 

If only the world would take heed of the wisdom that You reveal and listen to the Truth and conform to it we would be so much happier and healthier. We twist ourselves out of shape in order to please God and the world and this You say is impossible because we cannot serve God faithfully when we are also trying to conform to the world. If we spent as much time in knowing, loving and serving God as we did about eating, drinking and following the latest fads and fashion and the hours spent wastefully in shaping and contouring our bodies which will corrupt in death rather than our souls that are immortal we would find our lives stress free and we would know joy. 

We are God's children and if we call God Father can we not trust Him to supply all our needs according to the riches of His beloved Son? Grant my soul's beloved that I set my heart on the things of heaven and not spend the days left to me hankering for the things that will be decay. Thank You for the Church, for Your Word and most of all for Your Holy Spirit with the help You make available to me I shall pass safely from this life to the next.

2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-10, Psalm 132:11-14, 17-18, Matthew 6:19-23

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-10, Psalm 132:11-14, 17-18, Matthew 6:19-23

 2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-10

My soul's beloved, men cannot thwart the plan of God. Evil may plot many schemes but they will all fail. It is God who chooses who He wills and entrusts to them the mission to carry out His work of salvation.  God has triumphed. The victory is won.

Psalm 132:11-14, 17-18

My soul's beloved, You have claimed us for Yourself. Your favor rests on us who are baptized into Your Body. From the descendants of David would be born the Son of God. God remained faithful to the Covenants He made with Abraham, Isaac and David. From the line of David God would come the Savior of the world, the Son of God, the Messiah who would set His people free and rout the Enemy, crushing the head of evil under His heel and vanquishing death forever. On You was placed the Crown of Glory and Your rule will last eternally.

 Matthew 6:19-23

 My soul's beloved, all the treasures of this world, all the accolades that the world bestows, and all that the world trumpets as desirable is like so much rubbish. It is here today and gone tomorrow. There is nothing that the world can offer that will last. The people with the greatest wealth, fame and power will eventually die and they will be forgotten. You remind us today of another kind of wealth that we must store - the kind were thieves cannot steal nor rust destroy. If I am passionately involved in the things of the earth then I will fail to lift up my eyes to the light and my heart and my spirit will never encounter the truth for I will be blind to it. 

If I choose the things of this world over the treasures of the Kingdom then the Light of God and the gift of faith will be extinguished from my soul and I will condemn myself to eternal death.  But You have saved me and You have won the victory for me. You have chosen me and have claimed me for Yourself. Let me hide in You Lord for I confess that without You I will die.

Sirach 48:1-14, Psalm 97:1-7, Matthew 6:7-15

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Sirach 48:1-14, Psalm 97:1-7, Matthew 6:7-15 

Sirach 48:1-14

My soul's beloved, while the writer is recalling the awe inspiring power granted to the prophet Elijah we see in the light of the New Testament that his life and his work were but a foreshadow of what was to come. The Son of God made incarnate would walk among men as a Man and He would do even greater deeds the the great prophet Elijah. You performed miracles that demonstrated Your power over the spirit, over the body and over nature. You only had to say the word and what You desired was accomplished in an instant.

You walked on water, You commanded the storm to hush and You calmed the seas, You brought the dead to life, healed every disease and cast out evil spirits. You calmed God's righteous anger and turned away His wrath from us by taking upon Yourself our sins and our death. You took upon Yourself our mortality and the infinite God made Himself small in order that we may share in Your glory.  You rose from the dead and ascended into heaven and some day we too shall walk through death and enter into life with You in the world to come. In Your life and in Your death You revealed the love of God and the power of God and You invited us to share in love and power..

Psalm 97:1-7

 My soul's beloved, You reign in the hearts of all who know You. You reign on earth and in heaven.  All things have been put under Your feet having reconciled all that is seen and unseen to the Father through Your life, passion, death and glorious resurrection. Your justice rules the world. The head of Satan has been crushed and You have won a glorious victory for all of God's children. Thank You.

Matthew 6:7-15 

 My soul's beloved, thank You for revealing to us that the Father knows what we desire even before we make our needs known to Him. Thank You for showing us how to pray effectively so our will is aligned to God's will. Our Father cares for us and desires to give us bread for our body and for our soul. He desires that we approach Him in childlike humility addressing Him as Dad, Abba and asking Him to grant us the grace to forgive as we have been forgiven for only in the measure that we release our brothers and sisters from the bonds of our hate and anger and forgive from the heart will be forgiven for our own sins. 

Thank You for bringing us into a relationship with Your Father and for making us His children and co-heirs to the Kingdom of heaven that has been given to You and to all whom You choose to share it with.