1 Corinthians 7:25-31, Psalm 45:11-12, 14-17, Luke 6:20-26

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Rejoice and leap for joy! Your reward will be great in heaven. Lk 6:23

1 Corinthians 7:25-31, Psalm 45:11-12, 14-17, 

Luke 6:20-26

1 Corinthians 7:25-31

My soul's beloved, St. Paul reminds us that time will run out for each one of us and the day of judgment will dawn when we have to stand before You and account for our lives. He warns us about getting too caught up with the affairs of the world and of the myriad things that seem important when in truth all that matters is doing all through the grace of God in establishing His Kingdom on earth. This world is passing and everything in it. Let us fix our gaze on You and with our hand in Yours walk on the narrow path, the rough road that leads to eternal life.

Psalm 45:11-12, 14-17

My soul's beloved, I know that I am Your sister, Your bride, You poor little nothing is precious in Your sight. You desire to seat me with You in the Kingdom. You desire to pour upon me every treasure of grace and blessing. You see me as I am and You love me anyway because I am Yours. You have created me, redeemed me, saved me and Your Spirit sanctifies me each day. You help me weed out my weaknesses which are too many to count, one weakness at a time. It is slow, tedious work and will take a lifetime and even then I shall die flawed. But You love Me and this is the source of my comfort, peace, and strength. It is You clothe me with grace. It is You  who shower on me all that You need to help me walk on the narrow, rough road that leads to life and eternal joy. Your grace is sufficient for me for in my weakness, in my frailty and fragility You make me strong in Your strength. Grant that I keep my ear attentive to Your voice all my days.

Luke 6:20-26

My soul's beloved, in the beatitudes You give us a blueprint for our lives. It is You blueprint. You lived it and You call us who are Your disciples, members of Your Body, to do the same. The world laughs at the Kingdom value but the wisdom of the world is folly before You. All the Saints whom the Church has elevated so we can venerate and imitate their virtues lived lives that were shaped by the Beatitudes. 

The Kingdom is guaranteed to us when we are weak, poor, hungry, sorrowful, mournful, insulted,  persecuted, reviled, scorned, shamed by the world and even put to death for the sake of the Gospel. 

We are called to be in the world but not of it. We are not to be tainted by the culture and the values that the world holds up as worth emulating for it is a culture that panders to the flesh and to everything that is passing and will eventually decay and be forgotten. The day of reckoning will arrive for all and those who like the rich man who was fat and sleek and was blind to poor, sick, destitute, Lazarus at his gate will find himself banished to darkness where he will feast on his vanity with bitterness and regret.

My soul's beloved, grant me the gift of true humility for it will guard me against self love and vanity.