Ephesians 2:19-22, Psalm 19-2-5, Luke 6:12-16

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the glorious company of Apostles praise you. -Te Deum

FEAST OF SAINTS SIMON AND JUDE - APOSTLES 

Ephesians 2:19-22, Psalm 19-2-5, Luke 6:12-16

Ephesians 2:19-22

My soul's beloved, how can I thank You enough for the gift of faith, the gift of baptism, the gift of being Catholic. I owe this awesome gift to the Apostles, the martyrs, the missionaries, the holy ones who took the message of the Gospel that You, the Son of God was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, became Man, for our sake was crucified and died and rose again. You are now seated in glory at the right hand of the Father and to You is given all dominion, authority and power. Taking upon Yourself the death that was ours You gave us Your life that we might live forever with You in eternity. 

Because they preached the Gospel in season and out of season I have received the free gift of salvation and have been counted among those who receive this awesome privilege of being born in a Catholic home and raised Catholic having access to all the graces that are freely granted through the Sacraments. I am a member of the household of God, built on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets of which You my soul's beloved are the cornerstone. Your love holds us all together and we are made temples of God wherein Your Spirit makes His home. 

This is why the Church honors the Apostles who lay down their lives in imitation of You as they carried with them, the light of the Gospel and set the world on fire with Your love.

Psalm 19-2-5

My soul's beloved, the Father loves You so much that He created all things for Your glory and You in turn love the Father so greatly that You gladly, in perfect obedience, do all that the Father asks of You even to the laying down of Your life for His unworthy creatures. You are the Living Word of God and this Word is alive, powerful, beautiful. It is evident in nature, in the universe, on earth. Everything that lives is the work of the Word - day and night the world sings Your praise and we are privileged to add our own praises to that of nature on earth and the glorious ones in heaven - the angels and the saints.

The greatest works are brought forth in celestial silence and the beauty and the majesty of the Gospel continues its saving work even if we are blind and deaf to it. This is God's world, created by Him, redeemed by You and is constantly being sanctified by the Holy Spirit until You come again to claim what is Your Own.

Luke 6:12-16

My soul's beloved, all the greatest things that are accomplished are wrought by prayer. Help me never to forget it. Help me to pray constantly so that everything I do, think and say is in perfect accord with Your will. Help me to do all that You created me to do even if it is nothing spectacular like the Apostles but to be always the little, insignificant handmaid of Your handmaid who said, "I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your will."