Malachi 3:19-20A, Psalm 98:5-9, 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12, Luke 21:5-10

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Stand erect and raise your heads

because your redemption is at hand. Lk 21:28

Malachi 3:19-20A, Psalm 98:5-9, 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12, Luke 21:5-10

Malachi 3:19-20A

My soul's beloved, today you assure us that all who believe in You and in Your Name have nothing to fear when the day of the Lord arrives to judge both the living and the dead. Faith in You and confidence in Your Word fills us with expectation for that day when all sorrow shall end, and we will see the Living God face to face. We long for that day my Lord when there will be no death, no mourning, no tears, no heartbreak only infinite joy and glorious bliss in Your Presence. This is Your wonderful promise to us today:

".....for you who fear my name, there will arise

the sun of justice with its healing rays."

Thank You Lord for Your great love for us which saves.

Psalm 98:5-9

My soul's beloved, everything in nature yields to Your Will by providing fruit in due season, the sun, the moon, and the stars, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, the animals both great and small that roam in the forests, the insects all give you glory and sing your praise, they are all true to the nature that You have given them. They live and they die and withing their life span they function according to the purpose for which they were created. It would do us well if we too, following the example of all created things, and everything in nature, to live according to the divine purpose for which we were created. 

Grant O Lord that this age of excess will come to an end and that true wisdom may soon prevail. Amen.

2 Thessalonians 3:7-12

My soul's beloved, St. Paul and all the great Saints can say with confidence, "Imitate me," because their lives were modeled on You. This is what every Christian should be able to say instead we are cafeteria Catholics, and lukewarm Christians. We are too afraid to stand for what is right and true instead we seek to use words that blur the truth so completely that anyone can interpret it according to the culture of the day. We are called to be busy with the things of heaven, to toil night and day spiritually and temporally so that we can work with dignity and provide for our needs instead of being lazy and useless. St. Paul is pretty severe when he says that those who do not work should not be given food to eat. He reminds us not to be spend our time in gossiping and interfering with those who are doing the Lord's work and hindering them rather, each must discern God's will for their lives and do it joyfully and without ceasing so when the day of the Lord comes upon us we will be found doing the will of God.

Luke 21:5-10

"..............not a hair on your head will be destroyed.

By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

My soul's beloved, in today's Gospel reading, and as the liturgical year comes to a close, we are reminded that this is not our home, we have a place waiting for us in the Kingdom of God. We are called to be faithful, we are called to be honest, we are called to live out our faith by the testimony of our lives and fulfill the mission to which each of us is called according to our vocation. We are not to be distracted by gossip, or by false prophets but we must be guided and directed by the Church who in turn is guided and directed by the Holy Spirit. 

You warn us not to be dazzled by outward appearances or of institutions -  their glory will fade and what is here today will be gone tomorrow. You warn us that if we are faithful we must be prepared for persecution by the world and those in it who prefer a self-indulgent lifestyle, who trample on the rights of those less fortunate than themselves, or those who live by the Gospel values. These are the ones most hated by the world and they seek nothing less than to kill and destroy them. However, we have Your Word that all those who are faithful to the end will be saved. You Yourself, will come in glory to take by the hand those who belong to You.