DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. Mt 5:16
Ezra 1:1-6, Psalm 126:1-6, Luke 8:16-18
Ezra 1:1-6
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
All the rulers of the earth bow down to Your will whether they know it or not for You are the King of kings and Lord of lords. The chosen people were taken into exile and longed to go back home, the Temple of Jerusalem lay in ruins, just as their lives and they would have continued to live in hopeless longing to return home had You not inspired king Cyrus to let his people go.
Not only to go but to laden them with all kinds of gifts that would help them to fulfill their most ardent longing, to rebuild the Temple of the Lord. The king actually ordered his subjects all over his kingdom not only to let the chosen people of God go, but to assist them by giving them all they needed. And so it was, You people who were exiled far away from home returned to their land with joy and laughter, with hope for glorious future for them and their children and above all to fulfill their dearest dream, to re-build the House of God.
We too are exiles, far from home, thank You Beloved for giving us all we need through Your Word, the Church, the treasure of the Sacraments, that make it possible for us to return home after our exile here on earth, with songs of gladness and praise to our awesome God.
Psalm 126:1-6
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
How beautifully, how vividly, the psalmist captures the joy of the exile as he returns home along with his family, his friends, his people. It was something they dreamed about but never believed would happen in their lifetime and yet this wonderful thing was upon them. Laughter bubbled forth from the joy that welled up in their hearts. They were going home. No longer would they be strangers in a strange land where they were aliens, foreigners, slaves.
God was bringing His people back, they were free once more. We too are exiles Beloved, far from our Father's house. We thank Him for sending You to us to set us free from slavery to sin, to our flesh that often weighs us down, to the world, and the wiles of the enemy. Thank You for Your precious Blood that takes away sin and restores us once again the family of God. Thank You for the seed of Your Word which through Your grace and help we scatter wherever we are. With Your help the seed will yield a plentiful harvest, and when we come into Your glorious presence may we bring with us an abundance of good fruit.
Luke 8:16-18
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
A lamp is lit when it is dark and once lit it is placed where it will shed the greatest light. You point out that no one is so ridiculous or foolish as to conceal it under a vessel or under the bed, for its very purpose will be lost and the light will go out.
Through the absurdity of such an action You reveal an important truth. We who are baptized are alight with Your light and we are called to shed this light wherever we go. We are to take our place in the world and there ensure that many who are in darkness, are able to find their way to You through Your light that shines in us. If however, we choose to extinguish the flame by walking in sin, then we can be certain that You will call us publicly to account for deliberately choosing to go in the way of sinners. Nothing is hidden from God, we may choose to fool ourselves, but in the end all will be made known. This is why You give us this warning today,
"Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away."
Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father. Mt 5:16
Ezra 1:1-6, Psalm 126:1-6, Luke 8:16-18
Ezra 1:1-6
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
All the rulers of the earth bow down to Your will whether they know it or not for You are the King of kings and Lord of lords. The chosen people were taken into exile and longed to go back home, the Temple of Jerusalem lay in ruins, just as their lives and they would have continued to live in hopeless longing to return home had You not inspired king Cyrus to let his people go.
Not only to go but to laden them with all kinds of gifts that would help them to fulfill their most ardent longing, to rebuild the Temple of the Lord. The king actually ordered his subjects all over his kingdom not only to let the chosen people of God go, but to assist them by giving them all they needed. And so it was, You people who were exiled far away from home returned to their land with joy and laughter, with hope for glorious future for them and their children and above all to fulfill their dearest dream, to re-build the House of God.
We too are exiles, far from home, thank You Beloved for giving us all we need through Your Word, the Church, the treasure of the Sacraments, that make it possible for us to return home after our exile here on earth, with songs of gladness and praise to our awesome God.
Psalm 126:1-6
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
How beautifully, how vividly, the psalmist captures the joy of the exile as he returns home along with his family, his friends, his people. It was something they dreamed about but never believed would happen in their lifetime and yet this wonderful thing was upon them. Laughter bubbled forth from the joy that welled up in their hearts. They were going home. No longer would they be strangers in a strange land where they were aliens, foreigners, slaves.
God was bringing His people back, they were free once more. We too are exiles Beloved, far from our Father's house. We thank Him for sending You to us to set us free from slavery to sin, to our flesh that often weighs us down, to the world, and the wiles of the enemy. Thank You for Your precious Blood that takes away sin and restores us once again the family of God. Thank You for the seed of Your Word which through Your grace and help we scatter wherever we are. With Your help the seed will yield a plentiful harvest, and when we come into Your glorious presence may we bring with us an abundance of good fruit.
Luke 8:16-18
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
A lamp is lit when it is dark and once lit it is placed where it will shed the greatest light. You point out that no one is so ridiculous or foolish as to conceal it under a vessel or under the bed, for its very purpose will be lost and the light will go out.
Through the absurdity of such an action You reveal an important truth. We who are baptized are alight with Your light and we are called to shed this light wherever we go. We are to take our place in the world and there ensure that many who are in darkness, are able to find their way to You through Your light that shines in us. If however, we choose to extinguish the flame by walking in sin, then we can be certain that You will call us publicly to account for deliberately choosing to go in the way of sinners. Nothing is hidden from God, we may choose to fool ourselves, but in the end all will be made known. This is why You give us this warning today,
"Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away."
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