DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
A great prophet has arisen in our midst
and God has visited his people. Lk 7:6
2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13, Psalm 3:2-7,
Mark 5:1-20
2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13
An informant came to David with the report,
"The children of Israel have transferred their loyalty to Absalom."
At this, David said to all his servants
who were with him in Jerusalem:
"Up! Let us take flight, or none of us will escape from Absalom.
Leave quickly, lest he hurry and overtake us,
then visit disaster upon us and put the city to the sword."
As David went up the Mount of Olives, he wept without ceasing.
His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot.
All those who were with him also had their heads covered
and were weeping as they went.
As David was approaching Bahurim,
a man named Shimei, the son of Gera
of the same clan as Saul's family,
was coming out of the place, cursing as he came.
He threw stones at David and at all the king's officers,
even though all the soldiers, including the royal guard,
were on David's right and on his left.
Shimei was saying as he cursed:
"Away, away, you murderous and wicked man!
The LORD has requited you for all the bloodshed in the family of Saul,
in whose stead you became king,
and the LORD has given over the kingdom to your son Absalom.
And now you suffer ruin because you are a murderer."
Abishai, son of Zeruiah, said to the king:
"Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?
Let me go over, please, and lop off his head."
But the king replied: "What business is it of mine or of yours,
sons of Zeruiah, that he curses?
Suppose the LORD has told him to curse David;
who then will dare to say, 'Why are you doing this?'"
Then the king said to Abishai and to all his servants:
"If my own son, who came forth from my loins, is seeking my life,
how much more might this Benjaminite do so?
Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.
Perhaps the LORD will look upon my affliction
and make it up to me with benefits
for the curses he is uttering this day."
David and his men continued on the road,
while Shimei kept abreast of them on the hillside,
all the while cursing and throwing stones and dirt as he went.
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Oftentimes the innocent are called to suffer greatly at the hands of those they love, those whom they cherish. So it is with David, so it was with You. Scripture says of You, "He came unto His Own but His own received Him not." David was hounded by his son, You were only hounded and persecuted from the moment of Your birth and those who hated You with a visceral hatred did not rest until they had strung You on the Cross. Handing You to a punishment that was only meted out to scoundrels and murderers of the worst kind.
David bore the insults of Shimei patiently, just as You did. You gave us an example of perfect humility and surrender to the will of God. Beloved, of my soul, grant me the grace to be silent when I ought to be silent. Help me not to rush so quickly to defend myself as I have a tendency to do.
You did not defend Yourself before Pilate or the Sanhedrin when You were accused, condemned, and crucified. Grant me the grace to be still in the presence of God should I be persecuted for my faith in You.
Psalm 3:2-7
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Truly, I need fear nothing for You are my Rock, my Refuge, my Stronghold, my Deliverer, my Lord and my God.
You sustain me with Your own Flesh and Blood. Your Spirit dwells in me and You revealed to me that the omnipotent God, Creator of the Universe is my Father.
You are my Savior and my Redeemer. I will fear nothing for You my Beloved are the Bridegroom of my soul. You have claimed me for Yourself in time and in eternity.
Mark 5:1-20
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
There is so much that this miracle reveals about God and about humans. Here is a man possessed by a legion of evil spirits. How they gained entrance into this poor soul the writer does not say but we can safely presume that one evil led to another until the man was consumed with it. He opened the door and they entered. He lived among the tombs with the dead and was so violent that the people of the town could not restrain him. This is what happens when the power of Satan gains a foothold in our life.
You did not come there by chance. God's love does not give up no matter how deep we have sunk in the mire of sin. You came in search of the lost sheep. Salvation was at hand and the demons recognized You as the Son of the Most High God and they knew that the moment of reckoning had arrived.
You healed the man and when the townspeople saw him in his senses and clothed, Mark tells us that they were filled with fear. Isn't that amazing? They were not afraid of him when he was possessed and violent and they found it hard to restrain him. The chains and shackles with which they sought to bind him, he smashed. But now they are afraid. What is it about goodness that makes the world suspicious? They did not want You to stay among them but begged You to leave. Wow. But the man who was healed pleaded to remain with You. However You said no, he was to be entrusted with another mission. He was called to go back home and spread the Good News of what God had done for him and that God had visited His people. And that's exactly what he did. He became the first evangelist.
Grant my Lord that I too am faithful to the mission that was given to me at baptism. To know You, Love You, serve You, and to make You known and loved. Amen.
A great prophet has arisen in our midst
and God has visited his people. Lk 7:6
2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13, Psalm 3:2-7,
Mark 5:1-20
2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13
An informant came to David with the report,
"The children of Israel have transferred their loyalty to Absalom."
At this, David said to all his servants
who were with him in Jerusalem:
"Up! Let us take flight, or none of us will escape from Absalom.
Leave quickly, lest he hurry and overtake us,
then visit disaster upon us and put the city to the sword."
As David went up the Mount of Olives, he wept without ceasing.
His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot.
All those who were with him also had their heads covered
and were weeping as they went.
As David was approaching Bahurim,
a man named Shimei, the son of Gera
of the same clan as Saul's family,
was coming out of the place, cursing as he came.
He threw stones at David and at all the king's officers,
even though all the soldiers, including the royal guard,
were on David's right and on his left.
Shimei was saying as he cursed:
"Away, away, you murderous and wicked man!
The LORD has requited you for all the bloodshed in the family of Saul,
in whose stead you became king,
and the LORD has given over the kingdom to your son Absalom.
And now you suffer ruin because you are a murderer."
Abishai, son of Zeruiah, said to the king:
"Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?
Let me go over, please, and lop off his head."
But the king replied: "What business is it of mine or of yours,
sons of Zeruiah, that he curses?
Suppose the LORD has told him to curse David;
who then will dare to say, 'Why are you doing this?'"
Then the king said to Abishai and to all his servants:
"If my own son, who came forth from my loins, is seeking my life,
how much more might this Benjaminite do so?
Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.
Perhaps the LORD will look upon my affliction
and make it up to me with benefits
for the curses he is uttering this day."
David and his men continued on the road,
while Shimei kept abreast of them on the hillside,
all the while cursing and throwing stones and dirt as he went.
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Oftentimes the innocent are called to suffer greatly at the hands of those they love, those whom they cherish. So it is with David, so it was with You. Scripture says of You, "He came unto His Own but His own received Him not." David was hounded by his son, You were only hounded and persecuted from the moment of Your birth and those who hated You with a visceral hatred did not rest until they had strung You on the Cross. Handing You to a punishment that was only meted out to scoundrels and murderers of the worst kind.
David bore the insults of Shimei patiently, just as You did. You gave us an example of perfect humility and surrender to the will of God. Beloved, of my soul, grant me the grace to be silent when I ought to be silent. Help me not to rush so quickly to defend myself as I have a tendency to do.
You did not defend Yourself before Pilate or the Sanhedrin when You were accused, condemned, and crucified. Grant me the grace to be still in the presence of God should I be persecuted for my faith in You.
Psalm 3:2-7
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Truly, I need fear nothing for You are my Rock, my Refuge, my Stronghold, my Deliverer, my Lord and my God.
You sustain me with Your own Flesh and Blood. Your Spirit dwells in me and You revealed to me that the omnipotent God, Creator of the Universe is my Father.
You are my Savior and my Redeemer. I will fear nothing for You my Beloved are the Bridegroom of my soul. You have claimed me for Yourself in time and in eternity.
Mark 5:1-20
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
There is so much that this miracle reveals about God and about humans. Here is a man possessed by a legion of evil spirits. How they gained entrance into this poor soul the writer does not say but we can safely presume that one evil led to another until the man was consumed with it. He opened the door and they entered. He lived among the tombs with the dead and was so violent that the people of the town could not restrain him. This is what happens when the power of Satan gains a foothold in our life.
You did not come there by chance. God's love does not give up no matter how deep we have sunk in the mire of sin. You came in search of the lost sheep. Salvation was at hand and the demons recognized You as the Son of the Most High God and they knew that the moment of reckoning had arrived.
You healed the man and when the townspeople saw him in his senses and clothed, Mark tells us that they were filled with fear. Isn't that amazing? They were not afraid of him when he was possessed and violent and they found it hard to restrain him. The chains and shackles with which they sought to bind him, he smashed. But now they are afraid. What is it about goodness that makes the world suspicious? They did not want You to stay among them but begged You to leave. Wow. But the man who was healed pleaded to remain with You. However You said no, he was to be entrusted with another mission. He was called to go back home and spread the Good News of what God had done for him and that God had visited His people. And that's exactly what he did. He became the first evangelist.
Grant my Lord that I too am faithful to the mission that was given to me at baptism. To know You, Love You, serve You, and to make You known and loved. Amen.
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