DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people. Mt. 4:23
Memorial of St. Agatha, Virgin & Martyr
1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13, Psalm 132:6-10, Mark 6:53-56
1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13
The elders of Israel and all the leaders of the tribes,
the princes in the ancestral houses of the children of Israel,
came to King Solomon in Jerusalem,
to bring up the ark of the LORD's covenant
from the City of David, which is Zion.
All the people of Israel assembled before King Solomon
during the festival in the month of Ethanim (the seventh month).
When all the elders of Israel had arrived,
the priests took up the ark;
they carried the ark of the LORD
and the meeting tent with all the sacred vessels
that were in the tent.
(The priests and Levites carried them.)
King Solomon and the entire community of Israel
present for the occasion
sacrificed before the ark sheep and oxen
too many to number or count.
The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD
to its place beneath the wings of the cherubim in the sanctuary,
the holy of holies of the temple.
The cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the ark,
sheltering the ark and its poles from above.
There was nothing in the ark but the two stone tablets
which Moses had put there at Horeb,
when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel
at their departure from the land of Egypt.
When the priests left the holy place,
the cloud filled the temple of the LORD
so that the priests could no longer minister because of the cloud,
since the LORD's glory had filled the temple of the LORD.
Then Solomon said, "The LORD intends to dwell in the dark cloud;
I have truly built you a princely house,
a dwelling where you may abide forever."
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
The people of Israel carried the Ark of the Covenant with such great reverence as all the priests and all God's people together with king Solomon came together to place it in the Temple of Jerusalem that Solomon built of all the finest material that the world had to offer. Here was a glorious temple built by the the most renowned craftsmen of the time and it was a sight to behold. Once they placed the ark of the Covenant containing the stone tablets in the temple they offered sacrifices of innumerable sheep and oxen and the Presence of God, as a cloud, filled the inner sanctuary.
Yet all this man made grandeur was as nothing compared to the true Ark of the Covenant, Mary, when she carried in her womb the Eternal Word of God. The Presence of God filled her being and she was adorned with every grace and virtue that no one before nor since has received. Furthermore, God who is nothing but gracious and gives only as He knows how, without measure, enables us who are baptized into the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church the privilege to become the Ark of the Covenant briefly when we receive You our august King of Kings and Lord of Lords in the Eucharist. You come into our unworthy body and make of us a temple grander than any that man can build.
It took just one great Sacrifice to atone for all the sins of the human race sins eternally and to restore what pride had cost. Thank You Beloved.
Psalm 132:6-10
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
The psalmist is recalling the joy they experience when they found the Ark of the Covenant lying in the fields of Jaar. How they carried it amidst laughter, singing, and music and brought it to rest among the people of God. Something greater has now occurred Beloved. While God does dwell in our churches, in our tabernacles, in our adoration chapels around the globe, there is an even greater reality than this. The moment when we receive the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in Holy Communion. God comes to rest in the place He loves best, our heart and for a while we are the Ark of the Covenant. Truly at this momentous occasion we are called to praise and worship God with great joy. This is the highlight of our day or week when God Himself enters the temple of the human heart. He makes it His dwelling place for a while leaving it richer than when He first entered so we can face all the trials and difficulties of life through His grace.
Mark 6:53-56
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Whichever town, village, or countryside You entered people heard of it and poured in from every side. They clamored to come close to You bringing with them their sick and laying them out hoping for an opportunity to just touch the tassel of Your cloak and be healed. All who did were healed.
We are grateful Beloved, that today after the Resurrection, we do not have to hope for an opportunity to just touch the tassel of Your cloak. We are privileged to have greater access to You and to touch more than the fringe of Your garment. Not only do You dwell in our tabernacles, but You actually come into our poor, sinful, wretched souls in Holy Communion and we become one flesh. All the healing we need in mind, body, soul, and spirit is ours for the asking when You Beloved Bridegroom of my soul, come to me in perfect love and humility and united Yourself with me in an intimacy that the more real, and more close than we can experience in our human relationships. Thank You Beloved.
Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people. Mt. 4:23
Memorial of St. Agatha, Virgin & Martyr
1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13, Psalm 132:6-10, Mark 6:53-56
1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13
The elders of Israel and all the leaders of the tribes,
the princes in the ancestral houses of the children of Israel,
came to King Solomon in Jerusalem,
to bring up the ark of the LORD's covenant
from the City of David, which is Zion.
All the people of Israel assembled before King Solomon
during the festival in the month of Ethanim (the seventh month).
When all the elders of Israel had arrived,
the priests took up the ark;
they carried the ark of the LORD
and the meeting tent with all the sacred vessels
that were in the tent.
(The priests and Levites carried them.)
King Solomon and the entire community of Israel
present for the occasion
sacrificed before the ark sheep and oxen
too many to number or count.
The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD
to its place beneath the wings of the cherubim in the sanctuary,
the holy of holies of the temple.
The cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the ark,
sheltering the ark and its poles from above.
There was nothing in the ark but the two stone tablets
which Moses had put there at Horeb,
when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel
at their departure from the land of Egypt.
When the priests left the holy place,
the cloud filled the temple of the LORD
so that the priests could no longer minister because of the cloud,
since the LORD's glory had filled the temple of the LORD.
Then Solomon said, "The LORD intends to dwell in the dark cloud;
I have truly built you a princely house,
a dwelling where you may abide forever."
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
The people of Israel carried the Ark of the Covenant with such great reverence as all the priests and all God's people together with king Solomon came together to place it in the Temple of Jerusalem that Solomon built of all the finest material that the world had to offer. Here was a glorious temple built by the the most renowned craftsmen of the time and it was a sight to behold. Once they placed the ark of the Covenant containing the stone tablets in the temple they offered sacrifices of innumerable sheep and oxen and the Presence of God, as a cloud, filled the inner sanctuary.
Yet all this man made grandeur was as nothing compared to the true Ark of the Covenant, Mary, when she carried in her womb the Eternal Word of God. The Presence of God filled her being and she was adorned with every grace and virtue that no one before nor since has received. Furthermore, God who is nothing but gracious and gives only as He knows how, without measure, enables us who are baptized into the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church the privilege to become the Ark of the Covenant briefly when we receive You our august King of Kings and Lord of Lords in the Eucharist. You come into our unworthy body and make of us a temple grander than any that man can build.
It took just one great Sacrifice to atone for all the sins of the human race sins eternally and to restore what pride had cost. Thank You Beloved.
Psalm 132:6-10
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
The psalmist is recalling the joy they experience when they found the Ark of the Covenant lying in the fields of Jaar. How they carried it amidst laughter, singing, and music and brought it to rest among the people of God. Something greater has now occurred Beloved. While God does dwell in our churches, in our tabernacles, in our adoration chapels around the globe, there is an even greater reality than this. The moment when we receive the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in Holy Communion. God comes to rest in the place He loves best, our heart and for a while we are the Ark of the Covenant. Truly at this momentous occasion we are called to praise and worship God with great joy. This is the highlight of our day or week when God Himself enters the temple of the human heart. He makes it His dwelling place for a while leaving it richer than when He first entered so we can face all the trials and difficulties of life through His grace.
Mark 6:53-56
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Whichever town, village, or countryside You entered people heard of it and poured in from every side. They clamored to come close to You bringing with them their sick and laying them out hoping for an opportunity to just touch the tassel of Your cloak and be healed. All who did were healed.
We are grateful Beloved, that today after the Resurrection, we do not have to hope for an opportunity to just touch the tassel of Your cloak. We are privileged to have greater access to You and to touch more than the fringe of Your garment. Not only do You dwell in our tabernacles, but You actually come into our poor, sinful, wretched souls in Holy Communion and we become one flesh. All the healing we need in mind, body, soul, and spirit is ours for the asking when You Beloved Bridegroom of my soul, come to me in perfect love and humility and united Yourself with me in an intimacy that the more real, and more close than we can experience in our human relationships. Thank You Beloved.
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