DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees;
and favor me with your law. Ps. 119:36, 29B
1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30, Psalm 84:3-5, 10-11,
Mark 7:1-13
1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
I pray the prayer of Solomon this day, “LORD, God of Israel,
there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below;
you keep your covenant of mercy with your servants
who are faithful to you with their whole heart.
“Can it indeed be that God dwells on earth? If the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain you, how much less this temple which I have built!
My most Beloved, while the heavens cannot cannot You, yet You deign to enter into my poor, sinful soul and You make Yourself small to fill my nothingness. How could I not bow down in awe and trembling at the immensity of Your graciousness to me.
May your eyes watch night and day over this temple,
the place where you have decreed you shall be honored;
may you heed the prayer which I, your servant, offer in this place. Listen to the petitions of your servant."
Most gracious Lord, Your eyes are constantly watching over me. I am Your temple. Grant that I may do nothing to turn it into a den of thieves. Grant that I may never give entrance to anything unclean into the temple of my soul. Keep me, as You have promised, as the apple of your eye and let Your ears hear the cries of my supplication and answer me.
Psalm 84:3-5, 10-11
My soul yearns and pines
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest
in which she puts her young—
Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my king and my God!
Blessed they who dwell in your house!
continually they praise you.
O God, behold our shield,
and look upon the face of your anointed.
I had rather one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
Mark 7:1-13
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Like the Pharisees in today's Gospel reading, I too can get carried away with custom or culture, or the way things have been always been done and insist that it continues to be done today as it was in the past. Neglecting to understand whether it is necessary to follow some archaic rules rather than be understanding and compassionate. Today You remind me that it is more important to have a clean and pure heart rather than worry about whether or not the rules are followed, especially if they have no bearing on what really and truly matters before Your sight.
Beloved, if there is one thing that displeases You more than anything it is hypocrisy, it is something You will never tolerate and You were unafraid in pointing it out relentlessly in those with authority and power regardless of the consequences to Yourself. It is one of the things that ultimately cost You Your life.
Beloved, help me never to be afraid to speak boldly if the weak, the poor, the ignorant are taken advantage of by bullies who insist that the letter of the law be observed rather than its spirit. It is easy to make believe that we need not fulfill are our obligations if we choose not to do so. But we cannot fool You. We are called to love and all our actions will be judged on the measure of our love.
Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees;
and favor me with your law. Ps. 119:36, 29B
1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30, Psalm 84:3-5, 10-11,
Mark 7:1-13
1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
I pray the prayer of Solomon this day, “LORD, God of Israel,
there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below;
you keep your covenant of mercy with your servants
who are faithful to you with their whole heart.
“Can it indeed be that God dwells on earth? If the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain you, how much less this temple which I have built!
My most Beloved, while the heavens cannot cannot You, yet You deign to enter into my poor, sinful soul and You make Yourself small to fill my nothingness. How could I not bow down in awe and trembling at the immensity of Your graciousness to me.
May your eyes watch night and day over this temple,
the place where you have decreed you shall be honored;
may you heed the prayer which I, your servant, offer in this place. Listen to the petitions of your servant."
Most gracious Lord, Your eyes are constantly watching over me. I am Your temple. Grant that I may do nothing to turn it into a den of thieves. Grant that I may never give entrance to anything unclean into the temple of my soul. Keep me, as You have promised, as the apple of your eye and let Your ears hear the cries of my supplication and answer me.
Psalm 84:3-5, 10-11
My soul yearns and pines
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God.
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest
in which she puts her young—
Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my king and my God!
Blessed they who dwell in your house!
continually they praise you.
O God, behold our shield,
and look upon the face of your anointed.
I had rather one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
Mark 7:1-13
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Like the Pharisees in today's Gospel reading, I too can get carried away with custom or culture, or the way things have been always been done and insist that it continues to be done today as it was in the past. Neglecting to understand whether it is necessary to follow some archaic rules rather than be understanding and compassionate. Today You remind me that it is more important to have a clean and pure heart rather than worry about whether or not the rules are followed, especially if they have no bearing on what really and truly matters before Your sight.
Beloved, if there is one thing that displeases You more than anything it is hypocrisy, it is something You will never tolerate and You were unafraid in pointing it out relentlessly in those with authority and power regardless of the consequences to Yourself. It is one of the things that ultimately cost You Your life.
Beloved, help me never to be afraid to speak boldly if the weak, the poor, the ignorant are taken advantage of by bullies who insist that the letter of the law be observed rather than its spirit. It is easy to make believe that we need not fulfill are our obligations if we choose not to do so. But we cannot fool You. We are called to love and all our actions will be judged on the measure of our love.
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