Friday, March 2, 2018

Genesis 34:3-4, 12-13A, 17B-28A, Psalm 1-5:16-21, Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son;
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life. 

-Jn 3:16

Genesis 34:3-4, 12-13A, 17B-28A, Psalm 1-5:16-21, Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46


Genesis 34:3-4, 12-13A, 17B-28A


Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,

Joseph's life is a faint echo of what Yours would be. You are well-beloved Son of the Father. He sent You into the world and the world hated You, were jealous of You, and plotted to kill You. 

Nothing happens by chance, Joseph was sent to his brothers and when they saw him at a distance, they saw their chance to rid themselves of him by killing him. Just like all the prophets who were to follow faced persecution and many were killed so too did evil seek to destroy Joseph. But his hour had not come. God had other plans for him.  While the intent of the brothers was to kill him, while Reuben wanted to save him, the whole matter was settled when they sold him to the Ishmaelites for 20 pieces of silver. Years later You too would be sold for the price of a slave, 30 pieces of silver. Inadvertently the brothers evil worked  for good. Just as the evil of the world in crucifying You worked for the good of the whole world; not just one people of one race but all people of every race. 

Psalm 105:16-21

Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,

You came into the world, the Son of the Living God, taking the form of a servant. You came to lift the famine in our lives, to lead us to pasture, to feed us on the Bread of Angels, and to give us living water so we would never be hungry or thirsty again.

You came into to the world that rejected You. Just as Joseph was bound in chains and fetters You too were bound, dragged along the street carrying the Cross that saved us. Joseph did not die, he was imprisoned until the time when he was ready to take up and fulfill the plan of God.

You however, my Beloved, were made to suffer the most horrific death shedding every drop of Your most precious Blood in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world. Through Your wounds we are healed.

Joseph was raised high, second only to Pharoah.

You Beloved, are second to none for God has raised You higher than any other. You are the Lord of Lords and King of Kings and there is no power, no authority, no Kingship greater than Yours in Heaven, on earth or under the earth. At Your Name demons tremble and a time will come when every knee will bow and every tongue confess to the glory of God that You indeed are Lord. 

Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,

This parable about the Vineyard and the Tenants is one addressed directly to the chief priests and elders. In it You narrate how throughout their history people just like them with vested interests persecuted and killed the prophets. They were God's chosen people, and God make a Covenant with them and cared for them as His Own but time and time again they rejected Him when they rejected the prophets and holy men He sent them to warn them of their destruction if they did not change and turn back to Him. 

Finally, the Father sent His Son, just as the owner of the vineyard did and they treated Him worse than they did the servants.  When You posed the question to them about what the owner of the vineyard would do to those tenants who had treated his son so disgracefully, unknowingly they answered truly as they prophesied. 

"He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times."

This is exactly happened. They rejected You completely whereas Gentiles believed. A new and eternal Covenant has now been made with all who believe that You are indeed the Son of God and the Savior of the world. 

The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?

Even to this day Your enemies around the world seek to destroy and kill Your followers but You have overcome the world Beloved. Victory is our for it is Your. You triumphed and we are triumphant in You.  Thank You.

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