DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
Seek good and not evil so that you may live,
and the LORD will be with you. Am 5:14
Isaiah 65:17-21, Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13, John 4:43-54
Isaiah 65:17-21
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Isaiah the prophet spoke these beautiful words of comfort to a people who were constantly battling enemies from every side. They were captured, Their temple was in ruins. They suffered famine and drought and in the midst of knowing only misery, suffering they hear their God speak through the mouth of the prophet words that stir in their hearts at the vision of peace, prosperity, that they will enjoy. They will dwell on their land. They will eat what they produce. Their children will be around them and they will watch them grow. They will live to a ripe old age and will enjoy the benefits of God's favor in a land that will know only peace.
What is this place that the prophet describes? Where is it? How will it come about? When will it happen? We live in a world that is as parched, as it was then. We face a drought that causes a far greater thirst than any the people ever knew. We are ensnared and help captive by an enemy more dangerous and evil than any the people of God in the Old Testament ever knew or fought. We are hungry and nothing satisfies. We die young. Our babies are not permitted to live. There is a sound of greater weeping and lamenting than the world has ever known and everyone is sick, faint, and dying. We are turning in one one another and tearing each other apart.
But the words of the prophet are words addressed to us too. We can take comfort in them for the new Jerusalem is already here, the City of God is in our midst for God has come into the world, He has saved His people, and He makes His dwelling in us. When those who have eyes see and ears heart and we open our hearts to receive the message of peace and salvation that is ours if we only extend our hands and open our hearts to receive it.
Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
With Mary we rejoice and are glad for all You have done for us. You have crushed the head of the devourer. You have routed and vanquished the enemy. You triumphed over death defeating it forever. You have revealed to us the mighty power of God and no one can prevail over those whom God has chosen for His own.
No longer will our enemies rejoice and laugh at us, point to us, mock us, our scorn over us, and belittle us. You took upon Yourself all our sin and shame and You made of us a new creation in You by entering into our humanity so we can be receive a share in Your divine life.
Thank You for forgiveness of sins. Thank You for Reconciliation. Thank You for the love of God that is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Thank You for Your faithfulness even when we sinned and went astray. Thank You for not giving up on us but waiting patiently until we returned. Thank You for running to us when You saw that we were far away on the road back to You and meeting us, embracing us, and restoring to us all that we had in our stupidity and ignorance rejected. Thank You.
John 4:43-54
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
I too am guilty of looking at people askance when I know where they come from. I am prejudge based on faulty knowledge and without giving honor and praise where it is due. Forgive me Beloved.
God uses who He wills and as He wills who am I to naysay Him. While Your own rejected You despite hearing about You the people of Galilee welcomed You because they had seen and they believed.
Today we hear in the Liturgy of the Word about the miraculous healing of the royal official's son. This sentence inserted by the evangelist John seems a little strange at first, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” You may have said it elsewhere but John wants us to always remember to believe without them - he wants us to put greater faith in Your Word - as the beautiful post Communion prayer says, "We believe because You have said it and Your Word is true." Your Word is testimony enough we need nothing else.
Your tender heart heard the plea in the desperate father's voice and You granted him his heart's desire. You spoke but a word and his son was healed at the very moment that You uttered the words, “You may go; your son will live.” The writer acknowledges the man's faith when he records, 'The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.'
Lord Jesus, grant us to have a vibrant faith in Your Word always and grant that our belief will move the hearts of those around us to also come to believe and be saved. This John says, was the second sign You did when You came to Galilee from Judea. A sign that reveals that You are God and that Your power was from God.
Seek good and not evil so that you may live,
and the LORD will be with you. Am 5:14
Isaiah 65:17-21, Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13, John 4:43-54
Isaiah 65:17-21
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Isaiah the prophet spoke these beautiful words of comfort to a people who were constantly battling enemies from every side. They were captured, Their temple was in ruins. They suffered famine and drought and in the midst of knowing only misery, suffering they hear their God speak through the mouth of the prophet words that stir in their hearts at the vision of peace, prosperity, that they will enjoy. They will dwell on their land. They will eat what they produce. Their children will be around them and they will watch them grow. They will live to a ripe old age and will enjoy the benefits of God's favor in a land that will know only peace.
What is this place that the prophet describes? Where is it? How will it come about? When will it happen? We live in a world that is as parched, as it was then. We face a drought that causes a far greater thirst than any the people ever knew. We are ensnared and help captive by an enemy more dangerous and evil than any the people of God in the Old Testament ever knew or fought. We are hungry and nothing satisfies. We die young. Our babies are not permitted to live. There is a sound of greater weeping and lamenting than the world has ever known and everyone is sick, faint, and dying. We are turning in one one another and tearing each other apart.
But the words of the prophet are words addressed to us too. We can take comfort in them for the new Jerusalem is already here, the City of God is in our midst for God has come into the world, He has saved His people, and He makes His dwelling in us. When those who have eyes see and ears heart and we open our hearts to receive the message of peace and salvation that is ours if we only extend our hands and open our hearts to receive it.
Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
With Mary we rejoice and are glad for all You have done for us. You have crushed the head of the devourer. You have routed and vanquished the enemy. You triumphed over death defeating it forever. You have revealed to us the mighty power of God and no one can prevail over those whom God has chosen for His own.
No longer will our enemies rejoice and laugh at us, point to us, mock us, our scorn over us, and belittle us. You took upon Yourself all our sin and shame and You made of us a new creation in You by entering into our humanity so we can be receive a share in Your divine life.
Thank You for forgiveness of sins. Thank You for Reconciliation. Thank You for the love of God that is poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Thank You for Your faithfulness even when we sinned and went astray. Thank You for not giving up on us but waiting patiently until we returned. Thank You for running to us when You saw that we were far away on the road back to You and meeting us, embracing us, and restoring to us all that we had in our stupidity and ignorance rejected. Thank You.
John 4:43-54
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
I too am guilty of looking at people askance when I know where they come from. I am prejudge based on faulty knowledge and without giving honor and praise where it is due. Forgive me Beloved.
God uses who He wills and as He wills who am I to naysay Him. While Your own rejected You despite hearing about You the people of Galilee welcomed You because they had seen and they believed.
Today we hear in the Liturgy of the Word about the miraculous healing of the royal official's son. This sentence inserted by the evangelist John seems a little strange at first, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” You may have said it elsewhere but John wants us to always remember to believe without them - he wants us to put greater faith in Your Word - as the beautiful post Communion prayer says, "We believe because You have said it and Your Word is true." Your Word is testimony enough we need nothing else.
Your tender heart heard the plea in the desperate father's voice and You granted him his heart's desire. You spoke but a word and his son was healed at the very moment that You uttered the words, “You may go; your son will live.” The writer acknowledges the man's faith when he records, 'The man believed what Jesus said to him and left.'
Lord Jesus, grant us to have a vibrant faith in Your Word always and grant that our belief will move the hearts of those around us to also come to believe and be saved. This John says, was the second sign You did when You came to Galilee from Judea. A sign that reveals that You are God and that Your power was from God.
No comments:
Post a Comment