DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
Acts 4:1-12, Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-27A, John 21:1-14
Acts 4:1-12
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
It was necessary for Peter to fall so abjectly from grace. Despite all his blusterings and protestations, he failed horribly and what would have been a source of great shame and disgrace to himself, would be the fact that he repeatedly assured You that he would be right there beside You always. When You predicted his denial he thought it impossible. He believed the others could but never he who loved You more than them.
It was really and truly necessary for Peter to drink deep of the cup of humility. To see himself for who he truly was. That he was weak, that at the first sign of danger he lacked the courage to stand his ground and take a stand. Fear overtook him and he ran as far away as he could. He stayed in the distance when he had sufficiently recovered himself. He wanted to see what would happen to You. How events would unfold.
After his triple denial, his shame overwhelmed him. But now we see a totally different man. Filled with the Holy Spirit he speaks boldly before the very authorities who condemned You and sentenced You to death by crucifixion. It was clear that there was a greater power at work in him. So convincingly did he speak and with such authority that many of those who heard him, and were part of the mob that called for Your death on that fateful day, were convicted and struck to the heart and 5000 believed that day.
The leaders, elders, scribes, Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, and all those of the high priestly class were perplexed. They thought that they had cleverly got rid of You with one masterly stroke, but they were clueless that they had played right into the hands of God and had fallen in with His plan. Just as the high priest had prophesied, it was necessary for One Man to die in order to save all mankind.
"The stone rejected by you, the builders,
has become the cornerstone.
From the beginning, the Church has preached that "There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”
Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-27A
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Thank You for Your immense mercy in obtaining salvation for us all. Thank You for the Church in whom the fullness of Truth makes its home. Thank You for Your abiding Presence in the Eucharist. Thank You that You are true to Your promise to remain with us forever until the end of the age. Thank You for the gift of faith and for being born into it. Thank You for the hope of eternity that I have with You because of the work of salvation You accomplished on the Cross.
The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
John 21:1-14
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Unless You reveal Yourself to us we will be unable to see You or recognize You. The Gospel in today's Liturgy is about the disciples going back to their trade of fishing after Your Resurrection. They find themselves with nothing to do and Peter suggests they go out to sea and spend the night at a trade that they are good at, but they caught nothing.
Then You appear on the shore at dawn and calling them children because that's how tenderly You loved them, You told them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat. Very often Beloved we toil and struggle to do things the way we think are right without consulting You, and all our struggle is in vain. But when we pray, and listen to the voice of the Spirit and obey then our work will bear fruit for the Kingdom.
They caught so many fish they were unable to pull the nets in and immediately John recognized You. Poor Peter, his guilt at his betrayal clouded his vision. It was not going to be easy for him to forget the enormity of what he had done to the One he loved more than life itself. But prompted by John he recognized You and true to his ebullient, spontaneous nature he jumped into the water and swam to the shore.
When all had come to shore with the net of fish they found that You had already started a breakfast. Fish was being cooked on a charcoal fire and there was bread. You are our Food. You are the Bread of Life. You are Life. You feed us. You strengthen us. You are sufficient for us.
Thank You Beloved for keeping every one of Your promises.
FRIDAY IN THE OCTAVE OF EASTER
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it. Psalm 118:24
let us be glad and rejoice in it. Psalm 118:24
Acts 4:1-12, Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-27A, John 21:1-14
Acts 4:1-12
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
It was necessary for Peter to fall so abjectly from grace. Despite all his blusterings and protestations, he failed horribly and what would have been a source of great shame and disgrace to himself, would be the fact that he repeatedly assured You that he would be right there beside You always. When You predicted his denial he thought it impossible. He believed the others could but never he who loved You more than them.
It was really and truly necessary for Peter to drink deep of the cup of humility. To see himself for who he truly was. That he was weak, that at the first sign of danger he lacked the courage to stand his ground and take a stand. Fear overtook him and he ran as far away as he could. He stayed in the distance when he had sufficiently recovered himself. He wanted to see what would happen to You. How events would unfold.
After his triple denial, his shame overwhelmed him. But now we see a totally different man. Filled with the Holy Spirit he speaks boldly before the very authorities who condemned You and sentenced You to death by crucifixion. It was clear that there was a greater power at work in him. So convincingly did he speak and with such authority that many of those who heard him, and were part of the mob that called for Your death on that fateful day, were convicted and struck to the heart and 5000 believed that day.
The leaders, elders, scribes, Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, and all those of the high priestly class were perplexed. They thought that they had cleverly got rid of You with one masterly stroke, but they were clueless that they had played right into the hands of God and had fallen in with His plan. Just as the high priest had prophesied, it was necessary for One Man to die in order to save all mankind.
"The stone rejected by you, the builders,
has become the cornerstone.
From the beginning, the Church has preached that "There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”
Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-27A
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Thank You for Your immense mercy in obtaining salvation for us all. Thank You for the Church in whom the fullness of Truth makes its home. Thank You for Your abiding Presence in the Eucharist. Thank You that You are true to Your promise to remain with us forever until the end of the age. Thank You for the gift of faith and for being born into it. Thank You for the hope of eternity that I have with You because of the work of salvation You accomplished on the Cross.
The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
John 21:1-14
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Unless You reveal Yourself to us we will be unable to see You or recognize You. The Gospel in today's Liturgy is about the disciples going back to their trade of fishing after Your Resurrection. They find themselves with nothing to do and Peter suggests they go out to sea and spend the night at a trade that they are good at, but they caught nothing.
Then You appear on the shore at dawn and calling them children because that's how tenderly You loved them, You told them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat. Very often Beloved we toil and struggle to do things the way we think are right without consulting You, and all our struggle is in vain. But when we pray, and listen to the voice of the Spirit and obey then our work will bear fruit for the Kingdom.
They caught so many fish they were unable to pull the nets in and immediately John recognized You. Poor Peter, his guilt at his betrayal clouded his vision. It was not going to be easy for him to forget the enormity of what he had done to the One he loved more than life itself. But prompted by John he recognized You and true to his ebullient, spontaneous nature he jumped into the water and swam to the shore.
When all had come to shore with the net of fish they found that You had already started a breakfast. Fish was being cooked on a charcoal fire and there was bread. You are our Food. You are the Bread of Life. You are Life. You feed us. You strengthen us. You are sufficient for us.
Thank You Beloved for keeping every one of Your promises.
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