DAILY HOLY MASS READING
Remain in me as I remain in you, says the Lord.
Whoever remains in me will bear much fruit. Jn 15:4A-5B
Acts 9:26-31, Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32, 1 John 3:18-24,
John 15:1-8
Acts 9:26-31
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Old sins cast long shadows and often people are unwilling to accept that sinners have changed and have become a new creation in You. So it is with Paul. He has an alarming reputation because his persecution of Christians was legendary. His reputation as an enemy of the Church was widespread and Ananias in Damascus was afraid was to go to him. Similarly, the Apostles in Jerusalem were unwilling to believe that he was now a disciple. It took Barnabas, a disciple himself and known to the eleven to testify on his behalf. He told them how Paul had seen You in a vision and that he was now a most ardent defender of Christians and the Way. It was only after Barnabas vouched for him that they believed, embraced him wholeheartedly and welcomed him into the fold.
All of us are sinners and we have all at one time or another experienced a personal conversion but those who knew us then only remember our old sins and hold us hostage to their old memories of us.
We all need to be like Barnabas. We need to speak up when people vilify those we know to be good Christians. No one should be held in chains to their past once they have become a new creation in You. We must readily accept the testimony of those who speak on their behalf.
Soon Paul himself proved that he was truly appointed to You as an Apostle to the Gentiles. Persecution followed him wherever he went and he had to escape those who sought to kill him. In this way, wherever he went, he preached the Gospel powerfully and many who heard him believed and were saved.
You have assured us not to worry about those who kill the body and after that can do nothing more. What is important is that we shine Your light in the world. We can trust the Holy Spirit, to do the rest.
Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
God stoops in humility constantly over us His weak, willful, sinful children and how much more must we be prostrate in humility before Him
You have shown us that the Way to the Father is through obedience and humility. It is only when we a conformed to Your will in all things that the Holy Spirit can mold us into Your image and likeness.
Thank You for Your assurance that all who sleep in You will rise again to worship You. Thank You for assuring me once again that my descendants too will serve You and tell of all You have done to succeeding generations.
1 John 3:18-24
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Words are cheap this is why the disciple of love reminds us that our actions must testify to our love. We are reminded not to let our past sins keep us in condemnation but once we have confessed our sins we must trust that You have forgiven us completely. A heart that knows it has been forgiven much can approach You with confidence knowing that all we ask for in faith You will give provided we keep the commandment which is that
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us.
Thank You Beloved for the Holy Spirit who leads us deeper into life in You.
John 15:1-8
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
After what the Father has done for us in sending You to become the means by which we are all saved, He will not tolerate us to become deadweight on the Vine. As long as we draw life from You, as long as we produce good fruit, as long as we allow the Father to prune us through suffering, only then will He permit us to remain in You.
We live in You on the Father's terms and it is His will that we bear good fruit in abundance. You cursed the fig tree that was full of leaves but without figs and it withered. It was not the season for figs - the lesson You wished to teach us is that we are called to bear fruit in every season. We can do so only if we remain in You and Your Word remains alive and active in us. To this, You attach a glorious promise,
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."
Grant Beloved Father, for the sake of Your Son, to fill me with Your Holy Spirit in order that I may do all that You have planned for me in this life. Amen.
Remain in me as I remain in you, says the Lord.
Whoever remains in me will bear much fruit. Jn 15:4A-5B
Acts 9:26-31, Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32, 1 John 3:18-24,
John 15:1-8
Acts 9:26-31
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Old sins cast long shadows and often people are unwilling to accept that sinners have changed and have become a new creation in You. So it is with Paul. He has an alarming reputation because his persecution of Christians was legendary. His reputation as an enemy of the Church was widespread and Ananias in Damascus was afraid was to go to him. Similarly, the Apostles in Jerusalem were unwilling to believe that he was now a disciple. It took Barnabas, a disciple himself and known to the eleven to testify on his behalf. He told them how Paul had seen You in a vision and that he was now a most ardent defender of Christians and the Way. It was only after Barnabas vouched for him that they believed, embraced him wholeheartedly and welcomed him into the fold.
All of us are sinners and we have all at one time or another experienced a personal conversion but those who knew us then only remember our old sins and hold us hostage to their old memories of us.
We all need to be like Barnabas. We need to speak up when people vilify those we know to be good Christians. No one should be held in chains to their past once they have become a new creation in You. We must readily accept the testimony of those who speak on their behalf.
Soon Paul himself proved that he was truly appointed to You as an Apostle to the Gentiles. Persecution followed him wherever he went and he had to escape those who sought to kill him. In this way, wherever he went, he preached the Gospel powerfully and many who heard him believed and were saved.
You have assured us not to worry about those who kill the body and after that can do nothing more. What is important is that we shine Your light in the world. We can trust the Holy Spirit, to do the rest.
Psalm 22:26-28, 30-32
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
God stoops in humility constantly over us His weak, willful, sinful children and how much more must we be prostrate in humility before Him
You have shown us that the Way to the Father is through obedience and humility. It is only when we a conformed to Your will in all things that the Holy Spirit can mold us into Your image and likeness.
Thank You for Your assurance that all who sleep in You will rise again to worship You. Thank You for assuring me once again that my descendants too will serve You and tell of all You have done to succeeding generations.
1 John 3:18-24
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
Words are cheap this is why the disciple of love reminds us that our actions must testify to our love. We are reminded not to let our past sins keep us in condemnation but once we have confessed our sins we must trust that You have forgiven us completely. A heart that knows it has been forgiven much can approach You with confidence knowing that all we ask for in faith You will give provided we keep the commandment which is that
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us.
Thank You Beloved for the Holy Spirit who leads us deeper into life in You.
John 15:1-8
Dear Love, Beloved of my soul,
After what the Father has done for us in sending You to become the means by which we are all saved, He will not tolerate us to become deadweight on the Vine. As long as we draw life from You, as long as we produce good fruit, as long as we allow the Father to prune us through suffering, only then will He permit us to remain in You.
We live in You on the Father's terms and it is His will that we bear good fruit in abundance. You cursed the fig tree that was full of leaves but without figs and it withered. It was not the season for figs - the lesson You wished to teach us is that we are called to bear fruit in every season. We can do so only if we remain in You and Your Word remains alive and active in us. To this, You attach a glorious promise,
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."
Grant Beloved Father, for the sake of Your Son, to fill me with Your Holy Spirit in order that I may do all that You have planned for me in this life. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment