Ezekiel 2:8---3:4, Psalm 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111,131, Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart. Mt 11:29A
Memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe, Priest, and Martyr


Ezekiel 2:8---3:4, Psalm 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111,131,
Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

Ezekiel 2:8---3:4

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

All the children of God are called to obey Him just as You obeyed Your Father, our God, in all things. We are called to obey You Beloved, for the Father has said, "This is My Son, My Beloved, listen to Him." When we obey You and Your Word we obey God. The Word must be food and drink for each of the baptized. Your Word is Truth and Your Word is Life and without it, we will perish. 

How can we know Your Word Beloved if we do not read it, contemplate it, and allow it to become part of ourselves? Assumed into our very bone and marrow it will become a light for our path and the path of others.

Yes, lamentation and woe is the lot of the sons of Adam and Eve for we have inherited the fruit of their sin and have thus become weak. We are unable to resist the wiles of the flesh, the world, and Satan. But You have provided us with the Way, You have given us the Truth, which in turn abounds to eternal life in us. Thank You for the Sacraments, for the Church and her ministers who administer them in Your Name, thank You for Your Holy Spirit who enables us to cry out Abba, Father thus confirming that we through Your merits won for us on the Cross are indeed sons and daughters of the Most High for You, Beloved are indeed our Brother.
Psalm 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111,131

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Truly those who find in Your Word food and drink will discover the joy of being strengthened in faith, filled with hope, and of basking in God's unfathomable and eternal love. Every one of Your promises is true. In an everchanging world, it is wonderful to know that we can count on You and Your Word always.

The more we know of Your Word Beloved, the more we will hunger and thirst for it. Yearn for it. Desire it. Pant for it. For we are aware that Your Word is You Yourself. When we permit the Word to abide in us and make a home in us we permit the Son of God and the Son of Man to abide in us giving us light and life in a world darkened by sin, iniquity, fear, doubt, evil, and sickness.

May I always hunger and thirst for You Beloved more than for anything the world has to offer. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer.

Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The disciples were always concerned about who would have the best seats in the Kingdom or in this case who would be considered great, important, above the rest of their friends, in heaven. Your answer, is as always, an answer of contradiction. It turns the world's wisdom on its head. Worldly wisdom is poles apart from the Wisdom of God. A childlike heart, a childlike simplicity, a childlike faith and hope in God, our Father and true humility in recognizing how unworthy we are and that all is grace is indeed what will make the least the greatest in the Kingdom of God.

In a world where power, status, wealth, influence, position, fame, physical attributes play the authoritative role in all our dealings with one another, it is good to know that God thinks, acts, and judges differently.  

“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever becomes humble like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.

In a world where the child in the womb has no rights, no identity unless recognized by those outside the womb it is worth remembering this warning:

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father."

Would any worldly wise farmer leave nine-nine sheep untended and open to attack and go looking for a stray? He would if he were quite sure that the ninety-nine were safe and that no harm would come to them. But this parable says nothing about whether or not the ninety-nine were safe from attack it only tells us that the shepherd, leaving the ninety-nine goes in search of the stray and finding it rejoices so greatly in finding it that the fact that he also has ninety-nine sheep who are safe means less to him than the one he has found.

How consoling it is Beloved to know this truth that You have revealed to us sinners"

"In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”

Thank You.