DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom
and cured every disease among the people. Mt 4:23
Isaiah 35:4-7A, Psalm 146:6-10, James 2:1-5,
Mark 7:31-17
Isaiah 35:4-7A
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.
Streams will burst forth in the desert,
and rivers in the steppe.
The burning sands will become pools,
and the thirsty ground, springs of water.
Psalm 146:6-10
James 2:1-5
have you not made distinctions among yourselves
and become judges with evil designs?
Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters.
Did not God choose those who are poor in the world
to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
that he promised to those who love him?
Beloved, let us beware of falling into this trap for just as we judge will we be judged by You who are appointed by the Father as the only righteous judge.
Mark 7:31-17
My Love, Beloved of my soul,
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
He put his finger into the man’s ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,
“Ephphatha!”— that is, “Be opened!” —
And immediately the man’s ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed,
and he spoke plainly.
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom
and cured every disease among the people. Mt 4:23
Isaiah 35:4-7A, Psalm 146:6-10, James 2:1-5,
Mark 7:31-17
Isaiah 35:4-7A
My Love, Beloved of my soul,
Thank You for the assurance today through the words of the prophet Isaiah that the help I need is already mine. I need not be afraid for My God is with me. You are My God. You will save me even from myself and my concupiscence to sin. The Father sent You into the world precisely to help those who like me are too weak to help themselves, who give way even before the race has begun. You came to save me and those like me - the foolish, idiotic sheep who leaves the fold to flirt with danger.
Come to my aid:
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.
Streams will burst forth in the desert,
and rivers in the steppe.
The burning sands will become pools,
and the thirsty ground, springs of water.
Psalm 146:6-10
My Love, Beloved of my soul,
I am truly grateful that even though I am faithless You are always faithful. You provide all that my soul needs as well as my body. You have given me the means by which I can free my soul from the snares that the enemy sets for me. Help me always to choose life and when I fall, pick me up and lead me on to the right path.
You came precisely for sinners like me too weak to choose the right, the true, the good, the holy, the beautiful. I long to do so by I am so weak. Help me I have no one but You to turn to, to cling to, to cry to. Amen.
My Love, Beloved of my soul,
St. James is so right. We are constantly making judgment calls on the basis of outward appearances. It is the way of the world to look at those with wealth, power, beauty, influence, authority and obsequiously lead them to the head of the table, give them the most prominent places, fawn over them and make much of them. But those that are plain, poor, and have nothing are consigned to the periphery of our vision and sometimes we are even blind to their presence. We can even be so callous as to show visibly our distaste for their appearance. We show them no respect. We are rude, hurtful and dismissive of them.
In the words of St. James:
and become judges with evil designs?
Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters.
Did not God choose those who are poor in the world
to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
that he promised to those who love him?
Beloved, let us beware of falling into this trap for just as we judge will we be judged by You who are appointed by the Father as the only righteous judge.
Mark 7:31-17
My Love, Beloved of my soul,
Today the Gospel speaks to us of the man who was deaf and had a speech impediment and was brought before You to be healed. They begged You to heal him. This is the power of intercession; sympathy, and compassion for this man, a powerful combination led people of the place to bring him to You. They had heard of You and now they beg You to lay Your hands on the man and heal him of his affliction.
The evangelist Mark describes what You do. He just does not that You healed him, rather, he gives us details so we can see what actually took place,
The evangelist Mark describes what You do. He just does not that You healed him, rather, he gives us details so we can see what actually took place,
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
He put his finger into the man’s ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,
“Ephphatha!”— that is, “Be opened!” —
And immediately the man’s ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed,
and he spoke plainly.
You could just as easily have commanded him to be healed and Your powerful Word would have accomplished the healing. However, You want to teach us the power in the Sacraments. The seeing, the touching, the senses, the words that accompany this healing also accompanies the Sacraments. The priest takes what is visible and tangible to the senses to effect the mystery of the healing that takes place spiritually.
Truly my Beloved, You do all things well.
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