Ephesians 4:32---5:8, Psalm 1:1-4, 6, Luke 13:10-17

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth. Jn 17: 17B, 17A

Ephesians 4:32---5:8, Psalm 1:1-4, 6, Luke 13:10-17


Ephesians 4:32---5:8

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

You were unfailingly kind, loving, attentive, compassionate, and sensitive to those in need. And I am called to imitate You. Why? Because I have been forgiven much and for this reason alone I must be patient with all whom I encounter each day. 

I am called to imitate God who is holy and perfect. I am called to love as You loved - my life must be a self-oblation, uniting my poor, sinful life with all its sorrows and joys to Your one, holy and perfect, Sacrifice to the Father. The sacrifice of my life, united with Your Fragrant Sacrifice wholly pleasing to God, will also find favor with Him.

St. Paul is very clear about how we must live our lives - we must be pure in thought, word, and deed. Immorality has no place in the lives of those who are children of the Light. Anyone who is a child of the world has no place in the Kingdom of God; this is why we must set aside what the world touts as wisdom, for it is immoral, sinful, depraved, and devoid of all life and hope. A child of the world will not have a share in Your inheritance.

The world is full of those who can use words cleverly to misconstrue the Truth. They use devious arguments that are meant to confuse and obfuscate the truth. God is Light and those who walk in Truth walk in the Light and Love of God and are children of the Most High.
Psalm 1:1-4, 6

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

All that St. Paul has said in today's reading echoes the Psalmist.

We laugh, concur,  or stay silent even when we are uncomfortable in the presence of the wicked who are liars if they are rich, powerful, and influential. We are cowardly because we lack the integrity to act as we ought. Let our displeasure be seen and walk away. When we keep company with sinners who delight in their sinful ways, then we deny You just as Peter did. 

The one who is truly wise knows that life and light come from keeping company with those who love the truth.  Wisdom is ours when we meditate on Your Word, allow it to take root in our lives and are guided by it.

Only when we are planted beside the streams of Living Water can we bear fruit in every season. We will not die but live and everything we do will be pleasing to You.

The world believes that they are invincible but they are unaware that they are dying and the stench of death so fills their lives that are no longer able to recognize it. The day of reckoning will come. The Judge is appointed and we will all be called to give a strict account of the talents that were entrusted to us by a gracious God.

Luke 13:10-17

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

You were not afraid to confront Your enemies even though You knew that in the end, they would allow their hate for You to consume them and they would not rest until they succeeded in their wicked plot to murder You and they would not rest until they carried it out. 

You were teaching in the synagogue and You noticed that poor crippled woman who had suffered for eighteen years. You compassion set her free with a word, "Woman, you are set free of your infirmity." You laid Your hands on her, touched her, and she stood up straight and tall and gave glory to God. 

THE CRIPPLE LK 13:10-13

There will always be those who stick the letter of the law sucking from it every trace of humanity and compassion just as the leader of the synagogue demonstrated that day. When in a loud, sanctimonious voice he said angrily, "There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day."

Instead of rejoicing that the poor woman was healed he decided to split hairs. He was so obtuse that he did not recognize that he was acknowledging the fact that You cured, healed, You performed miracles. Instead, he chose to harp on the fact that it was the Sabbath and according to his interpretation of the law healing the sick was not permitted on that day.

You called him a hypocrite in front of the crowd and gave the self-righteous leaders of the synagogue a true interpretation of the Sabbath.