Ephesians 5:21-33, Psalm 128:1-5, Luke 13:18-21

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
You have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom. 

Mt 11:25

Ephesians 5:21-33, Psalm 128:1-5, Luke 13:18-21


Ephesians 5:21-33

My love, Beloved of my soul,

Loving submission to You as a member of Your Body the Church is a joy and a privilege. In the same way, I am called to loving submission to my spouse not because we are not equal for we are but because our relationship is similar to that of You and the Church.

Loving and joyful submission is not tyranny but a choice that we make because it creates harmony between the lover and the beloved. It is natural for a woman to nurture, it is natural for man to provide and protect. Just as we look to You our Bridegroom and our Spouse to provide us with all we need in order that we may be presented to God holy, and unblemished, so too it is the loving duty of husbands to be the kind of Spouse that You are to the Church.

The love, the kindness, the respect, the protection, that a husband provides his wife enables and encourages her to be her best self. Each is called to lay down their lives for the other in love just as You lay down Your life for us.



Psalm 128:1-5

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

To fear God is to live in awe and worship of Him always. It is not a servile fear but a fear born of the desire to do nothing that will wound our God who has loved us with a love that is beyond anything the human mind can fathom. 

Loving God, help me always to choose to walk in the way that You have pointed to me. To yield to You will in all things no matter how challenging bring joy, peace, and fulfillment of our deepest desires.

Thank you for my vocation to be a wife and mother. Thank You for the children that we have been blessed with. May they always praise You and remain close to the faith that is Your gift to them as it is to us. Thank You for the hope we have of living with You in the Kingdom of God forever.


Luke 13:18-21

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Every soul who is baptized and grafted into Your Body is like the mustard seed in this parable. There is a mission, there is a work that I am called to do. I am to grow and flourish. I am called to be fruitful, not barren so that those who shelter in me find nourishment. God has a plan for my whole life and I am called to be receptive in order to discern it and embrace it. 

I am called to be like yeast that leavens the whole batch of dough so that the perfume of sanctity that comes from You in me emanates and permeates those around me.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine. Amen.

Revelations 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9A, Psalm 100:1-5, Luke 21:20-28

DAILY HOLY MASS READING


Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand. Lk 21:28


Revelations 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9A, Psalm 100:1-5,
Luke 21:20-28

Revelations 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9A

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

A glorious destiny awaits those who have been faithful. Those who have believed. Those who have loved both God and neighbor. Yes, there will be times of tribulation when the Just Judge will winnow the wheat from the chaff and separate the sheep from the goats but those who have walked in faith will be invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb. We will take our seat at the banquet and there we will rejoice and praise God along with all the angels and saints forever.

Psalm 100:1-5

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Teach me Your ways my Lord that I may have a song in my heart all the days of my life. May joy and gladness overflow from me because of all You have done for me. Thank You for Your faithfulness and the assurances of Your love and care for me day after day. You created me and You have a wonderful future in store for me, a glorious, eternal destination. Thank You for the grace that enables me to choose what pleases You. Thank You for Your unfailing kindness. Thank You for never leaving me. Thank You that I can lean on You always especially during the dark periods in my life. Help me to stay faithful to the end.

Luke 21:20-28

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

As the liturgical year comes to an end we are reminded about Your Second Coming in glory.

There are difficult times in every life and in the course of history we see kingdoms rise and fall. Every nation and all its people are called to live in holiness, righteousness, and truth, however, this is not always so.  In our own world today our lives are in total contrast to the Truth that You have revealed. With sin comes death as its natural consequence. But those who believe and are faithful will be taken up with You in glory and there to remain with You, the Father, and the Holy Spirit forever.

Lord, we look forward with joy and expectation to Your coming again in glory. Maranatha, Lord Jesus, Maranatha!

Revelations 15:1-4, Psalm 98:1-3, 7-9, Luke 21:12-19

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Remain faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life. Rev 2:10C

Revelations 15:1-4, Psalm 98:1-3, 7-9, Luke 21:12-19


Revelations 15:1-4

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

I thank and praise You for the glorious destiny that awaits those who are faithful. Grant that I too am in that number. Sometimes life seems long, tedious, painful, but I must not forget all those times in my life Beloved when You have poured blessing upon blessing on me and those I love, favor upon favor have I received and often quite undeserved. You have been more than generous in loving me and blessing me. 

Thank You, my Beloved. May I count my blessings often and may I keep my gaze ever upon You and I will receive strength for the journey until at last my voice too will be joined with those who sing the song of the Lamb:

"Great and wonderful are your works,
Lord God almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
O king of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
or glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All the nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed."
Psalm 98:1-3, 7-9

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

I have absolutely no reason to be downhearted, sorrowful, and afraid. Faith in You is no faith at all if I allow fear to overpower me. Trouble comes into every life it is how we face the challenge that determines who we truly are. I am weak Beloved but that's ok for I rely on Your strength. Then I can say with Paul, when I am weak I am strong in the strength of my God.

My Beloved, I know You and all that I know of You have taught me that I can safely rely on You in all the circumstances of my life. You have taught me to call God Father. You have said that I am your sister. You have poured Your Holy Spirit into my soul. How can I walk as one defeated? I am free with the freedom that is granted to children of God.

Give me joy in my heart and a song on my lips so that I may praise You with every breath I breathe all the days of my life.

Luke 21:12-19

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

If we are to live out our faith boldly in the public square? If we take our mission seriously to go out into the world and preach the Good News of salvation, then You warn us that we will face dangers, difficulties, challenges, persecution, and perhaps even martyrdom. But we are to be unafraid as a glorious destiny awaits those who persevere to the end.

When we are challenged we are to remain untroubled for the Holy Spirit will come to our defense, He is the Paraclete who will give us words to refute the Enemy. You warn us that in this world we will have trouble but we are to remain calm and let nothing disturb our peace for You, my Beloved, have overcome the world.

Revelations 4:1-11, Psalm 150:1-6, Luke 19:11-18

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS


Memorial of the 
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord. Jn 15:16

Revelations 4:1-11, Psalm 150:1-6, Luke 19:11-18

Revelations 4:1-11

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

It is truly right and fitting that heaven ceaselessly give You praise, honor, and glory for all that You have accomplished for sinful human beings. It is the Father's eternal joy that You, His only beloved Son, in perfect humility, became the willing Victim for our sins saving humanity from eternal separation from God who so loved the world that He sent His only Son to redeem a fallen world.

The tragedy that ought to strike every human heart is that many reject You. This sad fact must also grieve the Father who did not hold back His only Son but gave Him up as a ransom for many.

This is why Beloved, we who believe are required to labor tirelessly in Your vineyard that we save as many as possible by the witness of our lives. 

Grant that we begin on earth to join the angels who praise You ceaselessly night and day, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come." And may our response be like that of the 24 elders who fall on their faces in worship, saying, "Worthy are you, Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things; because of your will they came to be and were created."

Psalm 150:1-6

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

As long as there is breath in my body, grant that I praise You constantly just as the psalmist today praises You. You are holy, You are mighty, You are God and wholly deserving of our praise.

Every being in heaven praises You constantly, all that lives and breathes on earth praise You and may the voices of every human being man, woman, and child acknowledge with grateful and humble thanks that You are indeed worthy of our praise. Were it not for You Beloved, heaven would have been closed to us forever. Thank You for being the Way to the Father and for inviting us to come to Him through You in order to live with You, the Father, and the Holy Spirit forever.

Luke 19:11-18

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

It is a terrible thing in the sight of God to reject You, His Son as our Lord, our God, our Savior, and our King. This is the Father's will that every human being acknowledges this wonderful thing that He has done for us through the Incarnation. You are God and yet in perfect accord with the Father's will, You came into the world like one of us in all things save sin. You took up our poverty, You became flesh subjecting Yourself to every hardship and to the weaknesses of the human condition. This is why the parable in today's gospel is a harsh indictment of those who refuse to believe, to acknowledge, and to give thanks to God for all He has accomplished for us through You.

To all is given, according to our ability, gifts that we must put to use in order to reap a harvest that will rebound to Your glory. To bury my gift is to deny God's generosity and goodness in trusting me to use it wisely to draw others to know and love You. 

As long as we live we are given as many opportunities as are necessary to begin anew no matter how badly or how often we fail. This is why those who willfully and knowingly reject the only Son of God will be cast out from Your Presence forever. But those who labor joyfully, unceasingly, and tirelessly will receive far more than they ever expected; for no one can outdo You, my Beloved, in generosity.

Revelations 3:1-6, 14-22, Psalm 15:2-5, Luke 19:1-10

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

God loved us, and sent his Son
as expiation for our sins. 1Jn 4:10B

Revelations 3:1-6, 14-22, Psalm 15:2-5, Luke 19:1-10


Revelations 3:1-6, 14-22

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

We can make an outward show of piety and fool everyone who sees us but we cannot deceive God. Today we are warned about appearing alive but in truth, we are dead and deserving of eternal damnation. It is time to awaken from our slumber and know that life as we know it will end and then we will have to give a strict account of how we used the precious gifts given to us. You have invited us to be holy as our Father in heaven is holy and perfect but instead, we have wallowed in the mire of the world and steeped ourselves in worldliness. We have soiled our baptismal garment. Today You invite us to repentance. To put old, sinful ways behind us and to begin anew to live a life that is pleasing to God so when the time of judgment comes we can stand before You with confidence.

You have another warning - we are called to be either hot or cold. You have no use for the lukewarm, the indifferent, one who is too lazy, idle, and selfish to use the talents given by God to establish His Kingdom in the world. These God will spew us out of His mouth. Instead, we are called to labor tirelessly and to obtain for ourselves treasure in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys. We are called to return to the Sacraments especially that of Reconciliation so we may be robed once more in the garment of purity.

As long as today lasts, You stand at the door of our heart and knock and You assure us that if anyone opens the door You will enter and make Your home in us, You will dine with us, You will remain with us. To the one who believes and lives in love and truth, will be granted a share in Your victorious triumph over sin, death, and hell and will be seated with Your Father in heaven.

Psalm 15:2-5

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Life, as we know it on earth, will come to an end. Whether long or short when compared to eternity, it is over in the blink of an eye. At the end of this journey, we will face You as Judge and God as our Maker and we will have to give a strict account of how we made use of the many blessings, graces, and gifts that were showered on us by a gracious God.

You told us clearly that You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life and all who follow You will receive a share in Your glory. We are called to imitate You in all things. We have countless saintly men and women who have lived before us who have shown us that it is possible to live good, holy lives despite all the wiles of the Enemy, the lures of the world, and the weaknesses of our flesh.

Keep me faithful Beloved. Help me to walk in the Light of your Love. Grant that the graces I receive through the Sacraments may not be squandered but used effectively to help me on the way from this life to the life that is to come. Amen.

Luke 19:1-10

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Every one of us at some time in our life has been like Zacchaeus, terribly stunted spiritually. But as St. Augustine said there is a deep restlessness within us that nothing can quieten except You. There is a hunger that nothing can satisfy but You. We live feverishly without You, going from one frivolity to the next hoping to fill the emptiness within that never can be filled but with You.

Zacchaeus realized this as we all must at some point in our lives. He was aware of his shortcomings but was not complacent about them, he decided to do something even though others would deem him ridiculous. He did not care what others thought of him. He saw the opportunity offered to him and would let nothing, not even his own handicap, stand in the way. 

God sees us. He knows our heart. He will reward even the intent of goodwill a hundredfold as we see in Your interaction with Zacchaeus. He desired to encounter God and God granted him his desire. So overwhelmed was he at God's generosity that he turned his life completely around and from then on was a new man. And not only he but his entire family was saved.

God does nothing by halves. Thank You Beloved for You generous love. Thank You for lavishing Your gifts upon us even though we are not always faithful. Thank You for loving me and for Your patience with me. Thank You for not holding back when I am stubborn, obtuse, and deliberately blind but for opening my eyes with tough lessons.

To You, nothing is more important than that every soul whose salvation was won at so great a price be saved and that none may be lost. 

Keep me faithful to the end Beloved.

https://bridegroomofmysoul.blogspot.com/2009/04/not-so-little-man-luke-191-10.html

Revelations 1:1-4, 2:1-5, Psalm 1:1-4, 6, Luke 18:35-43

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life. Jn 8:12


Revelations 1:1-4, 2:1-5, Psalm 1:1-4, 6, Luke 18:35-43


Revelations 1:1-4, 2:1-5

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

No one can say that You have left us orphans. You saved us and restored to us all that was lost by our first parents. God does not want a lukewarm love. He has no use for it. In fact, He rejects it. What God desires, are our hearts on fire with love for Him and with zeal in establishing His Kingdom on earth. 

Beloved, we are called to keep alive the love we had when we first knew You, a love that thought nothing of sacrifice for the sake of the Beloved and to do His will always. Grant O Lord, that whatever You ask of me, even if it not what I expected, to do it with all the love of my heart knowing that obedience is better than sacrifice.

Keep me joyful I beg You. Nothing is more distressing than doing Your will with a heavy heart and a sad countenance. You have shown me the way now I beg You to grant me the grace to walk in it gladly. Life, as it is right now, is nothing like the life I knew in the past yet this is what You have planned for me. Grant me the grace to embrace it cheerfully and not look back lest like Lot's wife I turn into a pillar of salt.  

Psalm 1:1-4, 6

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The Tree of Life is the Cross through which You obtained freedom from slavery to sin and new life in You. You have shown us the Way that leads to the Kingdom of God and it is narrow. You warn us that it is difficult and few choose it. Though the road to life is hard yet there is great joy in choosing it. 

In the Sacrament of Baptism, I received new life. You grafted me into Your Body and made me a fruitful member of it. So long as I am one with You I am alive and able to do all that God asks of me but apart from You I can do nothing. Keep me aware of the truth always and may I never choose the path that will lead to the destruction of my soul. Stay with me Beloved, and keep me safe from the wiles of the Enemy until the end.


Luke 18:35-43

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Every one of us who is born is like this blind man who sits by the road begging for scraps. There is a time in every life when we receive the opportunity to encounter You, how we respond is entirely up to us. The blind beggar was seated in his usual spot waiting for travelers to and from Jericho to give him alms and they usually did. He lived on the scraps that were given to him. Finally, the day arrived when life as he knew it was about to change. 

There was something different about that day. From a distance, his heightened sense of hearing picked up the sound of a crowd approaching. As the crowd drew nearer he asked what was happening and they told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." That's all it took. He had heard of You and he believed all that he had heard. Here was his opportunity, perhaps there would be no other, and he grabbed it. He shouted as loud as he could so his voice carried over the babble of the crowd. Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" Not only the piercing cry but the choice of words were guaranteed to get a response from the Son of God. He cared not for the rebukes of the people in the crowd. He just kept shouting louder. "Son of David, have pity on me!"

You stopped and ordered that he be brought to You. 

Faith such as the blind man's will enable us to receive all that our hearts long for. When he came near, You said, "What do you want me to do for you?" One would imagine that it was pretty obvious what he wanted. He was blind and of course, he desired to see. But that's not how faith works. We are required to tell You simply, what it is we desire, even though You know our most secret thoughts, You desire us to know what we want and to express it clearly so we may grow in simplicity, humility, and faith. And so the man put into words the deepest need of his soul, and the deepest need of every human soul, "Lord, please let me see." 

You responded as You will always respond to a genuine cry for salvation, "Have sight; your faith has saved you."

Every encounter with You Beloved must result in us drawing ever closer to You. We are called to follow You joyfully giving all glory, praise, honor, worship, and thanks along with all God's people until we reach the heavenly Jerusalem.

Daniel 12:1-3, Psalm 16:5, 8-11, Hebrews 10:11-14, 18, Mark 13:24-32

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength to stand before the Son of Man. Lk 21:36

Daniel 12:1-3, Psalm 16:5, 8-11, Hebrews 10:11-14, 18,
Mark 13:24-32


Daniel 12:1-3

My love, Beloved of my soul,

The end of days will come to us all when life, as we know it here on earth, will give way to life eternal. What that new life will be like will be determined by the way I live today, in the here and now.

You have shown us the Way and we are commanded to walk in it. Grant my Beloved, that I and all those I love may be faithful until we draw our last breath and so be united eternally with You in heaven. Amen.


Psalm 16:5, 8-11

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Were it not for Your yes to the Father and Mother Mary's yes to Him as well we would not have You for our inheritance, our joy, our cup, our portion. Both You and Your Mother have ensured that our body will not be subject to eternal death after it has turned to dust. You will restore it and we will be united body and soul with You forever. 

Those who have been Your faithful disciples, those who have walked in Truth and Love, will not be separated from You. 

This journey here on earth may sometimes seem endless yet it will pass like the blink of an eye and someday we will stand before You, the only righteous Judge, appointed by the Father. Thank You, Beloved, that I now know You as Brother, Friend, Beloved, Spouse. Thank You for the time You have allotted to me and for grace made available through the Sacraments that enable me to remain faithful. Grant that I so live my life on earth that when that day comes when I have to face You as my Judge I shall do so unafraid for You Yourself will lead me by the hand into the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen.

Hebrews 10:11-14, 18

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

St. Paul, as well as the Apostles and disciples, knew exactly how limited the Jewish faith was once You revealed Yourself to the world as its Messiah and Savior. The Jews had the Law which revealed their sins and in atonement, ritual sacrifices were offered by priests who themselves were sinners and had to make atonement for their own sins as well as that of the people. Yet, those sacrifices did not have the power to take away their sins.

The Father sent You into the world as the Eternal High Priest to offer the one, holy, and perfect Sacrifice, pleasing and acceptable to Him, that would atone for the sins of the whole world. Having offered Yourself as the Lamb of Sacrifice, You are now seated at the right hand of the Father and there You plead for us, Your sinful brothers and sisters, making of us sons and daughters of God and co-heirs with You to the Kingdom of God. Thank You for obtaining for us forgiveness of sins and a place at the Banquet Table in heaven.

Mark 13:24-32

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

As the Liturgical year draws to a close, the Church reminds us of the end times. Life as we know it will give way to New Life. We do not know when that day or hour will be when You will come again in glory to claim the living and the dead. Those who were faithful will be taken up with You and those who were not will be separated from You eternally.

As long as this day lasts Beloved we have time to choose You, to choose life, to believe and to be saved. We each have been given a mission so we come to heaven not alone but accompanied by those whose lives we influenced for good. 

When we look at the world today we see nothing but confusion, chaos, sin, division, wanton licentiousness, apathy for all things spiritual, a feverish desire for the things that bring death. The voices of reason are being drowned out by those who desire to live by the dictates of the flesh. Even in the Church, there are many who are on this slippery slope. Lies are being twisted to seem like the truth. Evil seems to have a stranglehold on those institutions that were once trusted as the bastions of nobility, purity, goodness, and truth. 

How much longer Beloved, before Wisdom prevails? Grant O Lord that this time is brief. Grant that the world recognizes that the spectre of death in all the choices it currently touts as freedom can only bring about darkness, devastation, and ruin. When You come again in glory Beloved, let it be to a world waiting with joy and expectation at Your coming again. Amen.

2 John 4-9, Psalm 119:1-2, 10-11, 17-18, Luke 17:26-37

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand. Lk 21:28

2 John 4-9, Psalm 119:1-2, 10-11, 17-18, Luke 17:26-37


2 John 4-9

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

All that we need to receive eternal life has been revealed to us both in Scripture, and in You. You are the fulfillment of all the promises of God beginning with Adam and Eve. There is only one commandment - the commandment to love first God above and before all and then to love each other. If love is the guiding principle of my life I shall never put a foot astray.

The Great Deceiver has his minions in the world and many in the world are being ruined by the lies that are being spread by those who hate God. If the world refuses to recognize and believe that the Father sent You into the world as one of us, clothed in human flesh, then Satan wins. But we know the end of the story my Lord, You have won the victory, You have triumphed over death and the Cross, and You have paid the price of our redemption.

Through the power of Your Holy Spirit set our souls on fire so that we who believe will witness courageously to the Truth that is revealed and embodied in You.

Psalm 119:1-2, 10-11, 17-18,

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

If I love You then it will not be a hardship to obey You, to follow wherever You lead, and to trust You even when I do not understand. 

Grant me, this grace My Lord and My God, that I may seek You with all my heart and do what You ask even when my flesh cries out against it. You know how weak my flesh is and how easily I give in at the first hurdle. 

Thank You for the gift of Your Sacraments that enable me to receive all the help I need. Make it possible Beloved, for me to frequent them more often because I need the graces that are granted through them, to lead a holy life. Keep my gaze fixed on You and I will not stray from the path that leads to life.  Amen.


Luke 17:26-37

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

In today's Gospel, You warn us about being so consumed by the world that we miss the signs of Your coming to us every day and Your Presence among us. The world is raucously and belligerently determined to deny You, determined to deny that there is Truth that cannot be denied and that is unchangeable, unlike the weather.  The world is determined to eat, drink, and be merry all the way to hell. It is determined to deny all that is true, good, beautiful, sacred, and divine and prefers to pander to every whim and desire of the flesh.

So many are already in hell because they live frenetically from one passion to the next and they are deadened and de-sensitized to all that is noble and good.

How much longer Beloved, can we go on like this? Have mercy on Your people Lord, the faithful remnant, and come to our aid and rescue us. Enough Beloved. Let better sense prevail and let the Wisdom of the Holy Spirit descend upon the world and awaken it from its deadly stupor.

Philemon 7-20, Psalm 146:7-10, Luke 17:20-25

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I am the vine, you are the branches, says the Lord:
whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit. Jn 15:5


Philemon 7-20, Psalm 146:7-10, Luke 17:20-25


Philemon 7-20

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Paul reminds his friend in such loving and gentle terms to do what is right by the man who was once his slave. Onesimus has embraced the Gospel and is a fellow Christian and brother in Christ. He is no longer a slave for all who believe in You and in the Gospel are children of God.

We ought to feel for our Christian brothers and sisters, no matter who they may be, just as Paul does for Onesimus and to treat our fellow Christians as he urges Philemon to treat his former slave.

Psalm 146:7-10

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The psalmist reminds us how God loves the poor, the downtrodden, the prisoner, the forgotten, the sinner. It is God who feeds us and provides for all our needs. And He counts on us to do the same. You have said clearly, 'In as much as you have done it for these little ones, you have done it to me.'

Luke 17:20-25

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

When you came into the world the Kingdom of God came with You and was established here among us. It is already here. It has to be realized in every human heart only then will we truly enjoy the bliss of Your Presence here and now in our midst.

We long for Your Second Coming Beloved. When You do the whole world will know it at once. But I believe we ought to be grateful for Your delay for if You came now not many would be taken up with You. 

Grant O Lord, my God, that every Christian may live the Gospel so powerfully that all may come to know You, believe in You, love You and be saved. Amen.

Titus 2:1-8, 11-14, Psalm 37:3-4, 18, 27, 27, 29, Luke 17:7-10

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him. Jn 14:23

Titus 2:1-8, 11-14, Psalm 37:3-4, 18, 27, 27, 29,
Luke 17:7-10

Titus 2:1-8, 11-14

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

St. Paul, speaking to Titus gives him sound advise as to how the people of God are required to conduct themselves. While some of it may sound foreign to our ears, nevertheless, much of what he says is relevant and applies to us as well. 

It is always and in any age right that and good that we do not live lives that are a contradiction to our faith. Old men ought not to make fools of themselves by forgetting that the folly of youth is best left to youth. They are called to be exemplary witnesses to the faith. Similarly, older women should refrain from being gossips or addicted to drink. Older women too can be foolish and ridiculous in assiduously aping the young. Instead, they are called to be role models setting a good example by being faithful to their vocation.

Young people also must live holy lives. Lives of self-control, obedient and respectful to those in authority. As Christians, our lives must be a powerful witness to those around us that we are people of God and our lives must shine with Your Light in a world getting increasingly dark with sin.

We are called to live holy lives, pure in all things, only then can we be truly happy as we live in peace and harmony with one another. 

Philippians 3:3-8, Psalm 105:2-7, Luke 15:1-10

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord. Mt. 11:28

Philippians 3:3-8, Psalm 105:2-7, Luke 15:1-10


Philippians 3:3-8


My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Circumcision was the sign that God required of the sons of Abraham to remind them of the Covenant He made with them. But we, having received the Spirit of God through You, made one with Your Body, are the true sons and daughters of the Most High God. We are Your brothers and sisters and with You, we share the inheritance of the Kingdom of God. We are co-heirs with You.

If we put our confidence in anything other than in You we cannot be saved. Nothing and no one can save us apart from You. Faith in You has the power to open the gates of the Kingdom of God to us there is no other way to the Father. 

Paul, speaking about his Jewish inheritance says that he could boast with the best of them of being a true son of Abraham and a righteous follower of the Law of Moses but he now knows that the Law is powerless to save. Salvation comes from You alone. And abiding joy comes from knowing You and loving You who are all good and worthy of all our love.

Psalm 105:2-7

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

It is our duty always and everywhere to sing Your praise and to tell of the wonderful things that You have done for us. The more we praise You the greater will be our capacity to truly appreciate all You do for us. 

Thank You for grace that kindles in our hearts a desire to seek You and on finding You in all the circumstances of our lives, to rejoice. Our strength comes from You. Thank You for becoming our food and drink which wells up to eternal life. When our faith is weak all we need to do is look at all You have done for us in the past, how You saved us, and our soul will soar once more on eagle's wings.

Thank You for the work You have entrusted to me. Grant that I may always seek to serve You as I serve those around me faithfully every day. Thank You for claiming me as Your own and for the confidence I have that I belong to You.

Luke 15:1-10

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Many of us like the Pharisees and Scribes believe that because of our power, position or wealth we have a right to exclude those less fortunate a place with us at the table. They actually make their contempt visible. In fact, they would prefer not to see them for then perhaps it could trouble their conscience if they have one. 

If we are honest with ourselves, we can all recall times when we expected to be recognized, honored, and singled out for praise. We have thought ourselves better than others, looked down on others, pushed and elbowed our way to the front because we believed it was our right. 

Thankfully for those who are looked down upon and excluded, there is a God who sees them,  and loves them and will go out in search for them. He will not rest until all His sheep are safe in the fold.

For those of us who have been discriminated against for whatever reason, let us remember what it feels like and make sure that we do not discriminate against anyone. 

All of us are invited to the Banquet. All of us are saved by the same God. In God's eyes, we are all His children equal in His sight and entitled to be treated with kindness, respect, and dignity. 

Philippians 2:12-18, Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14, Luke 14:25-33

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you,
for the Spirit of God rests upon you. 1Pt 4:14

Philippians 2:12-18, Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14, 
Luke 14:25-33


Philippians 2:12-18

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

What a great privilege is ours. We have received the gift of faith and love impels us to be obedient to Your will in every area of our lives. Every waking hour we are to be aware that we are God's children who have been saved and ransomed at a price that we cannot repay. Hence, we must live holy lives always pleasing to You. All the work we do must be done gladly and for Your glory. It is so easy to murmur, quarrel, and be discontented. To be the cause of division rather than unity for selfish gain. It is so easy to be beguiled by the standard of the world because it panders to the flesh, to self-will, urging us to give in to personal desires. But we were created in love for love. That is the divine standard by which we ought to live. We are urged and aided by Your Spirit to be holy and pure and to strive after perfection in imitation of our Father who is holy and perfect. We are called to share our faith but more importantly to live it so we shine Your light in the world feeble though it may be.

Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14

My Love, Beloved of my soul,


This psalm should be the anthem of every Christian. It is a psalm of joy, of confidence, of faith in our awesome God who never fails, never sleeps, and is always close to us.

There ought to be a song on my lips and joy in heart no matter what the circumstances of my life may be. No matter how narrow and difficult the journey I walk without fear because You make the journey with me. You keep my hand firmly in Your own. When I stumble You steady me, should I fall You lift me. When I am too weary to go on, You carry me on Your shoulders. 

You are the Light that illumines my path all the days of my life so I need never walk in darkness. You have saved me from the jaws of death and my heart rejoices and exults in You and in Your love for me.

I look with confidence to the end of this life's journey for I know that a glorious destination waits for me. I will behold You, my God, as You are. We will be face to face never to be separated. I will see You for whom my soul yearns. And while I wait, my Beloved, abide with me, grant me the courage to be faithful to the end.

Luke 14:25-33

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Anything worth having is worth fighting for. The crowds followed You because You challenged them not only to be better than they were but because they believed they could be. 

We have to love God exclusively. We cannot offer You a watered down, wishy-washy love. You reject it. You desire us to love You as You loved us. We are called to pour out ourselves in total self-giving just as You did. No earthly ties no matter how close can come before our love for You.

As disciples we are called to carry our cross cheerfully every day, not alone but with You. We have to understand the cost of discipleship before we embark on our journey with You, it will cost us everything and if we are not prepared to give it our all we will turn back, we will fall by the wayside, be trampled upon and lost forever.

Anyone who is possessed by anything other than by You cannot be Your disciple.

Thank You, Beloved, for speaking plainly so we can understand the true cost and the great reward of a committed and faithful discipleship.

Philippians 2:5-11, Psalm 22:26-32, Luke 14:15-24

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord. Mt 11:28
Philippians 2:5-11, Psalm 22:26-32, Luke 14:15-24

Philippians 2:5-11

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

St. Paul reminds us of the precious virtue of humility. It is one that God Himself embraces. It is a contradiction when mere human beings are filled with pride and lord it over each other. We are all made of flesh and blood. We feel heat and cold equally. We bleed. We feel pain. We suffer. We are all subject to death and decay and yet some of us treat others shamefully.

We are called today to look at You and to imitate You. Not only to imitate but to cultivate the same attitude that You had. You who were God submitted gladly to His will even though You are equal to the Father and the Spirit. You became man, one like us in every respect save sin. You gave up Your place in heaven and emptied Yourself completely to become small, weak, subject to all that being human entails. Your humanity would suffer the final ignominy - death by crucifixion and all the humiliation and agony that went with it.

You fulfilled God's plan to perfection and this is why the world is saved only through You. You are the gateway to the Father. This is the Father's will. I tremble for those who believe this to be true but for one reason or the other, they refuse to accept You as their Lord and Savior. There are many people of other faiths who have heard of You, have read about You, have had Christians witness convincingly to them about You so they believe but are too cowardly to embrace Truth.

I pray my Lord and my God that they will have the humility to acknowledge You as the only Savior before the meet You as Judge, for then they will not be able to answer convincingly why they rejected You even though they knew the Gospel to be true.

Psalm 22:26-32

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

What a blessing and a privilege it is to be a cradle Catholic and yet many of us do not fully appreciate what we are born into. Faith is a gift which has been handed down to us by our parents. What a terrible tragedy it is for those Catholic parents who themselves are totally ignorant of their faith raise equally ignorant children although they are baptized. Sacred vows were made before God and before God's people, the Church, which have not been fulfilled.

But those that do can exult with the psalmist as he praises You today. Your anointed people come together as one family to worship, praise, pray, give thanks and honor You. We are the Church, Your Body, and Your life courses through us.

We acknowledge You as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and we give You all glory and honor just as the Father commands us to. It is He who has raised You up and given You a place above all others and a Name above every other name. A Name that is filled with life and with power. 

Grant O Lord that my children and my children's children and their descendants up to the thousandth generation shall receive the faith just as I did and that they remain faithful to the end. Amen.

Luke 14:15-24

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Being God, the Eternal Word of the Father, You knew just what to say to bring the message home to those who believed that the Kingdom was theirs because of their heritage or whatever other erroneous reason they nurtured in their hearts.

The Kingdom of God is open to all - God does not discriminate man does. There are many who believe that their standing in the community, their position, their influence, the good works they do, the title they bear will automatically guarantee them a place at the Table of God. Today You disabuse us of this notion. Those who were invited rejected the invitation and their place is given to sinners, the outcast, the rejected. Those we least expect will be seated at the Banquet Feast and those who expected to have first place will find themselves cast out.


Beloved, teach us the value of being little, for only the poor in spirit will receive the Kingdom of God. Thank You.