Sirach 5:1-8, Psalm 1:1-4, 6, Mark 9:41-50

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,
but as it truly is, the word of God. 1 Thes 2:13

Sirach 5:1-8, Psalm 1:1-4, 6, Mark 9:41-50


Sirach 5:1-8

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Sirach, the writer of today's First Reading, reminds us not to be guilty of the sin of presumption. He warns us that although You are a God of love and mercy, kindness and compassion, and that You take pity on the sinner yet, we cannot take Your love and forgiveness for granted. 

To be forgiven of our sins we must first acknowledge that we are sinners, repent of our sins, beg for mercy and forgiveness, make reparation for the harm we have done, and resolve with Your help to sin no more.

Thank You, Beloved, for the gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Thank You for the Cross. Thank You for taking upon Yourself the punishment that was mine and for obtaining for me the hope of eternal salvation.


Psalm 1:1-4, 6

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Thank You for writing Your Law of Love on my heart. Thank You for the gift of Yourself to me in a communion of intimacy and love at every Eucharist.

Thank You, making me a member of Your Body. Thank You, that You are the vine and I am a branch of the vine. Thank You, for the Life of the Spirit that flows from You to me. Thank You, that You make me fruitful with good fruit that will last. Thank You, for all that You make possible through me because I belong to You. Above all, Beloved, thank You, for the hope that I have in You.


Mark 9:41-50

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

We are called to love one another and to look out for each other. We are called to a life of service only then will be able to realize the true purpose for which we were created. To love You above and before all else, to serve You, to find happiness in You and to love my neighbour as I love myself.

I am called to be witness to Your love wherever I am. If however, I am a source of scandal, and I lead others weaker than me into sin then, You warn me that it would be better for me to destroy myself rather than lead Your little ones to destruction. 

There is a hell just as surely as there is a heaven although the world prefers to live in denial. There will be a judgment and there will be the righteous Judge who will pronounce judgement. While we have time, Beloved, grant us the grace to live holy, upright, lives pleasing to both You and to those around us so the peace that You came to give us may flourish.

Sirach 2:1-11, Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40, Mark 9:30-37

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

May I never boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. Gal 6:14
Sirach 2:1-11, Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40,
Mark 9:30-37


Sirach 2:1-11

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Every saint has been steadfast in faith when they faced trials. In times of persecution and adversity, they clung to You even more closely. Through their sorrows and affliction, through their tears, their cries to You for help and strength to endure did not cease. You steadied them, You took them by the hand, even when they did not feel Your Presence You were there. You led them through the dark night, through the valley of tears and they believed in faith that although they did not experience Your consoling Presence, You were there.

All these great saints whom we honor today were tested like gold in the furnace and they were purified. 

The writer, Sirach, reminds us to keep hope alive no matter what trials we undergo. We are to have a reverential fear for God and trust in His abounding mercy. Even when faced with great suffering we are to be patient and hope that in the end, You who bear our burdens with us, will ensure our triumph and victory in the end.  

Thank You, Beloved, for hope in You, for peace in You, and for salvation and redemption which is freely available to all who believe in You.



Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Grant me this grace that I may always place all my hope in You and in nothing and no one else. I desire that I delight in You alone and You will give me all that I desire which is You.  Help me Lord to rise up with confidence no matter how far I fall, how gravely I sin, because my flesh is weak. 

I believe that You are always watching over me because I am the apple of Your eye. I know that You will keep me safe no matter how savagely the storm rages around me because You are My God and I am Your poor, little sheep who has taken refuge in You and made Your Sacred Heart my resting place.


Mark 9:30-37

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

It is in the nature of the flesh not to desire any pain, or distress to the body or spirit and this is why when You spoke to Your disciples about Your death the could not understand. They had witnessed all the miracles, they saw how You were feted and how the crowds followed You wherever You went. They too tasted the adulation of the crowds because they were Your disciples. They did not want to dwell on suffering and death, they basked in Your reflected glory and they did not want it to end. The preferred not to understand the terrible things You were to endure.

You knew their thoughts and You also knew that they were jockeying for places of prominence as Your disciples. This is when You took them aside and taught them what God esteems and values in human beings. It will do us all good as Your disciples to bear in mind what You said to them that day,

"If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all."
Taking a child, he placed it in their midst,
and putting his arms around it, he said to them,
"Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me."

Sirach 1:1-10, Psalm 93: 1-2, 5, Mark 9:14-29

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel. 2 Tim 1:10

Sirach 1:1-10, Psalm 93: 1-2, 5, Mark 9:14-29


Sirach 1:1-10

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Wisdom is embodied in its in fullness in You and You grant it generously to those who receive Your Holy Spirit. God's wisdom is seen most powerfully in nature and how things are created by Him. How things function, all that lives and breathes speak eloquently of the wisdom of our God. It is wisdom that prompts right thought and right action. 

God directs the world in perfect wisdom and if we allow ourselves to be guided by wisdom then we are guided by God who created her. 


Psalm 93: 1-2, 5


My Love, Beloved of my soul,

You are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and You are robed in glory, splendour, majesty and power. Your Word holds together the world and all that is in it and there is no power greater than Yours that can overcome it.

You are God eternally and You are worthy of trust. Holiness is the mark of those who belong to You. Grant me the grace to strive after holiness and even if my efforts are feeble, and I may fail often, may I never lose the desire to seek holiness in all I say and do.


Mark 9:14-29

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The secret to a life filled with grace is prayer. The secret to a life filled with joy is prayer. The secret to a life filled with the power of the Holy Spirit to do all that You did and even greater miracles as You have promised, is prayer.

Prayer is the lifeline that keeps us creatures closely knit to God. You had great power to perform mighty miracles because You were One with Your Father. You escaped the crowds that made constant demands on You until You were exhausted and Your need for intimate communion with Him was stronger than Your need for food and drink.

Grant me the desire for greater intimacy with You in prayer and may I desire it constantly so I am always united with You. May I receive all that You desire to give me in order that I may be able to do all You ask of me, always.

1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-34, Psalm 102: 1-4, 8, 10, 12-13, 1 Corinthians 15:45-49, Luke 6:27-38

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I give you a new commandment, says the Lord:
love one another as I have loved you. Jn 13:34
1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-34, 
Psalm 102: 1-4, 8, 10, 12-13, 1 Corinthians 15:45-49,
Luke 6:27-38


1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-34

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

We see that Saul's army of hand-picked soldiers was no match for David and his band of faithful men because God was with him. 

God is always involved in the affairs of the people of the world. It is He who directs the human heart according to His will. Those who belong to Him and are as devoted and loyal to God as David was, can be certain that God will never abandon them. The battle belongs to those who trust in You completely.

Sometimes we may think we are justified in avenging ourselves for wrongs done to us but we see from today's First Reading that it is better to forgive and leave all judgment to You.


Psalm 102: 1-4, 8, 10, 12-13

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The Psalmist has experienced God's everlasting mercy and this is why he is able to able to express so eloquently His goodness, kindness, mercy, and compassion.

The same is true for every sinner, my Beloved, for we have all sinned and God's just judgment would rightly condemn us. But we thank You for our redemption. We thank You for paying the price and for taking upon Yourself the punishment that was ours. The Psalmist knew about God, we know Him, He has revealed Himself to us in the Flesh.

The Father provided the Lamb without blemish who would take away the sins of the world. It was His plan ever since the Fall that:

As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.

Because our Father is God.


1 Corinthians 15:45-49

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

When God created the first man and gave him the awesome gift of free will, He knew that there was a danger that we would use it unwisely, as the Fall so spectacularly demonstrated, and yet He desired that we have it. Our freedom to choose is granted to us so we may always choose the right, the true, the good, the noble, the beautiful, but we do not always do so. But God respects the choices we make whether for good or ill. 

St. Paul points out that the first Adam was made from the dust of the earth whereas the last Adam, whom the Father sent has given us His life-giving Spirit. We inherited the sin of the first, we are saved by the Blood of the Second. All who believe receive His Spirit and with His help will be able to always yield our will to the will of our heavenly Father. He is able to form us in the image of God.


Luke 6:27-38

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

If every Catholic and better yet every Christian followed Your instructions surely the peace You came to give the world would flourish. The world would point to us as they pointed to the early Christians with reverence and awe because we lived what You preached, taught, and lived. We pray Lord that before You come again in glory, the world and all its people will be authentic disciples, just as the Father has willed.

Jesus said to his disciples:
“To you who hear I say,
love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
To the person who strikes you on one cheek,
offer the other one as well,
and from the person who takes your cloak,
do not withhold even your tunic.
Give to everyone who asks of you,
and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
For if you love those who love you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do the same.
If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners,
and get back the same amount.
But rather, love your enemies and do good to them,
and lend expecting nothing back;
then your reward will be great
and you will be children of the Most High,
for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give, and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”

Hebrews 11:1-7, Psalm 145:2-5, 10-11, Mark 9:2-13

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS


St. Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr

The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered:
This is my beloved Son. Listen to him. Mk 9:6

Hebrews 11:1-7, Psalm 145:2-5, 10-11, Mark 9:2-13

Hebrews 11:1-7

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Faith keeps hope alive. Without faith in God, we live but we are not fully alive to Truth, Goodness, Purity, Holiness, Beauty, and Love. Faith in God is the essence necessary to live life as God intends us to.

All that we do, every breath we take, all our dreams, hopes, and plans are shallow without the knowledge of God and You, His Son, whom He sent into the world to reveal His Face which is love and mercy to us. You are the visible image of the unseen God and without faith, we would be ignorant of the fact that we too are created in His image. 

This Gift of Faith is freely given to us at baptism, and for cradle Catholics, it is nurtured in us by our parents from infancy. We thank You, Beloved, for the Church, for teachers, for the witness of our brothers and sisters, our own study and reflection, that enables us to grow in faith. Above all thank You for the Holy Spirit and for each of the Sacraments that pours grace into our souls that kindles in us a hunger and a thirst to know You, love You, and desire You above all else.


Psalm 145:2-5, 10-11

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

I thank You for grace that enables me to wake up every morning to spend time alone with You in prayer. Truly Beloved, this hour is the sweetest in the day. Thank You for the intimacy of Your Presence in me when I receive You in the Holy Eucharist. How blessed I am that God created me to know Him, love Him, serve Him, and to be happy with Him in this life and eternally in the next.

May every breath I breathe praise You. May I joyfully join my brothers and sisters as the community of God praise and glorify You. Give me a spirit that is always attuned to the beauty of creation around me so my heart rises in praise, adoration, and worship always.


Mark 9:2-13

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

You took the three with You, Peter, James, and John to witness Your glory, to see You as You as the Son of the Living God, so when the time came when You would no longer be with them, they would recollect what they saw and their faith would be strengthened.

Thank You for all the times in my own life when You have blessed me so that in the difficult times I can look back and know that You are a faithful God and that all things pass but You remain steadfast and true.

During those moments of Transfiguration, we desire to cling to You just as Peter wanted to. We want those glorious moments to last. But these are only to encourage us and keep hope alive as we journey through this valley of tears. 

The apostles and the disciples had to witness the agony of Your suffering, crucifixion, and death. They had to face up to their own inadequacies and their weaknesses as they all deserted You in Your greatest hour of need. But this moment that the three witnessed, they would share with the rest later, and their faith, hope, and joy would be kindled anew.

The same is true for us. All we know of You Beloved, enables us to face the lows that come in every life, and we know by faith that You will see us through for You are faithful and loving always.   

1 Peter 5:1-4, Psalm 23:1-3A, 4-6, Matthew 16:13-19

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS


The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, Apostle

You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church;
the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. Mt. 16:18

1 Peter 5:1-4, Psalm 23:1-3A, 4-6, Matthew 16:13-19


1 Peter 5:1-4

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

We are living in turbulent times in the Church, the Bark of St. Peter is sailing through stormy seas. There is an ever-present danger that it could flounder and sink.

But there has been evil within her beginning with Judas, the betrayer, and we ought not to be scandalised when we hear of shepherds who through the ages have betrayed their flock.

We pray, Beloved, that those who are appointed as leaders in the Church may repent, make public reparation and restitution to those they have wounded. All of us have sinned, and we thank You for showing us how we may be forgiven, receive absolution, and be restored once again into full communion with Your Body.

We thank You, Beloved, for faithful shepherds, there are many and they are unknown. Bless them Lord and may we be appreciative and grateful for their selfless and tireless labour in Your Church.


Psalm 23:1-3A, 4-6

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

In this beautiful, timeless Psalm we have the image of the Good Shepherd. Every ordained bishop and priest have to model their lives and their ministry on You, who are the perfect Model.

You are the Good Shepherd, You know Your sheep and they know You. They recognize Your voice and follow it. We thank You for the many beautiful parables in which You clearly indicated the characteristics of the faithful and the unfaithful shepherd. The love of the shepherd who owns the sheep, and the faithlessness of the hired hand who abandons the sheep at the first sign of danger. 

Thank You, Beloved, for the wonderful inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who through the psalmist, has made known to us how a good shepherd cares for his sheep. 

Keep Your flock safe in Your fold Beloved, especially the littlest and most vulnerable of us. Amen.


Matthew 16:13-19

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

To Peter alone, the one appointed by the Father was given the revelation of who You truly were/are. God does nothing by chance. Everything is in accord with His perfect plan. God chooses who He wills and His choice rested on Peter. He may not be the ideal choice according to human reasoning, he was not educated, he was rough in manner, being a fisherman. He was impulsive, hot-headed, brash, a coward when it mattered most. In short, he was less than perfect. When he fell, it was a spectacular fall.

But the Father also knew what he could become. The Father knew his potential. After he fell from grace, he did not hang himself, he acknowledged his sin, was filled with remorse and contrition, begged forgiveness, and was restored to grace. 

We are reminded that all of us have sinned and have fallen short. It is what we do after we have fallen that counts. Many of the shepherds in the Church have had a spectacular fall, we pray that under the guidance of the Chair of St. Peter, they may be filled with remorse, beg pardon from God and the members of the Church, so she can be renewed and strengthened once more.

The Church is built on the firm foundation of the Rock, and we have Your assurance that the gates of hell shall never prevail against it. Never. We thank You, Beloved, for the power that You have given Your Vicar on earth and the Bishops. The power of the Holy Spirit, the Blood of the Lamb, and the Love of the Father will ensure that the Church will steer safely despite the turbulent waters she sails through in every age.

Genesis 9:1-13, Psalm 102:16-21, 29, 22-23, Mark 8:27-33

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS


Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life. Jn 6:63C, 68C

Genesis 9:1-13, Psalm 102:16-21, 29, 22-23, 
Mark 8:27-33


Genesis 9:1-13

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

While it is true that God gave man authority over all the birds, animals, and fishes of the sea, as well as all green plants that grow on the earth, He also desires that we use that power with wisdom. God declared all flesh, as well as plants, was to be used as food for us. How did we get from there to where we are today when we use food to bludgeon and alienate each other. We declare some foods taboo and ostracise whole sections of people because culturally their food habits are different from ours? 

We find so many reasons to divide us instead of looking for all the ways in which we are united. 

The sins of men and women during the time of Noah were so grave that You wiped them out from the face of the earth with a flood, but You vowed never destroy the earth again by water. You made a Covenant with Noah and his descendants and You set the rainbow in the sky as a sign of Your Covenant. 

In our age, as in so many in the past, evil thrives, however, the Father has given us a Sign above all other signs, the Sign of the Cross. The Blood and Water that flowed from Your Body takes away the sins of the world. You are the New Covenant of Love, and Father will forgive all our iniquities if we come to Confession, acknowledge our sins, beg forgiveness, and resolve to sin no more. 

The sign of the rainbow is transient, the Sign of the Cross is eternal.


Psalm 102:16-21, 29, 22-23

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

All the nations shall revere Your Name, O Lord. This is what the psalmist prophesied as so it is today. You commanded Your apostles to go to the ends of the earth and make disciples from all nations, and so it is. 

From the rising of the sun to its setting praise, worship, adoration, and thanksgiving are offered in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Our Sacrifice of Praise rises up as fragrant incense before the Throne of the Holy of Holies. If God is merciful despite our wickedness, it is because we come together all over the world, unceasingly, to offer to the Father the One, Holy, most pleasing Sacrifice of the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.

As long as the sun and moon last, and until You come again in glory, the people of God will gather to offer this Holy Sacrifice, the Sign of God's Covenant of Love that is eternal.


Mark 8:27-33

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

At some point in our spiritual journey this question is addressed to us as well, "But who do you say that I am?" After all that we have been taught, all we have heard or read, we have to make a declaration of what we believe to be true about You. Like Peter, we have to make a personal discovery of who You are and what You mean to us and make a declaration to anyone who asks or wants to know. 

Whenever we let God guide our lives we will always be inspired by the Holy Spirit to make the right choices. When we choose to live in the flesh we make room for Satan to enter our lives and dictate our thoughts and actions and we will be rebuked just as You rebuked Peter. Yet, we ought not to be discouraged for although we are children of Adam we are also children of God and in You, we have triumphed over Satan and evil. 

Genesis 8:6-13, 20-22, Psalm 116:12-15, 18-19, Mark 8:22-26

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our hearts,
that we may know what is the hope
that belongs to his call. Eph 1:17-18



Genesis 8:6-13, 20-22, Psalm 116:12-15, 18-19, 
Mark 8:22-26

Genesis 8:6-13, 20-22

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

God's timing is always perfect and whatever He does, He does well. Obedience to God's word saved Noah and his family. He did not mind appearing ridiculous to the world for he had put his trust in God and his faith saved him.

So it must be with us. No matter how difficult life gets, no matter what it is that God is asking of us, no matter how lonely it may be because no one understands, we are still required to be obedient and to trust that in the end, all will be well. Faith is its own reward. 

Noah offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God. It's fragrance pleased Him greatly and He vowed never to destroy the earth or man again even though men and women are prone to sin and to evil. His sacrifice is but a foreshadowing of the Sacrifice that ends all sacrifices ever offered in the past. The Sacrifice of the Spotless Lamb, the Lamb without stain or blemish. The sinless Lamb.

You took upon Yourself the sins of the world from the first to the last and You paid the price that was ours. This is why God will not wipe us miserable creatures from the face of the earth. When He looks at us He sees the price that was paid for our redemption.

Thank You, Beloved.  


Psalm 116:12-15, 18-19

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

There is no act of Thanksgiving and Worship more pleasing to God than the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass. Nothing compares with it. This is why the Church constantly encourages us to receive You in the Holy Eucharist as often as possible. 

The highest Sacrifice of Praise is the Sacrifice offered on Calvary; this once-for-all has the power to take away the sins of the whole world and every time the Mass is celebrated around the world, re-presenting to the Father the one, holy, and perfect Sacrifice, the Father's pours out love, grace, mercy, and compassion through the Holy Spirit upon the Church and the world.

This is why every Catholic is obliged to go to Holy Mass at least once a week on Sunday. This is the vow we are pledged to keep. It is a celebration when all God's people come together to give and to receive - it is a poor exchange but God asks it of us and we receive far, far, more than we give or deserve. 


Mark 8:22-26

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

So often we read in the Gospels that people brought those who were sick to You. They had empathy and compassion for the one who was blind, or paralyzed, or had an evil spirit in them. They cared and did something about it. 

Today we see how the people not only brought the blind man to You but they begged You to touch Him. In this particular healing You did not perform the miracle before the crowd, instead, You led him outside the village and there You put spittle on his eyes and laid Your hands on him. You then asked him if he could see anything. But he could only see dimly. You touched him again and his sight was completely restored. 

When we first receive the gift of faith we only have a slight knowledge of all that it involves, it is only when we go deeper that we understand and see clearly what it means to believe. Conversion is a process. 

Thank You, Beloved, for each of the Sacraments which are doorways to enter into a deeper relationship with You. Once we encounter You we are invited to change direction and begin a whole new way of living. A life in the Spirit. A life in Truth. 

Genesis 6:5-8, 7:1-5, 10, Psalm 29:1-3AC, 4,, 3B, 9C-10, Mark 8:14-21

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS


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

Genesis 6:5-8, 7:1-5, 10, 
Psalm 29:1-3AC, 4,, 3B, 9C-10, Mark 8:14-21


Genesis 6:5-8, 7:1-5, 10

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Ever since God created human beings we have chosen wickedness and we have spread evil over the earth. Is it any wonder then, that when He looked at the crown of His creation after the fall, "He regretted that He made man on earth and His Heart grieved."

When I look at the world today and see how evil flourishes in every nation I wonder how is it that God has not just wiped us off the face of the earth. We use our intellect to find new ways to sin and to sink to even greater depths of coarseness and wickedness. Conscience is dead. 

But our God is a God of Love, everlasting, infinite, abundant love. 

Noah represents the Son of Man, who found favor with God. The reason for the Incarnation is that the Father would look at You clothed in human flesh, His loving gaze would grow as tender as a mother's for her helpless baby, and He would have mercy on us. 

In You, my Beloved, the chosen people of God, the descendants of Abraham, as well as all who believe in You are saved. We are kept alive in the New Ark of the Covenant in the stormy seas of iniquity. When our time here on earth comes to an end, it is the flood of mercy and love that flowed from Your pierced side and wounded Heart, that will save the world.


Psalm 29:1-3AC, 4,, 3B, 9C-10

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

You are our Peace, and all who believe in You are blessed with peace because we live in You. The psalmist reminds us to give You the glory and praise that is due to You and we must do so dressed in the holy attire of purity and virtue. 

God thunders to us majestically and powerfully in creation, over space and time. If we will only listen we will hear Him over the clamor and din of our own spirit that drowns out His voice. 

If only we enthrone You in our hearts we can enter that silent, sacred space within us and worship and adore You all the time; until that glorious day when we will join the angels and saints in heaven and join in the glorious hymn of praise forever.


Mark 8:14-21

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

How is it my Lord that we can so often be thick and obtuse like the disciples. Is it because we are too preoccupied with the things of the world that we fail to grasp the awesome reality of the things of heaven? 

Your disciples were with You in the boat and the evangelist Mark tells us that You were warning them against the Pharisees and Herod, likening them to leaven. They figured that You were talking about bread as they had only one loaf with them. What did You feel at that moment when You realized that the point You were making was totally misunderstood by those who had witnessed the two awesome miracles of the multiplication of loaves? Did You stifle the urge to laugh at their myopia or to shake each one in frustration? Must have been both. Instead, I am sure You said very gently and a little sternly, 


“Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread?
Do you not yet understand or comprehend?
Are your hearts hardened?
Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?
And do you not remember,
when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,
how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?”
They answered him, “Twelve.”
“When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand,
how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?”
They answered him, “Seven.”
They were truly like ignorant children. How many time am I like them my Beloved, and You look at me sadly and say, 

“Do you still not understand?”

Thank You, My Love, for the infinite patience You have with me when I am equally stupid. Thank You even more for Your unconditional love.

Genesis 4:1-15, 25, Psalm 50:1, 8, 16BC-17, 20-21, Mark 8:11-13

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me. Jn 14:6

Genesis 4:1-15, 25, Psalm 50:1, 8, 16BC-17, 20-21,
Mark 8:11-13



Genesis 4:1-15, 25

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

With You, we have all things but without You, we become strangers and exiles on this earth with a real possibility of being separated from you even in the next.

How often we lead unholy lives and when we know that we offend You, instead of changing our ways, we resent You as Cain did and become prone to greater sin. 

Abel offered You the best that He had, may I too strive to do so Beloved. You provide all the grace I need each day to choose what is right, true, good, holy, loving, and most pleasing and acceptable to You. Grant that I choose rightly and always to be guided by Your Holy Spirit.

Thank You.


Psalm 50:1, 8, 16BC-17, 20-21

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

From the earliest times, since the dawn of creation and of men and women, You have put Your law into our hearts. We know instinctively what is right but we make sinful choices because of concupiscence. You reject all our pious prayers and acts if we are not contrite and fail to confess our sins. 

We are privileged because we are children of God, and members of Your Body, this is why we have a greater responsibility to strive for personal holiness as we witness to the Good News. Our lives must reflect what we believe if we are to be genuine disciples.

Stay with me Lord, only then will I be able to live as I ought with Your help.


Mark 8:11-13

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

To this day, like the Pharisees in Your time, people clamour for signs and wonders. You continue to give us great signs and miracles but the greatest Signs have already been given to us, The Sign of the Cross, and Your glorious Resurrection. These are enough. But to those who still insist on signs, You say, "Blessed are they that have not seen and yet believe."

You have given us all we need to believe. The first is the gift of Faith given to us at Baptism; all the Sacraments that follow are channels of infinite grace into our lives. They enable us to choose rightly every moment of every day the things that give life.

"For those who believe no sign is necessary for those who don't no sign is enough."

Jeremiah 17:5-8, Psalm 1:1-4, 6, 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20, Luke 16:17, 20-26

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Rejoice and be glad;
your reward will be great in heaven. Lk 6:23AB

Jeremiah 17:5-8, Psalm 1:1-4, 6, 
1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20, Luke 16:17, 20-26


Jeremiah 17:5-8

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Often in the past, I have put my trust in those with power and position to help me and all too often I was bitterly disappointed. I was crushed because they failed to keep their promises, or they raised my hopes with lies knowing all the while that they were only appeasing me. It took a while, Beloved, to learn the hard cold lesson that people will almost always let you down if it does not serve their interests to come to your aid. 

The prophet Jeremiah describes one who puts his trust in human beings succinctly:

Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
but stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth.

Once, I learned my lesson after several bitter experiences and as I grew in my faith I knew that I had to turn to You, my Beloved, as trustingly as a child turns to its mother and father for help. You never disappoint. You never raise our hopes only to shatter them. You can be trusted to do exactly as You have promised. You may delay in answering but when You do answer us we receive far more than we expected or asked for. You are a God of abundance and when You give, You give with infinitely, and without measure. 

May I continue to trust in You always and be like the tree that the prophet describes whose leaves never wither but bears fruit in season and out of season.

Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
it fears not the heat when it comes;
its leaves stay green;
in the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.
Psalm 1:1-4, 6

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The psalmist echoes what the prophet Jeremiah has said in today's First Reading.

Those who trust in You, those who are grafted in You, those who have Your Spirit poured into them, are like the tree planted near running water. Grant my Beloved, that I stay rooted in You and that I may bear good fruit all the days of my life for Your glory and for the good of those around me. Amen.


1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Truly, as St. Paul says, if You were not raised from the dead we Christians are the most pitiable people on the face of the earth. But thanks be to God You did rise from the dead and we have the hope of sharing in Your glorious Resurrection when You come again. 

If we live, we live for You and when we die we die in You. In life or in death, my most beloved Spouse we are Yours.

Thank You Beloved for sharing in our death in order that we may share in Your abundant life eternally.

Luke 16:17, 20-26

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

What You said that day on the Mount, addressing a great crowd of Your disciples, You say to every Christian in every age until time shall be no more. You were with the twelve Apostles that You had hand-picked and even to this day, their successors continue to teach and preach the Beatitudes which formed the blueprint of Your life and must be ours as well.

“Blessed are you who are poor,
for the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.



You warned Your disciples then as You warn us now that if we take the Good News seriously and follow You closely, we can be absolutely sure of one thing, persecution. Evil seems to flourish and You and all that You stand for, goodness, truth, beauty, purity are anathemas to the wicked.  This is why to this day, Christians are jailed, persecuted, marginalized, tortured, and silenced. But as You said Beloved, if they killed every Christian the very stones would proclaim that You are the Lord of Lord, the King of Kings, the Savior of the world without whom we will surely perish.

Thank You, Beloved, for Your incarnation revealing to us the Face of God which is mercy and love, and for showing us the Way to the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen.

Genesis 3:9-24, Psalm 90:2-6, 12-13, Mark 8:1-10

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS


Man does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. 
Mt 4:4B


Genesis 3:9-24, Psalm 90:2-6, 12-13, Mark 8:1-10


Genesis 3:9-24

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The question, "Where are you?" can either strike terror in our heart because we fear or it can be most comforting that You are in search of us. Adam and Eve were terrified and so they hid. Their awareness that they were naked made them vulnerable in their sight because they had lost their innocence and their childlike wonder. They now believed that God saw them as they saw themselves. They felt shame something they had never known before they ate of the forbidden fruit.

When God asked Adam, "Who told you that you were naked?" He was already aware of his sin. The man who was supposed to be his wife's protector immediately pointed the finger of blame to her and accused her of tempting him. He managed to confer some blame on God to by saying, "The woman whom you put here with me." He forgot all his joy when first God gave her to him as his companion and wife. And she, in turn, transfers the blame to the serpent. "The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it."

After we have sinned and we are found out we look for scapegoats hoping we will be exonerated. But each one of us sins freely because we choose it. 

Sin always has consequences. The graver the sin, the greater the consequences. Separation from God is the choice we make when we choose to sin. 

Peter says, "Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man."  Nothing unclean can come into Your Presence, Beloved. This is why Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden. Sin put an eternal curse on them. The Gates of Paradise was shut to us forever. But our awesome God loved us too much to condemn us to eternal separation from Him. He longed to restore what we had so wantonly destroyed. But we had to wait aeons before the time had become when God's plan of salvation would bring us a Savior. One who would literally become the Curse by taking upon Himself the death and the punishment that was ours. 

Thank You, Beloved, for redemption from sin. Thank You, Father, for restoring us back into the family of God. Thank You Holy Spirit for grace that makes it possible for us to overcome our natural tendency to sin. Thank You, Lord, for faith, hope, and LOVE.


Psalm 90:2-6, 12-13

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The psalmist says,

Before the mountains were begotten
and the earth and the world were brought forth,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 


And from everlasting to everlasting You knew me. You lovingly fashioned me in Your heart and mind long before I was conceived. We who are merely dust are loved infinitely, and incomprehensibly by God who neither needs us nor is dependant upon us for anything. God is complete in the Trinity of Persons and yet, yet, God makes Himself vulnerable in His love for us, His sinful creatures.

The psalmist reminds us that we are nothing but grass, here today and gone tomorrow. Our lives are but a span. Grant my Beloved, that in the time that is granted to us we make our home in You. May we take refuge in Your Sacred Heart. Pour Your Holy Spirit upon us so we may desire only that which is good, honourable, and holy. Protect us with Your Precious Blood and keep us safe from the wiles of the Enemy for as long as we live. Amen.


Mark 8:1-10

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

In today's Gospel reading, the second miracle of the multiplication of loaves is narrated. More important than the miracle, awesome as it is, is the revelation of Your Sacred Heart. We are told that when You saw the great crowd without anything to eat, You summoned the disciples and said, 

“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd,
because they have been with me now for three days
and have nothing to eat.
If I send them away hungry to their homes,
they will collapse on the way,
and some of them have come a great distance.”
As disciples, You desire that we work with You. The disciples only saw the large numbers and said,

“Where can anyone get enough bread
to satisfy them here in this deserted place?”

You persisted, saying, "How many loaves do you have?"

Their response, "Seven."

Seven loaves to feed a multitude. No wonder the disciples wanted to send the crowds away to fend for themselves. But this is not God's way and it ought not to be the way of authentic disciples. God will always find a way and so must we. 

You ordered the crowd to sit down, You took the seven loaves, gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to Your disciples to distribute. They did. There were also a few fish over which You said a blessing, and ordered that they too be distributed. The crowd ate until they were satisfied, the fragments were picked up which filled seven baskets. We are told that four thousand people ate to their fill. Only then did You dismiss the crowds, and leave the place by boat with Your disciples.

The Eucharist always satisfies. It is more than enough. It is never depleted as often as we receive You, we receive You fully Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. There is enough for every man, woman, and child until You come again in glory and we feast at the eternal Banquet in the Kingdom of God.