Saturday, February 16, 2019

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.

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