Hosea 6:1-6, Psalm 51:3-4, 18-21AB, Luke 18:9-14

Saturday of the Third Week of Lent

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts. Ps 95:8

Hosea 6:1-6, Psalm 51:3-4, 18-21AB, Luke 18:9-14

Hosea 6:1-6

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

You always woo us back to Yourself. You keep no record of our wrongs all You desire is that we come back to You with repentant hearts because sin kills, sin destroys and You desire that everyone be saved. Too great a price was paid Beloved for even one soul to be lost. It is unthinkable and incomprehensible to our Father that even one of His children be lost to Him forever. 

This is why God pleads with us to come back to Him. This is why He sometimes allows us to go through suffering and trials so we may turn our gaze back to You for You alone have the power to save.  Help me always to remember that You desire love not sacrifice. Love is able to do all things and this is why we are commanded to love You first and our neighbour as ourselves. Continue to pour Your grace upon us so we may love as You desire us to love.

Psalm 51:3-4, 18-21AB

 It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.
For you are not pleased with sacrifices;
should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
R. It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice.
Be bountiful, O LORD, to Zion in your kindness
by rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem;
Then shall you be pleased with due sacrifices,
burnt offerings and holocausts.

Luke 18:9-14

Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
"Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,
'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — 
greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week,
and I pay tithes on my whole income.'
But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.'
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

Hosea 14:2-10, Psalm 81:6C-8A, 8BC-11AB, 14, & 17, Matthew 12:28-34

Friday of the Third Week of Lent

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Repent, says the Lord;
the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Mt 4:17

Hosea 14:2-10, Psalm 81:6C-8A, 8BC-11AB, 14, & 17,

Matthew 12:28-34

Hosea 14:2-10

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Today, You invite me and all who belong to the Church to return to You, our Lord and our God, once again. Yes, I have sinned. Yes, I have chosen to walk in the way of fools but now I return to You sinful and sorrowful. I know You will forgive me for You are full of loving compassion. 

Heal me of my wounds Beloved, make me whole again. Let Your love pour over me and fill my soul. Let the fragrance of Your Presence emanate from me and may I put down roots deep into the Holy Spirit and may I bear good fruit in abundance for Your glory.

Thank You for the difficult times in my life - they have helped me to seek You, lean on You, and trust You. Thank You for Your faithfulness and Your never failing love for me. May I never stray from the path that leads to Eternal Life.


Psalm 81:6C-8A, 8BC-11AB, 14, & 17

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

You are good, kind, loving, faithful, and You always hear the cry of those who are in distress. Thank You for coming to my aid always. Thank You for lifting burdens that have threatened to overwhelm and crush me. Thank You for Your unfailing love and help.

Thank You for all the testing times of the past, the present, and those that will surely come in the future. I know well that You will always help me to carry my burdens and You will test me only for as long as is necessary. You will not try me beyond my ability to endure. 

You are my Lord and my God and I trust You. Grant O Lord, that I may never abandon the Way that leads to Truth and Life. Thank You for the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and for the Bread that nourishes my soul and spirit and gives me strength for the journey. Stay with me Lord until I am safely home.


Matthew 12:28-34

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

I thank God that He did not leave us on our own to muddle along the best we can to find our way to Him. Rather, He sent You into the world so we can know Him, see Him, touch Him, and experience His love through You, His Son.

There is nothing about the human condition that You are unfamiliar with for You entered into our human condition and drank the bitter cup of suffering to its dregs. You experienced every human emotion so You can identify with us when we come to You in our pain and suffering and You will come to our help and strengthen and heal us.

There is only one Way to the Kingdom of God and that is the Way of Love. Love of God above and before all and love of neighbour. This is the touchstone upon which I must base all my human thought, word, and action. This is possible only through the grace that You make freely available through the Sacraments You instituted. If I cooperate with grace then I too will hear the blessed words, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God."

Jeremiah 7:23-28, Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9, Luke 11:14-23

THURSDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF LENT

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
for I am gracious and merciful. Jl 2:12-13

Jeremiah 7:23-28, Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9, Luke 11:14-23

Jeremiah 7:23-28

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Since the foundations of the world and long before God created us He has loved us with an everlasting love. Yet, we have been faithless and have not obeyed His commandments. The call of the world and the flesh, as well as the wiles of the Tempter, have led us to self-indulgence and to sin. 

All we need to do to be truly happy in this life and eternally in the next is to 

Listen to my voice;
then I will be your God and you shall be my people.
Walk in all the ways that I command you,
so that you may prosper.

My most beloved Jesus grant me the grace to listen to Your voice always and never stray from the path that leads to life. Amen.

Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

If we walked in Your ways and remained faithful to Your commands then we would be filled with joy even in tribulation all the days of our life.

You are our God, our Rock, our Salvation, in You I have placed all my hope and all my trust for I know that You are faithful even when I am not.

You are my joy. You put a song in my heart. You are all I shall ever need in this life and to be in Your Presence eternally is the prize that I desire to attain in the end. Grant me all the graces I need my Beloved in my journey from this life to the next. Amen.

Luke 11:14-23

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

We must be careful in the statements we make. We often deliberately deceive ourselves and others when we are not prepared to face the truth or acknowledge it. Some of the people accused You of driving out demons with the power of the prince of darkness. That was blasphemy. They recognized Your power but they were unwilling to attribute that power to Your divinity. They would rather deceive themselves thank admit to the truth that You were indeed from God.

Your message is very clear today Beloved if we are not with You then we are against You. You came to unite us in love and to make us one Body in You. The work of Satan is to divide, separate, and scatter rendering us weak and ineffective to bring about Your Kingdom on earth.

Jeremiah 18:18-20, Psalm 31:5-6, 14-16, Matthew 17:17-28

Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent

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

Jeremiah 18:18-20, Psalm 31:5-6, 14-16, 

Matthew 17:17-28

Jeremiah 18:18-20

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Every prophet especially the great ones like Isaiah and Jeremiah are an archetype of You in their suffering. But it is only when we are familiar with both the Old and New texts of Sacred Scripture can we recognize this. We must always be grateful to Holy Mother Church who in her wisdom and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit offers her children these selections from the Old and the New during the celebration of Holy Mass every day. 

If we are attentive, if we prepare before we come, then we will become aware of how each of the prophets in some way reflects the great and sorrowful Passion that You had to undergo. They were persecuted, tormented, and hounded by the religious leaders just as You were by the High Priest and the leaders of the Sanhedrin. They too did not rest until they finally put You to death in order to rid themselves of the Truth that they refused to accept. They would rather commit willful murder of Innocence than believe and be saved.

To this day, Beloved, the wicked in the world will commit violent acts of murder and spill innocent blood rather than recognize the truth revealed by God and the natural law of good and evil inscribed in our hearts.


Psalm 31:5-6, 14-16

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Were it not for Your infinite kindness, goodness, and mercy I would be lost forever a long time ago. Thank You for being my refuge, my comforter, my deliverer, my Lord and my God. Thank You for hearing my cry always and hastening to help me. 

Every time someone has hurt me or made me feel invisible, I brought my wounded heart to You and You consoled me. You touched and healed the sore spot with Your compassion and understanding. No hurt is too small or too big for You to help and heal.


Matthew 17:17-28

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

You are going up to Jerusalem with the Twelve disciples and You tell them very clearly exactly what You will go through and yet when the hour arrived they fled into the darkness in paralysed with fear. While it is easy to jeer them we are no different. We may accept that suffering and sorrow enters every life but when we have to take up the cross we want to flee from it.

Sometimes we can have the right attitude when we ask something in prayer but what we ask for might be quite wrong as we see in the case of the mother of John and James who asked that her sons be seated on Your right and left in the Kingdom of God. Very gently You taught her that we must be more concerned in following God's will for our lives.

When the rest of the disciples heard that their mother was jockeying for the best places for her sons they were angry. Very gently You taught them that they are called to be a sign of contradiction in the world unlike those with power who lord it over those who are weak. "... whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." 

We are called to a life of service in humility and obedience to the divine will.

Daniel 9:4B-10, Psalm 79:8-9, 11, 13, Luke 6:36-38

Monday of the First Week of Lent

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;
you have the words of everlasting life. Jn 6:62C, 68C

Daniel 9:4B-10, Psalm 79:8-9, 11, 13, Luke 6:36-38

Daniel 9:4B-10

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

We know the willful committing of grave sin is death. Yet we sin. Despite the fear of eternal separation from You we go against Your will and follow the desires of our flesh, the world, and the wiles of the Enemy. The prophet Daniel shows us how to name our sins, be ashamed of them, and beg Your pardon and mercy. You are a veritable fountain of compassion, mercy, and grace and You will never tire of forgiving us no matter how great and numerous our sins if we are truly contrite.

Thank You for the beautiful Sacrament of Reconciliation and for all the consoling parables You taught about God's prodigal love for His wayward, stubborn disobedient, selfish children. Thank You, Father, for giving us so wonderful a Savior because no one else could save us.

I am assured of Your forgiveness no matter how many times I sin. May I never be too ashamed or afraid to come to You and plead for forgiveness no matter how far I have strayed from the path of Wisdom and Truth.

Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18, Psalm 27:1, 7-9, 13-14, Philippians 3:17---4:1, Luke 9:28B-36

Second Sunday of Lent

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

From the shining cloud the Father's voice is heard:
This is my beloved Son, hear him. Matthew 17:5

Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18, Psalm 27:1, 7-9, 13-14,

Philippians 3:17---4:1, Luke 9:28B-36

Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

When God gives, He gives in abundance. He knows no other way of giving. He promised Abraham descendants more numerous than the stars in the night sky. Abraham believed and his faith was pleasing to God. In my own experience, Beloved, I have found how gracious and kind You have been to me even though I am undeserving of such blessings. 

Even though the night is dark and deep it cannot overcome Your Light. This is the hope we can cling to no matter how distant You may seem, for in truth, You never leave us.

Thank You for the Covenant made with Abraham and the subsequent Covenants that He made with the chosen people and the final Covenant of Love sealed in Your Blood.


Psalm 27:1, 7-9, 13-14

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The psalmist has discovered the graciousness, goodness, and abiding love of God and he cannot stop extolling how worthy He is of praise. 

I too, my Lord have found, like the psalmist how undeserving I am of such love but You love me anyway. You are my light, my salvation, my refuge, my comfort. You hear me even when my cry is soundless and You answer me. My heart calls Your Name unceasingly, my gaze is lifted to You through the day even when I am unaware of it. I am always in Your Presence awake or asleep. Never hide Yourself from me, Beloved for if You do I will not be able to bear it.

Thank You for the Gift of Your Holy Spirit, my Helper who lives in me and make my body His temple. I trust You to grant me all the graces I need to persevere to the end.


Philippians 3:17---4:1

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

How confident Paul is of the fact that he is an authentic disciple and he encourages us to imitate him and model our lives on him.

Beloved, we who have been baptized and grafted into Your Body, should be able to say the same thing with equal conviction but we cannot because it would not be true. We struggle daily in our walk with You. But we thank You for the grace that enables us to persevere daily.

If we live in the world and follow the culture that is touted by the world it will be to our destruction and to our shame. We cannot worship the flesh. We cannot muck around in the pig pen of the current culture that glorifies the self and is blind to the Presence of the Triune God in us. 

Keep us faithful, Beloved, that at the end of this life You will come for us and present us to the Father, and we will receive the inheritance that has been prepared for us since the foundations of the world.


Luke 9:28B-36

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

You took the three disciples who were closest to You up to the mountain to pray. Most times You went alone, but this time You invited them to accompany You. That in itself is a privilege. They watched You leave them many times to go by Yourself to pray, often You spent the whole night in prayer. They knew how You longed to get away from the crowds and even from them to be alone with Your Father and they were glad that You picked them to go with You.

Their excitement was soon overcome by weariness as the climb up the mountain was perhaps difficult and while You were praying they fell asleep. This is the first time that they would do so, the second time will be in the Garden of Gethsemane. Hearing voices they wake up to witness Your Transfiguration and to see Moses and Elijah representing the Law and the Prophets. They were speaking to You about the Way of Suffering leading to death that You would soon have to undergo. 

Peter, James, and John were given a glimpse of Your divinity so that later on they would recall this moment, reveal it to their companions, and be strengthened in their faith. Peter wanted to hold on to the moment by putting up tents there and keeping You up there so he could savour Your glory. But God's ways are not our ways. They heard the Father's voice saying to them and to all who desire to be Your disciples, "This is my chosen Son; listen to him." 

If only the whole world would listen to You, Beloved, it would hasten Your coming in glory.  Grant that at least we who believe may listen to You always.

Deuteronomy 26:16-19, Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8, Matthew 5:43-48

Saturday of the First Week of Lent

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Behold, now is a very acceptable time;
behold, now is the day of salvation. 2Cor 6:2B

Deuteronomy 26:16-19, Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8,

Matthew 5:43-48

Deuteronomy 26:16-19

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Moses reminds the people that they are God's chosen. They will be totally different from the people of other nations by their obedience to God's commandments and God's favour will rest on them. God will walk with them because they have heard His voice and they keep His laws.

My Beloved, how much more this is true of us, the people who belong to the Church You founded which is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. Having been grafted into Your Body we are its living members. We share Your Life through the power of Your Holy Spirit who abides in us. You have revealed to us that Your Father is our Father as well who loves us so much that He sent You into the world to save and redeem a fallen world. All those who believe that He sent You to be our Lord, our God, our Savior, our Redeemer are saved by Your Precious Blood and by the Holy Sacrifice offered for the redemption of all people of all nations.

All those who believe are called to live by the two great commandments and we are made holy by Your merits. All who believe in the Good News are saved just as You have promised.


Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Without grace, and without the help of the Holy Spirit it is impossible to please God. All who come to the knowledge of truth do so because it is You who take the first step and invite us into a deeper relationship with You. All who sincerely seek the truth will find it for You are near to those who call You who are the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Thank You, Beloved, for giving us the two great Commandments of Love which embraces the whole Law. We can keep them only with the help You make amply available through the Sacraments.

Thank You, Beloved, for putting into our hearts the desire to love You, obey You, and follow You. Keep us faithful to the end.



Matthew 5:43-48

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

You would not have demanded us to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect if You thought it was impossible. Perfection is impossible to attain on our own but with the help of grace that the Holy Spirit pours into our soul, it is possible.

Love, authentic agape love is what will distinguish those who are called by Your Name with those who do not know You. By this one virtue must we be identified just as the early Christians were, "See how they love one another." 

You have shown us a radical way to love and we are called to imitate You by loving as radically as You did. We are called to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, to bless those who persecute us, to pray for those who wish to do us harm, in this way we will illumine our dark world with Your Light.

Beloved Jesus, small, weak, and feeble though Your Light in me maybe, grant that I may be faithful in keeping it lit in my soul. Amen.

Ezekiel 18:21-28, Psalm 130:1-8, Matthew 5:20-26

Friday of the First Week of Lent

Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. 

Ez 18:31

Ezekiel 18:21-28, Psalm 130:1-8, Matthew 5:20-26

Ezekiel 18:21-28

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Today You remind us through the prophet Ezekiel that we decide whether we live or die by the choices we make. No one can presume that God's mercy will save us if we reject Him and His commandments. People of great virtue who decide to forsake good and taking the path of grave sin die in sin, then they condemn themselves. The opposite is true if one who turns away from evil and embraces a life of grace. He will be forgiven no matter how grave his past offences have been and he will live. We cannot take Your mercy for granted.

You want everyone to live but it is a choice we have to make. When we do, You will give us all the grace and help we need to remain faithful. 

Psalm 130:1-8

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Every time I cried out to You in my wretchedness and misery You hastened to my side and comforted me. You strengthened me. You answered when I called. Thank You for never rejecting me no matter how far I had fallen from the way of goodness.

Thank You, Beloved, for keeping me safe in Your love. Thank You for Your patience with me. Thank You for Your Word which brings life, light, and truth. Thank You for not keeping a record of my sins once You have forgiven me.

Matthew 5:20-26

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Disciples are called to live by a far higher and greater standard than others. A disciple is one who images the Master. He lives the life that the Master has taught by word and by example. We do not measure ourselves against the standards of the world but by heavenly standards. This is why we will be accountable to a greater degree than those in the world.

You remind us today that purgatory and hell are as real as heaven and souls can be cast into the fiery furnace of hell eternally or to purgatory to be purified completely before enjoying the beatific vision.

Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25, Psalm 138:1-3, 7C, 8, Matthew 7:7-12

Thursday of the First Week of Lent

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

A clean heart create for me, O God;
give me back the joy of your salvation. Ps 15:12A, 14A
Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25, Psalm 138:1-3, 7C, 8, 
Matthew 7:7-12


Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Multitudes before me and multitudes after me will come to You Beloved, crushed and in anguish and You will come to their aid and help and deliver them from all their troubles. You are God and with You, all things are possible as I have discovered over and over again in my own life. You are the God who is, who was, and who is forever. We are Your people, my Lord, we are the sheep of Your flock and You never abandon those who belong to You, those who are carved on the palm of Your hand, those who are called by Your Name. 

You alone have the power to save us from all evil. You alone have the power to turn our sorrows to joy, our tears to laughter, our mourning to gladness, heal our brokenness and make us whole again. I love You. I believe in You. I place all my hope in You because I trust You.


Psalm 138:1-3, 7C, 8

My Love, Beloved of my soul

Every time I called my Love, You answered me. You are not deaf to my cries. You are filled with pity for me for You know that I am weak and without You, I can do nothing. Thank You for coming to my rescue over and over again. Each time I fell You hastened to lift me up and help me start over.

You are kindness, goodness, patience, and love and You never tire of forgiving me no matter how many time I fail. Thank You for Your strength. Thank You for walking with me. Thank You for being my Friend, my Companion, my Beloved.
Thank You for Your Word that assures me that You will help me along every day I am alive to reach the place that You have prepared for me in eternity, the Kingdom of Heaven. 


Matthew 7:7-12

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

I thank You for the loving words of assurance in the Gospel of today. I thank You for my experience in the past that Your Word is true. How often Beloved, I have discovered that You never deny anyone who comes to You in need. You have never turned me away but have held out Your hand to me and drawn me close to You. You have kept me safe. You have taught me patiently for I have been difficult to teach, I have been thickheaded, slow, stubborn weak but You never grew weary of helping me over and over again. Thank You for never giving up on me.

You have taught me well, Beloved, and I pray that I may always do to others what I would have them do to me. Just as You have never grown weary with my slowness to learn may I too never tire of being patient, gentle, and kind with those I encounter each day beginning with those closest and dearest to me.

Stay with me, Beloved, to the end. Amen.

Leviticus 9:1-2, 11-18, Psalm 19:8-10, 15, Matthew 25:31-46

Monday, of the First Week of Lent

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Behold, now is a very acceptable time;
behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Cor 6:2B

Leviticus 9:1-2, 11-18, Psalm 19:8-10, 15, 

Matthew 25:31-46

Leviticus 9:1-2, 11-18

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Today You remind me what is most pleasing in the sight of God. I am called to be holy because You are holy. I am called to be sensitive to those who are spiritually blind and deaf and not put stumbling blocks before them. I am reminded not to listen to slander and gossip and have no part in spreading it either in my community or in my neighbourhood.

I am my brothers' and sisters' keeper and must do all in my power to ensure that they are saved. I am to bear ill will to no one. Carry no grudges. Forgive instantly and completely as I have been forgiven. I am called to love my neighbour as I love as I love myself.

All this needs grace and help Beloved. Pour out Your Holy Spirit on me so I may strive to do all for love of You and for Your greater glory. 


Psalm 19:8-10, 15

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

I thank You for Your Word, for Your Law, for Your Sacraments for they are all life-giving.

Thank You that You did not leave us orphans but gave us Your Own Holy Spirit to live in us and keep us united to You and to the Father.

May my life be pleasing to You Beloved, as I strive with Your help to live united to You and to spread Your light and fragrance in the world. 

Thank You for Your redeeming, saving love.

Matthew 25:31-46

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

In the Liturgy today we read about Your Second Coming in glory to judge the living and the dead. It will be a time of dismay for some and a time of great rejoicing for many.

Your mercy is endless but when You come again we will have to face the final judgment. God has appointed You as the only true, and righteous Judge. 

Grant my Beloved, that as long as we live we may strive to belong to be faithful sheep of Your flock. You have said that whatever we do to the least of our brothers and sisters You consider it as having been done to You because You identify Yourself as one with us. 

Help me to be aware of and sensitive to the needs of those around me. Those who are hurting, those who are lonely, those who are in pain, those who suffer anxiety and depression, those who lack the basic necessities of life, and do what is in my power to help alleviate it. So when You come again I will hear those blessed words,

'Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.'

'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Isaiah 58:9B-14, Psalm 86:1-6, Luke 5:27-32

SATURDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord,
but rather in his conversion, that he may live. Ez 33:11

Isaiah 58:9B-14, Psalm 86:1-6, Luke 5:27-32

Isaiah 58:9B-14

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Your words today are spirit and life. This is how every disciple is invited to live. We are called to be Your leaven in the world. We are called to be Your light that shines in the dark and illumines the world. If every faithful Christian followed Your precepts as conveyed by the prophet then indeed we would hasten the coming of Your Kingdom on earth. Our world would be one where no one went hungry, naked, in want, without shelter, without the basic necessitates. Everyone would be treated with dignity. All would be loved with a love that is selfless.

If we celebrated as one joyful community all the feasts in the Liturgical Year, if we came together as one family to celebrate the Eucharist not as an obligation, or compulsion, but simply because we love You, and we love each other. If we understood the magnificence of the Gift of the Eucharist then nothing would keep us away. The world would see how blessed the members of Your Body are and all would come to desire what we have and come to know You too.

May those who believe be unafraid to be Your witnesses in the world.


Psalm 86:1-6

My Lord, Beloved of my soul,

You know how needy I am. You are aware that without You I can do nothing. Without the grace You supply I will wither and die.

Thank You for Your assurance that You are with me always, that Your ear is inclined to the sound of my voice and that You hasten to answer me. Thank You for Your assurance of forgiveness of all my sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Thank You for always hearing and answering my prayers. 

Luke 5:27-32

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Every disciple hears the same invitation that You extended to Levi, "Follow me." Too often You have to call over and over again because we are too caught up in ourselves and in the distractions of the world to hear You. Even if we do, we drown out Your voice because we are not willing to give up our cheap trinkets for the riches of heaven. 

Levi recognized that he was being invited to a richer life with You and we are too. Thank You for reminding us that You came for the sick, the weak, the outcast, the sinner. Here I am, Beloved, I desire to follow You. Grant me a fresh outpouring of Your Holy Spirit so I may follow You closely from this day forth. Amen.

Isaiah 58:1-9A, Psalm 51:3-6AB, 18-19, Matthew 19:14-15

FRIDAY AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Seek good and not evil so that you may live,
and the Lord will be with you. Amos 5:14


Isaiah 58:1-9A, Psalm 51:3-6AB, 18-19, 
Matthew 19:14-15 


Isaiah 58:1-9A

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

There is fasting for the sake of being seen and praised, there is fasting because it is demanded and when we do we are even more wicked than when we don't. Both kinds are displeasing to You.

The prophet Isaiah mentions clearly the kind of fast that is pleasing to God. We break the chains of those who are bound unjustly, we set free those who are oppressed by those with power. We speak up when we see injustice. We are called to share our food and clothes with those who have none. Our closets and our cupboards are full of stuff we will never use and yet we will not give them away. We hoard for a rainy day that never arrives while those in want languish.

Give me a generous spirit my Lord. To give and not to count the cost to myself, to share without a second thought. Help me to see You in those in need and give generously and readily. Amen.


Psalm 51:3-6AB, 18-19

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Grant me the grace to make a good confession this Lent.

Thank You.

Matthew 19:14-15

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

These are the days when the Bridegroom is taken away from us and we fast. May our hunger for food and drink remind us of our hunger to be united with You again in glory.

May our physical hunger and thirst remind us that there are many in the world who experience this suffering daily because they have nothing.

May the prayers I make this day and the sacrifices I offer be pleasing to You. I beg You to use all I offer You this day for the salvation of those I love. Thank You.