Acts 4:32-37, Psalm 93:1-2, 5, John 3:7B-15

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter

The Son of Man must be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him
may have eternal life. John 3:14-15

Acts 4:32-37, Psalm 93:1-2, 5, John 3:7B-15


Acts 4:32-37

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The way the first community of believer lived is the ideal. The more we are attached to things and to people the more difficult it is to live detached from them. Those who are consecrated to You as priests and religious take vows to live as the early Church did. 

However, Beloved, we can still be generous with what we have in sharing it with those less fortunate than ourselves. Too often we are afraid to give because we fear that we may not have enough to meet our own needs yet we know this is not true. When we have open hands and a great heart You will ensure that we will not be in want. It takes faith and courage to live with a childlike spirit.

Acts 4:23-31, Psalm 2:1-7AB-9, John 3:1-8

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS


Memorial of Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church


If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, 

where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Col 3:1

Acts 4:23-31, Psalm 2:1-7AB-9, John 3:1-8


Acts 4:23-31

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

When the Church is in one accord and when it raises its voice in prayer we can be certain that the Holy Spirit will descend on her with power and there will be wonders and signs that will shake the earth.

It was so when Peter and John returned to their companions and related what had occurred and that those in authority had warned them not to speak of You. It was then that together they prayed a psalm of David together knowing that the psalmist was speaking of You. They cried out in one voice as the prayed to You with perfect confidence for they knew that You had given them authority and power. And as they prayed in Your Name, the Name above every other name, the place where they were gathered shook, and filled with the Holy Spirit they spoke Your Word fearlessly. 

Grant this grace to us and to Your Church Beloved. In the face of persecution may we be one in heart and mind as we speak Your Word with courage. Amen.


Psalm 2:1-7AB-9

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

If these words were written today they could not be more apt of the times we live in. Nations all over the world forgetting their Christian roots and heritage are kowtowing to heresies and blasphemies. They are tiptoeing around evil and giving the malice of evil power it would not possess if they had raised their voices from the first. Now it seems too late. The voices of reason are struck down by lies that are spoken increasingly loud and stridently. Good is stifled and evil and wickedness in every aspect of human life is celebrated. But we know that although it may seem that evil has triumphed it is not so. You have won the victory. Death has been conquered. You are seated at the right hand of the Father and the Holy Spirit is alive in the Church You founded. You are its cornerstone and we have Your assurance that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Alleluia! 


John 3:1-8

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Nicodemus held a prominent place among his peers in the Sanhedrin and although he admired You he was too cowardly to come to You in broad daylight so he came at night. You understood. You did not reject him. You accepted him as he was. So it is with us. You understand. We can come to You no matter what our spiritual condition may be and we will always find a welcome just as Nicodemus did.

You knew his heart. You knew that there was immense good in him and so You instructed him and spoke to him of divine and eternal truths. 

"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and Spirit
he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.
What is born of flesh is flesh
and what is born of spirit is spirit.
Do not be amazed that I told you,
'You must be born from above.'
The wind blows where it wills,
and you can hear the sound it makes,
but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;
so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Renew Your Church Beloved and the face of the earth with a fresh outpouring of Your Holy Spirit so we can come back to You, be born again and set out into the deep anew. Amen.

Acts 5:12-16, Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24, Revelations 1:9-11A, 12-13, 17-19, John 20:19-31

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS


Sunday of Divine Mercy 

You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord; blessed are those who have not seen me, but still believe! 

Jn 20:29
Acts 5:12-16, Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24,
Revelations 1:9-11A, 12-13, 17-19, John 20:19-31


Acts 5:12-16

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

You came for the sick in heart, mind, soul, body and spirit. You came to bring a broken world healing and wholeness in every aspect of our lives and this power You gave to Your Apostles and to those who will come after them. 

Holy men and women too, have always received the power to do marvellous miracles in Your Name. This is true even to this day for You have promised that those who believe will be able to do even greater things than You did because You are now with Your Father. There is no power that can stand against Your Name for to You has been given all authority and all power. At Your Name, demons will flee. Thank You, Father, for the power You have given to the Name of Your Son.

Acts 4:13-21, Psalm 118:1, 14-15AB, 16-21, Mark 16:9-15

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS


Saturday in the Octave of Easter

This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it. Ps 118:24

Acts 4:13-21, Psalm 118:1, 14-15AB, 16-21, 
Mark 16:9-15


Acts 4:13-21

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

In the world, it is often the reaction of those in authority and power to control people, especially those who undermine them. So it is with Peter and John after they cure the cripple. The leaders, elders, and scribes are not amazed at the miracle that they had just performed in Your Name, rather what amazed them was the boldness with which they spoke and witnessed to the crowds about You. The recognized them as  Your companions and there was nothing they could do or say to deny the miracle because the man who was cured was standing beside them was irrefutable proof. 

They conferred with each other to see how they could stop Peter and John from preaching and teaching in Your Name and so they ordered them not to speak to anyone about You. It is the same even today, Beloved. We are made to feel uncomfortable if we evangelise. We are called all kinds of names when we witness to You or live out our faith in public. Authentic Christians are persecuted in subtle ways or overtly.

Peter and John give us an example of how we ought to react in such circumstances. We are to boldly confess You no matter the risk or the cost to ourselves. For it is better to do what is right in the eyes of God than men.

Psalm 118:1, 14-15AB, 16-21

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Grant me this grace that I may praise and give thanks to You all the days of my life for You have saved me. Thank You for the grace that You grant me each day to choose the right path to follow. My strength and courage to meet the daily challenges I face come from You. It is You that make me victorious in my daily struggles against temptations. If I fail, it is because I have not cooperated freely with the grace that is granted to me.

Thank You, Beloved, for the sufferings, the challenges, I face for they help me to grow slowly but surely in holiness. Thank You for giving me a perfect Model in Yourself and in Your Mother. I know that You will help me to remain faithful to the end.


Mark 16:9-15

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The Good News of Your Resurrection was hard for the disciples to believe. They had not seen for themselves and they were not prepared to accept the testimony of Mary Magdalene or the two disciples to whom You appeared on their way to Emmaus. 

Despite the fact that You had assured them that You would rise again they did not believe that such a thing could be possible. Everything You had said to them occurred just as You said it would and Yet they would not believe. But when You did appear to the eleven You upbraided them for their hardness of heart and for refusing to believe the testimony of those who had seen You.


You have said I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one can come to the Father except through You. We are given the same mission You gave to the Apostles and disciples. We are called to "Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature."

Acts 4:1-12, Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-27A, John 21:1-14

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Friday in the Octave of Easter

This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it. Ps 118:24

Acts 4:1-12, Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-27A, John 21:1-14


Acts 4:1-12

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Sadly, to this day, people are deliberately misunderstood and persecuted for doing good in Your Name. It should have been a cause for rejoicing that the crippled man had been healed instead they imprisoned Peter and John.

When we are persecuted, maligned and taken to court for Your Sake and the sake of the Gospel, You assure us that the Holy Spirit Himself will be our Paraclete. When we stand on the side of Truth there is no power that can stand against us. May the power of Your Name continue to bless and heal our broken world and bring many to the knowledge of Truth.


Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-27A

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Thank You for Your great mercy that saves the world. It is You who forgives us our transgressions great though they may be if we come to You with a contrite and humble heart. You are good, kind, compassionate, tender-hearted and You will turn away no one, You will refuse forgiveness to no one who approaches Your Throne of Mercy, for You know how weak we are and how easily we fall from grace.

Thank You for the Day of the Lord which illumines all our days. Stay with us Lord, stay with me that I may not stray from the path of holiness.   

John 21:1-14

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

All our endeavours without the help of the Holy Spirit will yield little or no fruit. We need to first discern Your will for our lives. Peter decided to go fishing after the Resurrection. He was not a patient man. Although You appeared to him he was not willing to wait until You revealed what it was that You would have them do. He good matters into his own hands and to relieve his boredom decided to do what he knew best. Fish. 

All that we know, all our experience amounts to nothing if we are not aligned to Your will. Peter and the rest learned this the hard way and we do too when we do things without discerning whether it is what You desire us to do. But with You, guided by Your Holy Spirit we can put into the deep and we can be sure of a good catch. Peter followed Your instructions and was blessed with an amazing catch of fish.

However, You already had breakfast ready for them. In You, all our needs are met. You need nothing from us but You desire that we cooperate with You and when we do amazing things happen. 

Thank You for the Gift of the Eucharist and for Your call to community as members of Your Body to eat and drink at the Eucharistic Table and there receive life that well up to eternal life.

Acts 33:11-26, Psalm 8:2B, 5-9, Luke 24:35-48

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Thursday in the Octave of Easter

This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it. Ps 118:24
Acts 33:11-26, Psalm 8:2B, 5-9, Luke 24:35-48


Acts 33:11-26

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Miracles often take place because of faith in You but more importantly, they serve to point to You and the power of Your Name. This power draws new brothers and sisters to believe that You truly are the Son of God.

Peter preaching to the crowd who have gathered in amazement to see what God has done informs them that they acted in ignorance when they and their leaders crucified You and killed You. They preferred that Innocence be condemned and demanded the release of a known criminal but that was not the end of the Story. Death had no power over You and they are witnesses to the fact that You indeed rose from the dead. And in the power of Your Name, the cripple standing before them is now made whole and strong. 

You came into the world to save us not to condemn us and this is why we can repent of our sinful past and begin life anew with You. 

Grant us the grace Beloved, not to delay our conversion but to return to the fold for we do not know the hour when death will come to us and we will remain in its power forever if we do not ask to be washed clean in the Blood of the Lamb who alone takes away the sins of the world.

Psalm 8:2B, 5-9

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

We have been created for a glorious future that will last for all eternity. We are privileged that despite the fact that our first parents sinned and walked away from God He did not give up on us. He sent us a Savior, You, His only Son, to take upon Yourself the punishment that was ours and restored to us all that we had lost.

It is to us mortals that You feed with Your precious Body and Blood because You know that without supernatural help none of us can make it safely home to the Kingdom of God.

Thank You for all You have done for us and continue to do to ensure that we can journey safely through this valley of tears to Paradise.


Luke 24:35-48

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Despite the fact that You told the disciples that You would rise from the dead in three days they were terrified when they saw You. Your greeting, 'Peace be with you," was meant to reassure them that it was indeed You and they need not be alarmed. You did not scold them for abandoning You but You calmed their fears and their guilt.

You invited them to touch You and know that You were not a ghost but real. You asked them for something to eat so they would know beyond the shadow of a doubt that You were indeed real.

No matter how grave our sins You will never stop loving us but will tenderly draw us back to You. You always invite us into a closer relationship with You so we can draw on Your grace and Your strength to live holy lives.

Just as the disciples were commissioned to be Your witnesses throughout the world, so are we. Our lives must emit Your fragrance and light in order to draw others to know You, love You and believe in You.

Acts 3:1-10, Psalm 105:1-4, 6-9, Luke 24:13-35

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Wednesday in the Octave of Easter

This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it. Ps 118:24

Acts 3:1-10, Psalm 105:1-4, 6-9, Luke 24:13-35

Acts 3:1-10

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Truly, You have not left us orphans but have given us Your Holy Spirit to remain in us and unite us in love to God and to our brothers and sisters in the Church You founded.

Today, we read of the man crippled from birth who was brought to the temple so he could beg for alms. How many in the world are crippled with original sin from their conception as they have not become members of the family of God through Baptism? The riches of our faith are denied them, however, like Peter and John we are called to witness boldly and share generously what we have received through the goodness of God.

When we do, our reward is to experience the joy of the one who on hearing and believing the Good News experiences a total transformation of their lives and become a new creation in You. This is my mission, Beloved. May I be a witness daily to Your goodness, mercy, and love.


Psalm 105:1-4, 6-9

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

I have been created to praise You, to thank You, and to glorify You all the days of my life. Help me never to forget it. May I never take my eyes off You but keep my gaze fixed on You through the hours of the day and at night may I rest in You.

Thank You for granting me the strength I need to face the challenges of each day by the grace You give me in the Holy Eucharist. Thank You for Your Covenental Love for me, a love that will never end.


Luke 24:13-35

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

You said, where two or three are gathered in My Name, I AM there in their midst. This is the very first time when what You promised is fulfilled. The two disciples are talking about You and the recent events that had occurred and You are there with them although they do not recognize You.

You open their hearts and minds to understand Scripture and all the prophecies. Finally, they invite You to stay with them and it is in the breaking of bread that their eyes are opened and they recognize You. Filled with joy they return to take up the mission of spreading the Good News. 

So it is with us Beloved. When we come together in Your Name You will be present in our midst and You will help us to understand and live our faith with the grace we received in the Sacraments especially the Holy Eucharist.

Thank You.