Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Reflection

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Speak, Lord, your servant is listening;
you have the words of everlasting life. 1 Sam 3:9, Jn 6:68C

1 Kings 19:16B, 19-21, Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11, 
Galatians 5:1, 13-18, Luke 9:51-62


1 Kings 19:16B, 19-21

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

We do not send ourselves we are always given our mission by God. Just as the Father sent You, and You sent the Holy Spirit, You also give us our mission when we are baptized into Your Body, the Church.

Elisha was chosen by God to succeed Elijah as prophet. Elisha was free to say yes or no. He chose to say yes but asked to say farewell to his parents first. One would think this was a reasonable request but it appears that this was not the right response to the call given to him by God.  When Elisha realized this he destroyed everything that tied him to his old way of life when he sacrificed his oxen and followed Elijah with an undivided heart.

This is the kind of attitude we are are to have when You call us to serve You. Everything that hinders us must be given up when we agree to go wherever You lead us. You want no part of a divided heart.


Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The Psalmist says that You are his inheritance. How blessed we are to have You as our refuge. To have You as our God who loves us, protects us, and keeps us safe through all the struggles and challenges that we have to face in life.

You have given us Your Holy Spirit who abides in us and always directs us in the way we should go. He speaks to us and helps us to make the right choices. We walk with confidence as children of God when we are led by the Spirit and nothing that happens to us is beyond our ability to endure when we trust Him to help us.

As long as we obey the prompting of the Holy Spirit we can be confident that we will be led safely to the Kingdom of heaven. Thank You, Beloved, for the hope we have of eternal life with You, the Father, and the Holy Spirit.


Galatians 5:1, 13-18

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

You came to set us free from the slavery of sin. Anyone who sins is bound by whatever sinful pleasure the flesh craves. Sin prompts us to sacrifice all that is truly good, noble, pure, and beautiful. 

You died in order to destroy forever the chains that yoked us to a life of sin that ultimately led to eternal death. You entered into our death, took upon the sins of the whole world, in order that all who believe could enter into Your Resurrection and live forever.

Love took You to the Cross and that same love teaches us to embrace our daily crosses and follow You in humility and obedience. We are called to love as You loved - with our whole being. 

Thank You for the Gift of Your Holy Spirit; without Him, we would not be able to live a life of grace for we would not have the strength necessary to deny our flesh and choose life.

Thank You, Beloved, for saving us and for showing us the Way back to our Father's house.


Luke 9:51-62

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

We must always remember that we do not choose our mission, it is You who invite us. What is important is how we respond to that invitation. Often, we want to do things, good things maybe, but it is not what You want. There is no blessing in doing it what we need to have is a humble heart and an obedient spirit.

Very often we are not equipped spiritually, emotionally, or physically to do the things that others are called to do. We are called to do the more humble work. To do our little daily tasks well, joyfully and without complaining.

Some are called to give up the world and follow You but again the ties to those we love may be too strong and too painful and so we procrastinate. God wants no part of a divided heart. We give all or nothing and when we do God gives us even more than we could ever imagine. There is no more generous Giver than You, My Lord.

And then there are those who answer Your call but like Lot's wife are constantly looking back on what they have given up, perhaps they look back with nostalgia and regret. Like Lot's wife, they are immobile and are unable to fulfill the work they are called to do. This is why You say to each of us who are called to serve You in one way or another, "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God."

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles - Reflection

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

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

Mt 16:18

Acts 12:1-11, Psalm 34:2-9, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18,
Matthew 16:13-19



Acts 12:1-11

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Just like Herod who used his power to please a certain section of the people, so do those in power today use their influence and power to pander to special interest groups. 

When Peter was imprisoned the whole Church prayed fervently with one heart and mind and God sent an angel to rescue him. The Church has the power to change the course of history when her members pray as the people of the early Church did. God intervenes marvelously and awesome miracles happen when we pray as one body.

Lord Jesus, You sent an angel to break the chains that bound Peter and lead him from prison to freedom. Thank You for my own personal Guardian Angel who is always interceding for me before the Throne of Grace and Mercy and protecting me.


Psalm 34:2-9

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Grant me this grace, to praise and bless You always and in all circumstances, for I know that Your Hand of protection is always over me and over those I love and pray for each day.

Thank You for Your assurance that You always hear and answer us when we cry out to You in our poverty and helplessness. You are mighty to save. 

Thank You for putting an angel in charge of me and for his constant care of me. Thank You for the privilege of tasting Your goodness, Your mercy, and Your great love in the Sacraments.


2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The two great Apostles Peter and Paul are mighty beacons who shine Your powerful light in the Church. As long as we remain in that Light, guided by the Spirit of Truth, we will never go astray.

What a wonderful thing it would be if every baptized Christian could echo Paul at the end of our life and say with complete confidence, I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.

All who are born of God and are children of God receive the same grace of faith in the Sacraments what we do with these gifts is up to us. Paul shows us what is possible when we take the mission given to us seriously and allow ourselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit every step of the way.

Lord Jesus, we thank You for these two powerful witnesses to the faith. Thank You for all that they suffered in imitation of You so that the Gospel could reach the ends of the earth. 


Matthew 16:13-19

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

In response to Your question to the disciples, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." This truth was revealed to Peter by the Father and was a sign that he was the rock on whom You would build Your Church.

It is only this Church, the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church that has received Your assurance that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 

It is to Peter alone and his successors to whom You have handed the keys of the Kingdom of heaven. Peter and his successors alone are given the authority to bind and loose on earth and whatever they bind and loose will be considered bound and loosed in heaven. No institution other than the Catholic Church has received this divine authority. As long as we remain in her, obey her, and follow her teachings in all matters concerning faith and morals, we will reach that place that God has prepared for us when He laid the foundations of the world.

Beloved Lord, You will keep us safe in Holy Mother Church for eternal life.

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus - Reflection

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Take my yoke upon you, says the Lord,
and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart. 

Mt 11:29AB

Ezekiel 34:11-16, Psalm 23:1-6, Romans 5:5B-11,
Luke 15:3-7

Ezekiel 34:11-16

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The Father sent You into the world as the Good Shepherd to look after His wayward sheep. We are as silly as sheep. We stray, we wander off, we are too stupid to stay with the flock so we become prey for predators who lurk in the shadows waiting until we are vulnerable and open to attack. 

You are the Good Shepherd who lay down His life for us. You are the Good Shepherd who keeps us safe in Your love. You are the Good Sheperd who thinks nothing of leaving the rest of the sheep in order to look for the one that has strayed and could be lost. You have a tender, compassionate, loving Heart who loves too much to permit the loss of even one sheep who belongs in the fold.

Thank You for founding the Church. Thank You for leaving within her the fullness of the faith and the Sacraments that she administers to us which enable us to live a life of grace.

Psalm 23:1-6

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

I thank and praise You for calling me from darkness into Your own marvelous Light. Thank You for not permitting me to wallow in sin but for always calling me back to repentance and to a life of grace.

Thank You for feeding me with Your own Body and Blood. Thank You for the Sacrament of Reconciliation where You wash me clean of all my sins and help me to begin anew.

Thank You for hope that never ends. Thank You for the wonderful destiny that awaits me at the end of this life on earth.  Thank You for making Yourself always available to me for You are closer to me than my breath.

Thank You for never abandoning me even when I ran away from You and hid from You. Thank You for never giving up on me but for pursuing me until I could flee no longer once I realized that I have no life apart from You.

Thank You for Your Sacred Heart which is my refuge, my hope, and the place of my rest.


Romans 5:5B-11

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans that the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. When God gives He knows no other way of giving than to give lavishly, completely, generously, unstintingly. He gives without measure. We know this because we know that He sent You into the world to reveal to us this love that He has for us unworthy though we are.

Thank You, Beloved, for Your perfect love for the Father that consented to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. Thank You for becoming the Bridge that made it possible for us to return back to the Father's House. Thank You for becoming the Way. Thank You for the Life we receive through Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for revealing the Truth to us that faith in You saves us. And above all, we thank God for the free gift of faith in You in Baptism. We did not choose You but God in His infinite goodness and mercy chose us to be grafted to You. Thank You that in the Church we receive the rich graces that make it possible for us to choose the right, the true, the good, and the beautiful even though we are often tempted by the wiles of the Enemy. Keep us safe, Beloved, to the end.


Luke 15:3-7

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

How often in my long, sinful, life I have been that one foolish, stupid sheep that left the fold in order to follow the siren call of sin. How often I have gone against the dictates of my conscience and deliberately and willfully chosen to sin. How often I chose to go off to a distant land and there indulge in a life of the senses until my spirit lost all joy and light. And how often Beloved, You sought me and tenderly wooed me back to a life of love and grace. You rejoiced over Me. You have always loved me and You have always given me all that is good and perfect. Thank You for blessing me abundantly always far more than I have ever deserved.

Keep me safe in Your love my Beloved until the end.

Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time - Reflection

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

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


Genesis 16:6B-12, 15-16, Psalm 106:1-5, 
Matthew 7:21-29


Genesis 16:6B-12, 15-16

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

When we live as daughters of Eve, we are prone to go against God's will and act according to human wisdom.  This is what Sarai did and she lived to rue her folly and so have the generations that have followed. 

God was clear in His promise to Abram, he believed but his wife was not willing to wait for the appointed time. She decided to take matters in her own hand and one sinful act led to another and to this day we live with the results of her decision. 

God is just. He did not destroy Hagar or her son for she was only a tool in the hands of her mistress. True, she brought Sarai's wrath upon herself for mocking her mistress who was barren, when she found she was with child. But God does not treat us as we deserve. He blessed Hagar and her son Ishmael.

Thank You, Beloved, for not treating us according to our sins but according to Your riches in mercy and compassion.


Psalm 106:1-5

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

We sin over and over again. We are weak. We not only stumble often but we fall into a pattern of habitual sin. Yet You are merciful and You always forgive the repentant sinner.

You reward the faithful. Those who cooperate with the grace and strive to live holy, upright, honorable lives. Those who dedicate their lives to love and service. These You bless a hundred-fold.

Help me, my Lord and my God, to be counted among those who use the graces that You so richly bless us with, to be a blessing to those around me.


Matthew 7:21-29

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The Key to enter the Kingdom of heaven is to do the will of the Father. This was food and drink to You while You were here on earth and so it must be with us as well who are Your disciples.

What is the Father's will for my life? It is to love God with all the fervor of my heart, mind, soul, body, and spirit and to love everyone I encounter each day, as I love myself.

So easy to say, Love, so hard to do. I stumble and fall all the time because I am a sinner, I am weak. I need You to hold me up, to sustain me with grace, to supply all I need every moment of every day, so I will always choose to do the Father's will over mine despite the constant temptation to follow my sinful tendencies.

Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time - Reflection

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


Genesis 13:2, 5-18, Psalm 15:2-5, Matthew 7:2, 12-14



Genesis 13:2, 5-18

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

From Abram, we learn how to live by faith, not by sight. When the quarreling between their herdsmen grew, Abram who desired that they live in peace decided that the best way to do so was to go their separate ways. Being the older and the uncle of Lot he could have chosen the prime land but he gave his nephew the first choice. of the land in which he, his family, and livestock could settle. Lot used his senses to pick out the best area for himself.  Abram, on the other hand, was not only generous but trusted God to honor the Covenant He had made with him. And God, who is ever faithful,  renewed that Covenant promising him more land and more descendants than it was humanly possible to count. Abram built an altar and worshipped God.

Beloved, how often we are like Lot. We are selfish and greedy, and we want first pickings. We jostle, push, and shove to be first instead of being kind and generous and trusting in faith that You will always supply all that we need.  


Psalm 15:2-5

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

You have shown us the Way in which we should go and how we ought to live. We are called to live in truth, holiness, and to be just in all we say, think, and do, 

We are called to be kind and generous sharing unselfishly what we have and trusting You to always supply all we need.

We are called to avoid using our tongue to tear others down but rather to build each other up. 

If we build our lives on the firm foundation of the Rock we will always live in peace no matter how turbulent the storms may be around us.


Matthew 7:2, 12-14

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

There are some things that are holy, sacred, and these we must guard jealously lest they be desecrated by the wicked and the ignorant. Only those who believe can share joyously in the treasures of the Sacred Mysteries revealed to us by God. Those in the world who live by the dictates of the flesh find it impossible to comprehend the things of the Spirit and in their gross stupidity are prepared to tear down, destroy, and ruin that which is noble, holy, and beautiful.

Here is another truth that we find difficult to live by: "Do to others whatever you would have them do to you." We have double standards in dealing with people. We differentiate between people based on so many superficial things. We treat the 'haves' with greater respect and consideration than the 'have nots', the poor, the marginalized, those who we prefer not to see. 

To those who wish to be saved, You say,

"Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many.
How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few."


Thank You, Beloved, for being the Way, the Truth, and the Life. If we follow You we will enter through the narrow gate that will lead to fullness of life in You.

Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist - Reflection

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

You, child, will be called prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way. Lk 1:76

Isaiah 49:1-6, Psalm 139:1B-3, 13-15, Acts 13:22-26,
Luke 1:57-66, 80


Isaiah 49:1-6

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Today as the Church celebrates the Nativity of Your precursor, St. John the Baptist, the prophecy of Isaiah, applies not only to St. John but to everyone who is grafted into Your Body, "The Lord called me from birth, from my mother's womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory."

We are all called to be Your Light that shines to the nations in order that salvation reaches the ends of the earth.  

We ought to be immersed in Your Word which in turn will become a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. We out to receive the Holy Eucharist daily and go to Confession regularly. Without this spiritual nourishment and cleansing, we will fall by the wayside. Beloved, keep us faithful to the end.

Psalm 139:1B-3, 13-15

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

We ought to celebrate this intimate knowledge that You have of us. You are always aware of us, protecting us, shielding us, saving us, feeding us, speaking to us, embracing us, welcoming us when we return after straying far from You. You are always ready to forgive and bless. You forget our sins when we are sorry and repent for having sinned against You and our neighbour. 

Thank You for knowing the needs of my soul and for ministering to me always. Thank You for sheltering me in Your Sacred Heart. Thank You for nourishing me with Your Body and Blood. Thank You for all the blessings You have showered upon me both temporal and spiritual and above all thank You for the glorious destiny that awaits me in eternity.


Acts 13:22-26

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

If only what was written of David, son of Jesse, could be said of me, that You have found in me a woman after Your own heart who will carry out Your every wish? The Bible is full of towering men and women who were chosen by God, fashioned by Him for a purpose, to fulfill a certain work that they were empowered to do. Yes, they failed, and some grievously, but they always repented and were forgiven. 

I am aware Beloved, that I am nothing. But sinful, small, weak, and insignificant though I may be, I am still called to be a light, a lamp, a seed, salt, leaven. Thank You for grace that helps me daily even though I fall a hundred times each day.

Great as St. John the Baptist was he was humble and obedient. He was not afraid to acknowledge that he was only preparing the way for one greater than him who was to come whose sandals he was unworthy to unfasten. 

Grant O Lord, Beloved of my soul, that I may be willing to be used always in whatever way You desire to use me. 


Luke 1:57-66, 80

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Miracle babies were born through the course of Salvation History beginning with Isaac. St. John the Baptist was one such miracle. Born long after the barren Elizabeth could ever hope to conceive. 

God has a wonderful way of surprising us with joy when we least expect it. When John was born and Zechariah, his father, confirmed that his name was John, his tongue was loosed and he sang a hymn of praise to God for all the marvels he had done and was about to do, through his son. 

Everyone was amazed when they saw the powerful works of God. It is said that the entire neighborhood was buzzing with news of the mighty things that God had done. They wondered what plans God had in store for this special child.

We are told that the hand of the Lord was with him and he continued to grow strong in spirit. He withdrew from the world and lived in the desert until God decided the time when he would begin the mission that was entrusted to him.

In the world, it is hard to keep our focus on You and on the things of the Spirit. We too need to withdraw often from the noise of the world in order to commune with You to know Your will for our lives. Unless we do this we will find ourselves more and more immersed in the things of the flesh and less and less concerned with the needs of the spirit.

The Solemnity of the Feast of Corpus Christi - Reflection

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS


I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord;
whoever eats this bread will live forever. Jn 6:51

Genesis 14:18-20, Psalm 110:1-4, 
1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Luke 9:11B-17


Genesis 14:18-20

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

God always intended for You to be our food and drink. He knew that if our spiritual hunger was not satisfied we would wither on the vine and perish.

God, from the first, intended You to be His High Priest - the One who would offer the most pleasing and most fragrant Sacrifice in expiation for the Sin that severed our friendship and fellowship with Him.

This is why, with our hearts filled with gratitude and love, we are duty bound to give back to God a part of all that He so generously gives us. It is only in giving that we receive and in dying with You that we are raised to eternal life.


 Psalm 110:1-4

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Lucifer and his minions fell from grace the moment he made himself equal to God. The glaring difference between Lucifer's mighty fall and You being raised high above every other in heaven or on earth or under the earth is that even though You are equal to God yet You did not grasp equality with Him but emptied Yourself completely - this is Agape Love, this is Humility, this is Sonship.

In perfect obedience and humility, You won victory and triumph over the Enemy this is why God put all things under Your feet.

You are the Eternal High Priest. You are constantly offering to God the One, Holy, Perfect, Sacrifice that saved every human being beginning with Adam whose Sin lost us paradise.

To You is given all glory, all honor, all power. You reign over all and Your reign is everlasting. The Good News is this Beloved, that the Father intends that those who believe, will have a share in Your victory and triumph and share in Your glory eternally.


1 Corinthians 11:23-26

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Once a week, in fulfillment of the Commandments given to Moses, we are called to keep the Lord's Day holy. We are called to celebrate the day when You rose from the dead in triumph and crushed the head of Satan forever. 

Once a week we are called to commemorate the Lord's Supper which culminated in the Sacrifice of the Son of God on the Cross in expiation for the sins of the whole world. 

We begrudge this one day. We make excuses mostly lame one for sleeping in on the one day we claim we get to rest from our weekly labors. Yet, the only rest the soul needs is to rest in You in the Holy Eucharist. To be nourished by Your Body and Blood. To rejoice and be glad because God stoops low from His Throne to mingle and become one with His creatures. 

How foolish we are Beloved, and yet You love us with a love that is beyond words. Give us wisdom so we may understand that without this Spiritual food we will lack the strength to make the journey from this life to the next.


Luke 9:11B-17

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The people who made up the crowds had come from all around the country to be healed, to be nourished, to be comforted, to be raised up in spirit and now it was getting late. They had spent the whole day with You forgetting about the time and when the disciples came to You with this request, "Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here." They thought they were being thoughtful and expressing concern. Instead, You said, "Give them some food yourselves." Their expressions must have been hilarious. They had only five loaves and two fish and the people who had gathered there were in thousands. 

They did not trust You, they lacked faith in spite of witnessing all the wonderful miracles You had performed. It was then that You took charge and instructed them how to go about using what they had in order to feed the crowd. 

Foreshadowing the institution of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist You took the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven, said the blessing, broke them, gave them to Your disciples to distribute to the crowd. They not only ate and were satisfied. You asked them to collect the leftovers so nothing would be wasted. They did and filled 12 baskets.  

Twelve baskets, twelve Apostles. Only the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church will always have enough and more to satisfy everyone who is a member of Your Body. You are the Vine and we are the branches and it is You who feed us, nourish us, and help us grow spiritually. Without the Bread of Angels, we would wither on the Vine. Thank You, Beloved.

Saturday of the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time - Reflection

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS


Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich,
so that by his poverty you might become rich. 2Cor 8:9
2 Corinthians 12:1-10, Psalm 34:8-13, 
Matthew 6:24-34


2 Corinthians 12:1-10

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

St. Paul and many other great saints in the Church, since its birth, have had experiences of You and visions of You that remind us that there is a heavenly realm and a spiritual reality that is beyond our grasp of understanding while we are still in the flesh.

St. Paul says that he heard ineffable things that no one may utter. He also says elsewhere, that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no human mind can conceive of the things God has prepared for those who love Him.

Weak as we are, small as we are, sinful as we are You desire our love. In fact, God desires that we love Him so much that He commands that we love Him above and before all else. Why? Because only in loving You as You ask us too can we become the best that we can be. In loving You we are complete. In loving You we are made perfect. In loving You first and putting You before self we grow rich in virtue. 

Thank You, Beloved, for desiring my love unworthy though I am. I do love You, help me to love You more each day.


Psalm 34:8-13

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

If only all human beings understood what it means to know You, love You, and serve You wholeheartedly and without reserve, we would hasten the coming of the Kingdom of God. We are clueless of the spiritual realm. We live lives of drudgery, plodding along like beasts of burden when it is possible to live gloriously in the Spirit even while we live in our mortal bodies.

We have been blessed beyond our wildest imagination but we are ignorant and blind to almost all Your gifts and blessings. For those of us who are privileged to be born Catholic we have received the fullness of faith and yet so many, too numerous to count, have no idea of the richness of this glorious grace.

We taste Your goodness in the Holy Eucharist. We are made one with You in the Sacrament of Sacraments. We are sealed in Your love in the Sacrament of Baptism. We are confirmed in Your Holy Spirit in the Sacraments of Confirmation. We are born anew each time we approach the Sacrament of Reconciliation and sincerely repent of our sins. We are already in heaven while still here on earth and yet we go around with long, woeful faces. If only we knew and understood how different the world would be.


Matthew 6:24-34

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Life is so short and yet we live as if it will never end. Our hearts are divided in so many ways and we are not able to give ourselves wholly to any one thing. We are constantly tired, stressed, anxious, fearful, sad, distressed, worried, angry, impatient, because we do not take Your Word seriously. We lack the faith that trusts You to do just what You say.

We are constantly serving two masters and our disappointment begins here. Human beings will disappoint us every single time, even the best of them because they are imperfect. Only in You will we be completely satisfied.

We worry constantly about having enough or not having enough. We compare what we have to what others have. We drive ourselves insane trying to have more of the things of the world because we see them as necessities. The paradox is that the more we have the more we are in want. Our wants are insatiable. However, if we trust that You will always give us just what we need when we need it then we will experience peace and joy. We will be able to enjoy what we have and we will be content.

You have given us the perfect recipe for a joyful life it is up to us to believe it, live it, and experience it.

But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sufficient for a day is its own evil."

Memorial of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious - Reflection

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS


Blessed are the poor in spirit;
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Mt 5:3

2 Corinthians 11:18, 21-30, Psalm 34:2-7, 
Matthew 6:19-23


2 Corinthians 11:18, 21-30

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

We have only to look at the media to see a world obsessed with everything concerning the flesh. If matters of the spirit are discussed it is always a spirituality that celebrates and divinizes self rather than You.

Sometimes even those who love You and follow You become proud and boastful of the gifts given to them by the Holy Spirit. We take pride in our faithfulness to prayer, our fasts, and our almsgiving. We compare ourselves favorably and self-righteously with those we consider weak in faith and morals. We boast in subtle ways of our spiritual superiority with others who seem more worldly. In all of this, we show a lack of love of neighbor whom we are called to love as we love ourselves.

What can we boast of Beloved, nothing, for all we have comes from the hand of a loving and generous God.  Apart from You we are nothing. Who among us can sincerely claim that we have suffered for our faith as St. Paul and others have done? Many of us live self-satisfied lives and we inflate the little we do to indecent proportions because we lack true love and humility.  Yes, if we must boast, as St. Paul recommends, let us boast of our weaknesses for it is in weakness alone, and in perfect submission to You and the Holy Spirit that Your strength is made perfect in us.

Psalm 34:2-7

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Your Name has the power to save. It is the Name given to us above all others that can bring us safely to harbor despite all the storms and difficulties that we may have to face in the world. 

Thank You, Father, for sending us Your Son into the world and for rescuing us from the jaws of sin and death. Thank You for the hope we now have of eternal life in union with Jesus, Your Son, with You, and with the Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit, You who make our hearts Your temple, grant us the grace to glorify the Lord as long there is breath in our body. It is in sincere praise, thanksgiving, and worship that we find true joy even in the midst of sorrow. 

Beloved, thank You for laying down Your life for me and for showing me the Way to eternal life with You. Thank You for answering me every time I call. Thank You for never abandoning me even when I turned away from You. Keep me safe in Your love all the days that are granted to me and bring me safely home when I reach my journey's end. Amen.


Matthew 6:19-23

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

When we put our trust in things and in people rather than in You we set ourselves up for a fall. Nothing in the world and nothing of the flesh can satisfy. The more we pander to both the more insatiable we become as they lose their power to satisfy. We become insensitive to the needs of others as we grow more self-absorbed. 

You say very clearly to those who wish to follow You that You alone must be our Pearl of Great Price for which we are prepared to lose all in order to gain it. The more we allow the current degenerate culture of the world to permeate our life the more will spiritual malaise swamp our soul and in time we will suffocate and die. 

You are the Light of the World. You are the Treasure of treasures. If we live by Your Word and allow Your Word to take root in our lives, if we receive our nourishment from the Sacraments, then Your Light in us will overcome the darkness no matter how great that darkness may be.

Thursday of the Eleventh in Ordinary Time - Reflection

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

You have received a spirit of adoption as sons
through which we cry: Abba! Father! Rom 8:15BC

2 Corinthians 11:1-11, Psalm 111:1-4, 7-8, 
Matthew 6:7-15


2 Corinthians 11:1-11

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

How tenderly and lovingly St. Paul speaks to the people of Corinth. He cares too much for their spiritual well-being to allow them to go astray by false teachers and teaching.  The believers in Corinth began well. They were taught sound doctrine and yet when Paul and his companions were no longer with them they were led into error.

There is only one Gospel. There is one Faith. We have but one Hope. There is only one Christ and You founded one Church built on the Rock of Peter.  As long as we stay in the embrace of Holy Mother Church we will receive sound doctrine. We will receive the Sacraments which are the channels of grace that will well up to eternal life in us.


Matthew 6:7-15

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

Thank You for teaching us the perfect prayer when You taught Your disciples the Lord's Prayer.

Thank You for showing us how to pray and how to present our needs both spiritual and temporal to God.

Thank You for the confidence and boldness with which we can approach God and thank You for teaching us that He is our Dad, our Abba, who loves us more tenderly than any earthly father ever could.

And above all, Beloved, thank You for teaching us the importance of forgiving and asking for forgiveness for if we are not prepared to let go of anger, hatred, and bitterness against our brothers and sisters we can be certain that we ourselves will not be forgiven. You have said that only in the measure that we forgive will be forgiven and You showed us how it is done on the Cross. Thank You.

Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time - Reflection

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

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

2 Corinthians 9:6-11, Psalm 112:1-4, 9, 
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18


2 Corinthians 9:6-11

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

If we are afraid to share generously it is because we do not trust You. We are afraid that in giving today we may have less for ourselves tomorrow. We are afraid to give now because we believe we will not have enough for ourselves in the future. We spend our whole lives in fear wondering if what we set aside will suffice for the years that stretch before us once we are no longer capable of earning a living. We live in fear, we are filled with anxiety, in short, we lack faith in You.

St. Paul reminds us that in the measure we give we will receive. If we sow meagrely we will reap meagrely. If we sow bountifully our harvest will be bountiful too. We are called to give joyfully and generously knowing that You have given us because You trust us to share it with those in need.

The more we give in faith knowing that You will ensure that we will not be in want, the more we will see Your power at work in our lives. We don't experience miracles because we are miserly and niggardly in our giving of what we have received from You. Grant us the grace to give without stinting Beloved, because You will enrich and reward the cheerful giver.


Psalm 112:1-4, 9

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The Psalmist says that the one who fears You will delight in obeying Your commands. And what is Your command Lord? It is to love. First to love God above and before all and then to love our neighbour.

When we keep these two Commandments then we can be certain that You will abide with us always. We will be blessed in all that we do. We will be given all the graces we need to live holy lives and to endure suffering. You will open our hearts to be generous not only in sharing what we have but more importantly to giving of ourselves. 

Unworthy as I am Beloved, You love me, teach me to love as You love.  


Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

My Love, Beloved of my soul,

The poor find it easier to give than the rich. When the rich give there is usually a reason behind it. The poor give because they know what it means to be hungry and in want.

Most people like to parade their good deeds before them in order to be praised. This is not true giving. It is not the amount we give that matters because many of us give from our abundance. True giving is when it hurts. When we give from what we have set aside for ourselves trusting that God will provide, we live by faith. 

Daily personal prayer draws us closer to You.
Fasting helps us understand that we do not live on bread alone; we need You and Your Word to sustain us.
Almsgiving is proof that we are good stewards of God's material and spiritual blessings.

We need to retreat often into the inner sanctuary within us, in silent communion with You, we will always receive all the grace, courage, and help we will need to face any challenge.