Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Mt 4:19
Come after me, says the Lord,
and I will make you fishers of men.


Romans 10:9-18
Psalm 19:8-11
Matthew 4:18-22


Romans 10:9-18

My Love, Soul of my soul,

St. Paul says, "For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved." It has also been said that out of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. The greatest most glorious truth of our faith is that God raised You from the dead and all who make this act of faith can confidently hope to share in Your Resurrection.

The whole of mankind no matter what the circumstances of their lives, every man, woman, and child on the face of this earth who calls upon the Name that is above every other name, will be saved.

All this is beautiful Beloved, but St. Paul reminds us that not everyone knows of You, not everyone can call on Your Name, unless someone is willing to go out into the world to preach the Good News. Today, we give thanks for St. Andrew Apostle and Martyr and for the pantheon of missionary saints who took the Gospel seriously and cared enough for the salvation of their brothers and sisters to lay down their lives in imitation of You in order that those in ignorance could be saved.

Grant me the grace today to do my part, no matter how small and humble it may be, to spread the Light of the Word where I am. Thank You.


Psalm 19:8-11

My Love, Soul of my soul,

The Law of the Lord enables us to keep our feet firmly on the road that leads to the Kingdom of God. It is hard Beloved, temptations abound, and although the spirit is willing, the flesh is so abjectly weak.

Thank You for Your grace that is available bountifully in all the Sacraments. Thank You for that most comforting of all Sacraments, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, that makes it possible for us to receive You in the most sublime of Sacraments, the Holy Eucharist, in a state of grace.

All glory, praise, and honor to You my Lord and my God who makes it always possible for the sinner to begin anew.


Matthew 4:18-22

My Love, Soul of my soul,

The invitation You extended to Peter and Andrew is also extended to me, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." And each time I hear You my response must be like theirs, I must leave all the busyness of the world aside and follow You. So many, having heard Your invitation left everything behind, family, friends, the familiar, the loved and taking a leap of faith followed You. You are the Pearl of Great Price everything in the world is well lost in order to possess You.

Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

DAILY READING

Luke 21-28
Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.


Daniel 7:2-14
Daniel 3:75-81
Luke 21:29-33


Daniel 7:2-14

My Love, Soul of my soul,

I too belong to those in the world that so easily slides down the slippery slope of evil. I know now without a shadow of a doubt that when I take my hand away from Yours I lack the will and the strength to keep from taking the wide and easy road that leads to despair, doom, and death.

Every evil beast has been let loose in the world and the weak, the timid, the Godless do not stand a chance against the terrifying winds that seek to destroy everything that dares to oppose it.

Thank You, Beloved, for the hope that we are given that finally, You will prevail. Grant me the grace to remain faithful to the end for You know even better than I how easily I fall when I am drawn into the vortex of sin. 

I know I am saved for You, who love me more than I can know or deserve, died for me and I am numbered among those that are saved. To You has been given everlasting dominion and You my Lord whose kingship will never be destroyed; will ensure that I who cling to You because I am weak and will not make it on my own will be saved.

Daniel 3:75-81

My Love, Soul of my soul,

May every breath I breathe praise and bless You along with all of creation for You are worthy of praise. May my soul exalt You all the days of my life. May I be one with every soul that lives to please You, honor You, worship You, adore You, and glorify You. May I never stop to give You homage and to thank You for all You are and all You have done. Above all thank You for creating me and for the hope that someday I will be taken up into Your glory where I will join the angels and the saints to sing Your praises eternally.


Luke 21:29-33

My Love, Soul of my soul,

Thank You for the assurance that Your Word is eternal and that we can place all our hope and trust in Your Word which never fails to accomplish all that it says it will.

The Kingdom of God is near, it is in the world, it is in the Church You established, it is in my heart. For this Word and this Promise my Beloved, thank You.

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time - Reflection

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life. 
Jn 3:16

Wisdom 11:22-12-2
Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14
2 Thessalonians 1-11 - 2:2
Luke 9:1-10


Wisdom 11:22-12-2

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The author of the Book of Wisdom was given divine insight into the unbelievably wonderful nature of God. All that lives is because You will it. All created things have been fashioned by Your hand and therefore all life is sacred and must be treated with respect - the crowning glory of all creation being man. This is why You show us such great mercy. You know how weak we are and how much we need Your help and Your grace to become what the Father intended us to be, His daughters and sons.

Thank You.


Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

My heart should be singing always for I know that You are faithful even when I am not. Thank You for loving me even when I am least loveable. Thank You for Your strength when mine fails. Thank You for never giving up on me and accepting me as I am. Thank You for always encouraging me to be better than I am.

2 Thessalonians 1-11 - 2:2

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

St. Paul reminds us today that each one of us is called to glorify You in our lives by living our faith boldly both privately and in public. We are witnesses and more often than not our witnessing of Christianity is such a disgrace it becomes a source of scandal in the world.

Thank You for the Church that is always praying for all her members so we may gladly receive all the graces we need, have the courage to change, and to be unafraid to be a sign of contradiction in the world.

Thank You for the timely reminder to guard against false prophets.


Luke 9:1-10

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

So many of us constantly judge people who are different from us. We perceive them in a certain way because their culture is different from our own and consciously or unconsciously we treat them coldly and with disdain. Many of us have been on the receiving end of such callous, negative and unkind judgment just as Zacchaeus was.

Zacchaeus was a man who did not let his shortcomings get in the way of what he desired. Not many people are eager to look ridiculous before their peers; Zacchaeus had no such inhibitions. He knew he was disliked. He knew he had a job that made him a pariah among the Jews but what made him different was his awareness of that space in his heart that wanted more and which no created thing could fill or satisfy. 

All it took for his conversion was the desire to do whatever it took to see You. He took the first step and You did the rest. It must have been a funny sight to see the man clinging for dear life to the limb on of the tree on which he was perched while peering down to get a better glimpse of You. 

St. Luke narrates the incident like this:

When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
"Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house."

I doubt anyone scrambled down a tree as quickly as the joyous Zacchaeus did that day. All it took was a real desire, humility, and a readiness to make reparation for his past sins. His reward was salvation not only for him but for all his household.

St. Luke closes with these wonderfully reassuring words,

"For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost."

Solemnity of All Saints - Reflection

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord. Mt 11:28

Revelations 7:2-4, 9-14
Psalm 24:1-6
1John 3:1-3
Matthew 4:1-12

Revelations 7:2-4, 9-14

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

I am sealed in Your Blood. Thank You for the glorious destiny that awaits all who believe in You, hope in You, and place all their trust in You and in the salvation that You won for us by Your Blood.

The truth  proclaimed unceasingly by all who have gone before us is this, "Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb."
  
Someday Beloved, when my life here ends I will join all the angels and saints in heaven to worship before Your glorious throne and proclaim to the glory of the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit that You are Lord. I will join in their unceasing hymn of praise, "Amen.  Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever.  Amen."

Psalm 24:1-6

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Thank You for the glory of being among those who long to see Your Face Thank You for the love in my heart that is generated y the Holy Spirit who is the love of God and the Breath of the Father. 

I rejoice in the knowledge that the earth, its fullness, and all who dwell in it are Yours. You have created me for Yourself. Thank You for that glorious place within me that nothing created can fill but Yourself. 

Thank You for the privilege of ascending Your holy mountain where all the faithful come together to offer God the only Sacrifice pleasing to Him, the Sacrifice of Calvary that won our salvation.

Thank You for always keeping Your promises and for the abundance of Your blessings that flows constantly from You into my life, my heart, and my soul. Never was there anyone more undeserving than I and yet You love me with a love too great for my comprehension. 

Thank You. 


1 John 3:1-3

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The disciple whom You loved, was privileged to write about the Word who is Love Incarnate, more gloriously than any writer of Holy Scripture. You revealed that we are the children of God and so we may address Him boldly and confidently as Abba, Father, Dad. 

The world does not know Him, the world does not know You this is why the world continues to live in wretchedness, darkness, and sin. But we know You and because we do we are filled with the joy of the Spirit no matter what our circumstances. 

Beloved, I know I am a sinner, a wretched sinner, and yet I have this incandescent hope that burns within me constantly assuring me that because I belong to You completely You will enable me to strive to live a life that is pleasing to the Father. I count on You for help and You will never fail me.

Matthew 4:1-12

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Crowds followed You wherever You went. They looked at You, listened to You speak, felt Your great love for them fill their beings, it was like nothing they had ever experienced before and their hungry hearts longed for more. When You looked at the crowds You saw each one of them individually, and You longed to gather them close to You and comfort them as a mother comforts her child.

That beautiful day when You went up the mountain and preached the greatest sermon of all time You gave us a blueprint of how we could become true sons and daughters of God. By closely following Your pattern You guarantee that we can become like You. We will become the light of the world.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven."

At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, You remind us that the Kingdom of God is not for the fainthearted.

"Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven."

Thank You for being the Way that leads us to the Father.