SATURDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ,

you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is,
sitting at God’s right hand. COL 3:1



Acts 28:16-20,30-31

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

In the tribunals of the world, the apostles of Truth are judged by the culture of the day. There can be no acquittal on the grounds of innocence for they are deemed guilty simply for teaching, preaching, and standing against those who are hell-bent on dragging souls to eternal darkness, destruction, and death.

When we listen to Your voice and obey Your call, we can be sure that You will do Your part in keeping us safe and providing for all our needs. Nothing mattered to Paul except to do Your will. We too, who are baptized in Your Name, ought to feel the same urgency to spread the Good News in season and out of season by the witness of our lives.

Psalm 10(11):4-5,7

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We are invited to strive after perfection and holiness because our Father in heaven is holy and perfect. You sent Your Holy Spirit to dwell in the temple of our body. We must always be aware that God is enthroned in the sanctuary of our hearts and is with us always.

Grant O Lord, that we will not allow sin to grieve the Holy Spirit abiding in us, rather, may we give Him total freedom, yielding completely to His power to have His way with us and do with us as He will, so we who are created in Your image and likeness, may live as children of God.

John 21:20-25

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

You refused to tickle Peter's ears to satisfy his curiosity by answering questions that were irrelevant. We too can be very shallow spending an inordinate amount of time on wanting to know about things that are of little consequence. The time given to us is put to better use when we spend it to discern what You ask of us and to do it.

Too often we allow ourselves to get fascinated and sidetracked by irrelevant details and controversies that have nothing to contribute whatsoever to the real mission at hand and that is to bring many to the knowledge of Truth. What we ought to be absorbed in is to know You, love You, give our lives to You, believe in You, have faith in You, and be saved.  You are God and You can do what You wish and will without being accountable to us. It is enough that the evangelist vouches for all he as written as a testimony of the Truth. 

FRIDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The Holy Spirit will teach you everything

and remind you of all I told you. JN 14:26


ACTS 25:13B-21

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

As in the life of Paul, no matter how distressing the circumstances of our lives get, we can be sure that You are working Your will through it all for our good and for the greater glory of God.

It was Your plan that Paul go to Rome and there preach the Good News, the journey to Rome was fraught with danger and he would go there and live there as a prisoner. Your ways are not our ways, Your thoughts are far above our own. But because You are God we can trust You implicitly and with confidence because we belong to You.


PSALM 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20AB

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

You are ascended into heaven and there at the right hand of God, our Father You are enthroned. Heaven and earth bless Your holy Name, for it is a Name that is above every other and it is the only one by which we are all saved.

Thank You, Beloved, for Your incarnation and for becoming like us in all things save sin. You entered into the darkest night of humanity taking on Yourself the punishment for our transgressions. Thank You for entering into our death and rising from it victoriously and triumphantly so we need never fear death. 

You are enthroned in the highest heavens and one day, when our life's journey has ended we will join the angels and saints in worshipping, praising, and glorifying You joyfully forever.

JOHN 21:15-19

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We know from the Gospels that You had a special love for John. He was the youngest of Your disciples and he refers to himself in his gospel, as the beloved disciple. John would be the one to write with great insight and wisdom everything about You and all You said and did. He would use the written word to describe the incarnate Word with incandescent beauty.

But Peter, despite all his flaws, and his triple denial of You,  loved You more than all the others did. Peter the impulsive, Peter the abrasive, Peter who had to be admonished by You and Peter whom God chose to be the Rock on which You built Your Church. We can take heart from this that God chooses whom He wills. We don't have to be perfect to be called.   

Three times You asked Peter if he loved You phrasing the sentence differently each time. 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" "Simon son of John, do you love me?" and finally, just "Do you love me." Peter's response twice was, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." But the third time he says, Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you."

The third time Peter proclaims that You who are the all-knowing God, also knows that he loves You. With his triple confession of love, You have established Peter, indisputably, as the head of the Church of which You are its cornerstone. Peter is entrusted to feed and tend Your flock while he himself is commanded to follow You. If we remain in the flock with Peter we will never go astray.

THURSDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

May they all be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
that the world may believe that you sent me, says the Lord. 

JN 17:21




ACTS 22:30, 23:6-11

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,


Evil sows dissension and feeds off it. It thrives for as long as we permit fear, envy, and hatred to divide us. Goodness on the other hand thrives where truth is pursued in an atmosphere of love and in a spirit of peace, understanding, and goodwill. 

Today we see how shrewdly Paul pits the Pharisees against the Sadduccees because of their differing beliefs. Evil thrives when we stubbornly hold on to our views refusing to acknowledge any opinion that differs from ours. So too religious groups are fractioned and disintegrate even further into more groups because of pride, lack of knowledge, and malaise that stops pursuing Truth if they think they have found it. Journeying in the Way of Truth leads to embracing its fullness in the Church You founded with Peter at its head.

Despite the turbulent waters of division that the bark of Peter has to navigate we are strengthened by the words You spoke to Paul: “Take courage. For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.” It is in Rome alone that all who pursue the Truth honestly will find a safe harbor.

PSALM 16:1-2A, 5, 7-11

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The verses of the psalm selected for today's Liturgy speaks eloquently to our present times as we undergo the uncertainty of the pandemic and lockdown. You alone, in whom we place all our hope, can keep us safe. We hide in You, we take refuge in You. You are all we need, all we ask for, all we hope for. 

We are open to the voice of Your Holy Spirit speaking to us in so many different ways in these difficult times. You are with us and we are at peace. You have the power to draw immense good from our present circumstances and I am certain that many will testify to the many gifts, graces, and blessings received during these days, weeks, and months. We know that God is our Father and He will keep us safe in His love no matter what the present or future holds for us.

JOHN 17:20-26

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Our world is filled with discord, hate, division, and evil. Wisdom and common sense have long fled our public and private discourse. This beautiful prayer You prayed to Your Father includes people of every nation in every time and in every age. You desire to draw all who believe in You into the Trinitarian love. 

It is incredible that You whom the Father has set high above every throne, and every dominion, who created all things through You and for You both invisible and invisible in heaven and on earth, desire to be one in us just as You are one with Your Father.

As we prepare to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, Beloved, grant us a new Pentecost. Send Your Holy Spirit once more with great power, stir up the Holy Spirit who is dormant in us, so we may live as vibrant witnesses of the Good News so all can be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

WEDNESDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Your word, O Lord, is truth;

consecrate us in the truth. JN 17:17B, 17A

ACTS 20:28-38

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Paul's address to the presbyters of the Church in Ephesus applies to every consecrated bishop and priest. They must model themselves on You, the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep, just as Paul did. Sadly this is not true there has been a savage attack on the flock by wolves within and outside the Church. Many have been led astray by weak, or wrong doctrine. But there are also many good and holy shepherds who stand firm on the Rock of Peter and suffer much because they will not compromise the Truth or water it down to accommodate the culture of the day.

We too must remain vigilant and do our part in knowing our faith so we can make a strong defence against the allies of the Enemy. Let us always extend our support and bestow our affection on those who spend themselves tirelessly to feed their flock the truth with regard to faith, morals, and right doctrine.

PSALM 68:29-30, 33-36

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Your power O Lord is visible in the Church You founded on the Rock of Peter. Despite the storms she has always weathered, she remains glorious and triumphant. Despite the scandals and the persecutions, she prevails because the Holy Spirit abides in her in fullness.

You make Your home in our tabernacles in every nation and people of every race, language, and culture worship You. We receive You in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist where the priests have been given the power to change mere bread and wine into Your Body and Blood so we can eat the Bread of Angels and be nourished and strengthened. There is no God, Beloved, but the One awesome God who made the heavens and the earth and this God makes His home in every heart that believes in You.

JOHN 17:11B-19

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

If ever we get discouraged because the world hates us, all we need to do is remind ourselves that You have prayed for us and the mighty protection of all the powers in heaven is granted to us. Your prayer as High Priest to Your Father in heaven is answered for You are the answer to every prayer. When we pray to the Father we pray You,  we offer You, we recall You, the Living Word, of the Living God.

No force no matter how evil or destructive will prevail against Your Body, the Church. We have been consecrated to You as Your Bride, the Father stoops low from heaven to lavish her with every good and perfect gift through the Holy Spirit. We are woven with the love of the Holy Spirit to the love between You and the Father. Your Church will remain safe despite every attempt to destroy her because You will ensure that the gates of hell will not prevail against her until You return in glory.

MEMORIAL OF SAINT PHILIP NERI, PRIEST, 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I will ask the father

and he will give you another Advocate
to be with you always. JN14:16


ACTS 20:17-27

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

In Paul's farewell discourse with the presbyters we see how he has been transformed by the Holy Spirit and by his great love for You into an Apostle after Your own heart. He worked tirelessly and spared no effort in going wherever he was led, preaching, and teaching in hostile as well friendly territory. Fear for his life did not stop him. He crucified his flesh so the Spirit could be fully alive and at work in him.

Spurred on by the Holy Spirit, ablaze with love for God, and committed wholeheartedly to the mission You entrusted to him, he went where he was led even when he knew it could mean death. Which of us can say as confidently as he did, "... I solemnly declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, for I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the entire plan of God.”

PSALM 68:10-11, 20-21

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The psalmist knows You, he is aware of the generosity of Your love. You alone have the power to save and You did not hesitate for a moment to lay down Your life for sinful people in every age and every nation, many of whom would either never know You, or knowing You, refuse to accept and acknowledge Your great love and sacrifice in saving them.

We are Your inheritance and You shower Your blessings and graces on us without measure. We are Your people, the sheep of Your flock and You will provide all we need to ensure that we make our pilgrim journey from here to eternity in safety.

JOHN 17:1-11A

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

This is the only Truth that saves us, there is no other - having heard, having touched, having tasted, having known, having been loved by You, if we still refuse to walk in the Way that leads to Life with sincerity, we will be separated from You forever.

In Your own words : Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.

All who believe in the Name of God and in the One whom He sent into the world, to be the Lamb of Sacrifice in expiation for our sins, will be saved. This is the simple, unvarnished truth. You revealed all that there was to reveal. You made known all that the Father desired You to make known. You said and did nothing that You had not seen the Father say and do. You imaged the Father to us perfectly. This is why You said, all who see Me have seen the Father as well.

You prayed for Your Apostles and You prayed for the Church You established and as long as we are in the world we can be certain that You will protect us who are Your own until You return.

MONDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS



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 19:1-8

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The disciples in the early Church worked in close union with the Apostles and deferred to them, looked to them for direction, and took their counsel on matters of the faith. When the members of the Church work in unity there is harmony. We all work for the same Master, the same Lord, the same God and all we do should give You all the glory, praise, and honor. 


Today's reading reveals how important it is to receive the Holy Spirit and this is possible only through the laying on of hands by the Apostles. The Sacraments of Initiation equip us to evangelize with courage, boldness, and power. The gifts of the Holy Spirit help us in our mission to spread the Good News to the ends of the earth. Only with the Wind of the Holy Spirit beneath us can we do our part in building the Kingdom of God on earth. 

PSALM 68:2-7

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

You are alive and You are in heaven at the right hand of the Father who has given You all dominion, all authority, and all power. The psalmist is right when he says, 

God arises; his enemies are scattered,
and those who hate him flee before him.
As smoke is driven away, so are they driven;
as wax melts before the fire.

Yes, there is a great deal of evil in the world, yes, there are all kinds of horrific things being done by people in the name of God, yes there is great ignorance of You and there is division so great among people in everything that there is only a strident cacophony of sound caused by bickering, name-calling, and derision for the opinions of others. Wisdom has long fled from much of our public and private discourse because no one wants to listen to the Voice of Truth, Wisdom, Knowledge, and Reason. However, we are not to lose heart. You have sent us the Holy Spirit and with His help, Your reign, Your rule, and Your Kingdom will be established in the world that You redeemed.

JOHN 16:29-33 

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We are often like the foolish disciples who thought they understood everything You said, they thought they grasped the things You spoke about. But it was only an illusion they understood nothing and You knew it. You were aware that when the soldiers arrived to arrest You, at the very first indication of trouble they would flee and hide. "Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone." 

We are no different, we too think we understand but as soon as a storm comes into our lives we doubt, we lose perspective, we question Your love, we run away from You and hide instead of trusting You and Your Word.

But You were not alone because the Father is with You, and we are not alone because the Holy Spirit is with us and where He is so are You and the Father for You are One. In every storm of life we must enter into the peace that You have given us. We ought never to be taken by surprise when troubles assail us for You warn us that troubles will come but we can face them fearlessly for You have conquered the world.

THE ASCENSION OF THE LORD - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Go and teach all nations, says the Lord;
I am with you always, until the end of the world.MT 28:19A, 20B

ACTS 1:1-11

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Apart from appearing to Your apostles and disciples several times after Your Resurrection, You appeared to many others as well, until the day when they witnessed Your ascension into heaven. Before Your ascension, You gave them clear instructions that they were to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the 'promise of the Father.'  

When the Apostles asked about future events You did not satisfy their curiosity about things that did not concern them. The same holds true for us as well. Our mission, the mission of the Church, is the same as the mission You entrusted to them, all that matters is that we preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth. We are not to waste time looking at the sky when there is work to be done. You will come again just as You promised, but until then let us do all that You have entrusted us so when You call us to Yourself, You will say to us, "Well done, good and faithful servant." 

PSALM 47:2-3, 6-9

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

There is a funny meme going around that says, the Ascension is the day when You began working from home. Yes, we have this faith, this hope, and this confidence that You who have gone up to the highest heavens with shouts of joy and a blare of trumpets will return once again in the same way that You ascended. We long for that day, Beloved. Come, Beloved, come. Maranatha!  

EPHESIANS 1:17-23

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

I thank You for the genius of St. Paul who, inspired by the Holy Spirit, has spoken so eloquently and soul-stirringly about You.

Please answer his prayer in our day too, my Lord. Grant us a full measure of Your Holy Spirit so we may be effective witnesses to Your glory. We make this prayer to the Father who has seated You at His right hand far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things beneath Your feet and gave You as head over all things to the church, which is Your body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way. Amen.

MATTHEW 28:16-20

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We are told that when the eleven disciples went to the mountain as You ordered them to, they saw You, and despite seeing You many times after Your resurrection from the dead, although there were in awe and worshiped You, they still doubted.

Are we not like them as well, Beloved? Despite all You have done for us, despite the fact that we know beyond all doubt that You are indeed the Son of God who died for us, redeemed us, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven our faith is sometimes a frail, fragile, weak thing. Were it not for the fulfillment of Your promise to send the Holy Spirit on Your Church, we would have all fallen by the wayside and been forgotten a long time ago.

As we wait and pray until the day of the feast of Pentecost, we ask the Father in Your mighty Name to give us a fresh outpouring of Your Holy Spirit. Grant us a new Pentecost to blow mightily through the Church and the world so we may be a renewed people, full of the power of God and the Spirit of God.  Amen.

SATURDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I came from the Father and have come into the world;
now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father. JN 16:18



ACTS 18:23-28

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

In today's passage, as we read about the gifts that Apollos possessed and those he lacked and how the more mature disciples in the faith assisted and trained him, we learn what is required to be an effective evangelist.

Apollos was an eloquent speaker, he was an authority on Scriptures (Old Testament), he was instructed in the Way of the Lord and had an ardent spirit, he spoke boldly and taught accurately about Jesus, however, he had only received the baptism of John. Priscilla and Aquila explained to him the way of God more accurately so he could preach sound doctrine. He was then sent to assist the disciples and he was received warmly. He was an able assistant because he was well-grounded and rooted in Scriptures and sound doctrine and hence was able to refute those who opposed him.

We cannot become effective evangelists if we are ignorant. 

PSALM 47:2-3, 8-10

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Today we are reminded that You are King of all the earth. We need not be afraid rather, we must be joyful for we know that we have an awesome God who loves us and cares for us. No harm will come to those who are called by Your Name.

You are holy and all You do is holy. To You is due all praise, honor, and glory. You are seated at the right hand of the Father and all creation worships You and to You is given all rule, all authority, and dominion.

JOHN 16:23B-28

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Your heartfelt, comforting, tender, and loving farewell discourse was not only addressed to Your disciples then but to us as well and to all future generations too, until You return in glory.

We lack the courage to ask boldly for what we need perhaps because we are afraid to let go of the temporal, or are afraid of what discipleship will cost us. You ask us to strive after holiness and perfection and we focus on our own inability to let go of our weaknesses, our sins, our creature comforts, the desires of the flesh rather than trusting You to help us.

By ourselves we can do nothing. That is abundantly clear. But with You, everything and anything is possible however we must make that leap of faith. We have only to look at the lives of saints to see how their lives turned out once they yielded to You and to the Holy Spirit.

We are all sinners, born in sin but with Your help and all the grace, You make available we can be filled with the joy that comes from abiding in Your Spirit, joy that no one can take from us.

Beloved, give me the courage to ask boldly for all that You desire to give me and the humility to recognize that even to ask needs grace. You will have to do it all my Lord, You have to give me the desire to be holy, the will to be holy, and the grace to be holy every moment of every day.

FRIDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS



Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead,
and so enter into his glory. LK 24:46, 26


ACTS 18:9-19

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

St. Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, was a man of towering faith and filled with the Holy Spirit. He did nothing and went nowhere unless the Spirit spoke to him and guided him. We too would spare ourselves much grief if we placed our whole life at the command and disposal of the Spirit of God.

Paul's strength and courage came from You. He was rooted in You and Your life. He is an icon of what is possible when we allow the Holy Spirit to do with us as He wills. Grant O Lord, that we who are called by Your Name, always live in the power of the Holy Spirit only then can we draw others to know You, love You, and follow You.   

PSALM 47:2-7

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

You are our Inheritance, You are our Prize, You who are the King of Kings, Lord of Lord, and Ruler of all that is seen and unseen, and You are our Friend, our Brother, our Love. 

All that is was created at Your Word. We exist, we live, we move, and we have our being, in the Word that sustains us. We are sinners, unworthy of Your love, we are often willful, disobedient, and selfish, and our loyalty and love are lukewarm and wayward, yet You love us with an everlasting love. You never cease to pour out Your gifts on us. Thank You, Beloved, for coming down from heaven for us and thank You for going up to heaven and for Your assurance that where You are someday we too will be.

JOHN 16:20-23

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Like Your Apostles and disciple, when we grieve and mourn we are so consumed with our own terrible sorrow we too forget all Your promises to us. But once the gnawing pain within begins to subside we look to You and to Your promises for comfort and You never fail to bring healing to our brokenness.

Death is vanquished. The victory is won. And while we journey from this life to the next we have Your enduring Presence in the Eucharist. We eat Your Body and drink Your Blood and we receive Your life in us - the same life that we will enjoy in perfect union with You, the Father, and the Holy Spirit in the Kingdom of God.

THURSDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS





I will not leave you orphans, says the Lord;
I will come back to you, and your hearts will rejoice. JN 14:18

ACTS 18:1-8

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Paul reveals how we are to live in the world as Your disciples. For as long as he was alone, he earned his living by working at his trade as a tentmaker but as soon as he was joined by his companions he was free to do the work to which he was called, that of preaching and teaching the Gospel. We ought not to use excuses not to work and become a burden on others; as far as possible we must be self-reliant.

Paul was not intimated by opposition. He evangelized boldly and when people remained obstinate and stonehearted he did not waste his time with them any further, for their hearts and minds were closed. We can do nothing about those who refuse to believe in the Truth because they are afraid, or prefer the comfort of the familiar even though they are half-truths instead of boldly accepting the fullness of the faith. 

It is grace alone that gives people the courage to believe and come to the knowledge of Truth but grace can be accepted or rejected. God never acts against our free will.

PSALM 98:1-4

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Your saving power extends to the whole human race and embraces the whole world. You lay down Your life and took it up again in order to conquer death, vanquish the Enemy, and give us redemption in You. You entered into our death and this is why death has no power over us. 

Christians are filled with joy no matter what their circumstances may be. Our joy, our faith, our hope, and our love for You are not dependant on things, people, or the world, they come from You. You are the source of all good and You pour out all that is good over us who are members of Your Body.

JOHN 16:16-20

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

In these strange, unusual days, many are filled with fear, anger, anxiety, and misgiving. Many have suffered much loss so the words You speak to Your disciples become even poignant and meaningful for us: 

“A little while and you will no longer see me,
and again a little while later and you will see me.”

We are temporarily denied reception of the life-giving Sacraments. We are unable to receive You in Holy Communion. We are unable to go to Confession. We are unable to visit You in our Adoration Chapels and worship You face to face. We feel Your Absence in these most tangible ways which have strengthened us, comforted us, and gave us life in You. We are unable to come together as a community of believers to praise and worship You. 

We hunger and thirst for Your Presence and our hearts are filled with sadness.

Thank You, Beloved, that You have sent us Your Holy Spirit who abides in us, He is the same Holy Spirit who abides in the Father and in You. If we have the Spirit then we have both You and the Father for You are One. 

No, You have not left us orphans. You are Emmanuel, God with us - Your Word is eternal and Your Word is true. We believe. This time of exile from the Sacraments is only for a while. You know when it will end and as we wait we know that You are doing a marvelous new thing in our families, in our communities, in our Church, and in the world. We believe in You, we hope in You, we trust You and above all, we love You who are worthy of all our love.

WEDNESDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I will ask the Father
and he will give you another Advocate
to be with you always. JN 14:16

ACTS 17:15, 22 ---- 18:1

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

A few days ago we heard St. Peter say, "Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence." Today St. Paul demonstrates how we ought to evangelize. We meet people where they are, know where they are coming from, and take our lead from there. Evangelization is simple, we make it complicated when our own fears and complexes get in the way. It is telling our own personal story with simplicity and trusting the Holy Spirit to do the rest.

My own personal experience of You, my testimony of how You have worked in my life through the good times and the difficult, through joy and grief, through heartbreak and sorrow. This is the Good News that You who know what suffering is, understand me better than anyone, and You who are God, walk with me, and remain with me and in me always.

PSALM 148:1-2, 11-14

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The psalmist says that praise is fitting for loyal hearts. This is why all who know You love You and praise You. You are praised by the angels and saints in the highest heavens. You are praised constantly by all creation and all creatures. Prophets, priests, and kings sing Your praises from the rising of the sun to its setting for You are the Prophet, the Priest, and the King. 

Thank You, Beloved, for making constant intercession on our behalf before Your  Father. Thank You for adopting us as Your sisters and brothers and for granting us a share of all that is Yours. Thank You for loving us always even though we are unworthy of Your love.

JOHN 16:12-15

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

You came to sow the Kingdom of God in the hearts of all Your disciples, all who are called by Your Name, and all who accept You as their Lord and Savior. This tiny little mustard seed that You sowed in the Church You founded on St. Peter and the Apostles has grown into a mighty oak because she received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost who abides in her.

Holy Mother Church, in imitation of the Holy Virgin, Mother Mary, ponders the Word in her heart as well. It lives there in its fullness and with the help of the Holy Spirit, beginning with the evangelists, the Church Fathers, and all the great writers and thinkers of the faith through the millennia continue to put deep roots in the Spirit of God and receive inspiration, wisdom, insight, and understanding into the unsearchable, inexhaustible riches of God. The Word is the Living Word, the Eternal Word and You will continue to speak to Your disciples and they Church will continue to grow until every bird will build its nest in her and find shelter and shade in You through her.  

TUESDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I will send to you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord;
he will guide you to all truth. JN 16:7, 13


ACTS 16:22-34

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Far too few Christians today, like Paul and Silas and those in the early Church, are prepared to suffer greatly for the sake of the Gospel. We mollycoddle ourselves and have made of our faith something comfortable and convenient. It does not disturb us nor does it disturb anyone else and it certainly has not brought anyone to the Truth, least of all ourselves. We are complacent about our faith. We take it for granted. We keep it strictly within boundaries lest we offend anyone. 

The early Christians had no such inhibitions. They were on fire with the Holy Spirit and wanted everyone to come to the knowledge of the Truth and be saved. Nothing fazed them. Not persecution, not floggings, not imprisonment, not stoning, and not death. Paul and Silas were actually praying and singing hymns to God while the other prisoners listened.

When the earthquake caused the prison doors to fly open and the chains to come loose,  the jailor was so afraid that the prisoners had escaped he was ready to kill himself but all assured him that they were all still there. The jailor was so grateful and so impressed by their faith he asked to be saved. Not only he but his entire household was saved and everyone rejoiced.

Are we spending these days of lockdown praying and singing hymns to God? Or are we bored, listless, anxious, fearful, violent, dissipated, and passing this God-given time with every useless activity? 

PSALM 138:1-3, 7C-8

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

If You had not made our soul Your sanctuary we would be bereft at this time for we are deprived of the Food that wells up to life in us. 

Even in the midst of the enforced fast from the Eucharist, You are still with us. True to Your Name, You are Emmanuel. This is more than enough reason for us to sing Your praises and give thanks with all the fervor of our souls.

Thank You for Your great kindness and love and thank You also for the sure knowledge that this life is passing and that death opens the door to eternal life with You.

JOHN 16:5-11

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Continuing Your beautiful farewell discourse with Your disciples during this final meal with Your closest friends, You understand their grief at their parting from You. You too are sorry to leave Your friends whom You had formed and prepared to carry on the great mission. So before the terrible ordeal was to begin culminating in Your crucifixion and death on the Cross, You promise to give them another wonderful gift of the Consoler, the Counselor, the Paraclete, the Advocate, the Helper, to console them after You are gone. It is the gift par excellence, the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

The Holy Spirit is the fullness of the Love of the Father's love for You and Your love for the Father. He is the fullness of joy, of truth, and of life. This is the Gift that You have sent us to live in us, to reign in us, to lead us and guide us. To all who believe in You, he brings the fullness of His love, joy, life, peace, and truth. Thank You!

MONDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS



The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord,
and you also will testify. JN 15:26B, 27A



ACTS 16:11-15

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Lydia is a woman of remarkable character she cut of the same cloth as the woman described in Proverbs 31. Although she lived among pagans she worshipped God and Paul recognized her as a woman who loved God, she believed the Good News that he preached and she and her entire household were baptized. Filled with the joy of a believer in Christ she generously opened her home and insisted that Paul and his companions stay with her.

It is our duty to give generously to those who preach and teach the Gospel, they are worthy of receiving all they require to accomplish the mission of evangelization. You have said that anyone who gives even a glass of cold water to Your disciples for Your namesake will receive a reward. 

PSALM 149:1-2, 9

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

You are God and You delight in me. This ought to put a smile on my face, joy in my heart, and a song on my lips. Yet we are such sad, anxious, depressed, fearful creatures despite the fact that You live in us and make us one with You, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. We allow joy to be sucked out of us because we have not yet understood that we are redeemed, sanctified, and we have the power of God within us not only to transform our own lives but the world.  

We are Your people, claimed by You as Your own, and with God, as our Father, we are co-heirs with You to the Kingdom of heaven. Let us resolve to exult in God's goodness from the moment of our rising to the moment we lie down at night to rest for as the psalmist has said, 'Praise is fitting for loyal hearts.'

JOHN 15:26----16:4A

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

As Your disciples who have walked in the Way of  Truth that the Apostles themselves walked and have not veered from it, the Church is often an easy target not only for the world but for those whose leaders at one point or another, chose different paths after 1500 years of unity.

The Holy Spirit that descended on Your Church at Pentecost remains in her. He abides in her, instructs her, leads her, and guides her. She remembers everything and with His help, just as Your Mother did, she keeps everything in her heart and ponders on it. This is the living, growing Sacred Deposit of Faith, the Sacred Tradition.

To be Your disciple and witness to the world can often prove costly as You have often pointed out bluntly and in no uncertain terms. 

The Catholic Church has many enemies within and without who have tried in vain to topple her. Many have died and many more will continue to die for the Truth rather than have it watered down or compromised in any way to conform to the dictates of this passing world.