MONDAY OF THE TWENTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The Lord has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives. LK 4:18




1 CORINTHIANS 2:1-5

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The most effective way to preach the Good News is by our love. There is no other way for the Way of God, is the Way of Love. Love is God's nature, Love alone determines the course of the stars, the planets, the seasons, the plans of God, and the will of God in our life. Love alone is the reason for our existence. We are created by the God of Love for eternal love. Love is the reason we are saved. Love is the reason why the Son of God became incarnate. 

You were obedient unto death even death on the cross because it was Love that prompted Your unwavering obedience to the Will of the God of Love. Your love for Him brought You into the world; a world where the very ones You came to redeem would reject, deny, persecute, abandon, imprison and scourge You until You were one bloody, purple, open, bleeding wound from the crown of Your head to the soles of Your feet. 

It is in this power of suffering and the cross with which St. Paul preaches the Gospel. He comes before the people in 'fear and trembling' for this is how we approach this God of Love who became nothing in order that we can be raised with You and possess all things in You. The wisdom of the world cannot fathom the foolishness of the Wisdom of God. The foolishness of God is His love, tenderness, and compassion. You are a merciful God who goes out into the night to save a sinful world.

This is why as St. Paul says, that our faith should not depend on human philosophy but on the power of God which saves.

PSALM 119:97-102

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We live in a world that does not want to be governed by laws whether natural or divine, restrictions, boundaries, and conscience. It desires no barriers, no bridges, no past to learn from, no deterrent to living according to its unformed half baked conscience. The world is currently prepared to burn and be burned by the dictates of the mob that to this day cries out for the crucifixion of Wisdom because it is a hindrance to the lawlessness of the flesh.

The psalmist, however, speaks of another way of living in the verses chosen for today's liturgy.

I have more insight than all who teach me
for I ponder your will.
I keep your precepts.
I turn my feet from evil paths
to obey your word.
You yourself have taught me.

The world right now seems to be hell-bent on the destruction of all that is good, pure, holy, noble, and beautiful. But I know that we can trust You.  While evil may have the present hour victory belongs to You. 

LUKE 4:16-30

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We deserve nothing yet are given all things. It is our choice, to use the wonderful gift of free will to decide whether or not we align it with God's. You compel no one all You do is invite us into fellowship with God and we are free to accept or reject the invitation. 

You came to Your hometown, Nazareth where the townsfolk had heard of Your miracles. You were hailed by many as a prophet. You were the local hero and they were glad to claim You as their own and share in Your reflected glory. But we can see how quickly their enthusiasm changed to distrust, suspicion, anger, rejection, and finally to expulsion from their midst.

The truth is a mirror and more often than not we hate what it reflects when we hold it up to ourselves. We prefer to hold on to our narrow vision and prejudices. We have inflated egos, we refuse to acknowledge when we are wrong. We would rather rant and rave and justify our stupidity than admit our mistakes and welcome the opportunity to widen our horizons and embrace the truth. 

The last thing the people of Nazareth wanted to hear was You claiming to be something that they clearly thought You were not. Didn't they know You and Your family? Too often we judge people on our past knowledge of them. We freeze them in our time-frame and refuse to acknowledge the passage of time and the period of growth and change that has since taken place. 

But the Truth was here in their midst

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,
for he has anointed me.
He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives
and to the blind new sight,
to set the downtrodden free,
to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.

Truth spoke to them and said, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’ They approved of You as long as it suited them. However, when You spoke about how God intervened through the prophets in miraculous ways to assist pagans and gentiles they were furious rather than the chosen people of God, they took it as a direct indictment against them. Instead of allowing the truth to pierce their hearts, they were filled with murderous rage. 

When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They sprang to their feet and hustled him out of the town; and they took him up to the brow of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him down the cliff, but he slipped through the crowd and walked away.

Your hour had not yet come - that salvific hour when You would be delivered into the hands of a sinful world.

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our mind,
so that we can see what hope his call holds for us. 

EPH 1:17-18




JEREMIAH 20:7-9

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

By virtue of our baptism, we are called to have this burden pressing upon us, to make You known and loved. Like Jeremiah, we ought to feel this fire burning in our spirit that gives us no rest and only finds release when we obey this call to evangelise by our love. 

Jeremiah reveals clearly the cost of submitting totally to the will of God. He is no longer his own master but is now the servant of God who directs his life commanding him to speak to His people words they do not want to hear. The world has always rejected those who speak the truth because the truth has the power to make the world uneasy and uncomfortable. They would rather kill the truth than listen and obey.  

Beloved, today, let us ask for this grace, to obey the call to preach the Good News from the rooftops, and receiving it, let us shake off our lethargy and like the prophet Jeremiah, feel the fire of the Holy Spirit burning in our heart, imprisoned in our bones, and gives us no rest until we speak the words of life and truth that will revive a dying world. 

PSALM 63:2-6, 8-9

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

There is a divine thirst, a thirst that You expressed to the Woman at the Well, it is a thirst we all feel, it is the thirst of God and the thirst of all humanity for God that You drew into Yourself on the Cross and expressed in a loud cry, 'I thirst.' 

You say, 'If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink.' In Psalm 23 You speak of Yourself as the shepherd who leads his sheep to streams beside still waters that refresh the soul. This thirst can be satisfied only by You, by Your Word, Your Spirit, by Your Flesh and Blood. 

You thirst for souls to receive Your invitation to know God, to love Him, and to be united with Him in joy in this life and eternally in the next.

We are parched, our souls are shrivelled, our spirit is weary, and yet we refuse to receive what You give freely and in abundance. “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.”

Grant us the wisdom O Lord, to hear Your invitation and respond to it. Grant that we cling to You for help and nestle joyfully under the shadow of Your wings safe and secure from the wiles of the world, the flesh and the devil.

ROMANS 12: 1-2

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The world entices us to desire what it peddles as necessities to live a happy and contented life. The way of the world is diametrically opposed to Your Way - which is the way of suffering, the way of the cross, the way of self-denial, and the way of death to self.

We are grafted into Your Body, Your life of grace flows from You to us through the Sacraments, we are empowered by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we belong to the family of God, we no longer belong to the world and so we ought to be different from those of the world. But are we? 

St. Paul urges us, 'not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you.' We are called to put on Your mind, the mind of Christ and our behaviour must change modelled by our new mind. This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.'

MATTHEW 16:21-27

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

There is no crown without the cross. There is no victory and triumph without suffering. There is no life without first tasting death.

The world is opposed to all of the above and does all in its power to promote values that are in direct opposition to the values of the Gospel. 

In today's Gospel passage You speak of Your coming suffering, death, and resurrection. You know exactly what You will face in Jerusalem and Your face is set determinedly to it. This is why You came into the world. The hour is fast approaching. 

Peter, like every one of us, would rather have the glory without the suffering and death that precedes it. It is the eternal temptation - it was one faced by Adam and Eve and they succumbed. You faced it in the desert and triumphed over it. We face temptation for as long as there is breath in our body and it is so much more tempting to bypass the cross than to be stretched out on it. But to all who are tempted to forsake the cross, You say, ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because the way you think is not God’s way but man’s.’

Once again we see how contrary the values of the world are to that of the Kingdom of God. Let us always bear the words You spoke to Your disciples in our minds daily. We cannot be Your follower if we renounce the cross. We cannot save our life unless we first lose it for Your sake and the sake of the Gospel. What good will it do us if we have all the world can offer us in this brief life but are plunged into eternal death in the next? What has a man to exchange for his life? We have nothing, apart from the life we receive freely and generously from You. 

It is good for us to remind ourselves every day that You will come again in glory and we will be rewarded according to our behaviour. Now is the time to be salt, light, and leaven in the world. Tomorrow is guaranteed to no one.

THE BEHEADING OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. MT 5:10





1 CORINTHIANS 1:26-31

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Holy Mother Church takes very seriously this truth that God's favor rests on the poor. This is why she has a preferential love for those who are outcast, marginalized, weak, voiceless, pushed to the peripheries so they remain unseen and unheard. God loves the poor, reaches out to them, and invites them to enter a personal relationship with Himself. As Mary, put it so succinctly in her hymn of praise to God, 'he scatters the proud in the conceit of their hearts, he puts down the mighty from their thrones and raises the lowly, He fills the hungry with good things, the rich are sent away empty.' 

Today's passage from St. Paul to the Corinthians reminds us that it is often the poor, the humble, and the childlike of heart who are more receptive to God's call to discipleship. He says, ''Those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen – those who are nothing at all to show up those who are everything."

All the great saints remind us that, we have nothing to boast about. All is grace. We did not choose You, You chose us. You called us by name and it is purely through this gift of faith that is freely bestowed on us that we believe and believing we are saved.  The human race has nothing to boast about to God, but you, God has made members of Christ Jesus and by God’s doing he has become our wisdom, and our virtue, and our holiness, and our freedom. As scripture says: if anyone wants to boast, let him boast about the Lord. It is salutary to remind ourselves often that we are nothing but for the grace of God.

PSALM 33:12-13, 18-21

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

All the readings selected for today's Liturgy of the Holy Mass remind us that those whom God chooses to be His own are the ones who are happy. God's loving gaze is on His little ones who have responded to His invitation to place themselves wholeheartedly in His hands. Like Mary, our prayer must always be, 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word.' It is only when we are completely pliant to God's will that He can form us in Your image and likeness. 

Grant, my Beloved, that we whom the Lord has chosen to be Your disciples, who have made You their help and their shield, who wait on You, will be filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit for we have placed all our hope and trust in Your Name which is above every other name.

MARK 6:17-29

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The world has always sought to persecute Christians and muzzle Christianity because it shines the light of Truth on a world that prefers to slink in darkness. Truth by its very nature makes the world uncomfortable. It has the power to get under the skin, irritate, worry, and disturb the conscience of those who would rather kill and bury it. Today's Gospel passage recounting the beheading of St. John the Baptist, is a powerful reminder of this.

We live a world that has always been inclined toward hedonism. We often think that the sins of our time are exclusive to our age but this is not true. Every sin no matter how grave or small has been committed since the fall of our first parents, we just dress differently and talk differently. All that sin can do is take us deeper and deeper into the black hole of emptiness and despair. The more impervious we are to grace the less we pay attention to the voice of reason and a well-formed conscience.

Herodias committed one grave sin and subsequently, every grave sin she committed got much easier until she was oblivious to the horror of her wicked actions. Not only did she sin and lead Herod to sin with her, she even inveigled her daughter into participating in her heinous act of the murder of an innocent, upright, holy man.  

Once the flesh wins over reason we become depraved. When Salome, the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests so much; he said to the girl, ‘Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.’ And he swore her an oath, ‘I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.’ 

Herod made vows that were unconscionable and he found himself unable to back down because of a false sense of pride and honor. The result was that he ordered the beheading of John the Baptist, something that his conscience warned him not to do. 

Too often, once we walk down the slippery slope of sin, we find it hard if not impossible to return to the Way of Truth without Your direct intervention. Keep us safe, Beloved, so we may not stray from the path of life.

MEMORIAL OF ST. AUGUSTINE, BISHOP & DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Stay awake, praying at all times
for the strength to stand with confidence
before the Son of Man. LK 21:36



1 CORINTHIANS 1:17-25

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

There was a fire in Paul that would not let him rest. The Holy Spirit constantly spurred him on to make You known and loved. Open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, he went wherever he was sent, and preached the Good News that saves. What is the Good News? Paul says he preaches a crucified Christ. A crucified Christ is an unacceptable obstacle to the Jews and is madness to the pagans. Yet, to all who believe, You, Beloved, are the power of God and the wisdom of God. 

Our world today is so different from the world of St. Paul, and yet some things never change. The Cross and suffering is still a stumbling block. The world has made great strides in so many areas and yet, God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. 

Human wisdom is worth nothing. Despite our bungling, You are at work. You are triumphant. And as the years unfold we will witness the destruction of the worldlywise and watch the learning of the learned crumble to ashes and dust. 

PSALM 33:1-2, 4-5, 10-11

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

You fill me each morning with Your love and fill my heart with songs of joy all day. Each day is filled with hope because I know in whom I have placed all my trust. You fill the earth with Your goodness. You are kind to all. You watch over the lilies of the field, the birds in the air, and are aware of each sparrow that falls. How much more is Your love for me. You love me so much, You lay down Your life for me so I may live and have a share in Your life eternally.

Thank You for the joy that fills our being for we know You, we love You, we believe in You, and we place all our hope in You knowing with absolute conviction that we will never be disappointed. The world has nothing to offer but with You, we possess all things in time and in eternity.


MATTHEW 25:1-13

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

In today's thought-provoking parable about the five wise and five foolish virgins, You remind us of the necessity of being prepared for Your return which can be at any time. No one knows the day or the hour and this is why we cannot let our guard down. 

Over 2000 years have gone by and we are still waiting for Your return. The bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. You understand that we are human, we are weak, and we may get tired and fall asleep. But even if we do we must still be prepared. Our lamps must have oil and they must be trimmed and ready to be lit at short notice and we have to carry an extra flask of oil so our lamp will not go out. 

St. Paul tells us that God has created us for a life of good works, which He has already prepared for us to do. This is the oil that keeps the lamp burning. We can never run out of doing good - this is the fuel of the Holy Spirit that will prevent our lamp from going out. We cannot borrow this oil from anyone and if we run out we will have lost the opportunity to welcome the Bridegroom when He does arrive, accompany Him and rejoice with Him at the wedding feast. But at midnight there was a cry, “The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him.” 

Once the opportunity has passed us by there is nothing we can do. If today you hear his voice harden not your hearts. This is the time of our salvation, this is the hour. Let it not go by. Let us not awake from our slumber to find that we are unprepared. Once the door is locked it is locked forever. Let us not wait to hear those terrible words,  “I tell you solemnly, I do not know you.” So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour.’

MEMORIAL OF ST. MONICA - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Stay awake! 
For you do not know when the Son of Man will come. 

MT 24:42, 44

1 CORINTHIANS 1:1-9

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We are reminded today, just as Paul reminded the Christian community in Corinth, that we belong to You and are made holy in You. Through Your Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we form one Body - Your Body, Your Church. We are the leaven in the world.

To us is given every grace and blessing to help us in our daily struggles to live as children of God. As one Body we receive the same Spirit, the Spirit of God. Enriched with every gift we are called to build one another and to build the Church. We are invited to encourage one another to remain steadfast in faith, joyful in hope, and untiring in love. You who are faithful will keep us united in fellowship with You and with each other as we wait for Your joyful return in glory.

PSALM 145:2-7

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

It is important that we recount all Your blessings to us personally, often, and to recall Your blessings on the world through the ages since the dawn of creation. All created things, all that lives and breathes give You glory and honor for You are worthy of all praise and worship. 

Grant O Lord, that I never cease to praise You and thank You for creating me, for the gift of life that You have granted me, and for all the wonderful gifts You have showered on me since I first drew breath. Thank You for the highest praise that we offer our God from the rising of the sun to its setting - the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving most pleasing to the Father. Its fragrance fills the highest heavens and draws on us who celebrate and participate in this Sacrifice, every grace, and blessing that strengthens us and provides us with food for the journey from this life to the life that is to come. Thank You for becoming the Lamb of Sacrifice that takes away the sins of the world.

MATTHEW 24:42-51

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Today You direct us to, 'Stay awake.' It is the hardest thing in the world to remain constantly alert and on guard against the wiles of the Enemy. We become lax, we let down our defenses, we doze, we fall asleep, we become lethargic and Satan takes advantage of our weaknesses and sows weed among the wheat. This is why all holy men and women encourage us to pray constantly not only for ourselves but for others, to fast often, practice self-control, and discipline our natural instincts that often veers towards instant gratification of the senses.  

Time and time again God tries to stir us awake, jog our conscience, and invites us to reflect on eternal truths. The faithful servant will be rewarded but the wicked and unjust servant who misused his master's trust will be punished.

Grant us the grace to heed Your call to stay awake. We have been given another opportunity to use this time of the pandemic to focus on the things that matter and to use all the gifts lavished on us wisely so when You return You will judge us kindly.

WEDNESDAY OF THE TWENTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Whoever keeps the word of Christ,
the love of God is truly perfected in him. 1JN 2:5

2 THESSALONIANS 3:6-10, 16-18

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Just as we are called to model our lives on You, so too are we called to imitate those holy men and women who have led exemplary lives as Paul invites us to for they too modeled their lives on You. They were sinners like us, were tempted in every way that we are tempted but they resisted temptation and they show us how we can do so as well.

One of the impediments to holiness is idleness. We are called to be busy according to our vocation in life. To eat the bread of idleness is to invite unholy thoughts to occupy our minds and these thoughts eventually lead to evil desires and actions. And not just this, the idle become a burden to those who work sincerely. We each have our own share of duties and responsibilities that we have an obligation to fulfill. The whole body is healthy when each of its members functions in the manner that it should and the whole body is sound.

For thirty years You lived a hidden life in Nazareth working to support Your family just as we are obliged to do to sustain our life and the lives of those who depend on us. May all our work give You glory, O Lord.

PSALM 128:1-2, 4-5

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

This time of the pandemic brings home to us with greater clarity why it is important for us to live prudently. The person who walks in the light of faith understands why it is wise to live within ones means. 

The psalmist reminds us that all who have a reverential fear of God are blessed, their work is blessed, and they will be content. They are satisfied and will not want for anything.  

MATTHEW 23:27-32

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Too often we tip toe gently around hypocrites who wield authority and power. We are afraid of repercussions. We are afraid to rock the boat to change the status quo, we allow them to get away with the facade rectitude they put up behind which, they are like whitewashed tombs that look handsome on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of corruption. In the same way you appear to people from the outside like good honest men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Let us guard against such hypocrisy either privately or in public for while we may easily fool ourselves and  the world we cannot deceive You who neither deceive nor can be deceived.

Grant us the grace to be childlike in all things for it is the humble who is raised and the proud and haughty fool who is cast down.

TUESDAY OF THE TWENTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The word of God is living and effective,
able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. HEB 4:12




2 THESSALONIANS 2:1-3, 14-17

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Nestling in the arms of Holy Mother Church, nourished by the Sacraments she administers, taught by her from the deep wells of wisdom bestowed on her, and kept alive in her by the Holy Spirit, we have the sure guarantee from You, her Bridegroom, that we will sail safely to harbor in the Kingdom of God.

St. Paul reminds us not to get distracted or be deceived by rumour mongering about the end times. No one knows the day or the hour of Your return all we can do is to live each day on earth like it was our last. What he advises us to do though, is to share the Good News that gives life. 

St. Paul says, "Stand firm, then, brothers, and keep the traditions that we taught you, whether by word of mouth or by letter."  The Church keeps alive, through the Holy Spirit guaranteed to her by You, all that You said, taught, and did. Not everything is  written but all is kept is kept alive by oral teaching handed down by the Apostles and early Church Fathers which is the Living Tradition of the Church. Alongwith Sacred Scripture Sacred Tradition forms an integral part of an authentic faith. Many members of our non-Catholic family should keep this fact in mind before casting aspersions on Your Bride, the Catholic Church. Truth alone has power to set free.  

PSALM 96:10-13

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

You do all things well. this is why we can be serene no matter how difficult life gets. What have we to fear when You are with us? 

You are the only judge, the righteous judge, You judge with fairness and we look forward gladly to the day when You will return in glory to judge the living and the dead. 

MATTHEW 23:23-26

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We must always guard against succumbing to hypocrisy. There is a temptation to appear better than we actually are, to act like we know better, and even worse to believe that we are better than others. Like the scribes and Pharisees we can get caught up with externals to such an extent that we forget that You look at the heart and do not judge by appearances.

Too often I am narrow-minded, I am self-righteous, I forget that while I am busy pointing and criticizing others I lay myself wide open to criticism myself. You teach us to be merciful, generous, kind, tender-hearted, forgiving, and open-handed with childlike simplicity and humility. I fail in this regard repeatedly. Pity me, Lord, and grant me all the help and grace I need to become more like You and to constantly ensure that the inside of my cup is always clean and to be less concerned with appearances.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine. Amen.

Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Rabbi, you are the Son of God;
you are the King of Israel. 

JN 1:49B




REVELATION 21:9-14

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We receive glimpses of heaven in the Book of Revelation written by John, the beloved disciple. He reveals visions he has received of things to come, about the Church You founded, Your Bride, and Your return in glory to claim and establish dominion, kingship, and rule over all in accordance with the will of the Father. The angel came to speak to me, and said, ‘Come here and I will show you the bride that the Lamb has married.’

The Church You founded is the New Jerusalem. She is the City of God on top of a high mountain and her shining light draws every weary pilgrim to her. You were sent down from heaven into the world, and as her Head, You will come again to take her up with You. All who believe in You are members of Your Body, the Church, Your Bride. We who live, move, and have our being in You have an eternal destiny in union with You.

You did not come to abolish the old, the 12 Tribes of Israel are the gates on which the Church of God is built. Through these gates, God's chosen people, the Jews, will enter from every direction at the time appointed by the Father.  This Church stands rock-solid on Peter, the Apostles who are the 12 foundation stones, and on You, the Lamb of God, who, as its Cornerstone is pivotal in keeping the whole Church firm and invincible against the wiles of Satan until the end of time. 

PSALM 145:10-13, 17-18

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The psalmist makes this claim on behalf of all who believe in You. Your friends, O Lord, make known the glorious splendor of your reign. This is the response to the call we have received as witnesses to You. You are the Truth that saves.

If all baptized Christians were taught by parents firmly rooted and grounded in the faith of our fathers, Your Kingdom would already be established on earth. The world would know the Truth and all people from every race, nation, culture, and language would be free of bigotry, division, and hatred. It would be free to love as God commands us to and there would be peace and goodwill on earth and You would reign in every heart.

This is far from true though. Many of us are too afraid, too timid, too self-centered, too lazy, to live our faith boldly. We are too easily intimidated, too willing to stand down rather than stand up and evangelize boldly. If we shouted from the housetops how good You are, and made known our own personal experiences of how kindly, graciously, and mercifully You have dealt with us, then at least some would listen and desire to make our experience of You their own.

Thank You, Beloved, for not giving up on us. Thank You for using every situation, especially the one that we are presently in, to make a new beginning. We can make a beginning with daily, incessant prayer imploring You to empower us with the love of God so we can put that love into action by loving our neighbor.

JOHN 1:45-51

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Philip introduced his friend Nathanael (Bartholomew) to You and he was privileged to become an Apostle. What if Philip kept the good news of having 'found the one' to himself? Today let us resolve to make You known to those around us who do not yet know You by bringing them to You. That's all that is required of us, You will do the rest, just as You did with Bartholomew.

Philip did not give up when his friend resisted because of his preconceived ideas of Nazareth, instead, he invited him to put aside his prejudice and to 'Come and see.' After his initial hesitation, Bartholomew went along with his friend and the fruit of his encounter with You prompted him to proclaim a truth he did not yet fully understand, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.’ Chosen to be one of the Twelve he, along with the others, were assured a vision of Your glory,  ‘I tell you most solemnly, you will see heaven laid open and, above the Son of Man, the angels of God ascending and descending.’

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

You are Peter
and on this rock I will build my Church.
And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. MT 16:18

ISAIAH 22:19-23

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

All division comes from Satan. All illegitimate leaders and teachers promote his agenda to divide and rule. You condemn them as blind guides who will answer to You, the Lord of Hosts, the King of Kings, the Prince of Peace, and the Ruler, and only true judge of both the living and the dead. 

You came to usher in the final age and to this end, You laid the foundation of the New Jerusalem, with Peter as the Rock and You as its Cornerstone, and the gates of hell will never prevail against it. Just as the master of the palace was dismissed and removed from his post and Eliakim was appointed and given authority, and entrusted with the key of the House of David and the responsibility to be a father to God's people. So too did You choose Peter, entrusting to him the keys of the Kingdom of God as well as the authority to bind and to lose. This authority has been handed down, in an unbroken line, to his successors and so it will be until You return.

'Should he open, no one shall close,
should he close, no one shall open.'


PSALM 138:103, 6-8

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We are the work of Your hands. We are created in love and destined to rest in the love of God eternally. Thank You for creating me. Thank You for the gift of faith. Thank You for the joy of praising and worshipping You not only personally, but in the glorious liturgies of the Church, You established. It is a worship in which all the saints and angels in heaven unite with us as together we cry out from the rising of the sun to its setting, 'Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are filled with Your glory. Hosanna in the highest.  

Thank You for Your assurance, Beloved, that You will never leave us nor forsake us for we are the work of Your hands. We belong to You. Thank You for Your faithfulness and love, even with we are faithless and reject Your love. Thank You for stooping low over us, for inviting us and constantly wooing us to enter into ever deeper fellowship with You. Thank You for the rich graces You grant us because You are the most generous and bountiful giver of all that is good. Keep me safe in Your love till the end. Thank You.

ROMANS 11:33-36

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The Bible is Your love letter to the world. The more we read it as well as the writings of holy men and women, who like Mary, pondered deeply, prayed much, and sacrificed much to plumb ever deeper into the mysteries of our faith, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we receive greater understanding and are able to appreciate more and more the goodness of God and His unfathomable love for us. 

Who can fathom why the Triune God, to whom nothing can be added or taken away, create us? We are the sole beneficiaries of such largesse. It is He who gives, we who receive. We are raised up to sublime heights by Him. To us is given the hope of spending eternity in Your Presence, and to enter joyously into the bliss of the mystery of Your never-ending love. All we can do, Beloved, is to bow down humbly and praise You fervently for Your goodness, mercy, and love in this present life and in eternity.

MATTHEW 16:13-20

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The question You put to Your disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ Is answered conclusively and decisively by Peter, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,’ To this response, You said, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. 

With the rest of the disciples as witnesses, You chose and appointed Peter as the head of the Twelve and made this proclamation before them and before the world, - 'So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock, I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it.

The prophetic words spoken to Eliakim by the prophet Isaiah are now fulfilled in the following words, 'I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’ 

The one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church is the one established by the Bridegroom Himself. Someday, You will return to receive Your Bride and present her without wrinkle or stain to the Father. Maranatha! Lord Jesus, Maranatha!