DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS
God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,
and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled. 2COR 5:19
EZEKIEL 9:1-7,10:18-22
My Beloved, Soul of my soul,
We cannot take Your Presence with us for granted. Yes, we are anointed with the Sign of the Cross, the mark of the 'Thau' is on our forehead protecting us in the same way that the blood of the lamb of sacrifice saved the firstborn of the Israelites in Egypt as the angel of death passed over their homes. We too who are baptized are spared eternal death. But we can give up our inheritance. We can willfully turn away from the free gift of salvation that we have received and God's Presence will depart from us and death will come upon us - the death that defiles and separates us from You.
When You are absent, Beloved, destruction, death and decay abound. But with You, the Eternal Word of God, we are marked by the Sign of Salvation, the Cross, and we are sealed with the Blood of the Lamb and the Holy Spirit. Keep us safe in Your love until the end and not only us, Lord but all those we love and pray for. Amen.
Your Word is true. All that the prophet Ezekiel foretold came to pass. The Temple was destroyed. Corpses were heaped in the Holy Place where God once resided and God departed forever only to come and make His home in the hearts of all who are called by Your Name.
PSALM 113:1-6
My Beloved, Soul of my soul,
Your glory is not only in the heavens but also in the hearts of all who believe in You, hope in You, and entrust their lives to You. While it is true that the heavens cannot contain You and the earth is Your footstool, You make Yourself so small as to be present in Your fullness in a little piece of Bread, so we who are smaller still, may receive You and contain within our mortal bodies, for just a while, eternity.
The one, holy, perfect, Sacrifice, and only pleasing Sacrifice to the Father, is offered from the rising of the sun to its setting so that a pure and holy fragrance rises continually to the Throne of the Most High and obtains for a sinful world, God's mercy, kindness, and forgiveness.
Who is like the Lord, our God,
who has risen on high to his throne
yet stoops from the heights to look down,
to look down upon heaven and earth?
MATTHEW 18:15-20
God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,
and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled. 2COR 5:19
My Beloved, Soul of my soul,
We cannot take Your Presence with us for granted. Yes, we are anointed with the Sign of the Cross, the mark of the 'Thau' is on our forehead protecting us in the same way that the blood of the lamb of sacrifice saved the firstborn of the Israelites in Egypt as the angel of death passed over their homes. We too who are baptized are spared eternal death. But we can give up our inheritance. We can willfully turn away from the free gift of salvation that we have received and God's Presence will depart from us and death will come upon us - the death that defiles and separates us from You.
When You are absent, Beloved, destruction, death and decay abound. But with You, the Eternal Word of God, we are marked by the Sign of Salvation, the Cross, and we are sealed with the Blood of the Lamb and the Holy Spirit. Keep us safe in Your love until the end and not only us, Lord but all those we love and pray for. Amen.
Your Word is true. All that the prophet Ezekiel foretold came to pass. The Temple was destroyed. Corpses were heaped in the Holy Place where God once resided and God departed forever only to come and make His home in the hearts of all who are called by Your Name.
PSALM 113:1-6
My Beloved, Soul of my soul,
Your glory is not only in the heavens but also in the hearts of all who believe in You, hope in You, and entrust their lives to You. While it is true that the heavens cannot contain You and the earth is Your footstool, You make Yourself so small as to be present in Your fullness in a little piece of Bread, so we who are smaller still, may receive You and contain within our mortal bodies, for just a while, eternity.
The one, holy, perfect, Sacrifice, and only pleasing Sacrifice to the Father, is offered from the rising of the sun to its setting so that a pure and holy fragrance rises continually to the Throne of the Most High and obtains for a sinful world, God's mercy, kindness, and forgiveness.
Who is like the Lord, our God,
who has risen on high to his throne
yet stoops from the heights to look down,
to look down upon heaven and earth?
MATTHEW 18:15-20
My Beloved, Soul of my soul,
You have given the successor of Peter together with the Bishops who form the teaching authority of Your Church, the power to bind and loose. You have assured them that heaven would stand by their decision, ‘I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.' We as Catholics, are blessed because we do not have to appoint ourselves as pope and make up doctrine as we go along. Doctrine that suits us and is so malleable it can twist, turn, and bend to make it palatable to the prevailing political and secular climate.
Sin is sin whether or not the world agrees it is sin or not. Truth is not relative. Truth remains Truth in season and out of season. You tell us how as disciples we are to deal with those who misguidedly or willfully do something that is gravely sinful. The Church has the authority to expel anyone who is unrepentantly a source of scandal to the rest of the flock. Let us pray for good, courageous shepherds who are not afraid to exercise the legitimate authority granted to them and instead turn a blind eye because the sinner possesses great temporal power and influence.
And as for the rest of the sheep, let us never forget that we too have a most powerful weapon in prayer, especially family prayer, community prayer, and even the prayer of just two or three who are gathered in Your Name praying with one mind and heart for any intention. ‘I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.’
"More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of: Wherefore, let thy voice, Rise like a fountain for me night and day.”
Sin is sin whether or not the world agrees it is sin or not. Truth is not relative. Truth remains Truth in season and out of season. You tell us how as disciples we are to deal with those who misguidedly or willfully do something that is gravely sinful. The Church has the authority to expel anyone who is unrepentantly a source of scandal to the rest of the flock. Let us pray for good, courageous shepherds who are not afraid to exercise the legitimate authority granted to them and instead turn a blind eye because the sinner possesses great temporal power and influence.
And as for the rest of the sheep, let us never forget that we too have a most powerful weapon in prayer, especially family prayer, community prayer, and even the prayer of just two or three who are gathered in Your Name praying with one mind and heart for any intention. ‘I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.’
"More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of: Wherefore, let thy voice, Rise like a fountain for me night and day.”
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