SATURDAY OF THE THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2020

 DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Shoulder my yoke and learn from me,
says the Lord,
for I am gentle and humble in heart. MT 11:29

PHILIPPIANS 1:18-26

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

If we do not experience what St. Paul and all the saints experienced it is because we lack their joyous faith and unwavering hope in the Good News that saves. Nothing mattered to them so much as to be able to preach the Gospel not only by words but more importantly by their lives. After their encounter with You they fell passionately in love with You and their lives were changed forever by the encounter. 

For the saint, nothing matters more than to preach the Gospel and to hear it preached. There is no greater joy than to make You known and loved by all for without You life is hollow and meaningless. St. Paul had an unquenchable thirst to leave this earth and enter into perfect union with You in eternity but he was aware that as long there were souls to be saved and won for Your glory, then he would choose to continue to live for their sake. 

How little we care to labor for souls. We are indifferent to the mission entrusted to us. If we only had a small part of the zeal of St. Paul we too would hunger and thirst to win souls for the Kingdom of God. We too would work tirelessly to bring in the harvest instead of carping all the time and belittling everyone, and attend to the work assigned to us. Help us, Lord, so we may not stand before You with empty hands. Make us zealous for souls.

PSALM 42:2-3, 5

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We have only to look around us to see how little most people's lives have changed despite the clarion call to wake up and take a good hard look at ourselves. There is another way to live. There is a way to live joyful, peaceful lives in harmony with God, and with one another.

We hunger and thirst alright, but it is for the wrong things. We exhaust ourselves looking for distractions to fill our vacuous lives. We have closed our ears to Your voice entreating us to enter into a loving relationship with You. We are afraid to commit our lives to You because we believe You will ask for more than we are prepared to give. We have become addicted to material things and lack the strength to give up the transient pleasures of the flesh that we have come to believe we cannot live without.

Our thirst will never be slaked nor our hunger satisfied unless we still our souls and listen to the Spirit, the voice of wisdom that invites us to understand that only You can satisfy the deepest desires of our hearts. When my Beloved, if not now, will we wake up? Grant that we will not be caught asleep and unprepared when the Bridegroom arrives but will be part of the rejoicing crowd singing songs of gladness and thanksgiving as we enter the house of God, the Kingdom of Heaven.

LUKE 14:1, 7-11

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Humility is the hallmark of the saints. You were both God and Man, and there has never been anyone more humble than You. As the only Son of God, all the angels in the heavenly realm worshiped and adored. As the Eternal Word, You reposed with the Father eternally. As one who was all-powerful, You commanded legions of angels and yet You submitted to the will of the Father and in perfect obedience and humility, You came into the world to become the willing Victim of Sacrifice to be offered in oblation for the sin of Adam and for the sins of the whole world. 

This is why it is wise for us to pay particular attention to what You say in the Gospel today. In a world where everyone is consumed with rising as high as they possibly can in order to wield power and influence among those with even greater power and influence, You remind us that it is wise and prudent to always exercise the virtue of humility. 

God raises the humble but He abhors the proud. It is far better for us to realize our unworthiness and to be invited by You to a place of honor rather than rush in to occupy a seat already reserved for someone more deserving of it and to be asked to go lower down. It is far better to be honored and exalted by God than to be honored and exalted by the world. 

Humility must be the watchword of every Christian. 

FRIDAY OF THE THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,
says the Lord,
I know them and they follow me. JN 10:27

PHILIPPIANS 1:1-11

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

God created us in His image and likeness which became disfigured and distorted by Adam's sin. The Father sent You into the world to restore it once more. Your obedience, humility, and perfect submission to His will, enables us to image Him when we image You.

We were created for joy and the more we conform our lives to You and align our will to Yours the greater will be our joy.  Every Christian is given the mandate to spread the Good News by the testimony of our lives. We are called to be the salt and light of the world - the leaven that permeates the whole world.  Truth alone has power to set us free from our chains of slavery to sin. 

All the great heroes of our faith both men and women thought it a great joy and a privilege to lay down their lives in the service of the Gospel and so may it be for us as well. Let us count it a joy to give our lives for the sake of the Gospel for it is truly Good News that will liberate the world and bring about God's Kingdom of love and peace among us.

How far we are from this divine ideal, Beloved, even among us Christians there is division, selfishness, envy, and gossip. We are small-minded, hardhearted, and petty, how then can we be effective witnesses in the world when we make such a poor, feeble testament of it? Love alone can kindle a blaze and the breath of the Holy Spirit alone can blow on the dying embers of our faith and help us set the world on fire with divine love. Perfect Your image in us, Lord, and together with You, we will glorify the Father. Until then, grant that we each rise up in the power of the Holy Spirit and conquer ourselves and the world with the same love that You have shown us.

PSALM 111:1-6

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We were created to be God's crowning glory. Even after we lost paradise He did not give up on us but found a way to restore us to Himself. He sent You, His only Son into the world, to draw us back through You to Him.

Thank You, Beloved, for all that You have made possible for us in this life. There would be no journeying back to the Father's house if You had not come to take us by the hand and lead us back to Him. 

Thank You for instituting the Sacraments that are tangible, life-giving signs of the Holy Spirit at work in us. Every time we gather as a community to offer praise and worship to God, in the only Sacrifice that is pleasing and acceptable to Him, heaven descends on our altars and already we are given a taste of the heavenly banquet at the eternal wedding feast of the Bridegroom.

Help us, Beloved, to stay faithful all the days of our lives, give us the good sense to make frequent use of the Sacraments that strengthen and give us life. Only with the help of the Holy Spirit can we become more like You and learn to love as You do with no thought of self. 

Open our eyes, Lord that we may see, open our ears that we may hear, open our hearts that we may receive what You give, and to share what we have received generously with others. Hasten the coming of Your Kingdom, Lord.

LUKE 15:1-6

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

How good and gracious You were to accept the invitation of the Pharisee to eat a meal on the sabbath day at his home even though You knew the malicious intent behind it. Despite their hardness of heart You continued to give them every opportunity to know the truth which alone sets us free.

They deliberately brought the sick man and placed him before You knowing full well that You would heal him. They had no compassion for the poor man at all, he was just the bait. They knew You would heal him and this would give them a perfect opportunity to condemn You once again for breaking the sabbath law. Before healing him You addressed the hypocrites seated around the table, 'Is it against the law to cure a man on the sabbath or not?' They were silent. You healed the sick man and sent him away. You turned to the learned teachers of the law, and the Pharisees and showed them up for the cowardly, merciless, men they were when You asked them whether or not any one of them seated there would not have instantly reached out to save his son or ox had either one fallen into a well on the sabbath? They maintained their stubborn silence knowing full well that they would have done so. They would have instantly saved what was theirs even on the sabbath but they refused to extend that same mercy and compassion to a stranger. 

You teach us Beloved, that it is always the right time to do good and to show mercy. No law, however good, can precede love.

THURSDAY OF THE THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Blessings on the King who comes,
in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest heavens! LK 19:38, 2:14

EPHESIANS 6:10-20

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The devil has used his considerable arsenal of deceit in tricking the world into believing his works are harmless. The world has fallen for his treacherous lie that neither he nor sin exists yet nothing can be further from the truth. 

Today, more than ever we ought to wake up and understand that more and more people and even nations are under the dominion of evil forces. The devil is the father of lies and all who spread lies are spawns of satan. The biggest lie that the world has embraced and the gravest sin that the world commits today is the sin of abortion. The world is drowning in the blood of innocents and their cries ring out unceasingly to heaven for justice.

Today St. Paul reminds us that we are no match for evil if we are not made strong with Your strength and power. We cannot resist the devil's works unless we are clothed with Your armour as we have no resources of our own that can withstand the powers of evil and darkness. 

As children of the light, we have received all we need to withstand the forces of evil for we have God's own Holy Spirit residing in us. We need to submit ourselves to Him with humility and to listen and obey His promptings. 

We cannot win the battle against evil without powerful help from God and so we are invited to pray constantly and plead with the Holy Spirit to provide all we need to triumph over temptation. The world has fallen asleep just as the Apostles did in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is time to wake up and wage war against evil. With the power of the Cross and the Holy Spirit, we can reclaim what You won for us at so great a price. 

PSALM 144:1-2, 9-10

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Not by might, nor by power, but with the Holy Spirit can we win the war against evil, the world, and the flesh.

We must be warriors of the Word. We must be armed with the Good News. We must pray constantly, live virtuously, strive after holiness and purity. We must be loving, gentle, kind, and above all be filled with the wisdom that is granted by the Holy Spirit, only then we receive the victory obtained for us on the Cross.

We need to rely on You on Your Word. Your promises are true. If we make Your Word the rule of our life and if we allow ourselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit we can overcome the world. 

You are our love, our fortress, our stronghold, our rock, our deliverer, our place of refuge, our shield, our redeemer and our saviour. You bring the world under Your rule with love, kindness, gentleness, humility, and obedience, and loving submission to the Father's will.

We must grow more and more like You until we reflect You more clearly every day. You have put a new song in our hearts. You have freed us from death and You have given us a share in Your victory and triumph. You have made us sons and daughters of God and You have obtained our freedom from slavery by the power of Your Blood. In You, we are truly free to love as God loves. Help us, Beloved, to become more and more like You.

LUKE 13:31-35

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

You came unto Your own, but Your own did not receive You. These words are true not only of the Jews but of us too. We have been baptized into the Church You founded, we have received the Sacraments of Initiation, we are privileged to eat Your Body and Blood. We are born anew each time we make a good confession in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and yet we are strangers to the Sacraments because we are clueless about their life-giving, supernatural powers.

Were the Pharisees being genuinely concerned when they warned You of Herod's plan to kill You and urged You to leave that place? But why would You? You were sent by the Father on a mission and You would complete it, drinking to the dregs the bitter Cup of Suffering for our redemption, in perfect and loving obedience and submission to the Father's will.

How tenderly You loved God's chosen race from whom You were born and how utterly they rejected You. How extraordinarily easy it is to sow lies and deceit, and to propagate evil when the hearts of people are far from God. This is exactly where our world stands today as well. 

Your prophecy of Jerusalem is a prophecy for the world as well - we will be crushed as Jerusalem was crushed and the Temple blotted out completely. We will be utterly vanquished by the forces of evil if we do not wake up from our slumber and the whole world believes and cries out to heaven with a thunderous cry, ‘Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Believing in You alone, Beloved, will we be spared the coming, fearsome peril that will annihilate the world. Be merciful O Lord, for the sake of Your faithful remnant. 

FEASTS OF SAINTS SIMON & JUDE, APOSTLES - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS 

We praise you, O God,
we acknowledge you to be the Lord.
The glorious company of the apostles praise you, O Lord.

EPHESIANS 2:19-22

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Who can find the words to express our thanksgiving to Your Father for His graciousness towards us, His sinful creatures? He sent You, His beloved Son into the world to reveal His Face to us. He was made visible in You, tangible through You, He became God with us, Emmanuel, through You, the Eternal Word made flesh who dwelt among us and established the Kingdom of God in us and among us.

St. Paul reminds us that because of Your obedience to the Father's plan of salvation we no longer are aliens but citizens of the Kingdom of God. We, Your chosen people, are part of a glorious edifice, the New Jerusalem, that is being built up. It has as its foundation the apostles and the prophets of which You are its main and invincible cornerstone. We are all members of Your glorious Body, the Church. We are the Living Temple of God's Holy Spirit and God, in His fullness, resides in this Temple with You as its Head. We are alive with Your life-giving Spirit that is poured into us, who dwells in us, and remains in us so we may give glory to God our Father who loves us with a love beyond all imagining. You are the Sign of His love for us.  

PSALM 19:2-5

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

You are the Living Word, the Eternal Word, the glorious Word, the only Word of God, our Father. God uttered the Word when sought to lay the foundations of the world and all that He desired to create came to be. The Spirit of God hovered over the waters and God spoke the Word that is Light, the Word that is Love, the Word that has the power to generate all that is true, good, beautiful, noble, and worthy of praise.

All that God creates exists by His goodness, He sustains all with the power of His Word, and all that is alive breathes with the breath of His Spirit. We give God glory by simply being exactly what He created and intended us to be. From the rising of the sun to its setting all of creation sings a song of glorious praise to the Living God.

The saving Word of God continues the work of salvation as many more sons and daughters hear the Good News, believe in it, and are drawn into God's own family. This work will go on until all have heard, all believe, and all are saved, and then Beloved, You will come again in glory. We long for the day of Your coming, my Lord, and my God.

LUKE 6:12-16

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

You handpicked Your Apostles after going up the mountain and spending the whole night in close communion with Your Father in prayer. 

The most important things You did were done after ascending a mountain and this was to be among the most important for You were going to choose twelve men from among Your disciples as the foundation stones on which You would build Your Church. They were to be the first of living stones.

Luke gives us a list of the Twelve, beginning with Simon whose name You changed to Peter, he was to be the chief of the Apostles. He then goes on to list the others Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the  Zealot, Judas son of James and finally  Judas Iscariot, to whose name the label of traitor will always be attached.

These were chosen by the triune God and were entrusted with ensuring that the Word of God went forth through all the earth and to the ends of the world. Grant O Lord, that we who are also commissioned to do the same strive to be as faithful as they were. 

TUESDAY OF THE THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
You have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
MT 11:25

EPHESIANS 5:21-33

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Obedience to the will of God in all things is the surest swiftest way to fly to the bosom of the Almighty and rest there. This is what You taught Your disciples and this is how all the saints progressed in holiness.

St. Paul reminds us of the true meaning of the Sacrament of Marriage. It is an indissoluble covenant of love that lasts for as long as the two are alive for they are no longer two but one in flesh and in spirit. The solemn vows each makes to the other before God are sacred for they invite God to be their witness. 

Each spouse must give the other honor, respect, dignity, and love and each must hold the other in the highest esteem. The world can mock this institution and attempt to distort its meaning, but it cannot alter the fact that God created us male and female and from the beginning intended the wife to be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. He spends the rest of his life caring for her as he cares for himself. In return for this great, selfless love and devotion to her, she submits herself joyfully to her husband whom she lovingly obeys in all things. 

In such a home peace, joy, and love reign, and if God deigns to bless their home with children the fruit of their love, they will be received gladly and raised in the fear of the Lord. 

Husbands are called to love their wives as You, my Beloved, love the Church, Your Bride, for whom You lay down Your life in perfect submission to the Father's will. You care for her and will remain with her until You come again to claim her and present her to Your Father without wrinkle or stain. In the same way, a husband is charged with the great responsibility and honor of ensuring that he too presents his bride spotless before the Father for he is the spiritual father and guide of his household. 

PSALM 128:1-5

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Every Christian family must model itself on the Holy Family in Nazareth. In the home, each member must feel secure, respected, and honored. It is a place where the truth must reign and each prepared to lay down their life for the good of the other. It is a  place where children feel safe and are nurtured on food for the body and for the soul. It is a place where the whole being - mind, body, soul, and spirit are cared for equally for healthy growth.

Such a home will be happy as each member thrives as they experience peace and joy. The husband treats his wife with dignity and will permit no one to disrespect her. She in turn finds her best self in nurturing the well-being of her spouse and her children in every way. 

Such a home brings honor to God and He will bless it with every blessing. A happy home where God reigns supreme will ensure the hastening of the Kingdom of God in the world. 

LUKE 13:18-21

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

You who are the great God, the only Son of the everlasting Father, the Word through whom all things were created, was sent into the world to be born like all of us through conception in the womb of Mary. Infinity made Himself small and fragile so as to be contained in the virginal womb of Your Mother. You who command legion upon legion of angels were dependant for everything on Mary and Joseph and You were obedient to them for 30 long years living a quiet, hidden life in perfect humility.

This is the example the Holy Family has given us. We learn how to live in a family each loving the other, supporting each other, obedient and submissive - putting the needs of the other before one's own. 

For three short years, You preached, taught, and performed wonderful signs that revealed who You truly were. You sowed the tiny little seed of the Kingdom of God. You handpicked 12 ordinary, unremarkable men - one would betray You, another would deny You not once but thrice, all would desert You when You needed their support most, and yet, here we are, over two thousand years later, and we see how that little mustard seed,  the Church You established, and entrusted to them has grown into a tree where people of every nation, language and culture find shelter in her and make their home in her. 

Faith in Your Word which is the Good News of our salvation is the leaven that continues to spread and make an impact on the whole world. May each of us to whom You entrusted the task of spreading the Gospel be faithful in doing so to the end. 

MONDAY OF THE THIRTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Your word is truth, O Lord:

consecrate us in the truth. JN 17:17

EPHESIANS 4:32-5:8

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

There is no excuse for the children of the light to flirt with the things that belong to the dark yet we do so over and over again. We skate dangerously close to the precipice when we allow ourselves to engage in a culture that seduces and draws us away from life and truth. 

St. Paul urges us to show kindness to one another - we live in an age where kindness is rare. If we are kind then we will be willing to forgive no matter how grave the offense against us for we would be striving to imitate You. 

We are called to love the Church of which You are the Head and we its members. St. Paul says, 'Be friends with one another.' In our conversations, there is precious little that is kind, generous, and understanding, there is a distinct lack of a genuine desire to know the truth that sets us free from condemning anyone especially those whom we ought to think twice before we dare to condemn. 

The language of the world is coarse, cruel, and crude, and inescapable for it is everywhere and is a reflection of the spirit of our age. The children of God are called to shine bright and overcome the darkness instead it appears that they are being overpowered by the night. The only way to ensure that the light is not put out is for all who believe in You to shun all forms of impurity and to have nothing to do with idolaters who worship the false gods of the flesh. These will not inherit the Kingdom of God. The world is so divided and the voices of evil are so strident and loud many are deceived by the clever manipulation of words empty of truth, beauty, and honor. 

St. Paul's warning to the Ephesians is as relevant today as it was then, if not more so, for he says, 'Do not let anyone deceive you with empty arguments: it is for this loose living that God’s anger comes down on those who rebel against him. Make sure that you are not included with them. You were darkness once, but now you are light in the Lord; be like children of light.'

PSALM 1:1-4, 6

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We are created by God for life, for love, for beauty, for truth, for integrity, for joy, for friendship, for laughter, for worship, for thanksgiving, for heaven, and foremost for God.

The very first psalm directs us on how we are to live if we desire to know true happiness. As members of Your Body, we must remain always planted beside the stream from which Living Water flows so we will not perish but live, thrive, and be fruitful. Your Word is Life. Your Word is Truth. Your Word is unchangeable and means the same thing today as it was yesterday and will be tomorrow and forever. The more we meditate on it, ponder it, allow it to take root in us and direct all we think, say, and do the more fully will we be incorporated in You, and the more will we yield our lives to the power of the Holy Spirit operating in us.

What a privilege it is to be called children of God for that is exactly what we are by virtue of our baptism. The God of love created us to know Him, love Him, and be happy with Him not only in the next life for all eternity but right now as well. 

We know the fate of the wicked, therefore let us permit the Church You founded take us by the hand and help us to strive always to be holy and perfect just as God our Father, is holy and perfect.

LUKE 13:10-17

THE CRIPPLE

https://lovesongstothebeloved.blogspot.com/2009/04/cripple-lk-1310-13.html

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The worst thing to be called is a hypocrite because a hypocrite seeks to deceive and all deception comes from the devil.

Guard me against all evil and keep me as Your own little nothing always. Thank You.

THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - 2020

 DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him. JN 14:23

EXODUS 22:20-26

My Beloved, Soul from my soul,

God called Abraham to take a great leap of faith and to trust Him. He did and God kept His promises, He made him the father of many nations and gave him descendants more numerous than the stars in the sky and the sands on the shore.  God reached out through space and time and thus began the most exciting journey of our walk with God.

God took Abraham by the hand and kept it firmly in His. He continues to do so faithfully keeping all His promises. God, Himself is our teacher constantly teaching us to model our lives and our actions on Him.  We are called to treat each other as He treats us. We are called to have compassion, to be merciful, to show justice to the poorest of the poor, and to the weakest and most vulnerable among us.

Holy Mother Church, Your Bride, continues to keep alive in her memory with the help of the Holy Spirit, all that God has taught from the very beginning. She faithfully observes all that You have taught her and teaches all who are born in her to do the same. She has never swerved from the Truth that has been revealed through the patriarchs, prophets, kings, and finally through You, the Son of God who is Truth incarnate. The Church has always shown a preferential love for the poor as You taught her to. She has often been persecuted and misjudged because of it but there always is and there always will be room in her for all whom the world marginalizes and rejects. 

PSALM 18:2-4. 47, 51

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Thank You, for revealing the Face of God to us through Your incarnation. Thank You, for taking us out of the world and into Yourself. Thank You, for providing all we need from moment to moment of that which is both temporal and spiritual. Thank You, for being our light, our hope, our joy, our peace, our place of refuge, and our safe harbor in a world that grows increasingly dark, dreary, joyless, fearful, and unsafe for all who believe in You and whose lives are guided by the Gospel.

Thank You, for being our Savior and for rescuing us from the snares and traps that are constantly being set to steal us away from You. Thank You for loving us perfectly - perfect love dies joyfully to self so another may live. The source of our strength, Beloved, is Your love for us which kindles in us a love for You and love for our neighbor. Love never ends for love never dies.

1 THESSALONIANS 1:5-10

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

All that Paul says of the Thessalonians in his letter to them ought to be true of all who are called by Your Name. Each of the baptized is called to preach the Good News to the ends of the earth - the most effective way to do this is by the witness of our lives as Your disciples. We are Your heralds of love, peace, and joy. We are the sign of contradiction in the world expressing love for hate, courage in the face of injustice to the poor, hope in the midst of despair, joy in the midst of sorrow, laughter in the midst of tears, peace in the midst of violence, unity in the face of division, forgiveness to those who persecute and discredit us. 

Wherever we go, just as wherever the Apostles and Paul went, we are to carry the Good News with us and build the Kingdom of God so others too may come to know You, believe in You, renouncing all that separates them from You. Saved by You we can all look forward to Your coming again in glory and to receiving a share in Your glorious resurrection. Maranatha, Lord Jesus, Maranatha!

MATTHEW 22:34-40

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The Church, Your Church, teaches tirelessly and uncompromisingly just as You taught her, that we are liars if we say we love You but display a distinct lack of love for our neighbor. 

The world is filled with deceitful people like the hardhearted Pharisees who seek wiggle room by claiming ignorance. The natural law is written by God on every human heart yet they pose the questions to which they already know the answer. ‘Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?’ 

You replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment.' But You did not stop there, You added, 'The second resembles it: You must love your neighbor as yourself.' You summarized the entire teaching of Sacred Scripture, both the old and the new in these two commandments. I cannot faithfully keep the first without keeping the second.  If I keep the first with a sincere heart and an honest spirit then I will fulfill the second. Grant me this grace, My Lord, to always see Your beloved Face in everyone I meet so I will faithfully keep both the commandments of love, just as Your Church always strives to do. 

SATURDAY OF THE TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I take pleasure, not in the death of a wicked man,
says the Lord, but in the turning back of a wicked man
who changes his ways to win life. EZ 33:11

EPHESIANS 4:7-16

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

St. Paul reminds us that each member of Your Body, the Church, is given gifts according to Your will. These gifts are given to build up Your Church, each is important, each must exercise the gift given and as each member functions using the particular gift bestowed the whole Church flourishes as God wills it to. No gift is too great or small but each is necessary for the proper functioning of the whole. In unity is our strength. The Head and the members of the body together working in harmony to establish God's Kingdom on earth.

As St. Pauls expresses it, In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself.

How far we are from this ideal of what the Church ought to be. It is easier to lay blame and responsibility instead of owning up to our own lack of desire to root and ground our lives deep in Scripture and in the teachings of the Church. Our ignorance and our apathy have caused deep divisions that have weakened us and cause us to be caught up and tossed about by every deliberate, trumped-up controversy. Deceit is certainly having its day in our time as those with evil intent cleverly manipulate us causing ever deeper divisions.

Love ought to bind us to You and to each other in perfect harmony. Truth must be the bedrock of our faith and both love and truth will help us grow more like You in every way as each member fulfills the work entrusted to it.

When if not now Beloved will each of us take responsibility for doing our part in ensuring that the Church remains a beacon of love, light, hope, and truth in the world rather than laying the onus solely on the Holy Father, the Bishops, the priests, and everyone else but ourselves? A strong Church is one founded on love for all with each of its members being well-formed in the faith and teachings of the Church that nothing will ever have the power to rattle or shake for we know the Truth and the Truth sets us free from the wiles of the Enemy. 

PSALM 122:1-5

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

How privileged we are to be members of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church - the Church You founded, a Church of which You are the head. Each one of us from the greatest to the least is an important member with special gifts and a specific role to play in its proper functioning.

To Peter was given the keys to the kingdom of heaven and he has handed it down faithfully to each of his successors. Only in union with Peter will we be able to reach safe harbor for this is what You intended from the beginning.  

We come together not only the Lord's Day but every day of the week from the rising of the sun to its setting, to offer to the Father the one, holy, and perfect Sacrifice that is most pleasing to Him. If the world is shown mercy despite the fact that evil seems to flood the earth, it is because the fragrance of this Sacrifice rises up to the Throne of God and draws upon the world forgiveness, mercy, and pardon. 

We belong to the New Jerusalem and all the peoples of the world are invited to come together and offer to God true worship for the salvation of all. 

LUKE 13:1-9

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Suffering and death are the lot of every human being. We do not suffer because we are greater sinners than others but because You have the power to draw good from our sufferings. All of us are sinners and it is only through repentance that we can we hope to receive Your forgiveness, mercy, and pardon and be saved from eternal death.  

Thank You, Beloved, for assuring us that God does not wish the death of the sinner but desires that everyone be saved. As long as we have breath in our body God constantly invites us to enter into His life and gives us every opportunity to do so. 

The Sacrament of Baptism makes us children of God, the Sacrament of Reconciliation makes it possible for us to start over every time we fail and fall short of the glory of God. We receive life-giving graces in each of the Sacraments especially the worthy reception of the Holy Eucharist, making it possible for us to bear good fruit in every season.

We must bear the fruit of good work always without which our faith is barren, it is dead. We were created to be fruitful and You give us every grace and blessing to help us but in the end, if we resist the help of the Holy Spirit we choose to be separated from You, to be cut down and destroyed. Grant that we choose life always so we may live.

FRIDAY OF THE TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2020

 DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Blessed are you, Father,
Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children. MT 11:25

EPHESIANS 4:1-6

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

You revealed all that is needful to live holy lives, pleasing to God and filled with the peace that the world cannot give. But we are not listening. Our borders may have shrunk and with it so have our hearts. We look at each other with distrust, we are greedy, avaricious, disdainful of those who are different from us. We build walls and erect barriers to keep everyone out. Our hearts are closed and we are content in living our entire life storing up an abundance of material things for ourselves without a thought that we are depriving others of their rightful share, what they require to live on. Few are truly happy or at peace.

But there is another way - it is Your Way. We are given the Holy Spirit to be our Helper who will lead us into all that is true, we do not have to muddle along but yield to Him. He will help us to be kind, charitable, generous, truthful, trustworthy, compassionate, empathetic, and to be patient and gentle with everyone.

We who are called by Your Name ought to show the way to the world - a better way, a truer way, a way that manifests that the Kingdom of God is among us. We are one Body in You and we have received Your Holy Spirit who unites us and makes us one in You and in each other. We belong to one family with God as our Father, yet it is we who give scandal and cause division among ourselves. 

Beloved, You prayed that we may be one just as You and Your Father are one, grant us wisdom to know that unless we realize that we are one Body in You and work together for peace, we are doomed to a world of chaos, disaster, destruction, and death. 

PSALM 

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

God created the world and filled it with all that is good, bountiful, and beautiful and He entrusted this world to us. He sent You, His only Son, to show us how to enjoy all these wondrous gifts and how to exercise good stewardship over them so we can pass on what we have received to those who come after us that they too may enjoy the beauty and bounty of the earth. 

You came to reveal the love of God our Father and to draw us into a filial relationship through You to Him. You taught us to call God, Father. You taught us to pray. You make known the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven and You desire us to make that Kingdom present on earth. 

You climbed Mt. Calvary, You were raised high above the earth and You sanctified it and all who believe, making it possible through Your Sacrifice to approach God with clean hands and pure hearts.

We are saved, we have received the fullness of God's Holy Spirit who channels Your abundant life to us. Streams of graces flow into our soul so we can navigate through the storms of life safely until we reach the place of eternal rest and behold You face to face, our Lord and our God.

LUKE 12:54-59

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We are currently living in troubled times. Never before has division among people and among nations been so stark as it in our day. There are very few peacemakers most people with authority, power, and influence only work to ensure that the divisions grow into yawning chasms that they say cannot be bridged or overcome. 

How do we interpret the signs of the times that herald doom? Hypocrites abound. They say one thing but their actions belie their words. Never has disunity been so apparent in every sphere of life. Every voice raised is more strident, loud, and divisive than the next. The voices that speak of peace, understanding, kindness, gentleness, mercy, charity, generosity, and selfless love, are mocked, derided, and ignored.

The time of reckoning is almost upon us. Soon we will each have to face the consequences of our lethargy, our lack of will to stand up and speak for justice, truth, peace, and unity. Sentence will be passed by the just judge and we will have to pay the penalty for our apathy, indifference, and disloyal stewardship of the treasures of heaven entrusted to us.  

Grant my Beloved, that in Your infinite mercy it may not be too late for a true conversion of heart of the people called by Your Name. Amen.

THURSDAY OF THE TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I have accepted the loss of everything
and I look on everything as so much rubbish
if only I can have Christ
and be given a place in him. PH 3:8-9

EPHESIANS 3:14-21

Abba Father in heaven,

As I come in Your Presence today,

And fall on my knees before You,

Grant me this petition I pray.

From the wealth of Your glory in heaven,

Dear Father, I ask that You give,

Me power through Your Holy Spirit,

To be strong as long as I live.

I ask not for strength in my body

But strength in my inner self.

And of You My Lord and My Savior,

I have a favor to ask of as well.

In faith, I ask You, Lord Jesus,

To make Your home in my heart,

Then will my roots and foundation

Be deeply embedded in love.

So I, along with Your people,

Have the power to understand,

The breadth, length, the height, the depth of,

The wonderful love of my Lord.

Yes, my Lord and my Savior,

May I know and be filled with Your love,

A love that can never be fully known,

And so have the nature of God. 

Eph 3:14-19 

Myra D’Souza / 14.2.1998

https://lovesongstothebeloved.blogspot.com/2009/04/prayer-for-today-eph-314-19.html

PSALM 33:1-2, 4-5, 11-12, 18-19

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The Father has created us for You because He loves You and He loves us. We have an awesome God who has spared no effort to ensure that we are given all we need to make it safely in our pilgrim journey, from this life to the life that is to come.

The journey, though difficult is made easy for You have put a song in our hearts and praise on our lips. when our hearts are filled with songs of praise. We are full of thanksgiving in all the circumstances in our life for we know that You lead us step by step, and day by day, ensuring with the help of the Holy Spirit that we grow slowly but surely more and more like You.

God our Father created the world and filled it with beauty to give us pleasure and delight. His imprint is all around us and more importantly, it is on our soul which He has made for You alone. We are espoused to You, Beloved. We are Yours in this life and eternally.

We can trust You always, no matter how dark the night, how narrow the road, how difficult the way, for You have placed Your yoke upon us and are given all the strength and courage we need. We are fed on the heavenly manna so we will know neither hunger nor thirst for we eat Your Flesh and drink Your Blood and are imbued with Your Spirit.

Faith is Your gift to us, without it, we can do nothing that is pleasing to the Father or to You. Faith in You will see us through until faith and hope are realized eternally in the beatific vision.

LUKE 12:49-53

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Ignorance of the Truth is what causes division, hatred, and murderous rage. Today You warn all who believe in You that discipleship is not an easy road but fraught with danger and difficulties. You warn us that we who choose to follow You will suffer as You did - if they persecuted You, we too will be persecuted, if they arrested and imprisoned You we can expect no less. If they tormented, mocked, and tortured You, we will receive the same treatment from the enemies of Truth. They put You to death and we ought not to be surprised if we are put to death as well for the servant is not greater than the Master.

You were plunged into the baptism of our death so we who believe could be raised to new life in Your glorious resurrection. To us is given the Holy Spirit and with His help, we will set the world on fire with divine love. 

You warn us also that the enemies of Truth can be found in our own households. They reject the Truth and are prepared to do all in their power to destroy it for the Truth holds up an uncomfortable mirror reflecting their dishonesty and lies. But Truth has already prevailed and all who choose to stand on the side of Truth will share in Your triumph and victory. 

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

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Stay awake and stand ready,

because you do not know the hour

when the Son of Man is coming. MT 24:42, 44

EPHESIANS 3:2-12

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Like St. Paul who was entrusted by You with the mission of imparting the mysteries of the faith to the Gentiles, so too, each member of Your Body, is given the mandate to make You known and loved, 'Whoever believes that God gave his only Son not to condemn the world but to save it through Him, will not perish but have eternal life.'

This mission, to hand on the Good News, was first entrusted to the Apostles and to St. Paul whom You empowered by a special grace to be an Apostle to the Gentiles. Pagans who now believe share the same inheritance with the Jews who came to believe that You were the fulfillment of the promises made by God.

The Apostles and their successors have proclaimed to the people of all nations the mystery that was hidden since the foundation of the world until He sent You, His only Son into the world. In and through You, God has unveiled His Face and His incomprehensible love to the world.

This revelation of God's gracious goodness is unfolding slowly but surely as more and more people come to believe in the Good News through the Church You established. This is the plan of God formed from all eternity that in You, all can approach the Mercy Throne with complete confidence because of their faith in You.

ISAIAH 12:2-6

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

My personal witness involves revealing to all I meet the wonderful things You have done for me. The mercy You have shown me even when I did not deserve it. The marvelous gifts You have heaped upon me both spiritual and temporal which others too may receive in the same or even greater measure.

I know I am saved because I believe You have saved me. I have hope and I walk unafraid through this valley of tears for I know You walk with me. I experience joy in the midst of sorrow, I laugh through my tears, I have peace in the midst of conflict for I know that You, my Lord, and my God provide all I need. You keep me safe in the shadow of Your wings. You are my protector, my refuge, my rock of salvation. I fear nothing for You my Lord abide in me.

My Beloved, grant me this grace for as long as I live, that I will not be silent but proclaim always and everywhere what God has done to save not just me but the whole world.

May every breath I breathe praise You, Lord, now and forever.

LUKE 12:39-48

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The world is in a dull, deadly stupor due to the spiritual malaise that has infected its soul. We are in danger of being unprepared when You return because we have not stayed awake and have missed every warning sign that reminded us that the things of the earth are passing.

Time and time again You have said that You will come at an hour that we will not expect. Millennia have come and gone, those who were entrusted with the mission to announce the Good News failed miserably, this is why many do not really know You, many have not even heard of You, and many more have been so poorly catechized that they never really knew You and hence never truly believed in You. 

What kind of steward am I? Have I been faithful in handing down what I received without watering it down, without conforming to the culture, without giving in to the temporal powers of the world? Did I hand on what I received in its fullness, its beauty, its truth, and its power, and will it, in turn, be handed on in all its beauty and purity just as I received it?

Beloved, grant that I strive always to be like the good and faithful steward who has been alert and awake to the needs of those entrusted to my care so I may be counted among those whom You will receive into Your Kingdom.

TUESDAY OF THE TWENTH-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Stay awake, praying at all times

for the strength to stand with confidence

before the Son of Man.  Lk21:36

EPHESIANS 2:12-22

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Paul explains with such beauty and clarity the work of unity that God wrought for all of mankind through Your saving work. The chosen people belonged to God but the rest of the world did not know Him as they did. The Jews knew that they were set apart from the rest of mankind because God chose to walk with them, live in the Temple, gave them a Law so they knew right from wrong. He gave them prophets and kings to counsel and rule them. Through wondrous signs He liberated them from Egypt and provided all they needed until He brought them to the Promised Land.   

But God, our Father in His great love and mercy, always intended to save all of mankind for we all belong to Him. Truly, Beloved, God has no favorites. He sent You into the world, His only Son. Through Your broken Body, the Father united the whole world. Your life was given up in expiation for the sins of the world. You bore our punishment and death and in exchange, You gave us Your Life and a share in Your glorious resurrection. 

You were sent by the Father to draw into Yourself the iniquity of the whole world, paying on our behalf the irredeemable debt we owed by the sin of Adam. The Good News of peace and salvation has been preached to the whole world it is now up to us who have received it to live it and establish the Kingdom of God in the world. 

PSALM 85:9-14

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Peace is Your gift to us. It is a peace that the world cannot give. It is a peace that comes from knowing You and knowing that we are saved and are called to a glorious and eternal destiny with You. 

Your Kingdom is already among us if we can only open our eyes and see. Your Word is spoken, we will hear if only we open our ears to hear. This mission has been placed on the shoulders of all who believe, to spread this Good News that saves.

In You and through You the world receives mercy and justice for all especially the poor to whom neither mercy nor justice is shown. Grant us the grace to be always grateful for all the blessings You pour upon us who are so undeserving of Your gifts. 

LUKE 12:36-38 

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We are living in the age of Your Second Coming, the parousia. This age began when You ascended into Heaven and Your Holy Spirit descended on Mother Mary and the Apostles in the Upper Room. On the day of Pentecost, Your Church was born. The tiny seed of faith You planted has grown into a mighty tree and birds of every kind nest in its branches.

Now is the time for all Your followers, all who are called by Your Name, who are sealed in Your Blood and are members of Your Body, the Church You founded, to wake up from our slumber. Now is the time to work with zeal and to proclaim to the world the Good News that saves so all will believe and come to the knowledge of Truth. All who are found working when You arrive will be invited to take a seat at the banquet of the Bridegroom and will be served by the Bridegroom Himself, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords.   

Memorial of Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests, and Companions, Martyrs - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

How happy are the poor in spirit:

theirs is the kingdom of heaven. MT 5:3 

EPHESIANS 2:1-10

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Like St Paul, all who encountered You have a before and after story. We can testify along with all who have had a deep conversion experience that we are no longer who we once were. With the help, grace, and power that comes from the Holy Spirit, we are created anew. There was a time when we were ruled by the desires of the flesh, lured by the attractions of the world, and easy prey for the devil. Now, having given our lives over to You, Beloved, we strive to put to death all the sinful passions that once ruled us and led us away from the Way of Truth and Life.

Thank You, Beloved, for gently luring me to Yourself although the means were desperately difficult and painful at the time. Thank You for Your great love and mercy that made it possible for me to understand that this world is not my home and that the path that I was on would lead to my eternal death. 

 But God loved us with so much love that he was generous with his mercy: when we were dead through our sins, he brought us to life with Christ – it is through grace that you have been saved – and raised us up with him and gave us a place with him in heaven, in Christ Jesus.

I deserved to die but through the abundant graces of the Sacraments freely poured into my soul through Your great goodness and mercy, I am saved. I know how easy it is to fall from grace because my flesh is weak but I also know that my faith, which is Your gift to me, will sustain me. You have sealed me in Your Holy Spirit and made a Covenant with me in Your Blood. Your love saves me for eternal life. 

We are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as from the beginning he had meant us to live it.

PSALM 100:1-5

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We exult in the knowledge that God created us and we belong to Him. Thank You for revealing to us this truth, that God so loved us that He sent You, His only Son, not to condemn us but to save us. We are created to share Your glory not only in this life but in the life to come.

All who accept You as Lord and Savior praise and glorify You for the wonders that the Father's love has accomplished for all who believe in You. 

You are the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, to You is given all dominion, authority, power, glory, and majesty and You love us so much You lay down Your life for us and claim us for Yourself eternally. We did not choose You, it was You who chose us and it is You who raise us up with You because we are Yours.

Your saving work has put praise in our hearts and a song on our lips and we will sing songs of thanksgiving to Your glorious Name and bless You as long as have breath.

LUKE 12:13-21

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

So many of us are driven by avarice. Once we embark on the road to acquire possessions we are never satisfied. The more we accumulate the more we desire. We spend our whole life in gaining material wealth, at the cost of family relationships, friendships, and health. Our greed for acquiring more than we need robs others of what is rightfully theirs. This is why when the man in the crowd asked You to tell his brother to share the family inheritance with him You responded that You were not appointed to arbitrate on things that are passing. You warn us to, ‘Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than he needs.’

You then told the parable of the rich but foolish man who had acquired great wealth and made plans to live a life of luxury and comfort, free of anxiety for the rest of his life. He forgot one very important detail though, that death comes like a thief in the night. You remind us that it is more prudent to store up for ourselves treasures that are pleasing to God that no one can steal or destroy.

TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

You will shine in the world like bright stars
because you are offering it the word of life. PH 2:15-16

ISAIAH 45:1, 4-6

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

You are God and You make Yourself known to whomever You will. You choose to use whomsoever You will in order to execute Your plans just as You chose the pagan king Cyrus and directed and inspired him to work in favor of Your people in exile.  

All leaders serve God and are chosen, appointed, and anointed by Him to rule in justice, fairness, and truth whether they believe in Him or not. All who are in positions of power, influence, and authority, and under whatever title and capacity they exercise this authority, they must bear in mind that it is always in service to those whom they have been appointed to govern.   

Cyrus was unaware that he was being used by God to work in favor of His chosen people who were in exile in his kingdom. You never abandon those who belong to You and are called by Your Name. Whether or not they know You the rulers of the world serve You and nothing happens without You permitting it for You are able to draw immense good even from evil. 

PSALM 96:1, 3-5, 7-10

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

When all the people in every nation give God the glory due to Him the world will be blessed more profoundly and more abundantly than we can ever imagine.

In all things, we must remember that God who is our Creator is also the Father of us all. Every breath we breathe must render Your praise for praise is fitting for hearts that are loyal, loving, and grateful for all our God has done for us in You, His only Son.

As individuals, as families, as a society, as a community, as a nation, and as the whole world together we are called to render to God the glory, honor, and worship that is due to Your Name. We long for the day, Beloved, when every knee shall bow, and every tongue will confess You are Lord in the only true worship pleasing to God our Father, the one, holy Sacrifice pleasing to Him, the offering of Yourself in perfect humility and obedience as the Saving Victim in reparation for our sins. Calvary is that high mountain on which one day all the peoples of the world will gather to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and partake of the heavenly manna, the Holy Eucharist. Then we will all truly be one body of which You, the Christ are its Head. To You be praise, glory, and honor forever and ever. Amen.

1THESSALONIANS 1:1-5

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

St. Paul and his companions preached the Good News of salvation to pagan nations and many who heard believed and received the Holy Spirit with power. No one believes in You unless it is a grace given by God, our Father. It is He who bestows this faith on whoever He chooses this is why many who hear the Good News are receptive to it and embrace it and there just as many who hear the same truth but are unmoved by it.

But those to whom this grace is given have a personal experience of God's love and power working in them through the Holy Spirit that is given to all who believe in You. Their lives are transformed and they know that they have become a new creation in You. This is why we are invited to pray that all may receive the grace of hearing the Good News, believe in it, and in believing be saved.

MATTHEW 22:15-21

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The Pharisees of the world are constantly plotting evil. They are full of guile, they seize every opportunity to set snares deviously hoping to trap their prey by duplicitous and dishonest means.   

The Pharisees of Your time, their disciples, the Scribes, and the Herodians were consumed with catching You in an ah-ha moment. They used every means they could think of hoping that somehow, sometime, You would say something that contradicted Your teaching and the Law, and then they would get You. 

Today's Gospel text reveals how they begin, with flattery, as all deceivers do, and then pose a question that seems innocent and reasonable, "Tell us your opinion, then. Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" Aware of their malice and their hypocrisy You responded, "Let me see the money you pay the tax with." You looked at the coin they handed You and asked, ‘Whose head is this? Whose name?’ They replied, ‘Caesar’s’ You replied, ‘Very well, give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar – and to God what belongs to God.’ For the moment, effectively beaten, Your enemies retreated.

Let us not be confused about being loyal to God and being loyal to all legitimate authority in the world. While to You alone belongs our highest loyalty and allegiance those who govern us are appointed by You. We are under obligation to obey the laws and observe our duties as citizens of the country we belong to unless they direct us to do evil.

MEMORIAL OF ST. IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH, BISHOP & MARTYR - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The Spirit of truth will be my witness;
and you too will be my witnesses. JN 15:26, 27

EPHESIANS 1:15-23

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We the baptized, mere human beings, are now children of God and have received a share in Your divine Sonship as members of Your Body. Grafted on to You we receive the life of the Holy Spirit who enables us to perceive the glory that is ours as members of Your Body, the Church. He enables us to understand and believe that which is impossible for those without faith. 

We believe that God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, not to condemn but to redeem us. We believe that You rose from the dead by the power of God working in You. We believe that having received the Holy Spirit at baptism we are co-heirs to the Kingdom and are empowered to live holy lives pleasing to God. 

All power, dominion, rule, and authority over all that is seen and unseen are given to You by the Father. To You is given a Name above every other and at Your Name, every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess to the glory of God that You are Lord. As members of Your Body united to You, we who receive life from You will also share in Your glorious inheritance.

PSALM 8:2-7

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

At Your Name, Jesus, hell trembles. Your Name has the power to save. There is no other name but Your Name, O Lord, that makes God present in our midst. There is no name more pleasing to the Father than Your Name O Lord. The world is conquered and evil is vanquished by the power of Your glorious Name.

You are the Eternal Word uttered by God and all came to be. The heavens, the earth, the sun, moon, stars, the mountains, seas, rivers, and all living things were created by God's Word. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling place among the children of Adam and Eve in order to restore through perfect obedience and humility what was forever through willful disobedience and pride.

Now, the work of salvation wrought by the Eternal Word makes us children of God once again. In You, Beloved, it has pleased the Father to bestow on us so much more than we ever had before the fall. The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us - in You we live and move and have our being. And in You, we are drawn into the very life of God. We are made co-heirs with You and are raised up with You so we can receive a share in Your glorious resurrection and live forever with You as children of the Father in the Kingdom of God. 

LUKE 12:8-12

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

If we know You, love You, and believe in You then we will be one with You through the Holy Spirit who makes us one not only with You but with our Father in heaven as well.

Today You challenge Your disciples, all who are called by Your Name, to boldly confess to the world that we are belong to You and that You are our Lord and God. You are the one sent by the Father to save and redeem the world, there is no other. And there is no salvation in any other name but Yours, Jesus. 

Unless we experience the power of Your Spirit at work in us, unless we are familiar with Your Word in Sacred Scripture, unless we are familiar with all that Your Church teaches us, and as long as we remain faithful and obedient to all that she upholds and teaches in matters concerning faith and morals that are necessary for our salvation, we will never have the courage of martyrs. We will disown You only if we are ignorant of You. But if we do know You we will fall helplessly in love with You and will never experience the fear that makes cowards of us all. 

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the fashion of our age it is no wonder we are plunged in darkness, division, violence, evil, rage, and death. Only love can overcome death and all who believe must be prepared to give witness to the Truth. Thank You for the Holy Spirit who abides with us, He will enable us to overcome with courage the forces of evil that have temporarily overtaken the world.