MEMORIAL OF ST. THERESE OF THE CHILD JESUS, VIRGIN & DOCTOR - 2020

 DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The kingdom of God is close at hand:

repent and believe the Good News. MK 1:15

JOB 19:21-27

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

What a wonderful thing to behold is the faith of Job - if only we trusted You as he did. He was aware that he did not deserve the sufferings and tragedies that were visited on him but through it all he trusted You. Yes, he wondered why You suddenly lay so heavily on him and crushed him afflicting him in every way in which a person can be afflicted, but even while he did not understand he was aware that You are God. He remained steadfast in faith confident that at the end of his life He would look upon the face of God gazing on him with tenderness and he would be content.

Beloved, even Job did not suffer as You did, and You remained steadfast to the end. You endured Your horrific passion and crucifixion, laying down Your life so I may live. No suffering, no cross that is laid across my shoulders will ever be as heavy as the one You carried for my sake. Keep me faithful and courageous to the end. 

PSALM 27:7-9, 13-14

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Grant that I may always seek You in prayer. May I pray constantly, may all my work, and all that I do in my leisure hours be a prayer to Your glory, praise, and honor. May Your Face be imprinted on my soul. May I enter Your Presence each time I gaze inward to the sanctuary of my soul, my inmost being, for You are enthroned in my heart.

Forgive my innumerable weaknesses, forgive my faults, forgive my inability to do anything, have one good thought, without the inspiration and help of Your Holy Spirit. Never permit me to sin so grievously, Beloved, that will cause me to be separated from You. I would truly die if I did not have You within me, beside me, around me - I cannot do anything pleasing to God on my own. Be merciful to me O Lord and remain with me until I draw my last breath in this life and come before Your majesty in the next.

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness
in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord!

LUKE 10:1-12

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

All the baptized are commissioned to labor and bring in the harvest. There is a great hunger in the world, there is great sin, darkness, evil, and gloom. There is a great spiritual emptiness in the lives of many and they are trying to fill that void with anything that might ease the pain and bitterness of a life without purpose or direction. They are ignorant of You, ignorant of Your Word, ignorant of the God of love who can heal and make whole.

Yet, how many among us are prepared to take You at Your Word and step out boldly trusting You so completely that we make no provision for ourselves because You will give us all we need for the journey?  You have said that all we need is faith the size of a mustard seed, yet we seem to lack even that. 

You invite us to be like lambs among the packs of wolves unleashed on the world preying on the weak and the ignorant. We are our brothers' and sisters' keepers. We are accountable for the spiritual wellbeing of those entrusted to us. You have equipped us with all we need to build the Kingdom of God. 

In a world of violence, we are called to be peacemakers. In a world full of suspicion and hatred we are called to love in season and out of season. It seems an impossible task yet You would not ask it of us if it were so. The kingdom of God is here, and You desire that all belong to it not just a select few. You died that all may live and this is the Good News that I am called to proclaim with the witness of my life.