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.
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