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.
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