MEMORIAL OF ST. MARTIN OF TOURS, BISHOP - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

In all circumstances, give thanks,
for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 1 THES 5:18

TITUS 3:1-7

My Most Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Too often we forget that You are God and that You are always in control. Whether or not we understand Your ways or Your will is unimportant what we must always bear in mind is that all things work for good because it is Your hand that guides all human affairs. 

Too often we get caught up with our own agendas, our ideas, our beliefs and we are quite certain that we know best and when things go contrary to what we were so certain was the only right outcome, we forget that it is You alone are God and Lord of all. 

The advice that St. Paul, as the spiritual father of his flock, gave to his people through Titus, is one that holds true for God's people in every age.  We are duty-bound to be obedient to the officials and representatives of the government; to be ready to do good at every opportunity; not to go slandering other people or picking quarrels, but to be courteous and always polite to all kinds of people. We have only to listen to the political discourse in the current times by those who are called by Your Name and we realize how far away we are from being the kind of people that God desires us to be. The foul epithets, the ugly language, that lace the political conversations are anything but helpful, rather, they are divisive, uncharitable, and even demonic. 

While those who are ignorant can be forgiven for their disobedience to Your Word and for being ruled and enslaved by their passions, those who know the Truth but do not abide by it are the ones to be most pitied. Instead of being instruments and channels of peace, we are guilty of not only inciting wickedness, ill-will and hate but also for fanning the flames until we find ourselves in danger of being consumed by the hellish inferno of our making.

We are called to be children of light, peace-makers, for we know the price paid for our salvation. We have been immersed in the life-giving waters of baptism, and we have been born again of fire and the Holy Spirit. We are saved for righteousness. Let us take a moment to consider who we are and to begin to live as children of the light and heirs to the Kingdom of God rather than permit ourselves to become pawns of those living in the realms of darkness. 

PSALM 23

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

This one line from the psalm, 'The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want,' can sustain the pilgrim with hope and life no matter how dark the road, how narrow the path, or how difficult the journey. I thank You for the sanctuary of Your Church into which I have been privileged to be born. In this Church that You founded, I receive all I need to make it in safety from this life to the life that awaits me at my journey's end.

The life-giving Sacraments You instituted and which are administered faithfully by Your Ministers are the source of rich graces that will sustain us and provide all we need. You are the source of every blessing. Your Body and Blood are our food and drink we need no other.

You came into this world, incarnate of the Virgin Mary, to take by the hand the entire human race, and lead all who believe in You, to the Kingdom of God. We are members of Your body. Your Spirit courses through Your body giving each of its members divine life and grace. Even though we live in a world increasingly consumed by the forces of evil and darkness, we will walk in Your goodness, mercy, and kindness all the days of our life. Thank You, for the grace of faith that saves us.

LUKE 17:11-19

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Today in the Gospel of Luke the Church draws the attention of her children to the 10 lepers who were healed by You and of the one, a foreigner, who alone returned to give You thanks. 

We are told that as You entered one of the villages ten lepers came to meet You. It was not a chance encounter but it was their intent to seek You. Being lepers they were not permitted to draw close and so standing some distance away from You they shouted, 'Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.' They knew Your Name and they knew You had authority and power and addressed You as master. They would have heard of You and all the miracles You had worked and they longed to be healed as well.  

You responded immediately, by saying, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ They believed, obeyed, and turned away to do as You asked. While on their way to the priests they found they were healed immediately one of them turned back, threw himself at Your feet, and thanked You for this great gift of healing that took away the stigma of a disease that isolated him from all those he loved and from society.  

Commenting on the one that returned You said, ‘Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.’ You then said to the man, ‘Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.’ His healing was complete for You healed him not only in body but in spirit.

How often Beloved, I delay in giving thanks for all that You have done for me and for all the wonderful blessings You heap upon me each day. Forgive me, Lord, and grant me the grace to be more mindful in giving thanks at once. May every breath I breathe give You thanks.