MEMORIAL OF ST. FRANCIS XAVIER, PRIEST - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Seek the Lord while he is still to be found,
call to him while he is still near. IS 55:6

ISAIAH 26:1-6

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

You formed Your Church from Your pierced side and You have assured her that the gates of hell shall never prevail against her. These words of the prophet can be said of her hence all her children sing this song with confidence for You are her everlasting Rock,

We have a strong city;
to guard us he has set
wall and rampart about us.

You are the gate, the door flung wide open so all the peoples in every nation who believe that You are the One whom the Father sent into the world to redeem it may enter. All who believe in You, all who place their hope and trust in You, all who keep their minds fixed on You, our Lord, and our God will find in You perfect peace and rest. 

Those who refuse to believe and with evil intent pridefully set themselves up as gods will be brought down and destroyed. The poor on whom they fattened themselves will trample them underfoot for You despise the proud and the haughty and You raise the lowly, the meek, and the humble of heart.

PSALM 118:1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

With every breath we breathe we ought to give You thanks for You are a God whose love, mercy, faithfulness, and kindness never end. Too often we place our trust in those with power and influence instead of You and sought their help only to be greatly disappointed for their help and their promises are worthless. You alone O Lord are our true refuge, shelter, and shield in every storm.

You command us to be holy and perfect just as our Father in heaven is holy and perfect only then will the gates of heaven be open to us. You are the gate through which we may enter into God's presence. Unless we believe in the One who saves us we will be denied entry into the Kingdom of God. There is only one Messiah, one Savior, one Redeemer, and only one whose Name has the power to save. 

We make our prayer to You, Lord, for You alone have the power to grant us salvation, You alone can give success to the work of our hands. We come together as a community of believers in this House wherein You are pleased to dwell among the children of God on earth. Together we adore You, we worship You and bless You - You are the Sacrifice of Praise that we offer to God, our Father through whom we receive You as our light and our help.

MATTHEW 7:21, 24-27 

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We may be baptized, say many pious prayers, make many novenas, go on pilgrimages, etc., but this does not guarantee our entrance to God's kingdom. God will reject us if we mindlessly say Lord, Lord with our mouths while our hearts are far from Him and from You and we stubbornly refuse to seek Your will and do it in all things. 

Today the Church reminds us once more what is necessary in order to build our lives on a sure foundation. We are to do the will of the Father always and we are to act on Your Word. If we do this we will not be shaken though the mountains may fall and the hills turn to dust - for Your Word is truth, Your love is everlasting, and Your mercy and faithfulness never end.

Today's Gospel also carries a word of warning to all who despite knowing the truth refuse to commit to it, refuse to base their lives on it, refuse to obey it, and think the truth is optional. These will find that their house is built on sand and it will crumble and be washed away without a trace for they refused to believe in the Word which is Truth and Life. No one can build their lives on the lies spewed by the current culture which deems Truth relative. Truth is synonymous with the Word and both are the same yesterday, today, and eternally. 

'Everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!’