SATURDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK OF ADVENT - 2020

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The Lord is our judge, the Lord our lawgiver,
the Lord our king and saviour. IS 33:22

ISAIAH 30:19-21, 23-26

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

We have this assurance from You, our Lord, and God, that all who approach Your holy mountain and make their dwelling in the Church You founded will find a home in You too. Here every cry is heard, every need is met, every longing is satisfied. For You, Yourself, are our food and drink. You are the bread that gives life. Here our water is assured from the spring of life-giving water flowing from You.

In her Your Spirit will teach us, lead us, guide us and we will walk in the light of Your Word that dispels all fear of darkness,  ignorance, division, hate, and envy. In this place where You dwell in fullness those who are called by Your Name, those who listen to Your Word and obey it will be taken up in Your glory. Everything we do will be fruitful because we do only that which You will. You are lifted high so all can see You who are our light, our lamp, our beacon, our healing, our wholeness who draws all the world's sick, weary, heavy laden, hungry, lonely, and dying into that sweet place of rest in You for all eternity. 

PSALM 147:1-7

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

You are the New Jerusalem, You are the city on the hilltop, You are the light that dispels the darkness. You are our praise to the Father and You are the song we sing to glorify His Name. You save, You heal, You make whole, You sanctify and make us worthy to enter the inner sanctuary, the holy of holies, the place where You dwell.

Only the meek, the humbly, the poor, the childlike, gain entrance for they know that without You they are nothing, can do nothing, but with You, all things are possible for You take us by the hand and lead us into the home of our Father.

MATTHEW 9:35-10:1, 5A 6-8

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

Wherever You went You preached and healed. You were filled with compassion because You saw how great was their need for physical and spiritual healing. 

To this day there are so many who are harassed and dejected because they are buffeted on every side by the troubles that assail them and no one cares. We have become desensitized, we feel little or no empathy for those that are suffering and hurting around us. Too often we are so overwhelmed by the sheer need we feel helpless. But this is no excuse. If all we can do is pray then let us at least do that.  

We thank You, Lord, for Your Church, for our Holy Father, and our Bishops and priests, to them You have given all authority over unclean spirits that plague so many of us as well as the power to forgive sins. Let us not forget that we too share in the universal priesthood and are commissioned to preach, teach, and announce the Good News of salvation by the witness of our lives. Faith is God's free gift to us and just as freely we must share it with others.