THURSDAY IN THE OCTAVE OF EASTER - 2021

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

This day was made by the Lord:
we rejoice and are glad. Ps117:24

ACTS 3:11-26 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The miracles continue even after the Jews bayed for Your

Blood and the self-serving, coward, Pilate pronounced Your death sentence by crucifixion. The chief priests and all Your enemies in the Sanhedrin had unleashed a power that was unstoppable - the power of the Holy Spirit. 

An unrecognizable, post-Pentecost Peter, thundered before the crowd that had gathered before him and John, 'You handed over and then disowned in the presence of Pilate after Pilate had decided to release him. It was you who accused the Holy One, the Just One, you who demanded the reprieve of a murderer while you killed the prince of life.'  He told the people that their amazement at the miracle he and John had just performed was misplaced, 'Why are you surprised at this? Why are you staring at us as though we had made this man walk?' He confirmed that it was the Man they had crucified who was the fulfillment of all the prophecies in Scripture, and it was by the power of Your Name that they had performed the miracle. 

He then goes on to assure the people that it was through ignorance that they and their leaders had acted but it was through their actions that God carried out what was foretold through all His prophets, that His Christ, His Son, would have to suffer in our stead to save us. Salvation belongs to all who repent, believe the Good News, and listen to whatever You say. 

  

PSALM 8:2,5-9 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The world holds the key to love, joy, and peace but does not

know it. The Key to unlocking the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven and to enter is given to all who desire it. There is no treasure, no grace that we cannot possess all we need to unleash the power of God is given to those who ask, seek, knock in the Name that is above every other, Your Name,  Jesus.

The Father withholds nothing that is for our good this is why He gave us His only Son, that all who believe in You, will be saved. We are nothing Beloved, yet the Father cares for us. His love is incomprehensible, it a mystery we will never fathom but the irrefutable fact is this, ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.'

We are mere mortals and yet we have divinity making His home in us. We are the apple of the Father's eye. He would have sent You to die for me if I was the only person in the world that needed to be saved - this is how personal His love is. And You are the image of the unseen God and hence You love in the same immeasurable measure that He does. 

God has done for us what He has not done for the angels. He sent You into the world to lay down Your life so we may be saved. This is why we have this hope, Beloved, that not one of the little ones that He has entrusted to You will be lost.

LUKE 24:35-48 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Just as the disciples who returned from Emmaus to tell their story to the rest so too do we have a story. It is personal, it is intimate, it is the story of how God loves us with a love that is beyond all telling but above all, it is a story that must be shared.

When we speak of You, Lord, You are in our midst just as You appeared and stood in the midst of the disciples as they were all excitedly sharing their stories and said, 'Peace be with you.' You entered through the closed door for nothing can prevent You from coming to us.  They ought not to have been surprised and yet they were. We too are surprised each time You answer our prayers, perform a miracle, speak a word that brings hope and comfort - yet as people of faith we ought not to be for You are Emmanuel, God with us.

But You understand that we are human, weak, frail, and we need constant assurance of Your love and so You calm their doubts, ‘Why are you so agitated, and why are these doubts rising in your hearts? Look at my hands and feet; yes, it is I indeed. Touch me and see for yourselves; a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.’  You even ask for something to eat to allay their fears. They were stupified with joy and struck dumb with awe, it was actually You, body, blood, soul, and divinity standing in front of them.

Then once again You opened their minds to understand the Scripture and pointing out to them and to us that You are the fulfillment of all that is said of the Christ in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms. 

Each day as we carry our daily cross let us remember as we push through our suffering and endure them for Your Sake, uniting all with Your Passion that You are yoked to us making our burden sweet and light. 

We are witnesses to Your love and hence we are called to herald the Good News to the world, ‘So you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.’