MEMORIAL OF ST. CHARLES LWANGA & COMPANIONS, MARTYRS - 2021

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death
and he has proclaimed life through the Good News. 2TIM 1:10

TOBIT 6:10-11,7:1,9-14,8:4-9 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

We see clearly how God deals with us in this delightful book from Sacred Scripture when we place all our confidence in Him, trusting all our cares to His infinite love, goodness, and mercy.

You commanded the angel Raphael to accompany Tobias the son of the godfearing Tobit as he journeyed to his uncle's house. Both Tobit and Raguel's family had suffered greatly and none more than his daughter Sarah. Each had cried out to the Lord in despair and for deliverance and God heard them both and would answer them more generously than either could ever hope for or imagine.

Tobias refused to eat or drink until his uncle had come to a decision regarding his betrothal to his daughter. In the same manner when we pray if accompanied with fasting and self-denial our prayer will be answered. 

Raguel was transparent with Tobias and told him the fate that had befallen the seven bridegrooms who had previously wed his daughter but he was not fazed. He believed that God would grant him his heart's desire and he was right.

Before Tobias and Sarah began their married life together, he led his bride in prayer asking for God to protect them and he promised that they would love each other as godly couples ought. He asked God to grant that they grow old together. 

Lord, You raised marriage to a Sacrament by Your presence at the Wedding in Cana, and You are present at every wedding where You are invited. The grace of the Sacrament assures every Christian couple who honors their vows that they will never run out of wine as long as they both live.

PSALM 128:1-5 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

If only the world understood the sacredness of marriage it would be a much happier place. Thank You for the faithful, and inspiring witness of so many holy couples who invite You as the Third Partner in their marriage.

They walk in the light of Your love and are blessed abundantly because they strive to model their home on the Holy Family. All they do prospers and the cup of joy runs over into every area of their life.

You bless them with children and each is welcomed generously some are even graced with adopting children and laughter and joy flood their hearts and home. A good wife and mother are one of God's precious gifts and a good husband and father is a reflection of our Father in heaven. Grant O Lord that the world begins to see marriage as God intended it from the beginning.

MARK 12:28-34 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

We would never know how much God loves us if He did not reveal that love for us by sending You into the world. If we desire to see the Father we can look on You, His Son, for You are the perfect image of the unseen God. As St. John said so beautifully, We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life. 

How easy it is to put all our hope and trust in God because we have seen You, touched You, and tasted You. How much easier it is to obey the first of all the commandments which You quoted to the scribe who posed the question to You, "Which is the first of all the commandments?" and You responded: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. Love of God our Father whom we have not seen is so much easier because He has made His love visible and tangible in You, His dearly beloved Son. And You added the second which flows from the first: You must love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’

We cannot claim to love God if we hate our neighbor and we can only love our neighbor as we ought if we love God above and before all.

Grant O Lord that we love You as we ought. Unless we love You with our whole heart, our whole mind, and our whole strength, our love will never be self-sacrificial and we will never willingly choose to lay down our lives for another as You did for us. True love does not count the cost and we can truly love only when we learn to love as You do.