Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin - 2021

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Blessed are you, Father,
Lord of heaven and earth,,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children. MT 11:25

EXODUS 3:1-6,9-12 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

You can make a way where there is no way for You are the WAY.

Today, the Church invites us to reflect on God's call to Moses. He was at work, helping to look after the flock when he noticed the unusal phenomenon of the burning bush that was on fire but not consumed by it. He drew nearer until God stopped him, asked him to remove his sandals and to come no closer for he was on holy ground. How often, Beloved, we make light of what is holy. We commit sacrilege and we do it without compunction because we are either cluleless or careless or both. We cannot treat that which is holy and sacred casually. This is one of the lessons we learn early on in Sacred Scripture. 

The wonder of it all is that it is always God who comes for us, looks for us, waits for us, and when we finally show up He welcomes us, talks to us, reveals His plans for us, and assures us not to be afraid. He will always provide all we need. When we do come face to face with You, our only response ought to be, 'Here I am.' Loving and gracious as You always are to us we must always remember who You are and show great reverence in speech and posture. 

This is why we sign ourselves with the Sign of the Cross, why we genuflect before You in the Blessed Sacrament, why we must always be reverential at Holy Mass or any of the sacred liturgies celebrated by the Church. We are on holy ground and God's people gather together to offer Him worship on His holy mountain.

PSALM 103:1-4,6-7 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

All my experiences of You teach me that I can trust You always. Sometimes when I am troubled, anxious, fearful, I lose sight of this truth. It is especially during these times that it is most comforting for me to purposefully recall every one of Your many blessings and praise and thank You for each of them.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord
all my being, bless his holy name.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord
and never forget all his blessings.

May I never forget that You are love incarnate and You are merciful and compassionate. You love me more than I can ever know and Your love endures eternally. You do not hold my sins, my faults, my failings against me and You readily forgive when I approach You with a humble and contrite heart and spirit. You forgive instantly, completely, and permanently.

Thank You for insituting the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Each time I approach You in this wonderful Sacrament of healing and restoration I am born anew.

MATTHEW 11:25-27 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

In a world with billions of people the sad truth is that less than half are Christians and among them are many who are Christians in name only. Many are cafeteria Christians believing they can pick and choose which of Your doctrines to follow and disregarding those that do not support their preferred lifestyle. Even among those who profess to be Christians many are nominal and fewer still are absolutely, fundamentally, and in all circumstances truly committed to being Your disciples in the way that You invite and desire us to be Your disciples. 

Today's Gospel reminds us that it is the little, the least, those with a childlike simplicity of heart and mind, the anawim of Yahweh, who will enter the Kingdom of God. Let us never lose sight of this truth - that it is the children whom You welcome, whom You draw around You, whom You seat on Your lap, whom You permit to press around You and lean on You, whom You wrap Your arms around and to whom You entrust all that the Father has given You.

‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’

Anyone who desires to know the Father must approach You as a little child - with complete faith, trust, and confidence for to such as these You promise to reveal the treasures and the secrets of the wisdom of God and the knowledge of God.