TUESDAY OF THE TWENTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2021

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

A great prophet has appeared among us;
God has visited his people. LK 7:16

1 THESSALONIANS 5:1-6, 9-11 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

We look at the world and it is hard not to become disheartened at the evil that abounds everywhere. It is easy to allow our hope to dim, our faith to droop, and our spirits to become despondent. This is why we must never shift our gaze from You. We must train our whole being to focus on You, when we do, no matter how ferociously the storm rages around us, we will not drown. 

St. Paul reminds us that no one knows when the Day of the Lord will come but while we wait for Your triumphant return, we must keep the faith. We have heard the Good News, we believe it, we live it, we are members of Your Body and children of the light. Let us remain vigilant against the forces of evil that are fighting a ferocious battle to claim victims for hell. Satan does not rest but prowls the earth seek to steal souls created by God and redeemed by You to live forever in heaven. 

You have won our salvation. We are free with the freedom You won for us on the Cross. You tasted our death in order that we may enter into Your life through the power of Your Resurrection. God our Father created us for life which we receive in abundance through Your Spirit. This is indeed Good News. This is the hope we cling to. We are saved.  

PSALM 27:1,4,13-14 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

God's children are unafraid for they walk in Your light and truth. We have God for our Father, You as our Brother, Friend, and Spouse, we have the Holy Spirit who dwells in us and empowers us to live holy lives, pleasing to God.

We walk with God and this is why we walk with our heads held high in the face of evil. Nothing can harm us for God has appointed His angels to watch over and protect us.

How blessed we are that God, our Lord, is always in our midst. You make Your dwelling place not only in the sanctuary of our hearts but in the tabernacles in our churches and chapels all around the world. You remain hidden in a little white Host, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity and we consume You in the Holy Eucharist and become one with You. We behold the Living God and You fill us with the sweetness of Your Word and Your abiding Presence. 

For us, heaven has already begun on earth for we are united with You even now just as closely as we will be united in heaven only then we will behold You as You are, we will become like You. We know that our Father has destined us to see Your glory and to share in it eternally. This is our hope, we hold firmly to it, and it is this hope that encourages us and helps us to walk in the light.

LUKE 4:31-37 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The Church continues to speak with Your voice, Your authority, and we, her children, must be guided by her teaching and her doctrines because they are entrusted to her by You. If we live as children of the world we will be swayed by every new fad and fashion promoted and imposed by a godless world, and if we succumb we our lives will be joyless and sterile. 

The man in today's Gospel is possessed by an unclean spirit. Our world abounds with evil spirits seeking the ruin of souls. St. Peter tells us that Satan is like a raging beast on the prowl, he never rests but roams tirelessly seeking souls to devour. He knows that he is no match for You but he has the advantage because of our willful, woeful ignorance of You and of the Good News.

Satan's days of destruction will finally come to an end but until it does he will strive to steal as many souls from heaven as he can. To us is entrusted the power to labor in Your vineyard and to bring in the great harvest of souls whom God has destined for heaven. Grant us the courage to put this authority into action so the world may believe that You are indeed the Son of God who has redeemed the world and be saved.