MEMORIAL ST. CORNELIUS, POPE, AND ST. CYPRIAN, BISHOP, MARTYRS - 2021

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Come to me, all you who labor and are overburdened,

and I will give you rest, says the Lord. MT 11:28

1 TIMOTHY 4:12-16 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

St. Paul's advice to Timothy is one we can all heed. We have a tendency to write people off either because of their youth or other prejudices which in all honesty have no bearing on whether or not they are equipped for the work they are entrusted to do. Anyone, who like Timothy perceives this to be true, is invited to live in such an exemplary manner that their love, faith, and purity are evident to all so no one can question their ability to teach, preach, and instruct.  

The gifts entrusted to God's anointed come from the Holy Spirit and the laying on of the hands by the elders in the Church, hence we have an obligation to use these gifts to establish the Kingdom on earth. The more we use the gifts we are given the greater will be our ease in using them. 

God's people are the light and salt of the earth and hence are living witnesses to the truth of the Gospel hence our conduct must always be without reproach. Above all, we are called to ensure to teach without error so both we and those we instruct will be saved. 

PSALM 111:7-10 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

All the works of God proclaim  His Presence. All were created in love that we may exult in Him and the works of His hand. We thank God not only for the world and all that is in it but above and before all we thank Him for You, His Eternal Word made incarnate for the salvation of the world and makes Your dwelling place amongst us.

You are the Deliverer who set us free from slavery to sin and death and established an eternal covenant of love between the Father and us by enduring the punishment that was ours and redeeming us by Your Blood.

May we never cease to praise and honor You. May we never lose a reverential fear of wounding You by sin and thus risk separating ourselves from You forever.

LUKE 7:36-50 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

We have a tendency to withdraw fastidiously from the stench of unwashed flesh, sometimes unable to even discreetly hide our disgust. We back away and hide from those who we suspect will make a nuisance of themselves by laying claim to our time, our resources, our attention. We judge people, often unfairly, deeming them to be less than we are because of some lack we perceive in them. When we do any or all of the above we are exactly like the Pharisee who invited You to a meal.

Whatever the reasons for his invitation none of which perhaps were honorable the very fact that You were a guest at his table and entitled to the common courtesy and respect accorded to guests. Things got really interesting when a notorious local lady of ill repute familiar to all present, entered the dining hall. The evangelist Luke tells us that she had heard where You dining that evening and brought with her an alabaster jar of ointment. No one could have foreseen what happened next. The Gospel writer narrates the scene as it unfolded in the sight of all the guests:

 
She waited behind him at his feet, weeping, and her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them away with her hair; then she covered his feet with kisses and anointed them with the ointment.

She broke every taboo from the moment she touched Your feet and the Pharisee, Your host, was horrified as he thought to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who this woman is that is touching him and what a bad name she has.’ 

You read his thoughts as clearly as if he had spoken them out loud and You said, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ I wonder what his look conveyed when he responded, ‘Speak, Master.’ You then narrated this parable: ‘There was once a creditor who had two men in his debt; one owed him five hundred denarii, the other fifty. They were unable to pay, so he pardoned them both. Which of them will love him more?’ By now Simon would have figured out the point You were making and answered reluctantly and sheepishly, ‘The one who was pardoned more, I suppose.’ And you said to him, ‘You are right.’

That was not the miracle though. You asked Simon to look at the woman, really look at her, and then in the presence of all in the room You detailed every way in which Simon, the host, had disrespected You even though You were his guest. You drew his attention to the actions of the woman and contrasted them with his, ‘Simon, you see this woman? I came into your house, and you poured no water over my feet, but she has poured out her tears over my feet and wiped them away with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but she has been covering my feet with kisses ever since I came in. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. For this reason I tell you that her sins, her many sins, must have been forgiven her, or she would not have shown such great love. It is the man who is forgiven little who shows little love.’ Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ Those who were with him at table began to say to themselves, ‘Who is this man, that he even forgives sins?’ But he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’