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

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The Son of Man came to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many. MK 10:45

ZECHARIAH 8:20-23 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The prophecy that Zechariah made to the Jews in his day is fulfilled in ours. God stooped low, very low over sinful humanity and chose one man Abraham and through him, God revealed Himself. The greatest love story of all time is that God so loved the world that He gave us His only Son so whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

The Jews could have been the ones who after having accepted You as the Messiah, would have seen the fulfillment of God's promises through Israel as God intended. However, they, having rejected You, it is the pagans, the Gentiles, who were privileged to hear the Good News, believe it, and receive the great commission to go and make disciples of all nations.

Today, many in every nation who were once lost have heard the Good News and say to Your disciples, “We want to go with you, since we have learnt that God is with you.” 

PSALM 87 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Emmanuel! God with us! How blessed we are to know You, to love You, to worship You, to belong to Your Church built on the holy mountain. All who enter her gates taste and see how good You are. For You are the Bread of Life and all who belong to Holy Mother Church drink deep from Your Cup of Salvation 

The harlotry in the world today is mind-boggling. Whole nations are given over to every conceivable depravity. But You assure us that these nations will stream into the bosom of the Church, recognize that she is their Mother and they are her children, born of water and the Holy Spirit. 

Death and mourning seem our lot but we believe Your Word which assures us that the victory is won. You have triumphed. The head of Satan is crushed and You will lead all God's children dancing and singing to their home in the Church You founded on the Apostles, Peter the rock, and You, the Christ as its Cornerstone.  God is always with us.

LUKE 9:51-56 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

In the last few days, the Gospel passages taken from Luke are a stern and stark reminder to us that God excludes no one. We are the ones that sow seeds of dissension, division, and discord among Christians. We are one Body in You. The baptized are members of Your Body. You came to bring unity and to give us Your peace but we are so caught up with our own ridiculous agendas and programs, and so hellbent on focusing on the things that separate us we forget the one truth that we ought to preach, teach, promote, and live - Love, self-emptying, disinterested Love.

You are on Your way to Jerusalem. You are aware of the terrible fate that awaits You there - rejection, excruciating suffering, torment, and death. Yet You do not flinch for this is why You came into the world - to redeem it by paying the price with Your life. You send messengers ahead of You and when they report back to You that they had met with rejection James and John wanted You to authorize them to destroy the village by calling down fire from heaven.  Instead, You rebuke them and they took a different route through another village.

If we Christians were as gentle as You many more would be attracted to You. We ought never to condemn or despise those who reject You but leave all who refuse to believe in You to Your tender mercy and compassion.