FRIDAY OF THE TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 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

ROMANS 7:18-25 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

St. Paul explains succinctly the temptations that we face. We are constantly battling our propensity to sin. It is a lifelong battle and one that will end only when we breathe our last breath. 

Being human entails gaining mastery over the sinful tendencies that are constantly gnawing within us. It is a hankering for the fleshpots of Egypt, not unlike the Israelites in the desert on the way to the Promised Land. 

How can we thank, praise, and glorify God, our Father, enough for giving us a solution to the dilemma that we face and battle constantly. No, we cannot face the battle, nor can we be victorious over sin without divine assistance and God gives it to us who are grafted into Your Body. We are victorious in Your victory, we are triumphant over sin and death in the triumph of the Cross and Calvary. We are not doomed to die because we receive the promise of eternal life through You, our Savior and the Redeemer of the world.

PSALM 119:66,68,76-77,93-94 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Wisdom is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. King Solomon
asked for this gift over power and wealth for without it he knew he would not be able to govern his people and without it, we will be unable to govern our lives.

Good and evil are constantly at war within us and all too often the flesh gains mastery over our desire to choose what is good, right, true, holy, and honorable. In the Sacrament of Confirmation, we are confirmed and affirmed in the Holy Spirit of the Father and the Son. Without the help of the Holy Spirit, it would be impossible for us to please You.

Thank You for the wisdom and the guidance of the Holy Spirit indwelling in us that enable us to discern what You desire of us and to choose to do only that which is pleasing to You and to the Father.

Thank You for Your unwavering love even when we sin and for providing the graces and help we need when we approach You in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Thank You for Your saving help and Your consoling love that encourages and strengthens me. Because I am yours keep me faithful, Beloved, to the end.  

LUKE 12:54-59 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

What You say to the crowds in today's Gospel passage from Luke speaks powerfully to the present age as well. In this third millennium, the world has made great strides in every kind of technology and in the advancement of the sciences. We have access to all kinds of knowledge and while much of it is good there is also much of it that is hard, cruel, and senseless. Pursuing knowledge without a conscience leads to dishonorable and evil use of these advancements. The world today has no compunction to destroy even that which is most precious of all, life because it no longer possesses a moral filter. 

With the knowledge we have gained we are able to make all kinds of predictions accurately about many things but You who know all and see all, say to us what You said to the crowds, 

Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times?

We live in a terrifying world where evil is called good and good evil. The lines of truth are blurred until there is no longer truth but only lies, confusion, dissension, disunity, violence, and hatred. You warn us today just as You warned the crowds two thousand years ago.  

‘Why not judge for yourselves what is right? For example: when you go to court with your opponent, try to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the bailiff and the bailiff have you thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.’

Unless we wake up and pull ourselves out from the slime pits of sin we will find ourselves facing divine wrath. We will have to make full retribution for our willingness to stand by in silence while the perpetrators of evil run amok in the world.