WEDNESDAY OF THE TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2021

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Stay awake and stand ready,
because you do not know the hour
when the Son of Man is coming. MT 24:42, 44

ROMANS 6:12-18 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Our whole lives must be that of soldiers in battle fighting a battle that cost us everything even our very lives. The Church You founded has understood from the very beginning that when one is prepared to be stripped of everything including life for Your sake and the sake of the Gospel then one can have a foretaste of heaven even while still on earth. 

The Catholic Hall of Saints has produced the greatest giants of faith beginning with the Apostles because they modelled their lives as closely as possible in every respect on You. St. Paul reminds us that we cannot give sin a foothold in our lives. We must root out every sinful habit that feeds on our propensity to sin. We must choose sides, we cannot sit on the fence - we are either for You and so we wage war on ourselves to weed sin from our lives or we are on the side of the ruler of this world. 

It is a lifelong battle and one that is not easy. But we have to make a decision for You and when we do we can rely on You to provide all the help we need always. The Sacrament of Baptism has raised us from death to new life in You. The Sacrament of Reconciliation helps us begin anew each time we fail and sin. The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist gives us all the grace and strength we need every day to choose life over death. 

St. Paul urges us to, 'Make every part of your body into a weapon fighting on the side of God; and then sin will no longer dominate your life, since you are living by grace and not by law.' We are children of light, we are born of water and the Holy Spirit, yes, we will sin and often because the sin of Adam has weakened us, but we thank God our Father, for You, the new Adam, for freeing us from slavery to sin. We are now slaves of righteousness as we now acknowledge and submit freely to You, as our new Lord and Master who has led us from the darkness of sin into Your own marvellous light.  

PSALM 124 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

How well the psalmist understands our daily and lifelong
battle against our own bodily passions. If You did not make grace continually available to us we would never have the courage to rise again after giving in to the pleasures of the flesh. It is so easy to be caught in the net of worldly pleasure, power, and passion when we do we are swallowed whole by the demons that begin to plague us for there is nothing that the world can offer that can ever satisfy or fill the aching void within us that hungers and thirsts for You. 

You are faithful O Lord, even when we are faithless. The moment we lift our eyes to You and call on You, You hasten to help and save us. 

Because we are Yours You will not permit evil to possess us. We are marked by Your Cross. Our name is written on the palm of Your hand. You have broken the snare of the Enemy. You plunged into the very depths of hell and saved me from the jaws of death. Your Name O Lord is life, Your Name saves, we are consecrated in Your Name. You will not permit even the least of Your little ones to perish.

LUKE 12:39-48 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

No matter what our vocation in life is as parents, teachers, guardians, elders, leaders in the church or in society, we are given stewardship over people. As Your stewards, You trust us to provide for those in our care with all they need. We are all given duties and responsibilities and we will be called to give an account of our stewardship.

We cannot be found sleeping on the job. We cannot give in to the sin of acedia. We cannot leave the onus of training our children in the ways of the Lord to others. This is a sacred duty given to parents. 

The Leaders in the Church are given the responsibility of safeguarding many souls and bringing the flock safely into the fold. If we and they are caught napping the thief will enter to steal, plunder, destroy, and kill and when the Master, the Son of Man, the King of Eternal Glory, arrives at an hour we least expect, we will be summoned into Your presence to give a strict account of our stewardship.

Those of us, who despite knowing what was expected of us, did not fulfill the duties demanded by our state in life will be judged and punished according to the gravity of our sins.

There is a price we will have to pay and a punishment we will have to endure until we make full and complete restitution for our laziness in safeguarding the souls entrusted to our care depending on the extent of our culpability. 

Much is expected from those who know the Truth. 'When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’  When You return may You find us wide awake and filled with faith, hope, and love.