THURSDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK IN ADVENT - 2021

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

King of the peoples
and cornerstone of the Church,
come and save man,
whom you made from the dust of the earth.

MALACHI 3:1-4,23-24 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

We cannot read the Old Testament and not read the New and vice versa - neither will make sense. The New sheds light on the Old and the whole, incredibly mindblowing tapestry becomes visible. Everything that God desired to do is foretold in the Old and the New reveals the perfect fulfillment of all He desired in the coming of His Son, You, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

John the Baptist, the messenger of the Lord, came with the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for You, the Messiah. Peter, James, and John beheld Your glory briefly at the Transfiguration on the mount, and they also saw Moses and Elijah with You.

You then gave us the Sacrifice of Yourself on the Cross at Calvary becoming the means by which all mankind is purified and made holy and fit to enter into the Holy of Holies, the Sanctum Sanctorum, the very presence of almighty God. You instituted the Sacrament of Holy Orders so men called by You and appointed by You hand down the priestly ordination that You conferred on Peter and the Apostles.

By the power of the Holy Spirit and in persona Christi their words change the simple gifts of bread and wine into Your precious Body and Blood and we receive food providing spiritual nourishment as we journey towards heaven. We need this heavenly manna lest we fall by the wayside and are lost forever. 

PSALM 25:4-5,8-9,10,14 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

You have set us free from slavery to sin, to our senses, and to our own disordered will. All those who are enslaved to various addictions will know how hellish it is to be imprisoned by desires over which we have lost self-control. However, when we are instructed by the Holy Spirit, Your Word, and Your Church and abide in the Truth we are able to walk the way that leads to joyful living.  

Lord, make me know your ways.
Lord, teach me your paths.
Make me walk in your truth, and teach me:
for you are God my saviour.

We have a good and gracious God who abides with us and holds our hand every step of the narrow and difficult way. We are safe as long as we don't let go. When we do we will stumble and stray.

The Lord is good and upright.
He shows the path to those who stray,
He guides the humble in the right path,
He teaches his way to the poor.

God has made an eternal covenant of love and faithfulness with His children. We are sons and daughters of God because we have accepted Your friendship and we believe that salvation is found in no other but You.

His ways are faithfulness and love
for those who keep his covenant and law.
The Lord’s friendship is for those who revere him;
to them he reveals his covenant.

LUKE 1:57-66 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

So many Christians pick and choose what they like from the Gospels holding fast to some things while ignoring or treating lightly, others that are equally important and legitimate. We need the whole truth if we are to live whole, holy lives that are fully in sync with the Word of God. 

In this passage, we see how everyone turns to Zechariah to confirm the name of their newborn child even though Elizabeth said that he was to be named John. A husband and father is the head of his household - not because he is superior he is not, they are equal though different because their roles are different. They are in agreement as to what the child's name will be but his voice announces it. God has ordained it so - equal in all things yet different. Without the strength, the protection, the dignity that a man confers on his wife and children all the days of his life chaos will ensue and families will rupture and drift apart. It is not because he is superior but because it is God's wills. The ideal family is when both husband and wife have the same heart, mind, and will as God.

When we obey God's will great blessings and powers are unleashed in our lives just as it was with Zechariah and Elizabeth. His canticle of praise, which is prayed and sung to this day and will be done so till time will end, was inspired by the Holy Spirit prophesying all that God would call his son to accomplish as the Messenger preparing the way for the Messiah, was possible only when he confirmed the name God had chosen for his son and his tongue was unloosed.

The father asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’  

At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God. All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea. All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. ‘What will this child turn out to be?’ they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.