MONDAY OF THE EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Jesus Christ was rich,
but he became poor for your sake,
to make you rich out of his poverty. 2COR 8:9

PETER 1:3-9 ©

My soul's Beloved,

Faith is God's most precious gift to us. It is a gift of grace given by God to those whom He chooses. Faith enables us to believe in You even though we have not seen You. Not all who hear believe because the Good News of God's love is beyond our human capacity to fathom. It is God, who chooses who He desires, He supplies the grace that enables us to believe the Good News of our salvation that even while we were yet sinners, the Father sent You into the world, not to condemn us but to save us. You, the Son of God, the Sinless One, came into the world to pay the ransom for our sins. 

It is a work of grace that enables us to believe this wondrous, unimaginable, unfathomable Good News that for many is not just ridiculous but impossible to believe that God would will His only Son to pay the penalty for our sins and that You, His Son, would gladly, obediently, and lovingly choose to freely die a horrific death to save us, unworthy creatures, from eternal death so we could live and share in the glory of Your Resurrection as God's adopted children.  

Who could believe it but for the gift of faith? Our faith in You is a guarantee of the place God has prepared for us even before  He laid the foundations of the world. 

St. Peter reminds us that suffering is the touchstone that purifies us and prepares us to receive the reward that You won for us on the Cross at Calvary. Suffering is an invitation to all who love You to have some share in Your work of redemption. In embracing our daily little crosses cheerfully and uniting them with Yours we are given an opportunity to grow in Your image and likeness. It makes no sense to the human mind but it is part of God's loving but mysterious plan to give us the honor of drinking from the Saving Cup which You drank to its bitter dregs.

 

A faith that is tested and purified by suffering can withstand all the wiles and onslaughts of the world, the flesh, and the devil.  

St. Peter assures us, 'Through your faith, God’s power will guard you until the salvation which has been prepared is revealed at the end of time.'

MARK 10:17-27 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Today You remind us that love is so much more than keeping a checklist of the commandments and ticking each one off as we observe them.

Love is the total giving of self to the beloved. It seeks the good of the beloved. It is prepared to imitate You all the way to Calvary and to the Cross.

Many of us find it difficult to let go not necessarily of our wealth or possessions but our ego, our critical spirit, our grudges, our constant nagging, and fault finding. If we find ourselves unable to be generous in our self-donation to those closest to us, grant us the grace to do so, Lord for You are a God of the impossible. 

SATURDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2022

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

JAMES 5:13-20 ©

My Soul's Beloved, 

Every sincere cry of the heart raised to You in prayer races like a flaming arrow to the highest heavens bringing an instantaneous response. You hear even a wordless sigh coming from a broken heart. You are gracious, merciful, and filled with tender compassion for sinners who are crushed with sorrow, heartsick, repentant, humble, and contrite of heart. 

Every lost soul groping in the darkness seeking the Light will be set on the path of Truth leading to the Kingdom of God. You, O Lord, are the Way, the Truth, and the Life and without You, there is only confusion and terror and we are overwhelmed with feelings of helplessness, and hopelessness.

Today, we are reminded, that the prayers of the faithful for any ailing brothers and sisters will obtain for them God's healing remedies to their body, soul, and spirit. We are also reminded to praise God in the good times. To praise You for answered prayers. To praise You for Your goodness. To praise You for the beauty of creation that surrounds us. To praise You for the blessings that You heap upon us.

Thank You, Lord, for reaching out and touching us in the Sacraments of Healing. Thank You, Father, for knowing all that Your children need for eternal life and for Jesus, Your Son, an the Holy Spirit that ensures that we make it safely from this life to the life that You have prepared for us in heaven.

St. James also urges us to pray daily for those who have walked away from the Church. Let us not lose heart but pray with expectant faith that someday, You who are always faithful, will lead those who have strayed back into Your fold.

MARK 10:13-16 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

In our world today, children are no longer welcome. They are increasingly being viewed as a hindrance to the fulfillment of worldly dreams, desires, and ambitions. For decades now they are no longer seen and received as Your gift rather there is a hysterical, deceitful, and diabolic worldview being promoted that sanctions the murder of children in the womb if they are viewed as an inconvenience. Satan has beguiled the world into believing that having children is a personal choice and they can either be welcomed or rejected depending on choice. 

Our world is hostile to children because we refuse to see them as a gift but rather as a right. 

Today we reflect on how the disciples turned away the parents who were approaching You with their little children so You could touch and bless them and You responded indignantly saying, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.’ There are very few incidents recorded in the Gospel of You becoming indignant and this is one of them. Why? Because we have a solemn proclamation in Your own words saying, ‘Anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ And then You show us how to respond to every child, You put Your arms round them, laid Your hands on them, and gave them Your blessing.

Every child conceived in the womb was first conceived in the heart of God and anyone who thwarts His will and plan will have to stand face to face and give an answer to the Father of us all. 

FRIDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Your word is truth, O Lord:
consecrate us in the truth. JN 17:17

JAMES 5:9-12 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

We know that all division comes from Satan and our fragmented world is proof of how powerfully and successfully the devil has succeeded in polarizing nations, people, neighbors, friends, and even members of a family. 

Each one holds on to their views rigidly and there is no room for discussion, understanding, openness, charity, and the freedom to take a stand based on a different perspective than one's own.

Today we are reminded to be patient with one another and to bear with one another rather than quarrel and further alienate each other. We are encouraged to imitate the prophets in Sacred Scripture who patiently held their peace despite being persecuted and held on steadfastly to the Truth. 

Finally, St. James urges us not to use oaths or to swear either by heaven or earth or we will be liable to judgment, instead, our integrity must be so evident that neither will ever be necessary because we abide and walk in Truth.

PSALM 103:1-4,8-9,11-12 ©

MARK 10:1-12 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

You always taught divine Truth to the large crowds that followed You wherever You went. And as always there were those who came because they hungered for Truth and there were those like the Pharisees who came only to challenge and to trap You.

Today, the Pharisees asked You this question, ‘Is it against the law for a man to divorce his wife?’ The evangelist, Mark, says clearly that they asked this to test You. They were well aware of what the Law of Moses said concerning divorce, it was permitted by law. One would imagine the matter was settled but then You take them beyond the Law to the beginning when God laid the foundations of the world, created man and woman, and God's intent when He created them. These are Your exact words, ‘From the beginning of creation God made them male and female. This is why a man must leave father and mother, and the two become one body. They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.’ There is no ambiguity here and yet those who preach and teach Sola Scriptura have no qualms of conscience in ignoring God's divine commandment on the indissolubility of marriage. 

As if this were not clear enough, when the disciples question You further, You tell them emphatically,  ‘The man who divorces his wife and marries another is guilty of adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another she is guilty of adultery too.’

Our world is disintegrating before our very eyes because we have failed to honor Your command. Have mercy on us Lord, and grant us the grace to embrace the wisdom of Your commands and to walk in the Way of Truth and we shall live.

THURSDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Accept God’s message for what it really is:
God’s message, and not some human thinking. 1 TH 2:13

JAMES 5:1-6 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The world propagates a culture and values contrary to that which is given to us by You who is Truth incarnate and those who are ignorant of You are ignorant of Truth. The world preaches a gospel of amassing wealth for personal gain, for self-indulgence, for ostentatious living with no thought of those whom they cheat, exploit, swindle, terrorize, and victimize in order to heap for themselves things they will leave behind when they die. 

St. James' dire and stern warning to all who exploit the poor, the weak, the marginalized, the helpless should alert them of the righteous judgment that awaits them, and the terrible sentence they will receive and the punishment they will have to endure not for a day or a year but eternally.  

 ‘Start crying, weep for the miseries that are coming to you. Your wealth is all rotting, your clothes are all eaten up by moths. All your gold and your silver are corroding away, and the same corrosion will be your own sentence, and eat into your body. It was a burning fire that you stored up as your treasure for the last days.

MARK 9:41-50 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

We are called to have great empathy and gratitude for those who have answered Your call to serve You exclusively in the world and have consecrated their lives to You in order to preach, teach, and live the Gospel, especially among the poor, the marginalized, the unseen. We are called to assist them in their work by providing whatever help we can and if our material resources are limited we can pray for them. As You said to Your disciples, ‘If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.’

However, it is also extremely clear that they ought to do nothing to cause scandal. ‘But anyone who is an obstacle to bring down one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck.’ Sadly, some in the hierarchy who ought to have been above reproach have failed the Church and her members miserably. Not only the hierarchy but generations of her members have failed to walk in the Way of Truth this is why chaos reigns in the world. We are reaping a harvest of iniquity caused not only by us who have been indifferent to God's Law and failed to hand it down to those whom You entrusted to us but by those before us who failed to do the same for us. 

Unless we are prepared to do rid ourselves of the evil festering in us we will find ourselves cast into hell where You warn us the  ‘worm does not die nor their fire go out.’

You tell us in no uncertain terms that there is a hell and we will go there if we choose the world, the flesh, and the devil over the right, the true, the good, and the beautiful. 

For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is a good thing, but if salt has become insipid, how can you season it again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.’

MEMORIAL OF ST. POLYCARP, BISHOP & MARTYR - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;
No one can come to the Father except through me. JN 14:6

JAMES 4:13-17 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

St. James reminds us bluntly that our lives are Yours - we receive all from Your bounty. It is You who give life and You who take it back so it is foolish to make plans if they are not according to Your for they are doomed to fail. It is wisdom to acquiesce to the will of God and embrace His plans in all things in obedience and humility. 

Grant O Lord, that our prayer before all our undertakings may always be, "Not as I will but as You will, my Lord." Our lives belong to You and Your plans for us are perfect because You love us. 

St. James closes with this piece of wisdom to us today, 'Everyone who knows what is the right thing to do and doesn’t do it commits a sin.' With the help of Your grace may we not yield to temptation in any way this day. 

MARK 9:38-40 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

We can be tempted like John was to look suspiciously at those who do not belong to our group we try to put You in a box and dictate who can and cannot speak of You, do good, and work miracles in the power of Your Name. We do not belong to some exclusive club that shuts out people of goodwill, people with faith from Your love and from the love of the Father. You are God and You are free to pour out the Holy Spirit and the gift of the Spirit to whomever You will and where ever You will. 

It is we who are often small, petty, ignorant, close-minded, seeking to divide rather than unite but You remind us today that You are infinitely greater than our tiny minds can comprehend. Let us learn to embrace all who have faith in You and may we work together and build on the things that unite us rather than focus on the things that divide. 

FEAST OF THE CHAIR OF ST. PETER - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

You are Peter,
and on this rock I will build my Church.
And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. MT 16:18

1 PETER 5:1-4 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

If only the Church, the hierarchy, and the lay faithful were guided by the wisdom of Your Word the Kingdom of God would be visible in the world. All would see it and it would be a beacon of light and truth in a world darkened by sin and strife. 

St. Peter has spoken powerfully about the conduct of elders in the Church, they ought to be Alter Christus, sadly, however, it is often their sordid, scandalous deeds that have tainted Your Bride and wounded Your Body deeply. Every Catholic has the role of leadership each according to their vocation. Parents most especially are called to be shining witnesses of the faith to their children by their example.  Sadly, this too is far from true. 

The Church will continue to steadfastly uphold the Truth despite the continued and terrible moral lapses of many of its shepherds. We take comfort in Your assurance that the gates of hell will never prevail against her. Have mercy on Your people Lord.

PSALM 23 ©

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me,
to revive my drooping spirit.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

He guides me along the right path;
he is true to his name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness
no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff;
with these you give me comfort.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

You have prepared a banquet for me
in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
my cup is overflowing.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
all the days of my life.
In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
for ever and ever.

MATTHEW 16:13-19 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

In recent times we have had truly inspiring Pontiffs however we know that there have been some successors of Peter down the ages that were less than exemplary, in fact, they were a blot on the divine office that they held. Despite this, however, none of them ever taught error for You have assured the Church that the gates of hell will never prevail against her.

Peter, through divine revelation, received directly from the Father, professed this Truth of our faith, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ In response, You replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.’ With the following words, You then bestowed on him the office that is visible to this day and will be visible until You return in glory, ‘So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.’

The whole of Christendom whether or not they accept it has been given a visible Head who represents the Invisible Head, the Christ, the Son of the Living You, for all time. The sooner that all Christians accept the authority of Peter the sooner will all division cease between Christians and the unity that You prayed for so earnestly will, at last, become a reality. Grant O Lord, the hastening of the union of all the members of Your Body which in turn will hasten the coming of Your Kingdom.

MONDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death

and he has proclaimed life through the Good News. 2 TIM 1:10

JAMES 3:13-18 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

One can imagine St. James making a mental picture of You and all his experience of living closely with You for three years as he describes to all who read his words today what true wisdom is; for he has seen it, touched it, heard it, been shaped by it, and models his life on it and urges us who are Your disciples to do the same:

.... whereas the wisdom that comes down from above is essentially something pure; it also makes for peace, and is kindly and considerate; it is full of compassion and shows itself by doing good; nor is there any trace of partiality or hypocrisy in it. Peacemakers, when they work for peace, sow the seeds which will bear fruit in holiness.

There is no greater example of obedience, humility, and holiness than You, O Lord, the Eternal Son of the Living God.

MARK 9:14-29 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

So many of us approach Your throne of grace, mercy, and justice and make this same imperfect prayer of faith that this poor father did as he pleaded with You to cast out the demon from his son, 'But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.’

But You hear all our prayers no matter how imperfect. You know our pain, You are aware that our faith is often weak especially when we allow our fears to overwhelm us and You chide us kindly, as You did the father of the boy, ‘If you can? Everything is possible for anyone who has faith.’ You can work great miracles even with our little faith when we honestly confess how weak and small it is and we plead with You to increase and enlarge our faith as the boy's father did, ‘I do have faith. Help the little faith I have!’ You will always respond and give us all that our heart desires and more. You will take us by the hand and You will help us up so we can stand. 

You say to all Your disciples who desire to follow You closely that prayer is the key to unlocking the power of the Spirit that is given to us at our Baptism.

WEDNESDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;

you have the message of eternal life. JN 6:63, 68

JAMES 2:1-9 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

We are guilty of constantly judging people either with each other or secretly in our minds. We make distinctions based on all kinds of personal or cultural beliefs. Today we are reminded that we are all equal in God's sight for it is the same God that has created us in His image and His likeness.

St. James reminds us that You did not choose the rich, the influential, the wise, the cultural elite, to be Your Apostles, rather You chose the roughest, the practically illiterate, those who labored by the sweat of their brow and trusted God to provide all they needed for themselves and their families. They were poor and simple men who were not afraid of hard work however, they were considered of no account by the spiritual leaders of the day.

To this day we judge people on the way they look, dress, their status in society, the wealth they possess, and the influence they wield. The poor, more often than not, are deliberately kept out of view from our peripheral vision. They make us uncomfortable and we prefer to remain undisturbed in our comfort zones. St. James reminds us how stupid we are to put our trust in the rich and powerful because it is they that steal and rob us of what is rightfully ours and they will not hesitate to crush us if we stand in their way.

God's standards are in stark contrast to worldly standards. We must keep Your standards ever before us and follow them always. The poor are closer in spirit to You because they rely on You to provide for them. They cling to You in their distress, they live by faith and generously share the little they have.

We live in a world that inflexibly upholds skewed standards. Wisdom and common sense have fled and in its place a bizarre sense of compassion for those whose greatest need is to understand that their warped ideas of love are the result of the terrible pain of rejection inflicted on them by those who failed in their sacred duty to love and protect them.

The world is under condemnation because we have failed to love as we ought. 

PSALM 34:2-7 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The psalmist reminds us that You always hear those who acknowledge their poverty before You. The key to a peaceful life is to know that I am dependent on You for everything and I can trust You to provide all I need.

It is the meek, the humble, the little ones, who know that without You they will wither and die and be lost forever. But those who are rooted in You receive Your life and they thrive even though the rest of the world steeped in sin is plunged in darkness and death.  

Praise of God is the fuel that stimulates our spirit and keeps us alive, free from fear, and aware that with You at our side we will never be overcome. 

Keep our spirit united with You, our faces lifted up to Your glory, so Your radiance may shine on us and we will have courage to live the Truth boldly.

Thank You, Lord, for the power of Your Name that saves.

MARK 8:27-33 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

In today's Gospel passage You first ask the disciples, "Who do people say I am?" Of course, there were a host of different replies and the same is true should we ask this question to people who are not Christians because they do not know You.  You then ask Your disciples, "But you, who do you say I am?" It is a deeply personal question, they have been with You a while now, they have been witnesses to the many miracles You worked, they have had personal instruction from You and had heard You preaching and teaching. Now it is time to find out whether they know who You are. Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit answers, ‘You are the Christ.’ Mark tells us that You gave them strict orders not to tell anyone about You. Why? Because each of us must encounter You personally and come to know for ourselves that You indeed are the Christ. The anointed One sent by the Father for the salvation of the world. 

Immediately after this revelation, You spoke plainly to them and taught them why the Father sent You into the world. You were destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and You would eventually be put to death. Peter's first response was a complete rejection of the divine plan. He actually pulled You aside and tried to remonstrate with You about why that was not a good plan at all. 

Peter's reaction, human speaking, is understandable. The specter of suffering makes us quail in fear. Our first instinct at the prospect of suffering is to get as far away from it as possible yet no one can escape it for it is part of the human condition. However, for the Christian, suffering, all suffering when united with the Cross is redemptive. We are privileged to have a share in the suffering You gladly bore for our sakes in order that we may also have a share of Your glorious resurrection. You conquered sin, suffering, and death, and because You did we have hope of eternal joy in the Kingdom of God. 

WEDNESDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our mind,
so that we can see what hope his call holds for us. EPH 1:17, 18


JAMES 1:19-27 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Many in the world who ascribe to no faith insist they are spiritual, not religious. Paddling in the shallows they do not put out into the deep because the price of sacrificing one's personal and malleable definition of truth on the altar of unchangeable, eternal Truth is far too demanding and challenging. 

Many who consider themselves good Christians prefer to gloss over the epistle of St. James because it makes them uncomfortable. They prefer to think of his ideas as culturally incompatible to the present age because he insists that in order to be a bonafide Christian one must be Christlike. We are urged to talk less and listen more. To control our anger. To give up all immoral and impure habits and to constantly examine our lives in order to root out any evil that is still lurking in us.      

He urges us to accept the Word and to submit to it. This requires humility and obedience. We are called not only to hear the Word of God but to do all that the Word demands in all things - in season and out of season whether it is convenient or not. Most people believe in doing so that they give up their freedom but the contradiction is that one is never more free than when one freely gives up one's own selfish will to embrace God's will. True happiness is guaranteed when we sincerely seek to know God's will and do it.

Pure, unspoilt religion, in the eyes of God our Father, as St. James assures us, is to continually seek the good of the other,  put their needs before our own and keep ourselves from being uncontaminated by the world.

MARK 8:22-26 ©

The blind man was cured and could see everything dist

My Soul's Beloved,

Some people brought a blind man to You and begged You to touch and heal him. We do not know their motives, we do not know whether they were from Bethsaida or not, we do not know whether or not they knew the blind man, or whether they had faith that You could heal him, or whether their only motive was to see You perform a miracle. 

As for the blind man, we do not know whether or not he had heard of You, whether or not he knew the people who brought him to You, whether or not he believed You could heal him. What we do know from the Gospel text is that You did touch him and not only did You touch him, You took him by the hand and led him outside the village of Bethsaida away from gawking eyes who had perhaps only gathered there to watch the spectacle. 

You then put spittle on his eyes, lay Your hands on him and helped him to begin his faith journey one step at a time. "Can you see anything?" You ask. He sees but not clearly but faith is now awakened in him. You laid Your hands on him again and he was healed not only of his physical blindness but his spiritual blindness as well. He could now see clearly and distinctly. You urged him to go home and to avoid even going into the village.  and You sent him home urging him to avoid entering the village. Once we have encountered You, Beloved, there is no going back to old ways for we are now a new creation in You.

TUESDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

If anyone loves me he will keep my word,

and my Father will love him,

and we shall come to him. JN 14:23

JAMES 1:12-18 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

We are called to be most steadfast when our faith is tested by trials and yet that is precisely when most of us fall to pieces. Our faith flees as we give in to imaginary fears and wallow in self-pity.  

Every trial when met with faith in You and Your Word has the power to move mountains but we do not experience this power because our frail faith is unable to withstand testing times. To stand firm in the midst of the storm confident that You are right beside us takes childlike faith and humility which we often lack. Satan is the tempter, not God. You desire that we keep our gaze fixed on You as to have confidence in God our Father who created us and desires that all His children believe in You and be saved.

St. James reminds us that the crown of salvation belongs to those who persevere in faith to the end. Sadly many of us fall by the wayside because at the time when temptations were at their strongest we failed to lean on You and the power of Your Word and gave in.

God our Father has given us every grace and blessing to ensure that all His children are saved. You, Beloved, are the First Born Son of the Living God, and all who believe in You are the first fruits of the gift of eternal life that we receive in and through You. 

PSALM 94:12-15,18-19 ©

My Soul's Beloved, 

We do not have to grope in the darkness in order to find You - God sent You into the world t show us the Way back to the Father's house.

The choice is ours whether or not to believe in You, His Son, whom the Father sent in order to save the world. We can either accept the wisdom of God and humble receive the unfathomable and incomprehensible gift of redemption and salvation or we can reject God's Gift of the incarnation of His Son whom He sent precisely to save fallen humanity.

But those who believe are assured of true bliss and ever-present help in the unsurpassable merits and grace that You won for us on the Cross for You are Emmanuel, God with us always.

MARK 8:14-21 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

How often You must feel as frustrated with us as You were with the disciples. They were privileged to witness Your power in all the miracles You performed. They heard You preach and teach. They lived with You and followed You closely. One would imagine that they were in a constant state of wonder and awe and had implicit faith in You.

Yet, today we see that this was not the case. When You caution them against the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod they thought that You were commenting on their shortsightedness in not carrying enough bread. Their minds were still carnal and unable to wrap their minds around the fact that God was truly, palpably, and wholly present in their midst. 

You had to remind them of both the miracles of feeding the five thousand and the four thousand with only a few loaves of bread and fish and You asked them to tell You the number of baskets full of scraps of left-overs they collected - and they did.

It is easy to fault the disciples for their lack of faith even though they witnessed Your miraculous power. Yet we are not better. How easily I forget all the miracles in my own life and I moan and groan when troubles come.

Grant O Lord, that when storms arise in my life I recall all Your blessings and favors and trust You to continue to be my Jehovah Jireh. 

SATURDAY OF WEEK THREE IN ORDINARY TIME - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son:
everyone who believes in him has eternal life. JN 3:16

2 SAMUEL 12:1-7,10-17 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

How easily David was moved to compassion and anger at a fictional story of how a poor man was robbed of his ewe whom he loved dearly and yet all the while he had acted without scruple in coveting and taking the wife of his loyal commander Uriah. Not only did he dishonor his friend but he plotted to deceive him and when that did not work he arranged to have him murdered.

Too often we are like David, we have blood-stained hands and filthy consciences but we are put on a facade of morality that deceives no one least of all You. 

Our sins condemn us and we are often justly punished for our sins. Thank You, Beloved, that no matter how heinously we sin, You will forgive us when we are truly repentant. 

MONDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom

and cured all kinds of sickness among the people. MT 4:23

1 KINGS 8:1-7,9-13 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Solomon built God a temple and the priests dressed in festal garments carried the Ark of the Covenant with great solemnity up and there we are told they offered countless, innumerable sacrifices of sheep and oxen. The Ark was placed in the Holy of Holies in the sanctuary with the wings of the cherubs spread over it. The Ark contained nothing but the two stone tablets of the Covenant made by God with His people when He led them out of exile in Egypt. When the priests left the sanctuary the presence of God and the glory of God filled the Temple.

The dwelling place that Solomon had built has long since gone because God has made a New Covenant with a new people one sealed in the Blood of the Lamb. The one, holy, and perfect Sacrifice offered on Calvary has replaced the countless sacrifices that were required in the past. The new Ark of the Covenant, the Virgin Mother who conceived in her womb the Word made flesh and gave birth to the Son of God continues to reign as Queen in the New Jerusalem with angels surrounding her. 

Then Solomon said:

‘The Lord has chosen to dwell in the thick cloud.
Yes, I have built you a dwelling,
a place for you to live in for ever.’

FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Follow me, says the Lord,
and I will make you into fishers of men. MT 4:19

ISAIAH 6:1-2,3-8 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

At every Holy Mass, we experience what Isaiah did. We enter the Holy of Holies, we are invited into the sanctuary of God. Heaven descends on earth and we are united with the angels and saints in praise, adoration, and worship of the Word of God and the Triune God. 

Yes, we are a people of unclean lips living among people of unclean lips but we are washed in the waters of baptism and You have put Your own Spirit into us. Each time we sin and cry out to You with repentant and contrite hearts the Blood of the Lamb and the fire of Your love cleanses us once more.  We eat Your Body and drink Your Blood and strengthened and renewed we hear Your invitation ‘Whom shall I send? Who will be our messenger?’ we respond in the words of Isaiah, ‘Here I am, send me.’

PSALM 138:1-5,7-8 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

In baptism, we become the daughters and sons of God, and as children of the Eternal Father and brothers and sisters of the Word made Flesh in whom God is pleased to send His Holy Spirit to make His dwelling in us. The angels bless, adore, and worship You night and day and so can we for we are privileged to come into God's presence any time night or day for our body is now God's temple. 

Stay with us all the days of our lives. Keep us free from sin so we will never be separated from You. When we are tempted help us to reach out and take Your hand that is eager to save and keep us safe for eternal life.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-11 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

If one does not belong to Holy Mother Church there is a real and ever-present danger of believing a watered-down version of the Gospel. In the Church alone is the fullness of Truth found and despite the fact that the storms continually threaten to destroy the Barque of Peter Your Presence will ensure she reaches safe harbor.

St. Paul preached the Gospel that he and the Apostles received from You and he warns sternly against believing anyone else's version of it for it will attain them nothing. St. Paul preached the Gospel and we are exhorted to believe what he preached in its entirety. God's Word is unchangeable and anyone whether they are ignorant of the whole Truth or who attempt to willfully deceive by an erroneous interpretation of the Gospel will harvest the wind.

It does not matter how gravely we sinned in the past like Paul when we repent of our sins and are baptized into the family of God we are a new creation in You. Grace is at work in us through the Sacraments instituted by Christ and administered by the Church and like St. Paul, we are invited to witness to the Gospel as long as we live.

LUKE 5:1-11 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Every word in the Gospel is there because it was inspired by the Holy Spirit. In today's Gospel passage taken from the evangelist Luke, we are told that there were two boats by the lake and one belonged to Simon. Jesus deliberately chose to get into the one belonging to Simon. The boat represents the Church that You established it indicates that where Peter is there is Your Church, the one You founded on him as the Rock.  It is in the Church that we hear Your Word preached and we live anew the one, holy, perfect Sacrifice that You offered on Calvary re-presented to us on the Altar. 

Every Christian belongs to the family of God but Catholics are fed and nourished by the Body and Blood of our Savior every single time they receive the Holy Eucharist. The Sacraments instituted by You are conduits through which it pleases God to channel grace into our souls so we can combat the evil that abounds in the world. Without supernatural grace, help, and strength we will surely fall by the wayside.

MEMORIAL OF ST. AGATHA, VIRGIN & MARTHA - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,
says the Lord,
I know them and they follow me. - Jn10:27

1 KINGS 3:4-13 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

As a young king, Solomon was aware of God's graciousness towards him as He was to his father, David. He knew that the reason for all his father's successes was because God was with him. David had sinned grievously but he also repented sincerely and God, in turn, forgave him and was gracious and kind to him. 

When God said to Solomon, ‘Ask what you would like me to give you.’ He could have asked for anything but he had the prudence to ask for the one thing he knew he needed most, 'Give your servant a heart to understand how to discern between good and evil, for who could govern this people of yours that is so great?’ God not only gave him unmatched wisdom but riches and glory as well. 

Beloved, when we ask for the spiritual gifts we know we need so desperately, it pleases You to give us all we ask for and more for You are a generous God who gives us not only according to our need but out of Your abundance.

PSALM 119:9-14 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The psalmist asks the question, 'How shall the young remain sinless?' and he responds, 'By obeying your word.' The youth in our world are ignorant of Your Word and this is the reason why our world is in shambles. Grant us the wisdom O Lord, to return to the path of truth, to seek You once again with all our heart, and to obey all Your commands lest we will fall into the abyss and be lost forever. 

You did not leave us orphans to muddle on our own and to blindly seek salvation but You have shown us the Way, You have revealed the Truth, and You have given us Your Life. Today, Lord, we ask You for the wisdom to study Your Word and obey it and we will be saved. True joy comes from knowing Your will and doing it just as You did Your Father's will to perfection, this O Lord is true wisdom. 

MARK 6:30-34 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

We thank and praise You for the wealth of wisdom in Your Word today. Just as the apostles told You all they had done and taught, we are invited to share everything with You. You never tire of hearing all that we have to say. Grant me the grace to make it a habit of talking to You all the time and sharing everything with You in humble and childlike simplicity. 

You planned to take Your apostles to a quiet place so they could rest and be refreshed in mind, body, and spirit. This is what they needed but when You stepped out of the boat and saw the crowds that had gathered eager to be with You and listen to You, You readily gave up Your plans in order to feed the hungry crowd with the riches of Your Word.

Grant me this grace as well not to cling tightly to my plans but to be ready to give them up in order to serve. Teach me to how to be open to and recognize the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Give me a heart like Yours, loving, kind, tender, compassionate, and always sensitive to the needs of others.