4TH SUNDAY OF EASTER - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my own sheep and my own know me. JN 10:14

ACTS 2:14,36-41 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Our sins crucified You. I am culpable for your death. I glory in the merits that You won for me by Your terrible sufferings, the abominations that You suffered even though You are the Son of God, for my sake, for my salvation, and the salvation of the world.

Every word of Peter's sermon is relevant to our times. We are called to live apart from this perverse generation that celebrates evil, calls evil good, and is doing its best to eradicate anything that is good and holy.

My Beloved Lord, so many baptized Catholics and Christians have turned away from the Truth, have abandoned virtuous living, and have embraced the toxic culture of death that we are living in. Hear the prayers of those who cry out to You night and day to have mercy on us and on the whole world. Send Your Holy Spirit once again and renew the face of the earth so those who have abandoned the faith may return and their witness will bring many more to believe in You, hope in You, and love You. Thank You.

1 PETER 2:20-25 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Almost every one of us refuses to acknowledge our guilt and if we are reprimanded and falsely accused we become belligerent, and make sure that everyone knows that we are innocent. Very few of us are prepared to be silent when we are upbraided and punished for things we didn't say or do. Peter reminds us that it is more important for us to be innocent in Your sight that in the eyes of the world. We ought to have the courage of our convictions and be prepared to suffer patiently all kinds of persecutions, punishment, and even death when we uphold the Truth and Gospel values and principles. 

The abominable sufferings You bore from the moment of Your nativity and until Your death teach us how to face the troubles of life. In this valley of tears, we are not promised a broad and easy road but much trouble and many difficulties that are necessary to purify and strengthen us for the journey. Suffering is the lot of all Christians and these sufferings we must accept joyfully if we are to image You in our lives. The more we imitate You the more we will become like You. Just as Your suffering drew the whole world to Yourself so too, my Lord, may our own courage and endurance in the face of injustice and persecution draw souls to You. Amen.

He had not done anything wrong, and there had been no perjury in his mouth. He was insulted and did not retaliate with insults; when he was tortured he made no threats but he put his trust in the righteous judge. He was bearing our faults in his own body on the cross, so that we might die to our faults and live for holiness; through his wounds you have been healed. You had gone astray like sheep but now you have come back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

JOHN 10:1-10 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

You have come in order that all who believe in You may have life in abundance. You are the only Way by which we may enter into the Kingdom of God. Yours is the only voice we must listen to and follow but in the cacophony of voices present in the world, it is hard for us to pick out Your Voice from the many raucous voices that clamor for our attention. We can become familiar with Your Voice only if we make it a habit to come to You in prayer, to sit in Your Presence in silence, to read Your Word, meditate on it, contemplate Your Word and allow it to rule our life. Only then will be spared the wiles of the Enemy, he will be unable to deceive us. 

There are many false teachers and preachers in this world and Catholics especially those not truly grounded in doctrine and teaching should guard against them and heed only the voice of the shepherds You have appointed in Your Church. Grant us a mature, discerning faith that will enable us to recognize when the Enemy is attempting to ensnare us with false doctrine. You have given us Holy Mother Church in her we are assured to reach the end of life's journey in safety and claim the crown You have won for us. In You alone, Beloved, the fullness of life, the fullness of grace, the fullness of love, is found in You and in Your Church. Thank You for the gift of Holy Mother Church.

‘I tell you most solemnly,
I am the gate of the sheepfold.
All others who have come
are thieves and brigands;
but the sheep took no notice of them.
I am the gate.
Anyone who enters through me will be safe:
he will go freely in and out
and be sure of finding pasture.
The thief comes
only to steal and kill and destroy.
I have come
so that they may have life and have it to the full.’

SATURDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF EASTERTIDE - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;
you have the message of eternal life. JN 6:63, 68

ACTS 9:31-42 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Thank You, Lord, for reminding me today that Your healing work continues through the Church. Just as You promised those who believe in You, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, continue to do everything that You did when You walked among us. 

The Holy Spirit dwells in fullness in the Church and in each one of us who are members of Your Body as Peter demonstrates when he said to the man bedridden for eight years, ‘Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you: get up and fold up your sleeping mat.’ And he did. Again we are told how Peter raised to life Dorcas, a good and holy woman, and Your disciple. She had spent her whole life doing good and giving to charity and became ill and died. The people heard that Peter was close by and sent for him. When he came and saw how greatly the woman was loved and the grief of the people who mourned her passing, he sent everyone out of the room, knelt beside her bed, and prayed. Then, we are told, he turned to her and said, ‘Tabitha, stand up.’ She opened her eyes, looked at Peter and sat up. Peter helped her to her feet, then he called in the saints and widows and showed them she was alive. The whole of Jaffa heard about it and many believed in the Lord.

Thank You, Beloved, that You, the all-powerful, Eternal Word of the Father, continue to hear, heal, restore, redeem, sanctify, encourage, and console, all God's people.

PSALM 115(116):12-17 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

There are times when in my weakness I lose sight of You and of Your amazing and boundless love for me. Forgive me, Lord. You have always been good to me. You have always answered my prayers often not in the way I asked but according to Your wisdom and Your goodness. Your answer has been so much better than anything that I could have desired or wished for. 

Grant me the gift of gratitude and the grace to lift my heart, mind, body, and soul to You in thanksgiving for Your great mercies to me and to every member of my family. Grant us all the grace to partake worthily of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist so we do not eat and drink condemnation to ourselves but that Your Flesh and Blood will raise us to life.

May we call on Your Name always in praise, blessing, adoration, thanksgiving, worship, and love. May we never fail to recount all the ways in which You have shown us Your infinite love. May we never take for granted the price You paid to redeem us and be ever grateful for Your saving love.

Keep us faithful to the end Beloved and at the end of our pilgrim journey on earth may we fly into Your loving arms and repose joyfully with You and in You eternally.

JOHN 6:60-69 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The Truth of the Holy Eucharist continues to be rejected by many Christians to this day. To many, the Eucharist is only a symbol, and by rejecting the Food and Drink that wells up to eternal life in those who call themselves believers, they, like the many disciples who no longer followed You, deny themselves this divine food that makes our pilgrim journey easier because of this close union with You we partake of the Eucharistic Meal. 

You preached the doctrine of the Holy Eucharist and the meaning is anything but obscure. Your disciples are meant to literally eat Your Flesh and drink Your Blood and You made this possible when You offered Yourself as the perfect, unblemished, Paschal Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. The Church says to all the faithful at every celebration of the Lord's Supper, 'Happy are those who are called to the Supper of the Lamb.'

Somehow, sometime, in some way make known to all fallen away Catholics and most especially the loved ones in our own family to return home in order that they may worthily receive this life-giving Sacrament again.

‘It is the spirit that gives life,
the flesh has nothing to offer.
The words I have spoken to you are spirit
and they are life.’

Many of Your disciples left You because they could not accept this teaching about eating Your Flesh and drinking Your Blood because they understood perfectly that You were not speaking figuratively but literally. Then turning to and addressing the Twelve You said, ‘What about you, do you want to go away too?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘Lord, who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we know that you are the Holy One of God.’ With Peter the whole Church, Your bride echoes these words and will do so until You return as our Bridegroom to take us to Yourself. Thank You.

FRIDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF EASTERTIDE - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood
lives in me, and I live in him,
says the Lord. JN 6:56

ACTS 9:1-20 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

While Saul was busily and feverishly making plans and arrangements to terrorize and persecute the new people of God mistakenly believing that what he was doing was pleasing to God, God was making greater plans for him. None of us is worthy - You choose who You will and You make us worthy O Lord. 

You can break through our blindness, our bigotry, our selfishness, our hard-heartedness, and You can make us a new creation in an instant just as You did with Paul. You continue to make new Pauls in every generation. You come to us with great power and majesty as You appeared to Saul or You can come to us in more hidden, quiet ways but the effect is always the same. Grace is able to transform us in an instant or more slowly - just as You will.

When Saul heard Your voice admonishing him gently, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' He knew that he was experiencing a direct visitation from God and responded, 'Who are you, Lord.' And You revealed who You are - ‘I am Jesus, and you are persecuting me. Get up now and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do.’ 

To Paul, You entrusted the great mission to go out into the world and bring the message of the Good News of our salvation to the Gentiles. In the eyes of the world, he was the most unlikely candidate but as always, You do not judge as the world does for Your ways and Your thoughts are so much higher and greater than ours.

Three days and nights Saul fasted taking neither food nor drink because he was aware that something extraordinary had happened to him, God had visited him, and God had an extraordinary mission for him - why? He did not know but You chose him. 

We need never be afraid, Beloved. Your plans are perfect. All we need to do is surrender completely and step out in faith to do all that You ask of us great and small. Perhaps we will never be required to do anything really spectacular like  Paul but all that You entrust to us, no matter how humble, is necessary. Each of us is a chosen instrument. Each of the baptized is sent on a mission, which is the proclamation of the Good News, by our lives.

You will equip us with all we need just as You equipped Paul all we need to do is say yes and to surrender wholeheartedly to Your will. What is the message - it is simple - Jesus is the Son of God. This is the Good News that the Son of God was sent into the world not to condemn it but to redeem it and to make the children of Adam and Eve the children of God. 

JOHN 6:52-59 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

It took Your death on the Cross, the Sacrifice of the Son of the Living God to make it possible for us to eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of the Son of Man. You took on our death so we may receive Your life, eternal life. Eternal death was our lot but You came into the world to wrest from the grip of evil that which Satan had won through trickery and chicanery. The foolish and deadly pride of our first parents to desire to be like God made them willing pawns of Satan. They chose to believe the father of lies rather than God.

The answer to the Jews who were arguing, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ is found on the Cross, and at the foot of the Cross is Your Mother who gave You Your Body, e the Beloved Disciple who represents the whole of believing humanity, and Mary Magdalene who represents every forgiven sinner. 

Thank You for the Church where we can go daily to eat Your flesh and drink Your blood and have divine life in us. Thank You for Your solemn assurance that we who partake of the Eucharist will be raised to life on the last day and share in the glory of Your resurrection eternally.

WEDNESDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF EASTERTIDE - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

It is my Father’s will, says the Lord,
that whoever believes in the Son shall have eternal life,
and that I shall raise him up on the last day. JN 6:40

ACTS 8:1-8 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

I am timid, I am a coward, I am fearful, I do not know whether, in the face of severe persecution, I would remain faithful to the point of death like Stephen was. The world is filled with ruthless people like Saul was before his conversion, believing wholeheartedly in their faith they commit unbelievable atrocities in the name of their gods or in the name of God.

Would I have the courage to be imprisoned, suffer torture, even lay down my life for You and for the Gospel? I do not know, my Lord. But if I rely on the Holy Spirit then like Philip I will be empowered to do all that he did and many will come to believe in You and be saved. 

PSALM 65(66):1-7 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Joy should be the hallmark of every Christian and especially Catholics. How blessed we are to be born into the Church that You founded, to know that the fullness of Truth resides in her, to receive the Sacraments and especially the Holy Eucharist, to be made truly one with You and all the members of the Church. To belong to the family of God and to know that Satan has no power over the daughters and sons of God.

Truly, Beloved, alleluia should be our song despite all the sufferings that we must undergo only then can we be strengthened and purified and become daily more and more like You, our Head. 

Grant me this grace O Lord, to rejoice in all circumstances for You are God and You love me and You will ensure that I and all my loved ones will someday live with You eternally in glory.

Let our joy then be in him;

he rules forever by his might.
His eyes keep watch over the nations:
let rebels not rise against him.

JOHN 6:35-40 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

In this present moment Lord, I am filled with joy at Your assurance that You, O Bread of Life, are my food and drink and I shall never hunger or thirst again because Your flesh which is true food, and Your blood which is true drink sustains me.

I do believe my Beloved, that I belong to the Father and that the Father has entrusted not only me but my entire family to You. I have this assurance from You that You will not lose a single one who belongs to You.

Lord, God, I believe, I hope, I love, and I trust You and I beg pardon in advance for those times when my sorrow crushes me and I become despondent, anxious, and worried. In those moments Beloved, send Your angels to strengthen me. Give me Your Word which uplifts me and I will be renewed in faith, hope, and love once again. 

Now the will of him who sent me
is that I should lose nothing of all that he has given to me,
and that I should raise it up on the last day.
Yes, it is my Father’s will
that whoever sees the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life,
and that I shall raise him up on the last day.’

ST. MARK - EVANGELIST (2023)

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

We are preaching a crucified Christ,
who is the power and the wisdom of God. 1 COL 23-24

1 PETER 5:5-14 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

There is so much that the First of the Apostles has to say to the children of God in His Church today. Without humility, it is impossible to please God help me never to forget this truth. In all my dealings with God and with everyone I encounter this day grant O Lord that I remain a servant in thought, word, and deed. When we are crushed under the weight of many sorrows O Lord, may we run to You for aid and to help us carry our cross. You invite all who are weary from carrying heavy burdens to come to You and rest, to take Your yoke upon ourselves for You are meek and humble of heart. I am weary Lord, I am fainthearted, I come to You this day and lay my burdens at Your feet. Help me Lord as You have promised.

Strengthen my faith so I can be calm in the face of every tribulation. Help me not to become overcome with sadness but to be filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit for I have God for my Father, You for my Brother, and the Holy Spirit as my constant Companion, Helper, and Advocate.  

PSALM 88(89):2-3,6-7,16-17 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

I exult with the psalmist as I recall all Your goodness to me. Your love O Lord is unending and everlasting. With every breath I breathe, I will praise You O Lord who are worthy of all praise, adoration, and worship.

When worry overwhelms me grant me this grace, O Lord, to lift up my eyes to see the beauty that is all around me, to open my ears and to listen and accompany all creation that sings Your praise, grant that my spirit be united always with Your Holy Spirit so I will never be separated from You, my Lord and my God. 

May joy imbue my whole being all day every day because I am Yours.

Happy the people who acclaim such a king,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,
who find their joy every day in your name,
who make your justice the source of their bliss.

MARK 16:15-20 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The Great Commission given to the Apostles is the same given to all Your disciples, to all believers, to all who follow You. The witness of my life must be so powerful even if I never open my lips to speak so that all who see me know that You and Your Spirit are the guiding force and principle in my life.

We have only to look at the witness of many Saints who lived in humility and obscurity and yet their lives lived in perfect conformity to Your will has transformed the Church and the world.

Help me not to lose heart so easily, Lord. I am weak and this is why every little cloud on my horizon darkens my spirit. Have pity on this poor, little, sinful, frail, creature who cannot do one good thing without Your help. Stay with me Lord and carry me when I am unable to go any further on my own.

You are seated in glory at the right hand of the Father and You assure me that You accompany me, help me, and abide in me. Thank You!

MONDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF EASTERTIDE - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Man does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. MT 4:4

ACTS 6:8-15 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Thank You for the glorious martyrdom of St. Stephen and all the martyrs who have laid down their lives testifying to the Truth. The world hates Truth because it is a constant irritant for those who prefer the lies they tell themselves and the lies they compel everyone to embrace. 

 St. Stephen and every martyr teaches us that when we allow our faith in You to be our guide we are filled with grace and power. The Holy Spirit living in us enables us to do all that You did and even greater signs just as You assured us He would.

Our world today is prepared to destroy anyone who does not kowtow to the evil, demonic, culture of our times. Division, hatred, violence, mayhem, and death are the tools of Satan and these are used by his followers. The vitriol spewed by those who hate those who are called by Your Name, and those who strive to live holy lives because they belong to You and Your Church is frightful and yet we are more than conquerors in You for You are victorious and we are victorious in You. Alleluia!!

PSALM 118(119):23-24,26-27,29-30 ©

My Soul's Beloved, 

Grant us this grace through the power of Your Holy Spirit to make the prayer of the psalmist on the Law of the Lord, which is the Law of Love, our prayer as well. Fear is the tool of the devil for he knows that he is powerless against those who walk in Your Law, abide in Your Word and whose food and drink is the Word Incarnate. Your Word O Lord is Truth, consecrate us in the Truth.

May we who are called by Your Name delight in discerning Your will and obeying it with a glad and ready heart. 

Thank You for the Holy Spirit who abides in Holy Mother Church and is constantly teaching, guiding, leading, directing, and correcting our course as we journey from this vale of tears to the Kingdom of God.  

JOHN 6:22-29 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Today's Gospel recapitulates for us the events of the previous day - You fed the five thousand, and Your disciples witnessed You walking on water - clearly indicating Your divinity and Your sovereign rule and power. 

It is the next day, the crowds want more signs, more wonders, more bread. They look for You feverishly for all the wrong reasons and not finding You they get into other boats that were there and came to Capernaum to look for You. When they find You they wanted to know how You got there from Tiberius since they had not seen You get into a boat. All they desire is to satisfy their curiosity and to get more free bread. 

Knowing their intentions You correct their way of thinking, 

‘I tell you most solemnly,
you are not looking for me because you have seen the signs
but because you had all the bread you wanted to eat.
Do not work for food that cannot last,
but work for food that endures to eternal life,
the kind of food the Son of Man is offering you,
for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal.’

All of us who believe in You will do well to keep this warning ever before us and strive zealously for eternal things and not for what perishes. How do we do that, Beloved? We must believe in You, the One sent by God to save, redeem, and sanctify the world.

Saturday of the 2nd week of Eastertide - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS


Christ has risen, he who created all things,
and has granted his mercy to men.

ACTS 6:1-7 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

There is a hierarchy in the Church for a purpose - the Holy Spirit continues to inspire Peter to make the right decisions, and to steer the Church in the stormy seas of today's toxic culture, hedonism, and lack of both faith and morals. 

As the number of disciples increased it was not possible for the Apostles to do justice to the ministry entrusted to them of preaching the Word of God for that is the paramount mission of the Church. As members of the Church, we must be prepared to serve in whatever way the Lord is asking us to. We must place ourselves at her disposal and readily do what is needed where it is needed. 

Instead of fuelling and creating division, we must be ready to step up and step in when and where required so we can help the Church in her mission to spread the Good News to the ends of the earth.

Peter made it clear that the people chosen to assist were to be men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom and they would assist in the distribution of food to all while they themselves would devote themselves to prayer and to the service of the word. Prayer and Service go hand in hand. Let us never forget that one without the other is ineffective we need both - to first sit at the Lord's feet and then, strengthened by You, share what we have received from You.

PSALM 32(33):1-2,4-5,18-19 ©

May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.

My Soul's Beloved,

The psalmist reminds me today to trust in Your love as I place all my hope in You for You O Lord are worthy of trust.

Fill my heart with praise for You are worthy of praise, worship, adoration, and thanksgiving. No matter the burdens I am called to carry, despite the yoke laid upon me, I must not forget that You carry my burdens with me for You are yoked to me. I am not alone. Let this knowledge O Lord put a song in my heart and praise on my lips so I will be filled with joy through the day. 

JOHN 6:16-21 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

I thank You for reminding me today just as You did the disciples that no matter how small the boat of my frail life may be, despite the strong winds that buffet me on every side, no matter how rough the struggle gets to not allow terror to destroy me, that You will always come to me. You will walk on the storms of my life and enter into it and tell me as often as I need to hear these blessed words,  ‘It is I. Do not be afraid.’ 

With You in my life, Lord, I know that I will reach the shore in safety.

EASTER SATURDAY - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

This day was made by the Lord:
we rejoice and are glad. PS 117:24

ACTS 4:13-21 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Of course, the rulers, elders, and scribes were astonished at the assurance shown by Peter and John because all they saw were uneducated, rough men whom they recognized as Your disciples. What they did not know was that they had received the fullness of the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, and were filled with His gifts. Their courage, boldness, and wisdom came from God Himself making them powerful witnesses to the Good News that saves. 

When we stand before the world in the Name of Truth we are unconquerable. The cripple now cured stood before them as irrefutable proof of the miracle that had been performed by the power of Your Name. They thought that after they had killed You they could return to their old hypocritical way of living blissfully ignorant that a seismic shift had taken place.  The power of God and the Spirit of God is visible in Peter and John, power from above. Power given to them by the Son of God. They were nonplussed, ‘What are we going to do with these men? It is obvious to everybody in Jerusalem that a miracle has been worked through them in public, and we cannot deny it.’ The only temporary solution was to caution the disciples never to speak to anyone in this Name again.’ We can see how that worked for them 2000 plus years since then.

PSALM 117(118):1,14-21 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Thank You for speaking to my heart at Holy Mass this morning through the responsorial psalm: 'I will thank you, Lord, for you have given answer.'

I sing with the psalmist affirming that You O Lord are good, Your love has no end. You O Lord are my strength, my joy, my song - You are my Savior.

Thank You for the triumph and victory You won on the Cross by embracing all the suffering leading up to Your Crucifixion. 

How prophetically the psalmist praises God for all He has done for us in You, Beloved, long before the glorious hour of Your victory over Death, Satan, and Sin.

Through the Sacraments and the power given to me by the Holy Spirit, I can desire holiness and strive to be holy just as my Father in heaven is holy.  Thank You, Beloved for the assurance that at the end of life's journey, it will please You to lead me to the place that has been prepared for me eternally.

MARK 16:9-15 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

You could never ever be accused of being politically correct. Mark, the evangelist tells us that You first appeared to Mary of Magdala from You had cast out seven devils. In our world, such a woman would be condemned ad infinitum ad nauseam and her spiritual malady would have been a source of juicy gossip. Hypocrites would have a field day with her past. But with You, my Lord and my God there is always great mercy, tenderness, compassion, and infinite love. Once we are forgiven all our sins are forgotten - to You O Lord it is as if we had never sinned. It is to her that You choose to appear before the others and until time shall cease she will be remembered for this great privilege accorded to her.

Even though the disciples were mourning and in tears yet they refused to believe the woman's testimony that You were alive and that she had seen You. St. Mark tells us that You appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and the to the Eleven who were cowering in fear of the Romans and the Jews. You reproached them for their lack of faith. How often my Soul's Beloved I am just like they. How often must I be reproached for my own lack of faith even though my entire past is a testament to Your faithfulness and Your love?

The mandate given to the Apostles is given to every disciple who is grafted to Your Body in baptism, I am commanded to ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation.’ No ifs and buts. My whole life must spread the fragrance of Your unfathomable love for us that while we were yet sinners, God chose to die for us. Dying You destroyed our death, rising You restored our life. Come, Lord Jesus, in glory. Maranatha!

EASTER FRIDAY - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

This day was made by the Lord:
we rejoice and are glad. PS 117:24

ACTS 4:1-12 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Nothing seemingly changes, Lord, one group or another will always be annoyed at the Truth because it disturbs their peace, threatens the status quo, they prefer to be comfortable rather than to be shaken out of their lethargy. So it is with the Sadducees, who take offense because Peter and John were preaching the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead and proclaiming Your resurrection. They arrested them but Truth by its very nature cannot be constrained no matter how hard the powers of evil may try as the rulers, elders and scribes, Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, Jonathan, Alexander, and all the members of the high-priestly families would soon find out.  The message was preached, it was heard and many believed and the number of believers swelled to around five thousand.

When Peter and John were questioned, ‘By what power, and by whose name have you men done this?’ Peter, the one who denied You in fear and hid in shame, now filled with the Holy Spirit boldly and loudly proclaims, ‘Rulers of the people, and elders! If you are questioning us today about an act of kindness to a cripple, and asking us how he was healed, then I am glad to tell you all, and would indeed be glad to tell the whole people of Israel, that it was by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the one you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by this name and by no other that this man is able to stand up perfectly healthy, here in your presence, today. This is the stone rejected by you the builders, but which has proved to be the keystone. For of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved.’

This is indeed the Good News of our salvation. We are saved by Your passion, death, and glorious resurrection. We live because You live. Dying You destroyed our death, rising You restored our love, Lord Jesus, come in glory - Maranatha!

JOHN 21:1-14 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The disciples believe without a shadow of a doubt that it is truly You risen from the dead who shows Yourself to them over and over again. They know You yet You are not quite sure it is You because of Your resurrected Body. 

The Apostles have time on their hands and Peter is restless so he announces that he is going fishing. It is familiar work that he hopes will quiet his teeming thoughts and emotions. No sooner does he voice his intentions than some of the others too decide to accompany him. They are Thomas, Nathanael, James, and John. The results of spending the whole night out at sea are disappointing - they catch nothing. 

The light of dawn is slowly paling the horizon they watch in silence as the soft glow of day spreads across the sky suddenly they see a figure on the shore calling out to them, ‘Have you caught anything, friends?’ And when they answer, ‘No’, the Man on the shore then says, ‘Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something.’ There is that familiar deja vu again - they do as asked and the net was so full of fish that even though there were seven of them they found it difficult to haul it in. It is the disciple whom You loved who is the first to recognize it is You and says to Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’ Peter does not need a second prompting as soon as he hears these words. ‘It is the Lord’, Simon Peter, who had practically nothing on, wrapped his cloak around him, jumped into the water, and swam to You. While the rest brought the boat to shore. Peter had been musing on You through the long hours of the night, his heart longed for You then suddenly You were there and his heart pounded with joy.

The first thing they noticed as they came ashore was that meal was already prepared for them on a charcoal fire. There was bread and fish. When You come to us my Lord, You always come to satisfy every need and longing of our hearts but You also desire that we give You something as well. You ask the disciples to get some of the fish they had caught and Peter went to haul the now full net to shore it was full of big fish, the evangelist tells us that there were 153 fish in all but the net had not broken. It is a foretaste of the mission that You will entrust to Peter, the Twelve, and to the Church as well as the successors of Peter and the Apostles. The net represents the Church - she has room for all and she will hold steady and safe all who are in it until You return in glory.

You invite them to eat. The Apostles know it is You but not quite as they remember You and are too timid to ask if it was really You. It really wasn't necessary because You then reveal without a shadow of a doubt who You are at the breaking of bread. At every celebration of the Holy Mass and in the breaking of the bread in the Holy Eucharist we see You, we eat You, we taste You, we are filled with You, and we are nourished by You. Thank You, Lord.

EASTER THURSDAY - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

This day was made by the Lord:
we rejoice and are glad. PS 117:24

LUKE 24:35-48 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

One can only imagine the excitement of the disciples as they rushed back with great joy from Emmaus to Jerusalem to share the Good News of Your resurrection with the others. What a difference there was in these men - they walked away from their mission disappointed and dejected because until then they were so caught up with the tragic and heartrending events that had taken place that they had not stopped to reflect on anything that You had said in the past concerning these events. They and the rest were slow to understand just as You had said.

The same goes for me too, Lord. I have not yet understood that is why I chafe, am uneasy, and become sad, restless, and sorrowful each time a cross is given to me. Every single time I am so fraught with grief that gloom suffocates my soul and my life, and I can scarcely breathe. I am overwhelmed with painful thoughts and I wallow in self-pity foolishly struggling and whining, "Why Lord?  How much longer, Lord? I allow my weakness, my attitude, and my cowardice to suck me into a vortex of depression.

And then You who love me more than I deserve, more than I can ever fathom, are present. You break through the gloom, You tear through the veil of my folly, You wipe my tears, and You say to me, so tenderly,  ‘Why are you so agitated, and why are these doubts rising in your hearts? Look at my hands and feet; yes, it is I indeed. Touch me and see for yourselves; a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.’

Patiently, all over again, for the umpteenth time, You explain why the cross is necessary, why suffering is necessary, why I need to die to myself over and over again in order that You can purify me. Suffering alone has the power to rid me of the dross that keeps me from becoming like You. 

You are the fulfillment of the Law of Moses and the Prophets, as well as the Psalms. Thank You for never tiring of opening my mind and my heart to understand the scriptures and to the power of the Cross. ‘So you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.’ Thank You for giving me a mission to be Your witness may I be faithful until I draw my last breath.

EASTER WEDNESDAY - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

This day was made by the Lord:

we rejoice and are glad. PS 117:24

ACTS 3:1-10 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Throughout our lives, we will meet people who are crippled in one way or the other, some from birth, but unlike Peter and John, we do not give them what we have as they did. We are surrounded by people who may even be very close to us whom we profess to love and care for but we are either timid, too intimidated, or we come up with myriad excuses for our lack of boldness in sharing with them the Good News that saves.

Peter and John looked straight at the cripple who returned their gaze expectantly hoping to get a few coins but they had something far greater to give him, beyond the price of silver and gold. The Church has bestowed on all her children through the power of the Holy Spirit all the gifts that are necessary to proclaim the Gospel boldly and with wondrous power and signs but we lack the kind of faith that makes this possible. 

Lord Jesus Christ, You sent the Holy Spirit upon Your Apostles and on Your Church - we are given a spirit of boldness not of timidity help us Lord, in these final days to be unafraid to proclaim that no one is saved except through faith in You. 

PSALM 104(105):1-4,6-9 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The psalmist reminds us to give thanks to You always. To make Your Name and Your mighty deeds known among the people with whom we live. We are called to praise You always and to testify to Your wonder-working power in our lives.

We must be proud of Your Name for it is a Name that is given to us above every other by which the whole world is saved. Thank You for Your Presence in all the Tabernacles of the world where anyone came come before You and receive all we need to face any obstacles that hamper our pilgrim journey to heaven. 

We are Your people, we are the sheep of Your flock. We are members of Your Body. You are the Covenant incarnate between God and His creation and You make intercession for us night and day. Thank You. 

LUKE 24:13-35 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

I am like the two disciples running away from Jerusalem when things get difficult, or hard to understand, or too painful to bear. Sadly no matter how far we run we cannot escape our thoughts, our experiences, our sins, our failures, and our weaknesses - we carry them with us and they weigh us down. They make us despondent. We cloak ourselves in gloom and life becomes hopeless and joyless.

But You O Lord, do not abandon those whom You have chosen, who are bound to You in love, whom You love with a steadfast unfailing infinite, incomprehensible love. Your love for us is irrevocable - it is covenantal love and so these two disciples who are running in the opposite direction like Jonah suddenly find themselves in the company of One they believe is a stranger. You walk by their side but they do not recognize You and You say, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ And they told You all that had happened in the last three days. They spoke of their sorrow, their crushed hopes and dreams. They spoke of all they had witnessed and what had happened to the One whom they believed would liberate them from the crushing oppression of Rome but was put to death by the shameful collusion between their own Jewish religious hierarchy and their oppressors. They even speak of the women's testimony of Your Resurrection and the vision of angels but it was not enough to convince them. 

After they finish speaking You reply:

‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ You then explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that spoke about You and how every prophesy found its fulfillment in You. 

Then when they reached the village they invited You to stay with them since it was late and the day was almost over. You went in with them, sat at table with them, and then the veil was ripped from their eyes, it was deja vu, it brought them back to the Last Supper when You instituted the Holy Eucharist. They watched as You took the bread and said the blessing; then You broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised You, but You vanished from their sight. They can hardly contain their excitement as they say to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’

Beloved, may my heart burn within me every time I receive You in the Holy Eucharist or read Sacred Scripture, and may I be transformed more and more into Your image and likeness. Amen.

EASTER TUESDAY -2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

This day was made by the Lord:
we rejoice and are glad. PS 117:24

ACTS 2:36-41 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

No greater sin, no greater crime have we committed than this, we killed God. We crucified You and You willingly and gladly became the Victim, the holocaust, the Sacrifice, the perfect Lamb without blemish or spot. You took upon Yourself the sins and the shame, of the whole world. You took upon Yourself our suffering, our physical, wounds, as well as our mental and spiritual anguish. Every imaginable torment that humanity suffers that are either self-inflicted or inflicted upon us You bore in Your Own Body. All of us are guilty of Your death O Lord but there is a remedy for every child born of Adam and Eve. There is a remedy for sin and death that has the power to make us children of God and heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven - and what is this remedy? St. Peter says, ‘You must repent, and every one of you must be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise that was made is for you and your children, and for all those who are far away, for all those whom the Lord our God will call to himself.’ 

Thank You, Lord, for Your unfathomable and everlasting love. Thank You, for paying the price that I could never pay for my salvation. Thank You for revealing to us how we can save ourselves from the wiles of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Thank You for the gift of the Sacrament of Baptism that reconciles us to God. 

PSALM 32(33):4-5,18-20,22 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

All too often my vision is narrow and constricted, my gaze is turned inward and focused on my own limitations, weaknesses, and frailties. I am unable to envision the divine and immeasurable breadth of God's love which is visible all around me because I am too absorbed in navel-gazing. 

Today the psalmist reminds me that You are faithful, and Your Word and Your works are trustworthy. I am also reminded that You O Lord hear me when I pray. You see me and You rescue me every day all day because You never take Your gaze away from me.

Keep my soul ever attentive to Your inspirations my Lord. Give me a heart that is always obedient and humble. You O Lord are my help, my shield. Thank You for Your assuring me of Your steadfast love and for Your promise that all who place their hope in You will never be disappointed or ashamed. 

JOHN 20:11-18 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

I want to love You as unabashedly and unreservedly as Mary did as she wept inconsolably near the tomb when she realized it was empty. She loves with her whole being and when the two angels ask her why she is weeping she replies, 'They have taken my Lord away and I don't know where they have put him.' Then she turns around and sees You but does not recognize You. When You ask her again as the angels did, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?’ Thinking You are the gardener she says, ‘Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.’ Then, my Beloved, You call her by name, ‘Mary!’ and then she knew You. 

Each time O Lord, when I am overwhelmed with grief, with sorrow when the vicissitudes of this life are too much for me, call me by my name, say to me, ---- mine, and I will know You and I will be comforted by the knowledge that You know my name. Grant O Lord that I too strive every day of my life to be a faithful disciple just as Mary of Magdala was. 

EASTER MONDAY - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

This day was made by the Lord:
we rejoice and are glad. PS 117:24

ACTS  2:14,22-33 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Peter is an example of what is possible when we allow God to have His way with us. When we allow You to truly be the Lord and Master of our lives, if we give the Holy Spirit the freedom to do what He wills in us, then we, like Peter and the rest of the Apostles, and every believer since then to become a force for good in the world. The powers of darkness cannot prevail when we live in the shadow of God.

As long as we live we will fall short of the glory of God and fall many times because we are sinners but the Good News is that no matter how many times we sin even grievously when we return with repentant and contrite hearts You will not reject us but receive us gladly. 

Thank You, Beloved for giving us a share in Your Resurrection. Thank You, for the hope that we have that if we have died with You we shall also live with You and reign with You. This is the Father's will.  

PSALM 15(16):1-2,5,7-11 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Thank You for the open wound in Your side through which I may enter and take refuge. Where I may hide. Where You will let no evil touch me no harm come to me.

You are my Lord and my God, and You are Mine just as surely as I am Yours now and forever.

‘You are my God.
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
it is you yourself who are my prize.’

Thank You that my soul too will not know decay because of Your glorious Resurrection and Ascension into heaven. Thank You for Your assurance of eternal happiness with You when my life has run its course in this valley of tears.

MATTHEW 28:8-15 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

It is the women O Lord, who are entrusted with this news of great rejoicing, just as the humble shepherds were given the tidings of great joy. You see us, Lord. You know us. You love us in the way that we long to be loved, seen, and understood. Yes, the sin of disobedience of Eve had put us under a curse but Mary's glorious 'Yes' now gives us a new dignity, a new visibility, and a new promise of all that is possible when we model our lives on hers.  And not only that My Lord, but You Yourself come to meet us and greet us. You permit us to clasp You and You assure us that we need never be afraid. If we belong to Your Mother, if we are her children, her daughters, then You O Lord are our Brother and You constantly say to us, in a world full of peril,  ‘Do not be afraid.’ You make us disciples as You send us into the world to announce the Good News.

The world is filled with blasphemers, liars, evil-doers, and those who use their temporal powers to stifle the Truth. But Truth is alive, Truth has a Name, Truth is the Son of God and the Son of Man - You O Lord are Truth and the gates of hell will never prevail against You. 

WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Obedient to the Father, you were led to your crucifixion
as a meek lamb is led to the slaughter.

ISAIAH 50:4-9 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

I am redeemed by Your Blood, I am saved, I am made an heir of the Kingdom of God, I have been raised with You for I have been given a share in Your own Holy Spirit. Who can stand against me when You O my Lord and my Savior stand for me?

The prophet Isaiah foretells clearly all that God has accomplished through You for our salvation. You are the Eternal Word of the Father and in Your Word o Lord, is life, healing, wholeness, comfort for the weary and broken soul, forgiveness, mercy, and pardon. Thank You for Your Word which is always accessible to us in Sacred Scripture. Your Word has eh power to speak to us and to lift us up. 

You teach us how to suffer through Your own agonizing suffering - through Your passion, and death by crucifixion on the cross at Calvary. Thank You for paying the price that we could not pay and if You had not paid it we would have tasted eternal death instead of eternal life.

We are so easily offended, so easily upset, retaliate at the slightest provocation and seek vengeance from those who harm us - but You show us a more noble way. You teach by example not to offer resistance when our enemies overpower us no matter how great the temptation to offer blow for blow.

For my part, I made no resistance,
neither did I turn away.
I offered my back to those who struck me,
my cheeks to those who tore at my beard;
I did not cover my face
against insult and spittle.

You desire us instead to turn to You, seek help from You, and trust You to take vengeance on our behalf. You O Lord will vindicate us. Just as God raised You high and gave You a Name above every other name so too will we be raised with You if we remain Your faithful disciples as these words confirm:

The Lord is coming to my help,

who will dare to condemn me?

PSALM 68(69):8-10,21-22,31,33-34 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

These are the days O Lord, blessed, grace-filled days, to enter ever more deeply into the mystery of Your passion and death. You gave Yourself up completely into the hands of Your enemies and they in turn gave themselves over to Satan. Nothing was out of bounds, and nothing was too barbaric or too horrific. They went to the most extreme lengths to ensure that You suffered more than it is humanly possible to suffer and it was love alone that made it possible for You to find the courage and the strength to endure until You gave up Your Spirit. 

We now have an eternal and glorious intercessor before God who pleads for us night and day. We receive mercy and pardon only because You paid the ransom that we never could for our sins. Because of what You have done for us O my Beloved, we can always approach the throne of Mercy and receive all the graces and help we need to make our pilgrim journey from this valley of tears to the Kingdom of God. Thank You.

MATTHEW 26:14-25 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Judas Iscariot echoes what every evil person before him and since has done and continues to do when they shamelessly and unblushingly betray not only strangers and enemies but also family members and close friends who trusted and loved them. One of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you prepared to give me if I hand him over to you?’ They paid him thirty silver pieces, and from that moment he looked for an opportunity to betray him.

Judas considered the Lord and Giver of Life worth only thirty paltry pieces of silver. For this measly sum, he was prepared to betray his Lord, his Master, his Teacher, his Brother, and his Friend with whom he lived and broke bread with daily. You knew all, every moment was taking You inexorably to Your passion, crucifixion, and bloody death, as one of the Twelve he too was invited to partake of the Last Supper. would share with them. He was present when You instituted the Holy Eucharist. 

When You reveal plainly, ‘I tell you solemnly, one of you is about to betray me.’ Each asks in turn, ‘Not I, Lord, surely?’ You revealed who it was saying, ‘Someone who has dipped his hand into the dish with me, will betray me. The Son of Man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will, but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born!’ Judas brazenly says, ‘Not I, Rabbi, surely?’ And You reply, ‘They are your own words.’ When evil takes hold of us like it did Judas, we too lose all sense of shame. 

Preserve me Lord from grave sin, from betraying You. Keep me safe for eternal life.