WEDNESDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF EASTERTIDE - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Make your home in me, as I make mine in you,
says the Lord;
whoever remains in me bears fruit in plenty. JN 15:4, 5

ACTS 15:1-6 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Salvation comes from You and You alone - there is no way by which the world can be saved except through You. The Old is fulfilled in the New and while there is much of value in the Old which the Church keeps and treasures in her worship and her liturgies, the Sacraments are a fulfillment of every ritual followed by God's chosen people of Old. This is why when some Jewish brethren who were believers insisted that circumcision in the tradition of Moses was necessary to be saved both Paul and Barnabas were convinced that this we not so. In humility they came to Jerusalem and submitted their case as well as their arguments before the Twelve and the elders of the church. 

There will always be those who pridefully and stubbornly cling to the dead past as certain members of the Pharisees' party who had become believers did. They insisted that the pagans should be circumcised and instructed to keep the Law of Moses. 

The final decision in this controversy would be left to the apostles and elders who met to look into the matter. We can rest assured that the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit at work in Peter and his successors, will navigate the turbulent waters that will rock her in every age and guide her home to safe harbor.

PSALM 121(122):1-5 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Truly it is a joy beyond all telling to go to the House of God as members of Your Body and to offer the Father the one, holy, unrepeatable Sacrifice that You offered on the Cross of Calvary that is pleasing and acceptable to Him. 

Not only on Sundays and Days of Obligation but as frequently as possible, You invite us to avail ourselves of the Food that You prepare for us at the Banquet of Love. There is always a seat for us at Your Table as long as we are robed in the wedding garments. 

We are the new tribe of the New Jerusalem. We climb the mountain of the Lord on Zion's heights and there we eat the Bread of Angels here we are strengthened and satisfied and equipped to face the attacks of the world, the devil, the evil culture that surrounds us as well as our own concupiscence.  

I rejoiced when I heard them say:
‘Let us go to God’s house.’
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

JOHN 15:1-8 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

You have revealed very clearly through Your teaching, preaching, and instructions to Your disciples what is necessary and essential to remain united with You and with the Father. Comparing Yourself to the Vine we who believe in You as branches, You tell us unequivocally that if we cut ourselves from You we will eventually wither and die. It is needful for the Father who is the Vinedresser to trim the lifeless, dead branches, that are a hindrance and a liability so we remain strong and fruitful. Without the life of the Holy Spirit, the branched become barren and fit only to be chopped off and thrown away.

While our heavenly Father is a God of infinite love, infinite goodness, mercy, tenderness, and compassion but we must never forget that He is also a God of Justice. There are consequences when we disobey Him and there are grave consequences when we disobey His law of love gravely. 

Every branch in me that bears no fruit

he cuts away,
and every branch that does bear fruit
he prunes to make it bear even more.

We, the members of Your Body, cannot claim ignorance for You have given us Your Word and Your Word is Truth and Life. Your Word which is life-giving has the power to convict us and bring us to repentance. You warn us if we fail to take You at Your Word we face the very real risk of being cut off and cast away from You.

What a great joy and privilege it is for us poor sinners to make our home in You as You so lovingly make Your home in our poor, wretched, sinful bodies. Keep us ever mindful of our need to remain in You and thus receive the life of the Holy Spirit without whom we couldn't even say You are Lord. 

In the end, Beloved, we will be judged on our fruit - grant us the graces we need to bear an abundance of good fruit so we become the leaven that makes You known, loved, and present in the world.  

Finally, we have this wonderful assurance from You that whatever we ask in Your Name we will receive on the condition that we remain in You and Your words remain in us. The Father is glorified when we bear good fruit and this is why we must desire and ask for the Holy Spirit. It is only with, in, and through the Holy Spirit of God that we can carry out the mission of evangelizing entrusted to us. 

Today Lord, I ask You to grant me a fresh outpouring of Your Holy Spirit so I can be the kind of disciple that You created me to be. Thank You.