TUESDAY OF WEEK ELEVEN IN ORDINARY TIME - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I give you a new commandment:
love one another just as I have loved you,
says the Lord. JN 13:34

2 CORINTHIANS 8:1-9 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The Apostles, St. Paul, and all the saints whose lives shine brightly in the living memory of the Church are held up to us, her children to emulate. St. Paul describes how the churches in Macedonia even though they were poor were rich in generosity. They shared everything they had with those less fortunate brothers and sisters in churches elsewhere. This, St. Paul says is a work of grace given to them by God. This is a reminder to us that if we are truly children of God and regard our fellow Christians as our sisters and brothers our hands and our hearts will be open to give, to share, to minister to them for we are one Body in You. In fact, we would consider it a privilege, a grace, and a blessing to give not just of our surplus but even if our own resources are meager. Those who give generously with a cheerful heart will never know want. The key to giving St. Paul points out is this: They offered their own selves first to God and, under God, to us.

Anyone who gives, because they feel they are compelled to do so, or for the sake of appearances, or with any other unworthy motive makes a mockery of true giving and self-abnegation. When we are invited to give or feel the Holy Spirit nudging us to do so let us respond with an open heart and hand always bearing this in mind:

Remember how generous the Lord Jesus was: he was rich, but he became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of his poverty.

PSALM 145(146):2,5-9 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The psalmist reminds us that it is good to sing Your praises while we are yet here on earth. To praise You in all circumstances fuels our faith, hope, and trust in You and fills us with joy even if we are facing trials and difficulties.

I will praise the Lord all my days,
make music to my God while I live.

Beloved, You created us for Heaven and for eternal joy in Your Presence. We can make a start by beginning here on earth to live as if we were already in eternity. Thank You for taking care of all our needs both spiritual and temporal. Thank You for the bread that sustains our body and for the Bread of Life that sustains our souls. Thank You for the freedom that belongs to the children of God who are no longer enslaved to sin. Thank You, Lord, for taking away our spiritual blindness. Thank You for seeking us who were lost and are now found. Thank You, Lord, that You do not think it absurd to leave the ninety-nine sheep safe and to come and look for the one who is lost. It isn't absurd when that lost sheep is me. Thank You, Jesus.

MATTHEW 5:43-48 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Today's Gospel passage is a stark reminder that disinterested love is not easy, in fact, it is impossible without grace. Thankfully, this grace is readily available and the Holy Spirit will pour this grace into our hearts if we honestly desire to love one another as You have loved us.

Before our conversion, before we became aware of what true discipleship meant as well as its cost and rewards, it would have been impossible to love our enemies, our persecutors, those who deliberately sought to do us harm, to bring us down, to belittle us, to hurt and wound us. But now, O Lord, that You have sought and found us, now that You, have dressed our wounds and healed us, now that we know how great is Your love for us unworthy creatures, and it is You our Lord and our God who exhorts us to strive after holiness and perfection, we ought to strive earnestly to be like our Father in Heaven who is all holy and all perfect. However, Lord, on our own this is impossible this is why You have given us Your Holy Spirit for with Him nothing is impossible.