FRIDAY OF WEEK 29 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2023

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

ROMANS 7:18-25 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

How very good is our Father in heaven, how gracious loving, kind, and ever so generous. Original sin broke us and nothing good remains in us that does not come from God. Sin reigns in our flesh and unless we rely on Your merits and Your Holy Spirit we will always choose to sin rather than to turn away resolutely from temptation. Unless we determinedly deny our flesh and are vigilant in rooting out the evil that lurks in us which constantly beguiles us to choose the broad and easy way we will never grow in virtue and holiness.

How easy it is Beloved, to give in to the flesh, to give in to laziness, to allow ourselves a little leeway and fool ourselves that we deserve a little license now and then to take it easy. It is imperative that we keep a strict guard over our senses lest we lose our foothold and find ourselves slithering downwards on the slippery slope of sin.

Today O Lord let us pay heed to St. Paul who describes our concupiscence to sin so well for he knows the human spirit. It is so easy to become discouraged at the many times we fall each day but as we are reminded today that we are more than conquerors thanks be to God who through You, O Lord, have rescued us from this body that was doomed to death.

PSALM 118(119):66,68,76-77,93-94 ©

Teach me discernment and knowledge

for I trust in your commands.
You are good and your deeds are good;
teach me your statutes.

Let your love be ready to console me

by your promise to your servant.
Let your love come and I shall live
for your law is my delight.

I will never forget your precepts

for with them you give me life.
Save me, for I am yours
since I seek your precepts.

Lord, teach me your statutes.

LUKE 12:54-59 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

We are so steeped in the things of the world that we are able to predict from the circumstances around us what might happen. We are so advanced in our learning and use of technology that we are able to foresee calamities before they happen. Yet when it comes to the spiritual realm and the salvation of our souls we are totally ignorant. We foolishly try to control the things that are temporal and obsess over accumulating more of the things that pass away, that rot, that can be stolen and we spend little or no time at all to hoard up for ourselves treasures in heaven.

What You say to the crowds You say to each of us today and may we wake up at last before it is too late and pay heed to Your warning:

‘When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it will be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times?’

Instead of wasting the gifts that You have given us on the pursuit of pleasure and one-upmanship over each other, instead of quarreling and bickering constantly and stirring up hatred and division between people, communities, and nations, we would do well to live in peace and help one another to grow in virtue and holiness. To seek the well-being of our neighbors rather than tearing them down lest we find ourselves before You the righteous Judge to whom we will have to render a strict account of the talents given to us. Now O Lord, before it is too late, let us reconcile with one another so that together we may all come home to You and rest in You, the Father and the Holy Spirit in love, peace, and joy eternally. 

‘Why not judge for yourselves what is right? For example: when you go to court with your opponent, try to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over to the bailiff and the bailiff have you thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.’