THURSDAY OF WEEK 33 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Harden not your hearts today,
but listen to the voice of the Lord.
Alleluia! PS 94:8

1 MACCABEES 2:15-29 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The violence in Salvation history took place at a time when people lived in violent times.  Tribal wars and wars between leaders of nations in the pagan world with the people of Israel were a constant occurrence and ruthless means were used to defend themselves, their families, their land, and above all their faith against the marauders. But this was then. Yet even in our times, there are people who are brainwashed into believing that such barbarism is justified and that the god or gods they worship they worship actually command that they commit such atrocities. They have taken the most violent parts of the Old Testament out of context and embraced them in their satanic, brutish ideology. There is a demonic bloodthirst fuelled by vicious hatred that turns people into brutes. Warring factions on both sides have lost all sense of proportion - one side desires to pulverize the enemy until they have been neutralized to the point of annihilation believing that only then can they exist in relative peace. Whereas the other side has a manic hatred for the very existence of their enemy and desires that they be expunged from the face of the earth and not just they but all who oppose their satanic ideology.

There can be no peace on earth, Beloved, unless we recognize that we are brothers and sisters and that we need each other. You came into the world to show us the Way, to reveal the Truth, and to give us abundant, unending, fruitful, and joyous Life in the Holy Spirit.

We live in a broken, sin-filled world. The envy of the devil will not permit him to rest until he steals our inheritance from us, an inheritance that was once his and which he rejected. There is no turning back for him and his minions from his rebellion against God and his envy of us is so great that he has unleashed all the powers of hell on the world in order to snatch our inheritance of the Kingdom of God from us.

Grant us this grace O Lord, that we would prefer death like Mattathias and his followers rather than give in out of fear for the sake of gaining a few paltry years in this life. All is well lost for Your Sake, Beloved, and for the sake of the Kingdom. 

PSALM 49(50):1-2,5-6,14-15 ©

The God of gods, the Lord,
has spoken and summoned the earth,
from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion’s perfect beauty he shines.

‘Summon before me my people

who made covenant with me by sacrifice.’
The heavens proclaim his justice,
for he, God, is the judge.

Pay your sacrifice of thanksgiving to God

and render him your votive offerings.
Call on me in the day of distress.
I will free you and you shall honour me.’

I will show God’s salvation to the upright.

LUKE 19:41-44 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Twice in the Gospels, we are told that You wept. Once at the tomb of Your friend Lazarus, and once when You came in sight of the city of Jerusalem and foresaw what would become of it because they rejected You refusing in their hardhearted stubbornness to accept that the time of their salvation had arrived. 

What You prophesied about Jerusalem came true decades after Your Ascension and history continues to repeat itself across the globe ad infinitum ad nauseam. The horrors that occur daily many of which we do not even know of are straight from the very pit of hell. The enemy has infiltrated everywhere. Families are the primary target of the enemy and we can see its effects in the debauched culture we currently live in. Children are dismembered within the womb and outside it. Women are violated and not only women but men as well. They are exploited and abused in every way. And why? Because as You say so clearly - we have not recognized that salvation has been extended to us from the Cross of Calvary and the Blood of the Lamb has redeemed the world.

Abba Father, for the sake of Jesus' sorrowful passion, stay Your anger - command Satan to halt and come to no further and encroach on what Your Son has won for us on Calvary. Have mercy on the world Father for Jesus' sake we pray. Amen.