TUESDAY OF WEEK 31 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord. MT 11:28

ROMANS 12:5-16 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

In a world that constantly seeks to divide forming exclusive groups or groups that mark and categorize people arbitrarily in order to exploit or marginalize them,  we are called to remember that as Christians abiding in You we form but one body. Yes, we have different functions just as different parts of the body do but we all work together in harmony. Each of us must use the gift or gifts allotted to us in order to enhance the function of the whole. We work best and are most fruitful when we recognize the gift/s given to us by the Holy Spirit and use them as they are intended to be used generously for the good of others. 

How easy it is for us to be corrupted by the world, when we allow ourselves to be manipulated by differing ideologies we succumb to the wiles of the enemy whose main purpose is to separate us from one another and to turn us against each other. It is only when we come together in love, recognizing that when we all work toward the same goal, which is the raising up of all especially those among us that need us most, only then will Your peace descend on us all and remain with us enhancing our lives with wisdom, truth, beauty and above all love which holds all things together in You.

PSALM 130(131) ©

O Lord, my heart is not proud

nor haughty my eyes.
I have not gone after things too great
nor marvels beyond me.

Truly I have set my soul

in silence and peace.
A weaned child on its mother’s breast,
even so is my soul.

O Israel, hope in the Lord

both now and forever.

Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.

LUKE 14:15-24 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

God's people, chosen by Himself and for Himself in order to draw all nations to Himself failed their call miserably and God in His wisdom permitted their crushing demoralizing suffering at the hands of evil. You O Lord, said it often and You said it with sorrow that the chosen people of God persecuted and killed each of the prophets instead of listening to them and obeying God. The pattern did not change when God sent You into the world. Your teaching and revelation of the Face of God revealed in You and the power of the Holy Spirit embodied by You and visible in the mighty miracles and signs You performed failed to move their hearts. Souls, were darkened by the spirit of the world and their personal, narrow agendas that caused them to choose death over life and truth over error. 

They knew that if they believed in You and encouraged the people to do the same the self-centered, self-serving structures of their own version of faith and morals that they propagated would crumble before the power of goodness, kindness, mercy, justice, truth, and love.  So they rejected You so completely they plotted to kill You and did not rest until they succeeded in doing so. However, they unknowingly served the purposes of God, for in their rejection of You the rest of the world would be saved. The message of life would be taken from them and preached to the whole world and all nations would come to accept You, embrace the Truth, believe in You and they would be saved.  

The rejection by the Jews proved to be just as happy a fault as that of Adam and Eve for it gave the world a glorious redeemer and Savior. 

The people of God gave many excuses for not accepting the invitation to the Banquet and many today do so as well. Soon time will run out and we will have to face the consequence of our rejection of the Love of God and the Law of God which is love. 

Father for the sake of Jesus' sorrowful passion have mercy on us and on the whole world. O Lord, pity Your people and save us. Grant us the grace of repentance, contrition, and absolution by the power of Your Blood. Do not permit us to be separated from You or we will perish forever. 

“Go to the open roads and the hedgerows and force people to come in to make sure my house is full; because, I tell you, not one of those who were invited shall have a taste of my banquet.”