ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS, PRIEST & DOCTOR, THURSDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT - 2023

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Send victory like a dew, you heavens,
and let the clouds rain it down.
Let the earth open and bring forth the saviour. IS 45:8

ISAIAH 41:13-20 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Thank You, for Your constant assurance that You who are God keep my right hand firmly in Your and You say to me always, 'Do not be afraid, I will help you.' You know that I am truly a miserable worm constantly under siege from enemies within and without and I will be crushed by my own folly and concupiscence were it not for Your constant help and protection. 

Do not be afraid, Jacob, poor worm,

Israel, puny mite.
I will help you – it is the Lord who speaks –
the Holy One of Israel is your redeemer.

It is You O Lord, and Your Holy Spirit at work in me that helps me to withstand the constant attacks of the enemy as well as my own frailty. With You at my side, I am more than a conqueror. The powers of the world seem unconquerable and the wicked have sprung like grass and are doing all in their power to erase all that is true, good, and beautiful and it appears that they are unstoppable. But this is a lie spread by the father of lies. The truth is this- You have won the victory, You are triumphant, this is evil's last cry of defeat that reverberates through the ends of the end and as it is driven to the very pit of hell he is attempting to take as many as possible with him to their eternal destruction and damnation. Evil has lost. God has triumphed. The Church rejoices.

You shall winnow them and the wind will blow them away,

the gale will scatter them.

But you yourself will rejoice in the Lord,

and glory in the Holy One of Israel.

But those who are called by Your Name, those who are sealed in Your Blood, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness You will satisfy. You O Lord will never abandon Your own.

PSALM 144(145):1,9-13a ©

I will give you glory, O God my king,
I will bless your name forever.
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures.

All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,

and your friends shall repeat their blessing.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign
and declare your might, O God,
to make known to men your mighty deeds
and the glorious splendour of your reign.

Yours is an everlasting kingdom;

your rule lasts from age to age.

The Lord is kind and full of compassion, slow to anger, abounding in love.

MATTHEW 11:11-15 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

As the lives of all the great saints that adorn the Church and are held up to us as models that we can emulate. What they were not, is timid and fearful. They were on fire with the Holy Spirit and they were wholly and completely in love with You. They burned with holy zeal to spread the knowledge of Your love, the love of the Father to all and were unafraid to proclaim boldly even in the face of opposition and danger. 

John the Baptist was no respecter of persons - he called out the sins of those in high places even though he was well aware that he was risking his life. John lost his life because a foolish king made drunken oaths and because he a slave to his passions. He ordered the murder of a holy man although it made him uncomfortable to do so for he knew that John the Baptist was a man of God.

Speaking to the crowds and to us, You tell us that of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen and You go on to say - yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is. In the world, we have had and we do have great and outstanding evangelists.  There are powerful preachers whose words are filled with the fire and wisdom of the Holy Spirit and they move the hearts of many to hear the Word, receive the Word, and allow the Word to transform their lives. But You are also aware of the little ones, the poor ones, who struggle all their lives unknown, unseen, by the world - but they are seen and known by You. You watch over them, You stoop low over them, and Your tender, compassionate love surrounds them. In heaven we will know them - those we overlooked in this life will be great in the life to come. 

Since John the Baptist came, up to this present time, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence and the violent are taking it by storm. Because it was towards John that all the prophecies of the prophets and of the Law were leading; and he, if you will believe me, is the Elijah who was to return. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen!’