SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

A great prophet has appeared among us;
God has visited his people. LK 7:16

LEVITICUS 13:1-2,44-46 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Sin infects the whole body and grave sin like leprosy infects the entire community if it is not treated. The person who sins repeatedly and gravely if not set apart risks bringing death not just to himself or herself but to all they come into contact with. The person needs to be set apart until he or she is healed. 

Just as there was a process to be followed if a person was declared leprous, and when such a person was healed what was necessary to restore the person back to his family and community so too, Beloved, have You instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation so that a sinner can be forgiven, healed, and restored once again to the Body of Christ, the Church. 

Thank You, Lord, for the gift of Confession and for offering us a way to come back home to the Father like the prodigal son.

PSALM 31(32):1-2,5,11 ©

Happy the man whose offence is forgiven,

whose sin is remitted.
O happy the man to whom the Lord
imputes no guilt,
in whose spirit is no guile.

But now I have acknowledged my sins;

my guilt I did not hide.
I said: ‘I will confess
my offence to the Lord.’
And you, Lord, have forgiven
the guilt of my sin.

Rejoice, rejoice in the Lord,

exult, you just!
O come, ring out your joy,
all you upright of heart.

You are my refuge, O Lord; you fill me with the joy of salvation.

1 CORINTHIANS 10:31-11:1 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

How glorious it would be if every Catholic could say with the confidence of St. Paul to take us as their model as we take You for ours. If we, like Paul, lived from moment to moment in Your Presence, doing all things for Your glory, never forgetting for an instant who we are and to whom we belong, then surely Lord, the Kingdom of Heaven would come among us.

Sadly, most of us belong to the world and we keep our faith well out of public view so no one would ever suspect that we are Catholics. We are no different from those in the world and we allow ourselves to be contaminated by the world. 

This Lent O Lord, grant us the desire to be transformed so we can truly be light and salt in the world.

Whatever you eat, whatever you drink, whatever you do at all, do it for the glory of God. Never do anything offensive to anyone – to Jews or Greeks or to the Church of God; just as I try to be helpful to everyone at all times, not anxious for my own advantage but for the advantage of everybody else, so that they may be saved. Take me for your model, as I take Christ.

MARK 1:40-45 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Every sinner who has ever been forgiven is healed in heart mind soul body and spirit. The greater the sin the greater the mercy of God and the greater the transformation of the person who has been forgiven and whose soul is restored to its former glory.

The leper came to You, fell on his knees and pleaded with You for healing saying, ‘If you want to you can cure me.’ You, O Lord, are a God of tender compassion. Every sinner must know this and approach You with faith and confidence and they will experience the sweetness of Your kindness and love  as You stretch out Your hand and touch us. You want to heal every sinner. It is only when we live in the freedom of the sons and daughters of God, in the freedom that You won for us from the Cross by paying our debt, that we can be true witnesses to the Good News. 

If every sinner responded to being forgiven, healed, and restored as the leper did, then every man, woman and child in the world would seek You, clamor for You, run to You, and You would reach out, touch every one, and the whole world would be healed and the Kingdom of God would truly be among us.

Have mercy on us O Lord and on the whole world.