FRIDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF EASTERTIDE - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood
lives in me, and I live in him,
says the Lord. JN 6:56

ACTS 9:1-20 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

No sinner is beyond redemption. There is nothing that God cannot do. Saul had a fanatical hatred of Christians and made it his personal mission to seek and arrest all Your followers. We read: 

Saul was still breathing threats to slaughter the Lord’s disciples. He had gone to the high priest and asked for letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, that would authorize him to arrest and take to Jerusalem any followers of the Way, men or women, that he could find.

Lord, You choose who You will to carry out Your mission for what seems impossible for men is possible for God. Paul had almost reached his destination when he was surrounded by a light from heaven. He fell to the ground and heard You say,  

‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ he asked, and the voice answered, ‘I am Jesus, and you are persecuting me. Get up now and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do.’ 

That's all it took Lord. You knocked him to the ground, You spoke, You identified Yourself as Jesus, the One whom Saul was persecuting. Here was a once proud man, humbled in God's presence. All his knowledge of the past only served to blind him before He was given a new understanding. He who led the group to Damascus now had to be taken by the hand and led. God can do nothing with the proud, the boastful, and the haughty, but He can do everything with the meek and humble heart. 

For three days he was without his sight, reminiscent of the three days when You were buried in the tomb. Saul would soon be resurrected as Paul. You would make him a new creation through the power of Your resurrection. During these three days, he fasted from food and drink and pondered deeply on what he had experienced. 

Ananias had a vision from You and was told to go and see Saul whose infamous reputation had preceded him. Naturally, he was alarmed and said, ‘Lord, several people have told me about this man and all the harm he has been doing to your saints in Jerusalem. He has only come here because he holds a warrant from the chief priests to arrest everybody who invokes your name.’ 

Before Saul knew of Your plans for him, You revealed them to Ananias. He was told to set aside his prejudices and his worries and do as he was asked,  ‘You must go all the same, because this man is my chosen instrument to bring my name before pagans and pagan kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he himself must suffer for my name.’ And Ananias did as he was told.

Saul was also told in a vision to expect Ananias. Entering the house he greeted him, laid his hands on him, and said, ‘Brother Saul, I have been sent by the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on your way here so that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately it was as though scales fell away from Saul’s eyes and he could see again. So he was baptized there and then, and after taking some food he regained his strength. From then on Saul began preaching in the synagogues, ‘Jesus is the Son of God.’

All it took was one encounter, Lord. We who are cradle Catholics encounter You daily at Holy Mass, in the Holy Eucharist, in Adoration Chapels, each time we pray and yet we lack the zeal of Saul and so many converts to the faith. Have mercy on us O Lord and renew us with the fire of Your love and the Holy Spirit so our whole lives proclaims unequivocally, 'Jesus is the Son of God.'

PSALM 116(117) ©

O praise the Lord, all you nations,
acclaim him all you peoples!

Strong is his love for us;
he is faithful for ever.

Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News.

JOHN 6:52-59 ©

My Beloved Jesus,

How have we become so apathetic concerning Your Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist? How long did it take to grow in the initial fervor of the Apostle, disciples, early Christians, and Christians through the ages to the lukewarm, indifferent Christians of the present age? For over 1500 years we took You at Your Word and believed that Your Flesh was real food and Your Blood real drink. We believed that if we did not eat the flesh and blood of the Son of Man we would not have the life of the Holy Spirit in us and we would die. 

The time that St. Paul warned about is here: For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths.

Take pity on us O Lord. In Your tender mercy and compassion raise up anew men and women in the Church who will bring Your people back to the knowledge of the Truth. The Church is dying because her members are dying and falling away from the Vine and unless we return to the Sacraments O Lord Your Bride will continue to grow weak and ineffectual in the Church and in the world. 

‘He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood
lives in me
and I live in him.
As I, who am sent by the living Father,
myself draw life from the Father,
so whoever eats me will draw life from me.
This is the bread come down from heaven;
not like the bread our ancestors ate:
they are dead,
but anyone who eats this bread will live for ever.’