SATURDAY OF THE 4TH WEEK OF EASTERTIDE - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

If you make my word your home
you will indeed be my disciples,
and you will learn the truth, says the Lord. JN 8:31-32

ACTS 13:44-52 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

To this day my Lord, there are Christians who, knowing nothing about the doctrines of Holy Mother Church, use blasphemies when speaking about the Holy Eucharist, our Beloved Mother Mary, and the saints, and our veneration and deep devotion and love for Your Mother and ours, and our brothers and sisters the saints, who have gone before us.

Jealousy and envy are deadly - they make us crazed and blind. When we reject the Truth for whatever reason we become agents of evil as is evident in our world today. When faced with the hostility of those who arraign themselves against us let us, like Paul and Barnabas, boldly proclaim the Gospel. Those who reject it do so at their own peril.

In our own country, we witness the ugliness and violence that divisiveness brings. They are unable to see that they are mere puppets to carry out the evil agenda and dirty work of those who are in power.

Thank You, Lord, for the many Christians, who love truth and are examining their faulty beliefs and coming home to the Church. Bless them abundantly Lord and grant them all the graces they need to persevere and grow in truth and love.

Keep us docile to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and be led by Him and all our labor in Your vineyard will bear fruit.

PSALM 97(98):1-4 ©

Sing a new song to the Lord
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
have brought salvation.

The Lord has made known his salvation;
has shown his justice to the nations.
He has remembered his truth and love
for the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
ring out your joy.

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

JOHN 14:7-14 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Your frustration with Philip is palpable as we see from Your conversation with him. The disciples, especially the Twelve, have been with You for three years they were witnesses to all Your mighty miracles that clearly confirmed that You were the Son of God, and yet when You told them that seeing and knowing You they also see and know the Father, Philip says:

‘Lord, let us see the Father and then we shall be satisfied.’

‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip,’ said Jesus to him, ‘and you still do not know me?
‘To have seen me is to have seen the Father,
so how can you say, “Let us see the Father”?

How can I dare to fault them, Lord, when I am no better than they? I know You. I am a cradle Catholic and I have been a practicing Catholic all my life and yet I allow life, suffering, loss, grief to weigh me down. A disciple must carry the cross that God lays on him daily and follow You. I whine, I complain, I feel discouraged, I ask for a different cross than the one given to me. 

You give us this wonderful assurance Beloved, that if we believe that You are in the Father and the Father is in You then not only will we do even greater works than those done by You, we can ask for anything in Your Name and You will do it.

I tell you most solemnly,
whoever believes in me
will perform the same works as I do myself,
he will perform even greater works,
because I am going to the Father.
Whatever you ask for in my name I will do,
so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
If you ask for anything in my name,
I will do it.’

But I O Lord, am a person of little faith and this is why my life thus far has been so ineffective. My prayer this day is, "Lord, increase my faith. I believe, help my unbelief. Amen.