SATURDAY OF THE THIRD WEEK OF EASTERTIDE - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;
you have the message of eternal life. JN 6:63, 68

ACTS 9:31-42 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

There are seasons in the Church of growth, persecution, trials, and suffering inflicted on her from her own within the Church and without. After a period of tribulation, the churches throughout Judaea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace and they grew not just in numbers but in grace, and love, and were filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit. 

Peter, the head of the Church, spent himself tirelessly going from one place to another to teach, preach, heal, encourage, and build and strengthen the new people of God. Just as You had assured the Apostles they were doing all that You did and great miracles of healing took place through the power of Your Name. Aeneas was healed, Tabitha was raised to life, and people believed and were converted. 

In our age, Lord, while the world seems to be in the grip of evil, while hedonism and ignorance of all that is true, good, and beautiful abound, the Holy Spirit is at work silently, powerfully, and uninterruptedly. Many are encountering You through the tireless efforts of many lay disciples zealously in love with You and on fire with the Holy Spirit as well as bishops, priests, and religious who are setting the world ablaze with the Good News that saves.

The Church, Your Bride, will continue to thrive, to grow, and to flourish even during the times of the worst persecutions she will have to endure because her life comes from You and You have assured her that the gates of hell will never prevail against her.

PSALM 115(116):12-17 ©

How can I repay the Lord
for his goodness to me?
The cup of salvation I will raise;
I will call on the Lord’s name.

My vows to the Lord I will fulfil
before all his people.
O precious in the eyes of the Lord
is the death of his faithful.

Your servant, Lord, your servant am I;
you have loosened my bonds.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make;
I will call on the Lord’s name.

How can I repay the Lord for his goodness to me?

JOHN 6:60-69 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

To this day and until Wisdom and Truth open the hearts and minds of those who refuse to believe that You did mean that we are to literally eat Your Flesh and drink Your Blood there will be many who will echo the words of those who first heard this doctrine and found it too hard to accept. 

After hearing his doctrine many of the followers of Jesus said, ‘This is intolerable language. How could anyone accept it?’ 

You knew that they would find this truth had to accept even disgusting because they were Jews and eating raw flesh and drinking blood was forbidden by the Law. Your disciples and the crowd began to complain but You did not back down, You did not water down the doctrine, You did not tell them that You were speaking metaphorically.  Instead, You said, 

‘Does this upset you? What if you should see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before?

‘It is the spirit that gives life,
the flesh has nothing to offer.
The words I have spoken to you are spirit
and they are life.
‘But there are some of you who do not believe.’ 

Many to this day are fair-weather friends, as long as all is going their way they are full of fervor but let the cross be laid on them and they lose heart and faith. Those who persevere do so because it is the Father's will that they persevere. Many disciples left You after Your teaching on the Eucharist and turning to Your Apostles You said, 

‘What about you, do you want to go away too?’ 

And this was Simon Peter's response and the successors of St. Peter reiterate what he said and will do so until You return:

‘Lord, who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we know that you are the Holy One of God.’

Thank You, Lord, for instituting the Holy Eucharist for without this super essential Bread we would have no life in us.