Lord of heaven and earth,
to mere children. MT 11:25
1 PETER 1:16 ©
My Soul's Beloved,
At the time of the fall of our first parents, God revealed that a Woman would conceive and her offspring would crush the head of Satan who would strike at His heel. Prophets, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke of the wonderful mysteries of salvation that would occur when the Messiah would come into the world. They marveled at things to come that they would not witness but all who studied the Sacred Scriptures were filled with a great longing for Your coming.
We are blessed to be alive in the third millennium of the Year of Our Lord. Holy Mother Church has reflected since Apostolic times on the Good News, on our faith's rich heritage and treasures. We, her children, born of water and the Holy Spirit, are fed from these riches. This is our inheritance that the Church keeps alive through the Gift of the Magisterium, the Apostolic Succession whom You have assured will never teach error in matters concerning faith and morals. We can trust the Church to take us by the hand and lead us safely through this valley of tears to the Kingdom of God, the New Jerusalem, the City on the Hill.
St. Peter says, that even the angels longed to see the divine plan unfold and the marvels that God would do to redeem the children whose first parents willfully turned their back on Him and refused His love. Thank You, Father, for Your Son Jesus, for Mother, Mary, and for sending Your Son into the world to lay down His life for us and save us. Thank You, Jesus, for the Holy Spirit, without Him we could neither say, 'Jesus is Lord' nor could we strive to be holy and perfect as Your Father is holy and perfect as You have commanded us. We can walk securely in the Way that leads to Life through the power of the Holy Spirit, poured into our hearts and lives.
Do not behave in the way that you liked to before you learnt the truth; make a habit of obedience: be holy in all you do, since it is the Holy One who has called you, and scripture says: Be holy, for I am holy.
PSALM 97(88:1-4 ©
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.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
ring out your joy.
The Lord has made known his salvation.
MARK 10:28-31 ©
My Soul's Beloved,
In a world where everyone is pushing and shoving to get ahead and trampling on others to get there, You remind us that the way of the world is in total opposition to Your Way. We are told succinctly, 'Many who are first will be last and the last first.' Your Way O Lord turns all the mantras that the world touts as necessary for happiness, into a tailspin. It is the last, the least, the humble, the forgotten, the forsaken, the crushed in spirit, the widow, the orphan, those marginalized, pushed to the peripheries, the poor, victims of greed who are robbed of everything and most importantly, as children of God, of their dignity and self-respect for we are all equal in Your sight. This is why the Church has a preferential love for the poor.
On the other hand, as St. Peter inquires of You, what about him and the rest of the Apostles and disciples who have given up everything for Your sake and for the Gospel? What will they gain? Your tender, generous response is:
‘I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – not without persecutions – now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life. Many who are first will be last, and the last first.'
Lord, bless immensely every member in the Church hierarchy with a generosity of spirit so they will not hesitate to give up everything for the sake of the Kingdom of God not for reward's sake but for Yours.
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