ST. JUSTIN MARTYR, SATURDAY OF WEEK 8 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS 

Let the message of Christ, in all its richness,
find a home with you;
through him give thanks to God the Father. COL 3:16A, 17

JUDE 1:17,20-25 ©

My Soul’s Beloved, 

I thank You, Lord, for Holy Mother Church, as one who attends daily Mass and received You in the Holy Eucharist, I hear the Word of God read each day and I am nourished not only by Your Body and Blood but also by Your Word, inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Today as I read the verses taken from the Letter of St. Jude, I am reminded that I must build my life on the solid foundation of my faith in You, Lord. I received the Holy Spirit at my baptism and I can draw on His power and the immense graces He gives me daily through divine union with You when I receive the Sacrament of Love, at Your table.  

Only by grace O Lord, can I receive the help I need to withstand and overcome the wiles of the Enemy. St. Jude reminds me that all I have received I must give away generously. I am my brother’s keeper sharing the Good News that I received through Your immense mercy and goodness. 

When there are some who have doubts reassure them; when there are some to be saved from the fire, pull them out. 

But he also warns me to use prudence and be cautious in dealing with those steeped in vice as association with them may cause me to be dragged into the mire. I must never presume but in all circumstances, I must be led and guided by Your Holy Spirit. 

but there are others to whom you must be kind with great caution, keeping your distance even from outside clothing which is contaminated by vice.

You alone O Lord can keep me safe and I rest in You quietly, content and perfectly happy to remain in Your love. Keep me and my loved ones safe for eternal life, my Beloved, now and always.

PSALM 62(63):2-6 ©

O God, you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you
like a dry, weary land without water.

So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength and your glory.
For your love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.

So I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.

For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord, my God.

MARK 11:27-33 ©

My Soul’ Beloved, 

Quite often we know the truth but we dance around it. We know if we acknowledge it then there will be consequences. We must change. We must embrace it. Our lives must be lived in the Truth that is evident. If we confess the Truth, then this confession demands that we abide in the Truth. 

You were walking in the Temple in Jerusalem and those who opposed You came to You, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. They saw You as a grave threat to the status quo and they were determined to plot ways and means to destroy You. Bristling with indignation because You had just tossed out the money changers and the buyers and sellers in the Temple they confronted You saying,

‘What authority have you for acting like this? Or who gave you authority to do these things?’ 

You counter-questioned them saying, 

‘I will ask you a question, only one; answer me and I will tell you my authority for acting like this. John’s baptism: did it come from heaven, or from man? Answer me that.’ 

They knew at once that any answer they gave would compromise them and so like all cowards, they said, 

‘We do not know.’ 

As long as we are unwilling to commit to the Truth because of the consequences of confessing to the Truth we condemn ourselves to live a lie and become friends with the Father of Lies. 

Have mercy on me O Lord, and may I never be afraid to confess the Truth that I believe in even if it should cost me my life.