SATURDAY OF WEEK 29 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I take pleasure, not in the death of a wicked man,
says the Lord,
but in the turning back of a wicked man
who changes his ways to win life. EZ 33:11

EPHESIANS 4:7-16

My Soul's Beloved,

The world is filled with men and women who are nothing more than immature children obsessed with living a life of selfish pleasure. Hedonism does nothing to fill the emptiness in the soul and no amount of mindless distractions can give us the happiness that our hearts crave.  The world ruled by Satan and the powers of darkness have unleashed a great force of evil and the stench of decay and death is everywhere. We take consolation O Lord in this truth that where sin abounds grace abounds even more. The Church and all its members are partakers of the divine life of grace poured upon all God's children. We are children of the light. We are the salt of the earth. We belong to You and we have Your assurance that all whom the Father has given You can never be snatched from You.

Beloved, our hearts are filled with dread when we see the great evil that abounds in the world, those with wealth, power, and influence have sold their soul to the devil. They prey on the innocent and the weak, and they use their seemingly limitless power to establish the reign of Lucifer in the world. It might appear that evil has won the day but the truth is that the victory is won. The Cross has triumphed. The world is consecrated by the Blood of the Lamb and the hour is coming, it is almost upon us, when You will appear in dazzling glory and power to claim what God has given You when You ascended into heaven and given a seat at the right hand of God. Each one of the faithful has a place in Your Body and in Your Kingdom and each, with the help of Your Holy Spirit will fulfill the destiny for which we were created by the power of God and the grace of God. We have nothing to fear for You, O Lord, have overcome the world.

When he ascended to the height, he captured prisoners,
he gave gifts to men.

If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each separate part to work according to its function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love.

PSALM 121(122):1-5

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

I rejoiced when I heard them say:
‘Let us go to God’s house.’
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city

strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.

For Israel’s law it is,

there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgement
of the house of David.

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

LUKE 13:1-9

My Soul's Beloved,

We are all sinners. Anyone who says he is without sin is a liar and is doomed to eternal death. Unless we repent, Lord, we will all perish. We are all destined for eternal glory provided we repent, and believe in You and in the Gospel, if not we will perish. God has a wonderful plan for our lives if we live according to His will we will receive the gift of eternal life.  

The lives of saints witness to us that it is possible to choose to live a life of grace, pick up our cross daily, and follow You. You showed us how to love by laying down Your life for us. Unless we die to ourselves, unless we are prepared to pour out our lives for those we love, daily, hourly, moment by moment, we can never become another Christ. We cannot do it on our own. We need help. We need the Holy Spirit, We need the Church. We need the Sacraments. 

You have patience with us. You know we are weak. We know how easily we fall this is why You take us by the hand and You yoke Yourself to us. If we lean on You, Lord, You will help us every step of the way. Like the fig tree that did not yield fruit, You will give us all the time we need, and even after all that You have done for us we remain barren then we invite eternal damnation. God sends no one to hell we decide to go there when we refuse His invitation to remain one with You and the Father.

Thank You, Lord, for giving us time to repent and to return to You with a humble heart and a contrite spirit. You will not spurn those who desire You. You will supply all the graces we need to choose life, to choose You, to choose to belong to You and to the Father.

 ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to the man who looked after the vineyard, “Look here, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the man replied “leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.”’