TUESDAY OF WEEK 27 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Happy are those
who hear the word of God
and keep it. LK 11:28

GALATIANS 1:13-24

My Soul's Beloved,

We are reminded today that just as Paul recognizes that God had chosen him while still in his mother's womb to become the great apostle to the Gentiles we too who are known by You while we were being in our mother's womb, have been called and chosen by You to accomplish some good in the world. Each of us is given some task,  something to do that is not given to anyone else. I must discern what it is through prayer, silence, and listening attentively to Your voice. You are with us, You speak to us constantly. You have given us Your Holy Spirit who abides in us and is our Teacher, Helper, and Guide. Possessing the Holy Spirit we must rely on Him to reveal to us what God desires of us and how we are to live as Your Light in the world.

After St. Paul's conversion, filled with the Holy Spirit, he retired alone for several years to allow the Spirit to teach, be formed, instruct, and be equipped with all that he needed to preach and teach the Gospel to the nations, especially the Gentiles. When we rush to people for affirmation there is a real possibility that we could be confused for the mission given to others may be quite different from the one entrusted to us. After his time alone, St. Paul sought only St. Peter, the Head of Your Church, and Your cousin St. James. He was fully aware that he was subject to St. Peter and needed to receive his blessings and approval to teach and preach so he would not teach anything contrary to revealed Truth.

It is pride, one of the seven deadly sins that is a serious impediment to unity. It has always been Your will that there be but one flock and one Shepherd with Peter as its visible head. Lord God we pray for unity and that we all may be one as You and the Father are one. Grant O Lord that Your high priestly prayer will be answered soon as it will hasten Your glorious return.

Loving Jesus may we never allow our sinful past to hinder us from believing that God who has called us has the power to make saints of the greatest sinners.

PSALM 138(139):1-3,13-15

Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.

O Lord, you search me and you know me,
you know my resting and my rising,
you discern my purpose from afar.
You mark when I walk or lie down,
all my ways lie open to you.

For it was you who created my being,

knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I thank you for the wonder of my being,
for the wonders of all your creation.

Already you knew my soul,

my body held no secret from you
when I was being fashioned in secret
and moulded in the depths of the earth.

Lead me, O Lord, in the path of life eternal.

LUKE 10:38-42

My Soul's Beloved,

This discourse between Martha and You is one for the ages. You give us profound insights into how we are called to deal with things that really bother us. What was is that so bothered Martha about Mary, her sister whom she dearly loved, who chose to sit at Your feet, to bask in Your Presence, and to drink in the words of life that poured from Your lips. Martha as a good hostess who welcomed You into her house wanted to prepare a good meal for You and there was nothing wrong with that she erred because she allowed resentment to create such a restless turmoil in her heart that she complained to You. 

Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’

Beloved, we often allow the actions of others to affect our disposition for good or evil. Mary was right in her choice, as You pointed out to Martha:

‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’

We make choices all the time some are good and others not so much. Our choices can often impact others. Martha as the hostess, chose to prepare a meal for You rather than to sit at Your feet with her sister Mary and listen to You. Having made her choice she should have done it joyfully, instead, she allowed resentment of her sister's choice to rob her of peace it was in this that she erred. 

We can find ourselves in similar situations, we ought not to others for the choices they make, whether we think they are right or wrong is irrelevant, we must allow them the freedom to do so. We on the other hand should make a choice based on what is good, true, good, and beautiful, if we do then we will always experience peace.