FEAST OF ST. ANDREW, APOSTLE - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Follow me, says the Lord,
and I will make you into fishers of men. MT 4:19

ROMANS 10:9-18

My Soul's Beloved,

In the day and age we live in all have heard Your Name, 'Jesus', all have heard the Good News of salvation, but not hearing not all believe. Why Lord? It is because those of us who are called by Your Name have not lived the Gospel faithfully. Cafeteria Christians are anathema to You. We cannot cherry-pick doctrine. Sin remains sin even if the whole world declares it is not. 

The fullness of truth is deposited in one place and one place only - the Catholic Church. In her alone are all the treasures of the faith that all her members must accept, believe, and obey. We thank You, Lord for the Church for her preachers, her teachers, her missionaries, her deacons, her religious, and especially members of the laity who have studied Your Word, pondered its mysteries and its treasures, and shared in freely. We thank You for the sacrifices they make and we ask You to bless them and their families abundantly. 

In these last days, Lord, we ask for this very special grace, that all who hear the Gospel will be moved by the Holy Spirit and come to believe, be baptized and saved. Grant also O Lord that the fulfillment of Your prayer for unity which Your Father has already heard and answered will come to pass in this generation. Hasten the coming of Your Kingdom O Lord

The footsteps of those who bring good news are a welcome sound. Not everyone, of course, listens to the Good News. As Isaiah says: Lord, how many believed what we proclaimed? So faith comes from what is preached, and what is preached comes from the word of Christ. Let me put the question: is it possible that they did not hear? Indeed they did; in the words of the psalm, their voice has gone out through all the earth, and their message to the ends of the world.

PSALM 18(19):2-5

Their word goes forth through all the earth.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God,
and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.
Day unto day takes up the story
and night unto night makes known the message.

No speech, no word, no voice is heard
yet their span extends through all the earth,
their words to the utmost bounds of the world.

Their word goes forth through all the earth.

MATTHEW 4:18-22

My Soul's Beloved,

Your Church is founded on the Twelve Apostles just as the twelve tribes of Israel were founded on the sons of Jacob. Nothing in Scripture is random every event is part of the whole fabric of salvation. It all fits in perfectly with the plan of God. The plan of salvation. 

You called the Apostles by name, You extended to him a personal invitation, 'Follow Me!' and he left everything without a backward glance. Andrew, a disciple of John the Baptist believed when he pointed to You and exclaimed that You were the Lamb of God. He believed that You were the Messiah whose coming Israel had long, hoped, and waited for eagerly and he shared his belief with his brother Peter. This is our mission as well to witness to our faith in season and out of season.

Andrew like most of the Apostles, died a martyr and now wears an imperishable crown of glory. May we be prepared to give all if faith so demands unafraid to make the ultimate sacrifice of our lives. 

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ And they left their nets at once and followed him. Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.

FRIDAY OF WEEK 34 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Stand erect, hold your heads high,
because your liberation is near at hand. LK 21:28

APOCALYPSE 20:1-4,11-21:2

My Soul's Beloved,

There is life, death, judgment, and final reward. Those who deny that there is a God and that we were created by God for God do so at their own peril. Those who belong to the world believe they are accountable only to themselves for their actions, they believe they are the arbiters of their own fate and lives. They believe passionately that there is no God, no judgment, and no afterlife, if they didn't then they could not live as they pleased according to the flesh. If they acknowledged a higher power they would have to submit to it and the last thing they desire is to be held accountable for their sinful choices.  

All creation points to a Creator and every event since the creation of the world and the fall of our first parents has been a glorious, passionate, relentless pursuit of the God of love who desires nothing more than to restore to us, the crown of His creation, the glory that we had wantonly rejected and had lost forever. You O Lord, the Eternal Word of God, the only and most beloved Son of the Father are the only means acceptable to God to repair the unbridgeable chasm that original sin had created between God and us.  

Father, You created us, Lord Jesus, You have redeemed us and You, O Holy Spirit of God who proceeds from the Father and the Son sanctify us and make it possible for us, with the strength that comes from God alone, to make choices after the heart, mind, and will of God. We are living in the age of the Holy Spirit and while it may appear that the world is going to hell in a handbasket, the truth is that all things are working together for good for the glory of God and His Kingdom.

Keep us faithful and safe in the world until all the forces of darkness currently unleashed are vanquished by the Lamb that was slain and whose Blood has paid the price for our salvation. Hide us in Your Sacred Heart until the time of tribulation is ended and as co-heirs with You receive a share in Your triumph, victory, glory and inheritance.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared now, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, and the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, as beautiful as a bride all dressed for her husband.

PSALM 83(84):3-6,8

Here God lives among men.

My soul is longing and yearning,
is yearning for the courts of the Lord.
My heart and my soul ring out their joy
to God, the living God.

The sparrow herself finds a home
and the swallow a nest for her brood;
she lays her young by your altars,
Lord of hosts, my king and my God.

They are happy, who dwell in your house,

for ever singing your praise.
They are happy, whose strength is in you:
they walk with ever-growing strength.

Here God lives among men.

LUKE 21:29-33

My Soul's Beloved,

You ask us to be vigilant, to note the signs of the times and interpret them, we are to keep our eyes and ears open, we are to listen, we are to understand and amend our lives if we desire to be numbered among the sheep. Yet we procrastinate. We kid ourselves that we have time to do away with our evil inclinations, our concupiscence, and our tendency to choose the desires of the flesh rather than the life-giving spirit. 

The Kingdom of God is here do I truly desire it? Tomorrow is guaranteed to no one all I have is this day, this hour, this moment, and the choices I make now, if they are for life and not death will determine whether or not I spend eternity beholding You face to face in the beatific vision.

Jesus told his disciples a parable: ‘Think of the fig tree and indeed every tree. As soon as you see them bud, you know that summer is now near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that the kingdom of God is near. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.’

WEDNESDAY OF WEEK 34 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Even if you have to die, says the Lord,
keep faithful, and I will give you
the crown of life. REV 2:10

APOCALYPSE 15:1-4

My Soul's Beloved,

It is most consoling to know that in the end, after all our trials in this life, all the difficulties, all the suffering, and all the mistakes we have made, we will be purified by the Blood of the Lamb. This is true not only for every soul but for the whole world. Over and over again the world has given itself over to the wiles of Satan but the redeeming power of the Sacrifice of the Lamb has brought us back from the brink of hell.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God there is no evil so great, nor is the wily power of Satan so strong that those redeemed by Your Blood will perish. Victory belongs to You. Might, power, glory, and final triumph is Yours. You O Eternal Word of the Living God are the praise we will offer God eternally for all that You have done for our redemption. 

At the end of the suffering, battles, and the Church's journey on the narrow way to Gethsemane, Golgotha, and the tomb we will receive at last, a share in Your glorious resurrection and a place forever in the home of our Father. There we will sing a hymn of praise to God as we join the angels and the saints who have gone before us.

I seemed to see a glass lake suffused with fire, and standing by the lake of glass, those who had fought against the beast and won, and against his statue and the number which is his name. They all had harps from God, and they were singing the hymn of Moses, the servant of God, and of the Lamb:

‘How great and wonderful are all your works,
Lord God Almighty;
just and true are all your ways,
King of nations.
Who would not revere and praise your name, O Lord?
You alone are holy,
and all the pagans will come and adore you
for the many acts of justice you have shown.’

PSALM 97(98):1-3,7-9

How great and wonderful are all your works, Lord God almighty.

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.

Let the sea and all within it, thunder;

the world, and all its peoples.
Let the rivers clap their hands
and the hills ring out their joy
at the presence of the Lord.

For the Lord comes,

he comes to rule the earth.
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with fairness.

How great and wonderful are all your works, Lord God almighty.

LUKE 21:12-19

My Soul's Beloved,

To the extent that we are willing to live out our faith publicly without compromise no matter the consequence, we will suffer persecution, ostracism, and alienation even by those closest to us. The greater our willingness to live out our faith boldly and fearlessly no matter the cost the greater will we scorn the things that the world considers worth pursuing and possessing.

If only every member of the Church was prepared to live authentic Christian lives the world would be a more peaceful and beautiful place and we would hasten the coming of the Kingdom of God on earth.

Beloved, the days are coming when we will have to take a stand for our faith, when that day arrives we ask You to provide all the grace, strength, and courage we need to remain steadfast even if it means death. We believe Lord, that You will be true to Your word and Your assurance that if we endure all for Your sake we will win the crown of eternal life.

Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.’

TUESDAY OF WEEK 34 IN ORDINARY TIME

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Even if you have to die, says the Lord,
keep faithful, and I will give you
the crown of life. REV 2:10

APOCALYPSE 14:14-19

My Soul's Beloved,

The Church reminds us that time will eventually run out for each of us and the world. In the end, there will be judgment, conviction, and the carrying out of the sentence that we deserve. No one can escape the justice, the wrath of God, and divine retribution for all the ways in which we have neglected to walk in the path of righteousness and truth.

The world is ripe with sin and that ripeness gives off a foul stench of decay and death. While You O Lord are a God of mercy, and full of love and tender compassion for the sinner, and while there is yet time You will pursue the sinner relentlessly to save him, in the end,d it is up to us whether or not we desire to be saved. You will always respect our freedom for it is Your great gift to us. There is nothing more pleasing to You, Beloved when we freely choose to live according to the divine plan, in the presence and shadow of the Most High God.

The day of judgment is almost here Lord grant us wisdom before it is too late and before the cup of Your wrath sweeps over the earth.

Another angel, who also carried a sharp sickle, came out of the temple in heaven, and the angel in charge of the fire left the altar and shouted aloud to the one with the sharp sickle, ‘Put your sickle in and cut all the bunches off the vine of the earth; all its grapes are ripe.’ So the angel set his sickle to work on the earth and harvested the whole vintage of the earth and put it into a huge winepress, the winepress of God’s anger.

PSALM 95(96):10-13

The Lord comes to rule the earth.

Proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king.’
The world he made firm in its place;
he will judge the peoples in fairness.

Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad,
let the sea and all within it thunder praise,
let the land and all it bears rejoice,
all the trees of the wood shout for joy
at the presence of the Lord for he comes,
he comes to rule the earth.

With justice he will rule the world,

he will judge the peoples with his truth.

The Lord comes to rule the earth.

LUKE 21:5-11

My Soul's Beloved,

There has never been a dearth of doomsday prophets among Catholics, Christians, and others. Fearmongering is their goal. We all have a morbid desire to know how the world will end and You remind us not to get sucked into the vortex of the doom and gloom. Yes, time will eventually run out for the Temple in Jerusalem and the Jews of that time and their way of worship will come to an end just as You foretold. You also foretold the destruction of the Temple when not one stone will be found on another. It will be ransacked, pillaged, burned, and brought to the ground and it will never be rebuilt again for the New Temple is here, the New Jerusalem has arrived and the only worship that God desires and is pleasing and acceptable to Him is the one that You instituted at the Last Supper, consummated on the Altar of the Cross at Golgotha and which You commanded be offered until You return as a thanksgiving memorial. From the rising of the sun to its setting the Church offers to God our Father the one, holy, pleasing, and perfect Sacrifice of the Holy Mass.

From the moment of its creation the world has been drawing nearer and nearer to its end. The cycle of birth, death, and life continues. Generation after generation will come and go until the time will finally arrive and You will return in glory and majesty to take to Yourself all who have been faithful to the Lamb of God.

All that You predicted when the disciples marveled at the beauty of the Temple happened in their lifetime and they were witnesses to it. But as for the end of time, it is still not here and we are not to be taken in by those who spend their entire lives spreading darkness instead of the life, joy, and hope of the Gospel. We were created for You Lord and what does it matter when and how it happens as long as we are ready to meet You when that time arrives. 

‘Take care not to be deceived,’ he said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, “I am he” and, “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.’

MONDAY OF WEEK 34 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Stay awake and stand ready,
because you do not know the hour
when the Son of Man is coming.  MK 24:42, 44

APOCALYPSE 14:1-5

My Soul's Beloved,

All who are baptized into You are a new creation. We are sealed in Your Spirit. We are called by Your Name. We are members of Your Body and are privileged to know You, love You, serve You, and belong to You as God our Father has always desired all mankind to belong to Him through You. 

Lord Jesus, only those who know the Truth, embrace it and allow it to imbue and permeate their whole being can truly be called children of God.  All are called, all are invited, and all are free to respond or not. However, few do for the siren call of the world, the flesh, and the devil prove too strong for too many. But those who are prepared to lose their lives for Your sake and the sake of the Gospel will find and will be counted among those who are saved.

Beloved Jesus, I know we are weak, we are easily distracted, we so easily give up when the cross gets heavy we do not push forward and persevere. We are like the seeds that fall by the wayside, or on thorns, or on rocky soil and we bring about our own eternal ruin. Pity us, Lord, and carry us. You are the Good Shepherd, take us in Your arms and bring us home so we may be counted among those who remain with You eternally.  

In my vision I, John, saw Mount Zion, and standing on it a Lamb who had with him a hundred and forty-four thousand people, all with his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 

There in front of the throne they were singing a new hymn in the presence of the four animals and the elders, a hymn that could only be learnt by the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the world; they follow the Lamb wherever he goes; they have been redeemed from amongst men to be the first-fruits for God and for the Lamb. They never allowed a lie to pass their lips and no fault can be found in them.

PSALM 23(24):1-6

Such are the men who seek your face, O Lord.

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas;
on the waters he made it firm.

Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?

Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart,
who desires not worthless things.

He shall receive blessings from the Lord

and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him,
seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Such are the men who seek your face, O Lord.

LUKE 21:1-4

My Soul's Beloved,

Spiritually I have nothing, I have less than nothing, I have less than the widow's mite. Look with pity on me and mine Lord, and for the sake of Your great love and Your sorrowful passion, save us and we will be saved.

Beloved, You have granted me the privilege of being born into the Church You founded on Peter and the Apostle. You make available to me rich graces in the Sacraments You instituted and yet O Lord, I am a fool and a sinner. Take pity on me O Lord. Take me by the hand O Lord, if necessary carry me, do for me what I am unable to do for myself. 

Thank You.

As Jesus looked up, he saw rich people putting their offerings into the treasury; then he happened to notice a poverty-stricken widow putting in two small coins, and he said, ‘I tell you truly, this poor widow has put in more than any of them; for these have all contributed money they had over, but she from the little she had has put in all she had to live on.’

SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessings on the coming kingdom of our father David! MK 11:10

DANIEL 7:13-14

My Soul's Beloved,

As the Liturgical year comes to a close we celebrate You O Lord our God as King of Kings, Ruler of the Universe, Savior, and Redeemer of the world and we offer You today and always our allegiance, our love, and our service. We are Yours to rule, to command, use us as You will O Lord. In the words of the centurion speaking about his servants whom he can freely order because they are his to command, we ask You to say to us 'Go,' and we will go. 'Come,' and we will come. 'Do this', and we will do it.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner, and have mercy on the whole world. Grant O Lord, that when You return again in glory, You will find the whole world waiting for You in expectant faith and joyful anticipation. 

I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven,
one like a son of man.
He came to the one of great age
and was led into his presence.
On him was conferred sovereignty,
glory and kingship,
and men of all peoples, nations and languages became his servants.
His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty
which shall never pass away,
nor will his empire ever be destroyed.

PSALM 92(93):1-2,5

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed;
the Lord has robed himself with might,
he has girded himself with power.

The world you made firm, not to be moved;

your throne has stood firm from of old.
From all eternity, O Lord, you are.

Truly your decrees are to be trusted.

Holiness is fitting to your house,
O Lord, until the end of time.

The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.

APOCALYPSE 1:5-8

My Soul's Beloved,

Save us O Lord, by the merits that You have won by the sacrifice of Your life for the salvation of all mankind. The world is currently teetering on the edge of total annihilation, we beg You to preserve us from God's righteous wrath. We are doomed to self-destruct and cast into the eternal flames where the fire never goes out and the worms don't die unless You rouse up Your might and by the power of Your Blood and Your Spirit, we wake up from our catatonic slumber or we perish forever.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, Eternal Word of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, do not forsake the work of Your hands. You have washed us in Your Blood. You have given us Your Spirit. You feed us with Your Flesh. You forgive our iniquity and cleanse us of our sins. Do not cast us away from Your presence, Lord, we will be lost if You do not take pity on us and save us. Shake us up Lord, do whatever is necessary take the scales from our eyes. Penetrate our stony hearts and rekindle in us the fire of Your divine love. We were created for You O Lord do not forsake the work of Your hands.

Grace and peace to you from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the First-Born from the dead, the Ruler of the kings of the earth. He loves us and has washed away our sins with his blood, and made us a line of kings, priests to serve his God and Father; to him, then, be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen. It is he who is coming on the clouds; everyone will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the races of the earth will mourn over him. This is the truth. Amen. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’ says the Lord God, who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.

JOHN 18:33-37

My Soul'ss Beloved,

In answer to Pilate's question, 'Are you the king of the Jews?' The Church and the entire Christian world resounds with the answer, 'No, You are not just king of the Jews, but King of the whole world.' Lord God, Son of the Living God, Savior and Redeemer of the world, we know the truth but we do not profess it because if we did then we would have to change. Change is uncomfortable, change is difficult, we prefer our comfortable and familiar sins. The world and all it offers dazzles our eyes and woos us into believing the lie that we were made for pleasure, for comfort, for ease. 

The Way to the Kingdom of God is the way of suffering, the way of the Cross, the way to Gethsemane, and to Golgotha. Unless we are crucified with You, unless we drink deep of the cup of suffering and die with You, we cannot expect to receive a share in Your Crown of glory. 

Truth is not just a word it is the Second Person of the Trinity. Had Pilate waited for Your answer perhaps there would have been a different outcome. But this is the way that God ordained to save the world, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life" 

Beloved, as the Church and the Christian world celebrate and honor You under the title of Christ the King we humbly plead with You that by the merits of Your suffering and death we might here and now, beginning this very day, live as pilgrims and strangers in this world for we are citizens of heaven.

‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ Pilate asked. Jesus replied, ‘Do you ask this of your own accord, or have others spoken to you about me?’ Pilate answered, ‘Am I a Jew? It is your own people and the chief priests who have handed you over to me: what have you done?’ Jesus replied, ‘Mine is not a kingdom of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my men would have fought to prevent my being surrendered to the Jews. But my kingdom is not of this kind.’ ‘So you are a king then?’ said Pilate. ‘It is you who say it’ answered Jesus. ‘Yes, I am a king. I was born for this, I came into the world for this: to bear witness to the truth; and all who are on the side of truth listen to my voice.’

SATURDAY OF WEEK 33 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death
and he has proclaimed life through the Good News. 2 TIM 1:10

APOCALYPSE 11:4-12

My Soul's Beloved,

As a Catholic, as a member of Your Body, the Church, I, by virtue of my baptism, am called to be a living witness of the faith which is a gift and a grace. I am called, endowed with gifts according to my vocation, and sent with a mandate to teach and preach the Good News by my life more than by words. I am called to be salt and light in a world that is growing increasingly dark as it is given over to the power of evil.

Lord Jesus Christ, the lives of the Apostles Peter and Paul as well as every Christian who has lived a heroic life of virtue teaches us that it is possible to stand up boldly to the Enemy even though the world stands against us.

My Lord and my God, You will ensure that there will always be a faithful remnant who shine like stars, and by their willingness to follow in Your footsteps all the way to Calvary and to the tomb, they will be like seed having fallen and died with bring forth an abundant harvest, for as it is rightly said, 'the blood of martyrs is the seed of Christians.' God has the power to raise the dead to life and the Holy Spirit can breathe on dead bones and raise up an invincible army to rout the Enemy.

King of Kings and Lord of Lords, we are Yours to command as You deem fit. Use us for Your glory and for the coming of Your Kingdom. Amen.

After the three-and-a-half days, God breathed life into them and they stood up, and everybody who saw it happen was terrified; then they heard a loud voice from heaven say to them, ‘Come up here’, and while their enemies were watching, they went up to heaven in a cloud.

PSALM 143(144):1-2,9-10

Blessed be the Lord, my rock.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
who trains my arms for battle,
who prepares my hands for war.

He is my love, my fortress;

he is my stronghold, my saviour
my shield, my place of refuge.
He brings peoples under my rule.

To you, O God, will I sing a new song;

I will play on the ten-stringed lute
to you who give kings their victory,
who set David your servant free.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock.

LUKE 20:27-40

My Soul's Beloved,

Like the Sadducees, the world is given up to the things of the flesh, to things that decay, to things that bring death not life. Those who deny You, deny the Church You founded, deny life after death, deny the resurrection, do so out of choice because if they believed then they would have to amend their lives. They know that they will be accountable. They prefer to stick their heads in the sand and pretend that this present life is all there is and after that nothing. While their lifestyles loudly protest the truth of accountability and an afterlife, their spirit is consumed with darkness, restlessness, and gloom. 

The truth, the unvarnished and inexorable truth is that we were created for You O Lord, and our hearts are restless unless they rest in You. The argument of the Sadducees was absurd when they first said it and does not cease being absurd in our time.

The flesh is subject to sickness and death but the soul is immortal. We can choose to believe You, obey the Commandments, and choose eternal and glorious life with You in heaven or we can freely choose to give ourselves over to the desires of the flesh and eternal death. 

Jesus replied, ‘The children of this world take wives and husbands, but those who are judged worthy of a place in the other world and in the resurrection from the dead do not marry because they can no longer die, for they are the same as the angels, and being children of the resurrection they are sons of God. And Moses himself implies that the dead rise again, in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is God, not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all men are in fact alive.’
Some scribes then spoke up. ‘Well put, Master’ they said – because they would not dare to ask him any more questions.

THE PRESENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY ON THURSDAY OF WEEK 33 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Harden not your hearts today,
but listen to the voice of the Lord. PS 94:8

APOCALYPSE 5:1-10

My Soul's Beloved,

Israel waited in hope for the fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham and while she waited, God was constantly at work. Slowly but surely He prepared a nation after His own heart. Generation after generation for thousands of years would come and go, and as the promise remained unfulfilled Israel grew restless and faithless. She lost hope, she gave herself up to playing the harlot, she soiled her garments, and she broke faith with God but He remained faithful. He pursued her relentlessly No matter how far she fled from her God He sought her, wooed her, forgave her, and cleansed her, fed her, and restored her. Yet time and time again she wandered into enemy territory. She was broken, ashamed, filled with regret and desolation, and each time God came to her rescue. Finally, the day of deliverance was at hand when a Virgin's tremulous whisper responding to God's invitation to her to become the Mother of His Son, said, 'Yes, may it be done unto me according to Your will.' And the Lamb of Sacrifice became incarnate in her womb. You, O Lord, would restore what our first parents had lost. You O Lord, the Christ, the hope of all nations the Light of the world, the fulfillment of all God's promises, would become incarnate in the womb of the Virgin and the bridge that would enable us to find our way back to God.

Now and until You return again in glory the Church sings an unending hymn of praise to You. You are the Lamb that was slain for our deliverance. Worthy are You O Lamb whose Blood paid the price for our redemption. 

‘There is no need to cry: the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed, and he will open the scroll and the seven seals of it.’

The Lamb came forward to take the scroll from the right hand of the One sitting on the throne, and when he took it, the four animals prostrated themselves before him and with them the twenty-four elders; each one of them was holding a harp and had a golden bowl full of incense made of the prayers of the saints. They sang a new hymn:
‘You are worthy to take the scroll
and break the seals of it,
because you were sacrificed, and with your blood
you bought men for God
of every race, language, people and nation
and made them a line of kings and priests,
to serve our God and to rule the world.’

PSALM 149:1-6,9

You made us a line of kings and priests to serve our God.

Sing a new song to the Lord,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its Maker,
let Zion’s sons exult in their king.

Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music with timbrel and harp.
For the Lord takes delight in his people.
He crowns the poor with salvation.

Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,
shout for joy and take their rest.
Let the praise of God be on their lips:
this honour is for all his faithful.

You made us a line of kings and priests to serve our God.

LUKE 19:41-44

My Soul's Beloved,

Your Sacred Heart was crushed with sorrow at the faithlessness of God's people who rejected You even while waiting for the promised Messiah. Every prophecy was fulfilled in You, yet they were unable to look past their own prejudices and human wisdom and by doing so missed the day and time of their redemption. Their repudiation and denunciation of You cost them the joy of receiving and welcoming the Messiah with exultant joy instead, they brought ruin upon themselves. Insisting on continuing the old way of worship in the old temple both were destroyed forever for You are the New Jerusalem, You are the New Temple, and You are the new and only worship that God accepts for it is the only worship that is pleasing and acceptable to Him. The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving, worship, and praise instituted at the Last Supper and consummated on the Altar of the Cross at Golgotha is the New Sacrifice that redeems the world and stays the anger of God against a world that is filled with the stench of death caused by the depravity of the sins of many who have given themselves over to Satan.

You wept over Jerusalem because You knew the terrible fate that awaited her. She did not recognize the time of the visitation of the Messiah that she longed for and her downfall and destruction were caused because she preferred human thinking over divine revelation.

Lord Jesus, let the Church not gloat for while the fullness of beauty, truth, and goodness dwell in her, her members are far from You. If we do not wake up now and turn in sorrow, contrition, and repentance, to You and firmly resolve with Your help to turn away from sin, we will probably meet a similar fate as Jerusalem. 

As Jesus drew near Jerusalem and came in sight of the city he shed tears over it and said, ‘If you in your turn had only understood on this day the message of peace! But, alas, it is hidden from your eyes! Yes, a time is coming when your enemies will raise fortifications all round you, when they will encircle you and hem you in on every side; they will dash you and the children inside your walls to the ground; they will leave not one stone standing on another within you – and all because you did not recognise your opportunity when God offered it!’

WEDNESDAY OF WEEK 33 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I chose you from the world
to go out and bear fruit,
fruit that will last,
says the Lord. JN 15:16

APOCALYPSE 4:1-11

My Soul's Beloved,

We were created to know You, love You, serve You, and be happy with You in this life and to be everlastingly happy with You in heaven. Sadly we squander our chances for real happiness through ignorance or spiritual laziness. We spend years of our lives studying, training, interning, and working to provide what we need for our temporal life while doing nothing to grow in knowledge and understanding of the spiritual life that will eventually abound to eternal life.   

We greatly admire those who make a difference in the Church, those who have made it their life-long mission to study the Word of God, teach, and preach it powerfully to thousands of eager and hungry. But how many of these souls are truly transformed. How many of them, having heard the Word of Life in turn, go and preach the Gospel to others? 

Lord Jesus Christ, have pity on those of us who take the treasure we have been given for granted. Our lives are worse than those of pagans, they are ignorant we aren't, and we will be held to greater accountability. Our whole life ought to be an unending hymn of praise to You, our God, but instead, we are a disgrace to the Name we bear. 

Intervene Lord, in Your great mercy and compassion lest we perish.

‘Holy, Holy, Holy

is the Lord God, the Almighty;
he was, he is and he is to come.’

PSALM 150

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty.

Praise God in his holy place,
praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his powerful deeds,
praise his surpassing greatness.

O praise him with sound of trumpet,
praise him with lute and harp.
Praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipes.

O praise him with resounding cymbals,
praise him with clashing of cymbals.
Let everything that lives and that breathes
give praise to the Lord.

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty.

LUKE 19:11-28

TUESDAY OF WEEK 33 IN ORDINARY TIME

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

God so loved us that he sent his Son
to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away. 1JN 4:10

APOCALYPSE 3:1-6,14-22

My Soul's Beloved,

Grace is always available to those who ask. But we do not ask and because we do not ask we do not receive. We are comfortable with our lives. We have allowed the world to ensnare us with soft living giving ourselves up to the endless entertainment that it offers. It robs us of the time that must be given to worship God, to study His Word, to seek His will in all things, and to obey it. But we keep putting off for tomorrow what we must do today believing that we have time. Too late we will find that time has run out and we can do nothing about it except face the consequences of our lack of love for God and neighbor. 

Most of us are lukewarm Lord, and You have no use for tepid souls. Pity us, Lord, we are weak. Break our hearts of stone, pierce through our indifference, and enter. Do for us what we are unable to do for ourselves. Wake us up and grant us the grace to begin now, before it is too late, to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, lest when You come and find us asleep we will be cast into the eternal fire of hell.

Grant that this be the day when we hear You knocking on our hearts and open it and grant You entrance so You can sit with us and dine with us, and share Your glory in the Kingdom of God.

“Here is the message of the Amen, the faithful, the true witness, the ultimate source of God’s creation: I know all about you: how you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were one or the other, but since you are neither, but only lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth. You say to yourself, ‘I am rich, I have made a fortune, and have everything I want’, never realising that you are wretchedly and pitiably poor, and blind and naked too. I warn you, buy from me the gold that has been tested in the fire to make you really rich, and white robes to clothe you and cover your shameful nakedness, and eye ointment to put on your eyes so that you are able to see. I am the one who reproves and disciplines all those he loves: so repent in real earnest. Look, I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of you hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share his meal, side by side with him. Those who prove victorious I will allow to share my throne, just as I was victorious myself and took my place with my Father on his throne. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”’

PSALM 14(15):2-5

Those who prove victorious I will allow to share my throne.

Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain?
He who walks without fault;
he who acts with justice
and speaks the truth from his heart;
he who does not slander with his tongue.

He who does no wrong to his brother,
who casts no slur on his neighbour,
who holds the godless in disdain,
but honours those who fear the Lord.

He who keeps his pledge, come what may;

who takes no interest on a loan
and accepts no bribes against the innocent.
Such a man will stand firm forever.

Those who prove victorious I will allow to share my throne.

LUKE 19:1-10

My Soul's Beloved,

Your eyes constantly seek the lost, those who desire to know You but sin hinders them from coming to You. We know we have sinned and our sins separate us from You but You look beyond. You see the desire and longing of the heart and are moved to compassion. Sin holds us in bondage and though we long to be free we are unable to help ourselves. We long to live a life of grace but our concupiscence prevents us from doing so. 

Zacchaeus is a perfect example of the spirit being willing but the flesh being weak.  He too is stuck and sees no way forward. He is condemned as a public sinner who cannot break free from his sinful life. He heard that the great rabbi who performed miracles was passing through Jericho and he longed to see You. The crowd was huge and prevented him from getting close to You so he climbed a tree to get a better view of You. This is how St. Luke describes the encounter between You and Zacchaeus:

When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him: ‘Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today.’ And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully. They all complained when they saw what was happening. ‘He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house’ they said. But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, ‘Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek out and save what was lost.’

Thank You, Lord, that You came to seek and save the lost. Thank You for being our Good Shepherd. Thank You for leaving the ninety-nine behind to find the one that has gone astray., 

MONDAY OF WEEK 33 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
anyone who follows me will have the light of life. JN 8:12

APOCALYPSE 1:1-4,2:1-5

My Soul's Beloved,

Every day of our lives we come closer to the end of our days on earth. Time moves on inexorably and all things as we know them will be a memory until even that fades away and there will be none alive who once knew us. We will all eventually be forgotten as if we had never been. Yet, O Lord, we will never be forgotten by You, and those we once knew here on earth will hopefully be reunited in heaven as we share in Your glory never to be separated again. This is our faith.

As the liturgical year comes to a close the Church urges us to remember that our time on earth is short, we are not citizens of the world but of heaven. We are here only for a while as pilgrims, as strangers, as wanderers as we press on, facing every challenge with patience, faith, grace, hope, and mercy confident that You will take us by the hand as You did the Israelites, and lead us to the Promised Land, the Kingdom of God.

Lord, as we grow old and our bodies and spirits grow weary with sickness, loneliness, and age there is a danger of closing in ourselves. It is easy to forget that the older we get the more time we have to unite our whole being to You and Your Spirit. It would be more profitable, healthier, and wiser to spend the time we have left by drawing closer to You, instead of spending it complaining, whining, and focusing on our ailments and other worries. 

Beloved, how blessed we are to be children of God and heirs to His Kingdom. Help us keep the goal of our lives, heaven, ever before us, and with all the graces You grant us fix our eyes on winning the prize.

PSALM 1:1-4,6

Those who prove victorious I will feed from the tree of life.

Happy indeed is the man
who follows not the counsel of the wicked;
nor lingers in the way of sinners
nor sits in the company of scorners,
but whose delight is the law of the Lord
and who ponders his law day and night.

He is like a tree that is planted

beside the flowing waters,
that yields its fruit in due season
and whose leaves shall never fade;
and all that he does shall prosper.

Not so are the wicked, not so!
For they like winnowed chaff
shall be driven away by the wind:
for the Lord guards the way of the just
but the way of the wicked leads to doom.

Those who prove victorious I will feed from the tree of life.

LUKE 18:35-43

My Soul's Beloved,

Am I like those in the crowd who rebuked and scolded the blind man who cried out to You as You passed by? Am I a hindrance to those who seek You? Having found You and knowing that I belong to the household of God do I seek to draw others to belong to God's family or am I selfishly content with no thought of the salvation of those less fortunate than I? 

On the other hand, am I like the blind beggar at the side of the road who knows of You, is aware that You are passing by, and is prepared to risk the scorn of the crowd, make a fool of myself, not allowing the crowd to intimidate me but rather aware that this is perhaps my only chance of meeting You, I am prepared to do all in my power to call out to You until You hear me and answer me? 

Every day I am challenged to be like the blind man who actively desires to seek You and have his transformed by You or to be like those in the crowd who, are aware that You desire all who seek You to find You, and thus do everything in my power to encourage and make a way for them to also meet You. Grant me this grace O Lord, to hinder no one who desires to come to You, know You, give their lives to You, and be saved.

As Jesus drew near to Jericho there was a blind man sitting at the side of the road begging. When he heard the crowd going past he asked what it was all about, and they told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by. So he called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.’ The people in front scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he shouted all the louder, ‘Son of David, have pity on me.’ Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him, and when he came up, asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ ‘Sir,’ he replied ‘let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.’ And instantly his sight returned and he followed him praising God, and all the people who saw it gave praise to God for what had happened.

33RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Stay awake, praying at all times
for the strength to stand with confidence
before the Son of Man. LK 21:36

DANIEL 12:1-3

My Soul's Beloved,

There is a personal and particular judgment when we die and a general judgment at the end of time.  Whether we know it or not, whether we believe or not, whether or not we take it seriously and live according to Your commandments judgment is certain just as death is certain. We do not know how or when we will die but it is wise to take stock of our life daily and correct our faults, ask forgiveness when we sin, and make a firm resolution with Your help to overcome temptation. You will provide all the help and graces we need if we ask for You O Lord have paid too great a price for our salvation for even a single soul to be lost.

Heavenly Father, for the sake of Jesus' sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and the whole world.

‘At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who mounts guard over your people. There is going to be a time of great distress, unparalleled since nations first came into existence. When that time comes, your own people will be spared, all those whose names are found written in the Book. Of those who lie sleeping in the dust of the earth many will awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting disgrace. The learned will shine as brightly as the vault of heaven, and those who have instructed many in virtue, as bright as stars for all eternity.’

PSALM 15(16):5,8-11

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
it is you yourself who are my prize.
I keep the Lord ever in my sight:
since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;

even my body shall rest in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead,
nor let your beloved know decay.

You will show me the path of life,

the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand happiness for ever.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

HEBREWS 10:11-14,18

My Soul's Beloved,

Next Sunday the Church will celebrate You under Your title, Christ, the King. These past weeks, she has been preparing the faithful to understand Your magnificence, might, total authority, and power as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, over all people everywhere so we can more fully enter into the mystery of this great truth.

You are the great High Priest who offered a once-for-all sacrifice for the reparation of the sins of the whole world and are now seated in glory at the Father's right hand. It is this Sacrifice of the Holy Mass that is the one and only means by which we are redeemed and saved. It is Your desire, from the day You instituted this Sacrament at the Last Supper with Your disciples, that this Holy Sacrifice which You consummated on the altar of the Cross at Golgotha, be offered daily as a memorial to the Father until You return. This is why You also instituted the Sacrament of the Priesthood. You personally call young men and invite them to share in Your eternal priesthood so that this Sacrifice may be offered from the rising of the sun to its setting, until the end of time. Without the celebration of this memorial of Your Sacrifice, to the Father, the world would perish. The sun would no longer rise, the moon and stars would fall from their face and we would be destroyed.

Continue O Lord, to call young men to serve You in the priesthood and supply them with the grace to respond gladly and generously to the great privilege of being called by You to serve Your people, Your sheep, lest we perish.

All the priests stand at their duties every day, offering over and over again the same sacrifices which are quite incapable of taking sins away. He, on the other hand, has offered one single sacrifice for sins, and then taken his place forever, at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for him. By virtue of that one single offering, he has achieved the eternal perfection of all whom he is sanctifying. When all sins have been forgiven, there can be no more sin offerings.

MARK 13:24-32

My Soul's Beloved,

The Liturgical Year is drawing to a close, on the last Sunday before Advent, the Church celebrates Your feast under the title Christ the King. You are the Christ, the Anointed One, sent by the Father into the world to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. You did so not by might nor by power, but by offering Yourself as the perfect Victim without blemish or stain, to atone for the sins of the whole world. 

In today's Gospel, the Church reflects on the events that will occur in the world before Your second coming. It will be terrifying to those who were faithless like the people who refused to repent at the time of Noah and were annihilated by the waters of the flood that covered the earth. Only Noah and his family were saved.

Lord Jesus, You desire that all be saved but sadly we love our concupiscence too much. The world has lost all sense of sin and the downward spiral into the very depths of hell is inevitable unless we return to our senses. There is no joy, peace, or hope when we give our lives over to the decadent culture we live in. But all is not lost O Lord. But all is not lost for Your faithful remnant, hidden like leaven in the flour, continue to pray, fast, and offer to our Father the only acceptable and pleasing once-for-all Sacrifice that You offered to Him on our behalf on the Cross, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Watch over Your faithful remnant O Lord, keep them safe from the wiles of the Enemy, and hide them in Your Sacred Heart and in Your sacred wounds until You return.

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘In those days, after the time of distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, the stars will come falling from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory; then too he will send the angels to gather his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the world to the ends of heaven.

‘So with you when you see these things happening: know that he is near, at the very gates. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all these things will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
‘But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son; no one but the Father.’

SATURDAY OF WEEK 32 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Through the Good News God called us
to share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2TH 2:14

3 JOHN 5-8

My Soul's Beloved,

St. John, the Apostle, and evangelist, reminds us of this truth - it is not so much a duty as a grace to contribute in any way we can to the work of consecrated men and women, priests and religious, whom You have called out of the world to serve Your people, minister to them spiritually and materially. They are a sign of a living Presence in the world. Like You, their Master and Lord, they lay down their lives for Your sheep. We may not know them personally but it is enough for us to know that You have called them to be light, salt, and leaven in the world. If we can do anything, no matter how small to encourage them or assist them in any way we can, You will consider it as having been done for You.   

Nothing is more displeasing to You than for us to indulge in gossip about them, criticize them, discuss their weaknesses, belittle their work, despise them, and make their work more difficult than it already is. They have given up everything for the sake of the Kingdom of God and we are duty-bound to show them affection, encourage them, and assist them in any way we can to carry out their mission.

My friend, you have done faithful work in looking after these brothers, even though they were complete strangers to you. They are a proof to the whole Church of your charity and it would be a very good thing if you could help them on their journey in a way that God would approve. It was entirely for the sake of the name that they set out, without depending on the pagans for anything; it is our duty to welcome men of this sort and contribute our share to their work for the truth.

PSALM 111(112):1-6

Happy the man who takes delight in the commands of the Lord.

Happy the man who fears the Lord,
who takes delight in all his commands.
His sons will be powerful on earth;
the children of the upright are blessed.

Riches and wealth are in his house;

his justice stands firm for ever.
He is a light in the darkness for the upright:
he is generous, merciful and just.

The good man takes pity and lends,
he conducts his affairs with honour.
The just man will never waver:
he will be remembered for ever.

Happy the man who takes delight in the commands of the Lord.

LUKE 18:1-8

My Soul's Beloved,

Persistence in prayer is a virtue. It teaches us humility. It teaches us to hope and to have faith that in the end, God will surely answer. When You taught Your disciples to pray You told them to address God as Father, Abba, Dad, You also said that no father will hand his child a stone when he asks for an egg, or a snake when he asks for fish. We are sinners yet we give our children all that is good and needful. You conclude by saying, 'How much more will Your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask.' 

It is easy to get weary when we keep asking day after day, week after week, month after month, perhaps even years and we receive no answer. But even as we wait, praying with confidence, God is working in us, purifying us, strengthening us, and increasing our faith. When the time is right You will give us all we ask for. 

Lord Jesus, when my faith dims, and I get anxious because You are silent and I am tempted to believe that You are deaf to my supplications, grant me the grace to persevere in prayer in the silence and in the darkness. All my experience of You has taught me that You will hear and answer Me. When You deem the time to be right You will give me all that I have prayed for and more. 

‘Now will not God see justice done to his chosen who cry to him day and night even when he delays to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?’