FRIDAY OF WEEK 31 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Whenever anyone obeys what Christ has said,
God’s love comes to perfection in him. 1JN 2:5

PHILIPPIANS 3:17-4:1

My Soul's Beloved,

The writer of Ecclesiastes was right when he said, 'What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.was right, spoke truth when he said, there is nothing new under the sun.' All that was since the fall continues to be prevalent in the world today and so it will be until You return. The good, the bad, the ugly, the profound, the awe-inspiring, the evil the violence in our world. The satanic, demonic control of much of the culture is not new, neither is the power of God and the Holy Spirit for You O Lord have never and will never abandon those marked and sealed by the Blood of the Lamb and the Spirit.

It is an error to think that the world has somehow sunk to new lows, the devil has no imagination. He uses the same old tried and tested methods, the same old wiles, and traps, and the weak, the ignorant, the careless, the godless, the fool, and the arrogant, continue to become victims of his old games.

There has never been a shortage of holy men and women in the Church who have taught, preached, and were living witnesses to the truths of the Gospel and many were martyred for testifying to the Truth even to the shedding of their blood. Today, we are reminded of them as we read the words of St. Paul, who urges to, 'Take as your models everybody who is already doing this and study them as you used to study us. I have told you often, and I repeat it today with tears, there are many who are behaving as the enemies of the cross of Christ. They are destined to be lost. They make foods into their god and they are proudest of something they ought to think shameful; the things they think important are earthly things.' 

Are we ready to listen? Will this be the day when we turn away from the desires of our flesh? Are we prepared to be counted among the holy ones who witness to the truth of the Gospel or are we too weak to resist the lure of the world, the flesh, and the devil? We were created by God for God but He resists the proud and the haughty. It is only the little ones, those with childlike simplicity and humility who will receive the prize of eternal glory from the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body. He will do that by the same power with which he can subdue the whole universe.
So then, my brothers and dear friends, do not give way but remain faithful in the Lord. I miss you very much, dear friends; you are my joy and my crown.

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 16:1-8

My Soul's Beloved,

It is sad but true that we who call ourselves Catholics, who are members of Your Body, who have received the pearl of great price, who receive a share in the treasure found in the field, are so clueless, so ignorant, so lacking in the desire to know the immeasurable value of what we have received freely. You point out to us today that those in the world are shrewd, alert to the main chance seizing it as soon as the opportunity presents itself. They look out for number one with a fervor that is a sight to behold. They are selfish to the core and are prepared to do anything to ensure that their barns are full and care nothing of who they trample or steal from in the process.  

You told the disciples this parable of the master who praised the dishonest servant not to recommend that we imitate him but to point out to us our lack of insight and foresight about things that are eternal. If only we took our faith seriously if only we searched the Scripture day and night and it was our food and drink, if only we took the faith of our fathers seriously, and we lived our faith no matter what the cost, we would become living icons of the Word and be leaven, light, and salt in the world. Grant us O Lord the wondrous grace of being renewed in faith, hope, and love so we may hasten the coming of Your Kingdom.

‘The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.’