WEDNESDAY OF THE 2ND WEEK OF EASTERTIDE - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son:
everyone who believes in him has eternal life. JN 3:16

ACTS 5:17-26

My Soul's Beloved,

The human tragedy is that we allow ourselves to be governed by brutish men. We allow ourselves to be taken in by empty talk and show. We allow ourselves to be victimised by choosing leaders who are vain, pompous, greedy, who lack conscience, and are for sale to anyone willing to pay the right price. Once they have tasted power, they are addicted to it, set themselves up as gods, and are prepared to crush any opposition that threatens the status quo they have set up for themselves. 

Nothing has changed concerning the high priest, the members of the Sadducees, and the Pharisees in the Sanhedrin. Just as they saw You as a threat to their power and their authority over the people, so too do they now view Peter and the apostles. They are prepared to do anything once again to hold on to their positions, their power, and their influence. They were not prepared to accept that nothing they did could stop the power of the Resurrection and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Thank You, Lord, for Your Church, this divine institution that You instituted under the leadership of Peter, which continues to work uninterrupted despite the ceaseless efforts of Satan and his minions to bring her down. The Sanhedrin is long since gone and forgotten, the Catholic Church lives and will do so until You come for her, Your Bride, at the end of time.

But at night the angel of the Lord opened the prison gates and said as he led them out, ‘Go and stand in the Temple, and tell the people all about this new Life.’ They did as they were told; they went into the Temple at dawn and began to preach.
When the high priest arrived, he and his supporters convened the Sanhedrin – this was the full Senate of Israel – and sent to the gaol for them to be brought. But when the officials arrived at the prison they found they were not inside, so they went back and reported, ‘We found the gaol securely locked and the warders on duty at the gates, but when we unlocked the door we found no one inside.’ When the captain of the Temple and the chief priests heard this news they wondered what this could mean. Then a man arrived with fresh news. ‘At this very moment’ he said, ‘the men you imprisoned are in the Temple. They are standing there preaching to the people.’ The captain went with his men and fetched them. They were afraid to use force in case the people stoned them.

PSALM 33(34):2-9

This poor man called and the Lord heard him.

I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
The humble shall hear and be glad.

Glorify the Lord with me.
Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
from all my terrors he set me free.

Look towards him and be radiant;
let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called, the Lord heard him
and rescued him from all his distress.

The angel of the Lord is encamped
around those who revere him, to rescue them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
He is happy who seeks refuge in him.

This poor man called and the Lord heard him.

JOHN 3:16-21

My Soul's Beloved,

Nicodemus was blessed to hear You speak these words to him. He received this great revelation of God's plan of salvation from the lips of the Son of God, and yet he was not prepared to openly declare himself Your disciple. He came under the cover of night, afraid to lose his place of distinction among his peers in the Sanhedrin. It is easy to point our fingers at him and find him wanting, although in the end he, along with Joseph of Arimethea, came to bury You. They did not have the advantage of seeing the whole picture as we do, yet so many continue to reject You. We refuse to surrender our lives to You, knowing full well what God and the Son of God have done for us through the power of the Holy Spirit. You have spoken to us plainly through the Gospels. We know the Truth that can set us free. Yet we prefer the world and its fleeting attractions because we are broken by sin and weakened by concupiscence. 

Love became incarnate in the womb of the Virgin. Love became visible, taking on flesh and living among us. The invisible God became visible in You and walked among us. You gave us knowledge of heavenly things. You opened our minds to know the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven and how we can get there. You taught us that to rule is to serve. To lose is to gain. To die is to live. Contradictions that the world scoffs at and ridicules to this day. 

Thank You, Father, for sending Your beloved Son Jesus into the world, for without Him and the redemption He won for us through His life, passion, death, and glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven, we would be lost forever. Thank You, Jesus, for Your 'Yes" to the Father, thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to be our Paraclete and our Helper. Thank You, Holy Spirit for making it possible through Your gentle promptings to bring us slowly but sure, one step at a time, through the graces made available to us in the Sacraments to enter finally into the Kingdom of Heaven and remain with God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit forever and ever.

‘God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost
but may have eternal life.
For God sent his Son into the world
not to condemn the world,
but so that through him the world might be saved.
No one who believes in him will be condemned;
but whoever refuses to believe is condemned already,
because he has refused to believe in the name of God’s only Son.
On these grounds is sentence pronounced:
that though the light has come into the world
men have shown they prefer darkness to the light
because their deeds were evil.
And indeed, everybody who does wrong
hates the light and avoids it,
for fear his actions should be exposed;
but the man who lives by the truth comes out into the light,
so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God.’

TUESDAY OF THE 2ND WEEK OF EASTERTIDE - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The Son of Man must be lifted up
so that everyone who believes in him
may have eternal life. JN 3:15

ACTS 4:32-37

My Soul's Beloved,

The lives of the early Christians who lived in community with the Apostles show us that we can live in harmony with one another, without greed, without living selfishly, without hoarding and storing for ourselves with no concern for those in need. We are so afraid that if we share, we will not have enough for ourselves in the future. We lack faith that trusts in Your providence. We lack the faith to believe, even though You assure us that our heavenly Father, who clothes the flowers in the field and feeds the birds in the air, will most surely care for the crown of His creation. If only we did, Beloved, how different the world would be. Looking at us, the world would exclaim with admiration again, 'Look how these Christians love one another.'

Lord, You desire us to empty ourselves just as You did. The Apostles did as well,  they gave up everything for the sake of the Gospel, and You assured them as You assure us, that our reward will be great in this life and even more so in the next. 

The whole group of believers was united, heart and soul; no one claimed for his own use anything that he had, as everything they owned was held in common.
The apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus with great power, and they were all given great respect.
None of their members was ever in want, as all those who owned land or houses would sell them, and bring the money from them, to present it to the apostles; it was then distributed to any members who might be in need.

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.

JOHN 3:7-15

MONDAY OF THE 2ND WEEK OF EASTERTIDE - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ,
you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is,
sitting at God’s right hand. COL 3:1

ACTS 4:23-31

My Soul's Beloved,

We know how to ask, and when we do, we will receive all we ask for and more. You have shown us the Way, and the Apostles walked in it. Martyrs, holy men, and women for 2000 years have witnessed to the power of life in the Holy Spirit and of laying down and surrendering our will and our life in the service of our God and King, O Lord, the Son of God, the Lamb of God, and the Eternal Word of the Father.  Nothing that the enemies of Truth do to us must surprise us, for this is the way of the world and those who reject Truth in its fullness. 

Teach us to pray with boldness and confidence as the Apostles did after the arrest of Peter and John. Persecutions will come, as You have assured us they will. If Your enemies among the Jewish authorities and Pilate and his cohorts under him treated God as they did, we can expect nothing less. Let us rejoice if we are considered worthy of suffering for Your sake and for the sake of the Gospel.  

Beloved, most of us live our lives in fear, and work tirelessly for temporal goods and happiness in material things, in luxury and ease. None of these will get us to heaven. Unless the Kingdom of God is food and drink to us, we cannot be your witnesses. But we are baptised, we have received the Holy Spirit, we are strengthened with the Holy Eucharist, and we have been given all we need to set the world on fire with love of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. Give us new signs and show us new wonders, O Lord, and let the number of the faithful increase so that the fire of your love will sweep across nations and all will fall prostrate in worship before the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Why this arrogance among the nations,
these futile plots among the peoples?
Kings on earth setting out to war,
princes making an alliance,
against the Lord and against his Anointed.
‘This is what has come true: in this very city Herod and Pontius Pilate made an alliance with the pagan nations and the peoples of Israel, against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed, but only to bring about the very thing that you in your strength and your wisdom had predetermined should happen. And now, Lord, take note of their threats and help your servants to proclaim your message with all boldness, by stretching out your hand to heal and to work miracles and marvels through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’ As they prayed, the house where they were assembled rocked; they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to proclaim the word of God boldly.

PSALM 2:1-9

Blessed are they who put their trust in God.

Why this tumult among nations,
among peoples this useless murmuring?
They arise, the kings of the earth,
princes plot against the Lord and his Anointed.
‘Come, let us break their fetters,
come, let us cast off their yoke.’

He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord is laughing them to scorn.
Then he will speak in his anger,
his rage will strike them with terror.
‘It is I who have set up my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.’

I will announce the decree of the Lord:
The Lord said to me: ‘You are my Son.
It is I who have begotten you this day.
Ask and I shall bequeath you the nations,
put the ends of the earth in your possession.
With a rod of iron you will break them,
shatter them like a potter’s jar.’

Blessed are they who put their trust in God.

JOHN 3:1-8

My Soul's Beloved,

Little did Nicodemus know that the whole world would know about him because he dared to come to You by night to speak with You. He knew that You came from God, for no one, as he rightly commented, could perform the signs that You did if God were not with You. But he was weak as we all are and did not have the courage of his convictions like so many through the ages. They count the cost and find it too high, like the rich young man in the Gospel. But to give credit where it is due, he did come with Joseph of Arimathea, another Pharisee, at last to anoint Your Body with spices before Your burial. It is quite possible that both of them became Your most ardent followers and disciples after Your resurrection.

Thank You, Beloved, for the Gift of the Sacrament of Baptism through which we, as members of Your Body, become sons and daughters of God. What a tragedy it is when parents, for whatever reason, withhold this grace from their children. Have mercy, O Lord, and grant that those in our own families may receive the wisdom that comes from the Holy Spirit and baptize their children before it is too late.

‘I tell you most solemnly,
unless a man is born from above,
he cannot see the kingdom of God.’

‘I tell you most solemnly,
unless a man is born through water and the Spirit,
he cannot enter the kingdom of God:
what is born of the flesh is flesh;
what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Do not be surprised when I say:
You must be born from above.
The wind blows wherever it pleases;
you hear its sound,
but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going
That is how it is with all who are born of the Spirit.’

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY, 2ND SUNDAY OF EASTER (2025)

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Jesus said: ‘You believe because you can see me.
Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe. JN 20:29

ACTS 5:12-16

My Soul's Beloved,

Peter is now recognized and acknowledged as the foremost of the Apostles. There is no sign of the cowardly man he once was, but one who is filled with the fire and zeal of the Holy Spirit. He preaches and teaches boldly, unafraid of the enemies of Truth who plotted successfully and killed You. The number of believers grows steadily as Peter's teaching and preaching are accompanied by miracles of healing, but those who wield authority, power, and influence want no part of the marvelous salvific work of God that will sweep the nations even to the ends of the earth.

Lord God, when it comes to counting the cost of living the Gospel publicly, may I not consider anything of greater value than being a witness to the Truth, should it cost me everything, even my life.

The faithful all used to meet by common consent in the Portico of Solomon. No one else ever dared to join them, but the people were loud in their praise and the numbers of men and women who came to believe in the Lord increased steadily. So many signs and wonders were worked among the people at the hands of the apostles that the sick were even taken out into the streets and laid on beds and sleeping-mats in the hope that at least the shadow of Peter might fall across some of them as he went past. People even came crowding in from the towns round about Jerusalem, bringing with them their sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were cured.

PSALM 117(118):2-4,22-27

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end.

Let the sons of Israel say:
‘His love has no end.’
Let the sons of Aaron say:
‘His love has no end.’
Let those who fear the Lord say:
‘His love has no end.’

The stone which the builders rejected
has become the corner stone.
This is the work of the Lord,
a marvel in our eyes.
This day was made by the Lord;
we rejoice and are glad.

O Lord, grant us salvation;
O Lord, grant success.
Blessed in the name of the Lord
is he who comes.
We bless you from the house of the Lord;
the Lord God is our light.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end.

APOCALYPSE 1:9-13,17-19

My Soul's Beloved,

You came into the world clothed in humanity like us in every way but without sin. You walked among us and lived in close communion with Your disciples, yet now, after Your resurrection into heaven, this same Body that You willingly gave over to Your murderers according to Your Father's will is eternal and glorified. As both God and Man, You have glory, honor, and power. You are magnificent, and no mortal can gaze on You in Your present glory and majesty and live. 

John receives several visions, and he shares them with us so we may know, believe, and understand that we cannot live lacklustre, meaningless, unholy lives. We are called to more. We are called to be like You. If we desire to live with You, then we must die with You. If we are to be raised to new life with You, then we must be willing to lay down our lives for Your sake and for the sake of the Gospel.

The Christian life is one of paradox. To lose is to gain. To die is to live. To serve is to reign. Help Me, Lord, to abide in Your Eternal Word now and always.

....it was the Lord’s day and the Spirit possessed me, and I heard a voice behind me, shouting like a trumpet, ‘Write down all that you see in a book.’ I turned round to see who had spoken to me, and when I turned I saw seven golden lamp-stands and, surrounded by them, a figure like a Son of man, dressed in a long robe tied at the waist with a golden girdle.
When I saw him, I fell in a dead faint at his feet, but he touched me with his right hand and said, ‘Do not be afraid; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the Living One, I was dead and now I am to live for ever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of the underworld. Now write down all that you see of present happenings and things that are still to come.’


JOHN 20:19-31

EASTER SATURDAY - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

This day was made by the Lord:
we rejoice and are glad. PS 117:24

ACTS 4:13-21

We live in a perverted world where good is considered evil and evil good. It boggles the mind when in our own world, we see how far the depraved with power to force their own version of good and evil, and are prepared to go to any extent to ram their craven ideology on the majority who desire to have no part in their crazed, demonic, and twisted beliefs. 

The rulers, elders, and scribes now find themselves on the back foot. Having put You to death, Lord, and pretty much expecting that their problems were at an end, they now find that Your disciples are unrecognizable. Filled with the zeal of the Holy Spirit, they preach You fearlessly and perform miracles in Your glorious Name. Threats of imprisonment, flogging, and even death are meaningless; they are all prepared to endure all for Your sake and for the sake of the Gospel.

Grant, O my beloved Jesus, that I too may be fearless in preaching the Good News by the witness of my life. In my own little way, may I be light and salt in the world.

The rulers, elders and scribes were astonished at the assurance shown by Peter and John, considering they were uneducated laymen; and they recognised them as associates of Jesus; but when they saw the man who had been cured standing by their side, they could find no answer. So they ordered them to stand outside while the Sanhedrin had a private discussion. ‘What are we going to do with these men?’ they asked. ‘It is obvious to everybody in Jerusalem that a miracle has been worked through them in public, and we cannot deny it. But to stop the whole thing spreading any further among the people, let us caution them never to speak to anyone in this name again.’

But Peter and John retorted, ‘You must judge whether in God’s eyes it is right to listen to you and not to God. We cannot promise to stop proclaiming what we have seen and heard.’ 

PSALM 117(118):1,14-21

I will thank you, Lord, for you have given answer.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
for his love has no end.
The Lord is my strength and my song;
he was my saviour.
There are shouts of joy and victory
in the tents of the just.

The Lord’s right hand has triumphed;
his right hand raised me up.
I shall not die, I shall live
and recount his deeds.
I was punished, I was punished by the Lord,
but not doomed to die.

Open to me the gates of holiness:
I will enter and give thanks.
This is the Lord’s own gate
where the just may enter.
I will thank you for you have answered
and you are my saviour.

I will thank you, Lord, for you have given answer.

MARK 16:9-15

My Soul's Beloved,

Once our sins, no matter how grave and how numerous, are forgiven, we are washed clean in Your precious Blood, and restored to new life, You keep no record of our past infidelities. You make us a new creation in You we are free, liberated, and we are empowered to go and tell everyone what You have done for us, how You have forgiven us and how everyone who desires to be free from slavery to sin has only to approach You with a contrite and humble heart and a repentant spirit. 

Mary of Magdala was not defined by her past, yes, she was demon-possessed, but once You cast them out, she used her newfound freedom to follow You closely. She became an ardent disciple. She never forgot what You had done for her and how You saved her, and she served You with a glad heart. Her reward for loving much was rewarded. You singled her out from the rest and appeared first to her, and made her the first evangelist. She was entrusted with carrying the Good News of Your resurrection to the rest of the disciples.

They did not believe her, nor did they believe the other two disciples who returned from Emmaus with the Good News that they had seen You. Too often, Beloved, despite every indication that You are always with us and that we can trust You in every situation, we still whine and complain. Forgive me, Lord, when I am anxious and worried, even when I know that You have promised to remain with me always and that everything that occurs in my life will work out for good. Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.

Having risen in the morning on the first day of the week, Jesus appeared first to Mary of Magdala from whom he had cast out seven devils. She then went to those who had been his companions, and who were mourning and in tears, and told them. But they did not believe her when they heard her say that he was alive and that she had seen him.

Lastly, he showed himself to the Eleven themselves while they were at table. He reproached them for their incredulity and obstinacy, because they had refused to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. And he said to them, ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation.’

EASTER MONDAY - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

This day was made by the Lord:

we rejoice and are glad.NPS 117:24

ACTS 2:14,22-33

My Soul's Beloved,

From the time of Abraham until the last prophet, we saw the age of the Father. Then, at a time of His choosing, the Father sent You, His only beloved Son, into the world, and we had the powerful age of the Son fulfilling all the prophecies beginning with the promise to Adam and Eve. The first 30 years of Your life, beginning with the Annunciation and the Incarnation of the Eternal Word in the womb of the Virgin Mother, were silent years hidden in Nazareth. So humble was Your life growing up with Mary and Joseph that the people of that town simply could not equate You with the miracle worker that went around Israel, whom crowds followed in droves and who marvelled at the wondrous signs You performed. Once You made Yourself known for 3 short years after Your Baptism in the Jordan and the first Miracle performed at the Wedding in Cana, You preached about the Kingdom of God. proving beyond the shadow of a doubt that You were who You claimed to be, the Son of God. Anyone with integrity could testify to this truth. Sadly, the enemies of Truth, into whose hands God delivered You, condemned You to a barbaric, gruesome, and ignoble death. This was Your Father's will, and You were obedient even unto death, death on the Cross.

Now, Beloved, lifted high above all creation and everything in heaven on earth and under the earth, You reign in glory and splendour. But before You come again in glory to claim all under Your Lordship, You have sent us the Holy Spirit. We are now living in this glorious age where we see how, with the power of the Holy Spirit, lives are being transformed as Peter's was and the rest of the Apostles'. From frightened, cowardly men, they burned with zeal for You and preached the Good News with fire, unafraid of intimidation, persecution, scorn, imprisonment, flogging, torture, and death.

Thank You, Lord, for pouring this same Spirit into our hearts. Grant that we may allow the Holy Spirit free rein in our lives so we too may be fearless in living our faith, no matter the cost. 

‘Brothers, no one can deny that the patriarch David himself is dead and buried: his tomb is still with us. But since he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn him an oath to make one of his descendants succeed him on the throne, what he foresaw and spoke about was the resurrection of the Christ: he is the one who was not abandoned to Hades, and whose body did not experience corruption. God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to that. Now raised to the heights by God’s right hand, he has received from the Father the Holy Spirit, who was promised, and what you see and hear is the outpouring of that Spirit.’

PSALM 15(16):1-2,5,7-11

Preserve me, Lord, I take refuge in you.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

  I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.

O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;

  it is you yourself who are my prize.’

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,

  who even at night directs my heart.

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, Lord, I take refuge in you.

MATTHEW 28:8-15

My Soul's Beloved,

You came to the faithful women first, and they were privileged to see You, worship You, and become the first witnesses to the Resurrection. Filled with joy, they ran in haste to bring the Good News to the disciples that the tomb was empty and to convey the message they received from Your lips, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee; they will see me there.’ Fear is our natural human response to things that trouble us and make us anxious, and You assure us as often as we need assurance, 'Do not be afraid.'

Lord, when we see You and are touched by You, we desire nothing more than to cling to You and never let You go. But this is not the mission given to us. The encounter is granted to us as consolation only to encourage us and strengthen us for our true mission, which is to evangelise the world, beginning from where we are, in our home, our neighborhood, and our community. 

Help us, Lord, to be faithful in little things, and if we are, You will continue to increase the field in which we labor for Your glory. Grant us the graces necessary to keep us little, humble, childlike, obedient, so we will always respond joyfully and promptly to all You ask of us. 

Filled with awe and great joy the women came quickly away from the tomb and ran to tell the disciples.

And there, coming to meet them, was Jesus. ‘Greetings’ he said. And the women came up to him and, falling down before him, clasped his feet. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee; they will see me there.’

EASTER SUNDAY - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Christ, our passover, has been sacrificed:
let us celebrate the feast then, in the Lord. 1 COR 5:7-8

ACTS 10:34,37-43

My Soul's Beloved,

I, like Peter and every baptized Catholic, have received the Holy Spirit and power, and I must use that power to make You known and loved. I must witness to the Good News and how it has transformed my life. Amid troubles, You give peace. In sorrow, joy. In anxiety, calm. You, O Lord, by the power of Your glorious Resurrection and Ascension into heaven, remind us of our own destiny. If we die with You we shall live with You. If we live with You we will also reign with You.

Peter, who denied You not once but three times, now filled with the Holy Spirit, boldly testifies to the Good News of salvation. No longer afraid but filled with zeal and fire, he testifies all that he experienced and witnessed as Your disciple. In Your Resurrection, Lord, is our hope, and our hope will not be in vain. For You are someday the redeemed will be.

Peter addressed Cornelius and his household: ‘Now I, and those with me, can witness to everything he did throughout the countryside of Judaea and in Jerusalem itself: and also to the fact that they killed him by hanging him on a tree, yet three days afterwards God raised him to life and allowed him to be seen, not by the whole people but only by certain witnesses God had chosen beforehand. Now we are those witnesses – we have eaten and drunk with him after his resurrection from the dead – and he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people and to tell them that God has appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name.’

PSALM 117(118):1-2,16-17,22-23

This day was made by the Lord: we rejoice and are glad.

Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
for his love has no end.
Let the sons of Israel say:
‘His love has no end.’

The Lord’s right hand has triumphed;
his right hand raised me up.
I shall not die, I shall live
and recount his deeds.

The stone which the builders rejected
has become the corner stone.
This is the work of the Lord,
a marvel in our eyes.

This day was made by the Lord: we rejoice and are glad.

COLOSSIANS 3:1-4

My Soul's Beloved,

Thank You, for the new life I have in You. Thank You, for the Church. Thank You, for the Sacraments that assist me in my pilgrim journey from this life to the next. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, thank You for calling me by name and for assuring me that You have gone ahead to prepare a place for me, so where You are, I too may be eternally.

Thank You, for the hope I have in You, Lord. It enables me to walk with faith through this valley of tears with my gaze fixed on You. The lives of saints who have made the journey before me are witnesses that if we keep our gaze not on the world and wordly things but on heavenly things and strive with the help of the rich graces available to us in the Sacraments, we will at the end of our lives, be with You forever. A life hidden in You, Lord, is a life that is richly blessed. Keep me hidden in Your Sacred Heart and grant that I may be Yours forever.

Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. But when Christ is revealed – and he is your life – you too will be revealed in all your glory with him.

JOHN 20:1-9

 

My Soul's Beloved,

You spoke to Your disciples often about Your passion, death, and resurrection, yet when Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb and found the stone moved away from the entrance, instead of immediately recalling Your promise that You would rise on the third day, she thought someone had taken Your Body away. Distraught, she runs to Simon Peter and John to tell them what she had discovered. They, too, instead of remembering that You said You would rise on the third day, also come running to the tomb to discover that all Mary had said was true. 

John reaches the tomb first but waits for Peter to enter before him, and see for themselves the linen cloths lying on the ground, whereas the cloth used to cover Your Head was neatly folded and kept by itself. John says that when he saw this, he believed. Recalling what Scripture said that You would rise from the dead, he finally understood what it meant. Death could not hold You, triumphing over death, You won the victory of sin, death, and hell, and all who believe are saved.

It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb’ she said ‘and we don’t know where they have put him.’

So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had failed to understand the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Hail to you, our King!
You alone have had compassion on our sins.

ISAIAH 50:4-9

My Soul's Beloved,

You placed Yourself wholly under Your Father's will. To do His will was food and drink to You. The cost was great, Beloved. You had to give Yourself into the hands of the world. You came to Your own, and Your own rejected You so completely, so horrifically, they tortured You, treated You like a slave, abused You, accused You falsely and did all in their power to ensure that You died by crucifixion, the most excruciating form of death. Yet, if like the disciples who believed, the rest of the Jews recognized who You were and believed how differently and happily the outcome of Your sojourn into the world would be. 

But it was not to be Lord, for the powerful in the world are too attached to their love of money, power, status, and recognition to give it up. These worldly goods are addictive, and the craving for more is a bottomless pit that can never be satisfied. The Pharisees, the Chief Priests, and those with authority in the Sanhedrin loved their creature comforts and their narrow vision of the Law and the Prophets too much to recognize that salvation had come to Israel. Their long-awaited Messiah was truly among them, and they were prepared to spill innocent blood rather than acknowledge that 'Something greater than Jonah is here.'

Thank You, Lord, for teaching us that God always has the last word. The Resurrection from the dead is the answer to all life's ills. If we live with You and die with You, we will reign with You.

For my part, I made no resistance,
neither did I turn away.
I offered my back to those who struck me,
my cheeks to those who tore at my beard;
I did not cover my face
against insult and spittle.

The Lord comes to my help,
so that I am untouched by the insults.
So, too, I set my face like flint;
I know I shall not be shamed.

My vindicator is here at hand. Does anyone start proceedings against me?
Then let us go to court together.
Who thinks he has a case against me?
Let him approach me.
The Lord is coming to my help,
who will dare to condemn me?

PSALM 68(69):8-10,21-22,31,33-34

In your great love, O Lord, answer my prayers for your favour.

It is for you that I suffer taunts,
that shame covers my face,
that I have become a stranger to my brothers,
an alien to my own mother’s sons.
I burn with zeal for your house
and taunts against you fall on me.

Taunts have broken my heart;

I have reached the end of my strength.
I looked in vain for compassion,
for consolers; not one could I find.
For food they gave me poison;
in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

I will praise God’s name with a song;

I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
The poor when they see it will be glad
and God-seeking hearts will revive;
for the Lord listens to the needy
and does not spurn his servants in their chains.

In your great love, O Lord, answer my prayers for your favour.

MATTHEW 26:14-25

My Soul's Beloved,

There are Judas' in the Church, and among the hierarchy constantly looking for opportunities to betray You for thirty pieces of silver or less. They are prepared to sell their honor and soul for paltry gain and eternal damnation for earthly gain. Temptations abound in every life. Lord, how we overcome them with the help of grace or not determines whether or not we will be seated at Your right or Your left in Your Kingdom.

After agreeing to betray You, Judas had the temerity to present himself at the Passover Meal. Fully intending to hand You over to Your enemies, he brazenly ate and drank with You and the rest of the Apostles.  He ate the Holy Eucharist, he permitted You to wash his feet all the while plotting in his black, evil heart to hand You over to Your murderers. 

When You spoke of what You knew would occur and openly revealed that one of the Twelve would betray You, all except Judas was distressed and each in turn asked, 'No I, Lord, surely?' You replied, ‘Someone who has dipped his hand into the dish with me, will betray me. The Son of Man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will, but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born!’ So many consecrated bishops and priests celebrate Holy Mass, touch Your Sacred Body, and eat and drink Your Flesh and Blood, even while knowingly aware and guilty of grave, mortal sins! They know what they are doing, for the Word of God is clear, '1 Corinthians 11:29 For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgement against themselves.'

How many of us Catholics approach the Eucharist when we are aware that we are unworthy to receive You, Lord, and yet we do so for fear of what people may say or because we do not fully comprehend the gravity of our sins.

The absolute brazenness of Judas must be admired. He dared to look You in the face and say, ‘Not I, Rabbi, surely?’ You confirmed his guilt, saying, ‘They are your own words.’ 

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, for the sake of Your sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Hail to you, our King!
You alone have had compassion on our sins.

ISAIAH 42:1-7

Abba Father,

Thank You for Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for sending Him into the world to become one like us. He is the Son of God, He is God from God, light from light, true God from true God. Begotten not made, consubstantial with You, the Father and through Him, Your Eternal Word who is the same yesterday today and forever, all things came to be and without the Word there is not one single thing that exists. We are because You spoke this Divine Word. You called us out of nothingness into Your Light; we are redeemed by the Power of His Blood and His redeeming Sacrifice.

Father in heaven, You sent Your only Son into the world as one of us, incarnate of the Virgin Mother, like us in all things save sin. He, Your beloved Son, You sent as a servant and a slave. His sublime humility, love, and perfect obedience gladly subjected Himself to Your holy will, becoming the Lamb of God, the sacrificial lamb without spot, stain, or blemish to be offered to You, Holy and Living God, as a holocaust for the sins of the whole world and the salvation of souls.

He came into the world, and the world knew Him not. He was rejected, despised, treated with disdain, mocked, belittled, spat upon, and treated as one without dignity. O Lord, my God, I demand that my worth be recognized. I desire to be respected and treated right and get angry and upset when I am not. But Jesus, the Son of the Living God, was humble, and obedient unto death even death on the Cross.

The world in ignorance and its love for sin and darkness did not rest then until they killed Him, and this same world continues in every age, nation, culture, and language to annihilate His Name and His saving work. Grant, O Father, that the Church He established grow in faith, strength, and numbers and empowered by His Name and the Holy Spirit set out as He commanded us to make disciples in every nation. Let us work tirelessly to sow the seed of the Gospel so that many, if not all, may be saved and come to the knowledge of Truth.

Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom my soul delights.
I have endowed him with my spirit
that he may bring true justice to the nations.

Thus says God, the Lord,
he who created the heavens and spread them out,
who gave shape to the earth and what comes from it,
who gave breath to its people
and life to the creatures that move in it:
‘I, the Lord, have called you to serve the cause of right;
I have taken you by the hand and formed you;
I have appointed you as covenant of the people and light of the nations,
‘to open the eyes of the blind,
to free captives from prison,
and those who live in darkness from the dungeon.’

PSALM 26(27):1-3,13-14

The Lord is my light and my help.

The Lord is my light and my help;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
before whom shall I shrink?

When evil-doers draw near

to devour my flesh,
it is they, my enemies and foes,
who stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp against me

my heart would not fear.
Though war break out against me
even then would I trust.

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness

in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord!

The Lord is my light and my help.

JOHN 12:1-11

My Soul's Beloved,

I desire to be like Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. I want to be the friend You visit often and are comfortable staying with because You know that You will always receive a warm and loving welcome. You loved them, and they, in turn, loved You very much. They were always overjoyed to welcome You to their home. You singled them out to rest from Your weary days of travelling on foot, bringing the message of the Gospel to as many before Your hour arrived. 

You had raised Lazarus to life four days after he had died, and there was no mistaking to anyone who witnessed this great sign of Your divine power and that You were who You said You were. But enemies of the Truth who are in cohort with Satan desired not only to murder You but Lazarus as well. This was known not only to You but to those close to You. Seated around the table with Lazarus, Your disciples with Martha lovingly waiting on You and Your friends, Mary anointed Your feet with very costly ointment. She poured it all generously over Your feet and lovingly wiped them with her hair. 

The Betrayer was irked by this outrageously extravagant gesture. He who knew the exact price of the precious ointment piously intoned: ‘Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor?’ Much did he care for the poor, the hypocrite. John the evangelist explains why this black hearted and treacherous villain complained. Then Judas Iscariot – one of his disciples, the man who was to betray him – said, He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he was in charge of the common fund and used to help himself to the contributions. Gently chiding Judas and knowing the part he would choose to play in contributing to Your ignominious and excruciating death, You said: ‘Leave her alone; she had to keep this scent for the day of my burial. You have the poor with you always; you will not always have me.’ It is good for us all to remember that our first and foremost obligation is to love and serve You with our whole being; everything else will fall into place when we do.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, our Savior and Redeemer, for the sake of Your sorrowful passion have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Meanwhile a large number of Jews heard that he was there and came not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. Then the chief priests decided to kill Lazarus as well, since it was on his account that many of the Jews were leaving them and believing in Jesus.

PALM SUNDAY - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Christ was humbler yet,
even to accepting death, death on a cross.
But God raised him high
and gave him the name which is above all names. PHIL 2:8-9

ISAIAH 50:4-7

My Soul's Beloved,

We keep our gaze on You. We learn from You. We model our lives on Yours. And you have given us Your Mother who will help us to strive, little by little, day by day, to become a little like You daily. The most important virtue of all is humility. You are God, the Beloved Son of the Living God. You are the Eternal Word of the Father, and You humbled Yourself, leaving Your glory behind, taking flesh from Your Virgin Mother Mary, You became Man. Why? To show us that the Way to the Kingdom of God is impossible without this foundational virtue. Without it we will lack all the other virtues.

Beloved, You have given us gifts and talents that we are to use to help our fellow pilgrims along this journey to heaven. We are to carry each other along and provide strength and comfort when they are weary, and they will do the same for us. We are Your Body, we are one people, we are Yours. One with You, we receive all the help, grace, and strength we need to persevere to the end. 

Troubles will come, Lord; no one is promised the fullness of joy on earth; we enjoy only moments of it. Most of life is a struggle, and all the pain, suffering, and tears are necessary to fit us for the Kingdom of God. We need to fix our gaze on You raised high on the Cross and receive from You the grace and mercy that pour out of Your wounds to heal, cleanse, purify, and strengthen us. Help us never to run away from suffering but embrace it, knowing that we will never experience the depths of humiliation, suffering, derision, and excruciating pain that You underwent to redeem us. We are confident that You will help us carry our own crosses, for You assure us that if we take Your yoke and learn from You, we will find that the yoke is easy and the burden light. 

The Lord has given me
a disciple’s tongue.
So that I may know how to reply to the wearied
he provides me with speech.
Each morning he wakes me to hear,
to listen like a disciple.
The Lord has opened my ear.
For my part, I made no resistance,
neither did I turn away.
I offered my back to those who struck me,
my cheeks to those who tore at my beard;
I did not cover my face
against insult and spittle.
The Lord comes to my help,
so that I am untouched by the insults.
So, too, I set my face like flint;
I know I shall not be shamed.

PSALM 21(22):8-9,17-20,23-24

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

All who see me deride me.
They curl their lips, they toss their heads.
‘He trusted in the Lord, let him save him;
let him release him if this is his friend.’

Many dogs have surrounded me,

a band of the wicked beset me.
They tear holes in my hands and my feet
I can count every one of my bones.

They divide my clothing among them.

They cast lots for my robe.
O Lord, do not leave me alone,
my strength, make haste to help me!

I will tell of your name to my brethren

and praise you where they are assembled.
‘You who fear the Lord give him praise;
all sons of Jacob, give him glory.
Revere him, Israel’s sons.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

PHILIPPIANS 2:6-11

My Soul's Beloved,

Your love for the Father and the Father for You is perfect and infinite. This Love, in Holy Spirit, binds You to the Father and the Father to You, making You One in Three and Three in One with the Father and the Holy Spirit. You are equal to the Father, yet in Your perfect love for Him, You place Yourself in humility wholly under His command. 

God's love for You and for us, His wayward children, cannot be comprehended by finite beings like ourselves. We are sinners. We are wounded. We are broken. We are fools. We run away from the source of all life and joy to chase the ephemeral pleasures of the world and the flesh. But the Father refused to give up on us. He would have been justified in doing so when our first parents sinned; instead, 'God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.' And You, my Beloved, accepted the will of the Father and, emptying Yourself, assumed our human nature and the condition of a slave. You humbled Yourself as no human being has ever been humbled. You were crushed in the wine-press of suffering, entering our death so we could receive new life in and through You.

Having done so, having given up Your will to embrace His, God has raised You high and given You the name that is above all names. So that at Your Name, Jesus, my Beloved Lord and Savior, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess to the glory of the Father that You indeed are Lord. Lord of my life, Lord of my dreams, Lord of my hopes, Lord of my past, my present, and my future. I believe in You, I hope in You, and I trust You.

His state was divine,
yet Christ Jesus did not cling
to his equality with God
but emptied himself
to assume the condition of a slave
and became as men are;
and being as all men are,
he was humbler yet,
even to accepting death,
death on a cross.
But God raised him high
and gave him the name
which is above all other names
so that all beings
in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld,
should bend the knee at the name of Jesus
and that every tongue should acclaim
Jesus Christ as Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

LUKE 22:14-23:56

The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke

SATURDAY OF THE 5TH WEEK OF LENT - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son:
everyone who believes in him has eternal life. JN 3:16

EZEKIEL 37:21-28

My Soul's Beloved,

Every line of this glorious prophecy is fulfilled in You. Why is the world so blind? Why are we, who are the members of Your Body, not shouting from the rooftops that You are David, the Heir, the Servant, the One God sent into the world to bring all nations under Your Lordship? As one Body, we are called to worship the true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who is who was and ever will be eternally. Why are we so obtuse when everything needful for our happiness is revealed to us? Nothing is hidden; all that God has said He will do He has accomplished in You. 

In the Church You established, we have forgiveness of sins, we are baptized and cleansed of original sin, we are made members of the family of God, and we belong to the household of God. Grace is poured upon us through the Sacraments You instituted so we are strengthened and can fight against temptations, the wiles of the world, the flesh and the devil, and with  Your help, triumph. You became the willing Victim for the sins of the world. You took on Yourself the punishment, and death was our,s and You paid the price for our iniquity so we can share in Your victory over sin and death.

You, O my Bleoved, are the Covenant of Love and Peace that the Father makes with us. Your sanctuary is in our hearts, and to anyone who wants to be united with You can receive You in the Holy Eucharist, and anyone who wants to visit You can enter any Catholic Church where we will see You, O Lord, with the eyes of faith hidden humbly behind the Sacred Host. Thank You, Beloved, for making Your home with us just as the prophet prophesied. 

The Lord says this: ‘I shall rescue them from all the betrayals they have been guilty of; I shall cleanse them; they shall be my people and I will be their God. My servant David will reign over them, one shepherd for all; they will follow my observances, respect my laws and practise them. They will live in the land that I gave my servant Jacob, the land in which your ancestors lived. They will live in it, they, their children, their children’s children, for ever. David my servant is to be their prince for ever. I shall make a covenant of peace with them, an eternal covenant with them. I shall resettle them and increase them; I shall settle my sanctuary among them for ever. I shall make my home above them; I will be their God, they shall be my people. And the nations will learn that I am the Lord, the sanctifier of Israel, when my sanctuary is with them for ever.’

JEREMIAH - PSALM  31:10-13

The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

O nations, hear the word of the Lord,
proclaim it to the far-off coasts.
Say: ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him
and guard him as a shepherd guards his flock.’

For the Lord has ransomed Jacob,

has saved him from an overpowering hand.
They will come and shout for joy on Mount Zion,
they will stream to the blessings of the Lord.

Then the young girls will rejoice and dance,

the men, young and old, will be glad.
I will turn their mourning into joy,
I will console them, give gladness for grief.

The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

JOHN 11:45-56

My Soul's Beloved,

It is mind-boggling that even though You raised Lazarus four days after he died and this was witnessed by many, the Caiaphas, the Chief Priests, and Pharisees were determined more than ever to destroy You. They know that God alone has the power to give life or take it, yet the Sanhedrin's lust for power overshadows the wondrous Good News that God has visited His people. 

Beloved, people are afraid to believe in the Gospel because they think the cost of discipleship is too high. They love their sins of the flesh; they are drunk on the power they wield and the heady influence and adulation of the masses. They are prepared to commit the most heinous acts to keep a tight rein on the status quo. They are willing to damn their souls eternally for temporary gain. In our own culture, we see the so-called elites, pseudo-intellectuals, those with fame, obscene amounts of wealth, those with great power to do as they will who scoff at Christianity and the Good News that God sent His beloved Son into the world to lay down His life for us and all who believe in You will be saved. It is frightening, my Lord, to see these people scoff and make a mockery of revealed divine Truth. Convinced that just because they have the temerity to laugh in scorn at undeniable Truth, they are right.

Caiaphas who was the high priest, prophesied that it was better for one man to die than for the entire nation to be destroyed. He was sublimely unaware that for once in his sorry existence, he spoke the truth. The Romans did destroy the Jews and the Temple so efficiently and barbarously that just as You prophesied, Beloved, not one stone would remain over the other.

You came to die so we may live. Let us not be afraid to proclaim this Good News boldly so all can believe and be saved. 

One of them, Caiaphas, the high priest that year, said, ‘You do not seem to have grasped the situation at all; you fail to see that it is better for one man to die for the people, than for the whole nation to be destroyed.’ He did not speak in his own person, it was as high priest that he made this prophecy that Jesus was to die for the nation – and not for the nation only, but to gather together in unity the scattered children of God. From that day they were determined to kill him. So Jesus no longer went about openly among the Jews, but left the district for a town called Ephraim, in the country bordering on the desert, and stayed there with his disciples.

The Jewish Passover drew near, and many of the country people who had gone up to Jerusalem to purify themselves looked out for Jesus, saying to one another as they stood about in the Temple, ‘What do you think? Will he come to the festival or not?’

FRIDAY OF THE 5TH WEEK OF LENT - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life;
you have the message of eternal life. JN 6:63, 68

JEREMIAH 20:10-13

My Soul's Beloved,

If we seek You with all our hearts, we will find You, for You are inescapable to the heart that truly hungers and thirsts for You. It is You who longs for us more than we desire You. You are foreshadowed and prefigured in the lives of all the great patriarchs and prophets, and those who have not found You yet, despite searching for You, have not done so because they are not looking with honesty, simplicity, and a childlike spirit. 

The life of the prophet Jeremiah was one of misery, treachery, fear, and persecution. He was hated, hounded, and treated miserably because the people did not desire to hear the truth about their sins and the consequences they would have to suffer because of their hard and rebellious hearts. So it was, Beloved, when You came to Your own, and Your own rejected You. 

Evil will not rest until it destroys all that is true, good, and beautiful. We have only to look at many nations in the world that were once Christian but are now feverishly destroying their Christian foundations. Sin abounds in the world, but we have Your assurance that where sin abounds, grace abounds even more, so we continue to pray, hope, and trust, for we know, my Lord, that You have won the victory.  

But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero;
my opponents will stumble, mastered,
confounded by their failure;
everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.
But you, O Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice,
who scrutinise the loins and heart,
let me see the vengeance you will take on them,
for I have committed my cause to you.
Sing to the Lord,
praise the Lord,
for he has delivered the soul of the needy
from the hands of evil men.

PSALM 17(18):2-7

In my anguish I called to the Lord, and he heard my voice.

I love you, Lord, my strength,
my rock, my fortress, my saviour.
My God is the rock where I take refuge;
my shield, my mighty help, my stronghold.
The Lord is worthy of all praise,
when I call I am saved from my foes.

The waves of death rose about me;

the torrents of destruction assailed me;
the snares of the grave entangled me;
the traps of death confronted me.

In my anguish I called to the Lord;

I cried to God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came to his ears.

In my anguish, I called to the Lord, and he heard my voice.

JOHN 10:31-42

My Soul's Beloved,

All the mighty deeds, all the good works You performed, all the signs that You gave to the crowds would not be possible were You not who You claimed to be - God and the Son of God. But the Jews rejected You and hated You with murderous rage because You were unafraid to call them out publicly as hypocrites and far from God whom they claimed to worship.

Lord, You are the King of Martyrs, and the world continues to witness the treachery of people, institutions, governments, and law enforcers who are corrupt to the core. They steal, pillage, and murder the poor, the voiceless, and the marginalized. They steal the little they have from right under them. Stripped not only of the little they possess, but even their dignity is taken from them, and they are cast aside like rubbish.  This is why Catholic institutions that work in these poor, remote, forgotten rural areas, bringing hope and purpose in the lives of these precious souls, are hated viciously by those in power. They are hounded, imprisoned, persecuted, tortured, and even killed. But they keep their gaze on You, O Lord. You will vindicate them.

Grant us the grace to walk in Your footsteps. To pick up our daily cross without complaining. To be a people of hope in the face of the Enemy and hold fast to the Truth that sets us free no matter what it may cost us. Our home is in heaven; let us not waste any time as we work to hasten the coming of Your Kingdom while we are yet pilgrims on earth.

The Jews fetched stones to stone him, so Jesus said to them, ‘I have done many good works for you to see, works from my Father; for which of these are you stoning me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘We are not stoning you for doing a good work but for blasphemy: you are only a man and you claim to be God.’ 

“If I am not doing my Father’s work,
there is no need to believe me;
but if I am doing it,
then even if you refuse to believe in me,
at least believe in the work I do;
then you will know for sure
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’
They wanted to arrest him then, but he eluded them.
He went back again to the far side of the Jordan to stay in the district where John had once been baptising. Many people who came to him there said, ‘John gave no signs, but all he said about this man was true’; and many of them believed in him.