THURSDAY OF WEEK 23 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

As long as we love one another
God will live in us
and his love will be complete in us. 1JN 4:12

COLOSSIANS 3:12-17

My Soul's Beloved,

It is so reassuring to know my Lord that what I read in Your Word as Your personal message to me is always reconfirmed in the Liturgy of the Holy Mass of the day. Your love for me is not just a universal love; I am not just part of the whole, but Your love for me is personal. You see me, You see only me as if there were no one else in the whole wide world but me alone. True love is always reciprocal, and it is always self-sacrificial when worthy of the name. 

Today, St. Paul, who was graced to penetrate and know things no eye has seen or no ear has heard, shares with us not only for our edification but also to our supreme joy who we are as believers. As members of Your Body, Lord, called to be children of God, grafted to You, and heirs to the Kingdom, we are a chosen race. We are saints called to be holy and perfect as our Father is holy and perfect. We share in the divine life because the Holy Spirit abides in us. 

Now that we know who we are, Lord, we are to be bearers of Your Light and Life in a world that is lost to sin, to corruption, and death. We are called to be Your witnesses by our lives, so when they see us, they will say as they did of the early Church, 'See how they love one another.'  You have forgiven the unforgivable in us, and we are called to do the same for one another. We are loved much; we are to endeavour to love much in return. We must nourish our hearts and souls on Your Word, and as the Word of Life makes its home in us, we will be able to share that Word in all its richness so others, too, may believe and live.

The world is desperately in need of authentic Catholics, not cafeteria ones; the world and our pews are full of these and are anathema to You. We are called to live our faith and the Gospel boldly, courageously, in season and out of season, no matter what the cost, only then, O Lord, can we turn the world upside down and win souls for the Kingdom of Heaven.

You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful.
Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

PSALM 150

Let everything that lives and that breathes give praise to the Lord.

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

Let everything that lives and that breathes give praise to the Lord.

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.

Let everything that lives and that breathes give praise to the Lord.

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

Let everything that lives and that breathes give praise to the Lord.

LUKE 6:27-38

My Soul's Beloved,

We have been loved radically; we are invited to love radically in turn. The world has always had false teachers who propagate ideas and religions that tickle the ears. People who are unwilling to embrace the Cross and the Way of Suffering, which is the only Way to the Kingdom of Heaven, are giddily pursuing the next new thing that will distract them. Nothing satisfies their soul, and the vacuum and hell within it leave them hungry and unsatisfied. They grope in the dark, looking for a foothold, for a hand that will reach out and pull them out of this miasma that is killing the life in them, and yet they refuse to accept the Good News that will save them. They are addicted to the sins of the flesh and are afraid of the demands of living a Christlike life built on divine love.

The world will not believe unless we who do are prepared to be alter Christus. Only when we actively live the Gospel principles, the Beatitudes, choosing the narrow way and always putting the good of the other before our own, can we draw others to You. You have not only told us the way, and pointed it out to us, but You have also walked it. You do not ask of us anything that You have not done first Yourself. 

Teach us to give and not to count the cost. A life lived for others is a life worth living, a life well-lived. A life that will be a leaven to the world with Your help and grace.

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I say this to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. To the man who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek too; to the man who takes your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your property back from the man who robs you. Treat others as you would like them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks can you expect? For even sinners do that much. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back the same amount. Instead, love your enemies and do good, and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’