THURSDAY OF WEEK 30 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Blessings on the King who comes,
in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest heavens! LK 9:38,2:14

ROMANS 8:31-39

My Soul's Beloved, 

Thank You for the words of the Holy Spirit speaking in this beautiful letter that St. Paul wrote to the Romans and to all who are Yours, called by Your Name, redeemed by You, and sanctified by the life of the Spirit dwelling in us. God is our Father, and He desires that all His little ones be saved. This is why He sent You into the world, not to condemn us in our sins, but to pay the ransom for our salvation. Your life in exchange for ours. You poured out not only in obedience to the Father and in abject humility but also because You love us with a love that is beyond our human capacity to fathom. We are pledged to You as Your Bride, and as our Bridegroom and Spouse, You poured Yourself out for us and continue to do so.  

We have received a share in Your glorious life in the Resurrection, and we have Your pledge of eternal glory with You. What does it matter, Lord, if we are to suffer in this life? Suffering is our badge of honor when we unite it to Your Passion, and when we embrace all sorrow in the right spirit and with the right attitude, we can be certain that we will share Your crown of glory in heaven.

In all things, in every situation, no matter how hard life gets, Lord, we know that You have the power to draw good from it all; we just need to trust You completely. In this knowledge is our confidence and the source of our peace. We are Yours in life and in death, in time and in eternity.

With God on our side, who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those whom God has chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us – he rose from the dead, and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us.
Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. As scripture promised: For your sake we are being massacred daily, and reckoned as sheep for the slaughter. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us.
For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.

PSALM 108(109):21-22,26-27,30-31

Save me, O Lord, because of your love.

For your name’s sake act in my defence;
in the goodness of your love be my rescuer.
For I am poor and needy
and my heart is pierced within me.

Help me, Lord my God;
save me because of your love.
Let them know that is your work,
That this is your doing, O Lord.

Loud thanks to the Lord are on my lips.
I will praise him in the midst of the throng,
for he stands at the poor man’s side
to save him from those who condemn him.

Save me, O Lord, because of your love.

LUKE 13:31-35

MONDAY OF WEEK 30 IN ORDINARY TIME, 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Your word is truth, O Lord:
consecrate us in the truth. JN 17:17

ROMANS 8:12-17

My Soul's Beloved, 

Once again, I am reminded through the words of St. Paul that I am created for life, not for death. I am a child of God and heir to the Kingdom of heaven in and through the Sacrifice of the Lamb. Beloved, I have been created for glory, but I must desire it. I must live in such a way that I receive the reward that is mine through the victory of the Cross. Lord, I can lose my inheritance through sin. Grave sin will rob me of a share in Your crown of salvation.

Beloved, You have done it all for me; all I need to do is to embrace Your will in all things. To obey the commandments of love of God and neighbor. To live a life in the Spirit of God and allow Your Spirit to guide my footsteps. Grant me this grace, my Lord and my God, to yield in childlike surrender to the goodness of God and trust in Your Spirit to direct my will and my way in all things. Give me a hatred for sin, and should I fail, Lord, grant me the grace to hasten to You, throw myself at Your feet, beg for forgiveness and mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and be regrafted to You again. Give me a great desire to please You always and remain close to You and to Your Mama. Thank You, Lord.

My brothers, there is no necessity for us to obey our unspiritual selves or to live unspiritual lives. If you do live in that way, you are doomed to die; but if by the Spirit you put an end to the misdeeds of the body you will live.
Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we are children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and coheirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.

PSALM 67(68):2,4,6-7,20-21

This God of ours is a God who saves.

Let God arise, let his foes be scattered.
Let those who hate him flee before him.
But the just shall rejoice at the presence of God,
they shall exult and dance for joy.

Father of the orphan, defender of the widow,

such is God in his holy place.
God gives the lonely a home to live in;
he leads the prisoners forth into freedom.

May the Lord be blessed day after day.
He bears our burdens, God our saviour.
This God of ours is a God who saves.
The Lord our God holds the keys of death.

This God of ours is a God who saves.

LUKE 13:10-17

My Soul's Beloved, 

This woman, who was bent double, unable to stand upright for years, and whose life was burdensome due to being possessed by a spirit that rendered her weak and powerless, reminds us all of what habitual sin can do not just to our soul and our spirit but to our body as well. This poor woman was rendered weak and helpless for eighteen long years and had learned to live with her malady. But she did come to the synagogue that sabbath day, and the Word of God made flesh was present, and You saw her and Your heart was moved to pity and tender compassion. You did not judge her, nor did you condemn her. You did not take into account the rules that governed the Sabbath; all You saw was someone who suffered. You called her to come to You, commanded that she be rid of her infirmity, and her back straightened. She was set free, made her whole again, and she glorified God.

This is what happens to us in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. You call us to Yourself. We respond by coming to You in humility. You command us to be rid of our infirmities, and we are made whole again. Filled with joy at our freedom from the shackles of sin, we praise and glorify You.

Beloved, there will always be hypocrites who taunt us and would have us believe that our sins are too great for God's mercy. The synagogue official wanted to discourage You from healing on the Sabbath, but instead of addressing their complaint to You, they upbraided the people, saying,  ‘There are six days when work is to be done. Come and be healed on one of those days and not on the sabbath.’ You would have none of it. Taking him on head-on, You spoke Your mind unafraid of antagonizing him. What they would do for an animal on the sabbath without violating the law, they were unprepared to do for a person with infinite value in the sight of both God and man. The sinner rejoices, Beloved, because we can approach You always with great expectation, knowing that You will never reject us but welcome us and make us whole again.

One sabbath day Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who for eighteen years had been possessed by a spirit that left her enfeebled; she was bent double and quite unable to stand upright. When Jesus saw her he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are rid of your infirmity’ and he laid his hands on her. And at once she straightened up, and she glorified God.
But the synagogue official was indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, and he addressed the people present. ‘There are six days’ he said ‘when work is to be done. Come and be healed on one of those days and not on the sabbath.’ But the Lord answered him. ‘Hypocrites!’ he said ‘Is there one of you who does not untie his ox or his donkey from the manger on the sabbath and take it out for watering? And this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan has held bound these eighteen years – was it not right to untie her bonds on the sabbath day?’ When he said this, all his adversaries were covered with confusion, and all the people were overjoyed at all the wonders he worked.

FRIDAY OF WEEK 29 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Blessed are you, Father,
Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children. MT 11:25

ROMANS 7:18-25

My Soul's Beloved,

How well St. Paul phrases the struggles that we go through. We are our own worst enemy. We know what is good, especially we who have been baptized into Your Body. Our hearts and our spirit yearn to do what is right, good, true, noble, beautiful, and pleasing to You, but concupiscence renders us weak and powerless, and we are inclined to give in to the baser instincts that give us temporary pleasure.

We are drawn to and impressed by the lives of holy men and women, and we desire to emulate these giants of the spiritual life. Sadly and all too often, we allow the fleeting attractions of the world and the flesh to tempt us from what we know to be right. However, Lord, we know that grace is always at work for Your Holy Spirit makes His dwelling place in us and will never abandon those who are washed in Your Blood and sealed in Your Spirit. Thank You, Lord, for redeeming me and for providing all I need to journey safely from this life to the next. My Lord, I trust in You.

I know of nothing good living in me – living, that is, in my unspiritual self – for though the will to do what is good is in me, the performance is not, with the result that instead of doing the good things I want to do, I carry out the sinful things I do not want. When I act against my will, then, it is not my true self doing it, but sin which lives in me.
In fact, this seems to be the rule, that every single time I want to do good it is something evil that comes to hand. In my inmost self I dearly love God’s Law, but I can see that my body follows a different law that battles against the law which my reason dictates. This is what makes me a prisoner of that law of sin which lives inside my body.
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body doomed to death?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

PSALM 118(119):66,68,76-77,93-94

Lord, teach me your statutes.

Teach me discernment and knowledge
for I trust in your commands.
You are good and your deeds are good;
teach me your statutes.

Let your love be ready to console me
by your promise to your servant.
Let your love come and I shall live
for your law is my delight.

I will never forget your precepts
for with them you give me life.
Save me, for I am yours
since I seek your precepts.

Lord, teach me your statutes.

LUKE 12:54-59

My Soul's Beloved,

All too often, we are better able to read the signs of the world around us but are blind to the spiritual signs that serve as guideposts to help us navigate the roadblocks that hinder our walk with You. We prefer to remain spiritually blind because acknowledging them would trouble our conscience, and we would have to make choices that we do not wish to. Like St. Augustine, our prayer is, "Lord make me chaste but not yet." And yet, O Lord, You are patient with us. You do not punish us as we deserve, but gently and compassionately woo us into turning away from sin and self and to You and to life in You.

Lord, as long as You generously give us time here on earth, grant us the grace to use it to prepare ourselves for eternal life with You. If we fail to do so, then we will have none to blame but ourselves if we have to suffer severe punishment and purification before we can behold You and live with You forever.

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it will be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times?
‘Why not judge for yourselves what is right? For example: when you go to court with your opponent, try to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over to the bailiff and the bailiff have you thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.’

MONDAY OF WEEK 29 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

How happy are the poor in spirit:
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. MT 5:3

ROMANS 4:20-25

My Soul's Beloved, 

We who believe in You, hope in You, adore You, and love You above all things, my Lord and my God, will have the joy of experiencing Your holy presence, and You love not just in the next life but in this life as well. Faith in You is the light that dispels all darkness and doubt, giving us the confidence and hope we need to navigate all the challenges we face. Even when life is difficult and uncertain, filled with suffering, loss, and sorrow, we continue to believe with certainty that through it all, You never leave us or abandon us.

Abraham is our father in faith. He had confidence in God's promises. His unswerving faith saved him, and so does ours. We have placed our faith in Your passion, death, and glorious resurrection. We believe that You laid down Your life for us so we could have new life in You. We are redeemed, we are sanctified, and we belong to You. We are fed on Your Body and Blood, and we are a new creation in You. As long as we remain grafted to You, Lord, You will bring us safely home through all the difficulties that we must face in this life until it comes to an end in death.

Since God had made him a promise, Abraham refused either to deny it or even to doubt it, but drew strength from faith and gave glory to God, convinced that God had power to do what he had promised. This is the faith that was ‘considered as justifying him.’ Scripture however does not refer only to him but to us as well when it says that his faith was thus ‘considered’; our faith too will be ‘considered’ if we believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, Jesus who was put to death for our sins and raised to life to justify us.

PSALM LUKE 1:69-75

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel! He has visited his people.

He has raised up for us a mighty saviour
in the house of David his servant,
as he promised by the lips of holy men,
those who were his prophets from of old.

A saviour who would free us from our foes,
from the hands of all who hate us.
So his love for our fathers is fulfilled
and his holy covenant remembered.

He swore to Abraham our father
to grant us that free from fear,
and saved from the hands of our foes,
we might serve him in holiness and justice
all the days of our life in his presence.

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel! He has visited his people.

LUKE 12:13-21

My Soul's Beloved,

You remind us today to be more concerned about the things of heaven than of earth. The whole world and all in it is Yours. You are the Master and King of the Heavens, the Earth, and the entire universe. You are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Savior and Redeemer of the human race. If anyone could command one person to give what is rightful to his brother, You are, and yet, You dismiss this man's request out of hand and rather ask him and all Your followers, until the end of time, to be vigilant and on guard against avarice in any shape or form.

Beloved, You have already made known to us that we have a Father in heaven who will supply all our needs, both spiritual and temporal; all we need to do is ask. With childlike simplicity and trust, we can trust Him to provide all that we need in this life and eternal life in the next.

The parable You narrated to the crowd is a stern reminder that death is certain, and when this life ends, we take nothing with us but our deeds, good or bad, and You, the righteous judge, will determine our eternal reward, heaven or hell. While we yet have life, Lord, grant us the grace to work out our salvation with fear and trembling so we do not look forward to that hour with dread but rather with hope.  

A man in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Master, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance.’ ‘My friend,’ he replied, ‘who appointed me your judge, or the arbitrator of your claims?’ Then he said to them, ‘Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than he needs.’
Then he told them a parable: ‘There was once a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his land, thought to himself, “What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them, and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.” But God said to him, “Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?” So it is when a man stores up treasure for himself in place of making himself rich in the sight of God.’

ST. TERESA OF AVILA, VIRGIN & DOCTOR, 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,
says the Lord,
I know them and they follow me. JN 10:27

ROMANS 2:1-11

My Soul's Beloved, 

This is a sobering reminder to us all, 'God has no favorites', so let us disabuse ourselves of the notion that because we are Jews or we are Catholics, we will be judged less harshly. The fact of the matter is that we, Catholics, will be judged more stringently, for we were baptized into the Church You founded, and it is this Church alone which possesses the fullness of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. 

How easily we point fingers at others, how readily we dissect the faults, failings, and actions of others while giving ourselves a pass. We are blind to the very sins that we accuse others of, only because we possess these same weaknesses and frailties and can recognize them so clearly reflected in those we judge. Let us not delay our return to the fold, Lord, for we do not know the day or the hour when our time on earth will end and we will stand before You, the just judge. Now is the time to repent. Now is the hour to come before You with a humble and contrite heart and beg for the forgiveness of our sins.

While there is yet time, Lord, grant us the grace to use every opportunity that You give us to do good, not evil. To share what You have given us so generously. Not to hoard anything, either spiritual or temporal, lest on the day of judgement we will be condemned just as harshly as we have judged and condemned others.

No matter who you are, if you pass judgement you have no excuse. In judging others you condemn yourself, since you behave no differently from those you judge. We know that God condemns that sort of behaviour impartially: and when you judge those who behave like this while you are doing exactly the same, do you think you will escape God’s judgement? Or are you abusing his abundant goodness, patience and toleration, not realising that this goodness of God is meant to lead you to repentance? Your stubborn refusal to repent is only adding to the anger God will have towards you on that day of anger when his just judgements will be made known. He will repay each one as his works deserve. For those who sought renown and honour and immortality by always doing good there will be eternal life; for the unsubmissive who refused to take truth for their guide and took depravity instead, there will be anger and fury. Pain and suffering will come to every human being who employs himself in evil – Jews first, but Greeks as well; renown, honour and peace will come to everyone who does good – Jews first, but Greeks as well. God has no favourites.

PSALM 61(62):2-3,6-7,9

Lord, you repay each man according to his deeds.

In God alone is my soul at rest;
my help comes from him.
He alone is my rock, my stronghold,
my fortress: I stand firm.

In God alone be at rest, my soul;
for my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock, my stronghold,
my fortress: I stand firm.

Take refuge in God, all you people.
Trust him at all times.
Pour out your hearts before him
for God is our refuge.

Lord, you repay each man according to his deeds.

LUKE 11:42-46

TUESDAY OF WEEK 28 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The word of God is something alive and active:
it can judge secret emotions and thoughts. HEB 4:12

ROMANS 1:16-25

My Soul's Beloved, 

Cut off from the true Vine, we will wither and die. We see this in our world today. Unless we remain in You and Your Word is alive in us, unless we yield to You in loving humility, acknowledging that without You we are only fit for the scrap heap, we will perish in our sins. Salvation is the Father's free gift to the whole world - this is why He sent You, His beloved Son, into the world not to condemn it but to save it. Unless we accept that You are Lord and confess it not just in words but in the way we conduct every aspect of our lives, guided by the Beatitudes, we can have no part in You. 

Salvation came into the world through the people chosen by God, but because they rejected You, we the Gentiles are privileged to receive it and become heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. However, Lord, the fullness of Truth, Beauty, Life, Light, and Grace are found only in the Church You founded with You as its Cornerstone and Peter, the Rock on which it is built. Apart from the Church and the life-giving Sacraments You instituted, corruption will eventually set in, and their institutions, built on human wisdom, which is sand, will be washed away.

We pray earnestly and daily, O Lord, that all will hear the Good News as preached and taught by Peter, and Your priestly prayer to Your Father, which He has already answered, will come to fulfillment soon. We long for the coming of Your Kingdom, O Lord. Grant us not to grow weary but to continue to live the Gospel in every season. 

I am not ashamed of the Good News: it is the power of God saving all who have faith – Jews first, but Greeks as well – since this is what reveals the justice of God to us: it shows how faith leads to faith, or as scripture says: The upright man finds life through faith.

The anger of God is being revealed from heaven against all the impiety and depravity of men who keep truth imprisoned in their wickedness. For what can be known about God is perfectly plain to them since God himself has made it plain. Ever since God created the world his everlasting power and deity – however invisible – have been there for the mind to see in the things he has made. That is why such people are without excuse: they knew God and yet refused to honour him as God or to thank him; instead, they made nonsense out of logic and their empty minds were darkened. The more they called themselves philosophers, the more stupid they grew, until they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for a worthless imitation, for the image of mortal man, of birds, of quadrupeds and reptiles. That is why God left them to their filthy enjoyments and the practices with which they dishonour their own bodies, since they have given up divine truth for a lie and have worshipped and served creatures instead of the creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen!

PSALM 18(19):2-5

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

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.

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

LUKE 11:37-41

My Soul's Beloved, 

All too often, I am like the Pharisee; I, too, have a critical and fault-finding spirit, I make false judgments without knowing the facts, and freely condemn all those who fall short of my standards. However, I give myself a generous margin, making excuses for my own faults and weaknesses, which are legion. I am guilty of scrutinizing people's words and actions, and quite often, to my mind, they fall short.

On this particular occasion, when You sat down to dine at the Pharisee's house, You perhaps deliberately did not follow the ritualistic custom of washing Your hands, knowing that he would judge You poorly and You could then point out the hypocrisy of Pharisees in general. It also serves as a timely reminder to us who are more concerned about favorable optics rather than actually living the Gospel, whether seen or unseen.

Jesus had just finished speaking when a Pharisee invited him to dine at his house. He went in and sat down at the table. The Pharisee saw this and was surprised that he had not first washed before the meal. But the Lord said to him, ‘Oh, you Pharisees! You clean the outside of cup and plate, while inside yourselves you are filled with extortion and wickedness. Fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside too? Instead, give alms from what you have and then indeed everything will be clean for you.’

28TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

For all things give thanks,
because this is what God expects you to do in Christ Jesus. 1 TH 5:18

2 KINGS 5:14-17

My Soul's Beloved, 

This passage about the healing of Naaman the leper is a powerful representation of the wondrous work of grace wrought in the soul through the Sacrament of Baptism. Original sin separates us from the life of God. Cut off from the source of all life, we will slowly wither and die as does the limb diseased from the dreaded scourge of leprosy. 

Naaman the Syrian was informed about the prophet Elisha by a Jewish slave in his household, who told them of Elisha's ability to heal. Accompanied by his servant,  Naaman travelled to Israel to look for the prophet, and the prophet advised him to immerse himself seven times in the Jordan, and he would be healed. He obeyed his instructions, and we are told that his flesh became like that of a little child.

When we are immersed in the waters of Baptism, our soul is washed clean, and we become children of God and heirs to the Kingdom of heaven. Through Baptism, we receive God's free gift of faith, which enables us to walk in the Way of Truth that leads to eternal Life in You, with You, and through You. Naaman wanted to heap riches on Elisha, but he would have none of it, for the power to heal belongs to God; he could take no credit nor reward for doing God's work of mercy. Once Naaman understood this, he did right by asking to take the earth from the promised land to his native country to build an altar, since from then on, he resolved to worship no other god but the one true God. So it is with all the baptized - we who are grafted into Your Body live to love, honor, adore, and worship the Triune God and Him alone to serve always.

Naaman the leper went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, as Elisha had told him to do. And his flesh became clean once more like the flesh of a little child.

Returning to Elisha with his whole escort, he went in and stood before him. ‘Now I know’ he said ‘that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. Now, please, accept a present from your servant.’
But Elisha replied, ‘As the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing.’ Naaman pressed him to accept, but he refused.
Then Naaman said, ‘Since your answer is “No,” allow your servant to be given as much earth as two mules may carry, because your servant will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any god except the Lord.’

PSALM 97(98):1-4

The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

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.

All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth,
ring out your joy.

The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

2 TIMOTHY 2:8-13

My Soul's Beloved, 

St. Paul's letter to Timothy reminds us that being Your followers comes at a price. We, too, have been warned that just as the world hated You, it was inevitable that it would hate us and persecute us as well. The world and those who belong to it hate Christians with a diabolical hatred. In Nigeria, there is a systematic genocide of Christians taking place, but the world's response is deafening silence. In every nation where Christians are a minority, they are crushed into the ground, their rights violated, they are deprived of earning a decent livelihood, and given the most menial tasks that barely hold soul and body together. Despite it all, they survive joyfully, for they have You indwelling in them, and this spiritual treasure no one can steal.

Many first-world nations with solidly Christian roots have sold their souls to the prince of this world. They now compel their people to embrace alien principles that do not, even remotely, resemble revealed truths and doctrine. The lot of the faithful remnant everywhere is the lot of all who, since the first Apostle, disciple, and earliest Christian martyrs who suffered and laid down their lives as the Master did. 

Grant us the courage to hold on to the gift of our faith, which is far more precious than rubies. Let us stand upright, unafraid and unwavering in our faith, and our reward will be the beatific vision of our Lord and our God and a share in Your eternal glory. Amen. 

Remember the Good News that I carry, ‘Jesus Christ risen from the dead, sprung from the race of David’; it is on account of this that I have my own hardships to bear, even to being chained like a criminal – but they cannot chain up God’s news. So I bear it all for the sake of those who are chosen, so that in the end they may have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus and the eternal glory that comes with it.
Here is a saying that you can rely on:
If we have died with him, then we shall live with him.
If we hold firm, then we shall reign with him.
If we disown him, then he will disown us.
We may be unfaithful, but he is always faithful,
for he cannot disown his own self.

LUKE 17:11-19

My Soul's Beloved,

Gratitude is the hallmark of the humble soul. Nothing is so abhorrent to the human spirit as one who remains thankless in the face of goodness extended to them. The more we take blessings for granted, the harder our hearts will get, and nothing is as unattractive as those who greedily take the help offered to them as if it were their due.

Today's miracle for our reflection is about the ten lepers who cried out to You to take pity on them while You and Your disciples were on Your way to Jerusalem. St. Luke tells us that they stood some distance away from You and called out to You. From the way they cried out, it is clear that they had heard about You, knew who You were, and the powers You possessed. They called You by Your name, Jesus. They acknowledged You as Master, and they asked You to take pity on them and heal them. Your tender heart was moved the moment You heard their cry, and instantly, without any further pleading, You did as they asked. All ten were cured as they made their way to show themselves to the priests as You had instructed them to, so they could return to their homes and their families.  

Of the ten lepers who were healed, one was so overwhelmed with joy and gratitude that he turned around immediately, he threw himself at Your feet and thanked You for his restoration. He was a Samaritan; the other nine were Jews, and You pointed this out to those around You, publicly recognizing that it was the outsider, the foreigner, the alien who returned to give thanks. You said, ‘Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.’ Ingratitude will be the downfall of the proud and the haughty, and on judgment day, when we stand before You the righteous judge, we will become aware of all the times we failed to give You thanks for Your manifold gifts to us and above all for the free gift of our salvation.

The leprosy of sin can only be healed in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and unless we make use of this Sacrament of healing, we will perish in our sins.

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered one of the villages, ten lepers came to meet him. They stood some way off and called to him, ‘Jesus! Master! Take pity on us.’ When he saw them he said, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ Now as they were going away they were cleansed. Finding himself cured, one of them turned back praising God at the top of his voice and threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. The man was a Samaritan. This made Jesus say, ‘Were not all ten made clean? The other nine, where are they? It seems that no one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.’ And he said to the man, ‘Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.’

SATURDAY OF WEEK 27 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

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

JOEL 4:12-21

My Soul's Beloved, 

While a whole host of Christians make the mistake of believing that present-day Israel is interchangeable with the New Israel referred to in the New Testament, the fact of the matter is that it is the Catholic Church that is the spiritual fulfillment of God's people, succeeding Old Testament Israel. The rejection of the Jews of the Messiah has placed them outside the New Covenant promises and the saving power of the Blood of the Lamb. Their religious leaders, along with the Roman authorities of the day, were responsible for crucifying the Savior of the world, and since then, the Jewish religious authorities have deliberately and systematically ensured that the Jews remain ignorant of the Suffering Servant who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. There is no other Messiah, no other Redeemer, than the One who pierced time and space and entered into the world to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. By the power of Your passion, death, and glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven, Beloved, You threw open the gates of heaven, and only those who believe in You may enter. It is not for us to speculate how God will deal with them for rejecting You, His well-beloved Son, but we can pray for them and trust them to His mercy.

Israel was crushed and became rubble when the Romans almost annihilated it, and the Jews became a minority in their own land. Those who lived went into exile and became wanderers and strangers in other lands. Whatever is happening now in Israel is being done by human endeavour. Only when they confess  You are Lord, will they know lasting peace, which will be Your gift to them as the Prince of Peace.

As for the Church You founded, Beloved, it will be held safe in the hollow of Your Hand and in Your Sacred Heart. You will remain with her all her days and guide Your Bride to safe harbor.  Until that day, O Lord, when You will return in glory, You will watch over her, nourish her, and keep her safe in Your love. 

The Lord says this:
‘Let the nations rouse themselves, let them march
to the Valley of Jehoshaphat,
for I am going to sit in judgement there
on all the nations round.
Put the sickle in:
the harvest is ripe;
come and tread:
the winepress is full,
the vats are overflowing,
so great is their wickedness!’
Host on host
in the Valley of Decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
in the Valley of Decision!
Sun and moon grow dark,
the stars lose their brilliance.
The Lord roars from Zion,
makes his voice heard from Jerusalem;
heaven and earth tremble.

But the Lord will be a shelter for his people,
a stronghold for the sons of Israel.
‘You will learn then that I am the Lord your God,
dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain.
Jerusalem will be a holy place,
no alien will ever pass through it again.’
When that day comes,
the mountains will run with new wine
and the hills flow with milk,
and all the river beds of Judah
will run with water.
A fountain will spring from the house of the Lord
to water the wadi of Acacias.
Egypt will become a desolation,
Edom a desert waste
on account of the violence done to the sons of Judah
whose innocent blood they shed in their country.
But Judah will be inhabited for ever,
Jerusalem from age to age.
‘I will avenge their blood and let none go unpunished’,
and the Lord shall make his home in Zion.

PSALM 96(97):1-2,5-6,11-12

Rejoice, you just, in the Lord.

The Lord is king, let earth rejoice,
let all the coastlands be glad.
Cloud and darkness are his raiment;
his throne, justice and right.

The mountains melt like wax
before the Lord of all the earth.
The skies proclaim his justice;
all peoples see his glory.

Light shines forth for the just
and joy for the upright of heart.
Rejoice, you just, in the Lord;
give glory to his holy name.

Rejoice, you just, in the Lord.

LUKE 11:27-28

My Soul's Beloved,

You spoke no truer words when You responded to the woman in the crowd who cried out, 'Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!' by saying, ‘Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!’

No person who ever lived can compare to the Woman clothed with the Sun of Justice. No person ever lived who can match Your Mother for breathtaking virtue. After the Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit comes Your Blessed Mother, the handmaid of the Lord, who said, "May it be done to me according to your will." Her entire life, from the moment of her conception, was overshadowed by God. Purest and most fair of all God's creation, she is adored and revered by all the angels and saints, and by the Church. She is our Mother, and through her most powerful intercession, she will ensure that all her children make it safely home to the Kingdom of God. Her fiat made it possible for God the Holy Spirit to come upon her, the power of God the Father to overshadow her, and the Son of God, the Eternal Word of the Father, to become incarnate in her. Anyone who dares to dishonor her will be dishonored by God.

As Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, ‘Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!’ But he replied, ‘Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!’

FRIDAY OF WEEK 27 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Now the prince of this world is to be overthrown,
says the Lord.
And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I shall draw all men to myself. JN 12:31-32

JOEL 1:13-15,2:1-2

My Soul's Beloved,

Over and over, we see in salvation history how God has purged the nations because of the horrific sins of man. We cry out to God for deliverance when we are in the throes of our suffering. We make vows and promise to forsake our evil ways and obey You. Once we are forgiven and You pour out Your blessings on us generously and again and again, we continue to grow lax. The present evil is worse than all our past iniquities, for we now spread death, mayhem, and destruction across the borders of nations. No country is safe from the miasma of absolute and complete degeneracy of those in high places who use their power, wealth, fame, and influence to spread the realm of the Father of Lies. 

Evil has spared none - it is seen in every institution in the world and even among those in the Church holding high office, as well as those in the more humble rank and file who are in the clutches of sin.

Now is the hour of repentance. Now is the day of deliverance, Lord. Your saving blood covers the whole world and has the power to destroy all the realms of darkness that threaten to cover the face of the earth. We are children of hope grafted into Your Body, O Lord, and members of the Church that You built on the Rock. She is invincible, and as the faithful remnant continue to raise their hands, their voices, and their faces to You unwearingly, we are confident that the day of victory will come upon us like the dawn. We wait in hope, and while we wait, we pray. 

Priests, put on sackcloth and lament.
Ministers of the altar, wail.
Come, pass the night in sackcloth,
you ministers of my God.
For the house of our God has been deprived
of oblation and libation.
Order a fast,
proclaim a solemn assembly;
elders, call together
all the inhabitants of the country
to the house of the Lord your God.
Cry out to the Lord,
‘Oh, what a day!
For the day of the Lord is near,
it comes as a devastation from Shaddai.’
Sound the trumpet in Zion,
give the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the country tremble,
for the day of the Lord is coming,
yes, it is near.
Day of darkness and gloom,
day of cloud and blackness.
Like the dawn there spreads across the mountains
a vast and mighty host,
such as has never been before,
such as will never be again
to the remotest ages.

PSALM 9A(9):2-3,6,16,8-9

The Lord will judge the world with justice.

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will recount all your wonders.
I will rejoice in you and be glad,
and sing psalms to your name, O Most High.

You have checked the nations, destroyed the wicked;
you have wiped out their name for ever and ever.
The nations have fallen in the pit which they made,
their feet caught in the snare they laid.

But the Lord sits enthroned for ever.
He has set up his throne for judgement;
he will judge the world with justice,
he will judge the peoples with his truth.

The Lord will judge the world with justice.

LUKE 11:15-26

THURSDAY OF WEEK 27 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Open our heart, O Lord,
to accept the words of your Son. ACTS 16:14

MALACHI 3:13-20

My Soul's Beloved, 

Thank You for the words of promises in today's First Reading. We look at our world, at the prevalent culture, at the evil that abounds, at satanic practices by those bound by the Father of Lies, and our hearts tremble. We are filled with anxiety as evil leaders govern many nations, and they have no other desire than to loot, to plunder, to murder, and to destroy. Havoc and chaos abound as those in power are the puppeteers who yank the strings of leaders who have usurped power by every cunning and foul means. We stand before You, O Lord, night and day, beating our breasts while full of fear and anxiety, not just for ourselves but for those who will come after us, and we ask, 'How much longer, Lord, how much longer will You permit the rule of the wicked?' Like the Apostles in the midst of the storm who cried out to You while You lay asleep in the boat, we too, cry out, 'Wake up Lord, save us, Lord, lest we perish!' And just as You calmed their fears and the storm raging around them, You speak to our fears and to the chaos and evil rampant in the world, 'Hush! Be still!' And all will be calm and peaceful again, for while the day of evil is prevalent now, the day of victory is almost upon us.  

You will crush and annihilate the wicked. You will put an end to those who arrogantly go about crushing the poor and the weak and all who stand in the way of their colossal greed for power and wealth. The Day of the Lord is here. The victory is won. God has triumphed.

You say harsh things about me, says the Lord. You ask, ‘What have we said against you?’ You say, ‘It is useless to serve God; what is the good of keeping his commands or of walking mournfully before the Lord of Hosts? Now we have reached the point when we call the arrogant blessed; yes, they prosper, these evil-doers; they try God’s patience and yet go free.’ This is what those who fear the Lord used to say to one another. But the Lord took note and heard them: a book of remembrance was written in his presence recording those who fear him and take refuge in his name. On the day which I am preparing, says the Lord of Hosts, they are going to be my own special possession. I will make allowances for them as a man makes allowances for the son who obeys him. Then once again you will see the difference between an upright man and a wicked one, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve him. For the day is coming now, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and the evil-doers will be like stubble. The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says the Lord of Hosts, leaving them neither root nor stalk. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its rays.

PSALM 1:1-4,6

Happy the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.

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.

Happy the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.

LUKE 11:5-13

My Soul's Beloved, 

All too often, we give up on prayer when it appears to us that we do not receive what we ask for, what we are pleading for, what we believe we need right here and right now. But in yesterday's Gospel, we see how You taught Your disciples to pray, and we are given the right approach to God, our Father, when we come to Him in prayer.

The very first thing we do is to acknowledge who God is to us, the relationship that God desires to have with us, and so we look up to Him as His little ones and address Him as our Abba, whose dwelling is in Heaven. God loves us; we know this because He created us, not only for this life, but also to enjoy eternity with Him. Yet, we must never forget who He is—the thrice-holy God who lives in unapproachable light, but has given us access to Him through You, and the Holy Spirit. He invites us to collaborate with Him to establish His Kingdom on earth, and that is our lifelong mission. He asks us to come to Him to provide us the food we need - supernatural bread as well for our soul and bread for our body, for He is Jehovah Jirah who provides all that is needful for His children.

Today's parable reminds us to pray without ceasing. All our waking hours must keep us connected with You and the Holy Spirit, and under Your loving gaze, we carry out all our duties with joy. Help us, O Lord, to remain in Your Presence and do all things for love of You.

Jesus said to his disciples:
‘Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say, “My friend, lend me three loaves, because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him”; and the man answers from inside the house, “Do not bother me. The door is bolted now, and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up to give it you.” I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it him for friendship’s sake, persistence will be enough to make him get up and give his friend all he wants.
‘So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. What father among you would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or hand him a snake instead of a fish? Or hand him a scorpion if he asked for an egg? If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’

WEDNESDAY OF WEEK 27 IN ORDINARY TIME

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The spirit you received is the spirit of sons,
and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ ROM 8:15

JONAH 4:1-11

My Soul's Beloved, 

Only sinners who are truly contrite and repentant, who are aware how undeserving we are of Your mercy, can be grateful for Your goodness, Your kindness, Your tenderness.  How good You are, Lord, You are willing to forgive and forget all our transgressions and to cast them behind Your back, never to recall them again. But the self-righteous, the holier than thou, like poor Jonah, often relish the punishment that is visited on the sinner. We would rather see their downfall and destruction than to pray for their conversion and their restoration. 

Jonah, the reluctant prophet, ran in the opposite direction from where God wanted him to go, and he soon discovered that we can run, but we cannot hide from You. It is far better to obey God than to whine and make excuses. Yet, You loved Jonah as well. You taught him tenderly that he was wrong to wish for the destruction of Nineveh, no matter how deserving they were of God's wrath.

Beloved, heaven rejoices over the return of one repentant sinner. You came to seek and save the lost, and You remind us that You came for the sick, not the healthy. This is consoling, Beloved, for I know that I am a sinner and I need You always. I belong to Your sheepfold, seek for me, Lord, relentlessly, no matter how far I depart from You. Carry me back and keep me safe until my journey here is ended. 

Jonah was very indignant; he fell into a rage. He prayed to the Lord and said, ‘Ah, Lord, is not this just as I said would happen when I was still at home? That was why I went and fled to Tarshish: I knew that you were a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in graciousness, relenting from evil. So now, Lord, please take away my life, for I might as well be dead as go on living.’ The Lord replied, ‘Are you right to be angry?’
Jonah then went out of the city and sat down to the east of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, to see what would happen to the city. Then the Lord God arranged that a castor-oil plant should grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head and soothe his ill-humour; Jonah was delighted with the castor-oil plant. But at dawn the next day, God arranged that a worm should attack the castor-oil plant – and it withered.
Next, when the sun rose, God arranged that there should be a scorching east wind; the sun beat down so hard on Jonah’s head that he was overcome and begged for death, saying, ‘I might as well be dead as go on living.’ God said to Jonah, ‘Are you right to be angry about the castor-oil plant?’ He replied, ‘I have every right to be angry, to the point of death.’ The Lord replied, ‘You are only upset about a castor-oil plant which cost you no labour, which you did not make grow, which sprouted in a night and has perished in a night. And am I not to feel sorry for Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, to say nothing of all the animals?’

PSALM 85(86):3-6,9-10

You, O Lord, have mercy and compassion.

You are my God, have mercy on me, Lord,
for I cry to you all the day long.
Give joy to your servant, O Lord,
for to you I lift up my soul.

O Lord, you are good and forgiving,
full of love to all who call.
Give heed, O Lord, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my voice.

All the nations shall come to adore you
and glorify your name, O Lord:
for you are great and do marvellous deeds,
you who alone are God.

You, O Lord, have mercy and compassion.

LUKE 11:1-4

My Soul's Beloved,

Thank You for teaching us to pray and for showing us the way to approach God, who dwells in unapproachable light. Who can come into the Presence of the Almighty? Only those with a clean heart and a pure mind, who desire not worthless things. You teach us the right disposition when we worship God. You desire us to approach Him as our Father, our Abba, our Dad, giving Him the honor, respect, and worship that is due to Him alone. We are to pray for the coming of the ultimate goal of our Christian life, and that is to establish God's Kingdom in our hearts first and then in the world. We can only come into our ultimate inheritance when we accomplish the mission given to all the baptized, which is to preach the Good News to the ends of the earth.

Lord Jesus, Son of the Living God, thank You for giving us Your Holy Spirit, the Church, the hierarchy, Sacred Scripture, and Tradition. Keep us faithful in carrying out the mission entrusted to us, only then will the peace that You came to give us come upon the earth. Grant us grace, strength, and courage to work tirelessly to the end.  

Once Jesus was in a certain place praying, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’
He said to them, ‘Say this when you pray:
‘“Father, may your name be held holy,
your kingdom come;
give us each day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us.
And do not put us to the test.”’

OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY ON TUESDAY OF WEEK 27 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee!
Blessed art thou among women. LK 1:28

ACTS 1:12-14

My Soul's Beloved,

All that is necessary to pray fruitfully is laid out very clearly in these short verses. We do not need to make long pilgrimages and go to far-off places to experience the power of God. After witnessing Your ascension, the disciples returned from the Mount of Olives to the upper room where they resided, which means they went to the place that was home to them at the time. The Apostles gathered together as a community to pray, and with them were Your Mother, Your relatives, and the faithful women who had accompanied You and served You and the group during Your public ministry and remained steadfastly united with Mary at the foot of the Cross and until You were buried. They gathered in obedience to Your instructions to pray until they received the Gift of the Holy Spirit. They had no idea how long that would take or how quickly their prayers would be answered; they just had to do as You asked, and they did. 

Wherever we are, with whoever we are, we can unite with one another with one heart and mind, as we gather as one body, we will resemble the infant Church that gathered in the Upper Room, over 2000 years ago, and God who is always true to His promises will send the Holy Spirit upon us and renew us, strengthen us, and equip us to go forth into the world and cast a fire upon it that will bring all God's children back to Him through the power of Your atoning Sacrifice and glorious resurrection.

After Jesus was taken up into heaven the apostles went back from the Mount of Olives, as it is called, to Jerusalem, a short distance away, no more than a sabbath walk; and when they reached the city they went to the upper room where they were staying; there were Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Jude son of James. All these joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

PSALM LUKE 1:46-55

Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.

My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.

He looks on his servant in her nothingness;
henceforth all ages will call me blessed.
The Almighty works marvels for me.
Holy his name!

His mercy is from age to age,
on those who fear him.
He puts forth his arm in strength
and scatters the proud-hearted.

He casts the mighty from their thrones
and raises the lowly.
He fills the starving with good things,
sends the rich away empty.

He protects Israel, his servant,
remembering his mercy,
the mercy promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his sons for ever.

Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who bore the Son of the eternal Father.

LUKE 1:26-38

My Soul's Beloved, 

This passage from the Gospel is the most fascinating, most thrilling prologue to the fulfillment of every prophecy ever made to humanity after the fall of our first parents. The words of the prophet Isaiah have come to pass when the Angel Gabriel comes to Mary and reveals to her that she was the one spoken of by the prophet, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel.” The most gifted writers and poets, and a multitude of holy men and women, have pondered this glorious mystery and written soul-stirringly about this wondrous, unrepeatable moment in time when God waited in humble anticipation on a young maiden to give her consent before He could put into effect His plan of salvation of the whole world.

Heaven has raised her up to be honored above and before all creatures. She is higher than all the angels and lower only to the Triune God. This is the Woman clothed with the Sun of Justice, whom the angel Gabriel hailed with the greeting, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ And to her inquiry as to how it would come about since she was a virgin, he replied,  ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God.’ And Your Mother,, knowing that with God all things are possible, replied, not thinking about herself, about God's will for her life, ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me.’ And because of her fiat the whole world that was created by the Father has been redeemed by You, and through You it is sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.