FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Let us see, O Lord, your mercy
and give us your saving help. PS 84:8

ISAIAH 2:1-5

My Soul's Beloved, 

The Church is built on Mt. Zion and is the new Temple in the new Jerusalem. Every prophecy ever made by the prophets is fulfilled in You, my Lord and my God. The Church is the new Israel, and those who belong to her are the new chosen people whom God has gathered under His wings. All are invited to come to her. People of every nation, language, and culture are called to belong to her. The invitation is freely given and can be accepted or rejected. But those who do are filled with new life, a new spirit, and every good and perfect gift poured into their hearts by the Spirit of the Living God.

You, O Lord, the almighty and Living God, Son of the Father, are humble, and this is why we need to emulate this virtue always. Pride and conceit have no place in God's abode; rather, the haughty and the conceited, those who deny You, will be crushed and destroyed as Satan and those who joined him were.

Thank You, Lord, for not just showing us the way to the Kingdom of Heaven but for being the Way, the Truth, and the Life. 

The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In the days to come
the mountain of the Temple of the Lord
shall tower above the mountains
and be lifted higher than the hills.
All the nations will stream to it,
peoples without number will come to it; and they will say:
‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the Temple of the God of Jacob
that he may teach us his ways
so that we may walk in his paths;
since the Law will go out from Zion,
and the oracle of the Lord from Jerusalem.’
He will wield authority over the nations
and adjudicate between many peoples;
these will hammer their swords into ploughshares,
their spears into sickles.
Nation will not lift sword against nation,
there will be no more training for war.
O House of Jacob, come,
let us walk in the light of the Lord.

PSALM 121(122):1-2,4-5,6-9

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’
I rejoiced when I heard them say:
‘Let us go to God’s house.’
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.
For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgement
of the house of David.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
‘Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,
in your palaces, peace!’

For love of my brethren and friends
I say: ‘Peace upon you!’
For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good.

I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’

ROMANS 13:11-14

My Soul's Beloved,

We are incredibly foolish to believe that the things we do under the cover of night are hidden from Your sight, yet we do them anyway. The psalmist reminds us:

even the darkness is not dark to you;

the night is bright as the day,

for darkness is as light with you.

The Word of God is filled with warnings that death comes to us without warning, like a thief in the night, and many are caught off guard despite the warnings. Grant us this grace, O Lord, this Advent to take heed and prepare ourselves. Let us strip ourselves of all that is not aligned to Your will and strive with the help of the Holy Spirit and the powerful intercession of Your Holy Mother and ours, as well as all the Saints in heaven, to be holy and perfect as our heavenly Father is holy and perfect.

Help us not to grow weary of being good and doing good. Let us put off the deeds of the dark and clothe ourselves with Your light. May the light You imbue us with illuminate the lives of those we meet daily and encourage them to walk in the light as well. Thank You, Lord.

You know ‘the time’ has come: you must wake up now: our salvation is even nearer than it was when we were converted. The night is almost over, it will be daylight soon – let us give up all the things we prefer to do under cover of the dark; let us arm ourselves and appear in the light. Let us live decently as people do in the daytime: no drunken orgies, no promiscuity or licentiousness, and no wrangling or jealousy. Let your armour be the Lord Jesus Christ.

MATTHEW 24:37-44

SATURDAY OF WEEK 34 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

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

DANIEL 7:15-27

My Soul's Beloved, 

In a world where it appears that evil reigns over good and the lawless, prideful, boastful, and powerful crush those in the minority. Stripped of rights and dignity and unable to receive a just and fair hearing, as all the institutions are under the influence of the wicked, we are tempted to believe that the oppression will never cease. But this is a lie, Lord. We know that while evil has its hour, You have won the day. We live in hope. We pray with confidence, and while we wait in faith, we are strengthened and purified. Every evil reign that we read of in salvation history that subjugated the people of God was routed in the end. 

Leaders of nations, good, bad, evil, indifferent, greedy, and power-hungry, come and go, but the Word of God stands forever. We know that God reigns eternally and triumphantly, and the world and all in it is Yours. Keep us faithful to the end, Lord. Grant us the grace not to lose heart but to fulfil the mission entrusted to us, and when our own personal journey ends, we will stand before You with confidence knowing that Your justice will be tempered with mercy and compassion. Thank You, Lord. 

I, Daniel, was deeply disturbed and the visions that passed through my head alarmed me. So I approached one of those who were standing by and asked him to tell me the truth about all this. And in reply he revealed to me what these things meant. “These four great beasts are four kings who will rise from the earth. Those who are granted sovereignty are the saints of the Most High, and the kingdom will be theirs for ever, for ever and ever.” Then I asked to know the truth about the fourth beast, different from all the rest, very terrifying, with iron teeth and bronze claws, eating, crushing and trampling underfoot what remained; and the truth about the ten horns on its head – and why the other horn sprouted and the three original horns fell, and why this horn had eyes and a mouth that was full of boasts, and why it made a greater show than the other horns. This was the horn I had watched making war on the saints and proving the stronger, until the coming of the one of great age who gave judgement in favour of the saints of the Most High, when the time came for the saints to take over the kingdom. This is what he said:
‘The fourth beast
is to be a fourth kingdom on earth,
different from all other kingdoms.
It will devour the whole earth,
trample it underfoot and crush it.
As for the ten horns: from this kingdom
will rise ten kings, and another after them;
this one will be different from the previous ones
and will bring down three kings;
he is going to speak words against the Most High,
and harass the saints of the Most High.
He will consider changing seasons and the Law,
and the saints will be put into his power
for a time, two times, and half a time.
But a court will be held and his power will be stripped from him,
consumed, and utterly destroyed.
And sovereignty and kingship,
and the splendours of all the kingdoms under heaven
will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.
His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty
and every empire will serve and obey him.’

PSALM - DANIEL 3:82-87

Sons of men! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Israel! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Priests! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Servants of the Lord! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Spirits and souls of the virtuous! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Devout and humble-hearted men! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!

LUKE 21:34-36

My Soul's Beloved, 

If we are not rooted in You, Lord, and in Your Word, if we do not stay close to Holy Mother Church, if we are not frequently receiving the Sacraments, then it is very easy to fall into the traps that the devil lays for us unceasingly. The trifling pleasures of the world beguile, and concupiscence readily seeks the pleasures that last a moment but whose effects are deadly.

Today, You warn us who are called by Your Name and are grafted to You, to be vigilant and to guard ourselves against the wiles of the Enemy who prowls about looking for prey to devour, to destroy, and to kill. But we know in whom we have placed our hope. All our hope is in You, Lord. Stay with us, just as Your Name assures us, Emmanuel, God with us, and keep us safe by the power of Your Name and by the power of Your Blood, and we will be unafraid when we stand before You to be judged. 

Jesus said to his disciples:
‘Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened with debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will be sprung on you suddenly, like a trap. For it will come down on every living man on the face of the earth. Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man.’

FRIDAY OF WEEK 34 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

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

DANIEL 7:2-14

My Soul's Beloved, 

In the history of the world, ever since its creation, and from the moment sin entered the world, death, evil, decay, and destruction entered it through the wiles of the Enemy. The father of lies lost paradise through his pride and delusion that he, a mere creation of God, could dare to desire and claim to be like Him. This lie, he insidiously planted in the mind of the woman, who, in turn, planted it in the man, and thus our alienation from God began.

Through the ages, Beloved, nations have sought dominion over other nations. Savage wars have been fought over and over again; those hungry for power, land, and dominion seek to lord it over the rest, and they do so using every weapon in their arsenal, physical, spiritual, mental, and every other ungodly means they can envisage. They are unconcerned about who is crushed under their might so long as it serves their diabolical purposes.

We are now on the threshold of people of every other faith or no faith at all, ranged against Christianity. Fundamentalism is polarising the people of different faiths in any given country - the majority impose their faith and threaten all kinds of punishment on those who refuse to buckle to their thuggery and bullying. But many who are weak are unable to stand firm in their faith and give in to save themselves and their families from the savagery of the mob.

But to those who stand firm, Lord, we have hope. Hope in You. Hope in the Resurrection. Hope in the power of the Holy Spirit, the Church, and in Your Word. We are a people who have been saved and who have won the victory by the power of the Blood of the Lamb. Our son of triumph is 'Alleluia'. We are redeemed and armed with this knowledge, O Lord, that the battle is won, we lift up our heads and walk with the confidence of knowing that we are the victorious sons and daughters of the Living God.

I, Daniel, have been seeing visions in the night. I saw that the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea; four great beasts emerged from the sea, each different from the other. The first was like a lion with eagle’s wings; and as I looked its wings were torn off, and it was lifted from the ground and set standing on its feet like a man; and it was given a human heart. The second beast I saw was different, like a bear, raised up on one of its sides, with three ribs in its mouth, between its teeth. “Up!” came the command “Eat quantities of flesh!” After this I looked, and saw another beast, like a leopard, and with four bird’s wings on its flanks; it had four heads, and power was given to it. Next I saw another vision in the visions of the night: I saw a fourth beast, fearful, terrifying, very strong; it had great iron teeth, and it ate, crushed and trampled underfoot what remained. It was different from the previous beasts and had ten horns.
While I was looking at these horns, I saw another horn sprouting among them, a little one; three of the original horns were pulled out by the roots to make way for it; and in this horn I saw eyes like human eyes, and a mouth that was full of boasts. As I watched:
Thrones were set in place
and one of great age took his seat.
His robe was white as snow,
the hair of his head as pure as wool.
His throne was a blaze of flames,
its wheels were a burning fire.
A stream of fire poured out,
issuing from his presence.
A thousand thousand waited on him,
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
A court was held
and the books were opened.
The great things the horn was saying were still ringing in my ears, and as I watched, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and committed to the flames. The other beasts were deprived of their power, but received a lease of life for a season and a time.
I gazed into the visions of the night.
And I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven,
one like a son of man.
He came to the one of great age
and was led into his presence.
On him was conferred sovereignty,
glory and kingship,
and men of all peoples, nations and languages became his servants.
His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty
which shall never pass away,
nor will his empire ever be destroyed.

PSALM - DANIEL 3:75-81

Mountains and hills! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Every thing that grows on the earth! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Springs of water! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Seas and rivers! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Sea beasts and everything that lives in water! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Birds of heaven! all bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Animals wild and tame! all bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!

LUKE 21:29-33

My Soul's Beloved, 

We are the new Jerusalem, the Church You established on Peter and the Apostles, and which continues to grow and thrive, and will do so until You return. Every other institution is built on shifting sand and will perish, but the Church, which is built on the Rock and has You as its Cornerstone, will continue to be the lamp lit and set high on the hill so all can find their way to her. 

Kingdoms have come and gone, the Jerusalem that the Jews knew in Your time has perished; nothing remains of it, only a memory of things past and faded glory. But the mustard seed of the Kingdom of God that was given to Peter and the Apostles, who in turn took it to the ends of the earth, is growing. Hard as the devil through his minions strives to bring her down, they will never succeed. We have the authority of Your Word and Your promise that the gates of hell shall never prevail against her. 

We are confident, Lord, that despite every evil trick that Satan uses, in the end, he and the vast numbers of those he has deceived will be consigned to the deepest, darkest pit of hell forever. Until then, Beloved, we stand firm on Your imperishable Word. Strengthened by the Sacraments, we will carry out the mission entrusted to us to be light and salt in the world and do our part, by our lives, to draw many to the Truth of the Good News that alone has the power to save.

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

WEDNESDAY OF WEEK 34 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

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

DANIEL 5:1-6,13-14,16-17,23-28

My Soul's Beloved,

King Belshazzar profaned the sacred cups and vessels that his father, Nebuchadnezzar, had looted from the temple by giving them to his guests to drink from them while singing and praising their false gods. They used sacred vessels in unholy ways and brought the wrath of God upon them.

We cannot profane sacred things and expect to go unpunished. Our body is holy, and when we profane it, we will be punished. My body is the sanctuary of the Living God and of  Your Holy Spirit. You deign to make my sinful body Your home. You desire to come into me and live in me. Yet I am most negligent of how I keep the temple of my soul. I am indifferent and lazy, and I dare to do absolutely nothing to prepare my soul so it can be a fit dwelling where You may enter freely and be one with me. Yet when I use my body for unholy and sinful things, I am taken aback like Belshazzar when I am visited by Your holy and righteous wrath. 

Forgive me, Lord, and forgive the whole world for our deliberate, willful destruction of all things good, holy, noble, and beautiful. We use the gifts You have so generously blessed us with not as You desire us to, but only to profane them. Grant us wisdom and true contrition of heart so we may repent before it is too late, and the world as we know it is not utterly given over to the rule of the Enemy. 

Daniel, whom the King knew only by reputation, was brought before the King to interpret the writing on the wall that was written by human fingers that suddenly appeared. The words written in an unknown language seemed ominous, and the king was visibly afraid. Daniel interpreted the writing on the wall and informed the king that his glory days were numbered and he would lose his kingdom for defiling what was holy and for worshiping false gods. 

King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for his noblemen; a thousand of them attended, and he drank wine in company with this thousand. As he sipped his wine, Belshazzar gave orders for the gold and silver vessels to be brought which his father Nebuchadnezzar had looted from the sanctuary in Jerusalem, so that the king, his noblemen, his wives and his singing women could drink out of them. The gold and silver vessels looted from the sanctuary of the Temple of God in Jerusalem were brought in, and the king, his noblemen, his wives and his singing women drank out of them. They drank their wine and praised their gods of gold and silver, of bronze and iron, of wood and stone. Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared, and began to write on the plaster of the palace wall, directly behind the lamp-stand; and the king could see the hand as it wrote. The king turned pale with alarm: his thigh-joints went slack and his knees began to knock.
Daniel was brought into the king’s presence; the king said to Daniel, ‘Are you the Daniel who was one of the Judaean exiles brought by my father the king from Judah? I am told that the spirit of God Most Holy lives in you, and that you are known for your perception, intelligence and marvellous wisdom. As I am told that you are able to give interpretations and to unravel difficult problems, if you can read the writing and tell me what it means, you shall be dressed in purple, and have a chain of gold put round your neck, and be third in rank in the kingdom.’
Then Daniel spoke up in the presence of the king. ‘Keep your gifts for yourself,’ he said ‘and give your rewards to others. I will read the writing to the king without them, and tell him what it means. You have defied the Lord of heaven, you have had the vessels from his Temple brought to you, and you, your noblemen, your wives and your singing women have drunk your wine out of them. You have praised gods of gold and silver, of bronze and iron, of wood and stone, which cannot either see, hear or understand; but you have given no glory to the God who holds your breath and all your fortunes in his hands. That is why he has sent the hand which, by itself, has written these words. The writing reads: Mene, Mene, Tekel and Parsin. The meaning of the words is this: Mene: God has measured your sovereignty and put an end to it; Tekel: you have been weighed in the balance and found wanting; Parsin: your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.’

DANIEL 3:62-67

Sun and moon! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Stars of heaven! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Showers and dews! all bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Winds! all bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Fire and heat! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Cold and heat! bless the Lord.
Give glory and eternal praise to him!

LUKE 21:12-19

TUESDAY OF WEEK 34 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

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

DANIEL 2:31-45

My Soul's Beloved,


Kingdoms come and go. Governments fall, and new ones come, and they are all built on shifting sands. None of them lasts. Some govern with greater wisdom and compassion than others, but by and large, they are mostly self-serving, power-hungry despots, or puppets of the real shadow leaders who pull their strings. The people who are governed are merely a means to an end. The powerful and the greedy are never satisfied, and when their thrones are threatened, they use fear, violence, division, and lies to extend their reign.


Who do we have, Lord? We who are in a minority, whose voices are hushed and silenced, who are crushed, should we dare to complain, who have false allegations made against them, and who are judged by corrupt judges, and where every institution is manipulated by those who govern.


We have You, O Lord, the King of Kings, to whom the heavens and the earth belong and everything in it. As Daniel explained to King Nebuchadnezzar, kingdoms come and go, but the rule of God, the justice of God, and the authority of God are everlasting. And God is always on the side of His little ones.In the time of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not pass into the hands of another race: it will shatter and absorb all the previous kingdoms, and itself last for ever – just as you saw the stone untouched by hand break from the mountain and shatter iron, bronze, earthenware, silver and gold. 

Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar, ‘You have had a vision, O king; this is what you saw: a statue, a great statue of extreme brightness, stood before you, terrible to see. The head of this statue was of fine gold, its chest and arms were of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet part iron, part earthenware. While you were gazing, a stone broke away, untouched by any hand, and struck the statue, struck its feet of iron and earthenware and shattered them. And then, iron and earthenware, bronze, silver, gold all broke into small pieces as fine as chaff on the threshing-floor in summer. The wind blew them away, leaving not a trace behind. And the stone that had struck the statue grew into a great mountain, filling the whole earth. This was the dream; now we will explain to the king what it means.
‘You, O king, king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given sovereignty, power, strength and glory – the sons of men, the beasts of the field, the birds of heaven, wherever they live, he has entrusted to your rule, making you king of them all – you are the golden head. And after you another kingdom will rise, not so great as you, and then a third, of bronze, which will rule the whole world. There will be a fourth kingdom, hard as iron, as iron that shatters and crushes all. Like iron that breaks everything to pieces, it will crush and break all the earlier kingdoms. The feet you saw, part earthenware, part iron, are a kingdom which will be split in two, but which will retain something of the strength of iron, just as you saw the iron and the clay of the earthenware mixed together. The feet were part iron, part earthenware: the kingdom will be partly strong and partly weak. And just as you saw the iron and the clay of the earthenware mixed together, so the two will be mixed together in the seed of man; but they will not hold together any more than iron will blend with earthenware. In the time of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not pass into the hands of another race: it will shatter and absorb all the previous kingdoms, and itself last for ever – just as you saw the stone untouched by hand break from the mountain and shatter iron, bronze, earthenware, silver and gold. The great God has shown the king what is to take place. The dream is true, the interpretation exact.’

DANIEL 3:57-61

All things the Lord has made, bless the Lord.

Give glory and eternal praise to him!

Angels of the Lord! all bless the Lord.

Heavens! bless the Lord.

Waters above the heavens! bless the Lord.

Powers of the Lord! all bless the Lord.

Give glory and eternal praise to him!

LUKE 21:5-11

My Soul's Beloved,

If we only took the time to educate ourselves thoroughly on the Word of God, we would know that kingdoms come and go, but those who stand on the Word of God will never be shaken. It is there for anyone with eyes to see, ears to hear, and a mind to comprehend. Nothing in this world lasts; it is all decaying and fading away. Yet we chase after temporal things as if our lives depended on it, and we neglect that which is of supreme importance, the salvation of our souls. How we live every moment of every day will determine our eternal destination, and yet we are clueless about the things that matter.

You predicted the fall of the Temple, but they believed it was too magnificent for it to be destroyed and ruined. Never again will the Temple be rebuilt; its old glory has passed into memory. You, Beloved, came to give us a temple not built by human hands, a Kingdom that is not of this world. We are destined to belong to the new Israel under a new Covenant made with us by God and sealed in the Spirit and the Blood of the Lamb.  

Time will end, but we need not live in fear that it is close at hand. We are people of the Resurrection, and at the appointed hour, You will return in glory. While we wait in longing for that day, we live with joy as we prepare for that day when You will return to establish Your Lordship over the whole world. What does the actual time or day matter as long as we live in fellowship with You and are nurtured and nourished by Holy Mother Church? When our own personal hour comes to return home to You, we shall be tranquil if we have lived in love with God and neighbor.

When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, Jesus said, ‘All these things you are staring at now – the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.’ And they put to him this question: ‘Master,’ they said ‘when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that this is about to take place?’
‘Take care not to be deceived,’ he said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, “I am he” and, “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.’

SATURDAY OF WEEK 32 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

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

WISDOM 18:14-16,19:6-9

My Soul's Beloved,

When we look at our world today, Lord, we see governments around the globe, where the wicked, the powerful, and the influential are controlling those whom the people have elected, trusting them to govern with justice and fairness; instead, they become puppets of the wealthy. They take bribes and hence are compromised, so they no longer are their own masters but slaves. They promote agendas that are detrimental to the people and instead crush those whom they have sworn an oath to serve. They make public declarations to uphold the law, but in private, they destroy, especially the most vulnerable, whom they marginalize and push to the peripheries beyond their vision, so their conscience will not be disturbed.

But You, O Lord, are awake. You see all. You know all. And we can wait in hope for the time of chastisement when the powerful will be removed from their thrones and annihilated. We need not despair, for You are God, the Eternal Word of the Father who leapt down from heaven into our fallen world. You took on Yourself our sins, our transgressions, our punishment, and You, the righteous and only judge appointed by God, will mete out just judgment on all - the wicked and the innocent.

It is easy to lose heart, Beloved, when we look at our sin-filled world. Never has the world been so polarized as it is in our day and age, and each faction is spewing hatred and venomous rage at the other. Nothing is too outrageous, nothing beyond the realms of ordinary decency, common sense, and logic has long since fled from both public and private discourse, and the Enemy has entered even the most sacrosanct spaces, our families. It is easy to prophesy doom and gloom, but we are a people of hope. A people of the New Covenant. Let us stay awake, be vigilant, pray, hope, and not give way to worry or anxiety. This world is Yours, Lord, it has been consecrated and sanctified by Your Precious Blood, and to You alone is given authority, Kingship, rule, and dominion. We trust in You, Lord, and those who place all their hope and trust in You will never be put to shame.

When peaceful silence lay over all,
and night had run the half of her swift course,
down from the heavens, from the royal throne, leapt your all-powerful Word;
into the heart of a doomed land the stern warrior leapt.
Carrying your unambiguous command like a sharp sword,
he stood, and filled the universe with death;
he touched the sky, yet trod the earth.
For, to keep your children from all harm,
the whole creation, obedient to your commands,
was once more, and newly, fashioned in its nature.
Overshadowing the camp there was the cloud,
where water had been, dry land was seen to rise,
the Red Sea became an unimpeded way,
the tempestuous flood a green plain;
sheltered by your hand, the whole nation passed across,
gazing at these amazing miracles.
They were like horses at pasture,
they skipped like lambs,
singing your praises, Lord, their deliverer.

PSALM 104(105):2-3,36-37,42-43

Remember the wonders the Lord has done.

O sing to him, sing his praise;
tell all his wonderful works!
Be proud of his holy name,
let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.

He struck all the first-born in their land,
the finest flower of their sons.
He led out Israel with silver and gold.
In his tribes were none who fell behind.

For he remembered his holy word,
which he gave to Abraham his servant.
So he brought out his people with joy,
his chosen ones with shouts of rejoicing.

Remember the wonders the Lord has done.

LUKE 18:1-8

My Soul's Beloved,

Today's parable gives us hope. We ought not to worry needlessly about the corrupt state of the world's leaders. The Enemy has infiltrated the corridors of power both in the spiritual and temporal realm, and it is easy to become despondent and discouraged. But we know, O Lord, that You have won the victory. You have triumphed over sin, death, and the world. You are the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. You are seated in glory at the right hand of the Father, and You alone are appointed to judge the world, and You will do so in fairness and with right judgment, for You are God.

We are invited to use the most powerful weapon we possess while we wait for justice - prayer. We are called to pray ceaselessly. You hear, and You will answer. Who do we have but You, O Lord, and having You, we possess everything. The unjust rulers of this world are here today and gone tomorrow, like grass in the furnace; they will perish. We have an all-powerful God who loves the poor, the humble, the little ones, and it is these that You will raise, justify, and bless with every good and perfect gift in the heavenly places. And so Lord, while we wait in hope for You to act in our favor at a time of Your choosing, we will pray and praise without ceasing. Thank You, Lord, for the hope we have in You; it is a hope that is rooted in Your love for us. 

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart. ‘There was a judge in a certain town’ he said ‘who had neither fear of God nor respect for man. In the same town there was a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, “I want justice from you against my enemy!” For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, “Maybe I have neither fear of God nor respect for man, but since she keeps pestering me I must give this widow her just rights, or she will persist in coming and worry me to death.”’

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

THURSDAY OF WEEK 32 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I am the vine,
you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me, with me in him,
bears fruit in plenty,
says the Lord. JN 15:5

WISDOM 7:22-8:1

My Soul's Beloved,

Having received the gift of wisdom whose source is God our Creator, breathed into You, His Son, with the Breath of the Spirit, through the Sacraments instituted by You, we will walk through this valley of tears with prudence and insight. With the help of wisdom, we will be able to navigate safely all the pitfalls and snares that the Enemy sets out to trap us.

Beloved, You have equipped us with every good gift by the outpouring of Your Holy Spirit on the Church and on us, so we lack nothing that will help us journey from this life to the next. Sadly, we allow the noise of the world, the temptations of the devil, and the desires of our own flesh to lead us in ways where wisdom is absent. Our own folly drowns out her voice, and the more insensitive we become to her gentle promptings, the quieter she becomes.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, help us to embrace the wondrous gift of wisdom that You have given us, through our cooperation with grace, grant that we allow holy wisdom to rule every aspect of our lives so we can live in holiness and truth fearlessly, boldly, and courageously no matter how difficult the world makes it for us to live as Your disciples. May we die rather than compromise with the world and be ready to risk all for the sake of the Truth that wisdom aparts to all who are saved.

Within Wisdom is a spirit intelligent, holy,
unique, manifold, subtle,
active, incisive, unsullied,
lucid, invulnerable, benevolent, sharp,
irresistible, beneficent, loving to man,
steadfast, dependable, unperturbed,
almighty, all-surveying,
penetrating all intelligent, pure
and most subtle spirits;
for Wisdom is quicker to move than any motion;
she is so pure, she pervades and permeates all things.
She is a breath of the power of God,
pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty;
hence nothing impure can find a way into her.
She is a reflection of the eternal light,
untarnished mirror of God’s active power,
image of his goodness.
Although alone, she can do all;
herself unchanging, she makes all things new.
In each generation she passes into holy souls,
she makes them friends of God and prophets;
for God loves only the man who lives with Wisdom.
She is indeed more splendid than the sun,
she outshines all the constellations;
compared with light, she takes first place,
for light must yield to night,
but over Wisdom evil can never triumph.
She deploys her strength from one end of the earth to the other,
ordering all things for good.

PSALM 118(119):89-91,130,135,175

Your word, O Lord, stands for ever.

Your word, O Lord, for ever
stands firm in the heavens:
your truth lasts from age to age,
like the earth you created.

By your decree it endures to this day;
for all things serve you.
The unfolding of your word gives light
and teaches the simple.

Let your face shine on your servant
and teach me your decrees.
Give life to my soul that I may praise you.
Let your decrees give me help.

Your word, O Lord, stands for ever.

LUKE 17:20-25

My Soul's Beloved, 

Yes, the kingdom of God is already among us. It is in our church communities, in her liturgical celebrations, in the lives of families in the parish, in the various spiritual groups and cells, and in parish outreach programs, in the coming together of people with their parish priest and the priests assigned to each parish. To the extent that we are willing to share actively in the life of the church, we will experience the kingdom of God in our midst. But the Kingdom is also in our hearts. When Father, Son, and Spirit abide in us, we are already living in eternity in the temple of our soul housed in our perishable body.

We are one in You together with the Father and the Spirit when we remain one with the Church You founded with Peter's successor, and the successors to the apostles, our bishops. We don't need to run hither, thither, and yon to hear teachings that tickle the ears. We have the Church, which is the pillar and foundation of truth, and here we are fed with the Bread of Life in the Holy Eucharist. We have food for the journey, and as long as we are faithful members of the Church, strengthened by the Sacraments, obedient to God's commandments, and guided always by her teaching authority, humbly and sincerely, in all matters, we will recognize that we are already living in the Kingdom of God that You came to establish on earth. Then we will have nothing to fear at our personal judgment or when You come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.

Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was to come, Jesus gave them this answer, ‘The coming of the kingdom of God does not admit of observation and there will be no one to say, “Look here! Look there!” For, you must know, the kingdom of God is among you.’

He said to the disciples, ‘A time will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man and will not see it. They will say to you, “Look there!” or, “Look here!” Make no move; do not set off in pursuit; for as the lightning flashing from one part of heaven lights up the other, so will be the Son of Man when his day comes. But first he must suffer grievously and be rejected by this generation.’

ST. JOSAPHAT, BISHOP & MARTYR - WEDNESDAY OF WEEK 32 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. 1TH 5:18

WISDOM 6:1-11

My Soul's Beloved, 

It is easy to become discouraged when we look at our world, its leaders, those with power and influence who use their position and their wealth for personal aggrandizement. However, Lord, we also know that Your word is true. The day of the wicked is coming, and when it arrives, they will be destroyed and annihilated like dry grass in a furnace. We know that the Day of the Lord is approaching and justice will be meted out to all, great and small, powerful and powerless, rich and poor, the good and the wicked and corrupt. All will have their day of judgment before the holy and righteous judge appointed by the Father.

In every nation, O Lord, only a few leaders are God fearing, but they too often compromise with the world to remain in power. Those who refuse to stand down but hold on to the truth, unafraid of the consequences, are more often than not taken down and destroyed by evil forces that have covertly infiltrated every institution, both man-made and divine. What can the poor man do, Lord? We can pray and hope in You, and all who place their trust in You will be vindicated.

You, O Lord, will come to rule and judge the world in fairness, and evil will be annihilated by the power of the Blood of the Lamb and the victory of the Cross. While we wait, Beloved, we pray with confidence, and we shall not lose hope or courage. Maranatha, Lord Jesus, Maranatha!

Listen, kings, and understand;
rulers of remotest lands, take warning;
hear this, you who have thousands under your rule,
who boast of your hordes of subjects.
For power is a gift to you from the Lord,
sovereignty is from the Most High;
he himself will probe your acts and scrutinise your intentions.
If, as administrators of his kingdom, you have not governed justly
nor observed the law,
nor behaved as God would have you behave,
he will fall on you swiftly and terribly.
Ruthless judgement is reserved for the high and mighty;
the lowly will be compassionately pardoned,
the mighty will be mightily punished.
For the Lord of All does not cower before a personage,
he does not stand in awe of greatness,
since he himself has made small and great
and provides for all alike;
but strict scrutiny awaits those in power.
Yes, despots, my words are for you,
that you may learn what wisdom is and not transgress;
for they who observe holy things holily will be adjudged holy,
and, accepting instruction from them, will find their defence in them.
Look forward, therefore, to my words;
yearn for them, and they will instruct you.

PSALM 81(82):3-4,6-7

Arise, O God, to judge the earth.

Do justice for the weak and the orphan,
defend the afflicted and the needy.
Rescue the weak and the poor;
set them free from the hand of the wicked.

I have said to you: “You are gods
and all of you, sons of the Most High.”
And yet, you shall die like men,
you shall fall like any of the princes.’

Arise, O God, to judge the earth.

LUKE 17:11-19

My Soul's Beloved,

These ten lepers who cried out piteously to You to be healed were met with compassion, mercy, tenderness, and were granted all they asked for. They were healed completely, and You directed them to go and show themselves to the priest so they would be declared clean and they could return to their homes and community. While they were on their way to do as You had commanded, they saw that they no longer bore any trace of the dreaded disease that had made them outcasts and beggars. While nine proceeded to go to the priest, one of them, overwhelmed with joy and uncontainable gratitude, returned to throw himself at Your feet and thanked You with all his heart. He was a Samaritan, a foreigner. You noticed and You commented and You granted him further blessings, saying to him, ‘Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.’ While the others received only a physical healing, this man received both physical and spiritual restoration.

These nine lepers who were healed represent those who take their rank, power, and privilege for granted as if it were their due. They forget that all we receive comes from the hands of our loving and generous God. A grateful heart filled with thanksgiving and praise invites even greater blessings from You, O Lord. We need to acknowledge every grace that we receive, for without Your goodness and mercy, we would surely perish. Too often, we are consumed with our physical well-being and forget that it is our spiritual well-being that will determine where we spend eternity.

Grant O Lord that we never take Your gifts, both spiritual and temporal, for granted and remain always grateful for You, O Lord are the Giver of every good and perfect gift. 

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 31 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Jesus Christ was rich,
but he became poor for your sake,
to make you rich out of his poverty. 2COR 8:9

ROMANS 16:3-9,16,22-27

My Soul's Beloved,

The Church is made up of sinners called to be saints. Our whole life must be one of striving to live united to each other in love and grace. We are brothers and sisters in You, Lord, and we have the privilege of calling Your Father, our Abba. You have given us Your Mother to be our Mama as well, and all the saints gone before us are our family. They are witnesses to us that it is possible to strive after holiness and perfection with the help of the Holy Spirit that is poured out into our hearts when we were baptized. Yet, Beloved, because we are sinners, and we allow our weaknesses to sow division and discord between us, we are often at war with each other. But this is not what the family of God ought to witness to each other and to the world. How can we attract others to the faith if we live it so poorly? It will never be said of us as it was said of the early Christians, 'See how they love one another.'

Beloved, we were created by the God of love in love, and only when we, too, love Him and one another will we experience the peace and joy of Your resurrection. The Gospel has been preached to the ends of the earth, and the Church is made up of people from different nations, cultures, and languages. We come in all shapes and sizes, but our common inheritance is what should bind us in perfect harmony. Yet, this is not always true.  Grant us wisdom, O Lord, to know that if we are to be light and salt in the world, then we must love one another and be prepared to lay down our lives for each other. Love alone will draw all men and women to know You and love You as You ought to be known and loved. Help us, Lord, never to lose sight of the goal which is to make disciples in every nation. The greater our labor in the vineyard, the quicker will Your Kingdom be established on earth and the sooner will You return to claim Your inheritance and take us to be with You forever.

My greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked death to save my life: I am not the only one to owe them a debt of gratitude, all the churches among the pagans do as well. My greetings also to the church that meets at their house.

Greetings to my friend Epaenetus, the first of Asia’s gifts to Christ; greetings to Mary who worked so hard for you; to those outstanding apostles Andronicus and Junias, my compatriots and fellow prisoners who became Christians before me; to Ampliatus, my friend in the Lord; to Urban, my fellow worker in Christ; to my friend Stachys. Greet each other with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.
I, Tertius, who wrote out this letter, greet you in the Lord. Greetings from Gaius, who is entertaining me and from the whole church that meets in his house. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends his greetings; so does our brother Quartus.
Glory to him who is able to give you the strength to live according to the Good News I preach, and in which I proclaim Jesus Christ, the revelation of a mystery kept secret for endless ages, but now so clear that it must be broadcast to pagans everywhere to bring them to the obedience of faith. This is only what scripture has predicted, and it is all part of the way the eternal God wants things to be. He alone is wisdom; give glory therefore to him through Jesus Christ for ever and ever. Amen.

PSALM 144(145):2-5,10-11

I will bless your name for ever, O Lord.

I will bless you day after day
and praise your name for ever.
The Lord is great, highly to be praised,
his greatness cannot be measured.

Age to age shall proclaim your works,

shall declare your mighty deeds,
shall speak of your splendour and glory,
tell the tale of your wonderful works.

All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,
and your friends shall repeat their blessing.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign
and declare your might, O God.

I will bless your name for ever, O Lord.

LUKE 16:9-15

My Soul's Beloved,

If we recognize the true value of things, both temporal and eternal, and use both wisely, we will gain the inheritance that God has set aside for us. We scoff at people who we know are notorious, public sinners, and forget that we are perhaps more wicked and worthy of condemnation because our sins are committed in secret. 

All that we own in this world is passing and is subject to death and decay. We have no lasting inheritance here on earth; what is imperishable is the good we do while we still can. Death comes to us all like a thief in the night, and while we foolishly believe that we will have time to repent, we may die without getting the time to do so. All too often, we spend our lives toiling to offer a more comfortable life for our families and sacrificing the quality time we could have spent with them, and realizing too late that we made the wrong choices. We were strangers to our children, who grew up all too quickly and no longer need us as much anymore. 

Lord Jesus, thank You for the timely reminder today to withhold all negative judgment of those whose lives we know nothing about and busy ourselves with amassing treasures in heaven.

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I tell you this: use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity. The man who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great; the man who is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in great. If then you cannot be trusted with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches? And if you cannot be trusted with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?
‘No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.’
The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and laughed at him. He said to them, ‘You are the very ones who pass yourselves off as virtuous in people’s sight, but God knows your hearts. For what is thought highly of by men is loathsome in the sight of God.’

FRIDAY OF WEEK 31 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

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

ROMANS 15:14-21

My Soul's Beloved, 

All of us who are members of Your Body have received the same mandate that St. Paul and the Apostles did: it is to spread the Good News so all may come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved. Our goal is to make You known to those who are in ignorance of You - how do we do that, especially in places where Christians are a persecuted minority? We do it by using every opportunity given to us by the Holy Spirit to witness to Your love, the power of the Gospel, and by testifying boldly what You and the Holy Spirit have done in our lives. The love of God and the goodness of God are our ever-present experience of You, Lord. Yes, we live by faith, and because we live by faith, we see the power of God at work. Those who once walked in darkness and were touched by the power of the love of God made tangible in You, experience for the first time what it means to encounter the love of the risen Lord. Their lives are transformed, and their spiritual awareness of the reality of the Living God is what makes them embrace You and declare You as their Lord and Savior.

All we need to do, Beloved, is to be authentic witnesses to the power of the Gospel, and the Holy Spirit will do the rest. Our lives have to be a visible expression of what we believe. All that is necessary to attract others to desire what we have is to practice what we believe and live our faith with conviction. But this requires us to be always vigilant, depending on the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us to shine Your light that will draw everyone to know, love You, believe in You, and be saved.

My brothers, I am quite certain that you are full of good intentions, perfectly well instructed and able to advise each other. The reason why I have written to you, and put some things rather strongly, is to refresh your memories, since God has given me this special position. He has appointed me as a priest of Jesus Christ, and I am to carry out my priestly duty by bringing the Good News from God to the pagans, and so make them acceptable as an offering, made holy by the Holy Spirit.
I think I have some reason to be proud of what I, in union with Christ Jesus, have been able to do for God. What I am presuming to speak of, of course, is only what Christ himself has done to win the allegiance of the pagans, using what I have said and done by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thus all the way along, from Jerusalem to Illyricum, I have preached Christ’s Good News to the utmost of my capacity. I have always, however, made it an unbroken rule never to preach where Christ’s name has already been heard. The reason for that was that I had no wish to build on other men’s foundations; on the contrary, my chief concern has been to fulfil the text: Those who have never been told about him will see him, and those who have never heard about him will understand.

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.

LUKE 16:1-8

My Soul's Beloved, 

The tragedy of most of us who believe is that we are all too often less zealous in storing up for ourselves treasures in heaven that neither moths nor rust can ruin than those who work tirelessly to build up vast storehouses of earthly possessions. Most people run themselves ragged working for the things that perish, but are lackadaisical when it comes to the things of heaven. Our faith is small, and this is why we are powerless in attracting non-believers to the Truth that saves. 

We are envious of the gifts given to others. We are selfish. We gossip. We tear one another down. We give God out of our surplus, but not if it will hurt. When we give, we allow fear and anxiety to dictate the measure in which we give, worried lest we will not have enough for ourselves tomorrow. But that is not true giving. We have to use Your life as a springboard through which we live ours. You are the blueprint. True love does not count the cost but pours itself in sacrifice. It is a love that empties itself for the sake of the beloved. Few of us, Lord, truly model ourselves on You, Your life, and Your way of loving; if we did, the Kingdom of God would already be among us. Grant us this grace, O Lord, to become shrewd stewards of heavenly things and less astute of wordly things.

Jesus said to his disciples:
‘There was a rich man and he had a steward denounced to him for being wasteful with his property. He called for the man and said, “What is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your stewardship because you are not to be my steward any longer.” Then the steward said to himself, “Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me, what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed. Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed from office there will be some to welcome me into their homes.”
Then he called his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, “How much do you owe my master?” “One hundred measures of oil” was the reply. The steward said, “Here, take your bond; sit down straight away and write fifty.” To another he said, “And you, sir, how much do you owe?” “One hundred measures of wheat” was the reply. The steward said, “Here, take your bond and write eighty.”
‘The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.’

THURSDAY OF WEEK 31 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord. MT 11:28

ROMANS 14:7-12

My Soul's Beloved, 

Thank You for convicting me now by the power of Your Word. It is easy to judge those who are ungodly, who ruin lives, and bring destruction with them to anything they touch on every level. From the pain that they have systematically inflicted on precious lives, one hits back with anger, hatred, and condemnation.  But today we are called to respond as You do, for You are the Christ who died for all. No one is outside the power of Your readiness and willingness to forgive, no matter how grave the sins committed.

You alone, the Alpha and Omega, see all, know all, and have been appointed by God as the only judge, for You are holy, righteous, and have complete knowledge. The wise and prudent thing for us all to do, my Lord, is to vacate the judgment seat which we have usurped and return it to the One that God has appointed to judge both sinners and saints.

It is a hard lesson, Lord, for we feel justified and lash out because of the grave hurt they have inflicted on those we love, yet, this is what You ask, and with Your help, this is what I must do. Please provide all the grace I need to surrender those whom I wish You would punish to the maximum extent of the law and to forgive completely, without any reservations and wholeheartedly. Releasing them to You and from my anger and setting myself free to listen to You and obey You for You will judge me just as severely as I judge others or as lightly as I judge them.

The life and death of each of us has its influence on others; if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord, so that alive or dead we belong to the Lord. This explains why Christ both died and came to life: it was so that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. This is also why you should never pass judgement on a brother or treat him with contempt, as some of you have done. We shall all have to stand before the judgement seat of God; as scripture says: By my life – it is the Lord who speaks – every knee shall bend before me, and every tongue shall praise God. It is to God, therefore, that each of us must give an account of himself.

PSALM 26(27):1,4,13-14

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.

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?

There is one thing I ask of the Lord,
for this I long,
to live in the house of the Lord,
all the days of my life,
to savour the sweetness of the Lord,
to behold his temple.

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!

I am sure I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.

LUKE 15:1-10

My Soul's Beloved, 

You are the Son of God, true, but You also are the Son of Man and have been tempted as all of us in human flesh are tempted. This is why, Lord, sinners, even the greatest sinner of all, find in You a God of mercy, pity, and tender compassion, for You know our weaknesses.

We all have sinned, Beloved, and have fallen short of the glory of God, and yet so many of us are hypocrites like the Pharisees. We want You to show us mercy, but not to those whom we condemn because we consider them to be greater sinners than we are. It is so comforting to know, Lord, that You came for me, a sinner who fails and falls constantly. Thank You for becoming like us so You can understand our human frailty. Help me to withhold all judgment from others so mercy will be shown to me.

The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. ‘This man’ they said ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.’ So he spoke this parable to them:
‘What man among you with a hundred sheep, losing one, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the missing one till he found it? And when he found it, would he not joyfully take it on his shoulders and then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” he would say “I have found my sheep that was lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance.
‘Or again, what woman with ten drachmas would not, if she lost one, light a lamp and sweep out the house and search thoroughly till she found it? And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbours? “Rejoice with me,” she would say “I have found the drachma I lost.” In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing among the angels of God over one repentant sinner.’

WEDNESDAY OF WEEK 31 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2025

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

It is a blessing for you
when they insult you for bearing the name of Christ,
for the Spirit of God rests on you. 1PT 4:14

ROMANS 13:8-10

My Soul's Beloved, 

When we love God and our neighbor as You command us to, we will journey through this valley of tears with courage and in peace. You will provide all we need to persevere if we obey this law of love. We know that God is love, and we know it viscerally, for You, O Lord, demonstrated the love of God by doing the will of Your Father. This was Your Father's will, that while we were yet sinners, He sent You into the world, as one like us, to enter into our death so we could receive His life in abundance through You. 

When we love as we are commanded to love, we will think nothing of pouring ourselves out in sacrificial love just as You did for us. If genuine love for one another rules our lives, truly, the Kingdom of God would come among us. It is not easy, Beloved. Loving is hard, and it is especially hard to love those who deliberately seek our destruction. But it is not impossible, as the lives of so many saints have witnessed to us. Grant us the graces we need, Lord, to allow love to dictate and rule our lives and to seek the good even of those who seek to harm us.

Avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love. If you love your fellow men you have carried out your obligations. All the commandments: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and so on, are summed up in this single command: You must love your neighbour as yourself. Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbour; that is why it is the answer to every one of the commandments.

PSALM 111(112):1-2,4-5,9

Happy the man who takes pity and lends.

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

He is a light in the darkness for the upright:
he is generous, merciful and just.
The good man takes pity and lends,
he conducts his affairs with honour.

Open-handed, he gives to the poor;
his justice stands firm for ever.
His head will be raised in glory.

Happy the man who takes pity and lends.

LUKE 14:25-33

My Soul's Beloved, 

There is no mistaking the clarion call of discipleship in today's Gospel. If we are to love You as You ought to be loved, then every other love must come as a far second. Too often, Lord, we place love of creatures above our love for You, and this is why we fall short of the mark. We are sinful, concupiscent creatures, and make convincing excuses to ourselves for loving people, whoever they may be - parents, children, animals, and give them greater attention and devotion than we give the Living God. All too often, we go to ridiculous lengths to lavish on creatures the love that is actually hierarchical. Love of God comes before love for family, neighbor, and self. Unless we give You the glory, honor, worship, and love that is due to You alone, O Lord, we will never live holy lives, pleasing to God.

Radical love for God costs everything, but when we are prepared to sacrifice all for love of You, Beloved, You will ensure that we receive far more than we ever dreamed of. Grant us the grace, O Lord, not to just give you lip service, but to heed Your call to love You above and before all else and our neighbor as ourselves. This is the only way to be happy in this life, no matter what crosses we must endure, and to enjoy eternal bliss with You in Your Kingdom. 

Great crowds accompanied Jesus on his way and he turned and spoke to them. ‘If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple. Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

‘And indeed, which of you here, intending to build a tower, would not first sit down and work out the cost to see if he had enough to complete it? Otherwise, if he laid the foundation and then found himself unable to finish the work, the onlookers would all start making fun of him and saying, “Here is a man who started to build and was unable to finish.” Or again, what king marching to war against another king would not first sit down and consider whether with ten thousand men he could stand up to the other who advanced against him with twenty thousand? If not, then while the other king was still a long way off, he would send envoys to sue for peace. So in the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.’