SAINT JOHN BOSCO, PRIEST, ON SATURDAY OF WEEK 3 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2026

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

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

2 SAMUEL 12:1-7,10-17

My Soul's Beloved, 

The rich and the powerful are feckless. They lord it over the poor and those who have nothing. They steal constantly, the little that they have to accumulate more of what they do not need. Insatiable greed for the things of the world consumes them. 

David, too, sinned against one who was powerless against him. He coveted what was not his, and he took it. He committed multiple sins to satisfy his lust. One lapse in his duty as king and ruler led to another and another until he plotted to commit murder and made sure that it was carried out. He had power, and he used it to sin gravely over and over again until the prophet Nathan revealed how profoundly he had sinned against God and neighbor.

Once David recognized his sin, he was repentant and contrite, and God forgave him, but he still had to make reparation, for there are always consequences to sin. In David's case, he lost the child that Bathsheba bore him. 

Lord Jesus, we cannot sin blithely without ending up doing grave injury to our souls. Sin has a deadly effect: it causes others to suffer. It has a ripple effect, causing grave distress to everyone it touches. The tragedy of mortal sin is that the innocent also suffers with the guilty for sin, as well as virtue affects the whole Church, which is Your Body, we being its members.  But once reparation is made, O Lord, and divine justice is satisfied, You will restore all, and we will praise and glorify You.

The Lord sent Nathan the prophet to David. He came to him and said:
‘In the same town were two men,
one rich, the other poor.
The rich man had flocks and herds
in great abundance;
the poor man had nothing but a ewe lamb,
one only, a small one he had bought.
This he fed, and it grew up with him and his children,
eating his bread, drinking from his cup,
sleeping on his breast; it was like a daughter to him.
When there came a traveller to stay, the rich man
refused to take one of his own flock or herd
to provide for the wayfarer who had come to him.
Instead he took the poor man’s lamb
and prepared it for his guest.’
David’s anger flared up against the man. ‘As the Lord lives,’ he said to Nathan ‘the man who did this deserves to die! He must make fourfold restitution for the lamb, for doing such a thing and showing no compassion.’
Then Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man. So now the sword will never be far from your House, since you have shown contempt for me and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.”
‘Thus the Lord speaks, “I will stir up evil for you out of your own House. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to your neighbour, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. You worked in secret, I will work this in the face of all Israel and in the face of the sun.”’
David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Then Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord, for his part, forgives your sin; you are not to die. Yet because you have outraged the Lord by doing this, the child that is born to you is to die.’ Then Nathan went home.
The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David and it fell gravely ill. David pleaded with the Lord for the child; he kept a strict fast and went home and spent the night on the bare ground, covered with sacking. The officials of his household came and stood round him to get him to rise from the ground, but he refused, nor would he take food with them.

PSALM 50(51):12-17

A pure heart create for me, O God.

A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
nor deprive me of your holy spirit.

Give me again the joy of your help;
with a spirit of fervour sustain me,
that I may teach transgressors your ways
and sinners may return to you.

O rescue me, God, my helper,
and my tongue shall ring out your goodness.
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall declare your praise.

A pure heart create for me, O God.

MARK 4:35-41

https://lovesongstothebeloved.blogspot.com/2009/04/so-what.html

https://lovesongstothebeloved.blogspot.com/2009/08/tossing-in-wind.html

FRIDAY OF WEEK 3 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2026

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

2 SAMUEL 11:1-4,5-10,13-17

My Soul's Beloved, 

We cannot send proxies to fight our battles, just as no king or general worth his salt will stay in the comfort and safety of his home and let the army face the enemy. Without the king or the general visible at the head of the army to command, direct, and encourage them to fight with valor, there can be no victory, or it may be won at great cost.

King David, who was considered the greatest king of Israel and chosen and appointed by God to rule, lead, and shepherd His people, but instead of doing what he was elected to do, he decided to relax in his palace and let his army face the enemy without his leadership. This failure in his mission led him to lust over and commit adultery with the wife of Uriah, a soldier in his army.

When we lose sight of our mission, when we break Your law, O Lord, designed to help us lead holy lives and come to Your Kingdom, we do grave injury not just to ourselves but to others. Often, innocent people are affected by the mortal sins we commit.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me and grant me and my family perfect rest in Your divine will always. In Your will, Beloved, is our peace.  

At the turn of the year, the time when kings go campaigning, David sent Joab and with him his own guards and the whole of Israel. They massacred the Ammonites and laid siege to Rabbah. David, however, remained in Jerusalem.

It happened towards evening when David had risen from his couch and was strolling on the palace roof, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. David made inquiries about this woman and was told, ‘Why, that is Bathsheba, Eliam’s daughter, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.’ Then David sent messengers and had her brought. She came to him, and he slept with her. She then went home again. The woman conceived and sent word to David, ‘I am with child.’
Then David sent Joab a message, ‘Send me Uriah the Hittite’, whereupon Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came into his presence, David asked after Joab and the army and how the war was going. David then said to Uriah, ‘Go down to your house and enjoy yourself.’ Uriah left the palace, and was followed by a present from the king’s table. Uriah however slept by the palace door with his master’s bodyguard and did not go down to his house.
This was reported to David; ‘Uriah’ they said ‘did not go down to his house.’ The next day David invited him to eat and drink in his presence and made him drunk. In the evening Uriah went out and lay on his couch with his master’s bodyguard, but he did not go down to his house.
Next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by Uriah. In the letter he wrote, ‘Station Uriah in the thick of the fight and then fall back behind him so that he may be struck down and die.’ Joab, then besieging the town, posted Uriah in a place where he knew there were fierce fighters. The men of the town sallied out and engaged Joab; the army suffered casualties, including some of David’s bodyguard; and Uriah the Hittite was killed too.

PSALM 50(51):3-7,10-11

Have mercy on us, Lord, for we have sinned.

Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.

My offences truly I know them;
my sin is always before me
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done.

That you may be justified when you give sentence
and be without reproach when you judge,
O see, in guilt I was born,
a sinner was I conceived.

Make me hear rejoicing and gladness,
that the bones you have crushed may thrill.
From my sins turn away your face
and blot out all my guilt.

Have mercy on us, Lord, for we have sinned.

MARK 4:26-34

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS, PRIEST & DOCTOR, WEDNESDAY OF WEEK 3 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2026

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The seed is the word of God, Christ the sower;
whoever finds this seed will remain for ever. JN 6:68

2 SAMUEL 7:4-17

My Soul's Beloved, 

The house that You most prefer to dwell in is in the soul of every human being who knows You, loves You, and longs to remain with You forever in eternity. This is the house not made by human hands in which You humbly stoop low to enter. While all the grand churches built for Your glory are edifices to marvel at because of the splendour of the architecture, yet, O Lord, it is my soul in which You delight to dwell. This is why, Lord, I must strive constantly after holiness and perfection to make it a welcome place for You to enter at will.  

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, help me. Grant me all the graces I need to live a life pleasing to You so You may always find great joy in making Your home in me. Amen.

The word of the Lord came to Nathan:
‘Go and tell my servant David, “Thus the Lord speaks: Are you the man to build me a house to dwell in? I have never stayed in a house from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until today, but have always led a wanderer’s life in a tent. In all my journeying with the whole people of Israel, did I say to any one of the judges of Israel, whom I had appointed as shepherds of Israel my people: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” This is what you must say to my servant David, “The Lord of Hosts says this: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel; I have been with you on all your expeditions; I have cut off all your enemies before you. I will give you fame as great as the fame of the greatest on earth. I will provide a place for my people Israel; I will plant them there and they shall dwell in that place and never be disturbed again; nor shall the wicked continue to oppress them as they did, in the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel; I will give them rest from all their enemies. The Lord will make you great; the Lord will make you a House. And when your days are ended and you are laid to rest with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you and make his sovereignty secure. (It is he who shall build a house for my name, and I will make his royal throne secure for ever.) I will be a father to him and he a son to me; if he does evil, I will punish him with the rod such as men use, with strokes such as mankind gives. Yet I will not withdraw my favour from him, as I withdrew it from your predecessor. Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for ever.”’
Nathan related all these words to David and this whole revelation.

PSALM 88(89):4-5,27-30

I will keep my love for him always.

I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant:
I will establish your dynasty for ever
and set up your throne through all ages.

He will say to me: You are my father,
my God, the rock who saves me.
And I will make him my first-born,
the highest of the kings of the earth.

I will keep my love for him always;
with him my covenant shall last.
I will establish his dynasty for ever,
make his throne endure as the heavens.

I will keep my love for him always.

MARK 4:1-20

My Soul's Beloved,

Live in me, move in me, have Your Being in me. Having You, the Eternal Word of God, always abiding in me, I will, with the help of Your Holy Spirit, permit it to take root in me. Grant that my heart will always be the good soil that welcomes You gladly, rejoices in Your Presence in me ardently, and accepts every trial and cross joyfully for it is suffering alone that will purify, strengthen, and keep the soil of my soul good so it can receive You, the Eternal Word and yield a plentiful harvest for Your glory and for the glory of the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Thank You, Lord.

Jesus began to teach by the lakeside, but such a huge crowd gathered round him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there. The people were all along the shore, at the water’s edge. He taught them many things in parables, and in the course of his teaching he said to them, ‘Listen! Imagine a sower going out to sow. Now it happened that, as he sowed, some of the seed fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some seed fell on rocky ground where it found little soil and sprang up straightaway, because there was no depth of earth; and when the sun came up it was scorched and, not having any roots, it withered away. Some seed fell into thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no crop. And some seeds fell into rich soil and, growing tall and strong, produced crop; and yielded thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold.’ And he said, ‘Listen, anyone who has ears to hear!’
When he was alone, the Twelve, together with the others who formed his company, asked what the parables meant. He told them, ‘The secret of the kingdom of God is given to you, but to those who are outside everything comes in parables, so that they may see and see again, but not perceive; may hear and hear again, but not understand; otherwise they might be converted and be forgiven.’
He said to them, ‘Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? What the sower is sowing is the word. Those on the edge of the path where the word is sown are people who have no sooner heard it than Satan comes and carries away the word that was sown in them. Similarly, those who receive the seed on patches of rock are people who, when first they hear the word, welcome it at once with joy. But they have no root in them, they do not last; should some trial come, or some persecution on account of the word, they fall away at once. Then there are others who receive the seed in thorns. These have heard the word, but the worries of this world, the lure of riches and all the other passions come in to choke the word, and so it produces nothing. And there are those who have received the seed in rich soil: they hear the word and accept it and yield a harvest, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’

TUESDAY OF WEEK 3 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2026

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

2 SAMUEL 6:12-15,17-19

My Soul's Beloved, 

The ark of the Covenant is but a foreshadowing of the Real Presence of our God in the Holy Eucharist. In tabernacles and in Adoration Chapels all around the globe, You O Lord are present in fullness, Body, Soul, and Spirit. You are a prisoner of love, bound by chains of love that keep You day and night present to all who come to You to worship, praise, and adore You. Many just sit quietly in Your Presence as heart speaks to heart. Some pray the Holy Rosary, others read and ponder Your Sacred Word in Scripture, still others come with hearts that are broken, sorrowful, lonely, sad, grief-stricken as they tell You all the trials, sufferings, and disappointments they are facing in their lives. You listen to all as if there were only one there with You. You respond. You comfort, heal, assure, strengthen, and give new hope. Filled with confidence, we return to our lives with faith renewed, although nothing has changed. We learn to embrace Your will, knowing that in Your will is our peace. It is a peace that the world cannot give. You are God, You are good, and You love us. This knowledge alone is enough to sustain us and carry us through this valley of tears. You are yoked to us. We are not alone, and You will accompany us to the end of this life, and You will finally receive us in Your Kingdom to remain with You forever.

David danced mightily before the Ark of God. Grant us the same joy as we leave the busyness of our days as often as we can to spend time with You, who long for our company. Time spent in Your Eucharistic Presence is time well spent. Participating as often as we can in the Eucharistic Sacrifice of the Holy Mass besides Sundays and Holy Days of obligation transforms us and helps us grow more and more like You. It is in the Eucharist that You give us all we need to prepare us for the life to come. Thank You, Lord.

David went and brought the ark of God up from Obed-edom’s house to the Citadel of David with great rejoicing. When the bearers of the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fat sheep. And David danced whirling round before the Lord with all his might, wearing a linen loincloth round him. Thus David and all the House of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with acclaim and the sound of the horn. They brought the ark of the Lord in and put it in position inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered holocausts before the Lord, and communion sacrifices. And when David had finished offering holocausts and communion sacrifices, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Hosts. He then distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israelites, men and women, a roll of bread to each, a portion of dates, and a raisin cake. Then they all went away, each to his own house.

PSALM 23(24):7-10

Who is the king of glory? He, the Lord, he is the king of glory.

O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory!

Who is the king of glory?
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant,
the Lord, the valiant in war.

O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory!

Who is he, the king of glory?
He, the Lord of armies,
he is the king of glory.

Who is the king of glory? He, the Lord, he is the king of glory.

MARK 3:31-35

My Soul's Beloved, 

Who among us has ever done God's will as perfectly as Your Mama did? No one. Not the greatest saint that ever lived can come close to the Woman clothed with the Sun, with the moon at her feet and crowned with a crown of 12 stars. She has been raised higher than the angels and any human being that ever lived. She is below God alone, and it is God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who have given her that place of glory and honor far above all creatures.

It is she who, from the moment of her conception, was saved by the salvific work of her Son in anticipation of the role that she was elected to play in giving You Your Body, the Body that our sins would crucify on the Cross. This singular grace was applied in anticipation of her role as Mother of God, powered by the merits of Christ’s future death and resurrection.  

Those who denigrate Mother Mary, who is the fairest daughter of the Father, the most chaste spouse of the Holy Spirit, and the Mother of the Son of God, invite on themselves the outrage of God. Those who persist in denying the Mother of God the honor, reverence, and love due to her will regret it passionately as they stand before You, the righteous judge. The Doctors of the Church, the great saints and mystics in the Catholic Church, have pondered the mystery of Mary, the Mother of God, and the Teaching Authority of the Church has declared that to understand the salvific work of the Son, we need to understand what God has done through Mary's total submission to His will, so no one can mistake the work of God. Through the incarnation, You espouse Yourself to us and raise us to the dignity of children of God through adoption, making us one in You and through You to the Father in the Holy Spirit. Mary's fiat made this possible, may we never forget this truth and give her the love, honor, and reverence due to her.

The mother and brothers of Jesus arrived and, standing outside, sent in a message asking for him. A crowd was sitting round him at the time the message was passed to him, ‘Your mother and brothers and sisters are outside asking for you.’ He replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking round at those sitting in a circle about him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.’

STS. TIMOTHY & TITUS, BISHOPS, ON MONDAY OF WEEK 3 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2026

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The Lord has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives. LK 4:17

2 TIMOTHY 1:1-8

My Soul's Beloved, 

St. Paul praises the faith of Timothy's mother, Eunice, and grandmother Lois, and credits them for handing down their faith to him so effectively that Timothy himself now assists Paul in preaching and teaching the Good News of the Gospel that saves. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, look with compassion and tender mercy on us who pray for our children night and day for their salvation.  We too did our best to hand on our faith to them, but unlike Timothy, they have wandered far from Holy Mother Church.

Hear our prayers and the prayers of all mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and grandfathers, as well as anyone who cries out to You day and night for the salvation of their loved ones. Presently, they are too weak to resist the lure of the world, the wiles of the Enemy, and the concupiscence of the flesh, but You, O Lord, are stronger and mightier than the power of the world or the nether world. You have won the victory. Your glorious right arm has triumphed, and this is why I can pray with joyful hope and with confidence that, in the end, they will come home, just as the prodigal son did. 

They have been baptized into Your Body and are members of the Catholic Church, they are adopted sons of the Living God, and I know that the Holy Spirit will do for them what He has done for Timothy by fanning into flame the gift of faith that was freely bestowed on them at their baptism. That is why I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy.

I believe, Lord, that You will hear, You will answer, and they will be saved. Strengthen my belief. Amen.

From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus in his design to promise life in Christ Jesus; to Timothy, dear child of mine, wishing you grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.
Night and day I thank God, keeping my conscience clear and remembering my duty to him as my ancestors did, and always I remember you in my prayers; I remember your tears and long to see you again to complete my happiness. Then I am reminded of the sincere faith which you have; it came first to live in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and I have no doubt that it is the same faith in you as well.
That is why I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy.

PSALM(96):1-3,7-8,10

Proclaim the wonders of the Lord among all the peoples.

O sing a new song to the Lord,
sing to the Lord all the earth.
O sing to the Lord, bless his name.

Proclaim his help day by day,
tell among the nations his glory
and his wonders among all the peoples.

Give the Lord, you families of peoples,
give the Lord glory and power;
give the Lord the glory of his name.

Proclaim to the nations: ‘God is king.’
The world he made firm in its place;
he will judge the peoples in fairness.

Proclaim the wonders of the Lord among all the peoples.

LUKE 10:1-9

My Soul's Beloved, 

Faith is the conviction that the Word of God will accomplish all that it says it will. Unless I believe O Lord, unless Your Word is so etched in my heart and soul and has formed my mind, my intellect, and my conscience, I will be ineffective in drawing anyone to believe in You and be saved.

The seventy-two lived with You, were instructed by You, learnt from You, were witnesses to all the miracles You performed, the poverty of spirit with which You lived, and Your magnanimity in dealing with the last, the least, the lowest, the forgotten, the marginalized, and those whom the world rejected. They were to go before You to the places You would eventually visit and prepare the way for You. They were to go in persona Christi, alter Christus, so when You did arrive, they would already know You, love You, believe in You, and follow You.

Lord God, I am called to be like these seventy-two whom You sent. I call myself Your disciple, but I am ashamed to confess that I am weak, fearful, bashful, and hesitant to proclaim the faith boldly, even though it is a faith I hope I would be willing to die for. The harvest is plentiful, Beloved, but lacks committed laborers. Grant us the graces we need to be willing to go out and work faithfully to bring in the great harvest of souls who are thirsting for the hope and the salvation of the Gospel.

The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!” And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house. Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.”’

3RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, SUNDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD, 2026

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom
and cured all kinds of sickness among the people. MT 4:23

ISAIAH 8:23-9:3

My Soul's Beloved, 

Life without You in it, a life lived without God and the Holy Spirit, is a sad life indeed. We exist, we do not live when we choose hedonism and self-indulgence as our sole goal. How can we know true joy, peace, and serenity without You, O Lord? The world is filled with souls that are drab, gray, dull, and dead because they are ignorant of You, and lack true knowledge of the power of God, and the necessity of God in their empty lives. This is why they try without success to fill the void within with noise and cheap entertainment that further deadens their souls.

But You are a God of hope, my Lord. You do not give up easily. You are the God who leaves the 99 to search for the one that is lost. This is why I will not allow sadness and regret to make me discouraged about their salvation. You seek it with far greater passion than I ever could. Today, Lord, I claim the promises You made to Your people who walked in darkness before You tore the veil of time and entered into our world as one like us in all things save sin. I trust in every one of Your promises, and I will rest serenely, for I know I can trust You to save the souls of those I love so dearly, for You ransomed them with Your own life. Thank You, Lord.

In days past the Lord humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in days to come he will confer glory on the Way of the Sea on the far side of Jordan, province of the nations.
The people that walked in darkness
has seen a great light;
on those who live in a land of deep shadow
a light has shone.
You have made their gladness greater,
you have made their joy increase;
they rejoice in your presence
as men rejoice at harvest time,
as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils.
For the yoke that was weighing on him,
the bar across his shoulders,
the rod of his oppressor –
these you break as on the day of Midian.

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

The Lord is my light and my help.

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

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!

The Lord is my light and my help.

1 CORINTHIANS 1:10-13,17

My Soul's Beloved, 

If this is not a direct condemnation from the lips of St. Paul that speaks directly to the fragmentation of Your Body through the various denominations that splintered the Church, I do not know what is. There were actually individuals arrogant enough who broke away from the Church You instituted, because they could not digest her infallible doctrines. In the Catholic Church alone, founded on the 12 Apostles, and espoused to You, her Bridegroom, does the fullness of beauty, goodness, and truth dwell. Those who identify themselves either by their human founders or their selective emphasis on one or other teaching of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church, do so at the peril of their souls.

Beloved, the Church echoes Your prayer for unity that all God's people may be one, just as You and the Father are one. The Father has already heard and answered Your prayer the moment You made it, and now we are seeing many souls entering the bosom of Holy Mother Church. We pray that their numbers increase daily, and before long, we will truly be just one flock with You as our one Shepherd.

I appeal to you, brothers, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, to make up the differences between you, and instead of disagreeing among yourselves, to be united again in your belief and practice. From what Chloe’s people have been telling me, my dear brothers, it is clear that there are serious differences among you. What I mean are all these slogans that you have, like: ‘I am for Paul’, ‘I am for Apollos’, ‘I am for Cephas’, ‘I am for Christ.’ Has Christ been parcelled out? Was it Paul that was crucified for you? Were you baptised in the name of Paul?
For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the Good News, and not to preach that in the terms of philosophy in which the crucifixion of Christ cannot be expressed.

MATTHEW 4:12-23

My Soul's Beloved, 

The Church reflects on the beginning of Your public ministry when You began calling those who would be the foundation on which she was built. John the Baptist's mission had come to an end. He has been arrested, and before long, those who had sold their souls to indulge in the sins of the flesh would be responsible for his beheading and death. He, the herald of the Christ, had accomplished that which God had entrusted to him. He had prepared the way for You, and now You are here to begin the work of salvation.

The gospel recalls the prophecy of Isaiah, which we have already heard in the first reading, emphasising again that what was foretold was now coming to pass. This prophecy continues to fulfill itself, Lord, even as the Church carries the mission You entrusted to her forward. You called the 12, You sought them where they were going about the daily business of life, and You extended to them the greatest mission ever entrusted to man. These were ordinary men, some of them ignorant, many were fishermen, one was a tax collector, and a persona non grata. It mattered not to You what mattered was what You would make of them. They were to be the 12 on whom You would build Your Church, and the gates of hell shall never prevail against her.

Beloved, You issue the same invitation to each of us to follow You. When we hear Your voice, may we, like Andrew, Peter, James, and John, leave everything behind and, without a backward glance, go with You wherever You may lead.

Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:

‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!
Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan,
Galilee of the nations!
The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light;
on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death
a light has dawned.’
From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ And they left their nets at once and followed him. Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.
He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people.

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES, BISHOP & DOCTOR, ON SATURDAY OF WEEK 2 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2026

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

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

2 SAMUEL 1:1-4, 11-12, 17, 19, 23-27

My Soul's Beloved, 

The love that David bore for both Saul and Jonathan is so remarkable. Over and over again, we see how generous, magnanimous, and loyal David was to Saul, who hounded him and sought to kill him out of sheer jealousy. And the great love and friendship he and Jonathan shared was so holy, pure, and true that it can only be a mirror of divine love. It is not surprising then that he was heartbroken when he heard the news of the death of the king, as well as his friend, on the battlefield. 

Lord Jesus, David, the man and the king, foreshadows the true King of Israel who loves all, both sinner and saint equally. You grieve when we separate ourselves from You, and You rejoice when we are faithful and loving. David is known as the greatest king Israel ever knew, for under his reign, Israel was united and enjoyed peace and prosperity, briefly. But You, O Lord, are the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, and the Prince of Peace. Yours is a peace that the world cannot give. It is a peace that keeps our souls in serenity despite the storms and the battles of good versus evil raging around us.

Lord God, our Savior and Redeemer, no matter who is for us or against us, let us keep our gaze fixed on You and live each moment of each day in peace as we seek to discern Your will in all things and do it. We have this confidence, O Lord, that You will provide all we need for the battle, for the battle and the victory are Yours,  O Lord.

David returned from his rout of the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag. On the third day a man came from the camp where Saul had been, his garments torn and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and did homage. ‘Where do you come from?’ David asked him. ‘I have escaped from the Israelite camp’ he said. David said to him, ‘What happened? Tell me.’ He replied, ‘The people have fled from the battlefield and many of them have fallen. Saul and his son Jonathan are dead too.’

Then David took hold of his garments and tore them, and all the men with him did the same. They mourned and wept and fasted until the evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, for the people of the Lord and for the House of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
Then David made this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan.
Alas, the glory of Israel has been slain on your heights!
How did the heroes fall?
Saul and Jonathan, loved and lovely,
neither in life, nor in death, were divided.
Swifter than eagles were they,
stronger were they than lions.
O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul
who clothed you in scarlet and fine linen,
who set brooches of gold
on your garments.
How did the heroes fall
in the thick of the battle?
O Jonathan, in your death I am stricken,
I am desolate for you, Jonathan my brother.
Very dear to me you were,
your love to me more wonderful
than the love of a woman.
How did the heroes fall
and the battle armour fail?

PSALM 79(80):2-3,5-7

Let your face shine on us, O Lord, and we shall be saved.

O shepherd of Israel, hear us,
you who lead Joseph’s flock,
shine forth from your cherubim throne
upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh.
O Lord, rouse up your might,
O Lord, come to our help.

Lord God of hosts, how long
will you frown on your people’s plea?
You have fed them with tears for their bread,
an abundance of tears for their drink.
You have made us the taunt of our neighbours,
our enemies laugh us to scorn.

Let your face shine on us, O Lord, and we shall be saved.

MARK 3:20-21

My Soul's Beloved, 

Will I ever experience the same all-consuming fire in my spirit to preach the Good News in every season with passion, vigor, and fervor, fearlessly, no matter what anyone thinks or says about me, or the consequences, whether good or bad, for doing so? Will I ever possess a martyr's zeal? Sadly, I think not. To be thought mad and declared mad for the sake of the Gospel, and glorify God in the persecution? I doubt not.  I love myself too much. I love my creature comforts too much to be willing to put myself out there in the public square, fearful of being victimized and declared persona non grata.

Not so You, Beloved, and not so those who followed closely in Your footsteps, beginning with the Apostles, the early martyrs, which continues to this day. No religion is as hated as Christianity by so many. Why? Because to follow You, Lord, means that we have to embrace the Cross and suffering, and pick it up daily, gladly, and follow You. Authentic discipleship demands that we forget soul and empty ourselves to give all we have in self-donation, just as You did.

When You went to Your hometown, the crowds, having heard of all You had done elsewhere, clamored around You to listen to You and experience all that they heard others say they had. You knew that Your time was brief. Your hour was arriving, and this is why every minute was precious to You. Lord Jesus, help us realize that time waits for no man, and in the brief moment we all have, let us not waste any of it, but rather be salt and light in the world so that in the end You will say to us, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world."

Jesus went home, and once more such a crowd collected that they could not even have a meal. When his relatives heard of this, they set out to take charge of him, convinced he was out of his mind.

FRIDAY OF WEEK 2 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2026

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,
and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled. 2 COR 5:19

1 SAMUEL 24:3-21

My Soul's Beloved, 

Few of us react like David when he came upon Saul and could have killed him when Saul was helpless to do anything about it. Yet, David recalled that Saul was anointed by God, and this truth alone preserved him from taking his life, even though Saul had no such refined sensibilities and was determined to pursue him until he found him and killed him. 

Who among us, O Lord, will reason as David did when his companions quoted Scripture to him and made a compelling case why he should destroy Saul when God actually made it possible for him to do just that? David was able to cut a piece of Saul's cloak, and Saul was none the wiser; yet, he felt remorse for having done it. He did not desire to gloat for this truth was always before him, ‘The Lord preserve me from doing such a thing to my lord and raising my hand against him, for he is the anointed of the Lord.’ How easily we find plausible excuses to harm those who harm us. How easily we retaliate when people offend us. How easily we are riled when we think we are being disrespected. Today, Lord, You remind us how we should respond to those who seek to harm us. We must always do what is good, right, holy, noble, and just and trust God to take care of us in all circumstances.

It isn't easy, Lord, to live the Beatitudes, but this is the only way if we are to be a sign of Your love in the world. Thank You for giving us Your Holy Spirit to help us in our weakness and to enable us to do with His help what we can never do on our own.

Saul took three thousand men chosen from the whole of Israel and went in search of David and his men east of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. He came to the sheepfolds along the route where there was a cave, and went in to cover his feet. Now David and his men were sitting in the recesses of the cave; David’s men said to him, ‘Today is the day of which the Lord said to you, “I will deliver your enemy into your power, do what you like with him.”’ David stood up and, unobserved, cut off the border of Saul’s cloak. Afterwards David reproached himself for having cut off the border of Saul’s cloak. He said to his men, ‘The Lord preserve me from doing such a thing to my lord and raising my hand against him, for he is the anointed of the Lord.’ David gave his men strict instructions, forbidding them to attack Saul.

Saul then left the cave and went on his way. After this, David too left the cave and called after Saul, ‘My lord king!’ Saul looked behind him and David bowed to the ground and did homage. Then David said to Saul, ‘Why do you listen to the men who say to you, “David means to harm you”? Why, your own eyes have seen today how the Lord put you in my power in the cave and how I refused to kill you, but spared you. “I will not raise my hand against my lord,” I said “for he is the anointed of the Lord.” O my father, see, look at the border of your cloak in my hand. Since I cut off the border of your cloak, yet did not kill you, you must acknowledge frankly that there is neither malice nor treason in my mind. I have not offended against you, yet you hunt me down to take my life. May the Lord be judge between me and you, and may the Lord avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be laid on you. (As the old proverb says: Wickedness goes out from the wicked, and my hand will not be laid on you.) On whose trail has the king of Israel set out? On whose trail are you in hot pursuit? On the trail of a dead dog! On the trail of a single flea! May the Lord be the judge and decide between me and you; may he take up my cause and defend it and give judgement for me, freeing me from your power.’
When David had finished saying these words to Saul, Saul said, ‘Is that your voice, my son David?’ And Saul wept aloud. ‘You are a more upright man than I,’ he said to David ‘for you have repaid me with good while I have repaid you with evil. Today you have crowned your goodness towards me since the Lord had put me in your power yet you did not kill me. When a man comes on his enemy, does he let him go unmolested? May the Lord reward you for the goodness you have shown me today. Now I know you will indeed reign and that the sovereignty in Israel will be secure in your hands.’

PSALM 56(57):2-4,6,11

Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.

Have mercy on me, God, have mercy
for in you my soul has taken refuge.
In the shadow of your wings I take refuge
till the storms of destruction pass by.

I call to God the Most High,
to God who has always been my help.
May he send from heaven and save me
and shame those who assail me.

O God, arise above the heavens;
may your glory shine on earth!
for your love reaches to the heavens
and your truth to the skies.

Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.

MARK 3:13-19

My Soul's Beloved, 

St. Mark, the evangelist, tells us that You went up into the hills and there called those who were to be Your closest collaborators and companions. It is God who calls, God who invites, God who makes the choice. It is always God's initiative. We each have a different calling, and only after discerning how You call us to serve You can we respond. We will surely fail if we take on roles that God clearly has not called us to. And those who reject God's call to serve in whatever way that You ask us to will surely live unhappy and unfulfilled lives.

We have the names of the 12 that You handpicked and a little information about some of them. We also know that 11 of them sincerely and faithfully lived out that call until they died. However, the name of Judas Iscariot will always bear the tag of his despicable and heinous crime, "Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him."

What of us, Lord? We, too, are called to be disciples. We are called to strive after holiness and perfection as our Abba is holy and perfect. We are invited to grow in Your image and likeness, and we are not required to do this on our own strength, for You have given us the Holy Spirit to help us. When we stand before You when our days on earth have run out, will we stand as faithful servants like the 11 or like the 1 who betrayed his most beloved Lord, Master, Redeemer, and Friend?

Jesus went up into the hills and summoned those he wanted. So they came to him and he appointed twelve; they were to be his companions and to be sent out to preach, with power to cast out devils. And so he appointed the Twelve: Simon to whom he gave the name Peter, James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges or ‘Sons of Thunder’; then Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him.

THURSDAY OF WEEK 2 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2026

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death
and he has proclaimed life through the Good News. 2 TIM 1:10

1 SAMUEL 18:6-9,19:1-7

My Soul's Beloved,

We see in this First Reading the whole gamut of human emotions, both good and bad. When acted upon, the fruit of thoughts has the power to either make us noble and wise or blackguards and murderers. Envy, a deadly sin, is sister to another deadly sin, pride. Saul ought to have known better; not only was he anointed by God as king to rule over his people, but he also ought to have been grateful to David for his hand in destroying the enemy and winning for Israel a great victory. Instead, when the women praised David as Saul, he and the army returned in triumph, his heart became bitter with envy, and he plotted evil against him.

So arrogant was Saul that he made known to all, including his son, Jonathan, that he intended to kill David. He had no idea how dearly Jonathan loved David and revealed his father's deadly plot to him. Interceding passionately on David's behalf, he won a reprieve for David, and he returned to live and attend to the king once more. 

Are we brave enough to speak truth to those in power? Jonathan teaches us that we ought to speak up and defend those who are unable to defend themselves. David teaches us faith and trust in God, no matter how impossible the situation we face may be. For You, O Lord, fight our battles for us; we only need to be still and trust You.

Saul made oaths many times not to harm David, and each time he broke them in his murderous jealousy of him. So too do we. When things get difficult, we make time to pray, and make many promises that if You help us, O Lord, we will reform our way of living. Once all is well, we go back to old ways and old habits, and before long, we have forgotten completely all that You have done for us until the next trial and suffering.

Help me, Lord, to keep my gaze on You in all circumstances and to trust You always to take care of everything in my life, the good, the bad, the difficult, the sorrowful, and the joyful. Thank You, Beloved.

On their way back, as David was returning after killing the Philistine, the women came out to meet King Saul from all the towns of Israel, singing and dancing to the sound of tambourine and lyre and cries of joy; and as they danced the women sang:
‘Saul has killed his thousands,
and David his tens of thousands.’
Saul was very angry; the incident was not to his liking. ‘They have given David the tens of thousands,’ he said ‘but me only the thousands; he has all but the kingship now.’ And Saul turned a jealous eye on David from that day forward.
Saul told Jonathan his son and all his servants of his intention to kill David. Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, held David in great affection; and so Jonathan warned David; ‘My father Saul is looking for a way to kill you,’ he said ‘so be on your guard tomorrow morning; hide away in some secret place. Then I will go out and keep my father company in the fields where you are hiding, and will talk to my father about you; I will find out what the situation is and let you know.’
So Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father; he said, ‘Let not the king sin against his servant David, for he has not sinned against you, and what he has done has been greatly to your advantage. He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel. You saw it yourself and rejoiced; why then sin against innocent blood in killing David without cause?’ Saul was impressed by Jonathan’s words and took an oath, ‘As the Lord lives, I will not kill him.’ Jonathan called David and told him all these things. Then Jonathan brought him to Saul, and David attended on him as before.

PSALM 55(56):2-3,9-14

In God I trust: I shall not fear.

Have mercy on me, God, men crush me;

they fight me all day long and oppress me.
My foes crush me all day long,
for many fight proudly against me.

You have kept an account of my wanderings;
you have kept a record of my tears;
(are they not written in your book?)
Then my foes will be put to flight
on the day that I call to you.

This I know, that God is on my side.
In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not fear;
what can mortal man do to me?

I am bound by the vows I have made you.
O God, I will offer you praise
for you have rescued my soul from death,
you kept my feet from stumbling
that I may walk in the presence of God
and enjoy the light of the living.

In God I trust: I shall not fear.

MARK 3:7-12

My Soul's Beloved, 

By this time in Your ministry, You had become well known as You went everywhere preaching, teaching, and healing. Aside from the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, who saw You as a threat to the status quo, the people thronged about You wherever You went. When You entered a town or a village, word of Your arrival spread like wildfire, and they came bringing their sick in heart, mind, and soul, looking to touch You, be touched by You, and be healed.

Unlike people with a celebrity-like status in the world, You did not seek the crowds but often withdrew from them with Your disciples as You did on this occasion as well. You were at the lakeside with them when people came pouring in from different places. You asked for a boat, so You get into it and preach and teach from there, for the crowd pressing around You would have crushed You as they pressed around You. 

The boat with You in it is symbolic of the Church You founded with You at its head and with Peter and the other disciples. It is not enough to go to healing conferences, praise and worship prayer meetings, and listen to preaching that stir up religious fervor momentarily. No. We are called to repent, to be baptized, to receive the Sacraments, to obey God's Law, follow the teachings of Holy Mother Church, live the Beatitudes, and be a blessing to each other. Most of us come to You for what we can get from You, Lord, but when we are faced with the cross and with suffering, many of us slink away. Yet, there is no other way to get to the Kingdom of God than to pick up our cross daily, knowing You carry it with us, and follow You.

Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lakeside, and great crowds from Galilee followed him. From Judaea, Jerusalem, Idumaea, Transjordania and the region of Tyre and Sidon, great numbers who had heard of all he was doing came to him. And he asked his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, to keep him from being crushed. For he had cured so many that all who were afflicted in any way were crowding forward to touch him. And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, would fall down before him and shout, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But he warned them strongly not to make him known.

ST. AGNES, VIRGIN & MARTYR, ON WEDNESDAY OF WEEK 2 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2026

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom
and cured all kinds of sickness among the people. MT 4:23

1 SAMUEL 17:32-33,37,40-51

My Soul's Beloved, 

David slew Goliath with a sling and a smooth stone. This was not a permanent victory of the people of Israel against their enemies. You, however, O Lord, smote evil through Your passion and death by crucifixion and destroyed the power of evil and death forever. 

The five smooth stones that David picked from the stream represent Your 5 wounds, inflicted by the nails that held You fast to the Cross. Only one wound would have purchased the salvation of the world, but the Father wanted to reveal to us the infinite depths of His love for us, His wayward children. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.

The way of evil is deception. Goliath looked far more invincible than he really was. Despite his height, his experience as a warrior, and his armor, he was no match for God, who was with David and who delivered the enemy into his hands. All we need is You, Lord, and we need to have the faith of David, and we too will be invincible against the world, the flesh, and the devil.

So many scoff at God and at You, Lord, through ignorance, but we who have faith walk in it and see miracles and signs of Your love everywhere. Every lash of the whip on Your Body, every taunt, all the mockery You endured, the spittle, the blows, and the nails that were hammered into Your hands and feet and splintered bones as You were pinned to the Cross, and finally the spear that was plunged deep into Your side, piercing Your Sacred Heart, has won the final victory. Satan has his hour, Beloved, but You have won the day for all of us who are grafted to You. Thank You, Lord.

David said to Saul, ‘Let no-one lose heart on his account; your servant will go and fight the Philistine.’ But Saul answered David, ‘You cannot go and fight the Philistine; you are only a boy and he has been a warrior from his youth.’
‘The Lord who rescued me from the claws of lion and bear’ David said ‘will rescue me from the power of this Philistine.’ Then Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the Lord be with you!’
He took his staff in his hand, picked five smooth stones from the river bed, put them in his shepherd’s bag, in his pouch, and with his sling in his hand he went to meet the Philistine. The Philistine, his shield-bearer in front of him, came nearer and nearer to David; and the Philistine looked at David, and what he saw filled him with scorn, because David was only a youth, a boy of fresh complexion and pleasant bearing. The Philistine said to him, ‘Am I a dog for you to come against me with sticks?’ And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said to David, ‘Come over here and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field.’ But David answered the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel that you have dared to insult. Today the Lord will deliver you into my hand and I shall kill you; I will cut off your head, and this very day I will give your dead body and the bodies of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord gives the victory, for the Lord is lord of the battle and he will deliver you into our power.’
No sooner had the Philistine started forward to confront David than David left the line of battle and ran to meet the Philistine. Putting his hand in his bag, he took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead; the stone penetrated his forehead and he fell on his face to the ground. Thus David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone and struck the Philistine down and killed him. David had no sword in his hand. Then David ran and, standing over the Philistine, seized his sword and drew it from the scabbard, and with this he killed him, cutting off his head. The Philistines saw that their champion was dead, and took to flight.

PSALM 143(144):1-2,9-10

Blessed be the Lord, my rock.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
who trains my arms for battle,
who prepares my hands for war.

He is my love, my fortress;
he is my stronghold, my saviour
my shield, my place of refuge.
He brings peoples under my rule.

To you, O God, will I sing a new song;
I will play on the ten-stringed lute
to you who give kings their victory,
who set David your servant free.

Blessed be the Lord, my rock.

MARK 3:1-6

My Soul's Beloved, 

So much about our indifference to Truth and the love of God grieves You, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. We see this in Your reaction to the Pharisees who refused to answer You because they knew their response would condemn them. Here, in the synagogue, was a man with a withered hand. It was the sabbath day, and Your heart was moved with pity for the poor man. You were quite aware of what the reaction of the Pharisees would be, yet You did not let it hinder You. 

We, on the other hand, are very careful not to upset the status quo for fear of retribution or a negative reaction. We weigh the pros and cons of doing something, and then the moment passes, and we have lost the opportunity given to us by God to do good. Too often, the world hastens to ensure that the rich get richer and more powerful, and then it kowtows to them while the ones in real need of help are ignored and pushed to the peripheries, where we can safely pretend they do not exist.

You invited the man to 'Stand up out in the middle!' You gave the Pharisees a chance to redeem themselves, but they did not. Impatient and angry with them at their refusal to speak up for what was right and true, You said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' He stretched it and was healed. The response of the Pharisees was to go out immediately and plot against You and discuss how to destroy You.

Jesus went into a synagogue, and there was a man there who had a withered hand. And they were watching him to see if he would cure him on the sabbath day, hoping for something to use against him. He said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up out in the middle!’ Then he said to them, ‘Is it against the law on the sabbath day to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to kill?’ But they said nothing. Then, grieved to find them so obstinate, he looked angrily round at them, and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out and his hand was better. The Pharisees went out and at once began to plot with the Herodians against him, discussing how to destroy him.

TUESDAY OF WEEK 2 IN ORDINARY TIME - 2026

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our mind,
so that we can see what hope his call holds for us. EPH 1:17, 18

1 SAMUEL 16:1-13

My Soul's Beloved, 

Truly, Your thoughts are so unlike ours, and Your ways so much higher than ours, for we look at the outside, but You, who are God, judge the human heart. All too often, we have misjudged people because of their appearance, circumstances, their culture, language, and background, and we make poor judgment calls based on such irrelevant reasons instead of the good qualities and character of the person. 

Samuel, a great prophet of God, was still afraid of the king, instead of trusting that God, who sent him on a mission to anoint a new king, would protect him. We, too, are no different. We are fearful of our own shadows, despite all the times You have proved to us that You are trustworthy and that nothing happens which is not for our own good. You, O Lord, spoke clearly to Samuel and said to him, ‘I myself will tell you what you must do; you must anoint to me the one I point out to you.’ We all can have such a close and intimate relationship with You. If we lean on You, rely on You, trust You in all the circumstances of our lives, even in those that are most difficult, in the end all will turn out right. 

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, You came to give us a peace that the world cannot give but we must be willing to receive it. Grant me this grace today, Lord, and give it to every member of my family who is struggling to rest serenely in Your will and Your peace.

The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you go on mourning over Saul when I have rejected him as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen myself a king among his sons.’ Samuel replied, ‘How can I go? When Saul hears of it he will kill me.’ Then the Lord said, ‘Take a heifer with you and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.” Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and then I myself will tell you what you must do; you must anoint to me the one I point out to you.’
Samuel did what the Lord ordered and went to Bethlehem. The elders of the town came trembling to meet him and asked, ‘Seer, have you come with good intentions towards us?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.’ He purified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
When they arrived, he caught sight of Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed one stands there before him’, but the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Take no notice of his appearance or his height for I have rejected him; God does not see as man sees; man looks at appearances but the Lord looks at the heart.’ Jesse then called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel, who said, ‘The Lord has not chosen this one either.’ Jesse then presented Shammah, but Samuel said, ‘The Lord has not chosen this one either.’ Jesse presented his seven sons to Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The Lord has not chosen these.’ He then asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’ He answered, ‘There is still one left, the youngest; he is out looking after the sheep.’ Then Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send for him; we will not sit down to eat until he comes.’ Jesse had him sent for, a boy of fresh complexion, with fine eyes and pleasant bearing. The Lord said, ‘Come, anoint him, for this is the one.’ At this, Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him where he stood with his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord seized on David and stayed with him from that day on. As for Samuel, he rose and went to Ramah.

PSALM 88(89):20-22,27-28

I have found David, my servant.

Of old you spoke in a vision.
To your friends the prophets you said:
‘I have set the crown on a warrior,
I have exalted one chosen from the people.

‘I have found David my servant
and with my holy oil anointed him.
My hand shall always be with him
and my arm shall make him strong.

‘He will say to me: “You are my father,
my God, the rock who saves me.”
And I will make him my first-born,
the highest of the kings of the earth.’

I have found David, my servant.

MARK 2:23-28

My Soul's Beloved, 

There are two kinds of people - those like the Pharisees who have their ears to the ground and their eyes peeled to find fault and finger wag. It makes them feel superior, holier than thou, and self-righteous. People who are at peace go about life blithely, safe in the knowledge that they are children of a loving Father. 

Too often, rules, culture, and laws are slammed down the throats of the voiceless, demanding that they be obeyed. The rich, the proud, the influential, the powerful are exempted, whereas those who belong to the wrong religion, or country, or speak a different language, or have the wrong connections are either marginalized or persecuted. 

Today, Lord, You remind us that laws and rules are given to serve the good of people, not to oppress them and forget their legitimate needs. We never forget the person and never fail to show compassion and mercy, just as we expect the same be shown to us.  

One sabbath day, Jesus happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples began to pick ears of corn as they went along. And the Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing something on the sabbath day that is forbidden?’ And he replied, ‘Did you never read what David did in his time of need when he and his followers were hungry – how he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the loaves of offering which only the priests are allowed to eat, and how he also gave some to the men with him?’
And he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; the Son of Man is master even of the sabbath.’