I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my own sheep and my own know me. JN 10:14
HOSEA 8:4-7,11-13
My Soul's Beloved,
We live in a fallen world; it keeps getting more and more sordid. All nations, even those with a Catholic and Christian heritage, have long given up their inheritance as children of God. Like the people of Israel against whom the prophet speaks denouncing their harlotry, their wickedness, their idolatry, so too are the people of these nations. The world is given over to absorption in trivialities, entertainment of the most gross and titillating kind. They are unwearied in their pursuit of the pastimes of the flesh and the lure of evil.
How much longer, O Lord, will we try Your patience before the avenging angel destroys us? Like Abraham pleading before God, we too plead, Beloved, that for the sake of the few You have mercy on the multitudes who have forgotten that God is their Creator and their Father and that they have been redeemed at a price that boggles the mind. Undeserving we are, O Lord, of the Father's love. Yet we plead with You with tears and sorrow to have mercy on us. Father, do not forget the price that Your Son paid at Your behest to redeem us. Lord Jesus, You sent us the Holy Spirit whom we grieve constantly, to help us in our inconstancy and foolishness. Take pity on us, Lord, and bring us back home to the Father's House so we, contrite and repentant, may feast on the Bread and Wine that will assist us on our journey from earth to heaven.
Thus says the Lord:
They have set up kings, but not with my consent,
and appointed princes, but without my knowledge.
Out of their own silver and gold they have made idols,
which are doomed to destruction.
I spurn your calf, Samaria,
my anger blazes against it.
(How long will it be before they purge themselves of this,
the sons of Israel?)
A workman made the thing,
this cannot be God!
Yes, the calf of Samaria shall go up in flames.
They sow the wind, they will reap the whirlwind;
their wheat will yield no ear,
the ear will yield no flour,
or, if it does, foreigners will swallow it.
Ephraim has built altar after altar,
they have only served him as occasion for sin.
Were I to write out the thousand precepts of my Law for him,
they would be paid no more attention than those of a stranger.
They love sacrificing; right, let them sacrifice!
They love meat; right, let them eat it!
The Lord takes no pleasure in these.
He is now going to remember their iniquity
and punish their sins;
they will have to go back to Egypt.
PSALM 113B(115):3-10
Sons of Israel, trust in the Lord.
Our God, he is in the heavens;
he does whatever he wills.
The idols of the heathen are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths but they cannot speak;
they have eyes but they cannot see;
they have ears but they cannot hear;
they have nostrils but they cannot smell.
With their hands they cannot feel;
with their feet they cannot walk.
Their makers will come to be like them
and so will all who trust in them.
Sons of Israel, trust in the Lord;
he is their help and their shield.
Sons of Aaron, trust in the Lord;
he is their help and their shield.
They have set up kings, but not with my consent,
and appointed princes, but without my knowledge.
Out of their own silver and gold they have made idols,
which are doomed to destruction.
I spurn your calf, Samaria,
my anger blazes against it.
(How long will it be before they purge themselves of this,
the sons of Israel?)
A workman made the thing,
this cannot be God!
Yes, the calf of Samaria shall go up in flames.
They sow the wind, they will reap the whirlwind;
their wheat will yield no ear,
the ear will yield no flour,
or, if it does, foreigners will swallow it.
Ephraim has built altar after altar,
they have only served him as occasion for sin.
Were I to write out the thousand precepts of my Law for him,
they would be paid no more attention than those of a stranger.
They love sacrificing; right, let them sacrifice!
They love meat; right, let them eat it!
The Lord takes no pleasure in these.
He is now going to remember their iniquity
and punish their sins;
they will have to go back to Egypt.
PSALM 113B(115):3-10
Sons of Israel, trust in the Lord.
Our God, he is in the heavens;
he does whatever he wills.
The idols of the heathen are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths but they cannot speak;
they have eyes but they cannot see;
they have ears but they cannot hear;
they have nostrils but they cannot smell.
With their hands they cannot feel;
with their feet they cannot walk.
Their makers will come to be like them
and so will all who trust in them.
Sons of Israel, trust in the Lord;
he is their help and their shield.
Sons of Aaron, trust in the Lord;
he is their help and their shield.
Sons of Israel, trust in the Lord.
MATTHEW 9:32-37
My Soul's Beloved,
MATTHEW 9:32-37
My Soul's Beloved,
We see from all the miracles You performed that there is nothing in heaven, on earth, in the universe, in the underworld, and in our individual lives that is beyond Your ability to touch, heal, calm, make whole, and restore. This is most reassuring, my Lord and my God, especially when the troubles of this life overwhelm us, make us anxious, troubled, and afraid. The worldly-wise with power and influence would like us to believe that there is no God and that we are the masters and authors of our own lives. But we know and believe that this is not true. We belong to God. We have belonged to Him eternally before the foundations of the world were laid. Thank You, Lord, for this conviction that brings us peace and rest in Your love.
Today, my Lord, I bring before You my entire family, and I ask that You lay hands on us and fill us anew with Your Holy Spirit. We need You, Lord; we need the courage and strength that only You can give us so we may rest serenely in Your will for our lives. Mother Mary did not understand, but she surrendered completely to the will of God, so may it be for us.
We are consoled by the fact that You are always sorry for us. You know how weak we are - You experienced it. You were tempted, like us, in every way, the only difference being You overcame it. You can and will help us. You gave us Your Holy Spirit precisely for this reason. He is our Helper, our Paraclete and our Guide. Thank You, Lord.
We have a mission. We are sent. Help us, Lord, to be effective witnesses of Your life in a world that is growing increasingly dark with sin. May we labour in Your vineyard faithfully to the end. Thank You.
A man was brought to Jesus, a dumb demoniac. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb man spoke and the people were amazed. ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel’ they said. But the Pharisees said, ‘It is through the prince of devils that he casts out devils.’
Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness.
And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest.’
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