TUESDAY OF THE TENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Your light must shine in the sight of men,
so that, seeing your good works,
they may give the praise to your Father in heaven. MT 5:16

1 KINGS 17:7-16 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Sometimes You permit the stream of life-giving water to dry up in our lives because You are about to do something new. When that time comes we are to get up as You bid and go where You send us as Elisha did. It was a time of drought. You told the prophet to go to Zarephath and instructed him what to do when they met the poor widow gathering sticks in order to prepare the last meal for herself and her son after which she said they would die.  

Elijah first asked her for a drink of water. Even when we imagine we have nothing there is still something we can give. A little water to refresh another, to revive another, to give new hope and life even if we consider it as too little or nothing. When she went to do as he bid her, he added that she also get him some bread. This is when she made known to him her dire situation. What little she had of meal and oil was just sufficient to prepare their last meal after which they would lay down and die.

When we think that we have reached the end and there is no hope in sight, we are wrong. God is our Jehovah Jirah, our Provider. Elisha insisted that the first give him a small portion of the food she had left and God would reward her. He said that her act of sharing the little she had would result in God heaping blessings on her. And so it was. The miracle of God's unending supply of blessings until needed is granted to us when we open ourselves and give of ourselves and what we have to those in need.

“Jar of meal shall not be spent,

jug of oil shall not be emptied,
before the day when the Lord sends
rain on the face of the earth.”

Too often, Beloved, we hold back from giving of our poverty afraid that there would be nothing for ourselves and those we love, but the truth that You reveal to us is that when we trust You, You will not fail us, ever. 

Jesus, I trust in You.

PSALM 4:2-5,7-8 ©

Beloved, You tell us what we must to in order to be happy:

‘What can bring us happiness?’ many say.
Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.

You have put into my heart a greater joy
than they have from abundance of corn and new wine. vs 7-8

MATTHEW 5:13-16 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

As the Church takes up once again, the season of Ordinary
Time, she reminds us in the Gospel chosen for our reflection today at Holy Mass, that we are the salt and the light of the earth.

We are Your signs in a world that has lost its savor for all that is true, good, holy, and beautiful. All that is right and fitting for us to live lives that are filled with peace, joy, and the love of God. 

When we lose sight of who we are as sons and daughters of God, as Your sisters and Your brothers, we become as lackluster and nondescript as the rest of the world. All who are baptized are children of God and as God's children, we are meant to be alter Christus in the world. Too often, Beloved, we desire to imitate the children of the world we are like salt that becomes tasteless and has to be discarded. 

God grant that starting from today, from this moment, I embrace the identity that You give me. Today You say to me: 

‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.’

Grant O Lord that all who see me see only You in me and give praise to You and to our Father in heaven. Amen.

SATURDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I will send you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord;
he will lead you to the complete truth. JN 16:7, 13

ACTS 28:16-20,30-31 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

When we are faithful to Your call You arrange everything to help us to carry out Your mission. You make a way despite any difficult situations we may find ourselves in. You grant wisdom, You provide the words, and You open the hearts and minds of those who hear the Word of God to believe in it.

This is certainly true of Paul. He was brought in chains to Rome as a prisoner and You ensured that he was permitted to stay in his own lodgings under guard. He was relatively free to carry out the mission to be Your witness in Rome.  

Aware that his reputation would have preceded him, and in order to correct any false reports the leading Jews in Rome may have heard about him, he invites them and gives them an account as to why he was sent from Jerusalem to Rome as a prisoner. He declares his innocence and of the evil intent of his enemies to put him to death because of His belief in You and in the Resurrection. He wanted to remove any suspicion they may have of him due to the aspersions cast against his character by his own people. 

He has no hatred for his enemies, rather he loves his fellow Jews and all he desires is for them to know You, believe in You and be saved. All he desires is to fulfill the ministry You entrusted to him according to Your will.

For two years he preaches, teaches, and writes letters to the Christians in the various churches he has established, encouraging the members of the nascent Church to be faithful, to pray always, and to grow in holiness and perfection. 

As Christians, we ought to emulate Paul who was docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. When we do, we will love and welcome everyone as he did and we too will receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit to preach the Good News of the Resurrection boldly and fearlessly. 

JOHN 21:20-25 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Today's Gospel reading in the Liturgy of the Holy Mass
concludes with the final verses of John's Gospel. The disciple who leaned on Your breast always identifies himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved. He does not name himself because each of us who is called by Your Name is the disciple whom You love. How good it is Lord, to relate to You in this intimate manner.

We ought not to be scandalized when members of Your Body fail spectacularly. All the members of the Church beginning with those who govern her are flawed. The Church is not perfect You are and You give her a share in Your holiness, in Your goodness, and in Your perfection. She is holy and perfect because You, her Head, are holy and perfect. But as individual members of Your Body, we are scarred, we are flawed, we are broken, we are sinners, and if we cut ourselves from You, we will wither and die. 

Peter demonstrates this often. Even though he is the prince of the apostles he too bears the marks of fallen humanity. Seeing the disciple You loved, he wanted to know about Your plans for John, it was none of his business. He was given a task to do and that is all that he ought to have cared about. You put him gently but firmly in place saying, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I come, what does it matter to you? You are to follow me.’ Often we too spend an inordinate amount of time on vain speculation instead of busying ourselves with the task at hand. All that matters, Beloved, in this life, is that we follow You closely.

Rumors about the Church abound like weeds and her demise has been predicted often and with great relish by the ignorant or by those who oppose her. Each of the baptized is the disciple whom You love and will live until You return. And to each of us, You say, 'Follow Me!' 

And finally, to all who hold fast to the notion of Sola Scriptura, the evangelist has a succinct response: There were many other things that Jesus did; if all were written down, the world itself, I suppose, would not hold all the books that would have to be written.

The wealth of the Church's sacred written and oral Tradition is an infinite, inexhaustible treasure, handed down to her from You to the apostles and from the apostles to all their successors. These she guards faithfully and hands it down without error to all her children. She will do this with the help of the Holy Spirit until You return. 

All that You have entrusted to her is eternal and necessary for our salvation. Your Word O Lord, both written and oral is Truth, and through the Church You founded we are consecrated in the Truth. 

MEMORIAL OF ST. CHARLES LWANGA AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The Holy Spirit will teach you everything
and remind you of all I have said to you. JN 14:26

ACTS 25:13-21 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Festus brought with him from Jerusalem to Caesarea members of the Sanhedrin who were Paul's accusers so he could make a defense against their accusations. Like all politicians, Festus straddles the fence between Jerusalem and Rome as he seeks to gain personal leverage by ingratiating himself with Herod Agrippa while toeing the line with Caesar. 

The charge against Paul according to the Jews was blasphemy. Paul's crime was to teach and preach the Resurrection and for this, the members of the Sanhedrin were prepared to kill him. The world over, to this day, the blood of martyrs is spilled by fanatical religious powers prepared to put to death those who preach and teach the Good News with single-minded passion as Paul and so many before him and after him have done.   

Festus, having determined that it was a matter of religious beliefs that got Paul arrested, suggests that he go to Jerusalem to stand trial there. But Paul refused. The Spirit, having made known to him that he was to go to Rome to continue to be Your witness there, opted to be sent there to be tried as he was a Roman citizen. Through all the circumstances of our lives, we can be sure that Your hand guides us and steers us through all life's vicissitudes until You bring us to our eternal home.

In all the years of Paul's imprisonment in Rome, the Holy Spirit was with him inspiring and empowering him as he glorified and magnified You until he was beheaded.

Help us to bear in mind always, Lord, that we are called to be Your witnesses in the world - nothing else matters but that we glorify You and Your Name no matter the consequence. We can trust You to provide us all the grace and courage we need even to the shedding of our blood.

JOHN 21:15-19 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

In today's Gospel passage for our reflection is the dialogue
between You and Peter. You address him personally and all Your words to him are filled s filled with pathos, tenderness, compassion, and mercy. While Peter's responses reveal that he is no longer the man who once spoke carelessly, recklessly, and thoughtlessly making brash promises filled with bravado. His own personal, colossal failure at a crunch moment brought him face to face with the reality of his own weaknesses and he is distraught, ashamed, and guilt-ridden. 

Beloved, Your justice is always tempered with mercy and for this, we are truly grateful. Peter was chosen for a special mission from the first and God's choice was to stand despite his failure but justice had to be served first. He denied You three times and he had to make a three-fold declaration of love in order for You to forgive, heal, and restore him as the leader of the Twelve.  

Three times You called him by name saying, 

‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep.’ Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’

Peter and the rest were given a glimpse into what he would experience as the Chief Shepherd of the flock. The knowledge of how his days would end would be ever before him as he took charge and led the nascent Church after Your Ascension into heaven and Pentecost. It would be a constant reminder to him that no matter what happened to him all that was necessary was for him to follow You loyally, faithfully, and humbly to the end. 

‘I tell you most solemnly,
when you were young
you put on your own belt
and walked where you liked;
but when you grow old
you will stretch out your hands,
and somebody else will put a belt round you
and take you where you would rather not go.’
In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, ‘Follow me.’

As Your witnesses in the world, Lord, our mission is no different - we are called to give glory to God by our lives and we do this by following You closely on the narrow path that leads to eternal joy with You in the Kingdom of God. 

THURSDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

With them in you and you in me,
may they be so completely one
that the world will realise that it was you who sent me,
says the Lord. JN 17:21

ACTS 22:30,23:6-11 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Division can be used to our advantage as Paul did when he was hauled before the chief priest and the members of the Sanhedrin for questioning. Some of the Jews who accused him were Pharisees and some were Sadducees; Paul, who was a Pharisee, knew well the differences in some of the doctrines between the two parties and used it to drive a wedge a between them. 

When asked to name the charge made against him Paul announced that he was on trial because he was a Pharisee who believed in the resurrection of the dead and predictably chaos ensued as the two parties came to blows.  

The Pharisees spoke in favor of Paul requesting that he be released saying, ‘We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel?’ As each party outshouted the other the tribune ordered that Paul be taken away before he was seriously hurt. He was able to get out of a sticky situation by using their divisive doctrines against them.

You came to Paul, comforted him, and he, being always open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, was ready to embark on the next phase of his missionary journey to be Your witness in Rome. 

Beloved, grant that I too may always be docile, gentle, humble, and obedient to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and be prepared like Paul, to do all that is asked of me promptly always. Thank You.

JOHN 17:20-26 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Nothing in all the world is as scandalous as the constant
fragmenting of Your Body that is evident in the constant mushrooming of groups of Christians each forming their own church. As the decadent culture of the current age we live in is embraced by some, the rest of the group will step away to form their own group under a different leader. At the last count, there were 45,000 denominations worldwide and Your Body continues to be fragmented ad infinitum, ad nausem.

And yet, today, as the Church continues to reflect on Your most tender prayer to Your Father in the Liturgy of the Holy Mass, we know that Your Father who always hears You has heard and answered this loving prayer You make to Him for unity with You among Your adopted brothers and sisters.

A dismembered body is a putrefying and dying body no matter how it is gussied up. Denominations continue to fragment, grow weak and die and others take their place only to face the same fate. When O Lord, will wisdom dawn. When will all Christians return to the beginning, look with eyes that are not blinded and ears that are not closed to the dazzling Truth that You entrusted to Your apostles? Your prayer for unity among all the members of Your Body is the answer to a broken, violent, hate-filled, evil world. 

‘Holy Father,

I pray not only for these,
but for those also
who through their words will believe in me.
May they all be one.
Father, may they be one in us,
as you are in me and I am in you,
so that the world may believe it was you who sent me.’

The Church, Your Bride, possesses the fullness of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, she dazzles with the glory that You bestow on her. It is the glory that You received from Your Father. Only in perfect unity among all Christians as one Body with You, her Head, will the world recognize that the New Jerusalem is here.

‘I have given them the glory you gave to me,
that they may be one as we are one.
With me in them and you in me,
may they be so completely one
that the world will realise that it was you who sent me
and that I have loved them as much as you loved me.’

You continue to plead at the right hand of the Father for this prayer is always before Him and He has answered it and continues to answer it. While many continue to leave the bosom of Holy Mother Church, many more are crossing the Tiber to make their home in her. The power of the Holy Spirit and the incessant prayers of the Church ensures that soon we will all be one, as You Beloved, and the Father are one. Then the whole world will know the Truth that God sent His only Son into the world not to condemn it but to redeem it.

Hasten the day Lord, when all who are called by Your Name will make it known to the ends of the earth, and the whole world will experience the love with which the Father loves You.

MEMORIAL OF ST. JUSTIN, MARTYR - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

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

ACTS 20:28-38 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Today the Church in her Liturgy of the Holy Mass gives us two farewell addresses for our reflection in the first one St. Paul addresses the leaders and the flock in the Church before he sets sail. He tells them he will never see them again.

Among the many instructions, he gives them are also warnings of the dangers they face from those who are bitterly opposed to You, to the Church, and to Your followers. He warns them to be vigilant for the enemies are not only without but also within. The sad truth is that all that St. Paul said to those who came to say goodbye to him that day, more than 2000 years ago, holds true to this day. He could be speaking to us in our time and we ought to heed his warning for it is just as relevant today as then. 

‘Be on your guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you the overseers, to feed the Church of God which he bought with his own blood. I know quite well that when I have gone fierce wolves will invade you and will have no mercy on the flock. Even from your own ranks there will be men coming forward with a travesty of the truth on their lips to induce the disciples to follow them.’ 

We must be vigilant always, and the sure way to guard against the wiles of the fierce, rapacious wolves is to stay close to Holy Mother Church and trust in You to keep us safe in Your love. 

Prominent leaders in the Church as well as those ordained as shepherds of the flock have misused and abused their power by all kinds of misconduct and the wounds they have caused on Your Body go deep. Many members of Your Body are wounded so gravely that they have cut themselves off from the Vine. 

May we O Lord, never fail to pray for the Church, her leaders, support her in every way, and do all in our power to heal the wounds of those who have been hurt. St. Paul tells us that the way to do this is to ‘exert ourselves to support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, who himself said, “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.”’

JOHN 17:11-19 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The farewell prayer You addressed to Your Father before You were taken up to heaven is one that the Father has heard and answered. We take heart O Lord, that despite all the trials and tribulations that Catholic Christians and Christians all over the world suffer, evil has no power over us because we are called by Your Name and the power of Your Name will keep us safe to the end. 

In the three short years of Your public ministry, You revealed, taught, and did all that the Father asked You to. Love is more than just a word but operates actively always. Love does not sleep. Love does not waver. Love cannot be put to death because love cannot die. Love, even though it dies, lives. This is what the Father desired You to make known to us by Your incarnation.

Who is lost, Beloved? Those who choose to be lost, like Judas. We have this assurance from You, that no one who remains faithful to You no matter how weak they may be, no matter how often they fall in a day, no matter if they are only clinging to the hem of Your garment by a thread will not be lost for You are a God who saves. We are saved by the power of Your Name, Jesus, meaning one who saves.

You prayed to the heavenly Father for me. I am saved. While it is true my Lord, that wretch that I am I deserve hell, I cling to Your feet and will not let go and in Your great mercy and compassion, You will not permit me to be lost forever.

Not only is every member of the Church called by Your Name, we are covered by Your Blood, we are sanctified by the Holy Spirit and sealed in His love which unites us irrevocably to God, our Father. No one is lost except those who choose to be lost. 

Grant us this grace O Lord, to be always aware that although we are in the world we do not belong to it - we are citizens of heaven and consecrated to You who are the incarnate Truth.

FEAST OF THE VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who believed
that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled. LK 1:45

ZEPHANIAH 3:14-18 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The greatest enslavement we experience as long as we are alive in the world is slavery to our passions. All habitual sin holds us in bondage. The more we indulge our weaknesses whether in small things or great we are slaves. We are set free in You, Christ Jesus, Son of the Living God but sin robs us of this freedom that belongs to the children of God. 

When the prophet Zephaniah was inspired to write this canticle of joyous praise for the children of Israel he was not speaking of her natural enemies around her, and there were many, rather he prophesied about a time when the Lord, the King of Israel, would be in the presence of His people. He would crush the real Enemy whose only purpose is to steal, destroy, and murder.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Visitation of Your Mother, the Blessed Virgin, to her cousin Elizabeth at the prompting of the Holy Spirit, for she too was with child. The world had no idea how earth-shattering this encounter was between the new mothers and more importantly the two babes in the womb. Your cousin recognizing God leaped with joy in Your Presence. 

We live our lives in shackles brought about by our fears, anxieties, addictions, our pain, suffering, and all our negative feelings that trigger responses that rob us of peace and joy which are Your gifts to us.

Today, let us allow the words of the prophet to resonate within us and rejoice at what God has done for us, His people. The Church is the New Jerusalem, God dwells in her. You have conquered, You are victorious, You exult over us, the new people of God from every tribe and every nation. 

We are free with the freedom that is conferred on all who believe that You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God, whom the Father sent into the world to reveal to us His exultant and abiding love for us, His children. Amen! Halleluiah!

LUKE 1:39-56 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Every evening at Vespers all priests and religious pray or
sing the Magnificat alone or in community and many lay people in the Church around the world join them, hearts, minds, and voices resound as the people of God echo Mary's glorious hymn of praise to God. 

Today, in a very special way the Church recalls and celebrates in the Liturgy of the Holy Mass, the Visitation of our Blessed Mother to her cousin Elizabeth. Luke records this event in words that paint a vivid and vibrant picture and Church Fathers tell us that he would have got a personal reciting of the event from the very lips of Your Mother, Mary. 

St. Luke gives us a description of the events beginning with the Annunciation as one that reveals Your Mother as a young woman of contemplation and action. She was driven to action in the power of her Spouse, the Holy Spirit. So perfectly was her will in sync with the will of God, even though she often did know the why of His will, she yielded humbly and obediently to it. Her will was aligned to God's in all things so perfectly that it was just one will, the divine will, operating in her at all times from the moment of her conception. She was uniquely, and magnificently designed by the Triune God, and no creature ever created by God rendered Him such perfect praise in all things as Mary, the most sublime of all God's creatures. She mirrored God's perfect image, always. 

Beloved, one has only to read the words of the Magnificat to know that the words that she uttered came from an awestruck heart at the marvel God had wrought in her. She knew that it was God who chose her and raised her up above all His creatures to cooperate with Him and bear in her virginal and immaculate womb, His only Son. She was His vessel, the New Ark of the Covenant consecrated by the Most High to give Flesh to the Eternal Word of God. She made it possible for You to become like us in all things save sin. 

Luke records for all ages the epiphany revealed to both sets of cousins - Elizabeth who was cousin to Mary and the child in her womb who was Your cousin. By the power of the Holy Spirit were both made aware that they were in the presence of the Second Person of the Trinity, the Son of God made Man. 

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months. Three whole months during which perhaps for the only time in her life she could exult openly and wholeheartedly with Elizabeth who knew her divine secret and shared completely in her joy.

MONDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ,
you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is,
sitting at God’s right hand. COL 3:1

ACTS 19:1-8 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The Book of the Acts of the Apostles reveals a roadmap that leads us into the Kingdom of God. Every baptized Christian is invited to live the Beatitudes with boldness and courage. A lukewarm, wishy-washy faith will not draw people into believing the power of the Gospel to save. Too often, the lives of Christians are a source of scandal within and without the Church.

In fact, there are many brothers and sisters outside the Catholic Church who live exemplary lives, know the Scriptures, and are able to teach and preach with the power of the Holy Spirit. They preach with boldness and conviction and are able to stir hearts into desiring what they possess - Your peace.

Yet, we who possess the fullness of Truth make not the slightest effort to know more about the faith we were privileged to receive as cradle Catholics. We are poorly instructed and in many cases have received no instruction at all. We go through the rituals without understanding Church doctrine and are ripe for the picking by the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Numbers alone do not constitute strength when the vast majority are unable to articulate what the Church teaches because they are clueless. How then can we defend the Church as Paul, the apostles, and the early disciples did? They knew in whom they had placed their faith and were ready to suffer all kinds of trials even death. 

This Pentecost O Lord, hear the prayers of the Church and send down Your Holy Spirit mightily upon the Church and the world. 

JOHN 16:29-33 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The Church has never compromised on the Truth and she
never will this is why her enemies are legion many of whom are like vipers in her bosom. They work ceaselessly to bring her down but will never succeed because she has Your assurance that the gates of hell will never prevail against her. They strive mightily against her but in the end, they are destroyed not her. 

You O Lord, are Head of Your Body, the Church sent into the world by the Father to accomplish His will and do His work - the salvation of the world. We are saved despite all the wiles of the Enemy whose head You crushed under Your heel.

Beloved, we are living the in the last days - it is the age of the Holy Spirit, and although it may seem that the battle is being lost more and more to the culture prevailing in the world the war is won. Victory belongs to the Lamb upon the Throne seated in glory at the right hand of the Father.

But we who are called by Your Name must continue to fight the good fight in the power of the Holy Spirit. We do so with indomitable courage because our faith sustains us. The warning You gave Your disciples is a warning to us as well. Just as You were never alone, we too are not alone for we are united with You. Nothing in this life and certainly not death has the power to separate us from You. You have warned us what to expect in the world but we will not be afraid for You, O Lord, have conquered the world.

In the world you will have trouble,

but be brave: I have conquered the world.’

SATURDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The Lord, who hung for us upon the tree,
has risen from the tomb.

ACTS 18:23-28 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

As we reflect in the first reading on the Alexandrian Jew, Apollos who preached eloquently, quoting from Scripture, demonstrated that You were the Christ, I am reminded of all the Spirit-filled Christians who preach and teach with knowledge and power. They love sacred Scripture, know it well, and have committed a large portion of it to memory, they are truly remarkable and deserving of our praise. However, there is something distinctly lacking, like Apollos whom St. Luke describes in this way, 'He was an eloquent man, with a sound knowledge of the scriptures, and yet, though he had been given instruction in the Way of the Lord and preached with great spiritual earnestness and was accurate in all the details he taught about Jesus, he had only experienced the baptism of John.'

Every baptized person must pursue Truth until the end of life's journey. The more we drink at the fountain of Truth the greater the vistas that open up on the spiritual horizon of Beauty, Truth, and Goodness - it never ends for God is infinite and no one can know or experience the Triune God completely in this life. 

Beloved, we pray that many Catholics like Priscilla and Aquila boldly step out to these brothers and sisters of ours who enter the gates of Wisdom and Truth and are so captivated by the beauty presented to them they make no further progress to enter the abode of the Presence of God wherein You delight to dwell, the Church You founded. In the bosom of Holy Mother Church, all God's children dwell and God has ordained that through her alone His children will enter into His Kingdom. 

May we like Priscilla and Aquila encourage our Christian brothers and sisters to never cease in their pursuit of Truth which will ultimately lead them home where Truth abides. 

JOHN 16:23-28 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

We have this assurance from Your lips, that anything we ask of the Father in Your Name we will receive because we love You and believe that He sent You into the world to redeem it.

The joy You offer us is abiding because it is not dependent on our circumstances - we are joyful despite them no matter how painful they are. It is a joy that no one can take from us. It comes from knowing that we are Yours, we are ransomed by Your Blood, and our names are carved on the palm of Your Hands. 

The most priceless gift we can ask the Father and be confident He will grant it to us because we love You, we believe in You, and in all the promises You have made, is eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Nothing else matters. 

May this be my daily prayer, Beloved, from the rising of the sun to its setting, that the Father gives me the grace to love You more and more. I desire to love You with the blazing passion of the apostles, St. Paul, St. Augustine, St. Therese of Lisieux, and every Saint that has been beatified and canonized by the Church. I am aware Lord, that I am a weak, wilful sinner but I also know that nothing is impossible for God. 

FRIDAY OF THE SIXT WEEK OF EASTER - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Christ has risen, he who created all things,
and has granted his mercy to men.

ACTS 18:9-18 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

When we have Your assurance that no harm will come to us because we are under Your mighty protection, then we will speak the truth boldly and with courage.

You do not tell Paul that wherever he went on his apostolic journey that he would not meet with hardship, persecution, cold and cruel rejection, and suffering. But in this particular place in Corinth, You assure him that he will be able to carry out his mission in relative peace and no one would even attempt to hurt him. 

The Jews though continued to instigate the authorities against Paul because of their envy of him and the number of their own people who came to believe in You through his work of evangelizing. But their attempts to haul Paul before the Roman proconsul came to nothing. Paul continued to preach and teach until it was time for him to move on.

When we are faithful Lord, You are even more faithful. You will keep us safe in Your love and even if we have to face persecution for the sake of the Gospel we will experience great peace and joy that nothing and no one can take away from us. 

THURSDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

I will not leave you orphans, says the Lord;
I go, but I will come back to you,
and your hearts will be full of joy. JN 14:18

ACTS 18:1-8 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The lives of the apostles, of St. Paul, and all Your earliest
disciples and followers were zealous in preaching and teaching the Gospel. The fire of the Holy Spirit burned within them and they were prepared to lose their lives at the hands of the enemies of Christianity rather than deny their faith in You and the Gospel. 

Today, the world is full of nominal Christians, cafeteria Catholics, and those who are Catholic in name only. If every member of Your Body had the same fire and zeal as the early Christians, the world would experience the peace that You came to give, and the Kingdom of heaven would come among us. 

My Lord, and my God, grant that I make a start with my own life. You and I both know how little I possess the apostolic zeal and what a poor example I am of the faith I profess. Let this be the day Lord, with Your help, Your grace, Your Holy Spirit that I resolve, one small step at a time, to be the person that God created me to be. May the Holy Mother of God, and all the angels and saints intercede for me and obtain for me all that I lack to make a start. Amen.

JOHN 16:16-20 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Every Catholic is called to live in intimacy with You - this is because You are present with us day and night, in season and out of season in the Blessed Sacrament in all the tabernacles in the world and exposed in all the Adoration Chapels in every corner of the globe.

You say to Your disciples,

‘In a short time you will no longer see me,

and then a short time later you will see me again.’

As Catholics go about their daily lives doing all the things that fill our days until we go to sleep at night, it is possible to live in union and communion with You through all our waking and sleeping moments. 

We ought to wake up with Your Name on our lips and gratitude in our hearts for the gift of another day to love, serve, and do Your will. Those who can, ought to begin their day with Holy Mass. Receiving You in the Holy Eucharist we become living tabernacles and as we step out of the church, transformed and transfigured by the rich graces You make available to us after each worthy reception of the Eucharist our lives ought to shine Your light illumining a darkening world. 

While we wait O Lord, for the close of our own earthly existence as well as for Your coming again in glory, let us keep Your promises ever before our eyes and minds, recalling them frequently. In this way, our faith, hope, and courage will increase and our love for God and neighbor will abound.

‘I tell you most solemnly,

you will be weeping and wailing
while the world will rejoice;
you will be sorrowful,
but your sorrow will turn to joy.’

Thank You, Beloved, for the grace of being Catholic but also may I never forget that my judgment will be even greater for You warn us that to those whom much is given much will be asked. Holy Spirit of God, help me to be a good steward of God's immeasurable gifts and graces to me in the Sacraments.

MONDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The Spirit of truth will be my witness;
and you too will be my witnesses.  JN 15:26, 27

ACTS 16:11-15 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Give me a heart like Lydia's and all the great women in the Bible beginning with Your Holy Mother, Mary. She and all the women of renown in Scripture were attuned to the Holy Spirit and docile to the will of God.

St. Paul, who was preaching to the women noticed Lydia's openness to the Word of God. She drank in all that Paul was preaching and teaching about You. She was a leading woman of the town and not only did she open her heart to You but she opened her home as well to Paul and his companions.

Grant me O Lord, not just a receptive heart, and a docile spirit that is always submissive to the will of God but greater generosity in sharing the spiritual and temporal gifts that You have so graciously given me.

 

JOHN 15:26-16:4 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

You submitted to Your Father in perfect humility and accomplished all He asked of You from the least to its most sublime detail. The Way to Heaven is to follow the template of Your life, if we do, You assure us that we will be co-heirs with You to the Kingdom of God and will receive a share in Your glory.

Being an authentic Christian in a crooked and evil world is impossible without divine assistance. This is why You gave us the Holy Spirit. You call Him the Advocate and the Spirit of Truth. Truth is sorely lacking in our world. Our world is in shambles because the world peddles lies. Lying has become second nature to both religious and world leaders and the gullible, lacking the wisdom to withstand the onslaught of deceit, are easy prey. 

We need the Holy Spirit and He is conferred on us at Baptism and He empowers us when we receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. With the power and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome the world. 

This is what You say of the Holy Spirit whom You will send: 

‘When the Advocate comes,

whom I shall send to you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father,
he will be my witness.
And you too will be witnesses,
because you have been with me from the outset.’

We live in a world where our faith is shaken constantly not only by the scandals that have rocked the Church but by Catholic Christians and Christians who profess with their lips that they are Your followers but every word that issues forth from their lips is of satan. They are pawns of evil who are blind and deaf to all that is pure, good, true, and beautiful. Earthly dominion is given to them for a season and they use their power to snuff out Truth and erect false gods before which they demand we worship.

You warned the apostles and disciples what to expect from the enemies of Truth and the warning holds true to this day and until You return: 

 

‘I have told you all this that your faith may not be shaken.’

All around the world, we see churches being desecrated, and the Eucharist is often stolen for evil purposes. People of some faiths actually believe that when they kill us they think that they are doing a holy duty for God.

You also give us the reason why they act as they do:

‘They will do these things
because they have never known
either the Father or myself.
But I have told you all this,
so that when the time for it comes
you may remember that I told you.’

Thank You for warning Christians in every age what to expect from the devil's aides so we will not be taken by surprise but be vigilant and rely totally on the strength and power of the Holy Spirit. With His help, the true, the good, and the beautiful will prevail. 

SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Jesus said: ‘If anyone loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him.’ JN 14:23

ACTS 15:1-2,22-29 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Within and without the Church there will always be wolves in sheep's clothing waiting to devour Your flock. Some are well-meaning but half-formed in the Truth and are oftentimes blissfully unaware of the great harm they inflict on the Body of Christ. Catholics unformed and ignorant of the faith handed down to them from You through the apostles and their successors are easy prey and ripe for the picking.

Today, Beloved, we praise and thank God not only for the Church and the Magisterium but also for the many, many Catholic men and women who have made it their life's work to study extensively, delve deep into salvation history, pray on it, meditate on it and allow the Holy Spirit to illumine their hearts and their minds and they, in turn, illumine the hearts and minds of anyone who truly desires to walk in the Way of Truth leading to Life.

From the very first Council that took place in Jerusalem to settle a dispute that arose between trouble-makers who sort to sow seeds of dissension, to this day and to the end of time, the Church will always be the sole arbiter of faith and morals and we can rely on her always to steer us safely to harbor through every storm.

‘Accordingly we are sending you Judas and Silas, who will confirm by word of mouth what we have written in this letter. It has been decided by the Holy Spirit and by ourselves not to saddle you with any burden beyond these essentials: you are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols; from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from fornication. Avoid these, and you will do what is right. Farewell.’

The Church's doctrines are handed down to us by oral tradition and by the written Word - both, not either-or. And she alone has the authority to proclaim that when she speaks on matters of faith and morals she does so in union with the Holy Spirit. 

REVELATION 21:10-14,22-23 ©

MySoul's Beloved,

We long for the day when we will see with our own eyes the new heavens and the new earth descend on Mt. Zion, the City of our God - the one, holy, catholic apostolic Church - Your Body with You as her Head. What a glorious day it will be.

John sees this glorious City of God in a vision. He sees the Lamb upon the Throne, he sees the 12 Apostles representing the 12 Tribes of Israel, and he sees the Lamb that was Slain whose light is so great, so brilliant it needs no other to illumine the heavens and the earth. 

We thank You, Beloved, for the great privilege accorded to us at every celebration of the Holy Mass to glimpse the City of God and to partake of the Wedding Banquet of the Bridegroom as His Bride. All glory and honor to You my Lord and my God.

JOHN 14:23-29 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

I am a liar if I profess to love You but I do not keep Your words. Grant me this grace to remember this when I balk at doing things Your way rather than mine. When I refuse to align my will with Yours. When I pay lip-serve to the faith I affirm but my life is a far cry from holiness and perfection. 

Lord, You know that I love You. I would lay down my life for You at least that is what I believe yet I also know that I am a great coward who turns tail and rains at the first sign of suffering. You command me to love and You command me to keep Your Word in season and out of season. I fail miserably at this more times in one day than I can count.

Thank You, Beloved, for knowing perfectly well that no one can live righteously without divine assistance hence You have given us Your Holy Spirit to be our Helper, our Paraclete, our Guide, our Teacher who will supply all that we lack.

You promised Your disciples that the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in Your Name will teach them and remind them of everything You said in the three years they were with You and this same Spirit dwells in fullness in the Church and will do so to the end of time. Leading, guiding, inspiring, strengthening her, and providing all she needs and the gates of hell are powerless against her.

Peace is Your wondrous gift to all who believe in You and are called by Your Name. It is a peace that abounds in tribulation, persecution, suffering for Your Sake, and the sake of the Gospel even unto death.

The Holy Spirit takes up residence in us and this is why You assure us that we need not be afraid or troubled about anything. The enemies of Truth may kill the body but they have no power over our soul - those who belong to You body and soul have nothing to fear.