Deuteronomy 4:1,5-9, Psalm 147:12-13,15-16,19-20, Matthew 5:17-19

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Deuteronomy 4:1,5-9, Psalm 147:12-13,15-16,19-20, Matthew 5:17-19  

Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9

My Beloved, today You instruct me to listen and practice all You have taught in order that I may receive the inheritance won for me by Your saving act of redemption – the Kingdom of Heaven. You summed up the entire law and the prophets with the two great commandments of love – to love God with all that I am placing Him above and before all and then to love my neighbor in the measure that You have loved me. You invite me to love all whom I encounter each day as radically as You loved me with a total sacrificial giving of self. Is this hard Beloved, of course it is but it is not impossible. You do not ask us to do anything that You Yourself have not done first. If I do as You command I have Your assurance that whenever I call You will answer. I have also been given a mission to hand over to future generations all that I have been taught by You, how I have been saved by You and the inheritance that You share with all who believe in You. 

Psalm 147:12-13,15-16,19-20

My Beloved, the psalmist exhorts me to exalt You and praise You. In fact praise of You out to stream from my lips out of the fullness of my heart for from the moment I was conceived You have blessed me and been with me. You have taken me by the hand and have guided my feet. Even when I rejected You and sat in the company of sinners You did not reject me but waiting patiently and lovingly for my return. Thank You for all the bitter and painful circumstances that I have had to face periodically in my life they have revealed how much I need You. Through it all Your love and Your Presence have been steadfast and Your Word brought healing, consolation and wisdom. Just as snow and frost are scattered covering every area and blanketing the earth so also does Your Word have the power to spread everywhere, touch everyone and cover us with the saving grace and healing power of Your Word. Thank You for the grace to pass on the awesome gift of faith we received at Baptism to our children and I have Your assurance that it be handed down faithfully to future generations, this is truly comforting. Thank You Lord.

Matthew 5:17-19 

My Beloved, as Your followers You remind us that the Law and all the that the prophets have said I all the years preceding Your incarnation has not been abolished rather all that they have said has been perfected by You and finds its fulfillment in You. How wonderfully reassuring it is to know that as long as heaven and earth lasts Your Law of love will remain unchanged, untarnished and will be help aloft as a beacon of hope for all people of every age until time comes to an end. True greatness comes from living as You lived. Obeying the law of love in the two great commandments You have given us and to teaching others to do the same, guarantees us a place in Your Kingdom where we will live with You as co-heirs and You will grant us a share in Your inheritance as well.

Daniel 3:25, 34-43, Psalm 25:4-9, Matthew 18:21-35

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Daniel 3:25, 34-43, Psalm 25:4-9, Matthew 18:21-35

Daniel 3:25, 34-43

My Beloved, when trouble overwhelms us, when it appears that there is no escape from the terror that surrounds us Azariah shows us how to pray. From the depths of our beings we must cry out aloud and recall Your faithfulness to Your friends beginning with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob until the present time, we must remember that You are always merciful and that You never go back on Your promises. You have made a Covenant of Love with us that can never be broken. The one thing we must always bear in mind is that a humble, contrite heart You will never spurn. The sacrifice most pleasing to You is a repentant heart filled with praise, and thanksgiving because it knows that it does not approach You in vain.

You are full of kindness and mercy and our joy comes from serving You as we serve those around us. You freed us from the shackles of sin, You have given us Your Name and You have made us children of Your Father. Thank You Lord.

Psalm 25:4-9

My Beloved, thank You for the Gift of Your Holy Spirit who dwells in me and makes me a living tabernacle. You are the Way, the Truth and the Life and with Your Holy Spirit as my Guide He leads me into all Truth – the Truth that You came to reveal to the Word that God is Love, Mercy and Tender Compassion. Slow to anger and ready to forgive those who come to Him in faith, believe in the One He sent and repent of all their sins.

The Father sent You into the world not to condemn it but to save it – You have redeemed and saved us You have claimed us, You have grafted us on to Your Body, You fill us with Your Life and Your Light and You reveal the Face of the Father to us. Thank You for throwing our sins behind Your back and forgiving and forgetting our transgressions.

Matthew 18:21-35

My Beloved, for those of us who keep a catalogue of all the ways in which people have wronged us, slighted us or sinned against us and like Peter think we are being magnanimous when we echo his question, “Lord, how many times must I forgive the offenses of my brother or sister? Seven times?” Seven times seems like a generous number in our view. But as always Your throw conventional, human wisdom to the wind and tell us instead that we ought to forgive seventy-seven times. In other words we are called to forgive each and every time just as You forgive us each and every time.

We cannot expect to be forgiven if we fail to forgive. This is what the parable of the unmerciful servants reveals. God forgives us the greatest sins and pardons all our wickedness if we plead with Him for mercy. The debt we owe God is infinite and can never be repaid. He knows it and we know it. Yet, when it comes to forgiving those who have sinned against us no matter how lightly we wait for an opportunity to extract vengeance. God has been magnanimous with us and we accept it with gratitude but when it comes to forgiving the little sins of our neighbor against us we are tyrants.

Help me my Beloved to remember always that in the measure that I forgive will I be forgiven. I am bound to forgive as many times as I am called to forgive for the same mercy has been shown to me. My forgiveness has to be real and sincere for God who sees all things and knows all things expects me to show genuine compassion and mercy when those who have sinned against me ask for my forgiveness.