Hebrews 13:15-17, 20-21, Psalm 23:id1-6, Mark 6:30-34

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27

Hebrews 13:15-17, 20-21, Psalm 23:1-6, Mark 6:30-34

Hebrews 13:15-17, 20-21

My soul's beloved, to You has been given the Name that is every other and it pleases the Father when we praise You and praise God for all that He has accomplished for us through You. When we acknowledge to the Father that we are saved through Your Sacrifice and we are truly grateful that He has loved us to wonderfully and generously that He did not hold back His only Son from paying the price for our disobedience and iniquity, we can be sure that He will accept our thanksgiving and our praises which overflow from grateful hearts.

Lord, it is so easy to criticize those in authority over us, even elected leaders it does not good but causes division, disunity, and hate and evil has a field day when the world is divided. We only make their task more difficult when we offer nothing but resistance instead of cooperation in helping them fulfill the work that they have been appointed to do. We must help them with our prayers as well for they need our prayer support as well. Your Blood is sets us free from dominion by the powers of darkness and we are made children of the Light, of Truth and of Love. Grant us the grace to seek to do Your will in all things for in this alone is true joy and peace. May we never cease to praise You in this life so we can join in the eternal hymn of praise in heaven.

Psalm 23:1-6

My soul's beloved, I thank You for the comfort that this psalm always brings. It soothes my soul to know that I can trust You to care for all my needs both spiritual and temporal. It is You that leads me, guides me, takes me where I ought to go, nourishes me, feeds me, slakes my thirsts, and watches constantly over me lest I stray and get lost. I am truly grateful for Your loving concern for me and for all those who belong to Your fold. Thank You for grace that enables us to hear Your voice in the Church, in prayer, through our pastors and good friends. Thank You for staying by us when the road gets rough, narrow, and dark. Thank You for being our light in the dark places. Thank You for Your hand in ours and for the comfort of Your Presence. Thank You for all the help You provide and for giving us a seat at the table. Thank You for anointing us with the oil of gladness and the Holy Spirit. Thank You for our eternal destiny and the promise that we will never be separated from You.

Mark 6:30-34

My soul's beloved, it is important to get away from the busyness of life and spend time alone with You so we can get a perspective on what is truly important, the things that matter. It is good to be of service, and to out there doing the work that needs to be done but we are not to remain behind for the praise, or accolades. We need to be replenished, we need to understand that all we do is because You make it possible. Yours the gift, Yours the grace, Yours the command to us to go out into the world and do what You ask of us. We are only instruments. We need to be humble if we are to be effective. We need to give glory where glory is due - which is to You alone. But even during these times of retreat away from the world, we need to be generous just as You were. You did not drive the people who followed You and the Apostles but Your heart, moved with compassion, ministered to them. 

With the help of Your Holy Spirit teach me to have a proper balance in all things and to trust You always to help me to discern what You desire of me always. Keep me open, little, humble, and available always.

Malachi 3:1-4, Psalm 24:7-10, Hebrews 2:14-18, Luke 2:22-40

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

A light of revelation to the Gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel. Lk 2:32

FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD

Malachi 3:1-4, Psalm 24:7-10, Hebrews 2:14-18, Luke 2:22-40

Malachi 3:1-4

My soul's beloved, God so loved us that He sent You into the world to save us. We could only be ransomed and saved by a blood sacrifice, through the fire of suffering of one who was without stain or blemish of sin. Only one who was sinless could pay the price for the sinful. Animal sacrifices were worthless and human sacrifices abhorrent for they could neither repair nor restore what we had lost forever through sin. But God did not forget the Covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac, Moses, and David which He kept renewing from generation to generation. The chosen people looked with great hope, longing, and faith for its fulfillment. The Father sent You to become the Lamb of Sacrifice. Now that we know the price that was required to satisfy the justice of God, we tremble at what You were willing to endure, what God willed for You to endure, so we could stand before Him. Purified by the Blood of the Lamb, thrust into the fire of Divine love we are set free from sin. Purified like gold and silver we can now come into the Presence of the Most High God, into the Holy of Holies because You have rend the curtain that kept us apart from God when Your Flesh was torn asunder and made a way for us to enter the gates of heaven through You.

Thank You Beloved.

Psalm 24:7-10

My soul's beloved, King of glory, Lord of Lord You are the Gate to heaven. We enter through You. You are victorious. You have won the battle and are victorious. Your victory is our victory. Sin no longer holds us in captivity. No longer are we in bondage, no longer slaves to our flesh, to the world and the devil for You have crushed the head of Satan and are now seated at the right hand of God where You plead for us whom You have saved night and day. Thank You for all that Your Sacrifice has won for us.

Hebrews 2:14-18

My soul's beloved, You understand our human frailty and weaknesses so well for You became like us, were subject to all the temptations that assail us day in and day out until the day we die although You never succumbed to them. When we cry out for help You hasten to grant us all the strength we need to withstand the onslaught of the enemy. You destroyed death, You destroyed the Devil, and we have a glorious hope because we believe in You.

The Father sent You into the world not to help angels but to take us by the hand and gently lead us on the path that leads to life. You broke the chains that enslaved us to sin and now through the Sacrifice of Your Life and through Baptism we are Your brothers and sisters. You have taught us to call God our Father, for that is who He is to You and because we are grafted to Your Body we too are privileged to call Him Dad. You made expiation for the sins of the whole world through Your sorrowful passion and when we are tested through suffering we can run to You and hide in You and You will grant us all the grace we need to endure and emerge victorious.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine. Amen.

Luke 2:22-40

My soul's beloved, Mary and Joseph did not consider themselves above the law. They both knew You were the Son of God but they fulfilled the demands of the law which required that Mary go to the temple to be purified and You, her first born who opened her womb, to be presented to God. She was sinless and You belonged to the Father, You in fact, were One with Him before all ages. However, they were humble. They were aware of what the law demanded and they obeyed it. A pair of turtle doves was the offering of the poor and this they took as their sacrifice even though You were the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. You identified with the poor so none can can say You did not experience our  poverty.

Simeon it is said was a righteous man, it was also said of Joseph and of Moses that they were righteous men. To be righteous is to do God's will in all things. Simeon was filled with the Holy Spirit and was sensitive to the voice and direction of the Spirit thus it was that he was directed into the presence of the Son of God, who lay as a little baby in the arms of Mary His Mother. He recognized God and his heart was filled with joy that the promise made to him was fulfilled. How blessed he was that his eyes beheld the Creator of the world, the Incarnate Word and now he was ready to leave this world for the next. His eyes had looked upon the Face of God who was the Light of the World and the glory not only of the people of Israel but of the entire human race.