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.