Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-10, 1 Corinthians 12:12-30, Psalm 19:8-10, 14, Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS:

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Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-10, 1 Corinthians 12:12-30, Psalm 19:8-10, 14, Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21

  Nehemiah 8:2-4a, 5-10

These verses reflect our Sunday Liturgy.

We too come together every Sunday – the whole family gathers in the house of God.  God’s Word is read.  At the time of Nehemiah they read from the Book of the Law, today we have both the Old Testament and the New and the Church dips into both as well the psalms and weaves them together.  She threads the whole with a common theme as each text draws from the other. The Old Testament points to the New, the New comes alive as we see all the prophecies being fulfilled.  The psalms sing and praise God for all He has done for us and it threads a vivid pattern into a seamless garment.

The priest stands at the raised altar so all present can see him as he leads us into worship.  He also prays on our behalf and offers the one, holy, perfect and only acceptable sacrifice to the Father in Persona Christi.

Verse 7  He breaks God’s Word to us in the Liturgy of the Word.  He interprets the meaning so there is no error or ambiguity as the teaching and explanation are according to the mind of Christ as handed down by the Apostles and the Fathers of the Church.  There is no fear of division only unity.  We are moved by the power, majesty and love of God as we move from the Liturgy of the Word to the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  Having heard God’s Word we are better prepared to partake of the Banquet that He prepares for us.  He takes the gifts we offer of bread and wine and at the words of Consecration His powerful love for us transforms what continues to look and bread and wine into Himself – Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity.  He breaks His Body and pours out His Blood to become our spiritual food and drink.  We are fed on the finest wheat and the sweetest honey and we return home with the call to mission ringing in our ears,  "Go and share with him who has nothing prepared." On the day of the Lord we rejoice for He alone is our strength.

1 Corinthians 12:12-30

We are the Body of Christ and His Spirit unites us.  Each has their place and function.  Some have a more prominent role to play while others one that is more humble and apparently of less significance. However each is vitally important to the well being of the whole.  No one can say that they are not called. We are all called and chosen by virtue of our baptism.  

No role is too small. Each works for the good of all. Each in accordance with the gifts and talents that God has blessed us with no matter how great or small.  Our function is designed by Him.  When each of us accomplishes and fulfills God's purpose and  plan for our lives, and we all work together in harmony and love to bring about His plan, we will help to hasten the coming of His Kingdom on earth and the reign of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ as the Lord of Lords and Prince of Peace will prevail.

 

Psalm 19:8-10, 14

 8 The law of the Lord is perfect:

it gives life to the soul.

The word of the Lord is trustworthy:

it gives wisdom to the simple.

9 The precepts of the Lord are right:

they give joy to the heart.

The commandments of the Lord are clear:

they enlighten the eyes.

10 The fear of the Lord is pure,

it endures forever;

the judgments of the Lord are true,

all of them just and right.

 

15 May the words of my mouth

and the meditations of my heart

find favor in your sight,

O Lord – my redeemer, my rock!

The Beauty, Power, Grandeur, Majesty, Truth, Goodness, Love, Justice, Faithfulness, Mercy, and Tender Compassion of Your Eternal Word O God our Father became Incarnate in order that we might taste Him and be nourished by Him.  By becoming one with Him in every Holy Eucharist we receive worthily we must be transformed into Him and at the end of our lives we must reflect Him and Him alone to Your everlasting praise and glory. 

Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21

The first witnesses became ministers of the Word.  We dare not put our own interpretation or twist what they said to suit the mantra of the day.  If we did we would spell our doom and the doom of the Church You established and founded with Peter as the Rock and with You as our Cornerstone.

The Church stands invincible because she safeguards and upholds Your teaching.  The Truth the unshakable, irrevocable, unvarnished Truth according to Your heart and mind.

You continue to act with the power of the Holy Spirit in the Church and through our ordained ministers who administer the Sacraments to the members of Your Body. They are faithful in preaching what You taught.  They do not blur the lines between what Your really said and did as revealed by the Apostles and evangelists.  They do not cause division between the baptised thus making them easy prey for wolves, especially the many wolves in sheep's clothing who prey upon ignorant sheep who are clueless about their priceless Catholic heritage.  They make themselves easy marks for those who follow their own gospel and who pick and choose what pleases them, rather than the Truth as revealed by y

You who are the Eternal God - the same yesterday, today and forever.

Keep us faithful O Lord within the boundaries of Your One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.  In her we enjoy perfect freedom as sons and daughters who are led by You our Good Shepherd and who laid down His life for His sheep.  Keep us faithful Lord and keep us alert, awake and watchful. 

Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17, Psalm 110:1-4, Mark 3:1-6

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17, Psalm 110:1-4, Mark 3:1-6

Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17

My Beloved, You are God and in You there is no beginning and no end.  God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God.  Begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father and through You all things are made visible and invisible.  As the Eternal High Priest, You came out to meet Abraham our father in faith in order to bless him.

King of Justice and King of peace.  The world desires justice and peace my Beloved yet this is denied to many who are voiceless, powerless and who have the boot of the wicked who live by violence and greed on their neck.  But every sigh reaches You my God and in the end You will demand that justice be satisfied and that peace will be granted to those whose backs have long been beaten into submission.

My Beloved, we thank God for appointing You as the only just and righteous Judge. Through Your judgments peace will prevail.

Psalm 110:1-4

The eternal God said to the eternal God who is His eternal Son to take His place at His right hand.  It is a place that God the Father has appointed for His Son.  Our Deliverer has crushed the foe, the rebel, the enemy - Satan.  He has robbed death of its sting so we are no longer afraid to die.  It is only by dying that our hope of living in the presence of God eternally can be realized.  Death has been routed roundly and lies impotent at the entrance of the empty tomb.

My Beloved, the world lives in denial of You hoping that the Truth which makes them uncomfortable will go away if they ignore it.  They cover their eyes and believe that You no longer rule the world that You redeemed.  That You are not passionately involved in the sanctification of all people for whom You lay down Your life.  But God has raised You up and given You a Name, a rule and a dignity that is higher than high.  Born of the Father before time began, You are the King of kings and a High Priest forever and I am privileged to call you my Love, my Friend, my Brother, my Bridegroom, my Beloved, my Spouse, my Life and my all.

Mark 3:1-6

My Beloved, the good, the bad and the ugly gather in the places of worship if not regularly then at least once a week.  Some like the tax collector go home justified whereas others go back exactly as they had come - unchanged.  

Here is a representation of a sinner in the form of the man with the withered or paralyzed hand.  Perhaps a niggardly spirit had not only shrivelled his soul but his hand as well since it was never stretched out in giving and in touching.  The sin of selfishness robbed his hand of its mobility.  It was frozen and stiff, hardened by indifference.  Everyone judged him to be a sinner.  His presence in the Church was tolerated since it is the home of sinners with the potential to become saints.

Those who come out of a sense of obligation were there to find fault and criticise everything.  They came neither to contribute nor participate but were ready to spew the venom, the brew of their self-righteousness on God Himself for blessing and healing those they have condemned to hell.  They watch God with narrowed eyes and furrowed brows with the sole intent of accusing Him for not following the letter of the law.  Love and compassion, forgiveness and mercy they do not understand.  

You were never afraid to confront the powerful and those in authority and challenge them into accepting that love is the law that must rule our lives and prompt the course of our actions.  The hard hearted and the proud can never know or understand the ways of God and so You shake Your dear head in wonder at our stubborn hardened hearts and continue as always to heal and restore the life of the sinner.  You  command that we stretch out our hand in generosity to serve our neighbor and lo and behold we are healed.  Thank You Lord.