Jonah 3:1-10, Psalm 130:1-4, 7-8, Luke 10:38-42

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Jonah 3:1-10, Psalm 130:1-4, 7-8, Luke 10:38-42

Jonah 3:1-10

Beloved, like Jonah we too have a mission which is to announce the Good News of our salvation.  All who are baptized are missionaries and all missionaries are called to be obedient to God's call.  To evangelize involves leaving our comfortable life behind and going out among the people to proclaim the Gospel.  Most often people are ignorant but once they are made aware of You and Your purpose for their lives they will listen, believe and repent just as the people of Nineveh did, and God who is compassionate, will have pity and mercy.  He will save.

Psalm 130:1-4, 7-8

My Beloved, a heart that cries out to You to have pity and forgive, who turns in supplication to You for mercy will never be disappointed.

Your anger lasts but a moment but Your love is everlasting.  I can count on it.  You hear my voice and Your ears are attentive to the sound of my cry.  My faith, hope, love and trust are in You my Lord and my God.  

Luke 10:38-42

My Beloved, when we choose the right, the good, the noble and the sublime, in short when we choose You over every other occupation whether serious or frivolous, it will not, it cannot be taken from us.  We have chosen the better part, we have chosen right and You will not permit us to be robbed of it.

Once we welcome a guest then we must spend time with him.  We ought not to leave him to himself while we go about busy and preoccupied, even it is being busy and preoccupied with refreshments.  The guest is honored when we sit with him and spend time listening attentively to all he has to say.  It honors and pleases the guest when we are present with our whole being.

When You come into our hearts in the Eucharist, we need to be still in Your Presence and listen to You.  This is what pleases You.  We pay homage to You by our interior silence and we show our love by our reverence, adoration and worship.  Once we have heard what You have to say only then can we rise and go about our duties in ministering to You present in our neighbor.

Nehemiah 8:1-12, Psalm 19:8-11, Luke 101-12

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Nehemiah 8:1-12, Psalm 19:8-11, Luke 101-12

Nehemiah 8:1-12

My Beloved, in the celebration of the Liturgy of the Word during Holy Mass, Your people gather around the Altar as one body to listen to the proclamation of Your Word.

In today's Scripture reading in the Book of Nehemiah, we see how God's people gathered together to hear Ezra read from the Book of the Law of Moses.  When Ezra opened the Book to read the people stood up and when he praised God they responded by saying, "Amen, Amen."  After listening attentively to the reading of the Law the Levites began to clarify and interpret its meaning so those present understood what they had heard. Ezra dedicated the day to the Lord, he comforted the people and told them to rejoice rather than weep and to celebrate and share their food and drink with those who had none.  He assured them that God Himself was their strength. 

Verse 12 says, "The people went their way to eat, drink and share, and they had a great feast, because they had understood the words that had been proclaimed to them."

We grow by listening to the Word that is proclaimed to us in the Liturgy and through  sound and divinely inspired interpretation by those whom God has called and appointed.  

The magisterium which is the teaching authority of the Church interprets the Word according to Apostolic Tradition.  Sunday is the day of the Lord and must be dedicated to worship and to enter into God's rest.  We rejoice on this day which is set apart from the rest of the week to contemplate the Face of God in You, the Eternal Word and to share what You have given us with those who have not.  In this way we glorify You, the Father and the Holy Spirit.