FRIDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2021

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The Holy Spirit will teach you everything
and remind you of all I have said to you. JN14:26

ACTS 25:13-21 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

As we see from the life of Paul and even in our own lives, as we look back, that You are always firmly in control. 

Through all that Paul undertook in his mission of spreading the Good News wherever he was led by the Holy Spirit, we see the hand of God in all things. The rulers, the governors, his enemies in the Sanhedrin all were ultimately being used for Your greater glory.

It was part of the divine plan that Paul reach Rome, preach the Good News there, make disciples, strengthen the Church, and finally at the end of his mission, to lay down his life in imitation of the Master whom he loved and served faithfully and singlemindedly to the end.

If we all had the fire and courage of St. Paul Your Kingdom would already be established on earth. Grant us a new Pentecost O Lord so with His help the face of the world will be renewed and transformed and all will know You, love You and worship God.

PSALM 103:1-2,11-12,19-20 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

The psalmist reminds us yet again that we must be a people of praise. We ought to be ever mindful of all that You have done to save us. To contemplate the wonder of God's love for us that He sent You, His only Son to become one like us and to remain with us always.

All who love You, all who are fearful of offending You our only good, all who are humble of heart and contrite of spirit will be forgiven every sin. So completely do You forgive us that You cease to remember our offenses grave though they may have been. No one loves as You love us O Lord, may we spend every moment of our lives striving with all our heart, mind, and strength to love You in return.

Thank You for the sure knowledge all who belong to You possess - that You are with us, You abide in us, You give us Yourself as our food and drink, and someday, true to Your Word, You will take us to be with You and to praise, worship, and adore You always along with all the angels and saints.

JOHN 21:15-19 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

When we have sinned grievously and are absolved of our sins and our guilt completely we are indebted forever to the One who forgives and forgets. 

Peter was made forever humble by his triple denial of You. Although he loved You more than the others, he would never forget that when it counted most he denied the One whom he loved most and it was not even before Your accusers but to a servant girl. He would never forget that moment when he displayed such great cowardice and weakness. 

But with You, Beloved, there is always mercy and tender compassion. You do no deal with us according to our transgression but according to Your great love for us. A love that poured itself out completely as a perfect holocaust for the sins of the world.

Poor Simon was deeply ashamed of his denial of You. He could hardly meet Your gaze at each meeting after Your resurrection and You knew it. He was the one who was going to lead Your Church and he could not do it with the great burden of sorrow and guilt that had settled like deadweight on his soul. Looking at him You asked him not once but three times:

‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ And he replied twice, ‘Yes Lord, you know I love you.’  ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ And the third time Peter was upset and he said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ It Peter to whom You have irrevocably granted the role of Chief Shepherd on earth. There is no other. 

And to every apostle and disciple You say, "Follow Me."

THURSDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER - 2021

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

With them in you and you in me,
may they be so completely one
that the world will realize that it was you who sent me,
says the Lord. JN 17:21

ACTS 22:30,23:6-11 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Every one of Your promises is true, we see a perfect example of this in today's reading. You assured Your disciples that if they were hauled before the judges and rulers of the world they ought not to worry about what they will say in their defense for the words will be given to them. It will not be they who speak but the Spirit of the Father Himself who will speak through them.

When Paul was brought before the tribune he was inspired to speak precisely those words that would set his accusers against each other and would free from the clutches of both the Pharisees and the Sadducees who sought to do him harm.

Division will always cause destruction. This is why You Body O Lord, is one with You as its Head. It is the hierarchy of the Church You founded with Peter as the Rock and You as its Cornerstone that guarantees that the gates of hell will never prevail against her. She receives her life of grace from Your Holy Spirit through the Sacraments You instituted. Without these life-giving conduits of grace, the members of Your Body would wither and die.

The Church is Yours and no harm will come to her. It is You Yourself who remains with her and inspires her, who encourages her and gives her the courage to stand up to her enemies. She is the pillar and bulwark of Truth and Satan, the father of lies, and the ruler of the world is vanquished forever.

Grant us the grace we need O Lord to be Your faithful witnesses to the end.