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Today Lord I see the error of my ways. I’ve looked for love in all the wrong places, lusted, desired, even longed for all the wrong things.  I sought material wealth and fame.  I searched everywhere for happiness often times not thinking of the consequences.  I attended Mass out of fear of punishment instead of attending a Eucharistic celebration out of love for You. Thinking of You let alone speaking of You was the last thing on my mind, as I had not a real authentic relationship with You.  I use to cringe when I heard the term evangelization fearful in some ways that I might be laughed at or ridiculed for my faith or my lack of knowledge thereof.

With a contrite heart made soft by Your love for me, I come before You; Have mercy and bless me Lord. I stand before You poor in spirit Lord; Have mercy and bless me Lord. I hunger and thirst for all that is of You, spiritual and Holy; Have mercy and bless me Lord. I weep for the homeless, the sick, the persecuted, those living in sin and I offer prayers for those I am not able to help; Have mercy and bless me Lord. I endeavour to bring Your Word and Your peace to all whom I meet even if I am not welcomed by some; Have mercy and bless me Lord according to Your Will. Amen

GOSPEL
Luke 6:20–26

Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.

Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.

But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

Oh what peace, what joy, what strength, what love You bestow upon me during my quiet time with You; My Lord, my God.

And today I am reminded that our Church is not inward looking but rather outward looking in which we are sent to share the good news with others. Along the way of our pilgrim journey back home, through the power of the Holy Spirit may we bring healing, liberation, peace, the joy of Your Word and love to all we meet. In Your most Holy name Jesus, we pray. Amen

GOSPEL
Luke 6:12–19

Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground. A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured. Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all.