We must bring the Eucharistic Celebration that we celebrate on Sundays back into our homes. That is to have meals with family, friends and community where there is the breaking of the Word, thanksgiving and sharing testimonies over the meal. And the doors of our homes must be opened to all! For as St Paul reminds us today, that we should always consider the other person to be better than ourselves, so that nobody thinks of his or her own interests first but everybody thinks of other people’s interests instead.

Can you fathom how powerful a message we send as Christians living our faith in such a setting? By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.  Jn 13:35 Amen

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First reading

Philippians 2:1-4 ·

Be united in your love

If our life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all, or the Spirit that we have in common, or any tenderness and sympathy, then be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind. That is the one thing which would make me completely happy. There must be no competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be self-effacing. Always consider the other person to be better than yourself, so that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody thinks of other people’s interests instead.

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Gospel

Luke 14:12-14

Do not invite those who might be able to invite you back

Jesus said to his host, one of the leading Pharisees, ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again.’

How many wants to live long lives in the service of others? To live out their lives focused on one sole mission and that is to win as many souls as possible for our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

Hard to fathom? Well, this is how we are when we have fallen deeply in love with our Lord. While we desire with all our hearts to be united with Him in Heaven, we also want to lead as many as we can home to Him.

The only affirmation we seek is His and therefore we die to ourselves so as to rise with Him! This is the pure humility of carrying our cross and following after Him.

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.” John 12:24-25

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First reading

Philippians 1:18-26 ·

Life to me is Christ; but death would bring me more

Christ is proclaimed; and that makes me happy; and I shall continue being happy, because I know this will help to save me, thanks to your prayers and to the help which will be given to me by the Spirit of Jesus. My one hope and trust is that I shall never have to admit defeat, but that now as always I shall have the courage for Christ to be glorified in my body, whether by my life or by my death. Life to me, of course, is Christ, but then death would bring me something more; but then again, if living in this body means doing work which is having good results – I do not know what I should choose. I am caught in this dilemma: I want to be gone and be with Christ, which would be very much the better, but for me to stay alive in this body is a more urgent need for your sake. This weighs with me so much that I feel sure I shall survive and stay with you all, and help you to progress in the faith and even increase your joy in it; and so you will have another reason to give praise to Christ Jesus on my account when I am with you again.

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Gospel

Luke 14:1,7-11

Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled

Now on a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this, ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’

Ever since last week, when I asked the Lord for a Word to share with the participants going through the Pathways Choices series, He has put this on my heart for me as well.  I believe He also wants you His saints to know this. To be encouraged and to be emboldened to share His love with all you meet.

But now thus says the Lord,

    he who created you, he who formed you,

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

    I have called you by name, you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

    and the flame shall not consume you.

For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One, your Saviour.

Because you are precious in my sight, and honoured, and I love you. (Isaiah 43:1-4)

Saints Simon and Jude till we are all reunited in Heaven, pray for us…Amen

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First reading

Ephesians 2:19-22 ·

In Christ you are no longer aliens, but citizens like us

You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit.

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Gospel

Luke 6:12-16

Jesus chooses his twelve apostles

Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them ‘apostles’: Simon whom he called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor.

You and I may think we are far from Holy, but holiness for us is not an end result but a journey into the loving embrace of our Father in Heaven. Holiness comes from Him and we cannot say that we are not holy because by our baptism we were made holy unto Him. Therefore be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matt 5:48

This is why every morning we should put on the helmet of salvation remembering always that Jesus has already won the victory over sin and death for us. We then sit in His presence and ponder on His word for us. We pray in the Spirit for ourselves and for our fellow saints. Only then, we are ready and eager to share the good news and love the world into His kingdom!

Blessed be the Lord our God, now and forever. Amen

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First reading

Ephesians 6:10-20 ·

Put on God’s armour and resist the devil

Grow strong in the Lord, with the strength of his power. Put God’s armour on so as to be able to resist the devil’s tactics. For it is not against human enemies that we have to struggle, but against the Sovereignties and the Powers who originate the darkness in this world, the spiritual army of evil in the heavens. That is why you must rely on God’s armour, or you will not be able to put up any resistance when the worst happens, or have enough resources to hold your ground.

    So stand your ground, with truth buckled round your waist, and integrity for a breastplate, wearing for shoes on your feet the eagerness to spread the gospel of peace and always carrying the shield of faith so that you can use it to put out the burning arrows of the evil one. And then you must accept salvation from God to be your helmet and receive the word of God from the Spirit to use as a sword.

    Pray all the time, asking for what you need, praying in the Spirit on every possible occasion. Never get tired of staying awake to pray for all the saints; and pray for me to be given an opportunity to open my mouth and speak without fear and give out the mystery of the gospel of which I am an ambassador in chains; pray that in proclaiming it I may speak as boldly as I ought to.

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Gospel

Luke 13:31-35

It would not be right for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem

Some Pharisees came up to Jesus. ‘Go away’ they said. ‘Leave this place, because Herod means to kill you.’ He replied, ‘You may go and give that fox this message: Learn that today and tomorrow I cast out devils and on the third day attain my end. But for today and tomorrow and the next day I must go on, since it would not be right for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem.

    ‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you refused! So be it! Your house will be left to you. Yes, I promise you, you shall not see me till the time comes when you say:

‘Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!’

There are simply too many volunteers and not enough disciples! Too many in our churches, ministries, communities even families. Let us reflect a little on the latter first. For if we had disciples in the family will we not need to be reminded of our roles in the family? How to be obedient and give honour to our parents? How we need to serve one another with great love, the same love we have found in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?

How about communities and ministries? Do we belong to one and are we there as disciples of Christ Jesus our Lord? Do we serve with and alongside one another in love? Are all doing our bit to build up His Kingdom by praying together, worshipping and praising Him as one? Do we affirm one another and help one another grow within our communities and ministries? Are we obedient to the leaders? And finally, how have we touched and brought all those outside of our communities and ministries closer to Jesus our Lord as His disciples?

What about Church? Do we even know who or what makes up the Church? Is it the building? The people? One or the other? Both? If we think we do know then what is our commitment to Church? How much do we love our Church? How are we showing that love? Do we participate fully with all our hearts and minds in growing the Church community? Or are our individual ministries and communities all that we are concerned about? Are we a ‘communion’ of volunteers or are we One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church? A Holy Communion of saints, disciples after the heart of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice; turn to the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face. Amen Cf. Ps 104: 3-4

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First reading

Ephesians 6:1-9

Duties in domestic life

Children, be obedient to your parents in the Lord – that is your duty. The commandment that has a promise attached to it is: Honour your father and mother, and the promise is: and you will prosper and have a long life in the land. And parents, never drive your children to resentment but in bringing them up correct them and guide them as the Lord does.

    Slaves, be obedient to the men who are called your masters in this world, with deep respect and sincere loyalty, as you are obedient to Christ: not only when you are under their eye, as if you had only to please men, but because you are slaves of Christ and wholeheartedly do the will of God. Work hard and willingly, but do it for the sake of the Lord and not for the sake of men. You can be sure that everyone, whether a slave or a free man, will be properly rewarded by the Lord for whatever work he has done well. And those of you who are employers, treat your slaves in the same spirit; do without threats, remembering that they and you have the same Master in heaven and he is not impressed by one person more than by another.

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Gospel

Luke 13:22-30

The last shall be first and the first last

Through towns and villages Jesus went teaching, making his way to Jerusalem. Someone said to him, ‘Sir, will there be only a few saved?’ He said to them, ‘Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed.

    ‘Once the master of the house has got up and locked the door, you may find yourself knocking on the door, saying, “Lord, open to us” but he will answer, “I do not know where you come from.” Then you will find yourself saying, “We once ate and drank in your company; you taught in our streets” but he will reply, “I do not know where you come from. Away from me, all you wicked men!”

    ‘Then there will be weeping and grinding of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves turned outside. And men from east and west, from north and south, will come to take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.

    ‘Yes, there are those now last who will be first, and those now first who will be last.’

With renewed minds in Christ Jesus our Lord we will raise up His Kingdom! For we are the yeast in three measures of flour, we are the trees fully grown by our faith which provide shelter for those seeking Jesus!

For we are called to emulate the spousal love of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for His Church. And we are His Church, His bride! So just as we husbands and wives aim to lead one another to Heaven by and through His love. We too shall lead everyone to His kingdom by our spousal fidelity and love. Amen

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First reading

Ephesians 5:21-33 ·

Give way to one another in obedience to Christ

Give way to one another in obedience to Christ. Wives should regard their husbands as they regard the Lord, since as Christ is head of the Church and saves the whole body, so is a husband the head of his wife; and as the Church submits to Christ, so should wives to their husbands, in everything. Husbands should love their wives just as Christ loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her to make her holy. He made her clean by washing her in water with a form of words, so that when he took her to himself she would be glorious, with no speck or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and faultless. In the same way, husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies; for a man to love his wife is for him to love himself. A man never hates his own body, but he feeds it and looks after it; and that is the way Christ treats the Church, because it is his body – and we are its living parts. For this reason, a man must leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one body. This mystery has many implications; but I am saying it applies to Christ and the Church. To sum up; you too, each one of you, must love his wife as he loves himself; and let every wife respect her husband.

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Gospel

Luke 13:18-21

The kingdom of God is like the yeast that leavened three measures of flour

Jesus said, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it with? It is like a mustard seed which a man took and threw into his garden: it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air sheltered in its branches.’

    Another thing he said, ‘What shall I compare the kingdom of God with? It is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through.’

Are we all exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to us all at baptism and rekindled, set ablaze by our confirmation? Or for many sisters and brothers during a baptism of the Holy Spirit after LISS (Life in The Spirit Seminar), a retreat and so on.

If we are, then we know just how powerful and wonderful it is to be instruments of His grace for one another; as we build up His Church, His Kingdom! During a recent zoom meeting we were broken off into small groups of two or three and asked to pray, then discern a message from God for one another. I was grouped with a beautiful couple in the US. The wife said this to me, “I see you searching, and searching, like someone looking hard to find jewels here and there. But here’s the thing, you do not need or lack of anything, you already have it all.” She by exercising the gift she had received from Holy Spirit gave me great hope, strength, courage, even empowerment by that ‘simple’ message. I would go on the next day to step out in faith and pray for a sister who needed physical healing.

So, if Jesus came in person today to see us, will He find fruit?

Jesus my friend, my Lord and Saviour, grant me more of You in my life. So that through and with You I will always bear much fruit for You. Glory and Praise to You O Lord. Amen

Saint John Paul II, Pope pray for us…

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First reading

Ephesians 4:7-16 ·

By grace, we shall not be children any longer

Each one of us has been given his own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it. It was said that he would:

When he ascended to the height, he captured prisoners,

he gave gifts to men.

When it says, ‘he ascended’, what can it mean if not that he descended right down to the lower regions of the earth? The one who rose higher than all the heavens to fill all things is none other than the one who descended. And to some, his gift was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; so that the saints together make a unity in the work of service, building up the body of Christ. In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself.

    Then we shall not be children any longer, or tossed one way and another and carried along by every wind of doctrine, at the mercy of all the tricks men play and their cleverness in practising deceit. If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each separate part to work according to its function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love.

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Gospel

Luke 13:1-9

‘Leave the fig tree one more year’

Some people arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, ‘Do you suppose these Galileans who suffered like that were greater sinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell and killed them? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.’

    He told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to the man who looked after the vineyard, “Look here, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the man replied “leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.”’

How do we read the times with eyes opened afresh through the Holy Spirit? Through the One same spirit that binds us all together through Jesus Christ our Lord. Do we rely simply on tried and tested methods, templates, song choices or do we move where the Lord leads us? For His Way is always better! And He makes all things new!

If Covid has taught us anything, it is that we must all quickly adapt and change or be left behind to die! The question today is how do we bring about a revival in our Church? In our communities, families, nation and the World? How do we share Jesus our Lord with everyone in ways that will open ears, minds and hearts?

Yes Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Heb 13:8 And yet Jesus said in John 4:13-14 “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” He invites us in Isaiah 55:1-2 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.”

Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. (John 7:38) Lord Jesus let Your living water well out from within me, that I may bring You anew into this world thirsting for You. Amen

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First reading

Ephesians 4:1-6 ·

One Body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God

I, the prisoner in the Lord, implore you to lead a life worthy of your vocation. Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. There is one Body, one Spirit, just as you were all called into one and the same hope when you were called. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of all, over all, through all and within all.

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Gospel

Luke 12:54-59

Do you not know how to interpret these times?

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it will be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times?

    ‘Why not judge for yourselves what is right? For example: when you go to court with your opponent, try to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over to the bailiff and the bailiff have you thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.’

There are many still living lives with taglines, thinking that these will remind and help them to stay on track. “Let go and let God!”, “What would Jesus do?”, “Jesus is my God, my strength”, “The Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say” and so on…

But in truth they are far from letting go and letting God. Will Jesus really do the things they have done? And if He is their strength then how come there is no growth or revival in their community, their church? How is it then, that their answers to questions raised by others are administrative, cold and without resolve? How many of God’s children were trampled upon by their harsh words, actions even attitudes?

Instead of what would Jesus do. We should press in on what would Jesus think. What is on the mind and heart of the Lord our God for our lives? He should therefore already be the One above all, everyone and everything in our lives! And so are loving our brethren as we love ourselves; for great is our love of Him.

Lord Jesus set my heart on fire for You. For it You I long for, You I thirst for. Amen

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First reading

Ephesians 3:14-21

A prayer that faithful may know the love of Christ

This is what I pray, kneeling before the Father, from whom every family, whether spiritual or natural, takes its name:

    Out of his infinite glory, may he give you the power through his Spirit for your hidden self to grow strong, so that Christ may live in your hearts through faith, and then, planted in love and built on love, you will with all the saints have strength to grasp the breadth and the length, the height and the depth; until, knowing the love of Christ, which is beyond all knowledge, you are filled with the utter fullness of God.

    Glory be to him whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine; glory be to him from generation to generation in the Church and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.

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Gospel

Luke 12:49-53

How I wish it were blazing already!

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already! There is a baptism I must still receive, and how great is my distress till it is over!

    ‘Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’

What does it mean to be entrusted by the Lord our God? Was in only the Apostles? St Paul? No, it is you and me! We are His stewards sent to bring His peace, mercy and love into the world. So that all believers and unbelievers alike will have an opportunity to draw from the wells of salvation.

Why are some reluctant to embrace this fact? Do they see this as a cumbersome burden? Perhaps they believe they are fighting a battle which has already been won by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Perhaps they do not yet realise yet that by carrying our cross and following after Him actually sets us free to scale new and divine heights!

For He did not leave us orphans! We are crowned as priests, prophets and kings! We are God our Father’s beloved children who will share in His eternal glory. So let us be bold enough to approach God in complete confidence, through our faith in him. So that we can open the gates of Heaven for our family, our brethren. Amen

 Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, priests, and their Companions, Saint Paul of the Cross pray for us…

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First reading

Ephesians 3:2-12 ·

The pagans now share the same inheritance

You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace he meant for you, and that it was by a revelation that I was given the knowledge of the mystery, as I have just described it very shortly. If you read my word you will have some idea of the depths that I see in the mystery of Christ. This that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets was unknown to any men in past generations; it means that pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Jesus Christ, through the gospel. I have been made the servant of that gospel by a gift of grace from God who gave it to me by his own power. I, who am less than the least of all the saints have been entrusted with this special grace, not only of proclaiming to the pagans the infinite treasure of Christ but also of explaining how the mystery is to be dispensed. Through all the ages, this has been kept hidden in God, the creator of everything. Why? So that the Sovereignties and Powers should learn only now, through the Church, how comprehensive God’s wisdom really is, exactly according to the plan which he had had from all eternity in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is why we are bold enough to approach God in complete confidence, through our faith in him.

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Gospel

Luke 12:39-48

The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect

Jesus said to his disciples:

    ‘You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’

    Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’ The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough for the master to place him over his household to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment. I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns. But as for the servant who says to himself, “My master is taking his time coming,” and sets about beating the menservants and the maids, and eating and drinking and getting drunk, his master will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not know. The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.

    The servant who knows what his master wants, but has not even started to carry out those wishes, will receive very many strokes of the lash. The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done, will receive fewer strokes. When a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’

We are now the seventy-two others sent to bring His love, mercy, healing into neighbourhood, our workplaces, our homes, our nation! The peace that we carry with us is the Lord’s peace into our hearts and so we shall speak His peace into the hearts of those we encounter. We shall command a change in the atmosphere from hostility to serenity. We shall open the gate of Heaven and bring Heaven down to earth. Where God our Father’s angels shall descend and help us as we minister to His children.

Let this be our prayer and love put into action for His glory. Amen

Saint Luke pray for us…

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First reading

2 Timothy 4:10-17 ·

Only Luke is with me

Demas has deserted me for love of this life and gone to Thessalonika, Crescens has gone to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia; only Luke is with me. Get Mark to come and bring him with you; I find him a useful helper in my work. I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas, and the scrolls, especially the parchment ones. Alexander the coppersmith has done me a lot of harm; the Lord will repay him for what he has done. Be on your guard against him yourself, because he has been bitterly contesting everything that we say.

    The first time I had to present my defence, there was not a single witness to support me. Every one of them deserted me – may they not be held accountable for it. But the Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.

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Gospel

Luke 10:1-9

Your peace will rest on that man

The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!” And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house. Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who are sick, and say, “The kingdom of God is very near to you.”’

Are we still living sensual lives ruled entirely by our own physical desires, our own ideas and strength? The answer may very well be in the pictures and comments we post on our accounts on social media. And it is true that not everyone shares on such platforms, and it is also true that not everything that one post accurately reflects on his or her character. The point is for us to deeply reflect on how we are living lives in the Spirit freely sharing His love with everyone. What better way than to recall what we have done or failed to do through the ‘picture book’ of our very own lives?

God our Father demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Rm 5:8 An unconditional gift of grace to claim us as His very own. And so as children of God our Father so loved by Him what fruits do we bear for His glory? What riches have we stored up in our hearts to share with Him and brethren?

Let us be encouraged, that having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Amen Col 2:2-3

Saint Ignatius of Antioch pray for us..

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First reading

Ephesians 2:1-10 ·

Sinners are saved in Christ Jesus

You were dead through the crimes and the sins in which you used to live when you were following the way of this world, obeying the ruler who governs the air, the spirit who is at work in the rebellious. We all were among them too in the past, living sensual lives, ruled entirely by our own physical desires and our own ideas; so that by nature we were as much under God’s anger as the rest of the world. But God loved us with so much love that he was generous with his mercy: when we were dead through our sins, he brought us to life with Christ – it is through grace that you have been saved – and raised us up with him and gave us a place with him in heaven, in Christ Jesus.

    This was to show for all ages to come, through his goodness towards us in Christ Jesus, how infinitely rich he is in grace. Because it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith; not by anything of your own, but by a gift from God; not by anything that you have done, so that nobody can claim the credit. We are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus to live the good life as from the beginning he had meant us to live it.

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Gospel

Luke 12:13-21

Fool! This very night your soul will be demanded of you

A man in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Master, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance.’ ‘My friend,’ he replied, ‘who appointed me your judge, or the arbitrator of your claims?’ Then he said to them, ‘Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind, for a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns, even when he has more than he needs.’

    Then he told them a parable: ‘There was once a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his land, thought to himself, “What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them, and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.” But God said to him, “Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?” So it is when a man stores up treasure for himself in place of making himself rich in the sight of God.’

Let today’s reflection be my prayer O Lord, for I declare that You sweet Jesus are my Lord, God and Saviour. I am Yours alone, now and for all eternity.

Jesus You are Lord of lords, King of kings and I declare Your sovereignty over me and my family. Rule Lord always in our heart, mind and spirit.

Empowered by the Holy Spirit let me bring Your love into the world. All for Your Glory. Amen

Saint Teresa of Ávila pray for us…

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First reading

Ephesians 1:15-23

Paul’s prayer for the enlightenment of the faithful

I, having once heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus, and the love that you show towards all the saints, have never failed to remember you in my prayers and to thank God for you. May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you, what rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit and how infinitely great is the power that he has exercised for us believers. This you can tell from the strength of his power at work in Christ, when he used it to raise him from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand, in heaven, far above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power, or Domination, or any other name that can be named not only in this age but also in the age to come. He has put all things under his feet and made him, as the ruler of everything, the head of the Church; which is his body, the fullness of him who fills the whole creation.

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Gospel

Luke 12:8-12

If you declare yourselves for me, I will declare myself for you

Jesus said to his disciples:

    ‘I tell you, if anyone openly declares himself for me in the presence of men, the Son of Man will declare himself for him in the presence of the angels. But the man who disowns me in the presence of men will be disowned in the presence of God’s angels.

    ‘Everyone who says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

    ‘When they take you before synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say, because when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you must say.’

The endearing love of God our Father for us, has set us free through His Son our Lord Jesus Christ to live in the power of His resurrection. We have sealed with the Holy Spirit the promise of our inheritance. We are His children and shall make His glory known!

Living a life in the Spirit what have we to fear? Evil and sin has no hold over us for the victory belongs to Christ Jesus our Lord. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Rm 14:8

Fear is only for those who choose to remain in sin!

Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Jos 24:15) Amen

Saint Callistus pray for us…

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First reading

Ephesians 1:11-14 ·

You have been stamped with the seal of the Holy Spirit

It is in Christ that we were claimed as God’s own,

chosen from the beginning,

under the predetermined plan of the one who guides all things

as he decides by his own will;

chosen to be, for his greater glory,

the people who would put their hopes in Christ before he came.

Now you too, in him,

have heard the message of the truth and the good news of your salvation,

and have believed it;

and you too have been stamped with the seal of the Holy Spirit of the Promise,

the pledge of our inheritance which brings freedom for those whom God has taken for his own, to make his glory praised.

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Gospel

Luke 12:1-7

Not one sparrow is forgotten in God’s sight

The people had gathered in their thousands so that they were treading on one another. And Jesus began to speak, first of all to his disciples. ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees – that is, their hypocrisy. Everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. For this reason, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in hidden places will be proclaimed on the housetops.

    ‘To you my friends I say: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. I will tell you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has the power to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Can you not buy five sparrows for two pennies? And yet not one is forgotten in God’s sight. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. There is no need to be afraid: you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.’

Even to this day we have prophets amongst us who are moved to speak God’s word into our hearts, so that we may live fully according to His Word and Will for us. Yet how many of them have we received with open hearts?

Often they are met with much scepticism and disdain. Some may even say to others he or she is just pretending to be holy and righteous. Even their utterance of healing taking place is simply a ‘show’. If he or she is true then why am I not blessed? Not healed? And so on….

Yet all these negativity does not change the reality; that if we believe and know that Jesus Christ our Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever. Heb 13:8 Then we also know  that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Rm 8:28 Therefore sisters and brothers if we live according to our call as His priest, prophet and king; then we are the ones sent into the world praise the glory of His grace upon us. And we are therefore called to share that grace with all whom we meet. We must recognise this grace in one another, for we are One Body in Him. Amen

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First reading

Ephesians 1:1-10 ·

Before the world was made, God chose us in Christ

From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, to the saints who are faithful to Christ Jesus. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ.

Before the world was made, he chose us, chose us in Christ,

to be holy and spotless, and to live through love in his presence,

determining that we should become his adopted sons, through Jesus Christ

for his own kind purposes,

to make us praise the glory of his grace,

his free gift to us in the Beloved,

in whom, through his blood, we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins.

Such is the richness of the grace

which he has showered on us

in all wisdom and insight.

He has let us know the mystery of his purpose,

the hidden plan he so kindly made in Christ from the beginning

to act upon when the times had run their course to the end:

that he would bring everything together under Christ, as head,

everything in the heavens and everything on earth.

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Gospel

Luke 11:47-54

You have not gone in yourselves and have prevented others who wanted to

Jesus said: ‘Alas for you who build the tombs of the prophets, the men your ancestors killed! In this way you both witness what your ancestors did and approve it; they did the killing, you do the building.

    ‘And that is why the Wisdom of God said, “I will send them prophets and apostles; some they will slaughter and persecute, so that this generation will have to answer for every prophet’s blood that has been shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was murdered between the altar and the sanctuary.” Yes, I tell you, this generation will have to answer for it all.

    ‘Alas for you lawyers who have taken away the key of knowledge! You have not gone in yourselves, and have prevented others going in who wanted to.’

    When he left the house, the scribes and the Pharisees began a furious attack on him and tried to force answers from him on innumerable questions, setting traps to catch him out in something he might say.

We need to live a life in the Spirit and allow the Lord our God to lead us, for His way is better! How can we pray ‘Let Your thoughts be my thoughts and Your words be my words’ otherwise?

If we live a life in the Spirit then we will bring with us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, truthfulness, gentleness and self -control whereever we go. We will change every toxic environment we step into and bring our Lord’s light to every corner of darkness! For we are His flock we listen follow after Him and we bring Jesus into every situation.

This is a vision I saw on my way to work yesterday. A dove flying with a palm leaf in its beak. And for me it was a call for us to live a life filled with the Holy Spirit so that we shall lay the palm at His feet and glorify Him by our lives!

Instruct me, Lord, in your way; on an even path lead me. Amen (PS 26:11)

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First reading

Galatians 5:18-25 ·

To belong to Christ, crucify all self-indulgence

If you are led by the Spirit, no law can touch you. When self-indulgence is at work the results are obvious: fornication, gross indecency and sexual irresponsibility; idolatry and sorcery; feuds and wrangling, jealousy, bad temper and quarrels; disagreements, factions, envy; drunkenness, orgies and similar things. I warn you now, as I warned you before: those who behave like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. What the Spirit brings is very different: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control. There can be no law against things like that, of course. You cannot belong to Christ Jesus unless you crucify all self-indulgent passions and desires.

    Since the Spirit is our life, let us be directed by the Spirit.

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Gospel

Luke 11:42-46

You overlook justice and the love of God

The Lord said to the Pharisees: ‘Alas for you Pharisees! You who pay your tithe of mint and rue and all sorts of garden herbs and overlook justice and the love of God! These you should have practised, without leaving the others undone. Alas for you Pharisees who like taking the seats of honour in the synagogues and being greeted obsequiously in the market squares! Alas for you, because you are like the unmarked tombs that men walk on without knowing it!

    A lawyer then spoke up. ‘Master,’ he said ‘when you speak like this you insult us too.’

    ‘Alas for you lawyers also,’ he replied ‘because you load on men burdens that are unendurable, burdens that you yourselves do not move a finger to lift.’

There are many good things that we do out of habit or ritually like praying the rosary or set prayers from a beloved prayer book which is all good; but if it does not change us to be more loving towards others or to be more Christlike, to bring His peace love and joy, then are we truly living life in the Spirit as we are called to?

Are we only concerned about how others see us? That we must be seen to pray most piously when looked upon? Or to offer loud ostentatious greetings in Church or in other similar settings? Nay! For what comes from within through Christ Jesus our Lord is far better than anything we can see with our eyes or hear. Such as the beautiful glow about a sister and brother in Christ so in love with our Lord. Or when we hear him or her speak, it is as though Jesus is speaking to our hearts. This is what we must strive for! This is what we must bring into the world! Then we will indeed see His glory working through us all to bring gather all that have been scattered and living in darkness.

Lord make me a channel of Your peace in the world. Amen

Saint John XXIII, Pope pray for us…

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First reading

Galatians 5:1-6 ·

It is faith, not the Law, that justifies us

When Christ freed us, he meant us to remain free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. It is I, Paul, who tell you this: if you allow yourselves to be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all. With all solemnity I repeat my warning: Everyone who accepts circumcision is obliged to keep the whole Law. But if you do look to the Law to make you justified, then you have separated yourselves from Christ, and have fallen from grace. Christians are told by the Spirit to look to faith for those rewards that righteousness hopes for, since in Christ Jesus whether you are circumcised or not makes no difference – what matters is faith that makes its power felt through love.

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Gospel

Luke 11:37-41

Give thanks for what you have and it will all be clean

Jesus had just finished speaking when a Pharisee invited him to dine at his house. He went in and sat down at the table. The Pharisee saw this and was surprised that he had not first washed before the meal. But the Lord said to him, ‘Oh, you Pharisees! You clean the outside of cup and plate, while inside yourselves you are filled with extortion and wickedness. Fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside too? Instead, give alms from what you have and then indeed everything will be clean for you.’

The victory over sin and death has already been won for us by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And we have been set free to live free in His love. He nourishes and equips us each day through His Word as we go forth to share His love with everyone we meet.

We dear sisters and brothers are the signs of God our Father’s love in the world! As all will see through our own conversion, how we are conformed to the image of His Son. (RM 8:29) How we love them with His love and how we bring His peace and joy into their hearts.

Lord Jesus let me be Your light in the world, as I live in the light of Your resurrection. Amen

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First reading

Galatians 4:22-24,26-27,31-5:1

Christ freed us: do not submit again to slavery

The Law says, if you remember, that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave-girl, and one by his free-born wife. The child of the slave-girl was born in the ordinary way; the child of the free woman was born as the result of a promise. This can be regarded as an allegory: the women stand for the two covenants. The first who comes from Mount Sinai, and whose children are slaves, is Hagar. The Jerusalem above, however, is free and is our mother, since scripture says: Shout for joy, you barren women who bore no children! Break into shouts of joy and gladness, you who were never in labour. For there are more sons of the forsaken one than sons of the wedded wife. So, my brothers, we are the children, not of the slave-girl, but of the free-born wife.

    When Christ freed us, he meant us to remain free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.

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Gospel

Luke 11:29-32

As Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be a sign

The crowds got even bigger, and Jesus addressed them:

    ‘This is a wicked generation; it is asking for a sign. The only sign it will be given is the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. On Judgement day the Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here. On Judgement day the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation and condemn it, because when Jonah preached they repented; and there is something greater than Jonah here.’

All the nourishment we will ever need is to be found in the Lord our God’s loving Word. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. We receive Him, Body, Blood, soul and divinity in Holy Eucharist and we become One with and through Him!

So let spend the rest of the day reflecting on how are we in Holy Communion with Him and with one another?

Bless me Jesus this Holy and wonderful Saturday, embrace me sweet Jesus I am Yours and You are mine.  Amen

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First reading

Galatians 3:22-29 ·

There are no more distinctions: all are one in Christ Jesus

Scripture makes no exceptions when it says that sin is master everywhere. In this way the promise can only be given through faith in Jesus Christ and can only be given to those who have this faith.

    Before faith came, we were allowed no freedom by the Law; we were being looked after till faith was revealed. The Law was to be our guardian until the Christ came and we could be justified by faith. Now that that time has come we are no longer under that guardian, and you are, all of you, sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. All baptised in Christ, you have all clothed yourselves in Christ, and there are no more distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, but all of you are one in Christ Jesus. Merely by belonging to Christ you are the posterity of Abraham, the heirs he was promised.

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Gospel

Luke 11:27-28

‘Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!’

As Jesus was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, ‘Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!’ But he replied, ‘Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!’

Retreat after retreat, formation, after formation, and at every Eucharistic Celebration, the Lord our God heals you, embraces you and sets you free to live fully in His love. Empowered, how do you go living a renewed life in the Spirit? Or do you go back into your daily routines as before thinking it felt good but don’t let it get to your head? Yes, I have received but wasn’t it for me alone? How am I going to share with others? Who will receive? Why would they want to listen to what I have to say? Whose voice is it that you hear that seeks to scatter?

Rely on faith and act in faith! That is just what I did after attending an intensive training under School of Faith. At first I thought, I was going to simply host the first in-person session of a series of basic Christian formation which will lead to an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The first four was done via zoom while this fifth one onwards was live and in person. Then later I was requested to also lead the worship session, while supported by fellow sisters and a brother who would play the guitar and sing. In obedience to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, I agreed and decided to be fully Spirit led. I left the worship songs to them but gave simple directions of how we were going to proceed. The theme of the Session was ‘How we can turn back to God?’ While on the train, I asked the Lord to show me a passage that I might pray or proclaim to His flock and just as I opened my bible the word psalm 32 came to mind. I flipped it to Psalm 32 and was amazed! Next question was when would I share this? When the session started, I began to feel our Lord’s amazing presence as we worshipped Him in prayer and song. It was after the first worship song I shared the Psalm 32 with the group. And after the second worship song I was prompted to start with a simple activation. Jesus was present to love and embrace everyone in the room.

After the sharing of a testimony and the talk we broke of into two groups to share on the topic at hand. The other group seemed very much alive with joy while they shared and laughter could be heard every now and then. Ours was by far different, the sharing was more solemn and heartfelt. Healing and deliverance was taking place. A lady in our group was sharing just how painful it was for her to lose her son to cancer and while the Lord has seen her through it, there is still lingering pain every now and then. Before sharing a vision I got, I sought confirmation from her other son seating beside me. I asked him if his brother liked wearing caps, because I saw a vision of a young man wearing a cap beside Jesus, looking down and smiling at his mother who was pouring her heart out to us. He wanted to assure her that He was with Jesus and has been praying for her and his siblings. Two others then shared similarly painful yet different accounts of what was going on in their lives. Then the daughter of the earlier lady who was also present shared her excruciating journey back to Jesus after her brother had passed on. I saw a word. ‘Love’ in front of her and shared it with her after her sharing. She was not only deeply loved by our Lord but she that she was filled with so much love to share with the world. And that she is going to be a great instrument of His grace and love for others. For she could reach others with similar pains in their lives in a very unique way and loving them into His Kingdom.

What a truly amazing and wonderful, spirit filled session! All praise to Jesus!

Rely on Faith and Act in Faith! Amen

Our Lady of the Rosary pray for us…

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First reading

Galatians 3:7-14 ·

The sons of Abraham are those who rely on faith

Don’t you see that it is those who rely on faith who are the sons of Abraham? Scripture foresaw that God was going to use faith to justify the pagans, and proclaimed the Good News long ago when Abraham was told: In you all the pagans will be blessed. Those therefore who rely on faith receive the same blessing as Abraham, the man of faith.

    On the other hand, those who rely on the keeping of the Law are under a curse, since scripture says: Cursed be everyone who does not persevere in observing everything prescribed in the book of the Law. The Law will not justify anyone in the sight of God, because we are told: the righteous man finds life through faith. The Law is not even based on faith, since we are told: The man who practises these precepts finds life through practising them. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by being cursed for our sake, since scripture says: Cursed be everyone who is hanged on a tree. This was done so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might include the pagans, and so that through faith we might receive the promised Spirit.

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Gospel

Luke 11:15-26

The finger of God has overtaken you

When Jesus had cast out a devil, some of the people said, ‘It is through Beelzebul, the prince of devils, that he casts out devils.’ Others asked him, as a test, for a sign from heaven; but, knowing what they were thinking, he said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin, and a household divided against itself collapses. So too with Satan: if he is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? – since you assert that it is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils. Now if it is through Beelzebul that I cast out devils, through whom do your own experts cast them out? Let them be your judges then. But if it is through the finger of God that I cast out devils, then know that the kingdom of God has overtaken you. So long as a strong man fully armed guards his own palace, his goods are undisturbed; but when someone stronger than he is attacks and defeats him, the stronger man takes away all the weapons he relied on and shares out his spoil.

    ‘He who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me scatters.

    ‘When an unclean spirit goes out of a man it wanders through waterless country looking for a place to rest, and not finding one it says, “I will go back to the home I came from.” But on arrival, finding it swept and tidied, it then goes off and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and set up house there, so that the man ends up by being worse than he was before.’

In a different light today’s reading is reminding us that every Eucharistic Celebration and community prayer meeting that we attend must change us from within. For we have Jesus, present with and within us! We all should already be living lives in the Spirit prophesying, healing, sharing words of wisdom, knowledge even deliverance. For it is by faith that we step out to do all these according to His Will for us.

Every day is an opportunity to Glorify the Lord by our lives and if we lack anything in doing so, we should simply pray persistently with all our heart. For the Lord our God promises us when He said, “How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’”

Thank You loving Father, thank You Jesus, thank You Holy Spirit. I have received, I am empowered, and I will go! Amen Alleluia!

Saint Bruno pray for us… 

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First reading

Galatians 3:1-5 ·

You received the Spirit because you believed what was preached

Are you people in Galatia mad? Has someone put a spell on you, in spite of the plain explanation you have had of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ? Let me ask you one question: was it because you practised the Law that you received the Spirit, or because you believed what was preached to you? Are you foolish enough to end in outward observances what you began in the Spirit? Have all the favours you received been wasted? And if this were so, they would most certainly have been wasted. Does God give you the Spirit so freely and work miracles among you because you practise Law, or because you believed what was preached to you?

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Gospel

Luke 11:5-13

Ask, and it will be given to you

Jesus said to his disciples:

    ‘Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say, “My friend, lend me three loaves, because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him”; and the man answers from inside the house, “Do not bother me. The door is bolted now, and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up to give it you.” I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it him for friendship’s sake, persistence will be enough to make him get up and give his friend all he wants.

    ‘So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. What father among you would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or hand him a snake instead of a fish? Or hand him a scorpion if he asked for an egg? If you then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’

Are we not love everyone into our Lord’s Kingdom? Are we the ones to decide who is worthy or not worthy of our time? Do we sit far away from sinners or those whom we think might influence our ways?

This will never happen if we are truly walking in our Lord’s presence and in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we walk and talk, we shall always bring the joy of the Gospel with us.

When we pray, we pray as Jesus taught us and that first and foremost, we Bless and honour God our Heavenly Father for all that He has done and will do, for love of us. 

Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”  (John 5:19) Likewise we will now only do what we Jesus has done, continues to do and more. Just as Jesus was merciful to us by dying on the cross, so too shall we be merciful to those who have wronged us.

Take me deeper, Deeper in love with You Jesus. Hold me close in Your embrace. Amen

Saint Faustina Kowalska pray for us… 

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First reading

Galatians 2:1-2,7-14

They recognised the grace that God had given me

It was not till fourteen years had passed that I went up to Jerusalem again. I went with Barnabas and took Titus with me. I went there as the result of a revelation, and privately I laid before the leading men the Good News as I proclaim it among the pagans; I did so for fear the course I was adopting or had already adopted would not be allowed. On the contrary, they recognised that I had been commissioned to preach the Good News to the uncircumcised just as Peter had been commissioned to preach it to the circumcised. The same person whose action had made Peter the apostle of the circumcised had given me a similar mission to the pagans. So, James, Cephas and John, these leaders, these pillars, shook hands with Barnabas and me as a sign of partnership: we were to go to the pagans and they to the circumcised. The only thing they insisted on was that we should remember to help the poor, as indeed I was anxious to do.

    When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, since he was manifestly in the wrong. His custom had been to eat with the pagans, but after certain friends of James arrived he stopped doing this and kept away from them altogether for fear of the group that insisted on circumcision. The other Jews joined him in this pretence, and even Barnabas felt himself obliged to copy their behaviour.

    When I saw they were not respecting the true meaning of the Good News, I said to Cephas in front of everyone, ‘In spite of being a Jew, you live like the pagans and not like the Jews, so you have no right to make the pagans copy Jewish ways.’

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Gospel

Luke 11:1-4

How to pray

Once Jesus was in a certain place praying, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’

    He said to them, ‘Say this when you pray:

‘“Father, may your name be held holy,

your kingdom come;

give us each day our daily bread,

and forgive us our sins,

for we ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us.

And do not put us to the test.”’

How many of us have faced criticism for being Catholic, of being religious and ritualistic? Or in turn criticised our sisters and brothers in Christs outside of the Catholic Church for not having the fullness of faith? Who is it that seeks to divide us? Afterall our Lord Jesus prays for us to be One just as He and the Heavenly Father are one.

We have all been sent! (The term apostle is derived from Classical Greek ἀπόστολος (apóstolos), meaning “one who is sent off”, from στέλλειν (“stellein”), “to send” + από (apó), “off, away from”.) Sent to do what? Jesus commands us to e go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matt 28:19-20)

In today’s Gospel we are reminded that in our zeal to go out and do good works which is very much needed, we must first be in the presence of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Before we can minister to others we must first be ministered by Him. Nourished by His Word, grace filled with the Holy Spirit we can then go out bringing His presence with us. Amen

Saint Francis of Assisi pray for us…

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First reading

Galatians 1:13-24 ·

God called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me

You must have heard of my career as a practising Jew, how merciless I was in persecuting the Church of God, how much damage I did to it, how I stood out among other Jews of my generation, and how enthusiastic I was for the traditions of my ancestors.

    Then God, who had specially chosen me while I was still in my mother’s womb, called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the pagans. I did not stop to discuss this with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were already apostles before me, but I went off to Arabia at once and later went straight back from there to Damascus. Even when after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him for fifteen days, I did not see any of the other apostles; I only saw James, the brother of the Lord, and I swear before God that what I have just written is the literal truth. After that I went to Syria and Cilicia, and was still not known by sight to the churches of Christ in Judaea, who had heard nothing except that their one-time persecutor was now preaching the faith he had previously tried to destroy; and they gave glory to God for me.

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Gospel

Luke 10:38-42

Martha works; Mary listens

Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’

If we want to know the mind of Jesus, then we receive His Word through His heart and be led by the Holy Spirit; that is the only way in which we will live the Gospel in our lives. We become eager and willing to share the Good News which will transform lives!

If we look through the eyes of Jesus, we will see our neighbour! We see through His compassionate and loving eyes. The poor, the widowed, the orphan, the downcast, outcast, poor in spirit and so on; regardless of race, language, sexual orientation and religion. We love them first just as He first loved us.

Lord Jesus let me see and love my neighbour as I am called to through Your love and grace Amen.

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First reading

Galatians 1:6-12 ·

The Good News I preached is not a human message but from Jesus Christ

I am astonished at the promptness with which you have turned away from the one who called you and have decided to follow a different version of the Good News. Not that there can be more than one Good News; it is merely that some troublemakers among you want to change the Good News of Christ; and let me warn you that if anyone preaches a version of the Good News different from the one we have already preached to you, whether it be ourselves or an angel from heaven, he is to be condemned. I am only repeating what we told you before: if anyone preaches a version of the Good News different from the one you have already heard, he is to be condemned. So now whom am I trying to please – man, or God? Would you say it is men’s approval I am looking for? If I still wanted that, I should not be what I am – a servant of Christ.

    The fact is, brothers, and I want you to realise this, the Good News I preached is not a human message that I was given by men, it is something I learnt only through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

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Gospel

Luke 10:25-37

The good Samaritan

There was a lawyer who, to disconcert Jesus, stood up and said to him, ‘Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? What do you read there?’ He replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.’ ‘You have answered right,’ said Jesus ‘do this and life is yours.’

    But the man was anxious to justify himself and said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of brigands; they took all he had, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead. Now a priest happened to be travelling down the same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite who came to the place saw him, and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan traveller who came upon him was moved with compassion when he saw him. He went up and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then lifted him on to his own mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him. Next day, he took out two denarii and handed them to the innkeeper. “Look after him,” he said “and on my way back I will make good any extra expense you have.” Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbour to the man who fell into the brigands‘ hands?’ ‘The one who took pity on him’ he replied. Jesus said to him, ‘Go, and do the same yourself.’

When we are in right relationship with God our loving Father and living in the presence of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ then truly our hearts are filled with joy by the Holy Spirit. Our hearts desire is to be One with Him and one another in Holy Communion.

And we will go on to do great things to glory Him by our lives! For we know our names are written in Heaven. We are His Priests, Prophets and Kings! Most of all we are His children so loved by Him. Amen

Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus Pray for us…

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First reading

Job 42:1-3,5-6,12-17

In dust and in ashes I repent

This was the answer Job gave to the Lord:

I know that you are all-powerful:

    what you conceive, you can perform.

I am the man who obscured your designs

    with my empty-headed words.

I have been holding forth on matters I cannot understand,

    on marvels beyond me and my knowledge.

I knew you then only by hearsay;

    but now, having seen you with my own eyes,

I retract all I have said,

    and in dust and ashes I repent.

The Lord blessed Job’s new fortune even more than his first one. He came to own fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand she-donkeys. He had seven sons and three daughters; his first daughter he called ‘Turtledove’, the second ‘Cassia’ and the third ‘Mascara.’ Throughout the land there were no women as beautiful as the daughters of Job. And their father gave them inheritance rights like their brothers.

    After his trials, Job lived on until he was a hundred and forty years old, and saw his children and his children’s children up to the fourth generation. Then Job died, an old man and full of days.

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Gospel

Luke 10:17-24

Rejoice that your names are written in heaven

The seventy-two came back rejoicing. ‘Lord,’ they said ‘even the devils submit to us when we use your name.’ He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Yes, I have given you power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy; nothing shall ever hurt you. Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.’

    It was then that, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, he said:

    ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’

    Then turning to his disciples he spoke to them in private, ‘Happy the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.’