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Are you a saint?

Any answer other than yes is wrong! Even if you said a saint in the making. For by virtue of our baptism we are saints. The problem with most of us is that, we neither see the saint that we are or ought to be nor the saint in others. Yes it is a given that we are not perfect even far from it! But it is our earnest endeavour to grow in Holiness, to be perfected by the One who alone is perfect that we are His saints; we are God our Father’s children.

If we know that God our Father is faithful and has kept His promise by sending His Son our Lord Jesus Christ to save us then why are we not living in that promise fulfilled! Why are we not joyfully sharing the wonder of Him to everyone? Why are we not loving first and foremost rather than to concern ourselves with putting up walls or obstacles to love? How can we not love the sister and brother God our Father created in His image?

Let us continue to strive for Holiness and use the abundant blessings we receive to be blessings for everyone we meet. God love you my fellow Saint. Amen

First reading

Hebrews 6:10-20 †
In this hope we have an anchor for our soul

God would not be so unjust as to forget all you have done, the love that you have for his name or the services you have done, and are still doing, for the saints. Our one desire is that every one of you should go on showing the same earnestness to the end, to the perfect fulfilment of our hopes, never growing careless, but imitating those who have the faith and the perseverance to inherit the promises.
When God made the promise to Abraham, he swore by his own self, since it was impossible for him to swear by anyone greater: I will shower blessings on you and give you many descendants. Because of that, Abraham persevered and saw the promise fulfilled. Men, of course, swear an oath by something greater than themselves, and between men, confirmation by an oath puts an end to all dispute. In the same way, when God wanted to make the heirs to the promise thoroughly realise that his purpose was unalterable, he conveyed this by an oath; so that there would be two unalterable things in which it was impossible for God to be lying, and so that we, now we have found safety, should have a strong encouragement to take a firm grip on the hope that is held out to us. Here we have an anchor for our soul, as sure as it is firm, and reaching right through beyond the veil where Jesus has entered before us and on our behalf, to become a high priest of the order of Melchizedek, and for ever.

Gospel

Mark 2:23-28
The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath

One sabbath day, Jesus happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples began to pick ears of corn as they went along. And the Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing something on the sabbath day that is forbidden?’ And he replied, ‘Did you never read what David did in his time of need when he and his followers were hungry – how he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the loaves of offering which only the priests are allowed to eat, and how he also gave some to the men with him?’
And he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath; the Son of Man is master even of the sabbath.’

For those of us not ordained as priests who are not consecrated, what then is our priestly function as laity through our baptism?

Is it not to offer prayers for those in need, those who cannot offer prayers for themselves? Even to fast at times, offer sacrifices of time, money and works of mercy? To aid in reconciling sinners with the Lord our God? To show the correct pathway to Him? Yes sisters and brothers in Christ, we have lots to do. And we are able to do them through the graces and strength we receive from our our Lord Jesus Christ.

Indeed we cannot do as we are called to do if we continue to hold on to our old sinful ways. Those who have been redeemed by Christ must live lives anew in Him. Put on His mantle to love and serve always. Amen

First reading

Hebrews 5:1-10 †
Although he was Son, he learned to obey through suffering

Every high priest has been taken out of mankind and is appointed to act for men in their relations with God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins; and so he can sympathise with those who are ignorant or uncertain because he too lives in the limitations of weakness. That is why he has to make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. No one takes this honour on himself, but each one is called by God, as Aaron was. Nor did Christ give himself the glory of becoming high priest, but he had it from the one who said to him: You are my son, today I have become your father, and in another text: You are a priest of the order of Melchizedek, and for ever. During his life on earth, he offered up prayer and entreaty, aloud and in silent tears, to the one who had the power to save him out of death, and he submitted so humbly that his prayer was heard. Although he was Son, he learnt to obey through suffering; but having been made perfect, he became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation and was acclaimed by God with the title of high priest of the order of Melchizedek.

Gospel

Mark 2:18-22
‘Why do your disciples not fast?’

One day when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and said to him, ‘Why is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of fasting while the bridegroom is still with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they could not think of fasting. But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then, on that day, they will fast. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak; if he does, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. And nobody puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins too. No! New wine, fresh skins!’

Follow me. An invitation from the Lord our God. He who knows all there is to know about us is asking us to grow in our relationship with Him. To grow in Holiness. To be and live in His presence. As lights for others who are still in the dark.

Do we remain where we are? Comfortable with our mediocre lives? Afraid to come out of our comfort zones. Or do we trust in our faithful and loving God, our Lord Jesus Christ who came to save us.

Make no mistake, our Lord does not accept sinners for who they are. Rather He sees the good and childlike qualities in all of us. He sees the potential that we ought to be living out. He loved us enough to die for us, so that we can be set free to live in His love.

Come now, let us not tarry any longer. Let us make haste to follow Him. Now and forever. Amen

First reading

Hebrews 4:12-16
Let us be confident in approaching the throne of grace

The word of God is something alive and active: it cuts like any double-edged sword but more finely: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit, or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts. No created thing can hide from him; everything is uncovered and open to the eyes of the one to whom we must give account of ourselves.
Since in Jesus, the Son of God, we have the supreme high priest who has gone through to the highest heaven, we must never let go of the faith that we have professed. For it is not as if we had a high priest who was incapable of feeling our weaknesses with us; but we have one who has been tempted in every way that we are, though he is without sin. Let us be confident, then, in approaching the throne of grace, that we shall have mercy from him and find grace when we are in need of help.

Gospel

Mark 2:13-17

Jesus went out to the shore of the lake; and all the people came to him, and he taught them. As he was walking on he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus, sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.
When Jesus was at dinner in his house, a number of tax collectors and sinners were also sitting at the table with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many of them among his followers. When the scribes of the Pharisee party saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ When Jesus heard this he said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.’

Apart from me, you can do nothing says our Lord. Our Lord did not mean we are useless or anything remotely close to it. We are God our Father’s children have a special dignity in that regard. However because there is sin in the world we must remain close to Him who hides us in the shadow of His wings. Our veins are not blocked neither our hearts coarsend, and the love of God continues to flow through us. Therefore we should remain tapped into Jesus our Lord who is the vine and we are the branches. For then we are truly fruitful.

The surest way to do this was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Through the Holy Eucharist! We have both the life giving Word and the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ Himself given freely and with great love. In the our Father we pray, give us our daily bread, how is it then we do not go to receive Him daily in answer to our prayer?

Let not the leprosy of sin ever remain in our bodies! Jesus our Lord wants to heal us and is waiting to embrace us with all our faults. Let us turn to Him with contrite hearts and be healed. Then we rejoice as we lead fruitful lives in His love. Amen

First reading

Hebrews 3:7-14 †
Keep encouraging one another

The Holy Spirit says: If only you would listen to him today; do not harden your hearts, as happened in the Rebellion, on the Day of Temptation in the wilderness, when your ancestors challenged me and tested me, though they had seen what I could do for forty years. That was why I was angry with that generation and said: How unreliable these people who refuse to grasp my ways! And so, in anger, I swore that not one would reach the place of rest I had for them. Take care, brothers, that there is not in any one of your community a wicked mind, so unbelieving as to turn away from the living God. Every day, as long as this ‘today’ lasts, keep encouraging one another so that none of you is hardened by the lure of sin, because we shall remain co-heirs with Christ only if we keep a grasp on our first confidence right to the end.

Gospel

Mark 1:40-45
The leprosy left the man at once, and he was cured

A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: ‘If you want to’ he said ‘you can cure me.’ Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘Of course I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, ‘Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.’ The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him.

There are areas in our life which are still unruly not quite under our control. For we have chosen not to exercise restraint, self control. In other words we have not submitted fully to the authority of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.

His Will for us is to turn away from all sin and to live fully in His love. To lead one another into greater Holiness. And through the authority given to Him by God our Father, He commanded us to go make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey all He commanded. How do we so if we are not obedient ourselves? Not disciplined! It is time to recollect, pray, be reconciled, to submit to the love and mercy of Jesus our Lord. So that we can be instruments of His grace and lead others to live fully in His love.

Here I am Lord, I come to Your Will. Amen

First reading

Hebrews 2:5-12 †
The one who sanctifies and the ones who are sanctified are of the same stock

God did not appoint angels to be rulers of the world to come, and that world is what we are talking about. Somewhere there is a passage that shows us this. It runs: What is man that you should spare a thought for him, the son of man that you should care for him? For a short while you made him lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and splendour. You have put him in command of everything. Well then, if he has put him in command of everything, he has left nothing which is not under his command. At present, it is true, we are not able to see that everything has been put under his command, but we do see in Jesus one who was for a short while made lower than the angels and is now crowned with glory and splendour because he submitted to death; by God’s grace he had to experience death for all mankind.
As it was his purpose to bring a great many of his sons into glory, it was appropriate that God, for whom everything exists and through whom everything exists, should make perfect, through suffering, the leader who would take them to their salvation. For the one who sanctifies, and the ones who are sanctified, are of the same stock; that is why he openly calls them brothers in the text: I shall announce your name to my brothers, praise you in full assembly.

Gospel

Mark 1:21-28
Unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority

Jesus and his disciples went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority.
In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and it shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. ‘Here is a teaching that is new’ they said ‘and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.’ And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.

O Jesus Son of the living God, God of Heaven and of earth. Have mercy on my many shortcomings. I have heard Your call to follow You and have responded by leaving my sinful past behind and followed.

But along the way I have fallen and continue to fall from time to time. Each time it causes my heart to be broken and I long to be reconciled with You. Yet each and every time my head hangs low before You, You bid me not to wallow in my sin and to arise in Your love. May I never take Your great love for me for granted. For indeed You do not look upon our sins but the faith of Your Church.

Lord we strive to do better, and be better each and everyday. To be more outward looking as to touch the souls who are lost and in distress. Sanctify us Lord that we may grow in Holiness according to Your will. Amen

First reading

Hebrews 1:1-6 †
God has spoken to us through his Son

At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son, the Son that he has appointed to inherit everything and through whom he made everything there is. He is the radiant light of God’s glory and the perfect copy of his nature, sustaining the universe by his powerful command; and now that he has destroyed the defilement of sin, he has gone to take his place in heaven at the right hand of divine Majesty. So he is now as far above the angels as the title which he has inherited is higher than their own name.
God has never said to any angel: You are my Son, today I have become your father; or: I will be a father to him and he a son to me. Again, when he brings the First-Born into the world, he says: Let all the angels of God worship him.

Gospel

Mark 1:14-20
I will make you into fishers of men

After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. ‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’
As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him.
Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.

Indeed when we gradually empty ourselves of our empty pride, self righteousness, lust, greed and seek the Lord’s graces by surrendering our all to Him in contrite humility. He will come to dwell in our hearts.

No longer will we be concerned about others knowing our achievements or seeking their approval or affirmation;all we want is to glorify God by our obedience to His will for us. And He will grant us all that we need. Our joy is complete in Him!

Lord Jesus increase in me now and always. Amen

First reading

1 John 5:14-21 †
If we ask for anything, he will hear us

We are quite confident that if we ask the Son of God for anything, and it is in accordance with his will, he will hear us; and, knowing that whatever we may ask, he hears us, we know that we have already been granted what we asked of him.
If anybody sees his brother commit a sin that is not a deadly sin, he has only to pray, and God will give life to the sinner – not those who commit a deadly sin; for there is a sin that is death,
and I will not say that you must pray about that.
Every kind of wrong-doing is sin, but not all sin is deadly.

We know that anyone who has been begotten by God does not sin, because the begotten Son of God protects him, and the Evil One does not touch him.
We know that we belong to God, but the whole world lies in the power of the Evil One.
We know, too, that the Son of God has come, and has given us the power to know the true God.
We are in the true God,
as we are in his Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God,
this is eternal life.
Children, be on your guard against false gods.

Gospel

John 3:22-30
‘He must grow greater and I must grow smaller: my joy is complete’

Jesus went with his disciples into the Judaean countryside and stayed with them there and baptised. At the same time John was baptising at Aenon near Salim, where there was plenty of water, and people were going there to be baptised. This was before John had been put in prison.
Now some of John’s disciples had opened a discussion with a Jew about purification, so they went to John and said, ‘Rabbi, the man who was with you on the far side of the Jordan, the man to whom you bore witness, is baptising now; and everyone is going to him.’
John replied:

‘A man can lay claim
only to what is given him from heaven.

‘You yourselves can bear me out: I said: I myself am not the Christ; I am the one who has been sent in front of him.

‘The bride is only for the bridegroom; and yet the bridegroom’s friend, who stands there and listens,
is glad when he hears the bridegroom’s voice.
This same joy I feel, and now it is complete. He must grow greater, I must grow smaller.’

Loving the Lord our God is never a private affair, neither is our faith in Him. For the only true measure of our love is how we love His children, our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and His other sheep not of our fold. For His will is that we love one another as He first loved us. So that we might live fully in His love.

At every proclamation of the Gospel at every Holy Eucharist, Jesus tells us just how much He loves us. Today He reminds us that He had come to set us free from the bondages of sin. To heal and restore us. We can live in peace and joy in the loving embrace of God our Father.

We are no longer slaves to fear, for we live as children so loved by our one triune God. Amen

Gospel

Luke 4:14-22
‘This text is being fulfilled today, even as you listen’

Jesus, with the power of the Spirit in him, returned to Galilee; and his reputation spread throughout the countryside. He taught in their synagogues and everyone praised him.
He came to Nazara, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written:

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,
for he has anointed me.
He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives
and to the blind new sight,
to set the downtrodden free,
to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.

He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’ And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips.

Gospel

Luke 4:14-22
‘This text is being fulfilled today, even as you listen’

Jesus, with the power of the Spirit in him, returned to Galilee; and his reputation spread throughout the countryside. He taught in their synagogues and everyone praised him.
He came to Nazara, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written:

The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,
for he has anointed me.
He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives
and to the blind new sight,
to set the downtrodden free,
to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.

He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’ And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips.

We all go through many fears in our lives. Fear for the well being of our families, fear of losing our jobs, fear of the unknown, fear of evil that lurks, fear of illness and diseases, fear of old age, fear of war, fear of not knowing if we will live to see another day, the list is endless.

Could it be that all this is a result of our imperfect love? For if we truly believe that God is love as He is indeed,and it is by His love we are perfected;then what have we to fear? For does He not dwell in our hearts? How can He not? When we seek Him in His Word daily, we receive Jesus Himself in Holy Eucharist. He makes Himself present to us, are we then present to Him? Do we live in His presence according to His Will?

Lord Jesus I know You are here with me and I am no longer fearful. For by Your love I have been set free to live and love in Your presence. Amen

First reading

1 John 4:11-18
As long as we love one another God’s love will be complete in us

My dear people,
since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another.
No one has ever seen God;
but as long as we love one another God will live in us
and his love will be complete in us.
We can know that we are living in him and he is living in us because he lets us share his Spirit.
We ourselves saw and we testify that the Father sent his Son as saviour of the world.
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God lives in him, and he in God.
We ourselves have known and put our faith in God’s love towards ourselves.
God is love and anyone who lives in love lives in God,
and God lives in him.
Love will come to its perfection in us when we can face the day of Judgement without fear; because even in this world we have become as he is.
In love there can be no fear,
but fear is driven out by perfect love: because to fear is to expect punishment, and anyone who is afraid is still imperfect in love.

Gospel

Mark 6:45-52
His disciples saw him walking on the lake

After the five thousand had eaten and were filled, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the crowd away. After saying goodbye to them he went off into the hills to pray. When evening came, the boat was far out on the lake, and he was alone on the land. He could see they were worn out with rowing, for the wind was against them; and about the fourth watch of the night he came towards them, walking on the lake. He was going to pass them by, but when they saw him walking on the lake they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they had all seen him and were terrified. But he at once spoke to them, and said, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind dropped. They were utterly and completely dumbfounded, because they had not seen what the miracle of the loaves meant; their minds were closed.

The only way to bring others to the knowledge of our Lord and God is by our love. Our love put into the service of others. When they see that we have offered up our time as God’s time. When they see in our faces the joy of having the love of God in our hearts. When they witness in us, our faithfulness in times of trials and challenges. Just as our Shepherd our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ never abandons us. They therefore see Christ in us.

Yes sisters and brothers in Christ, all the above is possible and much more through the grace of God. For the abundant love of God our Father was outpoured through the blood of His only Begotten Son who died to take away our sins and rose so that we might have new life in Him. Jesus gives us the supreme gift of Himself in the Holy Eucharist to become partakers of His divine grace. We are nourished as we are sent to be beacons of His light. To gather all unto Himself.

Thank You Lord for Your great unending love for us. Amen

First reading

1 John 4:7-10
Let us love one another, since love comes from God

My dear people, let us love one another since love comes from God and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Anyone who fails to love can never have known God,
because God is love.
God’s love for us was revealed when God sent into the world his only Son
so that we could have life through him;this is the love I mean: not our love for God,
but God’s love for us when he sent his Son to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away.

Gospel

Mark 6:34-44
The feeding of the five thousand

As Jesus stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length. By now it was getting very late, and his disciples came up to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place and it is getting very late. So send them away, and they can go to the farms and villages round about, to buy themselves something to eat.’ He replied, ‘Give them something to eat yourselves.’ They answered, ‘Are we to go and spend two hundred denarii on bread for them to eat?’ ‘How many loaves have you?’ he asked. ‘Go and see.’ And when they had found out they said, ‘Five, and two fish.’ Then he ordered them to get all the people together in groups on the green grass, and they sat down on the ground in squares of hundreds and fifties. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing; then he broke the loaves and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the people. He also shared out the two fish among them all. They all ate as much as they wanted. They collected twelve basketfuls of scraps of bread and pieces of fish. Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.

Never should we ever take our baptism into Christ for granted. For by our one Baptism we belong to God our ever loving Father. We are inserted into life with Christ Jesus our Lord and saviour. His laws are written in our hearts and we are able to follow His commandments. We have the Holy Spirit to guide and unite us all.

Do you then want to give up your heavenly inheritance? By following the children of the world? To follow the voice even if it is your very own which causes disunity? To live in sin and debauchery. To allow your pride to prevent you from glorifying the Lord your God as you should? To allow lust and greed to take away love, honour and respect?

The kingdom of God is indeed at hand. Come to our Lord Jesus Christ who will heal and restore you. Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel. Amen

First reading

1 John 3:22-4:6
The Son of God has come and given us the power to know the true God

Whatever we ask God,
we shall receive,
because we keep his commandments
and live the kind of life that he wants.
His commandments are these: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ
and that we love one another
as he told us to.
Whoever keeps his commandments lives in God and God lives in him.
We know that he lives in us
by the Spirit that he has given us.

It is not every spirit, my dear people, that you can trust;
test them, to see if they come from God, there are many false prophets, now, in the world.
You can tell the spirits that come from God by this:
every spirit which acknowledges that Jesus the Christ has come in the flesh
is from God; but any spirit which will not say this of Jesus is not from God, but is the spirit of Antichrist, whose coming you were warned about.
Well, now he is here, in the world. Children you have already overcome these false prophets, because you are from God and you have in you one who is greater than anyone in this world; as for them, they are of the world,
and so they speak the language of the world
and the world listens to them.
But we are children of God,
and those who know God listen to us;those who are not of God refuse to listen to us.
This is how we can tell
the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood.

Gospel

Matthew 4:12-17,23-25
The people that lived in darkness have seen a great light

Hearing that John had been arrested, Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:

‘Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!
Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations!
The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death
a light has dawned.’

From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’
He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people. His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralysed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and Transjordania.

Yes in a sense holiness is far more difficult to strive for. To many it is far easier to go with the flow. To conform to the ways of the world so as not to stand out for the ‘wrong’ reasons. To be called stiff necked or old fashioned. Small or venial sins are okay, God will understand we are only human.

Really? Why would the Lord your God want less for you? Why would He want to allow you to fall into a greater pit? Your ways are not God ways, your thoughts are not His thoughts.

Those who strive for Holiness are those who recognise just how truly loved they are by God our Father. They seek out the Lamb of God, their Lord and saviour Jesus Christ to be His presence. To grow in their faith, knowledge and most of all their relationship with Him. Through Him love is revealed, love is fulfilled. His grace is sufficient for those who walk on the path to greater holiness.

Lord Jesus I want to always be in Your presence. Transform me Lord, grant me what I need to do Your will. And to lead others to the knowledge of You. Amen

First reading

1 John 3:7-10
No-one sins who has been begotten by God

My children, do not let anyone lead you astray:
to live a holy life is to be holy just as he is holy;
to lead a sinful life is to belong to the devil, since the devil was a sinner from the beginning.
It was to undo all that the devil has done that the Son of God appeared.
No one who has been begotten by God sins;because God’s seed remains inside him,
he cannot sin when he has been begotten by God.

In this way we distinguish the children of God
from the children of the devil: anybody not living a holy life and not loving his brother is no child of God’s.

Gospel

John 1:35-42
‘We have found the Messiah’

As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God.’ Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, ‘What do you want?’ They answered, ‘Rabbi,’ – which means Teacher – ‘where do you live?’ ‘Come and see’ he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour.
One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Early next morning, Andrew met his brother and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ – which means the Christ – and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked hard at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas’ – meaning Rock.

Only those who strive for Holiness and walk in the light of Christ, can point out the way to Him. And declare that Jesus is truly the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

For their very own lives have been transfigured by Him. People see the change from perhaps wretchedness into holiness. They witness the joy and peace in the hearts of these souls touched by the Holy name of Jesus. The only name that can save.

So dear sisters and brothers in Christ, we who are indeed God’s children have a duty to respond to the call to Holiness. So that we can become powerful beacons of His love, leading His flock safely back to Him. Amen

First reading

1 John 2:29-3:6
Everyone must try to be as pure as Christ

You know that God is righteous – then you must recognise that everyone whose life is righteous
has been begotten by him.

Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us,
by letting us be called God’s children; and that is what we are.
Because the world refused to acknowledge him, therefore it does not acknowledge us.
My dear people, we are already the children of God
but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; all we know is, that when it is revealed
we shall be like him
because we shall see him as he really is.

Surely everyone who entertains this hope must purify himself, must try to be as pure as Christ.
Anyone who sins at all breaks the law, because to sin is to break the law.
Now you know that he appeared in order to abolish sin, and that in him there is no sin;
anyone who lives in God does not sin, and anyone who sins
has never seen him or known him.

Gospel

John 1:29-34
‘Look: there is the Lamb of God’

Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising with water.’ John also declared, ‘I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit.” Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.’

To believe and live in Christ Jesus is a great gift from our ever living lord and God. It is not always a bed of roses as there will be moments of great trials. Yet He our Lord will be at our side through it all, we have nothing to fear. We live fully in His peace and joy.

We too are called to encourage our brethren to turn away from sin and be reconciled with the Lord our God. To prepare the way for our Lord so as to receive Him fully into their hearts. For life in Christ is life to the full! And together we will stand ready to greet Him when He comes again.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Now and forever. Amen

Saints Basil the Great
and Gregory Nazianzen pray for us….

First reading

1 John 2:22-28
The anointing he gave you teaches you everything

The man who denies that Jesus is the Christ – he is the liar, he is Antichrist; and he is denying the Father as well as the Son, because no one who has the Father can deny the Son, and to acknowledge the Son is to have the Father as well.
Keep alive in yourselves what you were taught in the beginning: as long as what you were taught in the beginning is alive in you,
you will live in the Son
and in the Father; and what is promised to you by his own promise is eternal life.
This is all that I am writing to you about the people who are trying to lead you astray.
But you have not lost the anointing that he gave you,
and you do not need anyone to teach you; the anointing he gave teaches you everything;
you are anointed with truth, not with a lie, and as it has taught you, so you must stay in him.
Live in Christ, then, my children, so that if he appears, we may have full confidence, and not turn from him in shame at his coming.

Gospel

John 1:19-28
‘One is coming after me who existed before me’

This is how John appeared as a witness. When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he not only declared, but he declared quite openly, ‘I am not the Christ.’ ‘Well then,’ they asked ‘are you Elijah?’ ‘I am not’ he said. ‘Are you the Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ So they said to him, ‘Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. What have you to say about yourself?’ So John said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied:

a voice that cries in the wilderness: Make a straight way for the Lord.’

Now these men had been sent by the Pharisees, and they put this further question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the prophet?’ John replied, ‘I baptise with water; but there stands among you – unknown to you – the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo his sandal-strap.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.

How wonderfully and completely loved we are to have Mary, mother of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ as our mother.

For through her, the face of our Lord’s shine most profoundly on us. Through her immaculate heart she guides us to the way of perfection in Him. Through her intercession our hearts, minds and actions are purified and made pleasing to our Lord. She is our mother, do we honour her as we should? Nothing pleases our Blessed Mother more than that we listen to her son’s will for us. And so she is always by our side to help us along the right path.

O Blessed Mother pray for us your children who love you dearly. Amen

First reading

Numbers 6:22-27
They are to call down my name on the sons of Israel, and I will bless them

The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘Say this to Aaron and his sons: “This is how you are to bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them:

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace.”

This is how they are to call down my name on the sons of Israel, and I will bless them.’

Second reading

Galatians 4:4-7
God sent his Son, born of a woman

When the appointed time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law, to redeem the subjects of the Law and to enable us to be adopted as sons. The proof that you are sons is that God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts: the Spirit that cries, ‘Abba, Father’, and it is this that makes you a son, you are not a slave any more; and if God has made you son, then he has made you heir.

Gospel

Luke 2:16-21
The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found the baby lying in the manger

The shepherds hurried away to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told.
When the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angel had given him before his conception.

The almighty and ever living Word of God was born to us in a lowly manger. He became for us the bread of life, the wine of our salvation! So that His life flows through us, nourishes and brings to birth new life in Him.

It is His Word alone that unites everyone to the truth
Those who would have His word distorted seek only to cause divisiin. They are not of the light as we children of God our Father are of the light. For we the children of God carry the light within us to manifest His glory, through Christ our Lord.

May the grace and love of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ, reign in our hearts now and forever. Amen

First reading

1 John 2:18-21
You have been anointed by the Holy One

Children, these are the last days;
you were told that an Antichrist must come,
and now several antichrists have already appeared; we know from this that these are the last days.
Those rivals of Christ came out of our own number, but they had never really belonged; if they had belonged, they would have stayed with us; but they left us, to prove that not one of them ever belonged to us.
But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and have all received the knowledge.
It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you
but rather because you know it already
and know that no lie can come from the truth.

Gospel

John 1:1-18
The Word was made flesh, and lived among us

In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be, not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in him and that life was the light of men, a light that shines in the dark, a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John. He came as a witness, as a witness to speak for the light, so that everyone might believe through him. He was not the light, only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men; and he was coming into the world.
He was in the world that had its being through him, and the world did not know him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him.
But to all who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God, to all who believe in the name of him
who was born not out of human stock or urge of the flesh
or will of man but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims: ‘This is the one of whom I said: He who comes after me ranks before me because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –
yes, grace in return for grace, since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.

We children of God our Heavenly Father are called to love and to be witnesses of His great love for us, the sign of our redemption; our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

God Himself came down to the pits of our earthly existence to elevate us to divine life with Him. The Holy Innocents bear witness to this love for they adore Him together with the Saints in Heaven. The light of the world shone on their innocent faces. And they have become beacons by their death for Him.

Let us likewise become beacons of His light and love by turning to Him for the grace to overcome all sin and to live more fully in His love. To proclaim our liberation from sin through our Lord Jesus Christ and to share the joy of His Word that gives us Life. Amen

First reading

1 John 1:5-2:2
The blood of Jesus Christ purifies us all from sin

This is what we have heard from Jesus Christ,
and the message that we are announcing to you: God is light; there is no darkness in him at all.
If we say that we are in union with God while we are living in darkness, we are lying because we are not living the truth.
But if we live our lives in the light, as he is in the light, we are in union with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

If we say we have no sin in us, we are deceiving ourselves and refusing to admit the truth; but if we acknowledge our sins,
then God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and purify us from everything that is wrong.
To say that we have never sinned is to call God a liar
and to show that his word is not in us.

I am writing this, my children, to stop you sinning; but if anyone should sin, we have our advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ, who is just;
he is the sacrifice that takes our sins away, and not only ours, but the whole world’s.

Gospel

Matthew 2:13-18
The massacre of the innocents

After the wise men had left, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him.’ So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:

I called my son out of Egypt.

Herod was furious when he realised that he had been outwitted by the wise men, and in Bethlehem and its surrounding district he had all the male children killed who were two years old or under, reckoning by the date he had been careful to ask the wise men. It was then that the words spoken through the prophet Jeremiah were fulfilled:

A voice was heard in Ramah,
sobbing and loudly lamenting:
it was Rachel weeping for her children,
refusing to be comforted because they were no more.

Why do we proclaim with great fervour that Jesus Christ is Lord? Because He is the living God made flesh to save us, so that we have eternal life with Him.

This is a fact for all ages. Through and by His Resurrection witnessed by the Martyrs and the Saints we have life and to the full. This truth, our faith unites all Christians. With burning zeal and love for our Lord Jesus Christ, we share His love with all. To unite all God’s children so that stand one with and in Him. Now and forever. Amen

St John the Apostle pray for us….

First reading

1 John 1:1-4
The Word, who is life – this is our subject

Something which has existed since the beginning, that we have heard, and we have seen with our own eyes;
that we have watched and touched with our hands:
the Word, who is life –
this is our subject.
That life was made visible:
we saw it and we are giving our testimony, telling you of the eternal life which was with the Father and has been made visible to us.
What we have seen and heard we are telling you
so that you too may be in union with us, as we are in union with the Father
and with his Son Jesus Christ.
We are writing this to you to make our own joy complete.

Gospel

John 20:2-8
The other disciple saw, and he believed

On the first day of the week Mary of Magdala came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb’ she said ‘and we don’t know where they have put him.’
So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed.

You and I are called to bear witness to the truth, the light and the way. To be a light within the world so as to bring the joy of heaven to God’s children who have lost their way. To share in the salvation to be found in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Many will refuse to listen and some of us might face danger and hardships in bearing the truth. We take comfort that we will never be alone through it all. For the Lord will be with us every step of the way. We are destined for eternal life with Him, so what have we to fear?

St Stephen Holy Martyr for Christ, pray for us. Amen

First reading

Acts 6:8-10,7:54-59
The martyrdom of Stephen

Stephen was filled with grace and power and began to work miracles and great signs among the people. But then certain people came forward to debate with Stephen, some from Cyrene and Alexandria who were members of the synagogue called the Synagogue of Freedmen, and others from Cilicia and Asia. They found they could not get the better of him because of his wisdom, and because it was the Spirit that prompted what he said. They were infuriated when they heard this, and ground their teeth at him.
But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. ‘I can see heaven thrown open’ he said ‘and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ At this all the members of the council shouted out and stopped their ears with their hands; then they all rushed at him, sent him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses put down their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul. As they were stoning him, Stephen said in invocation, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’

Gospel

Matthew 10:17-22
The Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Beware of men: they will hand you over to sanhedrins and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the pagans. But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say; what you are to say will be given to you when the time comes; because it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you.
‘Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name; but the man who stands firm to the end will be saved.’

Let us humble ourselves before the Lord our God always. And never assume or presume that all we say and do will be pleasing to Him. Instead let us be fervent in our prayers striving to discern always His will for us and being obedient in carrying out His will for us.

For we have a faithful God that has kept all His promises. In the canticle of Zechariah we hear of the faithfulness of the Lord our God which fills our hearts with hope and joy. It also encourages us to prepare the hearts of others so that they to too can receive our Lord Jesus Christ and be filled with the same love, hope, peace and joy we have received.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Now and forever. Amen

First reading

2 Samuel 7:1-5,8-12,14,16
Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me

Once David had settled into his house and the Lord had given him rest from all the enemies surrounding him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘Look, I am living in a house of cedar while the ark of God dwells in a tent.’ Nathan said to the king, ‘Go and do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.’
But that very night the word of the Lord came to Nathan:
‘Go and tell my servant David, “Thus the Lord speaks: Are you the man to build me a house to dwell in? I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel; I have been with you on all your expeditions; I have cut off all your enemies before you. I will give you fame as great as the fame of the greatest on earth. I will provide a place for my people Israel; I will plant them there and they shall dwell in that place and never be disturbed again; nor shall the wicked continue to oppress them as they did, in the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel; I will give them rest from all their enemies. The Lord will make you great; the Lord will make you a House. And when your days are ended and you are laid to rest with your ancestors, I will preserve the offspring of your body after you and make his sovereignty secure. I will be a father to him and he a son to me; if he does evil, I will punish him with the rod such as men use, with strokes such as mankind gives. Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for ever.”’

Gospel

Luke 1:67-79
‘You, little child, shall be the prophet of the Most High’

John’s father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:

‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel for he has visited his people, he has come to their rescue and he has raised up for us a power for salvation in the House of his servant David, even as he proclaimed,
by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times,
that he would save us from our enemies and from the hands of all who hate us.
Thus he shows mercy to our ancestors, thus he remembers his holy covenant the oath he swore to our father Abraham
that he would grant us, free from fear, to be delivered from the hands of our enemies, to serve him in holiness and virtue in his presence, all our days. And you, little child, you shall be called Prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins;
this by the tender mercy of our God
who from on high will bring the rising Sun to visit us,
to give light to those who live
in darkness and the shadow of death
and to guide our feet
into the way of peace.”

For the greater glory of God! Ad maiorem Dei gloriam.

This is what we do when we are born again into loving service of God and neighbour through our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

Everything we say and do has only one purpose. Ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus. That in all things God may be glorified.

Let us then be sent to glorify the Lord our God by our lives. Amen

O Blessed Mother pray for us…

First reading

1 Samuel 1:24-28
This is the child I prayed for: he is made over to the Lord.

When Hannah had weaned the infant Samuel, she took him up with her together with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the temple of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was with them. They slaughtered the bull and the child’s mother came to Eli. She said, ‘If you please, my lord. As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord. This is the child I prayed for, and the Lord granted me what I asked him. Now I make him over to the Lord for the whole of his life. He is made over to the Lord.’
There she left him, for the Lord.

Gospel

Luke 1:46-56
The Almighty has done great things for me

Mary said:

‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit exults in God my saviour; because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.
Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed, for the Almighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name, and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.
He has shown the power of his arm, he has routed the proud of heart.
He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy – according to the promise he made to our ancestors – of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.

Oh what joy it is to bring Christ our Lord to others. And we do so when we share His Word and rejoice in His presence.

Oh what joy it is when our hearts are ready to receive Him! For our hearts leapt with joy at His presence. We sing His praise and share most profoundly in His love. We embrace and cherish the loving exchange of dwelling in His love.

O blessed Mother you brought joy into the world when you said yes to the will of God our Father. Pray for us, that we too may be docile to the promptings of the Holy Spirit so as to bring the joy of Christ Jesus our Lord into the world. Amen.

First reading

Song of Songs 2:8-14
See how my Beloved comes, leaping on the mountains

I hear my Beloved.
See how he comes leaping on the mountains, bounding over the hills. My Beloved is like a gazelle, like a young stag.

See where he stands
behind our wall. He looks in at the window, he peers through the lattice.

My Beloved lifts up his voice,
he says to me, ‘Come then, my love, my lovely one, come. For see, winter is past,
the rains are over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth. The season of glad songs has come, the cooing of the turtledove is heard
in our land. The fig tree is forming its first figs and the blossoming vines give out their fragrance.
Come then, my love, my lovely one, come. My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock, in the coverts of the cliff, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet and your face is beautiful.’

Gospel

Luke 1:39-45
Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?

Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.’

If we say we love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our mind, our soul and strength then obedience to His will for us is key. It unlocks for us the graces we need and the courage to be His instruments of His great love for us.

Emmanuel indeed! In all things at all times!

O blessed Mother you inspire us be faithful and obedient unto the Lord our God. Continue to pray for us that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ your Son. Amen.

First reading

Isaiah 7:10-14
The maiden is with child

The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above.’ ‘No,’ Ahaz answered ‘I will not put the Lord to the test.’

Then Isaiah said:

‘Listen now, House of David:
are you not satisfied with trying the patience of men
without trying the patience of my God, too?
The Lord himself, therefore,
will give you a sign.
It is this: the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call Immanuel, a name which means “God-is-with-us.”’

Gospel

Luke 1:26-38
‘I am the handmaid of the Lord’

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.

We are all precious children of God our Father. Each one of us are given unique gifts and talents. So that we may live life to the fullest through service of one another and for His greater glory.

It is through the grace of God alone that our barren lives are filled with His peace and joy. He graciously rewards His faithful who are obedient unto Him. And it is His will that we lead and bring back those who have lost their way back to Him. To unite His flock, so that we can become one with and in Him.

Lord let it be done according to Your will for me. Amen

First reading

Judges 13:2-7,24-25
‘You will conceive and bear a son’

There was a man of Zorah of the tribe of Dan, called Manoah. His wife was barren, she had borne no children. The angel of the Lord appeared to this woman and said to her, ‘You are barren and have had no child. But from now on take great care. Take no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. For you will conceive and bear a son. No razor is to touch his head, for the boy shall be God’s nazirite from his mother’s womb. It is he who will begin to rescue Israel from the power of the Philistines.’ Then the woman went and told her husband, ‘A man of God has just come to me; his presence was like the presence of the angel of God, he was so majestic. I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not reveal his name to me. But he said to me, “You will conceive and bear a son. From now on, take no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. For the boy shall be God’s nazirite from his mother’s womb to his dying day.”’
The woman gave birth to a son and called him Samson. The child grew, and the Lord blessed him; and the spirit of the Lord began to move him.

Gospel

Luke 1:5-25
‘Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son’

In the days of King Herod of Judaea there lived a priest called Zechariah who belonged to the Abijah section of the priesthood, and he had a wife, Elizabeth by name, who was a descendant of Aaron. Both were worthy in the sight of God, and scrupulously observed all the commandments and observances of the Lord. But they were childless: Elizabeth was barren and they were both getting on in years.
Now it was the turn of Zechariah’s section to serve, and he was exercising his priestly office before God when it fell to him by lot, as the ritual custom was, to enter the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense there. And at the hour of incense the whole congregation was outside, praying.
Then there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense. The sight disturbed Zechariah and he was overcome with fear. But the angel said to him, ‘Zechariah, do not be afraid, your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear you a son and you must name him John. He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must drink no wine, no strong drink. Even from his mother’s womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and he will bring back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before him to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the disobedient back to the wisdom that the virtuous have, preparing for the Lord a people fit for him.’
Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is getting on in years.’ The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel who stand in God’s presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. Listen! Since you have not believed my words, which will come true at their appointed time, you will be silenced and have no power of speech until this has happened.’ Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were surprised that he stayed in the sanctuary so long. When he came out he could not speak to them, and they realised that he had received a vision in the sanctuary. But he could only make signs to them, and remained dumb.
When his time of service came to an end he returned home. Some time later his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept to herself. ‘The Lord has done this for me’ she said ‘now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered among men.’

God is dwelling in my heart! He and I are one. Can you truly utter this and remain true? That others may see the fruits of the in-dwelling, the union?

St Joseph our great model, emptied himself of all worldly thoughts and sense of justice. He prepared room in His heart to welcome the Lord our God. He was open to witness God’s wisdom unfold even though He may not have fully understood. He placed all His trust in the Lord. God was truly with Him. For Emmanuel was entrusted into His loving care.

How then have you prepared room for our Lord in your heart? Does He dwell within you?

Lord let me be a beacon of your love. Amen

First reading

Jeremiah 23:5-8
I will raise a virtuous Branch for David

See, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks –
when I will raise a virtuous Branch for David, who will reign as true king and be wise, practising honesty and integrity in the land.
In his days Judah will be saved and Israel dwell in confidence.
And this is the name he will be called: The-Lord-our-integrity.

So, then, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks – when people will no longer say, “As the Lord lives who brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt!” but, “As the Lord lives who led back and brought home the descendants of the House of Israel out of the land of the North and from all the countries to which he had dispersed them, to live on their own soil.”

Gospel

Matthew 1:18-24
How Jesus Christ came to be born

This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son
and they will call him Emmanuel,

a name which means ‘God-is-with-us.’ When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home.

The hope of a promise carried over centuries was fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ.

What joy must have filled the hearts of them who patiently waited to receive Him! Those who had prepared Him room in their hearts by emptying themselves of worldly cares and turning away from sin. Blessed are those who rendered obedience to the king of peace. For His peace reigned in their hearts.

Are we then prepared today? To receive Him when he comes again? Does His peace reign in our hearts?

Come Lord Jesus, come reign in my heart. Amen

First reading

Genesis 49:2,8-10
Until he comes, the sceptre will not pass from Judah

Jacob called his sons and said:

‘Gather round, sons of Jacob, and listen; listen to Israel your father.
Judah, your brothers shall praise you: you grip your enemies by the neck,
your father’s sons shall do you homage, Judah is a lion cub, you climb back, my son, from your kill; like a lion he crouches and lies down,
or a lioness: who dare rouse him?
The sceptre shall not pass from Judah, nor the mace from between his feet, until he come to whom it belongs,
to whom the peoples shall render obedience.’

Gospel

Matthew 1:1-17
The ancestry of Jesus Christ, the son of David

A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah, Tamar being their mother, Perez was the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon was the father of Boaz, Rahab being his mother,
Boaz was the father of Obed, Ruth being his mother, Obed was the father of Jesse;
and Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,
Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Azariah, Azariah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,
Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon,
Amon the father of Josiah; and Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers.
Then the deportation to Babylon took place. After the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob; and Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.

The sum of generations is therefore: fourteen from Abraham to David; fourteen from David to the Babylonian deportation; and fourteen from the Babylonian deportation to Christ.

Children of God our Father listen and be obedient unto Him. For He loves us all dearly and only wants the best for us.

Do not be stubborn for it only leads to doom and gloom! See for yourselves where has it led you? Do you live with joy in your hearts? Does it carry throughout the day and night? Do you have peace of mind?

Come Lord Jesus, come. Come into my heart dear saviour. Wash me clean and I will be white as snow. Let me live fully in your love. Now and forever. Amen

First reading

Isaiah 48:17-19
If you had been alert to my commandments, your happiness would have been like a river

Thus says the Lord, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is good for you,
I lead you in the way that you must go.
If only you had been alert to my commandments, your happiness would have been like a river, your integrity like the waves of the sea.
Your children would have been numbered like the sand, your descendants as many as its grains.
Never would your name have been cut off or blotted out before me.

Gospel

Matthew 11:16-19

Jesus spoke to the crowds: ‘What description can I find for this generation? It is like children shouting to each other as they sit in the market place:

“We played the pipes for you,
and you wouldn’t dance;
we sang dirges, and you wouldn’t be mourners.”

‘For John came, neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He is possessed.” The Son of Man came, eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” Yet wisdom has been proved right by her actions.’

O that you would listen to my word, harden not your hearts! Open your ears and listen. Says the Lord!

Yet we are indeed a stubborn lot! We hear only what we want. We choose to obey what we think makes the most sense. And we let our salvation pass us by!

The promises of the Lord our God has been fulfilled in Christ Jesus our Lord. We have new life in and through Him. So unless we are in communion with Him through our fidelity we have nothing. Let us open our minds and turn to Him. Let the living word of God transform our hearts. Listen and be saved. Amen

First reading

Isaiah 41:13-20
I, the Holy One of Israel, am your redeemer

I, the Lord, your God, I am holding you by the right hand;I tell you, ‘Do not be afraid, I will help you.’

Do not be afraid, Jacob, poor worm, Israel, puny mite.’
I will help you – it is the Lord who speaks – the Holy One of Israel is your redeemer.

See, I turn you into a threshing-sled, new, with doubled teeth;you shall thresh and crush the mountains, and turn the hills to chaff.

You shall winnow them and the wind will blow them away,
the gale will scatter them.
But you yourself will rejoice in the Lord,and glory in the Holy One of Israel.

The poor and needy ask for water, and there is none,
their tongue is parched with thirst. I, the Lord, will answer them, I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them.

I will make rivers well up on barren heights,and fountains in the midst of valleys;turn the wilderness into a lake,and dry ground into waterspring.

In the wilderness I will put cedar trees, acacias, myrtles, olives.
In the desert I will plant juniper, plane tree and cypress side by side; so that men may see and know, may all observe and understand that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.

Gospel

Matthew 11:11-15

Jesus spoke to the crowds: ‘I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is. Since John the Baptist came, up to this present time, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence and the violent are taking it by storm. Because it was towards John that all the prophecies of the prophets and of the Law were leading; and he, if you will believe me, is the Elijah who was to return. If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen!’

True Christians possesses joy in their hearts. For they carry with them the peace and joy of the Risen Lord in their hearts. They never tire or grow weary while doing His Will for them. For the Lord’s strength is upon them. It is He whom they turn to and are renewed, nourished.

So turn to Him indeed all you who labour and are overburdened and our Lord Jesus Christ will give you rest. He will restore you and grant you peace. His love will flow through your very being bringing life. Such is the love of our Lord. Amen

First reading

Isaiah 40:25-31
The Lord strengthens the powerless

‘To whom could you liken me
and who could be my equal?’ says the Holy One.
Lift your eyes and look.
Who made these stars if not he who drills them like an army, calling each one by name? So mighty is his power, so great his strength, that not one fails to answer.

How can you say, Jacob,
how can you insist, Israel,
‘My destiny is hidden from the Lord, my rights are ignored by my God’?
Did you not know?
Had you not heard?

The Lord is an everlasting God, he created the boundaries of the earth.
He does not grow tired or weary, his understanding is beyond fathoming. He gives strength to the wearied, he strengthens the powerless.
Young men may grow tired and weary, youths may stumble, but those who hope in the Lord renew their strength, they put out wings like eagles. They run and do not grow weary, walk and never tire.

Gospel

Matthew 11:28-30
My yoke is easy and my burden light

Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’