Romans 14:7-12, Psalm 26:1, 4, 13-14, Luke 15:1-10

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Romans 14:7-12, Psalm 26:1, 4, 13-14, Luke 15:1-10

Romans 14:7-12

My Beloved, we all belong to You in life or in death. You died for all and so without exception every man and woman and child is ransomed by You.  You entered into our death and You took away its sting. We now have hope of life because of Your Resurrection. This is why St. Paul reminds us that we dare not be contemptuous of those we consider sinners for You are the only righteous Judge. In fact we will all stand before You to be judged by You and no other. You remind me in no uncertain terms that the measure I use to judge will in turn be used to judge me.

Let me leave all judgment to You where right judgment belongs. For my part You require me to love my neighbor as I love myself. Grant me the grace to always me kind, merciful and compassionate to others.

Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14

My Beloved, no one who has placed their hope in You will ever be disappointed. Heaven is mine and I am destined to spend eternity with You for this is what God intended since He laid the foundations of the earth. I savor heaven on earth even now when I receive You in the Holy Eucharist, when I spend time with You face to face in the Adoration Chapel. I have a taste of the divine while still in my mortal body. I have this confidence my Beloved that once this perishable body turns dies my soul will see what my faith believed.

You are my Light and my salvation I fear nothing and no one. You are the foundation of my life, You hold me secure.  You are my Lord and my God and I worship and adore You.

Luke 15:1-10

My Beloved, we tend to shun those whose  grievous sins are public knowledge. They provide fodder for gossip and self righteous judgment on the part of those whose sins are perhaps just as grievous but are hidden.  No wonder the public sinners of the day – the tax collectors and other sinners flocked to You. They found in You a welcome that not only surprised them as they were used to be treated as unclean and outcasts that their bruised spirits found comfort in Your love and acceptance. Treated harshly and coldly the warmth of Your friendship and understanding would have been balm to them.

We are no different my Beloved. We are happy to disclose to all and sundry the sins of those we know and its gets embellished in the telling rather than showing mercy and compassion we revel in all the gory details of their faults. Forgive me Beloved for the times when I too may have been like the Pharisees and Scribes. Only God could leave the 99 who are safe in search of the one who is lost and afraid and probably in grave danger of death.  Thank You for being such a compassionate and merciful God.