BE UNITED IN LOVE

MONDAY WEEK 31 ORDINARY TIME: 

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

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. Reading Meditation

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.

Loving Father, my God fill me with your Holy Spirit. May your love abide in me. Make me considerate that I do not put my own selfish interest above the needs of your creatures. Give me a generous heart. Make me trust worthy, Father unite all your creatures in love. 

Pray the Holy Rosary. Ave Maria. Hail Mary.

Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph pray for us. Lord Jesus Christ I trust in you.      

GOD OUR FATHER YOU LOVE ALL THAT EXISTS

31ST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

First Reading Wisdom 11:22-12:2 You are merciful to all, because you love all that exists

In your sight, Lord, the whole world is like a grain of dust that tips the scales, like a drop of morning dew falling on the ground. Yet you are merciful to all, because you can do all things and overlook men’s sins so that they can repent. Yes, you love all that exists, you hold nothing of what you have made in abhorrence, for had you hated anything, you would not have formed it. And how, had you not willed it, could a thing persist, how be conserved if not called forth by you? You spare all things because all things are yours, Lord, lover of life, you whose imperishable spirit is in all. Little by little, therefore, you correct those who offend, you admonish and remind them of how they have sinned, so that they may abstain from evil and trust in you, Lord. Readings Meditation

Loving Father our God in your sight, the whole world is like a grain of dust that tips the scales, like a drop of morning dew falling on the ground. Yet you are merciful to all, because you can do all things and overlook men’s sins so that they can repent. Yes, Father, you love all that exists, you hold nothing of what you have made in abhorrence, for had you hated anything, you would not have formed it.

Father had you not willed it, could a thing persist, be conserved if not called forth by you? You spare all things because all things are yours, Lord, lover of life, you whose imperishable spirit is in all. Little by little, therefore, you correct all who offend, you admonish and remind them of how they have sinned, so that they may abstain from evil and trust in you, Lord. Blessed be God forever and ever.

Pray the Holy Rosary. Ave Maria. Hail Mary.

Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph pray for us. Lord Jesus Christ I trust in you. 

BE HUMBLE

SATURDAY WEEK 30 IN ORDINARY TIME

Readings 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. Reading Meditation

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....

Pray the Holy Rosary. Ave Maria. Hail Mary.

Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph pray for us. Lord Jesus Christ I trust in you. 

FEAST OF SAINTS SIMON AND JUDE

FRIDAY WEEK 30 IN ORDINARY TIME

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. Readings Meditation 

Gospel Luke 6:12-19 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. 

He then came down with them and stopped at a piece of level ground where there was a large gathering of his disciples with a great crowd of people from all parts of Judaea and from Jerusalem and from the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon who had come to hear him and to be cured of their diseases. People tormented by unclean spirits were also cured, and everyone in the crowd was trying to touch him because power came out of him that cured them all.

Pray the Holy Rosary. Ave Maria. Hail Mary.

Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph pray for us. Lord Jesus Christ I trust in you. 

May Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles pray for you as you celebrate your birthday today.

The Feast Day for Saint Jude and Saint Simon, the Apostles. Saint Jude, known as Thaddaeus, was a brother of Saint James the Less, and a relative of Our Saviour. He was one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus.

PUT ON GOD'S ARMOUR AND RESIST THE DEVIL

THURSDAY WEEK 30 ORDINARY TIME:

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

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.  Readings Meditation

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.

Gospel: Luke 13:31-35 It would not be right for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem

Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you.” He replied, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I accomplish my purpose. Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day, for it is impossible that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem....

Pray the Holy Rosary. Ave Maria. Hail Mary.

God my Father give me courage to stand my ground that I may resist the devil, with truth buckled round my waist, and integrity for a breastplate. My shoes on my feet and the eagerness to spread the gospel of peace while carrying the shield of faith as my weapon to put out the burning arrows of the evil one. Father I accept salvation from you my God as my helmet and I receive your word from the Spirit as my sword. 

Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph pray for us. Lord Jesus Christ I trust in you. 

DOMESTIC LIFE DUTIES

WEDNESDAY WEEK 30 ORDINARY TIME: SIR WILL THERE BE ONLY A FEW SAVED?

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. Readings Meditation

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.

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.....

Pray the Holy Rosary. Hail Mary. Ave Maria.

God our Father all your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,  and your friends shall repeat their blessing. They shall speak of the glory of your reign  and declare your might, O God, to make known to men your mighty deeds   and the glorious splendour of your reign.

Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph pray for us. Lord Jesus Christ I trust in you. 

GIVE WAY TO ONE ANOTHER IN OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST

TUESDDAY WEEK 30 IN ORDINARY TIME

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. Readings Reflections

Gospel Luke 13:18-21

Pray the Holy Rosary: Hail Mary. Ave Maria. Saint Joseph pray for me.

Lord Jesus Christ you are the head of the Church, saviour of humanity. You sacrificed yourself for the sake of the Church to make her holy. I pray today for all couples. May husbands love their wives as Christ. May they take up their responsibilities as heads of families. May the be ready to protect their wives and children. May they promote Christian values in families. Make all couples one, bring unity into families and homes. May all wives respect their husbands. 

Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph pray for us. Lord Jesus Christ I trust in you.