THE TWELVE FOUNDATION STONES

The angel came to speak to me, and said, 'Come here and I will show you the bride that the Lamb has married.' In the spirit, he took me to the top of an enormous high mountain and showed me Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down from God out of heaven. It had all the radiant glory of God and glittered like some precious jewel of crystal-clear diamond. The walls of it were of a great height, and  had twelve gates; at each of the twelve  gates there was an angel, and over the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel; on the east there were three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.  The city walls stood on twelve foundation stones, each one of which bore the name of one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Mass Readings

Saint Batholomew

Philip found Nathaniel and said to him, 'We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law; the one about whom the prophets wrote: he is Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth. 'From Nazareth?' said Nathaniel 'Can anything good come from that place?' 'Come and see' replied Philip. When Jesus saw Nathaniel coming he said of him, 'There is an Israelite who deserves the name, incapable of deceit.' 'How do you know me?' said Nathaniel. 'Before Philip came to call you,' said Jesus 'I saw you under the fig tree.' Nathaniel answered, 'Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.' Jesus replied, 'You believe that just because I said: I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.' And then he added 'I tell you most solemnly, you will see  heaven laid open and, above the Son of Man, the angels of God ascending and descending.' 

Lord Jesus Christ, each day you call me.  I know I am not worthy, you are my Shepherd, I your little lamb. Remove from my life any obstacle that may hinder my hearing your voice. Give the grace to obey your voice.

THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM

I dismiss you from  your office, I remove you from your post, and the same day I call on my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah.  I invest him with your robe, gird him with your sash, entrust him with your authority; and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the House of Judah. I place the key of the House of David on his shoulder; should he open, no one shall close, should he close, no one shall open. I drive like a peg into a firm place; he will become a throne of glory for his father's house.  Isa. 22:19-23

Mass Readings

How rich are the depths of God - how deep his wisdom and knowledge - and how impossible to penetrate his motives or understand his methods! Who could ever know the mind of the Lord? Who could ever be his counsellor? Who could ever give him anything or lend him anything? All that exists comes from him; all is by him and for him. To him be glory for ever! Amen. Rom. 11:33-36

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, 'Who do people say the Son of Man is?' And they said, 'Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'  'But you,' he said 'who do you say I am?' Then Simon Peter spoke up, 'You are the Christ,' he said, 'the Son of the living God.' Jesus replied, 'Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.' Then he gave the disciples strict orders not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.   Matt. 16:13-20 

Heavenly Father, reveal your Son Jesus Christ to me. May I have personal relationship with Christ. Fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may ponder on the mystery of God's Kingdom. Guide my steps that I may merit the Kingdom of Heaven at the end of my pilgrimage here on earth. H.G.

Ima    Free image from  google

THE QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

The angel took me to the gate, the one facing east. I saw the glory of the God of Israel approaching from the east. A sound came with it, like the sound of the ocean, and the earth shone with his glory. This vision was like the one I had seen when I had come for the destruction of the city, and like the one I had seen on the bank of the river Chebar. Then I prostrate myself.......
Ezekiel 43:1-7  Mass Readings
Ave Maria
The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone. You have made their gladness greater, you have made their joy increase; they rejoice in your presence as men rejoice at harvest time, as men rejoice at harvest time, as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils......
Isaiah 9:1-7    Ave Maria
The Queenship of Mary         Ave Maria

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 favored! 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   favor. 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.....     Ave Maria

LORD YOU KNOW EVERYTHING

It was our God who gave us the courage to proclaim his Good News to you in the face of great opposition. We have not taken preaching because we are deluded, or immoral, or trying to deceive anyone; it was God who decided that we were fit to be entrusted with the Good News, and when we are speaking, we are not trying to please men but God, who can read our inmost thoughts. You know very well, and we can swear it before God, that never at any time have our speeches been simply flattery, or a cover for trying to get money; nor have we ever looked for any special honor from men, either from you or anybody else, when we could have imposed ourselves on you with full weight, as apostles of Christ. Instead, we were unassuming. Like a mother feeding and looking after her own children, we felt so devoted and protective towards you, and had come to love you so much, that we were eager to hand over to you not only the Good News but our whole lives as well.
Mass Readings
Saint Pius X, Pope "The primary duty of charity does not lie in the toleration of false ideas." 
Pope St. Pius X
Jesus showed himself to his disciples, and after they had eaten he said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?' He answered, 'Yes Lord, you know I love you,' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my lambs.' A second time he said to him, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' He replied, 'Yes, Lord, you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Look after my sheep,' Then he said to him a third time, 'Simon son of John, do you love me? Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, 'Do you love me?' and said, 'Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep.'

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son Jesus Christ. You created me Father to live in freedom of your Son, free me from anything that will hinder my freedom. Lord Jesus Christ my Lord and Master help me love you the way I ought.