Friday 30 June
Friday of week 12 in Ordinary Time The First Martyrs of the See of Rome First reading - Genesis 17:1,9-10,15-22 “ ‘I am El Shaddai. Bear yourself blameless in my presence, and I will make a Covenant between myself and you. You on your part shall maintain my Covenant, yourself and your descendants after you, generation after generation. Now this is my Covenant which you are to maintain between myself and you, and your descendants after you: all your males must be circumcised.” God is really making covenant with His creation. The word of God which says, “Bear yourself blameless in my presence” is very important task to achieve before the Lord. It’s our task to be blameless. We must work on it. I cannot blame anyone on this. I must take the responsibility of being what I am. God has given me the freedom to build my life. To be what I am in front of him. Only thing is that He wants to see in concrete what I can do in my life to mark His presence. Let’s reflect: Am I showing in concrete ways the presence of God in my life?
Thursday 29 June
Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles - Solemnity First reading - Acts 12:1-11 ‘The Lord really did send his angel and has saved me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were so certain would happen to me.’ Today is the solemnity of great Apostles, Peter and Paul. They were so close to the revelation of Jesus Christ and transmitted the very essentials of our faith. The entire episode we read in the first reading is the example of how the salvation brought my Jesus Christ functions in our life. We are enchained by our sins as Peter was enchained. The reading says, “Then suddenly the angel of the Lord stood there, and the cell was filled with light”. Our salvation came as the light to our life and filled up our life. Then the “chains fell from his hands”. This is the effect of the salvation brought by Jesus Christ. We are saved from our sins, big or small. God is healing us from our sins. Our sins fell from our hands by the redemptive act of Jesus Christ. “They passed through two guard posts one after the other, and reached the iron gate leading to the city. This opened of its own accord; they went through it and had walked the whole length of one street when suddenly the angel left him”. The blood of Jesus Christ opens for us all the doors to the eternity. So, in this episode Peter becomes the model of each one of us. Let’s reflect: Am I recognizing the beauty of the freedom gained for me by the blood of Jesus Christ?
Wednesday 28 June
Saint Irenaeus, Bishop, Doctor, Martyr Wednesday of week 12 in Ordinary Time First reading - 2 Timothy 2:22-26 “Fasten your attention on holiness, faith, love and peace, in union with all those who call on the Lord with pure minds”. St. Paul is stressing what is important and on what we should fasten our attention. Our attention should be on holiness, faith, love and peace. This attention must be in unity with all those who call on the Lord with pure minds. So, we must try to make unity with all who call on the Lord with pure minds. Moreover, we must also avoid quarrels along with futile and silly speculations. Futile and silly speculations give rise to quarrels because it makes us to think of only ourselves. Then the unity is gone, so also is love and peace. Let’s reflect: Is our attention fastened on faith and unity or on silly and futile speculations?