Reflections on the Daily Readings 31st May 2021
Monday 31st May 2021
Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth
Believe the impossible
National holidays frequently take precedence over our daily routines, and this Memorial Day is no exception as the country honors those who gave their lives in service. In the midst of your holiday activities, however, take a moment to ponder today’s Feast of the Visitation. It's a wonderfilled account of God’s power to transform human life, as two holy women—cousins Mary and Elizabeth—embrace their unusual and graced pregnancies. Their joy trumps any worry as they glorify the Lord who lifts up the lowly and fills the hungry with good things. Mary’s words have echoed through centuries of faith, calling all believers to see the presence of God in the unexpected. Ask for the grace to see the Holy today.
Today's readings: Zephaniah 3:14-18a or Romans 12:9-16; Luke 1:39-56 “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God, my saviour.”
Tuesday 1st June 2021
Wise up!
Justin sought a universal truth in the Greek philosophies of his day— among Stoics, Platonists, and Pythagoreans—but it was an old man he met, walking along the sea one day in 135, who finally enlightened him. The man simply recounted the story of the Hebrew prophets and Christianity. Justin was hooked. He donned philosopher’s robes to speak of faith and reason, writing persuasively about Christianity. Justin’s writings are most famous for providing a vivid snapshot of the early church—describing in detail how the Eucharist and Baptisms were celebrated, also the practice of reading aloud from the gospels. Seek the truths of the faith in your own way.
Today's readings: Tobit 2:9-14; Mark 12:13-17 “Do not regard a person’s status but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.”
Wednesday 2nd June 2021
On we go
By the time of Jesus, the possibility of life after death had been in the theological discussion for at least a century. In response to the Book of Job, which questioned why bad things happen to good people, the Book of Wisdom, written in the first century before Christ, declared that the “souls of the just are in the hands of God” and that God’s justice was at work even after death. The Sadducees in today’s gospel contest the idea, while Jesus supports it. Our faith in God’s eternal presence helps us to endure the injustices of life and bear wrongs patiently. Remember today that we believe in life everlasting.
Today's readings: Tobit 3:1-11a, 16-17a; Mark 12:18-27 “When they rise from the dead . . . they are like the angels in heaven.”
Thursday 3rd June 2021
Faith rises from the ashes
Twenty-two men and boys, many of them pages in King Mwanga's court in Uganda, were murdered between 1885 and 1887 for refusing to denounce their Catholic faith. Most were burned to death at Namugondo after a two-day death march from the palace. Within several decades, a church was erected near the site of the gruesome executions to honour the martyrs. Now a basilica stands on this holy ground in thanksgiving for the canonization of the Ugandan martyrs in 1964. “A martyr is a witness,” Pope Francis said during a 2015 visit to Uganda. “Past glories were a beginning, but you are called to create future glories. This is what the church asks of you.” This is what the church asks of all of us. How will you witness the glory of the gospel today?
Today's readings: Tobit 6:10-11; 7:1bcde, 9-17; 8:4-9a; Mark 12:28-34 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart.”
Friday 4th June 2021
What a blessed day this be
As the northern hemisphere revels in the glories of spring, it's a fitting time to say a few “Glory Be’s” and “Blessed Be’s” in thanksgiving. The “Glory Be,” or “Doxology,” is a short hymn of praise and affirmation of faith: “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.” The “Blessed Be’s,” also known as the “Divine Praises,” are a litany honouring the Trinity, the Blessed Mother, and the angels and saints: “Blessed be God. Blessed be His Holy Name. Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man. . . .” It is typically recited during Benediction and Eucharistic Adoration. But anytime, particularly a sunny day, is the right time to acknowledge how blessed we are to be loved by God.
Today's readings: Tobit 11:5-17; Mark 12:35-37 “Blessed be God, and praised be his great name.”
Saturday 5th June 2021
Animate your life story
Saint Boniface (c. 673-754), born in Devonshire, England, entered the Benedictine Monastery at Exeter and was ordained a priest at 30. Despite his happy life as a monk, he decided to travel to Holland and then Germany as a missionary. He's now known as the “Apostle to Germany” and is credited with unifying the church in Europe. Boniface’s chief concern throughout his life was purity of faith. He saw his mission as ensuring that men and women—lay, clerics, and religious—live holy lives. He exhorted the faithful: “Let all your actions be animated with charity, and according to the gospel, you will possess your souls in patience.” May you experience the peace that comes with a life motivated by love.
Today's readings: Tobit 12:1, 5-15, 20; Mark 12:38-44 “Do good, and evil will not find its way to you.
