Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Today’s Mass readings again give us much to be grateful for, as we Listen to God through Holy Scripture, words written by His inspiration for all of His children to hear. On this Memorial of St. Leo the Great we hear readings of both Old and New Testaments. All God’s Words are beautiful and important for us, so let us Listen with the ears of our Hearts as Our Mother Mary listened and did the Truth she heard from Him.
There is much for us to hear in these readings. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to increase in us the Fullness of Truth, which Jesus sent Him to give the Disciples at Pentecost. Let us thank God for sending Jesus through Mary that we may become Holy asGod has commanded us to be “Holy as He is Holy” (1 Peter 1: 15-16). Come Holy Spirit fill us as you filled Mary with Jesus, our Way, our Truth and our LIFE.
Today’s Mass readings again give us much to be grateful for, as we Listen to God through Holy Scripture, words written by His inspiration for all of His children to hear. On this Memorial of St. Leo the Great we hear readings of both Old and New Testaments. All God’s Words are beautiful and important for us, so let us Listen with the ears of our Hearts as Our Mother Mary listened and did the Truth she heard from Him.
Reading 1 (Phmn 7-20)
I have experienced much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the holy ones have been refreshed by you, brother. Therefore, although I have the full right in Christ to order you to do what is proper, I rather urge you out of love, being as I am, Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus. I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment, who was once useless to you but is now useful to both you and me. I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. I should have liked to retain him for myself, so that he might serve me on your behalf in my imprisonment for the Gospel, but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary. Perhaps this is why he was away from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me, but even more so to you, as a man and in the Lord. So if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me. And if he has done you any injustice or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, write this in my own hand: I will pay. May I not tell you that you owe me your very self. Yes, brother, may I profit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.
Responsorial (Ps 146: 7-10) - Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
The LORD secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets captives free. The LORD gives sight to the blind. The LORD raises up those who were bowed down; the LORD loves the just. The LORD protects strangers. The fatherless and the widow He sustains, but the way of the wicked He thwarts. The LORD shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, through all generations.
Alleluia (Jn 15:5) - “I am the Vine, you are the branches, says the Lord: whoever Remains in Me and I in him will bear much fruit.”
Gospel (Lk 17:20 - 25)
Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply, "The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you Then He said to his disciples, “The days will come when you will long to seeone of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. There will be those who will say to you, ‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’ Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. for just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be His day. But first He must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”
There is much for us to hear in these readings. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to increase in us the Fullness of Truth, which Jesus sent Him to give the Disciples at Pentecost. Let us thank God for sending Jesus through Mary that we may become Holy asGod has commanded us to be “Holy as He is Holy” (1 Peter 1: 15-16). Come Holy Spirit fill us as you filled Mary with Jesus, our Way, our Truth and our LIFE.
