IF WE WISH TO SERVE GOD AND LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR WELL,

WE MUST MANIFEST OUR JOY IN THE SERVICE WE RENDER TO HIM AND THEM.

LET US OPEN WIDE OUR HEARTS. IT IS JOY WHICH INVITES US.

PRESS FORWARD AND FEAR NOTHING.

                                      -Saint Katharine Drexel

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Isaiah 1:10, 16-20

Hear the warning

God shapes us through prayer

by transforming our hearts, minds, and character,

bending our will to align with His,

and cultivating patience, resilience,

and dependence on Him.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25

Seized with anguish

 Acknowledging that we are flawed like everyone else is a freeing, 

humbling truth that fosters empathy, personal growth, and self-acceptance.

Embracing our imperfections can lead to a less judgmental life.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Daniel 9:4b-10

I prayed to the Lord,

The sign of Jonah points to Jesus by typologically foreshadowing his death, burial, and resurrection.

Just as Jonah was in the belly of a great fish for three days and three nights before being "resurrected"

Jesus spent three days and nights in the heart of the earth before rising.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Jonah 3:1-10

The word

" This is my Son, the Beloved, my Chosen One. Listen to him." 

A cloud during the Transfiguration of Jesus,

 It identifies Jesus as His beloved Son,

affirming His divine authority and commissioning the disciples

—and believers— to listen to and obey Him.  

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

Genesis 12:1-4a

The Lord said to Abram,

 "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven"

It signifies a longing for the future fulfillment of God’s kingdom on earth.

Prioritizing God's glory over personal needs.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Isaiah 55:10-11

As the rain and the snow

"Forgiveness": Forgiveness does not mean condoning,

forgetting, or excusing the behavior.

Reflecting on personal faults can help create empathy for the offender.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Deuteronomy 26:16-19

On this day,

 Jesus knows His flock intimately

Jesus knows His flock intimately, calling them by name,

and providing protection and guidance.

This profound knowledge ensures they never truly perish. 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18

Yahweh spoke to Moses

True worship, pleasing to God,  involve reconciliation.

Empathy and Listening: Sincerely listening to

the other party’s perspective to understand the impact of the actions.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Ezekiel 18:21-28

If the sinner

 " One does not live on bread alone, but on every word 

that comes from the mouth of God."

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7

Then the Lord God