We are all servants awaiting our Lord and Master.

Blessed indeed is the servant whom the Lord will find “on duty”when He comes.

Rejoicing in GRACE makes us GRATEFUL to the One source of all blessings and finally impels us

to be GENEROUS in giving to others as good Stewards.

Blessed Virgin Mary

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

Brothers and sisters,

 Jesus keeps the strongest language to condemn teachers of the Law and Pharisees.

You hypocrites, This people draws near to Me with their mouth, and honors Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me.

Lord, reveal to me my hidden faults and heal me.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 11-12*

(...) Brothers and sisters,

 
Why didn’t they share a bit of what they had. Weren’t they selfish?

In spiritual journey, one must walk the path by oneself.

One must generate the oil of perseverance and commitment by oneself.

Others can only stand by, counsel, and encourage.

You must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

We prepare for the Second Coming by increasing our testimony

and conversion through daily righteousness.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Corinthians 1:17-25

For Christ did not send me to baptize,

Many disciples leave. Only the twelve with Peter as their spokesperson did not.

They have heard and seen enough to convince them that Jesus is the Holy One Of God.

Peter may not understand the full import of what Jesus is saying but he knows what is essential: 'You have the words of eternal life'.

He came to give eternal life. He came to give his life for the sins of the world. He came to rescue all people from hell.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b

Joshua summoned

He fasted in the desert, and prepared the way for Jesus.

he was a man of integrity.

John the Baptist was beheaded because he spoke truth to power.

This was the reasoning that led to his death.

we can prepare the way for Jesus to those around us.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

From Paul,

Today is the feast of St Bartholomew, one of the Twelve apostles.

Saint Bartholomew, He is also venerated as one of the twelve apostles.

Jesus finds in Nathanael the purity and honesty of the Jewish faith.

Nathanael was startled by Jesus’ uncanny knowledge.

“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”

The apostle is said to have been martyred by flaying.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Revelation 21:9b-14

And he (an angel) said,

 St. Augustine

His numerous written works, the most important of which are Confessions and The City of God ,

shaped the practice of biblical exegesis and helped lay the foundation for much of medieval

and modern Christian thought. In Roman Catholicism he is formally recognized as a doctor of the church.

St. Augustine, bishop & doctor

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

2 Thessalonians 3:6-10, 16-18

We command you, beloved,

St. Rose：

“Lord, increase my sufferings, and with them increase Your love in my heart.”

“Know that the greatest service that man can offer to God is to help convert souls.”

“Without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace.

　The gift of grace increases as the struggles increase.”

“Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.”

St. Rose of Lima, virgin

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Ezekiel 37:1-14*

The hand of Yahweh was upon me....

  “When we serve the poor and the sick we serve Jesus.

We must not fail to help our neighbors, because in them we serve Jesus.”

                                                                    ~~~ ST. ROSE OF LIMA ~~~

St. Monica

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3a, 14-17

Brothers and sisters,

 Pope Pius XII established this feast in 1954.

she is closely associated with Jesus: Her queenship is a share in Jesus’ kingship.

Mary deserves the title because she is Mother of God,

because she is closely associated as the New Eve with Jesus’ redemptive work.

The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Ezekiel 36:23-28

I will make known the holiness