Friday May 24, 2024
THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, HELP
OF CHRISTIANS (Opt. Mem.)
Office: Psalter Week 3
Mass and Preface of day or Memorial
Vestment: Green/White
Today’s Rosary: Sorrowful Mystery
Click HERE for the Previous Catholic Daily Reading
THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, Help of Christians: The Church has often experience the powerful help of the Mother of God in times of trials and persecutions. Pope Pius VII established this feast when he returned to Rome on 24 May 1814 after a period of imprisonment and captivity. His safe release and return were attributed to the intercession of Mary, Help of Christians.
FIRST READING
“Behold, the Judge is standing at the doors.”
A reading from the Letter of Saint James (James 5:9- 12)
Do not grumble, brethren, against one another, that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the doors. As an example of suffering and patience, brethren, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we call those happy who were steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath, but let your yes be yes and your no be no, that you may not fall under condemnation.
The word of the Lord.
Also Read: Daily Reading for Thursday, May 23rd, 2024
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm103:1-2.3-4.8-9. 11-12 (R. 8a)
R/. The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all within me, his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and never forget all his benefits. R/.
It is the Lord who forgives all your sins,
who heals every one of your ills,
who redeems your life from the grave,
who crowns you with mercy and compassion. R/.
R/. The Lord is compassionate and gracious.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and rich in mercy.
He will not always find fault;
nor persist in his anger forever. R/.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so strong his mercy for those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far from us does he remove our transgressions. R/.
ALLELUIA John 17:17ba
Alleluia. Your word, O Lord, is truth; sanctify us in the truth. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“What God has joined together, let not man put asunder. ”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 10:1-12)
At that time: Jesus went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again; and again, as his custom was, he taught them. And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to put her away.” But Jesus said to them, “For your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.” And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
In an age where the fundamental concept of marriage is maliciously questioned, tendentiously redefined, and greatly challenged, Jesus reaffirms the good of marriage to include unity, openness to life, fidelity, indissolubility, friendship and of course, constant recourse to God. He strongly reaffirms that marriage is only possible between a man and a woman (Mk 10:6-9). In this way, Jesus quickly dismisses the current disordered orientation that encourages same-sex union in the world. Married love requires the husband and wife to submit to each other in love, with patience and mutual respect, out of reverence for Christ (Eph. 5:21). So that they will become responsible parents and present the family as a true image of God.
PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL IN HONOUR OF B.V.M
God is faithful to His words and promises. He does not fail and when we enter into any pact with Him, we should try to remain faithful also.
Our Mother Mary said yes to Him and her yes was yes until the end of her life. She stayed true to her commitment and she never compromised. We must learn from her to say ‘Yes’ to God whenever He wants to make use of us in this life. This is the surest way to show God that we love Him, that is, when we stay true and faithful to our commitment like our Mother Mary did.
Let us pray,
Lord Jesus Christ, give me the grace to say Yes to you always so that you can make use of me as a wonderful instrument of peace, love and unity in this life. Amen. *And May the Almighty God bless you: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Meditation: James 5:1-6
