Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-34) - Undermine Satan's Power

Dearest Goddaughter,

Jesus asks the question: “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?" The Lord promises to be with us to the end of times and He keeps his promises in his Real Presence in the Eucharist.. Yet, many (including some Catholics) do not believe, do attend Mass, do not spend time in prayer or in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.

Samuel told Saul, in today's first reading, that the Lord "delights in obedience in the command of the Lord" and not in "burnt offerings and sacrifices" that are devoid of true belief, meaning, and right worship of God. It is like sewing a "piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak" or pouring "new wine into old wineskins". What we do must come from the heart that leads to conversion in our lives and moves us closer to God.

Therefore, let us rejoice that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is with us in the Eucharist, especially in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Saint Ignatius of Antioch once wrote: "Try to gather together more frequently to give thanks to God and to praise him. For when you come together frequently, Satan’s powers are undermined, and the destruction that he threatens is done away with in the unanimity of your faith." Let us then go to Mass with joy and worship God as a faithful people and give him thanks and praise.

The great saint also asked these important question that we should all reflect on: "why is it that we are not all wise when we have received the knowledge of God, which is Jesus Christ? Why do we perish in our stupidity, not knowing the gift the Lord has truly sent us?" God gives us faith and reason to know Him. We can certainly know Him through faith and reason with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: 1 Sm 15:16-23 and Mk 2:18-22 (below).

. . .

The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast.

People came to Jesus and objected,

“Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast,

 but your disciples do not fast?”

Jesus answered them,

“Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?

As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.

But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,

and then they will fast on that day.

No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak.

If he does, its fullness pulls away,

the new from the old, and the tear gets worse.

Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.

Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins,

and both the wine and the skins are ruined.

Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”