Wherever you go

June 30, 2014 7:05 am

Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go” (Mt 8:19)

Declaration which every seminarian understands perfectly: “wherever you go”. We would like to conquer the whole world for Our Lord. Later, the idea slowly moves from “wherever” to determining “where.” The only way to avoid this temptation is to focus on Him; with the accent on “follow you” and only then “wherever you go.” It is more difficult for us, men, to be focused on a person rather than on action, but… it’s crucial.

“O Father, I pray for them, that they may be one in us, that the world may believe that you have sent me, says the Lord.” (Communion Antiphon)

You are Peter

June 29, 2014 9:32 am

“…you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”

Our Church, founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ, is based on Peter, the first Apostle; not because he was the oldest, the wisest or the best qualified, but because he was chosen by God the Father.

The Church is His, we are His, our gifts are from Him and everything is oriented to build His Church and protect from “the gates of the netherworld.”

“Peter said to Jesus: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus replied: You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church” (Communion Antiphon)

Her heart

June 28, 2014 10:21 am

“…His mother kept all these things in her heart.” (Lk 2:51)

She “kept all these things” not in her memory, not in a notepad, but in her heart. The best way to have the access not only to the story line, but also to the meaning and Author. God’s word does not bring information, news and interpretation of the situation in the world, but brings the word of life and guidance to the eternal life.

“Blessed is the Virgin Mary who kept the word of God and pondered it in her heart.” (Gospel Acclamation)

Come to My heart

June 27, 2014 11:55 am

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Mt 11:28-30)

When Saint John Paul II talked about the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, he said, that in Jesus Christ God the Father loves us in a very human way. Again and again the Gospel reminds us of Our Lord’s concern – we are God’s children, He has come to protect us, to save us, to redeem us. His heart is full of compassion and mercy. Even yoke and burden taken from Him bring peace and light to our hearts.

“The design of his Heart are from age to age, to rescue their souls from death, and to keep them alive in famine.” (Entrance Antiphon)

 

The one who says and the one who does

June 26, 2014 1:07 pm

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” (Mt 7: 21)

Maybe we don’t do “the will of the Father” because we are afraid of this will. Our Father could expect from us holiness in every moment of our life, more fasting, being calm and nice and who knows what more. But “the will of the Father” is very simple – love one another. All His concern is to love.

“Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him.” (Gospel Acclamation).

Written obligations

June 25, 2014 2:52 pm

“…for the anger of the LORD has been set furiously ablaze against us, because our fathers did not obey the stipulations of this book, nor fulfil our written obligations.” (2 Kings 22: 13)

Our Lord talks to us every day. Daily readings give us a small portion of the whole Bible, like the Father who feeds His children. Rejecting His words puts us in danger, not because “of the anger of the Lord,” but because we will be weaker. His “anger” is the description of His love to us, and His “written obligation” is to keep us strong in love, persevering in hope and confident in faith.

“The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.” (Gospel Acclamation)

He gave me my name

June 24, 2014 8:33 am

“The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name.” (Is 49:1)

Even if we use different translations for this sentence (“from my birth,” “from the womb,” “from the body of my mother”) the idea is one: I am called from the first moment of my existence and with my name I have received an absolutely unique vocation.

“You, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way.” (Gospel Acclamation)

Measure

June 23, 2014 9:31 am

“Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.” (Mt 7: 1-2)

It is so easy to have “opinions” about the others. Unfortunately those “opinions” sometimes become judgments. The original sin made us are very fragile in this area: this is Eva’s fault, not mine.

The Gospel invites us to be the defenders of the others: not to judge, but to defend.

“The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.” (Gospel Acclamation)

Tabernacles

June 22, 2014 11:46 am

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” (J 6: 56)

Today we are celebrating the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as Corpus Christi Feast. We celebrate our belief in the body and blood of Jesus and His real presence in the Eucharist.

In my country, still celebrating this feast on Thursday, every parish, even the smallest one, takes the Holy Sacrament in the monstrance onto the streets, with a procession to four altars. Parish banners with the saints and patrons of various groups, little girls scattering flowers, many altar boys, other priests who form the honor guard before the priest carrying the Holy Sacrament and hundreds of people walking in the procession. Our Lord is visiting our streets, the places where we live.

Here this tradition is a little bit forgotten. What we can take from this feast is the idea of inviting Jesus to our places, offices and homes, our neighbors and members of our families. When we receive Him in the Holy Communion we become Living Tabernacles and we can take Him in our hearts to the world. Like the monstrance we can carry Him and show Him where we live.

“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him, says the Lord.” (Communion Antiphon)

Pagans and believers

June 21, 2014 12:03 pm

“All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.” (Mt 6: 32-33)

Two different perspectives for our life: only here, on earth, with the end which is rarely happy, or starting here and never-ending in Heaven. When only here – this is the only time you have to enjoy life and you have to think about yourself; when only starting here, you have eternity to enjoy and naturally you are interested in seeking “the kingdom of God and His righteousness” first, knowing “all these things will be given you besides.” Life for myself or life for others?

“Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” (Gospel Acclamation)