“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Mt 23:12)
Always a difficult subject: does he “exalt himself” or just promotes himself, is he or she humble or pathologically shy… The answer to these questions becomes much easier when we focus on how much we are connected with God while doing something. IF I do it alone—I am in danger of an excessive pride or a false humility, when I’m united with Him—I am protected.
“Here is a wise virgin, from among the number of the prudent, who went forth with lighted lamp to meet Christ.” (Entrance Antiphon)
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” (Mt 22:36-40)
Loving God and loving our neighbors aren’t separated. “The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments,” teaches us Our Lord. Love should be total, covering all dimensions: the heart, soul and mind. Our Lady, today venerated as a Queen, gives us the perfect example how to love, as a Mother of God and Man.
“At your right stands the queen in robes of gold, finally arrayed.” (Entrance Antiphon)
“For I will take you away from among the nations, gather you from all the foreign lands, and bring you back to your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees.” (Ez 36:24-27)
God’s activity and ours: He will take you away; He will gather you; He will bring you back; He will sprinkle clean water and cleanse you; He will give you a new heart and a new spirit; He will take from your body your stony heart and give you a natural heart; He will put His spirit within you and make you live by His statues; ours—observe His decrees. Do you see any disproportion? His main “decree” calls us just to love one another.
“The Good Shepherd has laid down his life for his sheep.” (Communion Antiphon)
“‘Are you envious because I am generous?’ Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Mt 20:15-16)
The civilization of love and life has four primacies: primacy of mercy before justice, person over thing, being over having, and ethics over technology. Our God leads us to true happiness, which depends not on what we can have but on good which we can do for others. Even the smallest good and the very last “do” has a value for God when it is generous.
“The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“…Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life.” (Mt 19:29)
The Second Vatican Council called a family “a kind of school of deeper humanity” (GS, 52). House, siblings, parents and property, when given up for the sake of Our Lord’s name, brings us a hundred times more benefits. This is a daily concern of every father and mother—to prepare their child to find God’s vocation and follow His will, not to keep them for themselves. Everything “given up” for the sake of His name, for realizing my vocation and mission in the Church, brings a blessing and a life a “hundred times more” intense.
“Blessed is the servant whom the Lord finds watching when he comes. Amen, I say to you: He will put that servant in charge of all his property.” (Communion Antiphon)
“‘Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?’ … ‘If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ He asked him, ‘Which ones?’ And Jesus replied, ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Mt 19:16-19)
Not even one word about the duties towards God. Did God forget about Himself? “To gain eternal life” we need “only” to protect our relationships with others. Every single commandment protects the dignity of persons. From God’s perspective, from God, who became Man for our salvation this is like abbreviation, shortcut: by respecting my creation, and the dignity of persons, you will respect me. They are my image and likeness. What dignity do we have!
“With the Lord there is mercy; in him is plentiful redemption.” (Communion Antiphon)
“The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, ministering to him, loving the name of the LORD, and becoming his servants— all who keep the sabbath free from profanation and hold to my covenant, them I will bring to my holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer.” (Is 56:6-7)
Invited by God to His “house of prayer,” we can perform our ministry and become His servants. Our role is to “keep the sabbath free from profanation” and hold His covenant. His role is to bring us to heaven and “make us joyful.” A beautiful exchange. My favourite part of this “agreement” is “loving the name of the LORD.” Almighty God shares with us His name, which is full of love. The love of God revealed in His name can be worshiped by loving His name.
“Turn you eyes, O God, our shield; and look on the face of your anointed one; one day within you courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.” (Entrance Antiphon)
“Children were brought to Jesus that he might lay his hands on them and pray… After he placed his hands on them, he went away.” (Mt 19:13.15)
Our children are not ours, because we can’t posses persons. Even the smallest child, totally dependent from its parents, has his/her dignity and is independent as a person. God “from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named” (Eph 3:15) shares His fatherhood with parents. The best what parents can do is to bring their child/children to Jesus. Their children, blessed by Jesus, will go back to their parents, to be protected and prepared to discover, someday, their vocation. With His blessing everything becomes simpler.
“Seek first the kingdom od God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides, says the Lord.” (Communion Antiphon)
“Christ has been raised from the dead… Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ…” (1 Cor 15:20. 23)
We are pilgrims on our pilgrimage of faith to heaven where Our Lady leads us. “Christ the firstfruits then those who belong to Christ.” Our Lady became the first follower and first “student” of Our Lord. We can be assured that she will mold us perfectly because, like Jesus was formed in her womb, we can also be formed by her, to be like her Son if we simply ask. And Our Lady’s reaction will be the same like with Elizabeth: she will come “in haste.”
“A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon beneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” (Entrance Antiphon)
“‘Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.’” (Mt 18: 21-22)
Our perspective, “as many as seven times,” and God’s perspective, “seventy-seven times,” differ. Our Lord never tires of forgiving. He takes our best and makes our hearts more like His. His patience, compassion and unconditional love will guide us through our lives.
“Greater love has no one than to lay down his life for his friends, says the Lord.” (Communion Antiphon)
