“Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life.” (Is 55:3)
God’s concern reaches also our diet: “you shall eat well.” It is interesting that life mentioned by God comes more from listening than only from food – “listen, that you may have life.” We need food for daily life and God’s word for eternal life.
“One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds; listen to the voice of the LORD your God, so that the LORD will repent of the evil with which he threatens you.” (Jer 26:13)
The Church will never get tired of protecting us. It does not defend us from God, but from the life where our “ways and deeds” are far away from His. Reform and listen, listen and reform. Make a daily ritual of some minutes with the Bible, learn how to listen to Him. Listen to His word daily and learn how you can inspire your family life and workplace with God’s presence. Reform and listen – a simple rule for an outstanding life.
“I will look after my sheep, says the Lord, and I will appoint a shepherd to pasture them, and I, the Lord, will be their God.” (Entrance Antiphon)
” A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” (Mt 13: 57)
Difficult for everybody, but especially in married life. It reminds me of the beautiful paragraph no. 51 in Familiaris consortio, Apostolic Exhortation of St. John Paul II. One paragraph earlier the Pope wrote: “Since the Christian family is a community in which the relationships are renewed by Christ through faith and the sacraments, the family’s sharing in the Church’s mission should follow a community pattern: the spouses together as a couple, the parents and children as a family, must live their service to the Church and to the world. They must be “of one heart and soul”(117) in faith, through the shared apostolic zeal that animates them, and through their shared commitment to works of service to the ecclesial and civil communities”. (FC 50)
I like so much the expression: “community pattern: the spouses together as a couple.” It was from the beginning our idea for couch couples. It is the only way for practicing faith and role as prophets for couples.
Today I keep in my prayer all our couch couples, so thankful for their outstanding mission and also asking for special blessing, knowing how difficult their mission is in their “own house.”
“It was not you who chose me, says the Lord, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.” (Communion Antiphon)
