Your love may increase

October 31, 2014 5:00 am

“And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.” (Phil 1: 9-11)

There is no end to the possibility of increasing in love. It is quite similar to the case with heat and light: heat could be hotter and light could be greater. It can’t happen with cold and dark because… they don’t exist; cold is just the absence of heat and dark is the absence of light.

“Thus says the Lord: Let whoever is thirsty come to me and drink. Streams of living water will flow from within the one who believes in me.” (Communion Antiphon)

Helmet and sword

October 30, 2014 5:58 pm

“And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Eph 6: 17)

A very special equipment for spiritual warriors. We are not defenseless; we are armed. We can fight against temptations from the devil protected by “the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit;” we can cling to the word of God and seek His strength.

“Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice; turn to the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face.”

Each will be requited from the Lord

October 29, 2014 12:55 pm

“…but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, willingly serving the Lord and not men, knowing that each will be requited from the Lord for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.” (Eph 6: 6-8)

God created us in His image and likeness to multiply good on Earth. “The will of God” is only one: to enable our hearts to love like He loves. He is so generous and looks “for whatever good we do;” He is quick to requite any act of goodness.

“We will ring out our joy at your saving help and exult in the name of our God.” (Communion Antiphon)

Members of the household of God

October 28, 2014 11:32 am

“You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.” (Eph 2: 19-20)

Even if we are citizens of particular countries, we have a homeland, a place which is our destination, a place where we are expected. We are God’s children, “members of the household of God,” more at home in His home than at home when we are at our homes. He always looks at us as “fellow citizens,” “the holy ones, members of His household” rather than as “strangers” or “sojourners.”

“Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him.”

Be imitators of God

October 27, 2014 12:38 pm

“Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.” (Eph 5: 1-2)

Whatever good we received, we received this from Christ. We are God’s beloved children, and we are unconditionally loved. Our way is to live in love—to be imitators of God. An “imitator” means a person who copies the behavior or actions of another person. The more we meditate on His love, words and gestures, the more we understand and the more we are able to imitate Him. The best “meditator” is the best imitator.

“Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice; turn to the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face.” (Entrance Antiphon)

You shall love

October 26, 2014 5:00 am

“…a scholar of the law tested him by asking, ‘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: 35-40)

Such a simple rule: we shall love. This is the first and the last reason for our life. Our dreams and our plans, our actions and our thoughts, our work and our vacations should be focused on one thing—how to put all our hearts, all our souls, and all our minds to love to the Lord, our God. The love to our neighbor as ourselves is a little bit easier. We know a minimum: Do not do anything to make others feel uncomfortable. But putting all our hearts, souls and minds into loving God is a much bigger challenge and adventure for all our lives.

“Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice; turn to the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face.” (Entrance Antiphon)

There is always hope

October 25, 2014 9:01 am

“There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none.
So cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’ He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’” (Lk 13: 6-9)

God is patient, He can wait; and also He knows that we need help from others–gardener said: “I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it.” Like our Programs. We just cultivate the ground around the tree of marriage and help couples fertilize it; we show them how to bear fruit. Simple steps and support for the soil, to help them open their eyes and see a bigger perspective…

“I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord, but rather in his conversation that he may live.” (Gospel Acclamation)

Bearing with one another through love

October 24, 2014 12:10 pm

“I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace…” (Eph 4: 1-3)

We can live “in a manner worthy of the call we have received” or below our dignity, unfortunately. The first kind of life is based on “all humility and gentleness, with patience,” the second one consumes others: expects and demands with impatience. The “unity of the spirit” needs to be preserved, and it requires us “to bear with one another through love” -and the bond of peace. As a result of such an attitude, we get peace, freedom from our own expectations and joy. It is worth to live this way.

“O chosen people, proclaim the mighty works of him, who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (Entrance Antiphon)

Rooted and grounded in love

October 23, 2014 10:01 am

“I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that he may grant you in accord with the riches of his glory to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner self, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Eph 3: 14-19)

We need to be rooted and grounded in love, not in knowledge, because “the love of Christ surpasses knowledge.” We know how important knowledge is, we know about fides quaerens intellectum (faith seeking understanding), but at the same moment, we know that only those who love have a real access to real knowledge—“to know the love of Christ.” Rooted and grounded in love, we may be filled with the fullness of God. To be a sincere gift of self we have to love. Only the love of Christ can motivate us to give.

“I consider all things so much rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him.” (Gospel Acclamation)

By the gift of God’s grace

October 22, 2014 10:48 am

“…I became a minister by the gift of God’s grace that was granted me in accord with the exercise of his power. To me, the very least of all the holy ones, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ…” (Eph 3: 7-8)

His grace accompanies every vocation, every role and every task. His power is given not because we deserve it or we are worthy of it, but because we are chosen and equipped for our ministry. God’s grace accepted, given even to “the very least of all the holy ones,” makes miracles and changes ordinary men into holy men.

“The Lord chose him for himself as high priest, and, opening his treasure house, made him rich in all good things.” (Entrance Antiphon)