“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.” (MT 18: 10)
I love Angels. And of course, in a very special way, I love my Guardian Angel, an amazing support from God the Father. Every person receives help from God who dedicated one of His angels to be someone’s Guardian Angel, and they represent us before God. Like in any relationship, it is so important to respect them, communicate with them and listen to their advice. We can learn from them how to love God, how to respond to His will and how to change our hearts into His “meek and humble heart.”
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work.” (2 COR 9: 7-8)
When you give, be a “cheerful giver.” Your gift should be free, creative and joyful. Free, because it is not a reward, not a price for something but your independent decision to be a giver. Creative, because you are putting love into the gift, and love is always creative. Joyful, because you are so happy to be a giver, determined by your love to give and you can’t wait until you give your gift.
“Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life, says the Lord.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. So 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 4:31-32.5:1-2)
Our Lord asks us today to “be imitators of God” as a married couple, as parents, friends, neighbors and members of community or society. Our LORD “handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God”, so we can “be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another,” making a gift of self, changing ourselves for the edification of our spouses or friends, and respecting their dignity and vocation. We can be “a fragrant aroma” for this world.
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven, says the Lord;whoever eats this bread will live forever.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest. Bind them at your wrist as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.” DT6: 5-9
There is only one name in which we are saved—Jesus, the Lord. There is only one thing He expects from us—to allow Him to love us and to love Him. And because we are human, we receive good suggestions about how to remember: “take to heart these words”, “drill them,” “speak of them whether you are busy or at rest,” “bind them at your wrist,” and “write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.” We need reminders to remember; we need rituals daily, weekly, monthly and yearly.
“Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (MT 16: 25)
It is like being a giver of self versus a demander, who’s making an insistent and peremptory request, made as if by right. It is like looking more for what I can do for my spouse or friends versus saving my life for my pleasure only and using others for this. We receive freedom to choose—“whoever wishes….”
“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice, ‘This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.’ Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.” (MK 9: 7-8)
The Transfiguration of the Lord was to strengthen the faith of the disciples. The voice of God the Father came from the cloud: “this is my beloved Son. Listen to him” to confirm His Son’s mission. But what is more important, with the Transfiguration we received a precious gift—the freedom to see no one but Jesus as an answer to all our needs—“looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.” He is the answer, the solution, the help and only hope.
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Forty days you spent in scouting the land; forty years shall you suffer for your crimes: one year for each day. Thus you will realize what it means to oppose me.” (NM 14: 34)
At that time it was the only way: “thus you will realize what it means to oppose me.” In this time God gave us His Son to take all our sins and all our weaknesses to the Cross—“thus we will realize what it means to oppose Him.”
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst and God has visited his people.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“When the men of that place recognized him, they sent word to all the surrounding country.” (MT 14: 35)
How important for society is the scenario: “when the men of that place recognized him.” Sometimes even one man will be enough. When we receive grace to recognize Our Lord’s presence within His word, we can always “send word to all the surrounding country” like our family, our friends or our neighbors.
“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.” (MT 14: 19)
The same rule applies to present disciples—whatever we receive from Our Lord, give to the crowds. Even if we do not have much, still we can bring Him our “five loaves and two fish,” and with His blessing, we can answer for many needs.
“One does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“You should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.” (EPH 4: 22-24)
There is always and everyday a new chance for us “to put away the old self” and “put on the new self.” The right way is to go “in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth.” With every word of God, we can receive the beauty of life based on truth.
“One does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)
