“Indeed the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.” (HEB 4: 12)
God’s Son, Jesus Christ, came to us to tell us about God’s love and to redeem us from our sins. And He stays with us in the sacraments and as the Word of God. He is “living and effective and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.”
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“‘Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.’ He replied, ‘Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.’” (LK 11: 27-28)
There is no doubt that the Creator of the fourth commandment didn’t reject his Mother; it emphasizes rather, that attentiveness to God’s word is more important than biological relationships. How close is Our Lady’s relationship with Jesus if the blessing is both in grace (“blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it”) and in nature (“blessed the womb and breasts”).
“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came.’” (LK 11: 24)
It is absolutely bad news, if an “unclean spirit” can call somebody’s heart (his or her interior) “my home.” There is only one Lord, one Creator, and One God who can be in our hearts, who should be invited to stay with us like at home. A mortal sin is like giving the devil ourselves as a home. So we should ask everyday—“open our hearts, O Lord,” and make ourselves Your home.
“Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (LK 11: 9-10)
Asking, seeking and knocking are very strong signals that somebody cares. If I am active and have no idea how to solve a problem by myself, I will ask, seek and knock because it is important to me. And usually we will ask somebody whom we trust. Today God shows us the power of prayer when we look for answers asking Him, seeking in Him and knocking on His door. And He promised to answer—“I tell you… you will receive.”
“Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.’” (LK 11:1)
Our Lord is asked by “one of his disciples: teach us to pray” and shared with them His prayer to God the Father. From this moment this prayer has become the prayer of all Christians. But there is also another lesson given today to His disciples: He “was praying in a certain place.” Of course we can pray almost anywhere, but it is better when we have “a certain place” where we can go to pray. For my daily prayer, it could be my bedroom or a place in the living room or a room we have for guests. A certain “place” could even be a rosary, where we pray with Our Lady and contemplate the mysteries of her and Our Lord’s lives.
“You have received a spirit of adoption as sons through which we cry: Abba! Father!” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, ‘Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,’ when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.” (JON 3: 4-5)
“When the people believed God… they proclaimed a fast,” because those who “hear the word of God, observe it,” and take heed, as a consequence. Only believers know who God is; only believers know how much they are loved; only believers want to answer to God properly—loving Him. The “fast and sackcloth” are signs of respect and acts of contrition, which are only calls for God’s merciful love.
“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?’ He answered, ‘The one who treated him with mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’” (LK 10: 35-37
Today we celebrate in Poland memory of St. Faustina Kowalska, the date when she was born for Heaven. She brought us a message from Our Lord about the most important characteristic of God’s love—He is merciful. Her mission was not only to remind us about His mercy but also to help us practice new ways of devotion to Divine Mercy and inspire us to “creativity in charity.” We are also invited: “Go and do likewise.”
“I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.” (MK 10: 6-9)
This is an extremely important condition for marriage: “a man shall leave his father and mother.” It is important for both of them, for husband and wife, important physically, morally and spiritually; because to be “no longer two but one flesh,” they need to be united by God: “what God has joined together.” Staying with parents makes it difficult. Also parents need time for their marriage and need to be focused on themselves not just on the children, giving them space for maturity, self-discipline, independence and dedication.
“If we love one another, God remains in us and his love is brought to perfection in us.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (LK 10: 18-20)
Our names can be “written in heaven” because we are His children, and He wants us to spend eternity with Him. And this is the most important reason for joy: to be with Him forever, not to do something spectacular for Him. Always first is our identity; creativeness, what we do, comes from our identity, not vice versa. Heaven is full of names, not of actions.
“Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“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)
One of my favorite feasts: the Holy Guardian Angels. Our God, in His merciful heart, decided to help us with a very special gift: every person in the world receives one Angel as a protector, helper and guardian. Angels, who “always look upon the face of heavenly Father,” at the same moment are able to lead us to Him, and when we are in trouble, in need or distracted can protect us, help us and guard us. Today we can show them all our gratitude.
“Bless the LORD, all you angels, you ministers, who do his will.” (Gospel Acclamation)
