“May your eyes watch night and day over this temple, the place where you have decreed you shall be honored; may you heed the prayer which I, your servant, offer in this place.” (1 KGS 8: 29)
At that time it was only one place, one temple chosen by God—in Jerusalem. How blessed is our time, when we are surrounded by so many churches and chapels, where we have Our Lord present in the Tabernacles and where His “eyes watch night and day” to protect us, to answer our prayers and to love us. How blessed is our time in front of the Blessed Sacrament.
“Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees; and favor me with your law.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.” (MK 6: 55)
We can do the same—“bring in the sick on mats” but in our hearts to Our Lord. His answer is always the same: He “cured every disease among the people.” The only thing needed is people who know Him and will “scurry about the surrounding country and begin to bring in the sick to wherever he is.”
“Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom and cured every disease among the people.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me.” (1 COR 15: 10)
Our identity comes from God. He, who is our Creator and Redeemer, knows us perfectly. Without Him we can’t understand ourselves, grow properly and become effective. We need to cooperate with Him—“I have toiled harder”—knowing that “the grace of God is with me.”
“Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.”
Our Lord’s heart is always “moved with pity for us.” And He takes care for us in many ways. He “teaches them many things.” When we listen to Him, when we follow Him, we know Him better and understand more.
“My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“King Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread, and people were saying, ‘John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.’ Others were saying, ‘He is Elijah’; still others, ‘He is a prophet like any of the prophets.’ But when Herod learned of it, he said, ‘It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.’” (MK 6: 14-16)
Now this is our responsibility—to take care of Our Lord’s fame. As His brothers and sisters, as His followers still we can protect His fame to “become widespread.” Today’s situation is the same—many opinions about Jesus exist, and the majority of them—false. We can show His true identity by practicing gentleness, respect, gift of selves and generous heart.
“Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart, and yield a harvest through perseverance.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.” (MK 6: 7)
Our Lord knew perfectly how difficult the mission could be for His beloved Apostles, “the Twelve,” so He “sent them out two by two” to work together, to be united in the mission and to grow as a community because being an apostle means first of all to live in community with Jesus and the others.
“The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“I am in very serious difficulty. Let us fall by the hand of God, for he is most merciful; but let me not fall by the hand of man.”
Unfortunately, David’s opinion about human nature is universal. We humans are not famous for mercy but well-known for the opposite. “Let us fall by the hand of God, for He is most merciful” is also universal, especially during this year of mercy. Jesus, I trust in You.
“My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God.” (LK 2: 27-28)
The Holy Spirit is always busy. He takes care of so many of us. Protecting, leading, revealing and explaining are some of His activities. When we follow His leadership, many miracles happen.
“A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him. But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead, ‘Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.’”
To be an apostle of Our Lord requires a special call from Jesus, but to announce the Good News to all is God’s will. Home and family will always be our first place of our apostolate. Even “the man who had been possessed” had something to “announce to all that the Lord in his pity has done for him.”
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst and God has visited his people.” (Gospel Acclamation)
