I will be with you only a little while longer

March 22, 2016 6:00 am

„My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.” (JN 13: 33)

We are witnessing the last days of Our Lord. Every day the readings remind us of how close we are to the moment when He will die for us and our salvation, timing every moment of His life: „six days before Passover,” „On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,” „Before the feast of Passover” and so on. We are invited to stay with Him, to participate in His very last moments, knowing that He „will be with us only a little while longer.” We can answer to His appeal just by being with Him.

„Hail to you, our King, obedient to the Father; you were led to your crucifixion like a gentle lamb to the slaughter.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

My chosen one with whom I am pleased

March 21, 2016 7:41 am

 

„Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my Spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. A bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench, until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching.” (IS 42: 1-4)

„Justice to the nations” and „justice on the earth” will come not by force, „not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street,” but with gentleness. With Our Lord everyone is safe and protected: „a bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench.” He alone is „compassionate with our faults.”

„Hail to you, our King; you alone are compassionate with our faults.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

He opens my ear that I may hear

March 20, 2016 9:03 am

 

„The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back.” (IS 50: 4-5)

Everything in our lives, directed by God, is focused on serving Him in our brothers and sisters. We need „a well-trained tongue” to know „how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them”; we need open ears „that we may hear.” And He personally takes care of us „morning after morning he opens our ears that we may hear.”

„Christ became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

Did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him

March 19, 2016 6:00 am

 

„When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.” (MT 1: 24) 

Saint Joseph was one of the first disciples of Our Lord (just behind Our Lady), who had a very special relationship with God’s word. He always listened to the word, was always obedient, and was always a man of silent action—„he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him.” For thirty years his home was the most amazing place in the world—the first dwelling of Our Lord—„blessed are those who dwell in your home.”

„Blessed are those who dwell in your home, O Lord; they never cease to praise you.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

Like a mighty champion

March 18, 2016 6:04 am

„But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.” (JER 20: 11)

Our Lord, who loves us so much, looks for any occasion and looks for any title—like „a mighty champion”—to assure us not only that we are protected and secured in this life, but also that He has „the words of everlasting life.”

„Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

Whoever keeps my word

March 17, 2016 6:00 am

“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” (JN 8: 51)

We can „keep His word” in so many ways. The first—when we meditate on the daily readings and choose one specific sentence to ponder. The second—when we recall that sentence several times during the day. The third—when we, at the end of the day, reflect on our actions based on that sentence. It is like the steps from our Love and Life Programs—each day, based on one particular step (like gentleness for example), we stay on track for a good marriage.

„If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

 

The servants who trusted in Him

March 16, 2016 6:00 am

“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.” (DN 3: 95)

They risked everything—their lives. It was more important for them to follow God’s law, and „they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.” God responded and „sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him.” We also are His believers; we also put our trust in Him; we are also those „who keep the word with a generous heart,” and we are more–we are His beloved children.

„Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

I say only what the Father taught me

March 15, 2016 6:00 am

“When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with me.  He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.” (JN 8: 28-29)

When we are connected with Our Lord’s words, connected by reading Bible or meditating daily on the readings, we also have access to the Fathers words: “I say only what Father taught me.” „The one who sent me is with me”—brings joy and hope: we are never alone; God the Father is always with us not only when we are reflecting on Our Lord’s words, but also when we are doing „what is pleasing to him.”

„The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live forever.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

The light of life

March 14, 2016 6:00 am

 

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (JN 8: 12) 

Our Lord is „the light of the word.” He not only leads and protects but also shares the light with us. Whoever follows Him, „will have the light of life.” All of us can make this world a shining place when we are focused on Him and every day more and more converted.

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

Just one thing

March 13, 2016 6:00 am

„Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead,  I continue my pursuit toward the goal,  the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.” (PHIL 3: 13-14)

For Saint Paul only one thing is important: to be „in Christ Jesus” forever. His strategy is also very simple: „forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal.” Don’t waste your time living in old memories of good old times, but invest „your whole heart” in today’s challenges and run forward to meet Our „gracious and merciful” Lord.

„Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart; for I am gracious and merciful.” (Gospel Acclamation)