“God commissioned me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah. I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who enter and serve before the Glory of the Lord.” (TB 12: 14-15)

God takes care of us and sends us His angels to protect us, to lead us, to heal us and to guide us: “God commissioned me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah.” Angels “who enter and serve before the Glory of the Lord” are also with us. We will see in heaven how we were carefully watched and cared for by angels. It is so important to be grateful for their presence in our lives.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“Blessed be God, and praised be his great name, and blessed be all his holy angels. May his holy name be praised throughout all the ages, because it was he who scourged me, and it is he who has had mercy on me. Behold, I now see my son Tobiah!” (TB 11: 14-15) 

God always takes care of us, always supports us and always loves us. Sometimes, what we recognize as a “scourge,” becomes a place which we will recognize as a “mercy.” Tobit never stopped praising God and never stopped putting his trust in Him and His angels. “Blessed be God, and praised be his great name, and blessed be all his holy angels. May his holy name be praised throughout all the ages.” From God’s perspective there is always a “happy ending.” 

“Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“Blessed are you, O God of our fathers, praised be your name forever and ever. Let the heavens and all your creation praise you forever. You made Adam and you gave him his wife Eve to be his help and support; and from these two the human race descended. You said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; let us make him a partner like himself.’ Now, Lord, you know that I take this wife of mine not because of lust, but for a noble purpose. Call down your mercy on me and on her, and allow us to live together to a happy old age.” (TB 8: 5-7) 

Marriage is the most common vocation, chosen by God as a “help and support.” When God created Adam, He said: “it is not good for the man to be alone; let us make him a partner like himself… for a noble purpose.” Every day we can, again and again, recognize all our “noble purposes” to enjoy our relationships with gratitude and appreciation. “Blessed are you, O God of our fathers, praised be your name forever and ever.” 

“Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven.” (MK 12: 25)

Marriage is not an end, but a means to an end. This is the reason why marriage is so important, why it is so attacked, why it needs all our protection and very good strategies to improve and grow. Marriage is the natural way to learn how to love unconditionally, how to be a sincere gift of self and how to bring people to heaven. 

“I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; whoever believes in me will never die.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“‘Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.’ They were utterly amazed at him.” (MK 12: 17) 

This story starts with the information that “some Pharisees and Herodians were sent to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.” This time it was about paying taxes. Jesus’ answer amazed them. Our Lord always respects us, and He answers us seriously even if our questions are not based on our good will. He came to “enlighten the eyes of our hearts, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to his call.” 

“May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our hearts, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to his call.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“He had one other to send, a beloved son. He sent him to them last of all, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they seized him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.” (MK 12: 6-8)

“He had one other to send, a beloved son . . . thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’” They didn’t: “They seized him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.” But we can. We can respect this unconditional and unbelievable gift of self by God. We can respect Him in our houses, our families, and our relationships when a husband/wife respects his/her spouse, respects his/her vocation and can recognize God’s presence in their lives. 

“Jesus Christ, you are the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead; you have loved us and freed us from our sins by your Blood.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” (JN 20: 22-23) 

One of the most prestigious gifts we receive—The Holy Spirit—was given personally by Our Lord to support us, to help us, to lead us and to comfort us. There is another amazing presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives: Our Lord “sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins.” Whenever we celebrate the sacrament of penance, we also celebrate the Holy Spirit’s presence. 

“Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.” (JN 21: 25) 

Every single meeting with Our Lord is worthy to remember. Jesus spent three years with His apostles, and there are so “many other things that Jesus did” that are not mentioned. It is exactly the same with us: we remember moments of His presence in our lives—special graces, inner peace coming in difficult times, understanding and words of wisdom and many others. It is good to share how good God is. 

“I will send to you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord; he will guide you to all truth.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“His accusers stood around him, but did not charge him with any of the crimes I suspected. Instead they had some issues with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who had died but who Paul claimed was alive.” (ACTS 25: 18-19)

The essence of the dispute is still the same: we believe, and we claim that Jesus is alive. The choices we make, the jobs we take, the schools for our children we select, our daily activities and all kinds of commitments to serve—all of these and many others are based on the same belief: Jesus is alive. He is with us, supports us, protects us and, most of all, loves us. 

“The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I told you.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“The following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage. For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.’” (ACTS 23: 11)

We are chosen to be witnesses: in our homes and in our offices, in all kinds of “Jerusalems” or “Romes”—in places we were born and know many and in places totally new for us, where we are foreigners. Our Lord protects us and encourages us. With Him we can change this world, “that the world may believe.”  

“May they all be one as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that the world may believe that you sent me, says the Lord.” (Gospel Acclamation)