“‘You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’ He replied to him, ‘You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.’” (Luke 10: 26

“With all our…” means—everything. God, who is our Creator, deserves to receive all from us, not just fragments. It is about love, and love is human, total, faithful and exclusive, together with fruitful. The more we give, the more we are because our identity is in giving ourselves, and we “cannot fully find ourselves except through a sincere gift of self (GS 24).”

“I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“I remind you, to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands.  For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control.” (2 TIM 1: 6-7) 

“A spirit of power and love and self-control” comes to us as a “gift of God.” What we need is “to stir it into flame.” Power belongs to God, not to us—the more we belong to Him, the more we can participate in His power; God is love, who loves us—and we also ought to love one another; self-control helps us to distinguish between happens in me and happens to me.

“The word of the Lord remains forever. This is the word that has been proclaimed to you.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.” (LK 10: 21)

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church, popularly known as “The Little Flower of Jesus” or simply “The Little Flower”. She practiced simplicity all her life and being childlike. She was the one who experienced the benefit of this—“you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.” St. Therese reminds us of the importance of childlike trust and dependence on God who doesn’t expect from us extraordinary actions, but only love.

“Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” (LK 10:16)

We have a great responsibility—always to reveal Our Lord’s presence: “whoever listens to you listens to me.” And Jesus also reveals God’s presence—He came to tell us about God’s love for us.

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

“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (JN 1: 51)

We will see them one day. Now we know and believe in their presence in our lives, their protection and their important role in our journey to heaven. Every day we can be very grateful for their service, but in a very special way today, when we celebrate the feast of the most important Archangels—Michael, Raphael and Gabriel.

“Bless the LORD, all you angels, you ministers, who do his will.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“‘I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.’ Jesus answered him, ‘No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.’” (LK 9: 62)

Jesus speaks of the seriousness and the unconditional nature of Christian discipleship. Even family ties and filial obligations, such as burying one’s parents, cannot distract one, no matter how briefly, from proclaiming the kingdom of God. Following Jesus doesn’t means rejecting family; it rather means building a new family, based on our vocation.

“I consider all things so much rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him.” (LK 9: 51-52)

What a privilege it is to be His messengers. We are also invited and called to be with Him and to serve Him as His messengers. We can present His thoughts and actions in our homes and offices, among our friends and acquaintances. We can evangelize even our thoughts and correct them to be like His.

“The Son of Man came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.” (LK 9: 48) 

From God’s perspective, “who is the greatest” is totally different from the world’s perspective. The world looks for success, improvement, effects and results; heaven looks for ministry, relationship, dependence, trust and love. Everything is “in His name” and is based on Him, who “came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

“The Son of Man came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  (Gospel Acclamation) 

“But you, man of God, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 TM 6: 11) 

But you, man of God, pursue…” the most important things in your lives. “Pursue” is active, needs our commitment, plans and good strategies. Starting with righteousness we go to gentleness to build a better world where our families can grow and “to which we were called.” Our Lord will assist us with His grace “so that we might become rich” in His love.

“Though our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” (LK 9: 44) 

Our Lord “was handed over to men” because of His love. He trusted us. He came to tell us about God the Father’s love for us, but we rejected Him and His message—He was “handed over to men” and was crucified. But His love is stronger than death, and He was resurrected and lives forever to love us and to lead us to heaven.

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