“Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (MT 20: 26-28)

It is natural for us, humans, to dream about greatness, achievements and success. Our Lord reminds us where greatness lies, what should be achieved and how to be a man of success: “the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve.”

“I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.” (Gospel Acclamations)

“As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.” (MT 23: 8)

The natural consequence of the Our Father prayer is: when we call God “Our Father,” we immediately recognize ourselves as related to each other. Nobody is an only child—we are brothers and sisters; we are siblings—united under God’s love and protection.

“Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus said to him in reply, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” (MT 16: 16-18)

Our identity is based on Our Lord, “the Son of the living God”—we are God’s children; we are His chosen ones, and we are called to different missions “to build His Church.” The more we recognize Him, the more we understand ourselves.

“You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church; the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“Then from the cloud came a voice that said,  ‘This is my chosen Son; listen to him.’” (LK 9: 35)

Again and again God’s word reminds us of how important it is to “listen to Him.” Only Our Lord knows God the Father; only Jesus knows God’s love for us, and only He brought us God’s salvation.

“From the shining cloud the Father’s voice is heard: This is my beloved Son, hear him.” (Gospel Acclamation) 

“But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.” (MT 5: 44-45)

Being “children of our Heavenly Father” comes with privileges, but also with some duties. The most important is to imitate Him which means–to love everybody, including enemies and “those who persecute us.” True love is never a reward.

“Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (MT 5: 23-24)

To Our Lord, our relationship with Him is based on our relationship with our brothers and sisters. We can’t be close to Him and, at the same moment, reject or be in conflict with our neighbors. The beauty of our gift is connected with our “reconciled brother.” We need “a new heart and a new spirit” which comes with reconciliation.

“Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the Lord, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“Ask and it will be given to you; 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.” (MT 7: 7-8)

We are told to ask, to seek and to knock. All these gestures show our concern and show that we are in need and we really, sometimes desperately, need something. All these gestures also show that we know where to go and Whom we should ask and show that we are in relationship with Our Lord, Who has answers and loves to answer—“for everyone … receives, finds… and door will be opened.”

“A clean heart create for me, God; give me back the joy of your salvation.” (Gospel Acclamation)

How they turned from their evil way

“When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.” (JON 3: 10)

When we are confronted with God’s word, we can see our actions  from a different angle; we can change our hearts and our motivation–we can repent. Our Lord wants us close to Him and happy with Him. He is always “gracious and merciful.” Repentance is the best way to “return to Him with our whole hearts.”

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

“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (MT 6: 9-13)

The most unique prayer we have. The only one we received directly form Our Lord. He shared with us the way He prays and the way He calls God. He told us about our most important needs with which we come to God.

“One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (MT 25: 40)

Our Lord looks for any opportunity to assure us of  how important we are to  Him. He comes as our protector, our guide and our teacher, not as somebody from the outside, but as a brother. He unites us with Himself in every possible way.

“Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”