“Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” (COL 1: 15)
Even if we can’t see God, we are not deprived of His image. Our Lord Jesus Christ “is the image of the invisible God.” Our Lord became man to bring us not only His image, His teaching and rules, but also and primarily, His love. Only love can show us the right image of God.
“I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“…strengthened with every power, in accord with his glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy giving thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.”
All our “endurance and patience” should be “strengthened with every power” because these virtues are important and equally difficult to achieve. Without “endurance and patience,” we can’t think about anything principal in our lives. Patience gives us a real distance to our limits, and endurance helps us never to give up.
“Come after me, says the Lord, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place.” (LK 4: 42)
Customs of Our Lord: “at daybreak, Jesus left.” The very beginning of the day, when daylight first appears, He “went to a deserted place.” The reason is not mentioned, but we know that it was His favorite place to pray. “A deserted place” and “at daybreak” helps us to stay in front of the Father,focused on Him, His love and His will.
“The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do.” (1THESS 5: 9-11)
One company thatproduces shoes for runners used to say: a good day is when I run; a perfect day is when I inspire somebody else to run. The same is true in our lives: we can grow alone, which is good, but much, much better is when we grow together, when we “build one another up,” and when we “encourage one another” to take care of our relationships. We are destined “to gain salvation” and to “live together.”
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst and God has visited his people.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day.” (LK 4: 16)
Our Lord’s regularly visited the “synagogue on the sabbath day.” It was “his custom.” Many others like night prayer so often present in His life. How important are our own customs to organize our prayer lives? It is like our rituals to improve our daily, weekly and monthly relationship with our spouse. Without rituals we are limited only to occasions when we find a time for us. Without our customs/rituals in prayer, soon we will be limited only to occasional prayer.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls. Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.” (JAS 1: 21-22)
It is a great idea to think about the word as someone, who should be welcomed with all respect, because Our Lord is the Word. And His word “is able to save our souls.” The word “has been planted” in us and needs our protection and cultivation. “Be doers of the word” invites us to listen carefully and implement what we hear in our daily lives.
“The Father willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Brothers and sisters: On the subject of fraternal charity you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.” (1 THES 4: 9)
Fraternal charity should be the way we are recognized by our society: “Look, how they love one another” (Tertullian). We are loved and we should share with others not only our love but also that we are loved. The more we are open to receive, the more we are open to share. It is like being a witness to the world about what is right, like St. John the Baptist, who died protecting marriage.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
“Brothers and sisters, we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that, as you received from us how you should conduct yourselves to please God.” (1THES 4:1)
We are asked to “conduct ourselves to please God.” Every morning we have a new chance to conduct our lives in a right direction—to be more who we are, not to earn more than what we have. We are human beings not human doers. The direction where we go is so important. The direction “to please God,” to make Him smile and be proud of us, like the Father could be, is so important.
“Be vigilant at all times and pray, that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.” (MT 24:42)
“Stay awake,” expect Our Lord’s coming, “for you do not know on which day your Lord will come.” Our lives are not only for earth, we are invited to spend all eternity with God in Heaven, and being “awake” help us to remember “here and now” how to love more, how to believe stronger, and how to have hope which always leads you to Him.
“Stay awake! For you do not know when the Son of Man will come.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.” (MT 23: 27-28)
How often we take care of the outside, to “appear beautiful,” expecting people will respect us, will like us or even will invite usas important persons to be part of their lives. More important is our inside, our inner sanctuary where our heart is a meeting point with God. When our inside is beautiful, it radiates outward and makes our relationships truly righteous.
“Whoever keeps the word of Christ, the love of God is truly perfected in him.” (Gospel acclamation)
