“At once Jesus spoke to them, ‘Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.’” (Mt 14: 27)

God revealed His name as “I am who I am.” The only One who just IS; always and everywhere as a true God. Today Our Lord reminds us to take courage: “it is I”—literally, I am. Today, like everyday, He will take care of us, He will be with us and He will protect us. Why? Because He IS Our Lord.

“Look to your covenant, O Lord, and forget not the life of your poor ones for ever. Arise, O God, and defend your cause, and forget not the cries of those who seek you.” (Entrance Antiphon)

“Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Mt 17: 20)

Big faith and little faith; the little one is “the size of a mustard seed”, and its consequences are incredible—Nothing will be impossible for you. So how does the big one look?
Everyday we can take care of the soil for a “mustard seed”: time for my personal prayer, time with my Bible, several minutes only with my spouse, thanksgiving (one special thing I am really grateful for) and whatever my Guardian Angel will suggest.
The gift of faith comes from GOD, with the Baptism.

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

“See, upon the mountains there advances the bearer of good news, announcing peace”! (Nah 2:1)

In so many ways can we announce peace – on our face, in our gestures, reactions and words. It will be great to be called “the bearer of good news.” Actually we are. Any person, because created by God’s love, bears on themselves the sign of His presence. And He is the Prince of Peace.

“In the midst of the Church he opened his mouth, and the Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding and clothed him in a robe of glory.” (Entrance Antiphon)

“I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts.” (Jer 31:33)

Only God can write upon our hearts. And He wrote the most beautiful message: you are mine. My answer to this message when I open my eyes in the morning is: “LIKE IT.” And the second one is just natural consequence of the previous – “SHARE IT.”

“It is you who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer a kingdom on you, says The Lord, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom.” (Communion Antiphon)

“When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying,’Rise, and do not be afraid.’ And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.” (Mt 17: 6-8)

“Jesus alone” answers all our needs: our hunger, loneliness and fears. And He does it in a very special, personal way: “Jesus came and touched them, saying”… Theology has called this “verba and gesta Dei” – the words and gestures of God. Not only words, but also gestures, not only gestures, but also words. Message is stronger when we can see, touch and hear. And God’s love for us is human and total. Always.

“When Christ appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him like he is.” (Communion Antiphon)

“Write all the words I have spoken to you in a book… When I summon him, he shall approach me;… You shall be my people, and I will be your God.” (Jer 30: 2. 21-22)

“Words spoken” to you and me are so often about our relationship with us. “I will be your God, you shall be my people”. We belong to Him, but also – at the same moment – He, somehow, belongs to us. I can talk to Him, glorify Him, ask Him, thank Him always. There are no special conditions, places or formulas except one – to talk to Him as His child: chosen, protected and loved. He has given Himself as a Child, too.

“Hail, Holy Mother, who gave birth to the King who rules heaven and earth for ever.” ( Entrance Antiphon)

“After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When it was evening he was there alone”. (Mt 14, 23)

Action and reaction, “after doing… he went… to pray.” It is very natural for us after “doing” to think about some rest. Prayer looks like another activity, but also at the same time it is a quiet time, alone, by ourselves, which brings us back to our full identity. Alone on prayer helps us to recognize Our Lord’s constant presence with me, my vocation and true ‘destination’ of all my actions – to love one another with gentleness, respect and as a gift of self, not a demander.

“Blessed is the servant whom the Lord finds watching when he comes. Amen, I say to you: he will put that servant in charge of all his property.” (Communion Antiphon)

“Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life.” (Is 55:3)

God’s concern reaches also our diet: “you shall eat well.” It is interesting that life mentioned by God comes more from listening than only from food – “listen, that you may have life.” We need food for daily life and God’s word for eternal life.

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

“Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds; listen to the voice of the LORD your God, so that the LORD will repent of the evil with which he threatens you.” (Jer 26:13)

The Church will never get tired of protecting us. It does not defend us from God, but from the life where our “ways and deeds” are far away from His. Reform and listen, listen and reform. Make a daily ritual of some minutes with the Bible, learn how to listen to Him. Listen to His word daily and learn how you can inspire your family life and workplace with God’s presence. Reform and listen – a simple rule for an outstanding life.

“I will look after my sheep, says the Lord, and I will appoint a shepherd to pasture them, and I, the Lord, will be their God.” (Entrance Antiphon)

” A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house.” (Mt 13: 57)

Difficult for everybody, but especially in married life. It reminds me of the beautiful paragraph no. 51 in Familiaris consortio, Apostolic Exhortation of St. John Paul II. One paragraph earlier the Pope wrote: “Since the Christian family is a community in which the relationships are renewed by Christ through faith and the sacraments, the family’s sharing in the Church’s mission should follow a community pattern: the spouses together as a couple, the parents and children as a family, must live their service to the Church and to the world. They must be “of one heart and soul”(117) in faith, through the shared apostolic zeal that animates them, and through their shared commitment to works of service to the ecclesial and civil communities”. (FC 50)

I like so much the expression: “community pattern: the spouses together as a couple.” It was from the beginning our idea for couch couples. It is the only way for practicing faith and role as prophets for couples.

Today I keep in my prayer all our couch couples, so thankful for their outstanding mission and also asking for special blessing, knowing how difficult their mission is in their “own house.”

“It was not you who chose me, says the Lord, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.” (Communion Antiphon)