“You will cast into the depths of the sea all our sins; you will show faithfulness to Jacob, and grace to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from days of old.” (MI 7: 19-20)
God is first in love, first in compassion and first in forgiveness. He is not afraid of our limits because His love is wider; He is not afraid of our weaknesses because His compassion is bigger; He is not afraid of our sins because His forgiveness is stronger. We can come to Him in all our circumstances, remembering His faithfulness not only to Jacob, Abraham and “our fathers from days of old,” but also to us.
“I will get up and go to my father and shall say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.” (Gospel Verse)
“Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age; and he had made him a long tunic. When his brothers saw that their father loved him best of all his sons, they hated him so much that they would not even greet him.” (GN 37: 3-4)
Jealousy and hate go together. The beginning is so simple; it becomes hard to say a kind word or “even greet him,” and this attitude grows. But also respect and love go together, and their beginning is very simple too: be gentle and be respectful, and it also can grow. The destination for the first position is hell, and the destination for the second is heaven.
“God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son; so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: it fears not the heat when it comes, its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.” (Jer 17: 7-8)
In our busy, daily lives, it is so easy to forget the most important things in our lives: necessity replaces importance, and we have to do this or that. Importance is free from pressure, like love, friendship and prayer. When we remember the importance of relationship, when we “trust in the Lord” and when “our hope is the Lord,” we are able to draw from the source of divine wisdom, “like a tree planted beside the water.”
“Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“… 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 the normal desire for so many of us: parents want greatness for their children, students long for greatness for their future, workers yearn for great jobs, and young people desire a great life. This is normal and natural for us because we are God’s children, and we are born to be great. God shows us the way in which we can achieve greatness, not by domination over others but in service: “the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
“I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Come now, let us set things right, says the LORD: though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they be crimson red, they may become white as wool.” (Is 1: 18)
Setting “things right” is God’s project for us: our hearts should be free from sins and “become white as snow … and wool” because our hearts are the unique place where God makes His dwelling.
“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)
“Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” (Lk 6: 38)
How often our measure is based on the gifts we give. The more we give, the more we expect to receive. Our Lord changed this perspective: first is the gift “given to you: a good measure, packed together, shaken down and overflowing.” Only when we are packed can we share; when we are empty, we are only focused on where and how to receive. His love and generosity is always first; we can follow His example and can learn from Him.
“Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him?” (Rom 8: 31-32)
When we give a nice gift to our friends, we give them … a nice gift. When we give ourselves as a gift, we give “also . . . everything else along with” us. We are invited not only to give nice gifts but also to be a gift: total, free, creative and joyful. Total, because if we are not totally in, we are not in at all; free, because only in freedom can we be a gift; creative, because love is creative; and joyful, because everyone loves a joyful giver. God is first in our lives as a Giver and Gift: “He did not spare His own Son,” and He gave Him “for us all.”
“From the shining cloud the Father’s voice is heard: this is my beloved Son, listen to him.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Today you are making this agreement with the LORD: he is to be your God and you are to walk in his ways and observe his statutes, commandments and decrees, and to hearken to his voice.” (Dt 26: 17)
“Hearken to His voice” means not only to “listen” but also to “obey.” When we listen to the Lord’s “statutes, commandments and decrees,” it doesn’t mean, unfortunately, that we automatically will obey. Our God reminds us how important it is not only to listen but also “to walk in his ways and observe” His commands and how important it is for Him to be obeyed. All His “ways, statutes, commandments and decrees” are directed to the same goal—to be where He is and to love like He loves.
“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)
We can see in today’s Gospel what is more important for our Lord: our “gift to the altar” or “reconciliation with our brothers” There is no true prayer or true gifts we can bring to the altar where there is no true relationship with our brothers and sisters. It is like being a perfect father/mother for a child but having no relationship with a spouse. Agere sequitur esse—action follows being. When we are reconciled with our brothers, we are closer to God because we are created in His image and likeness, and His mission on earth was to reconcile us with God and each other.
“Cast away from you all the creatures you have committed, says the LORD, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him. ‘Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.’” (Mt 7: 11-12)
One of my favorite phrases in the Bible: “how much more.” Our God is beyond all kind of competition; if we love–He loves more, if we respect–He respects more, if we give ourselves to Him–He gives more. It is so joyful just to think about this: “how much more…” And one of the possibilities for us is to do the same with our friends and “others.” Make others more happy and joyful.
“A clean heart create for me, O God; give me back the joy of your salvation.” (Gospel Acclamation)
