“Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness…” (Phil 2: 5-7)

God’s love for us is full of action—“emptied himself”—“taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness.” Love assimilates and is as close as possible to its object. Our Lord is more concerned about our lives than about His; abandoning His privileges is natural for Him.

“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)

“Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also everyone for those of others.” (Phil 2: 3-4)

I and my own interests or others—the simple test of selfishness or vainglory. Who is more important for me: others or myself? The only way to fulfill my life is to be a gift of self. It is too difficult to be a gift of self when I am more important then others.

“Amen, I say to you: That you who have left all and followed me will receive a hundredfold and possess eternal life.” (Communion Antiphon)

“For we know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent, should be destroyed, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in heaven.” (2 Cor 5: 1)

Today we celebrate All Souls Day (All the Faithful Departed). Every priest has the privilege of celebrating three Masses, and every Mass has its own readings. Every reading is focused on the same subject—we are beloved children of God, invited to be with Him in heaven. He gave us His Son to redeem us from our sins and sanctified us by the Holy Spirit to bring us Home. “We have a building from God, eternal in heaven,” so never homeless, always expected, always loved and important.

“This is the will of my Father, says the Lord, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life.” (Gospel Acclamation)

“See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (1 Jn 3: 1)

We are the children of God. When we believe this, we can recognize the dignity of other people more easily. When “the world does not know” Him, it does not know us, either.

Today we are surrounded by all saints. They recognized Him and His love, they recognized dignity of others, and respected it. And He made them holy.

“Let us rejoice in the Lord, as we celebrate the feast day in honor of all the Saints, at whose festival the Angels rejoice and praise the Son of God.” (Entrance Antiphon)

“And this is my prayer: that your love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.” (Phil 1: 9-11)

There is no end to the possibility of increasing in love. It is quite similar to the case with heat and light: heat could be hotter and light could be greater. It can’t happen with cold and dark because… they don’t exist; cold is just the absence of heat and dark is the absence of light.

“Thus says the Lord: Let whoever is thirsty come to me and drink. Streams of living water will flow from within the one who believes in me.” (Communion Antiphon)

“And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Eph 6: 17)

A very special equipment for spiritual warriors. We are not defenseless; we are armed. We can fight against temptations from the devil protected by “the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit;” we can cling to the word of God and seek His strength.

“Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice; turn to the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face.”

“…but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, willingly serving the Lord and not men, knowing that each will be requited from the Lord for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.” (Eph 6: 6-8)

God created us in His image and likeness to multiply good on Earth. “The will of God” is only one: to enable our hearts to love like He loves. He is so generous and looks “for whatever good we do;” He is quick to requite any act of goodness.

“We will ring out our joy at your saving help and exult in the name of our God.” (Communion Antiphon)

“You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.” (Eph 2: 19-20)

Even if we are citizens of particular countries, we have a homeland, a place which is our destination, a place where we are expected. We are God’s children, “members of the household of God,” more at home in His home than at home when we are at our homes. He always looks at us as “fellow citizens,” “the holy ones, members of His household” rather than as “strangers” or “sojourners.”

“Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him.”

“Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.” (Eph 5: 1-2)

Whatever good we received, we received this from Christ. We are God’s beloved children, and we are unconditionally loved. Our way is to live in love—to be imitators of God. An “imitator” means a person who copies the behavior or actions of another person. The more we meditate on His love, words and gestures, the more we understand and the more we are able to imitate Him. The best “meditator” is the best imitator.

“Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice; turn to the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face.” (Entrance Antiphon)

“…a scholar of the law tested him by asking, ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” (Mt 22: 35-40)

Such a simple rule: we shall love. This is the first and the last reason for our life. Our dreams and our plans, our actions and our thoughts, our work and our vacations should be focused on one thing—how to put all our hearts, all our souls, and all our minds to love to the Lord, our God. The love to our neighbor as ourselves is a little bit easier. We know a minimum: Do not do anything to make others feel uncomfortable. But putting all our hearts, souls and minds into loving God is a much bigger challenge and adventure for all our lives.

“Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice; turn to the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face.” (Entrance Antiphon)