“We always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you…”(2 Tes 1:11-12)
We could be the place of God’s glory. He made us into His temple, worthy of His calling and can “bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith.” All of this with respect to our free will because we are in His image and likeness. We could be… The only thing we need is: “we always pray for you.” We need people of prayer, our true friends, who will take care of us and who will protect us by prayer.
“My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.” (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)
Peter’s identity connects him with Jesus, is based on Him and His identity. The more we are connected with Our Lord, the more we understand our unique vocation, our role in this world. It could be as simple as being a married couple or more difficult like being a pope, but it shoulb be always related to Him.
“You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“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 22:36-40)
Loving God and loving our neighbors aren’t separated. “The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments,” teaches us Our Lord. Love should be total, covering all dimensions: the heart, soul and mind. Our Lady, today venerated as a Queen, gives us the perfect example how to love, as a Mother of God and Man.
“At your right stands the queen in robes of gold, finally arrayed.” (Entrance Antiphon)
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Mt 23:12)
Always a difficult subject: does he “exalt himself” or just promotes himself, is he or she humble or pathologically shy… The answer to these questions becomes much easier when we focus on how much we are connected with God while doing something. IF I do it alone—I am in danger of an excessive pride or a false humility, when I’m united with Him—I am protected.
“Here is a wise virgin, from among the number of the prudent, who went forth with lighted lamp to meet Christ.” (Entrance Antiphon)
“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 22:36-40)
Loving God and loving our neighbors aren’t separated. “The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments,” teaches us Our Lord. Love should be total, covering all dimensions: the heart, soul and mind. Our Lady, today venerated as a Queen, gives us the perfect example how to love, as a Mother of God and Man.
“At your right stands the queen in robes of gold, finally arrayed.” (Entrance Antiphon)
“For I will take you away from among the nations, gather you from all the foreign lands, and bring you back to your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees.” (Ez 36:24-27)
God’s activity and ours: He will take you away; He will gather you; He will bring you back; He will sprinkle clean water and cleanse you; He will give you a new heart and a new spirit; He will take from your body your stony heart and give you a natural heart; He will put His spirit within you and make you live by His statues; ours—observe His decrees. Do you see any disproportion? His main “decree” calls us just to love one another.
“The Good Shepherd has laid down his life for his sheep.” (Communion Antiphon)
“‘Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?’ … ‘If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ He asked him, ‘Which ones?’ And Jesus replied, ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Mt 19:16-19)
Not even one word about the duties towards God. Did God forget about Himself? “To gain eternal life” we need “only” to protect our relationships with others. Every single commandment protects the dignity of persons. From God’s perspective, from God, who became Man for our salvation this is like abbreviation, shortcut: by respecting my creation, and the dignity of persons, you will respect me. They are my image and likeness. What dignity do we have!
“With the Lord there is mercy; in him is plentiful redemption.” (Communion Antiphon)
“Children were brought to Jesus that he might lay his hands on them and pray… After he placed his hands on them, he went away.” (Mt 19:13.15)
Our children are not ours, because we can’t posses persons. Even the smallest child, totally dependent from its parents, has his/her dignity and is independent as a person. God “from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named” (Eph 3:15) shares His fatherhood with parents. The best what parents can do is to bring their child/children to Jesus. Their children, blessed by Jesus, will go back to their parents, to be protected and prepared to discover, someday, their vocation. With His blessing everything becomes simpler.
“Seek first the kingdom od God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides, says the Lord.” (Communion Antiphon)
“Christ has been raised from the dead… Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ…” (1 Cor 15:20. 23)
We are pilgrims on our pilgrimage of faith to heaven where Our Lady leads us. “Christ the firstfruits then those who belong to Christ.” Our Lady became the first follower and first “student” of Our Lord. We can be assured that she will mold us perfectly because, like Jesus was formed in her womb, we can also be formed by her, to be like her Son if we simply ask. And Our Lady’s reaction will be the same like with Elizabeth: she will come “in haste.”
“A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon beneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” (Entrance Antiphon)
“Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Mt 18:19-20)
Every parent knows how important is unity in the family. Different requirements or expectations, different rules from Mam and Dad can damage family life. Heavenly Father as a father protects us and teaches us to gather together in His name. In this simple way we can invite Him “in the midst” of us.
“God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” (Gospel Acclamation)
