“When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law, tested him by asking, ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’” (MT 22: 34-36)
We can ask questions, not to understand something new and difficult, but to test somebody. We ask questions like “would you like some coffee or tea?” because we want coffee or tea or something else. You expect that your spouse will learn something from you and will do it for you next time. And we also can test by asking to prove that he/she forgot, that it was not important to her/him, that she/he only thought about herself/himself. When we ask, because we love, we reach different results.
“Teach me your paths, my God, guide me in your truth.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“The fifteenth day of this seventh month is the LORD’s feast of Booths, which shall continue for seven days. On the first day there shall be a sacred assembly, and you shall do no sort of work. For seven days you shall offer an oblation to the LORD, and on the eighth day you shall again hold a sacred assembly and offer an oblation to the LORD. On that solemn closing you shall do no sort of work.” (LEV 23: 34-36)
Every day and any time during the day is the only time we have for our lives. We have our memories from the past, and we hope that we will have some memories in the future; but the only moment we live is now. The time we have is to love, to grow, to create, to work, to rest and to pray. We also have time for many activities and roles. Sometimes, because there are so many things to do, we become busy being busy. The solution is to remember every day, every week, every month and year, that time is temporary and love is eternal. Practicing our time together, our rituals, we use time for what it was created: to lead us to eternal love in Heaven.
“The word of the Lord remains forever; This is the word that has been proclaimed to you.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” (LK 10: 41-42)
We are very active. We have so many things to do: our work, our family, our friends, our relatives, our Church and many different social responsibilities. Sometimes we are busy being busy because we are running from things to things, living more in “chronos” than in “cairos.” Our Lord asks us today to remember that our actions should be based on our relationships. When we take care of our relationship as a very important priority—like our rituals—our actions will be consistent with who we are.
“Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“He said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’ They answered him, ‘We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’ He said, ‘How were you baptized?’ They replied, ‘With the baptism of John.’” (ACTS 19: 2-3)
Every day we can learn something new about our faith. In a very special way, every retreat is a very special occasion to grow in our relationship with God and in our relationship with our spouses. When we go deeper into our faith, we can go deeper in our understanding of our vocations and our identity.
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“When they heard this, they stopped objecting and glorified God, saying, ‘God has then granted life-giving repentance to the Gentiles too.’” (ACTS 11: 18)
Repentance is a twofold process: we turn away from sins and we turn toward God. If we only turn away from sins, not believing in God, we are like a person in an amazing outfit with no place to go; when we turn toward God, without turning away from our sins, we are like a guest who is invited to a wedding banquet but goes without a proper outfit—we will be asked to leave the place.
“I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” (JN 10: 27-30)
What a significant continuation; yesterday we spoke about “giving [a] hand”; today, Our Lord promises us that “no one can take us out of His hand.” Not only His, but also from His Father’s hand. We are so loved and so protected. When we listen to Him, when we “hear His voice,” and when “we follow Him,” we will “never perish.”
“I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel, and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.’” (ACTS 9: 15-16)
We are all “chosen instruments of” Our Lord to carry His name. Some are chosen to proclaim the Gospel before Gentiles, some before relatives and neighbors, some before kings and some before cameras and a large public. The environment could be different, but this is the same Gospel and the same Lord, Who chose us to serve Him and bring the Good News to many.
“Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood, remains in me and I in him, says the Lord.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 COR 5: 17)
There is always a new chance for us to start again: “the old things have passed away” and “new things have come.” We can always start again protecting our relationship, even though we made some mistakes or forgot how important is our marriage for our children. When we invite Our Lord into our marriages, He always comes with strength and His grace.
“I will get up and go to my Father and shall say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.” (LK 1: 38)
Our world was created because God said the word and “so it was.” Today we celebrate a new creation, the beginning of the redemption and the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord. Our Lady accepted the vocation announced by the Angel: “May it be done to me according to your word.” When we accept our vocations and when we say the same during our daily meditations, we are cooperating with God, bringing glory to His name.
“The Word of God became flesh and made his dwelling among us; and we saw his glory.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, ‘Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,’ when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.” (JON 3: 4-5)
It was Jonah who announced the news: “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,” and “the people of Nineveh believed God.” How important is the role of prophets—they announced God’s will, God’s plans to save our lives. We also started this Lent to cooperate with God’s will and to return to Him with our “whole heart” because He is “gracious and merciful.”
“Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart for I am gracious and merciful.” (Gospel Acclamation)
