“He was told, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.’ He said to them in reply, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.’” (Lk 8: 20-21)
We are connected with people by blood or marriage, by education or profession, by workplace or birthplace, by parish or prayer group and in many other ways. With Our Lord we are also connected in many ways: as God’s children, as participants in His Body and Blood, and incorporated into His Holy Church; by listening to the Word of God and by acting on it. Our Lord is looking for any occasion to make us members of His family – the important ones, like His mother or brother.
“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities… who provided for them out of their resources.” (Lk 8: 1-3)
Our Lord created it as a joint venture, important for “preaching and proclaiming the good news.” The Twelve and women were chosen by Him, cured by Him and invited to serve the Kingdom of God in two different ways. Preaching without resources is like recourses without preaching—they help you to survive but without a bigger perspective for your life.
“Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor 13: 13)
A well-known triad: faith, hope and love; the foundation of Christian life. The greatest of these is love because it never fails and never ends. In heaven only love will remain; faith will see and hope will be fulfilled. Whatever we do because of love, we come closer to God, and whenever we try to grow in any attribute of love, we act similar to God.
“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)
“Some people God has designated in the Church to be, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues.” (1 Cor 12: 28)
Every gift is important in the Church; no one is more or less meaningful. During our Programs, every element is so significant: a good lecture is connected with good chairs and acoustics, breaks without cake and aromatic coffee or tea are less effective, and workshops without good administration and assistance dont work. We are connected; we are united because we “were all baptized into one Body.”
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst and God has visited his people.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.” (Lk 6: 42)
To be able to see clearly “the splinter” in our brother’s eye, we have to remove “the wooden beam” from our own eyes. Only when we are in the habit of making a daily examination of our conscience, can we help our brothers. The best ever help is Our Lady—I can ask her for help to “remove the wooden beam from my eye” and then, ask her to “remove the splinter” from my brother’s eye. She can do it in truth, in a very delicate way, with compassion and tenderness.
“Your word, O Lord, is truth; consecrate us in the truth.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Rom 12: 2)
How to recognize God’s will? We pray everyday: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Is the will of God for us to be holy, or to do whatever comes to our mind as God’s will, or to spend more time praying; is God’s will very detailed or just general, giving general directions not single steps? Of course everything listed above could be God’s will. We know that finally, whatever we can say about His will could be reduced to “love one another as I have loved you.”
Today we receive a very short reminder, a short instruction, to be sure that we are following the will of God: “what is good and pleasing and perfect.”
First of all—good, objectively good; what we do is right and proper: a good action. Second—pleasing, causing us to feel happy and satisfied: good emotions. Third—perfect; perfect to us today sounds like absolute perfection, but the Greek word here is “teleios”; “teleios” means “mature,” or “complete.” When we have good, right action (like going to church on Sunday) and good emotions (I am so happy being here; I am smiling and fully satisfied), we are mature and complete persons “content to be able to enrich the other with the gift of himself” (HV 9).
“May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our hearts, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to our call.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God.” (1 Cor 1:27-29)
How dangerous is boasting! How carefully God protects the human being from boasting! Our good deeds, our good words, our good interactions and our support for others based on God bring beneficial fruit to the Church. Whatever we have we received from God.
“I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“‘Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.’” (Mt 18: 21-22)
Our perspective, “as many as seven times,” and God’s perspective, “seventy-seven times,” differ. Our Lord never tires of forgiving. He takes our best and makes our hearts more like His. His patience, compassion and unconditional love will guide us through our lives.
“Greater love has no one than to lay down his life for his friends, says the Lord.” (Communion Antiphon)
“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)
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you”… (Jer 1: 5)
I can read these words again and again. All God’s love expressed there helps me to understand my dignity, the reason/purpose for my life and His unconditional love for me. When I encounter difficulties with understanding myself, when I can’t understand my beloved ones and when I feel rejected I can come to God and listen to His words: His word heals.
“The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live for ever.” (Gospel Antiphon)
