“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” (JN 14: 27)
We can’t eliminate from our lives difficult moments, unexpected turns of events or bad news. We can’t eliminate them, but we can be guardians of our hearts, which should be protected from any troubles or fears. Our hearts, united by prayer with God, will help us keep our faith and hope in Him, Who is our merciful and powerful Father and Who takes care of us in any kind of situation. Our hearts are responsible for directing us to Him as an answer and solution for all of these problems. We can find this theological sense in a popular song: “in every life we have some trouble, when you worry, you make it double, so don’t worry.”
“Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead, and so enter into his glory.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid. But he said to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.” They wanted to take him into the boat, but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading.” (JN 6: 19-21)
“It is I” or literally—I AM, is not only reassurance given to His disciples, but also a self-revelation. “I am” was the name revealed by God to Moses at the burning bush.
The ancient fathers used to say: we listen to the story, let’s move to the mystery. This story was about Our Lord and His disciples, but the mystery is about His presence in our lives: when we are in the boat, far away from the land, when it is dark, when “the sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing” and when we are tired. Tired because after a long day with a lot of activities, when our plan to rest in the afternoon somehow disappeared after phone calls, when an important project is not finished and when everything is not as it should be. This is His specific place He chose to be with us. He put His victorious cross not on the top of our achievements but on the top of our sins. He is our help and our consolation. He talks to us every day: “It is I, do not be afraid.” It is I, who chose you, redeemed you, support you, lead you and protect you. You are never alone. I am always with you. Always, because I love you forever and I will be waiting for you when your days are done to take you back home, where you will be in my loving arms forever. When we invite Him to our fears in our boat, “the boat immediately arrives at the shore to which we are heading.”
“Christ is risen, who made all things; he has shown mercy on all people.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Mt 25, 40)
Unbelievable union—“one of these least brothers” and Jesus are connected: whatever you did for any other person you did for Jesus. This is always fundamental for any kind of relationship but how unique for married couples, where all these situations are experienced on a daily basis: hungry and thirsty for love and acceptance, alienated with our different habits and behaviors, absolutely transparent (naked) with our motivations, and weak and trapped with weaknesses. A spouse could be an answer for all these needs.
“Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a great distance.” (Mk 8: 2-3)
Our Lord takes care of so many things in our lives: not only when we are sick, or alone, or abandoned, but also when we are “on the way” or when “some of us have come a great distance.” At that time it was bread and fish, but now it is He Himself with His word. His word is an answer for all our needs. Let Him come to our hearts and make miracles.
“One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, ‘Ephphatha!’ (that is, ‘Be opened!’). And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly.” (Mk 7: 32-35)
All of us have some “speech impediment.” Sometimes it is closed ears, not being able to listen to the requests or needs of my neighbors; sometimes it is using the tongue all the time with sarcasm or seeing only “my point of view,” and at other times, it is incessant groaning that nobody takes care of us. It is very good if we have friends who will beg “Our Lord to lay his hands on us.” Our Lord, so respectful and very delicate, will take us “by himself away from the crowd and will say to us, ‘Ephphatha!’ (that is, ‘Be opened!’).” It is so good when we can speak plainly: with gentleness, respect, freedom, creativity, and joy, having time not only to speak but also to listen… Speak plainly.
“Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him.”
God, who is Trinity, when He created us “in His divine image, after His likeness,” knows perfectly that “it is not good for the man to be alone,” so He created “a suitable partner for him.” When we are in relationship, sometimes we are focused on our differences, which can make us from time to time even angry, forgetting that “suitable partner” is first of all an answer for our loneliness and doesn’t mean: someone like me.
“Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls.” (Gospel acclamation)
Homily, 8th of February 2015
Very early before dawn
“Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.” (Mk 1: 34)
The Bible is full of precise descriptions about timing: “when it was evening, after sunset,” “very early before dawn.” For the Evangelists this was so important, so we can enter into Our Lord’s life more fully. It is not only about prayer—“he prayed,” but also about place—“a deserted place” and time—“very early before dawn.” It helps us to imitate His life and connect with Him at the right time knowing how important it was for Him. For Our Lord evening was for serving others, but morning was for God. Sometimes we give to God what remains of our day, but Jesus gave the beginning of the day to prayer.
“Christ took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Let your life be free from love of money but be content with what you have, for he has said, I will never forsake you or abandon you. Thus we may say with confidence: ‘The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?’” (Heb 13: 5-6)
Our Lord’s protection and presence with us is unlimited: “I will never forsake or abandon you.” It is about all the aspects of our lives, including when we are afraid about our financial situation. When He is the center of our lives and when we pray to understand His will and to follow His commandments, He will take care of us. When we put our trust in money, not in Him, we could be in danger, especially because of “love of money.” So He reminds us: “be free from love of money… I will never forsake you.”
“Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart, and yield a harvest through perseverance.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“…you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled Blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.” (Heb 12: 22-24)
In our pilgrimage to “Mount Zion and the city of the living God,” we are never alone, never abandoned, but always surrounded by saints and protected by God Himself. Especially Jesus, “the mediator of a new covenant,” no matter what, is consistently with us with His grace, company and support. And when we are in trouble or even in sins, His “Blood speaks eloquently” and loudly to protect us and to save us because of His love for us. We are His chosen children.
“The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one be deprived of the grace of God, that no bitter root spring up and cause trouble, through which many may become defiled.” (Heb 12: 14-15)
“Bitter root” can “spring up and cause trouble, through which many may become defiled.” It sounds like we are responsible for “bitter root.” We should check everyday our “planet,” like the famous Little Prince, and look for any trace of bitterness in our lives because bitterness can cause trouble not only in our lives but also in the lives of our loved ones. “Strive for peace with everyone” looks like a good solution and a good strategy against bitterness. If we add a pinch of humor, this also helps.
“My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.” (Gospel Acclamation)
