Day 29 (Week 3 - Seeking to know Jesus more)

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today’s Gospel (Luke 6:27-38) helps us to know Christ, as He speaks of His Father. This relationship with God as Father is very important for us to hear, but before I share today’s commentary on this portion of Luke’s Gospel, I’d like to share this passage from Matthew 11:25 -30:

… I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him. Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.

In today’s Gospel from Luke, Jesus speaks about the Father’s Mercy and about our need to be perfect as the Father is perfect in Mercy. This is really the ultimate end of our journey on earth: union with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the perfection of charity. Forgiveness is crucial to our understanding of Jesus and the Father Who sent Him. We need to listen to Jesus, learning from Him by the power of the Holy Spirit as Mary did. We need to become like children – trusting in the One who loves us and Who knows what we need and is willing to help us. Will we turn away from the difficulties of following Him who loved us so much He died for us? How can we refuse to forgive, when God has forgiven us so much? Here is the commentary for today’s Gospel:

Commentary of the day - Saint Maximus the Confessor (c.580-662), monk and theologian - “Be merciful as your Father is merciful”

Don’t attach yourself to the suspicions or the persons of those who would tempt you to become scandalized about certain things. Because those who, in one way or another, are scandalized by what comes their way, whether they wanted it to or not, are unmindful of the way of peace that, through love, guides those who are caught up by it to knowledge of God.

Anyone who is still swayed by other people’s characters and who, for example, loves one but hates another, or who sometimes loves, sometimes hates the same person for the same reasons, does not as yet have perfect love. Perfect love does not split men’s common nature because some of them have different personalities but, always regarding that nature, it loves all equally. It loves the virtuous as friends and the wicked as enemies, doing good to them, bearing with them with patience, enduring what comes from them, paying no attention to malice, going so far as to suffer for them if the opportunity presents itself. So it makes friends of them if at all possible. Or, at the least, it is faithful to itself, always showing its fruits to all alike. Our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, demonstrating the love he bears us, suffered for all humankind and proffered the hope of resurrection to all alike even though each individually, by his works, calls upon himself glory or punishment.

Come Holy Spirit and enable us to hear Jesus and be one with Him in offering forgiveness and love to others. Litany of the Holy Spirit HERE
Mary, our Mother, pray for us that we may learn from Jesus as you did, by the Holy Spirit, to be childlike, meek and humble of heart before our Father. Ave Maris Stella HERE and Jesus, we trust in You! Litany of the Name of Jesus HERE

 

[liturgy96]

Lord, let Your mercy be on us! We pray that You help us grow in mercy and compassion day by day; we pray as well for those who have been hurt so much and cannot find it in their hearts to forgive.

 

[Amiciel]

Dear MariaChristi, Thank you for making available these 33 days’ reflective preparation for Consecration. It’s a great help and encouragement for those seeking to make their Marian Consecration on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows… and for those simply renewing their Consecration on Monday. God bless you and all of us!

 

[Amiciel]

Dear MariaChristi, Thank you for making available these 33 days’ reflective preparation for Consecration. It’s a great help and encouragement for those seeking to make their Marian Consecration on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows… and for those simply renewing their Consecration on Monday. God bless you and all of us!

I meant Tuesday (not Monday), Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.

 

[MariaChristi]

Lord, let Your mercy be on us! We pray that You help us grow in mercy and compassion day by day; we pray as well for those who have been hurt so much and cannot find it in their hearts to forgive.

Dear liturgy96,

How we need His Mercy! Thanks so much for your reply, and your prayer for those who have been hurt by others. It is so important for us to pray for all - especially those who are in most need of His Mercy. Praying the “Our Father” helps us to forgive; Jesus taught us the words:

Forgive us AS we forgive those who trespass against us

How can we refuse mercy, even while God offers His Son for us to be forgiven. Mary, Mother of Sorrows teach us to forgive as you and Jesus forgave on Calvary. Holy Spirit, let the Fire of Your Love melt our hardened hearts. Make our hearts like the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

 

[MariaChristi]

I meant Tuesday (not Monday), Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.

Dear Amiciel,

Thanks for your reply and yes, our Consecration or renewal of Consecration to Jesus through Mary is prayed on Tuesday, Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, Sept. 15. Our 33 Day Preparation/Journey ends on Monday, Sept 14 – also a beautiful Feast of the Exultation of the Holy Cross. How appropriately the Church has Mary’s feast following that of her Son! How fitting that we see them together on Calvary with the Beloved Disciple John in our place, at the foot of Jesus’ Cross to hear those precious words: “Behold your Mother”