General Theme:
The call to holiness
 
General Objective:
Each one can believe and live out the call to holiness
 
Objective of the week:
To realize how Jesus is encouraging us to achieve His happiness

We continue this week praying on the Beatitudes as the path to happiness.
 
   Let us listen again to the Pope through his Apostolic Exhortation “Gaudete et Exsultate” to deepen more about the Beatitudes.
 
   Gaudete et Exsultate (GE) will be the foundation for our reflection during this week as it was in the previous one. 

MONDAY
 Seeing and acting with mercy: that is holiness

Matthew 5:7
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy”
 
GE 80.
Mercy has two aspects. It involves giving, helping and serving others, but it also includes forgiveness and understanding. Matthew 7:12 sums it up in one golden rule: “In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you.”
 
GE 81.
Giving and forgiving means reproducing in our lives some small measure of God’s perfection, which gives and forgives superabundantly. For this reason, in the Gospel of Luke we do not hear the words, “Be perfect” (Mt 5:48), but rather, “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you” (Lk 6:36-38). Luke then adds something not to be overlooked: “The measure you give will be the measure you get back” (6:38). The yardstick we use for understanding and forgiving others will measure the forgiveness we receive. The yardstick we use for giving will measure what we receive. We should never forget this.
               
GE 82.
Jesus does not say, “Blessed are those who plot revenge.” He calls “blessed” those who forgive and do so “seventy times seven” (Mt 18:22). We need to think of ourselves as an army of the forgiven. All of us have been looked upon with divine compassion. If we approach the Lord with sincerity and listen carefully, there may well be times when we hear his reproach: “Should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” (Mt 18:33).
 
Matthew 18:21-35;
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, if my brother keeps on sinning against me, how many times do I have to forgive him? Seven times?” 22 “No, not seven times,” answered Jesus, “but seventy times seven,[a] 23 because the Kingdom of heaven is like this. Once there was a king who decided to check on his servants' accounts. 24 He had just begun to do so when one of them was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. 25 The servant did not have enough to pay his debt, so the king ordered him to be sold as a slave, with his wife and his children and all that he had, in order to pay the debt. 26 The servant fell on his knees before the king. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay you everything!’ 27 The king felt sorry for him, so he forgave him the debt and let him go. 28 “Then the man went out and met one of his fellow servants who owed him a few dollars. He grabbed him and started choking him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he said. 29 His fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back!’ 30 But he refused; instead, he had him thrown into jail until he should pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were very upset and went to the king and told him everything. 32 So he called the servant in. ‘You worthless slave!’ he said. ‘I forgave you the whole amount you owed me, just because you asked me to. 33 You should have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you.’ 34 The king was very angry, and he sent the servant to jail to be punished until he should pay back the whole amount.” 35 And Jesus concluded, “That is how my Father in heaven will treat every one of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
 
Luke 6:36-38;
36 Be merciful just as your Father is merciful. 37 “Do not judge others, and God will not judge you; do not condemn others, and God will not condemn you; forgive others, and God will forgive you. 38 Give to others, and God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands—all that you can hold. The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you.”
 
All of us are receivers of the mercy of God.  His love and mercy is abundant for each one of us and does not keep records of wrongs 1Cor 13:4-5. He forgives and forgets Jer. 31:34. He invites us to do the same to our brothers and sisters. As we receive mercy, we should transmit mercy. We are invited to be transmitters of mercy. Mercy to those who are in need and forgiveness to those who wronged us. We know indeed, that it is not an easy task to do. But if we remember how many times God blot out our transgressions to Him (Is. 43:25) and how His mercy abounds, it will be possible to do it to others. We just have to remember what He has done to us.  We give what we receive. We are indeed His channels of mercy and forgiveness.
 

• Remember all the times God has been merciful and forgiving to you.
• How is God inviting you to be merciful and forgiving to others?

Matthew 5:8
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God”
 
GE 83.
This Beatitude speaks of those whose hearts are simple, pure and undefiled, for a heart capable of love admits nothing that might harm, weaken or endanger that love. The Bible uses the heart to describe our real intentions, the things we truly seek and desire, apart from all appearances. “Man sees the appearance, but the Lord looks into the heart” (1Sam 16:7). God wants to speak to our hearts (cf. Hos 2:16); there he desires to write his law (cf. Jer 31:33). In a word, he wants to give us a new heart (cf. Ezek 36:26).
               
GE 84.
“Guard your heart with all vigilance” (Prov 4:23). Nothing stained by falsehood has any real worth in the Lord’s eyes. The Father, “who sees in secret” (Mt 6:6), recognizes what is impure and insincere, mere display or appearance, as does the Son, who knows “what is in man” (cf. Jn 2:25).
               
GE 85.
Certainly, there can be no love without works of love, but this Beatitude reminds us that the Lord expects a commitment to our brothers and sisters that comes from the heart. In Matthew’s Gospel too, we see that what proceeds from the heart is what defiles a person (cf. 15:18), for from the heart comes murder, theft, false witness, and other evil deeds (cf. 15:19). From the heart’s intentions come the desires and the deepest decisions that determine our actions.
  
Matthew 15:15-20;
Peter spoke up, “Explain this saying to us.” Jesus said to them, “You are still no more intelligent than the others. Don't you understand? Anything that goes into your mouth goes into your stomach and then out of your body. But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these are the things that make you ritually unclean. For from your heart come the evil ideas which lead you to kill, commit adultery, and do other immoral things; to rob, lie, and slander others. These are the things that make you unclean. But to eat without washing your hands as they say you should—this doesn't make you unclean.”
 
Holiness comes from a change from within our heart. Humans can easily be fooled by looking at the physical appearance or actions but God sees beyond all this - He sees what’s in our heart and minds. He knows us. Yet He waits on us.

• What are the things that I keep in my heart? Do I also keep things (thoughts, emotions) that can make me lose sight of how it is to truly love?
• In what ways can I exercise being true and pure in loving others?​

Matthew 5:9
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God”
               
GE 87.
This Beatitude makes us think of the many endless situations of war in our world. Yet we ourselves are often a cause of conflict or at least of misunderstanding. For example, I may hear something about someone and I go off and repeat it. I may even embellish it the second time around and keep spreading it… And the more harm it does, the more satisfaction I seem to derive from it. The world of gossip, inhabited by negative and destructive people, does not bring peace. Such people are really the enemies of peace; in no way are they “blessed.”
               
GE 88.
Peacemakers truly “make” peace; they build peace and friendship in society. To those who sow peace Jesus makes this magnificent promise: “They will be called children of God” (Mt 5:9). The word of God exhorts every believer to work for peace, “along with all who call upon the Lord with a pure heart” (cf. 2 Tim 2:22), for “the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (Jas 3:18). And if there are times in our community when we question what ought to be done, “let us pursue what makes for peace” (Rom 14:19), for unity is preferable to conflict.”
               
GE 89.
It is not easy to “make” this evangelical peace, which excludes no one but embraces even those who are a bit odd, troublesome or difficult, demanding, different, beaten down by life or simply uninterested. It is hard work; it calls for great openness of mind and heart, since it is not about creating “a consensus on paper or a transient peace for a contented minority,” or a project “by a few for the few.” Nor can it attempt to ignore or disregard conflict; instead, it must “face conflict head on, resolve it and make it a link in the chain of a new process.” We need to be artisans of peace, for building peace is a craft that demands serenity, creativity, sensitivity and skill.
Jn 14.27; 27 “Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.
 
Mark 9:50;
50 “Salt is good; but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? “Have the salt of friendship among yourselves, and live in peace with one another.”
 
Ephesians 2:11-18;
11 You Gentiles by birth—called “the uncircumcised” by the Jews, who call themselves the circumcised (which refers to what men do to their bodies)—remember what you were in the past. 12 At that time you were apart from Christ. You were foreigners and did not belong to God's chosen people. You had no part in the covenants, which were based on God's promises to his people, and you lived in this world without hope and without God. 13 But now, in union with Christ Jesus you, who used to be far away, have been brought near by the blood of Christ.[a] 14 For Christ himself has brought us peace by making Jews and Gentiles one people. With his own body he broke down the wall that separated them and kept them enemies. 15 He abolished the Jewish Law with its commandments and rules, in order to create out of the two races one new people in union with himself, in this way making peace. 16 By his death on the cross Christ destroyed their enmity; by means of the cross he united both races into one body and brought them back to God. 17 So Christ came and preached the Good News of peace to all—to you Gentiles, who were far away from God, and to the Jews, who were near to him. 18 It is through Christ that all of us, Jews and Gentiles, are able to come in the one Spirit into the presence of the Father.
 
God trusts us so much as "makers of peace." GE 89 says," we need to be artisans of peace for building peace is a craft that demands serenity, creativity, sensitivity and skill." Who can teach us this craft and skill of being a peacemaker? It is only Jesus, for he is the real source of peace. Let us listen to Jesus as he tells us that he needs us to be the "peacemakers that truly builds peace and friendship in society."(GE88) He encourages us to be  "sowers of peace "in the whole face of the earth. GE 88 says, "To those who sow peace, Jesus makes this magnificent promise; "They will be called children of God."(Mt.5:9) How can we become the sowers of peace, when we are not connected to the very source of peace? Jn 14:27 says, " Peace is what I leave with you, it is my own peace that I give." These are concrete words from Jesus telling us to connect to him strongly each day as trusted peacemakers. How? By being faithful to our commitment in our daily prayer as Verbum Dei disciples. It is in this way that we can listen to the words of God. The WORD that allows us to personally encounter Jesus and learn from him on how to become real peacemakers of today. We are also reminded of the importance of the Holy Eucharist as the center of everything as  makers of peace. For it is the great moment where Jesus gives himself to us. In this way  we can receive the "seeds of peace" that can readily be sown wherever we are: home, school, work, and neighborhood. Let us be attentive to what Jesus will be telling us on how to sow peace. Though, Jesus is very clear  that sowing peace entails hard work. But he assures us that he will be the one to capacitate us in everything we need. What is to be a peacemaker in action? To forgive , ready to ask forgiveness, and to show kindness and mercy for others even in our own human judgment they don't deserve it. To practice having a sincere listening ear and many other acts of kindness, mercy, and love for others with all humility. As a peacemaker of today's society, are you aware of the so-called "World of Gossip"? It is the number one cause of many conflicts nowadays. GE 87 says,"The world of gossip inhabited by negative and destructive people, does not bring peace. Such people are really the enemies of peace; in no way are they blessed." Today we are invited to fix our eyes on Jesus. For he wanted us to walk the path of holiness being sowers of peace. Let us be open in mind and heart to his words in Mk 9:50 that says, "Salt is good; but if it loses its saltiness, how can  you make it salty again? Have the salt of friendship among yourselves, and live in peace with one another. "Mother Mary , Queen of Peace, Pray for us.”
 

• How do you see yourself as an artisan of peace?
• Are you determined to pursue peace in the middle of the world of gossip?

Matthew 5:10
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”           
GE 90. Jesus himself warns us that the path he proposes goes against the flow, even making us challenge society by the way we live and, as a result, becoming a nuisance. He reminds us how many people have been, and still are, persecuted simply because they struggle for justice, because they take seriously their commitment to God and to others. Unless we wish to sink into an obscure mediocrity, let us not long for an easy life, for “whoever would save his life will lose it” (Mt 16:25).
 
GE 91.
In living the Gospel, we cannot expect that everything will be easy, for the thirst for power and worldly interests often stands in our way.
               
GE 92.
Whatever weariness and pain we may experience in living the commandment of love and following the way of justice, the cross remains the source of our growth and sanctification. We must never forget that when the New Testament tells us that we will have to endure suffering for the Gospel’s sake, it speaks precisely of persecution (cf. Acts 5:41; Phil 1:29; Col 1:24; 2 Tim 1:12; 1 Pet 2:20, 4:14-16; Rev 2:10).
               
GE 94.
Persecutions are not a reality of the past, for today too we experience them, whether by the shedding of blood, as is the case with so many contemporary martyrs, or by more subtle means, by slander and lies. Jesus calls us blessed when people “utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account” (Mt 5:11). At other times, persecution can take the form of gibes that try to caricature our faith and make us seem ridiculous.
 
Matthew 5: 11-12;
11 “Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy and glad, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. This is how the prophets who lived before you were persecuted.
 
Matthew 7:13-14;
13 “Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it. 14 But the gate to life is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard, and there are few people who find it.
 
Acts 5:41;
41 As the apostles left the Council, they were happy, because God had considered them worthy to suffer disgrace for the sake of Jesus.
 
Philippians 1:29;
29 For you have been given the privilege of serving Christ, not only by believing in him, but also by suffering for him.
1 Pe 2:20 “For what credit is there if you endure the beatings you deserve for having done wrong? But if you endure suffering even when you have done right, God will bless you for it.”
 
1Peter 4:14-16
“Happy are you if you are insulted because you are Christ's followers; this means that the glorious Spirit, the Spirit of God, is resting on you. If you suffer, it must not be because you are a murderer or a thief or a criminal or a meddler in other people's affairs. However, if you suffer because you are a Christian, don't be ashamed of it, but thank God that you bear Christ's name.”
 
The love of God covers the multitude of sins. Humans as we are, frail and vulnerable to the deceptions of the world, are called to be holy. The heart of Jesus welcomes everyone who humbly turns to Him. He knows all our struggles, problems, and pains; yet, we must learn to embrace them as Jesus does to his cross. To embrace our cross is to embrace Jesus; we suffer for him and with him, where we can find meaning, fulfillment, and joy. It is a process of emptying ourselves so that Christ may be in us making our life as living witnesses of the Gospel. Witnessing is difficult because it is against the invitation of the world where persecutions like personal judgment, labeling, ridicule, and indifference are evident, but an opportunity to be holy. It is an awakening that prayer is essential that we need Jesus and fix our eyes on Him so not to be carried by our pride and any temptations. A call to be humble before the Lord to have the strength and endure temptations and persecutions to remain holy and close to Him. As St. Paul says: "For you have been given the privilege of serving Christ, not only by believing in Him, but also by suffering for Him."(Phil. 1:29)  And St. Peter emphasizes: "Happy are you if you are insulted because you are Christ's followers, this means that the glorious Spirit, the Spirit of God is resting on you." (1P 4:14)
 

• How do I behave when I experience persecution?
  
• How do I perceive my persecutions, do I look at it as an opportunity to pray and trust in God?

GE 95.
In Mt 25: 31-46, Jesus expands on the Beatitudes that call the merciful blessed. If we seek the holiness pleasing to God’s eyes, this text offers us one clear criterion on which we will be judged.
               
GE 96.
Holiness, then, is not about swooning in mystic rapture. As Saint John Paul II said: “If we truly start out anew from the contemplation of Christ, we must learn to see him especially in the faces of those with whom he himself wished to be identified”. Mt 25:35-36 is a call to recognize him in the poor and the suffering. In this passage is revealed the very heart of Christ, his deepest feelings and choices, which every saint seeks to imitate.           
 
GE 104.
We may think that we give glory to God only by our worship and prayer, or simply by following certain ethical norms. It is true that the primacy belongs to our relationship with God, but we cannot forget that the ultimate criterion on which our lives will be judged is what we have done for others. Prayer is most precious, for it nourishes a daily commitment to love. Our worship becomes pleasing to God when we devote ourselves to living generously, and allow God’s gift, granted in prayer, to be shown in our concern for our brothers and sisters.
 
GE 109.
The powerful witness of the saints is revealed in their lives, shaped by the Beatitudes and the criterion of the final judgement. Jesus’ words are few and  straightforward, yet practical and valid for everyone, for Christianity is meant above all to be put into practice. It can also be an object of study and reflection, but only to help us better live the Gospel in our daily lives. I recommend rereading these great biblical texts frequently, referring back to them, praying with them, trying to embody them. They will benefit us; they will make us genuinely happy.
 
Matthew 25:31-46;
31 “When the Son of Man comes as King and all the angels with him, he will sit on his royal throne, 32 and the people of all the nations will be gathered before him. Then he will divide them into two groups, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the righteous people at his right and the others at his left. 34 Then the King will say to the people on his right, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father! Come and possess the kingdom which has been prepared for you ever since the creation of the world. 35 I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you received me in your homes, 36 naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me, in prison and you visited me.’ 37 The righteous will then answer him, ‘When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? 38 When did we ever see you a stranger and welcome you in our homes, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ 40 The King will reply, ‘I tell you, whenever you did this for one of the least important of these followers of mine, you did it for me!’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Away from me, you that are under God's curse! Away to the eternal fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels! 42 I was hungry but you would not feed me, thirsty but you would not give me a drink; 43 I was a stranger but you would not welcome me in your homes, naked but you would not clothe me; I was sick and in prison but you would not take care of me.’ 44 Then they will answer him, ‘When, Lord, did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and we would not help you?’ 45 The King will reply, ‘I tell you, whenever you refused to help one of these least important ones, you refused to help me.’ 46 These, then, will be sent off to eternal punishment, but the righteous will go to eternal life.”
 
Luke 11:28;
28 But Jesus answered, “Rather, how happy are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”
 
Matthew 7:13;
13 “Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it. 
 
Jesus summarizes our should be disposition and attitude (Be Attitude) in the Beatitudes in our pursuit to holiness (The desire of God for all of us and the fulfillment of our life here on earth). Jesus is inviting us and showing us how to live this life, it may sound challenging and difficult but the narratives of the life of the saints would tell us and encourage us more to live this life of holiness with our life coach and master Jesus Christ. He always understands our baby steps and side sways,  He is there supporting us all the way to our process of becoming holy, be still, be patient, it is a daily exercise and conversion of heart till we get used to it and become a way of living, honoring and praising God always in all circumstances till the end of our life.
 

• What concrete Beatitude Jesus is inviting you to live today?
• If today you hear His voice harden not your hearts, what's the invitation for me?

1st Reading:                          Dn 7:13-14
Psalm                                      Ps 93:1, 1-2, 5
2nd Reading:                        Rv 1:5-8
Gospel:                                  Jn 18:33b-37

General Theme:
The call to holiness
 
General Objective:
Each one can believe and live out the call to holiness
 
Objective of the week:
To realize how Jesus is encouraging us to achieve His happiness

We continue our prayer during this week on THE CALL TO HOLINESS. The Chapter Three of Gaudete and Exsultate is entitled “In the light of the Master.” Pope Francis explains about The Beatitudes (Mt 5:3-12; Lk 6:20-23) related to holiness.
 
   Gaudete et Exsultate 64. The word “happy” or “blessed” thus becomes a synonym for “holy.” It expresses the fact that those faithful to God and his word, by their self-giving, gain true happiness.
​
   Gaudete et Exsultate 63. There can be any number of theories about what constitutes holiness, with various explanations and distinctions. Such reflection may be useful, but nothing is more enlightening than turning to Jesus’ words and seeing his way of teaching the truth. Jesus explained with great simplicity what it means to be holy when he gave us the Beatitudes (cf. Mt 5:3-12; Lk 6:20-23). The Beatitudes are like a Christian’s identity card. So, if anyone asks: “What must one do to be a good Christian?” the answer is clear. We have to do, each in our own way, what Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount. In the Beatitudes, we find a portrait of the Master, which we are called to reflect in our daily lives.
 
   We will pray on chapter III of Gaudete et Exsultate for two weeks. It may be a guide to assimilate and live in our daily life not only the Word of God but also the teaching of Pope Francis. For us, disciples of Jesus and Catholics, it is very necessary to listen to the voice of the Vicar of Christ.
 
   The titles of every day are also taken from Gaudete et Exsultate. Let us give thanks to God for this opportunity to get closer to Him. At the same time, we realize that this path to holiness entails daily options during our earthly life.
 
(Note: In all our quotations from Gaudete et Exsultate we will write the abbreviation GE)

MONDAY
 Going against the flow

GE 65.
Although Jesus’ words may strike us as poetic, they clearly run counter to the way things are usually done in our world. Even if we find Jesus’ message attractive, the world pushes us towards another way of living. The Beatitudes are in no way trite or undemanding, quite the opposite. We can only practice them if the Holy Spirit fills us with his power and frees us from our weakness, our selfishness, our complacency and our pride.

GE 66.
Let us listen once more to Jesus, with all the love and respect that the Master deserves. Let us allow his words to unsettle us, to challenge us and to demand a real change in the way we live. Otherwise, holiness will remain no more than an empty word. We turn now to the individual Beatitudes in the Gospel of Matthew (cf. Mt 5:3-12).
 
Romans 8:1-2,5-6;
 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you[a] free from the law of sin and death.
 
Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
 
Galatians 5:1,13-17; 
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
 
13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want.
 
John 16:33;
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

The values of the world dictate us to go with the flow, of what is easy, comfortable and pleasurable. These worldly values shun us from the values of our Master, Jesus Christ  who taught us to love unconditionally and to sacrifice. The call to holiness is a call to go against the flow. Our being blessed is a choice to live the Beatitudes in our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit. This choice is freedom Gal 5:5 and will set us free from worldly attachments/values that are opposed to the Holy Spirit. Jesus knows how difficult it is to live against the flow but He reminds us to be trusting and have confidence in Him in Jn 33:16 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
 

• What is/are the challenge/s you are facing in going against the flow?
• How can you be firm and stand up for Jesus in face of worldly insinuation?

Matthew 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”
 
GE 67.
The Gospel invites us to peer into the depths of our heart, to see where we find our security in life. Usually, the rich feel secure in their wealth, and think that, if that wealth is threatened, the whole meaning of their earthly life can collapse. Jesus himself tells us this in the parable of the rich fool: he speaks of a man who was sure of himself, yet foolish, for it did not dawn on him that he might die that very day (cf. Lk 12:16-21).
 
GE 68.
Wealth ensures nothing. Indeed, once we think we are rich, we can become so self-satisfied that we leave no room for God’s word, for the love of our brothers and sisters, or for the enjoyment of the most important things in life. In this way, we miss out on the greatest treasure of all. That is why Jesus calls blessed those who are poor in spirit, those who have a poor heart, for there the Lord can enter with his perennial newness.
 
GE 70.
Luke does not speak of poverty “of spirit” but simply of those who are “poor” (cf. Lk 6:20). In this way, he too invites us to live a plain and austere life. He calls us to share in the life of those most in need, the life lived by the Apostles, and ultimately to configure ourselves to Jesus who, though rich, “made himself poor” (2 Cor 8:9).
 
Luke 12:16-21;
16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
 
1 Timothy 6:10-13;
10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you
 
2 Corinthians 9:6-12;
6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written:
 
“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
    their righteousness endures forever.”[a]
 
10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
 
Earthly wealth, while convenient, can lure us away from holiness. Wealth is a gift that God blesses us with, and as with all gifts, it gains value when being shared. Storing up wealth distances us from God and from others, as the more wealth is acquired, the more difficult it is to part, even when there is something to spare. The riches of the world hold little value in the eyes of God. But in generosity with a cheerful heart and without ulterior motives like fame, we are enriched with the spirit of love and compassion that brings us all the more closer to being holy.
 

• Is there anything in excess that I have that is difficult for me to part with?

• Have I been generous with the blessings that I have received?

Matthew 5:5
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth”
 
GE 71.
These are strong words in a world that from the beginning has been a place of conflict, disputes and enmity on all sides, where we constantly pigeonhole others on the basis of their ideas, their customs and even their way of speaking or dressing. Ultimately, it is the reign of pride and vanity, where each person thinks he or she has the right to dominate others. Nonetheless, impossible as it may seem, Jesus proposes a different way of doing things: the way of meekness. This is what we see him doing with his disciples.
GE 72. Christ says: “Learn from me; for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Mt 11:29). If we are constantly upset and impatient with others, we will end up drained and weary. But if we regard the faults and limitations of others with tenderness and meekness, without an air of superiority, we can actually help them and stop wasting our energy on useless complaining. Saint Thérèse of Lisieux tells us that “perfect charity consists in putting up with others’ mistakes, and not being scandalized by their faults.”
 
GE 74.
Meekness is yet another expression of the interior poverty of those who put their trust in God alone. Indeed, in the Bible the same word – anawim – usually refers both to the poor and to the meek. Someone might object: “If I am that meek, they will think that I am an idiot, a fool or a weakling.” At times they may, but so be it. It is always better to be meek, for then our deepest desires will be fulfilled. The meek “shall inherit the earth,” for they will see God’s promises accomplished in their lives. In every situation, the meek put their hope in the Lord, and those who hope for him shall possess the land… and enjoy the fullness of peace (cf. Ps 37:9.11). For his part, the Lord trusts in them: “This is the one to whom I will look, to the humble and contrite in spirit, who trembles at my word” (Is 66:2).
 
GE 73.
Paul speaks of meekness as one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (cf. Gal 5:23). He suggests that, if a wrongful action of one of our brothers or sisters troubles us, we should try to correct them, but “with a spirit of meekness,” since “you too could be tempted” (Gal 6:1). Even when we defend our faith and convictions, we are to do so “with meekness” (cf. 1 Pet 3:16). Our enemies too are to be treated “with meekness” (2 Tim 2:25). In the Church we have often erred by not embracing this demand of God’s word.
 
Galatians 6:1
Brothers, even if a person is caught in some transgression, you who are spiritual should correct that one in a gentle spirit, looking to yourself, so that you also may not be tempted.
 
Ephesians 4:1-3
I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.
 
1 Peter 3:15-16
15 Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame.
 
2 Timothy 2:24-26
A slave of the Lord should not quarrel, but should be gentle with everyone, able to teach, tolerant, correcting opponents with kindness. It may be that God will grant them repentance that leads to knowledge of the truth, and that they may return to their senses out of the devil’s snare,where they are entrapped by him, for his will.  
  
Pope Francis said that the terms poor and meek are synonyms. He also affirms that Jesus was poor and meek during his earthly life. 
 
What is the benefit of being poor and meek?
 
The spiritually poor person acknowledges that he/she is a creature God is his/her Creator. He/she depends on Him and accepts his guidance, knowing that He wants the best for each one of us.
To be meek leads us to a committed fraternal love. A meek person accepts others as they are with their good actions and their shortcomings or wrongdoings. In the passage of 2 Tim 2:24-25 we are encouraged to be patient, to correct others gently because we believe that God is giving to each one of us many opportunities to repent and to come to know the truth. Our hope is founded on the unconditional love of God who wants each one to turn always back to Him.

Matthew 5:4
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted”
 
GE 75.
The world tells us exactly the opposite: entertainment, pleasure, diversion and escape make for a good life. The worldly person ignores problems of sickness or sorrow in the family or all around him; he averts his gaze. The world has no desire to mourn; it would rather disregard painful situations, cover them up or hide them. Much energy is expended on fleeing from situations of suffering in the belief that reality can be concealed. But the cross can never be absent.
 
GE 76.
A person who sees things as they truly are and sympathizes with pain and sorrow is capable of touching life’s depths and finding authentic happiness. He or she is consoled, not by the world but by Jesus. Such persons are unafraid to share in the suffering of others; they do not flee from painful situations. They discover the meaning of life by coming to the aid of those who suffer, understanding their anguish and bringing relief. They sense that the other is flesh of our flesh, and are not afraid to draw near, even to touch their wounds. They feel compassion for others in such a way that all distance vanishes. In this way they can embrace Saint Paul’s exhortation: “Weep with those who weep” (Rom 12:15).
 
2 Corinthians 1:3-7;
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
 
Isaiah 61:2;
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor  and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
 
Isaiah 35:4;
say to those with fearful hearts,  “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come,     he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
 
Romans 12:15-16;
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[a] Do not be conceited.
 
To be holy is to go beyond our comfort zone to unite with Christ. Blessed are we when we face our sufferings with faith and trust in God, because it is the time to witness God's loving mercy and compassion working within us. As Jesus helps  us, we too are invited by Jesus to share His love to others  to  let them feel that they are not left and abandoned. St. Paul says: "He helps us in all our troubles, so that we are able to help others using the same help that we have received from God." (2 Cor. 4) To mourn with others is one of the Beatitudes taught by Jesus that teaches us to be sensitive to the needs of others and to be of service to them for life is full of struggles, confusions, and temptations. We are fortunate when we give ourselves selflessly to those who need our care and attention. This is the moment that they can experience the love of Jesus and at the same time our moment of holiness where we become a little Jesus to others. Jesus is calling us to live in holiness not to fear taking the risk of helping others but to be Christ-centered. Let us offer our shoulders to cry on, our hearts to sympathize, and our ears to listen to them. Make Jesus become flesh in us so that they may feel loved, accepted and understood as St. Paul says: "Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Have the same concern for everyone. (Rom.12:15-16)
 

• What situation am I invited to mourn with others?
• What are the holy moments in my life?

Matthew 5:6
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled”
 
GE 77
Hunger and thirst are intense experiences, since they involve basic needs and our instinct for survival. There are those who desire justice and yearn for righteousness with similar intensity. Jesus says that they will be satisfied, for sooner or later justice will come. We can cooperate to make that possible, even if we may not always see the fruit of our efforts.
 
GE 78
Jesus offers a justice other than that of the world, so often marred by petty interests and manipulated in various ways. Experience shows how easy it is to become mired in corruption, ensnared in the daily politics of quid pro quo, where everything becomes business. How many people suffer injustice, standing by powerlessly while others divvy up the good things of this life. Some give up fighting for real justice and opt to follow in the train of the winners. This has nothing to do with the hunger and thirst for justice that Jesus praises.
 
GE 79.
True justice comes about in people’s lives when they themselves are just in their decisions; it is expressed in their pursuit of justice for the poor and the weak. While it is true that the word “justice” can be a synonym for faithfulness to God’s will in every aspect of our life, if we give the word too general a meaning, we forget that it is shown especially in justice towards those who are most vulnerable: “Seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow” (Is 1:17).
 
Isaiah 1:17;
Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.[a] Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.
 
Isaiah 56:1-2;
This is what the Lord says:
“Maintain justice  and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.
2 Blessed is the one who does this— the person who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it,  and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”
 
Ephesians 5:1-2,8-10;
1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
 
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.
 
Matthew 6:19-21;
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
 
Jesus is consistent in His love for the poor, deprived, and those who suffered injustice. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness and for the things of God are blessed because they are pursuing holiness. To hunger and thirst for God is at the very root of our being. It is the way God made us. When there is no hunger and thirst for the presence of God, it is an indicator that something is wrong spiritually. In contrast to our worldly desires that leave us longing and hungry for more, our satisfaction in Christ only increases with our hunger and thirst for Him. The more we seek first the kingdom of God, the more we will be fulfilled by His goodness, the more we become just and the more it leads us to holiness.

• How does hunger and thirst for righteousness lead you to holiness?
• What concrete action(s) does Jesus invite you in this time of call for holiness?​

​1st Reading:                          Dn 12:1-3
Psalm                                      Ps 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11
2nd Reading:                        Heb 10:11-14, 18
Gospel:                                  Mk 13:24-32

General Theme:
The call to holiness
 
General Objective:
Each one can believe and live out the call to holiness
 
Objective of the week:
To realize that the call to happiness is for all

​We continue in the Guidelines sheet with the theme “THE CALL TO HOLINESS.” We celebrated “All saints day” last November 1. It is a significant day to give thanks to God for the courageous faithfulness of many holy people to love God and their neighbors along the centuries. There are many saints beatified or canonized.
 
    Pope Francis affirms in Gaudete et Exsultate 5: “The processes of beatification and canonization recognize the signs of heroic virtue, the sacrifice of one’s life in martyrdom, and certain cases where a life is constantly offered for others, even until death. This shows an exemplary imitation of Christ, one worthy of the admiration of the faithful.”
 
    But the Pope also says in Gaudete et Exsultate 6-7: “Nor need we think only of those already beatified and canonized. The Holy Spirit bestows holiness in abundance among God’s holy and faithful people. I like to contemplate the holiness present in the patience of God’s people: in those parents who raise their children with immense love, in those men and women who work hard to support their families, in the sick, in elderly religious who never lose their smile. In their daily perseverance I see the holiness of the Church militant. Very often it is a holiness found in our next-door neighbors, those who, living in our midst, reflect God’s presence.”
 
    Holiness is a call and is a task. Lumen Gentium 42: “Therefore, all the faithful are invited and obliged to holiness and the perfection of their own state of life”.
 
    Each one of us can be a saint today. It seems to be impossible for us but it is possible for God. Luke 11:13 “As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask for him!”  We can only be holy with the help of the Holy Spirit.
 
    Do I ask the Father in heaven for the Holy Spirit? Is my mind and heart open to the active and living guidance of the Holy Spirit?
 
Gaudete et Exsultate 19: “A Christian cannot think of his or her mission on earth without seeing it as a path of holiness, for “this is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thess 4:3). Each saint is a mission, planned by the Father to reflect and embody, at a specific moment in history, a certain aspect of the Gospel.”.

MONDAY
 We are all called to be holy

Lumen Gentium 39:
“The Church, whose mystery is set forth by this sacred Council, is held, as a matter of faith, to be unfailingly holy. This is because Christ, the Son of God, who with the Father and the Spirit is hailed as "alone holy” (Lk 1:35; Lk 4:34; Ac 3:14; Ac 4:27.30), loved the Church as his Bride, giving himself up for her so as to sanctify her (cf. Eph 5:25-26); he joined her to himself as his body and endowed her with the gift of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God. Therefore, all in the Church, whether they belong to the hierarchy or are cared for by it, are called to holiness, according to the apostle's saying: 'for this is the will of God, your sanctification' (1 Th. 4:3; cf. Eph. 1:4).”
 
Gaudete et Exsultate 10:
“All this is important. Yet with this Exhortation I would like to insist primarily on the call to holiness that the Lord addresses to each of us, the call that he also addresses, personally, to you: “Be holy, for I am holy” (Lev 11:44; cf. 1 Pet 1:16).”
 
Lumen Gentium 11:
“Strengthened by so many and such great means of salvation, all the faithful, whatever their condition or state, are called by the Lord – each in his or her own way – to that perfect holiness by which the Father himself is perfect.”
               
1 Peter 1:13-16;
13 Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
 
1 Thessalonians 4:1-3;
As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;
 
Ephesians 1:3-5
 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he[a] predestined us for adoption to sonship[b] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.
 
   The celebration of All Saints’ day just very recently reminds us that we can also be saints like them. Why? Because they are also people who were once like us, people from all walks of life,  many of them had their personal goals on what they want to accomplish in their lifetime. But what makes them saints is this common denominator: they opened to the will of God above their own will. Thus, holiness is a call of obedience:  so we can be holy, blameless and perfect before God.  It is God’s will that you should be sanctified, “that you should avoid sexual immorality;  that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable” (1 Th 4:3-4). In the world that “goes with the flow”, goes with what is pleasurable, let us remember that we are called to be holy. This is a difficult call but not impossible with the help of the Holy Spirit.
 

• What are your personal struggles in the call to holiness?

• Do you believe that you can be perfect just as your Father in heaven is perfect?

Lumen Gentium 32:
“There is, therefore, one chosen People of God: "one Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Eph. 4.5); there is a common dignity of members deriving from their rebirth in Christ, a common grace as sons, a common vocation to perfection, one salvation, one hope and undivided charity. In Christ and in the Church, there is, then, no inequality arising from race or nationality, social condition or sex, for "there is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor freeman; there is neither male nor female. For you are all 'one' in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3: 28; cf. Col. 3 :11).”
 
Gaudete et Exultate 15:
“Let the grace of your baptism bear fruit in a path of holiness. Let everything be open to God; turn to him in every situation. Do not be dismayed, for the power of the Holy Spirit enables you to do this, and holiness, in the end, is the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life (cf. Gal 5:22-23). When you feel the temptation to dwell on your own weakness, raise your eyes to Christ crucified and say: “Lord, I am a poor sinner, but you can work the miracle of making me a little bit better.” In the Church, holy yet made up of sinners, you will find everything you need to grow towards holiness. The Lord has bestowed on the Church the gifts of scripture, the sacraments, holy places, living communities, the witness of the saints and a multifaceted beauty that proceeds from God´s love “like a bride bedecked with jewels” (Is 61:10).”
 
VDMD Regulations 104:
“As baptized persons, we aspire to maturity in love, assuming our Christian identity proper to our baptismal consecration.”
 
IMVDMFa 7:
From the particular call to live out the Verbum Dei charism, all the members of the VDMFa will seek to live out in full the grace of our baptismal consecration. As members of the VDMFa, we strive to develop the common vocation to love.
 
Ephesians 4: 1-7.12-13
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
 
Galatians 3:27-28
27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
 
   Living up to God’s call for us to be holy is not for the few chosen ones nor for those who only choose it. The call for holiness is for all of us, for through our baptism we are already dedicated to God and thus we are called to be holy. Through this one family of Christ, we are blessed and equipped to help each other through the means in the community towards holiness. We only need to draw near to the source of all the graces to find our identity as one who is with Christ. Knowing that we are one with Him, we may come to understand that all of us are the same, and strive for holiness.
 

• How am I living my life right now? In what way can I respond to God’s call towards holiness?
• Do I see the blessings that come into my life as stepping stones towards holiness? In what way can I share this to others?

Lumen Gentium 42:
“God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him' (1 Jn. 4:16). God has poured out his love in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (cf. Rom. 5:5); therefore, the first and most necessary gift is charity, by which we love God above all things and our neighbor because of him.
 
Lumen Gentium 40:
“The Lord Jesus, divine teacher and model of all perfection, preached holiness of life to each and every one of his disciples without distinction: "You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Mt. 5:48). For he sent the Holy Spirit to all to move them interiorly to love God with their whole heart, with their whole soul, with their whole understanding, and with their whole strength (cf. Mk. 12:30), and to love one another as Christ loved them (cf. Jn. 13:34; 15:12)”  
 
Gaudete et Exsultate 21:
“The Father’s plan is Christ, and ourselves in him. In the end, it is Christ who loves in us, for “holiness is nothing other than charity lived to the full.” As a result, “the measure of our holiness stems from the stature that Christ achieves in us, to the extent that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we model our whole life on his.” Every saint is a message which the Holy Spirit takes from the riches of Jesus Christ and gives to his people.”
 
Gaudete et Exsultate 14:
“To be holy does not require being a bishop, a priest or a religious. We are frequently tempted to think that holiness is only for those who can withdraw from ordinary affairs to spend much time in prayer. That is not the case. We are all called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves.”
 
Matthew 5:48;
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
 
1 John 4: 7-20;
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.
 
    Holiness is the highest goal a man can achieve, not after death but " here and now". “Holiness is a call and is a task"(Lumen Gentium 42) In our human perspective holiness is a challenging call and seems to be a difficult task. Today we are invited to focus on a very concrete characteristic of a holy person. He or she must constantly search to love everyday  the people around and in places like at home, work, school, and neighborhood. Let us be open to the Holy Spirit and allow him to help us in order that we can be united to Christ by faith. For this is the only way that we will be capacitated to abide in God's ways of loving. "God has poured out his love in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.  God, through the Holy Spirit, “has given the gift of charity by which we love God above all things and our neighbor because of him"( Lumen Gentium 42). Let us thank the Lord our God for giving us the gift of charity. Through this we can respond to the call to love. How? When we are not choosy in our ways of loving and we are ready to forget ourselves because of the need of others. There may be moments where we go out of our comfort zones in order to help others. How happy we can be if we constantly allow ourselves to love like Christ. For this is charity at work in our lives."For charity is by living  our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves "( Gaudete et Exultate 14). As we pray today let us listen wholeheartedly to the prompt of the Holy Spirit leading us to where we are tasked to share Christ's love. Let us also ask the Holy Spirit to help us by giving us strength and enthusiasm so that we can constantly love others everyday. In this way we can follow the path where we can reach our ultimate goal in life, "Holiness " while we are still here on earth. How beautiful it would be if we can live our lives in a way that reflects God's glory. Let us also ask the help of our Mother Mary to accompany us always as we follow the right path to holiness.
 

• Who are the concrete persons that God is calling you to love?
• How can you make the gift of charity be at work in your life? 

THURSDAY
To achieve holiness is a life-long process​

Lumen Gentium 40:
“The followers of Christ, called by God not in virtue of their works but by his design and grace, and justified in the Lord Jesus, have been made sons of God in the baptism of faith and partakers of the divine nature, and so are truly sanctified. They must therefore hold on to and perfect in their lives that sanctification which they have received from God. They are told by the apostle to put on "as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience" (Col. 3:12), to have the fruits of the Spirit for their sanctification (cf. Gal. 5:22; Rom. 6:22). But since we all offend in many ways (cf. Jas. 3:2), we constantly need God's mercy and must pray every day: "And forgive us our debts" (Mt. 6:1-2).”
 
Lumen Gentium 42:
“But if charity is to grow and fructify in the soul like a good seed, each of the faithful must willingly hear the word of God and carry out his will with deeds, with the help of his grace; he must frequently partake of the sacraments, chiefly the Eucharist, and take part in the liturgy; he must constantly apply himself to prayer, self-denial, active brotherly service and the practice of all virtues. This is because love, as the bond of perfection and fullness of the law (cf. Col. 3:14; Rom. 13:10), governs, gives meaning to, and perfects all the means of sanctification. Hence the true disciple of Christ is marked by love both of God and of his neighbor.”
 
Gaudete et Exsultate 23:
“This is a powerful summons to all of us. You too need to see the entirety of your life as a mission. Try to do so by listening to God in prayer and recognizing the signs that he gives you. Always ask the Spirit what Jesus expects from you at every moment of your life and in every decision, you must make, so as to discern its place in the mission you have received. Allow the Spirit to forge in you the personal mystery that can reflect Jesus Christ in today’s world.
 
Gaudete et Exsultate 24:
“May you come to realize what that word is, the message of Jesus that God wants to speak to the world by your life. Let yourself be transformed. Let yourself be renewed by the Spirit, so that this can happen, lest you fail in your precious mission. The Lord will bring it to fulfilment despite your mistakes and missteps, provided that you do not abandon the path of love but remain ever open to his supernatural grace, which purifies and enlightens.”
 
Galatians 5: 22-26;
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
 
Colossians 3:12-17;
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
 
2 Peter 1:3-9;
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
 
The Lord is calling us to holiness to conform in His love to be compassionate in the service of others with humility, patience, and kindness. Living in this state is difficult, but is possible when we nurture ourselves with prayer and reflection on the life of Jesus. It takes inner transformation that needs perseverance, determination, and a lot of prayers and sacrifices. It needs opening our hearts and our will to the Holy Spirit to forge us to love and deny ourselves in order to partake in the life of Christ. We need God's grace and mercy to have the strength to change our hearts. His grace makes our heart ardently yearn to serve others with humility and compassion. Today the world needs the light of Christ so that others who live in darkness may be brought to his light.
 

• Am I constantly nurturing my relationship with the Lord?
• How open am I to the Holy Spirit for my transformation?

Gaudete et Exsultate 25:
“Just as you cannot understand Christ apart from the kingdom he came to bring, so too your personal mission is inseparable from the building of that kingdom: “Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness” (Mt 6:33). Your identification with Christ and his will involves a commitment to build with him that kingdom of love, justice and universal peace. Christ himself wants to experience this with you, in all the efforts and sacrifices that it entails, but also in all the joy and enrichment it brings. You cannot grow in holiness without committing yourself, body and soul, to giving your best to this endeavor.”
 
Lumen Gentium 9:
“At all times and in every race, anyone who fears God and does what is right has been acceptable to him (cf. Acts 10:35). He has, however, willed to make men holy and save them, not as individuals without any bond or link between them, but rather to make them into a people who might acknowledge him and serve him in holiness.”
 
Gaudete et Exsultate 6:
In salvation history, the Lord saved one people. We are never completely ourselves unless we belong to a people. That is why no one is saved alone, as an isolated individual. Rather, God draws us to himself, taking into account the complex fabric of interpersonal relationships present in a human community. God wanted to enter into the life and history of a people.
 
Gaudete et Exsultate 4:
“The saints now in God’s presence preserve their bonds of love and communion with us. Each of us can say: “Surrounded, led and guided by the friends of God… I do not have to carry alone what, in truth, I could never carry alone. All the saints of God are there to protect me, to sustain me and to carry me.” (Pope Benedict XVI)
 
Matthew 6:33;
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
 
Romans 14:17;
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
 
1 Thessalonians 2:12;
12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
 
2 Thessalonians 1:1-5;
Paul, Silas[a] and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters,[b] and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. 5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
 
The ultimate project of our life is to be identified with the very person we follow, Jesus  Christ. Jesus lived and showed us the way to live life to the fullest. To live a life of righteousness may be more challenging and may entail entering into the narrow gate as Jesus said but He gives us the assurance that He will be with us till the very end of our life helping us. Lastly, we have saints to prove that it is really possible to live a holy life if and only if we have Jesus with us.
 

• Are we in tune with our project of life to holiness?
• Who inspires us to strive to live a holy life?

​1st Reading:                          1 Kings 17:10-16
Psalm                                      Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
2nd Reading:                        Hebrews 9:24-28
Gospel:                                  Mark 12:38-44 or 12:41-44