L'Evangile dans ma vie/ The Gospel in my life

Gospel text (Lk 11,27-28): 

As Jesus was speaking, a woman spoke from the crowd and said to him, «Blessed is the one who bore you and nursed you!». Jesus replied, «Surely blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it as well».

The Application

God wishes to associate us very close to him, more than a biological family member. His love for us has no limit. Through the incarnation, death and resurrection of His Son, He has proved to us, this immense love that He has for us. Today once again He affirms through Jesus, if we listen to Him and put in act what has being communicated to us, then we are the most blessed.

Jesus reveals to us another very important truth about the Mother of God. She is blessed not because she bore the divine child, rather the way she cooperated with God in accomplishing the divine will. We are called to learn from her to be with God at all time and be like her in our readiness to do His will, at any expense.

Action of the day: search the divine will in every act and world.

«Blessed is the one who bore you and nursed you!»

Fr. Jaume AYMAR i Ragolta
(Badalona, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, we hear the best compliment Jesus could make of his own Mother: «Surely blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it as well!» (Lk 11:28). With this reply, Jesus Christ does not reject the enthusiastic praise that plain woman dedicated to his Mother, but He acknowledges it and goes even further, when stating that the Blessed Virgin Mary is blessed —mostly!— because she has been good and faithful in keeping the word of God.

At times, people ask me whether we Christians believe in predestination, as other religions do. Certainly not!: we Christians believe God has reserved for us a destination of happiness. God wants us to be happy, fortunate, blessed. Take notice how this word is being repeated in Jesus' teachings: «Blessed, blessed, blessed...». «Blessed are the poor, the meek, the merciful, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who have not seen and yet have believed» (cf. Mt 5:3-12; Jn 20:29). God wants our happiness, a happiness that begins right here in this world, even though the path leading to it is not wealth, or power, or easy success, or fame, but, the poor and humble love of he who expects it all. The joy to believe! That joy Jacques Maritain, the converted one, spoke about.

It is a kind of happiness which is greater than the joy of living, because we believe in an endless and eternal life. Mary, Jesus' Mother, is not only blessed because she bore him and nursed him —as spontaneously surmised that local woman— but, mainly, because of her having heard the Word and kept it: for having loved and having let his Son Jesus love her. As the poet wrote: «Being able to say “mother” and being addressed as “my son” / is what God envied us». Let Mary, Mother of Divine Love, pray for us.

Gospel text

(Lk 11,15-26): 

As Jesus was casting out a devil some of the people said, «He drives out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the chief of the demons». So others wanted to put him to the test by asking him for a heavenly sign.

But Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, «Every nation divided by civil war is on the road to ruin, and will fall. If Satan also is divided, his empire is coming to an end. How can you say that I drive out demons by calling upon Beelzebul? If I drive them out by Beelzebul, by whom do your fellow members drive out demons? They will be your judge, then. But suppose I drive out demons by the finger of God; would not this mean that the kingdom of God has come upon you?

»As long as the strong and armed man guards his house, his goods are safe. But when a stronger one attacks and overcomes him, the challenger takes away all the weapons he relied on and disposes of his spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me, scatters. When the evil spirit goes out of a person, it wanders through dry lands looking for a resting place. And finding none, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’. When it comes, it finds the house swept and everything in order. Then it goes to fetch seven other spirits even worse than itself. They move in and settle there, so that the last state of that person is worse than the first».

The Application

Our interiority is visible only to us and other identify that by our words and deeds. The best way to know our interiority is to verify the way we look at the people around us. If our heart is filled with filthy things, even Jesus will be visible to us as a devil. Thus we can conclude that the devil has taken an important place in our thinking and being. The early we realise the operating spirit in us, the faster we should act, particularly when we come to know that  we are not guided by the Holy Sprit.

Jesus is inviting us to see in Him the Kingdom of God, a liberation to the whole world. He wishes that we engage personally to accomplish the divine will of establishing God’s Kingdom on this earth. Since the enemy is very active, we have to be very watchful. The best way to be alert is to be careful that we never fail to see the world with compassion and love.

Action of the day: see the world with compassion and love.

Daily Quote from the early church fathers: 

Jesus has conquered Satan,

by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)

"[Jesus] has conquered the ruler of this world. Having, so to speak, hamstrung him and stripped him of the power he possessed, he has given him over for a prey to his followers. He says, 'The strong man, being armed, guards his house; all his goods are in peace. But when one who is stronger than he shall come on him and overcome him, he takes away all his armor wherein he trusted and divides his spoil.' This is a plain demonstration and type of the matter depicted after the manner of human affairs... Before the coming of the Savior, he was in great power, driving and shutting up in his own stall flocks that were not his own but belonging to God over all. He was like some voracious and most insolent robber. Since the Word of God who is above all, the Giver of all might and Lord of powers attacked him, having become man, all his goods have been plundered and his spoil divided. Those of old who had been ensnared by him into ungodliness and error have been called by the holy apostles to the acknowledgment of the truth and been brought near to God the Father by faith in his Son." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 81)

Texte de l'Évangile

(Lc 11,15-26): 

Mais certains se mirent à dire: «C'est par Béelzéboul, le chef des démons, qu'il expulse les démons». D'autres, pour le mettre à l'épreuve, lui réclamaient un signe venant du ciel.

Jésus, connaissant leurs intentions, leur dit: «Tout royaume divisé devient un désert, ses maisons s'écroulent les unes sur les autres. Si Satan, lui aussi, est divisé, comment son royaume tiendra-t-il? Vous dites que c'est par Béelzéboul que j'expulse les démons. Et si c'est par Béelzéboul que moi, je les expulse, vos disciples, par qui les expulsent-ils? C'est pourquoi ils seront eux-mêmes vos juges. Mais si c'est par le doigt de Dieu que j'expulse les démons, c'est donc que le règne de Dieu est survenu pour vous.

»Quand l'homme fort et bien armé garde son palais, tout ce qui lui appartient est en sécurité. Mais si un plus fort intervient et triomphe de lui, il lui enlève l'équipement de combat qui lui donnait confiance, et il distribue tout ce qu'il lui a pris. Celui qui n'est pas avec moi est contre moi; celui qui ne rassemble pas avec moi disperse. Quand l'esprit mauvais est sorti d'un homme, il parcourt les terres desséchées en cherchant un lieu de repos. Et comme il n'en trouve pas, il se dit: ‘Je vais retourner dans ma maison, d'où je suis sorti’. En arrivant, il la trouve balayée et bien rangée. Alors, il s'en va, et il prend sept autres esprits encore plus mauvais que lui, ils y entrent, et ils s'y installent. Ainsi, l'état de cet homme est pire à la fin qu'au début».

L’Application

Le jour du Seigneur est un jour de consolation et de joie au peuple fidèle, fidèle aux enseignements du Seigneur. Il est terrifiant pour les autres. Aujourd’hui l’évangéliste nous présente un moment de la vie de Jésus, où nous pouvons vérifier nous-mêmes, si nous sommes fidèles à cet enseignement : notre regard.

Si nous regardons le monde avec un regard divin, nous pouvons personnellement identifier la présence divine. Dans nos actes et nos paroles, le monde verra le Christ. Ce regard nous aide à comprendre notre propre intériorité. Si nous regardons le monde avec compassion et amour, nous pouvons nous assurer que Dieu demeure en nous. Si ce n’est pas le cas, il faut nous convertir et revenir vers le Christ, le plus vite possible.  

«Certains se mirent à dire: ‘C'est par Béelzéboul, le chef des démons, qu'il expulse les démons’»

Abbé Josep PAUSAS i Mas
(Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, nous contemplons avec stupéfaction comment Jésus est accusé de manière ridicule de chasser les démons «par Béelzéboul, le chef des démons» (Lc 11,15). Il est difficile d'imaginer un plus grand bien, celui d'éloigner les âmes du démon, l'instigateur du mal, et d'entendre en même temps une accusation encore plus grave qui est celle que cela se fait précisément par le pouvoir du même diable. C'est vraiment une accusation gratuite, qui laisse entrevoir un grand aveuglement et une grande jalousie de la part des accusateurs du Seigneur. Aujourd'hui encore, même sans nous rendre compte, nous coupons à la racine les droits des autres à diverger, à être différents et avoir leurs propres opinions parfois contraires et à l'opposé des nôtres.

Celui qui vit enfermé dans un dogme politique, culturel ou idéologique, méprise facilement celui qui diffère, en discréditant ses projets et en niant sa compétence et même son honnêteté. Alors, son adversaire en politique ou en idéologie devient un ennemi personnel. La confrontation dégénère en insultes et agressivité. Le climat d'intolérance et d'exclusion mutuelle violente peut, alors, nous conduire à la tentation d'éliminer d'une manière ou d'une autre celui qui représente pour nous un ennemi.

Dans ce climat il est facile de justifier n'importe quel attentat contre la personne humaine y compris l'assassinat, si celui qui meurt n'est pas un des nôtres. Combien de personnes souffrent de nos jours dans des milieux d'intolérance et refus d'autrui comme celui qui existe souvent dans nos institutions publiques, sur nos lieux de travail, dans les assemblées et confrontations politiques!

Nous devons tous travailler pour créer des conditions et un climat de tolérance, respect d'autrui et confrontation franche où il est possible de trouver un terrain d'entente et de dialogue. Et nous chrétiens loin d'endurcir et sacraliser faussement nos opinions en manipulant le Seigneur et en l'identifiant à nos propres positions, nous devons suivre ce Jésus qui —quand ses disciples voulaient empêcher que d'autres, à part eux, expulsent les démons en son nom— les corrige en leur disant: «Ne les en empêchez pas, car celui qui n'est pas contre vous est pour vous» (Lc 9,50). Car,... «tout le chœur innombrable de bergers se réduit à un seul et unique Berger» (Saint Augustin).

Gospel text

(Lk 11,5-13): 

Jesus said to his disciples, «Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to his house in the middle of the night and says: ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine who is traveling has just arrived and I have nothing to offer him’. Maybe your friend will answer from inside: ‘Don't bother me now; the door is locked and my children and I are in bed, so I can't get up and give you anything’. But I tell you, even though he will not get up and attend to you because you are a friend, yet he will get up because you are a bother to him, and he will give you all you need.

»And so I say to you, Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you. For the one who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to him who knocks the door will be opened. If your child asks for a fish, will you give a snake instead? And if your child asks for an egg, will you give a scorpion? Even you evil people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more then will the Father in heaven give holy spirit to those who ask him!».

The Application

Jesus is trying to explain to us the divine character. He assures us that our God is filled with mercy and compassion. In the Father of Jesus, we have a God of love and pardon. The example that the Lord puts before us to understand this divine mystery is, our own behaviour towards our beloved ones. Even though our thinking and acting are not always good, we try to be good towards our beloved ones. Thus the logic inferred here is, if evil people know to do Good, how much great will be the goodness of someone who is good par excellence?

Our faithfulness towards God should not be conditioned by our understanding of what God does for us, rather, what God is for us. Many at times we don’t understand how God accompanies us, very discretely without making any noise. His goodness is very rarely visible to our intelligence.

Thus let us learn from Jesus the divine truths and identify in us the moments of our unfaithfulness. The more we are aware of this dine love, the better will our fidelity. Many at times we look into our unfaithfulness which leads us into culpability than fixing our eyes in the divine mercy which will leads us towards conversion.

«How much more then will the Father in heaven give holy spirit to those who ask him!»

Fr. Josep Mª MASSANA i Mola OFM
(Barcelona, Spain)

Today, the Gospel is a catechesis by Jesus on prayer. He solemnly asserts that the Father always listens to him: «Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you» (Lk 11:9).

At times, we may think reality indicates that it is not always the case, that it does not actually “works” in such a way. This is because we must want to pray with an attitude adequate to an effective prayer!

The first premise is dedication and perseverance. We must pray avoiding feeling disheartened, even if we think our prayer is being ignored, or is not given heed to, right away. This is the attitude of that inappropriate man calling on his friend's home, in the middle of the night, to request a favor. With his doggedness he will get the loaves he needs. God is the friend who listens from within to whom is persistent enough. We must believe that He will end up by giving us what we are asking, because in addition to being a friend, He is also our Father.

The second stipulation Jesus teaches us is confidence and filial love. God's paternity goes far beyond man's paternity, which is limited and imperfect: «Even you evil people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more then will the Father in Heaven…!» (Lk 11:13).

The Third one: above all we must ask for the Holy Spirit and not only for material things. Jesus encourages us to invoke him, assuring us we shall receive it: «...much more then will Father in heaven give Holy Spirit to those who ask him!» (Lk 11:13). This petition is always listened to. It is very much like asking the grace of the prayer, as the Holy Spirit is its source and its origin.

The blessed fra Giles of Assisi, one of St. Francis' friars and friends, summarizes the idea of this Gospel when he says: «Pray faithfully and devotedly, because a grace God has not granted you once, He may grant to you some other time. On your hand, humbly place your whole mind in God, and God will place his grace in you, as and when He pleases».

Texte de l'Évangile

(Lc 11,5-13): 

Jésus leur dit encore: «Supposons que l'un de vous ait un ami et aille le trouver en pleine nuit pour lui demander: ‘Mon ami, prête-moi trois pains: un de mes amis arrive de voyage, et je n'ai rien à lui offrir’. Et si, de l'intérieur, l'autre lui répond: ‘Ne viens pas me tourmenter! Maintenant, la porte est fermée; mes enfants et moi, nous sommes couchés. Je ne puis pas me lever pour te donner du pain’, moi, je vous l'affirme: même s'il ne se lève pas pour les donner par amitié, il se lèvera à cause du sans-gêne de cet ami, et il lui donnera tout ce qu'il lui faut.

»Eh bien, moi, je vous dis: Demandez, vous obtiendrez; cherchez, vous trouverez; frappez, la porte vous sera ouverte. Celui qui demande reçoit; celui qui cherche trouve; et pour celui qui frappe, la porte s'ouvre. Quel père parmi vous donnerait un serpent à son fils qui lui demande un poisson? ou un scorpion, quand il demande un oeuf? Si donc vous, qui êtes mauvais, vous savez donner de bonnes choses à vos enfants, combien plus le Père céleste donnera-t-il l'Esprit Saint à ceux qui le lui demandent!».

L’Application

Persévérance est un fruit de la fidélité. La fidélité est un fruit de la certitude et la certitude est un fruit de la connaissance de la vérité. Aujourd’hui, Jésus nous dévoile la vérité de l’amour divin. Il nous fait comprendre combien Dieu nous aime. Notre confiance en ce Dieu n’est pas conditionnée par notre ressentiment de tout ce que Dieu nous a fait ou tout ce dont Il le fait maintenant, mais tout ce qu’Il est pour nous.  Jésus nous demande de porter attention, non pas en tout ce que nous voyons, non plus sur l’acte, mais sur l’être.

Si Jésus nous demande de comprendre l’amour de Dieu, c’est par ce que les œuvres divines sont les mystères que nous ne pouvons jamais décoder. Il nous affirme que Dieu nous accompagne, même si on n’arrive pas à le ressentir. Dieu est là avec nous et en nous. Il se donne en son Fils et continue à nous aider à travers l’Esprit Saint que nous avons reçus lors de notre baptême.

«Combien plus le Père céleste donnera-t-il l'Esprit Saint à ceux qui le lui demandent!»

Abbé Josep Mª MASSANA i Mola OFM
(Barcelona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, l'Évangile est une catéchèse de Jésus sur la prière. Il affirme solennellement que le Père écoute toujours notre prière. «Demandez, vous obtiendrez; cherchez, vous trouverez; frappez, la porte vous sera ouverte» (Lc 11,9).

Nous pouvons parfois penser qu'en pratique, il n'en va pas toujours ainsi, que les choses ne sont pas comme ça. Mais c'est qu'il nous faut prier comme il convient!

D'abord avec constance, persévérance. Nous devons prier sans jamais nous décourager, même s'il nous semble que notre prière se heurte à un rejet, ou qu'elle n'est pas écoutée aussitôt. C'est l'attitude de cet importun qui, à minuit, vient réclamer un service à son ami. Grâce à son insistance, il reçoit les pains dont il a besoin. Dieu est l'ami qui écoute à l'intérieur celui qui est constant. Nous devons croire qu'il finira par nous donner ce que nous demandons, car en plus d'être un ami, il est notre Père.

Ensuite, avec la confiance et l'amour des enfants. La paternité de Dieu dépasse immensément celle de l'homme, imparfaite et limitée: «Si donc vous, qui êtes mauvais, vous savez donner de bonnes choses à vos enfants, combien plus le Père céleste…!» (Lc 11,13).

Enfin, nous devons surtout demander l'Esprit Saint et pas seulement des choses matérielles. Jésus nous encourage à Le demander, en nous assurant que nous Le recevrons: «(…) combien plus le Père céleste donnera-t-il l'Esprit Saint à ceux qui le lui demandent!» (Lc 11,13). Cette prière est toujours écoutée. C'est comme demander la grâce de la prière, puisque l'Esprit Saint en est la source et l'origine.

Le bienheureux frère Gilles d'Assise, compagnon de saint François, résume l'idée de cet Évangile quand il dit: «Prie avec fidélité et dévotion, car une grâce que Dieu ne t'a pas accordée cette fois, il peut te la communiquer en une autre occasion. Pour ta part, mets humblement tout ton esprit en Dieu, et Dieu mettra en toi sa grâce, selon son bon plaisir».

Gospel text (Lk 11,1-4): 

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place and when He had finished, one of his disciples said to him, «Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples». And Jesus said to them, «When you pray, say this: Father, hallowed be your name, may your kingdom come, give us each day the kind of bread we need, and forgive us our sins, for we also for-give all who do us wrong, and do not bring us to the test».

«Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples»

Fr. Austin Chukwuemeka IHEKWEME
(Ikenanzizi, Nigeria)

Today, we see how one of Jesus' disciples tells him: «Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples» (Lk 11:1). Jesus' reply: «When you pray, say this: Father, hallowed be your name, may your kingdom come, give us each day the kind of bread we need, and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive all who do us wrong, and do not bring us to the test» (Lk 11:2-4), may be summarized in a single phrase: the best mental attitude for the Christian prayer is that of a child in front of his father.

We can see right away that the prayer, according to Jesus, is something like a “father-son” kinship. That is, a family matter based on a relation of closeness and love. The image of God as a father speaks to us of a relationship based on affection and intimacy, not on power and authority.

To pray as Christians means to position ourselves in a situation whereby we see God as our father and we speak to him as his sons: «You write: ‘To pray is to talk with God. But about what?’. About what? About Him, about yourself: joys, sorrows, successes and failures, noble ambitions, daily worries, weaknesses! And acts of thanksgiving and petitions: and Love and reparation. In a word: to get to know him and to get to know yourself: ‘to get acquainted!’» (St. Josemaria).

When children speak with their parents they try to transmit, through their words and body language, what they feel in their heart. We become better praying men and women when our relation with God is more intimate, as that of a father with his son. Jesus himself left with us his own example. He is the Way.

And, if you invoke the Virgin Mother of God, master of prayer, it will even be easier! In fact «the contemplation of Christ has in Mary its insurmountable model. The Son's face belongs to her in a very special way (...). Nobody has devoted himself with Mary's assiduity to the contemplation of Christ's face» (John Paul II).

Texte de l'Évangile

(Lc 11,1-4): 

Un jour, quelque part, Jésus était en prière. Quand il eut terminé, un de ses disciples lui demanda: «Seigneur, apprends-nous à prier, comme Jean Baptiste l'a appris à ses disciples». Il leur répondit: «Quand vous priez, dites: ‘Père, que ton nom soit sanctifié, que ton règne vienne. Donne-nous le pain dont nous avons besoin pour chaque jour. Pardonne-nous nos péchés, car nous-mêmes nous pardonnons à tous ceux qui ont des torts envers nous. Et ne nous soumets pas à la tentation’».

«Seigneur, apprends-nous à prier, comme Jean Baptiste l'a appris à ses disciples»

Abbé Austin Chukwuemeka IHEKWEME
(Ikenanzizi, Nigeria)

Aujourd'hui, nous voyons l'un des disciples dire à Jésus: «Seigneur, apprends-nous à prier, comme Jean Baptiste l'a appris à ses disciples» (Lc 11,1). La réponse de Jésus —«Quand vous priez, dites: ‘Père, que ton nom soit sanctifié, que ton règne vienne. Donne-nous le pain dont nous avons besoin pour chaque jour. Pardonne-nous nos péchés, car nous-mêmes nous pardonnons à tous ceux qui ont des torts envers nous. Et ne nous soumets pas à la tentation’» (Lc 11,2-4)— peut être résumée en une phrase: la bonne attitude pour l'oraison chrétienne est celle de l'enfant devant son père.

Nous saisissons aussitôt que la prière, selon Jésus, est une fréquentation du type "père-fils". C'est une affaire de famille basée sur une relation de familiarité et d'amour. L'image de Dieu comme père nous parle d’une relation affectueuse, intime, non d'une relation de pouvoir et d'autorité.

Prier en chrétiens suppose de nous mettre en situation de voir Dieu comme un père et de lui parler comme ses enfants. «Tu m'as écrit: ‘Prier, c'est parler avec Dieu. Mais de quoi?’. —De quoi? De Lui, de toi: joies, tristesses, succès et échecs, nobles ambitions, préoccupations quotidiennes…, faiblesses! Et actions de grâce et demandes. Et Amour et réparation. En deux mots: Le connaître et te connaître: se fréquenter!» (Saint Josemaría).

Quand les enfants parlent avec leurs parents, ils cherchent à transmettre par des mots et par le langage corporel ce qu'ils ressentent dans leur cœur. Nous devenons de meilleurs hommes et femmes d'oraison quand notre rapport avec Dieu se fait plus intime, comme celui d'un père avec son enfant. Jésus Lui-même nous a donné l'exemple. C'est Lui le chemin.

Et si tu accours à la Vierge Marie, maîtresse de prière, que ce sera facile! De fait, «la contemplation du Christ possède en Marie son modèle insurpassable. Le visage du Fils lui appartient d'une manière spéciale (…). Nul ne s'est dédié avec l'assiduité de Marie à la contemplation du visage du Christ» (Jean-Paul II).

Gospel text

(Lk 10,38-42): 

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, He entered a village and a woman called Martha welcomed him to her house. She had a sister named Mary who sat down at the Lord's feet to listen to his words. Martha, meanwhile, was busy with all the serving and finally she said, «Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the serving?». But the Lord answered, «Martha, Martha, you worry and are troubled about many things, whereas only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken away from her».

The Application

Many of us get our identity in doing than being. Though doing gives a visible sign of what we are to the external world, the best according to Jesus is, simply being ourselves, as we are. Though doing (Martha) is important for Jesus, what is essential in life is ‘being’ (Mary) at the feet of Jesus, a listening soul.

The best way of doing should be the fruit of listening to the world of God, which helps us to identify in us the child of God, and act in a dignified way, according to our own divine identity.

Both Mary and Martha loved Jesus and Jesus was ready to accept them as they were. However, Martha wished that Mary acts according to her will, than according to the will of God. Though her will may for a good cause, it has led her being exhausted in the service than being energised in doing.   Many of us get exhausted (worried and troubled)  in our mission, because, we are not doing the will of God, rather what is good according to our own perceptive. It is here we find difficult to accept the failures and the opposition.

Action of the day: Stop complaining about others.

«Martha, Martha, you worry and are troubled about many things, whereas only one thing is needed»

Fr. Josep RIBOT i Margarit
(Tarragona, Spain)

Today, as every day, we can learn from the Gospel. Jesus, invited to Martha's home in Bethany, gives us a lesson of humanity: He, who loved people, lets people love him, for both things are equally important. It would be a serious mistake, with harmful consequences for sanctity, to refuse God's and others' affection.

Martha or Mary? But..., why opposing those who loved each other so much and loved God too? Jesus loved Martha and Mary, and their brother Lazarus, and He loves each one of us, too.

On the path of sainthood not any two souls are exactly alike. We all try to love God, but within our own style and personality, without imitating anyone. Our models are Christ and the Mother of God. Do you resent how others treat God? Try to learn from his personal piety.

«Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the serving? Ask her therefore to help me» (Lk 10:40). To serve others, for the love of God, is an honor, not a burden. Do we serve with joy, as the Mother of God did with her cousin Elisabeth or at Cana's wedding, or as Jesus did when washing the Apostle's feet at the Last Supper?

«Martha, Martha, you worry and are troubled about many things, whereas only one thing is needed» (Lk 10:41-42). Let us lose neither our peace nor our good humor. And to accomplish it, let us take good care of God's presence. «Know it well: There is something holy, something divine, hidden in the most ordinary situations; and it is up to each person to discover it (…); either we learn to find our Lord in ordinary, everyday life, or else we shall never find him» (St. Josemaria).

«Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken away from her» (Lk 10:42). God wants us happy. That our Mother in Heaven helps us to feel the joy of giving.

Texte de l'Évangile

(Lc 10,38-42): 

Alors qu'il était en route avec ses disciples, Jésus entra dans un village. Une femme appelée Marthe le reçut dans sa maison. Elle avait une soeur nommée Marie qui, se tenant assise aux pieds du Seigneur, écoutait sa parole. Marthe était accaparée par les multiples occupations du service. Elle intervint et dit: «Seigneur, cela ne te fait rien? Ma soeur me laisse seule à faire le service. Dis-lui donc de m'aider». Le Seigneur lui répondit: «Marthe, Marthe, tu t'inquiètes et tu t'agites pour bien des choses. Une seule est nécessaire. Marie a choisi la meilleure part: elle ne lui sera pas enlevée».

L’Application

Nous vivons dans un monde trop envahi par dualisme où nous sommes obligés de choisir une et ignorer l’autre. Nous avons appris à choisi soit noir or blanc. Aujourd’hui le Seigneur nous apprend à vivre d’une manière équilibre, sans ignorer les biens qui se trouvent à l’autre côté.

Pour mieux vivre notre vocation baptismale, nous avons besoin de Marie, une contemplation qui nous apprend à écouter le Seigneur et aussi Marthe, l’action, qui nous apprend à mettre en pratique tout ce dont nous avons appris du Seigneur. Nous ne pouvons pas remplacer l’action avec contemplation et la contemplation avec l’action.

Une action sans contemplation (sans avoir écouté le Seigneur) ne nous apportera aucun fruit que notre propre orgueil. Une contemplation qui ne nous pousse pas à nous ouvrir aux autres, ou à nous mettre au service du peuple, sera une fausse spiritualité, très loin de la volonté divine.  

Vous pouvez  me poser une question, est-il nécessaire que tout se commence avec  la contemplation ? C’est mieux qu’avant qu’on commence, il faut écouter la volonté divine. Pourtant Je voudrais dire qu’une action qui ne nous conduit pas vers le Seigneur, celle qui nous épuise sans l’amour pour le Seigneur, est mauvaise pour la santé spirituelle. L’acte est capable de nous conduire vers le Seigneur, certainement oui,  et que cet acte ne devienne pas la prière.  

«Marthe, Marthe, tu t'inquiètes et tu t'agites pour bien des choses. Une seule est nécessaire»

Abbé Josep RIBOT i Margarit
(Tarragona, Espagne)

Aujourd'hui, comme chaque jour, tu peux apprendre de l'Évangile. Jésus, invité au foyer de Béthanie, nous donne une leçon d'humanité: Lui, qui aimait les autres, se laisse aimer, puisque les deux choses sont importantes. Rejeter les preuves d'affection, de Dieu et des autres, serait une grave erreur, comportant des conséquences néfastes pour la sainteté.

Marie ou Marthe? Mais… Pourquoi confronter ceux qui s'aimaient tant, et qui aimaient tant Dieu? Jésus aimait Marthe et Marie, et son frère Lazare, et nous aime tous et chacun.

Sur le chemin de la sainteté, il n'y a pas deux âmes identiques. Tous et chacun tentons d'aimer Dieu, mais avec notre propre style et personnalité, sans imiter qui que ce soit. Notre modèle est le Christ et la Vierge. La façon d'aimer Dieu des autres te dérange? Essaie d'apprendre de leur piété personnelle.

«Seigneur, cela ne te fait rien? Ma sœur me laisse seule à faire le service. Dis-lui donc de m'aider» (Lc 10,40). Servir les autres, par amour pour Dieu, est un honneur, et non une charge. Nous servons, avec joie, comme la Vierge à sa cousine Sainte Elizabeth ou lors des noces de Cana, ou comme Jésus, au lavage de pieds de la Dernière Cène?

«Marthe, Marthe, tu t'inquiètes et tu t'agites pour bien des choses. Une seule est nécessaire» (Lc 10,41-42). Ne perdons pas la paix, ni la bonne humeur. Et pour ce faire, tâchons de prendre soin de la présence de Dieu. «Sachez-le bien: il y a quelque chose de saint, de divin, caché dans les situations quotidiennes, que chacun de nous devons découvrir (…); ou nous savons trouver le Seigneur dans notre vie ordinaire, ou nous ne le trouverons jamais» (Saint Josemaría).

«Marie a choisi la meilleure part: elle ne lui sera pas enlevée» (Lc 10,42). Dieu veut notre bonheur. Que notre Mère du Ciel nous aide à trouver la joie du don de nous-mêmes.

Gospel text

(Lk 10,25-37): 

A teacher of the Law came and began putting Jesus to the test. And he said, «Master, what shall I do to receive eternal life?». Jesus replied, «What is written in the Scripture? How do you understand it?». The man answered, «It is written: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself». Jesus replied, «What a good answer! Do this and you shall live».

The man wanted to keep up appearances, so he replied, «Who is my neighbor?». Jesus then said, «There was a man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. It happened that a priest was going along that road and saw the man, but passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite saw the man and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, too, was going that way, and when he came upon the man, he was moved with compassion. He went over to him and treated his wounds with oil and wine and wrapped them with bandages. Then he put him on his own mount and brought him to an inn where he took care of him. The next day he had to set off, but he gave two silver coins to the innkeeper and told him: ‘Take care of him and whatever you spend on him, I will repay when I come back’». Jesus then asked, «Which of these three, do you think, made himself neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?». The teacher of the Law answered, «The one who had mercy on him». And Jesus said, «Go then and do the same».

The Application

I would like to reformulate this question (what should I do to receive eternal life), for a  better understanding of the response of the Lord. What should I do to see the Lord?  The more we learn to love God, the better will be our capacity to see God. How to love God? Simply search those people who are less loved by the society and love them. It is here the Lord has send us, and it is in them that we will see the face of the Lord. Every Christian is called to see in the face of every being who is in need of love, as the same Lord who loves us and longs for our love.

Action of the day: Look each person as someone send by the Lord for your attention.

«What must I do to inherit eternal life?»

Fr. Ivan LEVYTSKYY CSsR
(Lviv, Ukraine)

Today, the gospel’s message indicates the path to life: «You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, (..) and your neighbor as yourself» (Lk 10:27). And since God has loved us in the first place He leads us to the union with Him. Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta said: «We need this intimate union with God in our daily life. And how can we achieve it? Through prayer». Being in oneness with Him we begin to experience that with Him everything is possible, even to love our neighbor.

Someone said that Christians enter the church to love God and come out to love their neighbors. Pope Benedict accentuates that the Christian’s program – the program of the Good Samaritan, Jesus program – is «a heart which can see». See and stop! In this parable there are two people who see the needy, but they don´t stop. This is why Christ has reproached the Pharisees saying: «Do you have eyes and not see?» (Mk 8:18). On the contrary, the Samaritan sees and stops, he has mercy and thus saves the life of the needy and his own.

When the famous Catalan architect Antonio Gaudí was run over by a tramway some bystanders didn’t stop to help that injured old man. He carried no documents and looked like a beggar. Had they realized who that neighbor was and surely they would have stayed in line to help him.

When we practice the good, we think we do it for our neighbor, but we really do it also for Christ: «I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me» (Mt 25:40). And Benedict XVI says my neighbor is anyone who needs me and I can help. If everyone seeing his neighbors in need would stop and have mercy on them once a day or once a week the crisis would decrease and the world would become better. «Nothing resembles us so much to God as the good deeds» (St. Gregory of Nyssa).