The above reminds me by Sister Bernadette (Mary) Reis who is a member of "The Daughters of St. Paul" order. She frequently translates the Mass of the Holy Father Pope Francis when she can in Rome. In interviews recorded in 2015, and 2020 she speaks how she felt the call of God as early as the age of 9; how she felt that she was assisting Jesus when she helped the weak; that God loves us - He asks us only to be patient to see his providence at work; and the gift she is given by the Lord in extending herself beyond herself (watch her here; here; and in 2020 here).
In his homily on Sunday July 19, the Holy Father Pope Francis commented on the Parable of the weeds (Mt 13:24-43) and reminded the faithful of the Master's patience - He does not pull the weeds lest the good wheat gets removed and burned, but awaits till the harvest when they will be separated for the weeds to be burned but the good wheat saved - He said that "the adversary that Jesus refers to has a name: it is the devil, God’s quintessential opponent. The devil’s intention is to hinder the work of salvation, to stonewall the Kingdom of God through wicked workers, sowers of scandal. In fact, the good seed and the weeds do not represent good and bad in the abstract, no; but we human beings, who can follow God or the devil. Many times we have heard that a peaceful family begins to be at war, or envious... a neighbourhood that was peaceful, then nasty things begin to happen... And we are used to saying: 'Eh, someone went and sowed weeds there', or 'that person in the family sowed weeds by gossiping'. Destruction always happens by sowing evil. It is always the devil who does this or our own temptations: when we fall into the temptation to gossip to destroy others.The servants’ intention is to eliminate evil immediately, that is, evil people. But the master is wiser, he sees farther. They must learn to wait because enduring persecution and hostility is part of the Christian vocation. Certainly, evil must be rejected, but those who do evil are people with whom it is necessary to be patient." The full homily can be read here.
On Sunday July 19, the 10 am Mass at Holy Rosary parish in Toronto was celebrated by Msgr. Robert Nusca, pastor and a renowned Biblical scholar. In his homily he compared the Parables of the Lord in Galilee to today's challenges in scientific advances from sub-atomic particles to nano-technology which tend to distract us from the purposes of the supernatural world and above all the purposes of God who is close to us. About the kingdom of God Jesus said "It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches." (Luke 13:19). The natural world can lead us to contemplate the mystery of God - The kingdom of God. Msgr. Nusca said that commentators found in the parables a scathing critique of the social order of masters and slaves, rich and poor, and hard heartless of religious authorities...Today the new evangelization of the Gospel may seem insignificant in the powerful tree of life. Yet, amid the current uncertainties and militant atheism, God will bring forth glorious results...The Mass can be followed here.
On Sunday July 19, at the Byzantine Cathedral of the Transfiguration in Toronto, the 10 a.m. Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Fr. Youhanna Hanna and served by the renowned Homsy choir and others too. In the homily, Fr. Youhanna Hanna commented on the Gospel reading (Mt. 5:14-19) in which Jesus teaches his disciples "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." The kingdom of God is found in doing God's good work to others on earth.
On Sunday July 19, the Jesuit scholar Fr. Henri Boulad uttered a homily in French (here) on the development of the human race which refers to St. Paul's notion that the entire creation is in travail; her infancy in development is a process in which God let it become. In his Epistle to the Romans St. Paul wrote "Creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies." (Romans 8:18-23). When creation is submitted to God, then He will be "all in all"(1 Corinthians 15:28). In his poetic language, the visionary in the Book of Revelation described God with Greek philosophical words "The Alpha and Omega"(Rev. 1:8) - According to the Church Fathers, the inspired author is John the Apostle whose Gospel starts too with the words "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God"(John 1:1). Contemporary Biblical studies show that John wrote his inspired Biblical books near the end of the first century - Since Paul was martyred around 64 AD, his Epistle to the Romans would have been written earlier. It also confirms the belief since early Christian era that God is Trinity in One.
I also received a message from Most Reverend Emeritus J. Jules Zerey. I am sure that all who know him will pray for his health.
:Let us end this little post on the Kingdom of God with St. John Chrysostom's homily at Easter here...
In his homily on Sunday July 19, the Holy Father Pope Francis commented on the Parable of the weeds (Mt 13:24-43) and reminded the faithful of the Master's patience - He does not pull the weeds lest the good wheat gets removed and burned, but awaits till the harvest when they will be separated for the weeds to be burned but the good wheat saved - He said that "the adversary that Jesus refers to has a name: it is the devil, God’s quintessential opponent. The devil’s intention is to hinder the work of salvation, to stonewall the Kingdom of God through wicked workers, sowers of scandal. In fact, the good seed and the weeds do not represent good and bad in the abstract, no; but we human beings, who can follow God or the devil. Many times we have heard that a peaceful family begins to be at war, or envious... a neighbourhood that was peaceful, then nasty things begin to happen... And we are used to saying: 'Eh, someone went and sowed weeds there', or 'that person in the family sowed weeds by gossiping'. Destruction always happens by sowing evil. It is always the devil who does this or our own temptations: when we fall into the temptation to gossip to destroy others.The servants’ intention is to eliminate evil immediately, that is, evil people. But the master is wiser, he sees farther. They must learn to wait because enduring persecution and hostility is part of the Christian vocation. Certainly, evil must be rejected, but those who do evil are people with whom it is necessary to be patient." The full homily can be read here.
On Sunday July 19, the 10 am Mass at Holy Rosary parish in Toronto was celebrated by Msgr. Robert Nusca, pastor and a renowned Biblical scholar. In his homily he compared the Parables of the Lord in Galilee to today's challenges in scientific advances from sub-atomic particles to nano-technology which tend to distract us from the purposes of the supernatural world and above all the purposes of God who is close to us. About the kingdom of God Jesus said "It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches." (Luke 13:19). The natural world can lead us to contemplate the mystery of God - The kingdom of God. Msgr. Nusca said that commentators found in the parables a scathing critique of the social order of masters and slaves, rich and poor, and hard heartless of religious authorities...Today the new evangelization of the Gospel may seem insignificant in the powerful tree of life. Yet, amid the current uncertainties and militant atheism, God will bring forth glorious results...The Mass can be followed here.
On Sunday July 19, at the Byzantine Cathedral of the Transfiguration in Toronto, the 10 a.m. Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Fr. Youhanna Hanna and served by the renowned Homsy choir and others too. In the homily, Fr. Youhanna Hanna commented on the Gospel reading (Mt. 5:14-19) in which Jesus teaches his disciples "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." The kingdom of God is found in doing God's good work to others on earth.
On Sunday July 19, the Jesuit scholar Fr. Henri Boulad uttered a homily in French (here) on the development of the human race which refers to St. Paul's notion that the entire creation is in travail; her infancy in development is a process in which God let it become. In his Epistle to the Romans St. Paul wrote "Creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies." (Romans 8:18-23). When creation is submitted to God, then He will be "all in all"(1 Corinthians 15:28). In his poetic language, the visionary in the Book of Revelation described God with Greek philosophical words "The Alpha and Omega"(Rev. 1:8) - According to the Church Fathers, the inspired author is John the Apostle whose Gospel starts too with the words "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God"(John 1:1). Contemporary Biblical studies show that John wrote his inspired Biblical books near the end of the first century - Since Paul was martyred around 64 AD, his Epistle to the Romans would have been written earlier. It also confirms the belief since early Christian era that God is Trinity in One.
In his Epistle to the Philipians, St. Paul writes "who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:6-11).
However, how will creation "share in the glorious freedom of the children of God"? If baptized Christians are not committed to their baptismal promises, how will they be able to do justice to others ? In a large country such as the United States whose constitution is based on Christian values, inequality based on skin colour would be contrary to "the dream" of Martin Luther King, and, therefore, contrary too to man's responsibility for nature - the sower's "seed that fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up" and "his seed that fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots." But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirty fold.
The evolution of the entire cosmos is the story that ends with the "New Jerusalem" (Rev. 21:2).
To get to the New Jerusalem, love is the key. "Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!' And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all therein, saying, 'To him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might for ever and ever!" (Rev. 5:11-13).
I wish to share what I know about a few saints who followed Christ with love...from my blog...
St. Bernard of Clairvaux on "The Four Loves": (here); The Third Teresa - A Woman for All Seasons (here); A Man for All Seasons - St. Thomas More (here); Maximilian Kolbe in imitation of Christ (here); What Made Rita of Cascia a Saint? (here).
:Let us end this little post on the Kingdom of God with St. John Chrysostom's homily at Easter here...
