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Today, 27th of September, we celebrate
Saint Vincent of Paul
Pro 21:1–6,10–13
Like a stream is the king's heart in the hand of the Lord;
wherever it pleases him, he directs it.
All the ways of a man may be right in his own eyes,
but it is the Lord who proves hearts.
To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
Haughty eyes and a proud heart–
the tillage of the wicked is sin.
The plans of the diligent are sure of profit,
but all rash haste leads certainly to poverty.
Whoever makes a fortune by a lying tongue
is chasing a bubble over deadly snares.
The soul of the wicked man desires evil;
his neighbor finds no pity in his eyes.
When the arrogant man is punished, the simple are the wiser;
when the wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
The just man appraises the house of the wicked:
there is one who brings down the wicked to ruin.
He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor
will himself also call and not be heard.
Ps 119:1, 27, 30, 34, 35, 44
R./ Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord.
R./ Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds.
R./ Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
The way of truth I have chosen;
I have set your ordinances before me.
R./ Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
Give me discernment, that I may observe your law
and keep it with all my heart.
R./ Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
Lead me in the path of your commands,
for in it I delight.
R./ Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
And I will keep your law continually,
forever and ever.
R./ Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.
Lk 8:19-21
Then his mother and his relatives came to him, but they could not get to him because of the crowd. Someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and wish to meet you." Then Jesus answered, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."
Dear friends,
And we all know how important blood is! The law of blood is a beautiful thing. It makes us family, creates indelible bonds, and is the ultimate foundation of love and security when so many things fail. Blood is the most beautiful and profound thing of all. It brings us the words we love the most: mother, father, brothers, and sisters. So, I’d love to understand why Jesus makes this shift from blood to behavior and attitudes. “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and keep it,” he says with a warm smile. But when we really think about it, we realize that what might seem like rejection is actually a form of praise and commendation. It’s amazing to give blood, but it’s even more incredible when it’s given with faith and trust in God. This is why the Mother of the blood is so special. She is the one who listens to and fulfills the word of the Lord in an incomparable way. Just like in the Old Testament, she wasn’t God’s people by race, but by God’s loving and provident choice.
Our Lady did not presume to be the Mother of God. She was, in fact, “the handmaid of the Lord.” As a servant by faith, like Jesus, she was always in the things of the Father and always did the things that pleased the Father. Mary did not remain in biology; she transcended it. From her freedom, she cooperated in an exemplary human way. If being a mother is not the primary title for the Virgin, then we must reject the worldly titles that some men in the Church seek. The gift of faith is our only distinction and greatness, our only source of rights. Faith makes us all equal. Our relationships, in society and in the Church, are not based on blood, on economics, on jobs. They are based on the communion of the same family, the family of the Kingdom. It is disgraceful that we, as Christians, are horrified by the divisions and inequalities that exist in countries with a long Christian tradition. These divisions are based on blood or worldly ambitions.
Our Lady did not presume to be the Mother of God. She was the “handmaid of the Lord.” As a servant by faith, like Jesus, she was always in the things of the Father and always did the things that pleased the Father. Mary did not remain in biology; she transcended it. From her freedom, she cooperated in an exemplary human way. If being a mother is not the primary title for the Virgin, then we must reject the worldly titles that some men in the Church seek. The gift of faith is our only distinction and greatness, our only source of rights. Faith makes us all equal. Our relationships, in society and in the Church, are not based on blood, on economics, on jobs. They are based on the communion of the same family, the family of the Kingdom. It is disgraceful that we, as Christians, are horrified by the divisions and inequalities that exist in countries with a long Christian tradition. These divisions are based on blood or worldly ambitions.
Godgossip
Lord our God,
you have called all who listen
to the Word of your Son
and put it into practice
to be the new family you love.
Address each of us personally,
that we may understand your Word,
receive it with ready hearts, like Mary,
and let it become flesh and blood
in all our actions.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
First Reading Introduction
How do we deal with our neighbor? Justice is more important than sacrifice, and we should hear the cry of the poor.
Gospel Introduction
After his parables on the sower of the word and of the lamp, Luke, using the incident of Mary and Jesus' relatives seeking him out in the crowd, sums up by saying that Jesus' new family is made up of those who hear the word of God and live accordingly. Accepting the gospel transcends family ties. This is no direct rebuke to Mary, as we know that she received and responded to the word of God and pondered it in her heart. Like her, do we put it into practice?
– That we may be close to Jesus by seeking with him and his mother the will of the Father in everything, we pray:
– That priests and religious may keep trusting in the Lord who has called them notwithstanding their human weakness, and that with Christ, they may care for people to bring them close to God, we pray:
– That by keeping our baptismal promises, we may be faithful to God who remains always faithful to us, we pray:
God our Father,
we have heard your Word
and now we bring before you
this bread and this wine.
Let this be the food and drink
that give us the strength
to act upon the word of your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
God our Father,
your Word became flesh for us
in this Eucharistic celebration.
Let the Word of your son unite us
to be fully the new family of your Church.
Let the Spirit of your Son fill our own words
with truth, integrity, and love,
that we may brighten each other's day.
And may our lives echo to the world
the Word you have spoken to us,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.
We should be people of the Word: people who belong to Christ, the living Word of God; people who keep their word; people who live according to the word they believe in; people, like Mary, who are completely open to the Word of God. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
