Contemplating today's Gospel
Today's Gospel + homily (in 300 words)
Remember that your compassion, o Lord, and your love are from of old. In your kindness remember me, because of your goodness, o Lord.
Good and upright is the Lord; thus he shows sinners the way. He guides the humble to justice and teaches the humble his way.
“Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
Fr. Lluís ROQUÉ i Roqué (Manresa, Barcelona, Spain)Today the Church invites us to convert and, with Jesus, is telling us: "Repent, and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:15). Therefore, we must heed Jesus Christ, while correcting and improving what is necessary.
Every human action connects with God's eternal plan for us and the calling to listen to Jesus, to follow Him in everything and for everything, and to proclaim Him as the first disciples did, as millions have done and we strive to do.
Now is the opportunity to find God in Jesus Christ; now is the moment in our lives that connects with either a blissful or a miserable eternity; now is the time God gives us to encounter Him, to live as His children, and to ensure that daily events carry the divine transcendence that Jesus Christ —with His life through time— has imprinted on them.
We cannot miss this opportunity! Our life may be more or less lengthy in time, but will always be too short, for "the world in its present form is passing away" (1 Corinthians 7:31). Afterward, it will be an eternity with God and His faithful in full life and happiness, or away from God —with the unfaithful— in a life of total darkness.
Thus, the hours, days, months, and years are not for wasting, nor for settling down and passing them unnoticed with a futile “just getting by”. They are for living what Jesus has proclaimed in the saving Gospel, here and now: to live in God, loving everything and everyone. And so, those who have loved —Mary, Mother of God and our Mother; the saints; those who have been faithful until the end of earthly life— have been able to hear: "Well done, my good and faithful servant… Come, share your master’s joy" (Matthew 25:23).
Let us convert! It is worth it. We will love and be happy from now on.
Thoughts on Today's Gospel
“True faith knows no procrastination. As soon as they heard him, they believed, followed him and became fishers of men.” (Saint Jerome)
“God awaits us and accompanies us. Such is the Lord eternal love. Eternal and yet concrete. His love is an art, he goes along making history and preparing the way for each one of us. And this is God’s love.” (Francis)
“The Paschal mystery of Christ's cross and Resurrection stands at the center of the Good News that the apostles, and the Church following them, are to proclaim to the world. God's saving plan was accomplished ‘once for all’ (Heb 9:26) by the redemptive death of his Son Jesus Christ.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Nº 571)
September 1st
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
Gospel and commentary video
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