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Reflections of Family and Faith
"The family that prays together stays together." - Venerable Patrick Peyton
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Today's readings present a miraculous conception of two famous people in the history of the Israelite. These are Samson and John the Baptist. They carry similarity connected to their mission as announced by an Angel. They are both to be Nazirites from birth, abstaining from wine and strong drink, their mothers were barren initially and both have a mission of participating in the mission of God’s working among his people.
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In difficult situations, dilemmas, quest between the truth and Charity sometimes we seek justification. We quickly identify the wrong, and the betrayal; we are cornered by pain. We seek relief by exposing that individual who has failed us. The world will clap for us! Pope Francis in his Apostolic letter Patris Cordis (With Father’s Love) says that often in life, things happen whose meaning we do not understand. Our first reaction is frequently one of disappointment and rebellion. "Joseph set aside his ideas in order to accept the course of events and, mysterious as they seemed, to embrace them, take responsibility for them and make them part of his history." — Patris Cordis, Apostolic letter by Pope Francis (150th anniversary of the proclamation of St. Joseph as patron of the universal church)
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Mary continues to draw people back to her Son relying on her obedience and humility as a vessel for God’s mission towards human salvation. Today as we are celebrating our Lady of Guadalupe, Mary becomes a messenger and a mother who seeks out the lost. She becomes a co-shepherd to her son. She goes out to seek the lost in the land where mission seemed impossible due to traditional beliefs. She relied on her humble “yes” and she continues to live this even today. Mary’s "yes" remains active portrayed by her many apparitions calling out humanity to embrace renewal, healing, repentance and above all salvation through her Son.
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We followers of Jesus we have a strong desire to follow Him. We desire to share a very close relationship with Jesus. Our longing is to have that close union inseparable by anything here on earth. All these are desires to be Holy. There are elements of our faith that help us in building our close union with God. One is his Church. The Church is our new Temple. We encounter God, listen, and speak with him. As usual, every gathering carries with itself principles and guidelines to direct the activities carried on. The new Temple-Church carries with herself certain practical rituals that pertain to her and how to conduct prayers rightfully. In addition, we are part of this temple and even more we are “temples of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 6:19)” too.
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The closer we come towards the end of the liturgical year, the readings tend to bend towards eschatological themes of Kingdom and judgment. They alert us of the need for preparation, introspection, and continuous personal renewal. In today’s Gospel, the themes of judgment and kingdom still appear. The untrustworthy steward is faced with the dilemma of life. He needs to act very fast and cautiously so that his actions do not put him in more danger. He has been with his master for quite some time, but he has not been doing well in his accountability. His work has reached a dead end. And he asks a question, what shall I do? He's preparing for his descent and how society will receive him. It seems that his relationship was not good with both the master and the rest of the people under him.
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Holy lives of inspiration | Learn more about our faith
It must have been striking and confusing to the listeners of Jesus when He said that only a few people would be saved or that only a few would enter through the door. His statement on pious religious practices is not enough for someone to enter eternal life. However, this does not mean that eternal life is for the selected few. This is because at the end of the text, He says people will come from different parts of the world, east, west, north, and south, and be part of the Eternal Kingdom. We know that the symbolism of the stretched-out hands of the crucified Jesus is an invitation for all people to come to Him.
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