“Blessed be God forever!” That’s a prayer you and I have probably said hundreds, if not thousands of times at Mass. And, yet, yesterday I heard it in a different way.
A little girl sitting with her Mom and Grandfather, caught our attention, as she heard our prayer responses and then would repeat what she had been taught and heard us say.
The little girl’s sincerity of faith and desire to join in the celebration of the Mass, came through in those four powerful words, “Blessed be God forever.”
Today, we celebrate a memorial called Our Lady of Loretto, which recalls the home of Our Blessed Mother…and the name of the memorial comes from it’s current location in Loretto, Italy.
Now, this is where the story gets interesting…Mary was born and raised in another country and tradition tells us that her home was transported to Italy by supernatural means. This small stone home has attracted countless pilgrims for centuries.
It is a reminder that Our Blessed Mother, though conceived without original sin and full of grace was like us in that she grew up in a home. That means that Our Blessed Mother understands what it takes to take care of a home and the importance of the family members who live there.
Our Blessed Mother understands everyday family life; the things that make us smile and those that frustrate us. So let me ask you, what’s going on in your home or with your family this Advent? What’s working and what isn’t? Is there anyone who’s like that lost sheep or maybe drifting in some way?
The prophet Isaiah speaks to each of us in God’s Word, calling us to help remove obstacles in our relationships with God and one another through prayer, acts of charity, and reconciliation. It’s easy to forget among our busyness and own challenges that we are to be like John the Baptist preparing the Way of the Lord…that we have the ability with God’s grace to help our loved ones in many ways.
My brothers and sisters, we all come to Mass with different things going on in families whether we are under one roof or spread out. We can find hope in knowing that God seeks us or our family members out when we are lost and that when He finds us; He rejoices!
That’s another reason to be like our little sister in the faith and able to say, “Blessed be God forever!”
- Father Daivd's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)
