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1/7 Wednesday
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Have you come to torment us before our time? Matthew 8,29
When we feel irritated or worse tormented by the Word of Jesus trying
to guide us, it is a certain sign that we are being plagiarised by evil
and that we are not free. Thank you, Jesus, for coming to free us from
what torments us and makes us suffer.
2/7 Thursday
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Take heart, my son, your sins are forgiven! Matthew 9,2
The gift of forgiving our sins that Jesus brought with him from heaven,
is a reason for us to have courage and great joy and to be grateful to
the Father. From the reaction of the crowd who saw the lame man walk as
proof of his forgiveness, we can understand the value of this gift: "the
people were filled with awe at the sight and praised God for granting
such authority to men".
3/7 Friday St Thomas the Apostle
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"Because you have seen me you have found faith." John 20,29
A lot of people , just like the apostle Thomas, want to see the risen
Jesus with their own eyes in order to believe. Jesus, however, makes himself
known to whoever has the humility to believe those who have known him
personally: "happy are they who have found faith without seeing me".
4/7 Saturday
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They put new wine into fresh skins. Matthew 9,17
Jesus, you ask me to leave behind any rigidity, certainty or conviction,
everything that I think I am. You want my heart to grow freely. In order
to give me this new life, I need to become like a child again; then you
will be able to fill me with your joy and your presence and then, I will
be full of love.
5/7 Sunday
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What is this wisdom he has been given? Mark 6,2
Through truly listening to Jesus, I can find a new way to see and live,
new relationships with people, a new way that brings peace. Thank you,
Jesus, for coming to live among us! You are the wisdom of God who loves
us: I wish to listen to you, I wish to obey.
6/7 Monday
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Take heart my daughter your faith has healed you! Matthew 9,22
Jesus was talking to the woman who had suffered from haemorrhages and
had touched his garment. She knew that only God could heal her and wash
away her impurity: in placing her hope in Jesus, she recognised him as
God. Jesus, feeling her touch as genuine, turned to her as he would to
a daughter. We can safely come to Jesus for his intercession even if our
situation is impure and sinful.
7/7 Tuesday
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The sight of the crowds moved him to pity! Matthew 9,36
Every day we are bombarded with catastrophic news; "if God existed….
certain things would not happen": this is the obvious conclusion
for some. Those who love Jesus, however, thank the Father for having sent
him to us. He sees and has pity on our misery which is the consequence
of our shortcomings. He shows his pity by continually sending us saintly
workers to heal us and lead us back to the straight path.
8/7 Wednesday
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Do whatever he tells you! Genesis 41,55
These words spoken by the pharaoh concerning Joseph are identical to what
Mary says to the servants at the marriage of Canaan. In the former there
was not enough bread, in the latter there was not enough wine, both symbols
of Jesus. The obedience of those who love and revere God overcomes every
difficulty in whatever period, even today, and allows us to find peace
and joy.
9/7 Thursday
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The worker deserves his keep! Matthew 10,10
Jesus is sending his disciples to announce the Kingdom of God and to convert
the people. They need not worry about food or clothing because they are
God's "workers"! God will clothe them and dress them: there
is no employer better than he!
10/7 Friday
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Be wary! Matthew 10,16
Jesus says to his disciples whom he is sending to continue his work in
the service of mankind: "I send you out like sheep among wolves;
be wary as serpents, innocent as doves". Send us the Holy Spirit,
Lord Jesus, with the gifts of intelligence, discernment, prudence and
wisdom. Then we will be able to weigh up each situation and act consequently.
11/7 Saturday St Benedict, Patron Saint of Europe
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I am the vine, you are the branches! John 15,5
Today we honour St Benedict, the patron saint of Europe. He was so close
to Jesus and the Father in prayer and work that he bore much fruit in
our continent for the kingdom of God. Because of his wisdom and love,
many people joined him and were guided by him spiritually to find true
life in Jesus Christ! St Benedict, pray for us!
12/7 Sunday XVth OT
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He sent them out two by two with authority over unclean spirits! Mark
6,7
Jesus' disciples, in order to announce the kingdom of God, had also to
show it. And the kingdom of God can only be seen and enjoyed when we are
free of "unclean spirits", which are a sign of the kingdom of
Satan. The ironic smile of those who say: "what childish ideas"
gives way to the certainty that the Father's love can reach us. Wherever
Jesus' disciples go, there will be faith in God as our father and the
joy of victory over death.
13/7 Monday XVth OT
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To receive you is to receive me! Matthew 10,40
These words are disconcerting. Who receives Jesus? Those who receive the
ones that Jesus sends, poor men, with all their limits but who bring his
Word. To receive Jesus is not to love his image, but to take his Church
seriously!
14/7 Tuesday XVth OT
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Why are you striking your fellow countryman? Exodus 2,13
This same question that Moses asked, Jesus also asks of someone who strikes
another's cheek. He wants us to realise the spiritual meaning behind the
gesture. Violence, expressed with words, with silence or with actions
always reveals our bondage to sin even if we are good at camouflaging
it as well intentioned. Come, Lord Jesus, and put love, joy, peace, patience,
benevolence, goodness, loyalty, kindness and self control in our hearts.
15/7 Wednesday XVth OT
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Everything is entrusted to me by the Father! Matthew 11,27
Jesus, exulting in the spirit, confides these words to his disciples.
They can, therefore, be confident that obeying Jesus is the way to truly
love God.
16/7 Thursday XVth OT
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I will give you rest! Matthew 11,28
When I first became a follower of Jesus, I was oppressed by sin, starved
of love and justice. My heart was dead, incapable of listening or obeying;
I was alone!
You, Jesus, took me in, away from humiliation, you freed me from the weight
I carried, you stood before me as a guide and teacher and in you I found
rest!
17/7 Friday XVth OT
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There is something greater than the temple here! Matthew 12,6
Yes, I believe that you, Jesus, are the place where we can meet the true
God who is Father and Love. The Father lives in you, you are the Emanuel,
God with us. You live in and amongst those who love you!
18/ Saturday XVth OT
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Many followed him and he healed all who were ill! Matthew 12,15
I believe that today too, those who follow Jesus can be healed. The gift
that Jesus offers to all who follow him is the transformation that occurs
in them which is true healing. Whoever follows Jesus is no longer at the
mercy of their own continually changing feelings, but can look to the
rock of their salvation, their Consoler.
19/7 Sunday XVth OT
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Come with me to some remote place and rest a little! Mark 6,30-31
Jesus says this to us every Sunday, the Lord's day, so that we can be
with him and find a little rest:
"for he is himself our peace" (Ephesians 2,14). When we are
at peace then Jesus can offer others rest, as happens in the episode of
today's gospel reading.
20/7 Monday XVIth OT
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Have no fear! Exodus 14,13
Whoever leads the people of God receives his help even in the most difficult
and dangerous moments. If we listen to his Word and are supported by faith,
God himself will help us to overcome fear and to walk with hope and trust
towards our goal, the promised land!
21/7 Tuesday XVIth OT
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The Lord saved Israel from the power of Egypt! Exodus 14,30
The Lord intervened, as he had promised to Moses, to save his people with
the miracle of the Red Sea. He divided the waters of the sea so that the
people could cross over, while the Egyptian army that was chasing them,
was killed when the waters closed over them. This freedom from slavery
to Egypt became a sign and symbol of that salvation which we all need:
from sin.
22/7 Wednesday XVIth OT Mary Magdalene
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I met my true love! Song of Songs 3,4
The Lord is close to those who invoke him and those who look for him with
a sincere heart: he reveals his love to them! Jesus Christ loves us faithfully,
like a bridegroom loves his bride: he is worthy of being looked for and
loved more than anything else.
23/7 Thursday XVIth OT St Brigit of Europe
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After she became a widow she used to fast every day except the Sabbath.
Judith 8,6
Judith was a great woman from the Old Testament who had adopted fasting
as a form of prayer to be strong and faithful in her situation of being
a widow. Fasting is like a prayer which is pleasing to God, for it not
only involves our hearts and words, but all our body. Let us learn to
offer some form of effort as prayer like St Brigit, and ask her to intercede
for us in favour of unity among Europeans illuminated by the New Testament.
24/7 Friday XVIth OT
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Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy! Exodus 20,8
A good father gives good advice to his children. Our Father in heaven
is the source of every good choice in our lives. He wishes us to be serene
and for this reason gives us healthy advice! The Sabbath day for us, Christians
is Sunday, the day set aside for the joy of resting, of communion with
him and others! Thank you, good Father!
25/7 Saturday XVIth OT St James
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We have only earthenware jars to hold this treasure. II Corinthians 4,7
The treasure is the knowledge of Jesus as Lord and God. This gift removes
the veil from our hearts that stops us from understanding that the Scriptures
foretell the coming of Jesus, the Son of God. This treasure is held in
the "jar" of our humanity which is fragile, prone to disease,
and easily mislead by ideas destructive of the Church. We ask St James
to pray that we might have the strength to keep and transmit the treasure
we hold within us!
26/7 Sunday XVIIth OT
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Gather up the pieces left over so that nothing is wasted! John 6,12
The gift of Jesus is abundant and always available. And it is his Church
that keeps it and distributes it! In the Church we are all in the service
of Jesus and so become a blessing for the world around us.
27/7 Monday XVIIth OT
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I will open my mouth in parables. Matthew 13,35
Jesus is the mouth of God! He speaks in many ways: in examples, comparisons,
exhortations, healings, …. May he give us today, with the grace of
his passion, the light and the strength to always know and receive that
life which he came to give us.
28/7 Tuesday XVIIth OT
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May the Lord…please go in our company. Exodus 34,9
After listening to the Lord's intentions, Moses asked him in great humility
to go in the company of his people, even though they were sinners! Today,
we have the joy of the presence of Jesus, God with us, and we try to live
in unity so that his presence may manifest itself. He listens to the prayers
of those who call!
29/7 Wednesday XVIIth OT St Martha
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The woman who fears the Lord is honoured! Proverbs 31,30
Whoever reveres God in their hearts, and loves him deeply is to be honoured.
From this gift, a life bearing good fruit is born which brings peace and
joy to all! St Martha and all God's saints, pray for us!
30/7 Thursday XVIIth OT
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The angels will go out and they will separate the wicked from the good.
Matthew 13,49
To tolerate those who quarrel, to love one's enemies, to pray for one's
persecutors, these are aspects of the merciful love of the Father and
of Jesus. God established that those who receive him shall have eternal
life, unimaginable joy, peace and love. Those who refuse this love, shall
be discarded as useless and harmful.
31/7 Friday XVIIth OT
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So they turned against him. Matthew 13,57
The inhabitants of Nazareth had seen Jesus leave as the son of the carpenter
and now they saw him returning as a Rabbi, surrounded by disciples. It
is something, however, that they interpret only from their own social
viewpoint… This prevents them receiving the Word of God from his
mouth
And understanding the explanation of the Scriptures and their revelation
of Jesus as God's consecrated one. Jesus has to leave them in their poverty!
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