11/07/2010 - 15TH. SUNDAY IN ORDINARY SEASON - C
1Reading Deut 30,10-14 Psalm 18 2Reading Col 1,15-20 Gospel Lk 10,25-37
"I don't pray for these alone, but for all those who will believe in me
because of their word; so that they can be one". The prayer of Jesus is
the most important prayer, the truest, the one the Father welcomed most. It's
the prayer of the beloved Son, the prayer of the humble, the prayer which is
free from selfish emotions. Now he assures us that he does not want to limit
the effectiveness of his prayer only to the disciples that were present there
that day, but wants it to reach all those who in the future trust themselves
to him "because of their word". Those who in the future believe, after
having heard the Word of the apostles, these are beloved by Jesus. The word
of the apostles is therefore very important, or better, the apostles are very
important, because from their ministry depends the faith and the salvation of
many. We enjoy of this affirmation that the Lord says to the Father. He assures
us that we were present in his heart when he prayed it. Jesus therefore prayed
for me, prayed for our community. At this point we are to ask what Jesus did,
meaning in what does his prayer consists, and also, what did he desired for
us. When Jesus said "I pray", he meant to offer himself so that the
will of the Father is fulfilled. He submitted his own plans to the plan of God.
He made himself available to him, even to die, as happened afterwards. For us,
therefore, Jesus made himself available to die on the cross. And what did he
desired for us? If he said that he prays for us, it does not mean that he is
going to ask the Father to give us what pleases us, that our dreams are fulfilled,
or to soothe our egoism to please those mundane desires by which we are tempted
to live. He prays so that the will of God is done in our lives as it was done
in his life. God wants to shine in our lives, in the life of each and everyone.
This is the desire that Jesus puts forward to the Father, a desire that is also
certainly shared by the Father: "all be one". He had expressed already
this desire, and he will express it again, because it's very important. To be
one is so important for Jesus, that he does not think to ask for his disciples
a happy long life. It's only in being one that give God glory! To be one is
the manifestation of God's life, his love made of trust and obedience. Father
and Son are one, they live a love which is manifested, made visible and perceived
by the Holy Spirit. When the disciples are one in the name of Jesus, they will
show to the world how good and beautiful, and wise is God. They will be his
manifestation and his prophecy, they will be a his blessing to all in all the
places in which they are to live.
"Go and do the same". The Gospel text of today ends with these words
of Jesus. The invitation-command of Jesus came to the Scribe as a surprise.
That a Scribe of Jerusalem takes example by a Samaritan is almost a scandal.
Even so, even the Scribe had to admit that the behavior of the Samaritan of
the parable was to be upheld, was according to God. One who takes care of someone
who was unjustly hurt, is like God who takes care of the orphan and the widow,
who bends the wounds, who is a shepherd who takes care of the sick sheep. The
one who loves God with all his heart wants to imitate him and make shine his
wisdom and his qualities with his behavior. Who loves God, listens to him and
treasures upon every word of his. And not only of every word, but also of every
sign and work he does: these become words to meditate, to take to heart. We
have the precious example of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who continued to listen
to all that was surrounding her Son.
To love God with all one's heart means to say yes for all he asks. And what
are the desires of God? To be known and experienced by all men, his creatures.
These can come to know him and experience him in the acts of love they receive,
because who loves freely, as the Samaritan in the story of Jesus, reveals his
holiness and his greatness, the tenderness and his nearness to the one true
God. The priest and the levite of the Temple don't reveal anything of God. These
were able to do acts "for" God, but they did not "live"
with God. Even though they were robbed with sacred dignity, they were a lie:
they showed God to be without a heart.
It is not difficult to love God, because even though one does not see him, but
can see his creatures, meets those with whom one comes across on the way, the
ones one can give a smile, a hand, a look, a word, a hand, an advice, an act
of love. Jesus is the image of God because he didn't stop giving his attention
to his creatures till the end. Love is the greatest commandment because if one
lives it, one becomes like God, fills one's life and makes one doing wonders.
It is a commandment that one can live every moment, at work as at rest, alone
and with others. Love performs miracles: the greatest among them is, that it
makes the invisible God, visible to all!