01/11/2008 - Toussaints
Iª lecture Ap 7,2-4.9-14 du Psaume 23 IIª lecture 1K J 3,1-3 Evangile
Mt 5,1-12
"I believe the Church, holy". Another attribute of
the Church is that same one of God, the only one who is holy! We have already
seen the meaning of this word when we spoke of the Holy Spirit. The Church,
born of the Spirit of God, enjoy of this qualification and the call to witness
to all the holiness of God. The Church is holy because Jesus, the Son of God,
is present in her midst, and because she is guided by the Holy Spirit. She is
holy because through her many receive the Holy Spirit, who gives consolation,
joy, power and shares goodness! She is holy, even though, she gathers in unity
and obedience to God, sinners. Their presence in the Church wont bring low his
holiness, on the contrary, it give her the occasion to show it by welcoming
them, love them, forgive them, and helping them to grow slowly into the image
of the Son of God! Who looks only at the people of the Church may come to the
conclusion that the Church is only a sinner, but who sees God's presence and
the hand of God in her, is to feel proud and thank him for having brought him
into the same Church. No one can accuse the Church of sin, because this is of
her members. And because I am a sinner and shall be a sinner, I cannot pride
over no other member of the Church, nor pretend that they are to be without
sin, but can pray for them and for myself that we may be forgiven. The Church,
like heaven, gathers a multitude of forgiven sinners, forgiven and loved by
God! We are not to be moved by those who keep on criticizing the Church because
of her priests and bishops. We accept this critique because there am also me
in the Church, I who am a sinner, but we are to continue to love her, because
it's through her, and only through her that we can be forgiven! The main actions
of the Church are the Sacraments. They put in touch man with the holiness and
the power of God. When Jesus feed the five thousand with the five loaves and
the four thousand with the seven loaves did not offered directly to anyone of
those who were seated before him. He gave to the apostles the pieces of bread
so that they could share them with all. The bread of Jesus was in the hands
of Peter and of John, of James and of Barthelme's, of Thomas and Judas. It was
not different then and not even today: no one can say: "yes to Jesus, no
to the Church". Jesus Christ is the head of the Church, that why the Church
is holy! He is not to be found no where else!
St. Paul is trying to console the believers: they believed that the faithful
departed were not going to be there for the glorious return of Jesus; they thought
that the Lord was about to come soon! The apostle assures them that the Lord
will not do any preferences: when he comes he will call also the ones that were
already dead! He wants to enjoy their and our presence at the same time. We
are not able to imagine the omnipotent love of God, that's why it's hard for
us to think of the resurrection! The Lord wants us to be with him!
He wants with him the wise and prudent virgins, of whom he speaks in the parable.
All ten virgins know that the bridegroom whom they have to accompany for the
wedding feast is to arrive. They know that he might come during the day, but
that he could also be late and might even arrive in the middle of the night.
Those who are willingly to rejoice in him keep themselves ready and keep in
reserve oil for their lamps. Others, instead, seem not to have given it a thought:
what does it mean? It means that their love for the bridegroom, that is to be
joyful, is completely absent, or wrong, outward appearance that decisive. Upon
arriving he calls, and the love and readiness of the wise and prudent virgins
won't help the foolish and lazy ones. They are recognized as such, and their
place remains the same one in which they were, a place without light, cold,
without joy and love!
By this parable Jesus is trying to help us be vigilant, always ready to meet
him in a worthy way. He cannot and doesn't want to do anything or independently
of our will. If we don't want to be save, he cannot save us. Our salvation is
to welcome the Savior who is coming to meet us, Jesus, the bridegroom who gives
himself to all and welcomes the love of everyone to make him share of the fullness
of joy. He himself would suffer to have to tell us: "I don't know you!"
If we are not interested, he cannot do anything to accept our prayer then. He
willing opens the door for us if he sees that we are willing to welcome him.
This is the true wisdom: to search for him with love, early morning, as we read
in the First Reading, with insistence and perseverance. He lets himself to be
found by those who search for him. If one doesn't search for him remain empty
at heart and sad at face, because he wont see not even the meaning of his living
and dying.
Therefore we repeat: My soul thirsts for you, Lord! Let us repeat this prayer,
and let's try to live every moment as it pleases Jesus, the bridegroom who wants
us to be with him to fill us with joy and peace.