Dear Brothers and Sisters,
This “Optional Memorial” for our Mass Readings is beautiful – as is all God’s Word. It is always “new” every morning. He knows each heart , so let us by His Grace, Listen to the words He speaks, remembering today, and every Friday, how Jesus continues to call all of us to Himself in Love. From His Cross He gave Mary to us to be our Mother and Model for the Church, His Bride. St.Jane de Chantal is another saint among many whom God has given us to follow Him. For more on this Saint see: St. Jane de Chantal - St. Jane de Chantal — Oblates of St. Francis de Sales
Come Holy Spirit fill us as you filled Mary with Jesus, our Way, our Truth and our Life. Amen.
This “Optional Memorial” for our Mass Readings is beautiful – as is all God’s Word. It is always “new” every morning. He knows each heart , so let us by His Grace, Listen to the words He speaks, remembering today, and every Friday, how Jesus continues to call all of us to Himself in Love. From His Cross He gave Mary to us to be our Mother and Model for the Church, His Bride. St.Jane de Chantal is another saint among many whom God has given us to follow Him. For more on this Saint see: St. Jane de Chantal - St. Jane de Chantal — Oblates of St. Francis de Sales
Reading 1 (Proverbs 31: 10-31)
When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls. Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize. She brings him good, and not evil, all the days of her life. She obtains wool and flax and makes cloth with skillful hands. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her fingers ply the spindle. She reaches out her hands to the poor, and extends her arms to the needy. Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting; the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her a reward of her labors, and let her works praise her at the city gates.
Responsorial (Ps 131:1-3) In you, Lord, I have found my peace.
O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor are my eyes haughty; I busy not myself with great things, nor with things too sublime for me. Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted my soul like a weaned child. Like a weaned child on its mother’s lap, so is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD, both now and forever.
Alleluia (Jn 8:31-32) - “If you remain in My word, you will truly be My disciples, and you will know the truth, says the Lord.”
Gospel (Mk 3:31-35)
The Mother of Jesus and His brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent word to Him and called Him. A crowd seated around Him told Him, “Your Mother and Your brothers and Your sisters are outside asking for you.” But He said to them in reply, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers. For whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.”
The last sentence in this Gospel has been greatly “Misunderstood” by many who are non Catholics, for they have interpreted Jesus as saying that Mary had other naturally born children -- Catholics on the other hand believe and know from God’s Word that Mary was created Immaculate from the first moment of her own conception in her Mother’s womb and Mary by the Power of the Holy Spirit conceived Jesus in her womb. Jesus is the Only Begotten Son of the Eternal Father!
This morning as I read this Gospel it was “a new” Gospel to me in the sense that I realized in a new way, how Jesus was inviting all those around Him to be Members of His Body, the Church He was forming in order to bring us into Eternal Life. Mary is His Mother by God’s Love and by her cooperation in saying: “Behold the Handmaid of the Lord be it done unto me according to Your Word”. We believe this by God’s Grace given to us. How grateful we need to be to God – how we need to thank Him every day for all He has given to us!
Come Holy Spirit fill us as you filled Mary with Jesus, our Way, our Truth and our Life. Amen.
