Ephesians 4:12 - 5:8 / Luke 13:10-17
Paul talks about Christian life: Live like people who belong to the light.
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Do we begin each day with a renewed resolve to live our day
as befits children of the light? “The Lord said ... ‘Man looks at the outward appearance, but I look at the heart.’ ”1Sam16:7
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Saint Anthony Mary Claret (Founder, Religious)
Anthony started life as a weaver before studying for the priesthood to which he was ordained in 1835. In his missionary work, he laid great emphasis on the Eucharist and devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and in 1849 a group of like-minded priests was formed by him into the “Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary”, the Claretians.
In 1851 he was made Archbishop of Santiago in Cuba, where, during his six years, he reformed the seminary and improved clerical discipline and on his many local missions throughout the diocese validated thousands of marriages. Keenly conscious of the importance and need to create material conditions favourable for a good Christian family life, he fostered sound farming methods and credit unions among the poor.
Recalled to Spain in 1857 to become, much against his wishes, the confessor of Queen Isabella II, he was exiled with her by the revolution of 1868. His apostolic successes so inflamed the hate of anti-clerical politicians in Spain and Cuba that many attempts were made on his life.
A firm believer in a strong Catholic Press, he founded the great Religious Publishing House at Barcelona, which is famous for issuing millions of low-priced copies of the best Catholic works of ancient and modern times, including over 130 works from his own pen.
At Vatican I, in 1870, he spoke forcefully in defense of Papal infallibility. After his death at the Cistercian monastery of Fontfroide, France, his heart was found to have remained incorrupt at the time of the translation of his relics in 1897. He was canonized in 1950.
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To have a good posture, the back needs to be straight and the head held up and looking straight. So, if we find ourselves always looking at the ground or the floor, it means we need some straightening up. Also, we can't be looking straight and yet being hunched.
In the gospel, we hear of a woman who was bent double. It is difficult to imagine what being bent double is. But whatever it is, it can be quite certain that for that woman to look straight it would take a lot of effort. Needless to say, for her to look up is almost like impossible. So for eighteen long years, that woman was in that kind of condition. Inevitably people would avoid her because of this appearance and some would think that it was some kind of spiritual affliction.
But despite all this suffering, the woman still kept her faith. She was there at the synagogue where Jesus was preaching. Jesus saw her, and also saw her faith despite her suffering, and He healed her. And at once she straightened up and she glorified God. We may not be bent double and we may even have a good posture. But at time, the troubles of life make our eyes look down and we see nothing more than our troubles.
But like the woman in the gospel, let us keep our faith in God and keep believing that Jesus will lift up our eyes and our hearts to see the wonders of God.
And may we also help others to lift up their eyes and hearts to God. More than just a good posture, we need a strong faith to keep hoping and believing and help others to hope and believe in the saving and healing love of Jesus.
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Let us pray: God our Father, we come to you in all humility as we acknowledge to you that we have failed and now seek your forgiveness. Straighten us, Lord, lift us up, recreate us anew, and fill us with your love Make us lift up one another and give thanks to you, our merciful and living God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
