3rd Week, Tuesday, Jan 24th
Hebrews 10:1-10 / Mark 3:31-35
Jesus speaks; "I come to do your will, O God."
Kathryn Koob was one of 52 Americans held hostage for 444 days by Iran in the 1980s. She will never forget how enraged mobs shouted outside the embassy around the clock. One night she awoke with a start. Immediately a sense of God's presence flooded her. As it did, the words of an old hymn came to mind: "Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Thou are the potter; I am the clay. Mold me and make me after thy will," Those words gave her not only great peace of mind but also great strength and resignation to God's will.
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How courageously do we accept and embrace whatever situation we find ourselves in? In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said, "Father...not my will but yours be done." Luke 22:42
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Brilliant, spirited, humorous, and very kind, St. Francis was bishop of Geneva during the Reformation. Both through his eloquence and his personal contact with people, he convinced many not to become Protestants and won many back to Catholicism.
He wanted to lead a simple life of everyone. Wearing ordinary clothes, he mixed with the people in the street, in the café around the corner, and in restaurants. In his writings, especially in his Introduction to the Devout Life, he showed how everyone can become a saint in one’s own environment and everyday work. With St. Frances de Chantal he founded the Order of the Visitation.
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For those who are maturing in their prayer life and deepening their spirituality, one of the questions they will face will be that of God's will. Essentially, the question will be what is God's will for them in their lives. But before we want to know what is God's will in our lives, a more fundamental question is: Do we know what we want for ourselves? When we know what we want, then we will go and get it done. It is almost as simple as that.
In the gospel, we heard that the mother and brothers and sisters of Jesus were outside and they sent a message asking for Him. The reply of Jesus was rather puzzling - "Who are my mother and brothers?" And then He said this - Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother. The mother and brothers and sisters of Jesus were asking for Him. But do they know what they want from Him? Do they know why they were asking for Him in the first place? And that brings us to the 1st reading when it said - God, here I am! I am coming to do your will.
When we ask what is God's will for us, then we must be prepared to put our lives into His hands and like Mary at the Annunciation, we must be ready to say "Be it done according to Your will".
And like Mary who had to learn moment by moment how to be the mother of Jesus and to do God's will, may we learn moment by moment how to be brothers and sisters of Jesus and do God's will.
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Prayer
Lord our God, we thank you for St. Francis de Sales, who showed in his amiability to people how good you are and how close you want to be to us. Make us open and gentle with everyone the way he was, uncomplicated and understanding and devoted to you, our living God. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
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Saint Francis de Sales
Francis and his cousin Louis, who was also a priest, volunteered to work in Chablais, where religious wars were taking place. After four months, Louis became discouraged and left. Then Francis began to write and distribute a weekly essay, explaining some doctrines of faith. For two years, he and his friends had these essays printed. Francis preached with power and charm in simple, clear language. His gentleness and love drew many hearts to God. The majority of the Chablais inhabitants accepted the Catholic faith.
When Francis was appointed bishop of Geneva, he not only wrote for and encouraged priests, but he also took an interest in the candidates for priesthood. Francis even conducted the examinations to see if the candidates were fit for this vocation. He also trained laypeople to teach catechism. Francis often gave spiritual guidance to people.
In 1610, Francis helped Jane Frances de Chantal found the Visitation convent. He wrote a book called The Introduction to the Devout Life. It shows that everyone can grow in holiness. Among his other writings is the Treatise on the Love of God, a history of his own love for God. Francis was declared a Doctor of the Church and the patron of journalists and writers.
