Saturday 14th February 2015
Feast days of Saints. February : Saints Cyril and Methodius
“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him in pairs, to all the towns and villages he harvesting. He said to them :”The harvest is rich but the laborers are few, ask therefore the Lord of the harvest to send laborers to do the harvesting. Go! I send you out like lambs amongst wolves.“Jesus tells us to pray and to go forth. Strengthened by my prayer, I can go forth and be invested in other areas of life. My way of acting becomes even stronger as I go strengthened by this prayer that keeps me in relationship with God. Whether I pray or act, I am sent out by Another, by God who develops in me great freedom ! I do not have to seek any result for myself. We want to see the Immense Love of Jesus shine forth in Europe and in the world, so, we can begin by praying the patron Saints of Europe : Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius. Right from the beginning, God developed His Church in the people of Europe that we belong to.But it is also from Europe that huge brokenness in the Church came about! Through our faith, hope and love, we need to make a new offering of ourselves once again so that Jesus reunites the people of God whom we are. He sends us forth everywhere to be a witness to the Love of Jesus.”Take no purse with you, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road,. Whatever house you enter , let your first words be : peace to this house! And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you."
It is in poverty and in destitution that I can encounter another person.This other person is always different to me. The Word of God id there to lead us to Another who calls us forth by a word that is freeing and free. Jesus invites those he sends forth to live this mission as he himself lives it. Jesus himself lives in He who sent him. His action is forever sending us out towards Another, namely, His Father. This is how the Kingdom of God is established, and how the action of God finds its way amongst us so that we recognize him in other people. We make this programme our own on this Feast day of the Saints Cyril and Methodius. Our faces bear witness to the marks of life and love with Jesus. This is where the infinite love of God shines forth in Peace and in Joy. Jesus wishes to shine forth in our hearts as he did in
the life of Mary.The Eternal Son of the Father makes us the children of God, witnesses of his Love. We ask for this ardent love of the Heart of Jesus to enter into the whole world. We announce it in weakness, this weakness we find in the Church, however, it manifests that God is at work in us : ’God who said : Light will shine in the midst of darkness, this Light itself has shone in our hearts.’ This light shines throughout every house where we announce the Good News.
"Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the laborer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house.whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is put before you.Heal the sick and say ’The Kingdom of God is very near to you.’
The Word of God took on a human face in Our Blessed Lady. In her , He gives to humanity this resplendent infinite Love. When God’s Word takes flesh in the Virgin’s womb, love shines forth in the heart of this mother. This infinite love of God is established between these two hearts and it will shine forth on Mary’s face. It is she who will give Jesus his face. Weaving in her womb the face of the Unique Son of God, Mary finds her own face. Thus the mystery of the infinite love of God begins to spread throughout all humanity.And so it will be until Jesus returns. We are this humanity from which the Infinite Love of God shines forth. “God said : Light will shine in darkness, this Light of God has shone in our hearts.” In each and everyone of us, the face of Christ shines. It is together that we announce the Christ’s Countenance.The Holy Spirit who unites us, shines forth the Light of Christ upon all human flesh. God loves the poor, in each on of us He loves this part of poverty. He is really himself in this attitude; opening us up to divine love so that we be transformed, unified, thus turning ourselves towards others.