In the work of unity

Friday of week 19 in Ordinary Time

Matthew 19:3-12

So then, what God has united, man must not divide.
Think of what happened to Israel and how they received bountiful blessings and miracles.  Are these all consequential? Or was there a  great Someone who gathered them for himself?  And what does he want of them?  He wants that they and we be united with him.

In the gospel, Jesus reminds us of the unitive aspect of marriage:  what God has joined, no man can separate.  Furthermore, he expanded this to people of every calling; we may have different calling, but we all have one mission.

Do we think about the unitive aspect of being church?  What are the benefits of unity?

First, it is a reflection of God himself who is One in Three Divine Persons.   There is no 'to each his own' in the Church.  God calls us as one.

 Second, God called a people, a race, and chose them as his own.  Religion is a personal experience of communion.  Heaven is a communion.

 Third, we are called to absolutely love one another, even our enemies.

On the life of St. Roche: 


His life reflected a desire to work for unity.

First, he worked with the sick that he was inflicted with the sickness.

Second, he was one with the suffering and persecuted.   He didn't defend himself when he was wrongly accused.

Third, he was one with the poor and the outcast.  He was the son of a governor; but he chose to side with the deprived and served them.

Let us work with and for unity.  Unity is God's heaven here on earth.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ngayon isasama kita sa paraiso

Sinambit na ni Kristo ang ikalawang huling salita, "Ngayon isasama kita sa paraiso." Sinabi niya ito sa rurok ng kanyang paghihirap, sa panahong pati ang salaring nasa kanyang kaliwa'y tinutuya siya, "iligtas mo ang iyong sarili pati na kami." Sa krus, nakita pa rin ni Hesus ang dalisay na puso ng kanyang kapwa, "Hindi ka ba nahihiya sa iyong sinabi.  tayo ay nagkasala, ngunit wala siyang kasalanan." Handa na yung isang salarin na siya maparusahan.  Ang tanging kanyang nasambit na lamang ay, "Panginoon, alalahanin mo na lamang ako sa iyong kaharian." May dalawang uri ng pagtugon sa Panginoon.  Yung isa'y nanunuya, nang-iinsulto, sakim, makasarili, namimilit na siya'y iligtas at pagaanin ang buhay, Kahit ang iba'y naghihirap, siya'y hindi. Yaong isa nama'y humigingi ng tawad, mapagkumbaba.  Doon sasabihin ni Hesus, "Ngayon, isasama kita sa paraiso." Yaong isa, naniniwala sa paraisong nilikha ng Diyos noo
Read more

Beatitudes

Search "beatitudes" in the internet and you'll find this definition: a state of supreme happiness. I don't think that there is an event in our lives when we felt "supreme" or "utmost" happiness.  But Jesus tagged beatitudes to the meek and humble, the poor, sorrowing, and persecuted, and not to those who grew rich by luck or hard work, or to the powerful and influential. I think there is more more than outcasting the rich and the powerful and exulting the poor.  After all, who is the really rich and powerful in this world except those who are blessed in the sight of God. The beatitudes teach us a valuable lesson on choosing the real wealth, peace, and happiness.  For even in sorrowing, the Christian is consoled; even in pain the Christian feels peace.  Even in death, the Christian has life. Only God in Christ could give the Christian real and everlasting happiness.
Read more