Meditations on the Sunday Gospel for the Year of the Eucharist
Beginning Sunday February 6th, 2005
of the Lord
taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be
thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a
mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel
basket; it is set on a lamp stand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so,
your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify
your heavenly Father." - Matthew 5:13 - 16
present his summary and discourse on the new law of the Kingdom of God. After
describing how his disciples should be by presenting the Beatitudes to us, he now
makes clear that a disciple must live these to the full. The believer should not fade
into the crowd; the believer should stand out by the nobility of his or her life. And a
disciple will not live for him or herself but for others (salt is never eaten on its own;
it always is serving another purpose).
Apostles and You
simple person listening anonymously. As you listened to
Jesus run through the Beatitudes, you realized that some of
those applied to yourself. Maybe you were mourning and
now find out that you are blessed and will be comforted or
maybe you were being persecuted and found out that you
were blessed and that the kingdom of Heaven is yours. He
has made you realize that higher dignity that was in you all
along. He has lifted you up. Now listen as he tells you that
not only are you blessed but you have an incredible
responsibility in this world: You are the salt, you are the
Light. You have a mission and the world is incomplete if you
do not fulfill it. Within the span of ten minutes of listening
you have gone from feeling sorry for yourself to the
realization that you have a great dignity and with it a great
responsibility in this world.
dignity of my own vocation in life. Sometimes I don’t see it. Sometimes I get so
turned in on myself that I don’t believe I am “blessed.” Lord, deliver me from
feeling like the world owes me, or my family owes me, or anybody owes me.
Help me to realize that I am blessed, and that I owe you. Help me to make a
return on your grace, help me to be light for others and salt for this world.
Lord, YOU are the light of the world; I’m only the light in so much as I reflect You. Lord,
allow me to bask in your rays here. Help me to soak up your truth and your goodness as I
remain here in your Presence. (just be with the Lord for ten minutes)
Jesus, if I’m supposed “shine before men” no wonder so many remain in darkness. It is
the witness of saints that attract others to the faith. Lord, I want to be a Saint, and only You
can make this happen. Lord purify my heart, once again I give over to you these sins and
thoughts I struggle with…(give them and then listen)
Lord, help me to become the "salt of the earth". Help me to give a Catholic "flavor" to the
world and "preserve" the beauty of the faith for future generations. Lord, show me how I
might serve You better as I respond to Your words. (reread the Gospel and then listen)
EUCHARIST
wish it were already blazing fiercely! Nothing in the world
can set hearts ablaze with love for God like the Blessed
Sacrament. That is why this divine bread has been
pictured as a furnace of love. Saint Catherine of Siena
saw far-reaching flames coming from this furnace of love
and spreading throughout the world. Seeing this,
Catherine simply could not understand how so many
people could live without loving God. "My Lord, set me
on fire with love for you. Let me think of nothing, crave for
nothing, yearn for nothing, search for nothing, but you.
How I wish to be caught up in this scorching fire of love!
How I wish it would consume every obstacle that blocks
my path toward you! Make my love for you grow stronger
each day of my life." - Saint Alphonsus Liguori
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since
I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least
spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and
unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.
Year of the Eucharist Page