Reproaches to Unrepentant TownsLuke 10:13-16[Jesus said to his disciples,] “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have long ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgement than for you. And as for you, Capernaum, “Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld!” Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you, rejects me. And whoever rejects me, rejects the one who sent me.
Whoever Listens to you Listens to me... And... The one who sent meWhatever we do has a lateral effect. The boss berates his employee. This disgusted employee goes home and scolds his wife. The wife gets angry with the kids. The kids fight with one another. This irritates the father who returns to the office angry at his boss. A positive action causes a similar chain reaction. For every action, (our science teacher tells us), is a corresponding reaction.
So it is with God’s grace. It is passed on to us and we pass it on. It should not stop with us. If something negative is thrown at us, we should pass on positive vibes to break the cycle and receive grace in return.
Saint Anthony de Padua [Patron of Lost Things]
“The saints are like the stars. In his providence Christ conceals them in a hidden place that they may not shine before others when they might wish to do so. Yet they are always ready to exchange the quiet of contemplation for the works of mercy as soon as they perceive in their heart the invitation of Christ”“O Holy St. Anthony, gentlest of Saints, your love for God and Charity for His creatures, made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers. Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me (request). O gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms; and the gratitude of my heart will ever be yours. Amen.”
The Greatest in the KingdomMatthew 18:1-4[One time] the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Unless You Become Like Children…Modern life continually dares us to go big: big profit, big exposure, big windfall, big time. Jesus, on the other hand, blesses the little ones: serve last, be like children, be small. This is not false humility or keeping a low profile and avoiding the limelight. It is about finding joy, wisdom, and fulfillment in everyday events; doing our daily tasks in an extraordinary, exciting, endearing way; and being simple and living simply.
We can be big in everything we do everyday. This is the way of St. Therese. This is the way of Jesus. He does big for every person he encounters along the way at every moment of his earthly sojourn. But he himself remains small.
A man went big in trying to achieve his goal to reach the top, only to find out that he was all-alone there.
Saint Therese - The Little Flower
“For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned towards Heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy; in a word, something noble, supernatural, which enlarges my soul and unites it to God”
“I have not the courage to look through books for beautiful prayers... I do as a child who has not learned to read, I just tell our Lord all that I want and He understands”
