“As I, the LORD, have spoken, so will I do.” – EZ 17:24

 

Today’s readings should help us focus on what we can do if we but have the Word of God sown in our head and heart.  Ezekial starts out by saying to us, “Thus says the Lord GOD.”  How many of us sat right up and paid close attention to how Our Father shared how He can make what sounds impossible, possible?  How many understood His meaning when He stated to each one of us, I can make the high low and the low high?  Do we understand the hidden message throughout today’s readings that we will be held accountable for our time on earth?  How comfortable would we be, reviewing with God, how we walked the talk if He called us right now?

 

St Paul reminds not just the believers in Corinth, but everyone of us, that we will all have to go before the Judgement Seat of Jesus and be accountable for any and all harm that we may have done to God or our neighbor. YIKES!!  I know it sounds scary but what else did St Paul say to us?  To be brave and not be deterred.  Why?  Because the last line of the Gospel Acclamation as well as the end of today’s Gospel from Mark, both make the point that if we come to Jesus, in private and with sincerity, He will help us understand how we are to live.  We are called to prepare ourselves, while in our bodies on earth and away from God, to shed these earthly dwellings and go back to Him.

 

Today is the Memorial of St Anthony of Padua, one of the twelve Saints that can be found in our Saints Chapel.  We all know that we can intercede to St Anthony when we need to discover something that we have lost, especially a favorite item that we hold dear.  How many intercede to St Anthony when we lose our way with Jesus?  St Anthony was a gifted speaker and would evangelize, preach and teach throughout Italy and France.  I found this excerpt from one of his homily’s meaningful for today:

 

“Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak. We are full of words but empty of actions, and therefore are cursed by the Lord, since he himself cursed the fig tree when he found no fruit but only leaves. It is useless for a man to flaunt his knowledge of the law if he undermines its teaching by his actions.

 

But the apostles "spoke as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech." Happy the man whose words issue from the Holy Spirit and not from himself!

 

We should speak, then, as the Holy Spirit gives us the gift of speech. Our humble and sincere request to the Spirit for ourselves should be that we may bring the day of Pentecost to fulfillment, insofar as he infuses us with his grace, by using our bodily senses in a perfect manner by keeping the commandments. Likewise we shall request that we may be filled with a keen sense of sorrow and with fiery tongues for confessing the faith so our deserved reward may be to stand in the blazing splendor of the saints and to look upon the triune God.”

- from a sermon by Saint Anthony of Padua

 

Do we allow the seed of God's Word to take deep root in our life?  If we do, our head and heart will be transformed, and the work of our hands will show us to be a fruit-bearing disciple of Jesus Christ.  That is walking the talk and, with humility, give us comfort before God.

 

"Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and transform me into the Christ-like holiness you desire. Increase my zeal for your kingdom and instill in me a holy desire to live for your greater glory."

 

May God’s Grace and Blessings Always be with you and yours!!  Our Lady of Guadalupe – Pray for us!!  

 

Yours in Christ,

Deacon Bob

St. Clare of Assisi

Houston, TX