Tuesday 15 August
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary First reading - Apocalypse 11:19,12:1-6,10 “The woman brought a male child into the world, the son who was to rule all the nations with an iron sceptre, and the child was taken straight up to God and to his throne, while the woman escaped into the desert, where God had made a place of safety ready”. We are celebrating the Feast of the Assumption, The commemoration of the death of the Blessed Virgin Mary (the Dormition, or falling asleep, as it was known in the East) is known as the Assumption because of the tradition that her body did not decay but that she was raised up, body and soul, into heaven. It’s a feast because Mother Mary is our forerunner and with her, we all have a space in heaven. In the First reading we can see the figure of Mother Mary who gave birth to the child who was to rule all the nations and sitting in the throne. But the woman escaped into the desert where God had made a place of safety. This is the point of our reflection: she is in the desert, place of isolation and sufferings. But she has a safe place. She is together with us in the desert of our isolation and suffering. When we are with her, at the same time we are in a safe place because God had made a place of safety for her. So being with Mother Mary is being in a safe place albeit the loneliness and suffering of the desert. Let’s reflect: am I together with Mother Mary in the safe place prepared by God in the midst of the my desert?
Monday 14 August
Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest, Martyr Monday of week 19 in Ordinary Time First reading - Deuteronomy 10:12-22 “Circumcise your heart then and be obstinate no longer; for the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords”. Circumcise your heart and not to be obstinate anymore. This is about not being obstinate and let giving the Lord the true place in our life. Not being afraid of anything else and about loving justice. He is never partial and new to be bribed. That is why the Word of God says, “It is he who sees justice done for the orphan and the widow, who loves the stranger and gives him food and clothing”. So, our being not obstinate is welcoming the stranger and giving food and clothing. Welcoming others into our life. It’s a social liberation. In the life of St. Maximilian Koble we see a greater model. He gave his life to a stranger because of what Jesus said. It is you winning over your fear to being side-lined because you are with the God who is God of gods and Lord of lords. Let’s reflect: Am I enjoy the freedom to do justice to the poor and to the stranger?
Sunday 13 August
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time First reading - 1 Kings 19:9,11-13 “And after the fire there came the sound of a gentle breeze”. When Elijah heard this, he covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. In this beginning of the reading, we read that the prophet reached the mountain of God, and he went into the cave and spent the night in it. This is very symbolic. He is in the mountain of the Lord, but he is going into the cave and spending the night there. We must go out of our caves. The caves of our doubts, caves of our fears, caves of our anger: we must go out of these caves and stand on the mountain before the Lord. The Lord comes in a gentle breeze. The gentle breeze of His love and kindness. We must have the courage to come out of our caves and stand in the presence of the Lord who comes in gentleness and kindness. Let’s reflect: Am I ready to come of the caves of my doubts and my fears to be in the presence of the Lord who passes with the gentleness of a breeze?