Sunday 20 November
Christ the King - Solemnity Gospel - Luke 23:35-43 Jesus is the King on the Cross. Crucified and humiliated in the Cross. But that King is the real king. Because in Jesus the Kingship is redefined. It is the not anymore, the earthly powers what determine the King. But it is the power to bridge the heaven and earth in love. It is the power to grant forgiveness in love. It is the power to embrace the sinner in love. It is the power to give one’s own life to the other in love. It’s the power to carry all the sins of the world out of love. That is the real power, the power of love. That is the real King. He saves us from our sins with His love. He embraces us with our weaknesses with His love. He does not judge. He does repairs for my sins. That is the King. Because He is God and became man out of His love for us to take to Him all our sins, weaknesses, and infirmities. In His love He becomes the absolution, becomes our strength, and becomes our healing. His love builds a community around that love. His love is the Kingdom, and He is the King.
Saturday 19 November
Saturday of week 33 in Ordinary Time or Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary Gospel - Luke 20:27-40 “Now he is God, not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all men are in fact alive.’” There is a part of everything we see, and we feel that we don’t see, and we don’t feel. How do we want to fill that gap? The Sadducees in the gospel passage which we read, wanted to fill that gap by extending what they see and what they feel also to that part which they don’t feel and see. That is an easy choice. But a choice made by closing ourselves inside only the tangible realities. That is why Jesus is correcting them and teaching them. The transformation to the children of the resurrection is something you need to understand by faith. This process of faith, we must accept to understand the truth. Otherwise, we will remain in darkness, and we cannot remove that darkness by extending what we see. Because the light of what we see is not enough to brighten that darkness. You need the light of faith to brighten your whole life, both the seen and the unseen parts. Faith in Jesus Risen which takes us beyond all realities.
Friday 18 November
Friday of week 33 in Ordinary Time Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles Gospel - Matthew 14:22-33 “Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and began to sink.” That is definitely a choice: Keep looking at Jesus or feeling the force of the wind. Looking at Jesus gives you courage. Feeling the force of the wind gives you fright. Looking at Jesus inspires to think different than human logic. Feeling the force of the wind will subject you to human logic. Looking at Jesus gives you the strength to believe in yourself. Feeling the force of the wind will remind you of your weaknesses. Looking at Jesus leads you to new steps towards Him. Feeling the force of the wind pulls you down to yourself. Let’s reflect: What are the moments in my life in which I don’t look at Jesus and just feel the force of the wind?
Thursday 17 November
Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious on Thursday of week 33 in Ordinary Time Gospel - Luke 19:41-44 “As Jesus drew near Jerusalem and came in sight of the city he shed tears over it…and all because you did not recognize your opportunity when God offered it!’” Jesus is crying and shedding tears over because Jerusalem did not recognize the opportunity given to her by God. Every encounter - with situations, with persons, with events - in our life is an opportunity for us to open ourselves towards God to receive His message of peace. We should not close our eyes towards this possibility. If we do, we are giving opportunities to attitudes and ideals against God to raise fortifications all round us, to encircle us and to close us inside our small world. And in this small world, we will be suffocated and deprived of love and joy. Let’s reflect: Am I recognizing the opportunity which God is giving to me to open up to Him?