MASS READINGS AND MEDITATION | JULY 6, 2020

July 6 2020

34 The world, and man, attest that they contain within themselves neither their first principle nor their final end, but rather that they participate in Being itself, which alone is without origin or end. Thus, in different ways, man can come to know that there exists a reality which is the first cause and final end of all things, a reality “that everyone calls God”.

“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)

 MONDAY, JULY 6^TH  Mt. 9:18-26 “Courage, daughter!  Your faith has saved you.”

• Though Jesus cures many, He doesn’t cure everyone who is sick and infirm in Palestine. When do we see Jesus curing people?
• He cures according to someone’s faith, as in today’s Gospel. The explicit faith of the official who kneels before Jesus and says, “My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live”, and Jesus raises her from death to life!
• The implicit faith of the woman suffering from hemorrhages who says to herself, “If I can only touch his cloak, I shall be cured.” Turning and seeing her, Jesus says, “Courage daughter! Your faith has saved you.” And from that moment the woman is cured.
• Jesus cures out of compassion, as when He takes pity on the widow of Naim whose only son has died. He raises the young man from death to life and restores him to his mother’s arms. Could Jesus have been thinking of His own Mother standing at the foot of the cross as her Son dies a bitter and cruel death so that we might have life?
• Jesus cures out of friendship and love for His friends. Jesus weeps at Lazarus’ death. Standing in front of the tomb, He calls him: “Lazarus, come out.” Though he has been buried four days, “the man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth.” (Jn. 11:43-44)
  
• Jesus performs miracles so people will believe in Him. His first miracle is changing water into wine. The Evangelist John tells us: “What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” (Jn. 2:11)
  
• Jesus performs miracles to show He has the power to forgive sins. When the paralytic is lowered through the roof by his friends, seeing their faith in Him, Jesus says to the paralytic, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” (Lk 5:20)
• Knowing the Pharisees and teachers of the law think He blasphemes, for only God can forgive sins, Jesus challenges them: Which is easier: to say, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Get up and walk”? So that you may know the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins, He says to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take up your mat and go home.”At once the man gets up in front of them and taking his mat goes home thanking and praising God. (Lk. 5: 23-25)
  
• We pray for miracles in our lives. Jesus hears our prayers and He answers them, but not always in the way we expect or want. He answers them according to our greatest good! The good we may only see in heaven.
• Jesus is our perfect example and model. Did He not agonize in the Garden as He prayed three times, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. But not my will, but thy will be done.” (Mt. 26:39)
• Many years ago, a woman came to me filled with anger against God the Father! Why wouldn’t He answer the agonized prayer of His Son? How could He let His Son go through that agonized, torturous scourging and death by crucifixion??? What answer would you have given her?
• Our salvation comes at a price – and Jesus paid it. Because of His bloody sacrifice on Calvary, we have the unbloody sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist!
• Jesus prepares the Apostles for this unbloody sacrifice. He performs two miracles to demonstrate His power over nature and over His own body, anticipating His greatest and most extravagant miracle – changing bread and wine into His Body and Blood!
• Taking pity on the crowd that has listened to Him preach until late in the day, Jesus multiplies five loaves and two fish to feed 5,000. After dismissing the crowds, Jesus sends His disciples across the lake in a boat, and goes up the mountain to pray.
• The apostles aren’t making progress because the winds are against them. Early in the morning, Jesus comes walking across the water. He climbs into the boat and immediately the boat reaches the shore to which they are heading!
• These two miracles recounted in Jn. 6:1-24 lead us immediately into the Bread of Life Discourse, Jn. 6:25-71 in which Jesus describes the greatest of all miracles – the Most Holy Eucharist.
• Jn. 6: 53-58. Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”
• Miracles point us to supernatural realities that are not otherwise evident. To the power and glory of Jesus, God made man, present in history and in our lives! To Jesus truly present in His Church, in His ministers – priests, bishops, the Pope, in the Sacraments, most especially in the Holy Eucharist. “And behold, I will be with you always, until the end of time.” (Mt.28:20)
  
• Jesus truly present in the Most Holy Eucharist in Holy Communion. Jesus, the Hidden Guest in the Tabernacle. The Eucharistic Face of Jesus in Adoration.
• Truly, preparing for all eternity to receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus truly present in Holy Communion would not be enough. Giving thanks for all eternity for receiving the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus in Holy Communion would not be enough.  
• Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (Jn. 53-55)

 Note: To understand and appreciate more fully the Mass and Holy Communion, all should watch the Movie in Claymation called “The Greatest Miracle.” Watch it as a family!