Homilies on the liturgy of the Sundays and feasts

The very best

18th Sunday of the Year-August 3

"B" Readings: Exod. 16:2-4. 12-15 Eph. 4:17. 20-24 John 6:24-35

Purpose: to describe in general and in detail: (1) the Introductory Rites and the Liturgy of the Word, and (2) how a Catholic participates in these parts of the Mass.

n "When you care enough to give the very best" is a slogan we have all heard advertising a popular greeting card. This slogan is most suitable as we reflect on the readings of today's Mass in which the Church wants to remind us that God cares enough to give the very best.

In the Old Testament reading which the Church puts before us, we are told who God is, and what he offers us. God tells Moses, "I will rain down bread from heaven. . . . you shall have your fill of bread, so that you may know that I, the Lord, am your God." In the second reading from St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians we are told what God expects of us, "You must put on that new man created in God's image, whose justice and holiness are born of truth."

Jesus further clarifies who God is, what he offers us, and what he expects of us. In St. John's Gospel Jesus speaks of "God the Father" who offers "the real heavenly food" and invites us to participate in the work of God which is to "have faith in the One he sent." We are invited to participate in the very life of God by faithfully following Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

We must never leave a stone unturned in our pursuit of holiness. St. Paul encourages us in the second reading to "acquire a fresh, spiritual way of thinking." We must distance ourselves from those who want to draw us away from the faith or offer us a watered down version of the Catholic faith or offer us a faith riddled with confusion rather than the faith of the Church founded by Jesus Christ.

In our pursuit of holiness, we do not want to miss the opportunities that God puts before us. The introductory rites of the Mass, for example, help us prepare our hearts, minds and souls to enter fully into the mystery of God's love. We gather in the name of the Holy Trinity, acknowledge our total dependence on God by calling to mind our sins, and accept in humility God's mercy and forgiveness for venial sins. The Gloria is a song of praise and is used at all Masses on Sundays, solemnities, and feasts outside of Advent and Lent. We should make every effort to contemplate the meaning of this beautiful song of joy. In the opening prayer the priest speaks to God on behalf of God's people gathered for worship. Thus he says, "Let us pray." The opening prayer helps us focus on the great mystery of God's love of which we are participants. It may also indicate part of the theme for the scripture readings for the Mass. For example, the opening prayer for today's Mass states, "Father of everlasting goodness, our origin and guide. . . ." The alternative opening prayer states, "God our Father, gifts without measure flow from your goodness. . . ." We get a glimpse here of what will follow in the readings and what will later be developed in the homily.

The Liturgy of the Word deserves our full participation as well. This requires not only our verbal response to the readings and physical gestures such as sitting and standing but also our listening skills and prayerful reflection. We want to focus on how God reveals himself through the sacred scriptures because the Bible calls our attention to the basic and important truths of the spiritual life. That is why the Church says that no other readings may be substituted for the readings of sacred scripture at Mass. As well, we sign ourselves with the cross on our foreheads, lips and hearts to show our intention of wanting the message of the Gospel to penetrate our minds, be spoken from our lips and be planted deeply in our hearts.

The homily likewise calls for our participation. The Second Vatican Council explains: "By means of the homily the mysteries of faith and the guiding principles of the Christian life are expounded from the sacred text . . ." (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 52). The Nicene Creed follows the homily whereby we all profess our common Catholic faith. Then the needs of the Church and the world, called the general intercessions, are presented to God in petition form by the gathered faithful.

Isn't it true that we all want to worship God as he wants us to worship him? By preparing ourselves for Mass through private prayer, abstaining from food and drink for at least one hour prior to communion, and by the frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance, we become more properly disposed for the reception of Our Lord at Mass. By raising our voices in prayer and song we reveal that strong urge God has placed in every human heart to bow before him.

Every time we attend Mass and fully participate in the sacred mysteries we gain a greater awareness of who God is, what he offers, and what he expects of us. God cares enough to give the very best-his very self. May we care enough to give our best to God, especially in our regular worship at Mass.

Suggested readings: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1103, 1345-1349, 2183.

Holy, Holy, Holy

19th Sunday of the Year-August 10

"B" Readings: 1 Kings 19:4-8 Eph. 4:30-5:2 John 6:41-51

Title: The Mass (D)

As we make this journey called life, there are many pitfalls and dangers on the way. Sometimes we become too familiar with a person, begin to take that person for granted, and lose our appreciation for that person. Husbands and wives, for example, might forget those special gestures of love which meant so much earlier in their relationship. Children might easily discount the great sacrifice which their parents make for them. Friends might burden one another with unrealistic expectations. The familiarity with going to Mass and receiving our Lord in the Eucharist can also be an event which we can take for granted.

In the first reading Elijah had it with life. He wanted to give up: "This is enough, O Lord. Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers." But Elijah had much to offer life and God would not allow Elijah to give up. God provided him with food needed for the long journey ahead. As God fed Elijah in the desert, so he feeds us, but this time with the Body and Blood of his Son.

Jesus tells us something in the Gospel today which we should never take for granted. "I am the living bread come down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread he shall live forever." Receiving Jesus in the Eucharist leads to eternal life. The Eucharist is our strength. It is our spiritual food to face honestly the problems which confront us in life with the assurance that the future is firmly in God's hands and he has a special place for us.

Although Jesus' sacrifice is an unrepeatable past event, it becomes a living reality in the present. The Mass is really and truly the same sacrifice of Christ on Calvary miraculously represented on our altars in an unbloody manner. When we approach the Eucharist we ought to give thanks to Our Lord as our Redeemer and be grateful that we share in his work of redemption.

The preface, with its short dialogue between the priest and the assembly, is one of the many elements of the Mass forming one long prayer of thanksgiving. It is called preface because it is the introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer. In the preface we give thanks to God for the Incarnation and for other spiritual benefits and then call on the angelic host to join us in praise through the words of the Sanctus or Holy, Holy, Holy.

The Eucharistic Prayer follows and all four Eucharistic Prayers begin by giving praise to the Father through Jesus, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. The first Eucharistic Prayer, for example, begins, "We come to you, Father, with praise and thanksgiving, through Jesus Christ your Son. Through him we ask you to accept and bless these gifts we offer you in sacrifice."

The real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist is the heart of the Eucharistic Prayer and indeed of the entire celebration. Not only does the Eucharist bestow the fruit of salvation upon us, but also makes present the source of salvation, Jesus Christ himself.

Present too is Christ's self-offering to his Father. As St. Paul reminds us in his letter to the Ephesians: "He gave himself for us as an offering to God, a gift of pleasing fragrance." All previous sacrifices involved giving to God, who is all holy, things tainted by the sins of those who made the offering. The only perfect sacrifice ever offered to God took place on Calvary. There Jesus Christ offered his sinless life to his heavenly Father; the gift of a spotless victim by a sinless priest. Jesus' self-offering achieved what all previous sacrifices attempted but failed to achieve-the forgiveness of sins and fellowship with God who is all holy.

In the Eucharistic Prayer Our Lord Jesus holds fellowship with us as a pledge and foretaste of the eternal fellowship meal with God in eternity. Saint and sinner alike can gather together to celebrate and to praise and thank God who draws no lines in his generosity. Here heaven comes down to earth and earth is raised majestically to heaven. We are more than spectators in this glorious mystery. We participate as invited guests who must take our rightful place in this great celebration by our singing, by our gratitude, by our listening, and by our offering of self.

Our Holy Father said in one of his documents: "The Eucharist is above all else a sacrifice" (Dominicae Cenae 9). It is for that reason that participation in the Mass is the best way for us to praise and thank God, to ask pardon for our sins and to petition him for his graces. If we only consider the Mass as a meal or a community gathering we fail to perceive its true nature and might not be motivated to attend Mass as often as we are able, thereby depriving ourselves of many graces.

Every time we come to Mass the Church wants us to recognize through our faith that we are witnessing again the sacrifice of Calvary. She wants us to offer up our own sacrifices with that of Christ on this occasion. This is the most important part of participation at Mass. At every Mass the Church invites us to pray that our sacrifice be acceptable to God for our good, the good of the Church and the good of the whole world.

Suggested readings: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1105-6, 1352-54, 1362-66.

The perfect model

Assumption-August 15

Readings: Rev 11:19; 12:1-6. 10 1 Cor. 15:20-26 Luke 1:39-56

Title: The Assumption of Mary

Purpose: to picture Mary as (1) the ideal Christian and (2) our intercessor in life and at the hour of death.

This great feast of the Assumption of Mary into heaven is a feast that is little understood by a great number of Catholics. In fact, a great deal of misunderstanding about Mary and her role in the Church and in salvation exists among many Catholics. For instance, how many people present here today could explain what is meant by the Assumption of Mary? The word "assumption" comes from the Latin assumptio, but that doesn't tell us very much. To put it into the language of today, it might be better to say that we are celebrating today Mary's heavenly journey.

Pope Pius XII, when he defined this truth about Mary on November 1, 1950, put it this way: "The Immaculate Virgin . . . when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven" (Munificentissimus Deus). We do not know if this happened before Mary's death, so that she did not suffer a natural death at all, or afterward. The doctrine of the Assumption merely says that Mary went straight to heaven at the end of her earthly life and that she is there now.

This truth, like the many other things we believe about Mary, comes alive only when clothed with the warmth of Catholic devotion and spirituality. We honor Mary in our devotion because some two thousand years ago, Divine Providence was at work in the life of this poor young Jewish maiden from Nazareth. She had been chosen by God to be the Mother of his Son. This woman of faith had the courage to say "yes" to God's call. Her "yes" reflected an interior attitude of openness to God's grace. In her beautiful hymn of praise, the Magnificat, Mary cries out: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit finds joy in God my Savior, for he has looked upon his servant in her lowliness; all ages to come shall call me blessed" (Luke 1:46-48).

Who of us is not touched by such powerful words? Why do these words of Mary strike such a responsive cord in our hearts? Beyond the fact that there is a poetic attraction inherent in these melodic words which have been so carefully crafted and composed, there is more. For Mary's Magnificat captures forever in words a spirit which resonates within the soul of all who would walk in the footsteps of Christ.

The Virgin's song of rejoicing reveals the heart of someone in love, someone intent on doing God's will, someone ready to be not only the Mother of God's Son, our Savior, but also his first and most perfect disciple. Mary accomplishes most perfectly what we as disciples imitate imperfectly.

The Church in her wisdom has always seen expressed in the Magnificat the decision of one marvelous human being to commit her life totally and completely to being nothing more nor less than a trusting child of God, proclaiming not herself but God's greatness in every possible way, delighting in all creation because ultimately she finds her fulfillment in God, who loves her so much.

Mary was, is and always will be "a model of the virtues" (Lumen Gentium 65) and the perfect model of what a disciple of Christ ought to be. Is it any wonder that Christians have looked to Mary as their paradigm, as one to be imitated if Jesus Christ is to be faithfully followed?

In the Acts of the Apostles St. Luke counts Mary among those in the early Church community waiting for the descent of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1:14). Where would a mother want to be but with her children? Mary is now with God in heaven and we Catholics believe it is appropriate to ask the support of her prayers. How often we ask fellow sinners to pray for us when we are facing some special difficulty, trial or heartache. How much more fitting to ask the intercession of our sinless Mother who is now in heaven; who trusted and believed that God could accomplish in her, and through her, not merely the difficult and the unexpected, but the impossible.

In one of his sermons St. Francis de Sales indicates: "There is no doubt that we may ask God, through Our Lady's intercession, not only for spiritual goods such as the virtues, but also for temporal ones." Still we should use common sense in our prayer requests. For example, if we ask for our eternal salvation, to die a happy death in the state of grace, we can be sure that we are asking for something in conformity with the divine will. In praying for a happy death we need but invoke the Hail Mary, in which we ask Mary's intercession "now and at the hour of our death." "Mary," says St. Jerome, "assists her faithful servants in death; she goes to meet them on their way to heaven, she prevails upon the Judge of all to give them a merciful sentence."

To the degree that we implore Mary's prayers and mirror Mary's faith, to that same degree we remain ever faithful to Christ.

Suggested readings: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 144, 273, 965-66, 969, 974-75, 2030.

Living bread

20th Sunday of the Year-August 17

"B" Readings: Prov. 9:1-6 Eph. 5:15-20 John 6:51-58

Title: The Mass (E)

Purpose: to describe in general and in detail: (1) the Communion Rite of the Mass and (2) how a Catholic receives Holy Communion or makes a spiritual communion.

The late Cardinal John Wright once asked Pope Paul VI whether he had any special advice for the spiritual problems of our times. The Holy Father replied: "Preach the faith, then repeat it, repeat it, repeat it." According to the late Pontiff the truths of our faith offer the best solution for all our spiritual ills. In other words, we cannot expect any one theologian, priest or writer to come up with some new theory or new truth that will solve our problems. What we need is more reflection on the truths of our faith, a greater absorbing of them and living according to them.

Our Lord has given us many helps for our spiritual journey. He has given us the Church to guide us, his own mother to intercede for us, and the sacraments to comfort us. But the greatest manifestation of his love is the gift of himself which he gives us every time we receive Holy Communion. This great truth is most evident in the gospel we have just heard.

In the first part of today's gospel reading Our Lord said to the crowds: "I myself am the living bread come down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread he shall live forever." Our Lord continues and says something of his plan of salvation: "He who feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has life eternal, and I will raise him up on the last day." Today's gospel inspires us to renew our appreciation of Christ present in the Eucharist, and to examine our attitude toward this sacrament.

The body and blood of Jesus Christ becomes present in his self-surrender for us under the form of bread and wine at every Mass. Christ's presence in the Eucharistic elements surpasses all human understanding, all logic and ultimately all reason. His presence cannot be known by the senses but only through faith and through that communion which takes place between the Lord and his faithful. St. Cyril of Jerusalem assists us in understanding this great mystery: "We have been instructed in these matters and filled with unshakable faith that that which seems to be bread is not bread, though it tastes like it, but the Body of Christ, and that which seems to be wine, is not wine, though it seems so to the taste, but the Blood of Christ."

Receiving communion is an act of which none of us is worthy. Thus during the communion rite of every Mass we pray the Our Father for forgiveness and we acknowledge our unworthiness when we pray, "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you. . . ." Nevertheless it is good for us to resolve to receive communion as worthily as possible. For when we hear the words, "The Body of Christ" or the "Blood of Christ," our "Amen" is a profession in the presence of the saving Christ, body, soul, and divinity, who now gives life to the believer. It is most important, therefore, that we possess the necessary dispositions for the proper reception of communion out of respect to Our Lord in this sacrament of his love and so that we receive the benefits of the Eucharist. In this way we can truly "taste and see the goodness of the Lord" as the psalm of today's Mass proclaims.

We should purify ourselves not only in mind and heart but also in body. St. Augustine tells us, for example, that we should observe the practice of fasting before communion "out of respect for the Blessed Sacrament" (Letter 54). The present requirement is that we refrain from food and drink for at least one hour prior to receiving Holy Communion. Water and genuine medicine do not break the fast. The sick and those who care for them are not required to fast (Canon 919). Our external actions should also express a sincere belief in the Eucharist as we come forward to receive Our Lord.

We should purify ourselves spiritually as well by humbly entering into the penitential rite at the beginning of Mass, asking God's mercy and forgiveness for our less serious or venial sins. In the case of serious or mortal sin the Catechism tells us: "Anyone who desires to receive Christ in Eucharistic communion must be in the state of grace. Anyone aware of having sinned mortally must not receive communion without having received absolution in the sacrament of penance" (1415). The wisdom of the Church is obvious. Just as food cannot nourish a body that is dead, neither can Holy Communion nourish a soul that is dead to God's grace.

In the event that we are unable to receive the Eucharist, the Church recommends making a spiritual communion. This is most beneficial not only for those who are required to go to confession before receiving the Eucharist but also for those who are sick, as well as for those who desire but are unable to attend Mass on a daily basis. Spiritual communion consists in awakening within ourselves a burning desire to receive Our Lord in the Eucharist and placing ourselves either in spirit or in fact before the tabernacle and saying a prayer similar to the following, "Lord Jesus, present in the most Blessed Sacrament, come into my heart."

St. Paul instructs us in his letter to the Ephesians: "Give thanks to God the Father always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Today we want to especially thank God for the great gift of his Son in the Eucharist and as we come forward to receive the real presence of Our Savior Jesus Christ in communion today, we might ask the question, "Just how real am I?"

Suggested readings: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1244, 1384-88, 1391-96.

God's active word

21st Sunday of the Year-August 24

"B" Readings: Josh. 24:1-2. 15-18 Eph. 5:21-32 John 6:60-69

Title: The Mass (F)

Purpose: to describe in general and in detail: (1) the Liturgical year, and (2) the ideal of daily Mass (in Lent and Advent if not in all seasons).

Repent! Believe! Come! Follow! Listen! Give! Love! Serve! Go! Proclaim! Whenever I reflect upon Jesus' words in our gospels, I am struck by their force, by their dynamism. When Jesus spoke, he made an impression because he spoke as one possessing authority. His vocabulary is one of action. He uses action words to move the people. And so, it should come as no surprise to any of us that the message of today's gospel is a call to action, a call to holiness, a call to living the Christian life.

The message of Jesus beckons us to actually embark upon the journey which leads home to God. He declares: "The words I spoke to you are spirit and life." Whereas human words can be awfully cheap at times when they prove worthless in light of human action, Our Lord's word is his bond. God's word is his action. God's speech and action, his word and activity are merely two sides of one coin. Therefore, Joshua could without hesitation say to Israel: "As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

Jesus Christ is the Incarnation of God's active word and the mystery of Christ's presence in the Eucharist, the bread of life and the cup of eternal salvation, present to us and uniting us to the Word of God made flesh. Why? So we can grow in greater holiness and live in him as "members of his body," as St. Paul urges in the second reading today.

The way of holiness is not some theory to be studied or learned but rather the way of holiness is an effort of heart, mind and will in which God and the Christian jointly engage. Its goal is transformation of the person, transformation in Christ. The Church invites us to be transformed primarily by celebrating the mystery of God's love throughout the year. We are summoned to join Our Lord, to become more complete members of his body, through our participation in the liturgical life of the Church. The sacred Documents of the Second Vatican Council state: "Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful be led to that full, conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations . . ." (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 14). As such, the Church puts before us a liturgical year in which Christ's paschal mystery or the redemptive work of Christ unfolds. Through the cycle of days and weeks throughout the year we "recall the mysteries of redemption . . . so that these are in some way made present in every age" (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 102).

Our regular participation at Sunday Mass takes place within the liturgical seasons of the liturgical year. Within the liturgical seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Ordinary Time, we also have special celebrations of the Lord, of Mary, of the Saints and of Church Dedications. As well, the holy days of obligation which number six in the United States (an easy way to remember: 2 for Him-the Nativity and the Ascension; 2 for Her-the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption; 1 for Both-Mary, the Mother of God; and 1 for all-All Saints) help us enter into the mystery of God's love more fervently.

Taking Jesus quite literally when he said "Do this in memory of me," the Church cherishes his presence in our very midst under the sacramental species of bread and wine which are transformed into his body and blood every day at Mass. We receive Jesus in the Eucharist not as a reward for our holiness, but rather as a means to make us holy. Therefore, our desire to grow in holiness and to participate in the mystery of God's love should not stop with Sunday Mass and the six designated holy days. The Eucharist is an invitation to participate in the very life of God. In his very first encyclical in 1979, our Holy Father stated, "Jesus Christ is the center of the universe and of history" (Redemptor Hominis, 1). The Second Vatican Council and the Catechism teach us that the center of the Christian life is the most holy Eucharist (cf. De Activitate Missionali Ecclesiae, 9; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1343). What better way to make him the center of our lives then by receiving him daily in the Eucharist or at least during the days of Advent and Lent.

The way of holiness is a journey to which we have been called and Jesus Christ is telling us that no one arrives who does not first set out. We all have the best intentions in wanting to do more for our spiritual lives but we never quite get off the ground. We must allow the dynamism and force of Jesus' words to hit us. We must realize that his message of love is spoken for our sake. Through the words of Jesus in the sacred scriptures, the Father is addressing you and me-son, daughter, child. Repent! Believe! Come! Follow! Listen! Give! Love! Serve! Go! and proclaim this good news. Live it by deepening your intimacy with Jesus and making him the center of your lives.

Suggested readings: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1095, 1163-78, 1194.

Our life of grace

22nd Sunday of the Year-August 31

"B" Readings: Deut. 4:1-2. 6-8 James 1:17-18. 21-22. 27 Mark 7:1-8. 14-15. 21-23

Title: Actual Grace

How often we have heard or even repeated the old saying that "what you don't know, can't hurt you." Today, our scripture readings take strong exception to the truth of that aphorism, at least, when it comes to the question of our relationship with God. Jesus points out through the words of St. Mark's Gospel: "You disregard God's commandment and cling to what is human tradition." In so doing, we disregard, as St. James says, that "every worthwhile gift, every genuine benefit comes from above."

What Our Lord is communicating to us is the paramount importance of true and real knowledge which enables us to act and respond to God. The lack of such knowledge impoverishes us immeasurably. The Lord is not talking about mere information about God but about the Word of God which addresses every single human being and challenges every individual to do good and avoid evil. St. James urges: "Humbly welcome the word that has taken root in you with its power to save you."

The Gospel speaks of those who would stand in the way of the Lord and close their hearts to his word because they look only to themselves. Intent upon themselves they notice no other one, least of all, the One who calls them to really live. As for those committed to listening to God's word, we must remember that God's word only works when we act on it. Taking the advice of St. James in the second reading: "If all you do is listen to it, you are deceiving yourselves."

Our Lord knows that human nature left to itself is weak and he tells us in today's gospel that "wicked designs come from the deep recesses of the heart." There is a spiritual tug of war that goes on in the soul of every person. Personal problems and crises in life have a way of testing our faith. We often ask "why me" when confronted with poor health, the shame of sin, the death of a loved one, or other kinds of suffering.

Spiritually we never become self-sufficient. But every crisis, every problem, every difficulty can be turned into an opportunity to grow in greater holiness and drink from the fountain of God's grace. These difficult periods can show us in a very bold and dramatic way how much we really rely on God daily.

It is precisely to assist us in this struggle that Our Lord gives us the powerful remedy of his grace. Whereas sanctifying grace makes us good, the grace which Our Lord offers when we are discouraged is actual grace which helps us to do good, to follow him on a daily basis. Acknowledging that discouragement is not a virtue, this actual grace is necessary in order to get us back on the road to the virtuous life which leads to God. As the Catechism teaches: "Christ's gift of salvation offers us the grace necessary to persevere in the pursuit of the virtues" (1811).

Grace does not make "doing God's will" easy, but it makes "doing God's will" possible. How do we determine when we are in need of actual grace? We might ask ourselves several questions. How faithful am I to all of God's commandments? How faithful am I in bearing my personal crosses? How faithful am I in following the official teaching of the Church which Christ founded and continues to guide by his Holy Spirit?

How do we receive this grace? Living God's commandments is certainly a good start because they are a prescription for a healthy spiritual life. No wonder Moses advises in the first reading: "Observe them carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations." Reaching out to others in need can also be a means of grace. Personal sacrifice is certainly a means of grace. Our regular reception of the Sacrament of Penance is the ordinary way for us to have our sins forgiven and to obtain God's grace once we have lost it. Visiting and adoring the real presence of Christ in our tabernacles is an occasion of grace. The regular reception of Our Lord in the Eucharist is most especially a means of grace because Holy Communion unites us to God himself, lessens our evil inclinations and strengthens our wills. Another source of grace is Mary, the Mother of God. The Church reminds us: "This maternity of Mary in the order of grace began with the consent which she gave in faith at the Annunciation . . . Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this salvific duty, but by her constant intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation" (Lumen Gentium, 62).

Let us always cherish the life of grace with God in Jesus Christ and never take it for granted. Let us always be vigilant in our life of grace. Let us take to heart the advice of St. Teresa of Avila: "Let nothing trouble you. Let nothing frighten you. Everything passes. God never changes. Patience obtains all. Whoever has God wants for nothing. God alone is enough" (Poesías 30).

Suggested readings: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2000-3, 2005, 2010, 2025-27.