Daily Mass Meditations

Quotes:

“For it was not possible while he was still Abram and was bearing the name of his physical birth to receive the covenant of God and the mark of circumcision. But when “he went out from his country and his kindred,” then responses of a more sacred kind are delivered to him at this time. First God says to him, “You shall no longer be called Abram, but Abraham shall be your name.” Then at once he received the covenant of God and accepted circumcision as a sign of faith that he could not accept while he was still in his father’s house and in the relationship of flesh and while he was still called Abram.” read more

Fidelity seems to be opposed to freedom.  If we strive to remain faithful, it is as though we have amputated our freedom.  Remaining faithful to someone is seen as honorable or loyal when the person seems to be worthy, but when a doubt or objection to their worthiness is found the modern mind sees fidelity as a waste.  If a person no longer experiences love in a relationship, fidelity becomes optional.  What is the point of fidelity if it only causes unhappiness?

Jesus reveals a deeper kind of fidelity that has to precede our fidelity to human beings.  We must be faithful to the truth, and that especially means faithfulness to God.  The story of the three men in the furnace teaches us how essential fidelity to the One True God is.  Being faithful to God, loving God, has to come before any love for human beings, or any place of respect or honor given to them.  We must have an a priori respect and honor for others, especially those in our household or who govern us, but that loyalty must always remain subordinate to fidelity to God. read more

Quotes:

“The wounds caused by the fiery serpent are the poisonous enticements of the vices, which afflict the soul and bring about its spiritual death. The people were murmuring against the Lord. They were stricken by the serpents’ bites. This provides an excellent instance of how one may recognize from the results of an external scourge what a great calamity a person might suffer inwardly by murmuring.”