The ultimate end of our lives, as proposed by Jesus Himself, appeals to every human heart. Kateri was humble in her requests to be admitted to the sacraments of initiation, but from the time the seeds of faith had been planted in her heart by her mother, a deep longing for God was begun that drove her – despite her shyness – to ask to receive them. The faith was never imposed on Kateri – she was not forced to abandon her Native American beliefs. The message of faith brought her heart to an intimate relationship not with a great spirit, but with the man-God. Kateri tasted this Love in such a radical way, that the sufferings she could endure liberated her spirit to cling only to that Love. Her love for mortification brought her to an early death, but her love for Jesus brought her a fullness of life even before she died.
Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
We know how important humility is, but sometimes the only way we know of to grow in humility is by accepting humiliations. There is actually a much more evangelical way to grow in humility shown by the Virgin Mary and recommended by Jesus Himself: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord”, “Whoever would be greatest among you must become the servant of all.” Service is the evangelical way of humility.
As with everything in the Christian life however, it is not so much what we do as how we do what we do. The one who truly becomes a servant becomes the friend of Jesus: “I no longer call you servants, but friends.” The one condition of friendship, the how of our service, is the commandment of Christ, “…you are my friends if you do what I command you… this is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you.” How do we serve authentically? By serving with Christlike love.
Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
This is the first year we are celebrating the Memorial of Mary Mother of the Church. Before the Second Vatican Council Pentecost was celebrated as an octave, and following the Council Monday was kept as a secular holiday. It was called Whit Monday because those who were recently baptised would show off their white garments. Mary as Mother and Model of the Church is a relatively recent Theological development in response to the question posed by the modern world of the Church’s identity. What or who is the Church? The modern separation of the person of Jesus from the reality of the Church has led many to see the Church as irrelevant or unnecessary. The Church – understanding the mystery of her union with Christ – must now understand who she is for the world. Lumen Gentium – the dogmatic constitution on the Church – introduced some of the strong themes of the identity of the Church. The Virgin Mary, in this context, becomes the strongest model for our faith of who and what the Church is.