The Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – June 9, 2024
-
June 6, 2024“How to Conquer Satan”
“In the evening of life, we shall be judged on love.” With this dazzling expression the great 16th-century mystic Saint John of the Cross expresses theologically the same mysterious reality that Jesus presented to His disciples shortly before offering His life in redemption for mankind. Portrayed majestically by Matthew in chapter 25 of his Gospel, Jesus tells us that each thing we have done, or have not done, to each of the least of our brothers and sisters, we will have done, or will not have done, to Him (Mt 25:31-46). Therefore, the last judgement issued on our life will be based on love. Indeed, the last judgement issued on our life will be based on love. Indeed, we ourselves shall reveal the naked truth of our reality to all when we appear before God’s presence. This is the heart of Christian life: charity, mercy, and acceptance. At the sunset of our life, all that will remain is that particle of love that we have placed in each thing. There is, however, another side to this coin: besides being judged on love, we shall also be judged by Love, that is, by God. . . Each man who seeks repentance and pardon is given the hope that no sin, no situation in life, and no human failure can be excluded from God’s love …
The enemy of the human race, who rebelled against God and who intends to bring all creation to perdition and destruction, also wishes to make us lose the hope of love and joy in each moment of our lives, including the final moment, when through God’s mercy we shall have restored to us the possibility of redeeming ourselves, after having been separated by Original Sin from total communion with the Creator. The devil, through his extraordinary action . . . tries to destroy the confidence of each man and woman to love and to be loved. {But may our hearts be filled} with the hope that is based on the Rock, the Word of God, that neither rain, nor overflowing rivers, nor the blowing of violent winds – nor any other dramatic experience from which we could borrow metaphors – can destroy.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us!
Fr. Mark G. Mazza
P.S. Please try to attend the Ordination to the Holy Priesthood of Rev. Mr. David Mees at the Cathedral at 10am on Saturday, June 15. His First Solemn Mass will be here on Sunday, June 16 at 1130am. A reception will follow. The future Father Mees was a seminarian at IHM a few years ago.
