Fr. Justin Sheehan, OCSO
8th Saturday in Ordinary Time
This morning St Jude tells us what it means to be a disciple. It means that you remember the words of the Apostles, carefully building yourselves up in your most holy faith by praying in the Holy Spirit, staying right at the center of God’s love. It means keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. If you want an example of what this means in practice, just look to Mary, as the Cistercian fathers are always telling us.
Mary built up her life on the foundation of the holy faith. That is to say, Mary’s life was founded, not on something she invented herself, but on something she received. There is a chain of transmission of the holy faith. It comes to us from Abraham, “our father in faith”, from Abraham to Jesus, from Jesus to the Apostles, from the Apostles to the Church, and from the Church to us. The faith that Mary lived by was not merely her own personal opinion, but the revelation which came from God. So too, the disciples of Christ will base their lives, not on any of the trends which happen to be current in their own time and place, but on the catholic faith that comes to us from the Apostles. This is what leads to unending life, the real life.
God demonstrated this when he gave Mary eternal life at her assumption into heaven, and he will also give us eternal life if we are faithful. Glory be to him who kept Mary from falling from the moment of her conception, and is also able to keep us from stumbling. May he bring us safe to his glorious presence, innocent and happy, to be with him for ever. Amen.
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