One Minute Reflection – 4 July – “Rise and walk”

One Minute Reflection – 4 July – Thursday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 9:1–8

“Rise and walk”…Matthew 9:5

REFLECTION – “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will bring your mortal bodies to life also.” (Rom 8:11) Now it is a natural human body, then it will be a spiritual body. “Adam the first man, became a living soul, the last Adam has become a life-giving spirit.” (1 Cor 15:45) That is why He “will bring your mortal bodies to life… through His Spirit dwelling in you.”

Oh, what a happy Hallelujah we will sing then!   What security!   No more adversary, no more enemy, we won’t lose a single friend.   Here below, we sing God’s praises in the midst of our worries, in heaven, we will sing them in perfect tranquillity.   Here below, we sing them as people who have to die, in heaven, it will be in a life that never ends. Here below, in hope, in heaven, in the reality.   Here below, we are travellers, then we shall be in our homeland.   So let us begin singing already now, brothers, not in order to savour the rest but in order to alleviate our work.   Let us sing like travellers.   Sing but without ceasing to walk, sing to console yourself in the midst of fatigue… Sing and walk!

What does that mean, walk?   Go forward, make progress in doing good… Go forward by walking towards the good, advance in faith and in the purity of your habits.   Sing and walk!   Don’t lose your way; don’t turn back, don’t stand still.   Let us turn towards the Lord.”... St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor – Sermon 256

PRAYER – Loving God and Father, we turn to You in praise and thanksgiving in good times, in trials and moments of sadness and happiness.   May the prayers of Your angels and saints support our weak efforts, today especially we ask St Elizabeth of Portugal and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, to hear our pleas.   By the great gift of Your love and mercy You dispel the darkness of sin and bring us to the true Light, Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.