Bible
Study: Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17/ Matthew 23:1-12.
For every
good deed that we do, there is surely going to be glorious reward. The story of
Ruth and Naomi comes to an end today with the happy union of Ruth and Boaz whom
God blessed with a child that eventually became the direct Grandfather of David
and subsequently, one of the ancestors of Jesus Christ.
Our
responsorial psalm today says it all. There is a surely a reward for being
good. Blessed is everyone who FEARS THE LORD, who walks in his ways! You shall EAT
THE FRUIT OF THE LABOUR of your hands; you shall BE HAPPY, and it shall BE WELL
WITH YOU. Your wife will be like a FRUITFUL VINE within your house; your
children will be LIKE OLIVE SHOOTS around your table. Lo, thus shall the man be
blessed who fears the Lord. The LORD BLESS YOU from Zion! May you see the PROSPERITY
of Jerusalem all the days of your life! May you see your children's children! Psalm
128:1-6.
Today, we
celebrate a woman whose fear of God brought her great reward. Today, we
celebrate a woman who was not only pure in body, but pure in heart as well when
God found her and decided to make her his own mother. Today, we celebrate a
woman whose firm “YES” to God changed the course of human history.
And come
to think of it, she was such a humble person. In her song of thanksgiving, she
sang: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for
he has regarded the LOW ESTATE OF HIS HANDMAIDEN…” Luke 1, verses 46 to 48. She
was definitely the direct opposite of the people Jesus spoke about in today’s
Gospel passage: “They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their
phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honour at
feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the market
places, and being called rabbi by men.” Matthew 23, verses 5 to 7.
Today’s
feast happens to be the last of the five glorious mysteries. On Easter Sunday,
we celebrated the first, which is the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead, then
we celebrated his Ascension into heaven about forty days later. On Pentecost
day, we celebrated the third glorious mystery which is the Descent of the Holy
Spirit on the Apostles. On the 15th of August, just last Saturday we
celebrated the fourth, which is the Assumption of Mary into heaven and today,
we complete the glorious mysteries with the celebration of the coronation of
Mary as queen of heaven.
Each of these
glorious mysteries are episodes in the history of Christianity which deserves
our full attention and meditation. They point to one fact: THAT AFTER THE PAIN
OF THE CROSS, THERE IS SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL AHEAD. As St. Paul would say: “What
no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared
for those who love him.” 1st Corinthians 2, verse 9.
The Queenship
of Mary, is a natural follow-up of her glorious Assumption into heaven; her
final reward so to say and the fulfilment of the words of Angel Gabriel at the
Annunciation, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you
shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the
Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and
he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will
be no end.” Luke 1, verses 31 to 33.
If Jesus
Christ is a king whose reign shall last forever, it follows that Mary his
mother is a Queen. Her Queenship is a share in the Kingship of Jesus. Like
Mary, we all are somehow going to be partakers of the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ so far as we endure to the end.
Let us
pray:
Hail, holy
Queen, Mother of mercy, hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do
we cry, poor banished children of Eve: to thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the
blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus, O merciful, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!
Amen.
Good morning.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. Happy
Weekend and congratulations to all those getting married today.
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