“If the human heart can so thrill me, what must be the heart of God; if the spark is so bright, what must be the flame?” – Fulton J. Sheen
Yes God our Heavenly Father loves all His children dearly. Our faithful and loving Father will never abandon us. He created us all in His likeness and image and He wills that we be with Him for all eternity.
Now which father who loves his children dearly will allow them to end up as spoilt brats with no regard for anyone but themselves? What kind of father will leave their children to their own device? Hoping one day they might turn out to be virtuous, kind and loving to everyone. How then can we think that our Heavenly Father who loves us so much, much more than anyone ever can in this world; would allow us to simply do as we please? Will He not rather mould us like clay in a Master potter’s hands? Then place us in a kiln to toughen us up? Yes indeed the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God. Amen
The humble, simple souls, who are little enough to see the bigness of God in the littleness of a babe, are therefore the only ones who will ever understand the reason of His visitation. He came to this poor earth of ours to carry on an exchange, to say to us, as only the Good God could say: “You give me your humanity, and I will give you my Divinity; you give me your time, and I will give you my eternity; you give me your weary body, and I will give you Redemption; you give me your broken heart, and will give you Love; you give me your nothingness, and I will give you My All.” …(extract* the infinity of littleness by Fulton J Sheen)
First reading
Wisdom 2:23-3:9
The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God
God made man imperishable,
he made him in the image of his own nature; it was the devil’s envy that brought death into the world, as those who are his partners will discover.
But the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God, no torment shall ever touch them.
In the eyes of the unwise, they did appear to die, their going looked like a disaster,
their leaving us, like annihilation;
but they are in peace.
If they experienced punishment as men see it, their hope was rich with immortality; slight was their affliction, great will their blessings be.
God has put them to the test
and proved them worthy to be with him; he has tested them like gold in a furnace, and accepted them as a holocaust.
When the time comes for his visitation they will shine out; as sparks run through the stubble, so will they.
They shall judge nations, rule over peoples, and the Lord will be their king for ever.
They who trust in him will understand the truth, those who are faithful will live with him in love; for grace and mercy await those he has chosen.
Gospel
Luke 17:7-10
You are merely servants
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Which of you, with a servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say to him when he returned from the fields, “Come and have your meal immediately”? Would he not be more likely to say, “Get my supper laid; make yourself tidy and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat and drink yourself afterwards”? Must he be grateful to the servant for doing what he was told? So with you: when you have done all you have been told to do, say, “We are merely servants: we have done no more than our duty.”’
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