Living in the Divine Will

THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Monday, January 27th, 2015
Opt. Memorial for St. Angela Merici

Liturgical texts here

TODAY’s Gospel is often used to argue that Catholics have invented or exaggerated the significance of the motherhood of Mary.

“Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

But then who lived the will of God more completely, more perfectly, more obediently than Mary, after her Son? From the moment of the Annunciation ^[1]and since her birth, since Gabriel says she was “full of grace” until standing beneath the Cross (while others fled), no one quietly lived out the will of God more perfectly. That is to say that no one was more of a mother to Jesus, by His own definintion, than this Woman.

St Paul tells us that we too have been called to live as Mary did in the Divine Will.

By this “will”, we have been consecrated through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Today’s first reading)

The mission of the Church is to evangelize the nations. But the destiny of the Church is to be conformed, at the end of time, to the Divine Will—to be living in the Divine Will as both Christ and Mary did. This is the mystery that has been hidden for ages, revealed in these last times as the wondrous plan for the People of God. St. Paul revealed it in the pattern of Christ’s life:

Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him… (Phil 2:7-9)

The Catechism states that the Church ‘…will follow her Lord in his death and Resurrection.’ ^[2]Catechism of the Catholic Church, n.677 This is another way of saying that we will be conformed to the will of God. Pope St. John XXIII foresaw that the calling of the Second Vatican Council…

…prepares, as it were, and consolidates the path toward that unity of mankind which is required as a necessary foundation, in order that the earthly city may be brought to the resemblance of that heavenly city where truth reigns, charity is the law, and whose extent is eternity. —POPE JOHN XXIII, Address at the Opening of the Second Vatican Council, October 11th, 1962; www.papalencyclicals.com

This is not the false unity that the Black Ship heralds, but the unity Christ prayed for that “they may all be one.” ^[3]cf. John 17:21 One in the Divine Will. For when the Bride of Christ is living as Mary did—conformed completely body, soul, and spirit to the will of God—then, like her, we will become Immaculate in spirit, prepared as it were for the Wedding with the Lamb…

…that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. (Eph 5:27)

This is the purpose of the “day of the Lord”, what the Church Fathers referred to symbolically as a “thousand years”, ^[4]cf. Rev 20:4 as being that period in time that definitively establishes the reign of Christ in the entire People of God—Jew and Gentile—before the consummation of the world.

The Lord has established his reign, our God, the almighty. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory. For the wedding day of the Lamb has come, his bride has made herself ready. She was allowed to wear a bright, clean linen garment. (The linen represents the righteous deeds of the holy ones.) (Revelation 19:7)

For to keep Christ’s commandments is to love, ^[5]cf. John 15:10 and to love is to “cover a multitude of sins.” ^[6]cf. 1 Pet 4:8 This is the “truth” to which the Holy Spirit is leading and guiding the Barque of Peter.

Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth. (John 17:17-19)

Just as all men share in the disobedience of Adam, so all men must share in the obedience of Christ to the Father’s will. Redemption will be complete only when all men share his obedience. —Fr. Walter Ciszek, He Leadeth Me, pg. 116-117

May justice and peace embrace at the end of the second millennium which prepares us for the coming of Christ in glory. —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Homily, Edmonton Airport, September 17th, 1984; www.vatican.va