5th Monday in the Ordinary Time Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes IN TODAY'S GOSPEL (Matthew 9:14-15) the disciples of John the Baptist sought understanding their confusion in watching the disciples of the Lord did not follow the usual Jewish fasting practice. Jesus told them that God does not need fasting but rejoicing-- "How can you expect wedding guests to mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?" If we really come to think of it, fasting and sacrifices had not been made for God's benefit but for our benefit. God does not need these; we do. Fasting and sacrifices strengthen our mind and body, and in the process strengthen our faith. But the God of love and mercy does not need either-- "What I want is mercy, not sacrifice" (v. 13; 12:7; Hosea 6:6). Our God of love is also the God of Happiness and Rejoicing. Because God loves us with unconditional and faithful love, we have no reason to feel unloved. The only tears that love draws from our ...
My deepest vocation is to be a witness of the glimpses of God I have been allowed to catch. HENRI JOHN M NOUWEN [Thanks to my friend Albert Aballe for providing this quote]