Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola
The glory of God's dwelling was always seen as far off, distant and unreachable for mere humans. And indeed it is. But what for us is impossible, God has made possible. In today's first reading from the Book of Exodus, we see a glimpse of how awesome God's dwelling, God's very presence, is. The readings move from an image of God's dwelling as awesome and holy, terrible and mighty, to the Psalmist longing for God's dwelling place. The Psalmist yearns to dwell in the courts of the Lord. And this too should be our own longing.
The movement continues in today's reading from the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus describes the very kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is where the righteous may dwell: in the very presence of God, in God's heavenly dwelling. God's heavenly dwelling will not only be for the angels, but for us as well. Jesus has done for us what we could never have done on our own; He has brought heaven to earth, and raised earth up to heaven.
Today is also the feast of St. Alphonsus Liguori. He lived in Naples, Italy in the late 1800s. He was a dynamic preacher of the word. In those days, preachers would use flowery language to show off their elocutionary skills. Alphonsus on the other hand focused on the unchurched, poor shepherds living in the mountains and preached the word of God in simplicity so that even the most illiterate person could grasp Christ. In this way, he included the poorest of the poor in the Kingdom of God. But Alphonsus' greatest girt to the church was his devotion to the Eucharist. His devotion was not some personal, piety but a real desire to bring the world before Christ and present Christ to the world, especially the poor. In this way, he made heaven on earth and raised earth to heaven.
We too encounter this reality in every celebration of the Liturgy. Every Eucharist acknowledges the awesome holy God, Creator of all the world, of bread and wine. Every Eucharist also brings us into the very presence of God, by allowing God to dwell within us, and thereby transform us. At the Eucharist, we enter into the heavenly mystery of God; God dwells within us.Let us share the glory of heaven with others. Let the heavenly light that lives within us, break free and shine on everyone we encounter, especially through our acts of love and kindness.
Jeff Morrow & Fr. Satish Joseph