Posted by Word Alive–Fr. Bel San Luis, SVD
May 14, 2023 / 6th Sunday of Easter – A
There’s a poignant story told when a destructive earthquake hit Turkey in December 1988. After the earthquake, rescue teams worked frantically, hoping that some people buried under the rubbles might still be alive.
Eight days after the killer quake, miraculously a woman was found alive. So was her three-year-old daughter.
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How did the frail daughter manage to survive? Throughout the eight days, the mother repeatedly punctured her fingers, letting her child suck the blood coming from them. Through the mother’s heroic act, her child survived!
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The story illustrates the sacrificing love of a mother, which is a fitting testimony on Mother’s Day. The story also hints the kind of love God has for us.
In today’s 6th Sunday of Easter, Jesus says: “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you” (Jn 14,15).
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Once a Jew was arguing with a Christian. “Your whole religion is based on ours,” the Jew said. “Why, you even took the 10 Commandments from us.”
The Christian responded in jest: “We may have taken them but you certainly cannot say we’ve kept them.”
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Christ teaches that what’s most important is not just possessing or knowing the commandments but OBEYING or putting them into practice. The Lord says, “Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them will be one who loves me” (Jn 14,23).
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There are those who view God’s commandments as a burden or restriction to their freedom.
Take, for instance, God’s command “Thou shalt not steal” but they don’t feel qualms of conscience, plundering from the coffers of the government. With unabated corrupt practices, our country will not attain economic progress.
As the Greek philosopher Plato puts it: “Poverty consists not in the decrease of man’s possessions, but in the increase of one’s greed.”
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Some husbands feel restricted of their freedom to enjoy the company of other women. Such escapades, however, can lead to bad attractions causing bitter quarrels, deep wounds with the spouse and, worst, broken families.
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The violation of God’s fifth command “thou shalt not kill” can cause aggressions and murder that can lead one to imprisonment.
ASK YOURSELF: Do I obey God’s commandments out of fear of eternal punishment? Or do I do it out of love for God, and also for my own good and the society’s betterment?
The only choice is between good and evil.
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A MOTHER’S LAUGH. There’s a rescue operation in the sea when their ship was sinking. 10 men and one woman were clinging to a rope, hanging from a helicopter. They were overloaded. One person had to let go or they would all fall down and drown.
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They were all looking at each other, scared of jumping down. After a long wait, the woman said, “Mothers are used to making sacrifices for their families. Since nobody wanted to volunteer, I’ll give my life for all of you.” The men were so moved by her own “eulogy.” They clapped their hands…and, lo and behold, all the men fell down!!
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The amusing story illustrates the sacrificing love of a mother willing to give up her life; however, she was “substituted” by the men.
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
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