July 18, 2018
St. Camillus de Lellis
Dear Family of Mary!
Our Gospel for today is very short. It is also very simple. Jesus erupts in a moment of pure joy and praise for His Father. He declares before His disciples something that bubbles up from deep within:
At that time Jesus declared, “I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will. All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” (Mt 11:25-27)
Jesus is clearly a child! He exalts in His Father’s wisdom and understanding. He delights in the fact that His Father chooses to reveal Himself to babes!! Jesus, being the Child of His Father understands! Only the little ones can understand the Father and behold the revelation of the Son. Only those who are little will get it!
And so we see that it is very important that we be children as well. Unless we are childlike, actually real children, we will not recognize the revelation of the Son in our day. Our Lady has come to help us become children so that we will get it! That is why she calls us in EVERY MESSAGE, “Dear Children!” She has called us her children since 1981 and we are used to it now. We expect this greeting in each message. It is familiar. We identify with it. We want to be greeted in this way by our Mother. Why? Because it is healing to be called her children. It gives us peace to be her children. We can rest in that understanding of ourselves. We gain peace, in her loving motherly embrace. We feel wanted and chosen when we hear her say it.
And we are chosen.
In the May 2, 2018 message Our Lady spoke to us about our call as her children. In particular, she told us that we must make ourselves little. What does she mean by this? I think she means that we must be her children, little children, tiny children, dependent children. In that way we will be made available to the Father and to Jesus, as They build the Kingdom of Love. (Notice how many times she calls us her children in this message!):
May 02, 2018 “Dear children, all that my Son, who is the light of love, has done and does, He has done out of love. Also you, my children, when you live in love and love your neighbors, you are doing the will of my Son. Apostles of my love, make yourselves little; open your pure hearts to my Son so that He can work through you. With the help of faith, be filled with love. But, my children, do not forget that the Eucharist is the heart of faith. This is my Son who feeds you with His Body and strengthens you with His Blood. This is a miracle of love: my Son who always comes anew, alive, to bring life back to souls. My children, by living in love you are doing the will of my Son and He lives in you. My children, my motherly desire is for you to always love Him more, because He is calling you with His love. He is giving you love so that you may spread it to all those around you. As a mother, through His love, I am with you to speak the words of love and hope to you – to speak to you the eternal words that are victorious over time and death – so as to call you to be my apostles of love. Thank you.”
“Apostles of my love, make yourselves little; open your pure hearts to my Son so that He can work through you. With the help of faith, be filled with love.”
Jesus said that His Father revealed the truth to babes. It was the will of the Father to work through the little ones. Jesus now needs us to make ourselves small, really to become children, so that He can work through us. It is to the merest babes that the kingdom has been revealed. That is why Our Mother is with us. Babes need mothers. And so she has come.
May we be babes now, the dearest of children to such a dear Mother. May we love Jesus with simple and pure hearts, and love our neighbors with His love. This is the Kingdom come!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2018
