Happy Grandparents Day!

Happy Grandparents Day!

Happy Grandparents Day!

Pope Francis invites us to celebrate Third World Day for Grandparents and Elderly Sunday before the Feast of Sts. Ann and Joachim, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandparents of Jesus which is on July 26. So, this weekend we join Pope Francis and celebrate world day for Grandparents and Elderly Day. These couple's faith and perseverance brought them from the sorrow of childlessness to the joy of conceiving and raising the immaculate and sinless Mary who would give birth to Christ.

We don’t see any account in the New Testament, but according to tradition, Joachim and Anne lead a life of prayer and   fasting, especially praying for a baby. An angel appeared to Anne and told her that the Lord had heard her prayer and shall bring forth a child. Joachim and Ann brought their child to the temple and offered to the Lord and consecrated to the Lord.

In 2013 World Youth Day, Pope Francis made a remark on Ann and Joachim. He said, “In their home, Mary came into the world, accompanied by the extraordinary mystery of the Immaculate Conception. Mary grew up in the home of Joachim and Anne; she was surrounded by their love and faith: in their home, she learned to listen to the Lord and to follow his will. Saints Joachim and Anne were part of a long chain of people who had transmitted their faith and love for God, expressed in the warmth and love of family life, down to Mary, who received the Son of God in her womb and who gave him to the world, to us. How precious is the family as the privileged place for transmitting the faith!”

As he reflected on the life of Jesus' grandparents, he invites us to reflect on the vital role played by all grandparents. He said, “How important grandparents are for family life, for passing on the human and religious heritage which is so essential for each and every society! How important it is to have intergenerational exchanges and dialogue, especially within the context of the family. The Aparecida Document says, “Children and the elderly build the future of peoples: children because they lead   history forward, the elderly because they transmit the experience and wisdom of their lives” (No. 447). This relationship and this dialogue between generations is a treasure to be preserved and strengthened!”

Let us celebrate Grandparents Day! Let us honor them and receive the valuable gift of experience and wisdom from their life.

This weekend's readings give us a clear vision of our lives, especially the Gospel. The first reading from the book of Wisdom says that even though God is powerful, he governs Israelites with mercy, kindness, and teaches them, too must be kind. God’s power is not directed towards the evil people, shows itself in God’s patience, wanting people to repent and allowing them time to do so. This reading prepares us for the Gospel reading.

Each of the three parables in the Gospel passage for today demands patience. Because there is time of waiting. The farmer has to wait until harvest time to separate the weeds.The mustard seed is the smallest seed but needs to wait to grow and spread the branches to give shade and attract birds. The woman baking bread has to wait to leaven causing the bread to rise.

Last weekend Jesus asked what kind of soil are we? In the parable of wheat and weed, he asks us what kind of seed are we. Wheat or weed? Either way, God is patient, he is going to wait until harvest to separate wheat and weed. He is patiently  waiting for our conversion.

The parable of mustard seed illustrates the contrast between the size of the seed and its transformation into a matured shrub. Jesus likewise saw the kingdom of God in a small number of disciples and expected to spread all over the world. A similar metaphor is used for the great empire as great trees in Ezekiel 31:1-13; Daniel 4:2; and 17:22:24. Jesus’ parable points to the spread of the Gospel.

The parable of leaven says that there is something mysterious. If we patiently wait, we will see it causes the bread to rise. The leaven is used in Matthew 16:5-12 and 1Corinithians 6:6-8 symbol of evil in the world. In Jesus’ parable leaven each     individual Christian who is called to bring the Gospel to those around him.

We are in Eucharistic Revival Years and Maintenance to Mission years, which invites us to live our baptismal call. At each celebration of the Eucharist, we are renewed and sent out to live the call. If we are shy of our mission, Holy Spirit is always there to help us. We need to ask him to guide us.