Our Lady said: “I
want you to be attentive to the readings and to all of the homily of the
priest. Remember that the Bible says that the Word of God does not
return without bearing fruit. If you are attentive, something from all
that you heard will remain in you. You should try to recall, all day
long, those Words that left an impression on you.
Sometimes it may be two verses, other times the reading of the
entire Gospel, or perhaps only one word. Savor them for the rest of the
day, and it will then become part of you, because that is the way to
change one's life, by allowing the Word of God to transform you.
“And
now, tell the Lord that you are here to listen, that you want Him to
speak to your heart today.”
Once
again I thanked God for giving me the opportunity to hear His Word. And
I asked Him for forgiveness for having had such a hard heart for so many
years, and for having taught my children that they had to go to Mass on
Sundays because it is commanded by the Church, and not for love and the
need to be filled with God.
I had attended so many Eucharistic Celebrations mostly out of obligation
and, because of this, I believed I was saved. But I did not live it and,
much less, did I pay attention to the readings or to the priest's
homily!
How much pain I felt for so many years of needless loss because of my
ignorance! How
superficial is our attendance at the Mass when we go only because
someone is getting married, or for a funeral Mass, or because we have to
be seen by society! How much ignorance about our Church and the
Sacraments! How
much waste in trying to instruct and enlighten ourselves about the
things of the world, which in a moment can disappear, leaving us with
nothing and, at the end of our life, not serve to extend a minute to our
existence! However,
we know nothing of that which will give us a little of heaven on earth
and, afterwards, eternal life. And we call ourselves cultured men and
women! Catalina Rivas, Bolivia