PYGMALION

We can learn a lot from our Church and Salvation History. In fact 1/2 of the people who became Catholic converts have delved into the study of History. It is His story, her story and our story. It has patterns, though it surprises really well. We have to discover the past, learn from what happened and be open to it. We need to know the faith and not be susceptible to lie. We are witnesses of what evil can do to people but behind all of those things, God is behind it. The gates of hell did not prevail, the Church remains protected. Today's 1st reading tells us of the murder of Stephen, a holy and righteous man. Stephen did not have the slightest trace of anger and is full of forgiveness for those who stoned him. We should long to have this kind of disposition in life that even at the point of death he still begged for mercy and forgiveness not on his own behalf but for the very people who caused his death. It is an act of forgiving people even if they don't ask for it. St. Paul or Saul as he was called originally was a part of it. We have to know what can be learned from this to prevent similar things from happening again. Paul was a persecutor of Christians but he became a saint. His life progressed with his testimonies because he admitted to the killing of Christians and repented. He bore witness to Jesus Christ and revealed how great a Savior we have in Him. Jesus is risen from the dead and the only Savior of humanity. Amen. Hallelujah! Acts 7:51-8:1a ...The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”; and when he said this, he fell asleep. 8: 1 Now Saul was consenting to his execution. We are a work in progress just like St. Paul we need to acknowledge our sins, mend our ways and surrender our life to the Lord. Nothing can ever frighten or scare us not even death if God is our stronghold. Amen. Hallelujah! Psalm 31:3cd-4, 6, 7b, 8a, 17, 21ab R: Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. 2 [3] Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety. 3 [4] You are my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake you will lead and guide me. (R) 5 [6] Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O LORD, O faithful God. 6 [7] My trust is in the LORD; 7 [8] I will rejoice and be glad of your mercy. (R) 16 [17] Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your kindness. 20 [21] You hide them in the shelter of your presence from the plottings of men. What Jesus said in today's gospel is very true. If we always draw near Him, seek Him and come to Him then He in turn draws near to us, makes Himself available to us and stays with us. If this is so then there is nothing more we need for we will never thirst nor hunger for anything else. It is just like we are sitting at the right hand of God and someday we will. Only Jesus can satisfy our souls. He is fortified with all the essential things we ever need in our lives for everything that we long for can only be fulfilled by Him. He who has God wants nothing. Every human heart longs and desires for something that can satisfy us. A sick person follows what the doctor says in order to prolong his or her life. Fr. Leo Clifford in his reflections in EWTN narrated the story of "My Fair Lady" or the famous play "Pygmalion". Pygmalion is the legendary Greek story of a sculptor who fell in love with his sculpture which was turned into a play and inspired George Bernard Shaw to write a similar story. It was about a young lady named Eliza who was taken out of the rut and placed in a pedestal. We should realize that like Eliza we have also been taken out of the rut and made partakers of the Divine Nature of God in Baptism. God created us and fell deeply in love with us. If there's one truth that should never leave our minds then this is it. We are placed in a pedestal and sharing God's own life. Amen. Hallelujah! John 6:30-35 ...So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”