The Memorial of St Benedict

Ish 6:1-8, Mt. 10:24-33. Today's first reading provides us with the description of a great vision that Isaiah received, as he saw the marvellous glory of God, the magnificent Throne of God and His divine majesty, enthroned among the Seraphim and Cherubim, the greatest among the Angels of God. The Lord chose him to proclaim His truth and prophesy in His Name. After Isaiah enthusiastically answered God’s call with, "Here I am! Send me!", he went on to serve the people, proclaiming the words of God among them, encouraging them as shown at the moment when king Sennacherib of Assyria came up to besiege Jerusalem with a mighty army and mocked God and the king, Isaiah reassured the king of Judah and the people, that God would be with them and that for all the boasts and hubris of the Assyrian king, he was nothing compared to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks of the trust that we ought to have in God because we are precious to God. We are His beloved and fortunate because every one of us are blessed and important to God, no matter how small or insignificant we may think we are. The Lord is with us even at the darkest and the most vulnerable moments, when we have no where else to turn to, the Lord is and will always be there for us. St Benedict, holy Abbot and great father of Christian monasticism in the Western Christendom whose memorial we celebrate can be our great source of inspiration. Benedict was a great and holy servant of God, renowned for his piety and commitment to live a life of purity and prayer dedicated to God. He was born in a Roman noble family and had a good upbringing and life, but as he continued his education in Rome, the immorality and wickedness he witnessed made him to want to seek God. As a result, he and his sister, St Scholastica, began to seek God through prayerful life and retreat away from the world.

May the Lord be with us always and make us great instruments of His presence in this world! Amen!! Remain safe and happy weekend!!!