Sep 29 Fri
St Michael, give us strength in the battle, and preserve us in God's grace. Today we should ask him, our patron, to help us to watch over our brothers and sisters with the same generous vigilance he maintains over the Church.
Concern for the happiness, the fidelity and perseverance of the others, is not a task exclusively for the priests. Rather it falls on all of us.
St. Josemaría: “None of you is alone, none of you is an isolated verse. We are all verses in the same divine epic poem. And each of you, as I am, is concerned that this unity, this harmony, not be broken, that we be united like a great flock, like a great army, like sheep and soldiers of Christ, on the path of holiness.”
“We have to watch and be attentive, my children. It would be a crime; a lack of charity and fraternal justice not being concerned about the physical life of the others. But it would be an even greater crime were we to allow a brother of ours to remain in a state of spiritual weakness, and even to die. I've often said, and now I repeat it, that I don't excuse from sin—which can at times be serious—those who live alongside someone in these sad circumstances, and who don't help that brother of theirs to persevere. And I'm not exaggerating. I'm being objective.”
“For wherever you are, scattered throughout the world, you are very close to the wounds of Jesus; and, bathed in his precious Blood, you will hasten to cure the wounds of your brothers”.
“You will use the same tone, the same sincerity, the same zeal and fervor you were given; the same Blood of Christ that has come rushing to our wounds to heal them. How quickly our blood flows when we have a wound! This is what you will do, what God and this beautiful Mother of ours will do, when you hasten with your charity and affection to purify the wounds of your brothers.”
“You will tell them that they have to love one another, that they have to help one another; that it doesn't matter if they are weak, since they can rely on God's strength. In addition, they will have the strength of humility.”
“We have to look at God, and then look at ourselves, acknowledging that we are capable of every wretchedness. Then we’ll find it very easy to understand and forgive the weaknesses of others, and we help them to overcome them, so that they in turn will help us.
Then forward! Forward on this divine path that God, in his goodness, has wanted to mark out for us on earth!”
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