239. Eighth Friday of Ordinary Time
Meditations no. 110 (unofficial computer-aided translation)
Zeal in serving the Church, the house of God.
In the Gospel of todayâs Mass we find Jesus in Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold pigeons; and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he taught, and said to them, âIs it not written, âMy house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nationsâ? But you have made it a den of robbers.
This resolute defence by our Lord of the rights and glory of his Father must have made a deep impression on the disciples. It made them remember the words of the Old Testament that foretold his attitude: zeal for thy house has consumed me.
Jesus is zealous for the honour of his Father, with whom he is intimately united in thought, will, and deed. I and the Father are one, he affirms. Jesus does not give way in the face of error, as we can see in the powerful way he reprimands the Pharisees. Nor does he allow anyone in his presence to offend the Creator with impunity. Our Father invites us to contemplate Christâs holy indignation when faced with the abuse of the merchants in the temple.
Nor can we allow God to be offended in the place where we are, if we can do anything to prevent it If necessary, we will make use of holy coercion, exercised with all possible gentleness, and always respecting the legitimate freedom of consciences. In other words, we will show clearly by our actions that we arenât seeking our own personal interests, but only the glory of God: zelus domus tuae comedit me, zeal for your house consumes me. And we will also show our love for our fellow men, whom we want to rescue from error, and from losing their souls through foolishness.
Today, two thousand years after our Lordâs Ascension into heaven, who is there on earth who will defend Godâs rights? This mission of fidelity has been entrusted to the Church, the Spouse of Christ. And it is our responsibility, as children of the Church, to put up a solid defence of the glory that is due to God. Zealous, unselfish, filial service is asked of us; a service of love, which, following the example of Christ, we will be prepared to render even at the cost of fortune, reputation and life. What joy to be able to say with all the fervour of my soul: I love my Mother the Holy Church. What a joy it is to feel - as Jesus did - a burning zeal for the House of God!
Unselfish service with a fully upright intention.
Jesusâ indignation sprang from his love for God the Father. Donât think that our Lord is an angry God. He is mitis et humilis corde, gentle and lowly in heart. But he knows that at times manâs heart is as hard as bronze, and that only fire can melt it: the fire of love, the fire of truth, the fire of the mission he has received from the Father. All he needs is the tiniest sign of good will, the tiniest sign that a person wants to know the truth, in order to pour himself out, enlightening, blessing, and enriching.
This is also made clear in St Johnâs Gospel, which tells us that when Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did.
Today, just the same as then, we are witnesses to the marvels God works in the world, and to the wonders he carries out through his Work: a whole succession of miracles in the spiritual order. These make us certain that we are involved in an endeavour that is not just a good undertaking; not even a very good one. It is divine. We are carrying out Opus Dei, operatio Dei, Godâs work. The supernatural character of this undertaking demands that we should have that divine zeal which leads to generous service, without looking for any human reward.
My children, our Father says, donât expect people to applaud your work. Seek only to please God, through your fidelity to the Magisterium of the Church, through the witness of your conscience in your upright behaviour, and through your humble, hidden, effective service to God, to the Church, to all souls.
Donât even be surprised if other people and institutions who also work for Christ sometimes misunderstand you. Seek only Godâs glory, and while always loving everyone, donât worry if others donât understand. Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful. This is how we will always remain strong, calm, and cheerful; and we will never cease to be sowers of peace and joy.
If we were ever to lose our peace and calm, even for a moment, in the face of external misunderstandings, then it would indicate that there was still room for improvement as regards the purity of our intentions, and that perhaps we werenât working exclusively for the glory of God.
Deeds of self-giving, faithfulness and obedience to the Church.
Our Lord sees our good desires to serve him. But his firm action in the temple reminds us once more that our desires must result in deeds, personal sacrifice, and self-denial.
In serving the Church we will often have to overcome misunderstandings and external difficulties. If, in any place, this should ever happen to you, our Founder advises us, go on ploughing all the fields of the world in a spirit of cheerful sacrifice. And continue your work of sowing - with Christian love and without human ambitions - even where there is no love. Within a short time the Lord of the harvest, after blessing the fields with his wounded hand, will let us reap for his holy Church the fruit of our generous sowing, a harvest that will be more abundant each day, even in lands that seemed barren.
But first we must overcome the resistance in our own souls: our self-seeking, and our half-hearted dedication. Even in our best actions we may still be seeking ourselves: our own opinion, our own will, or some other personal benefit. Such things call to mind that command of Christ: Take these things away; you shall not make my Fatherâs house a house of trade.
To serve the Church we need to deny ourselves and strive for holiness. Right from the start we have had no other prescription: personal sanctity! Ascetical struggle, putting into practice throughout the day the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity - virtues to be practised rather than theorized about. This service also demands complete obedience to the Churchâs Magisterium, especially today when all the old heresies are being renewed. Our times seem just like those of the French Revolution, or those of Protestantism which rent the Churchâs garment, or even like those more distant times of which St Augustine wrote: Many contradictory voices ring out; different heresies and schisms appear, and many voices contradict the true doctrine. Run to the tabernacle of God, be of the Catholic Church, do not deviate from the rule of truth.
Even though we are very weak and limited, nevertheless with Godâs help we will be effective; and our desires to serve the Church and souls will flower in deeds of holiness and apostolate, bringing joy to our Lady, Mater Ecclesiae, Mother of the Church.