今天是常年期第十九周星期二。教會在今天慶祝聖加辣貞女的紀念日。最近出版的羅馬彌撒經書告訴我們：聖加辣（約1193–1253年）生於義大利亞西西，追隨聖方濟各，創立貧窮修女會（the Order of Poor Clares）。她于聖達米盎修道院度徹底的神貧生活，以智慧領導團體四十年，常為諸多高階教長提供睿智指引。因其聖德卓著，於逝世兩年後榮列聖品。
今天是常年期第十九周星期二。教会在今天庆祝圣加辣贞女的纪念日。最近出版的罗马弥撒经书告诉我们：圣加辣（约1193–1253年）生于意大利亚西西，追随圣方济各，创立贫穷修女会（the Order of Poor Clares）。她于圣达米盎修道院度彻底的神贫生活，以智慧领导团体四十年，常为诸多高阶教长提供睿智指引。因其圣德卓著，于逝世两年后荣列圣品。
August 11, 2026 Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14
Today is Tuesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time. The Church celebrates today the Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin. The recently published Roman Missal tells us that Saint Clare (c. 1193–1253) was born in Assisi, Italy. Following Saint Francis of Assisi, she founded the Order of Poor Clares. She lived a life of complete poverty at the Monastery of San Damiano, and for forty years she wisely guided her community, often offering prudent and insightful counsel to many prelates of the Church. Because of the excellence of her holiness, she was canonized two years after her death.
The passage from the Gospel according to Saint Matthew proclaimed today continues to present the discussion between Jesus and His disciples concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. I would like to take this opportunity to continue offering some reflections.
When I reflect upon today’s Gospel, I often recall an event I witnessed several years ago when I was serving in a parish. At that time, Mass had just begun. A brother who regularly served at the altar had just arrived. The other altar servers had already prepared themselves and were about to leave the sacristy. That brother who regularly served at the altar came directly into the middle of the procession and demanded that they wait until he had put on his vestments before the priest could celebrate Mass. The priest who was presiding gently advised him to serve at the altar another time and asked him to return to the church to participate in the Mass. The late-arriving altar server became angry with the priest and left the parish. After that, he never returned.
I mention this not to criticize that altar server who arrived late, nor to criticize the priest who advised him to serve another time and asked him to return to the church to participate in the Mass. Rather, I mention it because I am reminded of the question raised by the disciples at the beginning of today’s Gospel: “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” (cf. Mt 18:1)
The Kingdom of Heaven imagined by the disciples was a kingdom that continued the social structures of the present world, rather than the Kingdom of Heaven proclaimed by Jesus. The Kingdom of Heaven proclaimed by Jesus is the Kingdom formed by the God who loves, and by those who are loved by God.
Today, Jesus says to His disciples: “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” (cf. Mt 18:3) He further teaches His disciples: “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.” (cf. Mt 18:4-5)
He asks us to let go of the attachments and stubborn thoughts within our hearts, to cling firmly to the Holy Spirit, so that the Holy Spirit may, according to His divine will, dispel the pride within us, guide us to free ourselves from the bonds of the world, and transform us to become as simple and pure as children, prepared for the Kingdom of Heaven proclaimed by Jesus.
In today’s Gospel passage, we also encounter a parable. The Chinese Studium Biblicum Bible gives this parable the title “The Parable of the Lost Sheep” (cf. Mt 18:12-14). Through this parable, Jesus wishes to use the image of the gentle sheep to tell us that the Kingdom of God which He proclaims belongs to those who are meek and humble: those who sincerely seek Him, submit themselves to His will, and live according to His teachings.
All of us are called to become the People of God. Through receiving Baptism into Christ and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we have become children of God. Yet among us there are some brothers and sisters in the Lord who, in their faith and in every aspect of their lives, remain in communion with the Successor of Saint Peter. They receive the sacraments from pastors who are in communion with the Successor of Saint Peter. There are also some brothers and sisters in the Lord who once lived in communion with the Successor of Saint Peter, but later, for various reasons, departed from the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, which is in communion with the Successor of Saint Peter.
Perhaps we may think that God no longer loves them and has abandoned them. But God has not abandoned them. He continues to call them and loves them without counting the cost.
I would like to take this opportunity to offer a word of encouragement to that altar server who left the parish and has not returned to the Church: God is love, and He always loves us. Through receiving Baptism into Christ, we belong to Christ; and through receiving the anointing with the oil of joy bestowed upon us by the Holy Spirit, we have received the mark of the People of God.
Therefore, our thoughts, words, and actions should become like those of Christ. We are called to become gentle and humble, and even more, to follow Christ the Good Shepherd. With a generous heart, we should welcome everyone, especially those who suffer in life and those who are marginalized by society, receiving them in the name of Christ, so that through our service they may experience and behold the mercy that God reveals to them. In this way, we will become like the shepherd in the parable spoken by Jesus at the conclusion of today’s Gospel. We will do all that we can to fulfill the mission entrusted to us by our Savior. He calls us to love, and through love, to draw all those who are lost back to Him.
On this Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin, let us now offer our prayer to God:
O God, who in your mercy led Saint Clare to a love of poverty, grant, through her intercession, that, following Christ in poverty of spirit, we may merit to contemplate you one day in the heavenly Kingdom. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
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