THE MITE IS NOT A SHEEP BUT A LION, AN EAGLE THAT HAS RECEIVED THE GIFT OF THE FORTRESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

When we live the beatitudes we enter into the mastery of Jesus: we are men and women made in the image of the Son. Small Trinitarian images. This is the theological-anthropological nuance of the beatitudes. At the same time it makes us see the goal that all the children of God, we believers take it together as a community and as a Church.

 

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A few years ago a beautiful film came out with the late Sean Connery: Discovering Forrester. It's the story of Jamal Wallace, a young black boy from the Bronx who befriends an elderly writer, William Forrester, who will be able to give many important lessons to Jamal, because he will be able to grasp gifts and potential in the boy. Jamal credits Forrester with a certain mastery. And also the great gift of knowing how to make the most of his abilities.

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This story helps us introduce the Today's Holy Gospel in which Jesus, divine teacher, teaching the beatitudes, it allows us to become saints in a personal way and at the same time in a community way. In the Gospel passage, Jesus decides to climb a mountain. Exactly as Moses did when giving his great five speeches. He sits down and takes a master's position:

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«Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the mountain: He sat down and his disciples came to him. He started talking and taught them.".

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Being seated on the mountain has an important meaning in the imagination of those who saw and observed this scene. Going up and sitting on the mountain is a sort of plastic representation of going up and sitting in the chair, in an important and solemn way, during which Jesus exposes the Great Charter of his teaching: the Beatitudes.

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The manifesto of the life of every disciple, believer and apostle of Jesus, we live in the practice of virtue which then has the beatitudes as its goal. On one side, so, the introduction of the first verse is clear and important. Jesus sits down - from the throne, we would say today -, he takes the floor and teaches them by teaching. It makes the crowds participate in divine knowledge and explains the criteria on which God himself judges and acts. The Beatitudes are in fact God's gift to man and to the Church.

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When we experience the beatitudes we enter into the mastery of Jesus: we are men and women made in the image of the Son. Small Trinitarian images. This is the theological-anthropological nuance of the beatitudes. At the same time it makes us see the goal that all the children of God, we believers take it together as a community and as a Church. Let us live the virtues and beatitudes as brothers. This is at the same time the theological-ecclesial nuance. Therefore Jesus lays out the plan for man and for the Church: the Great Charter of the beatitudes through which we can all become saints.

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The beatitudes they tell something of a journey towards a path of perfection where we will all shine and be an image of God for other men. But let's try to comment on just one of the beatitudes, which I think is more to be rediscovered in this time: "Beati and miti, because they will inherit the earth". Obviously, the “myth”, it's not there rockstar, the footballer, the actor … not even a heroic and epic narrative. Here Jesus means the meek as one who does not behave in an annoying way, that does not attack, who knows how to love without invading freedom and taking the gifts of others, but above all without envying the gifts of others, giving substance to that terrible sin which is envy of the grace of others. The meek is the one who lives the virtue of fortitude and remains calm in distressing situations. Or to clarify: the meek is not a sheep but a lion, an eagle that has received the gift of the fortitude of the Holy Spirit which strengthens steadfastness of mind. Thus the myths, in their fortress, they will inherit the earth. Because the earth is the vital sign. It is the place where the Spirit penetrates to make the harvest fruitful. Therefore, inheriting the earth means having a soul capable of welcoming the Holy Spirit and doing great works of love and tenderness towards others..

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In this time of great tensions and polarizations of ideas and opinions, where it is very easy to get into verbal confrontation, especially on social media which are swarming with anonymous keyboard lions, but also in real life, we ask the Lord precisely this: to rediscover meekness. Or as Chilo wrote, one of the seven Spartan sages:

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«If I know strong, be gentle and peaceful, so that those around you have respect for you rather than fear".

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We ask the Lord the grace of living the beatitudes in a time of great uncertainty, showing us rooted in His Love and becoming saints of our time, that is, small stars in the dark sky of our time, just as one of our greatest Italian poets wrote, Dante, Canto XXXIII in Paradise: «The love that moves the sun and the other stars».

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Santa Maria Novella in Florence, 1November 2022

on the Solemnity of All Saints

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NOTE

Song movie An American in Rome to the new film A Roman in Florence — Father Gabriele was transferred from the Roman Convent of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva to the Florentine Convent of Santa Maria Novella, where our readers who live in those areas of Tuscany can find it.

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Staff Blog

Father Gabriele

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News from the Dominican Province Roman: visit the official website of the Dominicans, WHO

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