Wed., Aug. 17, 2011
Fr. Anthony Brankin
Gospel: Matt. 20:1-16 “The last will be first, and the first last.”
Homily summary: The Gospel reading today talks about the laborers at the end of the day who are given the same wage as those who worked since the morning. This means that while the Jewish people will be granted the possibility of salvation, we, the strangers and Gentiles, will be first. “The last will be first, and the first last.”
No one who wishes to come to Jesus will be denied. If we love Jesus, then He will take us to heaven. All we have to do is to love Jesus. And it is “to Jesus through Mary.” Today we have the Pilgrim Virgin statue in church. We Catholics don’t worship Mary. Jesus in fact is God, and Mary leads us to God.
The artist who made the Fatima statue followed the directions of what was seen by Lucia at Fatima. This is the closest that we can come to seeing what she looks like.
False idea of the supernatural
The modern world has its own thoughts about what is supernatural. They have superheroes, goddesses and fortune tellers. All of these goddesses are mean looking, with swords in their hands. They look terrible. But look at the Blessed Virgin; she has a serene look in her eyes.
She appeared in Portugal, a land ruled at the time by Masons and communists. She also had a message about Russia.
Our Lord wants us to know that religion does not just happen in church, but in homes, in our jobs, and within political, familial and social structures. Our Lady of Fatima attracts those who don’t usually think of Jesus to him — because of the beauty of the Blessed Virgin Mary.