1st Reading: Ez 16:59-63
Responsorial Psalm: Is 12:2-6
Gospel: Mt 19:3-12
As Christians we should all be moving towards a greater relationship with Christ. We have each been given a profound vocation which calls us to enter into union with God. The married life is a vocation where a man and woman join together and through their relationship are able to direct each other towards the love of Christ. A priest or religious are able to live the celibate life and through it give themselves entirely out of love to God. Even those who currently find themselves single are called to not use other people to meet their own needs, but to give of themselves out of love.
In all of our relationships we must guard against taking advantage of another person. Love can only exist when a person is able to give entirely of themselves to another. In any relationship where the partner is being taken advantage of to meet one's own needs this true sense of love is not being met. This is why being celibate does not mean that one is merely being a bachelor. To live the celibate life is not to only live so that everything can meet your owns needs, but is to give of yourself to all people that you encounter. The example of the married couple, priest, and religious are all examples of how we can devote our love to God.
It is only through faithfully living out our vocations that we can draw closer to God. Whenever we fail to live out our vocations faithfully we are taking steps backwards instead of drawing closer to God. May we no longer use each other for our own self gratification, but may we give of ourselves out of love to others. When our society is able to give out of love instead of us going around asking what we can get out of things we will able to model ourselves closer to the love of the cross. It was on the cross that Christ died for all of our sins because He desired to give of Himself. May we give of ourselves in order to strengthen our families and world.
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