But rejoice because your names are written in heaven

6 OCTOBER (Lk 10,17-24)

The Lord writes the names of his friends in heaven, where they live to hear his voice, keep His commandments, walk in his wisdom, letting themselves be guided by the divine intelligence and wisdom for a higher understanding of his Word. In fact, it is not the observance of the letter of the Law that makes God write our names in heaven, but the ever new spiritual truth by which we live in his Word, observe his Law, we put into practice his Statutes.

Thus says the Lord: Observe what is right, do what is just; for my salvation is about to come, my justice, about to be revealed. Happy is the man who does this, the son of man who holds to it; Who keeps the Sabbath free from profanation, and his hand from any evildoing. Let not the foreigner say, when he would join himself to the Lord, “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people”; Nor let the eunuch say, “See, I am a dry tree.” For thus says the Lord: To the eunuchs who observe my Sabbaths and choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant, I will give, in my house and within my walls, a monument and a name Better than sons and daughters; an eternal, imperishable name will I give them. And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, ministering to him, Loving the name of the Lord, and becoming his servants – All who keep the Sabbath free from profanation and hold to my covenant, Them I will bring to my holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer; Their holocausts and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. Thus says the Lord God, who gathers the dispersed of Israel: Others will I gather to him besides those already gathered. All you wild beasts of the field, come and eat, all you beasts in the forest! My watchmen are blind, all of them unaware; They are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; Dreaming as they lie there, loving their sleep. They are relentless dogs, they know not when they have enough. These are the shepherds who know no discretion; Each of them goes his own way, every one of them to his own gain: “Come, I will fetch some wine; let us carouse with strong drink, And tomorrow will be like today, or even greater.” (Is 56,1-12).

The exterior work, outside of us, must never be a reason for pride, elation, joy, jubilation. This is always lying, tempting, and deceiving. It could lead us to a strong illusion: of being with God, when in fact we are only with ourselves, hungry researchers for ephemeral and mundane glory. Today, Jesus warns us against this vain, useless, and futile glory that does not last. Jesus wants us researchers of eternal, divine, incorruptible glory, which is never lacking.

The seventy (-two) returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” At that very moment he rejoiced (in) the holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

Never might casting out demons, healing sicknesses and diseases be a cause of glory. These things are done not by our merit, but because they are a most pure gift and power given us by Christ Jesus While observing the Word of God in purity and fullness of truth, under the knowing and wise guidance of the Holy Spirit, requires a daily commitment, total dedication of self, constant conversion, will to leave the world of vice and sin, desire to grow in grace, aspiration to win the heart of Christ to live with it and through it all the days of our lives.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels, and Saints free us from the vain glory.