Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua
June 13, 2023

Today’s Readings:

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/061323.cfm

---

Today, in God’s Lavish Mercy, our readings are about Truth, Spiritual Vigor, Holy Light.

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed to you
was not “yes” and “no,” but only “Yes”.
For however many are the promises of God,
their Yes is in Jesus Christ …

2 Corinthians 1:19-20

---

A good friend of mine has taught me a lot about “Yes”, the kind of “Yes” I think Paul is describing in this passage. Sometimes, as with all friends, we might need a favor from each other – picking up a quart of milk, typing out a letter, providing transportation to a doctor.

I usually begin such a request with the phrase, “Could you do ^ me a favor…?” Somewhere in between “do” and “me”, my friend always shouts, “YES!!!” even before she hears what the favor is. Her “Yes”, rooted in loving friendship, is complete, unqualified, and inexhaustible.

---

God’s “Yes” to us, incarnate in the Gift of Jesus Christ, is eternally complete, unqualified, and inexhaustible!

Wow! Just think about that! Believing it can release immense power in our relationship with God! It can drag our Light out from under the bushel basket and into the world which is aching in darkness!

---

Our Gospel today, which continues Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, describes what a Christian looks like who is trying to live their own “yes” back to God.

Such a believer is like salt, like light, like an elevated city calling us higher.

• Salt – which releases and accents the good already inherent in our nature
• Light – which makes the sacred path discoverable even in life’s shadows
• City on the hilltop – which not only assures us that the journey can be accomplished, but turns to beckon and encourage us in our climb

---

Poetry: love is a place – e.e.cummings

love is a place
& through this place of
love move
(with brightness of peace)
all places

yes is a world
& in this world of
yes live
(skillfully curled)
all worlds

---

Music: Salt and Light – Lauren Daigle