The liturgy of today beholds a picture both human and Divine! Jesus, a tired Man, falling off to sleep in a humble fishing boat despite the rage of the winds!

Jesus, the tireless wide-awake God, "rising up" (Gospel) shows Himself to be their absolute Master!

Now this boat really represents the Church. Enemies today, as in the past, gloat over "our human frailty" (Prayer, Secret), tossed about by the winds of inhuman evil spirits and the waves of human passion. Yet, despite our indifference and others' persecution, the Church contains the Divine Presence, ever "rising up" from the tomb of its Good Friday "failures" to the triumph of a new Easter resurrection (Postcommunion).

With this picture before us of the "Divine" help when all hope of human help is lost, the Epistle counsels us to do our part to calm the storms by loving our neighbour and by not working any evil  against him, either in private or in the social order.

Today is Feast of St. Martina V. M., named after the Roman God of War, Mars, martyred in Rome in the III century, after which the ancient temple of Mars was transformed into a church which bears the name of the Saint and contains her relics. Although not commemorated in the Mass today, under the newer rubrics, pray to the Saint for strength to face the evil which threatens to envelop us each day.

"Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof; but only say the word and my servant shall be healed."

As wonderful and amazing as the miracles are that Christ performed in today's Gospel, they seem to pale in comparison to the humility and faith expressed by the centurion. Even Christ tells us that He has not found such great faith in Israel. And Our Holy Mother the Church places these words on our lips at every Mass right before we receive Our Lord into our bodies in Holy Communion.

Though we are made in the image and likeness of God and raised to the state of innocence and justice through sanctifying grace, still we must strike our breasts and admit that we are not worthy. For how can a creature no matter how perfect ever be worthy to receive Our Lord? But, who of us can claim such perfection? And so we even more so must acknowledge that we are unworthy and adopt an even more humble attitude.

This infinite gulf between us and God can only be closed through the mercy of God and this mercy is brought about by profound humility.

Humility is truth. And it is very important that we understand this, because there is much false or apparent humility in the world.

Let us consider some very important truths today: Though we have been created in the image and likeness of God and have been destined by Him to enjoy an eternal happiness with Him in Heaven, we are not therefore gods and in truth there is an infinite distance between the Creator and the creature, no matter how perfect he may be.

Next let us consider the state of man since the first fall. When we fell from the state of grace we fell beneath our calling and dignity. We became less than we were. We became less human and more animalistic. But even this is not fair to the animals, because they follow their lives and duties faithfully. They live as God intended them to live. Man, therefore has placed himself far beneath the animals that obey God because man with that most precious gift of his free will has chosen to use his gift to rebel and disobey not only his Benefactor but his Creator as well.

This has become the state of soul of mankind since the fall of Adam. This is what our sins have done to us. And as long as we remain in sin, we are less than brute animals. And we read in the Psalms "I am a worm and no man". This is what our sins have done to us. This is the state of our souls while deprived of sanctifying grace.

And we see these very words attributed to Our Lord as He bore the sins of men in His suffering and death upon the Cross. As He took our sins upon Himself, He is more and more disfigured. He is treated less and less like a man. He is treated even worse than brute animals. And perhaps we even treat worms better than this today.

So, with the profoundest truth we can say in all humility that we are not true men and are therefore most unworthy that God should honour us with His graces, much less so with His very presence.
But, this in no way implies that we should deny the station in life that God has given us. Fathers, must live and act as fathers, and children must live and act as children. It is not truth to deny the graces, talents, and gifts that God has given us. This is false humility. We can still exercise the authority, talents and gifts that God has given us and remain humble.

And the profound humility in acknowledging our unworthiness does not lead us to despair but to greater hope. "Only say the word and my soul shall be healed". It is as easy as can be for God to say the word and lift us from the status of a worm to that of a true man. He can lift us from the terrible degradation that we have brought upon ourselves to the heights of union with Him. But if we refuse to acknowledge our lowliness and depravity, we will never ask to be healed. And if we never ask to be lifted out of our depraved condition we never will be lifted out. Ask and you will receive. The reason you have not received is that you have not asked. And perhaps the reason most have not asked is that they have never recognized or acknowledged the miserable state they are in.

Let us turn to the centurion in today's Gospel and learn true humility and faith so that we will not only repeat his words: "I am not worthy" but also that we may receive the consoling words from Our Lord's mouth: "as thou hast believed, so be it done to thee."

Church Unity Octave intention for today is Return to the Church of Lapsed Catholics.

The Gospel for us today brings before our eyes the first public miracle of Jesus. We see that Jesus originally seems to decline His mother's request. "My hour has not yet come." (St. John 2,4) Some would imagine that Jesus is somehow subject to time; that the creator must obey His creature. This can in no way be the case. In creating all things, time included, God has established a right order.

We find that the Gospels also speak of other times when the time was not right. On another occasion, Jesus him Himself from those who would do Him harm because His hour had not yet come. As God, Jesus could have performed His miracles, and redeemed us all at once, but for our benefit, He has spread them out over time so that we would not be confused or misled by all these events. On this occasion, of His first miracle, we see that He did not have all of the Apostles with Him yet. We see that the people at the wedding feast did not yet know that they were out of wine, nor had they approached Him for help. So the hour had not yet come.

Because His mother asked this of Him, Jesus shows that He is God and He prepares the hour so that this miracle will produce the effects that He desired. Jesus could have simply created wine from nothing and no one would have been the wiser, but then no one would know or appreciate the magnificent gift that God had given them. The servants therefore were made witness to the situation and the miracle. Mary had instructed them to do whatever Jesus says. He first instructed them to fill the six stone water jars with water. There was no doubt in the minds of the servants who drew the water from the well that it was nothing but water in the stone jars. It was these same servants that now drew wine out of the jars and presented it to the chief steward. The servants had not been drinking, nor had the chief steward. It was their duty to ensure that all was well in the celebration therefore, they were the best able to discern both the miracle and the quality of the wine produced.

We find that when God grants us a miracle, it is always of the best. This wine that came forth from the water was therefore, the best of wine. Without ostentation, but humbly and simply Jesus performed His first public miracle and allowed it to be seen and known, so that the greatest good could come from it. Jesus shows us the great influence that He gave His mother over Him. We should therefore eagerly seek the intercession of Mary in all our needs, with the faith and conviction that anything she asks of Him, He will do. Also, we behold that Jesus is not subject to His creature (time), but rather that time is subject to Him. He changed the hour that had not come, into the appropriate time, simply so that He could show us that He is God, and to show us His love for His mother and us.

Jesus manifested His power, and His power was seen and acknowledged by those whose testimony could not be questioned. We see in this first public miracle, the symbolism and preparation for an even greater miracle; the institution and continuance of the miracle of the Holy Eucharist. Water was changed into wine, in the Holy Eucharist wine is changed into His Body and Blood.

Water is symbolic of the weakness of our fallen human nature. Wine represents to us the spiritual strength that is imparted to us through Jesus Christ. The Fathers of the Church suggest to us that the six stone jars of water represent the various trials and tribulations that are present to those who enter into marriage. In this first miracle of Christ, we see that He has elevated marriage from a natural union, to the level of a Sacrament and therefore a spiritual union. In this manner, the trials and tribulations of the water are strengthened and changed into comforting, and consoling joys.

It is in the power of God to transform every trial or tribulation into great joy and consolation. God is ever ready to do this for each one of us. The easiest and most direct way to obtain this tremendous grace from Him is to present ourselves humbly and meekly to His mother. If we can simply get Mary to ask Him, He will make everything good. Jesus has invited us many times not to fear the cross or the trials and tribulations of this life. He has invited us to take up our cross daily and come follow Him. If we willingly and lovingly humbly take up our daily cross, we will find that the waters of tribulation are transformed into the wine of consolation and joy. Where we were once like water and weak, we now become strengthened like the wine. We learn with St. Paul, that we can do all things in Him who strengthens us.

Quite often in our lives, the time is not right for us to have our crosses lifted, but if we bow ourselves humbly before God and accept His will (Father, not My will but Thine be done.) we find that He will also make the appropriate hour to come to us. He can make all things work for the good of those who love Him. Let us learn from the example of Mary, who obtained her desires from God, because she loves Him. Perhaps even more importantly, let us learn to implore the assistance of His mother, so that God will create the necessary time for us to receive His graces, and then bestow upon us the best gifts that He has to offer.

The Holy Family was only recently established as a model and protection against some anti-Christian governments and to combat godless theories and practices that would force Christ out of the modern home. "Subject to them," is the oft-repeated phrase in this Mass. It has been observed since 1921 when it was inserted by Pope Benedict XV.

When the Son of God came, He did not exempt Himself from obedience to Divine and human law. He did not live an isolated life away from men when He became the Son of Man. But the unity of the Trinity was reflected in the unity of the three persons of the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, each working for the other.

This obedience to law (Communion) is singled out as the basis of happiness here and hereafter (Prayer).

The Epistle explains in detail this Christian law for the Christian family, especially charity and unity. Obedience to "My Father's business" (Gospel) must come first before all other business if earth and Heaven are to find our family unbroken.

"There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

These words are from God the Holy Ghost, given to St. Peter to speak to the rulers of the people in his day, and are in turn recorded for us in the Acts of the Apostles.

If we are to be saved this sacred name needs to be on our lips throughout our lives but most importantly, this holy name should be on our lips as we die.

We cannot help but to admire the courage of the Apostles and especially that of St. Peter as recorded in today's Gospel. This is the power of God given to them by the Holy Ghost, who was sent by the Father and the Son. We too received the Holy Ghost when we were confirmed.

We have been given the grace to invoke the holy name of Jesus with great efficacy. Christ has promised us that anything we ask the Heavenly Father in His name, He will give us.

This name which is so sacred and holy is most powerful for our spiritual advancement and welfare. And so we see all around us, especially today, that the devils have succeeded in getting mankind to lose sight of the sacredness of this name. This most sacred name is spoken in vain almost constantly. It is used as an explicative to denote shock or surprise, even though now the use has become so common that it seems to have lost any meaning.

Despite the second commandment of God that we are not to use His name in vain, we all too often hear this misuse. We should feel great shame that this practice continues and grows worse by the day, but now we fail to blush or feel any shame whatsoever. Our blood should boil at the insult committed against God, but we carry on as if nothing has happened.

And indeed, maybe nothing has happened! These souls have no fear of their damnation because perhaps they have already been damned, and are just awaiting the execution of the sentence. In such instances we should feel great sadness for the loss of this soul. If we could only see the state of such souls, we would tremble in fear for them. Souls damned for all of eternity for trying to impress others with their blasphemous speech. What pride and vanity in thinking nothing of insulting the name of God.

The world is all aghast at the use of pejorative stereotyping words to label different segments of our society, but there is no concern in the speech of our society for the countless insults to God. We see this not only among the uneducated, the crude, and vulgar, but we even see it used by highly educated, and upper class people. This sin has become universal and acceptable in all walks of society.

As St. Paul might say to us today: Now is the time to begin to do something about this. We might not be able to curb all the abuse in society, but we certainly can do something about the abuses that we hear around us. We must rise up in defence of this holy name. We cannot remain silent a moment longer.

An insult like this against God, is an insult to the entire Mystical Body of Christ of which we are members. And we should not fear to express our outrage at the insult casually or even boldly thrown in our faces. If we are cautious not to use any words that might offend others, must we not likewise be cautious not to use words in offensive ways to God and thus to all true Christians? If we are ashamed or embarrassed for others who lack the social understanding to refrain from stereotypical pejoratives, should we not likewise feel shame and embarrassment for those who lack the moral understanding of the need to obey the Second Commandment? If we speak out, admonish and correct others in our social mores, how can we remain silent in the face of the morally offensive vain use of Our Lord's Name?

Let us take seriously our duties as citizens and members of the Mystical Body of Christ and do all that is in our power for the keeping of this commandment, both for ourselves and those around us. And let us not stop there, but make it a part of our prayers to recite the Divine Praises in reparation for the countless offenses against the Holy Name of Jesus Christ.