Feb 6 Fri - Where is God when terrible accidents happen?

 

Feb 6 Fri
Where is God when terrible accidents happen?

Frequently, we hear about terrible accidents and casualties. How could God allow this to happen? Where was God? What can be done to restore hope to the victims and their relatives? 

We can answer yes, that God was there. He was also in the ‘good Samaritans' who offered first aid, in the members of the emergency services, in many others. "God's mercy is endless, and his compassion never fails."

Suffering is universal on this earth. No one escapes it, not even animals. Why suffering exists is a mystery: that is, it is only partly intelligible.

We can have faith that God permits suffering to bring about a greater good. Since God is the highest good, He would not allow any evil to exist unless to produce greater good.

Sometimes we can see the good that God brings out of evil; sometimes we cannot.

We can glimpse that somehow suffering and death are the consequences of sin, yet suffering existed on this earth long before the first sin was committed.

We can see how witnessing suffering can unleash compassion and care in us, which makes us more human.

Through our own suffering, we can see that we are vulnerable, and need God and the help of other human beings. Suffering can make us humble and remove our individualistic tendencies.

Some suffering seems fair, as when criminals are punished. But other suffering seems totally unjust, and we feel that God should not permit it, for example, the suffering and death of an innocent child or an innocent child becoming an orphan.

Three points will shed light on the problem: First, in becoming man, God took on our human condition and suffered with us. 
Second, He transformed the meaning of our suffering: it is now part of his work of redemption. 
Third, through his suffering and death, He overcame death and opened the gate of eternal life in heaven to us: He transformed death from a pit into a door, from an end into a beginning.

Regularly, we must take on some correction to make up for our sins and to improve our character. This discipline makes us suffer a little. This suffering is a mortification, that is, a small death, to kill some of our bad qualities, if possible. These practices help us become humble and aware of our need for God. They may also make us more compassionate, because they help us see what others are going through.

The Christian response to another’s suffering is kindness and mercy, and to alleviate that suffering if we can. What are some things we might be able to do to alleviate others’ suffering?
        We can pray for them.
        We can offer their ordeal to God on their behalf.
        We can be with them.
        We can let them talk and listen to them.
        We can do little things for them that please them.
        We can help them in a way they want to be helped.

Feb 5 Thu - Why does the priest invoke the Holy Spirit during the Mass?

 

Feb 5 Thu

Why does the priest invoke the Holy Spirit during the Mass?

The Epiclesis is the invocation to the Holy Spirit in the Eucharistic Prayer where the priest requests God the Father to send the Holy Spirit so that the bread and wine offered may become Christ’s body and blood, and so we may be able to celebrate the Eucharistic mystery, and to make all the effects of the sacrament operative in us.

At the same time, the priest extends his hands, palms downward, over the chalice and host, and traces the sign of the cross over them. With this gesture, he asks God to pour his blessing over the gifts offered and to turn them into his Son’s body and blood.

“Why does the priest ask for what he positively knows will happen at the Consecration?” How many times did Jesus Christ ask for what he well knew would infallibly happen? The priest seems to pray, not so much for the miracle of transubstantiation as for the happy fruits it may produce in our souls.

After the last notes of the Sanctus, the people again fall silent. For it is how man should approach God –in silence.

In the Old Testament, the high priest, carrying the blood of the victims, entered the Holy of Holies alone once a year. Leaving the people behind, he offered a sacrifice to God in an atmosphere of awe and respect for God.

In the early Middle Ages, the priest entered the sanctuary, and curtains were drawn, thus isolating him from the people. To accentuate the importance of this part of the Mass, clerics carrying candles placed themselves on either side of the altar. The people attended these ceremonies kneeling.

The First Eucharistic Prayer acknowledges God the Father as our most merciful Father so that we may deal with him with the confidence of children:

- To you, therefore, most merciful Father,
we make humble prayer and petition
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord:
that you accept
and bless ✠ these gifts, these offerings,
these holy and unblemished sacrifices,

We find the Epiclesis at the beginning of the Second and Third Eucharistic Prayers. 

The Fourth Eucharistic Prayer, which has its own Preface, links it, after the Sanctus, with a narrative of the history of salvation in the form of anamnesis (remembrance). The Epiclesis comes after:

- Therefore, O Lord, we pray:
may this same Holy Spirit
graciously sanctify these offerings,
that they may become
the Body and ✠ Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ
for the celebration of this great mystery,
which he himself left us
as an eternal covenant.

How often have we relegated the Holy Spirit to a secondary role! We now promise him we shall be more docile to his sanctifying action. “That means we should be aware of the work of the Holy Spirit all around us, and in our own selves we should recognize the gifts he distributes, the movements and institutions he inspires, the affections and decisions he provokes in our hearts.”

Feb 4 Wed - 8 Powerful Quotes from St. Josemaría Escrivá

 

Feb 4 Wed
8 Powerful Quotes from St. Josemaría Escrivá 

#1 “To be holy isn’t easy, but it isn’t difficult either. To be holy is to be a good Christian, to resemble Christ. The more closely a person resembles Christ, the more Christian he is, the more he belongs to Christ, the holier he is.” (The Forge, 10)

#2 “When you pray, but see nothing, and feel flustered and dry, then the way is this: don’t think of yourself. Instead, turn your eyes to the Passion of Jesus Christ, our redeemer. Be convinced that he is asking each one of us, as he asked those three most intimate Apostles of his in the Garden of Olives, to ‘watch and pray.’” (The Forge, 753)

Prayer is not primarily about feelings; it is a dialogue of love.

#3 “We cannot separate the seed of doctrine from the seed of piety. The only way to inoculate your work of sowing doctrine against the germs of ineffectiveness is by being sincerely devout.” (The Forge, 918)

Religion turns sterile and lifeless when piety does not accompany doctrine.

#4 “There are some people who, when they speak about God or the apostolate, seem to feel the need to apologize. Perhaps it is because they have not discovered the value of human virtues, but, on the other hand, have been greatly deformed spiritually, and are too cowardly.” (Furrow, 37)

#5 “I am going to summarize your clinical history: here I fall, and there I get up. The latter is what matters. So, continue with that interior struggle, even though you go at the pace of the tortoise. Forward! You know well, my son, where you can end up, if you don’t fight: one depth leads to another and another.” (Furrow, 173)

#6 “Look at the set of senseless reasons the enemy gives you for abandoning your prayer. ‘I have no time’—when you are constantly wasting it. ‘This is not for me.’ ‘My heart is dry…’ Prayer is not a question of what you say or feel, but of love. And you love when you try hard to say something to the Lord, even though you might not actually say anything.” (Furrow, 464)

#7 “Here is a thought to help you in difficult moments. ‘The more my faithfulness increases, the better will I be able to contribute to the growth of others in that virtue.’ How good it is to feel supported by each other.” (Furrow, 948)

When God gives us grace, it’s not just for us. 

#8 “What zeal men put into their earthly affairs! Dreaming of honors, striving for riches, bent on sensuality! Men and women, rich and poor, old and middle-aged, and young and even children: all of them alike. When you and I put the same zeal into the affairs of our souls, then we’ll have a living and working faith. And there will be no obstacle that we cannot overcome in our apostolic works.” (The Way, 317)

A recommended daily spiritual practice is an examination of conscience.
We so easily invest ourselves in worldly things—yet where is God? How is He moving and working in our lives? When we devote some time to God, He fills us with his grace.

Feb 3 Tue - How can I know if what I intend to do is good or bad?

 

Feb 3 Tue
How can I know if what I intend to do is good or bad?

Your freedom makes you morally responsible for your choices. When you act deliberately, you become the author of your actions. These freely chosen acts, arising from conscience, hold moral weight.

A human act's morality—its goodness or badness—depends on whether it draws you closer to your ultimate goal, which is God and eternal happiness.

The question in the young man’s conversation with Jesus: “What good must I do to have eternal life?” shows the essential connection between the moral value of an act and man’s final end. Jesus, in his reply, confirms the young man’s conviction: the performance of good acts, commanded by the One who “alone is good,” is the indispensable condition of and the path to eternal happiness; “If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

As we see, there is more in goodness than conforming to nature and doing whatever you wish. The good you must choose is related to unfolding your potentials; not only ‘being’ good, but also ‘doing’ good.

To accomplish a good act, you make use of your freedom to pursue an authentic good. This good is established as such by God.

The agreement between the action and the norms of morality must take place at two levels:

- The act itself (the Object) can bring you closer to God.

- You actually ordain it to God (your Intention is right).

Thus, the two elements of action, its ‘Object,’ and your ‘Intention,’ must be good. The ‘Circumstances,’ though accidental, could also be important.

When you choose to do something, your will chooses a course of action—a moral Object—to achieve an end. The Object chosen is the good toward which you deliberately direct yourself. It is what the action by its own nature tends to, independently of your intention. It answers the question: “What are you really doing?” Studying, working, relaxing, or robbing a bank.

What you do must also agree with the norms derived from eternal law: natural law, and legitimate human laws.

These laws must be properly applied to the specific case through a judgment of your reason called conscience.

The purpose you intend (or intention) must also be good (I study to know), even if you are not fully aware of it then.

Circumstances are the accidental moral conditions that contribute to increasing or diminishing the moral goodness or evil of an already existing action. I study despite my headache (increase); I give alms with useless leftovers.

To find out the goodness of an action, you must ascertain that the elements (object and intention), called principles or sources of morality, are good. If one of these is bad, the whole action will be bad; for instance, giving alms (good) to appear generous (bad) would be immoral; equally robbing a bank to build a church.   
You must also consider the circumstances to increase its goodness.

Image: Our Lady of La Vang (Vietnam).

Feb 2 Mon - How does God govern the World?

 

Feb 2 Mon
How does God govern the World?

God's work of conserving the world—the continuation of creation—is carried out according to the same divine plan. This connection between creation and conservation is rooted in God's Wisdom, which directs all actions and movements according to what is called Eternal Law.

In light of this, only by observing Eternal Law can our actions align with our being and lead us to perfection. If we disregard this, it is impossible to find happiness.

Eternal Law is not merely an intrinsic norm. Along with it, God provides us the strength to fulfill it. Any order present in our actions is contained in and originates from Eternal Law.

Thus, all human laws must derive from Eternal Law. Eternal Law serves as the model for all laws; no law is just if it does not conform to Eternal Law.

Eternal Law applies to every action of all creatures. It is a mistake to think that God does not ordain each action and being.

Humans can participate in Eternal Law and discern what is good or bad, but they cannot determine what should be considered good or bad. Revelation teaches that the authority to define good and evil belongs solely to God's Wisdom.

Humans can understand aspects of Eternal Law through Natural Law. These are not merely social customs or conventions, which can, of course, be modified.

In general, law is "an ordinance of reason for the common good, made by him who has care of the community, and promulgated."

Natural Law and Positive (Civil) Law are human participations in Eternal Law, primarily through the human legislator, to cooperate with God.

A significant portion of human conflicts arises from a failed interaction between Natural Law and Positive Law.

Recently, in Davos, the President of Argentina, Milei, explained:
“Natural Law is the law that ought to govern human beings because it accords with their nature, and it is therefore just in a universal sense. It is a law common to all men because it is intrinsic to their essence and therefore unchangeable and immutable.

“By contrast, positive law is the law written by human beings to govern according to their convenience. Thus, when positive law is in harmony with Natural Law, there will be justice. Otherwise, the law may be legal but not legitimate.

“Accordingly, two fundamental rights are recognized: the right to life and the right to liberty. Man is born alive and free and has the right to preserve these attributes of nature. He also has the right to demand that others respect him in pursuing his own happiness, which is the end towards which every human being tends.

“Alongside these, we have acquired rights, which are neither natural nor inherent to human beings, but are instead earned through merit or obtained as a gift.

“Thus, from the fundamental right to liberty derives the acquired right to private property, manifested in our ability to freely acquire goods from the fruits of our labor or to receive assets freely donated or inherited.”

Feb 1 Sun - Where is happiness?

 

Feb 1 Sun
Where is happiness?
One day, when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up the mountain, sat down, and his disciples came to him, and opened his mouth and taught them the beatitudes.

Every one of us desires to be blessed, that is, to be happy and to receive and possess good things.
Many men have tried to seize happiness by using their cleverness and violence, and to pass on whatever they have gained to their children. Those are the “powerful” mentioned in the Gospel.

But as Zephaniah puts it, the Lord prefers human beings who know they are “humble and lowly” and who “take refuge in the name of the Lord.”

Yet “Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man, a ‘humble of heart,’ he will be what most people call ‘humble’ nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody. 
Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him, it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all." (C.S. Lewis)

God’s preferences do not really exclude anyone, because every human being, despite outward appearances, is lowly and in need of God.

“The Beatitudes confront us with decisive choices concerning earthly goods; they purify our hearts to learn what is really important: to love God above all things.”

“The beatitude we are promised confronts us with decisive moral choices. It invites us to purify our hearts of bad instincts and to seek the love of God above all else. It teaches us that true happiness is not found in riches or well-being, in human fame or power, or in any human achievement—however beneficial it may be—such as science, technology, and art, or indeed in any creature, but in God alone, the source of every good and of all love” (CCC).

All bow down before wealth. Wealth is that to which the multitude of men pays an instinctive homage. They measure happiness by wealth, and in turn, wealth is used to measure respectability. It is a homage resulting from a profound conviction that with wealth, he may do all things. Wealth is one idol of the day, and notoriety is a second.

In contrast to society's view of wealth, Jesus tells us that happiness is not tied to one’s wealth, the attitude of others toward us, or events, but that it results from how we react to these.

Building upon this, the Beatitudes teach that happiness really consists in the possession of God. And living them transforms us into persons who are like God.

Jesus asks us, his disciples, to be men of peace and strong, because only the strong ones can become meek. Let us ask the Lord to help us become meek and humble of heart so that we can spread true peace in this generation, which does not possess it.

Jan 31 Sat - Should I avoid serving two masters?

 

Jan 31 Sat
Should I avoid serving two masters?
As Christians, God has placed in our souls a longing for sanctity, an intense, burning desire to become saints, even though we are aware of our many failings.

Thus, He has kindled in our hearts a divine flame which is incompatible with lukewarmness. Lukewarmness is the first step towards coldness and indifference in our dealings with God; it can slowly but surely extinguish the fire which God has lit within us. “The fire of love for God, the reality of our commitment, needs fuel; if it doesn't increase, it will go out."

We shouldn't confuse lukewarmness with spiritual dryness or the disappearance of fervor. Nor is it the same as repeated falls caused by weakness, so long as these are fought against and deeply detested. Lukewarmness arises when the soul, attracted by two opposite goals, tries to satisfy both of them and thus serve two masters. A lukewarm person makes the effort to avoid serious falls, but also wants to enjoy the comforts of an easy life. This situation gives rise to infidelities and carelessness, those little foxes that spoil the vineyards. If not remedied, they end up devastating the soul.

A lukewarm attitude leads a person to say to God: "In this point and in that one – just only in these very few points - I'd prefer not to give what you're asking of me." This is the first sign that the soul is ill, that it already has within itself the seeds of death. It seems not to amount to very much; the wounds are small, and looked at individually, they don't seem important. But when the number of them greatly increases, they put an end to Christian life, and are as lethal as a serious open wound to the chest.

The symptoms of lukewarmness are unmistakable. “You are lukewarm if you carry out lazily and reluctantly the things that have to do with our Lord, if deliberately or shrewdly you look for some way of cutting down your duties, if you think only of yourself and your comfort, if your conversations are idle and vain, if you do not abhor venial sin, if you act from human motives."

We must be vigilant against lukewarmness; it is a formidable enemy of the interior life. 

We must constantly renew the enthusiasm we had when we began to take our Christian life seriously. “Jesus isn't satisfied with 'going halves': He wants the lot!" We cannot bargain with him. We cannot resent having to offer Him anything, no matter how insignificant it might seem. We want to keep on loving God with the same generosity and joy with which we began serving Him, with an ever deeper, firmer, and more faithful love.

“Like a good artist and a faithful lover, we are never satisfied with what we have achieved in the spiritual life, by God's grace. Our spiritual quest, since it is Love, must be a yearning for the Infinite: taste and see that the Lord is good."

Jan 30 Fri - Why do we use Sacred Images?

 

Jan 30 Fri
Why do we use Sacred Images?

A sacred image or liturgical icon primarily represents Christ; it cannot represent God as such, invisible and incomprehensible. The Incarnation of the Son of God, however, has inaugurated a new “economy” of images.

“In other times, God, who did not have a body or figure, could not be represented by an image. But now he has appeared in the flesh, and has lived among men; thus, I can make an image of what I have seen of God … with unveiled face we contemplate the glory of God." (St. John Damascene)

The honor paid to sacred images is a “respectful veneration,” not the adoration due to God alone: Religious worship is not directed to images in themselves, considered as mere things, but under their distinctive aspect as images leading us on to God incarnate. The movement toward the image does not terminate in it as image, but tends toward that whose image it is.

Christian iconography transcribes the evangelical message, which the Sacred Scripture transmits through words and images. Image and word shed light on each other:

“We conserve all the sacred traditions of the Church… One of them is the use of images. This is in accordance with the evangelical history; we believe that, truly and not merely in appearance, God the Word became flesh." (Third Council of Nicaea)

All the symbols of the liturgical celebration refer to Christ, as do the sacred images of the Most Blessed Mother of God and the saints. They signify, in effect, Christ, who is glorified in them. They manifest the “cloud of witnesses” (Heb 12:1) that continues participating in the salvation of the world. We are united with them, above all, in the sacramental celebration. Through the icons, man, the image of God, is finally transfigured in his image (cf. Rom 8:29; 1 Jn 3:2):

“Following the divinely inspired teaching of our holy Fathers and the tradition of the Catholic Church (since we acknowledge this tradition to be of the Holy Spirit who dwells in her), we defined with all exactitude and care that the venerable and holy images, as well as the image of the precious and life-giving cross—either painted, in mosaic, or in other suitable material—should be exposed in the holy churches of God, in the sacred vessels and ornaments, in the walls and in frames, in houses and in the roads; this includes the images of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, our Immaculate Lady the holy Mother of God, the holy angels, and all the saints and the just." (Second Council of Nicaea)

“The beauty and color of the images inspire my prayer. It is a feast for my eyes, in the same manner that the sight of the fields inspires my heart to give glory to God.”

The contemplation of the sacred images, united to the meditation of the word of God and the singing of liturgical hymns, forms part of the harmony of the signs of the celebration. Thus, the mystery that is celebrated is engraved in the memory of the heart and then expressed in the new life of the faithful.

Jan 29 Thu - What is the Sanctus of the Mass?

 

Jan 29 Thu
What is the Sanctus of the Mass?
The Sanctus is an Acclamation of the Triune God.

Isaiah testified, I saw the Lord Yahweh seated on a high throne; his train filled the sanctuary, and above him stood seraphs... And they cried out one to another in this way, “Holy, holy, holy is Yahweh Sabaoth. His glory fills the whole earth.”

The Eucharistic Prayer that began with the Preface is now interrupted to allow us to intervene with the Sanctus. We sing with the entire creation that mysterious passage in Isaiah, wherein the prophet tells us of his vision of God. The seraphim were gathered around the throne, extolling the thrice Holy Lord of all creation, when God revealed his mission to the prophet. We add to this acclamation the psalms and hosannas that resounded in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. 

This hymn contains three praises and two petitions:

• We admire the holiness, power, and supreme dominion of God when we say, “Holy, Holy, Holy God of power and might.”

• We praise his glory which shines forth in all creatures, when we say, “Heaven and earth are full of your glory.”

• Then, we exalt Christ by saying, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” While saying this, we invite him to come to our souls with the same affection and devotion with which his Blessed Mother received him at the annunciation.

• The two petitions are: “Hosanna in the highest”; we say it twice, asking for our salvation and everything that leads to it. The first petition is addressed to God, and the second to Christ.

This hymn is placed at the beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer so that we realize we are involved in a very important business. We are before the throne of His Divine Majesty, entering the Holy of Holies. If until now it was convenient for us to be pure and devout, after this, we should be inflamed with a more ardent love. 

Among the Greeks, the hymn is called the Trisagion: “Holy God, Holy Almighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us.” 

Now, let us consider him who triumphed. After the hosannas were silent, Jesus shed tears over Jerusalem. He wept over the lot of people who were to reject the cross and repudiate their vocation. His disciples did not understand, either, the nature of his unending rule. A few branches torn from palms still lay in the streets and were not yet withered when the King was raised up, nailed to the murderers’ cross. “Scandal and madness,” some say; for us, the mystery of the cross is “the power and wisdom of God.”

Is it not true that as soon as you cease to be afraid of the cross, of what people call the cross, when you set your will to accept the will of God, then you find happiness, and all your worries, all your sufferings, physical or moral, pass away?

Truly, the cross of Jesus is gentle and lovable. There, sorrows cease to count; there is only the joy of knowing that He has called us to be co-redeemers with him.

Jan 28 Wed - How can I take better responsibility for my sins?

 

Jan 28 Wed
How can I take better responsibility for my sins? 
God gives each of us a job description, and He requires a nominal rate of return in response to the gifts He lavishes upon us. So, with God’s grace, we till the soil of our souls by confessing our sins and receiving God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance. Repentance paves the way to virtue. God sends us forth from Mass, and we proclaim the Gospel with lives of virtue.

We need the Gospel to remind us that God punishes us for our unrepentant sins: “That servant who knew his master’s will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating.” We fear the pains of hell, as we should.

Jesus, through the Church, gives us the Sacrament of Penance and facilitates repentance. “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Identifying and articulating our sins isn’t easy. Our date with the confessional helps us manifest our repentance with integrity. Distinguishing between perfectly benign emotions, sinful inclinations, and sinful actions takes time and effort. But the confessional, echo chamber of verbal articulation, helps.

The five steps to a good Confession are:

- Examination of Conscience: Recall your sins since your last confession, asking for the grace to see them clearly.
- Sorrow for Sin: Fear of punishment is good, but sorrow motivated by love of God is best.
- Resolve to Avoid Sin: And to avoid the near occasions of sin.
- Confession of Sins: Honestly, without hiding or excusing them.
- Act of Penance: Expression of the desire to repair the harm caused by sin.

We often hear, “I don’t need to go to a priest for Confession because I confess my sins directly to God.” 
Good for you! Many make this claim. But most of us play psychological mind games when it comes to taking responsibility for our sins, and dismiss them with platitudes such as “I had no choice” or “God understands.”

Even Catholics who frequent Confession struggle to develop the habit of identifying and taking responsibility for their sins in the privacy of their hearts. A daily examination of conscience helps, even for those who frequent Confession.

Auricular confession, in contrast, is courageous and liberating. There is no other venue on earth that facilitates the identification and articulation of sins with precision while taking responsibility for them than the Sacrament of Penance protected by the inviolable Seal of Confession. Not psychological therapy, not a lie-detector, not the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous program, not even police interrogations—as valuable as these things are.

Every morning, two questions may help us adorn our lives with the beauty of God’s goodness. 
What can I do today that will make the world a better place because I am alive? 
With God’s grace, will I give more today than I take?

Once, I asked a 95-year-old lady those questions. She replied, “Father, I pray three rosaries every day, including one for you.” She may have added, Checkmate.

Jan 27 Tue - What is the “Ordinary Time” of the Liturgy?

 

Jan 27 Tue
What is the “Ordinary Time” of the Liturgy?

With Christmas behind us and as we now proceed through “Ordinary Time,” we have the opportunity to contemplate the full, extraordinary mystery of God’s descent into human life and our ascent into the divine. One of the clearest depictions of this divine condescension is found in the nighttime conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus.

Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the dark of night. Jesus tells him that he must be “born anew” if he wishes to enter into the kingdom of God. To which Nicodemus asks how it is a man can be born again, “Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus explains: “No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man.” And that this ascent is imaged in the death on the Cross.

In this brief exchange, Baptism and the Cross are juxtaposed. They illustrate both the ascent into Heaven and the taking on of eternal life. The ascending and descending language that Jesus uses here has two bookends: birth and death on the Cross. In these few lines, the full mystery of our own life in Christ is revealed, since our life in Christ is a mirror of the life of Christ.

That the ascending and descending of Christ is the ladder by which we can become “other christs.”

Jesus Christ’s is his Incarnation, the top rung of the ladder. His life and ministry are the middle rung, and his death and resurrection are the bottom rung. The three-runged ladder can be paired with the classic Byzantine cross, which itself has three bars: one for Jesus’s feet, another for his hands, and the third bearing the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

The ladder of ascent into Heaven is the Cross that we are each called to take up. If the ladder’s bottom step – the lowest bar of the Cross – is his death and resurrection, it’s the first step on our path of ascension into Heaven.

This “death and resurrection” is Baptism and the new birth about which Jesus sought to instruct Nicodemus that night. Thus, St. Paul can say, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?”

Having been reborn into Christ, we now must take on the “mind of Christ,” the middle step. By the sacrament of Confirmation, “the Spirit of truth comes,” and He guides us “into all the truth.” By it we live a life of evangelization, doing apostolate, and being witnesses.

The topmost crosspiece in the ascent is the Word’s becoming flesh, and our participation in the body and blood of Christ, our reception and adoration of the Eucharist. Here we are joined to the Head: because it was God’s will “to recapitulate (to put together) all things in Christ.”

Through the sacraments, His life becomes the very principle of ours. The Christian life is not a formula but a participation in a life: the Life of Jesus Christ. And only through that participation can we, as “other christs,” bear witness to the Truth.

With excerpts from Dominic V. Cassella 

Jan 26 Mon - How can I know about God the Father?

 

Jan 26 Mon
How can I know about God the Father?
As the Church teaches, the Son is begotten by the Father. 
God the Father infinitely knows himself.
The action of the intellect produces a concept, which is a likeness of the known thing, in this case, the Word (or Logos). Being the effect of the intellect, it is different from the intellect itself.
Thus, the Word is:
- God, like the Father, because God’s being and understanding are one and the same;
- eternal, because God knows himself eternally; God’s concept of himself is his real self.
- differing from the Father only because He proceeds from him; and He is the only-begotten Son of God.

God knows himself and loves himself. God the Father, upon knowing himself, engenders the Son, who is a perfect image of the Father. When He loves himself as the Ultimate Good, He loves the Son, and the Son necessarily loves the Father. There is a bond between them, an infinite Love, which is the Holy Spirit. 

The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. This is a central point of Catholic dogma, solemnly taught by the Church according to the common stance of the Greek and Latin Fathers. Even though the formulas used in the East (a Patre per Filium) and West (ex Patre Filioque) differ, they express the same doctrinal content.

No one can know the Father apart from God’s Word, that is, unless the Son reveals him, and no one can know the Son unless the Father so wills. The Father sends, the Son is sent, and He comes. The Father is beyond our sight and comprehension, but we know him through his Word, who tells us of him. 

In turn, the Father alone knows his Word. And the Lord has revealed both truths. Therefore, the Son reveals the knowledge of the Father by revealing himself. Knowledge of the Father consists in the self-revelation of the Son, for all is revealed through the Word.

The Father’s purpose in revealing the Son was to make himself known to us and so to welcome into eternal rest those who believe in him. To believe in him means to do his will.

Through creation, the Word reveals God the Creator. Through the world, He reveals the Lord who made the world. 

Through the law and the prophets, the Word revealed himself and his Father in the same way, and though all the people equally heard the message, not all equally believed it. Through the Word, made visible and palpable, the Father was revealed, though not all equally believed in him. But all saw the Father in the Son, for the Father of the Son cannot be seen, but the Son of the Father can be seen.

The Son performs everything as a ministry to the Father, from beginning to end, and without the Son, no one can know God. The way to know the Father is the Son.

Thus, there is one God the Father, one Word and Son, and one Spirit, and one salvation for all who believe in him.
With excerpts from the treatise "Against the Heresies" by St Irenaeus