May 11 Mon - How did God choose Mary? Ten questions on Our Lady.

 

May 11 Mon
How did God choose Mary? Ten questions on Our Lady.

1. How was the human conception of the Son of God?

The historic moment, foreseen by God from all eternity, took place in a village in Galilee, in Nazareth, when the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, a young Jewish woman, "a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David; the virgin's name was Mary," says St. Luke.

To come to the world and dwell with us, God willed the free cooperation of a creature, Mary, to be the mother of his Son. "The Father of mercies willed that the consent of the one who was predestined to be the Mother preceded the Incarnation so that, just as one woman contributed to death (Eve), so also another woman would contribute to life."

2. What did the Angel Gabriel say to Mary in Nazareth, and what did Mary answer?

St. Luke describes in the first chapter of his Gospel how the Angel St. Gabriel said to Mary: "Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you! Hearing these words, she was surprised and wondered what the greeting could mean. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for God has favored you." You shall conceive and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father; He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end."

Mary said to the Angel: "How can that be, if I do not know a man?" The Angel answered him: "The Holy Spirit will descend upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the Child will be holy and will be called the Son of God."

Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Christ's humanity, from his conception, is filled with the Holy Spirit because God gives him the Spirit without measure.

St. Josemaría: “How would we have acted, if we could have chosen our own mother? I'm sure we would have chosen the one we have, adorning her with every possible grace. That is what Christ did. Being all-powerful, all-wise, Love itself, his power carried out his will."

“Our Mother had meditated deep and long on the words of the holy men and women of the Old Testament who awaited the Savior, and on the events that they had taken part in. She must have marveled at all the great things that God, in his boundless mercy, had done for his people, who were so often ungrateful. As she considers the tenderness shown time after time by God towards his people, Mary's immaculate Heart breaks out in loving words, 'My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, for he has looked graciously upon the lowliness of his handmaid.' The early Christians, children of this good Mother, learned from her; we can, and we ought to do likewise." 

May 10 Sun - What moved God to create me?

 

May 10 Sun

What moved God to create me? 
His love and His goodness.

For what purpose did He create me? 
To reveal and communicate his glory through the benefits which He bestows on me, his creature.

Among all earthly creatures, we, human beings, are specially privileged because we alone can know this and consciously enjoy it.

Why should we worship and praise God? 
Because He does all good things for us, He answers our prayers, and loves us.

Christians who are really living their faith have something that the world does not: hope for salvation.

The world constantly seeks happiness in all kinds of behavior that are not good or not good enough. Yet the world often maligns us for doing good and for rejecting the evil the world calls good.

This is a kind of blindness the world has. The world does not see or know and so, cannot accept the Holy Spirit of truth.

But that is not the end of the story. We can instruct anyone who asks “a reason for our hope.”

To speak effectively to the world, we must first be doing good, and then we can explain our hope “with gentleness and reverence.”

It may be God’s will that we suffer for doing good. Why? So, we can do what Christ did: suffer for our sins to lead us to God.

Keeping the commandments is the proof of our love for Christ.

“Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me.”
This is what St. Peter meant by saying, “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.”

This loving obedience “unlocks” the life of the Blessed Trinity for us.

“And whoever loves me, will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”

At the Son’s request, the Father will send to us the Holy Spirit (the Advocate).

What will the Holy Spirit do for us?

He will be with us always, and we will know it.
He will reveal to us the truth, because He is the Spirit of truth.
He will make us children of God.
He will show us Christ and that He lives.
He will show us that we have life through Christ.
He will show us that Christ is in the Father.
He will show us that we are in Christ, and Christ is in us.

In other words, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we will see that there is a communion of life and love in God, between Christ and his Church, and among all of us, her members.

Yes, this is so on two levels: first, in the relationship between Christ and all the members; and second, among her members on earth, in purgatory, and in heaven.

This communion is what heaven is: a communion of life and love with the Trinity, with the Virgin Mary, the angels, and all the blessed: the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness.

Heaven is the state of perfect friendship that fulfills our deepest needs and desires as social beings. 

May 9 Sat - How can I spend time with God?

 

May 9 Sat
How can I spend time with God?

“What do you consider more important,” asks St. Augustine, “the Word of God or the Body of Christ? The Word of Christ is no less precious than his Body. Take great care that the Word does not fall to the ground; gather it up in your heart.”

The Christian life is a partnership with God’s grace. Man does not fight alone; he has all the help of heaven. The Lord’s hand is present in the battles he must fight against the world, the flesh, and demons, which wage war against him both outside and within his soul. Man’s participation is necessary. If we do not walk the path with steps that require effort, we will not attain the prize the Lord has reserved for us at the end. Human contribution is absolutely necessary.

But when we pray, we need to underline the other side: God’s action within us. I would now like to highlight our attitude of listening to what the Lord is whispering into the ear of our souls.

A Christian’s inner growth is not so much the fruit of sweat as of grace.

Stop and listen to God, to that God,

• who is a Friend to you,
• who makes his home in your home,
• who accompanies pilgrims,
• who shares in your joys and sorrows,
• who reveals to you the mysteries hidden in his heart,
• who brings you his life, his fire, and his love.

What should your attitude be now in the face of these visits from God? 
The first thing that comes to mind is to tell you—and to tell myself—not to be in a hurry.

Sit at Jesus’ feet; let love enter your soul. The time has come to listen to him. Cast selfishness, noise, and clamor from your soul, and decide to spend time with God.

How do I find Jesus in the Gospel?

If you grew up Catholic, chances are you've heard the Gospels hundreds of times. Familiar stories, familiar words — and maybe, if you're honest, a familiarity that has started to feel a little flat.

That's not a faith crisis. It's actually an invitation to talk to Him.
Because the Gospels were never meant to be information to absorb. They were meant to be encounters — and encounters, by definition, require presence. Yours.

The early Christians didn't just study what Jesus said. They entered the passage they were reading — and it changed everything about how they lived, worked, suffered, and loved.

The same is available to you. But it requires slowing down.

Practical application: The next time you read a Gospel passage, resist the urge to move quickly. Read it once for content. Then read it again and ask: "Who am I in this story?" Are you the one being healed? The one watching from a distance? The one who almost missed it?

Pray and read with your imagination, not just your mind.
Real encounters raise questions. And in prayer, questions aren't a problem — they're a doorway. 

May 8 Fri - Have I found what I was looking for?

 

May 8 Fri
Have I found what I was looking for?
 
I was searching for the most lovable person, and I found that he is the greatest; I could not possibly imagine anyone more perfect. I have discovered that he embodies life, light, wisdom, goodness, and eternal happiness. He is everywhere and timeless. I was looking for God. 

Let me know you and love you, so that I may find my joy in you.
Lord, my God, you gave me life and restored it when I lost it. As I long for you, tell me what else you are, besides what I have already understood, so that I may see you clearly. I stand on tiptoe to see more, but beyond what I have seen, I see only darkness. Of course, I do not truly see darkness, because there is no darkness in you, but I cannot see further because of my blindness.

Surely, Lord, you dwell in unapproachable light, and no one but you can enter into it and fully embrace you. If I fail to see this light, it is because it is too bright for me. Still, it is by a tiny beam of this light that I see all that I can, just as my weak eyes perceive everything they can by the sun's light but are unable to look directly at the sun.

The light in which you dwell, Lord, is beyond my understanding. It is so brilliant that I cannot bear it; I cannot turn my mind’s eye towards it for any length of time. I am dazzled by its brightness, amazed by its grandeur, overwhelmed by its immensity, and bewildered by its abundance.

O supreme and inaccessible light, O complete and blessed truth, how far you are from me, even though I am so near to you! How remote you are from my sight, even though I am present to yours! You are entirely everywhere, and yet I do not see you; in you I move and have my being, and yet I cannot approach you; you are within me and around me, and yet I do not perceive you.

O God, let me know you and love you so that I may find my joy in you; and if I cannot do so fully in this life, let me at least make some progress every day until I finally come to know, love, and rejoice in you. While I am here on earth, teach me to know you better, so that in heaven I may know you fully; let my love for you deepen here, so that there I may love you completely. On earth, then, I shall have some joy in hoping, and in heaven, complete joy in the fulfillment of my hope.

O Lord, through your Son, you command me, no, you encourage me to ask, and you promise that you will hear me so that my joy may be complete. Lord, send me the Holy Spirit as an adviser. Give me what you promise. You, O God, are faithful; grant that I may receive my request, so that my joy may be complete.

Meanwhile, let this hope of mine be in my thoughts and on my tongue; let my heart be filled with it, my voice speak of it; let my soul hunger for it, my body thirst for it, my whole being yearn for it, until I enter into the joy of the Lord, who is Three in One, blessed forever. Amen.
Excerpts from the "Proslogion" of St Anselm. 

May 7 Thu - Why does the priest break the Host?

 

May 7 Thu
Why does the priest break the Host? 

The priest takes the host and breaks it over the paten. He places a small piece into the chalice while saying, “May this mingling of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.” 

The breaking of the loaf of bread is a familiar ceremony. The father, presiding over the table, would perform the ceremony.

At the Last Supper, our Lord also broke the bread. It was in the act of breaking bread that the disciples at Emmaus recognized the risen Lord. As if it were a Mass celebrated by the Lord, the breaking of the bread was preceded by the liturgy of the word: While they were walking, “Jesus explained to them the passages throughout the Scriptures that were about himself.” 

The two disciples returned to Jerusalem, announcing that they had recognized the Lord “at the breaking of the bread.” 

In apostolic times, this gesture of Christ gave the entire Eucharistic action its name, “the Breaking of the Bread.” We see in the Acts of the Apostles Saint Luke writing that the Christians “were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles, and in the communication of the breaking of the bread, and in prayers.” 

Saint Paul drew a lesson from the fact that all those present shared the same loaf:

The fact that there is only one loaf means that, though there are many of us, we form a single body because we all have a share in this one loaf.

This ceremony also had a practical reason: the need to break the big loaf of bread by the deacon before its distribution. We read in the Didaché (year 110):

Lord, just as the matter of this bread was scattered on the hills and was made one when it was gathered together, so too may your Church be gathered in one into your kingdom from the ends of the earth.

And Saint Cyprian, in laying stress on the Church’s unity in opposition to schism, wrote: 

The Lord’s sacrifice proclaims the unity of Christians who are bound together by a firm and unshakable charity. For when the Lord calls the bread, that has been made from many grains of wheat, ‘his Body’, He is describing our people whose unity He has sustained; and when He refers to wine pressed from many grapes as his Blood, He is speaking of our flock, which has been formed by fusing many into one.

In the ancient Church, some fragments of consecrated hosts were reserved. Two of these were called ‘sancta’ and ‘fermentum’. The sancta was to be consumed at the next Mass to be celebrated; it was dropped into the chalice. This gesture seemed to have meant the affirmation of the unity of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ until the end of the world. 

The pope or bishop sent fragments of the hosts he had consecrated, the ‘fermentum ’, to priests of the nearby parishes -“so that,” Pope Innocent I explained, “especially on this day, they do not think themselves cut off from our communion.” 

May 6 Wed - What do the insignias of the bishops mean?

 

May 6 Wed
What do the insignias of the bishops mean?

The bishop wears a pectoral cross, the zucchetto (the skullcap), the episcopal ring, the miter, and the crozier or staff. These are the traditional signs of the bishop’s apostolic mission and pastoral authority.

Zucchetto: The word means ‘little pumpkin’ because of its shape. It expresses the ecclesiastical rank. It is white for the Pope, red for the cardinals, purple for the bishops, and black for the priests.

The zucchetto, also called ‘solideo’, “soli Deo” (for God alone), is removed only before God. The bishops always keep their heads covered, except during the Eucharistic Prayer, out of reverence for the real presence of Christ. Only before God, only before the sacramental presence of Christ in the Eucharistic species, is it removed.

Pectoral cross: The pectoral cross of a bishop is a significant symbol of his apostolic authority, pastoral responsibility, and unity with Christ’s sacrifice. It is worn on the chest, usually suspended from the neck by a cord or chain. The cross represents the bishop's commitment to his faith and duty, serving as a visual reminder of his role as a successor of the Apostles and shepherd of the Church. 

When putting on the pectoral cross, traditionally the bishop says, “Munire me digneris,” asking the Lord for strength and protection against all evil and all enemies, and to be mindful of His passion and cross.

The Ring: On the right hand, the bishop wears the episcopal ring given to him on his consecration. It symbolizes the spiritual marriage of the bishop to the Church (the Bride of Christ), and his fidelity to her, even unto death.

In Catholic tradition, to “kiss” the ring of the bishop was a sign of respect for his authority; interestingly, a partial indulgence was attached to the reverencing of the bishop’s ring.

Miter: The shape of the bishop’s headgear suggests the tongues of fire that rested on the heads of the Apostles, the first bishops of the Church. The two peaks symbolize the Old and the New Testament, united on the bishop’s head to highlight his responsibility to teach the word of God and be the guardian of the faith.

It has two infulae (two strips of cloth hanging from behind). Some suggest that these originated from the sweatband that Greek athletes wore, which was wrapped around the forehead, tied behind the head in a knot with the two ends hanging down the back; since the victorious athlete was crowned with a laurel wreath, the whole headdress soon was seen as a sign of victory, as in St. Paul’s analogy: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith… 

Crozier (or pastoral staff): The bishop’s crozier is the most direct symbol of his role as shepherd—guiding, correcting, and strengthening his flock.

It is reminiscent of the shepherd’s crook as a reminder that the bishop must be a shepherd who truly cares for his flock and keeps them united in the fold of Christ, the Good Shepherd. 

May 5 Tue - Should I foster noble ambitions in my soul?

 

May 5 Tue
Should I foster noble ambitions in my soul?

“You are ambitious: for knowledge, for leadership, for great ventures.
Good. Very good. But let it be for Christ, for Love."

“Persevere in the exact fulfilment of the obligations of the moment. That work - humble, monotonous, small - is prayer expressed in action that prepares you to receive the grace of the other work - great and wide and deep - of which you dream."

St Paul's hymn of praise for God's redemptive plan reveals his great love and ambitions. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will."

The Apostle's heart expands as he considers the divine call to holiness, and he makes clear his deep ambition to live closely united to Christ. Moved by the same Spirit, we too harbor in our hearts sincere and operative desires for holiness. We should have just one exclusive concern: to become saints.

We have to direct everything toward this goal, as St Josemaría urged: "Allow your soul to be consumed by desires - desires for loving, for forgetting yourself, for sanctity, for heaven. Don't stop to wonder whether the time will come to see them accomplished. Make them more fervent every day, for the Holy Spirit says that He is pleased with men of desires."
"Let your desires be operative and put them into practice in your daily tasks."

We are poor vessels containing a treasure of grace, light, and truth. Our Lord will not go back on his word; He will not fail to add the increase to our efforts if we remain united to him, resolved to struggle for holiness despite our defects. 

"It seems to me an excellent idea that you should tell the Lord often about your great and ardent desire to be a saint, even though you see yourself filled with wretchedness...
Tell him - precisely because of this!"

God continually comes to the aid of our weakness. If we are faithful, we are drawn into intimate union with Jesus amid our everyday activities, which perhaps humanly are not very glamorous. " For holiness does not consist of doing more difficult things every day, but doing things with greater love every day. Our great desires for holiness must be expressed by persevering in small things. This has to be your ambition: to persevere in the exact fulfilment of your present obligations, because that work - humble, monotonous, small - is prayer expressed in deeds. And it prepares us to receive the grace for that other work -great, broad and deep - about which we dream: to place Christ at the summit of all human activities."

“When you truly become filled with the Christian spirit, your ambitions will be put right. —You will feel no longer a hankering after celebrity, but a desire to perpetuate your ideal." 

May 4 Mon - How should the resurrection of Christ affect my life?

 

May 4 Mon
How should the resurrection of Christ affect my life?

We should reflect on the impact on our lives produced by the power of Jesus’ Resurrection, which we celebrate in the liturgical season from Easter to Pentecost.

We may experience what the first disciples did when they met Jesus after the Resurrection, asking themselves: "Is it true? Or is it an illusion of my mind?"

This question is crucial because, if it is true, everything must change in our lives. 
If it is not true, everything will remain the same, and our lives will lack purpose. 

If we have never asked ourselves this question, it may be because we are unwilling to change anything; it might seem easier not to doubt.

If Christ had not risen, his Passion and death, no matter how significant they were, would remain mere expressions of goodwill without any consequence for us.

Conversely, if it is a real and historical event, even if it exceeds our understanding, it becomes a powerful light and energy that must change our perspective on life, death, and the afterlife.

Thus, the resurrection of Jesus Christ confirms that He is God, even though the disciples did not recognize Him at first because He had transformed Himself. However, when He revealed His identity to them, the disciples recognized Him unmistakably.

This recognition, however, did not allow them to hold on to Him, as we cannot physically embrace Him. We cannot take or clasp Him with our arms since the Lord exists in another dimension.

Therefore, the transition from His divine dimension to ours occurs only because He approaches and connects with us. The most intense moment of that closeness is the Eucharist.

That is why the Eucharistic adoration is a personal face-to-face communication -an embrace- with Jesus, even though He remains in His divine dimension and we cannot see Him as He truly is. In this regard, faith in the resurrection leads us to the Eucharist, and the Eucharist itself nourishes our faith in the resurrection.

It is worthwhile to pause this Easter to consider the profound impact of Christ's resurrection on each of us and on all humanity, lest we squander that spiritual energy suppressed by our inability to open ourselves to Jesus or by the hardness of our hearts.

Yet we will not be able to share in our Lord's resurrection unless we unite ourselves with Him in His passion and death. To accompany Christ in His glory, we must first enter into His sacrifice and be genuinely united to Him as He lies dead on Calvary.

Christ's generous self-sacrifice is a challenge to our sin.

"May we never die through sin; may our spiritual resurrection be eternal."

Let's turn now to the days between the Ascension and Pentecost. As a result of the triumph of Christ's resurrection, the disciples are filled with faith; they eagerly await the promised Holy Spirit. They want to stay close to one another, and so we find them "with Mary, the mother of Jesus," praying as one family.

With excerpts from Nicolás de Cárdenas 

May 3 Sun - Today’s Gospel develops three concepts: Heaven, the way to get there, and why it is so.

 

May 3 Sun
Today’s Gospel develops three concepts: Heaven, the way to get there, and why it is so.

HEAVEN. Jesus announced his imminent departure and told the disciples to remain in the world. He was leaving them in the hands of their enemies without having accomplished the promised establishment of the Messianic Kingdom. Jesus comforts them: "Do not be afraid.”

The reason for this serenity should be confidence in God and in Him. If you believe in God, believe also in me. 

Then He continued pointing out to them the great gifts that He had prepared for them in heaven. Perhaps they thought they would never be again in the company of Jesus or that only Peter could be there.
Jesus rectifies and says in the house of my Father, there are many dwellings, for them and for many others: the multitude of people who will follow Jesus.

THE WAY TO GET THERE. Thomas asked, Lord, we do not know where you go; how can we find the way? There is in this question a desire to know, but at the same time, the fear and sadness of the apostle. He understood the words of Jesus materially.

Jesus answered with the threefold definition of himself: I am the way, the truth, and the life. Thus, the way is not just a material road to go to a geographic place. Jesus is the way and only through him, a person can pass from sin to grace, from earth to heaven. We must achieve this through his doctrine, the sacraments, and by imitating his example.

WHY IS IT SO? Philip is amazed that Jesus declared that they have seen their Father. He understood the words of the Lord in the sense of a corporal vision, not understanding that Jesus spoke of a spiritual vision through faith, not in the way that some prophets received the vision of God, like Moses in Sinai or Isaiah.

Now Phillip is asking, Lord, show us the Father. 

Jesus reprimanded him because of his slowness to understand. For three years, you have been dealing with me, and still, you do not understand? 
Jesus indicated the unity of nature with his Father and their personal distinction. If the Father and I are the same thing, how is it possible that you don’t see the Father in me?

Jesus clarified his thought, changing the expression he used earlier, to see, with to ‘believe.’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me?

“God did not create us to build a lasting city here on earth, because this world is the way to that other, a dwelling-place free from care. Nevertheless, we, children of God, should not remain aloof from earthly endeavors, for God has placed us here to sanctify them and make them fruitful with our blessed faith, which alone is capable of bringing true peace and joy to all men wherever they may be.”

We must serve God on earth with our eyes on heaven. 

May 2 Sat - 10 Ways you might be letting the Devil slip in without even realizing it

 

May 2 Sat
10 Ways you might be letting the Devil slip in without even realizing it

Here are 10 things considered harmless by many that are ways that the devil has slipped into the culture.

1. Horoscopes. Horoscopes claim a power to know the future that is not from God. It is a pagan practice that goes against the First Commandment.

2. Mediums. Some claim to speak with the dead. Psychics, fortune tellers, mediums, and the like are either swindlers or drawing their power from the devil. The Old Testament in Deut. 18:10-11 and Isaiah 19:3 condemn conjuring up the dead.

3. Paranormal tourism. Visiting ‘haunted houses’ has become popular. The would-be ghost hunters use paranormal equipment that taunts spirits to get a response.

Real haunted houses may be either souls in purgatory in need of prayer or evil spirits. If there are souls in need of prayers, they should be respected, and if there are evil spirits, they should not be visited.

4. Wishing for someone to burn in hell. The devil wants as many souls as possible to spend eternity in hell. Despite how horrible a person is, we should never desire anyone’s damnation since it aligns us with the devil and pits us against God’s will.

5. “Knock on wood” and other superstitions. You may say it in jest. Or not. Rabbit’s feet, good luck charms, and other superstitions may seem harmless, but they seek to use powers not of God. Instead of knocking on wood or making a wish, say a prayer instead.

6. Fortune tellers, palm readers, Tarot card readers, and the like. They seek to manipulate the known world by tapping into a power that is not God. 

7. Consumer products that offer powers. Crystals and essential oils — perfectly good and natural materials — are sometimes used and sold by companies claiming they have supernatural powers. For real power, talk to the Creator of the Universe and receive supernatural graces through the sacraments.

8. Unforgiveness. Jesus told us multiple times to forgive others. Praying for someone and letting go of hatred and anger with the help of God helps to heal the wound. To intentionally hold on to unforgiveness gives a toe-hold to the devil to influence you against God’s will.

9. Pornography. Everything about pornography is from the evil one, yet it has a hold on our culture. Pornography enslaves people and destroys relationships — just as the devil wants.

10. Following apparitions condemned by the Church. The devil uses false apparitions to lure people away from the Church. The Church investigates claims of private revelations cautiously, because the devil can use them to ensnare otherwise serious Catholics. The devil can use a ruse, pretending to encourage them for a time, for the sake of landing his victim in exaggeration and oddities.

This list is not exhaustive, but simply points out ways the devil slips into even Catholic circles as harmless. Yearning for the supernatural is inborn, but entering through the wrong door leads to spiritual harm. The Church and the light of Jesus Christ shine a light onto the darkness to reveal it for what it is — snares of the devil.
    
Excerpts from Patti Maguire Armstrong 

May 1 Fri - Why did God choose Saint Joseph, a worker?

 

May 1 Fri
Why did God choose Saint Joseph, a worker?

Saint Joseph was a conscientious worker. With admirable simplicity, an ancient document from the early Christian era shows that Christians need to work: “If anyone wishes to live amongst you, let him have a job; let him work and thus feed himself. And if he has no job, make provision for him with prudence so that no lazy Christian is in your midst. If he does not want to act in this way, he is a trafficker in Christ. Be on your guard against such people."

A Christian should not be content with keeping himself busy all day long with different activities. He must sanctify everything he does. “If we want to live this way, sanctifying our profession or job, we really must work well, with human and supernatural intensity." This means using our time well, dedicating whatever time may be necessary, and putting to the best use the tools which God has placed in our hands.

The life of Saint Joseph was not spent amongst miracles, but in hard and steady work. “Saint Joseph was not one for easy solutions and little miracles, but a man of perseverance, effort, and, when needed, ingenuity. The Christian knows that God works miracles, that He did them centuries ago, and that He continues doing them now, because 'the Lord's hand is not shortened'. But miracles are a sign of the saving power of God, not a cure for incompetence nor an easy way to avoid effort."

“The 'miracle' which God asks of you is to persevere in your Christian and divine vocation, sanctifying each day's work: the miracle of turning the prose of each day into heroic verse by the love you put into your ordinary work. God waits for you there. He expects you to be a responsible person, with the zeal of an apostle and the competence of a good worker."

Serious work goes united to prayer – Saint Joseph knew how to listen to God, and to talk to Him. He had Him, as a Man, right there, at home, in the workshop. This is prayer.

“Every day we should set aside time especially for speaking with God, but without forgetting that our prayer must be constant, like the beating of our heart: aspirations, acts of love, acts of thanksgiving, acts of reparation, spiritual communions. When we walk along the street, when we close or open a door, when we see a church bell-tower in the distance, when we begin and end our tasks, and while we are carrying them out, we direct everything to God. We are obliged to make a continual prayer of our ordinary life, for we are contemplative souls along all the pathways of the world.”

“Thank you, Father, for conferring on me the passion and courage with which I must fulfill your will, like St. Joseph. I humbly beseech You to increase my faith and my hope.
Lord, I ask that I may not reject your Love, that I may always be close to You as the little hatchlings to the hen. May my freedom be always to choose You." 

Apr 30 Thu - Why do we give peace to one another before Communion?

 

 Apr 30 Thu
Why do we give peace to one another before Communion?

During the Last Supper, our Lord made his disciples aware of the importance of peace, the fruit of charity. Many times, He spoke of unity, of the spirit of service, of humility, of charity. These are virtues and dispositions of the soul that can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace. 

Jesus then made a gesture of profound humility: “He got up from the table, removed his outer garment and, taking a towel, began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel.” 

The Lord’s action and attire were those of a slave. He himself explained the meaning of this act of humility: “If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you.” 

We, his disciples, are invited to love and serve others and not be afraid of placing ourselves last. In the Eucharist, the sacrament of love, the Lord gives himself to us in sacrifice. His love impels him to lay down his life for us. We receive from this sacrament the strength to commit ourselves to a life of service and dedication to others, to spread the peace and love of God. 

Humility, charity, and spirit of service are virtues and dispositions of the soul that can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace. After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples and, to make this point clear, greeted them, “Peace be with you.” 

The early Christians lived well this point of their spirit. St. Paul bore witness to their charity and unity, at times greeting them with the symbolic kiss of peace. And so, it entered the ancient liturgy. 

Initially, the rite of peace was set before the Offertory. It followed the Prayer of the Faithful and, at that point, could be seen as a sign of love before the gifts were offered. Perhaps, it was placed there in remembrance of this passage in the Gospel: 

If you are bringing your offering to the altar and remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering.

Often, the significance of this gesture is not fully understood. Some may think that it is an occasion to give a high-five to friends. Rather, while one is preparing for Communion in an atmosphere of inner recollection, the sign of peace is a way of saying to the person beside you that the peace of Christ, really present on the altar, is also with each of us.

Later, this rite became an obligatory prelude to Communion.

We feel our souls flooded with peace; that is the consequence of our divine filiation and a fraternity well lived, centered in Christ. Men lose their peace when they lack filiation and fraternity. “I realize I am a son of God; if the Lord is my light and my salvation, whom should I fear?”
Pic: Coptic illustration of the Last Supper