May 31 Wed
In Nazareth, the Archangel Gabriel revealed to Mary the mystery of the motherhood of St Elizabeth. And the heart of the Blessed Virgin overflowed with happiness.
In the days that followed, Mary rose up and went with all haste to a town of Judea, in the hill country. In her womb she bore him who was desired by all nations, the Messiah whom all Israel had awaited for centuries.

Today, we can admire the concern of the Blessed Virgin for St Elizabeth. She knows that her cousin, well on in years, needs the care of a young person and she therefore goes with haste, to bring her help and affection. This availability to serve is the immediate consequence of having found Jesus Christ.

In our lives, too, intimacy with Jesus and with Mary is necessarily shown in the help we give others. As St Josemaría wrote: “If we have this filial contact with Mary, we won't be able to think just about ourselves and our problems. Selfish personal problems will find no place in our mind. Mary brings us to Jesus... And so, if we know Jesus, we realize that we can live only by giving ourselves to the service of others. A Christian can't be caught up in personal problems; he must be concerned about the universal Church and the salvation of all souls.

“Concern for one's own spiritual improvement is not really a personal thing, for sanctification is completely bound up with apostolate. We must, therefore, develop our interior life and the Christian virtues with our eyes upon the good of the whole Church. We cannot do good and make Christ known, if we're not making a sincere effort to live the teachings of the Gospel.”

 May 30 Tue
Sharing two prayers written by two saints to ask for the guidance of the Paraclete.

The great Doctor of the Church St. Augustine (354-430) composed a short prayer in which he asks the Paraclete to help him live a holy life.

Holy Spirit, inspire me, that I may have holy thoughts.
Holy Spirit, guide me, so that I may act in a holy way.
Holy Spirit, draw me, that I may love holy things.
Holy Spirit, strengthen me, that we may stand for holy things.
Holy Spirit, help me, that I may never lose holy things".

Saint Josemaría Escrivá wrote this prayer to the Holy Spirit:

"Come, O Holy Spirit!: enlighten my understanding, to know your commands; strengthen my heart against the snares of the enemy; inflame my will..... I have heard your voice, and I do not want to harden my heart and resist, saying: later..., tomorrow. Nunc coepi! NOW! Lest tomorrow may not come to me.
O Spirit of truth and wisdom, Spirit of understanding and counsel, Spirit of joy and peace! I want what you want, I want it because you want it, I want it in the manner you want it, I want it when you want it...".

Photo: St. Fernando, King.

 May 29 Mon
The Lord has “opened to all humanity, without exception, the possibility of a new life, of being reborn in the Spirit, of beginning to live as conquerors who can exclaim: If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will he not give us all things with him?...”

With the sacraments, we receive the Holy Spirit, who gives us a new heart, makes us a new creature with new effectiveness: namely, the possibility of reaching sanctity and helping others attain it as well.

The Holy Spirit's action requires our intelligent, free cooperation, since God does not force our will, but moves it in such a way that we remain free at all times.

We need to grow, to prepare to receive the Holy Spirit more fully and abundantly. St Josemaría wrote: “The Holy Spirit - God with you - is giving a supernatural tone to all your thoughts, desires, and actions.”
We are instruments of the Holy Spirit. “When God wishes to carry out an enterprise, he uses totally inadequate means so that all may see that the work is his. Hence you and I, who know well the great weight of our own limitations, should say to God: ‘Although I see my own wretchedness, I realize that in your hands I become a divine instrument.’”

“And so, we can apply to ourselves the question asked by the Apostle: Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? And we can understand it as an invitation to talk with God in a more personal and direct manner. For some, unfortunately, the Paraclete is the Great Stranger, the Great Unknown. He is merely a name that is mentioned, but not Someone, not one of the three Persons in the one God, with whom we can talk and whose life we can live.”

 May 28 Sun
Jesus calls the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete (cf. John 14:15-17), a word that comes from Greek, which means both consoler and advocate, also lawyer. This means that the Holy Spirit never leaves us alone, He is near to us, like an attorney who assists the accused person, standing by his side. And He suggests to us how to defend ourselves from the One who accuses us, the devil, who puts sin inside of you, the desire to sin, wickedness.
Let us reflect on these two aspects of the Holy Spirit: His closeness to us, and His assistance against the One who accuses us.

First, the Holy Spirit’s closeness. Jesus says: the Holy Spirit “dwells with you and will be in you” (cf. v. 17). He never abandons us. The Holy Spirit wants to stay with us: He is not a passing guest who comes to pay us a courtesy visit. He is a companion for life, a stable presence. He is Spirit, and desires to dwell in our soul, our spirit. He is patient and stays with us because He truly loves us. He does not pretend to love us, and then leave us alone when things get difficult. No. He is faithful, He is transparent, He is authentic.

In a moment of trial, the Holy Spirit consoles us, bringing us God’s pardon and strength. And when He places our errors before us and corrects us, He does so gently, with tenderness and warmth of love in His voice that speaks to the heart.
Certainly, the Spirit, the Paraclete, is demanding, because He is a true, faithful friend, who does not hide anything. He suggests what needs to be changed and where growth needs to take place. But when He corrects us, He never humiliates us, and never instils distrust. Rather, He conveys the certainty that, with God, we can always make it. This is His closeness. This is a beautiful certainty.

Second, the Holy Spirit is our advocate and He defends us from the One who accuses us, and also from ourselves, when we do not appreciate and forgive ourselves, when we go so far as saying to ourselves that we have failed, that we are good for nothing. He defends us from the world that discards those who do not fit into to its impositions and patterns.

Then, the Holy Spirit suggests to us how to respond. How? He reminds us of the words of the Gospel, and thus enables us to respond to the accusing devil, not with our own words, but with the Lord’s words. He reminds us that we are God’s children. This is the most important truth in life, that we are beloved children of God.

Let us ask ourselves today: Do I call on the Holy Spirit? Do I talk and pray to Him often? Do I listen to His voice, both when He encourages me and when He corrects me? Do I respond with Jesus’s words to the accusations from the Evil One, to the judgments of the worldly ones? Do I remember that I am a beloved child of God?
From an audience of Pope Francis.

 May 27 Sat
Our life is like that of the man in the parable who finds a buried treasure in a field, and in his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Jesus Christ made us see that there is nothing to compare with such a treasure, and that therefore we should put behind everything else in order to possess it.

Although the treasure is priceless, our Lord did not ask us for everything all at once. Little by little, he helped us overcome our weaknesses and asked us for further renunciation and greater dedication. Our initial self-giving was inspired by love, in the first joy of our discovery, and he wants us always to maintain the joy that springs from love.
Both at the start of the journey, and when we have traveled quite a distance –with the help of the Holy Spirit– love should be present.

“Sometimes one hears love described as if it were a movement towards self-satisfaction, or merely a means of selfishly fulfilling one's own personality.
“And I have always told you that it isn't so. True love demands getting out of oneself, giving oneself. Genuine love brings joy in its wake, a joy that has its roots in the shape of the Cross.”

“Every Christian should seek Christ and get to know him by talking and listening to him, in order to love him. The same thing happens during courtship: the couple must spend time getting to know each other, because if they don't, they won't fall in love with each other. And our life, my children, is one of love.” St Josemaría

Let us lose our fear of giving ourselves too much. Let us give ourselves to God and souls without reserve. And if we are tempted to set limits and start bargaining, let us remind ourselves that we should strive to love, which means surpassing ourselves joyfully in our duty, with self-sacrifice.
If God is everything you have, you have everything.

 May 26 Fri
Mother of the Savior.  Our Lord was the Messiah, or Christ. But when He actually showed Himself on earth, He was known by three new titles: the Son of God, expressing His Divine Nature; the Son of Man, expressing His Human nature; and the Savior, His mission. Thus, the Angel who appeared to Mary called Him the Son of God; the angel who appeared to Joseph called Him Jesus, which means, Savior; and so, the Angels, too, called Him a Savior when they appeared to the shepherds.

St. Peter says He is “a Prince and a Savior,” and St. Paul says, “a Savior, Jesus.” And both Angels and Apostles tell us why He is so called – because He has rescued us from the power of the devil, and from the guilt and misery of our sins. Thus, the Angel says to Joseph, “Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins;” and St. Peter, “God has exalted Him to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.” And He says Himself, “The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.”

How this affects our thoughts of Mary? To rescue slaves from the power of the Enemy implies a struggle. Our Lord, because He was a Savior, was a warrior. He had to suffer.

Now, who most especially hate wars? Mothers hate wars. They especially suffer in a war. The mother of a soldier may glory in the honor gained by her son; but still, she goes through long pain, anxiety, and anguish. So it was with Mary. For thirty years she was with the continual presence of her Son. And then, she heard of His arrest.

At last, she got near Him. . . during His mock trial, in His passion, and when He was lifted upon the Cross. Finally, she held Him again in her arms: yes – when He was dead. True, He rose from the dead; but still she did not keep Him, for He ascended on high, and she did not at once follow Him. No, she remained on earth many years – in the care, indeed, of His dearest Apostle, St. John. But what was even the holiest of men compared with her own Son, and Him the Son of God?
Inspired on St. John Henry Newman

 May 25 Thu
Titles of the Blessed Mother: Mother of Christ.  We invoke Mary as the Mother of Christ. Why so? To remind us that she was associated with the hopes and prayers of the prophets, of all true worshipers of God, and of all who “looked for the redemption of Israel.”

Our Lord was called Christ (in Greek), or Messiah (in Hebrew), by the Jewish people. The two words mean the same, the “Anointed One.” In the old times there were three great ministries or offices by means of which God spoke to His chosen people, that of Priest, King, and Prophet. These were solemnly anointed with oil – oil signifying the grace of God, which was given to them for the due performance of their high duties. But our Lord is all three: – a Priest, because He offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins; a Prophet, because He revealed to us the Holy Law of God; and a King, because He rules over us. Thus, He is the one true Christ.

The Jews expected him from age to age. Their first great question was, “When will He come,” and then, “Who will be His Mother?” They were told, not that He should come from heaven, but that He should be born of a Woman.

At the time of the fall of Adam, God had said that the seed of the Woman should crush the Serpent’s head. Who, then, was to be that Woman? At the end of many centuries, it was further revealed to the Jews that the great Messiah, or Christ, the seed of the Woman, should be born of their lineage, and of one of the twelve tribes.

Thus, Mary became the Mother of Christ, not in the way they expected Him, but, declining such maternity, she became a Mother by means of a higher grace, by the Holy Spirit. This is the full meaning of St. Elizabeth’s words, when the Blessed Virgin visited her, contained in the Hail Mary: “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.”
Inspired on St. John Henry Newman

 May 24 Wed
Titles of the Blessed Mother: Mater Creatoris, the Mother of the Creator.  We cannot refuse this title to Mary without denying the Divine Incarnation – that is, the great and fundamental truth of revelation, that God became man. She did not conceive “something” but Someone who is God.

This was seen from the first age of the Church. Christians were accustomed, from the first days, to call the Blessed Virgin “The Mother of God,” because they saw that it was impossible to deny her that title without denying St. John’s words, “The Word (that is, God the Son) was made flesh.”

In a short time, the error sprang up that our Lord was not really God, but just a man, differing from us in this merely: that somehow God dwelt in Him, as God dwells in all good men, only in a higher measure; as the Holy Spirit dwelt in Angels and Prophets, as in a sort of Temple.

Then the bishops and faithful people found there was no other way of stopping this false, bad view being taught but by declaring distinctly, and making it a point of faith, that Mary was the Mother of the Person, not of man only, but of that Person who is God. And since that time the title of Mary, as Mother of God, has become what is called a dogma, or article of faith, in the Church.

What a great wonder, namely, that we become the brethren of our God; that, if we live well, and die in the grace of God, we shall - all of us hereafter - be taken up by our Incarnate God to that place where angels dwell; that our bodies shall be raised from the dust, and be taken to Heaven; that we shall be really united to God; that we shall be partakers of the Divine Nature; that each of us, soul and body, shall be plunged into the abyss of glory which surrounds the Almighty; that we shall see Him, and share His blessedness, according to the text, “Whosoever shall do the will of My Father that is in Heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.”
Inspired on St. John Henry Newman

 May 23 Tue
In this month of May we should increase our love for our Blessed Mother; one way to consider is the use of the scapular.  There are people who criticize the scapular as a kind of talismanic devotion — failing to understand the scapular promise (“whoever dies clothed in this scapular shall not suffer the fires of hell”) as a way of persevering in the spiritual life.

Taken properly, as a sign of consecration to Christ through the maternal intercession of the Blessed Mother, the scapular can be a physical sign of the way in which, as John Paul II put it, “devotion to [Mary] cannot be limited to prayers and tributes in her honor on certain occasions, but must become a ‘habit,’ that is, a permanent orientation of one's own Christian conduct, woven of prayer and interior life, through frequent reception of the sacraments and the concrete practice of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.”

St John Paul II added: “In this way the scapular becomes a sign of the ‘covenant’ and reciprocal communion between Mary and the faithful: indeed, it concretely translates the gift of his Mother, which Jesus gave on the Cross to John and, through him, to all of us, and the entrustment of the beloved Apostle and of us to her, who became our spiritual mother."

 May 22 Mon
The New Form of His Presence. Excerpts from Pope Benedict XVI
What do the Bible and the Liturgy tell us by saying that Jesus “was lifted up”? The verb “to lift up” was originally used in the Old Testament and refers to a royal enthronement. Thus, Christ’s Ascension means the enthronement of the Crucified and Risen Son of Man, the manifestation of God’s kingship over the world.

Also, it is said that Jesus was “lifted up” (v. 9) and then, “taken up” (v. 11). The event is not described as a journey to on high but rather as an action of the power of God who introduces Jesus into the space of closeness to the Divine. The presence of the cloud that “took him out of their sight” (v. 9), recalls a very ancient image of Old Testament, the cloud of Sinai and above the tent of the Covenant in the desert, and the luminous cloud on the mountain of the Transfiguration.

As Christ ascended into Heaven, the human being has entered into intimacy with God in a new and unheard-of way. “Heaven does not indicate a place above the stars but something far more daring and sublime: it indicates Christ himself, the divine Person who welcomes humanity fully and forever, the One in whom God and man are inseparably united forever. Man’s being in God: this is Heaven.

And we draw close to Heaven, indeed, we enter Heaven to the extent that we draw close to Jesus and enter into communion with him. The Solemnity of the Ascension invites us to be in profound communion with the dead and Risen Jesus, invisibly present in the life of each one of us.

The historical character of the mystery of Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension helps us to recognize and understand the transcendent condition of the Church; she was not born and does not live to compensate for the absence of her Lord who has “disappeared.” On the contrary, the Church finds the reason for her existence and mission in the invisible presence of Jesus, a presence working through the power of his Spirit.

In other words, the Church does not merely prepare for the return of an “absent” Jesus, but, on the contrary, lives and works to proclaim his “glorious presence,” that he was historically real, and living.
Madonna of Michelangelo

 May 21 Sun
--- Ascension and evangelizing mission. The Apostles and all the disciples, were scared and disconcerted at Jesus’ death. They were unwilling and slow in believing his Resurrection. But, when the Lord entered the heights of heaven, not only were they affected with no sadness, but were even filled with great joy.

In heaven, Jesus is forever. He is our Mediator before the Father and communicates to us the joy and strength to live fully, as he did, for the Father. Jesus always forgives us (cf. Acts 5:31). In the mystery of the Ascension, Jesus fulfills the priestly role assigned to him by the Father: to intercede for his members, "for he always lives to make intercession for them" (Heb 7:25).

And Jesus confirms us in the same vocation as intercessors on behalf of the People of God, in the place we are. Thus, we fulfill his last command to evangelize, given before the Ascension: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Mt 28:19-20). There is a real connection between the grace that Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, instilled in our hearts in baptism, and our mission as heralds of his Gospel. No apostle can forget that the Ascension is linked to the fact that the Holy Spirit will come, and Christ will continue to be present through word and sacrament. Our whole mission consists in making Christ present.

The responsibility for the future of the Church rests on our shoulders. But we rest assured that the glorified Christ will sustain us. The victory and triumph of his Ascension and his elevation to the right hand of the Father will be communicated to future generations of the Church through us and through the proclamation of the mystery that we should make. What a wonderful call we have received! How lucky we are! What an exciting way to spend the only life we have!

 May 20 Sat
--- Ascension: the eagerness of our life in heaven
The Church celebrates the life that Jesus lives in heaven with his Father and in union with the Holy Spirit. The Church proclaims the glory of Christ her Head and the hope that fills the whole Mystical Body. In the mystery of the Ascension, the Church meditates on the Father's immense love for his Son: "He placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the Church. She is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way" (Eph 1:22-23).

Precisely because we are the Body of Christ, we share in the heavenly life of our Head. The Ascension of Jesus is the triumph of humanity, because humanity is united to God forever, and glorified forever in the person of the Son of God. Then, the glorious Christ will never allow Himself to be separated from His Body. We are already united to him in his heavenly life because he has gone before us as our Head. Moreover, Christ confirms our right to be with Him and from His throne of grace, He constantly infuses life – His own life – into our souls. And the instrument He uses to do this is His own glorified humanity, with which we are united by faith and the sacraments.

Not only do we –the Church– take part in the life of the glorified Head, but Christ the Head shares fully in the pilgrim life of his Body; He directs and channels her to her right end in heavenly glory. Thus, the more united we are with Christ in the mystery of his Ascension – Quae sursum sunt quaerite! (Seek what is from above!)– the more sensitive you will be to the needs of the members of Christ who struggle in faith to attain the vision of God's immutability in glory.
St John Paul II

 May 19 Fri
The seven qualities of a pencil🖍️ which, if you manage to adopt them, will make you a happy person, always at peace with God and the world.

❤️ First quality: You must never forget that there is a hand guiding you. That hand is God, and He always guides us to fulfill His Will.

❤️Second quality: Now and then, I have to stop writing and use a sharpener. That makes the pencil suffer a little, but afterwards, it is much sharper.
You, too, must learn to bear certain pains and sorrows, because they will make you a better person.

❤️Third quality: The pencil always allows us to use an eraser to rub out any mistakes, turning it upside down.
This means that correcting something we did is not necessarily a bad thing; it helps to keep us on the right path.

❤️ Fourth quality: what really matters in a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside.
So always pay attention to what is happening inside you.

❤️Fifth quality: It always leaves a mark.
In just the same way, you should know that everything you do in life will leave a mark, so try to be conscious of that the trail you leave is right.

❤️Sixth quality: It gets shorter and shorter with use.... so too is life.
Put it aright while it lasts.

❤️Seventh quality: It writes till the very end. Be useful and productive till the end.
Illustration: St John Paul II, in Guadalupe, a life lived for God and the others.

 May 18 Thu
Joy - Our Lord is going away to prepare a place for us in his Father's house, because now we are God's children. Since we are favored children of God, he is preparing for us a place in heaven, which will mean unlimited happiness. And so that we attain it, he has already given us in this world the life of grace, which is a certain principle of glory in us: a foretaste of heaven.

“Christians have to aspire to the highest peaks of all, to the infinite. Our aim is the very Love of God, to enjoy that Love fully, with a joy that never ends. We have seen in so many ways that things here below have to come to an end for all of us, when this world ends; and even sooner, for each individual, when he dies, for we cannot take wealth and prestige with us to the grave. That is why, buoyed up by hope, we raise our hearts to God himself and have learned to pray: ‘I have placed my hope in you, O Lord: may your hand guide me now and at every moment, for ever and ever.’” St Josemaría

Meanwhile, even on earth we can also have a taste of great happiness, enjoying here and now in this world the hope of a glory which, when we finally achieve it, will satisfy us totally. It is good and even necessary to hope for heaven: it inspires and encourages us in times of special difficulty, when we find it hard to work with no earthly reward.
St Josemaría said: “Let's bear all difficulties as we sail the seas of this world, in the hope of heaven. For ourselves and for all souls who want to love, the goal is reaching heaven, the glory of heaven. Otherwise, nothing whatever is worthwhile. To get to heaven we have to be faithful. And to be faithful, we have to struggle, forging ahead on our way, even if sometimes we fall flat on our face; with God, we will rise again.”

If we are united to God, the joy of our life, nothing should make us sad. St John Chrysostom asks: “What could perturb a saint? Death? No! For he desires it as a prize. Insults? No! For Christ taught us to bear them: Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you. Illnesses? Not those either. For Scripture reminds us: Accept whatever is brought upon you, and in changes that humble you, be patient. For gold is tested in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation. What then could upset a saint? Nothing. In this world, even joy usually ends in sadness. But for those who live their lives according to Christ, even troubles are turned into joy.”
Whatever happens, omnia in bonum! Everything works together for the good.

 May 17 Wed
“Mercy [misericordia] is more than simply being compassionate. Mercy is the overflow of charity, which brings with it also an overflow of justice. Mercy means keeping one's heart totally alive, with a love that is strong, self-sacrificing and generous.”

Together with our care and concern for material things, we also need to be constant in performing what are referred to as the spiritual works of mercy.

In the first place, we should correct those who stray, doing so in the right way, full of charity, without being annoying or offensive.
We should instruct the ignorant by teaching them doctrine and enlightening their minds with our Lord's light.
We should counsel those in doubt, by giving them honest, impartial advice.
We should console the afflicted, sharing their sorrow.
We should forgive those who offend us: by excusing them, understanding them, and being generous.
And we should help those in need, going to great lengths to serve others.
Finally, we should pray for the living and the dead, with a charitable heart, because your charity has to be far-reaching, universal.

St Josemaría would say: “Practice this spirit yourselves, and instill it in others. Let it be seen in every aspect of your lives: in the way you pay attention to your colleagues when they share their problems with you; in the silent help you give, perhaps without even being noticed, when someone is unable to cope with all the things he has to do; or in the sincere advice you give to a colleague to help him work better.”

 May 16 Tue
Love is expressed in attentive courtesy, not undue familiarity or favoritism.
“I want you to be gentle and well-mannered! Among yourselves you ought not to be rough but well-mannered, which does not mean affected.” St Josemaría

Fraternal charity shows on the human level in politeness and attention, which is the crowning glory of fraternity.
Bad manners and rudeness usually indicate an absence of spiritual refinement or of quality in love; so too does undue familiarity, which harms our relationships. Over-familiarity can never be the expression of sincere, unselfish affection.

St Josemaría tells us: “Cultivate the art of being pleasant. Treat other people politely, and avoid any arrogance. Be generous. Never be an icy model that others can admire but not love. Have God's grace and a sense of humor; and a smile that is sincere, clear and open, even though at times it cannot hide many human disappointments.”

Practicing charity with courtesy will often mean that we have to check our moods, and overcome personal affinities which could lead to favoritism, the formation of cliques and particular friendships. We have to be pleasant and warm towards everybody. We have to be like a soft carpet for others to walk on.

Our charity should be inconspicuous, gently welcoming, lovable; it must patiently adapt itself to other people's likes. Our charity must never reject others, even though sometimes we may feel uncomfortable, wounded or worried.

 May 15 Mon

Why is Our Lady called the "pleading omnipotence"?
This is what Blessed Alvaro del Portillo said.

On May 12, we commemorated the feast of Blessed Alvaro del Portillo, the first successor of St. Josemaría Escrivá at the head of Opus Dei. He strongly encouraged us to have recourse to the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom he described as "the suppliant Omnipotence,” because she is powerful when she asks anything from her Son.

At a meeting in 1988, Blessed Alvaro del Portillo explained this special power of Mary, pointing out that, when she asks from God to grant her something, "Jesus cannot say no to his Mother.”

To give an example of this, Blessed Alvaro del Portillo reflected on the Gospel passage of the Wedding at Cana, in which Our Lady pointed out to her Son that the bride and groom had no wine. To this Jesus responded by implying that it was none of his business.

Blessed Alvaro, however, considered that Christ gave this answer "so that we may know how to understand the effectiveness, the power of the Mother of God." He then explained that Our Lady immediately commanded the servants to do what Jesus said.
"And that's what she keeps telling us, to do what Jesus asks of us. And Jesus worked his first miracle. And he will work so many miracles in our souls if we go to Mary," Blessed Alvaro emphasized.

Blessed Alvaro encouraged us to love the Mother of God very much, because "she is our good Mother we have in heaven, who obtains so many graces for us, so much grace from God.”

St. John Paul II, who attended the wake of Alvaro del Portillo at the death of his good friend, also referred to Mary as "suppliant omnipotence.” At the general audience of May 2, 1979, on the Mother of the Risen Christ, the Pontiff said: "The revelation of the divine power of the Son through the resurrection is at the same time a revelation of the 'suppliant omnipotence' (omnipotentia supplex) of Mary in relation to this Son.”

 May 14 Sun
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments". Love is not something lyrical and vaporous, but a fulfillment of the good and wise will of God, our Father. The Lord, who unceremoniously censured the numerous Jewish precepts, describing them as a heavy burden (Mt 23:4), reminds us that there is no love for God and for others where there are no works that manifest this love. Jesus does not want a forced love, but a free and spontaneous love, but without capricious sentimentalism.

When philosophies that have turned feeling or instinct into a key of speculation, confusing sincerity with comfortable obedience to the state of mind. When freedom is so often understood as license. When one appeals to one's own conscience to circumvent one's duties towards God, affirming that God cannot admit a forced service, that one does not feel, Christ lets fall this realistic phrase, a friend of deeds and not of words: "He who accepts my commandments and keeps them, he loves me". The spontaneity of a living member of a living body - we are members of the Mystical Body of Christ and He is the Head - is either at the service of the head or it is a cancer.

Let us ask ourselves: Do I make the commandments of the Law of God my own? Am I interested in the objectives of the Church, of the parish, or do other interests take precedence over this principal and pleasing duty? Do I attend Holy Mass to give God the worship that He deserves and wants? Does the extension of the Kingdom of Christ, that many may find the truth that sets man free and assures him eternal life, constitute the true motor of my existence?

There are those who have a sad, contrary image of Christianity. It is thought that everything consists in obeying a burdensome set of dispositions that, lacking the love that gives them meaning, end up tiring and end in rejection. And this is not so. It is a task of love. And not just any love. It is something pleasant and bearable as everything that is done for love, even if it costs.

Sadness makes no dent in the one who remains united to God by love. What can disturb a Christian," asks St. John Chrysostom, "Death? No, because he desires it as a reward. Insults? No, because Christ taught us to suffer them: 'Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you' (Mt 5:11). Sickness? Neither, because the Scripture advises: 'Receive what God commands you and be of good cheer in the vicissitudes of trial, for gold is tried in the fire, and men pleasing to God are tried in the crucible of tribulation' (Eccl. 2:5). What then is there left to trouble the Christian? Nothing. On earth, even joy often ends in sorrow; but for those who lead a life according to Christ, even sorrows turn into joy.

To be a Christian is to savor the immense, inexpressible joy that God loves me, seeks me out, is interested in me and forgives my clumsy and sometimes ungrateful ways of behaving, and, consequently, to try to correspond to this love that is as great as it is undeserved.

 May 13 Sat
Purity.- St Peter writes to the Christians of his time, and indeed to Christians of all times: “Beloved, I beseech you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh that war against your soul. Maintain good conduct among the gentiles, so that in case they speak against you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”
Today's world also needs the witness of souls dedicated entirely to the service of Jesus Christ. “A reddish-blue wave of filth and corruption has set out to overcome the world, throwing its vile spittle over the Cross of the Redeemer.

“Now he wants another wave to issue forth from our souls – a wave that's white and powerful, like the Lord's right hand – to overcome with its purity all the rottenness of materialism and undo the corruption that has flooded the world. It is for this, and more, that the children of God have come.” St Josemaría

This is the meaning of the virtue of chastity in our life: dedicating ourselves to God's service with all our faculties and senses, each in his own state in life. And we do it for an apostolic reason: to bring souls to him. The spirit God wants us to live, being crystal-clear and pure, can only survive in a clean heart. And it is seeing a clean life that attracts others to God's love. Purity, which is very pleasing in the sight of God and his immaculate Mother, gives us a supernatural strength which attracts people, and enables us to live in total and exclusive dedication to the service of God in the apostolate.

By practicing the virtue of purity with loving care, we become the sweet fragrance of Christ, which attracts other souls towards our Lord. “The bonus odor Christi, the fragrance of Christ, is also that of our clean life, of our chastity – the chastity of each one in their own state, I repeat – of our holy purity, which is a joyful affirmation. It is something solid and at the same time gentle; it is refined, avoiding even the use of unfitting words, since they cannot be pleasing to God.”

 May 12 Fri
St Josemaría once said, “I am going to give you three points of meditation which you can then take to your prayer.
The first is those words from the Gospel, ‘Go and teach them all’ (Mt 28:19). To you and to me our Lord has said, ‘Go’! Teach with your example, even if you are full of errors, even though you have defects. Even then, ‘Go and teach them all’...

“The second point: ‘Without me, you can do nothing’ (John 15:5). Why does he tell us to go out if we can do nothing?

“And then, the third point: ‘I can do everything in he who comforts me’ (Phil 4:13). Imagine a vine with branches which can give fruit, fruit which will mature. But if they are torn from the vine, they dry up and end up trodden under foot by horses or men and are good only for the fire. But the branch which is united to the vine matures and produces wine for the table or the altar.

“What must we do? We must be very united with Jesus Christ, our vine. How? With the Bread and the Word: with the Sacred Eucharist and with prayer throughout the day, repeating spiritual communions and telling him affectionate things...

"If the branch is cut off, even if it has fruit, it rots; it becomes a seething pile of worms; it becomes a means for evil instead of for good. And so, my sons, Go and teach them... without me, nothing!... and I can do everything in he who comforts me.
Always bear in mind the image of the vine which, if torn apart, is only useful for animals to walk on or for fuel for a fire. Taste the good wine, from mature grapes. And finally, call upon the Blessed Virgin to teach you to be very close to the vine, united to Jesus Christ. She always was."
[Today, Bl. Alvaro del Portillo. With him, say: "Thank you, Lord. Forgive me. Help me more"]

 

May 11 Thu
Tabernacle – Have you wondered why we have tabernacles in our churches at all?  They are not there by accident.  What is their purpose?  Yes, they are Our Lord’s answer to the plea at Emmaus, “remain with us, Lord.”

First, although we cannot see him, except in faith, Jesus has a mouth he can speak through, eyes he can see with, a Heart he can love through. Despite his silence and stillness in the tabernacle, Jesus Christ speaks and acts.

Second, what is Jesus doing in the tabernacle? He is – he says – “to be.” He does not add any other verb that will specify the aim, the way, or the duration of the act of being. Do not assume that he is there just for consoling, illuminating, healing, feeding ... but first simply that he is there. ... I assure you, very few words will express more activity, and more love, than the verb, to be.

Then, third, Jesus, in the tabernacle, looks at me. He looks at me always. He looks at me everywhere. He looks at me as if he doesn’t even have anyone else to look at but me. Why? Our Lord is like a mother gazing at her sleeping boy. Inquire of the mother, who, without talking and barely breathing, spends hours next to her son as he sleeps. Why does she do this? She will answer, “I just want to look at my son.” … And do you know what causes her sadness? It is that she will not be able to follow her beloved son with her gaze, all the way through his life, now as a child and later as a man. Yet Our Lord can gaze on us always and everywhere, from the tabernacle, and he does.

Fourth, are there many important people who know you and who are interested in saying something to you? We have a much wiser, wealthier, and more powerful King who is waiting for us at any time of the day or night in the little palace of his tabernacle. He is there to say to each one of us, with interest and infinite love, the right word that we need to hear at that hour.

 May 11 Thu
Joy - Our Lord is going away to prepare a place for us in his Father's house, because now we are God's children. Since we are favored children of God, he is preparing for us a place in heaven, which will mean unlimited happiness. And so that we attain it, he has already given us in this world the life of grace, which is a certain principle of glory in us: a foretaste of heaven.

“Christians have to aspire to the highest peaks of all, to the infinite. Our aim is the very Love of God, to enjoy that Love fully, with a joy that never ends. We have seen in so many ways that things here below have to come to an end for all of us, when this world ends; and even sooner, for each individual, when he dies, for we cannot take wealth and prestige with us to the grave. That is why, buoyed up by hope, we raise our hearts to God himself and have learned to pray: ‘I have placed my hope in you, O Lord: may your hand guide me now and at every moment, for ever and ever.’” St Josemaría

Meanwhile, even on earth we can also have a taste of great happiness, enjoying here and now in this world the hope of a glory which, when we finally achieve it, will satisfy us totally. It is good and even necessary to hope for heaven: it inspires and encourages us in times of special difficulty, when we find it hard to work with no earthly reward.
St Josemaría said: “Let's bear all difficulties as we sail the seas of this world, in the hope of heaven. For ourselves and for all souls who want to love, the goal is reaching heaven, the glory of heaven. Otherwise, nothing whatever is worthwhile. To get to heaven we have to be faithful. And to be faithful, we have to struggle, forging ahead on our way, even if sometimes we fall flat on our face; with God, we will rise again.”

If we are united to God, the joy of our life, nothing should make us sad. St John Chrysostom asks: “What could perturb a saint? Death? No! For he desires it as a prize. Insults? No! For Christ taught us to bear them: Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you. Illnesses? Not those either. For Scripture reminds us: Accept whatever is brought upon you, and in changes that humble you, be patient. For gold is tested in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation. What then could upset a saint? Nothing. In this world, even joy usually ends in sadness. But for those who live their lives according to Christ, even troubles are turned into joy.”
Whatever happens, omnia in bonum! Everything works together for the good.

May 10 Wed
From a meditation of St Josemaría in 1962:
These people followed Jesus because they had seen miracles: the cures he did. Why do you and I follow him? Each one of us must pose himself this question and find a sincere answer. And once you have asked yourself and replied, in the presence of God, you should burst out in thanksgiving, because to be with Christ is to find security. Being able to look at yourself in Christ enables you to be better every day. To get to know Christ necessarily leads you to love him. And to love Christ is to assure your happiness -eternal happiness, the fullness of love, with the beatific vision of the Most Holy Trinity...

Meditate on your own, my son. When did you first feel attracted by Jesus? Why? How have you responded from then until now? What have you personally contributed so as not to lose that intimacy with Christ, and so that your brothers do not lose it either? What have you been concerned about since you took on all those commitments? About yourself, or about the glory of God? About yourself, or about others? About yourself, your own things, your silly little things, your wretchedness, your flashes of pride, your occasions of sensuality? What do you spend your time thinking about? Meditate on this, and then let your heart act on your will and your mind.

Isn't it true that what Christ has done for you, my son, is much more than curing the sick? Has he not restored sight to our eyes, which were blind to the contemplation of his marvelous works? Has he not given strength to our limbs, which were not able to move in a supernatural way? Has he not perhaps raised us as he raised Lazarus because we were dead to God's life?

On some occasions our Lord seems to tempt us, to test our faith. But Jesus does not abandon us. If we stand firm, he is ready to work miracles, to multiply the bread, to change men's attitudes, to shed light on darkened minds, to make it possible - through special graces - for individuals who had never been capable of living uprightly to begin to do so.

Illustration: Jesus heals the paralytic at the Bethesda Pool (John 5:2-9)

 May 9 Tue
 “The basic characteristic of the development of the laity is new awareness of the dignity of the Christian vocation. God’s call, the character conferred by Baptism, and grace, mean that every Christian can and should be a living expression of the faith. Every Christian should be ‘another Christ, Christ himself,’ present among men.” [St Josemaría]

St. Josemaría’s message entails a deep understanding of Baptism as a personal call from God, that is, as a vocational path. This focus makes it easier to understand the vocation proper to the lay faithful, as a specific way of contributing to the Church’s holiness and apostolate. Thus, the specific vocation to Opus Dei brings with it a commitment to respond personally to the call to holiness in ordinary life, and to spread the awareness of this universal call. Incorporation in Opus Dei requires a divine vocation; it is not simply an association resulting from the will of the person involved.

Understanding this specific vocation in the Church requires appreciating the vocation and mission of the laity, which “brings with it a deeper awareness of the Church as a community made up of all the faithful, where all share in one and the same mission, which each should fulfill according to their personal circumstances.” To foster awareness of the lay vocation, a new pastoral approach is needed, “aimed at discovering the presence in the midst of the People of God of the charism of holiness and apostolate, in the infinitely varied forms in which God bestows it.” This, in turn, requires the organic cooperation of the lay faithful with priestly ministers.

This renewed program, is needed, “calling for the supernatural gift of discernment of spirits, for sensitivity towards the things of God, and for the humility of not imposing personal preference upon others, and of seconding the inspirations which God arouses in souls. In a word: it means loving the rightful freedom of the sons of God who find Christ, and become bearers of Christ, while following paths which are very diverse but which are all equally divine.”

May 8 Mon
Man has always tried improve the quality of his life by his labor and abilities. Today, particularly by means of science and technology, he has extended his mastery over almost the whole of nature. As a result, where formerly man looked to supernatural forces for blessings, he now secures many of these benefits for himself, thanks to his own efforts.

Yet men are asking themselves a series of questions. What is the meaning and value of all this activity? How should these benefits be used? Where are the efforts of individuals and communities finally leading us?

The Church is the guardian of the deposit of God’s word; she integrates the light of revelation with the skilled knowledge of mankind.

While some speak of AI (artificial intelligence), the Church goes higher and proposes EI (eternal intelligence), (or EW, Eternal Wisdom), that is, seeking God’s Wisdom, and obeying his Will.

Man, created in God’s image, has been commissioned to master the earth, and so rule the world in justice and holiness. He is to acknowledge God as the creator of all, and to see himself and the whole universe in relation to God, in order that all things may be subject to man, and God’s name be an object of wonder and praise over all the earth.

So far from thinking that the achievements gained by man’s abilities and strength are in opposition to God’s power, Christians are, on the contrary, convinced that the triumphs of the human race are a sign of God’s greatness and the effect of his wonderful providence.

The Christian message does not deflect men from the building up of the world, or encourage them to neglect the good of their fellow-men, but rather places on them a stricter obligation to work for these objectives.

 May 7 Sun
A veil is not just a covering. It also reveals. We veil what is sacred—to indicate that it is sacred, that there is something more than you see. Thus, the chalice is often veiled not because it’s ugly or because we’re forbidden to look at it. It is veiled to reveal its sacred purpose as the vessel of Christ’s Precious Blood. Likewise with the ciborium and the Tabernacle. A woman is veiled not because she is ugly (one hopes) or because we’re forbidden to look at her. She is veiled to reveal her dignity as a bride on her wedding day.

This makes us understand the appearances of our risen Lord. He is veiled in body and word.
There is a veil over the BODY of the risen One, when he appears to Mary Magdalene at the tomb, and to the Apostles at the Sea of Tiberias. They did not recognize him at first. Similarly, the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Beneath the veil, Christ is seen only with the eyes of faith.

Further, there is a veil over the Jesus’ WORDS; his questions are the verbal veiling of his identity. “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?” he asks the Magdalene. “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” he asks the Apostles. On the road to Emmaus, he asks: “What are you discussing as you walk along?”
Our Lord asks questions not to gain information but to impart revelation. So, the purpose of this hiddenness is a greater intimacy. He veils himself not to frustrate but to entice. His hidden presence leads his disciples to a greater desire for him. Beneath the veil, Christ’s words are understood only through meditation.

The veil reminds us of the sacraments. All the sacraments, but especially the Eucharist, are symbols (that we see) but also contain a reality (that we do not see). The Eucharist becomes the turning point of the Emmaus story, as it should be in our lives. The disciples, once headed to the West, to the dying of the light, and away from the holy city, now turn back to the East, to the rising sun, and race back to the expectant Church in Jerusalem. The veil had opened their eyes. Now they race to enlighten others with the good news of the resurrection.
The whole scene represents the warp and woof of the Christian life. Christ veils himself in the sacraments so that we will long for him, seek him, and grow in desire for him. He likewise reveals himself in them to create within us an apostolic zeal.

The veil is only a symbol; the Eucharistic species indicate and reveal the real, sacramental presence of Jesus contained in there. Thus, he continues to be made known to us in the breaking of the bread—if only we continue to plead with him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over!

 May 6 Sat
In Memoirs of Don Bosco, it is said that the saint, one day, dreamed that he saw a group of young people surrounding a Lady, who was the Virgin.

She was giving a folded kerchief, of fine damask fabric, to each of them saying: "When the wind blows, generally from the left, do not open it. But, if you happen to open it and the wind comes, turn immediately to the right, never to the left."

The boys went up to the terrace and some spread out their delicate kerchiefs, which had gold embroidery with letters that read: "Regina virtutum" (Queen of all virtues).

Suddenly a strong wind began to blow from the left side, and a heavy rain came down, with thunder, hail, and snow. Some managed to fold the cloth and fled quickly, turning to the right, but many remained with their kerchiefs outstretched.
The terrible storm and the water damaged the outstretched kerchiefs, and made holes in them, losing all their beauty.

Don Bosco asked what all this meant, and the Lady explained that we should flee from temptations. Those who spread their kerchiefs, exposed their purity to the wind of temptation. Those who turned to the right, gave their backs on the Evil one. Those who did nothing were those who fell into sin.

Still, an angel shouted to the remaining youngsters to turn to the right. Almost all of them finally did, and found their damaged kerchiefs mended, without holes, but without their original beauty. Some ignore the angel, stood still, and their damask kerchiefs were completely ruined.

The Lady pointed out to him that those turning right were the ones who had lost their virtue but made amends with Confession. Those who did not move are those who are still in sin and may be heading for their doom.

 May 5 Fri
Women in the Church - In all the stages of Jesus’ activity, he is surrounded by the new family that he gathers by his proclamation and his action. It was intended to be universal: It no longer rests on birth, but on communion with Jesus. Jesus calls an inner core of people specially chosen by him, who are to carry out his mission and give this family order and shape”.

The Gospel also shows us some women who accompanied Jesus and served him with their goods (cf. Lk 8, 3). The women who accompany him look after both our Lord and his disciples (cf. Lk 8, 1-3; Mt 27, 55; Lk 23, 49) and they follow him to the Cross. This is how the sisters in Bethany also behaved in the same way (Lk 10, 38-42) and before that the Blessed Virgin in Nazareth.

There were certain women who were very close to the Master (Lk 10, 39). Beside our Lady they experienced the great privilege and joy of looking after Christ himself and his apostles. And Jesus showed his gratitude with special attentions: he calls them by their name (Lk 10, 41), he lets them interact with him with great simplicity and confidence; he demands great faith of them and makes them share in his mission.

The evangelists have transmitted to us the important role they have at the time of the Resurrection of Jesus, an indication of their responsibility regarding the life of the Christian community and the propagation of the faith (Mt 28, 8 and Lk 24, 9).

The presence of the Blessed Virgin among them sets a high spiritual and human tone. (Jn 19, 25). The role of these women is lived in a context that is clearly biblical: the community of disciples that Jesus gathers together is his “true family”. This community constitutes the seed and beginning of the Church as family of God on earth and mystery of communion.

Our Lady gave human life to God, helped him to grow and cared for the Son of God as man in his human and spiritual needs. Jesus Christ entrusted mankind to the Virgin as her children (Jn 19, 26) and the specific mission of Mary is precisely that of being Mother of Christ and of men. Those holy women shared a particular mission with our Lady: that of caring for Christ and his intimate circle.

 May 4 Thu.
This image of the Virgin Mary shed tears.

In Hungary, the country that Pope Francis just visited from April 28 to 30, the Shrine of Máriapócs houses the replica of a Marian image that shed tears in a miraculous way like its original icon.

In this picture of the icon, the Virgin can be seen with a black dress and red veil, holding the Child Jesus in her left arm. Mary's right-hand points towards her Son (she always refers us to Him), while the Divine Child does the same with his Mother (he refers to her as “even more blessed are all who receive the word of God and put it into practice”).

The Prelature of Opus Dei indicates that the image was made in the 17th century by the painter Stefan Pap. It was commissioned by a Christian who managed to escape from the Turks. The painting was placed in the parish of Máriapócs until the supernatural events began.

From November 4 to December 8, 1696, tears came from Our Lady's  eyes. This caused great commotion among the faithful, and since then, the place became a center of pilgrimage.

Nevertheless, Emperor Leopold I ordered the icon to be taken to Vienna, and it was installed in St. Stephen's Cathedral. It remains there to this day.

The Hungarian faithful were very sad because they felt that something very valuable had been taken away from them. So, a replica of the Marian image was placed in the Shrine of Máriapócs. Later, the miracle was repeated with the new icon.

On August 1, 2 and 5, 1715 the replica of the image of the Virgin Mary also began to weep. The same thing happened centuries later, in December 1905. It is said that on this last occasion it shed tears for almost a month.

In 1955 the original image in Vienna was visited by St. Josemaría Escrivá, Founder of Opus Dei. The saint implored her for help for the "countries of the East" then under communism. "Sancta Maria, Stella Orientis, filios tuos adiuva!" (Holy Mary, Star of the East, help your children), he prayed to her.

St. Josemaría, moreover, named her, Stella Orientis, "Morning Star" or "Star of the East" and spread devotion to this Marian image with this invocation.

Later, in 1991, St. John Paul II visited the Shrine of Máriapócs, Hungary, where the miraculous replica is located, emphasizing the importance of praying the Angelus and the victory of Christianity over those who try to destroy it.

 May 3 Wed
Today is the Feast of the Apostles Philip and James. In the lives of these Apostles, the divine vocation was compatible with the limitations common to all men. Sometimes they were pig-headed and obstinate, with their fair share of human outlook, like the other Apostles. The Lord had to form them bit by bit, with infinite patience.

The Son of God became man to become our way, your way. Follow the way of his humanity and you will reach the divinity. He will lead you to himself. He made himself the way for us to follow.

For any Christian, this is the only way to be an apostle: to walk along this Way; to search for this Truth, to live his Life, the Life which the most holy humanity of our Lord offers you. What does it matter if you have defects, so long as you struggle? Our Lord has taken them into account. In this way even depression – yours, mine, anyone's – can also be a pillar for the kingdom of Christ.

This is the mission of the apostle: to lead souls to Christ, to make them know and love the only One who can save them. God calls you to be his presence and witness in the middle of society, at all the crossroads of mankind. And, he calls you to play your part in increasing the Mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church, with your example and your words.

To fulfill this mission, only one thing is necessary: to remain united to Jesus Christ at all times, even with your personal defects and weaknesses. Seeking him, finding him, remaining with him.
[Formerly, today was the Finding of the Holy Cross]

 May 2 Tue

Today, Dedication of the prelatic church, Our Lady of Peace.
May 1935. St Josemaría left a written account of the pilgrimage. “From Avila, as we walked along, we could see the shrine [of Our Lady of Sonsoles]. When we reached the foot of the hill, the House of Mary disappeared from view. We made an observation: God often does things like this with us. He gives us a clear view of the goal and lets us gaze upon it to strengthen us in the way of his most lovable Will. And when we are very close to him, he leaves us in darkness and seems to abandon us. It is the time of temptation: doubts, struggles, darkness, weariness, wanting to fall flat on our face... But No! Onward we go!

“The time of temptation is also a time for faith and filial abandonment in our Father God. Away with doubt, hesitation, and indecision! I have seen the way, I started out on it, and I am following it. Upwards, up the slope – come on, come on! – exhausting myself with the effort, but not stopping to pick the flowers which to right and left offer me a moment's rest and the enchantment of their scent and color... and their possession.

“I know very well, from bitter experience, that it takes only a moment to pick them and they shrivel up: and there is nothing in them for me, neither color, nor scent, nor peace. Upwards! In pitch darkness! Our Lord made me see the light once and I have mentors, guides for my passing blindness... I will obey, after opening my heart to them with all simplicity and sincerity.

“Now we have arrived. Now we see the Shrine of Mary once again. The same thing happens with the person which perseveres on his apostolic path. The night is over, and he sees with new light, a light never to be extinguished until he possesses his Love, which is God.”

 May 1 Mon
Prayer – St Joseph really knew how listen to God, and to talk to Him. He had Him, as a Man, right there, at home, in the workshop. This is prayer.

Prayer is the lifting up of the heart and mind to God. In every moment of our day, we must follow the path of love, desiring the good of the other. God is love and that is all He is.
“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.” (St Josemaría)

Thank you, Father, for conferring on me the passion and courage with which I must fulfill your will. 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.

When someone goes that way, the Bl. Trinity transforms the soul in which it dwells, imprinting on it signs of its presence, making it more and more like Itself.