Apr 1 Mon - We have a serious obligation to do apostolate

 Apr 1 Mon
We have a serious obligation to do apostolate.
The Lord has risen from the dead, as he foretold. Let there be happiness and rejoicing for he is our King forever. Now that we are filled with Easter joy, the Church wants us to realize that this joy has to be passed on to others.

The Gospel of today's Mass describes how the women ‘departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.’ The risen Christ himself meets them and tells them: ‘Go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.’

Every Christian must also be an apostle, who has found Christ and who feels the urgency to announce Him everywhere. “St Paul gave a motto to the Christians at Ephesus: ‘To fill everything with the spirit of Jesus,’ placing Christ at the center of everything. ‘And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself.’"

“Our task as Christians is to proclaim this kingship of Christ, announcing it through what we say and do. Our Lord wants men and women of his own in all walks of life. Some he calls away from society, asking them to give up involvement in the world, so that they remind the rest of us by their example that God exists. To others he entrusts the priestly ministry. But he wants the vast majority to stay right where they are, in all the earthly occupations in which they work: the factory, the laboratory, the farm, the trades, the streets of the big cities and the trails of the mountains."

Then, there will never be any need for us to receive that severe reproach of St Augustine: ‘If you are cold and lazy, and are only concerned with yourself, and live satisfied with that, and even say in your heart, "Why should I care for the others? I have enough with my own soul, I only hope to keep it intact for God" — Come on! Do you not remember the servant who hid the talent and did not want to trade with it? Was he condemned for losing it, or was it not rather because he did not want to trade with it? Think of this, and never rest with false self-satisfaction.’

“We must love souls for the love of Christ. Hence, we must always have a lively desire to give others the joy the Lord puts into our life. Thus, none of God's children can be at ease if they do not continually feel the hunger for bringing others close to God, like their own heartbeat."

With God's help and Mary's motherly protection, the zeal in our heart will never die out. But we must often ask ourselves: "In the time that I've been here, in this job, with these people, what changes have there been in my companions, and the people around me?"

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Mar 31 Sun - Christian life is a process of identification with Christ

 

 

Mar 31 Sun
Christian life is a process of identification with Christ, and culminates in the Cross and Resurrection.
Today's solemnity reminds us that Christian life must be a constant process of imitation of Christ. This process starts with the first grace received in Baptism and transforms the soul gradually until it reaches total identification with our Lord in this life or the next. This is an obligation for all Christians; thus, you and me must follow Christ “so closely that we live with him as did the first twelve, so closely that we identify ourselves with him, we live his very life."

Following Christ culminates on this earth in the same way as Jesus' own life did: in the Cross and Resurrection, mysteries which are inseparable in the life of Christ. Our meeting with the Cross and Resurrection usually takes place little by little, as on a steady upward slope, almost without our realizing it. Nevertheless, since we are thus united to the crucified and risen Christ, we are sanctified and become co-redeemers. “The Holy Cross will make us enduring, always maintaining the spirit of the Gospel, which leads to apostolic activity as the wonderful fruit of prayer and sacrifice. Thus, through the Church and each of her members, the great divine secret which St Paul taught to the Philippians is lived once more - a sure path to immortality and glory: through humiliation, to the Cross; and from the Cross, with Christ, to the immortal glory of the Father."

Thus, “If you have been raised with Christ, exclaims St Paul, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."

Living with Christ in God is an ideal which we are happy to spend our lives pursuing. This is the reason why “Easter is a time of joy. For Christ is alive. He is not someone who has gone, someone who existed for a time and then passed on, leaving us a wonderful example and a great memory."

No, Christ is alive. Jesus is the Emmanuel: God with us. His Resurrection shows us that God does not abandon his own. He promised he would not forget us. And he has kept his promise. His delight is still to be with the sons of men.

“Christ is alive in his Church. ‘I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.’ That was what God planned: Jesus, dying on the Cross, gave us the Spirit of truth and life. Christ stays in his Church, her sacraments, her liturgy, her preaching - in all that she does."

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Mar 30 Sat - Let us go to our Mother at difficult times

 

Mar 30 Sat
Jesus Christ lay in the tomb. Loving hands had affectionately laid him in the grave near Calvary which belonged to Joseph of Arimathea. “Now it is all over. The work of our Redemption is accomplished. We are now children of God, because Jesus has died for us and his Death has ransomed us." “You and I have been bought at a great price."

Our life must also be a life of faith, not only when things work out easily, but also when they are very hard, and when there are difficulties and moments of darkness. In times of trial let us turn to Mary, and with her, how easy it is! If the winds of temptation arise, and you come up against the reefs of tribulation, look up at the star, and call upon Mary. As St. Josemaría wrote, “there is no storm that can cause Mary's heart to founder. Each of us will experience storms, but if we struggle and place ourselves within the safe refuge of Mary, we can be certain of protection."

God chose her to be our advocate, to be our Mother and our sure path, so that we can find our way again in times of darkness: “We go to Jesus, and we return to him, through Mary." If we are close to her, Virgo Fidelis, Spes nostra, Virgin most faithful, our hope, then our faith in the supernatural character of our Christian vocation will grow, along with our hope in the means of formation and in the interior progress that our Lord grants us.

You will not lose the way if you follow her. You will not lose hope if you implore her aid. You will not be lost if you think of her. Whoever appeals to our Lady's powerful intercession knows that "it is a thing unheard of that anyone ever had recourse to her protection and was left unaided", no matter how difficult their situation, no matter how great their soul's confusion.

“Take a look now at Calvary. Jesus has died, and there is as yet no sign of his glorious triumph. It is a good time to examine how much we really want to live as Christians, to be holy. Here is our chance to react against our weakness with an act of faith. We can trust in God and resolve to put love into the things we do each day. The experience of sin should lead us to sorrow. We should make a more mature and deeper decision to be faithful and truly identify ourselves with Christ, persevering no matter what it costs, in the priestly mission that he has given to each of his disciples. That mission should spur us on to be the salt and light of the world."

From our Lady's hands we will gently receive what the Church requests for her children this evening at the start of the Paschal Vigil: that the light of Christ, gloriously risen, drive away all shadows from our mind and heart.

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Mar 29 - Sixth Word: It is accomplished

 

Mar 29 Fri - Man's deeper questionings

 

Mar 29 Fri
Man's deeper questionings
The world of today reveals itself as at once powerful and weak, capable of achieving the best or the worst. There lies open before it the way to freedom or slavery, progress or regression, brotherhood or hatred. In addition, man is becoming aware that it is for himself to give the right direction to forces that he himself has awakened, forces that can be his master or his servant. He therefore puts questions to himself.

In man himself many elements are in conflict with each other. On one side, he has experience of his many limitations as a creature. On the other, he knows that there is no limit to his aspirations, and that he is called to a higher kind of life.

Many things compete for his attention, but he is always compelled to make a choice among them, and to renounce some. What is more, in his weakness and sinfulness he often does what he does not want to do, and fails to do what he would like to do. In consequence, he suffers from a conflict within himself, and this in turn gives rise to so many great tensions in society.

Very many people, infected as they are with a materialistic way of life, cannot see this dramatic state of affairs in all its clarity, or at least are prevented from giving thought to it because of the unhappiness that they themselves experience.

Many think that they can find peace in the different philosophies that are proposed.

Some look for complete and genuine liberation for man from man’s efforts alone. They are convinced that the coming kingdom of man on earth will satisfy all the desires of his heart.

There are those who despair of finding any meaning in life: they commend the boldness of those who deny all significance to human existence in itself, and seek to impose a total meaning on it only from within themselves.

But in the face of the way the world is developing today, there is an ever-increasing number of people who are asking the most fundamental questions or are seeing them with a keener awareness: What is man? What is the meaning of pain, of evil, of death, which still persist in spite of such great progress? What is the use of those successes, achieved at such a cost? What can man contribute to society, what can he expect from society? What will come after this life on earth?

The Church believes that Christ died and rose for all, and can give man light and strength through his Spirit to fulfill his highest calling; his is the only name under heaven in which men can be saved.

So too the Church believes that the center and goal of all human history is found in Jesus, her Lord and Master.

The Church also affirms that underlying all changes there are many things that do not change; they have their ultimate foundation in Christ, who is the same yesterday, today and forever.
From Gaudium et Spes

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Mar 28 Thu - Eucharistic Liturgy, center of the Holy Mass.

 

Mar 28 Thu
Eucharistic Liturgy, center of the Holy Mass.
We begin the first Eucharistic Prayer “with the confidence of children of God, calling him our most loving Father: clementissime. We pray for the Church and for all those who are a part of the Church -the Pope, our families, our friends and companions. And a Catholic, with his heart open to all, will pray for all, because no one can be excluded from his love. We ask God to hear our prayers. We call on the memory of the glorious ever-Virgin Mary and of a handful of men who were among the first to follow Christ and to die for him, and we recall our union with them."

Quam oblationem... (Bless and approve our offering...) “The moment of the consecration draws near. Now, in the Mass, it is Christ who acts again, through the priest: This is my body... This is the cup of my blood. Jesus is with us! The transubstantiation is a renewal of the miracle of God's infinite love. When that moment takes place again today, let us tell our Lord, without any need for words, that nothing will be able to separate us from him; that, as he puts himself into our hands, defenseless, under the fragile appearances of bread and wine, he has made us his willing slaves. Make me live always through you, and taste the sweetness of your love."

“More prayers, because we human beings almost always feel the need to ask for things -prayers for our deceased brothers and sisters, for ourselves. We have brought all our weaknesses, our lack of faithfulness. The weight is heavy, but he wants to bear it for us and with us. The Canon ends with another invocation to the Blessed Trinity: Per ipsum, et cum ipso, et in ipso...: Through Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, who is all our love, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever.

Jesus is the way, the Mediator. In him are all things; outside of him is nothing. In Christ, taught by him, we dare to call God "Our Father" -he is the Almighty who created heaven and earth, and he is a loving Father who waits for us to come back to him again and again, as the story of the prodigal son repeats itself in our lives."

Ecce Agnus Dei... (This is the Lamb of God...) Domine, non sum dignus... (Lord, I am not worthy...) “We are going to receive our Lord. On this earth, when we receive an important person, we bring out the best -lights, music, formal dress. How should we prepare to receive Christ into our soul? Have we ever thought about how we would behave if we could only receive him once in a lifetime?"

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Mar 27 Wed - Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God

 

Mar 27 Wed
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
If you say, “Show me your God,” I will tell you, “Are you ready to listen? Show me your dispositions, and I will show you my God.” First, show me whether the eyes of your mind can see, and the ears of your heart hear.

It is like this. Those who can see with the eyes of their bodies know what is happening in this life on earth. They get to know the differences among material things. They distinguish light and darkness, black and white, ugliness and beauty, elegance and inelegance, proportion and lack of proportion, excess and defect. The same is true of the sounds we hear: high or low or pleasant. So it is with the ears of our heart and the eyes of our mind to be able to hear or see God.

God can be seen by those who have the capacity to see him, provided that they keep the eyes of their mind open. All have eyes, but some have eyes that are shrouded in darkness, unable to see the light of the sun. Yet because the blind cannot see it, it does not follow that the sun does not shine. The blind man must trace the cause of his not seeing back to himself and his eyes. In the same way, that’s why you do not see; you have eyes in your mind that are shrouded in darkness because of your sins and evil deeds.

A person’s soul should be clean, like a mirror reflecting light. If there is rust on the mirror, he cannot see his face in it. In the same way, no one who has sin can see God.

But if you will, you can be healed. Hand yourself over to the doctor, and he will open the eyes of your mind and heart. Who is the doctor? It is God, who heals and gives life through his Word and Wisdom. Through his Word and Wisdom, he created the universe, for by his Word the heavens were established, and all their array by his Spirit. His Wisdom is supreme. God by Wisdom created the earth, by understanding he arranged the heavens, by his knowledge he hollowed out the depths, and the clouds began to pour out the dew.

If you understand this, and live in purity and holiness, and justice, you may see God. But, before all, faith and the fear of the Lord must dwell in your heart, and then you will understand all this.

Later, when you have laid aside mortality and been clothed in immortality, then you will see God according to your merits. God will raise up your flesh to immortality, along with your soul, and then, once you are made immortal, you will see the immortal One, if you believe in him now.

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Mar 26 Mon - Human greatness has humility for its companion

 

Mar 26 Tue
The Gospel of God
At the beginning of the Gospel of Mark (1:15) there are four phrases that summarize the entire work of the Lord; these words nurture and give meaning to our existence:

“This is the time of fulfillment." “The kingdom of God is at hand." “Repent”…, “and believe the Gospel." Analyzing them, we shall understand the sense of the Incarnation and the Resurrection of Jesus.

“This is the time of fulfillment." It tells us that the time for waiting is finished: from the moment when Jesus is born on earth, he becomes at the same time the center of all human history.

“The kingdom of God is at hand." Heaven, which had been closed because of our sin, is now open, in virtue of the transfigured flesh of Christ in his Resurrection. By now his kingdom of justice and peace has definitely arrived. ... The doors of paradise have been thrown open, and the dazzling light of Christ, raised and living, introduce all to the resting place of the redeemed.

“Repent,..." It reveals to us that in order to enjoy eternal happiness, we must change our way of thinking, and therefore our life, in a total and radical way. We have been called to a continuous metanoia, a conversion, a reformulation of our priorities in life, so that this reality can also be fully realized in our own existence.

“…and believe the Gospel" Finally, the fourth phrase tells us how to work this conversion: by living the Gospel. There we have all that is necessary. The Gospel, in turn, summarizes what Jesus commands his disciples: “love one another, even as I have loved you."

What must we do in order to assume all of this in a serious way?
In the convent of San Giovanni Rotondo, in Rome, where Saint Pio of Pietrelcina lived, some of the friars had posters in their cells with inscriptions and reminders. Some were from the Bible but Padre Pio had this: "Human greatness has always humility for its companion."

The sense of it seemed clear to me: we must have humility, precisely like Jesus, whom Saint Paul describes as emptying himself (Phil 2:7), that is, of making himself man even though he was God, and of dying on the cross, rejected by men.

After this poster was stolen from his room, Padre Pio put up another: "Mary is all the reason for my hope." If Mary, who is Mother of Jesus, is our hope, anyone —anyone who suffers, anyone who is alone, or anyone who feels sad— can look at the Nativity of Jesus and at his Resurrection with a heart full of hope.
Excerpts from Father Gabriele Amorth

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Mar 25 Mon - Holy purity is a joyful "yes" from the fullness of love

 

Mar 25 Mon
Holy purity is a virtue for everyone; it is a joyful "yes" from the fullness of love.

Anything that could tarnish holy purity, which is a virtue for everyone, must be kept far from our soul. St. Josemaría: “When I remind you now that Christians must keep perfect chastity, I am referring to everyone: to the unmarried, who must practice complete continence; and to those who are married, who practice chastity by fulfilling the duties of their state in life."

“If one has the spirit of God, chastity is not a troublesome and humiliating burden, but a joyful affirmation. Will-power, dominion, self-mastery do not come from the flesh or from instinct. They come from the will, especially if it is united to the will of God. In order to be chaste (and not merely continent or decent) we must subject our passions to reason, but for a noble motive, namely, the promptings of Love."

We have to go through life with love: with a love that is whole and entire, untarnished by anything. St Paul reminds us: “Once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light." Walking as children of light means that we have to struggle to keep our integrity, never dialoguing with those foul things that continually seem to boil and rise within you.

One day we decided to serve God, taking our Christian vocation seriously. On that day we chose a way, and our choice was final. We will fight every time the Lord allows us to be tempted, but our attitude should be clear-cut: there is no room for partial concessions because every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste.

“But let's not be afraid of admitting that we have defects. We will feel the same evil inclinations of the flesh when we are fifty as we did when we were twenty. We should be able to say no for the sake of our great Love, with a capital "L". My children, never forget this as long as you live! To say no, we have to be humble."

In order to be chaste and clean, we depend on the knowledge of our own personal weakness and on our love for God and for his most pure Mother, who do not deny us their help. “Let us learn to be humble. We need prudence to protect our Love. We must keep a careful watch and not be overcome by fear. Many of the classical spiritual authors compare the devil to a mad dog tied down by a chain. If we do not go near him, he cannot bite us, no matter how much he barks. If you foster humility in your souls, you will certainly avoid the occasions of sin, and you will react by having the courage to run away from them. You will have daily recourse to the help that comes from heaven and you will make lively progress along this path of true love."

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Mar 23 Sun - The triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem compels us to follow Our Lord unto the Cross.

 

Mar 24 Sun
Jesus makes his entry into Jerusalem as the Messiah upon a donkey, just as had been prophesied many centuries before. The people, also, acclaim him in clearly messianic fashion. The Pharisees knew these prophecies very well, but so also did the common people, and they were visibly overjoyed.

The triumph of Jesus is a simple affair, he makes do with a poor animal for a throne. “I don’t know about you; but I am not humiliated to acknowledge that in the Lord’s eyes I am a beast of burden: ‘I am like a donkey in your presence, but I am continually with you. You hold my right hand,’ you take me by the bridle" (St. Josemaría).

Jesus also wants to enter triumphantly into the lives of men today, riding upon a humble animal; he would like us to bear witness to him in the simplicity of our work done well, showing forth our cheerfulness, our serenity, and our sincere concern for others.

The story of each man is the story of God’s continual watchfulness over him. Each man is the object of the Lord’s special love. Jesus was ready to do everything for Jerusalem, but the city was not willing to open up her gates to his mercy. This is the deep mystery of human freedom which always retains that sad possibility of rejecting the grace of God. “Free man, subject yourself to a voluntary servitude, so that Jesus won’t have to say of you what He is said to have told Saint Teresa about others: ‘Teresa, I was willing. But men were not’."

How indeed are we responding to the countless promptings of the Holy Spirit, who seeks to make us holy in the midst of our ordinary duties and surroundings? Each day how often do we say ‘yes’ to God and ‘no’ to our selfishness, to our laziness and to everything that amounts to a lack of love, even if it is only something small.

St Bernard comments, “How different the cries, ‘Away with him, away with him, crucify him,’ and then ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest!’ How different the cries are that now are calling him ‘King of Israel’ and then, in a few days’ time, will be saying, ‘We have no king but Caesar!’ What a contrast between the green branches, and the cross, between the flowers and the thorns! Before they were offering their own clothes for him to walk upon, and so soon afterwards they are stripping him of his, and casting lots upon them."

The triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem asks for loyalty and perseverance from each one of us; it calls us to deepen in our faithfulness, and for our resolutions to be more than just bright lights that sparkle for a moment and then fade away. Thus, we will be following Our Lord unto the Cross.
Excerpts from In Conversation with God, F. Fernández Carvajal

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Mar 23 Sat - Telling the truth with charity

 

Mar 23 Sat
Telling the truth with charity.
I heard my father say a saying… “The Truth Doesn’t Offend” and it was something that stuck with me. However, as my life progressed, I discovered that although this saying was true, it needed to be completed: to live and always tell the truth, but accompanied by charity.

Now let’s see what the words truth and charity mean. Truth: It is the conformity of things with the concept that the mind forms of them.
Charity: It is the attitude of solidarity that one has with the suffering of others.

Too often we Christians have debased charity, as if it could be confined to a soulless and cold alms-giving; or we have reduced it to more or less stereotyped “good works”.

From our simplest conversations to the deepest and most difficult ones we have to address, in any area of our life, we must proceed in a clear, direct and firm way, but with charity.

Now, it is difficult, which is why many of you may tell me: It is one thing to say it and another to do it.
But because it is difficult, we should not avoid it, but, on the contrary, we should continually practice it. Let’s remember that like any art, practice makes perfection.

To help, I share with you some obstacles that I think we have all faced on a daily basis to always live in the truth…

• False humility: Not recognizing the talents and virtues that I have, because if I do, I must put them at the service of others.

• Boasting: I declare having virtues and merits that I do not have, because I want to look good to others.

• Hypocrisy: Saying one thing and doing another, as the saying goes, “acting double standards”

• Adulation: It is giving another an exaggerated and interested “compliment.”

Let us cement our relationships, make them lasting over time, being close to the people who matter to us and who care about us (caring about each other in a genuine and generous way, applying fraternal correction if necessary) only then can we always live in the truth with charity.

“Defend the truth with charity and firmness when the things of God are at stake. Practice holy shamelessness in denouncing errors, even though at times they are no more than insinuations; at other times they will be odious utterances of the most blatant ignorance, and, normally, a sign of man’s frustration at not being able to endure the fruitfulness of the word of God." The Forge 977

A Brazilian poet said: “Life is the art of encounter, although there is so much disagreement about life.”

What do you say? Do you dare? Let’s go against the current, on topics that are not trends or fashion. I assure you that we will leave a better world.

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Mar 22 Fri - Our Lady's whole life is oriented to the Cross.

 

Mar 22 Fri
Today we consider the sorrows of Our Mother. The Virgin Mary is the teacher of hidden and silent sacrifice.
Our Lady meditated on the mission she was called to carry out at Christ's side! “But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. Let us try to imitate her, talking to our Lord, conversing like two people in love about everything that happens to us, even the most insignificant incidents." St. Josemaría.

That is the way Mary lived during the thirty years of Jesus' hidden life: years of simple, ordinary life, just like that of any other home in a small village in Galilee, but years filled with ever-increasing fervor as she carried out God's will, and waited vigilantly for the moment in which her soul would be pierced with the sword foretold by Simeon.

One day, when Jesus was about thirty, he said goodbye to his Mother and left the house at Nazareth. He was beginning his public life. Perhaps Mary thought that the moment had come for her to play her part in what she had been waiting for so ardently, and so we see her with Christ at Cana. But Jesus said to her: “My hour has not yet come." From then on, until the moment of the Passion, our Lady practically disappears from the Gospel scenes.

We must learn from our Mother how to sacrifice ourselves gladly and without attracting attention, filled with supernatural hope. “What a contrast between our Lady's hope and our own impatience! So often we call upon God to reward us at once for any little good we have done. No sooner does the first difficulty appear than we start to complain. Often, we are incapable of sustaining our efforts, of keeping our hope alive.”

“Contemplating Mary's life will help us to rectify our outlook, and make it more supernatural. The great heroines of the Old Testament - Judith, Esther, Deborah - were acclaimed and exalted by the people. Mary's throne, by contrast, like that of her Son, is the Cross. During the rest of her life, until she was taken body and soul into heaven, what most impresses us about her is her quiet presence. St Luke, who knew her well, describes her as being close to the first disciples, in prayer. This was the way she lived to the end of her days on earth, she who was to be praised by all creatures for all eternity."

Tell her: “Mother, my Mother - yours, because you are hers on many counts - may your love bind me to your Son's Cross; may I not lack the faith, nor the courage, nor the daring, to carry out the will of our Jesus." This is how we want to live always, and especially in these coming days of Holy Week: closely united to our Blessed Mother, for “we do not wish to, we cannot, leave her alone."

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Mar 21 Thu - The Holy Mass begins with a song of joy

 

Mar 21 Thu
The Mass begins. The priest draws near to the altar of God, of God who gives joy to our youth. The Holy Mass begins with a song of joy, because God is here. It is the joy that is shown, together with love and gratitude, as the priest kisses the altar, symbol of Christ and reminder of the saints; a small surface, sanctified because this is where the sacrament of infinite worth is made present to us.

The Confiteor (I confess...) makes us aware of our unworthiness; not an abstract reminder of guilt, but the actual presence of our sins and weaknesses. This is why we repeat: Kyrie eleison: Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy. If the forgiveness we need had to be won by our own merits, we would only be capable of a bitter sadness. But, because of God's goodness, forgiveness comes from his mercy, and we praise him - Glory! - for you alone are the Holy One, you alone are Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father.

We now listen to the word of Scripture, the Epistle and the Gospel -light from the Holy Spirit, who speaks through human voices so as to make our intellect come to know and contemplate, to strengthen our will and make our desire for action effective. And because we are one people, gathered together in the unity of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we recite the Creed, affirming the unity of our faith ...

May this offering be effective for the salvation of all men - “Pray, brethren...", the priest invites the people to pray - because this sacrifice is yours and mine, it is the sacrifice of the whole Church. Pray, brethren, although there may not be many present, although materially there may be only one person there, although the celebrant may find himself alone; because every Mass is a universal sacrifice, the redemption of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

Through the Communion of the Saints, all Christians receive grace from every Mass that is celebrated, regardless of whether there is an attendance of thousands of persons, or whether it is only a boy with his mind on other things who is there to serve. In either case, heaven and earth join with the angels of the Lord to sing: “Holy, Holy, Holy Lord..."

I adore and praise with the angels - it is not difficult, because I know that, as I celebrate the Holy Mass, they surround me, adoring the Blessed Trinity. And I know that in some way the Blessed Virgin is there, because of her intimate relationship with the most Blessed Trinity and because she is the Mother of Christ, perfect God and perfect man. Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary most holy, not through the intervention of man, but by the power of the Holy Spirit alone. In his veins runs the blood of his Mother, the blood that is offered in the sacrifice of the redemption, on Calvary and in the Mass.

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Mar 20 Wed - The material things of Creation are like handwritten letters from God

 

Mar 20 Wed
Søren Kierkegaard compared Socrates and Christ; while Socrates claimed to be a “midwife” of truth, so that his students give birth to the truth inside themselves, Christ is “the Truth.” He has “authority” because He is the Author of all Creation. I merely talk about God; He is God.

But if He is the Author of all Creation, all creation is “sacramental”; it is a symbol and an instrument of God’s love.

So, when a student says, “I hate math,” the teacher should say: “But one of the languages of the universe is mathematics. It is the language God uses to help us understand the order of things.”

Thus, it is time for us Christians to shout from the rooftops that work, in this material world, is a gift from God. For work is a participation in the creative work of God. And, moreover, since Christ took it into his hands, work has become for us a redeemed and redemptive reality. It is something to be sanctified and something which sanctifies.

Man ought not to limit himself to material production. Work is born of love; it is a manifestation of love, and is directed toward love. We see the hand of God, not only in the wonders of nature, but also in our experience of work and effort. Work thus becomes prayer and thanksgiving, because we know we are placed on earth by God, that we are loved by him and made heirs to his promises.

The visible things of Creation are like handwritten letters from God. Who among us who has known the love of a beloved would simply toss out a handwritten letter from our beloved? We read it, save it, and read it again and again as if to put the beloved in our presence, if merely in this small, indirect way. We should realize that what looks like the indistinguishable white envelopes of Creation are really letters from our Beloved. And so, we should open them carefully and lovingly so we shall find the communications of love they contain.

And yet, although letters can be wonderful, love is best delivered in person. If letters from your beloved are wonderful, who wouldn’t want to visit the beloved in person? The two aren’t mutually exclusive.

In classes, we talk about God. Or we talk about God’s handiwork in Creation. But in the Eucharist, God comes to us in person, in the person of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. So, we should take Math students to Mass, not to have a little “religion” before they go back to the “real world” stuff. Rather, we should take students to Mass to encounter their Creator, and His love “incarnate,” in Person. And in that encounter, remind themselves that they are loved, and in all their scientific studies, they are reading love letters from the One who loved them so much He was willing to die for them.

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Mar 19 Tue - St Joseph teaches us how to love Jesus.

 

Mar 19 Tue
St Joseph teaches us how to love Jesus.
He, after his Immaculate Spouse, is the human being who has loved God most, who has poured himself out most in his service. “It is not surprising that the liturgy of the Church applies to the Holy Patriarch these word: “He is loved by God, and it presents him to us as a model." (Sir 45:1). And it also invites the good children of God to bless this holy, marvelous, young man who is the Spouse of Mary."

“I can't hide it from you. Sometimes when I am alone and aware of my shortcomings, I take an image of the Child Jesus in my arms and I kiss it and rock it... I am not ashamed to tell you this. If we had Jesus in our arms, what would we do? Have you had little brothers or sisters, much younger than you? I have. And I have taken him in my arms and rocked him. What would I have done with Jesus?" Well, St. Joseph did that, all the time.
“St Joseph, teach us to love your Son, our Redeemer, the God Man! Pray for us, St Joseph!"

“What does Joseph do, along with Mary and with Jesus, in order to follow the command of the Father, the motion of the Holy Spirit? He dedicates his whole being; he puts his life as a worker at his service. Joseph, a creature, nourishes the Creator. He, a poor craftsman, sanctifies his professional work, something Christians had forgotten for centuries and which we must remind everybody. Joseph gives him his life, the love of his heart and the tenderness of his care, he gives him the strength of his arms, he gives... everything he is and can do: the ordinary professional work proper to his condition." Thus, we should dedicate ourselves completely to the service of God, as St Joseph did.

“Blessed is the soul that has ambition, that has desires to fulfill the divine commands. This restlessness always remains. If you should ever hesitate, because your mind does not see clearly, or because your passions rise up like vipers, it is the moment to say: ‘My God, I desire to serve you, I want to serve you, I am dying to love you with all the purity of my heart!’"

Today, we manifest our desire to struggle without letting up so as to incarnate perfectly in our life the spirit of a good Christian. If we have recourse to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin and of St Joseph, God will not fail to hear our prayers.

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Mar 18 Mon - To reign with Christ, we must accompany him in his suffering

 

Mar 18 Mon
To reign with Christ, we must accompany him in his suffering.
Jesus urges us to take up the bitter but fruitful chalice of self-denial. “Jesus is the only road linking heaven and earth. He is speaking to all men, but in a very special way he is thinking of people who, like you and me, are determined to take our Christian vocation seriously, so that God may always be present in our thoughts, on our lips and in everything that we do, including our most ordinary and routine actions."

“Jesus is the way. Behind him on this earth of ours he has left the clear outlines of his footprints. They are indelible signs which neither the erosion of time nor the treachery of the evil one have been able to erase." Nevertheless, when Jesus announced to the disciples the need to undergo the pain of the crucifixion, they did not grasp what was said.

We must ask the Holy Spirit to give us light and grace to be clearly convinced, in a very practical way, that the kingdom of God is not an earthly kingdom, and as such, it does not consist of honors or of personal exaltation. Christ wants to rule over our heart, and this demands that our soul should be emptied of itself and united through mortification to the Cross of Christ. “We have to learn from him, from Jesus, who is our only model. If you want to go forward without stumbling or wandering off the path, then all you have to do is to walk the road he walked, placing your feet in his footprints, and entering into his humble and patient Heart, there to drink from the well-springs of his commandments and of his love. In a word, you must identify yourself with Jesus Christ and try to become really and truly another Christ among your fellow men."

Our Lord he asked the disciples so that we might all hear him say that nobody can reign with Christ without having imitated his Passion. For things of great value can only be acquired at a great price.

We must be constantly overcoming selfishness.
St. Josemaría commented: “Christ has called us too, and asks us, as he asked James and John: Can you? - Are you ready to drink the chalice - the chalice which means giving yourself fully to the will of the Father - which I am going to drink? I can! Yes! We are ready! was the reply of John and James. Are you and I really ready to carry out, in everything, the will of our Father God? Have we given our Lord our whole heart, or are we attached to ourselves and our interests and comfort and self-love? Is there anything in our lives out of keeping with our Christianity, something which makes us unwilling to mend our ways? Today we are given a chance to set things straight."

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Mar 17 Sun - Personal encounter with Jesus Christ.

 

Mar 17 Sun
Personal encounter with Jesus Christ.
Some Greeks came to Philip and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.”
Jesus answer them: “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me."

Our Lord asks us to seek and prefer him above everything else. It is easy to see why many persons do not want to do this. A lot of what Christ asks—which the Church merely echoes—seems very hard.

Each of us can ask ourselves what are the obstacles that stand in the way of following Christ fully. The answer will be some form or combination of weakness, vice, sin, fear, or woundedness.

The remedy for our life is Christ himself, the Divine Physician. He makes it possible for us to live according to his hard sayings. Any encounter with Christ brings healing to us, fallen humanity, and the Holy Spirit can always be invited into our hearts to enable repentance and conversion. This is addressed to each one of us, you and me.

Pope Francis: “I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least to be open, to let him meet you; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him, since ‘no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord.’”

Each one of us needs to be renewed. We should seek this every day.

The scenes of the life of the Holy Family - Bethlehem, Egypt, Nazareth - are an invitation to develop a very intimate relationship with Jesus, with the daring of people in love. To achieve this, we can rely on the help of the Holy Patriarch St Joseph. As St. Josemaría reminded us so often, “In human life, Joseph was Jesus' master in their daily contact, full of refined affection, glad to deny himself to take better care of Jesus. Isn't that reason enough for us to consider this just man, this holy patriarch, in whom the faith of the old covenant bears fruit, as a master of interior life? Interior life is nothing but continual and direct conversation with Christ, so as to become one with him. And Joseph can tell us many things about Jesus."

“As you get to know St Joseph, you discover that the Holy Patriarch is also a master of the interior life - for he teaches us how to meet Jesus and share our life with him, and to realize that we are part of God's family."

“St Joseph, help us to do and to teach, as Christ did. Help us to open up the divine paths of the earth, which are both hidden and bright; and help us to show them to all, telling our fellow men that their lives on earth can have then an extraordinary and constant supernatural effectiveness."

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Mar 16 Sat - Dealing with Jesus affectionately, despite our sins

 

Mar 16 Sat
Dealing with Jesus affectionately, despite our sins. From the moment Jesus enters Simon's home, events unfold quickly. Our Lord, by his words to the sinful woman, shows his great mercy. The dinner guests are confused and surprised. Thus, they did not notice that the host had overlooked the traditional forms of hospitality.

But Jesus has noticed Simon's negligence. His words express complaint, a mild reproach for Simon's lukewarm reception. He tells a short parable; then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment."

"Do you see? There's a hint of sadness in Christ's voice: I entered your house… you gave me no water for my feet... Our Lord, who when it's a matter of suffering for the salvation of souls, sets no limits to his suffering, now misses the signs of affection, courtesy and consideration at Simon's house, and reproaches him for it. What do you think? … Does Jesus not have any reason to reproach you and me?"

It's a good moment to examine our conscience: "When a stranger looks on us indifferently, it doesn't matter much; but when someone we love treats us coldly, how much pain their behavior gives us! Aren't your negligence and haste in prayer, your carelessness and roughness going to grieve Jesus?"

Simon's discourtesy is offset by this poor woman, who is moved by love. By God's infinite goodness, her sincere tears and deeds of repentance obtain the remission of her sins. Jesus, who has still not ended his discussion with Simon, finishes his lesson: "Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little."

When faced with our own frailties, we can take to heart St. Josemaría’s words: "Jesus has forgiven me my multitude of sins - what generosity! - despite my ingratitude. And if this woman was forgiven much because she loved much, then you, and I, since we too have been forgiven much, are left with a great debt of love. Jesus, grant us a love that knows no limits, even to the point of heroism! With your grace, Lord, even if it were to cost me my life, I won't abandon you."

Our Lord expects us to treat him affectionately, despite our sins. The effect of contrition is interior peace, serene joy. Our Lord always forgives us, he knows the poor clay we are made of!"

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Mar 15 Fri - Am I corresponding to God's grace?

 

Mar 15 Fri
Am I taking the grace of God in vain?
St. Paul warns us: “We entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain” (2 Cor 6:1). We generally think of this as applying to “other people”, especially those who have heard the Gospel but not accepted it, or those Catholics who know what the Church teaches, but refuse to change their own ideas and behavior based on that teaching. But in reality, Paul’s entreaty is directed at all of us—indeed, at all of us all of the time.

Another great quotation is St. Augustine’s exclamation: “Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you, they would have not been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.

He was, of course, reflecting back on all the time he frittered away avoiding conversion to Christ. Once he converted to Catholicism, Augustine certainly did not accept the sacramental grace of God in vain. But he was well aware of how many other kinds of grace he had squandered prior to that point, and how even his fleshly attachments had induced him to waste so many of the graces that had been won for him by his mother’s (St. Monica’s) prayers.

Like him, I am sure that most of us squander at least some of the graces we receive. The more we grow in Christ, the more delicate we become to the squandering of grace in our own lives. And we become increasingly aware of the meagerness of our response. This in itself becomes an incentive to rely on God’s love rather than our own strength, but at the same time, if we are serious, we can hardly avoid examining our own consciences.

Then, we will say (again with St. Paul): “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me, and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal 2:20). For this is what Baptism itself does: It incorporates us into the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, joining us to His own mystical body, the Church.

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Mar 14 Thu - The Mass, Sacrament and Sacrifice

 

Mar 14 Thu
The Mass, sacrament and sacrifice
In the Last Supper, Jesus gave the apostles his body and blood to eat. In every Mass, Christ gives himself to us as spiritual food (Holy Communion). This is the sacrament of the Eucharist.

The Second Vatican Council confirms that Christ instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his body and blood at the Last Supper. “He did this in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the centuries until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet in which Christ is eaten, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.”

Commenting on this text, Pope St. Paul VI says: “These words highlight both the sacrifice, which pertains to the essence of the Mass that is celebrated daily, and the sacrament in which those who participate in it through Holy Communion eat the flesh of Christ and drink the blood of Christ, and thus receive grace, which is the beginning of eternal life, and the ‘medicine of immortality’ according to our Lord’s words: ‘The man who eats my flesh and drinks my blood enjoys eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day’ (Jn 6:55).”

To understand the Mass well, we should keep in mind all these aspects. Sacrifice and sacrament (with its two elements of presence of Christ and spiritual nourishment for us) pertain to the same mystery and cannot be separated from one another.

The Lord is immolated in an unbloody way in the Mass and he re presents (makes present here and now) the sacrifice of the cross and applies its salvific power at the moment when he becomes sacramentally present through the words of Consecration. He becomes the spiritual food of the faithful, under the appearances of bread and wine.

All these points should be considered to have a complete picture of the Mass.

• The Mass is the memorial of the death and resurrection of the Lord, in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated throughout the centuries.

• Christ is there –really, substantially present– under the forms of bread and wine.

• In the Mass, Christ the Lord, through the ministry of the priest, offers himself to God the Father and gives himself to the faithful as spiritual food. The faithful are associated with his offering.

• The Mass is an action of Christ himself and the Church.

• The Mass signifies and effects the unity of the people of God and achieves the building up of the body of Christ.

• The Mass is the summit and the source of all Christian worship and life.

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Mar 13 Wed - United to Christ, for the salvation of all

 

Mar 13 Wed
Our Lord wishes us to help him in the task of saving people.
Sacred Scripture relates God's compassion for the inhabitants of the great city of Nineveh. God wanted to forgive them if they repented. In order to move them to penance, he made use of a chosen man, a prophet. The word of the Lord came to Jonah, saying: "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you." So, Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord.

Ever since Jesus redeemed us by his blood and established a new order on earth, all of us have been called to cooperate in the salvation of all, in union with Christ. And for those of us who have received a calling to Opus Dei, this mission is not just a good task, or even an urgent one. It is an imperative command of Christ.

“Is it possible that Christ has been working on earth for so many years -twenty centuries- and the world is still like this? How is it possible that even now there are still people who do not know Christ? It is our fault. We have been called to co-redeem, and sometimes we do not do God's will. In opposition to God's will to redeem the world, there is Satan - who does exist, together with his evil spirits -and also our own evil passions and our freedom, with which we have the terrible capacity to choose death instead of Life." St. Josemaría

“But Christ has not failed. His word and his life continue to enrich the world. Christ's work, which his Father entrusted to him, is being carried out.
“Even now, Christ, who hung on the Cross with his arms open wide, in the gesture of an Eternal Priest, wants to rely on us, who are nothing, so as to bring the fruits of his Redemption to other people."

Thus, the Cross is the path to apostolic effectiveness. If we are to co-redeem with Christ, moved by charity, we must first be with him on the Cross. St. Josemaría assured us: “I believe that this is why on the 14th of February 1943, the Lord chose to place the Cross in our hearts, chose to crown his Work with the Cross, and chose that we should bear this symbol: the Cross set in the very heart of the world."

Today, together with St. Josemaría, let us reaffirm this conviction in ourselves: “You should realize that God wants you to be glad and that, if you do all you can, you will be happy, very, very happy, although you will never be a moment without the Cross. But that Cross is no longer a gallows. It is the throne from which Christ reigns. And at his side is his Mother, our Mother too. The Blessed Virgin will obtain for you the strength that you need to walk decisively in the footsteps of her Son."

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Mar 12 Tue - Finding the Cross every day

 

Mar 12 Tue
Lent reminds us that our life must be transformed in Christ.
The Church invites us, throughout these forty days, to consider the treasures of love and life which God our Lord offers us so generously. But, at the same time, she reminds us that God expects our free response. For that reason, “Lent should suggest to us these basic questions: Am I advancing in my faithfulness to Christ? in my desire for holiness? in a generous apostolate? in my daily life, in my ordinary work among my colleagues?"

Each one of us, silently, should answer these questions, and we will see that we need to change again if Christ is to live in us, if Jesus' image is to be reflected clearly in our behavior. If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Christ is saying this again to us, whispering it in our ears: the cross each day. As St Jerome puts it: "Not only in time of persecution or when we have the chance of martyrdom, but in all circumstances, in everything we do and think, in everything we say, let us deny what we used to be and let us confess what we now are, reborn as we have been in Christ."

It's an echo of St Paul's words: Once you were all darkness. Now, in the Lord, you are all daylight. You must live as children of the light. Where light has its effect, men walk in all goodness, holiness and truth, seeking those things which please God.

“Conversion is the task of a moment; sanctification is the work of a lifetime… Therefore, we must be ready to begin again, to find again -in new situations- the light and the stimulus of our first conversion. And that is why we must prepare with a deep examination of conscience, asking our Lord for his help, so that we'll know him and ourselves better. If we want to be converted again, there's no other way."

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” – Laozi.
Jesus loves you; you must know and love him, to be transformed into Christ, and acquire his fortitude and courage.

“When you love someone a lot, you want to know things about them. We meditate on the life of our Lord, from his Birth in a manger to his Death on the Cross, and then his Resurrection. And we hold our Lord's life in our memory as if it were a film. So, without needing a book, just by closing our eyes at any moment, we can contemplate him, and live with him and with our Blessed Lady, who is his Mother and ours, and with the holy women, and the Apostles. We conjure up his image, not as if we were watching a film, but as if we ourselves were actually part of that film, by virtue of our love."

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Mar 11 Mon - What will the final judgment be like?

 

Mar 11 Mon
What will the final judgment be like?
We recite in the Creed "From there he will come to judge the living and the dead." The judge will be Christ himself, who will appear, visible, in his human condition so that he can be seen by all. All human beings without exception will be judged for all our works, "good and bad," and also for our thoughts and words.

The final judgment will reveal the last consequences of our actions and omissions. The truth of the relations of each person with God will be shown when we appear before Christ, who is the Truth.

In Sacred Scripture the last judgment is seen against the backdrop of the love of God inviting us to penance. It reveals that:

•    Christ will come in all glory, surrounded by angels;
•    He will summon all peoples and all men;
•    He will reward each one for his deeds, according to the measure of one’s love;
•    He will establish his definitive Kingdom, and hand it over to the Father; and
•    He will be assisted by the apostles in this judgment (cf. Mt 25:35–46; 1 Cor 15:23–28; Lk 22:30).

But why are there two judgments? If every man undergoes a particular judgment, it seems that there is no need for a universal judgment. St. Thomas answers: “Why a Universal Judgment? Are not all men rewarded right after death?
The reward granted to men in the judgment of God is twofold. In the first place, the reward of the soul; later, the reward of the body. The reward of the soul is given out right after death; but in the Final Judgment they will also receive the glory of the body.”

St. Thomas implies that there will be four categories of defendants.

1. A part of the wicked will receive condemnation without trial. These are the unbelievers because "he who does not believe is already judged" (Jn 3:18).

2. Another group of the wicked will undergo judgment before their condemnation: those who were believers, and they had faith while alive, but died in mortal sin.

3. The judgment of the good is also divided in two.
One part of the good ones who will be saved, but will still go through the judgment. Although they died in grace, they failed in the handling of temporal things in some point; for this, they will be judged, but they will be saved.

4. Some will be saved without passing through the judgment because "they were poor in spirit" for love of God. "Moreover, they will judge others," St. Thomas emphasizes.

He also indicates that it will be a fearful judgment because the Judge, all-knowing, all-powerful and inflexible, will appear to the just "with a sweet and pleasant countenance", but to the wicked he will present himself with a "angry and harsh" face.

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Mar 10 Sun - Christ's Cross gives meaning to one's life

 Mar 10 Sun
Today's Sunday liturgy begins with the word: Laetare—"Rejoice!", a call to spiritual joy.

Christ explains thoroughly the meaning of the Cross to Nicodemus. The Cross is the new, definitive revelation of God. For the whole of Israel, God was above all a judge, who rewards and punishes. The God, of whom Jesus speaks, is the God of love.

St Paul today repeats twice: "by grace you have been saved", even when we were dead through our trespasses.

What is Grace? "It is a gift of God." A gift is given when there is love. And Love is revealed by means of the Cross. Love, revealed by means of the Cross, is precisely Grace. God's innermost face is revealed in it. He is not just the judge. He is the Father who wishes the world to be saved and to understand the meaning of the Cross.

To understand it, it is necessary to become a changed man. But Christ also speaks of a judgment: the Cross saves and at the same time judges. It judges differently. It judges more deeply. "For everyone who does evil hates the light"... just that stupendous light that comes from the Cross!... And he who does what is true comes to the light" (Jn 3:20-21).

That man comes to the Cross. He submits to the requirements of grace. He wants to be bound by that unutterable gift of God. He wants it to give meaning to his whole life. This man feels in the Cross the voice of God who addresses his sons on this earth with an invocation of hope. The Cross is the invocation of hope.

We must ask ourselves these fundamental questions which flow to us from the Cross. What am I doing in order to know God better? This God, who revealed Christ to us. Who is he for me? What place does he occupy in my aspirations, in my life?

Let us question ourselves about our love for the Cross. Has God already become for me just marginal? Has his name been covered up in my soul with a lot of other names and interests? Has it been trodden underfoot, like that seed which "fell along the path"? Have I inwardly renounced redemption by means of the Cross of Christ, putting in its place other purely temporal, partial, and superficial remedies?

And let us humbly confess our faults, our shortcomings, our indifference with regard to this Love which was revealed on the Cross. And at the same time let us renew ourselves in the spirit with the great desire for Life, the Life of Grace, which continually raises man, strengthens him, commits him. That grace which gives our existence on earth its full dimension.

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Mar 9 Sat - Purgatory, a place for purification

 

Mar 9 Sat
Purgatory, a place for purification.
God our Father has promised us eternal glory. But heaven is a holy place; a soul stained by guilt cannot enter.
If someone dies in a state of grace, the ETERNAL PUNISHMENT (hell) has been removed. But still has TEMPORAL PUNISHMENT due to forgiven mortal sins, and venial sins not-atoned for. Thus, God made purgatory, showing a love which St. Josemaría compared to the love of “a mother who takes her little child and puts him in the bath, soaps him all over, washes him and dresses him, so that the baby ends up looking like a perfect angel!"

We should meditate on this as a sign of God's love. Purgatory does exist; it is a state where suffering and joy mysteriously intermingle.

There is suffering, because the soul keenly desires to enjoy God but is deprived of heaven for a time. This is called the punishment of privation.

There is also punishment of the senses, which consists of a flame more agonizing than anything one can suffer in this life. Yet there is joy too, at the knowledge that the battle is won and the soul is destined to rejoice in God for ever.

For the souls in purgatory, each moment of torment brings them a step closer to the full possession of God. Purgatory is not a temporary hell, but the waiting-room for heaven.

God purifies us during our life on earth, when we are docile to him. Suffering freely accepted and sought for love of God; pain and penance: these are instruments of atonement: they are our purgatory on earth. “You are afraid of penance?... Of penance, which helps you to obtain life everlasting? And yet, in order to preserve this poor present life, don't you see how men will submit to all the cruel torture of a surgical operation?" The sufferings which our Lord allows or sends us are our purgatory already in motion.

There is much that we need to purify in ourselves. There are venial sins; there are omissions in love; and there is the inclination to sin. Furthermore, every sin, even after it has been forgiven, leaves a debt outstanding in the soul, which must be paid either in this life or in the next. So, better, pay now.

The thought of the glory that awaits us can move us to greater self-denial when our body feels reluctant. The means? “I will tell you which are man's treasures on earth so that you will appreciate them: hunger, thirst, heat, cold, pain, dishonor, poverty, loneliness, betrayal, slander, prison..."

The whole of our life is a time for purification. We beg our Blessed Lady, Refuge of sinners, that the thought of purgatory may make us more generous every day in making up for our faults.

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