Oct 1 Tue - Should I pray with the Psalms?

 

Oct 1 Tue
Should I pray with the Psalms?
The psalms are the prayer book of the Church. We can memorize some of them so that “His praise will always be on my lips” (Ps 34:1).

St. Josemaría advised people to use the Psalms in their prayer. Very often, we can draw our “password,” that is, our “aspiration for the day,” from the responsorial psalm of the Mass. That “password” will then be liturgical and it will give our day a more supernatural tone.

If you have done something wrong, be it big or small, go running back to God!
–Savor those words of the psalm – the Lord will never spurn or disregard a contrite and humbled heart.

What does it matter if you have the whole world against you, with all its power? You… keep going!
Repeat the words of the psalm: 'The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom should I fear? – Though an army pitched camp against me, my heart shall not be afraid'.

If we are waylaid, assaulted by the temptation of discouragement, opposition, struggle, tribulation, a new dark night of the soul, the psalmist places on our lips and in our minds these words: 'I am with him in the time of trial.' Jesus, compared to your Cross, of what value is mine? Alongside your wounds, what are my little scratches? Compared with your Love, so immense and pure and infinite, of what value is this tiny little sorrow which you have placed upon my shoulders?

What follows is a small sampling of psalms worth learning for different occasions.

For staying close to Christ: Psalms 1 and 19 speak movingly of devotion to God’s Law and the precious fruits that this brings.

For loving God in times of grief: Psalm 34 is a gritty, heartfelt prayer of one who has suffered much, yet continues to praise the Lord and find peace in Him.

For moments of repentance: The greatest act of contrition ever written, Psalm 51.

For trusting He will never abandon us: Psalm 77 is an extraordinary testimony to God’s ever-presence.

For appreciating divine beauty: Psalm 84 is a lover’s psalm, joyfully contemplating the delights of God.

For seeing Christ in the Old Testament: Psalms 2 and 110 foreshadow the person of Jesus in dramatic ways.

For rejoicing in God’s creation: Psalms 103 and 139, our privileged place within creation as beloved children of the Father.

For ease of memorization: Psalm 117 is the shortest of them all! This prayer of praise can be memorized in minutes and repeated for a lifetime.

For seasons of extreme desolation: Psalms 22 and 88. The latter is the only psalm to end on a note of despair, yet the fact that the psalmist is praying at all is itself an act of trust in a God who hears our cries and cares for our needs.

For giving praise to God: Psalm 150 speaks to us of the greatness of God and the fulfillment we find in giving glory to Him.

Video:

Sep 30 Mon - If you were Satan, how would you make people lose the faith?

 

Sep 30 Mon
If you were Satan, how would you make people lose the faith?
Some people asked Chat GPT this question.
I wanted to see if the answers were true and I have asked it. The result speaks for itself. It nailed it. I copy and paste it as is:

“If I were Satan, and I had the goal of making people lose their faith, I would most likely use subtle and strategic tactics, focused on sowing doubt, hopelessness, and disenchantment, rather than acting overtly. Here are some strategies I might employ:

1. I would encourage extreme individualism: Promote a worldview focused solely on the “self,” in which people became disconnected from their communities, their loved ones, and any idea of something greater than themselves. Selfishness and self-sufficiency could lead to the abandonment of faith, as the need to trust in something higher would be lost.

2. Suffering and hopelessness: The unrest, tragedies, and injustices of the world can be used to question the existence of a benevolent God. Putting people in situations where they face seemingly unjustified suffering may lead them to doubt the goodness or existence of the divine.

3. Distraction and superficiality: I would keep people so busy with the noise of modern life, distractions such as technology, entertainment, and material concerns, that they would have no time or interest in exploring deeper issues such as spirituality or one’s transcendental purpose.

4. Moral relativism: I would promote the idea that there are no absolute truths and that everything is relative and subjective, this could erode the moral basis of many religious beliefs. If everything is equally valid, then the meaning of faith can be diluted, making everything diffuse and confusing.

5. Extreme scientism: I would exalt science as the only valid source of knowledge, and ridicule the spiritual or religious as superstition or archaism, eliminating the idea of the transcendent in favor of the purely material.

6. Hypocrisy within religious institutions: I would expose or even promote corruption, immorality, and scandals within religious institutions that could cause people to lose confidence in the faith. If leaders or institutions representing the faith fail, many may abandon it altogether.

7. Division and conflict: I would encourage hatred and division, even among believers, that could lead people away from the faith. Religion that presents itself as a source of peace is undermined by internal conflict or wars in its name.

These methods would be indirect and subtle, presenting the abandonment of faith as a “natural” consequence of the circumstances, rather than an overt manipulation.

What do you think of this idea?”
Illustration: The Last Judgment by Jan Provost (+ 1529). Francisco Javier Bronchalo

Video:

Sep 29 Sun - Are there different forms of spreading the faith?

 

Sep 29 Sun
Are there different forms of spreading the faith?
The Gospel of the Mass tells us that John came to Jesus to tell Him that they had seen someone casting out demons in His name. Since he was not part of the group that accompanied the Master, he was forbidden to do so.

Jesus rebuked the exclusive mentality of his disciples. He opens their eyes to an apostolate of broad dimensions. Christians should not have a "one party" mentality that would lead them to reject legitimate diversity in apostolic activity. What counts is unity in the essentials, in what constitutes the foundations of the Church.

St. John Paul II affirmed that all Christians, by virtue of their baptism, have a right of association. He listed the basic criteria for determining whether a particular association is in communion with the Church.

Associations are to be judged according to these criteria,
- First, according to the primacy given to the call of every Christian to holiness, the expression of the fullness of Christian life. Every association of this kind should be an instrument that ultimately leads to holiness.

The Pope also emphasizes certain criteria concerning the apostolate: The responsibility of professing the Catholic faith in its entirety:
- To accept and proclaim the truth about Christ, the Church and humanity.
- In obedience to the Magisterium of the Church.

Every Christian has a part to play in the apostolic work of the Church. The Lord wants there to be apostles in the factory, in the office, in the university, in the home...

As a consequence of their faith, Christians should live a filial union with the Pope and the bishops. Catholic associations should be faithful to the teachings of the Church and follow the directives that come from the hierarchy.

Ecclesial communion requires both the recognition of a legitimate plurality of forms in the associations of the lay faithful in the Church and, at the same time, a willingness to cooperate in working together.

If we have the heart of Christ, how easy it will be to accept the apostolic activities of others! This diversity in unity will give us reason to rejoice. The most important thing is that Christ be known and loved.

All the circumstances of life are good for the apostolate. In the face of cowardice, laziness or excuses, we must remember that many people depend on our word and example to receive the grace to follow Christ more closely. We can never stop doing apostolate with the people God has placed at our side. The means used may be different, but the end is always the same.

Therefore, let us keep our fervor of spirit. Let us keep the sweet and heartfelt joy of evangelization, even when we have to sow in tears. We must not give in to the idea that adverse circumstances are an obstacle to the apostolate. Difficulties can serve as a means of spreading Christ's teaching, as the early Christians and so many others who have suffered for the faith have shown.
Today is also the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Archangels.

Video:

Sep 28 Sat - How can I examine my conscience?

 

Sep 28 Sat
How can I examine my conscience?
To be consistent in our Christian life, we must rectify our steps a little every day, striving for continual conversion. To maintain this permanent readiness to improve, we need a spirit of examination, and eagerness to know ourselves and correct our mistakes.

St Paul said to the Corinthians: “Let a man examine himself."  "Even virtuous pagans practiced self-examination. The lowliest street food seller tallies up her daily takings. Let's speak clearly: examination has always been practiced by all who take an interest in the things of God or those of the world."

To help us grow in our spirit of self-examination and avoid lukewarmness, our plan of life should include the examination of conscience. But this requires determination, effort, and a desire to improve.

In our spiritual coaching, we should find the specific way to do our examination of conscience, according to our present situation. But it must always be demanding. St. Josemaría left an example in his spiritual notes: “It occurs to me that a good way of examining our conscience is the following:

Prayer: How did I behave during the prayer? Did I carry out, this day, my resolutions? Have I had presence of God? Did I go about with a proper spirit of recollection...?"

“Penance: How did I receive, today, the setbacks coming from God's hand? Those that my companions afforded me, by their character? Those caused by my own wretchedness? Did I manage to offer our Lord, as penance, the very sorrow I feel for having offended him - so often? Did I offer him the shame of my interior blushes and humiliations, considering how little I advance towards virtue?

Action: Did I always act, during the day, as our Lord would have done? In this thing, that thing, and that other one?...

This examination is compatible with any other system one might follow: for example, with that used by those who consider how the day went, hour by hour; or also with that of others who examine their obligations towards God, their neighbor, and themselves: these three points can also be considered under the headings of prayer, penance, and action. And likewise with any other manner of examining our conscience."

A true spirit of examination is altogether opposed to scruples. Getting down to specifics prevents pessimism by singling out points of infection and helping us evaluate them objectively. “What may seem terrible in life is not that black, not that dark. If you are specific, you will not arrive at pessimistic conclusions."

Let us approach our Lord trustingly, to gain objectivity and serenity when faced with our failures. If we pray with humble sincerity, God will hear us. No matter how big they may seem to us, our sins can be set right by an act of contrition and a specific resolution to improve.

Our Blessed Mother will win for us a true spirit of examination, to discover ways to struggle better and begin again each day.

Video:

Sep 27 Fri - Sorrow…happiness…why, what for?

 

Sep 27 Fri
Sorrow…happiness…why, what for?
After pronouncing his blessing on poverty, the Lord added “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."
The mourning that brings eternal comfort is different from the sufferings of this world. The lamenting that many indulge in does not make them blessed or happy. Some people suffer in this life due to pride, vanity, envy, and jealousy, even if they lament afterward. This suffering is not the same as the Cross of Christ; it is a self-made burden that is heavy and fruitless.

The saints, on the other hand, experience holy sorrow when they contemplate their own sins and the sins of others. They do not weep over divine justice but over the sins committed by human wickedness. The one who does evil is the one to be pitied, not the one who suffers it. The evil deeds of the wicked lead them to punishment, while the endurance of the good ones lead them to glory.

The teachings of Christ bring about a fundamental shift in our understanding of happiness and disgrace. Those who refuse to acknowledge the love of God lead unfulfilled lives, unable to embrace the joyful message of the Gospel. Conversely, those who embrace Christ experience true happiness, as His goodness becomes a part of their very being.

“I will tell you which treasures on earth truly matter: hunger, thirst, heat, cold, pain, dishonor, poverty, loneliness, betrayal, slander, and imprisonment...…"

Then the Lord continued, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." The meek are not cowards or weak; meekness is accompanied by spiritual strength. Self-control is the weapon of the strong, those who know when to speak, and how to express their judgments effectively.

Nothing can separate the meek and humble person from God. They trust that everything will work out for the good and do not easily become irritated or wrathful because they love God. A person who lives in the presence of God is habitually calm and shows charity towards others.

To the meek and gentle, to the lowly and unassuming, to all those who are prepared to endure injury – for them, the promise of the earth awaits. This inheritance is not insignificant; it is not merely a dwelling place separate from heaven. Rather, it signifies that only the meek will enter the kingdom of heaven.

The "earth" being promised to the meek refers to our very own physical bodies. Through humility, our bodies will be elevated and adorned with the immortal Holy Spirit of God. Thus, the outer self, the body, will peacefully and securely belong to the inner self, the soul.

The meek will possess this eternal peace, and it will never be taken from them. Our current fragile nature must be transformed into one that is indestructible, and our mortal state must acquire immortality. In doing so, all the suffering endured by the soul will be rewarded, and the humiliations endured will be turned into honor.

Video:

Sep 26 Thu - The Last Supper, the Cross, each Mass, same sacrifice?

 

Sep 26 Thu
The Last Supper, the Cross, each Mass, same sacrifice?
Imagine one of those stars far from our solar system. Imagine a pulsar emitting radio magnetic waves. This star has existed for eons, but it is only now that we start receiving its radio magnetic waves. It takes hundreds of thousands of years for the waves to reach us. So, too, the sacrifice of the cross projects itself into the future and for all eternity. The Mass helps us to “tune in” on the merits of Christ’s sacrifice and apply them to ourselves. And Christ lives on in his holy humanity and in his Person.

Our Lord suffered on the cross sometime in the past, but his sacrifice is made actual, here and now, at every moment of history. His sacrifice is not just something that happened two thousand years ago: It is still happening. Christ’s sacrifice is not an heirloom or an antique that survives to the present: It is a drama as real now as then. As long as there are men on earth, it will go on.

Again, let us imagine, as in the novel of H.G. Wells, that a scientist has devised a “time tunnel.” Going through this fantastic machine, one could become present at any place and time in the past with the flick of the dials. Let us imagine ourselves present at Calvary, seeing our Lord suffering and offering himself up for all our sins...

Of course, this is not feasible because that machine exists only in the writer's imagination. However, the spiritual effects of this action of Christ on us are the same when we attend the Mass today as they would have been, had we been present on Calvary. The redemptive love of Christ on the Cross is projected through time and space and applied to us precisely in the Mass. It is a form of time in which the past, the present, and the future penetrate one another and touch eternity.

We do not travel back in time or get off the present moment. What happens is that the Mass incorporates us into a present redeeming act of Christ that is substantially the same as the sacrifice of the Cross. Sometimes, we use the expressions to reenact, to re‑actualize, and to make present to signify this happening.

Through the mystery of the Eucharist, the sacrifice of the Cross, which was once carried out on Calvary, becomes present in a wonderful fashion. It is constantly recalled in the Holy Mass, and its salvific power is applied for the forgiveness of sins we commit each day.

“As often as the sacrifice of the cross in which Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed is celebrated on an altar, the work of our redemption is carried on.” This sacrifice of our redemption is renewed at each Mass; the faithful gather around the priest and, together with him, join Jesus in offering himself to God the Father as in Calvary.

The same words of the Last Supper and the Mass bear a sacrificial character. Christ calls his body a sacrificial body and his blood, sacrificial blood. The expressions “to give up the body” and “to shed blood” are biblical sacrificial terms; they express the rendering of a true and proper sacrifice.

Video:

Sep 25 Wed - Do I strive to live unity of life?

 

Sep 25 Wed
Do I strive to live unity of life?
Purity, Jesus says, is not linked to external rites, but is first and foremost connected to interior dispositions. To please God, therefore, it is no use washing one’s hands several times if one then, within the heart, harbors evil feelings such as greed, envy, or pride, or evil intentions such as deceit, theft, betrayal, and slander. Jesus draws attention to ritualism, disconnected to interior life; it can sometimes lead one to neglect, or even justify, in oneself and others, choices and attitudes contrary to charity, which wound the soul and enclose the heart.

One must not, for example, go out of Holy Mass and, still in front of the church, begin to gossip wickedly and mercilessly about everything and everyone. Or to show oneself to be pious in prayer, but dishonest in work, and then treat others with coldness and detachment. This is a double life; one cannot do this. And this is what the Pharisees did.

In acting in this way, the relationship with God is reduced to external gestures, and that person remains impervious to the purifying action of His grace, indulging in thoughts, messages, and behavior without love. We are made for something else.

“We do not lead a double life, but a unity of life, which is simple and strong and in which all our actions are united."

“When we respond generously to this spirit, we acquire a second nature. Without realizing it, we think of our Lord all day long, and we feel an impulse to put God into everything, for without him, nothing would have any attraction. The time then comes when we can't tell where prayer ends and where work begins; for our work is also prayer, contemplation, a true life of mystical union with God without any oddities. This is ‘good divinization’.

The sincerity of our devotion must lead us to work and fulfill our daily duties cheerfully, even if they are hard. There should be a close union between the supernatural inner reality and our outward human undertakings.

“Work and piety are intimately united as two aspects of one and the same reality. This is the only way for us to become saints. Without work, interior life cannot be sustained, and if, we lacked piety or were not continually attentive to our Lord, neither talent nor knowledge, no effort whatsoever, would suffice, for our Lord would leave us."

Let us ask ourselves, then: Do I live my faith consistently, that is, what I do in church, do I try to do outside in the same spirit? By my sentiments, words, and deeds, do I accomplish what I decide in prayer? Let us think about this.
May Mary, Mother, be most pure and help us to make our lives a unified worship pleasing to God.

Video:

 

Sep 24 Tue - What does it mean to be a Christian?

 Sep 24 Tue
What does it mean to be a Christian?

"Being a Christian is not just about personal satisfaction; it involves a mission..."

"Being a Christian is not something trivial; it is a divine reality that deeply affects our lives. It gives us a clear vision, and strengthens our resolve to act following God's will. Therefore, we understand that as Christians, our journey in the world must be characterized by continual service in various forms, tailored to individual circumstances but always motivated by love for God and our neighbor."

"Being a Christian means letting go of petty goals of personal prestige and ambition, and even more noble objectives like philanthropy and compassion for the misfortunes of others. It means setting our minds and hearts on attaining the fullness of love that Jesus Christ demonstrated by dying for us."

"Some individuals tend to view Christianity as a collection of religious practices, failing to recognize their interconnectedness and their relevance to everyday life, including the urgent need to meet the needs of others and address injustice. The Son of God took on human form, with body, soul, and voice; he shared our fate, even to the extent of experiencing the excruciating anguish of death. Yet, perhaps unknowingly, some people regard Christ as a stranger in the world of humanity."

"Others tend to believe that to remain human, we must downplay certain fundamental aspects of Christian principles. They act as if a life of prayer and a continuous relationship with God means avoiding responsibilities and abandoning the world. However, they forget that it was Jesus himself who showed us the extent to which we should go in love and service. Only by seeking to understand the mystery of God's love, a love that even led to death, can we fully dedicate ourselves to others and not allow difficulties or indifference to overcome us."

The path to becoming co-redeemers with Christ is through the Cross. "We are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." We too must reach this point through suffering.

Love then captures the soul and leads it gently and quietly to complete self-denial. Through this self-giving, the soul is purified, cleansed, divinized. "Our Lord asks for generous hearts that are truly detached. We will achieve this by firmly breaking the strong bonds and subtle threads that tie us to ourselves. I won't hide from you that this requires a constant struggle, surpassing our intellect, and will, a renunciation that, honestly, is more challenging than giving up the most prized material possessions."

Marvel at Mary's steadfastness, and ask her to grant you some of that steadfastness, so that you too may know how to stand by the Cross. In this way, you will be living through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ. Only then will you truly be a Christian apostle.

Video:

 

Sep 23 Mon - What are the alternatives, marriage or some form of religious life?

 

Sep 23 Mon
What are the alternatives, marriage or some form of religious life?
The single life, someone claimed, is a failed vocation.

For some, being single may be seen as being second-class citizens in the Church or a failed vocation. This perspective is utterly, and even obnoxiously, unrealistic and misguided.

As the Second Vatican Council taught, every baptized person is called to follow Christ closely by living according to the Gospel and making its teachings known to others.

Thus, the core message of St. Josemaría and the aim of Opus Dei is to contribute to the evangelizing mission of the Church by fostering a life fully consistent with their faith among Christians of all social classes, in the midst of the ordinary circumstances of their lives, and especially through the sanctification of their work.

For the sake of the apostolate, in addition to priests, some lay men and women embrace celibacy as a gift from God. This enables them to dedicate themselves more fully to the formational activities of Opus Dei. They continue to be lay people and hold the same positions in the professional world and within the Church as before, and they earn their living through their ordinary work.

Their being "ordinary Christians" cannot be understood merely as "not belonging to a religious institute." Rather, their being in the world must be understood as a positive participation in God's creation of the world and redemption. God has entrusted the world to all of us to liberate it from the influence of sin, trying to be holy in marriage or as celibates, within the family or in one's profession, and in the most diverse social activities.

St. John Paul II wrote that we all share a fundamental vocation to love as Jesus loves, to live out the Two Great Commandments. That's what we must get right.

There is nothing more challenging than the universal call to holiness, to die to ourselves, taking up our crosses each day, and offering all to God who, in the Person of Jesus, gave His all for us. None of the so-called hard sayings of the Gospel or difficult and controversial teachings of the Church come close to being as demanding as our fundamental call to love as Jesus loves.

Neither marriage nor celibate life asks more of us than is implied in living our fundamental Christian vocation in the midst of the world. This is what we need to be preaching and teaching. This will produce more marriages and even religious vocations.

Here is an area for genuine development. Let our theologians, in light of the fundamental and universal call to holiness, find a way to appreciate the contributions of so many remarkably charitable, chaste, and courageous single people who live among us.

Perhaps the issue isn't failed vocations, but a failure to appreciate the Christian vocation of a single person in the midst of the world.

Video:

Sep 22 Sun - Envious? Me?

 

Sep 22 Sun
Envious? Me?
When we live charity and strive to serve, we become more like God, who is Love. And Jesus came not to be served but to serve. Envy, the distress caused by our neighbor's prosperity, is an enemy of the spirit of service.

Envy, a capital sin, is sadness at the sight of another's goods, and the immoderate desire to acquire them for oneself, even unjustly. It is opposed to charity.

The fallen angel, Lucifer, was angry with God because of God's generosity towards humanity. Unable to harm God, he discharged his vengeance against humanity. Envy, like when Saul became angry at David's success, arises from pride reacting to real or imagined offenses or from the prejudice one suffers. In the eyes of the envious, the possessions of another are seen as harmful since they diminish one's own excellence or glory.

Envy is like a worm, slowly consuming one's innermost being. The envious person is the one who suffers the most. They resent their neighbor's success and attempt to compensate by belittling their merits, attributing weaknesses, faults, and even sins to them. Jealousy brings constant anguish and despair. Often, the envious bury their envy deep in their soul, wishing to hide it. They feel embarrassed to admit to themselves, "I am resentful and bitter," "I am depressed by my brother's joy," or "My neighbor's good fortune is my affliction."

The envious person cannot find a cure for their sickness. They only seek solace in waiting for their neighbor to face hardships. Just as dogs become more docile when fed, the envious person becomes more insufferable and offensive when given gifts and benefits.

The resulting vices include hatred (which destroys many friendships), slander, detraction, gossiping, reluctance to give deserved praise, material discrimination (such as unfair granting of positions), and sadness.

If personal glory is your sole pursuit, if you strive to outshine your neighbor and cannot bear being in second place, you must change the direction of your life. Redirect your ambition towards the acquisition of virtue. Free yourself from the obsession to get rich at any cost and from the desire to be recognized for material accomplishments. Instead, treat everyone fairly, exercise self-control and prudence, be courageous and patient in your sufferings for the sake of God. In doing so, you will save yourself. Virtue cannot exist in the soul unless all passions, especially envy, have been corrected.

We must fight against envy by
- nurturing fraternal charity, having a heart filled with gratitude, and detachment,
- acquiring humility, and
- considering the harmful effects of envy.

This is possible through intense devotion to our Lord and Our Mother in heaven.

Pic: Our Lady following Jesus carrying His Cross.

Video:

Sep 21 Sat - Is Christianity to live in Christ?

 Sep 21 Sat
Is Christianity to live in Christ?
Human life is within history, and Christianity is no exception. Each expression of Christianity exists within a particular system of thought and language, the garment.

However, Christianity is connected to history for an additional reason. Comparing Platonism to Christianity, specifically, Socrates to Jesus, helps illustrate this point. It is well-known that neither Socrates nor Jesus wrote any texts. Instead, their teachings were transmitted through their disciples. Furthermore, certain academic circles have questioned the historical existence of both figures, albeit unsuccessfully. Still, we note a fundamental difference between the two cases.

If it were somehow proven that Socrates was a fictional character created by Plato to convey his philosophical ideas, it wouldn't cause the collapse of his doctrine. This is because his teachings are not strictly tied to Socrates' life.

However, in Christianity, if it were hypothetically proven that Jesus never actually existed, the entire foundation of Christianity would crumble. This is because Christianity is not simply a set of teachings or ethics, but a significant "event."

The story of Jesus is not just a vehicle for a message; it is the message itself.

The essence of Christianity does not lie somehow “behind” the story of Jesus, because Jesus, his life, is what we proclaim.

The evangelists, inspired by the Holy Spirit, compiled the material about Jesus, which circulated among the churches, and presented it in the form of a biography. They did not aim to recreate Jesus' timeline day by day but to transmit the historical event of Jesus.

Therefore, Christianity is inextricably linked to history because it emerges from an event. It is not only the starting point of Christianity that anchors it to history but also its transmission and realization.

The life of Jesus took place within the Semitic culture, but in the second and third centuries, the Gospel was understood and expressed within the framework of Greek culture. Some theologians referred to this as the Hellenization of Christianity, viewing it as a process of corruption, as though the simple gospel of the Galilean prophet had been transformed into Greek metaphysics.

However, this interpretation fails to recognize that Jesus did not preach the Gospel as a mere theory, but rather expressed Himself through words and images that were historically situated in Semitic culture. In the third century, Origen of Alexandria expressed this idea by stating, "The Word of God is never presented without the appropriate garments."

Therefore, the transition from Semitic to Greek is not a corruption, but a necessary and inevitable process. Consequently, the continuity of Christianity does not reside in its external forms, but rather in its fidelity to its internal essence, which each generation is called to understand and express through a renewed attire.

Continuity –not rupture– is fidelity to Jesus, to his Revelation. Thus, the word of God with a new garment is kept alive and is handed down from generation to generation by the Church with the assistance of the Holy Spirit.

Video: 

Sep 20 Fri - Do women need to be deaconesses?

 Sep 20 Fri
Do women need to be deaconesses?
The commission established by Pope Francis in 2016 aimed to study the female diaconate rather than to restore the ministry of "deaconess" from the early centuries of the Church.

Today, the question is not whether to reinstate a specific ministry, but rather what ministry the people of God need now.

Three indisputable facts have been established: deaconesses existed in the early Church, there was a specific rite associated with this ministry, and deaconesses have disappeared from the Latin Church.

However, the absence of deaconesses does not mean that women have disappeared from the Church. Women's holiness has always been recognized, and they have served the Church without an "instituted ministry."

So why is it important and urgent to establish ministries for women? Not just to recognize their dignity, but to recognize the true identity of the Church. The Church needs women and must call them to serve.

However, serving is not a right, but a duty. Thus, the hierarchy must serve humanity in its quest for salvation, as commanded by the Master.

When reflecting on ministries, we must return to the source: baptism, from which every vocation arises and thrives.

Baptized individuals participate in the priesthood of Christ.
Their dignity is not reduced to priestly ministry: hence it is a contradiction to think that granting the ministerial priesthood to women would be a way of recognizing their dignity.

What do men and women need today? Salvation, witness, reconciliation, communion, and formation, all grounded in charity.

The Church must listen to the guidance of the Spirit so that the masculine and feminine aspects of humanity can be restored, without using diversity against one another.

The Savior was born as a male child under the Old Covenant, symbolized by circumcision.
But also, to reveal the dignity of women, he was born of a woman who was "full of grace" and became the first redeemed person assumed into heaven in the dwelling of the Trinity.
Thus, men and women are two realities that express a complementarity.

We must avoid reducing the dignity of every ministry to the dignity of the ministerial priesthood, and reducing the dignity of the ministerial priesthood solely to the priesthood of Christ as "man." This reduction is not in line with the faith. The Son, the second Person of the Trinity, is our Savior with both human and divine nature. And salvation encompasses everyone, both male and female.

To what reflection does this consideration of faith lead us?
The priesthood of Christ is one and unique. “Only Christ is the true priest; the others are his ministers.” There are two ways of participating in the one priesthood of Christ:

•    The common priesthood of the faithful, conferred through Baptism and strengthened by Confirmation; thus, all are called to beget and to bring forth new children to the Church. men and women, equally participate in the common dignity of the children of God.
•    The ministerial priesthood of the ordained minister, conferred by the Sacrament of Holy Orders, which is at the service of the common priesthood of the faithful, and in mutual dependence and support.

Pic: Our Lady between Sts. Perpetua and Felicity

Video:

 

Sep 19 Thu - The Last Supper, Calvary, the Holy Mass, are the same sacrifice?

 Sep 19 Thu
The Last Supper, Calvary, the Holy Mass, are the same sacrifice?

During the Last Super, our Lord anticipated the bloody sacrifice which he would accomplish the following day on the cross once and for all for the redemption of the world.

We can reconstruct how our Lord celebrated the Last Supper observing the traditional rite of the Jewish Passover; it included the serving of four ceremonial cups or chalices of wine mixed with water.

•  The first cup was poured and the wine was blessed.

•  Then in succession the bitter herbs, the unleavened loaves, and the dipping sauce were brought in. At this moment, the treachery of Judas could have been foretold. Then, the paschal lamb was also brought in.

•  The second cup was poured, and the father of the family instructed those present, above all the children, on the meaning of the feast.

•  Then followed the singing of the first part of the Hallel, a song of praise to God made up of Psalms 113 to 118.

•  After the song, our Lord, departing from Jewish custom, got up, washed the disciples’ feet with the “second water” intended to be used for washing the hands of the guests towards the end of the meal. Then he sat down. He expressed his desire to eat that Passover with them, since he would not eat any other. Meanwhile, he told the disciples that he was not to drink of the fruit of the vine anymore; the hour of his passion was approaching.

•  Then he took bread, possibly a loaf which had to be left on the table –as was customary to indicate that no more food was going to be served, marking the end of the meal. He pronounced over the berakah, a “blessing” of “thanksgiving.” He consecrated it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples.

•  Towards the end of the meal, the third cup was served; he consecrated it, and gave it to them to drink.

•  Once the institution of the Eucharist was over, they completed the second part of the Hallel. It is possible that the fourth cup was never served; it is not mentioned in the Scriptures. Afterwards, they went out to Mount Olivet.

* * *

With this ceremony, our Lord anticipated in the Upper Room his own immolation and oblation which were to be accomplished in Calvary the following day. Moreover, we shall see how Christ’s sacrifice is as true and effective in every Mass as in Calvary. St John Chrysostom, overcome with awe, expressed this identity in these accurate and eloquent words:

“I wish to add something that is awe-inspiring, but do not be surprised or upset. What is this? It is the same offering, no matter who offers it, be it Peter or Paul. It is the same one that Christ gave to his disciples and the same one that priests now perform."

Video:

 

Sep 18 Wed - Quotes on love and relationships from the saints

 Sep 18 Wed
Quotes on love and relationships from the saints.

Benedict XVI: “My dear young friends, I want to invite you to ‘dare to love.’ Do not desire anything less for your life than a love that is strong and beautiful, and that is capable of making the whole of your existence a joyful adventure of giving yourselves as a gift to God and the others, in imitation of the One who conquered hatred and death forever through love.”     

St. Teresa of Calcutta: “It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home, for this is where our love for each other must start.”

    Venerable Fulton Sheen: “When a man loves a woman, he has to become worthy of her. The higher her virtue, the more noble her character, the more devoted she is to truth, justice, goodness, the more a man has to aspire to be worthy of her.”

    St. John Paul II: “Love is never ready-made, something merely ‘given’ to man and woman; it is also a ‘task’ that they must work on. Love should be seen as something that never ‘is’ but is always only ‘becoming,’ and what it becomes depends upon the contribution of both persons and the depth of their commitment.”

    Venerable Fulton Sheen: “It takes three to make love, not two: you, your spouse, and God. Without God, people only succeed in bringing out the worst in one another. Lovers who have nothing else to do but love each other soon fall into emptiness. Without a central loyalty life is unfinished.”

    St. Clare of Assisi: “We become what we love and who we love shapes what we become.”

    St. John XXIII: “The flame of love that burned in the household at Nazareth should inspire every family. All the Christian virtues should flourish in the family, unity should thrive, and the example of its virtuous living should shine brightly.”

Benedict XVI: “Man cannot always give love; he must also receive. Anyone who wishes to give love must also be ready to receive love as a gift. One must become like a spring from which love, rivers of living water, flow. Yet to love, to become a river, one must constantly receive water from the source, which is Jesus Christ, from whose pierced heart flows the love of God.”

    St. Josemaría Escrivá: “Marriage is to help married people sanctify themselves and others. For this reason, they receive a special grace in the sacrament that Jesus instituted. With the grace of God, those called to the married state will find within their state everything they need to be holy.”

    St. John Paul II: “Love that leads to marriage is a gift from God and a great act of faith toward other human beings.”

Video:

 

Sep 17 Tue - 7 Pointers from the Holy Curé of Ars for penitents and confessors

 

Sep 17 Tue
7 Pointers from the Holy Curé of Ars for penitents and confessors.

St. John Mary Vianney always had a long line of penitents who wanted to confess to him. In fact, people had to wait "up to sixty hours before going to confession."

The faithful were so eager to confess that some even paid others to reserve a spot in line for them.
The devil told him once, through a possessed person, "You make me suffer. If there were three like you on earth, my kingdom would be destroyed."

1. He would sometimes give a holy rosary as a gift during confession, encouraging the penitent to carry it and pray it. "A good Christian is always armed with his rosary. I never leave mine behind," he would say.

2. When the lines were long, he would shorten the confession by saying, "What a disgrace! Love our Lord! If you do not avoid such an occasion, you will be condemned! Be compassionate with your poor soul!"

3. In his catecheses, he taught with conviction: "When the priest gives absolution, there is only one thing to think of: that the blood of Christ runs through the penitent's soul to wash it, purify it, and make it as beautiful as it was after baptism. Even if the soul is as black as coal or as red as scarlet, by absolution, it will be as white as snow."

4. In a sermon, he openly wept over those condemned to hell, and with deep sorrow, he demanded, "Why do men expose themselves to be accursed by God? For a blasphemy, for a bottle of liquor, for a two-minute pleasure; woe to lose God, to lose the soul and heaven forever!".

5. He gave a small penance and said, "I impose a small penance on you, and I will do the rest."

6. He advised other priests, "We must be more severe with habitual sinners who fall back into the same sin and do nothing or very little to correct themselves."

7. "When you see a priest, say: 'A priest made me a child of God and opened heaven for me through baptism, has forgiven me my sins (through confession), and gives me food for my soul (in communion). The priest serves God. He is a man who is clothed with the powers of God," the great Curé of Ars asserted.

Video:

Sep 16 Mon - Responsibility and love in our job.

 Sep 16 Mon
Responsibility and love in our job. Working from Home

The ultimate expectation from God for the talents He gives us is to fulfill His will completely. In large part, God's will is revealed to us through the duties of our own state, the job or profession we carry out even before we decide to follow Him closely.

Our Lord has invited all men and women to follow Him closely. For those of us striving to live the charism of Opus Dei, God wants us to fulfill this calling in the heart of society, teaching all souls that their sanctification also lies in the upright use of earthly things. St. Josemaría said, "The spirit of Opus Dei expresses the beautiful truth that any worthwhile and noble human work can be made divine."

In God's service, no job is of lesser importance; all are crucial. The significance of a job depends on how each person approaches it, the dedication they bring, and the love for God they infuse into it. Farmers who sanctify themselves through cultivating the land; university professors who integrate faith into culture; craftsmen who work from home; bankers who oversee the growth of financial resources for the common good; politicians who view their task as a service to society as a whole; manual laborers who offer God the work of their hands - all are doing honorable and noble work.

Even if our own job may seem small, that does not diminish its importance. We want to make our talents, abilities, and interests fully available to all, and in whatever circumstances we are, without complaint or pride"

No matter what our job is, we must discover apostolic horizons within it, even if we perceive it as unimportant. "Oh, blessed perseverance of the donkey that turns the water-wheel! Always the same pace. Always the same circles. One day after another - all of them the same." Without this perseverance, there would be no ripening fruit, no blossoming orchard, no scent of flowers in the garden.

Saint Josemaría referred to the work of those who take care of the running of our homes as "the apostolate of apostolates," and we understand this very well. Without their quiet dedication, "our own work in the service of the Church and souls would be less effective and often impossible.
Their often-unrecognized work makes our family life possible and comfortable, contributing greatly to making the path of holiness desirable. Our homes would not be the same without their presence, which often goes unnoticed but is so impactful, even apostolically. People notice the care and love of God that have been poured into the little things. "

We find this kind of apostolic effectiveness in the Gospel. Mary Magdalene, Joseph of Arimathea, Lazarus, and others whose names we don't know, helped Christ in carrying out His redeeming work. Our Blessed Mother spent her earthly life caring for Jesus and Joseph, tending to their home. Her example will help us appreciate the true value of that hidden work, which breathes life into all apostolic activity throughout the world.

Video:

 

Sep 15 Sun - The Lord began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things

 Sep 15 Sun
The Lord “began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, ..., and be put to death, and after three days rise again.”
Peter rebuked Him. But Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan, for you do not mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

Something similar is happening today, as St. Josemaría pointed out. “The Cross has become a symbol of death, instead of a sign of life. People still flee from the Cross as if it were a scaffold when it is a throne of glory. Christians still reject the Cross and identify it with pain, instead of identifying it with love.”

“Pain is not pain when we embrace it in union with Jesus. The Cross is not something to flee from, but to receive with love. And then the Cross is Christ's, He bears it and, therefore, it does not weigh.”

A life with one's back to God, or lukewarm adherence to the Lord, would be filled with fears. The mere possibility of an illness, a professional setback, a family upset, or any other unfavorable contingency, is enough to sow anxiety in the soul and perhaps become obsessed with the problem -real or fictitious- and one would lose the good humor.

Suffering is part of the life of every person, and God’s loving providence makes use of it to identify us more closely with Jesus Christ and to add us to his redemptive mission, with joy, so that we may complete what Christ has to suffer for the sake of his body, which is the Church.

“The Cross of Jesus is truly gentle and kind. There, sorrows do not count; only the joy of knowing we are co-redeemers with Him.”

“Sometimes the Cross appears without looking for it: it is Christ who is seeking us.”

“Some want to be free from poverty, from pain, from sickness, from old age, from subservience: from everything. But not from sin. Then they give free rein to their passions and live like beasts.”

“Having lost the sense of sin and living like beasts, some are filled with anger and violence, do not know how to live with one another, and end up destroying the personal freedom of others, which is the most precious gift of nature that God has granted to men.”

“How can we carry the yoke that Jesus placed on our shoulders? With joy. The Cross is always something very holy, a cause of happiness, the sign that one is close to Christ. The Cross, the Cross of Christ, is not heavy, because ‘my yoke is light and my burden is light.’ How many times have you meditated on this?”

Joy is the authentic sign that we are walking after the Lord. As soon as we recognize that the Cross is a source of joy, redemption, and glory, we cannot but love it. “Love the Cross. When you truly love it, your Cross will be.... a Cross, without the Cross. And surely, like Him, you will meet Mary on the way.”

Video:

 

Sep 14 Sat - Let him who thirsts come to me and drink.

 Sep 14 Sat
Let him who thirsts come to me and drink.
In the Eucharist, we come to drink from the waters of God’s fountain. We drink without sating ourselves, for the living spring, the fount and source of life, is calling us: if anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.

The Lord himself, our God Jesus Christ, is the fountain of life; and he calls us to himself so that we may drink from him. Who will drink? Whoever loves; whoever is filled with the word of God; whoever adores him enough, whoever desires him enough; whoever is on fire with the love of wisdom.

From where does the fountain flow? It comes from the same place that the manna came from in the wilderness – for the same person is both bread and fountain, Christ our Lord and God, for whom we should always hunger.

We may eat and drink of him, but still we will remain hungry and thirsty for more; for he is our food and drink that can never be entirely consumed. He can be eaten but there will always be more left. He can be drunk but he can never be drained dry.

Jesus is the fountain of Wisdom. So, we should desire him, seek him, and love him. If you are desperate and thirsty, drink from the fountain of life; if you are weak and hungry, eat the bread of life. Blessed are they who hunger for that bread and thirst for that fountain.

Look at Jesus crucified. By means of the mystery of the Eucharist, the sacrifice of the cross, which was once carried out on Calvary, is reenacted in the Mass. This sacrifice of our redemption is renewed at each Mass. As often as the sacrifice of the cross in which Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed is celebrated on an altar, the work of our redemption is carried on. In the Mass, we join Jesus in offering himself to God the Father as in Calvary.

Thus, let us atone by making an act of contrition, of compunction. “We ask our Lord's forgiveness for those lashes and thorns, for that Cross, for those nails that bind him to the wood, for that lance which is going to pass through his side, for the gall and vinegar they offer him as consolation, for the mockery, the abuse, the jeers.”

And do not be afraid of giving much to the Lord, for whatever we give to God, we get back in abundance. When we give God our freedom, we are making it possible for him to free us, not only from sin, but from every evil; and He gives us all the goods we are capable to keep.

Video:

 

Sep 13 Fri - Where should my heart be?

 Sep 13 Fri
Where should my heart be?
With the Holy Spirit in our soul in grace, we can love God for his own sake, and in the way he wants to be loved, with his own love. The object of charity is one: the goodness of God. It has no other aim. Charity is a certain friendship of man with God. It is a love of friendship, an unselfish love, which does not seek its own personal satisfaction, but rather that of the friend. But the Friend is now God himself.

“With my whole heart, I will seek thee." And any other clean love must pass the filter of His love. Indeed, we don't have a great deal to offer him. But let us not forget that everything done for Love acquires beauty and becomes great.

To make the Love of God our abiding passion is a whole program of life. Divine Love, just like human love, is increased by grace through the practice of virtue. To learn to love, we need to love a great deal and make many acts of love –aspirations– in the course of the day.

“Our Lord expects us to look for him, to love him, to call on him, especially when we find the going tough. He wants us to turn to him, trustingly and without fear. Our God is a Father who looks upon us gladly, and who never abandons us. It is we, his poor creatures, who leave him, or who forget to live with him. And, now that there are so many who leave him or who are intent on ignoring him, we have to try to be even closer to him. How? I have told you already: by seeking him, by loving him more every day, by asking his help and making up to him when we realize we haven't treated him well."

“In spiritual matters, we must be very rich in doctrine and in the knowledge and love of God. Invoke the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us, and tell him of your desire to give yourselves completely and to be very docile to his grace."

We will love God at every moment if we do everything just for him and never mechanically or for personal advantage. We will love him all day if we try to ensure that all our actions are accompanied by an offering that is real, living, and ardent: "For the love of you, Lord! Because I love you!"

God has given us his love, for us to love him, and also for us to love others as he loves them.
We have only one heart, which has to be full of only one love, with which we love everyone: God and others. St. Josemaría tells us, “With the same love with which I could have loved another human being, with that same heart I love Jesus Christ, and the Father and the Holy Spirit and our Blessed Mother."

Pic: The Adoration of the Shepherds by Le Nain

Video:

 

Sep 12 Thu - Today, Mary's most holy name.

 Sep 12 Thu
Last Sunday we celebrated the birthday of Mary, and today, her most holy name. Let’s wish happy birthday to the Mother of God, who is also our Mother. And our Lady, who is in heaven body and soul, will joyfully welcome our signs of affection.

“We can begin our life anew. And therefore, throughout the day, we have to rectify our intention many times. We can never forget that in our interior life we have to fight without becoming discouraged. We can't lose heart when we see the need, not once but many times, to rectify our course in our service to God. We have the duty to do so, whenever we haven't been completely faithful in our struggle as Christians, children of Mary.” The Blessed Virgin, our Mother, accepts us as we are, with our miseries, if we struggle to overcome them.”

“When wishing someone we love, happy birthday, we usually offer some kind words and a gift, some tokens of affection or sacrifice. And you? What are you going to give our Lady today? Let's see, my son. Glance back over the years that have passed. Is there anything there that you can give her? Is there some flower, with some fragrance, some color? Perhaps there isn't much. It doesn't matter. Now is the time to tell your Mother: ‘This is all I can give you at the moment, but I will continue struggling, I will continue cultivating this garden. I will continue making one effort after another so that I can offer you a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers on the days the Church celebrates one of your feasts’.”

“Then our attention is drawn to that big area in our life that allows thorns to thrive there. It is a good moment to ask God for forgiveness, and our blessed Mother for help. It is a good moment to renew our petition to our Lady, asking that this forgiveness may be a pledge of the help she is going to grant us. And it is a good moment to make an act of contrition.” It will blossom into a flower that we can offer to our Lady.

“Mother of ours, today we hope for your gifts. Today we will feel the gentleness of your hands, the warmth of your Most Sweet Heart, your protection for the whole Work. And despite the realization that we haven't been good sons, we dare to say:
Show us that you are our Mother! Make us be good sons. You who are the Mother of Fair Love, Seat of Wisdom, Handmaid of the Lord: Sancta Maria, filios tuos adiuva! I've repeated this aspiration to you so many times that it already forms part of our spiritual life. But repeat it especially today.” Saint Josemaría

Image: Russian icon of the Nativity of our Blessed Mother, with Saint Joachim and Anne.

Video:

 

Sep 11 Wed - Should I serve?

 Sep 11 Wed
Should I serve?
There is something pejorative when we hear about serving. To serve is often seen as a humiliation, something inferior, which places a man who does serve on a level some degree below human dignity.

Nevertheless, Jesus himself said that he had come to serve, not to be served, and told them to serve one another. To serve, then, is not to do something demeaning; nor is it in any way beneath human dignity. The condition of a servant does not bear any kind of stigma; service is not humiliation. Joseph of Nazareth did nothing except to serve his own with his love, and his neighbors with his work. Of no unusual significance or extraordinary importance, his work, not even praised in the Gospel, is what work should be for all men –a means of livelihood and a source of learning. His daily tasks strengthened the life of Joseph.

Service is not servility. A mother does not feel humbled through having to serve her own children, or a wife through serving her husband. When one loves, service is not disgusting, the very work itself is loved. When one sees in one’s neighbor the image and likeness of God, to serve him does not humiliate. When one does a job joyfully, the question does not even arise.

Servility, on the other hand, is born when one believes himself to be so great that he should not serve others. He would think himself debased by lowering himself in the eyes of his inferiors. Nevertheless, because he is obliged, he serves, but against his will. Neither the humble person nor one who is in love is servile. Only the egoist, the self-interested, or the proud man can become servile.

It is not easy for the head of a family to fulfill his duty if he does not want to serve unselfishly his own people, seeking above all their good. He must not see himself as being humbled merely because service to one’s own involves giving over the necessary time to the family, even though such service might also imply cutting back somewhat on friends, entertainment, and social or business arrangements.

Today not even those of us who call ourselves Christians – which is to say disciples of Christ – seem very much inclined to the virtue of humility. Perhaps this is the reason for the deterioration of standards in so many trades and professions, which are carried on without love, without a spirit of service, without any real care for “doing a good job.” A Christian ought to know that he is no more than his Master. And if Jesus said he had come not to be served but to serve, then to be the servant of others ought to be what Christians aspire to. We have an obligation toward those whom God has put in our care. Thus, St. John Paul II: “O Christ! Let me be made a servant, and allow me to remain one . . . Make me a servant!”
Excerpts from F. Suarez

Video:

 

Sep 10 Tue - What is it to love God?

 Sep 10 Tue
What is it to love God?

Love is sufficient of itself; it gives pleasure by itself and because of itself.
Love is its own merit, its own reward.
Love looks for no cause outside itself, no effect beyond itself.
Love’s profit lies in its practice.
I love because I love, I love that I may love.
Love is a great thing as long as it continually returns to its fountainhead, and flows back to its source, always drawing from there the water which constantly replenishes it.

Of all the movements, sensations, and feelings of the soul, love is the only one in which the creature can respond to the Creator and make a similar return however unequal it may be. For when God loves, all He desires is to be loved in return; the sole purpose of his love is to be loved, in the knowledge that those who love him are made happy by their love of him.

But love is not only words or feelings, it bears the fruit of deeds.

Unless we love the neighbor whom we see everywhere, we cannot love the God we see nowhere. Indeed, we find the neighbor at every turn, God, being pure spirit, is easily evaded.

Nevertheless, in Christian life, we need to integrate the two loves, with the help of grace to complete the job.

The problem, however, is that to love both the God we do not see and the neighbor whom we do see, we must first love ourselves, which for not a few people these days has become a barrier they cannot seem to overcome, a hurdle they cannot clear. Not in the post-human world that appears to be taking shape all around us, even as it assumes an ever more toxic and anti-human form.

Why is that? The answer is obvious. If you can only love what you know, then not knowing who you are, prevents you from knowing or loving anyone else.

We need true love for self. If being a person is possessing oneself, to give oneself and be useful, what happens with people who possess no self to give? These are people who do not fight to control themselves. Such is the nature of the identity crisis we are facing today.

All know that Real Madrid football club is the best team in the world. Recently the coach gave a pep-talk to the players which serves us to explain how to love God with deeds.

1. We must balance the attack (the effort to grow in virtue and piety) with the defense (the fight to reject temptations).

2. Attitude. Realize what team you belong to (you are a child of God). Behave as such. Concentrate on winning.

3. Commitment. All together in the Church. Do not think only of yourself, think of the team. Be committed to it.

Pic: Our Lady of the Almudena, Patroness of Madrid

Video: 

Sep 9 Mon - What is the most important thing in life?

 Sep 9 Mon
What is the most important thing in life?
One came up to Jesus, saying, "Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" Like him, we must judge wisely about the important things in life.

Like us, that man wanted to clearly know the principles on which to base his personal behavior. The great variety of opinions on these matters, and the many different situations encountered in life, lead us to seek some norms of judgment and behavior that are certain, permanent, harmonious, and simple.

When we have clear principles, we have a basis for assessing the value of the learning that we acquire. Then we can check how this acquired knowledge may lead us to our ultimate purpose or end.

Our Christian life, our relationship with God in prayer and the sacraments, the formation we receive, and the good example of others, all help to give us a set of solid objective values and make us souls of sound judgment. We will then be able to judge correctly the events and situations in which we find ourselves. St. Josemaría: “I am going to stir your memories, so that some thought may come to you that will strike you: and that way you will improve your life, and enter upon ways of prayer and Love. And end up becoming a soul of worth: someone with sound judgment."

We must give full effect to these desires, so that, from our abundance, others too may have their fill. If God has placed this treasure in our hands, it is so that we may share it with others. Each of us can truthfully say, in the words of an ancient writer: ‘This treasure is not mine, but Another has entrusted it to me, for I am no more than a beggar’.

At the same time, we know we must keep it safe, clean, and pure.

If we ask this of God, he will lead us to that mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.

To be truly wise, it is not enough to know many things, even if they appear very profound. There needs to be an overall harmony, with some items of knowledge subordinated to others within a proper order. If this is to happen in our lives, we must use a fundamental principle that assigns each thing to its place. That supreme principle, which should guide our whole life, is what our Lord explains in the Gospel when he says: “If you would enter life, keep the commandments. "It is a quality discernment beyond human knowledge and experience: "I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts."

Video:

 

Sep 8 Sun - Who invented the sacraments?

 Sep 8 Sun
Who invented the sacraments?
God is ready to give salvation to every kind of person who wants it.
St James describes God’s own (and so ours by duty) preferential option for the poor and those in need in any way. It is not that God does not love the rich but the poor are in urgent material need.

Our Lord uses physical signs to cure a man’s deafness. “He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, ‘Ephphatha!’— that is, ‘Be opened!’”

Signs indicate but do not effect what they signify. If you plant the Philippine flag (the “sign” of the country) on Mount Everest, the Himalayas do not become Philippine territory.

Jesus usually conveys his gifts by the Sacraments of the Church, signs that effect what they signify.

Christ established a sacramental Church; that is, Christ pours out his graces on humanity largely through the seven sacraments.

The seven sacraments fulfill the types and figures of the Old Covenant, signify and make actively present the salvation wrought by Christ, and prefigure and anticipate the glory of heaven.

The sacraments signify and make actively present the salvation wrought by Christ. For example, the baptismal washing is a sign of inward cleansing from sin which actually effects that inward purification, won by the merits of Christ.

The sacraments also prefigure and anticipate the glory of heaven.

Thus, we must go to the Sacraments and to the needy.

Since God’s grace largely comes to us through the Sacraments, we must go to them:

Don’t delay your own child’s baptism; encourage others to have their children baptized as soon as possible.
See that your children receive First Confession, First Eucharist, and Confirmation as soon as the Church permits.
Go to confession frequently and according to a schedule, like every month on a certain day and at a certain time. Go to confession as soon as possible if you are aware of having committed a serious sin.
Receive Communion frequently, even daily, provided you are in a state of grace.
Be sure that family members who are in danger of death receive the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
If you are a priest, call on the graces of Holy Orders to conform your will to God’s will.
If you are married, take advantage of your matrimonial graces to be faithful Christian spouses and parents. Don’t forget that the natural marital act open to life is a renewal of your mutual covenant with God.

Go also to the needy.
Since Christ loves them so much, we show our love for Christ by aiding them, and because they are everywhere, even in our own families, we can show our love for Christ and for them whenever we want.
So, who is needy around you? What can you do for them?

Video:

 

Sep 7 Sat - The worn-out sandals of Mary.

 

Sep 7 Sat
The worn-out sandals of Mary.
Recently, we celebrated the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the Gospel, we see the young girl from Nazareth who, after receiving the Angel's announcement, immediately sets out to visit her cousin.

The expression in the Gospel is beautiful: "Mary set out and went" (Lk 1:39). It shows that Mary doesn't see the news she received from the Angel as a privilege only for herself but, on the contrary, she leaves home and sets out with the haste of someone who wishes to announce that joy to others, and with the eagerness to be of service to her cousin.

This first journey is a metaphor for Mary's entire life because, from that moment forward, Mary is always on the move, following Jesus, not only as his Mother but also as a disciple of the Kingdom. Eventually, her earthly pilgrimage culminates in her Assumption into Heaven where, together with her Son, she enjoys the joy of eternal life forever.

We shouldn't imagine Mary "as a motionless wax statue," but in her, we can see a woman... with worn-out sandals... and with so much weariness, for having followed the Lord and meeting others, concluding her journey in the glory of Heaven. In this way, the Blessed Virgin is She who goes before us on the journey, reminding us that our life is also a continuous journey towards the horizon of the definitive encounter. Are my sandals worn-out, like those of Mary, trying to please God?
Let us pray to Our Lady to help us on this journey towards the encounter with the Lord.

The hope of this encounter and its eternal nature should nourish our own life journey, especially during the most tiring and difficult times. It is good for us to ask ourselves: Do I nurture this hope, knowing that the Lord is always with me and awaits me at the end of my earthly journey? Am I progressing on this pilgrimage of life or have I become complacent, living day by day as if I will be here forever? Do I remember that I am destined for Heaven? That I must seek the Lord (sanctity) and love my brothers (apostolate), or do I think only of myself and remain enclosed in earthly matters?

Elizabeth's praise, "Blessed are you who believed."
This is the highest compliment that can be said to a simple, humble, poor little girl, who had the good fortune to speak with angels, she who is a nonentity, and now is told that she will have to have a Son who will be the Holy One, the Son of the Most High; yes, that's her, the last and smallest "remnant" of Israel.

A remnant is a group of people that is left over after a catastrophic devastation. It’s what remains after the invasion of a foreign army. It is the faithful ones.

We must decide to choose Mary as our teacher in the faith.
Yes, precisely of faith.

And I explain. You must know, that the march of faith must be done complete, and on foot.
This is our good fortune, we must not tremble in the darkness, we must not slow down when it seems that we cannot take it anymore.
Some excerpts from Pope Francis.

Video: