Do I keep my heart open for the plans of God?

 

Do I keep my heart open for the plans of God?
Yesterday, we began the novena to the Immaculate Conception. Each of us should strive to grow in love for our Lady by showing her special signs of affection during these days and spreading devotion to her among our friends.

Mary is the Mother of God and the Mother of each of us. Thus, we go to her confidently, for our Lady always heeds our prayers.

John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, brought Mary into his home and into his life. This is an invitation to all Christians to bring Mary into their lives. Mary certainly wants you to invoke her as your mother. Tell her, “Show me that you are my Mother."

Invoke the Blessed Virgin, asking her to be always our Mother, and to give us, along with her Son's grace, clear, sound doctrine for our minds, and love and purity for our hearts, so that we can reach God ourselves and lead many souls to him."

Now, from heaven, our Mother continues to fulfill her mission, to help in the birth and development of the divine life of Jesus in each of us.

During this Novena, each day we should offer some small gift to our Lady as a sign of our filial devotion.
It may be the effort that we make to fulfill our duties better, a mortification, some small act of Marian piety, a very definite apostolic target, or something else, small things that will make our Mother smile.

St Josemaría tells us, “Every year, during the month of May, the rector of an old seminary used to go to the rooms, knocking on the doors one by one, after the seminarians had already retired for the evening. When they opened the door, the rector would give them a rose to offer to our Lady. But whenever a seminarian had failed to be a good son of our heavenly mother, either by breaking one of the rules or neglecting his study, the rector would knock on his door and say, ‘Today, you cannot offer our Lady a rose.’"

Each day of this novena, we too want to offer our Lady a flower. At the moment of the evening examination of conscience, we hope to be able to say, 'Here you have my gift for today, Mother.' And then from her heavenly throne she will smile upon us, for in those efforts of ours she will see the reality of our love and dedication. Today, the anthurium, heart-shaped, reminds us of having a heart for the plans of God.

Mary accepted and gave herself fully to her vocation as a mother. She did not do her own will, but His Will: “Be it done unto me according to your word.” Today, I should ask myself:
1. Am I open to the plans of God in my life, as Our Lady was?
2. Do I pray about it every day, as she did?
3. Do I open my soul to God in the sacrament of confession?
Dec 1 Mon

What did the Council of Nicaea clarify?

 

What did the Council of Nicaea clarify?
Pope Leo issued the Apostolic Letter 'In Unitate Fidei' on the 1700th Anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, with the hope of "encouraging the whole Church to renew her enthusiasm for the profession of faith." 

For centuries," he said, "this enduring confession of faith has been the common heritage of Christians, and it deserves to be professed and understood in ever new and relevant ways. " After all, what unites us is greater than what divides us. 
But what is the faith of the Church on the Trinity?

God the Father is unbegotten, that is, He does not proceed from any other Person.

God the Son—who, as the incarnate Word, is Jesus Christ—begotten, proceeds from the Father (cf. Jn 8:42).

God the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. We can also say that he proceeds from the Father through the Son (cf. Jn 15:26).

God the Father, in knowing himself, produces a Verbum, a Word, which will be:

- God, like the Father, because God’s being and understanding are the same;
- Eternal, because God knows himself eternally;
- Numerically and specifically co-substantial with the Father. To employ an analogy, the more a man understands himself, the closer his concept of himself is to his real self. God’s intellect is infinite; the divine Word (concept) is perfectly one with the source without any kind of diversity;
- Differing from the Father only because He proceeds from him; and
- One and unique, because God knows all other things in knowing himself.

The Word, aside from being God, is the Son of God, as Revelation teaches. 

God the Father, upon knowing himself, engenders the Son, who is a perfect image of the Father. When He loves himself as the Ultimate Good, He loves the Son, and the Son necessarily loves the Father.

There is a bond between them, an infinite love, which receives the revealed name of the Holy Spirit. Since He exists, He is of the same divine nature as the Father and the Son, because in God there is nothing that is not God himself. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is subsistent Love, infinitely perfect, equal in nature to the Father and the Son, but a distinct Person with respect to either of them.

The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. This is a central point of Catholic dogma, taught by the Church in accordance with the common stance of the Greek and Latin Fathers. Even though the formulas used in the East (a Patre per Filium) and West (ex Patre Filioque) differ, they express the same doctrinal content. We all believe that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son as from one principle." 

The difference in formulas—and, above all, a misinterpretation of their meaning—has been the cause of the separation of some Eastern churches from the See of Rome, resulting in a serious rift within the Church.

The separation appeared at the end of the ninth century, when Photius was Patriarch of Constantinople, and reached its consummation by the end of the eleventh century, in the so-called Eastern Schism. The rift continues up to the present day, despite substantial attempts to bridge it.
Nov 30(bis) Sun

How should I begin this Season of Advent?

 

How should I begin this Season of Advent?

The new liturgical year begins with this season of Advent. Today is a good day for us to show great affection towards our Redeemer and start again in our interior life. Yes, a new start, a new beginning. We should find ourselves starting again every day, every hour.

Thus, St Josemaría advised us to dedicate each day of the week to a solid devotion as a help for our presence of God. “Sunday, for example, is good for praising the Trinity: glory to the Father, glory to the Son, glory to the Holy Spirit. I tend to add, and glory to holy Mary. And... a childish thing, of which I'm not ashamed: to St Joseph too..."

“On Mondays, we can pray for the holy souls in purgatory. There we find souls who are dear to us ... Besides, we see all of them as our friends, our brothers and sisters, since they are almost already crowned with the laurels of heaven, almost enjoying the Love of God: they need a final purification. They're good intermediaries to help us conquer in the little things that make up our normal day of work..."

“And Tuesday? I dedicate it to the Guardian Angels. You can say whatever you want to them, since you're not bound by formulas."

“And Wednesday? It's St Joseph's day."

“On Thursdays, many acts to honor the holy Eucharist: spiritual communions, acts of reparation... Now more than ever, our Lord is offended in this sacrament of Love ..."

“On Fridays, ‘Hail, Holy Cross, our only hope!’ And we feel a pang of conscience for complaining about some suffering or other. What is our suffering next to our Lord's? Greet him on the Cross, offer him words of love: I won't flee from you, I'll embrace you. As soon as we embrace the Cross, and love it, there is no longer difficulty, nor dishonor, nor calumny, nor slander, nor sickness, nor anything. Everything becomes agreeable, nothing is burdensome. For the Cross is not yours or mine but Christ's. As I wrote to you many years ago about my poor experience as a priest, which is abundant: then it is he, Christ, who bears the Cross; it no longer weighs on us. How good it is on Fridays to remember the Cross of Christ!"

“And Saturday? We go to our heavenly Mother, our Lady!"

St Josemaría made it clear that there is no obligation to follow this particular path, but he added, “What no one should do is to neglect the presence of God. If a person does not have presence of God, he won't go well: he won't be mortified, won't be spiritual, nor zealous, nor eager to work. On the other hand, by making this effort, we find ourselves conversing with God at every moment of the day: we live as contemplative souls."

St Josemaría also said: “Place on your desk, [beside the computer], in your room, in your wallet..., a picture of our Lady, and look at it when you begin your work, while you're doing it, and when you finish. She will obtain, I assure you, the strength to turn your task into a loving dialogue with God."
Nov 30 Sun

Why does the Catholic Church prohibit ‘gay marriage’?

 

Why does the Catholic Church prohibit ‘gay marriage’?

The Catholic Church's teaching on marriage is rooted in Scripture, natural law, and apostolic tradition, defining it as an exclusive, stable, and indissoluble union between one man and one woman, naturally ordered to the generation and education of children as well as the mutual good of the spouses.

This understanding excludes the recognition of same-sex unions as marriage, as they lack the essential complementarity of the sexes and the openness to procreation that constitute marriage's intrinsic nature and purpose. The prohibition is not a matter of prejudice but a defense of the divine plan for human sexuality and family life, while emphasizing respect and compassion for all persons, including those with same-sex attraction.

The Church's doctrine draws directly from divine revelation, where marriage originates in God's creation of humanity as male and female. In the beginning, God established marriage as a union of "one flesh" between man and woman, reflecting the Creator's design for complementarity and fruitfulness: "Increase and multiply" (Gen 1:28).

Jesus Christ reaffirmed this primordial institution, teaching that marriage unites two persons—male and female—indissolubly, restoring the original unity after concessions in the Old Law. The Church has consistently upheld this through councils and papal teaching. This tradition views marriage as a sacrament that images Christ's union with the Church (Eph 5:21-33), requiring the bodily and spiritual complementarity of the sexes to fully express self-giving love.

Same-sex unions, by contrast, cannot embody this spousal meaning, as they do not arise from the "genuine affective and sexual complementarity" inherent to God's plan.

Beyond Scripture, the Church appeals to natural reason, which reveals that human sexuality is inherently ordered to heterosexual marriage. Our embodied nature as sexually differentiated persons inclines us toward the joint goods of procreation (the generation of children) and unitive love (the total self-gift of spouses).

Same-sex unions, while possibly expressing affection, cannot achieve these ends: they lack biological complementarity for reproduction and the "real bodily union" that signifies marital unity.

Homosexual acts are considered "intrinsically disordered" because they close the sexual act to the gift of life and fail to arise from the natural complementarity of man and woman.

Thus, the Church teaches that homosexual unions cannot be equated to marriage, as they presume a form of sexual intimacy reserved solely for valid marital relations between opposite sexes.

While prohibiting same-sex marriage, the Church calls for profound respect toward persons with homosexual tendencies, who "must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity," avoiding all unjust discrimination.

The inclination itself, though "objectively disordered," is not sinful, and those affected are invited to live chastely, uniting their trials to Christ's Cross for spiritual growth. Pastoral care emphasizes accompaniment, helping individuals discern God's will through sacraments, friendship, and support, all while upholding doctrine.

In summary, the Church prohibits "gay marriage" to safeguard the sacred reality of matrimony as divinely instituted—a fruitful union of man and woman—against re-definitions that contradict natural law, Scripture, and tradition. Yet, this teaching is always paired with a commitment to human dignity, inviting all to holiness through grace and compassion.
Nov 29 Sat

How did Opus Dei begin?

 

How did Opus Dei begin?

St. Josemaría, in the early days of Opus Dei, sought strength among Madrid’s poorest.

“I went to seek strength in the poorest neighborhoods of Madrid. Hours and hours, back and forth, every day, on foot from one part to another, among the poor who owned absolutely nothing…  but still God’s children. Thus, I went in search of the means to do the Work of God in all these places. The sick constituted the human strength of the Work.”

This intuition — that caring for the weakest strengthens the giver — remains prophetic.

Individualism and consumerism hide fragility by idolizing independence. Yet it is precisely in vulnerability that we discover our common humanity. Illness, poverty, and old age are not threats to dignity but moments when dignity shines most clearly. Care, therefore, is crucial as it is the human and humanizing response to fragility, but it must be given freely and personally.

Care is more than a task; it is a way of relating that acknowledges our shared condition. By recognizing our own vulnerability and that of others, we rediscover human interdependence. This has concrete consequences: the development of palliative care, assistance to families with dependents, the rise of care-oriented professions and the promotion of their dignity, and a growing appreciation for the spiritual, psychological, and emotional dimensions of life are just some examples that have arisen from people with a mission to care, and in and through their personal witness have inspired and strengthened many of these social charity professions.

When a culture of care and, therefore, of gift exists, we overcome individualistic perspectives. Only people know how to care, and we all learn to care when we are cared for.

A better society should aim to educate people capable of caring. That would amount to an atomic bomb against individualism.

Projects will certainly solve concrete problems, but only if accompanied by persons who discover and are inspired to give of themselves freely to others; they will also shine as a light for society.

Conclusion: We must begin by listening.
Listening is not merely a technique to be employed; it is an internal disposition of the soul whereby we freely open our minds and hearts to one another. It is the primordial gesture of care, the foundation of authentic dialogue, and the condition for genuine fraternity.

In every act of listening, there are two persons: one who entrusts, one who receives. To listen is to recognize the other not as object but as subject; to regard the other with love; to attend with both the senses and the heart, allowing their reality to shape our response.

Without listening, the act of giving becomes distorted. It degenerates into paternalism when we impose our own solutions; into dependency, when assistance erodes another’s freedom; or into projection, when what we give reflects our own desires rather than the true needs of the other.

This is the enduring legacy of St. Josemaría: not only to promote institutions, but to inspire persons — one by one — who, by listening and giving of themselves, sow love wherever they are — until society itself is renewed and transformed into a true culture of gift.
Excerpts from Fr. Javier del Castillo.   Nov 28 Fri

What is the most important part of the Mass?

 

What is the most important part of the Mass?
The Eucharistic Prayer marks the summit of the Mass. Eucharist means thanksgiving. As the priest recites the Eucharistic Prayer, we should concentrate all our senses on the action—the mystery—taking place on the altar. We should join the priest and the entire Church in offering to God the redeeming sacrifice of Christ on the cross, and give thanks for God’s goodness and glory.

The Eucharistic Prayer itself begins with a short dialogue between the priest and us, before the Preface, and ends with the doxology preceding the Lord’s Prayer. Throughout the prayer, the priest speaks in the first-person plural; he repeatedly says “we,” which places him at the head together with the body, which is the Church, in the person of Christ. Only when he pronounces the words of the Consecration does he slip into the first person singular. The other pronoun to notice is “you,” addressed to the Father.

The name of this central part of the Mass, Eucharistic Prayer, aptly describes it. The term Canon, of Greek origin, means rule or standard. The expressions Liturgical Action or Sacred Action are also applied to the Eucharistic Prayer. So is the word Anaphora, which means offering. 

It is a prayer that the Son of God, with the Church forever united to him, directs to God the Father. The Eucharistic Prayer is Christocentric as well, because it makes constant references to the main actions of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, represented by the priest, the other Christ. 

In the Gospels, the kingdom of God is compared to a wedding feast. Jesus is the Bridegroom who loves and gives eternal life to his spouse, the Church, the “bride adorned for her husband” (Rev 21:2). The redemptive act of Christ towards the Church, the Bride, is expressed in the Eucharist most excellently. The Mass then becomes like an anticipation and foretaste of the banquet of heaven.

This fact also explains why women are not to be ordained: Since the priesthood is a sacrament, it is a sign that not only is effective but also should be intelligible to the faithful. “When Christ’s role in the Eucharist is to be expressed sacramentally, there would not be this ‘natural resemblance’ which must exist between Christ and his minister if the role of Christ were not taken by a man.”

The Eucharistic Prayer states praise to God, especially at the beginning, and also thanksgiving. Then, we give thanks with action, with deeds: the Consecration.

In the east, the priest says the Canon in seclusion, to emphasize the idea of mystery. A partition, called iconostasis, adorned with icons, is set between the sanctuary and the people.

This was not the custom in the Roman rite. The faithful always had the unique privilege of being direct witnesses of the mystery: “You can read the prophecies, the epistles, and the Gospels at home; but only in the House of God—and nowhere else—can you hear and see the Consecration of the body and blood of the Lord.”
Nov 27 Thu

How should I deal with a person with mistaken ideas?

 

How should I deal with a person with mistaken ideas? 
- We must see in others souls that have to be saved.
"Charity always, towards everyone. While we can't deal with error the same way as with truth, we need to be particularly understanding towards those who are in error, while all the time respecting the right order of the Christian virtue of charity."

"Never be violent. I don't understand violence; it doesn't seem the right way to convince or overcome anyone. A soul that receives the faith always feels victorious. Error is overcome by prayer, by the grace of God, by reasoned argument, by studying and getting others to study, and, I repeat, by charity."

"So, if ever anyone tries to ill-treat those who are mistaken, be certain that I will feel internally compelled to go and stand beside them and share their lot for the love of God."

The Good Samaritan saw in the man on the roadside, not an enemy of his race, but a brother in need. St Josemaría said: "There is no one so ‘bad’ in the world –I don't like to speak about ‘bad people’ and ‘good people’: I don't divide men up into good and bad– there are no people so evil-minded and wretched that they haven't done something virtuous in their life. If they are not better, we are partly to blame. Often, their errors are the result of being badly taught. In not a few cases, these poor people had no one to teach them the truth. I think that on judgment day, many souls will answer God like the paralytic beside the pool: I had no one to help me. Or as those laborers who weren't working answered the owner of the vineyard: No one hired us; no one has asked us to work."

"Remember Christ's cry on the Cross, finding excuses for those putting him to death: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Let us follow Christ's example and never reject anyone. To save one soul, we should go as far as the very gates of hell. But not further, for beyond them one cannot love God."

We have to take the initiative in understanding others, following Christ's example, as did St Josemaría: "I cannot be uncharitable toward anyone, because if it seems someone does not deserve charity, neither do I. I don't deserve to be a Christian, a priest, or a son of God in his Work. Do you understand? I can't treat anyone harshly. I have to be understanding toward everyone, as long as this compassion doesn't harm souls, the Work, or the Church."
Nov 26 Wed

Does all my effectiveness come from God?

 

Does all my effectiveness come from God?
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.” Christ, fully aware of our shortcomings, called us to his Church, within our particular circumstances. There are so many worthier people that Christ could have called. Yes, people who are simpler and wiser, more influential and important, more grateful and generous. And yet….

“God usually seeks out deficient instruments so that the work can be seen more clearly to be his.” How reassuring it is to know that it is God, and not our own poor strength, that enables us to do our work for others! This demands a great deal of humility from us, so that we do not place obstacles in the way of grace.

If we do not grow in humility, we will soon lose sight of the reason for our having been chosen by God: that is, to be holy.

“If we are humble, we can understand all the marvels of our divine Christian vocation. The hand of Christ has snatched us from a wheat field; the sower squeezes the handful of wheat in his wounded palm. The blood of Christ bathes the seed, soaking it. Then the Lord tosses the wheat to the winds, so that in dying, it becomes life, and in sinking into the ground, it multiplies.”

This calls for responsibility on our part, since we are not inert instruments, but intelligent and free beings who need to use our minds, hearts, and wills: “The instruments mustn't be left to grow rusty.”

While we have to be eager to improve, to deepen our formation, we should not forget that ours is a supernatural endeavor which goes forward only under God's almighty hand. This consideration should fill us with confidence, especially when we feel incapable of carrying out a task or overcoming an obstacle.

Seeing our own shortcomings is already a grace from God; it helps us grasp more clearly our need to be docile in God's hands. And “since we want to be good instruments, the smaller and the more wretched we see ourselves to be –with true humility– the more our Lord will make up for what we lack.”

“We have to work regularly, despite our shortcomings and errors, trying to overcome them little by little by our interior struggle.” It is God who really does it. Therefore, we have to be united to our Lord in the Eucharist, in prayer, and by responding to his grace.
Nov 25 Tue

Should I be guided only by AI?

 

Should I be guided only by AI?

Every day, we encounter articles warning of AI’s future dangers. But is machine learning really the threat? No. Many have spent more than a century embracing materialism: scientism ‘über alles’ (over everything).

When we reduce persons to mechanisms, it opens the door to dehumanization in all its forms. Formerly, Nazi Germany, materialist ideology reduced human beings to specimens in a racist biological theory, their humanity ignored.

Yet science operates legitimately on the material, measurable plane. But when it claims this is the only plane, it fails on its own terms.

Imagine assembling a research team to study Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Physicists analyze the sound waves, intensities, and frequencies; psychologists investigate Beethoven’s childhood traumas and how he coped with deafness; neurologists use functional MRI to map which brain regions are stimulated when subjects hear the choral movement.

Yet no matter how much data our scientists compiled, they could not ‘explain’ a single bar of the musical experience we call the Ninth Symphony. The problem isn’t insufficient data. Aesthetic experience, meaning, and beauty exist on a plane that scientific measurement cannot access.

This isn’t a failure of science. Science cannot deal with all of reality. Love and hate, joy and mourning cannot be quantified. You can map every neuron, measure every hormone, track every electrical impulse – and still not explain why one loves a prodigal son.

The same limitation appears across every domain that matters most to human life. Science can map neurological processes during moral decision-making, but it cannot ground moral obligation itself. Why should we sacrifice for others if we’re merely collections of atoms following physical laws?

Fundamentally, science cannot answer “why” questions about the purpose and meaning of life. It excels at describing mechanisms – i.e., how things work. But it cannot address teleological questions – why things exist, what their purpose is.

These aren’t defects in the scientific method. They’re inherent limitations that reveal reality’s true nature: multiple planes of being, each requiring its own mode of knowing. The catastrophic error of scientism is claiming that only the material plane is real – that if science cannot measure it, it doesn’t exist.

The solution shouldn’t be to reject science but to take it as a partial understanding of reality. The Catholic intellectual tradition has always insisted on the “multiple planes of being.” Material reality operates according to physical laws that science can study. But persons exist simultaneously on several planes – body, soul, and spirit united in a person, a person made in God’s image.

Our conscience cannot be regulated through algorithms – not because our computers aren’t powerful enough, but because self-awareness belongs to a non-material plane of reality.

Materialism fails everywhere it’s applied to persons. You cannot reduce love to oxytocin, beauty to preference patterns, moral obligation to evolutionary advantage, or human dignity to biological function. Each person is a body and soul, created for communion with a personal God, bearing His image.

We should use AI where it excels – as a tool for analyzing data, automating routine tasks, and solving computational problems. However, we must resist letting it invade domains that belong to persons: education that forms character, counseling that heals souls, and relationships that constitute our humanity.
Nov 24 Mon

Can we say that our Mother Mary is Co-Redemptrix?

 

Can we say that our Mother Mary is Co-Redemptrix?
The recent document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Mother of the Faithful, has once again raised the question of the title Co-Redemptrix applied to the Virgin Mary.
The difficulty lies in the ambiguity regarding what properly corresponds to Christ and what to Mary in the work of redemption.

The title Redeemer has two dimensions that should be distinguished. The first refers to the AGENT of redemption; the second, to the MANNER in which it is accomplished. Both dimensions are essential to speak properly about redemption.

As for the agent, only God can be Redeemer. To redeem implies eliminating sin and communicating grace, that is, granting divine life to human beings: an action that belongs exclusively to God. Redemption is, in this sense, a new creation, and only God has the power to create.

As for the manner, the work of redemption is accomplished through the Incarnation of the Word. Through his words and actions, through his dedication and sacrifice, Christ merited the salvation of mankind, and now, glorified at the right hand of the Father, He himself communicates that salvation.

From these two dimensions, it follows that Christ is Redeemer through hypostatic union. This union makes His human acts and His passion truly redemptive, for in them the transforming power of God's omnipotent love is made present.

Against this backdrop, we can understand the ambiguity of the title applied to Mary. If Co-Redemptrix were understood in the strict sense, it would place the Virgin on the same level as divine action, alongside the Father and the Holy Spirit, which is unacceptable. Only Christ is the Redeemer in that sense, because He is God made man.

How, then, can we explain the existence of a tradition that uses this title, even among some pontiffs?

The reason is that redemption is often understood in terms of redemptive work, that is, as the sum of Christ's actions and sufferings, mainly His human self-giving and obedience to God the Father. Without these, one could not properly speak of redemption, which involves an act of rescue.

At this level, it is understandable to attribute special cooperation to the Virgin Mary, whose faithful, pure, and immaculate life was intimately united with that of Christ. Her sufferings and merits, associated with those of her Son, can be understood as a subordinate contribution to the redemptive work on behalf of mankind. 
Some express this intuition with the term co-redemptrix.

Perhaps it would be more accurate to interpret Mary's intimate union with Christ throughout her life, and especially in the mystery of the Cross, as an expression of her spiritual motherhood and her motherhood in the Church.  

Considering the theological nuances involved in the discussion about Mary as Co-Redemptrix, it seems prudent to avoid categorical statements on the subject and to favor a calm and comprehensive reflection that places the mystery of Mary in its proper place: at the center—without being the center—of the economy of salvation.
Excerpts from Antonio Ducay.   Nov 23 Sun (bis)

How can I serve Christ better?

 

How can I serve Christ better?
- With self-sacrifice.

“It is sad today to see that there are also many millions of people in the world who turn against Christ, or rather against the shadow of Christ, since Christ is One they do not know. They haven't seen the beauty of his face. They do not know how wonderful his teachings are, and they say the same thing the Jews said two thousand years ago: ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’

“Faithful to our Christian vocation, we must serve, without show or noise, trying to do the work of three thousand while making the noise of three. By working in this way, without drawing attention to ourselves, passing unnoticed, gently taking problems off other people's plates."

“I have a feeling inside as if our Lord were asking me a specific question: ‘How do you let me reign in you?’ I would reply that, for him to reign in me, so that my every heartbeat, my every breath, may be transformed into a Hosanna! to Christ my King... I would say to the Lord that, for Him to reign in me, I need his grace."

“Service. How I like that word! Serving my king, Christ Jesus, serving, always serving. Give us, my Mother, this sense of service. When faced with the wonder of God who was to become man, you said: Ecce ancilla! Behold your handmaid! Teach me to serve like that."

“My mother, may I bear the witness of this service to Christ in the world, by making him the King of all my life's actions, the ultimate and only reason for my existence. Then, once I've borne witness by my example, I'll be able to give the doctrine, the theory, as Jesus did, who began to do and teach."

Christ will reign in us, despite our errors, if we humbly struggle to make reparation.
Don't let your mistakes worry you. Be faithful to our Lord; seek him constantly, and ask for his help.
“How do you react when you make a mistake? Do you become discouraged? If so, then you're not a good child of God nor a good soldier of Christ the King, because such a reaction comes from pride and not humility. What do you think you are? I see myself, and I repeat it many times a day, as a poor and humble servant. Our Lord sought us out just as we are."

“Lord, help me to leave all my foolishness behind. But if at night you once again have proof of your human condition, don't become discouraged. You're a human being, a soldier of Christ, and you want him to reign."

Our Lord is telling us: ‘If you put me at the heart of all earthly activities by fulfilling each moment's duty, bearing witness to me in what seems big and in what seems small... then: I shall draw all things to myself! My kingdom among you will become a reality!’
May we learn to give our lives to the Lord our King, who has enrolled us in his service.

Nov 23 Sun

Could St. Josemaría be proclaimed Doctor of the Church?

 

Could St. Josemaría be proclaimed Doctor of the Church?
Before Pope Leo XIV recently declared St. John Henry Newman a Doctor of the Church, he had been a candidate to become so, in the opinion of many. 

The Church requires three characteristics for such recognition: first, holiness of life. Second, eminence in doctrine. Third, a universal impact on Christian teaching and spirituality.  

Among the future candidates, I would mention St. Josemaría Escrivá, Founder of Opus Dei. He developed the theology of sanctification in ordinary life. 
Known as the Patron Saint of Ordinary Life, he held the conviction that the sanctity which “ordinary” Christians are called to seek is not a minor version of sanctity. We must become “contemplatives in the midst of the world.” And yes, St. Josemaría believed it to be possible, as long as these five steps are followed. 

1. Love the reality of your present circumstances.

“Do you really want to be a saint? Carry out the little duties of each moment: do what you ought and concentrate on what you are doing.”

Leave behind ‘mystical wishful thinking’: If only I hadn’t married; if only I had a different job or degree; if only I were in better health; if only I were younger. Instead, turn to the present reality; there, you’ll find the Lord.

There is no other way: either we learn to find our Lord in ordinary, everyday life, or we shall never find him.

2. Discover that “something divine” hidden in the details.

“God is close by. We live as though he were far away, in the heavens high above, and we forget that He is also continually by our side.”
How can we find him? How can we establish a relationship with Him? In the most ordinary situations, it is up to each one of us to discover Him.

We must transform all the circumstances, both pleasant and unpleasant, of ordinary life into a source of dialogue with God and, hence, into a source of contemplation. 

3. Foster unity in life.

To acquire an authentic life of prayer, we must seek personal improvement by acquiring human virtues. 

Avoid the temptation of leading a double life: on the one hand, an inner life, a life related to God; and on the other, as something unrelated and distinct, your professional, social, and family life.

4. See Christ in others.

When we learn to recognize Christ in our brothers, everyday relations acquire unsuspected opportunities. And from that inner and continuous dialogue with Christ comes the urge to speak to others about Him: “The apostolate is the love of God, that overflows, and is given to others.”

5. Do everything out of love.

“Everything that is done for Love becomes beautiful and grand.” This is the ultimate word in the spirituality of St. Josemaría. It’s not a question of trying to do grand things or wait for extraordinary circumstances. It is to humbly make an effort in the little duties of every moment, putting in all the human love and perfection we are capable of. 
Nov 22 Sat 

What does it mean to be the Church?

 

What does it mean to be the Church?
Pope Leo XIV offers three reflections.

The Basilica of St. John Lateran is more than just a monument or a historical landmark. It is “a sign of the living Church, built with chosen and precious stones in Christ Jesus, the cornerstone.”

For this reason, the early Christian community soon began to apply the “name of church, which means the assembly of the faithful, to the temple that gathers them together.”

As we gaze upon this building, let us reflect on what it means to be the Church.

Firstly, let us consider its foundations. If the builders had not dug deep enough to find a solid base on which to construct, the entire building would have collapsed long ago. Fortunately, however, digging deep, they raised the walls that welcome us, and this makes us feel much more at ease.

As laborers in the living Church, we too must first dig deep within ourselves and around ourselves before we can build impressive structures. We must remove any unstable material that would prevent us from reaching the solid rock of Christ.

This implies constantly returning to Jesus and his Gospel and being docile to the action of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, we risk overloading a building with too weak foundations to support.

Let us dig deep, unhindered by worldly criteria, which too often demand immediate results and disregard the wisdom of waiting. The millennial history of the Church teaches us that with God’s help, a true community of faith can only be built with humility and patience. Such a community is capable of spreading charity, promoting mission, proclaiming, celebrating, and being united to the Apostolic Magisterium.

When Jesus calls us to take part in God’s great project, He transforms us by skillfully shaping us according to His plans for salvation. The image of Work, a “construction site,” has often been used to describe our ecclesial journey.

Thanks to the perseverance of those who came before us, we can now gather in this wonderful place.

Finally, I would like to mention an essential aspect of the Cathedral’s mission: Liturgy. The Liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed… the source from which all her power flows. Therefore, care for the liturgy, especially here, must be such that it can serve as an example for the whole people of God.

It must comply with the established norms, be attentive to the different sensibilities of those participating, and adhere to the principle of wise inculturation.

Every care should be taken to ensure that the simple beauty of the rites expresses the value of worship for the harmonious growth of the whole Body of the Lord. As Saint Augustine said, “Beauty is nothing but love, and love is life.” This truth is accomplished in an eminent way within the liturgy, and I hope that those who approach the altar of Rome’s Cathedral go away filled with the grace that the Lord wishes to flood the world.
Nov 21 Fri

Why is there the washing of hands in the Mass?

 

Why is there the washing of hands in the Mass? 
In every Mass, a liturgical act is performed, which originally was a practical necessity. The celebrant washes his hands, which have touched the sundry offerings as well as the censer, before taking up the bread about to become the body of Christ.

The Church has kept this ceremony of the Lavabo to express the desire for interior purification. “This action shows that we must be free from all sin. We perform actions with our hands; to wash our hands is the nearest thing to purifying our deeds.”

To express his desire to be cleansed within, the priest washes his hands at the side of the altar while he says,

- Lord, wash away my iniquity; cleanse me from my sin.

He then returns to the center of the altar to begin the Eucharistic Prayer. He begs us to unite ourselves with him in the sacrificial act as it draws nearer.

He seems to pause in what he is doing, extending and then joining his hands, to make a last pressing appeal for unity, before he proceeds to the Consecration. He does this by using the words of a medieval prayer, which is a sort of long-drawn “Let us pray”:

- Pray, brethren, that my sacrifice and yours 
may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father. 
 
Thus, the priest stresses that the sacrifice is mine (i.e., Christ offers himself—the aspect of ministerial priesthood), and yours (the entire Church offers the sacrifice—the aspect of common or baptismal priesthood).

Standing, our answer expresses with the same simplicity the intentions of the Mass:

- May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands 
for the praise and glory of his name, 
for our good, and the good of all his Church. 
 
Then, the priest directs the Prayer over the Gifts in the name of all of us present and the entire holy people to God. We remain standing at this presidential prayer to signify our unity in faith and worship.
 
Since the early ages of Christianity, the Prayer over the Gifts was said in the orans attitude, i.e., with arms outstretched.
 
We should not forget that the only worthy offering is that of the body and blood of Christ. Our inward gift of self to God consists in a life lived in a state of grace; it means fleeing from sin and being faithful to our ordinary duties. 

For Christians, all their works, prayers, and apostolic endeavors, their ordinary married and family life, if patiently borne—all these become “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 2:5). Together with the offering of the Lord’s body, they are most fittingly offered in the celebration of the Eucharist.  

Every morning, we should offer our day to God. We do not always do it with a concrete formula.  This practice of piety, like an anticipated Prayer over the Gifts, will serve as a preparation for the Eucharist. Our morning offering will awaken our spirit of service and will guard us against the temptation of pride, love of comfort, and irresponsibility.
Nov 20 Thu

Are bad actions always bad?

 

Are bad actions always bad?
When researchers asked adults to evaluate twelve behaviors traditionally viewed as sinful, only six were still condemned by a majority: lying or manipulation, taking God’s name in vain, idol worship, sex outside marriage, pornography, and the use of illegal drugs. On the rest, the moral consensus was divided.

Abortion, sexual fantasies, and cheating on taxes now divide the nation almost perfectly in half — a fifty-fifty split that reveals not moral apathy, but moral disunity. 

Meanwhile, behaviors that were once commonly understood as transgressions — drunkenness, gambling, and ignoring the rest day — are now dismissed by most as harmless, or even irrelevant to morality altogether.

The generational and religious divide is striking. Among young adults and the religiously unaffiliated, traditional notions of sin are often viewed as outdated or oppressive. 

Among older generations and the devout, particularly those with a biblical worldview, moral categories remain far more stable.

Baby Boomers and seniors are consistently more likely to describe lying, sexual immorality, and irreverence toward God as sins.

The study suggests that the real story is not simply a loss of faith, but a growing moral pluralism — a society in which ethical boundaries are drawn from a thousand different sources: personal preference, social consensus, identity politics, or psychological well-being. The result is that we no longer speak a common moral language.

For those who continue to realize that morality is grounded in divine revelation, this trend is deeply unsettling. “If sin can mean anything or nothing,” said one of the report’s researchers, “then redemption also loses its meaning. A culture that no longer recognizes sin cannot easily talk about forgiveness, responsibility, or grace.”

But for others, the shift represents liberation — a breaking free from inherited guilt and religious constraint. To them, morality is evolving toward empathy and authenticity rather than obedience and dogma. The line between sin and choice, they argue, should be drawn not by theology but by harm: does it hurt others, or oneself?

This is Consequentialism, which claims that the morality of an action depends exclusively on the merely foreseeable consequences resulting from the choice of action (a technical way of stating that the end can sometimes justify the means).

A related moral error is Proportionalism, which maintains that the morality of an action can be measured solely by weighing the values and goods being sought by the doer and comparing them with the merely external resulting bad effects.

Both Consequentialism and Proportionalism maintain that it is impossible to establish a series of actions that are morally wrong in every circumstance and in every culture.

Still, the cultural consequences are hard to ignore. When the concept of sin collapses, so too does the sense of shared accountability that once bound communities together. 

This redefinition of sin may reflect a deepest spiritual paradox: a people that remains fascinated by faith but uncertain about truth, yearning for meaning while suspicious of authority.

Do I believe in moral gravity? In the idea that some acts, regardless of current fashion or feeling, fall short of something higher than myself?
Some excerpts from Tim Daniels
Nov 19 Wed

What are the official titles of the Pope?

 

What are the official titles of the Pope?

The Pope bears a series of official titles that express his unique role as the successor of St. Peter and the visible head of the universal Church. These titles are rooted in Scripture, the teachings of the Councils, and the Church’s legal and doctrinal tradition.

1. Vicar of Christ – He acts as Christ’s representative on earth, a title derived from Christ’s commission to Peter to “feed my lambs” (Jn 21:16‑17).
This title emphasizes that the Pope acts as Christ's representative on Earth, the visible head of the Church, and in communion with all the bishops of the world.

2. Successor of St Peter – The Pope inherits the primacy given by Christ to Peter, the “visible foundation” of the Church.

3. Supreme Pontiff (or Supreme Pontifex) – The title that signifies his supreme jurisdiction over the entire Church.
The word "pontiff" comes from the Latin "pontifex," which literally means "bridge builder." This title recalls the Pope's role as mediator between God and men, and as the highest priest and visible shepherd of the Church.

4. Head of the College of Bishops – As the successor of Peter, he presides over the episcopal college, exercising its supreme authority.

5. Patriarch of the Western Church – The Pope is the sole patriarch of the Latin (Western) tradition.
In the early centuries of Christianity, the term "patriarch" was used to designate the bishops who presided over the five great apostolic sees: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. 

6. Bishop of Rome – the Pope is the diocesan bishop of the city of Rome, the see entrusted to Peter by Christ.
All his authority derives from this office. The Pope is, above all, the Bishop of Rome, successor of the Apostle Peter, the first pastor of this Christian community, who died and was buried there after exercising his apostolic ministry.
The diocese of Rome remains his proper see: there he has his cathedral, the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

7. Archbishop of the Roman Province – Together with his episcopal office, he holds the metropolitan rank over the surrounding Roman province.

8. Primate of Italy and the adjacent islands – A title that reflects his jurisdictional preeminence in the Italian region.

I addition to these titles, the Pope uses other titles that convey his pastoral, doctrinal, and juridical authority within the Catholic Church:

- Pastor of the universal Church – The Pope shepherds the whole People of God, possessing full, supreme, immediate, and universal ordinary power.

- Servant of the Servants of God – A title emphasizing his role of humble service to all the faithful. Despite his authority, the pontiff is called to serve as an example of Christ, who washed the feet of his disciples.

- Sovereign of the Vatican City State - Beyond his role as leader of the Catholic Church, the Pope is also head of state. He governs Vatican City, the smallest country in the world.
Nov 18 Tue

Should I pray for others?

 

Should I pray for others?
We can, and should, pray for others. We can share in their suffering without bearing it ourselves.

Of course, we may still respond emotionally to suffering in the world, and that’s fine. That’s human. We should feel something. 

The point is, our prayers do matter. They do effect change; they do help those for whom they are offered. Our prayers may not dramatically change their circumstances or save their lives; they may simply help them carry whatever burden they are experiencing. That’s no small thing. 

I recall a time when my family was faced with something of a crisis. I reached out to a group of friends and requested their prayers for my special intention. Throughout the day, I was filled with peace, despite experiencing a situation that I had every earthly right to panic over. Philippians 4:6-7 came to my mind: 

- Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

Sometimes we are so overwhelmed by a crisis that we have difficulty praying. In these situations, it is helpful—and humbling—to reach out to others for their intercession. The peace that surpasses all understanding that you feel in the midst of tumultuous times may very well be the power of other people’s prayers for you. 

In our independent, I-can-do-it-myself society, it can be really hard to ask for help in the form of prayers. Our pride, embarrassment, or the need to protect someone’s reputation can all prevent us from reaching out to others. Fortunately, there is always the anonymity of calling it a “special intention.” There is nothing wrong with requesting these nonspecific prayers. Again, no one needs to know all the details to offer prayer for a situation; you might even be doing your benefactors a favor. 

You rarely know what others are dealing with, but it is guaranteed that they can use your intercession for something. It doesn’t have to be difficult or take much time. Just offer up a brief prayer—or a suffering in your own life—for the benefit of another. This unites us to Heaven and can, quite literally, change lives now and for eternity. 

Of course, the need for our intercession is not limited to this world. The Holy Souls in Purgatory are always in need of our intercession. The month of November is the perfect time to start a habit of praying for the deceased.

Lastly, the most powerful prayer we can offer is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Have those Masses said—for the souls in Purgatory, for your neighbor experiencing a health crisis, for your child or spouse on their birthday, even for that celebrity walking down a dark path. No prayer for another goes to waste. Interceding for others through prayer and sacrifice truly is the least we can do, and it is so simple to accomplish. 

Excerpts from Caroline Manno; she is a wife and mother.  Nov 17 Mon

How should my life be in this period of salvation?

 

How should my life be in this period of salvation?
Just as the magnificent Temple of Jerusalem would soon be destroyed by the wrath of the Romans, so too everything in this life, no matter how good, is falling into ruin.

We are living in that period of salvation history after the Ascension of Christ and before his Second Coming. Our time in history is filled with commotion.

We, followers of Christ, should always be ready to face persecution. When you are attacked for the good you do or the truth you hold, Christ himself will “give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.”

“You will be hated by all because of my name.” If we love Christ, which means to assent to the truths He has revealed and imitate his behavior, we will experience harassment.

“But not a hair on your head will be destroyed.” We may face every kind of injustice, even execution, but faithfulness to Christ, which He himself will make possible, will lead to eternal life.

Christ the Lord already reigns through the Church, but all the things of this world are not yet subjected to him. Eventually, He will rule the world with justice, and all creation will shout with joy.

The triumph of Christ’s kingdom will not come about without one last assault by the powers of evil. When we face ultimate persecution, Christ will teach us what to say, and nothing will truly hurt us.

On Judgment Day at the end of the world, Christ will come in glory to achieve the definitive triumph of good over evil. This is the Second Coming of Christ.

When He comes at the end of time to judge the living and the dead, the glorious Christ will reveal the secret disposition of hearts and will render to each man according to his works and according to his acceptance or refusal of grace. As Malachi foresees, Christ’s coming will be like a consuming fire for some; all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble. But for others, who fear God’s name, the sun of justice will arise with its healing rays.

Here is a little examination of conscience based on today’s readings.

- Do I fear God’s name? That is, do I put doing the Will of God first?

- Do I welcome justice? That is, are my actions such that I have no fear of them being revealed for all to see?

- Do I live an orderly life? In other words, am I practicing the four cardinal virtues, enlightened by the Gospel and strengthened by grace:

- Prudence (seeing what God wants me to do),

- Justice (doing what God wants me to do),

- Fortitude (courage and toughness when fear or weakness are obstacles to doing what God wants me to do), and

- Temperance (self-control when some pleasure tempts me not to do what God wants me to do)?

- Do I work and keep busy, providing for myself and my family as best I can, while trying to be holy in my own ordinary business?
Excerpts by Kevin Aldrich.  Nov 16 Sun

What are the enemies of my perseverance in following Jesus?

 

What are the enemies of my perseverance in following Jesus?

Perseverance is a grace from God, which requires our full response.

"Jesus did not choose me for that. He chose me... because He did so, because he wanted to." There were others among our Lord's people, others who were closer to him, but He remembered me.”

God, who called us, will give us the means to respond faithfully to his subsequent calls, until our very last breath. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?

“Along the way - yours and mine - I see only one difficulty, appearing in different forms, which we have to fight against constantly ..."

That difficulty is the danger of becoming "bourgeois", in our professional or spiritual life, selfish people devoid of love...

There are usually two clear symptoms of this difficulty and danger: lukewarmness and inconstancy in the apostolate and concern for others. 

The root of temptations against perseverance can be of many kinds. Sometimes, it is the bad example of someone we thought to be very holy. Or that brother or sister, who was God's instrument to draw us closer to Jesus, weakens and doesn't respond to grace.

No, don't hesitate. From such sad cases, we must draw deep-rooted humility to strengthen our own determination. 

At other times, concupiscence disguises itself as refinement, poetry, or even spirituality.

Very often, the temptation is cowardice: “I'm weak. I know myself. It's true that, thanks to God's mercy, I don't offend him as a rule. But... these daily struggles! Always on the edge of the precipice. I'm afraid to give myself... and then fall. I'm not worthy to give myself entirely to God."

“Your humility, my son, has only the appearance of humility. You think you are exceptional: that you alone have to struggle or, at any rate, that the struggles of others are not like yours."

“Do you really think that the saints did not, and do not, have to conquer in battles as big as your daily battles, or even bigger ones? If that were the case, the saints would be abnormal. They would be clinical cases to be studied by a modernistic doctor or a psychologist eagerly looking for deformities."

What is happening to you happens to everyone. And it will go on like that until the end of your mortal life, so that you may not become proud.

“You said, and you were right, that by God's mercy you don't offend him. Don't you see that if you cast your cowardice aside and give yourself to him completely, He will have for you all the mercy you need? Don't you hear Christ telling you, as he told the Apostle: My grace is sufficient for you?"

Our Lord gives us his grace to persevere. He only asks us to employ the means. In the first place, to be truly prayerful souls. We attain this by means of the Norms of piety. 

Besides leading a life of piety, we have to flee from occasions of sin, guard our hearts, and never give in to the "dumb devil."

Devotion to our Blessed Lady will help us to be very faithful to our calling.
Nov 15 Sat

Is heaven just looking at God?

 

Is heaven just looking at God?
Addressing the faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square on Sunday, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the meaning of the first few days of November, when the Church marks the Solemnity of All Saints and the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. The Pope said that in these days, “the resurrection of the crucified Jesus from the dead sheds light on the destiny of each one of us.”

He quoted the Gospel of St. John, recalling Christ's promise: "It is the will of Him who sent me that I should lose nothing of what He gave me, but that I should raise it up on the last day." 

Reflecting on these words, the Pope emphasized that “the focus of God’s concerns is clear,” and that is, “that no one should perish forever and that everyone should have their own place and radiate their unique beauty.”

Recalling the previous day's celebration of All Saints, Pope Leo described it as “a communion of differences that, so to speak, extends God’s life to all his daughters and sons who wish to share in it.” Every human being, he said, carries a desire “for recognition, attention and joy.” 

He added that the expression “eternal life” gives a name to this longing. “It is not a succession of time without end", he added, "but being so immersed in an ocean of infinite love that time, before, and after no longer exist.”

Pope Leo then went on to remind the faithful gathered that Christians have always remembered the deceased in the Eucharist, “asking that those dear to them be remembered in the Eucharistic Prayer.” From this arises the hope that no one will perish.”

Finally, Leo XIV exhorted Christians to live these days with active hope: “Let us commemorate, therefore, the future,” Pope Leo concluded, “for we are not enclosed in the past or in sentimental tears of nostalgia. Neither are we sealed within the present, as in a tomb.”

Thus, we shall not be merely ‘onlookers’ in heaven, contemplating the glory, the beauty, the power, and goodness of God from outside. Rather, we hope to share with Him in these qualities, a kind of “divinization,” a real transformation of man.

“Then we will come to know our Lord better, and at the same time, we will realize more fully the great favor that has been granted us when we became Christians. We will see all the greatness and truth of the divinization, which is a sharing in God's own life." St. Josemaría

This fullness of life and joy in Christ is what we hope for and await with all our being.

Memory is precious and yet so fragile. Without the memory of Jesus - of his life, death, and resurrection - the immense treasure of our ordinary daily life risks being forgotten. Yet in Christ, even those whom no one remembers, or whom history seems to have erased, always remain in their infinite dignity.
Nov 14 Fri

Why does the priest use bread and wine in the Mass?

 

Why does the priest use bread and wine in the Mass?
The priest takes the paten with the bread and, holding it slightly raised above the altar, says,

- Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation… 
 
We may respond, “Blessed be God for ever.”

The first Christians used ordinary bread at Mass marked with a cross or some other symbol of Christ. From about the ninth century, azyme bread began to be used, recalling the unleavened bread Jesus used at the Last Supper.

Bread is the most eloquent symbol of human existence. To earn your bread means to make a living. 

Also, the little piece of bread on the paten represents, poetically, the union of man’s work with the earth, a natural element.

Therefore, when we offer bread as a participation in Christ’s sacrifice, we intend also to offer all the beauty and goodness of nature united to our own work.

Like in the Gospel episode of the multiplication of the loaves and the fish, Christ wants us to put in whatever we have got. The boy in the Gospel parted with the few loaves and fish he had, even though he could not believe his meager contribution would solve anything.

Then, the celebrant pours wine into the chalice and says,

- Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation... 

Then, bowing in an attitude of profound humility, offering not only these gifts but also our self-oblation, he says,

- Lord God, we ask you to receive us… 

This prayer is taken from the song of the three companions of Daniel who were thrown into the furnace. The priest speaks in his own name and in those of the faithful, and asks God to accept the sacrifice about to be offered. God should find in us true humility and sincere repentance for our sins.

The priest may incense the gifts placed upon the altar and then the cross and the altar itself, to signify the Church’s offering and prayer rising like incense in the sight of God. Next, the priest, because of his sacred ministry, and the people, by reason of their baptismal dignity, may be incensed.

It was an ancient custom to take wine mixed with water, as the chalice of Jesus contained in the Last Supper. The Church retained this gesture to symbolize the sanctification of the Christian, which is accomplished through his union with Jesus Christ. The water becomes a symbol of ourselves: our lives, with all their weaknesses.

Have you stopped to think what happens to the drops of water mixed with the wine? They are absorbed by it and then become inseparable from it. So does Jesus absorb us. The drops of water are of negligible worth; they are not even enough to quench anyone’s thirst. Yet, they will end up being divine blood! And all that because they let themselves be mixed with the wine and be dissolved in it, thus manifesting self-denial, personal renunciation.

At this moment, we grow in our desire to offer ourselves in total self-surrender, as the few drops of water in the chalice have reminded us. So, we will be able to become one with Jesus Christ after the Consecration.
Nov 13 Thu

Did the saints begin again?

 

Did the saints begin again?

Along with the defeats, God gives us hope.

We still have to accomplish a lot on earth, on the way to Glory. St Paul, a convert, after he decided to follow Christ, did not turn back: “Do not throw away the grace of God!"

Let's not waste it. Let's not lose it, let's not make it useless.

We all need light. When it is turned on, do not turn it off!

Our time is a treasure that the Lord places in our hands so that we can take advantage of it. Bear fruit.

Let the wicked abandon their way, and let them return.

Come back! You have gone too far. You have run a lot off the path. Back!

And start again? Yes, start over!

We must follow in the footsteps of the Master; thus, we must abandon the bad paths, retrace them, and return.

After a fall, ask for forgiveness

Let us take refuge in the very great mercy of our God, a God who forgives, and begin your Christian life anew!

Real men always fight, and those who fight often fall, but when they do, they rejoin the struggle. And if the faults are great, great are the penances. Men of God do many things full of love for the Lord, and sometimes, because they are weak, they commit small infidelities or great blunders.

When a fighting soldier receives a wound or retreats a bit, no one thinks it is a crime.

The only ones who do not receive wounds are those who do not fight.

The Lord allows setbacks and relapses in the lives of those who serve Him, so that, repentant, they may begin again with new vigor the usual journey. 

Even when the disloyalties are of great weight, the purpose of amendment must be sincere. And then..., everything leads not only to continue treading along the path, but even to rise to heights never reached in the previous stage. 

Everything can help us. St Paul tells us that everything is for the good of those who love God, even sins.
Thus, those filled with humility and distrust in their own strength, rise and rise and rise in the life of Love.
And start over!

And after a good confession and the fulfillment of penance, and perhaps of tears, a message of hope springs up again for hearts that want to begin anew: "The Lord has forgiven your sin," they hear. Now, forget what God has forgotten and..., follow the path of the brave.

Were there mistakes, setbacks? Well, get up. And now, with more enthusiasm than before.

"In this tournament of love, we should not be saddened by falls, or even serious falls, if we go to God with sorrow and sincerity in the sacrament of Penance. The Christian is not a maniacal collector of an immaculate service record."

Begin again, my friend. This is what is in your hands. 
Nov 12 Wed

Did the saints have defects?

 

Did the saints have defects?
With the logical exception of the Lord and the Blessed Virgin, all saints had defects.

We could see the temperamental defects of St. Therésè de Lisieux. Many consider her to be an extremely delicate and childish woman. However, this is what his mother wrote: "She is almost invincibly stubborn. 
When she says no, there is no human power that can make her change her mind; even if we put her in the darkroom for a whole day, she would rather sleep in it than say yes."
She was a mischievous, restless, boisterous girl, like so many other girls. Yet over the years, we will see her on the altars.

We can imagine the converted, enthusiastic, and brilliant Saint Augustine as an extraordinary orator, and he must have been. However, it is also recorded that he was very heavy in Catechesis; at least boring enough for part of the auditorium to leave. That is what he said.

We admit all kinds of temptations and battles in the interior life of holy souls. We recognize their errors, but we must not fall into the position of his contemporaries, who, in the fifth century, defended the impossibility of Saint Augustine professing the truth because he had been a great sinner.

St. Augustine, like so many others, had certainly been a great sinner, but later he would follow the authentic path to return to his Father's house, where there is light, love, and truth.

We see that many saints were fickle, boastful, had little faith, were reckless, distrustful, and exhibited attitudes that implied a lack of love at times. Yet they became saints..., because they rectified and persevered. Among the Apostles, only one went away. And he ended badly.

To be effective, we are all asked to persevere in the struggle; this is what authentic holiness consists of. Interior life is manifested in the love of God, in the service to one's neighbor, in lending a hand to those in need, and in overlooking the small defects of relatives or neighbors that provoke us to get irritated.

Holiness does not consist in standing on a pedestal holding a palm in one's hand. Saints must not remain inactive. We have to move, worry about a brother's illness, be careful so that the food doesn't stick to the pan, participate in elections, and talk to your children's teachers.

These are the saints of today, who go on the "subway", pray to the Virgin, work in the fields, use a computer, rest for a weekend with their loved ones and return to work on Monday mornings to do what they always do, what they do every week, what they do all year round. They take care that everything you do today – communion,  work, service...– is done with a little more love, affection, fervor than was done yesterday.

Let us not lose hope. If we have fallen – like the saints – let us also try to imitate them, getting up at once. Let's renew ourselves in love. We need it. Today is a good day to say to God: Now I begin! Perhaps we hadn't told him this for a long time. We still have a long way to go. Now I begin!
Nov 11 Tue

May I propagate doctrinal error for the sake of ‘charity’?

 

May I propagate doctrinal error for the sake of ‘charity’?
Our life, like that of Jesus, unfolds among people in the heart of society. At a banquet, all eyes were fixed on Jesus. And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus asked, "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not?"

Jesus did what he had to do, unconcerned about false scandals. And then, he explained his behavior. That is how we should practice our faith. At times, those around us may not appreciate our example or may even oppose it. But we can never make concessions in essential matters, nor hide our light, in a false attempt to adapt ourselves to the environment around us.

We need strength of character to lead a Christian life with all its consequences. “Therefore, at times, we have no alternative but to give a hard time to ourselves and to others, to help them be better. Even if other people misinterpret our actions and react disagreeably."

“We have to learn to disagree charitably with others - whenever the need arises - without becoming unpleasant."

We too must seek the good of all souls. By our good example and sound doctrine, we will try to draw them closer to God. “A saint is an 'uncomfortable' person. But that doesn't mean he has to be ‘unbearable’. His should never be a bitter zeal. When he corrects, he should not do so in a wounding manner. His example should not be a ‘moral slap in the face’ for his friends. Christ's charity, the holy patience towards others I referred to, should soften everything." St. Josemaría

“Our attitude ought to be just the opposite. We don't want anyone to go away because we haven't known how to understand them or treat them affectionately. We should never be people who are looking for a fight."

Our behavior must always be marked by sensitivity and affection. We should listen to and take an interest in other people's concerns and struggles.

Indeed, we must always live among the people of our time, in accordance with their mentality and customs. But always be prepared to make a defense for the hope that is in us in Christ Jesus. We don't have to adapt to your surroundings, since we are already among our fellow men; nor can we be told apart as disciples of Christ. What a great deal of wishful thinking, fear, and cowardice there is in certain desires for adaptation, at the cost of spreading errors!

“The spreading of Christian teaching need not provoke antagonism or harm those who do not know our doctrine. If one proceeds with charity, anyone who might otherwise have been opposed to Christianity and been deceived by error may easily and honestly end up committing himself to it. However, there can be no giving ground in dogma in the name of a naive ‘lee way of belief’, for if anyone acted in this way, he would risk putting himself out of the Church. Instead of winning a benefit for others, he would harm himself."
Nov 10 Mon 

Why are church buildings blessed?

 

Why are church buildings blessed?

When the Jewish people wandered in the desert, God wanted a place set aside for Himself, where He could reveal His plans to Moses and respond to the Israelites' requests. The Lord explained to Moses even the small details for the construction they should undertake: the ark, the tabernacle, the altar of holocausts, and the lampstand. These were visible signs by which He made known to His people that He dwelled among them and was always ready to listen to their pleas and care for them at every moment.

The God who made heaven and earth desires churches dedicated to His worship to show visibly that He is continually present among men and to make it easier to approach Him.

The material building consecrated to God symbolizes the Church, represented on earth by the living stones, your chosen people, that is, Christians. It also symbolizes the heavenly Jerusalem, the Church triumphant in heaven, where human buildings will no longer exist; its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb. When the heavens and the earth are renewed at the end of the world, the heavenly tabernacle will be the one true sanctuary, where God will dwell with all the just who have gloriously risen, being their light and life.

Since Christ's coming to earth, the church is truly the place of God's presence among men. The Son of God has chosen to dwell in every tabernacle. The center of our churches is a tabernacle that men could never have imagined. Christ Himself is really present in the sacrament of the Eucharist, with His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Moreover, on the altars of our churches, the sacrifice of the new and everlasting covenant is renewed in the unbloody immolation of the sole victim of Calvary.

Each church is a place dedicated to public worship. It is the house of God; Jesus is there, sacramentally present. It is not surprising, therefore, that we make every effort to adorn our churches in the most dignified way possible. To reach God, we need to use our senses and emotions. Therefore, we need images to aid our devotion, and everything should be clean and attractive. St. Josemaría writes, “Sacred art should lead us to God and respect holy things. Its goal must be to foster piety and devotion. For many centuries, religious art was the best art because it followed that rule, respecting its intrinsic purpose. Some modernistic images are often caricatures. They are as bad as the 'sugar-coated' images. What is ugly and disrespectful is just as bad as what is unctuous and in bad taste."

A Christian can find God anywhere, because he always bears Him within himself. His soul in grace is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Thus, we must always show great refinement and love towards Jesus in the tabernacle, where He has chosen to remain hidden, waiting for us like an eternal lover.

We ask our Lady to teach us how to show Jesus the same refinement and love that she showed Him in Bethlehem, at Nazareth, and throughout her whole life.
Pic: Apse of St John Lateran, in Rome.   Nov 9 Sun

Should I try to develop human virtues?

 

Should I try to develop human virtues?
There are two levels in the virtues (or ‘powers’ of man), the human virtues and the supernatural virtues. The latter ones develop our relationship with God with the help of grace. Human virtues constitute the foundation for the supernatural virtues.

First, we must develop the human virtues to be friends of freedom and personal responsibility; to be sincere, loyal, generous, self-sacrificing, optimistic, tenacious, determined, rightly-intentioned, and capable of working hard. 

“These human virtues, when supernaturalized, enable us to practice the theological virtues and to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit with greater docility."

We need both human and supernatural virtues to be mature. Thus, hardly could a person be sincere with God if he is not sincere with his companions.

“Human maturity, the Second Vatican Council teaches, will be chiefly attested to by a certain stability of character, the ability to make carefully weighed decisions, and a sound judgment of events and people." People who are humanly mature judge themselves realistically and objectively. They recognize their limitations and know what they want as well as what they can do. And so, they are self-confident and balanced, and can always act consistently and responsibly.

Very different is the attitude of immature people. Such individuals have not achieved full human development and deceive themselves by hiding their timidity beneath a façade of arrogance or false humility. They live in a state of insecurity, avoiding openness and commitment. Above all, immature people fear themselves.

In their relations with others, mature people can always find the right place. This is how God wants us to be: “prudent, thoughtful and measured in all we do; ready to learn and diligently carry out whatever we are asked; prompt to avoid danger, with a balanced spirit of initiative; ready to judge - if it's our duty to - when we possess all the necessary information; and quick to flee from excessive concern for temporal things."

By contrast, people who are not yet mature are uneasy in their relations with others. They are either weak and condescending, or they take refuge in an authoritarian and barren rigidity. “A clear sign of ... immaturity is the desire to reform everything and do so immediately. Such people think that all their predecessors and their superiors were fools." 

Immature people are stubborn and grumpy, incapable of listening to others or rectifying their mistakes. We must have the sense of proportion, the calm, the fortitude, and the sense of responsibility that many acquire only after years have passed.

In our efforts to acquire rapidly the necessary maturity, we also must rely on the powerful help of a life of piety. “By fulfilling the Norms of piety, St. Josemaría wrote, we will learn to practice the necessary virtues. And along with these virtues, they will acquire a whole range of spiritual values: shining precious stones that we must gather along the way and place at the foot of God's throne: simplicity, cheerfulness, peace, small mortifications, and the faithful fulfillment of our duty..."
Nov 8 Sat