May 18 Mon - Should the priests separate themselves from “the world”?

 

May 18 Mon
Should the priests separate themselves from “the world”?

Recently, Pope Leo XIV ordained a group of priests in St. Peter's Basilica. 

The Pope described the priesthood as a "ministry of communion." Life in abundance comes to us in our deeply personal encounter with the person of the Son, but it immediately opens our eyes to our brothers and sisters who are already experiencing, or who are still seeking, the “power to become children of God.” 

The deeper your bond with Christ, the more radical your belonging to all of humanity. There is no opposition, nor competition, between heaven and earth; in Jesus, you are united forever. 

The Holy Spirit unites people and vocations in freedom, so that no one lives for themselves any longer. The Spirit calls us out of the “tomb” of isolation and seclusion, so that we can meet in the garden of communion where the Risen One is our guardian.

Like the love of spouses, the love that inspires celibacy for the Kingdom of God must also be guarded and constantly renewed, for every true affection matures and becomes fruitful over time. The priests are called to a specific and delicate way of loving and, even more so, of allowing themselves to be loved in freedom. This will make them not only good priests but also honest, helpful citizens, builders of peace and social friendship.

This is another secret for the life of the priest: we must not be frightened by reality. It is the Lord of life who calls us. 

Today’s search for security can lead to fear, division, and hostility. Instead, the priests must find their stability in Christ, rather than in their role or status.
Even these communities the priest serves must also help them to become saints.
You will encounter people who will direct you towards him. For your part, help them to walk together, following Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

The Pope encouraged the priests to foster unity, helping people come together.
Coming together always means planting the Church anew.

"I am the gate," Jesus said. Do not block this gate; the priests are to ensure that the Church remains accessible.

The Pope then insisted that priests should not act as gatekeepers who restrict access, but as channels, not filters.

In a context where many people feel distant from the Church, keep doors open and be ready both to welcome and to go out.
You belong to everyone and are for everyone.

He also emphasized that the Church should not confine people, but help them engage more fully with life. Quoting the Gospel, he noted that those who are saved "enter, go out, and find pasture."

Bringing his homily to a close, the Pope encouraged the new priests to engage with the wider world, including culture and everyday life.

This salvation is already at work in the many good deeds that are quietly carried out by people of goodwill in the parishes and other settings where you will join them as fellow travelers. Thus, what you proclaim and celebrate will protect you, even in difficult times. 

May 17 Sun - When Jesus goes to heaven, what does He expect us to do?

 

May 17 Sun
When Jesus goes to heaven, what does He expect us to do?

The Ascension of Christ is connected to the Christian apostolic mission.
While they were gazing into Heaven as He ascended, two men in white robes appeared to them. They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into Heaven? This Jesus, who was taken from you into Heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into Heaven." 

Like the Apostles, we are partly perplexed and partly saddened by his departure. It is not easy to get used to Jesus' physical absence. It makes me think that out of an excess of love, He has remained with us even after He has gone. He has ascended to Heaven, and at the same time, He gives Himself to us as our nourishment in the sacred host. However, we miss his human speech, his actions, his gaze, his smile, and his acts of kindness. We long to see him closely again. How can we not miss his presence?

The angels told the Apostles that it was now time for them to begin their task, that there was no time to waste. With the Ascension, Jesus' earthly mission comes to an end, and ours as his disciples begins. Jesus intercedes for us before his Father: "I do not pray that you should take them out of the world," out of our rightful place in society, out of our jobs or families, "but that you should keep them from the evil one." Jesus wants each of us to remain in our place, sanctifying the world from within, improving it, and offering it to God. Only then will the world be a place where human dignity is valued and respected, a place where people live in true peace, a peace closely linked to God.

As Jesus ascends to Heaven, He sends us out as his witnesses to the whole world. Our responsibility is great because being a witness of Christ means that we should behave according to his teachings, reminding others of Jesus and his most lovable personality.

Those we live and work with, those we come in contact with, should find us loyal, sincere, joyful, and hardworking. We should act as people who fulfill their duties honestly and live as children of God in the ups and downs of each day. The ordinary norms of courtesy, such as how we greet others, our cordiality, and spirit of service, should not be merely conventional and superficial for us. Instead, they should be the result of charity and a genuine interest in others.

We find Jesus in a special way in the Tabernacle. Let us turn to him there, even if we cannot physically go but only in our hearts, and ask for his help. Let us assure him that he can rely on us to spread his teachings wherever we go.

The Apostles returned to Jerusalem with Mary and awaited the coming of the Holy Spirit. Let us also prepare for Pentecost by staying close to our Lady. 

May 16 Sat - Should the ministerial priesthood remain?

 

May 16 Sat
Should the ministerial priesthood remain?

After being excommunicated, Martin Luther remained at Wartburg Castle in Germany until March 1522. He also notes that, while he was there, Satan appeared to him in a vision and revealed how the Mass should be reformed. 

Luther himself described the scene as follows: “It happened to me once that I suddenly woke up around midnight, and Satan began to argue with me.” The three points with which the devil attacked the Mass are the same ones that Luther would eventually defend: 
1) the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist; 
2) the ministerial priesthood, keeping only the common priesthood of all the faithful;
3) the denial that the Holy Mass is a sacrifice: the Mass, according to the devil and, following him, Luther, would be nothing more than a commemorative supper.

It is terrifying to think that some have the clear intention to abolish the ministerial priesthood, so distinctly Protestant. This stems directly from the evil one.

Without the ministerial priesthood, there is no Eucharist, and without the Eucharist, there is no Church.

In the Catholic Church, a historically common practice, such as the reforms of religious orders throughout the ages, has always consisted of a return to the origins.  

We should keep the following principles in mind:
- All the Christian faithful are radically and fundamentally equal.
- All the faithful are radically called and empowered to participate in the mission of the Church, which is the sanctification of all her members. This call and power are received in Baptism and perfected through Confirmation.
- Additionally, there are other priestly functions, primarily related to the Holy Eucharist, the pardon of sins, and the other sacraments. These functions include authoritatively preaching the word of God and governing the faithful in all that refers to the Kingdom of God.
- For these latter functions, the ministerial priesthood—received through the Sacrament of Holy Orders—differs in its essence, not just in degree, from the common priesthood of the faithful—as the recent popes have insistently asserted.

The tasks of priests are consecrating the body and blood of the Lord, forgiving sins, announcing the Gospel, caring for the faithful with their example and doctrine, and administering the sacraments that do not require episcopal powers.

By divine institution, “only a baptized man can validly receive sacred ordination.” Christ wanted those who publicly exercise the sacred ministry in his name to be men. Thus, He chose his Apostles among his male disciples.

Neither the Apostles nor their successors ever ordained women, even though priestesses were common in the Greek world they lived in after leaving their Jewish communities. The Church acknowledges that she is bound by this decision of our Lord.

The sacramental symbolism requires a natural likeness between the priest and Christ, who was and is a male.

The dignity of women is in no way diminished by their not being eligible for ordination. The most exalted human person is the Blessed Virgin, the Mother of God, but Christ chose not to call her to the ministerial priesthood. 

May 15 Fri - Why is Mary also the mother of Christians and the mother of the Church?

 

May 15 Fri

8. Why is Mary also the mother of Christians and the mother of the Church?

Jesus is Mary’s only Son. But Mary’s spiritual motherhood extends to all people whom He came to save: She gave birth to the Son, whom God appointed as the Firstborn among many brothers, that is, among believers, in whose birth and upbringing she cooperates with a mother’s love.

Standing by the cross, Jesus said to her, “Woman, here is your son.” Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.”

At the same time that she is recognized and venerated as the true Mother of God and of the Redeemer, it is even more said: "She is truly the Mother of the members (of Christ) because she collaborated with her love in the birth of believers, members of that Head, into the Church." Mary is the Mother of Christ, the Mother of the Church.

Mary is both virgin and mother because she is the figure and the most perfect realization of the Church: "The Church becomes a Mother through the word of God accepted with faith, since, through preaching and baptism, she gives birth to a new and immortal life to the children conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of God. She, too, is a virgin who keeps the fidelity promised to the Bridegroom intact and pure."

St. Josemaría:
Mother, you brought to earth Jesus, who reveals the love of our Father God. Help us to recognize him in the midst of the cares of each day. Stir up our mind and will so that we may listen to the voice of God, to the calls of grace.

9. What does the Assumption of the Virgin into heaven mean?

The Blessed Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven, where she now shares in the glory of her Son’s resurrection, anticipating the resurrection of all the members of his Body. That is why we Christians affirm: “We believe that the Most Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her maternal role toward the members of Christ.”

10. Why does the Virgin Mary occupy a central place in the lives of Christians?

“All generations will call me blessed”-with these words, Mary acknowledged what God has done for her: “The Church’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin is an intrinsic element of Christian worship.” From the earliest times, the Blessed Virgin has been venerated under the title “Mother of God,” under whose protection the faithful seek refuge in all their dangers and needs.

The love that Christians have for the Virgin Mary and the devotion they show her, though unique, is essentially different from the worship given to the Incarnate Word, as well as to the Father and the Holy Spirit. 

Love for the Virgin Mary is a path to God and finds its expression in the liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God, and in Marian prayer, such as the Holy Rosary, “a synthesis of the entire Gospel.” 

May 14 Thu - How can a woman be the Mother of God?

 

May 14 Thu

5. What is the connection between Eve and Mary?

Throughout the Old Covenant, Mary’s mission was foreshadowed by the missions of certain women (Sarah, who conceives a son despite her advanced age; Hannah, the mother of Samuel; Deborah; Ruth; Judith). At the very beginning is Eve: despite her disobedience, she receives the promise of a descendant who will defeat the Evil One, as recounted in the Book of Genesis.

With Mary, the exalted Daughter of Zion, after the long wait for the promise, the time has come, and the new plan of salvation is inaugurated. Mary stands out among the humble and the poor of the Lord, who confidently await salvation from him and welcome it. 

Saint Josemaría:
If you and I had had the power, we too would have made her Queen and Lady of all creation.

A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman with a crown of twelve stars upon her head. -Clothed with the sun. -The moon at her feet. Mary, Virgin without stain, has repaired the fall of Eve, and she crushed the head of the infernal serpent with her immaculate heel. Daughter of God, Mother of God, Spouse of God.

6. What does it mean that Mary is full of grace?

At the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel greets her as “full of grace.” Indeed, to give her free assent of faith to the announcement of her vocation, she needed to be entirely guided by God’s grace: Mary was endowed by God with gifts commensurate with such an important mission.

This means that she was conceived without original sin. Over the centuries, the Church has come to recognize that Mary, whom God called “full of grace,” had been redeemed from the moment of her conception. This is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception professes: "The Blessed Virgin Mary was preserved free from all stain of original sin from the first moment of her conception by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race." 

Saint Josemaría
Mary, you are queen of peace, because you had faith and believed that what the angel announced would, in fact, happen. Help us grow in the faith, with a firm hope and a deeper love. 

7. How can a woman be the Mother of God?

Mary is truly the "Mother of God" because she is the mother of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God made man, who is God himself, as God’s Revelation through Sacred Scripture tells us. This is a truth of faith that all Christians have lived out since the earliest times.

The gaze of faith, in harmony with the whole of Revelation, can uncover the mysterious reasons why God, in his plan of salvation, willed that his Son be born of a virgin. These reasons pertain both to the person and redemptive mission of Christ and to Mary’s acceptance of this mission on behalf of humanity. 

May 13 Wed - Why does Our Lady urge us to make reparation for sins?

 

May 13 Wed
Why does Our Lady urge us to make reparation for sins?

In her apparitions at Fatima, the Blessed Virgin insisted on the urgency of making reparation for the sins that are committed throughout the world. 

In the third apparition, on the 13th of July, the shepherd children say that she asked them for sacrifices for the conversion of sinners; at the same time, she showed them the torments suffered by the damned. And in August, she once again insisted: “Pray, pray a lot, and do sacrifices for sinners, because many souls are going to hell because they have no one who sacrifices himself and prays for them."

These words should ring in the hearts of all Christians, but especially in those of us who truly wish to care for souls. And not this alone - they should move us to make very specific resolutions to make atonement to our Lord with our whole life.

“The situation is serious, my daughters and sons, Saint Josemaría said. The whole battle front is threatened. Let it not be breached because of one of us... How many offences against God are there! We are as fragile, and even more fragile, than others; but we have a commitment of Love; we must now give our existence a sense of reparation. Sacred and Merciful Heart of Jesus, give us peace!"

“We have repaid light with darkness. We have repaid generosity with egoism. We have repaid love with coldness and contempt. Do not be ashamed to acknowledge our constant misery; rather, let us ask for forgiveness."

“Every day, I become more aware of these realities, and every day, I am seeking more intimacy with God in reparation and atonement. Let us place before Him the number of souls being lost and would not have to be lost if they had not been exposed. They are souls that have abandoned the Faith, since nowadays one can make unrestricted propaganda of every type of falsehood and heresy; souls that have been scandalized by so much apostasy and by so much malice; souls that have been deprived of the help of the Sacraments and of sound doctrine..."

“Through the intercession of Holy Mary and of the Holy Patriarch, Saint Joseph, ask our Lord to increase our spirit of reparation, that we have sorrow for our sins and that we know how to have recourse to the Sacrament of Penance."

In Fatima, the summons to penance is maternal; and, at the same time, it is energetic and resolute... The call to penance is united, as always, with a call to prayer. Following a tradition of many centuries, the Lady of the message of Fatima points out the Rosary, which can rightly be defined as 'the prayer of Mary', the prayer in which she feels particularly united to us. She herself prays with us.

Our Lady has often recommended praying the Rosary: to win peace for the world: “To pray the Holy Rosary, considering the mysteries, repeating the Our Father and Hail Mary, with the praises to the Blessed Trinity and the constant invocation to the Mother of God, is a continuous act of faith, hope and love, of adoration and reparation."

“I repeat to the Blessed Virgin many times each day, in different tones - some asking for help, others thanking her, but always with Love - Mother, my Mother! That is what I am saying to Our Lady of Fatima." (Saint Josemaría) 

May 12 Tue - Was Mary free in responding to God’s plans for her?

 

May 12 Tue
3. Was Mary free in responding to God’s plans for her?

Mary was invited to conceive the One in whom the fullness of divinity will dwell bodily, and she asked about what she did not understand: “How can this be, since I have no husband?” 

The divine answer to her question was: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you.” And she uttered her “fiat,” Let it be done to me according to your word in the place of all human nature.

Through her faith and her free response, the Virgin Mary embraced God’s plan for the salvation of humanity. By her obedience, she became the new Eve, mother of the living. 

St. Josemaría:
“Don't forget, my friend, that we are children. The Lady of the sweet name, Mary, is withdrawn in prayer.

You, in that house, are whatever you want to be: a friend, a servant, an onlooker, a neighbor… - I, at this moment, don't dare to be anything. I hide behind you; full of awe, I contemplate the scene:

The Archangel delivers his message… How shall this be done since I know not man?

Our Mother's voice brings to my memory - by contrast - all the impurities of men… mine too.

And then how I hate the low, mean things of the earth…What resolutions!

Be it done unto me according to Thy word. By the enchantment of this virginal phrase, the Word was made flesh.

The first decade is about to end… I still have time to tell my God, before anyone else does: Jesus, I love You."

“Mother, Oh Mother! With that word of yours - ' be it done' - you have made us brothers of God and heirs to his Glory. Blessed art thou!"

“The Virgin did not merely pronounce her fiat; in every moment she fulfilled that firm and irrevocable decision. So should we. When God's love gets through to us, and we come to know what he desires, we ought to commit ourselves to be faithful, loyal - and then be so in fact. Because "not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.""

4. What does it mean that Jesus was conceived by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit?

It means that God became Man without the intervention of a man. Jesus has no other Father than God. It means that Mary was a virgin. Mary’s virginity reveals God’s absolute initiative in the Incarnation.

"The human nature He assumed has never separated him from his Father. The Son of God and of man is the same: by nature, the Son of the Father in his divinity; by nature, the Son of the Mother in his humanity; yet truly the Son of the Father in both his natures." 

St. Josemaría:
“Purification! You and I surely do need purification! - Atonement, and more than atonement, Love. - Love as a searing iron to cauterize our souls' uncleanness, and as a fire to kindle with divine flames the wretched tinder of our hearts." 

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

May 10 Sun - What moved God to create me?

 

May 10 Sun

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What will the Holy Spirit do for us?

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

May 9 Sat
How can I spend time with God?

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

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

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

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

Stop and listen to God, to that God,

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

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

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

How do I find Jesus in the Gospel?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

May 7 Thu
Why does the priest break the Host? 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With excerpts from Nicolás de Cárdenas 

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Later, this rite became an obligatory prelude to Communion.

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

Apr 29 Wed - Why should I love the Church?

 

Apr 29 Wed
Why should I love the Church?

Today is the feast of Saint Catherine of Sienna; her life was an outpouring of love and service for the Roman Pontiff. She loved the Church of God and the Roman Pontiff truly and with deeds.

The Church is holy in herself, and holy also in her life, of which all-too-evident tokens are being provided continually by the Spirit of God, because Jesus Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her, that He might sanctify her... that He might present the Church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing that she might be holy and without blemish. 

The Church is holy in her origin: Christ is her holy Founder and head. 
The Church is also holy in her internal principle of life: the Holy Spirit. 
Her aim is holy—namely, God’s glory and man’s sanctification. 
The means that she uses are holy: Christ’s teaching, his moral precepts and counsels, the forms of worship, the sacraments, and the gifts of grace. 
The Church is holy in many of her members, as there have always been, and will always be, saints whose holiness has been proven and proclaimed by the Church.

Our love for the Church and the Roman Pontiff has to be shown in the reality of our prayer, in the joy of our obedience, in the vibrancy of our concrete acts of service. St. Josemaría: “This is the way followed by the Pope, the sweet Christ on earth, the Vice-God, as I like to call him, who says of himself that he is the servant of the servants of God. And if the Supreme Pontiff is a servant, my daughters and sons, it is intolerable for there to be Catholics who do not want to be."

But we cannot forget that, while she is in herself holy, she gathers sinners into her bosom. “The Church, which is divine, is also human, because she is made up of men and we men have defects: All of us men are dust and ashes."

This is a reality that Christian souls have suffered throughout history, and which St Catherine of Siena sorrowfully felt in her heart. No member of the Church on earth is exempt from personal weaknesses. They can all be mistaken in their judgments and err in their behavior. For this reason, the knowledge of the weaknesses that the servants of the Church can have, as St. Josemaría also wrote, “will help you never to get scandalized if you should hear news items of this kind. And it will help you also to grow in love for the Church, the Spouse of Jesus Christ. It will move you, as with the good sons of Noah, to cover over with the cloak of charity and discretion the defects you may observe in persons that form a part of the People of God."

Although we ardently desire all people to be saints, our service to the Church must not be conditioned by the personal sanctity of her members. Our service and our love are directed to the spotless Spouse of Christ. 

Apr 28 Tue - Should I be charitable to everyone?

 

Apr 28 Tue
Should I be charitable to everyone?

Charity embraces everyone, in the right order.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan describes how, about halfway between Jerusalem and Jericho, just beyond the mountains, some robbers came upon a defenseless man who was easy prey. "They stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. A priest and then a Levite passed by; … and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion. The Samaritan didn't placate his conscience with the thought that he owed the wounded man nothing. Rather, he saw himself as indebted to the stranger.

"I cannot love the devil, Saint Josemaría said, but I love all those who are not the devil, everyone without exception. I don't see myself as anyone's enemy. I'm opposed only to the ideas that oppose the faith and morals of Jesus Christ. But we need to understand those who hold these ideas, and pray for them."

Christ taught us to love those who do us harm, to wish everyone well, and to understand even those who fail to understand us. “For Christians, loving means ‘wanting to love’, making up one's mind in Christ to work for the good of souls, without discrimination of any kind; trying to obtain for them, before any other, the greatest good of all, that of knowing Christ and falling in love with him."

"Our Lord spurs us on: ‘Do good to those who hate you, pray for those who persecute and insult you.’ We might not feel humanly attracted to those who would reject us were we to approach them. But Jesus insists: we must not return evil for evil; we must not waste any opportunities we have of serving them wholeheartedly, even if we find it difficult to do so: we must never cease keeping them in mind in our prayers."

Our charity should be universal and self-sacrificing like the good Samaritan's charity, who did all he could without asking himself who it was he was helping. We too should love in this way, without discrimination of any kind, which would imply small-heartedness. Saint Josemaría helped us with his continual example here. "I welcome everyone, he said. I keep my heart and the doors of our houses always open to everyone, for I couldn't commit the injustice of depriving a single soul of Christ's charity."

Charity expands our hearts to make room for all: "You have enlarged my heart,” sings the Psalm. Charity is a supernatural gift, a work of God, that transcends every human difference. "You have to do things for Christ. It's good for you to have a human heart, but if you do things only for such-and-such a person, that's bad! Though you also do it for that person, do it above all for Christ." 

Apr 27 Mon - What are the priorities in the apostolate of the Church?

 

Apr 27 Mon
What are the priorities in the apostolate of the Church?

In a recent letter, Pope Leo XIV conveyed Easter greetings to the College of Cardinals, with a little bit of business included, together with the prayerful well-wishing and gratitude for their work.

It is, in a certain sense, a program to be followed in relation to the consistory convened for June 2026. In the letter, the Pope acknowledges the importance of centering Christian life on the fundamental tenets of the Faith and promoting a pastoral and missionary conversion to give a new impulse to the evangelization. 

First, he calls for a renewal of faith at the personal level, based on prayer and coherence of life. This perspective challenges the Church at every level. 

On the personal level, Leo says, every baptized person must be aware that they are called to renew their encounter with Christ, moving from a faith merely received to a faith truly lived and experienced. This journey affects the very quality of spiritual life, expressed in the primacy of prayer, in the witness and action that precedes words, and in the coherence between one’s faith and life.

On the community level, he wrote, Now, I wish to focus in particular on what emerged from the groups regarding Evangelii Gaudium, concerning mission and the transmission of the faith.

Communities are to shift from a pastoral approach of maintenance to an attitude of mission. This requires communities to be living agents of the proclamation of the Gospel. 

Leo even gets into specifics on the point: Noting the need to foster “welcoming communities that use accessible language, attentive to the quality of relationships, and are capable of offering places for listening, accompaniment, and healing.”

Thirdly, at the diocesan level, the Pope pointed out, the responsibility of Pastors to resolutely support missionary boldness emerges clearly, ensuring that such boldness is not weighed down or stifled by organizational excesses, but is guided by a discernment that helps us to recognize what is essential.”

“From all this flows a profoundly unified understanding of mission, which is Christ-centered and kerygmatic [based on the fundamental dogmas of the Faith]. A mission that is born of an encounter with Christ that is capable of transforming lives and spreading through attraction rather than conquest.” 

At this diocesan level, there must be, Leo wrote, “an integral mission, holding in balance explicit proclamation, witness, commitment and dialogue, and yielding neither to the temptation of proselytism nor to a merely institutional mentality of preservation or expansion."

“Even when the Church finds herself in a minority,” Leo wrote, “she is called to live with confident courage, as a small flock bringing hope to all, mindful that the aim of mission is not its own survival, but the communication of the love with which God loves the world.”

In sum, there must be, 
- On the personal level, mature faith, prayer, and coherence of life

- On the community level, parishes are to be living agents of the proclamation of the Gospel.

- At the diocesan level, missionary boldness and discernment to recognize what is essential. 

Apr 26 Sun - Should I be docile to the legitimate pastors?

 

Apr 26 Sun
Should I be docile to the legitimate pastors?

Christ is the good shepherd, and we are his sheep.
In this world, there are basically two types of leaders: those who give themselves to others, and those who profit from them.

Among those who make a profit are those leaders who are downright thugs who “steal and slaughter and destroy.”

The thieves and robbers come to take away from us everything we have, including our faith. This perfectly describes the devil and applies to any human being who becomes a predator.

Sheep are docile. They follow and obey a good shepherd and so benefit from him.
Having the virtue of docility means observing, listening to, imitating, and obeying those who know better than we do.

It also means cooperating when someone justly corrects us.

The docile person is humble. He knows he does not know many things and needs a teacher and guide.

The docile person knows there may be others who know his own good better than he does himself.

This is the basic reason why we should listen to teachers, advisors, coaches, guides, and parents.

A docile person avoids the vice of credulity. Credulity means blindly believing what you are told by anyone without reflecting on it. The credulous sheep listens to anyone who passes by and claims to be a shepherd.

The properly docile sheep is prudent enough to run away from a bad shepherd, afraid of how he might harm him.

A docile person also avoids being a know-it-all. A sheep who “knows everything” and so cannot be led or taught is foolish, because in reality, he does not know it all but has cut himself off from help.

A docile person maintains a legitimate doubt about his own biases on debatable matters, especially when those new ideas appear to conflict with Christian values.

We should be docile to our good shepherds, especially the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

Always go to our priest brothers. We should do so especially when something in our soul makes us feel ashamed. “You will open wide your heart - a rotten heart, if it is rotten! - sincerely, with a deep desire to be healed. If not, that rottenness would never be cured. If we went to a person who could only treat our wound superficially, it would be because we were cowards. We were not good sheep, because we wanted to hide the truth, to our own harm.” 

“Don't be ashamed of being wretched, if sometimes you are. Don't panic because you find the bad leaven of sin in your heart. Don't be afraid of anything. Be truly faithful! Sincere! Be sincere! Let's have the common sense and the supernatural spirit. In exchange, you will experience greater effectiveness in your life, in the work of your sanctification and the sanctification of so many souls, and the Church."

Now is the time for us to ask ourselves, in the intimacy of our own hearts: Do I go to sacramental Confession punctually? Do I accept this means of personal sanctification with gratitude and in the desire to make good use of it? 

Apr 25 Sat - For a Christian to be an apostle, what does it involve?

 

Apr 25 Sat
For a Christian to be an apostle, what does it involve?

Saint Mark did not belong to the group of the Apostles, but he was a disciple of the first hour. Our Lord places in his apostles’ hearts a pure and generous desire to serve, a true zeal that makes them willing to undertake any sacrifice, working quietly for the Church without seeking any earthly compensation.

Apostles are Christians who know that they are grafted onto Christ, identified with Christ, through Baptism; enabled to fight for Christ, through Confirmation; called to serve God with their activity in the world, to guide others to God, to teach them the truth of the Gospel, and to co-redeem them through their prayer and their expiation.

“It's not a matter of doing our own thing, of fulfilling our personal ambitions. Rather, it's a matter of being useful to Christ, so that He may act; and also, being useful to others, because Christ came not to be served but to serve."

“We have to ask God our Lord to increase our hunger to serve."

Once and for all, we need to get rid of whatever separates us from, or even slightly hinders, our way as apostles. We can never forget that only when apostles are ready to sacrifice their own lives, through continuous self-denial in the service of others for God, will they be truly united to Jesus' work of redemption. Only then can their apostolate be fruitful.

“Far from discouraging us, the difficulties we meet have to spur us on to mature as Christians. We must take his advice to heart: If any man has a mind to come my way, let him renounce self, and take up his cross, and follow me."

“Take a nail, for instance. If you meet no resistance when you hammer it into a wall, what can you expect to hang on it? Likewise, if we do not let God toughen us through sacrifice, we will never become our Lord's instruments. On the other hand, if we decide to accept difficulties gladly and make use of them for the love of God, then in the face of what is difficult and unpleasant, when things are hard and uncomfortable, we will be able to exclaim with the Apostles James and John: Yes, we can!"

Jesus had announced that in the world his followers would have tribulation. And they overcame all kinds of difficulties and dangers to carry out the mission entrusted to them by our Lord.

Without personal sacrifice, there will be no fruit. “The Cross is present in everything, and it comes when one least expects it. But don't forget that normally, the Cross comes when you start to be effective."

Even though we are of the earth, we must allow Jesus to raise us to the level of divine life. Then, we shall have a divine way of thinking: our Faith, and a divine way of loving: our Charity. Let us allow him to transform us, while we correspond to his grace. 

“Let us serve, then, because apostolate consists of nothing else. Through our own efforts, we cannot achieve anything in the supernatural realm; but by allowing ourselves to become God's instruments, we can do everything." 

Apr 24 Fri - How many times is “The Lord be with you” repeated in the Mass?

 

Apr 24 Fri
How many times is “The Lord be with you” repeated in the Mass?

In the Roman Rite, the priest says “The Lord be with you” (Dominus vobiscum) five times:

1. At the start of Mass (Introductory Rites), the priest greets the entire Church with “The Lord be with you.”

The priest declares to us that the Lord is present.
This greeting expresses the mystery of the gathered Church, which is present even when we are just a few persons in the room. We are going to participate and offer to God the Father the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, present here in a real, sacramental manner. 

“When I celebrate Mass with just one person to help me, the people are present also. I feel that there with me are all Catholics, all believers, and also those who do not believe. All God’s creatures are there—the earth and the sea and the sky, and the animals and plants—the whole of creation giving glory to the Lord." Saint Josemaría. 

In this greeting, the ministerial priest’s special relationship with the Holy Spirit is acknowledged by the faithful, “And with your spirit.” 

2. Before the Gospel, the priest (or deacon) uses the same greeting.
By faith we know that when the Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself is speaking to his people, and Christ, present in his own word, is proclaiming the Gospel. 
Besides his Eucharistic presence, “in another very genuine way, Christ is also present in the Church as she preaches. For the Gospel which she proclaims is the word of God, and it is only in the name of Christ, the Incarnate Word of God, and only by his authority and with his help that it is preached, so that there might be ‘one flock resting secure in one shepherd.’

3. Before the Eucharistic Prayer, in the introduction to the Preface, the priest says, “The Lord be with you.” The Church proclaims that Christ is truly present and acting among the people gathered for worship. The greeting is not like casual small talk; it is a liturgical recognition of a real, spiritual “nearness”—Jesus gathers and stays with those who are assembled in his name, and are about to participate in His sacrifice.

4. Before distributing communion, at the breaking of the Bread, the priest says, “The Peace of the Lord be with you always.” It reminds us of the same greeting the Risen Lord gave to the disciples in the Upper Room. Peace is an essential requirement to live our Christian life, and it is our duty as Christians to be sowers of God’s peace in the world.

5. Before the final blessing, the greeting is now made real in its highest sense: The Lord is with us, especially with those who have received Communion. 
The Mass is finished, we are encouraged to return to our ordinary occupations to love and serve the Lord. We serve the Lord while fulfilling our usual norms of piety, resting, or working in the presence of God. In this way, we constantly keep alive those dispositions we had during the Mass. 

Apr 23 Thu - Why do we pray for peace in the Church?

 

Apr 23 Thu
Why do we pray for peace in the Church?
In the Mass, before we share the same spiritual food, we implore peace and unity for the Church and for the whole human family and offer some sign of our love for one another.

Communion is getting closer, and the liturgy becomes ever more intimate. While all the preceding prayers of the Mass were directed to God the Father, now for the first time, the priest addresses himself directly to Jesus Christ. With his hands extended, he prays for peace: 

Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your Apostles, Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity, in accordance with your will.

When we pronounce our Amen, we must realize that we are asking not only for our personal peace but also for peace for the whole Church. We know that “every kingdom divided against itself is heading for ruin; and a household divided against itself collapses.”
What a good moment now to rectify, lest the Lord find us at war with one another under the flimsy excuse of serving him better! 

This is a good moment to exert effort and begin to understand the reasons and attitudes of others, no matter how different they may be from ours; to love pluralism in the non-dogmatic issues; to respect the diverse viewpoints in debatable matters. How often do we try to proffer our personal solution, passing it as the Gospel message, but being really just that: one more private opinion? Here is a reminder from the Second Vatican Council: 

People must remember that no one is allowed to appropriate the Church’s authority for their own opinion in these situations. 

With these good dispositions, we receive the priest’s greeting:
The peace of the Lord be with you always.

Then, if the opportunity warrants it, the priest may add:
Let us offer each other the sign of peace.

The priest may give the sign of peace to the ministers but always remains within the sanctuary, so as not to disturb the celebration. The celebrant need not make the sign of peace toward the faithful because he has already done so earlier with the words “The peace of the Lord be with you always.”

The priest gives us the greeting of peace while extending and then joining his hands. 
And also with you, we respond.

“Here is a thought that brings peace and that the Holy Spirit provides ready made for those who seek the will of God: ‘The Lord rules me, and I shall want nothing.’
What can upset a soul who sincerely repeats these words?"

And so, we abandon ourselves completely in God’s will:

An act of complete correspondence to the will of God: Is that what you want, Lord?... Then it’s what I want also!

A determined resolution to fulfill the will of God in the smallest things is the only way we can be truly happy. The relative happiness we can achieve here on earth shall be made complete in heaven.