Pope's Message to Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, 2012

On the occasion of the 18th Plenary Session of the Pontifical Academy, and also the fiftieth anniversary of Blessed John XXIII’s Encyclical Letter Pacem in Terris, Pope Benedict XVI sent a letter addressed to Prof. Mary Ann Glendon, the President of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. The following is the Pope's Message.

To Her Excellency Professor Mary Ann Glendon
President of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences

I am pleased to greet you and all who have gathered in Rome for the Eighteenth Plenary Session of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. You have chosen to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Blessed John XXIII’s Encyclical Letter Pacem in Terris by studying the contribution of this important document to the Church’s social doctrine. At the height of the Cold War, when the world was still coming to terms with the threat posed by the existence and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, Pope John addressed what has been described as an “open letter to the world”. It was a heartfelt appeal from a great pastor, nearing the end of his life, for the cause of peace and justice to be vigorously promoted at every level of society, nationally and internationally. While the global political landscape has changed significantly in the intervening half-century, the vision offered by Pope John still has much to teach us as we struggle to face the new challenges for peace and justice in the post-Cold-War era, amid the continuing proliferation of armaments.

“The world will never be the dwelling-place of peace, till peace has found a home in the heart of each and every human person, till all preserve within themselves the order ordained by God to be preserved” (Pacem in Terris, 165). At the heart of the Church’s social doctrine is the anthropology which recognizes in the human creature the image of the Creator, endowed with intelligence and freedom, capable of knowing and loving. Peace and justice are fruits of the right order that is inscribed within creation itself, written on human hearts (cf. Rom 2:15) and therefore accessible to all people of good will, all “pilgrims of truth and of peace”. Pope John’s Encyclical was and is a powerful summons to engage in that creative dialogue between the Church and the world, between believers and non-believers, which the Second Vatican Council set out to promote. It offers a thoroughly Christian vision of man’s place in the cosmos, confident that in so doing it is holding out a message of hope to a world that is hungry for it, a message that can resonate with people of all beliefs and none, because its truth is accessible to all.

In that same spirit, after the terrorist attacks that shook the world in September 2001, Blessed John Paul II insisted that there can be “no peace without justice, no justice without forgiveness” (Message for the 2002 World Day of Peace). The notion of forgiveness needs to find its way into international discourse on conflict resolution, so as to transform the sterile language of mutual recrimination which leads nowhere. If the human creature is made in the image of God, a God of justice who is “rich in mercy” (Eph 2:4), then these qualities need to be reflected in the conduct of human affairs. It is the combination of justice and forgiveness, of justice and grace, which lies at the heart of the divine response to human wrong-doing (cf. Spe Salvi, 44), at the heart, in other words, of the “divinely established order” (Pacem in Terris, 1). Forgiveness is not a denial of wrong-doing, but a participation in the healing and transforming love of God which reconciles and restores.

How eloquent, then, was the choice of theme for the 2009 Special Assembly for Africa of the Synod of Bishops: “The Church in Africa at the Service of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace”. The life-giving message of the Gospel has brought hope to millions of Africans, helping them to rise above the sufferings inflicted on them by repressive regimes and fratricidal conflicts. Similarly, the 2010 Assembly on the Church in the Middle East highlighted the themes of communion and witness, the oneness of mind and soul that characterizes those who set out to follow the light of truth. Historic wrongs and injustices can only be overcome if men and women are inspired by a message of healing and hope, a message that offers a way forward, out of the impasse that so often locks people and nations into a vicious circle of violence. Since 1963, some of the conflicts that seemed insoluble at the time have passed into history. Let us take heart, then, as we struggle for peace and justice in the world today, confident that our common pursuit of the divinely established order, of a world where the dignity of every human person is accorded the respect that is due, can and will bear fruit.

I commend your deliberations to the maternal guidance of Our Lady, Queen of Peace. To you, to Bishop Sánchez Sorondo, and to all the participants in the XVIII Plenary Session, I gladly impart my Apostolic Blessing.


~From the Vatican, 27 April 2012
Benedictus PP. XVI


[My emphasis in bold]

The Spirit told me to accompany them without discriminating (Acts 11:12)

“Peter began and explained it to them step by step.” (Acts 11:4)

This is an interesting reading to have for a Mass! Rather than read the actual story of the conversion of Cornelius, the first Gentile (a power­fully dramatic account in Acts 10), the church asks us to meditate on Peter’s re-telling of the story to the believers in Jerusalem. Why should we ponder only a second-hand ver­sion of one of the most historic events in the church’s life?

Perhaps the answer is because this reading gives us two vital lessons. The first is the event itself: Everyone is welcomed into the kingdom of God. If even the Gentiles, whom the Jews considered to be sinful and unclean, could receive the Holy Spirit, then no one was excluded. This message should give all of us great hope: God loves each of us fully and completely; he wants all of us to be with him in heaven.

But the second lesson is just as important. Remember that the first Christians were all Jews—many of them devout Jews at that. News that Peter had not only entered a Gentile’s home but had even bap­tized him would have been extremely scandalous. It’s no wonder that these believers were upset!

This was a tense moment, filled with the potential for impassioned arguments, over-the-top accusations, and severe division. But how did Peter respond? With a clear, step­by-step explanation. He knew his actions were controversial, but he also knew that God was behind it. So he remained calm, and walked the others through the situation as objectively and patiently as he could. There was no sense of defensiveness, fear, or guilt on his part. Neither did he try to pull rank on them: “I’m the chief of the apostles, and what I say goes!” He simply let the story speak for itself.

Peter’s balanced response shows us just how much he trusted in the Holy Spirit’s work. He knew that God didn’t need someone to defend him. He knew he shouldn’t treat his fellow believers as enemies. All he had to do was testify to what he had seen and heard; God would take care of the rest. Isn’t that the way we should treat all situations of tension and conflict?


“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace and unity!”

Your joy no man takes from you

No power in the universe can rob you of it;
none, but yourself, can even diminish it.
“Your joy no man takes from you.”
What the power, or love, or presence of man can create –
the power, or hatred, or absence of man can destroy.

But, the joy of the believer has a different origin,
and, as no man bestowed it,
so no man can take it away.

It has God for its author –
the living Rock of Ages for its ever-flowing fountain –
the Holy Spirit for the golden channel,
which it conveys into the heart.

Thus, coming from the fountain of joy,
it is of immortal origin –
and, is far above the reach of mortal enemies.
All the sorrows of earth –
all the temptations of hell,
are vain against this joy.
So far from being diminished
by what would crush earthly happiness,
and reduce the stoutest heart,
without Divine grace,
to hopeless dejection –
it is only realized more fully,
amid the raging fury of the hurricane,
or the dreary gloom of a starless midnight.


~John MacDuff
(The Throne of Grace, Alexander Strahan Publishers, 1865.)

I lay down my life for my sheep (John 10:15)

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)

One of the most beautiful and meaningful comments on the life and the legacy of Pope John Paul II, was made by the famous TV evangelist Billy Graham. In an interview he said: “He lived like his Master the Good Shepherd and he died like his Master the Good Shepherd.” In today’s gospel, Jesus claims that he is the Good Shepherd and explains what he does for his sheep.

The fourth Sunday of Easter is known as Good Shepherd Sunday. It is also the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. The scripture lessons are about shepherds. Each year on this Sunday we reflect on the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, devotedly taking care of his flock. The title of the parish priest, "pastor," means shepherd. A shepherd leads, feeds, nurtures, comforts, corrects, and protects his flock—responsibilities that belong to every church leader. The earliest Christians had seen Jesus as the fulfillment of the ancient Jewish dream of a good shepherd.

In today's first reading, Peter asserts the Jewish assembly that there is no salvation except through Christ the Good Shepherd whom the Jewish leaders have rejected and crucified, and in whose name the apostles preach and heal. In the second reading, St. John tells us how Yahweh the Good Shepherd of the Old Testament expressed His love for us through His Son Jesus, the Good Shepherd, by making us His children. The Gospel text offers us both comfort and challenge. The comforting good news is that Jesus the Good Shepherd knows us, provides for us and loves us. The challenge is that we should be good shepherds to those entrusted to our care.

In the Old Testament, the image of the Shepherd is often applied to God as well as to the readers of the people. The book of Exodus several times calls Yahweh a shepherd. In the New Testament, Jesus introduces himself as the Good Shepherd of his flock. Claiming that 1) He knows his sheep and his sheep hear his voice. 2) He gives eternal life to his sheep by receiving us into his sheepfold through Baptism. 3) He protects his sheep by placing them in the loving hands of his mighty Father. 4) He goes in search of stray lambs and heals the sick ones. 5) Jesus dies for his sheep: Just as the shepherds of ancient days protected their sheep from wild animals and thieves by risking their own lives.

Let us become good shepherds to every one entrusted to our care and and good sheep to the Lord. Let us also pray for vocations to priestly and religious life so that we may have more holy and Spirit-filled shepherds to lead, feed and protect the Catholic community. Way back in 2002 EWTN broadcasted something called "Who is your Shepherd?" it went like this:

Who is Your Shepherd?
The TV is my shepherd Ishall not want,
It makes me to lie down on the sofa.
It leads me away from the faith,
It destroys my soul.
It leads me to the path of sex and violence for the advertiser’s sake.
Even though I walk in the shadow of Christian responsibilities,
There will be no interruption, for the TV is with me.
Its cable and remote control, they comfort me
It prepares a commercial for me in the midst of my worldliness
And anoints my head with secular humanism and consumerism.
My covetousness runs over;
Surely ignorance and laziness shall follow me all the days of my life,
And I shall dwell in the house of wretchedness watching TV forever.

Think hard about who is shepherding your life??? If it ain't the Lord, then there's plenty of room for change...but not much time, so begin now.

It's been said that every pastor ought to have six weeks of vacation each year, because if he is a real good shepherd, he deserves it; and if he is not a very good shepherd, his congregation deserves it.

On this World Day of Prayer for Vocations let us pray especially for our young men to respond to God’s call to serve His Church in the ministerial priesthood.


"Lord Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd who keeps watch over our lives. I pray that we may hear and recognise your voice when you call. Help us be ready and willing to answer your call even in the most toughest of situations.”

Good Shepherd Sunday

Christ the Good Shepherd

I am the good shepherd. I know my own – by which I mean, I love them – and my own know me. In plain words: those who love me are willing to follow me, for anyone who does not love the truth has not yet come to know it.

My dear brethren, you have heard the test we pastors have to undergo. Turn now to consider how these words of our Lord imply a test for yourselves also. Ask yourselves whether you belong to his flock, whether you know him, whether the light of his truth shines in your minds. I assure you that it is not by faith that you will come to know him, but by love; not by mere conviction, but by action. John the evangelist is my authority for this statement. He tells us that anyone who claims to know God without keeping his commandments is a liar.

Consequently, the Lord immediately adds: As the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for my sheep. Clearly he means that laying down his life for his sheep gives evidence of his knowledge of the Father and the Father’s knowledge of him. In other words, by the love with which he dies for his sheep he shows how greatly he loves his Father.

Again he says: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them; they follow me, and I give them eternal life. Shortly before this he had declared: If anyone enters the sheepfold through me he shall be saved; he shall go freely in and out and shall find good pasture. He will enter into a life of faith; from faith he will go out to vision, from belief to contemplation, and will graze in the good pastures of everlasting life.

So our Lord’s sheep will finally reach their grazing ground where all who follow him in simplicity of heart will feed on the green pastures of eternity. These pastures are the spiritual joys of heaven. There the elect look upon the face of God with unclouded vision and feast at the banquet of life for ever more.

Beloved brothers, let us set out for these pastures where we shall keep joyful festival with so many of our fellow citizens. May the thought of their happiness urge us on! Let us stir up our hearts, rekindle our faith, and long eagerly for what heaven has in store for us. To love thus is to be already on our way. No matter what obstacles we encounter, we must not allow them to turn us aside from the joy of that heavenly feast. Anyone who is determined to reach his destination is not deterred by the roughness of the road that leads to it. Nor must we allow the charm of success to seduce us, or we shall be like a foolish traveller who is so distracted by the pleasant meadows through which he is passing that he forgets where he is going.

~Saint Gregory the Great

But there are some of you who do not believe (John 6:64)

“Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to her body and said, ‘Tabitha, rise up.’” (Acts 9:40)

Throughout the Book of Acts, we see Peter acting confidently by the power of the Holy Spirit. He preaches powerful sermons that convert thousands. He heals a lame beggar at the Temple gate (Acts 3:1-10). He says boldly to the para­lyzed Aeneas, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up” (9:34). This is quite an impressive man!

Today’s reading gives us a glimpse of what lies behind Peter’s astounding power. When the Christians in Joppa send for him after the death of their dear sister in the Lord, Tabitha, Peter doesn’t spring immediately into action. He listens attentively to what the com­munity tells him about her. Then he sends them all out of the room so he can have some time alone. Before doing anything else, he kneels in prayer, seeking God’s mind. He seeks to know if it is Tabitha’s time to die, or if God has something else in mind for her, and for the community who love her. Only when Peter has united himself with the Father does he turn and speak to Tabitha, effectively call­ing her back to life.

Faced with illness and other diffi­culties, we often rush to intercessory prayer, urging others to join us in our intention. We beg God to heal a brother, bring a wayward child to repentance, or solve a financial crisis. These are worthy objectives, and we are right to pray for such things. But let’s not miss an important step. We should always take the time to unite ourselves with the Father quietly and seek his mind and heart. We should linger with him long enough to enter into his love for the person whose welfare concerns us. We should ask him to open our eyes to some greater good he may be seeking to bring about.

This time of quiet seeking can help us discern what role God has for us in the matter. Not only will God help us understand how we should pray. He will show us also whether he wants us to take direct action to serve, to heal, or to speak his life-giving word.


“Holy Spirit, I wait patiently for you. Show me what’s on your mind and in your plans for me and those I love today.”

Appreciate the Gift of Life

Today before you think of saying an unkind word –
think of someone who can’t speak.

Before you complain about the taste of your food –
think of someone who has nothing to eat.

Before you complain about your husband or wife –
think of someone who is crying out to God for a companion.

Today before you complain about life –
think of someone who went too early to heaven.

Before you complain about your children –
think of someone who desires children but they’re barren.

Before you argue about your dirty house, someone didn’t clean or sweep –
think of the people who are living in the streets.

Before whining about the distance you drive –
think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.

And when you are tired and complain about your job –
think of the unemployed, the disabled and those who wished they had your job.

But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another –
remember that not one of us are without sin and we all answer to One Maker.

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down –
put a smile on your face and thank God you’re alive and still around.

Life is a gift – Live it, Enjoy it, Celebrate it, and Fulfill it.

One day your life will flash before your eyes... Just make sure its worth watching.

Fr Brian D'Arcy speaks up

Priest's pain over Vatican censure

An Irish priest censured by the Vatican has spoken of his distress over the disciplinary action.

Father Brian D'Arcy, a broadcaster and newspaper columnist, declared: "Personally I've been living with the pain of censure for 14 months and will have to live with it for the rest of my priestly life. In these difficult times, it is the price one has to pay when one is committed to the truth, which is the duty of both the priest and the journalist."

The priest, from Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 2 and Radio Ulster and who writes a religious column for the Dublin-based Sunday World newspaper, was censured by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF).

Father D'Arcy, 67, a member of the Passionist Order, has criticised mandatory celibacy for priests. He has also been a fierce critic of the church's handling of child abuse scandals in Ireland. The disciplinary action means he must submit his writings and broadcasts to an official censor.

In a statement he said: "Personally, I was saddened and disappointed with the contents of the Congregation's letter but have come to accept that this is the CDF's way of dealing with issues.
"In the interests of accuracy, however, I need to emphasise that I remain a priest in good standing and that I have continued to carry out my priestly duties with the same dedication as before.

"In 45 years as a journalist, I have never denied the legitimately Defined Doctrines of the Catholic religion. I respect all faiths. Like all dedicated journalists and broadcasters, I check my facts as thoroughly as is humanly possible and if in doubt, I seek expert advice.
"I have continued to write and broadcast since the news of the Vatican's displeasure was filtered down to me in March 2011. I shall continue my ministry in communication because I believe that the church cherishes freedom of speech as an inviolable principle.

"Pope Benedict made a fervent plea for freedom of expression on his recent visit to Cuba. I believe the church needs credible voices in today's world as was stated at the conclusion of the recent report of the Apostolic Visitation to Ireland: 'Finally, the Visitation attested to the great need for the Irish Catholic community to make its voice heard in the media and to establish a proper relationship with those active in this field, for the sake of making known the truth of the Gospel and the church's life.'

"This is why I have given my life to the church, to the priesthood and to taking my place as a professional in the mass media. I will continue doing so with honesty and integrity."

I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting (Acts 9:5)

“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4)

Paul’s conversion on the Damascus road has all the ele­ments of a dramatic film. A villainous lead character is sud­denly stopped in his tracks by a light from the sky. A voice comes from heaven, and this villain undergoes an amazing transforma­tion and embarks on a whole new adventure.

What about your own conver­sion story? More than likely, it wasn’t so dramatic. Perhaps a friend spoke to you, or maybe you started reading the Scriptures, and over time, God got through to you. Most of us probably wouldn’t pay to go see our story at the movies!

But how we came to the Lord is not really important. What matters is that we have come to him. He loves each one of us passionately. He wants all of us to be saved and come to know the truth about him (1 Timothy 2:4). To him, every conversion story is valid and powerful. It’s part of his awesome design for creation—a plan that he worked out before we were even born (Jeremiah 1:5). Just as he had a perfect plan for Paul’s life, he has one for each of us as well.

Remember, too, that God’s plan doesn’t begin and end with a dramatic conversion. What if Paul hadn’t continued seeking the Lord after his experience on the Damascus road? Most likely he would have returned to his old ways! After all, it took him ten years before he was ready to go on his first missionary journey, and even then he was still striving for holiness. He knew he had to walk with Jesus day after day if he was going to become the person God wanted him to be. And so do we.

As the refrain to a popular wor­ship song reminds us, “Step by step you lead me.” Whatever our initial conversion was like, it’s still going on! Today, try to draw closer to Jesus. If you’ve fallen down, rededicate your life to him. You don’t have to look back. You just have to keep pursuing your goal: “the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). There’s nothing to fear—he will be with you all the way!

“Jesus, I give you my life again today. Fill me with your grace, so that I can follow you faithfully. Help me, Lord, to get up when I stumble.”

Do you understand what you are reading? (Acts 8:30)

“Go up and meet that chariot.” (Acts 8:29)

Philip might have been worried. An angel from God told him to approach the chariot of a powerful official from a foreign country. But how could he cut through the cul­tural barriers? How could he come up with an effective presentation of the gospel that would change this man’s heart? Wasn’t God asking too much of him this time?

As it turned out, God had already laid a lot of the groundwork for Philip. The official was already puzzling over God’s word when Philip approached him. He was sincerely asking questions and was eager to hear whatever Philip had to say.

So it wasn’t about Philip after all! All he had to do was walk through a door that was already three-quarters of the way open. What a relief that must have been! God had taken great pains to prepare the man to receive his message, even before the messenger showed up.

We may feel intimidated about sharing our faith because we think it all depends on us. We worry about how to break through obstinate hearts, how to tear down years of resistance, or how to answer every possible objection anyone could think of. But that’s placing too much of the emphasis on us and forgetting how deeply God longs to touch each person with his love. The truth is, we aren’t meant to carry the load alone. God is already doing a lot of the prep work.

You will likely have a chance to witness to your faith today. Maybe the Spirit will bring to mind a rela­tive with whom you have not been on the best terms, and lead you to seek reconciliation. You may run into an old friend who needs a word of encouragement, or a neighbor who could use a helping hand. The Holy Spirit could nudge you to say something to the person next to you on the bus. Seize the opportunity to reach out. You may be surprised at how your words or actions can be used by God!


“Lord, thank you for going ahead of me today! Open my eyes to the opportunities you will give me to be your ambassador. I believe you will bless even my smallest effort!”

The controversial sermon that actually needed a "standing ovation"

The full text of the sermon preached by Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, on April 14 at St. Mary's Cathedral in Peoria during Mass at the "A Call to Catholic Men of Faith" event, that has stirred widespread controversy is here below.

Bishop Jenky, a Holy Cross priest, is a Notre Dame graduate and a member of Notre Dame's board of fellows. It's the highest tier of the university's board of trustees. The fellows are charged with upholding and protecting Notre Dame's Catholic character. Jenky served in Notre Dame administrative posts in the 1970s and 1980s, as religious superior for Holy Cross priests and brothers at Notre Dame from 1985 to 1991, and later as Auxiliary Bishop in the Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, he served at Notre Dame for more than two decades before becoming a Peoria bishop in 2002.

In the homily, Bishop Jenky compared policies of the Obama administration to those of Hitler and Stalin.

By April 23, almost 131 faculty members at the University of Notre Dame had signed a letter calling for Bishop Jenky to "renounce loudly and publicly this destructive analogy" or resign from the university's board of fellows.

The regional director of Chicago's Anti-Defamation League, Lonnie Nasatir, has also demanded an apology from the Bishop, calling his remarks "outrageous, offensive and completely over the top."

The Catholic Diocese of Peoria last week issued a clarification of Jenky's remarks. "Based upon the current government's threatened infringement upon the Church's religious exercise of its ministry, Bishop Jenky offered historical context and comparisons as a means to prevent a repetition of historical attacks upon the Catholic Church and other religions," said Patricia Gibson, chancellor of the diocese.

The Notre Dame board of trustees is scheduled to meet on campus on the 4th and 5th of May, 2012.

Bishop Jenky is scheduled to celebrate a Mass on the 5th of May at St. Mark Catholic Church in Niles.


******(((Full text of the homily preached by Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC )))*******


There is only one basic reason why Christianity exists and that is the fact that Jesus Christ truly rose from the grave.

The disciples never expected the resurrection. The unanimous testimony of all four Gospels is that the terrible death of Jesus on the cross entirely dashed all their hopes about Jesus and about his message. He was dead, and that was the end of it. They looked for nothing more, and they expected nothing more.

So as much as they had loved him, in their eyes Jesus was a failed messiah. His dying seemed to entirely rob both his teaching and even his miracles of any lasting significance.

And they were clearly terrified that his awful fate, at the hands of the Sanhedrin and the Romans, could easily become their awful fate. So they hid, trembling with terror, behind shuttered windows and locked doors.

When the Risen Christ suddenly appeared in their midst, their reaction was shocked incredulity. They simply could not believe their own eyes.

Reality only very slowly began to penetrate their consciousness when Jesus offers proof of his resurrection. He shows them the wounds on his hands, his feet, and his side. Jesus even allowed them to touch him. He breaks bread with them and eats with them. And only then could they admit to themselves what had seemed absolutely impossible – the one who had truly died had truly risen! The Crucified now stood before them as their Risen, glorious, triumphant Lord.

His rising from the grave was every bit as real as his dying on the cross. The resurrection was the manifest proof of the invincible power of Almighty God. The inescapable fact of the resurrection confirmed every word Jesus had ever spoken and every work Jesus had ever done.
The Gospel was the truth. Jesus was the Christ, the promised Messiah of Israel. Jesus was the Savior of the world. Jesus was the very Son of God.

There is no other explanation for Christianity. It should have died out and entirely disappeared when Christ died and was buried, except for the fact that Christ was truly risen, and that during the 40 days before his Ascension, he interacted with his Apostles and disciples, and on one occasion even with hundreds of his followers.

Today’s appointed Gospel reading for this Saturday in the Octave of Easter is taken from the 16th Chapter of Mark. It concludes with a command from the lips of Jesus, given to his disciples, given to the whole Church, given to you and me assembled here today: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”

We heard in today’s Second Reading from the Acts of the Apostles that the same Sanhedrin that had condemned Jesus was amazed at the boldness of Peter and John. Perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men, they recognized them as companions of Jesus. They warned them never again to teach, or speak to anyone, in the name of Jesus.

But the elders and the scribes might as well have tried to turn back the tide, or hold back an avalanche. Peter and John had seen the Risen Christ with their own eyes. Peter and John were filled with the Holy Spirit. They asked whether it is right “in the sight of God for us to obey you rather than God. It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.”
And Peter and John and all the Apostles, starting first in Jerusalem in Judea and Galilee and then to the very ends of the earth, announced the Resurrection and the Good News to everyone they encountered.

According to the clear testimony of the Scriptures, these Apostles had once been rather ordinary men – like you and me. Their faith hadn’t always been strong. They made mistakes. They committed sins. They were often afraid and confused.

But meeting the Risen Lord had changed everything about these first disciples, and knowing the Risen Lord should also change everything about us.

You know, it has never been easy to be a Christian and it’s not supposed to be easy! The world, the flesh, and the devil will always love their own, and will always hate us. As Jesus once predicted, they hated me, they will certainly hate you.

But our Faith, when it is fully lived, is a fighting faith and a fearless faith. Grounded in the power of the resurrection, there is nothing in this world, and nothing in hell, that can ultimately defeat God’s one, true, holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

For 2,000 years the enemies of Christ have certainly tried their best. But think about it. The Church survived and even flourished during centuries of terrible persecution, during the days of the Roman Empire.

The Church survived barbarian invasions. The Church survived wave after wave of Jihads. The Church survived the age of revolution. The Church survived Nazism and Communism.

And in the power of the resurrection, the Church will survive the hatred of Hollywood, the malice of the media, and the mendacious wickedness of the abortion industry.

The Church will survive the entrenched corruption and sheer incompetence of our Illinois state government, and even the calculated disdain of the President of the United States, his appointed bureaucrats in HHS, and of the current majority of the federal Senate.

May God have mercy on the souls of those politicians who pretend to be Catholic in church, but in their public lives, rather like Judas Iscariot, betray Jesus Christ by how they vote and how they willingly cooperate with intrinsic evil.

As Christians we must love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, but as Christians we must also stand up for what we believe and always be ready to fight for the Faith. The days in which we live now require heroic Catholicism, not casual Catholicism. We can no longer be Catholics by accident, but instead be Catholics by conviction.

In our own families, in our parishes, where we live and where we work – like that very first apostolic generation – we must be bold witnesses to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We must be a fearless army of Catholic men, ready to give everything we have for the Lord, who gave everything for our salvation.

Remember that in past history other governments have tried to force Christians to huddle and hide only within the confines of their churches like the first disciples locked up in the Upper Room.

In the late 19th century, Bismarck waged his “Kulturkampf,” a Culture War, against the Roman Catholic Church, closing down every Catholic school and hospital, convent and monastery in Imperial Germany.

Clemenceau, nicknamed “the priest eater,” tried the same thing in France in the first decade of the 20th Century.

Hitler and Stalin, at their better moments, would just barely tolerate some churches remaining open, but would not tolerate any competition with the state in education, social services, and health care.

In clear violation of our First Amendment rights, Barack Obama – with his radical, pro abortion and extreme secularist agenda, now seems intent on following a similar path.

Now things have come to such a pass in America that this is a battle that we could lose, but before the awesome judgement seat of Almighty God this is not a war where any believing Catholic may remain neutral.

This fall, every practicing Catholic must vote, and must vote their Catholic consciences, or by the following fall our Catholic schools, our Catholic hospitals, our Catholic Newman Centers, all our public ministries -- only excepting our church buildings – could easily be shut down. Because no Catholic institution, under any circumstance, can ever cooperate with the instrinsic evil of killing innocent human life in the womb.

No Catholic ministry – and yes, Mr. President, for Catholics our schools and hospitals are ministries – can remain faithful to the Lordship of the Risen Christ and to his glorious Gospel of Life if they are forced to pay for abortions.

Now remember what was the life-changing experience that utterly transformed those fearful and quaking disciples into fearless, heroic apostles. They encountered the Risen Christ. They reverenced his sacred wounds. They ate and drank with him.

Is that not what we do here together, this morning at this annual men’s march Mass?

This is the Saturday of the Octave of Easter, a solemnity so great and central to our Catholic faith that Easter Day is celebrated for eight full days, and the Easter season is joyously observed as the Great 50 Days of Easter. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ – risen from the grave – is in our midst. His Holy Word teaches us the truth. His Sacred Body and Blood becomes our food and drink.

The Risen Christ is our Eternal Lord; the Head of his Body, the Church; our High Priest; our Teacher; our Captain in the well-fought fight.

We have nothing to fear, but we have a world to win for him. We have nothing to fear, for we have an eternal destiny in heaven. We have nothing to fear, though the earth may quake, kingdoms may rise and fall, demons may rage, but St. Michael the Archangel, and all the hosts of heaven, fight on our behalf.

No matter what happens in this passing moment, at the end of time and history, our God is God and Jesus is Lord, forever and ever.

Christus vincit! Christus regnat! Christus imperat!

Christ wins! Christ reigns! Christ commands!

*********((((( END ))))******

[I tried to resist turning the whole sermon into bold or colour with my emphasis...I'm just wowed, by the words of the Bishop!!! May God bless Bishop Jenky abundantly...I will pray a "hedge of thorns" prayer for him]



Update P.S. - The comment below is left by an "imposter," (Tyler Bishop from Dallas, TX) hence it carries the details of the commenter as I promised in Yet one of you is a devil! (John 6:70) - An Imposter


________________

I am the bread of life (John 6:35)

“It was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.” (John 6:32)

The Israelites were yearning for a romantic past. Selectively forget­ting the thirst and weariness of their long desert wanderings, they focused on remembering the miraculous manna that sustained them. Since Jesus was talking somewhat mysteri­ously to them about “true bread,” they demanded a sign similar to the manna their ancestors had gathered under the leadership of Moses.

You can imagine Jesus sighing. What further sign do they need besides the loaves he has just multi­plied? So in response, he asks them to look more closely at the story of the manna. He corrects their mis­taken view about the One who really did give the true bread, and about the new gift of bread that Jesus had just showered them with. More important, these mistakes lead them to miss the identity of the bread that mattered to them—his flesh and blood.

Jesus tells them that the giver of manna was God, not Moses. He also tells them that God’s miraculous actions are not confined to the past tense. Rather, right now he is offering them true life-giving bread. Finally, and most important of all, that bread is Jesus himself, the One who reveals God to them and who offers them divine, eternal life.

Sometimes we focus too nostalgi­cally on the wonderful ways God has taken care of us in the past and lose sight of the ways he is at work in our lives today, right here and now. We may regret the passing of spiri­tual mentors who helped us come to know God. We may focus only on the blessings of the past, setting aside its struggles and challenges.

To counter this, Jesus gently but firmly invites us to come back to the present. He asks us to look up from our current disappointments and believe in his victory and trust in his provision. He urges us to enter into Word and Sacrament at Mass with an open, trusting heart, so that we can receive the living bread that he wants to give us—today!

“Jesus, you are the living bread. Come and fill me today, so that I can move forward in trust and love.”

Just Do It And Do It NOW

It's easy to procrastinate
And leave good deeds undone,
But such a course will bring regrets
When life's short race is run.


Yesterday you said tomorrow.
Today is the tomorrow that you promised yourself yesterday.
So get started. Right now.
...Just do it!

It is living faith that expresses itself through love.

Faithful in name and in truth

Pope Benedict XIV praised Fidelis as a confessor of the Catholic faith in these words: “He practised the fullness of charity in bringing consolation and relief to his neighbours as well as strangers. With a father’s love he embraced all those who were in trouble. He supported great numbers of poor people with the alms he had collected from every quarter.

“With wealth collected from the powerful and from princes, he comforted widows and orphans in their loneliness. He was always helping prisoners in their spiritual and bodily needs. He showed constant zeal in visiting and comforting the sick whom he would win back to God and prepare for their last struggle.

“The most outstanding example of this meritorious way of life occurred when the Austrian army, stationed in the area of Raetia, was almost totally destroyed by an epidemic. To show compassion he used to bring food for the weak and the dying.”

In addition to this charity, he was faithful in truth as well as in name. His zeal for defending the Catholic faith was unsurpassed and he preached it tirelessly. A few days before he shed his blood to bear witness to his preaching, he gave his last sermon. These are the words he left as a testament: “O Catholic faith, how solid, how strong you are! How deeply rooted, how firmly founded on a solid rock! Heaven and earth will pass away, but you can never pass away. From the beginning the whole world opposed you, but you mightily triumphed over everything. This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. It has subjected powerful kings to the rule of Christ; it has bound nations to his service.

“What made the holy apostles and martyrs endure fierce agony and bitter torments, except faith, and especially faith in the resurrection?

“What is it that today makes true followers of Christ cast luxuries aside, leave pleasures behind, and endure difficulties and pain? It is living faith that expresses itself through love. It is this that makes us put aside the goods of the present in the hope of future goods. It is because of faith that we exchange the present for the future.”

~From a eulogy for Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen

What can we do to accomplish the works of God? (John 6:28)

“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.” (John 6:29)

Jesus had just fed a multitude of people, and the disciples had just seen him walking on water. Take a moment to think about the immensity of these two feats. First, Jesus was able to feed thousands of hungry people with just five loaves of bread and a couple of fish. Then, he completely overrode the laws of gravity and buoyancy by striding atop a stormy sea. And he did it all so casually, so matter-of-factly, as if it were an everyday thing for him.

No wonder, after seeing all of this, the people asked how they could accomplish such feats as well. If it was so easy for Jesus, it shouldn’t be too hard for them. So they asked him to clue them in on his secret and tell them how they could multiply bread.

“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent” (John 6:29). Evidently, multiplying bread and walking on top of water weren’t Jesus’ first priorities. What really mattered was faith—the gift from God that makes all the dif­ference. It’s the special grace that enables us to trust in our Father and give him room to work in our lives.

What a relief to know that it’s not only up to us! What a relief, also, to know that faith is the most impor­tant thing that God gives to us. For it is through faith that we confidently bring our prayers to the Father. It’s through faith that we can believe that God is on our side and that he is able to bring good out of even the darkest of times. Faith urges us to seek the Lord and his goodness. It prompts us to live in obedience to God’s laws, knowing that his way is the best way. Ultimately, to live with­out faith is to live without hope!

Today in prayer, thank the Lord for the gift of faith. Tell him that you want to combine your own acts of faith with the grace he has given you. Tell him that you want to learn how to surrender more deeply to “him who is able to accomplish far more than all we ask or imagine, by the power at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).


“Lord, I believe. Increase my faith!”

You are witnesses to this (Luke 24:48)

"Have you anything here to eat?" (Luke 24:41)

The disciples’ joy of seeing the Risen Lord on the road to Emmaus and the way they felt at the breaking of bread, hadn’t died yet. Now, they have gathered together to exchange news of the Jesus’ apparitions and all the people he has visited. They were so disturbed by the former image of him hanging on the cross that they forgot to look forward to his resurrection and keep his promise. Then suddenly, in the midst of it all, the Lord appears. “Peace” he says to the frightened lot. The disciples are awestruck… dumbfounded, they thought they were seeing a ghost. Maybe it was the morning mist that got in the way. However, this is not the first time they imagined Jesus to be a ghost, even when he walked on water they thought the same thing. More like “spy the ghost” series. Being around Jesus must be more fun than I can imagine!

Talking about the Resurrection and being eye witnesses to the whole event are two different things. The Jews of old didn’t really understand the true meaning of the Resurrection until they saw the glorified Christ. All they believed was in the “afterlife,” a reincarnation not similar to Hinduism or Buddhism, where the soul returns in animal form depending on your karma.

The resurrected Christ proves that he is flesh and blood. “Touch and see for yourselves,” he says, “a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.” He not only speaks but asks, “What’s for supper?” “And they offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate before their eyes.” This is one passage that has given theologians sleepless nights, trying to figure out what happened to the fish that Jesus ate! Was Jesus’ resurrected body capable of digesting food? We’ll find out when we get to heaven!

After stretching their minds to understand the fulfillment of Scriptures, Jesus tells them, “You are witnesses to this.” And today’s first reading of Peter’s fearless preaching is the result of his encounter with the resurrected Lord. By our baptism we are called to bear witness to Christ, just as Peter and the other disciples did. They braved through the dark tunnels of perils, and walked through the shadows of death, to win the crown of victory. Each one of us will bear the marks of persecution, rejection and anxiety from life’s battles. They are the same wounds that we carry when forgiveness becomes difficult and unpleasant.

The message of today’s Gospel tells us that no matter where you are right now in life there is undying hope. Whether you are in the Desert.. tempted on every side, or at Gethsemane feeling deceived and rejected or maybe on Mt. Calvary under a dark cloud of confusion and dismay, you are invited to come…come to the “empty tomb” see and believe. Jesus is truly risen and he goes ahead of us to prepare a place, so that where he is, we may be also.


“Lord Jesus, we may never fully understand the meaning of the trials and sufferings we go through, but Lord, we know that in the midst of it all, You are there, bringing us peace that surpasses all understanding. Open our hearts Lord, to discover more of you each day.”

O God, let me know you and love you

Let me know you and love you, so that I may find my joy in you

My soul, have you found what you are looking for? You were looking for God, and you have discovered that he is the supreme being, and that you could not possibly imagine anything more perfect. You have discovered that this supreme being is life itself, light, wisdom, goodness, eternal blessedness and blessed eternity. He is everywhere, and he is timeless.

Lord my God, you gave me life and restored it when I lost it. Tell my soul that so longs for you what else you are besides what it has already understood, so that it may see you clearly. It stands on tiptoe to see more, but apart from what it has seen already, it sees nothing but darkness. Of course it does not really see darkness, because there is no darkness in you, but it sees that it can see no further because of the darkness in itself.

Surely, Lord, inaccessible light is your dwelling place, for no one apart from yourself can enter into it and fully comprehend you. If I fail to see this light it is simply because it is too bright for me. Still, it is by this light that I do see all that I can, even as weak eyes, unable to look straight at the sun, see all that they can by the sun’s light.

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 toward it for any length of time. I am dazzled by its brightness, amazed by its grandeur, overwhelmed by its immensity, 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 everywhere in your entirety, 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 at last that knowledge, love and joy come to me in all their plenitude. While I am here on earth let me learn to know you better, so that in heaven I may know you fully; let my love for you grow deeper here, so that there I may love you fully. On earth then I shall have great joy in hope, and in heaven complete joy in the fulfilment of my hope.

O Lord, through your Son you command us, no, you counsel us to ask, and you promise that you will hear us so that our joy may be complete. Lord, I am making the request that you urge us to make through your Wonder-Counsellor. Give me then what you promise to give through your Truth. 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 for ever. Amen.

(From the Proslogion by Saint Anselm)

It is I. Do not be afraid (John 6:20)

“It is I.” (John 6:20)

The disciples were rowing in a strong wind. They were working hard, keeping the boat afloat despite the wind and the waves. The situ­ation wasn’t desperate. These were able watermen who knew the sea and had determined that they could make it to the other shore in these conditions. Still, something hap­pened, “and they began to be afraid” (John 6:19).

It wasn’t the wind or the waves that caused their fear. It was Jesus, appearing at a place they didn’t expect: right in the middle of the lake! As far as the disciples knew, he had gone off to a mountain to be by himself. What’s more, he was doing something they had never consid­ered possible: walking on the water! No wonder they became afraid!

Isn’t that how it is with us, when God doesn’t do what we expect? When he acts at a time we hadn’t imagined he would? When he shows up outside our comfort zone of time or place or expectations of any kind? Of course it will stir up fear!

Jesus dealt with his disciples just as he wants to deal with us—by announcing himself. “It is I. Do not be afraid” (John 6:20). The literal translation of the Greek here is I am, just as in the Book of Exodus, when Moses asked God for his name, and God replied “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14).

It is I. Do not be afraid. Jesus wants to speak these words to you every time he reveals something new about who he is or what he wants to do in your life. He wants you to focus on who he is, even as he catches you off guard. He is all powerful, all knowing, all sufficient, always good, always loving, always merciful, always just. Sometimes God allows things to happen that redirect the paths of our lives. Sometimes he invites us to find him in unusual places or unexpected people. Sometimes he is “hidden in plain sight” in unlikely circumstances. Any of these can be just as bewildering and unsettling as seeing Jesus walk­ing on water. And when it happens, we need to trust that the One who is good and loving and kind and pow­erful and sufficient for everything is with us. He will never leave us!

“Jesus, I believe that you are always sufficient for all my needs.”

A tree once caused our death, but now a tree brings life

The precious and life-giving cross of Christ

How precious the gift of the cross, how splendid to contemplate! In the cross there is no mingling of good and evil, as in the tree of paradise: it is wholly beautiful to behold and good to taste. The fruit of this tree is not death but life, not darkness but light. This tree does not cast us out of paradise, but opens the way for our return.

This was the tree on which Christ, like a king on a chariot, destroyed the devil, the Lord of death, and freed the human race from his tyranny. This was the tree upon which the Lord, like a brave warrior wounded in his hands, feet and side, healed the wounds of sin that the evil serpent had inflicted on our nature. A tree once caused our death, but now a tree brings life. Once deceived by a tree, we have now repelled the cunning serpent by a tree. What an astonishing transformation! That death should become life, that decay should become immortality, that shame should become glory! Well might the holy Apostle exclaim: Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world! The supreme wisdom that flowered on the cross has shown the folly of worldly wisdom’s pride. The knowledge of all good, which is the fruit of the cross, has cut away the shoots of wickedness.

The wonders accomplished through this tree were foreshadowed clearly even by the mere types and figures that existed in the past. Meditate on these, if you are eager to learn. Was it not the wood of a tree that enabled Noah, at God’s command, to escape the destruction of the flood together with his sons, his wife, his sons’ wives and every kind of animal? And surely the rod of Moses prefigured the cross when it changed water into blood, swallowed up the false serpents of Pharaoh’s magicians, divided the sea at one stroke and then restored the waters to their normal course, drowning the enemy and saving God’s own people? Aaron’s rod, which blossomed in one day in proof of his true priesthood, was another figure of the cross, and did not Abraham foreshadow the cross when he bound his son Isaac and placed him on the pile of wood?

By the cross death was slain and Adam was restored to life. The cross is the glory of all the apostles, the crown of the martyrs, the sanctification of the saints. By the cross we put on Christ and cast aside our former self. By the cross we, the sheep of Christ, have been gathered into one flock, destined for the sheepfolds of heaven.

~Saint Theodore the Studite

If You Wish

If You Wish

If you wish to be respected,
then be ever respectful.

If you wish to be understood,
then sincerely understand others.

If you wish to be appreciated,
then be ever grateful.

If you wish to be loved,
then give love in each moment.

If you wish to be wealthy,
then act to create real value.

If you wish to learn,
then take time to teach.

If you wish to climb higher,
then life others up.

If you wish to be wise,
then share what you know.

Whatever you wish, life will surely give it.
What you must do, though, is to truly live it.
There is so much to live for and so much to see.
You will have whatever you are willing to be.

~Ralph Marston

He who comes from heaven is above all others (John 3:31)

“The Father loves the Son and has entrusted everything to him.” (John 3:35)

O Lord, sometimes I feel trapped by all the pressure and stress of life. All I can see are my problems, my struggles, my challenges. I feel like I am drowning in a sea of trials. It’s so hard to look above all the things that are pressing on me, demanding my immediate attention!

But you, Jesus, are from above, and you are above all. You have the serenity that comes from your divine perspective, overseeing the raging sea of human emotions. You have seen my beginning and my end, the whole sweep of my existence.

Yes, Lord, you are above all, but that doesn’t mean you are removed from my life or indifferent to my struggles. You don’t hold yourself aloof from me, looking down from an unapproachable distance. You walked this earth and faced hard­ship and struggle yourself. You were deeply familiar with the fluctuations of human emotions, but you never lost your perspective. You never forgot your mission—or that your Father was always with you. And even today, you look down on me with compassion and concern.

You call me to look up, to raise my face to you. You beckon me to see with your eyes, from your heavenly perspective. When my problems loom before me, you lock your gaze on me and remind me that I am your child. You tell me that I am precious to you, that I am destined for eternal life, and that you are always by my side.

I will look up, Lord! I will trust that you are true, that you have brought me to life, and that you will walk with me through all my strug­gles. I believe that I have the hope of eternal life with you in heaven—a hope that I can begin to experience right here and now.

Lord, I believe that you will give me your wisdom and guidance—a wisdom that sees much farther than I ever could on my own. Thank you, Lord, for lifting me out of my earth­bound perspective and opening heaven to me!


“Lord, you have raised me up to share your divine perspective. Right here, right now, I need you to speak to me of the things of heaven. Lord, I look to you and know that you will answer me!”

Pope's homily on the occasion of his 85th birthday, Vatican, 2012

MASS ON THE OCCASION OF HIS HOLINESS 85th birthday

HOMILY OF THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT XVI

Pauline Chapel
Monday, April 16, 2012

Dear Cardinals,
Dear Brothers in the Episcopate and the Priesthood,
Dear Brothers and Sisters!

On the day of my birthday and my baptism, April 16, the liturgy of the Church has three trail signs that show me where it leads the way and helps me to find it. First, there is the memory of St. Bernadette Soubirous, the visionary of Lourdes, then, is one of the most unique in the history of the Church, Benedict Joseph Labre, and then, above all, is the fact that this day is always immersed in the Paschal Mystery, the Mystery of the Cross and Resurrection, and in the year of my birth was expressed in a particular way: it was Holy Saturday, the day of God's silence, the apparent absence of the death of God, but also the day when announcing the Resurrection.

Bernadette Soubirous, the simple girl of the South, in the Pyrenees - we all know and love. She grew up in France during the Enlightenment of the nineteenth century, in poverty that can hardly be imagined. The prison, which had been abandoned as it was too unhealthy, became, eventually - after some hesitation - the residence of the family, where she spent her childhood. There was no chance of education, just a bit of catechism in preparation for First Communion. But this very simple girl, who in her heart remained pure and sincere, was capable of seeing the Mother of the Lord and in her, the reflection of the beauty and goodness of God. Mary could show up and talk to her in the same century, and the the century beyond. Bernadette could see, with a pure and genuine heart. And Mary indicates the source: you can discover the source, living water, pure and uncontaminated water, which is life-giving, water which gives purity and health. And through the centuries, now, that living sign from Mary is here, a sign indicating where to find the source of life where we can purify ourselves, where we find what is uncontaminated. In our time, we see the world in much trouble, and where the need for bursts of water, pure water, is much greater. From Mary, the Mother of God, a pure heart also comes the pure, genuine uncontaminated water that gives life, the water in this century - and in the centuries that may come - purifies and heals us.

I think we can consider this water as an image of truth which comes to us in the faith: the uncorrupted, unpolluted truth. In fact, in order to live, to become pure, there needs to be in us the longing for pure life, the truth is not distorted, it is not tainted by corruption, not tainted by humans. So this day, this little saint, has always been a sign to me that showed me where the living water comes from, which we need - the water that purifies us and gives life - and a sign of how we should be: with all knowledge and all abilities, although they are necessary, we must not lose the simple heart, simple look of the heart, and can see the essential, and we must always pray unto the Lord to keep us in the humility that allows the heart to remain clear-sighted - to see what is simple and essential, beauty and goodness of God - and thus find the source from which the water comes, that gives life and purifies.

Then there is Benedict Joseph Labre, the pious pilgrim beggar of the eighteenth century, after several fruitless attempts, finally found his vocation as a mendicant pilgrim - without anything, without help and not keeping to himself what he received, except what he needed - he travelled as a pilgrim across Europe, to all the shrines of Europe, from Spain to Poland and Germany to Sicily: a saintly European! We can safely say a strange saint, wandering from one sanctuary to another doing nothing but begging and praying, and thus bearing witness to what really matters in this life: God. He is certainly not a model, we should imitate, but a signpost, an outstretched finger on the essential point. He shows us that God alone is enough, that beyond all that can be in this world, beyond our own needs and capabilities, what matters, is to know God alone suffices, and that "only God", he tells us in a dramatic way. And at the same time, the life of a saint who travelled from shrine to shrine, embracing the entire European continent shows us clearly that the person who opens himself to God is not a stranger to the world of men, rather he finds others, and that by God all borders fall. Only God can eliminate frontiers, because thanks to him we are all brothers, we are part of each other, that makes the oneness of God, at the same time, brotherhood and reconciliation among people, the breaking down of borders that unites us and heals us. So he is a saint of peace just as it is without any need for a Saint, who died poor in all but blessed with everything.

And then, finally, there is the Paschal Mystery. On the same day that I was born, thanks to the solicitude of my parents I was reborn with water and the Spirit, as we just heard in the Gospel. First, there is the gift of life that my parents gave me in very difficult times, and for which I thank them. But it is not obvious that human life itself is a gift. Could there really be a nicer gift? Do we know what lies in the dark days and what man will be faced with - or even brighter days? Can we predict to what troubles, what terrible events may be exposed? Can life be simple? Is it reasonable or too uncertain? It is a questionable gift, if it remains alone. Biological life is a gift in itself, yet it is surrounded by a great question. It becomes a true gift only if, along with that life, we are given a promise that is stronger than any evil that will threaten us, if it is dipped into a force that ensures that it is good to be a man, that this person is a benefit, whatever the future may bring. Thus, birth is associated with rebirth, the certainty that, in truth, there is a good thing, because the promise is stronger than any misfortune that will threaten us. This is the sense of rebirth by water and the Spirit: being immersed in the promise that only God can do, is good for you to be there, and you can rest assured, whatever happens. With this assurance, I could live, reborn of water and the Spirit. Nicodemus asks the Lord: "How can an old man possibly be born?" Now, the rebirth is given to us in Baptism, but we must continually grow in faith, we must continue to allow ourselves to be immersed in God's promise to be truly born again in the great, new family of God which is stronger than all the weaknesses and the negative powers that threaten us. So this is a day of great thanksgiving.

The day I was baptized, as I said, it was Holy Saturday. Then it was still used, to anticipate the Easter Vigil Mass in the morning, which would be followed even the darkness of Holy Saturday, without the Alleluia. It seems to me that this singular paradox, this remarkable anticipation of light in a dark day, may be almost an image of the history of our times. On the one hand, there is still God's silence and his absence, but in the Resurrection of Christ is already the anticipation of "yes" of God, and based on this anticipation we live and through the silence of God, we hear him speak, and through the darkness of his absence to catch a glimpse of his light. The anticipation of the Resurrection in the middle of a story that evolves is the force that shows us the way and that helps us move forward.

We thank the good Lord for giving us this light and pray that it may always remain. And on this day I have reason to thank him and all those who through whom I have time and again felt the presence of the Lord, who accompanied me lest I lose the light.

I face the final stretch of the journey of my life and I do not know what to expect. I know, however, that the light of God is that He is risen, that its light is stronger than any darkness, that the goodness of God is stronger than any evil of this world. And this helps me to proceed with confidence. This helps us to move forward, and in this hour I gratefully thank all those who constantly make me feel the "Yes" of God through their faith.

Eventually - Cardinal Dean - a heartfelt thanks for your words of fraternal friendship, cooperation throughout all these years. And a big thanks to all employees of the 30 years that I spent in Rome, they helped carry the weight of my responsibility. Thank you. Amen.


[My emphasis in bold]

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son (John 3:16)

“For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world,
but so that through him the world might be saved.” (John 3:17)

Imagine a holy card that pic­tures God the Father—blazing with wrath—poised to blast this sinful world to oblivion. And next to him, straining to hold back the aveng­ing arm, God the Son, whose heart burns with love for fallen humanity.

Hopefully, you’re not carrying such an image in your prayer book! But are you carrying some version of it in your head? Do you some­times see the Father as severe and condemning, in contrast to Jesus? Or perhaps you take a “good cop/ bad cop” approach to the Bible— almost as if it presents two different divinities: a severe “God of justice” in the Old Testament and a “God of mercy” in the New.

If any of this feels familiar, today’s verse is especially for you. Very clearly, it proclaims that Father and Son are united in their love for the human race, completely one in their plan of salvation. It’s the basic mes­sage of John’s whole Gospel: Jesus comes from the Father, is one with him, reveals him, and does nothing apart from him. As he himself says to Philip and to us: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

To modify a common saying, what you see (in Jesus) is what you get (in the Father)! There is no devious God with a hidden agenda to make you suffer; there is no malicious “police officer in the sky,” ready to punish you for the slightest slip. Yes, God is wrathful toward sin: Father and Son are united in their intention to destroy it! But to anyone in sin’s grasp, God offers a love so extrava­gant that no price is too great. You can trust this God with your whole life.

So now that you’ve conjured up that fictitious holy card image, put it away—for good! Instead, picture God looking at you with love, the way doting parents contemplate their newborn child. You are God’s beloved. And in all your joys and sor­rows, he is working out his plan to give you a future full of hope.


“Lord, thank you for your love. Help me to reject everything that keeps me from returning it. Help me to accept everything that will make my life a beautiful gift for you.”

Helpless Love

Helpless Love

Once upon a time all feelings and emotions went to a coastal island for a vacation. According to their nature, each was having a good time. Suddenly, a warning of an impending storm was announced and everyone was advised to evacuate the island.

The announcement caused sudden panic. All rushed to their boats. Even damaged boats were quickly repaired and commissioned for duty.

Yet, Love did not wish to flee quickly. There was so much to do. But as the clouds darkened, Love realised it was time to leave. Alas, there were no boats to spare. Love looked around expectantly.

Just then Prosperity passed by in a luxurious boat. Love shouted, “Prosperity, could you please take me in your boat?”

“No,” replied Prosperity, “my boat is full of precious possessions, gold and silver. There is no place for you.”

A little later Vanity came by in a beautiful boat. Again Love shouted, “Could you help me, Vanity? I am stranded and need a lift. Please take me with you.”

Vanity responded haughtily, “No, I cannot take you with me. My boat will get soiled with your muddy feet.”

Sorrow passed by after some time. Again, Love asked for help. But it was to no avail. “No, I cannot take you with me. I am so sad. I want to be by myself.”

When Happiness passed by a few minutes later, Love again called for help. But Happiness was so happy that it did not look around, hardly concerned about anyone.

Love was growing restless and dejected. Just then somebody called out, “Come Love, I will take you with me.” Love did not know who was being so magnanimous, but jumped on to the boat, greatly relieved that she would reach a safe place.

On getting off the boat, Love met Knowledge. Puzzled, Love inquired, “Knowledge, do you know who so generously gave me a lift just when no one else wished to help?”

Knowledge smiled, “Oh, that was Time.”

“And why would Time stop to pick me and take me to safety?” Love wondered.

Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and replied, “Because only Time knows your true greatness and what you are capable of. Only Love can bring peace and great happiness in this world.”

“The important message is that
when we are prosperous,
we overlook love.
When we feel important, we forget love.
Even in happiness and sorrow we forget love.
Only with time do we realize the importance of love.
Why wait that long?
Why not make love a part of your life today?”

Pope Benedict's 85th birthday celebrations

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates a mass in the Paolina chapel on the occasion of his 85th birthday celebrations at the Vatican April 16, 2012.

And Later the celebrations in the Clementine Hall...

Children dressed in traditional Bavarian costumes dance for Pope Benedict XVI during the Pontiff's 85th birthday celebrations in the Clementine Hall on April 16, 2012 in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Benedict was joined by his brother Msgr. Georg Ratzinger and German bishops to celebrate the occasions.

The whole group of believers was united (Acts 4:32)

“There was no needy person among them.” (Acts 4:34)

How idyllic the early church sounds! Everything was held in com­mon. The gospel was preached in power. Everyone enjoyed the favour of God. The wealthy liquidated their assets and gave the money to the apostles. This is quite a model of what a truly Christian community looks like—or would look like if such a community were comprised of genuine, true believers.

But look again. At the top of his list, St. Luke tells us that the believ­ers were “of one heart and mind” (Acts 4:32). The marvelous commu­nity that he describes is not a miracle of human unity but a result of the indwelling Holy Spirit, the only one who can bring about such a radical transformation in people’s lives.

Luke is not offering a model that we are meant to copy so much as he is painting a picture of what can happen when we allow the Spirit to fill and lead us. In the early church, “one heart and mind” looked like the common life that the believers led. Today, that same interior unity would probably look somewhat dif­ferent, given the differences in our societies and the economic systems at work today.

But whatever the details of our life as a church, unity is still key—a unity founded on the willingness to hear from the Holy Spirit. It’s a will­ingness to work together, to honor and respect each other, and to sub­mit our minds and hearts to the Lord and to the teachings of his church. This, more than any specific commu­nal lifestyle, is the heart of the unity that God wants for us.

Today’s reading tells us that if we give the Holy Spirit permission to fill us and lead us, unity will evolve—in our families, in our prayer groups, and in our parish communities. It won’t happen automatically, but it will develop organically as we learn to listen to the Spirit together. He alone has the wisdom to teach us how to work it out. He alone can show us what unity should look like in our day-to-day lives. Respect, honor, and cooperation are grand ideals on a human level. But with the Lord, unity of heart and mind can become a living reality!


“Holy Spirit, teach me how to be united with you in heart and mind, so that I can be of one heart and mind with my brothers and sisters.”

You Must Be Born Again (John 3:7)

"He came to Jesus at night" (John 3:2)

In today's Gospel, Jesus chats with an after–dark follower Nicodemus. He is the timid disciple who comes to Jesus at night (John 3:2). Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a respectable person and because of his position in society, he was afraid to be seen associating with Jesus. He had heard about Jesus, which is why he said, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him" (John 3:2). Now, out of curiosity he comes to meet Jesus. Though Nicodemus' act seems cowardly, we should not be hard on him. In fact, he was risking his reputation by going to see Jesus, the untrained teacher from Galilee. It definitely took him a great deal of courage to go in the first place.

Jesus already knew what was bothering Nicodemus and why the odd-hour visit. Jesus' conversation is on spiritual terms whereas Nicodemus sees things through the tainted earthly perspective. "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" (John 3:4). Jesus answered him and said, 'No one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit' (John 3:5-6). Flesh is the human nature, our human nature is depraved, fallen nature under Adam. Depraved man can have a son only in his likeness but man must become God's children to enter God’s kingdom. Hence, we need to be born again spiritually. Spiritual birth is possible only through baptism (water and the Holy Spirit) [Read the baptism of Jesus, Matthew 3:16].

Surely that night changed Nicodemus' life, we don’t know when he decided to follow Jesus, but he defended Jesus against his own fellow Pharisees (John 7:50-52). Maybe Nicodemus continued to stand on the sidelines and watch Jesus as he travelled through the region, teaching and performing miracles. He was a closet Christian but not forever. If you are a follower of Christ, you cannot hide for long. A time will come when you have to take a stand. Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were 'under cover' for a couple of years but the time arrived when they had to make that ultimate decision if they wanted to see heaven. They braved Pilate's wrath and asked for the body of Jesus to have a proper burial. It was through the Holy Spirit that the Pharisee forsakes what the world says and steps out in faith.

Sadly too many of us are Xerox copies of the old Nicodemus. We worry about the opinion of the person next door more than that of Jesus. Too long, we have been undercover disciples. The time has come for us to take a stand on what we believe and to break free of our restraints. Let us step out in faith and live our lives in such a way that we stand out as Jesus’ disciples.


“Lord Jesus, I know that pride and prestige have ruled most part of my life. I have been a reluctant follower afraid what the world might think and say. Forgive me Lord, for all the times I’ve been ashamed to profess my faith.”

Happy Birthday, Pope Benedict XVI

Today our beloved Pope Benedict XVI completes his 85th Birth Anniversary. ★ Happy Birthday Holy Father ★ The Pontiff has asked for prayers for strength to carry on as he marks his 85th birthday as well as his seventh anniversary as pope this week.

This milestone in the life of the Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church is a time to celebrate and give thanks to the Lord for the gift of the Holy Father. It is also an opportunity for every Catholic to pray for their leader, for his good health, for wisdom and enlightenment as he continues to shepherd the Holy Catholic Church during these difficult times.

He needs prayers for his well being so that he can usher the Church into what he calls the “Era of the New Evangelization.” What keeps the Pope going is his desire to make Christ known and loved. He serves the Lord with joy, a joy that cannot be taken away from him. It is a joy that comes from the Lord Himself.

Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger was born on 16 April, Holy Saturday, 1927, at Schulstraße 11, at 8:30 4:15 in the morning in his parents' home in Marktl, Bavaria, Germany (Diocese of Passau) and was baptised the same day. He is the third and youngest child of Joseph Ratzinger, Sr., a police officer, and Maria Ratzinger (née Peintner).

Pope Benedict XVI's brother, Msgr. Georg Ratzinger, a priest and former director of the Regensburger Domspatzen choir, is still alive (Photo below). His spinster sister, Maria Ratzinger, managed Cardinal Ratzinger's household until her death in 1991.

Pope Benedict is the 265th pontiff by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome. Elected at the age of 78, he stands to be the oldest Pope elected since Clement XII (1730–40) and sixth oldest since the 1400s.

Ratzinger chose the pontifical name Benedict, which comes from the Latin word meaning "the blessed", in honour of both Pope Benedict XV and Saint Benedict of Nursia.

Pope Benedict XV was Pope during the First World War, during which time he passionately pursued peace between the warring nations.

St. Benedict of Nursia was the founder of the Benedictine monasteries (most monasteries of the Middle Ages were of the Benedictine order) and the author of the Rule of Saint Benedict, which is still the most influential writing regarding the monastic life of Western Christianity.

The pope explained his choice of name during his first General Audience in St. Peter's Square, on 27 April 2005:

"Filled with sentiments of awe and thanksgiving, I wish to speak of why I chose the name Benedict. Firstly, I remember Pope Benedict XV, that courageous prophet of peace, who guided the Church through turbulent times of war. In his footsteps I place my ministry in the service of reconciliation and harmony between peoples. Additionally, I recall Saint Benedict of Nursia, co-patron of Europe, whose life evokes the Christian roots of Europe. I ask him to help us all to hold firm to the centrality of Christ in our Christian life: May Christ always take first place in our thoughts and actions!"

Pope Benedict XVI meets with his brother Monsignor Georg Ratzinger at the Vatican, Saturday, April 14, 2012. The Pontiff has asked for prayers and for strength to carry on as he marks his seventh anniversary as pope this week. Benedict made the comments to thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square for his traditional Sunday blessing. Benedict plans to celebrate with his older brother, Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, who flew in from Germany over the weekend.

Quote:

God wants us to be happy always.
He knows us and he loves us.
If we allow the love of Christ to change our heart,
then we can change the world.
This is the secret of authentic happiness.

~Pope Benedict XVI