Do not be afraid of Christ!

“Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way?
If we let Christ enter fully into our lives,
if we open ourselves totally to him,
are we not afraid
that He might take something away from us?
Are we not perhaps afraid
to give up something significant,
something unique,
something that makes life so beautiful?

Do we not then risk ending up diminished
and deprived of our freedom? . . . No!
If we let Christ into our lives,
we lose nothing,
nothing,
absolutely nothing of what makes life free,
beautiful and great. No!

Only in this friendship
are the doors of life opened wide.
Only in this friendship is the great potential
of human existence truly revealed.
Only in this friendship do we experience
beauty and liberation.

And so, with great strength and great conviction,
on the basis of long personal experience of life,
I say to you: Do not be afraid of Christ!
He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything.

When we give ourselves to him,
we receive a hundredfold in return.
Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ –
and you will find true life.
Amen.”

― Pope Benedict XVI

Pictures of the 7th World Meeting of Families

Pope Benedict XVI (C-back) watch a show during a celebration with candidates for Confirmation at San Siro stadium in Milan, as part of the 7th World Meeting of Families on June 2, 2012. The pope has left behind a scandal-hit Vatican to address pilgrims and families from 154 countries around the world on the importance of traditional family values in securing the Church's future in the West

A Young One In The Making

A child waits to greet Pope Benedict XVI at the end of the weekly general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican Wednesday, June 27, 2012.

The Lord stood by me and gave me strength (2 Timothy 4:17)

The angel of the Lord … delivers all who fear God. (Psalm 34:8)

This scene sounds a lot like a suspenseful movie, doesn’t it? A hostage languishes in captivity until a heli­copter is heard in the distance. The chopper brings a group of highly skilled forces who enter and snatch the hostage out of the mouth of dan­ger, whisking him to safety.

In today’s readings, both Peter and Paul rejoice in being rescued by God. Peter’s story in the Book of Acts is just as thrilling as a movie: He is miraculously released from his chains and walks past the sleeping soldiers on his way to freedom. And Paul, reflecting on God’s work as he nears the end of his life, tells a no less exciting tale: He was rescued from the lion’s mouth and trusts that, as he remains imprisoned, he will be rescued from every evil threat.

As dramatic as these rescues sound, they also underscore the truth that each of us can rely on God. Of course, we know that we have been rescued from sin and death through Jesus’ resurrection. But if we were to look closely, we would discover numerous day-to-day examples of how God has rescued us. What about that time you were feeling downcast because of some huge problem in your life and the Holy Spirit filled you with hope and lifted your spirits? Or when you real­ized at the last minute that a deci­sion you were going to make could lead you into sin, and you changed your mind?

Remember that the name Jesus means “God saves.” He didn’t come to save you from sin and then just leave you to figure out the rest of your life. No, he came to show you how to live under his protection. He came so that, even if you did find yourself in a perilous situation, you would not panic but would turn to his Spirit for wisdom and guidance and peace.

Never lose sight of how much Jesus loves you. In prayer today, join with the psalmist and with Peter and Paul in rejoicing in the Lord, who is your Savior today and every day!

“Lord, thank you for having rescued me! Let me walk in joyful hope that you will take care of me today.”

It had been set solidly on rock (Matthew 7:25)

“The winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.” (Matthew 7:27)

The citizens of Jerusalem expe­rienced just such a collapse. After numerous infidelities to God, he permitted Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, to conquer them. He dashed their city to the ground, deposed their king, and dragged him into exile along with all the powerful and skilled people of the land.

In the face of such devastation, there are two equally disastrous responses. One is despair, believ­ing that it is just plain impossible to build a house that will stand. And some Jews gave into the temptation to forget their status as God’s chosen people and allowed themselves to be assimilated into the pagan culture of their captors.

The other response is to try to reconstruct the city on the same sandy spot, subject to the same destructive forces not so much the ravages of bloodthirsty neigh­bors as the lack of a strong spiritual foundation.

The wiser response to tragedy is solemn reflection, a deep and hum­ble listening. What needs to change in order to build more solidly? What “rock” is solid enough to sustain the kingdom God is calling us to build? For many of the Jews, a new sense of identity emerged out of their experi­ence of exile. Even in a foreign land, they persisted in reflecting on God’s Word, keeping his commandments, and living in community with others who shared their faith.

We shouldn’t look at tragedies in our own lives as God’s punish­ment for sin, or even the natural consequence of our poor choices. However, God does have something to teach us through every collapse. Sometimes that lesson involves repentance and the resolution to choose more wisely. Sometimes he invites us to refocus on the most essential things in our life with him and let go of lesser things. But sometimes we won’t be able to see his greater purpose. All we can do is declare that he is good and ask him what he would have us do next in order to build with him.

No matter what collapses around us, there is a rock that remains, and that Rock is Christ.

“Jesus, you are my Rock. Deepen my faith in your love, your wisdom, and your provision—no matter what collapses around me.”

Go, consult the LORD for me (2 Kings 22:13)

“The king made a covenant before the Lord.” (2 Kings 23:3)

Josiah wasn’t your average eighteen-year-old learning to be responsible. He already had too much responsibility he was king of Judah! What’s more, the odds were against him. His father, Amon, and his grandfather, Manasseh, had been terrible rulers. Manasseh revived idol worship and various occult practices. He even murdered his own son. Amon continued with more of the same, until he himself was murdered (2 Kings 21). To turn things around would be a very difficult task you might say impossible!

But through God’s intervention, the impossible happened. When the Book of the Law was read aloud to Josiah, his heart was pierced. He got rid of all Israel’s idols and false priests, and reinstated the worship of Yahweh. Equally important, he rededicated himself and his people to God. Because of Josiah’s obedience, it was said of him that “He pleased the Lord and conducted himself unswervingly just as his ancestor David had done” (2 Kings 22:2).

Although none of us are kings or queens, we also have responsibilities, decisions, and often enough, crises to deal with. And like Josiah, we can find many of the answers in the word of God. It’s in the Scriptures that we learn the supreme value of doing right, loving goodness, and walking in humility before our God (Micah 6:8). And we learn how to do those things as we ponder the life and teachings of Jesus, who lived among us as both man and God.

But the Bible is much more than a book of instructions imparting good knowledge. As God’s inspired word, it is “living and effective, sharper than any two edged sword, penetrat­ing even between soul and spirit” (Hebrews 4:12). This is what hap­pened to Josiah—God’s word came alive to him and changed his life.

Today is a good day to listen closely to the Lord through Scrip­ture. It’s a good day to calm your mind, choose a verse from today’s readings, and repeat it slowly and prayerfully until you get a sense that God is speaking directly to you. What is he saying? What impossible thing is he making possible in your heart?

“Father, let me hear your word with new ears today. May it move me to do what I could never do before, and to love as I have never loved before.”

And those who find it are few (Matthew 7:14)

“Enter through the narrow gate.” (Matthew 7:13)

That narrow gate! It’s tighter than the gap between the do’s and don’ts that we’re all familiar with. So you don’t lie, injure or kill but what about forgiving a person who has grievously hurt you? You steer clear of coveting, cheating, and stealing but what about giving financially, even though finances are tight? That’s a constricted road, for sure.

And how do you take time to encourage someone else, when you feel lonely and dejected yourself? Oftentimes, we just don’t. Instead, we take a deep breath, turn side­ways, and hope we can squeeze through that narrow gate anyway.

Actually, no one passes through this gate alone. so don’t ever think you have to walk that constricted road unaccompanied. The Holy Spirit living in you ushers you through. He provides you with the wisdom and understanding, patience and fortitude that you need. He will show you where the gate is for you: whether it’s forgiveness, generos­ity, sharing more of your time, or countless other ways that you may feel constrained. He will help you through it, even when it seems a tight squeeze.

One word of caution: The Holy Spirit is no “fairy godmother,” who waves a magic wand and gets you through the gate automatically. Nei­ther does the Spirit instantaneously infuse you with all the wisdom and knowledge and willingness you need to navigate the narrow passages of life. No, he wants to form your mind as you ponder the word of God and the teachings of the church. He wants to soften your heart as you sit with him in prayer and worship him in the sacraments. He wants to teach you how to hear him, through thoughts or ideas he plants in your mind, or through the word and examples of trusted friends. He wants to show you the way of humble obedience—the way through the narrow gate!

If there are times when the way seems too hard and the gate too nar­row, remember this: God wants you to make it through! There may be scrapes and bruises along the way. But Jesus became a man. He healed and delivered and fed all those who came to him, so that they might enter into life. Let him do the same for you. Let his Spirit help you.

“Lord, I want to enter into life. Help me to seek you and trust you as I travel the road.”

For as you judge, so will you be judged (Matthew 7:2)

“Stop judging, that you may not be judged.” (Matthew 7:1)

We find the defendant guilty as charged. The judge’s gavel strikes: Crack! Crack! Crack! Bailiff, take him away. This scene is repeated count­less times on countless television shows. It is splashed over newspaper headlines and is a hot topic in books and blockbuster movies. In case you haven’t noticed, crime-and-punish­ment justice gets a lot of attention. And that side of justice isn’t a bad thing. It’s necessary for the proper functioning of society.

So why is Jesus telling us not to judge? Is he saying that justice isn’t important? Probably not, considering that Isaiah describes the Lord as a God of justice (Isaiah 30:18). More likely, what he’s talking about aren’t the trials that take place in a court­room but the trials convened in our own hearts. You see, it’s possible to accuse someone of a crime inwardly, take on the role of the prosecution, interpret the evidence, and make a conviction. And all without ever letting the accused take the stand in their own defense. It’s human nature: Sometimes we judge people based on first impressions, but there are also times when people we know very well end up in our private “lineup” to be identified as miscre­ants and offenders.

But Jesus states that we are going to be judged with the same measure that we use to measure up other people. That’s a little scary! Maybe you’ve read this passage before, but you don’t know how to respond when someone rubs you the wrong way or offends you. Maybe you do know how you should respond with grace but find it too difficult.

Try remembering this: Your heav­enly Father looks at you with the same measure of love that he has for Jesus. You aren’t worthy of it no one is! But that doesn’t matter. He still pours out new grace, and new mercies every day, simply because he loves you. If you can’t say that you know this grace from experi­ence, ask the Lord to show his love to you right now. Ask him to show you how much grace he has for you today it’s probably a lot more than you expect or think you deserve. But that doesn’t matter. Accept it all, and let that grace change you over time, to the point that you no longer judge anyone.

“Lord, open my eyes to your love so that I can stop judging.”

Tomorrow will take care of itself (Matthew6:34)

“Do not worry.” (Matthew 6:31)

Father, when I think of who you are, I am amazed. You created every­thing, and you have authority and power over all you have made. Yet you call me child, and invite me to call you Father. I can turn to you anytime, anywhere, about anything, and you will hear and answer me. I am never alone, but always in the palm of your hand.

As I go about my day today, Father, I will remember who you are. You order the movement of the stars, you probe the depth of seas, and you count every grain of sand in the deserts. Nothing is hidden from you; nothing alarms you or catches you by surprise. Every one of your decrees is wise and good. You are faithful to every promise you make, for your love and compassion never fail.

Thank you, Father, for embracing me with your compassion. Without fear, I will bring all of my sins and failings to you. I confess that I need your mercy. Time after time you have forgiven me, and you never keep a record of my wrongs. You wash me as white as snow. You pour grace upon me so that I can turn away from the things that rob me of your life. You never grow weary of me; you never tire of hearing my voice when I call to you. Indeed, you rejoice when I turn to you, for that is when I am open to receiving all the good things you have for me.

Father, you surround me com­pletely. In every challenge I will face today, I know you will walk with me and lift me up as I turn to you. I submit my plans to you so that you can direct them. You see what was behind me and what is ahead of me. I lay my anxieties, big and small, at your feet. You are so much greater than all of them. You know every detail of my life, you know every fear and dark shadow in my heart, and still you are not worried. So I will not worry, either.

“Father, thank you for who you are and all that you have done. I put my trust in you. You will never leave me or forsake me!”

Nothing can come but what God wills

With good hope I shall commit myself wholly to God

Although I know well, Margaret, that because of my past wickedness I deserve to be abandoned by God, I cannot but trust in his merciful goodness. His grace has strengthened me until now and made me content to lose goods, land, and life as well, rather than to swear against my conscience. God’s grace has given the king a gracious frame of mind toward me, so that as yet he has taken from me nothing but my liberty. In doing this His Majesty has done me such great good with respect to spiritual profit that I trust that among all the great benefits he has heaped so abundantly upon me I count my imprisonment the very greatest. I cannot, therefore, mistrust the grace of God. Either he shall keep the king in that gracious frame of mind to continue to do me no harm, or else, if it be his pleasure that for my other sins I suffer in this case as I shall not deserve, then his grace shall give me the strength to bear it patiently, and perhaps even gladly.

By the merits of his bitter passion joined to mine and far surpassing in merit for me all that I can suffer myself, his bounteous goodness shall release me from the pains of purgatory and shall increase my reward in heaven besides.

I will not mistrust him, Meg, though I shall feel myself weakening and on the verge of being overcome with fear. I shall remember how Saint Peter at a blast of wind began to sink because of his lack of faith, and I shall do as he did: call upon Christ and pray to him for help. And then I trust he shall place his holy hand on me and in the stormy seas hold me up from drowning.

And if he permits me to play Saint Peter further and to fall to the ground and to swear and forswear, may God our Lord in his tender mercy keep me from this, and let me lose if it so happen, and never win thereby! Still, if this should happen, afterward I trust that in his goodness he will look on me with pity as he did upon Saint Peter, and make me stand up again and confess the truth of my conscience afresh and endure here the shame and harm of my own fault.

And finally, Margaret, I know this well: that without my fault he will not let me be lost. I shall, therefore, with good hope commit myself wholly to him. And if he permits me to perish for my faults, then I shall serve as praise for his justice. But in good faith, Meg, I trust that his tender pity shall keep my poor soul safe and make me commend his mercy.

And, therefore, my own good daughter, do not let your mind be troubled over anything that shall happen to me in this world. Nothing can come but what God wills. And I am very sure that whatever that be, however bad it may seem, it shall indeed be the best.

From a letter written in prison to his daughter, Margaret, by Saint Thomas More

For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be (Matthew 6:21)

“The lamp of the body is the eye. If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light; but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness.” (Matthew 6:22-23)

Jesus spoke these words to a people whose eyes might be drawn occasionally to their neighbor’s house or crops or cattle. But today he speaks them to a people whose eyes are constantly bombarded with images from television, the Internet, billboards, and movies. Because we are subjected to so much visual clut­ter and temptation, we need to be doubly alert to the effect that these images have on our hearts.

“But I do all the things I am sup­posed to do,” we may reply. “I go to Mass and Confession. I try to be kind and generous. How can it be that my eyes are still shrouded in darkness?” It is possible, sadly, because much of what comes at us occurs when we aren’t at Mass or out serving the poor. Much of it hap­pens in our down time, when we are relaxing in front of the TV or casually surfing the Internet.

We shouldn’t have to turn off our TVs altogether or stay offline until Jesus comes again. But we can strat­egize. We can try to find other ways to relax and find entertainment. We can set limits on the amount of time we will spend in front of the vari­ous screens in our lives. We can be a little more discerning about which sites we will visit and which shows we will watch. And most important, we can decide to take some of our screen time and spend it reading Scripture or learning about the life of a saint.

A 2010 survey showed that on average, Americans spent 2.7 hours a day watching television, and a 2011 survey showed that Americans spent an average of thirty hours online a month. That’s a lot of time! Imagine what it would be like if we were to spend only one-quarter of that time in prayer and reading. The more we fix our eyes on the Lord, the more we will find our treasure in him. The more time we spend with Jesus, the clearer our vision will be—and the more clearly we will see his handi­work in everything else around us!

“Jesus, help me to fix my eyes on you, so that my heart can become a pure reflection of your love.”

Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done (Matthew 6:10)

“Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:8)

What a comfort to know that God understands not only what we want in the heat of the moment but what we truly need! What we need to sustain our human life, yes: “daily bread,” no more, no less. But more fundamentally, what we need to live at peace with each other: divine power to give and receive forgiveness. Even what we need but are unable to achieve on our own: protection and deliverance from the forces that would attack our union with him. And finally and most pro­foundly, what we need in order to glorify God and hasten the full com­ing of his kingdom on earth.

Yes, our Father knows what we need before we ask him, and Jesus has encapsulated all these needs in this one, perfect prayer. St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that in the Lord’s Prayer, we ask “not only for all the things we can rightly desire but also in the sequence that they should be desired.” Similarly, Tertullian tells us that since we all have our own particular petitions, we should pray the Lord’s Prayer first so that it can become “the foundation of further desires.”

In describing the close relation­ship between the Sermon on the Mount and this prayer, the Catechism teaches us that “the Spirit of the Lord gives new form to our desires… . Jesus teaches us this new life by his words; he teaches us to ask for it by our prayer.” The Catechism goes on to tell us that “as the Word incar­nate,” Jesus knows “the needs of his human brothers and sisters and reveals them to us: He is the model of our prayer.”

These master teachers urge us to immerse ourselves in the Lord’s Prayer so that we can come to know what we truly need—and so that we can receive it all from our heavenly Father. They explain Jesus’ statement that our Father knows all our needs, even the needs we can’t yet recog­nize. Daily bread, forgiveness, power over temptation, deliverance from evil: Your Father delights in pouring these gifts upon you day after day. So what do you need?

“Jesus, teach me to pray!”

Do not let your left hand know what your right is doing (Matthew 6:3)

“Your Father who sees in secret will repay you.” (Matthew 6:4)

Knowing that his time was short, Elijah asked Elisha to request any­thing he wanted. Elisha wasted no time in asking for a “double por­tion” of Elijah’s spirit (2 Kings 2:9). This may sound like a huge request, but not when you consider the true Giver of this gift. Almighty God, the Lord and giver of life, delights in showering his children with gifts. He is so generous that every day he actively looks for ways to bless us.

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus warns against performing pious acts in public. He doesn’t want us flaunt­ing our relationship with him. But in the next breath he promises that our Father will reward every “secret” act of prayer, generosity, and self-denial. And God is not stingy with his rewards!

What kind of gifts does our Father want to give us? The first, and best, is a closer relationship with him. It’s a relationship where we feel his love more deeply, and trust in his pres­ence more fully.

He also wants to give us wisdom for our lives. Through his word, through his people, and through his Spirit, he wants to guide us in our decision making so that we learn how to act with justice, humility, and compassion in all our dealings.

Another gift he loves to give us is the gift of community. As we get closer to our Father, he introduces us to more and more of his children— our brothers and sisters. He gives us to each other so that we can encour­age one another, experience his love through each other, and help bear one another’s burdens.

Like a waterfall, God’s blessings and grace flow over us whenever we set aside time for private prayer, whenever we fast from self-indul­gence, and whenever we give gener­ously of ourselves. Over time, these gifts change our hearts. Instead of walking gingerly through the day hoping nothing bad happens, we find ourselves walking in confidence and even joy. We find ourselves more convinced that God is with us, always ready to give us a double por­tion of his grace.

“Father, you are so generous! I want to receive everything that you have for me. I trust that you will fill me with good things.”

So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48)

“Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)

How many times have you heard these words from Jesus, and felt completely helpless? We all have someone in our lives that we simply can’t love or forgive someone who has hurt us so deeply that we have resigned ourselves to bearing the wound for the rest of our lives.

It is precisely these memories, these fears, even these resentments that the Lord wants to heal. He knows that we will never find the strength to deal with them on our own. He also knows that there are some situations where it would not be wise to try to reconcile but even in these, he can help us forgive from a safe distance so that we can move on in freedom.

How does Jesus heal us? Not by magically taking everything away in an instant. He does it as we invite him into our wounded memories. If you find yourself struggling with a painful memory, take some time to sit quietly with the Lord. Tell him that you want to be healed. In your heart, picture Jesus sitting with you and with the person who hurt you. See how he loves you, and how he loves that other person. Let his love wash you clean and heal your pain. Sometimes we have to do this a few times, and we may need to ask a trusted friend to pray with us. But healing does come.

Yes, Jesus does want us to love our enemies. He even commands it. But he is not leaving us to figure out how to do this all by ourselves. He is with us every step of the way, offer­ing us his healing and his comfort. He knows how far each of us has to go in this journey, and he is ready to accompany us. He is not put off by our pain not even by our hatred. All he wants is an open heart and an invitation. He wants to set us free.

“Jesus, I welcome you into my heart. I welcome you into my wounded memories. Come, Lord, and teach me how to love and how to forgive. You are the Great Physician, and I trust in you.”

Give to the one who asks of you (Matthew 5:42)

“Go on, take possession of the vineyard.” (1 Kings 21:15)

Just thinking about the way Naboth was treated by Jezebel and Ahab can make your blood boil. What a horrendous injustice! They completely ignored his rights and used false accusations to stir up a murderous mob to get rid of him. And their scheme worked. Naboth was put to death, and Ahab and Jezebel got what they wanted.

Sadly, Naboth is one of a long line of righteous victims in the Scriptures. Think of Uriah, deprived of his wife Bathsheba, and eventually of his own life. Think, too, about Joseph, whose brothers sold him into slavery just because of a special gift his father had given him. Or think about John the Baptist, who lost his life because of Herodias’ burning jealousy and Herod’s fear.

Despite the differences in these people’s stories, they all have one thing in common: They foreshadow the suffering and death of Jesus, the ultimate righteous victim.

Of course, Jesus willingly took on the role of scapegoat for our sake. When the religious leaders stirred up public opinion against him because they were afraid of the Romans, Jesus didn’t defend himself. Even when he was arrested and beaten and bruised, he willingly accepted it. He laid down his life for us. No one took it from him.

Think of all the times that Jesus showed himself as a servant: washing the disciples’ feet, feeding the mul­titudes instead of demanding their worship, forgiving rather than judg­ing. And he did it all so that he could rescue us from sin and death.

By living such a humble, submit­ted life, Jesus showed us a new way to live: not maneuvering to get what we want at the expense of others, not flaunting our power or authority over others, but finding ways to serve other people and lift them up, not tear them down.

Jesus overcame our sin by serving, even to the last drop of his blood. May we all follow him by freely choosing to serve today. Let’s decide now to reject the temptation to deceive or manipulate to get what we want. Let’s pour out our lives for the people around us, treating everyone with justice and love!

“Thank you, Jesus, that by embracing your passion and death, you have defeated death and taught me how to live!”

It is God who shapes you.

The Imprint of God

It is not you who shapes God,
it is God who shapes you.
If then you are the work of God,
await the hand of the artist
Who does all things in due season.
Offer God your heart, soft and tractable,
And keep the form in which the artist has fashioned you.
Let your clay be moist,
Lest you grow hard and lose the imprint
of God's fingers.

~ St. Irenaeus

This is how it is with the kingdom of God (Mark 4:26)

“The seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.” (Mark 4:27)

When you were a child, you may have been given a model for a present—perhaps a model airplane or boat. Can you remember looking at the picture on the box and getting excited to see that model in its fin­ished state? However, you found that if you didn’t follow the directions and assemble the pieces in the right order, your model didn’t come out quite right.

This is a useful analogy for think­ing about Jesus’ parables of the kingdom of God. It’s more exciting to think about the “finished prod­uct,” isn’t it? We look at people like Mother Teresa and John Paul II, and marvel. They were living mod­els of the life Jesus portrayed in his parables—the full grain of wheat ripe and mature and ready for the har­vest. Still, as inspiring as they are, we need to understand that they didn’t become such beautiful models of the kingdom overnight. No one does.

Holiness happens one step at a time, not all at once—and we are not fully in charge of the process. It is God who molds, shapes, and glues all the pieces of our lives, making us into living examples of a life lived in his love and power. And even more amazing, it is God who supplies us with the desire and the ability to ful­fill his purposes. Our part is simply to follow God’s directions, step by step, and not worry about the end result.

If you think the Lord is calling you in a certain direction, go there—even if you can’t see how it contributes to the final product. If you’re trying your best and nothing’s working out, be patient. God is still at work, bringing his plan to completion. Let go of any stress, anxiety, and fear you may feel, and allow yourself to smile. For God, the Master Builder, is working everything together for your good!

“Lord, today I’m going to let you be in charge. I trust that you are at work in me, building me and shaping me in ways I can’t even imagine!”

Mary kept all these things in her heart

Mary kept all these things in her heart

As Mary pondered all she had learned from reading and from what she had heard and seen, how greatly did she increase in faith, advance in merit and become enlightened with wisdom! More and more she was consumed with burning love. Drawing life and inspiration from the heavenly mysteries which were being unlocked for her, she was filled with joy; she became alive with the Spirit, she was guided towards God and was kept humble in herself. The effects of divine grace are such indeed that they raise one from the depths to the heights, and transform one in an ever greater degree of glory. Entirely blessed was the mind of the Virgin which, through the direction of the Spirit dwelling in her, ever obeyed the command of the Word of God in all things. She was governed not by her own judgement or opinions, but she outwardly performed through her body whatever wisdom had indicated inwardly to her faith. It was surely fitting that divine Wisdom, which had built the house of the Church for its abode, should use most holy Mary as its instrument, where the observance of the law, purification of the heart, the doctrine of humility and spiritual offering were concerned.

Imitate her, O faithful soul. Enter into the temple of your heart that you may be purified in spirit and cleansed of the pollution of your sins. In everything we do God considers our disposition rather than our actions. And so, whether we retire mentally to God in earnest contemplation and remain at rest or whether we are intent on being of service to those around us with good works and worthy undertakings, let our object be that we are motivated only by love of Christ. So the really acceptable offering of purification of the spirit is that which is rendered not in a man-made temple but in the temple of the heart, where Christ the Lord is pleased to enter.

~St Laurence Justinian

The Immaculate Heart of Mary

“His mother kept all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:51)

Today’s Gospel reading makes it clear that whatever the Immaculate Heart of Mary means, it doesn’t mean that Mary was serene and untroubled. It doesn’t mean that she was devoid of questions about what God was asking of her and how her son’s special vocation was to unfold. The question she asks of Jesus here even sounds like a reproach. Why have you done this to us? We have been very worried about you. Any parent can supply the next line: Next time you decide to do something like this, at least let us know beforehand!

To add to the puzzlement, Jesus responded with a question of his own. Why were you looking all over town for me? Didn’t you think that I would be drawn to this place?

Luke tells us that they didn’t understand what Jesus meant at that moment. But Mary wanted to understand more fully, so she stored this incident in her heart and pulled it out from time to time to reflect on it. She didn’t just stew over the way Jesus treated her and Joseph; she asked what it meant. What was it about Jesus’ relationship with his heavenly Father that would move him—a mere youth—to abandon his parents and spend three days in a big city by himself? Only when Jesus left home and began his public ministry could Mary begin to find answers to questions like these.

What does it mean to ponder? It means to sit quietly with our thoughts—and with the Lord. It may also involve a bit of reading to help bolster our understanding, and perhaps even a conversation with a wise friend. This kind of pondering will help us when we want to bring our own reproaches before the Lord. Rather than dwelling on the immedi­ate situation that has disturbed us, prayerful pondering helps us gain a bigger picture—one that has room for God’s love and provision.

So don’t be afraid to ask tough questions, just as Mary did. Just make sure you also return to the cen­tral truths that Mary clung to: God loves me, and I want to love God more. As long as this center is intact, every other concern and attachment will find its proper place.

“Immaculate Heart of Mary, draw me into loving conversation with your Son.”

They will look upon him whom they have pierced (John 19:37)

Immediately blood and water flowed out. (John 19:34)

On the biological level, the heart is an organ that pumps oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body, sustaining life and activity. On the spiritual level, Jesus’ Sacred Heart continuously pumps life into our souls, supplying us with all the grace we need to stay close to the Lord and walk in his ways.

That’s the “function” of Jesus’ heart. But there is so much more to this feast than a remembrance of what his heart does. In his 1956 encyclical, On Devotion to the Sacred Heart, Pope Pius XII wrote that the heart of Jesus is “the chief sign and symbol of that threefold love with which the divine Redeemer unceas­ingly loves his eternal Father and all mankind.” Today’s feast calls us to fix our eyes on Jesus’ passionate love—his love for God and, even more miraculously, his love for us.

So let’s take up this invitation today and gaze upon the cross, where Jesus’ heart was pierced for us (John 19:34). Look at the blood and water that flowed from his side. Reflect on all the ways he taught, loved, and healed people when he walked the earth. What would have caused him to do all of this? He could have remained in heaven, sur­rounded by the angelic praise, but he loved us too deeply. He freely chose to become like one of us, to carry our sins to the cross, so that he could put an end to our afflictions and show us a new way of life.

Even today, Jesus’ love burns just as passionately. He continues to reach out to us in our loneliness and helplessness. He befriends us when we feel we have no one on our side. He heals our wounded hearts. He cleanses us when our sins bring us shame and guilt. This is Jesus’ heart for humanity. This is Jesus’ heart for you. His heart is filled with delight when he sees you. His heart longs to bring you safely into heaven, so that you can be with him for all time. His heart beats wildly for you. So gaze upon the cross today, and let his love melt your heart.

“Jesus, immerse me in the love of your Sacred Heart.”

Go first and be reconciled with your brother (Matthew 5:24)

“Whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment.” (Matthew 5:22)

At first glance, these words seem very harsh. Surely Jesus wouldn’t put my anger on the same level as murder! Wouldn’t he understand if I received Communion today, but put off reconciling with my brother or sister for a while longer?

For the answer, we have to look inside our hearts. Anger is a normal human emotion, but as with all other emotions, we should never let it con­trol us. Just a brief look at the conse­quences of unchecked anger shows us how destructive it can be: domes­tic abuse, divorce, road rage, even murder. Even hidden anger can be deadly. Concealed beneath the façade of a smile and a pleasant demeanor, it can lead to patterns of pride, jeal­ousy, judgment, and gossip.

We can’t afford to overlook the resentments we may be holding against other people. We can try to keep these feelings within us and even dismiss them as not really threatening anyone. But sooner or later, we will have to deal with them, even if the person against whom we have these feelings has long left our lives. The anger we have ignored can be like a poison meant for someone else—which we’ve swallowed our­selves! This poison of bitterness and hostility can cast a shadow over us, contaminating our relationships, and even becoming the darkened lenses through which we view the whole world.

Jesus is very clear about asking us to reconcile with one another. He is the God of peace, and he wants us to bring that peace to others (Philip­pians 4:9). As we let the Holy Spirit work in us, healing us and resolving our inner conflicts, we will find it easier to live in harmony with every­one, even those who have hurt us in the past.

So try your best to forgive. If there is an offense that you just can’t forgive, try taking a small step toward that goal. And take another step tomorrow. And then another, and another. Spend time with the Lord each day, and let his great gift of time slowly heal you. Jesus really can make us whole and bring us all to reconciliation!


“Lord, shine your light into my heart, and show me where I am wounded by anger and resentment. Come, Holy Spirit, and burn away all bitterness in the fire of your love!”

I have not come to abolish but to fulfill (Matthew 5:17)

“But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:19)

High jumpers face a daunting task: propelling their entire bodies over a bar that can stand as much as two feet higher than the top of their heads. From the ground, it looks impossible that the soles of anyone’s feet could actually rise above that bar. Yet they do. The bar in today’s reading seems to be set impossibly high, too. Yet Jesus really does mean that he wants us to uphold the whole law. He wants us to live pure and upright lives. He wants us to be perfect as his heavenly Father is per­fect (Matthew 5:48).

It can be done! Though the bar may look impossibly high from where you stand, Jesus never sets unattainable tasks for us. And he never leaves us on our own just to do the best we can. He promises us: “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). He is with us to help us. He is with us to show us what the law means—simply to love God and love our neighbor (Luke 10:27).

Never forget that Jesus is with you to teach you day after day after day. Perhaps a Scripture verse stands out as you read. An impulse rises in you, prompting you to encourage a struggling friend or provide a meal to an ailing neighbor. Maybe your conscience twitches at some point in your day, moving you to a moment of repentance. Pay attention! Most likely, that’s Jesus teaching you. As you turn your heart to him, as you strive to embrace his commands, he is with you to help you, pouring out grace upon grace on your life.

Jesus is with you, too, to forgive you when you fail. Your selfishness or anger, greed or petty faultfind­ing come as no surprise to him! He will always forgive, and take right up where he left off teaching you. He is with you to fill you with more of his love, so that you feel more energized to follow his commandments. He is with you to give you the wisdom and knowledge of how to do it. Jesus didn’t set the bar high so that you would fail. He did it to show how high he can take you!

“Jesus, fill me with more of your love, and give me the grace to follow your teaching today.”

Your light must shine before others (Matthew 5:16)

“You are the salt of the earth.” (Matthew 5:13)

The late Pentecostal preacher David du Plessis was once approached by a congregant who complained that people do not seem thirsty for the Lord these days. Without missing a beat, du Plessis replied: “It’s not that they are not thirsty enough. It’s that we are not salty enough!” This reply might take us aback and put us on the defen­sive, but let’s look at it from a differ­ent angle. Instead of thinking about how “unsalty” we may be, let’s ask how we can increase our saltiness and how the light of Christ can shine out from us more brightly.

First, consider the qualities you find most attractive in others. Kind­ness, cheerfulness, thoughtfulness, or helpfulness may come to mind. When you see people like this, you are drawn to them; you want to spend time with them and get to know them better. Well, these same qualities can make you more attrac­tive as well. You see, it’s not all about being pious or reverent. It’s about reaching out to others in genuine concern and compassion. It’s about offering to help someone with a problem. It’s about accompanying someone through a difficult time.

It’s about simply offering to pray for someone. These are the “door­-openers” that show our concern for another person. They show that we aren’t trying to impose our religious views on anyone; we’re just trying to love as Jesus loves.

There is an old saying that you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. It’s the same with shar­ing Jesus’ light with the world. It’s much better to share the light with a smile and a handshake than with a frown and a pointed finger!

So be salty today! In many cases, you won’t even need to use words. Simply be Christ by the way you treat the people around you. As you do, people will be drawn to you and open their hearts to you. Then you can point them to Jesus, the only One who can satisfy the hunger and thirst in their lives.


“Thank you, Jesus, for calling me to be light to the world and salt of the earth. Help me to treat people with kindness, respect, and love today, so that they may come to thirst for you, the living water.”

He rejoiced and encouraged them all (Acts 11:23)

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said … . (Acts 13:2)

You almost can’t help being in awe of stories from the days of the early church. Power from heaven comes down to earth. Amazing mir­acles happen. Heroes and heroines of faith overcome major obstacles as people flock to the church by the hundreds or even thousands. God’s glory seemed to shine so brightly back then.

But what about us? Most of the time, our experiences don’t match up with what we see in the Book of Acts. We go to the same job every day, take care of our family every day, and deal with a host of problems every day. Where are the miracles? The conversions? The prophetic callings? It’s not that we doubt the authenticity of the stories in Acts, it’s just that we don’t expect those kind of things to happen in our lives. We’re too ordinary, and the apostles were too extraordinary.

Stop right there and think again. The characters in these stories were everyday people just like us. Paul was into manufacturing—he was a tentmaker. And Peter was into wholesale food supply—he was a fisherman. The Spirit who orches­trated the building of the early church is the same Spirit who lives in you. He still wants to bring people to Christ. And he still wants to use you to make that happen. And, even more amazing, he wants to work miraculously through you, just as he did through Peter and Paul in the first century A.D.

Does this sound too far-fetched? Probably no more than it sounded to Peter when Jesus told him to put out into the deep and let down his fishing nets (Luke 5:4). Probably no more than it sounded to Saul of Tarsus when he was blinded by a heavenly light (Acts 9:3-4). We may not see miracles overnight, but with prayer and practice, we can learn to seize small opportunities to show the power of Jesus in our lives. And small successes usually lead to big­ger opportunities, until we too see miracles unfolding in our midst!


“Lord, help me to keep reaching out to you in faith today, because I want you to receive glory through my life.”

All contributed from their surplus wealth (Mark 12:44)

“This poor widow put in more… . ” (Mark 12:43)

What a contrast! Jesus had just finished warning his disciples against the scribes who liked to parade around in long robes and be treated with honor. He even accused them of devouring “the houses of widows” (Mark 12:40). And in the very next scene, we see a poor widow giving generously to the Temple treasury— donating “her whole livelihood” (12:44). In just a few short verses, we are shown both the oppressor and the oppressed, the selfish and the selfless, the rich and the poor.

Jesus often drew sharp lines between different groups of people. He contrasted the healthy with the sick (Mark 2:17), the blind with the seeing (John 9:39), and the righteous with the sinners (Matthew 9:13). Speaking with all the drama of a seasoned preacher, he made sure the people knew that there was no middle ground when it came to obey­ing God. We are either for him or we are against him.

This can sound rather intimidat­ing, especially when we consider the jumbled mix of sin and holiness in our own hearts. Does that mean that we aren’t good enough? Does the sin remaining in us cancel out whatever holiness we may have achieved?

Not at all. Jesus knows all about us, and he still loves us. He still invites us to be with him. He even offers us his own body and blood in the Eucharist! Clearly, Jesus isn’t looking for perfection. He’s looking for desire. All he wants is for us to come to him and ask him to heal us and lift us up.

Jesus can deal with your sin—he already has! He can deal with your failings and weaknesses. What he can’t deal with is a heart that is closed tight against him. That’s what he saw in the scribes he con­demned. Their places of honor, their wealth, their knowledge—none of that disqualified them. It was that they weren’t even trying to live in the humility and openness that would bring them closer to his Father.

So don’t worry about perfection. Just try to give your heart to Jesus, and he will take it, mold it, and fill it with the fire of his love.

“Here I am, Lord, warts and all. Mold me and shape me according to your wisdom.”

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching (2 Timothy 3:16)

“The great crowd heard this with delight.” (Mark 12:37)

Suppose you’re an expert on a particular subject, something you have studied and taught for years. But your students just don’t seem to get it. How do you make them understand? You could dazzle—and intimidate—them with your supe­rior knowledge. But instead, you choose to reason with them on their level. You help them to grasp it for themselves.

This is what Jesus does in today’s Gospel reading. He wants to clarify the people’s understanding of the Messiah. He could simply tell them who he is, but he reasons with them from God’s word instead. Yes, the Messiah is a “son of David,” from David’s royal line. But he is not just another king. If David himself calls him “Lord,” then this Messiah must be something special. Jesus doesn’t answer the question directly, he plants a seed instead.

God often does the same thing with us when we read Scripture. He could easily explain it all to us. He could even appear to us and teach us directly. But he respects us too much to do that. He wants us to learn, to grow, and to experience the joy of discovery—something that wouldn’t happen if he were to engineer some kind of heavenly data transfer directly into our brains. He wants to have a relationship with us, not just give us the right information.

Think about this one line from today’s Gospel: “The Lord said to my lord, sit at my right hand, until I place your enemies under your feet” (Mark 12:36). Through these words, Jesus is telling us that he is the Lord at the right hand of the Father. But he is also speaking to each of us indi­vidually: “I am the Lord. I can overcome whatever ‘enemies’ you may be facing right now. I am your Messiah. I am with you.”

So don’t worry about getting all the answers right today. Just listen to him, and let him plant seeds of faith and trust in your heart.


“Lord, reveal to me the words within your word! I want to understand Scripture not just with my head but with my heart as well.”

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (2 Timothy 1:7)

“Stir into flame the gift of God that you have.” (2 Timothy 1:6)

Stop, drop, and roll. For decades, this fire safety mantra has been taught to schoolchildren so that they can have a quick way to remember what to do if their clothes ever catch fire. Fire needs fuel and heat, but without air, it can’t burn for long. So one of the best ways to put out a fire is to get rid of its source of oxygen.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have St. Paul telling Timothy—and all of us—to fan into flame the gifts God has poured out. Through the Holy Spirit, God has enkindled in each of us unique spiri­tual gifts. But in order for them to really catch fire, we need to partici­pate. We need to feed the fire of the Spirit with our own choices. Every step of faith that we take is like the oxygen added to the fire to keep it blazing! Our effort, feeble though it may seem to us, works like a bellows blowing air onto the fire of God’s gifts, making them more and more effective.

What might put out that fire? Different attitudes in our hearts can act like a wet blanket. Paul warns Timothy against fear and shame, but we may struggle with others as well. We may feel led to share a word of encouragement with a friend, but worry about how that friend might receive it. We may doubt that we’ll get much out of prayer one morning, so we skip it. We may allow a mood or self-righteous thought to over­shadow our peace in Christ. We may feel that we have the right to hold some resentment against our spouse, so we refuse to forgive.

Even if you feel hesitant, take a step and follow the Holy Spirit’s lead. Then watch the flame burn brighter! The more you seek the Lord and practice using his gifts, the easier it will become—and the more you will be encouraged by the results. Go ahead and fan the flame of the Spirit. Let his fire burn away all doubt and hesitation, so that you can become a beacon of hope for the people around you.


“Holy Spirit, help me identify the gifts you’ve given me so that I can fan them into flame. Help me to put aside any attitudes that can dampen the flames!”

Saint Norbert, bishop

At ease in the company of the humble and great

Norbert is deservedly numbered by historians among those who made an effective contribution to the reform movement under Pope Gregory VII. He established a clergy dedicated to the ideals of the Gospel and the apostolic Church. They were chaste and poor. They wore “the clothing and the symbols of the new man; that is to say, they wore the religious habit and exhibited the dignity proper to the priesthood.” Norbert asked them “to live according to the norms of the Scriptures with Christ as their model.” They were “to be clean in all matters pertaining to the altar and divine worship, to correct their faults and failings in their chapter meeting, and to care for and give shelter to the poor.”

The priests lived in community, where they continued the work of the apostles. Inspired by the practice of the early Church, Norbert exhorted the faithful to join the monastic life in some capacity. So many men and women responded to the invitation that many asserted that no man since the apostles themselves had inspired so many to embrace the monastic life.

When Norbert was appointed an archbishop, he urged his brothers to carry the faith to the lands of the Wends. In his own diocese he tried unsuccessfully to convince the clergy of the need for reform and was confronted with noisy protests both in the street and in the church.

One of the principal goals of Norbert’s life was to foster harmony between the Apostolic See and the German empire. At the same time he wanted to maintain Rome’s freedom in the matter of ecclesiastical appointments. Apparently his efforts were so successful that Pope Innocent II thanked him profusely in a letter in which he called him a “devoted son,” and Lothair made him chancellor of the realm.

Norbert did all these things with a steadfast faith: “Faith was the outstanding virtue of Norbert’s life, as charity had been the hallmark of Bernard of Clairvaux’s.” Affable and charming, amiable to one and all, “he was at ease in the company of the humble and the great alike.” Finally, he was a most eloquent preacher; after long meditation “he would preach the word of God, and with his fiery eloquence purged vices, refined virtues and filled souls of good will with the warmth of wisdom.” He spent many hours in contemplation of the divine mysteries and fearlessly spread the spiritual insights which were the fruit of his meditation.


(The words in quotation marks have been taken from the biography of Saint Norbert, written by a Premonstratensian canon who was a contemporary of the saint. Pope Innocent’s Apostolic Letter was issued under leaden seal to Saint Norbert on June 5, 1133).

Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's (Mark 12:17)

“Whose image and inscription is this?” (Mark 12:16)

There are times when talking with Jesus can be like taking an ele­vator from the ground floor of our earthly thinking to the penthouse of divine thought. Jesus has this knack for elevating topics both mundane and magnificent so that we can get a glimpse into his Father’s heart. And this is just what he did with the Pharisees who asked him a trick question about paying taxes.

The Pharisees thought they had Jesus cornered. If he said yes, that they should pay the tax, then he would be seen as caving in to Roman pressure. But if he said no, they could paint him as a rabble-rouser. But the conversation took an unexpected turn upward. Jesus invited his adversaries to see that just as a coin has the image of Caesar stamped on it, so too does the human heart have the image of God stamped on it. Just as the coin belongs to Caesar, so do our hearts belong to God. While the Pharisees spoke of rulers and money, Jesus elevated the conversation to talk about God’s authority and his love.

We may not be trying to trick Jesus, but we may still find our­selves asking him to approve a plan of ours that is questionable. Sometimes this works—especially if we give the Lord room to suggest a different path. Taking our thoughts, assumptions, and desires to the Lord is also a good way to uncover which thoughts are rooted in his gospel, and which may be rooted in our fallen nature or in the philoso­phies of the world.

But there is another strategy as well. Instead of looking for Jesus’ confirmation or redirection, give him the freedom to elevate the con­versation to a whole new level. Lay aside your plans and intentions, and just come and sit in his presence. Let him shower you with his love. Immerse yourself in his word, and let his wisdom shine new light into your heart. It’s true that you may not get an answer to your immedi­ate question. But you just may come out of your prayer so refreshed and inspired that you will know exactly what you should do. All because Jesus lifted you up!


“Lord, show me your wisdom. I want to reflect you to everyone I meet today.”

Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge (2 Peter 1:5)

“… so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature.” (2 Peter 1:4)

Imagine you have just received an invitation to a birthday party, baby shower, or wedding from someone close to you. Your heart is filled with excitement as you open the invitation to find out the date and time of the celebration. You eagerly look forward to the event, a time of celebration when your friend isn’t asking much just that you show up so that you can enjoy the conversations, the food, and the fellowship of so many good people.

The process of getting ready for the party can be a little stressful: You have to pick out a gift, figure out what to wear, arrange for a babysitter, and maybe even make travel arrangements. But considering that this party will only deepen your relationship with your friend, you know that it’s well worth the effort.

In a similar way, Jesus is inviting us to a party where we can enjoy his company and the company of all his friends and family. He is inviting us to prayer and the celebration of the Eucharist experiences that are both celebrations and opportunities for us to share in his divine nature. Imagine the generosity: We accept his invitation, and he changes us from the inside out, making us more like him!

But like the invitation to a friend’s celebration, the process of getting ready for Jesus’ invitation can be a bit stressful. After all, he is asking us to turn from our sins and try our best to practice virtues like faith, perseverance, and love (2 Peter 1:5-7). But when you stack this up next to the benefits Jesus is offering us, there really is no comparison. Who wouldn’t want to become like Christ? Who wouldn’t want to live in the freedom, joy, and power that Jesus wants to give us?

Yes, there are a few things we need to do if we want to accept Jesus’ invitation. But this is the best party the world will ever know. Why not do all you can to get ready for it?


“Yes, Lord, I accept your invitation! I want your own divine life to fill me and shape me. Thank you, Lord, for your great and precious promise of life!”

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19)

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19)

An English teacher of a 21-sophomore high school class put a small chalk dot on the blackboard. He then asked the class what it was. A few seconds passed and then someone said, "That is a chalk dot on the blackboard." The rest of the class seemed relieved that the obvious had been stated, and no one else had anything to say. "I'm surprised at you," the teacher told the class. "I did the same exercise yesterday with a group of kindergartners and they thought of 50 different things the chalk mark could be: an owl's eye, a cigar butt, the top of a telephone pole, a star, a pebble, a squashed bug, a rotten egg, a bird's eye, and so on." The older students had learned how to find a right answer, but had lost the ability to look for more than one right answer. The Holy Spirit helps us, in his wonderful Wisdom, to see more than we might have seen by ourselves. The Spirit's vision allows us wonderful options for expansion and new possibilities. It is the Spirit's Wisdom that reveals the Word to us. It is the Wisdom of the Spirit which shows us our sin, which guides us, which instructs us, which leads us in the way everlasting.

Today’s feast invites us to live in the awareness of the presence of the Triune God within us: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This feast dates back to the 13th century when Pope John XXII fixed it on the Sunday after Pentecost. It’s a day we celebrate the great mystery of our faith that, “There is one God, who has three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each person is God, yet there is still only one God” (C.C.C. #234, #253-256). We have the Father who is the creator, Son the redeemer and Holy Spirit the sanctifier and the counselor. All the official prayers of the Church, including the Holy Mass and the sacraments, begin with an address to the Holy Trinity: “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” We are baptised, absolved of our sins and anointed in the name of the Blessed Trinity. Throughout the world, church bells can ring three times a day inviting Christians to pray to God the Father (the Provider); God the Son (the Saviour); and God the Holy Spirit (the Sanctifier). We bless ourselves with the sign of the cross invoking the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and we conclude our prayers glorifying the Holy Trinity, saying “Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.”

Today’s readings convey the fundamental mystery that the Triune God reaches out to people in love, seeking the deepest communion. The first reading, tells us that God is deeply involved in the world from its beginning, showing Fatherly care for His people by redeeming them from slavery and bringing them into the freedom of their own land. In the second reading, Paul describes the role of God the Holy Spirit in making us true children of God the Father and brothers and sisters of God the Son, Jesus. It is the Spirit which enables us to rise to the challenge of our call to be comfortable with differences and diversity, knowing deep in our hearts that there is an underlying fundamental and basic unity. Today’s gospel describes Jesus’ final apparition to his apostles just before his ascension into heaven. At that moment, He commissioned them to make disciples of all nations, and commanded them to baptise those who came to believe, “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Our conviction of the presence of the Triune God within us should help us to esteem ourselves as God’s holy dwelling place, behave well in His holy presence, and lead purer and holier lives, practicing acts of justice and charity. This Triune Presence should also encourage us to respect and honor others because everyone is the temple of the Holy Spirit where all the three Persons of the Holy Trinity abide. Let us have the firm conviction that the Trinitarian God abides in us and that He is the source of our hope, courage and strength and is our final destination.

When a parishioner was asked what the Holy Trinity meant to her, she replied, “The Trinitarian God is a lot like our pastor. I don’t see him through the week and I don’t understand him on Sunday.” But we believe in this mystery because Jesus who is God taught it clearly, the evangelists recorded it, the Fathers of the Church tried to explain it and the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople defined it as a dogma of Christian faith.

St. Francis Xavier’s favourite prayer was: “Most Holy Trinity, who lives in me, I praise you, I worship you, I adore you and I love you.” Let the Son lead us to the Father through the Spirit, to live with the Triune God forever and ever. Amen.

“Most Holy Trinity, help me experience your divine love and abundant life more each day, and help me spread this love and warmth wherever I go.”

Build yourselves up in your most holy faith (Jude 20)

“Keep yourselves in the love of God.” (Jude 21)

That’s quite a tall order, isn’t it? How in the world are we supposed to keep ourselves in God’s love? Isn’t that more something God does for us?

Well, yes and no. It’s true that only God can sustain us. It’s true that we can’t earn God’s love or do anything to make him love us any more—or any less, for that mat­ter. But Jude isn’t telling us to keep working hard to make sure that our Father still loves us. Instead, his words speak more directly to the way we use the precious gift of our memories. His words tell us to do all we can to keep the memory of God’s love for us alive so that we can con­tinue to think and act in a way that honors the Lord.

Of course, we may experience some feelings of joy and happiness when we pray, but these feelings can fade, and difficult times can threaten our peace. And this is precisely where memory comes in. As we recall past events that proved God’s love for us—past times of prayer or situations where we’ve really felt God’s hand on us—we build up our database of trust and faith in him. Then, during those darker times when God feels a little more distant, we can draw upon this database to help us stay faithful to the Lord and to remain rooted in his love.

Throughout Scripture, God calls us to remember him and his love. He gave the Israelites the feast of Passover to remind them how he delivered them from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12:14). And at the Last Sup­per, Jesus gave us the Eucharist and told us: “Do this in memory of me” so that we can remember and relive the miracle of his death and resurrec­tion every day (Luke 22:19).

It is vital that we keep our memo­ries clear and active so that we can stand on the truths of the Lord. Worshipping him at Mass and listen­ing to him in personal prayer can do wonders in awakening the memory of God’s covenant with us. If we nourish our memories every day, we’ll find it easier to remain in God’s love, no matter what happens.


“Jesus, I trust in your mercy and love. Help me to remember you every day—you who are my Lord, my Savior, and my Friend!”

Have faith in God (Mark 11:22)

“He looked around at everything and … went out to Bethany.” (Mark 11:11)

Picture the scene. Jesus, just arrived at the Temple, is confronted with a spectacle that makes him boil with anger. Right there in its outer court, a place intended for prayer, merchants and money changers are doing a brisk business. And what about the religious authorities who should be keeping the Temple holy? They’re lining their pockets with the revenues. You can imagine Jesus’ dis­ciples poking each other in the ribs, expecting their master to explode. Instead, Jesus does … nothing. He puts off the “cleansing of the Tem­ple” until tomorrow.

Why did Jesus hit the pause but­ton instead of charging in? It wasn’t as though he needed a night to work up the courage or decide what to do! Perhaps there were practical reasons. But more than likely, he knew it wasn’t the right moment. Jesus had a sense of timing—his Father’s timing.

As we face different situations, that’s what we need, too. What if you notice that a friend is developing a drinking problem? What’s the right moment to speak up? Immediately, or after reflecting and learning more? It could be either. Bring your ques­tions to the Lord!

Or what if a spouse or roommate has a tendency to complain and get lost in self-pity? You want to offer correction at just the right moment, without saying either too little or more than they can bear. Seek guid­ance from the Holy Spirit!

It’s the same thing if, on the posi­tive side, a child or grandchild shows new interest in praying and drawing closer to God. Get your wisdom and sense of timing from the Spirit! He will help you speak the words your loved ones need to hear—when they need to hear them.

So what will it be today? Seize the moment, or look before you leap? Ask the Spirit! From one situation to another, his still, small voice will help you make the choice.


“Lord, help me develop the sense of divine timing I need to be an effective instrument of your love. Speak, Lord, I’m listening!”