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We are right to ask for the prayers of Our Blessed Lady, and to honour her as the Mother of God, and Queen of Heaven; but we are wise to remember how much she loves us with a tender, motherly love, longing for us to become holy. She is a mother who, at the edge of Heaven, is looking out, waiting for her children to come home.

Christ showed me a stretch of land before me, like a forest-floor covered in snow. This represented, He explained, the new day which stretched ahead. I can make careful footprints on it, by what I choose to do. I should use my time well, and 'walk' carefully.

Unless a seminarian becomes a man of prayer, with a deep love for Christ, a belief in the Spirit's power, and the Father's providential care, he will not be a good priest, nor will he be able to persevere in the Priesthood.

How do we gain entry to Heaven? The Godhead is like an impenetrable cloud that no-one can enter by his own efforts, or by earning entry, or bargaining, or using skills. It is entered by humble souls who surrender to God; the Holy Spirit lifts them into the heart of the Godhead, where, at the centre, they join Christ and His Saints.

A charitable person teaches children how to behave in God's house and how to pray; and she therefore helps them to find inner peace in the Presence of their Saviour. It is not charitable to let a child run riot and disturb other people, in a place specially consecrated for Christian prayer.

Long ago, before Christ came to earth, people looked for signs and wonders, yearning for evidence of God's existence, or of His nature, and His wishes; they were like people searching for a 'gap in the cloud', as many do today.

It was as a 'cloud' over the earth had been rent apart, when Jesus toured Galilee, speaking the truth about the purpose of life, the glory of the Father, the need for repentance, and for Baptism. He showed out God's nature and God's Will. He revealed the extent of Divine Love by accepting death on a Cross, rather than give up His Mission. He proved His Divinity by His miracles, above all by His Resurrection.

It is the Catholic Church which keeps asunder the cloud of ignorance and hopelessness which once covered the world. In every age, despite the sins of her members, she does what Jesus did in His earthly life. By His Spirit's guidance and power, she teaches truth, forgives, heals, prays, offers the Holy Sacrifice, helps the poor, and makes people holy.

Many clergy preach, but very few preach about the serious personal sins that can lead people to hell; and few help them to repent and seek Christ's help to overcome their sins.

It is as if, far above the earth, the Godhead holds at its heart an oasis of light. This is the city of God, home of the Saints and Angels for Eternity; and it is foolishness, in the Lord's sight, to risk losing an Eternity of bliss, there, for a moment's earthly pleasure or gain followed by Eternal pain and darkness.

If we 'offer up' our sufferings in union with Christ, interceding for sinners, we can help people who have not yet heard Christ's message, and have not yet repented. By the grace of Christ, we can help save those people who would otherwise fall into Hell, far below the glory of Heaven.

In the spiritual life, it can seem as though we travel on a narrow path, between high walls, with little hope of finding joy. But just where the path seems most unpromising, it can open out - if we persevere - into an orchard, full of trees laden with fruit and lush foliage. Helped by the prayers of the Saints, our state of life is becoming fruitful.

We live in a country which is apparently peaceful and civilised; but there are dreadful things happening which few individuals or groups are wiling to protest about. Some people laugh at the Church, as they laughed at Noah. Yet the Catholic Church in this country is like an ark, in which all human life can find defenders. She opposes embryo destruction, abortion, starvation of the sick and elderly, 'euthanasia' and many more anti-life practices.

We live in a country which is apparently peaceful and civilised; but there are dreadful things happening which few individuals or groups are wiling to protest about. Some people laugh at the Church, as they laughed at Noah. Yet the Catholic Church in this country is like an ark, in which all human life can find defenders. She opposes embryo destruction, abortion, starvation of the sick and elderly, 'euthanasia' and many more anti-life practices.

Just as the Ark, in the story about Noah, provided a safe, warm place of safety not just for animals but for a human family, the Holy Virgin Mary was like an 'ark' for Jesus; she was a sinless, warm place of shelter for the Son of God, holding Him in her womb joyfully, and in her love.

As the Son of God looked down from Heaven towards the filth and darkness which He would enter, far below, when He came into our sinful world, He saw the Blessed Virgin Mary, who had been prepared, at her consent, as a safe place for Him who is all purity and goodness. She was like an 'ark', to hold and protect Him for a while.

The Catholic Church is like an ark, which at times is thrown about in stormy waters and suffers all sorts of turmoil. Yet there are times provided by God when her people enjoy tremendous calm and joy, such as will follow soon.

We can be helped to bear painful memories if we notice the spiritual growth that was the result of accepting and offering up those trials in union with Christ - even those caused by our own foolishness. All seems disastrous when a flower bud splits open; but only by that 'injury' can a beautiful flower emerge.

God has designed a man and a woman for a joyful union in marriage which can result in the gift of life: the gift of a child. Where they take pleasure in one another yet at the same time exclude the possibility of receiving God's gift, they are like those before them who have called out to God, saying, 'I will not serve'.

The Blessed Virgin Mary accepted God's Will, which was that she carry a child in her womb. She bore the gaze of amazed villagers, for love of God, unlike married people who refuse to do God's Will, as they deliberately make their married union sterile, by contraceptive use, and refuse the gift of life.