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In pure worship, the three Divine Persons surround us with their love and power, and we offer our hearts to their will.
Just as a priest receives more honour when a perfect gift is carefully presented to him, not just thrown in front of him; so God our Father receives greater honour when the perfect sacrifice of Christ is offered by the members of the Church with reverence, than with haste or carelessness.
The All-Holy and Majestic God is present with us in our sanctuary, like a blazing fire that reaches out through the whole building
The All-Holy and Majestic God is present with us in our sanctuary, like a blazing fire that reaches out through the whole building
When we pray for one sick person, then for 'all the sick'; or when we pray for a priest, and then 'for all the priests in the world', it's as if we have sent out, all at once, thousands of prayers - just as when an invitation composed on a computer can be sent in a moment to a large number of friends. The Holy Spirit prompts us to make a charitable thought, then to multiply our prayer by a single phrase.
Our spiritual Communion, in the Communion of Saints, is like the connection in a conference call. We must keep the transmitter in good order, and the lines open by taking care of our souls. If we refuse to forgive anyone, for example, it's as if we deliberately walk away from God and our friends.
God recommends that we pray truthful prayers, such as: I'm afraid, or I can't cope, or I feel unloved, or I am a slave to this habit, or I need your help.
Whenever we pray 'Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit', with a sincere heart, it's as if a sunspot erupts in our hearts, as glory streams up to God, to honour Him and to bring delight to the whole of Heaven.
Catholic priests should indeed give us good advice. Yet their principle purpose in the confessional, in the sacrament of Penance, is to forgive our sins. They are not ordained to be like secular counsellors.
It was because so few Catholics knew much about the Faith, or about the stages of the spiritual life, that God taught me so much about our Christ, Who is the living image of Our Father in Heaven and on fire with the same Divine Love.
Christ can see the life of each one of us, from start to finish. Through His omniscience as God, He sees exactly what use we will make of our free-will, and His gifts and graces. He sees the good choices and the bad, and sees all of our reactions to His invitations and interventions. He sees who will reach sanctity.
Christ can see the life of each one of us, from start to finish. Through His omniscience as God, He sees exactly what use we will make of our free-will, and His gifts and graces. He sees the good choices and the bad, and sees all of our reactions to His invitations and interventions. He sees who will reach sanctity.
Jesus suffered in body and soul, and we need not feel guilty if we do not 'feel' fervent and joyful in our difficulties, as long as we are actively trying to do God's Will, and to remain faithful.
How embarrassed we would be if the sins we commit were to appear as stains on our 'outside', like dirty stains on our clothes. Christ wants us to realise that He sees, at every moment, all the sins we have committed and have not yet confessed. He wants us to be made clean, and joyful, through repentance and confession.
A bride is horrified at seeing a stain on her dress, and we should also avoid having 'stains' on our souls, through serious sin, as we go up to receive Holy Communion.
Imagine how embarrassed a bride would be, whose dress had been stained by a spilled drink, and who then thought about her walk towards the altar. Similarly, everyone who approaches the altar to receive Holy Communion needs to think about their present state. Is there a large 'stain' on their soul, from serious sin, which makes them unfit to approach to receive Christ their Saviour?
Although we cannot see our sins, Jesus can see them. Imagine how embarrassed we would be if our wrong-doing were made plain by large stains on us, exteriorly. If we are wise, we will repent, and ask for the grace to change, to banish the 'stains' of sin that are visible to Our Lord.
A bride is horrified at seeing a stain on her dress, and we should also avoid having 'stains' on our souls, through serious sin, as we go up to receive Holy Communion.
The Catholic way of life consists of love and obedience. Without love, we become self-satisfied by our obedience. Without obedience to God's Will, we 'fall' into self-will. With both, we resemble Christ our Saviour.
When people ask the way, it is kind to tell the truth; for example, to explain if they are in a cul-de-sac. So it is in the life of faith. Those who ask questions of us deserve a clear answer about the best Way to travel in order to find God and Heaven and Eternal Joy. It is helpful to offer a free map.
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