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The Father in Heaven loves all His creatures, but He looks with delight and wonder upon the soul of a person newly-forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance; and like a mother full of wonder at her new-born baby's delightful fingers and toes, God looks with wonder upon the penitent's virtues and good resolutions.

It is important to treat the dead with respect. Yet, no matter what type of death people die, no matter in what way they will be mourned, what counts, when they die, is whether they did so in friendship with God - which means they are on their way to God - or alienated from Him, forever to be without His love and beauty and peace. We all ought to prepare to leave this life.

God invites us to love Him, to follow the hard road of obedience until we die, and share His love, with the Saints, eternally. People who refuse to love God and who deliberately take the broad road, refusing to repent of their sins, find that at death, by their own choice, they remain on the same path, on which there is no light from Heaven, nor any Heavenly peace, joy, beauty or companionship. To be without God is to exist in Hell.

A man who complains about a boring spiritual life and who prays only reluctantly and with little love is like a boy who is made to wash, by his mother, and grumbles about it, and who has not yet learned of the joys of being clean, fresh-smelling, and in a clean shirt after a good shower.

All that is good comes from the love of Christ for us: with the Father and the Holy Spirit. All good things of nature and of grace come from the Lord and give Him glory - and all beauty, worthwhile accomplishments, like music, art, drama, dance, sport, engineering, architecture, literature - if they are worthy of God Who is goodness, purity and truth.

To receive Christ in Holy Communion, with His Divine life and light and love, is to receive Fire from Heaven: a transforming fire from the heart of the God-man. How foolish we are if we rush away straight afterwards. How foolish is the priest who does not pause in prayer and recollection, but rushes towards the end of the Mass.

The path of love for Christ, and obedience, leads straight towards Heaven, for the faithful. Those Catholics who are disobedient or faithless take a dark, downward path. There can be an opportunity, before death, for repentance, at which the soul can be drawn up towards Heaven's light instead of falling down into Hell.

The husband deserves respect, as the head of the family: that is the truth shown out in Sacred Scripture and the constant teaching of the Church. A wife has an equal dignity, in God's sight, and deserves respect, love, and genuine care; yet she is not the head, and has a different role.

A woman trapped in self-love or atheism can be resentful about apparent limitations, angry that she must remain with a two-year-old to guard him; but one who cares for a child in love for the child and loving the Will of God that she fulfil her duties, is living in the light of God, confident that to serve Him is worthwhile.

Some people do not believe that God is interested in their many little projects, or little troubles. But just as an insignificant crack in the ground, near the Cathedral, can be seen by an interested person to be teeming with fascinating life, so the human soul with it's apparently hum-drum preoccupations is fascinating to God, Who is interested in everything we think and do and say.

Christ is overjoyed by those who love and obey Him. One of the worst experiences of Christ's Passion, as He hung on the Cross, was the sight He saw - by His Divine insight - of those who would take no notice of His words, or of His desire to save them. His heartache was indescribable, as He saw souls walking away, towards damnation, through their own choices.

Christ looks on in horror, as He sees little infants slaughtered in the womb by people to whom He has given life. He asks everyone who loves Him, and who loves life, to work and pray, to put an end to the dreadful practice of abortion.

The Lord asks: Of what value is the praise of a person who says: "O God, I love and praise You, but I insist on going ahead, performing abortions as usual, knowing that You don't want these tiny babies destroyed".

Not speaking, here, of invincible ignorance, The Lord asks: Of what value is the praise of someone who declares: "O God, I love and praise You, but I am determined to ignore Your chosen teachers in the Church and to work in Government to extend the provision of abortions".

Not speaking, here, of invincible ignorance, the Lord asks: Of what value is the praise of someone who declares: "Oh God, I love you, yet I am determined to ignore Your laws forbidding sexual relationships outside marriage."

To be baptised and to become a Christian is to enter onto the only road that leads to Heaven. Yet it is possible for people outside the Church to be saved, if they persevere in trying to lead good lives, and if, at death, seeing Christ, they bow down in love and awe. Those who are blameless about not having known or served Him can receive the grace they need for salvation.

Just as my children and husband and other relations are always in my heart and prayers because we are members of one family, so the whole Church - the Communion of Saints, on earth, in Heaven and in Purgatory - should be held in my heart. We are a great family, with special relationships binding us. All people deserve respect and love, but especially those in our 'household of faith'.

The Lord chooses all sorts of men, to serve as priests. They bring their own weaknesses with them. The sacraments they confer are valid, despite their sins; yet priests are sometimes mistaken in their personal opinions. The best priests are those who believe in all that the Church teaches, lead humble and chaste lives, fervent in love for the Saviour and His Church, and charitable towards everyone, though unafraid to speak the truth, in charity.

God is a spiritual fire of love, and all who have become like living flames of love, in earthly life, transformed by God at their consent through prayer and penance, can enter God in peace when they die, because they are like Him. Those who have refused to be changed, are so unlike Him that His nearness brings only torment. Having finally turned away from God they suffer forever, in Hell.

Worldly leaders enjoy displays of riches and power; but we cannot impress God by our extravagant deeds, or powerful displays. He loves everyone, but He lavishly rewards those who approach Him in humility and contrition, and who put their trust in His Son.