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Christ asked me to forget about my little faults, and to be joyful at the wonderful company of the Saints. They gather here with us, at Mass, to praise the Father through Christ, at the offering of the Holy Sacrifice.
Through Christ, at every Mass, we share in His praise of the Father, and are brought into the presence of the whole company of Heaven. It is tragic if we show little gratitude or devotion.
The Lord wants us all to know that when we pray through and with Christ in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass we pray to the Father, in the Spirit, amidst the Saints, the Angels and the Holy Souls, who are united with us in our praise and thanksgiving.
As we gather in church for Mass, we can be sure that Christ Himself will be with us, offering worthy praise to the Father from our sanctuary, in the presence of all the Saints and Angels. And we unite our prayers with His.
All the souls in Purgatory join in our prayers, as we praise the Father, through Christ, in the Spirit, at Mass. Yet each one longs for the day when he will not only praise God but will also see Him, from amongst the Saints, who also pray with us and who enjoy the glory of God, and His beauty.
A good preparation for Mass consists of prayer, with reflection on the Company of Heaven with whom we pray, and on the Eternal Father, Source of all Love, wisdom and life, to Whom we shall offer Christ's sacrificial praise, in the Holy Eucharist.
As soon as I asked the Saints and Angels for their help, it was as if they surrounded me in a huge crowd, to support me, as I knelt before the Father's throne, offering Him my evening praise. Truly, the Lord assured me, I have an army of Heavenly friends.
As I praised the Father for the Mother of Christ, who acted to help a couple on their wedding day, I saw Christ reach out and lead His Mother down a little so that she could accept the honour I paid her, and hear my prayers - so great is His delight at seeing His Mother treated with honour and gratitude.
Catholics, more than other people, have so many opportunities for prayer, yet many cannot be bothered to praise Christ for Creation, or for His Incarnation, or for His Church, or when receiving Him in Holy Communion, or when near the tabernacle, or during each day as He sustains our lives, or at death when we shall meet Him and find out what we have done with our lives and whether we are ready for Heaven.
As I praised the Blessed Virgin Mary on the feast of her Assumption, I was shown by the Lord a 'mountain', with the narrow path which leads to great sanctity. We can all become holy and pure, like Our Lady and the Saints, by God's grace - though we cannot yet enter bodily into Heaven, as she has, and her son.
Through Christ, at every Mass, we share in His praise of the Father, and are brought into the presence of the whole company of Heaven
Satan, the wicked Angel, imagined that death would defeat the 'Son of Man'. Yet Jesus conquered both death and Satan by rising from the dead. In private prayer, and at Mass where Jesus' Sacrifice is re-presented, we are right to praise and thank our Saviour for shedding His Blood on the Cross, for our sakes, and re-uniting Heaven and earth by his love and obedience.
Just as Christ is no longer a poor carpenter, but our Radiant Saviour, and King of Heaven, so His ever-Virgin Mother, Mary most holy, is no longer a lowly peasant woman but is the Queen of Heaven. There, everyone praises the Father not only for Christ's love and compassion, but also for the amazing purity-of-soul of Christ's Virgin Mother, and for her humility and courage.
My soul is like a holy Temple within me, where God the Most Holy Trinity dwells. I can withdraw into that holy place whenever the worldly clamour grows too loud, or whenever I want to praise and pray to the Lord: to Jesus, or the Father or the Holy Spirit.
It pleases the Lord when we celebrate the day of His Resurrection. We are right to prepare for the day, so that Sunday - our Christian Sabbath - is as far as possible restful, refreshing and joyful, in the company of those close to us, and with sufficient time for prayer and praise at Mass.
God, Who has asked us to rest for one day of each week, has given us a wise command. He knows the frailty of our nature, and our need for rest, reflection, and refreshment - and for praise and adoration in the church.
At every Mass we praise and adore Christ the God-Man Who is Present with us at Mass: Body, Blood, soul and Divinity. He was once a flesh-and-blood baby with a beating heart like those little babies whose lives end in the womb today, when they are killed because they are held to be inconvenient or imperfect. To kill a child is to act against God, Who loves every human being, and Who even chose to share our human nature.
At every Mass we praise and adore Christ the God-Man Who is Present with us at Mass: Body, Blood, soul and Divinity. He was once a flesh-and-blood baby with a beating heart like those little babies whose lives end in the womb today, when they are killed because they are held to be inconvenient or imperfect. To kill a child is to act against God, Who loves every human being, and Who even chose to share our human nature.
If we visit the sick, we please Christ. In the Gospel story, the King at the Last Judgement praised those who had visited the sick, visited people in prison, or had carried out other works of mercy.
In Christ's sight it is a praiseworthy thing, to visit the sick, or, first, to offer to do so, if we are not sure that a visit will be welcomed. A visit can bring comfort to those who feel abandoned or hopeless.
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