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People who fulfil their everyday tasks in union with Christ, in the home or the workplace - or in the Priesthood - grow in holiness. Their communion with Him drives them to do everything for love of Him and of the Father, Who is the Source of all holiness. They are becoming ready to live one day as Saints, with the Father in Heaven.
Those repentant Catholics who serve Christ in the home, at work and in the priesthood, for example, live deep in the heart of Christ. They are growing in holiness, ready to live one day as Saints, with the Father in Heaven.
It is a work of mercy to pray and preach so that people who are cruel and thoughtless towards others will repent before they die. Those who have no respect for fellow human beings, or no respect for the poor and the weak, are as if an inch away from Hell, should death suddenly arrive before they can repent and avoid eternal punishment.
Some people have travelled far, to spread the Gospel; yet we do not have to do magnificent things in order to please Christ. A simple act of love, for example - keeping someone company at a meal, or on a journey, can be as great, in Christ's sight, as the work of spreading the Gospel throughout the land, and can bring about as much good, in souls.
We should be obedient to Christ, Who teaches through His Church. A lone soldier working on a special mission in a dangerous country can be more likely to stay out of danger if he obeys the precise instructions given by his commander, who can see the whole area. We too should obey our Commander's instructions even when we do not understand the need for certain moves. He wants to save us.
God Who can work an amazing change in a chameleon, which can change his colour, can work the amazing change - in the Holy Eucharist - of bread and wine becoming Christ's Sacred Body and Blood. The natural world and the supernatural both lie within His control.
Whenever we know we are dealing with a powerful substance, we wisely change our behaviour. We wear rubber-soled shoes if we work with electricity, lead aprons near X-ray machines, protective clothing for nuclear power. And we should act with care, with deepest reverence, respect and awe, when close to the Source of Divine power in our midst: Jesus our God, in the Blessed Sacrament.
Whoever needs help need only go to the hearts of Jesus and Mary, who work together to help and save us. This happened in Lourdes, for example, when Mary appeared to Bernadette, then Jesus was made Present in the grotto in the Blessed Sacrament.
It would please God if every Catholic would do what Pope Saint Pius X did, in that he loved to give glory to God by doing His Will, and worked to save souls. In every type of vocation we can give glory to God and save souls by our faithfulness and love, fulfilling the Father's Will not personal satisfaction.
Pope Pius X fought bravely against heresy, Christ said. It would be wonderful, the Lord said, if everyone could do what this Saintly Pope has done, and decide to fulfil the Father's Will, for His glory, and to save souls, rather than seeking personal satisfaction. It is sad that many Catholics criticise that Pope's life and works, and want to overturn the Church's teachings, even on moral issues.
As God looks upon the world, He sees how few of us believe in His goodness, how few of us expect answers to prayer, how few of us have prayed with faith in the merits of His Son Jesus, Who died for us. Our faith has not developed because we have not really given our whole lives to God, in regular prayer and works of charity.
The sick can exercise great spiritual power, with Christ. Those who resolve to be patient and to accept a special vocation can work for God and the Church, in and through their sufferings. By God's grace they can accept without resentment their pains and humiliations, as a penance for themselves and to help save other souls, in union with Christ Who won salvation for us by His patient love, in accepting the Cross.
The sick have great work to do for God! Christ asked me to speak the truth to the other sick and handicapped people I meet: I should say that we are all called to be Saints. We can accept our unavoidable sufferings and offer them up in union with Christ on the Cross, and pray with Him for sinners to repent and find forgiveness and peace.
We know that sin is like a chain round the ankle that prevents us from serving God. But a little weakness such as fear of public opinion - or our own family - can be like a 'thread' holding us back from valiant work for God, unless with His help we break it.
Truly, only by His Death and Resurrection did Christ defeat sin and death; and that saving work is made present now, in what we call a sacramental manner. Hidden under the appearance of bread and wine, Jesus Christ is bodily Present with us, offering His once-for-all Sacrifice to the Father, in the Spirit.
It is important to maintain a state of grace. Christ reminds us that the soul is a holy place, because of the Divine indwelling. We can withdraw into that place whenever the clamour 'outside' is too loud, as we work for Christ's Kingdom; and we shall find peace, comfort and refreshment, even when we are in the public eye.
Christ in His Passion was cheered on by millions of watching Angels; and we who follow Him in our own work and sufferings can be certain that we have Saints as well as Angels cheering us on, encouraging us to persevere.
A person who wishes to enjoy perfect union with God in Heaven must achieve - by God's Grace - towering heights of holiness. No penance done, nor great works accomplished, nor lengthy prayers prayed, can prepare any Catholic for Heaven who has refused to give up his serious sins. Indeed, no-one in serious sin can enter.
The Lord showed me His torn flesh, and said: It is the same work, beating a human being to a bloody pulp, and tearing an infant, limb from limb, in the womb. The same hard-heartedness enables people to do such things or allow someone else to do them - especially if they don't see the results of their actions.
A person who beats a man to a bloody pulp offends God; and a person who arranges for a child to be torn limb from limb in the womb does an even worse work. Most people involved in abortion do not to see the results of their horrific decision.
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