Communication with Visitors Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on us! December 1 (P.S. Dec. 8, 12, 25expanded) Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, We are so glad to be communicating with our visitors again. The editor is specially thankful to Rev. Prof. Michael Lapierre, S.J., for sharing this column with him. There were many weeks in the past in which the editor spent quite a few hours each week working on this column. Now, he could become more focused on the long-term research project which he is called to do in life and still be able to communicate with our visitors. In some way, this research commitment --- notably the greatest dream mentioned hereafter --- is like a continuing echo to the musical lyrics of Climb Ev'ry Mountain by Oscar Hammerstein II (music by Richard Rodgers), a beautiful song in a classic movie called The Sound of Music produced and directed by Robert Wise in 1965. The rather innocent symbols then might be very different from today's, as we read (or sing): "Climb ev'ry mountain, search high and low, follow ev'ry by-way, ev'ry path you know. Climb ev'ry mountain, ford ev'ry stream. Follow ev'ry rainbow, till you find your dream. A dream that will need all the love you can give. Ev'ry day of your life for as long as you live." Indeed, the biggest and wildest dream of the editor --- and of countless Christians --- is to be living in constant loving union with the whole Divine Heavenly Family, in particular with the Holy Eucharist and Our Eucharistic Mother. As the Real Body and Blood of Christ, the Consecrated Bread and Wine are not only the greatest Treasure of the whole Catholic Church, but of the whole universe as well. According to the unfathomable mysteries of Perichoresis (Greek term for Compenetration or Interpenetration) and the Self-emptying Condescension of the Triune God, there dwells in the Holy Eucharist the infinite, unconditional, exact fullness of the Most Holy Trinity. However hidden from our spiritual and physical senses, the Three Divine Persons are fully present in the Blessed Sacrament, just as They are in Heaven, As there is always an immediate dream or two for us to fulfill for the purposes of Divine Providence, one of the editor's is the research paper to be presented this coming summer regarding the problem of universals. The mountain being half-climbed is the analytic and systematic re-thinking of the history of Western philosophy in this context. What is particularly exciting is a deepened historical understanding concerning the on-going fulfillment of Karl Rahner's famous prophecy made decades ago. Very much so, it is being experienced by Christians everywhere today --- both by the strong and the weak --- in the present crises of prayer, truth, vocation and evangelization, as much as of our faith, hope and love for the Holy Eucharist, the Magisteriun, Our Heavenly Mother, and all the Holy Angels and Saints. The most popular Catholic theologian in the twentieth century said that the future Christian will either become a mystic or not at all (cf. Karl Rahner, "The Spirituality of the Church of the Future", in Theological Investigations, Vol. XX, 1981, p. 149). In the appropriate time, hopefully, the editor would share some more details with our dear visitors on this aspect as well as on his recent research. On behalf of Grace Institute of the Holy Eucharist, we wish everybody an Advent preparation filled with faith, hope and love for the whole Divine Heavenly Family as well as for one another, in spite of all imperfections. According to a true Christian mystic, each Christian should always thank God for her or his nature, even with all its faults and failings, for this can be a source of merit for us and a way of pleasing God exceedingly (cf. Gabrielle Bossis, He and I, p. 100). How? St. Thérèse of Lisieux would practice ever more her child-like unconditional faith, hope and love for Jesus, her dearest friend and personal elevator to holiness. As everyone is called to become a true Christian mystic to experience increasingly God's presence and mysteries, how do we become one? The answer could be summed up in three simple words or principles, i.e., pray, pray and pray (or prayer, prayer and more prayer), since it is God, or the intensity of God's presence, energy or grace which is directly and actively making us one, with our co-operation of course. It would be impossible for anyone not to become one after a few days or few weeks, at least as a beginner in the general sense, if she or he truly prays, say, more than two to three hours daily before the Blessed Sacrament, in loving union, deep meditation, fervent adoration, sacred quietude, heart-to-heart conversation, etc. If one decides to climb this mountain, be prepared for a lot of excuses, distractions or struggles. In this journey, be sure to seek the company of the whole Divine Heavenly Family. Just keep trying and they will surely bring us there. What follows, directly and indirectly, are also dream prayers and would make a real difference. In fact, many of them are or can be done before the Holy Eucharist: partaking in the daily celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, receiving Holy Communion daily, praying the Divine Office, participating in Eucharistic Exposition (from an hour to the whole night), meditating on the Word of God, attending frequently the Sacrament of Reconciliation, praying the Holy Rosary, reflecting on the sacred teaching and witness of the Church, Saints, true mystics or Christians, seeing a holy and experienced spiritual director, as well as doing some spiritual and corporal works of mercy. Immaculate Mary (Dec. 8), pray for us! Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas (Dec. 12), pray for us! Yours very sincerely in Christ and Our Heavenly Mother, Editor P.S. Dec. 8 On the feast of the Immaculate Conception, one may be shocked about the following facts or truths: 1) By the indescribable deluge of the numerous sins of the flesh today, in particular on the internet; 2) By the lack of promotion of the exact opposite, i.e., the virtue of purity; 3) By the great number of souls self-condemning themselves to spiritual blindness, even Hell (where there is no recount), because of the sins of impurity, as revealed to us by Our Heavenly Mother in various approved and not-yet-approved private revelations; 4) By the number of individuals, including Catholics, who disbelieve the above; 5) By the relative ease and even constant fulfilling joy in the practice of purity, virginity and celibacy (which many in the secular world laugh at as impossible) when one does the dream prayers as mentioned earlier on December 1; 6) By the immense love, mercy and patience of God and Our Heavenly Mother for sinners in the state of such impurity (otherwise, the world might have already encountered the experience of Sodom and Gomorrah); 7) By the enormous power of the Immaculate Heart of Mary as given to her by God, as Our Heavenly Mother said in Fatima to the children: "You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart" (Sr. Lucia, Fatima in Lucia's Own Words, 1976, p. 108). This month, directly and indirectly, we also come upon immaculate conception twice, once of Our Heavenly Mother and once of the Incarnate Word. Just as a child is the fruit of the intimate union between the father and the mother, Jesus Christ -- the Word made Flesh --- is the fruit of the intimate union between the Holy Spirit and Our Heavenly Mother. In the wisdom and plan of God, the immaculate conception of the Word therefore depends on the immaculate conception of Our Heavenly Mother. Mother most pure, pray for us! Mother undefiled, pray for us! Refuge of Sinners, pray for us! Help of Christians, pray for us! Gate of Heaven, pray for us! Here is a joke, perhaps heard many times by some: One day, Jesus and St. Peter had a big argument. Jesus charged: "Peter, why have you let so many unworthy people enter Heaven?" St. Peter replied: "Lord, blame it on your Mother, the Gate of Heaven!" Alleluia! P.S. Dec. 12 Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patron or Patroness of all North, South and Central Americas. Her December 12 feast day is now part of the Canadian church calendar. Allegedly, the principal, reassuring message from Our Heavenly Mother in Guadalupe is "I am your Mother". What a powerful message it is! For further information, click here. P.S. Dec. 25 Here we wish every dear sister and brother a very merry Holy Christmas and happy New Year spent with the whole Divine Heavenly Family, as well as with your family and your Christian friends. Let us, then, take good care of our heart where all kinds of emotions might erupt, especially during the Christmas season. If our heart is happy, at peace, and fully reconciled with God and others in love, the hearts of all those around would also be greatly affected. If our heart is not, it too would affect others, in a negative way. This is really a practical way to love God and others in action, i.e., by taking care of our heart. How? Try the dream prayers aforementioned, as most would have some free time in this season. If we are unable to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, go the Confession and receive Holy Communion, etc., in a church, pray, as a suggestion, the Holy Rosary slowly and sweetly (the whole Rosary or 15 decades if possible) and in between the two decades, pray with all our heart: "Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, please mercifully unite your Hearts with mine, forever and ever, most intimately so, for the glory of the Most Holy Trinity!" As we are dealing with innumerable unknown forces in our vast subconscious and fathomless unconscious, no repetitions are too many. No repeated activations of God's omnipresent Divine Energy or Christmas Gifts (through the hands of Our Heavenly Mother) are too many. This is no doubt part of the collective wisdom and experience of God's people, especially of the countless canonized mystics in history. We are only expressing it in different words. As the greatest battle is always with our heart (which is closely linked with our mind or in which dwell our personal conscious, subconscious and unconscious, as well as our personal collective unconscious, etc.), let us constantly thank God for giving us these two priceless Gifts so freely, i.e., the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. They are not only something which every Catholic genuinely needs, but also something which each non-Catholic is in great need of without exception. Countless individuals refused to tame (or allow God to transform) their hearts properly and experienced in varying degrees all kinds of unnecessary chaos, pain and even disaster. Many afterwards even blamed God and others for such unpleasant incidents. Fortunately, we have a God who is so patient and forgiving towards us. Let us, then, be so also with one another. Thank you, dearest Jesus, as you love and offer each of us your whole Sacred Heart. Thank you, dearest Mother, as you love and give each of us your whole Immaculate Heart. For those who have a special devotion to St. Joseph, they can include his most endearing Heart in the prayer above. It would thus become a prayer for the union of four Hearts, i.e., our heart and the Hearts of the Holy Family. We therefore have a few choices: the prayer for the union of three Hearts, four Hearts and even many Hearts (when we pray for our family and friends for various occasions during or after this season). Thank you, dearest Uncreated Family (of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) for giving us so generously the Holy Family and the whole Divine Heavenly Family, in particular the Holy Eucharist (as our biggest Living Christmas Gift, in Whom there is the real, infinite presence of yours, i.e., the Most Holy Trinity), not only for Christmas but for all times! We love you, dearest Lord Jesus!
December 1 (P.S. Dec. 8, 12, 25expanded)
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
We are so glad to be communicating with our visitors again. The editor is specially thankful to Rev. Prof. Michael Lapierre, S.J., for sharing this column with him. There were many weeks in the past in which the editor spent quite a few hours each week working on this column. Now, he could become more focused on the long-term research project which he is called to do in life and still be able to communicate with our visitors. In some way, this research commitment --- notably the greatest dream mentioned hereafter --- is like a continuing echo to the musical lyrics of Climb Ev'ry Mountain by Oscar Hammerstein II (music by Richard Rodgers), a beautiful song in a classic movie called The Sound of Music produced and directed by Robert Wise in 1965. The rather innocent symbols then might be very different from today's, as we read (or sing): "Climb ev'ry mountain, search high and low, follow ev'ry by-way, ev'ry path you know. Climb ev'ry mountain, ford ev'ry stream. Follow ev'ry rainbow, till you find your dream. A dream that will need all the love you can give. Ev'ry day of your life for as long as you live."
Indeed, the biggest and wildest dream of the editor --- and of countless Christians --- is to be living in constant loving union with the whole Divine Heavenly Family, in particular with the Holy Eucharist and Our Eucharistic Mother. As the Real Body and Blood of Christ, the Consecrated Bread and Wine are not only the greatest Treasure of the whole Catholic Church, but of the whole universe as well. According to the unfathomable mysteries of Perichoresis (Greek term for Compenetration or Interpenetration) and the Self-emptying Condescension of the Triune God, there dwells in the Holy Eucharist the infinite, unconditional, exact fullness of the Most Holy Trinity. However hidden from our spiritual and physical senses, the Three Divine Persons are fully present in the Blessed Sacrament, just as They are in Heaven,
As there is always an immediate dream or two for us to fulfill for the purposes of Divine Providence, one of the editor's is the research paper to be presented this coming summer regarding the problem of universals. The mountain being half-climbed is the analytic and systematic re-thinking of the history of Western philosophy in this context. What is particularly exciting is a deepened historical understanding concerning the on-going fulfillment of Karl Rahner's famous prophecy made decades ago. Very much so, it is being experienced by Christians everywhere today --- both by the strong and the weak --- in the present crises of prayer, truth, vocation and evangelization, as much as of our faith, hope and love for the Holy Eucharist, the Magisteriun, Our Heavenly Mother, and all the Holy Angels and Saints. The most popular Catholic theologian in the twentieth century said that the future Christian will either become a mystic or not at all (cf. Karl Rahner, "The Spirituality of the Church of the Future", in Theological Investigations, Vol. XX, 1981, p. 149). In the appropriate time, hopefully, the editor would share some more details with our dear visitors on this aspect as well as on his recent research.
On behalf of Grace Institute of the Holy Eucharist, we wish everybody an Advent preparation filled with faith, hope and love for the whole Divine Heavenly Family as well as for one another, in spite of all imperfections. According to a true Christian mystic, each Christian should always thank God for her or his nature, even with all its faults and failings, for this can be a source of merit for us and a way of pleasing God exceedingly (cf. Gabrielle Bossis, He and I, p. 100). How? St. Thérèse of Lisieux would practice ever more her child-like unconditional faith, hope and love for Jesus, her dearest friend and personal elevator to holiness.
As everyone is called to become a true Christian mystic to experience increasingly God's presence and mysteries, how do we become one? The answer could be summed up in three simple words or principles, i.e., pray, pray and pray (or prayer, prayer and more prayer), since it is God, or the intensity of God's presence, energy or grace which is directly and actively making us one, with our co-operation of course. It would be impossible for anyone not to become one after a few days or few weeks, at least as a beginner in the general sense, if she or he truly prays, say, more than two to three hours daily before the Blessed Sacrament, in loving union, deep meditation, fervent adoration, sacred quietude, heart-to-heart conversation, etc. If one decides to climb this mountain, be prepared for a lot of excuses, distractions or struggles. In this journey, be sure to seek the company of the whole Divine Heavenly Family. Just keep trying and they will surely bring us there. What follows, directly and indirectly, are also dream prayers and would make a real difference. In fact, many of them are or can be done before the Holy Eucharist: partaking in the daily celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, receiving Holy Communion daily, praying the Divine Office, participating in Eucharistic Exposition (from an hour to the whole night), meditating on the Word of God, attending frequently the Sacrament of Reconciliation, praying the Holy Rosary, reflecting on the sacred teaching and witness of the Church, Saints, true mystics or Christians, seeing a holy and experienced spiritual director, as well as doing some spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
Immaculate Mary (Dec. 8), pray for us! Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas (Dec. 12), pray for us!
Yours very sincerely in Christ and Our Heavenly Mother,
Editor
P.S. Dec. 8
On the feast of the Immaculate Conception, one may be shocked about the following facts or truths: 1) By the indescribable deluge of the numerous sins of the flesh today, in particular on the internet; 2) By the lack of promotion of the exact opposite, i.e., the virtue of purity; 3) By the great number of souls self-condemning themselves to spiritual blindness, even Hell (where there is no recount), because of the sins of impurity, as revealed to us by Our Heavenly Mother in various approved and not-yet-approved private revelations; 4) By the number of individuals, including Catholics, who disbelieve the above; 5) By the relative ease and even constant fulfilling joy in the practice of purity, virginity and celibacy (which many in the secular world laugh at as impossible) when one does the dream prayers as mentioned earlier on December 1; 6) By the immense love, mercy and patience of God and Our Heavenly Mother for sinners in the state of such impurity (otherwise, the world might have already encountered the experience of Sodom and Gomorrah); 7) By the enormous power of the Immaculate Heart of Mary as given to her by God, as Our Heavenly Mother said in Fatima to the children: "You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart" (Sr. Lucia, Fatima in Lucia's Own Words, 1976, p. 108).
This month, directly and indirectly, we also come upon immaculate conception twice, once of Our Heavenly Mother and once of the Incarnate Word. Just as a child is the fruit of the intimate union between the father and the mother, Jesus Christ -- the Word made Flesh --- is the fruit of the intimate union between the Holy Spirit and Our Heavenly Mother. In the wisdom and plan of God, the immaculate conception of the Word therefore depends on the immaculate conception of Our Heavenly Mother.
Mother most pure, pray for us! Mother undefiled, pray for us! Refuge of Sinners, pray for us! Help of Christians, pray for us! Gate of Heaven, pray for us!
Here is a joke, perhaps heard many times by some: One day, Jesus and St. Peter had a big argument. Jesus charged: "Peter, why have you let so many unworthy people enter Heaven?" St. Peter replied: "Lord, blame it on your Mother, the Gate of Heaven!"
Alleluia!
P.S. Dec. 12
Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patron or Patroness of all North, South and Central Americas. Her December 12 feast day is now part of the Canadian church calendar. Allegedly, the principal, reassuring message from Our Heavenly Mother in Guadalupe is "I am your Mother". What a powerful message it is! For further information, click here.
P.S. Dec. 25
Here we wish every dear sister and brother a very merry Holy Christmas and happy New Year spent with the whole Divine Heavenly Family, as well as with your family and your Christian friends.
Let us, then, take good care of our heart where all kinds of emotions might erupt, especially during the Christmas season. If our heart is happy, at peace, and fully reconciled with God and others in love, the hearts of all those around would also be greatly affected. If our heart is not, it too would affect others, in a negative way. This is really a practical way to love God and others in action, i.e., by taking care of our heart. How? Try the dream prayers aforementioned, as most would have some free time in this season.
If we are unable to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, go the Confession and receive Holy Communion, etc., in a church, pray, as a suggestion, the Holy Rosary slowly and sweetly (the whole Rosary or 15 decades if possible) and in between the two decades, pray with all our heart: "Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary, please mercifully unite your Hearts with mine, forever and ever, most intimately so, for the glory of the Most Holy Trinity!" As we are dealing with innumerable unknown forces in our vast subconscious and fathomless unconscious, no repetitions are too many. No repeated activations of God's omnipresent Divine Energy or Christmas Gifts (through the hands of Our Heavenly Mother) are too many. This is no doubt part of the collective wisdom and experience of God's people, especially of the countless canonized mystics in history. We are only expressing it in different words.
As the greatest battle is always with our heart (which is closely linked with our mind or in which dwell our personal conscious, subconscious and unconscious, as well as our personal collective unconscious, etc.), let us constantly thank God for giving us these two priceless Gifts so freely, i.e., the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. They are not only something which every Catholic genuinely needs, but also something which each non-Catholic is in great need of without exception. Countless individuals refused to tame (or allow God to transform) their hearts properly and experienced in varying degrees all kinds of unnecessary chaos, pain and even disaster. Many afterwards even blamed God and others for such unpleasant incidents. Fortunately, we have a God who is so patient and forgiving towards us. Let us, then, be so also with one another.
Thank you, dearest Jesus, as you love and offer each of us your whole Sacred Heart. Thank you, dearest Mother, as you love and give each of us your whole Immaculate Heart.
For those who have a special devotion to St. Joseph, they can include his most endearing Heart in the prayer above. It would thus become a prayer for the union of four Hearts, i.e., our heart and the Hearts of the Holy Family. We therefore have a few choices: the prayer for the union of three Hearts, four Hearts and even many Hearts (when we pray for our family and friends for various occasions during or after this season).
Thank you, dearest Uncreated Family (of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) for giving us so generously the Holy Family and the whole Divine Heavenly Family, in particular the Holy Eucharist (as our biggest Living Christmas Gift, in Whom there is the real, infinite presence of yours, i.e., the Most Holy Trinity), not only for Christmas but for all times!
We love you, dearest Lord Jesus!