Communication with Visitors* Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on us! March 1 (P.S. March 5, 14, 19, 28, 29, 30, 31) Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, How are you? Here is some thought on Lent which is seen on a parish bulletin, as we read: Lent is more than a time of fasting, it can also be a joyous season of feasting, namely, that we fast from judging others, but feast on the Christ dwelling in them; fast from emphasis on differences, but feast on the unity of life; fast from apparent darkness, but feast on the reality of light; fast from hostility, but feast on peace; fast from bitterness, but feast on forgiveness; fast from self-concern, but feast on compassion for others. Perhaps we can add to it that we fast from over-exhaustion from work and isolation from God, but feast on the sacraments (of confession and Holy Communion) and the love of God. Best wishes in Christ and Our Heavenly Mother, Editor P.S. (March 5) So, how should one feast on the love of God, then? One way is by loving God and others, in communion with God and others, serving God and others, visiting God and others. What if and when we do not feel that God and others love us sometimes? Simply by loving God and others, forgiving God (if we have to; in fact, God does not need us to be forgiven, it is our confusion, but it is a good beginning which God honours at this stage) and others, rather than to be loved and forgiven. It seems easier said than done? Yes, it is only human, but we can pray, pray and pray, for wisdom and strength. How, then? One way to make a breakthrough is to go to Mass, to go to Confession, pray the Rosary and do some mediation. What if it does not help? Then, we can go and kneel before the Blessed Sacrament in humble adoration. There is a saying that we can go anywhere spiritually on our kneels. How long shall we kneel then? For a long time. How long? Let us try more than an hour and see if God would not pour His love for us, filling us with His mercy and love, and moving us to do so for others. In fact, "the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us" (Rom 5:5), but we have to break the veil. How? Kneeling before God hidden in the Tabernacle. Of course, we can do it everywhere, but, since God has taken special efforts to be there for us, our efforts would be greatly appreciated by God if we go there and do so. But it is uncomfortable? Of course, no pain no gain. This is a great grace awaiting us especially during Lent. Well, ladies and gentlemen. This is only a quick summary for us. It seems to work even many years from now. A lot is in there. It is of course easier said than done, but at least it is a beginning which really works for all of us, again and again. Praise God! P.S. (March 14) Today is the Feast Day of St. Patrick. Directly, he did a lot for the evangelization of Ireland. And indirectly, he has helped evangelize millions of people, like those in North America and the Far East. Pray for us, St. Patrick! P.S. (March 19) Today is the feast of St. Joseph. This Feast has been observed on this day since the 10th century. Indeed, St. Joseph is the patron of the universal Church and principal patron of Canada. The Opening Prayer to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass reads: "Father you entrusted our Saviour to the care of Saint Joseph. By the help of his prayers may your Church continue to serve its Lord, Jesus Christ". Further, St. Joseph is the patron saint of happy death or happy entrance into eternal happiness. The author has come upon so many individuals who have been effectively helped by this Saint concerning both the present world and that beyond. Praise be to the all-present God who has been working through St. Joseph so powerfully! P.S. (March 28) Holy Thursday As the Church in North America is being plagued without precedence by various sex scandals, there has never been a time in which we should: a) truly take St. Joseph as the shining model of purity; b) cease giving impurity a chance, e.g., fasting from pornography of any kind is insufficient --- a complete abstinence is really and absolutely needed; c) praying the Holy Rosary --- it is impossible to pray 15 decades of Rosary daily and lead an impure life at the same time; d) be ever conscious that there are three Churches, i.e., the perfect Church in Heaven, the imperfect or sinful Church on earth, and the suffering Church in Purgatory --- one should not be surprised at all, therefore, to find the Church on earth at times being so sinful and full of scandals as mentioned; e) be merciful and prayerful toward those who have plagued the Church with their scandals, just as God has been infinitely patient, forgiving and merciful to us; f) attend Confessions frequently as God cannot resist the humble with a real contrite heart; g) attend Holy Communion, even daily, as we are made a bit more like Jesus, finding it a bit easier to follow His footsteps, with every good Holy Communion. As God created us to be with us and to be in loving union with us, the institution of the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest proof that Jesus, Our Lord and God, does love us with all His Heart, with all His Mind, with all His Soul, and with all His Strength. So many true teachers and Saints of the Church have told us in the past to spend at least 10 to 15 minutes of prayer in profound thanksgiving and adoration after receiving the Lord. At the roots of various sex scandals, the Church seems to have been plagued by "the crisis of not praying enough", especially with regards sufficient time (hopefully in some deep prayer as a quality time) spent or wasted with Jesus and for Jesus after having received Him into the center of our whole being. As Klaus Issler says in his book Wasting Time with God: A Christian Spirituality of Friendship with God (2001, back cover): "When it comes to developing a deep trusting relationship with God, efficiency and productivity are not the answer. Rather we need to 'waste' time with him, to just enjoy being with him. After all, that's how any friendship grows". P.S. (March 29) Good Friday Thanks to the immense Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Novena to the incredible Divine Mercy of God starts today. This may be precisely what the whole world (after the September 11 tragedy) or our loved ones need. Click here or here for further information. Some may say that Christ's Suffering and Death on the cross should be the event which represents that God loves us with all His Heart, Mind, Soul and Strength, instead of the event what has taken place on Holy Thursday. Well, the two events may then be regarded as Part 1 and Part 2 of the process. In Part 1, Jesus first opened wide the door such that physically, spiritually and emotionally He could be with the Church (practically with anyone of us) until the end of the world as He promised (cf. Mt 28:20), however sinful we may be. In Part 2, On Good Friday, the Lord Our God allowed His physical-spiritual-emotional earthly presence with us to be taken away. While Part 1 (in the whole wide world) is much bigger than Part 2 (in the Palestine some 2000 years ago), at the same time the two parts are filled with and can represent as one process God's infinite love for each of us. Thank you with all our hearts, Lord Jesus, for your indescribable love and sacrifice for all of us! P.S. (March 30) Holy Saturday During this Holy Week, not only Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, but also His Mystical Body on earth, have been put on severe trial in the court of the world (cf. Can the Catholic Church save itself? TIME, April 1, 2002, pp. 16-26). Really, can the Catholic Church save itself? [St. Paul seems to have asked a similar question and given us simultaneously the categorical answer: "Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Rom 7:24-25) Perhaps the question should be rephrased as follows: Wretched the Mystical Body of Christ that it is, can it save itself?] Well, not according to Station 1 when the Head of the Church is unjustly condemned to death (for without Christ the Head of the Church who is also God Almighty, nothing is really possible; but with Christ everything is perfectly possible)… not according to Station 2 when the Head of the Church is being given a heavy cross to carry … not according to Station 3 when the Head of the Church is falling down for the first time… not according to Station 4 when the Head of the Church is meeting His sorrowful Mother who is also the sorrowful Mother of the Church… not according to Station 5 when the Head of the Church is being comforted by Veronica… not according to Station 6 when the Head of the Church is being helped by Simon… not according to Station 7 when the Head of the Church is falling for the second time… not according to Station 8 when the Head of the Church tries to console us and warns us of our sins… not according to Station 9 when the Head of the Church is falling for the third time… not according to Station 10 when the Head of the Church is being striped in humiliation… not according to Station 11 when the Head of the Church is being nailed to the cross in a bloody manner… not according to Station 12 when the Head of the Church dies horribly as the innocent Victim and heroic Redeemer for our sins… not according to Station 13 when the dead corpse of the Head of the Church is being taken down from the Cross as if the whole Church is defeated… not according to Station 14 when the Head of the Church is being buried unceremoniously, in great sadness. Really, can the Catholic Church save itself? Well, just wait… (It is true that the Head of the Church has just paid the random required by divine justice for the salvation of His Body and that of the whole world.) P.S. (March 31) Easter Sunday Alleluia! Christ is resurrected! Today we celebrate the everlasting Triumphant Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Glorious Head and Hero par excellence of the Church! (It is, therefore, absolutely possible, repeat, absolutely possible for the Catholic Church to save itself, for the Head and the Body have been substantially one, united, unable to separate from each other, eternally or perpetually so, from very the moment of the Head's Triumphant Resurrection.) According to St. Thomas Aquinas, the whole of Christ is now both in Heaven and in the Blessed Sacrament. Regarding Being and beings in the totality of reality (or the immensity of space, created and Uncreated), every being without exception is infinitely permeated and surrounded by Being (or God-Being). The future or happiness of a being, therefore, consists in its openness and union (in faith, hope and love) with Being. Yet, as the history of religion informs us, this (Uncreated) Being often lies impossibly beyond the reach of a (created) being. Now this Being has made Itself (or Himself) so accessible to us in the Blessed Sacrament, again and again despite all the abuses and sacrileges, how can we not rejoice in Its (or His) love and sing of Its (His) mercy for us? How can we not thank It (Him) and try to love It (Him) a bit more with all our heart, all our mind, all our soul and all our strength? As we know, mercy is something which we really do not deserve. As a being becomes more open and united with Being, he or she (as St. Augustine would say) will find this most friendly Being sweeter than all pleasure, brighter than all light, more veiled than all mysteries, more exalted than any VIP (cf. Rev. Stanislaus J. Grabowski, The All-Present God: A Study in St. Augustine, 1954, p. 277). At the same time, a being would tend towards loving openness and union with other beings, in prayer, or action, or both, happily so. Alleluia! All glory be to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, the Most Holy Trinity, forever and ever, Amen! Alleluia! * Fr. Michael Lapierre, S.J., and the editor John Cheng are currently taking part in this column. While the latter is doing January, March, May, etc., the former is partaking in February, April, June, etc. As usual, we take a summer break during July and August. The hymn in the background here is entitled "I will Sing of the Mercy of the Lord".
March 1 (P.S. March 5, 14, 19, 28, 29, 30, 31)
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
How are you? Here is some thought on Lent which is seen on a parish bulletin, as we read: Lent is more than a time of fasting, it can also be a joyous season of feasting, namely, that we fast from judging others, but feast on the Christ dwelling in them; fast from emphasis on differences, but feast on the unity of life; fast from apparent darkness, but feast on the reality of light; fast from hostility, but feast on peace; fast from bitterness, but feast on forgiveness; fast from self-concern, but feast on compassion for others. Perhaps we can add to it that we fast from over-exhaustion from work and isolation from God, but feast on the sacraments (of confession and Holy Communion) and the love of God.
Best wishes in Christ and Our Heavenly Mother,
Editor
P.S. (March 5) So, how should one feast on the love of God, then? One way is by loving God and others, in communion with God and others, serving God and others, visiting God and others. What if and when we do not feel that God and others love us sometimes? Simply by loving God and others, forgiving God (if we have to; in fact, God does not need us to be forgiven, it is our confusion, but it is a good beginning which God honours at this stage) and others, rather than to be loved and forgiven.
It seems easier said than done? Yes, it is only human, but we can pray, pray and pray, for wisdom and strength. How, then? One way to make a breakthrough is to go to Mass, to go to Confession, pray the Rosary and do some mediation. What if it does not help? Then, we can go and kneel before the Blessed Sacrament in humble adoration. There is a saying that we can go anywhere spiritually on our kneels. How long shall we kneel then? For a long time. How long? Let us try more than an hour and see if God would not pour His love for us, filling us with His mercy and love, and moving us to do so for others. In fact, "the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us" (Rom 5:5), but we have to break the veil. How? Kneeling before God hidden in the Tabernacle. Of course, we can do it everywhere, but, since God has taken special efforts to be there for us, our efforts would be greatly appreciated by God if we go there and do so. But it is uncomfortable? Of course, no pain no gain. This is a great grace awaiting us especially during Lent.
Well, ladies and gentlemen. This is only a quick summary for us. It seems to work even many years from now. A lot is in there. It is of course easier said than done, but at least it is a beginning which really works for all of us, again and again. Praise God!
P.S. (March 14)
Today is the Feast Day of St. Patrick. Directly, he did a lot for the evangelization of Ireland. And indirectly, he has helped evangelize millions of people, like those in North America and the Far East. Pray for us, St. Patrick!
P.S. (March 19) Today is the feast of St. Joseph. This Feast has been observed on this day since the 10th century. Indeed, St. Joseph is the patron of the universal Church and principal patron of Canada. The Opening Prayer to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass reads: "Father you entrusted our Saviour to the care of Saint Joseph. By the help of his prayers may your Church continue to serve its Lord, Jesus Christ". Further, St. Joseph is the patron saint of happy death or happy entrance into eternal happiness. The author has come upon so many individuals who have been effectively helped by this Saint concerning both the present world and that beyond. Praise be to the all-present God who has been working through St. Joseph so powerfully!
P.S. (March 28) Holy Thursday
As the Church in North America is being plagued without precedence by various sex scandals, there has never been a time in which we should:
a) truly take St. Joseph as the shining model of purity;
b) cease giving impurity a chance, e.g., fasting from pornography of any kind is insufficient --- a complete abstinence is really and absolutely needed;
c) praying the Holy Rosary --- it is impossible to pray 15 decades of Rosary daily and lead an impure life at the same time;
d) be ever conscious that there are three Churches, i.e., the perfect Church in Heaven, the imperfect or sinful Church on earth, and the suffering Church in Purgatory --- one should not be surprised at all, therefore, to find the Church on earth at times being so sinful and full of scandals as mentioned;
e) be merciful and prayerful toward those who have plagued the Church with their scandals, just as God has been infinitely patient, forgiving and merciful to us;
f) attend Confessions frequently as God cannot resist the humble with a real contrite heart;
g) attend Holy Communion, even daily, as we are made a bit more like Jesus, finding it a bit easier to follow His footsteps, with every good Holy Communion.
As God created us to be with us and to be in loving union with us, the institution of the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest proof that Jesus, Our Lord and God, does love us with all His Heart, with all His Mind, with all His Soul, and with all His Strength. So many true teachers and Saints of the Church have told us in the past to spend at least 10 to 15 minutes of prayer in profound thanksgiving and adoration after receiving the Lord. At the roots of various sex scandals, the Church seems to have been plagued by "the crisis of not praying enough", especially with regards sufficient time (hopefully in some deep prayer as a quality time) spent or wasted with Jesus and for Jesus after having received Him into the center of our whole being. As Klaus Issler says in his book Wasting Time with God: A Christian Spirituality of Friendship with God (2001, back cover): "When it comes to developing a deep trusting relationship with God, efficiency and productivity are not the answer. Rather we need to 'waste' time with him, to just enjoy being with him. After all, that's how any friendship grows".
P.S. (March 29) Good Friday
Thanks to the immense Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Novena to the incredible Divine Mercy of God starts today. This may be precisely what the whole world (after the September 11 tragedy) or our loved ones need. Click here or here for further information.
Some may say that Christ's Suffering and Death on the cross should be the event which represents that God loves us with all His Heart, Mind, Soul and Strength, instead of the event what has taken place on Holy Thursday. Well, the two events may then be regarded as Part 1 and Part 2 of the process. In Part 1, Jesus first opened wide the door such that physically, spiritually and emotionally He could be with the Church (practically with anyone of us) until the end of the world as He promised (cf. Mt 28:20), however sinful we may be. In Part 2, On Good Friday, the Lord Our God allowed His physical-spiritual-emotional earthly presence with us to be taken away. While Part 1 (in the whole wide world) is much bigger than Part 2 (in the Palestine some 2000 years ago), at the same time the two parts are filled with and can represent as one process God's infinite love for each of us.
Thank you with all our hearts, Lord Jesus, for your indescribable love and sacrifice for all of us!
P.S. (March 30) Holy Saturday
During this Holy Week, not only Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, but also His Mystical Body on earth, have been put on severe trial in the court of the world (cf. Can the Catholic Church save itself? TIME, April 1, 2002, pp. 16-26).
Really, can the Catholic Church save itself? [St. Paul seems to have asked a similar question and given us simultaneously the categorical answer: "Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Rom 7:24-25) Perhaps the question should be rephrased as follows: Wretched the Mystical Body of Christ that it is, can it save itself?]
Well, not according to Station 1 when the Head of the Church is unjustly condemned to death (for without Christ the Head of the Church who is also God Almighty, nothing is really possible; but with Christ everything is perfectly possible)… not according to Station 2 when the Head of the Church is being given a heavy cross to carry … not according to Station 3 when the Head of the Church is falling down for the first time… not according to Station 4 when the Head of the Church is meeting His sorrowful Mother who is also the sorrowful Mother of the Church… not according to Station 5 when the Head of the Church is being comforted by Veronica… not according to Station 6 when the Head of the Church is being helped by Simon… not according to Station 7 when the Head of the Church is falling for the second time… not according to Station 8 when the Head of the Church tries to console us and warns us of our sins… not according to Station 9 when the Head of the Church is falling for the third time… not according to Station 10 when the Head of the Church is being striped in humiliation… not according to Station 11 when the Head of the Church is being nailed to the cross in a bloody manner… not according to Station 12 when the Head of the Church dies horribly as the innocent Victim and heroic Redeemer for our sins… not according to Station 13 when the dead corpse of the Head of the Church is being taken down from the Cross as if the whole Church is defeated… not according to Station 14 when the Head of the Church is being buried unceremoniously, in great sadness.
Really, can the Catholic Church save itself?
Well, just wait… (It is true that the Head of the Church has just paid the random required by divine justice for the salvation of His Body and that of the whole world.)
P.S. (March 31) Easter Sunday Alleluia! Christ is resurrected!
Today we celebrate the everlasting Triumphant Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Glorious Head and Hero par excellence of the Church! (It is, therefore, absolutely possible, repeat, absolutely possible for the Catholic Church to save itself, for the Head and the Body have been substantially one, united, unable to separate from each other, eternally or perpetually so, from very the moment of the Head's Triumphant Resurrection.) According to St. Thomas Aquinas, the whole of Christ is now both in Heaven and in the Blessed Sacrament.
Regarding Being and beings in the totality of reality (or the immensity of space, created and Uncreated), every being without exception is infinitely permeated and surrounded by Being (or God-Being). The future or happiness of a being, therefore, consists in its openness and union (in faith, hope and love) with Being. Yet, as the history of religion informs us, this (Uncreated) Being often lies impossibly beyond the reach of a (created) being. Now this Being has made Itself (or Himself) so accessible to us in the Blessed Sacrament, again and again despite all the abuses and sacrileges, how can we not rejoice in Its (or His) love and sing of Its (His) mercy for us? How can we not thank It (Him) and try to love It (Him) a bit more with all our heart, all our mind, all our soul and all our strength? As we know, mercy is something which we really do not deserve.
As a being becomes more open and united with Being, he or she (as St. Augustine would say) will find this most friendly Being sweeter than all pleasure, brighter than all light, more veiled than all mysteries, more exalted than any VIP (cf. Rev. Stanislaus J. Grabowski, The All-Present God: A Study in St. Augustine, 1954, p. 277).
At the same time, a being would tend towards loving openness and union with other beings, in prayer, or action, or both, happily so. Alleluia!
All glory be to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, the Most Holy Trinity, forever and ever, Amen! Alleluia!
* Fr. Michael Lapierre, S.J., and the editor John Cheng are currently taking part in this column. While the latter is doing January, March, May, etc., the former is partaking in February, April, June, etc. As usual, we take a summer break during July and August. The hymn in the background here is entitled "I will Sing of the Mercy of the Lord".