Communication with Visitors* Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on us! March 1, 2004 (P.S. March 17, 19, 25) Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, I would like to share this reflection received from a friend with you. Read 1st line carefully. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. In happy moments, praise God. In difficult moments, seek God. In quiet moments, worship God. In painful moments, trust God. In every moment, thank God. Pass this message to seven people. You will receive a miracle tomorrow (just do it). Yours sincerely in Christ and Our Heavenly Mother, Tony Ercolani, Assistant Editor P.S. (March 17) Feast of St. Patrick Happy St. Patrick's Day! Today is the feast of St. Patrick whose missionary works reached almost all of Ireland at the beginning of the sixth century. May St. Patrick continue to bless all the Irish missionaries who have reached far and wide the world around! P.S. (March 19) Feast of St. Joseph Today is the joyous feast of St. Joseph, Patron Saint of the Universal Church and of Canada, as well as of our everlasting union with God in Heaven. Pray for us, then, dear Saint Joseph! P.S. (March 25) Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord On this special feast day during Lent, John would like to share with our readers a brief reflection on a popular film movie entitled The Passion of the Christ. The film has indeed touched on many issues. However, perhaps this soon-to-be classic by Mel Gilson should be seen through the open window of God's very nature which --- whether or not it is too challenging for us to face --- is infinite holiness itself. "Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect" (Mt 5: 48). As a thread running through many themes, we may ask the following question before, during and after watching the film: Is it necessary for God to preserve His omnipresent pristine nature in creation which is infinitely holy as such? "[D]eath came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned" (Rom 5: 12). As sin is falling short of God's perfect nature, just imagine the tens of millions of them, venial and mortal, committed against the Ten Commandments everywhere by the whole humanity in every hour, ceaselessly so for thousands of years since time immemorial. What an immense devastating burden it is for creation to carry! Apparently, God's holy and glorious presence everywhere in creation has been seriously and unjustly offended, darkened and defiled against by the grave transcosmic radiant effects of our innumerable sins down the ages. In His divine freedom, God could have let the present creation be destroyed by itself and then created another one. However, God loved the present world or universe so much that He would pay any price to restore His pristine nature in creation. Without doubt, God's inner nature is eternally irremovable. It is only His inner nature which has been unable to shine through this creation because of our sins. Out of His infinite love for creation, God chooses to deal directly with all these cosmic transgressions, contaminations and degradations, big and small, as well as their countless living sources, i.e., the individual souls which commit these sins who nonetheless are His beloved sons and daughters. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom 6: 23). These transcosmic trespasses and trespassers are precisely what Christ the Redeemer and Sanctifier has to atone and suffer for. All in all, it is only the Blood of Jesus which can cleanse all from all the sins committed by us (cf. 1Jn 1:6-9). Otherwise, adversely and increasingly, their transcomic radiant effects would pollute, damage and destroy not only the very holiness, goodness and beauty of God everywhere in creation, but also all creation. "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1Cor 13: 7) We should, therefore, be filled with tender, loving compassion and gratitude towards Christ our Lord for the Passion which He has to endure for all creation (cf. Rom 8). If Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) were correct, mystically speaking, that Christ is being hung on the Cross for every human being until the end of the world, then no amount and intensity of suffering are sufficient to describe what Christ has to go through for us, not even a thousand or a million more times of what is seen throughout the movie. Indisputably, God has proved His infinite love for all of us in that while we still were sinners and enemies, the only Begotten Son of God shed all His blood and died for us (cf. Rom 5: 8-10). Should we, in considerate response, not love Jesus, thank Jesus, and praise Jesus, our dearest Friend, Lord and Saviour, with all our heart, all our mind, all our soul, and all our strength? Have mercy, Lord, on us all! Surely, when God has preserved and restored His pristine omnipresence in creation, it will be Heaven everywhere (cf. Rev 21), except for Hell the Cosmic Dumping Ground for all unwanted or unholy energies and their living sources which are forever unsanctifiable due to their persistent refusal of grace (cf. Rev 20: 7-15).* Otherwise, environmentally, the whole universe, including even Heaven, would become Hell or a part of Hell, indescribably polluted, poisoned and litter-strewn, ill fit for the eternal garden, home and glorious presence of the Most Holy Trinity, Our Heavenly Mother and their whole Family of Holy Angels and Saints. ----------------------------------- * As one cannot sin even venially as if nothing has happened, Purgatory is a transient place for souls who are in the state of non-mortal sin to complete the necessary penance and assigned homework as regards their personal process of reparation and sanctification. Afterwards, these individuals will join the Most Holy Trinity and Its whole Family of Holy Angels and Saints forever in Heaven as life members of the whole Divine Heavenly Family. Yes, there is infinite and perfect happiness, forever and ever. Praise be to Christ our Lord and Our Heavenly Mother! * Fr. Michael Lapierre, S.J., and the editor John Cheng and assistant editor Tony Ercolani are currently taking part in this monthly column. While the latter (John and Tony) is writing in January, March, and May, etc., the former is doing so in February, April and June, etc. As usual, we take July and August as our summer holidays. The background hymn is a version of "Immaculate Mary". Thank you. ** A spiritual insight to share: Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said that the worst thing in the world is not suffering, but rather wasted suffering. Solution: Consecration. One may do so directly to Jesus, or to Jesus through Our Heavenly Mother. *** As Christians, all human beings on earth are brothers and sisters in God's big family The Bible clearly reveals to us that evil spirits, not human beings, are our only enemies: "For we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against… the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil" (Eph 6:12). However, the Most Holy Trinity, Our Heavenly Mother, and the whole Family of Holy Angels and Saints are our constant protectors. Praise God!
March 1, 2004 (P.S. March 17, 19, 25)
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
I would like to share this reflection received from a friend with you.
Read 1st line carefully.
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
In happy moments, praise God.
In difficult moments, seek God.
In quiet moments, worship God.
In painful moments, trust God.
In every moment, thank God.
Pass this message to seven people. You will receive a miracle tomorrow (just do it).
Yours sincerely in Christ and Our Heavenly Mother,
Tony Ercolani,
Assistant Editor
P.S. (March 17) Feast of St. Patrick
Happy St. Patrick's Day! Today is the feast of St. Patrick whose missionary works reached almost all of Ireland at the beginning of the sixth century. May St. Patrick continue to bless all the Irish missionaries who have reached far and wide the world around!
P.S. (March 19) Feast of St. Joseph
Today is the joyous feast of St. Joseph, Patron Saint of the Universal Church and of Canada, as well as of our everlasting union with God in Heaven. Pray for us, then, dear Saint Joseph!
P.S. (March 25) Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord
On this special feast day during Lent, John would like to share with our readers a brief reflection on a popular film movie entitled The Passion of the Christ.
The film has indeed touched on many issues. However, perhaps this soon-to-be classic by Mel Gilson should be seen through the open window of God's very nature which --- whether or not it is too challenging for us to face --- is infinite holiness itself. "Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect" (Mt 5: 48). As a thread running through many themes, we may ask the following question before, during and after watching the film: Is it necessary for God to preserve His omnipresent pristine nature in creation which is infinitely holy as such?
"[D]eath came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned" (Rom 5: 12). As sin is falling short of God's perfect nature, just imagine the tens of millions of them, venial and mortal, committed against the Ten Commandments everywhere by the whole humanity in every hour, ceaselessly so for thousands of years since time immemorial. What an immense devastating burden it is for creation to carry! Apparently, God's holy and glorious presence everywhere in creation has been seriously and unjustly offended, darkened and defiled against by the grave transcosmic radiant effects of our innumerable sins down the ages. In His divine freedom, God could have let the present creation be destroyed by itself and then created another one. However, God loved the present world or universe so much that He would pay any price to restore His pristine nature in creation. Without doubt, God's inner nature is eternally irremovable. It is only His inner nature which has been unable to shine through this creation because of our sins.
Out of His infinite love for creation, God chooses to deal directly with all these cosmic transgressions, contaminations and degradations, big and small, as well as their countless living sources, i.e., the individual souls which commit these sins who nonetheless are His beloved sons and daughters. "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom 6: 23). These transcosmic trespasses and trespassers are precisely what Christ the Redeemer and Sanctifier has to atone and suffer for. All in all, it is only the Blood of Jesus which can cleanse all from all the sins committed by us (cf. 1Jn 1:6-9). Otherwise, adversely and increasingly, their transcomic radiant effects would pollute, damage and destroy not only the very holiness, goodness and beauty of God everywhere in creation, but also all creation.
"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1Cor 13: 7) We should, therefore, be filled with tender, loving compassion and gratitude towards Christ our Lord for the Passion which He has to endure for all creation (cf. Rom 8). If Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) were correct, mystically speaking, that Christ is being hung on the Cross for every human being until the end of the world, then no amount and intensity of suffering are sufficient to describe what Christ has to go through for us, not even a thousand or a million more times of what is seen throughout the movie. Indisputably, God has proved His infinite love for all of us in that while we still were sinners and enemies, the only Begotten Son of God shed all His blood and died for us (cf. Rom 5: 8-10). Should we, in considerate response, not love Jesus, thank Jesus, and praise Jesus, our dearest Friend, Lord and Saviour, with all our heart, all our mind, all our soul, and all our strength? Have mercy, Lord, on us all!
Surely, when God has preserved and restored His pristine omnipresence in creation, it will be Heaven everywhere (cf. Rev 21), except for Hell the Cosmic Dumping Ground for all unwanted or unholy energies and their living sources which are forever unsanctifiable due to their persistent refusal of grace (cf. Rev 20: 7-15).* Otherwise, environmentally, the whole universe, including even Heaven, would become Hell or a part of Hell, indescribably polluted, poisoned and litter-strewn, ill fit for the eternal garden, home and glorious presence of the Most Holy Trinity, Our Heavenly Mother and their whole Family of Holy Angels and Saints.
-----------------------------------
* As one cannot sin even venially as if nothing has happened, Purgatory is a transient place for souls who are in the state of non-mortal sin to complete the necessary penance and assigned homework as regards their personal process of reparation and sanctification. Afterwards, these individuals will join the Most Holy Trinity and Its whole Family of Holy Angels and Saints forever in Heaven as life members of the whole Divine Heavenly Family. Yes, there is infinite and perfect happiness, forever and ever. Praise be to Christ our Lord and Our Heavenly Mother!
* Fr. Michael Lapierre, S.J., and the editor John Cheng and assistant editor Tony Ercolani are currently taking part in this monthly column. While the latter (John and Tony) is writing in January, March, and May, etc., the former is doing so in February, April and June, etc. As usual, we take July and August as our summer holidays. The background hymn is a version of "Immaculate Mary". Thank you.
** A spiritual insight to share: Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said that the worst thing in the world is not suffering, but rather wasted suffering. Solution: Consecration. One may do so directly to Jesus, or to Jesus through Our Heavenly Mother.
*** As Christians, all human beings on earth are brothers and sisters in God's big family The Bible clearly reveals to us that evil spirits, not human beings, are our only enemies: "For we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against… the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil" (Eph 6:12). However, the Most Holy Trinity, Our Heavenly Mother, and the whole Family of Holy Angels and Saints are our constant protectors. Praise God!