News - April 2019

If we would completely rejoice the heart of God, let us strive in all things to conform ourselves to His divine will. Let us not only strive to conform ourselves, but also to unite ourselves to whatever dispositions God makes of us.

What a paradise it is for a soul when the heart knows itself to be so loved by God.

“Whoever acts without mercy will be judged without mercy but mercy can afford to laugh at judgement.” James 2:13

God's mercy towards us is without measure - it is as high as the heavens themselves. He tells us that even if our sins are as deep as scarlet or crimson, still he will make them as wool and snow. Removing the only obstacle which can ever prevent us from receiving His mercy - our unwillingness to show mercy to others - let us turn to Jesus our Lord on this Blessed Day with boundless trust and confidence to hear from His divine lips those beautiful words of absolution, "My child, your sins are forgiven."

From Mary we learn to surrender to God's Will in all things. From Mary we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone. From Mary we learn to love Christ her Son and the Son of God!

“What is sown is a natural body, and what is raised is a spiritual body.” 1 Corinthians 15:43

St. Paul compares the resurrection of the dead to the springing up of vegetation in a field. The natural body is the seed that is sown in the field. The fruit that comes out of it is completely different in nature, and in this case, the fruit is the spiritual body. As all of us have natural bodies, we will have spiritual bodies too. Knowing this fact, let us try our best to preserve our bodies in holiness, knowing that we carry within us great and mysterious promises of a life soon to come!

If someone sees God in me, I am happy. I see God in everyone, and especially in those who suffer.

“It is the same too with the resurrection of the dead: what is sown is perishable, but what is raised is imperishable” 1Corinthians 15:42

The resurrection of the dead is a great mystery. We repeat our faith in this mystery every Sunday when we say, “I believe in the resurrection of the dead”. There are two kinds of bodies: the first type is perishable, which we receive from our human parents, and the second is imperishable, which we will receive from the Spirit of God on the last day. But here is the mystery: only those who sow in the Spirit while on earth can reap the reward of the Spirit, which is the resurrection to an imperishable life.

In one sense everyone is alike; there is no difference. But during times of hardships and sufferings, the good is distinguished from the other.

“Since you have been raised up to be with Christ, you must look for the things that are above, where Christ is, sitting at God's right hand.” Colossians 3:1

Today’s verse opens for the vistas of our souls a marvellous sight! We see the Son of God Jesus Christ sitting at the Father’s right hand with immense beauty, power and glory. In comparison to His splendour, the glory of earthly kings seem like fleeting beams of pale light. Fixing our gaze on the brightness of our Heavenly King, let us resolutely refuse every transitory pleasure and passing glory the Evil One offers to our minds in order to divert our gaze from this glorious sight.

To imitate and live out the love of Christ is not possible for man by his own strength alone. He becomes capable of this love only by virtue of a gift received …. Christ's gift is his Spirit.

“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is pointless and you have not, after all, been released from your sins” 1 Cori 15:17

St. Paul wishes to make it very clear to us that the faith that we profess is not just a set of human teachings, but it is something that the Apostles have seen, heard and touched - and the greatest article of faith is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. He tells us that if we omit this one article of faith - that is the Resurrection of Christ - everything else is of no use at all. He makes it clear that our faith is pointless without believing in the Resurrection of Christ - indeed, then we are still in our sins. Therefore, let us say to the Lord, “Lord, I believe!”

The smallest actions done for His love are those which charm His Heart.

“So by our baptism into His death we were buried with Him, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glorious power, we too should begin living a new life.” Rm 6:4

Have I been truly baptised into His death? Baptism is an immersion in the water and the blood flowing from the side of Christ’s Body. This means that I should stand close to the Crucified Christ so as to allow His sactifying Blood and those healing waters to flow over me and baptise me. Burial with Christ involves being dead as far as sin is concerned. Have I died to sin? If not, I have not yet been buried with Christ. If only the above two take place, can I experience the power of His Resurrection.

Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself

Three things are necessary for the salvation of man: to know what he ought to believe; to know what he ought to desire; and to know what he ought to do.

Extend your mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need whom you meet without helping. For what hope is there for us if God should withdraw His Mercy from us?

In a sense, it is good that I have no proper sleep at night. I can recite the prayer of love with diligence.

There is no evil to be faced that Christ does not face with us. There is no enemy that Christ has not already conquered. There is no cross to bear that Christ has not already borne for us, and does not now bear with us.

“As Christ has undergone bodily suffering, you too arm yourselves with the same conviction, that anyone who has undergone bodily suffering has broken with sin.’’ 1 Peter 4:1

The mystery of bodily suffering is revealed by St. Peter: it helps us to break with sin if it is borne in the way Christ bore it. He prepared Himself for his sufferings with prayer, and when they came at the appointed time, He accepted them from God’s hands, without complaint. Let us resolutely prepare for the tiny bit of suffering that the Heavenly Father has assigned for us with fervent prayer, and when it appears, let us accept them as Christ did.

Jesus performed the most wonderful exchange with us. Through us, He died; through Him, we shall live.