News - June 2019

“Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, never forget her, never deviate from my words. Do not desert her, she will keep you safe; love her, she will watch over you.” Proverbs 4:5-6

If the Lord repeatedly asks us to acquire wisdom and understanding, we can imagine how indispensable it must be for our spiritual well-being! He further cautions us never to forget wisdom and to constantly seek the wisdom of the Lord in all our undertakings. Without wisdom, the Lord warns us that we will lose our way and perish.

All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.

Each of us has a soul, but we forget to value it. We don’t remember that we are creatures made in the image of God. We don’t understand the great secrets hidden inside of us.

“You are built upon the foundations of the apostles and prophets, and Christ Jesus himself is the cornerstone.” Ephesians 2:20.

The Lord Jesus was pleased to build His Church on the Rock foundations of Peter’s faith and the deep wisdom of Paul, His Chosen Instrument and trained Master Builder. Let every Christian take care that he neglects not these Holy Apostles, without which all our labour will come to nothing - the one who builds without them builds on sand and straw - his work will be blown away by the winds of change. On the other hand, no storm can overthrow the foundations of faith which are laid on the teachings of these holy Apostles.

We cannot live without hope. We have to have some purpose in life, some meaning to our existence. We have to aspire to something. Without hope, we begin to die.

“It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh has nothing to offer. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” John 6:63.

Every human being in this world seeks to live. Quite often we try to sustain our life only by taking care of our flesh. Jesus lifts our hearts and minds above the flesh, asking us to turn to the Spirit if we are to truly receive life. He then makes His statement even clearer by pointing to us the source of Spirit and Life - the Words He has spoken to us. Let us then, return with renewed zeal to His Words. It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh has nothing to offer.

Let the love of God drive you on, because Jesus Christ died for all, so that those who live may live not for themselves, but for Him who died for them.

“Whenever you eat this bread, then, and drink this cup, you are proclaiming the Lord's death until he comes. 1 Corinthians 11:26

Every time we participate in the Eucharist, we are participating in more than just a community meal. In the Eucharist, we receive the Body and Blood of Jesus, thereby proclaiming His death. This requires deep reflection and preparation from our side, which is why in the Catholic Church, reception of Holy Communion is often placed in the context of the Holy Mass. May we come to better realize the richness of the Eucharist!

All of us can attain to Christian virtue and holiness, no matter in what condition of life we live and no matter what our life work may be.

"Arise, shine out, for your light has come, and the glory of Yahweh has risen on you." Isaiah 60:1

The Heavenly Jerusalem is the holy city of God. Each one of us who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit are her children. The glory of the Lord dawns and shines on this heavenly city and its inhabitants. Darkness covers the world, but as citizens of this heavenly city, we are illuminated by this brightness which increases day by day in glory.

Whoever does not seek the cross of Christ doesn't seek the glory of Christ.

“for he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must drink no wine, no strong drink; even from his mother's womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit” Luke 1:15

Many of the parents of God’s prophets were carefully chosen and instructed by God Himself so that they would bring their children up according to the mind of God. Today as the Universal Church celebrates the Feast of the birth of John the Baptist, let us ask God for the grace to be holy and faithful formators of the generation yet to come. If we are faithful, our children will be filled with the Spirit even from their mother’s womb and be a source of great joy for the Church of God.

This very moment I may, if I desire, become the friend of God.

“They laid a snare in my path – I was bowed with care – they dug a pit ahead of me, but fell in it themselves.” Psalms 57:6

The life of a true follower of Christ is bound to be filled with trials and struggles. The Devil will give such a person no rest, and will try to lay many traps for his soul. But the Lord is with His chosen - they will never stumble, because the love of God surrounds them with favour as with a shield, and He confuses their enemies, utterly destroying them.

Realize that you may gain more in a quarter of an hour of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament than in all other practices of the day.

Prayer makes your heart bigger, until it is capable of containing the gift of God himself.

What enormous power the prayer of children has! This becomes a model for grownups themselves: praying with simple and complete trust means praying as children pray.

Compassion is preferable to cleanliness: with a little bit of soap I can clean my bed, but think of the flood of tears I would require to clean from my soul the stain that harshness against the unfortunate would leave.

If we only knew the precious treasure hidden in infirmities, we would receive them with the same joy with which we receive the greatest benefits, and we would bear them without ever complaining or showing signs of weariness.

When we find ourselves in some grave danger we must not lose courage but firmly trust in God, for where there is the greatest danger, there is also the greatest help from Him who wants to be called our 'Help' in times of peace and in times of tribulation.