News - April 2021

Blessed is the servant who is found as humble among his subjects as he would be amongst his masters.

What really matters in life is that we are loved by Christ, and that we love Him in return. In comparison to the love of Christ Jesus, everything else is secondary.

Humility is the queen of all virtues. I consider all occasions to humble myself as a great fortune.

If you want to meet a merciful judge, be merciful before he comes. Forgive if someone has offended you; give away the possessions of which you have in abundance.

"But Peter said, 'I have neither silver nor gold, but I will give you what I have: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!’ ” Acts 3:6

The lame man, to whom these words were addressed, was the first to experience the power of the Name of Jesus of Nazareth, thus proving to the world that the Resurrection of Jesus was not an idle tale woven by the Apostles, but a real event that took place on the Sunday after His crucifixion. When spoken with faith, the Name of Jesus, the greatest of all names in heaven, earth or the underworld, still continues to work the most amazing miracles, still testifying to the world that Jesus Christ lives!

If your were more handsome and richer than all others, and even if you could work wonders, such as putting demons to flight, all these things are hurtful to you, and none really belongs to you, and you cannot glory in any of them.

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for whatever you please and you will get it.’’ John 15:7

What does remaining in Jesus mean? It means to have an intimate union with the unchanging Son of God who existed before all things and in Whom we live, move and exist. And how do we remain in Jesus? We remain in Him only by abiding in love, because He is love - a Love which is constant, patient, forgiving and full of compassion. We abide in His love when we keep His Words - indeed, without treasuring His Words in our hearts, we can never hope to possess love. If we remain in Him and treasure His Words, Jesus assures us we can ask of Him anything that we desire - we can be certain that this will be granted to us.

The search and discovery of God's will for you is a deep and fascinating endeavor. Every vocation, every path to which Christ calls us, ultimately leads to fulfillment and happiness, because it leads to God, to sharing in God's own life.

"Blessed those who find their strength in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.’’Psalms 84:5

God is power and nothing is impossible for Him. The Bible witnesses that the Lord does not grow tired or weary - instead He gives strength to the powerless. How happy we will be if we have found the true source of strength - Who is none other than the Risen Christ! With our hearts set on pilgrimage, in other words, a journey to the Holy City of Jerusalem which is above, let us travel in the joyful company of the saints, singing praises to the Lord!

Patience smoothes away lots of difficulties.

“If death came to many through the offence of one man, how much greater an effect the Grace of God has had, coming to so many and so plentifully as a free gift through the one man Jesus Christ!” Romans 5:15

There can be no comparison between sin and grace. One sin of ours can poison our soul, but the effects of God’s Grace in our lives and those of others is beyond human understanding. So let us never become disheartened by our past sins, but instead look towards Jesus Christ, the Grace of God, Who put an end to the reign of sin and death, and brought back Eternal Life to all who believe!

As soon as you willfully allow a dialogue with temptation to begin, the soul is robbed of peace, just as consent to immorality destroys grace.

"But their eyes were prevented from recognising him.’’ Luke 24:16

Even though Jesus walks at the side of our faculties, very often our inner eyes are prevented from recognising Him. If our faculties - our hearts and minds are engrossed in things of this earth, the eyelid of our spiritual eye remains closed. The spiritual eyelid is opened only by contemplation of heavenly things, and heavenly things are available for our contemplation only by a revelation of Jesus Christ - He is the key that unlocks all the treasures of God’s Wisdom and Knowledge.

The soul hungers for God, and nothing but God can satiate it. Therefore He came to dwell on earth and assumed a Body in order that this Body might become the Food of our souls,

“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."

If we look only at ourselves, with our limitations and sins, we quickly give way to sadness and discouragement. But if we keep our eyes fixed on the Lord, then our hearts are filled with hope, our minds are washed in the light of truth.

“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.

Jesus works miracles for His dearest friends only after He has tested their faith. He let Lazarus die, even though Martha and Mary sent word that he was sick. But after the trial, what rewards! Lazarus rises from the dead.

If Christ has not been raised from the dead, Christianity is pointless “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 rich man who gives to the poor does not bestow alms but pays a debt.