The Rev. Fr. Melvin Doucette, class=SpellE>M.AfrMonday, April 12, 2010class=apple-converted-space>
"Do not delay"class=apple-converted-space>
Dear Friends,class=apple-converted-space>
The Lament over
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds
and to his disciples, saying ... "
who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to
gather your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but
you were unwilling! Behold, your house will be abandoned, desolate. I tell you,
you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name
of the Lord.'" (Matthew 23: 1, 37-39)
Below you will find the message
of Our Lord and Savior given to Joseph. Jesus spoke these words to him, saying,class=apple-converted-space>
"I wept over the holy city
of
because I knew that it would be destroyed and not one stone would be left upon
another. This is because the people had not received their Savior and instead
they had arrested Him and condemned Him to die on the cross. In the past they
had killed the prophets whom the Father had sent to them, as they did not want
to accept the message sent to them by the Father.class=apple-converted-space>
Many other cities class=GramE>who refused to accept Me were also destroyed such as
and others. At the time of Abraham, there was the destruction of
two sinful cities that would not follow their God. Look at the punishment that
was given to the chosen people in the desert when they turned against God the
Father and wanted to return to
There are many cities and places
today that are cesspools of sin and they too if they do not repent of their
sins and change their lives will receive the same fate. I call upon all the
peoples of the world to accept Me as their Savior and
to repent of their sins. Otherwise major disasters and meltdowns will bring
great sufferings to many people. Return now to your Creator and Lord and amend
your lives and you will live in peace and you will be protected. I came to save
you so you need to cooperate with Me so I can work for
you. I am ready to help you. Do not delay, turn to Me
now."
Father Melvinclass=apple-converted-space>
Sunday, April 11, 2010class=apple-converted-space>
"Have confidence in Me"class=apple-converted-space>
Dear Friends,class=apple-converted-space>
Jesus Forgives His Executionersclass=apple-converted-space>
When the soldiers came to the
place called the Skull, they crucified Jesus and the criminals there, one on
his right, the other on his left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them,
they know not what they do." (Luke 23:33-34)class=apple-converted-space>
Below you will find the message
given by Our Merciful Lord to Joseph. He spoke to him these words,class=apple-converted-space>
"My Father in heaven is
merciful and that is why He sent Me to live on earth
so I could teach you about His mercy. I am full of mercy for all of you and
that is the reason why I agreed to suffer and die for you so that you would be
covered with the mercy of God.
We know that you are all weak
and that you are bent toward sin. All of you have sinned and without the mercy
of the Father you would never enter heaven-sin bars you from eternal happiness
in heaven. Knowing how weak you are, I came with great love for all of you to
take all your sins upon Myself and to pay the price for
them. I agreed to suffer My horrible agony and to die
an atrocious death on the cross to free you from your sins, if you repent, and
to give you all the graces you need.
Our Heavenly Father sees class=GramE>My sacrifice on the cross and He is full of mercy for all
those who believe in Me and are truly sorry for all their sins. I have given
you the Sacrament of Mercy, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, to take away your
sins in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. You also receive
the grace of the Sacrament, which strengthens you to follow the commandments of
the Father and to avoid sin.
My dear friends,
every day throw yourselves on My Divine Mercy and truly repent and you will be
blessed. My mercy is as deep as the ocean so bathe yourselves in it and come
and follow Me. Have confidence in Me
and you will be the beloved of the Father."class=apple-converted-space>
Father Melvinclass=apple-converted-space>
Saturday, April 10, 2010class=apple-converted-space>
"I love you all"class=apple-converted-space>
Dear Friends,class=apple-converted-space>
The First Community in
When they entered the city they
went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and
Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of class=SpellE>Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All
these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women,
and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers." (Acts 1:13-14)class=apple-converted-space>
Below you will find the message
of Our Blessed Mother given to Joseph. Our Lady spoke to him in these words,class=apple-converted-space>
"I bless you all, class=GramE>My dear sons and daughters, who are so dear to My heart. I
am your Mother who prays for you and intercedes for you before My Beloved Son
Jesus. Fifty days after His resurrection from the dead, I was with the Apostles
and others in the upper room in
praying and waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit. We had been praying for
ten days for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and it was on Pentecost that He
came upon all those present in the room. It was on that day that the
people.
The Holy Spirit was sent upon
the Apostles and others by the Father and My Son Jesus, the Son of God. The
Holy Spirit filled us all in a wonderful experience to begin a new stage of
life for the Apostles and all those who believed in their Savior. They received
the power from on high to begin the work they were asked to do by Jesus, My
Son.
Begin, My
children, to prepare yourselves too for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit once
more. I want you all to receive the New Pentecost, a new infilling of the Holy
Spirit. Prepare yourselves spiritually for this great event. I am praying that
you all, who have faith, may receive this strengthening very soon. I love you
all."
Father Melvinclass=apple-converted-space>
Friday, April 09, 2010class=apple-converted-space>
"Do not be afraid"class=apple-converted-space>
Dear Friends,class=apple-converted-space>
The Question about David's Sonclass=apple-converted-space>
While the Pharisees were
gathered together, Jesus questioned them, saying, "What is your opinion
about the Messiah? Whose son is he?" They replied, "David's." He
said to them, "How, then, does David, inspired by the Spirit, call him
'lord,' saying: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand until I
place your enemies under your feet"'? If David calls him 'lord,' how can
he be his son?" No one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day on
did anyone dare to ask him any more questions. (Matthew 22:41-46)class=apple-converted-space>
Below you will find the message
of Our Lord and Savior given to Joseph. Jesus spoke to him these words,class=apple-converted-space>
"I am indeed the Son of
King David, the greatest King of Israel. My Father had told him that a
descendant would inherit his throne and he would be King forever. He called class=GramE>Me 'Lord' and indeed I am his Lord and the Lord of all the
people as I am the Son of God. I came on earth in humility to show you the way
to My Father and your Father. I offered the Father the greatest sacrifice He
could receive and this was the sacrifice of Myself on
the cross for you all. Now I am risen from the dead
and I am your Lord and Savior.
These days I am rejected in many
parts of the world and My Church is persecuted. The world is against class=GramE>Me and many would like to erase My name from the face of the
world. However, I know that many people are My dear
followers and they have offered their lives completely to Me. Yes, they love class=GramE>Me and they also love My Church. Pray that this attack of
the evil one may stop and pray too that all the bishops, priests and faithful
may give a good example and live a moral life. May they defend the moral
teachings I gave them especially as regards the unborn and the sanctity of
marriage. Those who are for abortion and same-sex marriage are not class=GramE>My friends. Do not be afraid to fight the good fight even if
you have to suffer at times. I bless you."class=apple-converted-space>
Father Melvinclass=apple-converted-space>
Wednesday, April 07, 2010class=apple-converted-space>
"Do not delay"class=apple-converted-space>
Dear Friends,class=apple-converted-space>
The Question of the Resurrectionclass=apple-converted-space>
On that day Sadducees approached
him, saying that there is no resurrection. They put this question to him,
saying, "Teacher, Moses said, 'If a man dies without children, his brother
shall marry his wife and raise up descendants for his
brother.' Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died
and, having no descendants, left his wife to his brother. The same happened
with the second and the third, through all seven. Finally the woman died. Now
at the resurrection, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had
been married to her." Jesus said to them in reply, "You are misled
because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection
they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven.
And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to
you by God, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?
He is not the God of the dead but of the living." When the crowds heard
this, they were astonished at his teaching. (Matthew 22:23-33)class=apple-converted-space>
Here below you will find the
message of Our Lord and Redeemer whose resurrection we celebrated on Easter
Sunday. This is what Jesus said to Joseph,
"Some of the Jews
especially the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. They thought that
when a person dies, his or her body is buried and rots away and there is no
such thing as an afterlife. This of course is wrong as the Father taught that
every person will live forever. They will die but their soul will live on and
at the Last Judgment the body will come back to life. All are called to follow class=GramE>Me so they can enjoy everlasting happiness in heaven.class=apple-converted-space>
I am your Savior and at the same
time I am the Son of God. I suffered and died on the cross and I was buried; on
the third day I came back to life. I am the first person to be resurrected from
the dead. Even the Apostles had difficulty believing in the resurrection. They
could not believe that I had come back from the dead. My resurrection is a
great demonstration to you all that one day you too will rise from the dead.
Prepare yourselves that at the Last Judgment you will be on My
right and you will come with Me to heaven. Do not delay in coming to class=GramE>Me because if you wait it could be too late. I am here ready
to welcome you as My dear brother or sister. I love
you."
Father Melvinclass=apple-converted-space>
Medjugorjeclass=apple-style-span> Day by Day Apr 13 - CONTINUALLY GIVE THANKS
St class=SpellE>Faustina's Diary #961 - She asked for a soul for every
stitch. Jesus gave it to her. ASK FOR A SOUL for everyclass=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>WORDclass=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>you say on your Rosary & Divine Mercy
Chaplet
"[Jesus]
is Immanuel, the God with us, the divine Friend who
alone has the words of eternal life! He is the light in darkness.
He is our joy because we know that He loves each of us . . . . class=GramE>Do not forget that Jesus willed to remain, personally and really,
in the Eucharist" (Pope John Paul II, March 11, 1979).
Mother
Teresa
I know God will not
give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>
Meditations
by Padre Pioclass=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>-
Rest
assured that the more a soul is pleasing to God, the more it must be tried. class=GramE>Therefore, courage, and go forward always (Letters III p 401).
style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>
Archbishop
Fulton Sheenstyle='font-family:Arial'>
The
Resurrection convinced the greatest skeptics: The Apostles!style='font-family:Arial'>
"What
is most peculiar about Easter is that although His followers had heard Him say
He would break the bonds of death, when He actually did, no one believed it.
They had to be convinced beyond all shadow of a doubt. Of all the skeptics in
the history of the world, none ever equaled the Apostles and the disciples and
the holy women. Voltaire and the like were credulous babes compared to them in
skepticism. Contemporary attempts to explain away the belief in the
Resurrection psychologically fail to take this doubt into account."
St. class=SpellE>Faustina's diary class=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'> href="http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html">http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.htmlstyle='font-family:Arial'>
Amid the
greatest torments, I fix the gaze of my soul upon Jesus Crucified; I do not
expect help from people, but place my trust in God. In His unfathomable mercy
lies all my hope. (681)
Once, as
I was going down the hall to the kitchen, I heard these words in my soul:class=apple-converted-space> Say unceasingly the chaplet that I
have taught you. Whoever will recite it will receive great mercy at the hour of
death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as their last hope of salvation.
Even if there were a sinner most hardened, if he were to recite this chaplet
only once, he would receive grace from My infinite
mercy. I desire that the whole world know My infinite
mercy. I desire to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who trust in class=GramE>My mercy. (687)
Suddenly
I heard these words in my soul: My
daughter, I assure you of a permanent income on which you will live. Your duty
will be to trust completely in My goodness, and My
duty will be to give you all you need. I am making Myself
dependent upon your trust: if your trust is great, then My generosity will be
without limit. (548)
style='font-family:Arial;color:blue'>MEDJUGORJEclass=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:blue'>DAY BY DAYstyle='font-family:Arial;color:black'>
These thoughts
for a day are taken from a daily meditation book based on the Messages
of Our Lady of Medjugorje by Father Richard J.
Beyer, Ave Maria Press.
APRIL 13 - CONTINUALLY GIVE THANKS
The
Blessed Mother speaks of joy and thanksgiving today:
Dear children,
today I invite you all to rejoice in the life which God has given you. Little
children, rejoice in God the Creator for he has created you so wonderfully.
In your
prayer, ask that your life be one of joyful thanksgiving, which flows from your
heart like a river of joy. Little children, continually give thanks for all
that you possess, for even the little gifts, which God has given you. In this
way, a joyful blessing will always come down form God upon your life (Monthly
Message August 25, 1988).
Psalm 92
also rings with the spirit of joy and thanksgiving:
It is
good to give thanks to the Lord, To sing praise to your name, O Most High; To
declare your steadfast love in the morning, And your faithfulness by night, To
the music of the flute and the harp, To the melody of the lyre. For you, O
Lord, have made me glad by your work; At the works of
your hands I sing for joy. Psalm 92:1- 4
Reflection:
A spirit
of gratitude and joy always accompanies our spiritual journey to God. In quiet
moments of prayer we can recognize the beautiful array of gifts the Lord has
bestowed on us. The following verses by an anonymous poet were written in that
spirit:
Today
upon a bus, I saw a lovely maid with golden hair; I envied her---she seemed so
gay---and wished I were as fair. When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her
hobble down the aisle; She had one foot and wore a crutch, but as she class=GramE>passed, a smile… Oh, God, forgive me when I whine; I'm
blessed, indeed! The world is mine… With feet to take me where I'd go,
With eyes to see the sunset's glow, With ears to hear what I would know, Oh,
God, forgive me when I whine; I'm blessed indeed! The world is mine.
Application:
Today,
simply spend several minutes reflecting of God's gifts and expressing your
gratitude for them.
Medjugorjeclass=apple-style-span> Day By Day Apr 12 - DEVOTE YOURSELVES TO
PRAYER
St class=SpellE>Faustina's Diary #961 - She asked for a soul for every
stitch. Jesus gave it to her. ASK FOR A SOUL for everyclass=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>WORDclass=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>you say on your Rosary & Divine Mercy
Chaplet
"Christians
ought to be committed to bearing more forceful witness to God's [Eucharistic]
presence in the world. We should not be afraid to speak about
God and to bear proud witness to our faith" (Pope John Paul II, Mane class=SpellE>Nobiscum Domine, 26).style='font-family:Arial'>
Mother
Teresa -
If you judge people, you
have no time to love them.
Meditations
by Padre Pioclass=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>-
Take
heart and don't fear the gloomy wrath of Lucifer. Always remember this, that it
is a good sign when the enemy makes an uproar and
roars around your will, as this shows you that he is not within you. Courage,
my most beloved daughter, I offer you these words with great feeling and in
Jesus; courage I say! There is no need to fear when we can say with
determination, even if without feeling: "Long live
Jesus!" (Letters III p 414).
style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>
Archbishop
Fulton Sheen-style='font-family:Arial'>
There
seems to be no rational for the rationalization of the Intelligentsia.style='font-family:Arial'>
"Intelligentsia
do not become members of a sect for an intellectual
reason. That is why when discussing the sect with them,
they never seem to understand it. Instead of a `reason' for becoming a member,
they have only an `intention,' namely the desire to escape boredom. Their
motives are alien to the rational."
St. class=SpellE>Faustina's diaryclass=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>href="http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html">http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.htmlstyle='font-family:Arial'> class=apple-converted-space> -
Love
casts out fear. Since I came to love God with my whole being and with all the
strength of my heart, fear has left me. Even if I were to hear the most
terrifying things about God's justice, I would not fear Him at all, because I
have come to know Him well. God is love, and His Spirit is peace. I see now
that my deeds which have flowed from love are more perfect than those which I
have done out of fear. I have placed my trust in God and fear nothing. I have
given myself over to His holy will; let Him do with me as He wishes, and I will
still love Him. (589)
I have
noticed many times that God tries certain people on account of those things
about which He spoke to me, for mistrust displeases Jesus. Once, when I saw
that God had tried a certain Archbishop [Jalbrzykowski]
because he was opposed to the cause and distrustful of it, I felt sorry for him
and pleaded with God for him, and God relieved his suffering. God is very
displeased with lack of trust in Him, and this is why some souls lose many
graces. Distrust hurts His most sweet Heart, which is full of goodness and
incomprehensible love for us. A priest should sometimes be distrustful in order
to better ascertain the genuineness of gifts bestowed on a given soul; and when
he does so in order to direct the soul to deeper union with God, his will be a
great and incomprehensible reward indeed. But there is a great difference
between this and disrespect and distrust of divine graces in a soul simply
because one cannot comprehend and penetrate these things with one's mind, and
this latter is displeasing to the Lord. I greatly pity souls who encounter
inexperienced priests. (595)
style='font-family:Arial;color:blue'>MEDJUGORJEclass=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:blue'>DAY BY DAYstyle='font-family:Arial;color:black'>
These thoughts
for a day are taken from a daily meditation book based on the Messages
of Our Lady of Medjugorje by Father Richard J.
Beyer, Ave Maria Press.
APRIL 12 - DEVOTE YOURSELVES TO PRAYER
The
Blessed Mother speaks of her favorite subject today:
Dear
children, today I call you to renew family prayer in your homes. Now that the
work in the fields is over, devote yourselves to prayer. Let prayer take first
place in your families (WM 11-1-84).
In Psalm
3, David speaks of attaining God's safety through prayer:
But you,
O Lord, are a shield around me,
my
Glory, and the one who lifts up my head.
I cry aloud
to the Lord,
and he
answers me from his holy hill.
I lie
down and sleep;
I wake
again, for the Lord sustains me. Psalm 3:3-5
Reflection:class=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>One of the gifts that often class=GramE>accompanies deep prayer is serenity, a sense of being safe
in the hands of God. In this spirit St. Teresa of
Let
nothing disturb you,
Nothing class=GramE>frighten you;
All
things are passing;
God never
changes;
Patient
endures
Attains
to all things;
Who God
possesses
In
nothing is wanting;
Alone God
suffices.
In view
of this peace, it would not seem difficult to live the Madonna's call to devote
ourselves to prayer.
And the
fruit of prayer, of course, is serenity.
Application:class=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>Try to remain in quiet prayer today until
you feel the peace of God within your heart.
Medjugorjeclass=apple-style-span> Day By Day Apr 11 - I LOVE YOU IMMEASURABLY
Ask for a soul
for every word in your Rosary and Divine Mercy Chapletstyle='font-family:Arial;color:blue'>
"May the
Virgin Mary preserve us in the joy of continually receiving the graces of the
Savior . . . the very gift of God Himself, Who dwells with us in His Word, His
Spirit and His Eucharist" (Pope John Paul II).style='font-family:Arial'>
Mother
Teresa -style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>
I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt,
but only more love.
Meditations
by Padre Pioclass=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>-
Be firmly
convinced that the more the assaults of the enemy increase, the closer God is
to the soul. Think of, and ponder well, this great and comforting truth (Letter
III p 417)
style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>
Archbishop
Fulton Sheen-style='font-family:Arial'>
Socializers' denial of morality and virtue make their world darker.
"If class=SpellE>socializers' behavior were better, they would be truly
religious people and do much good for society. They look for a cause which will
leave them alone with their individual vices. They swallow the devil's line
also because its anti-religious character satisfies their desire to expunge
from the world all ideas of morality and virtue, the infractions against which
have made them so uneasy in the dark."
In
looking for purpose, bored Intelligentsia clamor for freedom and find it not
within but without where they can disavow individual responsibility.
"The
third group who have been caught on the hooks of the
devil's fishing line are Bored Intelligentsia. Their education should have
given them a goal or a purpose of life. Having failed to do so, their knowledge
is nothing but a crazy quilt of unrelated facts and undigested bits of
information. The want of unity both in their moral life and their knowledge
makes them desirous of unity, but not a unity from within which demands moral
stamina, but a unity from without. Certain sects provide that for them. They no
longer have to think; the sect does the thinking for them. They now have a
mission, a sense of belonging to a totality, and one in which they are no
longer bored by their freedom, having surrendered it to the collective ant hill
of the sect."
St. class=SpellE>Faustina's diaryclass=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>href="http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html">http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.htmlstyle='font-family:Arial'> class=apple-converted-space> -
On one
occasion, I saw Jesus in a bright garment; this was in the greenhouse. [He said
to me,] Write what I
say to you. My delight is to be united with you. With great desire, I wait and
long for the time when I shall take up My residence class=SpellE>sacramentally in your convent. My spirit will rest in that
convent and I will bless its neighborhood in a special way. Out of love for you
all, I will avert any punishments which are rightly meted out by My Father's
justice. My daughter, I have inclined My heart to your
requests. Your assignment and duty here on earth is to beg for mercy for the
whole world. No soul will be justified until it turns with confidence to class=GramE>My mercy, and this is why the first Sunday after Easter is
to be the Feast of Mercy. On that day, priests are to tell everyone about class=GramE>My great and unfathomable mercy. I am making you the
administrator of My mercy. Tell the confessor that the
Image is to be on view in the church and not within the enclosure in that
convent. By means of this Image I shall be granting many graces to souls; so
let every soul have access to it. (570)
class=apple-converted-space> MEDJUGORJEstyle='font-family:Arial;color:blue'> style='font-family:Arial;color:blue'>DAY BY DAY-style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>
These thoughts
for a day are taken from a daily meditation book based on the Messages
of Our Lady of Medjugorje by Father Richard J.
Beyer, Ave Maria Press.
APRIL 11 - I LOVE YOU IMMEASURABLY
Our Lady
speaks of love today:
"Dear
Children, I thank you for the love which you have shown me. You know, dear
children, that I love you immeasurably, and that I pray to the Lord daily that
he may help you to realize more fully the love which I bear you. That is why,
dear children, pray, pray, pray (Weekly Month August
21, 1986).
Paul also
speaks of love:
For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to
face. Now I know only
in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. class=GramE>And now faith, hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest
of these of love (1 Cor 13:12-13).
Reflection:
Clearly
love is the very essence of God's nature and the motivating force of our faith.
We could spend our lives attempting to fathom its depth.
For
centuries, writers and poets have sought to express God's love in their verse.
In modern times, one beautiful passage was written by Major Malcolm Boyle, who
was killed in action after the landing on D-day in June, 1944. He had written
the following lines in his Bible:
If I
should never see the moon again Rising red gold across
the harvest field, Or feel the stinging of soft April rain, As the brown earth
her hidden treasures yield.
If I
should never taste the salt sea spray As the ship
beats her course against the breeze, Or smell the dog-rose and the new mown
hay, Or moss and primrose beneath the tree.
If I
should never hear the thrushes wake Long before the
sunrise in the glimmering dawn. Or watch the huge Atlantic rollers break class=GramE>Against the rugged cliffs in baffling scorn.
If I have
said goodbye to stream and wood, To the wide ocean and
the green clad hill, I know that he who made this world so good Has somewhere
made a heaven better still.
This I
bear witness with my latest breath Knowing the love of
God, I fear not death.
Application:
Let us
pray especially today to more fully comprehend the love of God
Medjugorjeclass=apple-style-span> Day By Day Apr 09 - I call you to humility
"The Church
has received the Eucharist from Christ her Lord not as one gift
– however precious – among so many others, but as the gift par
excellence, for it is the gift of himself, of his person in his sacred
humanity, as well as the gift of his saving work. Nor does it remain confined
to the past, since 'all that Christ is – all that
he did and suffered for all men – participates in the divine eternity,
and so transcends all times'" (Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia de class=SpellE>Eucharistia, 11).
Mother
Teresa-
Each one of them
is Jesus in disguise.
Meditations
by Padre Pioclass=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>-
Temptations
against faith and purity are the merchandise offered by the enemy, but do not
fear him, rather, despise him. As long as he makes an uproar
it is a sign that he has not yet possessed the will. Don't be upset by what you
experience through the work of this rebellious angel. Let your will always be
contrary to his suggestions, and live tranquilly, because you are not at fault,
but rather, you please God and gain progress for your soul (Letters III p426).
style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>
Archbishop
Fulton Sheen-style='font-family:Arial'>
Those
who hate love company!
"Finding
a group which collectivizes and intensifies their hatred, those who hate
swallow the hook, not so much because of what they admire in the group, but
because of what they hate outside the group which socializes their
hatred."
St. class=SpellE>Faustina's diaryclass=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>href="http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.html">http://www.marian.org/directory_flash.htmlstyle='font-family:Arial'> class=apple-converted-space> -
Sunday, [April]
28, 1935. Low Sunday; that is, the Feast of the Divine Mercy, the conclusion of
the Jubilee of Redemption. When we went to take part in the celebrations, my
heart leapt with joy that the two solemnities were so closely united. I asked
God for mercy on the souls of sinners.
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Toward the end of the service, when the
priest took the Blessed Sacrament to bless the people, I saw the Lord Jesus as
He is represented in the image. The Lord gave His blessing, and the rays
extended over the whole world. Suddenly, I saw an impenetrable brightness in
the form of a crystal dwelling place, woven together from waves of class=GramE>a brilliance unapproachable to both creatures and spirits.
Three doors led to this resplendence.
At
that moment, Jesus, as He is represented in the image, entered this
resplendence through the second door to the Unity within.style='font-family:Arial;color:black'> It is a triple Unity, which is
incomprehensible-which is infinity. I heard a voice,class=apple-converted-space> This Feast emerged from the
very depths of My mercy, and it is confirmed in the
vast depths of My tender mercies. Every soul believing and trusting in class=GramE>My mercy will obtain it.class=apple-converted-space> I was overjoyed at the immense
goodness and greatness of my God. (420)
style='font-family:Arial;color:blue'>MEDJUGORJEclass=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:blue'>DAY BY DAYstyle='font-family:Arial;color:black'>
These thoughts
for a day are taken from a daily meditation book based on the Messages
of Our Lady of Medjugorje by Father Richard J.
Beyer, Ave Maria Press.
APRIL 9 - I CALL YOU TO HUMILITY-style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>
The
Blessed Mother speaks of humility in this message from 1985:
"Dear
Children, today I call you to humility. These days all of you have felt a great
joy because of all the people who have come here, and to whom you spoke with
love about your experiences. With humility and an open heart, continue to speak
with all those who are coming." (Weekly Message June 27,
1985).
In this
great act of humility, the Creator is baptized by the created:
Then
Jesus came from Galilee to John at the
would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and yet
you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is
proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he
consented. (Mt 3:13-15).
Reflection:
Humility
is not to be confused with humiliation, which is really degradation. Humility
is simply seeing ourselves as God sees us, weak and prone to sin, yet made in
his likeness and image. Apart form God we are nothing,
yet with him we are the heirs of kingdom.
This
spirit of humility can be gleaned in remarks Florence Nightingale once made
about her career:
If I
could give you information on my life, it would be to show how a woman of very
ordinary ability has been led by God, in strange and unaccustomed paths, to do
in his service what he has done for her. And if I could tell you all, you would
see how God has done all, and I nothing. I have worked hard, very hard that is
all, and I have never refused God anything.
Thoreau
wrote that, "Humility like darkness reveals the heavenly
lights."" We are called as well to recognize and proclaim that light
as it shines in our own lives.
Application:
Today,
begin to live Our Lady's message on humility, realizing that it is a virtue
that rests upon the knowledge of God and of oneself.
St
Padre Pio said, "Give me my weapon!"
Don't limit Godstyle='font-family:Arial;color:black'>
God has all the Grace we need. All we have to do is ask for
them. style='font-family:Arial'>
ASK FOR class=GramE>A SOUL for everyclass=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>WORDclass=apple-converted-space> style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>you say on your Rosarystyle='font-family:Arial;color:black'>
AND class=GramE>your Chaplet of Divine Mercystyle='font-family:Arial;color:black'>
Our Lady said she needs us, Needs
our prayers.
Pass
this on to all you know, especially Rosary leaders.style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>
As Fr class=SpellE>Corapi says, "We are at war."
St Padre
Pio said, "Give me my weapon!"
The
weapon he was talking about was his Rosary.style='font-family:Arial;color:black'>
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