“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope”… (1 Ptr 1:3)
You know how happy we are today, especially Poles. This Feast came from Poland through a Polish nun, Saint sister Faustina Kowalska and blessed Fr. Michael Sopoćko, was proclaimed by the Polish Pope (John Paul II), on this Sunday of Divine Mercy in 2011 that Pope was announced blessed, and today will be proclaimed Saint (with another Pope, John XXIII).
Our Lord, who asked sister Faustina to paint the vision of his Merciful Divinity being poured from His sacred heart also asked for a feast of Divine Mercy to be established on the first Sunday after Easter, so that mankind could take refuge in Him: “I want the image solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it.” (Jesus’ words, Diary 341)
“I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain the complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet.” (Diary 699).
We are also invited to practice mercy. St. Faustina reminds us three ways how we can do it: first—prayer, second—word, third—action. Let us celebrate!!! 🙂
“…you are to be His witness before all humanity, testifying to what you have seen and heard.” (Act 22:15)
Saul. A persecutor. “Sent women as well as men to prison in chains” (Act 22:4).
St. Paul. A witness. “HIS witness before all humanity”.
They look like two different people. From our perspective. From God’s – the same love for Saul and to St. Paul. And He repeats the same message: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature” (Mk 16:15).
Me and St. Me. It sounds like an opposition from our perspective, but not from God’s.
“O God, who taught the whole world through the preaching of the blessed Apostle Paul, draw us, we pray, nearer to you through the example of him, whose conversion we celebrate today, and so make us witnesses to your truth in the world…” (Collect)
“No one who remains in him sins” (1 John 3:6)
Continuation.
St. Teresa of Avila suggested, for the beginners in prayer generally, and in meditation especially, that at the very first moment of meditation they should think about the best companion for prayer – and invite Jesus. He is the best companion for your prayer and for your life.
If you try to remember several times a day that He lives in your heart as if you were a live tabernacle, you will see how your life is changing.
To remain in Him means to give Him a permanent place in your heart. And this is your meeting point.
For St. Teresa, accompanying Jesus was always very important. She shared the way she learnt to be in His constant company, to remain in Him, both with her sisters and in her writings
“To remain in Him” is a process. Neither long nor short. Just a process. Any level could be improved. And the beauty of His company is that “no one who remains in him sins”.
There are still two weeks to go and America does not think about anything else. We could see Halloween decorations many days ago. In all public places like shops and restaurants Halloween elements are exposed. When I ask people about it, they find it strange that I find it strange. It is their tradition!
I’m trying to remain unbiased.
I remember the performance of “Forefathers’ Eve” (“Dziady”) by Adam Mickiewicz in our high school. There was the Sorcier and the invoked and I also played a significant part.
For Americans Halloween is such a natural part of the year that it’s difficult to discuss. Of course they believe in the communion of saints and they know that it is the All Saint’s Day. But there is also the tradition of Halloween – the awful masks, skeletons, hideous decorations…
One man`s meat is another man`s poison, we say. They have their Halloween their Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving Day when you have to eat turkey… Perhaps we are irritated by import? The indiscriminate import of everything.
We sprinkle our heads with ash on Ash Wednesday. Americans put the cross on their foreheads with ash mingled with oil so that it is there for a long time. And you can see people with crosses on their foreheads at work and in the street.
Still from Omaha
Fr. Jay
October 22nd is the day the Church remembers Blessed John Paul II, whom Pope Francis will soon (April 27, 2014) declare Saint.
John+Paul. Tha Apostle of love and Evangelizer. For me, his most distinctive feature is respect for another human being, shown in his eyes, gesture and words. His whole personality expressed the conviction that “In reality, the name for that deep amazement at man’s worth and dignity is the Gospel, that is to say: the Good News. It is also called Christianity.”*
Fiancées, married couples and families owe him so much. Love and Responsibility, Man and Woman He Created Them, and Familiaris consortio – just to name the most famous titles which were the point of departure for the Programs for the Development of Marital Relations. Does not “gentleness”, so much present in the Programs – this “pause” and taking a break before we let our despotic “I” take the other person into its rule – stem out from the necessity to protect the dignity of the other?
He knew so much about family, because he was with them and for them. Also today – he is close to us, our cares, difficulties and struggles, ready to take them into his powerful and loving prayer of intercession.
M
*Redemptor Hominis
