Longing for Paradise
By Charles Reed

Reflections: July 2004

"Somewhere over the rainbow, Bluebirds fly.
Birds fly over the rainbow, Why, then, oh why can’t I?"

"And I said: Who will give me wings like a dove,
and I will fly and be at rest?" – Psalm 54, 7

NEARLY all persons have a desire for happiness, for joy, and they express their desire in a thousand different ways. Whether they are seeking love, friendship, power or money, they are all seeking happiness, or what they think will make them happy. If people make so many mistakes (in the moral sphere) it is usually because they do not know where true happiness can be found.

To fly and be at rest

This desire for happiness is expressed in popular songs, such as the one quoted above, and also in plays, movies, novels and fairy stories. The emerald city of the American fairy tale, a city in which one’s petitions are answered and one’s desires fulfilled, is the creation of an artist, it is only a fantasy. But it has its counterpart in a city that really exists: "And I, John, saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God." (Apoc. 21, 2).

Seeking the Heavenly City

"All these (the just of the Old Testament) died according to faith, not having received the promises, but beholding them afar off, and saluting them and confessing that they are pilgrims and strangers on the earth. For they that say these things do signify that they seek a country. But now they desire a better, that is to say, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God. For he hath prepared for them a city." (Hebrews 11, 13-16)

From these verses it is clear that our life on earth is a pilgrimage, and that our real home is in heaven, the abode of the blessed souls of paradise, the elect, the saints. Only those who have been taught about the glory of paradise can attain any real happiness. Since now so many people are in darkness, the legion of victim souls is necessary. Words alone are not sufficient to teach people about Paradise. They need grace to understand about it, and they can only receive the grace, if someone offers himself or herself to obtain this grace for them. God is seeking generous souls who will offer themselves to obtain graces for others.

Value of exterior actions and of kissing the floor

Every day the Franciscan Minim sisters and brothers kiss the floor before their prayers and other community exercises. The purpose of this action is to ask the Virgin Mary to bless their actions. Another purpose is to offer God exterior reverence, worship, thanksgiving and adoration. Many things can be expressed by this exterior action of kissing the floor, such as obedience and subjection to God, honor, reverence, love, adoration, contrition, and so forth. These sentiments are interior and within the soul, but sometimes it helps to express them with exterior actions.

Kissing the floor is a small action, but it is very pleasing to God when done with a good intention. We ask our subscribers to do this action when you are able, and if you do it with a good and fervent intention, it will help to make up for so much sin. All sin is disobedience. It is a refusal to do what God wants us to do. So the action of kissing the floor helps to expiate all kinds of sins, because it is an exterior act of obedience. It is like saying: "We honor you and we want to subject ourselves to you, both body and soul."

Final Triumph – Little Actions

At Fatima Mary told us that her Immaculate Heart would triumph in the end. Most of us cannot perform great actions, but God asks us only to perform small actions with great purity of intention. In that way even little things can help to make us holy and to make up for our own sins and for the sins of the whole world. Any soul of good will can cooperate in the legion of victim souls, and that is what makes life exciting in this period of history. To participate in a battle between good and evil is exciting, and the world is now engaged in such a battle. It seems as if evil is triumphing almost everywhere, but the time of evil is limited. The empire of this world will come to an end, God’s kingdom will last forever, and it begins here upon earth. So we ask all of you to please participate in this battle as much as possible, even if your participation consists in little actions performed in secret. God sees them, and every little action is like a preparation for the final triumph.

How happy they will be who are on the good side, and who will live to witness the triumph.

The just shall see, and shall rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop its mouth." --- (Psalm 106).

May it be for the glory of God

The Vergel of the Immaculate Virgin of Guadalupe

June 24, 2004 • Feast of St. John Baptist

"All those who yield themselves to My way of the cross and suffering, will be blessed for all eternity."
-- April 23, 1969
"For I have come to call sinners..." (Matt. 9, 13).

= = = = = = = = = = = =