Editorial
History Will Repeat Itself
In the book of Second Chronicles it is written: Zedekiah was 21 years old when he began to reign, and reigned 11 years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet, speaking from the mouth of the Lord. Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord, which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age; he gave them all into his hand. And they burnt the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons, until the reign of the kingdom of Persia; to fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths; for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfill threescore and ten years. – (2 Chronicles 36)
It is written: They mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets.
In our days God has sent, not a prophet, but the Queen of prophets, who predicted at Fatima what would happen to the world, if people did not pay attention to her requests.
A few paid attention to her words, but the majority did not. When the great chastisement comes, and various nations are annihilated, it will become clear to everyone that these times were worse than the times of Sodom and the Flood. If more than half the population perishes in the great chastisement, it will be their own fault, for they had an opportunity of being saved, and they despised it. They mocked the messengers of God and despised his words; they will be cut down like grass.
Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. – Psalm 37:2
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous. – Psalm 37:17
Because I have called and you refused. I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded. Because you disdained all my counsel, and would have none of my rebuke, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes…… because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, they would have none of my counsel and despised my every rebuke. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled to the full with their own fancies. - Proverbs Ch. 1
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The Value of a Wheelchair
O God, Who does great things and unsearchable, and wonderful things without number. -- Job 5:9
A partially paralysed person had to spend the major part of his life on a wheelchair. He required the assistance of others for his basic needs. But he suffered silently without any complaint and dedicated his sufferings to God for the salvation of sinners.
Once he saw a huge crowd of saved souls marching towards the pearly gates of heaven. He learned that his sufferings on earth had come to an end and he has finally entered the eternal happiness of heaven. He was happy to join them expecting endless joy. Looking at his feet, he was surprised to find that he was still on his wheelchair, slowly moving towards the gates of heaven. He was in confusion. At the gate, he met God. He asked God, “My Lord, I had hoped that the sufferings on earth would end after death and then we would reach a heaven of endless happiness. But why am I still left on my wheelchairs?”
God happily told him, “Look at the large number of people who have reached heaven. All of them were saved by your silent sufferings in the world, which you endured without any complaint.” He was happy that his sufferings could save so many souls. But he repeated his doubt to God, “That is a good news, but kindly tell me why I am left to suffer here also. Why am I still on my wheelchair?”
God answered with a smile, “Son, that is because you are still alive. You have to suffer more to be able to reach here. What you saw now was only a vision to enlighten you. It was meant to teach you the real value of your sufferings.” Suddenly he opened his eyes and realized that it was only a dream or a vision. He resolved to accept and endure his sufferings with greater love for the sanctification of sinful souls.
While declaring Sister Alphonsa as a Saint, Pope Benedict XVI said, “She suffered herself, to heal the suffering of others”. That was a great tribute to this loving soul.
We must accept the sufferings and pain of life with the spirit of sacrifice. In life, troubles, suffering and failures may fall on us. Let us not worry about them, or feel helpless or hopeless. We should not let the troubles defeat us or bury us. Let us use every failure as a stepping-stone, and not as a stumbling-block.
Our life is like a boat, sailing through the sea of the world. We may be threatened by the tempests of troubles, tribulations and temptations. But we can sail safely if our faith is strong. God has control over the forces of nature. He may give us tests and trials, so that we may grow further and stronger, but he never abandons us during hard times. God is with us in our joys and tears throughout our life.
Jesus said, "Whoever does not take up his cross and follow in my steps is not fit to be my disciple" {Matthew 10: 38, Luke 14: 27}."If anyone wants to come with me, he must forget self, carry his cross, and follow me" {Matthew 16: 24, Mark 8: 34, Luke 9: 23}.
St. Paul says, "I consider that what we suffer at this present time, cannot be compared at all with the glory that is going to be revealed to us" {Romans 8: 18}.
The famous hymn of Sadhu Kochukunju Upadeshi (Evangelist M. I. Varghese) reads:
“If my Lord offers a chalice
Full of worries into my hands,
I will accept it with pleasure
And sing ‘Hallelujah’ with thanks.
My father will never offer
Anything that is harmful I’m sure.
He may give me moments of pain
Still He loves me beyond measure!”
These spontaneous words of the great evangelist, when he witnessed the unexpected demise of his beloved son (Samuel Kutty) continue to instil faith and consolation into millions of believers during moments of pain and grief.
A flute is made by harsh treatments of natural bamboos. The
steps involve cutting, shaping, drying and perforation. It is said that adversity is the best university to perfect our personality.
We must accept the sufferings and pain of life with the spirit of sacrifice which Jesus displayed in his life and death
Before Christ, the cross was a sign of sin and shame. His sacred sacrifice made the Cross the sacrament of salvation, and the symbol of victory over sin and death. It is a sign of success, and source of strength to us to lead a life of sacrifice, service and suffering. The Passion of Christ preaches the painful path to paradise.
A poet teaches the difference between pessimism and optimism thus:
"Two men looked out from prison bars;
One saw mud; the other saw stars."
Let us choose to look up to Heaven and rejoice in the Lord!
Revelations of Saint Gertrude
Chapter 15.
How agreeable works of charity are to God;
and also meditations on holy things.
The day of Thine adorable Nativity, I took Thee from the crib, wrapped in swathing –clothes, like a little infant newly born, and placed Thee in my heart, that I might make a bouquet of myrrh of all thy infant sufferings and incommodities, to place it in my breast, that I might drink therefrom a libation of Divine sweetness. But as I considered this the greatest favour Thou couldest bestow on me, Thou, who, when we least expect it, accompaniest Thy first graces by others yet more precious, didst will to diversify the abundance of Thy graces in this manner.
For on the same day, the following year, as the Mass Dominus dixit * was said, I received Thee, coming forth from the virginal womb of Thy Mother as a feeble and delicate Infant, and carried Thee for some time in my arms. It seemed to me that the compassion which I had shown before the Feast, by some special prayers for a person in affliction, had obtained this favour for me; but, alas! after having obtained it, I did not receive it with the devotion I ought. I know not if it were an act of Thy justice, or a chastisement of my negligence; I hope, nevertheless, that Thy justice by the intermission of Thy mercy has so ordered it, to make me know more clearly the greatness of my unworthiness, and to make me less negligent in putting away idle thoughts. But it is for Thee, O Lord, to say to which of these causes I ought to refer this effect.
Nevertheless, as I gathered up all my strength to make a last effort to gain Thee by my loving caresses, I perceived that all this was of no avail, until I commenced praying for sinners, for the souls in purgatory, or for those who were in any affliction, when I knew that I was heard; but still more one evening, when I formed the resolution of commencing the prayers which I say for the deceased, offering them for those most beloved by Thee, with the Collect, Omnipotents, sempiterne Deus, cui nunquam sine spe,* instead of commencing, as I had been accustomed to do, by praying for those related to me, with the Collect, Deus, qui nos patrem et matrem; and it seemed to me that this change was very pleasing to Thee.
I believe also that it pleased Thee much, when I chanted as loud as I could, and at each note fixed my intention on Thee, as one fixes his eye on his book, who has not yet learned the chant perfectly. Still I know that I have been negligent in this and in other things which concern Thy glory; and I confess it to Thee, Father of mercy, asking pardon through the bitter Passion of Thy blameless Son Jesus Christ, in whom Thou didst declare Thyself well-pleased, saying: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (St. Matt. xvii.); through Him I ask the grace of amendment and atonement for my negligences.
Chapter 16.
Of the inconceivable tenderness
which the most glorious Virgin has for us.
On the Feast of the Purification, at the Procession, when Thou, our Salvation and Redemption, wert borne as an offering to the Temple, at the Antiphon, Cum inducerent, Thy Virgin Mother told me to give her her Child, the blessed Fruit of her womb; and she demanded Thee again from me with a severe countenance, as if she was not pleased with my care of Thee, who art the honour and joy of her spotless virginity.
Then, remembering the grace which she had received from Thee of being the hope of the despairing and the reconciler of sinners, I exclaimed: "O Mother of mercy! Was not the Fount of forgiveness given to thee as thy Son, that thou mightest obtain all grace for us from Him, and that the multitude of our sins and our deficiencies might be covered by thy abundant charity?" Then she looked on me once more with a serene and loving countenance, so that I might know that if my fault obliged her to appear severe to me, she was, nevertheless, full of the most consummate tenderness, and penetrated to her inmost heart with the most sweet and Divine charity. I soon beheld the tokens of it, since a few words removed her anger, and her sweetness shone forth resplendently. May this abundant tenderness of Thy Mother intercede with Thee, and obtain pardon for my faults!
And I know, by a testimony clearer than light itself, that no obstacle could have arrested the torrent of Thy sweetness, when, on the Feast of Thy Nativity, the preceding year, Thou didst grant me a yet greater favour, though in a similar manner, as if I had merited it by the fervour of my zeal the year before, when, far from meriting a new grace, I was justly worthy of chastisement for having lost the first.
For when these words of the Gospel were read, "Peperit filium suum primogenitum," * Thy spotless Mother presented Thee to me with her pure hands. And Thou, O amiable Infant, didst endeavour to embrace me with all Thy might; I, though utterly unworthy, received Thee, and Thou didst put Thy little arms around my neck, exhaling on me from Thy mouth a breath so full of sweetness, that I was nourished and abundantly satisfied therewith. For this, O Lord my God, may my soul and all that is within me adore and bless Thy Holy Name! And when Thy Blessed Mother sought to wrap Thee in Thy swathing-clothes, I desired to be wrapped up in them also, for fear of losing the company of One whose smiles and favours exceed the sweetness of honey and the honey-comb. Thou wert then clothed in the fairest robe of innocence, and cinctured with the golden cincture of love; and I felt that if I wished to be so clothed and so cinctured, I should seek to have more purity of heart, and to abound more in love.
Chapter 17.
Of the garments with which we should clothe Jesus and His Mother. (To be continued)
Ascension Day Vow
Offering oneself as victim, for the salvation of souls
Abba Father,
In the Name of Jesus, Our Savior, King and Spouse,
in the Unity, Love and Power of the Holy Spirit, Our Sanctifier,
Under the Mantle of Mary, Our Mother and Queen,
with All the Holy Angels and Saints, we pray:
O Most Holy Trinity, Fused in +Jesus, and +Mary,
we humbly make this Vow as a Victim.
Lord, please accept, Seal and Bind our Vow as Victim.
We Vow to be Victims of:
Heroism, Love, Reparation, Suffering, Sacrifice, Immolation, Consummation,
and of Compassionating You, so that other souls may obtain eternal salvation,
and that your Kingdom may come on earth, as it is in Heaven.
With this Vow, we Give to You and Humbly Ask You to Free us of All:
pride, lust, greed, envy, sloth, wrath, gluttony, disobedience, unfaithfulness, failure in our daily duties, weaknesses, oppressions, attachments, impure intentions, imperfections, sadness, worry, fear, doubt, anxiety, complaints, miseries, negativity, any mistrust in You, anything that fails to Glorify You, and all sin, Heavenly Father,
so that we Joyfully Acquire to re-enter Your Divine Life, and Divine Glory,
that You, Dear Lord, have so patiently awaited
mankind’s return for six thousand years.
Seal all the doors to the evils of the human will, so that they may never be opened again.
Invest our nothingness within Your Will and fill us to the brim
with Your Divine Being. Dominate us by Your Divine Will.
We Vow today to be Your Dwelling Place, and You, in exchange,
be the Temple of our soul, and let us be the Temple of You, O Lord God.
Take our human will to Heaven as Your Most Beautiful Victory and in exchange,
Give us Your Most Holy Divine Will to be our Life.
Please take our humble prayer and make it Your Command!
May All be Accomplished and Completed in the unity of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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Jesus wanted to suffer, in order to reunite everything to Himself
“My daughter, I wanted my flesh to be scattered in pieces, and my Blood to be shed from my whole Humanity, so as to reunite all of dispersed humanity. In fact, of all that was torn from my Humanity – flesh, blood, hair – nothing was dispersed in my Resurrection, but everything was reunited again to my Humanity. By this, I incorporated all creatures within Me. So, after this, if one wanders away from Me, it is out of his obstinate will that he tears himself from Me, to go out and be lost.” -- Words of our Lord to an Italian mystic. 1908
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Comparison between Calvary and Eden
“My daughter, Calvary is the new Eden in which mankind was given back that which it lost by withdrawing from my Will. Analogy between Calvary and Eden: in Eden man lost grace, on Calvary he acquires it; in Eden, Heaven was closed to him, he lost his happiness and rendered himself the slave of the infernal enemy; here in the new Eden, Heaven was opened once again to him, he reacquires the lost peace and happiness, the devil is chained, while man is freed from his slavery. In Eden, the Sun of the Divine Fiat darkened and it became always nighttime for man – symbol of the Sun which withdrew from the face of the earth during the three hours of my terrible agony on the Cross. Unable to sustain the torment of His Creator – caused by the human will which, with great perfidy, had reduced my Humanity to that state – horrified, the Sun withdrew, and as I breathed my last, it reappeared once again and continued its course of light. In the same way, the Sun of my Fiat, my pains, my death, called back the Sun of my Will to reign in the midst of creatures.
Therefore, Calvary formed the dawn which called the Sun of my eternal Will to shine once again in the midst of creatures. Dawn means certainty that the Sun will come out; in the same way, the dawn which I formed on Calvary assures, even though some two thousand years have passed, that it will call the Sun of my Will to reign once again in the midst of creatures. In Eden, my Love was defeated by them; here instead, It triumphs and conquers the creature. In the first Eden man receives the condemnation to death of soul and body; while in the second Eden he is released from his condemnation, and the resurrection of the body is reconfirmed through the resurrection of my Humanity. There are many relations between Eden and Calvary – that which man lost there, he reacquires here. In the kingdom of my pains everything is given back, and the honor and the glory of the poor creature is reconfirmed by means of my pains and of my death.
By withdrawing from my Will, man formed the kingdom of his evils, of his weaknesses, passions and miseries; and I wanted to come upon earth, I wanted to suffer greatly, I permitted that my Humanity be lacerated, Its flesh torn to pieces, all full of wounds. And I wanted even to die in order to form, by means of my many pains and of my death, the kingdom opposite to the many evils that the creature had formed for herself. A kingdom cannot be formed with one act alone, but with many upon many acts; and the more the acts, the greater and more glorious the kingdom becomes. Therefore, my death was necessary to my Love; with my death I was to give the kiss of life to creatures, and from my many wounds I was to let all goods out, in order to form the kingdom of goods for creatures. So, my wounds are springs which gush with goods, and my death is spring from which life for all gushes forth.
And just as my death was necessary, so was my Resurrection necessary to my Love, because by doing his will, man lost the life of my Will, and I wanted to rise again, to form not only the resurrection of the body, but the resurrection of the life of my Will in it. Had I not risen again, the creature could not have risen once again in my Fiat; she would have lacked the virtue – the bond of her resurrection in Mine, and my Love would have felt incomplete. It would have felt It could do something more, but It was not doing it, and so I would have remained with the harsh martyrdom of a love that is not complete. If then ungrateful man does not make use of all I have done, the evil is all his own, but my Love possesses and enjoys Its full triumph.” -- Our Lord to an Italian mystic. 1928
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According to Catholic doctrine, at the end of time all bodies will arise from their graves, and be reunited to their souls. (John 5, Daniel 12).
Amen, amen I say unto you, that the hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. ----- Wonder not at this; for the hour cometh, wherein all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God. And they that have done good things, shall come forth unto the resurrection of life; but they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment. -- John 5:28
And at that time shall thy people be saved, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of those that sleep in the dust of the earth, shall awake: some unto life everlasting, and others unto reproach, to see it always. -- Daniel 12:2
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