“I tell you in truth, it pleases Me greatly when people trustingly expect great things from Me.” (Word of the Lord to Mechthild of Hackeborn)
Showing all posts in April 2026
“TO CONFORM TO GOD’S PLANS”
“If you conform to God’s plans, He will make a saint of you.” (St. Paul of the Cross)
So it really isn’t that hard, dear Father, if St. Paul of the Cross tells us so. He must have known. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” (Matt. 6:33) So it is written in Holy Scripture through the mouth of Your Son. So, dear Father, You have a plan for our lives. Then we don’t really need to make our own plans; we just need to follow You. What a burden that saves us from— all those plans and considerations that we often discard, or that don’t quite come to fruition, or even turn into illusions. Perhaps they do come to fruition, but they don’t deliver what they promise because they aren’t Your plans for us.
The resurrection of the body (III)
We have already heard about the bodily resurrection from the dead in our previous reflections and have come to appreciate what a wonderful path God has planned for us. This led us to discuss the incorruptibility of the resurrected body. Once the Lord has reunited the believer’s soul and body, they will be able to live forever in the presence of God.
Our future body possesses four wonderful characteristics, as the Roman Catechism of Pius V teaches. It states:
“In addition to this, the bodies of the risen Saints will be distinguished by certain transcendent endowments, which will ennoble them far beyond their former condition. Among these endowments four are specially mentioned by the Fathers, which they infer from the doctrine of St. Paul, and which are called gifts.
The first endowment or gift is impassibility, which shall place them beyond the reach of suffering anything disagreeable or of being affected by pain or inconvenience of any sort. Neither the piercing severity of cold, nor the glowing intensity of heat, nor the impetuosity of waters can hurt them. It is sown, says the Apostle, in corruption, it shall rise in incorruption. (1 Cor. 15:42). This quality the Schoolmen call impassibility, not incorruption, in order to distinguish it as a property peculiar to a glorified body. The bodies of the damned, though incorruptible, will not be impassible; they will be capable of experiencing heat and cold and of suffering various afflictions.
“A SUITABLE INSTRUMENT”
“Whoever rises again after falling, with trust in God and in deep humility, becomes in God’s hands a suitable instrument for accomplishing great things; but whoever behaves otherwise can never do good.” (St. Paul of the Cross)
The resurrection of the body (II)
Let us now turn to the salvific teaching on the resurrection, which is so essential that St. Paul makes it clear: “But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” (1 Cor 15:13 ff)
Since our Catholic faith gives us the light of truth, it is salvific in the deepest sense of the word. Nothing leads a person more deeply toward his destiny than when, in God’s grace, he recognizes the truth and accepts the salvation that God offers him in His infinite mercy through Christ Jesus. If he lives in the truth, then the heavenly Father will shape him into what He intended when He created him. This will be fulfilled in eternity. Yet we must not conceal the truth that a person, through his own fault, can fail to reach his goal and must live forever separated from the vision of God, enduring the corresponding torments. This teaching is also salutary, for it is meant to awaken us and bring our responsibility for our lives into clear focus, so that we may choose life in the truth.
The resurrection of the body (I)
Through the meditations on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we were introduced during the Easter Octave to the liturgically wonderful Easter season, which the Risen Lord spent with His disciples on earth to further prepare them for their future mission. One can still sense the disciples’ amazement at the events, which only gradually sank in as reality.
In deciding how to continue my daily reflections, I have chosen the readings of the Old Rite as my primary guide. Since I have frequently interpreted the readings of the New Rite, links to these earlier reflections will continue to be available at the end of my remarks.
First, however, it is important to delve deeper into a significant topic.
“THE HEAVENLY FRIEND”
“You have a good friend there, My son, a good friend!” (Inner word)
“A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter: he that has found one has found a treasure.” (Sir 6:14)
I heard these beautiful words deep within my heart and knew that the good friend was the Apostle Paul. Indeed, he has been with me for a long time, and his wise words and devoted life are a light on my path. Thus, he is my teacher and friend, to whom I can turn.
LOW SUNDAY: “The peace of the Risen One”
What is true peace? It is the peace that comes from God, the peace that springs from His heart. Jesus put it this way: Read More
A TREASURE HOUSE OF GOD ON EARTH
“When you speak the truth, heaven opens and bestows gifts upon you.” (Inner word)
The goodness and beauty of the truth that comes from Your heart, dear Father, transforms everything. The mists must give way, lies are dispelled, deceptions are exposed, and the light shines in the darkness.
SATURDAY OF EASTER WEEK: “John saw and believed”
We have heard it many times in the accounts. It has happened: The Lord has risen from the dead! He is truly risen! Alleluia! This cry resounds throughout the Christian faith and gives it hope—hope even in dark times, when it seems to be fading—for the Resurrection of Christ is the visible sign of victory over hell and death!
“O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?” (1 Cor 15:55)
May this cry never fall silent. May it lift up all despondent hearts and pierce through the darkness. The Lord is risen!
Today’s Gospel reading in the Old Rite (John 20:1–9) takes us back once more to the disciples on the early morning of Easter. They still have a journey to make to understand what happened on Easter morning. It is still unclear to them, and they are shaken and grieving over the death of their Lord. What will happen after His death? The Lord now lay in the tomb …
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