“The Holy Spirit is always ready to enlighten and strengthen you” (Interior Word).
The creative friendship of the Holy Spirit becomes a reality in all those who strive to love the heavenly Father. He accompanies, enlightens, and strengthens the human soul until it becomes a constant praise of God, so that He may glorify Himself more and more in it. Read More
1 Thess 4:13-18
Brethren, we would not have you ignorant, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. Read More
Sir 3:17-18,20,28-29
My child, be gentle in carrying out your business, and you will be better loved than a lavish giver. The greater you are, the more humbly you should behave, and then you will find favour with the Lord; for great though the power of the Lord is, he accepts the homage of the humble. For the disease of the proud there is no cure, since an evil growth has taken root there. The heart of the sensible will reflect on parables, an attentive ear is the sage’s dream.
Humility is the basis of all true virtue. It is enormously valuable because through it God’s greatness can work in us; whereas pride undermines it and centres on one’s own supposed greatness and uniqueness.
“I see men passing their lives without entrusting themselves to their only Father” (Message of God the Father to Sister Eugenia Ravasio).
“Oh, if only mortals knew how sublime is the grace of God, how beautiful, how noble, how precious, how many riches it contains, how many delights and joys!” (St. Rose of Lima)
These words were spoken by St. Rose of Lima, a God-loving soul, ardent in her zeal to lead people to the faith. With great fervor, she tried to win souls for God and share the love that flooded her. She was one of the saints especially united to the cross of the Lord and exclaimed: “Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we can reach heaven.” Read More
Mt 25:14-30
At that time Jesus told his disciples this parable: “For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ Read More
“Oh, if only mortals knew how sublime is the grace of God, how beautiful, how noble, how precious, how many riches it contains, how many delights and joys!” (St. Rose of Lima)
“Always come to me as a little child. I am the most loving of fathers who understands and prepares you” (Interior Word).
Jer 1:17-19
Reading corresponding to the memorial of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist
In those days, I received this word from the Lord: Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command thee. Be not afraid at their presence: for I will make thee not to fear their countenance. For behold I have made thee this day a fortified city, and a pillar of iron, and a wall of brass, over all the land, to the kings of Juda, to the princes thereof, and to the priests, and to the people of the land. And they shall fight against thee, and shall not prevail: for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.
It is with great joy that we look today at St. Augustine, whose conversion brought so much blessing to the Church. We can be sure that the prayer of his mother, St. Monica, and her struggle for him played an important role in Augustine’s finally finding the way to God. He himself wrote down his struggle in his so-called “Confessions”, a book that is always worth reading. He began to write it after the light of faith had shone on him; after he had understood how to live the following of Christ.
