Elija Mission

In yesterday’s meditation, as we delved into the discernment of spirits, we pointed out some drifts of the ecclesiastical hierarchy which can concretely affect the lives of the faithful. But what is even more tragic is the fact that the face of the Church is being distorted in such a way that, instead of being a beacon of the Gospel for the nations, in many areas it is adapting itself to the spirit of the world.

We need to be constantly reminded that the primary task of the Church is to bring people the salvation that the Heavenly Father offers them. In other words, evangelisation, as it has been understood until now, is about the salvation of souls. Man is not able to save himself from his misery, but needs God’s grace, which is offered to him in Jesus Christ. Once he has accepted faith, the Church accompanies the believer with all the means that God has entrusted to her.

In Reflexion

MEDITATIONS FOR LENT: “Concrete repercussions of false doctrines”

Elija16th March 202518th March 2025

Applying ‘discretion’ as it is understood in ecclesiastical terminology, we have first of all turned our attention to the current situation in the Church. Yesterday’s meditation concluded with some reflections by the philosopher Dietrich von Hildebrand, characterised by his gift for discernment. Without adopting extreme positions, he did observe with great precision the harmful tendencies in the Church, especially after the Second Vatican Council.

Hildebrand and others pointed out that the profusion of negative post-conciliar developments could not be explained simply as isolated errors, but that the enemies of the Church set out to destroy it from within or to transform it into a kind of humanitarian institution. The latter is particularly dangerous, because it may not be immediately noticed, thinking that it is a Christian humanism, as in the case of the encyclical Fratelli tutti, which is capable of confusing the faithful.

In Reflexion

MEDITATIONS FOR LENT: “Discretion applied to the situation of the Church”

Elija15th March 202514th March 2025

The aim of our Lenten meditations is to become better disciples of the Lord, disciples who, with great conviction, bear witness to the love of our Father in these difficult times. His love has been revealed to us in a unique way in His Son Jesus Christ.

Thanks to the Desert Fathers, we have come to know the term “discretion”, which has a broad meaning related to “discernment of spirits”. Discretion thus helps us to distinguish prudently between the good and the bad, the true and the false, the authentic and the artificial. Later we will apply this concept to the spiritual life as well, when we look at how we can live our spiritual life wisely so that it bears much fruit.

In Reflexion

MEDITATIONS FOR LENT: “Introduction to discretion”

Elija14th March 202512th March 2025

A clarification for all those who listen to my daily meditations and have accompanied us on this journey through the Gospel of John up to the moment when Pilate, the Roman procurator, yielded to the pressure of Jesus’ enemies and handed Him over to be crucified: as I mentioned in yesterday’s meditation, since the subsequent passages would have led directly to the Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Lord, I have decided to postpone them until they coincide with the events we commemorate in the liturgical seasons that are approaching.

The series on the Gospel of John has been a very fruitful journey with the Lord, one that has brought great joy and gratitude for all that He has done to glorify His beloved Father and for our salvation. His holy words and instructions to the disciples and to all those who listened with open hearts left a deep impression.

In Biblical Meditations

THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN (Jn 19:13-16): “We have no king but Caesar”

Elija13th March 202513th March 2025

When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gab′batha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

This is the hour of the ultimate betrayal of the Lord who came to redeem humanity. It is a betrayal of God and man, for how can the creature loved by God kill its Creator?

In Biblical Meditations

THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN (Jn 19:1-12): “Pilate wants to free Jesus”

Elija12th March 202511th March 2025

Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him. And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple robe; they came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. Pilate went out again, and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you, that you may know that I find no crime in him.” So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no crime in him.” The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God.”

In Biblical Meditations

THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN (Jn 18:25-40): “The true King”

Elija11th March 202511th March 2025

Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, “Are not you also one of his disciples?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” One of the servants of the high priest, a kinsman of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” Peter again denied it; and at once the cock crowed.Then they led Jesus from the house of Ca′iaphas to the praetorium. It was early. They themselves did not enter the praetorium, so that they might not be defiled, but might eat the passover. So Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” They answered him, “If this man were not an evildoer, we would not have handed him over.” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put any man to death.” This was to fulfil the word which Jesus had spoken to show by what death he was to die.

In Biblical Meditations

THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN (Jn 18:12-24): “The right attitude towards religious authorities”

Elija10th March 20259th March 2025

So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus and bound him. First they led him to Annas; for he was the father-in-law of Ca′iaphas, who was high priest that year. It was Ca′iaphas who had given counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. As this disciple was known to the high priest, he entered the court of the high priest along with Jesus, while Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the maid who kept the door, and brought Peter in. The maid who kept the door said to Peter, “Are not you also one of this man’s disciples?” He said, “I am not.” Now the servants[a] and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves; Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

In Biblical Meditations

THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN (Jn 18:1-11): “The unthinkable happens”

Elija9th March 20258th March 2025

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples across the Kidron valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas, procuring a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that was to befall him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When he said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Again he asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he; so, if you seek me, let these men go.”

In Biblical Meditations

THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN (Jn 17:13-26): “Jesus’ last words before His Passion”

Elija8th March 20256th March 2025

“But now I am coming to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not pray that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; thy word is truth. As thou didst send me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth. “I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.