Great video honoring Mother Mary!



"Mary said, 'Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; LET IT BE unto me according to thy Word.'" (Luke 1:38)

When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Mark Mallett Continues with "The Spiral of Time."

The Spiral of Time

 

 

AFTER I wrote A Circle yesterday, the image of a spiral came to mind. Yes, of course, as Scripture circles through each age being fulfilled on more and more dimensions, it is like a spiral.

But there is something more to this… Lately, several of us have been talking about how time seems to be accelerating rapidly, that time to do even the basic duty of the moment seems elusive. I wrote about this in The Shortening of Days. A friend in the south also addressed this recently (see Michael Brown's article here.)

 

THE SPIRAL OF TIME AND SCRIPTURE 

The spiral image which came to mind was one that gets smaller and smaller toward a pinnacle. 

If we think of the passage of time like a spiral, then we see two things: the multi-dimensional fulfillment of Scripture through each layer of the spiral (see A Circle), and the acceleration of time along the spiral as it reaches the pinnacle. If you've ever dropped a coin or a ball into a spiral ramp or toy, even though it maintains a circular path, the coin moves faster and faster through the spiral. Many of us are feeling and experiencing this kind of acceleration today. 

Perhaps this spiral is more than an analogy. God has designed this spiral pattern throughout creation. If you watch water drain into a sinkhole or tub drain, it flows in the pattern of a spiral. Tornadoes and hurricanes form in a spiral pattern. Many galaxies, including our own, are spirals. And perhaps most fascinating is the spiral or helical shape of human DNA. Yes, the very fabric of the human body is made up of spiraling DNA which determines the unique physical characteristics of each and every individual. 

Even the miracle of the sun, as witnessed in Fatima and in various places throughout the world, is often a spinning disc, at times, spiraling towards the earth….

If God's creation moves in the direction of a spiral, perhaps time itself does as well.  

 

THE SIGNIFICANCE

The significance of this is that it becomes a sign of the times. Time does seem to be speeding up beyond the normal experience that comes with aging. And along with this rapid movement of time are other signs which all seem to point to one thing: Humanity is moving into the final spirals of history toward the pinnacle— The Day of the Lord. 

Reflections on the Priesthood (4)

Reflections on the Priesthood (4)

How does Jesus feel about His priests? How can we make a comparison in human terms that will do justice to the feelings of the Savior for these men?

Imagine first how the Father felt toward Jesus. Jesus was His beloved one, of one and the same divinity, perfectly committed to the will and goals of the Father despite terrific hardship. At total personal cost, Jesus pursued the Father's goals.

The Father's goals often did not make sense to those who worked with Jesus. The world viewed Jesus as foolish at times. The world persecuted Christ. Christ persevered despite everything. Nothing the world threw at Christ diverted Him from the path the Father had chosen for Him.

Imagine how the Father viewed His Son.

The Father views each priest in the same way. They are part of Him as Jesus is part of Him. Each priest will rest with the Father in His heart. Not near His heart, but in His heart because truly when a priest pursues ordination, he is pursuing oneness with God.

Jesus Christ shares a brotherhood with each priest. He stands with the priest, in union with God and through the Holy Spirit. When the priest speaks for God, God sends the grace to accompany the words. The fact that the recipient of the priest's speech and counsel may not be open to the Holy Spirit present in his words in a given moment or in an immediate moment in no way diminishes the divine at work.

In other words, the priest cannot take a lack of receptivity on the part of those to whom he speaks as evidence that he, the priest, is either ineffective or lacking the presence of Christ in his vocation.

This is important, particularly during this time when so many do not serve. I see that some priests are discouraged and do not proceed with an awareness of their value to each of us, a value which has eternal consequences. The fact that people do not recognize the truth is no reason to stop speaking the truth because someday, with God's grace and when they are ready, these people will think back to the words of the priest and they will recognize these words as truth.

One who sows seeds must be content to leave the seeds to germinate at the correct time. It is for the farmer to reap the harvest and Jesus Christ Himself will collect the harvest at the appropriate time for each soul.

For further information regarding the Lay Apostolate of Jesus Christ the Returning King, or to purchase Heaven Speaks booklets, please contact Direction for Our Times on the Web at www.directionforourtimes.com , or mail inquiries to the following address: 9000 West 81st St., Justice, IL  60458, U.S.A.

--
"In Cordibus Jesu et Mariae"

John in the wilderness
by Carravaggio

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #23

And the child grew and was strengthened in spirit: and was in the deserts until the day of his manifestation to Israel. (Luke 1:80)

HOLY YOUTH: John spent his youth leading a hermit's life in the desert, till he was thirty years old. Far from the turmoil of the world, he served God with prayer, fasting and contemplation, and grew daily in grace and virtue. Great fortitude was required to lead such a severe and self-denying life for so many years, and therefore the Evangelist says about him that he was "strengthened in spirit." His angelic and innocent youth prepared John for being a worthy preacher of penance and precursor of the Redeemer. O, how lovely a thing is youth passed in innocence!

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #22

Now Elizabeth's full time of being delivered was come: and she brought forth a son. And her neighbors and kinsfolks heard that the Lord had shewed his great mercy towards her: and they congratulated with her. (Luke 1:57-58)

THE FRIENDLY SYMPATHY of their neighbors and relatives with the joy of the aged couple is worthy of praise. Zachary and Elizabeth rejoiced that God had heard their prayer and had given them a son; and their friends really and sincerely shared their joy. He who possesses true brotherly love rejoices at the happiness of his fellow creatures. Those who are envious do not know what love means, being full of nothing but selfishness.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

A Circle

Mark Mallett

—Spiritual Food For Thought—

 

IT may seem that to apply the words of the Old Testament prophets as well as the book of Revelation to our day is perhaps presumptuous or even fundamentalist. I have often wondered this myself as I have written about coming events in light of the Sacred Scriptures. Yet, there is something about the words of prophets such as Ezekiel, Isaiah, Malachi and St. John, to name but a few, that is now burning in my heart in a way they did not in the past.

The answer I keep hearing to this question about whether or not they do in fact apply to our day is:

A circle.

 

HAVE BEEN, ARE, AND WILL BE

The way I hear the Lord explaining it to me is that these scriptures have been fulfilled, are being fulfilled, and will be fulfilled. That is, they have already been fulfilled in the time of the prophet on one level; on another level they are in the process of being fulfilled, and yet on another level, they are yet to be fulfilled. So like a circle, these scriptures keep passing through the ages being fulfilled on deeper and deeper levels of God's will according to His infinite wisdom and designs. 

 

MULTI-LAYERS

The other image which keeps coming to mind is that of a three layered chessboard made of glass.

Some chess experts in the world play on multi-layered chess boards so that one move on the top can affect pieces on the bottom layer, for example. But I sensed the Lord saying that His designs are like a hundred-layer chess game; that Sacred Scripture has a multitude of layers which have been fulfilled (in some dimensions), are in the process of being fulfilled, and are yet to be entirely fulfilled.

One move in one of the layers can throw Satan's efforts back several centuries. 

When we speak of Scripture being fulfilled in our time, we must have a great humility before this multi-dimensional mystery.  We must avoid both extremes: one which is to believe that without a doubt Jesus is returning in glory in one's lifetime; the other is to ignore the signs of the times and act as though life will go on as it is endlessly. 

 

A GENTLE WARNING

The "warning" in this, then, is that we do not really know just how much of Scripture that we are waiting to be fulfilled has already been so, and how much of which has already happened is yet to come.

The hour is coming, indeed it has come… (John 16:33) 

One thing we can say with certainty, is that our Lord has not returned in glory, an event we will know beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Our main task now is to remain small, humble, praying, and watching. With this is in mind, I wish to continue to write to you according to the inspirations coming to me, presenting why I think this particular generation may in fact see the fulfillment of some "end time" dimensions of Sacred Scripture.

 

"In Cordibus Jesu et Mariae"

Reflections on the Priesthood (3)

By "Anne," a Lay Apostle    

 

It strikes me that the priesthood is under a ferocious attack. The sins of a few have been used by the enemy in an attempt to strip the dignity from many. Nobody can strip dignity from another, though, least of all from a man who shares the divine priesthood with Jesus Christ. I am keenly aware of the dignity of the men who are ordained priests. I am also aware of their sinfulness in the same way as they are aware of the sinfulness of others in that we are all asked to serve in our humanity, but I understand that their humanity can provide them with the humility to make them beautiful in God's eyes. How God loves them and rejoices in them.

 

I would encourage each priest to rejoice in his humanity, just as God does. And just as each priest should rejoice in his humanity, and at the same time, each priest should rejoice in the divinity of Jesus Christ and in the divine nature of Christ present in his vocation.

 

Sinfulness, the propensity toward sin, is not a problem for Jesus. He can work through us in spite of our human nature which pulls us to selfishness. I see priests working and I see God's presence. They are connected, God and the man. They are united. The Father's eyes do not leave the priest because the Father's Son is within the soul of the priest and His goals, the Father's, rest in the heart of the Son. The Father's love for each child on earth is contained in the Son which is then transmitted into the heart of each priest. Truly, only in heaven will the priest see the scope of what God places in his soul at ordination.

 

Nobody can strip the dignity from a man such as this.

 

A priest should never worry about his humanity, as I said. He should fight always to resist temptation of course, but he should understand that Christ will always be good and His goodness resides in the priest. When the priest falls, Christ remains standing. Christ will not stop being good simply because we stop being good. It is this that should comfort us when we are tempted toward discouragement because of our ongoing imperfection.

 

For further information regarding the Lay Apostolate of Jesus Christ the Returning King, or to purchase Heaven Speaks booklets, please contact Direction for Our Times on the Web at www.directionforourtimes.com , or mail inquiries to the following address: 9000 West 81st St., Justice, IL  60458, U.S.A.

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #21

"And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt, go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways:" (Luke 1:76)

THE DIVINITY OF JESUS CHRIST: Inspired by the Holy Ghost, Zachary in his canticle of praise and thanksgiving testifies to the divine nature of the Redeemer. If John was to be the prophet of the "Highest," and to go before the face of the "Lord," then is the Savior of whom this was foretold both Lord and Highest, or, in other words, God.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

Reflections on the Priesthood (2)

Each reader must accept that I am not talking about assaulting a priest for his choice of spirituality. There are those who so love the path they have been called to in the Church that they believe that unless others are following that same path, others are getting it wrong. A priest does not have to be "into" this or that apostolate to be holy. A priest has to be "into" the presence of Christ in his priesthood.

What I am saying is that while it is good to introduce the priests in our lives to the spiritual movements that are helping us, we should not make judgments about these priests based on their acceptance or non-acceptance of a particular spiritual movement.

There is something so beautiful about the priests that I have seen in heaven. One particular priest I saw represented was not actually there yet. He was coming soon, but I saw his imprint in heaven, the shape of him in that his presence was evident through all of the fruits of his labor. There were many in heaven waiting for his arrival, people whose lives he has impacted through his vocation.

While the priest serves on earth, Jesus prepares his eternity. This is the same for all of us but priests have something different that endures for eternity. They have the mark of Christ on them in a more concrete way. Heaven is different because of this man's vocation and the vocation of every serving priest. Heaven is altered. There is more glory for God because this man allowed Christ to flow through him in administering the sacraments and providing assistance to others with regard to direction, affirmation, and confirmation of what is God's will and what is not God's will.

For further information regarding the Lay Apostolate of Jesus Christ the Returning King, or to purchase Heaven Speaks booklets, please contact Direction for Our Times on the Web at www.directionforourtimes.com , or mail inquiries to the following address: 9000 West 81st St., Justice, IL  60458, U.S.A.

". . . Go into nature . . ."

Seasons Speak...

Medjugorje this morning, October 29, 2007. Seasons speak to us, especially when we do as Our Lady has told us to do. April 25, 1993 "…Go into nature…" The leaves of 2007 in the Medjugorje vineyards burn with colors as they enter the finest hour just before death. They decompose to help the growth for the next season. The martyrs burn and shine in their finest hour at death. They were the seeds for conversion and the church grew. Those who enter into hell no longer have purpose. The hatred and torment by the fallen angels towards their existence in hell is of such an intensity that we cannot grasp it, even with the greatest of an imagination. They have no future. They have no purpose. Your trials, your sufferings have purpose. When you lose sight of your purpose, go into nature, refresh your soul. Make every hour your finest, surpassing the last, until you live your last as your finest hour. With Love, A Friend of Medjugorje

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©SJP Lic. Caritas/mej.com

--
"In Cordibus Jesu et Mariae"

Reflections on the Priesthood (1)

The picture shows St. Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer, founder of Opus Dei , celebrating the Roman Catholic Mass, in the Tridentine (traditional Latin) rite, in Rome, 1972. From Wikipedia, Public Domain. By "Anne," a Lay Apostle

Saturday, 06 October 2007

A priest makes a decision to enter into the relationship of knowing God, of seeking Him. Through this decision, Jesus is able to possess the priest as an outpost, a dwelling place for the Godhead on earth.

With God's grace, I can see Christ in the priest on his ordination day and I can see Christ in the priest on the day of his death. I have also seen Christ in priests in heaven. They all look the same to me in that Christ is Christ on the ordination day, the day of death, and into and for eternity. So while the priest moves through his life in humanity, with doubts and imperfections, Jesus has no doubts and imperfections. Jesus serves humanity through the priest in His perfect divinity. I am as delighted by Christ in the priesthood as I am by Christ in the words He sends or Christ in the Eucharist or Christ in the heavenly experiences of Him that I have been allowed to have. It is for this reason, I believe, I feel such love for priests, regardless of their condition.

Given this, the Lord's mystical presence in the soul of the priest, it is clear that we must honor Christ's presence in every priest. It is easier to do so when a priest is willingly connected to that divine presence. It is more difficult, but more compelling I believe, to love the priests who are struggling.

Perhaps a priest is working against the kingdom. This is a dishonor to the covenant entered into by both God and the man at ordination. This is serious for the priest personally, of course, but also there is the gap in service and subsequent lag in the coming of God's Kingdom that results. The priest's non-service affects many. We must target these priests for rescue through love, intercessory prayer, and honest appeal.

For further information regarding the Lay Apostolate of Jesus Christ the Returning King, or to purchase Heaven Speaks booklets, please contact Direction for Our Times on the Web at www.directionforourtimes.com , or mail inquiries to the following address: 9000 West 81st St., Justice, IL  60458, U.S.A.

THIS IS AN "INSIDE THE VATICAN" NEWSFLASH

A New Bishop in Moscow For the first time since the coming of communism to Russia in 1917, a Catholic bishop has been consecrated on Russian soil MOSCOW, October 27, 2007 -- Today in Moscow, for the first time since the Communist Revolution in 1917, a Catholic bishop was consecrated on Russian soil. The ceremony, held in a packed Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in central Moscow, marked the end of one era and the beginning of another for the Catholic Church in Russia, as the new bishop, Paolo Pezzi, a 47-year-old Italian theologian, took over the leadership of the Catholic Church in Russia's capital from the Belorussian Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, 57, who will move to a difficult assignment in Minsk, the capital of Belorussia. Special Offer for New Subscribers Only! Subscribe to Inside the Vatican Magazine for Only $34.95! Buy Now and Save $15.00! Click on the banner ad above! Kondrusieiwicz, who has led the Catholic Church in Moscow since 1991, when the Soviet Union fell, through the period of its slow re-emergence from the catacombs of the communist period, was the principal consecrator of Pezzi, who has served for many years as the rector of the Catholic seminary in St. Petersburg. Dozens of Italians came from Moscow, and from Italy, including Pezzi's mother and a number of relatives, to witness Pezzi's consecration to the episcopacy. The other two consecrators were the Italian Archbishop Antonio Mennini, the Holy See's nuncio in Russia, and Bishop Joseph Werth, a Russian of German ancestry, the bishop of Novosibirsk in Siberia. The ceremony, which last from 4 pm until 7 pm, was marked by the use of three languages: Russian, Italian, and Latin. The Epistle, Gospel and the questions asked of the new bishop were spoken in Russian. The homily, given by Kondrusiewicz, was in Russian and then in Italian. The consecration was in Latin. The Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow sent two representatives, Father Igor Vyzhanov and Father Vsevolod Chaplin, who were given seats of honor in the front of the church. I was present eight years ago, on December 12, 1999, when Archbishop Kondrusiewicz consecrated the altar of the basilica in a moving ceremony together with the Vatican Secretary of State, Angelo Sodano, and so I had mixed emotions as I watched Kondrusiewicz on the eve of his departure from Moscow -- sad to see Kondrusiewicz, whose ceaseless labors allowed the Catholic Church in Russia to get back onto her feet again, depart; and happy to see Pezzi, a personable and profoundly spiritual man, take the torch from his predecessor, and the opportunity now to extend his hand beyond his own flock, in respect and friendship, toward the Russian Orthodox Church, here in its homeland. What opens up now with Pezzi's succession here is a chance for a next stage in the relationship between Rome and Moscow, and so between the Roman Catholic Church and Russian Orthodoxy. Pezzi, a member of the Communion and Liberation movement founded by the late Italian priest Luigi Giussani (which Pope Benedict XVI has highly praised), will likely focus his efforts on the cultural, spiritual and theological riches of the western and eastern traditions which can mutually enrich one another. In this sense, a period of intensive new developments in Catholic-Orthodox relations may have been initiated today, on a sunny, cool October afternoon in Moscow. Special Offer for New Subscribers Only! Subscribe to Inside the Vatican Magazine for Only $34.95! Buy Now and Save $15.00! Click on the banner ad above!

French priest criticizes church attitude toward apparitions

PARIS - A French Mariology expert has criticized the Vatican and church leaders for their dismissive attitude to Marian apparitions and urged greater sympathy for Catholic visionaries. "Apparitions are not a subject given much credit at present -- they are seen very badly in the church," said Father Rene Laurentin, an expert on Marian apparitions. "When the apparitions are historic ones, it's magnificent and the Virgin can be honored in her sanctuaries. But when she appears now, this appears very dangerous, and one can't touch it." In an October interview with I.Media, a French-language news agency, the 90-year-old theologian said alleged Marian visions provoked "all kinds of reaction in the church," but were generally viewed negatively by church authorities. He cited as an example alleged Marian apparitions that began in 1981 in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina. "The situation in Medjugorje is very confused because there are conversions every day, but the bishop is against it. And when Rome protects and covers the bishops, one can't say Rome is in favor of the apparitions," he said.
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"In Cordibus Jesu et Mariae"

SOME WORDS FROM MARK MALLETT:

 

 

NINE WORDS 

WHEN you are overwhelmed with your sinfulness, there are only nine words you need to remember:

Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. (Luke 23:42) 

With these nine words, the thief on the cross was granted access to an Ocean of God's love and mercy. With these nine words, Jesus washed away the thief's sinful past, and fixed him deep within His Sacred Heart for all eternity. With these nine words, the thief on the cross became like a little child, and thus received the promise Jesus made to such souls:

Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these… Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise. (Matt 19:14, Luke 23:43)

But perhaps you feel you are too unworthy to ask for a share in the Kingdom. Then, I recommend to you seven words.

 

SEVEN WORDS

A tax collector entered the temple, and unlike the thief, he couldn't raise his eyes toward heaven. Instead, he cried out,

God, be merciful to me a sinner. (Luke 18:13)

With these seven words, the tax collector became right with God. With these seven words, the Pharisee who boasted that he never sinned remained condemned, and the tax collector was absolved. With these seven words, the Good Shepherd ran toward His lost sheep and carried him back to the fold.

There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (Luke 15:7)

But perhaps you feel unworthy to even utter a sentence to the Almighty God. Then I recommend to you but one word.

 

ONE WORD

    JESUS.

One Word.

    JESUS.

Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Rom 10:13)

With this one Word, you invoke not just a person, but your salvation. With this one Word prayed with the heart of the thief and the humility of the tax collector, you draw Mercy into your very soul. With this one Word, you enter into the presence of Him who has loved you to the end, and who knew from all eternity the day, the hour, the minute, and the second that you would call upon His name… and He would answer:

I AM… I AM is here.

To pray "Jesus" is to invoke him and to call him within us. His name is the only one that contains the presence it signifies. Jesus is the Risen One, and whoever invokes the name of Jesus is welcoming the Son of God who loved him and who gave himself up for him. —Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2666

But if you say that you are too unworthy to invoke so grand a name upon your sinful lips, then I do not say I have any other words for you. For this Word, this Name, contains all you'll ever need.

Rather, you should humble yourself before so great a God who has revealed to you in this late hour the one word which is the Key to opening the treasuries of Mercy and forgiveness. Otherwise, you will remain with the other thief upon the cross who refused to become like a child; with the Pharisee, who remained proud and obstinate; with all those souls who are eternally separated from God because they refused to utter one word which could have saved them.

Nine. Seven. One. You choose which… but speak. God Himself is listening… listening, and waiting.

There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.  (James 4:8)

“Let your thoughts be on heavenly things”

VATICAN - AVE MARIA: "Let your thoughts be on heavenly things",

Rev Luciano Alimandi

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Heaven is not a fairy tale told to children, it is a certainty which Jesus gave his disciples, to all who believe in him and do his will. He said this explicitly: "there are many rooms in my Father's house. If there were not I should have told you. I am going now to prepare a place for you" (Jn 14, 2).

What joy for Christians to know that Heaven is their home, that it is worth living the Gospel and preparing for a good death with a good life in order to hear on that supreme day those sacred words of Jesus: "today you will be with me in Paradise"! To live with God for all eternity is the greatest joy that can ever exist. So, living in the awareness that heaven is only just 'round the corner' should be easy for Christians whereas instead they often find it difficult to find heaven in daily event; why is this?

To find the way to Heaven we must think of Heaven as St Paul advises: "Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God " (Col 3, 1). We could make a long list of heavenly things, for example: trust, hope, charity, peace, prayer, contemplation, adoration, reconciliation, thanksgiving, forgiveness, infancy in spirit, humility, freedom, truth, la simplicity, joy, wisdom, purity, meekness, silence, eternity... all gifts which have the Lord as their goal, belonging to the supernatural sphere because they are fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Things of earth, often give priority over the things of heaven, are those which deteriorate into sin,: pride, self love, vanity, egoism, haughtiness, cunning, avarice, anger, jealousy, power, honor, self admiration, envy, attachment to material goods…
From what we think we can tell what we desire and from what we desire we can judge if we are thinking of heavenly things or concerned about earthly things, like the man who "accumulates treasure for himself in place of making himself rich in the sight of God" (Lk 12, 21).

If during the day you think of things of heaven this means your desire is oriented to Heaven! This equation is so simple. Part of our daily conversion consists precisely is refraining from looking at earthly things in order to keep our heart free to think of God and His things! We know our heart cannot be occupied by two opposite desires, it cannot follow two competing "masters". As Jesus tells us, "no servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave of both God and of money" (Lk 16, 13). Woe to those who compromise with God; one is the choice He offers us: anyone who wishes to gain his life and follow me must leave everything which fails to correspond to my holiness!

The Lord, certainly not man, created the soul in a way that it can be guided by good or evil, as the person freely chooses. Hell exists not because it is the fruit of God's flawed love for his creatures, but because freedom He gives to man is so unconditioned that it can, absurdly, say No to Him, choosing to separate from Him. Reflecting on hell should lead the believer not to doubt God but to tremble at the possibility that he could turn his back on his Creator. Awareness of being in possession of such freedom should lead man to show exemplary gratitude towards such Creator and to choose Him, the "things of the Father", in keeping with a conscience truly formed in the light of Divine Revelation. Therefore either we make a virtuous decision, or we will live as those who live without God!

The first thing to do in the morning should be to seek the Lord, his things, so that during they day we will be looking heavenwards. The best way to seek the Lord is without a doubt prayer, which gives rise to and nurtures desire for God without which we succumb to earthly desires mistaking for real that which appear real but is not. "We citizens of Heaven" (Phil 3, 20), to say it with St Paul, to what frequency do we tune in every day? That of heaven or that of earth? There are many frequencies, many thoughts which can become dominating according to who dominates them: Heaven or the world! Every Christian is called to become an apostle of Heaven, to draw many other souls after him, repeating with trust the prayer Our Blessed Lady taught to the three shepherd children at Fatima after she has shown them a vision of hell: "When you recite the rosary, after every mystery say: O my Jesus! Forgive us our sins, free us from the fires of hell, take all souls into heaven, especially those most in need".

(Agenzia Fides 24/10/2007; righe 54, parole 839)

"In Cordibus Jesu et Mariae"

HEAVEN SPEAKS TO THOSE WHO FEAR PURGATORY (5)

Heaven Speaks to Those who Fear Purgatory

By "Anne," a Lay Apostle

December 21, 2006 Blessed Mother My poor little children are encouraged to be anxious and fearful. This is not from heaven, my beloved ones. This is from heaven's enemy. Do not be afraid. Bring your fears to me and I will help you to step away from these fears. I love you so much and I see so clearly how the enemy seeks to fill you with fear. If you get to know Jesus, your fears will recede and recede again, and soon yon will be unable to remember what it was that created such fear and anxiety in you. Jesus is the answer and the remedy for all fear. With regard to fear of purgatory, I must say that you will not be abandoned in purgatory. Your remorse will feel good to you because it will be founded in truth. The truth of purgatory will fill you with relief. This world promotes what is not true. In other words this world promotes deception and distraction. In purgatory you will experience the greatest relief at knowing the truth and knowing that you will never again be deceived or uncertain. My little children, because you do not understand the depth of the deception in this world, you cannot understand the depth of the relief you will feel in the next world. Trust your mother who never leads her children astray. If you require time in purgatory, you will be grateful to be there and you will experience the most profound gratitude to God for seeing to your needs in such a merciful way. Peace, little children. I am with you. For further information regarding the Lay Apostolate of Jesus Christ the Returning King, or to purchase Heaven Speaks booklets, please contact Direction for Our Times on the Web at www.directionforourtimes.com , or mail inquiries to the following address: 9000 West 81st St., Justice, IL  60458, U.S.A.

 
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"In Cordibus Jesu et Mariae"

Radio WAVE show on mej.com causes strong reaction

Last night's broadcast of Radio WAVE caused quite a stir and reaction from many of the listeners. Many said that it was the best that they've heard so far. Even the Community of Caritas, who is seasoned, said that it was one of the best programs they've heard. You can download this program by clicking here, or stream it at your first opportunity by clicking here- if you have trouble opening the browser, go to mej.com and click on Radio WAVE on the left menu. From there choose past shows, and click on the Radio WAVE Live October 25, 2007 program.

*This will take you to the player. On the bottom screen, choose the Radio WAVE Live October 25, 2007 Broadcast.

 

Remember the next scheduled show of Radio WAVE will be on Friday, November 2, 2007 at 7:00 PM Central. This will coincide with Mirjana's apparition and message from Our Lady regarding nonbelievers.

 

Also, place on your calendar the 5-part series on Look What Happened While You Were Sleeping, that can be heard live on Radio WAVE. The series starts at 7:00 PM central on Monday November 12 , and will end on Friday November 16, 2007. Each evening's broadcast will begin at 7:00 PM central. Spread this event to everyone you know.

 

In the Love of the Two Hearts,

 

Caritas of Birmingham

Operated by the Community of Caritas

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"In Cordibus Jesu et Mariae"

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #20

But the angel said to him: "Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard: and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son. And thou shalt call his name John."
(Luke 1:13)

THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD: His promise to Zachary: "Thy wife shall bear thee a son," was faithfully kept. The punishment of dumbness pronounced on Zachary, because of his doubt, was accompanied by the promise that his dumbness should cease on the day when all that the angel had foretold came to pass. This promise also was exactly fulfilled, for the moment Zachary asserted that the child's name was John, his tongue was loosed, and he was able once more to speak. The instant that he obediently executed the angel's command: "Thou shall call his name John," speech was restored to him.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

Our Lady's Latest Message

October 25, 2007

"Dear children! God sent me among you out of love that I may lead you towards the way of salvation. Many of you opened your hearts and accepted my messages, but many have become lost on this way and have never come to know the God of love with the fullness of heart. Therefore, I call you to be love and light where there is darkness and sin. I am with you and bless you all. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Go to mej.com tonight and listen to the live Radio WAVE show about today's message. The times below are the local times for you to listen.

With Love,
A Friend of Medjugorje

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©SJP Lic. mej.com/Caritas • This may be reproduced and redistributed provided that the content is copied in its entirety, including graphics, pictures, captions, etc. and credit given to mej.com and Caritas of Birmingham. Also, permission is granted to quote from blogs, news sources, or other websites as long as it is referenced to mej.com/Caritas of Birmingham.

HEAVEN SPEAKS TO THOSE WHO FEAR PURGATORY (4)

By "Anne," a Lay Apostle

December 21, 2006 St. Andrew Because Jesus needs to spread joy, He is giving joy in great abundance to those who accept Him. Jesus wants to give you this joy. Fear of death and what comes after death takes away from the joy that Christ wants to give you. Ask Jesus to remove any fear of purgatory that you are experiencing. Look ahead to your death and your life after death with confidence and rejoicing. If you do not feel this, ask for it. I will pray for you and help you. Together, you and I will ask God to remove your fears and replace them with the greatest trust in God's mercy. When you accept this and believe it, you will rejoice and you will begin to spread God's mercy because you will be unable to contain such good news in your own heart. It would be like knowing there is a wonderful surprise coming for your family. How difficult it would be to keep that wonderful surprise to yourself, particularly if you saw others downhearted and anxious. You will share God's mercy if you allow God's mercy to penetrate your heart. Confess your sins and repent of them and do not be afraid of God or anything that comes from God. Again, I will help you.

For further information regarding the Lay Apostolate of Jesus Christ the Returning King, or to purchase Heaven Speaks booklets, please contact Direction for Our Times on the Web at www.directionforourtimes.com , or mail inquiries to the following address: 9000 West 81st St., Justice, IL  60458, U.S.A.

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"In Cordibus Jesu et Mariae"

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #19

"And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke 1:43)

HUMILITY IN RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION: Elizabeth was quite right to consider it a great and undeserved honor that the Mother of her Lord should enter her house. How much greater and more undeserved is the grace which is given to us of receiving our Lord Himself into our hearts in Holy Communion! Then, indeed, we ought to think and say: "Whence is this that my Lord and my God should come to me!"

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

HEAVEN SPEAKS TO THOSE WHO FEAR PURGATORY (3)

By "Anne," a Lay Apostle

December 21, 2006 St. Andrew Do you know people who believe that God exists but who persist in living for themselves and for their physical appetites? Of course you do. There are many like this. These people believe in God and they believe God is good. These people are not bad people. They do not rejoice in evil. I am referring here to a person who is on the side of goodness but who could not be bothered working very hard for that side. He leaves the work to others, perhaps even admiring and applauding their efforts. In the worst cases, he actually ridicules and impedes those who serve God. What would be just for this person? Let us consider. Because there is little self-sacrifice, there is little growth. Eventually, this life ends and this person meets Jesus. This person has more failures in love than successes. There are many moments of failure in this life because when the Lord needed this one to say "no" to self and "yes" to God, this person refused and decided for his personal enjoyment. There is time squandered and love squandered. In meeting Jesus and being exposed to the Lord's pure, total, selfless love, how do you think this person feels? Pause for a moment and think about this. Now, my friends, I have just described purgatory for you. Is it just and merciful that this person be allowed to see his life and his failures, as well as his successes? Is it helpful to this person, in terms of healing? Will each person benefit from the truth? My friends, in order for this person to enjoy heaven and be comfortable in heaven, he must at the very least understand heaven. Unless the person examines himself honestly and repents, he will not be in a condition to grow. Time in purgatory allows for this understanding and this growth. This person will examine his failures so that he can understand what would have been the holy response. Then, this person will come to terms with the fact that he rejected God's will and he will accept himself and forgive himself. After that, he will be with others who have been purified in the same way and he will experience fellowship, learning about tolerance and acceptance of the pain of others. Shortly after that, this person will be at complete peace with himself and the life he lived and he will come to heaven, experiencing unity with Jesus and community with the saints. Do not fear purgatory. It would be like fearing medicine that could immediately alleviate pain. You would not fear such a medicine. You would take it with the greatest eagerness and thank God for it. Think of purgatory in the same way. For further information regarding the Lay Apostolate of Jesus Christ the Returning King, or to purchase Heaven Speaks booklets, please contact Direction for Our Times on the Web at www.directionforourtimes.com , or mail inquiries to the following address: 9000 West 81st St., Justice, IL  60458, U.S.A.

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"In Cordibus Jesu et Mariae"

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #18

(Luke 1:46-55)

THE MAGNIFICAT: Our Lady's canticle of praise is called the "Magnificat," because in Latin it begins with that word. This canticle of praise is always sung at Vespers, and we ought to join in it with devotion and joy, in thanksgiving to God for the gift of His Son, and for all the great graces of Redemption.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

HEAVEN SPEAKS TO THOSE WHO FEAR PURGATORY (2)

"Saint Andrew," by Jusepe de Ribera, detto Lo Spagnoletto, oil on canvas

By "Anne," a Lay Apostle

December 21, 2006 St. Andrew God's friends in the world have a certain amount of trust in Him. There is not enough trust in Him, it is true, because there is really no way for a soul on earth to fully understand the Godhead and what flows from Him. But the small amount of trust that souls on earth have for God is well placed and benefits each person immensely. Truly, a life lived one way would be lived in a completely different way if a person allowed heaven to place greater trust in their soul. I am telling you this today because I look at you and I want you to live differently. Your life can be altered if you trust God. You will bring far more souls to the Father if you trust God. Yes, it is all about trust. Many say they trust God but then they fear purgatory. I am not trying to catch you in something. I am trying to reveal to you a possible discrepancy in what you say and what you feel. It is good to identify this discrepancy, if it exists, in order to correct it. If you follow God, you do so because it is the right thing to do. You are wise. I tell you today that it is the right thing to do because God is good. God is all love and love generates, by its nature, mercy. It can do no less. A loving heart is a soft heart. A loving heart is also a wise heart and in its wisdom the wise heart understands what is best for the recipient of perfect love. In this great love and wisdom, God allowed for repentance. He did not have to do this. He did not even have to create us and when you get to heaven you will understand how good our God is and how infinite is His love. But God, in His love, did create us and allowed for a life for each of us. God understands our weakness and delights in the process of perfection that we embark upon through fidelity to Him. God's expectations are realistic and compassionate. God expects that we will experience our weaknesses and God understands that at times we may travel down paths that lead away from Him. God could have said, "You cannot be admitted to heaven unless you become perfect on earth!" He could have said this, my friends. He is God. But He did not. He said, instead, "I will allow for the imperfections of My beloved created ones. I will help them by allowing them, if necessary, to complete this process of purification in the safety of My Kingdom." Purgatory is another extension of God's generosity. You will be safe there. In considering this as a possibility, you must rejoice. Fear of purgatory is unnecessary and inappropriate. For further information regarding the Lay Apostolate of Jesus Christ the Returning King, or to purchase Heaven Speaks booklets, please contact Direction for Our Times on the Web at www.directionforourtimes.com , or mail inquiries to the following address: 9000 West 81st St., Justice, IL  60458, U.S.A.

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"In Cordibus Jesu et Mariae"

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #17

"Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because he that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is his name." (Luke 1:48-49)

THE HUMILITY OF MARY: Although Mary was the Mother of God, she hastened to visit her cousin, to congratulate her and minister to her. And when Elizabeth received her so reverently, and praised her as Mother of God, Mary called herself God's handmaid, and gave all the glory to Him, magnifying His power, His mercy and His truth.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

HEAVEN SPEAKS TO THOSE WHO FEAR PURGATORY (1)

Heaven Speaks to Those who Fear Purgatory

By "Anne," a Lay Apostle

December 21, 2006 Jesus My beloved children harbor many fears. This is understandable. The fears of one can be transmitted to another and this is not good. During this time, fear spreads through the world quickly, almost instantaneously, through the media. Perhaps you rise on each day and look out and see that the sun is shining. It is a good moment for you. I am with you, you are fed, and My sun is shining. But this is not enough. You look to see what is happening in other parts of the world. Through communications that are often unnecessary for you, you learn that there is war, disaster and famine. You look out again but the joy you had taken in the sunshine is gone. How can you feel joy when in another place there is war, disaster and famine? You fear immediately that these things will come to you. I want you to be aware of the needs of others and if a cross comes to you, I want you to carry it with dignity. But I want you to remain in your life, paying attention to your tasks. My friends, few are serving in the area where I have placed them. They are isolating themselves, listening to events from everywhere else in the world. In the meantime, events in their own areas pass unheeded and untended. It is true that I will use communications to further My renewal. I will use everything I can to save souls. But I want less time given over to the consideration of the crosses and challenges of others and more time given over to the crosses and challenges in front of each one of My children. My enemy is using these communications to inflate the fears of My children. Fear is not from Me. Because there is disaster in one area does not mean that you are assured of disaster in your area. Children, listen to Me. It is good to sympathize with others through constant prayer and concrete assistance. It is not good to be inundated with images of disaster. This is not from Me. In each situation of upheaval, there are holy men and women acting as apostles and helping Me. They are becoming saints through these situations. My angels are present, as well as My saints. I am present. I am sustaining many and reaping a harvest for heaven in every event that occurs in your world. When each soul completes their time on earth and comes to Me, there is justice. You do not see this on your televisions. You do not read this in your newspapers. I am barely represented in these communications so you must not look to these communications for truth. Look to Me, in prayer, and there you will find truth. I make reference now to the fear harbored by many that they will suffer unbearably in purgatory. My friends, you see unjust and seemingly unbearable suffering on earth and you are fearful. You then transfer this fear to Me because if injustice is allowed on earth, surely injustice is allowed in the heavenly Kingdom. This is simply not true. There will be no injustice here and you will not suffer physical pain in purgatory. Perhaps this does not comfort you. Perhaps you understand how sinfully you have behaved and you fear just punishment. If you feel this way, you have not spent enough time resting in My companionship. You do not know Me. You do not understand heaven or its many kingdoms. I do not hold this against you. It is for this reason I am giving you these words. Do not be afraid of the process of purification that awaits some of you after your death and before your entrance into heaven. There is nothing to fear. You will find that I am all compassion and mercy. I do not seek to condemn you, but to save you. I am your friend and I love you. Even if you are not My friend now, at this time, I have hope that you will change your mind and become My friend later, at the time of your death. A friend does not prepare pain for a loved one coming in front a long journey. A friend prepares a time of recovery if it is necessary and that is what I have prepared for you. Think of time in purgatory, as time for recovery. You will recover and grow in purgatory if, together, you and I find that you need this. I will take care of you always. For further information regarding the Lay Apostolate of Jesus Christ the Returning King, or to purchase Heaven Speaks booklets, please contact Direction for Our Times on the Web at www.directionforourtimes.com, or mail inquiries to the following address: 9000 West 81st St., Justice, IL  60458, U.S.A.

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"In Cordibus Jesu et Mariae"

SCRIPTURE COMMENTARY #16

And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda. (Luke 1:39)

PROMPT SERVICE: Mary went to Elizabeth in haste, because her loving sympathy and desire to be of assistance impelled her to go to her cousin with as little delay as possible. Her example teaches us that we should never be dilatory in the performance of any good work. Let us never put off till tomorrow what we can do today.

[From 'A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture' by Bishop Knecht, D.D.]
(1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)

MARK MALLETT CONTINUED:

The Day of Difference!

Artist Unknown

 

I HAVE written often that we need to stay awake, to watch and pray, unlike the slumbering apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane. Perhaps many of you feel a great fear that you are either asleep, or perhaps that you will fall asleep, or that you will even run from the Garden! 

But there is one crucial difference between the apostles of today, and the Apostles of the Garden: Pentecost. Before Pentecost, the Apostles were fearful men, full of doubt, denial, and desire. But after Pentecost, they were transformed. Suddenly, these once ineffectual men burst into the streets of Jerusalem before their persecutors, preaching the Gospel with all boldness! The difference? Pentecost.

 

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT 

You who have been baptized have received the same Spirit. But many have never experienced a release of the Holy Spirit in their lives. This is what Confirmation is, or should be; a completion of Baptism and a new anointing of the Holy Spirit. But even then, many souls have either not been catechized properly on the Spirit, or were confirmed because "it was the thing to do." 

This catechesis is the great work of the "charismatic renewal" which has been embraced and promoted by the Holy Fathers of the past century, the current Pope included. It has facilitated the release of the Holy Spirit in many believer's lives, enabling that same power of Pentecost to transform them, melting their fears, and empowering their lives with the charisms of the Holy Spirit intended for the building up of the Body of Christ. 

It is far past the day when fellow Catholics should cease to label one another as "charismatic" or "marian" or "this or that." To be Catholic is to embrace the full spectrum of truth. It does not mean we have to pray like each other. There are a thousand ways to The Way. But we must embrace all that Jesus has revealed for our benefit—all the armor , weapons , and graces we need to engage the Great Battle the Church is entering into.

There are furthermore special graces also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning "favor," "gratuitous gift," "benefit." Whatever their character—sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues—charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church. –-Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2003

The Apostles in the book of Acts were filled with the spirit, not just once at Pentecost, but many times (see Acts 4:8 and 4:31 for example.) It was and is what St. Thomas Aquinas called, an "invisible sending" of the Spirit whereby dormant or latent charisms of the spirit are "stirred" up:

There is an invisible sending (of the Holy Spirit) also with respect to an advance in virtue or an increase of grace…  such an invisible sending is especially to be seen in that kind of increase of grace whereby a person moves forward into some new act or new state of grace… —St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae; quoted from Catholic and Christian, Alan Schreck 

After this invisible sending, I have witnessed many souls transformed. Suddenly they have a deep love for God, a hunger for his Word, and a zeal for His Kingdom. Often, there is a release of charisms which enable them to become powerful witnesses.

 

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY! 

You are no longer Apostles of the Garden unless you choose to be. Pray, then, that you be filled with the Spirit as in a new Pentecost. Join Mary in the upper room of your heart. Join her in the upper room of The Bastion, praying the Rosary and invoking her Spouse, the Holy Spirit, who is coming. The Spirit is coming! Do not be afraid, for it is just this grace which will empower you to be His witness in the face of your persecutors. 

Why did 12 fishermen convert the world, and why are half a billion Christians unable to repeat the feat?  The Spirit makes the difference. —Dr. Peter Kreeft, Fundamentals of the Faith

Pray for the Day of Difference. For what a difference a day can make…  

 

THE VOICE OF THE CHURCH

We ought to pray to and invoke the Holy Spirit, for each one of us greatly needs His protection and His help. The more a man is deficient in wisdom, weak in strength, borne down with trouble, prone to sin, so ought he the more to fly to Him who is the never-ceasing fount of light, strength, consolation, and holiness.  —-POPE LEO XIII, Encyclical Divinum illud munus, 9 May 1897, Section 11

O Holy Spirit, renew your wonders in this our day, as by a new Pentecost. —POPE JOHN XXIII at the opening of the Second Vatican Council  

It will be very fortuitous for our times, for our brothers, that there should be a generation, your generation of young people who shout out to the world the glory and the greatness of the God of Pentecost…. Jesus is Lord, hallelujah! —POPE PAUL VI, spontaneous comments, October 1973

The fresh breath of the Spirit, too, has come to awaken latent energies within the Church, to stir up dormant charisms, and to infuse a sense of vitality and joy. —POPE PAUL VI, A New Pentecost by Cardinal Suenens 

Be open to Christ, welcome the Spirit, so that a new Pentecost may take place in every community!  A new humanity, a joyful one, will arise from your midst; you will experience again the saving power of the Lord.  —POPE JOHN PAUL II, in Latin America, 1992

…[a] new springtime of Christian life will be revealed by the Great Jubilee if Christians are docile to the action of the Holy Spirit… —POPE JOHN PAUL II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, n. 18

I am really a friend of movements—Communione e Liberazione, Focolare, and the Charismatic Renewal.  I think this is a sign of the Springtime and of the presence of the Holy Spirit. —Cardinal Ratzinger (POPE BENEDICT XVI), Interview with Raymond Arroyo, EWTN, The World Over, September 5th, 2003

…this grace of Pentecost, known as Baptism in the Holy Spirit, does not belong to any particular movement but to the whole Church.   …being fully baptized in the Holy Spirit is part of the public, liturgical life of the Church. —Bishop Sam G. Jacobs, Introductory Letter, Fanning the Flame

 

FURTHER READING:

• The Coming Pentecost

The Coming Transfiguration