THE NECESSITY OF A DECISIVE MOMENT: MARY, A GUIDE FOR THE PERPLEXED

Ladislaus Boros begins his shocking yet captivating The Mystery of Death, by citing the bitter remark from the poem; Man’s Estate: “you know what they say: it takes nine months to create a man and only a single day to destroy him. When man is utterly a man, when that manhood has been achieved, the only thing he is good for is to die.” The existentialists’ mantra advances that there is no pre-given essence for man, rather, man actively creates for himself an essence through commitments to a certain course of life. Although an over ambitious humanism is found within this thesis, it nonetheless posits to us the very core of Mary’s dilemma. It presents to us the very picture of man. It is that picture of us when we are devoid of friends, those instances when no relative is close, no acquaintance is ready to hand, to whom we may run to for urgent advice. But the paradox of such moments is that when those decisions are eventually made by us, we have the whole world streaming towards us, either to congratulate us or to offer to us, their own portion of the numerous criticisms we receive. The question which therefore borders us here is: what does it really take the human to decide. Can the presumptions that inform our decisions be duly passed through the crucible of sincerity?

SUPER OMNES SPECIOSA

 The title of Mary as Super omnes speciosa was used by the composer of the Latin Marian hymn "Ave Regina Caelorum" to describe the position of Mary in the company of the blessed. The Latin phrase can be translated to mean the fairest amongst the fair or the most beautiful amongst the beautiful. Thus, Mary is presented as the most glorious amongst the blessed in Heaven. This is a usual attribute given to Mary in her special role as the Theotokos (Mother of God) and in her singular privilege of been immaculately conceived whilst maintaining that immaculateness all her life. Thus, both by reason of her position as the Mother of God and her life of sinlessness, Mary has a special place among the Elect.

“HAIL MARY, FULL OF GRACE” Advent Reflection

“Hail Mary, Full of grace,” this is the Angel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary which preceded the annunciation of both the conception of the Word in her womb and the birth of the God-man. This greeting is twofold: first, Gabriel greets Mary – a sign of reverence; second, he affirms her state of grace. Indeed, the latter caused the former: the state of grace caused the angel’s reverence.

Zechariah: A model for Christmas preparations.

 

A Priest is a mediator between God and the people. He speaks with God and delivers the message to the people. In Biblical days, Priests were revered as privileged souls who possessed insights into the divine mysteries and communicated them to people by leading them in religious worship.

THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN; A DAILY STRUGGLE

 

Right from the dawn of creation, from the very moment man strayed away from God by his disobedience, he has been like a fish out of water. He had always sought to find rest, succor, peace and joy which he enjoyed prior to his fall. This struggle is to retrace his source and sustainer. Often times, in contrary to our desires and expectations, instead of solace and comfort that our hearts yearn for, we are met with the very opposite, and so we get disappointed and distressed, at times tempted to question the essence of our being and the value of our existence here on earth. We are confronted by our three principal enemies: the flesh, the world and the evil one.

Today Salvation has come to this house

 33rd Tuesday in Ordinary Time.

Today Salvation has come to this house

( Luke 19: 1- 10)

A certain man was very notorious for stealing fashionable shoes from his home town and reselling in other communities where they were quite expensive to make a living. When caught sometimes he was given several punishments but it didn’t stop him from going back to his source of livelihood (stealing shoes). One day, the villagers decided to give him an indelible mark of shame as his punishment,  they bound his hands and foot and with a hot metal imprinted the letters “S T" ( Shoe Thief) on his forehead.

SAY YES TO HUMILITY AND SAVE HUMANITY (2 Chronicles 7:14 & Luke 1:38) (Phase 1)

 

It is well established in our hearts how important the virtue of humility is, how it is highly needed in the society and how it is valued by God. We know that we need it, but we do not expect it to be acquired so easily. We need God’s grace and sincere disposition for us to have it.

Humility and humanity are two different words but similar in nature.  The words “humility” and “human” have one root word  ‘Humus’ which is the Latin word for earth (a rich and nutrient filled soil). Humility is derived from ‘Humilitas’ a Latin word which means ‘one who is grounded or near to the earth’

Disposition to God's Will

St Elizabeth Ann Seton said, "the first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills it; thirdly, to do it because he wills it." The catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that ultimately, we are created to do this Will, because it is for Him and Him alone that we are made and thus, all our actions should find its end in Him or better put in his Will.

WHY WILL JESUS CALL THE POOR BLESSED. (MARY, MODEL OF POVERTY)

   

  "Blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of God" (Luke 6:20) or as Matthew puts it "Blessed are the poor in Spirit for they shall inherit the kingdom of heaven" (Mathew 5:3). These where the first words of Jesus in his sermon on the mount. He started his public ministry by emphasizing the place and role of poverty in the whole story of the Christian person. But poverty is something abhorred, rejected and never wanted. Can we say that Jesus is happy with the deprivation and wretched situations we see in some under-developed countries, the wretchedness that makes many to die of hunger or the crisis many experiences based on the fact that they cannot afford some basic necessities of life. Surely, this is not the will of God because we cannot see the glory of God in a man who is not fully alive. What, then, is Jesus referring to when he talks about this?

DO YOU KNOW THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THESE SINS WEREN'T FORGIVEN IN THE CHURCH? - ST. CALLISTUS I

   

  One of the most beautiful powers of the Church is the power to forgive sin, entrusted to her by her Divine Spouse, Our Lord Jesus, "If you forgive any sin, they are forgiven; if you retain any sin, they are retained" (John 20:23). This assurance that our sins are forgiven when we approach the sacrament of reconciliation, continues to urge us on to the hope prepared for us which the eyes, the ears or the imagination of man cannot experience. This grace of God's benevolence, also, supports St. Theresa's claims that, "God is just, He understands that we are but humans". However, there was a time in the Church when certain sins were considered unforgivable especially by the physical Church. These sins are MURDER, IDOLATRY, FRAUD, APOSTASY, BLASPHEMY, ADULTERY, FORNICATION. This, at a particular time in history caused great issues in the early Church. However, we owe the full access to God's mercy through the ministry of the Church, as we have it today, to the disposition and intervention of Pope Callistus I.

10 facts about Carlo Acutis

The internet has been disturbed by the sight of a body displayed, incorrupt and wearing jeans and sweater. The site of the teenager attracts such awe since we are used to seeing saints dressed in cassocks or religious habits. However, this holy man of our time teaches us that in our time and place we can as well be as great as the saints of old. Not by trying to follow the exact life style they lived, as in their culture and practical living but by allowing the spirit of Christ incarnate in us and make us live out the Gospel in our own particular situations with things around us.

Dealing with Suffering

"life is not a bed of roses" is a popular adage. But, is this really true? What of those born with silver spoons; those whose future have been planned out; those who are born into, so to say, perfect families? For these few, life is but a bed of roses. 

However, we know that roses have thorns in them and these are integral parts of roses. 

“ My mother and brethren are those who hear the word of God and do it”

25th  Tuesday in ordinary time

“ My mother and brethren are those who hear the word of God and do it”

A preacher once said that “SIN” simply means  “Simple Instruction(s) Neglected”.

Adam was instructed not to eat of a particular tree, He did eat of it and incurred the wrath of God. More so, all those who neglected God’s instructions ( according to Bible narratives) especially those instructions that He "particularly spelt out"  incur His wrath. And those who kept His words despite the possible challenges that came with it (like the Blessed Virgin Mary) were blessed. To know the right thing is one thing, to do the right thing is another.  Hence, knowledge is power when it is exercised. A dormant knowledge that is neither shared and not implemented is as useless as grain seeds abandoned in a store for moth and beetle to eat away at them. They are neither planted to regenerate nor processed to serve human needs.  

LOVE GOD AND DO WHATEVER YOU PLEASE - ST AUGUSTINE

    St. Augustine once said "Love God and do whatever you please". This statement seems to be confusing because one will wonder, can one be justified if one loves God and still live a life not worthy of a child of God? Can we say that all that is needed to be holy is simply to love God? Yet this seems to be what St. Augustine is implying. Does it mean that if I love God, then I can fornicate, lie, steal, kill, commit abortion and I am safe? To better understand this confusing statement, I think its better to understand what it means to Love God. 

THIRD APPARITION OF FATIMA

        The message of Fatima is that of Prayer, Penance and Sacrifice. Our Lady, appearing to the Children, made known to them the need for the world to embark on prayers, penances and sacrifices because of the numerous sin which offend the divine Majesty.

          The apparition on the 13^th of July, 1917 was particularly peculiar because of the several events that took place. Firstly, before the day, Lucia was reluctant to go to the scene of the apparition because of the words of the Pastor, that the devil might be responsible for the apparitions. Nevertheless, her doubts were cleared prior to the day. Also, the apparition was particularly important because of the three secrets of the apparition, which the Children guarded zealously. The first two was revealed by Lucia in her Third Memoir and the later was communicated only to the Bishop, who sent it unread to Pope Pius XII.

THE DOCILITY OF ST. PETER AND ST. PAUL

“Your heralds brought glad tidings to greatest and to least; They told all men to hasten to share the great kings feast. And this was all their teaching in every deed and word, to all alike proclaiming: One Church, one Faith, one Lord.” –Edward H. Plumptre.

            In the life of the two great apostles Peter and Paul, we see the marvels of God’s glorious work and manifestation. The Divine hand worked on them and through them brought about his glorious plans. The glorious works performed by Peter, the prince of the apostles, cannot be recounted without great awe. Jesus named him as his vicar and set him as a foundation upon which he built his church. Jesus asked him to feed his lamb and prayed that his faith will not fail. After the Pentecost, we see him preaching fearlessly and boldly before the people of Israel, and even to disobeying the Sanhedrin saying, that is better to obey God rather than men. What can we say about the mighty miracles performed by this great apostle? It is recorded that the sick was brought out on the road, so that his shadow can fall on them for healing (Acts 5:15). He raised the dead and wrought so many other glorious works. Finally, he bore the ultimate witness by giving his life for the sake of his love for Christ.

            What of the glorious St. Paul? He is rightly referred to as thegreatest missionary of all time. His missionary zeal and firmness in proclaiming the word of God to all nations cannot be measured. Despite the difficulties that accompany the work, he never relented. Both in hunger and