What a precious gift from God is the Lenten Season . Our loving Father God , each year , through the Church offers us a powerful reminder to take a good look at our lives, see where we are falling short of true Christian lives , to repent , make penances , 'get back on track ' so to speak. Beginning with Ash Wednesday , ashes created from palms collected and burnt from the previous year 's Palm Sunday , marked on everyone's forehead in the form of the cross, whilst hearing the words ,'repent and believe in the Gospel ', or ' remember man that you are dust and to dust you shall return'.
This world is not the end all of all, remember man, woman , child this world is temporary and your true home is with The Holy Trinity and the whole celestial court in Heaven.
So take this opportunity so neatly and conveniently laid open for you , the season of repentance , lent .'lent is bittersweet' quoted from Fr Anthony Zahra OFM Conv,
Bitter with denial of self, the struggle and effort to turn away from ways contrary to the teachings of the Church.
Sweet because every reconciliation is full of Joy , every turn towards God and the right path is lined with heavenly sweetness.
St Maximilian Kolbe..Blog of the Militia of the Immaculata Australia “May the life of the Immaculate take possession of us ever more, day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment, and this without any limitation, growing, in the same way, in every soul that exists and will exist for all time: behold our beloved ideal.” St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe OFM Conv.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Turn the other cheek
'Jesus said to his disciples : ' you have learn't how it was said , eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth ',but I say this to you , offer the wicked man no resistance .....
You have learn't how it was said ' you must love your neighbour and hate your enemy, but I say this to you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you....
For he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good .....
( taken from The Gospel , 7th Sunday ordinary time , Matthew 5:38-48)
Powerful words from Jesus to all of us of every generation , first received in the ears of his disciples and all who gathered to listen. Dear saint Maximilian Kolbe lived these words, he heard them and lived them, as many others and saints have down down the centuries. When Saint Maximlian felt the abuse ,the harsh treatment of his persecutors, he didn't retaliate , he prayed and in finality meekly held out his arm for the lethal injection that would close his life of witness of a loving Christ .He was the living example of Christ's love and mercy, he was love as Jesus is Love, a small drop of love immersed and indistinguishable in the infinite ocean of God's Love. Why this powerful example in our generation , our times where selfishness , materialism dominate, where a coward punch is justice for a unassuming bystander. Why because God loves us , he forgives us , he is mercy and calls us to Him through the witnesses of many saints like st Maximilian Kolbe
You have learn't how it was said ' you must love your neighbour and hate your enemy, but I say this to you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you....
For he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good .....
( taken from The Gospel , 7th Sunday ordinary time , Matthew 5:38-48)
Powerful words from Jesus to all of us of every generation , first received in the ears of his disciples and all who gathered to listen. Dear saint Maximilian Kolbe lived these words, he heard them and lived them, as many others and saints have down down the centuries. When Saint Maximlian felt the abuse ,the harsh treatment of his persecutors, he didn't retaliate , he prayed and in finality meekly held out his arm for the lethal injection that would close his life of witness of a loving Christ .He was the living example of Christ's love and mercy, he was love as Jesus is Love, a small drop of love immersed and indistinguishable in the infinite ocean of God's Love. Why this powerful example in our generation , our times where selfishness , materialism dominate, where a coward punch is justice for a unassuming bystander. Why because God loves us , he forgives us , he is mercy and calls us to Him through the witnesses of many saints like st Maximilian Kolbe
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Friday, January 31, 2014
St Maximilian Kolbe , pray for us
' No greater love has a man then to lay down his life for a friend '
St Maximilian lived this, he gave his life for a friend who was also a stranger but to St Maximilian a person created in the image of God.
St Maximilian is a Hero of our times, a Champion of Christ, a shining Knight and humble servant of the Queen of Heaven.
He wore the two crowns given by Our Lady herself with heroic faithfulness even to his last act of charity in the starvation bunker when he forgave the doctor/executioner who gave him a lethal injection.
Spiritually he wore the white crown of purity, with a heart , soul , mind and body untarnished by the sins of this world and filled wholeheartedly with love of God and Our Lady and a driven zeal to spread the Gospel for the love of man .
Spiritually he wore the red crown of martyrdom , in the long hard years of ill health, travel in harsh conditions , a burning desire to bring all to Christ by devotion to the Handmaid of God , through the media of the times , newspapers , magazines , establishing working cities of our Lady filled with hundreds of like minded friars , praying and touching an unknown number of souls ,inspiring a true love of God and Our lady, culminating in his sacrificial death .
He became in death a example for us and for all times calling us to follow Christ .
What Joy was his when in closing his eyes in death opened them to the glories of Heaven and eternal peace in the bosom of God.
St Maximilian lived this, he gave his life for a friend who was also a stranger but to St Maximilian a person created in the image of God.
St Maximilian is a Hero of our times, a Champion of Christ, a shining Knight and humble servant of the Queen of Heaven.
He wore the two crowns given by Our Lady herself with heroic faithfulness even to his last act of charity in the starvation bunker when he forgave the doctor/executioner who gave him a lethal injection.
Spiritually he wore the white crown of purity, with a heart , soul , mind and body untarnished by the sins of this world and filled wholeheartedly with love of God and Our Lady and a driven zeal to spread the Gospel for the love of man .
Spiritually he wore the red crown of martyrdom , in the long hard years of ill health, travel in harsh conditions , a burning desire to bring all to Christ by devotion to the Handmaid of God , through the media of the times , newspapers , magazines , establishing working cities of our Lady filled with hundreds of like minded friars , praying and touching an unknown number of souls ,inspiring a true love of God and Our lady, culminating in his sacrificial death .
He became in death a example for us and for all times calling us to follow Christ .
What Joy was his when in closing his eyes in death opened them to the glories of Heaven and eternal peace in the bosom of God.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
A Gift for Jesus
In some nations the feast of the epiphany of The Lord is when gifts are exchanged, as the three kings came to adore the infant King and bring Him gifts, gold for royalty, a gift for a king. Frankincense a gift offered to the Holy, myrrh to embalm the dead, offered for His burial , that the three kings knew the significance of their gifts we don't know, but it makes us think what worthy gift can I offer the King. The holy family would have appreciated these gifts and used them as necessary and appropriate , but as Jesus is the King of the universe and God Almighty in perfect unity with the Trinity what can we offer ? He provides for us daily, yet in a humble childlike manner offering what he has given us is commendable. We offer ourselves, family , possessions, work , thoughts, joys, actions, dreams etc.
Let us always look to the Virgin Mary, His only Mother, His True loving Mother and first of all the disciples.She offered everything, nothing was held back from Him who had given her everything. When we look at the Immaculata we see a soul spotless , made in the image of God with no stain or blemish . Mary's soul was a pristine immaculate mirror reflecting perfectly the infinite Love of God. That is the best gift we could give a heavenly King, our Creator and our Saviour. God beckons , His mercy reaches out to us though His gift of Reconciliation , He encourages us to offer Him this ultimate gift to be pure and sinless in His presence , in imitation of our heavenly Mother Mary. Yes we are made of dust , we fall numerous times, are weak and have many faults and inclinations unworthy of God, still God calls us, tells us we can do it ! Strive to be the perfect gift to God , why do we doubt God , how can we not believe God's Words and encouragement in every line of the bible. The saints had no doubts concerning God , they believed in His Omnipotence , trusting even if standing on the precipice of hell. Contemplating Our Lady and the Saints where did they gain this trust ? The invincible desire to serve God even to the point of a martyr's end. In a nutshell , Love.
God loves us, He always has , why else did He create us each individually as we are if not because He already Loved us before creation , but to be a spotless soul , a pristine mirror reflecting His Love, the perfect gift, we must Love , begun by searching for Jesus, looking for Him everywhere , in His Word, the bible , prayer, in music, spiritual reading, in nature, in encounters with people , in the day to day of family life and so on. Until you find Him, Jesus , when you find Him you also find you have fell in love with Him, then you can only be a pure soul , because all your desires rest in Him, to turn from Him in sin would cause such sorrow it would never be repeated.
We must remember, yes we are limited in who we are, but God is infinite and we aspire to Him, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, we forget ourselves and our limitations , we'll find ourselves near Him, in Him, forever in love.
Let us always look to the Virgin Mary, His only Mother, His True loving Mother and first of all the disciples.She offered everything, nothing was held back from Him who had given her everything. When we look at the Immaculata we see a soul spotless , made in the image of God with no stain or blemish . Mary's soul was a pristine immaculate mirror reflecting perfectly the infinite Love of God. That is the best gift we could give a heavenly King, our Creator and our Saviour. God beckons , His mercy reaches out to us though His gift of Reconciliation , He encourages us to offer Him this ultimate gift to be pure and sinless in His presence , in imitation of our heavenly Mother Mary. Yes we are made of dust , we fall numerous times, are weak and have many faults and inclinations unworthy of God, still God calls us, tells us we can do it ! Strive to be the perfect gift to God , why do we doubt God , how can we not believe God's Words and encouragement in every line of the bible. The saints had no doubts concerning God , they believed in His Omnipotence , trusting even if standing on the precipice of hell. Contemplating Our Lady and the Saints where did they gain this trust ? The invincible desire to serve God even to the point of a martyr's end. In a nutshell , Love.
God loves us, He always has , why else did He create us each individually as we are if not because He already Loved us before creation , but to be a spotless soul , a pristine mirror reflecting His Love, the perfect gift, we must Love , begun by searching for Jesus, looking for Him everywhere , in His Word, the bible , prayer, in music, spiritual reading, in nature, in encounters with people , in the day to day of family life and so on. Until you find Him, Jesus , when you find Him you also find you have fell in love with Him, then you can only be a pure soul , because all your desires rest in Him, to turn from Him in sin would cause such sorrow it would never be repeated.
We must remember, yes we are limited in who we are, but God is infinite and we aspire to Him, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, we forget ourselves and our limitations , we'll find ourselves near Him, in Him, forever in love.
The Epiphany of The Lord
Born a Babe on Bethlehem's plain
Gold we bring to crown Him again
King forever , ceasing never
Over us all to reign
From hymn , ' Star of Wonder '
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