Haggai, Chapter 1, verse 12
12 Then Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and the high
priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak, and all the remnant of the people obeyed the
LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, since the LORD their God
had sent him; thus the people feared the LORD.
Haggai was a prophet to the Lord
during the reign of the Persian King Darius who led the Jews who after the
exile feared the Lord; they were the
remnant. In today’s world with all its corruption we also are the remnant, let
us this day rejoice and obey our Lord in Holy fear, which is Love.
A joyful heart comes to those who
are at peace with themselves, their family and community and the world around
them. Those blessed with the peace of Christ let nothing disturb them, nothing frighten them; knowing God never
changes. They adhere to the principle of St. Teresa of Avila: Patience obtains
all things. Nothing is wanting to him who possesses God. God alone suffices.
In fact patience and kindness are
the two primary pillars on which Holy love are built.[1]
I, then, a
prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have
received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love, striving to
preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and
one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one
God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
(Ephesians 4:1-6).
The
welfare of the family is decisive for the future of the world and that of the
Church. Families are faced with the growing danger represented by an extreme
individualism (which the world professes) which weakens family bonds and ends
up considering each member of the family as an isolated unit, leading in some
cases to the idea that one’s personality is shaped by his or her desires, which
are considered absolute”. The tensions created by an overly individualistic
culture, caught up with possessions and pleasures, leads to intolerance and
hostility in families. Freedom of choice makes it possible to plan our lives
and to make the most of ourselves. Yet
if this freedom lacks noble goals or personal discipline, it degenerates into
an inability to give oneself generously to others. It is easy nowadays to
confuse genuine freedom with the idea that each individual can act arbitrarily,
as if there were no truths, values and principles to provide guidance, and
everything were possible and permissible. The ideal of marriage, marked by a
commitment to exclusivity and stability, is swept aside whenever it proves
inconvenient or tiresome. The fear
of loneliness and the desire for stability and fidelity exist side by side with
a growing fear of entrapment in a
relationship that could hamper the achievement of one’s personal goals. To be Continued…
Ascension Day
Today we celebrate the
occasion of Christ being taken up into heaven to be with the Father and to
intercede for us.
For forty days after His resurrection,
Jesus remained with His disciples, to convince them of the truth of His
resurrection, to teach them in regard to His kingdom, that is, His Church, and
their vocation; and as they were still thinking of an earthly kingdom to be
established by Christ, He referred them to the instruction of the Holy Ghost,
and then ascended to heaven, whence He shall come to be our judge. Rejoice over
the instructions which are preserved for you through the Church; but rejoice
especially that Jesus has taken possession of the glory gained by His most
profound humiliations, for now He is there an intercessor for you; there He
prepares for you a mansion ; there is now your home. To-day look up to heaven
where Christ is, hope, suffer, love, and pray. (Goffine’s Devout Instructions,
1896)
Novena to the Holy Spirit[3]
The novena in honor of
the Holy Spirit is the oldest of all novenas since it was first made at the
direction of Our Lord Himself when He sent His apostles back to Jerusalem to
await the coming of the Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost. It is still the
only novena officially prescribed by the Church. Addressed to the Third Person
of the Blessed Trinity, it is a powerful plea for the light and strength and
love so sorely needed by every Christian.
On
the day of Ascension our Lord went to the Father. The disciples were
heartbroken but He promised them that He would send the Holy Spirit (Novena to the Holy
Spirit) saying it is better for us that He leave us so we may receive power
from on high. The first gift of the Holy Spirit is the gift of Holy fear; to respond to God’s love as a son
or daughter rather than a servant.
Reflect on today’s
gospel, where is the Lord asking you to GO and when you go remember to take four anchors with you; Matthew, Mark, Luke and
John.
Cinco de Mayo[4]
Today is Cinco de Mayo; sometimes
referred to as Cinco de Drunko, due to the heavy consumption of alcohol
connected with the hedonistic celebration. Cinco de Mayo is a relatively minor
holiday in Mexico. However, in America it is up there with some of our most
celebrated: like the Fourth of July and St. Patricks day. The holiday has
reinvented itself in America, from celebrating Mexico's win at the Battle of
Puebla, to celebrating Mexican culture, and beer, and tequila. If we're being
completely honest though, the actual meaning of Cinco de Mayo in America is
pretty lost on us, but so is the meaning of St. Patrick’s day. Today instead of
following this hedonistic celebration try and make it to Mass today.
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