Everything that God created in the world is good. After creating, in the Book of Genesis, God says that it was good. The stars, the moon, the earth, the seas, the animals, the night and the light—all that God created was and is good.

Now the crowning summit or apex of creation was when God decided to create man and woman and He created them in His image and likeness. Of all that God created, the human persons, man and woman, are the greatest in the natural world. So much is this the case that God created all other beings subordinate to the human persons—man and woman. Furthermore, God created all other lower beings as a means to help both man and woman to arrive at their final destiny and that is the eternal bliss of Heaven.

In other words, all created reality God brought into existence so that the human persons—man and woman—could use creation as a ladder by which to ascend to Heaven. Put succinctly, man and woman must use creation for its proper end and purpose so as to arrive at Heaven, and not to abuse created reality.

Never have we lived in a world with so much information. With the proper use of the Internet, we can learn about almost anything in a matter of a few seconds. However, it also must be stated that never have we lived in a world with so much confusion.

Therefore, this short article will present a clear and concise explanation of the identity, purpose and destiny of human persons. We must know where we come from, who we are, and where we are headed in our short earthly sojourn. Clarity of purpose, identity and destiny is indispensable for human persons!

1. CREATION IS GOOD.  As mentioned earlier, all that flows from God’s creative Hand is good—from the most simple of all creation to the highest—human persons: man and woman! Evil comes from abuse of God’s good gifts; this we call sin!

2. GOD CREATED MAN AND WOMAN IN HIS LIKENESS.  The Bible states unequivocally that God created man and woman in His image and likeness. Quite simply the following: there are vestiges in the human persons—man and woman—that reflect attributes that are qualities of God. Three would be the following: intellect, will, and soul. The human persons have intellect to know the truth; they have the will to love God; they have an immortal soul so as to live beyond the grave and to be united with an Immortal God for all eternity.

3. TWO DIFFERENT, DISTINCT SEXUAL IDENTITIES.  Now in the midst of the chaos and confusion of the sexual-identity crisis, it must be stated with the utmost clarity that from the very beginning God created two different human persons with different sexual identities. There is no admixture or confusion.

4. MALE AND FEMALE.  The distinction is very clear: male and female. God created male and female, man and woman in His image and likeness.  (Read Gen. 3:18-25). “So, the Lord God cast a deep sleep on the man, and while he was asleep, he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. The Lord God built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man. When he brought her to the man, the man said: ‘This one at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called woman for she was taken out of man.’” (Gen 2:21-23)

5. NAMES OF FIRST MAN AND WOMAN:  The Bible gives the names of the first man and the first woman: the first man’s name, Adam, meaning taken from the earth; the first woman, Eva, meaning the mother of all the living

6. MATRIMONY: NATURE AND PURPOSE!  From the beginning, God, who is the author and origin and lover of life, desired life and the multiplication of life, especially human life. The means by which God, from the very start, desired new life to have its origin is through the loving union of man and woman, male and female (two separate and distinct sexes). This realizes its purpose and perfection in the oldest of institutions in the Bible—Holy Matrimony! The bond of Holy Matrimony takes place between man and woman, and the first union was Adam and his union with Eve. Adam, the husband, and Eve, the wife.

7. KEY BIBLICAL PASSAGE: DISTINCTION OF SEXES AND MARITAL UNION.  A key passage for the distinction of sexes and the purpose of Marital union is the following: “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife and the two of them become one flesh.” (Gen. 2:24) Jesus confirms this and adds: “And what God has united let no man rent asunder.” (Mt. 19:6) These few words give a foundation for both Holy Matrimony and its indissoluble character and permanence.

8. THE TWO DIFFERENT AND DISTINCT SEXES AND COMPLIMENTARITY.  God created male and female, man and woman, Adam and Eve as distinct human persons. However, it must be stated with utmost clarity that there is no superiority between man and woman. Rather, there is equality but complementarity. That is to say, both man and woman are different physically, biologically, emotionally, affectively and in their differences they complement and complete each other by their loving union.

9. NAME IT, CLAIM IT, TAME IT AND CORRECT IT.  It must be asserted with utmost clarity that there exists today a Sexual-identity crisis that sad to say is spreading far and wide like wildfire. This manifests itself by promoting the practice of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, transgenderism. Not only that, but also the legal approval and promotion of surgical sex changes. All of this goes totally against the above Biblical explanation, as well as the Natural Law written in the heart of every human person, and mere common sense. Still more, if this aberrant and erroneous sexual agenda grows, it will militate strongly against the family which is the basic cell of society, the primary and foundational institution of society. History has proven it true: when the family unravels in a society, than that society and civilization are placed in jeopardy, and will decline and end in debacle and ruin. So we must name it, claim it, tame it and correct it

10. ACCEPT GOD’S DESIGN AND WILL FOR YOU.  God loves you with an eternal and infinite love and His love never changes. We must humbly and with great gratitude accept the way that God created us. He created us male or female, either a boy or a girl, man or woman. There is no other option. Let us thank God for His love and goodness and be proud of our distinct sexual identity. In the words of Saint Paul, let us strive to glorify God with all our being, with our body, mind, and soul in this life so as to glorify Him forever in heaven.

In conclusion, my friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray for the grace to have utmost clarity as to our own distinct sexual identity—our male identity or our female identity and live according to this identity. As adults and parents, let us also do all in our power to help our children, our teens to avoid falling into this pernicious, poisonous and toxic sexual identity crisis. Let us learn the Truth about God and ourselves—our distinct sexual identity. Let us live the Truth, let us love the Truth, and let us teach the Truth. Indeed, Jesus is “THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE AND THE TRUTH WILL SET US FREE!”

There is nothing greater on earth then the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass; it is where Heaven unites with earth in a symphony of praise, adoration, worship, thanksgiving, supplication and reparation. Before offering a ten-step program to improve our participation in Holy Mass, let us spend a brief time in meditating and reflecting on what some of the great saints have said in praise of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

St. Thomas Aquinas: “Man should tremble, the world should quake, all Heaven should be deeply moved when the Son of God appears on the altar in the hands of the priest.”

St. Leonard of Port Maurice: “Know, O Christian, that the Mass is the holiest act of religion. You cannot do anything to glorify God more, nor profit your soul more than by devoutly assisting at it, and assisting as often as possible.”

St. Francis of Assisi: “It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do so without Holy Mass.”

St. Pio of Pietrelcina: “No human tongue can enumerate the favors that trace back to the Sacrifice of the Mass. The sinner is reconciled to God; the just man becomes more upright; sins are wiped away; vices are uprooted; virtue and merit increases; and the devil’s schemes are frustrated.”

St. Bernard: “Martyrdom is nothing in comparison with the Mass because martyrdom is the sacrifice of man to God, whereas the Mass is the sacrifice of God to man.”

Now we offer ten brief but important suggestions on ways that we can live out the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass more efficaciously. Our sanctification and salvation depend on Holy Mass and how we live out the fruits of this Greatest of all Miracles!

PREPARATION:

1. PREPARATION: COME EARLY BEFORE MASS STARTS. One of the ways in which we truly diminish the efficacy of the graces that we receive from the greatest prayer and Gift left to us from the Sacred Heart of Jesus is to be lazy in our preparation for Holy Mass. This becomes manifest in a lazy, nonchalant, flippant attitude when sauntering in late for Mass, with no misgivings. If we were invited to a banquet with a King and Queen, no doubt our punctuality would not be in jeopardy. Yet how often and even common it is to come late to visit the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the Creator of the universe, in Holy Mass!

2. PLACE YOUR OWN INTENTIONS ON THE ALTAR OF THE MASS. In the Parish, usually the priest has a specific intention for the Mass. However, this should not exclude your own intentions. There are no limits to intentions, but three could be of great value:

• PURGATORY.  Pray for the souls in Purgatory. These souls are saved, but must be purified of the sins that they did not repair for sufficiently while on earth. Your personal Mass intention for these poor souls could greatly alleviate their sufferings, or even free them completely so they can make their flight to Heaven.

• CONVERSION OF SINNERS. Many sinners can be converted by the fervent prayers of others. The most powerful prayer is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and fervent Holy Communions. Let us work with the Lord for the salvation of souls by offering the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus to the Father imploring mercy for the conversion of poor sinners.

• PERSONAL CONVERSION OF HEART. Until we die, we are all called to personal conversion. The first words in the Public ministry of Jesus were: “Be converted because the Kingdom of God is at hand.”  (Mk. 1:15). This can be applied to Holy Communion. We are transformed into what we eat. Upon receiving Holy Communion, we become transformed by consuming the Host, for in it is the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and His most noble sentiments. What is lacking in our poor heart can be more than abundantly supplied in Holy Communion if we desire it!

3. PARTICIPATE IN HOLY MASS. The Church Documents. (Sacrosanctum Concilium) warmly encourage us to participate in Holy Mass. Passive, inattentive, distracted presence in the Mass is counter-productive. The more actively we are engaged, the more abundant the graces will flow upon us and the whole world.  Spiritual bench-warmers in Mass unfortunately are all too many!

Often the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass has been divided into two essential parts: 1) The Liturgy of the Word; 2) The Liturgy of the Eucharist. 

LITURGY OF THE WORD.

4. LISTEN ATTENTIVELY TO THE WORD OF GOD. One of the key parts of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is “The Liturgy of the Word”.  On Sundays, the rich Banquet of the Word of God offers us three wonderful Readings. How we should hunger for the Word of God. Jesus responded to the devil: “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Mt. 4:4) In most Sunday Masses, the First Reading is taken from the Old Testament, followed by part of a Psalm. Then the Second Reading is taken from the New Testament, usually from one of the Epistles/Letters of St. Paul. Finally, the most important and prominent Reading is from one of the Gospels. For this last of the Readings we stand, manifesting our great reverence in encountering Jesus. May we listen attentively to the Word of God, understand it with our mind, and put it into practice. Then the priest, who represents Jesus the High Priest, in his homily explains the Readings and how we can put the Word of God into practice in our daily lives. May we listen attentively and heed the challenge to follow Christ and His living Word.

5. THE PROFESSION OF FAITH / THE CREED. Following the Readings is the Profession of Faith, also known as the Creed. We stand and profess what we believe as followers of Jesus Christ. If a non-believer were to ask you what you believe as a Catholic, right away you could refer them to the Creed in the Mass. Then you could refer them to the Catechism of the Catholic Church which explains the Creed in the most minute detail. Upon receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation, we should be ready to be an Apostle, ready and willing to defend the faith, as well as to spread the faith. Indeed, one of the best ways to grow in our faith is to share it with others.

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

The Council Fathers speak about two tables from which we are called to nourish our souls. Our mind consumes the Word of God; our soul, the Eucharistic Presence of Jesus, the Bread of Life. The Liturgy of the Eucharist can actually be divided into three essential parts: Offertory, the Consecration, and Holy Communion. These three parts will be explained briefly. May we sincerely strive to live the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!

6. THE OFFERTORY. This essential part of Holy Mass consists of the faithful offering a monetary donation and then the presentation of the gifts, at times characterized by the Offertory Procession. In the Offertory, we return to our intentions that we placed on the altar as we arrived early even before Mass started. Once again, in spirit, we deposit on the altar all of our intentions: the souls in Purgatory, the conversion of sinners, and our own personal conversion. Actually, you can place as many intentions on the altar as you like. The more intentions we offer, the more pleasing to God.

7. CONSECRATION. This is the sublime and solemn moment in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass where you witness “The Greatest Miracle” occur. When the priest pronounces the words of Consecration over the Bread and Wine, there is a radical transformation. In fact, the Bread and Wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Jesus the Lord. Upon this double consecration, rapt in awe, we worship the same Jesus who was crucified and rose from the dead. It is the same Lord, but under the Eucharistic species. “O come, let us adore Him!”

8. HOLY COMMUNION.  We have arrived at the culminating moment of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass— Holy Communion.  Never should we forget even for an instant that Holy Communion is truly and substantially the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If we are in the state of sanctifying grace, then we can approach to receive this most sublime Gift—God Himself. However, our attitude of heart should be great humility, purity, faith, and hunger for the Bread of Life. The two greatest gestures we can do on earth is to receive absolution from the priest in Confession, and to receive Holy Communion! However, it must be said, the better the disposition of our heart, the more abundant the graces.

9. THANKSGIVING. After we have received Jesus in Holy Communion, we should not rush off, but rather spend some time in silence to render Jesus abundant thanksgiving. In the words of the Psalmist: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; his love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1) Thank the Lord Jesus from the depths of your heart for the great gift of Himself in Holy Communion. The word Eucharist actually means “Thanksgiving”.

10. BE A MISSIONARY: BRING THE FRUITS OF THE MASS TO THE WHOLE WORLD!  If we are really living the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, then as we leave Mass we should have the ardent desire to bring the fruits of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to others. Our Lady is our Model. She received Jesus in the Annunciation when she said to the Angel, “Behold, I am the hand maid of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word.” (Lk. 1:38) Then she went in haste to bring Jesus to others in the Visitation to her cousin Elizabeth. (Lk. 1:39) May we follow Mary as our example and guide. Let us bring the Eucharistic Lord to the world by our words and our actions.

In conclusion, my friends in Jesus and Mary, we can never thank God enough for the sublime Gift of the Mass and the Holy Eucharist. Let us never weary of thanking Jesus for the Mass and the Holy Eucharist. Love the Mass, live the Mass, and bring the fruits of the Mass to the whole world!

The Second Sunday of Easter is Divine Mercy Sunday. Among the most important highlights in the Pontificate of Saint Pope John Paul II was the end of April in the year 2000. This great modern saint accomplished two extraordinary feats on the same day. He carried out the first canonization of the new millennium. It was the raising to the altar of Saint Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938)—known as the Secretary of Divine Mercy. Then the Holy Pontiff proclaimed the Second Sunday after Easter to be Divine Mercy Sunday.   According to inner sources, this was the happiest day in the life of Saint Pope John Paul II. He felt that one of his primary missions entering into the new millennium was the indispensable need to promote the message of Divine Mercy. Now it was done.

Therefore, let us present a succinct summary of some of the most salient points of the Doctrine of Divine Mercy promoted by Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska and officially proclaimed by His Holiness, Saint Pope John Paul II.

TEN CONCRETE WAYS TO LIVE OUT THE DOCTRINE OF DIVINE MERCY:

1. BE MERCIFUL AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS MERCIFUL.  When somebody offends you, the natural reaction is to seek to get even or to get revenge. But this is not the Heart of Jesus. As He hung on the cross, Jesus’ first word was that of mercy: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” (Lk. 23:34) Let us try to forgive immediately; this is most pleasing to the Heart of Jesus and a sure means to attain God’s mercy for us. The key to victory is to forgive right away. The Bible teaches us to not allow the sun to go down on our anger.

2. HONOR AND VENERATE THE IMAGE OF DIVINE MERCY.  Jesus told Saint Faustina Kowalska that He wanted an image of Divine Mercy to be painted. Then He told the saint the He wanted this image to be venerated in the entire world. See if you can purchase an attractive image of Divine Mercy. Have it blessed by a priest and then enthroned in your home.  Make sure the image is enthroned in a prominent place. This is very pleasing to the Heart of Jesus. By doing so, you are saying implicitly to all who enter your home that Jesus is the King of your home, your family, and your heart.

3. CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY.  Get in the habit of praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. Short and easy to memorize, this Chaplet can be prayed in any time and any place. Jesus told Saint Faustina to pray if frequently. If done, this will result in a constant raining down from Heaven of God’s infinite mercy upon the world at large. You can pray the Chaplet by yourself, with others, in the family, in front of the Blessed Sacrament, in the car, even while waiting in line in the Supermarket.

4. MERCY HOUR.  Call to mind, if possible, the Mercy Hour. This is 3:00 p.m. This was the Hour when Jesus from the altar of the cross breathed forth His spirit into the hands of His Heavenly Father. “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” (Lk. 23: 46) At this Hour, Jesus told Saint Faustina to make the Stations of the Cross or to visit the Blessed Sacrament. If due to absorbing occupations this was impossible, then Jesus told the Saint—as well as us—to call to mind the passion and suffering of Jesus and be united to Jesus’ last agony and moments. If done, through union with Jesus’ suffering, whatever we ask of the Father, if it is His will, it will be granted. Some wise individuals set an alarm on their watches or phones as a reminder—not a bad idea!

5. THE DYING.  The most important moment in our life is the moment that we are dying. How we die, meaning the state of our soul, will determine our destiny for all eternity. Therefore, we should pray constantly for the dying throughout the world. However, if you have a chance to be present when somebody is dying, then pray for them very fervently. Most especially pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for them, so that they will die in God’s grace and be saved for all eternity. Jesus promised Saint Faustina that if a person is dying, and another person prays the Chaplet for them at that time, then that dying person will attain salvation.

6. CONFESSION AND GOD’S MERCY.  God’s mercy is channeled most fully and efficaciously through the Mystical Body of Christ and through the Sacraments. Each Sacrament communicates a specific grace. The Sacrament of Confession communicates God’s infinite mercy. In every Sacramental Confession, the Precious Blood of Jesus shed on Calvary on Good Friday, descends into the soul of the penitent and washes them clean. The better the preparation for Confession, the more abundant the graces of healing and mercy! Get into the habit of frequent Confession.

7. GET TO KNOW THE MESSAGE OF DIVINE MERCY—THE DIARY!  Without doubt, one of the best ways in which we can become familiar with the message of Divine Mercy would be to purchase the Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska. Then get in the habit of reading and meditating on at least one number daily (there are 1828 numbers or entries). Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the Diary is a gold-mine of spiritual riches and treasures. Then share what you have read with others. A sure way to grow in our faith is to share our faith with others.

8. HOLY MASS AND DIVINE MERCY.  The two rays that emanate from the Divine Mercy image have a deep symbolic meaning and interpretation. When the Sacred Heart of Jesus was pierced with the lance on the cross, Blood and Water gushed forth. The light colored ray symbolizes the two Sacraments of purification and healing: Baptism and Confession. The red ray emanating from the Heart of Jesus symbolizes the most Holy Eucharist. May we all have an ardent yearning to receive the most Holy Eucharist frequently and with fervor! May these words of the Psalmist characterize our own yearning: “As the deer yearns for the running streams, so my soul yearns for you, my God.” (Psalm 42:1).

9. DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY AND THE WONDERFUL PROMISE.  Jesus promised that those who attend Holy Mass on the Sunday after Easter, which is Divine Mercy Sunday, and receive the Holy Eucharist with a good disposition – meaning they are not in the state of mortal sin, can receive the extraordinary grace of forgiveness for all their sins, as well as remission from all temporal punishment due to their sins, including past sins. This is an extraordinary grace and gift and we should take advantage of this free gift. This also means we should make a sincere Sacramental Confession close to the Solemnity of Divine Mercy Sunday. If we were to die that day, we would go straight to Heaven. “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His mercy endures forever.” (Ps. 136:1) And even if we don’t die, we only accrue punishment for sins committed from that day forward. An extraordinary grace and gift!

10. OUR LADY OF MERCY.  One of Our Lady’s many titles is that of “Our Lady of Mercy.” Actually, in the prayer that we say at the end of the most Holy Rosary, the Hail Holy Queen, we cry out to Mary in these words: “Hail Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope….” In our moments of trial, let us lift our gaze to Mary. When we fall, let us cry out to her and she will help to lift us up. May the words of Saint Bernard in the Memorare inspire us to place our trust in Our Lady of Mercy: “Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided.”

Let us all meditate upon, pray over, cherish and love the greatest of all of the attributes of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus— His Divine Mercy. Let us not only understand in our mind Divine Mercy, but also live it in our lives. One more important step: let us make the decision, in imitation of Saint Faustina Kowalska, to become true Apostles of Divine Mercy. When all is said and done, the eternal salvation of our immortal soul, and the souls of all, depend upon relying on and trusting in Divine Mercy. Let these words echo day and night in our minds, hearts and souls: JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU! JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU! JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU!!!

Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen presented the meditation of the Passion of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in more than one way. Two of the most noteworthy ways that Sheen presented the Passion of Christ were the following: 1) A profound meditation and reflection on “The Seven Last Words of Jesus from the cross.” 2) Sheen also presented a masterpiece of depicting the Characters in the Passion of Christ. Sheen portrays the different attitudes, profiles, virtues or vices of the many people who were involved in the Passion, suffering and death of Jesus on the cross.

“The Characters in the Passion of Christ” can definitely serve as a means for an excellent examination of conscience for each and every one of us. Most certainly, we will be able to discover and identify ourselves with many of the characteristics of the characters in the passion—some positive and worthy of praise, others negative and worthy of repudiation.

Therefore, let us enter with courage into the Passion of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by both meditating on and contemplating the characters or persons who were involved in the Passion and death of Our Lord. Hopefully, we will be deemed among the loyal friends of Jesus, those who brought deep consolation to His wounded and bleeding Heart!  

We will choose some of the characters in the Passion of Christ. Our short essay is not exhaustive but will give us at least a taste of the wide gamut of personalities of those who were present at the death of Jesus; it will portray different attitudes that will touch us in many ways and quite possibly motivate us to conversion!

CHARACTERS IN THE PASSION OF THE LORD JESUS.

1. KING HEROD.  Jesus was shuffled to the presence of King Herod and his court. In the presence of Herod, Jesus never opened His mouth to answer his questions. This wicked King represents a sensualist, a hedonist, a man given over to the desires of the flesh. Jesus would not open His mouth because He would have only been mocked, derided and ridiculed all the more. With these types of people Jesus would assert: “Do not throw your pearls to the swine.” (Mt. 7: 6) Today there are many sensual, hedonistic people who have given themselves over totally to the desires of the flesh! Jesus said to Nicodemus: “The flesh profits nothing; it is the spirit that gives life.” (Jn. 3: 5-6)

2. PONTIUS PILATE.  This Roman Procurator represents many today. Basically, Pilate represents the typical coward. Claudia, his wife, had a dream of the innocence of Jesus. Pilate discarded this element of truth. He wanted to please the crowd. Pilate was “a people pleaser more than a God pleaser!” How often do we act and react so as to please people, to be liked and applauded by people, to our detriment for rejecting God’s will and displeasing the Lord? Often human respect goes beyond respect for God!

3. PHARISEE, SCRIBES AND SADUCEES.  Many of those who rejected Jesus and clamored for Jesus’ condemnation represent intellectual pride. These were the intelligentsia— the educated and Biblically erudite group. They were the spiritual know it alls!!! Being confronted with a humble, less educated carpenter from Nazareth who was like a magnet, attracting countless masses by His words and deeds, was too much for them. Really it was their intellectual pride and envy that blinded them from being able to see, recognize, and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior! How many people today are blinded from knowing and accepting the Truth due to intellectual pride!

4. THE CROWD OR MULTITUDE WATCHING JESUS.  Many in this group are symbolic of the group of the Curious!!! Many people look for novelty, innovations, fads and modes to titillate and scintillate their morbid curiosity. How perilous it is those who live only for the excitement and fireworks of the moment. How true the saying: “Curiosity killed the cat!”

5. CRUCIFY HIM!!!  Then there are those in the world who actually have a mortal hatred for God, for Jesus, and all that pertains to God. The Sadducees and chief priests below the cross, and the crowd before Pilate cried out: CRUCIIFY HIM! There exists today a growing number of individuals who call themselves Atheists! Who cultivate a diabolic hatred for Jesus and all that pertains to God! Their numbers in the modern world continue to grow!

6. SIMON OF CYRENE.  Returning from the fields and from work, Simon of Cyrene was compelled to help Jesus carry the cross. At first, Simon resisted and sought to avoid carrying the cross. But once he accepted the carrying of the cross, not only did he conform himself to this task, but he enjoyed helping Jesus carry the cross. Maybe this is you and me: at the outset we flee from the cross, but once accepted, we find the yoke is easy and the burden is light. (Mt. 11: 30)

7. VERONICA.  This valiant woman broke through the crowd and wiped the Sacred Face of Jesus with her veil. Jesus recompensed Veronica by allowing the impression of His Holy Face to be impressed on that veil. Are we courageous in going out of our way to help those who are suffering and in need?

8. THE EXECUTIONERS—WHO NAILED JESUS TO THE CROSS. Although this may be painful to accept, every time we give consent to committing a mortal sin, then in a real sense, we are responsible for the Crucifixion of Jesus, for the nails penetrating His hands and feet. However, by making a good Confession, we extract the nails and allow the Risen Jesus to walk!

9. THE SOLDIERS BENEATH THE CROSS—THE DICE!  Then there were the soldiers beneath the cross as Jesus hung on the cross in His mortal agony. They were shooting dice to see who could claim the garments of Jesus. These, with many in the crowd who were watching, represent an attitude of Indifference/Apathy. All too many today manifest an indifferent, apathetic, distant attitude or posture towards the Lord Jesus. The Book of Revelation forcefully condemns this attitude in these earth-shaking words: “You are neither hot nor cold—I wish you were—but you are lukewarm. I will vomit you out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3: 15-16) Sad to say, there are huge numbers of so called Catholic-Christians who manifest this attitude of apathy, indifference, and lukewarmness towards the Lord, the Sacraments, and the Church. Perhaps, we belong to this group! If so, time to change!

10. THE BAD THIEF.  Despite the good example of Jesus and His most noble example of mercy and compassion, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Lk. 23: 24) —the bad thief ended his life by cursing Jesus. He even had the good example of the conversion of his companion thief, but still he died with a cold, callous and cruel heart! There are those who, despite the many graces sent to them by God, simply become more hardened and callous. May God save us!

11. THE GOOD THIEF. On the other side of the coin, next to Jesus on the cross, we encounter the Good Thief! He ends his life by repenting and begging Jesus for mercy. Always ready to forgive and express mercy, Jesus opens Heaven to this repentant thief, with these most consoling words: “Amen I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Lk. 23: 43) And as Sheen reminds us: “And he died a thief because he stole Heaven.” Salvation is possible even until the last moment for those who repent!

12. THE CENTURION WHO PIERCED THE SIDE AND HEART OF JESUS.  This Centurion—Roman soldier, after piercing the Sacred Heart of the dead Body of Jesus that hung on the cross, came to believe! He said: “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mk. 15: 39) The Blood and water that gushed from the Heart of Jesus can be an infinite source of conversion and salvation!

13. MARY MAGDALENE.  After having lived a sinful life of promiscuity, Magdalene was converted by the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. There at the foot of the cross, hugging the cross with disheveled hair, Magdalene shows her true love and devotion to Jesus. Sheen stated that Magdalene represents the true PENITENT! All are called to repent and believe. Perhaps there is still some of the Magdalene in us needing repentance???

14. SAINT JOHN THE BELOVED.  Once again, Sheen depicts Saint John as he stands underneath the cross as representing the PRIESTHOOD! A priest can be defined as a victim who offers prayers and sacrifices in reparation for sins and sinners. Jesus, the spotless Victim, hangs from the cross. Saint John stands with Mary at the foot of the cross, offering Jesus to the Eternal Father for the salvation of sinners and humanity. May priests imitate Saint John the Evangelist!

15. OUR LADY.  There are many titles that can be attributed to Mary. However, Sheen names Mary, as she stands at the foot of the cross for those long three hours, INNOCENCE! We all nailed Jesus to the cross due to our sins. Mary, the INNOCENT ONE, never sinned, but offers Jesus to the Father for the salvation of all of humanity.

16. THE CRUCIFIED JESUS.  As Jesus hangs from the cross, we have the clearest depiction of LOVE INCARNATE. Saint Ignatius states that Jesus died on the cross essentially for two reasons: 1) to show us the ugliness of sin; 2) but especially to show us the greatness of His love for us! If you were the only person in the world, then Jesus would have suffered all the most gruesome an excruciating details of His Passion and death for love of you and the salvation of your immortal soul!

17. THE ETERNAL FATHER.  In the film of Mel Gibson, The Passion of the Christ, Jesus’ death on the cross ends with a huge drop of water falling from the heavens. Interpretation? It is the TEARDROP OF GOD THE FATHER from Heaven. The Father weeps at the death of His Son and the sins of humanity. But the Father allows the death of His Son for love of us and our eternal salvation!!!

Conclusion, spend ample time meditating upon the Characters in the Passion of Christ. Which of these can you identify with in your own life? May the Holy Spirit enlighten your mind to know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Jesus comes to us and communicates His grace and Presence to us in many marvelous ways. He said, before He ascended into Heaven, that He would be with us always even until the end of time. Then Jesus ascended into Heaven where He sits at the right hand of God the Father. How? Where? When is Jesus with us when indeed He ascended into Heaven? The response: in His Church which is His Mystical Body. The Church, in the Liturgical cycle, relives the life of Jesus every year. The two prime-times  (Strong Seasons of Christ) every year are Advent culminating in Christmas, then Lent which culminates in Holy Week and the pinnacle or high-point which is the celebration of Easter—the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon us as followers of Jesus to study and learn these prime times, especially the Lenten Season that culminates in Holy Week, and Jesus who conquers death by His Glorious Resurrection.

The following is a concise article on fifty ideas that every Catholic should know about the Lenten Season and Easter! Please read carefully, learn and memorize. Then if you really want to grow in your faith, share this with as many people as you can!!!

1. SEASON OF GRACE FOR OUR CONVERSION. Every year God through His Church, His Mystical Body, offers us a special season of grace for conversion. Our conversion should be to renounce sin and to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. ASH WEDNESDAY. Every year Lent commences with ASH WEDNESDAY. The Ashes symbolize our mortality, that one day we will die and pass from time to eternity and meet our Judgment. “Remember that you are dust and to dust shall you return.” (Gen. 3: 19)

3. FASTING. Those who have arrived at ages 18 up to 59 are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday, as well as Good Friday. We deprive our bodies of food so we can lift our minds and souls up to God.

4. FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT: JESUS IN THE DESERT. On the First Sunday in Lent we contemplate Jesus in the desert where He prayed and fasted for forty days, and was tempted by the devil. For us to conquer the devil, the flesh, and the world we must imitate Jesus. We must both fast and pray!

5. FORTY DAYS. Our Lenten journey lasts forty days—not including the Sundays of Lent.  Forty is a key Biblical number. The Jews spent 40 years in the desert before arriving at the Promised Land. Jonah preached that Nineveh would be destroyed in forty days if there was no conversion. Jesus spent forty days in the desert praying and fasting.

6. LITURGICAL CHANGES. There are some Liturgical changes during the Lenten Season:  The Alleluia and Gloria are suppressed. Flowers are taken from the Church. The priest vests in purple—a penitential color!

7. CONVERSION OF HEART. As mentioned above, Lent is a serious time of striving for conversion of our lives. When imposing the ashes, the minister can also say the first words of Jesus in His preaching ministry: “Repent (be converted) and believe in the Gospel.”  (Mk. 1: 15)  Jesus offers us three ways to arrive at this conversion of life! They are the following.

8. PRAYER. By praying we go up to God and He comes down to us, to help us reject sin and practice virtue. All true conversions are ultimately the fruit of prayer—one’s own personal prayer or the prayer of others, and usually both!

9. MASS AND PRAYER. By far, the greatest prayer in the universe is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. If possible, Lent is a very propitious time to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as frequently as our time and schedule permit.

10. PENANCE (FASTING). Jesus stated: “Some devils are cast out only by prayer and fasting.” (Mt. 17: 28)  We should all choose some form of fasting with the help of a good Spiritual Director.

11. CONFESSION AND CONVERSION. One of the most efficacious means to attain true conversion of heart is by preparing our heart, mind, and soul to make a good Sacramental Confession to the priest, and let the Precious Blood of Jesus wash us clean.

12. ALMSGIVING.  The practice of ALMSGIVING should not be limited to simply giving a beggar some money, food or clothing. Rather, almsgiving can be interpreted in the manner in which we treat people in general. Most especially should we express kindness, compassion, courtesy, patience, and a genuine spirit of sacrifice with those in our own home! “Charity begins at home!”

13. THE WAY OF THE CROSS. A very salutary practice to undertake in Lent is to make the Stations of the Cross. By contemplating these fourteen stations or scenes in the Life of Jesus—the culminating point of His Passion, we recognize how much Jesus suffered for us and loves us. Indeed, each of us can truthfully say Jesus suffered all of this for me!

14. FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT: THE COLOR PINK. Two times in the Church calendar the priest can wear the color pink in the celebration of the Mass—the third Sunday of Advent and the fourth Sunday of Lent. Why? This color symbolizes JOY. The fact that Jesus was born for us and that He suffered, died and rose from the dead for us is a source of infinite Joy! In allowing pink vestments in the course of these two penitential seasons, the Church is anticipating this Joy!

15. HOLY WEEK BEGINS! The Church enters into the solemn and most important week of the year with Holy Week. Palm Sunday initiates Holy Week. We call to mind when Jesus entered the City of Jerusalem mounted on a donkey, and the people acclaimed Him: “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Mt. 21: 9) Amidst these jubilant cries of exultation, they waved their Palm branches.

16. THE LITURGY OF PALM SUNDAY. The priest wears the color red—for the Precious Blood of Jesus. The Gospel reading is the account of the Passion of Jesus.

17. THE EASTER TRIDUUM. The Easter Triduum, the very heart of the Holy Week celebration, consists of three days and culminates in Easter. These three days are the following:  Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. These days are of the greatest importance!

18. HOLY THURSDAY. On this solemn day, there is only one Mass celebrated: the Mass of the Lord’s Supper celebrated in the evening. This day calls to mind two of the greatest gifts that Jesus bestowed upon the Church: Institution of the most Holy Eucharist and institution of Holy Orders or the Priesthood. This day especially should call us to renew our faith, devotion and love for the Eucharist and to pray for priests and for more holy priestly vocations.

19. GOOD FRIDAY. On this day we stand underneath the cross with our Sorrowful Mother, Mary most holy, and with her teary eyes and pierced Heart contemplate Jesus, who suffers three long hours on the cross, shedding every drop of His Precious Blood for our eternal salvation. If you were the only person in the world, Jesus would have suffered His atrocious agony for love of you and the salvation of your immortal soul. Jesus hanging on the cross is the most powerful contemplation of Love in the universe!

20. HOLY SATURDAY: THE SILENCE AND CONTEMPLATION OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS. This day Jesus is resting in the tomb for the entire day. The theme of this day is to accompany Our Lady of Sorrows in silence. United with Mary, we relive the Sorrowful Passion of Jesus. All of His agony is still fresh in the mind and memory, the eyes and Heart of Mary. She relives Jesus’ Passion that day. We are invited to spend the day at the side of Mary and console her, even as she consoles us in our sorrowful reliving of the sufferings of her Son and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

21. EASTER VIGIL MASS: JESUS IS TRULY RISEN FROM THE DEAD! This same night, with the most glorious Mass of the Year, the Easter Vigil Mass, the Church and the world at large celebrate the most glorious event in human history! Jesus Christ is truly risen from the dead! Alleluia! He has come back from the dead in His risen Body and will never die again!

22. THE BEAUTY OF THE VIGIL MASS. In this Mass the catechumens receive the three Sacraments of initiation—Baptism, Confirmation. and the Eucharist. The Alleluia breaks forth to praise God. The Gloria is sung in unison with the angels. Then there is a long series of beautiful Biblical Readings summarizing the history of salvation. Following the Liturgy of the Word, we enter the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In receiving Holy Communion, we rise with Christ to new life!

23. EASTER DAY AND EASTER SEASON. Easter being such a glorious Solemnity cannot be celebrated in one day, and in fact is celebrated over eight days. Jesus’ Resurrection gives meaning to all human life. After the trials, struggles, pains and sorrows of this life, if we persevere in grace until the end, we will participate in the fruits of Easter—we will rise with the Risen Lord and attain the purpose of our life—Heaven!

24. DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY. Graces abound! The Sunday after Easter, the Church celebrates DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY. Those who have been confessed and participate at Mass and receive Holy Communion with burning love on this day, receive the Divine Mercy Promise: forgiveness of our sins and total remission of our sins. This can be compared to a second Baptism; our soul becomes as white as the snow. If we were to die right then, immediate entrance into heaven!

25. EASTER SEASON. The Easter Season lasts fifty days and concludes with the Solemnity of Pentecost—the coming of the Holy Spirit and the Birthday of the Catholic Church. During all this Season, the Acts of the Apostles, also known as the Gospel of the Holy Spirit, is read at Holy Mass!

Let us lift our eyes to Mary, who stood beneath the cross uniting her sufferings with the sufferings of Jesus for the salvation of the world. Let us also rejoice with Mary, and with overflowing and exultant jubilation, because the crucified Lord Jesus has truly risen from the dead, never to die again. “Queen of Heaven rejoice, alleluia, for the Lord has truly risen from the dead.”