Let us welcome Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ into the very center of our lives; let us give Him a most warm welcome. It seems as if we are always preparing for something or someone! Graduation ceremonies, weddings, quinceaneras, relatives and friends coming for the Holidays, a son coming back from service overseas—all of these are key events that we prepare for and long for with all our heart. Usually the standard is as such: the more detailed the preparation, the more warm and joyful is the moment of encounter.

Lent is a time of preparation for the Passion, death and Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. These forty days of fervent prayer, generous almsgiving and intense penance culminate in the full-blossoming of the Paschal Mystery—the Passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus.

ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS.  What Lent is for Easter, Advent is for Christmas and the Christmas Season. In a word, the more intense our living out the Season of Advent, the more joyful will be that Christmas night when we encounter the Infant Jesus in the arms of His Blessed Mother. This silent night will indeed be the most holy of all nights.

LIVING OUT ADVENT.  In fact, if we do not make an honest and concerted effort to live out the Season of Advent, when Christmas arrives late that night on the 24^th of December, the Christmas joy we should be experiencing will be stunted, stymied, and possibly smothered by materialism and other things secondary to the reason for the season. In fact, the real reason for the season is not so much gifts, money, food, and possessions. The authentic reason for the season is the Person and purpose of Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen stated that of all the titles that we can give for Jesus (Christological titles), that of Jesus as Savior is by far the most important. This is for the simple reason that Savior highlights the primary reason for His Incarnation, Life, Passion, Death and Resurrection. Jesus—meaning Savior—came to save us in totality: from sin, from sadness, from the slavery of the devil, from eternal death and the torments of hell. Jesus is the universal Savior.

Therefore, we will offer some key decisions and actions that we can carry out in Advent so that the Infant Jesus will be truly born, not only in the stable of Bethlehem, but in the very depths of our heart, the very center of our soul.

COME LORD JESUS: BE BORN IN MY HEART, MY SOUL!              

1. CONFESSION.  I begin by picturing my own soul as the stable for animals. Dirty, smelly, musty, cobwebs, cold and damp, a hard rock surface scattered with hay and dirt—all the above describe that stable of Bethlehem. All of these elements symbolize my soul. As a result of sin, my soul is sullied. Sin is also the hard rock of my resistance to God’s grace. Sin is coldness to God’s invitations and the way I treat others at times. The cobwebs woven by spiders can point to the cobweb of bad habits or vices that I wove for myself through the weeks, months or even years. All of this can be transformed by God’s grace by means of a good Sacramental Confession. Get a clean-sweep by the broom of the Confessional!

2. RECONCILE.  How true it is that Confession reconciles our heart with God; our friendship with God is renewed. However, there is another step that most of us perhaps have to make to bridge the gap, to heal the breach, to mend what is broken. That is, we must strive to be reconciled with our brother/sister, friend, or any other person whom we have wounded due to our pride, ego, and self-love. Jesus states it very clearly. If we are about to offer our gift and are aware of our brother having something against us, then we should leave our gift, be reconciled with our brother, and then return to offer our gift. (cf Mt 5:23-24) The Lord Jesus cannot be born in the heart of someone who is hating his brother, resenting his brother, or harboring vengeance against his brother. Jesus praises those who are peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (cf Matt 5:9) As the Catholic English poet, Alexander Pope, expressed so succinctly: “To err is human; to forgive is divine.” Advent culminating in Christmas should be a time in which peace is reigning in our hearts.

3. PRAYER.  We should never underestimate the indispensable value, power and importance of prayer. Prayer unites us with God. Prayer rains down peace in our hearts. Prayer is a balm that soothes our hearts and fills us with joy. Prayer bridges and connects heaven to earth. Prayer is the key that unlocks the heart of God Himself with all the infinite treasures that He so desires to shower down upon us and the entire world. What air is to the lungs, so prayer is to the soul. The most sublime, abundant, copious graces flow from Heaven to earth through the person who prays patiently, persistently, perseveringly and potently. (Lk 1:1-8—Read the Parable of the persistent and persevering widow.) Advent is a most propitious time in which we should sincerely apply ourselves to prayer. What prayers you might ask? We can offer a plethora of the variety of prayers at our disposal: Bible readings, the Psalms, Lectio Divina, the Holy Rosary, spontaneous prayers from our heart, Eucharistic visits, and the greatest of all prayers—the Holy Mass.

4. HOLY MASS: ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS.  As a priest, Religious and Spiritual Director, the best advice I can give to anyone striving to live out the Season of Advent and prepare for the coming and birth of Jesus on Christmas is attending Holy Mass. Of course, first taking into account our state and vocation in life, when at all possible attendance at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass I do believe to be the greatest preparation and best gift that we can give to Jesus, Mary, and Saint Joseph as we prepare for Christmas. There is nothing more sublime! Nothing greater! In fact, the word Bethlehem actually means House of Bread. Therefore, in a very real sense, every time we receive Holy Communion with faith, devotion and love, our soul becomes a Little House of Bethlehem. Our soul welcomes Jesus, who is truly “The Bread of life” into our own Bethlehem—our own House of Bread. There is a true connection and meaning in this play on words. Look at your schedule. Determine those days in which participation in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, fervent reception of Holy Communion, and perhaps even some Eucharistic adoration can be part of your advent journey to the stable of Bethlehem, where the Infant Jesus awaits you in the womb of Mary, soon to be in the arms of Mary and Saint Joseph.

5. MARIAN TIME OF MOST ABUNDANT GRACES.  It would indeed be remiss if we did not give time to invite Our Lady, Mary, the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and our own dear Mother—our life, our sweetness and our hope, to accompany us. In fact, to honor Mary is to honor and praise the Blessed Trinity. Mary is the Daughter of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and the Mystical Spouse of God the Holy Spirit. Thus, Mary is the short-cut to the very heart of the Blessed Trinity. Mary can be honored and venerated in countless ways in Advent, culminating in Christmas. The following are some suggestions: Pray the most Holy Rosary (Joyful Mysteries), sing Christmas hymns and carols glorifying God through Mary, spend time in prayer at the Manger scene awaiting with Mary the birth of Jesus, and then behold Jesus in Mary’s arms. Also, the sending of Christmas cards often reflects the beauty and prominence of Mary in Advent and Christmas.

Finally, from the depths of your heart, thank Mary for saying YES to becoming the Mother of God and your own dear Mother, and as a result, opening up the Gates of Heaven for you. Indeed, the more you can invite Mary to be with you, talk to you, walk with you, and accompany you in Advent, the more joyful and glorious will be that Christmas morn when Jesus is born in time and in your heart, and God Himself will be yours for all eternity!

On one occasion I planned to greet the catechism children by giving them their Catechism book that they would use for the year. There was a big group of the children. After distributing the texts one at a time, I was expecting to hear something, something very small, but very important: Thank You! To my chagrin not one of the 25 students expressed a word of gratitude. I left the classroom in dismay feeling sad for the children, but also for their parents, for their lack of gratitude—no apparent attitude of gratitude.

Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor, offers a long list of the virtues in the Summa Theologica among which are some that are categorized as the social virtues. One of the primary ones is that of gratitude, thankfulness. In a very real sense gratitude, thankfulness, and the whole attitude of gratitude, is an all-important virtue that makes our social life more meaningful, more agreeable, more wholesome and healthy.

In fact, a person imbued with a sincere attitude of gratitude, that spontaneous and frequent thank you resounding from their heart and lips, is definitely a sign of being well-trained, well-educated and refined.

WORDS OF WISDOM ON THE ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE AND US…

Let’s go through a panorama of places where thanksgiving and gratitude are manifested: among the saints (God’s dear friends), in literature, in the Mass, and in Sacred Scripture. Actually Sacred Scripture is replete with references to the dire importance of gratitude.

1. SAINT IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA.  This great Saint who left us the Spiritual Exercises, the Rules for Discernment, and the Jesuit Order aka the Company of Jesus, leaves us some gems on gratitude and the lack of it. He actually stated that the essence of sin is Ingratitude—a failure to recognize God’s providential Hand in giving us gifts. Saint Ignatius, in the steps doing the daily Examen, states that we should always start off examining our day by first rendering thanks to God for all that He has given us in the course of the past 24 hours. God loves a cheerful giver, but God is also enchanted with a person who manifests gratitude, a grateful heart.

2. MEISTER ECKHART (1260-1328).  This mystic, writer, theologian and philosopher when referring to the art of prayer and thanksgiving stated the following: “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is – Thank You – it will be enough.” How important indeed is an attitude of gratitude.

3. SHAKESPEARE.  In one of his classic tragedies, Macbeth, Shakespeare made this cutting statement related to gratitude and the lack of it: “More painful than a serpent’s tooth is that of an ungrateful child.” How cutting and even devastating it can be, when parents give and give to their children and receive nothing more than ingratitude in return. How important it is for children to simply say “Thank You”, especially to those who brought them into this world, who gave them their life’s breath.

4. THE MASS/THE EUCHARIST.  How fascinating this reality! The greatest of all prayers underneath the sun is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass; it is the prayer par excellence. Another name for the Mass is the Eucharist—which actually is translated as Thanksgiving. Every time we enter into the Church for Holy Mass we are indirectly saying “Thank You” to God, Eucharist—thanksgiving! 

5. THANKSGIVING DAY.  Every year, on the 3rd Thursday in November in the United States of America, the National Holiday of Thanksgiving is joyfully celebrated. It is usually one of the most traveled celebrations every year.  Of course, thanksgiving in all respects should characterize this National Holiday. The hope is that the spirit of this day of thanksgiving perseveres and imbues our lives, for all the days of our lives.

SACRED SCRIPTURE AND THANKSGIVING—ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.

Let us glean a few key Biblical verses that highlight the importance of expressing and living our gratitude. If there ever was an individual, in fact a great saint, who constantly preached, taught, reminded others and lived out thanksgiving, this attitude of gratitude, it was the Apostle to the Gentiles, the great Saint Paul. Let’s read, meditate and assimilate the doctrine of Saint Paul on gratitude.“And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were all called in one body. And be thankful.” (Col. 1:15) How interesting this really is, the interconnection between peace of heart and being thankful. Perhaps if we had more grateful people in the world we would experience greater peace.

1. “Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer, petition and thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” (Phil. 4:6)

2. “Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thes. 5:17)

3. “In whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col. 3:17)

4. “Give thanks for the faith.” (Romans 1:8)

5. “Give thanks for fraternal charity.” (Col. 1: 3-4)

SOME POSITIVE FRUITS OR BENEFITS OF GRATITUDE.

After giving a list of manifestations of thanksgiving from the lives of the saints, from literature, from the Mass and from Saint Paul who constantly encouraged his communities in his letters to render thanksgiving, we would like to encourage all to cultivate this attitude of gratitude by emphasizing the numerous positive fruits or benefits that flow from this heart-warming attitude of gratitude.

1. THEOLOGICAL DIMENSION.  Every time you express gratitude by word or gesture this pleases God Himself. God smiles down upon you every time you make a simple gesture of gratitude.

2. SOCIAL DIMENSION.  By expressing gratitude the domino effect kicks in. Try it! Very often when we say “Thanks”/“Thank You”, the response will be “You’re Welcome” or “Thank You!” Let’s start the ball rolling in our attitude of gratitude.

3. FAMILY.  In the context of the family, when we are able to constantly render thanks to others there is more peace, harmony, mercy, good will and love. Also, the virtue of humility crowns the attitude of gratitude.

4. PERSONAL GROWTH.  Once I can say “Thank You” to others, I recognize how dependent I really am on others, and as mentioned earlier, the virtue of humility blossoms and flourishes.

5. THE WORK ENVIRONMENT.  All too often in the context of the work environment there is abundant criticism, gossip, back-biting, sarcasm and irony, vulgarity, and even cursing. To neutralize this caustic, toxic and even lethal atmosphere, thanksgiving can transform the whole labor milieux. It is interesting how the reality of evil can be overcome and conquered by goodness. The attitude of gratitude and a thankful heart can turn a gloom and doom atmosphere into peace, joy, harmony, mutual understanding and love.

To conclude our short conversation, let us all make a decision right now to have an ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE!!! Let us get in the habit of saying “Thanks” at home, at work, in stores, and in family gatherings. But most especially, let us constantly give thanks to God! All the good we had in the past, we have now, or we will have in our lives is the sheer goodness of God who loves us and constantly wants to give us even more graces and blessings. May the words of the Psalmist echo in our minds, hearts and lips: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His mercy endures forever.” (Ps. 136: 1)

Even though such persons claim to be Catholic-Christians, it is not uncommon to hear them call into question some key doctrines; one of these is the reality of Hell. In fact, to deny the truth does not change the reality of such a truth. I can say that there is no wall, but if I walk into it (having denied its existence), I will end up with a bruise or two as well as a bump on my head.

Another common phenomenon is to hear the following: “I cannot see how a good God could send anyone to hell.” You probably have heard this assertion more than once. The problem with this assertion is that it is a half-truth, which by the way is a half-lie. It is murky, unclear and ambiguous to say that God does not want to send anyone to hell because in truth it is our choice due to an abuse of our freedom. In a word, instead of using our freedom, we end up abusing our freedom—this is called sin.

JESUS AND HELL.  Jesus spoke about the reality of heaven—that He is going to prepare a place for us so that where He is we also might be. (Jn 14: 1-3) However, Jesus spoke much more frequently about the stark reality of hell. The reason for the multiple repetition of hell from the lips of the Master is pure love; He does not want us to end up in that horrible, horrendous haven of eternal torment and no-return. 

Therefore, instead of spouting out various erroneous speculations that either hell does not exist or that practically nobody is going there, why not turn to the Master, Jesus Himself, and rely upon His words. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Nobody comes to the Father except through Him. Jesus, in fact, speaks very frequently about the reality of Hell.

A priest-friend once stated in a homily a very poignant and convincing point as to the reality of Hell. He conveyed this truth. Jesus’ Passion, suffering, scourging and death on the cross was not for nothing, but rather to save us from the reality of Hell. In fact, according to Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Jesus died on the cross to show us the horrendous evil of sin—which if not repented can lead to hell—as well as to show us the immensity of God’s love for us. Love, pure love, motivated Jesus to undergo all of the horrendous tortures associated with His most cruel Passion, suffering and death on the cross.

Let us outline now some of the key places where Jesus teaches us about Hell. The passage will be indicated, a brief summary, and the possible reasons why some individuals could suffer the permanent and horrendous reality of hell.

1. MT. 25: 31-48.  The Parable of the Universal Judgment. Jesus separates the goats on the left from the sheep on the right. The goats symbolize those who will be damned; the sheep, the saved. This passage points to most of the Corporal works of mercy: feeding the hungry and thirsty, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, and visiting both the sick and the incarcerated. If done, salvation is the recompense; if neglected, separation from God is the eternal consequence. In a word, if we want to attain heaven and avoid hell, let us make a constant and concerted effort to serve Christ in the poor, the hungry, the suffering and the forgotten.

2. LK. 16.  Another Parable of Jesus that points to an eternal chastisement is the Parable of the Rich man and the poor man Lazarus. Somewhat related to the Parable above found in Mt. 25, it points to a failure in human relationships. This Parable highlights a marked literary contrast: a very rich, well-dressed, well-fed man and a poor man, so poor that he is almost dying of hunger. It is not that the Rich man is cruel, insulting, or mean-spirited toward the poor man Lazarus. No! The primary reason for the Rich man ending up in the lake of fire was not what he did to Lazarus, but rather what he failed to do. This is the all-too-common sin of omission—not doing what we should be doing. How often in fact do we sin due to omission? Perhaps more often than we are aware of! In Mass, in one of the Penitential Acts, we confess that we sin in thought, word, deed and omission—not doing what we should be doing!

3. JN. 15.  THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES.  Jesus presents a well-known image of His time, as well as ours, of a vine that produces fruit, grapes that can eventually produce wine. Jesus insists on the indispensable condition of the vine and the branches—they must produce fruit, and fruit in abundance. If not, the vine branches will be pruned and some of the branches cast into the fire to be burnt and consumed. Jesus is the true Vine, and we are the branches. We must be united to Jesus if we are to produce fruit, and fruit in abundance. A classical interpretation is that the person in the state of mortal sin is cut off from Jesus. By dying in mortal sin, we are lost for all eternity. May the sap of the vine fill our veins—sanctifying grace—so that we will bring forth spiritual fruit in abundance!  In concrete, we should be filled with apostolic zeal and an ardent desire to save souls for the Heavenly Banquet.

4. MT. 5: 27-30.  SERMON ON THE MOUNT. A very poignant passage that very clearly refers to Hell is found in the Sermon on the Mount. It is related to how we use or how we abuse our body and its members. With utmost clarity, Jesus says that if we are not using our body for the proper purpose then there should be a sharp severing. In short, if the eye, the hand, or the foot is being used for the wrong purpose—being abused—then Jesus calls for a severing. Especially noteworthy today, is the abuse of the eyes. How many people today are abusing their eyes by viewing websites, material, shows, images and pictures that are highly offensive to God!!!

5. MT. 7:13-14.  THE NARROW GATE.  In unequivocal terms Jesus says that if we want to get to Heaven and avoid the fire of Hell then we must strive to enter in through the narrow Gate. The Road that leads to perdition—Hell is wide and spacious. (Read # 153 in the Diary of St. Faustina)

6. MT. 8:12—TORMENTS AND SUFFERINGS AS SUCH… “Be driven out into the darkness. Where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” Jesus describes hell as a place of darkness, as well as the unending torture that results in the wailing cries of despair of the damned and the grinding of their teeth in utter pain and anguish.

7. MT. 13:41-42.  THE PARABLE OF THE WEEDS.  Jesus offers us the Parable of the Weeds. It is the devil who sows the weeds. The weeds are the offspring of the devil. They are those who sow evil in the hearts of men. At the end, they will be sorted out and they will be cast into the fiery furnace where there will be wailing and grinding of death. These are the people who give bad example, scandalizing and poisoning the hearts of many by their errors and sins.

8. MT. 18: 6.  THE MILLSTONE AWARD.  Jesus says that scandals will eventually enter into the world. But woe to those who cause one of the innocent ones—the children—to be scandalized. Better for them to have a millstone hung around their neck and be cast into the depths of the sea.

9. I CORINTHIANS 6: 9-10.  Saint Paul speaks very clearly on the serious sins of individuals that will prevent them from entering into heaven—implying of course the reality of eternal condemnation. This is the key and foundational passage: “Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor boy prostitutes, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.” In other words, it is true that God is infinite in mercy, but those who do not repent of their serious sins and die in that state will lose their immortal souls.

10. REVELATION 20. THE LAKE (SEA) OF FIRE.  Those whose names were not found written in the Book of Life were cast into the sea of fire. Satan and the false prophet were cast into this lake or sea of fire. Having our names written in the Book of life should be our greatest desire. In the words of Saint Alphonsus Liguori: “The grace of all graces is to die in the state of grace.” This would be to have our names written forever in the Book of Life.

In conclusion, we must accept the totality of the Deposit of Faith and not fall into the modern phenomenon of Cafeteria Catholicism. By this term is meant that we pick and choose only what is agreeable to our spiritual palate or taste buds. Even though it is not a pleasant and consoling concept, Hell truly exists, and it is a possibility for all of us because we can abuse our free will, commit mortal sin, willingly stay in mortal sin, and die in that terrible state. Never forget, death comes like a thief in the night, we know not the hour, nor the day. Don’t play Russian roulette with your salvation! Keenly aware of this serious reality let us pray, practice penance, have recourse to frequent Confession, receive the Holy Eucharist with great love, and have an overflowing and tender love for Mary. If we follow these steps we will avoid Hell and attain eternal life in Heaven.

MAY DEATH NOT TAKE US BY SURPRISE…

We should not put off reflecting on the LAST THINGS until the last, or if you like, until it is too late!  What then are the Last Things?  The technical theological word is that of ESCHATOLOGY—the theology of the Last Things.  Categorically, they can be listed as the following: death, judgment (particular and general), Heaven, Hell, Purgatory. All of these sober, serious truths are enveloped in the concept of Eternity—that means, forever and ever and ever, no end!!!  

The saints, most especially Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Saint Faustina Kowalska, and Saint Ignatius of Loyola insist on the paramount importance of meditating upon these eternal truths as a powerful means of arriving at conversion of life and aiming and striving for the eternal salvation of our immortal souls.

DEATH.  So let’s start with the reality of death and how we can derive abundant spiritual fruit on the reality of death. How ironic the fact that on an everyday basis death comes at us on the news, radio, internet, locally, nationally and internationally. However, how easy it is for us to sidestep and avoid meditating upon the stark reality of death.  The following are a few ideas to motivate us to be prepared for the reality of our own death which will come sooner or later whether we like it, dislike it, or enter into denial of its reality.  Let’s start with the basics.

1. DEFINE IT.  A short, pithy definition of death is simply the following: “Death is the separation of the soul from the body.” In concrete, when the soul actually leaves and departs from the body, then theologically we can call the person dead.  As to the exact moment that the soul leaves the body, only God knows the precise moment.

2. REINCARNATION.  As followers of Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, we cannot accept the posture or the assertion of REINCARNATION. (Aristotle called it the transmigration of souls.) Reincarnation postulates that death is not the last word, but rather the soul returns and is reincarnated in another being in the next life—insect, animal or another human being.  The Christian belief denies this; rather, we have one life, death, and then judgment.

3. REASON FOR REALITY OF DEATH?  Sin!  As a result of the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, and the commission of Original Sin—death entered into the world of plant, animal and human existence. In a very real sense, death is the wages of sin, in the words of St. Paul.

4. FROM DEATH TO LIFE.  Saint Augustine encourages us with this brilliant theological concept: God allows evil to happen so He can bring greater good from that evil. No doubt the sin of Adam and Eve, the Original Sin, wreaked and continues to wreak havoc in the world. I would like to present it as a moral tsunami, almost like an atomic bomb, that has repercussions in the world until the very end of time. Or if you like, hurling a huge stone into a small lake and the concentric circles reverberating and spreading out from shore to shore. So it is with Original Sin, it wreaked havoc and brought suffering and death to all of the cosmos—then, now and until the end of time. However, as a consequence of Original Sin, God sent His only Son, Jesus the Lord to save us.  Jesus died and rose so that after we die physically, if we die in the state of grace, we can live forever with the Lord in Heaven. We move from physical death to eternal life with the Lord.

5. PASCHAL MYSTERY: PASSION, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS. The Paschal mystery of Jesus the Lord gives meaning to our life, suffering and death. If we are inserted in the Life of Jesus, as the branches are united to the vine (John 15), our physical death results in our insertion in the Paschal Mystery of Christ. Our death blossoms into eternal life—life in the Risen Lord Jesus.

6. DYING DAILY.  Saint Paul encourages us to die to the flesh so as to live in the spirit; this is a daily battle. With the help of God’s grace we are called to die on a daily basis to our greed, lust, gluttony, laziness, anger, envy, egotism, impatience, and of course, pride. In dying daily to our sinful tendencies, we experience already in this life the freedom of the sons and daughters of God, freedom in the spirit.

7. MORTAL SIN: DEATH OF THE SOUL.  When we decide to commit a mortal sin, we experience a true death of the soul. There are three conditions for a mortal sin: 1) grave matter, 2) full knowledge, and 3) full consent of the will.  An action committed with these three conditions results in a mortal sin and the death of the soul in that moment. But the Good News is that there is hope….

8. SACRAMENTAL DYING AND RISING. The great Saint Augustine, who struggled into his early 30’s to conquer his slavery to the sin of lust, once converted became a great saint.  He wrote about another and powerful way of dying and rising from the dead; he actually called it a LAZARUS EXPERIENCE. How? Through preparing for, and receiving with a good disposition, the Sacrament of Confession. How true! In Confession we leave behind the scales, the dirt, and the putrid presence of spiritual death that we call sin, and we break forth from the confessional alive with new life—like Lazarus. He was a man dead and buried for four days when Jesus called him back to life. He passed from death to life. So it is with a good confession; we pass from spiritual death to the life of grace, to life in the realm of the spirit.

9. JESUS’ TEACHING ON THE REALITY OF DEATH.  With great constancy and insistence, Jesus teaches us that we must be ready with our lamps lighted. We must not be caught with the oil in our lamps depleted. Time and time again Jesus says that we must be vigilant, alert, eyes wide open and prepared for His coming. One of the most obvious interpretations of this clarion call for vigilance is the idea of the thief coming in the night. Common sense tells us that the thief will seek the time, the place, and the opportunity to break into the house to steal when the coast is clear and nobody is home. We must be prepared for the day, the hour, and the moment when Jesus will knock at the door of our heart and call us from this life to the next, to be judged on all that we have done or failed to do.

10. MATTHEW 25.   Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Matthew chapter 25 can serve as a most efficacious meditation so that we are not taken off guard for the specific day, hour and minute that the Lord Jesus will call us from this life to the next. Read and meditate on the three Parable’s that can prepare us for our death and eventual Judgment:

1) The Parable of the wise and foolish virgins awaiting the coming of the groom. May our lamps be filled and our torches shining bright. (Mt 25: 1-13) Meaning, may our souls be full of sanctifying grace through frequent confession and Holy Communion.

2) The Parable of the Talents. (Mt 25: 14-28)  May we invest our talents and when the Master returns from his journey be ready to give him our hard work with interest and gain. Meaning, may we use our talents and abilities for the honor and glory of God.

3) The Parable of the Last Judgment. (Mt 25: 31-46) The goats and the sheep. May we be among the sheep on the right of the Good Shepherd ready to enter into the house of the Master. “Well done faithful servant: you gave me to eat, to drink, clothes, a warm welcome, and attention when I was sick and in prison.”

The following are a few ideas to help us reflect seriously on the reality of death.  The great poet John Donne coined it in these few but poignant words: “The bell will toll. Do not ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.” The tolling of the bell is the moment that God will knock at the door of our hearts and ask to enter, the very moment of our death. May Our Lady grant us a proper preparation for that most important moment of our earthly existence. In a future essay we will give concrete steps to take so as to be prepared for our own departure from this life to the next.

One of the many titles that Jesus attributed to Himself was LIGHT. He declared:  “I am the LIGHT of the world.” (Jn. 8:12) He also stated, referring to us: “You are the Light of the world.” (Mt. 5:14) Judas left Jesus at the Last Supper and entered into darkness. It should be our most ardent desire and longing to enter into the light, be enamored by light, and have an ardent desire to transmit light in a world where so much darkness reigns. The Christopher movement coined a short, pithy saying worthy of our topic: “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”

One of the most prominent ways to absorb light is to meditate upon the Life of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the Gospel message. Thanks be to God and His divine and providential care that the great Pope, Saint Pope John Paul II wrote a relatively short but powerful message (An Apostolic Letter) on the most Holy Rosary, with the title “The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Rosary.” (October 2002)

In this encouraging spiritual masterpiece, this Pope created a new series in the scheme of the Rosary—the Luminous Mysteries, also known as the Mysteries of Light. If taken seriously and contemplated, these five mysteries, spiritual gems, can serve as a spiritual trampoline to catapult us into a different realm of light in our spiritual lives. They can help us dispel the dark corners in our interior castle and let the light shine.

We will present these contemplative gems and offer a few ideas to help us, with the aid of God’s grace, to plumb the depths of these Mysteries of life. These five mysteries are splendid and enlightening scenes in the short Public Life of Jesus, the Light of the world. Indeed, His Words are light, spirit, and truth.

The Five Mysteries of Light—the Luminous Mysteries of Jesus, the Light of the World:

1. BAPTISM OF JESUS IN THE JORDAN RIVER.

2. THE WEDDING FEAST OF CANA.

3. THE PROCLAMATION OF THE KINGDOM/CALL TO CONVERSION.

4. THE TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS

5. THE INSTITUTION OF THE EUCHARIST AND THE PRIESTHOOD

FRUITS/BLESSINGS FROM EACH OF THE FIVE MYSTERIES.

Each one of these five Luminous Mysteries is indeed a goldmine of spiritual gems and diamonds. Once we come in contact with Jesus, the Light of the World and the Way, Truth, and Life, we enter into an immense depth of holiness and knowledge that goes beyond both human experience and human expression. At the same time, the love that one has for Jesus has to be expressed in the most noble words that can be crafted. May the Holy Spirit come to our assistance in our striving to plumb the depths of the Mystery of Jesus and the Light that the Holy Spirit so ardently desires to communicate to each and every one of us. Come, Holy Spirit, and enlighten our mind’s eye to penetrate your truth.

1. THE BAPTISM OF JESUS. (Jn. 1: 29-34)  Among the many sublime messages that emanate from the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River at the age of 30, from His cousin, Saint John the Baptist, are the following:

(a) THE TRINITY. A Trinitarian Epiphany becomes evident. The voice of the Father can be heard from the heavens. Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, descends into the waters. The Holy Spirit descends on Jesus in the form of a dove.

(b) OUR OWN BAPTISM. The Baptism of Jesus sanctified all of the waters that would be used to baptize going forward, and it is a constant reminder of our own baptism and our commitment to renounce sin and pursue a life of holiness.

(c) APOSTOLIC COMMITMENT. Before ascending into heaven, Jesus told His disciples (and that includes us) to teach and to baptize all! Millions upon millions do not know Jesus and are not baptized. Our mission is upon us. Let us accept the challenge.

2. THE WEDDING AT CANA. (Jn. 2: 1-12)  Jesus accomplishes His first public miracle, turning water into wine, due to the request made by His Mother at the Wedding Feast of Cana. The disciples saw and believed in Jesus.

(a) JESUS’ PRESENCE. By His Presence at this Wedding Banquet, Jesus was and still is blessing couples, husbands and wives, who marry in the context of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. May Jesus bless us and our families.

(b) MARY AS MEDIATRIX OF ALL GRACES. Mary interceded in this Wedding Banquet. Mary’s power of intercession is almost infinite in power. All graces come to us from God, but through the channel of Mary. Indeed, she is the Mediatrix of all graces.

(c) MARY’S ADVICE—BEST ADVICE IN THE WORLD. The last recorded words of Mary in Sacred Scripture are found in the context of the Wedding Feast of Cana. Her words? “Do whatever He tells you.” (Jn. 2:5) What excellent advice! If the world would simply obey these words, there would be no wars, only peace, joy, harmony and salvation.

3. PROCLAMATION OF THE KINGDOM / CALL TO CONVERSION. (Mk. 1:15/Mt. Chapters 5 thru 7). In the Public life of Jesus, that lasted about three short years, He carried out three basic activities. 1) Miracles to prove that He was God. 2) Preaching and teaching in abundance (Mt. Chapters 5 thru 7—the Sermon on the Mount). 3) Exorcisms—casting out demons.

(a) HUNGER FOR THE WORD OF GOD.  We should cultivate within the depths of our hearts an ardent yearning and longing for the Word of God. May the words of the Psalmist resonate in the depths of our soul in our longing for His Word: “As the deer yearns for the running streams, so may I long for you, O Lord my God.” (Psalm 41:1)

(b) CONVERSION. Jesus calls all of us to be converted until we pass from this life to the next. “Be converted because the Kingdom of God is at hand.”  (Mk. 1:15)

(c) CONFESSION AND CONVERSION. Pope Saint John Paul II in the Apostolic Letter on the Rosary (BVMR) relates our conversion to the reception of the Sacrament of Confession—this is indeed the most efficacious tool at our disposal for true and ongoing conversion.

4. THE TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS.  (Mt. 17). Jesus ascends the mountain of Tabor. He invites three to accompany Him—Peter, James and John. They climb with Jesus and then witness Jesus being transfigured in light—His clothes as bright as the sun. This experience prepared them for the scandal of the cross.

(a) FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS. Jesus chose friends to be with Him in His short stay on earth. These were the 12 Apostles. But there was an inner circle of His best Friends. They were Peter, James and John.

(b) YOU ARE CALLED TO BE HIS FRIEND.  At the Last Supper, Jesus called the Apostles His Friends. By extension, you were meant to be there at the Last Supper and Jesus wants you to be among His Best Friends. Do you long for this? What is your major obstacle? How can you grow in Friendship with Jesus? Why not start now?

(c) LISTEN TO HIM.  The voice of God the Father could be heard—listen to Him. Let us open our ears to listen attentively to Jesus when He speaks to us. How does He speak to you? Do you respond?

5. THE INSTITUTION OF THE EUCHARIST AND THE PRIESTHOOD.  In the context of the Last Supper, Jesus instituted two Sacraments simultaneously: the Eucharist and the Priesthood. What two sublime Gifts from the Sacred Heart of Jesus. How grateful we should really be!

(1) AN ATTITUDE OF PROFOUND GRATITUDE.  Let us never weary in expressing our heartfelt gratitude to Jesus for His numerous Gifts to all of humanity, as well as to you and me. But most especially may we praise and thank Jesus for the Gift of the Eucharist. Actually, EUCHARIST means thanksgiving. May the words of the Psalmist echo the desires of our hearts: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His mercy endures forever.” (Ps. 136:1)

(2) DAILY MASS AND HOLY COMMUNION. May we accept the challenge to attend frequent Mass and Holy Communion as often as it is possible within the context of our vocation. In fact, one Holy Communion is worth more than the whole created universe!

(3) THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD.  Let us pray for priests; offer Masses, prayers and sacrifices for these minsters of God. Let us pray for vocations to the priesthood because in the words of Jesus, the Supreme and High priest, “The harvest is rich, but the laborers are few.” (Lk. 10: 2) May God send us many priests and holy priests to reap an abundant harvest of souls for all eternity.

Jesus is truly the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Also, the Lord Jesus is the true LIGHT OF THE WORLD. He desires to cast fire on the earth and He is not at peace until this fire be enkindled. By contemplating the Mysteries of Light may we be ignited with both Light and Fire to set the world ablaze with the love of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. May we be a fiery arrow in the hands of Christ the King, Christ the Light of the World.