Wednesday 7th week of Easter

"Jn 17:11b-19"

"Holy Father...I have given them thy word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not pray that thou should take them out of the world, but that thou should keep them from the evil one."

Have you ever been on one of those boats which are so comfortable that once you are on board you forget you are travelling? But every now and then you pop your head out and are reminded that we didn't get on the vessel to stay on it: we are on our way to somewhere else. The same happens with the world. We are not 'of' the world, but we are 'in the world'. Remember the quote of St Thérèse of Lisieux, "The world's thy ship and not thy home."

A priest was one day telling a story in his homily. A young student went sailing for the weekend with a friend and his dad. But when they were out to sea, a storm broke out; the boat capsized and started sinking. The father saw with horror that the waves had separated the two boys. Grabbing a rescue line, he had to make the most excruciating decision of his life: which boy he would save with the other end of the line. His son saw him hesitating and shouted, "Save him, Dad, he is not Christian. I am in the state of grace!" The father then threw the line to his son's friend whilst his own child drowned. After Mass someone approached the priest and said, "Nice story, father, but I don't think it was very realistic for a father to give up his son's life in the hope that the other boy would become a Christian". The priest smiled and replied, "Well, that is what God did: He sacrificed His Son so that you and I can be saved. And apart from that, you see? I was the son's friend."

Life is just a ship and we are on a voyage to Heaven. We are not of this world (this ship) but on it. On this trip there are dangers (the devil), but ever since Jesus died for us, we are safe. There will be storms but Our Father will protect us. He will not take us "out of the world" (we need the ship to reach Heaven) but, if we ask Him, He will "keep us from the evil one."

My Mother, Star of the Sea, please guide my journey and always be close to me when the storm breaks out.

St Matthias, Apostle

"Jn 15:9-17"

"Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends...No longer do I call you servants...but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide."

Matthias was chosen to replace Judas. For a while, Judas was Jesus' friend, but eventually he betrayed Our Lord. "A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter," says Sacred Scripture, "he that has found one has found a treasure" (Sirach 6:14). We need friends and so does God; loyal friends, strong friends, who are ready to do anything for their friends; just as Jesus did: "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends". He then concluded, "You are my friends." Judas didn't accept the 'friend request'. Matthias did.

A little girl named Liza was suffering from a rare disease. Her only chance of recovery was a blood transfusion from her five-year-old brother, who had the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to the little boy, and asked him if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. They saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save Liza." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled seeing the colour returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "When will I start to die?" Being so young, the boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to give her all his blood. And he was ready to do it because he loved!

"You are my friend," Jesus says. And He could add 'I have poured out all my Blood for you. And now, what kind of friend of mine are you?' Maybe I am not as good a friend as I should be. Am I there when You need me, Lord, at Mass, in my prayer...? Maybe, sometimes, I'm not the most faithful friend, certainly not the most grateful... Mary, my Mother, help me to be a true friend of your Son, through thick and thin, even ready to die for Him if necessary, just as He did for me.

Monday 7th week of Easter

"Jn 16:29-33"

Jesus said to his disciples, "The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave me alone; yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Jesus knew that His disciples were going to be scattered. He knew that over the years many Christians would have to leave their homes and run away with their families as St Joseph had to do. Knowing this, He wanted to record in the memory of His disciples the fact that they would never be alone: God would be with them.

Despite having been brought up a Christian, Roman Emperor Julian the Apostate (331 – 363) decided to persecute the Church with all his might. He was determined to wipe out the religion of ‘the Galilean’, Jesus Christ, and restore the pagan religion. Old temples were renovated and new ones built, and the pagan priesthood was reinstated. On June 26th 363, in the battle against the Sassanid army, he was wounded with a spear and died at the age of 32. As he lay dying, he realised that all his efforts to stamp out the message of Christ had failed. "You have won, O Galilean!"

Now, 2,000 years on, there are over 1,000,000,000 Catholics in the world. The Church survived and even flourished despite times of terrible persecution by Romans, barbarians and Saracens; and more recently from communism, fascism and Nazism. Those ‘kingdoms’ have come and gone, while the spiritual kingdom of Christ continues in the hearts of those who love Him. We, therefore, can never be surprised or afraid of the difficulties that Christians may find in their lives, including our interior lives: temptations, dryness, misunderstandings, loneliness. We need to be aware that we usually go against the grain. We will always “have tribulation”, said Jesus. But let’s not stop there. Let’s read the rest of the sentence and keep it fresh in our hearts: be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

My Mother, Help of Christians, intercede for those who suffer persecution of any kind, for those who undergo any tribulation, and especially for those who need my prayer most today.

Saturday 6th week of Easter

"Jn 16:23b-28"

Jesus said to his disciples: "I shall no longer speak to you in figures but tell you plainly of the Father. In that day you will ask in my name; and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from the Father."

Now I understand that You don't need to speak well of me to The Father, for He loves me madly already. It would be like trying to convince my mother to love me. She doesn't need to be persuaded. God also loves His children, and does so unconditionally. I can sometimes be a bad child, but He will never stop being the Best Father. I can be ungrateful, disobedient, naughty... but He will never stop loving me, taking care of me and helping me to become a better child of His.

On December 7, 1988, an earthquake devastated a section of Armenia. Many buildings collapsed. One father ran to his son's school and found it as flat as a pancake. He recalled the promise he had made to his son many times, "No matter what, I'll always be there for you!" He remembered where his son's classroom was and started digging through the rubble with his bare hands. Some people tried to stop him, saying, "It's too late!" "They're dead!" or "Go home!" but he proceeded to dig, stone by stone. Even the fire chief and, later, the police tried to dissuade that man, asking him to go home and leave the task to them. But the loving father answered them all in the same way, "You can help me or leave me alone. Giving up on my son is not an option." No one helped him. He dug for 8 hours, 12, 24, 36 hours ... then, after 38 hours, he pulled back a boulder and shouted his son's name. "Armand!" He heard his son's voice, "Dad! I told them! I told the other kids not to worry. I told them that if you were alive, you'd save me, and when you saved me, they'd be saved. You promised you would always be there for me and I knew you would!" Moments later, the fire brigade and soldiers helped this dad to bring his son and 13 other children out of the debris. God is a Father Who never gives up. He always fulfils every promise He makes. My Mother, Daughter of God the Father, help me to be always aware of being the beloved child of God.

Friday 6th week of Easter

"Jn 16:20-23" "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is in travail she has sorrow, because her hour has come; but when she is delivered of the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world. So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you."

He never promised it was going to be 'easy'; He said it was going to be 'worthwhile'. Jesus makes several promises here. The first one is rather negative: "You will weep and lament". But then the positive ones come: "Your sorrow will turn into joy" and "no one will take your joy from you." No one; ever! Know it well: gloominess is the mark of the enemy; it is the ally of the devil. But the joy of the children of God is like rubbing salt in the enemy's wound. St Paul said it: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice."

Billy Joel says in one of his songs, "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints. The sinners are much more fun." We are really certain (and sad) that he never met a saint. Saints have never lost their joy and good humour in the middle of their distress. "Laugh and grow strong," St. Ignatius said; and to one of his novices, "I see you are always laughing, and I am glad of it." St Josemaría said that he founded Opus Dei just with "the grace of God, twenty six years of age and good humour." St Francis de Sales comforted a hunchback with these words: "The works of God are perfect." "What!" replied the man. "Perfect, and yet deformed?" "Well..." answered the saint, "a perfect hunchback!" St Philip Neri, St John Vianney, St Teresa, St Francis of Assisi... There are thousands of stories in any saint's life.

In 1534 two martyrs were on trial for refusing to swear a solemn oath acknowledging Henry VIII as head of the church in England. The judge said plainly, "If you don't swear you'll be tied up and thrown into the Thames". They replied with a big smile, "We just want to go to Heaven. We don't really mind if it is by water or by land!" That is it: good-humoured and cheerful until the end. My Mother, Cause of our Joy, when things become difficult for me, please make me consider slowly: no one, ever 'will take my joy away from me.'

The Ascension of Our Lord

"Mk 16:15-20"

And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation...And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it.

He told them to "go" and they went: "they went forth and preached everywhere." They split and went to different cities, different countries, different continents... they learned different languages, travelled by land, on horseback, on foot or by sea to reach as many destinations as they could. In some places they were listened to; in others they were laughed at, taken for fools, insulted or stoned; when they were cast out of one city they went forth to the next. Jesus told them to "go" and so off they went.

Jesus had sent His disciples in pairs to many places previously, to tell everyone that the Kingdom of God was near. But they couldn't say much more. When they were asked if Jesus was the Messiah, they probably said "We think so." The news was still incomplete. But now they could go and spread the Good News. Good News? What 'Good News'? That Jesus had died for them on the Cross, that He died but wasn't dead anymore, that He rose from the dead, that their sins had been washed away with His Precious Blood, that Heaven was open now, that God loved them so much that He gave up His Son for them; that He promised His grace to anyone who asked for it. That God was in Heaven but also here, in the shape of Bread to meet them; that He wanted to talk to them, to converse with them, to live with them... in them! That they were free now; that God wasn't just their Creator... He was their Father! And to tell them that He was waiting for their reply.

They went forth and never stopped until they were killed. But many others followed them; and the more they killed, the more people 'went forth' to preach in other places that God is madly in love with them and He is still there... waiting for each of them to give an answer. Lord, I have given You my answer. Now I need Your grace and the intercession of my Mother, Queen of Apostles, to go to those I can reach out to and tell them the 'Good News'.

Wednesday 6th week of Easter

"Jn 16:12-15"

"I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."

"I have yet many things to say to you..." Jesus had revealed part of the truth to His disciples but not everything. Who would reveal the rest? The Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, the Counsellor. He would guide them "into all the truth". As Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit assists the Church now and gently guides her into all the truth".

"Without the Holy Spirit everything is cold," said St John Vianney. "The Sacraments instituted by Our Lord wouldn't have saved us without the Holy Spirit. Even the very Death of Our Lord would have been useless without Him. It's like being given a treasure; it would be necessary for someone to distribute it: the Father gave His Son, the Son gave Himself and the Holy Spirit came to distribute all His graces." Our Lord said it: "It is to your advantage that I go away." We need the Holy Spirit to complete what Jesus had started. Otherwise His Work would be incomplete, wasted, like a race that is not finished.

The Counsellor comes clarifying everything. He is the Teacher. You can have the manual, but you need someone to explain the difficult parts. That's one of the gifts of the Counsellor: the gift of counsel. One day a priest from the diocese of Autun had a very difficult moral case that he couldn't solve. After consulting many other priests and finding no solution, he decided to go to Ars and ask St John Vianney. The Curé had had a hard time in the seminary trying to study theology and pass his exams. Nevertheless, he gave a quick and simple answer: three words were enough. "How could you possibly know?! Where did you learn that?" asked the surprised priest. In answer, St John Vianney just smiled and pointed at the kneeler. It's to 'our advantage' that we ask the Counsellor for advice. Holy Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, teach me to listen to the Paraclete.

Tuesday 6th week of Easter

"Jn 16:5-11"

"But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convince the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment."

It's to our advantage that You, Lord, have to go, because then we can receive the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, sorrow fills the hearts of the Apostles when they realise that they won't be able to see You until the end of their lives, because they love You. I can well understand it. You are the Light. And our lives with You are like hiking in beautiful snow-capped mountains reflecting the brilliance of the sun. But when You aren't with us night falls: the same landscape is dark, solitary and devoid of all warmth.

One day in Rome, during an audience with Pope St John Paul II, a lady was greeting the Pontiff with her husband. After a brief introduction she took the hand of her husband, put it in the hands of the Pope and said, "Holy Father, could you say something to my husband?" And, to the poor man's embarrassment, she added, "He hasn't gone to Confession for a very long time." St John Paul II smiled at him, pressed that man's hand and, gazing affectionately into his eyes answered, "Go to Confession. It's so sad to be away from God!"

It is sad to live without God, especially when we have been created, not just to live with God but to be, in actual fact, his dwelling. That is the point: God isn't content by just being 'with us'; He wants to be 'in us'. When St Paul wanted to remind the Corinthians that they should strive to live according to moral law, he asked them, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God?" (6:19) As if saying, 'Are you unaware of the most important truth about yourselves? Then, why don't you behave accordingly?'

Mary, my Mother, I am aware of it. The Holy Spirit wants to dwell in me and with your help, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, I will give Him a good 'accommodation'.

Monday 6th week of Easter

"Jn 15:26-16:4a"

"But when the Counsellor comes, whom I shall send to you...he will bear witness to me; and you also are witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning. I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away...the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you of them."

The Holy Spirit, the Paraclete (which means the Advocate or Counsellor) makes us witnesses of Jesus. We become witnesses because we have been 'with Him'. And in our lives we have to bear witness to our Faith. That's what 'martyr' means: witness. But don't get it wrong - martyrs didn't become saints only because they 'died' for Jesus, but because first of all, they 'lived' for Jesus. Martyrs could give witness with their 'deaths' because they had already given witness with their 'lives'. They were ready 'to die' for Christ because first they were ready 'to live' for Christ.

On 20th July 1936 in Barbastro (Spain), 49 Claretian Missionaries, most of them young seminarians, were arrested by the militia to be killed for their (our) Faith. They were kept in a hall with small windows through which people in the street could shout and ridicule them. But two of the seminarians were Argentinian and the authorities didn't want to kill foreigners since this course of action would have created diplomatic conflicts. They asked their superiors what to do. On the one hand, they would have liked to die as martyrs and give their lives for Christ. On the other hand, they didn't have to. The superiors agreed that they should ask to be released. 'Your martyrdom,' they were told, 'will be a long life of service to Our Lord.' And so it was.

We too can be 'witnesses' (martyrs) of Jesus Christ with our lives: when we work as we should, pray on time, speak confidently about our faith, when we stop a bad conversation, some gossip, a blasphemy, or we stand up for the lives of the innocent... That's how we bear witness to Jesus. That's our martyrdom. And that's what we ask through the intercession of Our Lady: the Holy Spirit's gift of fortitude.

Saturday 5th week of Easter

"Jn 15:18-21"

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you...Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all this they will do to you on my account, because they do not know him who sent me."

Ignorance is the great enemy of God. Those who hate Christians or Jesus Christ do so "because they do not know him who sent me"; they just don't know! Do you remember the words of Jesus on the Cross? "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they are doing." St Stephen, too, as he was stoned by a mob, said a similar prayer (Acts 7:60).

Consider the humble reaction of the centurion when Jesus died. He said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!" And among the people stoning St Stephen to death was the young Saul of Tarsus, who eventually became St Paul. Some people who don't understand our faith may feel attracted by our 'deeds'. They may think 'Let me see what you believe' or 'Do you believe in God? Show me!'

The 40 Martyrs of Sebaste were a group of Christian soldiers condemned in 320AD to freeze to death in an icy pond. The executioners set a warm bath in front of the pond to tempt them to give up. Anyone who wanted to renounce his faith would be invited into the warm bath. One of them yielded, leaving his companions; coming out of the waters, he accepted the offer to renounce his faith. But at that, one of the guards watching over the martyrs (who had seen their example and faithfulness) proclaimed himself a Christian, threw off his garments and joined the other martyrs to complete the number of 40. In the icy waters of the pond he was baptised and in those waters he died with the other martyrs. You see? The centurion, Saul or the guard in the story weren't evil people; they were just ignorant. To convert they didn't need any speech, just the example of Jesus (Master) and the saints (disciples).

My Mother, may I learn to prove my faith with deeds: "There is a story of a soul who, on saying to our Lord in prayer, 'Jesus, I love you', heard this reply from heaven: 'Love means deeds, not sweet words'" (St Josemaría).