Passion of Christ

"All-powerful God, by the suffering and death of your Son, strengthen and protect us in our weakness…" (Prayer at Mass)

Passion of Christ, strengthen me.

Blood of Jesus, protect me.

Perfect Sacrifice

"Lord, may the suffering and death of Jesus, your only Son, make us pleasing to you. Alone we can do nothing, but may this perfect sacrifice win us your mercy and love…." (Mass Prayer)

Jesus Christ reconciled us to the Father through His passion and death. It is the perfect sacrifice sought by God. We commemorate this in the Mass. This is why the Mass has the power to win us the mercy and love of God.

It pays to be humble

"Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself…." (Philippians 2: 6-11)

Christ was humble. God raised Him up high.

Mary was humble. God raised her.

David was humble. God promoted him.

If I am humble, God will surely raise me.

A Well-trained Tongue

"The Lord God has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning by morning he opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back." (Isaiah 50: 4-7)

Father, give me a well-trained tongue. Bless me also with a well-trained hand. Lead me, guide me and use me.

God blessed these people with a well-trained tongue:

• Paul
  
• Augustine
  
• Josemaria
  
• Louis de Monfort
  
• Patrick
  
• John Chrysostom
  

Estrangement and Reconciliation

"Almighty Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you sent your Son to be born of a woman and die on a cross, so that through the obedience of one man estrangement may be dissolved for all men. Guide our minds by his truth and strengthen our lives by the example of his death, that we may live in union with you in the kingdom of your promise." (Prayer at Mass)

Our sins caused our estrangement from God. Christ's obedience reconciles us to God.

Guide our minds by His truth: Truth as found in the Gospel and in the Bible.

Triumphing over Suffering

"Almighty, ever-living God, you have given the human race Jesus Christ our Savior as a model of humility. He fulfilled your will by becoming man and giving his life on the cross. Help us to bear witness to you by following the example of suffering and make us worthy to share in his resurrection…." (Prayer at Mass)

"By his stripes, we are healed." (1 Peter 2: 24)

Christ suffered and conquered death. He destroyed the fear of death and suffering for all of us. He suffered and overcame. If I accept the sufferings in my life that I cannot prevent, I too will triumph over the fear of sufferings.

Lord Jesus, help us to overcome the fear of suffering.

The Meek and Humble King

"Behold, your king comes to you, meek and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden." (Matthew 21: 1-11)

What a King we have in Jesus. Our King is meek and humble. It is thus Jesus presents Himself to us in the Blessed Sacrament – meek and humble. He comes to us in the Eucharist as a meek and humble King. This is the King who washes the feet of His servants.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours.

Baptism and New Life

"Ever-living God, in Baptism, the sacrament of our faith, you restore us to life. Accept the prayers and gifts of your people; forgive our sins and fulfill our hopes and desires…." (Prayers at Mass)

Through Baptism, we are given new life. The bread and wine we offer in the offertory symbolize the gifts of ourselves to God.

Inspite of Baptism restoring us to new life, sins continue to dog our footsteps.

Vital Information Systems

"The Jewish Passover was drawing near….." (John 11: 55)

Times and seasons are ordained by God. In 1999, I confided the following on the above scripture to my journal:

"It was ordained that Jesus, the Lamb of God would be sacrificed during the Jewish Passover. The sacrifice of Jesus marked the end of the old covenant and the beginning of a new one. Our God uses the symbolisms of timings to teach us about His plans. Now I know that my prayers for the Vital Information Systems this year, my Jubilee year will have the sympathetic ears of God."

Reflecting on the above today in June of 2008, I am amazed to see how God answered the prayer: Seekfirstweb.Com.

Mourning and Joy

"I will turn their mourning into joy, I will console and gladden them after their sorrows." (Jeremiah 31: 13)

Those who sow in tears shall laugh when they reap. This is the word of the Lord.

God’s Saving Plan

"I shall save them from the acts of infidelity which they have committed and shall cleanse them; they will be my people and I shall be their God." (Ezekiel 37: 23)

God our Father is continually working to save us. The sacraments are the means through which God is saving us, cleansing us of our acts of infidelity.

As Easter Approaches

"God our Father, you always work to save us, and now we rejoice in the great love you give to your chosen people. Protect all who are about to become your children, and continue to bless those who are already baptized." (Prayer at Mass in the Period of Lent)

God our Father is always working to save us. What a consoling thought! As Easter approaches, the Church intensifies its preparation and prayer for those who will be received into the Church at Easter. These catechumens and candidates need the prayers of the Church to be steadfast in their determination to join the Chosen People. The Church is aware that this is the period of greatest temptation to some of them. We help them with our prayers to overcome the obstacles of the evil one.

The Eucharist protects us from harm

"Lord, may we always receive the protection of this sacrifice. May it keep us safe from all harm." (Prayer at Mass)

The Eucharist confers sanctifying grace to us. It protects us from what harms our soul. As it nourishes our soul with the best of spiritual food, it starves our carnal appetite. How do we receive the fullest blessings of the Eucharist? By coming to the Eucharist in a state of grace, we show our desire for the blessings. Then we ask for the blessings we desire.

His Wounds

"Jesus carried our sins in his own body on the cross so that we could die to sin and live in holiness; by his wounds we have been healed." (1 Peter 2: 24)

By his wounds, we have been healed of our enslavement to sin and all consequences of sin. We become free as sons. We enjoy the perquisites of sons. We understand and accept God's sovereignty and plan for our lives. Physical healing becomes secondary.

Commenting on the above scripture, St. Bernard wrote: "I have come to see that true wisdom lies in meditating on these things […]. Some have provided me with wholesome, if bitter, drink, and I have used others as gentle and soothing unction. This gives me strength in adversity and helps me to be humble in prosperity; it allows me to walk with a sure step on the royal road of salvation, through the good things and the evil things of this present life, free from the dangers which threaten to right and left." (Sermons on the Song of Songs, 43, 4).

You are gods

"So it uses the word 'gods' of those to whom the word of God was addressed – and scripture cannot be set aside." (John 10: 35)

God addresses His word to His sons. Thank you Father.

Blessed are you who hear the word and keep it.

Struggle against Evil

"The breakers of death surged round me, the destroying floods overwhelmed me. The cords of the nether world enmeshed me, the snares of death overtook me." (Psalm 18: 5-6)

Breakers of death, destroying floods, cords of the nether world and snares of death are all figures of speech depicting the epic struggle with the forces of evil.

"In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice." (Psalm 18:7)

In periods of temptation, cry out like Peter in the storm: "Lord, save me. I am drowning."

You shall overcome through:

• Blood of the lamb
  
• Your word of testimony – Cry out in your distress
  
• Be prepared to "cut off the hand or pluck out the eye" if necessary.

Mighty Hero

"For Yahweh is at my side like a mighty hero; my opponents will stumble, vanquished, confounded by their failure; everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs." (Jeremiah 20: 11)

Yahweh is at my side like a might hero: It is Yahweh is at my side, it is accomplished. One with God is a majority. If Yahweh is at my side, I will be victorious.

Enslavement to sin

"Lord, grant us your forgiveness, and set us free from our enslavement to sin…." (Mass Prayer)

Is it possible to be freed from enslavement to sin while we are alive? Spiritual writers believe that total freedom from the effects of concupiscence comes with death. The enslavement to sin that is referred to in the above prayer is enslavement to venial sins. While it is possible for the committed Christian to fall into mortal sin, such an isolated mishap cannot be described as enslavement. Most of us keep confessing the same venial sins year after year. This is a definition of enslavement to sin.

Rescue me

"Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am in distress; rescue me from the hands of my enemies. Lord, keep me from shame, for I have called to you." (Psalm 31:10, 16, 18)

Actual grace is the grace that God provides us here and now to deal with any crisis. We tap into the flow of this grace through prayer. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes Actual grace as "God's interventions, whether at the beginning of conversion or in the course of the work of sanctification." (CCC ##2000)

Our Own Annunciation

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow." (Luke 1: 35)

The Annunciation is the anointing of Mary for her mission.

Those who were called and anointed:

• Moses
  
• David
  
• Isaiah
  
• Jeremiah
  
• Jesus
  
• Paul
  

All the above depended on the Holy Spirit to fulfill their mission.

What mission am I anointed for? To learn and to communicate. When I wrote the above in 1999, I confided to my diary the following limitations:

• I have no qualification
  
• No ability
  
• No money
  

Today, the hesitation has vanished. I know for certain that I can do all things with the help of the Holy Spirit.

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow." (Luke 1: 35)

I am the Lord's servant. May it be done to me according to His word.

Each of us has a vocation. When we experience our annunciation, if we surrender to God like Mary, then the Holy Spirit will use us to achieve incredible things for the Kingdom of God.