Come to Jesus our Compassionate High Priest with Supreme Confidence.

"Brothers and sisters: Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help." (Hebrews 4: 14 -16).

Sunday 17th October 2021, in the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Our key Scripture is from the 2nd Reading this Sunday. I have always liked the message.
Come to Jesus our merciful and compassionate High Priest with trust and confidence to receive grace and mercy at the nick of time. That is, at the very moment you are in need of grace and mercy.

We are told by the Evangelist John that the Law comes through Moses but grace and mercy come through Jesus Christ. (Cf John 1: 17).

How do we get hold of this grace and mercy? That is the lesson that Abraham learned from God. (Cf Romans 1). It is not from our might or hard work but in trusting confidence in God. David the man after God's heart learned too the same lesson.  Prayer is the Activator of Power.

"So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help."

"Here in My presence I will fill you, not only for yourself, but also for all those to whom it will be given you to transmit My messages of love and of mercy. I want also that you should speak to them of My solitude in the tabernacle. Certain sophisticated minds will laugh at this. They forget that I am not there like some inanimate object. It is My Heart that waits for you in the tabernacle; it is My gaze that, full of tenderness, fixes itself, from the tabernacle, on those who draw near to it. I am not there for My own sake. I am there to feed you and to fill you with the joys of My presence." (IN SINU JESU, Monday, October 29, 2007 - BEFORE VESPERS).

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The Feast of St Margaret Mary Alacoque & St Hedwig.

" When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.” (Luke 12: 11 - 12).

Saturday 16th October 2021 in the 28th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647 - 1690). St Margaret is the French Visitation Nun that brought the world the private revelations of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Devotees of the Sacred Heart of Jesus owe St Margaret Mary eternal gratitude for her great work.

Today is also the feast of St Hedwig (1173 - 1243). Wife of the Duke of Poland and mother of 7 children. After the death of her husband, Hedwig took the habit of a Nun and lived the rest of her life in a Cistercian monastery that she and her late husband had founded.

I have always loved the key Scripture for today. "When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”
Do you believe this to be true? Yes. I believe it to be true because I have experienced the truth several times. The Lord has been by my side and given me wisdom words to say when I was in most need of such counsels. I have been full of amazement and have never forgotten the experience.

St Margaret Mary, our Saint for today is full of confidence in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Abraham and David taught us that trust and confidence in God cause God to make us righteous.  We are not justified by our works.

"Allow Me to speak words of peace to your soul. Trust Me in all things. Trust that I will not abandon you, nor will I deprive you of My friendship. My desire is to hold conversation with you, to speak to you, as I have often said, heart to heart, as a man converses with his best friend. Why do you doubt? Believe in My friendship for you. It is My gift to you, and I will not withdraw what I have given you out of the love of My Heart." (IN SINU JESU, Thursday, October 17, 2008 Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque."

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Feast of St Teresa of Avila, Mystic and Doctor of the Church.

"What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter?  If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4: 1 - 3 NIV).

Friday 15th October 2021, 28th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of a great Church woman: St Teresa of Jesus, known also as St Teresa of Avila. (1515 - 1582). Spanish Carmelite and a great Reformer. She was a mystic and talented spiritual writer. St Teresa is best remembered for her outstanding works in ascetical and mystical theology which earned her the title of Doctor of the Church. Her books continue to be popular today.

Teresa's great knowledge and love for God gave her great confidence in the mighty, merciful and mysterious Providence of God.
Here is how St Teresa expresses her total trust in God's Providence.

"Let nothing trouble you,
let nothing frighten you.
All things are passing;
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
He who possesses God lacks nothing: God alone suffices."  (St Teresa of Avila).

Our key Scripture from Romans 4 teaches us about what Abraham and David learned about God. God is not interested in how hard you work or pray. God is interested in how much you trust Him. How do you respond to His words to you? In obedience of faith like Abraham, David and Mary or in scorn and disobedience like Cain and Saul?
David spoke of the happiness of those declared righteous by God without working for it.

"I spoke to you in the words of Psalm 90 to give you an assurance of My protection and of My care for you at every moment, but especially now in these days that will lead you into the fulfilment of My plan. Trust in My protection. Go forward without fear. I will illumine the hearts of those with whom you will have to deal, and the doors will open before you, because this is My work and its hour has come." (IN SINU JESU, Saturday, October 15, 2011 Saint Teresa of Jesus).

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The Feast of St Callistus.

"But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.  We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are."  (Romans 3: 21 - 22 NLT).

Thursday 14th October 2021, 28th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Callistus (+222).Pope and Martyr.
How does history remember Pope St Callistus? From slave to pope to martyr. Pope St Callistus reminds us of our current Pontiff, Pope Francis. A Pope opposed openly by his Bishops, clergy and theologians. Why? Because of the uncompromising stand of Callistus that the Church must show mercy and forgive even the worst of sinners. This struggle in the Church with the Rigorist faction outlived St Callistus who was martyred by Emperor Alexander Severus. Pope Francis faces the same opposition over the sacramental discipline of Marriage.

Our key Scripture for today is a wonderful proclamation of the truth of God, of the consolation of Scriptures:
"The just shall live by faith." This is a timeless truth and appears in many Scripture passages:
(Habakkuk 2: 4, Romans 1: 17, Galatians 3: 11, Hebrews 10: 38).

All the saints of God live by faith. It is not possible to live otherwise.
Abraham is called the Father of faith because he lived by faith and not by sight or feelings. The Blessed Virgin Mary through faith replied to the Angel's message: "Let it be done to me according to Your word."

Our saint of today Callistus whose name means "Shinning" is a man of deep faith otherwise how could he have given his one life for the faith.

How do we grow in faith? We grow in faith when we perform frequently acts of faith. For example:
Prayer, Reconciliation, Eucharist, Almsgiving, Fasting, Acts of Charity, etc.  All these will be meaningless without faith.

Grow your faith and begin to live the promised abundant life.

"The Eucharist is transforming for all who receive Me with faith and with confident devotion, but it is especially so for My priests. It is by the reception of My Body and Blood that you will grow in My friendship and in the shining priestly holiness by which I want to be glorified in you and in all My priests." (IN SINU JESU, Thursday, January 3, 2008 The Holy Name of Jesus).

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Do not judge so that you will not be judged harshly.

"You, O man, are without excuse, every one of you who passes judgment. For by the standard by which you judge another you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things. We know that the judgment of God on those who do such things is true. Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?" (Romans 2: 1... 11).

Wednesday 13th October 2021, in the 28th Week in Ordinary Time.

The first Reading from Romans deals with harsh, ignorant and hypocritical judgements.

Let us stop judging the so-called public sinners. God shows no partiality.
If you commit abortion,
If you commit fornication or adultery,
If you cheat on your taxes,
If you haul racial insults on your neighbor,
God shows no partiality in dealing with you. He who breaks one law has broken all the laws. (James 2: 10).
So stop judging that you may not be judged harshly.

"If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But with you is found forgiveness, O God of Israel." (Psalm 130: 3 - 4).

"The blessing of the priest is a great means by which good is made to triumph over evil, love over hatred, and mercy over judgment. Similarly, the blessing given with the relics of My saints pleases Me much. I am glorified in My saints, and I pass through them to distribute the riches of My Heart in the universe of souls." (IN SINU JESU, Wednesday, October 10, 2007).

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I am not ashamed of the Gospel.

"Brothers and sisters: I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: for Jew first, and then Greek. For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous by faith will live.”  (Romans 1:16... 25).

Tuesday 12th October 2021, in the 28th Week in Ordinary Time.

Why did Paul say: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel." Because the Gospel was so new at the time and has not become socially acceptable. Mind you Jesus was officially condemned to death and crucified naked like a criminal. It takes guts to be associated with such a fellow.

The Gospel or Good News is Jesus and vice versa.
These people were not ashamed of the poverty, nakedness and crime imputation to Jesus:
#1. Mary stood under the Cross for hours.
#2. The 3 Magi from the East saw the new born King of the world under abject poverty and were not ashamed to bow down and worship Him.
#3. The holy elderly prophet and prophetess Simeon and Anna were witnesses to the truth that Mary and Joseph made an offering of the poor for Jesus.

Are you ashamed of the Gospel? Do you see it as power? Three things that might indicate that you are ashamed of the Gospel:

#1. Missing Mass on Sunday.
#2. Making light of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
#3. Ashamed to say the grace before meal in a restaurant.

"Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." (Luke 9: 26).

"When you bring to your Mass all that you have experienced—your whole life story—you allow Me to redeem those things that are most dark, bitter, and painful by taking them into the mystery of My sacrifice. Come to the altar with your sins, even with those of which you are most ashamed, and I shall show you that I have already taken them upon Myself and expiated them in My Blood." (IN SINU JESU, Thursday, January 28, 2016).

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ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE FOR GOD.

"There is no need for you to become fearful and anxious. All will come to pass as I promised, but according to My perfect plan and at the time I have chosen, the best possible time for you and for all concerned. Continue to trust Me and tell Me often that all your trust is in the merciful goodness of My Heart. I will not fail you nor will I leave you open to the destructive influences that are seeking to undermine this work that is Mine. I chose you, the most broken and sin-sick of all My priests, in order to fill your poverty with My gifts and to display My power in your weakness.  Your soul was marked by deep wounds, the wounds inflicted by impurity and by sin at so tender an age. You could have continued down the path of evil prepared for you by Satan and his instruments, but My Mother intervened to save you, and she obtained from Me that you should carry out this work of adoration, reparation, and service to My beloved priests." (IN SINU JESU, Thursday, May 27, 2010). 

Called and anointed to spread the Name of Jesus.

"Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an Apostle and set apart for the Gospel of God, which he promised previously through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, the Gospel about his Son, descended from David according to the flesh, but established as Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness through resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 1: 1... 7).

Monday 11th October 2021, in the 28th Week in Ordinary Time, is the feast of Pope St John XXIII. (1881 - 1963). Italian. Pontiff.
Pope St John XXIII convened the Second Vatican Council which transformed the Church. He wrote the popular encyclical Pacem in Terris. He was a humble and well beloved Pope and was popularly called the Good Pope. I like very much this quote below from him:

"Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but what is still possible for you to do." (Pope St John XXIII).

The Church starts reading the Letter to the Romans today. We draw our key Scripture from Romans 1: 1 - 7.  Paul was not boasting when he said that he was called and set apart to preach the Good News to the nations. One prerequisite for greatness is to know and believe that you are unique and irrepeatable not just in your DNA but in your Mission DNA.
Everyone has a unique and special purpose. Because of Paul's special charism, Jesus Himself reveals Paul's special mission:
"But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites." (Acts 9: 15).

Do you know your purpose on earth? The excitement that St Paul felt throughout his ministry came from his knowledge of his purpose. Paul knew what he was doing and why he was doing it.
How do you find out your purpose in life? There are many books on how to do this. Most are in the area of self-development psychology.
If you really want to find out your purpose on earth, JUST ASK GOD.
"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you." (Matthew 7: 7 NLT).
This is THE PROMISE FROM GOD. JESUS KEEPS HIS PROMISES AS GOD.

"Through him we have received the grace of apostleship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles, among whom are you also, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ; to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

"If there are so few priests in certain places, it is above all because those that are there have forsaken Me in the Sacrament of My love and no longer live in My friendship. Let every priest present himself as a friend of Jesus, and his ministry will soon take on the efficacy and fruitfulness that characterized that of Saint John, of Saint Paul, and of My first apostles. The friend speaks with the authority that only experience can confer." (IN SINU JESU, March 30, 2008 Sunday of Divine Mercy).

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