The Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

BEHOLD SATAN WILL SIFT YOU LIKE WHEAT.

“Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat,  but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22: 31 - 32).

Sunday 10th April 2022 is Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion.

We remember Christ's Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem to accomplish His mission through the Cross.

Just as Satan was given permission to sift Job in the Old Testament like wheat, Satan has again been given permission to sift Simon Peter. Yes. To sift you and me like wheat. Our most merciful Savior and Teacher has prayed for us and has given us a cheat sheet to pass this test.

“Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test.” Jesus said. (Luke 22: 46).
Your cheat sheet from the Master is: STOP SLEEPING AND PRAY.

Jesus taught that Prayer is a vital necessity. While Jesus never taught that we WORK Always,  Jesus asks us to pray always. St Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church teaches that a Christian who does not pray is lost. A Christian who does not pray will not experience miracles. Of course the most merciful heart of Abba Father succours His children always. But only those who pray recognize these silent miracles. One of the signs of a dying faith is cessation of prayer in Christian life.  The Christian who does not pray cannot overcome temptations. He has a wide open door for Satan to tempt him in all sorts of ways.

Through the power of Prayer, Jesus is strengthened in His inner self and ready to embrace the will of His Father during His temptations, especially in His agony in the Garden.

"Father, if this chalice cannot pass without my drinking it, your will be done." (Matthew 26: 42).

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Why must this good Man die like a criminal?

"THEY UNITED IN MAKING PLANS TO ARREST JESUS BY THREACHERY AND HAVE HIM PUT TO DEATH."

"Many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what Jesus had done [Raising of Lazarus to life] began to believe in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

"So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.”

"But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.

"So from that day on they planned to kill him. (John 11: 45..... 56).

Saturday 9th April 2022 of the 5th week of Lent.

We are on the Eve of Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. The plot to kill Jesus has thickened at this point. Who wants to kill Jesus and who will benefit most from His disappearance from the religious-political scene?

“You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” (John 11: 49 - 50).
This is the voice of the High Priest, Caiaphas. He provides a powerful motive for the criminal conspiracy. The fate of Jesus is sealed.

The plan of the Father for the salvation of the world has taken a definitive path to victory. Is God the Father incapable of stopping the execution of His beloved Son Jesus? Or to stop all the evils in the world? Just one word from the Father will change everything.

"In the most mysterious way God the Father has revealed his almighty power in the voluntary humiliation and Resurrection of his Son, by which he conquered evil." (CCC 272).

The Cross has been ordained by the Father from eternity to be the means of our Salvation. No Cross, No Crown. No Trials. No Triumph.
As we enter the most holy Week of the year, we pray for the grace to understand the meaning of the Cross in our lives.

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I perform my Father’s works.

I WISH TO LIVE AS I PRAY. IF I PRAY WELL, I LIVE WELL. IF I LIVE WELL, I DIE WELL. IF I DIE WELL, ALL IS WELL.
LEX ORANDI, LEX CREDENDI, LEX VIVENDI.

"If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize [and understand] that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” (John 10: 37 - 38).

Friday 8th April 2022, of the 5th Week of Lent.

The enemies of Jesus were not just ignorant of the ways of God, they also suffer from unbelief. Unbelief may be the deadliest sin in the Bible. An example of Unbelief is seeing the sun shining and you maintain that it is total darkness. The Israelites saw the work of God in the Red Sea. They ate manna and drank fresh water in the desert and still refused to believe in God's goodness and power.

Jesus appealed to His work. The Jews should know the works of the future Messiah from the Scriptures. Healing, casting out demons, feeding the masses, raising the dead, teaching and preaching.  These works should make someone of good will to examine the claims of Jesus more deeply before rejecting Him. They refused to believe the proofs before them and paid  very costly consequences. No miracle. No participation in the fruits of salvation were available to the unbelieving group.
The Bible urges us to beware of the deadly sin of unbelief. Unbelief leads to the sin of rebellion like in Massah and Meribah. (Cf Ps 95).

When we look at Jesus as a true, faithful and credible witness, we cannot but note the quality of His life style. A tree is known by its fruits says Jesus. The fruits everybody can see from the life of Jesus are: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness and more. These are the very fruits by which a Christian can be recognized in the world.

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Feast of St John Baptist de la Salle, Patron Saint of Teachers.

ABBA FATHER KEEPS ALL HIS PROMISES. CONSIDER ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE WHO ATTEST TO THIS TRUTH :
ABRAHAM, JOSHUA, DAVID, ELIZABETH, PETER, PAUL, ETC.
HERE IS A TRUTH THAT CAN MAKE US FREE.

"Here is my covenant with you: you are to become the father of a multitude of nations." (Genesis 17: 4).

Thursday 7th April of the 5th Week of Lent 2022 is the feast of Saint John Baptist de la Salle. (1651 - 1719). French Priest. He founded the Brothers of the Christian Schools.

He died on Good Friday, April 7, 1751 and was canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1900. In 1950, Pope Pius XII named St John de la Salle patron saint of teachers.

We draw our inspiration for reflection from the Responsorial Psalm 105. This word of God /Promise of God can set us free from anxiety and doubt.

The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

"Look to the Lord in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.

"You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the Lord, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.

"He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations—
Which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac.

"The Lord remembers his covenant forever."

God remembers all His promises to Abraham and fulfills every one of them. He remembers His promises to the Blessed Virgin Mary and fulfills every promise. Joshua reminded the people that God has not defaulted in a single promise He made to Israel. The Lord remembers all His promises to David and fulfills all.

Our God is a Father who keeps His promises. This truth which I learned from Scripture and believe, helps me to deal with fears, anxiety and doubt. Thank You Father, O Faithful God!

"Glory and praise to you, O Christ!
Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life; you have the message of eternal life.
Glory and praise to you, O Christ!" (John 6: 63, 68).

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You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.

TRUST AND OBEY. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO BE HAPPY IN JESUS BUT TO TRUST AND OBEY.
12 DAYS TO EASTER SUNDAY. NOT TOO LATE TO TEST THIS WORD OF GOD AND SEE THE TRUTH OF IT.

“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8: 31 - 32).

Wednesday 6th April 2022 of the 5th week of Lent. When Jesus says that if you persevere in feeding on His word, you will come to know the truth and the divine truth you know will set you free, what does the Teacher mean?

The truth (divine reality) frees us from fear, worry and doubt
and dread that falsehood imposes on us. Pope Benedict when he visited the oil rich country of Angola was shocked to see how the population was still shackled by fears of evil spirits, disease and death. He remarked that Angola received Christian missionaries about 500 years ago. At that time, Europe was still shackled with similar fears and superstitions. But the light and truth of Christ has since dispelled those fears in Europe.

Today, Europe needs a fresh burst of the light of Christ because the continent is again in darkness because of materialism, atheism and hedonism. The consequences are dire. Most European countries have today minus zero birth rate. They abandoned Christianity in large scale. They welcome Moslems with open arms to work and maintain their standards of living. Islam will be the majority religion in Europe in about 50 years.

In the 1st Reading from the Book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar asked the three Jewish boys: "Who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?" We hear the same threat today everywhere from strong men and bosses: "Is it true you will not work on Sunday? Who is the God who can deliver you out of unemployment?"

If you have not remained in the word of God, how can you ever know the truth that can set you free?

Hear the bold answer of the three Jewish boys to their tormentor who believed he had supreme power: Oh Nebuchadnezzar, if we live, we live. If we perish, we perish.
The boys know the Scriptures and they know the truth that set them free from fear of death. How did the story end? Read on below:

"Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, ‘Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego: he has sent his angel to rescue the servants who, putting their trust in him, defied the order of the king, and preferred to forfeit their bodies rather than serve or worship any god but their own."

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Feast of St Vincent Ferrer, OP.

THE DEVIL QUESTIONED THE IDENTITY OF JESUS DURING HIS TEMPTATION. "IF YOU ARE TRULY THE SON OF GOD..." IN EVERY TEMPTATION, THE DEVIL QUESTIONS OUR IDENTITY. ANSWER THE DEVIL:
"I AM WHO GOD SAYS I AM. I AM THE CHILD OF GOD. GOD IS SUPPLYING ALL MY NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS PROMISE.."
TRUST IN GOD TO HELP YOU.

"Jesus said to them [Pharisees], “You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” So they said to him, “Who are you?”

Tuesday 5th April 2022 of the 5th week of Lent is the feast of St Vincent Ferrer, OP. (1357 - 1419). A Spanish Dominican. Versed deeply in Holy Scriptures and Theology, he can be discribed as a super preacher.
His powerful preaching stemmed the erosion of faith in Europe during one of the most contentious periods in Church history. The period of the pope and anti-pope, the Avignon Captivity was right in this period.
Vincent preached in Italy, France, Spain and Germany. St Vincent Ferrer died on April 5th 1419 at the age of 62.

In the Gospel of today, the Jews asked Jesus a point blank question: "Who are you?" Jesus ties Himself to the Father in the answers. "I always do what is pleasing to him. [Abba Father]”

Who are you? If you do not know who you are, the Devil will give you a spurious answer like we hear in the world: "I am born to be rich and great.. I am beautiful. I am Irish. I am American, etc." The correct answer is:  "I AM WHO YOU SAY I AM."
Who is WHO here? The Father who created us and gave us an identity. He calls you: My child. Baptized for eternal life. Light of the world. Fisher of men, etc. Know who you are and you give Satan a run for his money.

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The Feast of St Isidore of Seville, Bishop and Doctor of the Church.

IN THE BATTLE AGAINST SIN AND EVIL, BE VIGILANT ALWAYS. PUT ON THE FULL ARMOR DAY AND NIGHT.

"Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8: 7).

Monday 4th April 2022 of the 5th week of Lent is the feast of St Isidore (560 - 636), Bishop and Doctor of the Church. Isidore was Bishop of Seville in Spain and a leading light in the Church in Spain. He initiated many local Church councils. St Isidore earned his place among the Doctors of the Church by his rigorous scholarship especially his extensive Encyclopedia (Etymologies) which was popular up to the Middle Ages.
In 1992, Pope John Paul II declared St Isidore of Seville the patron saint of the Internet.

The sacred texts present us with the story of two women. One is Susanna, beautiful wife of a very wealthy man. The other is a simple woman caught in the act of adultery. Both women were accused of adultery, a sin punishable by death in those days and still so in Moslem countries.

There are a number of lessons in the two narratives.
#1 Satan is the Father of lies and the Book of Revelation calls him the Accuser of the brethren. Do you know anyone who delights in pointing fingers and quick to accuse? Unjust accusations against Jesus and Stephen led to their deaths.

#2 Corruption of power. Susanna was accused by two elderly judges whose advances she spurned. The woman caught in adultery was accused by those who caught her in the act and religious judges who wanted her dead. Judges and lawyers face continuous temptations to bribery and corruption.

#3 The stories ended well in the marvelous timely Divine Interventions. God used Daniel in the case of Susanna and Jesus the Divine Mercy in the case of the woman caught in the act of adultery.

What do we take away from the two stories? "The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves those who hope in him." (Daniel 13: 60). The reaction of the people shows that they understood that a miracle happened. They glorified God and their faith became strengthened. This is also the takeaway for us because every Bible narrative is there to build up our faith in a loving and merciful God.

St Isidore of Seville pray for all those who do their ministry on the Internet, earn their livelihood on the web and get their education from the Internet.

"Now, be silent. Adore Me. Trust Me. I have only begun to show you the path of holiness that I am opening before you. And give thanks to Me, for I have saved you, through a particular intervention of My most holy Mother, from the fate that the Evil One was preparing for you for so long a time." (IN SINU JESU, Friday, March 28, 2008).

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