You shall see Him

At that time Jesus said to His disciples: A little while, and now you shall not see Me: and again a little while, and you shall see Me: because I go to the Father. Then some of His disciples said one to another: What is this that He saith to us: A little while, and you shall not see Me: and again a little while, and you shall see Me, and, Because I go to the Father? They said therefore: What is this that He saith, A little while? We know not what He speaketh. And Jesus knew that they had a mind to ask Him. And He said to them: Of this do you inquire among yourselves, because I said: A little while, and you shall not see Me: and again a little while, and you shall see Me? Amen, amen, I say to you, that you shall lament and weep, but the world shall rejoice: and you shall be made sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but when she hath brought forth the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. So also you now indeed have sorrow: but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice: and your joy no man shall take from you.

John 16:16-22

Dear friend, today's gospel applies to you, I think and hope and pray. Have you seen the face of our Savior? Is He hidden from you now? I pray that if you are presently deprived of the beatific vision, it is only for a little while until your sorrows cease and your heart rejoices.

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O God, who to those that go astray dost show the light of Thy truth, that they may return to the path of justice: grant that all who are enrolled in the Christian faith may both spurn all that is hostile to that name, and follow after what is fitting to it. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, through all the ages of ages. Amen.

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Holy Apostles St. Philip and St. James, please pray for Rebecca.

Third Sunday in Lent

Lesson from the Epistle of Blessed Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians:

Brethren, Be ye followers of God, as most dear children: and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us and hath delivered Himself for us, an oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweetness. But fornication, and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not so much as be named among you, as becometh saints: or obscenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility, which is to no purpose: but rather giving of thanks. For know you this, and understand, that no fornicator, or unclean, or covetous person, which is a serving of idols, hath inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the anger of God upon the children of unbelief. Be ye not therefore partakers with them. For you were heretofore darkness: but now light in the Lord. Walk then as children of the light: for the fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice, and truth. [Ephesians 5:1-9]

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Wretched that I am, I remembered not that God seeth the mind and observeth the voice of the soul. Allying myself with sin, I said unto myself: God is merciful, and will bear with thee: and because I was not immediately smitten, I ceased not, but rather despised pardon, and exhausted the long-suffering of God.

Saint Peter [a.d. 260-311], bishop of Alexandria [300-311]
(as quoted by Saint John of Damascus [a.d. 676-749])

Sancte Petre et Sancte Joánnes, orate pro nobis.

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My son, hast thou sinned? do so no more: but for thy former sins also pray that they may be forgiven thee. Flee from sins as from the face of a serpent: for if thou comest near them, they will take hold of thee. The teeth thereof are the teeth of a lion, killing the souls of men. All iniquity is like a two-edged sword, there is no remedy for the wound thereof. [Ecclesiasticus 21:1-4]

Septuagesima Sunday

Psalm 50 (Douay Rheims)

¹ Unto the end, a psalm of David,

² When Nathan the prophet came to him after he had sinned with Bethsabee.

³ Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.

⁴ Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

⁵ For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.

⁶ To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee: that thou mayst be justified in thy words and mayst overcome when thou art judged.

⁷ For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me.

⁸ For behold thou hast loved truth: the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me.

⁹ Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.

¹⁰ To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness: and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.

¹¹ Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

¹² Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.

¹³ Cast me not away from thy face; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

¹⁴ Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.

¹⁵ I will teach the unjust thy ways: and the wicked shall be converted to thee.

¹⁶ Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol thy justice.

¹⁷ O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

¹⁸ For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.

¹⁹ A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

²⁰ Deal favourably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

²¹ Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings: then shall they lay calves upon thy altar.

Show with Haydock Commentary or the Latin Vulgate Bible
Bible passage courtesy of VeritasBible.com

The Lord's presence as comfort or torment

Nicholas just turned 6. I love this age; there are usually so many really wonderful questions and conversations. In Nicholas' case, he has to ponder something for a long time before he talks about it. And then he has to rehearse what he's going to say with himself. So, sometimes, at what might seem like an odd moment, he just bursts out with a question:

"Mommy, I think it's possible you can sin so much you never go to heaven, right?"

Deep breath...

One week ago in the Catholic Herald, Elizabeth Foss explained to her six year old son how different people can experience the loving embrace of God differently - for some it is comfort and joy, while for others it is a relentless fire from which they would flee, if there were any place to hide.