The imperative for prayerful preparation in order to prevent poor performance aptly summarizes Jesus’ cautionary instructions to his followers. Not only are we required to remain untiringly vigilant in the face of the imminence of the last days, we are strongly advised to remain fervent in prayerful watchfulness. The soul that pays little or zero…
Month: November 2018
Come, Lord Jesus – Mother Mary Francis, P.C.C.
These Advent reflections by the abbess of a Poor Clare monastery, an accomplished spiritual writer, focus our attention on the coming of Jesus into our lives. There is a double movement to this coming; both our active preparation to be ready for him and our patient waiting for the Lord to arrive in his own…
Fishers of Men – November 30, 2018
Nothing good has ever come out of a comfort zone. Imagine the kind of offer Jesus made these men – to abandon their lucrative fishing business and become fishers of men. To the first four disciples, to become fishers of men meant the following: Since fishermen are bold, Jesus wanted to use their work experience…
We Die to Rise Again – November 29, 2018
Jesus did prophesy that the Holy City Jerusalem would be destroyed. Since Jerusalem was a city personally chosen by the Crestor to accomplish His plan of salvation, Jesus’ prediction seemed impossible. However, less than forty years later, in 70 A.D., the Romans burned down Jerusalem bringing to fulfillment the prophecy of our Lord. John, in…
Trials – November 28, 2018
Today’s Gospel reading, seen from St. Luke, introduces an eschatological discourse to encourage believers to remain steadfast to the end, witnessing for Christ. Throughout the history of the Church numerous martyrs have testified in their court trials that they were Christians, that they feared none but God alone, and that they preferred to die rather…
Like a Thief in the Night – November 27, 2018
A call to greater awareness and spiritual consciousness At the end, Jesus, the King of kings, will come riding on a white cloud with a gold crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. He will gather the harvest of justice (Rv 14:16). Then an angel will come from the temple in…
Heaven – November 26, 2018
How can we be with the Lord forever in heaven? We must: Decide consciously to have the Lord’s name written on our foreheads (Rv 14:1), that is, be baptized in His name and live our baptisms fully and publicly; Sing a new hymn before God’s throne (Rv 14:3) as we worship Him “in Spirit and…
Christ the King – November 25, 2018
His dominion is an everlasting dominion. Truly apart from what we have here, in heaven, the form of government in which we shall live eternally will not be a democracy, a socialist or communist regime, or a tyrannical dictatorship. Jesus is King, that is, a Monarch, and He is a benevolent and sovereign Lord….
Olive Trees – November 24, 2018
Our mission is to become another Christ. As members of the mystical body of Christ – the Church – we are olive trees (Rv 11:4), that is, we are anointed by the Holy Spirit. Because we are olive trees, we are lampstands (Rv 11:4). We are the light of the world (Mt 5:14). Because we…
Quenching Jesus’ Thirst – November 23, 2018
How sweet to my palate are Your promises, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” – Psalm 119:103 From His cross, Jesus utters in agony, “I thirst”. Elsewhere in John’s Gospel, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman at the well, “Give Me a drink” (Jn 4:7). Interestingly, the text of John 4 never mentions Jesus getting a…
Weep for the Church – November 22, 2018
The Holy Mother Church is constantly renewed through a “vale of tears.” We don’t just pray, talk and work for renewal; we cry earnestly for it. We will see the light through our tears when we love enough to weep bitterly (Rv 5:4) for Jesus to “open the scroll” (Rv 5:5), that is, reveal His…
Stewardship – November 21, 2018
Our earthly dwelling: an open market In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus revealed to us the following principles of stewardship: Stewardship is about meeting God’s standards and not human standards, and is not about comparing ourselves to others. “More will be asked of a man to whom more has been entrusted. Faithful stewards will be given…
The Evening Chapel 