His Word Today: Visiting

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Mary enjoys a place of particular importance in the Church because she teaches us how to be faithful disciples.  Today's feast is focused on the fact that she was so quick to go out in service of others: something that we should all strive to do.

The angel Gabriel had told her that Elizabeth was with child and Mary knew that Elizabeth was advanced in age, therefore she immediately understood that the elder woman would need help and so the younger woman immediately set out.

The moment of their meeting is described in Saint Luke's gospel: When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leapt in her womb (Lk 1:41).  Even without setting eyes on the Saviour, the child was already announcing the presence of someone of great importance.  Imagine for a moment what that kind of excitement was like.

We know the first words that were exchanged between these two women, but we can wonder about and perhaps even contemplate the conversations they may have shared while Mary stayed with Elizabeth and Zechariah.  Did they speak of excitement?  Did they share common concerns?  There was a particular relationship of trust forged between these two women; perhaps they can teach us a thing or two about developing such relationships with others, and about going outside of our own interests in order to be of service to others.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Precious

Good morning everyone,

Have you ever truly had the experience of knowing what it's like to have someone save your life? It sounds like the makings of a good story, but everyone of us has experienced this very truth.  Saint Peter says in today's first reading: you were ransomed from your futile conduct ... not with perishable things ... but with the precious blood of Christ (1Pet 1:18-19).

If we truly understood the meaning of these few words, we would stop in utter amazement. Have you ever taken the time to even begin to ponder this truth? Jesus gave his life for you and for me  in order to pay a precious price not with any tangible riches but with something much more valuable: his own life.

Jesus paid this price freely, totally out of love for you and for me. All he asks in return is that we give of ourselves for the good of others, totally out of love for them as well. Pay attention today to the ways Jesus is inviting you to love others. No matter how much we do for others, we can never outdo Him in generosity ... but it might be interesting to try.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Pass it on

Good morning everyone,

When we were children, our parents and our grandparents taught us many things about life, including introducing us to the person of Jesus Christ.  As we have grown, some of us have had the joy of experiencing the birth of our own children, and all of us have reached a particular moment in our lives when we realized that we in turn needed to begin teaching others about Jesus.

Luckily for us, we have the sacred scriptures to remind us about who God is, who Jesus is and who the Holy Spirit is ... and we have the wisdom that has been passed on to us by the living witness of the prophets and others who have come before us.  Concerning the salvation of our souls (1 Peter 1:10), the prophets remind us that this is the special gift that Jesus promises to all of us.

Now it's up to us, who have heard the good news to share this joy with those we meet.  It's up to us to teach our children and to create the circumstances that will help them to establish a loving relationship with our God.  In this way we who have learned from our ancestors will pass on this good news to generations that will follow us.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Rejoice

Good morning everyone,

One of the essential characteristics of Christians has always been an underlying sense of joy in everything that we do. This joy pervades our words and our actions and can be perceived by those who observe us even though they may not understand it. Joy allows us to look at life with a freshness that never seems to grow tired, a freshness that allows us to look at others with love, even when it might be most difficult to do so.

Saint Peter understood the joy that lives in the hearts of Christians and the freshness that this joy gives to all of our words and actions. In the first letter that he wrote,  he spoke with great conviction about the fact that Jesus lives in each one of us. He says:  although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet you believe in him (1 Peter 1:8).

Our world would be so much different if everyone could see in this way, but that's just the point: we have the ability to see as Jesus sees. Look around you today and try to see as Jesus sees.  Try to love as Jesus loves. Try to believe, and let others see the effects of your beliefs in the words you speak and the ways that you live.

Have a great day.

Listening to the heartbeat

A few days ago, I returned from a wonderful pilgrimage.   During this month, which the Church dedicates every year to our Mother, Mary, my companions and I traveled through Portugal, Spain, France and Italy, all the while listening for the heartbeat of our heavenly Mother and asking her to show us the way to the heart of her son Jesus.

In Portugal, we visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima.  We celebrated Mass in that holy place and participated in the candle-light procession.  In Spain, we prayed at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Pillar: the site of the very first Marian apparition that took place along the banks of the Ebro river.  In France, we visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes and in Rome, we celebrated Mass in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

Throughout these travels, I placed all of you at the feet of Our Lady and asked her to help all of us to come closer to her son Jesus.  Perhaps it is fitting that today, the Church is celebrating Trinity Sunday.  It was God our Father who created each one of us and who (still today) gives us everything we need to live.  The Book of Deuteronomy reminds us that Moses heard the voice of God speaking out of a fire (Deut 4:33) and that God made Himself known to us by showing us many signs and wonders (Deut 4:34).

Our God has always wanted to share a relationship of love and trust with us.  In the fullness of time, he made himself known to us in the person of Jesus, who we refer to as the second person of the Trinity.  After Jesus had returned to heaven, God sent us the third person of the Trinity: the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit still lives among us, constantly urging and encouraging us to grow in our faith and to trust in the love that God has for each of us.

The gospel passage reminds us that the eleven disciples went to Galilee (Mt 28:16) after Jesus had risen from the dead, and when they saw him there, they worshipped him, but some of them still doubted (Mt 28:17).  If even the disciples still doubted, is it any wonder that we find it difficult at times to believe?  Yet, God is still at work among us.  The Holy Spirit constantly encourages our hearts and helps us to believe that we are not alone in this world; that our God is very close to us.

Saint Paul explained to the Christians in Rome that they were all children of God (Rom 8:16), and this is also true for us.  We are all God’s children.  He loves each one of us.  We have the great privilege of having known Him as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and we have a loving Mother: Mary, who is constantly at work, interceding for us and helping us to understand in the depths of our hearts that we are all heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17). 

It would be worth our while during the coming week to contemplate this truth.  Ask Mary to help all of us to discover the joy of this truth in our lives.

His Word Today: No complaints

Good morning everyone,

I returned from Rome last night, bringing with me some wonderful people who I have had the privilege of travelling with, getting to know and sharing some profound moments with for the past two weeks.  Travelling with a group of people, most of whom were unknown to each other at the beginning of our pilgrimage, is not an easy task, but throughout our time together, I was reminded again and again of the fact that beyond the momentary frustrations that can so often happen in life, there was a constant and abiding peace among this group, a joy that we shared because this time together was spent in the company of Jesus and our mother Mary.

Saint James reminds us today that there can often be moments in life that test us, but that we should always remember that we are all on a pilgrimage that will not end until we are home in heaven.  In the meanwhile, he encourages us: Do not complain ... about one another (James 5:9).  Instead strive to be always aware of the peace and joy that the Lord offers us so that we can spend each day in the company of our fellow pilgrims.

Let the light of your faith shine today so that others will see in you the gifts that God has to offer.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: A little while

Good morning everyone,

Jesus uses a very curious phrase in today's gospel passage: A little while (Jn 16:16-20).  In just five verses, Jesus repeats this phrase five times.  Have you ever wondered what God considers to be a little while?

Time is a concept that many human beings understand well.  In this context, the phrase a little while can mean a few minutes or a restricted length of time, but when God uses this phrase, we have to widen our scope in order to grasp his meaning.  After all, God doesn't think in terms of minutes, hours, days or even weeks.  God thinks in terms of lifetimes, centuries and even eons.

With a wider understanding of the concept of time, a little while takes on a new meaning.  God pushes the boundaries of our understanding every day, always gently but constantly, so that bit by bit, our hearts too can grow, our abilities to live and love can increase, our appreciation for the gift of joy can expand.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Patience

Good morning everyone,

Our God is so good!  There is so much that our Father wants to share with us, but he is also ultimately aware of our own limitations.  Knowing that they could not understand the fullness of his desire to live in them (and in us), Jesus told his disciples: I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now (Jn 16:12).

Human beings need time in order to process all that we learn, and sometimes the amount of time we require can truly be drawn out ... in order for us to truly understand and appreciate the wisdom of the lessons.  How wonderful it is to think that no matter how much we have learned about God, about his desire to enhance the relationship that we have with Him, there is always more to encounter, more to learn, more to appreciate, yet that is precisely the secret to true love: there is always a further depth to discover.

Let our prayer today be to ask for the grace to always set out into the deeper water, to be curious about what else our loving God has to share with us.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: the Advocate

Good morning everyone,

If we were to pause for just a moment, we could perhaps identify a few of the things that we take for granted: the air we breathe, drinkable water, a roof over our heads, food on our table, a God who is always near to us.  Yes, it's true. Our God is always close to us, even when we don't pay attention.  A long time ago, when Jesus walked on the earth, he told his disciples: it is better for you that I go, for if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you (Jn 16:7).

God the Father has always loved us.  He created us in order to love us.  The Old Testament is filled with stories about the many times throughout our history when we had experienced these loving encounters.  In the fullness of time, he sent his son Jesus in order to show us what life can be like if we live in his presence.  Thus it was that the apostles and the other followers of Jesus got a glimpse of God's love in action, and after Jesus returned to the Father, they (the Father and the Son) sent the Advocate (the Holy Spirit) to abide in our hearts.  In this way, God (who is fully present in the Advocate, just as He was present at the moment of creation and just as he was present in Jesus) is now close to us.

We don't always pay attention to the things that are around us, but perhaps today, let us pay particular attention to the fact that our loving God is alive and well, living in our midst, sharing His love and His life with us ... and filling us with his joy so that we in turn can share this joy with others.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Testify to the truth

Good morning everyone,

Throughout the Easter season, the gospel accounts remind us of the privileged moments when the risen Jesus appeared to the disciples in order to strengthen their belief that what he had told them about his resurrection would actually come to pass.  The Easter season also gives us an opportunity to hear the stories of how the early Christian communities were established, thanks to the preaching and the witness of the apostles and those who came to believe.

Today, we hear Jesus say to the disciples: When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me (Jn 15:26).  Jesus knew that the disciples needed to see his risen body in order to believe, and he knows that we too need help to strengthen our faith.  This is the reason why he and the Father sent the Spirit to live among us.  The Spirit is our constant reminder that we are not alone because the Spirit testifies to the fact that our God is always close to us and will always love us. 

Listen for the Spirit's promptings today and look for evidence that God's presence is constantly but gently calling us to the truth that our hearts will immediately recognize.

Have a great day.

What he has taught us

A few weeks ago, I was invited to read a story to a group of children.  It’s been a few years since I’ve sat with such young children, held a book in my hands and read it aloud to them, but even as I opened the cover of the book, memories began to flood into my mind.  I remembered occasions when I had done the same thing with other children, I remembered times when other adults had read aloud to me and to other children who sat with me.  I remembered how my imagination would soar as I listened attentively to every word that was spoken.  Even the simplest of stories read aloud has the power to illustrate the deepest and most sincere of lessons; stories told aloud can provide examples of excitement, anguish, forgiveness, joy, even love.

In the gospel passage we have heard today, Jesus spoke to his disciples about love.  He said: As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love (Jn 15:9).  When all is said and done, the bible is a story of love.  God our Father has always loved us – each one of us – from the day when we were conceived.  Because he has always loved us, he invites us to come close to him every day and to speak with him.  Like a loving parent, God wants to hear us speak about the adventures we encounter each day.   Some of us lead truly exciting lives, and some of us have a knack for telling stories, but even if we are shy and reserved, we can still speak with God about our day-to-day adventures and mis-adventures.  If we are bored, we can tell him that we are bored; if we are disappointed, we can tell him that our hopes have been dashed; if we are excited, he wants to hear all about it, like a grandmother who gathers a child on her knee and listens attentively to every word that is spoken.

Jesus knew deep in his heart that God our Father loved him.  Because he had learned how to love, he in turn was able to love the disciples.  That’s how it works.  We learn how to love based on the experiences of love that we have had, but love cannot be kept hidden in our hearts; it must be shared with others.  This is the reason why Jesus told the disciples: abide in my love.  It was because the disciples had experienced the love that Jesus had for them that they in turn were able to go out to others and to share with them the wonderful evidence of love that they had discovered.

Peter shared the joyous news of God’s love with Cornelius and all the others who were listening.  Because they heard these stories of love, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word (Acts 10:44).  God works through each one of us.  As we share the good news of our faith with others, God continues to work in the hearts of those who hear our words.  We may not be aware of how our spoken words resound in the hearts of those who hear them, but we must always trust that God uses our words to reach the hearts of others, and that he is the one who knows what his beloved children need.

Saint John, one of the youngest disciples, experienced God’s love at work in his own heart.  In time, he was able to tell others about the power of God’s love, and so we have heard his words in the second reading today: we have discovered love, not because we have loved God, but because he has loved us and sent his Son to save us and to help us learn about His love (cf 1 Jn 4:10).

His Word Today: Blessed Marie-Léonie Paradis

Good morning everyone,

Jesus urged his disciples to love one another as I have loved you.  In fact, he went on to say that no one has greater love than ... to lay down one's life for one's friends (Jn 15:12-13).  Throughout the history of the Church we have been blessed to witness many examples of this commandment being put into practice and among those wonderful examples is that of a woman who was born in Quebec City.

Alodie-Virginie Paradis was born in 1840.  She was educated by the Sisters of Notre-Dame and at the age of fourteen years, she joined the Marianites of Saint-Laurent in Montreal, a feminine branch of the Holy Cross Congregation. Despite her frail health, she was nevertheless admitted and pronounced her vows on 22 August 1857. She received the name of Marie de Sainte-Léonie (or Marie-Léonie for short), and taught in Montreal for several years until 1862.  She was then sent to an orphanage to work as a governess in New York City, and remained there until 1870.

On 31 May 1880, Marie-Léonie established the Little Sisters of the Holy Family in an effort to support and collaborate with the Holy Cross Congregation in the field of education. Paradis continued to wear the habit of her order but relinquished it on 2 October 1904 in favour of the one instituted in the new congregation. In 1905 it was Pope Pius X who relieved her of her obligations towards the Holy Cross Congregation.

Paradis soon became seriously ill with a malignant cancer, and her health slowly declined. On the morning of her death, she received permission to publish the Rule of the new congregation. She died suddenly following dinner and after receiving the last sacraments on 3 May 1912.  Pope John Paul II recognized her life of heroic virtue on 31 January 1981 and proclaimed her to be Venerable. He approved a miracle attributed to her on 17 February 1984 and beatified her on 11 September 1984 in Montreal.

May she who spent her life in service to the poor help us to always be attentive to those in our midst who show us the tender loving face of our Saviour.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saints Philip and James

Good morning everyone,

Today, we pray with Saints Philip and James, two of the apostles who were called by Jesus to follow him.  In fact, the gospel of John describes the calling of Saint Philip as taking place the day after Jesus had called Andrew and Peter (cf Jn 1:35-43): after Jesus had decided to leave for Galilee, he met Philip and said, 'Follow me'.  Philip came from ... Bethsaida, the same town as Andrew and Peter.  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 'We have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets wrote ... (Jn 1:44-45).  From the very beginning, Philip was outgoing, zealous to share the good news that he had discovered.

Saint James the Lesser, one of the brothers of Saint Jude was from Cana in Galilee.  He is credited with the writing of one of the Epistles in the New Testament (otherwise known as the Letter of James).  He was one of those who witnessed an apparition of the risen Christ (cf 1 Cor 15:7).  After the ascension of the Lord, James was made Bishop of Jerusalem, a responsibility which he fulfilled for thirty six years.  Like many of the early Christians, James was encouraged to deny the divinity of Christ, but when he refused to do so, the Jews sought to stone him, then took him to the pinnacle of the temple and cast him off.  As he lay half dead, with legs broken by the fall, he lifted his hands toward heaven and prayed to God for the salvation of his enemies, saying: Lord, forgive them for they know not what they do!

Philip and James are not so different from you and me.  Like the other apostles, they struggled at times to comprehend Jesus' teachings.  While Jesus was speaking about the relationship he has with God the Father, Philip voiced his concern: Master, show us the Father and that will be enough for us (Jn 14:8).  As we celebrate their feast day today, let us ask these two apostles to inspire us so that we too can truly appreciate the treasure we have discovered in Jesus.  Let us also ask these holy men to help us hear the Lord's invitation for us to follow him and generously spread the joy of knowing Jesus with those we encounter.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Athanasius

Good morning everyone,

Today, we celebrate the liturgical Memorial of Saint Athanasius of Alexandria (AD 298-373) who served as the 20th Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria (Egypt).  His service as a Bishop spanned 45 years but was interrupted at least five times while he was sent into exile (for a total of 17 years) by order of four different Roman emperors. Athanasius was a Christian theologian, a Church Father, the chief defender of Trinitarianism (the Church's belief that there is one God who was made known to us in three persons - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit) against Arianism (the belief that Jesus Christ is the son of God, begotten of God, distinct from God the Father and therefore subordinate to the Father), and a noted Egyptian leader of the fourth century.

Athanasius was only 27 years old when he was invited to attend the Council of Nicaea (AD 325).  The Roman Emperor Constantine had convened the Council in order to address the Arian position and Athanasius - who was a deacon at the time - and assistant to Bishop Alexander of Alexandria who was present at the famous Council.  Three years later, he succeeded his mentor as Archbishop of Alexandria and continued his debates against the Arians as well as many Emperors such as Constantine, Constantius II, Julian the Apostate and Valens.  As a result of these ongoing debates, he earned the name Athanasius contra mundum (Athanasius against the world).

Life was not easy for Athansius, yet he did his best to protect the vineyard of the Lord (cf Jn 15:1).  Even today, we must always be ready to explain to others that we believe in one God who is made known to us in three ways: God the Father who created us, God the Son who came to earth and lived among us in order to teach us about the kingdom of heaven and God the Holy Spirit who is present with us today, constantly guiding our steps so that we can live as people of faith and look forward to the eternal reward of living in heaven.

Have a great day.

His Word Today: Saint Joseph, the Worker

Saint Joseph with the infant Jesus
Guido Reni, c. 1635

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Liturgical Memorial of Saint Joseph, the Worker.  Saint Joseph is portrayed in the gospel of Luke as the one who went to be enrolled ... Joseph went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child (Lk 2:3-5).

The gospels portray Joseph as a just man, one who cared for his little family.  Although we do not hear much about Jesus' hidden life, it would be safe to assume that Joseph and Mary taught him many of the key lessons that formed him into the man he was to become.  If Jesus was a peace-loving man, it was probable that Joseph had a large part to play in teaching him this attitude.  Perhaps it was Joseph who inspired him to discover this gift within himself, and to recognize that peace is a divinely-entrusted gift.  Jesus in turn would try to teach his disciples: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give it to you (Jn 14:27).

Today, let us ask Saint Joseph to be close to us, to teach us by his example how we too can be people of peace and justice, striving each day to speak for those who have no voice, to protect those who are defenceless and to provide for those who are in need.

Have a great day.