This Sunday, April 3rd, is the Feast of Divine Mercy also known as Divine Mercy Sunday! In our own modern times, Jesus gave St. Faustina Kowalska of Poland (1905–1938) the mission of making His Divine Mercy better known on earth. He told St. Faustina to have this feast instituted in the Church.

Jesus told St. Faustina that anyone who receives Holy Communion on the Feast of Divine Mercy and goes to Confession on the Feast of Divine Mercy or within the 8 days before or after it, will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and remission of all punishment associated with those sins.

Jesus told St. Faustina Kowalska:

“When you go to Confession know this, that I Myself am waiting for you in the Confessional; I am only hidden by the priest, but I myself act in the soul. Here the misery of the soul meets the God of Mercy. Tell souls that from this fount of mercy souls draw graces solely with the vessel of trust. If their trust is great there is no limit to my generosity” (Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska, VI, 6–7).

*For information on how to make a good Confession go to our post:                                    The Great Sacrament of Confession (Reconciliation)

**Additional requirements

(Note: It is necessary to be detached from all sin including venial sin.)

1)Pray for the intentions of the Pope ( such as 1 Our Father and 1 Hail Mary).

2) Venerate the Divine Mercy of Jesus image (such as devoutly praying “Merciful Jesus, I trust in you” before the Divine Mercy of Jesus image).

3)Participate in church or chapel devotions in honor of Jesus of Divine Mercy.

OR

In the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, exposed or reserved in the Tabernacle, pray 1 Our Father and 1 Apostle’s Creed.

The Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska

In addition, He told her to keep a diary (The Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska) in which she recorded her various experiences, visions, as well as the messages and devotions that Jesus wanted her to share with the world. As recorded in her diary, Jesus told her to have a painting made in the likeness of how He appeared to her along with the signature  “Jesus I trust in you.”

The words “Jesus, I Trust in You” are at the bottom of the image. Red and blue rays of light are coming out from the Sacred Heart of Jesus as one of His pierced Hands offers a blessing and the other points to His Sacred Heart.

Jesus told her the meaning the image as follows:

“The two rays denote Blood and Water.  The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous.  The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls.  These two rays issued forth from the depths of My tender mercy when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross.  Happy is the one who will dwell in their shelter, for the just hand of God shall not lay hold of him (299).  By means of this image I shall grant many graces to souls.  It is to be a reminder of the demands of My mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no avail without works (742).”

God loves us with a love that is intense, infinite, perfect, and pure. It is because of His great love that He is merciful towards us, His beloved children.  His Heart is a fountain of grace and mercy. Out of his love, he pours out His grace and mercy upon us especially through the Sacraments of Baptism, the Most Holy Eucharist, and Holy Confession (Reconciliation).

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” ~Psalm 107:1

“The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy.” ~Psalm 145:8

“Though your sins are like scarlet,  they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson,  they shall be like wool.”~ Isaiah 1:18

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”~Psalm 23:6

Divine Mercy and the Holy Eucharist

He pours out His grace and mercy chiefly through the Holy Eucharist (The Holy Mass, Holy Communion, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament) as well as through the other Sacraments (i.e. Confession). It is important to note that on one occasion, St. Faustina saw the blue and red rays coming forth from the Most Blessed Sacrament. This can help us to recognize that Jesus is truly present in the Holy Eucharist.

Works of Mercy

Jesus also told St. Faustina that, like Him, we should be merciful to others and do works of mercy in order to be channels or instruments of His Mercy towards others.

Regarding works of mercy, Jesus told St. Faustina,

“I demand from you deeds of mercy which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse yourself from it (Diary, 742).”

The corporal and spiritual works of mercy are as follows:

Corporal Works of Mercy
The Corporal Works of Mercy are these kind acts by which we help our neighbors with their material and physical needs.

-Feed the hungry
-Give drink to the thirsty
-Clothe the naked
-Shelter the homeless
-Visit the sick
-Visit the imprisoned
-Bury the dead
Spiritual Works of Mercy
The Spiritual Works of Mercy are acts of compassion, as listed below, by which we help our neighbors with their emotional and spiritual needs.

- Counsel the doubtful
-Instruct the ignorant
-Admonish sinners
-Comfort the afflicted
-Forgive offenses
-Bear wrongs patiently
-Pray for the living and the dead (Holy souls in Purgatory)

Divine Mercy and Jesus’ Second Coming

 Furthermore, Jesus told St. Faustina that His revelations to her would have a special role in preparing mankind for His Second Coming. The following quotes are from the Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska.

“Secretary of My mercy, write, tell souls about this great mercy of Mine, because the awful day, the day of My justice is near” (965).

“Then I saw the Mother of God, who said to me … ‘I gave the Savior to the world; as for you, you have to speak to the world about His great mercy and prepare the world for the Second Coming of Him who will come, not as a merciful Savior, but as a just Judge. Oh how terrible is that day! Determined is the day of justice, the day of divine wrath. The angels tremble before it. Speak to souls about this great mercy while it is still the time for granting mercy.’ ” (635).

“Write down these words, my daughter. Speak to the world about My mercy; let all mankind recognize My unfathomable mercy. It is a sign for the end times; after it will come the day of justice. While there is still time let them have recourse to the fount of My mercy … ” (848).

“Write: before I come as just Judge, I first open wide the door of My mercy” (1146).

“Today I am sending you with My mercy to the people of the whole world. I do not want to punish aching mankind, but I desire to heal it, pressing it to My Merciful Heart. I use punishment when they themselves force Me to do so; My hand is reluctant to take hold of the sword of justice. Before the Day of Justice I am sending the Day of Mercy “(1588).

Let us remember to look forward to Jesus’ Second Coming with hope and trust and by living lives of holiness. During every Mass, after the Our Father prayer, we are reminded of this when the priest prays,

“Deliver us Lord from every evil and grant us peace in our days, that, by the help of your Mercy, we may always be free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of Our Savior Jesus Christ.”

On this Divine Mercy Sunday, run into the arms of your loving Heavenly Father, who is waiting and yearning to embrace you! Then, go out into the world and do deeds of mercy to share His Mercy with others! Tell others of His great mercy that they too may return to God.

Divine Mercy Devotion

*For more information on St. Faustina Kowalska, Jesus’ Divine Mercy messages , the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and the Divine Mercy image go to:

The Divine Mercy Devotion

*For more information about Divine Mercy Sunday go to:

Divine Mercy Sunday

*Holy Mass at the Vatican on Divine Mercy Sunday April 3rd 2016

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is risen!

“After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.

5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He has been raised, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him.’ This is my message for you.” ~Matthew 28:1–10

Through His death and resurrection, He has shown that He is truly the Son of God. Furthermore, Jesus has conquered death and sin.

To the Apostle John, writer of the Book of Revelation, Jesus said,

“¹⁸ I am the Living One. I was dead. But now look! I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys to Death and Hell.” ~Revelation 1:18

He had to die as the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of mankind.  In Wednesday’s Mass readings for the Octave of Easter, the risen Jesus appears to the disciples on the road to Emmaus and tells them,

“Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into His glory?”
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
He interpreted to them what referred to Him
in all the Scriptures.”~Luke 24: 26–27

By His crucifixion, death, and Resurrection, Jesus has opened way for all people to come back to God  and have eternal life. Each person has to make the choice to turn from sin, receive God’s Mercy, and persevere in holiness in order to obtain the eternal life that Jesus has made available to us.

The Resurrection of Jesus, Evangelization, and Jesus’ Second Coming

Excerpt from First Reading of the Easter Sunday Mass:

“You know what has happened all over Judea …We are witnesses of all that He did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.
They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree.
This man God raised on the third day and granted that He be visible,
not to all the people, but to us,
the witnesses chosen by God in advance,
who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.
He commissioned us to preach to the people
and testify that he is the one appointed by God
as judge of the living and the dead.
To him all the prophets bear witness,
that everyone who believes in Him
will receive forgiveness of sins through His Name.” ~Acts 10

As followers of Jesus Christ, we have been commissioned to spread the word about Our Risen Lord. Regardless of life circumstances, we are all called to be witnesses who testify to the truth that Jesus came into the world for the salvation of mankind. Only through Him can one receive forgiveness of sins and only through Him can one obtain eternal salvation. The followers of Christ are called to evangelize and spread the Word of God until the end of time when Jesus Christ returns in glory as the Just Judge.

¹⁹ My brethren, if any one among you wanders from the truth and some one brings him back, ²⁰ let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” ~James 5: 19–20

Lastly, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is a foretaste of God’s ultimate defeat of evil at the end of time. When Jesus returns at the end of time, He will destroy evil  “with the breath of His mouth” and “by the splendor of His coming.” (2 Thessalonians2:8)

Easter Season

The Church celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus  in a special way during the Octave of Easter (the 8 days after Easter Sunday). In addition, the Easter Season extends more generally for 50 days from Easter Sunday! For the next 50 days, let us reflect upon the Resurrection of Christ and be renewed in faith, hope, and love. Furthermore, let us be faithful witnesses to the Risen Christ who will soon come again in glory!

Christus resurrexit! Vere resurrexit! Christ is Risen! Indeed He is risen!

Easter hymn: Sequence “Victimae Paschali Laudes”

Excerpt from the Palm Sunday Mass readings

Jesus proceeded on His journey up to Jerusalem.
… As He rode along,
the people were spreading their cloaks on the road;
and now as He was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of His disciples
began to praise God aloud with joy
for all the mighty deeds they had seen.
They proclaimed:
“Blessed is the king who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Peace in heaven
and glory in the highest.”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him,
‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples.’
He said in reply,
‘I tell you, if they keep silent,
the stones will cry out!’ “~Luke 19: 28–40

Holy week is the week preceding Easter which begins with Palm Sunday and ends with Holy Saturday. During Holy Week, the Church commemorates the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion, commemorates His crucifixion and death, and eagerly awaits His Resurrection to be celebrated on Easter Sunday.

Holy Thursday and The Triduum

Holy Thursday

On Holy Thursday, we recall the Last Supper during which Jesus offered the first Mass. During the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Holy Orders (the priesthood).

“²⁶ Now as they were eating,^[d] Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” ²⁷ And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; ²⁸ for this is My blood of the^[e] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”~Matthew 26:26–28

After recalling the first Mass (the institution of the Holy Eucharist), we recall Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, His betrayal by Judas, and all that happened the day before Jesus was crucified. Jesus institution of the Holy Eucharist on Holy Thursday is connected with His crucifixion and death on Good Friday.

The three days following Holy Thursday are: Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. These three days are referred to as the Triduum.

Good Friday

On Good Friday, we recall Jesus’ Crucifixion and death especially from 12 noon- 3pm. Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins in order to reconcile humanity with God.

“Yet it was our infirmities that He bore, our sufferings that He endured, While we thought of Him as stricken, as one smitten by God and afflicted. But He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins, Upon Him was the chastisement that makes us whole by His stripes we were healed.” ~Isaiah 53:4–5

Furthermore, through each Holy Mass, Jesus offers His same sacrifice of death on the cross to God the Father. Jesus’ sacrifice of death on the cross is made present during every Mass. For this reason the Mass as also referred to as the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Holy Saturday

Then like the first apostles, we await Easter Sunday on which we will celebrate His glorious Resurrection!

We should pray (i.e. Rosary, Stations of the Cross) in preparation for the Holy Triduum. It is also important to go to Confession to purify our souls and resolve to amend our lives. It is also important to make time to take part in the Church services during the Holy Triduum.

“We adore you O Christ and we bless You, for by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.”

May you all have a blessed Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday!

“Seek the Lord while He may be found,
call Him while He is near.
Let the scoundrel forsake his way,
and the wicked man his thoughts;
Let him turn to the Lord for mercy;
to our God, who is generous in forgiving.” ~Isaiah 55:6–7

During this first week of Lent, let us resolve to turn away from sin and grow closer to God.

The first step is to carefully examine our lives to find out in what ways we have sinned. The second step is to be sorry for those sins and make a good Confession. (Click on this link for more information about the Holy Sacrament of Confession.)

The third step is to amend our lives through God’s grace. We must cooperate with God’s grace and make an effort not to sin. For example, we must avoid people, places and things which lead us to sin. Furthermore, when tempted to sin, we must pray for strength to resist temptation and not commit sin.

Let us strive with each day of Lent to grow in holiness!

The season of Lent lasts 40 days beginning today, Ash Wednesday,  and ends on Holy Thursday (the Thursday of Holy Week).  In terms of Biblical significance, the season of Lent is similar to the forty days that Jesus was tempted in the wilderness.

The Season of Lent has four components:

• Repentance and Conversion
• Prayer and Penance
• Fasting
• Almsgiving

Repentance and Conversion:

” ‘Even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.’ ” ~Joel 2:12

We are all called to repent and be converted every day of the year, but especially during the Season of Lent.

The ashes we receive on Ash Wednesday are a sign of repentance. Ashes have been a sign of repentance since the Old Testament times. In the Old Testament, Jonah preached in Nineveh for the people to repent of their evil ways.

“Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes.  ⁷ And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh …

We must thoroughly examine our lives–our thoughts, our actions, and our words to see in what ways we have sinned. After recognizing our sins, we must be sorry for having committed them, and then resolve not to sin. God our Father loves us and is waiting for us to turn to Him. He wants to forgive us of our sins and shed his love and mercy upon our souls.

In the Sacrament of Confession, God Himself forgives us all our sins.  That is why Confession is known as the Sacrament of Reconciliation (or the Sacrament of Penance).

Jesus told St. Faustina Kowalska:

“When you go to Confession know this, that I Myself am waiting for you in the Confessional; I am only hidden by the priest, but I myself act in the soul. Here the misery of the soul meets the God of Mercy.Tell souls that from this fount of mercy souls draw graces solely with the vessel of trust. If their trust is great there is no limit to my generosity (VI, 6–7)”

Please, during this season and during the whole year, go to Confession as often as you can that you may be forgiven your sins and grow closer to God. (Note: According to the precepts of the Church, all Catholics must go to Confession at least one time per year. However, going to Confession once a month or once a week is better for the soul.)

For more on Confession, see the our blog post: “The Great Sacrament of Confession”

Repentance means that we have to resolve to amend our lives so that we can continue to grow in holiness. Conversion is the daily process by which we grow in holiness and grow closer to God.  The observances of Lent are meant to help our hearts and souls to be converted so that we can be transformed into holier people. Furthermore, repentance and conversion are necessary so that we may be always spiritually prepared to meet Jesus when we die or at His Second Coming. The time will come when we will all have to stand before God and give and an account of our lives.

Prayer and Penance:

Resolve to pray more during this season. For example, some people make the Way of the Cross, pray the Holy Rosary, and make time for Adoration of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament (Eucharistic Adoration).

In prayer, we communicate with God our loving Father. Consequently, the more we pray, the closer we come to God. This season is an opportunity to develop a deep prayer life for the whole year.

As penance, people often give up something or perform more works of charity during Lent.

*For example, this Lent, try to reduce the amount of time you spend watching TV or browsing the internet. Spend the extra time in prayer or reading Christian books (i.e Holy Bible, Lives of the Saints, etc.)

Another aspect of Penance is to recall the sufferings that Jesus Christ endured for our sake in order to pay for the sins of mankind and reconcile humanity with God. For this is the reason that He allowed Himself to suffer death on the Cross.  Foreshadowing His death on the Cross, Jesus said,

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.” (John 12:32)

It is important to recognize that Jesus Christ suffered death on the Cross to bring humanity back to God–to make it possible for us to come back to God.

Fasting:

On the Fridays of Lent, Catholics ages 14 and older are not to eat meat (abstinence).

On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Catholics ages 18 to 59 are supposed to fast and abstain from eating meat. When fasting, a person can eat one full meal. Two smaller meals may also be taken, but not to equal a full meal.

*Note: There may be some variation in fasting and abstinence requirements in different countries.

The purpose of fasting is firstly to imitate Christ, practice self-denial and discipline, as well as to focus on God.

Almsgiving:

We are also called to help those in need in a special way during this season. Consequently, many churches often have giving projects during Lent to help the needy. It is important to remember that holiness leads to the perfection of love and charity.

Prayer, penance, fasting, and almsgiving enable us to break free from attachments to earthly things. These attachments distract us and prevent us from growing closer to God.

During the Lenten season, let our hearts, souls, and minds be drawn back to God and may we renew our efforts to love our neighbor.

‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^{[a] 30} Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. … ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. ’ “~Mark 12: 29–31

May we all have a blessed and holy Lent!

Today is the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time. This is the last Sunday before the beginning of Lent. This upcoming Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the 40 day Season of Lent.

During Lent, we will make a renewed effort to turn away from sin and draw closer to God. Our sins are forgiven through the Holy Sacrament of Penance also called Confession. We also receive graces through this sacrament to help us not to commit sin. Consequently, we should go to Confession regularly especially during the Season of Lent. It is a precept of the Church to go to Confession at least once a year, but going to Confession once a month or once a week is a great means of growing in holiness.

Furthermore, growing in holiness helps us to serve God. The first Mass reading in today’s Liturgy is from the Book of Isaiah. The prophet Isaiah’s experience echoes the need to turn from sin in order to draw closer to God and serve Him.

“… I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne,
with the train of His garment filling the temple.
Seraphim were stationed above.

They cried one to the other,
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!
All the earth is filled with his glory!”
At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook
and the house was filled with smoke.

Then I said, “Woe is me, I am doomed!
For I am a man of unclean lips,
living among a people of unclean lips;
yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me,
holding an ember that he had taken with tongs from the altar.

He touched my mouth with it, and said,
‘See, now that this has touched your lips,
your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.’ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
‘Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?’ ‘Here I am,’ I said; ‘send me!’ ” ~Isaiah 6: 1–2,3–8

The Gospel reading from today’s Mass Liturgy reminds us that growing in holiness is connected to serving God. In this reading, Jesus enables the apostles to  catch many fish to foreshadow that they would soon serve Him by bringing many people back to God.

“Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,
He asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.
Then He sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
After He had finished speaking, He said to Simon,
‘Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.’
Simon said in reply,
‘Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.’
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat
to come to help them.
They came and filled both boats
so that the boats were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
‘Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man’.
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men’.
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed Him.”~ Luke 5: 3–11

Simon (the apostle Peter) recognized that Jesus had done something miraculous to cause them to catch so many fish. Simon knew that he was in the presence of God and called Jesus ‘Lord.’ Furthermore, Jesus had done this to foreshadow that as His followers they would bring men from all the nations of the earth back to God .  Just as in the first reading when the prophet Isaiah answered God’s call to service, the apostles answered God’s call. Furthermore, this work of bringing people to salvation will continue through the Church until the end of time when Jesus Christ returns.

May we grow in holiness and serve the Lord!

Last Sunday was the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord. The word “epiphany” means man­i­fes­ta­tion. The Epiphany cel­e­brates the man­i­fes­ta­tion of the Sav­ior, Jesus Christ, to the gen­tiles (non-Jewish peo­ple) in the per­sons of the magi—the three wise men Mel­chior, Balthasar, and Gaspar.

“After Jesus was born in Beth­le­hem in Judea, dur­ing the time of King Herod, Magi  from the east came to Jerusalem ² and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star when it rose and have come to wor­ship Him.’ ³ When King Herod heard this he was dis­turbed, and all Jerusalem with him. … After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were over­joyed. ¹¹ On com­ing to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and wor­shiped Him. Then they opened their trea­sures and pre­sented Him with gifts of gold, frank­in­cense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2 :1–3,9–11)

God began His work of the redemp­tion of mankind with the Jew­ish peo­ple as seen in the Old Tes­ta­ment. For exam­ple, He gave the Jew­ish peo­ple the Ten Com­mand­ments through the prophet Moses. He also spoke of the Savior’s com­ing through the Old Tes­ta­ment prophets until finally Jesus came into the world. The man­i­fes­ta­tion of Jesus to the three kings sym­bol­izes that Jesus’ com­ing into the world has made rec­on­cil­i­a­tion with God now open to the gen­tiles as well.

“All the nations you have made will come and wor­ship before You, Lord;  they will bring glory to Your name. ¹⁰ For You are great and do mar­velous deeds; You alone are God.” Psalms 86:9–10

“All the ends of the earth will remem­ber and turn to the Lord, and all the fam­i­lies of the nations will bow down before Him … .” Psalms 22:27

The gifts of the three kings: gold, frank­in­cense, and myrrh also have spe­cial sig­nif­i­cance. The gift of gold sig­ni­fies that Jesus is a King. In the Book of Rev­e­la­tion, Jesus is referred to as “the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” The gift of frank­in­cense sig­ni­fies that Jesus is the High Priest and also God. In the Jew­ish tra­di­tion through­out the Old Tes­ta­ment, the high priest would offer incense to God in wor­ship. For the same rea­son, the priest incenses the altar dur­ing the Holy Mass to honor the pres­ence of God. The last gift, myrrh, seems at first, a strange gift for a new­born baby because myrrh was used as part of Jew­ish embalm­ing and bur­ial cus­toms. This last gift sig­ni­fies that Jesus has come into the world to die as the ulti­mate sac­ri­fice for the sins of mankind in order to rec­on­cile mankind with God.

How does the Epiphany apply to us today?

First of all, we can be thank­ful for our knowl­edge of the One True God, the lov­ing Cre­ator of all mankind who loves us so much that He sent His Son to rec­on­cile us with Him­self. Fur­ther­more, because of this knowl­edge, we must make time and effort to wor­ship God each day by attend­ing the Holy Mass and receiv­ing Holy Com­mu­nion every Sun­day and as much as we can dur­ing the week, mak­ing time to adore Christ like the magi through Ado­ra­tion of the Most Blessed Sacra­ment, as well as daily prayers such as the Most Holy Rosary.

Sec­ondly, we must resolve to man­i­fest Christ to others—to bring Christ to whomever we encounter by our words and actions.  The light and love of Christ must shine through us, so that all those with whom we come into con­tact may be drawn to Jesus for the sal­va­tion of their eter­nal souls.

 “A new com­mand I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this every­one will know that you are My dis­ci­ples, if you love one another.” John 13:34–35

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill can­not be hid­den. Nei­ther do peo­ple light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to every­one in the house. In the same way, let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14–16

In Chap­ter 4 of the Gospel of John is the beau­ti­ful account of the Samar­i­tan woman who met Jesus and was so moved by the expe­ri­ence that she told every­one in her town.

“Then, leav­ing her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the peo­ple, ‘Come, see a man who told me every­thing I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’ They came out of the town and made their way toward Him. … Many of the Samar­i­tans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s tes­ti­mony … and because of His words many more became believ­ers.” (John 4: 28, 29, 39–41)

The vision of Saint John in the Book of Rev­e­la­tion gives us a hope­ful and tri­umphant image of a redeemed mankind.

“⁹ After this I looked, and there before me was a great mul­ti­tude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, peo­ple and lan­guage, stand­ing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wear­ing white robes and were hold­ing palm branches in their hands.” Rev­e­la­tion 7:9

Like the three kings, may we earnestly seek Christ and His Kingdom! Like the Blessed Virgin Mary, may we manifest Him to others!

Sweet Infant Jesus,

I bring to you this day, and all the days of Advent, my heart, my love, my very life, together with those little acts of self denial and sacrifice, made in your honor, and of which you alone know.  Let me, I beg of you, heap these gifts around your crib that they may on Christmas morning prove my love for you, and may love and adoration serve to warm your poor stable and make bright, and happy your birthday, sweet Jesus!

*These final days before Christmas, let us continue to prepare our hearts and souls to receive Jesus anew by purifying ourselves through frequently attending Mass (even daily Mass) and receiving Holy Communion, frequent use of the Sacraments (i.e.  Confession) and daily prayer.

The Actual Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe at the Basilica in Mexico City

On December 9th, 10th, and 12th of 1531, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in Mexico as the pregnant Mother of God to Saint Juan Diego. Saint Juan Diego was an indigenous man who recently converted to Catholicism. (The Spanish had conquered Mexico only a few decades earlier. Later missionaries came to bring Christianity to the indigenous people of Mexico.)

Our Lady left a Miraculous Image of her appearance on Saint Juan Diego’s cactus fiber cloth (tilma), which still exists today and is on display at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. Our Lady came to offer faith, hope and consolation to the indigenous people of Mexico and to bring peace to the land. Her appearance also brought an end to the human sacrifices that were part of the Aztecs’ offerings to their false gods. She led them instead to Jesus, her Son, the One True God.

Early in the morning of December 9th, 1531, Our Lady appeared to Saint Juan Diego for the first time. Saint Juan Diego was walking to attend the Holy Mass in the morning as usual. (It is said that Saint Juan Diego walked 15 miles every day to attend the Holy Mass!) Our Lady said:

“My dear son, whom I love tenderly, know that I am the Virgin Mary, Mother of the True God; the Giver and maintainer of life; Creator of all things; Lord of Heaven and Earth, Who is in all places. I wish a temple be erected here, where I can manifest the compassion I have for the natives and for all who solicit my help.”

She asked him to go to Bishop Juan Zumarraga and request to have a church built on the barren hill of Tepeyac which is now part of Mexico City. Juan Diego went to the Bishop as Our Lady had asked. The Bishop asked Juan Diego to ask Our Lady to give him a sign.

On December 12th, Our Lady appeared to Saint Juan Diego and told him to pick the Castillian roses (found naturally in Spain) that miraculously appeared on Tepeyac hill, though Tepeyac hill is a barren area with cactus plants and despite the fact that it was winter. Saint Juan Diego put the roses in his tilma which Our Lady carefully arranged in his tilma. She told him to bring them to the Bishop as the sign for him to believe her request. Our Lady told him only to open the tilma full of roses in the presence of the Bishop.

  Saint Juan Diego and Bishop Zumarraga

Saint Juan Diego went to see the Bishop and then he opened the tilma and the roses fell to the floor. To everyone’s amazement, the Image of Our Lady had appeared on the tilma  by the direct power of God! The Bishop built the church as Our Lady requested and within the next nine years, nine million native Mexican people were converted and baptized to the one true faith and established an era of peace!

Miraculous Phenomena related to the Image

Many scientists (including scientists from NASA) have studied the image and have shown that the miraculous Image is not a painting! There is no pigment and there no brushstrokes on the tilma. Also, since the tilma is made of a simple cactus fiber cloth, it should have rotted after 20 years, but it has been miraculously preserved over the past 471 years! The image was also left unscathed by a bomb blast in 1921 when a bomb was placed directly in front of it by anti-Catholic Mexican people. Furthermore, digital enhancement of the eyes of Our Lady in the Image shows the reflection of the faces of Bishop Zumarraga and Saint Juan Diego. This phenomenon is only possible for human eyes. Five eye doctors who examined Our Lady’s eyes said that what they looked into were human eyes. Dr. Jose Aste Tonsmann carried out the most famous research studies of Our Lady of Guadalupe’s eyes in the image. No painter would have been able create such effects.

Even the constellations on her mantle have been identified to match the constellations in the sky of Mexico on December 12th 1531!

All of this confirms what the faithful have always believed—that this truly Miraculous Image was produced directly by the hand of God.

Understanding the Symbolism of the Image

Being in front of the sun and stepping on the moon shows that She is greater than they are. For the Aztecs’ it meant that She was even greater than their sun and moon gods to whom they offered sacrifices. Furthermore, She is wearing the star-filled sky as a cloak. This would have especially impressed the Aztecs who had devoted themselves to studying the stars, sun, and moon as part of their worship.

However, despite all this, Her hands are clasped in prayer and Her head is bowed in reverence toward someone else who is yet greater than She is–the One True God.

Her belt shows she is pregnant. To the Aztecs, the four petal flower below her belt and the constellation Leo (Lion) at the same spot below her belt would signify that the Child to be born would be divine and all-powerful. Interestingly, Jesus is referred to in the Bible as the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah.” Through this Image, the Virgin Mary communicates that she is the Mother of Jesus, the one True God.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is the same woman described in the Book of Revelation.

“There was a great sign in the heavens, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.”(Revelation 12:1–2)

The image is full of symbolism which communicated to the native people of Mexico to embrace the Catholic faith, the gospel of Jesus Christ—to turn to the One True God. The miracles attributed to Our Lady of Guadalupe continue to this day. Her image still continues to communicate to us the need to seek Her intercession that She might bring us to Her Son Jesus.

During one of the apparitions, when Saint Juan Diego was concerned about his dying uncle (who Mary later healed), she said,

“… Do not be afraid of any illness or accident or pain. Am I not here who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Do you need anything else? ”

These words still bring comfort today and help us remember that Mary is always at our side.

Furthermore, how fitting that Mary should appear pregnant with her Son during the season of Advent of 1531, hoping to bring people to her Son in time for Christmas! May Our Lady of Guadalupe bless us during Advent, Christmas, and always!

For more information about Our Lady of Guadalupe:

Our Lady of Guadalupe (Catholic Online)

Our Lady of Guadalupe (Feast: December 12)

Our Lady of Guadalupe (Wikipedia)

Videos

Appari­tion of Our Lady of Guadalupe(part1)

Appari­tion of Our Lady of Guadalupe(part 2)

Movie

“Guadalupe” made in 2006 by Dos Corazones Films

Firstly, we prepare ourselves to celebrate Christmas, the historical birth of Jesus Christ, His first coming into the world. The angel Gabriel told the poor shepherds who were nearby when Jesus was born, “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. “(Luke 2:11) The Mass readings during Advent remind us how the people of the Old Testament waited in hopeful expectation for the coming of the Messiah.

Secondly, in addition to celebrating the historical event of Jesus’ birth, the most important event in all human history, we prepare ourselves spiritually to receive Him and His grace in a special way at Christmas. This way, our hearts and souls can become spiritual mangers ready to receive the Child Jesus.

How can we prepare ourselves during Advent?

We can prepare ourselves this Advent by amending our lives and turning away from sin. Let us resolve to make Christ the center of our lives through  daily prayer (i.e. the Holy Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy), frequent participation at Holy Mass and Holy Communion, and frequent Confession. In order to grow in holiness, it is necessary to go to Confession at least once a year, but once a month or once a week is better.

Thirdly, we call to mind, with a joyful hope, the fact that Jesus will come again! Jesus will return! This will be His Second and Final coming. The Mass readings during Advent remind us of Jesus’ Second Coming and the need to be prepared at all times to receive Him at His Second Coming, when He comes in the clouds of heaven with great power and glory to separate the wicked from the good.

“Behold I am coming soon! My reward is with me and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”(Revelation 22:12–13)

“Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. ⁸Let the rivers clap their hands,let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.” (Psalm 98:7–9)

*It is important to note that although no one know that exact day or hour of Jesus’ return, Jesus did give us warnings throughout the Scriptures as to the signs that would precede His final coming.

^“3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

⁴ And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. ⁶ And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all^[a]these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences,^[b] and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of sorrows.

⁹ “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. ¹⁰ And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. ¹¹ Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. ¹² And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But he who endures to the end shall be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. …

²⁹ “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹ And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. ³³ So you also, when you see all these things, know that it^[d] is near—at the doors! ~Matthew 24:3–13,29–33

*One glance at the news headlines is enough to realize that many of these signs are already being fulfilled. Thus, Jesus’ return must be near.

Excerpt from today’s Mass readings :

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief,
and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar
and the elements will be dissolved by fire,
and the earth and everything done on it will be found out.

Since everything is to be dissolved in this way,
what sort of persons ought you to be,
conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion,
waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God
… But according to His promise
we await new heavens and a new earth
in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, since you await these things,
be eager to be found without spot or blemish before Him, at peace.”

~2 Peter 3: 10–14

We must sanctify and purify ourselves every day so that we may be ready to receive Him at Christmas and when He comes again in glory upon the clouds of heaven.

Have A Holy and Joyous Advent!