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There are difficult decisions to make in our spiritual lives. A Protestant minister might sit and agonise about whether it's all right to ask for the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or, for example, a Catholic priest agonises over whether to persevere in the Priesthood. Prayer is essential, and trust in God and His Church.

Christ said: 'Eat what is set before you. Take no spare tunic'; so when Christ sent out His disciples to preach the good news of the Kingdom, He gave them precise instructions, to help them. He can not fail to help those He chooses, and sends out, even today, even if the circumstances, and the instructions, are different.

Faithful Catholics must continue to be brave and vigilant. Life in the Church has been endangered for two generations, undermined by dissent and watered-down preaching, and false notions of pastoral care; and Catholics who have pointed out the danger - like people revealing a dangerous degree of subsidence next to a Cathedral - have been ostracised, and labelled as 'prophets of doom'.

A person who tries to do God's Will but who cannot see exactly where God is leading him must not give up hope. Even in semi-darkness he can still move forward. As long as he is surviving, his state must not worry him. All will be well, and will become clearer, at a time that God decrees.

St. Therese of Liseux was overjoyed that her relics had inspired people to have greater devotion to God; yet the gaze of the faithful should eventually turn from relics to the Church's greatest treasure: Jesus Christ Himself, sacramentally Present in the Blessed Sacrament, in the tabernacle, as here, in Westminster Cathedral.

The Catechism is a precious resource for everyone in the Church. It is Christ Who has given it to us, through His Church, so that we need not be puzzled on any matter of importance for our earthly and spiritual lives.

Some people fall away if their comforts and consolations are removed. Those whose faith is real will not allow anything, or any circumstances, to damage it, whether opposition, temptation, or ejection from their churches, homes, land or families; they will keep the light of Christ burning in their souls and lives, and show out His love and light in all they say and do, until they reach Heaven.

We receive the free gift of Divine Life in Baptism. That is the start of our journey with and through Christ towards Heaven; but we choose at each moment whether to persevere. Some people do so, but some seem to throw the gifts away, and they will be lost, unless they repent.

Just as Christ was touched by the people who lowered their sick friend through the roof, so that he could be healed, so He is touched when we bring our sick or sad friends to Him, through our intercessions. Through our faith, and His merciful love, people in need receive help, even if we cannot yet see the results.

The Lord wants everyone to realise that He is the Source of life. His gift of life is a blessed thing. Every child arises from the Heart of God, no matter how strong or weak the child, how grateful the parents or neglectful, or whatever the circumstances. Every child is precious in God's sight. He gave each one life, and invites human beings to care for one another, with love, but especially the weak and defenceless.

If we try to live without God, we live in spiritual darkness; yet as soon as we turn to Him in prayer, we can become hopeful of receiving His gifts and graces; and we shall be helped to open our hearts and lives to His influence, even if the 'light' of prayer seems to hurt or even blind us, at first.

Just as God has gifts for the Church, such as the Holy Eucharist, for His friends, so he has gifts for the whole world, the greatest of which - given even to those who ignore or hate God - is the gift of life. But when people reject life, and destroy innocent babies in the womb in the horror of abortion, they reject God the Father, whether or not they realise it.

The Papacy is like the hearth at the centre of the home. As a family needs to be present together, if love is real, so a Church family needs to be in Communion with the Pope, if faith is real. All Christians are called to be in full Communion, even if they don't agree with everything in the home.

A person who tries to lead a life worthy of Heaven is guaranteed the help of Heaven, even if not seeing exactly how the graces of God are poured out from Heaven, or for what specific purposes. Faith is necessary; yet faith is never confounded, since God is faithful.

If we look at the long line of Popes, from the present day, back to Pope Saint Pius X and then back through Popes of many earlier centuries, as far as St. Peter, we see that the true doctrine of the Church has been handed on by the Popes, even if individuals here and there have been very sinful. Christ wants wavering souls to know that, in doctrinal matters, we are 'safe with Peter'.

People in mortal sin are being swept towards damnation as if in the waters of a great river that tumbles towards a large hole in the ground. The plight of many of them is due to abortion or pornography; but whoever calls out to God, 'I am sorry, Lord', can be rescued from her sinful state and restored to a life of grace and obedience.

People who live in mortal sin can be seen as immersed in a great river of sin which is sweeping them along, towards a great pit, where the waters fall underground. These people will be lost forever, unless they repent before they die. The Lord is especially aware of the horror, in our age, of the grave sins of abortion and pornography.

If someone were to walk for thousands of miles, searching for peace, and found himself emerging into a place where there is, routinely, injustice in family life, corruption in Government, and war-like behaviour in everyday life, he will not find the peace he was looking for. Peace has to start in the human heart, and then spread outward. It cannot be imposed from outside upon persons whose hearts remain angry, cruel or hopeless.

If a carpenter makes a good table, but finds that the table wishes to be a truck, he would be amazed. Just as silly would be a hedgehog who wishes to be a gazelle, or a person destined for sainthood, and Heaven, who wishes to spend his life fulfilling selfish ambitions, careless about his eternal destiny and even involved in grave sin.

Union with God is only achieved in and through the Person of Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Son of God, and not through any self-chosen method of our own, whether arduous tasks or terrible penances.