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Long ago, the new rite of the Mass was very hurriedly introduced. Through long-standing, tragic ignorance of the Traditional Mass, many people have lost the sense of ascending, together, to Calvary, to offer the Holy Sacrifice. The Traditional rite seemed to be put aside, and the Novus Ordo was in place. But now (in 2010) Christ is encouraging, through the Papacy, a growth in understanding, at last, of the beauty and antiquity of the Traditional Mass, and of its reverent phrasing, and its silences.

Every valid Mass is holy, and admirable; yet the Traditional Mass, now called the 'Extraordinary Form', is admirable especially for its beauty, its antiquity, its reverent phrasing, and its silences which are so little found today. All of these aspects lead us to approach the Father in a spirit of holiness.

God looks on us with gladness whenever we pray for victims of oppression, whether for people in danger of injustice or death for political or religious reasons. God sees those forgotten millions whose bodies are dumped in mass graves, just as He sees the tragic sight of abortion, by which millions of tiny babies have been killed in the wombs of their own mothers, usually at her request.

What a comfort is our God! Even if we are being mercilessly treated, we know that God's love for us is so great that He came amongst us in the Person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who made Himself one will all who suffer. He was willing to live and die, as man, to fulfill the Father's plan of Salvation. He triumphed over sin and death; and we can triumph, too; if we live and die 'in' Christ.

When someone has proclaimed that he has no need of God, or doesn't believe in Him, and so endangers his own salvation, that person is in need of our intercessions. Through our prayers, and the graces won by Christ for us, a sinful person can be brought to repentance, unexpectedly - and a complete conversion will bring him to his knees, even feeling unworthy, at first, to face the God of Love.

God is enabled to act powerfully upon the earth, wherever people are willing to carry out His wishes, and so to fulfill His plan to lead us to holiness; yet His plans are delayed or stopped, on earth, where Catholics raise their voices, and challenge faithful Clergy members who are faithfully handing on the Faith in its fullness. Those who dissent on faith or morals undo God's work, unlike Catholics in the new Movements or Orders, or following in traditional ways, who persevere no matter what the cost.

When Christ gives us a gruelling task to do, it can seem as though He has asked us to haul a heavy bag up a freezing slope, as we are not only exhausted by our efforts, but also exhausted by fending off the assaults of Satan. He delights in trying to make us despondent, and constantly interrupts our prayers; yet with Christ's help we can persevere.

Some children's books are far too simple. It is often said that children are too young to learn words which Christians have used for centuries about the spiritual life and the sacraments. Yet even young children can remember complicated film-plots, and the names of foreign weapons, and hierarchies. Can they not be helped to learn the correct words for religious matters?

How ungrateful many Catholics are, for Christ's saving Work. If we ever fail to go to Mass because we can't be bothered to plan our travel, or organise our meals or our children, we would do well to reflect on the sufferings of our fellow-Catholics in far-off countries, who would walk miles to attend Mass, if they could, but who are often kept away, or imprisoned, or worse, by their enemies.

Whenever there is a natural disaster in a poverty-stricken country, it should be borne in mind that, amongst the dead, are many who were responsible for the dreadful corruption, crime, poverty and injustice. No-one who has made himself rich or secure by sin can protect himself against sudden death, and Judgement.

If we picture an underground car-park, after an earthquake, with its floor a mess of broken concrete, and people feeling really unsafe on the uneven floor, with little hope: it will be worse than that for all who have preyed on the poor and have committed every sort of evil, and who have not repented before they died. They will experience Eternal separation from God and from loving friends and relations.

All who do the Will of God will act justly. His Will has been made known fully through Jesus Christ Who was sent to us from Heaven. If we disobey the laws of God and the will of Christ in attempts to promote what we call 'justice' we in fact promote things that are unwise or unjust, even if doing so through ignorance or fear, for example, trying to cure poverty by offering abortions.

St Paul was full of fervour, and ideas about how to spread the Gospel; yet Christ guided Saint Paul in specific ways, showing him what places to go to and which to avoid, with marvellous results. Yet Christ cannot guide Catholics today, to do great works, if they are not willing to obey Him in everyday matters, including morals, and if they ignore or argue about the Church's teachings.

We who love Christ are never left alone. When a devout soul dies, a person who loves Christ and has served Him in humility, it's as though only a short step will take that person into Heaven, assisted by a helping hand from the Saints who have gathered around the death-bed, to assist their friend.

God knows all our needs, fears, hopes and joys. God asks us to live in a beautiful relationship with Him, now that we have been reconciled. He asks us to entrust ourselves to Jesus as comfortably as a tiny child entrusts itself to a good mother, never doubting that she is there to feed, console, hold and nurture him.

God's entire nature is Love. He is never unloving. The Father wants us to entrust ourselves to His care as confidently as a tiny child who entrusts himself to the care of his good mother. He knows of our sufferings and problems; yet He can bring good out of evil, make the weak strong, and make us joyful, ready for the joy of Heaven.

Christ knows that a person whose love for Him is sincere, who recognises the wonderful graces given to him, and realises his privileged state as a sharer in Divine life, is truly grateful; and such gratitude expresses itself in praise and thanks, offered to God with outward as well as inward expressions of reverence. A person who acts in this way opens his heart to receive an even greater number of graces.

We must not give up when trials come. We sometimes meet what seems like an earthquake on our 'road to glory', as we follow Christ's way to Heaven. Whether it is caused by opposition, or assaults, or natural disasters, or weakness springing from our own nature, we can still move forward, even amidst our difficulties. It was said of Christ, 'for the sake of the glory that lay ahead, he bore the shame of the Cross'. So it can be with us.

Christ wants us to reflect on what He sees, from Heaven. Christ sees a strange sight, today. In every century, people have accepted instruction in order to enter the Church and lead holy lives. Today, many are badly instructed; many continue with sinful practices; and in arguing with the Clergy about morals some make themselves unavailable for great work for Christ. How can they help Him in great things, if they will not obey in moral issues?

The Clergy sometimes, individually, make mistakes. We are right to respect the man and his office, and to accede to his wishes in the service of God, the Church and our neighbour. We should act with truth and charity towards him; but we are not obliged to believe the personal opinions he expresses if he is in error or offends against charity. A bishop in error confuses us by confusing two contradictory messages: his own, and also the one that he should embody as our Shepherd who guides, teaches and governs in the place of Christ.