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The whiteness of an alb represents the purity that a good priest should have; a very sinful priest is like an area of emptiness, from which the Holy Spirit has fled, leaving only darkness. How can sinful priests be helped, or holy priests kept pure? - By the intercession of the faithful, the Mother of God, and all the Saints, who petition God to help the Clergy.

Jesus delights in seeing us approach Him with confidence and humility. His generosity is limitless. He rewards all who call upon His name. It's as if He is looking upon each of us, at the edge of Heaven, as He says: "What more can I do for you, My child? Place all your needs before Me."

Jesus delights in seeing us approach Him with confidence and humility. His generosity is limitless. He rewards all who call upon His name. It's as if He is looking upon each of us, at the edge of Heaven, as He says: "What more can I do for you, My child? Place all your needs before Me."

There are people who lead outwardly respectable lives but who are half-way to Hell, God sees, because of their disbelief, and their deliberate refusal to lead good lives in obedience to His laws of morality. Unless they repent before they die, they will fall into the bottomless pit, which represents eternal alienation from God chosen by the wicked.

There are unnecessary and dreadful tragedies to be seen today. God sees a terrible change taking place in our hospitals, as some doctors and nurses develop a pro-death outlook, and share their views as they persuade people that old people are useless and should be helped to die, and that 'selective terminations' are the answer to multiple pregnancies, that a diagnosis of a tiny infant in the womb with Down's Syndrome should be followed by killing of the unborn child, and that food and water can be denied to someone old or frail.

The beauty and glory of Heaven is indescribable; yet we know that the blazing charity of the Saints, as they praise and thank the Blessed Trinity, is like a circle of flame around the awesome Godhead.

We learned that God's presence was experienced long ago amidst thunder and fire, on Sinai. People today who live in serious sin and are afraid of God, feel as though He is a God of terror and fire. All who have been purified in Baptism - or, later, in Reconciliation - can realise that God is love: a tender love, in which He enfolds those who trust in Him and strive to do His Will. Their souls are at peace.

Someone exhausted or ill might feel so oppressed by a 'cloud' of weariness that she feels her prayers can barely rise up to Heaven. But the Father does hear her; and He is delighted that in her exhaustion or illness she still trusts in Him, believes in His love for her, and turns to Him in prayer.

We should be able to defend the Faith. It is not superstition. We believe in things Divinely revealed, but our faith is not unreasonable. God's beauty, power and laws are discernable in nature - including our nature and conscience. There is historical evidence for Christ's life; and His friends were transformed and made brave by His Resurrection. We have two thousand years of evidence - despite sins and mistakes - that Catholicism elevates society, marriage, government, education, treatment of the sick, and children, and brings peace, and hope of Heaven.

Christ is touched to the heart by our desire to celebrate His Birthday, at Christmas, and by our desire to share our joy in His love and goodness with other people, through cards and letters. It also strengthens bonds on the family, and society.

Whenever a politician uses his or her power to promote or pass foolish or corrupt laws, there will come a time of being called to account by God, as the politician is shown, at last, what dreadful results have arisen from his sinful outlook.

Even in infancy, Jesus Christ set an example of trust, as He entrusted Himself to the care of human beings, when He had 'left behind His glory' as the Son of God. He came amongst us on earth, even though He knew He would be mocked and rejected by many. We give Him joy when we turn to Him with gratitude and gladness.

Christ as an infant in the care of His Mother has set us an example of complete trust, which is a quality necessary for the good functioning of a good society. God the Father has arranged that people everywhere entrust themselves to the care of others: babies to parents, children to teachers, elderly people to their grown-up children, and spouses trusting one another. A good society should be ordered on the pre-supposition that citizens desire to lead good lives.

When we live in union with Christ, it's as if we find, through the union of our humanity with His humanity, that we achieve union with His Divinity, which is One with the Father; and so, through Christ, we have access to Heaven. Even though we cannot see it, we know that our prayers reach Heaven, through Christ, in the light of the Holy Spirit; and we are at peace.

We must persevere in our belief that God is good, whatever happens. God asks us to trust in Him, whatever we experience in life. Just as mountain-climbers keep on believing in the existence of the peaks, even when sudden mists obscure the view, so, faithful followers of Christ must trust that He will lead them Home to the Father and Heaven even when the Way ahead seems to be uncertain, or the Goal impossible to reach.

It was as if from the 'womb' of the Godhead, from the heart of the Mystery of the Godhead, was born love, embodied, when Jesus Christ took flesh from the Blessed Virgin Mary. He came to earth to be our Saviour: to invite His beloved creatures to accept His free gift of salvation and joy.

We must not hold on to a slavish fear of God. The second Person of the Blessed Trinity took flesh from the Blessed Virgin Mary, to be made man, able to suffer and die in earthly life, to save sinners. The gentle love in the heart of that Divine infant is the tender love at the heart of the Trinity.

By humility we can advance in holiness. No matter what way of life we believe the Lord calls us to, we sometimes act like the man in Christ's Gospel story. We might assure Christ that we will obey Him, yet then walk away, or we might refuse to serve - then regret our decision, and come back, contrite, like the man who returned, as Christ said, to do his father's will. Whoever returns like this gives joy to Christ, and follows the right path.

The Church reminds us, in Sacred Scripture and the Sacred Tradition, that God has given us Angels to guard us. If we are in spiritual, moral or physical danger, and call on their aid, they will help us, though we are not usually privileged to witness their presence. We are weak, and God loves to help us in all sorts of ways.

Through our union with Christ, we have access to the Father. When we receive Christ in Holy Communion, and are in a state of grace, it is as though we can enter, from within our own soul, a great glorious chamber which represents the Godhead, or rather, the inner life of God. What a privilege! And how often taken for granted!