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Are we handing on the Faith? Christ asks us to teach the Faith to our children. If we do that, we share a priceless gift, but also strengthen the family, which is precious. A family replicates the life of God. It is important for us to know how to live, and how to love with Divine charity, so that we will all be saved.

Christ wants us all to know that nothing matters more than this: to do good, in union with Christ, and to go to Heaven, by the grace of Christ, when our work on earth is done, and God calls us Home.

Carelessness can be the first step on a path that leads to terrible results. Carelessness about life leads to the deaths of innocent babies by abortion. Carelessness about our neighbour's welfare leads to silence when they are harmed by an evil regime. Carelessness in catechesis can lead to gross irreverence towards Christ our God and Saviour, and to uncharity towards the neighbour who prays - and even to carelessness about the moral law, and about sin and death.

People who take the wrong way in life are often choosing an easy way, though God asks us to rely on Christ His Son, to grow in virtue, and to persevere in charity as far as Heaven. The easy way is to help patients to kill themselves, and to ask doctors to kill the elderly. But this is bad for patients, for doctors, for families, and for society, as well as being highly immoral and against God's holy law.

If we are moving towards Christ, Heaven, and holiness, cheered on by the Holy Angels, we shan't make much progress if we are still picking quarrels with other children of God, or refusing to forgive.

A woman in a charity shop can be seen selecting attractive objects, and rejecting those items she deems unattractive. This is how many Christians act, even some who believe that they are Christian Bishops. They select doctrines they find attractive and reject long-standing doctrines which are not attractive to them. This is not what faithful Catholics do.

We all tend to be self-centered; so, when a mother or grandmother cares for a child she should lead the child towards God the Father, doing so by an example of love, truthfulness and care for others, and helping the child to act with charity and truthfulness. To offer instruction is not enough. Deeds and good example are essential.

We can look at Pope Benedict, to see a good example of how to relate to people of other religions. He is kind to everyone, and visits other buildings, but does not join in what is called "inter-faith" worship, which is a betrayal of Christian faith and practice, as is plain from the Scriptures and the constant teaching of the Church.

A Pope can set a good example for us, showing that it is possible to maintain good relations with people of other religions, even visiting their mosques and synagogues, yet without betraying Christ by engaging in what some people call 'inter-faith' prayer, in which some Christians leave out the Name of Christ as if embarrassed by Him.

Priests must be determined to grow in holiness. Men are called by Christ so that the faithful can have a Christ amongst them where they live, and Christ made Really Present in the Blessed Sacrament because of the priest who celebrates the Mass. Amongst pure priests, God sees, here and there, however, a gloomy figure: like an empty space, symbolising a lack of charity, when a priest is in serious sin.

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.

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.

We should recognise what God can do in our lives, at our consent. When a grateful person believes in Christ, surrenders to His wishes, and with prayer, penance and acts of charity allows Christ to transform her, whatever the cost, Christ works an amazing transformation. To change a person with sinful ways into someone who lives for the glory of the Blessed Trinity is like changing a go-kart into a Rolls Royce.

It is important for us to be kind to the elderly as well as the sick. It is inevitable that when elderly people have serious mental problems, solely due to old age, their spiritual state can seem to be changed. They might be moody or impulsive, when they were not so in the past. A person can seem to resemble an old barn which still stands, but is evidently deteriorating. We must beware of falling beams - sudden rages - though persevering in kindness.

There is more to voting that supporting an attractive person. Policies matter. The Lord invites us to reflect on this matter, as we try to decide whom to vote for, in elections for Government: Are these people, or those, the more likely to encourage in our country the sort of life and behaviour that pleases God? Do politicians who support family life also desire to help the weak and needy? Do politicians seeking power want to promote further abortion provision, and contraceptive provision to children, whilst not favouring marriage? We need to support those who do good.

The Lord has a question for us. He invites us to look at a picture of the Saints who are gazing towards Christ in awe, love and adoration; and the Lord asks us: 'Are you ready to join them?' - by which He means: 'Have you been reconciled? Have you decided to lead a life of purity, holiness and charity?'

Just as it is impossible for any of us, by our own power, to leap over a far-off planet, so it is impossible for us, by our own efforts, to achieve union with God. We need His grace, simply to be able to want to approach! Then further graces, in order to respond to His loving invitation. But with His help, we can pray, learn to live in charity, and become holy.

Within the soul, as if in a bright interior chamber where the contemplative meets Christ in prayer, it's as if there is a secret chamber into which Christ can draw that person, to bring her to meet the Holy Spirit and the Father too, and to share Christ's secrets, about the life of God and the life of grace. Only those people who have sincerely tried to live in charity, humility and purity can enjoy such intimacy with God.

We cannot see God, but we see signs of His action wherever we see acts of true charity. Love involves sacrifice, however. It should not be confused with sentimentality - or with merely human affection which can be blown away like a scrap of paper in a breeze, if hardships occur. Real love comes from God. His love, in our hearts, can help us to bear the sufferings that life can bring.

Just as powerful men of earlier times built a strong wall, to keep out strong enemies who hoped to conquer them, so those who follow Christ must beware of allowing spiritual enemies to 'invade' our minds and hearts with their false reasoning or mistaken beliefs - though we can always be willing to stroll on top of the wall together, so to speak, to engage in pleasant, charitable conversation.