Search Page
Showing 41 - 60 of 121
Christ is touched to the heart by every sign of devotion to Him in His Passion - which He endured out of love for us all. He wants us to revere the crucifix, pray the stations of the Cross, and make the sign of the Cross with reverence and care.
Christ is touched to the heart by every sign of devotion to Him in His Passion, which He endured out of love for us all. He wants us to pray to Him, even if the image in our hearts or the knowledge in our hearts is not perfectly accurate. The Sacred Liturgy is supremely important for prayer, but we should encourage everyone, of every faith, to trust in God and to turn to Him in prayer.
A Catholic's soul is almost lifeless - like a vast melting ice sheet unable to provide for life - if there is no evident love for Jesus, especially for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Catholic programmes are deeply flawed which omit, diminish or scorn devotion to Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.
St. Joseph looked at his wife, Mary, with awe and wonder as well as love. His devotion to her was heart-felt and unflagging, as he counted himself privileged to be able to care for her and her Divine Son.
Christ our God is Sacramentally Present in all His glory in the tabernacle. We do not usually see His glory; but everyone who believes must surely genuflect before the Lord, and show reverence and devotion, not treating the 'house of God' like a market-place.
To slam a plate of food down, in front of another person, is to feed that person with little grace or charity. And to make the sign of the Cross in a careless or hurried manner - or any act of Catholic devotion - is to show little respect and love for God.
No Catholic should look down on our ancient Christian devotions, or those of other Christian cultures, where the imagery of faith is clothed in an unusual or unfamiliar appearance; for example, Our Lady of Sorrows.
Christ is deeply touched, and very pleased, when we take part in traditional devotions such as Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, with Benediction, or the 'Forty Hours', and various devotions which honour His holy Mother Mary. He does not want anyone to criticise such practices, nor to ban them.
Jesus Christ, our incarnate God, is substantially Present with us in the Holy Eucharist. We cannot see Him within the Sacred Host. But we who believe in His words accept the truth about His Presence, rejoice in it - and are eager to show our love and devotion in traditional ways of adoration, reverence, and with processions and hymns.
Christ spoke to me about the devout remembrance of His Passion which has been made by so many of His followers during the past two thousand years. He said, about the 'Stations of the Cross' which I had just prayed, "You comfort my heart by your devotion". From the Cross, He could see and hear His friends of future ages comforting Him, including ourselves today.
Through prayer, especially through the cycle of the Church's Liturgical prayer, we can enter the Mysteries of Christ's earthly life. At each of the feasts of His life we can address Him in that event, and benefit from the graces He won for us, in it. Simple people who pray to the 'infant Jesus' have an instinctive knowledge of this truth.
Through Christ, at every Mass, we share in His praise of the Father, and are brought into the presence of the whole company of Heaven. It is tragic if we show little gratitude or devotion.
Christ told me how little the Cross is mentioned by preachers and teachers today: the Cross on which He suffered because of the grievous sins no longer mentioned. He is grieving, too, because people say that devotion to His Mother is old fashioned, and because Catholic school children are often taught more about self-esteem than humility.
Christ said that a person who professes to love Christ whilst refusing to keep the Commandments or do the Will of Christ in other matters is like a man holding up a door, to prevent someone approaching, whilst still smiling and expressing devotion.
Our guardian Angels always pray with immense reverence and devotion. They love to see us pray in the same manner; and though we do not usually see them we can delight in the knowledge that they are beside us as we pray: our faithful guardians and companions.
It is strange, in the Church today, that many priests who encourage parishioners to go on processions which honour the Blessed Virgin Mary are reluctant to take part in, or allow, devotion and processions which honour her Son, Jesus Christ, in the Blessed Sacrament. Surely, those who love Mary should be even more glad to show love for her Divine Son!
Lourdes is not just an example of care of the sick. In looking at the Domaine in Lourdes, we have a picture of the Church which is in the world but not of it. We have a place for the sacraments, and for Reconciliation, a place for Adoration of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, a place for devotion to Mary, a place where contemplatives pray for Church members - and much mutual help between pilgrims during our pilgrimage, including care of strangers.
As Jesus's Sacred Body was carried in a Monstrance past the crowd, at the prayer festival, I saw Jesus walking amongst us, happy to be amongst a different sort of crowd from the one that first called 'Hosanna', on seeing Him, but then rejected Him, and shouted 'Crucify Him'.
Christ invites those Catholics who pay little honour to His ever-Virgin Mother Mary to imitate, in this matter, the Orthodox, who have not grown cold in their love for the Blessed Virgin nor lessened their devotion.
Just as, in an art gallery, it is tragic if pictures have been cut from their frames, and visitors can only gaze at empty spaces, so it is also tragic, the Lord showed me, when the Catholic faithful must look at empty spaces in their churches where once they found beautiful and expressive imagery, to inspire them.
Showing 41 - 60 of 121