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God delights in our love, proved by our devotion in prayer; but He delights in the charity in our hearts, when we freely choose to leave our devotions to attend to a neighbour, whether a person taken ill, or a husband arriving home and deserving a kind welcome.

We might change, if we pictured the different people Jesus meets in prayer: some scowling at Him, some glad to be near, some not sure it's worthwhile, some not convinced that He hears, some not willing to give up their sins, some thrilled to be able to speak with Him at any time of day or night.

Christ loves and honours His beloved Mother Mary. He wants us to love and honour her, and to give her special honour in and through the Church. He delights in seeing Popes and Bishops set an example in this, by their sincere prayers and other acts of devotion at Marian shrines, and before images of Our Blessed Lady.

There are many doctrines, traditions, customs, practices and attitudes within the Catholic Church which cause revulsion amongst those people who hoped that everything would change, after the Second Vatican Council; but Christ wants us all to stay faithful to the teachings and traditions of the Church, no matter what opposition we suffer.

On the evening of Holy Thursday, when we have gathered to celebrate the Mass of the Last Supper, Christ becomes Present amongst us; and He is touched to the heart by our devotion. We were not forced to attend; but we are aware of what He once suffered in His Passion, for our sakes. He is pleased that we prove our love by coming to be with Him in this special way.

Christ looks upon the faithful people who have come to the 'Mass of the Lord's Supper' on Holy Thursday: people only there because they love Him, Who suffered to save us. We touch His heart by our devotion, right up to the stripping of the altar, when we prepare to accompany Christ to Gethsemane.

People who promote new devotions should be setting a good example to all the people who see them or hang onto their words. Are those speaking drawing attention to God, or to themselves? Do they believe in all the teachings of the Church? Have they profited from their message? Are they obedient to those in authority over them in the Church?

No little prayer or little act of devotion goes unnoticed by our Saviour. Christ looks on lovingly, for example, when we greet Him as soon as we awake, whenever that is. He delights in seeing our first thoughts turn to Him, as we begin a new day in His service, confident of His love.

Christ is deeply touched whenever we show devotion to Him in the Blessed Sacrament - and especially when we search out the tabernacle whenever we enter a Catholic church away from home, and cannot see our way to it. Christ would like to show us more delight and gratitude, but would completely overwhelm us.

The Church recommends to her children many devotions, three special ones having been practiced by Saints through the ages; we honour Jesus in His Sacred Passion; we adore Him in the Most Blessed Sacrament; and we honour His Holy Virgin Mother Mary, at whose consent Jesus was made flesh in our world.

If we treat our fellow-creatures with contempt or hard-heartedness, we cannot draw down graces from Heaven by our special devotions to Our Blessed Lady, no matter what efforts we put into our devotions. We cannot please Our Mother whilst blithely disobeying the advice, and the Commandments, of her beloved Son.

Those who adore the Lamb, on earth, in sincere devotion, will do so in Heaven, if they persevere to the end. But those who do not adore Christ, here on earth, will not adore Him, close by Him, in Heaven - unless they repent and are changed before they die.

These are difficult times for Catholics; yet in our day, in Europe, we have not yet had to remain hidden away, fleeing to underground passages, like the first Christians in the catacombs. But we can learn from their example. What devotion to Christ - and to Mary, when, at the end of persecutions, they built a great basilica to celebrate the Faith, for the glory of God!

Christ wants us all to know how deeply He rejoices in our devotion to 'Our Lady of Sorrows'. It was the Father Who made Mary worthy to be mother of Jesus, gave her the courage to persevere even through her Son's Passion - and so to enjoy His Resurrection.

Many Christians make a dreadful error in refusing to know Our Lady or to seek her prayers. They draw a curtain over centuries of Christian devotions to her, devotions she deserves because of her central place in God's plan of salvation. How shocking, to ignore the mother of God!

Many non-Catholic Christians will be embarrassed, after death, as they realise what a dreadful error they have made in their refusal to honour Our Lady or to seek her help, as they drew a curtain over the most important Christian devotions of the first centuries. They will see just how much Christ loves His Mother.

St. Therese can be seen, raptuously praising God in Heaven because her relics have been used to inspire devotion to God. People feel close to her, are reminded of her holy life, and have greater confidence in her intercessions for us who still struggle on earth.

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.

Christ delights in seeing us honour 'The Two Hearts', by our devotions. We cannot usually see what people are like. Only God knows the secrets of our hearts. But God has revealed to us in various ways the Sacred Heart of Jesus: a Heart so Holy as to be beyond our comprehension, befitting a Divine Person, our loving Saviour; and also the Immaculate Heart of Mary His Mother: a mere woman, but made utterly pure, worthy to be His Mother.

There is no doubt that our priests deserve care and respect both from their parishioners and their Bishops, as well as sufficient rest, and free time. Yet priestly life can only be renewed, where priests are dispirited or dejected, if there is also a humble, sincere, renewal of trusting prayer to Christ, and devotion to His Holy Mother Mary.