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Someone who has been powerful in earthly life, yet cruel to the people in his care, finds, after death - if he has not repented - that he is in the power of the evil one, in Hell, experiencing the powerlessness once felt by people in his charge.

A good preparation for Mass consists of prayer, with reflection on the Company of Heaven with whom we pray, and on the Eternal Father, Source of all Love, wisdom and life, to Whom we shall offer Christ's sacrificial praise, in the Holy Eucharist.

When the bread and wine are consecrated by a Catholic priest, they are changed into the Sacred Body and Blood of Christ; and Christ transforms the Communicant, by His Divine life. It is no small matter, that many people, perhaps through no fault of their own, or through not knowing the truth, receive only bread and wine, in Christian bodies which do not have valid Orders.

From the 'whirlwind' of love which is the life of the Three Divine Persons in the Godhead, Christ descended to earth at His Incarnation, in the womb of the Virgin Mary; and it was always part of the Father's plan of salvation that Christ would continue to be found amongst us, by His Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament, the Holy Eucharist.

It was as a 'cloud' over the earth had been rent apart, when Jesus toured Galilee, speaking the truth about the purpose of life, the glory of the Father, the need for repentance, and for Baptism. He showed out God's nature and God's Will. He revealed the extent of Divine Love by accepting death on a Cross, rather than give up His Mission. He proved His Divinity by His miracles, above all by His Resurrection.

It is the Catholic Church which keeps asunder the cloud of ignorance and hopelessness which once covered the world. In every age, despite the sins of her members, she does what Jesus did in His earthly life. By His Spirit's guidance and power, she teaches truth, forgives, heals, prays, offers the Holy Sacrifice, helps the poor, and makes people holy.

It is as if, far above the earth, the Godhead holds at its heart an oasis of light. This is the city of God, home of the Saints and Angels for Eternity; and it is foolishness, in the Lord's sight, to risk losing an Eternity of bliss, there, for a moment's earthly pleasure or gain followed by Eternal pain and darkness.

In the spiritual life, it can seem as though we travel on a narrow path, between high walls, with little hope of finding joy. But just where the path seems most unpromising, it can open out - if we persevere - into an orchard, full of trees laden with fruit and lush foliage. Helped by the prayers of the Saints, our state of life is becoming fruitful.

We live in a country which is apparently peaceful and civilised; but there are dreadful things happening which few individuals or groups are wiling to protest about. Some people laugh at the Church, as they laughed at Noah. Yet the Catholic Church in this country is like an ark, in which all human life can find defenders. She opposes embryo destruction, abortion, starvation of the sick and elderly, 'euthanasia' and many more anti-life practices.

We live in a country which is apparently peaceful and civilised; but there are dreadful things happening which few individuals or groups are wiling to protest about. Some people laugh at the Church, as they laughed at Noah. Yet the Catholic Church in this country is like an ark, in which all human life can find defenders. She opposes embryo destruction, abortion, starvation of the sick and elderly, 'euthanasia' and many more anti-life practices.

God has designed a man and a woman for a joyful union in marriage which can result in the gift of life: the gift of a child. Where they take pleasure in one another yet at the same time exclude the possibility of receiving God's gift, they are like those before them who have called out to God, saying, 'I will not serve'.

The Blessed Virgin Mary accepted God's Will, which was that she carry a child in her womb. She bore the gaze of amazed villagers, for love of God, unlike married people who refuse to do God's Will, as they deliberately make their married union sterile, by contraceptive use, and refuse the gift of life.

By ourselves, we cannot penetrate the bright cloud which is the Godhead. But God reaches out to some of us with a firm invitation to enter - in a sudden conversion - or reaches out at the very instant that someone calls out for His help. Unless we enter His life we shall, in the end, fall into the void.

It is no small matter that many Christian bodies do not have the 'fullness of the means of salvation' which the Catholic Church has, as the 'one true Church'. In a matter of life and death, in bodily care, people take the tablets which are of known origin, proven efficiency, and correctly proportioned good ingredients. And so, for the spiritual life, for Eternity, we take 'medicine' from the Church of known origin - coming from Christ, known to have saints, and with valid sacraments.

Catholics, more than other people, have so many opportunities for prayer, yet many cannot be bothered to praise Christ for Creation, or for His Incarnation, or for His Church, or when receiving Him in Holy Communion, or when near the tabernacle, or during each day as He sustains our lives, or at death when we shall meet Him and find out what we have done with our lives and whether we are ready for Heaven.

The nuns who have offered their whole lives to God in contemplation and penance effect powerful changes in the lives of sinners. The penances of ordinary people, too, are effective, pouring into the world, by God's grace, a stream of living water rather than the 'puss' which oozes from sinful deeds and conversations.

Each priest should be 'another Christ' for us; yet we should not be surprised if we are treated unjustly by a priest. Christ Himself was hustled towards the edge of a cliff by men who were pillars of the local synagogue. Christ escaped, then; but until we die, we are in danger of treating others unjustly, and must resist temptation.

A sinful soul, damaged by a seriously sinful way of life, is like a bombed-out shop in a war-zone. Rubbish is strewn all over the street, from the blast: and no trading can take place until the premises have been cleaned, mended, painted, furnished and re-stocked. As kind people can make a place habitable, so the prayers of our Blessed Lady are powerfully effective in restoring souls to their earlier beauty.

The Lord showed me how brief is earthly life, compared with Eternity. He asked me to tell everyone: This glory is what you are called to. What will you do to attain it? - In other words, are we sincerely preparing to receive the free gift of Eternal Life, and are we worthy to enter Heaven?

Pope Pius X fought bravely against heresy, Christ said. It would be wonderful, the Lord said, if everyone could do what this Saintly Pope has done, and decide to fulfil the Father's Will, for His glory, and to save souls, rather than seeking personal satisfaction. It is sad that many Catholics criticise that Pope's life and works, and want to overturn the Church's teachings, even on moral issues.