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God the Father 'cools' the burning pain of the Two Spears (which are shame and fear) which check my pride.

I remember being outwardly carefree, but I was inwardly pierced by a shame so intense I could hardly go on, sometimes nearly groaning out loud.

How few people welcome Christ to their heart's inner chamber. They leave Him in the hall way, ashamed to reveal themselves.

God draws into His bliss after death those who can bear the brightness of glory, while those who are still consumed by shame wait below.

The souls of Purgatory keep themselves at a distance from God, for the moment, because of their shame and sorrow

The souls of Purgatory keep themselves at a distance from God, for the moment, because of their shame and sorrow

Christ is present with His Holy Angels at our Novena and Benediction; and Our Lady delights in our unashamed affection.

God is Truth, and when we speak truth to Him in prayer, it pleases Him, and we draw closer to Him, even as we say, perhaps, "I can't cope", or "Nobody loves me", or "I'm addicted", or "I hate those people", or "I'm afraid", or "I'm ashamed to look at you".

Someone who lives in a state of grace, with no aspect of his life 'hidden' from God's gaze through shame or self-will, is as if living underneath an umbrella of light, doing one good thing after another in the true freedom of the children of God.

Each of us can ask: "If Christ were standing, visible, before me, what would I be most ashamed of?" What, in our souls and lives, do we need to put right?

A person who is trapped in immorality, to satisfy his appetites, is like a man living deep in the earth, in a small cellar with a trap-door. For a Christian to live like that is shameful - and for a priest to do so is especially tragic - though even the most sinful people can be helped by the intercessions of others.

If we are ever overwhelmed by shame about our past lives, tempted to be despondent even though we are loved and forgiven, we can be sure that Christ wants us to remember His Apostles. Even Peter and others sinned - yet were chosen by God for His work.

Christ sees it as tragic that the loudest voices in the Church today are often those of dissenters, who sometimes mock Christ's 'little ones' as 'fundamentalist' or old-fashioned, and are shameless about disturbing their prayers.

It is a tragedy, in Christ's sight, that many Catholics are told that the Mass is simply a meal - with no mention of the Sacrifice He offered on Calvary, which is made present in our sanctuary. At Mass, we can be with Christ as He prays for us to be forgiven, just as He prayed on Calvary. It is shameful for Catholics not to bother to attend Sunday Mass.

Judas lacked trust in God and in God's power and willingness to forgive; and so, instead of repenting and seeking mercy, Judas regretted his sin but allowed himself to run away, in shame, remorse, and despair - by which he cut himself off from Divine graces.

Just as a person who tries to clean the outside wall of a house has little success with a garden hose but amazing results from a power-hose, so a sinner who is ashamed but does not bother to go to confession remains stained with sin, whereas one who is cleaned in the Confessional in the Sacrament of Penance emerges with a soul made glorious by Divine action.

Lapsed Catholics do not grow in the knowledge and love of God; and when they die, those who see God and are ashamed of their earlier indifference go to Purgatory, whilst those who hate God and are resolute in their rejection of Him hurl themselves away from Him and therefore into Hell, which is life without His light and peace.

As people grow old, there is something more important to think about than pensions, grandchildren or hobbies. What state shall we be in, when we die, and go to God? Shall we be able to meet Him with joy and gratitude, or shall we be ashamed of our hidden sins, hidden no longer?

A person who arrives in God's presence, at death, with all sins forgiven, has died a happy death. She stands before God, clothed in a bright wedding garment. The doors to the various areas of her past life are all shut and bolted, because the sins within have been forgiven and carried away. She has nothing to hide, nor to be ashamed of, by God's grace.

To arrive in God's presence, at death, without having given up one's sins, is like appearing in filthy garments, with muddy footprints, and with doors open wide into the areas of one's life which are full of sins, foolish thoughts and other clutter, not yet cleared away. It is to be deeply ashamed, and not fit for Heaven.