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They are close to God, and safe; yet like the Chinese statues hidden from sight, the Holy Souls wait in a dimly-lit place, enduring their purification, as they think about their past lives, and suffer heartache because they were lukewarm in the Faith, or lacked faith in some of the Church's teachings - or prayed only occasionally, or made little effort to resist temptations, or to become really holy.

Christ asked me to paint a picture of what it is like to be welcomed and hugged by Him, in a spiritual Communion, when I am aware of my weakness but put my trust in Him. There is no-one more compassionate to sick people, no-one more grateful that we honour Him by our love and devotion.

We cannot save ourselves. There is only one Saviour. Countless sinful people are being carried away by their sins towards their doom; yet Christ came into the world and conquered death and sin, and now, we can conquer sin by His power, given through His Church and her sacraments. Rescued from the flood, we can share Christ's life and look forward to Heaven.

The Mother of the Church, the Blessed Virgin Mary, longs for all the members of the Church family to act towards one another as devoted brothers and sisters, despite differences in aptitudes and activities, and differences of opinion on important matters, and - in some members - disruptive and foolish behaviour.

Some Catholic parents encourage their children towards sinful behaviour and estrangement from God by allowing them to use contraceptives and even to bring their sexual partners to sleep in their home with their children. Parents must once day answer to God for what they have done in leading their children away from Heaven.

By Sincere repentance, expressed in Confession to a priest, we take such a powerful step towards the Lord that it's as if the soul soars like a rocket, into the heart of the Godhead, to be met with cries of joy amidst the glory. If everyone knew the great benefits of sorrow-for-sin they would repent more frequently and do so with gladness!

It is the Lord's dear wish that each child to whom He has given the gift of life will be brought up by it's parents to be worthy to inherit Eternal Life. It is tragic if children are made aware only of earthly life, and are led to believe that the purpose of life is to become rich, or to fill every moment with earthly pleasure.

It is the Holy Spirit Who inspires us to pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory; and He wants us to know that they are not only helped by our prayers, towards heaven, but also consoled, in the knowledge that they are not forgotten by the Church.

To be beset by spiritual assaults in prayer or 'outside' it is like being in a war-zone, amidst sniper-fire, in a street littered with broken glass. We can retreat to a side-street for a few moments; but if we want to win the war we must be courageous, and trust God, and continue with our prayer and our work.

During our life on earth, if we lift up our hands to God, He will draw us upwards towards holiness, through the grace of Christ and our trust. He will even draw us up as far as Heaven, when we die. If we refuse to trust in Him, however, or refuse to believe in Him, we shall slide into the pit, at death, by our own choice, with no-one to blame but ourselves.

Those people who make a great noise within the Church by their constant refusal to accept the Church's teaching, their attempts to lead others astray, and their disobedience towards those placed by Christ in authority over them, are as if living in a dark cellar of discontent, beneath the 'house of faith'.

A sick person who is asked to undergo certain therapies which in fact would poison or burn her badly does not have to accept every suggestion. Her duty is to preserve her life, but not necessarily by extraordinarily painful means. She must be aware that doctors cannot act without her consent.

In Lisieux, St.Therese was grateful to God, in every circumstance. We cannot dictate to God about when we will experience His love, and His glory, in earthly life. What is important is that we do His Will; and He who is good always trains His friends - and rewards them. A person like St.Therese who lived much of her life in spiritual darkness had a special vocation to show out naked faith, as well as love.

When a person deliberately commits grievous sin, it's as if he leaps out of the Kingdom or out of a state of grace, into a dark area which slopes steadily downwards into a deep pit. No-one gets out of that by his own power, but needs to pray for grace - or to be helped by the intercession of those who love Christ.

When a person deliberately commits grievous sin, it's as if he falls down upon ground which slopes steeply downwards towards a deep pit in the ground. No-one can get out of it by his own power; although the Divine help given through the prayer of friends, during this life, is like a rope by which the sinner can allow himself to be pulled up towards the life of grace.

Priestly celibacy enables a man to move towards Heaven on an uncluttered highway, without distractions. He can be single-minded in Christ's service until his old age, when he can enter Heaven, and be rewarded for all Eternity for his self-giving, and enjoy the bliss of God's love, with all the Saints.

The living God is a 'Holy Fire', blazing with love in our sanctuary, it seems, as we gather to offer Him honour and praise in His house of prayer, through the Holy Mysteries. Christ is Present; with His Angels and Saints, enfolded in the glory of the Father: glory into which we hope to plunge at death, having been purified in the Sacred Liturgy. Our reverent attention should be drawn towards God, for Whose glory this Church was built.

A wise person tries to lead a life worthy of Heaven, and so is already living in God's glorious light, when at death, she is called to step forward into Heaven. People who are trapped in mortal sin, by their own free choices, are as if held in a deep pit, in this life. If they do not repent before they die, they will be in that pit at death, unable to enter Heaven, separated from God for all Eternity, by their own fault.

A man who carelessly and deliberately commits mortal sin, but who does not walk away from the Church is like a man on a narrow ladder in a mineshaft, above a fiery pit, in danger, but who has a safety-rope round his waist - from Heaven. If he begins to climb upwards, he can find safety at last, and avoid the flames.

We are right to warn children about the consequences of sin, just as we would warn them about the danger of cliff-tops, deep water, or other risky places. Yet we can point out the far-off 'country' which is our homeland, Heaven, where there is no more danger, and no more sadness or pain.