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The path of love for Christ, and obedience, leads straight towards Heaven, for the faithful. Those Catholics who are disobedient or faithless take a dark, downward path. There can be an opportunity, before death, for repentance, at which the soul can be drawn up towards Heaven's light instead of falling down into Hell.

Christ looks on with horror as unborn babies are killed. Those who are merciless towards their fellow-creatures will find themselves alienated from God when they die - unless they first repent. This is especially true of those who mercilessly work to make abortion more easily available. Christ said, "The judgements you give are the judgements you will get"

Christ sends down new life from Heaven: the living souls of babies, which are sometimes then rejected by their own mothers, and killed in the womb by Doctors who agree with this practice. Satan boasts, as he points towards parliament, that many of it's members are as guilty as those who do abortions, since legislators voted for it to be made legal.

Rather than just warning us against unhealthy lifestyles, doctors and governments should warn us against the dangers of abortion.

Christ is overjoyed by those who love and obey Him. One of the worst experiences of Christ's Passion, as He hung on the Cross, was the sight He saw - by His Divine insight - of those who would take no notice of His words, or of His desire to save them. His heartache was indescribable, as He saw souls walking away, towards damnation, through their own choices.

Some people are catapulted into Hell, at death, having turned away from God and having refused to repent. Other people, not yet perfect, but sincerely loving God, are swept by a tide of Divine grace towards the safety of Purgatory where they can be purified and prepared for Heaven.

People on a pilgrimage are a mixed group: sick and able-bodied, luke-warm or fervent souls, people of every ability and background; yet by being on pilgrimage with sincere hearts, as on a journey, all are brought closer to Heaven.

The Lord chooses all sorts of men, to serve as priests. They bring their own weaknesses with them. The sacraments they confer are valid, despite their sins; yet priests are sometimes mistaken in their personal opinions. The best priests are those who believe in all that the Church teaches, lead humble and chaste lives, fervent in love for the Saviour and His Church, and charitable towards everyone, though unafraid to speak the truth, in charity.

Just as an orchestra member steps forward to make music at a concert without any further practice, after years of training, so those souls whose sins have all been forgiven, and who have done penance, or have gained a Plenary indulgence, have no need for 'training' in Purgatory, before they join the great chorus of praise of God in Heaven, with all the Saints.

People who do God's Will are carried steadily Heavenward on a river of grace, despite opposition, darkness and personal failings, whereas people who insist on following their own route stumble in the darkness of the muddy fields they try to cross, hampered by weeds, rough ground and broken fences.

However many 'models' of Church are put forward today, the Church has been founded by Christ as a hierarchy. The Pope has supreme power and authority, after Christ, in the Church, and guides us with the other Catholic Bishops. They are assisted by the men they have ordained as priests, and by the Deacons in Holy Orders. Then we see the laity, living out their union with Christ in the world.

Worldly leaders enjoy displays of riches and power; but we cannot impress God by our extravagant deeds, or powerful displays. He loves everyone, but He lavishly rewards those who approach Him in humility and contrition, and who put their trust in His Son.

It is a terrible sight for Christ to see, from Heaven, as people walk resolutely towards the flames of Hell: people who have refused to listen to His wise words about repentance and transformation: people who will be separated from Him eternally, through their own fault, if they do not repent of their sins before they die.

This is what Christ sees all the time, from Heaven above: people walking steadily towards Hell, people who have refused to listen to Him, refused to give up all their sins - particularly grave sexual sins which they could abandon, by His grace, if they were willing.

On my birthday, when I had thanked the Father for this gift of life, I saw Him lean over towards me, to embrace me, as He said: "HOW PRECIOUS YOU ARE". We ought to be amazed and awestruck that the Blessed Trinity has such love for weak creatures.

We cannot avoid all distractions in prayer, and should not become upset. It is best to pray about them, or to look straight through them towards out Heavenly Father, like an astronaut who stays on course through all the debris of space, on his way to the stars.

We are engaged in spiritual warfare. When a general in the army chooses a soldier for a special mission he does not choose the tallest man, or the most handsome, but the one most likely to persevere through every difficulty; and Christ, in choosing a person for specially-needed tasks in different times, might choose not a theologian or a public-speaker, but a lay-person with experience in fighting a determined enemy.

A Catholic who is neither noisy nor unloving, but who reads the church newspaper when in church, is lacking the awareness of the Real Presence of Christ, our God. To ignore Christ, there, is like reading a novel whilst in the presence of the Queen and her courtiers in the throne-room at Buckingham Palace.

When the Catholic Faith is taught in its fullness, and is practiced, there are plenty of vocations; and a great fire of praise soars up to Heaven. Where only half a gospel is preached, and where there is lukewarm faith, with much dissent, there are few vocations. Such an area is like a patch of gangrene on healthy tissue, and emits a bad smell before Heaven.

Christ can only raise to spiritual heights people who approach Him in humility, aware of their sinfulness and need. Then He can raise them up to understand earthly things, and raise them higher in contemplation to understand Heavenly things