I know there aer many who are critical and skeptical. First I GET IT. I was not thrilled when I heard it was him. And many things are not encouraging. But I am holding out hope that things are going to work out and he will bring back a revival through our lady
22 August is the Feast of the Immaculate Heart, which we know will triumph. I am planning to offer little sacrifices for my family. Hopefully I can make it.
The Pope’s emphasis was on prayers and fasting to Our Lady for peace in the world and to dry the tears of those who suffer from armed conflict. Hopefully many Catholics will follow his request.
This portion touched my heart the most: Judas, unfortunately, does not understand. After the morsel – says the Gospel – “Satan entered him” (v. 27). This passage strikes us: as if evil, hidden until then, manifested itself after love showed its most defenseless face. And precisely for this reason, brothers and sisters, that morsel is our salvation: because it tells us that God does everything – absolutely everything – to reach us, even in the hour when we reject him. It is here that forgiveness reveals all its power and manifests the true face of hope. It is not forgetfulness; it is not weakness. It is the ability to set the other free, while loving him to the end. Jesus’ love does not deny the truth of pain, but it does not allow evil to have the last word. This is the mystery Jesus accomplishes for us, in which we too, at times, are called to participate.
Agree. I just read the Pope’s message about forgiveness at the link posted by miker on p.34 of this thread. It’s very holy. Many things in life in this world are not encouraging, you are right. But God is in control. And Our Lady is with us. Thanks, Dean.
satan entered him - Our God is the God of the gaps - unless we allow him to fill every crack and crevice of our being then we can be vulnerable - The vice of Judas was avarice and this is the gap through which satan entered. We need to fill our soul with Christ so that we live and breathe in and through him. God desires to fill us with his presence - John 14v23 Jesus replied “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them".
There is such absolute truth in both these posts. When we first come to Christ--really come to Him in absolute faith--these other allurements fall away like an old snake sin. We dont miss them. We dont want them. The Holy Spirit seals up those gaps. I have experienced this. But if we let in one worldly attraction--because we have neglected prayer or the sacraments---if we are not vigilant it will take over. Vigilance is key!
I went to Mount Mellary today to pray for peace. This week is the 40th anniversary of Our Lady's apparition there. It was very quiet. I think devotions are on there in the evening after 7pm. I was there 40 years ago during this week. My daughter who was 4 at the time saw Our Lady at that time.
I was blessed at a vigil there to see the statue of our Lady turn into Padre Pio for ten minutes - my one and only mystical experience.
Yes Padre Pio was very present at that time at all the grottos where Our Lady manifested her presence. The church never got involved. They didn't investigate anything. Mellary had night vigils every weekend many buses coming from the North praying for peace. It's strange now to see the monastery closed and the monks gone. Locals have a notice up asking for visitors to pray for a return of the monks. It's very sad.
Wasn't one of the messages in Mellary that satan would takeover the Church in Ireland if people didn't repent? In Ireland hundreds of Catholic priests belong to the Association of Catholic Priests an heretical and apostate organisation. They are more Protestant than Martin Luther. The ACP claims a membership of 1000 and there are only 2100 priests in Ireland in total.
