THE flesh is lazy and idolatrous. But half the battle is recognizing this, and the other half then, is not fixating on it.

It is the Spirit who puts to death the deeds of the flesh (Rom 8:13)–not self-centered bemoaning. Fixing our eyes on Jesus in a gaze of trust, especially when we’re weighed down by personal sin, is precisely the means by which the Spirit conquers the flesh.

Humility is a gateway for God.

The image of this is the thief on the cross. He hung by the weight of his sinful flesh. But his eyes were fixed on Christ… And thus, Jesus–whose gaze was fixed on him in extraordinary love and mercy said, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Even though we may hang by the weight of our failures, we need only turn to Jesus in a glance of humility and honesty, and we will be assured to hear the same.

IF I were God, watching unfold before My all-seeing eyes the painful headlines of the day, the open rebellion to My plans, the apathy of My Church, the loneliness of the wealthy, the hunger of the poor, and the violence to My little ones…

…I would fill the spring air with the most beautiful fragrance, paint the evening sky in delightful colors, water the ground with cool rains, and send a warm Breeze across the earth to whisper in every ear,

“I love you, I love you, I love you…”

*I took this photo after ministering at a conference in Saskatchewan, Canada.

IT IS essentially understood, based on what Christ himself said, that Judas had chosen his final destiny. Jesus says of Iscariot, "it would be better for that man if he had not been born." And again in reference to Judas, "is not one of you a devil?"

However, it wasn’t only Judas who betrayed Christ: all of them fled from the garden. And then Peter denied Christ three times.

But they all repented… and thus Christ’s first words to them after He rose from the dead were, "Peace be with you." Judas on the other hand did not repent; after betraying Life, he then took his life. Christ would have forgiven him, offering the kiss of peace to absolve the kiss of betrayal. But Judas did not convert, and thus, "it would have been better if he had not been born."

Could I possibly betray Christ like Judas, and lose my salvation? Yes, this is possible, because like Judas, I too have free will. But if I do not despair–if I turn my heart back to Christ as Peter did–love and mercy will receive me back more quickly than I had sinned.

Money is more important than communion with Jesus, it is more important than God and his love. In this way, [Judas] becomes hard and incapable of conversion, of the confident return of the prodigal son, and throws away his destroyed life.” (Pope Benedict XVI on Judas; Zenit News Agency, April 14th, 2006)

I AM drawn so strongly these days to John 15 where Jesus says,

Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. (v. 5)

How can we ever grow in holiness if we do not remain in Him? Prayer is that which draws the sap of the Holy Spirit into our souls, causing the buds of holiness to spring forth. But they will only bloom if we nurture them in the will of God:

If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love. (v. 10)

JESUS says before his coming,

Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be famines and earthquakes from place to place. All these are the beginning of the labor pains. (Matt 24:7)

While we’ve seen these things through the past two millennium, what we have not seen are these events increasing in frequency, as they are, like labor pains. So if we are in those days, what next? The very next verse:

Then they will hand you over to persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name.

Is the Da Vinci Code the beginning?

ONE day while driving through a pasture on my father-in-law’s farm, I noticed that there were mounds here and there throughout the field. I asked him why this was. Several years ago, he explained, my brother-in-law had dumped manure from the corral, but didn’t bother to spread it around.

But this is what caught my attention: on every mound, the grass was deep green and lush.

So too, in our own lives, we have piled up many wounds, sins, and bad habits over the years. But God, who can make “all things work for good for those who love God” (Romans 8:28) is capable of anything — including making good come from the piles of crap we’ve created.

It’s never too late for God.

THIS came to me in prayer this morning:

The glory of the future Church will not be its political power or impressive worldly structures, but the face of Love, shining brilliantly.

But first, the Church must be purified.

For it is time for the judgment to begin with the household of God (1 Pt 4:17)

The judgment has begun with the Hierarchy, and will continue with the laity until it becomes general in the world. Scandals are being exposed; corruption is oozing to the surface; and that which is hidden in darkness is being revealed.

The Refiner’s Fire does three things: by its light, it exposes hidden deeds; by its heat, it draws them to the surface; by it’s flame, it consumes and purifies.

This is the Time of Light, of Mercy, when the Fire is exposing sinfulness by it’s gentle flickering, and the heat of its nearness is drawing out the pus of evil. If we acknowledge our sins now, God is faithful and just and will cleanse us from every wrongdoing (1 Jn 1:9). Even those caught in the most scandalous of sins are being offered immeasurable Mercies! (Listen, dear bishops and priests, those authors of innumerable scandals–Christ loves you and greets you with the kiss of peace! Receive it!)

For soon, the Fire will be applied, and begin its work of burning–the Time of Fire, of Justice. If we have repented in this Time of Light, then there will be little to burn; the Fire will serve to illuminate and refine, rather than consume. But woe to those who do not repent! There will be much to burn… and sorrow will spill into the streets like blood.

Remaining, will be a humble, pure, and holy Bride–her face, shining with Love.

DURING prayer, I had an image of a Bible in one hand, and the Catechism in the other. Then they turned into a single double-edged sword, held in both hands.

We fight not with our own weapons, but with that which Christ gave us: Scripture and Tradition.

I thought of how our Protestant brethren often fight expertly with just the single-edged sword of Scripture. But, without the proper interpretation–Tradition–many have accidentally turned the sword on themselves.

Catholics have often entered the battle with just the single-edged sword of Tradition. But ignorant of the Word of God, they have been impuissant, leaving their sword in it’s sheath.

But when both are wielded as one… falsehood is slayed, lies are be-headed, and spiritual blindness put to flight!

IF the home is a “domestic church”, then the family table is its altar.

Everyday, we should gather there to share in the communion of one another’s presence. Our dining rooms should be adorned with pictures, icons, and crosses which remind us of the Sacred. We should take time to savor not only our daily bread, but to sing the hymns of our daily lives, strewn with victories and hardships.

Above all, it should be a place of prayer, that Christ may become the invisible tabernacle in the center of our room. Or rather, that the invisible tabernacle may be opened, and Christ adored where two or three are gathered.

And if anyone has a grievance against his brother or sister, mother or father, he should speak with that one before supping, and exchange the sign of peace–that is–forgiveness.

Yes, if our homes were to become domestic churches, this aching loneliness which simmers beneath North America’s technological comforts would be lanced. For we would discover Him for whom we long, there, seated beside me, in my brother, my sister, my mother, and my father.

As it is, our televisions have become the new tabernacle, and our computer rooms, the new chapels. We are the lonelier for it.

Three of our seven kids at supper: “the sacrament of family”

BE not afraid of your Savior, O sinful soul. I make the first move to come to you, for I know that by yourself you are unable to lift yourself to me. Child, do not run away from your Father… –1485, St. Faustina’s Diary

JESUS has left us a simple twofold pattern to follow: humility and obedience.

He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave... he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. –Philippians 2:7-9

But, if I sin, have I not left the path? This is what the enemy of your soul wishes you to believe, so he can direct you on a new path: that of despair and self-pity.

But to admit your sin readily–is this not humility? To confess it–is this not obedience? So you see, your sinfulness (provided it is not mortal sin) provides an opportunity to advance. You did not leave the path; you stumbled on it.

Lost is the simplicity of what Christ asks of us: to become “little children”. Little children fall, and quite easily. So did our Lord three times along the Way. But if we persevere in humility and obedience, we too shall be exalted by the Father by being transformed into the image of Christ, sharing in the inner life of God–here, and in the next life.

WHENEVER there is a sharp turn of events in life, whether it is good or bad, it is always a sign of God’s presence. Not that God desires evil; but in his mysterious plan, he permits it. This can only be seen with eyes of faith.

So when sudden suffering befalls us (yes my friend, no matter how big or small the annoyance may be), we can rejoice and “give thanks in all circumstances” in that we know God is near, permitting even this, eventually working all things to the good for those who love Him. For the non-believer, this sounds absurd; to the Christian, it is an invitation into the darkness of the Tomb. Suffering deprives us of light to the senses, even intellect, and sometimes spirit. One must walk by faith, not sight.

And in “three days” there will be Resurrection.

THE winds of change are blowing!

STILL hanging in my mind is the image of being a little drop of vapor, suspended in the Sky of God. At any moment I could fall to the ground were it not for His grace and love holding me there. It is pride and self-will which make me too “heavy” to remain in this Cloud. Likewise, it is being “like a child” that gives me the lightness of heart to float freely in God’s favor.

Let anyone who thinks he is standing upright watch out lest he fall! –1 Corinthians 10:12

THE Body of Christ is like a Cloud. A “mist-ical” body of Love.

Every so often a temptation comes along, or a suffering, or some tug of the flesh. It begins to pull on us, drawing us toward earthliness. If we allow self-will to accumulate like a water droplet, eventually, the gravity of the flesh, the world, and the devil begin to pull us until at last we fall from Grace…. plummeting toward worldliness.

Repentance is when self-will evaporates, raising itself once again to the Divine Will. No matter how many times we fall, God will never stop us from returning to the Cloud of Love.

But if we resist, the free-fall will continue until at last we find ourselves broken upon the Rocks of Sorrow (mortal sin). Not even this prevents us from returning to the Cloud, with a sincere and humble heart. But how much harder it is when one finds himself mingled among the dirt, debris, and toxins of the world, having allowed the soul to run between the cracks and crevices of rebellion, with the terrible risk that one has fallen into the Sewers of Darkness.

RAPID. That’s the word which best describes what God is doing in many hearts today: rapid change.

I can’t stress enough: the treasuries of Heaven are wide open! Ask, and you will receive. If we wish to be holier, to be healed, to be transformed, we need only ask in a spirit of humility and trust, and be ready to receive.

Time is so short. Jesus is pouring out as much as He can to whomever comes with open hands and heart.

LET us plunge ourselves into the ocean of God’s mercy, this feast of the Divine Mercy. How joyful it is that such a gift has been granted the world!

MY FAMILY OF NINE went for a bike ride this evening. A veritable trail of bikes, training wheels, toddler seats, and child trailers.

But what was perhaps more amusing was those we passed on the sidewalks. People stopped dead in their tracks and stared at us like we were the first flock of geese returning in the Spring. Then I heard, “Look! A family!”

I wasn’t sure whether to laugh, or weep.

Polar ice caps

I HAVE mentioned before Romans 8, which describes nature as "groaning", awaiting the revelation of the sons and daughters of God. It’s as though nature is paralleling what is occurring in the spiritual realm.

During prayer a couple days ago, the melting of the Polar Ice Caps came to mind. Scientists are saying that the rapid meltdown will have an avalanche effect on other eco-systems. It seems to me that this is a parallel of things which are in motion and yet to come in the economic and social realm; that once they start, things will unfold rapidly.

The words of Gandolf from The Lord of The Rings come back to mind:

"It’s the deep breath before the plunge."

In His mercy, Jesus asks, "Are you ready?"

THIS Sunday, the Feast of Divine Mercy, is a significant day of historical and cosmic proportions that I believe few in the Church realize. Pope John Paul II called the Feast of the Divine Mercy the “last hope of salvation for the world.”

He who has ears ought to hear.

(To the one who disposes himself to Confession and receiving the Eucharist that day, Jesus promises that all sin and temporal punishment will be wiped away. But I believe God will also give to the “open” soul much more.)

LIKE a car whizzing by a highway sign, it seems the Lord has been giving me brief glances into the various structures of the world: economies, political powers, the food chain, the moral order, and elements within the Church. And the word is always the same:

I FELT a strong word for the Church this morning in prayer regarding television:

Happy indeed is the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked; nor lingers in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of scorners, but whose delight is the law of the Lord and who ponders his law day and night. (Psalm 1)

Christ’s Body-—baptized believers, bought with the price of His blood-—are wasting their spiritual lives in front of the television: following "the counsel of the wicked" through self-help shows and self-appointed gurus; lingering "in the way of sinners" on sitcoms; and sitting "in the company" of late night talk shows which mock and scorn purity and goodness, if not religion itself.

I hear Jesus shouting the words of the Apocalypse once again: "Come out of her! Come out of Babylon!" It is time for the Body of Christ to make choices. It is not enough to say I believe in Jesus… and then indulge our minds and senses like pagans in corrupted, if not anti-Gospel programming. God has so much more to give us through prayer: to the one who ponders his Word day and night.

So gird the loins of your understanding; live soberly; set all your hope on the gift to be conferred on you when Jesus Christ appears. As obedient sons and daughters, do not yield to the desires that once shaped you in your ignorance. Rather, become holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct, after the likeness of the holy One who called you (1 Peter)

Lord Jesus, our affluence is making us less human, our entertainment has become a drug, a source of alienation, and our society’s incessant, tedious message is an invitation to die of selfishness. —POPE BENEDICT XVI, Fourth Station of the Cross, Good Friday 2006

GOOD FRIDAY. That day when we, the fruit of the Cross, seek to console the Consoler; to comfort the Comforter; to love the Lover.

O Beloved Jesus, all I have to offer you is the vinegar of weakness on the sponge of humility. That you would receive my efforts to console you… and my gratitude for so great a gift as your very Life.

THE word fell into my heart like the first droplet of Spring from an icicle: “There is coming a “Lord of the Flies” moment.”

If you have seen the motion picture The Lord of the Flies, then read on. If you haven’t, you will need to rent it or read the book before continuing (WARNING: the film’s language is raw, but real). I honestly believe it is a picture of what is happening in the world, and what is coming, and that Christ is bringing this picture back to memory for a reason. When I watched this movie recently, keeping in mind the “word” I seemed to hear from the Lord, it blew my mind.Continue reading →

WHAT the heck.

I decided to drive our tour bus down Times Square, New York City.

It was late at night. Our faces stared upwards at block after of block of bright lights, billboards, and video screens. New Yorkers stared upwards at us: six kids, faces plastered to the windows. They were as amused as we were dazzled.

Dazzled. During Eucharistic Adoration after Mass this morning, I pondered on these brights lights which lit Broadway like daytime. And the words came to me, “It is a false light.” Indeed, behind every bulb was the promise of some “thing”: visual pleasure, money, sexual gratification, souvenirs, liquor… things. But no where did I see a promise of lasting happiness–inner peace and joy which can only come from the Light of the World.

It was all alluring… but in the same way, perhaps, that a moth is drawn to a bug zapper.

WITH URGENCY I write this tonight… we must put our hearts right with God. We must look squarely at our sin, and repent of it — leave it behind, at the foot of the Cross.

CONFESSION… we must go regularly. St. Pio said every 8 days. Pope John Paul II said every week. Once a week… come to the Father, pour out your heart, and let him speak words of forgiveness and healing. Why be afraid of so great a gift?

I can hear objections. But it is more important than work. More important than kid’s soccer. More important than watching television. Our soul is more important than these things.

We must prepare our hearts to receive a great Light by ridding anything in our heart which would create a shadow.

IN REPLY to someone who wrote, doubting that God could speak through the violence of nature:

Creation belongs to God, and as such, he has the right to assert his presence when and how he pleases. We know from the revelation of Jesus Christ, and of scripture, that God is not just loving, God IS love. Thus, he is merciful, patient, and forgiving. But he is also just, and because he is our Father, scripture teaches that he also disciplines us.

Neither does God force humanity to love him… but the wages of sin is death. In other words, humanity reaps what it sows. If we sow destruction, that’s what we reap, both naturally and spiritually. Continue reading →

LOVE has no denomination.

DURING prayer today, a word came to me…

It is no longer the eleventh hour. It is midnight.

Later on around noon, a group of women prayed over Fr. Kyle Dave and I. As they did, the church bell tolled 12 times.

AT MORNING Mass, the Lord began speaking to me about “detachment”…

Attachment to things, people, or ideas keeps us from being able to soar like an eagle with the Holy Spirit; it muddies our soul, preventing us from perfectly reflecting the Son; it fills our heart with other-ness, rather than with God.

And so the Lord wishes us to be detached from all inordinate desires, not to keep us from pleasure, but to enrole us in the joy of heaven.

I also understood more clearly how the Cross is the only Way for the Christian. There are many consolations in the beginning of the sincere Christian journey–the “honeymoon”, so to speak. But if one is to progress into the deeper life toward union with God, it requires a self-renunciation–an embrace of suffering and self-denial (we all suffer, but what a difference when we permit it to put to death self-will).

Didn’t Christ already say this?

Unless a grain of what falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. –John 12:24

Unless the Christian embraces the crosses of life, he’ll remain an infant. But if he dies to himself, he will produce much fruit. He will grow into the full stature of Christ.

FROM the first night of the St. Gabriel, LA parish mission:

Pope John Paul II seemed to speak as the eternal optimist — the glass was always half full. Pope Benedict, at least as a Cardinal, tended to see the glass half empty. Neither of them was wrong, for both views were rooted in reality. Together, the glass is full.

TODAY’s best line on the tour bus (writing from St. Gabriel, Louisiana):

Mommy, I lost my gum!

Where is it Greg?

In Levi’s mouth!

JESUS continues to send me to near empty churches… but there is at least one lost sheep in attendance. This I am sure of.

Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn't leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? –Luke 15:4

AT times God seems so far away…

But He is not. Jesus promised to remain with us until the end of the age. Rather, I think there are times when He draws so near in His transfigured brightness, that one’s soul squints until it closes its eyes. Thus, we think we’re in the dark, but we are not. The soul is blinded by Love itself.

There are other times also when the sense of abandonment comes because of adverse trials. This too is a form of Christ’s love, for in permitting this particular cross, He is also preparing for us a tomb from which to rise.

And what is supposed to die? Self-will.