IT’S becoming a tradition: the first day of every concert tour is usually a dramatic one.

Today’s was spectacular.

Last summer, we had sudden electrical problems the night we were leaving. This winter, the sound and lighting equipment trailer detached from the tour bus. We found out the next day–in another city. And yesterday, two hours from home, we discovered that the bus’s water heater was kaput.

I should have expected it. In fact I did. But I was still ticked off. Grumbling, I turned the bus around, and headed to the repair shop, an hour away. We parked at a truck stop up the road.

This morning, after a short sleep, I awoke to the alarm clock… and a clear voice speaking in my heart:

You are here for a purpose.

Continue reading →

KEEPING Christ’s commandments is how we remain in His love (John 15:10), and if we remain in Him, we “will bear good fruit” (15:5).

But Jesus also said,

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.
–John 6:56

How can we fail to take advantage of this precious gift given us in the Holy Eucharist? It is Jesus Himself!

For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. –6:55

If we find ourselves hungering for happiness, thirsting for peace, starving for virtues, and lacking in love, why do we not come to The Table where the “source and summit” of our needs is daily provided?

My brothers and sisters, how often have I been filled with the Holy Spirit, pacified in soul, and stirred to a burning love after receiving Jesus in the Eucharist–at a Mass, which only a handful of people attended!

I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
–6:35

If the wider Church only knew what graces they would find to overcome faults, resist temptation, grow in virtue, and come to know Love itself through Holy Communion!

Were we to disregard the Eucharist, how could we overcome our own deficiency?” –Pope John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, (60)

WHEN we traveled to some of the worst areas of hurricane-damaged Louisiana recently, we saw two kinds of houses: the ones made of wood, and those of brick.

Some wooden houses had been razed to the ground. There was nothing left but a few splinters of lumber. On the other hand, the brick houses in Katrina’s path were gutted, with broken windows and damaged roofs. But the houses stood. Or rather, withstood.

How can a person possibly withstand the forces he meets in this life–the forces of death, of illness, of unemployment, of uncertainty, of hatred, of temptation?

Listen carefully,

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? ...faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. –James 2:14

Good works are like bricks. Faith is the mortar (what is one without the other?)

The one who builds his life with these, will testify how one can not only survive the painful forces of this life, but even bear them in peace and joy.

Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing... If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love... I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. –Jn 15:5, 10-11

Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on a rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse.... –Mt 7:24-25

ARE not some of the best things in life hidden?

The coolest, cleanest water is usually found deep within the ground. Gold, silver, and precious jewels are disguised by rough stone and minerals. Nebulae, birthing stars, and colorful galaxies can only be seen with telescopes. Then there is the pearl within the oyster; the milk within the coconut; the nectar within the flower.

But do we recognize the great gift that lies hidden within suffering?

When we are ill-treated by a co-worker or a store clerk, do we recognize the opportunity to die to self? When small irritations befall us, do we see this as the occasion to grow in virtue? When we feel dry and desolate, do we recognize this as the moment to exercise faith?

The spiritual life is reflected in nature. For beneath the bland, rough, and unremarkable surface of the present moment, lies the Pearl of Grace to transform us.

...although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. –Matt 11:25

ANOTHER word which has been lingering beneath the surface of thought these past few weeks is “TOTALITARIANISM”.

Totalitarianism occurs when the state demands complete subservience of its subjects, which includes the realm of morality.

Pope Benedict has warned of this growing “dictatorship of relativism.” But so has a lesser known prophet, Michael D. O’Brien, in his series of “novels”: the Children of the Last Days. (If you are looking for powerful Catholic novels with an authentic and tested prophetic message, start here.)

This totalitarianism–though as yet unorganized in terms of formal governance–is beginning to openly express itself in localized policies, such as companies and school boards penalizing staff members who oppose homosexuality. Like a cancer, this dictatorial mentality is now moving into law as governments pass nebulous “hate crime” statutes. The next steps will be to strip the Church of official (and tax) status; then to silence the pulpit; then finally, open persecution–which may in fact be the Persecution. Continue reading →

THIS week, as nature in our part of Canada unfolds in extraordinary beauty, I continue to hear the words:

VIGIL.

I woke up with this single word, sitting there before my spiritual eyes. It comes from the Latin vigilia, which means “awake”.

Then a strange definition appeared clearly before me:

THE world is inundated with “Christian words.” But what it thirsts for is “authentic” Christian witness.

Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses. —POPE PAUL VI, Evangelization in the Modern World

What should the modern Christian look like?

The world calls for and expects from us simplicity of life, the spirit of prayer, charity towards all especially towards the lowly and the poor, obedience and humility, detachment and self-sacrifice. Without this mark of holiness, our word will have difficulty in touching the heart of modern man. It risks being vain and sterile. —Ibid.

Paul VI also mentions “poverty and detachment”. It is this word poverty which speaks to me this morning…

SO long as you breathe, Mercy is yours.

Christ is a divine judge with a human heart, a judge who wants to give life. Only unrepentant attachment to evil can prevent him from offering this gift, for which he did not hesitate to face death. –Pope John Paul II, General Audience, Wednesday, 22 April 1998

SEEK nothing for yourself.

WHEN Pope John Paul II revived the Rosary in 2003, it was not out of a sense of nostalgia.

He was calling the Church to arms, to take up the spiritual and material battle raging within and from without the Church. He was urging us to call upon the greatest of intercessors–Jesus’ Mother–to come to our assistance. As one priest said, “Mary is a lady… but she wears combat boots.” Indeed, in Genesis, it is her heel which will crush the serpent’s head.

The grave challenges confronting the world at the start of this new Millennium lead us to think that only an intervention from on high… can give reason to hope for a brighter future…. The Church has always attributed particular efficacy to this prayer, entrusting to the Rosary… the most difficult problems. At times when Christianity itself seemed under threat, its deliverance was attributed to the power of this prayer, and Our Lady of the Rosary was acclaimed as the one whose intercession brought salvation. –John Paul II, Rosarium Virginis Mariae; 40, 39

Confidently take up the Rosary once again… May this appeal of mine not go unheard! –John Paul II, Rosarium Virginis Mariae

AFTER Evening Prayer, Fr. Kyle and I were discussing the necessity of the prophetic gift for the building up of the Church. As we were talking, a storm passed overhead and a bolt of lightning lit up the sky. Immediately, it carried a message for us:

“Prophecy is like lightning. God sends his word into the darkness, and at once it illuminates the heart and mind. Horizons and perspectives which had faded are recovered, paths which were hidden are found, and dangers which lay ahead are exposed.”

one who prophesies [speaks] to human beings, for their building up, encouragement, and solace. — 1 Cor 14:3

THE EUCHARIST is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” (Catechism, 1324)

Then it could be said that everything in between–the steps leading up this Blessed Mountain–are the charisms of the Holy Spirit, with “prophecy” being the handrails.

Prophecy “means the foreknowledge of future events, though it may sometimes apply to past events of which there is no memory, and to present hidden things which cannot be known by the natural light of reason.” (Catholic Encyclopedia).

Pursue love, but strive eagerly for the spiritual gifts, above all that you may prophesy.(1 Cor 14:1)

For a deeper understanding of the gift of prophecy, click here.

WE PRAY “Come Holy Spirit!” So when the Spirit comes, what does it look like?

The icon of this coming is the Upper Room: an infusion of grace, power, authority, wisdom, prudence, counsel, knowledge, understanding, fortitude and fear of the Lord.

But we see something else as well… something the Church has often failed to recognize: the release of charisms in the Body. The Greek word Paul used for charism means “favor” or “benefit.” These include the gifts of healing, speaking in tongues, prophecy, discernment of spirits, administration, mighty deeds, and interpretation of tongues among others.

Let us be clear: these are charismatic gifts–not “the Charismatic’s gifts”. They do not belong to a single group or movement within the Church, but belong in proper to the whole Christian community. Too often, we have sent the gifts into the church basement where they are safely hidden in the confines of the prayer meeting of a few.

What great loss this is to the community! What paralysis this has brought about in the Church! These charisms, Paul tells us, are for the building up of the Body (cf. 1 Cor 12, 14:12). If that is so, tell me, what happens when the human body stops moving on a hospital bed? The person’s muscles become atrophied–limp, weak, and powerless.

So too, our failure to appropriate the charisms of the Holy Spirit has led to a Church which has fallen asleep on its side, unable to turn over and show the face of Christ to a hurting world. Our parishes have atrophied; our youth have lost interest; and those gifts intended to build us up remain hidden beneath the dust of our Baptism.

Indeed, Come Holy Spirit–come and re-enkindle in us your seven-fold gifts and bountiful charisms, for the glory of God, the renewal of the Church, and the conversion of the world.

Whatever their character–sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues–charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church. –Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2003

MANY people say they have a personal relationship with Jesus. Others speak about their relationship with the Father. This is wonderful.

But how many of us have a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit?

The Third Person of the Holy Trinity is just that–a divine person. A person whom Jesus has sent to be our Helper, our Advocate. A person who loves us with a burning love–like a tongue of fire. We can even “grieve the Holy Spirit” (Eph 4:30) because of this ineffable love.

But as we enter into the great feast of Pentecost, let us bring great joy to this intimate Friend. Let us begin to speak with the Holy Spirit, heart to Heart, lover to Lover, opening our spirit to Spirit, knowing that because of the Father’s love, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we now live, move, and have our being in this most Holy, Divine, and wonderful person: the Paraclete–who is Love itself.

the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
–Romans, 5:5

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.