Jesus is risen
All his love, all his mercy
Has risen with him.
I observe, amazed and in aw
At the empty tomb
That could not contain his glory.
Oh Jesus
Lift me up from my tomb
Cleanse me with your blood
That I may obtain the salvation
You have gained for me on the cross
Oh, Jesus
That I may be saved
And achieve the heaven
And live in your celestial kingdom
Once this life passes from me.
My Heaven here below!...
1 Jesus, your ineffable image
It is the star that guides my steps
Ah! You know it, your sweet face.
Heaven is for me here below.
My love discovers the charms
From your face, beautified by tears
I smile through my tears
When I contemplate your pain…
2 Oh! I want to console you
To live ignored on this earth!....
Your beauty that you know how to veil
Its mystery is revealed to me.
I would like to fly away to you!
3 Your Face is my only Homeland
She is my Kingdom of Love
She is my laughing meadow
My sweet sunshine every day
She is the Lily of the Valley
Including its mysterious fragrance
Console my exiled soul
He is given a taste of the peace of Heaven.
4 She is my Rest, my Sweetness
And my melodious Lyre….
Your Face, O my sweet Savior
Is the Divine Bouquet of Myrrh
Something I want to keep close to my heart!
5 Your Face is my only wealth
I'm not asking for anything more.
In her, constantly hiding myself
I will be like you, Jesus….
Leave the Divine imprint upon me
Your features are filled with sweetness
And soon, I will become a saint
I will draw hearts towards you.
6 So that I may amass
A beautiful golden harvest
Deign to set me ablaze with your fires.
Soon from your beloved mouth
Give me the eternal kiss!..
My God, Trinity whom I adore, help me to forget myself entirely and to be fixed in you, still and tranquil as if my soul were already in eternity. May nothing disturb my peace or draw me away from you, my immutable One; but may every moment immerse me ever deeper into the depths of your mystery.
Calm my soul, make it your heaven, your beloved home, and your resting place. May I never abandon you, but be present to you, with living faith, immersed in adoration, devoutly abandoned to your creative action.
Jesus, my beloved, crucified for love, I would like to cover you with glory, I would like to love you to the point of death, but I feel my powerlessness and ask you to clothe me in yourself, to identify my soul with all the movements of your soul, to submerge me, to invade me, to replace me, so that my life may be a reflection of your life. Come to me as Adorer, as Repairer, as Savior.
Eternal Word, Word of my God, Christ the Lord, I want to spend my life listening to you, and in the nights of the spirit and in the emptiness I want to always gaze upon you and stand under your great light.
O my beloved star, captivate me so that I can never again escape your radiance.
Burning fire, Spirit of love, come into me and make my soul an incarnation of the Word.
And you, O Father, bend over your poor, little creature, cover her with your shadow!
Oh my “Three”, my All, my Bliss, Infinite Solitude, Immensity in which I lose myself and abandon myself to you.
Bury yourself in me so that I may bury myself in you, waiting to be able to contemplate in your light the abyss of your greatness.
(Blessed Sister Elizabeth of the Most Holy Trinity)
This Sunday I went to Mass, as is my custom. I listened attentively to every word that came out of the priest's mouth. The homily was about anger and how we shouldn't let anger fester and lead us to harm the object of our anger. But what struck me most was a passage from the Gospel and part of the prayers of the Eucharist. The Gospel said that no one knows what God has prepared for us in heaven, things that no eye has seen and no ear has heard, as the song says, "the things God has prepared for those who love Him." During the Eucharist, I heard something like this: "so that one day we may enjoy your inheritance at your side, with the Virgin Mary, the apostles, the martyrs, and all the saints." And I thought that life is worth living, no matter what we are going through; it is worth enduring everything if heaven awaits us in the end, that heaven that has kept me alive and hopeful all these years. It is worth suffering, and above all, it is worth smiling, remaining united in this hope of eternal life where we will finally know God as He truly is, where we will be reunited with Jesus and the entire heavenly court, where we will be reunited with our relatives. But for that, we must live, sow love wherever we go, keep the commandments, and resist temptation. Take heart, our heavenly homeland awaits us at the end. I was reading a Facebook post, something the Virgin Mary said to a saint, I think it was Saint Bernadette: "I did not promise you that you would be happy on earth, but in heaven." Someday, someday we will reach that heaven; let us not lose hope. We only need to look at Jesus on the cross and remember that He already suffered everything for us; now we just have to live.
Jesus: Do not be afraid, sinful soul, of your Savior; I am the first to approach you, for I know that by yourself you are incapable of ascending to Me. Do not flee, daughter, from your Father; desire to speak alone with your God of Mercy, who wants to speak to you personally the words of forgiveness and fill you with His graces. Oh, how dear your soul is to Me. I have settled you in My arms. And you have been engraved like a deep wound on My heart.
-Soul: Lord, I hear Your voice calling me to abandon the evil path, but I have neither courage nor strength.
-Jesus: Why are you afraid, My daughter, of the God of Mercy? My Holiness does not prevent Me from being merciful to you. Look, soul, for you I have established the throne of mercy on earth, and this throne is the tabernacle, and from this throne of mercy I desire to descend into your heart. Look, I have surrounded Myself with neither retinue nor guards; you have access to Me at any moment, at any hour of the day. I desire to speak with you and I desire to grant you graces.
-Soul: Lord, I fear that you will not forgive me such a large number of sins; my misery fills me with fear.
Jesus: My mercy is greater than your misery and that of the whole world. Who has measured My goodness? For you, I allowed My Sacred Heart to be pierced by a lance, and I opened the Fountain of Mercy for you. Come and draw graces from this fountain with the vessel of trust. I will never reject a repentant heart; your misery has sunk into the abyss of My mercy. Why should you argue with Me about your misery? Do Me this favor: give Me all your sorrows and all your misery, and I will fill you with the treasures of My graces.
-The Soul: With Your goodness You have conquered, Lord, my heart of stone; here I am approaching with confidence and humility the tribunal of Your Mercy. Absolve me Yourself through the hand of Your representative (priest). O Lord, I feel that grace and peace have flowed into my poor soul completely. You have forgiven me more than I dared hope for or could imagine. Your goodness has surpassed all my desires. And now, I invite You into my heart, filled with gratitude for so many graces. I had strayed down the wrong path like the prodigal son, but You never ceased to be my Father. Multiply Your mercy within me, for You see how weak I am.
Jesus: My child, speak no more of your misery, for I no longer remember it. Listen, My child, to what I wish to tell you: draw near to My wounds and draw from the Fountain of Life all that your heart may desire. Drink deeply from the Fountain of Life, and you will not stop during the journey. Behold the radiance of My Mercy and do not fear the enemies of your salvation. Glorify My Mercy.
Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska:
Lord, you have asked us to be merciful
Just like you are merciful to us
Help us to find the ways
To do acts of mercy.
Thank you lord for your mercy
That encompass all human beings
Thank you for the Sacrament of Reconciliation
That brings us back to your redemptive grace.
Thank you for all you've done for us
This wonderful world,
The roof over our heads
The meals on our tables.
The love of our loved ones.
You have given us senses
To enjoy this life
We hear, we see, we touch, we smell, we taste.
Help us Lord
To be thankful for all you have given us
And entrust to us in this life,
That we may ever be merciful
To those less fortunate.
Take care of our loved ones
And lead them to Jesus
Our Lord and Savior.
And when our earthly life comes to an end
Remember Your promises
And help us repent, to be in grace with You
So that we may enter into Eternity
Facing You, oh Lord.
Lent has arrived
And you smear our foreheads with ashes
To remind us that our body is finite
And that we will one day return to dust.
But our soul is eternal
And when we take our last breath
We will stand before You and in our judgment
So we shouldn't waste our days.
It is Lent,
You ask us to return to the Father
Let us observe our soul,
Actions, thoughts, and words.
And if there is something
that is driving away from following your steps
If we have taken a path
where your footprints are not seen
Then it's better
To go look for you and as you say
Cutting off the hand if it's a cause of sin.
Or gouge out our eye if he does the same.
And no, you're not asking us to be mutilated.
You ask us to repent and walk away
Of those occasions that lead to sin.
And yet You love us,
And You hope we return to Your arms,
And you go find us
To bring us back to the flock.
I once wrote in my bedroom:
"I've been found"...
And You returned me to Your flock,
To follow in Your footsteps,
To sleep in your lap.
"Repent and believe in the Gospel," were the words spoken by the Eucharistic minister, who then placed a cross of ashes on my forehead. I listened and lowered my head. I smiled. Why? I realized I was being given an opportunity to return to the Eternal Father, and if my steps had strayed, to get back on the path with Jesus. The good thing about not being perfect is that there's always room for improvement. As the visiting priest said this Sunday, we are like plants that need pruning so they can grow and bear fruit again. Until recently, or almost always, I viewed Lent with a bit of fear, because it invites me to look at myself in the mirror, to see that image in a clean mirror, to clean the mirror and rid myself of my ego, to acknowledge my failings, to practice humility. And although it can be painful if we see that we have strayed from the path of Jesus, Jesus himself comes to meet us and reminds us that he loves us, that if we accept the grace of his cross, those small or large flaws are erased before his loving heart. Of course, we must prune, rid ourselves of all that burden that distances us from the Father, let the Holy Spirit act, and consciously live Lent with Jesus. If, due to lack of time or health problems, we cannot offer a sacrifice of fasting to accompany Jesus, we can always make small sacrifices in our lives, such as practicing patience, smiling at someone who is sad, doing that chore or task we don't like and offering it all to God. Give love, joy, support, and if we are the ones who are sad, offer that sadness to the Lord. This Lenten season is also ideal for drawing closer to God through prayer, praying the rosary, for example. And to add our personal prayers, to establish communication with God, and above all, to build a relationship with our Heavenly Father, with Jesus, and with the Holy Spirit. I once read that we can even argue with Him, show Him our reasons, our feelings, but above all, listen, let Him speak to our hearts, and if we feel like crying, cry, for He will take care of drying our tears. And trust, always trust that despite our sins, His mercy and forgiveness are always waiting for our repentance. The passion of our Lord Jesus Christ is precisely that: a demonstration of the love He passionately suffered for us, so that our sins would not hold us captive in guilt and we might become truly free through faith in His loving sacrifice.
Yesterday I attended the Liturgy of the Word and the imposition of ashes on the forehead. The celebration continued until the readings and the Gospel. There was a homily, and afterward, the ashes were blessed. In his homily, the Deacon reminded us that the cross imposed with ashes on the forehead is also a reminder of the cross that was placed on our foreheads during our baptism. He asked us to remember our baptismal promises, which I believe is to remain in the Christian faith. He also told us that the words spoken during the imposition of ashes, "Repent and believe in the Gospel," should lead us to a conversion of heart. That is, it should not be merely an external expression. In ancient times, the Israelites smeared ashes on their heads to show their repentance and return to communion with God and his covenant. So let's not just focus on a symbol; let's analyze what is distancing us from God and make a firm resolution and promise to change so we can draw closer to Him. May this Lent help us arrive in a state of grace to celebrate Jesus' resurrection.
Last week I attended Ash Wednesday Mass. I had always received the ashes as a test, with the intention of examining my life and leaving behind bad habits, weaknesses, and sins—a soul-cleaning. And that's fine, because, as the priest said, by receiving the ashes we show that we are there because we want to change. However, this time I remembered something I once heard and that I read in an article that day: "Dust you are, and to dust you shall return." For the first time, and perhaps thanks to the widespread fear of COVID-19, better known as coronavirus, I saw myself in those ashes. I say for the first time because I almost never think about the fact that one day I will have to die. I remember once, during Mass, a priest asked those who knew they would be alive the next day to raise their hands. Yes, I was the only one to raise my hand, and upon realizing my mistake, I slowly lowered it, ashamed. "No one has a guarantee on life," as the saying goes. Although we sometimes live as if that were the case. Hence the importance of remembering our own mortality, repenting, and believing in the Gospel, for one day, when we least expect it, we will stand before God, judged for our good and bad deeds. One day our bodies will cease to exist, and if we wish to be resurrected at the end of time, we must necessarily change for the better now. Now, Isaiah tells us, now is the time of salvation. Let us not procrastinate our conversion. Today, God is waiting for us with open arms. Jesus wants to take us by the hand and walk beside us. The Holy Spirit needs us to allow ourselves to be guided by Him. Let us remember that one day we will be dust, and then it will be too late. Let us use this Lenten season to draw closer to God, as the Church asks of us, through prayer, penance, and works of charity. The priest reminded us that prayer is precisely about drawing closer to God, not only to ask Him for something, but also to get to know Him by reading the Bible or other devotional readings, and by praying the Rosary. Let us approach confession sincerely, let us resolve not to waste the grace we have received, and let us leave our sins in the confessional, in the hands of God's mercy, so that Jesus himself may cleanse our souls and leave them as white as snow. Let us keep them that way. Let us help our neighbors, let us volunteer in our parish, let us visit the sick and the elderly. And if the coronavirus is to frighten us, let it be to straighten our path, to place our trust in the Lord, and thus, when God so wills, we will not die but will reach heaven to enjoy his presence, or purgatory to be purified so that we may enter his holy presence. And let us pray, let us ask for those affected by this disease, that God may heal them, not only in body, but also in spirit.
The ugliest feeling is resentment
The biggest mistake is quitting
The most beautiful gift is forgiveness
The greatest strength is faith
The most beautiful thing in the world is love
She was a child.
She was small.
She was unarmed.
And the Church remembers her as Little Li, martyr.
Little Li lived in Communist China in the early 1950s — a time when God was forbidden, churches were watched, and faith could cost you your life. Belief was treated like a crime. Prayer like rebellion.
When Li made her First Communion, she whispered a simple request to Jesus:
“Give me this daily bread, so my soul can live.”
She meant it.
From that day on, she received Holy Communion every morning — knowing full well it could all be taken away at any moment.
And one day, it was.
The police stormed the village and forced everyone into the tiny church. They mocked the people’s faith. They laughed at the idea that God could be present in bread.
Then the inspector gave the order.
The soldiers fired at the tabernacle.
The ciborium was seized.
The Sacred Hosts were thrown onto the floor.
Jesus — scattered, trampled, desecrated.
Little Li froze. Her heart broke.
Before leaving, the Communists locked the priest, Father Luke, inside a coal bunker. Through a small opening, he could see the sanctuary — and the Hosts lying on the tiles. He could do nothing but pray.
“Stop this sacrilege, Lord Jesus.”
The next morning, someone came.
A small figure slipped silently into the church.
It was Li.
Father Luke trembled as he watched, helpless. She could be killed at any second.
She knelt.
She adored.
She stayed for one full hour — preparing her heart, just as she had been taught.
Then she lowered herself, bent down, and with her tongue, received one Host.
Just one.
She left quietly.
The next day, she returned.
And the next.
And the next.
Always one hour.
Always one Host.
She never took more — because she knew Jesus was not something to be taken… but received.
There were thirty-two Hosts.
On the final day, Li came again — before sunrise. She knelt close to the altar, praying.
Then the door opened.
A soldier entered.
A gun was raised.
One shot rang out — followed by laughter.
Li collapsed.
Father Luke thought it was over.
But it wasn’t.
Wounded and dying, the little girl crawled across the floor — toward Jesus. With her last strength, she received the final Host with her tongue.
And then she died.
A child.
A believer.
A martyr.
The soldier stood in shock… then fled.
Later, Father Luke was released. He buried Li with reverence and escaped the country — carrying her story with him.
That is why we know her name.
Little Li did not preach.
She did not fight.
She did not shout.
She simply loved Jesus more than her own life.
If you think holiness is only for the strong…
If you think courage requires power…
If you think children cannot teach the Church…
Remember Little Li.
She shows us that reverence can be braver than bullets — and that even the smallest heart can defend heaven itself.
Perhaps I don't yet understand Your word,
Perhaps my mind is limited,
But my heart longs for You
Like the sentinel waiting the dawn.
On this night of my life I want
You to be the light that reveals the colors
And may your faith be a lamp that shines for me
And your word a bread that nourishes.
Light my path, I ask You,
Let darkness not reign here
So I be able to see Your steps and follow them
Like ships follow the lighthouse.
Help me, Lord, I ask You.
Illuminate my understanding as well
And give me faith to move mountains.
That alone, without You, I can do nothing.
I read on social media that some people disagree with the canonization of Carlo Acutis. In the comments, I saw a man complaining that Carlo Acutis died of natural causes and wore jeans and sneakers. I imagine this person isn't familiar with the canonization process. As I understand it, the first step is to request a cause for canonization. After an investigation, an order is issued to continue the investigation of the candidate, and the person is named a "Servant of God." To be declared a saint, it must be proven that the person lived their Catholic faith exemplarily, and two miracles attributed to them are also required. Carlo Acutis was born into a family of non-practicing Catholics. As their son grew up, he became interested in the Catholic faith at a very young age, which led his mother to study theology to answer his questions. From childhood, he had a deep love for the Eucharist and would ask his mother to take him to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. He also made his First Communion, I believe at age seven, and from then on, he never missed a single Mass. Such was the love and fervor with which he spoke of the Blessed Sacrament that his Hindu driver converted to Catholicism thanks to Carlo. Furthermore, he had great compassion for the poor from childhood and frequently helped the poor in his community. He also prayed the rosary daily and said that the Virgin Mary was the only woman in his life. He was a computer whiz; even at a young age, he began studying university programming books to create a website showcasing Eucharistic miracles from around the world and thus bring more people closer to Jesus. He made several trips to the sites of the miracles to take photos and upload them to his website. He used to say that the Eucharist was his highway to heaven. At fifteen, he became seriously ill and was hospitalized, where he predicted he would not leave alive. He was diagnosed with acute leukemia. He offered his suffering for the Pope and the Church, so as not to go to purgatory. Before dying, he said he felt at peace because he hadn't used a single moment of his life to do anything that displeased God. On the day of his funeral, the church was filled with the poor people he had helped, so many that many were left outside. The first miracle for which he was beatified was that of a child in Brazil who suffered from an incurable pancreatic condition. The child stood before a relic of Carlo Acutis and asked to be healed, and it happened instantly. The second miracle for which he was canonized was the healing of a young woman who had suffered a fall and, I believe, an aneurism. And that is why Saint Carlo Acutis is now a saint. It's not something the Church invented; it was God who, in his infinite mercy, wanted to give us the example of Carlo to show us that saints aren't just a thing of the past.That one can be holy in everyday life, if one puts God at the center of one's life. Saint Carlo Acutis also used to say that we are all born originals, but many die as photocopies. So we must be faithful to ourselves and to God.
I want to sing like the bird
In the first ray of sunlight at dawn
Giving thanks to God while looking up at the sky
Because His grace always saves us.
Guard my soul with zeal
May the Holy Spirit, white dove
Make me look like an angel,
May I call God the Father: Abba.
Waking up to offer a prayer
And start the day on my knees,
That is what my soul desires.
It's not easy to find you with the eyes,
I also want to remember you at night
To become a mirror of your light.
There's no need to despair when the sky of our lives is cloudy. Above the clouds is the sky, blue and full of light. Personally, I'm very happy when I see a patch of cloudy sky and, amidst those clouds, some space where the blue of the sky is still visible, and then, as evening falls, one can clearly see how the light shines more brightly through that space. There's always one; you just have to know how to look. And even if there isn't, the clouds bring the hope of rain, which renews and nourishes the earth. So, if there are clouds in your sky, remember, just say it's time to wait, that when the rain falls, it will nourish you and you will be able to see the sky again, as blue as it always was.
Because You are present
.jpg)
Let uzs give thanks to God who loved us so much and chose us before the creation of the world, before we ourselves were created, before the first dawn, before the first rain. God had chosen us to be his adopted children, to be saved from sin through Jesus Christ. God the Father, in his infinite love, sent us his only Son, and through him, grace flowed to humanity through his most holy blood. It was not by chance that we came to believe in Jesus Christ; God willed it so, and together with the Holy Spirit, he moves us to seek him, so that we may not perish in our sins. God loves us and wants us to enjoy his inheritance with him; that is his will, that we live according to the grace we have received, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, listening to and following Jesus Christ, who has already shown us the way to the Father . Blessed and praised be God, whose mercy endures forever.
EPHESIANS 1:3-14
3
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, 4
4
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love
5
he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will,
6
for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved.
7
In him we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace
8
that he lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight,
9
he has made known to us the mystery 5 of his will in accord with his favor that he set forth in him
10
as a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.
11
In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the one who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,
12
so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped 6 in Christ.
13
In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed 7 with the promised holy Spirit,
14
which is the first installment 8 of our inheritance toward redemption as God's possession, to the praise of his glory.
The day before yesterday I had insomnia, I couldn't sleep, so I decided to look in my room and found a diary in which I have among other things the following poem as a prayer that I wrote a few years ago, it caused me tenderness thinking about everything I went through in my life to get to that poem, how God became an important part of my life, how everything leads to Him, as in every up and down of every day, every smile, makes me truly feel like a beloved child of God. It seems to me that it should be called "I want to be like You, Jesus."
Here is the poem:
Like ca alm sea
I want my soul like this
Like a tender breeze
So my smile
Give life to my life Lord,
Give life to my life Lord,
And my life you already know who it is
It is you...Jesus.
There is a tangerine in the yard of my house, which gave its first fruits last year. My father planted it two years ago, and when it gave these fruits my father was already in the presence of the Lord. Naive as I am, I thought it was a miracle to bear fruit. I spent most of the year, inside the house, without going out to the garden, until one day my sister shouted that the tree had "oranges", but they are tangerines. This year I spend more time in the garden. And I began to water the tangerine with the hope of tasting its fruits again, not as often as I should. Until one day I discovered small green spheres, almost imperceptible. And then, as the days go by, the tangerine gives me life lessons. One day I looked at it and noticed that some fruits had fallen from the branches. The tree is at the height of my vision, one meter and a few centimeters. Then I watered a little more than usual. Some days passed. The spheroids grew, some fell, and sprouted new fruits. And then I asked how often you should water. Someone told me that at least three times a week. I do this only on weekends. I will have to work harder. And then I remembered how, while I was suffering my father’s death, my sister told me: I’ll go out and water the plants. Therefore, it was thanks to her dedication that I could taste the tangerines of that tree that my father planted. And I thought that this is like our soul, it will have to be watered and fertilized, so that the flowers become fruits. And continue watering so that the fruits grow and ripen before they fall for lack of irrigation. And I recalled the parable of the vineyard. It is Jesus who does not tire of taking care of his vineyard, as a song says that He asks us for fruits of love. We must let Him work in our garden, so that the fruits do not fall before time. That our faith may bear fruit, by example, by counsel, by charity. Fruits of faith, hope and love. I remember now how Eduardo Verastegui called 50,000 people to pray the rosary together through his channel of you tube and his page on Facebook. Goal that has been overcome by the goodness of God. Now he asks and hopes to reach the goal of a million souls praying in unison by his Facebook and you tube the 31st of May, to close the month of the rosary at one o'clock in the afternoon time of Mexico. Now I remember why I started watering the tangerine: one day I found it blooming. May our lives flourish and bear much fruit. And with the grace of God on this 31st of May may we fill the sky with millions of roses for each Ave Marias para la Virgencita. You are invited.
A few minutes ago (2/14/2020) I found a question on Facebook that might put us at odds with non-Catholic Christians. The question kept coming up: "Why does the Catholic Church display a cross with Christ crucified?" I read several comments attacking our faith. Actually, I spent several years asking myself the same question. Seeing Jesus crucified made me cry; it reminded me of how much He suffered for me. I felt guilty about His crucifixion, and it forced me to remember my sins. I couldn't get used to seeing Him; it was too much for me. I didn't understand such love, that love that is capable of giving one's life for the beloved. Yes, that beloved by Jesus is you, is me, all human beings. I felt so unworthy of His divine love and His sacrifice on the cross. But little by little, although it still hurts to see Jesus crucified, I understood that this crucifix represents the greatest sacrifice anyone will ever make for me. It is a demonstration of love. Now, seeing it reminds me that someone, precisely the Son of God, wanted to come into the world to suffer on a cross so that I could be saved, so that I could have the opportunity to repent of my sins and begin a new life. A new life, a life in Jesus Christ . It shows me the love of God the Father as well. It's as if, seeing the crucifix, Jesus speaks to me and says, "I love you! Don't you understand? I gave my life for you so that you may be happy. Don't enslave yourself to sin. Don't be discouraged. What wouldn't I do for you, if I was capable of dying crucified for you!" It also gives me the opportunity to be renewed, to "see" Him, to return to His flock. Yes, my Jesus died for me on a cross, and then on the third day He rose again and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father. And yet, the crown He chose to wear was a crown of thorns. This is my testimony. I don't have the answer to the Facebook question, but I know that because of that cross, today I can have hope not only in this life but also in the one that comes after death. If Jesus suffered for me, I too can suffer and offer it to God the Father. Yes, I too have a cross to bear, and I hope that, like Jesus rose again, and I too may achieve it through the merits of His glorious resurrection at the end of time. I leave you with a biblical quote where Saint Paul speaks about Jesus crucified.
They say time heals all wounds. And I'm finding that out firsthand, thanks to the little cut I got on my finger. Although I confess I'm a bit disappointed by how long it's taking to heal. But it's already in the maturation stage, so very soon my finger will be completely healed. I also confess that my brother and a coworker have suggested I leave the wound uncovered so it heals faster, but I'm a little afraid it might get infected. And I was thinking that sometimes we're like that with wounds of the soul. There are times when our hearts carry very heavy burdens, like sin, and we think that if we let them out, they'll hurt us even more. However, we must have faith in God's mercy, go to confession, and unburden ourselves there. Because Jesus, through the priest, will give us the necessary advice to heal our wounds more quickly. And then there's the saving grace He grants us through Jesus Christ in the absolution of our sins. So I promise I won't wear the band-aid again starting tomorrow. Not today, though, because I cook with oil and it might get on the wound. And remember, time heals all wounds, but we have to have faith and hold on to God.
Every year, around New Year's Eve or in the first few days of the year, I write a poem on my Catholic blog about what I would like for this new year. Years ago I wrote this in Spanish (I'm writing from memory, it might not be accurate):
"How I wish that this year that begins would be filled with God's love, and be like the blue, serene sea, be like the river that begins in nothing and ends as the sea. How I wish, if I cannot be the sea, at least to be a sailboat."
We just "raised" the Baby Jesus. That is, we prayed the rosary while my sister lifted him from his little bed, dressed him in a beautiful little outfit and hat, and sat him in his little chair. We usually raise him on March 19th, Saint Joseph's Day, because that was my dad's custom, but we chose today because it's Three Kings' Day, the Epiphany of the Lord. At the end, we gave the Baby Jesus a kiss and I sang "The Kings Come from the East." Here's my Baby Jesus now raised in his Nativity scene.
I still remember the day I formed you.
With great care, attention, and meticulousness, I chose every aptitude, every gift, every characteristic, every fiber of your being, until I obtained exactly the combination I desired.
Even the smallest specifications were perfectly synchronized to accomplish My will and My purpose in your existence and in the lives of all those you would touch during your journey through life.
I remember the moment I breathed life into you. I felt such immense love that I couldn't contain it! I knew how much happiness you would bring, not only to Me, but also to all those you would encounter on life's path.
I love you from eternity to eternity, and I am delighted in you.
Sincerely,
God
Jesus is risen All his love, all his mercy Has risen with him. I observe, amazed and in aw At the empty tomb That could not contain his glo...
