OCDS – Rite of Admission
conversion

OCDS – Rite of Admission

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

Tomorrow I will be going through the Rite of Admission for the Secular Discalced Carmelites. Also known as the clothing ceremony, where you receive a larger brown scapular.

Admission should have happened in 2019. Delayed since I was at a conference during the time the community was to interview me, and later COVID–19 stepped in to prevent any retreats.

Perhaps all to the good to spend more time preparing myself in developing a life of prayer. I am not doing this because I am so inclined towards mental prayer and working towards contemplation. Seriously, I was once offered a book contract to write on “Praying badly.” They must have thought I was a Subject Matter Expert on this. I am doing this for what Carmel can teach me in being prayer at the heart of the Church. Maybe I could write a book on “Persevering in prayer despite praying badly.”

I had to choose a religious name before this admission rite. There is something so cool about choosing a religious name and something daunting about it. First, I was thinking of something super-pious. Something impressive sounding. At least I recognized quickly how ridiculous this thought process was.

I ended up picking “Thomas of the Sacred Heart” for several reasons. In part because of the Apostle Thomas. He went from demanding empirical knowledge that Jesus had risen to say “My Lord and my God.” Thomas feels close to my track from my atheist days, wanting all truth to be empirical and provable to the senses, to acknowledging and worshiping Jesus. So the name is aspirational to me that you can finally get things right.

I double the Thomas with St. Thomas Aquinas since this saint I identify with the first crack I saw in my atheist beliefs. His life is also aspirational to me since the saint replies towards the end of his life Domine, non nisi Te—that is, “Lord, nothing except you.”

The Sacred Heart reminds that God is Love, Deus caritas est. In the last year, I started to notice how tied this devotion was in Carmel.

St. Saint Therese of Lisieux wrote this poem for her sister, Marie of the Sacred Heart.

To be able to gaze on your glory,
I know we have to pass through fire.
So I, for my purgatory,
Choose your burning love, O heart of my God!
On leaving this life, my exiled soul
Would like to make an act of pure love,
And then, flying away to Heaven, its Homeland,
Enter straightaway into your Heart.

This year I also had read the biographies of St. Teresa Margaret of the Sacred Heart and St. Teresa of the Andes; she also had this devotion.

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153 Fish
Scripture

153 Fish

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

Today on Fr. Mike Schmitz “Bible in a Year” podcast, Jeff Cavins in an introduction to the Gospel of John was talking about John 21:11

“So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them.”

He was explaining that the number 153 is the numerical total for the Hebrew phrase Ani Elohim, which means “I am God”.

The Church Fathers had a range of opinions on the significance of 153 since it seems an odd number for John to mention (Plus it is an odd number).

St. Jerome said that at the time there were 153 known species of fish according to Oppian’s Halieutica. This was written after the Gospel of John and does not even clearly provide such a list adding up to that number.

St. Augustine had a couple of interpretations. Focusing on seven apostles being present or the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit along with the Ten Commandments. Some inventive theological math – see Tractates on the Gospel of John (Augustine). Also noting that 153 is the sum of all the numbers from 1 to 17. He also has several more mystical interpretations.

St. Gregory the Great mentions that Seven and ten multiplied by three make fifty-one. So multiply that by 3.

My theory is that St. John was trolling future commentators by picking that number. Well, that is not really my theory, but there is just no really solid one.

What annoyed me with the talk about this on the podcast was how the Gematria technique of interpretation was presented. It would have been better to present it as a possible interpretation and not as “the” interpretation. I happen to like this interpretation especially with the high Christology of the Gospel of John.

This podcast follows Jeff Cavins timeline and they are at the point where they will be reading the Gospel of John and thus today’s introduction to this Gospel. Coincidentally today’s Gospel included this specific passage, which I don’t think was planned.

Some selections from St. Thomas Aquinas’ “Catena Aurea: Commentary on the Gospel of John”:

St. Augustine. (Tract. cxxii.) It is not then signified that only a hundred and fifty-three saints are to rise again to eternal life, but this number represents all who partake of the grace of the Holy Spirit: which number too contains three fifties, and three over, with reference to the mystery of the Trinity. And the number fifty is made up of seven sevens, and one in addition, signifying that those sevens are one. That they were great fishes too, is not without meaning. For when our Lord says, I came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil, by giving, that is, the Holy Spirit through Whom the law can be fulfilled, He says almost immediately after, Whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. In the first draught the net was broken, to signify schisms; but here to shew that in that perfect peace of the blessed there would be no schisms, the Evangelist continues: And for all they were so great, yet was not the net broken; as if alluding to the case before, in which it was broken, and making a favourable comparison.

St. Gregory. (Hom. xxiv.) Seven and ten multiplied by three make fifty-one. The fiftieth year was a year of rest to the whole people from all their work. In unity is true rest; for where division is, true rest cannot be.

St. Augustine. (Tract. cxxii.) Mystically, in the draught of fishes He signified the mystery of the Church, such as it will be at the final resurrection of the dead. And to make this clearer, it is put near the end of the book. The number seven, which is the number of the disciples who were fishing, signifies the end of time; for time is counted by periods of seven days

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The Weekly Francis

The Weekly Francis – Volume 355 – 07 April 2021

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller
pope-francis2-300x187

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 1 April 2021 to 7 April 2021.

The Weekly Francis is a compilation of the Holy Father’s writings, speeches, etc which I also post on Jimmy Akin’s blog.

General Audiences

Homilies

Messages

Regina Caeli

Papal Tweets

  • “The cross expresses love, service, unreserved self-giving: it truly is the “tree of life”, of overabundant life. #GoodFriday” @Pontifex 2 April 2021
  • “Jesus’s cross is God’s silent throne. Let us daily contemplate his wounds. In those gashes, we recognize our emptiness, our shortcomings, the wounds of our sin. His wounds were inflicted for our sake, and by those wounds we have been healed. #GoodFriday” @Pontifex 2 April 2021
  • “From the cross God reigns with the disarmed and disarming power of love. He continues to amaze our minds and hearts. Let us allow ourselves to be filled with that amazement. Let us gaze upon the Crucified One and say: “Truly, You are the Son of God.” You are my God. #GoodFriday” @Pontifex 2 April 2021
  • “This is the first #Easter message that I would offer you: it is always possible to begin anew, because there is a new life that God can awaken in us in spite of all our failures. From the rubble of our hearts, God can create a work of art.” @Pontifex 3 April 2021
  • “This is the second message of #Easter: faith is not an album of past memories; Jesus is not outdated. He is alive here and now. He walks beside you each day, in every situation you are experiencing, in every trial you have to endure, in your deepest hopes and dreams.” @Pontifex 3 April 2021
  • “This is the third message of #Easter: Jesus, the Risen Lord, loves us without limits and is there at every moment of our lives. He invites us to overcome barriers, banish prejudices and draw near to those around us every day in order to rediscover the grace of everyday life.” @Pontifex 3 April 2021
  • “Dear brother, dear sister: if on this night you are experiencing an hour of darkness, a day that has not yet dawned, a light dimmed or a dream shattered, open your heart with amazement to the message of #Easter: “Do not be afraid, he has risen!”” @Pontifex 3 April 2021
  • “Amid the many hardships we are enduring, let us never forget that we have been healed by the wounds of Christ. In the light of the Risen Lord, our sufferings are now transfigured. Where there was death, now there is life. Where there was mourning, now there is consolation.” @Pontifex 4 April 2021
  • “There are still too many wars and too much violence in the world! May the Lord, who is our peace, help us to overcome the mindset of war. Message” @Pontifex 4 April 2021
  • “Let us never tire of seeking the risen Christ who gives life in abundance to those who meet him. To find Christ means to discover peace in our hearts. #Easter #ReginaCoeli” @Pontifex 5 April 2021
  • “In these dark months of the #pandemic, let us listen to the Risen Lord as he invites us to begin anew and never lose hope. #Easter” @Pontifex 6 April 2021
  • “Video” @Pontifex 6 April 2021
  • “Everyone needs assistance, especially the most vulnerable. Only together can we build a more just and health world. All of us are called to combat the pandemic and vaccines are an essential tool in this fight. #worldhealthday” @Pontifex 7 April 2021
  • “The first way to pray for someone is to speak to God about him or her. If we do this frequently, each day, our hearts are not closed, but open to our brothers and sisters. To pray for others is the first way to love them and it moves us toward concretely drawing near. #Prayer” @Pontifex 7 April 2021

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999 Times and Confession
Scripture

999 Times and Confession

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

As part of my parish bible study class, I have a role to provide some commentary on the Gospel for the upcoming Sunday. Usually, this means basically stealing good stuff from Brant Pitre’s Sunday commentaries, other commentaries, and of course the Church Father.

So I was reading part of the Gospel reading in John 20:22-23 “And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

This passage was fairly well-known to me and that it is the institution of the sacrament of confession.

“If you look at a thing 999 times, you are perfectly safe; if you look at it for the 1000th time, you are in danger of seeing it for the first time.” G.K. Chesterton

What I noticed for the first time was the context along with being more focused having just gone through the Triduum.

On Holy Thursday we have the institution of the new covenant priesthood. I would have assumed that then they received the fullness of what we now see as the effects of episcopal ordination.

What actually happened was that Jesus waited until he rose and for when all the Apostles were gathered together to breathe on them to be able to either retain or forgive sins. This seems pretty important to me that Jesus highlighted this sacrament with a separate action. I certainly do not have a grasp of all the implications concerning this. There are plenty of commentaries regarding the implication of Jesus breathing on them and how this relates to creation. I just have not seen discussed why Jesus broke out this sacrament from those conferred on Holy Thursday.

Or possibly I am just misunderstanding this.

Looking through Aquinas Catena Aurea, the Church Father quotes for this passage in John doesn’t mention this aspect.

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Welcome to the Church
conversion

Welcome to the Church

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

I am thinking and praying for those who will be received into the Church tonight at the Easter Vigil. So welcome home! God is great!

It also marks my own anniversary as a Catholic as I also came into the Church on April 3rd, 1999 at the Easter Vigil.

I count myself lucky that by the time I was received into the Church I had read enough Church history to not have been expecting an idealized Church. That the Church was made up by fellow sinners like me. I expected to be frustrated by the hierarchy, fellow Catholics, and my own sinfulness. That we are all on a journey and that we must constantly fix our focus on Christ and our final end. That our consciences can be like a GPS to always say “redirecting” as we once again go off track.

If you don’t have the time to go in-depth into Church history, it is contained in this summary.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” – Dickens’ ”A Tale of Two Cities”

Despite this truth—in all conditions, God has raised up saints. That it is in the here and now that we are called to holiness.

I am so grateful to God for how far he has brought me and also thankful that he will not just leave me in my current miserable state, but desires to bring me closer to him.

In Saint John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter “Salvifici Doloris” he writes:

“Christ did not conceal from his listeners the need for suffering. He said very clearly: ”If any man would come after me… let him take up his cross daily ’’, and before his disciples he placed demands of a moral nature that can only be fulfilled on condition that they should “deny themselves”. The way that leads to the Kingdom of heaven is “hard and narrow”, and Christ contrasts it to the “wide and easy” way that “leads to destruction”. On various occasions Christ also said that his disciples and confessors would meet with much persecution, something which—as we know—happened not only in the first centuries of the Church’s life under the Roman Empire, but also came true in various historical periods and in other parts of the world, and still does even in our own time.”

It might seem like a bit of a buzzkill to talk about welcoming people to the Church and saying that her disciples will suffer. This quote is from his chapter on the “The Gospel of Suffering”, literally the “Good News of Suffering.” It is indeed good news that our sufferings have meaning and can be salvific in cooperation with Christ.

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Mary and the Good Thief
Scripture

Mary and the Good Thief

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

I started thinking about how Mary would have reacted to the presence of the two thieves. She would not have been just a passive observer. She would have seen their suffering and have prayed for them. I think of St. Therese in the Story of a Soul, having read about a famous unrepentant murderer. Subsequently, she started to pray that he would show some sign of contrition before his execution. He did offer such a sign.

I have been thinking a bit about Mary’s role at the site of the crucifixion of her son. Specifically in regards to Dismas, the good thief. Whenever I thought about Dismas, it was always in the context of Jesus. I never really pictured Mary and the others there at the foot of the cross. My thinking about Calvary was odd as disconnected scenes.

I also wondered how another sword of sorrow for Mary was hearing the thieves reviling her son. Now there is some question as to whether both thieves reviled Jesus. Matthew and Mark seem to indicate they both did, while Luke infers only that the unrepentant thief did so. St. Augustine thought that Matthew was using a plural for the singular as done in Hebrews 11:33. Most of the Church Fathers interpreted that the repentant thief had initially reviled Jesus and was later converted. St. Ambrose thought that either interpretation was possible.

Either way, Dismas did have some conversion experience on his cross. Visually he would see Jesus suffering the same fate as himself. A man on his way to death. He would have seen Jesus’ reaction as totally different. Jesus was offering forgiveness to his persecutors. Ensuring his mother was taken care of by his disciple. He would have seen Jesus putting others as a priority. He would have recognized the reference to Psalm 22 as not a prayer of despair but the praise of God that it is. The good thief was open to seeing this in a way that the unrepentant thief did not. He admits to his sins and sees his punishment as just while reaching out to Jesus to be just remembered by him. An incredible act of faith. In such circumstances, to understand that Jesus was not only innocent but coming into a kingdom.

I can’t help but think that Mary played some role in her intercession for this man. When it comes to grace, it is always God that moves first. Dismas responded to that grace given him. God also allows us to play some role for others in how this grace might be accepted via our prayers. The interplay of grace, free will, and intercessions. Thus one was converted and the other not (as far as we know).

Venerable Fulton J. Sheen

“A dying man asked a dying man for eternal life; a man without possessions asked a poor man for a Kingdom; a thief at the door of death asked to die like a thief and steal Paradise. – Venerable

St. Augustine on Matthew 27:44.

(de Cons. Ev. iii. 16.) It may seem that Luke contradicts this, when he describes one of the robbers as reviling Him, and as therefore rebuked by the other. But we may suppose that Matthew, shortly alluding to the circumstance, has used the plural for the singular, as in the Epistle to the Hebrews we have, Hare stopped the mouths of lions, (Heb. 11:33.) when Daniel only is spoken of. And what more common way of speaking than for one to say, See the country people insult me, when it is one only who has done so. If indeed Matthew had said that both the thieves had reviled the Lord, there would be some discrepancy; but when he says merely, The thieves, without adding ‘both,’ we must consider it as that common form of speech in which the singular is signified by the plural.

St. Ambrose

But it must also be explained how the others, that is, Matthew and Mark, introduced two thieves reviling, while Luke, one reviling, the other resisting him. Perhaps this other at first reviled, but was suddenly converted. It may also have been spoken of one, but in the plural number; as in the Hebrews, They wandered in goat-skins, and they were sawn asunder; (Heb. 11:37.) whereas Elijah alone is related to have had a goat-skin, and Isaiah to have been sawn asunder. But mystically, the two thieves represent the two sinful people who were to be crucified by baptism with Christ, (Rom. 6:3.) whose disagreement likewise represents the difference of believers.

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The Weekly Francis

The Weekly Francis – Volume 354 – 01 April 2021

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller
pope-francis2-300x187

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 25 March 2021 to 1 April 2021.

The Weekly Francis is a compilation of the Holy Father’s writings, speeches, etc which I also post on Jimmy Akin’s blog.

Angelus

Apostolic Letter

General Audiences

Homilies

Speeches

Papal Tweets

  • “#Praytogether for the victims and those reported missing because of the terrible fire that broke out in a #Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh, which generously welcomed thousands of people. Let us pray for the twenty thousand brothers and sisters, who lost the little they had.” @Pontifex 25 March 2021
  • “Mary is not only the bridge joining us to God; she is more. She is the road that God travelled to reach us, and the road that we must travel in order to reach him. #AnnunciationOfTheLord” @Pontifex 25 March 2021
  • “At this particular moment in history, characterized by many shadows, the figure of Dante, prophet of hope, can help us to advance with serenity and courage on the pilgrimage of life that each of us is called to make. Apostlic Letter” @Pontifex 25 March 2021
  • “I would like once more to invite everyone to witness to the “Gospel of Life”, to promote and defend life in all its dimensions and at every stage. The Christian is the person who says “yes” to life, who says “yes” to God, the Living One. #EvangeliumVitae” @Pontifex 25 March 2021
  • “Those who fast make themselves poor with the poor and ”accumulate“ the treasure of a love received and shared. Understood and practiced thus, fasting helps us love God and our neighbour, because love focuses our attention on others and considers them as one with ourselves. #Lent” @Pontifex 26 March 2021
  • ““Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” (Mk 4:35–41). We have realized we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together. #PrayTogether #Covid–19 Statio Orbis” @Pontifex 27 March 2021
  • “We are called to recognize that other living beings have a value of their own in God’s eyes: by their mere existence they bless him and give him glory, and indeed, the Lord rejoices in all his works (Ps 104:31). #EarthHour #LaudatoSi’” @Pontifex 27 March 2021
  • “God is at our side in every affliction, in every fear; no evil, no sin will ever have the final word. God triumphs, but the palm of victory passes through the wood of the cross. For the palm and the cross are inseparable. #PalmSunday Homily” @Pontifex 28 March 2021
  • “What is most amazing about the Lord and his Passover? It is the fact that he achieves glory through humiliation. He triumphs by accepting suffering and death, things that we, in our quest for admiration and success, would rather avoid. #PalmSunday” @Pontifex 28 March 2021
  • “During these days, the Church enters into the great meditation of the Lord’s Passion. The suffering Christ is present in the person of the poor, the excluded, the sick, the hungry, those who bear the mystery of the cross with Him. #HolyWeek” @Pontifex 29 March 2021
  • “Jesus was lifted up on the cross to descend into our suffering, to plumb the depths of our human experience, to draw near to us and not abandon us in our suffering and our death. To redeem us, to save us. #HolyWeek” @Pontifex 30 March 2021
  • “Along the daily way of the cross, we meet the faces of so many brothers and sisters in difficulty: let us not pass by, let us allow our hearts to be moved with compassion, and let us draw near.” @Pontifex 30 March 2021
  • “Christ’s Cross is like a beacon that indicates the port to ships that are still afloat on stormy seas. It is the sign of the hope that does not disappoint. And it tells us that not even one tear, not one sigh is lost in God’s saving plan. #Holy Week” @Pontifex 31 March 2021
  • “The process of conversion always entails the cross. There is no holiness without sacrifice and without a spiritual battle. #HolyWeek” @Pontifex 31 March 2021
  • “The preaching of the Gospel is effective not because of our eloquent words but because of the power of the cross (cf. 1 Cor 1:17). #ChrismMass Homily” @Pontifex 1 April 2021

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“What Christ Suffered” – Book Review
Book Review

“What Christ Suffered” – Book Review

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

“What Christ Suffered” is some serious Lenten reading.

There was so much I learned and appreciated from this book. Dr. Thomas W. McGovern used to travel the country giving lectures based on the well-known “A Doctor of Calvary” by Pierre Barbet M.D.

Several things brought him to reconsider what he learned in that book, and he stopped giving these lectures while reassessing this.

He did considerable research to take knowledge from other experts regarding the history of crucifixion, archeological studies involving this, graffiti, other depictions of the crucifixion, and literary references to this practice. He masterfully takes all this information and takes us on a journey regarding what we know, what we don’t know, and what we can postulate. He also weaves all this information interspersed with selections and his thoughts on Saint John Paul II’s “Salvifici Doloris.” As far as possible, he has taken his lead from original sources. Throughout the book, there are also comparisons regarding how these observations line up with the Shroud of Turin. While Dr. McGovern considers the shroud authentic, he does not present it as primary evidence or proof.

The main narrative is an exploration of what Christ suffered medically, along with theological reflections on this. His reassessment of the data convinced him that most of what we had learned about crucifixion and how the death occurred is mistaken. Prominently, asphyxiation was not the cause of Christ’s death in particular but also not the cause of death for those crucified. There were also discussions regarding how breaking the legs of those crucified would hasten death.

What I appreciated most about this book is how he presented the information and his conclusions. He charitably considered contrary conclusions and did not present his findings as to be the only possible answer.

It is rather remarkable how little we know about the crucifixion and how little actual data has been handed down to us in history. We have no manuals on how the Romans did this, and it likely varied by location. Also, that what little we generally know about this is mistaken.

I learned so much I can never look at Jesus on the cross the same way again, knowing more of the details. Yes, it is annoying to know that every image of this is wrong in some aspect, as presented in pictures, statues, and movies.

I said, this is some serious Lenten reading, and I am thrilled to have read it. I would not suggest this book to everyone. If you want to learn more about how Jesus died and don’t shy away from some gruesome details, then yes, it is highly recommended.

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Theology

Which Jesus Do We Believe In?

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

I was struck by the seeming incongruence of the start of today’s Gospel reading from Jn 8:31–42.

“Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him,”

Jesus proceeds to castigate them as they argue with him.

I was thinking of the dichotomy between believing in Jesus yet not believing what Jesus was telling them. I guess this is the difference between believing in the Jesus we have created in our mind with believing in the actual Jesus.
This is something we all do to some extent and something we have to be aware of and constantly purify. I know this is something I have to think about more.

Plus here is Dr. John Bergsma talking about another aspect of today’s Gospel reading.

Fact Checking the Pharisees on their Ancestral Claims – YouTube

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The Weekly Francis

The Weekly Francis – Volume 353 – 24 March 2021

by Jeffrey Miller
written by Jeffrey Miller

pope-francis2-300x187

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 18 March 2021 to 24 March 2021.

The Weekly Francis is a compilation of the Holy Father’s writings, speeches, etc which I also post at Jimmy Akin’s blog.

Angelus

Apostolic Letter

General Audiences

Messages

Speeches

Papal Tweets

  • “To experience #Lent in hope means receiving the hope of Christ, who gave his life on the cross and was raised by God on the third day, and always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who calls us to account for our hope (1 Pt 3,15).” @Pontifex 18 March 2021
  • “To experience #Lent in hope means receiving the hope of Christ, who gave his life on the cross and was raised by God on the third day, and always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who calls us to account for our hope (1 Pt 3,15).” @Pontifex 19 March 2021
  • “Saint Joseph is an outstanding example of acceptance of God’s plans. May he help everyone, especially young people who are discerning, to make God’s dreams for them come true. #Vocations Message” @Pontifex 19 March 2021
  • “To be a good father means to offer everything, holding nothing back; to protect without suffocating; to pardon without asking anything in return; to wait patiently and trustingly. It means following the example of the ”Good Father“ who is in heaven. May God bless all fathers!” @Pontifex 19 March 2021
  • “Each day that begins, if welcomed in #prayer, is accompanied by courage, so that the problems we have to face no longer seem to be obstacles to our #happiness, but rather appeals from God, opportunities for our encounter with him. #WorldHappinessDay” @Pontifex 20 March 2021
  • “Racism is a virus that quickly mutates and, instead of disappearing, goes into hiding, and lurks in waiting. Instances of racism continue to shame us, for they show that our supposed social progress is not as real or definitive as we think. #FightRacism #FratelliTutti” @Pontifex 21 March 2021
  • “Every child who a woman expects in her womb is a gift that changes a family’s history: the life of fathers and mothers, grandparents and of brothers and sisters. That child needs to be welcomed, loved and nurtured. Always! #WorldDownSyndromeDay” @Pontifex 21 March 2021
  • ““Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (Jn 12:23–24). Precisely then, in trials and in solitude while the seed is dying, that is the moment in which life blossoms, to bear ripe fruit in due time” @Pontifex 21 March 2021
  • “For us believers, “sister water” is not merchandise: it is a universal symbol and is the source of life and health. Many brothers and sisters have access to too little and perhaps polluted water. It is necessary to assure potable water and hygienic services to all. #WorldWaterDay” @Pontifex 22 March 2021
  • “How many times have we told the Lord: “Lord, I will come to you later… I can’t come today. Tomorrow I will begin to pray and do something for others”. In this life, we will always have things to do and excuses to offer, but right now is the time to return to God. #Lent” @Pontifex 23 March 2021
  • “May we not let this time of grace pass in vain, in the foolish illusion that we can control the times and means of our conversion to the Lord! #Lent” @Pontifex 23 March 2021
  • “Today is World #Tuberculosis Day. May this annual event foster a renewed interest in the treatment of this disease and increased solidarity toward those who suffer from it.” @Pontifex 24 March 2021
  • “I am near the people and the families affected by the major floods that have caused serious damage in New South Wales in Australia, especially those who saw their houses destroyed. #PrayTogether” @Pontifex 24 March 2021
  • “I learned with sorrow the news of the recent terrorist attacks in #Niger, which caused the deaths of 137 people. Let us #PrayTogether for the victims, for their families and for the entire population.” @Pontifex 24 March 2021
  • “Mary was and is present in these days of the pandemic, near to the people who, unfortunately, have concluded their earthly journey all alone, without the comfort of or the closeness of their loved ones. Mary is always there next to us, with her maternal tenderness.” @Pontifex 24 March 2021

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