Enjoy

John Taylor was in his mid-50s when he came home one day from a game of golf and shared with his wife a strange pain he had begun to experience in his hands. He was soon diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a rare form of cancer that would slowly reduce his athletic body to mere skin and bones in a span of just 20 years.

As the illness grew in strength, part of his tongue was removed; he couldn’t speak or eat, so he was fed directly through a tube. Though I had trouble understanding what he was saying, I enjoyed his company very much. He had a great sense of humor, and Anne was a beautiful cook, so I ended up spending many evenings with the family.

In 2011, at the height of his illness, John, who belonged to the Church of Wales, expressed his desire to become a Catholic like his wife Anne! On Christmas Eve, a Mass was held for him in their living room. At the time of Holy Communion, I poured a little jug of the Precious Blood through his tube directly into his stomach so that he could celebrate his First Holy Communion. It was one of the most extraordinary First Holy Communions I’ve ever seen and one of the most beautiful Christmas Eve of my life.

The memory of that day and that blessed couple still reminds me of what I am doing as a priest—bringing the Incarnation and the Precious Blood of Christ to the world. During his last days, John bled profusely every morning, so Anne had to repeatedly change his bedclothes. It was extraordinary—while John’s state reminded me of the crucified Christ, Anne was configured to the Virgin Mary who stood by and took care of Him in His passion.

We buried Anne last year, more than a decade after John’s passing. Jesus said the Saints would shine like stars in the Kingdom of God; now, with two more, the night sky is brighter.

Sarah’s superpower is her ability to spot miracles everywhere she looks; wish you had it too?

When we think of miracles, our mind jumps to vivid scenarios of water turning into wine, the blind suddenly seeing, and the dead rising again. What we often fail to realize is that miracles happen every single day. They are not limited to the seemingly ancient stories of the Bible, nor are they limited to the rare, miraculous occurrences in the lives of Saints—something we think for sure could never happen to us. It was Albert Einstein who once said: “There are two ways to live—you can either live as if nothing is a miracle, or you can live as if everything is a miracle.” The key that lies in unlocking this way of life is within us. When we allow ourselves to see God in every little thing that occurs in our day, we open ourselves up to receive miracles.

Forget it!

One of the only homilies I recall clearly from my early childhood unlocked this mindset within me. I remember the story the priest told upon the altar. A woman had recounted a time when she was running late to a meeting and sought desperately for a parking place in a fully crowded parking lot. In desperation, she prayed to God and asked that he find her an open space. In return, she promised to donate large amounts of food to a local charity. As she finished her prayer, a car pulled out of a spot in front of her. Thinking she found a parking place herself, she instantly responded to God: “Forget it.” How quick are we to dismiss God’s intervention and the miracles which happen before us daily!

My daily life is filled with miracles, but I am not any more blessed or special than anyone else. I simply find them every day. What you look for, you will find, and what you refuse to see, you will never discover. In my own life, there have been countless times I’ve encountered God’s grace and intercession in unexpected ways, ways that most people would write off and fail to notice.

Where there is No Way…

When I was just beginning to develop a much deeper faith, I went on a school trip to Quebec, Canada. That had been the first year I began going to Mass every single Sunday but being new to a more committed practice of my faith, it had not crossed my mind that I would not be able to attend Mass that weekend. The trip was fully guided with a strict itinerary and chaperones directing everything we would be doing. We toured the city, visited shops, and went hiking to a waterfall, all the typical activities to be expected on a secular French class trip.

Yet on that Sunday, we unexpectedly stopped to tour a local Cathedral. When we walked in, as most students headed to the Church’s museum or admired the artwork, I realized that Mass had begun a bit before we had arrived. Not only was I able to attend Mass, but the timing was perfect as I even managed to receive Communion before we had to board our bus again and leave! Indeed, God creates a way when it seems there is none.

Thornless Roses

One of my favorite Novenas to pray is the one to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower. Before her death, Saint Thérèse promised to send a shower of roses upon those who seek her intercession. The words of the Novena begin: “Saint Thérèse, the Little Flower, please pick me a rose from the Heavenly Garden and send it to me with a message of love, ask God to grant me the favor I thee implore and tell Him I will love Him each day more and more.”

At the end of every Novena, the faithful are said to receive a rose as a sign from Saint Thérèse. Without fail, every single time, I have had an unexpected rose appear in my path, even in the middle of winter. On one occasion, I prayed a Novena to her, and on the last day, I was randomly given a gift of a rosary—the word “rosary” means “a chain of roses.”

Two weeks in a row, I prayed the Novena for an important intention without telling anyone; both weeks, on the last day, I had two different people specifically pointing out a beautiful rose they saw in a garden. On another occasion, I was praying the Novena inr discernment if my brother should go to a new school or not; we got lost while driving, and our GPS took us to a complicated, out-of-the-way route which landed us right in front of a building with a huge wooden rose on the side of it!

The Right Click

When I injured my back and was losing my ballet career, I felt undirected. The secular world left me feeling that I was missing God’s purpose for my life altogether. I remember crying and praying to God one day, asking what I should be doing.

I had just started taking photos for my brother’s football team; a few of his friends had asked and even enjoyed the photos so much. When I stopped and opened my phone, I saw a comment on an Instagram post featuring the photos of my brother and his friends: “These photos are amazing; just keep doing what you’re doing with your photography.”

Those were the words I needed to hear—a perfectly worded answer to a question that only God knew I was asking. I kept taking photos which ended up meaning so much to the boys who received them.

God loves us deeply. He wants to show us His love in ordinary, simple ways daily. Be open to receiving this love, and once we are, He reveals it in places we’d never thought to look before. See the miraculous in the ordinary moments. Expect beautiful things to cross your path. Rejoice in the flowers God plants so you’ll see them on your way to work. Appreciate the stranger He sends to help you whenever you need. Know that you are never left alone but that God walks with you daily. Just allow Him in.

When Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem to be presented, as prescribed by the law, they encountered Simeon and Anna in the temple. Simeon was a righteous and devout man who prayed daily for the Christ child to come. Anna, who worshiped day and night with fasting and prayer, was also waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. They had both been waiting eagerly, day in and day out, for the coming of the Messiah. They prayed, fasted, and hoped.

I wonder, at the end of the day, as each of them went to sleep, if they whispered to God: “The Christ child did not reveal Himself today as we hoped He would. But we will continue to pray and trust that it will happen.” I believe that they persevered in praying daily.

If Anna and Simeon had grown so weary that they gave up praying, fasting, and hoping for the Christ child, they could have easily missed the Heavenly encounter. But they were faithful and continued to pray, trust, and hope each day. They listened to the Holy Spirit daily. Because of their faithfulness and willingness to be led by the Holy Spirit, when Mary and Joseph came into the temple with the Christ Child, they knew that He was the awaited Messiah.

When my prayers seem to go unanswered, it is tempting to get discouraged. Faithful Simeon and Anna, help me to keep on going and never stop praying. It may be that my prayers will not be answered on this side of Heaven. However, if Simeon and Anna can trust, pray, and never give up hope, then I too will trust, pray, and hope.

You won’t guess where my boyfriend invited me to go on our first date!

I met him in my late twenties. On our first date, he asked if I wanted to go to the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. From that moment, we became adorers. A year later, he proposed to me there and our relationship ever since has been based on Jesus in the Eucharist.

Every time I sit in front of the Blessed Sacrament, I feel like the kid who gave the Lord his five loaves and two fish. When I give an hour of my time, He multiplies that into many graces in my life. One of the most beautiful things that I have experienced when I bring my shortcomings, problems, sadness, dreams, and desires to the altar, is that I receive peace, joy, and love in return.

When I first started Adoration, I came intending to ask God to change people or their lives. But when you sit in Adoration, before His grace, He outpours the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, helping us to slowly learn how to forgive and be more patient, loving, and kind. My situation wasn’t changing; instead, I was changing. When you sit with the Lord, He changes your heart, mind, and soul in such a way that you begin looking at things from a different perspective—through the eyes of Christ.

Earlier, I was looking for wealth, fame, and relationships, but when I came to know Him in the Blessed Sacrament, I felt this incredible love that poured into my heart, changing my life and filling the void in my heart.

He speaks to my heart and that gives me love and consolation. It’s like a love affair…I’ve always wanted this incredible feeling of love in my heart. He is the Savior that I was looking for and I found Him in Adoration. He will find you, and you will find rest in your heart by resting in Him as you adore Him.

My dog enjoys going for walks, but he wants to be in control. He doesn’t pay attention to my cues. He doesn’t care where I want to go; instead, he goes wherever he wants to. I keep him on a short leash because he tends to chase after cars. If I allowed him to do whatever he wanted, he would get hurt. My dog is stubborn. He pulls and tugs with all his strength. He doesn’t understand that I am only trying to protect him.

I wonder if I am as unyielding as my dog.

The Lord guides me along the best pathway for my life. He advises and watches over me. Yet, sometimes, I am like a senseless animal that needs a bit and bridle to be kept in check. I feel I know what is best for me. I don’t want to wait for God’s timing. I want to chase my desires and follow my impulses. I am reluctant to stay calmly by God’s side and seek His will in all things.

Lord, train me to yield to You. Teach me to trust that You know what is best although it may not be what I want. Help me want to please You more than anything else. May I enjoy walking by Your side faithfully and attentively as You lead me along the best pathway for my life. 

Christmas is not just a day but a season of celebrating joy and hope. Hanging lights, stars, and Christmas trees make the occasion colorful, but it is undoubtedly incomplete without a nativity scene. Have you ever wondered how the tradition of staging the nativity scene began?

Greccio, a small town in Italy, was home to peasants who led a peaceful agricultural life. More than 800 years ago, Brother Francis, returning from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, obtained permission from Pope Honorius III to re-enact the birth of Jesus, the scene of which he had just visited.

So on Christmas Eve of 1223, inside a cave in Greccio, villagers disguised as Saint Joseph and Mother Mary acted out the historical event that only Bethlehem had seen. Francis welcomed more life to the holy night act with a rag doll representing the Christ Child; he even brought an ox and a donkey, giving the villagers a visual treat.

He then stood before the manger, full of devotion and piety, his face bathed in tears and radiant with joy; the Holy Gospel was chanted, and he preached about the nativity of the poor King. Unable to even utter His name for the tenderness of His love, Francis called Him the Babe of Bethlehem.

Master John of Greccio, a valiant soldier and a dear friend of Brother Francis, who, for the love of Christ, had left the worldly affairs, witnessed Francis cradling a beautiful infant in his arms so gently as if he feared the baby might wake up. Doubtless, the baby was the Christ Child Himself because a trail of miracles followed the scene. It is said that the hay of that manger, being preserved by the people, miraculously cured the cattle of many diseases and other pestilences!

Brother Francis turned out to be none other than Saint Francis of Assisi, one of the most famous Saints in the Church’s history, whose very name excites every heart with the compassionate love of Christ!

Ever gazed into someone’s eyes with unending wonder, hoping that the moment will never pass?

“Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks.” (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18)

The most important question that people ask is: “What is the purpose of human life?” At the risk of appearing to oversimplify reality, I will say and have often said it from the pulpit: “This life is about learning how to pray.” We came from God and our destiny is to return to God, and to begin to pray is to begin to make our way back to Him. Saint Paul tells us to go even further, that is, to ‘pray without ceasing’. But how do we do that? How do we pray without ceasing?

We understand what it means to pray before Mass, pray before meals, or pray before we go to sleep, but how does one pray without ceasing? The great spiritual classic The Way of a Pilgrim, written by an unknown 19th-century Russian peasant, tackles that very question. This work focuses on the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Those in the Eastern rite say this repeatedly using a prayer rope, which is like a rosary, but has 100 or 200 knots, some have 300 knots. 

Burning Candle

Obviously, one cannot be constantly saying that prayer, for example when we are talking to someone, or in a meeting, or working on some project…So how does this work? The purpose behind this constant repetition is to create a habit in the soul, a disposition. Let me compare it to someone who has a musical disposition. Those who are musically gifted almost always have a song playing in the back of their minds, perhaps a song they’ve heard on the radio, or a song they’re working on if they are musicians. The song is not at the forefront of their minds but at the back.

Similarly, to pray without ceasing is to pray in the back of one’s mind, constantly. An inclination to prayer has been developed as a result of the constant repetition of this prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” But the same thing can occur for those who pray the Rosary very often: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.”

What happens is that eventually, the actual words are no longer necessary because the very meaning that the words express have become a habit imprinted in the subconscious, and so although the mind may be preoccupied with some matter, such as paying a phone bill or shopping or taking an important phone call, the soul is praying in the background, without words, like a candle that is burning constantly. That’s when we have begun to pray without ceasing. We begin with words, but eventually, we go beyond words.

Prayer of Wonder

There are different kinds of prayer: the prayer of petition, prayer of intercession, prayer of thanksgiving, prayer of praise, and prayer of adoration. The highest kind of prayer that each one of us is called to achieve is the prayer of adoration. In the words of Father Gerald Vann, this is the prayer of wonder: “The still, wordless gaze of Adoration, which is proper to the lover. You are not talking, not busy, not worried or agitated; you’re not asking for anything: you are quiet, you are just being with, and there is love and wonder in your heart.”

This prayer is much more difficult than we might tend to believe. It is about placing oneself in the presence of God, in silence, focusing all our attention on God. This is difficult, because what soon happens is that we are distracted by all kinds of thoughts, and our attention will be pulled this way and that way, without our being aware of it. Once we do become aware of it, however, we just have to refocus our attention on God, dwelling in His presence. But, within a minute, the mind will be drawn away again, distracted by thoughts. 

This is where short prayers are so important and helpful, like the Jesus prayer, or a short phrase from the Psalms, like “God come to my assistance, Lord make haste to help me,” (Psalm 69:2) or “Into your hands, I commend my spirit.” (Psalm 31:6) These short phrases repeated will help us to return to that interior dwelling place within. With constant practice, one eventually is able to dwell in silence, in the presence of God within, for a long time without distraction. This is also a kind of prayer that brings tremendous healing to the subconscious. Many of the thoughts that come to the surface during this time are often unhealed memories that have been stored in the subconscious, and learning to leave them behind brings about profound healing and peace; for much of our day-to-day lives is driven by these unhealed memories in the unconscious, which is why there is typically a great deal of turmoil in the interior lives of the faithful.

A Peaceful Departure

There are two types of people in this world: those who believe that this life is a preparation for eternal life, and those who believe that this life is all there is and everything we do is only a preparation for life in this world. I’ve seen a lot of people in the hospital these past few months, people who have lost their mobility, who have had to spend months in a hospital bed, many of whom died after a long period. 

For those who do not have an interior life and who have not cultivated the habit of prayer throughout their lives, these final years and months are often very painful and very unpleasant, which is why euthanasia is becoming more popular. But for those who have a rich interior life, those who have used the time in their lives to prepare for eternal life by learning to pray without ceasing, their final months or years, perhaps in a hospital bed, are not unbearable. Visiting these people is often a joy, because there is a deeper peace within them, and they are thankful. And the wonderful thing about them is that they are not asking to be euthanized. Instead of making their final act an act of rebellion and murder, their death becomes their final prayer, a final offering, a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for all they’ve received throughout their lives.

The auction was closing, but one item remained unwanted.

It was fierce competition with buyers competing to outbid each other for everything that was on offer. They eagerly snapped up all the items and the auction was closing up except for one single item—an old violin.

Keen to find a buyer, the auctioneer held the string instrument in his hands and offered what he thought was an attractive price: “If anyone is interested, I would sell it for $100.”

A deathly hush filled the room.

As it became apparent that even that price was not enough to convince anyone to buy the old violin, he reduced the price to $80, then $50, and finally, in desperation, to $20. After another bout of silence, an old gentleman who sat at the back asked: “May I have a look at the violin, please?” The auctioneer, relieved that someone was showing interest in the old violin, conceded. At least the stringed instrument faced the prospect of finding a new owner and home. 

A Maestro’s Touch

The old man rose from his seat at the back, slowly walked to the front, and carefully examined the old violin. Taking out his handkerchief, he dusted the surface and gently tuned each string until, one by one, they were in the right tones.

Finally, and only then, did he place the old violin between his chin and left shoulder, lift the bow with his right hand, and start playing a piece of music. Each musical note from the old violin penetrated the silence in the room and danced delightfully in the air. It stunned everyone, and they listened attentively to what was coming out of the instrument in the hands of what was obvious to all—a maestro. 

He played a familiar classical hymn. The melody was so beautiful that it quickly enchanted everyone at the auction and they were awestruck. They had never heard of or even witnessed anyone playing music so beautifully, let alone on an old violin. And they never thought for one moment it would catch their fancy later on when the auction resumed.

He finished playing and calmly returned the violin to the auctioneer. Before the auctioneer could even ask everyone in the room if they would still like to buy it, there was a rush in the raising of hands. Everyone suddenly wanted it after the impromptu masterly performance. From an unwanted item a short while earlier, the old violin was suddenly the focus of the most intense bidding competition of the auction. From the starting bid of $20, the price immediately shot up to $500. The old violin was ultimately sold for $10,000, which was 500 times more than its lowest asking price.

Astounding Transformation 

It took only 15 minutes for the old violin to be transformed from something nobody wanted into the star of the auction. And it took a maestro musician to tune up its strings and play a wonderful melody. He showed that what looked unattractive on the outside was actually a beautiful and priceless soul inside the instrument.

Perhaps, like the old violin, our lives normally do not seem to have much worth at first. But if we hand them over to Jesus, who is the maestro above all maestros, then He will be able to play beautiful songs through us and their melodies will stun listeners even more. Our lives, then, will catch the world’s attention. Everyone would then want to listen to the music that He produces out of our lives.

The story of this old violin reminds me of my own story. I was metaphorically just like that old violin and nobody thought that I would be useful or could be doing something worthwhile with my life. They looked at me as if I had no value. However, Jesus took pity on me. He turned around, looked at me, and asked me: “Peter, what do you want to do with your life?” I said: “Master, where do you live?” “Come and see,” Jesus answered. So I came and saw where He lived, and stayed with Him. On the past 16th of July, I celebrated the 30th anniversary of my priesthood ordination. To know and experience Jesus’ great love for me…how could I thank Him enough? He has turned the old violin into something new and given it great value.

Lord, may our lives become Your musical instrument, like that old violin, so that we may produce beautiful music people can sing forever, giving thanks and praise to Your wonderful love.

You may have a million reasons to say ‘no’ to a possible good deed, but are those really valid?

I sat in my van waiting for my daughter to finish her horseback riding lesson. At the farm where she rides, there are horses, sheep, goats, bunnies, and lots of barn cats.  

I got distracted from watching my daughter when I noticed a boy leading a newly sheared lamb back to its pen. Suddenly, the animal decided it did not want to go to the pasture and plopped down right there in the pathway.

Try as he may, the boy could not get the lamb to move (a full-grown sheep is not little, weighing on average over 100 pounds). He pulled on the leash. He went behind the lamb and tried to push on the rear end. He attempted to lift it up from under its belly. He even tried reasoning with the sheep, talking to it, promising to give it a treat if it would just follow him. Still, the lamb lay in the middle of the trail.

I smiled and thought to myself: “I am that lamb!”

How often do I refuse to go where the Lord is trying to lead me?

Sometimes, I am afraid to do what Jesus is asking of me. It is out of my comfort zone. Someone may not like me if I speak the Truth; it might offend them. Am I even qualified for the task? Fear prevents me from fulfilling God’s incredible plan for me. 

Other times, I am too tired or downright lazy. Helping others takes time, time that I had planned to do something else—something I wanted to do. There are times when I feel that I do not have the energy to volunteer for one more thing. Sadly, I refuse to give a little more of myself. Selfishness prevents me from gaining the graces God is sending me.

I am not sure why that lamb stopped moving forward. Was it afraid? Or tired? Or just plain lazy? I don’t know. Eventually, the little shepherd was able to coax his lamb into moving again and got it to the green pastures where it could safely lie down.

Like the shepherd boy, Jesus pokes and prods me, but in my stubbornness, I refuse to move. How sad! I am missing out on opportunities, perhaps even miracles. Truly, there is nothing to fear, for Jesus promised He’d be with me (Psalms 23:4). When Jesus asks something of me, “there is nothing I lack” (Psalms 23:1), not time nor energy. If I do get tired: “He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul.” (Psalms 23:2,3) Jesus is my Good Shepherd.

Lord, forgive me. Help me to always follow You wherever You may lead me. I trust that You know what is best for me. You are my Good Shepherd. Amen.

It’s easy to be caught up in the ordinary and lose sight of purpose. Donna reminds us why we should hold on. 

I used to think that if ever I made a serious spiritual commitment and embarked on a discerned path toward holiness, every day would be filled with holy moments, and everything I encountered, ‘even adversities, would be considered all joy.’ (James 1:2) But the spiritual life, indeed, life in general, isn’t quite like that.

About ten years ago, I became an oblate of Saint Benedict. At the outset of my oblation, as my prayer life deepened, and my ministries became more fruitful, the possibilities of Christian perfection seemed endless. 

But the temptation to judge others unfavorably by comparison began to nip at my heels. When family members outrightly rejected some of the fundamental teachings of the Catholic Church, I felt rejected by extension. When a fellow oblate questioned my public witness in support of the sanctity of life—didn’t I know that hearts and minds have only ever been changed through unconditional love, not veiled criticism?—I felt like a Pharisee holding my sign.

Holy Meteors…

Alas, while I never doubted my decision to become an oblate, the realization of my basic unworthiness deflated my spirits. How I longed to rediscover that heady sense of interior freedom and joyful buoyancy, arising from the belief that my Catholic faith, lived out under the guidance of the Rule of Saint Benedict, could move mountains. Ironically, the wisdom of a 20th-century rabbi helped me find the way by pointing to the time-tested directive: “Remember why you started!”

In Moral Grandeur and Spiritual Audacity, Jewish pastor Abraham J. Heschel suggests that faith is not some constant state of fervent belief, but rather a loyalty to the moments when we had such ardent faith. In effect, ‘I believe’ means ‘I remember.’

Likening holy moments to ‘meteors’ that flare up quickly and then disappear from sight, yet “ignite a light which will never be extinguished,” Heschel exhorts believers “to guard forever the echo which once burst upon the deep recesses of your soul.” Most of us can recall experiencing these ‘shooting stars’ at significant moments in our faith life, when we felt high and lifted up, touched by God’s glory. 

My Shooting Star Moments

My first such memory occurred at age seven when I saw Michelangelo’s Pieta at the New York World’s Fair. Though I had made my first Holy Communion earlier that year, the beauty of the white marble sculpture of the Blessed Virgin with the lifeless body of Jesus in her lap, set against a celestial backdrop of midnight blue, struck me with a deeper awareness of His—and Mary’s—profound sacrifice and love for me than reciting the catechism ever had. The next time I received Jesus in the Eucharist, I did so with greater understanding and reverence.

Another transformative moment happened at a ballroom dance class! Christ, after all, is  Lord of the Dance in the hymn of the same name. In the writings of Catholic monastic Thomas Merton, God is the ‘Dancer’ who invites each of us to join Him in a ‘cosmic dance’ to achieve true union. (The Modern Spirituality Series). When the instructor partnered with me to demonstrate the foxtrot, I nervously joked that I had two left feet, yet he simply said: “Follow me.” After my initial stumble, he immediately pulled me in so that I didn’t have the space to falter. For the next few minutes, as I was effortlessly gliding throughout the room in his wake, swinging and swaying to Frank Sinatra singing Fly Me To The Moon, I implicitly knew what it would be like to be in step with God’s will– exhilarating!

Christ had His Moments too!

In Scripture, God clearly creates moments of transcendence to strengthen our faith in times of trial—the Transfiguration of the Lord is a prime example. The memory of Christ manifested in all His dazzling glory certainly provided the disciples with a necessary contrast to the horror and shame of His ignominious death on the Cross. It also imparts a hopeful vision of our future glory ‘come what may.’ Surely the memory of  His Father’s words: “This is my Beloved Son; with Him I am well pleased; listen to Him!” (Matthew 17:5) sustained and comforted the human Jesus from  Gethsemane to Calvary.

Indeed, ‘Remembrance’ is a preeminent theme in the Passion narrative. When Jesus instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper, He established the most consequential Memorial of all time and eternity—the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. When Jesus on the Cross promised to remember in Paradise, the good thief who validated Him on earth, the world sighed with relief. That is why Saint Benedict’s reminder to ‘Never despair of God’s mercy’ is his Rule’s final and most fundamental spiritual tool. For though we, like the good thief, know ourselves to be deeply flawed, still we can be confident that Christ will remember us because we remember Him—in other words, we believe!

For a perfect life on earth does not exist. Yet there are perfect, glowing moments, set among ordinary—often trying—moments, that illuminate our path, ‘gliding’ our steps to Heaven, where we will ‘play among the stars.’

Until then, let us love in remembrance of Him!

I remember a childhood story in which God, about to destroy Earth because of humanity’s wrongdoing, looked down, saw the lilies of the field praying for mankind, and extended the end of time.

It was my wife’s desire to attend daily Mass that led us to the nearby Carmelite Monastery. I was immediately struck by the pervasive stillness and a sense of tranquility. Through the grilled gates, these nuns looked like God’s lilies on earth.

As I was introduced to their daily life, I was surprised to learn that the sisters make vestments, altar breads, and greeting cards. They even stitch their own habits, grow their own fruits and vegetables, and look after the other elderly sisters. Most of the day is spent in silence, which helps them to open up to the Lord and pray. The sisters even meet up twice a day to talk and share.

The power of prayer and its impact dawned upon me. The Church has a rich tradition of prayer, through which we deeply connect with God, whether it’s through attending Mass, reciting the Rosary, or simply taking a few moments to reflect on God’s presence in our lives.

The experience of visiting the Carmelite Monastery was truly humbling. It helped me reflect on the power of prayer and the importance of dedicating one’s life to serving others, and left me with a sense of peace and renewed faith.