Following

“We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us, and the world needs his light. Humanity needs him like a bridge to reach God and his love.” “This is the peace of the risen Christ, a disarming and humble and preserving peace.” Pope Leo XIV

Recently, I visited a nun friend of mine. She lives in quite a nice residence, and I was impressed. She contributes much to the diocese where I live. She mentioned an anthology of poems to me called, “The Master Haunter,” by Daivd Winter. It is not the most spiritual book written but it was interesting. She was talking to me about conversations she had had with people who wondered what Jesus did on Holy Saturday and she quoted the poems. Maybe Jesus went to limbo and met St. Joseph. Sr. Mary Ada’s poem, “Limbo” refers to this encounter with St. Joseph. St. Joseph asked about His Mother Mary. Such simplicity, but quite interesting. After the reading about the disciples whom Christ had sent out in two’s, I thought more about what she said. Our conversation was very enlightening for me. It was not about the poems but more so about the beauty of discipleship. I was a little bored during the homily at mass today since I could not understand what was intended, about what discipleship could mean for me, so our conversation came at the right time. 

“God loves us beyond comprehension, and we cannot diminish God’s love for us.” St. Peter

After speaking with my friends in the Carmelite cloister recently, I was told how St. Joseph has no recorded word. The poem above relates how he did say something, and it was quite humorous. St. Joseph did what was asked of him. Some saints did not have the road ahead so clear. St. Mary of Egypt went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land hoping to seduce the people along the way. She was seductive and even possibly forced men against their will. She had a profound conversion experience and lived as a hermit. St Olga of Kiev was a mass murderer, and she showed no mercy.  Olga was baptized on a visit to Constantinople and the original reason for her visit there might have involved political intrigued, but she went home with Christ. St. Longinus had stabbed Christ and legends purports that he was converted and did great missionary work for those he had originally persecuted. And lastly, Blessed Bartolo Longo was quite a curious fellow. He fell into the occult and worship of evil, but he came out a much stronger Catholic. It would be called an intervention now or deprogramming but whatever it is called, he returned to the Church and to Christ. Nothing is impossible with God.

"Start being brave about everything, driving out darkness and spreading light as well. Don't look at your weakness but realize that in Christ crucified you can do everything." St. Catherine of Siena

Often, we feel lost and confused. It is easy to do in a society that seems to give merit to anything that is not Christian. Yet, we stand firm in our faith. We cannot surrender. When our Lord sent out the disciples, they must have been fearful in some way, but they trusted. We need to do the same. Trust! We need to only go forward in such a way that each step will take us closer to our Lord – not further away. We need to look at the criteria with which we decide things. We need to look at whom we trust. It is a big step, it is fraught with struggle, but it will result in a true joy.

“Let Gabriel’s word be held in your mind, for nothing is impossible with this glorious majesty, who humbled himself for us and was born of our humanity.” St. Ephrem