Photo Credit: WCC

Together with millions of Catholics around the world, you and I awoke Easter morning celebrating the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, meanwhile fellow Catholics in Sri Lanka were killed and martyred as they attended Holy Mass in their parish churches. They were victims of Islamic terrorists. The news was shocking and as the death toll grew and the reports came in, it became evident that this was one of the most vicious attacks carried out in recent times. In fact, it was the largest terror attack on civilians since the assault on the Twin Towers in New York City on 9-11.

Upon hearing the news and seeing the horrible graphic pictures of death and destruction of holy places of worship, I was profoundly saddened and afflicted with the pain and suffering of my fellow Catholics. I immediately turned to prayer for these victims, especially turning to the Blessed Mother asking her to comfort them in their pain and sorrow. 

When I was a young student it seemed that “curiosity” was promoted as a good thing. Maybe we called it “healthy” curiosity. At the same time we knew that “curiosity killed the cat.” the message was clear enough. Be careful where you stick your nose!

With the explosion of data available on our hand-helds, or by asking “Siri, Alexa, Assistant, or Cortana,” we may find ourselves or others constantly looking up facts. A short time back we amused ourselves in pursuit of “trivia;” and for generations we may have enjoyed collecting baseball or other sports stats. It seems harmless enough.

When the Most Holy Eucharist is exposed at the time of Benediction, we recite the Divine Praises. They are acclamations of adoration before the Real Presence of Christ on the altar. There we announce, “Blessed be Jesus Christ, True God and True Man.” In the Latin, we say “Perfectus Deo. Perfectus Homo!”

It is great to read the New Testament. Try reading one chapter a day – from the beginning of St Matthew’s Gospel, through the last of the Book of Revelation. It will take you about 7-8 months, and will give you a new appreciation of the Word of God in its continuity. Then, begin over. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you, and each time you read it, you will find something new.

God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

We are washed in the waters of Baptism; we begin and end our prayers; we sign ourselves with the Cross – all in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

We invoke God by those names we have learned: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. There is one God, but three Divine Persons. This is God: manifest in all His works, revealed in the Sacred Scriptures, and taught in the Church’s Magisterium.

“The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion … “ (A. Lincoln. Gettysburg Address, November 19, 1863)

Although the Church’s liturgical Christmas season officially ended with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, in the old calendar it continued through February 2, the Presentation of the Lord, or, in the old tradition, the Purification of Mary.  This was coupled with what is called “Candlemas Day.” On that day, the priest blesses the altar candles that might be used throughout the year. Participants sometimes process into the church with candles.

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"Pray to St. Joseph daily to protect the Church from “confusion and division which are always the work of Satan.” - Cardinal Raymond Burke

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