When circumstances owerwhelm

 

Recording by Victor S E Moubarak - LINK HERE

 When circumstances overwhelm

Are you ready?

 

.

 

I wish we'd all been ready.

The Prophesies about Jesus

 

Article by Victor S E Moubarak - LINK HERE 

Did you know that there are more than 300 prophesies about Jesus in the Old Testament that He fulfilled in His life?

Some prophesies He had no personal control over. 

 

Prophesies about where He would be born. The manner of His death and suffering, where He would be buried. The fact that on His death the Romans would not break His legs as they did to the other two crucified with Him. The fact that the Roman soldiers would divide His clothes amongst themselves and gamble for His robe whilst He hung from the Cross. And so on. 

 

The prophet Micah a contemporary of Isaiah, wrote some seven hundred years before Jesus was born (Micah 5:2): Bethlehem you are one of the smallest towns of Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times.

 

Isaiah 7:14 says: a young woman, (meaning virgin in the Greek translation), who is pregnant will have a son and will name Him Emmanuel.

 

Isaiah 9:6 reads: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

 

Psalm 41:9 (written by King David) predicts that Judas will betray Jesus in the words, "Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me."

 

The Psalms by King David were written some thousand years before the birth of Jesus. In fact King David predicted in details the crucifixion of Jesus one thousand years before His birth and six hundred years before the Persians invented this horrific method of execution.

 

Psalm 22 depicts aspects of crucifixion well before this method of execution was devised and used by the Romans.

 

In Psalm 22:16-17, it says: "Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me ... They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment."

In Psalm 22:8 King David says: "He trusts in the Lord, they say, let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."

In Psalm 22 Verses 3-5 describe the man on the cross as more than a man. It address him as Israel’s God:

"Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; In you our ancestors put their trust ... ... ... "

The Psalm describes many physiological effects associated with death by crucifixion—asphyxiation and heart failure, along with extreme dehydration. 

See verses 14–15, 19):

"I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth ... ... ... All my bones are on display."

The fact that these effects of execution by crucifixion were predicted long before crucifixion was invented or employed makes the predictions all the more remarkable. 

Note also in verses 17–18:

"People stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment."

And in verses 7–8:

"All who see me mock me; They hurl insults, shaking their heads. 'He trusts in the Lord,' they say, 'let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him. ' "

Here's another significant detail often missed. The Psalm identifies the executioners as Gentiles. The Jewish leaders had no authority to kill Jesus. Only the Romans (Pilate) had that authority. It is he who condemned Him to death. Note the word "dogs" in Verse 16. This was the term used by the Jews when referring to the Gentiles.  

Verse 16: "Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet."

Note also that the psalmist declares the means of execution: the piercing of the victim’s hands and feet.

Like so many of David’s psalms, this one turns from sorrow to joy. Verses 27–31 declare that people from all over the world will hear about the crucifixion and Resurrection. 

"All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before Him. Posterity will serve Him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!"

Isaiah too, seven hundred years before Christ, predicted: 

 ISAIAH 53 Verse 3 onwards (abridged) 

He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.

Like one from whom men hide their faces,

He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

Surely He took on our infirmities

and carried our sorrows;

yet we considered Him stricken by God,

struck down and afflicted.

But He was pierced for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,

and by His stripes we are healed.

We all like sheep have gone astray,

each one has turned to his own way;

and the LORD has laid upon Him

the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted,

yet He did not open His mouth.

He was led like a lamb to the slaughter,

and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,

so He did not open His mouth.

... ... ... 

He was assigned a grave with the wicked,

and with a rich man in His death,

although He had done no violence,

nor was any deceit in His mouth.

Consider the mathematical odds or probabilities that Someone born many years after the predictions have been made would fulfill so many of them.

 

The probabilities must be millions to one. Unless this Man is truly the Son of God, as predicted, and the predictions were inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Yokes and Burdens

  

 Sermon by Father Jonathan E Moore - LINK HERE

14th Sunday “Per Annum” 2026                Yokes and Burdens

 Last week, Jesus told us of the necessity of the cross for His followers. Today He tells us: “My yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

I would like to begin our little meditation today by inviting you to journey back in your memory. Were you ever in the Scouts or Guides, or perhaps in the Armed Forces, or a member of a Climbing or Hiking Club? If you share any of those experiences, you will I'm sure also remember this. When preparing to walk a long distance, with waterproofs, food, cooking pots, water bottle, sleeping bag, first aid tin, tent - and in my own case a Mass Kit (!), the most important thing we learned was to pack the old rucksack in the proper way. First of all, you didn't take anything you didn't absolutely need - I've seen many unnecessary items left behind in Youth Hostels after the first day’s walking: books, cans of fizzy drink, the odd cine camera or chess set. One stiff day’s hiking, especially in the hills, changes one’s perception of what is really needed. Having sorted out anything not needed, the next important task was to repack the rucksack properly. Heavy and hard objects go at the bottom, with something soft between them and your spine, the lighter and softer items go higher up, ensuring that the shoulders and neck aren't irritated and blistered. One of the most rewarding things an experienced walker can do is to sort out the rucksack of a weary novice; you never forget the look of relief when they put it back on, often saying: “You're a magician - it only weighs half as much now!”. At times it may be necessary to carry quite a load, but with careful removal of unnecessary weight, and the proper distribution of the rest, the load is by no means insupportable.

My second thought is about “Yokes”. By the time I was growing up in rural Lincolnshire, although no longer used, yokes themselves were a common sight, hanging on the walls of barns and cowsheds. A few years later, the antiques dealers moved in and bought them all for next to nothing. The use of oxen to pull ploughs and carts was quite rare in Britain. In other parts of the world, however, it is a usual sight. The old dairy yokes, made for human shoulders, and the draught yokes made for animals, have this in common - they are beautifully made! The dairymen, farmers‘wives and milkmaids who regularly used yokes for carrying buckets would, if they were lucky, have a yoke made specially for them. The village carpenter would carve it out and fit it to the shoulder with the same skilled care as an expensive tailor fitting a suit. The end product would fit like a glove, smoothed out and adapted to the exact shape of the wearer, not digging in or chafing the skin anywhere. The less fortunate users had to be satisfied with a home-made cushion for their shoulders. In both cases the intention was to make the yoke as comfortable as possible. The purpose of a yoke was to make life easier, not harder. In the same way, a pair of oxen, properly yoked, would be able to pull their load for longer, day after day. The soldier or hiker with a heavy pack, the milkmaid carrying eight or ten gallons of milk at a time, the patient beasts pulling a plough, all had a burden they must carry, a load to haul. Without good packing, without careful fitting, their burden would be heavier, their work more exhausting.

So what did Our Blessed Lord mean when he said that His “Yoke was sweet and His burden light”? Last week, reflecting on the cross, we saw that suffering is the common lot of human beings. The greatest misfortune is not to have a cross to carry - everyone does.  No, the most unfortunate are those who “have the experience but miss the meaning”, who can see no deeper spiritual value, no eternal blessing, in what they endure. Jesus tells us that the cross is a necessary condition of discipleship. To shoulder the cross and follow in His footsteps is the sure path to paradise. Jesus, however, offers us more than a future promise, He also promises to help us here and now to bear the load. 

How is this done? First and foremost, Jesus gives very good advice about the way we pack our burden. It is all too easy to find ourselves trying to carry unnecessary weight. The greatest weight many people carry is one of guilt for past sins. Jesus tells us very clearly that we don't need to bear that weight at all. In the Gospel story we find Jesus meeting people with all manner of problems. How does He greet them? Mostly by saying “Your sins are forgiven”. As Catholics, we are particularly blessed in this regard through the gift of the Sacrament of Penance. When a priest absolves us after Confession, he says “May God grant you pardon and peace.” The burden of sin and guilt is one we can shed. Another needless weight is so often the memory of past hurts we have suffered from others. We humans have a tendency to hang on to these past injuries, and to allow them to feed a sense of bitterness and resentment within us. That is a dangerous condition to be in. Bitterness, resentment, the inability to forgive others, are the best possible breeding ground for anger, hatred, revenge and self-pity. A person who carries that load will never be far from evil. In the story of Cain and Abel, God warns the angry and resentful Cain that sin is “crouching like a lion at his door” (cf. Genesis 4:7). This is why Jesus tells us that we must pray to the Father: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Guilt and resentment: once free from their oppressive weight we find our burden many times lighter. St. Cyril of Jerusalem told those preparing for Baptism: “ If you are holding anything against anyone, forget it, let it go. You have come here to receive forgiveness of sins, so you must first forgive whoever has sinned against you.” (First Catechesis, P.G. 33) When you pray, have courage to share with Jesus all of the negative thoughts and feeling you have. Dare to “unpack” your burden with Him and let him take that weight from your life.

Then what of that “Yoke”? The Jewish people used to speak of the “Yoke of God’s Law”. In Psalm 18 we read “The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart. The Law of the Lord is perfect, it revives the soul”. The Lord’s “Easy Yoke” does not leave us free to please ourselves, but obedience to that Law in fact brings more joy to our hearts than we could ever find by doing whatever we wanted. You see, there is a paradox at work in our human condition: people who want to be free of any responsibility, at liberty to do whatever they wish, always find themselves wearing another yoke, and a heavier one by far than the Lord ever asked of them. God perfectly understands not only our human nature, but our own individual human personalities. There is an ancient Islamic prayer which begins “Lord, I thank you that you know me better than I know my own self.” The demands God makes of each and every one of us are exactly tailored to our own strength, ability and needs. As long as we are alive, we will wear one yoke or another, but none fits better than the one tailor-made by the Nazareth Carpenter!

Walk in the Light

 

“Feed My Lambs, Feed My Sheep”

 

Article by Father Jonathan E Moore - LINK HERE

“Feed My Lambs, Feed My Sheep” 

Three days ago, I found myself in conversation with a fellow cancer patient, a Muslim lady. We promised to pray for each other, and she shared with me her concern that after the major surgery she was facing, she would not be able to say her prayers properly whilst lying in bed. I reassured her, telling her that I was no longer able to kneel to pray, but I didn’t believe God minded in the circumstances. Before we parted, she said one more thing which greatly surprised me. She said “I greatly admire your new Pope. His priorities match the greatest needs of our world and it’s inhabitants.” I replied by telling her that all of our Holy Fathers  have that same gift through the Holy Spirit to be men of their own time. 

Reflecting on this encounter, and meditating on this weekend’s feast of Saints Peter and Paul, I was struck by a passage in St John’s Gospel (10:16) “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd." (10:16, ESV). Throughout the long and venerable history of our Church, we find so many examples of the Holy Spirit directing individual Popes to minister, not only to members of their own flock, but also those sheep and other folds. This feast of Saints Peter and Paul gives us a great opportunity to thank God for the gift of the Papacy , which down the centuries has kept our Catholic Church together as a focus of unity and a safeguard against disintegration through individualistic interpretations of the Scriptures and personal preferences. God bless our Pope!

“Feed my lambs, feed my sheep.” These words, spoken by Jesus to Peter after His resurrection (John 21:15-17), are not directed to one individual, but rather should speak to every true Christian, bearing Christ’s own call to live out the heart of His  Gospel: love, compassion, and service. Far more than a simple directive, this phrase is a summons to share in Christ’s pastoral care for His people.

In the gospel reading for the Vigil Mass of today’s feast, Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” and follows each affirmation with “Feed my lambs,” “Tend my sheep,” then  “Feed my sheep,” the Lord wants more than a simple declaration of affection from Peter.  He links  love for Himself directly to action on behalf of others. Peter’s friendship for Jesus is realised, not in private sentiment, but in public mission. The risen Lord Jesus commits to Peter—and through him, us too—the ongoing care of God’s flock, and every single one of our worlds seven billion inhabitants is a child of God, just like you and me. This sacred  commission is ours, a task utterly impossible in our own strength, yet through the power of the Holy Spirit the work can be done.

When Jesus says “feed”, He means more than simply providing  physical sustenance. He means spiritual nourishment: sharing the Word of God, offering encouragement, and supporting others on their  faith journey. It is Saint Peter himself  (2 Peter 2:2) who identifies those lambs as the vulnerable, the young, the newly converted, who need  gentle guidance, patience, and a listening ear. The sheep—the mature members of the community—still  need ongoing formation, protection from spiritual danger, and reminders of God’s mercy. In responding to both, we imitate the Good Shepherd who knows each one by name.

How do we fulfil this call in daily life? First, by recognising those around us who hunger for hope, understanding, and compassion. Feeding Christ’s lambs might mean reaching out to someone who feels alone, offering a kind word or a helping hand. Feeding His sheep could mean supporting a friend through a difficult time, forgiving those who have hurt us, or praying for others’ needs. In parish settings, it might involve catechesis, voluntary work, administrative jobs, gardening, cleaning, or simply showing up for someone in times of trial.

The Good Shepherd laid  down His life for His sheep, unlike the cowardly hireling who made  himself scarce at the first sign of any trouble. The Christian is to shoulder their cross and follow in His footsteps, making that same self-giving love a lived reality in their own little corner of the Lord’s Vineyard, a love that is patient, enduring, and steadfast. The Eucharist, celebrated at every Mass, is both the ultimate act of feeding and the model we are called to imitate: Christ gives Himself wholly, and we are invited to do likewise in service to others.

Caring  for one another in the Good Shepherd’s flock is no easy matter, however. It demands patience, perseverance, humility,  unselfishness and a sense of humour - especially the ability to laugh at ourselves. We will frequently feel our own inadequacy, sometimes even overwhelmed, yet we must never forget God does not send us a cross to bear without also providing  the strength to bear it. His grace is ever-present  especially when we are at our weakest. Christ’s Church, which calls us to care, also gives us the means to find the strength to do it through prayer and the sacraments.

“Feed my lambs, feed my sheep” says Our Blessed Lord to you and me every day. Opportunities are never lacking, though sometimes Christ's call to care one for another is hardly heard above the noise and chatter of our oversensitised 21st century lives. Try to find a little oasis of calm within yourself, a place where you can wait on the Lord and listen to His voice before going out to meet Christ in others, and to be Christ for others.

Show me the way !

 

Article by Martha Jane Orlando - LINK HERE

 Acts 8:3
But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

Zealous to maintain the status quo of the Jewish traditions, Saul leads violent assaults on those converted to "The Way", the appellation used by early Christians to describe their religion. He is a cold, unfeeling witness to the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. He instigates the fervent charge to round up and unmercifully imprison those he considers heretics. Later, in Acts 9:1-2, Saul, "still breathing threats and murder against the disciples", decides that persecuting them in Jerusalem just isn't enough. He petitions the High Priest for permission to travel to the synagogues in Damascus to warn them of this misguided, dangerous movement, and, while on his journey, capturing and sending back to Jerusalem any claiming to follow The Way. No one, least of all Saul, could have predicted the radical, miraculous transformation about to transpire in him along that fateful road when, in a flash of light that leaves him blinded, the Risen Christ confronts, convicts, and converts him.

I find it decidedly ironic that Paul (the Greek version of his name which he uses among the Gentiles), the most ardent, obsessive defender of the Jewish faith became the most passionate, devoted champion of Christianity. His conversion testifies to the fact that, with God, all things are possible. I believe the Lord saw through Paul's malevolent behaviors toward His people and recognized the qualities that would make Paul an indispensable apostle: determination, zeal, dedication, knowledge of the law, and devotion to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He simply needed his vision corrected. Jesus made that happen in a mighty way!

Have you ever known someone who experienced a dramatic conversion like Paul's? Was your own conversion one of out-of-the-blue magnitude, or was it, like C. S. Lewis', a quiet conviction within your soul? Is there a friend or acquaintance in your life for whom you wish there was a Damascus Road? Love them, pray for them, and witness through example. Believe that God can and will meet them at their crossroads; be prepared to take their hand and help show them The Way.

Amen!

The Christian Lounge

 

 

PHOTOS BY MYRA GUCA - LINK HERE 

An Unprogrammed Conversation

 

Article and photo by Bill Burke - LINK HERE

 An Unprogrammed Conversation

God:  Hey, nice to see you.  I see that you aligned yourself with the light.

Me:  Yeah, I usually sit at the end of the bench so I can rest my arm occasionally on the side but this morning that spot was taken.

God:  Cool, it’s good to move around.  It offers a different perspective.

Me:  Yeah, this is the first time I sat in this particular spot and the light really has me focused.  Sometimes my mind drifts, you know.

God:  Yeah, I know what you mean but if you focus and listen, you’ll be fine.

Me:  That’s what I try to tell myself.  When I look at the stage, I can feel your presence.  It’s like you’re in the middle speaking to us and we’re at your side following the spoken words.

God:  Yeah, that is a nice visual, I like it.  I notice that food is being collected for the food bank -- macaroni and cheese and tuna fish.  Yumm!!!  If you want to have an incredible heavenly meal – just add peas. When you were thinking about standing up and sharing your visual interpretation of the scene before you, I was excited.  But then you didn’t.

Me:  I felt I needed more time.

God:  It would have been alright but I must admit I really liked your proposal to recreate the scene at another time and write something.  That was a great move and if I was giving out points, you would have gotten a bunch but you know me, my playing field is level. By the way, how did you like my follow up?

Me:  I thought it was so you.

God:  I just couldn’t resist placing a pencil on your path home especially after you mentioned to a few people the previous week that you haven’t seen a pencil on the ground for a few months.  I was sure that you would hear me laughing.  Just a little reminder.  Sometimes we all need them.

Me:  Yeah, you’re right, I can’t argue with you.  Anyway, you are always right.

God:  Well, another hour has passed and it was really nice to have this conversation with you.  Remember, I am always here 24/7, 365 – oh, this year is 366.  Adjustments can be annoying sometimes. By the way, the sticker you saw yesterday in that car window was right on the money.  “God is having a good day”.  I sure was and I hope you always have good days. Later!!

Learning from the sparrows

 

Article by Father Jonathan E Moore - LINK HERE

12th Sunday of the Year 2026

"Learning from the Sparrows"

Do the names Sanjay and Dheeraj Hinduja mean anything to you? Maybe not, but I’ll bet you there are a lot of people in this country who envy them. According to the Sunday Times Rich List, Messrs Hinduja, with a personal fortune of £38 billion are the richest men  in Britain!  In everyday speech, it would be said that the Hinduja brothers  are “worth more” than anyone else  in these islands. Now I don't know them, so it would be quite wrong for me to express any opinion as to their characters and personal lives. Many very wealthy people are exceedingly generous to charity and provide employment and educational opportunities for thousands of people, so I say “Good luck”  to them, and wish them well. But there is a question in my mind. Can we really and truly believe that the Hinduja brothers, because of their £38billion, are “worth more” than anyone else? Does lots of money give someone more worth than a police Officer doing his duty, a busy nurse in A and E, an Aid Worker in Africa, or a Contemplative Sister who spends her entire life praying and doing penance for others? Are they “worth more” than a poor baby in a South American shanty town, or an elderly dementia patient in a Nursing Home? Of course not! Yet if we aren't careful, we can find ourselves increasingly inclined to believe it. 

This highlights one of the great obstacles to spiritual growth in every age. As human beings, we are much inclined to define and value ourselves and others by what we have, what we do, and what we get. Having, doing and getting are the standards by which a materialistic society judges. “A spiritual person” says Saint Paul, “can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others”  (1 Corinthians 2:15). To live a spiritual life means to see as God sees. In the Old Testament, the Lord God told Samuel: “Truly, God does not see what man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord sees the heart” (1 Sam 16:7). Anyone who wishes to follow in God’s path must accept the need to set aside the “getting, doing and having” mentality. The priest who brought me into the Catholic Church, the late Father Patrick O’Hanlon, used to warn repeatedly against what he termed “The false maxims of the world.” The worth of every single human person, the value of every single human life springs from nothing other than who we are, and who we are is the Children of God. When we encounter distractions in prayer, or disturbances of the heart or mind, don't they almost always come from that “getting, doing, having” mentality? Yet how often do we simply sit down and thank God for who we are, and what we are: “Thank you, God, that I am alive, and thank you for the life you have given me.” 

At this time of the year, I enjoy watching baby birds in my garden. Just off the nest, able to fly on their own, they explore the garden, and just love it! Everything is new, everything is exciting, and they behave as though everything existed just for them. Their lives are so much shorter and uncertain than ours, and perhaps it is for that very reason that they just love  being alive. In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that not one of those tiny balls of fluff and feathers is insignificant in the Father’s eyes. Better still, He reassures us  that we’re worth more than hundreds of sparrows. 

If we are worth more than hundreds of sparrows, ought we not to be enjoying the simple fact of being alive hundreds of times more than they do? St. Ignatius Loyola can teach us a lot about this. In his Spiritual Exercises he recommends what he calls a “Daily Examen”. Rather than thinking of this as an “Examination of Conscience”, we might rather call it an “Examination of Consciousness”. Every day, pause in the presence of God and reflect on your attitudes and feelings. What is helping you on your journey towards God, and what is hindering? Maybe the "Getting, having and doing” trap is holding you back. If so, it’s time to start looking through the eyes of God and valuing yourself and others for who you are. Be warned, however, that “Getting, doing and having” is habit-forming. The habit can take a lot of breaking, but it has to be done. Saint Teresa of Avila tells us categorically that we must pass through what she calls “The Room of Self-knowledge” (“The Interior Castle” Ch 2) before we can make what Dag Hammerskold described as “The longest journey, the journey inwards of him who has chosen his destiny, and who has started on his quest for the source of his being.” (“Markings”)

The journey towards self-knowledge will involve humiliation, failure, often a sense of guilt, and a lessening of self-confidence. If we are to persevere on the journey, it's essential we understand that we don't have to “make ourselves worthy” in God’s eyes because He already values us beyond measure. Neither do we have to try and “redeem ourselves” because Jesus is our Redeemer. 

“What does it profit a man,” asked Jesus, “to gain the whole world and lose his own self?” (Mark 8:36) 

God has given you the precious gift of life, don’t waste it chasing after rubbish. Live every day with joy and gratitude. Learn from the sparrows!

What will we do in Heaven?

 

 WHAT WILL WE DO IN HEAVEN?

We asked two priests who contribute articles here on The Christian Lounge to share their views. We are grateful for their contributions. Please remember them in your prayers. Thank you.

Here is what Father Francis Maple said: 

What will we do in Heaven?

That is one of the most beautiful questions a Christian can ask.

The short answer is that we shall spend our time in Heaven loving God, knowing God, and sharing perfect happiness with all the saints. Yet this does not mean sitting idle for eternity. Heaven is a life of endless wonder, discovery, joy, and love.

Jesus tells us: "This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John 17:3). In Heaven we shall see God "face to face" (1 Corinthians 13:12). The saints teach that the vision of God is so beautiful and so fulfilling that it will satisfy every desire of the human heart while at the same time drawing us ever deeper into His infinite mystery.

What might we do in Heaven?

• We shall worship and praise God with the angels and saints.

• We shall rejoice in the company of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints.

• We shall recognize and love those we knew on earth, purified of all selfishness and misunderstanding.

• We shall continue to learn about God's greatness, for His beauty and wisdom are infinite.

• We shall share in God's own joy and love.

• We shall be perfectly at peace, with no sickness, sorrow, loneliness, or death.

The great theologian St. Thomas Aquinas taught that our happiness in Heaven comes from seeing God directly. Yet because God is infinite, there will always be new depths of His goodness and beauty to delight us. Heaven will never become boring.

As you often reflect, Father, Heaven is also reunion. There you hope to meet your parents, brothers and sisters, friends, and all those who have gone before marked with faith. Most of all, you will meet Christ, whom you have preached and served throughout your priesthood.

A lovely image comes from St. Augustine:

"We shall rest and we shall see; we shall see and we shall love; we shall love and we shall praise."

That may be the best description of Heaven: seeing God, loving God, and praising God forever in a joy that never ends.

Here is what Father Jonathan E Moore said: 

“What shall I DO in Heaven.” Is really the wrong question to ask, because it can only ever receive a one word answer, and that is “NOTHING”! Those in heaven are living in a state of eternity and perfection. There is nothing more for them to do, achieve or improve, and neither is there any time for it to be done in. Eternity is a perpetual NOW.

The proper question really is “What shall I BE in Heaven.

An inescapable consequence of earthly life is that we find ourselves with a constant tension between being and doing. We were created to know, love and serve God in this world and to be happy with Him forever in the next. Instinctive hunger for God, so often un-recognised these days, leaves us with the perpetual sense of incompleteness, coupled with the awareness that the clock of our human existence inexorably moves on towards death. Unfortunately, our fallen human nature means that, instead of concentrating on getting to know love and serve God in this world, we tend to concentrate on what’s going on in this world, where we find ourselves in a constant confusion of having, getting, being, achieving etcetera etcetera. This creates a difficulty when in our spiritual lives we begin to attempt to move from verbal prayer into meditation and then contemplation. As we try to move towards a state of being in the presence of God, we find ourselves stricken with a sense that we ought to be doing something!

There is a lovely story about an elderly French peasant who used to spend hours and hours every day just sitting or kneeling before the Tabernacle in his local church, someone once asked him, “But what do you do during all those hours? “ to which he replied, “I look at God, and God looks at me!" That old man had achieved a level of contemplative prayer.

Saint Paul, no less, describes the next life as “a mystery “ which “no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Heaven will be happiness beyond all our possible present understanding or imagining. Sometimes in our human lives we find ourselves in a situation where we wish the time would just stand still, so joyous do we feel. These occasions are a little taste of Heaven, where we simply exist in God’s presence, free from all imperfection, responsibility, duty, care, anxiety, sickness and death. We have to trust God that He will give us that bliss which we cannot even imagine.

When I was first ordained more than 50 years ago now I had the joy and privilege of being the curate to Provost Humphrey Wilson, PhD. When I first went to him, he was already 80 years old. He had served as an officer in the Grenadier Guards during the first world war, enduring the horror of trench warfare and of the battles of the Somme and Cambrai. Even before the first world war as a young Edwardian man, he had gone to Australia in search of adventure and experience. In many ways he was the one who taught me how to be a priest. One example of his great wisdom and pastoral compassion came about when a very lonely old lady was grieving over the death of her cat, a beloved and constant companion in her loneliness. She asked the Provost, “Do animals have immortal souls as we do? “He replied in the negative. She then said “So does this mean that I will never see my cat again?” “Tell me, “ replied the old gentleman, “would your happiness in Heaven be incomplete without your cat? “ She replied that she believed this to be the case, and then he said “That  being the case, God will undoubtedly give you your cat in Heaven. “

There is some very good material in the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs 1023 through 1029, which I have copied below.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

1023 Those who die in God's grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ. They are like God for ever, for they "see him as he is," face to face. By virtue of our apostolic authority, we define the following: According to the general disposition of God, the souls of all the saints . . . and other faithful who died after receiving Christ's holy Baptism (provided they were not in need of purification when they died, . . . or, if they then did need or will need some purification, when they have been purified after death, . . .) already before they take up their bodies again and before the general judgment - and this since the Ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into heaven - have been, are and will be in heaven, in the heavenly Kingdom and celestial paradise with Christ, joined to the company of the holy angels. Since the Passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, these souls have seen and do see the divine essence with an intuitive vision, and even face to face, without the mediation of any creature.

1024 This perfect life with the Most Holy Trinity - this communion of life and love with the Trinity, with the Virgin Mary, the angels and all the blessed - is called "heaven." Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness.

1025 To live in heaven is "to be with Christ." the elect live "in Christ," but they retain, or rather find, their true identity, their own name. For life is to be with Christ; where Christ is, there is life, there is the kingdom.

1026 By his death and Resurrection, Jesus Christ has "opened" heaven to us. the life of the blessed consists in the full and perfect possession of the fruits of the redemption accomplished by Christ. He makes partners in his heavenly glorification those who have believed in him and remained faithful to his will. Heaven is the blessed community of all who are perfectly incorporated into Christ.

1027 This mystery of blessed communion with God and all who are in Christ is beyond all understanding and description. Scripture speaks of it in images: life, light, peace, wedding feast, wine of the kingdom, the Father's house, the heavenly Jerusalem, paradise: "no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him."

1028 Because of his transcendence, God cannot be seen as he is, unless he himself opens up his mystery to man's immediate contemplation and gives him the capacity for it. the Church calls this contemplation of God in his heavenly glory "the beatific vision":How great will your glory and happiness be, to be allowed to see God, to be honored with sharing the joy of salvation and eternal light with Christ your Lord and God, . . . to delight in the joy of immortality in the Kingdom of heaven with the righteous and God's friends.

1029 In the glory of heaven the blessed continue joyfully to fulfill God's will in relation to other men and to all creation. Already they reign with Christ; with him "they shall reign for ever and ever."

Here I am Lord

 

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19

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Father Francis Maple

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