I give you a new commandment:
love one another just as I have loved you,
says the Lord. JN 13:34
2 CORINTHIANS 3:15-4:1,3-6
My Soul's Beloved,
Only those who belong to the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church can gaze on You and enter the glorious mysteries of our faith with unveiled minds. This is not to say that all do so, but those who like St. Paul, the Apostles, the disciples, and every baptized Catholic who hungers and thirsts for the Truth will, by the power of the Holy Spirit, be led into all Truth. In the Church alone has God deposited in its fullness, the rich treasures of Goodness, Beauty, and Truth and the greatest intellects beginning with the Church Father, the Doctors of the Church, and every grace-filled, Spirit-filled theologian, and teacher of the faith, every authentic witness, led by the Spirit of God, is given the grace and the gift to have their hearts, minds, and spirit pervaded by the power of God and the Spirit of God. In the measure that we desire it, pursue it, and persevere with faith and hope, an understanding of the Beauty, Goodness, and Truth of the glory of God in You will be given to us.
Prejudice, ignorance, refusal to be open-minded, and in many cases, a real bigoted hate create an insurmountable barrier that veils the heart and mind of many Protestant denominations against the Church You founded. This veil will not be removed until they break down the walls of their prejudice and ignorance and turn to You with childlike faith.
To be an authentic disciple like St. Paul and the rest of the Apostles and disciples, we must surrender all to You, holding nothing back. We must take You at Your Word and walk by faith, not sight. We must be prepared to suffer and to embrace the cross. Yoked to You, we will be filled with joy even though the narrow way is filled with sorrow and pain. Even when the light turns to darkness, even when it seems that You are absent, even when we seem to be groping in the dark, still, Beloved, our faith must not waver for we know that in all things, in every circumstance, You are with us. There will be moments, Lord, when with flashes of glorious Light You will illumine us, and it will give us strength to persevere until You come to take us home to Yourself and crown our lives with Your glory.
Even today, whenever Moses is read, the veil is over their minds. It will not be removed until they turn to the Lord. Now this Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, with our unveiled faces reflecting like mirrors the brightness of the Lord, all grow brighter and brighter as we are turned into the image that we reflect; this is the work of the Lord who is Spirit.
Since we have by an act of mercy been entrusted with this work of administration, there is no weakening on our part. If our gospel does not penetrate the veil, then the veil is on those who are not on the way to salvation; the unbelievers whose minds the god of this world has blinded, to stop them seeing the light shed by the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For it is not ourselves that we are preaching, but Christ Jesus as the Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. It is the same God that said, ‘Let there be light shining out of darkness’, who has shone in our minds to radiate the light of the knowledge of God’s glory, the glory on the face of Christ.
PSALM 84(85):9-14
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
I will hear what the Lord God has to say,
a voice that speaks of peace.
His help is near for those who fear him,
and his glory will dwell in our land.
Even today, whenever Moses is read, the veil is over their minds. It will not be removed until they turn to the Lord. Now this Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, with our unveiled faces reflecting like mirrors the brightness of the Lord, all grow brighter and brighter as we are turned into the image that we reflect; this is the work of the Lord who is Spirit.
Since we have by an act of mercy been entrusted with this work of administration, there is no weakening on our part. If our gospel does not penetrate the veil, then the veil is on those who are not on the way to salvation; the unbelievers whose minds the god of this world has blinded, to stop them seeing the light shed by the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For it is not ourselves that we are preaching, but Christ Jesus as the Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. It is the same God that said, ‘Let there be light shining out of darkness’, who has shone in our minds to radiate the light of the knowledge of God’s glory, the glory on the face of Christ.
PSALM 84(85):9-14
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
I will hear what the Lord God has to say,
a voice that speaks of peace.
His help is near for those who fear him,
and his glory will dwell in our land.
Mercy and faithfulness have met;
justice and peace have embraced.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
and justice look down from heaven.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
and justice look down from heaven.
The Lord will make us prosper
and our earth shall yield its fruit.
Justice shall march before him
and peace shall follow his steps.
Justice shall march before him
and peace shall follow his steps.
The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
MATTHEW 5:20-26
My Soul's Beloved,
The scribes and Pharisees in our day are the many splintered Christian denominations who can agree about nothing doctrinal but are united in their pride, hatred, and prejudice against the Church You founded. These are baseless lies, but they lack the humility to seek the Truth, which alone can set them free. One has only to see the venom spewed against Catholics on social media to understand how successful the devil is in sowing seeds of dissension and division. It is the only way for Satan to succeed, and they play right into his hands. Unaware of it, they are willing pawns in his deadly game.
But it is also heartening to see that in this Jubilee Year 2025, having been blessed with a new Pontiff, Leo XIV, the Catholic Church is renergised. There is a palpable joy in the Church. A fresh breeze of the Holy Spirit is sweeping the Church, and many are attracted to the sheer affability, joy, and generous spirit that are so visible in our Holy Father.
I pray, Beloved, that all divisions beginning with the Catholic Church will heal. Let us live our Catholic faith with joyful obedience. Let us share what we believe with gentleness. But before we do so, we need to learn and understand for ourselves what the Church's teachings are, so many of us are ignorant, poorly catechised, but this is no excuse to remain in ignorance. Let us cease the name-calling and come together with love and share the joy of the Good News that must first be visible in our own lives.
May this Jubilee Year be a time of great rejoicing so all may believe before it is too late, and be saved.
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.’
‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.’
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