A CHRISTIANITY THAT DOESN'T PAY

"No, when you have a reception, invite beggars and the crippled, the lame and the blind. You should be pleased that they cannot repay you." -Luke 14:13-14

How many begging, crippled, lame, or blind people have you had over for supper lately? Most people would probably answer: very few or none. Most Christians in Western culture don't take Jesus' command literally. However, considering the historical and Biblical context of this passage, it is very likely meant to be taken literally. 
Why does Jesus want us to eat with the poor and handicapped? It is not because they are so needy but because they are not able to repay us (Lk 14:14). The Lord calls us to look for situations in which we won't, or better yet, can't be repaid. As far as the Lord is concerned, thankless jobs are the best because we won't be repaid. Moreover, secret or obscure works are ideal, for no one but your Father knows about them (Mt 6:3-4, 6, 18). Thus, no one but your Father is in a position to repay you. Although we must often go public for Jesus to be His witnesses, there is a danger in this because we might be appreciated and rewarded. We must try as best we can to hide our life "with Christ in God" (Col 3:3). This guards against the temptation to live and work for payment rather than for pure love. Therefore, look around for situations that don't pay.


Prayer: Father, may I want nothing but to give all my love to You.

Promise: "How deep are the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How inscrutable His judgments, how unsearchable His ways!" -Rm 11:33

Praise: God provided the Robinson family with the poorest of the poor to be fed daily at their table.

THE PRAYER OF A LIFETIME

"The Spirit intercedes for the saints as God Himself wills." -Romans 8:27

For more than twenty-five years, Pope John Paul II called us to great, growing, and intense prayer (The Redeemer of Man, 22). The Pope taught: "A great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God, the Creator and Lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer. Jesus Himself has shown us by His own example that prayer and fasting are the first and most effective weapons against the forces of evil (cf Mt 4:1-11). As He taught His disciples, some demons cannot be driven out except in this way (cf Mk 9:29)" (The Gospel of Life, 100). There is "the necessity of praying always and not losing heart" (Lk 18:1).
How can we obey the Lord, the Church, and the Pope and pray the greatest prayer of our lives? We have trouble watching one hour with Jesus (see Mt 26:40). How can we pray always with love and power? Jesus' first followers were pitiful in their prayerlessness until they received the Holy Spirit. "The Spirit too helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us" (Rm 8:26). 
When Advent begins next month, ask Jesus to renew your Baptism and Confirmation - to baptize and immerse you in the Holy Spirit (Mk 1:8). Then you will pray in the Spirit (see 1 Cor 14:15; Eph 6:18; Jude 20).


Prayer: Father, make me docile to the Spirit and powerful in prayer.

Promise: "Try to come in through the narrow door. Many, I tell you, will try to enter and be unable." -Lk 13:24

Praise: Four sisters prayed and fasted for their cancer-riddled father and were rewarded with his living for seven more years.

REPENTANCE OR FEAR

"You did not receive a spirit of slavery leading you back into fear, but a spirit of adoption through which we cry out 'Abba!' (that is, 'Father')." -Romans 8:15

Because we inherited a fallen nature, we were in fear from the first moment of our conception. We lived in fear (see Lk 12:32) no matter how hard we tried to be free. We would have lived in fear our whole lives (Heb 2:15), but we were set free when we received a new nature by being baptized into Jesus. 
When we live our Baptism as adopted children of God, we push fear out of our lives (1 Jn 4:18). However, when we sin and are thereby unfaithful to our baptismal promises, we replace a spirit of adoption with a spirit of slavery, which leads us back into fear (Rm 8:15). In summary, freedom from fear is based on living as adopted children of God, that is, on living our Baptism. Freedom from fear is based on repentance. 
People either repent or become lifelong slaves of the fear of death (Heb 2:15). Sometimes people say they are afraid to go to Confession. On the contrary, they will be trapped in fear forever if they do not repent and confess their sins. Therefore, repent, go to Confession, and "do not be afraid of anything" (Mt 10:31).


Prayer: Father, may I go to Confession frequently, even monthly, as You lead me.

Promise: "There was a woman there who for eighteen years had been possessed by a spirit which drained her strength. She was badly stooped - quite incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said, 'Woman, you are free of your infirmity.' He laid His hand on her, and immediately she stood up straight and began thanking God." -Lk 13:11-13

Praise: St. Anthony had multiple attempts on his life and suffered great humiliation for the sake of the propagation of truth.

A "WHOLE" IN MY HEART

"You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart." -Matthew 22:37

We disciples are called to holiness. We are also called to "whole-liness." We are to love God with our whole heart, our whole soul, and our whole mind (Mt 22:37). 
It all begins with God's love for us. "The love of God [is] poured out in our hearts" (Rm 5:5). God's poured-out love fills our hearts with love for Him and for others (Mt 22:37). So "we, for our part, love because He first loved us" (1 Jn 4:19). Now we are full of God's love. 
True love, however, is not satisfied with being full. Love wants to grow and is always searching for a never-ending increase of still more love. Impelled by love (2 Cor 5:14), we ask God to give us a new heart (Ez 36:26). Now God pours out His love again (Rm 5:5) and our whole heart is filled. Overflowing with love, we can't help but respond to God with more love. Therefore, we ask God to "enlarge" our hearts (Acts 20:32) so we can love Him even more. We even reach the point where we love God so much that we abide in God and God in us (1 Jn 4:16). 
This cycle of love continues until the day of our death. On that day, we should have a huge heart of love for the Lord. At our death, we who love the Lord with our whole heart will rejoice as we see "what God has prepared for those who love Him" (1 Cor 2:9). We will see Him "face to face" (1 Cor 13:12).


Prayer: Father, I can't love You if I don't love Your people. Help me to love myself, then love my neighbor as myself (Mt 22:39).

Promise: "Praised be the Lord, I exclaim, and I am safe from my enemies." -Ps 18:4

Praise: "Praise the Lord, O my soul; I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God while I live" (Ps 146:1-2).

I'M EXHAUSTED FOR HIM

"Why should it exhaust the soil?" -Luke 13:7, RNAB

Most plants pull nutrients out of the soil. Repeated growing of certain crops can literally exhaust the soil over a period of time (see Lk 13:7, RNAB). Every few years, farmers rotate a crop of leguminous plants, which replenish the soil with nutrients, to make the soil more fertile. 
Jesus calls us to be good soil, bearing thirty-, sixty-, or a hundredfold for Him (Mk 4:20). Part of being good soil for Jesus means being exhausted soil for Him (Lk 13:7). It's exhausting to deal with a person who repeatedly sucks the life out of us. This may happen at a prayer group, soup kitchen, parish committee, workplace, or even at home. We repeatedly give this person love and attention (or they pull it out of us). We're used up, exhausted, and they keep coming back for more. We look for improvement in this person as a result of all we've given them, but we see none. We say to God, "Why should they keep cluttering up my life? Why should they go on exhausting me? For years now, I've given them my best, and I've seen nothing come of it. I'm going to stop exhausting myself for them" (see Lk 13:7). 
We think we're exhausted, yet Jesus says to give them another year (or more) of loving care (Lk 13:8). Jesus is like the good farmer who rotates crops to enrich the soil. He knows when we have more to give and He knows the right time to replenish us when we're exhausted for Him. Focus not on nourishing yourself but rather on being good soil for Jesus. Trust in Him to nourish you in His time.


Prayer: Jesus, I give You everything. Use me and use me up.

Promise: "There is no condemnation now for those who are in Christ Jesus." -Rm 8:1

Praise: After pouring himself out for love of a chronically ill family member, God gave Ted a break when he most needed it.

SETTLERS

"When you are going with your opponent to appear before a magistrate, try to settle with him on the way." -Luke 12:58

If we can know the time when it will rain or get hot, we can know the time to settle with our opponent (Lk 12:54-58). The verses which immediately follow this passage indicate that we settle with our opponent by repenting of not bearing fruit, that is, of not leading people to Jesus (Lk 13:3, 5, 6). We either repent of not leading people to Christ or be handed over to the judge and the jailer where we will come to a tragic end (see Lk 13:5). 
Nevertheless, most people who hear that they must repent of not bearing fruit still don't do it. They have the desire to do this but not the power (Rm 7:18). This condition of powerlessness is normal for an unbaptized person, but why would baptized people be powerless to repent and lead others to Christ? We must have sinned and thereby refused to live our Baptisms. Therefore, we must first repent of not living out our Baptisms. Then we must renew our baptismal promises, and thereby we will have the power to repent of other things, such as not leading others to Christ. We will lead people to Christ, settle with our opponent, and be freed from a tragic end. 
When a tree doesn't bear fruit, we shouldn't examine branches but roots. If we're not leading people to Christ, we don't need a seminar on evangelization techniques. We need renewal of our Baptism, the root of our lives in Christ. That's why the Church calls all Catholics to renew their baptismal promises at all the Masses of Easter Vigil and Sunday. Renew, repent, and revive.


Prayer: Father, may I settle things by renewing my baptismal promises.

Promise: "What a wretched man I am! Who can free me from this body under the power of death? All praise to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!" -Rm 7:24-25

Praise: Sondra teaches her students to rejoice in the amazing power given to them at Baptism.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER

"I have come for division." -Luke 12:51

Jesus came to divide families, "three against two and two against three" (Lk 12:52). These divisions are tragic because they are due to the refusal by family members to give their lives to Jesus and love Him. 
However, divisions are not all bad. "There may even have to be factions among you for the tried and true to stand out clearly" (1 Cor 11:19). Through divisions, those who are lukewarm in their faith turn cold. And Jesus exclaimed: "How I wish you were one or the other - hot or cold!" (Rv 3:15) 
Furthermore, when God's word "divides soul and spirit, joints and marrow" (Heb 4:12), cold and hot, or truth and lies, we can better understand Jesus' Gospel. We see more clearly that our decision in life is either Jesus or Satan, heaven or hell, salvation or damnation, light or darkness, life or death. We may be mixed up, have mixed motives, or feel mixed emotions. Nevertheless, Jesus came to divide those things mixed together by sin. He divides the dividing word rightly (see 2 Tm 2:15, KJV). The incarnate Word, Jesus, uses the written word, the Bible, to clarify by dividing. Then we don't stay so mixed up that we refuse to freely give our lives to Jesus forever. Jesus divides to put us back together according to His perfect will.


Prayer: Jesus, give me the painful divisions that lead to victorious unity.

Promise: "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." -Rm 6:23

Praise: St. Paul wrote a vow in the Passionist rule to daily meditate on the Passion of Jesus. He wanted to ensure that all would remember what Jesus suffered for our salvation.

NO LIMITS

"More will be asked of a man to whom more has been entrusted." -Luke 12:48

Jesus has come that we might have abundant life, life to the full (Jn 10:10). He plans to fill our cup to overflowing (Ps 23:5) and lavish the Holy Spirit upon us without measure (Jn 3:34; Ti 3:6), just as He changed water into a huge amount of wine (Jn 2:6ff). God will open the floodgates of heaven to bless us with a superabundance if we obey Him in generous trust (see Mal 3:10). 
In view of God's abundance, why do so many people demand just a little from God when He wants to bless them with so much? The secular culture gives lip-service to unlimited freedom, but it truly is a culture of limits: limited love, life, relationships, and responsibility. The culture wants married couples to have their two children, but no more. It wants God's protection and financial blessings, but not His intimacy and definitely not His lordship. 
The only things that seem unlimited in the secular culture are sin and arrogant speech. Most of all, the secular culture wants to limit the unlimited Almighty God. It doesn't want Him to be God. It tries to eliminate Him from the bedroom, schools, courts, halls of government, financial institutions, the entertainment industry, etc. The secular culture finds Jesus "too much" (Mk 6:3). 
Are you a child of the secular culture or a child of the Living God? Are you limiting God in any way and thereby stifling the Holy Spirit? (1 Thes 5:19) Repent of a lack of trust in God and His plan for abundant life. Love God and love His abundance.


Prayer: Father, remove anything in me that limits You in any way. Pour out Your Holy Spirit in my heart (Rm 5:5).

Promise: "Sin will no longer have power over you; you are now under grace, not under the law." -Rm 6:14

Praise: St. Isaac Jogues and companions did not limit God's love, but offered themselves time and again to sacrificial service.

WITH IT OR WITH HIM?

"I have no one with me but Luke." -2 Timothy 4:11

St. Luke was a disciple of St. Paul, a missionary, one of the four evangelists, the author of Acts of the Apostles, and a doctor (Col 4:14). On Luke's feast day, however, the Church has not chosen readings to emphasize any of these claims to fame. Our first reading simply notes that Luke was with Paul. That doesn't sound like much until we remember Jesus' last words in Matthew's Gospel: "Know that I am with you always, until the end of the world!" (Mt 28:20) 
The Lord has not left us orphaned (Jn 14:18). He is always with us, and wants us always with Him and with each other. We need to be like those few people who were with Jesus before His death, even at the foot of the cross (Jn 19:25). We should visit with strangers, the sick, and the imprisoned (Mt 25:35-36). In this way, we will be visiting with Jesus. We need to eat with "beggars and the crippled, the lame and the blind" (Lk 14:13). We are called to live in community with our Christian brothers and sisters so as to be one with them as Jesus and the Father are one (Jn 17:21). 
The question is not: "Are we with it?" but "Are we with Him and them?" Get with Him. Get with His people.


Prayer: Father, through, with, and in Jesus, all glory and honor are Yours!

Promise: "The Lord appointed a further seventy-two and sent them in pairs before Him to every town and place He intended to visit. He said to them: 'The harvest is rich but the workers are few; therefore ask the Harvest-Master to send workers to His harvest.' " -Lk 10:1-2

Praise: St. Luke emphasized the mercy and compassion of our Lord forever proclaimed in His Holy Word.

DAILY BREAD IS DAILY LOVE

"Then I will say to myself: You have blessings in reserve for years to come. Relax! Eat heartily, drink well. Enjoy yourself." -Luke 12:19

Jesus didn't encourage the man who had "blessings in reserve for years to come" (Lk 12:19). Instead, He called him a fool (Lk 12:20). Jesus usually calls us to live from "day to day." He taught us to pray: "Give us today our daily bread" (Mt 6:11). Similarly, after the Exodus the Lord commanded His people not to save the manna for the next day, except for the Sabbath. When some people disobeyed Him, that which they had saved "became wormy and rotten" (Ex 16:20). 
Some people are terrified by the prospect of not having anything saved up in the bank. What if an emergency occurs? What about retirement? What if they get sick? However, we should rejoice that our heavenly Father has committed Himself to provide for us on a daily basis. This means that every day we will see with our own eyes our Father faithfully and tenderly providing for us, His children. This daily experience of being fathered will help us bond deeply with our Father. Then we will become secure, peaceful, confident, carefree, affirmed, and joyful. Know our Father's love. Then instead of saying "What if?", you'll be saying "What a mighty God!"


Prayer: "Our Father in heaven...give us today our daily bread" (Mt 6:9, 11).

Promise: "He was strengthened in faith and gave glory to God, fully persuaded that God could do whatever He had promised." -Rm 4:20-21

Praise: While being martyred by being fed to lions, St. Ignatius prayed that he become the immaculate bread of Christ.

KNOW JESUS; NO FEAR

"Fear nothing, then." -Luke 12:7

Three-hundred and sixty-five times, once for each day of the year, the Lord commands us in the Bible: "Do not be afraid" (Lk 12:4). Pope John Paul II repeatedly proclaimed, prayed, and prophesied: "Do not be afraid." Although Satan tries to use fear to manipulate and even to enslave us (Heb 2:15), we can overcome the temptations to give in to fear. We can overcome not because we are strong, but because Jesus is our Strength and we believe in His love for us. 
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Though we walk in the valley of the shadow of death, we fear no evil for He is at our side (Ps 23:4) and even within us (see Jn 6:56). Jesus is the Light of the world. He is our Light and our Salvation; whom shall we fear? (Ps 27:1) Jesus is Love (1 Jn 4:16), and "Love has no room for fear; rather, perfect love casts out all fear" (1 Jn 4:18). Jesus is God. He is perfect. Know Jesus; no fear!


Prayer: Father, may I only believe and not fear (Lk 8:50).

Promise: "Blest is the man to whom the Lord imputes no guilt." -Rm 4:8

Praise: Pope St. Callistus I was a slave in a Roman household, who upon his conversion became a slave to Jesus Christ.

JUST NOW

"He did so to manifest His own justice." -Romans 3:25

"Just yesterday, I was just just, just as he was." The preceding sentence contains grammatically correct English. It shows the many usages of the word "just." The sentence can be more clearly stated: "As recently as yesterday, I was merely fair, exactly as he was." The English word "just" is just plain confusing. 
Similarly, throughout the history of Christianity, most notably from the time of the Protestant Reformation, the words "just," "justice," and "justification" have been taught and understood in ways that are confusing. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you the truth (Jn 16:13) about justice by prayerfully meditating on the following truths: 
* God is just. 
* "Both law and prophets bear witness" to God's justice (Rm 3:21). 
* The justice of God "works through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe" (Rm 3:22). 
* "All men are now undeservedly justified by the gift of God, through the redemption wrought in Christ Jesus" (Rm 3:24). 
* "You must perceive that a person is justified by his works and not by faith alone" (Jas 2:24). 

After praying about these Scriptures, look up grace, faith, and justice in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (see the Catechism's index for help). Let the Spirit teach you (Jn 14:26) about justice (Jn 16:8, 10).


Prayer: Father, make me just, and not just just but also merciful.

Promise: "I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in His word. My soul waits for the Lord more than sentinels wait for the dawn." -Ps 130:5-6

Praise: Senators Smith and Foster work tirelessly for justice for the unborn, as a service to God, the Lord of life.

Away with the negative!

You say: 'It's impossible' God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27) You say: 'I'm too tired' God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30) You say: 'Nobody really loves me' God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 3:34 ) You say: 'I can't go on' God says: My grace is sufficient (2 Cor 12:9 & Psalm 91:15) You say: 'I can't figure things out' God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6) You say: 'I can't do it' God says: You can do all things ( Philippians 4:13) You say: 'I'm not able' God says: I am able (2 Cor 9:8) You say: 'It's not worth it' God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28) You say: 'I can't forgive myself' God says: I Forgive you (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1) You say: 'I can't manage' God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19) You say: 'I'm afraid'God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7) You say: 'I'm always worried God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7) You say: 'I'm not smart enough' God says: I give you wisdom (I Cor 1:30) You say: 'I feel all alone' God says: I will never leave you or forsake you(Hebrews 13:5)

DOCILITY, NOT HOSTILITY

"Teacher, in speaking this way You insult us too!" -Luke 11:45

Jesus speaks strongly of lifestyle changes in today's Gospel reading. He gives the Pharisees and lawyers a direct warning of the consequences of their hypocrisy and pride (Lk 11:42ff). The lawyers disregarded Jesus' loving and expert warning and claimed He was insulting them (Lk 11:45). After Jesus concluded His diagnosis and prescription, "the scribes and Pharisees began to manifest fierce hostility to Him" (Lk 11:53). His listeners did not heed His words. 
St. Paul spoke strongly of lifestyle changes in his letter to the Romans. He warned of the natural and eternal consequences of the sinful lifestyles of idolatry (Rm 1:23), homosexual activity (Rm 1:24-27), and other acts of wickedness (Rm 1:29ff). St. Paul is also giving a loving diagnosis and prescription. Try reading Romans 1:18-32 in the average college classroom, corporate workplace, or other "enlightened" setting and see whether the reaction of your hearers is docility or "fierce hostility." Many would think they were being insulted (see Lk 11:45) rather than being warned in love. 
If your doctor told you to change your lifestyle or die, you would probably act with docility and not think you were being insulted. Accordingly, repent of any hostility to Doctor Jesus. Repent of not being docile to Him. He is Almighty God, the ultimate authority. Let Him tell you anything. Then "do whatever He tells you" (Jn 2:5).


Prayer: Father, help me to daily sit at Your feet (Lk 10:38-42), hear Your words, and act on them (Jas 1:22).

Promise: "Do you not know that God's kindness is an invitation to you to repent?" -Rm 2:4

Praise: Rather than attend a popular girl's party where questionable activities would ensue, Marissa called upon her Lord and refused the invitation.

USE AS DIRECTED

"These men...exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator." -Romans 1:25

From the garden of Eden to the present day, man and woman have been captivated by God's good and beautiful creations. He created things to point to Himself (Rm 1:20; Wis 13:5). Many are unable to get past the beauty of creation to find God the Creator, and so they worship and serve the creature (Rm 1:25). In Western society, the human body is worshipped. "Images representing mortal man" and woman (Rm 1:23) are worshipped instead of God. Billboards, TV shows, movies, and fashion advertisements, among others, glorify the fairness of the human body (Wis 13:7). As a result, many are "distracted by what they see" (Wis 13:7) and forget God, Who created all human bodies. 
In addition, God intended His creation to be used in good, natural, and specific ways. Divorcing any creation from its Creator leads to confusion and misuse. It is obvious to anyone familiar with very basic natural law and biology that man and woman are made for sexual union and reproduction. Yet by a determined resolve to eliminate God the Creator from His creation, many in the USA and other countries insist that homosexual acts are to be practiced and approved (Rm 1:32). If you are confused about this issue, read Romans 1:25-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 2357. As always, God will have the last word (Rm 2:2, 5ff). If you have any wrong attitudes toward God the Creator, repent now!


Prayer: Father, may I seek You and Your kingdom first (Mt 6:33). Allow me to see everything as it relates to Your plan.

Promise: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God leading everyone who believes in it to salvation." -Rm 1:16

Praise: Amanda repented of giving in to temptation and turned to the Living God to be her Rock.

A priest who saw heaven, hell, and purgatory. The death experience of Father Jose Maniyangat

Fr. Jose Maniyangat is currently the pastor of St. Mary’s Mother of Mercy Catholic Church in Macclenny, Florida. Here is his personal testimony:

I was born on July 16, 1949 in Kerala, India to my parents, Joseph and Theresa Maniyangat. I am the eldest of seven children: Jose, Mary, Theresa, Lissama, Zachariah, Valsa and Tom.

At the age of fourteen, I entered St. Mary’s Minor Seminary in Thiruvalla to begin my studies for the priesthood. Four years later, I went to St. Joseph’s Pontifical Major Seminary in Alwaye, Kerala to continue my priestly formation. After completing the seven years of philosophy and theology, I was ordained a priest on January 1, 1975 to serve as a missionary in the Diocese of Thiruvalla.

On Sunday April 14, 1985, the Feast of the Divine Mercy, I was going to celebrate Mass at a mission church in the north part of Kerala, and I had a fatal accident. I was riding a motorcycle when I was hit head-on by a jeep driven by a man who was intoxicated after a Hindu festival. I was rushed to a hospital about 35 miles away. On the way, my soul came out from my body and I experienced death. Immediately, I met my Guardian Angel. I saw my body and the people who were carrying me to the hospital. I heard them crying and praying for me. At this time my angel told me: “I am going to take you to Heaven, the Lord wants to meet you and talk with you.” He also said that, on the way, he wanted to show me hell and purgatory.

Hell

First, the angel escorted me to hell. It was an awful sight! I saw Satan and the devils, an unquenchable fire of about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, worms crawling, people screaming and fighting, others being tortured by demons. The angel told me that all these sufferings were due to unrepented mortal sins. Then, I understood that there are seven degrees of suffering or levels according to the number and kinds of mortal sins committed in their earthly lives. The souls looked very ugly, cruel and horrific. It was a fearful experience. I saw people whom I knew, but I am not allowed to reveal their identities. The sins that convicted them were mainly abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia, hatefulness, unforgiveness and sacrilege. The angel told me that if they had repented, they would have avoided hell and gone instead to purgatory. I also understood that some people who repent from these sins might be purified on earth through their sufferings. This way they can avoid purgatory and go straight to heaven.

I was surprised when I saw in hell even priests and Bishops, some of whom I never expected to see. Many of them were there because they had misled the people with false teaching and bad example.

Purgatory

After the visit to hell, my Guardian Angel escorted me to purgatory. Here too, there are seven degrees of suffering and unquenchable fire. But it is far less intense than hell and there was neither quarreling nor fighting. The main suffering of these souls is their separation from God. Some of those who are in purgatory committed numerous mortal sins, but they were reconciled with God before their death. Even though these souls are suffering, they enjoy peace and the knowledge that one day they will see God face to face.

I had a chance to communicate with the souls in purgatory. They asked me to pray for them and to tell the people to pray for them as well, so they can go to heaven quickly. When we pray for these souls, we will receive their gratitude through their prayers, and once they enter heaven, their prayers become even more meritorious.

It is difficult for me to describe how beautiful my Guardian Angel is. He is radiant and bright. He is my constant companion and helps me in all my ministries, especially my healing ministry. I experience his presence everywhere I go and I am grateful for his protection in my daily life.

Heaven

Next, my angel escorted me to heaven passing through a big dazzling white tunnel. I never experienced this much peace and joy in my life. Then immediately heaven opened up and I heard the most delightful music, which I never heard before. The angels were singing and praising God. I saw all the saints, especially the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, and many dedicated holy Bishops and priests who were shining like stars. And when I appeared before the Lord, Jesus told me: “I want you to go back to the world. In your second life, you will be an instrument of peace and healing to My people. You will walk in a foreign land and you will speak in a foreign tongue. Everything is possible for you with My grace.” After these words, the Blessed Mother told me: “Do whatever He tells you. I will help you in your ministries.”

Words can not express the beauty of heaven. There we find so much peace and happiness, which exceed a million times our imagination. Our Lord is far more beautiful than any image can convey. His face is radiant and luminous and more beautiful than a thousand rising suns. The pictures we see in the world are only a shadow of His magnificence. The Blessed Mother was next to Jesus; She was so beautiful and radiant. None of the images we see in this world can compare with Her real beauty. Heaven is our real home; we are all created to reach heaven and enjoy God forever. Then, I came back to the world with my angel.

While my body was at the hospital, the doctor completed all examinations and I was pronounced dead. The cause of death was bleeding. My family was notified, and since they were far away, the hospital staff decided to move my dead body to the morgue. Because the hospital did not have air conditioners, they were concerned that the body would decompose quickly. As they were moving my dead body to the morgue, my soul came back to the body. I felt an excruciating pain because of so many wounds and broken bones. I began to scream, and then the people became frightened and ran away screaming. One of them approached the doctor and said: “The dead body is screaming.” The doctor came to examine the body and found that I was alive. So he said: “Father is alive, it is a miracle! Take him back to the hospital.”

Now, back at the hospital, they gave me blood transfusions and I was taken to surgery to repair the broken bones. They worked on my lower jaw, ribs, pelvic bone, wrists, and right leg. After two months, I was released from the hospital, but my orthopedic doctor said that I would never walk again. I then said to him: “The Lord who gave me my life back and sent me back to the world will heal me.” Once at home, we were all praying for a miracle. Still after a month, and with the casts removed, I was not able to move. But one day while praying I felt an extraordinary pain in my pelvic area. After a short while the pain disappeared completely and I heard a voice saying: “You are healed. Get up and walk.” I felt the peace and healing power on my body. I immediately got up and walked. I praised and thanked God for the miracle.

I reached my doctor with the news of my healing, and he was amazed. He said: “Your God is the true God. I must follow your God.” The doctor was Hindu, and he asked me to teach him about our Church. After studying the Faith, I baptized him and he became Catholic.

Following the message from my Guardian Angel, I came to the United States on November 10, 1986 as a missionary priest... Since June 1999, I have been pastor of St. Mary’s Mother of Mercy Catholic Church in Macclenny, Florida.

Fr. Jose Maniyangat

Source: http://www.stmarymacclenny.com/fatherJstory.htm

THE ULTIMATE FINANCIAL SECURITY

"My God in turn will supply your needs fully, in a way worthy of His magnificent riches in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:19

The Philippians had contributed financially to Paul's ministry on several occasions. Paul called their financial contributions a kindness (Phil 4:14), a share in his hardships (Phil 4:14), and an opportunity for the Lord to supply their needs "fully, in a way worthy of His magnificent riches" (Phil 4:19). Clearly, we can't outgive God. We get more out of giving than receiving (see Acts 20:35). 
Many people have shares in companies on the stock market. They expect dividends from these shares. Those who financially contribute to God's work also have shares - not on the stock market, but in the hardships of the Church (Phil 4:14). Although we don't expect to receive dividends from our shares, we receive a fantastic return - the full supply of all our needs by God Himself. 
The Lord's full provision of our needs includes "a feast of rich food and choice wines" (Is 25:6). The Lord "will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations; He will destroy death forever. The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces; the reproach of His people He will remove from the whole earth" (Is 25:7-8). The Lord will save us and thereby fully provide our needs forever. He gave His life for us. If we in turn give our lives to Him, we accept His gift of eternal life, happiness, and provision for all our needs.


Prayer: Father, may I trust You in the practical details of my life and let You father me.

Promise: "Let us rejoice and be glad that He saved us!" -Is 25:9

Praise: Praise Jesus, Who is our allotted portion and cup! (Ps 16:5) Because of Your death and Resurrection, we "fear no evil" (Ps 23:4). Alleluia!

RE-POSSESS THE RE-POSSESSED

"When an unclean spirit has gone out of a man, it wanders through arid wastes searching for a resting-place; failing to find one, it says, 'I will go back to where I came from.' " -Luke 11:24

Pope John Paul II seemed to be preoccupied with what he called the "new evangelization." This means leading to Christ the people of formerly Christian countries, such as the countries of western Europe, the USA, and Canada. This state of being a formerly Christian country or individual is worse than never having known Christ (see Lk 11:26). "When men have fled a polluted world by recognizing the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and then are caught up and overcome in pollution once more, their last condition is worse than their first. It would have been better for them not to have recognized the road to holiness than to have turned their backs on the holy law handed on to them, once they had known it" (2 Pt 2:20-21). This state is so bad because in it we have opened ourselves to seven other demons far worse than the demon that manipulated us before we knew Christ (Lk 11:26). 
This means the "new evangelization" is humanly impossible (see Heb 6:4-6). However, nothing is impossible for the Lord (Lk 1:37). He is stronger than the strong man (Lk 11:21-22). He can save anyone, no matter how sinful (1 Tm 1:15-16). 
We share in the miracle of the "new evangelization" by obeying the Lord. By praying and fasting in obedience to God's will, we will drive out the most tenacious demons (Mt 17:21, NAB) and bring down even the most ancient strongholds of the evil one (2 Cor 10:4). So, "proclaim a fast, call an assembly; gather the elders, all who dwell in the land, into the house of the Lord!" (Jl 1:14) Obey and re-possess the re-possessed.


Prayer: Father, in Jesus' name may I drive the demons out of our society once and for all.

Promise: "The day of the Lord is coming." -Jl 2:1

Praise: Our Lady of the Rosary gave us the rosary, "Our Lady's lasso," to bring back the strays.

SELF-CLEANING OVEN

"Then you will again see the distinction between the just and the wicked; between him who serves God and him who does not serve Him." -Malachi 3:18

In the prophet Malachi's time, prosperity was considered a sign of divine approval. Malachi lamented that evildoers prospered at the expense of those who were just. Malachi wondered why God would bless evildoers and thus blur the distinction between those who obey Him and those who don't. 
God then taught Malachi how to distinguish between the just and the wicked. It's in the heat of the oven that you can see the distinction between those who obey the Lord wholeheartedly and those who do not. In the furnace of affliction and testing, people are refined into the finest gold or are burned up like a withered branch (Jn 15:5-6). 
"The day is coming, blazing like an oven...[that] will set [us all] on fire" (Mal 3:19). You can tell the difference between the just and the wicked in the fire. In the oven of affliction and testing, the just 
* fear God and praise Him (Dn 3:24-90), 
* turn to God, rely on Him, and persist in prayer (Lk 11:8), 
* show constant generosity to others in need (Mal 3:10), 
* continue to bear fruit for the kingdom of God (Ps 1:3), unlike the wicked, who wilt under pressure (Ps 1:4, 6), 
* leap from the oven in joy when the trial is over (Mal 3:20). 

Jesus came to set the earth on fire (Lk 12:49) and purify His people. Be willing to be "set aflame and burning bright" so all may see your good works and give God praise (Jn 5:35; Mt 5:16).


Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, let Your fire fall. Let it burn over me.

Promise: "How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" -Lk 11:13

Praise: St. Bruno died as he had lived: in humility, self-denial and peace.

BETTERING YOURSELF

"Mary has chosen the better portion and she shall not be deprived of it." -Luke 10:42

In yesterday's Scripture reading, Jesus told us to be good neighbors like the Samaritan who gave hands-on service to the beaten man whom he found on the road (Lk 10:33-36). In today's reading, we meet another good neighbor, Martha. However, Jesus criticizes Martha instead of putting her forth as a model of a good neighbor as He did with the Samaritan. Yet that doesn't mean Martha wasn't good while the Good Samaritan was. In fact, when Jesus said that Mary had chosen the better part, this implies that Martha's part was good. We don't usually say something is better than bad, but better than good. Thus Martha was a good Samaritan too, but Jesus was calling her to become a better Samaritan. 
It's good to be a neighbor, but better to be a brother or sister. It's good to serve the poor, but better to sit at the feet of the poor Man from Nazareth, Jesus. It's good to talk to Jesus, but better to listen to Him. Don't be robbed of the better by settling for the good. If you choose the better portion, you will not be deprived of it (Lk 10:42).


Prayer: Father, may things in my life not have to be bad for me to change. Help me to change when they're good.

Promise: "The people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth." -Jon 3:5

Praise: St. Francis listened to Jesus and accordingly made a decision to become the poorest of the poor.

REJECTED!

"The Stone Which the builders rejected has become the Keystone of the structure." -Matthew 21:42; Psalm 118:22

It is so easy to reject Jesus. Our lives are like houses (see Mt 7:24). If we have the opportunity to make Jesus the Cornerstone of our lives, but do not do so, then we have rejected Him. If we refuse to provide for and protect the poor, the marginalized, babies in the womb, or our enemies, we reject Jesus. He said: "As often as you neglected to do it to one of these least ones, you neglected to do it to Me" (Mt 25:45). If we fall away from a one-hundred percent commitment to the Lord or never give our lives to Him, we reject Jesus, continue to crucify Him, and hold Him up to contempt (Heb 6:6). If we don't accept the Lord's government of His people through the Church, we reject the Lord (1 Sm 8:7). If we don't accept the Pope, bishops, parents, husbands, or leaders, we reject Jesus and the Father. Jesus said: "He who hears you, hears Me. He who rejects you, rejects Me. And he who rejects Me, rejects Him Who sent Me" (Lk 10:16). We can also reject the Lord by ignoring His presence in Holy Communion or in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. If we don't even bother to read the Bible, isn't that rejecting the Lord? 
Jesus has never rejected anyone (Jn 6:37), but He has been rejected more than any other person. Love Jesus; don't reject Him. Make reparation to Jesus for the abuse He suffers daily.


Prayer: Jesus, to not accept You is to reject You. I don't want to reject You. May I not sin. I accept Your grace.

Promise: "Dismiss all anxiety from your minds. Present your needs to God in every form of prayer and in petitions full of gratitude." -Phil 4:6

Praise: Praise You, Jesus, Lord of hosts. We rejected You, yet You restored us (Ps 80:20). You are infinite Love and Mercy. We will love and praise You forever.