A Home Pilgrimage Of The Heart

 

St "Padre" Pio:

 

As the years go by and eternity draws near, we must be twice as courageous and lift our spirit to God, serving Him with even greater diligence in everything that our Christian vocation and profession requires from us...

Living these brief passing moments should matter little to the children of God, so long as they will live eternally with God in Glory.

Consider that you are already on the way to Heaven. You have already placed one foot there. Provided that it is a happy one for you, what does it matter if these passing moments are unhappy.

But finally this life will come to an end. And then we will be happy, if we have assured for ourselves a happy transit to eternity.

Then our resurrection will be complete.There will be no more danger of losing the grace of God. There will no longer be any suffering, no more death, but instead everlasting life with our Saviour Jesus Christ in Heaven.

 

 

 

Homecoming and Looking Forward

 

Dear woman, here is your son...and to the disciple here is your mother (John 19: 26-27)

 

These are the words that Jesus spoke to Mary and John as they stood at the foot of the Cross. We are invited to share in this love, and to accept Mary into the home of our heart as our Mother. 

 

Legend tells us that Mary lived for a while in Ephesus with John. Imagine Mary in Her home in Ephesus, welcoming all who come to visit Her, giving counsel and advice, retelling the visit of Angel Gabriel, sharing Her memories of Jesus as a boy growing up, reminding everyone of His teaching, how She felt when She had to watch Him dying on the cross, how she felt when the disciples doubted Her and Her Son, how grateful She felt for the friendship and support shown by the women at the foot of the cross in Her hour of greatest need.

 

She would tell of the expectant wait in the upper room and the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and the women gathered there. Just as she would have encouraged them from her own understanding and experience of the infilling of the Holy Spirit, she encourages you now and prays for you.

 

As we get older we look back over our life, remembering the good, and reflecting on the challenges. As Mary and her Son forgave all who needed forgiveness, we, through their intercession, forgive ourselves and all who we feel need our forgiveness.

 

We can now join the circle of friends surrounding Jesus and hear Him say to us as he says to them:

 

Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the Will of God  is my brother and sister and mother (Mark 3:34)

 

To do the Will of God is simply to keep His commandments:

 

To love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul with all your strength and to love your neighbour as yourself, for His sake.

 

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