Year of Faith 16: On Purgatory

Year of Faith 16: On Purgatory: From the very word itself, it means that a certain time for cleansing should still happen to a faithful who still has to undergo temporal punishments for his forgiven sins at the time of his death. It follows that after temporal punishments have been served, the soul will now enter God's Kingdom.
We also believe that we can pray and do good works for those souls in 

purgatory.
Scriptures is rich with passages encouraging everyone to pray for the dead. These in themselves anchor the belief. Tradition does not define how and where purgation happens. It just teaches that purgatory exists and those detained there maybe aided by the prayers and good works of the faithful. Other possible explanations and positions that are not sound and do not add to the advancement of ones relation to God specially those that only satisfy idle-curiosity, superstition, or money-making is prohibited.
It does give a sign to the faithful and the theologians to reflect more on this doctrine. Pope Benedict XVI, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger thought that it is impossible the moment of this encounter in our terms. It is neither long nor short in terms of Physical time. He stressed that its true measure should be taken in terms of the depth of the resistance in the human person that must be broken down or "burned" away in the encounter of the divine.
Thus, the purgation process is not seen as a paying of debt caused by sin more than a maturation of the human person who had died.
The doctrine makes a lot of sense since God is a forgiving God. Many Catholics now question the dynamics of sin and forgiveness. If God will certainly forgive us of our sins, why avoid sin? Justice expressed in temporal punishment is the answer. Justice requires that even if we have been forgiven, we still have to undergo purgation from the effects of those sins and justification. The less the sins, the faster will be our maturation in purgatory.
The human body is a perfect analogy of this. If we want to be cleansed physically of unwanted toxins and substances, we have to undergo a certain cleansing. We may not be using the word "purgation", but it is actually what we are doing for our bodies as it happens too for our souls!

Year of Faith 17: On Devotions

Year of Faith 17: On Devotions: Do you have a devotion? These are religious activities usually associated with praying combined with visiting a church and done regularly like: Novenas to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, St. Jude, Sacred Heart, Sto. Nino, Black Nazarene, St. Anthony of Padua, San Juan Nepomuceno, St. Alphonsus of Liguori, St. Fr. Pio, etc. These devotions are part of the heritage of t

he Catholic Church and had greatly assisted so many Catholic faithfuls.
Devotions are seen as the feeling or emotional side of the faithful. It maybe mostly motivated by the need to ask for particular graces, but it actually links faith and action. A true devotee does not measure the devotion on the gifts received but on the maturity he/she acquires in living a truly Christian life. In other words, devotions should make him/her a better Christian both in word and in deed.
The act of devotion itself has a lot to do with accomplishing this. The prayer contains certain truths that are being repeated and stressed. The goal is not to inform but to remind. It is like a mantra, when constantly uttered and imbibed mentally, will prod the devotee to act. The regular praying of the devotion, e.g. every Wednesday, Friday, or any day, commits the devotee to the devotion and is always refreshed by the same prayer. Needless to say, the devotee always look forward to the devotion and not burdened by it. The devotee is never bored in it. The devotee is not only concerned with just doing it again and again but with what to do with it in facing life's challenges.
The devotion should not be seen as a magical instrument that when done, lo and behold, something spectacular will happen. Precisely, in adopting it, the devotee believes that it is effective. And if the devotee sees the the devotion as a catalyst between faith and action, then he had entered into a meaningful and fruitful exercise of worship!

Year of Faith 18: On Being on Time for Mass. The common question here had always been up to what of the mass may one still come in and still be not considered as late or discredited for it? Different answers may have been given to this question but it will always miss the point. Barring any reasonable excuse, one should always be at mass at least in time, or earlier at most. The reasons for this a

re too many and important.
Foremost of these is that it is about meeting the Lord. It is not just any kind of meeting. It is meeting with the most important person in your life! God deserves your full attention and commitment. A date with God should not be missed for the world. If you give importance to some people in your lives by seeing to it that you meet your meetings and dates with them, why not with God?
Second, every part of the mass is important. They are parts that make the whole. Saying that you can enter at a certain time and still believe that you had fulfilled your participation, is being guilty of minimalism. You should should know better and not fall into the devils temptation and goal for you to settle for less! Each part also connects to the next. The liturgy is made in such a way that you are treated to a meaningful and fruitful encounter with the living God. Missing some parts amounts to being out of context and disconnected in the celebration.
Third, it is a community celebration. You attend mass to pray with the community and not alone. Thus, it is best that everyone is there at the same time. Being on time is a sign of respect too! As a community of believers praying, praising, singing, asking, and glorifying together, is the best sign for God's presence.
Next time, be on time!

Year of Faith 02: On Holy Communion

Year of Faith 02: On the reception of Holy Communion; It is one of the highlights of the mass. The opportunity to finally receive the Lord in communion is both a privilege and a moment of grace. It happens most meaningfully and fruitfully when the faithful had prepared himself before and during the mass. Receiving the Lord in the state of grace is an experience of the Lord truly and really present!

As we approach the priest for communion, we must pray to ourselves to be worthy. When the priest asks, "The Body of Christ!" We must bear in mind that he is challenging our faith in the Eucharist. He is asking if we believe that the bread we are about to receive is the Christ! Then we say, "Amen", which means, "I believe!" Communion should therefore give us a spiritual high! We have not only heard the Lord in the readings, seen Him in the consecration, but also felt, tasted, and received Him in our person in communion. It is indeed a solemn and gracious moment! Thus, is it not obvious that we should go back to our seat reverently and utter a prayer of thanks?

Jews, and we can even say among Filipinos take their meal seriously. We see to it that we eat with friends at table. it is very understandable that we avoid those who we are not in good terms with to be eating at the same table. A meal is a gathering among friends. Thus, if we have been disobedient to the Lord, how can we break bread with Him? How can we receive Him in communion. That is why we are reminded to go to confession and reconcile with God. Having been graced with forgiveness, we can now receive Him in the Eucharist.

Food, when taken, became a part of our bodies. The reverse happens in communion. When we receive the Lord, we become more and more like Him. Or should we say, we SHOULD become more like Him. There must be a change! The bread we received was not just an ordinary bread anymore. It is the Lord! Aware that we have received the Lord, then we should act with Him!

Thus, the burden is on those who went to mass and had received the Eucharist. People should be able to see the difference. If they see it, then they will be encouraged to go to church and also want to experience the change we had acquired. In the process, we have invited and evangelized others without even saying a word!

Year of Faith 03: On the Sunday Mass

Year of Faith 03: On the Sunday Mass (The Eucharist): It is the CONTINUATION of what Jesus did in Calvary. That saving action of love is ONCE and FOR ALL. It fulfills Jesus' command to do it in His memory. "Memory" here does not mean an act of the mind but making present what had started before. This time it is bloodless. The Lord Jesus continues His saving work in the Eucharist. Thus, the mass is

 the highest and most important form of worship a Catholic must do. Once a week, he should set aside this important encounter with the Lord.
Sunday had been designated by the Catholic Church as a day with the Lord. It is in consonant with God's resting on the 7th day and establishing of the Jewish Sabbath. It does not mean that during the rest of the six days that we are without God or separated from Him. It just means that we need to rest our bodies, commune and pray with our Master, and reflect on the week that happened. In the mass, we offer to God everything (pains and joys, successes and failures, etc.) and ask God for graces to sustain us for the coming week.
We must see it as a need! When we need it we give importance to it. And then we actively participate in it! The Word of God nourishes our life and the presence of Christ in the Eucharist inspires and moves us to become more like Him. We must get over the idea that it is an obligation that we must carry out for the sake of it. Let it be a moment of grace.
Lastly, we must prepare for it. Like what we do when we have special engagements, we must do more with the Sunday mass. And by the way, we must dress up for it. We are meeting not just anyone but the Lord. Surely He deserves our utmost respect. And that happens when we dress up appropriately!