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Are we looking for Love in all the wrong places? Look to Two Hearts afire with burning Love!

      Today we continue our segment on the Theological virtues, focusing on the second part of our series on Charity, the third of the virtues and what Love means and the virtue honored in this Year of God the Father. For love to be true it has to be a two way street. Yet for many it's only one direction - God gives and we take. It reminds us of the song, "Looking for love in all the wrong places" for the only way to find true love is through obedience to God's Will, manifested in the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts. For the ninety-fourth installment of this on-going megaseries, click on WHERE IS HOLY MOTHER CHURCH HEADING AS WE NEAR THE MILLENNIUM?.

      At most Masses after the Consecration we say with the priest the prayer, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." In two months we will come to the end of Lent, and embrace with joy the Glorious Resurrection. It's important to remember that we cannot achieve the Resurrection unless we first embrace and take up the Cross, suffer with Jesus, and die to ourselves in and for Him. Only then can we look forward to when Christ comes again. By doing all God asks we allow Him to decide what is best for us, and how and when to use us in His plan of salvation. That is true love.

      This is the Blessed Mother Mary's call to all of us. This is her plea to all her little ones gathered beneath her mantle. The cross each carries will be different. But they all come from the One True Cross of Jesus, Who alone is the Savior of the World. If we look only at Him, then we'll stop looking at one another, making comparisons, and allowing our human weaknesses to get the better of us, and allowing satan to keep us divided. If we look only at Jesus on the Cross, how can we be divided? He died for all mankind, even though He knew there would be many who would not accept Him. He did not compare, grumble, or complain. He was obedient to the Divine Will, even unto death. And so, too, we must be. That is true love.

      We must decrease that He may increase in us. This should be everyone's motto so that with Mary, we may stand at the foot of the Cross, and with her offer our lives for the salvation of our own soul, and the souls of others. That is true love.

      This way the Resurrection takes on a new meaning - the flowering of fulfillment - the evangelization of God's Love. A love immensely different from the world's finite connotation of "love." This is truly true love!

      Love! We're inundated by the word and we've truly lost the real meaning of the term. Our society equates "love" with sex, lust, power, greed, wealth, and amusement. If I'm in love, then I'm love, then I'm really lucky. If I have a spouse who loves me, that's fabulous. And we take "love" for granted, and then wonder why in today's society there are so many divorces, so many acts of abuse between couples, against children, against the unborn, against mankind itself. That is not true love!

      If we take a serious look at our world, not just the microcosm of our own daily life, but the much broader picture of the entire planet, where, we might ask, is love? We're hungry for love, because our souls are starving for lack of love. And we're looking for love in every place but the one place where it can truly be found - GOD!

      And even when we look to God for Love, we've gotten that all wrong, too, because many have allowed modernism, new ageism and other "isms" and "ologies" to induce us to believe that anything that connotes love must come from God, and is therefore okay, acceptable, and "I can do it, have it, want it, crave it, and work my darndest to get it, no matter the cost to anyone else." That is neither true love nor true charity.

      There are those who, by accepting this rationalization of Divine Love, have degraded all Divine and made it the basest of all human emotions. They have dimmed the Light of the Resurrection. If it is not within the strict framework of God's Laws - of God's Will - it is not love!

      The embodiment of Love - our Heavenly Mother Mary - has been appearing now for seventeen and a half years at Medjugorje, as well as numerous other reported sites around the globe. Why? To call us back to the reality of Divine Love, which is Perfect, and has absolutely nothing to do with the human emotion or with the human definition of love.

      How, in our finite mind, can we understand this? By looking at the Apex of Love - Our Lord, Jesus Christ during His earthly life. Born in a poor and shabby cave on a cold winter night in Bethlehem, where there was no food, no warmth from the elements, no one to adore Him except for His Holy Mother, St. Joseph and the humble shepherds who said "yes." To come into the world this way was pure Love!

      The Messiah's life was poor, simple, filled with DIVINE LOVE, which flowed through His Divine Soul, and touched so many lives then, as it continues to do throughout the ages to this present day. But He was human as well, possessing both natures and because of this he had human love for His mother, His foster-father, His cousins, Lazareth whom He wept over, His affection for His Apostles, His disciples, for sinners. That is true love in the human sense taught to us by One Who is Divine.

      We need to hearken back to the prayer: Behold this Spotless Victim, hung upon the gibbet of the Cross, in agony unsurpassed by all men throughout all ages, and hear Him say, "Father, forgive them. They known not what they do."I See Him there, mutilated beyond recognition, and I understand in the silence of my soul that, amidst such cruel human suffering, His Soul was in total peace for it was One with the Divine Will. Mary, His Mother - my Mother, stood by her Divine Son and suffered in her soul all He suffered physically and still, she, too, forgave. She also willed only what the Divine Will wanted, and gave up her Son so that the Redemptive Act might be fulfilled. For me Love was born, died and rose again. Amen.

      "I am the Resurrection and the Life; he who believes in Me, even if he die, shall live; and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." John 11: 25-26.

Next Installment: Part Three of the Theological Virtue of Love

      In our news section today we report on Cardinal Eduardo Martinez Somalo celebrating the Mass at St. Peter's on the occasion of World Day for Consecrated Life. He was a fitting replacement for the Pope, who is still recuperating from a severe cold and mild fever, for Cardinal Somalo from Spain is the Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. This Curial Office has charge over Religious and secular institutes and societies of the apostolic life as well as Third Order Tertiaries. It governs the rules and constitutions of Orders and oversees councils and conferences for major religious generals and superiors and communication with and within these institutes. This Office was founded as the Congregation for Consultations of Regulars by Pope Sixtus V back on May 27, 1586 as part of an offshoot of the Council of Trent in reinforcing that religious institutes toe the line in obedience to the Holy See and their rule. Sixtus' Apostolic Constitution Immensa two years later on January 22nd confirmed his appointment of this Office. In 1601 Pope Clement VIII melded the Office into the Congregation for Consultations of Bishops and other Prelates. Three centuries later Pope Saint Pius X gave the Office autonomy in 1908, calling it the Congregation of Religious. Pope Paul VI added to the title Secular Institutes in 1967 and Pope John Paul II bestowed the current title of the Office on June 28, 1988 and appointed Cardinal Somalo to head the Curial Office on January 21, 1992. Cardinal Somalo also served as Chamberlain or Camerlengo which we defined in this section last week. (source: Catholic Almanac, Our Sunday Visitor, Publisher).

God's Divine Mercy flows in a torrent of love!

      Message #381 from Our Lord on the feast of Saint Bridget of Sweden, an obedient servant to whom Jesus revealed many things, conveys to all His childern through His instrument the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart in late July 1993 the message of Love shown in the Font of Divine Mercy that flows for all. But so few recognize or want His Love and Mercy. Jesus says, as does His Blessed Mother Mary in Message #382 two days later, that if one will not receive His Mercy and Love, then the other choice is His Justice and punishment. Both Our Lord and Our Lady spell it out in black and white. We are either for God and with God or we are against Him. The choice is ours, but their outline shows what the answer should be. For these two messages, click on "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..."

Messages Three Hundred-Seventy-nine and Three Hundred-Eighty

      Beloved Hidden Flower of My Mother's Immaculate Heart, I am here. I bless you. I desire to bless all of My children. But how cold they are, My children. They do not know Me. They do not want to know Me. And I have poured out all of My Precious Blood for each of them, for they are Mine and I love them with Infinite Love.

      I solemnly tell all of My little ones that the signs upon you now are warnings from God the Father. Look about you and give witness to these warnings which beset your land. Come back to Me. Be humble, obedient little children. Obey My laws and live as Children of God. If you do not return to Me, then the Fire of Heaven shall come quickly, for I will establish My Kingdom as Scripture tells you.

      I love you. Will you refuse Love? Unless you change, the warnings will only increase in number and intensity. See the signs with your heart and repent. I await you. I am your Savior, Jesus Christ.

      Beloved Hidden Flower, I am here. I am your Mother, the Immaculate Conception. I wish for all of my children everywhere to closely examine their lives. Let all whose hearts have been converted pray that they may grow even stronger. Let all whose hearts have not yet been converted ask God for this outpouring of Mercy in these end times.

      This is truly the Year of Tears. It brings closer the Hour of Great Sorrow. All around you your Heavenly Father warns you of His coming Justice. You refuse to see the signs. You prefer worldly security.

      I solemnly tell you all worldly security is passing away before you. Lands ravaged now shall not produce. Rivers will rampage. The water will no longer be safe to drink. Want will be known in every nation, and he who is already among you, who will offer solutions to your worldly wants is God's enemy - satan.

      Therefore, lift up your hearts and seek God alone. Come to my Divine Son, the Font of Life, Who sustains you in all trials. Pray. Fast. Make your lives ones of continual sacrifice of your will to the Divine Will.

      The signs shall be given. They shall speak of the awesome power of God. Then, like a thief in the night, the Great Justice shall fall from Heaven to purify all of creation.

      I, your Mother say anew. Convert your hearts. Pray! Pray! Pray! Thank you for responding to my Call!

SIMPLY SHEEN:

     They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but the words of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen have been known to launch a thousand images in one's mind, one of the ways this late luminary did so much to evangelize the faith. Because of the urgency of the times and because few there are today who possess the wisdom, simplicity and insight than the late Archbishop who touched millions, we are bringing you daily gems from his writings. The good bishop makes it so simple that we have dubbed this daily series: "SIMPLY SHEEN".

"Almost everyone today wants religion, but everyone wants a religion that does not cost too much; that is why Christianity has been watered down to suit the modern mind. "

      Today is the Fourth Thursday in Ordinary Time while tomorrow on FIRST FRIDAY we commemorate the Feast of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr. For the readings, liturgies, meditations and vignette on St. Agatha, click on DAILY LITURGY.

Thursday February 4:
Fourth Thursday in Ordinary Time

Green vestments

First Reading: Hebrews 12: 18-19, 21-24
Psalms: Psalm 48: 2-4, 9-11
Gospel Reading: Mark 6: 7-13

Friday February 5:
Feast of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr
FIRST FRIDAY

Red vestments

First Reading: Hebrews 13: 1-8
Psalms: Psalm 27: 1, 3, 5, 8-9
Gospel Reading: Mark 6: 14-29

     The virgin martyr Saint Agatha was born in Sicily into a rich and noble family. Her parents consecrated her to the Trinity before she was born as a result of the promise from God that she would indeed be born despite incredible odds. As she grew into the flower of her teens, the beauty of her soul was somewhat overshadowed by her physical attractiveness which drew raves throughout Sicily; so much so that Quintanus, governor of Sicily under the Emperor Decius, enforced laws against the Christians as a pretext for seducing this beautiful flower of God. Praying for purity and the fortitude to withstand his advances, she prevailed, much to Quintanus' wrath who ordered vile mutilations on this faithful virgin who bore all for the love of her one true Love - Jesus Christ. Having cut off her breasts, they were miraculously healed when Our Lord sent Saint Peter to heal her. So incensed was Quintanus that he stripped her and subjected her to cruel humiliation, rolling her naked through the streets and over broken shards before her Spouse heard her pleas and called her Home. In testimony to her purity, it is believed that her body is still incorrupt and her intercessory prayer has proved victorious for many young women subjected to sexual harassment. She was truly a temple of the Holy Spirit.

      Today's prayer is for our Holy Father who is recuperating from a cold and fever. Therefore we present the Prayer for the Sick from Prayers for All Occasions:

Dear Jesus, Divine Physician and Healer of the sick, we turn to Your in this time of illness. O dearest Comforter of the troubled, alleviate our worry and sorrow with Your gentle love, and grant us the grace and strength to accept this burden. Dear God, we place our worries in Your hands. We place our sick under Your care and humble ask that You restore Your loyal servant John Paul II to health again. Above all, grant us the grace to acknowledge Your holy will and know that whatsoever You do, You do for the love of us. Amen.

Events that happened this day in Church History

      On this date in 1505, the ugly duckling became a beautiful swan in the Heavenly pond. We're talking about Saint Joan of Valois who died on this date. She suffered from a life-long affliction of deformity that caused many to shudder and shun her, but she always expressed kindness and charity, as well as forgiveness for their ignorance and shallowness. She was living proof that beauty indeed is skin-deep for her heart and soul radiated with a beauty that was out of this world. For other pertinent events throughout the centuries that are memorable in Church history today, click on MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES

Historical Events in Church Annals for February 4:

• 540 A.D.
  
• Death of Saint Isidore of Pelusium. This Alexandrian monk was a prolific writer, having said to have written over 10,000 letters with 2000 of his written epistles still in existence today. He was a vociferous foe of Nestorian and his heresies as well as those who promoted Eutychianism.

• 708 A.D.
  
• Death of Pope Sisinnius, 87th successor of Peter. There was very little noteworthy to report in a very brief pontificate that lasted only 20 days. He worried about the restoration of the walls of Rome which were constantly menaced by the Lombards and Saracens, but he never had the chance to put his reinforcement plans into action.

• 1505 A.D.
  
• Death of Saint Joan of Valois, deformed daughter of King Louis XI. Though she was hunch-backed and ugly, she was married for political purposes at the age of 9 to Louis, the Duke of Orleans. Though she remained a virgin, she loved her husband but never bedded with him. When Louis appealed to Pope Alexander VI, the notorious pontiff who kept courtiers, for an annulment, Joan did not stand in his way but saw it as an opportunity to become a religious. After time in seclusion she received help from a Franciscan friar to found a contemplative, cloistered order of nuns with the specific purpose of praying for reconciliation for all our enemies and those who did not share the faith. Even though she suffered from an unknown disease the left her physically doubled over and hideous to look at, she was beautiful on the inside and received her Heavenly crown officially when she was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1950.

• 1612 A.D.
  
• Death of Saint Joseph of Leonissa, austere Capuchin missionary who was also a victim soul, suffering much and offering it all for the honor and glory of God. The fruits of his harvest were many, manifested in countless miracles spiritually and physically.

• 1693 A.D.
  
• Death of Saint John de Britto, Jesuit missionary to India who was responsible for many miracles and who, more than once, was captured and subjected to unspeakable tortures but managed to escape until finally at Orirur in Marava, the raja there was so upset with the number of Christian conversions that he ordered de Britto out of the country. But Fr. John, knowing the people needed him, could not obey the order and thus the raja had him beheaded. Like the early Romans, his martyrdom did more for future conversions despite the raja's drastic measures to stop the flow of Christianity.

    Dear children! I again invite you to prayer. You have no excuse to work more because nature still lies in deep sleep. Open yourselves in prayer. Renew prayer in your families. Put Holy Scripture in a visible place in your families, read it, reflect on it and learn how God loves His people. His love shows itself also in present times because He sends me to call you upon the path of salvation. Thank you for having responded to my call.

For more on Medjugorje, click on MEDJUGORJE AND MORE

Click here to go to SECTION TWO or click here to return to the graphics front page of this issue.

February 4, 1999 volume 10, no. 24   DAILY CATHOLIC