All things, made new...

He who was seated on the throne said, 

"I am making everything new!"  

Then he said, "Write this down, for these words

are trustworthy and true." - Rev 21:5

 

 

During a visit to the Philippines, Sister Gertrude from the Sacred Hearts Community

in Hawaii relayed this story (when she was over seventy) to Msgr Josefino (Pepe)

 Ramirez.  He passes it on in a Chapter of his book, Letters to a Brother Priest:

 

"When (Sr Gertrude) was a young nun, one of the old nuns was dying. The custom at that time was for the community to gather in prayer around the one dying. ... the nun was breathing her last breaths. Suddenly, she opened her eyes, stretched forth her arms and exclaimed: "O my Beloved."

Then she sat up and gazed lovingly at the Blessed Sacrament, which she had permission to have in her room since she had been too weak to go to the chapel. What happened next had never been told, until Sister Gertrude shared it with me. The old, wrinkled nun changed to a strikingly attractive young woman, radiantly aglow with a countenance that put the rest of the nuns into ecstasy just looking at her. After what seemed like a minute or two, the transformed nun went back against her pillow, turning old again and died. When the Sisters came out of their ecstasy, they were stunned to discover that this extraordinary event lasted for more than one or two minutes. The Sisters were in ecstasy for over thirteen hours! ...

If only we could see the change that takes place in us at each Holy Hour we make. We are made new in the Eternal Youth of Christ. We are made innocent, without blemish, as we are cleansed in His Precious Blood, in the folly of His surpassing love. "

_________________________

 

Photo: University of Steubenville, Ohio

Liturgy is not an option...

Thou dost show me the path of life;

in thy presence there is fullness of joy,

in thy right hand are pleasures evermore. 

Psalm 16:11 

 

 

“Liturgy is not an option nor merely an obligation,

not a bonus, but a need -

like food and drink, like sleep and work, like friends.

 

We need to gather, listen, give praise and thanks,

and share communion. 

 

Otherwise we forget who we are and whose we are; 

and we can have neither the strength nor the joy

to be Christ’s body - present in the world today.”       

Joseph Cardinal Bernardin