Prayer by St. Claude de la Colombiere
“O God, what will You do to conquer the fearful hardness of our hearts?
Lord, You must give us new hearts, tender hearts, sensitive hearts, to replace hearts that are made of marble and bronze.
You must give us Your own Heart, Jesus. Come, lovable Heart of Jesus. Place Your Heart deep in the center of our hearts and enkindle in each heart a flame of love as strong, as great, as the sum of all the reasons that I have for loving You, my God.
O holy Heart of Jesus, dwell hidden in my heart, so that I may live only in You and only for You, so that, in the end, I may live with you eternally in heaven.”
Pope Francis’ Catechesis on Christian hope
“Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
This is the final catechesis on the theme of Christian hope, which has accompanied us since the beginning of this liturgical year. I shall conclude by speaking about Paradise, as the aim of our hope.
“Paradise” is one of the last words spoken by Jesus on the Cross, addressed to the good thief. Let us pause for a moment on this scene. On the Cross, Jesus is not alone. Beside him, on the right and on the left, there are two criminals. Perhaps, passing before those three crosses raised on Golgotha, one drew a sigh of relief, thinking that at last justice had been done by putting such people to death.
Next to Jesus is even a confessed criminal: one who recognizes that he deserved that dreadful torture. We call him the “good thief”, who, as opposed to the other, says: “we are receiving the due reward of our deeds” (Lk 23:41).
On Calvary, on that tragic and holy Friday, Jesus reaches the finality of his Incarnation, of his solidarity with we sinners. Fulfilled there is what the Prophet Isaiah had said of the suffering Servant: “he was numbered with the transgressors” (cf. 53:12; cf Lk 22:37).
It is there, on Calvary, that Jesus has his final appointment with a sinner, to throw open the gates of His Kingdom for him too. This is interesting: it is the only time that the word “Paradise” appears in the Gospels. Jesus promises it to a “poor devil” who, on the wood of the cross, had the courage to proffer Him the most humble of requests: “Remember me when you have entered your kingdom” (cf. Lk 23:42). He had no good works to assert; he had nothing; but he entrusted himself to Jesus, whom he recognized as innocent, good, so different from himself (v. 41). Those words of humble remorse were enough to touch Jesus’ heart.
The good thief reminds us of our true condition before God: that we are his children, that he feels compassion for us, that he is defenseless each time we show our nostalgia for his love. In many hospital wards or prison cells this miracle is repeated countless times: there is no person, as bad a life as he may have lived, who, faced with despair, is without recourse to grace. We all appear before God empty-handed, somewhat like the tax collector in the parable who had stopped to pray at the back of the Temple (cf. Lk 18:13). Each time a person, performing the last examination of conscience of his life, discovers that his shortcomings far exceed his good deeds, he must not feel discouraged, but must entrust himself to God’s mercy. And this gives us hope; it opens our heart!
God is Father, and he awaits our return to the very end. And when the prodigal son returns and begins to confess his sins, the father closes his mouth with an embrace. (cf. Lk 15:20). This is God: this is how he loves us!
Paradise is not a fairytale place, much less an enchanted garden. Paradise is the embrace of God, infinite Love, and we enter there thanks to Jesus, who died on the Cross for us. Where there is Jesus there is mercy and happiness; without him there is cold and darkness. At the hour of death, a Christian repeats to Jesus: “Remember me”. And even if there may no longer be anyone who remembers us, Jesus is there, beside us. He wants to take us to the most beautiful place that exists. He wants to take us there with the small or great deal of good that we have done in our life, so that nothing of what he has already redeemed may be lost. And into the Father’s house he will also bring everything in us that still needs redemption: the shortcomings and mistakes of an entire life. This is the aim of our existence: that all be fulfilled, and be transformed into love.
If we believe this, death ceases to frighten us, and we can also hope to depart from this world in a peaceful way, with so much confidence. Those who have met Jesus no longer fear anything. We too can repeat the words of the elderly Simeon; he too was blessed by the encounter with Christ, after a lifetime spent in anticipation of this event: “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation” (Lk 2:29-30). At that instant, at last, we will no longer need anything; we will no longer see in a confused way. We will no longer weep in vain, because all has passed; even the prophecies, even consciousness. But not love: this endures. Because “love never ends” (1 Cor 13:8).”
Gracious and Holy Father,
give us the wisdom to discover You,
the intelligence to understand You,
the diligence to seek after You,
the patience to wait for You,
eyes to behold You,
a heart to meditate upon You,
and a life to proclaim You,
through the power of the Spirit of Jesus, our Lord. Amen
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Saints have prayed prayers,
Prayers hanging over Time,
Still being answered:
“God protect Your Church.”
“God spare Your People.”
“God forgive Sin.”
“God make holy.”
“God preserve and enlighten.”
Prayers that never end
Prayers forever answered.
by Joann Nelander
INTENTION PLACED IN THE HEART OF GOD
All the people of my life,
I place in Your Life.
Living Savior,
One with the Father,
The Spirit,
And lowly me,
Look on my memory,
And on my forgetfulness.
Search my corridors and halls.
Find all those faces and voices
Of my past, present and forgotten.
Forgive them,
As You’ve forgiven me.
Draw them,
As You have drawn me.
Prepare a heavenly paradise,
In which each may dwell.
Life is short;
Memories fleeting.
You alone endure.
Embracing all,
In Your Eternity.
The Gift
How do you fare?
All day and night,
I shower you with prayer.
© 2017 Joann Nelander
Immaculata-Patroness
Joann Nelander Studio 