GK Chesterton once expressed this in a parable: “A man who was entirely careless of spiritual affairs died & went to hell.  And he was much missed on earth by his old friends.  His business agent went down to the gates of hell to see if there was any chance of bringing him back.  But though he pleaded for the gates to be opened, the iron bars never yielded.  His priest also went & argued: ‘He was not really a bad fellow; given time he would have matured.  Let him out, please!’ 

The gate remained stubbornly shut against all their voices.  Finally, his mother came; she did not beg for his release.  Quietly … she said to Satan: ‘Let me in.’  Immediately the great doors swung open upon their hinges.  For love goes down through the gates of hell & there redeems the dead.”  Being a Christian is an encounter with a person, with Jesus Christ, the Son of God – true God, true Man!

“A PENCIL maker told the PENCIL 3 important lessons just before putting the PENCIL in the box:

1.    What is important is what is inside of you,

2.    In life, you will undergo painful sharpenings, which will only make you better,

3.    To be the BEST PENCIL, you must allow yourself to be held & guided by the hand that holds you.

Lesson 3 is the key one for us today!  You and I are disciples of Jesus; we must allow Him to HOLD us and GUIDE us.

We need to recognize that Jesus made Peter the Rock, so that we could have the CHURCH, the Pope & the Bishops to help us here of earth.  Allow Holy Mother Church to hold you in the palm of her hand, while Jesus guides us through our Holy Father & His Bishops.

Questions of authority and leadership are critical in every age; no less today than in the apostolic era.  And, so Jesus asks each of one of us – “Who do you say that I am?” and Jesus asks, “What difference do I make in your life?”  Reflect on the love of the mother’s love in Chesterton’s parable, it reflects Jesus’ love for you!

May God Be Blessed!

I ask you to join me and offer this prayer to the Lord hears our cry.

“Lord, listen to my prayer: turn your ear to my appeal.” [Psalm 143] God, You are our refuge and our hope, we turn to you during this COVID 19 pandemic and plead for Your intercession.  In Your mercy and Your compassion “… grant eternal rest to the dead, comfort to mourners, healing to the sick ….” [Collect from Mass Time in Pandemic].

Grant strength to the first responders and medical personnel.  End this coronavirus scourge.  Bring Your light to all who wander in the darkness of this pandemic and give each of us hope in Your eternal love today and every day.  Amen.  [Dcn. George Kelly]