Do we believe that "FOR GOD EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE”? Do we believe that GOD CAN TRANSFORM US? Can we see the LOVE OF GOD in our own life? GOD THE FATHER HAS SENT US HIS SON so that we can all have LIFE, ETERNAL LIFE. JESUS CHRIST IS GOD. HE IS LOVE. HE IS MERCIFUL LOVE.
The Gospels show us the POWER OF GOD through the life of OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST: HIS POWER, HIS GRACE, HIS MERCIFUL LOVE. JESUS IS ALWAYS WITH US. WE CAN ASK AND WE WILL RECEIVE. We just need to DESIRE. We just need TO RECEIVE HIS GRACE. HE will then transform us.
Earlier this week at Daily Mass Tuesday, we heard a POWERFUL passage from Luke's Gospel (6:12-19). The key word was "POWER": the "POWER" of Jesus Christ! Jesus had gone to the mountain TO PRAY. He had spent the entire night in PRAYER TO GOD, HIS FATHER. At daybreak, HE called his disciples and from them, HE CHOSE HIS 12 APOSTLES. This is the beginning of the CHURCH, JESUS' CHURCH.
Then, as HE came down from the mountain with HIS apostles, HE stood on a stretch of level ground. A very large crowd came to HEAR HIM AND TO BE HEALED... Even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were CURED... EVERYONE sought to TOUCH HIM because "POWER" came forth from HIM and HEALED THEM ALL.
We can easily imagine the above scene. We can put ourselves in the crowd and desire to touch Jesus and to be healed. When was the last time you desired to touch Jesus and to be changed? When was the last time that you were touched by Jesus and felt HIS presence in your life? When was the last time you felt the need to be healed spiritually?
I invite you to reflect on your own relationship with Jesus. For many of us, we are so " busy" doing so many things, that we rarely take the time to sit down quietly and reflect...Even when we attend Mass on Sundays, our minds may be preoccupied with many worries of daily life and our hearts may be restless. We may even forget that we are in the presence of GOD, THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN PROVIDE US REST AND PEACE despite all our worldly anxieties...We forget that MASS IS HEAVEN ON EARTH!
We are all in need of healing, whether spiritual, emotional, or physical. Like 2,000 years ago, we can approach Jesus and ask for HIS HEALING. We do have the SACRAMENTS OF HEALING: RECONCILIATION (Confession), ANOINTING OF THE SICK AND ELDERLY, and above all THE EUCHARIST: JESUS REALLY PRESENT on the altar at every Mass through HIS BODY AND BLOOD, Jesus really present in the TABERNACLE, Jesus really present in the BLESSED SACRAMENT exposed on the altar in a Monstrance outside Mass.
Every Mass is a Mass of Healing! All our venial sins are forgiven at the Penitential Rite (beginning of Mass) if we have reflected on them before Mass begins. If we have committed major sins (including missing Sunday Mass), we should go to individual Confession before being able to receive the Eucharist.
While we now have a special Healing Service every third Sunday of the month at the end of the 7 pm Mass (the next one is this coming Sunday, September 18), we encourage everyone to go to
Individual Confession for spiritual healing once a month (many blessings from the Holy Spirit), to attend one daily Mass a week (if you are working: 7 am Monday, 7 pm Wednesday, 7 am Friday or 9 am Saturday) and to attend at least ONE HOLY HOUR in front of the Blessed Sacrament (either 8 pm Wednesday, or any morning at 8 am Monday through Saturday).
There are many ways to experience the POWER OF GOD in our lives. We only need to believe in the POWER OF GOD, and DESIRE to receive the GRACE OF GOD. Then GOD WILL DO EVERYTHING FOR US!
One in Christ,
Fr. Alain