THE WAY OF THE CROSS IS THE WAY TO HEAVEN. JESUS asks all of us: "TAKE UP YOUR CROSS DAILY AND FOLLOW ME." (Luke 9:23). Accepting our daily sufferings, we can walk with Jesus. He is the one helping us to carry our daily crosses. Earlier this week, as part of the annual celebrations of All Saints and All Souls, we have reflected on our own journey from Earth to Heaven. Since our baptism, we are all CALLED TO BE HOLY, we are all called to keep WALKING ON THE WAY TO HEAVEN. God has created each one of us “to Love and to be Loved". GOD IS LOVE. He Loves each of us immensely and wants us to be always with Him, now on earth and then in Heaven forever and ever. Reflecting on the lives of my favorite saints (St John Vianney, St Agustin, St Therese of Lisieux, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and last, but not least...St John Bosco), I can see my own littleness and unworthiness to be in Heaven with such giants of the Christian Faith. What we have in common with the earthly life of Saints is our daily sufferings and the frequent attacks of the devil. I BELIEVE THAT FOR EVERYONE, not just the great Saints, THE WAY TO HEAVEN IS THE WAY OF THE CROSS. The lives of the Saints can inspire our daily decisions in making the right choices.

On ALL SAINTS DAY, we all had an opportunity to reflect on how we can reach Heaven. In his VISION OF HEAVEN in the Book of Revelation Saint John gives all of us GREAT HOPE (Revelation 7:9-14): "I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people and tongue. They stood before the throne and before THE LAMB, wearing white robes...These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb. "WHAT IS YOUR OWN VISION OF HEAVEN?". There are already millions and millions of souls in Heaven. We can all HOPE that one day we will join them. Most likely, we may have to go first to PURGATORY so that our souls be totally purified before entering the doors of Heaven and be totally with GOD. The purpose of our life on earth is to RETURN TO GOD THE FATHER. Our greatest desire today should be to become saints.

One of the most powerful prayers is to make a simple SIGN OF THE CROSS looking at Jesus on the Cross. When you pray the Sign of the Cross slowly, remember the FIRST part of this prayer follows the VERTICAL axis of the Cross. We LOOK UP first to the FATHER IN HEAVEN, as we touch our head: we can imagine the vertical axis of the Cross continuing all the way to Heaven as we gaze upon and adore our Father in Heaven. Then when we touch our chest we can reflect on the pierced HEART OF THE SON dying for our sins on the Cross; His Heart joins our own hearts.

The SECOND part of the sign of the CROSS represents the HORIZONTAL axis when we touch our two shoulders and invoke the name of the HOLY SPIRIT; you can then gaze upon the OPEN ARMS OF JESUS loving us, while looking down upon us from the height of the Cross.

The above way of meditating about the vertical and horizontal axis of the Cross can be practiced. It is not complicated. Remember the two axis when you make the Sign of the Cross. As you begin, you first look up RAISING YOUR EYES to the FATHER IN HEAVEN, being right above Jesus on the Cross. Then, your eyes look down toward the pierced heart of Jesus on the Cross. Finally, you raise your eyes towards the open arms of Jesus on the Cross, representing the LOVE of the Holy Spirit, and say AMEN!

Heavenly Father, help us to accept our daily sufferings!
Lord Jesus, help us to carry our daily crosses!
Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with Your Love and guide our steps to follow Jesus to Heaven!

One in Christ,

Fr. Alain