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As I sit down to write about faith all I can write is words. I sit down to think of faith, all I can think of is words. As I stand up to speak about faith, all I speak is words. Did you know that God however speaks more through silences?
When I was learning to pray (and I'm still learning) I knelt down but my mind is filled with thoughts and wild imaginings. I used to form pictures of Christ, his face, his hands, his clothes, but all these were constructs of my mind. I made pictures of how he might seem in the carpenter's workshop or walking down the hill to Capernaum...but perhaps all this was of my own making. What did his voice sound like, how did he handle a hammer, how did he talk with neighbors when the day's work was done? I can see him throwing his head back in laughter at stumbling, impetuous Peter, smiling wistfully at Thomas, looking patiently at John and accepting the exuberance of youth. But maybe all I am doing is imagining how it was. Where, I ask myself is the real Christ?
When I was a youngster I wondered what the blessed Mother looked like, so I said it to my mother "I find it hard to picture Mary in my mind." After a short pause came the never-to-be forgotten reply: "Don't try to picture her, just think of her as standing behind you.'
We sometimes struggle fruitlessly to form images of those to whom we pray. Artists make carvings, icons and paintings to help our prayer, but in the final reckoning they are but symbolic tokens, figments of the artists' imaginations. So nowadays when I pray, or read the Gospel, I no longer make pictures in my mind. I listen for feelings. Perhaps feelings are closer to the person. How much Jesus had felt when he said to Peter: "Why did you doubt?" Was Jesus disappointed or was he rebuking? When he turned to Peter on another occasion and asked, "Will you also go away?" was he downcast, utterly shattered, almost begging that they would not leave him there to start all over again? Was he thrilled when the good thief said his piece, elated that it now seemed all worthwhile and he was seeing the beginning of the harvest, the first into the Kingdom?
Was this a 'heart-lift'?
So when I pray I can only wait in silence, attentively watching, reflecting on what is before me in Scripture or in the Sacraments.
That is why I try to be still, I let go of my own visions and words and desires till I catch a glimpse of him. At this point the reply I seek comes, not just in words but as a real presence, not as ideas but like the visit of a friend. The search is for the heart and I can begin to feel his love, his loving heart, the heart we long to know and hold sacred and that's why I believe only "heart speaks to heart.
God bless you,
In Mary Help of Christians,
I remain,
Fr. Jim McKenna
Director
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Walking with the Church
Q. What is the purpose of life? I live alone, I am unemployed. I have only one friend, a next door neighbor and very often I feel lonely and bored. I hope there is no such thing as reincarnation. The thought of going through life again scares me. Please help.
A. Our Christian belief is that as Christ rose from the dead, so also will all those who believe in Christ and with God's help do their best to live as Christians. In other words we Christians believe in our own future Resurrection from the dead to a life of eternal happiness with God. Reincarnation simply means to come again in the flesh. It is a philosophy or teaching particularly of some Eastern Religions. However, it runs completely contrary to our Catholic Faith which teaches us about the finality of death and our resurrection to a new life with God. Christ, the Son of God, spoke of his death and Resurrection and life hereafter with the Father, and teaches us that all those who believe in Him and follow Him will also rise to that new and eternal life with the Father. There is no question of coming back to this life again in another body.
'We were created by God, to know, love and serve him here on earth and after that to enjoy eternal happiness with Him in Heaven.' Those words come from the old catechism but still clearly express life's purpose. I am glad to hear you have a friend who lives near you. May God bless you and help you to become more and more aware of His presence in your life - that you have one Friend who is always there for you. |
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 Homily of the Rector Major
Don Angel Fernandez Artime
for the Final Celebrations of
The VII International Congress of
Mary Help of Christians at
Colle Don Bosco on 9th August 2015
"I was born on Assumption day 1815 at Murialdo, a village near Castelnuovo d'Asti. My mother's name was Margaret Occhiena of Capriglio; my father's was Francis. They were frugal and honest farmers, who earned their daily bread with the sweat of their brow. With his work, my good father supported grandma, in her 70s and ailing; three boys, of whom Anthony, son of his first wife, was the eldest. Joseph was second-born; I, John, was the third. He also supported two farmhands" (Memoirs of the Oratory).
It is moving to hear these words of Don Bosco right here in the place where he was born 200 years ago. Although Don Bosco was born on 16 August, he speaks of the day of the Assumption, as if to indicate how his life from the beginning is marked by the maternal providential presence of Mary Most Holy. And after Our Lady he talks about his father Francis and his mother Margaret, his beloved and revered parents. They were farmers who lived by working the land. He also mentions his elderly grandmother, his step-brother Antonio from his father's first marriage, and his other brother Joseph.
The message that I would like to leave, particularly to families, from this place, the birthplace of Don Bosco, is that of the Apostle Paul: "Walk in love." As you leave Colle Don Bosco today, I would like you to bring to the world the spirit of the family that was born here and raised in the school of Mamma Margaret. Walk in love: nowadays the biggest problem in life is not the shortage of economic assets or the lack of opportunity in life: the biggest problem today is the lack of love. It hurts not to receive a smile or not be accepted. There is a silence that can hurt, sometimes even in the family, the silence that can exist between husband and wife, between parents and children, between brothers and sisters. Without love, every effort costs more, and life becomes intolerable. In the life of a family many beautiful moments are shared: meals, rest, work in the home, fun, prayer, travel and pilgrimages, acts of solidarity... However, if there is no love there is no joy and there is no sense of togetherness.
If love is a relationship, then it is a reality that is constantly growing. We can also say, by way of example, that it is like a house, not built on the sand of feelings that come and go, but on the rock of true love, the love that comes from God. The family that is born from this love that is always growing...It is like a house that is a place of love, help, hope and support.
Walk in love: This means putting God first in family life. It means recognizing that we need God. We need God: all of us, all of us! We need his help, his strength, his blessing, his mercy, his forgiveness. It means praying in the family, and this is what makes the family stronger -prayer.
I would like to make my own three words of Pope Francis:
Excuse me: not intruding into the lives of others, but respecting the mystery of each person. Not intruding into the lives of the spouse, or of a son or daughter, but learning sensitivity to be able to stop on the threshold of the mystery that the other person carries and expresses. Excuse me, what do you think? Allow me...Thanks: thank your spouse, son, daughter, brother, sister, grandfather, grandmother; thanks for who you are and what you do for me. How beautiful it is to give thanks!
Sorry: We all make mistakes. The word 'sorry' can be difficult to say, but we have to say it. We have to say, "Forgive me!" Love is stronger than any reason we may have to quarrel and so in the family we should never finish the day without making peace. Do not keep grudges and resentment for they are seeds of death that kill relationships.
Sometimes you may feel you are in the desert where many, even many young people, feel like the prophet Elijah that they are "willing to die" rather than to live. To make us able to "walk in love" at times like this, the Lord offers us bread for the journey.
Jesus commands us, even as we are gathered here on this blessed hill of Colle Don Bosco: "Get up and eat." We need to get up from our fears, our sorrows, our grudges, our grumbling, from our false certainties and our prejudices, and eat the bread of life which is Jesus.
"I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE"
Dear brothers and sisters, we conclude this International Congress of Mary Help of
Christians celebrating, worshipping and eating the bread of life, the body and blood
of Jesus Christ. Let us renew our faith as we resume our journey invigorated by the "living bread come down from heaven."
It is the living bread which always nourished John Bosco. As a saintly educator, he made the living bread one of the pillars of his educational system. On 31 December
1863 Don Bosco told his young people: "Imagine you see a large globe suspended from two pillars or columns. On one is written, Regina Mundi and on the other Panis Vitae". Then comes the explanation: "The globe represents the world. The two pillars are Mary most holy and the Blessed Sacrament. They are really the pillars that support the world. If it were not for Mary and the Blessed Sacrament, the world would already be ruined"
(MB VII, 585-586).
The Eucharist is the food of the soul. It is the life of the Church. It is the strength of our families. In Cattolico provveduto Don Bosco writes: "Do you, oh Christian, want to grow in the life of grace and goodness, to live in union with God, and every day to make yourself more worthy of eternal life? Approach the table of the Lord often and worthily. Jesus Christ instituted this sacrament precisely in order to be for the soul what food is for the body, nourishment to maintain and support the spiritual life."
"WITH THE STRENGTH OF THAT FOOD HE WALKED" Let us walk in our day with Eucharistic and Marian hearts, with hearts passionate for God and for the young, with the faith and love of our father Don Bosco. Let us walk always with this food for the soul to reach the goal to which we are all called and of which Don Bosco said: "I will wait for you all in heaven.
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 Laughter the best medicine
My Income Tax return form has been sent back because, In response to a question for 'Number of Dependents on you?', I replied :--- "65% of population who no not pay taxes, 21 million illegal immigrants, 9,00,000 criminals in over 1382 prisons and above all our politicians. They said, this is not an acceptable answer. I am still wondering..... Who the heck did I miss out!!. There was a family with one kid. One day the Mom was out and Dad was in charge of the kid. Someone had given the kid a little 'tea set' as a birthday gift and it was one of his favorite toys. Daddy was in the living room when the kid brought Daddy a little cup of 'tea', which was just water. After several cups of tea and lots of praise from his Dad for such yummy tea, kid's Mom came home. Dad made her wait in the living room to watch the kid bring him a cup of tea, because it was 'just the cutest thing !!' Mom waited, and sure enough, the kid comes down the hall with a cup of tea for Daddy and she watches him drink it up, Then she says to him, "Did it ever come to your mind that the only place that baby can reach to get water is the toilet commode ?" |
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 The Devotion of the Three Hail Mary's
The devotion of the THREE HAIL MARYS is a very simple yet most efficacious devotion.
Everyday, recite Three Hail Marys, adding the invocation: "O Mary, My Mother, keep me from mortal sin." Many people recite the Three Hail Marys as part of their morning and night prayers. To practice this devotion in time of danger, stress, special need or temptation, is a sure means to obtain Our Lady's help.
Thank you Jesus and dear Mother Mary for curing my brother of his fever and joint aches, through the recitation of the Flying Novena and the 3 Hail Marys. Do continue to shower on us your spiritual blessings. Peter, Spring Valley, NY
Our grateful thanks for the safe delivery and the gift of a normal baby boy to our daughter on 8th August, 2014. Every test during the pregnancy indicated that all was not well with the unborn child, but we continued the fervent recitation of the three Hail Marys and this baby is truly a miracle from God. Thank you Jesus, Mother Mary and St. Dominic Savio for your love and protection during the entire pregnancy. Marie Mendoza, NY
Our sincere and heartfelt thanks to our dear Jesus and Mama Mary for numerous favors received and blessings bestowed on our family through the daily recitation of the 3 Hail Marys in the morning and the night. Keep us, dear Mother always under your mantle of blue. Gwen, PA
My husband who works on the rigs in Muscat was scheduled to leave the following morning. The day before he realized that his passport was missing. He telephoned me to tell me of the situation. I immediately began to pray the 3 Hail Marys fervently interceding with our Blessed Mother. Later that same day he called to say he had found the passport. We are most grateful to Our Lady for her help. Mrs. Caroline Moore
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In Conclusion
Dear devotees of Our Lady and Don Bosco,
If you have received a miracle through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother, we would like to hear from you. Email us at MaryShrine@aol.com.
Bookstore hours: Monday - Saturday - 10 am to 5 pm, Sundays: 12 - 4 pm
Weekday Masses: 12 noon. Confessions on weekdays begin at 11.30 am.
Sunday Masses: 11 am and 12.30 pm
Other activities: Day Retreats, Weekend retreats, Don Bosco Summer Camp, Eucharistic Adoration, Friday night Lenten Dinners, 50/50 raffle, 350 club, Rosary Madonna Statue. Rent Lomagno Hall, Rent our Banquet Hall.
MEMORIES
Remember a Loved One: Engrave plaques on Wall of Memories, adopt a Tree, Engrave blocks on Walk of Honor, All Souls, All year Candle lighting, Holiday (Christmas and Easter), Flowers, Schedule a Mass, Bell Chimes.
MASS INTENTIONS
To offer a mass intention, please write to
Fr. Jim McKenna SDB
174 Filors Lane,
Stony Point, NY 10980
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Marian Shrine
174 Filors Lane, Stony Point, NY 10980
(845) 947-2200
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