Heaven - Cardinal Bacci

Heaven

1. Faith teaches us that the soul which is in the state of grace and has expiated all the temporal punishments due to its sins, goes immedia...tely to Heaven when it is separated from the body. There the soul enjoys eternal happiness. It sees God face to face. It sees Him without any intervention of created things, but as He is in Himself in the Unity and Trinity of His infinite perfections.

In this beatific vision the intellect remains completely satisfied, because in God there is every truth, beauty and goodness. The will abandons itself entirely to the will of God, desiring nothing else and loving nothing else but God alone. There springs from this abandonment a love which satisfies every desire, an inexpressible joy and a boundless peace. The happy soul will see the Blessed Virgin, too, and she will smile upon it with maternal tenderness. It will see the Angels and Saints gathered around the King of Kings and the Queen of Heaven, singing their praises. St. Paul, who was taken up to the third Heaven, tells us that it is impossible to imagine or to describe the unknown joys which are experienced there. In comparison with the eternal happiness of Heaven, the poor pleasures of this world are empty shadows. We cannot imagine the happiness of those who have gained Heaven by their good lives upon earth. The concept of Heaven is so beautiful and immense that it caused the Saints to desire death as a means of going there. They welcomed suffering, too, because it brought them nearer to their goal.

2. Our souls have an innate desire to be happy. God Himself has placed this desire in our hearts. What else are we doing all our lives but trying by every possible means to be happy? Unfortunately, we seek happiness where it is not to be found. Some seek it in material gain, others in honours, others in pleasure. But our hearts are much wider than the riches and honours and pleasures of this world. In comparison with the riches of the human spirit, worldly wealth is a very insignificant thing. Worldly honours are shadows which pass. As the "Imitation of Christ" reminds us, we are what we are before God, not what we appear before men. (Bk. III, Chapter 50:8) Pleasure also passes quickly, and when it is immoderate it leaves in our hearts a sense of emptiness and disgust. St. Augustine had a good deal of experience of the deceptiveness and complexity of human happiness. He had reason to exclaim: “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless except in You. (Confessions, II, 2:4) We should follow the example of the Saints and aim at Heaven in everything we do. This should be the goal of our earthly journey. We should make sure that all our actions are in conformity with the will of God and directed towards this end.

3. God desires our salvation. “God wishes all men to be saved.” (1 Tim. 2:4) We are all aspirants of Heaven. We shall not be denied the grace of God so long as we ask for it with confidence and perseverance. St. Augustine tells us that Paradise is ours if we wish: “You are not called to embrace the earth, but to prepare yourselves for Heaven; not to be the successes of this world nor to a short-lived and transient prosperity, but to eternal life together with the Angels.” (Serm. 296, 6:7)
Contemplate this true and everlasting happiness. Let us direct towards it our intentions and desires and all our work. Then the day will come when we shall be really happy for all eternity.

Hell - Cardinal Bacci

Hell

1. “In whatever you do, remember your last days, and you will never sin.” (Ecclus. 7:36)

The meditation considered by the masters of the spiritual life to be the most useful for rousing the soul from sin, or from a state of torpor, is that on the last things, in other words, on what will happen to us at the end of life. Amongst these last things, hell is the most terrifying. Yet, if the mercy of God did not sustain us, we could fall into hell at any moment. St. John Chrysostom meditated on hell every day. All the Saints have found in this meditation the first steps on the way to perfection. Remember that a single mortal sin would merit hell for us. In that moment the sinner could have been already hurled into that abyss of torments. Let us imagine that we are there... and that the goodness and mercy of God has released us from those everlasting, all-devouring flames. If this should happen, all the sacrifices which virtue demands would seem so easy and pleasant. How ready we should be to do anything sooner than return to that chasm of eternal sorrow!

2. In that place of never-ending suffering there will be three punishments to torture us. There will be the worm of conscience which does not die: “Their worm dies not.” (Mark 9:43) This is the awful realisation that we could have saved ourselves, but are lost for all eternity; that God gave us so many graces and we damned ourselves by abusing them. Now there is no longer any remedy, because the mercy of God has been succeeded once and for all by His justice.

In the second place, there is fire. This is a real fire, but altogether different from the material fire we know in this world, which was created by God for our benefit and service. The fire of hell, on the other hand, was created by Divine Justice purely to punish us. It is a special kind of fire which tortures body and soul, and the rebel angels as well as damned human beings. It could be called discerning in so far as it torments more or less mercilessly according to the gravity of the sin. These flames embrace every evil and exclude every good. They are flames which will never be extinguished, flames which burn, but do not consume, flames without light, dark and accompanied by the shrieking of eternal despair. The very thought of this horrible dungeon of torments should spur us on to begin immediately a life of virtue and Christian perfection.

3. The greatest punishment, however, will be that of loss. This is the knowledge that we have lost forever our one, true, and highest good, God Himself. The soul will now understand fully what it means to have lost God forever. It will feel irresistibly the need to be united with Him, and to see, enjoy and love Him. But at the same time it will know that God has cast it away from Himself for all eternity. "Go, accursed soul, into everlasting fire!" Then the irresistible need for God will turn to hate and eternal malediction.

The terrifying reality of hell should not leave us amazed, as if it were an act of implacable severity. Rather should it be a warning to us. God should not seem to us to be a pitiless judge, but a judge who is infinitely just and infinitely good. Rather than send us to hell, God gave us His only-begotten Son, Who died on the cross for our sins. Just as the Redemption is a work of infinite love and goodness, so hell is a work of infinite justice.

If we reflect on the mystery of the Incarnation, on the Redemption and on the death of the Son of God, it will appear that, omnipotent though He is, He could not have done more to save us. The divine work of Redemption explains the mystery of the eternity of hell. It is not God Who is relentless. It is the damned soul which was relentlessly ungrateful towards the infinitely good and merciful God.

Venial Sin - Cardinal Bacci

Venial Sin

1. Next to mortal sin, the greatest of all evils is venial sin. Sin is always an offence against the God of goodness. When we sin, we place our own will above His and put Him in a position secondary to ourselves. If mortal sin is spiritual suicide because it extinguishes in us the divine life of grace, venial sin is an injury, more or less grave, to the soul. The former completely separates us from God; the latter moves us farther away from Him. Mortal sin means the death of the soul. Venial sin is a disease of the soul which reduces its supernatural powers and leaves it more open to the ever-increasing attractions of evil.

We cannot speak of small sins, as if sin could be a triviality. Sin is always something great and terrible, because it is an offence against our Creator and Redeemer, whom we should love, honour and serve with every impulse of our heart and with the whole strength of our will. It is the height of ingratitude, because in order to offend God we make use of the gifts He has given us -- our eyes, ears, speech and all our powers of soul and body.

Let us think seriously about this. We must firmly resolve to be more vigilant so that with the grace of God we may avoid ever committing a deliberate venial sin.

2. There is another motive which obliges us carefully to avoid ever committing a venial sin. The path of sin leads us down a smooth and slippery incline towards destruction. Once we begin to descend it is difficult to stop. Even to begin is a disaster:

“He who wastes the little he has will be stripped bare.” (Eccles. 19:1)
“He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much;
and he who is unjust in a very little thing is unjust also in much.” (Luke 16:10)

Whoever is faithful to God in little things, will receive from Him the grace to remain faithful also in greater things, but a man who despises the lesser falls rejects the divine assistance and so exposes himself to the danger of falling more seriously. If we reflect on such dangers, we shall have a real fear of venial sin and shall be always on our guard against it.

3. The Gospel tells us that we must render an account of every idle word, and that nothing tarnished can be admitted into the splendour of Paradise. In the terrible torments of Purgatory we must pay the full price for all our faults, even the slightest. The thought of such fearful punishment should frighten us, but the love of God should keep us far from all shadow of sin. We read of some of the saints that throughout their lives they wept at the mere remembrance of their slightest negligence. If we loved God truly, we should shun the least suggestion of sin.

Sin - Cardinal Bacci

Sin
1. In that we prefer our own wayward whims to the law of God, sin is an abuse of liberty. It is a revolt against right reason, the dictates of which we refuse to obey. It is an offence against our Creator and Redeemer, whose commandments we despise and whose redeeming grace we reject by our actions. It is, moreover, an act of supreme folly, for it extinguishes not only the supern...atural splendour of grace, but also the natural light of reason. Through sin man is brutalised, and experiences in himself as his first punishment the confusion of his whole being.

In practice, the sinner denies God who has created and redeemed him. He upsets the natural order of things and is violently separated from the source of all truth, beauty and goodness. As a result he experiences in himself the hell which he has constructed with his own hands -- a hell of emptiness, disgust and remorse. Unless the helping hand of God reaches out to rescue him from the abyss, all this is simply a bitter foretaste of eternal despair. God, as St. Augustine has written, has ordained from all eternity that every dissolute soul will be its own punishment. For the sinner hell begins on this earth. There can be no peace for the wicked.

When we realise the gravity, stupidity and dire consequences of sin, it seems impossible that a rational being, enlightened and enriched by divine grace, should continue to sin. Nevertheless sad experience teaches us that the lives of individuals, families and human society in general are often distorted by this evil, which is the root of all other evils.

2. In order to understand more clearly the gravity of sin, it is helpful at this stage to consider three things: --

(a) The world with all its evils -- sorrows, diseases, wars, plagues and death. All these things do not come directly from the will of God, Who is the highest good, but happen with His permission. They are the effect of original sin and of the continuing transgressions of men.

(b) Hell, which is the handiwork of sin. God, infinitely good but also infinitely just, has ordained this terrible and everlasting punishment for the rebellious sinner.

(c) The Crucifix. To save us from sin the God-Man has suffered the cruelest of torments and death, but men go on offending Him with unbelievable ingratitude.

3. Now let us turn the spotlight on ourselves and think of our past lives. So many sins and abuses of God's grace! Such coldness and ingratitude! Where has all this brought us? Spiritually, sin has deprived us of God and of the supernatural life which His grace gives us. Intellectually, it is an absurdity, a dishonour and a degradation. Physically, it is an inversion of the right order and often means total ruin. Let us humbly repent, therefore, and make resolutions so firm that we shall be ready to face any sacrifice, even death, in order to put them into practice.

The New Year - Cardinal Bacci

Happy New Year!

The New Year

1. This is a new gift which God in His infinite goodness gives to us. But every gift of God demands on our part a generous expression of gratitude, which should result in positive acts of virtue. Gratitude is an empty and short-lived sentiment unless it is accompanied by a sincere intention of performing good works.

Time is the price of eternity, because with time we can purchase an eternity of happiness or misery.
Consider this great truth. Every year is like a ladder in our lives. Now, it is necessary that this ladder should lead us, not perilously downwards towards evil, but upwards towards Heaven, even if with faltering footsteps.

The New Year opens today as a blank page in the diary of our lives. What do we intend to write there? The usual inanities and sins, perhaps? Let us reflect before God and in the light of the eternity which awaits us. This is the time for great decisions. It is necessary that we should offer our resolutions to God along with a humble and fervent prayer that He will strengthen us to comply faithfully with His grace.

2. During these days it is customary to exchange, verbally or in writing, good wishes for the New Year. But these poor greetings are often nothing more than conventional phrases. Men lack the power to transmute such good wishes into reality. God alone is the source of every material and spiritual good; therefore He alone can ensure that these benevolent expressions are translated into deeds of Christian renovation. Since today is the beginning of the New Year, it is especially important for us to ask God more fervently and insistently to bless the resolutions which we are making for ourselves and the good wishes which we are showering on our friends.

These wishes have no meaning, and these resolutions have no force, if they are not accompanied by fervent and persevering prayer.

3. It is suggested in “The Imitation of Christ” that if we were to get rid of at least one habit of sin every year, we should soon be holy. If we have not tried to do this in the past, let us propose to do it in the future. This year let us select the principal defect which we possess, the sin into which we are most accustomed to fall. Let us seek to eradicate it with all the strength of our soul, assisted by the grace of God which will certainly not be denied us. Let us request for this purpose the most powerful patronage of Mary Most Holy. Let us pass this day in close union with God and under the maternal mantle of our Heavenly Mother. Finally, let us promise earnestly that all the days of the New Year will follow the same pattern.

The Last Day of the Year - Cardinal Bacci

I hope everyone's having a happy, holy Christmas season!

The Last Day of the Year

1. The last day of the year has come. It should be a day of reckoning and of resolution. Think of the many benefits which God has conferred on you throughout your life, but especially in the year which is now drawing to a close.

Count the temporal favours which you have received. Many of your friends and acquaintances have died during the year, but you are still alive. God has rescued you from innumerable perils and illnesses. He has allowed you more time in which to perfect your spiritual life and to perform apostolic work on your neighbour's behalf. Try not to be like the barren tree in the Gospel, because this could be your final year of trial.

Count the spiritual blessings which you have received. Think of the graces and good inspirations which God has given you during the past twelve months. How often have you received forgiveness for your sins, been restored to the friendship of God, and experienced anew the joy and peace of being in the state of grace? How often has Jesus come into your heart under the guise of the Blessed Eucharist? How often have you been enlightened and encouraged by hearing or reading the word of God? Think, too, of the good example which you have received in private and in public, and recall the many occasions on which the helping hand of God has reached out to save you from falling into sin.

You could never show sufficient gratitude for all these favours. Spend this day at least in acts of repentance and thanksgiving, and promise God to be faithful to Him in the coming year.
2. Now that the year is almost over, cast your mind back to the good resolutions which you made at the beginning of it. Have you put these resolutions into effect? Has there been any improvement in your spiritual life during these twelve months, or must you confess that it has deteriorated? How often have you committed sin, perhaps even grave sin, during the year? When God appealed to you to perform some good action, how often did you refuse Him?

Your future outlook is very dark if your life has developed into a gradual descent towards evil. Any day God could grow tired of your ingratitude and obstinacy and send death to end your infidelity. Then you would almost certainly be damned forever. If you have surrendered to spiritual languor and mediocrity, therefore, it is time for you to stir yourself. It is time to become more generous with God, to display a greater spirit of self-sacrifice in responding to His appeals, and to form firmer resolutions.

Virtue cannot co-exist with spiritual tepidity, which leads inevitably towards sin.

3. After he had spent a night fishing on the lake of Galilee without having caught anything, St. Peter was ordered by Jesus to cast his nets back into the sea. “Master,” the future Apostle replied, “the whole night through we have toiled and have taken nothing; but at thy word I will lower the net.” This act of perfect confidence in our Lord was soon rewarded, for when the fishermen lowered the net, "they enclosed a great number of fishes." (Luke 5:5-6)

Perhaps we have toiled hard and made many sacrifices during the past year. But have we worked with and for Jesus Christ? We may have thought more of ourselves than of Jesus and as a result achieved little or nothing in the spiritual life. The remedy is clear. We must remain close to Jesus, working with Him, in Him, and for Him. Then He will bless and strengthen the good resolutions which we are about to make. The secret of perfection is to live in constant union with Jesus Christ.

The Immaculate Conception - Cardinal Bacci

Sorry, I'm a day late with this!

The Immaculate Conception

1. Let us read the first chapter of St. Luke's Gospel in order to try and understand as far as possible the Immaculate Conception and the sublime holiness of Mary. “The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And when the angel h...ad come to her, he said, ‘Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women.’” (Luke 1:26-28) The Blessed Virgin was troubled when she heard these words, but the Angel reassured her. He told her that she had found favour with God, and added that she would become the Mother of God, for the Word would become flesh in her womb through the power of the Holy Spirit in such a manner that in her nature the privileges of virginity and of the divine motherhood would be miraculously united. Mary then gave her assent to the will of God, and her 'fiat' placed her on a pedestal high above all the generations of humanity and all the choirs of the angelic kingdom.

It is on this passage of the Gospel that the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady chiefly depends. She was full of grace, and the supremely beloved of God. How then could she have been subject to the rule of sin which we inherited from Adam? If her soul had been stained with sin at the first moment of her conception, she would not have enjoyed the special favour of God and the plenitude of grace. She was, moreover, predestined to become the Mother of God. Was it possible that the divine Word, Who was to become her Son, could have permitted her soul to have been sullied even for a single instant by sin, which deprives us of grace and makes us enemies of God? It was on good grounds, therefore, that the Church defined that from the first moment of her conception Mary was free from all taint of sin, by a singular privilege conferred on her by God and through the merits of her divine Son, Jesus Christ.

2. By virtue of her Immaculate Conception the Blessed Virgin obtained four distinct privileges. (1) She was preserved free from the stain of original sin. (2) She never experienced the rebellion of the passions against the spirit. (3) She was confirmed in grace, so that, in the words of St. Augustine, (De natura et gratia, c. 36) one could not mention sin and the name of Mary in one breath. (4) She was perfected in grace and enriched with all the supernatural gifts to a degree far higher than any of the Saints and than the Angels themselves. Such is our Mother, Mary. We should rejoice with her, and we should have perfect confidence in her and have recourse to her in all our needs. Since her intercession is so powerful with God, she can obtain anything from Him. Above all, she is able and eager to obtain for us that which is most necessary and most important, namely, the avoidance of sin and absolute fidelity to God's grace in the execution of our duties.

3. Let its remember that Mary was not only preserved free from sin and endowed with every supernatural gift, but she never in her whole life committed the slightest fault and she advanced daily in holiness. It is true that we do not possess the privileges accorded to Mary, but we have nevertheless received many favours from God and continue daily to receive them.

Let us promise, therefore, that we shall not be unworthy children of so great a Mother. Let us promise to remain free from the slightest taint of sin in order to please God and her.

Let us promise, finally, to make daily progress towards that level of sanctity which God requires of us in the particular state in which He has placed us.

The Blessedness of Those Who Suffer Persecution - Cardinal Bacci

The Blessedness of Those Who Suffer Persecution
1. It would seem impossible that suffering and persecution could bring us happiness. Yet we have our Lord's assurance for it. “Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice' sake,” He says, “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men reproach you, and persecute you, and, speaking falsely, say all manner of evil... against you, for my sake. Rejoice and exult, because your reward is great in heaven.”( Mt.5:9-12)

Not only is this true of persecution borne in defence of the faith and of the Church, but it is equally true of any kind of trouble and suffering as long as it is endured for the love of God. “Rejoice,” writes St. Peter, “in so far as you are partakers of the sufferings of Christ, that you may also rejoice with exultation in the revelation of his glory.” (1 Peter 4:13)

"It is good for us now and then," ‘The Imitation of Christ’ assures us, "to have some troubles and adversities; for oftentimes they make a man enter into himself, that he may know that he is an exile, and place not his hopes in anything of the world. It is good for us sometimes to suffer contradictions, and to allow people to think ill and slightingly of us, even when we do and mean well. These are often helps to humility, and rid us of vain glory. For then we more earnestly seek God to be witness of what passes within us, when outwardly we are slighted by men, and incur their discredit." (Bk.1, c. 12)

This is a repetition of the teaching of Jesus Christ, Who said: “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

The happiness which our Lord promises us is that which results from our own self-renewal and from the acceptance of our cross. This happiness is not easy to acquire, because our selfish and sensual impulses, as well as the insults of others, seem to be forever stirring up a nest of vipers inside us. Too often our hearts are overflowing, not with happiness, but with rebellion. How can we remedy this? There is only one way. We must love God so much that we are prepared to endure everything willingly for love of Him. Those who suffer are blessed, therefore, only on one condition, namely, on condition that they suffer for love of God.

2. Why did God will to grant us happiness only on this condition that we deny ourselves and carry the cross with resignation? The reason is that we should no longer be ourselves, but should belong entirely to God, and should no longer live our own lives, as St. Paul expresses it, but should live the life of Jesus Christ. We ought to become like Him, the Man of sorrows Who redeemed us at the price of His Precious Blood and forgave His executioners from the Cross. We must suffer, moreover, so that by our suffering we may expiate our sins, purify our souls, detach ourselves from the world, and begin to lead a heavenly life even on this earth.

We should not imagine that this will make our lives sad and dreary. On the contrary, it will fill them with the lasting joy which God sends from on high. Let us acquire the peace which is founded on complete control of the passions, on absolute dedication to God, and on the power of charity, which can overcome all obstacles. Before we can acquire it, of course, we must be enlightened and strengthened by the Holy Spirit. It was not until after Pentecost that the Apostles achieved this happiness, so that “they departed from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. (Acts 5:41)

3. Let us implore the Holy Spirit to enlighten us and to grant us this serene joy, which is a reflection of the happiness of Heaven.

The Blessedness of the Peacemakers - Cardinal Bacci

The Blessedness of the Peacemakers
1. The spirit of peace pervades the Gospel. When Jesus is born, choirs of Angels sing above the stable in Bethlehem: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of good will.” (Luke 2:14) When our Saviour has risen gloriously from the dead, He appears to His disciples and greets them with the words: “Peace be to you.” Finally, when ...He is departing from this earth He leaves His peace to His followers as their inheritance. “Peace I leave with you,” He says to them, “my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, or be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Exactly what is the peace of Jesus Christ? It is much different from worldly peace, presuming that the world can give some kind of peace. St. Paul says of the Saviour that “he himself is our peace.” (Eph. 2:14) How are we to understand what is meant by this? The Apostle himself explains when he writes: “Having been justified by faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(Rom. 5:1) Jesus Christ, therefore, is our peacemaker. He has shouldered our iniquities and has offered Himself to the Father as a victim of expiation and of reconciliation. It is at the price of Christ's precious blood that we have regained peace with God and freedom from our sins. This is the peace which our Lord has given us. Let us remember, however, that if we return to the slavery of sin we shall lose at once the jewel of peace which Jesus Christ has bestowed on us. “There is no peace to the wicked.” (Is. 48:22) We have experienced on many occasions how true this is. Sin destroys peace of soul because it deprives us of Jesus, without Whom peace cannot survive. Let us resolve, therefore, to remain always close to our Lord and far from sin. Then only shall we be able to preserve our peace of mind in the midst of temptations and of earthly sorrows.

2. We should not imagine, however, that the peace which Jesus brought to us is a lifeless peace like that of a cemetery. On the contrary, it is the peace of conquest, a living peace. It cannot be attained by the sluggard who is aiming at an easy and comfortable existence, but by the generous warrior who is always prepared to throw himself into the fight for virtue, for the glory of God, and for the salvation of souls.

The peace of Jesus Christ is a victory over the evil which is rampant within us and around us. It demands vigilance, strife, and perseverance in fidelity to our Lord. It requires the spirit of sacrifice, the love of God, and dedication to the welfare of our fellow-men. It is the fruit of internal and external combat. It excludes all rancour, envy, detraction, and malice, which is why it costs so much hardship and conflict. When a man has gained the victory, however, he experiences that wonderful spiritual tranquillity which God alone can give.

3.”Blessed are the peacemakers,” said Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, “for they shall be called children of God.”(Mt. 5:9)

True Christian peace, which accompanies the perfect control of the passions and complete dedication to God's cause, makes us like God and enables us by His grace to become His adopted children. He is the God of peace, in Whom there is no conflict, but only perfect order and harmony. Since He is pure act, He understands Himself fully in all His beauty and perfection, and knowing Himself He loves Himself. He is peace, in an active and not in a passive sense. For this reason the peacemakers are singled out in a special way as the children of God. In other words, they become like God when they acquire that interior tranquillity which is the fruit of virtue and of victory over the flesh. With the help of divine grace, we should do our utmost to gain this peace.

The Blessedness of the Clean of Heart - Cardinal Bacci

The Blessedness of the Clean of Heart

1. “Blessed are the clean of heart,” says Jesus in the Beatitudes, for they shall see God. (Mt. 5:8) “The sensual man,” adds St. Paul, “does not perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God.” (1 Cor. 2:14)

How true this is. When the flesh gains control over the spirit and our lower instincts enslave the intellect, we are overcome by confu...sion and spiritual blindness. No longer can we see God's reflection in created things; no longer do we hear His voice. Impurity and sensuality lead to disregard for the law of God, whereas purity of heart makes it easy for us to love His law.

One day, as was his custom, St. Joseph Cafasso went to the prison to visit the convicts. Among them there was a hardened old sinner who was interested neither in God nor in confessing his sins. The Saint met him and tried to persuade him to kneel down and make his confession. "I do not believe in God," replied the old man. The Saint simply looked at him. "Kneel down," he said, "confess your sins, and afterwards you will believe." It turned out as he had predicted. The old crime-hardened sinner told his sins, wept for them, and became a new man. It was as if the scales had fallen from his eyes, which now saw God clearly once more. Through the forgiveness of his sins he found again the way of supernatural love.

We should be grateful to God that we are not in the same state as this poor prisoner was, but it is probable that we have been often disturbed by impure suggestions. On these occasions we may have lost sight of God and our high and pure ideals may have suffered an eclipse. We must preserve our chastity, however. With this purpose in view we should renew our good resolutions in the presence of God and should constantly implore His grace and the protection of the Blessed Virgin.

2. The clean of heart will see God. St. Thomas observes that the heart may and should be purified in two ways, even as God may be seen in two ways. (S. Th., II-II, q. 8. a. 7) The first essential is to purify the disturbed passions, which blind the soul to heavenly things. The second is to cleanse the mind and to make it immune from error and from evil fancies so that it may be permanently enlightened by God.

Similarly, the vision of God is twofold. When we see God perfectly, we see His Divine Essence, and such happiness is possible only in the Beatific Vision. There is also an imperfect vision of God, by which we see Him not in Himself but in created things. We can and should have this vision in this life. All the wonders of creation are rays of the eternal beauty of God. Creatures, therefore, should form for us a mystical ladder which leads us to God. We should never become entangled with transient worldly goods, but should see and love God in them all. The Saints were clean of heart and could see God more clearly than the most learned scholars.

3. Let us conclude this meditation with an appropriate prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas. "Make my heart watchful, O God, so that no vain thought may distract it from You. Make it noble, so that it may never be seduced by any base affection. Make it upright, so that no evil intention may defile it. Make it steadfast, so that troubles may not dismay it. Make it free, so that it may not yield to the onslaughts of passion. Grant me, my God, the intelligence to understand You, the love to seek You, the wisdom to find You, words to please You, the perseverance to wait faithfully for You, and the hope of embracing You at last. Grant that I, a repentant sinner, may bear Your chastisements with resignation. Poor pilgrim that I am, may I draw on the treasury of Your grace and may I one day be eternally happy with you in heavenly glory. Amen."

The Blessedness of the Merciful - Cardinal Bacci

The Blessedness of the Merciful

1. Let us meditate now on the mercy of God, which is infinite even as His justice is infinite. "His mercy," says St. Thomas, "does not subtract from His justice, but is the fullness and the perfection of that justice." (S. Th., 1, q. 21, a. 3 ad 2) All the merits which we can acquire in the sight of God derive from His gratuitous gift of grace. God's... mercy and justice, therefore, are fused together in a wonderful harmony which claims our gratitude and fidelity.

References to the mercy of God are numerous in Sacred Scripture. “You, Lord, are good and forgiving,” says the Psalmist, “abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.” (Ps. 85:5) “Blessed he the Lord,” we read elsewhere, “my rock, … my refuge and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer…” (Ps. 143:2) “Goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come.” (Ps. 22:6)

When we leave the Old Testament and open the Gospel, we discover that it is a record of the goodness and mercy of God. We have only to recall Christ's forgiveness of the Magdalen when she wept at His feet for her faults; the merciful judgment which He passed on the poor adulteress; His loving glance in the direction of St. Peter, who had denied Him; the grace so miraculously granted to St. Paul on the road to Damascus; and the parables of the good Samaritan, the prodigal son, and the good shepherd who went to search for the lost sheep. Finally, there are the consoling words to the repentant thief: "This day thou shalt be with me in paradise." When we read this chronicle of infinite goodness and mercy, we should experience a boundless hope and confidence. It does not matter how great our sins or our ingratitude may have been. Once we have repented, God is ready to forgive us and to receive us with open arms.

2. Since God is so merciful to us, however, He requires us to be good and merciful to our neighbour. “Blessed are the merciful,” Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, “for they shall obtain mercy.” (Mt. 5:7) St. James adds a stern warning. “Judgment,” he says, “is without mercy to him who has not shown mercy; but mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:12) If we hope to receive God's mercy, we must show compassion to those who are poor or unfortunate in any way, even to the greatest sinners. In the presence of so much need and misfortune in the world, avarice, miserliness, selfishness or indifference cry out to God for retribution. If we are not prepared to give, nothing will be given to us. If we refuse to forgive, neither shall we be forgiven. If we do not love, neither shall we be loved.

3. Let us remember that we have often made ourselves God's enemies by our sins. We were often in need when we were deprived of divine grace. On these occasions God was merciful to us, for He granted us His forgiveness and His friendship. These gifts of God place an obligation on us to behave in the same way to those who are in need by assisting them willingly and generously, and to those who are unhappy by consoling them as far as possible.

Let us remember the great principle which Jesus Christ has given us. “Even as you wish men to do to you, so also do you to them… Do good to those who hate you… Do not judge, and you shall not be judged; do not condemn and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven, give, and it shall be given to you…” (Cf. Luke 6:30-38) “With what judgment you judge, you shall be judged; and with what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you.” (Mt. 7:1) So it will be on the day of death when we shall have to appear before the Supreme Judge.

Let us be generous throughout life in giving help and consolation to others. It is more blessed to give than to receive, as the Gospel says. By giving we shall find a little happiness even in this world, and shall be certain that one day the most merciful Judge will pardon and embrace us.

The Thirst for Justice - Cardinal Bacci

The Thirst for Justice

1. Jesus commands us in the Beatitudes to seek justice, that is, perfection in the fulfilment of our obligations to God, to ourselves, and to our neighbour. He commands us, moreover, to hunger and thirst for this justice, which is identical with holiness.

When Christ tells us to hunger and thirst for justice, He imposes on us the obligation of doing our very... best to acquire the virtue of Christian justice which is the synthesis of all the virtues. We must beware, therefore, of laziness, apathy, tepidity, or mediocrity, for our advance in spiritual perfection must be continuous. There must be no hesitation or backsliding. The high target which God has set for us demands hard work and boundless generosity on our part. Jesus Christ loved us so much that He gave Himself entirely for us and shed His Precious Blood to the last drop for our redemption. How can we possibly be niggardly or half-hearted in our relations with Him?

Whenever God's cause is at stake, whether in our efforts to achieve our own spiritual perfection or in the fulfilment of our obligations towards our neighbour, we should never refuse anything, but should display absolute dedication to God and to our fellow-man. "Let us hunger," said St. Catherine of Siena, "for God's honour and for the salvation of souls." (Brev. di perfezione, p.81) The hunger and thirst for justice, nourished by the love of God and of our neighbour, should exclude all mediocrity and selfishness from our lives. It should urge us on, as it did the Saints, towards the highest pinnacles of sanctity.

2. Many people, unfortunately, hunger and thirst for wealth, for pleasure, and for honour. In practice, if not in theory, they forget all about their personal sanctification and the welfare of their neighbour. They pray, certainly, and they go to church, give alms, and carry out the duties of their station in life conscientiously from morning until night. They may even engage in many external works of charity on their neighbour's behalf. But what is their dominant thought and their principal ambition? To keep up appearances, to be praised and esteemed, to be successful in their career… This, however, is not justice or Christian perfection, but corresponds to the attitude of the Scribes and Pharisees, who did not seek the kingdom of Heaven, but their own interests. (Cf.Mt. 5:46-47) Of these it is written that “they have received their reward.” (Mt. 6:2) They have not sought God, but themselves. Therefore they can never have God or His everlasting happiness as their reward. They must be content with the insignificant and passing glory of this world. Indeed, on many occasions they will be unable to gain even this much and will find that they have laboured in vain.

The envious man will even find cause for personal sorrow and unhappiness in the welfare and in the success of others. He would have nobody wealthy, respected, or happy in the world but himself. Even when the zealous man is working for a good cause, he is not concerned with it, but only with himself. He identifies his own ego with the cause for which he is fighting.

3. Let us think deeply about our own secret ambitions. Let us examine our thoughts, affections, desires, and actions in order to make sure that their primary object is the glory of God and the triumph of His reign in the universe. If we find blemishes, distortions, or tepidity, we must revive and purify our love of God.

The Blessedness of Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Justice - Cardinal Bacci

The Blessedness of Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Justice

1. “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice,” says Jesus Christ, “for they shall be satisfied.” (Mt. 5:6) These words oblige us to seek justice in our actions if we desire the happiness which Our Lord promises to the just.

We must understand, of course, what is intended here by the word "justice." It may be inte...rpreted in two ways. According to its most common meaning, justice is the cardinal virtue which obliges us to give every man his due. Often in Sacred Scripture, however, the word is synonymous with perfection or holiness; that is, it is the synthesis of all the virtues. It is in this sense that Jesus employs the term when He says: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be given you besides.” (Mt. 6:33)

In its fullest sense, then, justice embraces our relations with God, with ourselves, and with our neighbour. In the first place, we must be just towards God and, therefore, in accordance with the Gospel precept, we must “render to God the things that are God's.” (Mt. 22:21)Since everything belongs to God, our Creator and Redeemer, we must offer everything to Him, including ourselves, all that we are and all that we possess. We have only obligations in regard to God, and no rights, because we have received everything from Him. We ought to obey Him, therefore, as our supreme lawgiver. We ought to adore Him and to love Him with a greater love that we have for any creature or for ourselves, because He is the highest good which merits all our love and which alone can satisfy us. We should express our love, moreover, by our actions and by the complete dedication of ourselves to His honour and glory.

Justice, then, is in fact Christian perfection and is the synthesis of all the virtues. That great pagan writer, Cicero, had already perceived this when he wrote that "piety is the foundation of all the virtues," (Planc., 12) and that "piety is justice in regard to God." (Nat. D., I, 41) Justice in our relations with God demands that we adore, love, and obey Him. In this way we lay the basis of all the virtues.

2. We must also be just towards ourselves. God has established a hierarchy of faculties in human nature. There are the lower faculties, which are often moved to action by our passions, and above these there is right reason, which ought to govern all else through the will. According to St. Thomas, the rule of right reason within us should be comparable to that of God in the universe. (De Regim. Principum, I, 12) "It is fitting," he says elsewhere, "that everything in man should be subject to reason." (S. Th., I-II, q. 100, a. 2 ad 1) St. Augustine observes that, as the lower faculties should obey the intellect, so the intellect should be subject to God and should fulfil His holy law. (Cf. De Serm. Domini in Monte, Bk. I, c. 2.)

In this way there exists in us absolute justice, which is the harmony of perfection. If the passions, however, rebel and dethrone reason, or if reason revolts against God, there follows the degradation of human nature, the triumph of sin, remorse, and spiritual ruin.

3. We must be just, finally, in our dealings with others. This rules out theft, homicide, detraction, calumny, and hatred of our neighbour. We can be unjust to our neighbour not only in material things, but also in the moral order. Christian justice, moreover, makes many demands on us which we do not sufficiently consider. If our neighbour is hungry, we are obliged to assuage his hunger. If he is ill-clad, homeless, or out of work, the Gospel tells us that we are obliged to help him and to console him by every means in our power, even if this necessitates sacrifice on our part. This is the Christian justice without which neither faith nor charity can survive. The man who lacks this virtue will one day be condemned by the Supreme Judge with the terrifying words: "Depart from me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire."

The Blessedness of Those Who Mourn - Cardinal Bacci

The Blessedness of Those Who Mourn
1. “Blessed are they who mourn,” (Mt. 5:5) says Jesus Christ, in direct contrast to the opinion of the world, which believes that happiness is to be found in merrymaking. Who is right? The Gospel does not forbid us to rejoice; indeed, a blessing was given to the wedding celebration in Cana. This, however, was a manifestation of good and honest joy.... It is the immoderate revelling of irresponsible worldlings and sinners which is condemned in the Gospel. God does not promise these any of His consolations, but only remorse and, perhaps, despair. On the other hand, those who suffer are called blessed by Jesus Christ, Who has promised to console them. The consolations which they will receive are those which spring from their repentance, from the forgiveness which they obtain for their sins, and from the expectation of everlasting life, which is promised to those who choose the royal road of the Cross. They will also enjoy the consolations of contemplation and of the love of God.

The Christian sheds tears of sadness, of repentance, and of joy. He is sometimes sad because he is sensitive to the evil which exists in the world. When he sees so many of his fellow-men going from sin to sin on the downward slope towards damnation, he is saddened and longs to remedy this situation as much as possible by prayer, good example, and penance.

Perhaps you are indifferent to the evil which is being perpetrated in the world? Perhaps nothing has power to upset you apart from your own petty troubles and frustrated ambitions? This kind of sadness is not pleasing to God.

Another motive for sadness is the great physical and moral suffering which afflicts so many of our brethren. We should be generous in rendering whatever assistance we can, generous also in our understanding and in our sympathy. Very often a single gesture of compassion towards a man who is suffering is of greater value than a substantial alms which is offered with coldness and indifference.

2. As well as regretting the evils which beset humanity, the Christian should also shed tears of repentance for his sins. Our sins are so many that they demand penance and reparation. St. Aloysius Gonzaga wept whenever he recalled the peccadilloes of his childhood, which were hardly serious enough to be real sins. We have sinned, and may be sinners still, but do we weep for our transgressions?

A sincere Christian is not content merely to regret his sins and to pray for forgiveness, but he imposes on himself voluntary penances in expiation of his own offences and of the offences of others. Tears of repentance are blessed by God, Who forgives and pardons those who mourn for their transgressions.

3. Finally, the Christian will sometimes shed tears of joy. There are some people who are not easily moved. Rigid and inflexible, they proceed in all things with mathematical precision and cannot be swayed by the promptings of the heart. They are incapable of shedding a tear. If we love God sincerely, however, we shall have what was called by the Fathers the gift of tears. It is because we know God so little that we love Him so little. If we loved Him fervently, the contemplations of His infinite goodness and mercy would move us to tears of love and of joy. So it was with the Saints in the presence of the Crucifix and of the Blessed Sacrament, and in the presence of the marvels of creation. We are incapable of shedding tears of love and of joy because we know and love God so little. "Our love and knowledge of God are imperfect," (S. Th., I-II, q. 68, a. 2) writes St. Thomas. We are too absorbed in worldly vanities to be capable of such heartfelt joy and love. Let us meditate more often and love God more fervently, and He will grant us the gift of tears.

The Blessedness of the Meek - Cardinal Bacci

The Blessedness of the Meek

1. Charity, as St. Thomas says, is the source of all the virtues. (S. Th., 11-11, q. 157, a. 2) This includes meekness, or that quality of moderation by which a Christian ought to govern his passions, especially anger, and keep them subject to the control of reason. This virtue is opposed to pride and to vanity in that these passions, when wounded, culminate in outbursts of anger and in quests for revenge.

Meekness is not simply a form of apathy or of good-natured affability. On the contrary, it is based both on humility and on fortitude. It feels insult and ingratitude, and does not remove the suffering which accompanies them, but it demands the heroism of silence and of charitable behaviour towards those who hurt us. For this reason it is not identical with weakness, but requires spiritual fortitude because it makes a man complete master of himself. (Cf. S. Th., 11-11, q. 157, a. 4) Anger is not always sinful, as the Holy Spirit indicates. (Ps. 4:5) If it remains subject to the control of reason and of charity, indeed, it is only a reaction against evil and can exist alongside Christian meekness. It is fatal, however, to allow anger to become blind and tyrannical, for it will then betray a man into hatred and vengefulness. It will grow noisy and vulgar, give scandal to others, and leave in the soul a sense of restlessness and of vexation." (Cf. "Philothea," Bk. III, c. 9) “If the Holy Spirit may be called the peace of the soul, uncontrolled anger may be called its disturber. Nothing is more hostile than anger to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us.” (St. John Climacus, "Scala Paradisi," P. 286)

Let us resolve never to allow ourselves to be led away by immoderate anger, but to preserve at all times our peace of soul.

2. “Learn from me,” said Jesus when He proposed Himself to us as our model, “for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” (Mt. 11:30) “By your patience,” He said on another occasion, “you will win your souls.” (Luke 21:19) “Love your enemies,” He said also, “do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute and calumniate you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, who makes his sun to rise on the good and the evil, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.” (Mt. 5:44)

If we obey this lofty teaching, we shall have peace of soul. We shall not be easily annoyed, but shall rather regret the misdeeds and unhappiness of those who unjustly offend us. Moreover, we shall be able to persuade our fellow-men to follow the path of virtue. This is why the Psalmist says that “the meek shall possess the land, they shall delight in abounding peace.” (Ps. 36:11) “Blessed are the meek,” Jesus repeats in the Sermon on the Mount, “for they shall possess the earth.” (Mt. 5: 4)

What is meant by this promise? Tyrants, persecutors, and evil-doers have passed away and are remembered with bitterness and execration. But the Saints still hold sway over the world and dominate the minds and hearts of millions, winning universal love and veneration. We should imitate the gentleness which can give such peace and exert such influence.

3. St. John Climacus notes that there are three levels of meekness. (Scala Paradisi, pp. 296-298) The first grade, he says, consists in enduring with difficulty the injuries done to us. The second consists in enduring them without displeasure, and the third in regarding them as an honour. Those who reach the first level are to be congratulated, those who reach the second are to be applauded, but those in the third and highest category are really blessed by God. "One day," he says, "I saw three monks receiving the same insult. The first was offended but said nothing; the second was not displeased on his own account, but regretted the offence against Almighty God; the third wept for the fault of his neighbour." The first monk, the Saint comments, feared God; the second loved God; and the third loved both God and his fellow-man.

At what stage of perfection in this virtue can we claim to have arrived? If we desire to be sincere Christians, we must realise that we ought to have achieved at least the first level and should hope to advance eventually as far as the third and most perfect grade.

The Blessedness of the Poor - Cardinal Bacci

The Blessedness of the Poor

1. “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” said Jesus, “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt. 5:3) We should take care to have a proper understanding of the meaning of these words. Christian perfection does not actually consist in being poor. A man can be poor, even voluntarily so, without being virtuous and without receiving any blessing thereby. "Christ...ian perfection," explains St. Thomas, "does not essentially consist in voluntary poverty, which is only an instrument of perfection. Therefore it cannot be said that where there is greater poverty, there is greater sanctity. The highest perfection can coexist with great wealth, for we read that Abraham was wealthy and God said to him: 'Walk in my presence and be perfect.' " (S. Th., 11-11, q. 185, a. 6 ad 1)

Perfection, then, does not consist in poverty as such, but in detachment from worldly possessions. Whether we are rich or poor, we must have this detachment if we wish to be true followers of Christ. It was God Who created the fruits of the earth and gave them to men. When He had created them He was pleased with His work and declared that all things were good. Evil consists in the abuse of these goods, which in themselves are intended to be aids to perfection. It is necessary, therefore, to preserve the proper hierarchical order of all that is good. We must guard against riveting our ambitions on earthly objects as if they were capable of constituting the goal of our lives.

God has given us these things as possessions, not as ends in themselves. He has ordered us to be masters of the world, not its slaves. Detachment is essential, but not a complete surrender of our possessions. The latter was never commanded, but simply indicated as an evangelical counsel of perfection. The observance of this counsel, however, is valueless if it is not accompanied by detachment. Worldly possessions, such as money, are good servants but bad masters.

2. We have established the principle that wealth is in itself good and is a gift from God, but that "it is good in as far as it leads us towards virtue, and evil in as far as it leads us towards vice." (Contra G., III, 134) We must now insist once more on the necessity of remaining detached from worldly goods and of concentrating our attention primarily on God. It is an unfortunate fact that only too often wealth is a spiritual obstacle, for it diverts our attention away from Heaven and towards worldly objects. If this happens, some of its worst results can be the worship of money, the destruction of high ideals, indifference to the poverty of others, the vain and selfish search for happiness on this earth, and complete spiritual blindness. This is why it is more difficult for the rich man than for the poor man to save his soul.

“If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast, and give to the poor.” (Mt. 19:21) This is an evangelical counsel which we may have neither the courage nor the vocation to pursue. At least, however, let us seek to purify ourselves of all attachment to wealth. If we have riches, moreover, let us do our best to use them as instruments of virtue.

3. Let us remember the warning of St. Paul. “Those who seek to become rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many useless and harmful desires, which plunge men into destruction and damnation. For covetousness is the root of all evils.” (1 Tim. 6:9-10) If we are rich, therefore, let us use our wealth in order to do good. If we are poor, let us console ourselves with the reflection that it is easier for the poor to gain Heaven. "The poor man who lacks wisdom is afflicted by a double misfortune; he can neither enjoy the goods of this world, nor hope to enjoy those of the other." (St. John Climacus, "Scala Paradisi," VII, n. 113)

Let us all, both rich and poor, seek the only true riches, which are holiness and the grace of God. If we wish, moreover, to enjoy the blessedness of poverty of spirit, let us be detached not only from wealth, but also from worldly honour and glory. Knowledge which serves to make us proud and ostentatious is regarded as folly in the sight of God.

Good Example - Cardinal Bacci

Good Example
1. The Saints achieved a great deal by preaching and by conversation, but they achieved far more by good example. Their spiritual power of personality touched even the most hardened sinners.

It is said of St. Romuald that everyone who visited him experienced great interior happiness. His appearance alone was enough to cheer them. He was so detached from himself and fr...om the things of the world, and so absorbed in God, that he was always smiling. The Cure d'Ars, too, converted more people by the unseen impact of his personal holiness than by the simple sermons which he delivered to the crowds gathered about him.

Unfortunately, quite the opposite influence is exerted by hardened sinners and by self-centred worldlings, and even greater damage is done by those who are immersed in soul-destroying sensuality. The latter exhale the breath of death, and the familiarity of their friendship perverts and corrupts those with whom they come in contact.

Examine your behaviour at home and in society, for it affects not only your own spiritual welfare, but that of your neighbour as well.

2. The Holy Spirit tells us that God entrusts to everyone the care of his neighbour. (Ecclus. 17:12) “Let your light shine before men,” says Jesus Christ, “in order that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5: 16) St. Paul echoes this counsel when he warns us not to return evil for evil, but to “provide good things not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of all men.” (Cf. Rom. 12:17) In other words, we are obliged to edify our neighbour by our good example.

Good example is the most effective sermon, and it is a sermon which all of us can and should deliver. We ought to preach this sermon everywhere and at all times—in the Church and outside it, in our family circle and in society, with our superiors, equals and inferiors, when we are speaking and when we are silent, in our behaviour and in our appearance.

3. Above all, we must avoid giving scandal. Jesus Christ strongly condemned this sin, which destroys so many souls. “Woe to the world because of scandals! . . . Woe to the man through whom scandal does come! . . . It were better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” (Mt. 18:5-7) If we are compelled to admit that by our behaviour or conversation we have given rise to scandal and have endangered the eternal salvation of our neighbour, let us repent humbly and do our best to repair the damage as far as possible.

Let us henceforth endeavour, moreover, to edify our fellow-men in every possible way. What a consolation it would be for us to know that we had led a soul back to God. It would be more than a consolation; in fact, it would be a guarantee of our own future salvation.

“My brethren,” says St. James, “if any one of you strays from the truth and someone brings him back, he ought to know that he who causes a sinner to be brought back from his misguided way, will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20)

The Most Terrifying Passage in the Gospel - Cardinal Bacci

The Most Terrifying Passage in the Gospel

1. The preaching of Jesus Christ bears the stamp of gentleness and kindness towards humanity, especially towards sinners. There is, however, one passage in the Gospel which inspires real dread. Let us quote it in full.

“When the Son of Man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory...; and before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and he will set the sheep on his right hand but the goats on the left.”

“Then the king will say to those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; naked and you covered me; sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me…’ Then he will say to those on his left hand, ‘Depart from me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you did not give me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take me in; naked, and you did not clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Amen, I say to you, as long as you did not do it for one of these least ones, you did not do it for me.’ And these will go into everlasting punishment .” (Cf. Mt. 25:31-46)

These are terrifying words, in the light of which each one of us has something with which to reproach himself.

2. Why should the Eternal Judge punish or reward us in accordance with our own deeds of charity and of mercy towards our unfortunate fellow-men? Simply because Christianity consists mainly of charity, since God Himself is charity. “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”(1 John 4:16) When charity is genuine, being the love of God above all things and of our neighbour as ourselves, it is “the bond of perfection,” (Col. 3:14) and “bears with all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Cor. 13:7)True love, in the Christian sense, presupposes faith, hope and all the other virtues, whereas faith without charity is, as St. Paul says, as futile as “a tinkling cymbal.” (1 Cor. 13:1) Even the devils have faith, but their faith will not save them. “He who does not love,” St. John tells us, “abides in death.” (1 John 3:14)

3. Do we hope to be saved and to hear on the day of judgment that welcome invitation: “Come, blessed of my father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Mt. 25:34) If we do, let us be charitable. Let us root out the spirit of egoism from our hearts, have compassion on the misfortunes of our needy brethren, and help them in any way we can. Above all, let us recognise the person of Jesus Christ Himself dwelling in His poor, and let us love them even as we love Him. Let us show our love in deeds, not merely in words, for the Gospel warns us that if we fail to do this we shall be damned forever.

The Influence of the Cinema, Radio, and Television - Cardinal Bacci

The Influence of the Cinema, Radio, and Television
1. It is an unfortunate but undeniable fact that man often employs new inventions and discoveries for evil rather than for good purposes. The gifts of God ought to bring us closer to Him, but too often they become through our own fault the means of separating ourselves farther from Him. Everything is good, and not only whatever Go...d has created, but also whatever we ourselves produce by a proper use of the faculties with which our Creator has endowed us.

“Every creature of God is good,” says St. Paul, “and nothing is to be rejected...” (1 Tim. 4:4) These words are still true of the countless inventions of our own era. The cinema, radio, and television are essentially good because they are gifts which God has brought into being through the agency of human intelligence and perseverance. But what use have we been making of them? Take, for instance, the cinema. It must be admitted that there are very few films today which are edifying or spiritually helpful. Many are positively bad and dangerous, especially to certain branches of the community. Moreover, as Pius XI warned us in his Encyclical on this subject in 1936, many pictures which would otherwise be quite harmless are rendered dangerous because they are interspersed with various kinds of immorality.

Since the greatest evil for a Christian is the loss of God, and this inevitably follows the loss of grace and of the faith, we must observe the following safeguards in our approach to the cinema. (1) We must stay away from any film which might represent a proximate occasion of mortal sin. (2) We must avoid films which are opposed to morals or to the faith, and must see that our families and dependents do likewise. (3) We may attend films which are good or merely entertaining. It is better, however, not to go to the cinema too regularly, for to do so would be a waste of time and could expose us to unforeseen risks. In any case, there are many other amusements, preferably open-air, which are much more beneficial to soul and body.

2. What has been said of the cinema is true also of radio and television. There is one difference, however. We must go out to the cinema, but the radio and the television set are normally in our own homes and are therefore much greater potential instruments of good or of evil. The radio is carried about by many people both in the city and in the country. Television, moreover, has power to take possession of a man through his hearing, vision, imagination and intelligence. It is a vital world on a tiny screen which can attract and fascinate the mind. It is possible to televise sacred ceremonies, the Holy Mass, explanations of the Gospel, and religious or cultural instructions. It is equally possible to present obscene plays and every kind of indecency.

Perhaps there is no other invention with greater power for good or evil than television. This fact imposes grave obligations on the public authorities, on artists and writers, on the heads of families, and on the community in general. Every good Christian is obliged to be on his guard against the possibility of television becoming a ready instrument of moral damage either to himself or to his neighbour.

3. Let us examine ourselves conscientiously, for we may have much with which to reproach ourselves. If we have been guilty of negligence in the past, let us resolve to do better in future. The wonderful discoveries of civilisation should not be allowed to become the instruments of a new, refined type of barbarianism capable of making us the slaves of sin. Every earnest Catholic should read and meditate on the relevant teaching of His Holiness Pope Pius XII, in the Encyclical “Miranda Prorsus," published in the year 1957.

Sensitiveness - Cardinal Bacci

Sensitiveness

1. A single severe glance from our employer or superior is enough to make us anxious. If it is accompanied by a word of rebuke we are thoroughly upset. Why should this be so? It is because we are lacking in the fundamental virtue of humility. We want to keep up appearances and to be held in high regard. If we are frustrated in this ambition, we suffer inwardly.

All this is quite natural, but on this natural foundation we must build the virtue of humility and the desire to serve God alone. If we possess this virtue, we shall continue to be sensitive to insults and humiliations but our suffering will be sanctified and will be meritorious in the sight of God.

We are all pleased when we are praised by others and are hurt when we are criticised, because our natural inclinations are never destroyed. Our sensitivity, however, can be moderated and brought under the control of right reason, whose guide should be the rule of virtue. It is worth reflecting on what the “Imitation of Christ” has to say in this regard.

“Whenever a man desireth anything inordinately, straight-away he is disquieted within himself. The proud and the covetous are never at rest; the poor and humble in spirit pass their life in abundance of peace. The man who is not yet perfectly dead to self is soon tempted and overcome in little and paltry things. He that is weak in spirit, and in a certain manner as yet carnal, and inclined to things of sense, cannot without difficulty sever himself wholly from earthly desires. And therefore he is often sad when he does withdraw himself; and besides, he is easily moved to anger if anyone thwarts him. And, if he has pursued his inclination, forthwith he is burdened with remorse of conscience for having gone after his passion, which helped him not at all to the peace he looked for. It is by resisting the passions, therefore, and not by serving them, that true peace of heart is to be found. Peace, therefore, is not in the heart of the carnal man, nor in the man who is devoted to outward things, but in the fervent and spiritual man.” (Bk. 1, c.6)

“Continual peace dwelleth with the humble, but in the heart of the proud is frequent envy and indignation.” (Ibid., c. 7, v.3)

2. Our wounded feelings sometimes give rise to an external explosion in the form of bitter and offensive remarks. These always create disharmony and have various unfortunate after-effects.

It is fatal to lose control over ourselves. A man who has surrendered to anger and resentment does not weigh his words and is not responsible for his actions. When the fit has passed, he is left with a sense of humiliation because of his lack of moderation and must suffer the consequences both before God and before his fellow-men in his domestic and social environment. "When the angry man has calmed down," Seneca truly observed, "he is angry with himself." "Let anger be foreign to us,'' said Cicero, "for an angry man is incapable of acting correctly or prudently. Anything which is done in a state of agitation cannot be done properly nor can it meet with the approval of the bystanders." (De Off., I, 38)

Let us meditate also on these apt quotations from Sacred Scripture. “A mild answer calms wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Prov. 15:1) “An ill-tempered man stirs up strife, but a patient man allays discord.” (Prov. 15:18)

3. Let us form the following resolutions: (1) Never to speak or never to make a decision in a moment of anger. (2) To wait until we have regained full self-control and serenity before we make any statement or perform any action. (3) Never to be disturbed by the unpleasant remarks or behaviour of others in our regard. Considering that the Saints actually looked for humiliations and penances, the least we should do is accept those God sends us and offer them to Him.