Ezekiel 37:21-28; John 11:45-56
On the cusp of Holy Week, today’s readings give us some hint of what the new creation, which we’ll celebrate at the Easter Vigil, actually looks like. We will be one. In the readings from Ezekiel and the psalm from Jeremiah, we hear God promising to gather the scattered remnants of Israel, and in the Gospel, John, interpreting the high priest’s comments, sees Jesus gathering “into one the dispersed children of God”. In both readings it is God who acts. Plainly we can’t do it ourselves. Humans divide. It is God who unifies. What we need to hear and understand is that unity is what God wants. Though we can’t do it ourselves, we certainly can impede it, and we desperately need to understand how doing that would be completely contrary to God’s will.
On the 15th anniversary of Pope St. John Paul II’s death, the Vicar General for Vatican City State, Cardinal Angelo Comastri, recalls his legacy.
Pope St. John Paul II died 15 years ago, on 2 April 2005. The Christian witness with which he bore his long illness inspired believers and non-believers alike. His example, at this moment of global suffering caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, is particularly poignant.
EXTRAORDINARY MOMENT OF PRAYER PRESIDED OVER BY POPE FRANCIS
Sagrato of St Peter’s Basilica Friday, 27 March 2020
“When evening had come” (Mk 4:35). The Gospel passage we have just heard begins like this. For weeks now it has been evening. Thick darkness has gathered over our squares, our streets and our cities; it has taken over our lives, filling everything with a deafening silence and a distressing void, that stops everything as it passes by; we feel it in the air, we notice in people’s gestures, their glances give them away. We find ourselves afraid and lost. Like the disciples in the Gospel we were caught off guard by an unexpected, turbulent storm. We have realized that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other. On this boat… are all of us. Just like those disciples, who spoke anxiously with one voice, saying “We are perishing” (v. 38), so we too have realized that we cannot go on thinking of ourselves, but only together can we do this.
My God, My Mercy…
St. Vincent Pallotti
To All the Superiors and Missionary Sisters of the Catholic Apostolate
Dear Sisters,
On our calendars, spring has just begun. Outside appears as if nothing has happened…, blue skies embracing the earth, sun's rays peeking into the windows bringing warmth, flowers are blooming, birds are singing, and a warm spring breeze delicately blows around. We all love spring because it comes to us in light colors, with hope, with a smile, with new life and warmth. Such is a nature: faithful to God’s law and grows and develops according to its own natural rhythm.
Dear Sisters,
I would like to share with you some thoughts from the "front" of the fight against the pandemic, this invisible opponent. As we all know, the situation throughout Italy is critical and unfortunately also in Rome, which is a completely different city than as we know it, is increasing in incidences. Statistics on infection, recovery and mortality are far from giving hope that the epidemic will end soon.
Pope Francis Twitter Feed
The Holy See
Jubilee of the Canonisation
U.A.C.
Meditations
* Our Way of Life *
"Our diverse talents and abilities, our differences in culture, nationality and age are assets for the richness of the community. Although we may be engaged in a variety of ministries, we all share the common call to apostolic discipleship in a community of the Catholic Apostolate of St. Vincent Pallotti."(OWL, 91)
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"Christ, the Apostle of the Eternal Father, and his mission are central to our personal and community life, giving meaning and direction to our thinking, our spirituality, our prayer, action and suffering." (OWL, 19)
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"As a community of disciples we are gathered around Jesus, the Apostle of the Eternal Father. Like the first disciples, we want to be with Jesus, be sent out by him and return to him to evaluate our service in the light of his presence." (OWL, 88)
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"As Pallottines, it is our special charism to foster growth in faith and love among the laity, to awaken them to awareness of their apostolic call, and to cooperate with them in furthering the apostolic mission." (OWL, 21)
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"Our relationships with one another should be marked by a love that bears all, believes all and hopes for all, a love that is neither conceited nor jealous, which hurts no one, nor is embittered or resentful. It is never discouraged but remains patient and kind. It rejoices with others and shares their suffering. It is with this kind of love that we should help and support one another." (OWL, 90)