The CONVERSION of St. Paul

JMJ+OBT
Omnia Pro Iesu Per Mariam!

One LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST changed the life of Saul of Tarsus. The CONVERSION of St. Paul, formerly known as Saul of Tarsus, came as he was on the road nearing Damascus with the intention of persecuting Christians when suddenly a great light from heaven shone around him. Saul fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me?" Saul replied, "Who art Thou, Lord?" Then Our Risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, said, "I am Jesus, whom thou are persecuting. It is hard for thee to kick against the goad." Saul, trembling and amazed, said, "Lord what wilt Thou have me do?" And the Lord said to Saul, "Arise and go into the city, and it will be told thee what thou must do." (Review the three accounts of St. Paul's conversion in the Acts of the Apostles, Chapters 9, 22 and 26).

One LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST brought about the CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL. Yet, we discover that CONVERSION OF HEART AND MIND, is an ongoing process, and that the full meaning of the LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST is revealed gradually. We see this in the dynamics of St. Paul's conversion as described in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. In the first account, Chapter 9, the significance of the encounter is made known only to Ananias. In the second account, Chapter 22, the significance of the encounter is revealed to St. Paul indirectly and in vague terms through Ananias. In the third account, Chapter 26, the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ, reveals the significance of the encounter to St. Paul as the Lord reveals the nature and extent of the mission entrusted to St. Paul.

One LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST is so profound that the significance of the encounter takes a lifetime to unfold. One LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST leads to a path of CONVERSION, COMMUNION AND SOLIDARITY. Thus, this is the PROGRAM OF THE NEW EVANGELIZATION to bring people to a LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST.

We have a LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST at every Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We encounter Jesus Christ in the proclamation of the Living Word. We most especially encounter Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist where Jesus is really, truly and substantially present. The Most Holy Eucharist where Jesus gifts those in a state of grace with His very Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, is the most powerful LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST one can have on this earthly journey.

One LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST in the Most Holy Eucharist should change our lives just like one LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST changed the life of St. Paul. Draw strength from this encounter with Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist so that you can live the Word you hear proclaimed at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Go forth and share the Good News of your LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST.

Learn from St. Paul who never looked back. St. Paul came to a oneness with Jesus Christ so that he could say, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me." St. Paul could say, "I live for Him, Who died and rose for me." St. Paul could say, "In Him, I live and move and have my being." St. Paul could say, "I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me." St. Paul could say, "For me, life is Christ, and death is gain." St. Paul could say, "May I boast in nothing except the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ." St. Paul could say, "I know Whom I have believed, and I am certain that He is able to guard the trust committed to me against that day."

These are amazing statements revealing the oneness with Jesus that the Holy Spirit is bringing about in the lives of the faithful. This transformation took place in the life of St. Paul as he asked two questions each and every day: "Lord, what is it You wish to do with me?" and "Lord, what is it You want me to do for You?" These questions are in order. First, comes formation and then comes apostolic work. They are connected, in order, in a lifetime of transformation in the fires of Divine Love.

It is the Father's Divine Plan of Love that we come to a oneness with the Most Holy Trinity. Reflect upon the fact that God had a Plan for the life of St. Paul from all eternity as St. Paul was a chosen vessel, called and set apart, from his mother's womb. Reflect upon the amazing grace and mercy shown to St. Paul. Reflect that God has a Divine Plan of Love for your life, and that you are called to holiness.

One LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST will change your life. Come to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with a new hope and expectation of having this life changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Come to the Lay Formation Program of Our Lady so that you can live the Trinitarian Relationships of Our Blessed Mother, and through a process of transformation you will come to a fruitfulness in Jesus Christ in the apostolic works God has prepared for you.

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

The Word of God

JMJ+OBT
Omnia Pro Iesu Per Mariam!

"Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening" should be our humble petition at every moment of our lives. We should have, at the same time, the disposition of heart to attentively respond to the Living Word that God speaks to us in His Divine Love. "Here I am, Lord, I come to do Your Will" is the disposition of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Just Heart of St. Joseph, and all the Holy Angels and Saints. We, who are created and called to be Saints, must have the same disposition of heart.

Jesus, Who is the Living Word, is God the Father's Word to us. God speaks to us in the Word of God. The Word is living and effective. Yes, the Word is living, and the Word is the Way, the Truth and the Life. In our Baptism we are united with the Word of God (see last week's reflection). The question is whether we have embraced the Word of God, and become one with the Word of God.

When we live our Baptism and embrace the Word of God, empowered by the Most Holy Eucharist, then the Word becomes effective in our lives. We learn from Our Blessed Mother how to embrace the Word so that it becomes effective in our lives. Our Lady embraced the Word with such dedication and devotion that by the power of the Holy Spirit the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

St. Augustine says that Our Lady conceived the Word in her heart before she conceived the Word in her womb. Our Lady shows us the effectiveness of the Word in the lives of a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Our Lady is the first and perfect disciple of Jesus Christ. We imitate Mary, become like Jesus, and live for the Triune God. We find in Mary the fruitfulness that a disciple of Jesus is to bring forth as we pray "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus..." Yes, indeed, blessed is the FRUIT of thy womb, JESUS.

Recently, I had the privilege of hearing a homily by a holy Bishop, who asked the people how many people owned a cell phone. Almost everyone raised their hands. Then he asked how many people owned a Bible, and thank God, most the people raised their hands. Then he asked how many people answered their cell phone or checked their messages everyday. Then he asked the very important question: HOW MANY PEOPLE OPEN THEIR BIBLE EVERYDAY AND HOW MANY PEOPLE CHECK GOD'S MESSAGE IN THE BIBLE EVERYDAY?

The holy Bishop went on to ask whether we would return home if we left the Bible at home, and other questions to emphasise the importance we place on our cell phones, but how we often fail to place the same emphasis on the Living Word of God. He went on to make the point that we can live without the cell phone, but we cannot live without God's Word.

Learn from Our Blessed Mother how to make the Living Word effective in your life. Live as a Disciple of Jesus and Mary. Invoke the Holy Spirit and pray "speak, Lord, Your servant is listening" and then enter into the Word of God. As God speaks to your heart say "here I am, Lord, I come to do Your Will."

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

THERE IS ONE BAPTISM

JMJ+OBT
Omnia Pro Iesu Per Mariam!

BAPTISM is derived from the Greek word, bapto, or baptizo, and it means to wash or to immerse. THERE IS ONE BAPTISM which is the Baptism of Jesus Christ, true God and true man, who went into the waters of the Jordan for us. Jesus did not need to be baptized because He is the One True God. Jesus went into the waters of the Jordan to fulfill all righteousness. Jesus went into the waters of the Jordan to sanctify the waters so that we could be baptized into Him. We need to be baptized into Jesus. We need to be immersed in Jesus.

Sacred Scripture states clearly that there is "one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4:4-6). The one body is the Body of Christ which subsists in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The one Spirit is the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is the soul of the Catholic Church. The one hope of your call is to live the Trinitarian life of God, received in the sacrament of baptism, for all eternity. The one Lord is Jesus Christ. The one faith is the Catholic faith, and all are invited to come to the fullness of the faith in the Catholic Church. The one baptism is in Jesus Christ so that we can live as children of the one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

DO YOU HEAR THE WORD OF GOD IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT? THERE IS ONE BAPTISM! Jesus was baptized so that we can live IN Him. IN Him we live and move and have our being. We are IMMERSED into Christ. We no longer live for ourselves. We live for Him Who died and rose for us. We have been baptized IN the ONE BAPTISM which is immersion IN JESUS CHRIST.

The primary point is that there is ONE BAPTISM and we are to be IMMERSED IN CHRIST so that we can bring about the ONENESS THAT THE FATHER DESIRES. WE ARE GIVEN THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR BAPTISM TO BRING FORTH THIS ONENESS IN THE DIVINE POWER OF LOVE.

We are to live our baptism by living the life of Jesus gifted to us in baptism. Jesus' life is the Trinitarian life which is a life of Communion. Jesus' spirituality is a Trinitarian-Marian Spirituality. To learn how to live this life of Jesus continue to let God form you in the Lay Formation Program of Our Lady. Help others to live their baptism by sharing the Call to Holiness with them as you provide the link to "ourladylovesyou.org".

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

EPIPHANY

JMJ+OBT
Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore Him!

EPIPHANY means appearance or manifestation. THE EPIPHANY is the appearance or manifestation of God in Jesus Christ who is the Eternal Word, God Himself, who in the fullness of time became man for us. The invisible God becomes visible to us to reveal God's Infinite Love for us. When we embrace this EPIPHANY our hearts leap for joy.

The three wise men were led by the star of Bethlehem to the manger where the Divine Child lay and Our Lady helped them recognize the human face of God and the Divine face of man in Jesus Christ. The star rose in the sky and the hope of the wise men rose within them as faith told them that their deepest longings would be fulfilled if they acted on the faith that arose in them with the rising of the star. The wise men were wise enough to be attentive to the signs of the presence of God. They showed their true wisdom by acting on their faith.

Wisdom is demonstrated when one lives a life of faith in God and acts on their faith in love of God and love of neighbor. Wisdom is demonstrated when one is willing to leave the earthly "kingdoms" we think we have established or belong to, and follow a path of faith, hope and charity to come to the Kingdom of God.

It is clear that God exists. Every rational and reasonable person must admit that there is a God. There is the Unmoved Mover Who is the One God. There is the Uncaused Cause Who is the One God. There is the Necessary Being Who is the One God. There is the Governor of the Universe Who is the One God. There is the Highest Perfection Who is the One God. Let us then ask for the light of faith to find the One True God Who is the Most Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

THE EPIPHANY of God made man in Jesus Christ is our joy. Come to Him, adore Him, and be transformed by Him. Let nothing stop you from finding Jesus and following Jesus. There will be opposition from the devil, the flesh and the world, but we have the victory over all our enemies when we live and move and have our being in Jesus Christ. Follow the light of faith and learn from Our Lady how to say "yes" to Jesus. Our Blessed Mother is the woman of faith and the Star of the New Evangelization. Ask her to help you recognize Jesus in the many EPIPHANIES of life. Ask her to help you grow in your faith and share your faith so that others may have an EPIPHANY.

The light of faith is brighter than the Star of Bethlehem. We walk by faith, not by sight, to come to the joys of the Everlasting Kingdom of God. We act on our faith and come to behold the King of kings and the Lord of lords in Jesus Christ. We behold Jesus, Our King, with the eyes of Mary, Our Blessed Mother, and learn to adore, worship and give the total gift of ourselves to Jesus. Just as the wise men gave the costliest gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, we give the gift most pleasing to God which is the gift of ourselves through obedience to God and the Catholic Church He established in His blood.

May this new calendar year bring you many blessings. May God smile upon you and show His face to you. May the EPIPHANY of God's real, true and substantial presence in the Most Holy Eucharist bring you joy, peace and the strength to build a world of peace by implementing the Holy Father's World Peace Message found at: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/peace/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20081208_xlii-world-day-peace_en.html

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT