“Doing away with the habit of hypocrisy, and genuinely growing in authenticity and faithfulness!”

(Based on 1 Thess 1:1-5, 8b-10 and Mt 23:13-22– Monday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

A common story is told of two brothers who were well-known for their crooked business dealings and underworld connections.

They were highly mean and cold-blooded in their dealings.

Eventually, one of the brothers died.

The surviving brother wanted to give his dead brother, a funeral, fit for a king.
He called the funeral home and made all the arrangements.

Then he called a famous minister of the town, and promised him a huge amount of money…
… with the condition, that in his funeral speech, the minister would call his brother ‘a saint!’

The minister agreed.

The whole town turned out for the funeral…
… and the minister began: “The man you see in the coffin, was a vile and debauched individual.

He was a liar, a thief, a deceiver, a manipulator, a reprobate, and a hedonist.
He destroyed the fortunes, careers, and lives of countless people in this city, some of whom are here today.
This man did every dirty, rotten thing you can think of.

But…
But… I must tell you one important thing as well…

Compared to his brother here
… this man who is lying down dead
… was a saint!”

The world today has many people who seek to only “put on a show from the outside”…
… to gain name and fame
… to earn a good repute in the society

But “within” are full of corruption and deceit!

Do I also carry this tendency of only putting on an “external show”…
… But fail to possess true and inner virtues?

The Gospel of the Day mentions people who had achieved a sort of expertise in the field of “putting on a show from outside”…
… and making people believe by their subtle behaviours

The group of Scribes and Pharisees

Jesus, during His ministry on the earth, always interacted with one kind of a sinner or another.

And it’s amazing to see the way He treated them all…

Sinners were recieved with dignity
Prostitutes were given respect and worth
Tax collectors were accorded value and importance
Lepers were offered acceptance and favour
He forgave people’s sins as He healed their broken and diseased bodies.

Jesus loved sinners…
… he loved them so much, that He wanted them to be released from the clutches of Satan!

But JESUS HATES SIN!

He hates sin very much…
… and rebuked it whenever He could!

One of the sins to which He had great adversity…
… was the sin of hypocrisy!

This sin was accorded some of his best (or worst?) condemning words!

The English word, “hypocrite,” comes from the Greek word “hupokrites”…
… which is the Greek word for “actor.”

Jesus today vehemently and quite heatedly labels the Pharisees and Scribes as ‘Hypocrites!’

The sin of Hypocrisy is a deadly one…

Have I become a prey to this deadly and poisonous Sin?

I am hypocritical…
… when I profess to be a Christian, but don’t seek to live the Gospel values in my life!

I am hypocritical…
… when I say I love God above all, but don’t find even few moments to be with Him in prayer!

I am hypocritical…
… when I say I love others, but constantly hurt them with my words and fail to appreciate them!

I am hypocritical…
… when I receive the Eucharist, but fail to even try to give my life in service for others!

I am hypocritical…
… when I recite many prayers, but do not seek to listen to, or to do God’s Will in my life!

I am hypocritical…
… when I, as a Priest/Consecrated, fail to give God the first place in my life!

I am hypocritical…
… if as a Church member, I fail to even try to follow her commands and regulations!

The habit of hypocrisy is a lethal one…

Have I become a victim to this noxious and fatal habit?

When we read this passage of the Gospel.. we must also keep in mind one basic principle: Jesus is not making a blanket condemnation of the whole group of people…
… rather He criticizes and condemns the attitude and their mentality

The sin is hated…
… not the sinner!

The sin is to be thrown away…
… but the sinner is given a chance to repent!
The Pharisee is not hated…
… but pharisaism is condemned!

The Lord is a tough task-master, when it comes to sin

He does not dilute His teachings and His policies.

Such condemning passages and harsh extracts may leave us with a feeling..
“All these demands of the Lord seem all too difficult for me…

Who at all can live in perfection?
Is there any person who can claim not be living in duplicity?
I fail to find a good example in today’s world…
… and therefore, I think, this is neither practical nor feasible!”

But the Lord rushes to our rescue and tells: “What’s impossible for humans, is possible for God!

What is needed is a genuine attempt at perfection…
… a true longing and disposition, to be free from duplicity
… a solid motivation to live a harmonious life”

We may be “acting” very well in the stage of life – maybe knowingly, maybe unknowingly

But today, the Lord wants us to examine our lives…
… and set things right!!

With deep love, He encourages and motivates us through St Paul and his companions, “… we constantly pray for you; may our God make you worthy of His calling. >> May He, by His power, fulfill your good purposes and your work prompted by faith!” (2 Thess 1:11-12)

Let us do away with the habit of hypocrisy…
… and genuinely grow in authenticity and faithfulness!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Fifth Commandment – Respect for human life

Suicide offends love of neighbour because it unjustly breaks the ties of solidarity with family, nation, and other human societies to which we continue to have obligations.

Suicide is contrary to love for the living God. (CCC # 2281)

“Experiencing life with Him, in eternity, saying: ‘Plus Ultra – More Beyond'”

(Based on Isaiah 66:18-21, Heb 12:5-7, 11-13 and Lk 13:22-30 – 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle C)

It is said that Hercules, the Greek mythological figure constructed two pillars near the Straits of Gibraltar…
… to mark the edge of the then known world.

These pillars had a warning on them: “Ne plus ultra – No More Beyond.”

This was a warning to sailors and navigators to go no farther!

Till the 1400s, this belief was so strong…
… that “Ne Plus ultra” was written on the edge of the maps
… that Spain even adopted that phrase as their national motto.

But in 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail into the unfamiliar areas of the world…
Unknown waters were explored
New lands were discovered

After his death in 1506 in Valladolid, Spain, a memorial was built in honour of Columbus.

A peculiar yet very interesting feature of this memorial is the statue of a lion, destroying one of those Latin words…

The word being torn away by the lion is “ne”

Thus, the motto is made to read: “Plus Ultra – More Beyond!”

And this indeed is the truth of human life: There certainly is “More Beyond”

“More Beyond” this present materialistic life
“More Beyond” the transitory nature of this earthly life

Human beings, by nature, are inquisitive and curious.

There is a tendency to seek to know many things.

One of the prime aspects among all such seeking are the questions concerning the life after this life.
What will happen after I die?
Where will I go after my death?

Is there such thing called as a heaven or hell?
Will God really punish or will He lavish the license of heaven to all?

Such eschatological questions often disturb our minds & we become a bit perplexed over an uncertain future.

The Gospel of the Day presents such an eschatological question being posed to Jesus: “Lord, will only a few be saved?” (Lk 13:23)

Jesus, has a very unique way of dealing with questions and doubts.

When we scan through some of such incidents, wherein Jesus has been asked a question or a doubt…
… we often find that He either doesn’t give a straight answer or sometimes even doesn’t give any answer…

A lawyer comes to Jesus and asks, “Who is my neighbour?” (Lk 10:29)
… Jesus doesn’t give a direct answer; instead responds with the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Some people tell Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the sacrifices, and expected Jesus to make some comments (Lk 13:1)
… Jesus doesn’t explicit a clear teaching; instead responds with the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree.

In today’s Gospel incident too, Jesus is asked about how many will be saved.

But Jesus chooses to respond with the Illustration of the Narrow Door.

Why does Jesus do so?

Why does He not respond directly to such questions, and instead answer in some other form?

One of the tendencies among many believers, including perhaps some of us, is that…
… we tend to miss the actual point, in the process of discussion.
… we fail to grasp the actual thing needed, in the course of many doubts.

We wonder about who all will be saved…

We wonder when this world will come to an end.
We wonder how many people will make to heaven
We wonder how many will get cast into hell.

These simple questions lead to complicated ones…

What about people who have never heard about God?
What about those souls in distant lands who never had a chance to know what is God?

These complicated questions further leads to some drastic conclusions (sadly!)…

What kind of God sends people to hell?
If the God of the Bible is so cruel, then I don’t want to believe in Him!
I would better not believe in any God and rather live my life the way I want!

Well… this is the sad part!

It’s not that questionings or doubts are bad…or not that they are not encouraged…

But sometimes, such interrogations make us to miss the main point.

We get so entangled with doubts of the future, that we fail to prepare for the future.

But Jesus brings home to point…

What is needed utmost is an upright life…
… in faith and in repentance.
What is most needed is to live a life pleasing to God…
… and in seeking to do His Will.
This is the narrow way.

To live a life of faith, in the midst of challenges and crises, is hard!

To live in total repentance and brushing aside sin at every point of life, is hard!
To live a life seeking to live in tune with God’s Will, even if it is demanding, is hard!

This is the narrow way, to which the Lord invites us.

Let us not get too much webbed in the questions and doubts, and lose focus of what’s most needed…
… Faith, Repentance and Doing His Will.

Yes, we are not to get stuck with the motto “Ne plus ultra – No More Beyond!”

Instead, Jesus, the Lion of Judah destroys that word “ne”…
.. and invites us to experience life with Him, in eternity, saying: “Plus Ultra – More Beyond!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Fifth Commandment – Respect for human life

Suicide contradicts the natural inclination of the human being to preserve and perpetuate his life.

It is gravely contrary to the just love of self. (CCC # 2281)

“Doing away with ‘calculative and hypocritical’ tendencies and adopting the ‘way of humility and truth!””

(Based on Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17 and Mt 23:1-12 – Saturday aof the 20th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

Here is an interesting letter from a boy to a girl:

“Dearest Marie,
No words could ever express the great unhappiness I’ve felt…
… since breaking our engagement.

Please say you’ll take me back.
No one could ever take your place in my heart, so please forgive me.
I love you, I love you, I love you!

Yours forever, Jimmy

P.S., And yeah… congratulations on winning the state bumper lottery!”

Well…
… that’s how very often, our attitudes and approaches in life are!

We tend to get very manipulative

And thus, often, we end up being…
… calculative and hypocritical in our relations

The call of the Gospel is to do away with this “hypocritical and tactical” tendency…
… and to adopt the “way of humility and truth!”

Am I a person who is willing to lower myself in humility?

Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Mt 23: 12)

The 23rd Chapter of the Gospel of St Matthew begins with Jesus turning the attention of His disciples and of the crowds…
… towards the Scribes and the Pharisees.

Focusing on the religious leaders and on their practices, Jesus launches a volley of critically true statements about their wicked misdeeds!

The chapter ends with the “Painful Lament” by Jesus over Jerusalem – the city of the Lord!

One of the highlights in this highly volatile and strongly-worded chapter is the number of times Jesus mentions the two groups of people – “Scribes and Pharisees”

There is, in total, 7 occurrences of the phrase, “Scribes and Pharisees” – a biblical number for totality!

This chapter is a therefore, a full-blown critique and condemnation of the ways of the Scribes and Pharisees.

Why is Jesus so outright in His condemnation, so merciless in His usage of words and so blatant in His attacks on the Scribes and Pharisees?

[Meanwhile, when we go through these critical attacks of our Blessed Lord on this group, one must always remember the words of Jesus Himself: “I have come not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Lk 5:32)

There was deep pain in the heart of the Lord, in seeing the way religion was being manhandled, misused and misinterpreted by the religious leaders of His time

As the Son of His Beloved Father, it was hurting for the Son to see a section of people, trampling upon God’s precious and venerable truths…
… and twisting them for their own self-interests and self-agenda
A strong form of condemnation was reserved only to those who were hardened in heart – as a means for them to repent and turn back their ways to the Lord.

The method of ‘sharp condemnation’ was reserved only to the proud and the arrogant; never to the poor sinners!]

The reason for Jesus making a scathing attack on the religious authorities of His times…
… could be summarized into one crucial point: Glorification of one’s own self at the expense of the Glory of God and the Mercy deserving for His people!

Therefore, Jesus goes on to point out the many occasions and circumstances when the Self-Interest of the Pharisees and Scribes took extreme priority over God Himself!

It is this self-centred and self-glorifying act that makes Jesus to tell, “For they preach, but they do not practise!” (Mt 23: 3b)

How easily can this be our own state of affairs, in our life…!

We may be people…
… who “appear” to be very fine and kind – but perhaps, we are persons who find it too hard to let go of our pride, in reaching out to the needy, in humble service!
… who speak a lot on helping others and being generous – but perhaps, we go through grilling moments in lowering ourselves and adopting a lowly status to extend a helping hand!
… who desire happiness in communities and peace at homes – but perhaps, we discover
ourselves to be persons who are unwilling to let go of our ego, and allow a listening ear to the opinions of others!

The call, today, therefore is…
… to “work for a cause – not applause!”
… to “live life to express – and not simply to impress!”

We are called to avoid being calculative and manipulative!

Yes, let’s adopt the way of humility and truth, remembering that…
… Faith is ‘not about looking holy, but living holy!’

Let us seek the intercession of St Rose of Lima, whose feast we celebrate today.

She is the patroness of gardeners, florists…
… and all the people who are ridiculed/misunderstood for their piety!

May her words inspire us: “Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven!”

God Bless! Live Jesus

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Fifth Commandment – Respect for human life

We are obliged to accept life gratefully…
… and preserve it for his honor and the salvation of our souls.
We are stewards, not owners, of the life God has entrusted to us.

It is not ours to dispose of. (CCC # 2280)

“Becoming an Apostle and Agent of Love, like Mamma Mary, our Blessed Mother & Queen!”

(Based on Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14b-16, 22 and Mt 22:34-40 – Friday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1 – Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

There once was a farmer who grew award-winning ‘corn’ (maize).

Each year he entered his corn in the fair-competition conducted at the state-level, where it won a prize.

One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him.

Among the many great practices that this farmer had adopted, the reporter also learned something highly interesting about how this farmer grew corn…
… and which made him to win a prize every year.

The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn… his best variety seed…
… with his neighbouring farmers!

“How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbours…
… when they are also entering into competition with you?” enquired the bewildered reporter.

“Why sir,” replied back the farmer, “didn’t you know one of the important realities of life?

The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field.

If my neighbours grow inferior variety of corn, the cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn as well.
If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.

This is the reality of life that I have realized: In order to get the best out of life, I need to give my best to the other!”

Yes, the farmer was very much aware of the relatedness of life.

His corn could not improve unless his neighbor’s corn also improved.

Have we realized this reality of our lives?

In order to get the best out of life, I need to give my best to the other!”

Those who choose to live well, must help others to live well too.

The value of a life is measured by the lives it touches.

And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness…
… for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all!

The lesson for each of us is this: if we are to grow good corn, we must help our neighbours grow good corn.

Let us all love those that cross our paths.

Yes, Love is the starting point, the end and the essence of a Christian Life.

The Gospel of the Day emphasizes and affirms this aspect of Love: Love of God and Love of neighbour.

The Pharisees come together to trap Jesus with a question from the Law: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment of the Law?” (Mt 22: 36).

The Lord of Love is sought to be trapped in a web of malice!

This was a complicated question that was put forward to Jesus.

The Jewish Law of the Torah comprised 613 precepts.

It was certainly a challenge to condense these codes into a single commandment.
There was malice and a corrupt intention in the one who questioned.

But the greatness of the Lord overwhelms the evil designs of humans.

Jesus answers the question, which had an evil bent, with an answer filled with goodness…
… “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind….

Love your neighbour as yourself”! (Mt 22: 37)

Bingo..!

Two birds with one shot!

He not just answered His interrogators but He also proclaimed the summary of the Gospel.

He not just silenced His critics but He also won many followers for the Good News.

The Pharisee came asking which is “the” greatest commandment (Mt 22: 36)

He expected just one commandment.

But Jesus answers with two…
… and showed that those two commandments are nothing but one!

The Love of God and the Love of neighbour…
… they were two dimensions of the same Love.

And this One Love, with two facets, formed the basis of all the other commandments of the Law!

The tragedy of our world and our spirituality very often, is the separation of these two dimensions…

One loves God… but fails to love one’s neighbour!

Another loves the neighbour… but fails to love God!

One loves to read and hear and understand God’s Word… but fails to apply it in real life.

Another loves to have a lot of social relations… but fails to build a strong spiritual basis.

One loves to preach deeply over virtues of the Gospel… but fails to live them in actuality.

Another loves to be in friendship with all… but fails in closeness with God, the source of Love.

One loves the Church and her teachings… but falls short to serve the society and its peoples.
. Another serves people… but vehemently hates the Church, the ark of the Sacraments of Love!

Christian love is not just about emotions.
Christian love is not just about feelings.

Christian love, is…
… making a decision to serve, even if one does not feel so.
… being faithful, even if one is rejected or even shown indifference.
… being committed, even if one feels an aversion towards the other.

Easier said, than done….right?

This is where, we need to…
… depend on God, the Source of Love itself!
… draw strength from the Sacraments that the Church offers!
… display a Passionate love of God in order to share it with others!

Unless we are in Communion with the Lord, all this reflection remains merely a theory.

Unless we are joined to God, the Source of Love, all our meditations remain superficial.

We need to pray as the Psalmist says: “I love you, Lord, my strength” (Ps 18: 2).

He is the strength for us to love our neighbour.
He is the source for us to share our lives with our neighbour.
He is the supplier of hope for us to sustain in our difficulties to love.

The world is thirsting for Love…

Each one of us is called to radiate this Love: Love of God and Love of Neighbour.

Yes, let us deepen our realization: In order to get the best out of life, I need to give my best to the other!”

Let us become an Apostle and Agent and Ambassador of Love!

Today, Aug 22, we celebrate with heaven, the Coronation of our Blessed Mamma as the Queen of Heaven and Earth!

This Feast of the Queenship of Mary was instituted by Pope Pius XII at the conclusion of the Marian Year in 1954.

St. Ephrem referred to Mother Mary as the “Majestic and Heavenly Maid, Lady, Queen.”
St. Gregory Nazianzen called her, “the Mother of the King of the Universe.”

Mother Mary is a model to us…

In all our ordinariness, troubles, confusions and unwillingness to God’s Will…
… let us trust and have faith in God… just like Mother Mary
And seek to always say to God, ” Fiat – Yes, Be it done to me according to Your Will!”

Let us raise an Anthem of Thanksgiving, Love and Affection to our Beloved Mamma – the Queen of the Heavens and the Earth…
… and with deep joy and trust, pray that we too may always seek His Will, and one day, come to share in His Glory, like our Blessed Mother!

Happy Feast of the Beloved Queen Mamma united with Her son, King Jesus…
… to all Her little princes!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Fifth Commandment – Respect for human life

Everyone is responsible for his life before God who has given it to him.

It is God who remains the sovereign Master of life. (CCC # 2280)

“Responding to the Lord, by acknowledging and accepting His ability to transform our lives!”

(Based on Judg 11:28-39 and Mt 22:1-14 – Thursday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1)

A catechism class student in Class 8 – known to give creative and clever answers – was asked by the teacher on “what is the meaning of responsibility”

The girl thought for a while, and then said, “Responsibility is made up of two words – Response and Ability!”
… and she went on to say, “Responsibility, is the Response of human beings to the Ability of God to transform us!”

That’s a neat description of Responsibility, isn’t it?

Responsibility…
… is a response given by a person
… by acknowledging and accepting the ability of God to transform oneself!

God is able… God is almighty!

But God requires that we take up “responsibility” on ourselves, by responding to His ability to work in our lives!

The Gospel of the Day is a teaching on this aspect of Responsibility in Life…
… the parable of the Wedding Feast, in which the King sends out invitation to his chosen guests, expecting them “to respond!”

The guests however refused to acknowledge and accept the invite….
… so the King sent out an invite to all those in the streets.

The parable has an interesting twist at this point…
Even those who were called and invited from the streets and roads to attend the wedding ceremony…
… were expected to have a distinguishing mark.

The distinguishing mark was the Wedding Garment.

When the King came into the hall to meet his guests, he found that one of them was without this distinguishing mark…

“But when the King came in to meet the guests, he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?'” (Mt 22:11)

A free and an open invitation was extended to all.

But once the people chose to be part of the wedding banquet, they were expected to follow certain norms and protocols…

This principle is followed in most of our daily lives too…

One is free to choose any school or educational institution…
… but once, one chooses to be part of it, one ought to abide by its uniform patterns, discipline styles, rules and regulations.

One is free to choose any company or work of place…
… but once, one chooses to be part of it, one ought to abide by its salary codes, work mechanisms and job culture.

One is free to choose any organization or charitable service centre etc…
… but once, one chooses to be part of it, one ought to abide by its style of functioning, its norms and working modes and rules.

The person without the wedding garment was also in a similar situation…

He had all the freedom to choose to go or not to go for the wedding.

But once he chose to go for the wedding, he had an obligation to abide by its norms, especially in wearing the wedding garment.

But this man refused to do so!

He probably was too proud to cast off his old clothes or his own clothes and don what the wedding occasion demanded.
He probably was defiant to show the King that he could choose to have his own way and not get noticed.
… We really don’t know the motive of the person!

But the King was sharp to notice this man…
… who had “made a choice”
… to defy his orders
… and to offer no explanation, in being without the wedding garment!

Anyone of us could be “this man without the wedding garment”.

We voluntarily choose to follow Jesus as a Christian…
… and we are expected to wear the wedding garment of “His love and virtues”.

Are we without this garment and instead just happy to be wearing our own clothes of worldliness and attachments to sin?

We voluntarily choose to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Eucharist…
… and we are expected to wear the wedding garment of “preparedness, holiness and purity”

Are we without this garment and instead just be satisfied to be wearing our own clothes of unrepentance and impurity and casualness in receiving the Holy Communion?

We voluntarily choose to profess ourselves to belonging to Jesus…
… and we are expected to wear the wedding garment of “being constantly striving towards holiness and building a stronger relation with Jesus”

Are we without this garment and instead just being okay to be wearing our own clothes of being lethargic, impassionate, negligent and a relaxed attitude with respect to our Christian commitment and consecration?

The Gospel of the Day is a strong reminder for each of us to be vigilant and careful in wearing the wedding garments demanded by Jesus our King.

We ourselves have chosen to be part of the banquet of Jesus.

Let us make ourselves worthy of this calling by putting on the garments of the Lord.

The man wanted the good food
… but did not want to comply with the norms.

The man wanted to be part of the celebration
… but didn’t want to a relationship with the King.

We too may want blessings from the Lord.
We too may want many of our wants to be fulfilled by the Lord.

But we fail to have a relationship with Him…
… we fail to comply with His norms and rules!

The Lord is inviting each one of us to His banquet… daily…
The Banquet of the Holy Eucharist.
The Banquet of His Divine Word.
The Banquet of His Tender Love.
The Banquet of His Immense Joy.
The Banquet of His Holy Spirit.

But we also ought to respond, by wearing the proper garments for the occasion.

If we respond, He is always there as the strength of our life:
“I can do all things in him who strengthens me.
… and my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:13,19)

Yes, God is able and almighty!

But it is inevitable that we take up “responsibility” on ourselves, by responding to His ability to work in our lives!

Let us “Respond” to the Lord by acknowledging and accepting His “ability” to transform our lives…
… and thus fulfill our Christian Responsibility!

Are we ready and willing?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Fifth Commandment – Respect for human life

Palliative care is a special form of disinterested charity.

As such it should be encouraged. (CCC # 2279)