miniZibaldone

From the homily Each of us is called tonight to rediscover in the Risen Christ the one who rolls back from our heart the heaviest of stones. Why do you seek the living among the dead?” (Lk 24:5). Why do you think that everything is hopeless, that no one can take away your own tombstones? Why do you give into resignation and failure? . . . What is the stone that I need to remove, what is its name? . . .  Why do you seek the living among the dead? Why not make up your mind to abandon that sin which, like a stone before the entrance to your heart, keeps God’s light from entering in? Why not prefer Jesus, the true light (cf. Jn 1:9), to the glitter of wealth, career, pride and pleasure? Why not tell the empty things of this world that you no longer live for them, but for the Lord of life? . . . Let us ask ourselves: In my life, where am I looking? Am I gazing at graveyards, or looking for the Living One? . . . Let us ask ourselves: In my life, where am I going? So...

From the homily Never give in to “failure”. It is the “perfect terrain for the devil to sow his seeds” and leads to live like professional mourners, amid complaints and dissatisfactions . “The spirit of fatigue takes away our hope...tiredness is selective: it always causes us to see the negative in the moment we are living, and forget the good things we have received”. It also happens to us “When we feel desolated and cannot bear the journey, we seek refuge either in idols or in complaint... (…) This spirit of fatigue leads us Christians to be dissatisfied (…) and everything goes wrong… Jesus himself taught us this when he said we are like children playing games when we are overcome by this spirit of dissatisfaction.”. . . We must reverse the course, especially in this time that is preparing for Easter: “Brothers and sisters, we only remember this phrase: “The people of God could not bear the journey “, Francis concludes. “Christians do not bear hope. Christians do not endure...

Thomas was hard-headed. He did not believe. And he found his faith at precisely the moment he touched the wounds of the Lord. A faith that is not able to touch the  Lord’s wounds, is not faith! A faith that cannot be merciful, as the Lord’s wounds were a sign of mercy, is not faith: it is an idea, an ideology. Our faith is  incarnated in a God who was made man, who became sin, who was wounded for us.  From the Mercy Sunday vigil speech How many expressions there are, therefore, of God’s mercy! This mercy comes to us as closeness and tenderness, and because of this, comes also as compassion and  solidarity, as consolation and forgiveness. The more we receive, the more we are called to share it with others; it cannot be kept hidden or kept only for ourselves.  It is something which burns within our hearts, driving us to love, thus recognizing the face of Jesus Christ, above all in those who are most distant, weak, alone,  confused and marginalized. Me...

May the Virgin Mary give us the certainty of faith that suffered every step of our journey, illuminated by the light of Easter, will become a blessing and joy for us and for others, especially for those who suffer because of selfishness and indifference. From the Regina Caeli "Life - he said - has conquered death. Mercy and love won over sin! There is need for faith and hope to open this wonderful new horizon. Let us be pervaded by emotions that resonate in the Easter sequence: "Yes, we are certain: Christ is truly Risen". This truth indelibly marked the lives of the apostles after the Resurrection, who again felt the need to follow their Master and received the Holy Spirit, fearlessly going out to proclaim to everyone what they had seen with their own eyes and personally experienced". "In this Jubilee Year - he continued - we are called to rediscover and to welcome the comforting announcement of the resurrection with particular intensity: "Christ...

The Easter Triduum is the memorial of a drama of love that gives us the certainty that we will never be abandoned in life’s trials. From the general audience Our reflection on God’s mercy introduces us today to the Easter Triduum . We will live Holy Thursday, Friday and Saturday as intense moments, which enable us to enter increasingly in the great mystery of our faith: the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Everything in these three days speaks of mercy, because it renders visible the point that God’s love can reach. [...]  On Holy Thursday Jesus institutes the Eucharist , anticipating in the paschal banquet His sacrifice on Golgotha. [...]  Holy Friday is the culminating moment of love. ...A love that intends to embrace all , no one excluded. [...]  And, finally, Holy Saturday is the day of God’s silence. It must be a day of silence . We must do everything possible so that it is a day of silence, as that Day, which was the day of God’s silence. Jesus pla...

Hans Urs von Balthasar: His Life and Work ed David L. Schindler A Theology of History by Hans Urs von Balthasar Engagement with God by Hans Urs von Balthasar In the Fullness of Faith by Hans Urs von Balthasar Love Alone is Credible by Hans Urs von Balthasar Mysterium Paschale by Hans Urs von Balthasar Prayer by Hans Urs von Balthasar Test Everything, Hold Fast to What Is Good by Hans Urs von Balthasar The Glory of the Lord, 5: The Realm of Metaphysics in the Modern Age by Hans Urs von Balthasar The Moment of Christian Witness by Hans Urs von Balthasar The Office of Peter and the Structure of the Church by Hans Urs von Balthasar