{"id":25563,"date":"2016-12-31T15:19:00","date_gmt":"2016-12-31T21:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/?p=25563"},"modified":"2017-04-17T21:57:35","modified_gmt":"2017-04-18T01:57:35","slug":"jesus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/jesus\/","title":{"rendered":"Jesus","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
\n for Saturday, December 31st, 2016
\n The Seventh Day of the Nativity\u00a0of Our Lord and
\n Vigil of the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
\n Mother of God<\/p>\n

Liturgical texts here<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/a>
\n Embracing Hope, <\/span><\/em>by L\u00e9a Mallett<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

THERE <\/strong>is one word on my heart on this\u00a0eve of the Solemnity of the Mother of God:<\/p>\n

Jesus. <\/em><\/p>\n

This is the “now word” on the threshold of 2017, the “now word” I hear Our Lady prophesying over the nations and the Church, over families and souls:<\/p>\n

JESUS.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The great and terrible mark of our times is division\u2014division between nations, division within nations, division between religions, division within families, and even division within souls\u00a0(their gender divided from their biological sex). There is only one Word, that is, one Man, who can heal these fractures among us, and that is Jesus<\/em>. He alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.<\/p>\n

\n

…and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (Today’s Gospel)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

His Name has been lost in the rancor of our times… lost in endless debates, whether political or theological, where no one is listening to the other any longer. Even in the Church, the debate over Pope Francis and the seemingly all-consuming fears, suspicions, and doubts among many are drowning out the one Word that matters\u00a0most, the One who alone can free us from ourselves: Jesus\u2014He whom the darkness has not overcome, cannot overcome, never will overcome. <\/em><\/p>\n

After thousands of years of war, strife, poverty, crime, hatred and murder that continues to explode in endless cycles… after 2000 years of\u00a0unfolding divine Revelation from the moment of the Incarnation…\u00a0after all that has been said and done… the Lord now comes to broken humanity with five words:<\/p>\n

\n

Jesus, I trust in you.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

Jesus said to me, “Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: <\/em>Jesus, I trust in You. I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and [then] throughout the world… Distrust on the part of souls is tearing at My insides. The distrust of a chosen soul causes Me even greater pain; despite My inexhaustible love for them they do not trust Me.<\/em>” <\/span><\/strong>\u2014Jesus to St. Faustina, Divine Mercy in My Soul, <\/em>Diary, n. 47, 50<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Within these five words lies the key to unlocking grace upon grace, power upon power, light upon light for souls and <\/em>nations. The key is faith\u2014faith <\/em>in Jesus Christ, that He is who He says He is: the Son of God… God Himself.<\/p>\n

\n

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… to those who did accept him\u00a0he gave power to become children of God. (Today’s Gospel)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It is not a distant and impersonal faith that unlocks the key to grace, but a personal, deliberate choice that says “yes” to Jesus, that welcomes Him as a friend, and trusts Him as a father. [1]<\/sup><\/a>cf. Personal Relationship with Jesus<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/span>