My Sheep Hear my Voice and they follow me

 

 

Anyone who takes their faith and the Christian mission seriously will ultimately face some form of conflict or persecution and find themselves in need of God’s guidance. Whilst I believe He always finds a way it’s a good policy to develop the practice of listening for the voice of God by entering into adoration or some form of meditation or silent prayer so when the crisis comes, which it will, your ears will be trained to hear. 

A few years ago my brother was in the Adoration Chapel at his local church, kneeling before the monstrance, earnestly seeking God’s guidance in his predicament. Just then his phone beeped. It was a message which read “time to break out the blue paint” followed by a photograph of Hamish, a character from the movie Brave Heart with an orange beard, a blue face, and a large sharpened Axe. 

I know this because I sent the text message. I was 12,000 miles away in the Philippines having read the account of what was happening in his life and was pondering the situation myself in prayer when I felt prompted to send the text. It’s one of our favourite movies and I knew he would understand the meaning easily. It was necessary to resist and fight this particular corner. 

I had faced similar treatment from an employer 20 years before, so I could see the trajectory and the gas lighting techniques designed to wear people down into submission and resignation. That he worked for a Catholic charity made it more surprising (and a rather dreadful betrayal; they even employed an outside ‘consultant’ to orchestrate the assassination so as not to have blood on their hands). But I knew the architect of the scheme; a deceitful man seemingly hell bent on ruining 20 years of good work; many enemies of the church have infiltrated Catholic organisations with this in mind in similar fashion. 

The battle would ultimately seem to be lost; as was mine years before. But a sacrifice for what is right and proper, even if it costs you everything, is always worthwhile. There is no better place to stand than with God; as we stand with Him now, later He will stand with us at the victory parade in Heaven.

Gratitude, Thanksgiving (and favour)

 

Some time ago a guest Priest at our parish gave a homily about Thanksgiving and instructed us to make it a habit by thanking God for all He does for us each day and to continue for some months to establish the habit. I embarked on this journey the next day and kept a list at the back of my diary which I would add to each day, week and month. 

I started with the basic necessities of life; the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, shelter, clothes, jobs and income and then added things I identified as blessings as they were given. I noticed two things as time went on. Firstly that they were often of themselves rather ordinary; I remarked to my wife that most of them related to food that I particularly enjoyed ! The second thing I noticed was that I began to feel noticeably happier each day and much more observant of things which displayed the hand of God, behind the scenes, and wondered expectantly what would be next. The experiment of noting things down as they occurred made for a more intimate, personal daily experience of God. In a way it was like re-wiring the brain to focus on what is there rather than what is absent. The latter tends to produce the opposite fruits of a feeling of lack, impatience, abandonment and misery. 

Often it seemed that blessings arose through impeccable timing. Just last week I went to pay the electricity bill which presents little opportunity for a happy ending. Added to this as I arrived the payment centre was full, 30 people and only 2 cashiers. Here in the Philippines there is a pecking order. If you are over 60 you get your own cashier and a Priority number so generally it’s a bit quicker to get served. On this day I was the only over 60 and was served immediately ahead of the other 30 people although I arrived last (Matt 20:16) I was so delighted I could have moon-walked out at the end although I didn’t want to rub it in for the youngsters still in the queue! Favour seems a bit unfair. 

One other thing I did become aware of though was just how much of a back-log I have accrued in thanksgiving. The many years (decades really) where I was receiving far greater numbers of blessings and not even acknowledging them at all as coming from God. Worse I put any success down to my own efforts or merit which does not concur with the reality. So my next project is one of repentance for being ungrateful and to make a new list, a much longer one, for all the gifts I have received in advance of recognising them as such. And this too will increase my joy I know. Better late than never.

Our Lady's Message from Medjugorje.

 Our Lady's Message from Medjugorje. 

April 25, 2026

"Dear children,

I am praying for you and encourage you to a new life, a life in joy and prayer.

May the Holy Spirit fill you, little children, with joy so that you may be like a spring of pure and drinkable water; that you, little children, may be in God and with God missionaries of love and peace.

Your life is short here on earth and that is why I am with you to lead you towards Heaven.

Thank you for having responded to my call."

(With ecclesiastical approval)

St John Bosco's Visions of Hell .. Talk by Fr Ripperger

 

St Charbel ... The Healing of Dafne Guiterrez from Blindness

Dafne Gutierrez, a 30 year old blind Hispanic American woman, mother of three children, who had lost her eyesight to Arnold-Chiari malformation has been healed in Phoenix, America by St Charbel the day after she visited St Charbel’s holy relic at St Joseph’s Maronite Catholic Church in Phoenix, America.

Phoenix is a city with a large Lebanese community, mostly Maronite Catholics with the local Maronite church is dedicated to St Joseph and Masses are celebrated in three languages: Arabic, Spanish and English. St Joseph’s Maronite Catholic Church is the hub of one of the 36 Maronite parishes in the United States, divided between the two big dioceses of New York and Los Angeles.

The relic of St Charbel, which has toured various parishes since early October 2015, consists of St Charbel’s bone which is kept in a cedar chest. This pilgrimage marks the 50th anniversary of St Charbel’s beatification. The Parish Priest of St Joseph Church, Father Wissam Akiki, had publicised as much as he could the short visit of the St Charbel’s relic at his church which was between the 15th January 2016 to 17th January 2016.

Dafne was diagnosed with Arnold–Chiari malformation at the age of 13 and over the years developed papilledema (swelling of the optic disc swelling) at the end of the optic nerve. Surgery to correct the malformation had proved unsuccessful. In 2014, she lost the use of her left eye, which had gradually weakened a year earlier. In November 2015, the right eye was also lost, which plunged her into total darkness that even sunlight failed to break when she looked at it directly. A medical report eventually concluded that her blindness was irreversible and that she required permanent medical assistance. Dafne even considered moving to a blind residence so she won’t be a burden on her family.

Over the weekend of the 16th and 17th January 2016, motivated by Fr Akiki’s posters, relatives encouraged Dafne to ask for healing at St Joseph’s Church. Then one of Dafne’s relative took her to St Joseph’s Church to receive a prayer and a blessing from Father Akiki on Saturday, 16 January 2016. “I put my hand on her head, then on both eyes, and I asked God to heal her through the intercession of St Charbel,” Father Akiki said. The next day on Sunday, Dafne and her family attended Mass at St Joseph’s Church and then went home.

On the morning of the 18th January 2016, the amazing miracle occurred. Around 5am, Dafne woke up with severe itching in the eyes and the feeling of pressure on her skull and eye sockets. She woke up her husband, who detected a strong burning smell in the room. He switched on the light, but then switched it off very quickly, at Defne’s request because it bothered her. Then in the glow of a nightlight, she shouted with amazement and joy, that she could see again. “I can see you. I can see you with my own eyes,” she shouted. At the same time, she felt a strong pressure on the skull and eyes, like after an operation. She put her hand to her head, on the right side, as if there were an injury. “I cannot believe it. I did not want to close my eyes,” she said. Dafne’s children were also shouting: “Mum can see! God healed mum!’”

I shall return

  

At first glance I share little in common with Ernest Hemmingway and General MacArthur; except we have all dined at the Manila Hotel! The latter is still remembered and loved in the Philippines because he kept an important promise. As the Philippines was being overrun by Japanese troops the Americans had to retreat but he promised to return and he did so and helped liberate the Islands from the tyranny of Japanese imperialism. A leader who keeps his promises is remembered. 

My wife and I were back at the Manila hotel yesterday for our 30^th Wedding Anniversary dinner. We were last there just before we got married. In the Champagne Room restaurant we were treated to a wonderful dinner complete with pianist who played ‘As time goes by’ the piece from the movie Casablanca. I restrained myself from repeating the immortal words ‘here’s looking at you kid’. 

The service was marvellous; very precise and elegant; some dishes prepared by chef’s at the table itself and it put me in mind of customs and practice in the time of Jesus. Often a household had servants and when the Master was having dinner there were certain non-verbal signs to indicate whether or not it was time to clear the table. If he crumpled up the napkin and left he was finished but if he folded it neatly and left it to one side and left the table it meant that he would return to complete his meal. 

We see this same signal given at the Resurrection where the witnesses to the empty tomb see the grave clothes strewn around but the napkin that covered his face folded up neatly by itself. The message was clear. I shall return. And so He will. Maranatha!

 

 

 

The Seven Sorrows of Mary (Fr Ripperger video)