Many Catholics in the United States today believe that their way of life and Christian beliefs are under attack. It seems that, quite often, the world is turning against devout Christians who seek to live their lives in accordance with their faith. Why is this, considering the fact that Christianity, and the Catholic Church in particular, has contributed so much good to the world? We feed the poor, care for the sick and aged, and speak out in favor of human rights and against war and injustice. Most importantly, we guide God’s children along the path to eternal life by bringing our dear Lord Jesus to countless people through His Word and His Sacraments. We have been blessed with the grace to adhere to the commandments of God by serving the world with whom it now appears we are often at odds.

Clearly, Satan is behind all of this as he seeks to divert souls from the path to salvation as he cleverly tempts us to follow alternate paths with false promises of joy, pleasure, riches, self-fulfillment, and satisfaction. What is good and holy is often mocked and degraded as evil, and what is evil is often celebrated. We live in a materialistic world which not only denies the truth of God and His very existence but also seeks to confound us with lies and division. Have you noticed how, more than ever before, we are divided politically, religiously, and morally, and how the Church and the family, in particular, are under attack? The divisions we encounter in our own families can be heart breaking.

The world teaches that we should cherish the freedom to do whatever we wish rather than to do what is moral, just, and good and to strive for holiness. We encounter evil every day, and we are bombarded with messages which seek to cause us to question our own faith and to cause disbelief. If the world labels Christians as intolerant, hate-filled remnants of the dark ages, then might we erroneously conclude that this must be true and that we need to change? Wouldn’t it be easier to simply go along to get along? Should we just follow the teachings of the world? Perhaps we should celebrate all that is sinful rather than attempt to avoid sin. Maybe, rather than trying to please our dear Lord, we should seek the approval of the world around us.

Of course, the answer to these rhetorical questions is a resounding “NO.” We must never be discouraged, and we must continue to follow the sweet teachings of our dear Lord who is the very definition of love and truth itself. We must resist the temptation to capitulate to the “ways of the world.” Christ expects this from us. He calls us to holiness, and He supplies us with the strength to carry-on in spite of all that is happening around us. We should never forget that Jesus was persecuted, as were His apostles, His disciples, and countless early Christians, and, being in such good company, we must seek the grace to stay strong and faithful to withstand whatever persecutions and temptations come our way.

Jesus tells us:

• “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first” (John 15: 18).

• “Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. […]” (Matthew 5: 10-12).

We may not be experiencing the same forms of persecution as did the early Christians (although this undoubtedly is still occurring in some parts of the world), but we do experience the persecution of a society which seeks a world absent of God and devoid of any concept of sin. We must nevertheless remain steadfast in our faith and stay particularly close to our Blessed Mother and her divine Son in unceasing prayer. We may find ourselves attacked and divided temporarily from others, including those we love, but, with God’s grace, we, like our Lord and Savior, will be victorious in the end. Our loving Father will respond to our prayers and will strengthen us to continue to do His holy will on earth as we draw souls to Him. He will never abandon us. Therefore, let us not fall into despair. Let us place our faith and trust in our loving and all-powerful God. May we never forget that with God “all things are possible” (Matthew 19: 26).

Today, Palm Sunday, marks the start of the most sacred week in the Church’s year: Holy Week. It is during this week that we prayerfully dwell upon the sacred mysteries of Christ’s suffering, Death, and eventual Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Once again, we acknowledge that it was our sinfulness that condemned Jesus to willingly take up His cross. We admit that it was the weight of our sins that He carried upon His shoulders, and we confess that our attachment to sin served to pierce His hands and feet with the nails of the cross. Yet He bore all these sufferings for our salvation and with tremendous love for each of us.

On Holy Thursday evening at the 7 PM Mass of the Lord’s Supper, our Parish will commemorate the Last Supper which marks Jesus’ institution of the Mass, the institution of the priesthood, and our Lord’s institution of the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Almost 2,000 years later, the Church continues to feed and nourish us on the Body and Blood of Christ which we believe is truly present in this wondrous sacrament.

As we prepare to receive Holy Communion, we should approach the altar with great solemnity, reverence, and awe because, indeed, it is Christ Himself whom we are encountering. We are not receiving a sign or symbol of Christ. As Catholics, we believe, based upon the clear and unambiguous language of Sacred Scripture, that we are actually receiving our Lord and Creator – body, blood, soul, and divinity – all in the form of a piece of bread – something so simple, so inviting, so non-intimidating. It is made clear to us that our Lord loves us so very much and that He wants nothing to stand in the way between Him and us. Certainly, if we could truly see God in all His glory as we approach to receive Him in the Holy Eucharist, we would fall to the ground before Him as we gazed upon Him and the immensity of His power, His goodness, and His love. Yet this is not what our Lord wants. He desires a personal, intimate, and loving relationship with each of us wherein we can bask in His love while we communicate all our love, needs, and thanksgiving to Him.

In John 6, Jesus reveals to us: “‘I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.’ The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, ‘How can this man give us [his] flesh to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. […] Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.’”

Limited by our human senses, we may, at times, still entertain doubts and find it difficult to grasp that God Himself is truly present in the form of a simple piece of bread, but, at the Last Supper, Jesus said, “This is My Body.” He did not say, “This is a symbol of my Body.” Coming from the mouth of our dear Lord Himself, who can doubt this? We must be reminded that Satan is cunning and clever and will do all he can to shatter our faith and create distance between us and our loving God. Through constant prayer, however, we can combat Satan’s influence in our lives and, with great humility, turn to God for the revelation of all truths. This is an ongoing process which we must renew frequently.

As we prepare to celebrate our Lord’s Resurrection on Easter Sunday, let each of us renew our efforts to make things right between us and our dear Lord in the sacrament of Reconciliation. This Monday is Reconciliation Monday. Let us make a good confession and receive absolution for our sins as we prepare to worthily receive Him in the Holy Eucharist. With humility and total trust in the words of our Divine Savior, let us approach the altar to encounter Him intimately in the great sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Let us consume His body and blood as we say “Amen” – yes, I believe, truly – but let us not forget to pray constantly for an increase in faith. As St. Thomas Aquinas wrote: “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”

Whether we notice it or not, most people will deal with suffering in their lives. We are each called upon to carry a certain cross, whatever that might be. Perhaps our suffering is rooted in sorrow over the loss or illness of a loved one, loneliness, our own health issues, financial difficulties, worries about our children and grandchildren, anxiety, or depression. The list is endless. Often, we are so caught up in our own struggles that we fail to take notice of the fact that others around us are likewise in the midst of difficulties. Many people do a good job at hiding their pain and sorrow in public, but we should never lose sight of the fact that we are never alone in our suffering.

If we are experiencing freedom from trials for any period of time, we should offer thanks to our good and gracious God for such a blessing. Nevertheless, we must always try to be prepared to encounter suffering at one point or another and, in fact, should give thanks to our dear Lord for the opportunity to offer any sufferings we encounter, as we carry our crosses, for the reparation of sin and the conversion of sinners.

Knowing that we cannot avoid suffering, we should take the opportunity to find peace and happiness by surrendering our will and placing our trust in God. However, we can easily begin to believe that God does not care for us because of the bad things that happen in our lives; we can blame God for every pain and sorrow that befalls us; or we may think that God is punishing us for some of our past actions. This may evidence a poor relationship with God and a lack of trust and faith in our heavenly Father. Rather than fall into this trap, we must persevere in placing our entire trust in our loving and merciful Father.

To that end, perhaps we can make a habit, in good times and in bad, of praying this beautiful Litany of Trust which was composed by Sister Faustina Maria Pia of the Sisters of Life:

Litany of Trust
From the belief that I have to earn Your love, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear that I am unlovable, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the false security that I have what it takes, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear that trusting You will leave me more destitute, Deliver me, Jesus.
From all suspicion of Your words and promises, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the rebellion against childlike dependency on You, Deliver me, Jesus.
From refusals and reluctances in accepting Your will, Deliver me, Jesus.
From anxiety about the future, Deliver me, Jesus.
From resentment or excessive preoccupation with the past, Deliver me, Jesus.
From restless self-seeking in the present moment, Deliver me, Jesus.
From disbelief in Your love and presence, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being asked to give more than I have, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the belief that my life has no meaning or worth, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of what love demands, Deliver me, Jesus.
From discouragement, Deliver me, Jesus.
That You are continually holding me, sustaining me, and loving me, Jesus, I trust in You.
That Your love goes deeper than my sins and failings and transforms me,
Jesus, I trust in You.
That not knowing what tomorrow brings is an invitation to lean on You,
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You are with me in my suffering, Jesus, I trust in You.
That my suffering, united to Your own, will bear fruit in this life and the next,
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You will not leave me orphan, Jesus, I trust in You.
That You are present in Your Church, Jesus, I trust in You.
That Your plan is better than anything else, Jesus, I trust in You.
That You always hear me, and, in Your goodness, always respond to me,
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You give me the grace to accept forgiveness and to forgive others,
Jesus, I trust in You.
That You give me all the strength I need for what is asked, Jesus, I trust in You.
That my life is a gift, Jesus, I trust in You.
That You will teach me to trust You, Jesus, I trust in You.
That You are my Lord and my God, Jesus, I trust in You.
That I am Your beloved one, Jesus, I trust in You.
Amen.

The spectacular month of October, the month in which our dear Lord’s master creative artistry is manifest in the colors of the autumn foliage, is designated as Respect Life Month by the Catholic Church in the United States. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops reminds us that each unique human life is of tremendous intrinsic value and constitutes the most sacred of all gifts bestowed upon us by our loving Creator. As such, Catholics everywhere are urged to help build a culture that respects, cherishes, and protects all life from the moment of conception until natural death.

This seems as if it should be a very easy course to follow, but often it is not. We may face difficulties in life that require us to use our best efforts to make what we believe to be just decisions; however, we live in a society where popular culture informs our decision-making process, teaching us that self-fulfillment and avoidance of difficult and painful situations are essential to our happiness and well-being. We may sincerely try to do what is right; however, we are often subjected to the misperception that rejecting the gift of life under certain circumstances can somehow equate to compassion. The world does not challenge us to seek the greater good or to give glory to God. By sacrificially embracing life’s difficulties, we encounter the occasion for the reception of many graces and blessings from our loving Father, whose love has no bounds. Certainly, our dear Lord will not abandon us as we care for an unexpected baby, a child suffering from illness, or a parent suffering from the effects of advanced age, disease, or dementia. Although difficult and often very painful, God is always with us to give us strength in these situations, and His love and grace sustain us.

It is fitting that the month of October is also dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The liturgical feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, formerly known as Our Lady of Victory, is celebrated annually on October 7.

The Rosary is one of the most cherished prayers of the Catholic faithful. This powerful prayer accompanies us as we journey along with Jesus and His Blessed Mother through the Glorious, Joyful, Sorrowful, and Luminous Mysteries. In so doing, we seek the assistance of our Blessed Mother as she guides us to a more intimate relationship with her divine Son. It is indeed Blessed Mary who leads her devoted children to God, and, in doing so, provides her maternal care - the same maternal care which she gave to Jesus - to all who call upon her. What greater advocate can we have before the throne of God?

During this Respect Life Month, and throughout the year, we must seek the powerful intercession of our Blessed Mother by praying the Rosary more frequently. We call upon Blessed Mary to intercede on our behalf as we beg our dear Lord to cause a change in the hearts of those among us who cannot yet place their complete faith and trust in our Heavenly Father by recognizing the sanctity of life at all stages and in all conditions. To that end, St. Padre Pio urged us to pray the Rosary with great love and devotion each and every day: “Pray the rosary frequently. It costs so little, and it is worth so much!”

Let us therefore turn daily to our dear Blessed Mother in prayer to seek her maternal protection over the lives of the most innocent and defenseless among us and to lead each of us to a greater trust in her Divine Son, our dear Lord - a loving God whose creative gifts are the ultimate expression of His unfathomable love for each one of us. May we always give thanks to God for the gift of His love and the gift of life!

On August 6, 1978, Pope St. Paul VI (Giovanni Battista Montini, former Cardinal Archbishop of Milan), who had been pope for 15 years, died suddenly at the age of 80. He was ordained a priest at the age of 22 and worked in various roles within the Vatican for many years. He was elected pope on June 21, 1963. As pope, he presided over the remaining sessions of the Second Vatican Council, and he implemented new liturgical rites for the sacraments and a new liturgical calendar. He was the first traveling pope, making apostolic journeys to seventeen different countries, including the United States. During his papacy, he promulgated the encyclical Humanae Vitae, which upheld the Church’s teaching on contraception. Throughout his papacy, he sought to maintain the ancient faith of the Church while assuring its role in the modern world.

Blessed Pope John Paul I (Albino Luciani, Cardinal Patriarch of Venice) was elected pope at the age of 65 on August 26, 1978, twenty days after the death of Pope St. Paul VI. He was the first pope in over 60 years to have a pastoral rather than a diplomatic or scholarly background. From peasant stock, he spent many years of his priesthood ministering to the poor and the uneducated, focusing on teaching them Church doctrine in a simple manner which they would find easy to comprehend. Upon his election to the papacy, he immediately endeared himself to Catholics and non-Catholics around the world by his simplicity of style and speech, his genuine kindness and concern for others, and for his beautiful smile, a smile that earned him the nickname of “The Smiling Pope.”

Shortly after his election, he remarked: “It is God’s law that one cannot do good to anyone if one does not first of all wish him well. […] I can assure you that I love you, that I desire only to enter into your service and to place the poor powers that I have, however little they are, at the disposal of all.”

On September 28, 1978, just 33 days after his election, the world was shocked when it awoke to the news that John Paul I had died suddenly during the night.

Pope St. John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla, Cardinal Archbishop of Krakow, Poland) was elected the 263rd pope on October 16, 1978, at the young age of 58. The first non-Italian pope in 455 years, John Paul II had studied for the priesthood at a clandestine seminary during World War II, avoiding detection by the occupying Nazi forces. He spent his life opposing Communism, supporting and upholding the human dignity of all people, and inspiring the young to seek God through the Church and the sacraments. As pope, he traveled to 129 different countries, bringing with him a vigorous missionary spirit. His love for young people led him to establish World Youth Day, which attracted millions of young people from all over the world. He expressed concern for marriage and the family throughout his papacy. His influence resulted in the peaceful removal of Communism from Eastern Europe and the restoration of peace and cooperation among the major world religions. He served as pope for 27 years, dying on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 2, 2005.

Our Lord blessed His Church with these three men to occupy the throne of St. Peter over a three month period in 1978, each with his own charism and talents, and whose impact upon the Church and the world continues to this day.

On Thursday, June 29, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. These two magnificent men were the founders of the See of Rome and are remembered for their preaching, ministry, and martyrdom in that city. We are all familiar with the stories of their lives and of how they appeared to be unlikely candidates for the task of spreading Christianity and establishing the foundations of the Church; however, our Lord, in His infinite wisdom, selected them for this mission.

I recently read an intriguing book entitled “The Fisherman’s Tomb” by author John O’Neill. This book documents the behind-the-scenes story of the Vatican’s secret search for the tomb of St. Peter.

After being crucified upside down on Vatican Hill by the Roman Emperor Nero around 64 or 66 A.D., Saint Peter (the first Bishop of Rome and, therefore, our first Pope) was buried in a secret Christian gravesite close to the place of his execution. Tradition further informed us that the first Basilica, constructed on Vatican Hill in the fourth century and named after our first Pope, was built over the site of his grave.

The current Basilica of Saint Peter was constructed in the 16th century to replace the aging fourth-century structure. It was said that the high altar in the original Basilica was constructed directly over the bones of Peter, and the current structure attempted to do likewise; however, after centuries had passed, the actual location of the bones was no longer certain.

The story of the excavations and the finding of the tomb is fascinating, with a great deal of personal drama and behind-the-scenes competition among the brilliant archeologists who worked on the project. In 1939, at the direction of Pope Pius XII, archaeological research and excavations began in the subterranean crypt below the Basilica in a search for Peter’s tomb. O’Neill writes, “In the 16th century, the Vatican had tried to find Peter and been unsuccessful […] the fact that the Church could find a needle in an archaeological haystack is itself amazing and miraculous. Finding Peter’s bones tends to strongly validate the authority of the pope from earliest times.” The author makes this statement in order to refute the claim which arose out of the Protestant Reformation that St. Peter had never actually been to Rome, a claim intended to challenge the primacy of the papacy.

Almost two thousand years after Peter’s death, on December 23, 1950, Pius XII announced to the world that the tomb of the great Apostle had been found and “identified in a way we believe convincing.” The tomb was, in fact, directly below the high altar of St. Peter’s as ancient tradition had claimed. Pope St. Paul VI reconfirmed the discovery again in 1968 when he stated that “we are right in believing that the few sacred mortal remains have been traced of the Prince of Apostles, of Simon son of Jonah, of the fisherman named Peter by Christ.” Scientific analysis had indeed concluded that the bones were those of a man of approximately 67 years of age from the first century, and the tomb wherein they were interred, and the surrounding area, contained inscriptions in early Christian graffiti which announced, “Peter is here”.

If you ever find yourself on pilgrimage to Rome, it is highly recommended that you try to get tickets in advance for the Scavi Tour in order to see, firsthand, the remarkable location of the tomb of our first Pope, the “rock” upon whom Jesus built His Church, both spiritually and physically.

So often, we may be discouraged to see many of our beloved young people living lives absent an intimate relationship with God while rejecting religious beliefs and practices. We look around at Mass and ask, “Where are the young people?” There are many reasons for this, not the least of which may be a failure on our part, both as a family and a community, to fulfill our obligation to evangelize. The world teaches our youth to reject religious values and often creates animosity towards religion, most particularly towards Christianity. Robert Cardinal Sarah writes, “Western civilization is in a profound state of decadence and ruin. It has lost its reason for being: to show forth and lead others to God.”

This weekend, 81 children received their First Holy Communion in our Parish. These beautiful children have been led to Christ in the mystical and powerful Sacrament of the Eucharist by loving parents, grandparents, catechists, and teachers who have heeded the call of our Lord.

To lead others to Christ is of paramount importance in today’s world. In fact, it is Jesus Himself who calls each one of us to evangelize, and He could not be clearer in that call. Our Lord tells us: “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few, so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers […]” (Lk 10:2). He commands us, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature” (Mk 16:15); and “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, […] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28: 19-20). He encourages us when He says, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent, for I am with you” (Acts 18: 9-10).

So, are we listening? How do we evangelize? Evangelization begins in the home. God must be the center of family life, and our homes must be domestic churches of daily family prayer - but that is only the start. We need to take our children to Sunday Mass each week. We must pass down our beautiful faith. As grandparents, godparents and neighbors, we too have an important role in the lives of our young ones. We should urge their parents to bring them to Mass every Sunday or volunteer to take on the joyful task of doing so ourselves. We need to show them how to pray, how to worship, and how to love our dear Lord. They will learn by our example. The world will not teach our youth about God; therefore, the task is ours to fulfill. We owe it to them, and we need to start now!

Outside the home, there is a tremendous need for catechists. We do not have to be professional teachers in order to volunteer to teach our young ones; all we need is a basic knowledge and great love of our Catholic faith and the willingness to pass it along. This is not merely a form of community service. This is a direct response to Christ’s call!

In his apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis refers to evangelization as the “task of the Church.” Taking on the role of the educator is therefore a vital component in the continuation of the evangelization called for by Jesus. Pope Francis urges us to obey this call and to emerge from our comfort zones in order to reach all those “in need of the light of the Gospel.”

The Holy Spirit supplies us with the graces necessary to hand down the faith, and, in so doing, we follow in the paths of the Apostles and the countless disciples that have preceded us for 2,000 years. If not us, then who? If not now, then when?

Just as doubting St. Thomas struggled (temporarily) to believe in the Resurrection, many people have struggled with the idea that Jesus truly rose from the dead, yet the cornerstone of our Catholic faith is the belief that Jesus did in fact rise from the dead on that first Easter morning. This was the pivotal point in all of salvation history. Christ’s Resurrection reveals to us our own destiny. Jesus has risen to eternal life. His victory over death guarantees that we too shall rise from the dead to eternal life on the last day.

The earliest Christian texts, both scriptural and non-scriptural, make reference to Jesus having risen from the dead. Christians in the first century proclaimed Jesus’ Death and Resurrection in hymns of praise. The evidence of Jesus’ Resurrection is overwhelming, and, to this very day, no historical or archeological evidence exists to suggest otherwise.

Jesus was executed by Pontius Pilate outside of the walls of Jerusalem around 33 A.D. It is the most attested to event of ancient history. The evidence is so overwhelming that one cannot deny that Jesus died on the cross. The idea, as suggested by some modern-day disbelievers, that perhaps He somehow survived the crucifixion, is laughable. Crucifixion was the cruelest form of execution. It was a terrifying and effective widespread form of crowd control that was meant as a warning to others.

Some of the Roman authorities and skeptics suggested that the body of Jesus must have been stolen. The possible theft of Jesus’ body was contradicted by every written account, and, of all the possible parties that could have stolen the body, none had sufficient motivation or opportunity to do so. This included His disciples, all of whom were hiding in fear of the authorities. It is also beyond explanation as to why, if Jesus’ body had been stolen, the thieves would have taken the time to undress the body and leave the burial cloths behind, all this while the guards placed at the tomb would have prevented any theft from happening or face certain severe punishment.

Scripture relates the testimony of the women disciples who first encountered the empty tomb, the angel, and Jesus Himself. In Jewish society, such testimony of women would have held little weight, so, if the empty tomb narrative had been contrived, it would have been invented that a male disciple found the empty tomb in order to make the event more credible.

After the Crucifixion, the Apostles went into hiding. After the Resurrection, they suddenly became courageous and went out to proclaim the risen Lord, risking their lives in the process. If Jesus had not risen, if it were all a hoax, under no circumstances would they have risked certain persecution and death. For indeed, liars make bad martyrs. The disciples of Jesus would have disappeared into the
annals of history, never to be heard from again, and Christianity would have died quickly. This radical change in behavior of Jesus’ followers can only be attributed to the truth of the Resurrection.

The rapid growth of Christianity was extraordinary. From the second century B.C. to the second century A.D., there were about ten different Messianic movements. In each case, the Roman or Jewish authorities killed the leader, and the movement died out. So, why didn’t Christianity follow the same pattern and disappear after Jesus’ execution rather than grow exponentially? There is only one answer: the Resurrection.

The Resurrection of Jesus is the only logical explanation for the tremendous number of conversions to Christianity. The historical data points to the truth of the Resurrection, but let us put history aside and remember, more importantly, the words spoken by our dear Lord to St. Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed” (John 20:29). A Blessed Easter to all!

During the liturgical season of Lent, as we contemplate the Passion and Death of our dear Lord, we traditionally make sacrifices and intensify our prayer lives. We desire that, by the time Easter arrives, we may find ourselves closer to our Creator in holiness. Perhaps, we can grow closer to God during this season by identifying and possibly overcoming at least one impediment to such holiness.

I was recently introduced to a beautiful prayer entitled “The Litany of Humility.” I felt as if it were written specifically with me in mind, as I pray daily for the grace of increased humility, among many other necessary graces. Humility, it is said, is the greatest virtue to cultivate because it fights against the worst vice: pride. Humility does not mean thinking less of ourselves, but, rather, it means thinking of ourselves less.

The authorship of this “Litany of Humility” is generally attributed to Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val y Zulueta, Servant of God, who spent many years as a Vatican diplomat within the Roman Curia. Most notably, he served as the Cardinal Secretary of State under Pope St. Pius X (1903-1914) and, in the papacies of Pope Benedict XV and Pope Pius XI, as the secretary of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office (1914-1930), in which role Merry del Val served until his death.

Merry del Val is little remembered among the laity today, almost 100 years after his death, but at least, I thought, he would be remembered for his beautiful “Litany of Humility.” I then discovered that, in reality, this Litany had been written many years earlier by an unknown author and had only been modified by Merry del Val, yet, to this day, it is nevertheless primarily attributed to his authorship.

I wish to share this wonderful prayer with you today, as we begin our Lenten journey. If you, like me, seek the graces which flow from humility, pray it often throughout this Lenten season, and pray it well!

Today, the Church celebrates the Epiphany of the Lord, marking the occasion upon which Jesus is first revealed as the long-awaited King and Messiah. We celebrate the mystery of this initial manifestation of Christ's kingship and divinity.

In today’s Gospel, St. Matthew describes the appearance of the Magi, their encounter with the scheming King Herod, and their following of the star to the place of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. We hear of Herod’s deceptive plan to rid the world of this rival king and the Magi’s presentation of the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These gifts represent responses to God’s greatest gift of all: the Gift of Himself upon all mankind, to the exclusion of none. Our Lord desires that this gift be spread universally throughout the Earth. This is a task meant for each one of us. Pope Benedict XVI wrote that, “By becoming man in Mary’s womb, the Son of God did not only come for the People of Israel but also for the whole of humanity.”

We, like the Wise Men, seek the light that Jesus brings into the world. The Magi make their long journey to see this light and to worship. As Pope Francis explains, these wise men were guided by an inner restlessness and were open to something new.

Pope Francis further teaches that the Magi personify all who believe, all who long for God, and all who yearn for their heavenly homeland. “A holy longing for God wells up in the heart of believers because they know that the Gospel is not an event of the past but of the present. A holy longing for God helps us keep alert in the face of every attempt to reduce and impoverish our life. Herod is unable to worship because he would not change his own way of looking at things. He did not want to stop worshiping himself, believing that everything revolved around him. He was unable to worship, because his aim was to make others worship him.”

Like Herod, is there anything in our lives that hinder us in our worship of God? Might we, like Herod, sometimes see God as a sort of rival? Might we, too, be blind to His signs and deaf to His words because we think He is setting limits on our life and does not allow us to dispose of our existence as we please?

Pope Benedict XVI reminded us that we must “rid our minds and hearts of the idea of rivalry, of the idea that making room for God is a constraint on us. We must open ourselves to the certainty that God is almighty love that takes nothing away, that does not threaten; on the contrary, He is the Only One who can give us the possibility of living to the full, of experiencing true joy.”

Pope Benedict XVI urged us, like the Magi, to be guided by the star that is the Word of God and the Light of Christ, so that we too shall become stars for others, a reflection of that light which Christ shines upon us.