In this Year of Prayer, let us rediscover the centrality of prayer and cultivate a life of prayer and a soul of prayer, which will extend to our future lives and bring us closer to God.
Month: March 2024
The love that overcomes death
Christ’s victory over sin and death is also our triumph! This Easter Sunday in Macau, dozens of catechumens who have prepared for months, thanks to the dedication of their catechists, are baptized. They are families that join the community of witnesses of the resurrection in a world thirsty for God. Happy Easter!
CHURCH FATHERS (21): Turning point
The tide turned for Christianity with Emperor Galerius’ Edict of Toleration in 311, ending the Diocletian persecution. Subsequently, in February 313 AD, Emperors Constantine and Licinius issued the Edict of Milan, granting Christians freedom of worship. This milestone paved the way for Emperor Theodosius to establish Christianity as the state religion. The era of religious freedom ushered in positive advancements in theological scholarship, liturgy, and artistic expression.
ABANDONED BY GOD?
The cry of Christ from the cross is not a cry of despair – like the cry of Cain and Judas – but a cry of faithful hope, a prayer for God’s mercy: “Rescue my soul from the sword”; “Save me from the lion’s mouth” (Ps 22:20-21). We believe that the cross, our cross is the cross of salvation, of hope, of the coming resurrection.
Humility – The One Thing You Need to Enter the Mysteries of Holy Week
Unless we admit our refusals, repent of our sins, and have the same attitude as Christ, who “emptied himself, taking the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:7), we choose to lurk in the dark rather than walk with the Lord Jesus into his light.
THE JOURNEY OF LENT: THE PASSION AND DEATH OF CHRIST (#5)
O Clarim presents a five-part series this Lent, authored by Fr. Fausto Gomez OP. In the fifth and concluding article of this series, Fr Gomez writes that during Lent, we journey towards Holy Week, reflecting on the passion and death of Christ. Through his suffering, Jesus reveals his infinite love, shows us the gravity of sin, merits grace for us, and provides an example to follow. As disciples, we embrace our own crosses, imitating Christ’s love and compassion for others.
The Dramatic Unfolding of Prophecies
A kingdom has some features. Most significantly, it has a king, some subjects, a territory, and laws and regulations to govern. In the case of the kingdom of God, we know clearly that Christ is the king. His territory is the whole universe and is not limited to the divisions on the face of the earth drawn by people. What we need to do to belong to his kingdom is to live by the laws of his kingdom, which most predominantly is love. He enlists into his kingdom those who are willing to DIE FOR LOVE.
Standing “un-haloed” at the foot of the Cross with our eyes fixed on Jesus
During Holy Week, we too, far from being holy, want to stand at the foot of the Cross with the un-haloed centurion and fix our eyes on Jesus. We too, like him, desire to discover God’s presence and mercy in the darkest corners of our hearts and of our world. And by doing so, step-by-step, as Mark taught us and as the catechumens have done in their journey toward baptism, we will enter Christ’s Resurrection.
THE JOURNEY OF LENT: SELF-DENIAL
O Clarim presents a five-part series this Lent, authored by Fr. Fausto Gomez OP. In the fourth article of this series, Fr Gomez writes that the journey of Lent calls us to embrace self-denial, detachment, and the carrying of our crosses daily. Through fasting, asceticism, and simplicity, we seek spiritual growth and closeness to God. By following Christ’s example, we find true happiness and fulfilment in love and service to others.
CHURCH FATHERS (20): Enduring plagues and persecution
Caecilius Cyprianus Thascius was the second African theologian after Tertullian and greatly influenced by the latter. Cyprian was the first African bishop to suffer martyrdom (258 AD).