One God (Three Persons) – The Creator of all!
One Redeemer – God’s Word became man
By His Holy Spirit through Mary,
An immaculate Jewish maiden
Whose “Yes” to Gabriel ensured
Our Redemption.
One Church – The Catholic Church -
The Body of Christ
Established upon Peter as recorded in The Bible.
The victim of a constant campaign by the master
Of lies, Satan, and the ego of others who refuse
To accept The Truth from the lips of Jesus while
Rejecting His offer of Himself as the Food of Life.

- – - written by Liam Ó Comáin

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son. About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.

He said, ‘Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.’ The young man held out this package. ‘I know this isn’t much. I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.’

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. ‘Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.’

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son The auctioneer pounded his gavel. ‘We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?’ There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, ‘We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.’ But the auctioneer persisted. ‘Will somebody bid for this painting. Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?’ Another voice angrily. ‘We didn’t come to see this painting.

We came to see the Van Gogh’s, the Rembrandt’s. Get on with the real bids!’ But still the auctioneer continued. ‘The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?’

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. ‘I’ll give $10 for the painting.’ Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. ‘We have $10, who will bid $20?’ ‘Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.’ ‘$10 is the bid, won’t someone bid $20?’ The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. ‘Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!’

A man sitting on the second row shouted, ‘Now let’s get on with the collection!’The auctioneer laid down his gavel. ‘I’m sorry, the auction is over.’ ‘What about the paintings?’ ‘I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!’

———– ———– ———–

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: ‘The son, the son, who’ll take the son?’ Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

“FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE…”

To possess the treasure holder is possessing the greatest treasure.

What is Faith — John 6:41-47

The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

Reflection:-

When Jesus said that He is the bread of life that came from heaven, people began to speak against Him. They knew the human parents and relatives of Jesus. On the basis of that knowledge, it was difficult for them to believe what Jesus said. To them Jesus tells that no one can come to him unless one is attracted by the Father. As fulfilment of the prophesies, only those who are taught by the Father and heard from Him come to Jesus. Those who come will have the faith and they shall inherit resurrection and eternal life.

Here we see the given nature or infused aspect of faith. As we know faith is one of the theological virtues. It means that it is not just of human origin. Faith has a given aspect. God gives or arouses it in us and our response to it realizes in the proper faith. If there is only a human basis, we will be like the Jews who spoke against Jesus as it was difficult for them to believe what Jesus said. From a human point of view what Jesus is and what He tells are confusing. It does not satisfy our mere intellect.

Jesus prays, “I thank you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed to the infants” (Luke. 10:21). In relation to faith it is not intelligence or intellect that matters. We need them to have a real understanding of faith. But faith is not purely intellectual knowledge where everything is based on reason or proof.

Faith is supernatural where everything is based on revelation. Faith is the obedient response to the revealing God. St. Paul says, “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise” (1 Cor. 1:27)

This is faith. So in order to have eternal life, we have to give ourselves to the revealing God in total submission. God the Father teaches us and draws us to the Son who gives us eternal life. Unconditional assent and firm response is demanded from our part. So let us give ourselves to be taught and drawn by the Father who will give us eternal life in His son, Jesus Christ.

- – – reflection by Fr Abraham Muruppel