English > UOGCC Publications
Word of Life – Jer. 51:42 (13/10/2024 – 27/10/2024)
Post date: 2024-10-13Autor: BCP
"The sea will rise over Babylon; its roaring waves will cover her."
Reflection on Jer 51:42
Post date: 2024-10-12Autor: BCP
The prophet Jeremiah, especially in the last chapters, prophesies against Babylon. But there is also a historical Babylon mentioned in Genesis 1. It speaks of the pride of man wanting to build a great tower. The name Babel or Babylon means confusion. God confused the speech of these proud builders and scattered them throughout the earth. In the 1st millennium BC, the nation of Israel was like between two millstones. One was the Babylonian Empire and the other was Egypt. The prophets, whether Isaiah, Jeremiah, or others, very often made pronouncements against Babylon. According to Gen 10:6-10, Nimrod, the grandson of Ham, founded the city of Babylon. The city grew greatly, but was completely destroyed in the revolt against Assyria in 683 BC. It was later rebuilt on both sides of the Euphrates. The name itself signified to the Old Testament prophets the anti-God power that controls the world. It is a demonic power that will rise up against God in the last days.
Word of Life – 2 Cor. 5:21 (29/9/2024 – 13/10/2024)
Post date: 2024-09-28Autor: BCP
"For our sake He made Him who knew no sin to be sin, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
Reflection on 2Cor 5:21
Post date: 2024-09-28Autor: BCP
It is very helpful to contemplate what Jesus suffered for us when He identified Himself, as it were, with sin, that is, took upon Himself the source of evil, sin, but also all the evil that comes from that source, that is, from original sin. We can contemplate it when praying the Holy Rosary or we can contemplate the Seven Words from the Cross. So the word of life, which we will recite for two weeks, is meant to remind us: Jesus, You suffered for me and my sins in Gethsemane, in the scourging, on the Way of the Cross, and on the cross, so that through Your sacrifice I might receive You, the spotless Lamb, and thus the forgiveness of sins, that is, the justification of God.
Reflection on 2Cor 4:14
Post date: 2024-09-22Autor: BCP
We are to walk before the face of God even during the day. When a problem comes up, let us stop for a moment, realize – God sees me – and briefly turn to Him for light and for help. God allows certain problems, that is, crosses, during the day because our eyes and our hearts are focused only on earthly concerns and we forget God. Let us therefore remember the motto which is also part of the prayer in the Holy Mass: “Lift up your hearts!” We need to lift up our hearts to the Lord!
Word of Life – 2 Cor. 4:14 (15/9/2024 – 29/9/2024)
Post date: 2024-09-16Autor: BCP
"Knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence."
Deny yourself and the power of God will work
Post date: 2024-09-15Autor: BCP
What God wants from us – and this is the essence of holiness – is the obedience of faith, which is usually associated with small outward self-denials, but especially with inward ones. We have a lot of ideas of doing something and we want it this or another way. God gives us these ideas so that we are not completely empty because emptiness can have a negative impact and not everyone can cope with it. That is why God gives us different ideas, but then wants us to sacrifice our Isaac like Abraham.
Word of Life – Luk 12:39 (1/9/2024 – 15/9/2024)
Post date: 2024-08-31Autor: BCP
“But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.”
Reflection on Lk 12:39
Post date: 2024-08-31Autor: BCP
The purpose of life is not to eat, drink and sleep, to accumulate things or to pursue a career. The purpose of life is to seek the truth and care about the salvation of our immortal soul. With this goal in mind, then, we need to draw further information from the Gospel of Christ to show us how wisely we are to arrange this short life of ours, which is only a test to gain eternal life. It is essential to turn from the spirit of the world and accept Christ and His Gospel, and to walk in that light in the midst of the darkness, lies and evil that affect man. The goal is to follow Christ, to unite with Him in our life, our suffering and our death. Then we will be united with Him for all eternity in the glory of God.
Word of Life – Luk 13:5 (18/8/2024 – 1/9/2024)
Post date: 2024-08-20Autor: BCP
"I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."
Reflection on Lk 13:5
Post date: 2024-08-20Autor: BCP
Before Jesus spoke these words, He said: “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?” Saying this, He responded to the report about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices, and He emphasized: “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” And He added: “Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?” (v.1-4) And He said again: “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” These words apply to each of us. Repentance is not a one-time thing. Perhaps it can be true of conversion, when you become open to God’s grace, and turn from the spirit of the world to God. But then the world keeps pulling you down and forcing you to submit to its system again. That is, to prioritize material and external things and not care about your soul and its salvation.
The Seven Words of Christ on the Cross (Instructions for interior prayer)
Post date: 2024-08-14Autor: BCP
We are always delivered to Christ’s death (2Cor 4:10). Scripture says: “We were immersed through baptism into Christ’s death.” Interior prayer helps us experience this truth. Here we realize our inner union with Jesus, both on the cross and in us. Some advice on how to contemplate the seven last words of Christ.
Word of Life – Luk 2:35 (4/8/2024 – 18/8/2024)
Post date: 2024-08-06Autor: BCP
"And a sword will pierce through your own soul also, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
Reflection on Luke 2:35
Post date: 2024-08-06Autor: BCP
In this battle for souls, we are to lift the spiritual mountains of demonic forces that nowadays occupy individual nations, entire cities, villages, and even individuals. Jesus gave us the commission and the promise to cast out demons, heal the sick and raise the dead in His name. Sadly, the promise is usually ineffective because we doubt in our hearts, our faith is weak, as if the word is without spirit, without power. But if we endeavour, as St Louis Maria Grignion says, to do everything with Mary and in Mary, and we give her full reign in us in that moment and let her work through us, her faith is without doubt. She is blessed because she believed what she was told by the Lord. As for the conflict with demons, she is full of grace, full of the Holy Spirit, and the power of the Most High – or the Holy Spirit – works through her. In other words, Mary in us commands the demons, “Come out!” and the power of God – the Holy Spirit – makes it happen. It is therefore necessary for us to enter deeply into this mystery. She is the new Eve, she is Immaculate.
Word of Life – Luk 1:76-77 (21/7/2024 – 4/8/2024)
Post date: 2024-07-22Autor: BCP
"And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins."
Reflection on Lk 1:76-77
Post date: 2024-07-22Autor: BCP
When did the Spirit of prophecy come upon Zechariah and John the Baptist? It was when the Most Holy Mother of God entered and greeted Zechariah’s house. All were filled with the Holy Spirit, both Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth, and the child she was expecting leaped for joy in her womb, and she spoke a prophetic word. Mary is full of God’s grace, full of the Holy Spirit. That is why, even today, in an almost apocalyptic age, we need to renew a true devotion to Mary, as spoken of by St Louis Marie Grignion, whose motto was “Everything with Mary, in Mary, and through Mary”. And he adds: “and for Mary”. He also predicted that in these difficult times a new generation of true devotees of the Blessed Virgin, her spiritual sons and daughters, would arise.
Word of Life – Luk 13:24 (7/7/2024 – 21/7/2024)
Post date: 2024-07-06Autor: BCP
"Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to."
Reflection on Lk 13:24
Post date: 2024-07-06Autor: BCP
This is Jesus’ answer to the question as He walked through the towns and villages toward Jerusalem, teaching as He went. Someone said to him: “Lord, are there really few who will be saved?” To this Jesus gave the answer about the narrow door that leads to salvation. This is the word of life that we will be remembering throughout the two weeks. This word of life is followed by, “Once the householder gets up and closes the door, and you stay outside and start pounding on the door and crying, ‘Lord, open it for us,’ then he answers, ‘I don’t know where you are from!’ Then you will say, ‘We have eaten and drunk with you, and you have taught in our streets!’ But he will answer, ‘I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you will be cast out. And they shall come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. Behold, they are the last that shall be first, and they are the first that shall be last.” (v. 25-30)
Word of Life – Luk 3:9 (23/6/2024 – 7/7/2024)
Post date: 2024-06-22Autor: BCP
"The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."
Reflection on Lk 3:9
Post date: 2024-06-21Autor: BCP
The axe of death is already at the root of our life, regardless of our age or the position we hold on this short journey of life. John the Baptist does not mention a tree, that is, a man, that produces good fruit, because he assumes that the fruit he bears in this life will have its reward in eternity. John the Baptist points to the tree that does not produce good fruit, and speaks of its fate. It will be cut down and thrown into the fire. He means that such a man will be thrown into the eternal fire. It is a punishment for the bad fruit he has borne.