I Take Off the Mask

Image by dekorationwsm from Pixabay A Book Review: Timeless Christian Lessons From the Classic Romance Novel by Nicholas Sparks For years, I was content that I have watched the film based on Nicholas Sparks’s novel “A Walk to Remember” . It wasn’t until I found a social media post asking about books that made readers cry that I regained interest in reading it. What’s different about the book? Would I really cry? These were just some of the questions I had when I decided to purchase the classic romantic novel. Set in 1958, the story about Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan takes on a different period but not a contradicting theme. In fact, I think the book and the movie complement each other. Watching the film and reading the book provides people an experience that helps them gain a deeper and richer grasp of the story. Told through the point of view of Landon, the book allows the reader to see things from his perspective. The reader sees what he sees, and I think this works most especia...

O most holy heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore you, I love you, and with lively sorrow for my sins I offer you this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure and wholly obedient to your will. Grant, Good Jesus, that I may live in you and for you. Protect me in the midst of danger. Comfort me in my afflictions. Give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, your blessing on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Amen.

“Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil; May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.”

Image by Mystic Art Design from Pixabay http://itakeoffthemask.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/43_WEB_John03.mp3 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born anew, * he can’t see God’s Kingdom.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and Spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ 8 The wind† blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is ...

A simple creature unlettered.—Which creature afore desired three gifts of God” THESE Revelations were shewed to a simple creature unlettered,[1] the year of our Lord 1373, the Thirteenth day of May. Which creature [had] afore desired three gifts of God. The First was mind of His Passion; the Second was bodily sickness in youth, at thirty years of age; the Third was to have of God’s gift three wounds. As to the First, methought I had some feeling in the Passion of Christ, but yet I desired more by the grace of God. Methought I would have been that time with Mary Magdalene, and with other that were Christ’s lovers, and therefore I desired a bodily sight wherein I might have more knowledge of the bodily pains of our Saviour and of the compassion of our Lady and of all His true lovers that saw, that time. His pains. For I would be one of them and suffer with Him. Other sight nor shewing of God desired I never none, till the soul were disparted from the body. The cause of t...

Only God can make you truly happy. Even the best of people will fail you. Don’t expect people to be like God. Forgive yourself and get up quickly after each fall. Let not your mistake bring you to despair, but towards the path of humility. Things will not always happen as planned, learn to be resilient. Do your best and let God’s beautiful plan for you unfold in His time. Worry is useless. We can never know what will happen next. Even if your worry comes true, remember that your worry never helped you at all. It just took away your joy for the present and robbed you of the time you could have spent better. You spend time better when you do things out of love rather than out of fear. It is useless trying to please people. Most people won’t be pleased anyway, and no one who has only lived for the approval of others has ever been pleased with oneself. Please God and you will discover also what will satisfy your soul. Evil may seem to triumph for a while, but it is Light that will always t...

Image by Thomas B. from Pixabay 33 When they came to the place that is called “The Skull”, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments amongst them, they cast lots. 35 The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 39 One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Don’t you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive...

Image by Harry Fabel from Pixabay 21 They compelled one passing by, coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to go with them that he might bear his cross. 22 They brought him to the place called Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, “The place of a skull.” (Mark 15:21-22, WEBBE) Reflection How many times have you felt like the weight of your cross is too heavy for you to bear? How many times have you fallen and felt as though you could never get up again? It’s not easy to carry our cross. Many times, we feel tired. Sometimes, we don’t even know how long we can still go on. We see others succeed as though they don’t have any burden to bear. People praise them and look up to them. And no one seems to care about the crosses we bear. Worse, we often feel that we are being unjustly punished in life. That we don’t deserve our many troubles. As we meditate upon this mystery today, let us remember how Jesus carried His cross. Of all people, Jesus never dese...

Image by Dorothée QUENNESSON from Pixabay 27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they knelt down before him and mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” (Matthew 27:27-29, WEBBE) Reflection To be crowned with thorns is not only to feel the physical pain of thorns piercing one’s head. It is to suffer humiliation. It is to be mocked and belittled by those who do not even know who you are or what you’re going through. Haven’t we felt like that many times in life? As Christians, how many times have you felt that you have already been judged even before you say a single word? How many times have you been considered an outcast by those who are in power? People like to feel that they are in control, that they have power over others. To do that, they may try to put othe...

Image from Wikipedia “Then he released Barabbas to them, but Jesus he flogged and delivered to be crucified.” (Matthew 27:26, WEBBE) Reflection Few of us today could relate to the pain of being physically scourged. But we can all try to imagine just how painful it must have been for Jesus. Tied to a pillar, He was scourged mercilessly and repeatedly. We have no idea how many wounds He had as His flesh suffered from being whipped. We have no idea how much blood He lost even before carrying His cross. Emotionally and psychologically, have we not felt being scourged also by other people around us? Maybe there were times when we received negative comments and our reputation is damaged, all the while suffering without having anyone to help us. Maybe we were blamed for something we never did. Maybe we were punished for crimes we did not commit. As we meditate on this mystery today, may we remember that no matter how weak we may feel, we can still overcome our struggles with God’s ...

Image by Prabowo Shakti from Pixabay 36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go there and pray.” 37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and severely troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with me.” 39 He went forward a little, fell on his face, and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire.” (Matthew 26:36-39, WEBBE) Reflection When was the last time you felt such a deep sorrow you felt your heart would almost break into pieces? When was the last time you felt you could hardly contain your tears? What makes our sadness even worse is the feeling that we are alone. Just like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, you may have asked some people to watch with you, to just stay where you are. But maybe none of them came, none were able ...

Image by Mystic Art Design from Pixabay http://itakeoffthemask.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/43_WEB_John02.mp3 1 The third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. 2 Jesus also was invited, with his disciples, to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with you and me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you, do it.” 6 Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ way of purifying, containing two or three metretes* apiece. 7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the ruler of the feast called the brideg...

Image by Vinson Tan from Pixabay “A Revelation of Love—in Sixteen Shewings” HIS is a Revelation of Love that Jesus Christ, our endless bliss, made in Sixteen Shewings, or Revelations particular. Of the which the First is of His precious crowning with thorns; and therewith was comprehended and specified the Trinity, with the Incarnation, and unity betwixt God and man’s soul; with many fair shewings of endless wisdom and teachings of love: in which all the Shewings that follow be grounded and oned.[1] The Second is the changing of colour of His fair face in token of His dearworthy Passion. The Third is that our Lord God, Allmighty Wisdom, All-Love, right as verily as He hath made everything that is, all-so verily He doeth and worketh all-thing that is done. The Fourth is the scourging of His tender body, with plenteous shedding of His blood. The Fifth is that the Fiend is overcome by the precious Passion of Christ. The Sixth is the worshipful[3] thanking by our Lord God ...

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Image by Mystic Art Design from Pixabay http://itakeoffthemask.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/43_WEB_John01.mp3 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him. Without him, nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome* it. 6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came as a witness, that he might testify about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but was sent that he might testify about the light. 9 The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognise him. 11 He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him. 12 But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s child...