By Father Tomislav Vlašić

13 March 2021

(Translated audio)

Father Tomislav: Dearest Brothers and Sisters; the liturgy of the fourth Sunday of Lent leads us towards Easter with the word: “Rejoice”.[1] If it is the joy of the coming Easter, then we are wrong. If we see it as the path towards the liturgical events, towards the target we want to reach, then we may rejoice.

There are different episodes in the readings of this Sunday and different experiences about how the Face of God reveals itself to the people. The first reading from the Book of Chronicles[2]  presents the sin of the priests and the leaders of Israel as well as the whole people that refused God’s Law and God’s voice through the prophets. In the end, as we have heard, God let them free. Jerusalem was destroyed and those who survived ended up in exile. When a little remnant of that remnant awakened, they saw the Face of God because God is God. Even when we commit serious sins, God is God; He is present. It is necessary that we convert and that we change our life.

The second episode is the encounter with Christ. Christ presents Himself as the sign for humanity[3]: lifted up on the Cross, sent by the Father to save humanity, not to judge humanity but to save humanity. Humanity must make the decision to welcome Jesus Christ with faith and live in faith to be saved.

The third episode we are shown is from the Letter to the Ephesians.[4] It refers to the Christians, to those who had been baptised and had joined the Church of the Earth. “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (Eph 2,4-5).

St. Paul continues saying that He seated us on the right of the throne to govern the Universe with Him. St. Paul also says “by grace”. So, if at Easter we have been awarded with resurrection, with the life lifted up to Christ, and we are not aware of this and live like anyone else, like the non-believers, then we are dishonest people. If there is no life in us to manifest to others; if God is not present in us, speaking to humanity in this time, then we are salt to be thrown away.[5]

I believe that you, to whom I am speaking, are aware of this. Yet, there is one more aspect we have to realise: the grace given to us in these times, which speeds up our path of new creatures towards the new creation. Mary, Mother and Co-redemptrix, is among us. The Church of Jesus Christ of the Universe united with Her is among us to recuperate even the last among us. Thus, we reach the last stage, which is to choose between being saved or to being lost. The Mother and Co-redemptrix has prepared life for the intermediate coming of Jesus. She said: “If you had not given testimony to My Co-redemption, the intermediate coming of My Son would have been delayed.”

Let us, who believe in this fact, listen to the words of our Mother and Co-redemptrix. Indeed, these words are addressed to all of humanity.

“I would like to say to My children of the Earth: come to Me without fear; open your heart and entrust to Me your sins, your fears and the doubts that torment you. Share with Me your joys, your projects, every desire for good. I will welcome and comfort you; I will purify you with My Immaculateness. I will intercede for you according to God’s wishes; I will show you the path, which leads you directly to the Heart of My Son Jesus where you will find relief for your souls.”[6]

Do you know a better pedagogue than the Co-redemptrix? A psychologist or doctor who can heal your inner life? God has bent over us with the maternal love of the perfect Mother, who is in the Trinitarian life, and has shown all His care for each one of us and for humanity.

Then, Mary Most Holy has turned to us, who have welcomed these programmes and believe in the Co-redemptrix:

“Today I ask you to become more and more aware of your mission in these extraordinary times of the INTERMEDIARY COMING OF JESUS among His people. Now more than ever, Jesus’ face must shine on each of you and on this entire Church. May your faces be the reflection of His glory so that the blinded humanity may see the Light again. May your souls be a water source in the desert for humanity so that it may quench its thirst of love and life.”[7]

The whole Church of the Universe, the Mystical Body of Christ, is involved in this and we, too, who are on Earth and believe in the presence of Jesus among us, who came to prepare that last phase in which His glorious Face will shine throughout the Universe. That will be the end of times.

This is the framework in which we experience full joy. When the liturgy says, “Rejoice”, we must bring this joy to humanity. Whatever we say in the name of Jesus Christ, may bring this joy and the power of this joy, which gives the people of good will the joy to change life.

In today’s celebration, I would like to add that we will have two more powerful celebrations before Easter: the Solemnity of St. Joseph[8] and the Solemnity of the Annunciation.[9] I invite all of you to celebrate with us in the vigil of 18 March and in the celebration of the Mass on 19 March, and the vigil on 24 March and the Mass on 25 March. On the day we remember St. Joseph, we will consecrate the paternity in God and ask for the paternity in God to be awakened in every man, married or unmarried. Also, at the Solemnity of the Annunciation, we will consecrate all women to consecrate the motherhood in God. Every day we hear about tragedies that happen in families. There are many positive initiatives in society, but that work is nothing but bandages on bleeding wounds if humanity is not born again in God the Father; if God’s paternity is not born again in every man, and God’s maternity is not born again in every woman.

The lack of fatherhood and motherhood in God is the inability to communicate in God between man and woman, between men, between women, between parents and children, from conception. Therefore, we wish to consecrate all men on the eve of the Solemnity of St. Joseph, and all women on the eve of the Annunciation, all those who are ready to welcome the life of God. When we welcome the life of God, the action of God, the action of Jesus Christ, begins in all of us.

“Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”[10]

So, let us try to understand these times: the Church of Jesus Christ of the Universe must speak with works, with the power of the Holy Spirit in the life of this humanity, which is cornered and must choose between changing its life and getting lost. Let us have the courage to walk our path up to Easter, after Easter, never stopping until we reach the new creation.

We accompany you and we pray for you, and all united we bless the whole Earth and the whole Universe so that the Face of God may shine on everyone; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

 

[1] See Entrance Antiphon, Isa 66,10-11: “Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her …”

[2] See 2Chr 36,13-16.19-23

[3] See Gospel of John 3,14-21

[4] See Eph2,4-10

[5] See Mt 5,13; Mk 9,50; Ll 14,34-35

[6] See Message of Mary Most Holy of 21 February 2021, “Jesus Is Here Among You”, published on https://towardsthenewcreation.com/

[7] See Footnote 6

[8] 19 March

[9] 25 March

[10] See John 3,20-21