• The Importance of Wonder

The 20th century poet T.S Eliot wrote, “the child wonders at the Christmas Tree … let him continue in the spirit of wonder …  so that the reverence and the gaiety may not be forgotten in later experience, or in the bored habituation, the fatigue, the tedium, the awareness of death, the consciousness of failure, or the piety of the convert,  … let him continue in the spirit of wonder, so that before the end, the accumulated memories of annual emotion, may be concentrated into a great joy … because the beginning shall remind us of the end, and the first coming of the second coming”.

T.S Eliot was aware of how cynical and oppressed the tragedies of the world can make us, but he was also aware of our longing for something more than this world. He knew that the earth reflects a beauty and a joy whose origins surpass it. Like children, therefore, let us allow ourselves to be in awe! Let us allow ourselves to marvel with a keen and sensitive heart. The rest will follow suit!

• As with all Christian celebrations, at its heart, Advent is a time in which God continues to give Himself to us! But on our part, as human beings, what does it take for us to fully and authentically ‘receive’? 

Reflecting upon this, the German philosopher Joseph Pieper concludes that, “there can be no festivity when man, imagining himself self-sufficient, refuses to recognize that Goodness of things which goes far beyond any conceivable utility; it is the Goodness of reality taken as a whole which validates all other particular goods and which man himself can never produce nor simply translate into social or individual “welfare”. He truly receives it (God’s love and goodness) only when he accepts it as pure gift”.

Certain objects of this world cannot be made or seen as tools for us to simply use. Rather, they need to be appreciated for their own sake. In this, we can slowly discover that they are gifts given to us freely. This is what love does, after all. It gives freely. And it is only when we see creation as a free and pure gift given to us by God, that we can feel truly loved by God and understand what creation truly is.

• Seeing desires as pathways to God

In the words of St Augustine, “the entire life of a good Christian is a holy desire. What you desire, however, you don’t yet see. But by desiring you are made large enough, so that, when there comes what you should see, you may be filled”.

Augustine reminds us that desires are signs that need to be prudently understood and interpreted.  But desires are also bridges. In desiring beauty, we reach out to it. In desiring love, we seek it. This is all good, because God wants to us to be filled. And so, let us not tire to ask, to beg, to be open, to yearn! And in doing so, let us try to turn to God as well. Augustine knew too well that, ultimately, only God can fully and completely satisfy us.

• No wounds are too big for God

In one his poems St. Thomas More wrote, “Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal”.

Advent is a space in which Heaven can continue to penetrate and cultivate the earth. The earth is not fully separate from heaven, the two are not completely distinct. Indeed, in fact, the glory of earth is realised when God (heaven itself) is made one with it! This all culminates in the God-man; in Jesus himself, in him, the heaven and the earth are one.

• We’re all, in our unique ways, a faint image of God 

C.S Lewis, iconically known for crafting the Narnia book Series, noted that “we cannot conceive how the Divine Spirit dwelled within the created and human spirit of Jesus…. but what we can understand is that our own existence is a faint image of the Divine Incarnation itself… the same theme in a very minor key”.

We already harbour traces of God within us, and this can be discovered by us if we reflected deeply upon certain capacities and desires that we experience. Our nature, in its deepest core, longs for beauty, for love, for goodness, for truth – these are God’s fingerprints.

• Let yourself be perfected!

Finally, this Advent, with St. Theresa of Avila, let us express our humility and open our self to God’s healing grace. Time and again, St. Theresa prayed,

“I want to keep Advent in my soul, that is, a continual longing and waiting for this great Mystery wherein You, O Word, became flesh to show me the abyss of your redeeming sanctifying mercy….Come, O Lord, come! I too wish to run to You with love, but alas! My love is so limited, weak, and imperfect! Make it strong and generous; enable me to overcome myself, so that I can give myself entirely to You… What a consolation it will be, O Lord, at the moment of death to think that we shall be judged by Him whom we have loved above all things!”

Read more:

Astronomy and Faith – Universe of Faith

The post Profound Quotes on the Wonder, the Love, and the Joy of Advent appeared first on Universe of Faith.

Joy is our companion in life when we seek to be authentic, selfless, and free in the Spirit.

Joy is the genuine smile we express, when we are pondering on how grateful we are for our life.

Joy is the state of mind we experience when things are not necessarily happening as we wish them to be but we still experience deep peace within.

Joy does not need to be shot by a camera or shared on social media. It can be experienced in solitude or in the sole presence of a beloved.

Joy is what a father or a mother experience when their daughter or son who they had a difficult relationship with, now chooses to embrace them.

Joy is the gaze of a friend who looks at you dearly.

Joy are the tears that trickle down your cheeks, tears that come from a place deep within, after feeling deeply appreciated by someone who you have given your all to.

Joy is the person who realises that they have hurt someone, but they still try their best to amend things, even in their weaknesses.

Joy is the cheerful smile of a child who remembers a considerate word you have said to them.

Joy is the person who feels seen and accepted for who they truly are.

Joy is discovering a truth about yourself that you have long been searching for.

Joy is being each other’s messengers of His light.

Joy is finding a new true friend whom you can share your joys and struggles with.

Joy is understanding that even your suffering can have a purpose.

Finally, true joy is discovering that God is real and present in the life you live. It is knowing that God can use even your vulnerabilities to show His (and your) glory!

These blessings of joy do not cost money, but they cost everything.

To experience them deeply, one must offer all they are and all their life for a greater purpose. We must give our all to love purely and in simplicity.

In giving our all for love, we receive all that really matters. We receive God – love itself!

As Raïssa Maritain wrote in one of her diary entries: “joy is being able to call him Father with a great tenderness, to feel him so kind and so close to us”.

Written by Carla Borg

Read More:

What is the Good News of the Catholic Faith?

Spiritual Gifts That Ordinary People Can Give to Our Non-Ideal World

Why Are We Alive? Why Does the Human Race Exist?

The post What Is True Joy? – An Advent Reflection appeared first on Universe of Faith.

Different versions of Jesus

Through the centuries we have seen several representations of Jesus which were modelled more on those who came up with them than on the authentic Jesus. This usually happens when an aspect of the Gospel is taken out of context and is magnified beyond all proportion while other aspects are ignored.

Thus, the more legalistic and conservative have created a Jesus who is primarily a teacher of morality and a judge, the more liberal endorse an image of Jesus who is mostly meek and forgiving. The hippie movement created a Jesus who attacked the establishment and was an insurrectionist but who wanted to change the world through the spreading of love. Left wingers state that Jesus was the first socialist and recently, with the rise of the New Age Movement, we have seen him depicted as yet another enlightened teacher among many. Elements of truth are present in all these representations but by taking one aspect to an extreme at the detriment of all other aspects, we risk creating a caricature which distorts rather than sheds light on the identity of Jesus.

Jesus in the Gospel

Every Christian is called to discover who is Jesus and the truths that he imparts. This quest is a lifelong endeavour and the ultimate answer will only be achieved in the beatific vision in the hereafter. A good place to start this journey is in the Gospels. Some aspects of Jesus and his teachings may come as a surprise to us because they contradict the other versions of Jesus described in the introduction which have become more familiar to our society than the Jesus of the Gospels.

Jesus, the presence of God with us

Early on in Matthew’s Gospel (Mt 3-4), Jesus is manifesting his mission. Although he is sinless, he is baptised in the Jordan with the sinners and although he needs no purification, he goes out into the desert. The desert in the Bible is a place where one is purified. Although Jesus is the Son of God, he is tested by Satan. Already it is evident that the mission of Jesus is to restore the horizontality between God and Man that was lost in the Garden of Eden. Jesus, the Immanuel, walks among us as God walked with Adam in the Garden. Jesus is the presence of God woven into the very fibres of our human existence. He is with us in the existential reality of our innermost fears, our sins, our illness, our failures and ultimately in death.

Jesus, the giver of the law of love

Right after these events (Mt 5-7), Jesus is portrayed as the new law-giver. Like Moses, he is standing on a mountain, teaching the crowd about the way of righteousness. He is not the abolisher of the Old Law but the one who is bringing it to its fulfilment. Jesus turns the orientation from the outward keeping of the Law to an inner alignment with the spirit of the Law (Mt 15, 7-8). The Law is founded on the love of God and love of the other (Mk 12, 29; Jn 15, 12-15, Mt 25, 31-46). It is what brings about the Kingdom of God which starts quietly from within but spreads and transforms the world (Mt 13).

Jesus, the saviour of the oppressed

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is portrayed first and foremost as the Saviour. As soon as we hear the word Saviour we immediately think that He saved us from sin. However in Luke Jesus is introduced at the beginning of His ministry (Lk 4, 16) as the One prophesied by Isaiah who was going ‘to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free’. Jesus’ mission is not simply a legal transaction that cancels our sins through the shedding of His blood, as has often been portrayed. It is a holistic salvific plan through which He enters into our existential reality and transforms it. This transformation occurs in our tangible, everyday reality and does not merely happen on a spiritual level. We do not just become holy but we become happy and fulfilled on all levels of our existence.

Jesus, doctor of sinners

But we can reject Him just as He was rejected in Nazareth (Lk 4, 28-29). This rejection is a new way of looking at sin. Until then, Jewish society used to regard sin as breaking the Law of Moses. Public sinners like prostitutes and tax collectors were regarded as impure and the pious were duty bound to ostracise them. Jesus considers sinners as sick people in need of a physician. Thus, He spends much time in their company in order to bring them Salvation (Lk 5, 30-32). He distinguishes another group of people whom He does not justify so easily. These are those who reject Him. These are already condemned (Jn 3, 18). The sins of sinners are a result of their wounds which keep them enslaved but the evil has embraced darkness because it gratifies them and hides their evil deeds (Jn 3, 20).

Going back to our introduction, we can ask ourselves, is Jesus more of a judge or is He infinitely merciful and forgiving? Is He maybe somewhere in the middle of this spectrum?

This question itself with which many still struggle says more about us than about Jesus. Our fallen nature creates a divide between justice and mercy. Many in the Church are also split along these two factions. We attribute this bipolarity which is exclusively ours to God and by extension to Jesus. In order to come to terms with this dilemma, we conclude that God (and Jesus) is both a judge and all merciful. He is somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. He first forgave the adulteress but then He ordered her to sin no more (Jn 8, 11). I could almost imagine Jesus wagging his finger at her like any self -respecting school master.

Jesus, healer of the heart

Since Jesus considered sinners to be sick and in need of a doctor, he would never simply admonish the woman caught in adultery to ‘sin no more’. He would take authority over her spiritual illness and order her to be well like he did innumerable times with physical illness and even death. ‘Sin no more’ is therefore equivalent to ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk’ (Jn 5, 1-18) and ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ (Jn 11, 43). He is not admonishing her, He is healing her. If the adulteress being a sinner was indeed ‘sick’, it would have been ridiculous to expect her to stop sinning through her sole efforts. It would have been as ridiculous as expecting the crippled man to walk and Lazarus to rise through their own powers.

This dilemma that we find ourselves in is stemming from legalism. It focuses on sin. Is God going to judge my sin or is He going to close an eye and forgive it? This perspective is fuelled by fear. The more conservative are afraid that others will exploit God’s mercy and fall recklessly into a sinful life. The liberal ones are uncomfortable with the idea of a judging God because they know that ultimately they fall short. So in order to exorcise that fear, they depict God as lenient and compliant.

In reality this complex has nothing to do with God. God (and Jesus) transcends this tug of war. These two schools of thought struggle to understand what Jesus will do with our sin; will He condemn it (and us) or will He forgive it (and us)? In the process of asking ourselves these anxious questions the Good News is being obscured if not altogether lost.

Jesus, giver of life in abundance

What Jesus did with our sin is that He took it on Himself. He penetrated into our very own individual, existential Hell and from there He rose and we rose with Him. Those who accept Him and are willing to leave their comfort zone (Mt 16, 24) go through that same passage from death to life and are given life in abundance (Jn 10, 10).

In our endeavour to understand who Jesus is let us contemplate some phrases that Jesus Himself used to describe Himself:

“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

“Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.” (John 10:7)

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” (John 11:25)

“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.” (John 13:12-13)

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” (John 15:1)

Read more:
– The Difference Jesus Makes in My Life
– Top Popes’ Quotes About Following Jesus Christ

The post Who is Jesus? appeared first on Universe of Faith.

Lest I be misinterpreted, I am pleased that the order has been rescinded. As a practising Catholic, I am happy to see crucifixes in departmental offices and in local health centres.

However, I am also a bit worried.

“We really should be asking what the crucifix means in our life”

The calls appealing for the order to be withdrawn were based on the fact that Christianity, crucifixes and statues were part of Maltese culture, which should not be removed under the pretext of avoiding non-Christian workers or patients feeling offended.

In itself, the intention to not offend non-Christian people is a good intention. However, denuding one’s office of Christian religious objects in order to avoid giving offence is perhaps going a bit too far.

Everyone should answer the following question in the depths of their heart. What does the crucifix truly mean to me? Is it just part of our culture, or do I seek to let the crucifix transform my life?

I have absolutely nothing against Catholicism being seen as part of our culture. Our Catholic faith has greatly enriched Malta and the Maltese and has done so ever since by God’s providence, Paul set foot on this island. I hope that Catholicism continues to be part and parcel of Maltese society and culture. Let us thank God that we realise that the foundation of Maltese society and culture is Christian in nature.

“Jesus Christ is not culture. It is a matter of faith.”

However, the point I wish to make is simply that Catholicism is not a matter of culture. It is a matter of faith. When we celebrate Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and the Octave of Easter, we will most certainly not be celebrating something merely cultural or some ritual of cultural significance. Jesus Christ is not a culture. He is God incarnate who died and was resurrected for love of us and as a result of that, we can believe in Him as our saviour.

If we do not really care about our faith but greatly care about whether crucifixes and statues are allowed in government offices as a matter of culture, then I invite us to delve deeper into that desire that makes us seek to keep the crucifix in the sight of our eyes. If its merely a matter of culture and the compassion and tender love that have poured out of that crucifix have not yet touched us, we should not be discouraged but dare ask God to show it to us.

“Our faith does not depend on whether crucifixes are allowed or not”

While our faith does not depend on whether or not a crucifix is allowed in public places, for were they removed, faith should still be alive and kicking in us. In reality, in our humanity, we have in us the need to see, the need to have visuals to make us remember. Just as we keep photos or pictures of the ones we love to help us remember the beautiful moments we had together, this is part of our own nature. The crucifix is foolishness for those who do not believe and a stumbling block for those who believe yet are carried by the currents of culture. But if we let the crucifix touch our hearts, can we truly see in it the sign of perfect love , the love for which we were created. Because we desire it so deeply, then one would want to keep the crucifix always in sight.

“We need to ask what symbols mean to us, not to hurt each other”

We can end up using the symbols to hurt God and hurt each other even more. This is seen when one kisses the crucifix in order to take an oath when in reality, one would have lied. Another example of this is using images of saints on każin t-shirts and the doing exactly the opposite of what that saint did, blaspheming all throughout that saint’s feast. To mature in our faith, we cannot merely stop at symbols with indifference. Rather, we need to sincerely ask ourselves what they mean to us and discern what we need to change to be consistent with what we believe.

I sincerely hope that the politicians who seemed outraged at the planned removal of crucifixes in public places were outraged as a direct result of their unshakeable faith and strong relationship with God.

“I want the crucifix in public to remind me to love those whom society deems unlovable”

With a culture that sways with prevailing winds, it is no longer possible to say that crucifixes should not be removed because they are part of our culture. However, crucifixes should not be removed because the moment immortalised in the crucifix is the moment in history that permeates eternity , not a matter of a past tradition, but the mark of the ones who have been touched by God’s grace. It is our hope against hope, our love above all loves, our faith above all cultures.

I want the crucifix affixed to the wall because it reminds me that He died for me. I want the crucifix affixed to the wall in order to be reminded to pray for humility when I am about to let my pride take over. I want the crucifix within sight in order to pray for patience when it starts to run out. I want the crucifix in public places in order to remind me to love those whom society deems unlovable or unworthy of attention. After all, I am not worthy of God’s love or attention, but am loved by Him and his fatherly gaze is over me without ever stopping nonetheless.

Read more:
– Pope Benedict The 16th On the Future Of The Church
– Top Pope Francis’ Quotes About the Church

The post Crucifixes in Public Places appeared first on Universe of Faith.

1. Jesus, the human and the divine – Gregory of Nazianzen

“Our humanity was joined to and made one with God in order that I too might be made God as truly as He is made human:He was born , but He had been begotten eternally.
He was born of a woman , but she was a Virgin…
He was baptised as a human, but He took away sins as God .
He was tempted as a human, but He conquered as God — indeed,
He bids us take courage, for He has conquered the world.
He hungered, but He fed thousands, indeed, He is the living Bread from heaven.
He thirsted, but He cried, Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink , yes, and He promised that fountains should flow from those who believe.
He was wearied, but He is the rest of those who are weary and carrying heavy burdens.
He was heavy with sleep, but He walked lightly over the sea , indeed, He rebuked the winds and made Peter light as he began to sink.
He was wrapped in swaddling clothes, but He shed the swathing shroud of the grave by His rising again.
He was laid in a manger but He was glorified by angels, and proclaimed by a star, and worshipped by magi.
He prays, but He hears prayer.
He weeps, but He causes tears to cease.
Like a lamb He is led to the slaughter, but He is the shepherd of Israel , and now of the whole world also.
He is bruised and wounded, but He cures every disease and every sickness.
He is lifted up on the tree and nailed there, but He restores us by the tree of life
He dies, but He gives life and by His death He abolishes death.”
Gregory of Nazianzen, Theological Oration 3.

2. Jesus the physician of flesh and spirit – Ignatius of Antioch

“There is only one physician, who is both flesh and spirit, born and unborn, God in man, true life in death, both from Mary and from God, first subject to suffering and then beyond it, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Ignatius – Bishop of Antioch, Letter to the Ephesians, 7.2.

3. Jesus suffered for us – Ignatius of Antioch

“Wait expectantly for the one who is above time: the Eternal, the Invisible, who for our sake became visible; the Intangible, the Unsuffering, who for our sake suffered, who for our sake endured in every way.”
Ignatius – Bishop of Antioch, Letter to Polycarp, 3.2.

4. Jesus – the most manifest Diety – Clement of Alexandria

“For it was not without divine care that so great a work was accomplished in so brief a space by the Lord, who, though despised as to appearance, was in reality adored, the expiator of sin, the Savior, the clement, the Divine Word, He that is truly most manifest Deity, He that is made equal to the Lord of the universe; because He was His Son, and the Word was in God.”
Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Heathen, 10.

Read more:
– Who Are The Father Of The Catholic Church
– List Of All The Church Fathers

The post Quotes About Jesus From the Fathers of the Church appeared first on Universe of Faith.

“It is no longer enough to say, as in the past:  “God became man so that man might become God. It must also be added that God was made man so that man might remain human, and so that in being divinised he might still be even more human.”
Fabrice Hadjadj, The Resurrection, 2016

“The identity of Jesus is known through his impact upon us. In other words, the person of Christ becomes known through his work.
Alister E. McGrath

“A man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act. ”
Mahatma Gandhi

The post Powerful Quotes About Jesus Christ appeared first on Universe of Faith.

Jesus Had A Body Like Each One Of Us

Jesus is the Son of God who became human, he is, and remains, the second person of the divine Trinity who has personally and irrevokably become one of us. The incarnation means that he is fully human in that he has a human mind, a human will, human memory and, of course, has a human body … just like each one of us! The difference lies in sin. Jesus did not sin personally.  He certainly was tempted just as we are tempted, however, as we see in the bible verse Heb 4, 15: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet he did not sin. … temptations were clearly put before Him many times. In this way he understands our weakness … he both sympathises and empathises with us in our temptations. It seems clear that to be human means to be tempted!

To Be Human Is Not Necessarily To Be Sinful

However, it also seems clear that to be human is not necessarily to be sinful. Sin is a lack of humanity!! My sinfulness is my lack of solidarity, my lack of respect, my turning in upon myself in my relationships with God, with others and with creation. Unfortunately, we all seem to be in the same boat so our involvement in our relationships is always prone to deceit, egoism and envy.

He Became Human To Share His Divine, Joyful, Loving, Immortal Life

The incredibly good news of the incarnation is that Jesus is not like that at all! Not only, but he wants to share his purity with us so that we are always encouraged in the relationships which make up our lives … we are never in a dead-end, there is always hope for us. Not only, but he takes our sins upon himself so that, as it were, he, the guiltless one, makes himself guilty. He alone can enter into such selfless and effective solidarity with every human person! Not only, but he became human to share his divine, joyful, loving and immortal life with us. But that is another story …

Send us your question on hello@universeoffaith.org

Read more:
– The Difference Jesus Makes In My Life
– Top Popes’ Quotes About Following Jesus Christ

The post Is Jesus Fully Human? appeared first on Universe of Faith.

1. The Political Programme Of Jesus

“The programme of Jesus is ‘a heart which sees’ . This heart sees where love is needed and acts accordingly.”
Pope Benedict, Deus Caritas Est, 2005

2. When We Follow Jesus, We Start Feeling Free

“If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potential of human existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation. And so, today, with great strength and great conviction, on the basis of long personal experience of life, I say to you, dear young people: Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return.”
Pope Benedict 16th, Homily, April 2005

3. Jesus Invites Us To Shed The Mask Off

 “It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is He who provoked you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is He who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is He who reads in your heart your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle.
Pope John Paul II, World Youth Day, 2000

4. That Goodness Within Comes From Jesus

“It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.
Pope John Paul II, World Youth Day, 2000

5. Jesus Is A Model To Health Professionals

 “To the doctors, nurses and all the other people working in this hospital, to assure them of Our esteem and to encourage them to carry on with their admirable work. Christ is your model too, Christ who showed so much sympathy for the sick and infirm and all those afflicted by suffering.
Pope Paul VI, Pilgramige to Australia, 1970

6. Following Jesus Involves Loving The People And The Outdoors 

 “Just think that most of Jesus’ public ministry took place on the streets, among the people; to preach the Gospel, to heal physical and spiritual wounds. This crowd of which the Gospel often speaks is a humanity marked by suffering. It is a humanity marked by suffering, toil and problems. It is to this poor humanity that Jesus’ powerful, liberating and renewing action is directed.”
Pope Francis, Angelus, 4th February 2018

Read more:

– “I Lived And Worked In Malta” – The Story Of A Generous Landlord And A TCN
– The Difference Jesus Makes In My Life

The post Top Popes’ Quotes About Following Jesus Christ appeared first on Universe of Faith.