From the book of Revelation we heard:
I John had a vision of a great
multitude which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and
tongue. They stood before the throne and
before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches.
That puzzled John the seer, and he was told:
These are the ones who have
survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb.
That was in accordance with Jesus' own words to Nicodemus:
Most assuredly, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
(John 3:5)
Multiform cleansing is one of the main purposes to which we
dedicate our use of water. Those,
however, who come out of the great tribulation of which the seer speaks, have
washed their robes with the only cleansing agent able to wash away the stains
of human sin, that is, the Blood of the Lamb; for it is that Precious Blood,
poured out for us, which alone gives the power for supernatural cleansing to
the baptismal waters of the Church. As
Jesus said:
Most assuredly, I say to you,
unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
People of God: it is a fact of Catholic spiritual awareness
that the sacraments of Mother Church are to be regarded as the fruit of the
outpouring of Jesus' Blood.
Far too many parents through succeeding generations have
had only tenuous catholic connections; they had their children baptized merely
to satisfy their own parents, or, at best, to gratify their own
pseudo-conscience ("I would like to have my kids done … then I will feel I have done my best for them"),
without having any real intention of bringing up their child in the ways of
Jesus according to Mother Church's teaching.
They understand baptism only as ceremonial, where mere water is poured
over the child's head, whilst a few words are said, and then all is over and
done with. There was no reverence for
the sacrament; no awareness that the water poured out is water empowered by the
shedding of Jesus' blood, water which -- as the seer tells us -- enables those
dedicated to Jesus to:
Wash their (souls) and make them
spotless in the blood of the Lamb.
And today we see the full circle turned and renegade Catholics not only
disregard the Sacraments but they disregard even Mother Church herself.
We, however, who have celebrated the love, compassion, power and beauty
of the Passion and Resurrection of our Blessed Lord Jesus, must use all bonds
of kith and kin, and prayer, to help those missing from our community out of
their death lapse of worldly peace – at one with everybody else in worldly
pleasures, appearing to enjoy a conscience-less life, forgetful of any and all
consequences. … for we have hope for beautiful, good, and holy things to come
when the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be Shepherd of those He
has brought into the Father’s presence and He will lead them to springs of
living water. Yes, Jesus, Our Lord, will be there -- with us and for us -- as
Our Shepherd, our Leader, our Glory; and He will lead us along the heavenly
paths of eternal life, so that, with Him, all that is truly human in us, far
from being smothered or denied, will be glorified as He, our Lord and
our Brother, is most fully and beautifully glorified in His sacred humanity.
And God will wipe away every tear
from their eyes.
Who can fittingly speak of the intimacy and tenderness of
God the Father's relationship with each and every one of His children redeemed
by the blood of His Only Begotten and most Beloved Son?
Now, that life -- Mother Church teaches -- begins here on
earth for Jesus' true disciples, but its heavenly fulfilment can only be
attained by those who have passed through tribulations of varying degrees
chosen by God in His Fatherly goodness to cement their union with Jesus in
sincerity, depth, and trust.
These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
