| About a man who
lived in Vietnam. Father: Last year a year ago in Lent a Vietnamese Bishop gave a retreat to the Pope in the Papal household. In the Vatican. The Pope was present and all the bishops of the Vatican were retreat. And the Bishop told story of his own life.. Bishop Francis Xavier had spent 13 years in prison. He was arrested by the Communist when the Communist took over Vietnam. Nine of those 13 years he spent in solitary confinement, nine of those years he spent almost in total darkness. He didn't know that time of the day a, week or month. He said at one moment he said, "I thought I was going to go insane." My heart was filled with guilt I was aware of my sinfulness, I was aware that my people were without a Shepherd. And at that moment God gave me a singular grace in the grace was this, I knew that God in spite of everything I knew in spite of the way I felt in spite of my fears in spite of darkness I knew that God loved me. And for that moment I knew I could be joyful. And I knew for that moment I could be without fear. And I knew from that moment I could forgive. And I knew for that moment I could have hope. And I lived there for 13 years moment by moment And for 13 years I lived with joy and hope and peace and forgiveness. Moment by moment in the love of God. And this is the good news that before we were worthy God loved us. Before we were repentant he died for us. Father: And she said, "The message of Pentecost is the truth of Jesus and the truth is that God loves you. And the devil who was the father of lies does you that God does not love you that God could never love you, that God could never forgive you." And to say to the young prisoners, "Remember always listened to the truth that you're love and don't listen to the devil who will tempt you every day to think that you are not love." I was in the prison with a young brother we got back in the car and we started headed back home and he said, "You know father I needed to hear that. And was lifted him and I said, "You know Brother Luke I needed to hear that." And the message is so simple that we are love by God and we are love so completely that Jesus died to prove that any reveals that love and his Sacred Heart. And all of us today rejoice in that love and allow the love of God to come into our hearts so that the Heart of Jesus and our hearts become one. Amen. |