For the last fortnight or so, the gospels have taken us on a deep dive, plumbing the depths of Jesus’ priestly prayer to the Father. We have the peerless gift of being front row spectators to that sublime prayer between God the Son with His Divine Father and the Holy Spirit. The Word made flesh communicates in human language with the Divine Trinity and it’s all for our benefit! May we savour this precious treasure from God. May it permeate every fibre of our being and may it transform us from the inside out. May it consecrate us to the truth, that gracious word that is layered and nuanced and gives life and meaning to every semblance of our human existence.
Family History
I couldn’t help but reflect on my own earthly father. Last month was his birthday (he would have been 87) and I re-discovered a 15-page letter in which he responds to my desire to learn about my legacy. He traces the journey taken by his father and the sacrifices he took for his growing family, leaving home at a young age, learning a trade, traveling far from home and establishing a gentleman’s tailoring business, overcoming no small hardships along the way. I learned about my grandfather, disciplined and principled, with a no-nonsense approach, hard working, frugal, enjoying sports, and a stickler for good clothes, good food and the faith. It painted a picture of a man I never met but was named after. And it jived with the evidence I saw with my own eyes, my own father imbibing and imparting these values in his turn. I reminisced on the life lessons I learnt from him and the wisdom he imparted. As for the faith, the adage ‘action is better than words’ describes him perfectly. Years later, I give thanks to my parents that I never strayed too far from the faith, and it is definitely credited to their luminous example and unwavering commitment to the Sacraments.
Catholic History
As Catholics, we have a lot to be grateful for. Our heritage stretches back all the way to the apostles and the human dynamo that is St. Paul. We have countless examples of Saints, in particular St. Joseph, whose patronage we enjoy especially in this his banner year. Our mission is clear and well defined. All we need to do is be another faithful link in the chain that stretches back thousands of years to the Early Fathers and to Our Father, who is our source and summit and the truth in which we are consecrated.
Truth and Consecration
In conclusion, let us recall Jesus’ words to the Father: Jn 17:17,19 Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.
To be consecrated means to be made sacred, to be set apart. What a marvelous calling we have, of being Consecrated by God and for God! May we strive to emulate Our Lord Jesus in cultivating a constant communion with the Father, and accumulating graces from the Holy Spirit—a full measure, pressed down until it overflows into the lives of all those in our sphere of influence. A consummation devoutly to be wished for!
[…] earth and fought the good fight and won the prize. We have a rich and long tradition of witnesses, spiritual giants. We live in communion with them in the communion of love. Those who die in God live in this […]
Once again, as always before, beautifully written with depth and passion. Kudos to the D’Souza family.
Beautiful commentary !!
Thanks, Arlene! Appreciate your kind words.
Always a pleasure to read your words, Patrick! Thank you for this invitation to savor the priestly prayer of Jesus. It truly is a gift. I especially liked your last few lines on being consecrated in the truth, receiving the “full measure” of graces from the Holy Spirit. And the quote from Hamlet at the end was a nice touch!
Thanks, Radhika. You’re too kind! Didn’t realize it was Hamlet, got it from P.G. Wodehouse, one of my favourite authors. This is fitting because my father writes, “I was a bookworm and I wormed my way through the volumes of Charles Dickens and Shakespeare while I was still in school.” – I’ve inherited some of that from him.