Notes from Father Adam Lewis: Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday (Year A):

Notes from Father Adam Lewis: Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday (Year A):

Seeking to Suffer and Rise with Christ

The further you withdraw from earthly things the closer you approach heavenly things and the more you find God. Whoever knows how to die in all will have life in all. Abandon evil, do good, and seek peace (Ps 34:14).

Anyone who complains or grumbles is not perfect, nor even a good Christian. The humble are those who hide in their own nothingness and know how to abandon themselves to God….

If you desire to be perfect, sell your will, give it to the poor in spirit, come to Christ in meekness and humility, and follow him to Calvary and the sepulcher. Those who trust in themselves are worse than the devil. Those who do not love their neighbor abhor God.

Anyone who does things lukewarmly is close to falling.

Whoever flees prayer flees all that is good. Conquering the tongue is better than fasting on bread and water.

Suffering for God is better than working miracles.

Oh, what blessings we will enjoy in the vision of the Most Blessed Trinity!… As for trials, the more the better. What does anyone know who doesn’t know how to suffer for Christ?

Saint John of the Cross (+ 1591) is called the Mystical Doctor. The above words are taken from his “Sayings of Light and Love.”

Our Lady of Guadalupe miracles:

The tilma of Our Lady of Guadalupe is associated with a cluster of extraordinary features. Taken together, they’re why the image has been studied for nearly 500 years and still defies a full natural explanation. Here are the main miracles traditionally cited, explained plainly and carefully.

• • The tilma should have disintegrated—but didn’t. A tilma made from agave fibers normally lasts 10–30 years at best. The Guadalupe tilma has survived nearly 500 years, exposed to: humidity, smoke from candles, dust and pollution, handling and movement. Despite this, the fabric has not deteriorated as expected, which alone is highly unusual. 
  • No detectable brushstrokes or known pigments. Multiple examinations (including 20th-century scientific studies) found: No brushstrokes; No preparatory sketch; No known mineral, animal, or plant pigments that match the image in several areas. Some pigments appear to sit on the surface of the fibers rather than soaking in, unlike paint.
  • The eyes: microscopic reflections. One of the most discussed features is found in Mary’s eyes: When magnified, the eyes appear to show reflections of human figures. The reflections follow the Purkinje–Sanson law, which governs how images reflect in a human eye. Figures appear consistent in both eyes and scaled correctly. Among the reflected figures are what appear to be Juan Diego, the bishop, and others present at the unveiling. This phenomenon was unknown to science in 1531.

• Stable temperature like living tissue. Measurements have shown the tilma maintains a constant temperature around 98.6°F (37°C)—close to human body temperature—despite environmental changes. This is unusual for a fabric hanging in open air.

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