Our Lady Of Good Counsel

3/27/2020
 

“The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.”  Psalm 29:11
 

     Yes, it is indeed a time of total disorientation, difficulty and it seems hard to handle. We hear the numbers of corona victims rising so high in the world, in our own country and right here in Hawaii. We feel discouraged, disheartened and helpless. I am writing this to you all to ask you to recollect your deep-rooted faith and the strength of your soul which is a God-given grace. When we rediscover this true faith and grace in God we will see a vision that is beyond any pandemic and beyond darkness - the true light of Christ. We also should be enlightened that the humanity of our ancestors had faced similar and greater calamities and epidemics. With the help of the Name of Jesus our Lord, they saw light and overcame it all. “In my name if you ask me for anything, I will do it.” (Jn 14:14) Yes it is not hearsay or mere word but it's a real proven promise of Jesus. I would like to invite you to remember the plague in Lisbon in 1432 which spread all over Portugal and took many thousands of lives.  Through the courageous and strong faith of Monsignor Andre Dias who went around hospital beds and to the streets imploring people to invoke the powerful Holy Name of Jesus and asked people to pray ceaselessly, Christ intervened and the plague ceased.  Everyone got healed and the city was delivered from the most awful scourge.  The entire country trusted and invoked the name of Jesus, and thus God saved Portugal from the dreadful sickness.

     I believe this is a moment of gathering and not scattering: gathering in faith at the foot of the Lord and not in churches, shrines or places of worship, but in our hearts (temple of the Holy Spirit) where we encounter the true Savior our Lord. I believe it is a time of test, but not of judgment, so we need to trust in the Name of our Lord Jesus and triumph over this time of test as Jesus triumphed. I believe this is not a time to fear or panic but to gather in confidence and courage in the Lord and to be like the wise virgins who had oil in their lamps when the groom our Lord Jesus arrived. This means to keep safe and to follow the guidance from the government,  church authorities and to remain prayerful. Fix your eyes on the crucified Jesus and be spiritually awake, and together in faith and discipline we will triumph in the true Name of Jesus. I urge you all to gather as family and read the Bible, make spiritual adoration, say the Divine Mercy prayers, pray the rosary and when alone, always invoke the powerful Name of Jesus and to keep on your lips and heart, JESUS. I humbly ask you to invite Jesus to come into your hearts, bodies and invite him to come into your homes. Let JESUS reign in your hearts, bodies and homes.  He will protect you with His angels, save you and bring you peace and good health. Please know that I am with you and doing the same, inviting Him to my heart, body and our Parish. We need Jesus in our lives now more than ever before.  Yes Jesus will save us all.
 

Fr. Santhosh Thottankara