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Friday, October 15, 1999

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St. Teresa of Avila


Romans 4:1-8
Psalm 32
Luke 12:1-7

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faith forming the future

"Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as justice." —Romans 4:3

In the next two months, we will begin the Great Jubilee. Following the direction of Pope John Paul II, many Christians have been preparing for years for this great event. "The primary objective" of the Great Jubilee is "the strengthening of faith" (Towards the Third Millennium, 42). If we have let Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father prepare us for the Great Jubilee in the last three years, we should be seeing an ever-increasing faith in the Lord.

By faith, we will be able to restore justice to our society and live in the great freedom of the Great Jubilee. By faith, we will see debts forgiven, especially the debt of sin. By faith, we will set free the hundreds of millions of people enslaved by addictions, compulsions, anxieties, fears, and self-hatred. By faith, our culture of death will be replaced with a civilization of love and life in the Great Jubilee. Our culture will be permeated with the Gospel of Jesus (see the Catechism, 899).

"Who, then, is conqueror of the world? The one who has faith that Jesus is the Son of God" (1 Jn 5:5, our transl). "The power that has conquered the world is this faith of ours" (1 Jn 5:4). Believe and receive the Great Jubilee.

Prayer:  Jesus, "I have faith. Help my lack of faith" (Mk 9:24, our transl).

Promise:  "Fear nothing." —Lk 12:7

Praise:  St. Teresa had a deep personal relationship with Jesus and talked honestly and openly to Him in prayer. Near the end of her life, she exclaimed, "Oh, my Lord! How true it is that whoever works for You is paid in troubles! And what a precious price to those who love You if we understand its value."

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Ralph J. Lawrence, April 10, 1999


Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 16, 1999