Fr. Ed Broom, OMV Oblates of the Virgin Mary

Catholic Ignatian Marian Spirituality

SPIRITUAL EXERCISES: SURE PATH TO HOLINESS!

All of us are called to holiness! Jesus expressed this clearly:  “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.”  (Mt. 5: 48)   Once again, one of the Beatitudes has been interpreted,   “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for holiness, for they will be fulfilled.”( Mt. 5:6)  Therefore, we should strive to utilize the most efficacious means to attain holiness of life, becoming the “Saint” that God indeed has called us to be!

Undoubtedly one of the most efficacious means/tools/spiritual weapons in the arsenal to fight the good fight and win the race is living out the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola.   One Pope asserted, commenting on the efficacy of the Exercises, that if the whole world would meditate, understand, assimilate and live out Principle and Foundation, then the whole world would be saved!  Therefore, let us simply highlight some of the spiritual fruits that can be derived by “living out” the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola!  Just three!

First, attaining a deep prayer experience!   Ignatian scholars unanimously agree that the “Spiritual Exercises” are a goldmine,  spiritual treasure of wealth in learning the “Art of all arts,” the art of prayer.  St. Augustine, in a pithy but “easy to memorize” statement,  enlightens us:  “He who prays well, lives well; he who lives well, dies well; and he who dies well, all is well!”    Bravo, Augustine!

Second, knowledge and love for Jesus Christ!   The primary pursuit of all disciples of Jesus, should be to know Him, love Him,  and logically to follow Him all the more closely.  That is precisely the fruit that we beg for in the 2nd Week of the Spiritual Exercises!  Christianity/Catholicism is truly a daily “love-affair” of falling in love with Jesus! Exactly the goal of the Exercises!

Finally,   Apostolic zeal!    Fulton Sheen summarizes the dynamics and program for holiness.  “First come, to Jesus; then go out to all the world”.  In short, first come then, go!!!  The “Call of the King” catapults us from contemplation of Christ to a burning desire to make Him known to the whole world!

In sum, the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius proves to be an excellent “School of prayer,” a sure means to fall in love with Jesus daily; and an efficacious “powerhouse” of apostolic zeal, all resulting in forming true followers of Jesus, authentic saints!


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PATIENCE! 10 WAYS TO GROW IN THIS VIRTUE!

Patience, patience, and even more patience— if ever there were a virtue most needed by all of us, undoubtedly it would be the virtue of patience.   Waiting upon God’s plans; we need patience; supporting painful sicknesses, patience must be at hand; persevering in trying family situations, patience is indispensable; “rolling with the bunches” in the contradictions and setbacks of daily life, we cannot make it without a huge dose of patience!

For that reason Jesus said,  “BY YOUR PATIENCE, YOU WILL SAVE YOUR SOULS!”  No better example for patience in the world than Our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ, and in the most clear portrayal, His passion, suffering and death!   May His life be a splendid model for us to follow!

1. BEG FOR  THE GRACE!  All of us are put to the test every day in many ways, circumstances and life-situations. If taken off guard, we can easily blow  up and explode and lose all the graces that God has in store for us!  “Lord, grant may the grace to understand the opportunities you give me to practice patience and grow in that all-important virtue.   Jesus Himself affirmed this truth, “By your patience you will save your souls.”

2. UPSET PLANS: REALLY GOD’S PLANS!   Being honest with ourselves, we all have our “own plans”, which indeed are important!  However, at times God can throw a monkey-wrench into those plans, throw a curve ball, when you are expecting a fastball, and surprise you with other plans. Faith and acceptance and conformity to His holy will!  Never forget that God at times has His plans— He is the “Master-mind” and they are much superior to our plans!

3. FAMILY AFFAIRS: THE GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY!   Living in the context of the family gives all of countless chances to practice and learn the virtue of patience! Tardiness on the part of a spouse, a door slammed, the food not too well-cooked, the baby screaming non stop– just to mention a few are wonderful moments of grace where we can practice patience!

4. GOLDEN RULE!  When somebody is really trying your patience, call to mind the “Golden Rule” namely, to do to others what you would like them to do to you!  This is the essence and summary of the Gospel.  Indeed, we want people to be  patient with us therefore, we should do the same to them!

5. BE PATIENT WITH GOD!   All to frequently, it happens that we put time-limits on God’s action in our lives.  By nature, we are impatient and want things done quickly and according to our “Time-clock”.   Never forget, God is not a “Micro-wave” oven; nor is He a “Coke a Cola machine”. The nature of these two are quick and efficient service!  God sees the overall picture of our lives and can see that for us the best thing might be to have us wait patiently!  We can see from “A” to “B”; whereas God can see from “A” to “Z” and beyond! God has created time and lives in the “Eternal now”, but is keenly aware of the future and what is in store for us! Trust  God’s “Time-clock”!

6. BE PATIENT WITH SELF!  St. Francis de Sales insists on being patient with ourselves and our falls.  Anger and bitterness at ourselves when we fall is a hidden form of pride. Why? We really have an inflated perspective our “How holy we really are!”  Venerable Father Pio Bruno Lanteri– Founder of the Congregation of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary— put it sweet and to the point in Latin, “Nunc coepi”– meaning, “Now I will be begin!” Despite my misery, God’s mercy has no limits!

7. CONTEMPLATE THE WAY OF THE CROSS AND JESUS’ PASSION.   Without doubt, one of the most efficacious means to foster and enhance the virtue of patience is to have before our eyes a model and that model is Jesus Christ, who called Himself, “The Way, the Truth and the Life.”   In a most  formidable manner, contemplating Jesus carrying the cross, weighed down with the sins of humanity, falling under the weight of the cross— according to tradition at least three times– and then patiently arising to carry the cross to Calvary where He would be crucified, spurs us on to carry our crosses with utmost patience!     ” We adore you  O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.”

8. HOPE!  One of the virtues that is most lacking in the modern society is the virtue of  HOPE! Hope  is related to trust and confidence in an all-loving and Providential God.  Jesus assures us with these soothing and consoling words:  ” My Father has you in the palm of His hand and nobody can snatch you from His hand…” Also, “I will be with you always even until the end of time… Still more, remember the Psalm of the Good Shepherd,  “The Lord is my Shepherd and there is nothing I shall want….” With these abundant Biblical inspirations our hope should abound!

9. HEAVEN!  Related to the virtue of “Hope” is the reality of heaven.  If we can patiently carry our physical crosses, family crosses, moral and spiritual crosses, emotional crosses— in whatever form or shape they may come in– then we know that at the end of  the  path, Heaven awaits us!  “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the mind of man, the wonderful things that God has prepared for those who love Him.”   A few years of patiently bearing my cross and an eternity of joy with God, the angels and saints in heaven! Well worth it!

10.   Nine months pregnant travelling on a donkey through cold, wind, and rain, rejected– there was no room for you in the Inn, forced to flee to a foreign country where she did not know the people, the language, the culture, nor have any security, loosing her 12-year old Child for three days and three nights,  sorrowfully following her Divine Son up the hill of Calvary, contemplating with her eyes and heart His many falls and  bruises, and finally standing the longest three hours of her life underneath the cross as her Son shed the Precious Blood that she gave Him, and finally seeing and hearing Him expire— all were manifestations of heroic patience. May Our Lady of Sorrows attain for us the necessary virtue of patience in this life so as to merit the crown of glory in heaven, calling to mind the words of her Divine Son:  “By your patience you will save your souls.”

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CONTRACEPTION: THE CUTLURE OF DEATH (I)

The atomic bomb that exploded in Hiroshima and Nagasaki caused irreparable damage in the moment that the bomb exploded, but even to this day vestiges and remnants of that catastrophic day, and its repercussions can be felt.
The moral-spiritual-ethical atomic bomb exploded one day and the day was July 25th , 1968!  What and where and how was this bomb detonated?  It was in the early years of the pontificate of Pope Paul VI, in a very explosive time in the history of the world.  Students were rebelling in colleges, the sexual revolution was priming up, the hippies had made their appearance and the “Rock n’Roll” music of the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and the Beach Boys were resounding loud and  clear.
At the same time there were huge strides in science, among which was the discovery of “The Pill”.  A “Pill” was discovered that could  prevent the ovulation of the woman and thereby prevent the birth of a child.  For many, this was perceived as a huge  accomplishment for science, for humanity and for the sake of the whole world!   Conception and the birth of children could simply be avoided by taking a pill with its chemical contents!
The Holy Father, Pope Paul VI, called together a consulting board to look into and to study the issue, the experts in this area of ethics and medicine, to eventually make a decision on this topic.
After the consultation had terminated, the  Vicar of Christ, concluded the issue promulgating a Papal encyclical with the title, “Humanae Vitae” (On Human Life). In short, the Holy Father affirmed the centuries of teaching on human sexuality in clear  and unequivocal terms.   “Every conjugal act between husband and wife must be open to the possibility of life— procreation, in which man and woman collaborate with God in bringing into existence a new person with an immortal soul.  Therefore, any use of any artificial means of preventing conception, termed “Contraception” is intrinsically disordered!  In other words, this act is morally unacceptable, put bluntly in catechetical terms, “A Mortal sin”.  Never should contraception be allowed or permitted between a couple!
Behind the scene, as one of the mayor collaborators and consultants on this topic and the promulgation of the encyclical was a young, 48 year old Archbishop from Cracow, who had written spiritual literary masterpieces on the subject of human sexuality namely   Love and responsibility  and  The Acting Person.   We know this Archbishop as  Blessed Pope John Paul II—“The Great!”                            
The moral-atomic bomb exploded throughout the world, especially in the first world countries.  Europe did not take to the encyclical, but even less theologians and even Bishops in North America! Outright dissent, anger, rebellion, antagonism, antipathy, are a few words that express the attitude of many towards this statement of the Supreme Pontiff!
A key example was the prestigious catholic-priest-theologian in one of the most famous catholic universities in the country, Fr. Charles Curran, professor of Moral Theology in the Catholic University in Washington D.C, where Fulton Sheen had held a chair a few years earlier!
Curran objected, stating that this was not a pronouncement “De-fide”, a teaching only present in the Ordinary Magisterium and therefore, was not binding on conscience.  In other words, individuals were free to “follow their conscience”.  If it were the case that a couple felt it necessary to take advantage of the modern discovery of the “Pill”—contraception—then they were free to use it, under the stipulation that they were following “Their conscience”.  In other words, the individual conscience is supreme and should reign over all!
Further north, in Canada, the “Winnipeg Document” was signed by many of the Canadian Bishops openly defying this teaching of the Holy Father and the Magisterial teaching of Humanae Vitae.   Archbishop Fulton Sheen noted that the church is weak from within when there is division.   This document divided the church into two camps: the minority (relatively few “anawin”) who maintain their fidelity to the Holy Father and his teachings; then there is the huge majority, who at whim and will decide for themselves what they believe to be the truth!
How can this situation of the majority choosing their own belief-system be defined? Situation Ethics!  Morality depends on persons, places, events, social mores and is subject to change. No absolute morality can truly be posited. Equal to the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, who stated that all in the world is subject to “Perpetual Flux”— meaning all changes, and that refers to morality. In other words, there is no such thing as “Absolute Truth”.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, coined  an immortal phrase that explains perfectly this state of moral uncertainty and confusion:  “The Dictatorship of moral-relativism”.  Individuals determine to dictate for themselves what morality is!
Finally, the famous convert to Catholicism, and Bible scholar Dr. Scott Hahn coined the pithy summary of this false-philosophy as “Cafeteria-Catholicism”.  It is probably what you conjecture!  As in a cafeteria you can pick and choose what you prefer to eat, so also in morality you can choose what you like and discard what proves to be distasteful to your moral taste buds!  In other words, Jesus as Good Shepherd and heaven are to be chosen, but Hell or even the pains of Purgatory and practicing moral constraint with respect to sexual abstinence, these can be rejected!
Much of this confusion started with the outright rebellion against the encyclical of Pope Paul VI, Humanae Vitae.  There is a moral “free-for all” in which individuals want to choose for themselves what is right and wrong!
Our conclusion to this modern state of affairs and the remedy is not overly-complicated!  It all boils down to one simple word:  OBEDIENCE!
Does absolute truth exist? Yes!  Where? In a Person: Jesus Christ!  He is truly present in  His Mystical Body which is the Catholic Church.   The Church has the invisible Head— Jesus glorified in heaven. But also, there is a visible Head of the Church here on earth.  Jesus promised us that He would be with us always even until the end of time.  This visible “Head” is Jesus’ Successor, who is called the Pope, Holy Father, Vicar of Christ.  
When the Pope speaks on matters regarding faith, morals and dogma, he cannot make a mistake. Why? Due to the simple reason: that when he teaches in this capacity he is infallible because it is the Holy Spirit— God Himself— that is inspiring and guiding the Pope in these all-important and crucial matters.  The Holy  Spirit is God and the Truth!
Therefore, to avoid falling into the moral abyss of total confusion related to moral relativism, we must humbly obey and submit to all of the teachings of the Holy Father, the Pope, because he who hears Peter (“The Pope”) also hears Jesus and Jesus is the Truth and the Truth will set you free!
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CONFESSION: RETREAT CFC, LENT 2012: Points!

The following text is a retreat given to “Couples for Christ”.  The topic for the Retreat was on the  Sacrament of Confession. Hopefully, though the grace of God and through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, our life our sweetness and our hope, these points and reflections will help you to appreciate more this Sacrament of God’s mercy and have frequent recourse to it as an infinite source of grace, peace and healing.  The second reflection is points on how to make a Holy Hour. The primary focus is that Jesus is indeed your “Best Friend” as exemplified in the story of the movie of “Marcellino, Pan y vino”—The Miracle of Marcellinus.   May your prayer life skyrocket!

Fr. Edward Broom, OMV
1 GIFT TO JESUS FOR LENT: St. Jerome and Child Jesus.   
2. SIN OF CENTURY: LOSSS OF THE SENSE OF SIN.   Cardinal Tim Dolan’s pastoral letter: from altar to the confessional: priest complained because sent to a new parish and nobody would want to go to confession for months. Wanted to be transferred to parish where there were sinners! ***Image of the room and various views of it… Cardinal Newman’s analogy of the dust entering the room almost unawares.
3. SACRAMENTAL EFFECT: HEALING.   Jesus healed the paralytic: 1st his soul and then his body.  USA/ in general give more importance to body over soul: bath. Shower, junk, poison, house on fire, beauty parlor(did not work!), health-spas, nail in foot.   Confession is like going to the Doctor!  Can be preventive medicine or healing! ***Once was about to get a cold and took AIRBORN.  Got over the initial symptoms of the flu. So confession can serve as Preventive med. To avoid falling. If fall, to bounce back!   Leprosy!  ****Father Damian worked with the lepers and his biggest suffering was his inability to go to confession.***              
4. DEVIL’S TRICK: FEAR AND PROCRASTINATE.  Story of  young man and the cat.****. C.S. Lewis and the consultation with the other devils  on how to capture and damn souls— Do it tomorrow…  Neri and the devil blocking the confessional!   Before sinning he takes away all of our fear; afterward he fills us with fear to the point of paralyzing us!  
5. MARY.  Beg Mary for the grace to make a good confession  in lent in preparation for Easter. It is always a “Lazarus experience”. (Jn 11) Rising from the tomb!  Confession we celebrate the Paschal Mystery!  Die to sin as to rise to new life in Christ!   Marian sanctuaries are indeed spiritual clinics. (Pope JPII).  My experience in OLF/ San V, then in the Basilica of OLG Mexico.  Mary prays for us to be healed so that we can heal others. ****Concept of Nouwen—the wounded healer. Either we wound others or heal them!
PRACTICAL STEPS TO MAKE A GOOD CONFESSION.                                 
1.    TRUST!  Doctrine of the  Diary of St. Faustina.  The greatest attribute of Jesus is His MERCY.   The greatest sinners can be the greatest saints if they simply trust God.   They have a right to His Mercy.  Examples in the Bible of sinners who became saints: Magdalene, Zacheus, Matthew, Peter, and the Good thief!   

 

2.     PREPARE!  90% of the confession is preparing!  Good idea to do it the night before!   Pray to Mary and Holy Spirit. Have a good examination of conscience. Read and examine carefully.

 

3.    WRITE.   Easy to forget and get “Alzheimer’s” especially when we are nervous!  Number of mortal sins ###

 

4.    HAVE IMAGES: D.M AND MARY AND CROSS!   Cross= see what sin did to Jesus. D.M= trust in His mercy.  Mary= Mother of mercy.

 

5.    ATTRITION=  Gift of the Holy Spirit: fear of the Lord

 

6.    AVOID NEAR OCCASION OF SIN.  He who plays with fire will get burnt. Examples: drinking buddies…. Gossipers…. Internet porn… Must make a firm purpose to avoid any person, place or thing that could lead to falling into sin!

 

7.    CONTRITION= perfect sorrow which is love of the Lord. ****Call to mind, as a mother, when you got angry at your child and yelled at him/her as a child. Saw the look on the face.   This is what we have done to God.  Say Act of Contrition before entering the confessional.  For Protestants, yes we do 1st confess to God.

8.    BEFORE ENTERING, PRAY FOR PRIEST!  Experience in the life of St. Faustina and her not praying for the priest.  Recognize that the priest represents Jesus.  Catechism of Jesus and priest in the confessional!***Scott Hahn’s defense of this point with his sickness/bronchitis and the doctor who did it all wrong himself, but gave his patient the right medicine and he was healed!

 

9.     CLOSE THE DOOR!  ***Behind or face to face!  ****Vicky story….Fr. Anton Story in Lourdes…no priest was in the confessional!

 

10.Recognize that confession is not a counseling session but an encounter with Jesus the Healer.   Jesus loves us and truly wants to heal us!

 

11. You start with the sign of the cross and tell  the priest when it was since your last confession.  The priest, the spiritual doctor, can be helped by this information!  You have your own doctor and can have your own confessor, who gets to know the state of your soul!

 

12. AVOID  the following: ‘Buts”—trying to justify, rationalize, soft-coat it.  Use as an example David’s repentance after sinning with Bathsheba and killing Urias, Psalm 51, the Miserere.  David blamed nobody other than himself.  We can easily blame our wife, mother-in-law and not assume the responsibility for our actions. This diminishes the efficacy of the confession. Speak clearly!
13.BE  humble(means the truth), be transparent— not cloudy or ambiguous; be  sincere and honest.

 

14.NUMBER # OF MORTAL SINS.   This is required by Canon Law.

 

15. HELD BACK SINS BEFORE MARRIAGE.  Probably  should make a general confession because it was bad due to shame. HELL STORY!!! Scott Hahn story.  Now is the moment of grace.

 

16. ACT OF CONTRITION AND ABSOLUTION.  What beautiful and consoling words!

 

17. THE PENANCE.   Not a bad idea to do double the penance; this is a sign of good will on the part of the penitent.

 

18. POWERFUL IMAGE; MOVIE OF THE MISSION.    Brother killed brother and penance was to carry a huge weight with a chain. After doing this for  long while,  as the penitent was climbing up the mountain toward the Iguaza falls, the priest cut the rope and the man was freed of the penance and forgiven sin.  Sin is w weigh but Jesus forgives us!

 

19. PRINCIPLE OF GRAUDUALITY.   Cross in the city of Cordoba.  Jesus’ hand is detached from the wall and forgives.    Gradually we can leave our sins with the grace of God and with our good will!

 

20.CALL TO PENANCE: to repair for our past sins. ****Story of boy with tantrum, the nails in the post and the nails pulled out of the post. Sins leave residual marks that have to be gradually erased!

 

21. STORY OF JPII and the priest who had fallen into disgrace.   A beautiful rendition of  “The Prodigal Son”.

 

22.Story of Pedrita….  Message: God will always forgive the sinner, no matter how serious his sin if he simply repents and has trust in God!

 

23.Fr. Tim’s story of the girl with the psychological problems and the confession and the miracle that the psychologist noticed!  Reader’s Digest story; Protestants had more suicides that Catholics. The Reason! Catholics have confession and they do not!

 

24.LUSTIGER’S STORY OF CONVERSION.   The joke! Crucifix on the wall; Tell Him you are sorry for having nailed Him to the cross!

 

25. PARENTS AND FAMILY!  Up to you to provide opportunity to go to confession for your kids.  Hahn.  Should be done at least once a month.

 

26.FATHER’S ROLE!   Doug and Radix.  May the father take the lead in being the spiritual leader of the family. 1st He should go to confession; take his family  and encourage.  ***Teen in Confirmation crossing arms at Mass! Bad sign!  Take the family to confession Monday then Mass and Rosary and then celebrate!  Pollo Loco!
HOLY HOUR; LOVE FOR THE EUCHARIST:
1.     FAITH!  Renew your faith in the “Real-Presence”.   A good genuflection!

 

2.     FRIENDSHIP.  Called to deep friendship with Jesus. He really wants to be your friend. At the Last Supper, He called them “Friends”.

 

3.    EXAMPLE: Movie of “Marcellino Pan Y vino.  Take the steps of this little boy as a model of how we are called to deep friendship with Jesus.

 

a)    DESIRE. To be with Jesus. Friends really want to spend time together.  Friends seek union. Aristotle says that friendship as based on commonality of interests.  We should interest ourselves in what truly interests Jesus.

 

b)     GET TO KNOW!  They exchanged information on their lives. You!  Talk to Jesus and tell him who you are, your background, what has gone on in your life. He is truly interested in you. As we read in Peter:  “Cast your cares on Him because He cares about you…  Come to me all.. (mt 11)

 

c)      CONSOLE HIM.   Often we think only of ourselves; we should think about Him and how to console Him.                                                            
                                      
d)    ACTION. Love Jesus in words, but also try to love Him in actions!  Marcellino saw the suffering Jesus and tried to alleviate the suffering.  He saw Him naked and cold and surrendered and sacrificed his blanket for Jesus and had to suffer the cold.  Hungry- the little boy snuck into the kitchen to abscond with bread to give the many with bones and ribs jutting out to feed the hungry. Thirsty- He gave him wine to drink. Marcellino, Pan y vino…;

 

e)    ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING.  Took the crown off His head.  He could not bear to see Jesus suffering the cruel thorns through his brow.

 

f)       YOUR SECRET SUFFERING/PROBLEM.  Often we are afraid to open up and reveal our deepest yearning or suffering, not even to those closest to us for fear of not being understood or hurt!  But this should not be the case with Jesus.  He is “The world’s greatest lover”.  He knows us even better than we know ourselves.  We can talk to us and He is a very attentive listener.  Right now, there is problem something that is weighing on you, heavy on your mind, heart or soul.  Open up and tell the Lord.

 

g)    MARY AS MOTHER.  Given that the little boy was an orphan only living in the midst of Franciscan friars, he really never experienced the love, care, concern and tenderness of a loving mother.  So he asks Jesus if he had a mother and how she was!  Jesus responded kindly.  To make a long story short, the little boy asked Jesus if he could be taken up with her to see her, to love her, to be with her forever.  The request was granted!  The dramatic story ends with the little boy dying but really to live forever with Mary in heaven!  Therefore, for us, it is key to ask Mary to be with us to enter into dialogue with Jesus.

 

h)     FRIENDSHIP IN PRAYER!  All of this points to the simple fact: prayer is really FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS.   The classical definition of prayer from  St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church on prayer is simply this:  “Prayer is nothing other than spending a long time in silence, talking—at length—with the friend  that I know loves me…”     While in Argentina, one of the first lines I learned in Spanish was, seeing a beautiful image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,    JESUS EL AMIGO QUE NUNCA FALLA….

 

i)       St. Teresa recommends contemplating the HUMANITY OF CHRIST! This is one of the greatest prayer means to contact with Christ as Friend!

 

OTHER METHOD: ACRONYM A.C.T.S

 

A= ADORATION!   Take the 3 kings as  your models  (Mt. 2)

 

C=CONTRITION!   King David and His repentance as model(Psalm 51)

 

T= THANKSGIVING   Take the ten lepers/the one leper that came back to give thanks to Jesus  (Lk. 17)

 

S= SUPPLICATION    Take the persistent widow in the parable against the corrupt judge as example. (Luke 18)/ or The Canaanite woman who pleads for the healing of her daughter and her insistence.

 

 

BEST MODEL :JESUS IN THE GARDEN of OLIVES( Lk.22)
FRUITS OF EUCHARIST ADORATION:
1.    FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS
2.    PEACE of heart and mind and soul
3.    Better Communions.
4.    Greater awareness outside of time of prayer.
5.    Power to resist sin.
6.    Lights outside the context of prayer
7.    Peace of soul.
8.    Better Communions!
9.    Heaven. Augustine: “He who prays well, lives well; he who lives well, dies well; and he who dies well, all is well!  Living out our Principle and Foundation!  Those who are in heaven it is for the simple reason that they learned how to pray well during the course of their lives. No better thing in the world than for parents to teach their children to pray. Children are human SPONGES!
10. MARY’S JOY= In seeing us love her Son Jesus!
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GROWING IN WISDOM, AND GRACE BEFORE GOD AND MEN!

 

 At the moment of your Baptism, you were transformed into the living temple of the Most Blessed Trinity. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit began to live within your very soul.  God became your Father; Jesus became your elder Brother; the Holy Spirit, became your “Friend” and the “Sweet Guest of your soul” (Sequence prayer to the Holy Spirit for Pentecost).

Therefore, your dignity through Baptism, being so sublime, that your final destiny is the eternal Temple of God in Heaven. However, there is one condition, and this condition is of vital importance: do not lose the Presence of these 3 Divine Persons due to mortal sin; do not dirty that temple by hurting and expelling God by a serious sin; do not lose God for all eternity by dying in mortal sin. 

The two worse calamities that can befall the human person are the following: committing a mortal sin, where God is expelled from the soul, but worse yet, dying in the state of mortal sin and losing God for all eternity.  The Book of Revelation/Apocalypse calls this the second death.  The first death is mortal sin; the second death is dying in mortal sin and  being dead in eternal torment in hell for all eternity.

Ten short  counsels to strive to enter in through the narrow gate so as to be with the Father,  The Son and the Holy Spirit for all eternity!

1. LIVE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.   St. Teresa of Avila astutely noted a fact: we sin because forget about God’s loving-presence.  Get in the habit of thinking more about God during the course of the day and remember the words of  St. Paul:  “In Him we live and move and have our being.”   The secret of the sanctity of Brother Lawrence was precisely this: to always live in the “Presence of God”.

2. PRAY SHORT ASPIRATIONS/EJACULATIONS DURING THE COURSE OF THE DAY!
These short prayers are fiery arrows that pierce the Heart of God.  Choose a few of your favorites and pray them as your lungs breathe air. Here are a few!  “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto thine.”   “Sweet  Heart of Mary, be my salvation…”  “Jesus I trust in you…”  Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on me…”    And a very good one– short and to the point in time of trial:  “Jesus save me!!!”                                                           

3. LIVE EACH DAY AS IF IT WERE YOUR LAST!  This is the secret of the saints.  In the famous Rule of St. Benedict, there is very wise advice on this point, namely, we should think about death at least twice a day! 

4. ORA Y LABORA.  This is also taken from  St. Benedict and is his motto.  It is Latin and the English translation is simply, “PRAY AND WORK!”  Notice, the order, first it is prayer and then work follows; if not, we fall into “Activism” and relegate God to a secondary place. God deserves the first, the best and our hearts in their totality!

5. PRAY FOR THIS GRACE: THE GRACE OF ALL GRACES: PERSEVERANCE IN GRACE!     St. Alphonsus insists on this very special grace that we persevere until the very end in grace.   Track runners can be winning 99 % of the time, but can fall at the end.  As athletes for Christ we have not won until we have crossed the finish line, meaning until dying in the state of grace!

6. PRINCIPLE AND FOUNDATION.    Often call to mind why you are here, where you came from, where you are heading, and the means to attain your end!   Our starting point is the loving hand of God that created you and formed you. You are a loving child of God.  GRACE! Living in grace and strengthening grace in your soul, should be your daily program. HEAVEN!   Yes, heaven awaits God’s faithful servant!

7. ACTIONS.   The Cure of Ars once stated do not do anything that you cannot offer to God. We would never offer our friends “Junk”. Much less should we ever consider offering God junk!  That is what sin is, “Moral junk!”  Give the Lord your best!  Avoid the “Cain-complex”; be like Abel!                                              

8. THANKFULNESS!  Never go through a day in your life in which you do not render gratitude to God for all that you have and all that you are.  God rejoices in a  grateful heart and is desirous to flood that soul with blessings.  “Eucharist” means “thanksgiving”. May your motto in life be precisely that word:  EUCHARIST!    “Give thanks to  the Lord for He is good, His mercy endures forever.”

9. INSPIRATIONS!  Living in grace, praying often and fervently,  having received the Sacrament of Confirmation, cultivating interior recollection (meaning interior silence), all this is tantamount to being open to receiving frequent inspirations from the Holy Spirit.  Be open, listen, obey, and trust!  By saying “yes” to inspirations God has many more in store for you! Be generous and trust Him!

10. MARY THE STAR OF THE SEA!   Mary has many beautiful titles and one of these is “Mary, Star of the Sea”. In the midst of the many storms of life, lift up your eyes and contemplate Mary, as star of the Sea.  As sailors, with Jesus as Captain, Mary as star of the sea is always present to us to traverse the storms, to bail out the gushing waters, to brave the sea, and to sail swiftly into the Port of salvation— Heaven, out true refuge, haven and eternal resting place!   Ave Stella Maris!  Hail, Mary, star of the sea!!!  

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