WISDOM: SEEKING FOR WHAT IS TRULY IMPORTANT.

God asked Solomon to ask for anything and he would receive it. Instead of asking for money, power and prestige and personal glory,  Solomon asked instead for a wise and discerning heart so as to govern properly the people entrusted to hm.  God was pleased with this and indeed gave him a wise and discerning heart, but also riches, power and prestige.
Like Solomon. we should beg for true “Wisdom”.

What is Wisdom?   It is a gift of the Holy Spirit and according to St. Thomas Aquinas, it is the greatest of the 7 gifts.   A concise, easy to memorize , definition of “Wisdom” is  TO RELISH THE THINGS OF GOD.   The Psalmist expresses it with these words:  ‘Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. ”     Jesus expresses it as such: ” Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything will be given to you beside.”  This being said, what are manifestations to detect a truly “Wise” person? Here is the check list!   The truly “wise” person relishes and rejoices in the following activities.

1. PRAYER.   He is drawn to union with God in prayer. He has established a set time to pray and faithfully defends that time.  The Cure of Ars said that the basic duty of man on earth is to pray and to love.

2. THE WORD OF GOD.   Jesus responded with determination to the devil’s temptation that man does not live on Bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.  The truly wise person breaks open the bread of the word and nourishes himself on it daily. “Give us this day our daily bread.”

3.  SPIRITUAL FORMATION.  He is keenly aware of how much there is to learn about the treasures of his faith and rejoices in studying the faith.

4.  RETREATS.  He recognizes the need to leave the world and to be with the Lord in silence for a prolonged period. Jesus started off His public ministry with 40 days in the desert and then launched into the active ministry.   “First come and be with Jesus; then go out to the whole world.”  This is the proper order!

5. WILL OF GOD.  A truly wise person strives to seek the will of God in his life and then begs for the grace to carry it out faithfully.  “Thy Kingdom come they will be done..”.  Any endeavour done outside the will of God is barren and fruitless!

6. SAINTS FRIENDSHIP.   Wise people spend time with those of like interests!  The wisest persons who ever lived were the saints.   Indeed we imitate those with whom we associate. Saintly people will read the lives of the saints and imitate their example! Saints!  True models of heavenly wisdom!

7. TRUE MOTIVATION!   Truly wise people are constantly asking themselves before acting and making decisions this question:  “Will this action or decision draw me closer to heaven as well as others?”   If so,  may it be done!

8. HUMILITY.  A truly wise person realizes that he does not know it all, but humbly seeks counsel and advice from a Spiritual Director who can shed light on his darkness. St Teresa of Avila had several saints that she consulted!

9. PEARL OF INFINITE PRICE.   True wisdom pursues the “pearl of infinite value” and that is the Most Holy Eucharist. If in the course of the day, the Eucharist has been received worthily, then that person carries within his heart, mind, and soul the “Wisest of the Wise” Jesus!   Truly wise people have a double nourishment: the Bread of the Word, and the Bread of Life. They eat from the  two tables.  (Vatican II, Sacrosanctum Concilium)

10. MARY, THE SEAT OF WISDOM.  One of the many beautiful titles for the Blessed Virgin Mary is “Seat of Wisdom”.  Indeed true love and devotion to Mary fosters love and obedience for Jesus.  The last words recorded of Mary in the Bible, in the Wedding Feast of Cana, were among the wisest words ever pronounced:   DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU. (Jn. 2:5)

If the world would simply take to heart these last words recorded of Mary, “The Seat of Wisdom” and put them into practice, salvation would be universal; all would be saved! May Mary attain for all of us true Wisdom and eternal life!

DEATH: “Do not ask for whom the bell tolls, the bell tolls for you!”

Small or tall, dark or light, male or female, young or old, one thing they all have in common: the phantom of death soon or later will knock at their door.  A wise old woman-catechist stated:  “Death is the most certain of all realities, but it is also the most uncertain.” Death, nobody escapes it; however, nobody knows the day, the hour, the moment, nor the manner nor place! Still, the most important moment in our life is the moment we die and “how” we die!   To die in the state of sanctifying grace— in God’s Friendship– is the greatest of graces.  Why? Salvation, heaven, will be ours for all eternity!   How can we be prepared to die so as to live forever, let us see!

1. NO TO SPIRITUAL DEATH!   Avoid mortal sin at all costs— this  is “Spiritual death”.  If one dies in mortal sin– this is the worse— it is what the book of Apocalypse calls the “second death”. This results in the eternal loss of the soul for all eternity!

2. FALLEN, GET UP!  If you fall into mortal sin, get up by a good confession immediately!  Do not let the sun go down on your living in mortal sin.

3. LIVE EACH DAY IN THE LORD!   Live each day as if it were  the last day of your life!  Indeed, it could be.   Jesus will come like the thief in the night. Be prepared!

4. REWARD!  Remember your reward: heaven!  The reward for the faithful servant is tremendous:HEAVEN!  No trial, suffering, setback, anguish is too great if we think about the award that awaits: to be with God forever and ever!  “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it entered the mind of man the wonderful things that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

5. PRAYER!  St Augustine coined a memorable maxim: “He who prays well, lives well; he who lives well dies well; he who dies well, all is well.”   This says it all! Learn to pray well and your death well be holy! Give time, effort and energy to improving your prayer life!

6. SAINTS!  Look to the saints; read their lives; pray to them!  They have made it home safe and are our “best of friends” to help us by example and prayer to have a holy and happy death.

7.  NOVEMBER.  Especially in the month of the November to reflect every day on the “Last Things”: death, judgement, heaven and hell! Briefly, every night before retiring, remind yourself of these eternal truths!  One day I will die, be judged and either be saved or damned! These serious, eternal truths, once understood and prayed over, are powerful tools for conversion of life!

8.  BEGGARS FOR THE GREATEST GIFT!  When all is said and done, the only thing that really matters in this life is to attain the reason for our existence, our Principle and Foundation, the salvation of our immortal soul.  Therefore, a day should never pass in which we do not beg the Lord Jesus for the salvation of our soul—- the grace of a holy and happy death– as well as the salvation of our family as well as the salvation of the whole world.   “For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. ” (Chaplet of Divine Mercy).

9. SHORTCUT TO THE ETERNAL GOAL.  (John 6) In unequivocal and clear words Jesus paves out the way to die well and to live forever: Nourishment on the “Bread of Life”.  Jesus says and repeats this all-important message:  “I am the Bread of life. Whoever eats my body and drinks my blood will have everlasting life.”   The body indeed will die, it must die!  But the soul will live forever if its nourishment has been “The Bread of Life in Holy Communion.” Proposal: “Give us this day our daily bread”….May this “Daily Bread” be daily Holy Communion. Then we will die physically only to live eternally in heaven!  Take the shortcut!

10. MARY: THE KEY TO HEAVEN!   Get into the habit of preparing yourself at least 50 times a day for your death— for a holy death— by saying the prayer that Mary loves most: the Hail Mary and the Holy Rosary.  “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen”  If said faithfully, the Holy Mother of God will be at your side and attain for you a holy and happy death and present you to Jesus, the fruit of her holy womb and heaven will be yours. The last words of St Bernadette were:    “Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for me poor sinner now and at the our of my death. Amen” 

WHEN THE SAINTS COME MARCHING HOME!!!!!

Saint Joseph, St John the Evangelist, St. Augustine, St. Clare,  St Benedict, St Ignatius of Loyola, St Teresa of Avila, St Louis de Montfort, St. Maximillian Kolbe—- what do these all have in common?   They are all saints, with God in heaven, and our friends while we journey on earth towards our eternal home: HEAVEN!   Saints are born in  different times, cultures, social environments, still they have many points in common. Let us  see!

1. SAINTS BORN SINNERS!   All saints are born as sinners, with Original sin and the effects of original sin– the innate tendency towards evil called concupiscence.

2. STRUGGLE!   That means that all saints had to struggle to overcome evil within themselves. They were “Spiritual warriors” fighting against  the devil, the flesh and the world.

3. ALL CALLED!  Indeed all men and women of every time and place are called to become saints.  Jesus could not be any clearer when He said:  “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.”  (Mt. 5:48). Once again,  “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for holiness, they will be satisfied.”  (Mt. 5:6).

4. PRAYER WARRIORS!  Saints are firmly convinced that their strength does not come from themselves, but from God and God communicates His strength through prayer!

5. CONFIDENCE!  Saints fall, but they are resilient; they do not stay down but bounce up. They trust in God.  They know that they are weak. However, they are convinced in the power of God.   “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.”

6.  HUMILITY!  The saints are imbued with a spirit of humility. In practice, this means that they are aware that their successes come from the author of all God— God Himself. Whereas there failures are of their own doing!  Humility is truth. (St Teresa of Avila).

7. FRIENDS FROM HEAVEN.  Now as they perpetually praise the Blessed Trinity in heaven, they look down upon us with love and are always ready to come to our aid if we simply invoke them, call upon their name!  A beautiful habit: pray to 10 saints every day! How consoling the thought!

8. HOLY SPIRIT AND THE SAINTS.   Blessed Pope John XXIII asserted:  “The saints are the masterpieces of the Holy Spirit.” One of the titles for the Holy Spirit is “The Sanctifier— meaning “He who makes holy”.   St Louis de Montfort resounded with these words: ” When the Holy Spirit finds Mary in the soul, He flies to it. He enters therein and communicates Himself to that soul in abundance.”   Allow the Holy Spirit to transform you into another “masterpiece”.  He has the chisel and hammer ready!

9. SHORT CUT TO HOLINESS!   If we want to use the shortcut to arriving at holiness of life, then we must strive to make  faith-filled, frequent, and fervent Holy Communions. Why? The reason is simple: Jesus is the “Holy of Holies”. He is truly present in Holy Communion and He works, according to the disposition of the individual, in transforming them into living copies of Himself. For that reason the great Saint Paul  proclaimed:  “No longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.”    In your thanksgiving after receiving Holy Communion beg Jesus for this grace: LORD JESUS MAKE ME A SAINT!!!!!   Jesus is ready and willing and waiting for you!

10.  MARY, THE QUEEN OF SAINTS!    The saints all have this point in common: a loving, trusting, filial relationship to Mary most Holy the Queen of angels and saints. Now the saints rejoice to share eternity with their Mother and Queen, but they long with Mary to help us to arrive HOME!  Listen to a saint who was on fire with love for Mary:  “Those who burn with the fire  of Divine Love are children of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and wherever they go they enkindle that flame. Nothing distresses them; they rejoice in poverty, labor strenuously, welcome hardships, laugh off false accusations, and rejoice in anguish.“   (St. Anthony Mary Claret)

Future saints, pray to the saints, read the lives of the saints, love the saints, imitate the saints; turn to Mary, Queen of the saints. They are your friends and will be so in time and for all eternity!

LAST SUPPER: CONTEMPLATION— THE LORD GIVES ALL…

The whole life of Jesus on earth was a giving and a self-emptying, even until the last moment when He poured forth His Precious Blood for us up to the very last drop of Blood, after  His Heart was pierced with the lance— “Blood and water gushed forth.”

The Life of Jesus is a lesson for us and teaching for us to imitate.  His Words, Actions, Silence, Gestures, Expressions, Looks— all of these are treasures for us to meditate, imitate, and incorporate in our lives.

At the Last Supper, Holy Thursday, the night before He was  crucified, while He sat at the Table in the Upper Room, Jesus  leaves for our reflection gestures that  leave us astounded because of His immense love for us… Let us take  these gestures and occurrences and meditate upon them in depth!

1. WASHING OF THE FEET.   This was a gesture left for the lowest class in society, the slaves, who would take of the sandals of the guests and  wash their feet and dry them with a towel. Jesus did this gesture to the Apostles. Lesson: humility, service, purification, and penance. These are all virtues that we must imitate in contemplating Our Lord, who said, “I have not come to be served but to serve and give my life in ransom for many.”

2. GREATEST COMMANDMENT:  LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU…  We will all be judged on the double commandment of love of God and love of neighbor.  The cross best represents this double dimension of love: the vertical, our relation with God and the horizontal, our relationship with others.  Love must also be manifested by obedience as Jesus said:  “If you love me keep my commandments.”

3. INSTITUTION OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST.   There at the Last Supper, Jesus gave us His greatest gift by instituting the greatest of all the Sacraments: The Holy Eucharist, withe the words:  ” Take and eat this is my Body; take and drink this is my Blood…”    May our hearts abound in thanksgiving and adoration for this sublime gift given for you and for me.” May our reception of this gift be faith-filled, frequent and fervent, until the end of our lives!

4. INSTITUTION OF PRIESTHOOD/HOLY ORDERS.   Connected with the Institution of the Eucharist, in  the context of the Last Supper, was also the Institution of Holy Orders or the Priesthood when Jesus said, “Do this in memory of me.”   How we should honor the priesthood, pray for priests, support priests, encourage priests, and pray and sacrifice ourselves for future priests (vocations to the priesthood).  As the Cure of Ars stated so clearly, ” No priest, no Mass, no Mass, no Consecration, no Consesecration, no  Real Presence in the Eucharist….We are left as spiritual orphans.  In all the important moments of your spiritual life the priest has been present: Baptism, confession, First Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony, Anointing of the sick, and burial—- the priest, there to accompany you on your pilgrimmage to heaven.

5.  PROPHECY OF SHEPHERD STRUCK AND SHEEP SCATTERED.   This Jesus did at the Last Supper! Jesus, the Good Shepherd, would be struck and taken and the sheep— His disciples scattered!  In moments of trial, we must pray all the more fervently and stay all the  closer to the Good Shepherd of our souls.

6. PRESUMPTION OF PETER.   Peter blurts out that the others will be dispersed, but he– Peter– would be faithful until the end!  Jesus makes the prophecy of the cock crowing and Peter denying Him three times! Peter’s falls started by presumption and pride. We should never presume that we are strong!  On the contrary, we are weakness incarnate!  St Paul says, “Be careful while you are standing, lest you fall.” Pride comes before the fall!

7. JUDAS’ BETRAYAL!   Furthermore, Jesus predicts the betrayal of Judas!  “What you have to do, do it quickly! Judas took the piece of bread and Satan entered him. He rushed out into the darkness.  When we leave Jesus— the Light of thw world— then we enter into darkness! Fulton Sheen states that the fall of Judas came about because  Judas “fell out of love for Jesus.” Our Daily Holy Hour is a certain means to keep the fire-aflame in our love for Jesus. Lord, grant me faithfulness to my Hour of Power/my Hour of loving Friendship with you!

8. FRIENDSHIP!  At the Last Supper Jesus calls His Apostles “Freinds”. Not simply servants, but truly “Friends”. This is a common teaching of Pope Benedict XVI, that all of us are called to establish and cultivate an ever deeper “Friendship” with Jesus. Friends spend time together; they share the same interests; they know each other well— they even start to imitate each other! May our “Friendship” with Jesus flourish and blossom every day!

9. I AM THE VINE AND YOU AR THE BRANCHES. (Jn. 15)  In the context of the Last Supper Jesus uses the image of the Vine and the Branches. He will cut and prune and purify so that we can produce  fruit and fruit in abundance. A true follower of Jesus is interested in what He is interested in: the salvation of souls! May our harvest be that of souls!

10. THE PARACLETE/CONSOLER: THE HOLY SPIRIT.  In the course of the Last Supper discourse— Jn 13– 17– Jesus consoles the Apostles with the words that He will not leave them as orphans, but He will send “Another”, the Paraclete or Consoler.   This is, of course, the Holy Spirit. Jesus will ascend on high but he will allow to descend the Holy Spirit and He will teach them all things! We are never alone!  “The Sweet Guest of our souls”, The Holy Spirit, will be with us always even until the end of time.  “Come Holy Spirit, come, through the Heart of Mary!

CONTEMPLATE!  Be present to see the Persons– especially Jesus— hear the Words, contemplate the gestures and derive much spiritual fruit!  May Our Lady of the Cenacle obtain for us all an abundant harvest!

THE MOST SUBLIME OF ALL GIFTS: THE MOST HOLY EUCHARIST.
(Jn 6,  I Cor. 11/Mt.26:26)

Ineffable, sublime, august, ineffable, inexpressible, awesome, fathomless, beyond expression in human words— all these are pale expressions of the greatness of the “Gift of Gifts”, the Greatest of all Sacraments:  THE MOST HOLY EUCHARIST!!!!   Never could any human person render sufficient thanksgiving for this sublime gift of the “Eucharist”— which actually means thanksgiving!   Striving with all of the energy of our will to grow in our faith, love and devotion to the Most Holy Eucharist, this should be the motivating drive of the life of all believing Catholics. We are all called to be “Great lovers”, passionately falling in love with Jesus whose Sacred Heart is burning for love for you and me.  How can we grow?  In many ways………………

1. BEG FOR DEEPER FAITH AND LOVE!  As Bartimeus the beggar, humbly ask the Lord to strengthen your faith in the Eucharist.

2. READ UP ON THE EUCHARIST!   Read and meditate the above Biblical passages, the Last 25 numbers of  The Diary of Saint Faustina, the fourth book in the Imitation of Christ, and Pope Benedict XVI Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis (The Sacrament of Love). Knowledge of the Lord generates love!

3. SPIRITUAL COMMUNIONS.  Following the counsel of St Alphonsus Liguori and Pope Benedict VI, get in the habit of making frequent Spiritual Communions— invite the Lord into your poor abode as often as you want; he desires to enter more than you can imagine!

4. EUCHARISTIC VISIT. Visit your Friend Jesus in the Tabernacle and talk to Him. Remember the short poem:  Whenever I see a church, I stop to make a visit, so that when I die, the Lord will not say: who is it???”

5. MASS! Never miss Mass! If you have, offer prayers and even Masses of reparation for such a serious neglect! Offer prayers that many who no longer come to Mass will return!

6. DAILY MASS!  Go beyond Sunday Mass; aim at daily Mass and Holy Communion. In the Our Father, we pray, “give us this day our daily bread…”  This can be interpreted in the light of daily Holy Communion.  Aim for it!

7. PREPARATION FOR MASS!  Go beyond Holy Mass! Come early and prepare yourself for Holy Mass. Offer your own intentions, at least three: 1) For the souls in Purgatory, 2) For the conversion of sinners(especially some family member, 3) Pray for your own conversion, a personal “Heart Transplant”. By offering yourself in Mass and these intentions, the Mass will; have a much more powerful effect on you and the whole world!

8. PARTICIPATE!  In Mass be totally involved in every single detail of the Mass. Participate fully, actively and consciously. (Vat. II,  Sacrosantum Concilium). Every detail of Mass offers special graces; do not waste them!

9. REVERENCE  IN HOLY COMMUNION.  Always approach Holy Communion with the greatest reverence—  meaning hands folded, a reverential bow before receiving Holy Communion and “Amen” before receiving!  

10 MARY AND HOLY COMMUNION! Beg the Blessed Virgin Mary to give your her Immaculate Heart to receive Jesus worthily. Pope John Paul II said that Mary’s “Fiat”(consent to the angel in the Annunciation) and our “Amen” result in the same reality: receiving Jesus into our hearts!

11. THANKSGIVING! After Mass, spend time in thanksgiving. This moment of receiving Jesus in Holy Communion is the most important moment  in your life. As in receiving a friend into your home, you prolong conversation due to hospitality. Likewise, we want to practice Hospitality to the Divine Guest— Jesus– who has come into our home, our very soul!

12. HOLY HOUR!   Get into the habit of making the Holy Hour. Fulton Sheen calls it the “Hour of Power”. This will transform your life and those around you!  You become like those with whom you associate!

13.  ALL NIGHT VIGILS! Another objective, could be to encourage your Pastor to have all night vigils with the Most Blessed Sacrament exposed. Invite  “lovers of the Eucharist” to spend some time during the course of the night with the Eucharistic Lord. Time could not be spent better!

14. EUCHARISTIC CONGRESSES!  Promote the organization and assistance at Eucharistic Congresses, on a local or international level. My first was in Philadelphia, 1976 and the theme was “You satisfy the hungry hearts with gift of finest wheat; come give to us O saving Lord the Bread of Finest wheat….”

15. EUCHARISTIC APOSTLE.  Bring as many people as you can to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and even more to Jesus present in Holy Mass. What greater act on earth could exist than to bring others to Jesus and that is what you are called to do! If done,  Jesus will be awaiting for you with His arms open in heaven!