One of the principle reasons why so many people exit the Catholic Church to enter another religion, give into the slavery of vices and addictions, or even categorically deny the existence of God is because they never understood the most sublime reality, dignity, and excellence of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Ironically, the biggest religious group in Europe, Latin America, the Philippines, as well as the United States are Catholics, but this must be underlined—Non-practicing Catholics!!!

Statistics never hit the mark with exactitude, but we can surmise that 50-60 years ago close to 80% of Catholics would attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass almost every Sunday, which means the rebellious 20% would skip out. Now, topsy turvy as this might seem, it is the exact opposite: 20% attend Sunday Mass, while the other 80% do not show up unless it is Christmas, Easter, or the death of a loved-one.

Bishop Robert Barron has stated time and time again with great fervor that we must do all we can to win back this generation of non-practicing Catholics. We must welcome home the Prodigal sons and daughters, seek out the lost sheep, and heal the wounded Christian soldiers.

The multiple pastoral approaches to returning these lost and wandering souls are many. However, maybe we can start with ourselves by studying the essence of the Mass, the parts of the Mass, the fruits of Mass and Holy Communion, and thereby cultivate a real love for Holy Mass. Then, once we are convinced of the sublimity of Holy Mass and our hearts are burning, set on fire for every Mass, from that we will be able to ignite the smoldering embers of lukewarm or non-practicing Catholics with a new dynamic energy.

Why was it that the Catholic Bishops of the United States launched a three year program on the topic of Holy Mass and Holy Communion?  The response could not be more obvious: all too many Catholics do not attend Holy Mass. One of the principle reasons? Put bluntly, crass ignorance of what Holy Mass is and what is going on in Holy Mass.

Athletes will exert all of the energy in their bodies to win the prize. Students will burn the oil at night to excel in academics. The avaricious Scrooge type will bend over backwards to pocket an extra dollar. The Romeo will expend all that he has economically, emotionally, and even poetically to win the hand of his beloved Juliet.

In a parallel sense, should we not exert every fiber of our being to love Holy Mass, attend Holy Mass frequently, and thereby receive the most sublime Gift in the world—the Lord Jesus in Holy Communion? Indeed, one Holy Communion is worth more than the whole created universe because Holy Communion is God Himself—the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus, the Son of the living God.

Hopefully these few words can jump-start some of the wandering, confused, and forlorn non-practicing Catholics. Let’s read slowly and meditate on what some of the saints have expressed in human words about the sublime greatness of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass—the greatest Miracle beneath Heaven itself!

Of all the men and women that we should get to know, admire, speak to, love, and imitate, it must be the saints. They are God’s favorites, but also our dear friends. The Beatles song resounds clearly: “Get a little help from my friends.” Those friends? The saints!

THE LOVE OF THE SAINTS FOR THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS

1. “When Mass is being celebrated, the sanctuary is filled with countless angels who adore the Divine Victim immolated on the altar.” (Saint John Chrysostom) Please view the movie “El Gran Milagro” or “The Greatest Miracle”. God’s angels will give you a wonderful tour and detailed explanation of Holy Mass. This can be seen in just over an hour and it is well worth your sixty minutes. Then encourage others to see the movie, especially lukewarm Catholics.

2. “If we really understood Mass, we would die of joy.” (Saint John Vianney—the Cure of Ars) Sadness invades the soul absent of God! Joy radiates from the soul replenished with God. Emmanuel means God is with us—especially in Mass and Holy Communion.

3. “The angels surround and help the priest when he is celebrating Mass.” (Saint Augustine) Let us make a constant and concerted effort to pray for more vocations to the priesthood, but holy priests, to sanctify the people of God through Word and Sacrament.

4. “It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than do without the Mass.” (Saint Padre Pio) As the sun warms our bodies and enlightens our path, likewise, Mass and Holy Communion enlightens our minds and set our hearts ablaze with the Fire of Divine Love. Jesus came to set the world on fire with the love brimming over in His Sacred Heart truly present in every Mass, but most especially in every Holy Communion.

5. “Put all the good works in the world against one Holy Mass, they will be as a grain of sand beside a mountain.” (Saint John Vianney) Our works, prayers, and sacrifices, even done by the most holy of saints, are still the works of man. However, every Mass offered, even if it were by a sick priest in a prison cell, is OPUS DEI—the WORK OF GOD!!! Every Mass has infinite value and human words fall short of explanation!

6. “No human tongue can enumerate the favors that trace back to the Sacrifice of the Mass. The sinner is reconciled with God; the just man becomes more upright; sins are wiped away; vices are uprooted; virtues and merits increase; and the devil’s schemes are frustrated.” (Saint Lawrence Justinian) These few but poignant words of Saint Lawrence express the infinite power and efficacy of Holy Mass. In a word, the quickest Highway to holiness is to participate fully, actively, and consciously in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. (Sacrosanctum Concilium—Vatican II)

7. “The Eucharist is my Highway to Heaven.” (Blessed Carlo Acutis) Like Carlo, even teenagers can become great saints and quickly, if they choose the Highway to Heaven—frequent and fervent Holy Communions.

8. “How happy is the Guardian Angel who accompanies a soul to Holy Mass.” (Saint John Vianney) A simple suggestion: let us beg our Guardian Angel for the grace to avoid wandering eyes during Mass, but to have perfect recollection.

9. “When we receive Holy Communion we experience something extraordinary—a joy, a fragrance, a well-being that thrills the whole body and causes it to exalt.” (Saint John Vianney) How true, even our physical body, at times, experiences a true rejuvenation and revitalization upon receiving the Body of Jesus with great love and devotion. Saint Faustina experienced a strengthening of her lungs after receiving Jesus, the Divine Physician, in Holy Communion while sick in the Infirmary!

10. “I believe that were it not for the Holy Mass as of this moment the world would be in the abyss.” (Saint Leonard of Port Maurice) How true! With his arms elevated on high by Aaron and Hur, Moses helped the Israelites to prevail in war and conquer their enemies. Likewise, in the case of our present world, it is Jesus lifted on high in the hands of the priest in the Holy Eucharist in the Holy Sacrifice of Mass that saves the world from utter destruction.

Friends in Jesus and Mary, why not accept this challenge—a double challenge.

First, fortify your own faith, love, and devotion towards the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, as well as hunger and thirst for frequent and fervent Holy Communions. Set your hearts on fire for Jesus, the Bread of Life.

Second, make an effort to bring back a lost soul, a wandering sheep, a Prodigal Son or Daughter every month. Meaning the challenge is to aim at bringing back twelve lost souls a year! Beg for this grace! Once again let us fill to the brim our Catholic Churches with souls on fire with love for our Eucharistic Lord! This will be, in the words of Blessed Carlo Acutis, their Highway to Heaven. May Our Lady who said YES to God and received the Incarnate Word in her most pure womb, motivate us to move in haste to bring others to our Eucharistic Lord in our great love for God!

Silence is Golden! Silence is indispensable to live a healthy existence. Silence heals, calms and strengthens. The Bible teaches us: “Be still (silent) and know that I am the Lord.” (Ps 46: 10) Silence is stronger than loud noise and commotion. In the silence of the desert the saints have found refuge, a time to battle against the enemy—the devil, but also to experience a profound encounter with God.

NOISE POLLUTION.  We live in a world immersed deeply, and in many places, with noise; we might even call it NOISE POLLUTION. Pope Saint Paul VI expressed it well in one of his teachings: “A world characterized by cacophony and strident protests.” Pope Benedict VI, when visiting the seminarians at Dunwoody in New York, commented that it is difficult for young people to hear the voice of God in their minds and hearts because they are bombarded with so many voices and so many noises in their lives.

A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.  In the early eighties, I was studying theology in Rome in preparation for Ordination to the Diaconate, and eventually the priesthood. Those were good years in which God bestowed upon me many blessings. However, in the seminary, the theologate, there were many of us and we had to share a room. This was no problem for me given that I was brought up in a big family where we had to share rooms. Looking back, in retrospect, I remember the various noises that I was exposed to in those 3 to 4 years. I will give the list.

 1) AIRPLANES—Flying over us towards the Fiumicino Airport of Rome.

2) VIA CASILINA—The noise of cars, motorcycles and trucks outside the window of my bedroom.

3) TRAIN TRACKS—Trains rushing past just beyond the road traffic.

4) THE SIDEWALK—Mopeds speeding a mile a minute with motors blasting.

5) WALKMAN RADIOS (Remember them?) Teens walking by playing them loudly. (This was before the cell-phone.)

6) LOUDSPEAKER—In the seminary building to call priests or seminarians.

7) WALL-PHONES—with their typical annoying ring.

8) COURTYARD—The Parish kids playing soccer and celebrating their goals with the typical hullabaloo.

9) THE BELLS—Inviting the people to Mass; it was a Seminary connected to a Parish, the Parish of Sant’Elena.

I am not complaining, but rather explaining the noise that we were exposed to in our formation years. I am eternally thankful that my hearing is still good so that I can hear confessions and carry out a fruitful ministry. However, it must be said, I sincerely appreciate silence. Indeed, I thrive on silence.

Let’s turn a corner and reflect together on the place and value of silence in the life of our Master, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Many graces will flow from this reflection and consideration.

1. BETHLEHEM.  In that cold, silent night in the stable of Bethlehem, Jesus, the Son of the Eternal Father, was born into time. In that SILENT NIGHT the shepherds heard the Angels triumphant song and hurried to visit the Child in the arms of Mary, wrapped in swaddling clothes. In fact, one of the most renowned Christmas hymns is that of SILENT NIGHT.

2. PRIVATE LIFE OF JESUS.  Most of the thirty years of the Private Life of Jesus were enveloped in the aura of silence. Much of this time was dedicated to prayer, work, and family life, but also the silence so necessary to hear the voice of God.

3. START OF PUBLIC LIFE: DESERT EXPERIENCE.  Upon departing from His home-life in Nazareth, Jesus made straight for the Jordan River to be baptized by His cousin, Saint John the Baptist. Immediately after the baptism when the Dove descended upon Jesus and the voice of the Father could be heard from Heaven, Jesus, compelled by the Holy Spirit, headed toward the desert. There in the desert praying, fasting, and being tempted by the devil, Jesus remained in silence. Indeed, we all should have recourse to short Desert-experiences to encounter God, to pray, fast and conquer the devils in our own lives.

4. TYPICAL DAY OF JESUS.  Once Jesus started His Public Life, which lasted a short three years, He was very active. Yet Jesus would always find quality time for silence: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place where he prayed.” (Mk. 1: 35) We contemplate Jesus teaching and preaching, working miracles healing many people, and even casting out devils. Despite this whirlwind of activity, we find Jesus rising way before dawn, finding a quiet place, a place of silence, where He is absorbed in prayer.

5. THE ORIGIN OF THE OUR FATHER.  The Apostles witnessed Jesus praying in silence and they asked Him to teach them how to pray. As a consequence of this petition, Jesus taught the Apostles and the world at large to pray the most famous of all prayers: THE OUR FATHER.

6. CHOOSING THE APOSTLES.  Before choosing His close friends, the Apostles, Jesus spent the whole night in prayer, in silence, in communion with the Heavenly Father. (Lk. 6: 12-16) How important it is for us to have silence for reflection so as to make right decisions in our lives that will affect ourselves and our family members. Silence is indispensable so as to think, decide and act clearly.

7. BEFORE KING HEROD.  In His Passion, Jesus was brought before King Herod who was curious to see Jesus. Mocking, deriding, insulting Jesus in word and action, it is interesting that before this wicked King, Jesus never opened up His mouth. Why? It would have been a waste of time. Jesus expressed it in these words: “Do not throw your pearls before the swine.” (Mt. 7: 6)

8. SILENCE IN THE BOAT.  Ironically, the only time that we find Jesus asleep in all of Sacred Scripture is in a boat in the middle of a storm. While the storm rages, threatening to engulf the boat and drown the Apostles, Jesus is asleep. Upon being awakened, Jesus rebukes the storm and immediately there is silence and calm returns. How important it is to ask Jesus to silence the violent passions that can assault us day and night!!!

9. THE SILENCE OF DEATH ON THE CROSS.  Jesus gives up His spirit and dies on the cross: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” (Lk. 23: 46) Then Jesus hangs on the cross in the silence of death. A spear pierces His Sacred Heart and Blood and water flow forth, the work of our salvation.

10. THE TOMB.  Jesus spent three days in silence in the tomb. Actually, in the Easter Triduum—Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday—we enter deeply into the love Jesus has for us. Holy Saturday has a characteristic mark of SILENCE. The whole world, anxiously awaiting the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead, waits in SILENCE. Actually the best way to live out Holy Saturday is to accompany Our Lady of Sorrows. With Mary, we relive the day before, Good Friday, seeing it through the eyes and Sorrowful Heart of Mary, in silence. Yes, in silence we relieve and contemplate the greatest act of love in the universe, the suffering and death of Jesus—His Passion in which He shed every drop of His Precious Blood for the salvation of whole world, and for each and every one of us individually. Seen in silence with Mary, we can plumb the profound depths of the love Jesus has for us. Our salvation was bought at a very dear price: the shedding of the Precious Blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. 

In conclusion, if we sincerely desire to live healthy, wholesome, and holy lives we must esteem and appreciate, as well as cultivate moments, better yet blocks of time, where we have silence. Despite His extremely active Public ministry, we find Jesus, who is our Model—the Way, the Truth and the Life, seeking out times for silence. Indeed, in imitating the Silence of Mary, we will be able to hear the gentle but insistent voice of God and respond: “SPEAK O LORD, FOR YOUR SERVANT IS LISTENING!“

“Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see the Lord.” (Mt. 5: 8) This Beatitude exhorts and challenges us to strive to see the Lord, in this life and with great hope in the life to come, eternal life.

Of great importance for us to contemplate the Lord with ours eyes, the eyes of our body as well as the eyes of our heart, is to contemplate the eyes of Jesus in Sacred Scripture, most specifically the Gospels.

Saint Ignatius of Loyola, in the Spiritual Exercises, states that we should start off our Exercises, our daily meditation by imagining in Spanish, “Imaginar la mirada del Senor”; in English, “To imagine the Face of the Lord.” Included implicitly in this would be of course to imagine the eyes of the Lord peering into our eyes.

Therefore, let us take a pause in our busy day to contemplate the times when Our Lord looked, gazed, peered into the eyes of others and derive abundant fruit from this consideration.

1. THE BABY JESUS.  Birth of Jesus and the Shepherds (Luke 2: 1 – 20). Let us start off with the Infant, the Little Baby Jesus looking up and gazing tenderly and with great love into the eyes of His Mother Mary. Can you imagine the immense love Mother Mary must have experienced! Pope Saint John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter, “The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Rosary”, invites us to follow the eyes of Mary contemplating Jesus from the crib all the way to the cross. The eyes of Jesus and Mary and their Sacred Hearts were at all times in perfect harmony; so should we aspire to be in harmony with them in our own lives.

2. SAINT MATTHEW.  (Mt. 9: 9-13)  Jesus called out to Matthew, the tax collector, and said: “Follow me!” Immediately, Matthew got up and left all to follow Jesus. Then he organized a banquet to thank Jesus for this invitation that would radically change his life. True, the words of Jesus penetrated his heart, but it also must have been the penetrating gaze from the eyes of Jesus that led this Apostle, who had many material possessions, to relinquish everything and capitulate to Jesus’ invitation. With the Word of Jesus and His penetrating and loving gaze, Matthew could not resist. Imagine Jesus looking lovingly at you right now and challenging you, like Matthew, to follow Him!

3. ZACCHAEUS.  (Luke 19: 1-10)  This little guy hanging from a tree wanted to see Jesus with his own eyes. Being small of stature and pushed aside by the crowd, he knew it would be difficult to almost impossible to see Jesus. Then an idea crossed his mind: “If I climb a tree, I can at least see Jesus as he passes by.” Never could the little guy have imagined that Jesus would look up and gaze at him, then challenge him to come down and dine with him that very night. It was the words of Jesus, but also His loving and penetrating gaze that melted the heart of this tax collector—very much like Matthew, another tax collector. Zacchaeus will give half of his money to the poor, and if he defrauded anyone, he will pay them four times as much. For both Matthew and Zacchaeus, the loving gaze of Jesus and His Friendship were worth more than all the money, gold and possessions in the world.

4. THE EYES AND HEART OF THE FATHER OF THE PRODIGAL SON.  Many would agree that the Parable of the Prodigal Son, or if you like, the Merciful Father, (Luke 15: 11-31) is one of the greatest stories ever told. When the father sees his son returning from afar, he runs to meet his wayward son with eyes full of mercy because the heart of the father is full of mercy. Upon their encounter, can you imagine the loving gaze of the father as he welcomes his rebellious son? Artistic masterpieces depict the eyes of the father welling up with tears and those tears running down the cheeks of the father. So too, the eyes of Jesus and the eyes of God the Father radiate mercy toward us—the love of God forgiving the repentant sinner.

5. THE PARALYTIC AND THE EYES OF JESUS.  (Luke 5: 17-26)  The friends of the paralytic lowered their disabled friend to Jesus, the Divine Physician, as the thatched roof rained down upon Jesus and all in the house. Jesus fixed His eyes on the paralytic and with great joy told the man that his sins were forgiven. Only then did Jesus tell the man to take up his mat and go home. The eyes of Jesus penetrated to the man’s very soul, discerning and comprehending the sorrow and repentance of this man who was a paralytic of both soul and body. Hence was he healed in both soul and body! The eyes of Jesus perceive the exterior, but also the most inner recesses of the soul. So do the eyes of Jesus see who we are from inside our soul to the exterior of our body, and He is willing to heal us in our sorrow and repentance!

6. THE TEARS IN THE EYES OF JESUS—TEARS OF SORROW AND OF HOPE. (John 11: 35) Jesus arrives to meet his two friends Mary and Martha grieving over the loss of their brother Lazarus, who was also a dear friend of Jesus. In this circumstance, the Evangelist Saint John expresses a short incident but one of great importance: JESUS WEPT! Let us peer into the eyes of Jesus in this painful event. Contemplate the tears welling up in Jesus’ eyes, streaming down His Sacred Face, and falling to the ground. Jesus’ sorrow is deeply felt, even knowing that His tears and the tears of Martha and Mary will soon be dried up and transformed into joy. For Jesus will summon Lazarus to rise up and come back to life from the tomb. Enter now into the joy of Jesus, Mary and Martha, and Lazarus as the dead man returns to life. We are that dead man when we are in the state of unrepentant mortal sin. What joy in the eyes of Jesus when we exit the tomb of our sins through a good confession and return to a life of grace, sanctifying grace!

7. JESUS LIFTS HIS EYES TO HEAVEN. (Mt 14: 13-21) Before multiplying the loaves and the fishes to feed the hungry crowd, Jesus lifts up His eyes, lifts His gaze to Heaven, and thanks the Heavenly Father. These eyes of Jesus gazing heavenward teach us to raise our eyes to heaven and to have our hearts fixed on the realities of heaven and not those of the earth. Keeping our eyes lifted to Heaven motivates us to renounce the world and all that it has to offer for the heavenly treasures that await us.

8. JESUS’ EYES LOOKING DOWN FROM THE CROSS. (John 19: 26-27) As the Body of Jesus, now a gaping wound, nears the end of His earthly existence, Jesus gazes down from the cross. He contemplates with loving eyes the two persons whom He loves most and the two who loved Him most: Mary, His Mother, and John, His beloved Disciple. As He gazes down upon them He says: “Woman behold thy son; son behold thy Mother. Then the disciple took her into his home.” With His eyes filled with tears, spittle, sweat and blood, Jesus contemplates His Sorrowful Mother for the last time before He breathes forth His spirit.

9. THE EYES OF JESUS IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. (Matthew 26: 26—The Last Supper and the Institution of the Eucharist) Every time you make a visit to a Catholic Church and look at the Tabernacle, or better yet, Jesus exposed in the Monstrance, bring to mind that Jesus is truly looking at you with great love, tenderness, compassion and care. Look into the Eucharistic eyes of Jesus and tell Him that you truly love Him.

10. THE BEATIFIC VISION. Finally, after we have concluded our earthly pilgrimage, dying to sin and looking into the loving eyes of Jesus our Savior, we will die. But our physical death is not the last word. Rather, the last word is life and Eternal life—HEAVEN! Once we have been purified of all stain of sin, we will be welcomed into our Heavenly Home. What will we see or contemplate with our eyes? The BEATIFIC VISION. With unveiled eyes we will gaze into the Face of Jesus, who is the Lord of Lord’s, the King of King’s, the Beloved Son of God the Father, with His joyful and loving gaze fixed upon us for all eternity! This indeed is the goal and the purpose of our earthly existence.

In conclusion, let us lift up our gaze to Mary who is truly the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and our own loving Mother. It was the eyes of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who contemplated the Person and the eyes of Jesus for thirty years in His Hidden and Private Life. Then she contemplated His eyes as He hung on the cross. And finally, His eyes risen from the dead. However, now and for all eternity, Mary contemplates the awesome, magnificent, splendid Face and eyes of Jesus for all eternity. Let the words of the Psalmist resound in the depths of our hearts: “Look to the Lord and be radiant with joy.” (Ps. 34:5) May we contemplate the eyes of Jesus now through faith, so that one day we will contemplate His eyes face to face in Heaven for all eternity.

In order for us to truly grow in holiness, the most important virtue is charity—an authentic love for God and for neighbor. But alongside the theological virtue of charity is that of humility. In a certain sense they are the two pillars or foundational stones for the person who is truly pursuing a life of authentic holiness.

For the great woman Doctor of the Church, the Doctor of Prayer, Saint Teresa of Avila, humility is simply THE TRUTH. It is being aware of who we really are from the divine perspective, from the eyes of God, the Author of all truth. In fact, our dignity is sublime—being created in the image and likeness of God and through Baptism being transformed into icons of the Blessed Trinity. Our destiny is beyond words—to be united with the angels and saints in heaven to praise the Trinity for all eternity. However, being conceived in Original Sin, having concupiscence, and being sinners reveals a truly fallen human nature.

Indeed, a truly humble person recognizes with utmost clarity that all the good that they have done and are capable of doing is a result of God’s power, God’s grace, and God’s goodness in their life. On the other side of the coin, the humble person admits that all of their failures, especially in the moral realm of sin, is due to their abuse of the faculties that God has given to them.

Therefore, given the fact that humility is of paramount importance, let us strive to pursue this virtue in our lives; let us strive to attain it and plant it with deep roots in the very center of our souls. May our words, actions, deeds, and intentions be at all times imbued and permeated by a true spirit of humility.  

Of course, may Jesus and Mary be our models. Indeed, both were the holiest who ever walked the planet, but also the most humble. Only once does Jesus describe the attributes of His most Sacred Heart—His Heart is both meek and humble. May the prayer that resounds in the depths of our hearts be the prayer of the great humility of the Heart of Jesus: JESUS, MEEK AND HUMBLE OF HEART, MAKE MY HEART LIKE UNTO THINE.

The following part of our treatise will be certain steps we can take so as to attain this most sublime virtue, the virtue of humility.

STRATEGICAL STEPS TO ATTAIN THE SUBLIME VIRTUE OF HUMILITY

1. APPRECIATE ITS VALUE.  Never will we be able to attain any good in our lives if we do not deem its value and worth. Misers pursue gold; the vain of heart honors, and the hedonists sensual pleasure. Why? Because they deem these goods of value—even though they are idols and false values. We must view and esteem humility of the greatest importance in the edifice of holiness and the foundational bedrock for holiness. If not, our life pursuit of holiness will be built on sand and will collapse quickly!

2. BEGGARS BEFORE GOD.  Saint Augustine, quoted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, asserts that we are all beggars before God. We desperately need God for all; we depend upon Him in everything. Most especially we need God so as to live lives of virtue and renounce pride—the polar opposite of humility—in all sizes and shapes. Jesus commanded us: “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Mt. 7:7) Our prayer? Lord, grant me a meek and humble heart.

3. DOCILITY IN SPIRITUAL DIRECTION.  We all have blind spots in our lives and especially in our spiritual lives. A well-trained spiritual director helps us enormously on the Highway to Heaven.

4. OBEDIENCE IN DIRECTION.  That means in concrete that in Direction we must be humble enough to obey the Director, who is God’s channel of Truth and grace. Beyond doubt, one of the hallmarks of the authentic sanctity of Saint Faustina Kowalska was her docility and obedience in spiritual direction. Without obedience, there is truly no growth in humility and holiness is blocked and thwarted.

5. ACCEPTING FRATERNAL CORRECTION.  This really stings, but is necessary for our spiritual growth and our growth in humility: accepting fraternal correction. Normally, due to our innate pride, when someone points out something in our life that has to be corrected we bristle, we recoil from the correction, and sometimes we come back with a defensive frontal attack. We simply resist having our shortcomings pointed out to us—this is due to an overweening pride. Saint Dominic Savio established a friendship with another boy in the Oratory of Saint John Bosco. Savio insisted that his friend be frank and point out to him his failures so that he could advance in holiness. Before reaching age 15 Savio had already arrived at heroic virtue and holiness and would one day be canonized.

6. ACCEPT HUMILIATIONS.  Perhaps even more difficult than accepting fraternal correction is willingly accepting humiliations that descend upon us. Whether we like it or not, we will receive humiliations. The golden opportunity is ours exactly in that moment when God allows us to be humiliated. Our natural inclination is to retaliate. Whereas the reaction of the saints upon receiving a humiliation is to remain silent, pray for the offender, and unite the humiliation to Jesus’ humiliations that He underwent in His bitter, cruel and humiliating Passion. Without God’s grace this is impossible, but with God all is possible!

7. CHARITY AND SERVICE.  This is an interesting twist: charity and service as gateways to humility. In fact, every time we put ourselves at the service of others, practicing charity and love of others, we are growing at the same time in humility. In fact, when we practice charity—supernatural love for God and neighbor—we grow in all the other virtues, and that includes humility.

8. CONTEMPLATE THREE DIMENSIONS OF THE LIFE OF JESUS: MANIFESTING HIS GREAT HUMILITY:

1) HIS INCARNATION. The fact that Jesus, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, actually took on human flesh and became man was an enormous jump of debasement and humility. God became man so that we can becomes sons and daughters of God.

2) HIS PASSION. All the elements and details of the Passion of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ manifest an astounding and remarkable humility. However, you might take simply the Crowning of Jesus with thorns—the 3rd Sorrowful Mystery of the Holy Rosary. Mockeries, sarcasms and insults, being blindfolded then punched and struck in the Face, the pulling of His beard, spiting in His Face, and most important: being crowned with sharp and piercing thorns. In all of this, in words of the Prophet Isaiah, He was like a gentle, silent sheep being led to the slaughter. By meditating upon the Passion of Christ, our pride should plummet into the depths.

3) JESUS IN THE MASS AND EUCHARISTIC PRESENCE. Most Catholics ignore going to even Sunday Mass. Many take Holy Mass for granted. Still others receive Jesus in the state of Mortal sin thereby crucifying Him again. As a whole, Jesus, present in the Tabernacle, is forgotten, abandoned and left forlorn throughout the world. All the above are a source of piercing and penetrating humiliations for Jesus, the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, the greatest Lover of all Lovers.

9. THE AWARENESS OF OUR PAST SINS AND GOD’S MERCY.  When we are tempted to be lifted up on our high-horse of pride, it could be very advantageous and propitious for our spiritual growth in holiness and humility to call to mind the many times that we have failed the Lord Jesus and the shame behind these actions. Indeed, this can keep us humble, very humble, to put it mildly!

10. MARY: THE MODEL OF HOLINESS AND HUMILITY.  Of all of God creatures by far Mary was the greatest. But she was also the most humble of all women. Her words exemplify her great humility: “I am the handmaid (servant) of the Lord… My soul rejoices in God my Savior because He has looked upon the humility of His servant… Do whatever he tells you…. The few words that we have of Mary in Sacred Scripture highlight the sublime character of the holiness of Mary, but especially her humility.

A final word to grow in humility. One of the most efficacious means by which we can grow in humility is by receiving the Eucharistic Lord Jesus in Holy Communion with the best of dispositions. Upon receiving the Eucharistic Lord, we should beg Him to give us His Heart and say with great fervor and faith: “Jesus meek and humble of Heart, make my heart like unto thine.” This indeed is the shortcut to both holiness and profound humility of heart.

There exist two forms of deafness: spiritual, as well as physical. Undoubtedly, physical deafness or being hard of hearing can cause enormous suffering for the person experiencing total or partial deafness, as well as for those living with this person. Not understanding what is said and asking repeatedly to say it over again causes great frustration and possibly even depression in the afflicted person. Those living with the deaf or partially deaf person suffer equally from the fact that communication with this person that was once fluent and fluid has come to a screeching halt and is now exceedingly difficult.

If physical deafness or partial deafness causes great frustration and pain, how much more grave is the reality of spiritual deafness, or being partially deaf spiritually.

All too frequently we willfully become partially deaf—meaning in concrete we hear only what we want to hear! How often have parents struggled with this phenomenon with their children who hear only what they want to hear! 

Examples abound! Mom tells little Johnny to make his bed, take out the trash, and clean the bathroom that he has messed up. Mom tells little Johnny to tend to these domestic chores five times, but it seems as if the little guy is not just partially deaf, but totally deaf. Perhaps time to go off to the Ear-Doctor!  Changing the scenario, Mom makes her request in this manner: “By the way, Johnny, we are going to Disneyland for the day and then to Baskin Robins for ice cream as soon as you make your bed, take out the trash, and clean the bathroom.” Lo and behold, Mom witnesses a miracle in her little nine-year old Johnny. All of these chores that Johnny did not seem to hear the first five times, he suddenly hears with utmost clarity the sixth time when it is preceded by the reality of the Disneyland rides and the multi-flavored ice cream delights at Baskin Robins!

This can be summarized with one key concept that applies to us all: we hear and respond to what causes us delight on a physical, emotional, or even spiritual level.

Let us address this challenge on the level of our spiritual life. The young Samuel, after not interpreting the voice of God three times, finally understood through the direction of Eli, his Spiritual Director that God indeed was speaking to him. The next time the young Samuel heard his name being called he was summoned to cry out: “Speak, O Lord, for your servant is listening.” (1 Sam 3:10) This he did and he became one of the greatest prophets in Israel.

The Psalmist challenges us with these short but penetrating words of exhortation: “If today you hear his voice harden not your hearts as in the days of Meribah and Massah.” (Psalm 95: 7-8) For the Jewish people, sin could be defined simply as not listening to the voice of God—becoming deaf, partially deaf, or temporarily deaf to the voice of God.

Jesus had great compassion for the sick, the paralytics, the blind, the lepers, as well as the deaf-mutes. One of the short but important Rites in the Sacrament of Baptism is precisely this: the Ephatha-rite. Jesus had compassion on the deaf-mute and He healed him by touching his ears and mouth, and by uttering the word Ephatha—meaning, be opened! Immediately, this deaf-mute man recovered his hearing, as well as his ability to speak. By the way, deafness and speech impediments are intimately interconnected.

There is a famous saying in Spanish related to the topic of deafness: “No hay peor ciego que aquel que no quiere ver; no hay peor sordo que aquel qhe no quiere oir.”  Translation: “There is no worse blind person than the one who does not want to see; there is no worse deaf person than the one who does not want to hear.” In other words, in the spiritual life it is all too easy to want to be both deaf, blind, and at times mute to the pertinent things related to God.

Let us strive now to open our ears, our eyes, and our lips so that we can be aware of the different ways that God can speak to us and avoid all forms of being spiritually temporarily deaf. In all truth, let us pray fervently and sincerely the request of the young Samuel in the Temple: “Speak, O Lord, for your servant is listening.” The following are the many ways that God can speak to us; hopefully we will have open ears.

1. THE BIBLE: THE WORD OF GOD.  One of the most obvious ways that God tries to communicate with us is through the Bible itself. For that reason one of the best definitions of the Bible is simply this: The Word of God!

2. HOLY MASS.  Next, in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass God speaks to us in many ways including the Readings in the Mass, the, Consecration, and most especially in the Holy Eucharist—which is the Real-Presence of Jesus. The Sacred Host is truly Jesus Himself.

3. THE PRIEST.  The ordained priest acts in the Person of Christ and the more fully the priest lives out Holy Orders, the more powerfully will God Himself speak to us. Let us pray for more priests and more holy priests!

4. THE COMMANDMENTS.  Jesus expressed this with great clarity: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (Jn. 14: 15) How often while teaching catechism to the First Communion children have I told them that God really does speak to us. One of the clearest ways that God speaks to children is through the voice of their parents. “So when you children obey your parents, you are really obeying God.” By the way, this is the 4th Commandment.

5. THE HOMILY IN THE MASS.  When we attend Holy Mass on Sunday not only should we participate fully, actively, and consciously in Holy Mass, but also we should pay special attention to the priest and his homily in the Mass. That should be God’s message for us each week and we should try to observe it and put it into practice!

6. CIRCUMSTANCES.  Nothing happens “by chance”. We do not believe in chance, or luck, or destiny, or fortune-tellers, or crystal balls. Rather, we believe in Divine Providence. All that happens in life is willed or at least permitted by God. This being said, God can allow evil things to happen so that He can bring good out of that evil. Even in the most difficult and painful circumstances in our lives, God is present working in it for our spiritual welfare. Sometimes it is only later in life that can we see how God’s hand was working in our anguish, suffering, and apparent failures in order to bring about a greater good. When we are too close to the tapestry, our view is limited; but when we step back, we can see the totality of the artistic masterpiece. An eagle sees the totality of the mountain better than the ant at the foot of the mountain. So too God sees a bigger picture and is present in the many intricate and even complicated circumstances of our lives. Trust Him! What a beautiful prayer: JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU!

7. WELL-FORMED CONSCIENCE.  It is incumbent upon parents to form the consciences of their children. As adults we must also keep working on the formation of our own conscience. If we fail to do so, we sin and we hurt God, ourselves, and others. At this point our conscience experiences pangs of remorse; God intervenes and pricks our conscience when we sin. This indeed is another way that God’s voice can be heard.

8. HEAVENLY INSPIRATIONS.  Another mode by which God can speak to us is through the medium of heavenly inspirations. The Holy Spirit enlightens our mind with the Truth and when we follow it, we experience consolation.

9. INNER LOCUTIONS.  Related to the topic of heavenly inspirations is that of inner locutions. This is when the Holy Spirit with a gentle but insistent interior Word speaks in the depths of our heart. However, if we do not have recollection and interior silence it will be hard for us to pick up the gentle but insistent voice of the Sweet Guest of the Soul—the Holy Spirit.

10. OUR LADY’S PRAYERFUL, POWERFUL, POTENT PRESENCE.  How often in the History of the Church, as well in the lives of the saints, has Our Lady intervened in a most powerful manner in her visitations. Also, her statues, her paintings, her portraits, her icons, her Churches, her Cathedrals, her Basilicas, her poems, her songs, her medals, her Rosaries, her Scapulars—in all of these we become aware of how much God loves us by showering us with the perpetual presence of OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP!!!

In conclusion, friends in Jesus and Mary, like the little Johnny who could not hear the voice of his Mother until she brought into the conversation Disneyland and Baskin Robins, we too can at times be partially deaf spiritually. Let us pray that starting now we will pray with great sincerity and docility, really meaning the words of the young Samuel: “Speak, O Lord, for your servant is listening.” For, “My delight is in your word that I meditate on day and night!” (Psalm 1: 2)