God’s graces indeed are infinite…

 One of the most clear, interesting, and exciting explanations of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is presented in the movie: THE GREATEST MIRACLE. Relatively short—only about 70 minutes, filmed in Claymation with attractive scenes, melodious, joyful and uplifting music, and a powerful message—all Catholics should view it!

Even though of the greatest simplicity, this dynamic cinema masterpiece addresses and responds to one of the most important philosophical and theological questions and yearnings: the universal call to happiness. How true, in all times, all places, all circumstances, and all persons, there is a great desire to be happy.

We will never meet someone who will say, point blank: “Well today is Monday, it is my day to be sad, but then Tuesday, I will go back to being happy!” Absurd! In all times and places, all of us want to attain a state of happiness, and  especially, though many do not realize it, eternal happiness in Heaven.

Addressing the topic of happiness and its contrary, the movie THE GREATEST MIRACLE manifests how three individuals move from a state of sadness and desolation to a state of exuberant joy and consolation. The transformation is both profound and rapid.

The three major protagonists of the movie, two widows and a bus-driver with a son dying of terminal cancer, move on with life without any set goal until they meet up with their Guardian Angel. This inconspicuous friend of God (the Guardian Angel) knows exactly where and how this sadness can be transformed into radiant joy. Quite simply: Holy Mass, Holy Communion, and living out the Mass as an offering to God.

In the middle of the movie, the Guardian Angel makes a very poignant comment as he watches a couple come in late for Holy Mass, distracted and not paying attention. In essence, the Angel says that this couple—as well as many people—get little out of Mass because they do not pay attention to Holy Mass. They do not really participate in Holy Mass.

Holy Mass has Infinite value; indeed, it is THE GREATEST MIRACLE! However, Sacramental Theology teaches with penetrating clarity that the graces one receives are in direct proportion to the disposition of one’s soul. This is called the Theology of Dispositive grace. In a word, the better the preparation, and the more active and intense the participation, the more abundant the graces from God, the Author of all graces. The Dogmatic Constitution from the Documents of Vatican II states unequivocally that in Mass the laity should strive to participate fully, actively, and consciously.

PRIESTHOOD. Vatican II also points out the two forms of the priesthood: the Ministerial priesthood—that is to say, the man who has received the Sacrament of Holy Orders; then the Common priesthood of the faithful—every baptized Catholic.

OFFERTORY AND HOLY MASS. One of the most important manners in which the laity can live out their Common priesthood is in living out Holy Mass by participating to the max in this greatest of all prayers—the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

GUARDIAN ANGEL AND THE OFFERTORY. In the movie THE GREATEST MIRACLE, the Guardian Angel insists that everybody should participate in Holy Mass by making their own personal offerings. True, the Parish priest may have a specific offering/intention for that Mass. However, that does not exclude private intentions. You can offer as many intentions as your heart desires.

Therefore, we would like to help all to derive more abundant fruit from every Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The remaining part of our conversation will be to offer to all, various suggestions to motivate all to make a concerted effort to live out to the max the Holy Mass by living out the Offertory. By this we mean, before Mass make sure that you offer your own intention, or better said, your own many intentions! The more intentions you bring to God, the happier God is. As expressed in the Diary of Saint Faustina: “Ask with BOLD CONFIDENCE!!!” Jesus Himself ordered us: “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened.” (Mt. 7:7) Your intentions can be as many and as varied as your imagination can dream of!

INTENTIONS TO BRING TO THE HOLY MASS

1. THE SOULS IN PURGATORY. These poor, suffering souls are saved because they died in the state of sanctifying grace, though still needing purification. The Book of Revelation speaks clearly that nothing impure can enter the Kingdom of God. The movie THE GREATEST MIRACLE has a scene where the elderly widow Dona Cata, a very pure soul, receives Holy Communion, and the Guardian Angel descends into Purgatory and brings a soul detained there to Heaven. The souls yearn for the Precious Blood of Jesus to wash away their sins so that they can take flight to Heaven. We can never go wrong by praying for the souls in Purgatory, especially at Holy Mass! It is a huge act of charity!

2. CONVERSION OF FAMILY MEMBERS. All of us are surrounded by family members who are heading in the wrong direction, and some of them at an accelerated and alarming pace. Some might be very close to the precipice, ready to plunge into the eternal flames of hell. This being the sad state of affairs, offer your Mass and Holy Communion for their conversion, for the love of God, and for their eternal salvation. Many of your family members depend upon your Masses and Holy Communions!

3. CONVERSION OF DEATH-BED SINNERS. Of even greater importance in the offering of your Mass and Holy Communion is to pray for those who are on their deathbed about to leave this world and go before the judgment seat of God. Once again, in the Diary of Saint Faustina, Jesus insists that prayers be offered in a most special way for the dying in order to help them overcome suffering from desolation, and even more important, to renounce mortal sin. In this most critical time of their life, special graces are exceedingly necessary. No more abundant graces flow through the Sacred Heart of Jesus than when He is offered to the Eternal Father in Holy Mass!

4. VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD AND RELIGIOUS LIFE. On one occasion Jesus, looking out at people who were like sheep without a Shepherd, expressed with a heavy heart: “The harvest is rich, but the laborers are few. Beg the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers.” (Mt. 9:37-38) Therefore, a very important intention for which you can offer your own Mass participation would be that of praying for vocations, and most important, holy vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. How true: the harvest is rich but the laborers all too few!

5. THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE PRIESTHOOD AND RELIGIOUS LIFE. As a sequel or follow up to the fervent intention offered for future vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life should be the offering of Mass and Holy Communion for priests and Religious already ordained and/or consecrated. How important it is to pray for the perseverance of both priests and Religious. Even more, we must pray that priests, Bishops and Religious strive to become great saints. Many souls depend upon the holiness of both priests and Religious, your own soul included!

6. IN REPARATION FOR THE VAST DELUGE OF SINS. Our Lady of Fatima, through the Guardian Angel, invited the three little Shepherd children, Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta to receive Holy Communion, but a Communion of Reparation for the many sins that offend God so much. There is no more powerful and efficacious means to offer due reparation to God then the offering of His Son, Jesus, the spotless Victim on the altar, in reparation for the many sins of the world, a real deluge of sins.

7. YOUR OWN PERSONAL SINS. On a personal note, we all have our own personal moral failures; we call these personal sins. By far there is no more efficacious means by which we can offer due reparation for our own sins than by offering our Mass and Holy Communion. Indeed, one Mass and Holy Communion is sufficient to repair for all of the sins of the world, and that includes our own many failures. “Eternal Father, I offer you the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of your only begotten Son in atonement for my sins and those of the whole world.” What a great penance this would be from the priest to a penitent to repair for their many sins!

8. A PERSONAL HEART-TRANSPLANT. As a result of Original Sin, as well as personal sin, we all struggle with our own sinfulness, our own bad habits, our own Kryptonite (our major weakness). In all truth, until the Lord calls us from this life to the next, our life is a struggle between the flesh and the spirit, good and bad, darkness and light that are waging fierce battles within our own soul. If we wage this battle wielding only our own natural resources, then we are definitely doomed to die spiritually. As Jesus reminds us: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mt. 26:40) However, if we rely upon the Lord and His sanctity then the victory is ours because it is the Lord’s. “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.” (Ps. 124:8) Therefore, when we attend Holy Mass and receive Holy Communion, in all truth, we receive the Total Christ (Saint Augustine)—His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Which, of course, includes His Sacred Heart. Now all of the virtues in the highest degree are present in Jesus’ Sacred Heart in every Mass and every Holy Communion. So we can beg the Lord to fill us with all the virtues, especially the virtue that we most need. Patience, obedience, meekness, purity, kindness, fortitude, mortification, faith, trust, burning love, intelligence, prayerfulness and many more are the virtues that are present in Holy Communion well received, because we truly receive in Holy Communion the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This Sacred Heart of Jesus in Holy Communion is a burning furnace of charity that desires so much to consume all that is ignoble and sinful within us. Our goal in life should be that expressed by Saint Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20)

9. PRAYERS, SUPPLICATIONS, PETITIONS, INTERCESSIONS IN GENERAL… What the world needs now more than ever is prayer and Eucharistic prayer-warriors. As we prepare for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we can place on the altar the many prayer intentions that are related to international affairs, national affairs, Church affairs, local Church affairs, family matters and problems, the many friends or relatives who have asked for our prayers, the pandemic, the sick, the suffering, the poor, the lonely and abandoned, and once again the dying. All should be prayed for with the perspective of God’s holy will—the salvation of souls and the reality of eternity. In other words, the intentions that we can deposit on the altar, on the paten and chalice of the priest, have no limits! Indeed, God is very pleased when like little children, we constantly beg for what we, as well as our world, desperately need.

10. THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF MARY IN THE MASS AND OFFERTORY. In the fourth Joyful Mystery, we contemplate Mary offering Jesus in the Temple. Simeon takes the Divine Child in His arms and praises and thanks God. He also makes a prophecy of the future suffering of both Jesus and Mary.  Jesus would be a sign of contradiction; Mary, for her part, would have her Heart pierced by a sharp sword. Our Mass offerings and intentions will become all the more efficacious if it is done through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Often the saintly Mother Teresa of Calcutta would prepare for Holy Communion by asking Mary to lend her Mary’s Immaculate Heart, so that she could love Jesus with Mary’s Immaculate Heart. Saint Louis de Montfort and many other saints agree that Mary is the shortest, the quickest, and the most efficacious path to Jesus. Therefore, place of all your many Mass intentions in the hands of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The results will be extraordinary. 

In conclusion, my friends in Jesus and Mary, let us humbly beg for the grace to live out the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with the best disposition possible. Before Mass let us always make our own special intentions. Let us not be timid or fearful in our offerings. Quite the contrary, let us offer as many intentions as possible and ask with bold confidence. How pleasing this is to God! And never forget go to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Holy Communion through the most pure and holy Immaculate Heart of Mary.

 

 

  ADDITIONAL BONUS  DAY 6

Three (3) Gospels on the Birth of Christ

 l. A Reading from the Holy Gospel of St. Luke 2:1-4

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there, the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host
with the angel, praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

ll. Reading from the Holy Gospel of St. Luke 2:15-20

When the angels went away from them to heaven,
the shepherds said to one another, 
“Let us go, then, to Bethlehem
to see this thing that has taken place, 
which the Lord has made known to us.”
So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, 
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God 
for all they had heard and seen, 
just as it had been told to them.

lll. Reading from the Holy Gospel of St. John 1:1-5, 9-14

 In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
The true light, which enlightens everyone,  
was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.

“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24th Lk. 1: 67-79   “In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Part 1: Christmas Eve… Reflection by Fr. Antonin Sertillanges, O.P.
Part 2: INSPIRING WORDS OF MARY MOST HOLY by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PART ONE: Christmas Eve… Reflection by Fr. Antonin Sertillanges, O.P. (+1948)

 So there are Mary and Joseph without a lodging, wandering through the streets of Bethlehem, urged on by the fall of night and by the time – which is drawing near. It is not difficult to imagine Joseph’s anxiety; who can describe his earnestness and his distress? It was so unexpected, this reception, and so cruel…

As for Mary, the touching preparations mothers make for the birth of their babies should give us some idea of how it must have hurt her. Yet not even the shadow of anxiety could skim the surface of her soul. 

She bore within her the Ordainer of all things, Him who knows all, who can do all. To be worried in His regard would have been childish. As for herself, what did it matter to her? Did she not possess all things, having such a treasure?

When she considered the lot that had been given her, could she envy mothers who were wealthy or comfortable? To suffer, with Jesus under her heart, was a twofold joy to her: it meant sharing the role of the Savior before He entered upon it Himself; it meant carrying the Cross, while carrying Him who would be stretched upon it…

So she went through the winding lanes of Bethlehem without fear, without anxiety. She was waiting upon the will of God; and God poured into her soul, drop by drop, His tranquility, greater far than that of the night rising from the plain and slowly enveloping the lovely slope of the hill.

Meanwhile the ineffable exchange went on: Mary giving to Jesus her blood, her life, the pulsations of her heart; Jesus giving to Mary light, strength, love, patience, and the peace of one possessing God.

• “…the peace of one possessing God.” This is the peace we are all called to possess. Let us strive to imitate Mary. What if we pray after every Holy Communion: “I bear within me the Ordainer of all things, Him who knows all, who can do all. To worry about anything would be childish. I possess all things possessing such a treasure. Considering whom I have within me, how can I envy others? To suffer with Jesus within me is a twofold joy: sharing the role of my Savior, carrying the Cross with Him, who was stretched upon it for me.” As we pray, so shall we believe.

PART TWO: INSPIRING WORDS OF MARY MOST HOLY by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

“Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” (Lk. 6:45). These words were uttered by Jesus who is the Incarnate Word, the Logos, and the greatest of all the Teachers the world has ever known! The essential message in the interpretation of this short sentence is the following: we can get to know who a person is by the words that issue from their mouth, because those words really issue forth from the center of their being—from their very heart. Ugly, profane, indecent, uncouth words all flow from a person’s bad heart. On the contrary, noble, profound, pure, enlightening, and holy words emanate from a person whose heart is pure, whose heart is holy.

THE WORDS OF MARY: WORDS OF HOLINESS, WISDOM, AND INSPIRATION. 

The four Gospels mostly recount the words, actions, and gestures of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It should be an ardent pursuit of our lifetime to come to know, love, and put into practice the words of Jesus in the Gospels which flow from the life of Jesus who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life! Jesus, the Eternal Word, is the way to the Father and the way to eternal life. Also of great importance are the words that we have of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Sacred Scripture.

THE SEVEN WORDS/SAYINGS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.  The words (or sayings) that we have of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Gospels are not many, actually no more than seven. Indeed, one of the words we do not know exactly what it was but we can conjecture. Nonetheless, the few words that we have of Mary most holy are words of great depth, holiness, and wisdom—words that we should get to know, love, memorize, and incorporate into our daily lives.

FIRST WORD OF MARY: “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (Lk. 1:34) The context of this first Word of Mary is the first Joyful Mystery of the Annunciation. Mary is approached by the Archangel Gabriel who announces to her the Good News that she is to be the Mother of God. Having made of a vow of virginity, Mary asks a clarifying question: “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” God’s messenger states that the conception will be the work of the Holy Spirit, meaning Mary will remain a virgin. He also reveals that her elderly kinswoman, Elizabeth, is already in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible for God. A clear message for us today is the following: we should be faithful to our promises and try to live a life of great innocence and purity. This can be done through the example and prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary!

SECOND WORD OF MARY: “Behold, I am the Handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your Word.” (Lk. 1:38) And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us! This second Word of Mary, known in Latin as her FIAT, resulted in the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity in the most pure womb of the Virgin Mary. We can derive many profound messages from Mary’s Fiat or Yes. First, Mary teaches us that true joy can only come from imitating her in saying YES to God in all times, places, and circumstances. Second, we owe eternal gratitude to Mary because as a result of her YES, Jesus came into the world as our Savior. In other words, we can be saved and go to heaven because of the YES of Mary in accepting Jesus into her womb, into her life, and into the life of the world, so as to save us from eternal sorrow, sadness, and separation from God. We owe enormous GRATITUDE to Mary for her YES!!!

THIRD WORD OF MARY: MARY’S GREETING TO ELIZABETH.  This third Word of Mary can be found in the context of the Visitation of Mary to her cousin, Saint Elizabeth. The Biblical text simply states that Mary greeted Elizabeth. (Lk. 1:40) We can surmise that the greeting consisted of the typical form of greeting of the Jewish people 2000 years ago and that would be SHALOM—meaning: Peace be with you! How does this word of Mary touch us? Hopefully in many positive ways. First, we should be kind enough to always greet other people, especially family members and friends, but even those whom we do not particularly like. Second, we should desire and pray to live in peace with God, in peace within our own hearts, and in peace with others. Third, we should desire that others experience the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is Peace. One of the beautiful titles of Mary is QUEEN OF PEACE!!!

 FOURTH WORD OF MARY: THE MAGNIFICAT OF MARY.  These words are a most sublime, profound, and inspiring hymn of praise that burst forth from the Immaculate Heart of Mary during her conversation with Saint Elizabeth. Mary’s words are prayed by the Church every evening in Vespers or Evening prayer:

THE MAGNIFICAT… The Prayer of Mary (Lk. 1:46-55)

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, 
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. 
From this day all generations will call me blessed: 
the Almighty has done great things for me, 
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation. 
He has shown the strength of his arm, 
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, 
and has lifted up the lowly. 
He has filled the hungry with good things, 
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy, 
the promise he made to our fathers, 
to Abraham and his children forever.

Mary teaches us immense lessons of wisdom in her MAGNIFICAT.  First, Mary teaches us the great importance of prayer. Second, the importance of fearing and adoring God in His greatness. Third, Mary teaches us humility and reliance on God as our strength and our sustenance. Finally, Mary most Holy, in this prayer, can teach us how to worship Jesus after Holy Communion in Mass. Saint Louis de Montfort in True Devotion to Mary suggests that we pray Mary’s Magnificat in thanksgiving after receiving Jesus into our hearts in Holy Communion! May Mary’s praise become our praise!

FIFTH WORD OF MARY: JESUS FOUND IN THE TEMPLE.  The fifth Word of Mary can be found in the context of the fifth Joyful Mystery, the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple after three days of sorrowful search, anxiety, and anguish. Mary says to the 12-year-old Child Jesus: “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you in great anxiety.” (Lk. 2:48) Once again, there is a treasure-house of wisdom contained in this short sentence, in these few words of the Blessed Virgin Mary. First, Mary teaches us to be constantly in search of Jesus. Second, Mary wants us to discover Jesus in the depths of our heart. Third, Mary teaches us that if we have lost Jesus in the depths of our heart due to serious sin, we should bring Him back through sincere sorrow and the Sacrament of Confession. Lastly, we should discover who Jesus is by mediating often on the Word of God.

SIXTH WORD OF MARY: WEDDING FEAST OF CANA.  The sixth word of Mary can be found in the context of the second Luminous Mystery—The Wedding Feast of Cana. (Jn. 2:1-12) Mary notices a serious and embarrassing problem for the newly married couple: the wine has run out! Mary says to Jesus: “They have no wine.” (Jn. 2:3) Even though no more than four words, there is much depth and matter to meditate upon in these words of Mary at the Wedding Feast of Cana. First, Mary’s eyes and Immaculate Heart are always open and attentive to our problems and our needs. Second, Mary teaches us to turn and lift up our eyes to Jesus. Third, Mary cares for all, but especially those with problems. Fourth, Mary wants to bless Marriage and the family which today especially are going through many crises and problems.

SEVENTH WORD OF MARY: WEDDING FEAST OF CANA.  Aware of the shortage of wine and of the presence and power of Jesus the Lord, Mary says these few words as she turns to the servers: “Do whatever he tells you.” (Jn. 2:5) Once again, these words of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which are the last recorded in the Gospels, are jam-packed with infinite wisdom for all those who have a mind and heart open to God. First message, Mary trustingly turns to Jesus; she wants us always to turn to Jesus with trust. Second, Mary is keenly aware of the problems that we have in our lives. Third, Mary ardently desires to help us with our problems. Fourth, Mary can help our water be transformed into wine—that is to say, through Mary’s intercession our problems can be resolved. Fifth, Mary is the Mediatrix of all graces—meaning all the graces that come to us indeed come from God, but through the intercession of Mary! Sixth and last, these last words of Mary might be considered the best advice in the world—do whatever Jesus wants and asks of us always!!! In this is our peace.

 

Copyright 2020 Oblates of the Virgin Mary
St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA

Three (3) Gospels on the Birth of Christ

 l. A Reading from the Holy Gospel of St. Luke 2:1-4

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there, the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

ll. A Reading from the Holy Gospel of St. Luke 2:15-20

When the angels went away from them to heaven,
the shepherds said to one another, 
“Let us go, then, to Bethlehem
to see this thing that has taken place, 
which the Lord has made known to us.”
So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, 
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God 
for all they had heard and seen, 
just as it had been told to them.

lll. A Reading from the Holy Gospel of St. John 1:1-5, 9-14

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
The true light, which enlightens everyone,  was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.

“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23rd Lk. 1: 57- 66   “He asked for a tablet and wrote: ‘John is his name’ and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God.”

Part 1: His name is John… from the writings of Saint Pope John Paul II
Part 2: POTENTIAL POWER IN PRIESTLY PATERNITY by Father Ed Broom, OMV

PART 1: From the writings of Saint Pope John Paul II…

His name is John. Before his astonished kinsmen, Zechariah confirms that this is the name of his son, writing it on a tablet. God himself, through his angel, had given that name, which in Hebrew means “God is benevolent.” God is benevolent to human beings: he wants them to live; he wants them to be saved. God is benevolent to his people: he wants to make of them a blessing for all the nations of the earth. God is benevolent to humanity: he guides its pilgrim way towards the land where peace and justice reign. All this is contained in that name: John!

• John the Baptist was the Precursor of the Lord, Jesus Christ, the High Priest.  
• Saint Paul gives us these encouraging words: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Heb. 4: 14-16)
• When Jesus ascended into heaven, His very last words were: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Where? In His Mystical Body the Church, in His priesthood, in the Most Holy Eucharist! As we rejoice in Christ’s Birth, let us also rejoice in the Priesthood, which perpetuates His Real Presence among us in the Holy Eucharist, and His Mercy and Grace in the Sacrament of Mercy, Confession! Let us give thanks and pray for our priests, and all priests, today and every day!

PART 2:  POTENTIAL POWER IN PRIESTLY PATERNITY By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

“Man of God”,  “Man for others”,  “Alter-Christus”,“Jesus Christ on earth”, “The Victim who offers the VICTIM” (Ven. Archbishop Fulton Sheen), “Ambassador of Christ” (Saint Paul), these are just some of the definitions for the person of the priest. In these tempestuous, revolutionary, tumultuous, and critical times, it is indispensable that we do all that we can to bolster the Church by supporting priests to the very maximum of our capacity. True, priests have failed and scandalized men; still, there are many hard-working, humble, prayerful, zealous, fervent, and holy priests. We should do all that we can to support priests in their pursuit of holiness and in their daily pursuit of attaining perfection in charity—a more noble love for God manifested in zeal and love for the salvation of the sheep entrusted to their care.

What then are the means or tools that priests must take in their hands to live out their priesthood, their spiritual paternity, to the greatest potential they have at their disposition? We would like to offer these suggestions, advice, and counsel for priests, seminarians, Deacons, as well as the future priests that God already has in His Heart from all eternity. You might call these the BIG FIFTEEN that a priest should strive to understand and to live out so that he can respond to the most noble calling or vocation that has been assigned to him by Jesus, the Model for all priests!

THE BIG FIFTEEN FOR LIVING OUT HOLINESS AS THE PRIEST—THE MAN OF GOD AND THE MAN FOR OTHERS

1. FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS: THEIR BEST OF ALL FRIENDS. At the Last Supper where Jesus instituted both the most Holy Eucharist as well as Holy Orders, the Priesthood, in the long and most inspiring Last Supper Discourse (Jn. 13-17), Jesus called the Apostles FRIENDS, YES, FRIENDS!!! Today more than ever, a priest must be firmly convinced that Jesus has called him to friendship with Him. Moreover, this Friendship with Jesus must be dynamic—that is to say, it must be constantly growing, on the upswing, ascending on high. There is a basic principle in spirituality: there is no static state; either there is growth or stagnation. Therefore, a priest must strive on a daily basis to do all that is within his power to grow in Friendship with Jesus.

2. MERCY. Some lay people, being simple and possibly naïve, believe that the priest confesses others in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but the priest himself does not need to go to confession. Nothing could be further from the truth! The Letter to the Hebrews expresses this with great concision and truth: “Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset with weakness and so for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people.” (Heb. 5: 1-3) Being part of sinful humanity due to Original Sin and personal sin, a priest must make a habit of frequent, fervent, and well-prepared confessions to another priest. By the way, even the Pope has to go to confession to another priest who of course represents Christ. In fact, one of the secrets of a priest being a good Confessor is that he must first of all be a good penitent himself and experience the Infinite Mercy of the Sacred Heart of Jesus! The priest must experience the loving and merciful embrace of God the Father (the Parable of the Prodigal Son) before he can administer God’s love and mercy to his own penitents. Having experienced the Infinite Mercy of Jesus by himself being pardoned and forgiven, the priest can administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation with greater mercy, love, and efficaciousness!

3. FRIENDSHIP THROUGH PRAYER. At the end of his life, after he retired from his Episcopal exercise of being Bishop of Rochester, New York, Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, this great man of God and model for priests and Bishops, decided to dedicate his last years and last days to the mission of greatest importance—that of giving retreats to both priests and Bishops. In these retreats, which can be listened to on-line, this holy man of God made one concrete proposal that he insisted that all priests and Bishops carry out with faithfulness—THE DAILY HOLY HOUR. In his long years of the priesthood and years as a Bishop, Fulton Sheen asserted that he never missed making his daily Holy Hour in over 55 years!

4. PLACE OF HONOR AND PRIVILEGE FOR HIS HOLY HOUR. Fulton Sheen strongly recommended that this Holy Hour, that he called The Hour of Power should be made in front of the most Blessed Sacrament, that is to say, before the Real Presence of Jesus in the Consecrated Host. How true is the maxim: “You become like those with whom you associate!” Indeed, if the priest spends time daily in front of Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, he will start to imitate and become more and more like Jesus, the High-Priest.

5. CONVERSION OF THE PRIEST. Like all, the priest must labor strenuously at his own personal conversion. As a follow up to the Holy Hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament, Sheen asserted that if a priest is faithful to the daily Holy Hour, Jesus will help him grow in holiness. If a priest is faithful to the Holy Hour, but he is living in sin, Jesus will help him to conquer sin. Moreover, if a priest is mediocre, tepid, lukewarm, then Jesus will set his heart on fire. If a priest is good, then he will go from good to better. Finally, if a priest is fervent, the Eucharistic Presence of Jesus whom he meets as Friend and Model will inspire this priest to arrive at the heights of holiness; in other words, to ardently desire to become a real saint!

6. THE PRIEST AND HOLY MASS. As a follow up or even extension of the commitment that the priest makes to carry out the daily Holy Hour is the primary importance of the priest carrying out the greatest action under the sun—the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass! Not the Prophets of old, not the Archangels, not the Cherubim and Seraphim, not even the Blessed Virgin Mary have the power to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass! Only the man who has been ordained to the priesthood has the capacity, through Holy Orders, to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Only the priest can bring Jesus from Heaven to earth. Only the priest can introduce Jesus into the hearts of the faithful as a result of the consecration in Mass and Holy Communion. How sublime is the priest who in the Holy Mass acts like a bridge, like a rainbow, uniting Heaven to earth! Priests should be encouraged to view a brief YouTube of Saint Padre Pio celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. What faith, love, devotion, and awe were demonstrated by this saintly priest when carrying out his most important mission—the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!

7. SAINT ALPHONSUS’ ADVICE. It is not always possible to carry out to the letter of the law this advice of the saintly priest, Bishop, prolific writer, and Founder, Saint Alphonsus Maria Liguori with respect to the Mass. His advice is sublime, but challenging! Saint Alphonsus suggests that the priest spend at least half an hour in preparation for Holy Mass and then half an hour in thanksgiving after Holy Mass!!! The contemplative Maronite priest, canonized by Pope Saint Paul VI, Saint Charbel Maklouf asked permission of his local Superior to celebrate Mass at 12 noon. The reason for this specific noonday choice was for this simple reason, related to the suggestion of Saint Alphonsus. Saint Charbel wanted to spend the whole morning in preparation for Holy Mass; then he wanted to spend the whole afternoon and evening in thanksgiving for the Mass that he celebrated. In a word, this holy, saintly, contemplative priest-monk wanted the whole of his life to be centered and focused on Jesus in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. As the sun pours forth rays of light and heat over the earth at midday, so Jesus, the Light of the world desires through the priest celebrating Holy Mass, to pour light into our minds and the fire of love into our souls. May the words and advice of these two canonized saints motivate priests at least to spend some time in preparation for the Holy Mass, and sometime after rendering thanks to Jesus for the greatest of all Gifts—Himself in Holy Mass! It is not an exaggeration to say that all of eternity would not be sufficient to prepare for one Holy Mass, nor all of eternity sufficient to give thanks for one Mass! The word EUCHARIST actually means THANKSGIVING. May the prayers of the Psalmist echo in the depths of our hearts: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.” (Ps. 136: 1)

8. PERMANENT FORMATION. Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers and Professors, Engineers, Professional Athletes, Architects—all have this in common: the dire and urgent need for an ongoing process of formation. If you like, the indispensable need for PERMANENT FORMATION!!! A baseball player who does not perform drops down to Minor League ball until he improves his act and performance. In a parallel but very real sense, a priest, as well as a Bishop, must make a concerted effort to work on his own PERMANENT FORMATION. The saying rings true universally: WORK IN PROGRESS! All of us are a work in progress; this also applies to the personal growth and development of the priest. Ongoing formation can be carried out through conferences, seminars, Biblical studies, and at times even Sabbatical years to recharge one’s spiritual, intellectual, cultural, and physical batteries!

9. SPIRITUAL DIRECTION. All of us, even though we do not like to admit it, have blind spots in our lives. Others see certain areas for growth, certain defects or even virtues that we have, while we can easily become blind to them. Lay people who are sincerely pursuing a life of perfection in the pursuit of holiness urgently need a well-trained spiritual director. Even more does this apply to the person of the priest! As a priest, blind spots can be many. However, the essence of spiritual direction is not simply to point out or highlight blind spots, but rather to help the priest grow in his spiritual life. To be blunt and to the point, one of the essential hallmarks of good spiritual direction is to help the person who is being directed to grow deeper in their prayer life, to grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus who must be their BEST FRIEND! (We have circled around to the first point or number of this essay!) Saint John of the Cross, Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint Frances de Sales, Saint Faustina, Saint Margaret Mary Alaqoque, and many other saints trumpeted the importance of spiritual direction. May all priests of the world have recourse to periodic spiritual direction as a step on the Highway to Holiness and perfection!

10. IN DEFENSE OF THE VIRTUE OF PURITY/CHASTITY.  In the Sermon on the Mount, one of the Beatitudes that Jesus taught highlights the importance of purity: “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God.” (Mt. 5: 8) Due to the immoral climate or milieu of the modern world, all people, but in a special way, the priest who is consecrated to God in mind, spirit, and body must make a concerted effort to guard his mind, his eyes, his heart, his body, and his whole being. Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary and her purest and Immaculate Heart is without doubt one of the most powerful and efficacious means to attain protection of the virtue of purity and perseverance in such a challenging but important virtue! May all priests be consecrated to the purest Immaculate Heart of Mary!

11. PRAYER AND PENANCE, POWER IN PRIESTLY PERFOMRANCE!  Jesus asserted: “Some devils can be cast out only by prayer and penance.” (Mt. 17: 21) As has been stated, a priest must be a man of prayer. The Daily Holy Hour is a prime example. However, that is not enough. To conquer the devil, the flesh, and the world in his own life, a priest must apply himself to a life of penance, to an ascetical life, to a life of mortification, to a life of self-denial. In the year of the Priesthood in the Pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI, this holy Pontiff took and named as a model for priests, Saint John Marie Vianney, known as the Saint Cure of Ars. It is very difficult to find a more holy, zealous, prayerful, but also penitential priest than this true man of God, this saint!

12. ZEAL FOR SOULS.  Another characteristic note or virtue of the priest. The true man of God should have an ardent zeal and passion for the salvation of Immortal Souls. Saint Thomas Aquinas stated that one soul is worth more than the whole created universe. The motto of the holy and zealous priest, Saint John Bosco, was: “GIVE ME SOULS AND TAKE ALL THE REST AWAY!” It stands to reason that if the priest has a deep and dynamic relationship with Jesus as his Best Friend, then the priest should love what Jesus loves and that is the salvation of Immortal Souls. In fact, the reason for Jesus’s Incarnation, Passion, Death and Resurrection was precisely this: SAVIOR—TO SAVE SOULS FOR ALL ETERNITY!

13. DAILY EXAMEN.  Saint Ignatius of Loyola, in bequeathing to the world so many spiritual gems, so many spiritual practices, left us what is called THE DAILY EXAMEN. There are five steps: 1) Thanksgiving to God for His abundant blessings; 2) Beg for the grace to review the day objectively; 3) See where your heart has been during the course of the day; 4) Humbly admit failures; 5) Renewal/Proposal for the following day as a result of self-knowledge so as to avoid falling into the failures of the past. If a priest can carry out this practice every day for ten minutes, this will be of immense value for him to be aware of the Presence of God, as well as of the enemy. He will be training himself to recognize and reject the temptations of the enemy, and open his heart to the inspirations of the Good Spirit.

14. CULTIVATION OF THE SPIRIT OF JOY IN THE PRIESTLY HEART.  Pope Francis time and time again has insisted upon the prime importance of cultivating joy and living out joy in bringing the Joy of the Gospel to a broken and wounded world. Indeed, if the priest is firmly convinced of His friendship with Jesus, if the priest is deeply rooted in his relationship with Jesus, then necessarily in the depths of his heart he will experience the fruits of the Holy Spirit, most especially a profound peace, as well as an overflowing joy. Saint Paul exhorts us: “Rejoice in the Lord; I say it again, rejoice in the Lord.” (Phil. 4: 4)

15. MARY: THE MOTHER OF GOD, THE MOTHER OF THE CHURCH, AND THE MOTHER OF THE PRIESTS.  Underneath the cross on Good Friday stood the two greatest lovers of Jesus on earth—the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint John the Evangelist, also known as Saint John the Beloved. This Apostle, who leaned on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was indeed Jesus’ Best Friend. However, Jesus pronounced these words from the cross to Saint John and to all the priests of the world until the end of time: “Woman, behold thy son; son, behold thy Mother. From that moment the beloved disciple took Mary into his home.” (Jn. 19: 26-27) Taking Mary into the home of John means for the priest that he must take Mary into the very depths of his heart. The priest must frequently talk to Mary on all occasions about all that is going on in his life, his heart, his work, his joys and sorrows, his victories and failures, his fears and shadows, his desires, aspirations, and dreams. Like Saint John, the Blessed Mother who leads the priest to Jesus always, must be for the priest his Mother of Mercy, his life, his sweetness, and his hope!

Copyright 2020 Oblates of the Virgin Mary
St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA

Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Son of God Became Man

Paragraph 1 – Why Did The Word Become Flesh?

456 – With the Nicene Creed, we answer by confessing: “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.”

457 – The Word became flesh for us in order to save us by reconciling us with God, who “loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins”: “the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world”, and “he was revealed to take away sins”: Sick, our nature demanded to be healed; fallen, to be raised up; dead, to rise again. We had lost the possession of the good; it was necessary for it to be given back to us. Closed in the darkness, it was necessary to bring us the light; captives, we awaited a Savior; prisoners, help; slaves, a liberator. Are these things minor or insignificant? Did they not move God to descend to human nature and visit it, since humanity was in so miserable and unhappy a state?

458 – The Word became flesh so that thus we might know God’s love: “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.” “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

459 – The Word became flesh to be our model of holiness: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.” “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.” On the mountain of the Transfiguration, the Father commands: “Listen to him!” Jesus is the model for the Beatitudes and the norm of the new law: “Love one another as I have loved you.” This love implies an effective offering of oneself, after his example.

460 – The Word became flesh to make us “partakers of the divine nature”: “For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God.” “For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.” “The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.”

 

Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians 2:1-11

If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing.

Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but [also] everyone for those of others.

Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.

Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.

Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

“For greater things you were born.” (Ven. Mother Luisita)

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22nd Lk.1: 46-56    Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.”

Part 1: Poverty of Jesus, Son of God made man by St. Peter Julian Eymard
Part 2: LESSONS FROM THE CHILD JESUS: GOD’S WISDOM! By Father Ed Broom, OMV

PART 1:  The Poverty of Jesus, Son of God made man. From the writings of St. Peter Julian Eymard as presented by Fr. John Hardon, S.J.

 Of the virtues Our Lord in the Eucharist is now practicing in order to inspire us to follow His example, none is more basic than His poverty. Jesus wanted to be the poorest of the poor, in order to be able to stretch out His hand to the lowliest of men and say to them, “I am your brother.”

Consider…  No man was ever born in more wretched conditions than the Word Incarnate, who had the trough of animals for His cradle, their shelter for His home. As a child, He fed on barley bread, the bread of the poor. In the hidden years He took up the awl and the hammer to earn bread by the sweat of His brow. During His apostolic life He lived on alms. He died in a state of destitution that will never be equaled… stripped of His garments, His honor, His Divinity hidden!

Now that He is risen and glorious, He still takes poverty for His companion… Jesus, dwelling in our midst in His Sacrament, is poorer than during the days of His mortal life! His home is often but a poor church, worse perhaps than the cave of Bethlehem, where His tabernacle may consist of nothing more than four boards, which themselves are worm-eaten! His priests or His faithful people must give Him everything: the matter of the Sacrament, the bread and the wine; the linen on which to place Him or with which to cover Him; the corporals, the altar cloths. He brings nothing from heaven except His adorable Person and His love! Silent, obedient, humbly waiting in the tabernacle for His faithful to come visit Him… for His ministers to take Him out for adoration, to visit the sick, to be viaticum for the dying.

What is Jesus teaching us? He’s teaching us that He is to be imitated twice over: once as the God-man who lived a mortal life in Palestine and once again as the same Incarnate God who is now living His glorified life in the Blessed Sacrament… in poverty, silence, humility, obedience, compassion, merciful forgiveness, love.

Christ is to be followed and His virtues imitated here and now as they are lived by Him in the Holy Eucharist in our midst! The Eucharistic Presence of Jesus is the Mystery of Faith that we are called upon not only to venerate and adore, but to model our lives on in this valley of tears as a condition of reaching our heavenly home.

PART 2: 
LESSONS FROM THE CHILD JESUS: GOD’S WISDOM! By Father Ed Broom, OMV

Jesus stated it very clearly: “Unless you become like a child you cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Mt. 18:3) Also, on one occasion when the Apostles were trying to prevent the children from coming to Jesus, the Lord said forcefully: “Let the children come to me; if you do not become like a little child you cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” (Mt. 19:14)

OUR LADY OF FATIMA AND CHILDREN.  One of the most famous modern approved apparitions is that of Our Lady of Fatima. God sent His Mother from heaven to a little town in Portugal, called Fatima, in the year 1917, six times from May 13 through October 13. Who did Our Lady appear to? The brilliant? The scholars? The rich and important? The flashy and ostentatious? To none of these did Our Lady appear. Rather, she appeared to three little children—tenders of sheep, and with no formal education! God’s ways are not our ways—this is certain!

GOD’S PROVIDENTIAL DESIGN.  God could have chosen any one of limitless possibilities as a means to ransom or save humanity after the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, the sin that we call Original Sin. God could have come as a powerful King, or a rich millionaire, or a brilliant genius, or a plethora of other flashy, fantastic ways! But no! God’s ways are as different from our ways as heaven is from the earth! In His Providential design, God willed to save the world by what theologians call The Incarnation—meaning? God willed to become one of us, to become a man like us with this exception—He was born without sin, lived a sinless life, and died on the cross to save us from our sins!

AS A CHILD.  Furthermore, God willed to enter the world by the same means by which we entered the world—through a woman. God chose Mary to be the channel by which He would enter humanity. The Ever Virgin Mary conceived Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit and maintained her virginity even in the moment of giving birth to Jesus.

THE CHILD JESUS —THE SON OF GOD.  Jesus was the baby born of Mary. This Virgin Mother took Him in her tender arms, wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and nestled Him close to her most pure and Immaculate Heart. Then Mary placed Jesus on the hay in the manger. The word manger comes from French and means to eat! It was the feeding trough of the animals. Later on, as an adult, Jesus would challenge people to nourish themselves on His Body and Blood if they wanted to live, and live forever. I am the Bread of life. Whoever eats my Body and drinks my Blood will have everlasting life and I will raise Him up on the last day. (Jn. 6: 22-71—Bread of Life discourse).

BETHLEHEM: HOUSE OF BREAD.  There are no coincidences or unexpected circumstances in God’s providential designs. The word Bethlehem actually means House of Bread. No surprise that Jesus, who was born in the city of the House of Bread, would declare Himself the Bread of life and challenge us that our eternal salvation hinges upon our consuming Him in Mass and Holy Communion as the Bread of Life.

IMPORTANT LESSONS FROM THE CHILD JESUS.

There are many lessons to learn from God becoming man, being in the womb of Mary for nine months, and finally being born as a little Baby. Let us dig deep into this goldmine and derive abundant treasures for our meditation, imitation, transformation, sanctification, and perseverance! What then are the lessons of the Infant-Child Jesus?

1. DEPENDENCY. Even though the Baby Jesus was God, the Son of God made man, still He made Himself totally dependent on others, most especially Mary and Saint Joseph. Jesus would live this attitude of dependency on His Heavenly Father during the whole course of His life! In our spiritual lives we must develop and cultivate a child-like dependency on God in all times, places, and circumstances. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus challenges us to trust by contemplating nature—the lilies of the field and the birds of the air. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” (Mt. 6: 36-39) In His Public life Jesus had no permanent home, saying: “The foxes have their holes and the birds of the air their nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to rest His head.” (Lk. 9: 58) Again, total trust in the Father!

2. HUMILITY. The littleness of the Infant Jesus is an extraordinary example of humility. God loves the humble but casts down the mighty from their thrones. Mary’s Magnificat: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.” (Lk. 1: 46-55). He chose the Pharisee over the Publican, humility over an overweening pride. (Lk. 18:9-14) When a man, on one occasion Jesus described His own Sacred Heart using these two descriptions: I am meek and humble of heart… (Mt.11:29) Arrogance, conceit, haughtiness, and self-importance are all alien to the person of the child, and most especially the Child-Jesus! May He inspire us to pursue a life of great humility!

3. GOD ALONE! Once again, even though Jesus was, is, and always will be God, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity, He chose to enter the portals of this world not in a palace, castle, or opulent mansion. On the contrary, He entered this world being born in a stable that served as a refuge for animals. A good part of the warmth of that little cave was the presence, the heat, and the breath of the animals there! We must learn that pursuing money, possessions, power and esteem will not fill us with authentic Joy. Pleasure that passes, yes, but true and lasting Joy, no! The Child Jesus born in Bethlehem teaches us to find true happiness not in the created world, but in the Creator of the world—Jesus the Lord. Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen penned it so eloquently: The Creator of the universe had no place to be born in His own creation!

4. INNOCENCE. In a world where innocence is being lost, even among our children due to an uncontrolled use of modern technology, the Infant Jesus teaches us clearly and unequivocally the importance of striving to live lives of innocence—freedom from sin. Still more, the Innocent Child Jesus in the arms of Mother Mary challenges us to strive to protect the innocence of our children threatened by so many modern wolves!

5. CHILDLIKE SIMPLICITY: INSPIRING TRUST. In the overly complicated world that we have created, we should all long for a more simple, humble, frugal, transparent, as well as detached life-style. Models for us would be Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and the children of Fatima—Saint Jacinta Marto, Saint Francisco Marto, and their cousin, Servant of God Lucia de los Santos. By contemplating the Little Baby Jesus resting peacefully in the arms of Mary, His loving Mother, may we learn to strive for Evangelical Poverty and simplicity. Saint Ignatius of Loyola points out that nobody is afraid to approach an innocent little baby—a strong, aggressive warrior, yes!—but not an innocent little Baby.

May the Infant-Baby Jesus resting in the loving and tender arms of His Mother Mary inspire us to greater trust, greater dependency on God, greater humility, greater simplicity, and a life of detachment from things so that we can be totally anchored and rooted in God!

Copyright 2020 Oblates of the Virgin Mary
St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA

Making a prophecy about Jesus, the Prophet Isaiah speaks about wounds, about wounds that would be inflicted on the Body of Jesus Christ. The Prophet states: “It is by His wounds that we are healed.” (Is. 53:5) Of course, the Prophet Isaiah, inspired by the Holy Spirit, projecting himself into the future, was prophesying the Sorrowful Passion of Jesus.

Jesus’ scourging at the Pillar, His crowning with thorns, His falling under the weight of the cross and His wounded shoulder where the weight of cross cut deeply, His hands and feet nailed to the cross, and finally His Sacred Heart wounded and pierced with the lance are all graphic and evident depictions of the wounds of Jesus.

OUR WOUNDED PERSON.  Every person entering into this wounded world of humanity, enters wounded. The Original Sin inherited from our first parents, Adam and Eve, is the first wound that is inflicted on us, even though we do not will this. Our personal and actual sins wound us still more. Even more, living in a wounded and dysfunctional family that is the world, and our own natural family, we receive many wounds; we in turn, wound our family members and others.

In a word, as part of wounded humanity, all of us are walking, gaping, and dripping wounded persons. Whether we know this, deny this, or simply ignore this wounded condition, it does not change the reality of wounded humanity and wounded individuals.

Therefore, turning the corner, with our hearts and minds lifted on high with great hope and trust in God and His infinite love for all of humanity, and His overflowing love for each and every one of us individually, let us present a plan to work for our healing, the healing of our family, the healing of the Church, and the healing of the world at large. Indeed, healing is a real possibility!

Off the bat, it must be asserted this all-encompassing truth: either we will be wounded wounders or we will be wounded healers! Our hope and prayer is that you will choose to be part of the army of the wounded-healers!

This being the case, let us look at some positive and concrete steps that we can take to attain to this healing so as to be an instrument of healing in the world and starting in our own family. Let’s start!

PLAN FOR PROCESS OF BEING A WOUNDED HEALER

1. HUMBLE ADMISSION OF MY WOUNDED NATURE. Now if we are living in a state of denial in which we state that we are really not wounded, then the healing process will never take place. There is a well-know proverb in Spanish: “No hay peor ciego que aquel que no quiere verl no hay peor sordo que aquel quen no quiere oir.” Translation: “There is no worse blind man than he who does not want to see; there is no worse deaf person than he who does not want to hear.” Many alcoholics will never be healed for the simple reason that they do not admit that they have problems with drinking. Quite simply, we must admit, “I am a wounded person!”

2. BEG FOR HEALING. Time and time again the blind, the deaf, the paralytics, the lepers, and the many wounded people would approach Jesus with faith and trust and they would be healed, and more often than not, the healing was immediate! Like Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, we must beg the Lord first to see our own blindness, to recognize our woundedness, and then beg the Lord to stretch out His hand and heal us. “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened.” (Mt. 7:7)

3. SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION. The Sacraments are exterior signs instituted by Christ to confer grace. One of the Sacraments that was instituted specifically for healing is the Sacrament of Confession, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Sacrament of God’s Infinite Mercy. If you like, every time we sin, our soul is marked with a wound, a moral wound. The more often we sin, the deeper are the moral wounds. On the contrary, a well-prepared, well-done Confession heals these wounds. The Precious Blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross on Good Friday, washes and heals our moral wounds—these we call sins! Any person who has made a good Sacramental Confession can testify to the joy, peace, happiness, lightness of soul, and the healing presence and power of God when they leave the confessional. What medicine is to the sick body, Confession is to the ailing soul!

4. COMMUNION. The specific Sacramental grace of Confession is healing of the soul. Whereas the specific Sacramental grace of Holy Communion and the Eucharist is nourishment. Still, one of the secondary effects of a worthy and fervent Holy Communion is that of healing. Such that the Council of Trent specifies that Holy Communion can serve as an antidote to heal our daily infirmities—meaning, our venial sins. On one occasion, Saint Faustina experienced great weaknesses in the chest due to lung failure. She received Holy Communion and experienced the healing power of grace and the Real Presence of Jesus healing even her bodily weakness! It is the same Jesus who healed the many sick people 2000 years ago. His strength never abates!

 5. FORGIVENESS, MERCY, RECONCILIATION. Jesus stated that if you come to the altar to offer your gift and you recognize that your brother has something against you,  leave your gift and first be reconciled with your brother. Then return to offer the gift to God. Many wounds, foul and festering in our hearts and souls, derive from resentments (often for years) that we cling to and are unwilling to relinquish. By forgiving some person who has hurt you, and asking for forgiveness from those you have hurt, you are really setting the captive free, and that captive-prisoner set free is yourself! As the Catholic English poet put it: “To err is human; to forgive is divine.” (Alexander Pope)

6. HONEST CONVERSATION BEFORE JESUS ON THE CROSS. Another most efficacious means by which the healing process of our soul can take place can be through prayer. Like the little boy, Marcelino, in the movie Miracle of Marcelino or in Spanish Marcelino Pan y Vino, we should sit before Jesus nailed on the cross and contemplate His gaping wounds—His hands and feet and opened side—and unload. Tell the Lord Jesus about your hurts, your wounds, your cuts and bruises from the past all the way up to the present, and even your fears about possible future wounds. Jesus is the best of listeners, and He has great love for you and compassion for your wounds. Simply by opening up to Jesus, “The wounded-healer”, your healing will take place.

 7. KISSING THE WOUNDS. After your open and loving conversation with Jesus on the cross, end by approaching the Crucifix, Jesus hanging on the cross for love of you, and thank the Lord. Tell the Lord how much you love Him. Then one by one, kiss each and every one of His five wounds. Saint Francis and the saints would do this, why can’t we? This expression of love brings great comfort to the Heart of Christ, as well as to the Heart of Mary, His Mother.

8. PRAY THE ANIMA CHRISTI. One of the prayers that Saint Ignatius treasured most was the ANIMA CHRISTI. This prayer can serve as an excellent prayer of thanksgiving after receiving Holy Communion. When you have the Real Presence of Jesus in the very depths of your soul, His Precious Blood flowing through your veins, His wounds ready to heal your wounds, then pray that prayer. In this prayer you actually pray for healing from the Body of Christ that you have just received in Holy Communion. By His wounds we are healed. (See Appendix below for the Anima Christi Prayer)

9. LEARN TO LOVE GOD AND LEARN TO LOVE OTHERS. The famous novelist, Taylor Caldwell, in her masterpiece about Saint Luke, Dear and Glorious Physician, presents a vivid scene illustrating the power of love as a healing force. There is a man who is very sick and has gone to many physicians seeking healing, but to no avail. Hearing of the healing power of Saint Luke, the Dear and Glorious Physician, he approaches Luke. The love, compassion, kindness, and gentleness that exude from this Dear and Glorious Physician heals the sick man there and then. The man really had no apparent sickness. Quite simply, he needed the human love and compassion that he had never received before. For this reason, the saintly Mother Teresa of Calcutta commented that New York City is the poorest city because of the coldness and lack of love in people’s hearts. Therefore, if you learn to love God and truly practice loving and serving others, healing will take place in your entire being!

10. OUR LADY: HEALTH OF THE SICK! Among the many titles given to Our Lady is also that of Health of the Sick. It is recorded in the life of Saint Therese of Lisieux that she was suffering a serious malady. Lifting up her gaze, she saw a beautiful statue of Our Lady and she prayed to her. The future saint was healed instantly. Saint Frances de Sales received great emotional healing by lifting his gaze to Our Lady of Victory and praying the Memorare, attributed to Saint Bernard. If you turn to Our Lady, Health of the Sick, and offer to her your wounds, she will heal those wounds by her most powerful intercession. “Never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided.” (Memorare Prayer)

In conclusion, friends in Jesus and Mary, we enter a wounded world with our own wound from Original Sin. Other wounds come, and continue to come through our personal sins. People wound us, often those with whom we share our lives, that is to say, our family members. We, too, wound others by our thoughts, words, and deeds. There are really two options: either we will become Wounded Wounders or we will become Wounded Healers. Let us choose the latter. Let us turn to Jesus, the Wounded Healer and place our wounds in His wounds, and as a result we will be transformed into Wounded Healers in a broken and wounded world. Mary Our Lady, our life, our sweetness, and our hope, be there to touch and heal wounded humanity!

 Appendix:

 ANIMA CHRISTI

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O Good Jesus, hear me.
Within your wounds hide me.
Suffer me not to be separated from you.
From the malignant enemy, defend me.
At the hour of death, call me
and bid me come to you.
That with your saints I may praise you
Forever and ever. Amen.