Every day of May offer Mary a gesture of love…

June is the month that we traditionally honor the most Sacred Heart of Jesus, the most eloquent symbol of love for us. In November, we make a concerted effort to pray, offer Masses and sacrifices for the souls in Purgatory, especially the most abandoned and forgotten. July, in the heat of Summer, the most Precious Blood of Jesus that was shed for our eternal salvation we not only honor, but we praise and worship. We were redeemed at a dear price, the Precious Blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

THE MONTH OF MAY.  The poets sing, write, and chant the glamour and splendor of May, the crown of Spring, with poetic verses that ring as such: “April flowers bring May flowers.” However, it must be declared with an overflowing joy that the most beautiful flower in May is Mary. The Italian poet Dante presents Mary in his literary classic ,“The Divine Comedy”, as the MYSTICAL ROSE!!! Of all of the flowers in God’s Heavenly Garden, Mary, the Mystical Rose, is by far the most splendid, fragrant, redolent, glorious, and breath-takingly beautiful. How interesting that the word ROSARY comes from the same linguistic origin as Rose. The Rosary indeed is a bouquet of roses that we present in prayer (the 50 Hail Marys) to Mary, the Queen of Heaven and earth.

The great Saint John Bosco had a tender and filial trust and love for Mary.  Among the many titles given to Our Lady, the favorite for Bosco, the patron of the youth, was that of OUR LADY HELP OF CHRISTIANS. In the prayer, The Memorare: “Never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided….” So that the youth could attain to virtue and holiness, and especially the virtue of chastity, Saint John Bosco did all in his power to instill in them a tender, trusting and loving devotion to Mary, Our Lady Help of Christians.

One of the practices of Saint Bosco that he encouraged in the Oratory for his youth was to live out the month of Mary, but in a very special way. All of May, Bosco wanted the youth to have Our Lady in their minds and in the depths of their hearts.

Saint John Bosco suggested that every day, starting with the first day of May until the last, they should try to offer Our Lady some small sacrifice, prayer, offering, penance, or gesture—and even though little, if done with love, it would have incalculable value.

In our own humble and simple way, we would like to follow in the footsteps of Saint John Bosco, the towering saint of the 19^th century, and offer a concrete offering, gift, prayer, sacrifice that we can offer to Mary every day in May.  Remember May is the month of Mary; April showers bring May flowers. Mary is the Mystical Rose that radiates beauty and fragrance, not only in Heaven but wherever she is invoked, honored and loved in all the corners of the earth.

MONTH OF MARY: 30 GIFTS TO THE MOTHER OF GOD

1. MORNING OFFERING.  Upon rising in the morning, start off the day by offering ourselves and all we do to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

2. ANGELUS.  To honor Mary during the course of the day, pray the Angelus at noon, or whenever you please. This prayer gives Mary great honor because it calls to mind the two key moments in the history of salvation and Mary’s role in them: The Incarnation of the Son of God and the Paschal Mystery—His Passion, Death and Resurrection. Mary played a key role in both.

3. REGINA CAELI.  Actually, this is the Marian prayer that is prayed in the Easter Season to honor Our Lady who rejoices in the fact of the Resurrection of Jesus. Not only did Mary suffer intensely beneath the cross on Good Friday, but she also rejoiced exultantly at His Resurrection from the dead.

4. GOLDEN HAIL MARY.  As suggested by Saint Gertrude the Great, at times pray the Hail Mary slowly and meditate on and ponder in depth the meaning of the words in the Angelic salutation—another more formal name for the Hail Mary.

5. MEMORARE.  Saint Frances de Sales, when going through a most profound desolation, prayed the MEMORARE (Marian prayer attributed to Saint Bernard) in the Church of Our Lady of Victory. His desolation disappeared immediately, like mist exposed to the brilliant light of the sun. 

6. HAIL HOLY QUEEN.  With fervor and devotion, pray the prayer that we say to conclude the most Holy Rosary: “Hail Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope….” In the midst of the trials, tribulations, and contradictions of life entrust your failures to Mary and she will turn your sadness into an overflowing joy.

7. MARY: STAR OF THE SEA.  Meditate upon one of the most beautiful Marian poems ever penned—by Saint Bernard, the Mellifluous Doctor of the Church. Mary is truly STELLA MARIS—THE STAR OF THE SEA! Sailors would follow the star of the sea to lead them safely and securely to the port. So in the midst of the many tempests that we must sail through, let us never fail to lift our gaze to Mary, STELLA MARIS—STAR OF THE SEA. Her gentle but powerful persuasion will lead us safe and sound to our Heavenly Home.

8. MARIAN HYMNS: IMMACULATE MARY, HAIL HOLY QUEEN.  As the poet states: “The lover sings a song of love.” If we truly love Mary, we will rejoice in singing to her some joyful song or hymn. Among my three favorites are the following: Sing of Mary, Hail Holy Queen, and Immaculate Mary. Choose one of your favorite Marian songs and sing it with love to Mary with all your heart.

9. STUDY!  If we really want to love Mary then we should strive to get to know her by reading about Mary. Make it a point to read some good books, articles, documents, encyclicals on Mary for the month of May.

10. TRUE DEVOTION TO MARY, ST. LOUIS DE MONTFORT.  Of all of the treatises on Mary with respect to consecration to her, True Devotion to Mary by Saint Louis de Montfort is a world classic. Read, learn, love and live it! It will change your life! Indeed, Mary is the shortcut to Jesus!

11. GLORIES OF MARY.  Another universal Marian classic is GLORIES OF MARY. The author is one of the greatest Doctors of the Church, Saint Alphonsus Liguori. Of all of the many wrings of this great saint, this was his masterpiece. This literary Marian Masterpiece simply takes the prayer, the HAIL HOLY QUEEN, and explains it word for word, taking from the rich resources of the Bible, the Doctors of the Church, and the saints. This masterpiece will move you to tears of emotion for love of Mary.

12. TOTAL CONSECRATION TO JESUS THROUGH THE MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY. Author? Yours truly, Fr. Ed Broom, OMV. Get to know the riches of Mary by plumbing the depths of the most Holy Rosary through the treasures of Sacred Scripture—available at Sophia Press!

13. MAY 13th.  Get to know and love Mary through the message of Our Lady of Fatima. May 13^th was the first of six apparitions of Our Lady to three Shepherd children—Saint Francisco, Saint Jacinta, and Lucia de los Santos.

14. MOVIES.  View some good movies on Our Lady. There are many! A classic that recounts in a marvelous fashion Our Lady of Lourdes and her 18 appearances to St. Bernadette has the title: “The Song of Bernadette.”

15. FOLLOW UP…  More recently, as a follow up to the apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes and her appearances to Bernadette, would be the life of Bernadette after she entered the convent to become a Religious Sister in Nevers. The title of this movie is “The Passion of Bernadette.” The “Passion” is rightly titled because once Bernadette entered the convent of Sisters, the rest of her life was basically one of suffering—therefore, “The Passion of Bernadette.

16. SHORT PRAYERS TO HONOR MARY DURING THE DAY.  During the course of the day shoot fiery arrows, short prayers of love for Mary, through the skies so as to enkindle your love for Mary. We must constantly fan the flames of our love; otherwise, love extinguishes. An example: “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

17. ANOTHER SHORT PRAYER:  “Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.“

18. ENTHRONE THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, WITH THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS.  A devotion very pleasing to both Jesus and Mary is that of the double enthronement: the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and alongside, the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Many graces will flow from honoring publicly in your homes these two Hearts which are clear symbols of their love for us.

19. SCAPULAR.  Have yourself enrolled in the brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel—many graces flow from this formal and official enrollment. Once enrolled, you are enrolled for life and receive many blessings from the Carmelite Order.

20. KISS THE SCAPULAR.  Interesting note: the kissing of the Scapular with devotion results in receiving a partial indulgence that can be applied to the souls in Purgatory. The kiss is a concrete sign of our love for Our Heavenly Mother.

21. GARMENT OF GRACE.  Purchase and read the small booklet “GARMENT OF GRACE.” As a brief, concise and clear explanation of the Scapular this little booklet is a gem! It explains the history of the Scapular, the miracles that have been attributed to it, and a brief catechism at the end of the booklet. Buy it! Read it! You will never regret it!

22. MIRACULOUS MEDAL.  Wear this as a sign of your devotion to Mary. Saint Maximilian Kolbe had great devotion to Our Lady under the title of the Immaculata! He formed the Militia of the Immaculata to fight against the pernicious diffusion of the Masons one hundred years ago. He said of the Miraculous Medal: “This is truly our heavenly weapon, a bullet with which a faithful soldier hits the enemy, i.e. evil, and thus rescues souls.”

23. GIVE OUT THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL.  Once again, Kolbe would carry these medals and give them out as his spiritual bullets. Study the symbolism and upon giving the Medal as a gift take advantage of the opportunity to give a good catechesis on Marian devotion.

24. MARIA COGITA, MARIA INVOCA.  This is a classical emblem for the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, a Congregation dedicated to spreading devotion to Mary. (I actually belong to this Congregation!) The Latin phrase translated means: “Think of Mary, Invoke Mary”. Why not spend a day in May striving to think about Mary during the course of the day and invoke her frequently. This day will result in many graces!

25. FIRST SATURDAY OF MAY.  Look up and carry out the requests of Our Lady of Fatima to the world and once again many blessings will be showered upon you!

26. FIRST SATURDAY REQUESTS OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA as listed:

1) Sacramental Confession; 2) Mass and Holy Communion of Reparation; 3) Reparation for the sins against the Immaculate Heart of Mary; 4) Pray the Rosary; 5) Meditate upon the mysteries of the most Holy Rosary.

27. COMMUNION OF REPARATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY. FIVE SPECIFIC AREAS OF REPARATION TOWARD MARY’S HEART:

1) Sins against the Immaculate Conception.

2) Sins against her Perpetual Virginity.

3) Sins against her Divine Maternity.

4) Sins of those who have profaned and desecrated her images.

5) Sins of those scandalizing children.

28. MARIAN LITURGICAL FEASTS FOR MAY.  Honor Mary in the month of May by attending Mass in her honor for the two Marian Feast-days in May. May 13^th—the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima; May 31^st—the Visitation of Mary to St Elizabeth.

29. HOLY COMMUNION.  Receive Holy Communion through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. If done with love, the effects of your Holy Communions will be much more efficacious. A short prayer before receiving Holy Communion: “Jesus, come to me through the Heart of Mary.”

30. HOLY ROSARY.  Of course the month of May would be incomplete if we did not mention the importance of praying the most Holy Rosary. Our Lady of Fatima said six times: PRAY THE ROSARY!!! In the words of the Rosary priest, Father Patrick Peyton: “The family that prays together stays together” and “A world at prayer is a world at peace”.

31. SPEAK TO OTHERS ABOUT YOUR LOVE FOR MARY.  If we truly love a person then we cannot help talking about that person with great enthusiasm. This should apply to Jesus, Mary, and Saint Joseph. Proclaim the greatness of Mary and you will glorify the Lord.

The Words of Mary in the Magnificat say it all, Mary said: “My soul does magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”. Friends in Jesus and Mary, let us all honor Mary in a special way in the month of May. Following in the footsteps of Saint John Bosco, let us try to do some concrete gesture, prayer, sacrifice, homage to Mary every day of May. In return, she will attain for you the choicest graces in this life and in eternal life in our life to come!

The saints are fascinating! Colorful, dynamic, charismatic, different in time, place, culture, and temperament, but truly inspiring, appealing and worthy of imitation in all times and places.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church gives two poignant reasons why we should venerate, honor and trust in the presence of the saints. Remember that the Church is a family with three different dimensions: the Church Suffering, the souls in Purgatory; the Church Militant, the soldiers of Christ fighting for Christ and salvation (those living—us); and finally, the Church Triumphant, the saints in Heaven. Even though physically dead, in spirit the saints in Heaven are more alive than ever—the Church Triumphant, the Communion of saints.

The two specific ways in which the saints can help us are the following: 1) The power of intercession; 2) The splendid example that they have left us to imitate and emulate. They indeed are our glorious Friends in Heaven.

INTERCESSION. They can pray for us. Most especially they pray fervently for us, for our conversion, sanctification and eternal salvation, when we think about them and especially talk to them—that is to say, pray to them. Their prayers are powerful because they are God’s closest Friends in Heaven, and always will be, without any change.

IMITATION/EMULATION.  In life we all need models, heroes, examples to follow, to encourage us and for us to imitate—especially this is the case in the realm of virtue and holiness. 

SAINTS ARE DIFFERENT BUT ALIKE.  The saints all differ in the time they lived, the culture they assumed, their intellectual acumen, as well as their character and temperament. However, the saints have a common ground that indeed is universal in all times and places. The common thread that unites all saints is quite simply their love for Jesus, the Saint of all saints, Jesus who indeed became their Best Friend on earth, their WAY, TRUTH, AND LIFE!

UNIVERSAL CALL TO HOLINESS.  The saints are in heaven but are given by God the power to work on earth in our lives. If we call upon them they hear our prayers and present our prayers before the throne of God, who hears our prayers and helps us. An unknown fact among the immense majority of believers is what is found in Chapter V of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church titled “The Universal call to holiness.” In Lumen Gentium, considered the most important Dogmatic Constitution from the Second Vatican Council, the fifth Chapter insists that holiness, becoming a saint is a universal calling. All of us and each one of us individually are called to become saints, and great saints.

The following are several Biblical passages, as well as what some of the saints have said on the universal call to holiness. Once again, it is not optional that of becoming a saint—rather it is obligatory! If you like it expressed grammatically, it is not conditional, but an imperative! It must be done! Not just whimsical or wishful thinking, but an imperious command!

FIRST OF ALL: WHAT THE BIBLE—THE WORD OF GOD TELLS US. JESUS SAYS…

1. “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.”

2. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for holiness, they will be satisfied.”

3. Saint Paul to the Thessalonians: “This is the will of your Heavenly Father, your sanctification.”

SECOND: WHAT HAVE THE SAINTS SAID ABOUT THE CALL TO HOLINESS…

1. SAINT MOTHER TERESA OF CALCUTTA.  She was known to have said to young women, “If you want to become a sister, you have to become a saint; if not, do not come to be a Missionary of Charity.” To all, Saint Mother Teresa asserted emphatically: “Holiness (becoming a saint) is not the privilege of the few, but is the duty of all.”

2. LEO BLOY (Famous French Catholic Writer) said: “The only real sadness, the only real failure, the only great tragedy in life, is not to become a saint.”

3. ST. JOSEMARIA ESCRIVA DE BALAGUER.  This modern saint, the founder of Opus Dei, insisted to all of the members of Opus Dei—The Work of God that all should work upon holiness according to their own state of life:  plumber, teacher, gardener, shoe shiner, married man or woman, nun, priest, Bishop—all are called to become saints according to their state or vocation in life. Saint Josemaria was known to have stated: “The biggest crisis in the world is the lack of saints.”

4. SAINT DOMINIC SAVIO AND SAINT JOHN BOSCO.  The Patron of youth, Saint Dominic Savio, who died at age 14, met Saint John Bosco and asked the saintly priest for a special grace. Savio said to Bosco: “I am the cloth and you are the tailor; now make of me a saint.” May we all place our lives in hands of the saints, the true friends of God, and beg them to pray for us so that we can become the saints that God has destined for us from all eternity.

5. SAINT FRANCES DE SALES: INTRODUCTION TO THE DEVOUT LIFE.  The meek, kind and gentle Doctor of the Church, Saint Frances de Sales, penned a literary-spiritual classic: Introduction to the Devout Life. The entirety of this universal Literary classic are chapters with practical steps teaching us decisions and actions we should undertake to arrive at living out heroic holiness—becoming the saint that God wills for us.

6. SERVANT OF GOD LUCIA DE LOS SANTOS (SEER OF FATIMA).  On the day of her First Holy Communion, as a little Shepherd girl receiving the Eucharistic Lord Jesus for the first time, Lucia begged for a specific grace: “Lord Jesus, make me a saint!” How true that became.

7. BLESSED CARLOS ACUTIS:  Like Savio, a teenage saint, Carlos made a website on Eucharistic miracles and focused his life on becoming a saint. Blessed Carlos asserted: “The quickest path to holiness is the Holy Eucharist.” Let us take this teenage saint’s advice!

8. SAINT JOSE LUIS SANCHEZ DEL RIO.  Another young saint died as a martyr in the Cristero Revolution in Mexico after being tortured, stabbed and finally shot. He became a saint while being sustained by the Eucharist. When in prison, his aunt smuggled him the Holy Eucharist. The modern movie Mirando al Cielo presents the 14 year old saint as longing to die a martyr. Why? He said he ardently yearned to go to heaven to be with God forever. He said that it was easy! Suffer for a short time, die as a martyr, and Heaven is yours! A saint with the Lord forever!

9. THE CURE OF ARS AND THE DEVIL.  The Cure of Ars spent most of his life as a priest in the out of the way town of Ars, imprisoning himself in the confessional—from 13-18 hours a day, chilled to the bone in the winter and suffering stifling heat in the summer. At the end of his life, the devil appeared and stated that if there were another five men like the Cure of Ars, the devil’s kingdom would be destroyed.

10. OUR LADY AND HOLINESS.  The saints all agree that holiness is a deep relationship with Jesus the Lord, but they also agree, in the words of Saint Luis de Montfort, that “Mary is the quickest, easiest and shortest pathway to holiness”… our shortcut to heaven!

In conclusion, my friends in Jesus, Mary, the angels and the saints, let us not put it off any longer! Let us all strive to become the saint that God has called us to become. Remember the words of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta: “Holiness (to become a saint) is not the privilege of a few, but the duty of all.” Let us all work hard now, collaborate with God’s grace now, and with the help of Mary, the full of grace, we can rest forever in Heaven with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Mary, the angels and the saints!

Pope Pius XII stated, with respect to the understanding of sin, “The sin of the century is the loss of the sense of sin.” This statement took place close to 75 years ago, in a society which by and large had embraced Judeo-Christian values. Those were the days in which probably close to 75% of Catholics in the USA, Europe and Latin America practiced the faith, at least by attending Holy Mass every Sunday.

Today many so-called believers, due to mediocre to poor catechesis, have an extremely poorly formed conscience. How often have we experienced the following scenario! You have guests Saturday evening and in the early evening (about 4:30) you excuse yourself from the company. One of the guests politely asks where you are going; your response, “To Church!” “Why Church?” he asks? Your response, “I am going to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation.” The interested guests blurts out: “Why, what have you done?” Of course you respond by saying that is private between you, the Confessor, and God. With courtesy and politeness, you invite him to come along with you to Confession! Often the response is the following: “I do not have any sins. I have not robbed a bank, or killed anyone!”

The above scenario is very telling to say the least! What surfaces in this conversation is the fact that many Catholics, those who have been brought up and raised in the past half-century or more, have not received a good catechetical formation. This includes the sad fact that their conscience has been poorly formed, inadequately formed, perhaps is deformed, or not even formed at all.

Keenly aware of this sad reality of a society in which the sin of the century is the loss of the sense of sin, Pope Saint John Paul II, elected Pope about 20 years after the death of now Ven. Pope Pius XII, went to work.

One of the first Synods that he convened was precisely on the topic of sin, the conscience, the loss of the sense of sin, and the call to return to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, also known as Confession, Penance, and the Sacrament of God’s Mercy.

After the Synod terminated its studies, interventions and collating of all the contributions, a Post Synod Document was published and promulgated. The official title of this Document was: “Reconciliatio Paenitentia”— in English: “Reconciliation and Penance” (December 2, 1984), an Apostolic Exhortation.

As an intellectual and theological tool to foster a knowledge of sin, the conscience, and a beckoning to return to the reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, this is a spiritual and literary masterpiece.

However, our purpose in this brief essay is to highlight and explain succinctly not simply the reality of sin and the loss of the sense of sin, but to accentuate the lethal effects that sin produces in the person, in the Church, in the society, and in the world at large.

In a society that either negates the reality of sin, or at least trivializes sin as basically insignificant, Pope Saint John Paul II does not mince words in elaborating on the lethal effects of sin.

Therefore, this essay will focus simply on one of the key aspects of sin—its deadly effects; not as seen in the eyes of the world, but as seen by God. The Holy Pontiff actually lists five effects of sin that we will explain succinctly and in any orderly fashion. Every sin has with it these five effects: 1) Theological, 2) Social, 3) Personal, 4) Ecclesial, and 5) Cosmic. We will proceed to explain these effects one at a time.

THE FIVE EFFECTS THAT EVERY SIN PRODUCES—FROM WITHIN TO WITHOUT.

1. THEOLOGICAL EFFECT.  The word actually refers to God Himself. “Theology is the study of God.” Now every time we make the decision to sin, be it in thought, or word, or deed, or even omission, there is an immediate offense against God. It must be emphasized: first and foremost, every sin that is committed is essentially an offense against God. He is the Primary and Principal Person who is offended. Two ideas to drive the point home! Every time we lift our gaze and contemplate Jesus hanging on the cross, shedding every drop of His Precious Blood, we see that Jesus really and truly suffered His Passion and death due to your sins and mine. The Baltimore Catechism portrays a boy nailing Jesus to the cross with the three letters SIN written on the back of his shirt—very graphic and easy to comprehend!

2. SOCIAL EFFECT.  After Cain killed his brother Able due to jealousy, envy, anger and hatred, the murderer blurted out the defiant question: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gn. 4:9) The response is an unequivocal YES!!! It is true, as Saint Paul reminds us, that we have to work out our salvation in fear and trembling. However, Jesus taught time and time again that we should be intent on caring for our brothers and sisters. Remember the Good Samaritan! (Lk. 10: 25-37) Remember the Corporal Works of Mercy: Feeding the hungry, slaking the thirst of the thirsty, helping a stranger, those in need of clothing, attending the sick and imprisoned. (Mt. 25: 31-45) The good we do or fail to do to our neighbor, we do to Jesus.

3. PERSONAL EFFECT.  Not only does our sin hurt God, and wound and hurt our neighbor, but sin also hurts us. Serious sins, Pope Saint John Paul II stated, can be seen as moral suicide. Actually, every time we personally decide to commit a mortal sin, it indeed is a form of moral suicide. In a word, the effects are both toxic and lethal! By committing a mortal sin, the poison of sin contaminates that person in their individual nature. Reflect on the various effects: the temporary loss of God and the gift of sanctifying grace, the loss of His Friendship, the darkening of the mind and weakening of the will. There are still other effects on the person committing mortal sin: sadness permeates their whole being; peace disappears; deprivation of the ability to receive Holy Communion; and the sin can become a vice, that is to say, sin repeated. Worst of all, if one dies in the state of mortal sin, they lose their soul for all eternity. How important it is for us to meditate upon the effects of sin in our own personal lives; and consequently, to repent of mortal sin, have recourse to Confession as soon as possible, and thus return to God’s Friendship.

4. ECCLESIAL EFFECT.  Pope Saint John XXIII published an Encyclical Letter on the Church with the title—Mater Magistra—Mother and Teacher. Two of the primary functions of the Church is to be our Mother in the order and economy of grace, as well as Teacher of the Truth. Sad to say, our sin not only hurts God, our neighbor, and ourselves but also the Church, our Mother and our Teacher. There are countless examples of how members of the Church have done irreparable damage as a result of their sins. Perhaps two of the most evident and glaring examples would be in the persons and the actions of a King and an Augustinian priest: Henry VIII and Martin Luther. As a result of the actions and lives of these two individuals, who lived close to the same time frame, irreparable damage was done to the Church on a global scale. The Catholic Church of England almost overnight went from Catholic to Anglican—the Church of England governed by the King himself. Then in strong Catholic Germany, Luther was instrumental in cutting it in half—the Northern part became Protestant and the Southern, the majority, remained Catholic. This is the Ecclesial effect of sin, on how our sin can damage the Church, our Mother and Teacher.

5. COSMIC EFFECT OF SIN.  The final effect of sin, as explained by Pope Saint John Paul II, is called the COSMIC EFFECT OF SIN. Not only does sin damage our relationship with God, damage our relationship with others in society, damage our very self, as well as the Church, but sin also damages the world in which we live. This is the cosmic effect. Perhaps the best way to portray the Cosmic Effect of Sin is through contemplating the effects of war, and wars upon the world at large. Our Lady of Fatima stated that war comes as a result of sin. She warned the world, in the midst of World War I, that if people did not stop sinning and start praying more, than a worse World War would explode. Indeed, it happened—the Second World War. The Cosmic Effect of Sin results in the damage and devastation of nature. Due to wars how many disasters in nature occur: animals destroyed, rivers and water bodies polluted, trees, plants and forests devastated. Studies have even pointed out that as a result of the atomic bomb and nuclear chemical elements even the gene pool of those exposed has been damaged.

In conclusion, as a result of the Original Sin, the Sin of Adam and Eve (our first parents), there was unleashed a moral/spiritual tsunami that has repercussions in the world until the very end of time. All times, persons, and places have been profoundly affected by the Original Sin of Adam and Eve. Indeed, every sin committed since, even in the most remote regions, leaves its effect. Pope Saint John Paul the Great described it masterfully in his Apostolic Exhortation Reconciliation and Penance. Every sin has its theological, social, personal, ecclesial and cosmic effect.

May we all make a concerted effort to form our conscience in the light of the Word of God and the Magisterial Teachings, and live according to our conscience. May the holiness, light and wisdom of Pope Saint John Paul the II be a true light on our path leading to the Light of Eternal Beatitude in Heaven!

Jesus stated with great clarity that sin is actually slavery; He came to give us freedom, the freedom of the sons and daughters of God. Saint Augustine, who was actually a slave to his sexual passions until he was 31, later on in The Confessions stated: “O Lord, you have made our hearts for thee; our heart is not at peace until it rests in thee.” Augustine stated himself that he could not conquer his sexual addiction right away; such was the case that he was known to have said: “Lord, give me chastity, but not yet.”

Addictions and slavery are many. In a real sense, we are all born with a void or hole, an empty vacuum in our souls. It must be filled! Either it will be filled with God Himself or a false god, an idol, a fake, a reflection but not the reality. Once again Saint Augustine taught: “The human heart is called to love. However, we must choose the object of our love and then love with all our heart.” If the object of our heart, which is actually a Person—Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ—is not discovered, then there is a real danger!!! The danger is that we can easily fall in love with a false-god, and there are many, and we can be both addicted and enslaved.  

What then are some of the idols, the false-gods that enslave us and lead to binding addictions? Actually, they come in many different shapes and sizes, but there indeed are many. The following is a concrete list of addictions: drinking (alcoholism), drug abuse, sexual addictions including that of pornography, the Casino and gambling, compulsive buying (“shop until you drop”), overuse of the cell-phone, overeating (gluttony), gossiping, video-games, vacationing and over-sleeping. All of these can become addictions and there are still many more.

BLINDNESS TO THE PROBLEM. One of the worst enemies to conquering any problem, false-idol, or deep-rooted addiction is the blindness, or better yet, the unwillingness to humbly admit that there exists this problem. There is a Spanish proverb that expresses this clearly: “No hay peor ciego que aquel que no quiere ver; no hay peor sordo que aquel que no quiere oir.” Translation: “No worse blind person than the one who does not want to see; no worse deaf person than the one who does not want to hear.”

Therefore, one of the first steps in overcoming any vice, sin or addiction is to humbly admit that we have that problem. In other words, we cannot enter into denial, or rationalize, or let’s be blunt, we cannot lie to ourselves. 

Once we can come to terms with the reality that we have a problem and that we cannot resolve it by our own meager efforts, then we have already entered onto the Highway of healing, happiness, wholeness and holiness!!!

As a result of Original Sin, all of humanity, with the exception of Jesus who is the Son of God and Mary who is the Immaculate Conception and the sinless one, are wounded. The wounds are deep in our minds, our emotions, our hearts, our souls, and even our bodies. We are all in a real sense a walking, gaping wound.

This is the dynamic! Jesus is THE WOUNDED HEALER. Either we will be wounded-wounders or we will be wounded-healers. How will this play out? Quite simply as such, if we live with our wounds and make no effort whatsoever to heal these gaping wounds, then the wounds will grow bigger and bigger.  However, if we seek healing, then we indeed can be healed. 

Our healing can come about only by approaching with great confidence Jesus, THE WOUNDED HEALER. He can definitely and efficaciously heal our wounds. Peruse and meditate upon the Gospels, most specifically on the encounters between Jesus and the many sick, infirm, suffering, dejected and rejected gaping-wounded of His time.

NEVER REJECTION: YES, HEALING! The interesting fact of the Life of Jesus is that He rejected nobody who came to Him with faith, humility, and confidence. Quite the contrary, Jesus the WOUNDED-HEALER, would heal, and almost always the healing would be both immediate and total, and without cost!

WHO WERE THESE? Many of those who had these gaping wounds were drawn to Jesus as if He were a Human Magnet, from all times and places. Just to mention a few: the paralytic carried by the four, the lepers, the blind, the deaf and the mute, the woman with the blood-flow, the man with the withered hand. All of these wounded persons were loved by Jesus and He healed them immediately, totally, and unreservedly. These were the wounded of the society who sought their healing from Jesus, the Divine Physician.

THE WOUNDED LAMB. The Prophet Isaiah made this prophecy of the Suffering Servant and his wounds—all pointing to Jesus who would become this wounded lamb. “He was like a lamb that was led to the slaughter-house. He opened not his mouth. He was wounded and bruised for our sake. And by His wounds we are healed.” (Is. 53: 5, 7)

Let us all humbly admit with the utmost sincerity that we are wounded, that we make up part of the enormous multitude of gaping-wounded persons of the world. However, the great news is that there is a Healer, there is a Doctor in the House, there is a Divine Physician and His Name is Jesus Christ.

If we can expose our gaping wounds to His own wounds, then He can heal us totally and efficaciously. Just as Jesus healed the paralytic, the ten lepers, the blind, the deaf, the mute, and even raised the dead, giving them new life, so He can heal us.

Therefore, let us take off the bandages; let us expose the wounds, the puss and infection, to Our Lord Jesus Christ. His Divine touch will never wound deeper, but rather it will heal securely. As a result of our encounter, our contact, and touching of Jesus, we will become indeed WOUNDED-HEALERS in a wounded and broken world.

THE GOOD NEWS: FREEDOM OF THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD. The Great News is the following: we are no longer slaves bound to addictions. We no longer have to live in slavery and sin bound to addictions. Jesus, who is truly the Divine Physician, is indeed THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE!!! The Lord Jesus desires, even more than we do ourselves, to stretch out His hand and heal us; if only we will allow Him to touch us!

One of the most fascinating stories in the History of the Church and the History of civilization is the person, the life, and the radical transformation of Augustine of Hippo. The transformation would be nothing less than his conversion, sanctification and life of extraordinary holiness.

Every non-believer is potentially a believer; every pagan one day can be a Christian; also, every hardened sinner can be transformed into a radiant saint. How true the maxim: “All things are possible for God.” With His grace, God can transform the worst morally speaking into the best reflection of sanctity.

Every person’s past does not determine their future. Even the most dastardly of sinners, living the worst lives, can end in total victory. How ironic it really is that the first canonized saint, the first saint who was declared that his place would be in heaven, was none other than one of the thieves who hung on a cross beside Jesus on Mount Calvary that first Good Friday afternoon. 

At the very end of his life, the thief turned to Jesus and begged Him: “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” The response of Jesus: “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Lk. 23: 42-43) And  Venerable Fulton J. Sheen replied: “And the good thief died a thief because he stole heaven.”

Returning to Augustine, the first half of his life was far from perfect. Quite the contrary, his early years were splotched with a multitude of sins. When a child, as a result of peer pressure, he stole. His friends entered an orchard and stole pears. Even though Augustine’s conscience warned him not to steal the pears, he did anyway. He did not want to be different from the crowd.

However, what is most pertinent to our reflection is the family of Augustine and his fatal flaw, his predominant weakness, his overpowering Capital Sin. Using modern terminology, Augustine was brought up and raised in a dysfunctional family.

His father, Patricius, did not give Augustine a splendid model of holiness. Quite the opposite! Augustine’s father had three glaring moral weaknesses: violence, intemperance, and lust.

Augustine’s father would fly off the handle and explode at the drop of a hat. His carousing, drinking and getting drunk was part and parcel of Augustine’s upbringing. As if that were not enough of a bad influence, Patricius was a real womanizer. He fell far from the mark in being faithful to his wife Monica.

Consequently, as a result of this catastrophically immoral father image, Augustine followed in his father’s footsteps, most specifically with respect to lust, the disordered desires of the flesh.

When his passions were ripe, the young Augustine gave free rein to the desires of the flesh. He eventually lived with a woman. Giving thus into his passions resulted in Augustine and his concubine having a child together, whose name was Adeodatus—meaning, “Gift of God”.

Time went on and as one year gave way to another year, Augustine practiced his career in rhetoric—the art of public speaking. From Africa he moved to Rome, and from Rome to Milan in northern Italy.

Gifted with a keen intellect and an ability to teach the art of public speaking, Augustine experienced in the depths of his heart a loneliness, a sadness, a depression, and a real uneasiness.

He understood that his major drawback was the simple fact that he was a slave to his passions, to his lusts. We can even say in modern jargon that Augustine was a sex addict. That’s right, Saint Augustine really was a sex addict. He knew in the depths of his heart that he had to give up his lusts; he had to break the chain of his sexual addiction; he had to smash this slavery that was fiercely binding him. The battle was so fierce that he cried out: “Lord, give me chastity, but not yet.”

Saint Paul expressed it in more or less the same words, saying that he knew the good that he should do, but he was powerless to carry out the good that he knew was best for him. Jesus expressed the battle as such: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mt. 26: 41)

However, victory was about to triumph in this slave of addiction to his sexual passions. Augustine was in a garden in Milan when it seemed as if the voice of a child was chiming a poem that resounded in his ears: “Tolle legge, tolle legge, tolle legge—take and read!”

Nearby was a book and it was actually the New Testament opened to one of the Letters of Saint Paul to the Romans. Augustine picked up the text and read it:  “Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provisions for the desires of the flesh.” (Romans 13: 12-13)

In this moment, these words of an angel, this text from Romans, and the mind and heart of Augustine now receptive to grace, resulted in his desire for conversion.

Augustine, who had been addicted to disordered sexual desires into his early thirties, made the decision to cut the chain of his slavery in that moment in the garden in Milan.

Augustine went quickly to his mother, Saint Monica, and told her that he was ready now to be baptized. He was ready to abandon his past and start a new life. He truly was ready and willing to start this new life. He would abandon the past to God’s infinite mercy, leave the future to God’s providential care, and live fully the Sacrament of the present moment.

In fact, Jesus had been knocking at the door of his heart for many years now and Augustine was finally ready to open the door fully so that Jesus could sit at the table and dine with him and initiate a new, dynamic and profound friendship.

To make a long story short, Augustine would be baptized with his son, and with his good friend Alypius, by the great Saint Ambrose in the Duomo of Milan, amidst the tears of joy of his mother Saint Monica.

Augustine was embraced by Jesus when he embraced the virtue of chastity in his new lifestyle. He experienced an interior freedom that he had never before experienced. The chains had fallen; the slavery was vanquished; the addiction immersed, submerged and drowned in the love of the Heart of Jesus.

Augustine went on to receive Holy Orders of the priesthood. He would be proclaimed a Bishop in Africa. Eventually he would found an Order—the Augustinians. The rest of his life as Bishop, he would fight against the many heretics of the day—the Arians, Manicheans, Vandals, and more.

Augustine, who would become the great Saint Augustine, would be inspired by the Holy Spirit to become one of the greatest teachers, preachers, but most important, writers in the history of the Church, in the history of the world.

Any well-learned scholar, whether he be a believer or even non-believer, cannot help but admire the literary genius of the great Saint Augustine. Indeed, if you have the chance, spend time reading, meditating, and reflecting upon his masterpiece Confessions.

Now whatever slavery, addiction or binding chain that we may be battling with, we must realize that we are not alone. In fact, the Word of God teaches us that if we decide to follow the Lord, we should be prepared for battle.

BATTLEGROUND.  Our battle must be waged on three fronts: 1) The devil who is the Father of lies; 2) The flesh, or concupiscence, that does not want to submit to the spirit; 3) The world that strives to convince us that true happiness can be found in this world.

AUGUSTINE AS A MODEL.  In our struggle to attain the true liberty of the sons and daughters of God, let us take Augustine, who became the great Saint Augustine, as our model.  Many of us, in fact most of us, can easily identify with Augustine and in many ways.

• PAGANISM.  Augustine lived in a truly pagan-world; recently, we all must admit that our society is permeated by a militant neo-paganism.
• DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY.  Many today come from, and perhaps still live in, a dysfunctional family.
• FATHER-WOUND.  Many suffer from addictions and slaveries in one form or another due to the lack of the presence, love and attention of a father. Most obviously, Augustine had a gaping father’s wound.
• ADDICTION/SEXUAL ADDICTION.  Augustine was a slave of a sexual addiction. In a pornographic society many have addictions, and many are related to sexual addictions.
• CONVERSION. Augustine was able to undergo a radical conversion of life. There were many factors, especially the prayers of his mother, Saint Monica, as well as openness to grace. If Augustine could break the chain of his sexual addiction, so can we break the many chains that bind us.

In sum, let us pray and meditate over the life, the conversion, and the transformation of Augustine to Saint Augustine. In fact, God has great plans for all of us once we can listen to the voice of the Lord Jesus who calls us, as He called Augustine, Matthew, and the Good Thief. The worst lives of the past can be transformed into the best of lives in the future. That life can be yours!!!