Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

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

WEDNESDAY, January 27th   Mk. 4: 1-20   Jesus said: “Those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”

• This is the Parable of the Sower and the Seed. Some seed fell on the path and the birds ate it; some fell on rocky ground and the sun scorched it because the soil was shallow; some fell among thorns which choked the seed, but some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit.
• Jesus says the seed sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word of God and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold!
• The rich soil —the fecundity of our soul is the Holy Spirit. “Through the Holy Spirit we are restored to paradise, led back to the Kingdom of heaven, and adopted as children, given confidence to call God ‘Father’ and to share in Christ’s grace, called children of light and given a share in eternal glory.” (CCC—Saint Basil)

OPEN YOUR MIND & HEART TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Sanctifier, Sweet Guest of the Soul, Interior Master of Prayer, the Consoler and Counselor, Intimate Friend, Paraclete, Advocate, Soul of the Church, Uncreated Bond of Love between the Father and the Son—all of these express titles or names for the Third Person of the most Blessed Trinity: The Holy Spirit.

STARTS WITH BAPTISM.  From the moment we received the unmerited and gratuitous gift from God, the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, we received with this Sacrament countless graces and blessings. One of the most sublime and extraordinary Gifts was The Gift of Gifts, the Holy Spirit (CCC). In that moment, the Holy Spirit became the Divine Guest of our soul, bringing with His Presence the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit which are: Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety and Fear of the Lord.

HEAVENLY INSPIRATIONS.  As long as we maintain our soul in a state of sanctifying grace, the Holy Spirit works in the depths of our being in a very special way. Heavenly inspirations from on high become more and more frequent depending on one condition, DOCILITY to these heavenly inspirations. If we are humble, attentive, docile and receptive, the Holy Spirit works quietly but very powerfully in our soul and we experience in the depths of our soul, interior sweetness—the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. In other words, by collaborating with the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, we experience interior sweetness in our soul through the Fruits of the Holy Spirit: peace, joy, mildness, self-control, chastity, patience, to name a few. In a word, our holiness and sanctification depend in large part in allowing the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier, to work more freely, openly, and powerfully in our conversion, transformation, and sanctification.

FREQUENT INSPIRATIONS FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT AND DOCILITY.  In this short essay we would like to highlight certain inspirations that come from the Holy Spirit, the Sweet Guest of your soul, and the importance of recognizing and responding to them. May Our Lady, the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit, come to our aid and pray for us that the workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives will not be frustrated but brought to full development. “Come Holy Spirit, come through the Heart of Mary.” Mary was at all times, in all places, and in all circumstances totally and unreservedly open to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, and without doubt, through her powerful intercession, she can help us to be more docile and responsive to the graces and inspirations from on high!

1. GO TO CONFESSION!!! If we have the misfortune and disgrace of falling into Mortal Sin and losing sanctifying grace, then most assuredly the Holy Spirit will send inspirations to bring us back to God by means of a well-prepared, well-expressed, humble and contrite Sacramental Confession. Most surely, the Holy Spirit wants us to be restored to grace but He respects our free-will!

2. OPEN OUR HEARTS TO PRAYER. One of the titles mentioned above describing the work of the Holy Spirit is that of “Interior Master of the soul”. This title means that the Holy Spirit wants to teach us how to communicate with God through prayer. For most of us, prayer often is a struggle and we might even say that we do not really know how to pray. Saint Paul in the Letter to the Romans responds to this quandary and struggle in our spiritual life with these words: “We do not know how to pray, but the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with ineffable groans so that we can say “Abba, Father.” (Rom. 8: 26)

3. GO DEEPER AND LONGER INTO THE INFINITE OCEAN OF PRAYER. Not only will the Holy Spirit gently but insistently invite us to pray through His holy inspirations, but He will challenge us to pray more and at greater length, as well as go deeper in our prayer. Prayer can be compared to the ocean. We can walk along the seashore and allow the waves to barely brush our feet or we can go into the deep and drop the anchor into the sea that seems to be a bottom-less abyss. So it is in our relationship with God; He is infinite and so can our prayer become better and better, go deeper and deeper!

4. SEEK ADVICE. At times, when we find ourselves in a state of desolation and confusion, the Holy Spirit might nudge us to seek help, to seek advice, to seek counsel and direction through a human medium or intermediary and this would be a spiritual director. Saint John of the Cross states wryly: “He who has himself as director, has an idiot as a disciple.” Put bluntly, we cannot adequately direct ourselves because we all have many BLIND-SPOTS in our spiritual journey!

5. PUSH YOURSELF TO PRACTICE PERSISTENT PRAYER AND PENANCE. It is impossible to be under the guidance and influence of the Holy Spirit and not have nudges, gentle pushes, interior lights and inspirations to the practice of penance. In very clear and unequivocal terms Jesus asserted: “Anyone who wishes to be my follower must renounce himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mt. 16: 24) In so many words, the great woman Mystic and Doctor of the Church, Saint Teresa of Avila, states that prayer and a life of indulgence and sensuality are diametrically opposed. They are like oil and vinegar—they simply do not mix!

6. READ, REFLECT, REASON AND RUN TO GOD. Often the Holy Spirit will challenge us to slow down in our active and frenetic life characterized by the spirit of the day called ACTIVISM. The Holy Spirit will sometimes nudge us to stop, slow down, take up a good spiritual book and start to read the text slowly and reflect seriously upon it, as Mary did when she pondered all that had happened in her Immaculate Heart, so as to beg for its deeper meaning and run to God as a most sure haven and source of refuge. “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.” (Ps. 124: 8)

7. HUMBLE YOURSELF AND RECONCILE, MAKING PEACE. In no uncertain terms, Jesus commands us to strive to be at peace with our brothers and sisters. So much so that Jesus says that if you are about to present your gift at the altar and recall that your brother has something against you, leave the gift, go and reconcile with your brother, and then come back to offer the gift. This can be interpreted in the light of Holy Mass and our offering of Holy Communion. In other words, the Holy Spirit cannot work powerfully and efficaciously in a heart that is proud, resentful, bitter and angry! Jesus said that He is meek and humble of heart and challenges us to be the same! (Mt. 11: 28-30)

8. WALK THE EXTRA MILE: EVEN WHEN YOU DO NOT FEEL LIKE IT! Once again related to the topic or theme of sacrifice, often the Holy Spirit will challenge us with His heavenly inspirations to walk the extra mile and continue in some task, work or activity when we are tired, maybe even exhausted. However, if we correspond with great docility and generosity to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, His grace and strength will never be lacking. Jesus said to the Great Apostle Saint Paul: “My grace is sufficient…” The Holy Spirit will never inspire in your mind and heart a proposal that He will not give you sufficient grace to carry out! Our prayer must be: “Holy spirit, I trust in your power, presence, and patience in me!”

9. GET UP EARLIER, EAT LESS, WORK HARDER, CARRY THE CROSS WITH TRUST, AND OVERFLOW WITH JOY. If you read through the lives of the Saints, the Spiritual Masterpieces of God, in the words of Saint Pope John XXIII you will notice the following characteristics of many of them. They tend to spend less time in bed. They do not spend too much time at the table chowing down. They work hard and efficaciously without complaining. And on top of it all, have many crosses, and I say many crosses. However, in the midst of all of these apparent hardships and trials they are overflowing with peace and joy and happiness. All of this is obviously the working of the Holy Spirit. Test yourself in these areas; how do you rate???

10. INSPIRATIONS TO TALK TO, DRAW CLOSE TO, AND CONFIDE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT’S MYSTICAL SPOUSE—THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY!!! The Blessed Virgin Mary is the Daughter of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit. This being the case, the Holy Spirit will often inspire you to open up your heart and talk to Mary about your life, your feelings, your struggles, your battles, your failures and victories, your hopes and your dreams! Saint Louis de Montfort in his spiritual classic True Devotion to Mary states: “Those who love Mary, the Holy Spirit flings Himself into their souls.”

In conclusion, our conversion, sanctification, transformation and perseverance in grace depend in large part upon our relationship with the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier. Holiness depends on being docile to the Heavenly inspirations of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, let us all, starting right now, make a firm decision and commitment to be more docile and attentive to the inner workings and inspirations of the Holy Spirit in our lives. “If today you hear His voice harden not your hearts.” (Heb. 3: 15) May our prayer be a Marian prayer connecting us to the Holy Spirit: “Come Holy Spirit come, through the Heart of Mary.”

Copyright 2021 Oblates of the Virgin Mary
St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA

Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, bishops

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

TUESDAY, January 26th   Mk. 3: 31-35   Jesus said:  “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

• We are Jesus’ brother and sister and mother whenever we conform our will to the Will of God! Here are three inspiring articles. Which one speaks most to you?

 Uniformity with God’s Will (Excerpt)… by Saint Alphonsus Marie de Liguori (+1787)

Uniformity in all Things. The essence of perfection is to embrace the will of God in all things, prosperous or adverse. In prosperity, even sinners find it easy to unite themselves to the Divine Will; but it takes saints to unite themselves to God’s will when things go wrong and are painful to self-love.

Our conduct in such instances is the measure of our love of God. St. John of Avila used to say: “One ‘Blessed be God’ in times of adversity, is worth more than a thousand acts of gratitude in times of prosperity.”

Furthermore, we must unite ourselves to God’s will not only in things that come to us directly from His hands, such as sickness, desolation, poverty, death of relatives, but likewise in those we suffer from man — for example, contempt, injustice, loss of reputation, loss of temporal goods and all kinds of persecution. On these occasions we must remember that while God does not will the sin, He does will our humiliation, our poverty, or our mortification, as the case may be.

We must not consider afflictions that come upon us as happening by chance or solely from the malice of men; we should be convinced that what happens, happens by the will of God for our greater good.

Cesarius points up what we have been saying by offering this incident in the life of a certain monk: Externally his religious observance was the same as that of the other monks, but he had attained such sanctity that the mere touch of his garments healed the sick. Marveling at these deeds, since his life was no more exemplary than the lives of the other monks, the superior asked him one day what was the cause of these miracles.

He replied that he too was mystified and was at a loss how to account for such happenings.

“What devotions do you practice?” asked the abbot. He answered that there was little or nothing special that he did beyond making a great deal of willing only what God willed, and that God had given him the grace of abandoning his will totally to the will of God.

“Prosperity does not lift me up, nor adversity cast me down,” added the monk. “I direct all my prayers to the end that God’s will may be done fully in me and by me.”… “That raid that our enemies made against the monastery the other day, in which our stores were plundered, our granaries put to the torch and our cattle driven off — did not this misfortune cause you any resentment?” queried the abbot.

“No, Father,” came the reply. “On the contrary, I returned thanks to God — as is my custom in such circumstances — fully persuaded that God does all things, or permits all that happens, for His glory and for our greater good; thus I am always at peace, no matter what happens.” Seeing such uniformity with the will of God, the abbot no longer wondered why the monk worked so many miracles.

Holy Obedience… by Father John Tauler, O.P.

The least little work done in holy obedience is nobler in God’s eyes and more worthy of reward than many great works performed by one’s own will. I declare to you in all truth that no lovelier offering can be made to the Almighty God than a truly humble and obedient heart. In a single instant a man can, by means of obedience and giving up of his own will to God, be made so humble that he will be led directly to God – more directly than if he spent ten years in practicing high devotions.

Obedience is that very noble virtue which is more pleasing to God than any of the others, even when we obey in matters which are in themselves of little moment. The eternal Son of God was, for our sake, made obedient to His heavenly Father – in His coming down from the Godhead to our poor human nature, in the embracing of His holy cross, and finally in His cruel and bitter death. Therefore, we must one and all be obedient to God in all divine things and human things, interiorly and exteriorly, without murmuring or contradiction – if God is to do His work of love unhindered and continuously within our souls.

Living Holy Obedience in daily life… by Venerable Madeleine Delbrel (+1964)

We, the ordinary people of the streets, know very well that as long as our own will is alive, we will not be able to love Christ definitively. We know that only obedience can root us in His death. We would envy our Religious Brothers and Sisters if we too could not “die to ourselves” a little more each day.

However, for us the tiny circumstances of life are faithful “superiors.” They do not leave us alone for a moment; and the “yeses” we have to say to them follow continuously, one after the other. When we surrender to them without resistance, we find ourselves wonderfully liberated from ourselves. We float in Providence like a cork on the ocean waters.

From the moment we wake up these circumstances take hold of us. It is the telephone that rings; it is the key that won’t work, the bus that doesn’t arrive or arrives full, or doesn’t wait for us. It is the person sitting next to us who takes up the whole seat; or the vibration of the loose window pane that drives us crazy.

It’s the daily routine, one chore that leads to another, some job we wouldn’t have chosen. It’s the weather and its changes – which is exquisite precisely because it is completely untainted by human doing. It’s being cold, or being hot; it’s the headache or the toothache. It’s the people we meet and the conversations they choose to start. It’s the rude man who nearly knocks us off the sidewalk. It’s the people who need to kill some time, and so they corner us. When we live with others, obedience also means we set aside our own tastes and leave things in the place others have put them.

In this way, life becomes an epic film in slow motion. It does not make our head spin. It does not take our breath away. Little by little, thread by thread, it eats away at the old man’s frame, which cannot be mended and must be made new from the ground up. When we thus become accustomed to giving up our will to so many tiny things, we will no longer find it hard, when the occasion presents itself, to do the will of our boss, our husband, or our parents. And our hope is that death, too, will be easy.

Copyright 2021 Oblates of the Virgin Mary
St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA

Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle

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

 MONDAY, January 25th   Mk. 16: 15-18   “Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: ‘Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.’”

• These times of Covid provide opportunities and challenges to “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”
• Evangelization today is done virtually much more than in person, providing opportunities to reach larger audiences. At the same time, there is a lack of socialization and increased isolation for those who preach the Gospel and the families and individuals who receive it!
• God created human beings as social creatures. Are we not all called to be children of God, brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus? We are suffering a deprivation of social contact—of human friendship and human touch. I cannot believe there is anyone who is not aware of this and suffering from it at some level as desolation.
• God only permits evil to bring a greater good out of that evil. (Saint Augustine and Saint Thomas Aquinas) If we are going to be evangelizers for Jesus Christ and His one true Church with life-giving teachings and Sacraments, each of us must find this source of human comfort and strength in a deeper, more profound way.
• Ignatian contemplation is no longer an option, it is a necessity for mental, emotional, and spiritual health! Father Ed Broom gives us the why, the way, and the how in very simple terms that will have a profound effect on our life if we obey.   

YOU HAVE 3 BEST FRIENDS: JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

One of the greatest sufferings that we can undergo is that of feeling alone, abandoned, that nobody really cares for us. If you like an intense, crushing loneliness.

There exists those dark and somewhat gloomy days, when the sun fails to shine, the birds hide in their nests, the cold winds blast, and the stars at night hide behind the clouds.

In addition to the somber aspect of nature, human relations can become strained, cold, and even fractured. There are those days in which we experience a great weight upon our shoulders, but there seems to be nobody close at hand to alleviate the weight.

In Ignatian spirituality this amounts to and can be defined as a state of desolation. Now if we do not react intensely against this state of desolation, but instead succumb to it, then it can truly wreak havoc in our lives. We have to learn how to cope and deal with these trials and tribulations through the optic of faith.

One of the best ways that we can cope with and overcome this state of desolation is to cultivate a constant, keen and growing awareness of three Persons who want to play an essential part in our lives. They are present to us at all times, but we are often not present to them; sad to say, at times we are totally oblivious to their presence.

Who are these important Persons? They are the three members of the Holy Family: Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph. How ironic is this statement: we are often too busy to talk to them; but they are never too busy to enter into conversation with us!  

What then are some practical ways in which we can cultivate this awareness of these three best friends in our daily walk of life? Indeed, we must have some concrete reminders.

1. MORNING OFFERING.  Start off every day, every morning, by consecrating yourself to Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph. Offer to Jesus through Mary and St. Joseph, your day and all that will transpire during the course of the day. By doing so, they will walk with you during the day and you will be walking with them. As such, keep them in mind, and this crushing state or feeling of loneliness will in great part be conquered.

2. IMAGES IN YOUR ROOM.  Make sure that you have a painting, picture, icon or statue of Jesus, of Mary, and of St. Joseph in your room. You might also have a picture or painting of the Holy Family—Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph together—on the wall greeting you every time you enter your room and you should greet them back. Thanks be to God for the proper use of images and sacramentals that so easily lift our minds, hearts and souls soaring to God and the Holy Family! Every time you return home to your room, Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph are truly there to greet you, and they are waiting for you to acknowledge and greet them as well!

3. IMAGES IN YOUR CAR.  In addition to having images in your room of Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph, have these images in your car. Possibly over the front mirror or visor, a small image of the Holy Family can serve as a powerful reminder that even when traveling you are in the best of company. Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph traveled together in their family life, and they want to travel with you on the Highway to Heaven.

4. JOYFUL MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY.  Make a sincere and concerted effort to go deeper into the contemplation of the Joyful Mysteries of the most Holy Rosary. Contemplate these Mysteries not from afar, but strive to be truly present in these Mysteries. Become a member of the Holy Family. If you like, be truly present in the Cave at Bethlehem. Be there with St. Joseph helping him gather sticks of wood to start a fire and warm the cold, damp and musty refuge of animals where the Son of God will truly be born. After His birth, accept the baby Jesus from Mary and hold Him in your arms, sing Him a simple lullaby if you like. Contemplate the baby Jesus. Let your heart overflow with awe, reverence and love for Him.

Then talk to Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph in your own words about what is going on in your life, what causes you joy, what causes you sorrow, and what might be bothering you right now! They always will be the best of listeners. Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph are your Best Friends! In fact, the more you are able to penetrate the depths of the contemplation of the Joyful Mysteries, the deeper will be your friendship with Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph. Consequently, the devil and that crushing sense of loneliness will be conquered and put to flight! While praying and contemplating these Joyful Mysteries you might even try to purchase or find on-line some attractive pictures or portraits of each Joyful Mystery so as to focus your attention more firmly on each event as it is happening. Incidentally, they have as a title, “The Joyful Mysteries”. Therefore, the fruit of these Mysteries should be filling us with the Joy of the Spirit. Saint Paul reminds us: “Rejoice in the Lord; I say it again: Rejoice in the Lord.” (Phil. 4:4)

5. FAVORITE PRAYER TO THE HOLY FAMILY: JESUS, MARY AND ST. JOSEPH.   The following prayer to Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph will hopefully fill you with great consolation and be a sure means of conquering loneliness that leads to desolation. Hopefully you will be able to memorize this short but efficacious prayer.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul;
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, make my heart like unto thine.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, assist me in my last agony. 
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I breathe forth my soul unto thee. 
O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament divine,
All praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine.

In fact, this would be a beautiful prayer to start off the day. But also, this would be a beautiful prayer in which you terminate the day. To initiate our first moments, offering them to Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph, and then to close our day consecrating our sleeping hours in the arms and Hearts of Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph is a sure and most efficacious remedy to conquer all forms of desolation, including that crushing loneliness that can devastate so many people. May Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph be our Best Friends in time, and for all eternity! Amen.

Copyright 2021 Oblates of the Virgin Mary
St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday of the Word of God

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

 SUNDAY, January 24th   Mk. 1: 14-20   “Come and follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Part 1: Giving Jesus to Souls… by Archbishop Luis Maria Martinez
Part 2: ZEAL FOR SALVATION OF IMMORTAL SOULS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
Part 3: Copy of a letter sent to Ignatius of Loyola by Francis Xavier from the mission field.

PART 1:  Giving Jesus to Souls… by Archbishop Luis Maria Martinez (+1956)

Saint Thomas teaches the precept that God’s love has no limit, but that however much we may love Him, we are always under the pleasing obligation of loving Him more. Something similar should be said of our love for souls: we ought always to love them more.

He who is loved more by God must love souls more, for the measure of our love toward others is the love of Jesus for us. He has loved our souls with the same love with which He loves His Father and as the Father has loved Him: I have bestowed my love upon you, just as my Father has bestowed His love upon me. Jesus has loved us to the point of redeeming and saving us at the cost of love and sacrifice. He has loved us in order to purify us, to sanctify us, to enrich us with heavenly gifts. We ought to love souls in the same way.

Through us, Jesus wishes to continue loving souls. Within us He desires to continue His immolation for them, illuminating, wooing, purifying, sanctifying, and beatifying them. How sublime our mission! How sacred our duties! How unspeakable our happiness!

PART 2:  ZEAL FOR SALVATION OF IMMORTAL SOULS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

When he arrived at the University of Paris, Francis Xavier (1506-1552) was motivated by many worldly and vain ambitions. A top-notch athlete, a first class scholar, a man who loved life and the party, a full-blown extrovert and a friend to many, still there was something missing in his life—an ardent love of God and pursuit of His honor and glory.

THE CONVERSION EXPERIENCE.  God would pursue Xavier as in the poem of Francis Thompson, the Hound of Heaven. This pursuit would become a reality through the providential meeting between two future saints—Francis Xavier and Ignatius of Loyola. The Battle of Pamplona turned out to be a Damascus experience for Ignatius when a cannon ball nearly ended his life as it shattered his legs. It was through this excruciating pain and intense suffering that God intervened to change the path of Ignatius 180 degrees. Forced convalescence of suffering, silence, reading and reflecting on the lives of the saints turned out to be a catalyst and transforming force in Ignatius’ life. With Xavier, God would use a different tool. God knows how to work in each soul so as to bring about conversion, sanctification, and perfection. Xavier’s metanoia or conversion experience would take its course through Ignatius and in this manner. Ignatius saw deep in the person of Xavier a real capacity for good, a capacity for holiness, a capacity for this man to give great honor and glory to God and become a bridge by which many souls could travel from earth to heaven.

THE TRANSFORMING WORD OF GOD.  Ignatius, Xavier, and Peter Favre were roommates at the University of Paris. Ignatius was giving the Spiritual Exercises and lives were being transformed—as in the case of Peter Favre. However, Xavier would not agree to do them, would not capitulate! Therefore, Ignatius approached Xavier with these words pronounced by Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: “What would it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” (Mk. 8:36) Ignatius challenged the false security of Xavier time and time again with these penetrating words of Jesus. Like a sledge-hammer pounding unceasingly against a stone, Ignatius kept repeating the same Biblical challenge. Finally, Xavier capitulated and accepted the challenge; he agreed to go through the Spiritual Exercises directed by Ignatius himself. Afterwards, Ignatius honestly admitted that Xavier was one of the hardest nuts to crack, but crack indeed he did, and Xavier’s conversion to Christ and His cause was initiated.

SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER.  To make a long story short: Francis Xavier became a follower of Saint Ignatius and they were ordained as priests together. Ignatius founded and formed the Company of Jesus, known as the Jesuits. Upon the request of the Holy Father, Ignatius sent Francis Xavier on a mission to the Far East, starting in India and working his way through other countries to Japan. However, Xavier’s most ardent desire was the conversion of China to Christ. After ten years of missionary work, Xavier died on the island of Sanchen, overlooking mainland China. He was only 46 years of age. His accomplishments were so numerous that they can hardly be numbered: baptisms, so many that he could barely raise his arm at the end of the day; catechism classes with countless converts; formation of catechetical centers and catechists; formation of lay-missionaries; service to the poor, the sick, and the dying; tireless work as a preacher and missionary. We are just touching the tip of the iceberg with respect to Xavier’s accomplishments by the grace of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

HIS MOTIVATING FORCE.  What then was the motivating force behind the enormous efforts of Saint Xavier? Quite simply two ideals: to give God the greatest honor and glory, and to work with God for the salvation of as many souls as possible. 

HOW CAN WE STRIVE FOR THE SALVATION OF SOULS?  This being said, what then can we do to imitate Saint Xavier and other saints in the most noble pursuit of working with the Lord for the salvation of immortal souls?

1. RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF THE IMMORTAL SOUL. Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor, asserted: “One soul is worth more than the whole created universe.” Reflect upon this assertion! All of creation—stars, moon, oceans, mountains, and all living creatures, as well as riches and power—all of these together do not have the value of one immortal soul! How enormously sublime is the dignity and destiny of the soul that God has created in His image and likeness! To add to the sublimity of this thought: meditate upon the Passion of Jesus and the shedding of His Precious Blood. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ shed every drop of His Precious Blood for all of humanity, but also for each individual soul, for each and every one of us!

2. JESUS’ WORDS: “What would it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” (Mk. 8:36) These words converted the heart and life of Saint Francis Xavier and they can convert your life too! The powerfully penetrating words of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ puts all in proper perspective. The richest man in the world and the poorest man end up in the same place: six feet beneath the ground. In the eyes of God, the richest man in the world is the man who dies in the state of sanctifying grace which means he will be saved for all eternity! And the poorest man is the man who dies in unrepentant mortal sin and thereby loses his soul in hell for all eternity!

3. DESIRE OF JESUS AND MARY! In the Diary of Saint Faustina, Jesus constantly reminds the saint that the most important prayer and the one that pleases Him most is for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of immortal souls. Our Lady of Fatima reiterates the same desire of Jesus: pray and offer many sacrifices for the conversion of sinners. Many souls are lost because there is nobody to pray and offer sacrifices for them.

4. THE MOST PLEASING OF PRAYERS. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary rejoice every time you offer this prayer: Lord Jesus, through your most Precious Blood that you shed for sinners, I beg of you the conversion and salvation of sinners, especially those who are in most need of your Infinite Mercy.

5. OFFER IT UP. These three words have enormous meaning and impact if we understand them in the real depth that they contain. Interpretation? Yes, we must learn to be like Saint Jacinta Marto, at least to a limited degree: A Little Victim Soul. By this we mean to learn the art of offering up and uniting our sufferings to Jesus who suffered His Bitter Passion for the salvation of humanity.

6. OFFER UP WHAT??? Our Lady of Fatima told the children to offer up everything, yes, everything for the conversion of sinners and their salvation. Offer up your headaches, stomachaches, toothaches, the cold, the heat, the humidity, any physical suffering. Offer up your economic struggles, your family trials, your sufferings at home and at work. Offer your spiritual aridity and dryness, your struggles with the faith. In other words, you can offer your whole life and your whole being to God through the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the salvation of immortal souls. What are you waiting for? Start now!

7. RESIST AND REJECT TEMPTATIONS. Most likely, we rarely reflect upon our life as a constant battle against the devil, the flesh, and the world. Temptations, like it or not, are part of the human condition! Offer up your resistance and rejection of all the temptations you experience for the sake of those souls who are slaves of the devil and in jeopardy of losing their salvation!

8. JESUS ON THE CROSS: CONTEMPLATE OUR SUFFERING SAVIOR. Many saints have received countless apostolic blessings and been fired up with zeal for the salvation of souls by the contemplation of Jesus hanging on the cross. On a weekly basis, on Fridays when possible, spend some time contemplating Jesus hanging from the cross and beg through His Passion, death, and Precious Blood for the conversion and salvation of immortal souls. May the words of Saint Francis of Assisi, who bore the wounds of Christ in his body in the stigmata, inspire you: “We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”

9. SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER AND THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS. It must be said with utmost sincerity: we all urgently need role models on whom we can pattern our lives. Of course, Jesus, Mary, and Saint Joseph are the top three. However, the lives of the saints, and especially the zeal and love for souls of Saint Francis Xavier, can catapult us into the infinite ocean of soul saving! God gives all of us abundant graces, but we must correspond to those graces! Still, we must have brilliant lights before our eyes to stimulate, motivate, and encourage us to work ardently with the Lord for the salvation of souls. Jesus stated it bluntly: “The harvest is rich, but the laborers are few. Beg the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers to work in His vineyard.” (Mt. 9: 37-38)

10. OUR LADY: QUEEN OF THE APOSTLES. The first Novena culminated on the Feast of Pentecost—the descent and coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Indeed, it was the presence, the prayers, the poise and power of the person of Mary, the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and the Queen of the Apostles that facilitated and hastened the coming and abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. Fearful, doubting, cowardly, insecure men were transformed into ardent, zealous lovers of God and fervent seekers of immortal souls—these we call the Apostles. So strong was their zeal that all shed their blood for love of Jesus and the salvation of immortal souls—with the one exception of Saint John the Evangelist whom they tried to kill but he was miraculously preserved. Therefore, we must enter into the Cenacle with Mary and beg for the coming of the Holy Spirit, this Divine-Invasion, so that we will become the modern fiery, fervent, faithful Apostles of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. May the last of words of Saint Ignatius of Loyola to Saint Francis Xavier as he departed for India, become our own words: GO SET ALL ON FIRE!!!

PART 3: Copy of letter sent to Ignatius of Loyola by Francis Xavier from the mission field.

Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel! We have visited the villages of the new converts who accepted the Christian religion a few years ago. No Portuguese live here, the country is so utterly barren and poor. The native Christians have no priests. They know only that they are Christians. There is nobody to say Mass for them; nobody to teach them the Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Commandments of God’s Law.

I have not stopped since the day I arrived. I conscientiously made the rounds of the villages. I bathed in the sacred waters all the children who had not yet been baptized. This means that I have purified a very large number of children so young that, as the saying goes, they could not tell their right hand from their left. The older children would not let me say my Office or eat or sleep until I taught them one prayer or another. Then I began to understand: “The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

I could not refuse so devout a request without failing in devotion myself.  I taught them, first the confession of faith in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, then the Apostles’ Creed, the Our Father and Hail Mary. I noticed among them persons of great intelligence. If only someone could educate them in the Christian way of life, I have no doubt that they would make excellent Christians.

Many, many people hereabouts are not becoming Christians for one reason only: there is nobody to make them Christians. Again and again I have thought of going round the universities of Europe, especially Paris, and everywhere crying out like a madman, riveting the attention of those with more learning than charity: “What a tragedy: how many souls are being shut out of heaven and falling into hell, thanks to you!”

I wish they would work as hard at this as they do at their books, and so settle their account with God for their learning and the talents entrusted to them. This thought would certainly stir most of them to meditate on spiritual realities, to listen actively to what God is saying to them. They would forget their own desires, their human affairs, and give themselves over entirely to God¹s will and his choice. They would cry out with all their heart: “Lord, I am here! What do you want me to do? Send me anywhere you like – even to India.

Copyright 2021 Oblates of the Virgin Mary
St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA

Saturday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

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

SATURDAY, January 23rd   Mk. 3: 20–21   “When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, ‘He is out of his mind.’”

Part 1: On Consolation and Desolation… by Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Part 2: SAD, DEPRESSED, IN DESOLATION—TURN TO MARY!!! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PART 1:  On Consolation and Desolation… by Saint Ignatius of Loyola

I shall speak… about two lessons that the Lord is accustomed to give, or at least permit (He gives the one and permits the other). The one He gives is interior consolation, which casts out all disturbance and draws us into total love of the Lord. There are some whom the Lord lights up in such consolation, and there are others to whom He uncovers many secrets, and more later. With this Divine consolation, all hardships are ultimately pleasure, all fatigues, rest. For anyone who proceeds with this interior fervor, warmth, and consolation, there is no load so great that it does not seem light to them, nor any penance or other hardship so great that it is not very sweet. This shows to us and opens the path with the direction we are to follow, and the opposite we are to avoid. This consolation is not always with us, but proceeds always at specific times as arranged. And all this is for our profit.

Then as we are left without this sort of consolation, the other lesson soon comes: I mean that our old enemy places before us every possible obstacle to divert us from what has been begun, attacking us very much. He acts completely counter to the first lesson, often plunging us into sadness without our knowing why we are sad. Nor can we pray with any devotion, or contemplate, or even speak and hear of things about God Our Lord with any interior savor or relish. 

And not stopping there, if he finds we are weak and let ourselves be subjected to such tainted thoughts, he brings us to think that we have been completely forgotten by God, and we end up with the impression that we are completely separated from Our Lord.   Everything we have done, everything we were wanting to do, none of it counts. In this way, he tries to make us lose trust in everything. But we can see from all this what is the cause of o much fear and weakness on our part: at one stage we spent too long a time with our eyes fixed on our own miseries, and subjected ourselves to his deceptive lines of though
So here the person fighting has to identify the enemy. If it is a time of consolation, we must lower and abase ourselves, and reflect that soon the trial of temptation will come.  If temptation, darkness, or sadness come, we must act against them without allowing any bitterness, and wait in patience for the Lord’s consolation, which will evaporate all disturbances and shadows from outside.

PART 2:  SAD, DEPRESSED, IN DESOLATION—TURN TO MARY!!!

He was going through a terrible interior storm. There seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Hopeless it seemed; no way out! Loss of appetite, loss of sleep, loss of desire for anyone or anything. Life seemed to be insupportable. As if he was hanging from a steep precipice, his life seemed precarious to say the least! This was the interior state of one of the most known, most loved, and most admired saints in the Catholic Church. Yes! This was the interior state of near despair experienced by the great Saint Francis de Sales!

THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL—THE HELPING HAND!  When all seemed bleak, obscure, dark, almost beyond hope, the young man Francis de Sales entered a Church. One of his prayers was: “Lord, even if my destiny is hell, at least grant me the grace to love you even there!” Such was his interior condition! However, neither God nor the Blessed Virgin Mary ever abandon their children, especially in the most bleak and dark of conditions! Dawn grows and the sun breaks through in souls that entrust themselves to Jesus through Mary. One of the beautiful titles for the Blessed Virgin Mary is The Star of the Morning/Morning star!

Though he entered a Church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Notre Dame de la Victoire—Our Lady of Victory, it seemed lost on the young Francis. However, there in this beautiful Church that was dedicated to Our Lady who wins victories, especially in the souls of her beloved children, Francis found a statue of Mary and a prayer dedicated to her.

THE MEMORARE.  The prayer dedicated to Mary was titled the Memorare.  According to tradition, it is attributed to the Mellifluous Doctor, Saint Bernard. Kneeling down in front of the statue of Mary and the prayer of Saint Bernard, young Francis opened up his mind and heart, and prayed with all the fervor of his soul the Memorare. “Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided…”

FREEDOM: LIBERATION THROUGH THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY!!!  After reciting this Marian prayer attributed to Saint Bernard, Francis experienced what seemed to be a miracle in his life! That dense, impervious, dark cloud that had totally enveloped him, that had immersed and submerged him in hopelessness, suddenly dissipated! The sun broke through the clouds; light beamed at the end of the tunnel; his gloom and depression were transformed into peace and joy. He could hear the chirping of the birds and smell the fragrant scent of the flowers. God had finally lifted Francis out of what seemed to be a sinking quicksand of hopelessness!

BUT HOW??? THROUGH THE INTERCESSION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. God’s plans are not our plans, and God’s designs are very mysterious. The Lord willed to rescue the young Francis through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the prayer of the Memorare!

BEFORE VICTORY COMES TRIAL.  God was preparing young Francis for an extremely important role in the Church, as well as the world at large. Priest, Bishop, Founder, writer and author, missionary, Spiritual Director, admired by all—these were the roles that Saint Francis de Sales would assume and occupy in the heart of the Catholic Church. However, first he had to conquer the powerful enemy that tempted him to discouragement and almost despair.

TOOL TO CONQUER SADNESS.  Thereafter, when tempted to discouragement, Francis de Sales would pray the Memorare. The devil, the enemy of our salvation, a liar and murderer from the beginning, cannot conquer the power, the presence, and this prayer of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Even the Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary causes the enemy mortal fear and panic, and he takes to flight. “Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided…”

IF IT WORKS FOR THE SAINTS, THEN IT SHOULD WORK FOR US!!!  Having reflected briefly upon an episode in the life of one great saint, Saint Francis de Sales, who was truly rescued through the intercession of Mary, Our Lady of Victory, and the praying of the Memorare, let us strive to walk in the footsteps of the saints, the true friends of Jesus and Mary.  

WHAT TO DO IN DESOLATION.  Saint Ignatius of Loyola in his Rules for Discernment of Spirits mentions the state of desolation, what we should do in desolation, as well as what we should avoid. Francis de Sales went through a very powerful state of desolation. What is desolation? It is when we have a lack of faith, lack of hope, lack of charity—we feel this! It is when we feel sad, discouraged, depressed, drawn to lowly things, and sensuality. In other words, we want to simply throw in the towel and give up! Life is useless! What is the meaning and purpose of it all!

PRAY THE MEMORARE!!!  Therefore, having learned in one short lesson the reality and meaning of desolation, we must counter it, and conquer it through fervent prayer. We suggest and encourage praying to the Blessed Virgin Mary. We recommend the prayer of Saint Bernard that pulled Saint Francis de Sales out of the near pit of despair, the MEMORARE!!! 

DESOLATION WILL COME!!!  Therefore, prepare yourself for spiritual battle. We are all called to be soldiers of both Jesus and Mary in this very short life that God has given to us, so as to attain eternal happiness in heaven. When all seems gray, bleak, obscure, dark, and meaningless, without any real hope, then lift up your mind, heart, and soul to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and she will never fail you! She will stretch out her gentle but firm hand and pull you out of the quicksand of your helplessness! “Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided…”  Like Saint Francis de Sales, God is calling you out of darkness into His wonderful light through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Entrust your whole being to her; she will never fail you in life or in death!

A FINAL INTENTION: PRAY FOR THE END OF ABORTION.  Relevant Radio during the course of the year 2018 proposed that together we pray millions of MEMORARES for the purpose of ending abortion. What a most noble intention! Why not valiantly continue praying the Memorare daily for this intention. Therefore, in addition to praying this prayer in our lives when we are going through a state of desolation, let us also pray this powerful Marian prayer to combat and conquer the attacks against human life, especially from the very moment of conception.

MEMORARE

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Copyright 2021 Oblates of the Virgin Mary
St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA