Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

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

WEDNESDAY, May 25th   Jn 16: 12-15   Psalm Response: “Heaven and earth are full of your glory.”

Let rejoice twice today! Let us rejoice in Father Ed’s 36th Anniversary of the Priesthood! A Blessed and Happy Anniversary, Fr. Ed!

We are still in the Easter Season which ends with Pentecost. Let us contemplate and rejoice in the Glory of God’s creation!

As the Psalmist said: “This is the day the Lord has made; Let us be glad and rejoice in it!” (Ps 118:24)

CREATION: A BEAUTIFUL LADDER TO GOD!  By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Never should we forget our destiny and our dignity that flow from God’s loving kindness and abundant mercy. You were created in the image and likeness of God. Then, as a result of God’s infinite bounty, He endowed you with one of the greatest gifts: the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. From this you entered into a deep and intimate union with the Trinitarian Family—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In all truth, you are loved infinitely by God. In the Mystery of the Trinity and your own personal life of grace, God is your Loving Father, Jesus is your Older Brother, and the Holy Spirit is your Close and Best of Friends. How good God is and how your heart should be overflowing with gratitude!

Now we will turn the corner and lift our minds, hearts, and souls to God through the contemplation of the beauty of Creation. All that is noble, pure, beautiful, and worthy of praise emanates from God. To be clear, creation is not God! This would be the error of Pantheism. Rather, the beauty of all of creation points to God who is the Author of all created beauty! We will offer as a stimulus for your meditation a few treasures of God’s creation as a springboard into a deep prayer of overflowing gratitude to God, our loving Creator. With the Psalmist we acclaim: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His mercy endures forever.” (Ps 136:1)

AN IMPORTANT QUESTION: In all of God’s beautiful creation, what adornment or masterpiece captivates you most and leads you deepest into contemplative prayer and union with God? As you read and reflect upon the different manifestations of God’s beauty in creation, have this question in the back of your mind!

1. THE SUN.  How easy it is to contemplate the sun and have your mind lifted to God by means of symbol, allusion, and reference. Jesus is the Light of the world; Jesus is the “Sun of God”. The sun rises on high, just as the consecrated Host is elevated in the hands of the Catholic priest. The sun is circular, and the Consecrated Host also is circular. By means of properties, the sun transmits both light and heat. So does the Holy Spirit as we see on Pentecost when He descended in Tongues of Fire over the heads of the Apostles. Jesus desires that His Real Presence in the Eucharist fill you with the Light of truth and the Fire of burning love! Jesus said: “I have come to cast fire on the earth, and I am not at peace until that fire be enkindled.” (Lk 12: 49) Still more, the rising sun symbolizes Jesus who rose from the dead to give us life and life in abundance!

2. STARS.  A modern writer describes the night sky with its diversity and splendor of stars as an image of heaven. Thus, the stars speckled over a wide range with varying degrees of light, some brighter than others, symbolize the various saints in the firmament of heaven. Therefore, as you lift your gaze to the night sky, symbolic of heaven and the inhabitants of heaven, the saints, you might feel moved to open up your heart and talk to the saints. If there were ever a true and enormous multitude of authentic friends, these are the saints. They long to listen to your prayers; they long to talk to you; they long to intercede for you before the throne of the Almighty God. Get a little help from your friends—go to the stars in heaven, the saints. Who are your favorite saints to talk with, imitate, and go to with your prayer requests? Incidentally, Saint Ignatius of Loyola loved to step out on the terrace when he lived in Rome and contemplate the stars in their majestic beauty. He could spend long periods of time arriving at God through the beauty of creation—the starry night sky!

3. POWERFUL AND MAJESTIC OCEAN WAVES.  Perhaps you feel captivated by another masterpiece of God’s creative Hand—the ocean, with its waves and immensity. Standing on the seashore or walking along the shore close to the waves, you can contemplate the huge, powerful, and majestic waves that forcefully batter against the shore, then return to the depths. If time permitted, you could spend hours simply contemplating the endless waves and their enormity. Once again, it is God who created the ocean and all its properties. Two of God’s attributes jump out at us as the waves come crashing in and recede out again: God’s omnipotence and God’s eternity. How you might ask? A powerful wave, like that of a Tsunami, can engulf an entire town and the people who inhabit it. God indeed is All-Powerful. Also, no matter how many hours, days, or years you spend walking along the seashore, the waves will continue to come in, break, then recede. Does this not point to the reality that God is Eternal? God has no beginning and He has no end. Our Lady of Fatima stated that if we would meditate on the reality of eternity, we would be converted in no time!

4. SOLID ROCK AND SAND.  At the very end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus leaves us with a poignant contrast: that of the house built on rock and the house built on sand. (Mt 7: 24-27) When the storm kicks up, the rains pour down and the winds become fierce, and the house built on sand collapses and is submerged beneath the waters, totally destroyed. Quite the opposite with the house built on solid rock. Despite inclement weather conditions that assault the house solidly constructed on rock, it remains stable and firm, even when the storms are most violent and the winds rage most fiercely! This image from nature can gently draw you into a serious examination of conscience of your own spiritual life. Is your life built on the Rock which is Jesus the Lord or on mere transitory and ephemeral feelings and emotions?

5. BLUE SKY: MANTLE OF MARY.  Have you ever lifted your gaze to the sky, to the heavens and found yourself almost mesmerized by the deep and penetrating BLUE!!! Possibly this blue sky that seems to be covering you, cloaking you, embracing you, is the mantle of the Blessed Virgin Mary. What a mystical grace: to identify the blue sky with the blue mantle of Mary and experience her maternal love and protection!

6. RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING FROM THE SKY.  As we point out these various aspects of nature, our purpose is to help you connect with the reality of God as Creator. All that God created is beautiful. Therefore, creation should lift our minds, hearts, and souls to the God of all beauty! Raindrops can be viewed as the tears of Jesus and Mary due to the indifference of many towards the love that Jesus and Mary have for them, as well as the immensity of sins committed daily throughout the world. This could move you with a desire to console the Hearts of Jesus and Mary and make prayers of reparation.

7. WHITE CLOUDS AND WHITE SNOW.  These can easily point to the absolute purity of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the challenge to strive to embrace a life of purity in a world that has totally lost appreciation of this virtue. “Blessed are the pure of heart; for they will see God.” (Mt 5: 8)

8. THE RED ROSE.  Much can be said about the presence and the beauty of flowers, most especially the rose. The Poet Dante portrays the Blessed Virgin Mary in The Divine Comedy as the Mystical Rose. However, there are other symbolic interpretations of the rose and a very eloquent one is to see the rose as symbolic of the Paschal Mystery—the Passion, death, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why? Before the blossoming of the beautiful and fragrant red rose comes the thorn. Ven. Fulton Sheen expresses the concept with this depth and eloquence: “Without Good Friday, there is no Easter Sunday.” So it is in nature with respect to the red rose: first comes the thorn and the sharpness of pain, then the beautiful, blossoming red and celestial fragrance of the rose, the spring flower!

9. THE FOLIAGE SEASON OF NEW ENGLAND AND THE BEAUTIFUL RAINBOW IN THE SKY.  God could have created the world in black and white, but He preferred to create colors. Consider the stunning and dramatic explosion of colors painting the leaves in the New England Fall! Or look up and contemplate the beauty of the rainbow spanning the sky as the sun breaks through after a violent storm! Saint Ignatius reminds us that the storms of desolation will pass if we are faithful to prayer, and then the sun will shine and the rainbow enlighten our path.

10. ALL THE BEAUTY OF CREATION.  All the beauty of creation, in its variety, immensity, and majesty points its finger to the Author of all creation and the Author of all beauty, and that is GOD. As the Psalmist reminds us: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims His handiwork.” (Ps 19: 1) May you become more and more aware of God’s all-abiding Presence in your life. In the words of the Greek poet quoted by Saint Paul: “In Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17: 28)    

Copyright 2022 Oblates of the Virgin Mary, St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA

Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

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

TUESDAY, May 24th   Jn 16: 5-11   Bible Verse: “But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”

INSPIRATIONS FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

One of the most important activities of the Holy Spirit working in our lives is that of INSPIRATION. The Holy Spirit inspires in us what is good, noble, pure, worthy, and of course, what is holy.

PROBLEM: RESISTANCE!  Arriving at the heart of the matter is the word Resistance. Ever active in the lives of the saints, and in our lives, the Holy Spirit often inspires us, but we can resist. By resist we mean this: simply to say no or to reject the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

GENTLEMAN.  The Holy Spirit is a Gentleman in the sense that He will never force Himself into our lives. Rather He gently invites us by means of His inspirations to a higher means of existence—to a life rejecting sin, to a life of purity, to a life of holiness. However, it must be reiterated: the Holy Spirit will knock on the door of your heart, but if you fail to open it, like a true Gentleman, He will leave. He will always respect your free will.

SILENCE.  Bombarded by countless noises—radio, TV, cars, planes overhead, motorcycles, iphones and ipads, all of this militates against the ability to pick up the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. For that reason, spiritual writers insist on the necessity of silence. Elijah did not encounter God in the thunder and lightning, or in the earthquake. Rather, he encountered God in the whispering breeze.  

GOOD VIBES, BAD VIBES!  The younger generations speak about the vibes. They might say that a person transmits good vibes or bad vibes. We live in a world bombarded by many noises which militate against picking up heavenly inspirations. Still, there are the good vibes and the bad vibes. One comes from the Holy Spirit and the other from the devil. It is up to us to have proper discernment so that we can reject the bad and receive the good.

COMMON INSPIRATIONS.  The following is a list of inspirations that the Holy Spirit often uses to bring us closer and closer to Himself and to our eternal salvation. Read, reflect, pray on these, and then apply them to your life.

INSPIRATIONS FROM THE GOOD SPIRIT: LISTEN AND FOLLOW:

1. PRAY!  Known under the title of The Interior Master of Prayer, the Holy Spirit gently, but insistently, beckons us to pray. Listen and obey!!!

2. SACRIFICE!  The Holy Spirit will often challenge us to give up something we like, so as to give us something much better for us; this is what we call Sacrifice. Jesus reminds us: “Whoever wants to be my follower must renounce himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mt 16: 24)

3. CONVERT!  The first preaching and teaching of Jesus was the following: “Be converted because the Kingdom of God is at hand.” (Mk 1:15) The Holy Spirit constantly challenges us to change what is sinful in our lives.

4. CONFESS!  Equally important is the Sacrament of Confession! When we have fallen into sin, one of the key operations of the Holy Spirit is to beckon us back to God through a Sacramental Confession. The devil will attempt to paralyze us with fear.

5. RECONCILE.  Upon hurting another by word, action, omission, or even silence, the Holy Spirit is intent upon us mending the breach through an act of reconciliation. This demands humility of heart. The Holy Spirit will inspire you to take the first step on the path to reconciliation.

6. SERVE.  Jesus said: “The Son of man has not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life in ransom for many.” (Mt 20:28) The Holy Spirit will inspire in us noble sentiments of service. When an opportunity presents itself in our lives, the Holy Spirit will inspire us to leave our comfort zone to serve the needy and suffering who are present and waiting for our helping hands.

7. ENCOURAGE.  The bad spirit is the Accuser ready to condemn people and tear them down. The Holy Spirit will often move you to say a word of encouragement to the downtrodden, to lift up the fallen sometimes with something as simple as a gentle smile for the forlorn and abandoned. The Holy Spirit will inspire and encourage us to be a modern BARNABUS—meaning, Son of Encouragement. Accept the challenge!

8. AVOID THROWING IN THE TOWEL.  The expression throw in the towel is a term used in sports which means to simply give up the fight, abandon the struggle, call it quits! The Holy Spirit will often inspire us not to give up when all seems bleak—when the skies are cloudy, the mist is thick, and the sun is hidden. If you like, the Holy Spirit and His inspirations will inspire us in this way: “When the going gets tough, the tough get going!” After Jesus died, as far as the Apostles knew, for all intents and purposes Jesus’ mission was over, fait accompli—a done deal! But no! Jesus returned to console them and encourage them not to give up, but to hang in there and trust in Him all the more! When all seems lost, do not be surprised if the Holy Spirit inspires you to try again and to trust in God’s power! As the Psalmist expresses it: “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.” (Ps 124:8)

9. SEEK ADVICE!  In retrospect, looking back at our lives, how many of us regret certain decisions and actions that marked our lives in the wrong way leaving indelible scars or wounds? If only we had sought and asked for advice, those wrong thoughts resulting in wrong decisions and actions would never have become a reality!!! The Holy Spirit will often inspire us to seek advice when we do not have clarity on a topic or issue at hand. This demands humility, the recognition that we do not know the answer to everything; to be honest, we do not know the answer to most things. A humble request for timely advice can prevent future tragedies!

10. OUR LADY—TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  The Holy Spirit cannot help inspiring us to call out to His Mystical Spouse, the Blessed Virgin Mary! Saint Louis de Montfort, author of the Marian classic on Consecration, True Devotion to Mary, asserts: “For those who love Mary, the Holy Spirit flings Himself into their souls.”

We hope and pray that by being open and attentive to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, you will experience greater peace and joy in your lives, a steady growth in holiness, long life and eternal life. Mary, Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit, help us to be open, to listen, and to respond!

We include this Prayer by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV that we may pray it daily. If done, the Holy Spirit will be the Sweet Guest of our soul now and always!

Come Holy Spirit, come, you who are the Interior Master, teach me how to pray. I do not know how to pray well. I implore you to intercede for me with ineffable groans so that I can cry out: “Abba, Father!”

Come Holy Spirit, come in moments of doubt and confusion, be my light and counselor. Help me to make decisions, not according to my will but according to your holy will.

Come Holy Spirit, come in moments of weakness, give me strength. You who are the courage and strength of the martyrs, obtain for me interior strength to fight against sin, my fallen human nature, and anything that is not pleasing to you.

Come Holy Spirit, come, grant me a filial love for you and a sincere love for my neighbor, especially for those I live with and meet every day. Set my heart on fire with love.

Come Holy Spirit, come sanctify me with your presence. You who are the sanctifier, attain for me an ardent yearning for holiness of life. “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.” May I attain holiness of life so as to attain the promise of eternal life.

Come Holy Spirit, come, produce in me a reverential fear that motivates me to avoid all that is displeasing to you, and to avoid any persons, places, things, or circumstances that could damage my friendship with you.

Come Mary, Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit, Temple of the Holy Spirit, you who had the most intimate and constant union with the Holy Spirit, pray for me so that my knowledge and love of the Holy Spirit will grow daily until I am with you forever in heaven, worshiping forever the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.       

Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter

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

MONDAY, May 23rd   Jn 15:26-16:4a   Alleluia Verse: “The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord, and you also will testify.”

Mary was the first to receive the Holy Spirit! May she attain for us the Gift of all Gifts, the Holy Spirit in our mind, our heart, our soul, and our life! That we too may testify to the Holy Spirit!

MARY AND THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Counselor and Consoler, Paraclete, Interior Master of the soul, Finger of God, Divine Architect, Sweet Guest of the soul, Faithful Friend, Gift of Gifts—all of these titles mentioned describe in different ways some aspect of the Third Person of the Most Blessed Trinity—the Holy Spirit.

MARY AND THE HOLY TRINITY. 

The Blessed Virgin Mary has a profound union with the Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In what way you might ask? The response is this. Mary is the Daughter of God the Father; Mary is the Mother of God the Son; Mary is the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit. Mary’s union with the Three Divine Persons is very personal, intimate, and profound.

MARY AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. 

On one occasion, Cardinal Suenens was asked to celebrate a special outdoor Mass at Duquesne University for the Charismatics —a group known for their love and devotion to the Holy Spirit and His gifts, particularly His Charismatic Gifts. The outdoor stadium was packed to the gills. All were enthusiastic to participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. However, there was a serious problem. Hovering over those present, including Cardinal Suenens, a cloudy, darkened sky threatened rain which would not only dampen the celebration, but ruin it totally! In the event of a downpour, Mass in the open stadium would have to be cancelled. The Mass began and evolved into the Liturgy of the Word with a homily given by the Cardinal. One of the most salient points of his homily was related to Mary and the Holy Spirit. The Cardinal posed a rhetorical question: “Would you like to know the secret of deep union with the Holy Spirit?” All were listening attentively for the answer. The Cardinal proceeded: “The secret of deep union with the Holy Spirit is love and devotion to Mary!” As soon as he spoke these words, there was the flash of a white hot lightning bolt followed by a clap of thunder!!! Then, to the utter amazement of all present, the clouds disappeared and a brilliant sun shone down upon the stadium!

MARY AND THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 

The message is as clear as the sun that beamed down on the stadium that day. If we truly desire a deep union with our Triune God, and particularly with the Third Person—the Holy Spirit, we must have true devotion to Mary, we must have a deep and loving relationship with Mary who indeed is the Daughter of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit.

THE THREE KEY MOMENTS OF MARY’S CONTACT WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Due to God’s loving Divine Providence, from the very moment Mary entered into the world in the womb of her mother Saint Anne, during the whole of her life while on earth, until her last moment before being assumed into Heaven, Mary was endowed, permeated, and imbued with the Person of the Holy Spirit. However, there were three primary moments of intimate union that Mary experienced with this Sweet Guest of the Soul—the Holy Spirit of God.

FIRST, THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. 

From the first moment of her existence on earth, the Holy Spirit took full and total possession of Mary. In what way? We call it the Immaculate Conception. At the very moment that Mary was conceived in the womb of Saint Anne, her earthly Mother, the Holy Spirit was powerfully at work in her little body and soul. Indeed, it was the glorious working of the Holy Spirit that preserved Mary from all stain of Original Sin, and therefore, all the effects of original sin! As the English poet Wordsworth so accurately penned: “Mary is our tainted nature’s solitary boast.” By honoring Mary’s Immaculate Conception, due to the Holy Spirit’s Presence in Mary from the moment of her conception, we receive signal graces to fight the good fight and run the good race in our battles against the pernicious presence and reality of sin in our lives. May Our Lady and her Mystical Spouse, the Holy Spirit, help us to triumph over all forms of sin in our mortal bodies in preparation for our eternal life!

SECOND, THE VIRGINAL CONCEPTION. (Lk. 1:26-38)

In the history of the world and in the economy of salvation, the moment in which the Virginal Conception took place transformed humanity and its destiny. The Virginal Conception is a result of the message of the Archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary in which God invited Mary to become the Mother of God. Giving her full and total consent, Mary said: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38) At that moment, Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and conceived Jesus in her most pure womb. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (Jn 1:13) Therefore,both Mary’s Virginal Conception and the Incarnation of the Son of God were accomplished by the power and working of the Holy Spirit. Our Lady and her deep union with the Holy Spirit can attain for all of us great purity of mind, memory, understanding, and affections of body and soul. Remember, O 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!” (From the Memorare)

THIRD, PENTECOST. (Acts 2:1-13) 

The word Pentecost means fifty—fifty days after the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That first Pentecost effected a powerful transformation in the Apostles. However, the transformation was preceded by a powerful Novena—nine days and nine nights in which the Apostles, united with Mary, the Mother of God, were praying and fasting in silence. It was only after the Novena that the Holy Spirit came down upon Mary and the Apostles with a powerful wind, a shaking of the room where they were praying, and tongues of fire that settled over their heads. As a result, these twelve Apostles who were fearful, confused, and lacking in faith just a few days before, were transformed into valiant soldiers of Jesus and Mary! All of the Apostles, with the exception of Saint John the Evangelist, received the glorious crown of martyrdom—that is to say, they shed their blood in imitation of their Master, Jesus, who shed His Precious Blood for them and for us on the cross. Indeed, it was the Holy Spirit who descended in power, wind, and fire; however, it must be noted that it was the Blessed Virgin Mary whose prayers and presence facilitated the coming of the Holy Spirit! If we desire in our lives to experience a powerful infusion and outpouring of the Holy Spirit, then we should turn to Mary and beg for her prayers and intercession!

Therefore, in our devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, let us never neglect to turn to Mary so that she might attain for us this special Gift, known as THE GIFT OF ALL GIFTS, and that is the HOLY SPIRIT. Let us pray frequently this short but efficacious prayer: “Come Holy Spirit, come to us through the Heart of Mary.”

For future study and reading to develop the understanding of the relationship between the Holy Spirit and Mary, His Mystical Spouse, we invite you to read the writings of Saint Maximilian Kolbe on the topic of Mary and the Holy Spirit.

We include this Prayer by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV that we may pray it daily. If done, the Holy Spirit will be the Sweet Guest of our soul now and always!

           Come Holy Spirit, come fill my heart with your heavenly love. Enlighten my mind so that I may know the Truth, live the Truth, and be willing to die for the Truth.

Come Holy Spirit, come in the dark and lonely moments of my life, come to console me and comfort me. You who are the Sweet Guest of the soul, make me aware of your constant and living presence, so that I recognize that I am never alone because you are with me as a Faithful Friend.

Come Holy Spirit, come, you who are the Interior Master, teach me how to pray. I do not know how to pray well. I implore you to intercede for me with ineffable groans so that I can cry out: “Abba, Father!”

Come Holy Spirit, come in moments of doubt and confusion, be my light and counselor. Help me to make decisions, not according to my will but according to your holy will.

Come Holy Spirit, come in moments of weakness, give me strength. You who are the courage and strength of the martyrs, obtain for me interior strength to fight against sin, my fallen human nature, and anything that is not pleasing to you.

Come Holy Spirit, come, grant me a filial love for you and a sincere love for my neighbor, especially for those I live with and meet every day. Set my heart on fire with love.

Come Holy Spirit, come sanctify me with your presence. You who are the sanctifier, attain for me an ardent yearning for holiness of life. “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.” May I attain holiness of life so as to attain the promise of eternal life.

Come Holy Spirit, come, produce in me a reverential fear that motivates me to avoid all that is displeasing to you, and to avoid any persons, places, things, or circumstances that could damage my friendship with you.

Come Mary, Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit, Temple of the Holy Spirit, you who had the most intimate and constant union with the Holy Spirit, pray for me so that my knowledge and love of the Holy Spirit will grow daily until I am with you forever in heaven, worshiping forever the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.    

Amen.      

Copyright 2022 Oblates of the Virgin Mary / St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter