Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest

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

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3RD   Mt. 7: 21, 24-27   “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.”

• Today, Jesus presents us with the wise man who built his house solidly on rock and survived the floods. We are preparing for the coming of Our Lord and Savior Jesus, born of Mary, with Saint Joseph as his foster father. The Holy Family is our role model for building healthy, holy and happy families on the solid rock of virtue!
• Today, let us meditate on Saint Joseph as a role model for fathers in the family. Later, we will meditate on the Blessed Virgin Mary as a role model for mothers in the family. Even if we cannot reach their perfection, we can beg good Saint Joseph and our Blessed Mother Mary for the grace, and strive to imitate them a little more each day. For the glory of God and the sanctification of ourselves and our families!
• “There are many saints to whom God has given the power to assist us in the necessities of life, but the power given to Saint Joseph is unlimited: It extends to all our needs, and all those who invoke him with confidence are sure to be heard.” Saint Thomas Aquinas

GLORIOUS SAINT JOSEPH, OUR SUBLIME MODEL by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

If we want to look to the saints as models then we should raise our eyes, mind and heart to the greatest of all saints and that is of course GLORIOUS SAINT JOSEPH! The Church celebrates Liturgically Glorious Saint Joseph twice a year: March 19st and May 1st.  In March, he is celebrated under the title Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary. In May, his title is Saint Joseph the Worker.

In this short essay, we would like to focus on Glorious Saint Joseph as Patron of Families and Patron of Fathers. As we all know, in the world in which we live the family is definitely in crisis, as well as fatherhood. For these two reasons we would like to raise our minds and hearts to Saint Joseph to pray for families, as well as to serve as a splendid and shining model for fathers to follow.

One of the titles given to Saint Joseph in the beautiful prayer that we call the Litany of Saint Joseph is the poetic expression Saint Joseph, Ornament of the Domestic Life, pray for us. What do we mean by the word ornament? Very simply, an ornament has as its nature and purpose to adorn, to beautify, to dignify, to make noble. If Saint Joseph is given a more prominent role in the family, then families indeed will become more beautiful, more noble, more loving, more pure, more elegant, more humble, more dignified, more respectful—in a word, more holy!

Therefore, we encourage all families to invite the Glorious Saint Joseph to be a living member of your family, of course in union with Mary, the Spouse of Saint Joseph, and Jesus, our Lord, Savior and God. Two suggestions on how to invite Saint Joseph to have a more prominent presence and role in the sanctification of your family. First, purchase either an attractive statue of Saint Joseph and place it in a prominent place, or you might prefer to purchase an attractive painting of this great saint. Next, on a daily basis, have the family pray together a prayer to Saint Joseph; it might even be the Litany of Saint Joseph. Do not be surprised to experience real changes improving your family life in a short time if this is done. The great Saint Teresa of Avila, woman Doctor of the Church, who loved and promoted devotion to Glorious Saint Joseph commented that sometimes saints delay in their intercession. But not so with Saint Joseph, he works quickly! She said that he is the saint to beg for graces in all circumstances and situations.

Now let us move on to another dimension of the personality of the Great and Glorious Saint Joseph and that is with respect to his Paternity—or if you like, Saint Joseph in his role as father.

The Church actually gives Saint Joseph a theological category that places him in the apex or zenith of all of the saints and this is called Protodulia. By this title, we mean that Saint Joseph as saint is the first to be venerated among all the saints. Saint Bernardine of Siena and other saints give the reason and it is because of the dignity of his office or the dignity of his sublime vocation. For according to the vocation that God gives to any individual, He will always give corresponding graces commensurate with that vocation. The Sacrament of Marriage enables a husband and wife to be faithful to each other, and to be responsible and holy parents. Holy Orders enables the priest to carry out his priestly duties with grace, order, love, and perfection. Likewise, God called the great Saint Joseph to be both Spouse of Mary, the Mother of God, as well as to be the earthly father to Jesus, the Savior of the world. Therefore, it stands to reason, that due to these two sublime duties, Saint Joseph would be endowed with a super abundance of graces. For this reason, we want to love Saint Joseph, pray to Saint Joseph, and trust in the power of his intercession.

Saint Joseph as Father! One of the most astounding and mind-boggling works of the Eternal Father was to send His Only Son Jesus, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, and allow His Son to become a little Baby—vulnerable, weak, and totally dependent upon a human mother and a human father—Mary and Saint Joseph. Indeed, Saint Joseph was and always will be the earthly father of Jesus! This was the will of the eternal Father for all eternity. And of course, Saint Joseph was the best of all earthly fathers. We would like to highlight only a few sublime qualities of Saint Joseph as father so that it will serve as a springboard for many fathers to imitate. We all desperately need good role models to imitate, and now, more than ever, fathers need a role model, and Saint Joseph is by far the best!

The following are five specific qualities that Saint Joseph lived as father to Jesus and as a model of all present and future fathers. May Glorious Saint Joseph intercede for fathers that they will faithfully carry out the sublime role that God has entrusted to them.

FIRST, Saint Joseph was a faithful son of the Eternal Father. What is meant by this is simply the following: to be a good father, one must first and foremost be a noble, loving, and obedient son to the heavenly Father. All fathers must pray with utmost sincerity the prayer of the Lord: “Our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be thy name….” A true father must have God as his guide, source, life, and inspiration. May fathers, in imitation of Saint Joseph, cultivate a deep relationship with the heavenly Father, and learn the true meaning of the Lord’s Prayer, The Our Father.

SECOND, Saint Joseph was a faithful and loving spouse. The Liturgy highlights how Saint Joseph cherished his wife, the Blessed Virgin Mary. The word cherish means that he really loved her. It is true that both Saint Joseph and Mary decided upon and lived faithfully a virginal marriage, under the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Nonetheless, on a human level there existed a most profound and dynamic love that bound them together, a love imbued with the presence of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, to be true and genuine fathers, husbands must love God, but then they must really love their wives. For when they love their wives, this love overflows and descends upon their children, like rainfall that falls and moistens the parched ground. A gesture of kindness and love given to his wife, is a gesture of kindness and love given to their children!

THIRD, good Saint Joseph was a teacher. He taught Jesus, on a human level, many important practices. He taught Jesus how to speak and say Abba—Daddy! He taught Jesus how to walk. He taught Jesus the art of craftsman as a carpenter. Now listen to this: Saint Joseph even taught Jesus how to pray! The words of the Psalms, such as “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want….” (Psalm 23:1), Saint Joseph prayed these words and taught the Child Jesus to pray them. How sublime! The great Saint Joseph taught the Logos, the Eternal Word of God the Father, how to pray using human words! The documents of Vatican II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church insist on the fact that the parents—both father and mother—are the primary teachers of their children, most especially in that which refers to the faith. May good Saint Joseph as a most splendid model, inspire fathers to truly be the first and best teachers of their children in all areas: academic, social, human, emotional, but especially as teachers of morality, spirituality, and all that refers to the good of the soul of the child and their eternal salvation!

FOURTH, Saint Joseph was PRESENT to his child and to his wife. What we mean by present refers to the all-pervasive sad fact that so many fathers today actually become what we might term Drop-out Dads! This term Drop-out Dad has a multiplicity of interpretations, all nefarious and noxious to the well-being of the child and the family at large. Here are a few: divorcees, those involved in adultery, those hooked to vices (drinking, porn, drugs, casino gambling or the horses), those who are physically present but emotionally disengaged or disconnected. We invite all to seek out the song Cat’s in the Cradle by artist Harry Chapin, and especially pay attention to the lyrics. In sum, the father is just too busy to be involved in the life and activities of his son and he never really gets to know his son. This indeed becomes a vicious cycle passed on from one generation to the next. Contrariwise, good Saint Joseph was always, and we emphasize always, available to the needs of his family—both wife and Son! Saint Joseph prayed with the family, worked with the family, ate with the family, went to the Synagogue and Temple with the family, laughed with the family, relaxed with the family, and finally died in the arms of those he loved most—Jesus and Mary!

FIFTH, a very important final note on the noble, sublime, and holy presence and person of the great Saint Joseph was his willingness to sacrifice himself and suffer for Jesus and Mary, not in one isolated case but many times, and intense sufferings! Saint Joseph suffered due to the Virginal Conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary, until the angel cleared his doubt, and Saint Joseph took Mary to be his spouse. Saint Joseph made the long and grueling trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem, in total obedience to the governing authorities, accompanying his pregnant wife on a donkey those many miles. Upon arriving, Saint Joseph received nothing but rejection: “There was no place for them in the Inn.” (Lk. 2:7) Then Saint Joseph had a dream that the wicked King Herod wanted to kill his Son. In the bitter cold and darkness of night, faithful, strong, and obedient husband and father, good Saint Joseph, fled with his family to Egypt, thereby saving Jesus from being slaughtered to death!

The strong, valiant, courageous, and trusting Saint Joseph experienced all these episodes and more, motivated by a most profound love for his family—his wife and his Child – the Christ Child! True and authentic fathers must have a compelling need to look up to the valiant and courageous Saint Joseph as model and guide. In other words, true fathers must be willing to work hard for their children, sacrifice for their children, and even be willing to SUFFER for their children, and sometimes suffer painfully for their children to bring them to safety from the many wiles of the modern Herods! Our human nature shirks and recoils from the prospect of suffering. However, it is part and parcel of human existence. Saint Joseph sacrificed himself and suffered intensely for one reason: LOVE! This great saint loved God; he loved his wife Mary, and he had an all-encompassing love for his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. May our modern fathers, our modern Dads, lift up their eyes to good Saint Joseph and beg for his heavenly intercession, especially in moments of trial when pain and sacrifice are demanded. No doubt, good Saint Joseph will be present, powerful, and providential in his assistance!

In conclusion, we would like to make this closing comment. The first so to speak devotees (those truly devoted to) this great and glorious Saint Joseph were both Our Lady and Jesus, the Lord. For all of us to have an integral, well-balanced, and complete relationship with Jesus and Mary, then we must also have a great love for glorious Saint Joseph. So we would like to end with a prayer to Jesus, Mary and Saint Joseph:

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul;
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, make my heart like unto yours;
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.

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

Wednesday of the First Week of Advent

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

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2nd   Mt. 15: 29-37  

“My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear that they may collapse on the way.”

• Today Jesus is unwilling to send the crowd away hungry. There is another kind of hunger that moves the Heart of Jesus with pity. The soul immersed in sin hungers for righteousness, for the fruit of sin is bitter and leads to self-loathing. Advent is the time for forgiveness and healing. Let us resolve to make the best confession of our lives this Advent!
• “The celebration of Advent is possible only to those who are troubled in soul, who know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look forward to something greater to come.” ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Part 1: Humility comes from self-knowledge… by Saint Catherine of Siena
Part 2: MAKING BETTER SACRAMENTAL CONFESSIONS: FIRM PURPOSE OF AMENDMENT by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PART 1: Humility comes from self-knowledge… by Saint Catherine of Siena

You see, then, that we must not complain or run away in time of darkness, because out of the darkness is born the light. Because of impatience, patience is acquired, for people who are conscious of their own impatience become patient because of what they suffer. They are impatient with their impatience, more sad that they are sad at all than for anything else. And so out of opposites we come to learn perfection without even noticing it. We discover that we have become perfect in the midst of storms and temptations. And there is no other way one can ever arrive at the port of perfection. So reflect on this: we cannot receive or even desire virtue unless we have desires and harassment and temptation to suffer with true holy patience for love of Christ crucified. We must, then, be happy and glad in time of struggle, temptation, and darkness, since they are the source of so much virtue and joy!

I don’t want you to yield to weariness or confusion, no matter what may trouble your spirit. No, I want you to keep the good, holy, and true, faithful will that I know God in His mercy has given you. Humility comes from self-knowledge, and this charity from knowledge of God’s goodness. And there the soul becomes drunk and consumed with love for God!

Be glad, celebrate! Without any slavish fear, take courage, for perfection is very accessible. Answer the devil by telling him it is not my doing that virtue has been at work in me, because it was not in me. It was the doing of grace, of God’s infinite compassion and mercy. In Christ crucified you can do anything, so do everything with lively faith.

PART 2: MAKING BETTER SACRAMENTAL CONFESSIONS: FIRM PURPOSE OF AMENDMENT by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

God communicates His grace to us through Jesus Christ, His Mystical Body which is the Church. The Sacraments are the chief or principal channels by which Jesus sanctifies us, makes us holy. However, and this must be emphasized, the abundance of grace or the lack of grace is commensurate with the disposition of the recipient.

DISPOSITIVE GRACE IN SACRAMENTAL THEOLOGY.  So as to reap the most abundant harvest in the reception of the Sacraments, one must have a firm grasp on what Dispositive Grace really means. To be concrete, dispositive grace means the more open, docile, pure, receptive, and humble the soul, the more abundant the graces.

A SIMPLE IMAGE.  The sun will pass through a windowpane once the drapes are pulled open. However, a windowpane that has been sullied or besmirched by smut and dirt, then the abundance of the sun’s rays will be blocked, at least partially. That window cleansed by Windex and a dry newspaper will result in a pure and transparent window and the sunlight will penetrate and permeate the room in abundance. So, it is with the soul—a pure and transparent soul will capture and absorb the abundant light of God’s graces in the reception of the Sacraments!

CONFESSION AND GOD’S ABUNDANT GRACES.  The normal and most efficacious means by which we can receive God’s Infinite Mercy is through the worthy reception of the Sacrament of Confession, also known as the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Sacrament of God’s Infinite Mercy. However, it must be emphasized, the thrust of this short essay is this: the abundance of the graces of all the Sacraments, and most specifically in this article, that of Confession, is in direct proportion to the disposition and the preparation made before entering the Confessional.

THE FIVE INDISPENSABLE STEPS.  There are Five Indispensable Steps that are necessary to receive the grace of forgiveness in the Sacrament of Confession: 1) Examination of conscience; 2) Sorrow for sins, 3) Firm purpose of Amendment, 4) Confession of sins vocally to the priest, who represents Christ; 5) Penance—carry out the penance given by the priest. If done, the grace of the Sacrament flows into the soul.

PASTORAL COMMENT AND ADMONITION.  As a priest for many years and having heard thousands of confessions in various countries, I would like to make this comment with the purpose of encouraging penitents to approach this great Sacrament with trust, love, confidence, and frequency. However, with the strong encouragement to analyze one of the five steps or aspects of the Sacrament—the 3rd Step: Firm Purpose of Amendment.

MEANING: Firm Purpose of Amendment.  These few words mean the following: as a penitent receiving the Sacrament of Confession, I will strive with the help of God’s grace and with all of the energy in my will to avoid the near occasion of sin. If you like, I will not play with fire. Or again, I will not walk on thin ice or walk on the slippery slope that leads to a fall. Meaning, I will avoid any person, place, thing, or event that can easily lead me to falling into sin. I will utilize preventive medicine to procure the avoidance of the moral infirmity of sin!

Let us offer a few concrete suggestions on how we can upgrade or improve our reception of the Sacrament of Confession, augment grace in our soul—even allow God’s grace to fall in a deluge upon our soul, and most important, to overcome falling into the same sins over and over.

1. IMAGINE THIS TO BE OUR LAST CONFESSION, THEN JUDGMENT.  This thought can be of incalculable value: try to imagine that this Confession might be the last in your life and then Judgment ensues. No doubt with this thought in mind, your preparation will improve 100%.

2. EXAMINE OUR CONSCIENCE THOROUGHLY.  Make a concerted effort to examine your conscience most thoroughly with the help of a guide booklet explaining the Ten Commandments in minute detail. Those who have drifted away from the Church for years and have not studied their faith, almost certainly do not know the Commandments and have a poorly formed conscience.

3. WRITE DOWN THE SINS.  Of great utility for us as penitents would be that of writing down our sins. If done, sins will not be forgotten and skipped over in the context of the Confession. The Sacramental Grace of Ordination gives the priest the ability to absolve and forgive sins, but not to read minds.

4. REWIND THE FILM OF OUR LIFE AND DETECT OUR SINS.  Even before writing down your sins, you should rewind the film of your life since your last Confession and see your sins with great honesty, not glossing over sins, or justifying sins, or rationalizing sins—this is pride. Try to see your sins through God’s eyes with total honesty and truth.

5. THE PRECEDING REASONS THAT LED US TO FALL INTO SIN.  Now what is of prime importance in this short essay aimed at improving your confessions, is to arrive at the root causes or reasons that led you into your sins, and possibly what has led you to fall into the same sins in the past. This knowledge of self is of enormous importance in helping you not to fall into the same sins again, the same traps you have in the past.

6. DESOLATION.  In general, relying upon the wisdom of the saints, especially Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the state of desolation is often a key trigger or catalyst that can easily catapult you into the mire of sin. By desolation basically is meant that you feel sad and depressed, have a sense of futility and purposelessness in life. Therefore, immersed in such a state, you must double your spiritual armaments to fight against the ensuing temptations.

7. KRYPTONITE (Superman’s weakness).  The devil will take advantage of this weakened state of your soul to launch his missiles to manipulate and maneuver you into his camp and tempt you to sin, and sin again.

8. SELF-KNOWLEDGE OF THE PAST TO AVOID SINS IN THE PRESENT.  Being aware of having slipped and fallen into the mire of your sins in the past due to a state of desolation, you must allow to kick into high gear the Ignatian concept of Agere Contra—this means instead of succumbing to sin, deliberately do the exact opposite. Instead of overeating, practice temperance. Instead of capitulating to impatience, be doubly patient with the people around you. Instead surrendering to laziness, bounce out of bed 15 minutes earlier. Instead of looking at something impure, contemplate Jesus on the cross with His Mother Mary at the foot of the cross. By living out the Agere Contra—doing the exact opposite, the victory can be won!

9. PRAYER, PENANCE, POWER OF DETERMINATION, PREVENTIVE MEDICINE.  Now this is the key to confessing better, most specifically in carrying out Step Three—having a firm purpose of amendment in the scheme of the Sacrament of Confession—and that key is Prayer, Penance, Power of the Will, and Preventive Medicine. Let us look at these series of words with the Letter “P”.  First, by Prayer is meant that even before entering the confessional you strive to make a fervent Act of Contrition. In this prayer you are already aware of your weaknesses and past sins, as well as what preceded these sins. Second, you will be adding to fervent prayer, an act of Penance; it can be a small penance. It is not size of the penance that matters but the sincerity with which you offer it. Third, the Power of the Will—make a really firm act of the will with a determined determination to not sin again. Fourth, now have recourse to Confession which is not only medicine and healing to the sick of soul, but also Preventative Medicine. If done well, not only are your sins forgiven, but the Sacrament also confers grace not to fall so easily into sin again, and past habitual sins will be greatly diminished. In other words, you are having recourse first and foremost to God’s grace, but second and of great importance, doing your own part with good will!

10. NUNC CAEPI—Now I begin! Despite our good efforts, we still can fall. If that is the case, then we should strive to bounce back as soon as possible, and then strive with the help of God’s grace, and an even more firm commitment, to fight against sin. As the Psalmist reminds us: “God is slow to anger, but rich in mercy.” (Ps. 145:8) This refers to sin and the Sacrament of Confession. “Even if I should fall a thousand times a day, a thousand times I will get up again and say Nunc Cœpi–Now I begin.” (Motto of the Founder of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary)

11. COMMUNION AND CONFESSION.  Another added help to improve our Confession is to connect it with Communion. By this is meant, when you receive Holy Communion, beg the Sacred Heart of Jesus to support you in your fight, in your struggle against sin, in your weakness. Beg the Eucharistic Lord to strengthen you when you are weak and being tempted, and He will quickly run to your aid. Both Sacraments—Confession and Holy Communion—are intimately connected.

12. OUR LADY REFUGE OF SINNERS.  The saints all agree that Mary is most powerful in our struggle against sin. Before having recourse to Confession, let us place our Confession in the hands and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and beg her most fervently every time we confess to the priest to make the best Confession in our life, and also to help us upgrade our firm Purpose of Amendment! Let us beg Mary to help us to avoid any person, place, thing, or circumstance that can plunge us into the mire of ugliness—that is sin. But rather may we choose beauty—that is virtue. “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”

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

Tuesday of the First Week of Advent

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

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1^ST   Lk. 10: 21-24   “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

• As we prepare for the birth of the Christ Child, the long awaited Messiah, let us resolve to make this the best Advent of our lives by asking our Blessed Mother to accompany us, to open our eyes to see and our ears to hear all that the Holy Spirit wishes to reveal to us in deeper self-knowledge and greater gratitude for our Heavenly Father and His Eternal Son: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (Jn. 3:16)

Part 1: Imitating Jesus… by Dom Lehodey, O.C.R.
Part 2: PREPARING FOR THE BIRTH OF JESUS IN YOUR SOUL by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

 PART 1:  Imitating Jesus… by Dom Lehodey, O.C.R. (+1948)
Jesus will never do anything more than this very simple task wherein even little children like us may imitate Him: He will never do anything more than accomplish the will of His heavenly Father. To it He will surrender Himself without reserve and with perfect and lifelong abandonment.

This obedience and abandonment have their source in His love for His Father. It is the fullness of abandonment because it is the fullness of love: love filial, confident, disinterested, generous, unreserved; love overflowing with gratitude for all the benefits which He has received in His sacred humanity; love full of zeal, devotion, and humility.

The Victim laden with the sins of the whole world, He believes that all chastisements are due to Him, that no sufferings are too much to make reparation to His Father’s glory, and to bring back to Him, His wandering but most tenderly loved children.

 PART 2:  PREPARING FOR THE BIRTH OF JESUS IN YOUR SOUL by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

The most important BIRTHDAY in the history of humanity is the birthday of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The key to experiencing the overflowing, exuberant joy of Christmas depends on the time, energy, and effort that we expend in preparing for this day. In short, the key to the success of the party depends on the prior preparation.

The Church teaches about the three comings of the Lord Jesus Christ: 1) In the Incarnation, historically about 2000 years ago when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, 2) At the end of time—this is left for God the Father; 3) Finally, and very pertinent to us in the present moment, is that Jesus comes to us constantly by means of Grace!

Therefore, we would like to offer a concrete plan on how we can prepare for the Birthday of Jesus in our life, our mind, our heart, and in the depths of our soul by means of grace right now! May Mary, the Mother of God, the good Saint Joseph, and the holy angels of God assist us in this most noble of endeavors. May this Christmas bring a radical change in our lives!

1. CLEAN THE STABLE. If we are not living in the state of grace, then nothing happens spiritually in our lives; we are like a dead branch hanging from a withering tree. Why not have the courage, trust, and humility to prepare yourself to make the best Sacramental Confession in your life. Clean the inner stable of your soul of all the dirt, cobwebs, smut, and debris that belongs in the moral trash-bin. Sweep clean the recesses of your inner life and of your exterior words and actions so that Jesus can be born in you with immense and overflowing joy this Christmas.

2. SILENCE. We sing the famous Christmas hymn Silent Night, but this song must resonate in the very depths of our spiritual life now more than ever. Shrill cries, loud noises, constant chatter, endless news items, a whirlwind of constant noise pollution bombards us north, south, east and west. Now more than ever we urgently need silence, silence, silence… Why? So that we can hear the gentle wind of God’s voice talking in the depths of our hearts. May the words of the young Samuel resonate in our hearts: “Speak, O Lord, for your servant is listening.” (1 Sam 3:10)

3. BIBLICAL MEDITATION. In the strong times of the year—both Advent that leads to Christmas and Lent that culminates in the Easter triumph—the Church warmly and insistently exhorts her children to have the Bible, the Word of God, in their hands for meditation. May Our Lady who meditated upon the Word of God in her Immaculate Heart be our constant and splendid model! If you like, meditate upon the Biblical Readings in the Mass; this must be our Daily Bread!!!

4. RECONCILE. As we approach the Birthday of Jesus, the word SHALOM—PEACE BE WITH YOU—should set the mood of this season of joy. Examine your social relationships, especially with respect to those who are closest to you, particularly in your family. Is there any person that you are at odds with, that you resent, that you have bitter feelings about? Now is the time to reconcile! Sometimes the most difficult words for us to express are I’M SORRY!!! Perhaps those are the two words that can transform your Christmas Day from bitterness to overflowing joy! Remember what Jesus says: “If you are offering your gift and recognize that someone has something against you, leave your gift at the altar and reconcile with your brother, and then return to offer the gift.” (Mt. 5:23-24) Recall the words of the great English poet, Alexander Pope: “To err is human; to forgive is divine.”

5. CONQUER LAZINESS. The poet Dante presents the contrast between the Capital sins and their opposing virtues in the Divine Comedy, Purgatorio. The opposing virtue to laziness is diligence. Dante presents Our Lady in the Visitation as the model. After Mary conceived Jesus through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, Mary went in haste to help and serve her cousin Saint Elizabeth. As Christmas approaches, like Our Lady, may we move in haste to carry out the inspirations that God sends to us through His Holy Spirit. Let us not wait for tomorrow to do what we can do now! Life is short and as the saints are known to say: “Let us work hard in this life and rest forever in heaven.” (Saint Peter Canisius)

6. SAINT JOSEPH. One of the most humble, hidden, and inconspicuous figures in the Bible is the Glorious Saint Joseph. Of all the saints, he is the greatest. Being both the Spouse of Mary and the earthly Father of Jesus, his dignity and holiness transcends the stars! It was the great Saint Joseph who protected Mary. It was this great man who found a place where the Child Jesus could be born. It was this same saint who protected the Child Jesus from being slaughtered by the malicious King Herod. Why not lift your mind and heart in prayer to Saint Joseph and implore him for the grace to truly celebrate Christmas with yearning, and longing, and overflowing love!

7. EYES OPENED TO THE NEEDS OF THE POOR. It is so true that Jesus was born in the abject poverty of a stable for animals. Later on in His preaching, Jesus taught in the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” (Mt. 5:3) To capture the utter depths of Christmas, we must have contemplative eyes to see Jesus even today truly present in the poor, the sick, the abandoned, the elderly, the marginalized, the dying, the imprisoned. Read and meditate on the Bible chapter that summarizes the Corporal Works of Mercy—Mt. 25:31-46. Examine your daily walk in life and your contacts. Who is that hungry, or poor, or naked, or foreigner, or sick, or imprisoned person that God has placed in your path and is really Jesus. Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta expressed it in these words: “We must see Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poor.”

8. THE REAL GIFT OF CHRISTMAS: JESUS HIMSELF! The name Bethlehem actually means: House of Bread. Jesus in “The Bread of Life discourse” (John 6:25-71) refers to Himself as the Bread of Life that gives life to the world. The fullest meaning and living out of Christmas is to live out the Mass: Christmas—the Mass of Christ. And of course the culminating point of Mass is the Consecration which terminates in the reception of Holy Communion. Your soul becomes in actuality “The Little House of Bethlehem.” An all-important title for Jesus in Advent and Christmas is Emmanuel—God with us! Jesus is truly with us in the celebration of Holy Mass and the reception of Holy Communion. In a real sense, Christmas can be lived every day!

9. BRING SOME LOST SHEEP TO THE ARMS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD. The largest religious group in the United States, Mexico, Europe, and the Philippines is non-practicing Catholics. These are wandering sheep, ships without a port, arrows shot with no target, drivers with no GPS or destination. They are wandering in no-man’s land, in the wasteland (T.S. Elliot). This Christmas season why not invite one of these, who are in the millions, to come back to Church. Invite them to make a good Sacramental Confession telling them of the love and mercy in the Heart of Jesus. Then encourage them to return to the practice of living out a fervent Sacramental life. Remember the words of Saint James: “My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring that person back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of their way will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20)

10. MARY AND THE MYSTERY OF CHRISTMAS. Following the solid advice of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and the Spiritual Exercises why not enter into a Contemplative scene of Christmas? Why not contemplate the Baby Jesus resting in the arms of His Mother Mary? Why not beg Mary for the grace to take the Baby Jesus into your own arms? Contemplate Him; talk to Him; kiss His little Face and tell Him from the very depths of your heart how grateful you are for His coming to save you, how much you love Him for having died for you on the cross, shedding every drop of His Precious Blood for the salvation of your immortal soul. Finally, to plumb the very depths of the Mystery of Christmas, we must enter into the most pure and Immaculate Heart of Mary who is the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and your loving Mother!

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

Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle

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

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30^TH   Mt. 4: 18-22   “He said, ‘Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.”  Feast of Saint Andrew

• Like Peter, Andrew was called to martyrdom. Tradition tells of Andrew’s death at Pattas, in Greece, where he evangelized to the end. Andrew was bound by ropes to an X- shaped cross on which he hung for two days preaching to the crowds that gathered before he died.
• Just as Christ called the Apostles, Christ is calling us to work with Him to save souls! Not all are called to martyrdom, but all are called to take up our cross daily, and we all have crosses, and follow Jesus, the Apostles, and the Saints down through the ages in bringing others to Christ; first, by offering prayers and sacrifices/sufferings for the salvation of souls, and second, by our example, our words, and our deeds!

Part 1: Walking with the saints as a servant of Christ… by Saint John Henry Newman
Part 2: WORKING WITH JESUS TO SAVE SOULS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PART 1: Walking with the saints as a servant of Christ… by Saint John Henry Newman

It is more than enough for a sinful mortal to be made a fellow worker and fellow worshiper with the blessed spirits, and the servant of the Son of God Most High. Let us try to realize our privilege, and withal humble ourselves at our want of faith.

We are the elect of God and have entrance through the gates into the heavenly City, while we do His commandments, following Christ as Andrew did, when pointed out to us by His preachers and ministers. 

To those who thus follow on to know Him, He manifests Himself, while He is hid from the world. They are near Him, as His confidential servants, and are the real agents in the various providences which occur in the history of nations, though overlooked by their historians and sages.

They bring before Him the temporal needs of people, witnessing His marvelous doings with the barley loaves and fishes. They also lead strangers before Him for His favorable notice, and for His teaching. And, when He brings trouble and distress upon a sinful people, they have truest knowledge of His will, and can best interpret His works; for they have lived in contemplation and prayer.

Thus they live; and when they die, the world knows nothing of its loss, and soon lets slip what it might have retained of their history. But those works have followed them; and, at the appearing of their Lord in judgment, will be at length displayed before all the world, and for his merits eternally rewarded in the heavenly Kingdom.

PART 2: WORKING WITH JESUS TO SAVE SOULS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

If we truly love God, then we should love what God loves most in all of His creation! And that is: the salvation of immortal souls. In all of creation, both man and woman are at the very pinnacle or zenith of creation in the natural world. All the rest of creation—stones, plants, and animals will one day cease to exist. Not so with the human person.

MOMENT OF CONCEPTION. At the very moment of conception, God intervened in a most powerful way. He infused an immortal soul in that little person! By immortal soul we mean a spiritual entity that contains within it memory, understanding, imagination, and will—the power to choose. Furthermore, this soul, created by God, will live forever, beyond the limits of time and space. This thought is mind-boggling and staggers the imagination.

TWO ROADS. Psalm 1 speaks of the two different roads: one road leads to peace, fruitfulness, and goodness; the other road, like chaff, is blown away by the wind. Expressed in different terms, the human person at the end of their life will either be saved and united with God forever in heaven or lost and condemned to the eternal sufferings of hell. There is no other possibility!

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. Our life on earth is very short, indeed very short! If we compare our mere human existence to all of eternity, it is barely a grain of sand in the immense ocean of forever. Saint Augustine explained the concept of eternity in these dense but powerful words: Our life in comparison with eternity is a mere blink of the eye. The Psalmist expresses eternity as such: The life of man on earth is like the flower of the field that raises its head in the morning and withers and dies as the sun goes down. (Ps 103:15-16) Have you ever watched smoke from a pipe, cigar, or even a chimney; it issues forth and dissipates in almost no time. Saint Peter, the first Vicar of Christ, had a few words to say on this timely topic: “Before God, one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.” (1 Pt. 3:8)

THE INFINITE VALUE OF THE HUMAN SOUL. The Angelic Doctor, Saint Thomas Aquinas, stated that one human soul, created in the image and likeness of God, is worth more than the whole created universe. To prove the importance of the assertion of Aquinas call to mind the sober but all important truth that Jesus shed ever drop of His most precious Blood to save all of humanity. Saint Ignatius of Loyola, in the Spiritual Exercises, emphasizes the fact that if you were the only person in the whole created world, Jesus would have suffered all of the excruciating pains of His bitter passion just for the salvation of your immortal soul. How important you are in the eyes of God!

APOSTOLIC ZEAL IN THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS. It becomes crystal clear in the lives of the saints—the ardent fire that burned in their hearts to do all they could to collaborate with Jesus in the salvation of immortal souls. Indeed, if we really do love Jesus then we should love what He loves most—the salvation of immortal souls! A few examples to illustrate this point.

SAINT PADRE PIO. Why was it that Saint Padre Pio willingly received and accepted from Jesus the five wounds in his body that we call the stigmata, not for a day, or a week, or a month, but for fifty long years in which there were days when he suffered intensely. On Fridays this great modern saint would actually shed blood from these wounds, as well as all the days of Lent. Once some naïve person asked Padre Pio if the wounds hurt. He quipped: “These are not Christmas decorations!” Of course they caused pain and very intense pain! Why on earth would this man suffer so much and so long? The answer is clear and to the point: because He loved Jesus and loved to work with Jesus for the conversion and salvation of souls, as well as for the purpose of repairing for sins!

THE CURE OF ARS (Saint John Marie Vianney). How could it be that this man spent more than forty years as a priest, most of the time nailed in the confessional? He would spend 12 hours, 15 hours, even up to 18 hours a day in the confessional reconciling sinners to God. He slept on the floor about three hours a night and ate a couple of potatoes a day. Also, we should mention the fact that the Cure of Ars had frequent bouts and battles with the devil. Why on earth would any man submit himself to so many privations, sacrifices, and sufferings? Why??? The response once again is simple: he loved God and desired most ardently to collaborate with God in the salvation of immortal souls.

SAINT JACINTA MARTO.  This was a little shepherd girl who with her brother, Francisco and cousin, Lucia had the privilege of seeing the Guardian Angel of Portugal three times. Then, they communicated with Our Lady six times—from May 13 through October 13, 1917. This little girl, who never learned to read and write, arrived at a point in her short life where she became a little Victim Soul—meaning she was ready and willing to offer all of her sufferings to Jesus, though the Immaculate Heart of Mary, for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of souls. The various forms of her sacrifices were astounding… Here are a few!

1) FOOD.  She gave up eating her favorite food—the sweet grapes from the hillsides of Portugal.
2) FUN AND ENTERTAINMENT.  She loved to dance (an innocent dance). This too she sacrificed.
3) LUNCH.  She would actually give her lunch to the poorer children as she went to the pasture to tend her sheep.
4) THIRST.  On a hot day in the summer, Jacinta, with Lucia and Francisco, sacrificed drinking fresh, cold water so as to suffer with Christ for souls.
5) BODILY PENANCE.  Jacinta wore around her little waist a rough rope that chafed her skin causing her great discomfort.
6) HEADACHES.  On one occasion, her head was pounding violently causing her great pain and she started to complain. Francisco, her brother, reminded her to offer that also as a sacrifice. This she did willingly.
7) SUFFERING AND DEATH.  Jacinta suffered in a Hospital far from her parents—in a certain sense abandoned. Our Lady appeared to her and asked her if she would be willing to suffer a bit more for the salvation of souls; Jacinta willingly said YES! She died there alone at age 9.

All of these heroic sacrifices Jacinta willingly carried out after Our Lady showed her, as well as Lucia and Francisco, a graphic vision of hell where the poor sinners go who have so few to pray for them. This vision motivated Jacinta to give her life to Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, as what Saint Pope John Paul II called a little victim soul for the salvation of souls.

NOW IT IS OUR TURN.  Now it is up to you and to me to enter into our hearts in conversation with God, in the presence of the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, and to discern with sincerity and truth: what can we do to work with Jesus and Mary for the salvation of immortal souls??? Our Lady of Fatima stated with great sadness: Many souls are lost for all eternity because people do not offer prayers and sacrifices for them. If we love God, then we should love what God loves most! What is that? It is clearly this: THE SALVATION OF IMMORTAL SOULS. One soul is worth more the whole created universe! The Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary are waiting for your answer right now!

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

First Sunday of Advent

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

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 29^TH  Mk. 13: 33-37   “Jesus said to his disciples:  ‘Be watchful! Be alert! … You do not know when the lord of the house is coming. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all. Watch!’”

 Part 1: Woe to the Soul… attributed to St. Macarius (+391)
Part 2: LESSONS FROM THE CHILD JESUS: GOD’S WISDOM! By Father Ed Broom, OMV

• Advent is about preparing to receive the Christ Child anew in our hearts. For this reason, Advent is about cleaning house in our soul and in our life! St. Ignatius of Loyola calls it ordering the disorder!
• At the same time, we must always remember that we are also preparing for the day, the hour, the minute, the second, we know not when, that we will take our last breath, and Christ will come to us as Judge. Let us be serious about throwing ourselves on His Mercy now in frequent Confession lest we die in unrepentant mortal sin – thereby losing our soul for all eternity!

PART 1: WOE TO THE SOUL… attributed to St. Macarius (+391) Egyptian Monk/Hermit

“Woe to the soul that does not have Christ dwelling in it; deserted and foul with the filth of the passions, it becomes a haven for all the vices. When a farmer prepares to till the soil he must put on clothing and use tools that are suitable. So Christ, our heavenly King, came to till the soil of mankind devastated by sin. He assumed a body and, using the cross as His plowshare, cultivated the barren soul of man. He removed the thorns and thistles which are the evil spirits and pulled up the weeds of sin. Into the fire He cast the straw of wickedness. And when He had plowed the soul with the wood of the cross, He planted in it a most lovely garden of the Spirit that could produce for its Lord and God the sweetest and most pleasant fruit of every kind.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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