Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18^TH   Lk. 19: 11-28  “I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

Part 1: Introductory Commentary
Part 2: IMITATE THE VIRTUES OF MARY – THE BIG TEN by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

• Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters.” (Mt. 6:24) This is the Two Standards of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. We either serve Satan, the prince of this world, or we serve Christ the King. How are we to serve Christ?
• Jesus says, “Amen, I say to you, unless you are converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt. 18:3)
• Saint Paul says, “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.” (1 Cor 13:11)
• Is Paul contradicting Christ? As adults, we have responsibilities that children do not have. We are to provide for our children and protect our children from the modern wolves that seek to devour them – such as pornography and the LGBT agenda.
• How do we reconcile this? The answer lies in who God is and who we are. God is the Eternal Being who always was and always will be; He is without beginning or end. He is all-knowing and all-powerful. He is the Creator and we are His creatures.
• By the merits of Christ’s crucifixion and death on the cross, we become children of God through Baptism, sharing in His Divine life through sanctifying grace. Sharing in His Divine life also means sharing in His Divine work – the salvation of souls.
• This explains Christ’s command to become as little children and Paul’s assertion that we must give up childish things. We are to do a “man’s” work with the obedience of a little child – a child of God! Saint Teresa of Avila told her nuns to pray con pantalones (with pants) – like a man! I can imagine she also told them to work con pantalones!
• This is a list of Paul’s trials and sufferings, penned by his own hand, that he willingly endured under obedience to the Will of God!  “I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.” (2 Cor 1: 23-28)
• For Saint Ignatius, obedience was the sine qua non – without which nothing, or the essential virtue. He says, “Obedience is the source and protection of all other virtues.”… “Obedience is nothing less than a holocaust. It is there that we offer ourselves completely, without excluding any part of ourselves, in the fire of our love to our Creator and Lord at the hands of his ministers. By obedience one puts aside all that one is, one dispossesses oneself of all that one has, in order to be possessed and governed by Divine Providence.” He expressed this in the following prayer:

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. You have given all to me. I surrender it all to you. Dispose of it according to your will. Give me your love and your grace that is enough for me.

• One person in all history was perfectly obedient to the Will of God – the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as the Immaculate One! We have prayed with this article before. Let us ask ourselves today if we have grown in these virtues of Mary, particularly the quintessential virtue of Blind Obedience!

PART 2: IMITATE THE VIRTUES OF MARY – THE BIG TEN by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

From the cross, Jesus gave the person He loved most on earth, His Blessed Mother Mary, to Saint John and to us as our Mother most holy! May we strive to know Mary, to love Mary, and to imitate Mary a little more every day. In his Marian Spiritual Masterpiece, True Devotion to Mary, Saint Louis de Montfort highlights ten of the most important virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Let us put forth this list of Mary’s principal virtues.

We read in the text of True Devotion to Mary by Saint Louis de Montfort (# 108):  Third, true devotion to our Lady is holy, that is, it leads us to avoid sin and to imitate the virtues of Mary. Her ten principal virtues are: deep humility, lively faith, blind obedience, unceasing prayer, constant self-denial, surpassing purity, ardent love, heroic patience, angelic kindness, and heavenly wisdom.

Let us humbly beg our Blessed Mother Mary for the grace to understand these ten virtues that she practiced always to a heroic degree of perfection, but also let us beg for the grace to be able to put these virtues into practice in our daily walk of life!

1. DEEP HUMILITY. A humble person recognizes that all the good they have done, and can do, is a result of the Presence of God in their life. Mary was most humble, calling herself the servant or the handmaid of the Lord. Also, in her magnificent canticle of praise that we call The Magnificat (Lk. 1:46-55), Mary states that God has looked with favor upon the humility of His handmaid. Let us beg Mary for a meek and humble heart so that like her, we will attribute our successes to God and our failures to ourselves.

2. LIVELY FAITH. Faith is one of the three theological virtues—faith, hope, and charity. Faith is believing in God and His Word without seeing with our eyes. Jesus gently reproved the doubting Thomas with these words: “Blessed are those who believe without seeing.” (Jn. 20:29) Mary is the woman of faith par excellence. Even though Mary witnessed the Passion, suffering, and death of Jesus, she believed that He would conquer death. Therefore, when we are tempted to doubt, let us turn to Mary, the woman of faith, and beg for her most powerful intercession.

3. BLIND OBEDIENCE. By giving her consent in the Annunciation—“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word.” (Lk. 1:38)—Mary displayed an admirable attitude of obedience to the Word of God and trust in His holy will. When we are tempted to rebel and turn against God, let us, through Mary’s prayers and example, obey God like Mary, and like Jesus who “was obedient to death, even death on the cross.” (Phil. 2:8)

4. UNCEASING PRAYER. Prayer can be defined as communication with God. There is no better example in the world, aside from Jesus, with respect to a life of constant prayer then that of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Scripture tells us, “Mary pondered these things in her heart.” (Lk. 2:19) Continually she thought of God in her mind and loved God with all of her heart; she maintained constant communication with the Blessed Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The devil of laziness can attack all of us. May Our Lady inspire us to be constant, fervent, and faithful in prayer! Indeed, prayer is the key to our salvation. What air is to the lungs, prayer is to the soul!

5. CONSTANT SELF-DENIAL. Another way of wording this is mortification—the ascetical life which leads to the mystical life of union with God. Mary denied and sacrificed herself in all times and places. By doing so, she gave full reign for God to work in the entirety of her life. In Mary’s approved Apparitions, both in Lourdes and Fatima, she strongly encouraged the practice of prayer, but also that of sacrifice. By making sacrifices we are imitating Mary in the art of self-denial. Self-denial turns us towards God and away from self. Mary was always God-centered and never self-centered. May this be our style of life!

6. SURPASSING PURITY. One of the most sublime virtues that characterizes the most Blessed Virgin Mary is that of her spotless purity; Mary is known as the Immaculate One. In Fatima, Our Lady sadly expressed that most souls are lost to the eternal fires of hell due to sins against the virtue of holy purity. Mary is the Perpetual Virgin. She was virgin before the birth of Jesus, during the birth of Jesus, and after the birth of Jesus. True devotion to Mary can help us maintain our purity, and if we have lost it, to seek restoration through Sacramental Confession. Contemplating a beautiful picture, painting, or statue of Our Lady can instill in us noble aspirations for purity.

7. ARDENT LOVE. Of all the virtues that we are called to practice, that of ardent love, sometimes called charity, is the greatest. Read the beautiful hymn of love of Saint Paul: I Corinthians 13. Our Lady practiced love to a sublime degree and in two ways, for love or charity has two dimensions. Mary at all times and in all places loved God first and foremost. However, Mary expressed concretely her love for God by ardent love for her neighbor. Examples of this. In the Annunciation, through her unconditional Yes Mary showed her total and unreserved love for God. However, moving in haste to visit her cousin Elizabeth, Mary manifested great love for her neighbor. In imitation of Mary, may we say in the words of Saint Paul, “The love of God compels me.” (2 Cor 5:14) May we learn this double commandment—love of God and love of neighbor—and strive to live it out on a daily basis. Saint John of the Cross states: “In the twilight of our existence, we will be judged on love.”

8. HEROIC PATIENCE. Not one of us can say that we are patient at all times, in all places, and in all circumstances. Unlike Mary, who manifested remarkable patience! Consider Mary in her pregnancy traveling the long trek to Bethlehem and then being rejected—what great patience! Losing the Child Jesus when He was twelve years of age for three long days before finding Him in the Temple—another manifestation of heroic patience! Most especially, in accompanying Jesus in His Passion leading up to His brutal Crucifixion and death, Mary manifested an unequaled patience! When our patience is put to the test, let us call out to Mary for her assistance. She will never fail us!

9. ANGELIC KINDNESS. The opposite of kindness is rudeness. Just try to imagine the way and manner in which Mary must have treated her neighbor! A warm welcome, a kind and winning smile, courtesy to the maximum, an attentive ear to listen—all of these are clear manifestations of kindness, angelic kindness. Mary did all this to the highest degree! Saint Frances de Sales on this virtue commented: One can attract more flies with a spoonful of honey then with a barrel full of vinegar. In other words, kindness attracts others to Christ while rude and drastic measures repel them. May Our Lady teach us what it means to be kind and may we put it into practice!!!

10. HEAVENLY WISDOM. One of the sublime titles given to Mary in her glorious Litany is that of SEAT OF WISDOM. A wise person knows what is most important in life. Dynamic love for God and ardent desire for the salvation of immortal souls are hallmarks of true wisdom. Our Lady had a burning love for God and an ardent desire for the conversion of sinners and their eternal salvation. “The Blessed Virgin persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross… joining herself with his sacrifice in her mother’s heart.” (Vat II, Lumen Gentium) King Solomon was once wise, but he gave into his weakness—that of lustful desires—and ended his life a fool. We beg the intercession of Our Lady Seat of Wisdom to attain for us not only wisdom now, but perseverance in this sublime virtue until the very end!

In conclusion, may we ardently desire to know, love, and imitate our Blessed Mother Mary! May we be motivated with a firm decision to meditate frequently and fervently on the virtues of Mary most holy and then strive to live them out all the days of our life! Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

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

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious

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

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17^TH   Lk. 19: 1-10   “‘Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.’ And he came down quickly and received him with joy.”

Part 1: Zacchaeus and Jesus by Mother Mary Francis, P.C.C.
Part 2: LORD JESUS, HEAL ME! I KNOW YOU CAN!!! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

• What Joy for Zacchaeus! He had no idea he would be going to Confession that day! Yet at the invitation of Jesus, he couldn’t wait to pour out his sins and his willingness to do reparation, trusting in Jesus’ Infinite Mercy to forgive him.
• Fr. Ed often talks about the great benefits of frequent confession at least monthly, better every two to three weeks. Yet some still have an idea they only need to go to Confession when they commit a mortal sin. They fail to recognize the graces that flow from the Sacrament of Confession are not only curative, but preventative!
• If we take vitamins sometimes, off and on, they may do our body some good. But if we take vitamins daily, they fortify our body and improve our overall health. The same is true with frequent Confession–it fortifies our soul against worse sins!
• What do we confess if we have no mortal sins? Our venial sins! Those minor sins that we may make little effort to eradicate rob of grace, peace and joy in the Lord!

PART 1:  Zacchaeus and Jesus by Mother Mary Francis, P.C.C. (+2006)  

A person who is penitent, who is growing into an understanding of their great sinfulness, their notable faultiness, is a person who is very alert for occasions to make reparation to God. Whereas the person who is not aware in a purposeful way of their own defects and deficiencies inevitably has a very sharp eye for real or supposed deficiencies in others and is very unalert, that is, does not even recognize occasions for reparation.

We miss the point so often! Our Lord is giving us an opportunity to make reparation in this act of humility before us for our many acts of pride; because we have been so often  impatient He is arranging this occasion for us to make reparation by patience; and so on.

The person who has a sense of being a penitent, of needing to do penance, will be very alert for these. This alertness and this purposefulness are joined and conjoined. We see this purposefulness in the tax collector Zacchaeus. He didn’t say: “I’m sorry.  I was a victim of circumstance and all my forebears have lived like this. And some of them did worse than I did, and let me tell you what some of these others did.” Instead he became a real penitent, a man of purpose. He was going to pay back everything, and pay it back fourfold.

Zacchaeus is also an outstanding model of another characteristic of true penance, which is joy! Up there in his tree, Zacchaeus fully saw what a rotter he had been. He had no taste at all for saying what other people were doing; but he saw what he did; he became this man of purpose, and he became so alert to opportunities for reparation that he said he was going to pay back fourfold.

And he was obviously joyous. You can see him scrambling down out of that tree and going off to lunch with Christ, very penitent and very joyful! The remembrance of our sins and our faults, if we have true penitence, never begets bitterness, never begets melancholy. It always begets purpose, alertness, and joy!’ 

PART 2: LORD JESUS, HEAL ME! I KNOW YOU CAN!!! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV   

One of the principal activities that Jesus exercised in His Public Life was that of Healer! Jesus, the Healer, the Divine Physician of our lives came into a wounded, suffering, broken world.

RECOGNITION.  There is no way any one of  us can be healed unless we first recognize that we are wounded and in dire need of healing. The Hispanics have a saying: No hay peor ciego que no que ver; no hay peor sordo, que aquel que no quiere oir. Translation: There is no worse blind man than the one who does not want to see; no worse deaf man than the one who does not want to hear.” Sad to say, many of us are willfully blind and deaf and we fail to admit this reality!

JESUS HEALED THOSE WHO RECOGNIZED THEIR WOUNDEDNESS AND TRUSTED!  Time and time again in the Gospels, we witness Jesus healing the sick, the diseased, and the wounded. However, there were conditions! They were especially two: recognition of their wounded state, accompanied by unlimited trust that Jesus the Divine Physician could heal them.

EXAMPLES.  Just to mention a few for your meditation.

The Blind Bartimeus to whom Jesus gave sight to his eyes when he implored the Lord in humility and trust: Lord I want to see!

The woman with the bleeding or hemorrhage. Her desire for healing and her faith in Jesus were so great that she believed if she were to only touch the hem of His garment, she would be healed. Her healing was immediate, corresponding to her faith.

The Centurion’s servant was healed due to one thing: the faith of the Centurion. This healing was spectacular. The faith of the Centurion was so great that he felt himself unworthy for Jesus to enter his home. However, if Jesus were to only utter a word, a mere word, then the Centurion trusted that his servant would indeed be healed. And so it happened! Jesus healed the servant from a distance by His mere word. Of course this healing depended on the limitless faith of the Centurion, who was not even Jewish.

One of the principal activities that Jesus exercised in His Public Life was that of Healer! There are so many examples of Jesus healing, but one more: the paralytic carried on the mat. This case is interesting because the healing came about by team effort. Obviously the paralytic could not move by himself and thus had to be moved by his friends. We do not know the number, but maybe four. In any case, all five trusted that Jesus, the Divine Physician, could heal this paralytic. The house where Jesus was presently engaged in preaching was packed to the gills. Unable to enter through the front door, with incredible ingenuity, the friends decided to cut an opening through the roof (we can only imagine the reaction of the owner of the house!) and lower him through the roof towards Jesus. Rejoicing immensely at the creativity, persistence, and perseverance of these men, Jesus said the man’s sins were forgiven and then Jesus healed him of his physical condition of paralysis. Once again, healing came about through faith, confidence, and in this case, perseverance.

WHAT ABOUT US? DO WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE WOUNDED?  Jesus so earnestly desires to heal all of us, not in a big crowd, but individually. However, this all depends on our willingness to admit that we are wounded, as well as having total confidence in Jesus the Healer, Jesus the Divine Physician.

SPIRITUAL WOUNDS.  Among all of the wounds that we experience, spiritual wounds, moral wounds are the most serious; these are the wounds that are present in the very depths of our soul.

ORIGIN.  The origin of these wounds goes back to the first fall that we call Original Sin. Due to Original Sin all of us are wounded in mind, soul, and even in body with various sicknesses. Only Jesus and Mary did not have this original wound. Jesus was God; He was the “Holy of holies”. Mary was preserved from this original wound, that we call Original Sin, due to a unique privilege that we call “The Immaculate Conception”.

JESUS AWAITS TO HEAL US OF OUR MORAL WOUNDS, OUR MORAL SICKNESS. The arms of Jesus are open, we see this from the cross, to heal us of our moral wounds. The Father of the Prodigal Son (Lk. 15: 11-32) is waiting with his arms wide open to receive us home, irrespective of the many times we might have fallen. Saint Paul reminds us: Where sin abounds, the mercy of God abounds all the more. (Rom 5:20)

WHEN IS THE TIME?  Now is the time, the hour of salvation. The wounds of your soul can be healed as soon as you desire! This can happen today. God calls you now; better not put it off until tomorrow because, to be honest, tomorrow may not come. Who knows if we will have a tomorrow or not! That depends upon God’s providential will!

HOW CAN WE BE HEALED?  Jesus heals in many ways. However, morally and spiritually Jesus heals through the Church which is His Mystical Body. To be more specific, Jesus heals through the Sacraments, and most specifically through the Sacrament of Confession, sometimes called Penance, other times called Reconciliation, in which we experience His Infinite Mercy, a mercy that cannot be described by words.

WHERE?  Why not call the Catholic Church that is nearest to you and inquire about Confession times and location. Then GO! Even if you do not remember the Act of Contrition, even though you do not remember the protocol or exact method, still go and simply ask the priest to lead you through the process, and he will be more than willing to help you through it all. Then after you have finished confessing your sins, you will hear these words of Jesus speaking through the priest, the wonderful and all-consoling words of Absolution: And I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Go in Peace and Joy!

JOY, PEACE, HEALING, AND FORGIVENESS. In that moment, once again as in the Gospels, Jesus is healing and it all depends upon your trust and faith that this Divine Physician can heal you! Jesus healed 2000 years ago, and He can still heal today, if we place our trust our faith, our confidence in His might and words!

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

Monday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

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

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16^TH   Lk. 18: 35-43   “As Jesus approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. He shouted, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.’”

• This could be my prayer, and perhaps your prayer, every day, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” For I am a poor sinner who does not know your ways well or follow them very closely. Teach me, Lord Jesus, through this meditation to know you more intimately, love you more ardently, and follow you more closely every day!

KNOWING, LOVING, AND FOLLOWING THE LORD JESUS! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

In the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the very heart of the Exercises is the contemplation of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the 30-day Exercises Program, close to 12 days are dedicated to contemplating the Public Life of the Lord Jesus.

THE FRUIT. The fruit or grace that Ignatius insists that we beg for is “Intimate knowledge of Jesus that we love Him more ardently and follow Him more closely.” What a beautiful, inspiring and uplifting grace. In a word, the heart of the Spiritual Exercises and the very heart of the life of the Christian is the Person of Jesus Christ. However, we must beg and strive for a greater knowledge and love for the Lord Jesus and the logical consequence will be an ardent desire to follow Him fully, totally, and unreservedly!

PUBLIC LIFE OF JESUS. The Public life of Jesus lasted approximately three short years, but these years would change the face of the earth, human history, and the world’s condition drastically and radically! Jesus’ Public life can be divided into three fundamental activities: Preaching, Performing Miracles, and Exorcisms—that is to say, casting out devils!

MIRACLES OF JESUS. To give further proof to His Divinity, Jesus performed abundant miracles. To the incredulous, Jesus stated clearly: “If you do not believe in my words, then at least believe in my actions.” (Jn. 10:38) That is to say, in His miracles! With great concision, Jesus’ miracles can be divided into two categories: miracles over nature and miracles of healing of human ailments or sicknesses. Jesus undeniably manifested His power over nature, as well as His great love, compassion, and mercy for suffering humanity in his physical healings. Out of love for the suffering, He would at times go beyond or transcend the natural laws that He Himself imposed as God and Creator of the universe and the laws that govern it.

KNOW, LOVE, AND FOLLOW JESUS THROUGH A SERIES OF MIRACLES. The following Biblical meditation/contemplation consists in presenting a series of Biblical Gospel contemplations taken from the life of Jesus, the Son of God, the Son of Mary, the Divine Physician, and our Best Friend. The Biblical verse will be presented with the title of the Miracle and then a brief reflection. The ultimate end or purpose of this Spiritual Exercise is, as stated earlier, that we really get to know Jesus, love Him all the more ardently, and then consequently be ready and willing to follow Him. Let’s dive in!

1. THE WEDDING FEAST OF CANA. (Jn. 2:1-12) Jesus performed His First Public miracle through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mediatrix of all graces. He turned water into wine. Jesus, through Mary’s prayers, can turn your water into wine. Meaning? Jesus and Mary can help you with your problems—either resolve them or help you to cope with them. Entrust yourself to the loving care of Jesus and Mary; they will never fail you!

2. THE HEALING OF THE PARALYTIC. (MT 9:1-8) Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. A word and a touch from Jesus can heal and strengthen damaged or even ruined limbs. As Jesus healed the paralytic so that He could walk, just the same, Jesus can heal and strengthen your limbs, sometimes physically, but always spiritually, such that you can jump and leap and praise the Lord in your mind, heart and soul! Beg the Lord Jesus to heal you and help you walk firmly on the straight and narrow path that leads to heaven.

3. HEALING OF THE TEN LEPERS. (Lk. 17:11-19) Lepers were considered the outcasts of society. Contagious as it was, incurable in the sight of all physicians, and marginalized by society, the lepers lived an almost hopeless, desperate, as well as precarious existence. People would flee from a leper like the plague! Jesus healed ten lepers at once by His mere Word! Sad to say, only one returned to render Jesus thanks; and he was a Samaritan. Leprosy symbolizes sin. Therefore, in a real sense we are all lepers. But Good News: there is a Doctor who is always available—Jesus, the Divine Physician. Bring your moral leprosy to Jesus and He will heal you in the great healing Sacrament of Confession!

4, HEALING OF THE CENTURION’S SERVANT. (Lk. 7:1-10) Jesus healed a servant who suffered intensely. However, the healing was performed chiefly through the love, concern, and compassion of His master, the Centurion. A healing of Intercession on behalf of another. The healing depended on the Intercessor’s deep faith imbued with profound humility. “Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, but your word alone will heal him”. Why not bring someone you know who needs healing to the Heart of Jesus today with these words of faith and humility, JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU!

5. HEALING OF BARTIMEUS—THE BLIND BEGGAR. (Mk. 10:46-52) Bartimeus, the blind-beggar sitting on the road-side cried out to Jesus insistently, even though they tried to silence him. As a result of his insistence, Bartimeus was brought to Jesus and healed of his blindness. How true it is that all of us have certain BLIND-SPOTS in our spiritual life that impede our progress. However, Jesus is the Light of the world who came to cast out the darkness. Why not beg Jesus to remove the blinders from your spiritual vision so you can see clearly your sins, even venial sins, as well as near occasions of sin— people, places, things or circumstances that are likely to lead you into sin, and even the secret desires and intentions of your heart that may not be pleasing to God. In this way, you can contemplate the Face of Jesus in time and for all eternity. “Blessed are the pure of heart; they will see God.” (Mt. 5:8)

6. HEALING OF THE DEAF-MUTE. (Mk. 8:31-37) Not only do we suffer from a certain spiritual blindness, but also we suffer often from a certain spiritual deafness. As a consequence, this causes an impediment in our speech. In a word, we do not always say what we should say, when we should say it, as well as the proper tone of voice in expressing the words and ideas that emanate from our heart. As Jesus said: “From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” (Lk. 6:45) Why not beg Jesus for the grace of healing so that you can sincerely hear His Word and communicate it in love to others!

7. CALMING OF THE STORM (Mt. 8: 23-27) This is the only time recorded in the Gospels that Jesus was asleep in the boat in the midst of a violent storm—how ironic, but what a deep message! In the midst of this storm on the Lake, the terrified Apostles wake Jesus up. Jesus first rebukes them for their lack of faith, and then He rebukes the violent winds which immediately cease and the storm abates. We all have storms in our lives—some small, some moderate, and others very violent! Why not beg the Lord Jesus to calm these storms? He was omnipotent 2000 years ago and still is to this very day, to this very moment. Your prayer might be: “Lord, be with me in my storms and subdue the violent storms that threaten to capsize the boat of my soul.”

8. JESUS (AND PETER) WALK ON WATER. (Mt. 14:22-33) In the deep darkness of the night, in the midst of a stormy sea on Lake Galilee, the Apostles perceive a specter, what appears to be a ghost, walking towards them on the water. Terrified, they panic. Jesus tries to calm them down: “Get ahold of yourselves; it is I.” Peter responds: “Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come!!!” Peter gets out of the boat and walks with Jesus on the water! But then he starts to sink and cries out: “Lord, save me!” Jesus stretches out His hand and grasps the hand of Peter, saving the Apostle from sinking and drowning! Perhaps we can all identify with Peter? Perhaps we have all been asked by the Lord to leave our comfort zone, to relinquish our security blanket, to walk in the dark on the cold waters? Peter’s problem was precisely this: Peter focused more on the problem then on the Problem-solver, the Lord Jesus! Why not bring your problems to Jesus, the problem-solver right now? Remember! Our chief problem is that we forget to bring our problems to Him who can solve all our problems—the Lord Jesus Christ!

9. THE MULTIPLICATION OF THE LOAVES AND FISHES. (Mk. 8:1-10) The crowds were following Jesus the whole day and they had no food or provisions, nor means to acquire the necessary sustenance. Having been provided with a little bread and even less fish, though given with much love, Jesus performs an extraordinary miracle. He multiplies the loaves and the fishes in such quantity that not hundreds, but thousands eat their fill, and there are still many left-overs that are not to be wasted, but gathered into baskets. What love, tenderness (that of a Mother), and compassion flowed from the Heart of Jesus! Why not bring to the Heart of Jesus your own needs and He will fill you to your heart’s content!

10. HEALING AND EXORCISM OF THE MAN POSSESSED BY MANY DEMONS. (Mt. 9: 28-34) Gashing himself with stones, crying out like a lunatic or madman, living in the solitary loneliness of a grave-yard, Legion suffered from diabolical possession. But it was not just one devil, but a large number that had taken their abode in his soul. Jesus cast out all of the devils into some swine that were grazing on the hillside. The possessed man sat up totally healed— calm and in his right mind. He wanted to follow Jesus, but Jesus told him to announce the good news to his relatives and friends. Why not talk to Jesus about the demons in your life and beg Jesus to cast them out. At the mere name of Jesus and Mary, the throng of devils quake with a dreaded fear!

11. THE RAISING OF THE WIDOW OF NAIM. (Lk. 7:11-17) Moved to the very depths of His heart, Jesus touches the bier where the dead body of a widow’s only son lays in the shadow of death. Immediately the young man rises and Jesus give him back to his mourning mother. Our Lady will be a widow and lose her only Son—Jesus crucified for our sins and for our salvation. Contemplate these powerful Biblical truths and then talk to Jesus and Mary about them! Thank Jesus and Mary for their sacrifice for love of you!

12. RAISING OF THE DAUGHTER OF JAIRUS. (Lk. 8:40-48) Entering into the room with the three Apostles—Peter, James and John, Jesus takes the 12-year-old dead girl by the hand and cries out: “Talitha-cum: young girl arise!” Upon the words of Jesus and the power of His words, the dead girl returns to life and is given back to her parents. How many of us have children—teens or young adults or even adults—who are dead in sin, who have willingly chosen to walk away from the loving embrace of God their Father and embrace some false-god. Why not turn to Jesus, who can bring the dead to life, and beg for the spiritual restoration of any of your sons or daughters who have drifted away from the only Savior, Jesus Christ, and His Mystical Body, the Church.

13. THE RASING OF LAZARUS. (Jn. 11:1-44) This is one of the most powerful miracles in the life of Jesus, who finds his friend Lazarus dead, buried, and laid in the tomb for four long days. Weeping copious and profuse tears, the sisters of Lazarus, Martha and Mary gently complain to Jesus that if He were present during Lazarus’ sickness, their brother would not have died. And Jesus wept! Going to the tomb, Jesus has the stone removed and cries out in a loud voice: LAZARUS, COME OUT!!! Wrapped in the burial bandages, the dead man rises and walks out of the tomb! Jesus transforms a terrible tragedy into a glorious victory! Why not go to the Sacrament of Confession and bring some other sinner with you, and as taught by Saint Augustine, you too will have a LAZARUS EXPERIENCE, passing from spiritual death to life in the spirit!

14. JESUS HEALS THE MOTHER-IN-LAW OF PETER. (Mt. 8:14-15) The fever of Peter’s Mother-in-law was intense. Jesus enters the house, takes her by the hand, and the fever leaves immediately and she gets up to wait on Him. May the Lord bless all the mothers-in-law of the world! One point: immediately upon receiving healing this woman, without losing a moment, starts to serve Jesus. Why not bring our sicknesses to Jesus and once healed serve the Lord Jesus all the more!

15. THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS. (Lk. 24:13-35) He walked with the two forlorn, desolate, and disoriented disciples heading toward Emmaus. Jesus, the stranger, caught up to them, walked with them, listened to them, talked to them. Then once invited, He entered their home to sit down at table and break Bread with them. Their hearts were on fire in His Presence. Why not beg the Lord Jesus to take the blinders from your eyes and set your hearts on fire with love for Him, so that you can set the world on fire with the love of God and the desire for His Kingdom! “Your Kingdom come, on earth as it is in in heaven.” (The Our Father)

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

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15^TH   Mt. 25: 14-30   “His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy!’”

Part 1: Parable of the Talents… by Pope Francis
Part 2: FAITH THAT CAN MOVE THE MOUNTAINS By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PART 1:  Parable of the Talents… by Pope Francis

This man in the parable represents Jesus, we are the servants, and the talents are the inheritance that the Lord entrusts to us. What is the inheritance? His Word, the Eucharist, faith in the heavenly Father, His forgiveness…in other words, so many things, His most precious treasures.

This is the inheritance that He entrusts to us, not only to safeguard, but to make fruitful! While in common usage the term “talent” indicates a pronounced individual quality, for example talent in music, in sports, and so on, in the parable, talents represent the riches of the Lord which He entrusts to us so that we make them bear fruit.

This parable urges us not to conceal our faith and our belonging to Christ, not to bury the Word of the Gospel, but to let it circulate in our life, in our relationships, in concrete situations, as a strength which galvanizes, which purifies, which renews. 

Similarly, the forgiveness, which the Lord grants us particularly in the Sacrament of Reconciliation: let us not keep it closed within ourselves, but allow it to emit its power, which brings down the walls that our egotism has raised, which enables us to take the first step in strained relationships, to resume the dialogue where there is no longer communication. And so forth.

Allow these talents, these gifts, these presents that the Lord has given us, to be, to grow, to bear fruit for others with our witness. Moreover, the Lord does not give the same things to everyone in the same way: He knows us personally and entrusts us with what is right for us; but in everyone, in all, there is something equal: God’s same immense trust. God trusts us, God has hope in us! And this is the same for everyone. Let us not disappoint Him! Let us not be misled by fear, but let us reciprocate trust with trust!

The Blessed Virgin Mary embodied this attitude in the fullest and most beautiful way. She received and welcomed the most sublime gift, Jesus Himself, and in turn she offered Him to mankind with a generous heart. Let us ask Mary to help us to be good and faithful servants in order to participate in the joy of our Lord.  END

PART 2: FAITH THAT CAN MOVE THE MOUNTAINS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

A both charming and captivating movie that came out about five years ago was that of Little Boy. One of the most memorable and impressive scenes was when the Little Boy was confronted with a miracle situation in which the mountain had to be moved. Indeed, Jesus Himself said faith can move the mountains. With fervor, enthusiasm, and all of the energy in his soul, Little Boy beckoned for the moving of the mountain and in fact the mountain really did move, to the surprise and shock of all except Little Boy. The words of Jesus ring true: “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.” (Mt 17:20) Or, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” (Mk 17:6)

This being the case, let us talk about the virtue of faith, what it is, where it comes from, how can we cultivate the virtue of faith and be like Little Boy, able to move the mountains and uproot and transplant the trees.

1. DEFINITION OF FAITH.  One of the simplest ways of defining faith is the following: “To believe in a God whom we do not see and trust in His Word.” Jesus gently rebuked Saint Thomas and he was given the nickname Doubting Thomas, because he refused to believe the other Apostles when they reported Jesus had risen and appeared to them. The Lord gently upbraided the apostle with these words: “Thomas, blessed are those who believe without seeing.” With this response, Thomas offers to us, and to the world at large, one of the most simple and profound professions of faith: “My Lord and my God.”

2. ORIGIN OF FAITH.  Faith is one of the three theological virtues that with Hope and Charity was planted in the very depths of your soul in the moment of Baptism. When you were baptized by the priest, deacon, or Bishop, using the Trinitarian formula:  “(Name), I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” not only was Original Sin wiped clean from your soul, and not only did you become a living Temple of the Holy Spirit, but you also received these three very special Gifts, the theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity.

3. FAITH COMPARED TO A SEED PLANTED IN A GARDEN.  One of the best images for understanding the dynamic process of growth necessary for the virtue of Faith is that of a seed planted in a garden. It could be the best seed in the world. However, if that seed is not cultivated carefully and constantly then that seed can wither up and die. So it is with the virtue of Faith: it must be cultivated or it too can wither up and die!

4. FAITH MUST BE PRACTICED.  Not only must the virtue of Faith be cultivated, but it also must be put into practice. A weight-lifter, a baseball player, a swimmer, a runner—all of these athletes might potentially be the best in their field. However, if they do not practice, then they will never really know nor exhibit the talents they have been endowed with. This short saying resounds as true: “Practice makes perfect.” The younger generation has coined this one-liner: “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” The following will be practical ways that we can cultivate and grow in our faith by making concrete acts of faith.

5. PRAYER.  The saint Jesuit-Theologian, who died in the year 2000 and is already a Servant of God, Father John Hardon, made this acute observation related to prayer and faith or the loss of faith. He asserted that it was his observation that almost always, those people who abandoned the practice of prayer, who abandoned this essential practice, at the same time lost their faith. It stands to reason because every time we pray, we are making an act of faith, we are talking to a God who is invisible, whom we cannot see with our physical sense of sight.

6. THE SIGN OF THE CROSS.  Another key act of faith is when we make the Sign of the Cross, saying the words: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” This gesture and these words express our faith in the most profound Mystery of the Catholic Faith, the Blessed Trinity, that we believe in one God and Three Persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

7. GENUFLECTION. Another key corporal act of faith is that of genuflection, in which your right knee touches the ground every time you walk in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Your faith is directed toward The Mystery of Faith that is Jesus truly present in His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the most Holy Sacrament of the altar.

8. BOWING UPON HEARING THE NAME OF JESUS. Saint Paul says: “Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”  (Phil 2:9-11) These words of the great Apostle Saint Paul express the greatness of the Person and the Name of Jesus. Therefore, we should form that habit of bowing our head upon hearing the Name of Jesus. By doing so, our faith will be bolstered.

9. TRIALS SENT BY GOD. Like Abraham, like Peter and the Apostles, like the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints, our faith has to be tested, purified, and perfected by means of many trials. Saint James expressed this truth in these words: “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (Jas 1:2-4). God must send us trials in one form or another so as to purify, to strengthen, and to fortify our faith. As rusty iron is purified and perfected in the crucible of fire, so our faith is perfected by various forms and sorts of trials. The episode of Peter, first walking and then sinking in the waves, in which he cried out: “Lord, save me” elicited these words and gesture of Jesus: “‘Man of little faith, why did you doubt?’ and Jesus reached out His hand and grabbed on to that of Peter.” (Mt 14:30-31) Then Peter walked on water again! Like Peter, at times we are called to leave the comfort zone of our boat and walk on the cold, rolling, and uncertain waters, all the while placing our faith and trust totally in the Lord Jesus.

10. SHARE YOUR FAITH WITH OTHERS.  In a material way, when we give something away we become impoverished. Not so when we share our faith. By sharing our faith in Jesus, in God, in the Catholic Church, we grow, and the more we generously share, the greater growth we will experience! Saint Paul reminds us: “There is more joy in giving then in receiving.” Share your faith and you will grow in your faith!

Let us beg Our Lady, who never lost her faith and total trust in God, even in the most difficult times in her life, that she would pray fervently for us so that like Little Boy our faith will be so strong that we will be able to move the highest mountains. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

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

Saturday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time

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

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14^TH Lk. 18: 1-8   “Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.”

Part 1: Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) on Prayer.
Part 2: PRAYER POWER IN THE DEPTHS OF YOUR HEART! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PART 1:

• CCC 2566. Man is in search of God. In the act of creation, God calls every being from nothingness into existence. “Crowned with glory and honor,” man is, after the angels, capable of acknowledging “how majestic is the name of the Lord in all the earth.” Even after losing through his sin, his likeness to God, man remains an image of his Creator, and retains the desire for the One who calls him into existence. All religions bear witness to men’s essential search for God.
• CCC 2567. God calls man first. Man may forget his Creator or hide far from His face; he may run after idols or accuse the deity of having abandoned him; yet the living and true God tirelessly calls each person to that mysterious encounter known as prayer. In prayer, our faithful God’s initiative of love always comes first; our own first step is always a response. As God gradually reveals Himself and reveals man to himself, prayer appears as a reciprocal call, a covenant drama.
• CCC 2559. “Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.” But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or “out of the depths” of a humble and contrite heart? He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that “we do not know how to pray as we ought,” are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. “Man is a beggar before God.

 PART 2:

PRAYER POWER IN THE DEPTHS OF YOUR HEART! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

The Letter of Saint James expresses the power of prayer when offered by a holy man. Our prayer can even determine weather conditions. The example in the Letter of Saint James is taken from the person of the great Prophet Elijah. His prayer stopped the rain from coming down and then opened up the skies so that it would rain again:

Elijah was a human being like us; yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain upon the land. Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit. (Jas. 5: 17-18)

This short passage taken from the Letter of Saint James should be a powerful motivation for all of us to examine our own prayer lives, admit that there is much improvement that is needed, and take the necessary measures to add power to our prayers. As the Gospel reminds us: Prayer can indeed move the mountains!

This being said, we would like to offer a series of suggestions so that our prayer life will not be insipid, lukewarm, mediocre, stagnant and life-less! May God help us to inject power into our prayer life. Our personal sanctification and the sanctification of many others depends upon our own personal prayer life!

Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate—challenging all of us to become saints, in the fourth chapter highlights five signposts of those who are on the highway to holiness. The last of the five is that a saint strives to pray constantly!!!  Therefore, let us dive into the infinite abyss of the ocean of prayer!

COUNSELS AND ADVICE TO SKYROCKET IN PRAYER!!!

1. CONVICTION!!! We will never carry out any worthwhile initiative if we are not motivated by a firm and determined conviction of the importance of this enterprise. In the pursuit of money, power, pleasure, success in the natural world—we see men and women make heroic sacrifices! Take for example those chosen for the Olympic Games. Training, discipline, fasting, and much more is undertaken even years before the Olympic Games take place. This is simply for a Medal that will rust and disappear one day. We must be convinced that our prayer life is a matter of life and death for the salvation of our soul and those entrusted to us! An analogy might serve to hammer this idea home: As air is to our lungs, so prayer is to the health and salvation of our souls!!!

2. PURIFICATION. Jesus taught us in the Beatitudes: Blessed are the pure of heart; for they will see God. (Mt. 5:8) Our mystical life, our contemplative life demands purity of heart, mind, soul, and body! Making a good sacramental Confession can be of incalculable value in not only giving us great peace of mind, heart, and soul, but also, Confession, through the Precious Blood of Jesus, purifies the window of our soul so that we can contemplate the beauty of the Face of Jesus in prayer. Frequent confession can bolster your drooping prayer life!

3. COME HOLY SPIRIT, COME!!! Some of the many titles that are given to the Holy Spirit are the following: The Interior Master, Sweet Guest of the soul, Gift of Gifts. In the Letter to the Romans, Saint Paul expressed a struggle in prayer, saying: “We do not know how to pray, but the Holy Spirit can intercede for us so that we can say Abba, Father” (Rom 8:26) In other words, we need teachers, and even more important with the art of prayer. It is the Holy Spirit, the Interior Master, who can come to our aid and help us grow quickly and efficaciously in our prayer journey. The powerful Pentecost experience is one of the most compelling examples. After nine days of silence, prayer, and fasting with Mary, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles, setting their hearts on fire with the love of God, and teaching them to pray so that they could be Masters of prayer in the whole world. (Read Acts 2!!!)

4. GIVE GENEROUSLY OF YOUR TIME!!! As in any activity that we deem of importance, we must give time to that activity. A professional baseball player, a professional musician, a professional Doctor, a professional writer, a professional singer—all have one point in common: they have exerted blood, sweat, and tears to perfect themselves in their art, in their profession. So much the more should we be willing to expend time and exert effort to learn the art of all arts, the art of Prayer! The athletes express it concisely: No pain, no gain!!!

5. HAVE YOUR PRAYER PLACE!!! Very important also is setting aside some place where you can pray well. Related to time and place must be added the indispensable condition of silence. Elijah in his experience on the mountain did not encounter God in the noise, but in the gentle, silent breeze. Speak, O Lord, for your servant is listening!!! If at all possible, the Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen suggests that we make our Holy Hour, the Hour of Power, in front of the Blessed Sacrament, in front of the Real Presence—Jesus the Eucharistic Lord!!!

6. INVITE MARY INTO YOUR PRAYER! Another enormous help to improve your prayer life and to pray more is to invite the Blessed Virgin Mary to be with you in your prayer period. Beg Mary, who had a true contemplative heart, to pray with you and to pray for you. Beg Our Lady through her powerful intercession to turn your water into wine. (Jn. 2:1-12) That is to say, turn your mediocre and insipid prayer into fire!!!

7. A PRAYER METHOD. Utilizing a Prayer-method can be of immense value to take flight into the spiritual atmosphere and heights of our prayer experience! Methods are used for learning anything—for sports, for language skills, even for learning how to drive. This is also true with respect to prayer. Among many suggestions, we would like to refer you to a suggestion made by Pope Benedict XVI in his encyclical on the Bible, the Word of God, Verbum Domine. In this superb document the Holy Father offers a classical method of the past which is titled Lectio Divina! Behold the steps:

1) LECTIO—Meaning to read Scripture with an open heart: Speak, O Lord, for your servant is listening.
2) MEDITATIO—Ponder and think about the meaning of this passage. Take the Blessed Mother as your example. She pondered the Word of God in her Immaculate Heart.
3) CONTEMPLATIO—Saint Ignatius calls this Composition of Place—meaning: Try to imagine that you are really in the scene with Jesus and Mary. Be present in the scene and active in it! You are not a passive spectator but an active participant.
4) ORACIO—The heart of prayer is from your heart. Now talk to the Lord from the depths of your heart. The Lord is attentive to your supplications, and all that is on your mind and in your heart!
5) ACCIO—After you have completed your formal prayer period, in imitation of Mary who moves from the Annunciation to the Visitation, move to put into practice what you have experienced in the depths of your heart in prayer.

8. TRANSFORMACIO—Recognize that prayer done with faith, love, fervor, and constancy, will result in a final quality: that of TRANSFORMATION!!! In the words of the fiery Apostle Saint Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20) We are transformed into the one we love and the one who loves us—JESUS, OUR BEST FRIEND!!!

9. DISTRACTIONS. There is not a prayer warrior in the world who does not experience distractions, and who does not have to struggle to conquer them. However, this can be of great purpose and utility in our prayer journey; a comment from the Catechism of the Catholic Church on distractions! It is the following: often distractions during our time of prayer are indications of a disordered attachment or affection that we might be clinging to! In other words, it could be the Holy Spirit challenging us to give up some attachment that is impeding our growth in prayer! Saint Ignatius challenges us to a state of Holy Indifference—meaning, we have to detach ourselves from any person, place, thing, or even mental conviction that can prevent us from loving God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength! Saint John of the Cross says that a bird cannot fly if it has a chain around its foot or a thread! Our God is a devouring fire. (Letter to the Hebrews) He wants all we have and all that we are, and He gives all of Himself to us in return!

10. BIBLE AS THE FUNDAMENTAL SOURCE. There are many sources that we can employ in our prayer life: prayer books, various readings, etc. However, it must be stated unequivocally: THE BIBLE—THE WORD OF GOD, should be our primary sustenance in our prayer experience. We pray in the Lord’s Prayer: Give us this day our daily bread. In the desert Jesus rebuked Satan with these words: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God! (Mt. 4:4) Take the Bible in your hands, especially the Gospels, and nourish your mind, heart, and soul with the Word of God!!!

11. READING ON PRAYER. Saint Teresa of Avila, the Doctor of Prayer in the Catholic Church, would not allow a woman into the Carmelite Order if she did not know how to read. Why you might ask? The reason is clear! The great Saint and Doctor of the Church firmly believed that one could learn immensely on many topics, and especially that of prayer, by diving into classics written on prayer. There is an infinite reservoir of sources, but we will give just a few: Deep Prayer, Deep Conversion; Primer of Prayer; and Fire Within; all written by Father Thomas Dubay. Introduction to the Devout Life by Saint Francis de Sales. The Life of Saint Teresa of Avila, The Way of Perfection, and Interior Castle, all written by Saint Teresa of Avila. Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul by Saint Faustina Kowalska.

12. MORE READING: A MUST!!! All who take their prayer life seriously must find time to read slowly, sincerely, and methodically the CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH – PART 4. This is indeed a spiritual masterpiece that gives an excellent summary of prayer as found in the Old Testament figures, the Psalms, the prayer of Jesus, methods of prayer, struggles in prayer, and a concise explanation of the Our Father, the Lord’s prayer. No doubt a careful reading of one of the most authoritative texts ever written on prayer will give you a very solid foundation on which to construct your spiritual edifice of prayer. “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” (Mt. 7:24-29)  

13. SPIRITUAL DIRECTION. Another indispensable help in the sometimes difficult journey of our prayer experience is that of seeking out adequate, methodical, and systematic spiritual direction. We all have blind-spots in our lives and this is very true in our spiritual life and that of prayer. Saint Teresa of Avila had several saints who helped her to arrive at the heights of her prayer experience. Among these were the following: Saint John of the Cross, Saint Peter of Alcantara, O.F.M., Saint Francis Borja, S.J., and Jerome Gracian, O.P. Maybe we cannot find four canonized saints to direct us, but we can pray to find some capable person to help us along the highway to holiness in our prayer escapade! Beg the Holy Spirit for this great grace!

14. RETREAT EXPERIENCES. We would be remiss if we did not mention one of the most powerful means to arrive at a deeper prayer life and prayer experience—it is that of RETREATS!!! The retreat experience left to us by Saint Ignatius of Loyola has proved to be a real winner over the past 450 years. The Retreat can be a weekend, or eight days, or even a month-long encounter with the Lord Jesus. It can be a preached retreat or a silent retreat. However, once again related to spiritual direction, it is important that during the course of the retreat you seek out some form of spiritual direction. An annual retreat experience should be on your agenda!

15. COMMUNITY. We should not neglect the power of prayer in community. Jesus Himself said: Wherever two or more are gathered in my name, I am there in their midst! (Mt. 18:20) As Christians, we belong to the family/the community of the Church. We must learn the art of praying with others. How might this play out? The Rosary in a group, as well as the Liturgy of the Hours (Breviary), Holy Hours in community, and of course, the most powerful prayer that exists, that of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receiving Jesus, the Bread of Life. As a signpost of holiness, Pope Francis insists on the building up of community, and what better way then by praying together!!!

In conclusion, may the words of the great mystic-ascetic Franciscan priest, Saint Peter of Alcantara, spur us on to strive for greater depth in our personal prayer life, with these most inspiring words, which highlight the numerous effects of prayer:

“In mental prayer the soul is purified of its sins, nourished with charity, confirmed in faith, and strengthened in hope; the mind expands, the affections dilate, the heart is purified, truth becomes evident, temptation is conquered, sadness dispelled, the senses are renovated, the drooping powers revive, tepidity ceases, the rust of vices disappears. Out of mental prayer, prayers issue forth like living sparks, those desires of heaven which the soul conceives when inflamed with the fire of divine love. Sublime is the excellence of mental prayer; great are its privileges; to mental prayer heaven is opened; to mental prayer heavenly secrets are manifested and the ear of God is attentive.”

(The Ways of Mental Prayer, Rev. Dom Vitalis Lehodey, pages 26-27, Tan Publishers)

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