Fifth Sunday of Easter

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

SUNDAY, May 15th   Jn 13: 31-33a, 34-35   “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Genuine love is expressed in simple ways. Let us take an early follower of the apostles and Saint as our model; Joseph was a Levite from Cyprus whom the apostles re-named Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement”! If we live out Fr. Ed’s suggestions faithfully every day, not only will we lift up others, we will become a more joyful person!

BRINGING THE JOY OF CHRIST TO OTHERS! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Sadness, depression, complaining and gossiping, anger and bitterness, despair in life—all of this characterizes the environment of workplaces, offices, companies, and even many homes.  

Saint Thomas Aquinas makes a somewhat obvious statement and it is the following: all are called to happiness. Everyone in the world, irrespective of time, place, culture—all have a great desire to be happy.

Why is it then, as mentioned at the beginning of this article, that so many, and we repeat, so many people are everything but happy? The response is the following: they are looking for happiness in the wrong places. A fish placed on the top of a building, a bird plunged into water, a cat placed in the company of a dog—all are simply in the wrong place!

Likewise, the human person who pursues happiness in the casino, in wine and whiskey, in the pleasures of the flesh referring to sexual promiscuity, porn viewing and licentiousness, not to mention drugs and overeating—none of these can produce true happiness. Indeed, all of the above can produce transitory or ephemeral pleasure, but not true happiness, not true joy. Pleasure can be bought with money and depends on external stimuli. Whereas true happiness comes from within; true happiness comes from God; true happiness is found in an intimate relationship, better said, friendship with God. True happiness comes from union with God the Holy Spirit who gives us both His Gifts and His Fruits; one of these fruits is JOY, very much akin to HAPPINESS!

Saint Augustine, who looked for happiness in pleasure (sexual addiction until he was 31), after his conversion, in his classic Confessions penned this immortal line: “O God, you have made our hearts for thee and our hearts are restless until they rest in thee.” True happiness can only be found in God, in a deep, personal and dynamic relationship with God.

Therefore, having encountered God in a deep and personal manner in our lives, it is incumbent upon us to share this joy with others. Pope Francis’ document summarizes our central theme: The Joy of the Gospel. Those who have understood the message of the Gospel, which actually means Good News, should not keep this joyful Good News to themselves, but be ardent and zealous in sharing it with others! This being the case, we would like to offer ten simple ways in which we can share the joy of the Gospel, the joy of union with the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit, with an angry, depressed and even despairing world!

1. SMILE.  Smile at the angry person. One of the clearest signs of union with God is the joy that radiates from a SMILE. Many things are contagious and that includes a smile; try it and you will see its effects! One of the hallmarks of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta and the Order she founded, the Missionaries of Charity, was the smile on the face of this saint, as well as her Sisters!

2. I AM PRAYING FOR YOU!  Upon bumping into a grumpy and sad person, why not say to them: “I am praying for you!” You might even add: “You know, God loves you as someone precious in His eyes!” Who knows, maybe this person has never heard these words in their whole life!

3. OPEN THE DOOR!  Upon entering some building, take the initiative to open the door for the person who arrives at the same time and place as you do! This is symbolic! You are desiring that one day God will open up the door of heaven for you, as well as for this person. Jesus pays undivided attention even to the smallest details. He said: “I tell you, those who give even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones will not go without his reward.” (Mt 10:42)

4. KINDNESS.  Try to be kind in words, as well as in gestures. The opposite of kindness is meanness! We all know what that is. When somebody says a mean word to us, it is as if we were stung by a wasp by those words; the poisonous venom stays with us. Kindness is the exact opposite; it is like a gentle, healing balm that anoints our soul. Read Father Lovasik’s book called KINDNESS.

5. A KIND LOOK OR GLANCE.  Even something so simple as a kind look or glance can indeed be very consoling to somebody with a wounded heart. Words can be encouraging, but the same can be said of a loving and encouraging glance. How many athletes have gone beyond their physical limits because there was some person encouraging them with an encouraging glance of the eyes!

6. GIVE A HOLY CARD.  Giving a holy card of Jesus, Mary, the angels or one of the saints can serve as a concrete reminder that in the midst of the loneliness and dark nights that we all must traverse, we are really never alone, rather God and the angels and saints are present to us. Small reminders can have huge impacts on the lives of the fallen and depressed. God is close to those whose hearts are broken.

7. TAKE A WALK AND TALK!  Maybe there is a family member who is going through depression—it might be your teenage son. Why not invite him to take a half-hour nature walk. Exposure to the trees and their multi-colored leaves, the sound of a chorus of birds chanting their songs of praise to the Creator, the gentle breeze caressing your face, the bright and warm sun a source of solace and healing, the fresh smell of cut grass, the blue sky—really the mantle of Mary—all of these can serve as a means to lift the cloud of depression and radiate joy and happiness!

8. TALK WITH THE WALK.  During the course of a nature walk, engage this person—maybe your teenage son—in conversation. However, start by highlighting the good qualities that God has endowed him with. There are many, but he may not be aware of them. It is up to you to highlight them and encourage him to cultivate them. These 30 minutes, exposed to the beauty of creation that comes from God who is beauty itself, as well as an encouraging conversation, can turn the tide of depression to renewed hope and happiness! Try it and you will see!

9. JOKE!!!  When you run into a sad-faced and joy-less individual—and there are many out there—tell an honest, clean, humorous story or joke! The great orator, Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, would often start off his conferences or lectures with not one joke, but three! This would dispose the audience for the rest of his talk. Maybe you can buy a good, clean—and I highlight CLEAN—joke book, and start to learn a few so as to spice up the life of the sad and the depressed! We all like a well-told, timely joke or humorous anecdote!

10. MARY, OUR LADY: CAUSE OF OUR JOY!  In the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary one of the short phrases apropos of our topic is “Mary, Cause of our Joy, pray for us!” It is recorded in the life of Saint Therese of Lisieux, known as “The Little Flower”, that when she was suffering from a very painful sickness, she turned to look at a statue of Our Lady and Mary smiled at her. Instantly Therese was healed of her ailment! Therefore, in conclusion, let us offer up fervent prayers to Mary, Cause of our Joy, for many of our brothers and sisters who are suffering acute depression in one form or another. Through the intercession of Mary, may the sad and depressed recognize that true happiness can only be found in union with God! Our Lady teaches the world this in her canticle of praise that we call the MAGNIFICAT: “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior…”  Like Mary, let us LOOK TO THE LORD and be radiant with joy! And invite others to do so as well!

Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle

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

SATURDAY, May 14th   Jn 15: 9-17   Jesus said: “I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.”

Mary is the Immaculate Conception, meaning conceived without the stain of original sin that we were all born with. Mary is the sinless one. Yet Mary loves us, even as her Son loves us. Just as we were in the Sacred Heart of Jesus as He hung on the cross, we were in the Immaculate Heart of Mary as she stood beneath the cross! All the suffering Jesus endured in His body on the cross, Mary endured in her heart for love of us and our salvation!

MARY IS TRULY OUR LOVING MOTHER by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Saint Therese of Lisieux, a young Carmelite saint who died at the tender age of 24 years, loved the Blessed Virgin Mary very much and she was known to have said: “It is true that Our Lady is Queen of Heaven and earth, but at the same time she is more Mother than Queen.” This is the wonderful topic that we would like to address in this short exposition on the Blessed Virgin Mary, “God’s Masterpiece of Creation.” (Saint Louis de Montfort)

MARY AS MOTHER.  In all truth it can be asserted that Mary is indeed the Mother of God. Mary is also the Mother of the Church, which is the Mystical Body of Christ. But of great importance to each and every one of us, Mary is our own loving Mother.

MARY’S TITLES AND PRIVILEGES.  Mary indeed has many titles, for example, Mystical Rose, Tower of David, Tower of Ivory, Ark of the Covenant, Virgin most pure, Virgin most holy, Gate of Heaven, Morning Star, and many other poetic, mystical, as well as Biblical titles. Nonetheless, of all the titles and privileges that can rightly be given to Mary, the greatest of all of these is this: MARY IS THE MOTHER OF GOD!

MARIAN DOGMAS.  Up to this point, the Church has officially declared four Marian dogmas, a truth revealed by God through the Church that must be accepted. They are: Mary’s Immaculate Conception, Mary’s Divine Maternity, Mary’s Perpetual Virginity, and finally, Mary’s Assumption into heaven. Of these sublime Marian privileges or Marian dogmas, the greatest and most sublime is Mary’s Divine Maternity—which means that Mary was chosen by God to be His Mother; Mary is truly the Mother of God. This we celebrate every year on Christmas, as well as to start off the New Year on January 1st.

MARY AS MOTHER: THE ROLE OF A MOTHER.  On a natural plane, a mother has these basic qualities. First and foremost, the nature of a mother is to give birth or give life to the child that she has nurtured in her womb. Second, a mother nurtures the child first within her womb, and then as her little child. Third, a mother is intent upon clothing her child, so as to protect them from the cold and from sickness. Fourth, a mother is always watchful to protect her child from danger and the possibility of getting hurt. Fifth, a mother is intent upon educating her child and in many ways: physically, intellectually, morally and spiritually. Sixth, a mother will treat her child’s wounds after they have fallen and scraped their knee, kissing the wound for quick healing. Seventh, a mother listens to her child whenever they want to open up and express what is in the depths of their heart. Eighth, a mother has the courage to correct her child when her child has made some error or is moving in a dangerous direction. Ninth, a true mother comforts her child by her warmth, tenderness, concern, compassion, and loving care. Tenth and finally, the most important and characteristic note of an authentic mother is that she loves her child. It is a love without limits, irrespective of where the child is and what the child has done—her love is vast as the ocean! All of these maternal qualities can be attributed to Mary our Mother on a higher and more sublime plane. Let us now look at these motherly attributes and apply them to Mary as our Heavenly Mother. Again, in the words of Saint Therese: “It is true that Our Lady is Queen of Heaven and earth, but at the same time she is more Mother than Queen.”

1. MARY AS MOTHER GIVES LIFE. 

Mary is the full of grace from the very moment of her Immaculate Conception in the womb of her mother, Saint Anne. Grace is the supernatural life of the soul. Mary as our Mother prays for us so that we will attain grace beginning with our Baptism; she prays for us so that this grace will grow and abound during our entire life; finally, she prays for us to have the grace of all graces, and that is to die in the state of grace, so that we will be saved for all eternity. Mary my Mother, attain for me life and life in abundance!

2. MARY AS MOTHER NURTURES OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE.

Through a fervent prayer life in which we speak often and confidently to Mary, our loving Mother, she attains for us growth in our spiritual life. Once again, Mary, the full of grace, attains for us special insights in our intellect and touches of grace in our soul, so that we may grow and flourish like a healthy tree growing alongside an abundant and gushing stream.

3. MARY AS MOTHER HELPS TO CLOTHE US. 

Adam and Eve, after committing the Original Sin, recognized their nakedness. On a spiritual plane, when we are imbued with sanctifying grace through Baptism, we are spiritually clothed with the most exquisite garment. Mary as our Mother prays for us that we will always be clothed with this garment of grace, and if we lose it due to mortal sin, Mary as Mother prays for us so that we will recover grace quickly through a good Sacramental Confession.

4. MARY AS MOTHER WATCHES OVER HER CHILDREN TO PROTECT THEM.

Mary as Mother is keenly aware of the many dangers that her children are exposed to from within and from without. The devil, the flesh, and the world are in constant pursuit of our attention, as well as our soul. Mary as Mother has her careful, attentive, and watchful eye gazing upon us with love, and she warns us through grace and through inspirations of the dangers that encroach upon us.

5. MARY AS MOTHER EDUCATES US. 

As a good mother strives to provide a good education for her children, so does Mary. Father Robert Fox, a true expert on Our Lady, most especially Our Lady of Fatima, pointed out that Our Lady of Fatima came in a very special way as TEACHER!!! The words and messages of Our Lady of Fatima turn out to be a superb and excellent teaching, an excellent catechism, a clear and poignant signpost on how to arrive at what is most important—our eternal salvation. Jesus and Mary are the best of Teachers; let us listen to them and obey their advice!

6. MARY AS MOTHER HEALS HER WOUNDED CHILDREN. 

If a child falls off a bike into a mud-puddle and cuts their knee, their mother is the first one to run and succor the child. Lifting the child out of the mud, kissing the child, embracing the child, cleansing the child and changing their clothes, dressing the child’s wound, and finally giving the child some hot chocolate—these are all gestures of a loving mother. When we are wounded, Mother Mary comes to us speaking words of wisdom: Let it be… Do not worry… I am here to bring you healing. We should bring our gaping wounds to both Jesus, the Wounded-Healer, and Mary, the Mother of Jesus the Wounded Healer!

7. MARY AS MOTHER LISTENS TO US. 

A true mother is ready to listen to what is in the heart of her child. On a much loftier plane, Mary as our Mother is always ready to listen to us, to respond to our problems, to help us in our needs. The beauty of Mary as LISTENER is the simple but all-consoling fact that Mary is never too tired, occupied, absorbed, or if you like, too busy to listen to us whenever we want to talk to her. We should get in the habit of talking to Mary as often as our heart desires. Mary’s ears are always attentive to the supplications of her children. Moreover, not only does Mary listen to us with her ears, but also with her Immaculate Heart, and she understands us perfectly!

8. MARY AS MOTHER CORRECTS HER WANDERING CHILDREN. 

A loving mother is not bashful or slow to correct an errant child. If there is a prowling and hungry wolf outside, the mother will keep her child inside and lock the door, especially if that child is curious and tends to wander. Fraternal Correction indeed is a dimension of the theological virtue of charity, which Saint Thomas Aquinas defines as: “Charity is willing the good of the other.” An example of Mary correcting her children is, again, in the Fatima messages. Mother Mary warned that most souls are lost due to sins of the flesh, and that many souls are lost due to a lack of prayer and sacrifice. Gently but firmly, Mary as Mother exhorts us, her children, to intensify our prayer life, to be willing to live a more sacrificial life, and to strive to live a life of greater purity. This reminds us of the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the pure of heart; for they will see God.” (Mt. 5:8)

9. MARY AS MOTHER COMFORTS HER CHILDREN. 

In the midst of the many sufferings, trials, tribulations, afflictions, and setbacks in this short life on earth, which is merely a short pilgrimage on the highway to heaven, Our Lady as loving Mother ardently desires to comfort us. Among the many consoling titles of Mary is Our Lady of Consolation. Still more, the Marian prayer that we say to conclude the most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary is that of the HAIL HOLY QUEEN. This consoling prayer starts with these words: Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, Our Life, Our Sweetness and Our Hope! Beyond a doubt, these few words are like a gentle dew descending upon the dry and parched desert of our soul. Indeed, in the sorrows, sadness, and failures that we all experience in life, which is a valley of tears, we should run to Mary as our Mother to comfort us. She will come quickly to soothe our sorrows with the comfort and consolation of her loving heart!

10. MARY AS MOTHER TRULY LOVES US, AND LOVES US INTENSELY! 

A natural mother loves her children. However, human love has limits and it often wanes, declines, and can even grow cold. This is reality! Not so in the case of Mother Mary. The love of the most pure and Immaculate Heart of Mary never wanes, diminishes, or grows cold. It is a constant, intense, and faithful love. Mary as Mother loves us irrespective of where we are, what we have done and what we have failed to do. Her love for us is most pure and perfect. Possibly the best way to understand to a limited degree the love Mother Mary has for you and for me would be by meditating upon the words of the Doctor of Grace, the great Saint Augustine: “If you were to put all the love, of all of the mothers, of all times and places together, the love that Mary has for you is much greater!” In other words, it is impossible to fathom the inexpressible, sublime, and ineffable love that Mary as Mother has for you!

In conclusion, we hope and pray that starting now you will experience the extraordinary power of the presence of Mary in your life, most especially as your Heavenly Mother. As Mother, she will attain life and life in abundance for you. As Mother, she will nurture and strengthen your spiritual life. As Mother, she will clothe you with the royal garment of sanctifying grace. As attentive Mother, she has her loving eyes fixed upon you at all times. As a good Mother, she will help you to be educated in the Gospel—the Good News of salvation that Jesus her Son taught. Wounded? Mary is also known as Health of the sick, and like Jesus, she will intercede as Physician, and bring you healing. Never too busy, Mary as Mother will lend you an attentive ear; she is the best of listeners. If you are a wandering sheep from the fold, Mary, as Mother of the Good Shepherd, and aware of the presence and danger of the wolves, will bring you back to the fold. In the midst of the sorrows and failures of life, Mary is “your life, your sweetness, and your hope.” (From the Hail Holy Queen) Finally, Mary as Mother loves you intensely with her Immaculate Heart and desires that one day you will be with her forever in heaven to praise, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit for all eternity. Amen.

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter

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

THURSDAY, May 12th   Jn 13: 16-20   “When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them: ‘Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.’”

The people of Jesus’ time wore sandals walking the dusty roads of Palestine. Washing their feet before dining was the work of a slave! Read the lengthy exhortation Jesus gives to the Apostles, as well as us, regarding service!

“When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” (Jn 13:12-17)

Serving requires patience, infinite patience. I think it fair to say this is a challenging virtue for most of us! The spirit may be willing, but the flesh is weak. Fr. Ed offers a timely meditation on this desired but most difficult virtue.

PATIENCE, PATIENCE, AND MORE PATIENCE!!! by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

A woman talking to the Lord in prayer, begged the Lord for a very special virtue that she sorely needed, and this was the content of her concise but almost desperate prayer: “Lord, I beg you, Lord, I truly beg you, give me patience, and I need it right now!” I think we can all identify with the heartfelt prayer of this woman begging for a virtue that we all need on a daily basis, probably even on an hourly basis. So important is this virtue that Jesus said: “By your patience you will save your souls.” (Lk 21:19) All of us must strive to practice patience, but of primary importance, and Saint Ignatius of Loyola insists on this, we must beg God for the grace to be patient.  

Therefore, we would like to offer a strategy, a clear and practical program on how we can eventually, with the help of God’s grace which is never lacking, attain that most important and most needed virtue of PATIENCE. With God’s grace all is possible. Or if you like: “Nothing is impossible with God!” (Lk 1:37)

1. GOD’S INFINITE AND ETERNAL LOVE. 

Most of us have heard this phrase countless times, such that it may seem to be a trite, hackneyed, pious platitude or common cliché. However, this short but profound Biblical truth must descend from our head to our heart and it is this: GOD REALLY AND TRULY LOVES ME!!! Most certainly we have heard and read this truth many times, but maybe it has never really sunk into the depths of our heart. In a word, we must be convinced not only that GOD IS LOVE, but that God has an infinite and eternal love for me in all times, all places, and all circumstances! And yes, it must be stated, God loves me even when I fail Him due to my moral failures that we call sin. Jesus came not for the perfect but for sinners, and all of us fall into that category. As Saint Paul clearly reminds us in Romans: “Where sin abounds, the mercy of God abounds all the more.” (Rom 5:20) Therefore, pray and meditate upon this most simple but profound truth: God really does love me always and without limitations. His love is both eternal and infinite! This is our Great God!

2. CONTEMPLATE THE CRUCIFIX. 

In the life of Saint John Bosco in the context of the Oratory, his mother, Margarita, stayed with him to help with the many household chores in attending to rambunctious teenage boys. However, she had reached her limit with the disorder caused by these mischievous teens, and had her bag packed, ready to return to her home. Father John Bosco, her son, said nothing, only lifted his finger to the wall where there was a crucifix, with Jesus hanging from it. After gazing upon Jesus hanging and suffering on the cross, Mama Margarita understood how much Jesus loved these abandoned youths and how Jesus wanted Margarita to practice patience. Thereupon, this holy woman and mother of a saintly priest, dropped her baggage and spent the rest of her life assisting John Bosco with the youth! Therefore, in your life, when it seems as if the cross you are carrying is unbearable, lift up your eyes to contemplate Jesus hanging on the cross loving you, and loving all of humanity, patiently enduring the pain for all our sins. With great humility thank Him, and He will give you special graces to practice patience.

3. BEG FOR THE GRACE. 

Saint Augustine states: “We are all beggars before God.” That means we are all in dire need of God’s help at all times and in all places because we are very weak. We may be weak, but God is strong! As the Psalmist reminds us: “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.” (Ps 124:8) After begging the Lord to remove the thorn in his flesh, Saint Paul was told by the Lord: “My grace is sufficient!” (2 Cor 12:9) Causing the great Apostle Paul to cry out: “When I am weak, it is then that I am strong.” (2 Cor 12:10) Indeed, if we beg the Lord fervently for the grace to be patient, He will rush to our aid. God hears and responds to such a humble and persevering prayer!

4. MAKE THE WAY OF THE CROSS. 

On one occasion, I was speaking to a Spiritual Director and he made this comment: “When I find myself in a state of desolation, when things appear to be dark, dreary, and hopeless, I make the Stations of the Cross and inevitably the desolation disappears.” Without doubt, this can be applied to patience. When you feel your patience is gone, that the weight of the cross is unbearable and you can no longer support it, then slowly in prayer walk the Stations of the Cross, aka the Way of the Cross, with the Lord and you will receive renewed strength, vitality, and patience! With Saint Francis of Assisi we pray: “We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.” (Purchase or find on line the Stations of the Cross, aka the Way of the Cross to pray as needed!)

5. HONEST CONVERSATIONS WITH JESUS, MARY, AND SAINT JOSEPH. 

Our prayer, to be authentic, must be honest. If we find our life situation to be very difficult, to the point of being almost impossible, then it is time to sit down in front of Jesus, and you might invite Saint Joseph and Mary to be present as well, and pour out your heart to your Best Friends—Jesus, Mary, and Saint Joseph. Jesus said: “Unless you become like a little child, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God.” (Mt 18:3) Take for a model, if you like, the movie Marcelino Pan Y Vino, also known as The Miracle of Marcelino (1955 version). This little orphan boy with holy abandon opens up to Jesus, expressing the deepest desire in his heart, as well as his greatest suffering—the lack or absence of the love of a mother and his great desire to have a mother. He tells all to Jesus. Jesus hears the little boy and accedes to his request. So must we be like a little child, so must we imitate the holy abandon, trust, and simplicity of Marcelino, and tell the Lord how difficult it is at times to bear the cross and beg for the sorely needed patience. The Lord, Mary, and Saint Joseph will not delay in coming to your assistance!

6. MEDITATE / CONTEMPLATE UPON HEAVEN—YOUR ULTIMATE DESTINY.  It must be stated with bold truth: we do not meditate or contemplate enough on the reality of heaven. Our life is very short, like the flower that rises in the morning and withers and dies as the sun goes down, or like smoke blown by the wind. Saint Augustine states that our life in comparison with eternity is a mere blink of the eye. Our Lady of Fatima said that if humanity would meditate upon eternity, they would be converted immediately! We must meditate upon the shortness of our life, the purpose of our life, and the eternal reward that awaits us!

The simple Catechism teaches us this eternal truth: “We are here on earth to know God, love God, and serve God, so that we will be happy with Him forever in heaven.” Even our greatest crosses and sufferings can be supported if we meditate more often upon Heaven—its joys, rewards, and reality, and this is forever!

Saint Paul breaks out with this radiant and consoling truth: “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the mind of man the wonderful things that God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Cor 2:9)

Also, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Rev 21:3-4) Whatever our troubles, let us say to ourselves, “This too shall pass”, and allow the thought of Heaven to attain for us patience, patience, and even more patience!!!

7. OFFER IT UP, DO NOT WASTE IT! 

Of course, the whole concept and virtue of patience is related to suffering. Our patience can be tried with respect to our health, finances, family problems, social conflicts, academic or work challenges or failures, ruptured relationships, mental and emotional turmoil, uncertainties of all kinds—all of these and more can put our patience to the test! However, instead of complaining and becoming bitter over your crosses, why not accept the crosses, beg for the patience to carry them, and then offer the crosses, as well as your patient endurance, to God for the conversion and salvation of sinners—there are many out there who need special graces if they are to be saved, even in our own families! This is a prayer Our Lord will not fail to answer! Also, with this supernatural view or perspective, the crosses become lighter and patience comes easier. Try it! Lift up your mind and cultivate a more supernatural vision of your life, your crosses, and their eternal value! 

8. DON’T HIDE IT, SHARE IT. 

One of the key aspects of Ignatian Spirituality is that in our spiritual life, we are not made to be loners, rugged individualists, like the pioneer, Daniel Boone. On the contrary, to make it to heaven, we have to learn to work with others, and we must have some form of spiritual direction or accompaniment. Of capital importance for our spiritual progress is the need to have a spiritual director and to be able to open up with great humility, trust, and transparency, especially when the cross seems heaviest and our patience is being put to the test. You might be surprised after you have unloaded, articulated and expressed your cross and your need for patience to your spiritual director, how the cross seems to diminish in size and the patience that seemed almost impossible is indeed very possible. Jesus said: “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Mt 11:30)

9. THREE AREAS WHERE WE MUST ESPECIALLY BE ON GUARD AND BEG FOR THE GRACE. 

Jesus said: “By your patience, you will save your souls.” (Lk 21:19) A good part of our spiritual victory can be achieved through awareness, vigilance, self-knowledge, and a Daily Examen. In our lives there are three areas where we need patience: 1) With God, 2) With Others, and 3) With Ourselves. Let us briefly address these three areas.

First, with respect to God, possibly it has happened that you have been praying to God for something and it seems that He is not listening. Nothing could be further from the truth! God always hears us, but He often makes us wait so that we can grow in the virtues of patience and prayerfulness. Saint Monica prayed for more than 30 years for the conversion of her family! But it happened—not only was her son, Augustine, converted, but also her husband and mother-in-law!

Second, with respect to patience with others, of great help might be the simple reminder of our own faults and sins and how patient God is with us! So should we be patient with the limitations of others!

Finally, Saint Frances de Sales insists that we must be patient with ourselves. “The just man falls seven times a day, but rises again.” (Prov 24:16) Saint Junipero Serra was famous for saying: “Siempre Adelante, Siempre Adelante y nunca atras.” That is, “Always forward, always forward and never look back.” The Founder of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, Venerable Bruno Lanteri coined the two word axiom: NUNC COEPI—NOW I BEGIN meaning that if I fall, I will get up as many times as needed and try again, trusting in God’s infinite patience, mercy, and love. Indeed, as the Psalmist teaches us: “God is slow to anger and rich in kindness.” (Ps 103:8)

10. MARIA COGITA, MARIA INVOCA… THINK OF MARY AND INVOKE MARY.

Once again, a hallmark of the spirituality of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary is a tender, total, and unlimited trust in the presence, power, prayer, perseverance, and purity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the prayer, the Memorare, Saint Bernard offers us these most consoling words: O most gracious Virgin Mary, never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided….” Why not form this habit, consecrate your days to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. However, during the course of the day, especially during trials and tribulations when the cross seems most heavy, lift up your eyes and call upon the Holy Name of Mary. As a most loving and tender Mother, she will never fail you!

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

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

WEDNESDAY, May 11th   Jn 12: 44-50   “I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me night not remain in darkness.”

Jesus also said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (Jn 8:12) And, “I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (Jn 15:15)

May we strive to walk in the Light of Christ as His friends now and into eternity by growing in our friendship with Christ through faithfulness to our daily Holy Hour!

HOUR OF POWER! FRUITS OF THE DAILY HOLY HOUR by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

VENERABLE ARCHBISHOP FULTON J. SHEEN—SHINING EXAMPLE FOR THE WHOLE WORLD

The effects of a well-made and methodical “Daily Hour-Hour” are countless! The person who seriously makes the decision to make the Daily Holy Hour, to be faithful to it, to have a determined determination to struggle through it on tough days and persevere until the end, will have a crown of glory in heaven after having done enormous good on earth!

Sheen, man of God that he was—preacher, writer, first Television/Radio Catholic Christian Evangelist, missionary, and Archbishop—never attributed his success to  himself, but rather to Jesus whom he met on a daily basis in the Blessed Sacrament by making his own personal DAILY HOLY HOUR! It was Sheen who popularized the saying: “The Holy Hour is the Hour of Power!”

Sheen stated bluntly in talks to priests and Bishops that at times people would not listen to them, but to him, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, they would listen because of the power he was endowed with through his Daily Holy Hour—“The Hour of Power.”

Sheen once stated that in his fifty years as a priest (and many of those years as a Bishop), he never missed even one Holy Hour! Not once in his whole life as priest and Bishop! Occupied with writing constantly, traveling around the world, speaking engagements around the clock, Radio and TV programs, heading the Missionary Office of the Catholic Church, converting huge numbers of souls personally and through letters—this great man of God, even with so many commitments, would find time for Jesus every day by making his Daily Holy Hour. The key to his apostolic success was union with Jesus through a deep and growing friendship with Jesus in his Daily Holy Hour— “The Hour of Power”!

Now he is no longer called Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, but VENERABLE Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. That’s right! He is on the pathway to Beatification and eventually Canonization! Praise the Lord for such a brilliant and shining example for us!

After this biographical sketch of the life of one of America’s greatest heroes—and even more important, one of God’s heroes—we will proceed to give a list of the many fruits that emanate from faithfulness to the Daily Holy Hour, your own HOUR OF POWER!!!

1. FRIENDSHIP WITH CHRIST.  Pope Francis constantly challenges us to strive to cultivate a deep and growing friendship with Jesus. In Evangelii Gaudium—The Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis says: “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept His offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew…. I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting Him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord. The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk; whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that He is already there, waiting for us with open arms.”  

Jesus at the Last Supper called His Apostles “Friends”, but He also calls you to a deep Friendship with Him. We all seek friendship and union with others; that is communion!  Obviously Jesus is the best of Friends; He is the faithful Friend who will never fail us!  However, true friendships must be cultivated by visiting your friend, getting to know your friend, conversing with your friend, sharing with your friend joys and sorrows, failures and successes—in a word, the most profound secrets. But even in the deepest friendships, usually something is not expressed or understood. But with Jesus we can always express our inmost thoughts, fears, sorrows, even anguishes and He indeed will understand us down to the most minute detail of our experience and our existence!

2. WORD OF GOD.  The staple and substance of our meditation should be the Word of God. Jesus told the enemy, the devil who tempted Him in the desert, that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. The Psalmist says that the Word of God is a lamp for our steps and a light for our path. St. Jerome reminds us, “Ignorance of Sacred Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” (Dei Verbum, Vat. II documents) In our Holy Hour we can read, meditate, listen, let our hearts be moved, and talk to the Lord—there we have simple steps for a Biblical meditation!

3. DISCIPLINE.  Notice the change in your life! Once you make the decision with determination, which leads to the discipline of being faithful to your Holy Hour, then you will have greater discipline in the other activities in the course of your busy schedule. One act of discipline in making the Daily Holy Hour motivates a well-ordered and disciplined life in general!

4. PEACE AND HARMONY!  With discipline comes peace. What is peace? St. Augustine defines peace as the tranquility of order. St. Ignatius reaffirms this using other words, namely, that the purpose of the Spiritual Exercises is to order the disordered. Our Lady of Guadalupe ordered the roses in the Tilma of St. Juan Diego on the hill of Tepeyac in Mexico!

5. WORK: MORE DONE AND DONE BETTER!  Many of us complain about lack of time to carry out our various duties in life. Often this is due to a lack of order. The Holy Hour helps us to carry out our daily obligations and be more faithful to our state in life with increased energy of will, and with greater peace and joy. Why is this? The reason is clear! When we do the Daily Holy Hour we are inviting God/Jesus to be part of our whole life, all that we are and all that we do. He is the secret Companion walking with us on the Highway of Life to Eternity—as He walked with the disciples on the road to Emmaus! 

And He does most of the work. He says: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Mt 11:28-30).  

If possible, it is best to do your Daily Holy Hour as early as possible, then the Lord Jesus accompanies you during the whole course of the day and makes your burdens light!

6.. FAMILY CONVERSION AND SANCTIFICATION!  Many of us have family members who have abandoned the faith, walked away from the Church—who are angry, bitter, and even antagonistic towards all that is related to God. Maybe we have talked to them, tried to convince them by the best arguments to return, but it is simply an exercise in futility. What is lacking is PRAYER. Jesus said some devils can only be expelled through prayer and fasting. Offering your daily Holy Hour— “The Hour of Power”—for the conversion and salvation of your loved ones can prove exceedingly fruitful! Remember the many hours of prayer and tears of St. Monica for the conversion of her son, St. Augustine. We need more St. Monicas with their Daily Holy Hours.

7. FERVENT COMMUNIONS.  Not only does the Daily Holy Hour—the Hour of Power—serve to motivate prodigal sons, lost sheep, wandering souls to return to the Good Shepherd, but also this personal encounter with the Lord improves and upgrades our reception of Jesus in Holy Communion. The greatest act we can do on earth is to receive Jesus in Holy Communion! However, the better the preparation, the more efficacious the effects of Holy Communion in our soul! May our Daily Holy Hours prove to transform us into the One we receive in Holy Communion, remembering the words of St. Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal 2:20)

8. CONSOLATION.  In the midst of the storms, tempests, earthquakes of life, we can always find consolation, peace, refuge, solace, and an oasis when we come to our Daily Holy Hour. There are days in which the battle is fierce, the tug of the passions insistent, the devil’s attacks relentless, the seduction of the world and its false values alluring. Amidst the exterior and interior storms of life, what consolation to know that Jesus is always waiting for us to come and seek our true refuge in His Sacred Heart and in the Immaculate Heart of Mary. “Sacred Heart of Jesus I trust in you!’ “Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.”

9. GOOD EXAMPLE.  There are many ways to preach the Word of God. Jesus’ last words were to go out to the whole world and tell the Good News. That said, the word that we preach must be supported by the example of life that we live! The person who makes the Daily Holy Hour—the Hour of Power—radiates goodness, and inspires others to follow the same path! How many priests—even the one writing this article, Father Broom—have been inspired to make the Daily Holy Hour due to the preaching about it, but especially the “living out” of the Daily Holy Hour by Fulton Sheen. At the end of his life, Archbishop Fulton Sheen decided to preach retreats to priests and Bishops, and he had one goal: to convince both priests and Bishops to make the firm determination and commitment to make the Daily Holy Hour. If they made this Daily Holy Hour with determination, Sheen knew this would transform lives, parishes, Dioceses, and the world at large!

10. HEAVEN!  Of monumental importance is the attaining of Heaven. Union with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, with Mary and the Angels and saints for all eternity, will be the end result and most sublime fruit of faithfulness to the Daily Holy Hour. St. Alphonsus put it bluntly, “He who prays well will be saved; he who does not pray will be damned.” (CCC on prayer). If you like, St. Augustine expresses the same concept poetically:  “He who prays well, lives well; he who lives well, dies well; and he who dies well, all is well!”

In sum, my friends, right now let us make a firm commitment with determined determination to be faithful to the Daily Holy Hour—the Hour of Power! If done faithfully you will grow in Friendship with Jesus, grow in holiness and peace of soul, work well with order and discipline, be a source of sanctification and conversion for others, receive Jesus with greater purity of heart in Holy Communion, and most important become one day a jewel in the crown of Mary, where you will contemplate the Beauty of the unveiled Face of Jesus for all eternity. Amen.

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

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

TUESDAY, May 10th   Jn 10: 22-30   Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand.”  

Jesus is the Good Shepherd and we are His sheep. He knows us and we follow Him, especially in the two Sacraments that we can and are encouraged to receive frequently and fervently for our eternal salvation—Confession for the forgiveness of our sins, and Holy Communion where we actually consume the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus in every Holy Communion and become one with Him, one with God Himself!

The Two-Part, Two-Day Scripture Passages and Meditations provided by Fr. Ed help us delve deep into the Old and New Testaments to see how God prepared for all eternity the Gift of all Gifts, Himself in the Most Holy Eucharist!

PART TWO OF A TWO-PART MEDITATION SPREAD OVER TWO DAYS…

15 BIBLICAL MEDITATIONS FOR EUCHARISTIC ADORATION by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PART TWO: New Testament Focus. Paragraphs 8 thru 15. READ AND MEDITATE on the Bible verses cited and Fr. Ed’s commentary for each day.

8. Back to John 6:1 to 70

Once again we return to the all-important chapter of John 6. This long chapter offers three essential themes for our meditation:

1) Jesus multiplies the loaves. Here Jesus works a natural miracle for the multitude and for us, so as to dispose and prepare our minds, hearts, and souls for the miracle of the Eucharist.

2) Jesus walks on water. If we truly believe in the Lord, we too can carry out miracles. Miracles of salvation through our prayers and sacrifices. “Lord, I believe, but strengthen my faith.” (Mk 9:24)

3) Finally, close to 2/3 of Chapter 6 of Saint John is the Bread of Life Discourse. This magnificent preaching of Jesus teaches without stammer or stutter, with the greatest clarity, that if we want to live forever we must nourish ourselves on the Bread of Life. Of course, this refers to the Eucharist and Holy Communion!

9. Matthew 26:17-30 Institution of the Eucharist  

In the context of the Last Supper, Jesus celebrates the First Mass on that Holy Thursday night. In the same context Jesus institutes and ordains the first priests; these are the Apostles. With awe and thanksgiving let us lift our hearts in praise to the Lord for this most sublime gift.

Let us beg for greater faith and love for the Eucharist, as well as implore the Lord for good and holy priests!

10. Revelations 3:14-21 Jesus Stands and Knocks

This short but challenging passage presents Jesus as a pilgrim-traveler knocking at the door. The owner can either choose to leave the door shut and ignore the traveler’s knock or he can open the door to the weary traveler and invite him to supper.

The Eucharistic Lord is knocking at the door of your heart now. What is your response? The supper is the Lord’s Supper—Holy Mass and Holy Communion.

11. I Corinthians 11:17-34 Eucharistic Abuse

This passage in the Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians explodes! Unfortunately, in this early Christian community there were members who were abusing the Eucharist. The more affluent were eating and drinking, even getting drunk, and neglecting the poor. Then after this scandal, they would be eating the Body and drinking the Blood of the Lord, and Saint Paul says to their own condemnation.

This Biblical passage gives us the foundation for the importance of receiving the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Jesus, in the state of grace. Otherwise, we could be eating and drinking, not for our salvation, but for our condemnation!

12. Luke 24:13-35 The Road to Emmaus

A beautiful and heart-warming Easter passage, in a nutshell this passage offers us a summary of Holy Mass in miniature. Two disciples, walking away from Jerusalem after Christ’s crucifixion and death, are in the depths of desolation until a stranger joins them. That “stranger” is the risen Jesus, unrecognized by them. The journey on the way to their little cottage in Emmaus, talking with Jesus and listening to Him, is the Liturgy of the Word. The Breaking of the Bread in the little cottage is the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In the breaking of the bread they recognize the Lord Jesus and return to Jerusalem in haste to share their joy with the Apostles and other disciples.

One key interpretation: when we live and walk without Jesus, we live and walk in utter darkness, desolation, and sadness. However, once Jesus, the Son of God and Light of the World, breaks through the clouds and shines light on our path, the clouds of sadness dissipate and we experience an over-flowing and abundant joy! “Were not our hearts burning within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Word of God to us?”

13. Mt 6:5-14 The Our Father

In the Lord’s Prayer, which we commonly call The Our Father, there are seven petitions. One of these refers to the Eucharist and Holy Communion. “Give us this day our daily bread….” One way in which this can be interpreted is the challenge, inasmuch as it is possible according to our daily obligations, to attend Mass and receive Holy Communion even on a daily basis.

In other words, this daily bread could be interpreted as daily Mass and daily Holy Communion. Those who have formed the habit of daily Mass and Holy Communion find that they cannot live without this nourishment. Try it out: daily Mass and daily Holy Communion!

14. Luke 1:26-38 Receiving Jesus as Mary did.

When Our Lady gave her consent to God through the Archangel Gabriel with the words of her Fiat/Yes: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word”, at that very moment, “The word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (Jn 1:14)

Pope Saint John Paul II makes a parallel between Mary’s YES to God and our AMEN when we receive Jesus in Holy Communion. In this sense, Mary’s YES resulted in receiving Jesus into her heart, mind, body, and soul; so also our AMEN when we receive Jesus in Mass results in Jesus entering into the very center of our being. For that reason, it is important to beg Mary for the grace to receive Jesus with deeper faith, devotion, and love in every Holy Communion!

15. Luke 1:39-56 The Magnificat

We conclude on a Marian note taken from the great Marian lover, Saint Louis de Montfort, who gave us True Devotion to Mary. Related to the Mass, Holy Communion, and the Eucharist, Saint Louis says that one of the best ways that we can render a proper thanksgiving to Jesus after receiving Him in Holy Communion is by praying the Mary’s Magnificat. “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior….”

Through the intercession of the most pure and Immaculate Heart of Mary may all of you grow in your faith, belief, devotion, and love for Jesus in frequent Masses and Holy Communions. Indeed, Jesus is the Bread of Life, and whoever eats His Body and drinks His Blood will have eternal life of joy, peace, and happiness forever in Heaven.

“O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine!”