Feast of Saints  Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels

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

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29^TH Jn. 1:47-51   “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” Feast of the Archangels – Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel, and Saint Raphael

• We receive countless deeds of assistance from the Archangels, and from our Guardian Angels whose feast day we will celebrate in a few days. They are tangible proof of God the Father’s loving concern for His children.
• This is the Feast Day of three Archangels named in Scripture: Saint Michael, whose name means Who is like God; Saint Gabriel, whose name means Power of God; and Saint Raphael, whose name means Medicine of God. It is important for our salvation to remember them and call on them for help often!
• Archangels Michael and Raphael are mentioned in the Old Testament; Saint Michael in the Book of Daniel and in Revelation 12, and Saint Raphael in the Book of Tobit. Today we will become better acquainted with the Archangel Gabriel—his role in the most sublime mission the world has ever known, and his significant role in today’s world!

ARCHANGEL GABRIEL—POWER OF GOD! by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

On September 29^th the Church celebrates the Feast of three Archangels present in the Bible: St. Michael, the Archangel, the Archangel St. Gabriel, and the Archangel St. Raphael. The three are intimate friends of God, but also, they would like to enter into a deep friendship with you right now.

ARCHANGEL GABRIEL. Let us strive to get to know, love, and establish a deep and dynamic relationship of friendship between ourselves and the Archangel Gabriel. As mentioned in the title of this short article, the name Gabriel actually means Power of God. True, one of the most important attributes of God is that He is All-Powerful, of if you like, Omnipotent. However, the nature of God is to share, to give, and He shares His power even with His angel friends among whom is Gabriel—Power of God!

BIBLICAL LOCATION. The Archangel Gabriel can be found in the Old Testament in the Book of Daniel, the Prophet known for his visions, intelligence and mystical insights. However, of greatest importance, this great Archangel is found in the first chapter of St. Luke and in two key passages in this longest chapter of the New Testament (81 verses): in the Temple with Zechariah and with Mary in the Annunciation. These are two of the primary and pivotal passages in all of Sacred Scripture.

THE PRIMARY IMPORTANCE OF THE ARCHANGEL GABRIEL FOR THE WORLD. These two relatively short passages have enormous importance in the context of the Bible, but also for the Church, and for the salvation of the world at large.

Let us enumerate the abundant flow of graces that can descend upon us and the world at large if we can simply open up our hearts to the deluge of God’s graces communicated through this humble, but giant of an angel—the Archangel St. Gabriel.

1. MESSENGER. The word Angel, from Greek, means Messenger. Gabriel is sent from the throne of the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as a Messenger. These Divine and Angelic messages are of the greatest importance. First, that John the Baptist will be born despite the advanced age of his Mother, St. Elizabeth. Second, the greatest message of all times will be delivered on the part of the Archangel Gabriel and that will be to Mary.

2. THE ANNUNCIATION. The Archangel Gabriel announces to the Blessed Virgin Mary the greatest message in the history of the world—namely, that Mary is chosen by God to be the Mother of Jesus, the Savior of the world. Never was there a more important message—Good News, Gospel—in the history of humanity, that Jesus, the Savior will enter the world through the announcement of the Archangel Gabriel and the consent of the humble Virgin of Nazareth.

3. THE HAIL MARY. The prayer that is recited millions of times every day throughout the entire world, has as its origin the words and the announcement of the Archangel Gabriel—“Hail Mary, full of grace….” For that reason, the technical name of the Hail Mary is really “The Angelic Salutation”—the greeting of the Archangel Gabriel. This being said, every time we pray the prayer that Our Lady loves most, we start off the prayer using the words of the Archangel Gabriel. How important is this angel and how underestimated he is in the history of salvation!

4. CONVERSATION WITH THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. The Archangel Gabriel maintains a reverential, cordial, and highly respectful conversation with the Blessed Virgin Mary. We might even term this a Colloquy—a familiar conversation with some person; in this case it is with the person who will say YES to becoming the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and the Mother of all of us! In a very real sense, a greater knowledge of and devotion to the Archangel Gabriel can open the floodgates of a more frequent, fluent, fervent, and faithful conversation with Mary, who is truly our Mother in the order of grace.

5. MARY’S CONSENT WITNESSED BY THE ARCHANGEL GABRIEL. The conclusion of the dialogue between the Archangel Gabriel and the Blessed Virgin Mary culminates in Mary’s consent, in Latin, Mary’s FIAT: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk. 1:38) Not only does the Archangel Gabriel deliver this all-important message to Mary, but he hears and witnesses what can be considered among the most important words in the history of the world’s salvation. Therefore, the Archangel Gabriel can intercede for us to plumb the depths of Mary’s Yes in God’s plan for our eternal salvation.

6. PRESENT AT THE INCARNATION OF THE SON OF GOD IN MARY. Developing this theme further, Mary’s consent results in the transformation of the whole universe—the reality of the Incarnation of the Son of God. With Mary’s Yes, with her generous consent, God the Father sends His only begotten Son, and through the overshadowing of Mary by the Holy Spirit, Jesus enters into the world in the womb of Mary. The reality of the Incarnation through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit accomplishes the many prophecies of the past—Emmanuel, God with us—becomes a reality in the person of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This profound Mystery of the Incarnation of Jesus, Son of God, in the womb of Mary is carried out by God but through the intervention and working of the Archangel Gabriel. Therefore, we can conclude in our own spiritual-mystical life that the Archangel Gabriel can help us immensely in striving to plumb the profound depths of the Mystery of the Incarnation.

7. THE EUCHARIST, HOLY COMMUNION, MARY AND ARCHANGEL GABRIEL. Pope Saint John Paul II stated that our saying AMEN in the reception of Holy Communion is parallel to Mary’s consent, her Fiat, when she received Jesus into her heart and womb at the moment of the Incarnation. Therefore, not only can Our Lady help us in more worthy and fervent receptions of Holy Communion, but also the Archangel Gabriel. Saint John Chrysostom states that the Tabernacle is surrounded by adoring angels. Why not invite the angels, your Guardian Angel, as well as the Archangel Gabriel to help you to make more fervent and loving Holy Communions? He will fly to your aid!

8. WATCH OVER OUR SPEECH: THINK BEFORE SPEAKING. In the Archangel Gabriel’s previous visit to the father of Saint John the Baptist, Zechariah opened up his mouth doubting God’s message. As a result of speaking and saying what he should not have said, Zechariah was struck dumb. His chastisement was meted out through the mediation of the Archangel Gabriel. Let us turn to this Angelic Friend and beg for a very special grace: to always use our speech and communication for the honor and glory of God! The primary purpose of speech is to communicate the Truth in Love. Saint Bernard reminds us to open our mouths on three occasions: 1) to praise God; 2) to accuse ourselves; 3) to edify our neighbor. Archangel Gabriel, be present and assist us when we open up our mouth!

9. PATRON OF MODERN COMMUNICATION. Pope Saint Paul VI has proclaimed the Archangel Gabriel as the patron-saint of Modern Communication. How important his patronage in this precise moment of world history. The Social Media, if used properly, can be utilized to preach the Word of God throughout the entire world, implementing the last words of Jesus before he ascended into Heaven: “Go out to the whole world and teach them all I have taught you; baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And behold I am with you always even until the end of time.” (Mt. 28:19-20) May the Archangel Gabriel help us to use all the modern social media for the honor and glory of God: Radio, T.V., Internet, You-tube, Blogs, Podcasts, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, as well as Online Books and eBooks. May the Archangel Gabriel guide all our communication towards God and the salvation of countless souls!

 10. ARCHANGEL GABRIEL: FRIEND OF GOD, FRIEND OF MARY, AND OUR FRIEND.  In such a critical time in world-history with drastic changes occurring so quickly that our head spins, many people experience, especially in the context of huge monolithic cities, a crushing, disheartening, and even despairing loneliness. The Archangels Michael and Raphael, and the Archangel Gabriel are always willing and ready to come and walk with us, listen to us, talk to us, inspire us, console us, encourage us, direct us, support us, and pave our steps on the right roadway to Heaven! We are never alone! God’s angels, our Guardian Angel, and especially the Archangel Gabriel will be at our side to help us arrive at our eternal destiny—Heaven. Once arrived at our eternal home, in the company of the Angels, the Saints, and Mary the Queen of the Angels and Saints, we will be rejoicing, praising and worshiping the Blessed Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit for all eternity!

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

Monday of the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th Lk. 9: 46-50 “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.”

What a tragedy if this child had been aborted… Reflection by Bo Sanchez, lay evangelist and teacher from Manila, Philippines…

I hold her hand. And stroke her hair gently. And getting enough courage, I steal a kiss from her cheek. And when she finally smiles at me, I think I am one incredibly lucky guy.

Tracy is already a young woman. But her head is bent downward, and drool flows through one side of her mouth, and her face is bereft of any expression. She can’t speak. Or move by herself. Every once in a while, someone has to shift the position of her head, her arms, her legs – or else they become painfully sore. (Doctors regularly give her painkillers.)

And the hand I hold is small for her age and contorted. Her limbs are terribly thin, twisted, and abnormally short, and have to be strapped in a special wheelchair. She doesn’t eat as you and I do. She’s fed through a tube attached straight through her abdomen.

Some would call her a vegetable. I wouldn’t. Because her name is Tracy. And there’s one thing she does well, despite all these. Tracy smiles. And her smile takes your breath away. You see, she is able to smile when she likes something. It’s the only way she communicates. So I playfully rub the back of her neck, and whisper to her ear, Tracy, do you like this/ Smile if you do. She does, and it’s so sweet, you’d fall in love with her right there. I wipe her saliva with her bib, which is now soaking wet, and continue to hold her hand for the rest of the day. I go home with tears in my eyes.

The next morning, I visit her again. I can’t get away. Yes, I know the past days were the most unproductive days of my life: no articles written, no songs composed, no meetings held, no books read, no plans designed… All I did was hold her hand. And allowed myself to be loved by a smile. But the peace I felt! And I realize why: I was being deeply transformed by the power of this girl – the one who couldn’t even move a finger.

And she was training my soul to love well. She was training me to love one person, one face, one heart at a time. And she was training me to find love in the most unexpected places. Even her memory speaks to me, asking me to slow down if I really want to love. I picture her in my mind, and she smiles. She tells me that I always have a choice. I can make life beautiful. 

Comments:
Today’s Gospel is about serving others. Jesus said, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mt. 20: 26-28) Remembering that Charity begins at home and fans out from there. Surprisingly, as with Tracy, those we serve, end up serving us, by teaching us how to love!

We are in difficult times. Fr. Ed directs us to Scripture and Service as two wings to fly from desolation and depression to Hope and Trust! Always with the help of our Mother Mary!

HOPE AND TRUST IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Ven. Fulton J. Sheen coined this unforgettable saying: “Without Good Friday there is no Easter Sunday!” Before the radiant rainbow, the tempestuous storm. The fragrant and beautiful rose was preceded by the sharp and penetrating thorns. The majestic and fluttering wings of the Monarch Butterfly went through metamorphosis as a caterpillar. The captivating and resplendent sunrise was preceded by the dark hours of the night. And then the well-known poetic couplet rings so true: Spring showers bring May flowers! Even sickness that comes as a result of Original Sin, once cured brings forth good health and rejoicing with renewed vigor in the human body. Finally, once again, Ven. Fulton Sheen expressed with a tinge of humor: “There are two contrasting philosophies of life: It is either the fast and then the feast; or it is the feast and then the head-ache!”

All of the above proverbs, mini-poems and maxims introduce us to the theme of our essay and it is the following: Hope and Trust in the midst of trials! We offer the following points for your reflection.

1. PRAYING WITH SCRIPTURE… THE WORD OF GOD IS LIGHT, SUPPORT, PEACE, AND STRENGTH.

Plunged and immersed in the midst of trials, let us lift our minds, hearts, souls and every fiber of our being, and abandon ourselves to the Hands and Heart of our loving Father. He knows us through and through.

Jesus reminds us: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Mt. 10:29-31)

Jesus also says: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (Jn. 10: 27-30)

We would like to offer just a few more words and ideas of encouragement with the firm hope that we will place our hope and trust in God who is a mysterious God, but beyond the shadow of the slightest doubt, He knows and loves each one of us much more than we know and love ourselves!

Allow the Word of God to enlighten your path and guide your steps. Allow the Word of God to support you, strengthen your feeble and weak members, and fill you with peace. A few for your meditation:

1) “The Lord is my Shepherd; there is nothing I shall wamt.” (Psalm 23:1)
2) “If God is with us, then who can be against us?” (St. Paul –Rom. 8:31)
3) “And behold, I am with you always even until the end of the world.” (Mt. 28:20)
4) “Do not worry! Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything else will be given to you beside.” (Mt 6: 31-33) From the Sermon on the Mount.
5) “There is no wine… Do whatever He tells you.” (Jn. 2:3-5) Wedding Feast at Cana – Mary’s last words in Scripture.
6) “In God’s will is our peace.” Dante – The Divine Comedy

Meditate slowly upon these words and almost through spiritual osmosis you will start to experience peace, joy and trust in your Heavenly Father and Jesus, your Savior and Best Friend.

2A. THE GOOD SAMARITAN.  Right now, more than ever, is the time for the Good Samaritans to rise up and become who they are called to become! Bring to mind the masterpiece of a Parable, The Good Samaritan. (Lk. 10: 25-37) The beaten man lying on the side of the road was bypassed twice until finally a Samaritan passed his way. Moved by compassion, the Samaritan bent down, lifted the wounded man on his beast of burden, and transported the man to the nearest Inn. While there, this Good Samaritan made provision for all that the wounded man needed to be healed. The message is crystal clear: the wounded man is crying out for help and we are called to be the Good Samaritan on the highways, back-roads, and hedges of life.

2B. HOW TO BE THAT GOOD SAMARITAN.  You might be wondering, if that is the case, then how can I be this Good Samaritan facing the pandemic of Coronavirus; am I not supposed to be in the protective-mode and watch over myself? Yes and no! Yes, use precautionary measures to protect yourself. However, we are never called to cave in on ourselves and to forget and be oblivious of our brothers and sisters in need, especially the weakest, the most vulnerable, the most worried or depressed —in a word, those who are really in need of a helping hand! These we are called to help in imitation of the Good Samaritan. Remember the words of Jesus: “Whatever you did for the least of my brothers that you did for me.” (Mt. 25:40) The following then are ways that we can be the real-McCoy, the authentic Good Samaritan.

a) PRAYER, PRAYER, PRAYER!!! Augment your prayer life. Pray for the whole world, the Church, those infected with the virus, the health-workers, the elderly and sick. Indeed, fervent prayer is truly being an authentic Good Samaritan.

b) SMILE. Instead of transmitting sadness, gloom, and depression towards those with whom you are in contact, wear a constant smile on your face. The smile is a good form of contagion!

c) WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT. Become a Barnabas, which translated means Son of Encouragement. That is to say: try to pick people up, especially your family members, by expressing words of encouragement. The reason why teams win when playing at home rather than away is for the simple reason of the cheering and encouragement of the home-fans. Be a cheerleader in your own family!

d) SERVE RATHER THAN SEEK TO BE SERVED. Jesus said of Himself: “The Son of man has not come to be served but to serve and give his life in ransom for many.” (Mt. 20:28) Without doubt, at home with few or with many family members we can find opportunities to serve rather than snap our fingers and say: Hey, service for me!!!

e) BE CLEAN AND ORDERLY. Saint Ignatius of Loyola in the Spiritual Exercises states the purpose of the Exercises: to order the disorder in our lives so that we can seek the will of God and carry it out. At home strive to be orderly—in your room, in the living-room, and in the kitchen. Saint Therese stated: “Pick up a pin for the love of God and you can save a soul.” Also strive to order the disorder in your moral life: renounce sin and sinful habits!

3. THREE SUGGESTIONS FROM BISHOP ROVERT BARRON—RELATED TO THE CORONA VIRUS. Bishop Robert Barron, Auxiliary Bishop of the Santa Barbara Region of the Diocese of Los Angeles, offers three great ideas to winter through the Pandemic of the Coronavirus. First, he quoted Blaise Paschal saying that one of the biggest problems in the world is the inability of the human person to be silent, alone in his room with himself. Then the Bishop suggested three practices that many can carry out for the simple reason that we have more free time. It is no longer: “I do not have time” because we do have time.

a) READ THE BIBLE. Take advantage of this time-out, retreat-break, enclosed-monastic circumstance given by God’s love and generosity to plumb the depths of the knowledge of God and His love for us by reading, meditating on God’s love-letter to you. The eloquent Bishop suggests starting with the Gospels, preferably St. Matthew. As a method he suggests the classical use of the method Lectio Divina, which consists of Lectio—read carefully because God is speaking to you; Meditatio (ruminate) like the chewing of the cud seen by the animals, in other words strive to really understand God’s message; Oracio—talk to God from your heart; Contemplacio—bathe in the warmth of God’s love.

b) READ THE CLASSICS. The learned Bishop suggests three classics, but this of course is not exhaustive. Among his favorite three are: St Augustine and The Confessions; then from Saint Benedict (The Founder of the Benedictines)—The Rule of St Benedict; finally, the Regional Bishop of Santa Barbara suggests the classic of Thomas Merton, The Seven-Story Mountain. In a word, this is a time to nourish our hearts, but also to cultivate our minds with the truth by reading and assimilating the classics!

c) NATURE WALK. God can speak to us in many ways: the Word of God, the Sacraments, the classics, the saints, circumstances, but also the beauty of nature reflects the beauty of the Creator. Get out and take a nature walk and leave your I-phone at home to rest!

4. OUR LADY: OUR LIFE, OUR SWEETNESS, AND OUR HOPE—UNDOER OF KNOTS. As the best of Mothers, Mary the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and our own loving Mother is very close to all of us and each one of us individually in our trials. In the most difficult time in the life of her Son, Jesus the suffering Savior, as He hung on the cross with the drops of His Precious Blood dripping to the ground, Mary His loving and strong Mother valiantly stood next to Him at the foot of the cross. Indeed, in His most cruel, excruciating, and atrocious tortures and sufferings, His Mother Mary was one of his greatest consolations. Now more than ever, Mary so ardently desires to stand side by side with you and me, to walk with us, talk to us, listen to us, and console us. This beautiful prayer should resound powerfully in the depths of our hearts: “Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession, was left unaided….” (The Memorare)

In conclusion, friends in Jesus and Mary, in the midst of the trials, struggles, battles, and bitter contradictions of life, Jesus and Mary want to walk with us, listen to us, talk to us, accompany us, simply be with us, trusting with a firm hope that if God is with us who can be against us. “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want” (Ps 23:1). Then, from the consolations we have received, we are to bring consolation to others! ^“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Cor. 1:3-4)

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

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

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27th Mt. 21: 28-32   “Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.”

 St. Ignatius of Loyola… “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 by means of His ministers.”

Let us examine ourselves today on our obedience to God’s will expressed in the events and circumstances of every day. Do we accept His plans for our day with patience? Do we show charity to those who are in our life, and to others He places in our path? Perhaps we are the Prodigal (Disobedient) Son or Daughter at times? Resisting His will and His ways? Our loving Father is always waiting with arms wide open for us to return to Him.

PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON / MERCIFUL FATHER by Father Ed Broom, OMV

LUKE 15: 11-32
Read carefully and meditate upon this Parable of God’s Mercy and beg for the grace from the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Mary, the full of grace and Mother of mercy, to allow the Word of God to touch you in a most powerful way. In the Words of the Apostle Saint Paul, the Word of God is sharp and penetrating as a two-edged sword that separates bone from marrow.

COMMENTARY ON THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON—PART I

1. THE SON OF THE FATHER.  The son of the Father in this Parable represents all of humanity, and each and every one of us individually. We are challenged to meditate and pray over this Parable and beg for the grace to see ourselves in this story, which is really our personal story.

2. GIVE ME THE INHERITANCE.  The son cares more for material things, for money and what it can buy, than he does for his Father, much less for any spiritual riches. How easy it is to become blinded by material things, by the erroneous philosophy of Materialism!

3. FREEDOM.  Here we encounter a key element of God’s love for the human person in that God has endowed all of us with what we term FREE WILL. All of us are given freedom to make choices constantly in our lives.

4. RISK OF FREEDOM.  Of course having freedom always involves a true risk of not using freedom for its proper end and purpose. In other words, we can choose to abuse rather than use our freedom. God respects our free choices, our free decisions, and our free actions.

5. LOVE.  The reason for the reality of freedom is simply that God wants to be loved by all. Without the reality of freedom, we could never truly love God; we would be robots; a robot acts mechanically and without love!

6. SON ABUSES HIS FREEDOM AND WEALTH.  And it happened! Once the younger son was given his freedom and his wealth, however much that may have been, he wasted it. How often have we wasted our time, our efforts, our talents, our money and possessions on superficial and transitory, if not sinful things?

7. WINE, WOMEN, AND THE FAST LIFE.  The son gave in to his lower passions and chose the fast life indulging in wine, women, eating—the life of sensual pleasure. He allowed his lower passions to dominate his higher faculties of reason and will. How often have we given in to the same—allowing our animal and base nature to take total control of us—our thoughts, our decisions, our actions, our lives??? Try to make an effort to identify your own life with that of the Prodigal Son, to see some similarities!

8. LOST IT ALL!  Most likely in a relatively short time, the partying and sensual young man lost it all. Friends, he really never had any in this place from the start! This being the case, he had to find some place, some work to at least provide for meager meals so that he would not die of hunger.

9. TENDING PIGS: DEGRADATION TO THE MAX!  Of all places and jobs, the only one he was able to secure was that of tending pigs. For the Jews, the pig was considered an impure animal, so much so that the kosher/dietary laws prohibited them from eating the meat of pork.

10. SIN: DEGRADES THE HUMAN PERSON!  God has created us in His image and likeness. Through the Sacrament of Baptism we are transformed into sons and daughters of God and living temples of the Blessed Trinity. We are called to recognize our dignity—sons and daughters of God, and our destiny—we are citizens of Heaven, pilgrims on the way to our heavenly home. Committing sin mars, blurs, and defaces the image of God in our soul. Still more, it could prevent us from reaching our final destiny—HEAVEN!

LEVELS OF DEGRADATION.  This now poor young man experiences poverty on various levels due to his becoming a slave to sin.
1) PHYSICAL LOSS. On a physical level, he certainly has lost his physique—he has lost much weight and muscle that he had before leaving home.
2) APPEARANCE—No physical attractiveness! See him: long beard, unkempt and disheveled hair, covered in filth, rags for clothes—whereas, when he left home, he walked down the street a fine and well-kept figure in elegant and costly clothes.
3) FROM ERECT POSTURE TO SLOUCHING. Even his bodily posture has changed—from standing erect, straight, and proud, now his posture is slovenly, crouched, almost a hunch-back.
4) SLAVE OF SIN. But the worst of all is that the young man has become a slave of all that is opposed to what is good, pure, and noble. In a word, he has become a slave of his lower passions, he has become a slave of sin!
5) SADNESS. Once he experienced peace and joy, when he lived at home with family and friends; now he experiences an overriding gloom and sadness. Life has lost meaning and purpose for him!

This is the first part of the meditation of the Parable of the Prodigal Son. You are challenged to enter into the very depths of this Parable, with the Father and Son—the Prodigal Son. Beg for the grace to identify your own life with this story. Beg also for the grace to contemplate humanity in this light.

COMMENTARY ON THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON—PART II

We left the Prodigal Son tending the pigs. But then something happens in which there is a radical change in his situation, in the life of this young man who basically threw his life to the pigs by giving in to sin, sensuality, his base passions, thereby losing all forms of self-respect and dignity that at one time were his!

Let us follow up in this sequel to the first part of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, soon to be transformed into the Parable of the Merciful Father. Miracles indeed do happen if we allow God’s entrance into our lives!

1. GOD’S INTERVENTION: IN A MYSTERIOUS WAY!  As the young man contemplates the pigs that he is called to tend, a thought occurs to him: his past life! While at home with his father and his family, he had everything he needed and even more! Food, clothing, shelter, warmth, security, work, and his family—all were there for him, free of charge! Now he was in abject misery, almost dying of hunger. Pigs were his only companions and not only that, these animals seemed to have it better off than him! He would be content to have at least what the pigs had to eat!

2. ILLUMINATION: A BRIGHT LIGHT—ROAD TO CONVERSION.  This thought occurred to him—why not return to his Father’s house? True, he would have to beg for forgiveness and ask to be taken on as a hired hand. But even if he were no longer considered the son of his Father, at least he would have a place to stay, meals to eat, and a humble job to earn his pay and recover his dignity.

3. I WILL RETURN AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS.  His decision was clear: he would return with a repentant heart and hope that the Father would forgive him. Try to picture yourself in this scene with this interior attitude as you rewind the film of your own life. Certainly there must be some type of identification you can make with this wandering son, with this wandering individual!

4. THE FATHER’S PATIENCE.  Very likely, every day as the sun rose in the morning and as the sun closed its eyes in the evening, the Father of this Prodigal Son would climb the hill and stare down the road where his son had left him, hoping that one day he would return. This was the hope that glimmered in the heart of the Merciful Father.

5. THE SCENE FROM AFAR.  Try then to imagine in your contemplation the scene of the return. The Father is perched and gazing from afar on a distant hill. The Prodigal son is already on the way home, but still in the distance.

6. RECOGNITION NOT EASY!  The Father sees this figure, this phantom in the distance slowly approaching him. The Father surmises it might be his Prodigal Son, but it certainly does not appear to be the son he knew when his son left the house. This figure is walking slowly, bent over, head down. This young man is painfully thin, dressed only in rags, with a long beard and unkempt, disheveled hair. Within the father doubts this could be his son—how different in appearance than when the son departed!

7. IT IS MY SON.  But something happens! As the distance shortens, the Father arrives at total certainty that indeed this is his wandering, lost, Prodigal Son!

From this point on in our explanation and interpretation of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which has now been transformed into the Parable of the MERCIFUL FATHER, we will focus upon the abounding, overflowing, incredible, and unfathomable mercy that the Father showers upon his Prodigal Son. All of these points and gifts can serve to help us in our identification with the Prodigal Son and Merciful Father.

CONFESSION. Furthermore, this Parable serves as a jumping board for all of us to have a limitless trust in God’s Infinite Mercy, and to be ready and willing, after a good preparation, to receive God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness in the Sacrament of Confession, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Sacrament of His Mercy! Count and allow yourself to be immersed in the gifts of the Merciful Father to the Prodigal Son—to you and to me!

1. KISS.  Upon meeting and contact with the Prodigal Son, the Father gives him a kiss. Universally, the kiss is a symbol of love. The Father’s love for this son has no limits. The Father was simply waiting patiently for his return. This is a trick of the devil when we sin, the devil tries to trick us into believing that God no longer loves us, that we are unworthy of the love of God the Father. Nothing could be further from the truth! God’s love and mercy is all the stronger towards the returning and repentant son or daughter! As Saint Paul reminds us: “Where sin abounds, the mercy of God abounds even more.” (Rom 5:20) Allow the Father to embrace you and to kiss you; allow God the Father to love you!

2. HUG.  The hug unites with the kiss. The hug symbolizes the Father’s forgiveness. As soon as the Prodigal Son asks for forgiveness, the Father forgives. In other words, God forgives in a mere heartbeat when His son or daughter says: “I am sorry! Forgive me!” The Sacrament of Confession is the Sacrament of God’s forgiveness. There is no sin so serious that God cannot forgive it when we are sincerely sorry! Jesus did not come for the saints; he came for the sinners. As Jesus said: “It is not the healthy that need the doctor, but the sick.” (Mt. 9:12)

3. THE RING.  Then the Father places a costly ring on the finger of the Prodigal Son. There are two symbolic interpretations of placing the ring on the finger. DIGNITY A ring is symbolic of the dignity of the one who receives it. 2) A ring symbolizes a FIRM COMMITMENT TO FAITHFULNESS.  Following upon the concept of dignity is that of a firm commitment to be faithful from this point on. When couples exchange their marriage vows, they profess this solemn promise: “I promise to be faithful to you in good times and in bad, in health and in sickness, in poverty and in riches, until death do we part.” So it is with us as Prodigal Sons and Daughters upon making a good Sacramental Confession: we make the firm commitment to give up sin, and to avoid the near occasions of sin that led to our past sins.

4. THE SANDALS.  Then the Father gives the son new sandals. The purpose? So that the Prodigal Son, and we ourselves, can walk on the right path, the true path that leads to peace, joy, and happiness, the path that leads to home – our Heavenly Home where there will be no more sorrow, no more tears, and we will encounter God the Father face to face, and we will know fully even as we are fully known. (1 Cor. 1:12) Also, with the sandals is endowed the power to walk on the Way of the Cross that leads to the Glory of the Resurrection!

5. SPLENDID NEW GARMENT.  Still more, the Father exchanges the rags that the Prodigal Son is wearing with a splendid, elegant, new garment. His dignity is indeed restored! In a deep spiritual sense, sin defrocks us of the royal garment of sanctifying grace. Whereas, Sacramental Confession restores our soul to the splendid glory and beauty of sanctifying grace. The nakedness of sin has been covered by God’s grace. 

The gifts of the Father are not over; there are still more! Once the Prodigal Son has returned home, the Merciful Father has even greater gifts! How kind, loving, generous, and bountiful is the Father! These are the other gifts of the Father, once the son is home safe!

1. THE JOYFUL MUSIC.  Upon returning home where the son really belongs, there is joyful, festive, happy, exultant music. When you return to your Heavenly Father through a good Sacramental Confession there is joy even in heaven among the angels!

2. THE PARTY—THE CELEBRATION.  It is true that all of heaven rejoices over the return of one sinner to the loving embrace of the Heavenly Father! It is true that God loves all—the entire expanse of the human family. But it also must be said that God the Father loves each of us individually. Never forget: the Good Shepherd left the ninety-nine sheep to search, to pursue, to find and place gently on His shoulders, the one sheep that was lost.

3. THE FATTED CALF OFFERED AND KILLED.  Now the Father goes all out for the son. In the Jewish society in the time of Jesus, eating meat and that of a fatted calf was done only on very rare occasions. This was one of those rare and very special occasions.

4. SYMBOLIC OF HOLY MASS.  There is a clear Sacramental interpretation of this Feast, this Celebration with the music and the killing of the animal—it refers to the Holy Mass. Once we, as the Prodigal Son or Daughter, return home through a good Sacramental Confession and we are restored to the state of sanctifying grace, then we are ready and well-disposed to approach the altar, which is the Sacrifice of Calvary renewed, but it is also the Eucharistic Banquet in which we can be truly nourished with the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

5. CONFESSION AND COMMUNION WORK AS A TEAM. For this reason, Saint Ignatius highlights the fact that a well-prepared and heartfelt Confession done with the best of dispositions helps immensely in the reception of Jesus in Holy Communion. In other words, we must be a true and repentant Prodigal Son or Daughter receiving the love and forgiveness of the Heavenly Father, so that we can receive His Son—Jesus the Bread of Life—worthily in Holy Communion. If done, the promise is the best we could possibly imagine—the Eternal Banquet of Heaven:  “Whoever eats my Body and drinks my Blood will have eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day.” (Bread of Life discourse: John Chapter 6: 51)

Sept 27
Feast of St Vincent de Paul

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

Saturday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

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

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26th Lk. 9: 43b-45   “Pay attention to what I am telling you.  The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.”

Jesus also said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Mt. 16:14) There are different types of crosses! Today we will meditate on the cross of temptations. Behind every cross is the possibility of glory!

Cross of Temptations by Saint John Vianney, Cure d’Ars (+1859)

“If you have no temptations,” says Saint Gregory, “then the devil is your friend, your guide, and your shepherd. If he now permits your life to flow on in peace, he will at the end of your life draw you down into the abyss.”

Saint Augustine says that the greatest of all temptations is not to be tempted; for such a one is abandoned by God and delivered over to his passions, and will be lost.

I have said that temptation is necessary for us, to preserve us in humility and distrust of self, and to oblige us to take refuge with God. 

We read in history that a superior said to a hermit who was violently tempted by the devil, “My friend, do you wish me to ask God to deliver you from these temptations?”  “No, Father,” answered the hermit; “for they have the effect of keeping me continually in the presence of God, because it constantly necessitates my taking refuge with God, that He may stand by me in my struggles.”

Meantime, my brethren, we can say that it is one of the surest signs that we are on the path to heaven, if we are tempted, no matter how humiliating the temptations may be. There remains only one thing for us to do, and that is to fight courageously, for temptation is the time of harvest, as the following example will prove.

We read in the lives of the saints that a certain saint was so troubled by the devil during a long term of years that she looked upon herself as lost. God appeared to her for her consolation, and disclosed to her that she had gained more in these particular years than at any other time in her life.

Saint Augustine teaches that everything which we do without overcoming temptations is of very little value. 

Instead of being discouraged, therefore, we must, on the contrary, thank Almighty God, and fight courageously, because we are sure of the victory, and because we are certain that God will not give way to the devil, and that He will prepare for us the crown of glory which I wish you all. 

IGNATIAN TWO STANDARDS—STANDARD OF CHRIST AND STANDARD OF SATAIN—AND TYPICAL TEMPTATIONS  

From Exodus 17:8-16

This Biblical passage can set the scene for our Contemplation of the Two Standards. In this passage, there is a war going on. Moses is perched on the top of the mountain. When Moses lifts his arms towards heaven, the Israelites are victorious. However, when weary due to the weight of his arms, Moses’s arms sink, then the Amalekites prove victorious. The secret of the victory: Hur and Aaron have Moses sit on a stone and both of them on Moses’ right and left elevate his arms. As such Joshua, the Commander and Chief, and his men mow down their enemies with the sword.

The Two Standards present a mortal battle that is waged within us. To win the battle we must rely on the strength of God. However, of great importance is to know the way, the tactics, and the astute and crafty measures that the enemy uses to win souls over to him, and the means to counter them. Therefore, we will humbly beg for the grace of self-knowledge and awareness of the many ways the devil works in our lives with the purpose of tempting, enslaving, and dragging us away from Jesus, our true Captain!

One of the fundamental truths in the Spiritual Exercises is the reality of Spiritual Warfare. In other words, we are constantly in a battle between good and evil, the lie against the truth; sin as opposed to virtue. In the Two Standards, Saint Ignatius presents the two different camps or battlefields. Jesus, standing erect and surrounded by His followers, sends them out with the message of embracing poverty, detachment, and even humiliations. Satan, on the contrary, sends his devils out using the nets of riches, vanity, and pride—and from these all the other attractions which eventually are transformed into chains and vices.

In this Meditation we would like to raise our spiritual antennae on high so as to capture the bad waves that we call temptations and that the enemy, Satan, is accustomed to launch at the followers of Christ. What are these?

1. STATE OF DESOLATION. Part of living is the reality of desolation. Nobody is exempt from this state, nor should we be ashamed when we encounter ourselves in this state. However, we must know what to do in this state, what is our spiritual strategy when in desolation. Sadness, depression, discouragement, lack of faith, hope, and charity, a desire to throw the towel in and give up—these are all manifestations of the state of desolation. Be very clear on this: this state of desolation is when the devil always seeks to tempt us. Be aware and be well-armed!

2. LAZINESS. How true the saying: “Idleness is the workshop of the devil.” When we have nothing to do, no plans, a lot of free time on our hands, this is a big opening for the devil to attack. A saint has said: “When we are busy, one devil is present to tempt us. However, when we have nothing to do, then an army of devils are on the prowl to attack.” Rewind the film of your life and you will see how many of your sins were preceded by laziness, indolence, and lack of an orderly schedule.

3. THE DEVIL IS STRONG WITH THE WEAK, BUT WEAK WITH THE STRONG.  This is a summary of Rule 12 in the Rules for Discernment of Spirits. What is meant by this concept is the following: When the devil tempts you and you start to give in, then the devil becomes all the more powerful and shoots for the kill. However, if you are tempted but reject the temptation at the outset, manfully rebuffing the assault of the devil, then coward that he is, the devil recoils and retreats until another opportunity presents itself.

4. KEEP IT A SECRET.  Another Rule for Discernment of Spirits that explains the tactics of the devil is Rule 13. In this Rule, Saint Ignatius explains that the tactic of the devil is to move you to keep your interior state of turmoil, confusion, sadness, and desolation to yourself. Then the devil magnifies the problem in your mind. In a word, he turns a mole-hill into a mountain. He takes something relatively small and blows it out of proportion. One of the keys to conquering the devil is to have a set Confessor or Spiritual Director to whom you can open up freely, easily, frankly, and with total transparency. In the Diary of Saint Faustina there is an entry in which she speaks about the importance of opening up to a Confessor or Director. This exposes, deflates, and defeats the lies of the devil—knocking the wind out of his sails!

5. GET TO KNOW YOUR KRYPTONITE. The last Rule for Discernment of Spirits of the First Week of the Spiritual Exercises is Rule 14 and it is indeed a masterpiece. An easy summary of this Rule is to go back to SUPERMAN and see this strong man weakened when exposed to the famous alien mineral KRYPTONITE. Put bluntly, the devil knows our weak point; he knows when we are vulnerable and weak, and with all his cleverness, wiliness, and machinations he aims for the kill. Athletes, debaters, soldiers, all are aware of the importance of knowing their own weak-point and the weak-point of their opponent!

6. WHAT IS MY KRYPTONITE??? Great question! If you rewind the scheme of the Spiritual Exercises, you will remember the meditation on the Seven Capital Sins. You begged for the grace of SELF-KNOWLEDGE. Behold the list: Gluttony, Sloth, Lust, Greed, Envy, Anger and Pride. We are all infected by all of the Seven Capital Sins as a result of Original Sin, but there is one or two that are predominate in our life right now. To conquer the enemy, we must pinpoint these weak points and work on practicing the opposite virtues!

7. PRESSURE, ANXIETY, OVER-LOADED WITH WORK, TENSION. All of these sentiments that we all experience to at least a limited degree can open the door to the attacks of the devil. In the midst of turmoil, we must strive always to maintain interior peace of soul by trusting in God! When we place our trust in God, the power of the devil is greatly diminished.

8. LACK OF PRAYER: A TRUE OPEN DOOR FOR THE ENEMY! Without a doubt, one of the most powerful and revealing Biblical passages that explains this number related to a lack of prayer or at least a weak prayer life is the whole scene of Jesus and the Apostles in the Agony in the Garden. Jesus experienced a most profound desolation, so much so that He actually sweat huge drops of Blood. Jesus is a model for us; in this profound state of desolation, He prayed all the more fervently! As a result, He was given the power to drink the Chalice and undergo His cruel and agonizing Passion and death for our salvation. Quite the contrary with the three Apostles—Peter, James, and John. Instead of praying, these three best friends of Jesus fell asleep. Due to giving in to desolation and not praying, they abandoned Jesus when He needed them most! If you look back in retrospect over your life, you will notice a common denominator: lack of prayer leads to desolation and falling into sin. It can almost be proven mathematically! In short, we must be striving constantly for faithfulness and dynamic growth in our prayer life!

9. WATCH OVER THOSE EYES. Today more than ever, the devil can use the modern electronics media as a window through which he can tempt us, attack us, and win us over. Remember the sin of David!!! Therefore, it must be said with utmost honesty that individually, personally, and in the family there must be a constant vigilance over access and use of the Internet. Saint Elizabeth Seton (in the 18th century) had a vision that a black-box would enter into the homes of the United States, and this little black-box would end up wreaking havoc and destroying numberless families. We will leave the interpretation of that little black-box up to you!

10. SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT/MILIEUX. Finally, it must be highlighted, the reality of certain places can easily be an occasion for temptations of the devil. We must always rely upon the grace of God in all times and in all places. “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.” (Ps. 124:8) However, it is incumbent upon us to avoid any person, place, thing, or circumstance that opens up the door to the possibility of the devil tempting us. Indeed, “he who plays with fire will get burnt.” What does this mean in concrete? Certain persons, places or situations are often a near occasion of sin for us and the devil jumps at these opportunities! Bars, Casinos, being alone with certain people, exposed to a gossiper, alone with the big-screen or phone, and certain friends who are really not friends at all!!! All of these and many more can pave the way for the devil launching his fiery arrows ready for the kill!

Final words of wisdom. Remember the Acronym B.U. T. Be aware! Understand! Take action! And remember to turn to the Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Joseph in your temptations – both have the title: Terror of Demons.

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

Friday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

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

 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25th Lk. 9: 18-22 “The Son of Man must suffer greatly.”

• Contemplate this scene from the disciples’ point of view. Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter replies, “The Christ of God.” He identifies Jesus as the Messiah, the anointed one of God! The one they have been waiting and praying for!
• Hearing Peter’s profession of faith bolsters the confidence of the rest. We can imagine them thinking, “Surely he is the Messiah. He will triumph and we will triumph with him!”
• How shocking then to hear Jesus’ next words: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
• At the Last Supper, Jesus tells them: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Then He tells them, and us, to do likewise.
• On this we will be judged! “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.”
• “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me’…Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
• “Then the King will say to those on His left – those who failed to do these works of mercy: Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Mt. 25: 31-46)
• Let us make a striking parallel to “the least of these” in today’s world. The baby who is the victim of an abortion – an intentional killing of a child in the womb. “I was hungry and you refused to feed me, I was thirsty and you refused to give me drink, I was a like a stranger to you and you refused to take me in, I needed clothes and you refused to clothe me, I was sick and you refused to care for me, I was in the prison of the womb and you refused to visit me. You said you didn’t know me.”
• With the elections approaching, it is time to revisit the Catholic Voting Guide on the Five Non-negotiables.

THE FIVE NON-NEGOTIABLES AND VOTING by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

As the most critical day of the Presidential election quickly approaches the first week of November, we must have clear, Catholic-Christian convictions in casting our votes.

As priest, it is not my duty to suggest any political party whatsoever. This is not my responsibility. However, speaking out on the morality of politics and what should motivate our choice of elected officials is the duty of the priest.

Therefore, in this short article, we would like to highlight five basic criteria as a guide to help all of us to cast our vote and exercise our civic duty and responsibility. The five basic criteria can be defined as the Five Non-negotiables for Catholic-Christian Voting.

By the terminology, the Five Non-negotiables for Catholic-Christian Voting, is meant the following: some decisions and actions are intrinsically evil. That is to say, the very essence of their being is wrong, immoral, sinful, and displeasing to God, the Author and Determiner of all that is good.

This being said, strive to be informed on these key issues. As a reference tool you might consult the Pro-life website: “Priestsforlife.org”—the President, Fr. Frank Pavone. This superb website will serve as an invaluable source to help you cast your vote according to Catholic-Christian criteria.

Now let us present in a clear, cogent, and precise manner these Five Non-negotiables.

THE FIVE NON-NEGOTIABLES FOR CATHOLIC-CHRISTIAN VOTING.

1. ABORTION. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the key moral topic of abortion is by far the most important topic in choosing elected officials. Every human person is created in the image and likeness of God and has inalienable rights: that of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Human life comes from God—the origin, author, and sustainer of all life. Human life starts at the very moment of conception and has more value than the whole created universe, according to Aquinas. Check out what is each candidate’s position on abortion. None of us should be accomplices in promoting abortion, the killing of innocent human beings, by voting and supporting officials who promote murdering, worse yet, the most vulnerable, innocent and defenseless—the unborn babies in the womb.

2. EUTHANASIA. On the other side of the spectrum is that of Euthanasia. A philosophy motivated by a materialistic, hedonistic, utilitarian, erroneous system, this posits that the elderly or the terminally ill can truncate their life with lethal injections. In other words, the elderly and sick, in conjunction and collaboration with their relatives, and of course supported by the Medical Community, can decide when to end their life. Once again, we must oppose any political system and candidate who promotes the killing of the elderly and the infirm. Why? For the simple reason that God initiates life at the moment of conception in the womb of the mother and God ends life when, how, and in the manner He best sees fit. In the words of the Book of Job: “Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, and naked I return to the earth. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21)

3. CONTRACEPTION. The next criteria in casting our vote is that of the promotion and use of any form of artificial Contraception. In the Magisterial teaching of the Church, most specifically Saint Pope Paul VI in his Encyclical Humanae Vitae, the Holy Pontiff teaches with utmost clarity that every conjugal act between man and woman must be open to the possibility of life. Therefore, use of any form of artificial means of contraception is intrinsically disordered—by its very nature and essence it is evil, sinful, and very displeasing to God. In fact, the first command of God in the Bible was: “Increase and multiply!” (Gen 1:28)

4. THE PRACTICE OF HOMOSEXUALITY (AND TRANSGENDERISM). Never have we lived in a world with so much information as today. However, at the same time, never have we lived in a world with so much confusion. We live in a perpetual state of “The Tower of Babel”—confusion to the max has permeated the total moral landscape. One of the key elements of confusion and error is the interpretation of the human person. God created the human person in His image and likeness. However, this must be emphasized to the highest degree possible: God created male and female, man and woman. The very first Book of the Bible, the Book of Genesis states this unequivocally, with the utmost clarity: “God created them male and female. Therefore, a man will leave his father and mother and he will be united to his wife.” (Gn.1:27; Gn.2:24)  Jesus quotes this in Mt. 19:4-6: “Haven’t you read that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

If you like, God created Adam and Eve and not Adam and Steve! The utter confusion and blurring of sexual distinction and identity is a diabolic poison that presently is spreading like wildfire. Indeed, the allowance and promotion of Homosexuality and the LGBT (Abbreviation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) agenda can end up by ruining the very foundation of human society—eating away at and eventually destroying the family. The traditional family is the husband and wife (male and female) married sacramentally in the Church in mutual love and open to the procreation and formation of children.

5. ARTIFICIAL FERTILIZATION AND EMBRYONIC RESEARCH. The last of the Five Non-negotiables is that of Artificial Fertilization and Embryonic Research. By Artificial Fertilization is meant that a man donates sperm and a woman donates multiple eggs (produced through artificial hormone stimulation of her ovaries). The laboratory clinicians combine the eggs with the sperm resulting in multiple embryos (new human beings) who are nourished in the laboratory in a petri (glass) dish. Some of these zygotes (little babies) are transferred to the body of the Mother (or even a surrogate Mother) with the hope that at least one will survive, although sometimes multiple survive. The other zygotes (little babies) are stored in a super-cooled freezer in case the initial attempt fails; some of these little babies die in that process. At the same time, the Father and Mother can decide at any time to simply have them discarded or allow them to be used for Embryonic Research. Once again this is horrendous and another form of murder – the killing of the innocent.

Embryonic Research, generally referred to as Embryonic Stem Cell Research. The Church’s objection is expressed in Donum Vitae (1987) No. 4, paragraph 29:
“If the embryos are living, whether viable or not, they must be respected just like any other human person; experimentation on embryos which is not directly therapeutic is illicit.”

Furthermore, from the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, 1987:
“No objective, even though noble in itself, such as a foreseeable advantage to science, to other human beings or to society, can in any way justify experimentation on living human embryos or fetuses, whether viable or not, either inside or outside the mother’s womb.”

In 2008, the instruction Dignitas Personae was released as a supplement to address newer bio-ethical issues and technologies.  

IN CONCLUSION:

Morally speaking, the only permissible way in which a person should come into the world is through the marital embrace of husband and wife in the context of the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. We cannot play God by determining how life starts, when it should be ended, and the manner in which it ends. Only God has the right to bring a new human being into existence, and determine the time and the place for that person to die and face the Judgment seat of the Lord Jesus Christ.

My friends in Christ, for the love of your country, for the love of God, for the love of your children, for the love of your teens, for the love of your family, for the sake of your own eternal salvation, please take into account THE FIVE NON-NEGOTIABLES in choosing the future leaders of our country, the future leaders of the world. Remember: “Every individual is created in the image and likeness of God and has inalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” May we follow these guidelines and experience true happiness in this life and in Heaven for all eternity!

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