Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

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

MONDAY, SEPT 14TH   Jn. 3: 13-17 “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Liturgy of the Hours Morning Prayer:
“How radiant is that precious cross which brought us our salvation. Through the cross we are victorious, through the cross we shall reign, by the cross all evil is destroyed, alleluia.” 

The Cross is something wonderfully great and honorable.  By Saint Andrew of Crete, Bishop
Had there been no cross, Christ could not have been crucified. Had there been no cross, life itself could not have been nailed to the tree. And if life had not been nailed to it, there would be no streams of immortality pouring from Christ’s side, blood and water for the world’s cleansing. The legal bond of our sin would not be canceled, we should not have obtained our freedom, we should not have enjoyed the fruit of the tree of life and the gates of paradise would not stand open. Had there been no cross, death would not have been trodden underfoot, nor hell despoiled. Therefore, the cross is something wonderfully great and honorable. The cross is honorable because it is both the sign of God’s suffering and the trophy of his victory.

Gratitude is a fruit of the Spiritual Exercises by Saint Ignatius of Loyola
#233 Here it will be to ask for an intimate knowledge of the many blessings received, that filled with gratitude for all, I may in all things love and serve the Divine Majesty. 
#234. This is to recall to mind the blessings of creation and redemption, and the special favors I have received. I will ponder with great affection how much God our Lord has done for me, and how much He has given me of what He possesses, and finally, how much, as far as He can, the same Lord desires to give Himself to me according to His divine decrees.

This is the question for us today. It is true Christ died for everyone, but He also died for each one of us individually! Am I thankful for the Glory and Gift of the Cross for me? How is my GRATITUDE barometer???

AN ATTITUDE OF PERPETUAL GRATITUDE by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

THE STORY OF THE TEN LEPERS. (Luke 17:11-19)

A Biblical passage that elicits profound joy but at the same time intense sadness is when Jesus heals the ten men afflicted with the terrible, contagious, terminal, and deforming disease of leprosy—a disease that was highly prevalent in the Biblical times before Jesus and during the lifetime of Jesus on earth.

THE PROFOUND JOY. The profound joy flows from the fact that the love, mercy, and compassion of Jesus is made manifest with a mere word when He heals these poor men whom society has ostracized and marginalized. As they head on their way to the priest, their healing is both immediate and total. Can you imagine their exuberant and overflowing joy—this terrible disease gone in an instant??? Still more, imagine the joy of their relatives upon seeing them!

THE INTENSE SORROW OF THE HEART OF JESUS. Intermingled with the joy of the healed lepers is the surprise and obvious sorrow of Jesus. His words: “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” It is an interesting detail, but also one of great importance: it is only a foreigner, a Samaritan, who returns, prostrates himself, and profusely thanks Jesus from the depths of his heart and his entire being.

MODERN WORLD: LOSING THE SOCIAL VIRTUES.  We are living in a world in which the social virtues that are really the condiment of social existence are being lost, most specifically, the virtue of GRATITUDE. If you like, we have lost the cultivation of an Attitude of Gratitude. Two of the key phrases to condiment and embellish social existence are the following: PLEASE and THANK YOU!!! Another two, related to the virtue of humility, would be: I’M SORRY and I FORGIVE YOU!!!

WISDOM ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE. The famous Dominican scholar and mystic, Meister Eckhart, asserted: “If the only prayer we said was THANK YOU that would be enough.”

In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth, we read: “More painful than a serpent’s tooth is that of an ungrateful child.”

The Psalmist invites all to render thanks in these words: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His mercy endures forever.” (Ps 136:1)

The great Apostle to the Gentiles, Saint Paul, stated: “Give thanks to God on all occasions.” (1 Thess 5:18)

The Master, the Lord Jesus Himself, while at the Last Supper and in the context of the institution of the Eucharist, took bread and gave thanks. Not a surprise that the word Eucharist actually means “Thanksgiving”. (Mt. 26:26)

Every year, on the fourth Thursday of the month of November, families in the United States come together to share a sumptuous meal, but even more important, the families come together to celebrate one of the most important Holidays, and that holiday we call THANKSGIVING DAY. On this day especially, families should recall the abundant gifts they have received from the bounteous hands of a loving and generous God and render copious thanks!

Therefore, it is more than appropriate that we offer a heartfelt hymn of praise and thanksgiving in enumerating reasons and purposes why thanksgiving should flow spontaneously and profusely from our grateful hearts. The list could be endless, but we would invite all to give thanks in ten specific areas where gratitude indeed is merited. May this humble and brief reflection serve as a springboard to bolster and strengthen your own personal prayer life! “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; for His mercy endures forever.” (Ps 136:1) May this prayer of the Psalmist resonate in the depths of our hearts!

1. THE GIFT OF LIFE.  Jesus said: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (Jn 14:6) He also said: “I have come that you may have life and life in abundance.” (Jn 10:10) One of the greatest gifts that the Author of all life can and has given to us is that of LIFE. Let us constantly thank God for our life, and use all the gifts that flow from our life to praise and glorify God and save souls! More than 60 million babies have been deprived of life since the Supreme Court decision Roe vs. Wade, Jan 22, 1973. We thank our mothers for saying YES to life! Let us promote life! Two suggestions. If possible, see the movie GOSNEL. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, this movie will motivate you to be more grateful for your gift of life and to be a zealous defender of life from the moment of conception until natural death. Another moving and powerful pro-life movie to see is UNPLANNED – the true story of Abby Johnson, clinic director for Planned Parenthood turned Pro-life Advocate!

2. EYES TO CONTEMPLATE THE BEAUTY OF GOD’S CREATION.  When was the last time you told God Thank You for the gift of your eyes and the wonderful gift of sight, so as to contemplate the beauty of His creation? Imagine that you are a blind person; if you are willing, spend one day with your eyes blind-folded, such that you can see no person, nor any gift of nature. Undoubtedly, the following day when you wake up and look out at the sun rising, painting the sky with its majestic beauty, you will appreciate the gift of your sight all the more fully.

3. SUPERNATURAL LIFE.  Probably most of the readers of this essay have received the extraordinary, unmerited, and gratuitous gift of the Sacrament of Baptism that entails many blessings. Baptism transforms us into sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters to Jesus our older Brother, intimate Friends with the Holy Spirit, and living Tabernacles of the Blessed Trinity. For this intimate relationship that starts with the Sacrament of Baptism, and the many other spiritual gifts we receive, we lift up our hearts in humble gratitude. Let us strive to live out our Baptismal commitment!

4. FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS.  None of us can say with absolute sincerity that we have the best of parents, relatives, or friends; nor can we honestly affirm that we have been the best of any of the above. Nonetheless, we should spend time thanking God abundantly for the many persons that He has so generously placed in our path as a bridge to God Himself. If you like the image, let us not be remiss in thanking God for having placed, so to speak, Good Samaritans on the highway of our life leading us to our eternal haven of safety. May our hearts overflow in gratitude for the good people that God has put in our path!

5. HEALTH.  Normally as the years whirl by, our health declines with the passing of time. As one of my dear relatives used to say with a smirk on his face: “You arrive at a certain age when your body starts to fall apart a piece at a time.” Still, we should thank God for the years of health that He bestowed upon us, the years of health that we were able to enjoy, and our health at present. As the poet expressed so succinctly: “I complained because I had no shoes, until I met someone without any feet.” In other words, every day we bump into people who have less than us in so many respects. Let us thank God for what we have right now!

6. THE MOST HOLY EUCHARIST.  Never will we be able to thank the Good Lord Jesus for having instituted the most sublime Gift of the most Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper, which was actually the First Mass. The simple fact that the Church allows all those who have made their First Communion and are in the state of sanctifying grace to receive Holy Communion on a daily basis is glorious. In the Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul, Saint Faustina states that even the angels have a holy envy of us, because they cannot receive the sublime Gift of Holy Communion, but we can! The word Eucharist actually means Thanksgiving! “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His mercy endures forever.” (Ps 136:1)

7. HEAVEN AWAITS US.  Of enormous importance is the firm faith and belief that our life on earth is ephemeral; it is very short. As the Psalmist reminds us: “We are like the flower of the field that rises in the morning and withers and dies as the sun goes down.” (Ps 90:6) But if we persevere in our love for God until the end, then heaven awaits us! None of us can even imagine the greatness of heaven. Saint Paul expresses this clearly: “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) Life can be tough, but our joy and happiness in heaven is right around the corner, and it is eternal!

8. HIS INFINITE MERCY.  As a result of Original Sin, we are all weak and prone to easily fall into sin. The Bible states this clearly: “The just man falls seven times a day.” (Prov 24:16) This should never be a reason to give in to sadness, much less despair. As so beautifully exemplified in the greatest story ever told by the greatest Storyteller, Jesus the Lord, in the Parable of the Prodigal Son or Merciful Father, God’s loving arms and merciful Heart are always open ready to receive us. We just have to say “I’m sorry” and express our sorrow in the context of the Sacrament of Confession. And as the Prophet Isaiah expresses in these most consoling words: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” (Is 1:18)

9. FRIENDS ALWAYS READY TO LEND A HAND.  We are not living as orphans, as abandoned children, nor are we bereft of help in time of need. Not only is God our Heavenly Father, and Jesus our Elder Brother, and the Holy Spirit the Sweet Guest of our soul, but we also have a cloud of witnesses in Heaven who are praying for us, encouraging us, and cheering us on to victory. Of course these are the angels and the saints. Indeed, they are God’s close friends, but they are our friends also! In any time, place, or circumstance in which we find ourselves, we can call out to these good and faithful friends—the angels and saints—and they will run to our rescue and help us in countless ways. To be Catholic is to live in a family. The Communion of Saints is part of our family fabric and structure!

10. MARY OUR MOTHER: OUR LIFE, OUR SWEETNESS, AND OUR HOPE.  Our attitude of gratitude would be incomplete if we did not thank God for having given us a heavenly Mother, Mary most holy. Mary is the Mother of God; she is the Mother of the Church, but also, Mary is the Mother of each and every one of us. She is my Mother and your Mother. She is also, as we pray in the Hail Holy Queen, “Our life, our sweetness, and our hope.”

Therefore, as we come to the closure of our sharing on cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude, let us beg for the grace to imitate the one leper who ran back to Jesus, prostrated himself before Jesus who healed him, and rendered Jesus abundant thanks! Lord Jesus, thank you, thank you, thank you! “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His mercy endures forever.” (Ps 136:1)

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

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

SUNDAY, SEPT 13TH Mt. 18:21-35   “Peter approached Jesus and asked him, ‘Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.’”

This is not a suggestion from Jesus, this is a command. Jesus never commands us to do anything that He will not give us sufficient grace to fulfill if we have good will. We offer two reflections for your meditation today.

Fr. Jacques Philippe insists on the necessity of forgiveness. Fr. Ed Broom gives a thorough exposition on how to arrive at the demanding virtue of forgiveness.

FORGIVENESS…   by Fr. Jacques Philippe

 There are cases when the suffering other people causes us is due to a real fault on their part. The proper attitude then is not understanding in accepting differences, but something more demanding and difficult: forgiveness.

Modern culture doesn’t rate forgiveness very highly. More often it justifies resentment and revenge. But does that reduce the amount of evil in the world? The only way to diminish the suffering that burdens mankind is by forgiveness.

It bears repeating… that unless we understand the importance of forgiveness and practice it in our relations with others, we will never achieve inner freedom, but will always be prisoners of our own bitterness.

When we refuse to forgive someone for harm done to us, we are adding another wrong to the first. That solves nothing at all. We are increasing the quantity of evil in the world, which has quite enough as it is. Let us do not join in the propagation of evil! Saint Paul tells us, Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good!

 BEING A WOUNDED HEALER IN A WOUNDED WORLD by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

As a result of Original Sin, the sin that our first parents, Adam and Eve, committed at the beginning of human history, a moral, spiritual, and physical tsunami descended and exploded on all of humanity. The effects of Original Sin and this tsunami will be felt until the end of the world, and is felt by all of us collectively and individually, and in many ways.

THE ORIGINAL SIN AND OUR WOUNDED HUMAN NATURE.  In a very real sense, the entire universe has become a gaping wound and all of the individuals who constitute and compose the human family are wounded. In what ways are we wounded? Put better:  in what ways are we not wounded? Our whole being, while essentially good, limps with wounds. Let us venture to give the list: our body is prone to sicknesses which terminate in the eventual death of the body. The mind is impaired and has difficulty in discovering the truth, much less retaining the truth. Emotionally we are a wreck: sad, depressed, nervous, confused, worried and fearful, anxious and tense—we all experience the whole gamut of a disorderly array of emotions that wreak havoc within us. Moral and spiritual wounds are at the heart of the matter. God seems at times to be very distant. Due to Original Sin, we commit sins. And we wound our relationship with a loving, kind, and merciful God due to ingratitude, which St. Ignatius of Loyola says, is the essence of sin.

O HAPPY FAULT.  Saint Augustine says that God allows evil only to bring good out of evil. The classic example is that God allowed Adam and Eve to commit the Original Sin starting this moral tsunami. However, as a result of this, God the Father willingly and lovingly sent His only begotten Son, Jesus the Lord, to the world to show us the Way to the Father, the Way of the Cross, to suffer and die on the cross and after the third day to rise from the dead to open up the gates of heaven and attain for us eternal life!

SOURCES OF HEALING AVAILABLE TO US.  On a very positive note, in this short essay we would like to offer a number of concrete, practical, and accessible ways in which we can work on our inner healing so that we can heal others. In other words, may we all become wounded healers so that we can be a source of healing in a wounded and broken world! It must be said before offering a list of positive sources of healing that it is Jesus who is the ultimate source of healing. Saint Peter in his letter says: “By His wounds we are healed” (1Pt 2:24), quoting the Prophet Isaiah. Therefore, let us first and foremost turn to Jesus and He can heal us. He is the Divine and Perfect Physician. Let us expose our wounds to Him and He will heal us.

WAYS THAT WE CAN UNDERGO PERSONAL HEALING…

1. SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM. The first powerful source of healing at the start of our life is when we receive the Sacrament of Baptism. The graces and blessings are indeed numerous. However, of paramount importance is the fact that the gaping wound of Original Sin has been washed clean from the soul and a deep healing has taken place in the inner depths of that person. The healing has taken place by the first encounter with Jesus the Wounded-Healer. For this reason, the Baptism should be done as early as possible.

2. FERVENT PRAYER. Every time we apply ourselves to faith-filled, fervent, and frequent prayer, once again, Jesus, the Divine-Physician intervenes as the Wounded-Healer. Healing might not take place at the speed that we desire, nor even in the manner we expect. Nonetheless, God’s healing power is operative in fervent prayer.

3. ANOINTING OF THE SICK. This is actually one of the seven Sacraments that has as one of its basic functions that of healing. At times, after receiving this Sacrament, there is actually a physical recovery and strengthening, if this serves the person’s eternal salvation. However, the inner healing of the soul is of greater importance. Actually, even if a terminally ill person is in a coma-state, and they would have desired to confess their sins to the priest with true sorrow, then the Anointing of the Sick serves to heal the soul of these sins. What a great Sacrament and how little we really understand it!

4. THE MOST HOLY EUCHARIST. Indeed, every one of the seven Sacraments has a specific Sacramental grace that differentiates it from the others. The specific Sacramental grace and effect of the most Holy Eucharist is that of NOURISHMENT. If you like, what a nourishing meal does to the body, the most Holy Eucharist does to the soul. However, given that Jesus is truly present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in every consecrated Host, He has not only nourished, but actually healed many people through the worthy reception of the Eucharist. We pray with the Centurion: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul will be healed.” May we say this prayer of the Mass with greater faith and devotion!

5.THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION: THE TRUE SACRAMENT OF HEALING. Once again referring to the specific Sacramental effects, the Sacrament of Confession or Reconciliation has as its specific effect that of healing, most especially the healing of the soul. The priest, being the minister of this wonderful Sacrament, represents Jesus the Divine Physician who came to save us and to heal us. We bring our spiritual leprosy to the Divine Physician and He heals our wounded, leprous soul, just as we see time and time again Jesus healing lepers in the Gospels. The Prophet Isaiah offers us these most consoling words: “Though your sins be like scarlet, I will make them as white as the snow.” (Is. 1:18) The most wounded soul can be healed if they have trust in Jesus and true repentance.

6. FORGIVENESS. Many people, all too many, carry within their hearts gaping moral and spiritual wounds for the simple reason that they have been hurt by someone and have not forgiven them, rather they are holding on to resentments and harboring grudges. Until this individual is able to come to terms with their lack of forgiveness and take the first step in striving to forgive, they will be a living and walking gaping wound oozing out moral pus. In other words, to forgive is to set the captive free; and that captive is you and me! Jesus came to break the bonds of our moral slavery! As the poet Alexander Pope expressed with such poignant precision: “To err is human; to forgive is divine.” Allow Jesus to heal you by forgiving right now!!!

7. LOVING KINDNESS. We live in a world immersed in egotism and selfishness where many are just interested in their own plans and projects, not giving an ounce of concern for others. But we have all experienced some time in our life, especially when we have been in profound desolation, some person that God sent to us with a smile, a kind word, a kind gesture, a token of friendship, words and expressions of encouragement. As a result of this encounter with this really kind person our state of soul was transformed from deep desolation to an over-flowing consolation. The storm-clouds dissipated and the sun came shining into our souls. In other words, someone’s loving kindness and human compassion can be a most powerful source of healing!

8. BECOMING THAT KIND, MERCIFUL GOOD SAMARITAN. On the flip side of the coin, when we have been living a selfish and egotistic life and then make the decision to go out of our selfish-shell and seek the good of others through kindness, not only do we heal them, but by loving others we are being healed! Might seem paradoxical, but it is real! In other words, love always heals—both those who receive it and those who give it!!!

9. VISITING THE SICK AND THE SUFFERING. Of great importance in the modern world of Utilitarianism—in which the person has value inasmuch as they are economically productive—is the importance of visiting the sick, the suffering, the abandoned, and the dying. There is often a double-healing in this mutual encounter. For example, a Eucharistic minister who visits, attends, encourages, and converses with an abandoned and sick person is doing a gesture that is highly pleasing to God. In this visit great healing is taking place—not always on a physical level, but on a moral, spiritual, and emotional level! It might even happen that you as the Eucharistic minister are not really feeling good yourself—physically or emotionally—but after visiting this sick person, who is much worse off then you are, giving them Holy Communion, praying with them, talking with them for at least a short while, you end by leaving with a radiant smile, in which case both the minister and the sick person are healed. Once again love transforms; love strengthens; love heals; love saves. God is love!

10. MOTHER MARY: HEALTH OF THE SICK. It is recorded in the life of Saint Therese of Lisieux that she prayed in a special way in front of a small statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The future saint had been sick for a while and there seemed to be no apparent remedy. Therefore, she had recourse to Mary through this little statue. Therese noticed that the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary actually smiled at her and she was immediately healed of her ailment. How often has it been recorded in the History of Catholicism that Our Lady has come to the rescue of sick people and healed them, especially in Lourdes, France! One of her many titles is “Health of the Sick”. These of course are physical healings. Many more unrecorded spiritual healings, the conversion of sinners, has become a reality through the powerful presence and intercession of Mary, under the title of “Health of the sick.” Let us bring our many ailments to Mary and she will help us!

In conclusion we are all wounded, from the moment of our conception with Original Sin and during our life, we are wounded constantly and end up by wounding others. Either we become wounded-wounders or wounded healers. If we do not seek out healing, especially from God, then we end up by wounding more and more people in our walk of life. However, if we allow Jesus the Wounded Healer to heal our wounds, then we can truly be wounded-healers in a broken and wounded world. Let us go to Jesus because “by His wounds we are truly healed.” (Is. 53-5)

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

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

SATURDAY, SEPT 12TH Lk. 6: 39-42   “From the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.”   Feast Day of the Most Holy Name of Mary.

• Out of the fullness of her heart, Mary Most Holy spoke the Magnificat. “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked with favor on the lowliness of His handmaid. Henceforth, all generations will call me blessed for He who is Mighty has done great things for me and holy is His name.” (Lk. 1:46-49)

 The following is taken from the Oblates of the Virgin Mary Official Website (OMVUSA):

The Most Holy Name of Mary feast day honors Mary, the Mother of God, as blessed. It takes place each year on September 12th, four days after the feast of the Birth of the Blessed Mother. The feast day encourages us all to pray for her intercession to deepen our love of Christ and our relationship with the Lord.

The Oblates of the Virgin Mary have a special connection with Mary and pray often for her intercession. Venerable Bruno Lanteri, who founded the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, said “the Congregation of the Oblates is not my work, but the work of Mary Most Holy… She is its foundress, its mother, and its teacher.” The devotion of the Oblates is also expressed through our motto, “Think of Mary; call out to Mary.”

Each year, the Oblates of the Virgin Mary celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary by renewing their vows and dedication to Our Lord and Our Lady.

• On her Feast Day, let us give thanks to Mary Most Holy for our good and holy priests, Oblates of the Virgin Mary, and pray for our priests! Let us thank Mary for being the Mother of God, Jesus our Lord and Savior; the Mother of the Church; and the Mother of each and every one of us!
• With the following meditation, let us beg Mary, the full of grace, for the grace to love her, and to love her son, Jesus,  more and more every day!

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.

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 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 our Mother prays for us so that we will recover grace 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.  When a child falls off a bike into a mud-puddle and cuts their knee, the 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 comfort: 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 when 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 wandering 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, or what we have failed to do. Her love 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 all places together, then the love that Mary has for you is much greater!” In other words, it is impossible to fathom the inexpressible, sublime, 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. 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, 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.” (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.

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

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

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11^TH Lk. 6: 39-42   “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?”

• The vice we all struggle with is pride. The virtue we all need is humility. All sin is rooted in pride, for the essence of sin is disobedience to God’s commandments and will in our lives. In this meditation, two paths converge to help us grow in humility.

Part 1: Self-examination Leading to Humility. Fr. John Tauler, O.P.  

Part 2: God’s Infinite Love for You and for Me! Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PART 1:

SELF-EXAMINATION LEADING TO HUMILITY!  Fr. John Tauler, O.P. (+1361)

Dear children, God has by His grace implanted in us the beautiful virtue of humility, knowing how greatly we stand in need of it. In this He does us a great favor, for He thereby places in our souls a divine spark much closer to our nature than we may imagine.

If humility seems an alien thing to us, that is to be blamed on pride. If human nature be rightly ordered, we find matter for humility within us without fail. We cannot expel it from its place there, for as we look into ourselves we find two great causes for it.

One is our natural frailty. Every man can see how miserably needy he is, how many things he lacks, and how all that he gets fails to satisfy him. Nothing is better known than the inborn deficiencies of the natural man, and that just as every man comes from nothing, so all ends in nothingness – all of which furnishes material for humility.

The other reason for humility is our sinful frailty, something perfectly plain to anyone who searches his mirror. He finds in himself a bottomless depth of natural depravity. Unless God guarded him constantly by His merciful graces, how unspeakably ready would he be to commit sin, even to fall into mortal sin, and to be condemned therefore to suffer eternally in hell among all the devils.

Tell me, dear children, is not this a great cause for true humility? Thus our own nature inclines us to the practice of this holy virtue. Looking inward, looking outward, we find there is nothing good in us, nor of ourselves can we do any good.  End of Reflection

PART 2:

GOD’S INFINITE LOVE FOR YOU AND FOR ME!  By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

One of the principal reasons why we commit sin is because we do not really understand the love that God has for each and every one of us. Ven. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen defines love in these simple but profound words: Sin is hurting the one you love. This is a very personal definition. That is to say that sin is hurting and damaging your relationship with God, and maybe even rupturing it to the point of severing the relationship. The primary question that each of us should ask ourselves in the depths of our hearts is this: do I really believe that God loves me personally, permanently, unreservedly, and infinitely? This brief essay is aimed at helping us to really be convinced of God’s infinite love for us. Consequently, it will be much easier when confronted with temptations to sin to reject them. And the reason is because I do not want to hurt God who loves me. In other words, serious sin is not simply breaking a commandment, but breaking the Heart of God! How then do we know that God really loves us with infinite love? The following are a few reasons.

1. ORIGINAL SIN AND THE INCARNATION.

A very consoling truth in the Catholic faith is that God allows evil so that He can bring greater good out of evil. Saint Paul asserts: Where sin abounds, the grace of God abounds all the more.” (Rom. 5:20) If you like, God can turn a tremendous tragedy into a glorious victory! One of the clearest and most penetrating manifestations of this truth is the reality of Original Sin, and consequently the Incarnation. God gave Adam and Eve freedom which they abused by committing Original Sin. However, God intervened by sending His only-begotten Son, Jesus born of the Blessed Virgin Mary to save us. As we sing in the Easter Vigil Mass in the Exultet: O happy fault, O happy fault that brought us so great a Savior. Therefore, the Incarnation of Jesus, the Son of God made man, was done for you and for me. How great God’s love is for us in that He sent Jesus to save us from the devil, slavery to sin, and eternal damnation.

2. THE LIFE OF JESUS AS MODEL FOR ALL OF US.

Another sign of God’s infinite love for us is the Person, Pattern and Model of perfection that Jesus is for all of us. As to living out the truth, we are not like blind men, or men living in caves, or a man running around like a chicken with its head cut off—far from the case! How we are to act, what are we to say, who we are called to become—all of these questions can be responded to in one word and that WORD is the Word of God, the Logos—JESUS THE LORD! Our whole existence should be a constant study of the Person, Life, Words, and Actions of Jesus. For us, Jesus is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.

3. THE PASSION, SUFFERING, AND DEATH OF JESUS!

In the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, in the 3rd Week of the month Retreat, the topic for meditation or contemplation is the Passion, suffering and death of Jesus. The retreatant is invited to enter into the very life of Jesus, to enter into the very Heart of Jesus, and to beg for the grace to suffer with Jesus—not an easy grace to beg for! Moreover, Saint Ignatius emphasizes this extraordinary truth: Jesus suffered all of His Passion for love of you. Indeed, if you were the only person in the whole created universe, Jesus would have gone through all the most excruciating pains and tortures for love of you. His sweating Blood, His scourging, His crowning with thorns, His carrying of the cross and falling under its heavy weight, His crucifixion, His prolonged agony on the cross those three hours, His shedding every drop of His Precious Blood, His breathing forth His spirit into the hands of the Heavenly Father, and even the piercing of His Sacred Heart (after He was already dead)—all this and much more. All this intense and indescribable suffering He went through because of His infinite love for you and your eternal salvation. Stop to meditate upon this profound truth and tell the Lord Jesus how thankful you are! Beg Jesus for the grace right now to truly love Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength!

4. THE CHURCH AND THE SACRAMENTS.

Jesus promised that He would not leave us orphans, that He would send us the Consoler, the Paraclete, that is, the HOLY SPIRIT. Still more, Jesus left us until the end of time His constant and perpetual PRESENCE in the ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH. However, of supreme importance is the institution and reality of the greatest of all of the Sacraments, and that is the most Holy Eucharist. Jesus loves us so much and continues to love us until the end of time and forever in heaven. On earth, this love is present to all who believe in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in which the sublime fruit is the Eucharist, which reaches its climax in the reception of Holy Communion. We must remind ourselves over and over again of the sublime and ineffable truth that Holy Communion is Jesus loving us! Holy Communion is really and substantially Jesus in His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Indeed, Jesus loves us so much that He wants to come and love in us, abide in us, be part of us. Jesus wants His Body to be part of our body. Jesus wants His Precious Blood to circulate and flow through our veins and enter into our very heart. Jesus wants His mind to be our mind; as Saint Paul says: “Put on the mind of Christ… you have the mind of Christ.” (1Cor 2:16) Jesus wants His very soul to enter into our soul and to sanctify and strengthen our soul. All of this truly becomes a reality every time we receive Holy Communion worthily, with faith, devotion, love, and a burning heart. How much Jesus really loves us in all times and in all places! Understanding the immense and personal love of Jesus for you and for me through His Mystical Body the Church, and especially through the most sublime Sacrament of the Eucharist, motivates us to renounce sin when it is knocking at the door of our hearts. We do not want to hurt Jesus who loves us so much!

5. JESUS’ PRECIOUS GIFT TO US FROM THE CROSS!

The love that Jesus has for you continues, and will continue always and even into eternity! As He hung on the cross in painful agony and abandonment, Jesus gave to the whole world, but to you individually, the great gift of His Mother to be your mother. The words of Jesus were addressed to you and to me: “Woman behold thy son, son behold thy Mother; from that moment the beloved disciple took Mary into his home.” (Jn. 19:26-27) Jesus loves you so much that from all eternity, He willed for your peace, joy, consolation, and love, the gift of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the person of Saint John, giving Mary to him, Jesus was also giving Mary to be your tender, loving, meek and humble, and compassionate Mother. You can turn to Mary as your Mother in all times, places, circumstances, and contradictions of life. Mary is always present and willing to listen to you, console you, comfort you, and love you with the heart of the most loving of mothers.

Therefore, when temptation to sin knocks at the door of our hearts, we should call to mind the Incarnation of Jesus, the Son of God made man, His life on earth, His Passion and death that He suffered for us, and for the Church, especially the Eucharist that He left us, and lastly the gift of Mary as our loving Mother. Keenly convinced of these truths, we can more easily say NO to sin and YES to love and a deep friendship with Jesus, the faithful Friend who will never fail us!

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

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

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10^TH Lk. 6:27-38   Jesus says, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

Jesus message in today’s Gospel could not be clearer! His message is the same as what He taught us to pray in the Our Father: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Today Jesus says the mercy we give to others is the mercy we will receive! Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to learn all we can about Jesus’ Divine Mercy so we can receive His Mercy and show His Mercy to others!

Today, Fr. Ed gives us fifteen different ways to understand, fall in love with, practice, and promote God’s greatest attribute – His Divine Mercy!

MERCY, MERCY, AND AGAIN MERCY!!!  By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

God’s Mercy is His greatest attribute! Saint Faustina, Saint Pope John Paul II, and the Angelic Doctor, Saint Thomas Aquinas, agree on this unanimously! Mercy is nothing other than God’s love forgiving the sinner.

God longs to inundate the entire world with His Infinite Mercy. It is like a burning fire consuming Him, that He desires so ardently to bestow on all, but too few know of His mercy, and even less want to receive this free gift.

May we be among those who trust in God’s Infinite Mercy, receive it, and also try to promote it! May we be living Apostles of God’s Great Mercy. God rejoices in those who trust in His mercy and promote it to the entire world! 

God chose Saint Faustina Kowalska to be His Secretary of Divine Mercy and the ardent promoter of this most sublime of God’s virtues in the most widely diffused manner through the classic: Divine Mercy in My Soul – Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska.

How then can we understand, embrace, live, and promote God’s Infinite Mercy in our own lives – in the concrete circumstances in which we are living right now? We will offer fifteen ways to fall in love with Divine Mercy, so that we can be heralds and apostles of Divine Mercy, so that one day in heaven we will be praising God’s Mercy for all eternity.

1. READ DIVINE MERCY IN MY SOUL – DIARY OF ST FAUSTINA KOWALSKA.  All of us should own this spiritual classic and masterpiece and get in the habit of reading, meditating, contemplating, praying over, loving, and living this most simple but sublime message that God has given to the modern world. What the world needs today more than ever is to understand and to live the Gospel of Mercy. Every day get into the habit of reading for five minutes or at least one number of the 1820 entries in this gift from God! Start today! One more suggestion: try to put into practice what you are reading.

2. ENTHRONE THE IMAGE AND HONOR IT!  Purchase a beautiful image of Divine Mercy and enthrone it in your home in a prominent place. Then formally enthrone it through the ministry and blessing of a priest. Honor the image frequently, by such means as saying, “Jesus, Mercy!” when you see it. Let those who enter your home be keenly aware of the fact that Jesus, the King of Mercy, is King of your home and King of all those who enter your home. God promises very special blessings upon those who honor this image, in time and for all eternity! Promote the enthronement of the Divine Mercy images in other homes. Teach children and young people about God’s Infinite Mercy! There is no sin, that God’s Mercy is not greater! This will bring great joy to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

3. CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY.  Learn and get into the habit of praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy as often as possible; it only takes about five minutes. It can be prayed in church, at home, in the car, in the supermarket line, waiting at the doctor’s office, at any time and in any place. Jesus exhorted Saint Faustina to pray it often. This prayer appeases the anger of God and has the power to convert the hardest of sinners. “For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” Even better, in addition to praying the Chaplet yourself, buy Divine Mercy Pamphlets and pass them out to family, friends, co-workers, and even strangers, in the hope that they too will pray it!

4. MERCY HOUR.  Try to be more and more aware of the Mercy Hour which is 3:00 pm every day. Jesus asked Saint Faustina to pray the Way of the Cross at this hour, or visit the Blessed Sacrament, or at least to unite herself with the Passion, agony, and death of Jesus on the cross at the Mercy Hour, which was the very hour and minute that Jesus died on the cross for the salvation of our souls! In your case, pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at the 3:00 pm hour, or at least try to remember the Mercy Hour by uniting yourself with Jesus’ last agony and death on the cross, and then beg of Him any grace you so desire. He has promised to answer those prayers. Especially pleasing to God is to beg for the conversion of deathbed sinners. At the 3:00 pm hour, when God the Father is contemplating the agony, suffering, and death of His beloved Son, Jesus, He can deny us nothing. Nor can Jesus. I will often beg the Lord Jesus through His most bitter passion for the conversion and salvation of all those who will die that afternoon and that night. God loves the salvation of souls and so should we!

5. NOVENA OF DIVINE MERCY.  Very pleasing to God is to do the Novena of Divine Mercy. This novena starts on Good Friday and lasts for nine days up until the Solemnity of Divine Mercy, which is on the Sunday after Easter Sunday. Each day there is a special prayer intention to be prayed that God inspired Saint Faustina to write in the Diary. The intentions are very inspiring and a model for prayer of petition! This novena can also be prayed any time during the course of the year, but most especially from Good Friday to Divine Mercy Sunday. You can find this Novena in the Divine Mercy Pamphlet.

6. MERCY SUNDAY.  Live out to the fullest extent possible Divine Mercy Sunday. As stated above, this Sunday follows Easter Sunday and it was instituted as a formal Liturgical Feast in the year 2000 (April 30), on the Sunday after Easter by Saint Pope John Paul II. On that same day, the Holy Father canonized Saint Faustina Kowalska; she was the first saint to be canonized in the new millennium. This great Pope of Divine Mercy declared with heartfelt emotion that this was the happiest day in his life. He felt himself to be a true Apostle of Divine Mercy, starting off the new millennium instituting this Solemnity of Divine Mercy and canonizing the saint whom God used as a key instrument in bringing to the world this extraordinary grace!

7. OBTAIN THE DIVINE MERCY PROMISE.  Among the most extraordinary promises of Divine Mercy is the Promise that we can receive on Divine Mercy Sunday. It is this! If we make a good Sacramental Confession anytime in Lent or even Easter week, and then attend Mass and receive Holy Communion on Mercy Sunday with great faith, devotion, and love, all of our sins of the past are totally forgiven. And not only are our sins forgiven, but also the temporal punishment due to these sins is totally forgiven. “Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them as white as the snow.” (Is. 1:18) In concrete, this means that we have our baptismal innocence restored to our souls! If we were to die the moment we receive this privilege, we would go straight to heaven!!! No time in Purgatory! What an extraordinary grace that we should long to receive every year on Mercy Sunday! For each year our past sins are forgiven and the temporal punishment due for those sins is wiped out. Let us spread the Good News to the whole world!

8. GOOD CONFESSIONS.  Another concrete manner in which we can live out Mercy is to have frequent recourse to the reception of the Sacrament of Confession, also known as the Sacrament of God’s Infinite Mercy. Every time we make a good sacramental Confession, the loving Father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son embraces us with the most tender love, and there is rejoicing and feasting in heaven among the angels and the saints! (Lk. 15:11-32) Make it a habit to go at least once a month to the Sacrament of God’s Mercy and bring your whole family with you! Become an Apostle of the Sacrament of Confession; this is very pleasing to God. A good sacramental Confession inundates us with an ocean of God’s Mercy!!!

9. BE MERCIFUL AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS MERCIFUL!  Mercy indeed is a two-way street, not a one-way street! If we want to receive God’s mercy in our lives then we must be constantly ready and willing to be merciful to those who have wounded and offended us. The most famous prayer in the world is the OUR FATHER, in which we pray: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” These words of Our Lord are unambiguous and clear; if we want God to forgive us, then we must necessarily be willing to forgive others, always, and at all times! Remember the words of command from the Heart of Jesus: “Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.” Let us take these words seriously to heart and beg for the grace to put them into practice!

10. DO ACTS OF MERCY ON A DAILY BASIS.  Jesus also told Saint Faustina that He desires us to practice at least one act of mercy every day. There are three different ways that this can be carried out: 1) Words—Say a kind word or words to someone; this can lift their tired, afflicted, and wearied spirit; 2) Deeds—Carry out some concrete deed or action of mercy; you might even look up the Eight Corporal and Eight Spiritual Works of Mercy and try to live out at least one of these on a daily basis; 3) Prayer—Praying for some person is pleasing to God and falls under the category of doing an act of mercy towards someone. By the way Jesus reminds us that whatever we do to others, we actually do to Him. (Mt. 25:31-46)  SEE APPENDIX for Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy.

11. DYING AND THE CHAPLET.  Of the greatest importance with respect to the salvation of souls is to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy when some person is in their last hours, last moments, and last agony. These are moments of great trial, tribulation, and at times temptation. Jesus promised that if anyone is praying the Chaplet when the person is dying then that soul will be saved. Therefore, let us, as Saint Paul reminds us, fill up what is lacking in the Passion of Christ by striving to save souls by praying the Chaplet at the bedside of the dying. (cf: Col. 1:24)

12. DISTRIBUTE DIVINE MERCY CARDS.  Another simple but very pleasing practice in the eyes of God is to purchase a packet of 1000 Divine Mercy holy cards and simply distribute them freely. Prayer meetings, funerals, weddings, first Communion Masses, in the park, and even in the grocery store—give them out freely and abundantly. God will reward you abundantly!

13. THE EUCHARIST AND DIVINE MERCY.  Get into the habit of visiting the most Blessed Sacrament. In fact, every time we are kneeling or praying in front of the most Blessed Sacrament, we are in the presence of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus and in contact with His Divine Mercy. May the rays of His Divine Presence transform your heart into a heart filled with the most noble sentiments of Mercy!

14. HOLY COMMUNION AND MERCY.  Still greater is that of assisting at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receiving Holy Communion. The truth is that every Holy Communion contains the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ! That means we actually receive His most Sacred Heart! In a real sense we have a spiritual HEART TRANSPLANT every time we receive Holy Communion with faith, devotion, and love. Let us beg our Eucharistic Lord to help us love others with His Heart of Mercy! A prayer He never fails to answer if prayed earnestly!

15. OUR LADY AND MERCY.  It would be all but incomplete if we did not invite Our Lady to help us to understand, love, and live the message of Divine Mercy. Saint Alphonsus states that we should never fear approaching Our Lady. In God there are two opposing attributes—His Mercy and His Justice. However, in Our Lady there is pure Mercy. At the end of every Rosary we pray the Hail Holy Queen. “Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope….” May Our Lady attain for us a deeper and deeper understanding and appreciation of God’s Infinite Mercy for souls, of God’s infinite Mercy for our families, of God’s Infinite Mercy for you and me individually!!!

CONCLUSION:  May the prayer of the Psalmist be the prayer that overflows in our hearts and lives now and forever: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.” (Ps. 136:1) Let us praise God’s Mercy in time, so that we may praise His Mercy forever and ever in heaven!!!

Appendix:

Corporal Works of Mercy…
1. To feed the hungry.
2. To give drink to the thirsty.
3. To clothe the naked.
4. To visit the imprisoned.
5. To shelter the homeless
6. To visit the sick.
7. To bury the dead.

Spiritual Works of Mercy…
1. To admonish the sinner.
2. To instruct the ignorant.
3. To counsel the doubtful.
4. To comfort the sorrowful.
5. To bear wrongs patiently.
6.To forgive all injuries.
7. To pray for the living and the dead.

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