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

SUNDAY, AUGUST 30th   Mt. 16: 21-27   “Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly.”

• Peter says in response: “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” Jesus words to Peter are strong: “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do!”
• Perhaps we would have said the same thing. We don’t want Jesus to suffer, and we don’t want to suffer either! The flesh recoils! We would run from the cross if we could! How often we judge the events in our lives by merely human standards, rather than God’s standards!
• Peter can’t imagine letting the Messiah, the Son of God – remember Peter was the first to profess Jesus as such – suffer and die in this way! He can’t see how Jesus’s suffering and death at the hands of the Jewish leaders will bring any good to them. He can’t conceive of redemption coming through the Cross. 
• Isn’t this our human view of suffering? How can this possibly help us? Being laid off work and struggling financially – losing a loved one – suffering a serious accident or illness – falling into serious sin yet again.
• Lord, how can such stumbling blocks in our physical and spiritual life possibly serve you – when we are weak, broken, and can no longer feel your presence?
• The contradiction of the cross! The great mystery that we can’t understand in human terms! St. Paul says, “We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.”
• Our Lady of Fatima revealed to us the power of God and the wisdom of God. She showed three little children a graphic and horrific vision of hell, and said to them: “Souls are going to hell because there is no one to pray and suffer for them.” The salvific power of suffering for ourselves and others! This is our meditation today.

POSITIVE FRUITS OF HUMAN SUFFERING! By Fr Ed Broom, OMV

The purpose of this article is to highlight a list of positive fruits that flow from the person who has united His suffering to the cross of Jesus as well as the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, where Jesus renews on a daily basis His passion and death through the Sacrament of all Sacraments—the most Holy Eucharist! The following is a list to encourage us to carry our cross more courageously, following in the footsteps of Jesus and His friends, the saints. With Saint Francis of Assisi, we acclaim: “We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”

1. UNION WITH AND IMITATION OF CHRIST. The name Christian means follower or disciple of Christ. By suffering with courage, we are united more with Jesus our Savior; we become more like Him and we imitate Him all the more closely.

2. GROWTH IN PRAYER. In crucial moments of intense suffering, true followers of Christ pray all the more fervently in imitation of Jesus. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed all the more fervently to the point of shedding huge drops of blood. And it is true that as we deepen our prayer life, we unite ourselves more to Christ and become living sacrifices pleasing to God the Father.

3. HUMILITY. Confronted with excruciating sufferings—be they physical, moral, mental, emotional, family or social, financial, etc.—we find ourselves helpless and like a little child totally dependent upon the care, protection, and love of our Eternal Father and His Divine Providence. Humility really means not depending upon myself and my own limited human resources but depending upon God! “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 124:8) As well as, “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall lack.” (Psalm 23)

4. TRUST. One of the modern spiritual classics is the Diary of Saint Faustina, Divine Mercy in My Soul. This great modern saint suffered intensely, but the more she suffered, the more she trusted in God as her strength and support. So it must be with us; suffering should motivate us to trust in God all the more as the eternal Rock on which we can stand when buffeted by the storms of life.

5. PATIENCE. The nature of all suffering is that it takes a toll on us and finally forces us to practice the virtue of patience—remember the Book of Job. Maybe God Himself has sent us certain sufferings as a means by which we can grow in that all important virtue of PATIENCE! Looking in retrospect on past sufferings that we more or less accepted, we can attest to the fact that we are at least a little more patient in imitation of Jesus, Mary, and the saints. Jesus said: “By your patience you will save your souls.” (Lk 21:19)

6. COMPASSION. Still more, the virtue of compassion can be a recompense and prize for those who are undergoing the fire storm of tribulations and sufferings. A classic example might be a woman who has survived breast cancer and is now healthy and thriving. This woman providentially meets another woman who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The woman who survived the ordeal can definitely have compassion for and commiserate with the woman just diagnosed. Why? For the simple reason that she went through it herself! Those who suffer in a Christian way, accepting God’s mysterious will, can definitely be compassionate and encouraging with others who are going through the same predicament. Actually the word Compassion means the ability to suffer with another.

7. PURIFICATION. As gold is purified by fire, so are the friends of the Lord purified by the fire of sufferings. Saint John of the Cross gives us the image of a piece of cold and rusty iron cast into the fire. In time, the cold and rusty piece of iron becomes red hot like the fire and the rust disintegrates. So it is with human souls cloaked with sin and sinful tendencies. The willing acceptance of suffering for the love of Christ and in union with Christ, who suffered and died for all of humanity and for each one of us individually, can be a means of purifying our soul by uniting it to the fire of love in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Indeed, it must be said—we can beg the Lord to give us our Purgatory here on earth, so that we can have quicker access to heaven!

8. DETACHMENT. Due to Original Sin, which we are all born with, the human person has a strong tendency to become attached to persons, places, things, ideas, concepts, etc., many of which are disordered, even to the point of being sinful. A storm blast of suffering can shatter these attachments. If someone has been diagnosed with cancer and given six months to live, they can start to unpack their life, relinquishing what is non-essential, unnecessary, or even sinful, as they prepare for death, judgment and the life to come—Heaven! Indeed, suffering can serve as a sober but very real meditation on the transitory and fleeting nature of human life. “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” if not rooted in God!

9. SALVATION OF SOULS. The children of Fatima were educated in the school of suffering, especially Jacinta and Francisco Marto—both died almost within two years of the last apparition of Our Lady of Fatima in 1917. After the graphic vision of hell, July 13, 1917, little Jacinta could not undertake too many sacrifices, offering her sufferings for the salvation of immortal souls! Sacrificing her favorite food—the sweet grapes of Portugal, giving up water on hot days, putting up with the painful insistence of people pestering her with questions about the visions, wearing a rough rope around her waist that chafed her skin. Jacinta did all this so as to collaborate with God in the salvation of immortal souls. In other words, her suffering had infinite value because she suffered for and with Jesus. When beatified by Saint Pope John Paul II he gave her the title of little victim soul—such was her thirst for the salvation of immortal souls and her willingness to suffer for them with Jesus!

10. SHORTNESS OF LIFE AND ETERNITY. Finally, in our analysis of the positive meaning of suffering we have to come to terms with our mortality—that all of us one day have to pass through the door of death and this often entails suffering. However, life is very short as the Psalmist reminds us: “Man is like the flower of the field that rises in the morning and withers and dies as the sun goes down.” (Ps 1-3:15) Jesus said these words to Saint Faustina in the Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul: “You will suffer much, but not for long; you will accomplish my will and my desires and a faithful servant of Mine will help you do this. Now rest on My bosom, on My heart, and draw from it strength and power for these sufferings because you will find neither relief nor help nor comfort anywhere else. Know that you will have much, much to suffer, but don’t let this frighten you; I am with you.” (Diary #36) These words of Jesus are serious, sober, but also consoling. He will always be with us and invites all of us to seek refuge and comfort, not in the things of this passing world, but in His bosom, in His Most Sacred Heart. 

May Our Lady of Sorrows console us all with her loving and maternal presence! She will always be present with Jesus to help us carry our cross patiently so as to win the award of heaven that awaits us!

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

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

SATURDAY AUGUST 29^TH Mk. 6:17-29   The Passion of Saint John the Baptist

Part 1: Gospel Reflection…
Part 2: Passion of John the Baptist by St. Peter Chrysologus, Doctor of the Church
Part 3: Conquering the 7–Headed Enemy Within by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PART 1: Gospel Reflection…

• Today we commemorate the Passion of St. John the Baptist. He was the bridge between the Old and New Testaments and rightly occupies the exalted position of being the greatest of all the prophets.
• Jesus acclaimed him, “Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist.” Jesus also predicted the Baptist’s fate when He said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force.” (Mt. 11:11-12)
• Before we can conquer the violence without, we must face and conquer the violence within, better known as the Seven Capital Sins or Tendencies.

PART 2: Passion of John the Baptist by Saint Peter Chrysologus, Doctor of the Church

Today while the virtue of John and the ferocity of Herod were related to us, our innards were shaken, our hearts trembled, our sight grew dim, our mind became dull, our hearing deserted us. For is there anything within human sensation that remains undisturbed when a large amount of vice destroys a large amount of virtue?

Herod, it says, apprehended John, and had him bound, and put in prison (Mt 14:3).  John was the school of the virtues, the instructor of life, the model of sanctity, the pattern of morality, the mirror of virginity, the epitome of purity, the example of chastity, the way of penitence, the pardon of sins, the discipline of faith. John was greater than a human being, equal to the angels, the apex of the Law, the seed of the Gospel, the harbinger of the Apostles, the silence of the prophets, the lamp of the world, the herald of the Judge, the forerunner of Christ, the preparer for the Lord, the witness of God, the mediator of the whole Trinity.

But Herod is the very one who desecrated the Temple, ruined the priesthood, disturbed  its proper order, profaned the kingdom, corrupted anything that had to do with religion, the Law, life and morals, faith, and discipline. Herod was ever an assassin toward his fellow citizens, a brigand toward people of any distinction, a ravager toward allies, a robber toward those of his own household, a killer of the common folk, a murderer of his own children, a slayer of foreigners, a parricide towards his own, drenching the land with gore in his bloodthirstiness. And so it is that he gulped down the hallowed blood of John from his enormous cup of cruelty. END

We all have a little of John the Baptist in us and a little of Herod in us!!!

PART 3: CONQUERING THE 7–HEADED ENEMY WITHIN by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

A father is taking a leisurely walk with his twelve-year old son through a wooded park in the early evening. Suddenly the father stops, looks into the eyes of his son and says: “Son, I must tell you that I have a wolf within me—a ravenous, angry, vicious wolf.” As they continue walking, the boy tries to make sense of his father having a wolf within him.

They walk a while longer and the father stops again. Looking intently into the eyes of his son, the father says: “Son, I must tell you that I also have a lamb within me—a gentle, kind, loving lamb.

They continue walking, and the son is pensive, trying to understand what this means, my father has both a wolf and a lamb within him. Finally unable to bear the suspense any longer, the son stops, grabs his father sleeve and says: “Dad, Dad, which one is going to win, the wolf or the lamb? The father says, “Whichever one I feed the most. If I feed the wolf most, then he shall win. If I feed the lamb most, then he will prove the victor.”

By means of this story let us delve into the depths of our own interior lives where we must encounter both the wolf and the lamb, the flesh in battle against the spirit, darkness striving to extinguish light, nobility and courage in contrast to fear and cowardice. This story is not simply a pious, mythical fairy-tale; rather, this is our story. We are all this father with both the wolf and the lamb within, each one striving to prove victorious. Which of the two will win in us: the wolf or the lamb? The response is clear as the sun at midday: whichever one we feed most.

THE SEVEN WOLVES AND LAMBS WITHIN—THE SEVEN CAPITAL SINS AND OPPOSING VIRTUES.

As a result of the Original Sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, a moral tsunami was set in motion, like a huge stone pushed in motion from the top of a majestic mountain. In the human person, created in the image and likeness of God and essentially good by nature, there is constant tension within. Even after the reception of the Sacrament of Baptism which washes away the stain of Original Sin, the effects of original sin remain such that our human nature is impaired, damaged, and inclines toward evil. Indeed, if that evil tendency or proclivity is not halted, but given free reign, then the wolf will conquer the lamb; slavery will reign over true liberty, and addictions can become the commonplace of such a person.

Therefore, this being the present state of affairs, let us point out the seven wolves that are lurking within and the lambs that must be fed, cultivated, and bred to reign as the ultimate victors in the battle. These are the SEVEN CAPITAL SINS and the SEVEN OPPOSING VIRTUES.

For clarity, simplicity and ease in explanation we will present the seven capital sins and the opposing virtues. Following will be a brief explanation on how the capital sin can be conquered in your soul; and this means the lamb will conquer the pernicious and vicious wolf always ready and on the prowl to attack!

1. GLUTTONY VS. TEMPERANCE.
2. LUST VS. CHASTITY.
3. AVARICE (GREED) VS. GENEROSITY.
4. SLOTH (LAZINESS) VS. DILIGENCE.
5. ENVY (JEALOUSY) VS ADMIRATION/GRATITUDE.
6. ANGER VS. MEEKNESS.
7. PRIDE VS. HUMILITY.

Now categorically and in an orderly fashion we will give a brief explanation of the Capital Sin—the wolf that is lurking from within and then the opposing virtue to be practiced. The whole purpose or thrust of this essay is to enhance our self-knowledge so that we honestly come to know and come to terms with our primary weaknesses—the wolf from within, so we can conquer the wolf and allow the lamb to dominate. This heightened self-knowledge, self-awareness will prove a huge advantage in our battle for purity, liberty, and in the long run the salvation of our immortal soul!

Many of the classical writers in ascetical and mystical theology insist upon the indispensable need for self-knowledge. The historian asserts: “He who does not know history is condemned to repeat the same errors.” Socrates stated: “A life not examined is a life not worthy living.” The Desert Fathers have a famous two-word axiom: KNOW THYSELF! Even athletes, baseball-players, boxers, etc., will study their opponents so as not to make the same mistakes that cost them the prior game.

If you like, this simple analogy can prove quite useful. Superman had incredible strength. However, he had one potential weakness: KRYPTONITE. If exposed to this element, his energy and strength were drained and sapped from his body, and he became as weak as anybody else. Likewise, Samson’s strength was in his long locks of hair, and Achilles in his heel. This essay can help you to name it, claim it, and tame it! We must name our weakness, claim this self-knowledge as indispensable, and then tame the wolf by inviting the lamb to live within!

I. CAPITAL SIN: GLUTTONY. The Capital Sin of Gluttony can be defined as such: “Gluttony is a disordered desire to eat and drink.” The key word is disordered. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, relying on the wisdom of Saint Thomas Aquinas, asserts that sin is against reason and is a disorder. Saint Ignatius states that we are called to order the disordered in our lives so that we can discern the will of God.

Ask yourselves this question: “Do you live to eat or do you eat to live?” If you live only to eat, then Saint Paul calls this “The god of the belly.” We call this the Capital Sin of Gluttony—the wolf from within.

OPPOSING VIRTUE—TEMPERANCE. The opposing virtue to the Capital Sin of Gluttony is that of Temperance. This virtue can be defined as: “The proper and ordered use of created goods.” Saint Ignatius in Principle and Foundation reminds us that we are called to use created goods and not to abuse them. The virtue of temperance is using food as a means to have energy, strength, and stamina in order to faithfully carry out the obligations of our state of life. We must strive to conquer the wolf within—eat to live healthily, not live to eat only to satisfy our carnal pleasure!

A PRACTICE TO ATTAIN TEMPERANCE: Leave the table a little hungry. In other words, stop eating before you feel full.

II. CAPITAL SIN: LUST. A concise definition of the Capital Sin of Lust is the following: “Lust is a disordered desire for sexual pleasure.” As a result of Original Sin, one of the strong disordered tendencies is viewing a person as an object to be used rather than as someone to be valued for their innate dignity that comes from the Creator and even more from the Sacrament of Baptism. Jesus warns us to look beyond the mere act of Fornication or Adultery. He warns us to avoid even lusting after a woman in our heart. The standard is high, but the grace of God is more than sufficient if we correspond to it.

OPPOSING VIRTUE—CHASTITY/PURITY. The opposing virtue to the Capital Sin of Lust is that of chastity or purity. So as to contemplate God in this life, as well as in the Kingdom of Heaven, one of the key requirements or conditions is that of purity. The words of Jesus exemplify this truth in one of the eight Beatitudes: “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God.” (Mt. 5:8)

A PRACTICE TO ATTAIN PURITY: Contemplate daily a beautiful painting, icon or picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary with your eyes and the eyes of your soul.

III. CAPITAL SIN: AVARICE/GREED. A short and to the point definition of Avarice, also defined as Greed, is the following: “Avarice is a disordered desire for material things or possessions.” The philosophical system or terminology would be that of Materialism and Consumerism. Our life is focused more on what we have than who we are. In other words, our possessions can end up possessing us.

OPPOSING VIRTUE—GENEROSITY. The opposing virtue to the Capital Sin of Avarice is that of Generosity. Generosity is mastered by the art of giving. The proverb of Saint Paul characterizes the thrust of his life: “There is more joy in giving than in receiving.” The saints lived the Gospel of generosity to a point that would shock a person dominated by materialism, as in the case of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta who coined this pithy maxim: “We must learn to give until it hurts.”

A PRACTICE: Every month check your closets, wardrobe, or garage and give to the poor something that you really do not need.

IV. CAPITAL SIN: SLOTH/LAZINESS. What is sloth? It is nothing more than laziness, indolence, lack of effort needed to carry out our daily obligations. You might even call it spiritual, mental, and physical inertia in our person, once again, as a result of Original Sin. This sloth can manifest itself in resistance to physical work, mental efforts, and spiritual activity—putting off or neglecting prayer.

OPPOSING VIRTUE—DILIGENCE. A diligent person manifests readiness and willingness to work hard with their body, their mind, and their soul. Not daunted or overcome by difficulties, they work through the difficulties. One of the best examples is Saint Joseph the Worker.

A PRACTICE: Imagine a typical day in the Carpenter-shop with Jesus and Saint Joseph, with you working side by side with them the whole day! No time for laziness; rather hard, methodical, systematic work done and all for the honor and glory of God!

V. CAPITAL SIN: ENVY (JEALOUSY) A very dangerous and pernicious Capital Sin that if not overcome through grace, can bring with it many very serious, noxious consequences. This we see most clearly in the murder of Abel at the hands of his brother Cain, a result of unbridled anger fed and nourished by envy. 

Envy is a step worse than jealousy. Jealousy is sadness in our heart because we recognize that somebody has something we do not have. Envy descends deeper into the pit of evil because we rejoice when something bad happens to that person. Truly ugly!

OPPOSING VIRTUE—ADMIRATION AND FRATERNAL CHARITY. Instead of putting down the person you envy, admire and compliment that person on their talents, successes, and triumphs. Moved by the good spirit, you will come to a keen awareness that whatever gifts they have, come from the Author of all good—God Himself. A key Biblical passage to conquer envy in all shapes and forms is from Saint Paul: “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.”

 A PRACTICE: Every night, look back at your day and find something to thank God for and remember how blessed you are!

VI. ANGER. This Capital Sin is a transient impulse of passion that can be brought on by multiple factors. All too often, our anger is manifested by an attitude of impatience, and this impatience can be played out against others, our self, and even at times against God. Anger often has as its root cause, pride. We’re angry because we want things done our way, in our time, and according to our concept of perfection. If not held back or checked, anger can wreak havoc in our life, the lives of those around us, and the lives of a host of others.

OPPOSING VIRTUE—MEEKNESS. In Sacred Scripture, Jesus actually describes two characteristics of His Sacred Heart—It is both meek and humble. (Mt. 11:29) Now meekness is not weakness of character; quite the contrary, meekness is powerful emotion and passion under control of faith and reason. One of the most famous saints known far and wide for his meekness is Saint Frances de Sales; he fought hard to acquire that virtue! And so can we!

A PRACTICE: A daily prayer to help us acquire meekness is the following: “Jesus meek and humble of Heart, make my heart like unto thine.”

VII. PRIDE. At the root of all sin is that of pride. Pride can be defined in many ways. However, a concise and clear definition of pride might be the following: “Pride is a disordered love for self.” In other words, the proud person places himself at the center of attention. He is number one! He wants to be recognized and applauded in what he considers his excellence and greatness! The saying rings so true: Pride comes before a fall! In every one of our sinful actions, pride is behind that action in one form or another.

THE OPPOSING VIRTUE— HUMILITY. A person imbued with the virtue of humility recognizes the following: All the good that I can do physically, intellectually, morally, spiritually, and totally is due to God’s grace and God’s work in my life. In the words of the Psalmist: “Not to us, not to us, but to Thee, O Lord, the honor, glory and praise.” (Ps. 115:1)

A PRACTICE: Every single day go out of your way to do something kind for someone or say something kind to someone, without expecting anything in return.

So, my friends in the Lord and His Mother Mary, we have come to the conclusion of our essay on the Capital Sins that we all have rooted within our fallen nature. It is incumbent upon us, through serious prayer, examination of conscience, as well as adequate spiritual direction to discern which of the Capital Sins is our predominant one, and what might be our second most dominant. Then, with the help of God’s grace and our good will and effort, work to conquer those Capital Sins by practicing the opposite virtues so your soul will shine like the stars in the firmament at night!

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB. As in the opening story, we all have the wolf and the lamb hidden in the inner recesses of our heart, our mind, and our soul. We must have a humble and clear perception of this dual reality. With God’s grace and our generous effort, we can put to sleep, better yet conquer the wolf within us, so that the lamb, who is a symbol of Jesus Himself, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” … might shine forth brilliantly in our lives. May Mary, the Mother of the Lamb, help us to overcome evil and allow holiness to conquer and reign in our lives!

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

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

FRIDAY, AUGUST 28^TH Mt. 25:1-13   Saint Augustine   “Stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Part 1: Short Reflection on the Gospel

Part 2: Excerpt from Joy of the Gospel by Pope Francis

Part 3: Twenty-five Helps to Improve Your Confession by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PART 1: Reflection…

• What does it mean to “stay awake” since we know neither the day nor the hour when Jesus will come for us – as Savior in this life, but as just judge in the next.
• Jesus gave us the answer when He appeared to the Apostles Easter Sunday night. He said, “‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ With that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you forgive, will be forgiven; whose sins you retain, will be retained. ’”
• Thus in Mt. 20:21-22 Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Confession. Based on this promise, Vicar of Christ on earth – Pope Francis continues this theme of Confession and forgiveness by giving us a most inspiring and encouraging invitation.

 PART 2: Excerpt from Joy of the Gospel by Pope Francis

I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting Him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since “no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord”.

The Lord does not disappoint those who take this risk; whenever we take a step towards Jesus, we come to realize that He is already there, waiting for us with open arms. Now is the time to say to Jesus: “Lord, I have let myself be deceived; in a thousand ways I have shunned your love, yet here I am once more, to renew my covenant with you. I need you. Save me once again, Lord, take me once more into your redeeming embrace”.

How good it feels to come back to Him whenever we are lost! Let me say this once more: God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking His mercy. Christ, who told us to forgive one another “seventy times seven” (Mt 18:22) has given us His example: He has forgiven us seventy times seven. Time and time again He bears us on His shoulders. No one can strip us of the dignity bestowed upon us by this boundless and unfailing love. With a tenderness which never disappoints, but is always capable of restoring our joy, He makes it possible for us to lift up our heads and to start anew. Let us not flee from the resurrection of Jesus, let us never give up, come what will. May nothing inspire more than His life, which impels us onwards!

PART 3: TWENTY-FIVE HELPS TO IMPROVE YOUR CONFESSION by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

“God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking His mercy.” (Pope Francis: Joy of the Gospel)

In Sacramental Theology exists an all-important concept for the efficacious reception of any of the Sacraments. This is called Dispositive Grace or Grace of Disposition. What this concept means is simply this: the graces that you receive in your reception of the Sacraments are in direct proportion to the disposition of your soul at the moment of the reception of that specific Sacrament.

SACRAMENTS AND JESUS.  In the Sacraments Jesus touches us directly, in the most personal and powerful way that we could possibly imagine. The Church is the Mystical Body of Christ and Christ unites Himself with us through the Sacraments.

SIMPLE EXAMPLE: RECEIVING A GUEST.  One of the easiest analogies to understand the concept of Dispositive Grace could be the example of inviting a guest to dinner. There is a whole gamut of ways that the guest could be received, from totally poor to excellent. In inviting a guest, you might even forget that you invited him—pretty shabby! Or the guest might come and the door is open, but there has been no prior preparation. Still again, the guest might be received with a meal prepared, but all is done in a rush, in which the guest feels as if he were a burden. Then, there might be preparation for the guest with a warm welcome, a good meal, and great desert. Finally, it might be such that the house was cleaned the day before, the favorite food of the guest has been prepared, the guest’s favorite music is playing in the background, and then at the end of the meal, the family offers the guest a special gift that the guest really likes! Obviously, every scenario is different. This can be applied with respect to the concept of Dispositive Grace, most specifically to the reception of Jesus in the Eucharist. He can be received very poorly or with an excellent disposition.

FREQUENT SACRAMENTS TO BE RECEIVED.  There are two Sacraments that we should receive frequently until we die and meet the Lord—Confession and the Holy Eucharist. In this article we would like to highlight specific ways that we can enhance the graces that we receive in the reception of the Sacrament of Confession, sometimes called Penance or Reconciliation. The suggestions will be very short, but we hope very useful to upgrade your reception of the Infinite Mercy of Jesus that comes through this Sacrament.

1. TRUST! We must have a limitless TRUST in the Infinite Love and Mercy that comes to us through Jesus in the Sacrament of His Mercy, Confession. May this prayer issue forth from our heart time and time again: JESUS I TRUST IN YOU!

2. READ AND MEDITATE UPON LUKE 15. An excellent means to prepare us to receive the Sacrament of God’s Mercy is to read and meditate upon Luke 15, sometimes called the Lost and Found Chapter.

3. PARABLES OF MERCY. In Luke 15 we encounter the lost and found sheep, the lost and found coin, and the lost and found son—the Prodigal Son. Confession is being found and loved by our Merciful Father.

4. JUST DO IT! The modern phrase found on many young people’s T-shirts is Just do it! The devil will try to prevent you from going to confession. So, kick the devil in the behind and Just do it!

5. PRIEST-CHRIST. We must renew our faith that by going to confession to the priest we are really confessing to Jesus, the Eternal High Priest.

6. BIBLICAL TRUTH. Recall the words Jesus used in instituting the Sacrament of Confession on that first Easter Sunday night when the Apostles were in the Upper Room. “Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you forgive, will be forgiven; whose sins you retain, will be retained.” (Jn 20:22-23)

7. MORTAL SIN: CONFESS RIGHT AWAY! If you have had the misfortune of falling into mortal sin, which means you have lost sanctifying grace and friendship with Jesus, do not wait but go to Confession as soon as possible! If your house was on fire, you would not wait to call the Fire Department! What about your soul being in danger of eternal perdition? Do not wait!!!

8. PREPARE WELL!!! As said earlier, expressing the concept of Dispositive Grace, the better the preparation, the more abundant the graces. The fault is never in the Sacrament, but in the poor disposition of the recipient of the Sacrament.

9. HOW TO PREPARE?  Get a good booklet explaining the Ten Commandments in detail and read through it; better said, pray through it. Jesus said to the rich young man that salvation comes through observing the Commandments. Indeed, they are Commandments, not Suggestions!

 10. WRITTEN. It could be very helpful to write down your sins on a piece of paper. This will prevent memory loss in the moment you go to confession. However, after confession, trash the paper and the sins!

11. SORROW. Of paramount importance in making a good confession is begging the Holy Spirit for the grace of true sorrow for your sins. Imperfect sorrow is called Attrition, which is Fear of the Lord, the beginning of Wisdom. It is also one of the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Imperfect sorrow is fear of going to hell. This is enough to receive forgiveness for our sins.

12. PERFECT SORROW.  However, we want to arrive at perfect sorrow. This means that we are sorry for having sinned because our sins have hurt the One who loves us so much and the One we should love in return—Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

13. BEG FOR THE GRACE.  We should beg for the grace to attain both imperfect contrition, as well as perfect contrition. Saint Augustine put it concisely: “We are all beggars before God.”

14. FIRM PURPOSE OF AMENDMENT.  What necessarily flows from true and sincere contrition of sorrow for our sins is a firm purpose of amendment. In concrete, this means that we are ready and willing to avoid any person, place, thing, or circumstance that can lead us into sin.

15. DO NOT PLAY WITH FIRE.  In other words, morally speaking, we should not play with fire. We should not walk on a slippery slope. We should not walk on thin ice. Often we sin because we place ourselves in harm’s way.  We must be firm in avoiding all near occasions of sin!

16. PREPARE BEFORE IMAGES.  Of great usefulness as you prepare yourself for confession, as you examine your conscience and beg for true sorrow, is to pray before images that raise your mind and heart to God. Three in particular. The Crucifix—be aware that your sins and mine nailed Jesus to the cross. Divine Mercy, so that your trust in Jesus’ Mercy will be infinite! Finally, Our Lady, to whom we pray: Hail Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope!

17. BEFORE CONFESSING: PRAY FOR THE PRIEST.  On one occasion, Saint Faustina left the confessional intranquil and she wondered why.  Jesus revealed to her the reason: she forgot to pray for the priest before she entered the confessional. So pray for the priest (a Hail Mary or a prayer to the Guardian Angels—his and yours) and your confession will flow more smoothly!

18. QUALITIES OF A GOOD CONFESSION.  Jesus also revealed to Saint Faustina the three most important qualities of a good confession: transparency, humility, and obedience. To be a good penitent, we must express our sins with great clarity. We should make no excuses for our sins or blame others. Finally, we should obey what the priest tells us!

19. CLOSE THE DOOR AND START RIGHT.  Upon entering the confessional make sure that you close the door! Then start with the proper formula: Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. My last confession was… (for example, a month ago). These are my sins… (say your sins). It Is necessary to say the number and species (kind) of your mortal sins.

20. STICK TO THE TOPIC.  In that famous TV Program Dragnet, we heard those all-important words from Police Detective, Joe Friday: “Just the facts ma’am, just the facts.” In confession the priest wants to hear: Just the sins, ma’am, just the sins. Cut to the quick and tell your sins; that is the essential matter for confession and for a true and repentant heart!

21. ACT OF CONTRITION AND ABSOLUTION.  The Sacrament concludes with you, the penitent, praying with great sincerity and fervor an Act of Contrition. Then the priest imparts with the words of Absolution and through the ministry of the priest, the most Precious Blood of Jesus washes your soul clean, as white as the snow!

22. AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE!  Thank the priest, and as you leave thank Jesus for His Infinite Love and Mercy that you just received in this wonderful Sacrament!  “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His mercy endures forever.” (Ps 136:1)

23. PENANCE!  The last and final step of making a good confession is to carry out the penance the priest gives you. Once my Formator, when I was in preparation for the priesthood, made a suggestion regarding the penance. He said to always try to do double what the confessor gives you. Not that this is absolutely necessary. However, it is a sign of good will and a sign of a really good grace of disposition. God will bless you all the more! He can never be outdone in generosity!

24. HEALING THE WOUNDED HEART AND SOUL.  The specific sacramental grace of Confession is healing: sin wounds our soul, but Jesus heals us. As Jesus healed the many sick and infirm in the three years of His Public life, so He continually heals us through the making good confessions. Rejoice in being healed! Indeed, Jesus is the Wounded-Healer!

25. BE AN APOSTLE OF CONFESSION!  You have received so much peace, joy, happiness, love, and mercy through having received the Sacrament of God’s Mercy, Confession, now go out and proclaim the Good News! Bring others to this infinite Font of God’s mercy! “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)

THURSDAY, AUGUST 27^TH   Mt. 24:42-51  Saint Monica  Stewardship: “Who then is the faithful and prudent servant?”

Part 1: Reflection on Stewardship…

Part 2: Fostering Stewardship with an Attitude of Gratitude by Fr. Ed. Broom, OMV

PART 1…

• Have you ever watched a neighbor’s house while they were away on vacation? Made sure it was locked and secure? Watered the plants? You probably checked the house was locked twice over and watered the plants more faithfully than your own!
• Or babysat a toddler while the mom was away for a few hours? You probably worried more about that child falling and getting hurt than your own child!
• In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us the analogy that we are stewards watching over His possessions while He is away! What are these possessions of the Lord that we are responsible for and will be held accountable for?
• Our faith… Faith is a gift freely given to us in Baptism. Better said, faith is entrusted to us. Upon His return, will He find our faith alive and fruitful? A firm faith nurtures hope and sparks charity – love of God and love of neighbor!
• The Church – the Mystical Body of Christ… All the baptized are called to protect and defend Holy Mother Church. Do we lift up and sanctify the Church by our prayers, sacrifices, good works, and loving obedience? Do we value and frequent the Sacraments as instruments of sanctifying grace?
  
• Our spouse and our marriage… The Sacrament of Marriage is a channel of grace to sanctify the spouses and indeed the whole world! Do we sanctify our spouse by our prayers and sacrifices for them? Do we show our love and respect for them? Are we able to say these three most important “words”: I love you. I’m sorry. I forgive you.
• Our children… We are stewards of these gifts from God! Are we affectionate and loving with them? Do we spend time talking with them? Do we teach them the Faith? Do we take them to Confession, Mass and Holy Communion? Do we pray as a family?
• Our nation… Our country was founded on freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion! Are we praying and sacrificing for the rights of Christians to profess their faith not only in church, but in the marketplace? Not only in America, but around the world? May God protect and defend us in our hour of need!
• STAY AWAKE! BE VIGILANT!  When the Master returns will He find His treasures flourishing in the heart and the life of each one of us? Each of us must do what we can to be the light in this present darkness until His return!!!

PART 2: FOSTERING STEWARDSHIP WITH AN ATTITUDE OF PERPETUAL GRATITUDE

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 ugly disease of leprosy—a disease that was highly prevalent in the Biblical times before Jesus and during the lifetime of Jesus on earth.

PROFOUND JOY.  Their overflowing joy flows from the fact that the love, mercy, and compassion of Jesus were made manifest by a mere word when He healed these poor men whom society had ostracized and marginalized. As they headed on their way to the priest, their healing was 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 was 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?” (Lk. 17:17-18). It is an interesting detail, but of great importance: it was only the foreigner, a Samaritan, who returned, prostrated himself, and profusely thanked Jesus from the depths of 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 is 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 give and has given 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 61 million babies have been deprived of life since the Supreme Court decision Roe vs. Wade, Jan 22, 1973. Let us thank our mothers for saying YES to life! Let us promote life! A suggestion: if possible, view these two movies GOSNEL and UNPLANNED. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, these movies will motivate you to be more grateful for the gift of your life and become a zealous defender of life from the moment of conception until natural death.

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 of 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 to God 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. That being said, we should spend time thanking God abundantly for the many persons that He has so generously placed in our path as a bridge to 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 these good people that God has put in our path to lead us closer to Him!

5. HEALTH.  Normally, as the years whirl by, our health declines. 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 He has bestowed upon us, for the years of health we have been able to enjoy, and for 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. 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, 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 tell Him “I’m sorry” and express our sorrow in the context of the Sacrament of Confession. Then as the Prophet Isaiah says in these most consoling words: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” (Is 1:18)

7. 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)

8. HEAVEN AWAITS US.  Of enormous importance is our firm faith and belief in heaven! Compared to eternity, 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 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!

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, 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! Any time, place, or circumstance in which we find ourselves in need, 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. Let us give thanks that 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 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 a close in 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)

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26^TH    Mt. 23:27-32   “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.

Part 1: Short Reflection on Gospel of the Day
Part 2: Ten Ways We Can Grow to Love the Eucharist by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV
Part 3: Eucharistic Litany from St. Faustina’s Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul

PART 1:

• Chap. 23 of the Gospel of Matthew is devoted to Jesus’ condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees. “On the outside you appear righteous, but on the inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.” However, his most potent condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees is this: “You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.” (Mt. 23:13)
• May Jesus never say these things about us!!!
• What was the purpose of Jesus’ preaching and teaching, His miracles of healing and miracles over nature? For those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, to know that Jesus is God. Preparing them for the greatest and most sublime of all miracles!
• “Truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.” (Jn. 6: 53-56)
• The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Faith. There was a lot of “Woe to you” in today’s Gospel! May our meditation on the Eucharist bring us abundant “Blessed are you” from our Eucharistic Lord!

PART 2:

TEN WAYS WE CAN GROW TO LOVE THE EUCHARIST!  by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

We should strive to grow in our love for Jesus who is truly Present in the most Holy Eucharist and this should be a life-time pursuit! Our conversion of heart, our sanctification, our interior peace and joy, our final perseverance in grace, depend on Jesus, and He is truly and substantially present in the consecrated Host in His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.

The following are concrete actions that we can take to fortify our love for the greatest of all Lovers, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father, the Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Bread of Life!

1. READ JOHN CHAPTER SIX AND LEARN IT.  One of the most important chapters in the Bible that refers to the Presence of Jesus as the Bread of Life is the Gospel of Saint John, Chapter Six. Try to read, pray over, and meditate on this sublime chapter of the preaching and teaching of Jesus in the discourse titled: THE BREAD OF LIFE DISCOURSE! (Jn 6:22-71)

2. SPIRITUAL COMMUNIONS.  Highly recommended by Saint Alphonsus and many other saints is the practice of making Spiritual Communions. They can be made in any time and any place, using many different words of expression. Your fundamental desire and prayer should be to receive Jesus in a spiritual but profound way, into the depths of your heart, to be constantly united to the Lord Jesus, the Bread of Life. A simple prayer is: “Jesus, I cannot receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my heart. As if you were already come, I embrace you and unite myself entirely to you. Jesus I love you, Jesus I trust in you, Jesus never let me be separated from you!”

3. READ IMITATION OF CHRIST—BOOK IV.  One of the greatest classics ever written is The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis. It was one of the favorites of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and Saint Therese, and surely other saints. The text is divided into four books. The last book deals specifically with the Mass, Holy Communion, the Eucharist, the Priest, and many other topics pertinent to growing and falling in love with the Eucharist. Purchase it, read it, and love it!

4. DIARY OF SAINT FAUSTINA—BOOK VI.  Another classic is that of the Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul by Saint Faustina Kowalska, who was called the Secretary of Divine Mercy. This literary classic and masterpiece is divided into six books. Like The Imitation of Christ, the last book of the Diary deals with the way that Saint Faustina would prepare her soul to receive the Eucharist, the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. This will profit you greatly in your own preparation and reception of this greatest of all Sacraments—the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus!

5. VISIT THE BLESSED SACRAMENT.  Friends enjoy visiting with each other and as often as possible. If indeed Jesus is our Best of Friends, then we should long to make frequent visits. Remember the short poem with respect to making Eucharistic visits in Catholic Churches: Whenever I see a church, I stop to make a visit; so that when I die, the Lord won’t say “Who is it?” When you see a Church, stop what you are doing! Enter the Church and greet the Lord! Thank the Lord Jesus and tell Him how much you love Him!

6. FIFTEEN MINUTES WITH JESUS.  There is a wonderful little booklet: Fifteen Minutes with Jesus. A short but impressive booklet, it can serve as a great platform to enter into dialogue and talk with Jesus as your Best Friend. Indeed, Jesus wants to be your Best Friend. He is waiting for you right now!

7. HOLY HOUR OF REPARATION.  Given that all are sinners—we are sinners, our family members are sinners—many souls are heading in full force towards the precipice. Add to that, the Church and our country are going through a great state of turmoil. Now more than ever we should make a concerted effort to be with the Lord praying for mercy, pardon, conversion, and salvation! The inhabitants of Nineveh were saved by the preaching of Jonah. The King called for fasting and penance by all the people and even the animals. Seeing their penitent hearts, God spared Nineveh from destruction. Equally important for us in this time of Ecclesial storm and political storm is to make Holy Hours of Reparation, begging mercy for us, for the Church, for our country, and for the whole world! “For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

8. NOVENA OF MASSES FOR VARIOUS INTENTIONS.  One of the greatest gifts anybody can give, or for that part receive, is that of prayer. By far, the greatest prayer that can be offered and received is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The graces flowing from the Mass are most powerful. Indeed, it is the Offering of the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus to the Eternal Father for the salvation of the entire world. This is something you can do: go to Mass for nine consecutive days and offer the Mass and your reception of Holy Communion for a specific person and even for a specific intention if you want. The possible intentions are limitless! Examples: the conversion of sinners; the return of your son to the practice of the faith; that your daughter might get married in the Church; that your husband might give up drinking; that your brother in jail might go to confession; that some young man might say Yes to a vocation to the priesthood! The key is that for nine days in a row you attend Holy Mass and receive Jesus in Holy Communion, all offered for your specific intention. Innumerable graces can flow from this novena of Masses and Holy Communions. Why not start today? God will bless you and others most abundantly!

9. GENUFLECTION.  Even though it may be a small and almost inconspicuous gesture, the genuflection has immense importance and value! Bending your right knee and going all the way down to touch the ground, is a corporal gesture that is made when passing in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Its meaning? This was done in the Middle Ages as a gesture of homage or tribute to a King or Queen. In a parallel, but very real sense, Jesus is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Therefore, even more should Jesus be honored and praised by a reverential genuflection!!! The greater the person, the more, in justice, we owe Him great dignity and respect by even our corporal postures and gestures.

10. BRING WANDERING SHEEP TO THE EUCHARISTIC LORD.  Be a Eucharistic Apostle and bring a wandering sheep back to the fold by inviting this Prodigal Son/Daughter to Church. Go the whole nine yards! Invite them to go with you to Church, first to make a good Confession. Then return once again to assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receive Jesus in Holy Communion! Saint James reminds us that if we bring back a wandering soul, we save our own soul and expiate a multitude of our sins! (Jas 5: 19-20) We merit our own salvation and less time in Purgatory! Go for it!

PART 3: EUCHARISTIC LITANY… St. Faustina’s Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul

No. 356.

O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the mercy of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit toward us, and especially toward poor sinners.

O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus as proof of infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.

O Blessed Host, in whom is contained life eternal and infinite mercy dispensed in abundance to us, and especially to poor sinners.

O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the infinite price of mercy which will compensate for all our debts, and especially those of poor sinners.

O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the fountain of living water which springs from infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.

O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the fire of purest love which blazes forth from the bosom of the Eternal Father as from an abyss of infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.

O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the medicine for all our infirmities flowing from infinite mercy as from a fount for us, and especially for poor sinners.

O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the union between God and us through His infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.

O Blessed Host in whom are contained all the sentiments of the most sweet Heart of Jesus toward us, and especially poor sinners.

O Blessed Host, our only hope in the toil and monotony of everyday life.

O Blessed Host, our only hope in all the sufferings and adversities of life.

O Blessed Host, our only hope in the longing and pain in which no one understands us.

O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of the darkness and godlessness which inundate the earth.

O Blessed Host, our only hope in the midst of ravages of the enemy and efforts of hell.

O Blessed Host, our only hope in life and at the hour of our death.

O Blessed Host, I trust in You when the burdens are beyond my strength and I find my efforts are fruitless.

O Blessed Host, I trust in You when storms toss my heart about and my fearful spirit tends to despair.

O Blessed Host I trust in You when the practice of virtue will appear difficult for me and my nature will grow rebellious.

O Blessed Host, I trust in You when hostile blows will be aimed against me.

O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my toils and efforts will be misjudged by others.

O Blessed Host, I trust in You when my eyes will begin to grow dim to all temporal things and, for the first time, my spirit will behold the unknown worlds.

O Blessed Host, I trust in You when Your judgment will resound over me; it is then that I will trust in the sea of Your mercy.

No. 357 +Most Holy Trinity, I trust in Your infinite mercy. God is my Father and so I, His child, have every claim to His divine Heart; and the greater the darkness, the more complete our trust should be.

No. 358 I do not understand how it is possible not to trust in Him who can do all things. With Him, everything; without Him, nothing. He is Lord. He will not allow those who have placed all their trust in Him to be put to shame.  

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