In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim,
son of Josiah, king of Judah,
this message came from the LORD:  
Thus says the LORD:
Stand in the court of the house of the LORD
and speak to the people of all the cities of Judah
who come to worship in the house of the LORD;
whatever I command you, tell them, and omit nothing.
Perhaps they will listen and turn back,
each from his evil way,
so that I may repent of the evil I have planned to inflict upon them
for their evil deeds.
Say to them:  Thus says the LORD:
If you disobey me,
not living according to the law I placed before you
and not listening to the words of my servants the prophets,
whom I send you constantly though you do not obey them,
I will treat this house like Shiloh,
and make this the city to which all the nations of the earth
shall refer when cursing another.

Now the priests, the prophets, and all the people
heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the LORD.
When Jeremiah finished speaking
all that the LORD bade him speak to all the people,
the priests and prophets laid hold of him, crying,
“You must be put to death!
Why do you prophesy in the name of the LORD:
‘This house shall be like Shiloh,’ and
‘This city shall be desolate and deserted’?”
And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

R. (14c)  Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Those outnumber the hairs of my head
who hate me without cause.
Too many for my strength
are they who wrongfully are my enemies.
Must I restore what I did not steal?
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Since for your sake I bear insult,
and shame covers my face.
I have become an outcast to my brothers,
a stranger to my mother’s sons,
Because zeal for your house consumes me,
and the insults of those who blaspheme you fall upon me.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
But I pray to you, O LORD,
for the time of your favor, O God!
In your great kindness answer me
with your constant help.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of the Lord remains forever;
this is the word that has been proclaimed to you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.
They were astonished and said,
“Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?
Is he not the carpenter’s son?
Is not his mother named Mary
and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Are not his sisters all with us?
Where did this man get all this?”
And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and in his own house.”
And he did not work many mighty deeds there
because of their lack of faith.

God chooses Abraham

59 In order to gather together scattered humanity God calls Abram from his country, his kindred and his father’s house,16 and makes him Abraham, that is, “the father of a multitude of nations”. “In you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.”

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

FRIDAY, JULY 31^ST Mt. 13: 54-58 “He did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.” Feast Day of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, S.J.  (1491-1556)

 PART I: Principle And Foundation. 
PART II. Salvation of Your Immortal Soul! By Father Ed Broom

St. Ignatius of Loyola, the great saint we celebrate today, was given the Spiritual Exercises by Our Blessed Mother. This is a painting memorializing that event.The priest in the right hand corner pointing this event out to us is Ven. Pio Bruno Lanteri (1759-1830), Founder of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary – the religious order of Fr. Ed and of all the priests who serve at St. Peter Chanel Church in Hawaiian Gardens.

PRINCIPLE AND FOUNDATION OF THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES…

 TWO PRINCIPLES
The End of the Human Person. Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means save his soul.
The End of Creatures. The other things on the face of the earth are created for man to help him in attaining the end for which he is created.

TWO LOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF THOSE PRINCIPLES
Tantum Quantum. Hence, man is to make use of them in as far as they help him in the attainment of his end, and he must rid himself of them in as far as they prove a hindrance to him.
Holy Indifference. Therefore, we must make ourselves indifferent to all created things, as far as we are allowed free choice and are not under any prohibition. Consequently, as far as we are concerned, we should not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, honor to dishonor, a long life to a short life. The same holds for all other things.

THIRD CONSEQUENCE
Love of God.   Our one desire and choice should be what is more conducive to the end for which we are created.

SALVATION OF YOUR IMMORTAL SOUL: 1st GOAL!  By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

The Story of Two Saints…

When he arrived at the University of Paris, Francis Xavier was motivated by many worldly and vain ambitions. A top-notch athlete, a first class scholar, a man who loved life and the party, a full-blown extrovert and a friend to many, still there was something missing in his life—an ardent pursuit for God and His honor and glory.

THE CONVERSION EXPERIENCE.  God would pursue Xavier as in the poem of Francis Thompson, the Hound of Heaven. This pursuit would become a reality through the providential meeting between two future saints—Francis Xavier and Ignatius of Loyola.

The Battle of Pamplona turned out to be a Damascus experience for Ignatius when a cannon ball nearly ended his life as it shattered his legs. It was through this excruciating pain and intense suffering that God intervened to change the path 180 degrees of Ignatius. Suffering, silence, reading and reflecting on the lives of the saints turned out to be the catalyst and transforming force in the life of Ignatius of Loyola.

With Xavier, God would use a different tool. God knows how to work in each soul so as to bring about conversion, sanctification, and perfection. Xavier’s metanoia/conversion experience would take its course through Ignatius and in this manner. Ignatius saw deep in the person of Xavier a real capacity for good, a real capacity for holiness, a real capacity for this man to give great honor and glory to God and become a bridge by which many souls could travel from earth to heaven.

THE TRANSFORMING WORD OF GOD.  Xavier, Ignatius, and Peter Favre were roommates at the University of Paris. Ignatius was giving the Spiritual Exercises and lives were being transformed—as in the case of Saint Peter Favre. However, Xavier would not agree to do them, would not capitulate! Therefore, Ignatius approached Xavier with these words pronounced by Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: “What would it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” (Mk. 8:36) Ignatius would challenge the false security of Xavier time and time again with these penetrating words of Jesus. Like a sledge-hammer pounding unceasingly against a stone, Ignatius would repeat the same Biblical challenge. Finally, Xavier accepted the challenge and agreed to go through the Spiritual Exercises directed by Ignatius himself.  Saint Ignatius honestly admitted that Xavier was one of the hardest nuts to crack, but crack indeed he did, and Xavier’s conversion to Christ and His cause was initiated.

SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER.  To make a long story short: Francis Xavier became a follower of Saint Ignatius, and they were ordained priests together. Ignatius founded and formed the Company of Jesus known as the Jesuits. Then upon the request of the Holy Father, Ignatius sent Francis Xavier on a mission to the Far East, starting in India, working his way through other countries to Japan. Xavier’s most ardent desire was the arrival at and the conversion of China to Christ. After ten years of missionary work, Xavier died overlooking the mainland of China on the island of Sanchen. He was only 46 years of age. His missionary accomplishments can hardly be numbered: baptisms, so many that he could barely raise his arm at the end of the day; catechism classes and converts; formation of catechetical centers; formation of lay-missionaries; service to the poor, the sick, and the dying; tireless work as a preacher and missionary. We are just touching the tip of the iceberg with respect to Xavier’s accomplishments through the grace of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

HIS MOTIVATING FORCE.  What then was the motivating force behind the enormous efforts of Saint Francis Xavier? Quite simply two ideals: to give God the greatest honor and glory, and to work with and for God for the salvation of as many souls as possible. 

HOW CAN WE STRIVE FOR THE SALVATION OF SOUL?  This being said, what then can we do to imitate Xavier and the saints in the most noble pursuit of working with the Lord for the salvation of immortal souls?

1. RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF THE IMMORTAL SOUL.  Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor, asserted: “One soul is worth more than the whole created universe.” Reflect upon this assertion! All of creation—stars, moon, oceans, mountains, and all living creatures, as well as riches and power—all of these lumped together do not have the value of one immortal soul! How enormously sublime is the dignity and destiny of the soul that God has created in His image and likeness! To add to the sublimity of this thought: meditate upon the Passion of Jesus and the shedding of His Precious Blood. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ shed every drop of His Precious Blood for all of humanity, but also for each individual soul, that is, for each and every one of us!

2. JESUS’ WORDS: “What would it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” (Mk. 8:36) These words converted the heart and life of Saint Francis Xavier and they can convert your life too! The powerfully penetrating words of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ puts all in proper perspective. The richest man in the world, as well as the poorest man, end up in the same place: six feet beneath the ground. In the eyes of God, the richest man in the world is the man who dies in the state of sanctifying grace, which means he will be saved for all eternity!

3. DESIRE OF JESUS AND MARY!  In the Diary of Saint Faustina, Jesus constantly reminds the saint that the most important prayer, and the one that pleases Him most, is for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of immortal souls. Our Lady of Fatima reiterates the same desire of Jesus: pray and offer many sacrifices for the conversion of sinners. Many souls are lost because there is nobody to pray and offer sacrifices for them.

4. THE MOST PLEASING OF PRAYERS.  The Hearts of Jesus and Mary rejoice every time you offer this prayer:  Lord Jesus, through your most Precious Blood that you shed for sinners, I beg of you the conversion and salvation of sinners, especially those who are in most need of your infinite mercy.

5. OFFER IT UP.  These three words have enormous meaning and impact if we understand them in the real depth that they contain. Interpretation? Yes, we must learn to be like Saint Jacinta Marto, at least to a limited degree: Little Victim Souls. By this we mean, to learn the art of offering up and uniting our sufferings to Jesus who suffered His Bitter Passion for the salvation of humanity.

6. OFFER UP WHAT???  Our Lady of Fatima told the children to offer up everything, yes, that is everything, for the conversion of sinners and their salvation. Examples: headaches, stomach aches, tooth aches, the cold, the heat, the humidity, any physical suffering. Offer up your economic struggles, your family trials, your sufferings at home and at work. Offer your spiritual aridity and dryness, your struggles with the faith. In other words, you can offer your whole life and your whole being to God through the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the salvation of immortal souls. What are you waiting for? Start now!

7. RESIST AND REJECT TEMPTATIONS.  Most likely, we rarely reflect upon our life as a constant battle against the devil, the flesh, and the world. Temptations, whether we like it or not, are part of the human condition! Offer up your resistance and rejection of temptations for the sake of souls who are slaves of the devil and in jeopardy of losing their salvation!

8. JESUS ON THE CROSS: CONTEMPLATE THE SUFFERING SAVIOR.  Many saints have received countless apostolic blessings and been fired up with zeal for the salvation of souls by the contemplation of Jesus hanging on the cross. On a weekly basis, spend some time contemplating Jesus hanging from the cross and beg through His Passion, death, and Precious Blood, for the conversion and salvation of immortal souls. May the words of Saint Francis of Assisi, who bore the wounds of Christ in his body in the stigmata, inspire you: “We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”

9. SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER AND THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS.  It must be said with utmost sincerity: we all urgently need role models on whom we can pattern our lives. Of course, Jesus, Mary, and Saint Joseph are the top three. However, the lives of the saints, and especially the zeal and love of Saint Francis Xavier, can catapult us into the infinite ocean of soul saving! God gives all of us abundant graces, but we must correspond to those graces! Still, we must have brilliant lights before our eyes to stimulate us, motivate us, and encourage us to work ardently with the Lord for the salvation of souls. Jesus stated it bluntly: “The harvest is rich, but the laborers are few. Beg the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers to work in His vineyard.” (Mt. 9: 37-38)

10. OUR LADY: QUEEN OF THE APOSTLES.  The first Novena culminated on the Feast of Pentecost—the descent and coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles with the Blessed Virgin Mary. Indeed, it was the presence, the prayers, the poise and power of the person of Mary, the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and the Queen of the Apostles that facilitated and hastened the coming and abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. Fearful, doubting, cowardly, insecure men were transformed into ardent, zealous lovers of God and fervent seekers of immortal souls—these we call the Apostles. So strong was their zeal that all, with the exception of Saint John the Evangelist, shed their blood for love of Jesus and the salvation of immortal souls! Therefore, we must enter into the Cenacle with Mary and beg for the coming of the Holy Spirit, this Divine-Invasion, so that we will become the modern fiery, fervent, faithful Apostles of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. May the last of words of Saint Ignatius of Loyola to Saint Francis Xavier, as he departed for India, be our words: GO SET ALL ON FIRE!!!

Editor’s Note: If it were not for the conversion and holiness of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, we would not have the great St. Francis Xavier, and we would not have the Spiritual Exercises that have changed our lives and the lives of so many others!!!

St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Francis Xavier, Pray for us!

St Ignatius of Loyola,
Pray for us!

In the Church of the Gesu, this silver reliquary conserves part of the St. Francis Xavier’s right arm (by which he baptized 300,000 people), his other remains are interred in the Jesuit church in Goa.

This word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
Rise up, be off to the potter’s house;
there I will give you my message.
I went down to the potter’s house and there he was,
working at the wheel.
Whenever the object of clay which he was making
turned out badly in his hand,
he tried again,
making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased.
Then the word of the LORD came to me:
Can I not do to you, house of Israel,
as this potter has done? says the LORD.
Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter,
so are you in my hand, house of Israel.

R. (5a)  Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD, O my soul;
I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God while I live.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Put not your trust in princes,
in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation.
When his spirit departs he returns to his earth;
on that day his plans perish.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD, his God.
Who made heaven and earth,
the sea and all that is in them.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Open our heart, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus said to the disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom
both the new and the old.”
When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.

Woe to me, mother, that you gave me birth!
a man of strife and contention to all the land!
I neither borrow nor lend,
yet all curse me.
When I found your words, I devoured them;
they became my joy and the happiness of my heart,
Because I bore your name,
O LORD, God of hosts.
I did not sit celebrating
in the circle of merrymakers;
Under the weight of your hand I sat alone
because you filled me with indignation.
Why is my pain continuous,
my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
You have indeed become for me a treacherous brook,
whose waters do not abide!
Thus the LORD answered me:
If you repent, so that I restore you,
in my presence you shall stand;
If you bring forth the precious without the vile,
you shall be my mouthpiece.
Then it shall be they who turn to you,
and you shall not turn to them;
And I will make you toward this people
a solid wall of brass.
Though they fight against you,
they shall not prevail,
For I am with you,
to deliver and rescue you, says the LORD.
I will free you from the hand of the wicked,
and rescue you from the grasp of the violent.

R. (17d)  God is my refuge on the day of distress.
Rescue me from my enemies, O my God;
from my adversaries defend me.
Rescue me from evildoers;
from bloodthirsty men save me.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
mighty men come together against me,
Not for any offense or sin of mine, O LORD.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength! for you I watch;
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
As for my God, may his mercy go before me;
may he show me the fall of my foes.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
But I will sing of your strength
and revel at dawn in your mercy;
You have been my stronghold,
my refuge in the day of distress.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength! your praise will I sing;
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
my merciful God!
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died].
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
“Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.”
Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise.”
Martha said to him,
“I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her,
“I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church

57 This state of division into many nations, each entrusted by divine providence to the guardianship of angels, is at once cosmic, social and religious. It is intended to limit the pride of fallen humanity united only in its perverse ambition to forge its own unity as at Babel. But, because of sin, both polytheism and the idolatry of the nation and of its rulers constantly threaten this provisional economy with the perversion of paganism.

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

WEDNESDAY, JULY 29^TH  Jn. 11: 19-27 and Lk. 10: 38-42    Memorial of Saint Martha   “Lord, I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.’”

PART ONE: REFLECTIONS…  PART TWO: RAISING OF LAZARUS… by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

• Jesus often tells someone their faith has saved them before healing them. In today’s Gospel from John, it is due to Martha’s faith that Jesus raises her brother Lazarus from the dead. 
• In today’s alternate Gospel from Luke, Martha is busy serving. She can’t imagine not extending hospitality to Jesus and His friends. Whereas Mary can’t imagine not giving Jesus her undivided attention.
• Jesus gently rebukes her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”
• We can believe Martha took Jesus’ gentle rebuke to heart and became more recollected in His presence. As she listened to Jesus, she came to a deeper knowledge of Him, and her faith, hope, and love grew stronger until she could say in today’s Gospel with complete confidence, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.” In response to her great faith, Jesus performs a great miracle!!!
• Most of us are called to the active life of Martha… we have many responsibilities that claim our time and attention each day. All the more need for us to spend time with the Lord! Listening to Him… getting to know Him… growing in the divine virtues of faith, hope, and love until we, too, can place our concerns and our life in His hands, confident that whatever He asks of the Father, the Father will give Him!
• Jesus told Martha and He is telling us, “There is need of only one thing!” That one thing is encountering Jesus! Encountering Him in our Sacramental life… in our prayer life… in the crosses in our life! But to encounter Him we need to be recollected like Mary, not scattered like Martha!
• How recollected are we at Mass? Are we absorbed in Jesus’ real presence within us after receiving Him in Holy Communion or in our Spiritual Communion? Do we talk with Him intimately about all that concerns us? Do we tell Him what fills us with joy? What fills us with sorrow?
• How faithful are we in seeking Mary’s intercession for ourselves and our loved ones in the daily Rosary? “There is no surer or easier way than Mary in uniting all men with Christ.” (St. Louis de Montfort)
• How recollected are we in our holy hour? Do we fight against distractions and temptations in prayer? Are we patient with dryness in prayer, allowing God to purify our love and intensify our desire for Him through perseverance?
• How recollected are we in accepting the crosses in our life – all that God permits to happen and all that God asks us to do in the course of our day? Do we unite our sufferings with the suffering of Jesus on the cross for our salvation, the salvation of our family, and the salvation of as many souls as possible with our life? God will not be outdone in generosity!
  
• Dietrich von Hildebrand says to be recollected is to be truly wakeful.  “Recollection always means an awakening to the Absolute who never ceases to be all-important and in whose light alone everything else discloses its true meaning.” He says to that end we need to recall the last things – death, judgment, heaven, and hell – causing us “to move from the whirlpool of the great and the small things of life, and emerge towards God, the cause and goal of all being.” 
• St. Benedict says we should think about our death twice a day. We all know we’re going to die. Yet when our time comes, will we find ourselves prepared? And if we are unprepared to die, then we are probably unprepared for judgment! Today, let us sit with Jesus and think about the last things.
• Death… If we had one day to live, how would we want to spend our last day? What would we wish we had done in our life? What would we wish we had not done in our life? How do we want to spend the time we have now, since we know not the hour nor the day?
• Judgment… What earthly attachments do we need to be freed of before we encounter Jesus in judgment? Do we love Jesus with a whole and undivided heart? He alone can satisfy our deepest desires and longings! Do we love others as Jesus loves them? The true measure of love is mercy and forgiveness. Are we as merciful and forgiving as our heavenly Father???
• Heaven or Hell… As painful as it is, imagine dying in the state of mortal sin and meeting Jesus in judgment, knowing that we merit hell for all eternity! Then imagine dying in a state of sanctifying grace… even if we go to Purgatory, we are assured Heaven awaits us! St. Therese says we should pray to suffer here so we can go straight to Heaven when we die!
• Jesus said He goes to prepare a place for us, so that where He is we also may be! Let us beg Jesus that we will never be separated from Him – either here or for eternity! Let us realize that whether we are praying, working, recreating, or sleeping – Jesus is there with us. He knows our thoughts, our struggles, and our desires. Let us talk to Him throughout our day and when we wake in the night! May we receive Him as Mary did, with an obedient and grateful heart! “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
• Finally, let us turn to Mary, our loving and dearest Mother, our Mother of Perpetual Help and beg her for the grace of final perseverance. “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.”

PART TWO:  RAISING OF LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD: FROM TRAGEDY TO VICTORY  by Fr. Ed. Broom.

One of the greatest miracles, if not the greatest aside from the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead, was Jesus returning His friend Lazarus from death to life. Lazarus was already dead for four long days, buried within the tomb sealed by a huge rock.

Jesus had a special love and affection for Lazarus and his two sisters, Martha and Mary, who lived in Bethany on the outskirts of the city of Jerusalem. Occasionally Jesus would pay them a visit and enjoy their company and their friendship. Mary was more of a contemplative; Martha tended towards a more active lifestyle. However, both sisters and Lazarus had a special love for Jesus and Jesus loved them.

The death of Lazarus proved devastating to both Martha and Mary. How much they really loved their brother! Jesus loved Lazarus so much that as He approached the tomb where Lazarus was dead and buried, He wept, one of the rare times that the Gospel depicts the tears of Jesus.

Jesus arrives and asks where Lazarus is and they tell Him “in the tomb”. Jesus tells them to remove the stone, but they reply that Lazarus has been buried several days and there will already be a stench. Jesus reassures them that He is the Resurrection and the Life; those who believe in Him will never die.

The huge stone is rolled back and Jesus cries out in a loud voice: “Lazarus, come out!” After four days dead, Lazarus comes forth from the tomb alive! He is given back to his sisters, Martha and Mary, and they rejoice exceedingly. Jesus has turned a terrible tragedy into a glorious victory. Jesus has conquered death! Indeed Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life!  

Let us present three clear messages for us to reflect upon trusting in God’s presence in our life when at times He may seem to be distant, far off, or even totally absent.

FIRST, THE FRIENDSHIP OF JESUS.  We all need human friendships. Aristotle states: “Man is a social animal.” The poet John Donne asserts: “No man is an island unto himself.” None of us are called to live the life of a cave-man. Nonetheless, even the best of friends will occasionally fail us, and even when we try to be the best of friends, we also will fail in our loyalty to friends. However, this is not the case with Jesus and His friendship towards us; He is the ever-faithful Friend. In the dark moments of our life, we should reaffirm our belief in the friendship of Jesus. Even in the midst of the darkest tunnel, Jesus is the Light at the end of the tunnel. Jesus was there to help Martha and Mary in their loss; Jesus will always be there for us in our losses.

SECOND, DEATH IS NOT THE LAST WORD.  As believers in Jesus and His Resurrection, death is not the last word! On the contrary, the last word is that Jesus is truly risen from the dead, Alleluia! For we who have lost our loved ones, we must lift our eyes to Jesus in His risen state. As we pray in Holy Mass: “Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again.” We firmly believe in the Paschal Mystery: the Passion, death, burial, and Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. This gives true meaning to life. Nature itself alludes to the Resurrection. The night gives way to dawn; the torrential storms subside and a beautiful rainbow paints the sky; the caterpillar dies and a monarch butterfly flutters through the air; the sharp thorn gives birth to the beautiful spring rose. All of these natural beauties are a pale image of Jesus dying on Good Friday and Jesus rising Easter Sunday! Our firm belief is that if we have lived for Christ, walked with Christ, loved Christ, and died with Christ, then we will be united with Him forever in heaven. Therefore, death should never lead us to the brink of despair, but rather to hope in life to the fullest in Heaven. Saint Paul reminds us: “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.” (1Cor. 2:9)  

THIRD, we all need a LAZARUS EXPERIENCE—that is to say, to leave the darkness of sin, to leave the ugly and dirty cloths that bind us and be set free. In a word, we all need to make good confessions, leave our sinful past behind, and trust in the mercy of the Risen Lord! There are actually two deaths: the death of the body, as well as the death of the soul. Sad to say, most people mourn more grievously over physical death, the death of the body, than they do over the death of the soul. Jesus admonishes us to be more concerned over the death of the soul than that of the body. The death of the soul results in eternal separation from God and condemnation to eternal hell-fire! This should be our most serious fear. If we have the disgrace of falling into serious sin—mortal sin—then we should pursue a Lazarus Experience, in which we return to God with all of our heart, make a good sacramental confession, and be born anew to God’s life of grace! Indeed, every good sacramental confession is a spiritual Lazarus Experience—the passing from spiritual death to spiritual life. In a certain sense, in every sacramental confession we experience the Paschal Mystery—the Passion, death, and Resurrection of Jesus in our soul.

In conclusion, the death and resurrection of Lazarus from the dead can teach us many important lessons in our spiritual journey towards our eternal home which is heaven. Jesus is our best Friend. Death is not the last word; rather eternal life with the Lord Jesus in heaven is our eternal destiny. Finally, if we have a spiritual death through mortal sin, we can have a Lazarus Experience by coming to life through a good sacramental confession!

Copyright 2020 Oblates of the Virgin Mary

Let my eyes stream with tears
day and night, without rest,
Over the great destruction which overwhelms
the virgin daughter of my people,
over her incurable wound.
If I walk out into the field,
look! those slain by the sword;
If I enter the city,
look! those consumed by hunger.
Even the prophet and the priest
forage in a land they know not.

Have you cast Judah off completely?
Is Zion loathsome to you?
Why have you struck us a blow
that cannot be healed?
We wait for peace, to no avail;
for a time of healing, but terror comes instead.
We recognize, O LORD, our wickedness,
the guilt of our fathers;
that we have sinned against you.
For your name’s sake spurn us not,
disgrace not the throne of your glory;
remember your covenant with us, and break it not.
Among the nations’ idols is there any that gives rain?
Or can the mere heavens send showers?
Is it not you alone, O LORD,
our God, to whom we look?
You alone have done all these things.

R. (9)  For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;
all who come to him will live for ever.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the Evil One,
and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the Kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church

The covenant with Noah

56 After the unity of the human race was shattered by sin God at once sought to save humanity part by part. the covenant with Noah after the flood gives expression to the principle of the divine economy toward the “nations”, in other words, towards men grouped “in their lands, each with (its) own language, by their families, in their nations”.

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

TUESDAY, JULY 28^TH   Mt. 13: 36-43    “His disciples approached him and said, ‘Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.’”

The story is told of a town with a tavern. On top of this tavern was one devil. On the hill above the town was a monastery of monks with legions of devils climbing up the walls and on the roof top trying to get inside. Why? Those in the tavern were already on the highway to hell. Whereas the monks were on the highway to heaven.  

The devil is never in a hurry for those he is sure of, but he goes after those he is not sure of with a vengeance!

St. Peter Chrysologus has this to say about the Weeds and the Wheat…the devil’s purpose and tactics:

“He sowed weeds among the wheat” … because the devil has become accustomed to sow of his own accord heresies among the faithful, sin among the saints, quarrels among the peaceful, deceptions among the simple, and wickedness among the innocent. He does this not to acquire the weeds of cockle, but to destroy the wheat; not to capture the guilty ones, but to steal away the innocent. An enemy seeks the leader rather than a soldier. He does not besiege the dead but attacks the living. Thus the devil is not seeking to capture sinners whom he already has under his dominion, but is laboring thus to ensnare the just.

“He sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away”… because with great might the devil drives men towards destruction. But after he has prostrated someone, he abandons him. The devil seeks not the man, but his destruction. Brethren, he rejoices over our evils, he swells with pride over our ruin, he grows strong from our wounds, he thirsts after our blood, he is sated from our flesh, he lives by our death. The devil does not wish to possess a man, but to destroy him! Why? Because he does not wish, he does not dare, he does not allow the man to arrive at the heaven from which the devil fell.

St. Peter Chrysologus (+450) was a Bishop, Confessor and Doctor of the Church.

THE DEVIL AND HIS DEADLY DECEPTIONS by Father Ed Broom, OMV

The Deceiver, the ancient serpent, the Liar and murderer, demon, devil, Lucifer, Beelzebub, the tempter, the enemy of human nature, the roaring lion on the prowl—all of these names describe the devil both from Sacred Scripture and from the writings of the saints.

Hatred of the devil. The devil is the exact antithesis of God. The Letter of Saint John describes God as love. The devil, on the contrary, is the epitome of hatred; the devil hates God, he hates all of humanity and all of us individually, and the devil even hates himself.

The fallen angels. Even though the devils are evil incarnate, their intellects are still very keen, though bent on perversity, evil, and destruction. Plotting and conniving day and night, the devil strives to use all of his astute strategies and tactics to wins souls to himself, to the eternal flames of hell forever. His dastardly and destructive maneuvers terminate only at the end of time. This being the case, let us offer a presentation of five of the most common tools the devil has in his armory to tempt us and then five of the most efficacious weapons that we can utilize so as to win the battle—the salvation of our immortal soul and those entrusted to our care and providence.

1. DESOLATION. Saint Ignatius of Loyola reiterates in the Rules for Discernment, as well as the Two Standards, the importance of vigilance. We must be aware of the inner state of our emotional life to detect when we find ourselves in a state of desolation, for then the enemy of our eternal salvation—the devil and his army—are raising their bows and arrows, their rifles, their machine guns, their tanks to shoot for the kill! Therefore, with an attentive awareness of being in desolation we can resist the onslaught of the enemy with greater intelligence and courage, and not succumb to his wily attacks.

2. KRYPTONITE: MAJOR WEAK-POINT. Athletes study their opponents to detect their weak points. In debates, the loophole or weak-point of one’s opponent once discovered can result in victory. Soldiers in the army use military tactics to defeat the enemy by discovering their vulnerable point open to attack. So it is with us; we all have our own kryptonite or weak point. Why the word kryptonite? Superman was an impregnable fortress except when he was exposed to the fictional mineral kryptonite; then he was rendered as weak as any human being. The desert Fathers coined the pithy adage, so useful for our spiritual combat: KNOW THYSELF!

3. SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT/MILIEU. We live in a very challenging environment, more challenging than prior centuries. The work world, the social environment, the social media, the entertainment world, and often even the family context allow the devil an open door for temptations. For example, with the Internet there is the constant temptation to view noxious and poisonous material; the devil takes advantage of this! Parties can be provocative—immodesty, drinking, and the proliferation of drugs. Even at work today, the temptation, behind which is lurking the devil, is to fall into dishonesty in so many different shapes, sizes, and forms.

4. THE DEMONIC PROLIFERATION OF IMPURITY. More than 100 years ago, Our Lady of Fatima stated sadly that most souls are lost forever due to the sins against the 6^th and 9^th Commandments—that is to say: sins against the virtue of purity or chastity. Given our social milieu, nobody with right reason would fail to admit that the situation has been exacerbated and has deteriorated to an all-time low with respect to the virtue of purity. Impurity are sins of the flesh, but they can involve the body, the mind, the imagination, even feelings, and the devil, once again behind the scene, stokes the fire with his invisible poker!

5. DEVIL OF DESPAIR. In the“Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul”, Jesus revealed to the modern mystic-saint, Faustina Kowalska that the worst of all sins and offenses against God is the lack of trust in His Infinite Mercy and the ultimate succumbing to despair. Once again, behind the scene is the nefarious, insidious, and malicious presence of the devil and his crew. The real and the worst sin of Judas Iscariot was his despair, his failure to beg forgiveness and to trust in the Infinite Mercy of the Heart of Jesus. With the devil in the background, but truly present, many in modern society have given up all hope and trust in the Love and Mercy of Jesus, their Savior, and Mary’s maternal power of intercession.

We have exposed to the light, five of some of the most prominent temptations of the devil, who in the words of St. Peter, is prowling like a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour. In all truth, the devil never takes a break, has a sabbatical, or goes on vacation either long or short. He works day and night in the houses, on the streets, in the factories, in the offices, in the schools, in the Churches and monasteries, in all places to win his prize—the damnation of souls for all eternity. Therefore, let us offer the counterattack, our strategy of defense. We will offer classic ascetical tools to win the combat against the devil, whom Ignatius calls the enemy of our salvation.

1. FERVENT PRAYER. No matter how powerful, insistent, insidious, ugly and astute the temptation might be, if we have recourse to frequent, fervent, humble, and persevering prayer, the victory will definitely be ours over the devil and his army. The best example is Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as presented in the movie of Mel Gibson, The Passion of the Christ. Praying with so much fervor, Jesus even sweat huge drops of Blood. Then He rose to crush the devil with the heel of his foot! Prayer can conquer all!

2. PRACTICE OF PENANCE. Jesus was tempted by the devil in the desert for forty days and forty nights. In His trial and sojourn in the desert, Jesus basically dedicated his efforts to two activities: fervent prayer and intense penance. If you like, Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights. As a result, when the devil tried to tempt Jesus in the realm of food, to turn the stones into bread, Jesus responded: “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Mt. 4:4) The attempts of the devil to tempt Jesus were foiled, frustrated, and failed miserably. In another Biblical passage, when the Apostles asked the Lord why they could not cast out the devils, Jesus responded: “Those can be cast out only by prayer and fasting.” (Mt. 17:21) Therefore, if we can imbue and permeate our lives with at least small acts of penance and mortification daily, we can keep the devil and the temptations at bay!

3. PERIODIC SPIRITUAL DIRECTION AND TRANSPARENCY. Both St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Teresa of Avila insist upon the dire need for spiritual direction in the pursuit of holiness. We all have blind spots that can only be detected with the help of a trained spiritual director. However, most especially is it urgent and indispensable, to open up one’s troubled soul and conscience to a trained spiritual director when one finds oneself in turmoil, in the midst of a spiritual storm, when it seems as if the roof is about to collapse and the foundation is about to crumble. If you like, this is the classical Rule 13 in the Rules for Discernment of Spirits in the scheme of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The devil wants us to keep our temptations and struggles hidden; if done, the enemy can easily transform a molehill into a huge mountain, a small cut into a gangrenous infection. (Editor’s Note: In this time of Covid-19 you may not be able to find spiritual direction. All the more necessary to go Confession at least every two weeks, confess mortal sins, and even venial sins though not required, and any strong temptations! This will confound the devil! Fr. Gabriele Amorth (+2016), the exorcist of Rome who performed untold numbers of exorcisms, counselled Confession every two weeks on a regular basis to ward off the devil.)

4. FALL OR FAILURE? BOUNCE BACK! NUNC CAEPI! Being weak and exposed to many temptations, it might be that we collapse and capitulate to the insidious and insistent murmurings of the devil. Only God is perfect and all of us are sinners, hopefully on the path towards holiness. A very ugly but ubiquitous attack of the devil precisely after we fall into whatever sin it might be—is to push us to give into despair and to lose hope. Or it might be the binge-complex! By this we mean, the diabolic temptation that might be expressed as such: “Well you fell, why not just fall again and again—drinking, porn, drugs, gluttony, promiscuity, etc…” The true soldier of Jesus and Mary, after a fall, will not give in to despair, will not throw the towel in and succumb to sinking into the mud, into the quagmire of sin. Quite the contrary! They will humbly admit their fall, have recourse to Sacramental Confession and start again! In the words of the Founder of the Congregation of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, Venerable Bruno Lanteri: NUNC CAEPI—START AGAIN!!! The arms of the Heavenly Father of the Prodigal Son or Daughter are always wide-open!

5. MARY: THE GENERAL OF THE HEAVENLY ARMY. Jesus is the King and Mary is the Queen. In Guadalajara Mexico, there is a noteworthy title given to Mary: “La Generala del Ejercito”—meaning: The General of the Army! In our constant battle against the devil and his army we must have recourse to Mary. We should be consecrated to Mary, wear the Scapular of Mary, pray the most Holy Rosary to Mary every day, and most especially in times of temptation to call upon the Holy Name of Mary. If done, the victory will be ours because of the powerful intercession of Mary! “Maria invoca; Maria cogita!” Invoke the Holy Name of Mary; think often about Mary… and the victory will surely be ours!

Copyright 2020 Oblates of the Virgin Mary

The LORD said to me: Go buy yourself a linen loincloth;
wear it on your loins, but do not put it in water.
I bought the loincloth, as the LORD commanded, and put it on.
A second time the word of the LORD came to me thus:
Take the loincloth which you bought and are wearing,
and go now to the Parath;
there hide it in a cleft of the rock.
Obedient to the LORD’s command, I went to the Parath
and buried the loincloth.
After a long interval, the LORD said to me:  
Go now to the Parath and fetch the loincloth
which I told you to hide there.
Again I went to the Parath, sought out and took the loincloth
from the place where I had hid it.
But it was rotted, good for nothing!
Then the message came to me from the LORD:  
Thus says the LORD:
So also I will allow the pride of Judah to rot,
the great pride of Jerusalem.
This wicked people who refuse to obey my words,
who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts,
and follow strange gods to serve and adore them,
shall be like this loincloth which is good for nothing.
For, as close as the loincloth clings to a man’s loins,
so had I made the whole house of Israel
and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the LORD;
to be my people, my renown, my praise, my beauty.
But they did not listen.

R. (see 18a)  You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
You were unmindful of the Rock that begot you,
You forgot the God who gave you birth.
When the LORD saw this, he was filled with loathing
and anger toward his sons and daughters.
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
“I will hide my face from them,” he said,
“and see what will then become of them.
What a fickle race they are,
sons with no loyalty in them!”
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
“Since they have provoked me with their ‘no-god’
and angered me with their vain idols,
I will provoke them with a ‘no-people’;
with a foolish nation I will anger them.”
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Father willed to give us birth by the word of truth
that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’”

He  spoke to them another parable.
“The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened.”

All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables,
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:

I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation
of the world.