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

TUESDAY, June 8th   Mt. 5: 13-16   “You are the light of the world… Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

Part 1: Mary, Star of the Sea… by St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Part 2: THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PART 1: Mary, Star of the Sea… from a homily of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

If squalls of temptations arise, or you fall upon the rocks of tribulation, look to the star, call upon Mary. If you are tossed by the waves of pride or ambition, detraction or envy, look to the star, call upon Mary. If anger or avarice, or the desires of the flesh, dash against the ship of your soul, turn your eyes towards Mary. If troubled by the enormity of your crimes, ashamed of your guilty conscience, terrified by dread of the judgment, and you begin to sink into the gulf of sadness or the abyss of despair, think of Mary. In dangers, in anguish, in doubt, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let her be ever on your lips, ever in your heart; and the better to obtain the help of her prayers, imitate the example of her life.

Following her, you will not stray. Invoking her, you will not despair. Thinking of her, you will not wander. Upheld by her, you will not fall. Shielded by her, you will not fear. Guided by her, you will not grow weary. Favored by her, you will reach the goal. And thus you will experience in yourself how good is that saying: And the Virgin’s name was Mary!

PART 2:  THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Light – what a lovely thing light is. There is no shining light in all creation lovelier than the Blessed Virgin Mary! She alone is the Immaculate Conception, preserved from original sin at the moment of her conception in the womb of Saint Anne and preserved from the stain of sin her whole life! In Mary’s pure light, we see clearly the darkness in ourselves. Thus the poet Wordsworth called Mary “our tainted nature’s solitary boast!”

The Angel Gabriel greeted her, “Hail Mary, full of grace!” (Lk. 1:28) She was the first light of dawn dispelling the darkness, giving way to the refulgence of the Light of the Son of God! As the moon reflects the light of the sun, Mary is the perfect reflection of the Son of God. Her presence gives warmth to hearts grown cold, healing to hearts that are wounded, valour to the faint-hearted, and the Christ Light to souls darkened by sin.

The Light of Christ first shone forth from the womb of Mary. Through Mary, the Star heralding Christ’s birth penetrated the womb of Elizabeth, causing the baby within her to leap for joy! The light guiding us through the tempests and storms of life is Mary, Star of the Sea! The light in the window welcoming us home is the light of Mary’s motherly love for each one of us, shining from our true home in her Immaculate Heart where she forms her children in the image and likeness of her Divine Son, Jesus.

The Light of Christ that enlightens our minds first illumined the mind of Mary! When the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, Jesus communicated His inscrutable wisdom and truth to Mary, which she imparts to those who fervently ask for it, freeing them from the darkness of ignorance and error, the lies and deceits of the enemy.

Mary, the Mother of Sorrows, stood at the foot of the cross and willingly suffered all the agonies of her Son’s Passion and death for love of us and for our salvation. Saint Louis de Montfort says that Mary is a Martyr because all that Jesus suffered in His Passion and death on the cross, Mary suffered in her Immaculate Heart—a Martyr of Love with her Divine Son for our eternal salvation!

Closing Comments:

Mary wants to comfort and console us. She wants us to bring our fears and anxieties to her. She wants us to find rest in her Immaculate Heart and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She assures us of the eternal value of every prayer said, every tear shed for our salvation and the salvation of others. And that even now, our Good God is working everything for our good and the good of others.

The saints say that in heaven our only regret will be that we didn’t suffer more, so that even more souls could be saved. “When it is all over you will not regret having suffered; rather you will regret having suffered so little, and suffered that little so badly.” (Saint Sebastian Valfre)

The Light begins with Jesus and Mary. They shed their light upon us – we shed the light of Jesus and Mary upon others – who then shed the light upon still others! Thus the circle of light keeps expanding until someday, we can only hope and pray, the whole world will bask in the Light and the Love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary!

Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

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

MONDAY, June 7th   Mt. 5: 1-12   “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.”

• Jesus’ introduction to what has come to be called “The Sermon on the Mount” is to give us Eight Beatitudes – the Roadmap to Heaven!
• If we sincerely make every effort to put these into practice, when we die Jesus will say to us, “Welcome home, my good and faithful friend!” Did He not say at the Last Supper, “You are my friends if you do what I command.” (Mt. 15:14)

THE BEATITUDES: ATTITUDES OF THE HEART OF JESUS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

THE PREACHING OF JESUS AT HIS BEST. Our meditation/contemplation will be on the preaching of Jesus. In fact you might even present as the heart of His preaching the Sermon on the Mount, which can be found in the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Mt. 5, 6, and 7. However, the focus of this meditation is Jesus’ preaching of the EIGHT BEATITUDES and their promises. (Mt. 5:1-12) Pope Saint John Paul II stated: “The Beatitudes are a mirror into the Heart of Jesus.” If you sincerely want to have a glimpse into the Sacred Heart of Jesus and His most sublime virtues, then enter into the Beatitudes. That will be our meditation, our contemplation, and our challenge— to really get to know Jesus more intimately, love Him more ardently, be motivated to follow Him more closely, bring others to Him, and last, but by no means least, to become like Him. Until in the words of Saint Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20)

FIRST BEATITUDE: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Jesus lived what He preached starting out with this first Beatitude. Jesus was rejected before He was born – “there was no room for them at the inn”. (Lk. 2:7) His birth was in a poor stable in Bethlehem. He worked a hard and demanding job as a Carpenter. Once He left home, He had no fixed abode as He Himself said: “The foxes have their holes and the birds of the air have their nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay His head.” (Lk. 9:58) For three years Jesus lived relying and depending totally on His Father’s Divine and Providential care. He died rejected on the cross, stripped of His garments and of His dignity. Finally, He was buried in a borrowed tomb. Jesus truly lived poverty, detachment, and total trust in God. What about us? Have we become a slave of things? Have we allowed our possessions to possess us? Are we attached to persons, places, things, opinions, circumstances, even our own way of thinking and mode of living? There is a lot here. What are we attached to? Let us examine our life and pray over this Beatitude!

SECOND BEATITUDE: “Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.”

Three times we see Jesus weeping in His Public life. The first, over the city of Jerusalem: “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing.” (Mt. 23:37) The second, at the death of His friend Lazarus, with Mary and Martha: “Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’” (Jn. 11:35-36) The third, in the Garden of Gethsemane, entering into His Passion. This is recounted in the Letter to the Hebrews: “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death.” (Heb. 5:7) What profit can be derived from weeping? Our Lady of Lasalette (France) wept for the sins of the people. Our Lady of Syracuse (Sicily) wept. Our Lady of Akita (Japan) wept tears of blood for the sins of the people. Saint Monica wept profuse tears for the conversion of her wayward son, who became the great Saint and Doctor of the Church—Saint Augustine. Therefore, pray over this Beatitude and weep, most especially for your own personal sins, for the sins of wayward family members, and for the sins of the world at large. “Be converted, because the Kingdom of God is at hand.” (Mk. 1:15)

THIRD BEATITUDE: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the land.”  

Meekness is not weakness, but rather powerful emotion under control. Often meekness is translated or understood as the virtue, so necessary, of PATIENCE!!! Once again we contemplate the infinite patience of Jesus at all times and places. His patience with His faulty and flawed Apostles. His patience with the Pharisees constantly attacking Him. His patience with the many sinners who came to Him. Most especially, His patience in His Passion, carrying the cross, now stumbling and falling, now getting up again. His patience and mercy toward His enemies: “Father, forgive them, for the do not know what they are doing.” (Lk. 23:34) Let us contemplate Jesus and beg for true meekness of heart. “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart line unto thine.” Let us pray for patience with God and His dealings with us; patience with others, especially family members; and patience with ourselves. Never give in to discouragement. When we fall, get up! Nunc Coepi—Now I will begin again. Even if I should fall a thousand times a day, a thousand times I will get up again and say Nunc Cœpi–Now I begin.” (Ven. Bruno Lanteri, Founder of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary)

FOURTH BEATITUDE: “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness or holiness, for they will be satisfied.”

Jesus is the holy of holiness—meaning, the whole life of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a model and pattern of resplendent and perfect holiness—a pattern to follow, to imitate. Jesus wants us to be holy, to become a great saint! Later, Jesus issues an imperative command: “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.” (Mt. 5:48) What Jesus commands, He will give the grace and power to carry out. But we must beg fervently, frequently, and full of faith for the grace to be holy. Then in all of our words, actions, and intentions have Jesus always before our eyes. One of the most famous books ever written is precisely that: The Imitation of Christ!!! Beg the saints for the grace to live out this wonderful but challenging Beatitude. May the prayer of the Psalmist be yours and mine: “As the deer yearns for running streams, so my soul longs for you, O Lord my God.” (Ps 42:1) May we hunger and thirst for God and for holiness above any other person, place or thing in our lives!!!

FIFTH BEATITUDE: “Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.”

Once again, Jesus is our sublime and supreme model in His preaching and in His life-style. A few of His teachings on the importance of mercy:

• “Be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful.” (Lk. 6:36)
• “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” (Mt. 6:12 – the Our Father)
• “I tell you anyone who is angry with a brother will be subject to judgment. Leave your gift and first be reconciled to your brother and then offer your gift.” (Mt. 5:22-23)
• “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” (Lk. 23:24 – the first words of Jesus as he hangs from the cross.)

Of course the most sublime example of mercy shown by Jesus, as mentioned above, was when He hung from the cross, basically an open and gaping wound: “Father forgive, them for they know not what they are doing.” Scourged, crowned with thorns, spat upon, insulted, abandoned by His best friends, and even apparently by His Heavenly Father, what does Jesus do? He forgives them from the depths of His Pierced Heart! What a sublime example of love, compassion, forgiveness, and especially this Beatitude of MERCY!!!

YOUR OWN LIFE AND MERCY. Dig into the depths of your heart and be sincere, honest, and transparent. How many times have you been willing in your life to forgive? Beg now for the grace to forgive all those who have hurt you, and beg for the grace to reject resentment from these hard feelings that militate against living out this Beatitude: “Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy.” Saint Ignatius gives us the secret to achieve this: Agere Contra, meaning act against. Act against your resentment and hard feelings by praying daily for the persons who have hurt you in your life, even if you don’t feel like it. This is not hypocrisy, it is heroic virtue. God’s grace will do the rest!

SIXTH BEATITUDE: “Blessed are the clean of heart (pure of heart) for they will see God.”

A most challenging virtue and disposition of heart and soul to live. Jesus is our model always and at all times! Jesus’ eyes, mind, heart, soul, body, and even His intentions were always most pure and focused on the Face of the Eternal Father. The will of Jesus was to carry out the will of His Heavenly Father. Our Lady of Fatima said with sadness that most souls are lost as a result of impurity—breaking the 6th and 9th Commandments. Look into your inner being, your life past and present, and humbly beg for purity. Beg for purity of eyes, ears, body, mind, heart, soul, and even purity of intention. In the words of Saint Paul: “Whether you eat or drink do all for the honor and glory of God.” (1Cor. 10:31) Call to mind the motto of Saint Ignatius in the Spiritual Exercises: A.M.D.G.—All for the honor and glory of God. Finally, in the words of Saint Paul again: “You have been redeemed by the Blood of Jesus; therefore, glorify God in your bodies!” (1 Cor. 6:20) Our bodies are the Temples of the living God! May we use them in all times and places to glorify God. In closing, turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary and consecrate yourself to her most pure and Immaculate Heart: “Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation!” Take the thorns from her Heart and crown her Heart with beautiful roses—the rose petals of purity of heart, mind, body, and soul!!!

SEVENTH BEATITUDE: “Blessed are the peace-makers for they will be called the children of God.”

Lift your eyes to Jesus and beg for the grace to live out this Beatitude that refers to peace! The Prophet Isaiah called Jesus the Prince of Peace. Jesus would greet the Apostles with the word: SHALOM meaning—PEACE BE WITH YOU!!! Upon the birth of Jesus, the angelic choir sang: “Glory to God in the highest and peace to people of good will.” Upon appearing to the Apostles in the Upper Room that first Easter Sunday night, Jesus addressed the Apostles in these words: “Shalom! As the Father sends me so I send you.” And He breathed on them and said: “Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven, and whose sins you hold bound, they will be held bound.” (Jn. 20:21-23) A key Sacramental interpretation of this beatitude is the following: to be a true peace-maker, we must first be at peace with God by renouncing sin and our sinful patterns. For we will never be at peace with others while we are at war with God and within ourselves! How can this be done? Most clearly by forming the habit of frequent, well-prepared, and well-made Sacramental Confessions. What beautiful and consoling words from the priest: “I absolve you of your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Your sins are forgiven, go in PEACE!!!” Meditate upon this Beatitude and examine your habit of Confession and the quality of your confessions. There likely is need for improvement!!! May Our Lady, Queen of Peace come to our aid!!!

EIGHTH BEATITUDE: “Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.”

Once again, clearly not only did Jesus teach this but He lived it to the highest degree of perfection. Not only was Jesus persecuted, He went through the most bitter Passion, suffering and death on the cross. All of this is a most sublime teaching of the Beatitude on PERSECUTION. As the Acts of the Apostles states: “Jesus went about doing good.” (Acts 10:38) Despite His kindness, and all the good He did—His love for the poor, the sick, the suffering, the marginalized, the forgotten and neglected, even the little children, the orphans and widows—still Jesus was nailed to the cross. Therefore, if we really live out the first Seven Beatitudes, our reward is the Eighth: “Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” Indeed, if you are really and truly living out the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, then you will experience some form of persecution. It might be at work, or in your extended family, or even in your immediate family, maybe even from your spouse and children. Jesus said that He did not come to bring peace but war, especially in the family. Family members will be divided because of their allegiance and love for Jesus the Lord. We cannot serve money and God, nor the world and God. They are diametrically opposed. Jesus must be our alpha and omega, our principle and end, our purpose and meaning in life. Jesus has to be the ardent and constant desire of our heart. Who were those who really lived out this last Beatitude to the highest degree? Obviously this would be the class that we call the MARTYRS—a word meaning witness. They gave the most eloquent witness to their love for the Lord Jesus by imitating Jesus in shedding their blood for Him! “No greater love exists than to give one’s life for his friends.” (Jn. 15:30)

CONCLUSION

May this serious and deep meditation on the Beatitudes spur you on with every fiber of your being to get to know Jesus more fully, love Him more ardently, follow Him more closely, so as to bring others to Him more frequently, and live out the words of Saint Paul related to our transformation in Christ: “It is no longer I who lives but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal 2:20)

Biographical notes: Pope Francis in Gaudete et Exultate has left an excellent commentary on the Beatitudes, Chapter Three, Numbers 63-109. Also, the modern author, preacher and Retreat Director, Jacques Phillipe, has written a book on the Beatitudes. Great resources for our spiritual life and growth!

Copyright 2021 Oblates of the Virgin Mary / St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

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

SUNDAY, June 6th   Mk. 14: 12-16, 22-26   SOLEMNITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI

“If the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer’s ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God!”

Part 1: Miracle of the Eucharist… by Saint John Vianney – Cure d’Ars

Part 2: GOD’S GREATEST GIFT: THE HOLY EUCHARIST by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Part 1: Miracle of the Eucharist… by Saint John Vianney – Cure d’Ars

If we speak of the adorable sacrament of the Eucharist, we may say that here is the marvel of the love of God for us. Here it is that His power, His grace, and His goodness shine in a manner altogether extraordinary.

Here is the bread come down from heaven, the bread of angels, which is given us for the food of our souls; here is the bread of strengthening which comforts and sweetens our sorrows, the travelers’ bread, the key which opens heaven to us.

He that receives me, said the Savior, shall have eternal life. And to give us this bread, Jesus multiplies miracles, turns the world of nature upside down, and suspends all its laws!

PART 2:

GOD’S GREATEST GIFT: THE HOLY EUCHARIST by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Filled with fear and dread of being murdered, the Prophet Elijah fled from the wicked Queen Jezebel who planned to murder him because Elijah killed the false Prophets of Baal. After a days’ journey on foot, heading towards the Holy Mountain, the mountain of God, Elijah was consumed by the spirit of desolation and discouragement and fell into a deep slumber, not even close to arriving at his destination. (I Kings 19: 4-8)

GOD’S ANGEL.  Concerned about the Prophet and his long journey, God sent an angel to comfort, encourage and motivate Elijah and in this fashion.  The angel woke Elijah from his deep slumber encouraging him to keep on his journey because it was a long one.

BREAD AND NOURISHMENT FOR THE JOURNEY.  With words of encouragement, the angel offered Elijah some bread to eat because the journey indeed was going to be a long and grueling one. Elijah ate the bread but instead of rising and undertaking his long trek, he returned to his slumber. Once again the angel woke Elijah insisting on and encouraging him to eat the bread and to walk until he arrived at the holy mountain where he would find safety, security and a sure haven in the presence of God.

ELIJAH OBEYS, EATS AND WALKS!  Obedient to the angel, Elijah for the second time eats the bread offered to him from the angel and from the strength that was derived from that bread—which he ate not once but two times—he walks. The distance was long, but he walked forty days and forty nights from the energy and strength that came from the encouragement of the angel of God but also from the bread that filled him with new life!

HOLY MOUNTAIN.  Elijah’s destination was the holy mountain of God. God spoke to him not in the hurricane, not in the fire, nor even in the strong impetuous wind. Rather, God spoke to Elijah in the gentle and sweet breeze. This holy mountain is symbolic of our eternal destiny: heaven! Once arrived, we will be with God forever and able to talk to Him as our best of Friends, face to face for all eternity. Like Elijah, we should all strive to undertake the long and grueling journey to arrive at the holy mountain where God awaits us for all eternity.

ELIJAH AND OUR OWN LIVES.  Like the Prophet Elijah, we all have our struggles, our battles, our dreary days, our temptations, our moments of desolation—those times in which we simply want to throw in the towel and give up! The key is that we must rise up and eat, not from a plain or ordinary bread, rather we must nourish ourselves on the Bread of Life. Not once or twice but as often as possible. Indeed, if it is within our means, to nourish ourselves on the Bread of Life every day!

Let us enter into a topic that has a transcendental value and importance in our lives in the short time we have in this earthly pilgrimage, and for our eternal destiny. We will take the Biblical passage and person of Elijah as our model and example. If we really desire to arrive at our eternal destiny which is heaven then we must nourish our minds, hearts and souls on the Bread of Life as frequently as possible, but also as fervently as our hearts and souls can exert.

Therefore, this short literary work will focus upon how we can upgrade, improve, and magnify the effects of the reception of Holy Communion in our lives. In a word, the most important action that we can carry out this side of eternity is to receive Jesus, the Bread of Life, in the Sacrament of the most Holy Eucharist. No action of the human person can supersede it in importance. This being the case, let us set up action points and guide-lines to receive Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in Holy Communion with an increasing faith, devotion, fervor and love.

1. FAITH IN THE REAL-PRESENCE.  Over the past fifty years, statistics have pointed out that huge numbers of Catholics either do not believe in the Real-Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, or at least have a very unclear and foggy notion of WHO is truly present in the Consecrated Host! After the double-consecration in Mass, Jesus is truly and substantially present in His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. It is not a mere symbolic presence as in the case of Protestant services, but rather it is the REAL-PRESENCE!!!  Due to materialism and living in a neo-paganist and secular society, we must constantly remind ourselves of this most august and sublime reality.

2. THEOLOGICAL CONCEPT: DISPOSITIVE GRACE!  One of the most important theological concepts in living out Sacramental theology is that of Dispositive-grace. In brief, this means that the grace that comes to us, especially from the reception of the most Holy Eucharist is commensurate with or in direct proportion to the disposition of our soul. In other words, there is no fault in the Sacrament, rather the fault, if any, is in the recipient of the Sacrament. Why? For the simple and unequivocal reason that the Holy Eucharist, your reception of Holy Communion, is the reception of Jesus Himself—the Son of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, God of Gods, True-God and True-man! It has been said that one Holy Communion well-received could transform you into a saint!

3. PREPARE YOURSELF BETTER.  A natural follow-up to the concept of Dispositive-grace is that of our preparation before receiving Holy Communion. Indeed, it should be a constant task and goal in our life to work on making better preparations to receive Holy Communion. Being honest with ourselves, we must all admit and confess with the utmost sincerity and humility that we can all make progress and a lot of progress in our preparation for receiving the Lord Jesus in Holy Communion.

4. HUMAN EXAMPLE: THE BRIDE AND HER WEDDING.  In the Diary of Saint Faustina on Divine Mercy, in the last book of the Diary—Book VI, she gives excellent guidelines on how to receive Jesus better in Holy Communion. (Diary, Divine Mercy in My Soul #1804-1828) One of the comparisons or analogies that Saint Faustina brings forth is that of a Bride being prepared to meet and marry her spouse. On a human level all of us understand this analogy. How many details, countless details, does the future bride implement so as to make this the happiest day in her life. Just a few: the dress, its size and color and texture, the beauty parlor, the makeup, the manicure of her nails, her shoes, and the length of her veil. Not only her physical appearance, but many other details: the guests, the banquet Hall, the Church, the rug, the choir, the priest, the Readings and the homily, the altar servers. How much time, money, and energy is employed for the wedding day, which hopefully will be the happiest day of their lives!!! Building upon this analogy, Jesus is the Wedding Bride-groom of our soul every time we receive Him in Holy Communion. Should we not be more demanding upon ourselves in the time, the effort, the manner and the details in which we receive Him into the inner bridal-chamber of our soul???

5. WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS: THE SAINTS!!!  The most famous music-group, the Beatles, composed a song titled With a Little Help from My Friends. Our true, faithful and most authentic friends are the saints. They are bright luminaries that point us to Jesus, the Light of the world and to Heaven where the Face of Jesus will be our eternal lamp and light. They were the ones who really received Jesus with a fervent and loving disposition in Holy Communion. Consequently, upon dying, Jesus received them warmly, enthusiastically and lovingly into Heaven. Their greatest desire on earth was to love God with all of their heart, mind, soul and strength. Their whole life was centered around the Holy Mass and the reception of the most Holy Eucharist. Therefore, a most efficacious means to make better and more fervent Holy Communions is to humbly beg the saints in heaven to pray and intercede for you that your Communions will become fiery explosions of love for the Lord Jesus!

6. EXAMPLE PAR-EXCELLENCE OF PREPARATION AND THANKSGIVING. One of the saints who can serve as a brilliant luminary and example in the reception of Holy Communion is SAINT CHARBEL MAKLOUF. This Lebanese contemplative monk who was canonized by Saint Pope Paul VI spent most of his life as a Religious-priest in a monastery in silent prayer and work. However, what is pertinent to our theme is his celebration of Holy Mass and his reception of the most Holy Eucharist. In a nutshell, his whole life was focused on the celebration of Holy Mass and the reception of the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus the Lord. How, you might ask? Very simple! He was given permission to celebrate Mass at 12 noon every day. The whole of his morning was spent in preparation for Holy Mass and Holy Communion. Then, after he finished celebrating his noon-day Mass, Saint Charbel would spend the rest of his day rendering constant thanks for Mass and Holy Communion.

What an example for us! In a certain sense we should aim at this same objective and pursuit. Our life should be centered and focused on Jesus, who is truly present in every Mass and every Holy Communion. May our lives be a constant preparation to receive Jesus with burning love, a most fervent reception, and then may the rest of our day be a living act of Thanksgiving for this greatest of gifts. How can we do this in our busy lives? By offering everything we say and do before receiving Jesus in Holy Communion and after receiving Jesus as a sacrifice of love and thanksgiving for His Presence in our lives. Incidentally, the word Eucharist— actually means: THANKSGIVING!!! With the Psalmist let us lift our hearts in prayer: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.” (Ps. 136: 1)

7. COMMON PRIESTHOOD OF THE FAITHFUL: LIVE OUT THE OFFERTORY!  If possible, view the movie El Gran Milagro or The Greatest Miracle. This movie in a clear, appealing, and dynamic fashion explains the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with claymation, all done in 70 minutes. Among the themes worthy of highest praise is the presentation of how the Guardian Angel teaches the importance of living out the Mass by participating fully, actively and consciously, and by living out to the full the OFFERTORY of the Mass. By this is meant that the priest offers the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, but the faithful who participate in the Mass are called to make their own offering in the Mass—called the Offertory! This is done by making a spiritual offering of oneself and placing it on the altar, placing it on the paten where the priest’s Host is deposited. Also, one is called to place their intentions in the chalice where the wine will be transformed into the Precious Blood of Jesus. If this is done seriously, your Communions will have infinite value and efficacy for you, the Church, and the whole world, even the souls in Purgatory!

8. WHAT ARE ELEMENTS FOR MY OFFERING TO LIVE OUT THE OFFERTORY. Actually you can offer anything that may occur to you. If offered with good will and purity of intention, God accepts all! The possibilities are infinite!!! However, there are three areas that might be employed to help you to live more fervently your Offertory and derive countless and untold blessings!

a) THE SOULS IN PURGATORY.  These suffering souls are already saved, but they must be purified by the fires of God’s loving justice. Remember the words of the last Book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation: “Nothing impure can enter the Kingdom of God.” (Rev.21: 27) By far the most efficacious means to purify, sanctify, and liberate the souls detained in Purgatory is through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered for the poor souls and a worthy reception of Holy Communion received for them. Saint Nicolas of Tolentino, O.S.A. desired to be a priest primarily so that he could help to free souls from the fires of Purgatory by offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for them.

b) THE CONVERSION OF SINNERS.  What Jesus and Mary desire most in this world is the conversion and salvation of sinners! When you offer your Masses and Holy Communions for the conversion and salvation of sinners, the Hearts of Jesus and Mary overflow with joy.

c) PERSONAL HEART-TRANSPLANT.  We all must work day and night upon our own personal conversion. There is no more efficacious and powerful means by which we can convert our heart from the heart of a sinner to the heart of a saint than by worthy, frequent, fervent, and faithful reception of Holy Communion. Indeed, every worthy reception of Holy Communion results in a SPIRITUAL HEART-TRANSPLANT. In all truth, the Heart of Jesus takes possession of our heart and there is a real transformation! We become what we eat! We consume the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus and we become more like Him. In time we will be able to say with Saint Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal. 2:19-21)

9. YOUR FIRST, LAST, AND ONLY COMMUNION.  In some convent sacristies there is a plaque on the wall that the priest is invited to read as he vests and prepares for Holy Mass that reads: “Priest, man of God, say this Mass as if it were your first Mass, your last Mass, and your only Mass.” What would happen if you made this decision starting today with respect to your participation in Mass and reception of Holy Communion, to receive your Holy Communion as if it were your first, your last, and your only Communion??? Most likely your Holy Communions would be much more fervent. What do you think?

10. OUR LADY OF THE EUCHARIST AND HOLY COMMUNION.  As a concluding note, we should contemplate the Blessed Virgin Mary and beg for her most powerful intercession in our reception of Holy Communion. In a very real sense, Mary received her first Communion when she said YES to the Archangel Gabriel with the words: “Behold, I am the Handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk. 1:38) Then the Gospel of Saint John states: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (Jn. 1: 14) Pope Saint John Paul II made this parallel connection: “The Yes of Mary to the Angel and our Amen when we receive Holy Communion have a real similarity; both result in the reception of Jesus into the depths of the heart.” Therefore, let us humbly implore the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Eucharist, for the most special grace to receive the Lord Jesus Christ in Holy Communion with frequency, with lively faith, and with a burning fervor and love for Jesus, so that we will be able to set the whole world on fire with the love of God!

Copyright 2021 Oblates of the Virgin Mary / St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA

Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr

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

SATURDAY, June 5th   Mk. 12: 38-44   “A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, ‘Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.’”

• Do we give from our surplus or from our substance? Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, “Give until it hurts.”
• This is the First Saturday, Mary’s Day. Mary said to the angel: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to thy word.” (Lk. 1:38) No conditions or restrictions there.
• In the garden, Jesus cried out in anguish: “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Mt. 26:39) Total surrender!
• What do God the Father, Jesus, the Son of God, and our Blessed Mother Mary desire more than anything else? The conversion of sinners and salvation of immortal souls for all eternity!
• This following meditation by Fr. Ed Broom should make us uncomfortable!

CONVERSION OF SINNERS: GOD’S GREAT DESIRE!

The great desire of Almighty God is the conversion of sinners and salvation of immortal souls. That poor sinners will leave their sinful lifestyles and turn back to the love of God!

Furthermore, Our Lady, who is the one closest to God Almighty, of course shares this same desire: that poor sinners will renounce their sinful lifestyles and return to God.

Our Lady of Lourdes, who appeared 18 times in the year 1858 to the little peasant child, Bernadette Soubirous, asked the little girl to pray and to offer up sacrifices for the conversion of sinners.

Very similar to the message of Lourdes was that of Our Lady of Fatima, who appeared 6 times in the year 1917 to three simple shepherd children—Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta. Our Lady said with great sorrow in her heart that many souls were lost because there were not sufficient prayers and sacrifices offered for these poor sinners.

On July 13, 1917, Our Lady appeared to the three children of Fatima and revealed to them a graphic vision of Hell! From then on the children, but most especially Jacinta, offered many sacrifices for the conversion of sinners. This vision of hell left such a profound and indelible impression upon Jacinta that she offered all she possibly could in her short life for the conversion of poor sinners, to win souls for God.

JACINTA’S SACRIFICES.  The sacrifices of this little girl, beatified by Pope Saint John Paul II and canonized a saint by Pope Francis, together with her brother Francisco, were constant and heroic:

• She sacrificed her favorite food: the sweet, delicious grapes on the hills of Portugal.
• She wore a rope around her waist next to her skin, which caused discomfort all day.
• She often sacrificed her lunch for the poor whom she met on the roadside.
• On a hot summer day, dying of thirst, she sacrificed drinking water.
• With a reminder from her brother Francisco, she offered up a bad headache.
• She prayed the prayers the angel taught her, prostrate on the ground.
• She prayed many, many Rosaries to Our Lady for the conversion of sinners.
• Interrogated and threatened by the local authorities, she was willing to suffer being boiled to death rather than deny that she saw Our Lady.
• Finally, Jacinta suffered a painful death at age nine almost alone in a hospital far from home. All this she did out of love for Almighty God and for the conversion and salvation of sinners. How much love this little girl had for God and for God’s crown of creation in this world—the human person with their immortal soul!

The saints are different in many ways, coming from different historical periods, diverse family backgrounds, widely diverse cultural environments, endowed with different temperaments as well as intellectual gifts. However, all the saints have this in common: a great love for God and a great love for what God really loves most in all of His creation, the salvation of souls—the salvation of all the human persons whom He has created. This is what He desires first and foremost: our eternal salvation.

On one occasion, a child entered the office of a priest. The young boy, looking up on the wall, saw a few words written in Latin. Inquisitive, the boy asked the priest the meaning of the words; these words were the motto and motor-force of the life of this great priest. The interpretation would be: “Give me souls and take all the rest away.” The name of this priest was the great Saint John Bosco; the name of the boy was Saint Dominic Savio. This day, Dominic turned to Bosco and said: “I am the cloth and you are the tailor; make me a saint.” Before the boy turned 15, he was already dead. However, he reached his ardent desire: he died a saint! Both Bosco and Savio had this point in common: a great love for God and an inflamed love for what God loves most, the salvation of souls.

One of the most pervasive maladies in the modern world, even all-pervasive within the Catholic Church, is the cancer of MEDIOCRITY. This is a poisonous and contagious spiritual disease in which many Catholics, millions upon millions, have no fire, no zeal, no burning desire to work with God for the salvation of immortal souls.

The Word of God speaks powerfully against this spiritual condition with these words from the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation: “I know your works: I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:15-16)

What can we say about mediocre Catholics? They are lukewarm, they are tepid; they are lifeless; they are languid, slovenly and lazy. They have no life, no fire, no zeal, no strong desires. They have lost their first love, if indeed they had love in the first place! They suffer from an appalling spiritual anemia. They are living but not spiritually alive! As the Word of God says so forcefully, God will vomit or spit them out of His mouth! Living in this spiritual environment, all of us have to fight forcefully so as not to descend into this dangerous pit of mediocrity. The lives of the saints can spur us on, as in the following.

CONVERSION TO GOD AND ZEAL FOR SOULS. Saint Ignatius of Loyola, as well as Saint Francis Xavier, underwent powerful conversions which transformed them into fiery warriors of God with an ardent desire to save many souls.

Ignatius was converted by receiving a near-fatal wound in the battle of Pamplona and by reading the lives of saints. Upon reading about the saints, a fire and ardent zeal was ignited in his heart to work with God for the salvation of immortal souls. In his classic, the Spiritual Exercises, he presents a meditation/contemplation The Call of the Temporal King so as to follow the call of the Eternal King. One of the primary purposes of this meditation is for us to listen attentively to the Call of the Eternal King, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and to work side by side with Jesus in striving for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of immortal souls.

Saint Francis Xavier went through his conversion by means of the doing the Spiritual Exercises under the direction of Saint Ignatius of Loyola in Paris. After completing the Exercises, Xavier was radically transformed and converted into a fiery warrior and disciple of the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. After Xavier was ordained a priest, he became the secretary of Ignatius. The Pope wanted to send priests to India and other countries in the Far-East, following the missionary mandate of Jesus to go out to the whole world to preach and baptize. So Ignatius sent Francis Xavier. The last words that Ignatius said to Xavier, who would become one of the greatest missionaries in world history, were: GO SET ALL ON FIRE!!! Thousands upon thousands of souls were saved in India, Malaysia and even Japan by Xavier, who desired ardently the conversion of sinners and the salvation of immortal souls. Many nights he could no longer lift up his arm because he had baptized so many individuals during the course of the day—that is truly love for the conversion and salvation of souls!

Now it is your turn! Enter into silence which will lead you into prayer. The Lord of Lords and the King of Kings is calling you right now. He wants you to work with Him for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of immortal souls. What can you do right now to bring at least one soul to conversion? Listen to these encouraging words in the Letter of Saint James: “My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20) 

In imitation of the saints, let us work hard now and we can rest for all eternity with the angels, the saints, Our Lady who is the Queen of angels and saints, and with God Himself. May we all be motivated by the virtue of apostolic zeal and an ardent desire to work with God in the salvation of countless sinners! Saint Thomas Aquinas reminds us that one soul is worth more than the whole created universe. Why? Saint Peter teaches us: “You were ransomed from your futile conduct handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like gold or silver, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless and unblemished lamb. (I Peter 1:18-19). May the reality of the Precious Blood of Jesus that He shed on the cross on Good Friday, with all of the pain and anguish He suffered for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of their immortal souls, ignite within us zeal to do our part to work for the conversion and salvation of sinners. Right now, God is speaking to your heart with these words: GO NOW AND SET ALL ON FIRE!!!

Final Editor’s Note:

Why not start where the children of Fatima did for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of immortal souls:

1) Pray a Rosary daily – faithfully, every day!

2) Offer up some sacrifice every day. Give up something you like to do or eat, or do your least favorite chore – every day!

3) Accept and bear without complaint those trials and sufferings that God chooses for us according to His permissive will. God wills good, but He permits evil to bring about a greater good! No more avoiding or complaining about suffering!

We cannot embrace the cross, without embracing Christ on the cross! He is waiting there for us so that we might share with Him in the salvation of immortal souls for all eternity!

Copyright 2021 Oblates of the Virgin Mary / St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA

Friday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

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

FRIDAY, June 4th   Mk. 12: 35-37   “David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said: The Lord said to my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies under your feet.’”

• How well do we know the Holy Spirit? How often do we call upon the Holy Spirit? Let us not be too quick to say we know the Holy Spirit and He is active in our life.
• He may be, but let us pray with this mediation on the Holy Spirit and see if we are receiving all that this Sweet Guest of our soul desires and even longs to give us, in every circumstance in our lives.
• Then may we end our meditation with a Prayer to the Holy Spirit composed by Fr. Ed Broom. And may it become one if our daily prayers!    

GET TO KNOW THE HOLY SPIRIT—GOD’S GIFT TO YOU! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Common sense teaches us that it is almost impossible for us to really love a person if we do not know that person. This principle can be applied to our relationship with God, to our relationship with the Blessed Trinity, to our relationship with the Holy Spirit.

GET TO KNOW GOD AND JESUS.  In the Diary, Divine Mercy in My Soul, Jesus pointed out to Saint Faustina that one of the ways that she could get closer to God, get to know God better, would be to meditate upon one or some of His attributes. By attribute is meant, descriptive quality.  Omnipotence, Omniscience, Wisdom, Eternal, Infinite, Love—these are a few of the attributes given to God. With respect to Jesus, there are many simply gleaned from the Gospel text: Lord, God, Savior, Way, Truth, Life, Good Shepherd, Bread of Life, Lamb of God, Light of the World, the Alpha and Omega, etc. Following up in this line of thought, let us apply this now to the Person of the Holy Spirit. There are many titles that can be attributed to the Holy Spirit, most especially in the prayer called “The Sequence” that the Church prays on the Solemnity of Pentecost, as well as in the prayer that the Church calls “Litany of the Holy Spirit.”

TITLES FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT.  This brief essay has as its thrust and purpose to highlight ten of the most noteworthy titles given to the Holy Spirit. It is our hope that all will get to know the Holy Spirit better and deeper, speak more often to the Holy Spirit as your Best-Friend, and most important, fall in love with the Person of the Holy Spirit. In fact, it is the Holy Spirit Himself who can teach us to love sincerely!

1. THE SANCTIFIER. 

Let us initiate our title description for the Holy Spirit with the title “The Sanctifier”.  What this word really means is that the Holy Spirit is the one who makes us holy! Pope Saint John XXIII stated: “The saints are the masterpieces of the Holy Spirit”.  Indeed, you are called to become a saint. Therefore, why not entrust your goal and mission to the Person of the Holy Spirit. Pray this simple prayer every day: “Holy Spirit, make me a saint!!!” By way of biographical note, we encourage you to read the spiritual masterpiece of the saintly Bishop of Mexico City, Luis Martinez in his work on the Holy Spirit with the title, you can probably guess it… “The Sanctifier”!

2. CONSOLER. 

Life can be tough. The cross at times can be exceedingly heavy and burdensome; trials, contradictions and even persecutions can visit us frequently. With the cross weighing heavy on our shoulders, we all need at times some consolation from a Good-Friend. That consolation can come from none better than the Holy Spirit who is invoked as The Consoler. In the classical prayer to the Holy Spirit we pray: “May we always rejoice in His consolation.” Call on Him and share your burdens with Him; He will bring you comfort and strength.

3. COUNSELOR. 

Not only is the Holy Spirit known as the Consoler, but also as the Counselor! When in doubt, when the heavy cloud of uncertainty descends upon you, when weariness, frustration, and confusion seem to darken your reasoning powers, then it is time to retreat from the battle-field and fervently invoke and pray to the Holy Spirit for light, for counsel, for insight so that you can make the right decision for the honor and glory of God and for the salvation of immortal souls. Pray as such: “Holy Spirit, cast out my darkness and give me light!”

4. INTERIOR MASTER OF PRAYER. 

Anybody who takes their spiritual life and prayer life seriously, sooner or later will encounter obstacles on the road to progress. This is par for the course in the spiritual life! Therefore, when it seems as if your prayer life is stagnant or even paralyzed, that you are on a spiritual tread-mill going nowhere fast, then it is most certainly the time and moment to invoke the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Even the great Apostle Saint Paul, in his Letter to the Romans, expressed his struggle in prayer with these words: “We do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with ineffable groans so that we can say Abba-Father.” (Rom. 8:26) Indeed the Holy Spirit is the Interior Master of your soul and He is most willing to help you to pray if you ask and have an open and docile heart.

5. THE GIFT OF GIFTS. 

One of the simplest but sublime titles that is given to the Holy Spirit in the Catechism of the Catholic Church is that of The Gift of Gifts! The nature of the theology of Gift is that it is given freely, free of charge. We simply have to open our hearts to receive it! Simply pray, “Come, Holy Spirit, Come!” If God wants to give The Gift of Gifts to you then why not open up your heart in humble gratitude and receive it!

6. THE BOND OF LOVE. 

In the Mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity, the Holy Spirit is the bond of love between the Father and the Son. In a word, the Holy Spirit is uncreated love. Saint Paul states that charity—supernatural love—is the bond of perfection. Why not, right now, beg the Holy Spirit to set your heart on fire with the love of God! Saint John of the Cross writes most beautifully: “In the twilight of our existence we will be judged on love.”

7. SWEET GUEST OF THE SOUL. 

One of the most poetic and beautiful titles found in the Prayer to the Holy Spirit on Pentecost called the Sequence is the following: “Holy Spirit, Sweet Guest of the Soul.” In essence, its meaning is the following: through Baptism we became living Temples of the Blessed Trinity and this of course includes the Presence of the Holy Spirit. Not only is He a Guest in the most intimate part of our being which is our soul, but still more, He is the SWEET GUEST. As honey is to the tongue, and the fragrance of spring roses to the nostrils, so is the Holy Spirit to a docile, humble, and loving soul. In the midst of the bitter valleys and dark tunnels that we must all traverse, in the depths of our being we can invoke the Holy Spirit as the Sweet Guest of our soul and He will bring sweetness to our most bitter trials.

8. THE SOUL OF THE CHURCH. 

With respect to basic Ecclesiology, the study and knowledge of the Church, the Holy Spirit has a primary and essential role. Jesus is the Head of the Mystical Body, the Church and we are the Members of the Mystical Body, the Church. The Holy Spirit is the SOUL of the Mystical Body, the Church. By definition the soul is the life-giving principle! Indeed, if we truly want to experience life and life in abundance in the Lord and His Church, we must constantly invoke the Presence of the Holy Spirit. “In Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)

9. THE PURIFIER.  One of the most common symbols or images for the Holy Spirit is that of FIRE. On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles as FIRE—TONGUES of FIRE. Our God is a devouring fire. In drawing close to this devouring fire that is the Holy Spirit, He desires to burn away in us anything that is not pleasing to God. Saint John of the Cross uses the image of a piece of rusty metal cast into an ardent and scathing fire. In time, all the rust falls off and the metal becomes red hot like the fire. So the Holy Spirit, this consuming fire, works efficaciously to scour, burn, and purify from our soul all our sins and the residual effects of sin. So we can say with Saint Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20)

10. THE MYSTICAL SPOUSE OF MARY. 

Finally, the Holy Spirit in His relationship to the Blessed Virgin Mary is that of being her Mystical Spouse. It was through the powerful overshadowing of the Holy Spirit that the Blessed Virgin Mary conceived Jesus within her womb—the sublime accomplishment of the Incarnation of the Son of God. Saint Louis de Montfort makes this consoling connection: “Those who love Mary, the Holy Spirit flings Himself into their souls.”

In conclusion, by praying and meditating upon these ten titles or names or descriptions of the Holy Spirit, we pray that you will get to know this Sweet Guest of your soul, that you will enter into more frequent conversation with your Interior Master, and finally, that you will learn the art of truly loving God with your whole being, and your neighbor created in the image and likeness of God, from the Holy Spirit who is “uncreated love”! Come Holy Spirit, come through the Heart of Mary.

PRAYER: COME HOLY SPIRIT by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Come Holy Spirit, come fill my heart with your heavenly love. Enlighten my mind so that I may know the Truth, live the Truth, and be willing to die for the Truth.

Come Holy Spirit, come in the dark and lonely moments of my life, come to console me and comfort me. You who are the Sweet Guest of the soul, make me aware of your constant and living presence, so that I recognize that I am never alone because you are with me as a Faithful Friend.

Come Holy Spirit, come, you who are the Interior Master, teach me how to pray. I do not know how to pray well. I implore you to intercede for me with ineffable groans so that I can cry out: “Abba, Father!”

Come Holy Spirit, come in moments of doubt and confusion, be my light and counselor. Help me to make decisions, not according to my will but according to your holy will.

Come Holy Spirit, come in moments of weakness, give me strength. You who are the courage and strength of the martyrs, obtain for me interior strength to fight against sin, my fallen human nature, and anything that is not pleasing to you.

Come Holy Spirit, come, grant me a filial love for you and a sincere love for my neighbor, especially for those I live with and meet every day. Set my heart on fire with love.

Come Holy Spirit, come sanctify me with your presence. You who are the sanctifier, attain for me an ardent yearning for holiness of life. “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.” May I attain holiness of life so as to attain the promise of eternal life.

Come Holy Spirit, come, produce in me a reverential fear that motivates me to avoid all that is displeasing to you, and to avoid any persons, places, things, or circumstances that could damage my friendship with you.

Come Mary, Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit, Temple of the Holy Spirit, you who had the most intimate and constant union with the Holy Spirit, pray for me so that my knowledge and love of the Holy Spirit will grow daily until I am with you forever in heaven, worshiping forever the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.     Amen.