Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent

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

TUESDAY, March 15th    Mt. 23:1-12   “The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Being humble, being a servant does not come naturally to us. If we are honest, it is a suffering! We want to be acknowledged and appreciated. But that is not God’s way, at least not in this life, unless you are a great saint like Mother Teresa. For most of us “…whoever humbles himself will be exalted” but in the next life!

SUFFERING! IT CAN MAKE US BETTER OR BITTER!!!

It is hard to suffer, none of us really like to suffer, nor do we look forward to suffering! Nonetheless, being human, suffering is both inevitable and unpredictable, as well as unavoidable! Young or old, man or woman, poor or rich, in season and out of season—there is a constant: the difficult and demanding reality of human suffering!

According to both Aristotle and Saint Thomas Aquinas—the greatest Greek philosopher and the greatest Catholic Theologian and thinker—suffering is neither good nor bad; it is neutral, you might say. It all depends upon the way we perceive suffering and react to it. In a word, suffering can make us either better or bitter. Suffering can either crush us or it can sanctify us!

THE POSITIVE VALUE AND MEANING OF SUFFERING. If we suffer apart from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, then beyond the shadow of a doubt, suffering will make us bitter, resentful, angry, and lead eventually to depression. However, on the other side of the coin, if we can look at Jesus and His suffering, especially as we contemplate Jesus nailed and hanging on the cross, then our perspective and reality changes dramatically and immediately. Jesus Himself chose to save and redeem the world by means of suffering, by means of His Passion, by means of His crucifixion, by means of His slow and excruciating death that first Good Friday! In other words, it was through Jesus’ suffering and the profuse shedding of His Precious Blood that Jesus willed to save the whole world from damnation and open up the gates of Heaven. For that reason, the great Saint Francis of Assisi prayed the short but fervent prayer: “We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”

JESUS’ SUFFERING AND US. The reality of Jesus’ suffering must be applied to you and to me. As said earlier, we all have to suffer; it is part of the human plight and condition as a result of the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve and the Original Sin. However, the key is this: we must learn how to sanctify our sufferings by uniting them with the sufferings of Jesus. Yes! It is only inasmuch as we unite our life and sufferings with Jesus’ suffering on the cross, that our sufferings have true salvific and redeeming value. Again, suffering can make us either better or bitter.

HOW TO SUFFER WITH JESUS? The next question that necessarily follows is HOW can we suffer with Jesus? This is not an easy task. We must beg for the grace; we urgently need the grace of God. Not to be overly simplistic, we would like to offer a relatively short path. These are the steps.

1. KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS. The first step is that we have to be cognizant or aware of the reality of suffering in the world in which we live, but even more important, of the sufferings that we are going through on a personal and individual plane.

2. BEG FOR THE GRACE.  The next step in sanctifying our sufferings is that of becoming a beggar. The great Saint Augustine asserts: “We are all beggars before God.” That means that we are constantly in need of God’s grace, His supernatural help. Without God we can do nothing, but with God all things are possible. Therefore, we must beg the Lord—like the blind beggar Bartimaeus—for the grace to recognize our sufferings and the grace to suffer in a way that is pleasing to God.

3. DO NOT COMPLAIN OR REJECT.  When you are visited by suffering, avoid complaining and getting angry over the prospect of this suffering in your life, much less reject it! In visiting Hospitals, Nursing Homes, and homes of the elderly and sick, how much suffering is actually wasted! What a shame and disgrace—so much wasted suffering!

4. ACCEPT.  What must follow suffering is the reality of ACCEPTING the suffering. When beset with a cross, it is incumbent upon us to recognize the suffering as soon as possible and accept it. This is the key to victory—recognizing the suffering and accepting it quickly! Beg for the grace and be open to the Holy Spirit. There is a very important reason for us to accept it!

5. OFFER IT UP.  Many of us were brought up in the past with a good education from our parents, and from the Sisters in Catholic school, who taught us this three-word spiritual axiom: OFFER IT UP! It might sound like a cliché or even a pious platitude, but if truly understood, you would know that it is anything but a cliché, platitude, or hackneyed and overused pious saying!

6. OFFER IT UP—THE CROSS.  The real meaning and interpretation of this axiom is related to the cross and the Person who suffered on the cross—Our Lord and God, Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. In sum, we are called to accept and to offer all our sufferings to Jesus, thereby uniting our sufferings to His suffering on the cross. If this is done with purity of intention, the sufferings that we are undergoing take on infinite value!

7. HOW TO DO THIS?  Simply look to the cross and as you contemplate the gaping wounds of Jesus in His hands, feet, and opened side, even His back, say to Jesus: “Lord Jesus, as I contemplate your suffering for love of me, I offer my sufferings for love of you and for the salvation of souls.” Using these or similar words, your sufferings transform you, and anyone else who does this exercise, into a little Victim Soul—souls who suffer with Jesus for the reason He came to earth, the salvation of poor sinners.

8. THE PASSION OF JESUS AND YOURS.  Saint Paul states: “I fill up what is lacking in the Passion of Christ.” (Col 1:24) How can this Pauline verse be understood and applied? Quite simply by recognizing, accepting, offering, and uniting your sufferings to the suffering of Jesus on the cross. It is more than true to say that Jesus is the only Savior of the world. However, Jesus wants generous souls to collaborate with Him—to pray, work, and suffer with Him for the salvation of as many souls as possible. Remember the motto of Saint John Bosco: “Give me souls and take all the rest away.”

9. THE CROSS, CALVARY, AND THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS. However, it must be stated with utmost clarity that our most efficacious union with Jesus is through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. As Venerable Fulton J. Sheen points out, in every Mass the sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary is present. Of course this is an invisible reality, but indeed a reality. In every Mass, the Sacrifice of Good Friday and Jesus Passion, suffering, and death are present. Jesus is offering His Precious Blood to God the Father for the salvation of humanity, as well as every soul individually. This being said, we must unite our sufferings to the cross and the Passion of Jesus present in every Holy Mass, so He can offer our sufferings with His to the Father! Indeed, in every Mass, Calvary and the fruits of Calvary are present and available to all! In this way our sufferings become efficacious beyond comprehension!

OUR LADY AND OUR SUFFERING.  Our exhortation on suffering would be incomplete if we did not introduce Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, into the scene. During the Mass, give your sufferings to Mary. Mary is the daughter of God the Father, Mother of God the Son, and Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit. Place them in her hands and in her Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. Let Mary place them on the altar during the Mass. When Jesus truly present in the Consecrated Host is elevated—Mary offers your sufferings to the suffering of Jesus on the cross, Jesus in turn presents your sufferings with His to the Eternal Father, and as a result your sufferings have infinite value!!!

In conclusion suffering will either make you better or bitter! If you can learn to suffer with Jesus and Mary, unite your sufferings to Jesus on the cross, unite your sufferings through Mary to Jesus truly present in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at the moment of Consecration, then your sufferings will have infinite value, and with Saint Paul truly you will “fill up what is lacking in the Passion of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (Col 1:24) Let us pray with the great mystic, stigmatic, and lover of the cross, Saint Francis of Assisi: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your cross you have redeemed the world.”

Monday of the Second Week in Lent

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

MONDAY, March 14th    Lk. 6: 36-38   “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Mercy is the fruit of forgiveness…

FIVE WAYS TO PRACTICE FORGIVENESS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

The renowned English poet Alexander Pope stated: “To err is human; to forgive is divine.” How true this statement, but how difficult to carry out! At the same time, holding on to resentment is interior slavery. Whereas, truly forgiving is imitating God Himself and setting the captive free, and that captive is us!

Frequently and in unequivocal terms, Jesus has reaffirmed the indispensable obligation of all to forgive those who hurt us, pray for our enemies, and even to do good to them if the opportunity presents itself! Once again, easier said than done! Actually, without God’s grace, to forgive those who have wounded us, and to love and pray for our enemies, far transcends and supersedes our natural powers. In sum, we need Gods’ grace to forgive our enemies.

Jesus is our example in absolutely all we say, and do, and even think in our daily lives! Indeed, He said it clearly: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (Jn 14:6) Jesus first began by doing and then by preaching. First actions, then words. His very demanding teaching on forgiveness He lived to perfection at every stage and moment of His earthly existence.

What are some of the teachings of Jesus on mercy and forgiveness? Let’s meditate on a few of them. “Be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful.” (Lk 6:36) In response to Peter’s generous willingness to forgive seven times, Jesus put no limits on it: “No, I say to you, not seven times, but forgive seventy times seven.” (Mt 18:22) This is hyperbole for the imperious obligation to forgive always, without limits or reservations.

Then Jesus made a Liturgical/Mass allusion. He said if you come to Church to present your offering and you know that your brother has something against you, simply leave the offering at the foot of the altar, reconcile with your brother, and then return to offer the gift. In other words, to celebrate worthily the Liturgy we should strive to be at peace with our brothers and sisters, and not be angry and resentful towards anybody.

Then in the most famous prayer in the world, the Our Father, Jesus gives us this very important command: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” In other words, forgiveness from God is a two way street. If we want to be a recipient of God’s forgiveness, it is necessary that we forgive those who hurt us.

Finally, the most eloquent witness of God’s forgiveness for all of humanity and for each of us individually, is Jesus hanging on the cross after having been scourged, crowned with thorns and spat upon, derided and mocked incessantly, and finally abandoned by all those He loved but three faithful ones: Our Blessed Mother, Mary Magdalene and St. John. What is His response as He hangs on the cross ready to breathe forth His spirit? These words, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” (Lk 23:34)

To help us imitate Christ and obey His command to forgive, let us expand on five concrete suggestions to help us on the pathway to forgiveness and mercy!

1. Beg for the Grace

To forgive our enemies, to pray for them and to love them goes far beyond our fallen human nature. We desperately need God’s overflowing and abundant grace! Saint Augustine says that we are all beggars before God. Therefore, we should beg fervently for the grace to forgive others when we are put to the test. God will not deny us this sincere petition and important grace!

2. Forgive Immediately

When we are offended, most often the devil begins working on us right away fostering in our minds thoughts of revenge. Such ugly and vindictive thoughts can easily surface: “Get even!” “Teach them a lesson.” “Give them a taste of their own medicine.” “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” Finally, “Don’t let them get away with this.” At best, this might express our sentiments as a Protestant preacher once said succinctly: “We will forgive them but only after we see them squirm like a worm in hot ashes, at least for a while.” All of these thoughts and feelings are diametrically opposed to the teachings of our Merciful Savior, and we must resist and reject them as soon as we become aware of them. If we respond to God’s grace of merciful forgiveness and forgive immediately, there is a very good chance the victory will be ours. In sum, be quick to reject vindictive thoughts, and even more quick to forgive!

3. Humility

Another efficacious spiritual weapon that we have in our armory is that of humility. How? In this way! If forgiveness proves laborious and near impossible, then call to mind your worst and most embarrassing sins and the fact that God forgave you as soon as you begged Him for mercy and forgiveness. Most likely the offense leveled against you now is minimal compared to your most grave and embarrassing sins. This can be a very powerful tool to open up your heart in mercy and forgiveness for others!

4. Mercy is a Two-Way Street

Next, remember that receiving God’s mercy is not a one-way street, but rather a two-way street! Meaning? Jesus said: “Be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful.” (Lk 6: 36) Therefore, if we want to experience God’s Infinite Mercy in our lives, we must first extend merciful forgiveness to those who have offended us. Let us recall once again the prayer Jesus taught us, the Our Father: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We will be forgiven only as much as we forgive others! Saint Faustina Kowalska in the Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul asserts unequivocally that God’s greatest attribute or virtue is His Infinite Mercy. Followers of Jesus, the merciful Savior, must practice this sublime but very demanding virtue if they desire to receive His mercy! Mercy is God’s love forgiving the sinner. Our decision to forgive our enemies is a clear sign of the victory of God’s grace and mercy in our lives.

5. Jesus Bleeding and Dying on the Cross for You

Possibly the most convincing motivational force to compel us to forgive those who offend us is the serious and silent contemplation of Jesus hanging on the cross, shedding every drop of His most Precious Blood to save all of humanity, but in particular your immortal soul! When you have been hurt and remain unwilling to forgive, lift up your eyes to contemplate Jesus as He hangs from the cross. Remember what He has already gone through: sweating Blood in the Garden, scourging at the pillar, crowning with thorns, denied by Peter, betrayed by Judas, condemned and nailed to the cross though He was totally innocent, shedding every last drop of His Precious Blood, all for love of you.

What were the first words that issued forth the most Sacred Heart of Jesus on the cross? Listen and contemplate: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing!” (Lk 23: 34) Meditating upon these words, coupled with the contemplation of Jesus’ bitter Passion as He hung on the cross and shed His most Precious Blood for you, should be the most efficacious tool/hammer to crush your hardened heart that is unwilling to forgive!

Finally, beg Our Lady of Sorrows and Our Lady of Mercy for the grace to forgive. Nobody ever suffered more than Mary, aside from Jesus Himself! Still, as she witnessed her only Son suffer and die on the cross, brutally mistreated, she forgave us from the depths of her Immaculate Heart. May Our Lady attain for us the grace to forgive, to be merciful, and so merit the title of a son or daughter of God the Father, brother or sister to Jesus Christ, and friend of the Holy Spirit in time and for all eternity! Amen.

Second Sunday of Lent

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

SUNDAY, March 13th    Lk. 9:28b-36   “Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.”

TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

For today’s meditation read and pray over very attentively the Biblical passage of the Transfiguration—the fourth Luminous Mystery of the Rosary. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you in a very special way. Be docile, open and willing to listen to the Word of God. Our Lady pondered and meditated deeply the Word of God and she can help you to do the same!

Jesus willingly came to earth to share our human condition.  Jesus has two natures: the Divine (He is God), and the Human (He is man). The union of the two natures is the Incarnation. It was through Our Lady’s “Yes” that Jesus came down from heaven to earth, and took on a human body. (Lk. 1:26-38) We’d like to offer some images for reflecting on this great mystery.

The Formation of Jesus’ Body.  It was Our Lady, Mary most holy, who formed the Sacred Body of Jesus within her most pure womb during the course of nine months, giving to Him from her own body and substance—His blood, veins, arteries, lungs, arms and hands, legs and feet, eyes, nose and mouth.

Sacred Heart of Jesus.  It was Our Lady who formed the most Sacred Heart of Jesus within her most pure womb. Turn to Our Lady and beg her to form your heart. Beg her to intercede for you with her most powerful prayers so as to purify and recreate your heart to become more like the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Until you can say with Saint Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20)

Friendship with Jesus.  One of the many lessons that flows spontaneously from the Transfiguration of Jesus is that of human friendship. Jesus ardently desired to enter into deep friendship with the men whom He chose—especially Peter, James and John. These were the three who accompanied Jesus as He ascended the mount of the Transfiguration. At the Last Supper, Jesus will call all His Apostles friends!

Walk and Talk with Jesus.  Just as Jesus walked and talked with His friends that day, Jesus wants to walk and talk with you right now. He wants to enter into a deep friendship with you. He wants to know the thoughts, desires, and concerns of your heart. Open up to Him from your heart. Open up and speak to Him.

Mary and Friendship with Jesus.  There is no one on earth, nor even in heaven, aside from the Father and Holy Spirit, who had a deeper friendship with Jesus than did His Mother Mary, most holy.

Mary knew Jesus in the womb.  No greater intimacy exists in this world, on a human level, than that of a baby being formed, nourished and growing in the womb of their mother.

Mary knew Jesus as a child.  Jesus spent most of His life on earth with Saint Joseph and Mary in their home in Nazareth. Mary watched Jesus grow, she talked to Jesus, listened to Jesus, contemplated Jesus—His face and His eyes. This happened for thirty long years. Turn to Mary as you strive to enter into deeper friendship with Jesus and beg her to help you to know Jesus better. Stop and talk to Our Lady right now with total confidence in her desire to help you. She is your mother and you are her child.

Santa María del Camino (Our Lady of the Way).  There is a very well-known song in both Italian and Spanish with the title: “Santa Maria del Camino”—Our Lady of the Way! As Jesus climbed the Mount of the Transfiguration and made His way to the top, to the summit, His Apostles Peter, James and John walked with Him. In your travels in life, beg Our Lady to accompany you, to be with you and never abandon you, for Mary will always lead you to Jesus. Mary will help you to climb the summits with Jesus and enter into deep conversation and union with Him.

Calvary and Mary.  Soon Jesus will climb not a mountain, but a hill—the hill of Calvary. Each of us has our own Calvary hill to climb. We should never presume to have the strength to carry our cross by ourselves. We want to call on Jesus and Mary to help us carry the cross every step of the way! Life without Jesus and Mary can leave us sad, depressed, and even bitter. That is why we cry out to Mary… “Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope!”

Pilgrim People.  We are pilgrim people heading towards our eternal destiny. As we climb the mountain towards our eternal destiny—heaven, Mary can guide us, help us, encourage us, and comfort us. Spend some time now and talk to Mary about your past journey in life—both the smooth and the rocky paths. Talk to Mary about your present journey in life, what has changed. Now talk to Mary about your future journey, your future pilgrimage in life towards your eternal home—your hopes, your desires, possibly your fears.

Mary, Star of the Sea.  The great Marian Doctor of the Church, Saint Bernard, depicts this powerful image. A ship at sea is being assaulted by constant waves, the wind is beating mercilessly against the ship, and the waters are starting to enter the ship. There is a real danger of losing the ship, of the ship capsizing and eventually sinking. All of a sudden a beautiful Star breaks through the night clouds and glimmers forth. This Star seems to be pointing towards the shore. The captain, with great confidence, looks intently and deeply at the Star and decides to follow it. The storm begins to calm down, the winds abate, and the waves subside. With unspeakable peace and swiftness the ship arrives safely at the shore. The ship with its captain and crew are saved. Thanks to our Lady, the Star of the Sea!

In the midst of the tempests, storms, afflictions, trials, and temptations that are constantly present in our lives, we must lift our gaze to Our Lady, Star of the Sea. She will safely direct us to the port of salvation, to our eternal home which is heaven.

Mountain Top and the Shore.  Both the mountain top of the Transfiguration, as well as the shore, are symbolic of heavenly rest at the end of our journey. Jesus wants to walk with us, talk with us, be with us and accompany us the whole way. Our Lady also wants to keep us close to her on this perilous journey.

Distractions and Temptations.  It is all too easy to give up climbing a high and challenging mountain. It is all too easy to sink in the waves of our own sensuality and selfishness and give up the fight. For that reason, we want to call out to Mary, who will always lead us to Jesus. The devil has a mortal fear of Mary, even of her Holy Name. Why not in moments of temptation call upon the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary—they are our sure salvation!

The Transfiguration’s Many Messages. The mystery of the Transfiguration has many powerful and deeply spiritual messages. The one that we have chosen is friendship with Jesus and His Mother, Mary to arrive at our eternal destination, Heaven!

Ignatian Note. The Virgin that Saint Ignatius of Loyola had special devotion to was “La Madonna de la Strada”—literally translated: “Our Lady of the street”, loosely translated: “Our Lady of the way.” In the Jesuit Mother House in Rome this beautiful image can be found.

In concluding your climb and your sea-journey with Jesus and Mary, spend some closing moments opening up your heart to its very depths and talk to Mary. Tell her all that is going on in your life right now. Ask her to be with you always, every step along the way until you reach heaven. Always remembering that the quickest path to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is through the Immaculate Heart of Mary!

Saturday of the First Week of Lent

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

SATURDAY, March 12th    Mt. 5:43-48   “I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father.”

It is not easy to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. But there is someone who can obtain for us that grace and much more, Mary our life, our sweetness and our hope! Let us then obey Mary’s one request, pray the Rosary daily! (Our Lady of Fatima)

OUR LADY—UNDOER OF KNOTS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

One of the Marian devotions that is growing stronger is that of OUR LADY, UNDOER OF KNOTS. In fact, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, has devotion to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots.

BASIC CONCEPT.  The basic idea in this Marian devotion could not be more simple. All of us have had experiences in our lives where we were working with a thread, a string, or even a rope and we hit a snag: there was a knot in the thread, string, or rope. Consequently, we could not move forward until the knot was undone. Usually women have a knack for being able to untie those knots better than men—at least that is true in my case. Mom could untie and undo the knot in the thread quicker than I could! Our lives constantly involve knots of one kind or another. It is hard to go through a day without being entangled in some form of knot. If this knot is not undone, it becomes more entangled and difficult to undo. On the contrary, as soon as the knot is untied and undone, there is a real sense of relief; we can breathe more easily and peace is restored to our heart, mind, and soul.

Therefore, in this short chapter we would like to present some typical knots that many of us encounter in our daily walk of life. With the knowledge of these knots, we would invite all not to ignore the knots but try to untie them. However, do not try to untie the knots with your own hands and fingers; rather, place the knots in the hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the true Undoer of Knots, and trust that the knots will be undone and you will experience the peace that you are desiring so much in your life.

WHAT TYPES OF KNOTS???  Actually, what we term knots can come in any shape or form, and in any time, place, culture, or circumstance. This being said, we would like to mention just a few. However, it is our hope, that as we grow in knowledge, love, and devotion to Mary who is the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, as well as our loving Mother, we will start to form the habit of not staying knotted up in our lives, but rather go to Mary, Undoer of Knots, to unknot our complicated lives.

1. FAMILY KNOTS.  All of us struggle in our relationships in dealing with people on a daily basis, especially members of our own family. A cold relationship between a husband and wife, problems with alcoholism, past unfaithfulness, indifference in communication. These are thorny knots that we should bring to Our Lady and ask for her intercession. As Jesus turned water into wine at the Wedding Feast of Cana through Mary’s intercession, so through her intercession there can be a breakthrough in a family knot.

2. SON/DAUGHTER WITH PROBLEMS.  Most parents have some form of problem with one or more of their children. Well, instead of worrying and even giving into despair, why not give these children to Mary and beg Mary to help them with their struggles? Mary is Mother of the holy as well as the unholy; Mary is Mother of the obedient children as well as the Prodigal sons and daughters. Open up and tell Mary what is in your heart about these lost sheep of your flock. The Mother of the Good Shepherd will not abandon those sheep.

3. HEALTH ISSUES.  As a result of Original Sin, sooner or later something goes wrong with our health; the possible sicknesses and diseases are countless. However, it must be said that if we keep our problems to ourselves, especially with respect to our health, then interiorly we suffer more and can fall into depression. Why not give your whole self, and that includes your bodily ailments, to Mary, who is also known as Health of the Sick? On many occasions, Our Lady has interceded to heal incurable sicknesses and diseases—especially in Lourdes, France. Nonetheless, even if the sickness is not healed immediately or never healed, you will know that there is a loving and tender Mother at your side to console you, comfort you, and support you in the physical cross that you must bear. When Our Lady intervenes with her powerful maternal presence, the cross becomes much lighter. For that reason, we cry out to Mary as “Our life, our sweetness, and our hope.” (from the Hail Holy Queen prayer)

5. FEARS, UNCERTAINTIES, ANXIETIES.  In this world many, possibly even you, experience on a daily basis some form of fear, anxiety, doubt, uncertainty, stress, etc. These fears are like ghosts that come out of the closet to haunt us. If we do not come to terms with these often unreal ghosts, then we can go through life being almost paralyzed with unwarranted fears. This will prevent us from living our lives to the fullest extent possible, cultivating our talents, and growing on a human and a supernatural plane. A little child who is absorbed and inundated with fears runs to their Mother for safety and security. So should we run and seek refuge in Mary, our loving and tender Mother, as well as the UNDOER OF KNOTS!!!

In conclusion, we all have many knots in our family life, social life, professional life, moral life and life in general. Let us not keep these knots to ourselves, but rather let us place them in Mary’s hands and she will undo the knots, and as such we will experience the true freedom of the sons and daughters of God, and the true freedom of the sons and daughters of Mary, the true UNDOER OF KNOTS!!!

Friday of the First Week of Lent

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

FRIDAY, March 11th    Mt. 5:20-26   Verse Before the Gospel: “Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the Lord, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.”

Today, Fr. Ed shows us how to set our hearts on fire!

PRAYER SETS OUR HEARTS AFLAME WITH LOVE OF GOD By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

There is a three-dimensional technique to live out Lent fruitfully and efficaciously: go up, go in, and go out!!! Go up to God—through a deep prayer life! Go in to ourselves through penance and conversion from sin! Finally, go out to others by almsgiving or active charity.  “Whatsoever you do to others, you do to me”—the Lord Jesus Christ!

It is absolutely impossible to find any saint who did not only understand the value and importance of prayer, but also the dire urgency to put prayer into practice.

In sum, irrespective of time, place, culture, intellectual back-ground (or lack of it), social milieu—all of the saints know that without a deep, dynamic, and fervent prayer life they would be spiritual losers and moral disasters. If you like, what oxygen is to the lungs, so is prayer to the soul—the spiritual lungs! No air—suffocation! Likewise, no prayer—spiritual  asphyxiation.

Prayer is essential for all people in all places, as well as any season or time of the year. However, it must be asserted: Lent is a most propitious time for deepening our prayer life and giving quality time to implement the practice of prayer in our lives.

So as to encourage and motivate us to live a most fruitful Lent by means of growth in prayer, we will offer a  wide variety of saints and how they explain their own prayer experience in a few concise but penetrating strokes of the pen!

THE SAINTS ON THE POWERFUL PRESENCE OF PRAYER

1. “You go to pray to become a bonfire, a living flame, giving light and heat.” (Saint Josemaria Escriva). Jesus said that He came to cast fire on the earth and that He is not at peace until that fire be enkindled. Prayer indeed transforms us into fiery and explosive Spiritual furnaces. May our deep prayer lives set the hearts of the cold and indifferent on fire!

2. “Mental prayer is nothing else but being on terms of friendship with God, frequently conversing in secret with Him.” (Saint Teresa of Avila). Jesus called His Apostles friends and He desires most ardently your friendship and mine. Indeed, He is the Friend who will never fail us!

3. “Prayer is powerful beyond limits when we turn to the Immaculata who is Queen even of God’s heart.” (Saint Maximilian Kolbe) Praying to God through the Immaculate Heart of Mary is such a powerful prayer! Indeed, Jesus’ first miracle came about through the powerful intercession of Mary who said:  “Do whatever He tells you.”

4. “Do not worry over things that generate preoccupation and anxiety. One thing only is necessary: to lift up your spirit and love God. (Saint Padre Pio) If we want to conquer the temptation to worry, the true spirit of prayer can conquer all worries, preoccupations and fears.

5. “Do not worry over things that generate preoccupation and anxiety. One thing only is necessary: to lift up your spirit and love God.” (Saint Jane Frances Chantal) If we can gently but firmly unite our sufferings to the sufferings of Jesus on the cross in our personal prayer, then the mountains can be moved. Prayer, Patience in Suffering equals power before the throne of God.

6. The prayer of the sick person is his patience and his acceptance of his sickness for the love of Jesus Christ. Make sickness itself a prayer; for there is none more powerful, save martyrdom.” (Saint Frances de Sales) Suffering can make us better or bitter. If united with prayer, undoubtedly suffering makes a better, more holy, and more like Jesus in His Passion.

7. “Prayer is the place of refuge for every worry, a foundation for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against sadness.” (Saint John Chrysostom). In charity we owe it to others to avoid a glum appearance and to radiate joy. How? Cultivate a deep prayer life!

8. “Give me a person of prayer, and such a one will be able to accomplish anything.” (Saint Vincent de Paul) Great and noble enterprises can only be accomplished by giving all one’s efforts and works to God who indeed is omnipotent. Nothing is beyond the realm of God’s power!

9. “When you pass before a chapel and do not have time to stop for a while, tell your Guardian Angel to carry out your errand to Our Lord in the tabernacle. He will accomplish it and then still have time to catch up with you.” (Saint Bernadette Soubirous) We should never forget to walk and talk and converse often with our Guardian Angel. He will bolster up our prayer on the wings of God’s messengers!

10. “He who prays most, receives most.” (Saint Alphonsus Liguori) Many, many blessings we never receive—on a human and supernatural plane—for one reason: we do not ask/beg God for these gifts and blessings. Saint Augustine states: “We are all beggars before God.”

11. “Pray and work.” (Saint Benedict) Have no confusion: prayer is not our work! We must both pray and work. If our prayer is our work this translates into the heresy of Activism.

12. “The simple path.” (Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta) The fruit of silence is PRAYER; the fruit of prayer is FAITH; the fruit of faith is LOVE; the fruit of love is SERVICE; the fruit of service is PEACE. Goodness and virtue are linked together, but all through the superglue of prayer!

13. “Do nothing at all unless you begin with prayer.” (Saint Ephraem the Syrian) If we start our day with the Morning Offering giving all to Jesus through Mary, then the day will be imbued by God’s presence and blessing!

14. “A soul arms itself by prayer for all kinds of combat.” (Saint Faustina Kowalska). To follow Christ is to enter into spiritual combat. Our most powerful armor is that of prayer.  No prayer, we enter into combat without the smallest weapon and the battle undoubtedly is lost!

15. “Just as a mother holds her child’s face in her hands to cover it with kisses, so does God hold us.” (Saint John Vianney)

Hopefully all of us will take seriously the universal call to holiness; we are all called to become saints. The shortest, quickest, most efficacious path to holiness is by striving on a daily basis to grow in our prayer life. May Our Lady, the angels and the saints, by their prayers encourage us to undertake the most noble enterprise and pursuit of a deep prayer life. Our harvest ground will be rich in this life as well as the life to come!