The Seventh Day in the Octave of Christmas

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

FRIDAY, December 31st    Jn. 1: 1-18   “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

“The LIGHT OF CHRIST in the Gospels! Our daily holy hour on the Word of God—to know Christ, love Christ, follow Christ, and develop a deep abiding friendship with Christ.

The LIGHT OF CHRIST through the Church He established and the Sacraments: “I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Mt 16:18-19)

The LIGHT OF CHRIST through the Spiritual Exercises given to Saint Ignatius of Loyola by Our Blessed Mother Mary. Countless saints have been forged through their experience of the Spiritual Exercises. We ourselves can attest to this: there is our life before the Exercises, and our life after the Exercises!

The LIGHT OF CHRIST through Spiritual Reading! Our Spiritual Father, Saint Ignatius was converted through spiritual reading! Today, Father Ed helps us appreciate Spiritual Reading with the hope that we will give some time daily to this practice for our deeper conversion!

THE MARVELS OF THE PRACTICE OF SPIRITUAL READING! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

After being wounded in the now famous Battle of Pamplona, Ignatius, the future Saint Ignatius of Loyola, had a long time of convalescence; the recovery was indeed very slow and very painful.

An advantage that Ignatius had over many living in his time in the 16th Century was that he was literate—he could read; most people in his epoch could not. As a youth, his literary tastes left much to be desired in the realm of spiritual growth and the pursuit of sanctity. In truth, his literary flavor consisted basically of the Romance novels—worldly, somewhat superficial, sensual, and lacking any spiritual depth.

To while away the time, a relative did not give Ignatius the Romance novels to peruse that he requested, but the Lives of the Saints. At first resistant and turned off by this tenor of literature, Ignatius finally capitulated and succumbed to such reading.

Something extraordinary took place in his mind, his emotions, his heart and his soul—in a word, in his whole being! Heroes of God that they were, the saints totally captivated the interest of this wounded soldier. No longer would he be a soldier defending his country against foreign attacks; on the contrary, he would soon be ready to enlist in the army of Christ. The Eternal King would knock at the door of Ignatius’ heart; he would open the door and welcome such a King, and follow this King’s noble enterprises!

As Ignatius read the lives of the saints, a fire ignited and exploded in his heart. It was the working of the Holy Spirit. Enamored as he was by the most noble deeds of the saints, he wanted to imitate them. He thought and expressed himself as such: “If Dominic could do it, then so can I. If Francis could do it, then so can I. If Augustine could do it, then so can I.”

The initial stages of the gradual conversion of Saint Ignatius of Loyola took place while he was recovering from the serious wounds inflicted in the Battle of Pamplona—his intense suffering, but also the large blocks of silence that Ignatius experienced, moved him to read the lives of the saints—to reflect on them—and so turn a corner and start a new life. This new life meant to follow Christ in imitation of the Friends of Jesus—we call them the SAINTS!!!

These introductory remarks on the conversion of Saint Ignatius of Loyola can serve as a platform for all of us to dive into the immense ocean of graces that flow from the practice of SPIRITUAL READING.  Some even like to term this exercise as LECTIO DIVINA.

The remainder of the article will focus on the indispensable practice of Spiritual Reading as one of the most efficacious tools to help us on the Highway to holiness, the pathway to Heaven!

We hope and pray that these suggestions and advice can serve to motivate all of us to take seriously the practice of orderly, systematic and methodical Spiritual Reading.

1. SPIRITUAL DIRECTION.  If we take seriously our spiritual life and pursuit of holiness, we must have a trained Spiritual Director and have recourse to their expertise on a regular basis.

2. TOPICS FOR SPIRITUAL READING.  Then in the context of spiritual direction, with the aid of a good spiritual director, you can discern and come to the conclusion as to which books would be best for you at this specific time and juncture of your life.

3. CHOOSE THE BEST!  The late Spiritual Giant, writer, speaker, and Retreat Master, Father Thomas Dubay, made this assertion that can be of tremendous utility for us in our spiritual path towards holiness. “Busy people today have time to read only the best books!” I believe many of us can identify with this statement. Given that we may not have an excess of time on our hands, then we should choose the book that is best for us right now!

4. TEN OF THE CLASSICS.  There are classics in Spiritual Literature that all of us, sooner or later, should have contact with and read. There will be various opinions as to some of the greats, but I will mention the following: 1) The Bible—this should always be number one! 2) The Imitation of Christ by Kempis. 3) Confessions by Saint Augustine. 4) Introduction to the Devout Life by Saint Frances de Sales. 5) The Glories of Mary by Saint Alphonsus Liguori. 6) The Interior Castle, The Way of Perfection and Her Life—all by Saint Teresa of Avila. 7) The Spiritual Exercises by Saint Ignatius of Loyola. 8) The Documents of Vatican II (Translation, Austin Flannery).  9) The Divine Comedy by Dante. 10.) Catechism of the Catholic Church, Pope Saint John Paul II.  With the assistance of adequate spiritual direction these classics can be of incalculable value in learning our Catholic faith, loving our faith, and transmitting it to others.

5. FIND TIME AND A PLACE FOR YOUR READING.  We can have the greatest of classics in literature, however, if we do not set aside time for good solid reading, it is purposeless and useless! Books laying on a shelf or table will only collect dust, moths, mold and mildew. Better to have these books falling apart due to overuse! A friend of mine in my yearbook at Graduation penned this motto: “Better to wear out than rust out!”

6. FOLLOW A LECTIO DIVINA METHOD.  Picture SPIRITUAL READING as a true Spiritual Exercise. You might follow these steps as you do your spiritual reading: Lectio (Read attentively), Meditatio (Think on its meaning); Contemplatio (Imagine yourself present); Oracio (Spend some time in prayer—talk to the Lord about what you are reading.)

7. STOP AND RELISH THE TRUTH.  As you read, when some word, concept, or idea seems to jump out at you, stop and relish this idea. Quite possibly it is the Holy Spirit who is touching you, gently nudging you to stop, to reflect, and to absorb this spiritual gem and treasure.

8. UNDERLINE.  There is no legal prohibition to prevent you from underlining, high-lighting or marking an idea that seems to have really touched you. You might even write down in a journal or notebook the words, ideas, or concepts that jumped out at you most in your reading!

9. THE NUMEROUS FRUITS OF SYSTEMATIC SPIRITUAL READING.  The positive fruits of spiritual reading are plentiful. We will mention just a few so as to encourage all of us to undertake the most noble spiritual enterprise of spiritual reading.

1) DISCIPLINE.  By this habit of Spiritual Reading we are forming ourselves in discipline and conquering laziness.

2) PURIFICATION OF THE MIND.  Our mind can become filled with trash and Spiritual Reading serves to purify the mind of rubbish. What chlorine is to a swimming pool, so good spiritual reading can be to the mind.

3) KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH.  It could be that many of our ideas have become tainted with confused ideas over the decades. If so, Spiritual Reading can help cast out the confusion and fill our minds with light—the Light of the Truth. Jesus said: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” (Jn 14:6)

4) GIVE WHAT YOU HAVE.  It is so true that “we can’t give what we don’t have”. On the contrary, we can give what we have. As parents, it is an imperious obligation to be the Teachers of your children in the realm of the faith. By good Spiritual Reading, parents can carry out their obligation more efficiently and more efficaciously by what they continue to learn by good, solid spiritual reading.

5) CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER LIFE.  Another important aspect in our spiritual life is the following: good Spiritual Reading is the pasture ground for a deeper prayer life. A mind well-disposed by solid spiritual reading opens up the mind more fully to contemplative prayer.

6) OUR CONVERSATIONS.  Another positive fruit that flows from solid Spiritual Reading is that the thoughts we absorb and assimilate in spiritual reading will flow out into our conversations with others. 

7) JOY AND PEACE.  Given that such spiritual reading centers on cultivating a deeper relationship with God, the fruits of such a wonderful tree are both peace and joy. These wonderful fruits of the Holy Spirit—peace and joy—we will take with us wherever we go!

8) GOOD EXAMPLE.  Children, seeing Mom and Dad applying themselves to good and solid Spiritual Reading, will feel inspired to do the same. We have to preach the Word of God in two ways: by word and by example!

9) GOOD ACTIONS.  Good Spiritual Reading culminates in forming a good thought process. But also, how true this is: “The thought is the father of the deed.” Such reading will culminate in carrying out good actions and growing in holiness of life.

10) THE BEATITUDE:  “BLESSED ARE THE PURE OF HEART, THEY WILL SEE GOD.” (Mt 5:8) Spiritual Reading will produce in our minds a certain purity of our whole person, so that we will be able to see God more clearly in the events of our daily lives and one day in Heaven!

10. SHARE IT WITH OTHERS.  The great Saint Philip Neri formed the Oratorian priests. One of the practices of this great saint was for each person to read some spiritual text, then share it with the others in the group. Each person who shared was enriching the others! So it is with Spiritual Reading well-done, not only do we enrich ourselves, but also the many others with whom we come in contact. Jesus’ last words were: “Go out into the whole world and tell the Good News!!!” (Mk 16:5) The more we know about Jesus through solid Spiritual Reading, the more Good News we will be able to share with the whole world. May Our Lady who meditated in her Immaculate Heart help us to undertake the most noble, purifying and sanctifying practice of SPIRITUAL READING!!!

The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas

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

THURSDAY, December 30th    Lk 2:36-40    “The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.”

How can we continue to grow spiritually in strength and wisdom? Without a doubt, the life changing experience of the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola is at the top of the list!

For those who have taken Fr. Ed’s 10-Week Spiritual Exercises Program, after the strain, stress, and trials of the Pandemic, taking this program again is highly recommended to keep us centered and focused on our purpose in life and how to reach our ultimate goal—heaven! Every experience of the Spiritual Exercises is life changing in a different way because we are different! For those who have never taken Fr. Ed’s Program, it is a must!

Fr. Ed will be offering a 2022 Lenten Spiritual Exercises at St. Peter Chanel, as well as at St. Therese in Alhambra. With a weekly hour talk on the theme of the week and handouts for daily meditation. The following meditation is both anticipation and preparation!

SPIRITUAL GEMS THAT FLOW FROM THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES OF SAINT IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA. Receive them & live them!

One of the greatest spiritual gems and treasures that flows from the life of Saint Ignatius of Loyola is the Spiritual Exercises. The Foundation of the Society of Jesus, known as the Jesuits, their Constitutions, the Rules for Discernment, the almost 7 thousand letters written by Saint Ignatius—all of the above-mentioned—are treasures bequeathed to the Church by Saint Ignatius and represent a wealth of spirituality. However, many would agree that the Spiritual Exercises is the claim to fame and the greatest hallmark of the charism and contribution of Saint Ignatius of Loyola to the world.

DEFINITION: WHAT ARE THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISES?  How then might we define the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola? In the text itself of the Spiritual Exercises, actually Number One of the Annotations, Ignatius in his clear, concise language defines exactly what the Spiritual Exercises are.

“By the term ‘Spiritual Exercises’ is meant every method of examination of conscience, of meditation, of contemplation, of vocal and mental prayer, and of other spiritual activities that will be mentioned later. For just as taking a walk, journeying on foot, and running are bodily exercises, so we call Spiritual Exercises every way of preparing and disposing the soul to rid itself of all inordinate attachments, and, after their removal, of seeking and finding the will of God in the disposition of our life for the salvation of our soul.” (Spiritual Exercises #1, transl. Puhl, S.J.)

Off the bat in the text of the Spiritual Exercises composed by Saint Ignatius of Loyola, inspired by the Holy Spirit, we read a very substantial and clear definition, as well as explanation of the Spiritual Exercises.

As a means of encouragement for those who have done the Spiritual Exercises, whether it was the thirty day retreat, eight day retreat, or even Annotation 19 or 18, we would like to highlight many of the extraordinary graces that flow from the Exercises to hopefully move you to take them again and go deeper! As well as for those who have never had the grace and blessing to undertake and live out the Spiritual Exercises, it is our hope that you will make the dive into the infinite ocean of God’s blessings that are in store for you.

The following are some of the most enriching spiritual blessings that flow from the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. These Exercises have radically transformed lives of countless individuals, transforming tepid, lukewarm and mediocre individuals into fervent, fiery and zealous saints. A few examples: Saint Francis Xavier, Saint Peter Faber, Saint Peter Canisius, Saint Isaac Jogues, Saint John de Brebeuf, Saint Robert Bellarmine!

1. MEDITATION.  Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Saint Teresa of Avila, and Saint John of the Cross, to mention three, insist on the indispensable importance of learning the art of Meditation as a means to be detached from sin, overcome disordered attachments, and discover God’s will in one’s life. The Spiritual Exercises is a school in the art of meditation.

2. CONTEMPLATION.  Another form or mode of prayer is that of Contemplation. Differing from meditation, contemplation leads to us to union with God by means of training our imagination. The imagination can be used for good or bad. Ignatian Contemplation trains us to imagine ourselves present in the graphic scenes/mysteries of the Life of Christ. Jesus calms the storm; just so Jesus calms the storms in my life. The imagination and identification of our lives with the life of Christ results in imitation of Christ and eventually transformation. Such that with frequent and assiduous practice of contemplation, our goal is to say with Saint Paul: “It is no longer I who live but it is Christ who lives in me.” (Gal 2:20)

3. VOCAL PRAYER.  Any form of prayer that is done with humility, purity of intention and under the action of the Holy Spirit is pleasing to God. In Annotation # 1, Saint Ignatius states that vocal prayer is also a form of Spiritual Exercises. Parents should teach their children vocal prayers as soon as possible. A simple vocal prayer emanating from the heart and lips of an innocent child has great power before the throne of God. Also our own heart-felt vocal prayers!

4. INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS, TO LOVE HIM MORE ARDENTLY, AND FOLLOW HIM MORE CLOSELY.  Once we undertake the most noble Exercise of Prayer—vocal prayer, mental prayer/meditation, as well as contemplation, then miracles occur. One of the most sublime graces and miracle of grace is that we begin to know Jesus and to love Him ardently with a fervent desire to follow Him. Thus transformation takes place. Our interior fire becomes so ardent that we share Jesus with others. The dynamic and sequence is the following in our relationship with Jesus: knowledge generates love; love generates following; following generates a desire to make the lover known and loved by others. The net result is a real transformation: the lover (each of us) starts to imitate the Lover, and that Lover is Jesus the Lord!

5. EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE.  Those who have gone through the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola will eventually encounter the spiritual treasure of the Examination of Conscience. Pope Pius XII stated: “The sin of the century is the loss of the sense of sin.” The Exercises serve in helping us to examine our conscience in the light of the Holy Spirit and Magisterial Teaching. A once dulled, blurred, or deformed conscience becomes enlightened with the Moral Truths that are often not recognized or simply denied.

6. GENERAL CONFESSION.  What follows on the heels of the formation of one’s conscience is that of the meticulous but arduous Examination of Conscience culminating in the encounter with the Merciful Heart of Jesus, the Divine Physician, in the Sacrament of Confession. Finally, possibly after years and even decades, and poor catechesis, the Exercises help us to rewind our lives and see with great clarity God’s infinite mercy but also our profound moral misery. With the priestly absolution: “I absolve you of your sins, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”, a life-time load of sins are forgiven and washed clean by the Precious Blood of Jesus.

7. PEACE OF HEART, MIND AND SOUL.  Therefore, in being liberated from the slavery of sin, the clouds of sadness, and the bonds of the devil as a result of the Spiritual Exercises and the making of the General Confession, a profound peace enters and permeates the soul. This is a peace that perhaps one never experienced before!

8. DAILY EXAMEN.  Another superb blessing that flows from the dynamic of the Spiritual Exercises is the practice of the Daily Examen. Upon sending Saint Francis Xavier, one of the greatest missionaries who ever lived, off to India, Malaysia and eventually Japan, Ignatius insisted that Xavier should never neglect his Daily Examen. By this is meant, in a nutshell, to review our day, walking side by side with Jesus. As such, we see how God has been active in our lives with His countless blessings, but also our resistance to God’s graces and inspirations; then comes the proposal to be more faithful to God’s loving invitation to hear His call and follow Him!

9. APOSTOLIC ZEAL.  If indeed we carry out the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola diligently, we get to know Jesus, love Him ardently, and follow in His footsteps. In concrete this means that we love what Jesus loves. What does Jesus love most? Quite clearly: Jesus loves the salvation of immortal souls! In the Ignatian Contemplation, “The Call of the King”, we beg for the grace not to be deaf to the Call of the King. What does the King so ardently desire? One thing: the conversion and salvation of as many souls possible. The Exercises launch us to work ardently with Jesus to save souls. “Every individual soul has more value than the entire created universe.” (Saint Thomas Aquinas)

10. MARY: OUR GUIDE AND INSPIRATION.  According to tradition, after his conversion in Pamplona and his General Confession in the Marian Sanctuary in Montserrat, Spain, Saint Ignatius of Loyola had an encounter in the cave of Manresa that radically transformed his life! While undergoing much intense suffering, bouts of profound desolation and tortuous scrupulosity, Our Lady appeared to Ignatius. It was Mary who dictated to Ignatius the blueprint of the Spiritual Exercises. There is a painting well-known by the Oblates of the Virgin Mary of Venerable Bruno Lanteri (Founder of the Oblates) portraying Ignatius in the cave with Our Lady dictating to him, and Ignatius writing down the blueprint for the Spiritual Exercises. One of the titles that Saint Ignatius loved most in his devotion to Mary was “La Madonna de la Strada”—translated: “Our Lady of the Way”. In a word, the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola are impregnated and imbued with the Presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Indeed, Our Lady ardently desires to accompany us in our journey and pilgrimage in life to our eternal home—Heaven!

In conclusion, it is our most ardent desire that all of you who have had the opportunity to live out the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola will revisit this spiritual gold-mine because there are still many more precious gold nuggets and even diamonds to discover and make your own!

That being said, if it is such that you have never had the opportunity and blessing to live out, in one form or other, the Spiritual Exercises, perhaps now indeed is the time. If it were not for the powerful influence of the Spiritual Exercises quite possibly, we would not be honoring in the calendar these great saints—Frances Xavier, Pierre Favre, Isaac Jogues, Peter Canisius, Robert Bellarmine and so many other brilliant stars in the firmament of Heaven. Quite possibly God has a place for you as a future star in the firmament of heaven after you have experienced and lived out the marvelous fruits of the Spiritual Exercises, a higher place that likely you would never have reached on your own. Saint Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us!

The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas

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

WEDNESDAY, December 29th    Lk 2: 22-35    “Behold this child is destined for the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

There are two lessons immediately evident in today’s readings.

First: Mary’s redemptive suffering—all that Jesus suffered in His body, Mary suffered in her soul for our salvation!

Examine: Is our suffering redemptive? Do we change what we can, and accept what we cannot change offering it up for the salvation of immortal souls for all eternity??? Or do we waste our suffering, becoming angry, depressed and bitter?

Second: Jesus said at the Last Supper: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Jn 13:34-35)

Saint John writes in today’s Epistle: “Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him to cause a fall.” (1 Jn 2:9-10)

Examine: Do we love one another as Jesus as loved us, without exception???

Today’s let us meditate on the Christmas Week Saints who practiced redemptive suffering and love of others to the highest degree! Note: we did not celebrate Saint Stephen’s Feast Day this year because it fell on the Sunday after Christmas designated as the Feast Day of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. All the more reason to honor him in today’s meditation!

CHRISTMAS WEEK SAINTS—KNOW THEM AND LOVE THEM by Father Ed Broom, OMV

In the Octave of Christmas, in which we celebrate with great joy the birthday of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Church celebrates three important days of saints that we should get to know, love, and imitate in their sublime virtues. Remember the Universal Call to Holiness where Jesus states clearly and unequivocally: Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy. (Mt 5:48) This is not a conditional statement but rather an imperative, a command, a moral imperative for all of us to pursue a life of holiness. Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta expressed it in these words: “Holiness is not the privilege of the few, but the duty of all.”

Who then are these Christmas saints who challenge us to exit from a life of tepidity, mediocrity, and a half-hearted following of Jesus; who are the model for all saints? This essay will present for your admiration, imitation, and conversion three: Saint Stephen, Saint John the Evangelist, and finally a group of saints that the Church calls The Holy Innocents! We would like to offer you a brief summary of these bright stars who now shine brilliantly in the firmament of heaven—their eternal home and hopefully ours too!

SAINT STEPHEN.  His name means Crown. Ironically, his life ended in a way in which he was crowned, but not with a royal crown of gold, silver, or diamonds. His life was quickly brought to an end in which Saint Stephen was crowned with stones that crushed his skull, and his soul took flight to heaven.

WHERE TO BE FOUND?  We invite you to open up your Bible to the New Testament, to the book written by Saint Luke—the Acts of the Apostles. Turn to Chapter 6 and especially Chapter 7. Read, meditate, and pray over these two chapters and you will be in awe over this admirable person, the strength, wisdom, knowledge, courage, and eloquence of Saint Stephen, known as the Protomartyr—meaning, the first Christian martyr after the death of Jesus.

EXAMPLE OF SAINT STEPHEN.  Saint Stephen serves as a brilliant, practical, and wonderful model for us in our life’s circumstances here and now. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the saints serve as powerful intercessors before the throne of God and also serve as brilliant models for all of us to imitate. They are brilliant stars that shine in the firmament of heaven.  We are called to lift our gaze to heaven where God abides, but also where His best friends, the saints abide!  We would venture to present five virtues in the life of Stephen; may we crown our own lives with these spectacular virtues!

1. He was chosen to be ONE OF THE FIRST DEACONS in the Christian Church. The word Deacon means servant. Therefore, Saint Stephen put into practice the words of Jesus: The Son of man has not come to be served, but to serve and give His life in ransom for many.” (Mt 20:28) May good Saint Stephen motivate us to give our life as a holocaust of service to God and our brothers and sisters in need.

2. FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. The Bible presents Saint Stephen as being filled with the Holy Spirit. Indeed, our sanctity depends essentially on a deep and constant union with the Holy Spirit. Pope Saint John XXIII stated: The saints are the masterpieces of the Holy Spirit.

3. MASTER OF THE WORD OF GOD. Even though Saint Stephen was neither priest nor Bishop, he had a deep knowledge of the Word of God. He opens up his mouth and gives one of the most eloquent Biblical summaries of salvation history—found in Acts Chapter Seven! Most obviously this means that Saint Stephen meditated on the Word of God. He lived the words of Psalm 1:  The law of the Lord is their joy; God’s law they study day and night. They are like a tree planted near streams of water that yields its fruit in due season. Its leaves never wither; whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:2-3) May the life and person of Saint Stephen motivate us to meditate on the Word of God day and night; may the Word of God be a light and lantern for our steps.

4. COURAGE—FORTITUDE TO THE MAX! Saint Stephen had the courage to denounce forcefully the lies and hypocrisy of many of the religious leaders of his day. He would not remain silent when confronted with evil. His courage was sealed with the shedding of his young and innocent blood by stoning. Through the prayers and life of Saint Stephen may we be filled with zeal for the Truth, be ready and willing to defend the Truth, and if God wills, to even die for the Truth.

5. MERCY AND FORGIVENESS. As the stones descended upon Saint Stephen, crushing his skull, this great man of God forgave his persecutors in imitation of Jesus the Master. His last words were: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit… Lord, do not hold this sin against them. (Acts 7:59-60) May Saint Stephen’s prayers encourage us to be merciful, to be willing to pray for and forgive our enemies!

SAINT JOHN THE EVANGELIST.  Now we turn and lift our gaze to the shining firmament of heaven to view and admire one of the most brilliant stars glittering in the heavenly sphere. This is Saint John the Evangelist. His Feast day follows directly that of the great Saint Stephen—December 27.

WHERE TO BE FOUND?  Saint John the Evangelist can be found in the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, as well as to a limited degree in the Acts of the Apostles. Therefore, the best means by which we can get to know, love, admire, and pray to Saint John the Evangelist is through reading and meditating on the four Gospels, especially the Gospel of John! Bible commentaries are many, but it is best to go to the ultimate source—the Bible, the Gospels, the authentic Word of God!

MODEL OF HOLINESS.  As with Saint Stephen, we would like to present five of the most salient virtues of the great Apostle, Saint John the Evangelist. Hopefully, Saint John will become one of your dearest friends and help you on your journey and pilgrimage to heaven!

1. YES TO THE CALL. Jesus called John to follow Him, and John said YES to His call. First John spent an afternoon with Jesus (read John 1). Then after the miraculous catch of fish, Jesus said: “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mt 4:18-22) John left all to follow Jesus. Right now Jesus is calling you! What will be your response?

2. LOVE FOR JESUS: HIS SACRED HEART. At the Last Supper Saint John leaned on, rested on, and heard the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Therefore, pray to Saint John and he will lead you into the depths of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus, the ultimate source of love and holiness.

3. FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS. At the Last Supper Jesus said to the Apostles: “I do not call you servants, but friends.” (Jn 15:15) The twelve Apostles were the 12 closest friends of Jesus; however, there was an inner circle of intimate friends, just three: Peter, James, and John. Then there were the two best friends: Peter and John. And of the two, the best friend of Jesus was the Beloved disciple—Saint John the Evangelist! Beg fervently to this Best Friend of Jesus that you will understand, accept, cultivate, and cherish a deeper and deeper friendship with Jesus. Indeed, Jesus is the Friend who will never fail you!

4. FAITHFUL TILL THE END. On Calvary, at the foot of the cross, were to be found the three faithful friends, disciples, and lovers of the crucified Lord Jesus: The Blessed Virgin Mary (Mother of Sorrows); the penitent lover of Jesus, Saint Mary Magdalene; and the Beloved and faithful disciple and Apostle, Saint John the Evangelist. These three great friends of Jesus will help us to be faithful followers of Jesus—not just fair weather friends!

5. SPIRITUAL SON OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. Finally, and of paramount importance, is the deep relationship Saint John had with the Blessed Virgin Mary. As Jesus hung in agony on the cross shedding every drop of His Precious Blood, He uttered these words to His Mother Mary and to John the Evangelist: Woman behold thy son; son behold thy Mother. Then the Beloved disciple took her into his home. (Jn. 19) Saint John became the spiritual son of Mary, and from this moment, as the Church teaches, all of us were seen in John to be the sons and daughters of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Indeed, Our Lady is the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and the Mother of each and every one of us, in the person of Saint John, and Mary’s entrustment to him!

THE HOLY INNOCENTS. Finally, we arrive at a group of saints that the Church has termed as The Holy Innocents. This group of little children can be found in the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter Two, verses 16 to 18! 

CONTEXT OF THESE SAINTS: THE HOLY INNOCENTS. Fearful, insecure, nervous, anxious, jealous, and bitter, the wicked King Herod decided with a determined determination to eliminate anybody or any group of individuals who might jeopardize his comfortable and luxurious Kingship. When the Magi departed, Herod sent his soldiers to massacre every male child two years and younger in Bethlehem and all that region so as to secure his sovereignty and dominion.

THE MASSACRE.  This resulted in the massacre of many little baby boys two years and younger. Saint Joseph, warned in a dream by an angel, rose in the middle of the night and with Mary and the Infant Jesus fled to Egypt until the death of the wicked King Herod. 

LESSONS FROM THE DEATH OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS.  Various lessons can be gleaned from the death of these Holy Innocents.

1. We are all called to live a LIFE OF INNOCENCE—to avoid sin, to flee from sin, to perceive sin as our mortal enemy number one!

2. INNOCENCE RESTORED. The Sacrament of Baptism communicates innocence to our soul, but it is lost through personal sin. Innocence can be restored by sincere repentance, and a sacramental confession.

3. MURDER OF THE INNOCENT BABIES. The gravest moral tragedy over the past several decades is that of abortion. Indeed, this is the murder of innocent babies who have no means by which to defend themselves. It is incumbent upon us all, as a group as well as individually, to pray, to fast, and to protest against the slaughter of the Holy Innocents today—that is to say, the babies whose lives are in danger of being massacred through the abominable crime and sin of abortion!

4. VOTING RECORDS AND THE HOLY INNOCENTS. It is our moral and civil duty to vote when the occasion presents itself! We should always take into account as our basic criteria for voting what is termed the non-negotiables! When we say non-negotiable we mean that these are always intrinsically evil and in no time, culture, or circumstance can these be accepted—personally, communally, governmentally, or universally! This is to say, that our choice of candidates must be motivated first and foremost by these non-negotiables, which are:  Abortion—the killing of the Holy Innocents; Contraception—the wrong way to avoid having children; Euthanasia, the killing of the elderly and infirm (assisted-suicide); Embryonic experimentation (very much akin to abortion); and finally, the acceptance and promotion of homosexuality—which militates against the primary and basic foundation of society, the family. May our future voting be motivated by being the voice of the Holy Innocents who have no voice of their own!

5. OUR OWN DEATHS IN GRACE—INNOCENCE! Saint Alphonsus Liguori states that the grace of all graces is the grace to die in the state of grace! May our meditation on and prayer to the Holy Innocents this Christmas Season be a strong motivation for us to appreciate God’s grace that brings us back to innocence from sin—so we can live in grace and die innocent of mortal sin. If done, heaven will be our eternal reward and we will be called to praise the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit with Saint Stephen, Saint John the Evangelist, the Holy Innocents, and all of God’s angels and saints for ever and ever. Amen!

Feast of the Holy Innocents, martyrs

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

TUESDAY, December 28th    Mt 2:13-18    FEAST OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS

“A voice was heard in Rama, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more.”

Part 1: The Holy Innocents by St. Quodvultdeus

Part 2: LIVING OUT THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PART 1: The Holy Innocents… from a Sermon by St. Quodvultdeus (+450, St. Augustine was his spiritual teacher.)

The children die for Christ, though they do not know it. The parents mourn for the death of Martyrs. The Christ Child makes of those as yet unable to speak fit witnesses to Himself. See the kind of kingdom that is His, coming as He did in order to be this kind of King. See how the Deliverer is already working deliverance, the Savior already working salvation. But you, Herod, do not know this and are disturbed and furious. While you vent your fury against the Christ Child, you are already paying Him homage, and do not know it. 

How great a gift of grace is here! To what merits of their own do the children owe this kind of victory? They cannot speak, yet they bear witness to Christ. They cannot use their limbs to engage in battle, yet already they bear off the Palm of Victory.

REFLECTION: There is no Christmas without the cross. The shadow of the cross falls over the manger where the new-born Savior lies. The Holy Innocents wave their Palms of Victory to greet Him! The blood of these infant martyrs anticipates the Victory of the Cross that will give meaning to all martyrdoms.

The Mass is the un-bloody re-presentation of Calvary, renewing all the graces that flowed from Calvary in every Mass! Graces necessary for our salvation and the salvation of all those for whom we suffer and pray!

PART 2: LIVING OUT THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

One of the most clear, interesting, and exciting explanations of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is presented in the movie: THE GREATEST MIRACLE. Relatively short—only about 70 minutes, filmed in Claymation with attractive scenes, melodious, joyful and uplifting music, and a powerful message—all Catholics should view it!

Even though of the greatest simplicity, this dynamic cinema masterpiece addresses and responds to one of the most important philosophical and theological questions and yearnings: the universal call to happiness. How true, in all persons, in all times, all places, and all circumstances, there is a great desire to be happy.

We will never meet someone who will say point blank: “Well today is Monday, it is my day to be sad, but then Tuesday, I will go back to being happy!” Absurd! In all times and places, all of us want to attain a state of happiness, and especially, though many do not realize it, eternal happiness in Heaven.

Addressing the topic of happiness and its contrary, the movie THE GREATEST MIRACLE manifests how three individuals move from a state of sadness and desolation to a state of exuberant joy and consolation. The transformation is both profound and rapid.

The three major protagonists of the movie, two widows and a bus-driver with a son dying of terminal cancer, move on with life without any set goal until they meet up with their Guardian Angel. This inconspicuous friend of God (the Guardian Angel) knows exactly where and how this sadness can be transformed into radiant joy. Quite simply: Holy Mass, Holy Communion, and living out the Mass as an offering to God.

In the middle of the movie, the Guardian Angel makes a very poignant comment as he watches a couple come in late for Holy Mass, distracted and not paying attention. In essence, the Angel says that this couple—as well as many people—get little out of Mass because they do not pay attention to Holy Mass. They do not really participate in Holy Mass.

Holy Mass has Infinite Value; indeed, it is THE GREATEST MIRACLE! However, Sacramental Theology teaches with penetrating clarity that the graces one receives are in direct proportion to the disposition of one’s soul. This is called the Theology of Dispositive Grace. In a word, the better the preparation and the more active and intense the participation, the more abundant the graces from God, the Author of all graces. The Dogmatic Constitution from the Documents of Vatican II states unequivocally that in Mass the laity should strive to participate fully, actively, and consciously.

PRIESTHOOD. Vatican II also points out the two forms of the priesthood: the Ministerial priesthood—that is to say, the man who has received the Sacrament of Holy Orders; then the Common priesthood of the faithful—every baptized Catholic.

OFFERTORY AND HOLY MASS. One of the most important manners in which the laity can live out their Common priesthood is in living out Holy Mass by participating to the max in this greatest of all prayers—the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

OUR GUARDIAN ANGEL AND THE OFFERTORY.  In the movie THE GREATEST MIRACLE, the Guardian Angels insists that everybody should participate in Holy Mass by making their own personal offerings. True, the Parish priest may have a specific offering/intention for that Mass. However, that does not exclude private intentions. You can offer as many intentions as your heart desires.

Therefore, we would like to help all to derive more abundant fruit from every Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The remaining part of our conversation will be to offer various suggestions to motivate all of us make a concerted effort to live out to the max the Holy Mass by living out the Offertory. By this we mean, before Mass make sure that you offer your own intention, or better said, your own many intentions! The more intentions you bring to God, the happier God is. As expressed in the Diary of Saint Faustina: “Ask with BOLD CONFIDENCE!!!” Jesus Himself ordered us: “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened.”(Mt 7:7) Your intentions can be as many and as varied as your imagination can dream of!

INTENTIONS TO BRING TO THE HOLY MASS

1. THE SOULS IN PURGATORY.  These poor, suffering souls are saved because they died in the state of sanctifying grace, though still needing purification. The Book of Revelation speaks clearly that nothing impure can enter the Kingdom of God. The movie THE GREATEST MIRACLE has a scene where the elderly widow Dona Cata, a very pure soul, receives Holy Communion, and her Guardian Angel descends into Purgatory and brings a soul detained there to Heaven. The souls in Purgatory yearn for the Precious Blood of Jesus to wash away their sins so that they can take flight to Heaven. We can never go wrong by praying for the souls in Purgatory, especially in Holy Mass! It is a huge act of charity!

2. CONVERSION OF FAMILY MEMBERS.  All of us are surrounded by family members who are heading in the wrong direction, and some of them at an accelerated and alarming pace. Some might be very close to the precipice, ready to plunge into the eternal flames of hell. This being the sad state of affairs, offer your Mass and Holy Communion for their conversion, for love of God, and for their eternal salvation. Many of your family members depend upon your Masses and Holy Communions to be saved!

3. CONVERSION OF DEATH-BED SINNERS.  Of even greater importance in the offering of your Mass and Holy Communion is to pray for those who are on their deathbed about to leave this world and go before the judgment seat of God. Once again, in the Diary of Saint Faustina, Jesus insists that prayers be offered in a most special way for the dying in order to help them overcome desolation, and even more important, to renounce mortal sin. In this most critical time of their life, special graces are exceedingly necessary. No more abundant graces flow through the Sacred Heart of Jesus than when He is offered to the Eternal Father in Holy Mass!

4. VOCATIONS TO THE PRIESTHOOD AND RELIGIOUS LIFE.  On one occasion Jesus, looking out at people who were like sheep without a Shepherd, expressed with a heavy heart: “The harvest is rich, but the laborers are few. Beg the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers.” (Mt 9:37-38) Therefore, a very important intention for which you can offer your Mass participation would be that of praying for vocations, and most important, holy vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. How true: the harvest is rich but the laborers all too few!

5. THE SANCTIFICATION OF THE PRIESTHOOD AND RELIGIOUS LIFE.  A sequel or follow up to the fervent intention offered for future vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life should be the offering of Mass and Holy Communion for priests and Religious already ordained and/or consecrated. How important it is to pray for the perseverance of both priests and Religious. Even more, we must pray that priests, Bishops and Religious strive to become great saints. Many souls depend upon the holiness of both priests and Religious, your own soul included!

6. IN REPARATION FOR THE VAST DELUGE OF SINS.  Our Lady of Fatima, through the Guardian Angel, invited the three little Shepherd children, Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta to receive Holy Communion, but in particular a Communion of Reparation for the many sins that offend God so much. There is no more powerful and efficacious means to offer due reparation to God then by the offering of His Son, Jesus, the spotless Victim on the altar in reparation for the many sins of the world, a real deluge of sins.

7. YOUR OWN PERSONAL SINS.  On a personal note, we all have our own personal moral failures; we call these personal sins. By far there is no more efficacious means by which we can offer due reparation for our own sins than by offering our Mass and Holy Communion. Indeed, one Mass and Holy Communion is sufficient to repair for all of the sins of the world, and that includes our own many failures. “Eternal Father, I offer you the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of your only begotten Son in atonement for my sins and those of the whole world.” What a great penance this would be from the priest to a penitent to repair for their many sins! Why not make every Mass a Mass of reparation for your sins!

8. A PERSONAL HEART-TRANSPLANT.  As a result of Original Sin, as well as personal sin, we all struggle with our own sinfulness, our own bad habits, our own Kryptonite (our major weakness). In all truth, until the Lord calls us from this life to the next, our life is a struggle between the flesh and the spirit, good and bad, darkness and light that are waging fierce battles within our soul. If we wage this battle wielding our own natural resources, then we are definitely doomed to die spiritually. As Jesus reminds us: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mt 26:40) However, if we rely upon the Lord and His sanctity then the victory is ours because it is the Lord’s. “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.” (Ps 124:8) Essential to victory is this point, when we attend Holy Mass and receive Holy Communion in all truth we receive the Total Christ (Saint Augustine)—His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—including His Sacred Heart in which all the virtues are present in the highest degree. Such that with every Mass and every Holy Communion, we can beg the Lord to fill us with all the virtues, but especially the virtue that we need most! Patience, obedience, meekness, purity, kindness, fortitude, mortification, faith, trust, burning love, intelligence, prayerfulness and many more are all virtues present in every Holy Communion because we truly receive the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Sacred Heart of Jesus in Holy Communion is a burning furnace of charity that desires so much to consume all that is ignoble and sinful within us. Our goal in life should be that expressed by Saint Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal 2:20)

9. PRAYERS, SUPPLICATIONS, PETITIONS, INTERCESSIONS IN GENERAL… What the world needs now more than ever is prayer and especially Eucharistic prayer-warriors. As we prepare for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we can place on the altar the many prayer intentions that are related to international affairs, national affairs, Church affairs, local Church affairs, family matters and problems, the many relatives and friends who have asked for our prayers, the pandemic, the sick, the suffering, the poor, the lonely and abandoned, and once again the dying. All should be prayed for with the perspective of God’s holy will—the salvation of souls and the reality of eternity. In other words, the intentions that we can deposit on the altar, on the paten and the chalice of the priest, have no limits! Indeed, God is very pleased when like little children, we constantly beg for what we, as well as our world, desperately need.

10. THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF MARY IN THE MASS AND OFFERTORY. In the fourth Joyful Mystery, we contemplate Mary offering Jesus in the Temple. Simeon takes the Divine Child in His arms and praises and thanks God. He also makes a prophecy of the future suffering of both Jesus and Mary. Jesus will be a sign of contradiction; Mary, for her part, will have her Heart pierced by a sharp sword. Our Mass offerings and intentions will be all the more efficacious if presented through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Often the saintly Mother Teresa of Calcutta would prepare for Holy Communion by asking Mary to lend her Immaculate Heart to Mother Teresa so that she could love Jesus with Mary’s own Heart. Saint Louis de Montfort and many other saints agree that Mary is the shortest, quickest, and most efficacious path to Jesus. Therefore, place all your many Mass intentions in the hands of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and ask her to place them on the altar. The results will be extraordinary! 

In conclusion, my friends in Jesus and Mary, let us humbly beg for the grace to live out the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with the best disposition possible. Before Mass let us always make our own special intentions. Let us not be timid or fearful in our offerings. Quite the contrary, let us offer as many intentions as possible and ask with bold confidence as we place them on the altar. How pleasing this is to God! And never forget to go to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Holy Communion through the most pure and holy Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist

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

MONDAY, December 27th    Jn 20: 1a, 2-8    FEAST OF SAINT JOHN, APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST

Saint John was the beloved disciple who reclined his head on the Heart of Jesus at the last Supper. In today’s Gospel, Simon Peter and John ran to the tomb. John arrived first, but deferred to Peter, and entered the tomb after Peter. And John saw and believed.  

The Apostles were the first priests of the Catholic Church! The continuity of the priesthood has continued for over 2,000 years. Consider this: No priests, no Mass. No Mass, no consecration. No consecration, no Eucharist. No Eucharist, no Holy Communion. No Holy Communion, we are orphans!

To appreciate the Ministerial Priesthood more fully, let us meditate on Fr. Ed’s description of this awe-inspiring vocation! Then let us pray earnestly for priests to live up to their august calling!

Finally, let us be challenged as baptized Catholics to live up to our calling to the common priesthood of the faithful! How? By reading carefully the fifteen counsels Fr. Ed insists upon for holiness in priests, and striving with God’s grace to carry them out in our lives!

POTENTIAL POWER IN PRIESTLY PATERNITY by Father Ed Broom, OMV

“Man of God”,  “Man for others”,  “Alter-Christus”, “Jesus Christ on earth”, “The Victim who offers the VICTIM” (Ven. Archbishop Fulton Sheen), “Ambassador of Christ” (Saint Paul), these are just some of the definitions for the person of the priest. In these tempestuous, revolutionary, tumultuous, and critical times, it is indispensable that we do all that we can to bolster the Church by supporting priests to the very maximum of our capacity. True, priests have failed and scandalized men; still, there are many hard-working, humble, prayerful, zealous, fervent, and holy priests. We should do all that we can to support priests in their pursuit of holiness and in their daily pursuit of attaining perfection in charity—a more noble love for God manifested in zeal and love for the salvation of the sheep entrusted to their care.

What then are the means or tools that priests must take in their hands to live out their priesthood, their spiritual paternity, to the greatest potential they have at their disposition? We would like to offer these suggestions, advice, and counsel for priests, seminarians, Deacons, as well as the future priests that God already has in His Heart from all eternity. You might call these the BIG FIFTEEN that a priest should strive to understand and to live out so that he can respond to the most noble calling or vocation that has been assigned to him by Jesus, the Model for all priests!

THE BIG FIFTEEN FOR LIVING OUT HOLINESS AS THE PRIEST—THE MAN OF GOD AND THE MAN FOR OTHERS

1. FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS: THEIR BEST OF ALL FRIENDS.  At the Last Supper where Jesus instituted both the most Holy Eucharist as well as Holy Orders, the Priesthood, in the long and most inspiring Last Supper Discourse (Jn 13-17), Jesus called the Apostles FRIENDS, YES, FRIENDS!!! Today more than ever, a priest must be firmly convinced that Jesus has called him to friendship with Him. Moreover, this Friendship with Jesus must be dynamic—that is to say, it must be constantly growing, on the upswing, ascending on high. There is a basic principle in spirituality: there is no static state; either there is growth or stagnation. Therefore, a priest must strive on a daily basis to do all that is within his power to grow in Friendship with Jesus.

2. MERCY.  Some lay people, being simple and possibly naïve, believe that the priest confesses others in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but the priest himself does not need to go to confession. Nothing could be further from the truth! The Letter to the Hebrews expresses this with great concision and truth: “Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset with weakness and so for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people.” (Heb 5: 1-3) Being part of sinful humanity due to Original Sin and personal sin, a priest must make a habit of frequent, fervent, and well-prepared confessions to another priest. By the way, even the Pope has to go to confession to another priest who of course represents Christ. In fact, one of the secrets of a priest being a good Confessor is that he must first of all be a good penitent himself and experience the Infinite Mercy of the Sacred Heart of Jesus! The priest must also experience the loving and merciful embrace of God the Father (the Parable of the Prodigal Son) before he can administer God’s love and mercy to his own penitents. Having experienced the love and mercy of the Father and the Infinite Mercy of Jesus by himself being pardoned and forgiven, the priest can administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation with greater mercy, love, and efficaciousness!

3. FRIENDSHIP THROUGH PRAYER.  At the end of his life, after he retired from his Episcopal exercise of being Bishop of Rochester, New York, Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, this great man of God and model for priests and Bishops, decided to dedicate his last years and last days to the mission of greatest importance—that of giving retreats to both priests and Bishops. In these retreats, which can be listened to on-line, this holy man of God made one concrete proposal that he insisted all priests and Bishops carry out with faithfulness—THE DAILY HOLY HOUR. In his long years of priesthood and as a Bishop, Fulton Sheen asserted that he never missed making his daily Holy Hour in over 55 years!

4. PLACE OF HONOR AND PRIVILEGE FOR HIS HOLY HOUR.  Fulton Sheen strongly recommended that this Holy Hour, that he called The Hour of Power, should be made in front of the most Blessed Sacrament, that is to say, before the Real Presence of Jesus in the Consecrated Host. How true is the maxim: “You become like those with whom you associate!” Indeed, if the priest spends time daily in front of Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, he will start to imitate and become more and more like Jesus, the High-Priest.

5. CONVERSION OF THE PRIEST.  Like all, the priest must labor strenuously at his own personal conversion. As a follow up to the Holy Hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament, Sheen asserted that if a priest is faithful to the daily Holy Hour, Jesus will help him grow in holiness. If a priest is faithful to the Holy Hour, but he is living in sin, Jesus will help him to conquer sin. If a priest is mediocre, tepid, lukewarm, then Jesus will set his heart on fire. If a priest is good, then he will go from good to better. Finally, if a priest is fervent, the Eucharistic Presence of Jesus whom he meets as Friend and Model will inspire this priest to arrive at the heights of holiness; in other words, to ardently desire to become a saint!

6. THE PRIEST AND HOLY MASS.  As a follow up, or even extension of the commitment the priest makes to carry out the daily Holy Hour, is the primary importance of the priest carrying out the greatest action under the sun—the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass! Not the Prophets of old, not the Archangels, not the Cherubim and Seraphim, not even the Blessed Virgin Mary have the power to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass! Only the man who has been ordained to the priesthood has the capacity, through Holy Orders, to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Only the priest can bring Jesus from Heaven to earth. Only the priest can introduce Jesus into the hearts of the faithful as a result of the consecration in Mass and Holy Communion. How sublime is the priest who in the Holy Mass acts like a bridge, like a rainbow, uniting Heaven to earth! Priests should be encouraged to view a brief YouTube of Saint Padre Pio celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. What faith, love, devotion, and awe were demonstrated by this saintly priest when carrying out his most important mission—the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!

7. SAINT ALPHONSUS’ ADVICE.  It is not always possible to carry out to the letter of the law this advice of the saintly priest, Bishop, prolific writer, and Founder, Saint Alphonsus Maria Liguori with respect to the Mass. His advice is sublime, but challenging! Saint Alphonsus suggests that the priest spend at least half an hour in preparation for Holy Mass and then half an hour in thanksgiving after Holy Mass!!! The contemplative Maronite priest, canonized by Pope Saint Paul VI, Saint Charbel Maklouf asked permission of his local Superior to celebrate Mass at 12 noon. The reason for this specific noonday choice was for this purpose related to the suggestion of Saint Alphonsus. Saint Charbel wanted to spend the whole morning in preparation for Holy Mass; then he wanted to spend the whole afternoon and evening in thanksgiving for the Mass that he celebrated. In a word, this holy, saintly, contemplative priest-monk wanted the whole of his life to be centered and focused on Jesus in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. As the sun pours forth rays of light and heat over the earth at midday, so Jesus, the Light of the world, desires through the priest celebrating Holy Mass to pour light into our minds and the fire of love into our souls. May the words and advice of these two canonized saints motivate priests at least to spend some time in preparation for the Holy Mass, and sometime after rendering thanks to Jesus for the greatest of all Gifts—God Himself in Holy Mass! It is no exaggeration to say that all of eternity would not be sufficient to prepare for one Holy Mass, nor all of eternity sufficient to give thanks for one Mass! The word EUCHARIST actually means THANKSGIVING. May the prayers of the Psalmist echo in the depths of our hearts: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.” (Ps 136: 1)

8. PERMANENT FORMATION.  Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers and Professors, Engineers, Professional Athletes, Architects—all have this in common: the dire and urgent need for an ongoing process of formation. If you like, the indispensable need for PERMANENT FORMATION!!! A baseball player who does not perform drops down to Minor League ball until he improves his act and performance. In a parallel but very real sense, a priest, as well as a Bishop, must make a concerted effort to work on his own PERMANENT FORMATION. The saying rings true universally: WORK IN PROGRESS! All of us are a work in progress. This also applies to the personal growth and development of the priest. Ongoing formation can be carried out through conferences, seminars, Biblical studies, and at times even Sabbatical years to recharge one’s spiritual, intellectual, cultural, and physical batteries!

9. SPIRITUAL DIRECTION.  All of us, even though we do not like to admit it, have blind spots in our lives. Others see certain areas for growth, certain defects we have, or even virtues that we have, while we can easily become blind to them. Lay people who are sincerely pursuing a life of perfection in the pursuit of holiness, urgently need a well-trained spiritual director. Even more does this apply to the person of the priest! As a priest, blind spots can be many. However, the essence of spiritual direction is not simply to point out or highlight blind spots, but rather to help the priest grow in his spiritual life. To be blunt and to the point, one of the essential hallmarks of good spiritual direction is to help the person who is being directed to grow deeper in their prayer life, to grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus who must be their BEST FRIEND! (We have circled around to the first point or number of this essay!) Saint John of the Cross, Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint Frances de Sales, Saint Faustina, Saint Margaret Mary Alaqoque, and many other saints trumpeted the importance of spiritual direction. May all priests of the world have recourse to periodic spiritual direction as a step on the Highway to Holiness and perfection!

10. IN DEFENSE OF THE VIRTUE OF PURITY/CHASTITY.  In the Sermon on the Mount, one of the Beatitudes that Jesus taught highlights the importance of purity: “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God.” (Mt 5: 8) Due to the immoral climate or milieu of the modern world, all people, but in a special way, the priest who is consecrated to God in mind, spirit, body and soul must make a concerted effort to guard his mind, his eyes, his heart, his body, and his whole being. Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary and her most pure and Immaculate Heart is without doubt one of the most powerful and efficacious means to attain protection of the virtue of purity, and perseverance in such a challenging but important virtue! May all priests be consecrated to the purest Immaculate Heart of Mary!

11. PRAYER AND PENANCE, POWER IN PRIESTLY PERFORMANCE!  Jesus asserted: “Some devils can be cast out only by prayer and penance.” (Mt 17: 21) As has been stated, a priest must be a man of prayer. The Daily Holy Hour is a prime example. However, that is not enough. To conquer the devil, the flesh, and the world in his own life, a priest must apply himself to a life of penance, to an ascetical life, to a life of mortification, to a life of self-denial. In the year of the Priesthood in the Pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI, this holy Pontiff took and named as a model for priests, Saint John Marie Vianney, known as the Saint Cure of Ars. It is very difficult to find a more holy, zealous, prayerful, but also penitential priest than this true man of God, this saint!

12. ZEAL FOR SOULS.  Another characteristic note or virtue of the priest. The true man of God should have an ardent zeal and passion for the salvation of Immortal Souls. Saint Thomas Aquinas stated that one soul is worth more than the whole created universe. The motto of the holy and zealous priest, Saint John Bosco, was: “GIVE ME SOULS AND TAKE ALL THE REST AWAY!” It stands to reason that if the priest has a deep and dynamic relationship with Jesus as his Best Friend, then the priest should love what Jesus loves and that is the salvation of Immortal Souls. In fact, the reason for Jesus’s Incarnation, Passion, Death and Resurrection was precisely this: SAVIOR—TO SAVE SOULS FOR ALL ETERNITY!

13. DAILY EXAMEN.  Saint Ignatius of Loyola, in bequeathing to the world so many spiritual gems, so many spiritual practices, left us what is called THE DAILY EXAMEN. There are five steps: 1) Thanksgiving to God for His abundant blessings; 2) Beg for the grace to review the day objectively; 3) See where your heart has been during the course of the day; 4) Humbly admit failures; 5) Renewal/Proposal for the following day as a result of self-knowledge so as to avoid falling into failures of the past. If a priest can carry out this practice every day for ten minutes, this will be of immense value for him to be aware of the Presence of God, as well as of the enemy. He will be training himself to recognize and reject the temptations of the enemy, and open his heart to the inspirations of the Good Spirit.

14. CULTIVATION OF THE SPIRIT OF JOY IN THE PRIESTLY HEART.  Pope Francis time and time again has insisted upon the prime importance of cultivating joy and living out joy in bringing the Joy of the Gospel to a broken and wounded world. Indeed, if the priest is firmly convinced of His friendship with Jesus, if the priest is deeply rooted in his relationship with Jesus, then necessarily in the depths of his heart he will experience the fruits of the Holy Spirit, most especially a profound peace, as well as an overflowing joy. Saint Paul exhorts us: “Rejoice in the Lord; I say it again, rejoice in the Lord.” (Phil 4: 4)

15. MARY: THE MOTHER OF GOD, THE MOTHER OF THE CHURCH, AND THE MOTHER OF THE PRIESTS.  Underneath the cross on Good Friday stood the two greatest lovers of Jesus on earth—the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint John the Evangelist, also known as Saint John the Beloved. This Apostle, who leaned on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was indeed Jesus’ Best Friend. However, Jesus pronounced these words from the cross to Saint John and to all the priests of the world until the end of time: “Woman, behold thy son; son, behold thy Mother. From that moment the beloved disciple took Mary into his home.” (Jn 19: 26-27) Taking Mary into the home of John means for the priest that he must take Mary into the very depths of his heart. The priest must frequently talk to Mary about all that is going on in his life, his heart, his work, his joys and sorrows, his victories and failures, his fears and shadows, his desires, aspirations, and dreams. Like Saint John, the Blessed Mother, who always leads the priest to Jesus, must be for the priest his Mother of Mercy, his life, his sweetness, and his hope!