Thursday of the Third Week in Advent

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

THURSDAY, Dec. 16th   Lk. 7: 24-30   “I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John; yet the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.”

It is encouraging to think that in heaven we will be perfected, and that the least of us will be greater than John the Baptist in his earthly life! Though now, certainly he is one of the brightest stars in the firmament of heaven.

However, we have not arrived yet, and we sometimes experience discouragement. Weighed down by daily responsibilities and trials, new strains of Covid looming over us, thoughts of loved ones who have passed on and will not be with us this Christmas, as well as a keen awareness of our faults, failings and limitations seen through the lens of Advent—a time of reform and renewal for the coming of the Christ Child!

Fr. Ed in today’s meditation identifies desolation and discouragement, and the means to conquer them!    

CONQUER DISCOURAGEMENT: USE OF BIBLE VERSES

Our interior state can be compared to the weather changes that change, modify, and vary constantly. One day, you awake and there is sunshine streaming through your window pane; the birds are singing joyful songs of praise; the fragrance of spring flowers penetrates and permeates wherever you go; the blue sky and gentle breeze lift your heart; still more: everybody seems to have a winning smile radiating from their countenance. Seems to be the Portal of Heaven.

Then the following day presents to you, in marked contrast, a gray, drizzly morning; the sun totally hidden behind the clouds. The cold and chilly winter air seems to penetrate your whole being to your very bones. Gray, dark, ominous clouds hover over you, ready to envelop and engulf you in their dreary chill. Crossing the street, a car honks loudly at you and the angry driver has his fist raised on high to let you know his feelings! Everybody hurries on to their daily activities, oblivious to the fact that you even exist. Everything is gray, dreary, cold, chilly, crude and cruel, sad and desolate; in the words of the English poet, T.S. Elliot, life seems to be a mere Waste Land and you are immersed in the midst of a dense fog!

Whether we like it or not, we are confronted with both of these realities, in one form or another constantly. Part of being human means being exposed to the constant reality of both consolation and desolation. One of the most clear manifestations of desolation is the temptation to give in to discouragement. What exactly is this so called state of desolation as defined by Saint Ignatius of Loyola in his classical text The Spiritual Exercises? This is Ignatius’ explanation:

“I call desolation what is entirely the opposite of what is described in the third rule, as darkness of soul, turmoil of spirit, inclination to what is low and earthly, restlessness rising from many disturbances and temptations which lead to want of faith, want of hope, want of love, the soul is wholly slothful, tepid, sad, and separated, as it were, from its Creator and Lord. For just as consolation is the opposite of desolation, so the thoughts that spring from consolation are the opposite of those that spring from desolation.” (Spiritual Exercises #317, Rule 4 of Rules for the Discernment of Spirits)

The thrust and purpose of this short essay is to help us conquer the reality of desolation in our lives, most specifically, that of giving into discouragement. We would like to offer ten encouraging Biblical passages that we invite you to immerse yourself in, especially when it seems as if the clouds are descending, the rain is beating against you, and you feel as if you entering a long, dark, and damp tunnel where there seems to be no way out! Never forget: with God’s help which is omnipotent—all-powerful, we can exit and escape from the most desolate, sad, and despairing of situations. May the Word of God be your light, support, strength, and Rock Foundation!

1. Psalm of the Good-Shepherd. (Psalm 23)

Prayerfully and calmly read the most famous Psalm in the Bible, once, twice, or as many times as you like, starting with the words: “The Lord is my Shepherd; there is nothing I shall want…”  The Lord will shine light in your darkness!

2. “Behold I am with you always, even until the end of the world.” (Mt 28:20)

These were the last words of the Lord Jesus on earth before He ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father. In discouragement, all too often we feel lonely; that nobody is there for me; nobody really cares for me. Not so! The Lord promised to be with us always, even until the end of the world.

3. Do not be afraid!

Time and time again Jesus reminds the Apostles and us not to be afraid, but rather to place all of our trust in Him. In addition to these four consoling words of Jesus are the five words that Jesus told Saint Faustina to paint on the Divine Mercy image: “Jesus, I trust in you.” May the Lord cast out your fears as you trust totally in His love, Presence, and Friendship.

4. “Come to me, all of you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Mt 11:28-30)

Prayerfully repeat these words and the burden of your sorrows, the weight of your cross, the darkness of your sadness and desolation will dissipate like a cloud evaporates in the sunlight.

5. “If God is with us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

These ten short words contain the power to alleviate the heaviest of crosses due to the simple reason that we know the Lord is in control and He can do whatever He wants. That said, whatever the Lord permits is always for our welfare, our spiritual progress, and the salvation of our immortal soul. If He doesn’t remove the cross, He will help us carry it.

6. “For nothing will be impossible for God.” (Lk 1:37)

These short seven words were actually addressed to the Blessed Virgin Mary from the Messenger, the Archangel Gabriel, referring to the Virginal conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. When we are immersed in a dense cloud of desolation, we feel as if we are lost and nothing can save us from this horrible interior state. Quite the contrary! The Word of God reminds us that absolutely nothing is impossible for God. He can move the highest mountain of our discouragement and desolation in a split-second if we trust in Him.

7. “Cast your cares upon the Lord because He cares for you.” (I Peter 5:7)

Once again, just a few words—11 in total—offer us infinite consolation and strength. The Lord commands us to unload, to unpack, and to release the burden of discouragement that weighs us down. Give all to the Lord Jesus and He will resolve the most intricate and complicated case scenarios.

8. “I have come to set captives free.” (Isaiah 61:1/Lk 4:18)

If seven is one of those numbers of perfection, once again we have a seven-word Biblical passage gleaned from the Shakespeare of the Bible—the Prophet Isaiah. Jesus will quote this same passage in His early preaching! In a state of desolation and discouragement we might feel as if we are bound, as if we are chained, as if we are shackled, as if we are a real slave of our interior state of darkness. Jesus, the Savior, the Redeemer, the Liberator, came to smash and destroy our interior slavery, and often that means our discouragement. We might even pray: “Lord free me; Lord liberate me; Lord shatter the bonds that enslave me!”

9. “So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything else will be given you besides. (Mt 6:31-33)

A good part of our desolation and discouragement stems from a lack of trust in God, and useless and needless worry. These comforting, consoling and challenging words of Jesus can put you back on the right path of trusting in His Loving and Divine Providential Plan in your life.

10. “Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with you.” (Lk 1:28) These words of the Hail Mary that come from the Archangel Gabriel can prove to be most powerful in the midst of the dark nights, the dark tunnels, the stormy interior tempests that we all experience. Let us pray slowly and with trust and confidence the HAIL MARY, and Mary, who is truly “our life, our sweetness, and our hope” (Hail Holy Queen), will hurry to our rescue and place us in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, our true refuge in all our tribulations, afflictions, and the most profound desolation.

It is our firm hope and prayer that when you are passing through that painful and difficult time of desolation and discouragement, the quiet, peaceful, trusting, and prayerful reading of these Biblical passages will dissipate the dense clouds in your heart, so that you will experience and feel the sunshine and warmth of God’s infinite love and Mary’s tender embrace!

Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent

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

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 15th   Lk. 7: 18b-23   “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.”

The Good News…

+ We are no longer blind when we can see the needs of those around us.

+ We are no longer lame when we live to serve rather than to be served.

+ We are no longer lepers when we become wounded healers instead of wounded wounders.

+ We are no longer deaf when we read the Word of God daily and put it into practice.

+ We are no longer dead when we are brought from the death of mortal sin to new life in Christ Jesus through a good Confession.  

+ We are the poor who hear the “Good News” of salvation in Christ Jesus and follow Him. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”

+ Jesus tell us how to follow Him in the Beatitudes. Which Beatitude is yours?

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

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

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

Jesus lived what He preached starting out with this first Beatitude. Jesus was rejected before He was born – “there was no room for them at the inn”. (Lk 2:7) He was born in a poor stable in Bethlehem. He worked a hard and demanding job as a Carpenter. Once He left home, He had no fixed abode, as He Himself said: “The foxes have their holes and the birds of the air have their nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay His head.” (Lk 9:58) For three years Jesus lived relying and depending totally on the Father’s Divine and Providential care. He died rejected on the cross, stripped of His garments and of His dignity. Finally, He was buried in a borrowed tomb. Jesus truly lived poverty, detachment, and total trust in God.

What about us? Have we become a slave of things? Have we allowed our possessions to possess us? Are we attached to persons, places, things, opinions, circumstances, even our own way of thinking and mode of living? There is a lot here. What are we attached to? Let is examine our life and pray over this Beatitude!

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

Three times we see Jesus weeping in His Public life. First, over the city of Jerusalem: “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing.” (Mt 23:37) Second, at the death of His friend Lazarus, with Mary and Martha present: “Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’” (Jn 11:35-36) Third, in the Garden of Gethsemane, entering into His Passion. This is recounted in the Letter to the Hebrews: “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death.” (Heb 5:7)

What profit can be derived from weeping? Our Lady of La Salette (France) wept for the sins of the people. Our Lady of Syracuse (Sicily) wept. Our Lady of Akita (Japan) wept tears of blood for the sins of the people. Saint Monica wept profuse tears for the conversion of her wayward son who became a great Saint and Doctor of the Church, Saint Augustine.

Therefore, in reparation, pray over this Beatitude and weep, most especially for your own personal sins, then for the sins of wayward family members, and finally for the sins of the world at large. “Be converted, because the Kingdom of God is at hand.” (Mk 1:15)

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

Meekness is not weakness but powerful emotion under control. Often meekness is translated or understood as the virtue, so necessary, of PATIENCE!!! Once again we contemplate the infinite patience of Jesus at all times and places. His patience with His faulty and flawed Apostles. His patience with the Pharisees constantly attacking Him. His patience with the many sinners who came to Him. Most especially, His patience in His Passion—carrying the cross, now stumbling and falling, now getting up again. His patience and mercy toward His enemies: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Lk 23:34)

Let us contemplate Jesus and beg for true meekness of heart with this prayer: “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart line unto thine.” Let us pray for patience with God and His dealings with us; patience with others, especially family members; and patience with ourselves. Most important, let us never give in to discouragement. When we fall, get up! Nunc Coepi—Now I begin. “Even if I should fall a thousand times a day, a thousand times I will get up again and say Nunc Cœpi–Now I begin.” (Ven. Bruno Lanteri, Founder of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary)

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

Jesus is holy—meaning, the whole life of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a model of resplendent and perfect holiness—a model to follow, to imitate. Jesus wants us to be holy, to become a great saint! Later, Jesus will issue an imperative command: “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.” (Mt 5:48) What Jesus commands us to do, He will give the grace and power to carry out.

First, we must beg fervently, frequently, and full of faith for the grace to be holy. Then in all of our words, actions, and intentions may we have Jesus always before our eyes. One of the most famous books ever written is precisely that: The Imitation of Christ!!! Beg for the grace to live out this wonderful but challenging Beatitude. May the prayer of the Psalmist be yours and mine: “As the deer yearns for running streams, so my soul longs for you, O Lord my God.” (Ps 42:1) May we hunger and thirst for God and for holiness, above any other person, place or thing in our lives!!!

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

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

• “Be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful.” (Lk 6:36)
• “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” (Mt 6:12 – the Our Father)
• “I tell you anyone who is angry with a brother will be subject to judgment. Leave your gift and first be reconciled to your brother and then offer your gift.” (Mt 5:22-23)
• “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” (Lk 23:34 – the first words of Jesus as He hung from the cross.)

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

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

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

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

Our bodies are Temples of the living God! May we use them in all times and places to glorify God. In closing, turn to the Blessed Virgin Mary and consecrate yourself to her most pure and Immaculate Heart: “Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation!” Take the thorns from her Heart, and crown her Heart instead with beautiful roses—the rose petals of purity of heart, mind, body, and soul!!!

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

Lift your eyes to Jesus and beg for the grace to live out this Beatitude that refers to peace! The Prophet Isaiah called Jesus the Prince of Peace. Jesus would greet the Apostles with the word: SHALOM meaning—PEACE BE WITH YOU! Upon the birth of Jesus, the angelic choir sang: “Glory to God in the highest and peace to people of good will.” (Lk 2: 13-14) Upon appearing to the Apostles in the Upper Room that first Easter Sunday night, Jesus addressed the Apostles in these words: “‘Shalom! As the Father sends me so I send you.’ And He breathed on them and said: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven, and whose sins you hold bound, they will be held bound.’” (Jn 20:21-23)

A key Sacramental interpretation of this beatitude is the following: to be a true peace-maker, we must first be at peace with God by renouncing sin and our sinful patterns. For we will never be at peace with others while we are at war with God and within ourselves! How can this be done? Most clearly by forming the habit of frequent, well-prepared, and well-made Sacramental Confessions. What beautiful and consoling words from the priest: “I absolve you of your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Your sins are forgiven, go in PEACE!” Meditate upon this Beatitude and examine your habit of Confession and the quality of your confessions. There likely is room for improvement! May Our Lady, Queen of Peace, come to our aid!

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

Once again, clearly not only did Jesus teach this but He lived it to the highest degree of perfection. Not only was Jesus persecuted, He went through His most bitter Passion, suffering and death on the cross. All of this is a most sublime teaching of the Beatitude on Persecution. As the Acts of the Apostles states: “Jesus went about doing good.” (Acts 10:38) Despite His kindness and all the good He did—His love for the poor, the sick, the suffering, the marginalized, the forgotten and neglected, even the little children, the orphans and widows—still Jesus was nailed to the cross.

Therefore, if we really live out the first Seven Beatitudes, our reward is the Eighth: “Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” Indeed, if you are really and truly living out the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, then you will experience some form of persecution. It might be at work, or in your extended family, or even in your immediate family, maybe even from your spouse and children. Jesus said that He did not come to bring peace but war, especially in the family. Family members will be divided because of their allegiance and love for Jesus the Lord. We cannot serve money and God, nor the world and God. They are diametrically opposed. Jesus must be our alpha and omega, our beginning and end, our principle and foundation, our purpose and meaning in life. Jesus has to be the ardent and constant desire of our heart. Who were those who really lived out this last Beatitude to the highest degree? Obviously this would be the class that we call the MARTYRS—a word meaning witness. They gave the most eloquent witness to their love for the Lord Jesus by imitating Jesus in shedding their blood for Him! “No greater love exists than to give one’s life for his friends.” (Jn 15:30)

CONCLUSION

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

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

Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor of the Church

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

TUESDAY, Dec. 14th   Mt 21: 28-32   Alleluia Verse   “Come, O Lord, do not delay; forgive the sins of your people.”

• Today’s Gospel is about repentance. The son who refused to work in the vineyard, repented and did as his father asked.
• Saint Ignatius of Loyola gave us a spiritual tool to use daily to catch ourselves in the act of rebellion and so turn our hearts back to God. Thereby helping us to sin less seriously and less frequently.
• Fr. Ed gives us a masterful explanation of this powerful, spiritual tool.

THE IGNATIAN DAILY EXAMEN: A SURE BRIDGE TO HOLINESS! by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Saint Ignatius insisted on never neglecting the Daily Examen. For no reason whatsoever would this great saint justify skipping over and neglecting this all important prayer. Starting now, why not make a proposal to make your own personal Daily Examen. If done, the fruits are countless and the blessings copious from such a tool, an indispensable tool to erect a solid structure for a life of authentic holiness.

In this brief essay we will highlight and briefly explain the five classical steps of making the Daily Examen. Then, as a means for motivation, we will highlight some of the blessings that will descend upon you in your spiritual life.

If you read through essays, writings, articles and even books on this topic, the order and words vary, but the concept never changes. The key element is that the Daily Examen should be proposed by all those with good will and put into practice. Let’s go!

THE FIVE CLASSICAL STEPS FOR THE IGNATIAN DAILY EXAMEN

1. RECALL THE PRESENCE OF GOD.  First Step. All authentic prayer starts with calling to mind the all-abiding Presence of God. We are never far from God, and God is never far from us! Saint Paul, quoting the Greek poet, expresses it as such: “In Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28) Therefore, start your Daily Examen by gently calling to mind the all-abiding, all-permeating presence of God. God is present in all times, all places, all circumstances, and all events. Even when our life seems to be a dark night of the soul, God is as present as the sun shining at midday! Add to this that our God is a loving Father who always desires what is best for His children. Therefore, we should respond with trust, confidence, and love.

2. GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD; HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER! (Ps. 136:1)  Second Step. Saint Ignatius insists on the importance of gratitude. We should all cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Saint Ignatius states that the very essence of sin is ingratitude—a lack of rendering to God a heartfelt thanks! In all humility, every gift that we have in our life—intellectual, athletic, artistic, spiritual, supernatural, etc.—all are gifts from the Father of all gifts. Therefore, rewind the film of your life since your last Daily Examen to see what you have been gifted with and allow your heart to expand in an overflowing act of thanksgiving. In a word, all that we have (except for our sins—those we willfully chose and God allowed) are gratuitous gifts from our all-bountiful Heavenly Father. Indeed, God loves a grateful heart and He is ready and willing to shower thankful hearts with more and more blessings! How much Jesus suffered when after healing ten lepers, only one came back to pay Him thanks!

3. BEG GOD TO SEND THE HOLY SPIRIT TO SEE YOURSELF AS GOD SEES YOU. Third step in your Daily Examen is to beg for the Gift of Gifts, the Holy Spirit to shed light on your intellect, to help you rewind your past block of time—your past day to see the totality of how you lived that day! Humility is truth, and you want to beg in all honestly to see what you have done in the past day, but even beyond your exterior actions, you want to beg for the grace to see your interior intentions. We should never forget that man sees the surface, the mere exterior, but God can read our hearts and even our most hidden intentions.

4. GRATITUDE AND REPENTANCE.  Fourth Step. During the Examen, as pointed out above, most likely you will become aware of God’s incredible goodness and His many gifts to you in the past day; give thanks again to God for His blessings. However, in all sincerity and truth the Holy Spirit will also point out some of your thoughts, words and actions, and even some intentions, that were off the mark and not pleasing to God. Only God is perfect and the Bible teaches us that the just man falls seven times a day. Be aware of these moral failures and beg for forgiveness.

5. RESOLUTION, RECONCILIATION, AND RENEWAL. 

Fifth Step. The last step points to the future. With a keen awareness of God’s infinite love for us and His infinite goodness in giving us so much, but also aware of our own human weakness, we propose to love God more every day starting right now, and to avoid any person, place, thing, or circumstance that can lead us off the path of true discipleship of the Lord. In other words, the Daily Examen heightens our awareness and self-knowledge and this can serve as preventive medicine. If we know where the pit-fall is in our path, we can sidestep it, or jump over it, or walk a different path! The desert Fathers insist on this two-word axiom: KNOW-THYSELF!!!

NOW THE BENEFITS OF PRACTICING THE DAILY EXAMEN, which are incalculable! We will mention only three!

1. CONSTANT AWARENESS OF GOD AND PRAYER.  If the Daily Examen is done faithfully, that is to say, on a daily basis, with hard work and good will we will become more and more aware of God’s loving presence in our lives. God is not some distant, ethereal, mythical figure of the past! In our daily Examen, He becomes all the more real to us. In truth, we are never alone! God became man, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die for our sins, and rise to eternal life. It is to this life that He calls us. If you like, He will become your Best Friend, always at your side. He wants you to share every moment of your existence with Him. By doing this, we will sin less. Saint Teresa of Avila asserts that one of the primary reasons for sin is becoming oblivious to the all abiding Presence of God!

2. AVOID PITFALLS!  With a more acute awareness of the intentions and movements of our heart, which is like a garden that has both beautiful flowers and ugly weeds, we can avoid giving in to our bad tendencies. When the bad spirit is knocking at the door of our heart, we must close the door with lock and key! Many sins are committed due to weakness of the will, but also due to ignorance of who is knocking at our door! The Daily Examen heightens our awareness of the tactics of the enemy, as well as self-knowledge of our weaknesses, two key components for growth in holiness!

3. COMPASSION TOWARDS OTHERS.  The Daily Examen is like shining a floodlight on our heart, our soul, and the inner workings of our conscience. We become aware of how good and loving God really is. However, with penetrating awareness, we become cognizant of how weak we are at times, how prone to slip and fall into the mire of our own sinfulness. This keen self-knowledge can help us to be more kind, patient, and compassionate with our struggling brothers and sisters! If God is patient with us, how much more must we be patient with others! God allows what is evil to bring greater good from the evil – charity being the greatest good of all!

To conclude, determine now to make the daily Examen Prayer. It shouldn’t take more than 15 to 20 minutes. If you miss a day, begin again, start back up the very next day. In doing so, your friendship with Christ will grow, you will sin less, and you will find more peace and joy in your life!

Memorial of Saint Lucy, Virgin and Martyr

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

MONDAY, Dec. 13th   Mt 21:23-27   Alleluia Verse: “Show us, Lord, your love, and grant us your salvation.”

• Jesus came to save us. Each person is created out of love to be with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in heaven for all eternity!
• For this, Jesus willed to be born, live, suffer and die on the cross and by this means open the gates of Heaven for us!
• Our preparation to celebrate Jesus’ coming as a little baby in the arms of Mary is our loving thanksgiving for His sacrifice of Love!
• Fr. Ed gives us food for thought to strengthen our mind, heart and soul to make this our best reception of the Baby Jesus born of Mary and in our hearts this Christmas!     

PREPARING FOR THE BIRTH OF JESUS IN YOUR SOUL by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

The most important Birthday in the history of humanity is the Birthday of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The key to experiencing the overflowing, exuberant joy of Christmas depends on the time, energy and effort that we expend in preparing for this day. In short, the key to the success of the party depends on the prior preparation for the party.

The Church teaches about the three comings of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Incarnation historically about 2000 years ago—the Word made flesh in the womb of Mary and Jesus born in Bethlehem. At the end of time—this is left for God the Father to determine. Finally, and very pertinent to us in the present moment, is that Jesus comes to us constantly by means of grace!

Therefore, we would like to offer a concrete plan on how we can prepare for the Birthday of Jesus in our own life, our own mind, our own heart, and in the depths of our own soul by means of grace right now! May Mary, the Mother of God, the good Saint Joseph, and the holy angels of God assist us in this most noble of endeavors. May this Christmas bring a radical change in our lives!

1. CLEAN THE STABLE.  If we are not living in the state of grace, then nothing happens spiritually in our lives; we are like a dead branch hanging from a withering tree. Why not have the courage, trust and humility to prepare yourself to make the best Sacramental Confession in your life. Clean the inner stable of your life of all the dirt, cobwebs, smut, and debris that belong in the moral trash-bin. Sweep clean the inner recesses of your inner life so that Jesus can be born in you with immense and overflowing joy this Christmas.

2. SILENCE.   We sing the famous Christmas hymn Silent Night, but this song must resonate in the very depths of our spiritual lives now more than ever. Shriek cries, loud noises, constant chatter, endless news items, a whirlwind of constant noise pollution bombard us north, south, east and west. Now more than ever we need urgently silence, silence, silence… Why? So that we can hear the gentle breeze of God’s voice speaking in the depths of our hearts. May the words of the young Samuel resonate in our hearts: “Speak O Lord, for your servant is listening.” (1 Sam 3:10)

3. BIBLICAL MEDITATION.  In the strong times of the year—both Advent that leads to Christmas and Lent that culminates in the Easter triumph—the Church warmly and insistently exhorts her children to have the Bible, the Word of God in their hands for meditation. May Our Lady who meditated upon the Word of God in her Immaculate Heart be our constant and splendid model. If you like, meditate daily upon the Biblical Readings in the Mass; this must be our Daily Bread!!! In Advent, the first readings are filled with the joy of God’s promises for the faithful!

4. RECONCILE.  As we approach the Birthday of Jesus, the word SHALOM—PEACE BE WITH YOU—should set the mood in this season of joy. Examine your social-relations, especially with respect to those who are closest to you, especially in your family. Is there any person that you are at odds with, that you resent, that you have a bitter feeling for? Now is the time to reconcile! If we have offended someone, sometimes the most difficult words for us to express are I’M SORRY!!! Perhaps those are the two words that can transform your Christmas day from bitterness to overflowing joy! Remember what Jesus said: “If you are offering your gift at the altar and remember that your brother has something against you, leave our gift at the altar, go and reconcile with your brother, and then return to offer the gift.” (Mt 5:23-24) On the other hand, if someone has offended us, we should recall the number of times we have offended God and others, and forgive them from our heart. Peter asked Jesus how many time he should forgive someone who offended him. Seven times? Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Which means always! Recall the words of the great English poet, Alexander Pope: “To err is human; to forgive is divine.”

5. CONQUER LAZINESS.  The poet Dante presents the contrast between the Capital Sins and their opposing virtue in the Divine Comedy, Purgatorio. The opposing virtue to laziness is diligence. Dante presents Our Lady in the Visitation as the model. After Mary conceived Jesus through the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, Mary went in haste to help and serve her cousin Saint Elizabeth. As Christmas approaches, like Our Lady, may we move in haste to carry out the inspirations that God sends us through His Holy Spirit. Let us not wait until tomorrow to do what we can do now, today! Life is short and as the saints are known to say: “Let us work hard in this life and rest forever in heaven.” (Saint Peter Canisius)

6. SAINT JOSEPH.  One of the most humble, hidden and inconspicuous figures in the Bible is the Glorious Saint Joseph. Of all the saints, he is the greatest. Being both the Spouse of Mary and the earthly Father of Jesus, his dignity and holiness transcends the stars! It was the great Saint Joseph who protected Mary. It was this great man who found a place where the Child Jesus could be born. It was this same saint who protected the Child Jesus from being slaughtered by the malicious King Herod. Why not lift your mind and heart in prayer to Saint Joseph and implore him for the grace to truly celebrate Christmas with yearning, longing and overflowing love!

7. EYES OPENED TO THE NEEDS OF THE POOR.  It is so true that Jesus was born in the abject poverty of a stable for animals. Later on in His preaching, Jesus taught in the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” (Mt 5:3) To capture the utter depths of the meaning of Christmas, we must have contemplative eyes to see Jesus even today truly present in the poor, the sick, the abandoned, the elderly, the marginalized, the dying and the imprisoned. Read and meditate on the chapter that summarizes the Corporal Works of Mercy—Mt 25:31-46. Examine your daily walk and contacts. Who is that hungry, or poor, or naked, or foreigner, or sick, or imprisoned person that God has placed in your path, who is really Jesus? Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta expressed it in these words: “We must see Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poor.”

8. THE REAL GIFT OF CHRISTMAS: JESUS HIMSELF!  The name Bethlehem actually means: House of Bread. Jesus in “The Bread of Life discourse” (John Chapter 6:25-59) refers to Himself as “the Bread of Life who gives life to the world.” (Jn 6:33) The most full meaning and living out of Christmas is to live out the Mass, “Christmas”—the Mass of Christ. And of course the culminating point of Mass is the Consecration which terminates in the reception of Holy Communion, upon which your soul becomes in actuality “The Little House of Bethlehem.” An all-important title for Jesus in Advent and Christmas is Emmanuel—God with us! Jesus is truly with us in the celebration of Holy Mass and the reception of Holy Communion. In a very real sense, we can live Christmas every day!

9. BRING SOME LOST SHEEP TO THE ARMS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD.  The largest religious group in the United States, Mexico, Europe and the Philippines is non-practicing Catholics. These are wandering sheep, ships without a port, arrows shot with no target, drivers with no GPS or destination. They are wandering in no-man’s land; in the wasteland of T.S. Elliot. Why not this Christmas season invite one of those wandering sheep, who are in the millions, to come back to Church; invite them to make a good Sacramental Confession, telling them of the love and mercy of the Heart of Jesus. Then encourage them to return to the practice of living out a fervent Sacramental life including Mass and the Eucharist. Remember the words of Saint James: “My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his ways will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20)

10. MARY AND THE MYSTERY OF CHRISTMAS.  Following the solid advice of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and the Spiritual Exercises why not enter into a Contemplative scene of Christmas? Why not contemplate the Baby Jesus resting in the arms of His Mother Mary? Why not beg Mary for the grace to take the Baby Jesus into your own arms? Contemplate Him; talk to Him; kiss His little Face and tell Him from the very depths of your heart how grateful you are for His coming to save you, how much you love Him for having died for you on the cross and shedding every drop of His Precious Blood for the salvation of your immortal soul. To plumb the very depths of the Mystery of Christmas we must enter into the most pure and Immaculate Heart of Mary who is the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and your Mother!

Third Sunday of Advent

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

SUNDAY, Dec. 12th   Lk 3: 10-18   FEAST DAY OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE  

Alleluia Verse: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor.”

Jesus came to bring glad tidings to the poor. His Mother Mary also brings glad tidings to the poor in her apparition as Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego near Mexico City.

Part 1: OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE’S TREASURE BOX by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Part 2: “God intervened through Our Lady of Guadalupe to evangelize the Americas,” explains Guadalupe expert, Msgr. Chavez. Read this astonishing account!

PART ONE:

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE’S TREASURE BOX by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

One of the most famous and loved of the approved Apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary is Our Lady of Guadalupe. “The Patron of the Americas” (so named by Pope Saint John Paul II) appeared near the City of Mexico to Saint Juan Diego.

Our Lady appeared to Juan Diego in the course of four days on four separate occasions—from December 9th to December 12th, 1531. These apparitions to the humble, simple, child-like Juan Diego would radically transform the face of the earth and the Catholic world. Millions of Mexicans would be converted to Catholicism due to these apparitions! This monumental miracle of massive conversions has never been equaled in the history of the world, in the history of Catholicism.

Juan Diego, living with his elderly uncle Juan Bernardino, would travel on foot frequently to the City of Mexico for the following important reasons: 1) To continue his formation in the Catholic faith (Juan Diego was an adult convert); 2) To attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass; 3) To receive the Sacraments.

What a great model for adult Catholics today! Adult Catholics urgently need to build upon their catechetical formation. To attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is essential. And of paramount importance, in fact it is indispensable, the frequent, fervent and worthy reception of the Sacraments, especially Confession and the most Holy Eucharist.

This brief reflection will not center so much on the happenings, the appearances of Our Blessed Mother and the person of Saint Juan Diego (much has already been written on these all-important topics); rather, we would like to accentuate and highlight the extraordinary fruits that have blossomed and flourished as a result of the Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Loving Mother, coming to visit us. In truth, the abundant fruits of her appearance and presence cannot be measured in their magnitude and far-reaching extension. Let us abound in thanksgiving to Jesus, the Son of Mary, for having sent His Heavenly Mother to us, showering us with a deluge of graces and blessings.

1. MARY’S TENDER AND LOVING MOTHERHOOD.  To Saint Juan Diego, and to each and every one of us, Mary calls herself Mother. Saint Therese of Lisieux stated: “Mary is Queen, but more than Queen, Mary is Mother.” Saint Augustine with flaring eloquence asserts: “Put all the love of all the Mothers of all times and places together, the love of Mary for each and every one of us is much greater.”

2. MARY HEALS!  The great dilemma of Juan Diego as he hurried along heading to Mexico City to fetch a priest was the health of his elderly uncle, Juan Bernardine. Mary appears to Juan Diego and reassures him not to worry about his uncle, and she heals him immediately. So we can turn to Mary in our illnesses, as well as the illnesses and infirmities of our loved ones, and entrust these sicknesses to her. Among the many titles given to Mary is “Health of the sick.”

3. MARY TELLS US NOT TO WORRY.  Our Lady of Guadalupe told Juan Diego not to worry, that he, Juan Diego, was in the crossing of her arms, in her shadow, and in the opening of her garment (tilma). How many of us have worries, fears, doubts and many anxieties! Mary wants us to entrust our cares to her maternal care and protection. As we pray in the Memorare: “Never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided.” Right now, let us cast our cares, worries, fears and anxieties in the Heart of Mary. She will never forget us!

4. MARY AND THE CHURCH.  Then there is the ecclesial aspect of the Appearances of Our Lady of Guadalupe. With great insistence and determination, Our Lady commanded Juan Diego to inform the Bishop Juan Zumarraga that she wanted a Church built where she appeared to Juan Diego. Another clear message of Our Lady of Guadalupe is ecclesial. Mary is the Mother of God, she is the Mother of the Church, and she is the Mother of each and every one of us. Mary loves the Catholic Church and she encourages us all to attend Church, love the Church, pray for the Church, and to be precious, living stones in the structure of the Church. The Second Vatican Council proclaimed Mary as “Mother of the Church. (Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium Chapter VIII)

5. MARY AND HOLY MASS AND HOLY COMMUNION.  Furthermore, Mary as Mother of the Church desires most ardently that we attend Mass frequently and participate in the Holy Mass fully, actively and consciously. By this is meant, to be well-prepared to receive the Sacred Body and Blood of Her Son, Jesus in Holy Communion. Mary always leads us to Jesus. Her last recorded words in Sacred Scripture, in the context of the Wedding Feast of Cana, were: “Do whatever He tells you.” (Jn 2:5)

6. MARY AND CONFESSION.  In the present Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe many Masses are celebrated every day. Still more, during the course of the day, from the opening of the Basilica until its close in the evening, there are confessors attending lines of pilgrim people reconciling their souls and their lives to God through a Sacramental Confession.

7. MARY AND CONVERSION OF SOULS TO CHRIST.  In the history of the world never has there been recorded such a massive conversion in numbers to the Catholic faith as resulted from the Apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Guadalupe expert, Msgr. Eduardo Chávez Sánchez, who holds a doctorate in Church history, has published more than 28 books and articles and was the postulator for the cause for the canonization of Juan Diego, said that by 1539, only eight years after the apparition, almost nine million Indians had converted with the help of a small group of Franciscans. Imagine Pentecost every day for 8 years! The numbers literally stagger the imagination! Now it is the country with the highest number of Spanish-speaking Catholics in the world! Thanks to Jesus who sent His loving Mother to Mexico in 1531!

8. OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE AND THE PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT.  Of critical importance in the modern world is the presence, power and purpose of Our Lady of Guadalupe as an icon against the greatest moral evil of our times: the reality of abortion. The black ribbon around her waist points to the fact of her pregnancy. She is carrying the baby Jesus in her womb—Jesus who is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. The Pro-Life Movement has adopted Our Lady of Guadalupe as their patron against the onslaught and murder of innocent babies!

9. OUR LADY AS MISSIONARY, EVANGELIST, AND STAR OF EVANGELIZATION—POPE SAINT JOHN PAUL II. One of the most frequently visited pilgrimages for Pope John Paul II was Mexico and the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This great pontiff had in mind the massive conversion of Mexico in the mid 1500’s and the present need for evangelization. Our Lady was proclaimed as the Patroness of the Americas and the New Star of Evangelization. May Our Lady of Guadalupe motivate all of us to leave our comfort-zone and do our part to drop the nets into the deep (Duc et altum) and haul in an abundant catch of fish, an abundant harvest of souls. “The harvest is rich but the laborers are few.” (Mt 9:37)

10. OUR LADY CARES FOR ALL, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR THE POOR, ELDERLY AND ABANDONED OF SOCIETY.  Our Lady of Guadalupe showed tender care for the elderly and almost-dying Juan Bernardino. She desired that the Basilica be built, first for the Sacraments and to house the Eucharistic Presence of her Son in the tabernacle, and second, so that all (not just a select few) could come to her with their problems and she would be there to help them in all in their needs. Mary is the universal Mother, but she has a very special love for the poor, the elderly, the sick, the marginalized, the abandoned, the downcast and those who seem to have lost all hope. She is that shining star in the midst of the dark clouds, storms and tempests in life. Indeed, Our Lady of Guadalupe, as in the prayer the Hail Holy Queen, is: “Our life, our sweetness and our hope!”

In conclusion, our humble little literary exposition is simply an invitation for all of us to get to know, love, pray to, and entrust our lives, fears and cares to Our Lady under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Read about Our Lady of Guadalupe. Make a pilgrimage, if possible, to her Basilica in Mexico. Purchase a beautiful image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and enthrone it in your home. Invite many, starting with your family, to pray the Rosary in front of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Never forget the words that she addressed to Saint Juan Diego, as well as to you and to me: “My little one, do not worry. I have you in the very crossing of my arms”, that is to say: you are hidden in the very depths of my Immaculate Heart. Let us find our sure refuge in two places: the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!

PART TWO: “God intervened through Our Lady of Guadalupe to evangelize the Americas,” explains Guadalupe expert, Msgr. Chavez. Read this astonishing account!

INTRODUCTION:

God intervened through Our Lady of Guadalupe to evangelize the Americas, explains Guadalupe expert. Msgr. Chavez said that by 1539, only eight years after the apparition, almost nine million Indians had converted with the help of a small group of Franciscans.

Imagine Pentecost every day for 8 years!

ARTICLE:

Phoenix, Ariz., Aug 11, 2009 / 05:03 am (CNA). This past week, Msgr. Eduardo Chávez Sánchez told an audience gathered at the Marian Congress, that the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe was a “salvation event” specifically directed to evangelize of all of the Americas.

Msgr. Chavez, who holds a doctorate in Church history, has published more than 28 books and articles and was the postulator for the cause for the canonization of Juan Diego. He addressed a crowd gathered in Phoenix, Arizona last Thursday and remarked that Mary’s apparition in Mexico in 1531 was more powerful than most realize.

The monsignor began by noting that after the Spanish had defeated the Indians in Mexico and ended their ritual human sacrifices, a small group of Franciscan missionaries began to evangelize the new world.

He explained that there were complex tensions between the missionaries and Spanish that complicated the missionaries’ evangelization effort. Not only did the missionaries not know the native language, but they also struggled to try and protect the Indians from exploitation by the Spanish. The conflict grew so serious that the local bishop, Juan de Zumárraga, was almost assassinated by the Spanish.

Historians do not “doubt that during the first evangelizing effort in Mexico, the work of the missionaries was extraordinary,” Msgr. Chavez said, but “the task was more than they could handle.”

The situation grew more difficult for the missionaries as they tried a “thousand different ways to make themselves understood,” but had little success. Bishop Zumárraga became so concerned that he told some of the missionaries, “If God does not intervene to provide an instant remedy, this land is on the verge of being lost forever.”

“And God intervened through the being He loves the most, His own Mother, who chooses a simple and humble Indian to be her faithful messenger, her completely trustworthy intercessor: Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin,” Chavez remarked.

In 1524, soon after the first Franciscan missionaries arrived in Mexico, Juan Diego accepted the Catholic faith and was baptized.

Chavez recounted that “on Saturday, December 9, 1531, Juan Diego was on his way to Tlatelolco to attend catechism when the Mother of God appeared to him. She asked him to be her messenger.”

She asked Juan Diego to go to Bishop Zumárraga and ask for a little temple to be built in dedication to her in the valley of Tepyac. Zumárraga received Juan Diego, but asked for a sign from the Virgin Mary to prove her message.

Juan Diego, whose uncle had been sick, tried to avoid their next meeting, but the Blessed Mother still appeared to him. Msgr. Chavez said, “The Virgin asked him to go to the top of the hill, where he would find beautiful flowers to cut and put in his tilma (cloak). Just as she said, Juan Diego found on that dry and rocky hilltop, a place of death, the most beautiful and extraordinary flowers.”

He filled his tilma and brought the roses to the bishop as was requested. When he approached the bishop, he opened his tilma to reveal the beautiful image of the Virgin Mother as a “mestiza” (a woman of mixed race), wrapped in the sun with the moon at her feet, her robe studded with stars. “Her message and will is the spreading of the love of God and that is why she asked for a temple, to offer His love to persons of every lineage who trust in Her.”

She told Juan Diego that her name was “Santa Maria de Guadalupe.” Chavez explained that “Guadalupe” is a name of Arabic origin that means “the river bed,” “the one that carries the water;” it can also be translated as “river of light.” She takes us to the living water.

Finally, Msgr. Chavez argued that Juan Diego’s humble tilma had four essential meanings to the Indians:  First, the tilma was used as cover for protection against inclement weather.  Secondly, it was also used to carry things, thus contributed to the support of the family. Thirdly, within the Indian society, the tilma was an indication of the status and social condition of a person. Only noblemen could have their garments decorated. And lastly, the tilma was so important that during Indian weddings the man’s tilma was tied into a knot with the huipil, the woman’s dress, as a symbol that their lives were united.

The image, Chavez argued, is a code that the Indians understood perfectly.

Soon after the apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe, “conversions began occurring at an astounding rate.” The missionaries were in awe of what was happening: “the Indians were coming from everywhere, from faraway lands asking for the sacraments.”

Chavez said that by 1539, only eight years after the apparition, almost nine million Indians had converted with the help of a small group of Franciscans.

The message for us today, Msgr. Chavez concluded, is that “God intervenes by means of his own Mother…to allow every human being to become a participating part of [her Son]. She is the first disciple and missionary who manifests and delivers to us the message of salvation.”