Saturday of the Second Week of Advent

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

SATURDAY, December 11th   Mt. 17: 9a, 10-13   Alleluia Verse:  “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths: All flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

• What better way for us to prepare the way of the Lord than through the Immaculate Heart of Mary!

MARY’S HEART AND THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

To comprehend the very meaning, profundity, sublimity, simplicity and depths of the Christmas event, why not lift our mind, heart, and soul to Mary who is truly the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and also the Mother of all of us in an individual, intimate and very personal way.

Who better than Mary can help us to penetrate the depths and authentic meaning of Christmas? But how often, if ever, have we run to Mary begging, and truly begging for the grace to comprehend the height, the length and the depths of Christmas? Many extraordinary graces are at our disposal depending on one simple thing: our begging for the grace in prayer to Mary. She is the Mediatrix of all graces—meaning that God in His Divine Providence and in the economy of salvation has willingly chosen Mary as the vessel through which the graces flow into our spiritual lives.

Therefore, we offer humbly for your meditation and contemplation these simple but profound ideas so that through Mary, Christmas—the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, will be born in the very depths of your heart. “Come Lord Jesus, come through the Heart of Mary your Mother!”

1. MARY’S YES CHANGED THE WORLD.

With heartfelt gratitude and overflowing love, imbued with humility, we should thank Mary for giving her consent to the Archangel Gabriel with the words: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38) Consequently: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (Jn 1:14) Indeed, Mary’s YES resulted in the Incarnation of the Word of God, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity. Whereupon Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit (Shekinah—In Hebrew) and Jesus entered into her womb for the salvation of the entire world. It would be impossible to express adequately the gratitude that we owe to Mary for her YES to God—for your eternal salvation and my own!!!

2. MARY THE MODEL OF TRUE MATERNITY—WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MOTHER.                                                                                               

Mary teaches by her most powerful example the sublime dignity of womanhood, most specifically, in the sublime dignity and vocation of Motherhood. Women who are called to be Mothers—what a sublime vocation indeed—should humbly turn to Mary for guidance, help, support and consolation to carry out this sublime mission given to them by God. Of all the titles that are given to Mary, that of Mother of God (Theotokus—God bearer, in Greek) is by far the most sublime.

3. MARY: THE MODEL OF EUCHARISTIC ADORATION—CORPUS CHRISTI!

Upon hearing the Good News of her Cousin Elizabeth’s conception, in haste and with great joy, Mary traveled about 90 miles into the hill-country to visit her pregnant and elderly cousin in order to render her service. For the entire distance from Nazareth to Ain-Karim (the residence of Elizabeth), Mary was a living Eucharistic-Procession, if you like a Corpus-Christi Procession. She carried Jesus within her womb and the whole of the hill country was blessed and sanctified by Mary’s presence and the presence of the Baby Jesus within her. Mary as model and teacher shows us how we are called to worship Jesus in the Consecrated Host— “O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, the Eucharistic Lord!”

4. MARY, JOSEPH AND THE LAW OF SACRIFICE. 

The time has arrived for Mary to bring forth her Child—the Lord Jesus, Savior of the world. However, an edict has been issued by Caesar Augustus that all have to be enrolled in their town of origin. Despite Mary’s pregnancy that had arrived at nine-months, she still had to make this long, tiring, grueling trip to the city of Bethlehem, the city of their ancestor King David. Without questioning, complaining, or wasting time, St. Joseph and Mary with the Baby Jesus in her womb, set off on their journey to Bethlehem. What a powerful lesson they teach us! Obedience, patience, fortitude, trust in God, penance and mortification, sacrifice, and most especially a true love for carrying out the will of the Eternal Father—all of these lessons in virtue, Mary presents to us for our imitation!

5. REJECTIONS. 

Upon arrival in Bethlehem, undoubtedly exhausted, cold, hungry, drained physically and emotionally, they were hoping at least to find lodging for the night—nothing luxurious, simply a roof over their heads to shelter them from the cold, the wind and possible precipitation. Not so: it never happened! Among the saddest words ever spoken were these: “There was no place for them in the Inn!” (Lk 2:7) There is immense amount of material for our meditation in these rejections, for St. Joseph likely stopped at more than one inn. We offer a few! Despite the rejections that Mary and Joseph received, they never gave in to resentment. What about you and me? How do you react to rejection? Most likely in a human way: anger, resentment, bitterness and perhaps a desire to seek revenge! Next, a very painful but necessary question: how often have we imitated the Inn-keepers by rejecting God? Among the many definitions for sin is that of rejecting God! Our firm purpose right now should be the following: “Yes, definitely Yes, there is room for you Lord Jesus, Mary, and St. Joseph, in the Inn of my heart and soul!”

6. THE CONDITION OF THE STABLE OF BETHLEHEM. 

The rejections led to the eventual discovery of some forlorn, obscure, poor place that served as a refuge for animals from the inclement weather conditions. We call it the stable of Bethlehem. Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen comments: “The Creator of the universe had no place to be born in His own creation.” What were some qualities of the condition of this Stable of Bethlehem where the Creator of the world was to be born? Cold, damp, musty, dark, foul-smelling (from the animals), the ground hard, dirty, dusty—all of these and more describe the atmosphere or milieu where the Savior of the world chose to be born through the consent of the Virgin Mary, His Mother and our Mother. All of these descriptive words can easily be applied to the state of our soul and the reality of sin in our own interior caves. Coldness, darkness, foul-smelling, hardness all too often reflect the interior state of our soul. May the Infant Jesus attain for us true conversion of heart!

7. POVERTY AND DETACHMENT FROM THE SLAVE OF MATERIALISM. 

A more clear and challenging message cannot be presented to our eyes and heart for meditation. How easy it is for us to become true slaves of the material world that surrounds us, that envelops us, that enthralls us, that captivates us, that allures and seduces us into believing that things can make us truly happy. The Birth of the Infant Jesus in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary, with St. Joseph present, is a clarion call to all of us to seek our true happiness in the Creator over the creature, in the spiritual over the material, in persons over things, in a desire for Heaven over pursuing worldly happiness. The words of Jesus resound powerfully: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything else will be given to you beside.” (Mt 6:33)

8. BETHLEHEM: THE HOUSE OF BREAD!

The authentic interpretation of Bethlehem is that of “House of Bread!” How appropriate and how rich in symbolism, better yet, Sacramental-symbolism! One of the most important discourses that Jesus gave in His Public life was in the synagogue of Capernaum, known as the Bread of Life discourse. A brief summary of that discourse are these words of Jesus: “I am the Bread of Life; whoever eats my body and drinks my blood will have everlasting life and I will raise him up on the last day.” (Jn 6:48, 54—Bread of Life discourse). What a profound and beautiful parallel. Jesus, born in Bethlehem, which means House of Bread, would later preach the most sublime teaching on His identity in the Sacrament of the Eucharist by declaring Himself as the true Bread of Life that came down from Heaven. May we all have an insatiable hunger and thirst for the Bread of Life.

9. CONTEMPLATE JESUS IN THE ARMS OF MARY.

Spend some time in profound contemplation viewing Jesus in the arms of Mary, His Mother. Then contemplate Jesus in the arms of Good St. Joseph. Now it is your turn: ask Mary and St. Joseph to place very gently the newly-born Jesus in your arms. Hold Jesus next to your heart and tell Him how much you truly love Him, and how you want to grow in your love for Him. In truth, this can happen every time you receive Holy Communion worthily—the Infant Baby Jesus is now present in the Bethlehem of your heart. “O come, let us adore Him!”

10. SILENT NIGHT, HOLY NIGHT, NIGHT OF PEACE.  

In silent, contemplative, profound, and, if possible, extended prayer be present to the Holy Family—Jesus, Mary, and St. Joseph at the birth of Jesus. Contemplate Jesus in silence through the eyes and Immaculate Heart of Mary. Allow the Holy Spirit to move your heart to express these most noble sentiments: overflowing gratitude, joy, praise and adoration, humble reparation, awe and wonder, but most especially a great love. “God so loved the world that He sent His only-begotten Son so that those who believe in Him may not die but have eternal life.” (Jn 3:16) Jesus, Son of Mary, may you be born every day in the very depths of my interior Bethlehem. Come, Lord Jesus, come through the Heart of Mary!

Friday of the Second Week of Advent

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

FRIDAY, December 10th   Mt. 11: 16–19   Memorial Our Lady of Loreto   Jesus said: “Wisdom is vindicated by her works.”

In the Litany of Loreto, Mary is called “Seat of Wisdom.” The story of Our Lady of Loreto is provided at the end of the Points. We refer you to EWTN Litany of Loreto for the text of this beautiful prayer to offer to Our Lady of Loreto on her Memorial Day.

In this time of Advent – awaiting the Birth of the Lord Jesus, let us walk with Mary as she responds to the Angel’s news that her cousin Elizabeth, who was thought barren, is with child, “for nothing is impossible with God.” (Lk 1:37)

10 BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT THE VISITATION… By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Mary is a model teacher, guide, and inspiration, as well as our life, our sweetness, and our hope to all who raise their eyes to her with love. In the beautiful prayer of Saint Bernard, the Memorare, we pray with confidence: Remember, O gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided.

May is the month of Mary and it concludes with one of the most beautiful Marian Feast days— the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Saint Elizabeth. Many superb spiritual lessons can be learned from this Marian gem, which is also the 2nd Joyful Mystery of the Rosary. Let us descend into this “Spiritual gold mine” and grab on to the many excellent treasures.

1.  CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ANNUNCIATION AND VISITATION.  The last part of the Annunciation/Incarnation ends with Mary’s “Fiat”, that is to say, Mary’s “Yes” to God. The exact words are: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38) In that moment, one of the most sublime moments in the history of the world took place: the Incarnation of the Son of God. That is to say, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity descended from His heavenly throne and became Incarnate (man) in the most pure womb of the Virgin Mary! In rapt awe, we humbly adore this sublime mystery!

2.  COMMUNION AND FRATERNAL CHARITY.  Mary did not keep the “Gift” of Jesus to herself, but went in haste to share the gift with others. She started a 90 mile journey, traveling uphill to Ain Karim to visit her cousin Elizabeth and also to help her in her need. Pope Benedict XVI in his Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis insists that Mass and Holy Communion must transform us into ardent missionaries who bring the Good News of Jesus to the whole world!

3.  IN HASTE.  Mary did not procrastinate, put off, delay, make excuses, rationalize or justify postponing her trip; rather, she followed the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and moved immediately. Lesson! Upon receiving good inspirations from the Holy Spirit, we should be both docile and prompt to respond!

4.  TRAVEL WITH MARY AND TALK TO HER.  Enter into an Ignatian contemplative scene and imagine traveling with Mary. Notice her joy, her quick pace, her awareness of Jesus within her, her determination to carry out God’s will despite the possible obstacles—all of these make up your long trek to Ain Karim with Mary. Admire her majesty, but also be inspired by her humility and simplicity. During this long journey together, open up your heart and talk to Mary about what is going on in your life. Why not even tell her what is most heavy on your heart! Mary is the best of listeners!

5.  EUCHARISTIC PROCESSION.  Remember! The little Jesus is already present in the womb of Mary. Therefore, as you travel, remember that this indeed is a “Eucharistic Procession” — a Corpus Christi procession! Mary always wants to draw us closer to Jesus! Her last words at the wedding Feast of Cana were: “Do whatever He tells you!” (Jn 2:5) Great advice! Beg for the grace to have greater faith, love, and devotion towards Jesus truly present in the Eucharist!

6.  JOY!  This is the 2nd Joyful Mystery. Being with Jesus and Mary is the true and authentic source of joy. Mary’s canticle, her Magnificat, emphasizes this truth: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!” (Lk 1:46) May we always seek joy in this authentic source: JESUS THE LORD!

7.  GREETING!  Most likely, Mary greeted Elizabeth with the typical Jewish greeting, SHALOM— peace be with you! Our homes, families, communities, groups, parishes, activities, all should be characterized by a “Shalom” atmosphere. A warm, welcoming, and inviting milieu should prevail. An essential note of apostolic effectiveness is that of creating this warm and welcoming environment. Mary teaches us this by her greeting!

8.  BABY JOHN LEAPS FOR JOY! At the sound of Mary’s greeting, the infant John leaps for joy in the womb of Saint Elizabeth! What is happening here? Jesus, even before being born, is acting as Redeemer by freeing His cousin John in the womb from the bondage of Original Sin. Message! Contact with Jesus and Mary through prayer undoubtedly will serve as a powerful means to diminish the grip of sin upon us, and to eventually shatter the binding force and slavery of sin. Sin indeed is slavery! Jesus and Mary came to give us true freedom, the freedom of the sons and daughters of God! “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”

9.  PRO-LIFE PASSAGE “PAR EXCELLENCE!”  Both of these women in the modern world could be candidates for abortion. Why? One was very young, Mary; whereas, the other was very old, Elizabeth. However, both women had infinite trust in God’s Divine Providence. Elizabeth gave birth to the great Saint John the Baptist and Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God! At all times, by our meditation on the mystery of the Visitation may we be staunch defenders of human life, from the moment of conception until natural death. God is the author and origin of life, and only He has the right to take life to Himself!

10.  MARY AND ACTIVE SERVICE.  Love for God cannot limit itself to words, but must manifest itself in actions, in service, and in seeing Jesus truly present in others! Not only did Mary greet Elizabeth, but Mary also actively served her aged, pregnant cousin in her need! With a little bit of imagination (Ignatian Contemplation), we can picture Mary and accompany her in active service! 

What might have been some of the activities that Mary would have carried out with joy and love? Walking to the well to get water— no “running water” back then! Sweeping the dust and dirt from the humble home—no vacuum cleaners 2000 years ago! Washing and hanging clothes out to dry— no expensive washing machines and dryers to quicken the work. Cooking and baking, preparing the meals, setting the table, washing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen after eating—there was no Burger King, Pizza-Hut, or KFC available! Nor were there overflowing refrigerators to be checked and emptied of the waste every week!  

All of these humble, domestic chores Mary would have carried out with the greatest love and attention to help her cousin Elizabeth. Remember! Holiness does not depend on the greatness of the act, but on the great love that accompanies every action— even if it appears to be small and insignificant in the eyes of the world. The secret of the sanctity of Saint Therese and Mary in the mystery of the Visitation, is to do the ordinary things of daily life with extraordinary love! That is sanctity!

In conclusion, let us contemplate the life, words, gestures, and actions of Mary, most holy, especially in the Mystery of the Visitation, and be motivated to transfer our contemplative life into active service of our brothers and sisters, who are really Jesus Christ! “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me.” (Mt 25-30) 

OUR LADY OF LORRETO…

Not all know the story of Our Lady of Loreto. The Holy House of Loreto comprises three walls of stacked stones and is safeguarded beneath an ornate Renaissance-era basilica. It is believed that Mary grew up in this house and that the Annunciation took place in it.

Saint Pope John Paul II called the Holy House of Loreto the “foremost shrine of international import dedicated to the Blessed Virgin” in 1993.

According to tradition, angels miraculously carried the Holy House from Nazareth to Loreto. Throughout the basilica are numerous artistic depictions of angels flying over the seas with the house.

Another tradition states that a Greek merchant with the surname Angelos paid crusaders to move the house to Italy as part of a wedding dowry for his daughter, betrothed to a nobleman of high estate.

In either case, according to tradition the Holy House arrived in Loreto during the night December 9-10, 1294, and was placed next to a road among a field of laurel trees. The Latin word for laurel is lauretum, which became Loreto in Italian.

Over the centuries, countless pilgrims have visited Loreto, including many saints. There have also been numerous miracles and conversions.

                  

Thursday of the Second Week of Advent

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

THURSDAY, December 9th   Mt. 11: 11:15   Jesus said: “Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

We have honored Mary, immaculately conceived and free from sin her whole life, in order to fulfill her sublime purpose as the Mother of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, born in a stable and laid in a manger. As the year honoring Saint Joseph has just ended, it seems right to honor him, a righteous man, chosen for an august purpose! For indeed, Mary and Jesus, both before His birth and after, needed a guardian, protector and provider!

Saint Joseph: Our Sublime Model for Fatherhood by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

If we want to look to the saints as models then we should raise our eyes, mind and heart to the greatest of all saints and that is, of course, Saint Joseph!

In this short essay we would like to focus on Glorious Saint Joseph as the patron of families and patron of fathers. As we all know, in the world in which we live the family is definitely in crisis, as well as fatherhood. For these two reasons we would like to raise our minds and hearts to Saint Joseph to pray for families, and to serve as a splendid and shining model for fathers to follow.

One of the titles given to Saint Joseph in the beautiful prayer that we call the Litany of Saint Joseph is the poetic expression: Saint Joseph, Ornament of the Domestic Life, pray for us. What do we mean by the word ornament? Very simply, an ornament has as its nature and purpose to adorn, to beautify, to dignify, to make noble. If Saint Joseph is given a more prominent role in the family, then families indeed will become more beautiful, more noble, more loving, more pure — in a word, more holy!

Therefore, we encourage all families to invite the Glorious Saint Joseph to be a living member of your family, of course in union with Mary, spouse of Saint Joseph, and Mother of Jesus, our Lord. Two suggestions on how to invite Saint Joseph to have a more prominent presence and role in the sanctification of your family. First, purchase either an attractive statue of Saint Joseph and place it in a prominent place, or you might prefer to purchase an attractive painting of this great saint. Next, on a daily basis, have the family pray together a prayer to Saint Joseph; it might even be the Litany of Saint Joseph. Do not be surprised to experience real changes improving your family life in a short time if this is done. The great Saint Teresa of Avila, woman Doctor of the Church, who loved and promoted devotion to Glorious Saint Joseph commented that sometimes saints delay in their intercession. But not so with Saint Joseph, he works quickly! She said that he is the saint to beg graces from in all circumstances and situations.

Now let us move on to another dimension of the personality of the Great and Glorious Saint Joseph and that is with respect to his Paternity—or if you like, Saint Joseph in his role as father.

The Church actually gives Saint Joseph a theological category that places him at the apex or zenith of all of the saints and this is called Protodulia. By this title, we mean that Saint Joseph as saint is the first to be venerated among all the saints. Saint Bernardine of Siena and other saints give the reason and it is because of the dignity of his office or the dignity of his sublime vocation. For according to the vocation that God gives to any individual, He will always give corresponding graces commensurate with that vocation. The Sacrament of Marriage enables a husband and wife to be faithful to each other, and to be responsible and holy parents. Holy Orders enables the priest to carry out his priestly duties with grace, order, love, and perfection.

Likewise, God called the great Saint Joseph to be both spouse of Mary, the Mother of God, as well as to be the earthly father to Jesus, the Savior of the world. Therefore, it stands to reason, that due to these two sublime duties, Saint Joseph would be endowed with a super abundance of graces. For this reason, we want to love Saint Joseph, pray to Saint Joseph, and trust in the power of his intercession.

Saint Joseph as Father

One of the most astounding and mind-boggling works of the Eternal Father was to send us His Only Son Jesus, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, and allow His Son to become a little Baby — vulnerable, weak and totally dependent upon a human mother and a human father, Mary and Saint Joseph. Indeed, Saint Joseph was and always will be the earthly father of Jesus! This was the will of the eternal Father for all eternity. And of course, Saint Joseph was the best of all earthly fathers.

We would like to highlight only a few sublime qualities of Saint Joseph as father so that it will serve as a springboard for many fathers to imitate. We all desperately need good role-models to imitate, and now, more than ever, fathers need a role model, and Saint Joseph is by far the best!

The following are five specific qualities that Saint Joseph lived as father to Jesus and as a model for all present and future fathers. May Glorious Saint Joseph intercede for fathers that they will faithfully carry out the sublime role that God has entrusted to them!

1. First, Saint Joseph was a faithful son of the Eternal Father.

What is meant by this is simply the following: to be a good father, one must first and foremost be a noble, loving, and obedient son to the heavenly Father. All fathers must pray with utmost sincerity the prayer of the Lord: “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name…” A true father must have God as his guide, source, life, and inspiration. May fathers, in imitation of Saint Joseph, cultivate a deep relationship with the heavenly Father and learn the true meaning of the Lord’s Prayer, the Our Father!

2. Second, Saint Joseph was a faithful and loving spouse.                                                          

The Liturgy highlights how Saint Joseph cherished his wife, the Blessed Virgin Mary. The word cherish means that he really loved her. It is true that both Saint Joseph and Mary decided upon and lived faithfully a virginal marriage, under the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Nonetheless, on a human level there existed a most profound and dynamic love that bound them together, a love imbued with the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, to be true and genuine fathers, husbands must love God, but then they must really love their wives. For when they love their wives, this love overflows and descends upon their children, like rainfall that falls and moistens the parched ground. A husband’s gesture of kindness and love given to his wife, is a gesture of kindness and love given to their children!

3. Third, good Saint Joseph was a teacher.

He taught Jesus, on a human level, many important practices. He taught Jesus how to speak and say Abba — Daddy! He taught Jesus how to walk. He taught Jesus the art of being a craftsman as a carpenter. Now listen to this: Saint Joseph even taught Jesus how to pray! Take the words of the Psalms, such as “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want…” (Psalm 23:1), Saint Joseph prayed these words and taught the Child Jesus to pray them. How sublime! The great Saint Joseph taught the Logos, the Eternal Word of God the Father, how to pray using human words!

The documents of Vatican II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church insist on the fact that the parents—both father and mother—are the primary teachers of their children, most especially in that which refers to the faith. May good Saint Joseph be a model for parents to truly be the first and best teachers of their children in all areas: academic, social, human, emotional, but especially as teachers of morality and spirituality, and all that refers to the good of the soul of the child and their eternal salvation.

4. Saint Joseph was present to his child and to his wife.

What we mean by present refers to the all-pervasive sad fact that so many fathers today actually become what we might term Drop-out Dads! This term Drop-out Dad has a multiplicity of interpretations, all nefarious and noxious to the well-being of the child and the family at large. Here are a few: divorcees, those involved in adultery, those hooked to vices (drinking, porn, drugs, casino gambling or the horses), those who are physically present but emotionally disengaged or disconnected.

This indeed becomes a vicious cycle passed on from one generation to the next. Contrariwise, good Saint Joseph was always, and we emphasize always, available to the needs of his family — both his wife and Son! Saint Joseph prayed with the family, worked with the family, ate with the family, went to the Synagogue and Temple with the family, laughed with the family, relaxed with the family, and finally died in the arms of those he loved most — Jesus and Mary!

5. Saint Joseph was willing to sacrifice for his family.

A very important final note on the noble, sublime, and holy presence and person of the great Saint Joseph was his willingness to sacrifice himself and suffer for Jesus and Mary. Not in one isolated case but many times, and intense sufferings!

Saint Joseph suffered due to the Virginal Conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary, until the angel cleared his doubt, and then Saint Joseph took Mary to be his wife. Saint Joseph made the long and grueling trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem, in total obedience to the governing authorities, accompanying his pregnant wife on a donkey those many miles. Upon arriving, Saint Joseph received nothing but rejection: “There was no place for them in the Inn.” 

Then Saint Joseph had a dream that the wicked King Herod wanted to kill his son. In the bitter cold and darkness of night, faithful, strong, and obedient husband and father, good Saint Joseph, fled with his family to Egypt, thereby saving Jesus from being slaughtered. The strong, valiant, courageous, and trusting Saint Joseph experienced all these episodes and more, motivated by a most profound love for his family — his wife and his Child!

True and authentic fathers have a compelling need to look up to the valiant and courageous Saint Joseph as model and guide. In other words, true fathers must be willing to work hard for their children, sacrifice for their children, and even be willing to suffer for their children, and sometimes suffer painfully for their children to bring them to safety from the many wiles of the modern Herods! Our human nature shirks and recoils from the prospect of suffering. However, it is part and parcel of human existence.

Final Thought on Saint Joseph

Saint Joseph sacrificed himself and suffered intensely for one reason: love. This great saint loved God; he loved his wife Mary, and he had an all-encompassing love for his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God. May our modern fathers, our modern Dads, lift up their eyes to good Saint Joseph and beg for his heavenly intercession, especially in moments of trial when pain and sacrifices are demanded. No doubt, good Saint Joseph will be present, powerful and providential in his assistance!

The first devotees (those truly devoted to) this great and glorious Saint Joseph were both Our Lady and Jesus, the Lord. For all of us to have an integral, well-balanced and complete relationship with Jesus and Mary, then we must also have a great love for glorious Saint Joseph.

We would like to end with a prayer to Jesus, Mary and Saint Joseph:

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul; Jesus, Mary and Joseph, make my heart like unto yours. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, assist me in my last agony; Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I breathe forth my soul unto thee.

O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine. Amen.

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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

WEDNESDAY, December 8th   Lk. 1: 26-38   Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.”

We know this story so well and eagerly anticipate hearing it again every Advent! But what we know little about is the “back story” —what led up to the Angel’s Announcement.

That story begins with Mary’s Immaculate Conception which we celebrate today! Fr. Ed sheds light on this story for us.

UNDERESTIMATED SAINTS! MARY’S PARENTS! by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Jesus said: “By their fruit you will know them. A good tree brings forth good fruit, but a bad tree brings forth bad fruit.” (Mt 7:16-17) These words of the Greatest Master and Teacher of the world can most appropriately be applied to Jesus’ two grandparents, the mother and father of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Their names have traditionally been known to be SAINT JOACHIM (father of Mary) and SAINT ANN (mother of Mary).

Our humble work of promoting a knowledge, love, and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary would be incomplete if nothing were mentioned about the parents of Mary, of the Grandparents of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Both Saint Joachim and Saint Ann merit the highest honor and respect!

WHY THE GREATNESS OF SAINT JOACHIM AND SAINT ANN?  I honestly believe that given the high estate of their daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, right reason and logic point to the fact that Saint Joachim and Saint Ann deserve our study—our knowledge of them, our respect for them, our prayers to them, as well as our trust in the power of their intercession in our daily lives. Indeed, they are underestimated and all too often unknown by many Catholics!

SALIENT AND IMPORTANT POINTS FOR OUR REFLECTION ON SAINT JOACHIM AND SAINT ANN.  There is no actual Biblical data on Saint Joachim and Saint Ann. Nonetheless, tradition points out that this husband and wife were the vessels from which God sent into the world the greatest woman ever to be born and ever to live, who would become the Mother of God and the Queen of Heaven and earth! From this woman, the fruit of the love between Saint Joachim and Saint Ann, would be born, Jesus, our Lord God and Savior. For these reasons, we highlight the great importance of this couple.

THE SUFFERING OF SAINT JOACHIM AND SAINT ANN.  This was their greatest suffering. Like Abram and Sarai, like Hannah, like Saint Elizabeth and Zechariah—Saint Joachim and Saint Ann, despite their great desire and longing, were never able to have children. Furthermore, according to tradition, by now Ann, like Elizabeth, was beyond the normal child bearing age. This was a source of excruciating suffering for Joachim and Ann, given that they both had really wanted children.

THEIR GENEROSITY.  Despite their longing and suffering in not having a child, Saint Joachim and Saint Ann had very generous hearts. They were a devout Jewish couple, a very prayerful couple, and a humble couple. How did this unfold? From the economic means they had for themselves, they preferred to give most of it away. In other words, they were really detached from material things—especially money and its dangers—as they had their hearts set on God. As Jesus would say later on in His teachings that we read in the Sermon on the Mount: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything else will be given to you be besides.” (Mt 6:33) Therefore, Saint Joachim and Saint Ann gave one third of their means to the poor; another third, they gave to the Temple and its upkeep; and they kept only a third for themselves. Talk about generosity in tithing! Most people who tithe, consider themselves generous when they give ten percent of their earnings to the poor or to the Church. In the case of Saint Joachim and Saint Ann, they gave away two thirds, or if you like 66% of their means!!!

GOD CANNOT BE OUTDONE IN GENEROSITY.  How true the saying: “God cannot be outdone in generosity.” God intervened in a most powerful way in response to the prayerful, humble, and generous hearts of Saint Joachim and Saint Ann. In seemingly impossible circumstances, God blessed them with a child! It would be a little girl. The little girl’s name would be MARY! However, this would not be an ordinary little girl. This would be the greatest little girl in the history of the world. Because of who Mary was and whom she would bring into the world, all humanity would be radically transformed.

SAINT ANN AND THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.  One of the reasons why we maintain that Saint Ann and Saint Joachim are greatly underestimated is due to what we will say now! In the womb of Saint Ann and through the seed of Saint Joachim, God performed one of the greatest miracles in the history of the world. This miracle is called the IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. Yes, this took place in the womb of Saint Ann! That is to say, at the moment Saint Ann conceived a little girl in her womb—whom Saint Anne and Saint Joachim would name MARY—God intervened with what is called the IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.

MEANING OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION?  In the very moment of the conception of Mary in Saint Ann’s womb, God intervened with His all-holy Presence and preserved Mary from the stain of Original Sin. Yes! From the very moment of Mary’s conception, she was preserved from Original Sin. To be perfectly clear, the stain of original sin which taints all the rest of humanity, never touched Mary most holy! For that reason, the English poet, Wordsworth, lauded Mary in these words: “She is our tainted nature’s solitary boast!” We were all conceived in sin, the sin of Adam and Eve, the Original Sin. Mary was preserved from this Original Sin, this Original stain, this Original moral sickness, this Original disaster! However, this must be highlighted: it was through Saint Ann and Saint Joachim conceiving a child that this extraordinary privilege of the Immaculate Conception could be given by God to the child they conceived. Therefore, we should have the greatest reverence, admiration, honor, and respect for Saint Anne and Saint Joachim, and for the womb of Saint Ann that carried Mary, the Immaculate Conception, who would become the Mother of God!

There is still much that can be harvested from this abundant and rich mystery of the persons of Saint Joachim and Saint Ann. Here are some.

1. LITURGICAL FEAST DAY:  The Catholic Church celebrates the Feast Day of Saint Joachim and Saint Ann together every year on July 26th. Try to remember this date and attend Mass and receive Holy Communion to honor these chosen Saints who were the parents of Mary, the Immaculate Conception!

2. PATIENCE.  This holy couple teach us the virtue of patience. They waited many years and finally God blessed them with the greatest gift—a child. Moreover, this child would be the Mother of God!

3. GENEROSITY.  Where did their generosity come from? They were totally detached from all except God. So they could freely give two-thirds of what they had to the poor and to the Temple.

4. PRAYERFUL.  They prayed, and God was pleased with their prayers due to their humility, patience, generosity, purity, and great love for God and His mysterious, but wise and Providential plans. May we learn to pray like Saint Joachim and Saint Ann. May we ask for their prayers to help us to pray better!

5. IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.  This is one of the chief Solemnities that the Church celebrates every year on December 8th and it came about through the persons of Saint Joachim and Saint Ann.

6. PATRON OF PARENTS.  Of course, as said earlier, “A good tree brings forth good fruit.” Saint Joachim and Saint Ann raised the greatest and most holy girl in the world. Therefore, it must be said that they can be the Patrons of Parents who have to struggle so hard to raise their children in the love of God and fear of the Lord, due to the many worldly distractions and temptations pulling their children away from God. Pray earnestly and fervently to Saint Joachim and Saint Ann to guide you, and to help guard and protect your children from the evils that surround them.

7. PATRON OF GRANDPARENTS.  We should not overlook the fact that Jesus indeed did have two Grandparents, and they were Saint Joachim and Saint Ann. Try to imagine Saint Joachim and Saint Ann holding their grandchild, the little Baby Jesus, tenderly in their loving arms. How much Saint Joachim and Saint Ann loved their daughter Mary, and their Grandson, the Lord Jesus. They can certainly help grandparents who beseech their intercession, to carry out their noble mission in the sanctification of the family.

8. PATRON OF SPOUSES.  Even though this might be obvious, it still should be mentioned: Saint Joachim and Saint Ann formed an exemplary marriage; they were an excellent married couple. They were faithful. They lived out fully the marriage promises and commitment: “Faithfulness in good times and in bad, in health and in sickness, in riches and in poverty, until death do they part.” Hopefully they will serve as a model for married couples in the realm of promising to be faithful and then living it out!

9. INSTRUMENTS IN THE ECONOMY OF SALVATION.  Indeed, it must be stated that it was through Saint Joachim and Saint Ann that the history of the salvation of the entire world had its beginning. They brought forth Mary, the Mother of God; and their daughter Mary gave us Jesus, the Savior of all humanity! For this reason, we have both Saint Joachim and Saint Ann to thank for bringing Mary, the Immaculate Conception, into the world.

10. THE OFFERING AND PRESENTATION OF MARY AS A GIFT TO GOD.  After Saint Anne conceived and gave birth to their little child Mary, according to Tradition, Saint Joachim and Saint Anne presented their child at an early age to be brought up in the Temple in thanksgiving to God! The Church celebrates the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary every year on November 21st. Thus was Mary prepared for her sublime mission to become the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and the Mother of each and every one of us!

In conclusion, Saint Joachim and Saint Ann are indeed great saints. Unfortunately, they are unknown by all too many. Their greatness in the economy of salvation can barely be measured.

Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

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

TUESDAY, December 7th   Mt. 18: 12-14   “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray?”

There is a story that one Christmas, the Baby Jesus asked the great Doctor of the Church, St. Jerome, “What will you give me for Christmas?” The good saint thought of things to give the Baby Jesus. His works translating Scripture into Latin? “No, try again.” His commentaries on the Bible? “No, try again.” His teaching on Christian moral life, that must be it? Again the Baby Jesus said, “No, something else.” At which point, St. Jerome said, “I don’t know what I can give you.” The Baby Jesus replied, “Give me your sins.”

The Baby Jesus wants us to give Him our sins this Christmas! By making the best Confession of our life. In this last of our trilogy of meditations on the Sacrament of Confession, Fr. Ed brings to light what is probably the weak point for most of us when confessing. This meditation if taken seriously and put into practice can help us replace repetitive sins with flowering virtues!

THE SECRET TO MAKING BETTER SACRAMENTAL CONFESSIONS: FIRM PURPOSE OF AMENDMENT! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

God communicates His grace to us through Jesus Christ, His Mystical Body which is the Church. The Sacraments are the chief or principal channels by which Jesus sanctifies us, makes us holy. However, and this must be emphasized, the abundance of grace or the lack of grace is commensurate with the disposition of the recipient.

DISPOSITIVE GRACE IN SACRAMENTAL THEOLOGY.  So as to reap the most abundant harvest in the reception of the Sacraments, one must have a firm grasp on what Dispositive Grace really means. To be concrete, dispositive grace means the more open, docile, pure, receptive, and humble the soul, the more abundant the graces.

A SIMPLE IMAGE.  The sun will pass through a window pane once the drapes are pulled open. However, a window pane that has been sullied or besmirched by smut and dirt, then the abundance of the sun’s rays will be blocked, at least partially. That window cleansed by Windex and a dry newspaper will result in a pure and transparent window and the sunlight will penetrate and permeate the room in abundance. So, it is with the soul—a pure and transparent soul will capture and absorb the abundant light of God’s graces in the reception of the Sacraments!

CONFESSION AND GOD’S ABUNDANT GRACES.  The normal and most efficacious means by which we can receive God’s Infinite Mercy is through the worthy reception of the Sacrament of Confession, also known as the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Sacrament of God’s Infinite Mercy. However, it must be emphasized, the thrust of this short essay is this: the abundance of the graces of all the Sacraments, and most specifically in this article, that of Confession, is in direct proportion to the disposition and the preparation made before entering the Confessional.

THE FIVE INDISPENSABLE STEPS.  There are Five Indispensable Steps that are necessary to receive the grace of forgiveness in the Sacrament of Confession: 1) Examination of conscience; 2) Sorrow for sins, 3) Firm purpose of Amendment, 4) Confession of sins vocally to the priest, who represents Christ; 5) Penance—carry out the penance given by the priest. If done, the grace of the Sacrament flows into the soul.

PASTORAL COMMENT AND ADMONITION.  As a priest for many years and having heard thousands of confessions in various countries, I would like to make this comment with the purpose of encouraging penitents to approach this great Sacrament with trust, love, confidence, and frequency. However, with the strong encouragement to analyze one of the five steps or aspects of the Sacrament—the 3rd Step: Firm Purpose of Amendment.

MEANING: Firm Purpose of Amendment.  These few words mean the following: as a penitent in receiving the Sacrament of Confession, I will strive with the help of God’s grace and with all of the energy in my will to avoid the near occasion of sin. If you like, I will not play with fire. Or again, I will not walk on thin ice or walk on the slippery slope that leads to a fall. Meaning, I will avoid any person, place, thing, or event that can easily lead me to falling into sin. I will utilize preventive medicine to procure the avoidance of the moral infirmity of sin!

Let us offer a few concrete suggestions on how we can upgrade or improve our reception of the Sacrament of Confession, augment grace in our soul—even allow God’s grace to fall in a deluge upon our soul, and most important, to overcome falling into the same sins over and over.

1. IMAGINE THIS TO BE OUR LAST CONFESSION, THEN JUDGMENT.  This thought can be of incalculable value: try to imagine that this Confession might be the last in your life and then Judgment ensues. No doubt with this thought in mind, your preparation will improve 100%.

2. EXAMINE OUR CONSCIENCE THOROUGHLY.  Make a concerted effort to examine your conscience most thoroughly with the help of a guide booklet explaining the Ten Commandments in minute detail. Those who have drifted away from the Church for years and have not studied their faith, almost certainly do not know the Commandments and have a poorly formed conscience.

3. WRITE DOWN THE SINS.  Of great utility for us as penitents would be that of writing down our sins. If done, sins will not be forgotten and skipped over in the context of the Confession. The Sacramental Grace of Ordination gives the priest the ability to absolve and forgive sins, but not to read minds.

4. REWIND THE FILM OF OUR LIFE AND DETECT OUR SINS.  Even before writing down your sins, you should rewind the film of your life since your last Confession and see your sins with great honesty, not glossing over sins, or justifying sins, or rationalizing sins—this is pride. Try to see your sins through God’s eyes with total honesty and truth.

5. THE PRECEDING REASONS THAT LED US TO FALL INTO SIN.  Now what is of prime importance in this short essay aimed at improving your confessions, is to arrive at the root causes or reasons that led you into your sins, and possibly what has led you to fall into the same sins in the past. This knowledge of self is of enormous importance in helping you not to fall into the same sins again, the same traps you have in the past.

6. DESOLATION.  In general, relying upon the wisdom of the saints, especially Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the state of desolation is often a key trigger or catalyst that can easily catapult you into the mire of sin. By desolation basically is meant that you feel sad and depressed, have a sense of futility and purposelessness in life. Therefore, immersed in such a state, you must double your spiritual armaments to fight against the ensuing temptations.

7. KRYPTONITE (Superman’s weakness).  The devil will take advantage of this weakened state of your soul in desolation to launch his missiles to manipulate and maneuver you and tempt you to sin, and sin again, especially where you are most weak! What are your weak points???

8. SELF-KNOWLEDGE OF THE PAST TO AVOID SINS IN THE PRESENT.  Being aware of having slipped and fallen into the mire of your sins in the past due to a state of desolation, you must allow to kick into high gear the Ignatian concept of Agere Contra—this means instead of succumbing to sin, deliberately do the exact opposite. Instead of overeating, practice temperance. Instead of capitulating to impatience, be doubly patient with the people around you. Instead surrendering to laziness, bounce out of bed 15 minutes earlier. Instead of looking at something impure, contemplate Jesus on the cross with His Mother Mary at the foot of the cross. By living out the Agere Contra—doing the exact opposite, the victory can be won!

9. PRAYER, PENANCE, POWER OF DETERMINATION, PREVENTIVE MEDICINE. 

Now this is the key to confessing better, most specifically in carrying out Step Three—having a firm purpose of amendment in the scheme of the Sacrament of Confession—and that key is Prayer, Penance, Power of the Will, and Preventive Medicine. Let us look at these series of words with the Letter “P”.  

a) PRAYER. First, by Prayer is meant that even before entering the confessional you strive to make a fervent Act of Contrition. In this prayer you are already aware of your weaknesses and past sins, as well as what preceded these sins.

b) PENANCE. Second, you will be adding to fervent prayer, an act of Penance, again prior to entering the confessional. It can be a small penance. It is not size of the penance that matters but the love and sincerity with which you offer it.

c) POWER OF DETERMINATION. Third, make a really firm act of the will—a determined determination not to sin again! We also call this a firm purpose of amendment.

d) PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE. Fourth, have recourse to the Sacrament of Confession frequently, which is not only medicine and healing to the sick of soul, but also Preventative Medicine. If done well, not only are your sins forgiven, but the Sacrament confers GRACE not to fall so easily into sin again. Thus, past habitual sins will be greatly diminished. In other words, you are having recourse first and foremost to God’s grace, but second and of great importance, doing your own part with good will by frequent Confession.

10. NUNC CAEPI—NOW I BEGIN! Despite our good efforts, we can still fall. If this happens, we should strive to bounce back as soon as possible, and then strive with the help of God’s grace, and an even more firm commitment, to fight against sin. As the Psalmist reminds us: “God is slow to anger, but rich in mercy.” (Ps. 145:8) This refers to sin and the Sacrament of Confession. “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)

11. COMMUNION AND CONFESSION.  Another added help to improve our Confession is to connect it with Communion. By this is meant, when you receive Holy Communion, beg the Sacred Heart of Jesus to help you in your weakness, in your struggle, in your fight against sin! Beg the Eucharistic Lord to strengthen you when you are weak and being tempted, and He will quickly run to your aid. The two Sacraments—Confession and Holy Communion are intimately connected.

12. OUR LADY REFUGE OF SINNERS. The saints all agree that Mary is most powerful in our struggle against sin. Before having recourse to Confession, let us place our Confession in the hands and in the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and beg her most fervently every time we confess to the priest to make the best Confession in our life, and also to help us upgrade our Firm Purpose of Amendment! Let us beg Mary to help us to avoid any person, place, thing, or circumstance that can plunge us into the mire of ugliness that is sin. But rather may we choose beauty which is virtue. “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”