Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr

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

FRIDAY, November 12th   Lk. 17:26-37   “Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it.”

• November is the month dedicated to praying for All Souls and a timely reminder of our own pending death. “Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.” (John Donne)

BE READY AND PREPARED TO MEET THE LORD JESUS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Plane crashes, car accidents, ships sinking, oil-plants exploding, miles-long forest-fires—many of these sudden and unpredictable disasters often terminate with the loss of human life. How easy it is for us to look at these disasters from a distance and disregard the fact that one day, one hour, one minute, one second will be the last of our short life on earth.

Even though not the most popular of topics, it is very advantageous and propitious for our spiritual well-being to read, meditate and reflect upon the reality of our own mortality and death, and the precarious and uncertain nature of our short sojourn or pilgrimage on earth.

NOVEMBER: MONTH TO REFLECT ON THE LAST THINGS. Eschatology is the branch of theology that focuses on what are called The Last Things: death, judgment, heaven, hell, and for Catholics—the reality of Purgatory. In addition to these Last Things we should add a baker’s dozen to the equation: the reality of eternity. One of the reasons for the meditation on these serious topics is precisely because the Church Liturgical Year is winding down to its normal end—the celebration of Christ the King and then the new Church year commences with the Season of Advent.

A CALM REFLECTION ON THE REALITY OF DEATH. Therefore, we invite all to enter into a brief reflection on the reality of death, what it is, how to accept its inevitable reality and make concrete steps to be prepared. The great woman Doctor of the Church, Saint Catherine of Siena asserts: “The two most important moments of our life are now and the hour of our death.” Sound familiar? What about the last part of the Hail Mary?

1. HOLY AND HEALTHY REMINDERS OF DEATH. As a whole, the American and modern world in general strives to do all that is possible to eschew and circumvent the reality of death, even though, as mentioned above, we are constantly being bombarded by blatant news of deaths, either on an individual or collective perspective. What then are holy and healthy reminders of death??? There are many and may they gently lead us to prepare for the eventual and inevitable key moment of our life—the moment of our death!

a) THE CRUCIFIX. This points to the death of Jesus on the cross for love of us and for the eternal salvation of our immortal souls. Contemplating Jesus hanging on the cross—for love of you and me—can elicit within our souls and practical lives a desire to be converted from evil and sin, and to love what Jesus really loved—His Eternal Father and the salvation of souls.

b) THE CEMETERY. Upon passing any cemetery—be it Catholic or non-Catholic—we should always say at least a short prayer for the eternal repose of those whose bones lie in that burial place. Who knows how many souls will have their suffering alleviated, or even be delivered from Purgatory as a result of these short, fervent and frequent prayers offered for them!

c) FUNERAL MASS. For priests working in busy Parishes, Funeral Masses are frequent. However, we must make the connection between the person lying in the coffin and ourselves, in that one day we will be the one lying in the coffin at our own funeral Mass. None of these ideas are pointed at scaring us, but rather at waking us up to the reality of our own mortality—that is to say, one day we all must face the reality of death!

d) ALL SOULS DAY. Every year in the Catholic Church calendar there is the Liturgical celebration of All Souls Day. The priest is actually allowed to celebrate three Masses on that day: 1) For the intentions of the Pope; 2) For the sake of all the souls; 3) For the priest’s own private intentions. Rarely is a priest allowed to celebrate Three Masses! This highlights the dire need and importance to pray for the souls in Purgatory, and of course the greatest prayer that can be offered is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass! Even though it is not a Holy Day of Obligation, as in the case of All Saints Day the day before, it is highly recommended to assist Mass on All Souls Day and receive Holy Communion if your soul is in the right disposition.

e) LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL TRAGEDIES. Even though exceedingly painful, when there are tragedies on a local, national or even international level in which multiple deaths have occurred, these moments should be for us a holy reminder of the sober truth of our own mortality.

Now let us move into concrete ways that we indeed can be well-prepared for our own death so that we can encounter Jesus, not so much as our strict Judge, but rather as our merciful and loving Redeemer and Savior!

2. LIVE EACH DAY AS IF IT WERE YOUR LAST.  The saints are unanimous in this philosophy of life, that is to say, try to live each day of your life as if it were your last day. Not to be apocalyptic or macabre—but it actually could be! We do not want to be like the Foolish Virgins in the Parable of Jesus who had no oil in their lamps, so that when the groom came, they were locked outside the Wedding Banquet. (Mt 25:1-13) The lack of oil in the flasks symbolizes those who lack sanctifying grace in their souls. Saint Albert Hurtado, S.J., the dynamic Chilean Jesuit priest asserted: “There are two places to rest: the cemetery and heaven.”

3. DIE DAILY!!! Our constant daily struggle is the one against the reality of sin in our mortal bodies. Saint Paul reminds us that we must put to death the cravings of the flesh and give full reign to the spirit. Indeed, this is a daily dying to self in our mortal bodies so as to live fully in Christ!

4. SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION AND DEATH. Another most efficacious way that we can die to self is in a Sacramental fashion, by having frequent recourse to the Sacrament of Confession. We confess our sins to the priest who represents Christ, receive absolution, and thereby die to sin and rise to new life and a new level of holiness. Indeed, every good Confession is a reliving of the Paschal Mystery of Jesus—His passion, death and Resurrection!!!

5. MEDITATE OFTEN ON THE LAST THINGS. If we constantly have before our eyes the reality of our death, the Judgment that follows immediately after our death, and the reality of Heaven and Hell, this serves as a powerful springboard to be converted. As the Biblical proverb reminds us: “Vanity of vanity… all is vanity” (Eccles 1:2)… if not related to God and our last end!

6. FERVENT HOLY COMMUNIONS. Of all the spiritual means or weapons to prepare us for a holy and happy death, Holy Mass and Holy Communion stand at the top of the list. Jesus offers us this most consoling promise: “I am the Bread of Life. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood will have everlasting life and I will raise him up on the last day.”  (The Bread of Life discourse—Jn. 6:48, 54)

7. UNITE YOUR SUFFERINGS TO THE CROSS AND HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS. As we age, our health becomes more fragile and God visits us with various forms of suffering—physical, mental, emotional, social, moral, spiritual, familial, etc.—the list goes on! The key to unlock the treasure-case of God’s graces is to recognize our sufferings and unit them with Jesus’ sufferings on the cross, most specifically in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. By uniting our sufferings and crosses to the Passion of Jesus, our sufferings have infinite value.

8. BEG FOR THE GRACE. Jesus invites us with these words: “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened. Whoever asks, receives; whoever seeks, finds; and whoever knocks, the door is opened to him. (Mt 7:7-9) Saint Alphonsus Liguori,who actually wrote a literary masterpiece on this topic, Preparation for a Holy Death, states emphatically on this point: “The grace of all graces is to die in the state of grace.” We should beg fervently and frequently for this grace of all graces—to die in the arms of Jesus, Mary and Saint Joseph!

9. BEG FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF RECEIVING THE LAST SACRAMENTS. Indeed, only God knows the day, the hour, the minute and the second that our life will end and we will travel from time into eternity. We can humbly beg the Lord, if it is His will, to be granted the extraordinary grace of being able to receive the Last Sacraments before we die. There is what is called a continual Rite for those approaching death: Confession, the Anointing of the Sick, culminating with Viaticum—meaning the last Holy Communion or the Holy Communion for those traveling from this life to eternal life.

10. THE MOST HOLY ROSARY AND THE BLESSED MOTHER. Of course we conclude our reflection on the Last Things, most specifically the topic of death with the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Hail Mary and the Holy Rosary. Indeed, every time you say the Hail Mary you are preparing your soul for the most important moment of death, but with the presence and assistance of Mary, the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and your loving Mother. In the second half of the Hail Mary we pray: “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.” Therefore, if we pray the Rosary on a daily basis, we are actually preparing ourselves to die with Mary at our side fifty times! What a consolation—to know at the end of our lives that we were faithful to the recitation of the Holy Rosary and Mary will be present at our death-bed, helping us to die a holy and happy death and be received mercifully by Jesus into our eternal Home! O Mary, Mother of mercy, pray for us! That we will live holy lives and experience the grace of all graces—the grace of a holy and happy death. Amen.

Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop

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

THURSDAY, November 11th   Lk. 17:20-25   “But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”

No one escapes this life without suffering. It is part of our fallen nature and fallen world after the sin of Adam and Eve. The “Good News” is that Christ gives our sufferings the power to save souls when joined to His sufferings in the representation of Calvary at every Mass! Let us strive with the following meditation not to waste our sufferings!

SANCTIFYING SUFFERING IN UNION WITH CHRIST by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

When confronted with the reality of suffering most of us cringe, recoil, or even run away from it. We want to flee to some special corner where we believe that we will be exempt from the reality of suffering. However, this is not possible. Whether we like it or not, suffering is an inevitable part of the human condition—our fallen condition as a result of Original Sin.

Confronted with this sober reality of suffering, we should come to terms with the reality that suffering will make us either “better or bitter”. Of all the world religions, Catholicism is the only religion that gives a positive and clear response to the stark reality of suffering. Suffering by its nature is neither good nor bad—it is neutral—rather it depends largely on how the individual interprets it and lives through it.

Means by Which We Can Sanctify Our Own Personal Suffering

Truly the only positive means by which we can sanctify our suffering is by uniting our suffering with the life and sufferings of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Jesus could have saved the world in many ways, but He chose to save the world by His Incarnation, life, teaching, miracles, but especially through the suffering that He willed to endure for all of us. This suffering of Jesus was most clearly manifest on Good Friday when He was condemned to death, carried His cross, was crucified and hung for three long hours on the cross for our salvation. He also taught us the meaning of suffering and the way to suffer by His own suffering.

It is up to us not to waste our suffering by complaining and running away from the suffering. Rather, it is up to us to unite our suffering to the sufferings of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, especially in His most sorrowful passion.

1. Recognize Our Suffering in its Various Shapes and Forms

It is incumbent upon us to recognize the various kinds of sufferings that God may send us. Also, it is key to recognize that many of the sufferings that we undergo are sent by God, as we read in the Book of Job who was afflicted by many shapes and forms of suffering.

What might be the different forms of suffering? Indeed, there are many! Physical suffering is the most obvious. Our body suffers in one form or another: headache, toothache, back pain, heart attack, operations and recovery, etc.

Social suffering—the society and its environs cause us to suffer. The society and culture seem to be distancing themselves from God and all morality; due to this we suffer.

Family suffering—a family member, possibly very close to us, has made wrong decisions and is following a wrong path. We would like to direct them on the right path, but they refuse to listen. We suffer!

Emotional suffering—fears, worries, anxieties, sorrows, uncertainties about the future, sadness due to many circumstances. This interior state causes us great suffering!

Spiritual suffering—despite my good efforts, it seems is if God is distant, that He does not recognize me or really care for me. Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta spent more than 40 years in this state of spiritual darkness! The mystics call this The Dark Night of the soul.

All of the above are various ways in which we are prone to suffer. We may suffer in one or more of the ways listed above or in even more ways than the ones listed. Now the key element is to be aware of our suffering in these various areas and then unite our sufferings to the Lord Jesus Christ in His sufferings. By means of this union with Christ, we sanctify ourselves, we sanctify our family, we sanctify the Church—the Mystical Body of Christ, and we sanctify the world at large. For this reason, St. Therese of Lisieux, known as “The Little Flower”, asserted: “When we do evil the whole world is lowered; when we do good we lift the whole world closer to heaven.”

2. Union With Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection in Holy Mass

Let us take one more huge step in understanding our union with the Passion, suffering, and death of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Indeed, Jesus died more than 2000 years ago. However, He promised us union with His passion, death and resurrection in Holy Mass!

He promised: “I will be with you always, even until the end of time.” (Mt 28:20) Where is He? In His Church which has as one of its most glorious titles—The Mystical Body of Christ. Most especially, Jesus is present in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Every time an ordained priest celebrates and offers Holy Mass, Jesus is truly present in the moment of consecration, under the appearance of bread and wine. Jesus becomes the spotless Victim, the Lamb of God and Savior of the world in Mass. What happened on Mount Calvary more than 2000 years ago, right now becomes once again present. Jesus in the Mass offers Himself—His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity—to the eternal Father for our salvation.

3. The Key that Opens Up the Reservoir of Graces in Our Suffering

Now the key to raining down a deluge of graces on ourselves in our suffering is the following: uniting our personal sufferings to Jesus, the Victim in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In other words, place your headache, conflict with your husband or wife, your emotional disturbance, your own dark night, on the paten in the Mass. Then when the priest, who represents Christ, consecrates the host and the wine in the Chalice into the Body and Blood of Christ, your sufferings are elevated on high for your sanctification, as well as for the sanctification of all those for whom you pray, and for the whole world!

4. One More Step to Make Our Sufferings More Efficacious

Still another step is essential to make our sufferings all the more efficacious. It is this: reception of Holy Communion. It is important to participate in Mass and the consecration; however, it is much more complete if we receive the fruit of consecration which is Holy Communion—the Body, Blood Soul, and Divinity of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

Upon receiving Jesus with faith, fervor, love and devotion our sufferings are sanctified to the max, and even more Jesus gives us the grace, the peace, and the strength to carry our cross, and He will even alleviate the pain. Listen to His most consoling words: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened 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)

5. Start Now: Sanctify Your Daily Crosses and Sufferings

So why not start now. Remember those key words: offer it up. Pray your morning offering and give all to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Then when visited by suffering—be it physical, moral, psychological, emotional, social, family, etc.—unite it to the cross and Jesus, and to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Then your sufferings will take on infinite value because they are united with Jesus’ own sufferings and Jesus is both man and God!

May Our Lady who suffered beneath the cross, Our Lady of Sorrows, attain for us the grace not to waste our sufferings, but to sanctify them by uniting our own sufferings with the Passion, death and Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ—for our salvation and the salvation of many others!

Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

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

WEDNESDAY, November 10th   Lk. 17:11-19   “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”

It is important to understand why Jesus is disappointed, even sad. Do you think He was looking for the glory? Or at least the good manners of a “thank you”? To find the answer we must understand why we were created.

We were created by God for one purpose: to enter into relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—a relationship of love, of friendship, of family! This is the truth that defines who we are!!!  

This changes everything! This changes how we see God and how we see ourselves. How we see life, how we see death, and how we see eternity! Fr. Ed helps us understand how to grow in friendship with Jesus.

FIVE EASY STEPS TO START SEEING JESUS AS YOUR LORD & FRIEND by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Good Shepherd; Bread of Life; Lamb of God; the Way, the Truth, and the Life; Light of the world; Alpha and Omega; Principle and Foundation; Christ, Son of the Living God; Redeemer and Savior; Faithful Friend; Son of the Father; Son of the Virgin Mary—all of these are Christological titles. Each of these titles reflect a single but glorious aspect of Jesus. He is Lord, God, and Savior and so ardently yearns to be our friend in time and for eternity.

Therefore, we would like to offers some concrete steps that we can immediately take towards building a strong, dynamic, and permanent Friendship with Jesus who indeed is the Friend who never fails us, and who longs to be our Friend in Heaven for all eternity.

Common sense teaches us that it is utterly impossible to love a person if that person is totally unknown to us. For that reason, in the composition of the Spiritual Exercises, the full month Retreat, Saint Ignatius encourages the Retreatant to spend 11 to 12, or even 13 days, with the sole purpose of contemplating the life of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thus, the Retreatant may spend from four to five hours per day contemplating the Public Life of Jesus for close to two weeks. The grace that Saint Ignatius insists the Retreatants beg for is the following: “Intimate Knowledge of Jesus, that we may love Him more ardently, and follow Him more closely.”

Imagine spending 50 to 60 hours over two weeks contemplating the Public Life of the Lord Jesus in silence with an open heart. What would be the fruits of such a Spiritual Exercise? No doubt, it would be a personal and dynamic friendship with Jesus.

This being said let us drop the nets in the infinite abyss of the Person of Jesus the Lord, Jesus our God, Jesus our Savior, Jesus our Redeemer, Jesus the Son of Mary, and Jesus who desires to be and indeed will be our Best Friend in time and for all eternity!

1. Get to Know the Gospels

The starting point for getting to know the Lord Jesus must be with the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and Saint John. They should not be read like literature, poetry, or as a mere pagan or secular pursuit of knowledge. Quite the contrary, the Gospels should be read, or better yet, meditated and prayed over to get to know, love, and follow Jesus.

2. A Prayer Method?

Yes, there are many prayer-methods, but we would like to suggest a short, simple, and practical method to open the door to knowledge and friendship with Jesus through pondering the Word of God in our hearts—like the Virgin Mary.

a) PRAY FIRST. Before even opening the Gospel, pray to the Holy Spirit for light and love in your Bible meditation.

b) READ. Read slowly with the docility of Samuel in the Temple: “Speak, O Lord, for your servant is listening.”

c) THINK. Like the Blessed Virgin Mary think, ponder, ruminate over the Word of God. In other words, accept the struggle that it takes to understand the Word of God.

d) OPEN YOUR HEART: TALK. Then open your heart and talk to the Lord Jesus. Let the sentiments of your heart flow freely as you talk to the Lord.

e) FRIENDS. St. Teresa of Avila compares prayer to friendship. Talk to Jesus about what is on your mind and in your heart related to the Word of God that you are reading.

f) NOTES: After you have finished your prayer time, then for a few minutes write down in your prayer journal the lights, thoughts, insights, inspirations, consolations that God gave you.

g) ACTION. Then try to put into practice what God has given to you. In other words, go from the heart and mind to the feet—put the Word into practice!

3. Bible Commentaries

Another very useful tool to get to know Jesus better and to love Him with great passion is to get hold of a good Bible commentary. There are many, but I would like to offer simply one source—PATRISTICS!!! By this is meant, delve into what some of the Fathers of the Church have preached and written on the Life of Christ. Who are the Fathers of the Church? There are both the Western (Latin) Fathers, as well as the Eastern Fathers of the Church. Some important names among the Western Fathers: St. Augustine, St. Ambrose, St. Jerome, St. Gregory the Great.  Some important names among the Eastern Fathers: St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil, Saint Gregory of Nicaea, St. Athanasius. You are on solid and safe ground with the Fathers of the Church—both from the West and the East.

4. A Modern Classic

In Sinu Jesu—When Heart Speaks to Heart: The Journal of a Priest at Prayer, a Benedictine Monk. This modern classic can ignite a fire in your heart for love of Jesus the Lord as your Best Friend. Listen and meditate upon one short passage from this most inspiring text: 

“Listen to me. Open to Me the ear of your heart and I will speak to you as I promised. My Heart has so much to tell you. I will instruct you. I will teach you. I will show you the way in which you are to go. My heart yearns for you. I so desire your company.”  (In Sinu Jesu: page 21)

Beyond the shadow of a doubt, a slow, prayerful meditation of this text will help you to get to know Jesus as an intimate Friend, and you will truly start to fall in love with the Lord Jesus. In the prologue, the author makes it clear that this book is not just for priests, but every person who sincerely desires a growing friendship with Jesus!

5. Mary: The Shortcut to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Jesus is happy when we get to know and love the ones that He knows and loves best. The first of Jesus’ friends and lovers is His own Mother—the Blessed Virgin Mary. By getting to know Mary, pondering her words and exemplary life, we will be motivated to turn to Jesus. Our Lady never blocks union with Jesus; rather, she fosters deep union with Jesus. In fact, the last words recorded of Mary in the Bible are in the context of the Wedding Feast of Cana. Mary’s lasts words in fact were: “Do whatever He tells you.” (Jn. 2:5) The best advice in the world.

In sum, grow in knowledge and love of Mary, and she will place you in the Sacred Heart of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in time and for all eternity!

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

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

TUESDAY, November 9th   Jn. 2: 13-22   “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? …the temple of God, which you are, is holy.”

• Do we believe Jesus’ words? “You are the temple of God.” “The Spirit of God dwells in you.” The Temple of God, which you are, is holy.”
• Let us believe Jesus’ words and follow the blueprint He left us in His Life recorded in Holy Scripture: Prayer, Service/Charity, Sacrifice and Suffering.
• Prayer: 1) Our daily Holy Hour, frequent Confession (every two to three weeks), Daily Mass and Holy Communion as often as possible, a daily Rosary.
• Service/Charity: 2) Living our day in service to all those we encounter in our day according their need and our state in life, that is to say, ability to help!
• Sacrifice or Suffering: 3) Voluntary fasting, as well as the sufferings God permits to come to us in the course of our day, and our life.
• Today we will focus on Charity, particularly in the realm of salvation! Timely meditation in this month of All Souls!!!

BECOME A SOLID BRIDGE TO HEAVEN by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Help souls to attain a holy and happy death! In the process, we will save our own soul.

Saint Thomas Aquinas offers us this succinct definition for charity (which by the way means supernatural love); charity is to will the good of the other. What then would be the absolute greatest good for the other?

In the eyes of God, with regard to the human person, the greatest good that a human person can attain is the salvation of their immortal soul. Jesus expressed this truth with brilliant clarity in these unequivocal words: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Mt 16:26)

There are only two ways, two paths, two eternal destinies, and no more! Jesus says the way that leads to destruction is wide and there are many who choose it. Jesus continues by saying the road that leads to eternal life is narrow and few choose such a path—for this is the Way of the Cross. It is the Good Friday that leads to the glory of the Resurrection. In a word, either we choose the narrow way of the cross and follow Jesus unreservedly and so attain heaven; or we choose the broad path of ease, comfort, luxury, pleasure and sin, and we lose our soul in the eternal flames of hell, and this is forever.

The huge mass of humanity lives for the world, for its glamor, pleasure, power and fame. Their eyes are fixed only on what this world has to offer. Very few indeed have their eyes lifted on high to the reality of Heaven, or give much care or concern for their eternal destiny. The biggest tragedy in the world is to throw away one’s eternal salvation. How true the words of Jesus: “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?” (Mk. 8:36)

This being the present state of affairs, let us prayerfully meditate upon the Eternal Truths, on the reality of death, judgment, heaven, hell and also of capital importance, eternity—meaning forever and ever and ever. But let us strive to do all we possibly can to become a solid bridge by which many can cross from this life to Heaven to be with the Lord Jesus and His Mother, and the angels and the saints for all eternity. Indeed, what are practical steps we can take to help those who are on the highway to hell to reach heaven?

1. PRAYER.  

Saint Alphonsus Maria Liguori stated point blank the indispensable necessity of prayer for our eternal salvation in these words that are cited in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “He who prays much will be saved; he who does not pray will be damned.” A powerful Biblical example that illustrates this truth are the two men who were hanging on crosses between Jesus on the cross on Calvary that First Good Friday—the two thieves. One was lost; the other saved. The Good thief was saved precisely because he prayed at the end of his life. Prayer is talking to Jesus. The Good thief talked to Jesus and begged for mercy. Jesus responded immediately with these consoling and comforting words: “Amen, amen I say to you: today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Lk 23: 43) His few but fervent prayers saved the good thief, and as Ven. Archbishop Fulton Sheen quipped: “And he died a thief, because he stole heaven.”

2. MEDITATE UPON THE SHORTNESS OF LIFE.

To the many who have drifted into no man’s land—The Waste land by T.S. Eliot, that is to say into disbelief, doubt and skepticism, remind them how short and uncertain life is. The Psalmist reminds us of this truth: “Our life is like the flower of the field that raises its head in the morning but withers and dies as the sun goes down.” (Ps 103:15-16) Saint Augustine comments on the ephemeral and transitory character of human life with these penetrating words: “Our life in comparison with eternity is a mere blink of the eye.” Saint James adds: “Our life is like a puff of smoke that appears and then is gone.” (Jas 4:14)

3. UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE.

Not only is human life a blink of an eye, a puff of smoke in comparison to eternity, but also, all human life is precarious, uncertain and subject to change, and that means death. On almost a daily basis we are exposed to untimely deaths: internationally, nationally, locally, and even on a personal or family level. No one of us can excuse ourselves from being taken aback or even shocked by some person who was struck down in the prime of their life in some tragic accident. In these times, COVID has also made us very aware of the fragility of life. Not to be apocalyptic, but that could be you or me in any week, day, hour, or minute. Jesus warns us of the uncertain and precarious nature of the human plight in the cogent, concise, and catastrophic Parable of the Rich fool. This man thought he had it made in the shade for a long life of ease, comfort, and pleasure. Jesus brought his utopian dreams to a screeching halt proclaiming to him that he would die that very night. And where will all his possessions go then?

4. BRING THE WANDERING SHEEP, THE PRODIGAL SONS TO CONFESSION. 

Given the shortness and uncertainty of life, beyond a shadow of doubt, one of the greatest acts of charity that you can accomplish is to convince a wandering sheep, or Prodigal Son or Daughter (Lk 15:11-32), to come back to God by means of a good Sacramental Confession. Give this wayward person, whose soul has infinite value, an examination of conscience pamphlet. Tell them where and when the confessions are. Accompany them to the Church and to the Confessional. Tell them what to do when they confess. Then you go to confession first and come out with a radiant smile, to encourage them. Saint James promises that if we bring back a wandering soul, we save our soul and expiate a multitude of sins. (James 5:20)

5. RECEPTION OF THE LAST SACRAMENTS BEFORE THE LORD CALLS US.     

One of the greatest graces that we can receive would be to receive the Last Sacraments before we pass from this life to the next. There is a continuous Rite that a priest administers to the dying. The proper order is the following: Confession, Anointing of the Sick, then the Eucharist, and if it were to be their last Communion, it is called Viaticum— meaning food for the Wayfarers on their way to the Lord. This would be the ideal order if the sick person has the physical strength, as well as the mental lucidity. Confession forgives sins; the Anointing of the Sick unites the suffering person to the Lord’s Passion on the cross and gives hope; the Eucharist, the Bread of Life, nourishes and gives strength for the last battle against the enemies of the soul.

6. APOSTOLIC PARDON.

Very few are aware of the many treasures the Church offers to those who are willing to receive them. The Apostolic Pardon is taken from the treasuries of the Church which spring forth from the Passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus (The Paschal Mystery) and is administered by the priest, usually after the three last Sacraments discussed above. The words said by the priest are the following: “Through the holy mysteries of our redemption, may almighty God release you from all punishments in this life and in the life to come. May he open to you the gates of paradise and welcome you to everlasting joy.” Or “By the authority which the Apostolic See has given me, I grant you a full pardon and remission of all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” With these words, said by the priest over the dying person, that person is granted full remission of all punishment due for their sins. In concrete terms, upon receiving the Apostolic Pardon, the dying person can have full and total access to Heaven upon their death! What an incredible gift and how few Catholics are aware of this gift!

7. PLENARY INDULGENCES.

Somewhat related to the Apostolic Pardon is that of the reception of what is called the Plenary Indulgence. If the conditions are met, the person that receives the Plenary Indulgence has all of their sins forgiven, as well as the temporal punishment due for those sins. If they were to die after properly receiving the Plenary Indulgence, they too could go to heaven immediately after their death. This being said the following are the conditions required to receive a Plenary Indulgence:

1) SACRAMENTAL CONFESSION. First, the Sacramental Confession done with the priest must be accomplished. Well prepared, expressed, and with true and firm purpose of Amendment, within 2 weeks before or after the indulgenced act (See No. 3 below).

2) SACRAMENTAL COMMUNION. Then, participation in Holy Mass with a fervent reception of Holy Communion —the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ.

3) ACTION REQUIRED FOR THE PLENARY INDULGENCE.  There are several possible actions, but we will offer three to choose from: 1) The Family Rosary or praying the Rosary in front of the Blessed Sacrament; or 2) Making the Way of the Cross; or 3) Meditate upon the Bible, the Word of God, for at least 30 minutes.

4) PRAY FOR THE INTENTIONS OF THE PONTIFF. Next, praying for the intentions of the Holy Father, the Pope – an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.

5) FIRM PURPOSE TO GIVE UP SIN. Last but not least, to receive the Plenary Indulgence, the person must be in the state of grace and make a most firm purpose to give up all sin—both mortal and venial—as well as the near occasions of sin. That being said, if despite our best efforts, we fall into venial sin do to human weakness, this does not negate the Plenary Indulgence!

If these five conditions are carried out, then we can obtain a Plenary Indulgence, meaning our soul becomes cleansed of all sins, as well as all punishment for these sins. If the Lord were to call us from this life to eternal life at this very moment, we could have immediate access to Heaven! How many free gifts Jesus offers through His Church, but how few people take advantage of them!!!

One more consideration, we can apply the Plenary Indulgence to ourselves, but not to any other living person. However, we can apply our Plenary Indulgence to a suffering soul in purgatory for their immediate release! By earning a Plenary Indulgence daily, how many souls could we release from purgatory to heaven in our life time – souls who would gratefully intercede for us here on earth! We call this the Communion of Saints! The Church Triumphant, the saints in heaven; the Church Suffering, the souls in Purgatory; and the Church Militant, those of us fighting the good fight here on earth.

8. PERFECT ACT OF CONTRITION. 

Another very important practice that must be preached and taught far and wide is the practice of striving to make a Perfect Act of Contrition as soon as we are aware of having fallen into mortal sin. This practice most especially should be practiced before retiring every night. For if we die in the state of mortal sin, we go to hell!

Sacramental Confession is not always possible due to the shortage and lack of priests. However, we can make a Perfect Act of Contrition at any time and any place, if moved by the grace of God. By “Perfect Act of Contrition” is meant that our sorrow for mortal sin is not simply Fear of the Lord and fear of eternal punishment—this is Attrition or Imperfect Contrition. To be Perfect Contrition, the sorrow must come from the depths of our heart with a firm purpose to avoid sinning in the future due to true love of God. In other words, we do not want to sin even in the slightest way because God loves us so much and we want to return His love with all the love in our own heart. If a Perfect Act of Contrition is said, then we can be restored to the state of grace even before Sacramental Confession. However, upon the quickest and earliest occasion we still must have recourse to Sacramental Confession!

9. CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY FOR THE DYING.

When a person is dying, temptations, especially to give in to despair, can be very intense. A most powerful and efficacious means by which to save such a soul is to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy that Jesus taught to Saint Faustina and strongly recommended. Jesus said these words to Saint Faustina: “My daughter, encourage souls to say the Chaplet which I have given to you. It pleases me to grant everything they ask of me by saying the chaplet. Write that when they say this chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand before My Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge, but as the merciful Savior. (Diary # 1541) 

Earlier our Lord said to Saint Faustina, as recorded in the Diary: “At the hour of their death, I defend as my own glory every soul that will say it for a dying person, the indulgence is the same.” (Diary # 811). Even if we are not physically present to the dying, as long as the Chaplet is prayed, the dying person will still receive the extraordinary grace of salvation—through the Wounds of our merciful Savior! Therefore, let us do all we can to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for the dying and to promote this little-known message and wonderful Promise.

10. OUR LADY: THE ROSARY AND ETERNAL SALVATION. 

Another powerful weapon that we have at our disposal to help us attain the grace of all graces, and that is to die in the state of grace, is to pray the most Holy Rosary on a daily basis. Saint Padre Pio spoke of the Rosary thus— “Give me my Weapon!” Indeed, if you and your family have formed the habit of praying the most Holy Rosary on a daily basis, then you are preparing yourself for death at least fifty times every day. How? Every time you say the words at the end of the Hail Mary, you pray: “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.” By these words, we are inviting Mary to be with us at the very moment we die, helping us to beg for forgiveness and God’s infinite mercy through her most powerful intercession.

In conclusion, Saint Alphonsus Liguori teaches us “the grace of all graces is to die in the state of grace.”  If done, our soul is saved for all eternity. Therefore, we warmly encourage you to read this article, try to understand it, and even memorize its content. Then share this with your loved ones, as well as many who have wandered away from the faith. But most important: strive to live this message. If done, heaven will be yours for all eternity. May Our Lady pray for us now and at the hour of our death!

Monday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time

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

MONDAY, November 8th   Lk. 17:1-6   “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.”

• Do not be deceived! Fr. Ed’s excellent article that addresses how parents can engage children in the Faith, is an exhortation for every adult person who has contact with children in their family or extended family to take action!!!
• We will all be held accountable for the salvation of these children by our acting or failure to act in bringing them to the truth of Christ and His immense love for them!
• Almost all of us have opportunities to talk with children—of our own, of relatives, or friends. Children love to speak and be listened to! Woe to those who fail to first listen to children, then to share the Good News of Christ with them at their level. Beware of the millstone award!

FIVE WAYS PARENTS CAN ENGAGE CHILDREN IN THE FAITH by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

The primary obligation of parents towards their children is to pave the way for the salvation of their immortal souls. Jesus pointed this out very clearly: “What would it profit a man if he were to gain the whole world and lose his soul in the process. What can a man exchange for his very soul?” (Mt 16:26) This Biblical passage was instrumental in the conversion of the great missionary, Saint Francis Xavier.

In this short essay, we would like to pinpoint five concrete decisions and practices that parents can undertake so as to pave the way to heaven for their children. Never forget parents: your primary obligation is to bring every family member to heaven, to be with God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels and saints for all eternity.

1. BAPTISM 

Provide for the Baptism of your child as soon as possible. During the course of the pregnancy, good parents can do all the prior preparations so as to have the child baptized rapidly. Baptismal talks, papers, godparents, etc. can be prepared and ready even before the child is born. Remember the words of Jesus, referring to the small child; “Let the little children come to me because as such is the kingdom of heaven.” (Mk 19:14)

2. PRAY IMMEDIATELY!

A child can be compared to a sponge. The nature of a sponge is to absorb, especially liquids and usually water. However, if the sponge absorbs dirty water, then dirty water will be wrung out; if clean water, then clean water will be wrung out. A three year-old child can watch TV and repeat dumb, offensive and vulgar words or songs. If this is the case, why should parents not fill the mind, heart and lips of their child with prayers to their Guardian Angel, to Mary, to the Trinity, to the Heavenly Father! Why allow the child to be filled with junk; better, to fill them with beautiful prayers!

3. OFFER IT UP

Parents, we invite you to teach your children the short but all important phrase: “Offer it up!” What this really means is to take advantage of daily sufferings and crosses that God sends to adults, as well as to children! How much suffering is wasted because it is not offered up to God! Why not teach children, even when they are small, to offer up their headache, toothache, hot or cold weather, the fall with a bruised and cut knee, so that these sufferings will have infinite value for the conversion of sinners and salvation of souls! Our Lady of Fatima said many souls go to hell because there is no one to pray and offer up their sufferings for them. Children’s hearts are tender and compassionate. Consider the many sacrifices and sufferings offered up for the salvation of souls by the three children of Fatima—Lucia, Francisco, and especially Jacinta who was the youngest! Mom and Dad, you are the first teachers, particularly in the area of faith. Be faithful to your marriage vocation!

4. “LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.” (Jn. 15:12)

The last and greatest commandment of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was that of love—to love all as He loved us. Parents who are blessed by God to have more than one child should make a concerted effort on their part to love all their children and their immortal souls. However, the devil always seeks to sow the seed of discord, confusion, jealously, rivalry, comparisons, and suspicions. Parents must strive with all the energy of their wills to foster mutual respect, humility, love and harmony among their children.

At all costs parents must avoid the “Cain-complex”. What is that? The Cain-complex consists in pitting one sibling against the other. It results in the ugly fruits of comparisons, rivalries, jealousy often leading to envy, fights, hatred and killing, if not physically at least in the heart. How can the “Cain-complex” be avoided? A simple remedy! It is all related to union with God in prayer, the three dimensions of daily family prayer. Parents should pray for their children; parents should teach their children to pray; finally, parents should pray with their children daily! If done, this will prove to be one of the most efficacious remedies to avoid the ugly, but all too prevalent “Cain-complex.”

5. THE REAL PRESENCE. 

Good Catholic parents, we warmly exhort you to teach your children, as soon as possible, the meaning of the “Real Presence” of Jesus in the Mass, in the Consecration and Holy Communion. Furthermore, parents should teach their children, even the little ones, that Jesus is truly present in the Church in the tabernacle. How is this to be done successfully by parents? Following are various suggestions!

1) Sunday Mass.  Explain to your children that the most important event every week is attending the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Sunday, but also participating fully, consciously and actively.

2) Reverence.  The modern world has lost the sense of the sacred in the churches today. Parents must teach their children that the church is the House of God and a sacred and holy environment. In the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle, there should be cultivated silence that fosters both prayer and reverence. In addition, modest dress and deport in church also speak of reverence!

3) Genuflection.  Modeling reverence in front of the tabernacle, parents should execute a genuflection properly, right knee to the ground with hands folded over their heart, and then explain to their children why this is done and help them do the same. Simply, it is done to adore Jesus truly present in the Blessed Sacrament—the Lord of Lords and King of Kings who is residing in His little Palace or Castle. The Three Kings prostrated themselves before the Child Jesus in Bethlehem; we prostrate ourselves by a reverential genuflection before Jesus, worthy of all worship and praise in His Sacramental Presence in the tabernacle.

4) Holy Communion.  Parents, work on growing in your faith in Jesus truly present in the Eucharist—we cannot give what we do not have. Children seeing their parents after receiving Holy Communion kneeling with heads bowed, speaking to Jesus within them, is a powerful witness to His Real Presence! They believe, because we believe!

5) Visits to the Blessed Sacrament.  One of the first little poems I remember learning as a child is the following related to Eucharistic visits: “Whenever I see a Church, I stop to make a visit, so that when I die, the Lord won’t say, who is it?” Parents should form the habit of now and then stopping with their children to visit Jesus truly present in the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle. Even though the visit might only last five minutes. Remind your children that this is very pleasing to Jesus whose Sacred Heart rejoices every time we remember Him and visit Him!

In conclusion, parents must take seriously their obligation to be a Saint John the Baptist and point the way to Jesus and the Highway to Heaven for their children, by striving to implement these five practical points of advice:

1) Baptism—the Graces of early Baptism;

2) Prayer—the Key to Heaven;

3) Offering up Suffering—for a purpose, the Conversion of Sinners and Salvation of Souls;

4) Love—living out Love in the Family;

5) Our Eucharistic Lord—growing in Faith, Knowledge, and Love for Jesus, the Bread of Life, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

May Mary, the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and our own Heavenly Mother attain for us extraordinary graces through her all-powerful prayers!