Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Sunday, October 17th   Mk. 10: 35-45   Responsorial Psalm: “Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.”

Today we rejoice with the Psalmist! We begin with an introduction to the Psalms by Fr. Ed. Then we present Psalm 33 for your prayer and meditation—a rich and encouraging Psalm of God’s great love for us!

Part One: BLESSINGS THAT FLOW FROM THE PSALMS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Part Two: PSALM 33

PART ONE: BLESSINGS THAT FLOW FROM THE PSALMS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Throughout the centuries countless men and women have been enriched by the praying of the Psalms. Yes, men and women, the young and the old, the healthy and the sick, lay people, priests, Religious and consecrated souls have received countless blessings from the Psalms.

The blessings that flow from the Psalms are abundant, overflowing and timeless. Therefore, it is definitely worth our time, effort and reflection to call to mind these copious blessings. As we learned from the Psalms to “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His mercy endures forever” (Ps 107:1), let us render a resonant thanks to God for enriching us with the praying of the 150 Psalms.

This article can easily be transformed into a prayer, most specifically a prayer of thanksgiving, offering to the Lord an attitude of gratitude. Indeed, let us imitate that one leper who returned to thank Jesus, out of the ten who were healed by the Divine Physician, and prostrate ourselves in spirit before the Lord to render Him a heartfelt THANK YOU, LORD!!!

THE COUNTLESS BLESSINGS THAT FLOW FROM THE PSALMS

1. LEARNING THE ART OF PRAYER: THE BEST OF PRAYER BOOKS!  My friends in the Lord, of all of the prayer-books ever composed, the Book of the Psalms is the “Prayer book par excellence.” Never has there ever been a more perfect prayer book for beginners, as well as for the proficient and well advanced in the spiritual life, than the Book of the Psalms. All of the most noble expressions in the art of prayer are expressed in the Psalms. Indeed, the Psalms is a true Gift from God to all of humanity!

2. ENCOUNTERING THE HOLY SPIRIT.  It is true that God used King David as one of the key instruments to compose the Psalms, however, the principal author of the Book of the Psalms is God Himself, the Holy Spirit. That being said, by praying the Psalms we encounter the Holy Spirit and His manner of communicating how we are to speak to God. The Psalms can transform us more and more into docile instruments in the Hands of the Holy Spirit.

3. LEARNING THE ART OF PRAYER—VARIOUS MODES OF PRAYER.  St. Teresa of Avila basically defines prayer as two friends spending time alone together in the art of communication. Intimate friends know how to communicate on various levels. Therefore, given that God wants to be our Best Friend, the Psalms teach us these various modes of expression, various modes or levels of communication. The following are examples of a few of these modes:  praise and adoration, admiration and wonder, abundant thanksgiving, contrition and sorrow, supplication and petition, oblation and offering of oneself, and the honest expression of fears, worries, anxieties and doubts. Good friends can express themselves to their intimate friend on all of these levels. The same can be done with God. The Psalms offer us a sublime method, model and catalyst.

4. PSALMS AS LITURGICAL PRAYER: LITURGY OF THE HOURS.  When prayed in the context of the Liturgy of the Hours, the Psalms prayed as such become a formal part of the Official prayer of the Church. This helps us to pray for the Church at large, as well as for the needs, conversion and sanctification of the whole world.

5. PRAY ALWAYS.  Jesus introduced the Parable of the Insistent Widow (Lk 18:1-8), to show his disciples that it is necessary to pray always and never to lose heart. One of the primary aspects and blessings that flow from the Liturgy of the Hours is the urgent exhortation of the Lord to pray not just sporadically but to strive to pray constantly. The Liturgy of the Hours offers five different times in the day that we are beckoned to pray, so as to sanctify these different hours of the day.

6. PRAYER DISCIPLINE.  Saint Ignatius in the Spiritual Exercises states that one of the primary goals or purposes of doing the Spiritual Exercises is so that we might “order the disordered in our lives, so that we might discover God’s will in our lives and carry it out.” Praying the Psalms in an orderly, methodical and systematic fashion helps us to have greater discipline in our lives, greater harmony, as well as the ability to carry out our work with greater perfection.

7. IMITATION OF THE HOLY FAMILY.  Transporting ourselves back to the time of the Holy Family—Jesus, Mary, and St. Joseph, we come to the keen awareness that each member of the Holy Family prayed the Psalms. What could be a better goal in our lives than to strive to imitate Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph, most especially in the art and practice of prayer! Most likely Jesus, Mary, and St. Joseph prayed the Psalms as a family, in the Synagogue, on the way to the Temple, in the Temple of Jerusalem, as well as personally and privately. How inspiring and consoling to know that we are praying the Psalms—the prayers that Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph prayed constantly!

8. EXCELLENT PREPARATION FOR THE LITURGY OF HOLY MASS.  The graces and blessings indeed abound all the more! The graces that flow from the Sacraments, most especially from Holy Mass, are infinite. However, the graces that we receive depend on our disposition. In theology, this is termed dispositive grace. In other words, the better the preparation and disposition for Mass and Holy Communion, the more abundant the flow of graces. This being said, the prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours before Holy Mass, and as a preparation for Mass, can be a most sure and efficacious means to help us derive abundant fruit from the greatest prayer in the world, the Sacrifice of Calvary renewed, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

9. PERSONAL, ECCLESIAL, AND FAMILY SANCTIFICATION.  All are called to holiness, to become saints. Jesus’ words are cogent, clear and convicting: “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.” (Mt 5:48) Holiness flows from contact with God. Fervent prayer and the Sacramental life are two of the most powerful sources of grace. To reiterate, the Book of Psalms is the “Book of prayer, par excellence.” No doubt, if the Psalms are prayed regularly, fervently and attentively then one of the most superb fruits will be growth in holiness.

10. INEFFABLE SOURCE OF CONSOLATION.  There are times in our lives when we find ourselves in a state of desolation. That is to say, when we feel a cloud of sadness, darkness, loneliness, even a sense of futility invading our lives. It is then the Psalms can console us with these or similar words: “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall lack”… “Even though I walk through dark valleys, you are there at my side with your rod and your staff.” (Psalm 23:1,4) How true! Many of the Psalms, and especially Psalm 23, can serve as light in the midst of darkness, hope when overwhelmed by despair, support when it seems as if everyone and everything around us is on the verge of collapsing and submerging into ruin. In the midst of desolation, opening up our heart to one of the many Psalms can encourage and convict us not to give up the struggle but to fight, to trust more confidently in the Lord who is with me at all times with His rod and His staff, to lead and to guide me along straight paths.

In conclusion, we invite all to undertake the most noble initiative and enterprise of praying the Psalms regularly! Pray them in any way you discern is best for you. Consult your Spiritual Director if you have one! The Psalms can be prayed from your Bible or in the context of the Liturgy of the Hours. They can be prayed in community with the Church or in your private prayer time. The Psalms can be prayed Morning, Midday, Evening or even before retiring for the Night. The key is simply this: to pray the Psalms. If prayed fervently and regularly, God will bless you most abundantly with peace, joy, spiritual insight, growth in holiness, and a sure pathway on the Highway to Heaven. With the Psalmist let us conclude: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever.” (Ps 107:1)

PART 2. Psalm 33

Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
    it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
Praise the Lord with the harp;
    make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
Sing to him a new song;
    play skillfully, and shout for joy.

For the word of the Lord is right and true;
    he is faithful in all he does.
The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
    the earth is full of his unfailing love.

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
    their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
    he puts the deep into storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
    let all the people of the world revere him.
For he spoke, and it came to be;
    he commanded, and it stood firm.

The Lord foils the plans of the nations;
    he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
    the purposes of his heart through all generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
    the people he chose for his inheritance.
From heaven the Lord looks down
    and sees all mankind;
from his dwelling place he watches
    all who live on earth—
he who forms the hearts of all,
    who considers everything they do.

No king is saved by the size of his army;
    no warrior escapes by his great strength.
A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
    despite all its great strength it cannot save.
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
    on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
to deliver them from death
    and keep them alive in famine.

We wait in hope for the Lord;
    he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
    for we trust in his holy name.
May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
    even as we put our hope in you.

Saturday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time

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

Saturday, October 16th   Lk. 12: 8-12   Jesus said: “I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.” And, “…do not worry about what you are to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”

• With grateful joy, let us honor Mary and her Fiat that gave us so great a Savior! May this meditation by Fr. Ed Broom remind us of Mary’s intimate union with the Father, the Son, and especially the Holy Spirit! For it was by Mary’s Yes and the action of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary!

MARY AND THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Counselor and Consoler, Paraclete, Interior Master of the soul, Finger of God, Divine Architect, Sweet Guest of the soul, Faithful Friend, Gift of Gifts—all of these titles mentioned describe in different ways some aspect of the Third Person of the Most Blessed Trinity—the Holy Spirit.

MARY AND THE HOLY TRINITY.  The Blessed Virgin Mary has a profound union with the Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In what way you might ask? The response is this. Mary is the Daughter of God the Father; Mary is the Mother of God the Son; Mary is the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit. Mary’s union with the Three Divine Persons is very personal, intimate, and profound.

MARY AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.  On one occasion, Cardinal Suenens was asked to celebrate a special outdoor Mass at Duquesne University for the Charismatics —a group known for their love and devotion to the Holy Spirit and His gifts, particularly His Charismatic Gifts. The outdoor stadium was packed to the gills. All were enthusiastic to participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. However, there was a serious problem. Hovering over those present, including Cardinal Suenens, a cloudy, darkened sky threatened rain which would not only dampen the celebration, but ruin it totally! In the event of a downpour, Mass in the open stadium would have to be cancelled. The Mass began and evolved into the Liturgy of the Word with a homily given by the Cardinal. One of the most salient points of his homily was related to Mary and the Holy Spirit. The Cardinal posed a rhetorical question: “Would you like to know the secret of deep union with the Holy Spirit?” All were listening attentively for the answer. The Cardinal proceeded: “The secret of deep union with the Holy Spirit is love and devotion to Mary!” As soon as he spoke these words, there was the flash of a white hot lightning bolt followed by a clap of thunder!!! Then, to the utter amazement of all present, the clouds disappeared and a brilliant sun shone down upon the stadium!

MARY AND THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  The message is as clear as the sun that beamed down on the stadium that day. If we truly desire a deep union with our Triune God, and particularly with the Third Person—the Holy Spirit, we must have true devotion to Mary, we must have a deep and loving relationship with Mary who indeed is the Daughter of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit.

THE THREE KEY MOMENTS OF MARY’S CONTACT WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Due to God’s loving Divine Providence, from the very moment Mary entered into the world in the womb of her mother Saint Anne, during the whole of her life while on earth, until her last moment before being assumed into Heaven, Mary was endowed, permeated, and imbued with the Person of the Holy Spirit. However, there were three primary moments of intimate union that Mary experienced with this Sweet Guest of the Soul—the Holy Spirit of God.

FIRST, THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.  From the first moment of her existence on earth, the Holy Spirit took full and total possession of Mary. In what way? We call it the Immaculate Conception. At the very moment that Mary was conceived in the womb of Saint Anne, her earthly Mother, the Holy Spirit was powerfully at work in her little body and soul. Indeed, it was the glorious working of the Holy Spirit that preserved Mary from all stain of Original Sin, and therefore, all the effects of original sin! As the English poet Wordsworth so accurately penned: Mary is our tainted nature’s solitary boast. By honoring Mary’s Immaculate Conception, due to the Holy Spirit’s Presence in Mary from the moment of her conception, we receive signal graces to fight the good fight and run the good race in our battles against the pernicious presence and reality of sin in our lives. May Our Lady and her Mystical Spouse, the Holy Spirit, help us to triumph over all forms of sin in our mortal bodies in preparation for our eternal life!

SECOND, THE VIRGINAL CONCEPTION. (Lk. 1:26-38) In the history of the world and in the economy of salvation, the moment in which the Virginal Conception took place transformed humanity and its destiny. The Virginal Conception is a result of the message of the Archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary in which God invited Mary to become the Mother of God. Giving her full and total consent, Mary said: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk.1:38) At that moment, Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and conceived Jesus in her most pure womb. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (Jn. 1:13) Therefore, both Mary’s Virginal Conception and the Incarnation of the Son of God were accomplished by the power and working of the Holy Spirit. Our Lady and her deep union with the Holy Spirit can attain for all of us great purity of mind, memory, understanding, and affections of body and soul. 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!” (From the Memorare)

THIRD, PENTECOST. (Acts 2:1-13)  The word Pentecost means fifty—fifty days after the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That first Pentecost effected a powerful transformation in the Apostles. However, the transformation was preceded by a powerful Novena—nine days and nine nights in which the Apostles, united with Mary, the Mother of God, were praying and fasting in silence. It was only after the Novena that the Holy Spirit came down upon Mary and the Apostles with a powerful wind, a shaking of the room where they were praying, and tongues of fire that settled over their heads. As a result, these twelve Apostles who were fearful, confused, and lacking in faith just a few days before, were transformed into valiant soldiers of Jesus and Mary! All of the Apostles, with the exception of Saint John the Evangelist, received the glorious crown of martyrdom—that is to say, they shed their blood in imitation of their Master, Jesus, who shed His Precious Blood for them and for us on the cross. Indeed, it was the Holy Spirit who descended in power, wind, and fire; however, it must be noted that it was the Blessed Virgin Mary whose prayers and presence facilitated the coming of the Holy Spirit! If we desire in our lives to experience a powerful infusion and outpouring of the Holy Spirit, then we should turn to Mary and beg for her prayers and intercession!

Therefore, in our devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, let us never neglect to turn to Mary so that she might attain for us this special Gift, known as THE GIFT OF ALL GIFTS, and that is the HOLY SPIRIT. Let us pray frequently this short but efficacious prayer: “Come Holy Spirit, come to us through the Heart of Mary.”

For future study and reading to develop the understanding of the relationship between the Holy Spirit and Mary, His Mystical Spouse, we invite you to read the writings of Saint Maximilian Kolbe on the topic of Mary and the Holy Spirit.

Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

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

Friday, October 15th   Lk. 12: 1-7   “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.”

• Jesus warns us not to fear the death of our body but rather the death of our soul!
• That is why, knowing the weakness of our fallen nature, Christ gave us the Sacrament of Confession, to restore our soul dead in mortal sin to new life in grace!
• That is why in the Mass we have the Penitential Service, to acknowledge and repent of our venial sins which are then forgiven, so as to more worthily receive the Eucharist – the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus, Our Lord and Savior.
• Today we will meditate deeply on this Gift of God’s Mercy – the Penitential Act!

GOD’S MERCY TOWARD HIS POOR SINNERS: MEDITATING ON THE PENITENTIAL ACT IN MASS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Immediately after the greeting offered to us by the priest, the Congregation is invited with some brief moments of silence to an Examination of conscience. All must humbly admit, acknowledge and confess that morally and spiritually we fall short in many ways. In blunt, we are all sinners. However, that is precisely the reason for Jesus’ coming to earth.  

The purpose of Jesus’ Incarnation, His birth, His brief thirty-three years on earth culminating in His Passion, death, and Resurrection was to come to save us from sin and its logical consequences. Actually the Name of Jesus means “Savior”.  The primary purpose for Jesus’ coming and Presence among us is precisely that—to save us from sin, to save us from the clutches of the devil, to save us from sadness, and to save us from the eternal punishment of Hell.

HUMBLE RECOGNITION OF SIN.  Pope Venerable Pius XII made this sad but true assertion: “The sin of the century is the loss of the sense of sin.” If we never come to the reality and conclude that we are indeed sinners then it is impossible for Jesus, who came to save us from sin, to actually save us. The sick person will never be healed by the Doctor until he tells the Doctor about his symptoms, where and when and how this ailment has come about! Sinners must humbly admit that they commit sins and hurt God and themselves, as well as others by sinning.

PENITENTIAL RITE.  The Penitential Rite is a pivotal moment in the Introductory Rites of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Before actually praying the Penitential Rite, there should be at least a brief time for silence. Incidentally, sacred Silence in Mass must be understood, valued, appreciated and lived out in the Mass.  Indeed God does communicate to us in silence.

WHY OF THE SILENCE.  It may appear obvious—but unfortunately not to all—that those brief moments of silence should be used as a means to examine our own personal/individual conscience. (Not that of our neighbor!) It is the moment of truth, when we come to terms with the fact that we indeed are sinners and in great need of God’s Infinite Mercy. But let us rejoice in the encouraging words of Scripture, from Saint Paul to the Romans: “Where sin abounds, the mercy of God abounds all the more.” (Romans 5:20)

PENITENTIAL PRAYER.  Then what naturally follows this Sacred Silence is the Penitential Prayer. In a word, this Penitential Prayer is really an Act of Contrition that we are making, humbly begging for God’s mercy because all of us are sinners—with the exception of Jesus and His Immaculate Mother Mary! Jesus so ardently desires to shower His Infinite Mercy upon all of sinful humanity.

VARIETY.  The proverb rings true during the whole course of Holy Mass:  “Variety is the spice of life!” As there are various options in the Introductory Greeting, so also there are various options that the priest-celebrant can choose with respect to the Penitential Rite.

CONFITEOR / “I CONFESS…” Probably the most commonly used Penitential Act chosen by most priests and prayed by the Congregation is that of the Confiteor—“I Confess…” which in large part is attributed to the great sinner become great saint—Saint Augustine.

I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done,
and in what I have failed to do;
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.

MEDITATION. It would be a splendid practice in spirituality, even in Ignatian terms, a marvelous spiritual exercise to spend an extended period of time slowly meditating upon the content, phrases, and words in the Confiteor. Indeed much fruit can be derived from this spiritual exercise.

What then are some golden nuggets that we can glean from our meditation upon the Act of Contrition in the Mass or if you like the Confiteor? The following are a few:

1. HUMILITY. First it is that I humbly admit that I indeed am a sinner—no denial but humble and honest admission and confession. Similar to King David in Psalm 51 who admits his sin of adultery and murder in the humbly inspiring Psalm, no doubt one of the best Acts of Contrition ever composed.

2. SIN OFFENDS GOD. This humble admission of sin is first addressed to God. This is the proper order, that when we sin, first and foremost we recognize that our sin is theological: it is an offense against Almighty God.

3. SOCIAL DIMENSION OF SIN. Then we confess not only to God but also to our brothers and sisters that we have sinned. Not only does sin offend Almighty God but there is a social dimension to sin. After Adam and Eve sinned, then Cain killed his brother Abel. Our sin has wider repercussions, like the concentric ripple effect of a stone launched into the middle of a pond. Responding to the question that Cain makes to God: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The response is a resonant: YES!!! We are responsible for our actions be they good or bad. We are called to always strive to give good example to all our brothers and sisters, but unfortunately at times we give scandal. For this we beg our Almighty and merciful God for pardon and mercy.

4. FOUR DIFFERENT WAYS OR MANNERS THAT WE CAN SIN. The Liturgical Act of Contrition continues, helping us to make a thorough Examination of Conscience by offering four different ways that we can actually sin. Those four ways are the following: THOUGHT, WORD, DEED, and OMISSION. Wow! There is ample food for thought here; better yet, much material to examine our conscience and even motivate us to have recourse to Sacramental Confession sooner rather than later.

5. THOUGHTS. There is indeed a battle for our mind, today more than ever before! In private why not make a thorough Examination of Conscience on your thought-world? This inner world of thought you might almost compare to an enormous jungle. There is much good, but mixed with ugly monsters. We all must humbly admit that we are not always 100% proud of our thought world. All too often our thought world reeks of sin because of what we put into our mind through impure viewing, reading, staring, gazing and the famous wandering and uncontrolled imagination. Of course, not all bad thoughts are sinful. However, if we give consent to impure or sinful bad thoughts—lust, avarice, envy, anger, pride—then they are transformed into actual sins that should be brought to the Sacrament of Confession. Our aim and ultimate goal should be to implement two Pauline verses: “Put on the mind of Christ” and “You have the mind of Christ.”(1Cor 2:16) Reception of Holy Communion is the most efficacious means to implement and activate these two Pauline imperatives!

6. WORDS. Jesus states unequivocally: “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Lk 6:45), and “every word that issues from our mouth will be judged” (Mt 12:36). Even though this exercise might be exceedingly painful, you might rewind your day, from start to end, and review all the words that issued forth from your mouth, which really means your heart. Were these words expressed with anger or bitterness? Were they motivated by pride or envy? Did they wound others? Were they displeasing to God? This might be a somewhat painful but necessary and eye-opening experience.

7. DEEDS—WHAT I HAVE DONE. In our vast range of experience there are many good deeds that we can do. We should strive to live out the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. (Read Mt. 25:31-46) However in our actions we all too often fall far short. The Greek word for sin is Hamartia—meaning “missing the mark”. As in the case of an Archer, with bow and arrow and target. Often not only do our actions miss the mark, but they hit the wrong mark and can do great damage. Lying, adultery, violent actions, stealing, drinking and drugs, and so many others.

8. OMISSION. There is a good chance that many of us, possibly due to a deficiently formed conscience, have never been truly aware of how many sins we have committed due to omission! By omission we mean quite simply the following: not doing or carrying out what we should be doing. We are negligent in the obligations of our state of life. The root cause or Capital sin all too often is that of Sloth or Laziness. How many parents sin due to being remiss in the Religious Education of their children. Delaying Baptisms, infrequent Confessions, late First Communions, and all too frequently not teaching and training their children in the all-important art of prayer.

9. THROUGH MY FAULT (3 TIMES!!!) The prayer continues with the humble and personal admission that my sin is mine and not others! In other words we are blaming nobody except ourselves—like King David in Psalm 51—for the sins that we have committed. We must accept and assume personal responsibility for our own personal sins and not point the finger at others.

10. STRIKING THE BREAST (3 TIMES!!!) Then the Church invites all of us to make a concrete penitential gesture by striking our breast with our fist three times. How important it is for us to realize the importance of engaging our whole person in prayer: our mind, our affections, and even our bodies in our prayer experience.

11. ASKING FOR THE PRAYERS OF ALL.  Then this short but powerful Penitential Prayer concludes in a way in which we become beggars—imploring, supplicating others to intercede on our behalf and to pray for us. Saint Augustine reminds us that we are all beggars before God. We all must constantly beg for His Infinite mercy in all times and places. Let us go through the list of those people that we want to pray for us.

12. BLESSED MARY EVERY VIRGIN.  Our Lady has many titles, but most pertinent in the context of this prayer are the titles: “Our Lady, Refuge of sinners” and “Our Lady of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope.” Lifting our eyes to Mary and begging for her prayers to attain mercy and forgiveness for our sins is a most efficacious prayer.

13. THE ANGELS. How often do you pray to the Angels? We know the names of three of the Archangels: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. However, there are myriad upon myriads of angels in Heaven who are waiting for our prayers to them so that they can run to our rescue. Let us not forget them! Call upon all the angels!

14. THE SAINTS.  Finally, to round off this family-affair, we should not neglect to invite our heavenly friends, guides, models and intercessors—that is to say, the SAINTS, to pray for us. While they lived on earth, they were struggling sinners who allowed the grace of God to conquer their own sinful tendencies. Now they bask in God’s glory and run to the rescue of those on earth who call out to them in their need. Indeed, how many missed and neglected graces on our part for the simple reason that we forget to invite the saints to be with us, walk with us, intercede for us, pray for us and lend us a helping hand? Let us get a little help from our friends!

15. OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.  We conclude in the realm of intercessory prayer to beg our brothers and sisters who are living—actually those who are with us at Mass in this specific celebration—to pray and intercede on our behalf. How beautiful is the Church which is truly a family. It is a family united in love! This love starts and flows from God Himself who is love, in the words of Saint John in one of his Letters. But this love expands out to Our Lady’s love and prayers for us and the angels and their powerful presence. Then the saints, God’s victorious heroes, the Church Triumphant. Finally, the Church Militant, the soldiers of Christ still living who are invited to engage in spiritual warfare on our part. Indeed, we are all part of a marvelous family, the Church, which is truly the family of God.

In sum, spend some time in silent prayer, by relishing this Confiteor—Act of Contrition. Utilize it to examine your own conscience. Let the light of God’s penetrating grace enlighten and purify your mind as you prepare to hear God’s word and receive Jesus into the very depths of your heart!

Thursday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time

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

Thursday, October 14th   Lk. 11: 47-54   Psalm 130: “I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in his word. My soul waits for the Lord more than sentinels wait for the dawn.”

October 1st we celebrated the Feast Day of St. Theresa of Lisieux, who died at age 24, was named patron of missionaries though she never left the convent, and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Saint John Paul II in 1997.

October 13th we celebrated Our Lady of Fatima’s final appearance to the three shepherd children Lucia de los Santos, and her two younger cousins, St. Francisco Marto and St. Jacinta Marto, and the great Miracle of the Sun.

On October 15th we will celebrate St. Teresa of Jesus, also known as St. Teresa of Avila, the first woman Doctor of the Church, so declared by Pope Paul VI in 1970, who reformed the Carmelite Order establishing seven reformed convents for women, all named after and under the patronage of St. Joseph, and four reformed monasteries for men.

Today in our meditation, Fr. Ed Broom will help us take a final look at the life and spirituality of St. Therese of Lisieux. The essence? She offers herself as an oblation of love to Christ Himself, an invitation for us to do the same! Read her “offering” several times to absorb her complete rejection of any gift but Christ Himself!

THE LITTLE CATECHISM OF THE LITTLE FLOWER by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

This article is from the introduction to the Little Catechism of St. Therese.

St. Paul states that the greatest of all virtues is love. The Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas, said that “Charity is the queen of all virtues.” The Mystical Doctor, St. John of the Cross, taught that “in the twilight of our existence we will be judged on love.” Finally, the great Doctor of the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales, wrote that “The measure that we should love God is to love Him without measure.”

On her liturgical feast day, October 1, the readings in the Liturgy of the Hours give us a glimpse into the burning fire of love that consumed the heart of St. Therese and show us what she considered to be her true and authentic vocation.

To undergo the excruciating pains and tortures of the martyrs was not her call, nor could her body endure long hours of fasting. Finally, she came to understand that her vocation was to “be love” within the Church. In her autobiography, St. Therese expresses this understanding with passion and desire.

St. Therese of Lisieux, proclaimed one of the four women Doctors of the Universal Church, made an act of oblation to the merciful love of the our good God. This, indeed, was one of the hallmarks of her attaining the heights of holiness in such a short time — only twenty- four years on earth.

“I knew that the Church had a heart and that such a heart appeared to be aflame with love. I knew that one love drove the members of the Church to action, that if this love were extinguished, the Apostles would have proclaimed the Gospel no longer, the martyrs would have shed their blood no more. I saw and realized that love sets off the bounds of all vocations, that love is everything, that this same love embraces every time and every place. In one word, that love is everlasting.”

“Then, nearly ecstatic with the supreme joy in my soul, I proclaimed: ‘O Jesus, my love, at last I have found my calling: my call is love. Certainly I have found my place in the Church, and You gave me that very place, my God. In the heart of the Church, my mother, I will be love, and thus I will be all things, as my desire finds its direction.’”

What, then, does this oblation entail for you and me? Humility. A complete trust in the merciful love of Jesus. And a constant willingness to love Jesus at all times and in all places, expressing this will concretely by ardent love for our neighbor.

The fruits of this oblation are countless: a continual purification of the soul, a higher perfection stamped on all the details of life, a constant and ever-more-enlightening effusion of truth, and quick entrance into Heaven without passing through Purgatory. (#13 of the Little Catechism).

After you meditate upon these simple but profound words, Jesus, the King of love, and Mary, whose greatest virtue was charity (supernatural love), along with St. Thérèse herself, will rejoice in your offering yourself to Jesus in oblation as a victim of His merciful love!

The last and greatest commandment of Jesus was given at the Last Supper: “Love one another as I have loved you!” Our final judgment will be determined by our trust in His merciful love.

Offering of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus to the Merciful Love of the Good God!

O my God, Most Blessed Trinity, I desire to love You and to make You loved, to labor for the glory of Holy Church by saving souls on earth and by delivering those who suffer in Purgatory. I desire to accomplish Your will perfectly and to attain to the degree of glory which You have prepared for me in Your Kingdom; in a word, I long to be a saint, but I know that I am powerless, and I implore You, O my God, to be Yourself my sanctity.

Since You have so loved me as to give me Your only Son to be my Savior and my Spouse, the infinite treasures of His merits are mine; to You I offer them with joy, beseeching You to behold me only through the eyes of Jesus and in His Heart burning with love.

Again, I offer You all the merits of the saints in Heaven and on earth, their acts of love and those of the holy angels. Lastly I offer You, O Blessed Trinity, the love and the merits of the holy Virgin, my most dear Mother; to her I entrust my oblation, begging her to present it to You. Her Divine Son, my well-beloved Spouse, during the days of His life on earth, told us: “If you ask the Father anything in my name, He will give it to you.” I am, then, certain that You will hearken to my desires. . . My God, I know it: the more You will to give, the more You make us desire. Immense are the desires that I feel within my heart, and with confidence I call upon You to come and take possession of my soul. I cannot receive You in Holy Communion as often as I would, but, Lord, are You not almighty? . . . Remain in me as in the tabernacle; never leave Your little victim.

I long to console You for the ingratitude of the wicked, and I pray You to take from me the power to displease You. If, through frailty, I sometimes fall, may Your divine glance purify my soul immediately, consuming every imperfection, as fire transforms all things into itself.

I thank You, O my God, for all the graces You have showered on me, in particular for having made me pass through the crucible of suffering. With joy shall I behold You on the last day bearing Your scepter, the Cross. Since You have deigned to give me for my portion this most precious Cross, I hope I may resemble You in Heaven and see the sacred stigmata of Your Passion shine on my glorified body.

After this exile on earth, I hope to enjoy possession of You in the eternal Fatherland, but I have no wish to amass merits for Heaven. I will work for Your love alone, my sole aim being to give You pleasure, to console Your Sacred Heart, and to save souls who will love You forever.

At the close of this life, I shall appear before You with empty hands, for I ask not, Lord, that You would count my works. . . . All our good deeds are stained in Your sight. I desire, therefore, to be clothed with Your own justice and to receive from Your love the eternal possession of You. I crave no other throne, no other crown but You, O my Beloved.

In Your sight, time is nothing ; one day is as a thousand years. You can in an instant prepare me to appear before You.

That my life may be one act of perfect love, I offer myself as victim of holocaust to Your merciful love, imploring You to consume me unceasingly, and to let the flood-tide of infinite tenderness pent up in You flow into my soul, so that I may become a martyr of Your love, O my God.

May this martyrdom, after having prepared me to appear before You, break life’s web at last, and may my soul take its flight, unhindered, to the eternal embrace of Your merciful love.

I desire, O my Beloved, at every heartbeat to renew this oblation an infinite number of times, till the shadows fade away and I can tell You my love eternally face-to-face.

Copyright 2021 Oblates of the Virgin Mary, St. Peter Chanel Church, Hawaiian Gardens, CA

Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time

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

Wednesday, October 13th   Lk. 11: 42-46   Celebrating Our Lady of Fatima – Miracle of the Sun on October 13, 1917!!!

Fr. Ed Broom has written a 5-Week Family Consecration to Our Lady of Fatima and Saints Francisco and Jacinta Marto. (English and Spanish)

For Parents earnestly striving to get their family to heaven, this is a one of a kind Family Consecration to establish family prayer and fasting/sacrifices (age appropriate) that if lived out, will not only take you and your family to heaven, but many, many others with you. Plus, you will enjoy a more united and joyful family life here on earth!

All for the greater honor and glory of God – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the honor of our blessed Mother Mary, as well as the two youngest saints in the Catholic Church – Francisco and Jacinta Marto, your two new friends and advocates!

Contact us at lovegodsavesouls@gmail.com for information on participating in this powerful Family Consecration – a sure antidote to the evils that threaten our families today, especially our children!

Today’s Meditation is in honor of Our Lady of Fatima’s sixth and final appearance on 13 October 1917 to the three shepherd children of Fatima—Lucia de los Santos (age 10), and her two younger cousins, Francisco (age 9) and Jacinta (age 7) Marto.

OUR LADY’S LAST APPEARANCE IN OCTOBER 1917 THE GREAT MIRACLE OF THE SUN—OCTOBER 13^TH by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV 

Friends in Our Lady, Francisco and Jacinta, today we arrive at the long-awaited day—October 13th, the day of the promised great miracle. Yes, the beautiful Lady, who had already come from heaven five times, promised that in October a big miracle would occur. Twelve noon would be the appointed time.

THE CROWDS.  By now news had spread far and wide about the Apparitions to the three Shepherd children—Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta. Furthermore, that a great miracle would occur that day. People came from great distances to witness this miracle. It happened that around 70,000 people were present.

ATTITUDES OF THOSE WHO CAME.  The attitudes of those who came to witness the promised miracle varied. Some were firm believers. Others believed only partially. Still others came out of curiosity. Finally, others were cynical, sneering and scoffing non-believers. A message for us is that we must beg Our Lady, and Saint Jacinta and Saint Francisco for faith, but not simply a shallow and superficial faith! No! We must beg Our Lady to give us a strong, dynamic, faith; as Jesus said, a faith that can move mountains!

THE WEATHER.  The weather could not have been worse! It was raining hard the night before and most of the day. People were traveling by foot and others on animals, some alone and others in groups, and a few in cars. But it was a cold, damp, wet and in a certain sense miserable day! In our lives, we must accept the cold and rainy days, as well as the sunshiny days. The sun of God’s love can always be shining in our hearts if we live in the state of grace. 

NOON ARRIVES AND NOTHING AT FIRST!  Noon arrives and nothing occurs. Many start to complain that this was a hoax, a lie, that the children were deceived and deceiving many. There was a fear that the children might be lynched by the crowd.

THE GREAT MIRACLE OF THE SUN.  A sea of people could be seen. Suddenly there was a bright light coming from the heavens that enlightened the whole countryside. The rain ceased. The clouds separated and a large sun appeared, larger than normal. But one could look at the sun without damaging one’s eyes, as if it were only the moon! The sun seemed to get larger and larger, brighter and brighter, until the heavens seemed to be brilliantly lighted, more brilliantly lighted than ever before seen. All of a sudden, the sun started to spin in the sky, almost like a Ferris-wheel. Then the sun began to shoot out rays of light in all different colors like a rainbow. Again it seemed as if the sun were getting bigger and bigger in the sky. All at once the sun looked like it was heading towards the earth, such that it would crash into the earth and the world would come to an end, terrifying the people on the ground. Just as suddenly, the sun stopped spinning and returned to its place in the sky.

MIRACLES THAT OCCURRED.  As a result of this Miracle of the Sun, various miracles occurred—miracles over nature and miracles of grace.

1. DRYING OF GROUND AND CLOTHES.  As mentioned earlier, it had been raining immensely the whole night before and into the morning. The Miracle of the Sun dried both the ground and the people, along with the clothes they were wearing.

2. BLIND PERSON RECOVERS SIGHT. A blind person had his sight restored.

3. CRIPPLE WALKING. A person who was crippled was able to rise and walk.

4. SINNERS CONVERTED. In the realm of grace, many fell to their knees and began to confess their sins and to pray fervently the Act of Contrition.

5. NON-BELIEVERS AND FAITH. Of great importance, many of the sceptics, cynics, and non-believers began to believe.

Children and families, as we draw close to our Consecration Day in which we would like to consecrate our whole being to Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, through the prayers of Saint Francisco and Saint Jacinta, we should draw from this great Miracle of the Sun that occurred October 13, 1917, this important message that God continually wants to and still can produce miracles in the world.

However, it must be said that the greatest miracles that can possibly occur are MIRACLES of GRACE. This occurs when a sinner returns to God. This occurs whenever any person makes a good Sacramental Confession. This occurs when a person who never prays, starts to pray. This occurs when a mediocre and lazy Catholic becomes fervent and zealous, and really wants to become a saint—like Francisco and Jacinta. This occurs when ugly vices and addictions are converted into the practice of deeply rooted virtues. All of these miracles can occur now if we place ourselves in the hands and Immaculate Heart of Mary, as did Francisco and Jacinta.

Through the power, the presence, and the prayers of Our Lady, rain transforms into a rainbow, the hard ground brings forth perfumed flowers; the barren desert blossoms colorful cacti, darkness give way to the sunrise, and the sadness and gloom of sin converts into the multi-faceted fragrance of the flowers of virtues. Truly, taking seriously your Consecration to Mary through the prayers of Francisco and Jacinta, can radically change your life and the life of your whole family. Now we are going to visit the children and learn from the visions given to them that day, visions only seen by them, in addition to the Great Miracle of the Sun seen by everyone, and the many important messages God wants to teach us! 

1. SAINT JOSEPH WITH THE CHILD JESUS IN HIS ARMS BLESSING THE WORLD. The meaning is of great importance. In our consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, through Francisco and Jacinta, we should also fall in love with Good Saint Joseph. This is the greatest of all saints! He is the earthly Father of Jesus. He is the Spouse/Husband of the Virgin Mary. He is the Patron of men. He is the Patron of workers. He is the Terror of Demons. He is the Patron of a holy and happy death. Saint Joseph is the Patron Saint of all families. He is the protector of all of us. As he protected and saved the Child Jesus from being killed by the wicked King Herod, he wants to protect you and your family and lead you safely to Heaven. Pray often to Saint Joseph. In the vision, the Child Jesus is blessing those who honor his earthly Father, the Good and Holy Saint Joseph. Also, in this vision could be seen Our Lady in a white robe with a blue mantle, beside the sun. It was as if Our Lady were saying: “Look at my beloved son, Jesus, and my Spouse, Saint Joseph. Love them and entrust yourselves to their care.”

2. SAINT JOSEPH AND THE CHILD JESUS BLESS THE WORLD. They both seemed to trace the sign of the cross and bless the world. Let us humbly ask for this blessing, too, as we make our consecration to Mary. Indeed, consecration to Mary means entering into the Family of Mary—Jesus, Mary and Saint Joseph. We enter into the best of all families. By the way, this scene points to the importance of praying the JOYFUL MYSTERIES of the Rosary. In these mysteries we find Good Saint Joseph.

3. APPEARANCE OF OUR LORD AND OUR LADY OF DOLORS / SORROWS. Remember that Our Lady suffers due to sin and due to the offenses against her privileges, especially five sins are the source of Our Lady’s sorrows: sins against her Immaculate Conception, sins against her Perpetual Virginity, sins against her Divine Maternity, sins in which her images are desecrated and profaned, and sins when innocent children are damaged by ugly things happening in the world, the schools, and the electronics media. We want to console and comfort Our Lady, as did Saints Francisco and Jacinta, by our Consecration, our daily Rosaries, and by living a holy life. In this scene we have an allusion to the importance of praying the SORROWFUL MYSTERIES of the Rosary.

4. OUR LORD AS A MAN BLESSES THE WORLD. Then Jesus, now as a grown man dressed in white, blesses the world, very much like Saint Joseph had done earlier. My friends in Jesus and Mary, it must be understood that our Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, through the prayers and the example of Saint Francisco and Saint Jacinta, also means to consecrate ourselves to Jesus. In a word, love and devotion to Mary always leads us to a greater, love, reverence, and obedience to Jesus. In fact, the last words recorded of Our Lady in the Bible are found in the Wedding Feast of Cana. When there is no more wine at the wedding, Mary’s says to the servant and to us: “Do whatever He tells you!”—referring to Jesus! (Jn. 2: 1-12) Our Lady, Saint Joseph, and Saint Francisco and Saint Jacinta, want us to come to know and love Jesus more and more each day. Jesus appearing as a grown man points to the importance of praying the LUMINOUS MYSTERIES of the Rosary, or if you like, the Mysteries of Light. These are Mysteries that point to the Public Life of Jesus when he was 30 to 33 years of age.

5. OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL. Finally, Our Lady appears once more and this time she appears to the Prophet Elijah on the Mountain, high on the mountain. The heights of the mountain point to the heights of heaven and Our Lady’s Assumption into Heaven and Crowning as Queen of Heaven. Of course, this lifts our minds and hearts with the desire to pray the GLORIOUS MYSTERIES of the Rosary.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel will be very important for the day of our Consecration because we will be receiving and wearing forever the garment that Our Lady loves most: The Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This brown Scapular that we will wear always starting on the day of our consecration is our external sign of our Consecration to Mary. By wearing the Scapular, we are saying: “I belong to Mary. I am in the School of Mary. I am protected by Mary. I am Mary’s child now and forever. I am in the Immaculate Heart of Mary.” The Scapular is made of two small squares of brown cloth attached to strings so it can be worn over our shoulder with one cloth in front over our heart and one cloth in back. Thus the wearing of the Scapular should fill us with great joy because it is a constant reminder for us in all times and places that Our Lady has her loving arms around us, hugging us, protecting us, and drawing us always closer to her Immaculate Heart.

CONCLUSION.  The October Miracle of the Sun was one of the greatest miracles in the History of the Church in the past 2000 years. The messages from the miracle are almost beyond count. However, for us who are soon to make our consecration, the message must be clear. Our Lady, and Saint Francisco and Saint Jacinta, ardently desire that we give ourselves to Jesus and Mary right now. Our Lady desires our prayers, our Rosaries, our sacrifices and sufferings to save souls and make reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary. Our Lady desires, and the children of Fatima desire, that your short life on earth will be a pilgrimage and bridge to your final destiny which is Heaven, Heaven Heaven—to be united with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and with Our Blessed Mother, forever in Heaven!