Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Sunday, September 12th   Mk. 8: 27-35   The Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary  “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it.”

Part One: Celebrate The Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary with the Oblate Community, taken from Oblates of the Virgin Mary website, posted September 10, 2020

Part Two: What are the Evangelical Counsels? From the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Part One:

Celebrate The Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary with the Oblate Community.

The Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary honors the Virgin Mary and marks the very mention of her name as holy and deserving of respect and devotion. Through this post, we’ll walk through the significance and history of her feast day before noting its importance to the Oblates of the Virgin Mary. For those of you who are familiar with the Oblates and our spirituality, it will come as no surprise that all Oblates are called to renew their vows on this special feast day. 

What is The Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary?

The Most Holy Name of Mary feast day honors Mary, the Mother of God, as blessed. It takes place each year on September 12th, four days after the feast of the Birth of the Blessed Mother. The feast day encourages us all to pray for her intercession to deepen our love of Christ and our relationship with the Lord.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, “We venerate the name of Mary because it belongs to her who is the Mother of God, the holiest of creatures, the Queen of heaven and earth, the Mother of Mercy. The object of the feast is the Holy Virgin bearing the name of Mirjam (Mary); the feast commemorates all the privileges given to Mary by God and all the graces we have received through her intercession and mediation.”

History of the Holy Name of Mary Feast Day

The Most Holy Name of Mary originated in Spain in the sixteenth century. In 1683, Pope Innocent XI extended the feast day to the universal Church and gave it the September 12th date. The date is significant because it marks a battle victory for Christian Europe against the Muslim Turks.

The Christians prayed for the intercession of Mary throughout their long and arduous campaign before achieving victory.

Celebrating the Most Holy Name of Mary

There is no better way to celebrate the Most Holy Name of Mary than by attending Mass, whether that be online or in person. To honor Mary on this feast day, you might also consider the following prayers and reflections:

• Pray and spend time reflecting upon the Hail Mary
• Pray one or more of these prayers for Mary’s intercession
• Pray and reflect upon the Rosary
• Use the Ven. Bruno Lanteri Prayer Booklet for your prayers

Importance to the Oblate Communities

The Oblates of the Virgin Mary have a special connection with Mary and pray often for her intercession. Venerable Bruno Lanteri, who founded the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, said “the Congregation of the Oblates is not my work, but the work of Mary Most Holy… She is its foundress, its mother, and its teacher.” The devotion of the Oblates is also expressed through our motto, “Think of Mary; call out to Mary.”

You can read more about the connection between the Oblates and the Virgin Mary in the book, Men of Mercy, Sons of Mary: The Lanterian Way by Dr. Cabrini Pak.

“I have known almost no other mother than Mary most holy, and throughout my life I have received nothing but caresses from such a good Mother.”

Venerable Bruno Lanteri

Renewal of Vows

Each year, the Oblates of the Virgin Mary celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary by renewing their vows and dedication to Our Lord and Our Lady.

“In his life of consecration an Oblate should remember that, just as God continuously calls him to the intimacy of love, equally constant must be his generous and faithful response. He should therefore frequently examine his fidelity in collaborating with God who works within him. In this spirit it is convenient to renew the consecration even with the whole community in the celebration of the solemnity of the Most Holy Name of Mary, September 12. On the same day they also renew with the whole community their act of entrustment to Our Lady.”

Norm 12.1 of our Rule

Part Two: What are the Evangelical Counsels? From the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Evangelical counsels, consecrated life…

CCC 915 … The perfection of charity, to which all the faithful are called, entails for those who freely follow the call to consecrated life the obligation of practicing chastity in celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom, poverty and obedience. It is the profession of these counsels, within a permanent state of life recognized by the Church that characterizes the life consecrated to God.⁴⁵⁴

CCC 916 … The state of consecrated life is thus one way of experiencing a “more intimate” consecration, rooted in Baptism and dedicated totally to God.⁴⁵⁵ In the consecrated life, Christ’s faithful, moved by the Holy Spirit, propose to follow Christ more nearly, to give themselves to God who is loved above all and, pursuing the perfection of charity in the service of the Kingdom, to signify and proclaim in the Church the glory of the world to come.⁴⁵⁶

One great tree, with many branches…

CCC 917 … “From the God-given seed of the counsels a wonderful and wide-spreading tree has grown up in the field of the Lord, branching out into various forms of the religious life lived in solitude or in community. Different religious families have come into existence in which spiritual resources are multiplied for the progress in holiness of their members and for the good of the entire Body of Christ.”⁴⁵⁷

CCC 918 … From the very beginning of the Church there were men and women who set out to follow Christ with greater liberty, and to imitate him more closely, by practicing the evangelical counsels. They led lives dedicated to God, each in his own way. Many of them, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, became hermits or founded religious families. These the Church, by virtue of her authority, gladly accepted and approved.⁴⁵⁸

Saturday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

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

Saturday, September 11th   Lk. 6: 43-49   “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command?”

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock…. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.”

• Jesus is asking each one of us to build our life on solid rock according to His teachings, the teachings of His Mystical Body the Church, the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and grace. To do this, we need to examine each and every area of our life to see where we are standing on rock so as to persevere, and where we are standing on sand so as to make changes before the storm hits and we are lost!
• We all agree with this in theory, but most of us are very poor at putting this into practice. In fairness, the task is daunting. That is why Fr. Ed wrote the book “Roadmap to Heaven” outlining in detail, areas of our lives where we need to make sure we are standing on solid rock, and if we are not, what practices we can adopt to arrive at a solid rock foundation in our spiritual life. It is a book you pray and work with over time until you finally and truly order the disorder!
• This except from Fr. Ed’s book sets the stage. It is for us to become an actor and no longer a by-stander!

Excerpt from “Roadmap to Heaven” by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV (Tan Books)

WHAT ABOUT THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR HOUSE???

At the very end of the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 7: 24-27), Jesus presents us with a literary contrast that focuses on the foundation of a house.  One house was built on rock; the other, built on sand. Both are houses!

Then it happens!  A violent storm strikes relentlessly both of these houses!  Now we come to a keen awareness of the difference between the two houses that from their outside appearance seemed almost identical. Indeed, external appearances can be very deceiving.  Man can see the exterior, but only God can read the inner depths and secrets of the heart.

THE HOUSE BUILT ON SAND.  Now the violent storm descends upon the house built on sand and the house rocks and rolls, turns and gyrates, and in a very short time, the house crumbles and collapses.  Total disaster and ruin has visited this house built on sand.  The reason for this disaster and total ruination of the house is clear and obvious!  It had a very weak foundation—that of sand!

THE HOUSE BUILT ON ROCK.  Once again the violent storm descends. However, this time on the house that is built on rock, solid rock.  Thunder, storm, rain, and wind batter violently against this house built on rock, for hours and even days.  No problem whatsoever in the least!  The reason?  In contrast to the house built on sand, the rock foundation of this house can resist the most violent weather conditions in any time and place. 

INTERPRETATION: OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE AND THE FOUNDATION!

In a very clear and parallel sense we can compare the two different house foundations to our own spiritual life. The Words and Parables of Jesus have infinite value and an all-time encompassing interpretation.

WHAT ABOUT US???  If our spiritual edifice is constructed on sand, then it will crumble and collapse—as in the above-mentioned story.  Our spiritual edifice must be constructed on solid rock, not sand!  If we have chosen sand, then sooner or later, we will collapse, crumble, and disintegrate in our spiritual life!

WHAT IS THE HOUSE BUILT ON MERE SAND???  The house built on mere sand is the individual who has little or no spiritual life.  Or it might be somebody who has a spiritual life built on mere feelings and emotions.  His feelings are his spiritual indicators.  If he feels good, then he will pray to God.  If not, he reasons, what is the purpose.  This is the sandy-foundation: the person who has little or no spiritual life or his spiritual life has a foundation based on mere whims.  He is like a leaf detached from the tree falling, fluttering, driven by the wind.  The wind determines its course.  He is like the New England weather vane perched on the roof of the house that is blown in whatever direction the wind pulls and pushes it. 

WHAT ABOUT THE HOUSE BUILT ON ROCK???  The house built on rock is the individual who has God as his foundation.  Feelings come and go, but they are not his master and mover.  The man whose house is built on rock has his whole life—his thoughts, feelings, desires, motivations, and ultimate goal directed towards God.  This is manifested by having established for himself goals—long term, short term, as well as immediate.  Motivation is the key word.  He is motivated by a desire to get to heaven and to use all the practical steps to arrive at that goal.

What type of foundation do you have in your spiritual house?  Is your spiritual life built on the sand of feelings, emotions, and the changing winds of fortune?  Or is your spiritual life built on the Rock who is the eternal and everlasting God!

PLAN OF LIFE: GOD AS OUR ROCK FOUNDATION.  The whole goal of this work on the Plan of Life is to help all of us establish for ourselves concrete, clear, and practical objectives to carry out, so as to arrive at our goal—the eternal salvation of our soul and union with God in heaven for all eternity.  If God indeed is the center of our thoughts, desires, and decisions, then heaven will eventually be our eternal destiny.  Jesus stated this very clearly: What would it profit a man to gain the whole world, if he loses his soul? (Mk 8:36)

PANORAMIC OVERVIEW.  The Plan of Life invites and challenges us to step back, peer into our lives with dead honesty, and ask ourselves the question: how are we using our time, our talents, and our treasures in relationship to God, eternity, and our ultimate goal which is heaven???  We have to be transformed into the Eagle soaring over the mountain viewing in detail all that is below—the contour and colors of the trees, the rivers, the lakes, the ocean whitecaps, the animals large and small, the hills, the ravines, the stones, the leaves, all!  In an analogous sense, this is how we must view our lives, our actions, and the direction in life that we are taking.  Even though painful, we will come to a penetrating awareness that there are many areas in that huge landscape of our interior life that must be changed, cleared, uncluttered.

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE.  What is really being said here is that we must make an honest examination of conscience and admit that there is much to be changed, much to be converted in our spiritual life.  The first message in the public life of Jesus resonates in our ears: Be converted because the Kingdom of God is at hand. (Mk. 1:15)  Composing a Plan of Life is a very concrete manner in which we can develop an honest and sincere working out of our Conversion of Life.  Why not accept the challenge???

ANOTHER HUGE BLESSING OF THE PLAN OF LIFE!!!

Another extraordinary blessing that flows from the composition of a good Plan of Life is to implement one of the primary purposes and ends of living out the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.  At the very commencement of the text of the Spiritual Exercises, the first Annotation, which succinctly explains what the Spiritual Exercises are and their purpose, Ignatius states that these Spiritual Exercises help the Retreatant to discern God’s will in his life and also, and this is of primary importance, to work out a Plan of Life TO ORDER THE DISORDERED.

In other words, as a result of Original Sin that we all inherited from Adam and Eve, and due to our own personal sins, we live with disorder; I might even say, we live with constant and most likely great disorder!  We are keenly aware of this disorder but feel the acute pain and helplessness of not knowing what to do to remedy this painful disorder.

DISORDER???  Yes, we must say: DISORDER, and in many areas.  We suffer physical disorder, mental disorder, emotional disorder, family disorder, work disorder, relational disorder, eating disorder, sleep disorder, spiritual disorder, and much more.  This causes within the depths of our hearts a deep unrest, anxiety, and even sadness.

ORDER THE DISORDERED.  For this specific reason we offer you this humble work, this simple Plan of Life, as a remedy for your constant disorder.  This plethora and wide variety of disorders fundamentally stem from sin and a lack of God in one’s life.  In other words, our God is a God of order; sin, on the contrary, wreaks havoc and causes universal disorder in our lives.  The Holy Spirit is a God of order; sin disrupts this order.

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE: WE GIVE OURSELVES TO YOU.  Therefore, as we embark upon this wonderful journey from disorder to order, from sin to holiness, from the world to God, from sadness to happiness, let us lift up our eyes to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  In 1531 Our Lady appeared four times to the humble Saint Juan Diego.  The last appearance took place on Tepeyac hill on December 12, 1531, early in the morning.  The sign that the Bishop requested was growing on the cold and frozen hillside—a multi-colored array of beautiful Castilian roses.  Juan Diego scrambled to the place where the roses were growing, cut them, cast them into his tilma in a very disordered and unruly manner, and then brought them to the presence of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Before sending Juan Diego off to the Bishop, Our Lady, with her own gentle hands, the hands that held Jesus as a Baby and even His Dead Body, took and arranged the roses in a beautiful and well-ordered bouquet to present to the Bishop.

OUR LADY AND OUR LIVES OF DISORDER.  Therefore, we would like to present this work to Mary, to Our Lady of Guadalupe, and beg her for this most special grace and gift: to order the disordered in our lives.  We beg Our Lady to pray for us and to intercede for us before the throne of Almighty God, to help us become that eagle and see the panoramic view of our lives, to help us honestly admit the many disorders in our life—usually due to sin, and to help us to change, to be converted.  How?  Quite simply by reading carefully this humble work, written for the purpose of saving souls.  But also, that through Mary’s prayers we will be able to hammer out a concrete, written Plan of Life to order the disordered, and as a result, experience the peace that surpasses all understanding, the peace that only God can bestow upon us.  Dear Mary, take our broken and disordered lives and order them with your gentle but firm hands so that we will be a sacrificial offering pleasing to Jesus the Lord.

Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

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

Friday, September 10th   Lk. 6: 39-42   Jesus asked his disciples these two questions: “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?” And, “Why do notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam on your own?”  

• Today, Fr. Ed encourages us to build others up with words, instead of tearing them down. We have meditated on taming the tongue in the not too distant past, but this topic always bears repeating – an Ignatian repetition, if you will. Without constant vigilance, for being the smallest member of the body, our tongue can certainly wreak the most havoc in the lives of others and in our own lives!!!

BUILDING UP WITH WORDS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

All of us can remember having been hurt by somebody speaking without thinking and stinging our heart, leaving a lasting bad memory. Also, all of us remember having opened up our mouths without sufficient reflection and wounding our brother, sister or friend! Immediately after the word slipped out of our mouth, we wanted to fish it back in, but no, too late! Once the word has been uttered, there is no “muting”, canceling or postponing its arrival to the ear and heart of the listener.

Jesus speaks very clearly about our words: “Every word that comes out of the mouth will be subject to judgment.” (Mt. 12: 36) St. James dedicates almost an entire chapter (Chapter 3) to the sins of the tongue. In short, the Apostle underscores the importance of learning the art of speech, reminding us that we should be quick to listen and slow to speak. He reminds us that man can control almost all types of animals, but not the tongue. Moreover, he says that the same tongue that is used to praise God, ends up by cursing one’s neighbor. This is wrong!

Therefore, we would like to offer five short suggestions to help us to utilize our tongue, our speech, our words, our conversation as a means to truly edify our neighbor—that means, to build up our neighbor!

First suggestion! We should make it a habit to first talk to God and then talk to our neighbor. It was said of the great St. Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers (among which were St. Albert the Great, and his student, St. Thomas Aquinas) that he would first talk to God, and then talk about God to others! Superb! Ideally that should be our motto and objective in life with regard to speech— that our words would in some way be communicating the presence of God to others!

Second idea! Think before you speak! St. Ignatius observes that an agitated soul is a soul in the state of desolation; in this state it is not the good spirit that is guiding us but the bad spirit! Speak after reflection, with a calm and peaceful mind! Rushed and impetuous words form unclear or muddled ideas that often cause confusion and hurt. Avoid it!

Third, counsel! SILENCE! Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI insisted on the capital importance of cultivating silence in our daily lives! Today we suffer from noise pollution! Radio talk-shows, pop music, non-stop TV programs, dogs barking into the late hours of the night, and add to that, non-stop useless chatter, often filled with gossip—all of us have experienced these scenarios all too frequently! Pope Benedict went so far as to say that if we do not have zones of silence, then we really cannot understand the person who wants to talk to us! Silence creates an interior space for listening, and listening disposes us for union with the Holy Spirit, who teaches us to pray and then to listen attentively and charitably to our brothers and sisters!

Fourth, a Biblical counsel of great importance: THE GOLDEN RULE! The “Golden rule” enunciated by Jesus Himself is simple but everybody in the world understands it: “Do unto others what you want them to do to you.” Why not take the Golden Rule one more step and apply it specifically to our speech. That is, “Do unto others what you want them to do to you,” but most especially, “Say to others what you want them to say to you!” Try it out!

Fifth, it is not always clear if what we are saying is harmful to others or beneficial. It is not always crystal clear! What could be of great help in this matter is to imagine that during your conversations with others, with your choice of words, tone of voice, and even facial expressions, three very important persons are present listening to your conversation. These three persons are Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph! Then ask yourself this question: “If Jesus, Mary, and Saint Joseph were present during this conversation and listening to my words, would they be nodding a smile of approval?” This is the acid test for followers of Jesus! Are our words pleasing in the sight of God, His Holy Mother and Good St. Joseph—who never said a word in all of Sacred Scripture?

Conclusion. Jesus said that from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Also Jesus warned us that we will be judged on every word that comes out of our mouths. St. James warns us to be quick to listen and slow to speak.

In the Diary of St. Faustina, she admitted her three primary faults were: 1) Pride in not being open to her Superior, Irene. 2) TALKING TOO MUCH!!! She admitted honestly that Jesus revealed to her that at times He preferred her to be silent rather than to speak for two reasons: the person would not profit from her words, and it would be much more beneficial for the souls in Purgatory to have her prayers (in those moments) rather than her conversation. Finally, 3) she did not always observe the Rule faithfully.

Let us remember the challenging exhortation of the Franciscan Doctor of the Church, St. Bonaventure: “We should open our mouths on three occasions: to praise God, to accuse ourselves, and to edify our neighbor.” Faithful to this exhortation, we will surely avoid many slips of the tongue, anoint our words with the Spirit, and store up for ourselves an eternal inheritance in heaven!

May Our Lady, who pondered in her Immaculate Heart before speaking, teach us to magnify the Lord in our words and to truly edify our neighbor! “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

Memorial of Saint Peter Claver, Priest

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

Thursday, September 9th   Lk. 6: 27-38…   “To you who hear, I say…

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.

If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

FIVE WAYS TO PRACTICE FORGIVENESS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

The renowned English poet Alexander Pope stated: “To err is human; to forgive is divine.” How true this statement, but how difficult to carry out! At the same time, holding on to resentment is interior slavery. Whereas, truly forgiving is imitating God Himself and setting the captive free, and that captive is us!

Frequently and in unequivocal terms, Jesus has reaffirmed the indispensable obligation of all to forgive those who hurt us, pray for our enemies, and even to do good to them if the opportunity presents itself! Once again, easier said than done! Actually without God’s grace, to forgive those who have wounded us, and to love and pray for our enemies, far transcends and supersedes our natural powers. In sum, we need Gods’ grace to forgive our enemies.

Jesus is our example in absolutely all we say, and do, and even think in our daily lives! Indeed, He said it clearly: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”(Jn. 14: 6) Jesus first began by doing and then by preaching. First actions, then words. His very demanding teaching on forgiveness He lived to perfection at every stage and moment of His earthly existence.

What are some of the teachings of Jesus on mercy and forgiveness? Let’s meditate on a few of them. “Be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful.” (Lk. 6: 36) In response to Peter’s generous willingness to forgive seven times, Jesus put no limits on it: “No, I say to you, not seven times, but forgive seventy times seven.” (Mt. 18: 22) This is hyperbole for the imperious obligation to forgive always, without limits or reservations.

Then Jesus made a Liturgical/Mass allusion. He said if you come to Church to present your offering and you know that your brother has something against you, simply leave the offering at the foot of the altar, reconcile with your brother, and then return to offer the gift. In other words, to celebrate worthily the Liturgy we should strive to be at peace with our brothers and sisters, and not be angry and resentful towards anybody.

Then in the most famous prayer in the world, the Our Father, Jesus gives us this very important command: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” In other words, forgiveness from God is a two way street. If we want to be a recipient of God’s forgiveness, it is necessary that we forgive those who have hurt us.

Finally, the most eloquent witness of God’s forgiveness for all of humanity and for each of us individually, is Jesus hanging on the cross after having been scourged, crowned with thorns and spat upon, derided and mocked incessantly, and finally abandoned by all those He loved but three faithful ones, Our Blessed Mother, Mary Magadalen, and St. John. What is His response as He hangs on the cross ready to breathe forth His spirit? These words: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” (Lk. 23: 34)

To help us imitate Christ and obey His command to forgive, let us expand on five concrete suggestions to help us on the pathway to forgiveness and mercy!

1. Beg for the Grace

To forgive our enemies, to pray for them and to love them goes far beyond our fallen human nature. We desperately need God’s overflowing and abundant graces. Saint Augustine says that we are all beggars before God. Therefore, we should beg fervently for the grace to forgive when we are put to the test. God will not deny us this sincere petition and important grace!

2. Forgive Immediately

When we are offended, most often the devil begins working on us right away fostering in our minds thoughts of revenge. Such ugly and vindictive thoughts can easily surface: “Get even!” “Teach him a lesson.” “Give him a taste of his own medicine.” “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” Finally, “Don’t let him get away with this.” At best, this might express our sentiments, as a Protestant preacher once said succinctly: “We will forgive but only after we see him squirm like a worm in hot ashes, at least for a while.” All of these thoughts and feelings are diametrically opposed to the teaching of our Merciful Savior, and we must resist and reject them as soon as we become aware of them. Instead, if we respond to God’s grace of merciful forgiveness, and forgive immediately, there is a very good chance the victory will be ours. In sum, be quick to reject vindictive thoughts and even quicker to forgive, and to accomplish this, pray Hail Marys for this person whenever vindictive thoughts attack you, until those thoughts subside.

3. Humility

Another efficacious spiritual weapon that we have in our armory is that of humility. How? In this way! If forgiveness proves laborious and near impossible, then call to mind your worst and most embarrassing sins and the fact that God forgave you as soon as you begged Him for mercy and forgiveness. Most likely the offense you suffered at the hand of another is minimal compared to your most grave and embarrassing sins. This can be a very powerful tool to open up your heart in mercy and forgiveness for others!

4. Mercy is a Two-Way Street

Next, remember that receiving God’s mercy is not a one-way street, but rather a two-way street! Meaning? Jesus said: “Be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful.” (Lk. 6: 36) Therefore, if we want to experience God’s infinite mercy in our lives, we must first extend merciful forgiveness to those who have offended us. Let us recall once again the prayer Jesus taught us, the Our Father: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We will be forgiven only as much as we forgive others! Saint Faustina Kowalska in the Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul asserts unequivocally that God’s greatest attribute or virtue is His Infinite Mercy. Followers of Jesus, the merciful Savior, must practice this sublime but very demanding virtue of mercy, if they desire to receive His mercy! Mercy is God’s love forgiving the sinner. Our decision to forgive our enemies is a clear sign of the victory of God’s grace and mercy in our lives.

5. Jesus Bleeding and Dying on the Cross for You

Possibly the most convincing motivational force to compel us to forgive those who offend us is the serious and silent contemplation of Jesus hanging on the cross, shedding every drop of His most Precious Blood to save all of humanity, but in particular your immortal soul! When you have been hurt and remain unwilling to forgive, lift up your eyes to contemplate Jesus as He hangs from the cross. Remember what He has already gone through: sweating Blood in the Garden, scourging at the Pillar, crowning with thorns, denied by Peter, betrayed by Judas, condemned and nailed to the cross though He was totally innocent, shedding every last drop of His Precious Blood, all for love of you.

What were the first words that issued forth from Jesus’ most Sacred Heart on the cross? Look, listen, contemplate, and pray! “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing!” (Lk. 23: 34) Meditating upon these words, coupled with the contemplation of His bitter Passion hanging from the cross and the shedding of His most Precious Blood, should be the most efficacious tool/hammer to crush your hardened heart that is apparently unwilling to forgive!

Finally, beg Our Lady of Sorrows, Our Lady of Mercy for the grace to forgive. No one ever suffered more than Mary, aside from Jesus! She witnessed her only Son suffer and die on the cross, brutally mistreated, yet she forgave them, even as her son did, from the depths of her Immaculate Heart. May Our Lady attain for us the grace to forgive, to be merciful, and so merit the title of a son or daughter of God the Father, brother or sister to Jesus Christ, and friend of the Holy Spirit in time and for all eternity! Amen.

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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

Wednesday, September 8th   Mt. 1: 1-16, 18-23   Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

• To celebrate this great Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, let us step back and recall the miraculous events leading up to the birth of Mary based on tradition and the teachings of the Church as presented by Fr. Ed. Let us start with Mary’ parents.

UNDERESTIMATED SAINTS! MARY’S PARENTS!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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