Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

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

THURSDAY, September 2nd   Lk. 5: 1-11…  “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

Reflection:

We have received so many graces in the practice of our Catholic Faith through the ministry of our good priests providing the Sacraments, including an abundance of daily Masses, Confession times, and adoration hours; promulgating the teachings of Holy Mother Church through homilies, catechism classes, sacramental preparation for First Communion, Confirmation, and RCIA for adults; enrichment programs including Consecration to Jesus through Mary, Consecration to Saint Joseph, the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, parish Retreats, and much more!

Jesus warns us, “To whom much has been given, much will be expected.” (Lk. 12: 48) Therefore, let us take seriously our obligation to help bring souls into the fold, or back to the fold of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, especially our own family members!

TEN WAYS YOU CAN HELP DAILY TO SAVE SOULS FOR ETERNITY by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

The powerful words of the Angelic Doctor, Saint Thomas Aquinas should move us from the very depths of our souls to do great things for God. These words: “One immortal soul of one person is worth more than the entire created universe.”

In fact, if we meditate upon the first two chapters in the Bible from the Book of Genesis, we contemplate God as Artist and Builder as He brings all that never before existed into existence. God created, and all that He created was good! The water in the immense oceans; the splendid, sparkling and dazzling sky in its remarkable beauty from the first streaks of dawn to the deepening twilight; the flowers, plants and trees in their boundless variety, the multitude of animals from a small squiggly lizard to an immense and muscular rhinoceros—all were brought from non-existence into existence by God the Creator.

THE CROWN OF CREATION

Of all the immensity, variety and beauty of creation, nothing can compare to the creation of the human person. In fact, in the eyes of God, man and woman are the very crown and apex of creation. Not only that, all the rest of creation came into existence for the benefit of the human person. If you like, God created all things for the proper use of man and woman so that they might arrive at their eternal destiny—Heaven. For this reason, the human person, given life from God the Author of Life, must use all of creation as a stepping stone, a ladder to arrive at Heaven!

The one word that describes Our Lord Jesus Christ best, according to Ven. Fulton J. Sheen, is that of Savior. Indeed, Jesus came into the world through the Incarnation and consent of the Virgin Mary specifically for that primary purpose—to save all of humanity from sin and bring them into the eternal Kingdom of peace, justice, joy and life—Heaven! Jesus is the only Savior. Nobody goes to the Father except through His Son, Jesus Christ.

However, Jesus wants all of us to do all we can to collaborate with Him in the salvation of everyone in the entire world. Saint Paul expresses it in these pungent words: “Let us fill up what is lacking in the passion of Christ.” (Col. 1:24) Jesus is the only Redeemer, but we can collaborate with Him and become mini Co-Redeemers!

After a bombardment that shook, rattled and partially destroyed a Catholic Church, the Pastor observed that the Crucifix on the wall was severely damaged. Due to the impact of the bomb—the arms and hands, the legs and feet of Jesus on the cross had been destroyed. Utilizing great ingenuity and apostolic zeal, the Pastor posted below the partially destroyed image these words coming from the Sacred Heart of the Savior: “I need your arms and hands, your legs and feet!”

How true! Jesus needs and wants your person—your arms, your hands, your legs, your feet, your voice, and especially the zeal of love in your heart so as to carry the Gospel, the Good News of Salvation, to the distant corners of the earth!

“Give Me Souls!”

Therefore, let us discern and decide upon ways that we can drop the nets for a catch of souls, go in search of the lost sheep, invite the many Prodigal sons and daughters back to the Good Shepherd. The motto of the great Saint John Bosco was: “Give me souls and take all the rest away!” May this likewise be our motto!

1. Fervent Prayer.

Prayer is the key to salvation. Prayer is the key to the conversion of poor sinners. Prayer unlocks the treasure-chest of God’s graces. Let us lift up fervent prayers every day, especially for the conversion of sinners and their eternal salvation. Remember, one soul is worth more than the whole created universe!

2. Invite the Lost Sheep to Confession.

When all is said and done, bringing a wandering soul, a confused Catholic, an angry and bitter Catholic to the fount of God’s Mercy, manifested and applied through the Sacrament of Confession, can be one of the most efficacious tools in placing this lost sheep back on the highway to salvation and eternal life.

3. Confession Schedule & Examination of Conscience.

If a wandering sheep has not been to confession in a long time, they may need a little advice, orientation and encouragement. This you can do by telling them when and where the Confessions are being held. Offer them an examination of conscience pamphlet or booklet explaining the Ten Commandments. Go with them to the place where the priest is hearing Confessions. Then you go to Confession first and come out with a radiant smile, as encouragement. By following this protocol, you have a winner, a winner in saving souls for Christ!

4. A Good Book.

Bad books are proven to be intellectual poison. However, a good book can serve as a catalyst to save a soul. We have never lived in a world with so much information; however, we have never lived in a world with so much confusion. The world is truly a Tower of Babel! This cloud of confusion can be dissipated and cleared by the reading of good books that tell the truth. Many have been saved by reading and reflecting on good books. Recommend a good spiritual book to them! Humdrum to Holy by this author is a practical and easily accessible way to introduce or re-introduce someone to the practice of the faith and to grow deeper in their faith!

5. A Good Catholic Friend

That good Catholic friend should be you and me. As a priest, many people come to me with their problems in all shapes, forms and sizes. Off the bat, I tell them that I cannot solve their problems, but I know the Person who can solve their problems—Jesus the Lord. Like Saint John the Baptist, I point to the Lord Jesus as the only Savior. We should not have a Messiah-complex—believing that we are the ones who save. Wrong! Only Jesus can save! 

Fulton Sheen put it in these words: “The starting point of our spiritual life has two principles: there is a God, and it is not you!!!” Again, only Jesus can save! Like John the Baptist, let us be human signposts pointing to Jesus.

6. A Retreat Experience.

One of the principal reasons why the modern person remains stuck in the mud of their own ignorance and sin is due to a world filled with noise and excessive movement. This lack of silence and stillness, does not allow for reflection, meditation, and examination of conscience. A spiritual retreat—for a weekend, eight days, or even a month—can serve as a powerful means to examine one’s life and make radical changes. Promote retreats, especially Ignatian Retreats. These can really be conversion experiences!

7. Apostolate of Suffering.

Jesus willingly chose the cross—His passion, suffering and death, as the means by which He would save all of humanity. Your suffering has infinite value, most especially for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of souls, when united to Jesus in His Passion, death and Resurrection. Do not waste your suffering but offer it for the salvation of immortal souls!

8. Offer Masses. 

As a sequel to the concept of suffering is that of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. As a priest, many mothers come to me in tears with a broken heart because their children no longer practice their faith and have so many doubts. My advice: have Masses offered for the conversion of sinners, starting with your own children, and for the salvation of immortal souls. By far, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the most efficacious tool or means of conversion and salvation. One drop of the Precious Blood of Jesus that He shed on Calvary is enough to save the whole universe!

9. Patience, Patience, and Even More Patience.

One of the most powerful and exemplary models of patience in the pursuit of sinners for their conversion and eternal salvation is the person and example of Saint Monica. Talk about a dysfunctional family, Monica had one and in the fullest sense of the term! A husband who was violent, a drunk, and a womanizer! A wayward son addicted to sexual pleasure! And finally, a gossipy mother-in-law! Through Monica’s prayers, penance, patience, and perseverance, God granted power and grace for the conversion of the whole family! Follow the example of Saint Monica and imitate her prayers, penance, and most of all her patience!

10. Our Lady: Refuge of Sinners!

This famous prayer rings so true related to the conversion of sinners and the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and it is the Memorare! The words? “Never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession was left unaided….”  

The great Saint Frances de Sales received a deluge of grace, comfort and consolation when he prayed this prayer in the Church of Our Lady of Victory in Paris. In our lives, may the prayers of Mary prove victorious in the conversion and salvation of countless souls, beginning with our own families! 

Remember the words of the Angelic Doctor, Saint Thomas Aquinas: “One immortal soul is worth more than the whole created universe.” Let us work energetically with Jesus and Mary, the angels and saints, to save an abundant harvest of souls for the eternal Banquet — Heaven!

Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

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

WEDNESDAY, September 1st   Lk. 4: 38-44…  “At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place.”

• Why do you think Jesus left to a deserted place at daybreak? We can reasonably assume He went off by himself to pray to His Father in heaven! In Mark 1: 35, the evangelist makes specific reference to Jesus doing exactly that.
• So often what we bring to Our Lord in prayer are our challenges and our sufferings. Fr. Ed Broom gives us a beautiful meditation on uniting our headaches and heartaches with the sufferings of Jesus, and the fruits we will receive from that!

POSITIVE FRUITS OF SUFFERING…   By Father Ed Broom, OMV

Suffering has positive value only inasmuch as it is united to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in His life, Passion, death, and Resurrection. If not, much of our suffering is wasted and we become a bitter person rather than a better person!

The purpose of this article is to highlight a list of positive fruits that flow from the person who unites their sufferings to the cross of Jesus in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, where Jesus renews on a daily basis His passion and death through the Sacrament of all Sacraments—the most Holy Eucharist! The following is a list to encourage us to carry our cross more courageously, following in the footsteps of Jesus and His friends, the saints. With Saint Francis of Assisi, we acclaim: “We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”

1. UNION WITH AND IMITATION OF CHRIST.  The name Christian means follower or disciple of Christ. By suffering with courage, we are united more with Jesus our Savior; we become more like Him and we imitate Him more closely.

2. PRAYER GROWTH.  In crucial moments of intense suffering, true followers of Christ pray all the more fervently, in imitation of Jesus in the Garden where He prayed all the more fervently to the point of shedding huge drops of blood. And it is so true that as we deepen our prayer life, we are united more closely to Christ, and become with Christ living sacrifices pleasing to God the Father.

3. HUMILITY.  Confronted with such intense sufferings—physical, psychological, emotional, moral, social or family related, etc.—we find ourselves helpless like a little child, totally dependent upon the care, protection, and love of our Eternal Father and His Divine Providence. Humility means not depending upon myself and my limited human resources, but depending totally upon God. “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Ps. 124:8) And, “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall lack.” (Psalm 23)

4. TRUST.  One of the modern spiritual classics is the Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul of Saint Faustina Kowalska. This great modern saint suffered intensely, but the more she suffered, the more she trusted in God for strength and support. So it must be with us; suffering should motivate us to trust in God all the more as our eternal Rock on which we stand in navigating through the storms of life.

5. PATIENCE.  The nature of all suffering is that it takes a toll on us and forces us to practice the virtue of patience—remember the Book of Job. Maybe God Himself has sent us certain sufferings as a means by which we can grow in that all important virtue of Patience! Looking in retrospect on past sufferings that we have more or less accepted, we can attest to the fact that we are at least a little more patient in imitation of Jesus, Mary, and the saints. Jesus said: “By your patience you will save your souls.” (Lk. 21:19)

6. COMPASSION.  Still more, the virtue of compassion can be a recompense and prize for those undergoing a fire-storm of tribulations and sufferings. A classic example might be the woman who has survived breast cancer and is now healthy and thriving. This woman providentially meets another woman who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The woman who has survived the ordeal can definitely commiserate with and have compassion for the woman just diagnosed, for the simple reason that she went through it herself! Those who suffer in a Christian way have the capacity to be compassionate and consoling with others who are going through the same or similar predicaments. Actually, the word Compassion means the ability “to suffer” with another.

7. PURIFICATION.  As gold is purified by fire, so are the friends of the Lord purified by the trial of suffering. Saint John of the Cross gives us the image of a piece of cold and rusty iron cast into the fire. In time, the cold and rusty piece of iron assumes the same degree of heat and qualities as the fire, and the rust disintegrates. So it is with human souls cloaked with sin and sinful tendencies. The willing acceptance of suffering for the love of Christ and in union with Christ, who suffered and died for all of humanity and all of us individually, can be a means of purifying our soul. Indeed, it must be said: we can beg the Lord to give us our Purgatory here on earth so that we can have quicker access to heaven when we die!

8. DETACHMENT.  The human person, due to Original Sin, has a strong tendency to attach themself to persons, places, things, ideas, concepts, etc. Many of these attachments are disordered to the point of even being sinful. The storm blast of suffering can shatter these attachments. If one has been diagnosed with cancer and given six months to live, they can start to unpack their life, relinquish what is not really essential and necessary, give things away to others, cling less to human persons and more to God, as they prepare themself for death, judgment, and the life to come, hopefully Heaven! Indeed, suffering can serve as a sober and very real meditation on the transitory and fleeting nature of human life! “Vanity of vanity, all is vanity,” (Eccles. 1: 2) if not based on God!

9. SALVATION OF SOULS.  The children of Fatima were educated in the school of suffering, especially Jacinta and Francisco Marto—both died about two years after the last apparition of Our Lady of Fatima on October 13, 1917. After the graphic vision of hell, July 13, 1917, little Jacinta could not undertake too many sacrifices, offering all of her sufferings for the salvation of immortal souls! Sacrificing her favorite food—the sweet grapes of Portugal, giving up dancing which she loved, giving up water on hot days, putting up with the painful insistence of people pestering her with questions, wearing a rough rope around her waist, and finally, suffering the pains of the illness that led to her death; Jacinta endured all of this so as to collaborate in the salvation of immortal souls. In other words, her suffering had infinite value because she suffered for souls with and for Jesus. When beatified by Pope Saint John Paul II, he gave her the title of little victim soul—such was her thirst for the salvation of immortal souls and her willingness to suffer for them with Jesus!

10. SHORTNESS OF LIFE AND ETERNITY.  Finally, in our analysis of the positive meaning of suffering, we have to come to terms with our mortality—that all of us one day have to pass through the door of death and this often entails suffering. However, life is very short as the Psalmist reminds us: “Man is like the flower of the field that rises in the morning and withers and dies as the sun goes down.” (Ps 103: 15-16) In the Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul, Jesus said these words to Faustina, “You will go back to earth and there you will suffer much, but not for long; you will accomplish my will and my desires and a faithful servant of Mine will help you do this. Now rest on My bosom, on My heart, and draw from it strength and power for these sufferings because you will find neither relief nor help nor comfort anywhere else. Know that you will have much, much to suffer, but don’t let this frighten you; I am with you.” (Diary # 36) These words of Jesus are serious and sober, but also consoling. He will always be with us and invites all of us to seek refuge, not in the passing things of this world, but in His bosom, seek comfort in His Most Sacred Heart. 

May Our Lady of Sorrows console us all with her loving and maternal presence! She will always be present with Jesus to help us carry our crosses patiently so as to gain heaven, and bring as many souls as possible with us, and thereby win the reward that God has prepared for us for all eternity.

Tuesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

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

TUESDAY, August 31st   Lk. 4: 31-37   “You yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night…. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, for that day to overtake you like a thief.”

“For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober. For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build another up, as indeed you do.”

• Indeed, Fr. Ed encourages and builds us up with his meditation today! May we in turn, spread the Good News!

WE ARE PEOPLE OF JOY AND HOPE. By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

In his visit to the poorer section of New York City—Harlem—Pope Saint John Paul II preached these encouraging words: “We are an Easter people!” By these words preached in a very deprived section of New York, the holy pontiff was accentuating the fact that Jesus Christ truly rose from the dead and opened the gates of Heaven for all of us. This indeed is a message of great hope for all who desire to open their hearts to the Risen Lord Jesus.

In many hearts, even those of Catholics, the virtue of hope seems to be smoldering, tottering, vacillating, even extinguished. However, the Risen Lord Jesus is so kind, compassionate, loving, merciful and patient that He will most willingly infuse within us a renewed joy and hope if we open our hearts to His knocking.

Maybe you have a heart assaulted by doubts, anxieties, fears, insecurities and confusion. If such is the case, the Word of God is addressed to you right now: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. Whoever opens the door, I will enter and dine with them, and they with me.” (Rev. 3: 19)

May we all rejoice and be glad, and be filled with a renewed hope. Hope is not wishful, whimsical and sentimental feelings, as in the expression: “Well, I hope so!!!” Quite the contrary.

What is hope then? Hope is one of the three theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity. These three theological virtues were instilled in our souls when we were baptized. Of course, like seeds planted in the ground, these virtues must be cultivated. As the young express it today: “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” So, let us use and cultivate hope so that we do not lose it.

Perhaps the best way to understand the theological virtue of hope is summarized in the spiritual masterpiece with Saint Faustina as the secretary of Jesus, Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul. It can be boiled down to five simple words: JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU!!! These words written at the bottom of the image of Divine Mercy, summarize the essence of our message on the virtue of hope. We must place a total, constant, unreserved, solid TRUST in Jesus in all times, places, and circumstances. We must abandon our lives to the loving care of Jesus and trust that He loves us, and always acts in a way that is in our best interest, even though at times we do not understand the ways of Divine Providence. As the Psalmist points out, His ways are not our ways, and as the heavens are above the earth, so are God’s ways above our ways. (cf Is. 55:9)

We live in time, but God lives in eternity. Past, present and future all converge with God. He sees the whole of the picture; and we see only a very limited part of the whole scenario.

What then are some concrete ways that we can foster, bolster, and fortify the virtue of Hope in our lives, so that we can fill others with joy and hope? We will offer a few simple power points; let us grab on to them and be buoyed up by the solid anchor of hope.

1. GOD’S LOVE FOR ME.  First and foremost, we must be firmly convicted and convinced that our God is not a tyrant, dictator, or mean-spirited boss who seeks to punish us. Quite the contrary, our God is a loving Father who loves each and every one us with an eternal love, a love that is immutable—never subject to change. Moreover, the more weak, vulnerable, and miserable we find ourselves, the more God embraces us with His love! This we see exemplified in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which can rightly be termed, “The Parable of the Merciful Father.” (Lk. 15: 11-24) Re-read those Bible verses and focus on the actions of the father!

2. HE SENT HIS SON TO SAVE US.  God the Father manifested His infinite love for us in sending His only Son to us in the Person of Jesus Christ in His Incarnation. Jesus was conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary through the working of the Holy Spirit, was born, lived, was crucified suffering excruciating pains shedding His Precious Blood, died and rose from the dead—all of this for love of each and every one of us. How precious you are in the eyes of God.

3. JESUS LEFT US HIS CHURCH: THE MYSTICAL BODY OF CHRIST.  Another reason to rejoice in hope is that, even though after Jesus’ death and Resurrection He ascended into Heaven, He did not leave us orphans. Rather, Jesus left His presence among us in the Church which is His Mystical Body.

4. JESUS PRESENT IN THE MOST HOLY EUCHARIST.  The very Heart and center of the Church is Jesus truly present in His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and most specifically in the Holy Eucharist. Those who believe and are in the state of grace are invited to receive Jesus into the very depths of their souls and experience life and life in abundance.

5. FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS.  At the Last Supper Jesus called His Apostles FRIENDS.  He wants us to be His intimate FRIENDS also. Why not starting today strive to cultivate a deep, dynamic and strong bond of friendship with Jesus. He is the FAITHFUL FRIEND. (EL AMIGO QUE NUNCA FALLA!!!)

6. HEAVEN AWAITS US.  A reality, too often neglected in our thoughts, is the reality of Heaven. We often pray the Our Father, starting with these words: “Our Father, who art in Heaven…” But all too often we forget to meditate upon the reality of Heaven. Heaven indeed exists. Jesus has prepared a place for all of us in Heaven. This thought should inundate us with joy and hope and spur us on to attain this cherished prize.

7. THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, THESE IS NOTHING I SHALL WANT. (PS. 23) At any time and any place we can close our eyes and imagine that we are walking in the quiet, peaceful, and refreshing meadows where Jesus the Good Shepherd wants to walk with us, talk to us, listen to us, encourage us, support us and love us. Why not take a long, peaceful, walk with Jesus, the Good Shepherd of your soul today? He is patiently waiting for you.

8. DIARY OF DIVINE MERCY IN MY SOUL.  One of the spiritual classics that has left an indelible impression on my life in the past few years is the Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul. Jesus chose the humble, holy nun Saint Faustina Kowalska, known as The Secretary of Divine Mercy, to communicate to the world one of the most important and urgent messages of all times: God is rich in mercy, God loves us, God is ready to forgive us and embrace us in His loving arms. I cannot encourage with greater emphasis the purchasing, daily reading and meditating on this spiritual masterpiece. One of the most exquisite fruits of constant, assiduous and daily reading of the Diary will be renewed hope welling-up in our hearts, with an expansive and over-flowing joy.

9. SHARE YOUR JOY AND HOPE WITH OTHERS.  If we indeed follow these suggestions, the net-result will be an increase of joy and hope. However, it must be understood, this joy and hope must not be kept to ourselves, but we must share it with others. In this way, they will be enlightened and pulled out of the pit of discouragement, and at the same time our own joy and hope will be fortified all the more. “Let your light shine before men so that you will give glory to your Heavenly Father.” (Mt. 5: 16)

10. MARY: OUR LIFE, OUR SWEETNESS, AND OUR HOPE.   The beautiful prayer that we say with so much joy at the end of the Holy Rosary, the Hail Holy Queen, we start with these words: “Hail Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life our sweetness and our hope….” These are words of great encouragement. Mary is indeed a well-spring and fountain of abundant hope. We invite all to read and meditate upon the Marian classic and Masterpiece, The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Liguori.  In fact, this spiritual gem is a commentary on the prayer The Hail Holy Queen. By reading, meditating on and assimilating these truths, undoubtedly, we will be filled with joy and hope and become an overflowing well-spring of hope and joy to others.

My friends, we are all Easter-people! We are indeed men and women imbued with the virtue of hope. May Our Lady, who is truly our life, our sweetness, and our hope inspire us to trust fully in God’s love for us, her maternal care and love for us, and Jesus’ deep Friendship for us. Then we will truly be a bright light shining in the darkness and a shining star pointing to our heavenly reward!

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

Monday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

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

MONDAY, August 30th   Lk. 4: 16-30   “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.”

Reflection by Pope Benedict XVI:

“…this is exactly the point: Jesus did not come to seek the agreement of men and women but rather – as he was to say to Pilate in the end – to bear witness to the truth. The true prophet does not obey others as he does God, and puts himself at the service of the truth, ready to pay in person…. Believing in God means giving up our own prejudices and accepting the actual face in which he revealed himself: Jesus of Nazareth.

On this path Mary’s attitude is enlightening. Who could be more closely acquainted than her with the humanity of Jesus? She cherished this mystery in her heart and was always and ever better able to accept it on the journey of faith, even to the night of the cross and the full brilliance of the Resurrection.”

• Who is Jesus to me? Do I seek to know Jesus in all His different facets? Do I place my trust in Jesus? Are there particular ways I need Jesus to be present to me here and now? Fr. Ed answers these questions and more in the richly contemplative meditation to follow.

JESUS AS THE CENTER OF MY LIFE! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Jesus Christ is the center of all human history, the alpha and the omega, the principle and foundation, the beginning and the end, the key that unlocks eternal life to all who believe and place their trust in Him. By His Incarnation, life, death, and Resurrection, Jesus has divided history into two blocks of time: B.C. and A.D. Never has any other person come onto the stage of human history and had such a huge impact, and He did this all in no more than 33 years.

The following exposition in its essence is a prayer to Jesus. The short prayer expressions or prayer gems are taken from Sacred Scripture, most of them from the texts of the Gospels. If you like, these are Christological titles transformed into short prayers. It is our intention and desire that you will very slowly pray over these titles in imitation of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who pondered the Word of God in her Immaculate Heart.

CHRISTOLOGICAL TITLES TRANSFORMED INTO PRAYER…

Titles for Jesus are many and rich indeed! Let us learn to pray, to really talk to Jesus through His many and various titles inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus, you are the Bread of Life, give me a growing hunger and insatiable thirst for you. (Jn. 6: 25-71)

Jesus, you are The Good Shepherd, grant me the deep inner security that I am really never alone because you are walking next to me, by my side; with your rod and your staff you guide me. (Psalm 23 / Jn. 10: 1-21)

Jesus, you are truly The Resurrection and The Life, attain for me an ardent yearning to live with you for all eternity in heaven. (Jn. 11: 1-44)

Jesus, your name means Savior, I beg you to stretch out your gentle but strong hand to save me. Lord Jesus, save me from doubt, from my inner fears and anxieties, from my lack of trust in your Divine Providence. Lord, in the midst of the storms of life, when it seems as if my life is on the verge of capsizing and sinking, descend upon me with your calm and lead me to a safe haven. (Lk. 1: 26-56)

Jesus you are truly the Divine Physician, the Divine Doctor, I implore you to touch me with your hand and heal me. Lord Jesus, I admit my infirmities. Heal my mind with your light. Heal my soul with your grace. Heal my memory with your peace. Heal my body with your strength. (Mt. Chapters 8 and 9)

Jesus, you are the best of all Teachers. (Jn. 20: 16) I sit before you and beg you to truly become my Teacher. I thank you for the Gospels (the Good News) in which I can sit at your feet to drink in and absorb your Words of Truth. (The Gospels)

Jesus, you are The Way, the Truth, and the Life. Pave the way for me on the highway to heaven. Inundate me with the rays of your truth. Attain for me eternal life in heaven. (Jn. 14: 6)

Jesus, you are the Alpha and Omega, the Principle and Foundation of my life. Attain for me fullness of life by having you at the very center of my life—in my thoughts, words, decisions, and actions. (Rev. 22: 13)

Jesus, you said: I am the Light of the world, cast out the dark regions present in my mind, in my memory, my understanding, my will, my desires, my intentions, and my life. Shine on me and in me, so that your Presence in my life may enlighten many others. (Jn. 8: 12)

Jesus, you are truly the Logos—the Word of God issuing forth from the Eternal Father. May your Words be engraved deeply in my whole being so that I will be a living expression of your truth in the world. (Jn. 1: 1)

Jesus, you are Emmanuel—God with us! In this journey of life heading toward our eternal destiny—heaven, may I constantly be aware of your gentle and consoling presence. May my prayer be that of the disciples on the road to Emmaus: Stay with us, Lord, for the day is far spent. (Lk. 24: 29)

Jesus, you are the Christ-Messiah, the Anointed One. Through Baptism and Confirmation, I have received a double-anointing. I implore you to anoint my thoughts and my words so that I will be an anointed presence in the lives of my brothers and sisters. (I Jn. 5: 1)

Jesus, you indeed are The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. By your Precious Blood, that I receive through the Sacraments of Confession and Communion, may I be cleansed and purified of all my past and present sins, and so live in the liberty of the sons and daughters of God. (Jn. 1: 29)

Jesus, yours is the Healing Hand that saves. Stretch out your hand to touch my festering wounds and heal me, and all of suffering humanity. (Mt. 8:1-4)

Jesus, you are truly the Wounded-Healer. Indeed, it is by your wounds that we are healed.  May I seek refuge in your wounds, especially your wounded Sacred Heart – my true and eternal refuge! (Is. 53: 5)

Jesus, you are the Friend who is always faithful. May I experience you as a true Friend, always ready to welcome me, willing to walk with me, talk with me, and be present to me. You indeed are my true Friend who will never fail me. (Jn. 15: 15)

Jesus, you are the Son of God made man. I am eternally grateful to you for becoming like us in all things except sin.  I praise and thank you for assuming your humanity from the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Jesus, you are the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. As such, I adore you and pay you homage as King of my whole being. Jesus, I beg you to reign over me. Reign over my mind, my thoughts, my imagination, my feelings, my intentions, my body and my soul, in time and for all eternity. (Rev. 19: 16)

Jesus, you indeed are the Crucified Savior. May my love and devotion to you result in crucifying and putting to death all that is in me that is unworthy of you—that is to say, sin and all of its negative effects. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. (Mt. 27: 32-56)

Jesus, your Most Sacred Heart is a burning furnace of charity. Set my heart on fire with love for you and love for souls. You said: “I have come to cast fire on the earth and I am not at peace until that fire be enkindled.” Lord Jesus, give me that fire! (Lk. 12: 49)

Jesus, you are the Son of God, the Son of man, and the Son of Mary! Through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your loving Mother, may I arrive at a deeper knowledge of you, a deeper love for you, a deeper understanding of you, and a more earnest yearning and longing to follow you all the days of my life!  Jesus, Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may you be the very center of my life, now and for all eternity. Amen. (Mk. 6: 3)

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