Memorial of the First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church

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

WEDNESDAY, June 30th   Mt. 8: 28-34    “The demons pleaded with him, ‘If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.’ And he said to them, ‘Go then!’ They came out and entered the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea where they drowned.”

• Jesus wants to drive the demons out of us today! The demons we are born with: pride, anger, envy, gluttony, lust, avarice (greed), sloth (laziness). They are always tugging at us, but they don’t become sins until we act on them.
• In truth, we do act on them! Worse, we become accustomed to our sins, until we don’t see them anymore. The only way to remove the blinders from our eyes is a periodic, rigorous and thorough examination of these tendencies and the opposing virtues.  

CONQUERING THE 7–HEADED ENEMY WITHIN by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

A father and his young son are taking a leisurely walk through a wooded park in the early evening. Suddenly the father stops, looks into the eyes of his son and says: “Son, I must tell you that I have a wolf within me—a ravenous, angry, vicious wolf.” As they continue walking, the boy tries to make sense of his father having a wolf within him.

They walk on, again the father stops. Looking intently into the eyes of his son, the father says: “Son, I must tell you that I also have a lamb within me—a gentle, kind, loving lamb.

As they continue walking the son is trying to understand what this means, my father has both a wolf and a lamb within him. Unable to bear the suspense any longer, the son grabs his father’s sleeve and says: “Dad, Dad, which one is going to win, the wolf or the lamb? The father answers, “Whichever one I feed the most.”

By means of this story let us delve into the depths of our own interior lives where we must encounter both the wolf and the lamb, the flesh in battle against the spirit, darkness striving to extinguish light, nobility and courage in contrast to fear and cowardice. This story is not simply a pious, mythical fairy-tale; rather, this is our story. All of us are this father with both a wolf and a lamb within, each one vying to surface so as to prove victorious. Which of the two will win in us: the wolf or the lamb? The response is as clear as the sun at midday: whichever one we feed the most!

THE SEVEN WOLVES AND LAMBS WITHIN—THE SEVEN CAPITAL SINS AND OPPOSING VIRTUES.

As a result of the Original Sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, a moral tsunami was set in motion, like a huge stone pushed in motion from the top of a mountain. In the human person, created in the image and likeness of God and essentially good by nature, there is constant tension within. Even after the reception of the Sacrament of Baptism which washes away the stain of Original Sin, the effects of original sin remain such that our human nature is impaired, damaged, and inclined toward evil. Indeed, if that evil tendency or proclivity is not checked, but given free reign, the wolf will conquer the lamb, slavery will reign over liberty, and addictions become commonplace in such a person.

This being the present state of affairs, let us point out the seven wolves that are lurking within and the lambs that must be fed, cultivated, and bred to reign as the ultimate victors in the battle. These are the SEVEN CAPITAL SINS and the SEVEN OPPOSING VIRTUES.

For clarity, simplicity and ease in explaining, we will present the seven capital sins and the opposing virtues. Following will be a brief explanation on how the capital sins can be conquered in your soul; and this means the lamb will conquer the pernicious and vicious wolf always ready and on the prowl to attack!

1. GLUTTONY VS. TEMPERANCE.

2. LUST VS. CHASTITY.

3. AVARICE (GREED) VS. GENEROSITY.

4. SLOTH (LAZINESS) VS. DILIGENCE.

5. ENVY (JEALOUSY) VS ADMIRATION/GRATITUDE.

6. ANGER VS. MEEKNESS.

7. PRIDE VS. HUMILITY.

Now categorically and in an orderly fashion we will give a brief explanation of each of the Capital Sins—the wolf lurking within and the opposing virtue to be practiced. The whole purpose or thrust of this essay is to enhance our self-knowledge so that in all honestly we come to know and then come to terms with our primary weaknesses—so we can conquer the wolf and allow the lamb to dominate. This heightened self-knowledge or self-awareness will prove a huge advantage in our battle for purity and liberty, and the salvation of our immortal soul in the long run!

Many of the classical writers in ascetical and mystical theology insist upon the indispensable need for self-knowledge. The historian asserts: “He who does not know history is condemned to repeat the same errors.” Socrates stated: “A life not examined is a life not worthy living.” The Desert Fathers have a famous two-word axiom: KNOW THYSELF! Even athletes, baseball-players, boxers, etc., will study their opponents so as not to make the same mistakes that cost them the prior game.

If you like, this simple analogy can prove quite useful. Superman had incredible strength. However, he had one potential weakness: KRYPTONITE. If exposed to this element, his energy and strength were drained and sapped from his body, and he became as weak as anybody else. Likewise, Samson’s strength was in his long locks of hair, and Achilles in his heel. This essay can help you to name it, claim it, and tame it! We must name our weakness, claim this self-knowledge as indispensable, and then tame the wolf by inviting the lamb to live within!

I. CAPITAL SIN: GLUTTONY.

The Capital Sin of Gluttony can be defined as such: “Gluttony is a disordered desire to eat and drink.” The key word is disordered. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, relying on the wisdom of Saint Thomas Aquinas, asserts that sin is against reason and is a disorder. Saint Ignatius states that we are called to order the disorder in our lives so that we can discern the will of God.

Ask yourselves this question: “Do you live to eat or do you eat to live?” If you live only to eat, then Saint Paul calls this “The god of the belly.” We call this the Capital Sin of Gluttony—the wolf from within.

OPPOSING VIRTUE—TEMPERANCE.

The opposing virtue to the Capital Sin of Gluttony is that of Temperance. This virtue can be defined as: “The proper and ordered use of created goods.” Saint Ignatius in Principle and Foundation reminds us that we are called to use created goods and not to abuse them. The virtue of temperance is using food as a means to have energy, strength, and stamina in order to faithfully carry out the obligations of our state of life. We must strive to conquer the wolf within—eat to live healthily, not live to eat only to satisfy our carnal pleasure!

A PRACTICE TO ATTAIN TEMPERANCE: Leave the table a little hungry. In other words, stop eating before you feel full.

2. CAPITAL SIN: LUST.

A concise definition of the Capital Sin of Lust is the following: “Lust is a disordered desire for sexual pleasure.” As a result of Original Sin, one of the strong disordered tendencies is viewing a person as an object to be used, rather than as someone to be valued for their innate dignity that comes from the Creator, and even more from the Sacrament of Baptism. Jesus warns us to look beyond the mere act of Fornication or Adultery. He warns us to avoid even lusting after a woman in our heart. The standard is high, but the grace of God is more than sufficient if we correspond to it.

OPPOSING VIRTUE—CHASTITY/PURITY.

The opposing virtue to the Capital Sin of Lust is that of chastity or purity. So as to contemplate God in this life, as well as in the Kingdom of Heaven, one of the key requirements or conditions is that of purity. The words of Jesus exemplify this truth in one of the eight Beatitudes: “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they will see God.” (Mt. 5:8)

A PRACTICE TO ATTAIN PURITY: Contemplate daily a beautiful painting, icon or picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary with your physical eyes and the eyes of your soul.

3. CAPITAL SIN: AVARICE/GREED.

 A short and to the point definition of Avarice, also defined as Greed, is the following: “Avarice is a disordered desire for material things or possessions.” The philosophical system or terminology would be that of Materialism and Consumerism. Our life is focused more on what we have than who we are. In other words, our possessions can end up possessing us.

OPPOSING VIRTUE—GENEROSITY.

The opposing virtue to the Capital Sin of Avarice is that of Generosity. Generosity is mastered by the art of giving. The proverb of Saint Paul characterizes the thrust of his life: “There is more joy in giving than in receiving.” The saints lived the Gospel of generosity to a point that would shock a person dominated by materialism, as in the case of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta who coined this pithy maxim: “We must learn to give until it hurts.”

A PRACTICE TO ATTAIN GENEROSITY: Every month check your closets, wardrobe, or garage and give to the poor something that you really do not need.

4. CAPITAL SIN: SLOTH/LAZINESS

What is sloth? It is nothing more than laziness, indolence, lack of effort needed to carry out our daily obligations. You might even call it spiritual, mental, and physical inertia in our person, once again, as a result of Original Sin. This sloth can manifest itself in resistance to physical work, mental efforts, and spiritual activity—putting off or neglecting prayer.

OPPOSING VIRTUE—DILIGENCE.

A diligent person manifests readiness and willingness to work hard with their body, their mind, and their soul. Not daunted or overcome by difficulties, they work through the difficulties. One of the best examples is Saint Joseph the Worker.

A PRACTICE: Imagine a typical day in the Carpenter-shop with Jesus and Saint Joseph and you working side by side with them the whole day! No time for laziness; rather hard, methodical, systematic work done and all for the honor and glory of God!

5.  CAPITAL SIN: ENVY (JEALOUSY)

A very dangerous and pernicious Capital Sin that if not overcome through grace, can bring with it many very serious, noxious consequences. This we see most clearly in the murder of Abel at the hands of his brother Cain, a result of unbridled anger fed and nourished by envy. 

Envy is a step worse than jealousy. Jealousy is sadness in our heart because we recognize that somebody has something we do not have. Envy descends deeper into the pit of evil because we rejoice when something bad happens to that person. Truly ugly!

OPPOSING VIRTUE—ADMIRATION AND FRATERNAL CHARITY.

Instead of putting down the person you envy, admire and compliment that person on their talents, successes, and triumphs. Moved by the good spirit, you will come to a keen awareness that whatever gifts they have come from the Author of all good—God Himself. A key Biblical passage to conquer envy in all shapes and forms is from Saint Paul: “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.”

A PRACTICE: Every night, look back at your day and find something to thank God for and remember how blessed you are!

6. ANGER. 

This Capital Sin is a transient impulse of passion that can be brought on by multiple factors. All too often, our anger is manifested by an attitude of impatience, and this impatience can be played out against others, ourselves, and even at times against God. Anger often has as its root cause, pride. We’re angry because we want things done our way, in our time, and according to our concept of perfection. If not held back or checked, anger can wreak havoc in our life, the lives of those around us, and the lives of a host of others.

OPPOSING VIRTUE—MEEKNESS.

In Sacred Scripture, Jesus describes two characteristics of His Sacred Heart—meek and humble. (Mt. 11:29) Contrary to common opinion, meekness is not weakness; quite the contrary, meekness is powerful emotion under the control of faith and reason. One of the most famous saints known far and wide for his meekness is Saint Frances de Sales; he fought hard to acquire that virtue, and so can we!

A PRACTICE: A daily prayer to help us acquire meekness is the following: “Jesus meek and humble of Heart, make my heart like unto thine.”

7. PRIDE.

At the root of all sin is that of pride. Pride can be defined in many ways. However, a concise and clear definition of pride might be the following: “Pride is a disordered love for self.” In other words, the proud person places himself at the center of attention. He is number one! He wants to be recognized and applauded in what he considers his excellence and greatness! The saying rings so true: Pride comes before a fall! In every one of our sinful actions, pride is behind that action in one form or another.

THE OPPOSING VIRTUE— HUMILITY.  

A person imbued with the virtue of humility recognizes the following: All the good that I can do physically, intellectually, morally, spiritually, and totally is due to God’s grace and God’s work in my life. In the words of the Psalmist: “Not to us, not to us, but to Thee, O Lord, the honor, glory and praise.” (Ps. 115:1)

A PRACTICE: Every single day go out of your way to do something kind for someone or say something kind to someone, without expecting anything in return.

So, my friends in the Lord and His Mother Mary, we have come to the conclusion of our essay on the Capital Sins that we all have rooted within our fallen nature. It is incumbent upon us, through serious prayer, examination of conscience, as well as adequate spiritual direction to discern which of the Capital Sins is our predominant one, and what might be our second most dominant. Then, with the help of God’s grace and our good will and effort, work to conquer those Capital Sins by practicing the opposite virtues so your soul will shine like the stars in firmament at night!

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB. As in the opening story, we all have the wolf and the lamb hidden in the inner recesses of our heart, our mind, and our soul. We must have a humble and clear perception of this dual reality. With God’s grace and our generous effort, we can conquer the wolf within us, so that the lamb, who is a symbol of Jesus Himself, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”, might shine forth brilliantly in our lives. May Mary, the Mother of the Lamb, help us to overcome evil and allow holiness to conquer and reign in our lives!

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles 
Vigil

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

TUESDAY, June 29th   Mt. 16: 13-19   SOLEMNITY OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL “Jesus said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. So I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.’”

On this beautiful Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, let us check our religious Vocabulary! We should all have at least some knowledge of the basics! Fr. Ed is our instructor!

HOW IS YOUR RELIGIOUS VOCABULARY??? By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

One of the hallmarks of the greatness of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor and quite possibly the greatest Theologian in the Catholic Church is his great clarity and precision in defining theological, spiritual, and Biblical concepts. Aquinas makes sure that one understands the concept before going into detail in explaining it.

SPECIFIC VOCABULARY FOR SPECIFIC DISCIPLINES.  Every area of discipline, be it academic, music, sports, art, culinary, natural sciences, whatever, has its specific vocabulary.  Having played Baseball, I know from experience that there truly is Baseball-lingo, or vocabulary specific to Baseball. These words: Balk, Bunt, suicide-squeeze, Pop-fly, Extra-innings, Reliever, double-play, triple-play, Foul-pole. Anyone cognizant of the sport of Baseball understands the use of these words. However, for those never exposed to Baseball, these words seem like a foreign language, to say the least.

THEOLOGICAL DISCIPLINE AND LANGUAGE.  This concept of vocabulary can be applied to Theology and the branches of Theology. Therefore, we would like to offer you a short explanation of these words, mostly related to theology, and a brief motivation so as to grow in your spiritual journey to heaven. Off we go!

1. THEOLOGY. Put simply, this word means “The Study of God.” Of all the human pursuits in the realm of study, Academia, acquiring knowledge, Saint Thomas states that “Theology is the Queen of all the studies.” May we have a hunger and thirst for God as the ultimate source and meaning for our existence.

2. PHILOSOPHY. The Scholastics, the theologians who lived at the time of Saint Thomas Aquinas (13th Century) stated that “Philosophy is the handmaid of theology.” The two complement each other, like hand in glove. The word Philosophy actually means, “The study of Wisdom”.  May Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, help us to pursue true wisdom—always related to God and our eternal salvation.

3. BIBLICAL THEOLOGY. The ultimate source of truth is the Bible. From Greek, Bible actually means Books—the Bible is a library of books that teach us about God. And a good definition of the Bible is the following: “The Bible is the Word of God.” Encouraged by the Psalms, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Ps. 119:105), may the Bible be a light for our path that leads us to heaven.

4. GOSPEL. There are four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The Word actually means Good News. When we stand to hear the Gospel every Sunday, we are standing to hear the Good News, and this should fill our hearts with joy.

5. PATRISTICS. This important branch of Theology teaches about “The Fathers of the Church”. There are the Western (Latin) Fathers of the Church, and the Eastern Fathers of the Church. The most renowned of the Western Fathers would be St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and St. Gregory the Great. Whereas, the most renowned of the Eastern are the following: St. Athanasius, St. John Chrysostom, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory of Nicea and St. Gregory of Nacianzen. May these Fathers—both West and East—help us to arrive at a correct interpretation of the Bible, the Living Word of God!

6. ESCHATOLOGY. This branch of Theology teaches the importance of meditating upon the Last-Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell, as well as Purgatory, not to exclude the concept of eternity. Lord, teach us wisdom, to count our days, as the Psalm so eloquently reminds us.

7. CATHOLIC. In our panoramic vision of theology, we must know the meaning of the Greek word— Catholic, which means: “Universal”. The Catholic Church is a family that is open to all, nobody is excluded. The door is open, but you must cross the threshold.

8. CHRISTOLOGY. This is the all-important study of Christ—meaning, “The anointed one”.  Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Reading the Gospels, we get to know the excelling riches of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

9. SOTERIOLOGY. A word not known by most Catholics, still such a word is of great importance. It means, “The Theology of salvation”. Lord Jesus, save me!!!

10. PNEUMATOLOGY. This is a word that you probably did not use at the breakfast table this morning, but it means the study of “The Spirit, the Holy Spirit.” How important is the Holy Spirit in order for us to get to know Jesus, as in the case of the Apostles after a nine day Novena ending with Pentecost—fifty days after Easter!

11. THEOLOGY OF THE TRINITY. The most profound Mystery of the Catholic faith is that of the Blessed Trinity—meaning, Three Persons in One God. Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit!

12. MORAL THEOLOGY. Of great importance and meaning: the study of human acts. A moral person is an upright person; an immoral person, on the contrary, has chosen sin as his life-compass and direction.

13. THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES.  The term means Virtues related to God, and there are three: Faith, Hope and Charity.

14. VIRTUE/VICE. A good habit is a virtue; a bad habit is called a vice. We are called to become saints, meaning virtuous and holy followers of Christ.

15. CARDINAL VIRTUES/ MORAL VIRTUES. The word Cardinal (not simply a bird or a Baseball-player) means “Hinge-virtue”—like the hinge on a door, from which other virtues flow. There are four: Justice, Temperance, Prudence, and Fortitude.

16. SACRAMENT. From the Latin: Sacrare— to set apart as sacred, to consecrate! The classic catechetical definition of Sacrament: a sensible sign instituted by Jesus Christ, by which invisible grace and inward sanctification are communicated to the soul.”

17. ECCLESIOLOGY. A very important branch of theology meaning the Study of the Church—The Mystical Body of Christ. The Church is a community of believers united by the bond of love and grace.

18. ECUMENISM. This in a modern movement directed at fostering Christian Unity, in which one of the most important aspects would be interreligious dialogue, striving to seek points in common and build upon these aspects of unity.

19. DOGMATIC THEOLOGY. This is the wide, expansive, all-encompassing theology of the Study of God and the articles of faith, most especially those incorporated in the Creed/ Profession of Faith recited at Mass every Sunday after the Homily.

20. CANON LAW. This would be the true and authentic compilation of the Laws of the Church. The most recent was promulgated during the Pontificate of Pope Saint John Paul II in 1983.

21. CHRISTIAN ANTHROPOLOGY. This branch of Theology studies the nature of man, the nature of the human person created in the image and likeness of God, flawed due to Original Sin, but redeemed and sanctified through the Passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus and the grace applied through the Sacraments—true channels of grace.

22. CHURCH HISTORY. This would be the systematic and ordered study of the History of the Church from its foundation on Peter, the Rock until the present day. Important is the saying: “He who does not know history is condemned to repeat the same errors.”

23. CHRISTIAN-CHURCH-ARCHITECTURE. This would be the study of the construction of the Churches throughout history and their value in the formation of the People of God. Indeed, a beautifully constructed Church can elevate the mind, the heart, and the soul to God!

24. THE THEOLOGY OF RELIGIOUS LIFE. Of those called to the total service of Christ, some are called to the Priesthood; some are called to Religious-life. Others are called to both: Religious Life and the Priesthood (as in the case of the author of this article). Religious life is designed for the individual who wants to follow Jesus radically by pursuing holiness of life and by the embracing of the vows of Chastity, Poverty, and Obedience.

25. PASTORAL THEOLOGY. The word Pastor refers to Shepherding the flock. It is a theology motivated by apostolic zeal and an ardent desire to walk and work with Jesus, the Good Shepherd, to save souls for the Kingdom of God. Saint John Bosco’s motto was: “Give me souls and take all the rest away.”

26. CHRISTIAN PSYCHOLOGY. This is the branch of Theology that studies the different temperaments, dispositions, and emotions of the individual related to God. As a result of Original Sin, human emotions must be both ordered and purified by the grace of God.

27. THEOLOGICAL AESTHETICS. This wonderful theological branch or discipline is the study of beauty related to God. Three of the principle attributes of God are His Goodness, Truth, and Beauty. Where there is one of the three, God’s veiled, but real presence is manifest!

28. HERMENUTICS. This is the study of the manner of construction of theological formulations, indispensable to the proper interpretation of the Bible.

29. NATURAL THEOLOGY.  An all-important branch of theology in which by the study of Nature, one of God’s most eloquent books, one can arrive at the knowledge of the Creator. In a word, the beauty of creations points the Creator Himself—God who is the essence of Beauty! Saint Thomas Aquinas offers us the five famous proofs from nature that point to the existence of God.

30. APOLOGETICS. This is a branch of theology concerned and dedicated to defending the Articles of Faith.

31. HOMILETICS. This is the theology that deals with the art of Preaching—explaining and helping the faithful to understand the Word of God, and how to put it into practice in their daily lives.

32. MISSIOLOGY. This would be the theology of missions. Jesus’ last words were: “Go out to all nations and teach them all I taught you and baptize them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and I will be with you always even until the end of time.” (Mt. 28)

33. HAGIORAPHY. This is a fascinating study of the history and lives of the saints, God’s friends, and our companions on our journey to Heaven. Let us get to know them, talk to them, imitate and love them, with the hope of being with them one day in Heaven.

34. JOSEPHOLGY. A study of the greatest of all the saints—the Great and Glorious Saint Joseph.

35. MARIOLOGY. Finally, we have arrived at an all-important branch of Theology, that of Mariology which means of course the study of Mary, her dogmas and devotions, and her important role in the History of salvation.

In conclusion, we hope and pray that this min-course in Theological vocabulary will motivate you to get know God more intimately, love God more ardently, and imitate the lives of the saints fervently, so that one day you will be with God in Heaven, in the company of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for all eternity. Amen!

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

Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

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

MONDAY, June 28th   Mt. 8: 18-22   ^“Jesus answered him, ‘Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.’”

• What does Jesus’s statement have to do with you and me? Let us take this opportunity to review Saint Ignatius’ Principle and Foundation in the Spiritual Exercises, then move into the meditation for the day.

Part 1: Review Principle and Foundation, Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola

Part 2: WHAT DOES POVERTY MEAN FOR ME? BY Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PRINCIPLE AND FOUNDATION

TWO PRINCIPLES

The End of the Human Person: Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means save his soul.

The End of Creatures: The other things on the face of the earth are created for man to help him in attaining the end for which he is created.

TWO LOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF THOSE PRINCIPLES

Tantum Quantum: Hence, man is to make use of them in as far as they help him in the attainment of his end, and he must rid himself of them in as far as they prove a hindrance to him.

 Holy Indifference: Therefore, we must make ourselves indifferent to all created things, as far as we are allowed free choice and are not under any prohibition. Consequently, as far as we are concerned, we should not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, honor to dishonor, a long life to a short life. The same holds for all other things.

THIRD CONSEQUENCE

LOVE OF GOD: Our one desire and choice should be what is more conducive to the end for which we are created: Love of God.

PART 2: WHAT DOES POVERTY MEAN FOR ME? By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Saint Francis of Assisi renounced a life of wealth, pleasure, and fame so as to betroth Lady-poverty. As a consequence, he became one of the most renowned, loved, and admired saints in the history of the Church, in the history of the world. He lived a life of total poverty and dependence on God, on his Creator’s providential care.

Once Francis passed up a leper along the way. Ashamed of his repulsion, Francis returned to exchange his exquisite clothes for the rags of the leper. Now Francis considered himself totally free, the freedom of the sons and daughters of God. Being set free from all earthly and human attachments and trusting unreservedly in God’s providential care, Francis could be used by God to accomplish marvels, to accomplish extraordinary feats, to literally accomplish miracles.

Like Dominic, Francis founded what is called one of the Mendicant-Orders.  By the word Mendicant is meant literally Beggars—yes, that is true: beggars. They would beg bread or a coin for their daily sustenance, and if they were given beyond what they needed for the day, they would give the excess to some beggar more in need.

Spending long hours conversing with Jesus, whom he loved with all his heart; praising God through nature, God’s beautiful gift to the world; preaching spontaneously by word and example, Francis was free. He was totally free from every care, every worry, every anxiety. The reason for this total interior and exterior freedom of Saint Francis of Assisi was that he placed all of his trust in God, his loving and providential Father. Jesus said: “My Father has you in the palm of His hand and nobody will be able to snatch you from His hand.” (Jn. 10:29)

At the end of his life, Francis desired to imitate and pattern his life even more fully on the life of the Person he loved most, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore, Francis was given one of the most extraordinary mystical gifts in the Church—it is called the Stigmata. While at prayer before a crucifix, light poured forth from the wounds of the Crucified Lord, and all of a sudden Francis experienced and felt in his own body an intense and excruciating pain. His hands and feet were pierced like those of Jesus on the cross, then the side of Francis was pierced, and blood came forth from all of these wounds. Now Francis was totally conformed to his Crucified Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Now he could say with Saint Paul: “I bear the wounds of Christ in my body.”(Gal. 6:17) And, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20)

Many might be wondering as they read through this brief excerpt in the life of possibly the most known and loved saint, outside the Biblical saints, how does this apply to me? How can I, in the complicated, competitive, and precarious world that I presently live in, imitate Saint Francis? A good question!

The response is the following: we cannot imitate all that Saint Francis accomplished; and not all are called to! However, with respect to living out Principle and Foundation, and specifically Holy Indifference, each of us can examine our life, examine our conscience, delve deep, and humbly admit that we still have many attachments that should be dealt with and overcome, with the help of God’s abundant grace.

Why not turn to Saint Francis of Assisi, to Saint Charles Borromeo, to Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, to Saint Katherine Drexel and of course, to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and beg for the grace and pray to them so as to live out the Beatitude that exemplifies Evangelic Poverty: “Blessed are the poor in spirit; there’s in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Mt. 5:3)

The following are useful and practical suggestions so that we can live out in our lives a greater detachment from material attachments, so that our hearts will be more firmly rooted in our love for Jesus Christ, who indeed is the pearl of infinite price, the authentic treasure of our existence.

1. MEDITATE UPON DEATH, JUDGMENT AND ETERNITY. 

Often reflect upon the shortness of life, eternity, and the salvation of your immortal soul. Then examine your life and ask the question: Will what I have, what I own, what I am clinging to now, help me or hinder me from reaching my heavenly reward?

2. MEDITATE UPON THE LIFE OF JESUS, MARY AND ST. JOSEPH. 

These were the holiest, happiest, most complete, most developed, and most generous three who ever lived on planet earth. They had very little materially. However, they had each other. And their real treasure was God! Jesus was the center and the meaning of the lives of Mary and Saint Joseph. Having Jesus, they needed nothing more.

3. SAINT PAUL’S EXHORTATION:

“There is more joy in giving than in receiving.” One of the key hallmarks of living out the call to poverty in our lives is the constant and correct attitude that we should be seeking to give to God and to others more, rather than always wanting to receive. Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta expressed it this way: “We must give until it hurts!”

4. SPRING-CLEANING, SOUL-CLEANING, GENEROUS-GIVING.

You might start here: do an inventory of your possessions and the things that you do not use and do not need, then give them to the poor. Saint Vincent de Paul Society, the Salvation Army, the Missionaries of Charity, or any charitable organization—all of these will be more than willing to receive your excess possessions and distribute them to the poor. Remember the penetrating words of Jesus on this topic: “Whatever you do for the least of my brothers, that you do for me.” (Mt. 25: 40)

5. TITHING.

It has been a constant practice among the followers of the Lord Jesus to methodically and systematically give a part of their economic resources to the poor, to the Church, or to some profitable organization. In one of his inspiring talks, the Professor, Teacher, writer and speaker, Dr. Scott Hahn gave a talk on tithing. After undertaking the practice himself, he noticed that he and his family were never lacking. On the contrary, it almost seemed as if they had more. The conclusion Hahn made with respect to tithing is to have an attitude of giving generously, and trusting totally in God’s Providential Hand in your life. If we truly trust God for all, then He will provide for all. In the words of the Psalmist: “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.” (Ps. 124:8) And as Saint Paul says: “If God is with us, then who can be against us.” (Rom: 8:31)

6. BUY LESS AND PRAY MORE! 

Next in line with our advice would be to cultivate an attitude in your life to simply strive to buy less. This is an interior attitude that can be accepted, cultivated and lived out with the help of God’s grace. If you really do not need it, then don’t buy it. Common sense! Much better to spend more time in prayer. Pay more attention to the interior enriching of your soul, than in the exterior decoration of your body!

7. GIVE SPIRITUAL RICHES, AND YOU ENRICH OTHERS AND YOURSELF.

Pope Francis, in his Encyclical “The Joy of the Gospel”, commented that it often happens that when we give on a material plane to the poor—which of course is indispensable—it can happen that we forget the importance of feeding their soul with the riches of the Word of God. This being said, in addition to helping the poor materially to the extent we are able, we can live out the concept of poverty by teaching others about the riches of the life of Christ in the Gospel, teaching others the basic Catechetical truths, helping others to examine their conscience, bringing someone back to the Church, bringing a wandering and forlorn soul back to Confession and then the Holy Eucharist, introducing someone to prayer, and last, but not least, introducing a confused soul to the loving and maternal embrace of Mary, the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and our heavenly Mother!

Saint Thomas Aquinas makes this observation. When we give on a material plane, we have less. If I give you $20, then I have $20 less in my wallet. However, when we give spiritually, we are not poorer, rather we are enriched, together with those to whom we have shared the riches of our faith!

8. STRIVE TO LIVE A SIMPLE, FRUGAL, DETACHED LIFE-STYLE. 

We must decide the style of life that will be ours. Saint Paul states in one of his letters that we should be content with the food we eat, the clothes that we have, and that is enough. The desire for riches and wealth is at the root of many problems. Therefore, make a firm-decision in your life, and with those with whom you live, to live a frugal lifestyle, to live a simple rather than a complicated life. Cut unnecessary attachments, like Saint Francis, and live free!

9. RAISE THE BAR: WWJD/ WWMD/WWJOD?

With respect to your material existence, before acquiring and possessing new things, why not ask three simple questions in this regard. What would Jesus do? What would Mary do? And finally: What would Joseph do? We should always have before our mind’s eye models, and who are better models for us than Jesus, Mary, and Saint Joseph?

10. MEDITATE UPON THE POSITIVE FRUITS OF LIVING OUT POVERTY.

To carry out any noble enterprise we need motivation. Great men and women always have strong motivational principles to spur them on. So it is with us.  Indeed, there are many positive fruits that flow from a generous and determined detachment, and true embracing of living out Evangelical Poverty. Here are a few on the list to motivate you:

1. Imitation of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. How detached they were from the things of this world, but what great peace and joy reigned in their lives.
2. Imitation of the saints—Saint Francis. We are all called to be saints as Jesus commands us: “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.” (Mt. 3:28)  The saints were detached from things and attached to the Sacred Heart of Jesus!
3. Interior Freedom of the sons and daughters of God. It is true that our possessions can possess us. Having less, having what is sufficient, is a source and means to attain true freedom. As the saying goes: Freedom from, so we can have freedom for… meaning to serve God more fully and completely.
4. Serving Jesus in the poor. Our generous giving to others is really a giving to Jesus. “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do to me.” (Mt. 25:40)
5. Storing up treasures in heaven. Jesus challenges us not to store up treasures here that thieves can steal and moths can eat. Rather we must answer the call of Jesus: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and everything else will be given to you beside.” (Mt. 6:33)
6. Conquer useless worries.  How many people in the modern world are weighed down with worries, and very often worries about their money, their wealth, their possessions and the danger of losing them.
7. Interior Peace. With the countless worries, comes a lack of interior peace of heart, mind and soul. In the depths of our heart, we all desire interior peace, a peace that the world, and all the possessions in the world, cannot give us.
8. Human Person above the Electronic Screen. Sad to say, many today, and possibly that is us, spend more time looking at an electronic screen than looking into the face, looking into the eyes, looking into the very soul of our loved ones. An actual and true dimension of poverty might be to simply detach ourselves, at least partially, from the electronic world of fantasy and spend more quality time with human persons who are created in the image and likeness of God.
9. More Time for God—for Prayer. We all have to set our priorities right. If we dedicate most of our time to the material world, we have less time to give to God, time we should dedicate to the all-important vocation to pray! You will be surprised to see how your life will change, if you walk away from things and walk more with Jesus, who is your Best Friend! As the Psalmist teaches us: “Only in God is my soul at rest.” (Ps. 62:1)
10. HEAVEN AWAITS US! The richest person in the world and the poorest person will both end up in the same place: six feet beneath the ground. Imagine this: A multi-billionaire dies in mortal sin, outside the grace of God. He has lost God and Heaven for all eternity! On the other hand, a poor, simple man dies and his last meal was the Eucharist, the Bread of Life, the Bread of the angels. Jesus promised such as these the Kingdom of God. “I am the Bread of Life. Whoever eats of me even though he dies, he will live forever.” (Jn. 6:54)

In conclusion, my friends in Jesus and Mary, and the angels and saints, true happiness cannot be found in the things of this world but in the God of all things, the God of all creation. May the Life of Jesus, Mary and Saint Joseph, and Saint Francis inspire you to willingly choose a lifestyle of detachment, a life-style of frugality, a life-style of Evangelical-Poverty. May your heart truly yearn for the treasures of heaven. May the inspired words of the Psalmist be the desires of your heart: “As the deer yearns for the running streams, so my soul yearns for you O Lord my God.” (Psalm 42:1)

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

SUNDAY, June 27th   Mk. 5: 21-43   “One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, ‘My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.’”

• Jesus performs two miracles today. For us this isn’t anything new. We’ve seen Jesus work many miracles as we have walked through the Gospels with Him! But for the person He heals, it is something new and totally amazing.
• Today, the woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. “She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.” She has nothing left! Still she says, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” What faith!!!
• Next the daughter of Jairus? Whose heart does not go out to this desperate father? Then he finds out his daughter has already died! Jesus himself has to reassure this father, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.”
• Have you ever been at that point in your life? “Lord, there is no one who can help me now, but you.” And did He help you? Maybe not in the way you expected, but when you look back, it was the perfect way?
• Hopefully we have all experienced His healing touch in unexpected but very real ways. Today’s meditation is about thanking Jesus for those times we found streams of healing waters, where before we saw only salt deserts.

ATTITUDE OF PERPETUAL GRATITUDE. THE STORY OF THE TEN LEPERS. (Luke 17: 11-19)

A Biblical passage that elicits profound joy, but at the same time intense sadness, is when Jesus heals the ten men afflicted with the terrible, contagious, terminal, and ugly disease of leprosy—a disease that was highly prevalent in the Biblical times before Jesus and during the lifetime of Jesus on earth.

THE PROFOUND JOY.  Their overflowing joy flows from the fact that the love, mercy, and compassion of Jesus were made manifest with a mere word when He healed these poor men whom society had ostracized and marginalized. As they headed on their way to the priest, their healing was both immediate and total. Can you imagine their exuberant and overflowing joy—this terrible disease gone in an instant??? Still more, imagine the joy of their relatives upon seeing them!

THE INTENSE SORROW OF THE HEART OF JESUS.  Intermingled with the joy of the healed lepers is the surprise and obvious sorrow of Jesus. His words: “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” (Lk. 17:17-18). It is an interesting detail, but of great importance: it is only the foreigner, a Samaritan, who returns, prostrates himself, and profusely thanks Jesus from the depths of his entire being.

MODERN WORLD: LOSING THE SOCIAL VIRTUES.  We are living in a world in which the social virtues, that are the condiment of social existence, are being lost, most specifically, the virtue of Gratitude. If you like, we have lost the cultivation of an Attitude of Gratitude. Two of the key phrases to condiment and embellish social existence are the following: Please and Thank You! Another two, related to the virtue of humility, are: I’m Sorry and I Forgive You!

WISDOM ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.

The famous Dominican scholar and mystic, Meister Eckhart, asserted: “If the only prayer we said was Thank You, that would be enough.”

In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth, we read: “More painful than a serpent’s tooth is that of an ungrateful child.”

The Psalmist invites all to render thanks in these words: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His mercy endures forever.” (Ps 136:1)

The great Apostle to the Gentiles, Saint Paul, stated: “Give thanks to God on all occasions.” (1 Thess 5:18)

The Master, the Lord Jesus Himself, while at the Last Supper and in the context of the institution of the Eucharist, took bread and gave thanks. Not a surprise that the word Eucharist actually means “Thanksgiving”. (Mt. 26:26)

Every year, on the fourth Thursday of the month in November, families in the United States come together to share a sumptuous meal, but even more important, the families come together to celebrate one of the most important Holidays and that is Thanksgiving Day. On this day especially, families should recall the abundant gifts they have received from the bounteous hands of a loving and generous God and render copious thanks!

Therefore, it is more than appropriate that we offer a heartfelt hymn of praise and thanksgiving as we enumerate reasons and purposes why thanksgiving should flow spontaneously and profusely from our grateful hearts. The list could be endless, but we would invite all to give thanks in ten specific areas where gratitude indeed is merited. May this humble and brief reflection serve as a springboard to bolster and strengthen your own personal prayer life! “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; for His mercy endures forever.” (Ps 136:1) May this prayer of the Psalmist resonate in the depths of our hearts!

1. THE GIFT OF LIFE.  Jesus said: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (Jn 14:6) He also said: “I have come that you may have life and life in abundance.” (Jn 10:10) One of the greatest gifts that the Author of all life has given to us is Life! Let us constantly thank God for our life, and use all the gifts that flow from our life to praise and glorify God and save souls! More than 60 million babies have been deprived of life since the Supreme Court decision Roe vs. Wade, Jan 22, 1973. We thank our mothers for saying YES to life! Let us promote life! A suggestion: if possible, view the movie GOSNEL. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, this movie will motivate you to be more grateful for your gift of life and to be a zealous defender of life from the moment of conception until natural death. Another powerful pro-life movie to see is UNPLANNED. This movie is a great encouragement to keep fighting for the life of the unborn.

2. EYES TO CONTEMPLATE THE BEAUTY OF GOD’S CREATION.  When was the last time you thanked God for the gift of your eyes, the wonderful gift of sight, so as to contemplate the beauty of His creation? Imagine that you are a blind person. If you are willing, spend one day with your eyes blind-folded, such that you can see nothing – no person, nor any gift of nature. Undoubtedly, the following day when you wake up and look out at the sun rising, painting the sky with its majestic beauty, you will appreciate the gift of your sight all the more fully.

3. SUPERNATURAL LIFE.  Probably most of the readers of this essay have received the extraordinary, unmerited, and gratuitous gift of the Sacrament of Baptism that entails many blessings. Baptism transforms us into sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters to Jesus our older Brother, intimate Friends with the Holy Spirit, and living Tabernacles of the Blessed Trinity. For this intimate relationship that starts with the Sacrament of Baptism, and the many other spiritual gifts we receive, we lift up our hearts in humble gratitude. Let us strive to live out our Baptismal commitment!

4. FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS.  None of us can say with absolute sincerity that we have the best of parents, relatives, or friends; nor can we honestly affirm that we have been the best of any of the above. Nonetheless, we should spend time thanking God abundantly for the many persons that He has so generously placed on our path as a bridge to God Himself. If you like the image, let us not be remiss in thanking God for having placed, so to speak, Good Samaritans on the highway of our life leading us to our eternal home – heaven! May our hearts overflow in gratitude for the good people that God has put in our path!

5. HEALTH.  Normally as the years whirl by, our health declines. As one of my dear relatives used to say with a smirk on his face: “You arrive at a certain age when your body starts to fall apart a piece at a time.” Still, we should thank God for the years of health He has given us, the years of health we have enjoyed and possibly still enjoy. As the poet expressed so succinctly: “I complained because I had no shoes, until I met someone who had no feet.” In other words, every day we bump into people who have less than us in so many respects, not the least of these being health. Let us thank God for what we have now!

6. THE MOST HOLY EUCHARIST.  Never will we be able to thank the Lord Jesus enough for having instituted the most sublime Gift of the most Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper, which was actually the First Mass. The simple fact that the Church allows all those who have made their First Communion and are in the state of sanctifying grace to receive Holy Communion on a daily basis is glorious! In the Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul, Saint Faustina states that the angels have a holy envy of us, because they cannot receive the sublime Gift of Holy Communion, but we can! The word Eucharist means Thanksgiving! “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His mercy endures forever.” (Ps 136:1)

7. HEAVEN AWAITS US.  Of enormous importance is the firm faith and belief that our life on earth is ephemeral; it is very short. As the Psalmist reminds us: “We are like the flower of the field that rises in the morning and withers and dies as the sun goes down.” (Ps 90:6) But if we persevere in our love for God until the end, then heaven awaits us! None of us can imagine the greatness of heaven! Saint Paul expresses this clearly: “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the mind of man the wonderful things that God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Cor 2:9) Life can be tough, but our joy and happiness in heaven is right around the corner, and it is eternal!

8. HIS INFINITE MERCY.  As a result of Original Sin, we are all weak and prone to fall into sin. The Bible states this clearly: “The just man falls seven times a day.” (Prov. 24:16) This should never be a reason to give in to sadness, much less despair. As so beautifully exemplified in the greatest story ever told by the greatest storyteller, Jesus the Lord, in the Parable of the Prodigal Son or Merciful Father, God’s loving arms and merciful Heart are always open ready to receive us. We just have to say “I’m sorry” and express our sorrow in the Sacrament of Confession. And as the Prophet Isaiah expresses in these most consoling words: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” (Is 1:18)

9. FRIENDS ALWAYS READY TO LEND A HAND.  We are not living as orphans, as abandoned children, nor are we bereft of help in time of need. Not only is God our Heavenly Father, and Jesus our Older Brother, but we also have a cloud of witnesses in Heaven who are praying for us, encouraging us, and cheering us on to victory. Of course these are the angels and the saints. Indeed, they are God’s close friends, but they are our friends also! In any time, place, or circumstance in which we find ourselves, we can call out to these good and faithful friends—the angels and saints—and they will run to our rescue and help us in countless ways. To be Catholic is to live in a family. The Communion of Saints is part of our family fabric and structure!!!

10. MARY OUR MOTHER: OUR LIFE, OUR SWEETNESS, AND OUR HOPE.  Our attitude of gratitude would be incomplete if we did not thank God for having given us a heavenly Mother, Mary most holy. Mary is the Mother of God, she is the Mother of the Church, but also, Mary is the Mother of each and every one of us. She is my Mother and your Mother. She is also, as we pray in the Hail Holy Queen, “Our life, our sweetness, and our hope.”

Therefore, as we come to the closure of our sharing on cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude, let us beg for the grace to imitate the one leper who ran back to Jesus, prostrated himself before Jesus who healed him, and rendered Jesus abundant thanks! Lord Jesus, thank you, thank you, thank you!“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His mercy endures forever.” (Ps 136:1)

Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

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

SATURDAY, June 26th   Mt. 8: 5-17   “The centurion said in reply, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.’”

• What a man of faith and humility this centurion! There may be times when our faith is not that strong, when we need more assurance, when we petition heaven!
• Saturday is Mary’s Day! There is a touching scene in a movie where Our Blessed Mother’s time on earth is nearly over. She wants to see the apostles before she dies.
• The last one she is waiting to see is Peter. When he finally arrives, Peter has a special request for Mary. “When you see Jesus, please tell Him that I love Him!”
• Mary says kindly, “Peter, you can tell Him that now.” He responds, “I know, but it sounds so much better coming from your lips.”
• That is so true! And Mary, our Mother is always ready to speak on our behalf. She is the daughter of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit. But she is also and always our tender, loving Mother!
• In today’s tumultuous and chaotic world, where the forces of darkness are gathering, more than ever we need to seek safe refuge in the Heart of Mary.

ARK OF NOAH AND MARY, OUR ARK OF REFUGE by Fr Ed Broom, OMV

(Gen. 6:14-22 & Gen. 7)

In the first Book of the Bible, Genesis, God presents a man whose name is Noah. This man Noah and his family are God-fearing, good people. They truly love God and try to serve God. However, almost all the other people living back then have forgotten about God and are living sinful lifestyles.

GOD’S DECISION: DESTROY THE WORLD AND ITS SIN. Therefore, God decides to destroy these people with their many sins. He will carry this out by means of sending an enormous downpour of rain, a deluge for forty days and forty nights.

GOOD NEWS:  SALVATION OF NOAH AND NOAH’S FAMILY.  The Good News of this story is that God decides to save Noah and his family. God looked with great love upon this good, holy and righteous man, Noah.

THE BUILDING OF AN ARK.  God’s plan is this: Noah has to build an ark. The ark will be enormously large and it will demand much time, work, sweat and effort to finish such a huge task. Just the same, Noah follows God’s plan, despite all the difficulties that arise.

PEOPLE RIDICULE NOAH.  As Noah starts to saw, hammer, construct and build the ark, the people are curious and ask him what he is doing. Noah tells the truth, he is obeying God and building an ark so as to save himself and his family from a deluge. At this, the people scoff at Noah, ridicule and make fun of him.

THE DAY OF THE STORM ARRIVES. The day the deluge or big storm is going to descend from the skies, God tells Noah to take a pair of each of the animals into the ark, and then for Noah and his family to enter the ark. The people laugh and ridicule Noah all the more, because they see no signs of a storm approaching. Finally, the door of the ark is closed. The skies get very dark and then the rain begins to pour down. And it pours and pours for forty days and forty nights.

DESTRUCTION, BUT ALSO SALVATION.  Where are the scoffers now? All the people and animals outside the ark are drowned and perish—almost all of humanity. Only Noah and his family, and the animals inside the ark are saved.

THE RAIN STOPS AND THE SUN SHINES. Finally, after forty days, the rain ceases to pour down upon the earth. Noah eventually finds some dry part on the earth where he can disembark with his family and the animals. God promises He will never chastise the world again in this way.

NOAH AND THE ARK.  The simple reason why Noah and his family, as well as the animals, are saved is because they sought refuge in the ark.

MARY – OUR ARK OF REFUGE. Today we are living in tumultuous times; times even more sinful. Because of the modern media, errant philosophies and lifestyles diametrically opposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ are being spread far and wide around the globe!

For this reason, God in His loving care gave us MARY – OUR ARK OF REFUGE! We can imagine Noah’s Ark got pretty smelly and stinky with the people and animals stuck there for more than 40 days. Yet the Ark was still their safe haven! The same with the Church. The Church has a Divine Head, Jesus Christ, with Mary Immaculate as Mother of the Church. But the Church also has feet of clay—made up of mere mortals prone to sin. The message is don’t abandon Mary – Our Ark of Refuge. She will keep us close to her Son, Jesus, in the Church and the Sacraments! We may get ridiculed and scoffed at by non-believers, like Noah did, maybe even persecuted, but in the end we will be saved, and we can only pray that our prayers and sacrifices can help save them as well.

MARY, OUR ARK OF REFUGE AND MARY’S MANTLE. Amidst the trials, temptations, perils, and dangers of life we must run to Our Ark of Refuge, the Blessed Virgin Mary. There is a beautiful painting of Our Lady, Queen of angels and saints in heaven. In this painting Our Lady is very beautiful as Queen, and she has an enormous mantle which is lifted up. Underneath this mantle can be seen many men and women, young and old, from different times, places and cultures. They are all underneath the mantle of Mary, safe and at home. We must seek our safety, refuge and protection in Mary, our Arc of Refuge, under her Mantle and in her Immaculate Heart.