Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr

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

SATURDAY, June 5th   Mk. 12: 38-44   “A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, ‘Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.’”

• Do we give from our surplus or from our substance? Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta said, “Give until it hurts.”
• This is the First Saturday, Mary’s Day. Mary said to the angel: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to thy word.” (Lk. 1:38) No conditions or restrictions there.
• In the garden, Jesus cried out in anguish: “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” (Mt. 26:39) Total surrender!
• What do God the Father, Jesus, the Son of God, and our Blessed Mother Mary desire more than anything else? The conversion of sinners and salvation of immortal souls for all eternity!
• This following meditation by Fr. Ed Broom should make us uncomfortable!

CONVERSION OF SINNERS: GOD’S GREAT DESIRE!

The great desire of Almighty God is the conversion of sinners and salvation of immortal souls. That poor sinners will leave their sinful lifestyles and turn back to the love of God!

Furthermore, Our Lady, who is the one closest to God Almighty, of course shares this same desire: that poor sinners will renounce their sinful lifestyles and return to God.

Our Lady of Lourdes, who appeared 18 times in the year 1858 to the little peasant child, Bernadette Soubirous, asked the little girl to pray and to offer up sacrifices for the conversion of sinners.

Very similar to the message of Lourdes was that of Our Lady of Fatima, who appeared 6 times in the year 1917 to three simple shepherd children—Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta. Our Lady said with great sorrow in her heart that many souls were lost because there were not sufficient prayers and sacrifices offered for these poor sinners.

On July 13, 1917, Our Lady appeared to the three children of Fatima and revealed to them a graphic vision of Hell! From then on the children, but most especially Jacinta, offered many sacrifices for the conversion of sinners. This vision of hell left such a profound and indelible impression upon Jacinta that she offered all she possibly could in her short life for the conversion of poor sinners, to win souls for God.

JACINTA’S SACRIFICES.  The sacrifices of this little girl, beatified by Pope Saint John Paul II and canonized a saint by Pope Francis, together with her brother Francisco, were constant and heroic:

• She sacrificed her favorite food: the sweet, delicious grapes on the hills of Portugal.
• She wore a rope around her waist next to her skin, which caused discomfort all day.
• She often sacrificed her lunch for the poor whom she met on the roadside.
• On a hot summer day, dying of thirst, she sacrificed drinking water.
• With a reminder from her brother Francisco, she offered up a bad headache.
• She prayed the prayers the angel taught her, prostrate on the ground.
• She prayed many, many Rosaries to Our Lady for the conversion of sinners.
• Interrogated and threatened by the local authorities, she was willing to suffer being boiled to death rather than deny that she saw Our Lady.
• Finally, Jacinta suffered a painful death at age nine almost alone in a hospital far from home. All this she did out of love for Almighty God and for the conversion and salvation of sinners. How much love this little girl had for God and for God’s crown of creation in this world—the human person with their immortal soul!

The saints are different in many ways, coming from different historical periods, diverse family backgrounds, widely diverse cultural environments, endowed with different temperaments as well as intellectual gifts. However, all the saints have this in common: a great love for God and a great love for what God really loves most in all of His creation, the salvation of souls—the salvation of all the human persons whom He has created. This is what He desires first and foremost: our eternal salvation.

On one occasion, a child entered the office of a priest. The young boy, looking up on the wall, saw a few words written in Latin. Inquisitive, the boy asked the priest the meaning of the words; these words were the motto and motor-force of the life of this great priest. The interpretation would be: “Give me souls and take all the rest away.” The name of this priest was the great Saint John Bosco; the name of the boy was Saint Dominic Savio. This day, Dominic turned to Bosco and said: “I am the cloth and you are the tailor; make me a saint.” Before the boy turned 15, he was already dead. However, he reached his ardent desire: he died a saint! Both Bosco and Savio had this point in common: a great love for God and an inflamed love for what God loves most, the salvation of souls.

One of the most pervasive maladies in the modern world, even all-pervasive within the Catholic Church, is the cancer of MEDIOCRITY. This is a poisonous and contagious spiritual disease in which many Catholics, millions upon millions, have no fire, no zeal, no burning desire to work with God for the salvation of immortal souls.

The Word of God speaks powerfully against this spiritual condition with these words from the last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation: “I know your works: I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:15-16)

What can we say about mediocre Catholics? They are lukewarm, they are tepid; they are lifeless; they are languid, slovenly and lazy. They have no life, no fire, no zeal, no strong desires. They have lost their first love, if indeed they had love in the first place! They suffer from an appalling spiritual anemia. They are living but not spiritually alive! As the Word of God says so forcefully, God will vomit or spit them out of His mouth! Living in this spiritual environment, all of us have to fight forcefully so as not to descend into this dangerous pit of mediocrity. The lives of the saints can spur us on, as in the following.

CONVERSION TO GOD AND ZEAL FOR SOULS. Saint Ignatius of Loyola, as well as Saint Francis Xavier, underwent powerful conversions which transformed them into fiery warriors of God with an ardent desire to save many souls.

Ignatius was converted by receiving a near-fatal wound in the battle of Pamplona and by reading the lives of saints. Upon reading about the saints, a fire and ardent zeal was ignited in his heart to work with God for the salvation of immortal souls. In his classic, the Spiritual Exercises, he presents a meditation/contemplation The Call of the Temporal King so as to follow the call of the Eternal King. One of the primary purposes of this meditation is for us to listen attentively to the Call of the Eternal King, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and to work side by side with Jesus in striving for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of immortal souls.

Saint Francis Xavier went through his conversion by means of the doing the Spiritual Exercises under the direction of Saint Ignatius of Loyola in Paris. After completing the Exercises, Xavier was radically transformed and converted into a fiery warrior and disciple of the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. After Xavier was ordained a priest, he became the secretary of Ignatius. The Pope wanted to send priests to India and other countries in the Far-East, following the missionary mandate of Jesus to go out to the whole world to preach and baptize. So Ignatius sent Francis Xavier. The last words that Ignatius said to Xavier, who would become one of the greatest missionaries in world history, were: GO SET ALL ON FIRE!!! Thousands upon thousands of souls were saved in India, Malaysia and even Japan by Xavier, who desired ardently the conversion of sinners and the salvation of immortal souls. Many nights he could no longer lift up his arm because he had baptized so many individuals during the course of the day—that is truly love for the conversion and salvation of souls!

Now it is your turn! Enter into silence which will lead you into prayer. The Lord of Lords and the King of Kings is calling you right now. He wants you to work with Him for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of immortal souls. What can you do right now to bring at least one soul to conversion? Listen to these encouraging words in the Letter of Saint James: “My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:19-20) 

In imitation of the saints, let us work hard now and we can rest for all eternity with the angels, the saints, Our Lady who is the Queen of angels and saints, and with God Himself. May we all be motivated by the virtue of apostolic zeal and an ardent desire to work with God in the salvation of countless sinners! Saint Thomas Aquinas reminds us that one soul is worth more than the whole created universe. Why? Saint Peter teaches us: “You were ransomed from your futile conduct handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like gold or silver, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless and unblemished lamb. (I Peter 1:18-19). May the reality of the Precious Blood of Jesus that He shed on the cross on Good Friday, with all of the pain and anguish He suffered for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of their immortal souls, ignite within us zeal to do our part to work for the conversion and salvation of sinners. Right now, God is speaking to your heart with these words: GO NOW AND SET ALL ON FIRE!!!

Final Editor’s Note:

Why not start where the children of Fatima did for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of immortal souls:

1) Pray a Rosary daily – faithfully, every day!

2) Offer up some sacrifice every day. Give up something you like to do or eat, or do your least favorite chore – every day!

3) Accept and bear without complaint those trials and sufferings that God chooses for us according to His permissive will. God wills good, but He permits evil to bring about a greater good! No more avoiding or complaining about suffering!

We cannot embrace the cross, without embracing Christ on the cross! He is waiting there for us so that we might share with Him in the salvation of immortal souls for all eternity!

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

Friday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

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

FRIDAY, June 4th   Mk. 12: 35-37   “David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said: The Lord said to my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies under your feet.’”

• How well do we know the Holy Spirit? How often do we call upon the Holy Spirit? Let us not be too quick to say we know the Holy Spirit and He is active in our life.
• He may be, but let us pray with this mediation on the Holy Spirit and see if we are receiving all that this Sweet Guest of our soul desires and even longs to give us, in every circumstance in our lives.
• Then may we end our meditation with a Prayer to the Holy Spirit composed by Fr. Ed Broom. And may it become one if our daily prayers!    

GET TO KNOW THE HOLY SPIRIT—GOD’S GIFT TO YOU! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Common sense teaches us that it is almost impossible for us to really love a person if we do not know that person. This principle can be applied to our relationship with God, to our relationship with the Blessed Trinity, to our relationship with the Holy Spirit.

GET TO KNOW GOD AND JESUS.  In the Diary, Divine Mercy in My Soul, Jesus pointed out to Saint Faustina that one of the ways that she could get closer to God, get to know God better, would be to meditate upon one or some of His attributes. By attribute is meant, descriptive quality.  Omnipotence, Omniscience, Wisdom, Eternal, Infinite, Love—these are a few of the attributes given to God. With respect to Jesus, there are many simply gleaned from the Gospel text: Lord, God, Savior, Way, Truth, Life, Good Shepherd, Bread of Life, Lamb of God, Light of the World, the Alpha and Omega, etc. Following up in this line of thought, let us apply this now to the Person of the Holy Spirit. There are many titles that can be attributed to the Holy Spirit, most especially in the prayer called “The Sequence” that the Church prays on the Solemnity of Pentecost, as well as in the prayer that the Church calls “Litany of the Holy Spirit.”

TITLES FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT.  This brief essay has as its thrust and purpose to highlight ten of the most noteworthy titles given to the Holy Spirit. It is our hope that all will get to know the Holy Spirit better and deeper, speak more often to the Holy Spirit as your Best-Friend, and most important, fall in love with the Person of the Holy Spirit. In fact, it is the Holy Spirit Himself who can teach us to love sincerely!

1. THE SANCTIFIER. 

Let us initiate our title description for the Holy Spirit with the title “The Sanctifier”.  What this word really means is that the Holy Spirit is the one who makes us holy! Pope Saint John XXIII stated: “The saints are the masterpieces of the Holy Spirit”.  Indeed, you are called to become a saint. Therefore, why not entrust your goal and mission to the Person of the Holy Spirit. Pray this simple prayer every day: “Holy Spirit, make me a saint!!!” By way of biographical note, we encourage you to read the spiritual masterpiece of the saintly Bishop of Mexico City, Luis Martinez in his work on the Holy Spirit with the title, you can probably guess it… “The Sanctifier”!

2. CONSOLER. 

Life can be tough. The cross at times can be exceedingly heavy and burdensome; trials, contradictions and even persecutions can visit us frequently. With the cross weighing heavy on our shoulders, we all need at times some consolation from a Good-Friend. That consolation can come from none better than the Holy Spirit who is invoked as The Consoler. In the classical prayer to the Holy Spirit we pray: “May we always rejoice in His consolation.” Call on Him and share your burdens with Him; He will bring you comfort and strength.

3. COUNSELOR. 

Not only is the Holy Spirit known as the Consoler, but also as the Counselor! When in doubt, when the heavy cloud of uncertainty descends upon you, when weariness, frustration, and confusion seem to darken your reasoning powers, then it is time to retreat from the battle-field and fervently invoke and pray to the Holy Spirit for light, for counsel, for insight so that you can make the right decision for the honor and glory of God and for the salvation of immortal souls. Pray as such: “Holy Spirit, cast out my darkness and give me light!”

4. INTERIOR MASTER OF PRAYER. 

Anybody who takes their spiritual life and prayer life seriously, sooner or later will encounter obstacles on the road to progress. This is par for the course in the spiritual life! Therefore, when it seems as if your prayer life is stagnant or even paralyzed, that you are on a spiritual tread-mill going nowhere fast, then it is most certainly the time and moment to invoke the assistance of the Holy Spirit. Even the great Apostle Saint Paul, in his Letter to the Romans, expressed his struggle in prayer with these words: “We do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with ineffable groans so that we can say Abba-Father.” (Rom. 8:26) Indeed the Holy Spirit is the Interior Master of your soul and He is most willing to help you to pray if you ask and have an open and docile heart.

5. THE GIFT OF GIFTS. 

One of the simplest but sublime titles that is given to the Holy Spirit in the Catechism of the Catholic Church is that of The Gift of Gifts! The nature of the theology of Gift is that it is given freely, free of charge. We simply have to open our hearts to receive it! Simply pray, “Come, Holy Spirit, Come!” If God wants to give The Gift of Gifts to you then why not open up your heart in humble gratitude and receive it!

6. THE BOND OF LOVE. 

In the Mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity, the Holy Spirit is the bond of love between the Father and the Son. In a word, the Holy Spirit is uncreated love. Saint Paul states that charity—supernatural love—is the bond of perfection. Why not, right now, beg the Holy Spirit to set your heart on fire with the love of God! Saint John of the Cross writes most beautifully: “In the twilight of our existence we will be judged on love.”

7. SWEET GUEST OF THE SOUL. 

One of the most poetic and beautiful titles found in the Prayer to the Holy Spirit on Pentecost called the Sequence is the following: “Holy Spirit, Sweet Guest of the Soul.” In essence, its meaning is the following: through Baptism we became living Temples of the Blessed Trinity and this of course includes the Presence of the Holy Spirit. Not only is He a Guest in the most intimate part of our being which is our soul, but still more, He is the SWEET GUEST. As honey is to the tongue, and the fragrance of spring roses to the nostrils, so is the Holy Spirit to a docile, humble, and loving soul. In the midst of the bitter valleys and dark tunnels that we must all traverse, in the depths of our being we can invoke the Holy Spirit as the Sweet Guest of our soul and He will bring sweetness to our most bitter trials.

8. THE SOUL OF THE CHURCH. 

With respect to basic Ecclesiology, the study and knowledge of the Church, the Holy Spirit has a primary and essential role. Jesus is the Head of the Mystical Body, the Church and we are the Members of the Mystical Body, the Church. The Holy Spirit is the SOUL of the Mystical Body, the Church. By definition the soul is the life-giving principle! Indeed, if we truly want to experience life and life in abundance in the Lord and His Church, we must constantly invoke the Presence of the Holy Spirit. “In Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)

9. THE PURIFIER.  One of the most common symbols or images for the Holy Spirit is that of FIRE. On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles as FIRE—TONGUES of FIRE. Our God is a devouring fire. In drawing close to this devouring fire that is the Holy Spirit, He desires to burn away in us anything that is not pleasing to God. Saint John of the Cross uses the image of a piece of rusty metal cast into an ardent and scathing fire. In time, all the rust falls off and the metal becomes red hot like the fire. So the Holy Spirit, this consuming fire, works efficaciously to scour, burn, and purify from our soul all our sins and the residual effects of sin. So we can say with Saint Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20)

10. THE MYSTICAL SPOUSE OF MARY. 

Finally, the Holy Spirit in His relationship to the Blessed Virgin Mary is that of being her Mystical Spouse. It was through the powerful overshadowing of the Holy Spirit that the Blessed Virgin Mary conceived Jesus within her womb—the sublime accomplishment of the Incarnation of the Son of God. Saint Louis de Montfort makes this consoling connection: “Those who love Mary, the Holy Spirit flings Himself into their souls.”

In conclusion, by praying and meditating upon these ten titles or names or descriptions of the Holy Spirit, we pray that you will get to know this Sweet Guest of your soul, that you will enter into more frequent conversation with your Interior Master, and finally, that you will learn the art of truly loving God with your whole being, and your neighbor created in the image and likeness of God, from the Holy Spirit who is “uncreated love”! Come Holy Spirit, come through the Heart of Mary.

PRAYER: COME HOLY SPIRIT by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Come Holy Spirit, come fill my heart with your heavenly love. Enlighten my mind so that I may know the Truth, live the Truth, and be willing to die for the Truth.

Come Holy Spirit, come in the dark and lonely moments of my life, come to console me and comfort me. You who are the Sweet Guest of the soul, make me aware of your constant and living presence, so that I recognize that I am never alone because you are with me as a Faithful Friend.

Come Holy Spirit, come, you who are the Interior Master, teach me how to pray. I do not know how to pray well. I implore you to intercede for me with ineffable groans so that I can cry out: “Abba, Father!”

Come Holy Spirit, come in moments of doubt and confusion, be my light and counselor. Help me to make decisions, not according to my will but according to your holy will.

Come Holy Spirit, come in moments of weakness, give me strength. You who are the courage and strength of the martyrs, obtain for me interior strength to fight against sin, my fallen human nature, and anything that is not pleasing to you.

Come Holy Spirit, come, grant me a filial love for you and a sincere love for my neighbor, especially for those I live with and meet every day. Set my heart on fire with love.

Come Holy Spirit, come sanctify me with your presence. You who are the sanctifier, attain for me an ardent yearning for holiness of life. “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.” May I attain holiness of life so as to attain the promise of eternal life.

Come Holy Spirit, come, produce in me a reverential fear that motivates me to avoid all that is displeasing to you, and to avoid any persons, places, things, or circumstances that could damage my friendship with you.

Come Mary, Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit, Temple of the Holy Spirit, you who had the most intimate and constant union with the Holy Spirit, pray for me so that my knowledge and love of the Holy Spirit will grow daily until I am with you forever in heaven, worshiping forever the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.     Amen.     

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

THURSDAY, June 3rd   Mk. 12: 28-34   Jesus said: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”

• We love God through our Sacramental life of frequent Confession. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (Jn. 14:15)
• We love God by participating actively and fervently in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receiving Holy Communion worthily on Sunday, and as many other days as possible.
• The most Holy Eucharist is “the source and summit of the Christian life.” (Lumen Gentium) We are privileged to receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, our Lord, God and Savior! We become what we eat, until we can say with Saint Paul, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20)
• We love God through our prayer life, especially our daily holy hour – an hour a day dedicated to meditating on and contemplating the scriptures, to know Christ more intimately, love Him more ardently, and follow Him more closely.
• Then Jesus Himself said we show our love for Him in service to our neighbor, and our neighbor is every other human being on the planet! “Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me.” (Mt. 25:40)
• We have meditated on the Corporal Works of Mercy, taken from Matthew 25. It is necessary to meet people’s basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter, welcoming the foreigner, visiting the sick and imprisoned. But then we must attend to their spiritual needs.
• Today, Father Ed takes us through the beautiful seven Spiritual Works of Mercy. We are composite beings of body and soul; so must we serve our neighbor in body and soul!

SEVEN WAYS TO PRACTICE THE SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

We are all encouraged by the Lord, especially by reading and meditating on Mt. 25: 31-46, to practice the Corporal Works of Mercy—to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to welcome the foreigner, and to visit both the sick and the imprisoned.

In sum, our Final Judgment will be based largely on love of God but manifested in our love for neighbor. Indeed, using the words of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta: “We must find Jesus present in the distressing disguise of the poor.” Saint Vincent de Paul, known for his great love for the poor, actually called the poor “his masters”.

Corporal works of mercy done with the most noble of intentions pleases the Heart of Jesus immensely. However, it is equally important to practice the Spiritual Works of Mercy. Jesus said point blank: “What would it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul in the process. What can a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mt. 16:26)  Pope Francis lamented that one of the most common and grave neglects is the failure to preach the Word of God to the poor. First, fill their hungry stomachs. But then, fill their souls with the Bread of the Word of God and the Bread of Life, which is Holy Communion.

In this short essay we would like to go through the seven Spiritual Works of Mercy and give some ways we can implement these all important spiritual injunctions!

First of all, the Spiritual Works of Mercy are the following:

1) Admonish the sinner;

2) Instruct the ignorant;

3) Counsel the doubtful;

4) Comfort the sorrowful;

5) Bear wrongs patiently;

6) Forgive all injuries;

7) Pray for the living and the dead.

There we have the seven Spiritual Works of Mercy. Let us take them one at a time!

1. ADMONISH THE SINNER

Easier said than done! Doing this can be extremely difficult but it is exceedingly necessary, now more than ever! Why is it so difficult? For the simple reason that we are born proud and do not desire to give up old and ingrained habits. If they are bad habits, they are called “vices”. We often cling to the evil, the ugly, the impure, the unhealthy, the sinful.

A common example merits our attention. Those who co-habit are living in sin and somebody should tell them, giving clear reasons why this is wrong. What might be the reasons to explain why it is wrong? Here are some. Premarital sex or fornication is a mortal sin. You deprive yourself of the Sacraments, both of Confession and the Holy Eucharist. You erode your conscience. You are giving public scandal, no matter how many others may be doing it. Might, meaning majority, does not make right in the eyes of God. 

God so highly prizes admonishing the sinner and bringing him back on the right path that He promises salvation and the expiation of many of our personal sins by simply bringing back one straying sinner. Read the words of the Apostle Saint James (Jas. 5:19-20):

“My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

2. INSTRUCT THE IGNORANT

We all have heard the proverb: “Charity begins at home.” This is true, especially in the formation of children and adolescents. By choosing the married state, a husband and wife profess to be open to life through procreation. That is the very first step!

Next, it is incumbent upon parents to teach their children all that refers to God—the Ten Commandments, the Sacraments, prayer, Marian devotion, and much more! The primary responsibility of parents bringing children into this world is to bring these children to heaven.   

The school is not the first teacher, nor the catechism teacher, nor even the Pastor or priest. No! The first teachers must be Mom and Dad. This necessarily implies the process of ongoing or permanent formation on the part of the parents! Another proverb is worthy of injecting here: “You can’t give what you don’t have.”  

One field that the parents must master in the realm of education, for themselves as well as their children, is that of sexual morality. Parents must strive to know the Biblical and Church’s teaching on purity, live it out in their own lives, and then teach it with the utmost clarity to their children!

3. COUNSEL THE DOUBTFUL

Much can be said on this Spiritual Work of Mercy, but we will briefly mention one: the importance of solid spiritual direction. Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Faustina Kowalska, as well as Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, all were strongly dependent on spiritual direction so as to discern God’s will in their lives. They all are canonized saints and one of the reasons is that they humbly admitted that they were ignorant in many ways, had many doubts, and had to submit their judgments, inspirations and thoughts to a higher authority—their Confessor and Spiritual Director.  

Given that there is a shortage of priests, as well as spiritual directors, still it is incumbent upon us to find some way to have periodic spiritual direction so as to expel the many doubts that can easily cloud our mind, blur our judgment, and corrupt our actions. Saint John of the Cross put it wryly: “He who has himself as spiritual director has an idiot as his directee!” In other words, we all have blind spots that can only be enlightened by proper spiritual direction.

4. COMFORT THE SORROWFUL

This is extremely important! Saint Ignatius of Loyola, in his rules for Discernment of Spirits, outlines the strategy on how to act when we are in a state of desolation.  

In desolation we may feel sad, worn down, exhausted and alone, as if nobody really cares about us, to the point that life seems useless and without meaning. We all go through this state at times; it is part of being human. When you are in a state of desolation, open up to your Spiritual Director, and if you don’t have one, to a Confessor familiar with the Spiritual Exercises. This is essential!

That being said, when you are aware of someone else going through this state of desolation, it is incumbent on you to do all that you can to be a source of encouragement for them. How???

First and foremost, pray for the person. Second, a warm smile can go a long way! Third, say a word or two of encouragement. Fourth, offer a compliment on some good quality the person has. Fifth, be willing to listen to them. Sometimes, just being able to speak their fears and doubts out loud dissipates them. This is very pleasing to God. We become like Simon of Cyrene who helped Jesus carry His cross.

5. BEAR WRONGS PATIENTLY

Once again, easier said than done. In this we need grace and a lot of grace! Maybe at work we have been wronged by a boss or a co-worker. Both the boss and co-worker are not going anywhere. Changing jobs is unthinkable due to the economic situation. The most pleasing attitude in the eyes of God is simply to return to work with great humility and trust in Divine Providence.

Trust in God! He will be there with you to help you patiently carry the cross. Of immense help would be to meditate upon Jesus carrying His cross heading towards His crucifixion. Even though Jesus fell three times, He still got up again, with the weight of the all sins of the world on His weary, beaten and bloody shoulders.

We should always have Jesus before our eyes as our model and example. Indeed Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life! Ask Jesus to help you; He will be your Simon of Cyrene!

6. FORGIVE ALL INJURIES

May God help us! We have arrived at the heart of mercy in our dealings with others. Mercy is a two-way street! If we want to receive mercy from God, then we must be merciful and forgive those who have done us wrong. Biblical verses on this topic are many, very many…

1. “Be merciful as your Heavenly Father is merciful.” (Lk. 6:36)
2. “Do not take revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.’” (Rom. 12:19)
3. “Do not let the sun go down on your anger.” (Eph. 4:26)
4. “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”(Mt. 6:12 The Our Father)
5. “Lord, how many times shall I forgive? Up to seven times?”…”I tell you not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” (Mt. 18:21-22)
6. “Leave your gift at the altar, and first go and be reconciled with your brother, then come and offer your gift.” (Mt. 5:24)
7. Jesus from the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” (Lk. 23: 34)
8. Jesus to the repentant thief on the cross. “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Lk.23: 43)

One hint in the area of forgiveness. Accept the fact that all of your life people will hurt you.

The most common place where we are wounded is in the context of our family, with family members. The key is this: forgive immediately! As soon as anybody hurts or wounds you, pray for that person and forgive them immediately. And as often as the hurt returns, pray for them and forgive them again! If done, you will have won a major victory over self, and shown God how much you love Him by practicing mercy!

7. PRAY FOR THE LIVING AND THE DEAD

Jesus told Saint Faustina that He desires that we practice at least one Act of Mercy every day. He specified that mercy can be carried out in one of three manners:

1) By kind words,

2) By kind deeds,

3) By prayer.

One of the greatest acts of charity that we can do in our lives is to simply pray for others, both the living and the dead.

With respect to the living, there should be a hierarchy of importance. If married and with a family, this should be the order: first spouse, then children, parents, brothers and sisters, relatives, friends, co-workers and associates, and we should also pray for those we do not like and even for our enemies!!!

Then, with respect to the dead, we should pray constantly for the dead. Saint Francis de Sales emphasizes the fact that this is one of the greatest acts of charity that we can do. Why? For this simple reason: they are totally dependent on the mercy of God and on our prayers, almsgiving or charity, as well as our sacrifices, in order to be released from Purgatory!

The Gregorian Mass of a month’s consecutive Masses for the dead came about because Saint Pope Gregory the Great had to pray thirty consecutive Masses so as to free his deceased friend from the fires of Purgatory.

A common error today is in funeral Masses, where the deceased person, despite their many moral failures, is being unofficially canonized in the funeral homily, as well as in the eulogy. True, we should be compassionate towards those who have lost their loved ones. Still, we should not canonize the deceased and assume they are saved. Only the Pope has the right to canonize anyone! The Bible teaches clearly and unequivocally that only the souls pure and without blemish can enter the Kingdom of God. Let us not leave our deceased loved ones and friends in the fires of Purgatory through our failure to pray for them! By God’s grace, we can make reparation for their sins with our prayers and sacrifices, and thereby shorten their time in Purgatory.

Ask yourself, in humble prayer, which of these Spiritual Works of Mercy do you believe the Holy Spirit is inspiring you to undertake right now? Look at your concrete living conditions and ask the Holy Spirit to pinpoint persons and areas where you will be able to implement with great generosity one or more of these Spiritual Works of Mercy. Never forget the inspiring and challenging words of Jesus: “Whatsoever you do the least of my brothers that you do unto me.” (Mt. 25: 31-46)

Wednesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

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

WEDNESDAY, June 2nd   Mk. 12: 18-27  Jesus said: “As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled.”

• “He is not God of the dead but of the living.” Jesus is speaking of eternal life! There was a point in time when we came into being in our mother’s womb. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Ps. 139:13-14)
• But there will never be a time when we cease to exist! Our body will die, but we have an immortal soul that will never die! At the end of time, at the final judgment, our soul will be united with our glorified body that will never die. According to how we lived on earth, we will live body and soul either in the torments of hell or in the glories of heaven forever and ever and ever!
• This thought should spur our apostolic zeal for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of souls! Our Lady of Fatima showed the children a vision of hell and said souls are going to hell, and will be there forever and ever and ever, because there is no one to pray and offer sacrifices for them.
• When the children asked what they should offer up? Our Lady said everything! Offer up every moment of our day doing God’s will in our prayer, work, volunteer work, recreation, and sleep, as well as the sacrifices that we choose and the sufferings that God chooses for us—give all to Mary for the salvation of souls for all eternity!
• For this reason, it is good for us to meditate on Eternity and Heaven more! Let us go back to Easter—the Resurrection of Jesus and the promise of resurrection to the glories of Heaven for the righteous! Of course, we believe in Purgatory and may have to spend time there for our final purification, but in the fires of Purgatory there is HOPE, while in the fires of hell the worm of regret and self-hatred dies not.

EASTER GIVES TRUE MEANING TO LIFE by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

The winter snows melt and spring flowers blossom and emanate their beautiful fragrance. The sharp thorns fade and the pink glowing rose sprouts and adorns the colorful meadow.

These are merely analogies in nature of the greatest of all events: the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!  

A hardened sinner moved by grace, renouncing sin, reforming his life, and falling in love with the Person of Jesus the Lord becomes a great saint. This is only possible through the power of grace communicated through the Paschal mystery — the Passion, death and Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

These saints knew Jesus indeed died, but He rose from the dead on the third day. He rose never to die again. This reality of the Resurrection has a huge impact on the whole of humanity, and on each and every one of us in particular.

We shall look at ten of the graces that flow from the Resurrection of Christ.

1. LIFE IN ABUNDANCE

Death is not the last word, rather beyond the grave there is life and life in abundance. The atheist or agnostic lives a life of hopeless despair. Not the believer— Eternal life, life to the fullest awaits the true followers of Christ.

2. HOPE

Despite all of the trials, afflictions, tribulations, and contradictions in life, the belief in Jesus Risen to new life fills us with hope!

3. HEAVEN

The reason for an abounding hope is the firm belief in heaven that is right around the corner.  Jesus promised heaven to all believers and doers of His word. “I go now to prepare a place for you so that where I am you also might be. In my Father’s home there are many mansions. If it were not so, I would not tell you so.” (Jn. 14:1-2)

4. JOY

St. Ignatius, in the Spiritual Exercises of the fourth week, brings us into contact with the Risen Jesus and Ignatius insists that we beg not only for joy, but for the most intense joy. Joy is a powerful motivation to carry out great apostolic endeavors for the Lord!

5. A FAMILY REUNION

The Risen Lord promises His faithful followers heaven and that means we will be reunited with our loved ones and the saints who have preceded us. It will be an endless banquet of the best of friends meeting and enjoying each other’s company for all eternity!

6. SUFFERING

Human nature recoils from suffering! However, in the light of the Risen Lord, not only does suffering have meaning but it also has eternal value.

Suffering has value only inasmuch as it is united to the suffering, Passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus. If united to Christ’s suffering, our suffering purifies, humbles, exalts, sanctifies, and prepares us for eternal glory. As Christians we must follow Christ, the whole way, from the hill of Calvary to the glory of the Risen Lord! 

Jesus revealed to St. Faustina that the angels experience a holy envy for the human person and for two reasons: we can receive Holy Communion and we can suffer — meaning we can reap abundant fruit by uniting our suffering with the sufferings of Jesus.

7. LIFE AND ETERNAL LIFE

The impact of the Lord’s Resurrection shows us how ephemeral, transitory and fleeting the human condition is. It also shows us the eternity of Heaven and life with the Risen Lord.

Even the greatest and longest sufferings cannot be compared to eternal life with Our Lord. St. Paul expresses this beautifully:  “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.”  (1Cor: 2-9)     

8. SELF-CONTROL IN DIGNITY

Life in the light of the Risen Lord challenges us to live a life of sobriety, self-restraint, and self-control. Why? Our bodies are destined to be united with the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels and the saints.

Therefore, we must live according to our dignity, our destiny, and our definition as persons — as temples of the Holy Trinity by the grace of the Resurrection and our baptism.

9. THE EUCHARIST AND THE BREAD OF LIFE DISCOURSE (JOHN 6)

Never can we separate the meaning of the Risen Lord Jesus from the reality of Jesus truly and substantially present in every Holy Mass, in every Consecration, and in every Holy Communion. In this sacrifice, we remember Jesus’ promise of heaven related to Holy Communion, the Bread of life. 

Listen and meditate upon Jesus’ sublime and awesome words and promise:

“I am the Bread of Life, whoever eats my body and drinks my blood, will have eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day.” (Jn. 6:22-71)

10. MARY & THE RISEN CHRIST

The Blessed Virgin Mary, through her prayers and intercession illuminates the Mystery of Easter.

Crestfallen, crushed, overwhelmed by sorrow, forlorn and despairing— these words serve to express the interior attitude of the Apostles and disciples of Jesus when confronted with the reality of the Crucifixion on that first Good Friday. In other words, their hopes in Jesus were totally shattered!  

In spite of all of this, there was one who did not give into despair: it was the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Beyond doubt, hers was the suffering incomparable to any others—save that of Jesus the Lord. However, hope reigned supreme in the sorrowful, Immaculate, and trusting Heart of Mary. For this reason, St. Ignatius of Loyola, in the Spiritual Exercises, first has Jesus appearing to the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Mary, the Mother of the Risen Lord, was indeed the first to contemplate the Risen Lord Jesus!

Therefore, in our contemplation of the mystery of the Risen Lord Jesus, we must lift up our eyes to Mary and beg her for the grace to penetrate with greater depth the reality of this supreme and sublime mystery.

Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr

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

TUESDAY, June 1st   Mk. 12: 13-17   “Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech. ‘Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.’ They were utterly amazed at him.”

• Jesus asked us to show our love for Him in two dimensions. First, the disposition of our heart: Charity (supernatural love) that accepts each and every human being as my brother or sister. Second, the practical application: serving my brothers and sisters according to my state in life—priest, religious, married, or single.
• Let each of ask ourselves two questions: Do I see every person I encounter in my day as my brother or sister? If not, forgive me Lord, and grant me the grace! Am I serving the persons the Lord brings into my life each day with kind deeds, a kind word, a smile, or praying for them? Whatever I do for them, Lord, I know I am doing for you!  

TO SERVE IS TO REIGN; TO REIGN IS TO SERVE BY FR. ED BROOM, OMV

We are building upon the solid structure of the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Principle and Foundation: We were created to praise God, to reverence God, and to serve God, and by this means to save our soul. Jesus makes it very clear in Matthew 25: 31-46 that whatever we do to the least of our brothers and sisters, we do to Him! In other words, Principle and Foundation challenges us to go out of our comfort zone, to leave our security blanket, to step out of the boat into the cold water at the Lord’s command so that we can truly serve! May Mary, the humble servant of the Lord, assist us in our true vocation—the vocation that leads to heaven—the vocation of authentic service!

BIBLICAL REFERENCES ON THE VOCATIONAL CALL TO SERVE.

1. SATAN—THE ANTITHESIS OF SERVICE.  It must be said that Satan/Lucifer raised his voice in a clarion call of rebellion against the will of Almighty God with a resounding No to obeying God—Non Serviam!!! I will not serve God. From which a battle ensued against these angels, who due to their own free-will and determination decided that they would not serve God, or obey God, or submit to His holy will. God marshalled forth Saint Michael the Archangel, the Prince of the Heavenly Hosts, whose name means who is like unto God. Those rebellious angels, transformed into hideous and horrendous devils, were expelled from heaven and cast into the fiery pit of hell. (Read Isaiah 14:1-32 – the morning star, son of dawn is Satan/Lucifer; Rev. 12 Fall of the Angels – the dragon is Satan/Lucifer and his angels.) In sum, all of the tragedies started, and still start when there is a failure to serve God, a failure to obey God, a failure to submit one’s will to the will of our Lord God, Father and Creator! Sometimes, due to concupiscence and the effects of Original Sin, we battle within our own divided hearts whether or not to submit our will in obedience and service to our Heavenly Father.

2. OUR LADY’S YES TO GOD AND SERVICE.  There could not be a more marked and significant contrast than the Non Serviam of Satan/Lucifer and the Yes of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary, listening to the invitation by the Archangel Gabriel to obey God, to submit her will to the will of God, and to serve God, Mary gives her total consent to the will of the Heavenly Father and becomes, among her many beautiful titles, the Humble Servant of the Lord. Mary’s Yes to God to be His humble servant in all times and places radically transformed the world. Mary said to God through the intermediation of the Archangel Gabriel: “Behold, I am the handmaid (the servant) of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy will.” (Lk. 1:38) As a result of Mary’s Yes, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (Jn. 1:14) It is incumbent upon us, in imitation of Mary and her powerful intercession, to give our Yes to God in service; if done we are truly living out Principle and Foundation in our lives in the realm of the universal call to service! May the example and prayers of Mary come to our aid!

3. SERVING IN TWO COMPLIMENTARY WAYS: MARTHA & MARY. (Lk. 10: 38-42)

At times Jesus would stop in Bethany to visit three of his good friends, two sisters and their brother: Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Jesus enjoyed their friendship immensely. On one occasion, Jesus is in their home in Bethany, a town close to the city of Jerusalem. Mary and Martha are present to Jesus but in different ways. Martha is busy with the details of hospitality; we can imagine cleaning, preparing the meal, arranging the table, etc. Mary is simply sitting at the feet of Jesus. What is she doing? Listening to the words of Jesus, talking to Him, possibly asking Him some questions, gazing at Jesus and simply loving the Lord as her Best-Friend. Tense, nervous and somewhat frustrated, Martha tells Jesus to tell Mary to help her. But Jesus comes to the defense of Mary with these words: “Martha, Martha, you are worried about many things; Mary for her part has chosen the only thing necessary and she will not be deprived of it.” (Lk. 10:41-42)

With respect to our call to serve in consideration of Principle and Foundation, this passage with Mary and Martha teaches us a very important lesson: like Martha we are called to serve Jesus and to serve others, very true!!!  However, we should be very careful not to fall into the modern heresy of Activism, or as Pope Saint John Paul II called it Horizontalism, or as Pope Leo XIII termed it Americanism, or if you like, the danger of being transformed into the so called Workaholic! We must serve our brothers and sisters. However, we must never place serving them over giving God our first-fruits, giving God our best. In this same chapter, Luke 10: 25-37, a man asks Jesus what is the greatest of all the commandments. Jesus responds with a question: “What is written in the Law?” The man answers, from the Great Shema of the Old Testament: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.” In sum, as we delve deeper into Principle and Foundation in our lives, we should examine our conscience—step back and examine our lives to see if we have a bit of the Martha in our lives, the Activism/Horizontalism/Workaholic tendency…to the detriment of our worship and praise of God. We are definitely called to serve our brothers and sisters, but we are always to put God first, in the very center of our lives. Remember, as creatures of God we are called first to praise God, then comes our service of neighbor. We must perform both and in the proper order.

4. MT. 25: 31-46. OUR FINAL JUDGMENT—BASED ON LOVE & SERVICE. HOW WILL YOU FARE???

Once again, going deeper into the topic of service, we visit and meditate upon the last Parable that Jesus gives us in the Gospel of St. Matthew—The Parable of the Last Judgment. The Son of Man, Jesus, will separate the people from one another as the Shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left, representing the saved and damned. Our final judgment and eternal destination will depend on our love for God, but manifested by the love that we show towards our brothers and sisters in need. Jesus could not speak with greater clarity: “Whatsoever you did for the least of my brothers, that you did for me.” (Mt. 25:40) Examine your Principle and Foundation, and the key term in this meditation—SERVICE related to the way you are living out the classical Corporal Works of Mercy. How do you fare? For Jesus, love and service are almost interchangeable! Examine your life! Let us take these six Corporal Works of Mercy!

1) “I was hungry and you gave me to eat…” Have you fed the hungry at home or outside your home or anywhere where there has been an opportunity? Saint Mother Teresa, Saint Vincent de Paul, Saint Katherine Drexel, Saint Alberto Hurtado, Saint John Bosco, Saint Joseph Cottolengo and countless other saints saw Jesus in the hungry. To live out Principle and Foundation on SERVICE, how can you feed the hungry?

2) “I was thirsty and you gave me to drink…” From the cross Jesus cried out: “I thirst!” (Jn. 19:28) At the well, Jesus asked the Samaritan woman: “Give me to drink!” (Jn. 4:7) In the Parable of Dives and Lazarus (Lk. 16:19-31): Dives, the rich man failed to give the poor man, Lazarus, food and drink and consequently Dives suffered the loss of his soul. How can you live out Principle and Foundation and SERVICE by slaking the thirst of those around you? Inscribed above the altars on the walls of the Sisters of Mother Teresa, Missionaries of Charity, are the words that Jesus uttered from the cross, I THIRST!

3) I WAS NAKED AND YOU CLOTHED ME. Naked can be interpreted as lacking or in need of something. Many lack dignity, respect, care, concern, compassion, someone to talk to, learning/education, doctrine/catechism, knowledge of the faith. And literally, there are people who lack proper food, clothing and housing. What is your response to the cry of Jesus in the poor of the world? How can you SERVE the naked? Remember that the conversion of Saint Martin of Tours was triggered by a Roman soldier cutting and sharing his cape with a poor, half-naked, shivering man lying on the hard and cold ground! Pray over this: how can you alleviate the plight of the many naked of the world; this too is living out Principle and Foundation and our vocation or call to SERVE!!!

4) A FOREIGNER AND YOU WELCOMED ME. Jesus, Mary and Saint Joseph were foreigners; they were exiled immigrants in Egypt. Many of us are immigrants or come from parents or relatives who were immigrants. Remember the Golden Rule and the call to live out Principle and Foundation in SERVICE— “Do to others what you would want others to do to you!” Jesus is present in these people: the lonely, the poor, the neglected, the forgotten, the ostracized, the insulted, the misunderstood, the marginalized, the immigrant, the homeless, the deaf and the mute. Remember the words of Jesus, our Lord, God and Savior: “The Son of man has not come to be served, but to SERVE and to give his life in ransom for many.” (Mt. 20:28) Remember: we will be judged on the way we treat and serve others in imitation of the Lord Jesus, our model.

5) I WAS SICK AND YOU VISITED ME.  We all know from personal experience how difficult it truly is to suffer. We all know from experience how challenging and hard it is to be sick. Many of us know how hard it is to spend time, days or maybe weeks in a Hospital bed. But at the same time, we all know how consoling, comforting, encouraging, and supportive it is when God has placed a Good Samaritan in our path to help us in our sickness. A kind word, a welcoming gesture, a warm smile, an extended hand, a handshake, a warm hug, a fervent prayer—all of these are gestures that can lift us from the valley of tears and darkness to the mountain-peak of hope. By caring for the sick we are living out Principle and Foundation in the realm of SERVICE! “To serve is to reign and to reign is to serve.”

6) I WAS IN PRISON AND YOU CAME TO VISIT ME.  Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen on one occasion made a visit to a Prison. He had the opportunity to talk to close to 1000 inmates. He made this startling comment: “We are all prisoners in one way or another. The only difference between you prisoners and me is that you got caught and I did not!”  What the saintly Archbishop was really saying was the fact that all of us are sinners, all of us are at times prisoners of our own moral slaveries. The fact that we are not incarcerated in some County Jail is the grace of God.  Saint Philip Neri, seeing a man lying in the gutters of Rome commented: “There go I, save the grace of God.” We are all capable of the most heinous of crimes, commented Saint Therese, the Little Flower, if God’s grace does not sustain us, support us and protect us! Saint Therese also commented with great humility: “The only reason why I did not commit the most heinous of crimes was because God cleared the path for me.” Take a step back and look at your life, at your social milieu, at the people that God placed in your path and beg for the grace to recognize those who are really in PRISON… Maybe you know somebody who is a slave to some vice—Drinking, Porn, Drugs, Gambling and Casinos, Compulsive buying. These people are the modern prisoners; they are prisoners and slaves of their own passions, of their own sins. With respect to Principle and Foundation and once again SERVICE, what can you do to help these people? What can you do to set the captives free???

May the Lord Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints help us to look into our lives and become aware of the many opportunities that God offers us to serve Him in those we meet, those we live with, those we work with, those that we bump shoulders with. These people are really Jesus in disguise.