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

THURSDAY, May 27th   Mk. 10:46-52   “Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man replied to him, ‘Master, I want to see.’ Jesus told him, ‘Go your way; your faith has saved you.’ Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.”

• Certainly, if we were blind and knew Jesus was passing by, we would beg Jesus to heal us! At least that holds true for physical blindness!
• What about spiritual blindness—disordered attachments to people, places, things, or ideas? Now we’re not so sure. Perhaps in our heart we pray as Augustine did for the first 30 years of his life: “Lord, give me chastity, but not yet.” (Insert your own sinful attachment!)
• Let us beg for the grace to break all disordered attachments in our lives, following the wisdom of Fr. Ed Broom.

BARTIMAEUS: “HAVE MERCY ON ME!” by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

To be blind is an almost infinite source of suffering. The greeting of the sunrise at the break of dawn, the majestic rainbow after a torrential downpour, the colorful multitude and variety of spring flowers decorating the meadows and fields, the sky awesome with the brilliance of the sun shining during the day and the moon and profusion of stars illuminating the darkness of the night, the smiling face of an infant in the arms of a joyful Mother, the sweeping wings of an Eagle as he soars to the mountain heights—all of these majestic reflections of creation are a mere glimpse for us of the Beauty of the Creator, and mere fiction for the eyes of the person born blind!!!

Let us enter the inner world of a blind man whom we meet in the Gospel of Saint Mark with the name BARTIMAEUS. For short, we can call him blind Bart.

This passage is about a blind man who has a personal encounter with Jesus, who is truly the Light of the World, and who came to cast out the darkness of sin. Jesus, who can touch and heal us in the depths of our hearts.

BEG FOR A SPECIAL GRACE.  Why not beg for a special grace, the grace to see yourself with the people and the world that surrounds you, with the specific purpose of recognizing your own blindness, and then beg most fervently for mercy, for God’s infinite mercy! That in His love, mercy, and kindness He will touch you and heal you of your blindness, that He will touch your eyes and give you sight to recognize how sin blinds us to the Light of God’s Face!

COMPOSITION OF PLACE.  Now try to picture the scene in today’s Gospel: the place, the persons, the social milieu, the blind man, and most especially, Jesus and His reaction to the blind man. All of this is related to your own life and circumstances!

1. BART THE BLIND.  He is blind and makes no bones about calling out his lack of sight. How often has it happened that we fail to recognize and humbly admit that we have been blind and are still blind in certain areas of our lives? There is a well-known Spanish proverb pertinent to our topic: “No hay un peor ciego que aquel que no quiere ver; no hay peor sordo que aquel que no quiere oir.” Translated: “There is no worse blind man than the blind man who does not want to see; there is no worse deaf person than the deaf person who does not want to hear.” The first step in healing is the humble admission that we are sick!

2. HE HEARS THE CROWD.  Even though Bart is blind, his hearing is acute. He hears the crowd and the noise, and he knows someone is passing by. May our prayer be: “Speak, O Lord, for your servant is listening.” (1 Sam 3:10)

3. IT IS JESUS WHO IS PASSING BY.  Upon hearing it is Jesus, Bart is filled with enthusiasm in his desire to come in contact with Jesus. Like Bart, knowing we have the possibility of encountering Jesus, we also should be filled with enthusiasm and do all we can to meet the Lord—in prayer, in Mass and Holy Communion, in Adoration!

4. YELLS OUT AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS.  Bart’s enthusiasm is beyond control as he yells out at the very top of his lungs: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!!!” In other words, Bart begs humbly but with great insistence in his desire to experience the Infinite Mercy of Jesus. What a powerful example for us to follow!

5. SHUT THAT GUY UP!!!  For many in the crowd, Bart is seen as a nuisance, you might even say a real big mouth. They try to shut him up, prevent him from yelling and disturbing the crowd, much worse disturbing Jesus, the Master!

6. USELESS—AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY.  Despite their efforts, the crowd cannot get Bart to CLAM UP! To the contrary, the more they try to prevent him from crying out to Jesus, the louder is his cry! In other words, Bart is determined to meet up with Jesus, whatever the cost. Being yelled at, cursed, humiliated, nothing is going to prevent Bart from pursuing an encounter with Jesus.

7. TELL HIM TO COME. Now Jesus speaks, inviting Bart to come to Him. How beautiful this passage, an invitation to come meet Jesus! Jesus is inviting you to meet Him every time you start to pray, every time you make your Holy Hour, every time you attend Holy Mass. He desires to meet us more than we desire to meet Him! How good, merciful, and loving Jesus truly is!

8. MORE ENTHUSIASM FOR BART!  Upon hearing the invitation, Bart springs to his feet like a super-ball! Imagine the poor blind man springing to his feet and heading towards the sound of Jesus voice, enveloped in the darkness of his blindness, oblivious of anything that might be in his way! Blind or not, Bart is determined to encounter Jesus! Think how much more we appreciate encountering Jesus after having encountered seemingly insurmountable obstacles!

9. THIS IS JESUS’ QUESTION FOR BART AND FOR US: “WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?”  This is a very important question! Jesus poses this question to Bart, but also, right now Jesus is posing this question to you and to me!

10. OPEN YOUR HEART AND TELL THE LORD.  Without any fear, tension, or anxiety, open up your heart to the Lord. He really wants to listen to you. He really wants to help you. He really is the only one who can help you in your struggles and worries! Speak to Jesus from the very depths of your heart. He will listen to you very attentively and He will respond to you. In that quiet voice you hear in your mind and heart, or in the events and circumstances of your day—He is speaking to you.

11. LORD, I WANT TO SEE!!!  Bart does not have to think twice. He knows exactly what he desires and needs most in his life. He wants to see! He wants to be healed of the blindness that has caused him so much suffering in his life.

12. SIN AND BLINDNESS.  One of the many negative effects of sin is that it causes blindness. Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor, asserts that most especially the sin of Lust/Impurity causes blindness to our spiritual eyes. We are all sinners! Like Bart, why not beg the Lord to be merciful to you and to touch the very eyes of your soul so as to cure your spiritual blindness.

13. JESUS SAYS: GO YOUR WAY. YOUR FAITH HAS HEALED YOU!  Immediately, Bart receives his sight. Pray that like Bart, the Lord Jesus, the Light of the World, will give you true sight so as to be able to see Him, hear His voice, and follow in His footsteps. The mercy of Jesus and His healing power is in direct proportion and commensurate with our faith or lack of faith!

14. FAITH.  Perhaps your prayer might include a desire to grow in faith. With the man in the Gospel, you might pray as such: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mk 9:24) Or this prayer, “Lord, I believe, strengthen my faith!”

15. RESPONSE TO THE MIRACLE OF HEALING HIS SIGHT: BART FOLLOWS JESUS!  An interesting note in the whole healing episode of Bartimaeus is that as soon as his sight is restored by Jesus, who is truly the Light of the World, he follows Jesus. Who would have been the first person that Bart saw upon his healing? Most likely it was Jesus! Then Bart becomes Jesus’ follower. What about you and me? Once Jesus has healed us of our spiritual blindness, whatever that might be, then like Bart, we should be ready and willing followers of Jesus who is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE, AND THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!

Memorial of Saint Philip Neri, Priest

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

WEDNESDAY, May 26th   Mk. 10:28-31   “Whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

• At the Last Supper, Jesus taught by example—washing the feet of His disciples, the work of a slave.   
• Afterwards Jesus asked them: “Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example, that you should do, as I have done for you.”
• The two hallmarks of the Christian life are humility and charity. Humility is the first in operation, charity is the fruit. Fr. Ed gives a striking example of humility’s triumph over pride in the following meditation/contemplation.

HUMILITY THROUGH THE PATH OF HUMILIATIONS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

HUMILITY indeed is a very difficult virtue for all of us to practice. However, it is essential for us to grow in holiness. A humble person recognizes that all the good he can do comes from God, but all the evil he has done is his own choice and his own doing. Saint Teresa of Avila says that humility is the truth.

ROYAL PATHWAY TO HUMILITY.  Although it be exceedingly painful, the royal and most efficacious pathway for us to grow in humility is through the pathway of humiliations. However, it must be highlighted, humiliations that are accepted as part of God’s Divine Providential Plan. In other words, humiliations not accepted in the light of God’s Divine Providential Plan can actually make us more proud, arrogant, and even bitter. Thus, humiliations can make us either better or bitter!

CALL TO SANCTIFY OUR SUFFERINGS.  Undoubtedly humiliations can cause very intense pain in the depths of our soul. The key is to humbly recognize that humiliations will definitely come our way, maybe sooner than we are aware, and we should strive to recognize them as sent by God and accept them.

SUFFERINGS AND HUMILIATIONS WASTED!  It is all too common that many people, even those who call themselves believers in Christ, waste their sufferings, do not take advantage of the sufferings and humiliations that God sends them. These are graces wasted! Graces that could save souls!

A GREAT EXAMPLE IS JESUS, THE SUFFERING SERVANT OF YAHWEH.  In all the various aspects and circumstances of our lives, Jesus is our supreme and sublime example. He Himself said: I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (Jn. 14:6) To help us understand humiliations and how to react to them, Jesus is always our best example! This is true most especially in His Passion and death.

ONE EXAMPLE FOR OUR INSTRUCTION: CROWNING WITH THORNS!  One of the most enlightening examples in the Passion and death of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was when He suffered the crowning with thorns. This humiliating event was prophesied by the great Prophet Isaiah in these words: “He was like a lamb led to the slaughter and He did not even open up His mouth. By His wounds we are healed. (Is. 53: 5,7) For our edification, instruction, and motivation, let us unravel, step by step, the excruciating pains, sufferings, and humiliations that Jesus willingly accepted in His crowning with thorns.

HUMILIATIONS IN THE CROWNING OF JESUS WITH THORNS

1. BOUND AND DRAGGED.  After being brutally scourged at the pillar, in which Jesus lost huge quantities of blood, He is bound and dragged into a little room, very much like a prison cell. He who came to set the captives free, allows Himself to be a captive, even a slave of the whims, insults, and mockeries of men.

2. THE KING’S THRONE.  Jesus was, is, and always will be the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Despite His kingly royalty, He is dragged into this little chamber and forced to sit on a huge and uncomfortable stone. The mystic, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich stated that pieces of sharp glass were embedded in the huge stone causing even more intense pain as Jesus undergoes a night of tortures and humiliations.

3. SMACKED IN THE FACE.  The torturers smack Jesus in His Sacred Face. Of course this results in multiple bruises and bleeding. Yet His face becomes like flint and He opens not His mouth, as the Prophet Isaiah reminds us.

4. PUNCHED.  Above and beyond the smacking is added fierce and violent blows to His Sacred Face. Still Jesus remains silent, like a lamb led to the slaughter.

5. PLUCKED HIS BEARD.  Once again, as the Prophet Isaiah reminds us, these cruel men grab onto and pluck His beard. We can imagine how much pain this causes Jesus, but He willingly suffers this further humiliation!

6. THE CROWNING WITH THORNS.  One of the torturers has an insidious and diabolic idea, given that Jesus was proclaimed King, why not give Him a crown??? Not royal crown fit for a King, but a derisive, mocking, and insulting crown made of thorns.

7. WEAVING A CROWN. Therefore, thorns are taken from nearby thorn-bushes and woven into a crown, a crown of thorns for a mock-ceremony for a mock-king, who indeed is the King of the Universe!

8. THE PAINFUL CROWNING.  Then the painful and humiliating ceremony takes place. With mockery and utmost cruelty, the torturers press the crown of thorns on the Sacred Head of Jesus. In the film of Gibson, The Passion of the Christ, Jesus is insultingly proclaimed: Hail, King of the worms! In all of this Jesus, the gentle Lamb of God being led to the slaughter, remains silent.

9. PRECIOUS BLOOD ISSUES FORTH.  With sharp and penetrating thorns pressing deep into the skull of Jesus, His Blood spurts forth with drops falling to the ground. Amidst this torture, the men surrounding Jesus laugh with glee and mock Him all the more. The cruel and uncouth words that issue forth from their lips cause Jesus as much pain as the thorns that pierce His Sacred Brow.

10. BOWING DOWN AND GENUFLECTING.  Mocking Jesus as king, the torturers now take their turns bowing and genuflecting before Him, the mock-king. In all this, Jesus willingly accepts the humiliations as the will of the Eternal Father, endured for love of us and for our eternal salvation.

11. A STICK AS A SCEPTER.  To further humiliate Jesus as mock-king, they find a stick, and after first striking Jesus over the head with the stick, further embedding the crown of thorns in His Sacred Head, they place the stick in His hands, His royal scepter! This is the way they treat The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

12. SPIT IN HIS SACRED FACE. To intensify His sufferings and humiliations, the torturers proceed with one of the most humiliating actions that can be done to a human person—they take turns spitting in His Sacred Face.

13. JESUS IS BLINDFOLD.  The mockery continues with new insults. Now it is time to find a cloth and cover Jesus’ eyes, thereby blinding Him. He who is the Light of the world and who gave sight to the blind, is Himself made blind. More insults, mockeries, and deprecation’s descend upon Him. Yet in all this, Jesus is silent!

14. PUNCHES, SLAPS, BLOWS, AND SPITS. Still more do they punch Jesus, strike Him on the Face, spit on Him, pull at His beard, mock and make sport of Him. Jesus, our Lord and our King!

15. EXTENSION OF TIME.  These humiliations—and there were many more—went on the whole night, Holy Thursday into Good Friday morning. Long, cruel and tortuous hours— all endured for love of you and me and our eternal salvation. How precious we are to Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

In conclusion, for us to grow in the virtue of humility, the royal path is through humiliations. None of us will suffer the intensity and atrocity of the humiliations that Jesus underwent for us. However, when you are visited by any form, type, size, or color of humiliation, do not waste it! Rather think of the sufferings and humiliations that Jesus underwent for your salvation, and unite your sufferings to His for your conversion and sanctification, and for the salvation of the whole world.

For the sake of His sorrowful and humiliating Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!

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

Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

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

TUESDAY, May 25th   Mk. 10:28-31   “Peter began to say to Jesus, ‘We have given up everything and followed you.’”

Part 1: Points and Excerpt from Universal Call to Holiness – Lumen Gentium – Chapter 5

Part 2: KEEP THE FIRE OF GOD’S LOVE BURNING WITHIN YOU! by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PART 1:

• Jesus responds to Peter: “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.”
• This passage is for priests and men and women religious. Right? They are in the world but not of the world. They are called to poverty, chastity, and obedience. They have given up everything to follow Christ and do His work of saving souls through prayer, penance, and service in their particular apostolate. Lastly, they are called to be humble and obedient to all that God and their superiors ask of them.
• Whereas we are very much in the world. We have to hold jobs, pay bills, for many raise a family. But that is not all we are called to do. In our state in life – married or single, we are also called to poverty, chastity, and obedience. I’ll prove it.
• St. John Chrysostom says we are to keep what money we need to provide for ourselves and our family, and the rest we are to give to the poor.
• Every man and woman in the world is called to be chaste—even married couples are chaste to everyone but their spouse, and then they are to respect the God-given purpose and nature of marital relations, abiding by Church teachings in that area.
• Lastly, we are called to be humble and obedient to the teachings of the Church, to our Confessor, and to God’s permissive will expressed in the circumstances and events of our lives.   
• Priests and men and women religious are the first tier. There is no question that they are called to a higher standard. But lay men and women, married or single, are the second tier. In the setting in which we live, we are all called to holiness.

Universal Call to Holiness – Lumen Gentium – Chapter 5 – Vatican II. Perfection of that Love called Charity…

Thus it is evident to everyone, that all the faithful of Christ of whatever rank or status, are called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity;(4*) by this holiness as such a more human manner of living is promoted in this earthly society.

In order that the faithful may reach this perfection, they must use their strength accordingly as they have received it, as a gift from Christ. They must follow in His footsteps and conform themselves to His image seeking the will of the Father in all things. They must devote themselves with all their being to the glory of God and the service of their neighbor.

In this way, the holiness of the People of God will grow into an abundant harvest of good, as is admirably shown by the life of so many saints in Church history.

PART 2: KEEP THE FIRE OF GOD’S LOVE BURNING IN YOU! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Jesus said: “I have come to cast fire on the earth; I am not at peace until that fire is blazing.” (Lk. 12:49) Right now, that fire should be burning in your heart. That is the fire of the Holy Spirit. A bonfire to be kept ablaze must be fed constantly. Wood, leaves, brush, old papers must be constantly cast into the fire. If not, the fire extinguishes and soon there is only a pile of ashes.

As a result of the social and spiritual milieu in which we live, how easy it is for the fire of the Holy Spirit, the Fire of Divine Love to wane, decline, diminish and extinguish. Too many Catholics today are like smoldering wicks, smoldering embers that have lost their fire, lost their zeal, lost their enthusiasm, lost their joy for living. As T.S. Elliot penned poetically: “They will go out not with a bang, but with a whimper!”

A SERIOUS WARNING. The last Book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation/Apocalypse warns us: “You have lost your first love.” (Rev. 2:4) And, “You are neither hot nor cold, I wish you were, but you are lukewarm; so I will vomit you out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:16) Startling or even shocking as these words sound, they come from the Holy Spirit who is the Author of all of Sacred Scripture. May God save us from mediocrity! 

A FERVENT PRAYER. Let us make a heartfelt and fervent prayer from the depths of our heart that the fire of God’s love will never extinguish in our soul. However, if it has, let us beg the Holy Spirit to rekindle that fire. Then let us pray for the grace to ignite many fires—the fire of God’s love—wherever we go, with whomever we meet, in whatever circumstances God places us!

JUMP-STARTS TO SET OUR HEARTS ABLAZE. This being the case, let us use all the tools, all the means that God has placed in our path to jump-start the flame of God’s love in our heart. May we follow in the footsteps of the Master Jesus, making His words our own: “I have come to cast fire on the earth, and I am not at peace until that fire be enkindled.” (Lk. 12:49)

Here are the Big Ten Jump-starters!

1. RE-IGNITE THE FLAME. Go to Confession! If we have lost God’s grace through Mortal sin, then God’s fire has been extinguished in us. Have no discouragement on your part; rather trust in God! Like the Prodigal Son (Lk. 15:11-32) get up and return to the loving embrace of the Father through a good Sacramental Confession. The loving arms of the Father are wide-open to receive you. He patiently awaits your return!

2. CONSECRATION TO MARY AND THE SCAPULAR. At the crack of dawn upon awaking every morning consecrate your whole being, your day, and all your activities to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and then kiss your Scapular. Paintings depict the Immaculate Heart of Mary with fire flowing out from her heart—the fire of love, the fire of the Holy Spirit – for you and your eternal salvation!

3. SHORT ASPIRATIONS IN THE DAY. During the course of the day lift up your heart in short prayers, like arrows piercing the heavens, such as: “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I love you; save souls!” Whenever a short, fiery dart occurs to you, shoot it up to heaven as an act of love. Keep the fire aflame!

4. RECOGNIZE YOUR DIGNITY. Through Baptism our souls were radically transformed: we became Temples of the Holy Spirit! Among the many beautiful, mystical, and poetic titles for the Holy Spirit in the Sequence of the Holy Spirit is that of “Sweet Guest of the soul”. As Pope Saint Leo the Great reminds us in his Christmas homily: “Christians, recognize your dignity!” Through a constant awareness of your dignity and destiny—“I am a Temple of Holy Spirit and Heaven is my destiny”—the fire leaps up incessantly!

5. HEAVEN: RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. The virtue of Hope enflames the interior of your soul. With your feet on the earth and your spiritual eyes lifted on high towards Heaven that awaits you, God’s fiery flames ignite your soul. Life is short, like the flower of the field that rises in the morning and withers and dies as the sun hides its face. (Ps. 103: 15-16) If you carry your cross patiently and with love, Heaven awaits you!

6. EXTINGUISH THE FIRE OF GOD’S JUSTICE BY THE FIRE OF YOUR LOVE—PURGATORY! Frequent prayers, sacrifices, alms-giving, and acts of love offered for the souls in Purgatory can mitigate the Fire of God’s Justice that purifies the souls in Purgatory. That is to say, the Fire of your Charity can result in these souls arriving sooner at their final destiny—Heaven. Then their prayers from heaven will serve to ignite and enflame you constantly with God’s fiery love!

7. FIERY LOVE FOR GOD AND MY NEIGHBOR. The fire of love that burns in your heart towards a God you do not see, must rush forth impetuously towards your neighbor whom you do see and who is created in the image and likeness of God! “I was hungry, thirsty, naked, a foreigner, sick and in prison, and you tended to my needs!” (Mt. 25:31-46) Every time you serve Jesus in either the Corporal or Spiritual Works of Mercy, the fire of God’s love ignites and burns brightly in you. Read the lives of the saints as your model!

8. THE HOLY HOUR: THE HOUR OF POWER, THE HOUR OF FIRE! If you come in out of an icy winter night and sit before the hearth where a fire is blazing, you will thaw out. The flames shooting from the brick hearth will even dry your wet, soggy winter clothes. In a similar fashion, it is easy for worldliness and mundane values to permeate our inner being with a wet, soggy indifference! It is precisely the Holy Hour, the Hour of Power, the Hour of Fire that sets our minds, our hearts, and our wills aflame! In the Tabernacle lives the Lord of Lords and King of Kings in all of His Majesty, fire, and power! Pope Saint John Paul II stated that the Tabernacle is the living heartbeat of the Church. May His fiery Heart set our hearts on fire through faithfulness to our daily Holy Hour!

9. SPIRITUAL READING / LECTIO DIVINA. For us to cast fiery darts into the minds and hearts of others, it is necessary to have firm convictions in our mind that translate into actions. All too many are sluggish, lethargic, anemic, and half asleep in their spiritual life. They lack the fire of motivation that is sparked and ignited by solid spiritual reading. Consult your spiritual director or regular confessor on your choice of reading. May the choice help you to put on the mind of Christ, in the words of the fiery Apostle Saint Paul. Then you will be able to say: “I have the mind of Christ.” (1 Cor. 2:16)

10. HOLY COMMUNION AND FIRE. When possible, receive Holy Communion. In a very real sense Holy Communion results in a Spiritual Heart Transplant. You truly receive the Total Christ—Jesus’ Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. This means that you receive the Sacred Heart of Jesus! If you contemplate any image of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus you will see that blazing fire rush forth from His Heart! He suffers so much, as He said to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque: “Behold the Heart that loves so much and receives only coldness, indifference, and ingratitude.” If your reception of Holy Communion is indeed fervent, then Jesus’ Heart takes your heart and floods it with the fire of His Divine Love so that you can share it with the whole world!!!

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

Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

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

MONDAY, May 24th   Jn. 19:25-34   “When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.”

Words of the Saints about Mother Mary…

+ “In trial or difficulty I have recourse to Mother Mary, whose glance alone is enough to dissipate every fear.” –St. Therese of Lisieux

+ “Let us run to Mary, and as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with perfect confidence.” -St. Francis de Sales

+ “Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did.”  -St. Maximilian Kolbe

+ “From Mary we learn to surrender to God’s Will in all things. From Mary we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone. From Mary we learn to love Christ her Son and the Son of God!”  -St. Pope John Paul II

Words of Mother Mary to us…

+ “Am I not here, I, who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not the source of your joy? Are you not in the hollow of my mantle, in the crossing of my arms? Do you need anything more? Let nothing else worry you or disturb you.”

-Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego and to us!

TEN WAYS YOU CAN LOVE MOTHER MARY by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

We often discuss who might be the best athletes, the best artists, the best writers, the best musicians; also, it must be said, there are the best of mothers. By far—and in a class by herself—the Blessed Virgin Mary was, is and always will be the best of all mothers.

This being said, mothers should recognize the fact that Mary is the best of all mothers and contemplate Mary’s words, actions, gestures and life to become better and better mothers.

For our great consolation, Mary is the Mother of God and the Mother of the Church, but also Mary is our dearest Mother! Let us try to please Mary our Mother and as a consequence, we will please her Son and our Heavenly Father.

Below we will present ten different ways that we can show Mary, our Mother, our great love for her and without a doubt, through her most powerful intercession, she will attain for us the most choice graces to help us become the saints that we are called to be, and many of us as mothers.

1. Talk to Mary

We want to get in the habit of talking to Mary, our dearest Mother very often. Confide in her, speak to her from your heart, share your joys and sorrows with her. This is most pleasing to her, as well as to Jesus, Son of God and Son of Mary. She loves you so much and desires to have frequent conversations with you. Mary is your Mother, but she is also your friend and confidant.

2. Start Your Day with Mary

Upon waking every morning, our first action should be that of prayer, and what prayer? Why not start your day by giving yourself totally to Jesus, in all you say, do and think, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary? Give to Jesus through Mary your eyes, your ears, your mind, your heart, your body and even your intentions—in a word, give everything to Jesus through Mother Mary. How important it is to start your day well through the Heart of Mary!

3. Love Mary

A Mother never gets tired of hearing her child say: “Mom, I love you; you’re the best!” The temptation might be to think, she knows I love her, why tell her something she already knows. True, a good Mother most likely already knows. However, it still should be expressed in words. By saying: “Mom, I really love you”, the heart of a mother leaps with joy. The same must be said about our Blessed Mother Mary. When in the simplest of words we say: “Mother Mary, I love you”, then Mary, our loving Mother, experiences great joy in her most pure and Immaculate Heart. Therefore, during the course of the day we should simply say: “Mother Mary, I love you!”

4. Walk with Mary

There is a well-known song in both Spanish and Italian dedicated to Mary related to this topic with the title: Santa Maria del Camino—meaning, “Our Lady of the Way”. Therefore, when we travel, and it can be a short trip or a very long one, we should invite Mother Mary to come along with us. She is a good traveling companion and can protect us from many dangers in our travels. How many accidents, both physical and moral, have surely been prevented by traveling with Mary—Santa Maria del Camino!

5. Imitate Mary

If we come to know and admire someone, that often leads to imitation, and imitation to following, and following to a deep love for that person. Saint Louis de Montfort highlights the ten principal virtues of Mary that we should strive to imitate: her deep humility, lively faith, blind obedience, unceasing prayer, constant self-denial, surpassing purity, ardent love, heroic patience, angelic kindness, and heavenly wisdom. (True Devotion to Mary, St. Louis de Montfort #108) What virtue or virtues of Mary would you like to work on acquiring right now? Ask your loving Mother Mary to help you—she will rush to assist you with many special graces.

6. Trust and Entrust to Mary

If we truly have confidence in a person, we can entrust our cares to them, knowing that this special person will care for us and protect us. God the Father entrusted His only begotten Son to the care of Mary. Therefore, we can entrust our lives totally to the care of Mary, our dearest and most loving Mother. “Never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.” (from The Memorare by St. Bernard)

7. Tell Mary of Your Sorrows and Failures 

We could be tempted by the enemy, the devil, who truly hates Mary, to feel inhibited about telling Mother Mary our sorrows and deep sufferings. The contrary should be the case! The best of mothers, Mary knows very clearly that when a child is most hurt and wounded, that is when the child needs the most tender love and care. So it is with us! When our days are cloudy, bleak, gloomy and downright depressing in the depths of our soul, it is then that we really need to open up and talk to Mary our loving Mother! Mary is both refuge of sinners and health of the sick—two titles for Mary in her famous Litanies!

8. Call On Mary When Tempted

Our life is a constant battle; we are soldiers of both Jesus and Mother Mary. That means that we are constantly on the battle-ground, in the fray. Our enemies are three: the devil, our own weak flesh, and the world. Aware of this intense reality of spiritual combat, we must call upon the Holy Name of Mary in the midst of the battle and the victory will be ours! The famous Battle of Lepanto proved a striking victory through invoking Mary and the recitation of the most Holy Rosary, at the insistence of Saint Pope Pius V. May we entrust our battles to Mary, who is more powerful than a whole army in battle array! The mere name of Mary causes terror and fear in all of hell! But let us do our part! Try to pray the Rosary every day! Wield that weapon, and let Mary do the rest!

9. Promote Love for Mary as Our Mother

If indeed we have truly experienced the love, care, and tenderness of Mary in our daily lives, then undoubtedly we will want to make Mother Mary known far and wide. Mary is not loved and honored due to one principal reason: she is not known! How can she be made known? In many ways!

1) Encourage the reading of good books on Mary like The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Liguori, True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis de Montfort, and Mater Redemptoris and The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Rosary both by Saint Pope John Paul II.

2) Encourage recitation of the Holy Rosary, praying it daily. Give out Rosaries with pamphlets on how to pray the Rosary.  

3) Finally, encourage the wearing of the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. That is our armor front and back that keeps the enemy from slaying us!

10. Die in the Arms of Mary

The most important moment in our life is the very moment that we die. This moment will determine for all eternity, our eternal destiny—either heaven or hell. Why not prepare to die in grace, to die a holy death, at least 50 times a day? How, you might ask? Simply by praying the most Holy Rosary. Every time we pray the Hail Mary, we are preparing ourselves for a holy and happy death with these words: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Finally, let us rejoice with the keen awareness that we all have a heavenly Mother, Mary the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and our dear Mother. She knows us, cares for us, protects us, but especially, she loves us! Indeed, in the midst of the trials, struggles, and intense battles of life let us find our refuge in the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus!

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

SUNDAY, May 23rd   Jn. 20:19-23   “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming.” (Jn. 16:12-13)

• Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to guide His Church to all truth! The Holy Spirit also guides individuals who are open and docile to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. Saint Pope John XXIII said, ‘Saints are the masterpieces of the Holy Spirit!”
• God the Father created us. God the Son saves us, if we keep His commandments. God the Holy Spirit sanctifies us, if we are humble and docile to His promptings.
• On this glorious Solemnity of Pentecost, let us beg for the grace to recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit and obey His promptings in our daily lives!

FIRE, FIRE, FIRE—COME HOLY SPIRIT, COME!!!

Pentecost arrived fifty days after Jesus rose from the dead by means of a powerful wind and fiery tongues that settled over the heads of the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary.  This was the official Birthday of the Catholic Church—a day for immense rejoicing!

As a consequence, the Apostles who received this Fire, Fire, Fire of the Holy Spirit were transformed into martyrs—valiant soldiers and witnesses of the Risen Jesus by the shedding of their blood. A motley group of fearful, cowardly, confused, and doubtful men, they underwent a transformation and became valiant, courageous, eloquent, creative men who impressed the whole world. Despite their lack of formal education, there was no one who could withstand their eloquence, conviction, and love for Jesus who died and rose from the dead!

PERSONAL PENTECOST EXPERIENCE.  As we age our health declines, as well as our physical energies, abilities and human capacities—this is part and parcel of our human condition inherited from our first parents, Adam and Eve, due to Original Sin. However, the Holy Spirit, who is truly God, the Third Person of the most Blessed Trinity, never ages nor declines in strength, nor does His Knowledge, Wisdom, Understanding and Strength decline. We can tap into the power, presence, and potency of the Holy Spirit at any time and place if we so desire. In a word, we can experience our own personal Pentecost at will, upon a time of our own choosing. Therefore, why not prepare for our own Pentecost and humbly beg through the intercession of Mary, who is the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit, for this experience right now? Indeed, the Holy Spirit is patiently waiting for each and every one of us to invite Him into our mind, memory, understanding, emotions, heart, will, and body—in a word, He wants to take possession of our whole being; it all depends on our free will to accept this free invitation of the Holy Spirit, who is The Sweet Guest of our soul!

NOVENA PAR EXCELLENCE!   The first novena, about 2000 years ago, that culminated on Pentecost day with the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and Mary can be renewed right now. Actually, the word NOVENA means nine. Therefore, we would like to offer to you a simple Novena to the Holy Spirit. This consists of the following: every day for nine days, we invite you, as well as your family and friends, to do something to show your love, gratitude and appreciation for the Holy Spirit. Let us give Him this Gift! Ironic as it may seem, in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, among the many titles for the Holy Spirit is precisely that, the “Gift of Gifts”. However, now we desire to generously offer Him our humble gifts – nine plus one (a tenth) in living out our Novena. Off we go!

DAY 1. PRAYER.  Every day we invite you to pray to the Holy Spirit. Prayers are numerous and many are exceedingly beautiful and poetic. But I will offer a very simple prayer to the Holy Spirit and one easy to memorize. It is the following: “Come Holy Spirit, come, through the Heart of Mary!” Saint Louis de Montfort asserts: “Those who love Mary, the Holy Spirit flings Himself into their souls.”

DAY 2. ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.  This Book of the Bible, authored by Saint Luke, is known as the Gospel of the Holy Spirit. In this action book of the Bible, we encounter in almost every chapter the powerful Presence of the Holy Spirit. This will be more demanding, but one day in your novena read the Acts of the Apostles, the full 28 chapters!!! No doubt, by a prayerful reading of The Acts of the Apostles you get to see first-hand the various powerful, creative, and fascinating ways that the Holy Spirit is building up the Primitive Church by using docile instruments!

DAY 3.  SING A SONG/HYMN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT!  There are many! One of the classics is simply Come Holy Ghost…with the several strophes. Or if you prefer the Latin, Veni Sancte Spiritus. Or if you like:  Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me…” With respect to song, Saint Augustine encourages us: “He who sings, prays twice!” Better yet, before or after your family Rosary, sing to the Holy Spirit with your whole family!

DAY 4.  READ A BOOK/ CHAPTER ON THE HOLY SPIRIT.  There are many books written on the Holy Spirit; choose the one that you like best. A book that I have found to be very helpful is “In the School of the Holy Spirit” by author Father Jacque Philippe. Short, easy to read and understand, this work can inspire you to love the Holy Spirit all the more!

DAY 5. THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  Many Catholics are oblivious to the very important fact that upon receiving the Sacrament of Baptism, not only are we transformed into living Tabernacles of the Blessed Trinity, but we also receive many Gifts and among these are the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Pray that they become operative in your life.

DAY 6. MEMORIZE THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  These Gifts are very important in our spiritual life if we truly desire to become saints, as we are called to be, in the words of Jesus: “Be Holy as your heavenly Father is holy.” (Mt. 5:48) The Church Fathers compare our spiritual life to being in a SAILBOAT with seven-sails. To glide with speed and graceful ease to the shore, which is symbolic of heaven, we must open up the sails to the wind, for it is the wind in the sails that transports the boat to the shore with graceful ease. The boat is our soul; the seven sails are the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, the wind is the Power of the Holy Spirit, and the shore is heaven. Therefore, let us memorize and ask the Holy Spirit to activate these SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: 1) Wisdom, 2) Knowledge, 3) Understanding, 4) Counsel, 5) Fortitude, 6) Piety, and 7) Fear of the Lord. May these Seven Gifts powered by the Holy Spirit compel us to grow in holiness and arrive at the eternal shores of salvation!

DAY 7.  PRAYER AND SACRIFICE.  Our soaring high in the spiritual life can be compared to a bird in flight with two wings. A wounded bird with one wing is land-bound. But with two healthy wings, the bird can soar into the heights and perch on the highest mountain. Likewise, in our spiritual life not only must we pray, but we must also practice penance and offer up sacrifices. Our Lady of Fatima said that many souls are lost because people do not offer up prayers and SACRIFICES. Therefore, make a sacrifice, give up something, renounce something you like, to spur the divine invasion of the Holy Spirit in your soul. Our example: Mary and the Apostles prayed and fasted for nine days and nights. (Acts 2:1-13)

DAY 8.  FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  Pray that you will experience the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. According to the teaching of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Fruits of the Holy Spirit are nothing less than the inner sweetness that we experience in our souls when we correspond openly to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. These fruits are the following: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23)

DAY 9.  GET TO KNOW THE HOLY SPIRIT:  TITLES/NAMES FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT. Many are the titles/names for the Holy Spirit. The more we get to know exactly Who the Holy Spirit is through the multiplicity of His Names, we can get to know Him all the more! Here are a few for your growth in knowledge and love for the Holy Spirit:  Counselor, Consoler, Interior Master, Paraclete, Advocate, Gift of God, Finger of God, Interior Architect, Sweet Guest of the Soul… (Refer to the Sequence in the Missal for the Solemnity of Pentecost.)

DAY 10.  DOCILITY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.  Saint Pope John XXIII stated: “The saints are the Masterpieces of the Holy Spirit.” Father Jacques Philippe states unequivocally that our sanctification and growth in holiness depends on one factor: DOCILITY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT! We must make a constant and concerted effort to be more docile to the Heavenly inspirations of the Holy Spirit. For that reason, let us turn to the one who was always most docile to the Holy Spirit, Mary, the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit, and pray often: “Come Holy Spirit, come through the Heart of Mary.”

A final challenge for every day of the Nine Days plus One Novena: pray the following prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Among the many writings that I have done over the years, this prayer for the activation of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, I believe to be one of the most simple, but also most sublime. Below is my prayer to be open to the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer to the Holy Spirit …   By Father Edward 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 and 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.