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

SATURDAY, March 27th  Jn. 11: 45-56   “But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing, nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.’”

• Caiaphas, High Priest, does not know the import of what he is saying. It is indeed better for one man, Jesus Christ, to die so that all may be saved. Jesus opened the gates of heaven for us, but we choose whether or not to enter those gates by how we live our lives!
• There are two spirits working in us – the Good Spirit and the Bad Spirit. The purpose of Ignatian Discernment of Spirits is to recognize which voice is speaking to us at any given time and in any situation – the good to embrace it and the bad to reject it!
• Yesterday, we covered Fr. Ed Broom’s excellent exposition of Rules 1 through 6 of Saint Ignatius’ Fourteen Rules for Discernment of Spirits. Today we will cover Rules 7 through 14 for deeper awareness and understanding of the choices we have to make.

RULES TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT & WIN THE BATTLE (Continued) by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

REVIEW:  Taken from his own experience, after the life-changing battle of Pamplona, Saint Ignatius of Loyola offers us two series of Rules to help us in our battle for the salvation of our immortal souls. The first series is composed of 14 Rules; the second, of 8 Rules! We will discuss the first 14 Rules.

ORIGIN? After the serious wound in both of his legs in the Battle of Pamplona, Ignatius had plenty of time for recovery. In this period of convalescence, his mind and affections gyrated back and forth between two contrary objects: one was the worldly, the sensual, the vain, the material life he had lived; the other consisted of reading and reflecting on the lives of the saints, as well as the life of Christ. The worldly thoughts and reveries brought him some immediate pleasure on the surface of his emotions, but then he sank into a state of desolation and sadness. The joie de vivre (joy of life) dissipated and went up in smoke. But when he lifted his mind and heart to the spiritual realm of Jesus and the saints, his heart was set on fire and he had the most fervent desire and longing to imitate the saints. Ignatius said: “If Francis could do it, so can I; if Dominic could do it, so can I.”  

Then, as recorded in his Autobiography, “his eyes were opened a little and he noticed that some thoughts brought him desolation and sadness, whereas the others, consolation and joy.” This experience of Saint Ignatius establishes the background and foundation for his renowned Rules for Discernment of Spirits. Ignatius insists on awareness of these various interior movements. We must reject the bad that lead to desolation; we must recognize, accept, and follow the good that lead to consolation. Knowing these various interior motions and applying these Rules is indispensable for living out Ignatian Spirituality, and consequently pursuing an openness to the good spirit, and a ready willingness to reject the bad spirit! In this short essay we would like to give a brief summary of the first series of 14 Rules and some concrete means to apply them to our lives.

YESTERDAY, we covered Discernment Rules 1 thru 6. Today we cover Rules 7 thru 14.

RULE SEVEN: THE LAW OF SUFFICIENT GRACE.

When you are submerged in the dark night of desolation, it might appear as if you are in a dark tunnel from which there is no exit; this thought is provoked by the devil. There is always hope! Possibly one of the best Biblical passages is that of Saint Paul who says he was tormented by a thorn in the flesh which he begged the Lord three times to be freed of. The response of the Lord was clear: “My grace is sufficient for you; for my power is made perfect in weakness!” (2Cor. 12: 9) We can overcome the state of desolation if we rely on the grace of God and not on our mere human efforts. In other words, it must be God-reliance and not self-reliance! The fundamental reason for failure and falling into sin is lack of relying upon God and His super-abundant graces. Call upon Mary who is known as “The full of grace!”

RULE EIGHT: BY YOUR PATIENCE YOU WILL SAVE YOUR SOUL.

Rule Eight can be succinctly summarized by just one key word: PATIENCE!!! In this Rule, Ignatius offers three powerful tools!

1. Persevere in patience. It can be extremely helpful to meditate upon Jesus carrying His cross and His infinite patience.
2. Next, Ignatius reminds us to utilize the practices of Rule Six which are: prayer, meditation, Daily Examen, and some suitable penance.
3. Finally, as a psychological boost, Ignatius encourages us to think about the consolation that will soon arrive. If you like, after the storm, the sun breaks through the clouds. After sickness, health will be enjoyed. The barren Winter gives way to Spring flowers.

Being an excellent spiritual psychologist, Ignatius knows how direly we all need to grow in the virtue of patience with God, with ourselves, and with others.

RULE NINE: WHY DO WE HAVE DESOLATION? WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?

In this Ninth Rule, Ignatius teaches us the three basic reasons why our soul goes through this state of desolation. The first is due to our own fault; the second and third, God actually allows desolation, so as to bring out of the desolation a greater good. Let us analyze them.

1. LAZINESS, TEPIDITY, SLOTH.  The first reason for descending into a state of DESOLATION is simply because we have fallen into a state of laziness or tepidity. Examples? Skipping your morning and night prayers, not doing your meditation or Holy Hour, or doing it less, or praying it poorly. Or it might be that you were in the habit of frequent Holy Communion and due to indolence you have given up the practice. Therefore, good Teacher that He is, God allows the Desolation to visit us in order to pull us out of this despicable state of mediocrity and tepidity. How good God is to intervene, to yank us out of the quagmire of lukewarmness!!!

2. A TRIAL FROM GOD.  So that we do not fall into what Saint John of the Cross terms Spiritual Gluttony. We must seek the God of consolations and not the consolations of God! Or if you like, Seek the Face of God more than the Hand of God!

3. HUMILITY AND RELIANCE ON GOD.  The last reason Ignatius gives is so we will have a keen awareness that of ourselves we cannot bring consolation to our soul. On the contrary, only God can give us consolation. Also, God gives us consolation when He wants, how He wants, for as long as He wants, and with the intensity He wants. Related to this, Ignatius warns us against pride and vanity. How easy it is to attribute to ourselves holiness, fervor, consolation, and spiritual graces; when in reality all good gifts comes from the Giver of all good gifts, God Himself!

RULE TEN: WHAT TO DO IN CONSOLATION???

Up to this point Ignatius has been instructing us on what our spiritual strategy is, what we are to do, in the state of desolation. Now he turns to the tactic or strategy of what we are to do when we find ourselves in the state of CONSOLATION! This may come to us as a real shock! Ignatius basically warns us that when we find ourselves in joy, peace, happiness, and over-flowing consolation, we should get ready for desolation. In other words, in times of peace, we must prepare and be prepared for war. The devil never goes on vacation and can easily slip in when we are in consolation, simply because this is when we might begin to think less about God, when we might begin to attribute our state of Consolation to our own ingenuity and sanctity. Careful!!! Good athletes when they are ahead in the game, try to advance even further, so as to make their victory absolute!!!

RULE ELEVEN: WHAT ELSE TO DO IN THE STATE OF CONSOLATION.

The key word in Rule Eleven is HUMILITY.  When we are in consolation we should not give in to pride, but humble ourselves. Ignatius actually suggests that we rewind the film of our lives and recall how we were when we found ourselves in desolation: the trial, the darkness, the lack of peace, the over-riding sadness, the great turmoil. Reflecting upon that difficult state of desolation, possibly we felt buried in a dark pit, or lost in an endless tunnel, and only God could pull us through. In other words, God loves those who are humble of heart, like the Blessed Virgin Mary. Moreover, God rejects the proud and self-sufficient! As Mary said: “He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and He has lifted up the lowly.” (Mary’s Magnificat Lk 1:52)

The last three Rules of Saint Ignatius on Spiritual Discernment treat explicitly of the devil and the various ways that he works on the soul. These indeed are spiritual masterpieces that all should get to know well and live out frequently in the daily combat!

RULE TWELVE:  COURAGE IN CONFRONTING THE ENEMY

In this Rule Ignatius exhorts us to be courageous and not cowardly. In the case of a street-woman striving to seduce a man, she knows psychology. If she tries to tempt or seduce him and he resists manfully from the outset and resists the temptation, then she backs off, recoils, and disappears. However, if she notes that in her tempting, the man is weak, faltering, floundering, and vacillating like a leaf blown in the wind, then she becomes all the more powerful to overpower him and win. If you like, the following is a short summary in a few words: “The devil is weak with the strong, but strong with the weak.”

Therefore, the tactic that we must use with the devil, applied to this Rule, is the following! As soon as we are aware of the devil tempting us to go against God and to sin, then we must strive with all of the energy in our will to reject the temptation immediately and forcefully! This in most cases will result in victory! The devil is a coward, but if we are cowards then he becomes strong and goes for the kill.

RULE THIRTEEN. AVOID SECRECY, OPEN UP IN TIMES OF DESOLATION!

Ignatius says that the devil is like a vain lover trying to seduce a noble woman behind the back of a noble man. The key word in this rule is that of SECRECY—KEEP IT SECRET!

A SUMMARY OF THE RULE.  When we find ourselves in a state of desolation and sadness, assaulted by many temptations, it is the work of the devil to try to get us to keep our desolation a secret, under lock and key, top secret! Tell nobody!

RESULT OF SECRECY!  If the devil wins by convincing us to keep our desolation a secret and not open up to anybody, then what happens is the following, by way of analogy. The devil turns a mole-hill into a mountain. Or if you like, a cut that is not treated gets infected with pus, the infection spreads, and finally gangrene sets in, ending with amputation. So it is with the work of the devil. If we do not have the courage and the means by which we can open up to a Spiritual Director or Confessor, or a person in whom we can trust and confide, then the temptation is exacerbated, grows bigger and stronger, until we finally capitulate and give in to the temptation. In the Diary of Saint Faustina, Jesus revealed to the saint that revealing the temptation of the devil to her Confessor, weakened the stronghold of the devil and would eventually conquer him. To open up and to reveal is an act of humility, and the devil hates any shape, size, or form of humility.

IN CONCRETE.  In concrete, all of us must be equipped with a Confessor or Spiritual Director, or both. In times of desolation we must have the humility and the courage to open up and to articulate clearly the thoughts and temptations we are experiencing. If we learn and practice this lesson, we have a powerful tool in our spiritual combat.

RULE FOURTEEN.  THE KRYPTONITE RULE: THE DEVIL KNOWS OUR WEAK POINT!

In this last Rule, which indeed is a literary masterpiece, Ignatius compares the human soul to a feudal fortress or castle. So as not to be plundered and sacked, the owner of the castle must have barricades, as well as walls of protection, maybe even a moat surrounding the castle. The enemy, of course, circles the castle and studies to see where there might be some  opening. Maybe a crevice, a crack, a loose board, an opening in the roof, or possibly an unlocked window or door. Once the enemy becomes aware of an opening, then quickly and energetically he goes for the kill. Entering unaware, he sacks and plunders the castle, taking all that is in his power to steal.

This Middle Age image of the fortress or castle is an image of our immortal soul. Our enemy is not any mere military captain. Much more dangerous and insidious: it is the devil. The devil has many Biblical names: Lucifer, Satan, the devil, demon, Prince of this world, the serpent, the ancient serpent, the seducer, a liar and a murderer from the beginning, Beelzebub (the Lord of the Flies). Saint Peter goes so far as to call the devil a roaring lion who goes in search of whom he can devour.

MODERN IMAGE OF THE ATHLETE.  A modern image easy to understand is that of an athlete competing in the sports arena or stadium. To be concrete, the example of a Professional Baseball Pitcher. It is incumbent upon the Professional Pitcher to get to know his opponents—namely the Batters. The Pitcher will study past videos, analytics, and statistics to see where the batter is strong and where he is weak. Then, with this knowledge, he will strive to pitch to the weakness of the batter, hoping for a strike-out. The same can be applied to a Professional Boxer or Wrestler. Find the weak-point of the opponent, then punch and attack for the kill!

KRYPTONITE ANALOGY.  Most of us know of SUPERMAN. Clark Kent as Superman, was indomitable, powerful, strong, fast, able to fly over huge buildings. However, despite his prowess, he had one weak-point and that was the famous alien mineral KRYPTONITE. Once exposed to this mineral element, Superman was as weak and vulnerable as any other man. In a word, he had to avoid Kryptonite. So it is with us and Rule Fourteen. We all have our own Kryptonite which we have to detect and avoid at all costs, lest we fall and be overcome. One of the best ways to detect your Kryptonite is once again to have a good Spiritual Director, and to talk out your strengths and weaknesses. However, it is also of paramount importance to study and get to know the seven Capital Sins, to detect and determine which one is your basic Capital Sin, your primary weakness, in a word, your KRYPTONITE! Then try to practice the opposite virtue. The seven Capital Sins are the following:

1. Gluttony – opposing virtue Temperance;
2. Lust – opposing virtue Purity;
3. Greed or Avarice – opposing virtue Charity;
4. Sloth or Laziness –opposing virtue Diligence;
5. Envy – opposing virtue Charity or Brotherly Love;
6. Anger – opposing virtue Meekness (Meekness is not weakness, but powerful emotion under control.);
7. Pride – opposing virtue Humility.

In conclusion, we have come to the end of our short study of the 14 Rules for Discernment of Spirits from the great Saint Ignatius of Loyola. We hope that you will become a student of these 14 Rules, not simply to have a head knowledge of these Rules, but most especially to implement them, put them into practice, so as to fight the good fight, run the good race, and win the merited crown of glory that awaits the faithful soldiers of Jesus and Mary in the Kingdom of Heaven!

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

FRIDAY, March 26th  Jn. 10: 31-42  “The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. Jesus answered them, ‘I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.’ … ‘If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’”

• Today’s Gospel brings up the question of Discernment of Spirits. How do we know when it is God is speaking to us versus the devil, the enemy of our soul, speaking to us? This is such an important question in our spiritual life that Saint Ignatius of Loyola wrote Rules for the Discernment of Spirits.
• In our Lenten journey of purification of our heart, mind, body, soul and life, it is opportune to review the first 14 Rules as we enter Palm Sunday and Holy Week.
• Fr. Ed Broom presents and expounds upon these Rules. Let us examine our spiritual walk up to this point in time to determine whose voice we have been listening to—the good spirit or the bad spirit? Today we will cover the first Six Rules and tomorrow the next Eight Rules.

RULES TO FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT & WIN THE BATTLE by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Taken from his own experience, after the life-changing battle of Pamplona, Saint Ignatius of Loyola offers us two series of Rules to help us in our battle for the salvation of our immortal souls. The first series is composed of 14 Rules; the second, of 8 Rules! We will discuss the first 14 Rules.

ORIGIN? After the serious wound in both of his legs in the Battle of Pamplona, Ignatius had plenty of time for recovery. In this period of convalescence, his mind and affections gyrated back and forth between two contrary objects: one was the worldly, the sensual, the vain, the material life he had lived; the other consisted of reading and reflecting on the lives of the saints, as well as the life of Christ. The worldly thoughts and reveries brought him some immediate pleasure on the surface of his emotions, but then he sank into a state of desolation and sadness. The joie de vivre (joy of life) dissipated and went up in smoke. But when he lifted his mind and heart to the spiritual realm of Jesus and the saints, his heart was set on fire and he had the most fervent desire and longing to imitate the saints. Ignatius said: “If Francis could do it, so can I; if Dominic could do it, so can I.”  

Then, as recorded in his Autobiography, “his eyes were opened a little and he noticed that some thoughts brought him desolation and sadness, whereas, the others, consolation and joy.” This experience of Saint Ignatius establishes the background and foundation for his renowned Rules for Discernment of Spirits. Ignatius insists on awareness of these various interior movements. We must reject the bad that lead to desolation; we must recognize, accept, and follow the good that lead to consolation. Knowing these various interior motions and applying these Rules is indispensable for living out Ignatian Spirituality, and consequently pursuing an openness to the good spirit, and a ready willingness to reject the bad spirit! In this short essay we would like to give a brief summary of the first series of 14 Rules and some concrete means to apply them to our lives.

RULE ONE: TACTIC OF THE GOOD SPIRIT VS. THE BAD SPIRIT: THE SOUL IN MORTAL SIN. 

THE BAD SPIRIT.  For the individual who has chosen to live a life of sin, and serious or grave sin, the devil has a specific tactic. The enemy proposes apparent pleasures, sensual delights, and gratifications by means of filling the imagination with these sensual delights. The tactic of the devil? To increase the vices, to augment the sins, to tempt such a person to commit as many and as grave sins as possible. The net result will be total SLAVERY. Actually, Jesus affirms the fact that sin is true slavery. Moreover, the slavery and the chains become more powerful. In modern language, the person becomes an ADDICT. The final step of the devil is to dull and erode the conscience so much that such the addict no longer has any remorse of conscience. Pope Pius XII stated on this matter: “The sin of the century is the loss of the sense of sin.” Finally, if such an individual dies in the state of mortal sin without repentance, then they lose their soul for all eternity. Sad to say, in our modern age, there are many addicts, but the worst part is that they do not admit their addiction. Indeed, a Doctor can only heal a person who admits they are sick.

THE GOOD SPIRIT.  Now the good spirit, in dealing with the soul of an individual living in a state of serious sin, uses a totally different approach. In silent reflection and by the use of reason, the good spirit will sting their conscience and fill them with remorse. The road to conversion is now underway! It might be compared to having a thorn in your side, or small stone in your sandal, or some dust in your eye. You just have to remove it. So it is with the Holy Spirit. He makes you feel uncomfortable with your conscience, where you are at morally, so that you feel the real need to change. Saint Augustine mentions this in his classic Confessions before his conversion. Associating with a recently converted man to Christianity who was radiating joy, Augustine felt sad because he did not experience that joy. He was on the path to conversion.

RULE TWO: TACTIC OF THE GOOD SPIRIT VS. THE BAD SPIRIT: THE SOUL IN GRACE AND STRIVING FOR HOLINESS.

THE BAD SPIRIT.  In this state of soul, the bad spirit and the good spirit dramatically change tactics. Now the bad spirit strives to harass this soul who is striving for perfection with negative thoughts, often scrupulosity, with the intention of taking away their peace. Saint Ignatius experienced this in Manresa. After he makes a general confession that takes close to four days, and is engaged daily in praying, doing penance, and acts of charity, in sum, striving to really follow the Lord in holiness of life, the devil assaults him with negative thoughts trying to rob him of his peace. Such thoughts are the following: maybe he did not make a good confession after all; also, he is praying long hours and practicing extreme penances now, but there is no way that he will be able to persevere in this way of life for years to come. The devil even tempts Ignatius with thoughts against his own life, thoughts of suicide. These are the astute tricks of the devil in this state. The devil tries to fill the road to holiness with pot-holes, ditches, blocks, obstacles, detours, and even flat-tires. He will do all he can to discourage you, so that you give up pursuing holiness of life and return to a sinful life or at least a life of mediocrity. 

THE GOOD SPIRIT.  Quite the contrary is the work and action of the good spirit on the soul who in all sincerity is striving to purge themself of sin and live a life of true holiness. The Holy Spirit, in a certain sense, becomes a cheer-leader—encouraging the soul, sending thoughts and desires of peace, joy, and happiness. The soul experiences the spiritual life with the Lord as absolutely marvelous—nothing could be better. The good spirit gives courage and strength, consolation and peace, tears of joy, heavenly inspirations, and removes all obstacles.

What is most obvious is that the spiritual life is a constant battle between the good spirit and the bad spirit; this battle is ongoing and ends only at the moment of death.

RULE THREE: A DESCRIPTIVE RULE OF WHAT SPIRITUAL CONSOLATION IS!

In this Rule Saint Ignatius simply describes in many ways what CONSOLATION consists of. The best way to understand this is to simply compose an Ignatian list of the signs of consolation:

A LIST OF SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL CONSOLATION IN YOUR LIFE:

1. Your soul is inflamed with love for your Creator.
2. You love creatures of God only related to the Creator.
3. Tears moved by the love of God. Why tears?
4. Tears of sorrow for your sins—true sign of repentance.
5. Tears being shed when meditating on the Passion and suffering of Jesus.
6. Tears shed in the praise and service of God.
7. Increase in the theological virtue of Faith in God
8. Increase in the theological virtue of Hope—trust in God.
9. Growth in the greatest of all the virtues: Charity, supernatural love.
10.  JOY—attracted to what is heavenly.
11.  JOY—related to the salvation of your soul.
12.  PEACE AND QUIET. Furthermore, your soul experiences great peace and quiet in the Lord. Saint Paul says: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4: 7)

All of the above are clears signs of experiencing CONSOLATION. We can pray to the Holy Spirit that we will experience consolation constantly. It must be noted that our consolation is in the God of all creation, and not simply in creation separated from God.

RULE FOUR: A DESCRIPTIVE RULE OF WHAT SPIRITUAL DESOLATION IS.

As might be expected, noticing the fact that Ignatius plays on literary contrasts, DESOLATION will be the polar opposite of CONSOLATION. Indeed, this is the case! To make this easy for us, like in the last explanation of the rule, we will simply compose a list of signs of DESOLATION. However, it is very important for us to be able to detect in our souls, and in our lives, when we are in a state of consolation or desolation. The following rules give us concrete practices to undertake so as to claim victory over desolation with the help of God’s grace! 

A LIST OF SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL DESOLATION IN YOUR LIFE:

1. Darkness of soul—imagine being spiritually in a dark tunnel, or dungeon, or cave. There you have it, but within your soul!
2. Turmoil of spirit; this is diametrically opposed to inner peace. To the contrary, all peace is gone.
3. Inclination to what is low and earthly. In other words, drawn to flesh/carnality—the capital sins. As examples, this might be gluttony, lust, laziness—being pulled toward the earth and its base desires.
4. Restlessness. Think of Cain after he killed Abel. He was not at peace in the least; rather he was a restless, wandering, and forlorn soul.
5. Disturbances. Being pulled in many directions without any goal or purpose in life.
6. Temptations—this is the role of the devil himself! Saint Thomas Aquinas calls the devil exactly that: THE TEMPTER.
7. The three Theological Virtues under attack. In consolation, the theological virtues flourish and grow; not so in desolation: they are under attack and weakened.
8. Lack of FAITH… Faith seems to wane and decline. What is the purpose of a God-centered life?
9. Lack of HOPE… A tendency and temptation to simply throw in the towel, to give up. What is the use???
10.  Lack of CHARITY… Instead of love for God and neighbor, absorbed in love of self. Instead of Theology, it is Meology!
11.  SLOTHFUL. The soul is lazy, anemic, lacking in energy to do good.
12.  TEPID. Another word for tepid is LUKEWARM. The Book of Revelation condemns this: “You are neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm; I will spit you out of my mouth.” (Rev 3: 16)
13.  SAD. No joy whatsoever, lost in the valley of sadness and darkness; gloom and doom dominate the soul.
14.  SEPARATION FROM THE CREATOR. Still more, the soul that is in the state of desolation seems to be separated from God the Creator. God, where are you???

Even though somewhat painful to read and study the reality of the state of DESOLATION, it is indispensable in the spiritual life to name it, claim it, and tame it through the grace of God and by following the next rules that Ignatius so wisely lays out for us!

RULE FIVE: IN DESOLATION, NEVER MAKE CHANGES IN YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE.

Saint Ignatius is very firm and clear in this rule. When you find yourself in the state of DESOLATION, never make any changes in your spiritual life and proposals. Rather, you must remain firm and rock-solid. Why? The reason is very simple: the reality of the DEVIL. When you find yourself immersed in that state of darkness, sadness, and so to speak hopelessness, it is exactly in that state that the devil launches his most powerful weapons. If you give up prayer and your devotional practices, your meditation and examination of conscience, then you are a sitting-duck for the devil’s attacks. Like good soldiers under attack, you must be firm in not abandoning the fight! Saint Paul invites us to fight the good fight until the end.

RULE SIX. THE RULE OF AGERE CONTRA.

The words in Latin AGERE CONTRA are pure Ignatius! What the words mean are simply this: Do the exact opposite of what the devil is tempting you to do! In other words, you cannot give in to laziness in any size, shape, or form. In this rule Ignatius offers fours specific practices, which we will list:

1. PRAYER.  Do not neglect prayer under any circumstances, but especially when in the state of DESOLATION! Dedicate some time to vocal prayers prayed fervently: Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Angel of God, Acts of Faith, Hope, and Love, the Hail Holy Queen… All of these are shields against the enemy.

2. MEDITATION. Also, under no circumstance should your daily meditation be neglected. This could be fatal. If you have the habit of making your daily Holy Hour, as Ven. Fulton Sheen calls it, THE HOUR OF POWER, be diligent and faithful, even add a minute or two, rather than whittle it down by praying less.

3. DAILY EXAMEN. Ignatius insists on the DAILY EXAMEN. However, this is most important in desolation so as to detect the why or the reason for the desolation! By going through your day and actions you might be able to detect some unfaithfulness to the Lord that is bringing on the desolation.

4. SOME SUITABLE PENANCE. Finally, Ignatius recommends some suitable form of penance. Jesus said clearly: “Some devils can be expelled only by prayer and penance.” (Mt. 17: 21) Giving up a cookie or soda, saying a few extra prayers, praying on your knees, denying a program you like—any of these can serve to help untie the knot of desolation.

Finding yourself in this state of desolation, it is of supreme importance to remember these four practices and the practice of Agree Contra—Act Against, meaning not to follow the devil of laziness and neglect, but be a faithful soldier—vigilant, working, and obedient!

Note: Ignatian Rules for Discernment of Spirits to be continued tomorrow… 

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

THURSDAY, March 25th  Lk. 1: 26-38   SOLEMNITY OF THE ANNUNCIATION… Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

• The Annunciation heralds the turning point in world history which we know as B.C. – before Christ, and A.D. – Anno Domini, Latin for “in the year of the Lord” or the year Jesus was born. You cannot speak about one without referencing the other!
• In the same way, the Annunciation cannot be separated from the Visitation! The Angel announces to Mary that by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit she is to be the Mother of the Son of God, and Mary gives the Angel her fiat, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word”.
• Then Mary goes in haste to help her older cousin Elizabeth in the hill country, for she who was barren is in her sixth month of pregnancy!
• Listen to Elizabeth’s greeting. In a loud voice she exclaims: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the word the Lord spoke to her would be fulfilled!”
• Do we go in haste to bring the good news to others??? Let Mary’s story inspire us!

Part 1: On the Annunciation and Mary’s “fiat”… by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

Part 2: 10 BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT THE VISITATION… By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

On the Annunciation and Mary’s “fiat”… by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

(Note: This homily excerpt of St. Bernard is in the Office of Readings for December 20, the fourth week of Advent.)

You have heard, O Virgin, that you will conceive and bear a son; you have heard that it will not be by man but by the Holy Spirit. The angel awaits an answer; it is time for him to return to God who sent him. We too are waiting, O Lady, for your word of compassion; the sentence of condemnation weighs heavily upon us.

The price of our salvation is offered to you. We shall be set free at once if you consent. In the eternal Word of God we all came to be, and behold, we die. In your brief response we are to be remade in order to be recalled to life.

Tearful Adam with his sorrowing family begs this of you, O loving Virgin, in their exile from Paradise. Abraham begs it, David begs it. All the other holy patriarchs, your ancestors, ask it of you, as they dwell in the country of the shadow of death. This is what the whole earth waits for, prostrate at your feet. It is right in doing so, for on your word depends comfort for the wretched, ransom for the captive, freedom for the condemned, indeed, salvation for all the sons of Adam, the whole of your race.

Answer quickly, O Virgin. Reply in haste to the angel, or rather through the angel to the Lord. Answer with a word, receive the Word of God. Speak your own word, conceive the divine Word. Breathe a passing word, embrace the eternal Word.

Why do you delay, why are you afraid? Believe, give praise, and receive. Let humility be bold, let modesty be confident. This is no time for virginal simplicity to forget prudence. In this matter alone, O prudent Virgin, do not fear to be presumptuous. Though modest silence is pleasing, dutiful speech is now more necessary. Open your heart to faith, O blessed Virgin, your lips to praise, your womb to the Creator. See, the desired of all nations is at your door, knocking to enter. If he should pass by because of your delay, in sorrow you would begin to seek him afresh, the One whom your soul loves. Arise, hasten, open. Arise in faith, hasten in devotion, open in praise and thanksgiving. Behold the handmaid of the Lord, she says, be it done to me according to your word.

10 BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT THE VISITATION… By: Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Mary is model, teacher, guide, inspiration, life, sweetness and hope to all to raise their eyes to her with love.  In the beautiful prayer of Saint Bernard, the Memorare, we pray with confidence: “Remember, O gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection was left unaided.”

May is the month of Mary and it concludes with one of the most beautiful Marian Feast days—the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Saint Elizabeth.  Many superb spiritual lessons can be learned from this Marian gem, which also is the 2nd Joyful Mystery. Let us descend into this “Spiritual Gold Mine” and grab on to the excellent treasures.

1. CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ANNUNCIATION AND VISITATION.  The last part of the prior mystery—the Annunciation/Incarnation— ends with Mary’s “Fiat”— that is to say, Mary’s Yes to God. The exact words are: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word.” In that moment, one of the most sublime moments in the history of the world took place: the Incarnation of the Son of God. That is to say, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity descended from His heavenly throne and became Incarnate (man) in the most pure womb of the Virgin Mary! In rapt awe, we humbly adore this sublime mystery!

2. COMMUNION AND FRATERNAL CHARITY.  Mary did not keep the “Gift” of Jesus to herself, but went in haste to share the gift with others. She started an 80 kilometer journey, traveling uphill to Ain Karim to visit her cousin Elizabeth and help her in her need. Pope Benedict XVI in his Apostolic Exhortation “Sacramentum Caritatis” insists that Mass and Holy Communion must transform us into ardent missionaries who bring the Good News of Jesus to the whole world!

3. IN HASTE.  Mary did not procrastinate, put off, delay, make excuses, rationalize, or justify postponing her trip; rather, she followed the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and moved immediately. Lesson! Upon receiving good inspirations from the Holy Spirit, we should be both docile and prompt to respond!

4. TRAVEL WITH MARY AND TALK TO HER.  Enter into an Ignatian contemplative scene and imagine traveling with Mary. Notice her joy, her quick pace, her awareness of Jesus within her, her determination to carry out God’s will despite the possible obstacles—all of these make up your long trek to Ain Karim with Mary. Admire her majesty, but also be inspired by her humility and simplicity. During this long journey together, open up your heart and talk to Mary about what is going on in your life. Why not even tell her what is most heavy on your heart! Mary is the best of listeners!

5. EUCHARISTIC PROCESSION.  Remember! The little Jesus is already present in the womb of Mary. Therefore, as you travel remember that this indeed is a “Eucharistic Procession” — a Corpus Christi procession! Mary always wants to draw us closer to Jesus!  Her last words at the wedding Feast of Cana were: “Do whatever He tells you!” (Jn. 2:5) Great advice! Beg for the grace to have a greater faith, love, and devotion towards Jesus truly present in the Eucharist!

6. JOY!  This is the 2nd Joyful Mystery. Being with Jesus and Mary is our true and authentic source of joy. Mary’s canticle, her Magnificat, emphasizes this truth: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!” (Lk. 1:46-47) May we always seek joy in this authentic source: JESUS, THE LORD!

7.  GREETING!  Most likely Mary greeted Elizabeth with the typical Jewish greeting, SHALOM— peace be with you! Our homes, families, communities, parishes, groups, and activities, should be characterized by a “Shalom” atmosphere. A warm, welcoming and inviting milieu should be created. An essential note of apostolic effectiveness is that of creating this warm and welcoming environment. Mary teaches us this by her greeting!

8. BABY JOHN LEAPS FOR JOY!  At the sound of Mary’s greeting the infant John leaps for joy in the womb of Saint Elizabeth! What is happening here? Jesus, even before being born, is acting as Redeemer by freeing His cousin John from the bond of Original Sin.  Message! Contact with Jesus and Mary through prayer will undoubtedly serve as a powerful means to diminish the grip of sin on us, and eventually shatter the binding force and slavery of sin in our lives. Sin indeed is slavery; Jesus and Mary came to give us true freedom, the freedom of the sons and daughters of God! “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”

9.  PRO-LIFE PASSAGE “PAR EXCELLENCE!”  Both of these women in the modern society could be candidates for abortion. Why? One was very young, Mary; whereas, the other was very old, Elizabeth. However, both women had infinite trust in God’s Divine Providence! Because of this trust, Elizabeth gave birth to the great Saint John the Baptist, and Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Son Of God! At all times, in our meditation on the mystery of the Visitation, may we be staunch defenders of human life, from the moment of conception until natural death. God is the author and origin of life and He alone has the right to take life to Himself!

10.  MARY AND ACTIVE SERVICE.  Love for God cannot limit itself to words, but must manifest itself in actions, in service, in seeing Jesus truly present in others! Not only did Mary greet Elizabeth, but she also actively served her aged and pregnant cousin in her need! With a little bit of imagination (Ignatian Contemplation), we can picture Mary and accompany her in active service! 

What might be some of the activities that Mary carried out with joy and love? Walking to the well to get water— no running water back then! Sweeping the dust and dirt from their humble home—no vacuum cleaners 2000 years ago! Washing and hanging clothes out to dry— no expensive washing machine and dryer to quicken the work. Cooking and baking in preparation for the meals, setting the table, washing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen after eating—there was no take-out Burger King, Pizza-Hut, or KFC available! Nor were there overflowing refrigerators to be emptied of the waste every week!  

All of these humble, domestic chores Mary would have carried out with the greatest love and attention to assist her cousin Elizabeth. Remember! Holiness does not depend on the greatness of the act, but on the great love that accompanies every action— even if it appears to be small and insignificant in the eyes of the world. The secret of the sanctity of Saint Therese, and of Mary in the mystery of the Visitation, is to do the ordinary things of daily life with extraordinary love! That is sanctity!

In conclusion, let us contemplate the life, words, gestures, and actions of Mary, most holy, especially in the Mystery of the Visitation, and be motivated to transfer our contemplative life into active service of our brothers and sisters, who are really Jesus Christ! 

“Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me.” (Mt. 24: 45)

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

WEDNESDAY, March 24th    Jn. 8: 31-42   “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

• Today we know the Truth that sets us free! The Truth that Jesus gives us through His Holy Church. And Jesus said, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Mt. 16: 18)
• Matthew concludes his Gospel account thus: “The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”
• CCC 1127: Celebrated worthily in faith, the sacraments confer the grace that they signify. They are efficacious because in them, Christ himself is at work: it is he who baptizes, he who acts in his sacraments in order to communicate the grace that each sacrament signifies.
• The first Sacrament in the order of grace is Baptism. Let us meditate upon the riches of our Baptism with praise and thanksgiving to God and beg for the grace to live our baptismal promises and so receive Christ’s promise of eternal life!

BAPTISM: BEING BORN IN THE FIRE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

The melodious song of chirping birds, the fragrant redolence and aroma of Spring flowers, the majestic soaring of eagles on high, the blossoming of dazzling red roses, the sky radiant with the hand-stroke of a multi-colored rainbow, the transformation of the caterpillar into the majestic Monarch butterfly, the awakening of the world with sunrise and the closure of the day with sundown—all of the above are manifestations of beauty and triumph!

Considering all the glorious array of nature’s beauty that dazzles the eye, none can be compared to the sublime graces that flow from the Sacrament of Baptism! For lack of formation and sufficient catechesis, few have the keen awareness of the fact that Baptism should be the happiest day in the life of man and woman on earth.

INVISIBLE REALITY, BUT INDEED REALITY!  The extraordinary graces that flow from Baptism are not captured by many for lack of understanding, but also, not perceived because these graces—countless graces—are invisible. They are not perceived by the human eye, but only through the eyes of those with an authentic faith! Let us pray that we will be among the select few who truly have eyes of faith! Like the blind Bartimaeus, let us cry out to the Lord:  “Lord, I want to see!”

Let us read and meditate upon the Sacrament of Baptism according to what one of the most authoritative sources has to say about this Sacrament—The Catechism of the Catholic Church.

“Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway of life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other Sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water and the word.”(Catechism of the Catholic Church # 1213)

OUR SECOND BIRTHDAY: CELEBRATE IT!!!  All of us who have had the grace, privilege and blessing from God to have received the Sacrament of Baptism, should investigate and ascertain the exact date of our Baptism. Then with this knowledge, every year we should celebrate that day. How? First, we should attend Holy Mass and receive Holy Communion with faith, fervor and fire! Second, we should spend some time in private prayer rendering abundant thanksgiving to God for the great gift that He has given to us of our Baptism. Then, every year bring out the ice-cream, cake and candles and celebrate the Anniversary of our Baptism with family and friends. We have to learn how to celebrate the glorious, spiritual peak-experiences in our lives. Our Baptism is one of those spiritual peak-experiences!

Therefore, let us set forth a categorical list of the many astounding graces that we received on the day that the priest poured water on our forehead and pronounced these words that radically changed our lives. Those words were:  X_____Name:  “I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Transform this wonderful list into a prayer, a Litany of thanksgiving to God. May the words of the Psalmist echo in our hearts! “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; eternal is His mercy.” (Ps. 136: 1)

THE MULTIPLE GRACES THAT FLOW FROM THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

1. ORIGINAL SIN.  As a result of the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, we enter the human family with the stain of Original Sin—only Jesus and Mary are excluded! Baptism washes our soul from this moral stain and transforms our soul into radiant beauty, as white as the snow!

2. GOD THE FATHER. With Baptism there is a real entrance into a profound relationship with the Eternal Father. True! We become sons and daughters of God, truly sons and daughters of the Eternal Father. What joy should fill our hearts!

3. GOD THE SON. Our relationship with Jesus through Baptism transforms Him into our Older Brother. If anyone asks you if you have an older brother, your response should be in the positive: “Yes! Jesus is my older brother!”  What a privilege!

4. GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT. The third Person of the most Blessed Trinity becomes powerfully present with Baptism. Yes! The Holy Spirit becomes our intimate and Best-Friend! This being said, by maintaining the grace of God in our soul, we are really never alone because the Holy Spirit is there to be our intimate and Best of Friends!

5. BLESSED TRINITY.  As a follow up and conclusion, with Baptism we are transformed into living Tabernacles of the Blessed Trinity. The three Persons live together in the very depths of our soul: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In all truth, we become living icons of the Triune God who lives and breathes within our souls!

6. FAITH.  In Baptism, God instills in our soul the theological virtue of Faith. Defined: “Faith is the intellectual virtue in which we believe firmly in a God, and all that He teaches through the Church, even though we do not see this God.” Lord, strengthen us in faith!

7. HOPE.  The second theological virtue received with Baptism is that of Hope.  Defined: “Hope is the theological virtue in which we place our trust in God, even in the midst of severe tribulations and sufferings.” Jesus, I trust in you!

8. CHARITY.  The greatest of the theological virtues, as well as of all the virtues, is that of Charity. This virtue has a double dimension: the vertical and the horizontal. Defined: “Charity is the virtue by which I love God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength” (the vertical – go up); then, I love my neighbor as myself for love of God” (the horizontal – go out).

9. THE FOUR MORAL/CARDINAL VIRTUES: Justice, Temperance, Prudence, and Fortitude. These virtues facilitate in us the practice of virtues that we need to live out our daily walk with the Lord Jesus.

10.  THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  God’s graces and gifts pour down upon us like an enormous deluge. With Baptism, God instills in our souls His Gifts, the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. The first three perfect the intellect – Counsel serves as a bridge between the intellect and the will – the last three perfect our will. Marching in, here they are:  1. Wisdom, 2. Knowledge, 3. Understanding, 4. Counsel, 5. Fortitude, 6. Piety, 7. Fear of the Lord.

11.  FREEDOM FROM THE DOMINION OF THE DEVI.  In the celebration of Baptism, the minister administers a minor exorcism against the devil and his seductions and pomps.

12.  UNION WITH OUR NEW FAMILY: THE CHURCH.  With Baptism, we are introduced into a new family—the family of the Catholic Church.  Jesus is the Head and we are the noble members of His Mystical Body, the Church. This family consists of the Church Triumphant, the saints in heaven; the Church Militant, the soldiers of Christ fighting the good fight on earth; and the Church Suffering, the souls in Purgatory! What an extensive and great family!

13.  SANCTIFYING GRACE.  Once baptized, the soul is imbued with sanctifying grace. Meaning? The Baptized soul in grace has a deep friendship with God; grace is what makes us truly pleasing to God.

14.  OPENS THE DOOR TO THE OTHER SACRAMENTS.  Once Baptism is received, then at the appropriate time, each baptized person can prepare to receive the other Sacraments. Of paramount importance, of course, is the preparation and reception of the Most Holy Eucharist: the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus our Lord, God and Savior!

15.  INHERITANCE OF ETERNAL LIFE.  If we persevere in living out the abundant graces that flow from the Sacrament of Baptism, then the final and ineffable reward is that of ETERNAL LIFE—to be with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Mary, the angels and saints forever in Heaven!

Spend some time in silent prayer, slowly meditating upon this long list of blessings that you received on the day of your Baptism. Profusely abound in thanksgiving for God’s love and generosity. Then live out your Baptismal Promises and strive to become the saint that Jesus has called you to be: “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.” (Mt. 5: 48)

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

TUESDAY, March 23rd    Jn. 8: 21-30   “Jesus said to them, ‘You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.’”

• God spoke to Moses and said: “You are to say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM’ has sent me to you.” (Ex. 3: 14)
• In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the Pharisees: “I belong to what is above… I do not belong to this world… If you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.”   
• Lent and Easter are all about belonging to what is above… not belonging to this world… and believing that Jesus is I AM.
• Fr. Ed’s Article gives us an eagle eye view of how to belong to what is above from Lent through Pentecost, spanning over 50 days! All is GRACE: God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense!

TWENTY-FIVE IDEAS WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT LENT AND THE EASTER SEASON. LET’S LEARN THEM!!! BY Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Jesus comes to us and communicates His Grace and Presence to us in many marvelous ways. He said, before He ascended into Heaven, that He would be with us always even until the end of time. Then Jesus ascended into Heaven where He sits at the right hand of God the Father. How? Where? When is Jesus with us when indeed He ascended into Heaven? The response: in His Church which is His Mystical Body. The Church, in the Liturgical cycle, relives the life of Jesus every year. The two prime-times  (Strong Seasons of Christ) every year are Advent culminating in Christmas, then Lent which culminates in Holy Week and the pinnacle or high-point which is the celebration of Easter—the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon us as followers of Jesus to study and learn these prime times, especially the Lenten Season that culminates in Holy Week, and Jesus who conquers death by His Glorious Resurrection.

The following is a concise article on fifty ideas that every Catholic should know about the Lenten Season and Easter! Please read carefully, learn and memorize. Then if you really want to grow in your faith, share this with as many people as you can!!!

1. SEASON OF GRACE FOR OUR CONVERSION. Every year God through His Church, His Mystical Body, offers us a special season of grace for conversion. Our conversion should be to renounce sin and to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. ASH WEDNESDAY. Every year Lent commences with ASH WEDNESDAY. The Ashes symbolize our mortality, that one day we will die and pass from time to eternity and meet our Judgment. “Remember that you are dust and to dust shall you return.” (Gen. 3: 19)

3. FASTING. Those who have arrived at ages 18 up to 59 are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday, as well as Good Friday. We deprive our bodies of food so we can lift our minds and souls up to God.

4. FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT: JESUS IN THE DESERT. On the First Sunday in Lent we contemplate Jesus in the desert where He prayed and fasted for forty days, and was tempted by the devil. For us to conquer the devil, the flesh, and the world we must imitate Jesus. We must both fast and pray!

5. FORTY DAYS. Our Lenten journey lasts forty days—not including the Sundays of Lent.  Forty is a key Biblical number. The Jews spent 40 years in the desert before arriving at the Promised Land. Jonah preached that Nineveh would be destroyed in forty days if there was no conversion. Jesus spent forty days in the desert praying and fasting.

6. LITURGICAL CHANGES. There are some Liturgical changes during the Lenten Season:  The Alleluia and Gloria are suppressed. Flowers are taken from the Church. The priest vests in purple—a penitential color!

7. CONVERSION OF HEART. As mentioned above, Lent is a serious time of striving for conversion of our lives. When imposing the ashes, the minister can also say the first words of Jesus in His preaching ministry: “Repent (be converted) and believe in the Gospel.”  (Mk. 1: 15)  Jesus offers us three ways to arrive at this conversion of life! They are the following.

8. PRAYER. By praying we go up to God and He comes down to us, to help us reject sin and practice virtue. All true conversions are ultimately the fruit of prayer—one’s own personal prayer or the prayer of others, and usually both!

9. MASS AND PRAYER. By far, the greatest prayer in the universe is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. If possible, Lent is a very propitious time to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as frequently as our time and schedule permit.

10. PENANCE (FASTING). Jesus stated: “Some devils are cast out only by prayer and fasting.” (Mt. 17: 28)  We should all choose some form of fasting with the help of a good Spiritual Director.

11. CONFESSION AND CONVERSION. One of the most efficacious means to attain true conversion of heart is by preparing our heart, mind, and soul to make a good Sacramental Confession to the priest, and let the Precious Blood of Jesus wash us clean.

12. ALMSGIVING.  The practice of ALMSGIVING should not be limited to simply giving a beggar some money, food or clothing. Rather, almsgiving can be interpreted in the manner in which we treat people in general. Most especially should we express kindness, compassion, courtesy, patience, and a genuine spirit of sacrifice with those in our own home! “Charity begins at home!”

13. THE WAY OF THE CROSS. A very salutary practice to undertake in Lent is to make the Stations of the Cross. By contemplating these fourteen stations or scenes in the Life of Jesus—the culminating point of His Passion, we recognize how much Jesus suffered for us and loves us. Indeed, each of us can truthfully say Jesus suffered all of this for me!

14. FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT: THE COLOR PINK. Two times in the Church calendar the priest can wear the color pink in the celebration of the Mass—the third Sunday of Advent and the fourth Sunday of Lent. Why? This color symbolizes JOY. The fact that Jesus was born for us and that He suffered, died and rose from the dead for us in a source of infinite Joy! In allowing pink vestments in the course of these two penitential seasons, the Church is anticipating this Joy!

15. HOLY WEEK BEGINS! The Church enters into the solemn and most important week of the year with Holy Week. Palm Sunday initiates Holy Week. We call to mind when Jesus entered the City of Jerusalem mounted on a donkey, and the people acclaimed Him: “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Mt. 21: 9) Amidst these jubilant cries of exultation, they waved their Palm branches.

16. THE LITURGY OF PALM SUNDAY. The priest wears the color red—for the Precious Blood of Jesus. The Gospel reading is the account of the Passion of Jesus.

17. THE EASTER TRIDUUM. The Easter Triduum, the very heart of the Holy Week celebration, consists of three days and culminates in Easter. These three days are the following:  Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. These days are of the greatest importance!

18. HOLY THURSDAY. On this solemn day, there is only one Mass celebrated: the Mass of the Lord’s Supper celebrated in the evening. This day calls to mind two of the greatest gifts that Jesus bestowed upon the Church: Institution of the most Holy Eucharist and institution of Holy Orders or the Priesthood. This day especially should call us to renew our faith, devotion and love for the Eucharist and to pray for priests and for more holy priestly vocations.

19. GOOD FRIDAY. On this day we stand underneath the cross with our Sorrowful Mother, Mary most holy, and with her teary eyes and pierced Heart  contemplate Jesus, who suffers three long hours on the cross, shedding every drop of His Precious Blood for our eternal salvation. If you were the only person in the world, Jesus would have suffered His atrocious agony for love of you and the salvation of your immortal soul. Jesus hanging on the cross is the most powerful contemplation of Love in the universe!

20. HOLY SATURDAY: THE SILENCE AND CONTEMPLATION OF OUR LADY OF SORROWS. This day Jesus is resting in the tomb for the entire day. The theme of this day is to accompany Our Lady of Sorrows in silence. United with Mary, we relive the Sorrowful Passion of Jesus. All of His agony is still fresh in the mind and memory, eyes and Heart of Mary. She relives Jesus’ Passion that day. We are invited to spend the day at the side of Mary and console her, and she also consoles us in our sorrowful reliving of the sufferings of her Son and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

21. EASTER VIGIL MASS: JESUS IS TRULY RISEN FROM THE DEAD! This same night, with the most glorious Mass of the year, the Easter Vigil Mass, the Church and the world at large celebrate the most glorious event in human history! Jesus Christ is truly risen from the dead! Alleluia! He has come back from the dead in His risen Body and will never die again!

22. THE BEAUTY OF THE VIGIL MASS. In this Mass, the catechumens will receive the three Sacraments of initiation—Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist. The Alleluia breaks forth to praise God. The Gloria is sung in union with the angels. Then there is a long series of beautiful Biblical Readings summarizing the history of salvation. Following the Liturgy of the Word, we enter the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In receiving Holy Communion, we rise with Christ to new life!

23. EASTER DAY AND EASTER SEASON. Easter being such a glorious Solemnity cannot be celebrated in one day, and in fact is celebrated over eight days. Jesus’ Resurrection gives meaning to all human life. After the trials, struggles, pains and sorrows of this life, if we persevere in grace until the end, we will participate in the fruits of Easter—we will rise with the Risen Lord and attain the purpose of our life—Heaven!

24. DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY. Graces abound! The Sunday after Easter, the Church celebrates DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY. Those who have been confessed and participate at Mass and receive Holy Communion with burning love on this day, receive the Divine Mercy Promise: forgiveness of our sins and total remission of our sins. This can be compared to a second Baptism; our soul becomes as white as the snow. If we were to die right then, immediate entrance into heaven!

25. EASTER SEASON. The Easter Season lasts fifty days and concludes with the Solemnity of Pentecost—the coming of the Holy Spirit and the Birthday of the Catholic Church. During all this Season, the Acts of the Apostles, also known as the Gospel of the Holy Spirit, is read at Holy Mass!

Let us lift our eyes to Mary, who stood beneath the cross uniting her sufferings with the sufferings of Jesus for the salvation of the world. Let us also rejoice with Mary, and with overflowing and exultant jubilation because the crucified Lord Jesus has truly risen from the dead, never to die again. “Queen of Heaven rejoice, alleluia, for the Lord has truly risen from the dead.”