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

TUESDAY, May 11th   Jn. 16: 5-11   “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.”

• Jesus just told the Apostles that He is going to the one who sent Him, to the Father, and they are filled with grief. The Apostles do not yet know that Jesus will remain with us in the Church, in the priesthood, in the most Holy Eucharist, in Mary as Mother of the Church and our own dear Mother, and in the very depths of our hearts where the Blessed Trinity dwells in the soul in a state of sanctifying grace.
• This is the role of the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to remind them of all that Jesus told them, and lead them to all truth. We call that Pentecost!
• Our friendship with Jesus is the most important relationship in our lives – indeed the only essential relationship. Others may come and go, but if we have Jesus, we are firmly rooted in truth, in life, and in love!
• Everything in Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Joy of the Gospel is contained in and flows from encounter with Jesus…

“The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew. In this Exhortation, I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy…” (Pope Francis Joy of the Gospel)

• Let us look at key ways we encounter Jesus and ask ourselves some pertinent questions.

We encounter Jesus in Confession… 

• “Set free from sin” doesn’t mean I’ll never sin again, rather it means as soon as I sin, I can go to confession and receive God’s mercy and forgiveness! Am I quick to confess not only mortal sins but venial sins to receive the grace to sin less? Do I have a firm purpose of amendment not to sin again? Am I serious about avoiding people, places and things that lead me into sin? Overall, am I moving away from sin?
• Am I honest about my sins? Do I ask the Holy Spirit to open my eyes to sins I may be blind to? Am I willfully blind to sin because there is some habit or person I’m not willing to give up?
• Do I discuss with my confessor strong or recurring temptations to gain insight and grace to resist them?
• The best preparation for Confession is being faithful to our Daily Examen Prayer!

We encounter Jesus in Holy Communion…

• Do I make a sincere effort to attend Mass and receive Jesus in Holy Communion as often as possible? More than just on Sundays? By virtue of Baptism, as long as I’m in a state of grace, the Blessed Trinity dwells within me. But in Holy Communion, the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Trinity is operative. After consecration, there is no bread and wine, only the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ! When we receive Jesus, He receives us. If we truly understood this, we would never experience inner emptiness or loneliness again!   

We encounter Jesus in our daily holy hour…  

• Ven. Archbishop Fulton Sheen called this our “Hour of Power!” For it is truly Jesus who waits for us to enter into conversation with Him, to share with Him our joys and sorrows, our triumphs and struggles, even the deepest yearnings of our hearts.
• All the while He is at work in us. Hence, it doesn’t matter if our holy hour is rich with inspirations and consolations, or dry as bones with distractions, temptations and restlessness. Our holy hour is 1% what we do, and 99% what Jesus is doing within us.
• We generously spend an hour with Jesus every day, and He begins transforming us from the inside out, making our heart resemble His heart a little more each day. Making us more faithful, more patient, more merciful, more forgiving, more joyful, and more peaceful in accepting all that He permits to happen in our day and in our life!

We encounter Jesus in other people…

• This happens over time as we are faithful to our daily Holy Hour, Examen Prayer, frequent Confession and Holy Communion, and devotion to Mary, Mother of God, Mother of Jesus, and our loving Mother! We begin to see other people with the eyes and hearts of Jesus and Mary. We recognize their dignity and value conferred by the blood of Christ as reason enough for us to honor them, even if they don’t honor themselves or others. Moreover, they are part of the richness of God’s gifts to us! If we only have eyes to see what He sees!

We encounter Jesus when our sorrow turns to Joy!

• This takes an extraordinary gift of faith, hope and charity in our love of God – to know without a doubt that there is no sorrow that He will not transform into Joy beyond our imagining! We must be very patient with ourselves if we do not see this right away. We can only beg for the grace. It comes like sunshine shimmering through rain…

“The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew. In this Exhortation, I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy. (Pope Francis Joy of the Gospel)

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

TUESDAY, May 11th   Jn. 16: 5-11   “I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.”

SWEET GUEST OF THE SOUL: THE HOLY SPIRIT by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

The Sanctifier, the Paraclete, the Finger of God, the Interior Master, the Gift of Gifts, the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, the bond of Love uniting the Father and Son, the Helper, the Advocate, the Secret Friend—all of these are titles given to the Third Person of the most Blessed Trinity, the Holy Spirit.

As Saint Paul came to Ephesus on a missionary journey, he asked some of the people there if they had received the Holy Spirit. Their response could easily be seen in the light of the present situation with respect to the lack of knowledge of the faith, and the lack of knowledge of the Holy Spirit in general: “We did not even know that there was a Holy Spirit.” (Acts 19: 1-8)

We have never lived in a world with so much information. However, at the same time, we have never lived in a world with so much widespread confusion—effect of sin and the Tower of Babel!

Therefore, we would like to offer a short essay on how we can grow in our knowledge, love and friendship with the Holy Spirit, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church calls Him—“The Gift of Gifts!” Let us freely receive this Gift into the depths of our hearts, minds, souls, understandings and allow Him to permeate us with His Presence and take total possession of our lives.  A gift is a gift and it can be freely received or freely rejected. Let us open our entire beings to receive this greatest Gift, God Himself!

Hopefully these short suggestions can be of great help to unite you more closely to the Holy Spirit. Be ready and willing to share the knowledge that you have received freely. If we have received freely then we should give freely! The following are ten short points or ideas to enhance your knowledge, love and docility to the Holy Spirit.

1. PRAYER.  Never allow a day to pass without saying at least a short prayer to the Holy Spirit. Here is a short one that can be memorized easily: “Come Holy Spirit, come through the Heart of Mary.” Say this prayer often and with great faith and love.  Consequently, the Holy Spirit will be more active in your life.

2. ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.  Read through the book in the Bible that follows the Gospel of Saint  John, which is attributed to Saint Luke, the Acts of the Apostles.  This book has been called “The Gospel of the Holy Spirit.”  Be keenly observant of how many times the Holy Spirit is mentioned in this spiritual masterpiece.  See also the different ways that the Holy Spirit works in the primitive Church.  You might even underline with your pencil the number of times the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles.  Allow the Holy Spirit to enter more fully into your life by meditating on the Word of God.

3. NOVENA.  Get into the habit of making novenas.  One of the most powerful novenas in the history of the world was precisely the novena in preparation for the coming of the Holy Spirit that first Pentecost.  The Apostles prayed and fasted nine days and nights in union with the Blessed Virgin Mary. Then an extraordinary phenomenon occurred: a powerful wind, and fire descended upon the heads of the Apostles, transforming them into fiery lovers of Jesus, ready to shed their blood for the sake of the His name! (Read Acts chapter 2)

4. SYMBOLS.   Get to know the various symbols that the Church has given to know the Holy Spirit better. The Catechism of the Catholic Church gives several of them: Fire, a Cloud, the Dove, Wind, Water, Oil, the Seal, a Finger, a Lamp.  Symbols are physical realities that point to a more profound spiritual reality.  (CCC 694-701)

5. READING ON THE HOLY SPIRIT. One of the books that I highly recommend is “In the School of the Holy Spirit” written by Jacques Philippe.  A short but superb masterpiece on the topic of the Holy Spirit, Philippe invites us to pursue the path of holiness by the simple path of being docile to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier, wants to make us saints, if we will only allow Him to operate freely in our lives.

6. THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  At the moment of Baptism we receive the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit; then the Sacrament of Confirmation fortifies these wonderful gifts.  Get to know them; pray that they become more operative in your life. Your sanctification and salvation depend on this deep union with the Holy Spirit and His Gifts.

7. THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  If you are floundering in “no-man’s land” as to what the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are, the following is your cheat sheet. Try to memorize them: Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety and Fear of the Lord.  According to Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor, Wisdom is the greatest of all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and can be defined as relishing the things of God. If you like, the Psalmist sums wisdom up in these concise words:  “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.” (Psalm 34:8)

8. FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  Traditionally the fruits of the Holy Spirit are twelve, though Saint Thomas Aquinas says these are not all inclusive. The following are the traditional twelve: charity (or love), joy, peace, patience, benignity (or kindness), goodness, longanimity (or long suffering), mildness, faith, modesty, continency, and chastity.  Saint Thomas states that when we are corresponding to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and carrying out God’s will in our lives, then we experience an interior sweetness in our soul; these are the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

9. RECOVERY OF THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  A moral tragedy could occur in our lives: falling into mortal sin! If you have fallen into the mud of mortal sin, never give into despair, but trust God all the more fully.  By committing a mortal sin, we willingly expel the Holy Spirit from our soul. However, the Good News is this: CONFESSION!  By making a good sacramental confession to the priest, not only does God’s grace return to our soul, but also the Holy Spirit returns as the Sweet Guest of our soul.

10. OUR LADY AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.  Mary had the deepest and closest relationship to the Holy Spirit after Jesus Himself.  The Immaculate Conception, in which Our Lady was preserved from the stain of Original Sin, was the work of the Holy Spirit.  The Virginal Conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary was due to the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit.  The birthday of the Church on that first Pentecost, in which the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles in tongues of fire, came about in the presence of Our Lady. Her powerful prayers facilitated the coming of the Holy Spirit and the advent of the missionary Church.  Our Lady has a deep and intimate relationship to the Blessed Trinity. She is the Daughter of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and she is the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit.  For this reason, Saint Louis de Montfort expresses in his words of great enthusiasm:  “Those who love Mary, the Holy Spirit flings Himself into those souls.”  May Our Lady attain for you a renewed Pentecost and a powerful infusion of the Holy Spirit. “Come Holy Spirit, come through the Heart of Mary.”

Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter

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

MONDAY, May 10th   Jn. 15:25 – 16:4a   “They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.”

In John 8: 42-44, Jesus says to the Jews:

“If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me.

Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires.

He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!”

QUESTION: Have we ever listened to the lies of the devil???

TEN LIES OF THE DEVIL—THE FATHER OF LIES by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

The devil has many names! The Bible gives us many; the saints have their own descriptions! The different names from the Bible and from the saints present the various manners that the devil works in the world and in our lives.

What, then, are some of the Biblical names or descriptions of the devil? Jesus gives a double name for the devil: “He is a liar and a murderer from the beginning.” (Jn. 8:44) He also calls the devil “the Prince of this world”. (Jn. 14:30) A somewhat strange name that Jesus gives the devil is that of Beelzebub—meaning literally, “The Lord of the flies.”

Other names in the Bible would be the following: devil, Satan, Lucifer, serpent, as well as the ancient serpent—referring to the temptations of Adam and Eve in the Garden.

Still more the devil is called the Accuser. In one of his Letters, Saint Peter compares the devil to an animal, a ferocious and vicious animal. “He is like a roaring lion on the prowl seeking whom he can devour.” (1Pt. 5:8)

In the History of the Church, the saints have their own descriptions of the devil. With his typical conciseness, Saint Thomas Aquinas calls the devil…“The Tempter”. Saint Augustine, following in the line of Saint Peter, using animal images, describes the devil as an angry dog on a chain or leash. Saint Martin calls the devil a bloody brute. Finally, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, who has bequeathed to us the Spiritual Exercises calls the devil the enemy of our human nature.

The devil both hates God and hates all of humanity, as well as each and every one of us individually. One vice that the devil does not have is that of laziness. Quite the contrary, the devil works day and night tempting us. His purpose, with regard to us, is to tempt us to give into and succumb to sin. He wants us to be slaves of sin. Then he hopes to blind us to our slavery and addiction to sin. Finally, his greatest desire is to lure us into living in mortal sin and dying in the state of mortal sin. Then we will be the sport of the devil in hell for all eternity.

A note of great hope is that God is much stronger than the devil. However, God gives the devil permission to tempt us. We must rely on God’s grace and Mary’s intercession so as to win the battle and attain the salvation of our immortal souls.

The following are typical temptations of the devil who indeed, in the words of Saint Ignatius, is our mortal enemy. Our victory over the devil depends essentially on the grace of God, but also knowledge of his astute tactics.

TEN TYPICAL TEMPTATIONS OF THE DEVIL: THE ENEMY!

1. STATE OF DESOLATION.  Take this for granted: in the state of desolation the devil will tempt us; this is universal for all people, times and places. In a word, desolation is when we feel discouraged, sad, and depressed and that nobody really cares for me or loves me.

2. KRYPTONITE RULE.  Now the devil, aware of my facial expressions, seeing me sad, depressed, and discouraged applies the Kryptonite rule. Remember that Superman was strong except when he was exposed to Kryptonite. Then his strength left him. We must beg for the grace, as well as have access to spiritual direction, in order to discover our own Kryptonite.

3. PROCRASTINATION.  One of the typical temptations of the devil is to coax us into believing that we have a long life, a lot of time ahead of us, and that we can easily put off for tomorrow what we should do today. Put what off? Precisely this: put off our spiritual practices of piety. The devil speaks to us in this fashion: “You can go to Confession later – there’s no big hurry, and the priest does not have time today.” Rosary – put it off, do it later, until finally you fall asleep at midnight. If you are in the habit of making a Holy Hour – you can skip it one day; do it tomorrow, or next week, or never. In a word, the devil wants us to neglect our prayer life or at least diminish it.

4. HARBOR RESENTMENTS IN YOUR MIND AND HEART.  A chief tool of the devil is to surface in our minds past hurts and so harbor resentments. In other words, Satan desires that we hold back forgiveness and disregard being merciful. When the devil wins this huge victory, then we go through life both angry and depressed! Worse yet: we make the people around us angry and depressed! Double victory for the ancient serpent!

5. THE WORLD OF IMAGES.  In our modern, technologically advanced society and culture in which the image dominates, the devil, especially when we find ourselves in the state of desolation, can whisper in our ear to seek out bad images, scenes, videos against the virtue of purity or chastity. Unfortunately, viewing this material can easily form a habit, and then a long-term addiction. Better in desolation to run to the beautiful images of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus!

6. LAZINESSS/INDOLENCE.  In Spiritual Theology and practice, experience shows that when we are indolent and doing nothing of any real value, it is then that the devil tempts us and offers us the opportunity to enter into his factory or field of work, and that would be SIN! On the other hand, legitimate hard work not only builds us up and serves to help others, but it also serves to avoid many temptations from the devil. How true the proverb or saying: “Idleness is the workshop of the devil.”

7. BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS MORALS.  Saint Paul expresses a truism that all of us should consider: BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS MORALS. This being the case, all of us should choose with great discernment and wisdom who we would like to be our companions, especially our close friends. A bad companion can result in our ruin; however, a good friend is a treasure and can result in our growth in sanctification.

8. WANDERING EYES.  One of the greatest challenges is that of controlling our eyes. Eve, in the Garden of Eden, allowed her eyes to wander and to fix their gaze upon the forbidden fruit. This culminated, of course, in the commission of Original Sin, which was transmitted to all of humanity. The devil constantly tempts us to allow our eyes to wander. Remember the sins of King David—both adultery and murder—and it all started by the laziness of David and his wandering eyes.

9. DISOBEDIENCE IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS. Very often the devil will tempt us in many forms to disobey. Children being disobedient to their parents, Religious to their Superiors, workers toward their bosses, Catholics to the Magisterium (The Teaching Office of the Church)—behind much of this disobedience is the disguised presence of the devil. By the way, remember that the sin of Lucifer and the sin of Adam and Eve were essentially sins of disobedience to God. In a word, sin is disobedience.

10. TO IGNORE, TO SHOW INDIFFERENCE, COLDNESS AND REJECTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. It is a very interesting fact that once a Catholic leaves his true faith and becomes a Protestant or Jehovah Witness or enters into another Religious Sect, Our Lady is very often rejected. One of the key tactics of the devil is these words: “Catholics adore Mary, as well as images of Mary. They practice idolatry!” With this brain-washing they turn against Mary. Such individuals will ignore Mary, be cold or indifferent to Mary, reject Mary, or even have a real antagonism and outright hostility towards Mary. Behind these attitudes is the devil. Satan has a mortal fear of Mary because he knows her power of intercession, her power for good and for the salvation of souls. Saint Louis de Montfort asserts with precision: “He who does not have Mary as Mother, does not have God as Father.”

In conclusion, friends in Jesus and Mary, our life is truly Combat, a mortal fight until the end. Our enemies are many, but especially three: the devil, the flesh and the world. Our short essay has as its purpose to help us beware of the many tricks, lies, disguises, and traps of the devil, who is a liar and murderer from the beginning. With this self-knowledge and awareness, we can fight the good fight, run the good race, and eventually win the merited crown in Heaven that awaits God’s victorious soldiers. “Que viva Cristo Rey! Que viva Maria, la Generala!!!”

Sixth Sunday of Easter

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

SUNDAY, May 9th   Jn. 15: 9-17   “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.”

• How do we love one another? By first letting Christ love us! Letting Christ fulfill all that is lacking in us! In Him alone, we are complete. Only then, can we receive others, just as they are, just as Christ receives them.
• However, this friendship with Christ must be maintained or it will die out. Christ warns us of this: “I hold this against you, you have lost your first love.” (Rev. 2:4)
• How do we keep this love alive? 1) Our daily holy hour, encountering Jesus in the Scriptures, 2) Frequent Confession, the Sacrament of His Mercy, 3) Frequent reception of Jesus’ Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in Holy Communion, 4) Visiting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and 5) Conversing with Jesus and Mary on a daily basis as good friends are wont to do!

Part 1: Excerpt from This Tremendous Lover…by Dom Eugene Boylan, O. Cist R.

Part 2: TALKING WITH MY BEST FRIENDS JESUS AND MARY by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PART 1:  Excerpt from This Tremendous Lover…by Dom Eugene Boylan, O. Cist R. (+1964)

            What then have we to do? We must realize that Jesus is our tremendous lover, that He is our all and that He has done all our works for us. We must believe in Jesus and not in ourselves; we must hope in Jesus and not in ourselves; we must love Jesus and not ourselves. As Saint Augustine told us, there is one man who reaches to the extremities of the universe and unto the end of time. 

We have to enter into this one man – this one Christ – by faith, hope, and charity. We have to find our all in Him. He is our full complement and our perfect supplement. No matter how weak we are, He is our strength; no matter how empty we are, He is our fullness; no matter how sinful we are, He is our holiness. All we have to do is to accept God’s plan – to say as Christ said coming into the world: “A body thou hast fitted to me; behold I come to do Thy will, O God.” 

We have to accept the self, and the surroundings, and the story that the Lord’s providence arranges for us. In humility we must accept our self just as we are; in charity, we must accept and love our neighbor just as he is; in abandonment, we must accept the Lord’s will just as things happen to us, and just as He would have us act. Faithful compliance with His will and humble acceptance of His arrangements will bring us to full union with Christ.

For the rest, let us gladly glory in our infirmities that the power of Christ may dwell in us. In our weakness and in our love we shall thus become one with Him, and there shall be one Christ loving Himself.

PART 2: TALKING WITH MY BEST FRIENDS JESUS AND MARY by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

FAITHFUL FRIENDS ALWAYS.  Jesus and Mary are your best friends, always, in all places and in all times. You can talk to them and confide in them always! Jesus and Mary are always ready and willing to listen to you and talk to you as friends do. At the Last Supper, Jesus said to the Apostles (as well as to you and me): “I call you FRIENDS.” His friendship has not changed in 2000 years and it will never change. Jesus and Mary have a great longing, a great desire, in this precise moment to enter into a conversation of Friendship with you.

ENTER INTO THIS CONVERSATION OF FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS AND MARY NOW!

A STARTING HELP: PICTURE/PAINTNG, STATUE OF JESUS AND OF MARY.

Now place yourself in the Presence of Jesus and Mary. Imagine that they are looking at you with great tenderness, kindness, and love. Lift your eyes (as well as your heart) to the images of Jesus and Mary. Now open up your heart and talk to Jesus and Mary. Tell them everything that is on your mind, everything that is in your heart. They are the best of listeners.

SOME HELPS TO ENTER INTO CONVERSATION WITH JESUS AND MARY.  As a means to help you, imagine that Jesus and Mary with great love for you are asking you some very simple questions. Respond to these questions in your own words. Your words can be simple, uncomplicated, humble, and sincere. Here we go with our loving conversation with Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary, His Mother and your Mother!

1. WHO ARE YOU?  Why not start with the basics. Jesus asks “who are you”? That is a good question. Who are you in the eyes of the world? Are you a man or woman, younger or older, single or married, father or mother, brother or sister? Do you work, go to school, stay at home with the kids, or possibly you’re retired? Now, who are you in your own eyes? What do you think of yourself? Are you happy with who you are? If you could change one thing about yourself, what would that be? Now, who are you in the eyes of Jesus and Mary? Do you think about the fact that Jesus suffered and died on the cross and Mary suffered beneath the cross – all for love of you? Do you really know how precious you are in their eyes? They are listening very attentively to your answer, to your words, even to the movements of your heart. You can speak to Jesus and Mary as long as you want. They are in no hurry. Right now you are the most important person in the world to them.

2. WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND NOW?  In all times and places something is crossing our mind. Right now, why not express to Jesus and Mary the thoughts that are crossing or running through your mind. Talk to them about these thoughts. Do these thoughts bring you joy or sadness, peace or anxiety? Talk sincerely about your thought world. Perhaps things that you cannot talk to anyone else about. Jesus and Mary do not mean for you to carry your burdens alone.

3. ARE YOU FEARFUL?  We all go through moments of fear and about many things. Perhaps over the past few days there has been something in your life that has caused you to enter into a state of fear. This is an excellent topic of conversation between you and Jesus and Mary. Often the Apostles had fears; all people have fears in their lives. So do you and so do I. Bring these fears to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Jesus, who calmed the fears of the Apostles in the storm, can calm your fears too!

4. WHAT MIGHT BE SOME FEARS?  Fears can come in many shapes and forms, colors and shades. Never forget that both Jesus and Mary love you always and are always ready to listen to you and help you. Here are a few that might be your fears right now. Your future? Maybe you are fearful about your future. We are living in challenging times. Maybe your future is uncertain and this causes fear. Talk to Jesus and Mary about this. Ask them to help you place your future in their loving and caring hands. Or it could be that you or one of your family members has a serious health problem and that makes you fearful. Ask the Divine Physician for healing in mind and body. Always trusting in His Divine Providence to know what is best for each person. Remembering that when He gives a cross, He promises to help us carry it! Maybe your fears are for spiritual well-being – yours or someone else’s. In this case what is needed is a Soul Doctor and a good Confession. If it is for yourself, don’t put it off! The enemy wants to steal your soul – and that is how he does it! He paralyzes us with fear! Ask a friend to go with you, so you won’t back out! If your fear is for someone else who is putting off Confession and Conversion – Prayer and Penance are your weapons. Jesus says some demons are only driven out by prayer and penance!

5. OTHER FEARS?  Family tension and problems! Your fears might be in your home, in your own family. Maybe there is tension, turmoil, anger and bitterness among some family members, maybe even with you, and this is a constant cause of fear and anxiety in your mind and heart. Open up your heart to Jesus and Mary and talk to them about these family tensions and fears. Talk to Jesus and Mary about your family members. Most likely there is at least one family member who is in need of prayers. Beg Jesus and Mary to help you pray for them; this can bring peace to your heart! Jesus and Mary are always attentive to your prayers and willing to help you carry the cross.

6. WOUNDS OF THE PAST/WOUNDS IN THE PRESENT.  Because of the Original Sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, we all live in a world that is deeply wounded. And that means that we too are wounded, and most likely we have wounded others. Most likely, even now, you carry a wound in your heart. Past or present, being abused in any number of ways leaves huge, gaping wounds. Now is the time to bring these wounds to the Sacred Heart of Jesus that was wounded by the lance that pierced His Heart causing blood and water to gush forth, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary who suffered in her heart all that Jesus suffered in His Body as she stood beneath the cross. Being physically beaten, emotionally abused, rejected, perhaps abandoned—all of these situations leave wounds that can be very deep.

7. JESUS THE WOUNDED HEALER.  Jesus is the wounded-healer. In prayer we can bring these many and possibly huge wounds to Jesus. The Bible says: “By His wounds we are healed.” (Is. 53:5) Do not be afraid to open up and talk to Jesus about your wounds because by His wounds we are healed. Call to mind the many sick, suffering, and wounded people who came to Jesus while He walked the earth. Jesus’ Heart was moved to pity and compassion, and He healed them if they trusted in Him. Imagine that you are one of those wounded and sick persons in the time of Jesus: the blind, the deaf, the mute, the leper, the paralytic! Like them, go to Jesus now and ask for healing! Go to the Immaculate Heart of Mary also and ask her to heal you. Mary is known as Refuge of sinners, Health of the sick, and Mother of mercy and consolation. Turn to Mary as your loving Mother and open your wounded heart and talk to her—let her console you! One more step is necessary. Beg Jesus and Mary for the grace to pray for those who wounded you—pray for their conversion and eternal salvation. Something as simple and three Hail Marys for them every day. Praying for them will bring peace to your soul—and the captive you set free will be you! And the mercy you show them, will be showered upon you by your loving and Merciful Savior!

8. YOUR TEMPTATIONS.  Now, here is another topic to talk with Jesus and Mary about, your temptations! Do not be ashamed in your conversation with Jesus and Mary to talk about your temptations. Everybody in the world is subject to temptations now and until we die. The devil never goes on vacation. A temptation is not a sin unless we give in to it. Bring to Jesus and Mary the temptations you may be experiencing. Here might be a few. Temptations to discouragement—bring this to the Heart of Jesus. “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Mt. 11:28) Temptations to impurity—bring this to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Temptations to laziness—it is not always about avoiding work we have to do; sometimes it is avoiding the work we don’t like to do! Talk to Mary about this, who went in haste to help her elderly cousin Elizabeth, pregnant with St. John the Baptist. Temptations to anger and impatience—turn to Jesus who carried the cross patiently and beg for His help. Temptations to lie—turn to Jesus who said: I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (Jn. 14:6) Temptations to disobey—to do our will instead of God’s will! Run to Jesus who was obedient to death, even death on the cross! Bringing your temptations to Jesus and Mary are great ways to overcome the devil!

9. EVEN YOUR SINS!  Now this is a very important topic of conversation: your sins! Jesus did not come for the perfect; He came to save sinners. The name JESUS means God saves! The worst thing we can do is to fail to TRUST in Jesus and in His love and mercy. Therefore, bring even your failures, your sins, to the most Merciful Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Tell Jesus that you love Him and you are sorry for these sins. Tell Him that you want to change. Beg Jesus for the grace and the strength to change. Then tell Jesus and Mary of your desire to go to confession. The prophet Isaiah encourages us with these words: “Though your sins be like scarlet, I will make them as white as the snow.” (Is. 1:18) Say these words often to Jesus, words that give great consolation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary: JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU!!! Also, none of us know the day or the hour we will die. Therefore, never go to bed without doing an examination of conscience and making a perfect act of contrition—that is to say, a contrition of love, contrition for hurting the One you love and who loves you more than anyone else in the world can ever love you—with the firm intention to go to confession as soon as possible. If you were to die in that state, your sins would be forgiven.

10. YOUR PLANS, YOUR GOALS, YOUR DREAMS.  At every stage of life, we should have plans, goals, and even dreams. You should have long term goals, short term goals, and dreams to accomplish. Jesus and Mary are very interested in these. Open up your heart and talk to Jesus and Mary about these noble aspiration and goals. As we get older, the aspirations of this life should begin to give way to aspirations and longing for our eternal life! Jesus and Mary are very interested in your goals and dreams, in your future here and in eternity! Open up and talk to them about your future!

11. THANKSGIVING: AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.  Jesus and Mary rejoice when we tell them these two words: THANK YOU! Therefore, try to get in the habit of thanking Jesus and Mary for the many gifts they have given to you. In sum, what do we have that we have not received from God? Nothing! Except our sins—those we freely chose. Stop and look up to Jesus and Mary, and pour out your heart in gratitude!

12.  IMITATE THE ONE GRATEFUL LEPER.  On one occasion ten lepers came to Jesus and He healed all ten, but only one came back to give Jesus thanks! May you be that one grateful leper! Thank Jesus for your life—thank you, Jesus. Give thanks for your health—Lord Jesus, thanks! Thanks for your family—Lord, I lift my hands in thanks! For freedom—Jesus, once again thanks! For your Catholic faith—Lord, from the depths of my heart, thanks!!!

13. BECOME THE BEGGAR BEFORE JESUS.  Beggars would sometimes approach Jesus and He would often grant what they requested. Now it is your turn to become the beggar. Jesus said: “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. (Mt. 7:7) Any need that is in your heart, open up and become a beggar before Jesus. He loves to help humble and trusting beggars!

14. BEG FOR OTHERS. Do not limit your prayers to yourself. Rather, go outside yourself and beg for others’ intentions, for others’ needs. Beg for your family members certainly. Then beg for world peace; beg for starving children; beg for the sick and the dying; beg for the homeless and the orphans. Beg also for the suffering souls in Purgatory to be released to Heaven! Beg for the conversion of poor sinners, of dying sinners. Many graces descend upon the world due to the prayers of beggars!

15. LOVE JESUS AND MARY.  The most important sentiment that can flow from our hearts is that of love. Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. Never forget how much Jesus and Mary love you. And you should tell them how much you love them, too. Love is the bond of perfection. Saint John of the Cross says: “In the twilight of our lives, we will be judged on love.” Now, in your own words, tell Jesus and Mary how much you really do love them. Beg them for the grace to love them more and more each day. Beg Jesus and Mary for the grace to love them now, tomorrow, and forever in heaven!

Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter

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

SATURDAY, May 8th   Jn. 15: 18-21   “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.’”

• Christians have always been persecuted, are still being persecuted, and will continue to be persecuted until the end of time! Because, as Jesus says, “the world hates you.”
• Persecution is one form of suffering. Read the “Acts of the Apostles” and see how the first Christians suffered in imitation of Christ for the salvation of souls! However, all suffering united with the suffering of Christ on the cross has salvific power!
• In the next two segments, we delve deeper into the Mystery of Suffering for the salvation of immortal souls for all eternity.

Part 1: Jesus to Saint Faustina on Suffering (Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul)

Part 2: SUFFERING! IT CAN MAKE US BETTER OR BITTER!!!  By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PART 1: Jesus to Saint Faustina on Suffering (Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul)

“There is but one price at which souls are bought and that is suffering united to My suffering on the cross” (Diary 324).

“You will join prayers, fasts, mortification, labors and all sufferings to My prayer and sufferings and then they will have power before My Father” (Diary 531).

“Help Me, My daughter to save souls. Join your sufferings to My Passion and offer them to the Heavenly Father for sinners” (Diary 1032).

“I have need of your sufferings to rescue souls” (Diary 1612).

“You will save more souls through prayer and suffering than will a missionary through his teachings and sermons alone.” (Diary 1767).

PART 2: SUFFERING! IT CAN MAKE US BETTER OR BITTER!!!  By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

It is hard to suffer, none of us really like to suffer, nor do we look forward to suffering! Nonetheless, being human, suffering is both inevitable and unpredictable, as well as unavoidable! Young or old, man or woman, poor or rich, in season and out of season—there is a constant: the difficult and demanding reality of human suffering!

According to both Aristotle and Saint Thomas Aquinas—the greatest Greek philosopher and the greatest Catholic Theologian and thinker—suffering is neither good nor bad; it is neutral, you might say. It all depends upon the way we perceive suffering and react to it. In a word, suffering can make us either better or bitter. Suffering can either crush us or it can sanctify us!

THE POSITIVE VALUE AND MEANING OF SUFFERING. If we suffer apart from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, then beyond the shadow of a doubt, suffering will make us bitter, resentful, angry, and lead eventually to depression. However, on the other side of the coin, if we can look at Jesus and His suffering, especially as we contemplate Jesus nailed and hanging on the cross, then our perspective and reality changes dramatically and immediately. Jesus Himself chose to save and redeem the world by means of suffering, by means of His Passion, by means of His crucifixion, by means of His slow and excruciating death that first Good Friday! In other words, it was through Jesus’ suffering and the profuse shedding of His Precious Blood that Jesus willed to save the whole world from damnation and open up the gates of Heaven. For that reason, the great Saint Francis of Assisi prayed the short but fervent prayer: “We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”

JESUS’ SUFFERING AND US. The reality of Jesus’ suffering must be applied to you and to me. As said earlier, we all have to suffer; it is part of the human plight and condition as a result of the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve and the Original Sin. However, the key is this: we must learn how to sanctify our suffering by union with the suffering of Jesus. Yes! It is only inasmuch as we unite our life and suffering with Jesus’ suffering on the cross, that our suffering has true salvific and redeeming value. Again, suffering can make us either better or bitter.

HOW TO SUFFER WITH JESUS? The next question that necessarily follows is HOW can we suffer with Jesus? This is not an easy task. We must beg for the grace; we urgently need the grace of God. Not to be overly simplistic, we would like to offer a relatively short path. These are the steps.

1. KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS. The first step is that we have to be cognizant or aware of the reality of suffering in the world in which we live, but even more important, of the suffering that we are going through on a personal and individual plane.

2. BEG FOR THE GRACE. The next step in sanctifying our suffering is that of becoming a beggar. The great Saint Augustine asserts: “We are all beggars before God.” That means that we are constantly in need of God’s grace, His supernatural help. Without God we can do nothing, but with God all things are possible. Therefore, we must beg the Lord—like the blind beggar Bartimaeus—for the grace to recognize our suffering and the grace to suffer in a way that is pleasing to God.

3. DO NOT COMPLAIN OR REJECT. When you are visited by suffering, avoid complaining and getting angry over the prospect of this suffering in your life, much less reject it! In visiting Hospitals, Nursing Homes, and homes of the elderly and sick, how much suffering is actually wasted! What a shame and disgrace—so much wasted suffering!

4. ACCEPT. What must follow suffering is the reality of ACCEPTING the suffering. When beset with a cross, it is incumbent upon us to recognize the suffering as soon as possible and accept it. This is the key to victory—recognizing the suffering and accepting it quickly! Beg for the grace and be open to the Holy Spirit. There is a very important reason for us to accept it!

5. OFFER IT UP.  Many of us were brought up in the past with a good education from our parents, and from the Sisters in Catholic school, who taught us this three-word spiritual axiom: OFFER IT UP! It might sound like a cliché or even a pious platitude, but if truly understood, it is anything but a cliché, platitude, or hackneyed and overused pious saying!

6. OFFER IT UP—THE CROSS. The real meaning and interpretation of this axiom is related to the cross and the Person who suffered on the cross—our Lord and God, our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. In sum, we are called to accept and offer our suffering to Jesus, thereby uniting our suffering to His suffering on the cross. If this is done with purity of intention, the suffering that we are undergoing takes on infinite value!

7. HOW TO DO THIS? Simply look to the cross and as you contemplate the gaping wounds of Jesus in His hands, feet, and opened side, say to Jesus: “Lord Jesus, as I contemplate your suffering for love of me, I offer my suffering for love of you and for the salvation of souls.” Using these or similar words, your suffering transforms you, and anyone who does this, into a little Victim Soul—souls who suffer with Jesus for the reason He came to earth, the salvation of poor sinners.

8. THE PASSION OF JESUS AND YOURS. Saint Paul states: “I fill up what is lacking in the Passion of Christ.” (Col. 1:24) How can this Pauline verse be understood and applied? Quite simply by recognizing, accepting, offering, and uniting your suffering to the suffering of Jesus on the cross. It is more than true to say that Jesus is the only Savior of the world. However, Jesus wants generous souls to collaborate with Him—to pray, work, and suffer with Him for the salvation of as many souls as possible. Remember the motto of Saint John Bosco: “Give me souls and take all the rest away.”

9. THE CROSS, CALVARY, AND THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS. However, it must be stated with utmost clarity that our most efficacious union with Jesus is through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. As Venerable Fulton J. Sheen points out, in every Mass the sacrifice of Jesus on Calvary is present. Of course this is an invisible reality, but indeed a reality. In every Mass, the Sacrifice of Good Friday and Jesus Passion, suffering, and death is present. Jesus is offering His Precious Blood to God the Father for the salvation of humanity, as well as every soul individually. This being said, we must unite our suffering to the cross and the Passion of Jesus present in every Holy Mass, so He can offer our suffering with His to the Father! Indeed, in every Mass, Calvary and the fruits of Calvary are present and available to all! In this way our suffering becomes efficacious beyond comprehension!

10. OUR LADY AND OUR SUFFERING. Our exhortation on suffering would be incomplete if we did not introduce Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, into the scene. During the Mass, give your sufferings to Mary. Mary is the daughter of God the Father, Mother of God the Son, and Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit. Place them in her hands and in her Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. Let Mary place them on the altar during the Mass. When Jesus truly present in the Consecrated Host is elevated—Mary offers your sufferings to the suffering of Jesus on the cross, Jesus in turn presents your sufferings with His to the Eternal Father, and as a result your suffering has infinite value!!!

In conclusion suffering will either make you better or bitter! If you can learn to suffer with Jesus and Mary, unite your sufferings to Jesus on the cross, unite your sufferings through Mary to Jesus truly present in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at the moment of Consecration, then your sufferings will have infinite value, and with Saint Paul truly you will “fill up what is lacking in the Passion of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (Col. 1:24) Let us pray with the great mystic, stigmatic, and lover of the cross, Saint Francis of Assisi: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your cross you have redeemed the world.”

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