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

TUESDAY, April 20th   Jn. 6: 30-35   “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.’”

• Truly, we are God’s spoiled children! They are just hearing about the Eucharist for the first time! We can receive Jesus truly present in the most Holy Eucharist every day, and have been able to do so all of our lives if we are “cradle Catholics” – referring to those brought up in the Faith!
• Let us show our love, appreciation, and exultant joy for the great privilege of being invited daily to the table of our Eucharistic Lord, even as we pray in the Our Father: “Give us this day our daily bread”, by committing ourselves over time to follow up on Fr. Ed’s suggestions to grow in our love for the Eucharist!    

MORE WAYS WE CAN GROW TO LOVE THE EUCHARIST by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

We should strive to grow in our love for Jesus who is truly Present in the most Holy Eucharist and this should be a life-time pursuit! Our conversion of heart, our sanctification, our interior peace and joy, our final perseverance in grace, depends on Jesus, and He is truly and substantially present in the consecrated Host in His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.

The following are concrete actions that we can take to fortify our love for the greatest of all Lovers, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Eternal Father, the Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Bread of Life!

1. READ JOHN CHAPTER SIX AND LEARN IT.  One of the most important chapters in the Bible that refers to the Presence of Jesus as the Bread of Life is the Gospel of Saint John, Chapter Six. Try to read, pray over, and meditate on this sublime chapter of the preaching and teaching of Jesus in the discourse titled: THE BREAD OF LIFE DISCOURSE! (Jn. 6: 22-71)

2. SPIRITUAL COMMUNIONS.  Highly recommended by Saint Alphonsus and many other saints is the practice of making Spiritual Communions. They can be made in any time and any place, using many different words of expression. Your fundamental desire and prayer should be to receive Jesus, in a spiritual but profound way, into the depths of your heart, to be constantly united to the Lord Jesus, the Bread of Life. A simple prayer is: “Jesus, I cannot receive you sacramentally, come spiritually into my heart. As if you were already come, I embrace you and unite myself entirely to you. Jesus I love you, Jesus I trust in you, Jesus never let me be separated from you!”

3. READ IMITATION OF CHRIST—BOOK IV.  One of the greatest classics ever written is The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis. It was one of the favorites of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and Saint Therese, and surely other saints. The text is divided into four books. The last book deals specifically with the Mass, Holy Communion, the Eucharist, the Priest, and many other topics pertinent to growing and falling in love with the Eucharist. Purchase it, read it, and love it!

4. DIARY OF SAINT FAUSTINA—BOOK VI.  Another classic is that of the Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul by Saint Faustina Kowalska, who was called the Secretary of Divine Mercy. This literary classic and masterpiece can be divided into six books. Like The Imitation of Christ, the last book of the Diary deals with the way that Saint Faustina would prepare her soul to receive the Eucharist, the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. This will profit you greatly in your own preparation and reception of this greatest of all Sacraments— the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus.

5. VISIT THE BLESSED SACRAMENT.  Friends enjoy visiting with each other and as often as possible. If indeed Jesus is our Best of Friends, then we should long to make frequent visits. Remember the short poem with respect to making Eucharistic visits in Catholic Churches: Whenever I see a church, I stop to make a visit; so that when I die, the Lord won’t say “Who is it?” When you see a Church, stop what you are doing! Enter the Church and greet the Lord! Thank the Lord Jesus and tell Him how much you love Him!

6. FIFTEEN MINUTES WITH JESUS.  There is a wonderful little booklet: Fifteen Minutes with Jesus. A short but impressive booklet, it can serve as a great platform to enter into dialogue and talk with Jesus as your Best Friend. Indeed, Jesus wants to be your Best Friend. He is waiting for you right now!

7. HOLY HOUR OF REPARATION.  Given that all are sinners—we are sinners, our family members are sinners—many souls are heading in full force towards the precipice. Add to that, the Church is going through a great state of turmoil. Now more than ever we should make a concerted effort to be with the Lord praying for mercy, pardon, conversion, and salvation! The inhabitants of Nineveh were saved by the preaching of Jonah. The King called for fasting and penance, and God, seeing their penitent hearts, spared Nineveh from destruction. Equally important for us in this time of Ecclesial storm is to make Holy Hours of Reparation, begging mercy for us, for the Church, and for the whole world! “For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

8. NOVENA OF MASSES FOR VARIOUS INTENTIONS.  One of the greatest gifts anybody can give, or for that part receive, is that of prayer. By far, the greatest prayer that can be offered and received is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The graces flowing from the Mass are most powerful. Indeed, it is the Offering of the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus to the Eternal Father for the salvation of the entire world. This is something you can do: go to Mass for nine consecutive days and offer the Mass and your reception of Holy Communion for a specific person and even for a specific intention if you want. The possible intentions are limitless! Examples: the conversion of sinners; the return of your son to the practice of the faith; that your daughter might get married in the Church; that your husband might give up drinking; that your brother in jail might go to confession; that some young man might say Yes to a vocation to the priesthood! The key is that for nine days in a row you attend Holy Mass and receive Jesus in Holy Communion, all offered for your specific intention. Innumerable graces can flow from this novena of Masses and Holy Communions. Why not start today? God will bless you and others most abundantly!

9. GENUFLECTION.  Even though it may be a small and almost inconspicuous gesture, the genuflection has immense importance and value! Bending your right knee and going all the way down to touch the ground, is a corporal gesture that is made when passing in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Its meaning? This was done in the Middle Ages as a gesture of homage or tribute to a King or Queen. In a parallel, but very real sense, Jesus is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. The greater the person, the more, in justice, we owe them great dignity and respect by even our corporal postures and gestures. Therefore, even more should Jesus be honored and praised by a reverential genuflection!!!

10. BRING WANDERING SHEEP TO THE EUCHARISTIC LORD.  Be a Eucharistic Apostle and bring a wandering sheep back to the fold by inviting this Prodigal Son/Daughter to Church. Go the whole nine yards! Invite them to go with you to Church, first to make a good Confession. Then to return once again to assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receive Jesus in Holy Communion! Saint James reminds us that if we bring back a wandering soul, we save our own soul and expiate a multitude of sins! (Jas 5: 19-20)  We merit our own salvation and less time in Purgatory! Go for it!

Above are ten simple suggestions on how you can fortify your spiritual life by fortifying your love and devotion to Jesus, the Bread of Life and the Savior of the world!  May Our Lady who said YES to God and received Jesus into her soul intercede for us! 

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

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

MONDAY, April 19th   Jn. 6: 22-29   “So they said to him, ‘What can we do to accomplish the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.’”

• To believe in the one whom God sent is to grow deeper in our love for Jesus Christ, our Lord God and Savior! Pray over these titles of Jesus. Then pick one or two, go to the Bible verse cited. And pray with the words of Sacred Scripture regarding Jesus!

JESUS: THE CENTER OF MY LIFE! By Father Ed Broom, OMV

Jesus Christ is the center of all human history, the alpha and the omega, the principle and foundation, the beginning and the end, the key that unlocks eternal life to all who believe and place their trust in Him. By His Incarnation, life, death, and Resurrection, Jesus has divided history into two blocks of time: B.C. and A.D. Never has any other person come onto the stage of human history and had such a huge impact, and He did this all in no more than 33 years.

The following exposition in its essence is a prayer to Jesus. The short prayer expressions or prayer gems are taken from Sacred Scripture, most of them from the texts of the Gospels. If you like, these are Christological titles transformed into short prayers. It is our intention and desire that you will very slowly pray over these titles in imitation of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who pondered the Word of God in her Immaculate Heart.

CHRISTOLOGICAL TITLES TRANSFORMED INTO PRAYER…

Titles for Jesus are many and rich indeed!  Let us learn to pray, to really talk to Jesus through the many and various titles inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus, you are the Bread of Life, give me a growing hunger and insatiable thirst for you. (Jn. 6:25-70)

Jesus, you are The Good Shepherd, grant me the deep inner security that I am never really alone because you are walking next to me, side by side, and you are guiding me by your rod and staff. (Psalm 23/Jn. 10:1-18)

Jesus, you are truly The Resurrection and The Life, attain for me an ardent yearning to live with you for all eternity in heaven. (Jn. 11:1-44)

Jesus, your name means Savior, I beg you to stretch out your gentle but strong hand to save me. Lord Jesus, save me from doubt, from my inner fears and anxieties, from my lack of trust in your Divine Providence. Lord Jesus, in the midst of the storms of life, when it seems as if my life is on the verge of capsizing and sinking, descend upon me with your calm. Lead me to a safe haven. (Lk. 1:26-56)

Jesus you are truly The Divine Physician, The Divine Doctor, I implore you to touch me with your hand and heal me. (Mt. Chapters 8 and 9) Lord Jesus, I admit my infirmities. Heal my mind with your light. Heal my soul with your grace. Heal my memory with your peace. Heal my body with your strength.  

Jesus, you are the best of all Teachers. (Jn. 20:16) As I sit before you, I beg for you to truly become my Teacher. I thank you for the Gospels, (Good News) in which I can sit at your feet and absorb and drink in the Words of Truth. (Gospels)

Jesus, you are The Way, the Truth, and the Life. Pave the way for me on the highway to heaven. Inundate me in the rays of your truth. And final, attain for me eternal life in heaven. (Jn. 14:6-7)

Jesus, you are The Alpha and Omega, the Principle and Foundation of my life. Attain for me fullness of life by having you at the very center of my life—my thoughts, words, decisions, and actions. (Rev. 22:13)

Jesus, you said: I am the Light of the world, cast out the dark regions present in my mind, memory, understanding, intentions, and my life. Shine on me and in me, so that your Presence in my life may enlighten many others. (Jn. 8:12)

Jesus, you are truly the Logos—the Word of God issuing forth from the Eternal Father. May your Words be engraved deeply in my whole being so that I will be a living expression of your truth in the world. (Jn. 1:1)

Jesus, you are Emmanuel—God with us! In this journey of life heading toward our eternal destiny—heaven—may I constantly be aware of your gentle and consoling presence. May my prayer be that of the disciples on the road to Emmaus: Stay with us, Lord, for the day is far spent. (Lk. 24:13-35)

Jesus, you are the Christ-Messiah, the Anointed One. Through Baptism and Confirmation, I have received a double-anointing. I implore you to anoint my thoughts and words so that I will be an anointed presence for my brothers and sisters. (I Jn. 5:1)

Jesus, you indeed are The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. By your Precious Blood, that I receive through the Sacraments of Confession and Communion, may I be cleansed and purified of all my past sins and live the liberty of the sons and daughters of God. (Jn. 1:29)

Jesus, you are the Healing Hand that saves. Stretch out your hand to touch my festering wounds and heal me, and all of suffering humanity. (Mt. 8:1-4)

Jesus, you are indeed the Wounded-Healer. Indeed, it is by your wounds that we are healed. May I seek refuge in your wounds, especially your wounded Sacred Heart! Indeed, this is my true and eternal refuge. (Is. 53:5)

Jesus, you are The Friend who is always faithful. May I always experience you as a true Friend, always willing to walk with me, talk with me, welcome me, and be present to me. You indeed are my true Friend who will never fail me. (Jn. 15:15)

Jesus, you are The Son of God made man. I am eternally grateful to you for becoming like us in all things except sin. I praise and thank you for assuming your humanity from the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Jesus, you are The Lord of Lords and The King of Kings. As such I adore you and pay you homage as King of my whole being. Jesus, as King I beg you to reign over my whole being. Reign over my mind, my thoughts, my imagination, my feelings, my intentions, my body and soul in time and for all eternity. (Rev. 19:16)

Jesus, you indeed are the Crucified Savior. May my love and devotion to you result in crucifying and putting to death all in me that is unworthy of you—that is to say, sin and all of its negative effects. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. (Mt. 27:32-56)

Jesus, your Most Sacred Heart is a burning furnace of charity. Set my heart on fire with love for you and with love for souls. You said: I have come to cast fire on the earth and I am not at peace until that fire be enkindled. Lord Jesus, give me that fire! (Lk. 12:49)

Jesus, you are the Son of God, the Son of man, and the Son of Mary! Through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your loving Mother, may I arrive at a deeper knowledge of you, a deeper love for you, a deeper understanding of you, and a more earnest yearning and longing to follow you all the days of my life! Jesus, Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may you be the very center of my life, now and for all eternity. Amen.

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

SUNDAY, April 18th   Lk. 24: 35-48   “And he said to them, ‘Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.’”

• The sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve, closed the gates of heaven to all mankind. The lance that pierced the side of Jesus and His most Sacred Heart as He hung on the cross, opened the gates of heaven for those willing to trust in His Mercy.

Part 1: TEN SHORT MEDITATIONS FOR MAKING GOOD CONFESSIONS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV. Father Ed brings us 10 Scripture Passages to meditate upon replete with God’s loving Mercy towards His children!

Part 2: Mercy Quotes from the Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul… Saint Faustina Kowalska.

PART 1: TEN SHORT MEDITATIONS FOR MAKING GOOD CONFESSIONS by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

One of the greatest blessings and gifts that flows out of the Sacred Heart of Our Lord is Mercy, expressed most deeply through the Sacrament of Confession. This Sacrament is also sometimes called the Sacrament of Pardon, Reconciliation, Penance, as well as the Sacrament of God’s Mercy.

Words that produce inexplicable peace, joy, consolation and hope are the words that the Catholic priest expresses in the words of absolution at the end of the Sacrament of Mercy: “And I absolve you of your sins: in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. My son (or daughter), your sins are forgiven; go in peace!” The interior knowledge that all of my sins have been totally and completely erased, obliterated, wiped out and forgiven by the Blood of Jesus shed for me on Calvary produces a joy and peace that goes beyond the ability of human words to express!

The two most important and sublime gestures that a Catholic can do on earth are the following: first, to receive with faith, devotion and burning love the Sacrament of the most Holy Eucharist — the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ; second, to confess our sins to the priest, who represents Jesus our Healer and Friend, and receive sacramental absolution and forgiveness of our sins.

This being the case, we should strive with all the energy and fiber of our being to improve our interior disposition to receive these sacraments better each time.In a word, each reception of both of these sacraments should be better and more fervent than the prior reception! That should be our ideal and constant goal! May God assist us!

Therefore, this brief article is on the Sacrament of God’s Mercy with the goal of enhancing within us greater appreciation for this great Sacrament which flows from the loving Heart of Jesus pierced with the lance from which flowed His Precious Blood and Water that first Good Friday. (Jn. 19:34)

This article expresses an original perspective and dimension in this sense, that it is totally and purely Biblical. Actually, ten Biblical passages will be cited manifesting ten different fruits, effects, and blessings, as well as the overall spiritual reality of this great Sacrament of the Mercy and Love of Jesus the Redeemer.

It is our hope that every person will be moved to have a limitless trust in the greatest of all of the attributes or virtues burning in the Sacred Heart of our loving Redeemer, His mercy for the sinner, and thereby have confidence to make good and frequent Sacramental Confessions. “For the just man falls seven times a day, but rises again.” (Prov. 24:16) The Lord is waiting for you with love.

The greatest sinners can become the greatest saints if they simply trust in the mercy of Jesus. That which wounds most the Sacred Heart of Jesus, even more than sin itself, is the lack of trust in His mercy. Saint Paul encourages us with these words: “Where sin abounds, the mercy of God abounds all the more.” (Rom. 5:20)

The following are ten Biblical passages related to the Sacrament of Confession, but each in a unique way.  Pray over these, meditate on them, trust in God’s mercy and then make the best confession in your life: “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”(Psalm 34:8) Then continue to frequent the Sacrament of God’s Infinite Mercy!

1. Luke 15: 11-32

THE PRODIGAL SON! Read and pray over the Parable of the Prodigal Son before going to Confession. Beg for the grace to understand what God wants you to learn from this spiritual masterpiece. Every time you read and meditate upon this spiritual gem, God will enrich you with new and deeper insights.

However, in all times and places, the central message is that the Father in the Parable is God the Father who is full of love, mercy and compassion for all those who trust in Him. Saint Pope John Paul II wrote an entire encyclical on this one Parable: Dives in Misericordia. Read it and meditate upon it!

2. Psalm 51

Pray Psalm 51 before and after going to confession. This is the heart-felt Act of Contrition that King David prayed after he committed adultery with Bathsheba and then murdered her husband, Urias, an innocent man. Beg for the grace to have true repentance for your sins.

True sorrow, true and heartfelt contrition, is essential for making a good confession. David humbly admits that his sin is his own doing and blames nobody except himself. May we own up to our sins and blame only ourselves, and as always, like David, trust in God’s Infinite Mercy!

3. John 20:21-23

Read and pray over the Institution of the Sacrament of Confession that first Easter night when the Apostles were in the Upper Room and Jesus breathed on them the Holy Spirit saying: “Receive the Holy Spirit: whose sins you forgive, they shall be forgiven; whose sins you bind, they shall be held bound.”

Be exceedingly thankful for this great gift bestowed upon the Church and its members the same day we celebrate Jesus’ victorious triumph over death, the day of His Resurrection from the dead. In fact, every time we go to confession, we personally celebrate death to sin in our own person, and rise to a new life of grace! Every confession is a Paschal-Easter experience! The Lord Jesus is risen in us, Alleluia!

4. John 21: 15-19

Peter and Jesus. Read and meditate on this conversation between Peter and Jesus following His Resurrection from the dead. After the Apostles have made a miraculous catch of fish and recognize it is Jesus on the seashore, Jesus walks with Peter and asks him three times: “Do you love me?” Each time Peter responds, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Peter is making reparation for the three times that he denied Jesus shortly after Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Pray for the grace to truly be repentant for your sins and make a perfect act of contrition — that is, a contrition of love! “Love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Pt. 4:8) Now you become the repentant Peter; tell the Lord you are truly sorry for your sins and how much you really love Him!

5. Luke 15:1-7

The Good Shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to pursue the one lost sheep. Recognize that you are the lost sheep and you have great value in God’s eyes! In truth, your soul has infinite value in the eyes of God! You were redeemed not by the blood of lambs or goats, nor bought back by gold or silver, but redeemed and ransomed by the Blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! (I Pet. 1:18-19)

6. John 10: 11-18

Jesus is the Good Shepherd who goes after the lost sheep. However, once you have experienced the loving embrace of Jesus the Good Shepherd, then it is up to you to be a Good Shepherd for the sheep that Jesus has put in your charge.

The key for us to be a Good Shepherd is that we must first be a good sheep of the Good Shepherd—to hear His voice and follow Him. After we experience and “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord” (Ps. 34:8) in Confession, then let us bring others to the loving embrace of the Good Shepherd in confession!

7. Luke 23:39-43

Jesus and the Good Thief. In this passage, let us firmly believe that the worst of all sinners can actually become the greatest of all saints, if we simply trust. JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU! JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU! JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU!

Venerable Fulton J. Sheen poignantly asserts: “And the good thief died a thief because He stole heaven.” Proclaim from the rooftops the Infinite Mercy of God, even to those who believe that their sin goes beyond His mercy! A truly inspiring experience is to read the Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul, by Saint Faustina Kowalska. (See Part 2 of today’s meditation on Jesus’ Divine Mercy!)

8. Matthew 8:1-4 

“When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy.”

Every Sacrament has a specific sacramental grace — that of Confession is Healing! Jesus came to cure and heal the sick, all of the sick that trusted in Him. We have to see ourselves as the lepers! For sin is leprosy, and all of us are sinners. As Jesus touched and healed the leper, so He can touch and heal me if I will allow Him to. ”Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them as white as the snow.” (Is. 1:18)

Saint Damien, who worked with the lepers on the island of Molokai in Hawaii, suffered most because he seldom had a priest to heal his own spiritual leprosy of sin. He had to wait until an occasional ship came near the island, then row in a boat out to the ship, and yell his sins to the priest on board for all to hear, in order to receive absolution! Thank God that you have access to priests who can heal your spiritual leprosy through Confession and in the privacy of the Confessional!

9. Galatians 5:16-26

Saint Paul contrasts those who live according to the flesh and those who live according to the spirit. Those who live according to the flesh will have a harvest of corruption and death. Those who live according to the spirit will experience the fruits of the spirit and experience eternal life.

Confession helps us to put to death the works of the flesh and to be led by the Holy Spirit. May we form the habit of frequent confession to conquer the desires of the flesh and live the true freedom of the sons and daughters of God!

10. John 11: 1-44

A Lazarus Experience! Saint Augustine compares Confession to a Lazarus experience! Lazarus was dead and buried in the tomb in his burial cloths for four days before Jesus came and brought him back to life. What happens spiritually in Confession is the same as we leave our life of spiritual death in the burial cloths of mortal sin—and we rise to new life in the spirit! In that sense, every Confession is an Easter experience!

We pray and hope that these Biblical passages will shed new light on the precious gem, the diamond, the priceless gift that the merciful Jesus has given to us in the Sacrament of Confession, and let this serve as a jumping board to launch us into the confessional so as to experience the infinite ocean of God’s mercy! “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endures forever.” (Ps. 118:1))

PART 2: Quotes From Diary: Divine Mercy In My Soul By Saint Faustina Kowalska. Words of Jesus to Faustina – Secretary of His Divine Mercy.

Diary 689: Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity.

Diary 1485: My mercy is greater than your sins and those of the entire world. Who can measure the extent of my goodness? For you I descended from heaven to earth; for you I allowed myself to be nailed to the cross; for you I let my Sacred Heart be pierced with a lance, thus opening wide the source of mercy for you. Come, then, with trust to draw graces from this fountain. I never reject a contrite heart. Your misery has disappeared in the depths of My mercy. Do not argue with Me about your wretchedness. You will give me pleasure if you hand over to me all your troubles and griefs. I shall heap upon you the treasures of My grace.

Diary 1577. Tell souls not to place within their own hearts obstacles to My mercy, which so greatly wants to act within them. My mercy works in all those hearts which open their doors to it. Both the sinner and the righteous person have need of My mercy. Conversion, as well as perseverance, is a grace of My mercy.

Diary 1578. Let souls who are striving for perfection particularly adore My mercy, because the abundance of graces which I grant them flows from My mercy. I desire that these souls distinguish themselves by boundless trust in My mercy. I myself will attend to the sanctification of such souls. I will provide them with everything they will need to attain sanctity.

Diary 1578 (continued): The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is – trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive. Souls that trust boundlessly are a great comfort to Me, because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them. I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is My desire to give much, very much. On the other hand, I am sad when souls ask for little, when they narrow their hearts.

Diary 1688: My daughter, look into My Merciful Heart and reflect its compassion in your own heart, and in your deeds, so that you who proclaim My mercy to the world may yourself be aflame with it.

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

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

SATURDAY, April 17th   Jn. 6: 16-21   “When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid. But he said to them, ‘It is I. Do not be afraid.’”

• In John Chapter 6, Jesus shows His power over nature in the multiplication of the loaves and fish to feed 5,000.  Then He shows His power over His own body by walking on the water.
• This is preparation for the last part of Chapter 6, when Jesus gives His Bread of Life Discourse: “Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
• Jesus continues, “I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
• Jesus spoke these words for His listeners then and for us now! We cannot affirm too often our belief in Jesus Christ, Son of God made man, and His Real Presence in the most Holy Eucharist.
• Let us enter into this contemplation with great devotion, love, and thanksgiving!

JESUS’ GIFT OF LOVE FOR OUR SALVATION by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

At the Last Supper, surrounded by His Apostles, Jesus gave to the world the most sublime gift of His Real Presence by instituting the Sacrament of the Eucharist, His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Jesus took bread and pronounced the words: “Take and eat this is my Body; then He took a cup of wine and said: Take and drink this is my Blood. Do this in memory of me.” With these words Jesus instituted the greatest of all of the Sacraments, the Sacrament of the most Holy Eucharist.

Our eternal salvation depends on our reception of the most Holy Eucharist.  In the 6th Chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus preached one of His most sublime discourses that we call the “Bread of Life discourse.” In this discourse Jesus states many times that our salvation depends on our eating His Body and drinking His Blood. The fact that Jesus repeated this message time and time again accentuates the indispensable character of our reception of Him so that we will be saved for all eternity.

Indeed, the greatest action that we can carry out on earth is to receive Jesus into our body, heart, mind, and soul in Holy Communion. All the angels, even the highest choir of angels, cannot receive Jesus in Holy Communion because they are pure spirit. Thus the angels experience a holy envy towards us!

Therefore, the essential thrust of this article will be how we can enhance our faith, love and devotion to Jesus who is truly present in the Eucharist, in Holy Communion, in every Mass that is celebrated throughout the world until the end of time.

1. APPRECIATION. How painful it is when a spouse takes the other spouse for granted; there is no longer love and appreciation for the one who should be loved most in the world. Indeed, this could be the start of a desire to separate, when one spouse does not feel loved or appreciated by the other. Likewise, it is all too common to simply take Jesus for granted and not appreciate who He is, what He has done for us and where He may be readily found.  This nonchalant, flippant, “take for granted” attitude pierces the Sacred Heart of Jesus to the very core and center of His loving Heart. My you never fail to appreciate this most sublime gift of Jesus in Mass and Holy Communion. Receive every Holy Communion as if it were your first, your last, and your only Holy Communion.

2. VISIT HIM OFTEN.  One characteristic of true friendship is a desire to visit each other on a frequent basis. Frequent visits and friendly conversations can truly foster deeper friendship. Likewise, if passing by a church, you should stop, enter, and greet the Lord. You should tell Him that you love Him and sincerely desire to grow in your love for Him. A short poem can be inspirational:  “Whenever I see a Church, I stop to make a visit; so when I die, the Lord won’t say “Who is it?” When you die and go before the Lord, you want Him to say: “My friend who came to visit me often, welcome to your eternal home, heaven! You have been my dear friend on earth and now you will be my eternal friend in heaven.”

3. SPIRITUAL COMMUNIONS.  Get in the habit of making frequent Spiritual Communions. This can be done at any time, in a short time, and in an easy manner.  Simply tell the Lord that you believe in Him, you love Him, and you want Him to come and stay with you in your soul as your Best Friend. He will come and fill you with peace and joy.  Saint Alphonsus Liguori strongly recommended this practice.

4. READ ON THE MASS AND THE EUCHARIST.  Spiritual reading can prove to be an invaluable tool for growing in your faith, and especially in your faith and love for Jesus present in the most Holy Eucharist! An ecclesial document that indeed is a masterpiece was written by Pope Benedict XVI with the title, “The Sacrament of Love.” Even though deep theological content, the document is a spiritual masterpiece and can truly serve as a guide and stimulus to help you to participate more fully, actively, and consciously in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, as well as receive Jesus in Holy Communion with a better disposition.

5. DAILY MASS.  Aim at attending daily Mass, if at all possible. As said earlier, the greatest action that we can do in our lives is to attend Mass and receive Holy Communion.  When Our Lord gave us the prayer OUR FATHER, He told us to pray: “Give us this day our daily bread”.  The most obvious interpretation is physical bread. However shrouded within the prayer is the spiritual interpretation—Give us this day our daily bread, which can mean Jesus, the Bread of life in Holy Mass and Holy Communion. Form the habit of daily Holy Mass and Holy Communion and you will never regret it.

6. CONFESSION AND HOLY COMMUNION.  Saint Ignatius of Loyola points out that by making a general confession of all the sins of your whole life, one of the most positive fruits of this confession will be making better Communions afterwards. It stands to reason that the more pure your soul, the more the Lord of all purity desires to enter into your soul. Likewise, the better prepared you are to receive Him. If you like, here is an analogy—once we clean a dirty window with Windex, then sunlight can pass through and illuminate the room all the more fully. In Holy Communion, Jesus is the Light of the world who desires to radiate more fully His presence in the soul that has been purified by a good sacramental confession, washed clean by the Blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

7. INTENTIONS.  In Parish Masses, normally the priest-officiator has an intention that someone has requested weeks or months before the actual celebration of the Mass. This specific intention of the Mass, however, does not exclude you from offering your own personal and private intentions.  In fact, the more you offer intentions for yourself, for others, and for the whole world, the more pleased Jesus is and the more powerful will be the effects of your Holy Communions. Indeed, you can offer as many intentions as your heart desires and the Heart of Jesus will rejoice all the more.

8. ACTIVE PARTICIPATION.  In many cases, people come physically to Holy Mass but they are mentally, emotionally and spiritually absent from the Mass. In other words, their minds are in another world—thinking about events, people, past hurts, even something as mundane as what they want to eat for lunch. Sacramental theology teaches unequivocally that the better the disposition, preparation, and participation in the Sacraments, the more abundant will be the flow of graces. Arrive early! Ask for the help of your Guardian angel! Pray when you should and sing at the right time, listen attentively to the Word of God and the homily by the priest who represents Jesus, followed by the Offertory where you offer your intentions, then the Consecration – Jesus become truly present in the hands of the priest, followed by Holy Communion and Thanksgiving! Do this with faith, fervor, and love and you will truly grow in holiness of life.

9. ASK MARY FOR HER IMMACULATE HEART. Another very important spiritual aid is to ask for the presence of Mary in your daily walk towards heaven. However, most especially you should ask Mary to give you her Immaculate Heart to receive Jesus with great faith, devotion, and love every time you receive Holy Communion. Saint Pope John Paul II made this beautiful parallel: the “Yes” of Mary to the Archangel Gabriel resulted in Mary receiving Jesus into her body, mind, heart and soul. Our “Amen” when we receive Holy Communion results in our receiving Jesus into the very depths of our heart, mind, and soul. So let us ask Mary to lend us her Immaculate Heart so we can make even more fervent Holy Communions; our sanctification and salvation depend on how we receive Jesus, the Bread of life and the Son of Mary.

10. THANKSGIVING. How very important it is that we cultivate an attitude of gratitude! Meister Eckhart once stated: “If the only prayer we ever prayed were that of thanksgiving, that would be enough.” May we never be lacking or remiss in thanking God for all that He has given to us. In fact, all that we have is a gift from God, with one exception: the sins that we have freely chosen to commit. After Mass, spend some time in thanking Jesus for coming to visit the humble abode of your heart. You might even take advantage of an acronym that summarizes the four basic ends or purposes of Holy Mass: A.C.T.S.  A—stands for adoration! Adore and praise the Lord whom you have as the sweet Guest of your soul. C—stands for contrition! Tell the Lord that you are sorry for your sins, those of your family, and the sins of the whole world! T—stands for thanksgiving. Abound in thanksgiving, but especially for the great gift of the Eucharist. Actually the word “Eucharist” means THANKSGIVING!  “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, eternal is His mercy.” (Ps. 136:1) Finally, S—stands for Supplication. This simply means you ask the Lord for what you truly need. Saint Augustine comments: “We are all beggars before God.” We are all dependent on and in desperate need of God’s help in all times and in all places.

If these ten practices are carried out, or as many as you can, then your love for Jesus in the Eucharist as the Bread of Life will definitely grow and you will be on the Highway to Heaven. May these words of Jesus fill you with consolation: “I am the Bread of life. Whoever eats my Body and drinks my Blood will have eternal life and I will raise Him up on the last day.” (Jn. 6:35, 54)

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

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

FRIDAY, April 16th   Jn. 6: 1-15   Multiplication of the Loaves and Fish…

“Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up,‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?’… Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, they gathered and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over.”

Reflection: Which is greater? To take five small barley loaves and two fish, give thanks, and feed 5,000? Or to say, “Take and eat, this is my body given up for you” and feed countless billions until the end of time???   

PART 1: Saint John Marie Vianney: “What does Jesus Christ do in the Eucharist? It is God who, as our Savior, offers Himself each day for us to His Father’s justice. If you are in difficulties and sorrows, He will comfort and relieve you. If you are sick, He will either cure you or give you strength to suffer so as to merit Heaven. If the devil, the world, and the flesh are making war upon you, He will give you the weapons with which to fight, to resist, and to win victory. If you are poor, He will enrich you with all sorts of riches for time and eternity. Let us open the door of His sacred and adorable Heart, and be wrapped about for an instant by the flames of His love, and we shall see what a God who loves us can do! O my God, who shall be able to comprehend?”

PART 2: PUT ON THE MIND OF CHRIST by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Saint Paul commands us: “Put on the mind of Christ.” (Phil 2:2) He also says: “You have the mind of Christ.” (1 Cor. 2:16) Of course the mind of Christ was the most pure, holy, innocent, humble, wise, intelligent, retentive, and noble mind that ever existed—nobody in their right mind could deny this.

How then can I implement this imperative of the great Apostle Saint Paul who could say in all sincerity: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20)

Of course, daily meditation on the Word of God, especially the heart of the Bible—the Gospels, can transform our way of thinking. The saying, “you are what you eat” is true, but more to the point is “you are what you think”!

Still, we would like to propose another way to put on the mind of Christ; indeed another way to actually have the mind of Christ. The most efficacious way to put on the mind of Christ is a well-prepared, humble, fervent, faith-filled reception of Holy Communion.

Holy Communion is truly and substantially the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ – in a word, the whole Christ! The noblest members of the Body of Christ are His Heart and His mind.

Indeed, when we receive Holy Communion worthily we have a “Spiritual Heart-transplant”. The Sacred Heart of Jesus beats within our heart upon receiving Holy Communion with the proper disposition. Furthermore, when we receive Holy Communion, we receive the whole and entire Body of Jesus, and that includes His mind. With this knowledge, we can indeed put into practice the mandate of Saint Paul: “Put on the mind of Christ.” (Phil. 2:2) After receiving Holy Communion worthily, we have the Mind of Christ!

Many suffer torments of the mind and in many different ways. Ugly memories from the past pursue us like disturbing nightmares. Past hurts from our youth pursue us like vicious wolves. Immodest images of past viewings and actions never seem to leave our mind at peace. Memories of past hurts of our childhood due to bad family experiences seem to leave almost indelible scars. Even the devil maneuvers and manipulates his way into our mind accusing us, blaming us, and condemning us. Even something as simple as the failure of our memory which seems to have been transformed into a leaky bucket, retaining only a few drops of information.

How can this sad state of affairs related to our mind, memory, understanding, and imagination be purified, enlightened and raised on high? Once again, the answer is receiving Jesus in Holy Communion with lively faith and burning love!

THE MIND

The mind is one of the most noble gifts and faculties that God has bestowed on every human person. The mind contains memory, understanding, and imagination. These are the three specific faculties present in the mind.

Holy Communion can transform the whole mind, each one of these three different faculties! Holy Communion is not a symbol that represents Jesus. Holy Communion truly and substantially is JESUS!!!! Let us analyze briefly what Holy Communion can do to transform our mind into the mind of Christ.

MEMORY

Our memory is weak, short-lived, and at the same time, tormented with past ugly memories that never seem to leave us at peace. Why not try this! Next time you receive Jesus in Holy Communion, beg the Lord to purify your memory of past hurts and ugly images, and fill you with pure light in your mind and memory. Beg the Lord that with this Holy Communion your memory will retain only the good and will repel and reject the bad and the evil. In other words, beg the Lord that all the good influences will be absorbed and retained like a sponge and all the evil influences will be repelled like water bouncing off a rock!

UNDERSTANDING

How often have we read something, heard a lecture or conference, or even listened to a conversation and our understanding did not kick into gear? The message seemed to be murky, unclear and confused! Why? This is due to the simple fact that as a result of Original Sin our mind and understanding have been damaged—not destroyed, but impaired! In Holy Communion we receive the “Total Christ”. Why not beg Jesus the next time you receive Holy Communion to give you His Mind with His understanding! One of the effects of this will be to produce in you a more keen and penetrating understanding of the truth. You will notice as a result of frequent and well-prepared Holy Communions that a light bulb will be turned on in your mind, giving you certain insights that you never had before. Why? Because Holy Communion truly gives you the Mind of Jesus with His brilliant understanding.

IMAGINATION

In the Marian classic, True Devotion to Mary, Saint Louis de Montfort expresses an earnest appeal to Our Lady related to imagination: “O Mary, check our wandering imagination”. Saint Teresa of Avila calls the imagination, “La loca de la casa.” —literally, the “Mad Woman of the house”! Why? Very simply, the imagination can run wild at any time and in any place. It can be compared to a spoiled and untrained child or even a wild animal left at large! Of itself, our imagination is neutral. We can use it for great evil—as in the case of willfully recalling and pondering pornographic images. To the contrary, Saint Ignatius exhorts us to use our imagination for great good, entering into the lives of Jesus and Mary so as to become part of their lives — all by means of training our imagination! Saint Ignatius calls this the prayer of “Contemplation”.

This being said, upon receiving Holy Communion, not only do we receive the Mind of Jesus, the Understanding of Jesus, but we also receive the IMAGINATION of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Indeed, only Jesus can help us to overcome our sinfulness in thought, word, deed, and omission. Upon receiving Holy Communion, the “mad man of the house calms down” and a more peaceful and controlled thought process in the imagination takes over!

CONCLUSION

The greatest action that the human person can do on earth is to receive Jesus in Holy Communion. Saint Paul says: “Put on the mind of Christ; you have the mind of Christ.”  Why not start today to aim at the habit of frequent, well-prepared and fervent reception of Holy Communion. Holy Communion is truly the total Christ— His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.

This includes His Sacred Mind with the three specific faculties: memory, understanding, and will. Try it! You will never regret it! Not only will you put on the mind of Christ; you actually will have the mind of Christ. As Saint Augustine highlights, Our Lady first conceived Jesus in her mind and then in her body. May Our Lady, who pondered the word of God in her mind, attain for us an ardent yearning to receive her Beloved Son in frequent and fervent Holy Communions, so as to truly have the Sacred Mind of Jesus!