“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!

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

THURSDAY, April 15th   Jn. 3: 31-36   “The one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.”

• The Holy Spirit is known as the Gift of Gifts! Our Triune God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit are given attributes: Father Creator, Son Redeemer, and Holy Spirit Sanctifier.
• Once we are created anew through the waters of Baptism, redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world, we open our mind and heart to the Holy Spirit known as the Sanctifier!

OPEN YOUR MIND & HEART TO THE HOLY SPIRIT by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

The Sanctifier, Sweet Guest of the Soul, Interior Master of Prayer, Consoler and Counselor, Intimate Friend, Paraclete, Advocate, Soul of the Church, Uncreated bond of love between Father and Son—all of these express titles or names for the Third Person of the most Blessed Trinity: The Holy Spirit.

STARTS WITH BAPTISM.  From the moment we received the unmerited and gratuitous gift from God, the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, we received with this Sacrament countless graces and blessings. One of the most sublime and extraordinary gifts was “The Gift of Gifts” (CCC), the Holy Spirit. In that moment the Holy Spirit became the Divine Guest of our soul, bringing with His Presence the seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.

HEAVENLY INSPIRATIONS.  If we maintain our soul in the state of sanctifying grace, the Holy Spirit works in the depths of our being in a very special way. Heavenly inspirations from on high become more and more frequent depending on one condition: our DOCILITY, YES, DOCILITY to these heavenly inspirations. If we are humble, attentive, receptive, and docile then the Holy Spirit works quietly but very powerfully in our soul and we experience in the depths of our soul an interior sweetness—these are the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. By collaborating with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, we will experience that interior sweetness in our soul of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit: peace, joy, mildness, self-control, chastity, patience, etc. In a word, our holiness and sanctification depends in large part in allowing the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier, to work more freely, openly, and powerfully in our conversion, transformation, and sanctification.

FREQUENT INSPIRATIONS FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT AND DOCILITY.  In this short essay we would like to highlight certain inspirations that come from the Holy Spirit, the Sweet Guest of your soul, and the great importance to recognize them and respond to them. May Our Lady, Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit, come to our aid and pray for us that the workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives will not be frustrated but brought to a full development. “Come, Holy Spirit, come through the Heart of Mary.” Mary was at all times, in all places, and in all circumstances totally and unreservedly open to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. Without doubt through her powerful intercession, Mary can help us to be more docile and responsive to the graces and inspirations from on high!

1. GO TO CONFESSION!!! If you have the misfortune and disgrace to fall into Mortal Sin and lose sanctifying grace, then most assuredly the Holy Spirit will send inspirations to bring you back to God by means of a well-prepared, well-expressed, humble and contrite Sacramental Confession. Most surely, the Holy Spirit wants you to be restored to grace, but He respects our free-will!

2. OPEN OUR HEARTS TO PRAYER. One of the titles mentioned above describing the work of the Holy Spirit is that of “Interior Master of the soul”. This title means that the Holy Spirit wants to teach us how to communicate with God through prayer. For most of us, prayer is often a struggle, and we might even say that we do not really know how to pray. Saint Paul in the Letter to the Romans responds to this quandary and struggle in our spiritual life with these words: “We do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Holy Spirit intercedes with ineffable groans so that we can say, Abba, Father.” (Rom. 8:26)

3. GO DEEPER AND LONGER INTO THE INFINITE OCEAN OF PRAYER. Not only will the Holy Spirit gently but insistently invite us to pray through His Holy inspirations, but He will challenge us to both pray more and at greater length, as well as go deeper in our prayer. Prayer can be compared to the ocean. We can walk along the seashore and allow the waves to barely graze our feet or we can go into the deep, drop the anchor, and the ocean seems to be a bottomless abyss. So it is in our relationship with God; He is infinite and so can our prayer become better and better, deeper and deeper! Beg Him for the grace; a prayer He loves to answer!

4. READ, REFLECT, REASON, AND RUN TO GOD. This is our daily Holy Hour! The Holy Spirit will challenge us to slow down in our active and frenetic life characterized by the spirit of the day called ACTIVISM. The Holy Spirit will nudge us daily to stop, slow down, take up the Scriptures or a good spiritual book and start to read the text slowly, reflecting upon it as Mary did when she pondered in her Immaculate Heart, then discern its deeper meaning, and finally run to God as our most our sure haven and source of refuge. “Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.” (Ps. 124:8)

5. SEEK ADVICE. At times, when we find ourselves in a state of desolation and confusion, the Holy Spirit might nudge us to seek help, to seek advice, to seek counsel and direction through a human medium or intermediary, and this would be a spiritual-director. Saint John of the Cross states wryly: “He who has himself as director, has an idiot as a disciple.” Put bluntly, we cannot adequately direct ourselves because we all have many BLIND-SPOTS in our spiritual journey!

6. PUSH TO PRACTICE PENANCE. It is impossible to be under the guidance and influence of the Holy Spirit and not have nudges, gentle pushes, interior lights and inspirations to engage in the practice of penance. In very clear and unequivocal terms Jesus asserted: “Anyone who wishes to be my follower must renounce himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mt. 16:24) In so many words, the great woman Mystic and Doctor of the Church, St. Teresa of Avila, states that prayer and a life of indulgence and sensuality are diametrically opposed. They are like oil and vinegar—they simply do not mix!

7. HUMBLE YOURSELF AND RECONCILE, MAKING PEACE. In no uncertain terms, Jesus commands us to strive to be at peace with our brothers and sisters. So much so that Jesus says if you are about to present your gift at the altar and recall that your brother has something against you, leave the gift, go and reconcile with your brother, and then come back to offer the gift. This can be interpreted in the light of Holy Mass, our offering at the Offertory and our Holy Communion. In other words, the Holy Spirit cannot work powerfully and efficaciously in a heart that is proud, resentful, bitter, and angry! Jesus said that He is meek and humble of heart and He challenges us to be the same! (Mt. 11:28-30)

8. WALK THE EXTRA MILE: EVEN WHEN YOU DO NOT FEEL LIKE IT! Once again related to the topic or theme of sacrifice, often the Holy Spirit will challenge us by His heavenly inspirations to walk the extra mile and to move on some task, work, or activity when we are tired, maybe even exhausted. However, if we correspond with docility and generosity to the inspiration, His grace and strength will never be lacking. Jesus said to the Great Apostle Saint Paul: “My grace is sufficient.” (2 Cor. 12:9) The Holy Spirit will never inspire in your mind and heart a proposal that He will not give you sufficient grace to carry out! Our prayer must be: “Holy Spirit, I trust in your power and presence to help me carry out your Will !”

9. SLEEP LESS, EAT LESS, PRAY MORE, WORK HARDER, CARRY THE CROSS TRUSTINGLY AND OVERFLOW WITH JOY!  If you read through the lives of the saints, who are the spiritual masterpieces of God in the words of Saint Pope John XXIII, you will notice the following characteristics of many of the saints. They spend less time in bed, less time at the table chowing down, and at the same time, they pray more, work harder and more efficaciously without complaining! Then they have many crosses, and I say many crosses. However, in the midst of all of these apparent hardships and trials they are overflowing with peace, happiness, joy! All of this is obviously the working of the Holy Spirit. Test yourself in these areas; how do you rate???\

10. INSPIRATIONS TO TURN, TALK, AND DRAW CLOSE TO, AS WELL AS CONFIDE IN, HIS MYSTICAL SPOUSE—THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY!!!  The Blessed Virgin Mary is the Daughter of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit. This being the case, the Holy Spirit will often inspire you to open up your heart and talk to Mary about your life, your thoughts and feelings, your struggles and battles, your failures and victories, your hopes and dreams! Saint Louis de Montfort in his spiritual classic, True Devotion to Mary states: “Those who love Mary, the Holy Spirit flings Himself into their souls.”

In conclusion, our conversion, sanctification, transformation and perseverance in grace depends in large part upon our relationship with the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier. Holiness depends on being docile to the Heavenly inspirations of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, let us start right now and make a firm decision and commitment to be more docile and attentive to the inner workings and inspirations of the Holy Spirit in our lives! “If today you hear His voice harden not your hearts.” (Psalm 95:7-8) May our prayer be a Marian prayer connecting us to the Holy Spirit: “Come, Holy Spirit, come through the Heart of Mary.”

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

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

WEDNESDAY, April 14th   Jn. 3: 16-27   “God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.”

• How often do we stop and consider how valuable is our immortal soul—destined to live forever and ever without end??? We propose two meditations/contemplations that will hopefully let this truth sink deeper into our consciousness! So that we may live for this reality in earnest and arrive at heaven bringing as many souls as possible with us!

Part 1: CALL TO HOLINESS… by St. Louis de Montfort

Part 2: YOUR SOUL IS WORTH SO MUCH! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

PART 1: CALL TO HOLINESS… by St. Louis de Montfort

Chosen soul, living image of God and redeemed by the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, God wants you to become holy like Him in this life, and glorious like Him in the next. 

It is certain that growth in the holiness of God is your vocation. All your thoughts, words, actions, everything you suffer or undertake must lead you toward that end. Otherwise you are resisting God in not doing the work for which He created you and for which He is even now keeping you in being. 

What a marvelous transformation is possible! Dust into light, uncleanness into purity, sinfulness into holiness, creature being taken up into Creator! A marvelous work, I repeat, so difficult in itself, and even impossible for a mere creature to bring about, for only God can accomplish it by giving His grace abundantly and in an extraordinary manner. The very creation of the universe is not as great an achievement as this.

Chosen soul, how will you bring this about? What steps will you take to reach the high level to which God is calling you? The means of holiness and salvation are known to everybody, since they are found in the Gospel; the masters of the spiritual life have explained them; the Saints have practiced them and shown how essential they are for those who wish to be saved and attain perfection. These means are: sincere humility, unceasing prayer, complete self-denial, abandonment to Divine Providence, and obedience to the will of God.

PART 2: YOUR SOUL IS WORTH SO MUCH! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

All the money, possessions, houses, mountains, oceans, animals, all of creation itself has much less value than your immortal soul. Your immortal soul has infinite value. No one in the world can fully plumb the depths of the value of just ONE immortal soul. How do we know this? Jesus articulates this with luminous clarity: “What would it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his life in the process? What can a man give in exchange for his immortal soul?” (Mk. 8:36)

St. Ignatius of Loyola launched that Biblical passage like a fiery arrow at the young, proud, and self-reliant Francis Xavier, challenging the future Patron of the Missions to make the Spiritual Exercises. When he finally made the Spiritual Exercises, they transformed his life.

However, it was that fiery and piercing arrow from the mouth and Sacred Heart of Jesus the Lord that broke down the resistance of Xavier—“What would it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul in the process?”

The angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas, reiterates the same message. Aquinas affirms that everything in the created world cannot equal just one immortal soul!

For a moment, enter into a natural contemplation on the beauty of nature. The beautiful blue skies, the pure white clouds, the multi-colored leaves falling in autumn, the majestic snow-capped mountains, the brilliant and colorful rainbow–a beautiful arc spanning the heavens, the powerful and eternal waves crashing against the shore, the majestic eagle soaring into the heights, and the night sky painted with a multitude of stars sparkling to the eyes delight—all of these natural phenomena are a mere glimmer of the majestic beauty and greatness of one immortal soul. One immortal soul far transcends in greatness every natural beauty that our eyes can contemplate. For that reason, once Saint Catherine of Siena was granted a vision of one soul in the state of grace and she fell to her knees in ecstasy, stunned by its glorious beauty!

Another powerful proof to capture the infinite value of one immortal soul is the apostolic zeal that motivated the saints in their work, sacrifices, sufferings, and even their deaths! Following are a few examples of the saints and their insatiable hunger for the salvation of immortal souls!

Why did the Cure of Ars—St. John Marie Vianney spend from 13 to 18 hours in the confessional day and night, in the chilling cold of winter and the blistering humidity and heat of the summer, confessing sinners? Why? Why? Why?

For one simple reason: his love for God and love for what God loves most, the salvation of immortal souls! Why would he eat two or three potatoes a day, sleep three hours at night, battle constantly with the devil, scourge himself to the point of shedding blood, and weep copious tears? One simple reason—his love for God and love for immortal souls! This patron of Parish priests knew keenly the value of a soul reconciled to God through the Blood of Christ applied in every absolution!

Again, why would St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina willingly accept the stigmata in 1918 while absorbed in prayer, His hands and feet pierced through like his Beloved Crucified Lord and Savior? His side also pierced, like that of Jesus’ side pierced on Good Friday by the lance causing blood and water to come gushing forth. Jesus promised this modern saint that he would bear this stigmata for fifty long years and then at the end of his life it would disappear. Why did Padre Pio accept this excruciating pain of the stigmata? Once asked if it hurt, the saint responded dryly that it was not a decoration! Padre Pio suffered the stigmata in imitation of his beloved Savior, the Crucified Lord, but also to repair for sins and for the conversion of sinners. In other words, St. Padre Pio willingly bore this suffering for the salvation of immortal souls! He paid a dear price!

Still more, why did the three little shepherd children of Fatima—Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta willingly accept constant sacrifices that entailed great suffering, even though they were mere children? Why? Why? Why? The response is the same: first, their love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary; second, their love for what Jesus and Mary love most in this world—immortal souls. The list of the sacrifices that these children underwent at such tender young ages staggers the imagination and shows the power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of generous souls.

Jacinta. Let us just take a few of the sacrifices of Jacinta Marto, the youngest of the three seers at Fatima. What radically transformed the three children, but especially Jacinta, was the graphic vision of Hell on July 13, 1917. Seeing souls being tossed about in the fire without any equilibrium, hearing their desperate cries never to be relieved, seeing hideous animals (the devils) trans-piercing these souls causing them eternal torment, provoked in little Jacinta a profound conversion of heart and life! Little Jacinta, small in stature but a giant in love for souls, was ready to offer all she had for the salvation of immortal souls.

Jacinta gave up her favorite sweet grapes that grew on the hillsides of Portugal and the innocent dancing that she loved. On one occasion, while tending sheep on a blistering summer day, all three of the children were dying of thirst, so Lucia fetched a pitcher of water from a neighboring farm house. But both Jacinta and Francisco implored Lucia to pour the water into the ground so that they could suffer thirst for souls! When Jacinta complained about a pounding headache, Francisco suggested she offer it up for souls – this she promptly did! All three children wore a rough rope around their waist that chaffed their skin, though Our Lady told then not to wear it at night so they could rest. Why? Once again, for the salvation of immortal souls. Due to her extraordinary generosity and love for souls, when Saint Pope John Paul II beatified Jacinta, he called her a “Little victim soul”.

St. Faustina. In the Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul, Jesus revealed to Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska His love for souls. However, Jesus pointed out that love for the salvation of souls is measured by our willingness to suffer for these souls! The more we love, the more we are willing to suffer!

The Blood of Jesus. Finally, the Word of God teaches us most poignantly the value of souls related to the Precious Blood Jesus shed for all of us, but for each one of us individually on Calvary that first Good Friday.

“Now if you invoke as Father him who judges impartially according to each one’s works, conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning, realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct handed on by your ancestors, not with perishable things like gold or silver, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb.”     (1 Peter 1:17-19)

In sum, your soul was saved by the Precious Blood that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ shed for you on Calvary that first Good Friday. Indeed, if you were the only person created in the whole universe, Jesus would have shed every drop of His most Precious Blood for your immortal soul alone! How precious and valuable indeed, you and your immortal soul are in the eyes of Almighty God!

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

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

TUESDAY, April 13th   Jn. 3: 7B – 15 “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church:

402 All men are implicated in Adam’s sin, as St. Paul affirms: “By one man’s disobedience many (that is, all men) were made sinners”: “sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all men sinned.”²⁸⁹

The Apostle contrasts the universality of sin and death with the universality of salvation in Christ. “Then as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to acquittal and life for all men.”²⁹⁰

THE POWER OF THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Let us meditate upon what the saints have said about the power of the cross and then spend time in silence and meditate upon the crucifix, the most eloquent symbol of love in the entire world. With Saint Francis of Assisi, who bore the wounds of Christ in his body through the mystical grace of the stigmata, let us pray with all of our heart: “We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”

WHAT SOME SAINTS HAVE SAID ABOUT THE CROSS:

“It is not the finest wood that feeds the fire of Divine love, but the wood of the cross.” (St. Ignatius of Loyola)

“Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent.” (St. John of the Cross)

“The road is narrow. He who wishes to travel it more easily must cast off all things and use the cross as his cane. In other words, he must be truly resolved to suffer willingly for the love of God in all things.”  (St. John of the Cross)

“The Passion of Christ is the greatest and most stupendous work of Divine Love. The greatest and most overwhelming work of God’s love.”  (St. Paul of the Cross)

“O cherished cross! Through thee my most bitter trials are replete with graces.” (St. Paul of the Cross)

“Our Savior’s Passion raises men and women from the depths, lifts them up from the earth, and sets them in the heights.”  (St. Maximus of Turin)

Now let us enter into our own meditation-contemplation on the mystery of the Holy Cross as we lift our gaze to a graphic crucifix and peer into the five deep wounds of Jesus, who loved us so much that He was crucified, suffered and died for each one of us. How great is the love of God for me and for you!!!

1. CRUCIFIX ON THE WALL OF ALL OF YOUR BEDROOMS. 

It is highly recommended that all of your bedrooms have the crucifix. Also, it should be a crucifix in which the Corpus— meaning, the Body of Christ is present. A cross without the Corpus of Christ almost deprives the cross of its real meaning. Jesus suffered and died on the cross; His Body hung on the cross for three long hours (12 Noon to 3:00 p.m.).

2. CONTEMPLATE THE CROSS. 

Get in the habit before retiring every night of spending at least a few moments in silence in which you contemplate, look deeply at the cross and He who died on the cross for you, Our Savior Jesus Christ—with immense love and gratitude. Contemplation is a form of prayer in which we think deeply with our minds and love immensely with our hearts for the immense love that Jesus has for all, but for me individually.

3. CALL TO MIND THE WORDS THAT JESUS SAID ON THE CROSS. 

A very salutary and sanctifying practice is to call to mind the Seven Last Words (phrases) that Jesus pronounced from the cross and take these words into your mind and your heart.  Venerable Fulton J. Sheen asserts that from the pulpit of the cross, Jesus preached His last and most eloquent homily. Let us be attentive students and listeners, and lovers of Christ!

MEMORIZE THE SEVEN LAST WORDS OF JESUS, THE ELOQUENT PREACHER

• Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.
• I thirst.
• My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
• Woman, behold thy son; son, behold thy Mother.
• Amen, I say to you: today you will be with me in Paradise.
• It is finished.
• Father, into your hands I commend my spirit

4. IMITATE THE SAINTS—ST. FRANCIS! KISS THE WOUNDS OF CHRIST. 

Prayer is not simply a cerebral, that is to say, a mere intellectual function. Prayer involves the whole person.  St. Francis, and many of the saints, would express their love for their crucified Savior by kissing Jesus’ five wounds. You do the same! By doing so, you are manifesting the heartfelt love that you have for Jesus! The open wounds in His sacred hands and feet were perforated by nails, and a sword pierced His side and Sacred Heart, all for love of you and your eternal salvation. How great is the love of the crucified Savior for you and the salvation of your immortal soul!

5. LIKE MARCELINO—TALK TO YOUR CRUCIFIED LORD.

(DVD Miracle of Marcelino, 1955 black and white version) In this movie-classic, imitate the little orphan boy—Marcelino and talk to the Lord Jesus from the depths of your heart. Use simple words, but words anointed with great love and passion, expressing your heartfelt gratitude for the Lord Jesus and all He did for you!

6. CONTEMPLATE THE CROSS, CALVARY RELATED TO HOLY MASS. 

As you lift your gaze to Jesus hanging from the cross, call to mind the intimate relationship between Jesus crucified on Good Friday on Calvary and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Invisible as it is, and with the utmost depth of mystical meaning, every time an ordained priest offers the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass—Calvary and the crucified Lord Jesus are present. In every Mass, the fruits of the crucified Lord are available to all of humanity. Next time you go to Mass, contemplate the big Crucifix on the wall behind the priest who celebrates Mass, and remember that Calvary is present when the priest lifts up the Host and elevates the Chalice…O Sacrament most holy, O Sacrament divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine…

7. JESUS’ OPEN ARMS ON THE CROSS.  

Contemplate now the open arms of Jesus as He hangs from the cross. There is depth of meaning here. Saint Augustine, giving a symbolic interpretation of the crucifix and the position of Jesus’ Body says: Jesus has His head bent to kiss us; His arms open to embrace us; and His heart open to receive us. Jesus’ open arms are symbolic of the arms of the Father of the Prodigal Son. The meaning? Despite the sad reality of our many sins, God always, at all times and on all occasions, has His arms wide-open symbolic of forgiveness.  As the Prophet Isaiah reminds us: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” (Is. 1:18) In concrete, Jesus beckons us to return to Him with a sincere and contrite heart through the reception of the Sacrament of His Mercy, the Sacrament of Confession, and be renewed, reformed, and made anew!

8.  JESUS’ BLOOD STAINED BODY AND GARMENTS.  

As you contemplate the blood-stained body of Jesus and His few garments, the virtue of purity and modesty should surge in your mind and heart. Both the stripping of Jesus and His brutal scourging at the pillar were accepted willingly by Jesus to repair for the countless sins of impurity committed by all of humanity, and by us individually. Our Lady of Fatima commented sadly that most souls are lost due to sins against the 6th and 9th Commandments—that is to say, sins committed against the virtue of purity. May our contemplation of the lacerated and bloody Body of the Lord Jesus inspire within us a great desire for purity—in mind, thought, word, deed and intention. Jesus taught us in the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the pure of heart, they will see God.” (Mt. 5:8)

9. THE CROSS AND CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS, AND OURS… 

As you look up to the cross and contemplate Jesus with love, recall His words: “Anyone who wishes to be my follower must renounce himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Lk. 9:23) Spend some quiet time in prayer before the Crucified Lord Jesus; open up the very depths of your heart and pour out your thoughts and feelings with respect to your own crosses. Jesus desires to listen to you, accompany you, and really help you. He is not indifferent to the cries and supplications of your heart, but desires all the more to help you! What might be your cross or crosses? A health problem, an economic strait, a difficult relative, a rebellious son or daughter, a tense relationship with your spouse, a work conflict, a spiritual doubt, the loss of a loved one, the wounds of a past deep hurt, fear of the dark and ominous clouds of the future, the fear of physical suffering and your own mortality and death? All of the above can be the subject of your colloquy with the crucified Lord Jesus. Often, our cross is simply too heavy because we fail to invite Jesus to come and help us carry our cross!!! Invite Jesus! Listen to His words: Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Mt. 11:28-30)

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