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

MONDAY, April 12th   Jn. 3: 1-8   Jesus answered, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God.”

• Catholic-Christian Baptism is being born of water and the Holy Spirit. Yesterday we celebrated the Solemnity of Divine Mercy Sunday! Indeed, Jesus’ Divine Mercy is unfathomable, a grace so great that it is beyond the comprehension of both the Angels and Saints in heaven and on earth!!!
• Divine Mercy forgives the sinner, paving the way for an even greater mystery of God’s Mercy – reception of the most Holy Eucharist – reception in our body and soul of the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!
• As an adjunct to Divine Mercy Sunday, let us pray with the following new article by Fr. Ed. Broom, OMV

LIVE OUT THE GREATEST PRAYER:  HOLY MASS! by Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

There is nothing greater on earth then the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass; it is where Heaven unites with earth in a symphony of praise, adoration, worship, thanksgiving, supplication and reparation. Before offering a ten-step program to improve our participation in Holy Mass, let us spend a brief time in meditating and reflecting on what some of the great saints have said in praise of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

St. Thomas Aquinas: “Man should tremble, the world should quake, all Heaven should be deeply moved when the Son of God appears on the altar in the hands of the priest.”

St. Leonard of Port Maurice: “Know, O Christian, that the Mass is the holiest act of religion. You cannot do anything to glorify God more, nor profit your soul more than by devoutly assisting at it, and assisting as often as possible.”

St. Francis of Assisi: “It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do so without Holy Mass.”

St. Pio of Pietrelcina: “No human tongue can enumerate the favors that trace back to the Sacrifice of the Mass. The sinner is reconciled to God; the just man becomes more upright; sins are wiped away; vices are uprooted; virtue and merit increases; and the devil’s schemes are frustrated.”

St. Bernard: “Martyrdom is nothing in comparison with the Mass because martyrdom is the sacrifice of man to God, whereas the Mass is the sacrifice of God to man.”

Now we offer ten brief but important suggestions on ways that we can live out the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass more efficaciously. Our sanctification and salvation depend on Holy Mass and how we live out the fruits of this Greatest of all Miracles!]

PREPARATION:

1. PREPARATION: COME EARLY BEFORE MASS STARTS. One of the ways in which we truly diminish the efficacy of the graces that we receive from the greatest prayer and Gift left to us from the Sacred Heart of Jesus is to be lazy in our preparation for Holy Mass. This becomes manifest in a lazy, nonchalant, flippant attitude when sauntering in late for Mass, with no misgivings. If we were invited to a banquet with a King and Queen, no doubt our punctuality would not be in jeopardy. Yet how often and even common it is to come late to visit the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the Creator of the universe, in Holy Mass!

2. PLACE YOUR OWN INTENTIONS ON THE ALTAR OF THE MASS. In the Parish, usually the priest has a specific intention for the Mass. However, this should not exclude your own intentions. There are no limits to intentions, but three could be of great value:

• PURGATORY. Pray for the souls in Purgatory. These souls are saved, but must be purified of the sins that they did not repair for sufficiently while on earth. Your personal Mass intention for these poor souls could greatly alleviate their sufferings, or even free them completely so they can make their flight to Heaven.

• CONVERSION OF SINNERS. Many sinners can be converted by the fervent prayers of others. The most powerful prayer is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and fervent Holy Communions. Let us work with the Lord for the salvation of souls by offering the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus to the Father imploring mercy for the conversion of poor sinners.

• PERSONAL CONVERSION OF HEART. Until we die, we are all called to personal conversion. The first words in the Public ministry of Jesus were: “Be converted because the Kingdom of God is at hand.”  (Mk. 1:15). This can be applied to Holy Communion. We are transformed into what we eat. Upon receiving Holy Communion, we become transformed by consuming the Host, for in it is the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and His most noble sentiments. What is lacking in our poor heart can be more than abundantly supplied in Holy Communion if we desire it!

3. PARTICIPATE IN HOLY MASS. The Church Documents. (Sacrosanctum Concilium) warmly encourage us to participate in Holy Mass. Passive, inattentive, distracted presence in the Mass is counter-productive. The more actively we are engaged, the more abundant the graces will flow upon us and the whole world. Spiritual bench-warmers in Mass unfortunately are all too many!

Often the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass has been divided into two essential parts: 1) The Liturgy of the Word; 2) The Liturgy of the Eucharist. 

LITURGY OF THE WORD.

4. LISTEN ATTENTIVELY TO THE WORD OF GOD. One of the key parts of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is “The Liturgy of the Word”. On Sundays, the rich Banquet of the Word of God offers us three wonderful Readings. How we should hunger for the Word of God. Jesus responded to the devil: “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Mt. 4:4) In most Sunday Masses, the First Reading is taken from the Old Testament, followed by part of a Psalm. Then the Second Reading is taken from the New Testament, usually from one of the Epistles/Letters of St. Paul. Finally, the most important and prominent Reading is from one of the Gospels. For this last of the Readings we stand, manifesting our great reverence in encountering Jesus. May we listen attentively to the Word of God, understand it with our mind, and put it into practice. Then the priest, who represents Jesus the High Priest, in his homily explains the Readings and how we can put the Word of God into practice in our daily lives. May we listen attentively and heed the challenge to follow Christ and His living Word.

5. THE PROFESSION OF FAITH / THE CREED. Following the Readings is the Profession of Faith, also known as the Creed. We stand and profess what we believe as followers of Jesus Christ. If a non-believer were to ask you what you believe as a Catholic, right away you could refer them to the Creed in the Mass. Then you could refer them to the Catechism of the Catholic Church which explains the Creed in the most minute detail. Upon receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation we should be ready to be an Apostle, ready and willing to defend the faith, as well as to spread the faith. Indeed, one of the best ways to grow in our faith is to share it with others.

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

The Council Fathers speak about two tables from which we are called to nourish our souls. Our mind consumes the Word of God; our soul, the Eucharistic Presence of Jesus, the Bread of Life. The Liturgy of the Eucharist can actually be divided into three essential parts: Offertory, the Consecration, and Holy Communion. These three parts will be explained briefly. May we sincerely strive to live the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!

6. THE OFFERTORY. This essential part of Holy Mass consists of the faithful offering a monetary donation and then the presentation of the gifts, at times characterized by the Offertory Procession. In the Offertory, we return to our intentions that we placed on the altar as we arrived early even before Mass started.  Once again, in spirit, we deposit on the altar all of our intentions: Souls in Purgatory, the conversion of sinners, and our own personal conversion. Actually, you can place as many intentions on the altar as you like. The more intentions we offer, the more pleasing to God.

7. CONSECRATION. This is the sublime and solemn moment in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass where you witness “The Greatest Miracle” occur. When the priest pronounces the words of Consecration over the Bread and Wine, there is a radical transformation.  In fact, the Bread and Wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Jesus the Lord. Upon this double consecration, rapt in awe, we worship the same Jesus who was crucified and rose from the dead. It is the same Lord, but under the Eucharistic species. “O come, let us adore Him!”

8. HOLY COMMUNION.  We have arrived at the culminating moment of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass— Holy Communion.  Never should we forget even for an instant that Holy Communion is truly and substantially the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If we are in the state of sanctifying grace, then we can approach to receive this most sublime Gift—God Himself. However, our attitude of heart should be great humility, purity, faith, and hunger for the Bread of Life. The two greatest gestures we can do on earth is to receive absolution from the priest in Confession, and to receive Holy Communion! However, it must be said, the better the disposition of our heart, the more abundant the graces.

9. THANKSGIVING. After we have received Jesus in Holy Communion, we should not rush off, but rather spend some time in silence to render Jesus abundant thanksgiving. In the words of the Psalmist: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; his love endures forever.” (Ps. 136:1) Thank the Lord Jesus from the depths of your heart for the great gift of Himself in Holy Communion. The word Eucharist actually means “Thanksgiving”.

10. BE A MISSIONARY: BRING THE FRUITS OF THE MASS TO THE WHOLE WORLD!  If we are really living the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, then as we leave Mass we should have the ardent desire to bring the fruits of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to others. Our Lady is our Model. She received Jesus in the Annunciation when she said to the Angel, “Behold, I am the hand maid of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word.” (Lk. 1:38) Then she went in haste to bring Jesus to others in the Visitation to her cousin Elizabeth. (Lk. 1:39) May we follow Mary as our example and guide. Let us bring the Eucharistic Lord to the world by our words and our actions.

In conclusion, my friends in Jesus and Mary, we can never thank God enough for the sublime Gift of the Mass and the Holy Eucharist. Let us never weary of thanking Jesus for the Mass and the Holy Eucharist. Love the Mass, live the Mass, and bring the fruits of the Mass to the whole world!

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

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

SUNDAY, April 11th   Jn. 20: 19-31   “Jesus said to him, ‘Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.’”

• Who is Jesus Christ to me? Do I believe in Jesus, both God and man? Do I seek to know Jesus in all His different facets? Do I place my trust in Jesus? Are there particular ways I need Jesus to be present to me here and now? Answer these questions and more in the richly contemplative meditation to follow.

JESUS: THE CENTER OF MY LIFE! By Fr. 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 His 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. 6:25-71)

Jesus, you are The Good Shepherd, grant me the deep inner security that I am really never alone because you are walking next to me, side by side; with your rod and your staff you guide me. (Psalm 23 / Jn. 10:1-21)

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, 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 and 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. 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. (Mt. Chapters 8 and 9)

Jesus, you are the best of all Teachers. (Jn. 20:16) I sit before you and beg for you to truly become my Teacher. I thank you for the Gospels, (Good News) in which I can sit at your feet to absorb and drink in your Words of Truth. (The 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. Attain for me eternal life in heaven. (Jn. 14:6)

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, my memory, my understanding, my will, my desires, my 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. 24:29)

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 and present sins and so live in 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 truly 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 – my true and eternal refuge! (Is. 53)

Jesus, you are the Friend who is always faithful. May I experience you as a true Friend, always ready to welcome me, willing to walk with me, talk with 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 King of Kings. As such, I adore you and pay you homage as King of my whole being. Jesus, 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 bless 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 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. (Mk. 6:3)

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 10th   Mk. 16: 9-15   ^“Jesus said to them, ‘Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.’”

• As Jesus sends the first Apostles out as missionaries “into the whole world” to “proclaim the Gospel to every creature”, so does He send us out!
• Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta said Mary was the first Missionary of Charity.
• Fr. Ed gives us the Five Indispensable M’s of every Missionary!

MEDITATION, MASS, MERCY, MISSION, MARY! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

If you can strive to live out these five “M’s” in your life, no doubt, you are on the Highway to holiness. The five M’s: Meditation, Mass, Mercy, Mission, and Mary!

In our brief exposition we will strive to offer a short explanation of each and every one of the letters that starts with M—a five letter alliteration! Easy to remember: Meditation, Mass, Mercy, Mission, and Mary! Ready, set, go!

1. MEDITATION. As followers of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, an indispensable quality or aspect in our following of the Lord is that of daily MEDITATION. In the Lord’s Prayer, the Our Father, we pray: “Give us this day our daily Bread…”  After fasting forty days and forty nights, the devil tempted Jesus who was hungry to change stones into bread. Jesus responded to this temptation quoting from the Old Testament: “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Deut. 8:3) Jesus emphasized the proper priorities or hierarchy of values that we must embrace; the Bread of the Word of God that nourishes the mind prevails over the physical bread that sustains the body. Physical bread terminates in the stomach to be digested; the Bread of the Word of God in the mind to be absorbed in Truth! Let us make a concerted effort and a determined determination to find time on a daily basis to meditate upon the Word of God. If possible, let us follow the invitation of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: “To make the Hour of Power!” Daily meditation on the Word of God will communicate to your person light, peace, joy, and a keen awareness that the Lord is walking with you during the course of the day. “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.” (Psalm 23:1)

2. MASS. Underneath the firmament of heaven, while traveling as pilgrims toward our eternal homeland that is Heaven, there is no greater prayer on earth than the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is the Divine rainbow that connects Heaven with earth. It is the cross of Christ that connects us to the Heavenly Father. It is the renewal of the Sacrifice of Calvary. Jesus offers His Precious Blood and His five wounds to the Eternal Father for the salvation of the entire world. In every Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the entire Paschal Mystery is accomplished. That is to say, in every Holy Mass this happens, in a mystical and invisible but very real way the Sacrifice of Calvary, the Passion and death, but also the Resurrection of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As much as possible and according to circumstances in our life and our specific vocation, we should make an effort to attend and participate in Holy Mass, fully, actively and consciously. If we are in the state of sanctifying grace, then we should hunger for the Eucharist, the Bread of life. “As the deer yearns for the running streams, so my soul yearns for you, O Lord.” (Psalm 41:1)  The fervent, frequent, faith-filled reception of Holy Communion is the greatest act that a human person can carry out this side of Heaven! Our sanctification and salvation, as well as that of the world at large, depends on Holy Mass and fervent Holy Communions! Let us tap into this infinite reservoir of grace right now!

3. MERCY. What is MERCY? It is nothing less than the Infinite Love of God forgiving the sinner. According to Saint Faustina, Saint Pope John Paul II, and the Angelic Doctor, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Mercy is the greatest attribute or virtue in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Often a huge roadblock in our journey to holiness is a certain pride or resentment, disguised as a lack of forgiveness. Often almost unaware, we cling to resentments in which we have not fully forgiven. This serves as a true roadblock and obstacle in our itinerary to holiness. It might even be that we hold on to a resentment or grudge against God for something that He has allowed to transpire in our lives. Or perhaps some person hurt us, and we have not fully forgiven that person. Perhaps we have failed in one way or another and we are unwilling to forgive ourselves and seek forgiveness from God through the Sacrament of Confession. When we truly learn to forgive, we set the captive free; and that captive is our own miserable self!

4. MISSION. From Baptism, all are called to be true missionaries. Anointed as priest, prophet, and king, the Sacrament of Baptism empowers us with a triple mission. As priestly people we offer sacrifices for our sins and those of the whole world. As kings we learn to serve as Jesus teaches us: “The Son of man has not come to be served, but to serve and give his life in ransom for many.” (Mt. 20: 28) Then as prophet, we are all called to preach and spread the Word of God by word and by example.  Furthermore, the last words of Jesus in the Gospel of Saint Matthew are: “Go out to the whole world and teach them all that I taught you. Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And behold, I am with you always, even until the end of the world.”  (Mt. 28: 19-20) In the quiet of prayer, beg the Holy Spirit to enlighten your mind to discern and to follow up on the specific way or ways in which you can spread the Word of God and proclaim the Kingdom. All of us are called to be passionate and fiery missionaries. If we love Jesus, then we should love what He loves most—the salvation of immortal souls. With an aching Heart, Jesus proclaimed: “I have come to cast fire on the earth, and I am not at peace until that fire is enkindled.” (Lk. 12:49)  As a missionary, may you cast fire and start a conflagration!

5. MARY: THE MOTHER OF GOD, THE MOTHER OF THE CHURCH, AND OUR LOVING MOTHER. It is interesting, the order or juxtaposition of this exposition. Indeed, Mary lived out to the fullest extent possible these first four M’s: Meditation, Mass, Mercy, and Mission. Hence, she can assist us to live them out most efficaciously!

1) MEDITATION:  Twice in the Gospel of Saint Luke in Chapter Two, Mary is presented as a model for meditation. After the visit of the Shepherds, the Evangelist states that Mary pondered these things in her heart. The word ponder means to meditate, to ruminate (the way a cow chews the cud), to reflect seriously upon these happenings related to Jesus. Then about twelve years later, when the Child Jesus was found in the Temple after three days of sorrowful search, once again Mary pondered these events in her Immaculate Heart. Hence, Mary serves as a model of meditation for all of us!

2) MASS.  When Our Lady appeared in Mexico (Guadalupe), France (Lourdes), and Portugal (Fatima), unequivocally she asked that a Church be built. Why? So that people would go frequently to this sacred place where Jesus is offered to God the Father in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the salvation of immortal souls. Saint Pope John Paul II asserted that in every celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, Mary is present as she was at the foot of the cross on Calvary when Jesus offered Himself as the sacrificial Victim for the salvation of the world. (Jn. 19: 25-27)

3) MERCY.  Among the many mystical and poetic titles given to the Blessed Virgin Mary is that of Mary as MOTHER OF MERCY. In fact, one of the greatest spiritual literary masterpieces ever written on Mary exalting Mary’s sublime virtue of mercy is “The Glories of Mary” by Saint Alphonsus Liguori. This unique, classic spiritual masterpiece comments on one prayer—the Hail Holy Queen. In this beautiful prayer recited at the end of the Holy Rosary, we pray:  “Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope…”  Saint Alphonsus asserts that nobody should ever fear approaching Mary because Mary is pure MERCY! She is the quickest bridge to the merciful Heart of Jesus. In our battles to conquer our pride and resentments, Our Lady is a most efficacious means and intercessor!

4) MISSION.  Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary motivates our hearts, filling them with the fire of the Holy Spirit to bring Christ to others and bring others to Christ—both! For that reason, one of the greatest Missionaries in the history of the Church, Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, pointed out with accurate precision: “Mary was the first Missionary of Charity.” Why? Because in the Mystery of the Visitation Mary went in haste to bring Jesus to Saint Elizabeth and Saint John the Baptist in her womb. Therefore, let us humbly implore Mary the Missionary that through her most powerful prayers she would ignite in our hearts a fiery and passionate desire to set all on fire in the world with the love for Christ!

In conclusion, friends in Jesus and Mary, let us strive to live out the spiritual alliteration of the 5 M’S: 1) MEDITATION, 2) MASS, 3) MERCY, 4) MISSION, and 5) MARY! If carried out with energy of will, intelligence, and perseverance, we will have entered on the super-highway to Heaven. Let us push the pedal to the medal and reach our eternal goal!

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

FRIDAY, April 9th   Jn. 2: 11-14   “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.”

Part 1: Introductory Points

Part 2:  TRUE LOVE IS TO SACRIFICE AND SUFFER FOR THE LOVED ONE!!! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

• Jesus speaks other words similar to these. “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Mt. 16: 24) Then Jesus Himself gives us the example.
• “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” (Jn. 13: 2-5)
• “When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. He asked them, ‘Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.’”(Jn. 13: 12-17)
• “Washing one another’s feet” is a way of serving others according to their need. This includes any act of kindness done for another for love of Christ. Always keeping in mind that Charity begins at home! We serve FIRST according to our vocation – as priest, religious, husband or wife, son or daughter.
• What motivated Jesus, as Second Person of the Blessed Trinity and Son of God, to serve human beings? One word, LOVE! For love of each and every one of us, Jesus served us in his preaching, teaching, miracles, casting out demons, and most important, in dying on the cross for our eternal salvation!
• What should motivate us to serve whomever God puts in our path? Our love for Jesus, who first loved us!
• Let us revisit this wonderful meditation by Fr. Ed on how best to serve others!

TRUE LOVE IS TO SACRIFICE AND SUFFER FOR THE LOVED ONE!!! By Fr. Ed Broom, OMV

Jesus loved us so much that He willingly sacrificed Himself by dying on the cross for us. Not only did Jesus suffer and shed every drop of His Precious Blood for the salvation of all of humanity, but He suffered excruciating pains for each one of us, for you and for me!

The saints point out that if you were the only person living in the world, Jesus would have undergone all of the most gruesome and horrible pains of His Sorrowful Passion for you. As Saint Paul reminds us in his Letter to the Galatians: “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.”

In the Diary: Divine Mercy in My Soul, the Secretary of Divine Mercy, Saint Faustina, states that we can truly understand the meaning of love by the willingness of someone to suffer for the other, for the loved one. Jesus loved and still loves us so much that He was willing to suffer His Passion for us, not once, but many times over if necessary! Jesus, the innocent Lamb of God, suffering for guilty sinners. How great is the love of Jesus for you and for me!

On a human and natural level, we all know how much suffering we undergo when we manifest a great love for someone and that person is cold, indifferent, and even ignores us. Our heart breaks!!!

So it is with respect to our relationship with the greatest of all lovers—the Lord Jesus Christ. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is burning with love for each one of us! Look at the image! Jesus said: “I have come to cast fire on the earth, and I am not at peace until that fire be enkindled.” (Lk. 12: 49) The enormous conflagration in the Sacred Heart of Jesus for you and for me can barely be contained! How do we respond to this burning love? 

Jesus complained to the recipient of the message of His Sacred Heart, Saint Margaret Mary Alaqoque. Displaying His Sacred Heart surrounded by thorns with fire flaming forth, He uttered these plaintive words: “Behold the Heart that has loved so much and has received only coldness, indifference and ingratitude. Console my Heart.”

One of the ways in which can console the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a Heart overflowing with love and mercy, is to offer sacrifices, even though they be very small, for the conversion and salvation of poor sinners. Jesus does not look so much at the greatness of the action, but rather, at the intensity of love with which the action is carried out. Remember the Biblical story of the Widow’s mite!!!

In fact, immortal souls can be saved from the fires of hell and attain eternal salvation if, like the little children of Fatima who are gigantic saints, we can form the habit of offering small sacrifices to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary with purity of intention and great love. Saint Pope John Paul II called Jacinta, “A Little Victim soul.” She was a Victim of Love! She loved Jesus and Mary and what Jesus and Mary love most – the salvation of immortal souls for all eternity!

Therefore, we would like to offer a list of small sacrifices that you can undertake and to share with your family. Every small sacrifice is a concrete manifestation of love for God and a powerful means to convert and save for all eternity poor sinners!!!

SACRIFICES OF LOVE TO JESUS AND MARY FOR THE SALVATION OF SOULS.

1. THE HEROIC MOMENT. Promoted by Saint Josemaria Balaguer (Founder of Opus Dei). As soon as you hear your alarm clock, spring to your feet, kneel down on the floor, and make your Morning Offering for the day. The Cure of Ars, Saint John Vianney, stated that he who starts the day well, is most likely to live the day well, and end it well!

2. CURBING OF THE TONGUE. We should all read James Chapter 3—the best chapter on the sins of the tongue! A great sacrifice that we can make, especially when we find ourselves frustrated and angry, is to follow the advice of Saint James: “We should be slow to speak and quick to listen.”

3. KIND AND ENCOURAGING WORDS. Never allow a day to go by in which you forget to say both Please and Thank You to God, as well as to your Mom or Dad, or anyone else. To say both please and thank you are condiments that give special seasoning to the domestic life!  (Read the book KINDNESS, Fr. Lovasik)

4. SMILE EVEN WHEN YOU DO NOT FEEL LIKE IT! A nagging headache, a lingering cold, pangs of a stomachache, we all experience these at times. Often, we trumpet and publicize them!!! How difficult, but how pleasing to God it might be that when we do not feel up to par physically, we smile at our husband/wife or other family member. Sadness and a frown are contagious, but a smile and joy are also contagious! A sincere and radiant smile is one of the clearest signs of being a follower of Christ.

5. BANISH BAD THOUGHTS IMMEDIATELY! Indecent and bad thoughts, we all have them! However, the question is what do we do with them? Once, a priest asked a man if he entertained bad thoughts. The man responded: “No, Father, they entertained me!” As soon as we are aware of any bad, impure, indecent, or sinful thoughts, we should immediately, manfully, and forcefully reject them in our will and invoke the grace of God!

6. CUT OFF ON THE HIGHWAY: PRAY AND DO NOT CURSE! All of us have experienced through years of driving on the Freeway, as well as on commercial and residential streets, people who cut in front of us and cut us off. (Sometimes we do the same!!!) Our immediate reaction is to cuss or curse them out! However, the Lord Jesus would prefer that we pray for them. Jesus says we have to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us! (Mt. 5: 44) Therefore, the next time some driver cuts you off, pray a Hail Mary for them, pray that they have a safe trip on earth and arrive safely in Heaven. How hard, but how pleasing to God!!!

7. PRAY EVEN WHEN YOU DO NOT FEEL LIKE IT! Unfortunately, many people follow their feelings more than they follow faith and reason. The saints prayed often and even when they did not feel like praying. Jesus experienced a profound desolation and sadness in the Garden of Olives, but He prayed all the more fervently. May Jesus be our sublime example, especially in prayer!

8. READ A CHAPTER FROM THE BIBLE EVERY DAY OR EVERY NIGHT BEFORE BED. The mental/spiritual discipline of reading, especially the best of books – the Bible, can be a real sacrifice for many. Start with the Gospels and read a chapter every night. If this is done, you will start to know, love and desire to follow Jesus more fully in your life. It is impossible to love somebody we do not even know. Know Jesus by reading and meditating upon the Bible, the very Word of God!

9. DO YOUR TASK AT HAND, YOUR DAILY WORK BETTER! All of us are assigned by God a job or work to carry out. It might be to study, or that of a homemaker, or a factory or office worker, or some professional work. If we are honest with ourselves, we all know that we could improve. How easy it is to come late, cut corners, do the job halfway! As the saying goes: “If a job is worth doing, then it is worth doing well.” Saint Paul reminds us: “Whether you eat or drink, do all for the honor and glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10: 31)

10. TAKE THE LAST PLACE AND SMALLEST PORTION. Due to pride, vanity, and gluttony we naturally prefer the place of honor. Also, we prefer the best and biggest portion. Why not get in the habit of seeking the lowest place and the most simple portion. Jesus reminds us of true greatness: “God casts down the proud, and He exalts the humble.” (Mt. 28: 12)

To conclude, we have offered a list of ten concrete ways in which we can make small sacrifices in our daily lives. Maybe choose one or two a day and be faithful to your proposal. Never forget that love is manifest by the willingness to suffer for the loved one. How much Jesus loves us and suffered for us. What are we willing to sacrifice and suffer for Jesus, the Greatest of all Lovers!!!

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

THURSDAY, April 9th“   Lk. 24: 35-48   “The disciples of Jesus recounted what had taken place along the way, and how they had come to recognize him in the breaking of bread.”

Two disciples are recounting to the other Apostles in Jerusalem, Jesus’ appearance to them on the road to Emmaus.

Today’s Gospel continues…

While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’

But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts?”

 “Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.

“While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them.

He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

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.

Then Jesus says to them: “You are witnesses of these things.”

POINTS OF MEDITATION:

We are aware of the four Gospel accounts of the Resurrection of Jesus. But most are unaware that the Catechism of the Catholic Church provides a cogent Apologetic defense of the Resurrection of Christ! As Fr. Ed says, Apologetic does not mean apologizing for doctrines of the faith, but defending them! See CCC 638-658. Highlights provided here.

638 “We bring you the good news that what God promised to the father this day he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus.”⁴⁸⁹

• The Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our faith in Christ, a faith believed and lived as the central truth by the first Christian community;
• Handed on as fundamental by Tradition;
• Established by the documents of the New Testament; and
• Preached as an essential part of the Paschal mystery along with the cross:

Christ is risen from the dead! Dying, he conquered death; to the dead, he has given life.

640 “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.”⁴⁹³

• Empty tomb. First step toward recognizing the very fact of the Resurrection.
• This was the case, first with the holy women, then with Peter.⁴⁹⁵
• The disciple “whom Jesus loved” affirmed that when he entered the empty tomb and discovered “the linen cloths lying there”, “he saw and believed”.⁴⁹⁶

643 Given all these testimonies, Christ’s Resurrection cannot be interpreted as something outside the physical order – impossible not to acknowledge it as an historical fact.

• It is clear from the facts that the disciples’ faith was drastically put to the test by their master’s Passion and death on the cross, which he had foretold.⁵⁰³
• The shock provoked by the Passion was so great that at least some of the disciples did not at once believe in the news of the Resurrection.
• Far from showing us a community seized by a mystical exaltation, the Gospels present us with disciples demoralized (“looking sad”⁵⁰⁴) and frightened.
• For they had not believed the holy women returning from the tomb and had regarded their words as an “idle tale”.⁵⁰⁵
• When Jesus reveals himself to the Eleven on Easter evening, “he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.”⁵⁰⁶

644 Even when faced with the reality of the risen Jesus the disciples are still doubtful, so impossible did the thing seem:

• They thought they were seeing a ghost. “In their joy they were still disbelieving and still wondering.”⁵⁰⁷
•  Thomas will also experience the test of doubt.
• St. Matthew relates that during the risen Lord’s last appearance in Galilee “some doubted.”⁵⁰⁸
• Therefore the hypothesis that the Resurrection was produced by the apostles’ faith (or credulity) will not hold up.
• On the contrary their faith in the Resurrection was born, under the action of divine grace, from their direct experience of the reality of the risen Jesus.

645 By means of touch and the sharing of a meal, the risen Jesus establishes direct contact with his disciples.

• Recognize that he is not a ghost.
• Risen body, same body that had been tortured and crucified, for it still bears the traces of his Passion.⁵⁰⁹
• Yet at the same time this authentic, real body possesses the new properties of a glorious body: not limited by space and time but able to be present how and when he wills;
• Risen Jesus enjoys the sovereign freedom of appearing as he wishes: in the guise of a gardener or in other forms familiar to his disciples, precisely to awaken their faith.
• Christ’s humanity no longer confined to earth, belongs to the Father’s divine realm.  

646 Christ’s Resurrection was not a return to earthly life…

• As was the case with the raisings from the dead that he had performed before Easter: Jairus’ daughter, the young man of Naim, Lazarus.
• These actions were miraculous events, but the persons miraculously raised returned by Jesus’ power to ordinary earthly life. At some particular moment they would die again.
• Christ’s Resurrection is essentially different. In his risen body he passes from the state of death to another life beyond time and space.
• At Jesus’ Resurrection his body is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit: he shares the divine life in his glorious state, so that St. Paul can say that Christ is “the man of heaven”.⁵¹²

II. THE RESURRECTION – A WORK OF THE HOLY TRINITY

648 Christ’s Resurrection is an object of faith.

• Transcendent intervention of God himself in creation and history.
• Three divine persons act together as one, and manifest their own proper characteristics.
• The Father’s power “raised up” Christ his Son and by doing so perfectly introduced his Son’s humanity, including his body, into the Trinity.
• Jesus is conclusively revealed as “Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his Resurrection from the dead”.⁵¹⁵
• St. Paul insists on the manifestation of God’s power⁵¹⁶ through the working of the Spirit who gave life to Jesus’ dead humanity and called it to the glorious state of Lordship.

649 As for the Son, he effects his own Resurrection by virtue of his divine power.

• Jesus announces that the Son of man will have to suffer much, die, and then rise.⁵¹
• Elsewhere he affirms explicitly: “I lay down my life, that I may take it again. . . I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up.

IN BRIEF

656 Faith in the Resurrection has as its object an event which is historically attested to by the disciples, who really encountered the Risen One. At the same time, this event is mysteriously transcendent insofar as it is the entry of Christ’s humanity into the glory of God.

657 The empty tomb and the linen cloths lying there signify in themselves that by God’s power Christ’s body had escaped the bonds of death and corruption. They prepared the disciples to encounter the Risen Lord.

658 Christ, “the first-born from the dead” (Col 1:18), is the principle of our own resurrection, even now by the justification of our souls (cf. Rom 6:4), and one day by the new life he will impart to our bodies (cf.: Rom 8:11).