THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT! (Mt. Chap 5-7)

The Public Life of Jesus lasted about three short years—from when He was age 30 until 33. Jesus never neglected prayer, His intimate union and communion with His Heavenly Father. However, flowing naturally and forcefully from His deep prayer life was an extremely active ministry with the people He came to serve, solace, and save.

HIS BUSY ACTIVE LIFE OF SERVICE.  Jesus’ active life of service could be summarized in three basic activities: 1) Miracles over nature and abundant miracles healing physical ailments; 2) Exorcisms in which he would cast out a devil and at times a whole Legion; 3) Preaching and Teaching, but unlike the Scribes and Pharisees, with great authority.

HIS TEACHING MASTERPIECE.  In the four Gospels, of greatest importance in the category of Jesus’ preaching would be what has been termed the SERMON ON THE MOUNT. (Mt. Chap 5-7)

In these three chapters, these three spiritual gems of teaching, Jesus lays out for our reading, meditating upon, and living out, the essence and heart of His message. If meditated upon with utmost sincerity, the Sermon on the Mount can be considered nothing less than radical. In fact, to live it out to perfection transcends and supersedes human capacity; we need an abundant outpouring of God’s grace.

In this short article, we would like to highlight some of the essential messages of this Sermon by the greatest of all Teachers, Jesus, the New Moses, and beg for the grace to understand the message, but even more, to put the message into practice. In fact, Jesus states in this Sermon: “Not all those who say Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of my Heavenly Father.”  (Mt. 7:21) Let us beg the Holy Spirit to enlighten us and strengthen us to live out the Gospel challenge.

1. THE BEATITUDES (MT. 5:1-12) Pope Saint John Paul II stated that the Beatitudes present us with a window into the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Indeed, if we really want to have a glimpse into the Sacred Heart of Jesus then we should read and meditate upon the Eight Beatitudes. They are radically opposed to the world and its values, diametrically opposed. A summary: embracing poverty, weeping for a purpose, practicing meekness (powerful emotion under control), hunger and thirst to be holy in body and soul, merciful forgiveness, purity of heart and sentiments, peace over discord and war, and finally, a willingness to be persecuted, rejected, maltreated—these are the basic sentiments and teachings of the Beatitudes. How radically opposed to what the world teaches and offers us!  

2. RADICAL AND ABSOLUTE PURITY.  One of the Beatitudes challenges us to embrace a radical standard of purity: “Blessed are the pure of heart; for they will see God.” (Mt. 5:8) Building upon this lofty edifice of purity, Jesus challenges us all the more. Not only must we strive to live purity in our body and our actions, but even with the use of our eyes, our heart, and even our innermost intentions. Adultery can be committed by sexual relations with the wrong person, but also, adultery can be committed with the eyes: “You have heard it said, you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that anyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Mt. 5:27-28). In a society immersed in sexual immorality (we actually live in a pornographic society), this challenge of Jesus is all the more difficult, but all the more necessary, to be a true follower of the Lord.

3. WHAT ABOUT LOVING YOUR ENEMIES?  The Law of talon stated: “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” (Strict Justice). Jesus says that if someone hits us on the right cheek, turn the other cheek to them. If asked to walk a mile, walk two. If asked to give our shirt, give them our coat as well. Then Jesus commands us to both pray for and love our enemies. (Mt 5:39-43) Without the grace of God, this is sheer madness and utterly impossible. But Jesus paved the way and gave us the supreme example as He hung upon the cross, reviled and hated by his enemies, by uttering these words: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” (Lk. 23:34)

4. BECOME THE SAINT THAT GOD CALLS YOU TO BE.  At the conclusion of the first chapter of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus exhorts us with another challenge—the Universal Call to Holiness! We are all called to become the saint that God had in mind for us from all eternity. Jesus expresses it in these words: “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt. 5:48) By reading the lives of the saints, we come to know in flesh and blood how the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount have truly been lived out. May we all accept the challenge to become the saint that God has called us to be from the beginning of time! The modern and well-loved saint, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, expresses it in these words: “Holiness is not the privilege of the few, but the duty of all.”

5. THREE KEY PRACTICES TO BECOME SAINTS. (Mt. Chapter 6)  The Heart of the Sermon on the Mount offers us three essential, as well as indispensable practices to achieve the Universal Call to Holiness. One practice builds upon another. These three practices? Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. How fascinating these practices are and how well they are harmonized and synchronized with the Heart of the Church Liturgical year. This Gospel passage and these three essential practices appear in the Mass kicking off the Season of Lent on Ash Wednesday. One priest offers us a catchy and easy to remember dynamic: Go up! Go in! Go out! We must go up to God through prayer, go in through the practice of fasting and penance, and finally, go out to others by charity in the giving of alms. Examine your life on how you are living out or not living out these three keys to holiness!

6. THE LORD’S PRAYER—THE OUR FATHER. (Mt 6:9-13; Lk. 11:2-4)  The Our Father appears twice in the Gospels. Undoubtedly this is the prayer par excellence. This is so for the simple reason that it emanates from the Sacred Heart of Our Lord and Master, Jesus the Lord. In this prayer, consisting of seven key petitions, are found the source and fountain of all wisdom, knowledge, and strength to live a life of authentic holiness. “Give us this day our daily bread….” (Mt. 6:11)  May the Lord grant us health to work and sustain ourselves and our family. May we have a hunger for the Bible which is truly bread for our minds. And may we have a real hunger for the Eucharist—the Bread of life. (Read Bread of Life Discourse Jn. 6:25-59)

7. DEPENDENCE AND TRUST IN DIVINE PROVIDENCE. (Mt. 6:25-34)  We live in a world where people worry—they are nervous, stressed out to the max, and questioning the many whys of existence. Jesus responds perfectly to this lack of trust and this fretful and constant worrying. More than once Jesus commands us: DO NOT WORRY!!!

Jesus challenges us to trust! The words of Jesus are simple and to the point. He tells us not to worry about what we are to eat or drink, or even what we are going to wear. These are worries and preoccupations of the pagans immersed in the world. “The Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” (Mt. 6:8)

Jesus offers examples from nature on how God provides for the natural world and then asks will He not provide for us? Birds do not worry about their next meal. God provides for their food in every moment. The flowers of the field do not worry about where the closest beauty salon can be found and how they can pay for an exotic hairdo and manicure! In fact, Jesus points out that the flowers of the field excel the beauty of King Solomon in his Kingly array! It is up to us to do one thing: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything else will be given to you.” (Mt. 6:33)

8. THE GOLDEN RULE. (Mt. Chapter 7) “Do to others what you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.” (Mt. 7:12) Believer as well as non-believer—agnostic, atheist, fervent Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Jew—every single person on the face of the earth understands this famous GOLDEN RULE! We all want to be treated with kindness, love, compassion, mercy, respect and dignity—everyone on the face of the earth!!! Therefore, let us always have this as our rule of life—to treat all exactly the way we want to be treated! What a wonderful world this would be if we took this rule seriously!

9.  ANSWER TO PRAYERS.  We all too often receive all too little! The reason? Either we do not ask, or we ask poorly, or we do not persevere and trust when we pray. The following is an easy acronym to remember this key concept on prayer: A.S.K. = ASK… SEEK… KNOCK! Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Mt. 7:7) Let us take a cue from the message of Jesus and storm heaven with prayers by asking for miracles, seeking even when the skies are gray, knocking even when it seems as if the door has a double padlock. The key to prayer is perseverance. In the words of the great woman Doctor of the Church, the Doctor of Prayer, Saint Teresa of Avila: “We must have a determined determination to never give up prayer.”

10.  THE TWO FOUNDATIONS: ROCK AND SAND.  Jesus concludes the Three Chapter Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5-7) by presenting to us a marked contrast in construction—that of a house. The house built on rock, solidly constructed, could weather and withstand the violent storm; it did not cave in and collapse. However, the house built on sand, once exposed to the inclement weather, collapsed and was totally ruined. The Master Teacher, Jesus the Lord, is essentially stating that this house is our spiritual life. If we base our spiritual life upon feelings, emotions, fads, popular and public opinion, then our spiritual life, our spiritual edifice, is built on sand and we will eventually cave in and succumb to our enemies—the devil, the flesh, and the world. Our spiritual edifice is built on rock when we have a solid prayer life, a fervent Sacramental life, a serious life of asceticism and penance, and a tender and filial devotion to Mary—our life, our sweetness, and our hope.

By prayerfully meditating upon the Sermon on the Mount, the very heart of the teachings of Jesus the Master, we will be lifted on high and motivated to become the great saint that God has called us to be. Remember the words of Jesus the Master: “Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt. 5:48)

God can speak to us in many ways. In nature we see God’s beauty, splendor, glory and majesty. The sun reflects the resplendent glory of God’s face. Meditation on the Bible lifts our minds and hearts to God because indeed the Bible is the Word of God. God speaks to us through circumstances, through persons, places and things that He places in our path. In fact, nothing happens by chance. Rather all that has been, is, and will be has been determined in the mind of God in what theologians call DIVINE PROVIDENCE.

Let us return to the glorious splendor and magnificence of nature. Of course, we cannot state that God is actually the beauty of nature. This is the error of the heresy of Pantheism. However, God is the Creator of all the splendor and magnificence and beauty of nature, and the beauty of nature points clearly to the beauty of the Creator behind His creation. In other words, by allowing our eyes to be captivated, mesmerized, enthralled by the majestic splendor of Creation, we can easily be lifted up to God Himself, and consequently burst forth in a hymn, canticle or song of praise.

SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI.  Of the many saints present in the firmament of God’s glory in Heaven, Saint Francis of Assisi stands out as one of the most prominent in his love for the utter beauty of creation. Flowing from this inner knowledge of the beauty of creation, Francis wrote one of the first poems in the Italian language—“The Canticle of the Sun.” In this glorious hymn of praise, through nature Francis praises Brother Sun and Sister Moon, and other elements of nature, all emanating from the loving and providential Hand of God, the Creator. 

OUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF GOD AND NATURE.  Let us step back and open our eyes to God’s Book of Creation and ask ourselves what are the elements of God’s creation that seem to touch and move our hearts in the most profound manner? I can help by pointing out, on a personal note, one of my favorites: THE REALITY OF THE SUN!

THE SUN.  The sun is fascinating! It rises and sets every day. The rising points to the key moment in the Life of Jesus, namely, His rising from the dead and hopefully our own rising from the dead to be united with the Risen Lord. Then the sunset points to the close of day and can easily set the stage for a meditation on the closing moments of our life—the stark but serious character of our mortality. One day we will all have to die and render an account to the Lord of the living for what we have done with the time, treasure, and talents He has bestowed upon us.

Again, the sun rising. As an ordained Catholic priest, this ascension calls to mind the greatest act on earth (the Opus Dei), the consecration in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Once the words of consecration have been pronounced over the bread and wine and the two elements are elevated, Jesus the “Son of God” and “The Light of the World” becomes present in my hands. This indeed is the greatest miracle! From the rising of the sun to its setting, may there be a perfect offering of praise made to God. (Book of Malachi)

With respect to the physical qualities and its influence on us, the sun radiates most especially two essential qualities: light and heat. These essential physical qualities point to a supernatural quality and even the reality of a PERSON—the Holy Spirit. Of course, the Holy Spirit is God, the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. In His utter goodness, He radiates in abundance both light and heat.

LIGHT.  By light He illuminates our intellect so that we can perceive God Himself in His handiwork and His Word, as well as in the persons, places, events and circumstances in our lives. But of great importance, pertinent to our reflection today, we can perceive God in the beauty of Creation.

HEAT.  In addition to light, the sun also emits heat. Actually, the sun is like an enormous fire-ball!!! Both enormous and intense! From this many offshoots or sparks can ignite our mystical and poetical mind! Both stark and serious, glorious and triumphant! Let’s go!

1. FIRE OF ETERNAL LOSS.  Hell does exist and Jesus describes it in terms of the eternal fire. When Our Lady of Fatima appeared to the children on July 13, 1917, she presented Hell as a lake of enormous fire.

2. FIRE OF PURGATORY.  Once again, contemplating the sun one can come to the reality of Purgatory. If we die in the state of sanctifying grace but still need to be purified of sin, the fire of Purgatory is our lot. Short or long—that depends on how we lived our lives. Dying with much egotism—most likely a longer duration! Saint John of the Cross depicts the human person in terms of a piece of cold, rusty, hard and smelly piece of iron thrown into a blazing fire. The fire burns away the dross until the iron becomes like the fire itself. So the fire of God’s love must burn away our dross and rust so that we can be worthy to enter His Eternal Dwelling Place.

3. THE FIRE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  Still following up on the analogy of fire is the Presence of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2) Among the many images for the Holy Spirit—dove, wind, cloud, that of FIRE is one of the most prominent. This we witness on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary in tongues of fire. Jesus also mentioned fire in these words: “I have come to cast fire on the earth and I am not at peace until that fire be enkindled.” (Lk. 12: 49) This fire is both the Holy Spirit, as well as Jesus’ ardent love for the Eternal Father and for the salvation of our immortal souls.

4. THE FIRE EMANATING FROM THE HEARTS OF JESUS AND MARY.  Once again we turn to Jesus and now His Mother Mary related to fire in our image of the sun. Most of the images of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary depict fire. This intense fire that emanates from their hearts and surrounds them represents love. All too often, it is a love that is neither appreciated, nor accepted. Jesus complained to Saint Margaret Mary Alaqoque manifesting His suffering Sacred Heart: “Behold the Heart that loves so much and receives only coldness, indifference and ingratitude in return.”

5. THE GARDEN OF GOD’S BEAUTY: THE SUNFLOWER AND ITS LIFE.  Of all of God’s glorious creations in the realm of flowers, the Sunflower has a prominent place, especially pertinent to our topic. The life, sustenance, preservation and very existence of the Sunflower depends upon the terrain, the planting, the cultivation, the moisture and rain, but most especially upon exposure to the sun. If this flower receives only a constant downpour of rain, its head droops almost as if it were weeping, almost as if it were a weeping willow. But when exposed to the light and the heat of the sun, the sunflower blossoms. It is almost as if it were standing on its hind legs and chanting a hymn of praise to God, the Creator of all that is good—but most especially the sun.

An interesting linguistic note. In Spanish, the word sunflower is translated as such: GIRASOL—meaning, turn towards the sun. How poetic but true is the Spanish translation. The sunflower really does turn towards the sun.

HUMAN AND SUPERNATURAL SUNFLOWERS. Using a poetic, mystical, and sacramental lens, we can assert that we are all called to be a supernatural sunflower. In this sense, the more we draw close to Jesus, the Son of God, present in the Tabernacle, the Monstrance, and Holy Communion, the more we will rise, grow, and fortify our whole being.

Then at the conclusion of our earthly life, our whole being will be both translated and transferred to God’s Eternal Garden in Heaven. There we will contemplate the radiant Face of Jesus, the Son of the Eternal Father, for all Eternity. May Our Lady, the Rosa Mystica, help us to attain this most glorious Reality!

The great Bible scholar and translator, Saint Jerome, stated: “Ignorance of Sacred Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” After Jesus fasted forty days in the desert, the devil tried to tempt Jesus to turn stones into bread, and Jesus responded: “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.” (Mt. 4: 4) The Psalmist points out that the Word of God is both a lamp and light to guide our steps. Finally, the great Apostle to the Gentiles and writer of several Letters in the New Testament, Saint Paul, compares the Bible, the Word of God, to a two-edged sword that can separate bone from marrow.

Unfortunately for many Christians, and even many Catholics, the Bible is nothing more than an ornamental item placed on the coffee table in the living room, collecting dust but barely ever read, much less meditated upon, understood and lived.

As a means to motivate us to sink deep into the vast treasure of the Word of God, the Bible itself, I would like to offer ten of my favorite Biblical passages hoping to encourage all to get into the habit of reading the riches of God’s Word which can be an infinite source and fountain of wisdom, enlightenment and encouragement for us on our pilgrimage to heaven.

1. PSALM 23.  How I love and relish Psalm 23—the Psalm of the Good Shepherd. As a Spiritual Director, when dealing with people who are going through a state of desolation, I often encourage them to crack open the Bread of God’s Word and to read and ponder carefully this Psalm. It starts with these consoling and encouraging words: “The Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want.” (Psalm 23: 1) How often these first few words can pull a person in deep desolation into a state of consolation by becoming aware of the fact that we are never alone. “Though I walk through the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23: 4)

2. LUKE 15—THE LOST AND FOUND CHAPTER.  One of my priest companions called Luke 15, “The Lost and Found Chapter”. The reason for this catchy and intriguing title is precisely that: there are three Parables in which there is a losing and a finding. A sheep is lost, then found; a coin is lost in the house, then swept up and found; finally, a rebellious son wanders in lost wastelands, and then is found in the loving arms of his merciful Father. We call this the Parable of the Prodigal Son, that could also and rightfully be called the Parable of the Merciful Father. Try meditating on this masterpiece, perhaps one of the greatest stories ever told, and peace and mercy will be yours!

3. LUKE 10: 25-37—THE GOOD SAMARITAN.  Anyone who reads this Parable of Jesus with an open heart can derive infinite graces, treasures and precious teachings. Traditional Bible interpretations point to Jesus as the Good Samaritan. Indeed, Jesus lifts fallen humanity from the dregs of sin and brings all to the Inn, the Church, where healing comes about. However, once we have experienced the love, the care and the tenderness of Jesus, the Good Samaritan in our lives, then it will be our turn to be Good Samaritans on the Highway of life. We are to lift the fallen, the lonely, the abandoned and the suffering, and offer them the healing balm of God’s love flowing from our own hearts.

4. MATTHEW 25: 31-46—THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS.  How important it is for us to express heart-felt gratitude to God who is the giver of all good gifts. How important it is for us to recognize that the many talents we have, whether they be intellectual, artistic, moral, spiritual, and much more, are simply gifts from a most bountiful and generous God. However, our gratitude for the gift of these talents should motivate us to use them and avoid any form of laziness, arch-enemy number one in this Parable. As the younger generations put it: “If you do not use it, you lose it.”

5. GENESIS 3—ADAM AND EVE: THE ORIGINAL SIN.  This passage has intrigued me for many years and for various reasons. One of the principal reasons is that this sin, the Original Sin of our first parents Adam and Eve, left an indelible mark on all of humanity until the end of time. I like to term it this way: “Original Sin is a moral tsunami that has repercussions on the whole of humanity until the end of time.” We are who we are, with our fallen human nature that has a strong inclination and proclivity towards evil all due to this first sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve. For this reason, Jesus left His Church with these four key Sacraments. Can you guess what they are? The Sacrament of Baptism which removes the stain of original sin that we were born with, and makes us children of God. The Sacrament of Confession, the Sacrament of Mercy, so we can return to the state of grace when we fall and receive Jesus in Holy Communion worthily. The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist nourishing us with Jesus’ Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day”. (Jn. 6: 53-54) The Sacrament of Holy Orders or the Priesthood, for as the Cure of Ars pointed out—no priests, no Confession; no Confession, no Eucharist; no Eucharist, we are orphans. How good God is!

6. II SAMUEL 11: THE SIN OF DAVID AND BATHSHEBA.  How fascinating this chapter involving King David and Bathsheba. One of the greatest warriors, a musician and poet at heart, a man loved and honored by an entire nation, and a man after the very heart of God, these are the qualities that describe one of the greatest figures in the Old Testament, and that is, King David. Despite all of these talents—natural, human and divine, David fell and plunged into the mire and quicksand of sin. Not only did he take another man’s wife, committing adultery, but he went even further by plotting the murder of that innocent man, the husband of Bathsheba, Uriah the Hittite. How important a lesson for us: “Watch and pray because the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mt. 26: 41) As Saint Paul reminds us: “Be careful while you stand, lest you fall.” (1 Cor. 10-12) However,because of this mortal sinfulness of David, we have one of the most profound prayers of Contrition ever written, Psalm 51. See excerpts below.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
    blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
    and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight;

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

7. LUKE 24: 13-35—WALKING ALONE AND THEN WITH JESUS.  This is the charming Easter passage of the disciples walking away from Jerusalem on the road leading to Emmaus. While the two walk and talk between themselves, it is argument, disagreement, discouragement and desolation. But once the stranger, the pilgrim, their secret friend enters the scene—Jesus, whom they do not recognize, their whole mood changes radically. Jesus walks with them, listens to them, speaks to them and explains the things that have happened to Him, whom they believed to be dead. Invited inside their humble abode, Jesus sits down with them at the table and breaks bread for them. Suddenly their eyes are opened and they recognize Jesus. Their desolation evaporates into thin air and they are filled with joy and consolation, ready to share the Good News that Jesus is truly risen with the whole world! Do it yourself! Take a long walk with Jesus. Speak to Him and tell Him what is on your mind. Then listen to Him as He speaks to your heart. Let Him break bread for you in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, nourishment for the journey. For like the disciples, you are to go and share the Good News to the whole world. Then invite Jesus to be with you now and forever!

8. MATTHEW Chapter 5—THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT: THE BEATITUDES.  Of all of the teachings of Jesus, one of the most renowned is the Sermon on the Mount, found in these three chapters: Matthew 5, 6 and 7. This profound and radical teaching of the Best of Teachers, the Master, the Lord Jesus, starts off with the famous BEATITUDES. In total they are eight! Pope Saint John Paul II stated that if we want to peer into the window of the Heart of Jesus, we should meditate upon the Beatitudes. Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who weep, the meek, those who hunger for justice, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peace-makers, and those persecuted for the sake of justice—behold the Eight Beatitudes. Who lived these best? Jesus, who preached them and taught them by His life! Let beg for the grace and try to imitate Him!

9. JOHN Chapter 6.  This powerful chapter, one of the longest in the Gospels, can be divided into three parts: the multiplication of the loaves, Jesus walks on water, and then the famous “Bread of Life discourse”. For those who have drifted away from the practice of the Catholic faith, invite them to read and meditate upon John Chapter 6—especially on the “Bread of Life discourse.”  Without any equivocation, Jesus states with utmost clarity that He is truly the Bread of Life, and that if we sincerely desire eternal life in Heaven, we must nourish ourselves on the Bread of life—meaning, Holy Communion in the context of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Blessed are those who listen and obey, and who are privileged to receive the Real Presence of Jesus in the most Holy Eucharist!

10. JOHN 2—THE WEDDING FEAST OF CANA.  In this passage we encounter Jesus, His Mother Mary, and some of the His disciples in a wedding Feast in Cana. The wine runs out and Mary points this out to Jesus. Then Sacred Scripture presents us with the last recorded words of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Bible: “Do whatever He tells you.” (Jn. 2: 5) These words of Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our Mother also, are among the most important words and the best advice that we could ever be given—DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU! If the world would only obey Mary and do what Jesus tells us to do, there would be peace, love, and harmony in this world and salvation in the life to come for all.

In conclusion, friends in Jesus, Mary, the angels and saints, I have offered to you for your own meditation, ten of my favorite Biblical passages. These passages have given me light, encouragement, correction, motivation and much consolation. Like Mary, may we grow to love the Word of God and ponder God’s word in the depths of our hearts. (Lk. 2:19)

Many would sadly have to admit that the Holy Spirit is the forgotten Person of the Most Blessed Trinity. The Blessed Trinity is composed of three separate and distinct but equal Persons: The Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit.  Three Divine Persons in One God. After the Feast of Pentecost in the Church Liturgical Year, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Blessed Trinity—the most sublime Mystery of the Catholic faith.

Given the sad fact that many do not know who the Holy Spirit really is, we would like to offer ten concrete suggestions on how we can augment our knowledge, our devotion, and our love for the “Forgotten Person of the most Blessed Trinity.”  In a very real sense our conversion, sanctification, growth in holiness, and final perseverance depends in large part on our union with the Holy Spirit. Such is that the case that Pope Saint John XXIII asserted the following: “The saints are the spiritual Masterpieces of the Holy Spirit.” Our prayer and hope will be that you will end your life being one of those “Masterpieces of the Holy Spirit.” In fact Jesus commands it: “Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy.” (1 Peter 1: 16)

TEN WAYS TO GET TO KNOW AND LOVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

1. PRAYER.  We offer to you a short prayer that the author composed several years ago combining Mary and the Holy Spirit: “Come Holy Spirit, come through the Heart of Mary.” Say this prayer frequently during the course of the day and graces will descend upon you like rain on the parched desert!

2. THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.  During the entirety of the Easter Season—that lasts 50 days—the Church offers us the reading and meditation of the book that follows the four Gospels: The Acts of the Apostles.

3. SAINT LUKE. The inspiration of this book is the same Holy Spirit; the human author is the great Saint Luke. This wonderful book, the action book of the Bible, is also known as the “Gospel of the Holy Spirit.” On numerous occasions we encounter the Person, the Presence, and the Power of the Holy Spirit. Starting with Chapter Two, we contemplate Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit upon Mary and the Apostles, and the Birthday of the Catholic Church. By reading, meditating, pondering, and contemplating the Chapters, events and verses of the Acts of the Apostles, you will get to know better and better the Person of the Holy Spirit—a Biblical perspective. Also, you will perceive His action on the early Church, and how He can still act on each and every one of us!

4. READ BOOKS ON THE HOLY SPIRIT.  Of course, the Bible, the Word of God, has preference and prominence in our growth in faith. However, that should not exclude us reading and studying good literature. We would like to offer the following works:

• In the School of the Holy Spirit by Jacques Philippe.
• The Sanctifier by the Archbishop of Mexico, Luis Martinez.
• The Holy Ghost, Our Greatest Friend by Fr. Paul O’Sullivan, O.P. This is a small but substantial booklet on the Holy Spirit, Tan Publishers.
• The Spiritual Life by Adolphe Tanquerey, who explains in a masterly manner, the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
• Dominum et Vivificantem (Lord and Giver of Life). The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church and the World, Pope Saint John Paul II, 18 May 1986.

This will be enough literature on the Holy Spirit to keep you busy for at least a fortnight!

5. SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  Memorize and get to know the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Do you know them? A little help: Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.

6. VENI CREATOR SPIRITUS.  Learn and sing the Gregorian hymn—the real classic: Veni Creator Spritus. The great Doctor of the Church, Saint Augustine, reminds us that to sing well is to pray twice.

7. THE ART OF SPEAKING/COMMUNICATING.  Before giving a talk, lecture, or catechesis always pray to the Holy Spirit for His Divine Light and guidance. My own personal experience, having given thousands of talks in more than three decades as a priest, I always initiate my talks, conferences, and presentations by praying to Mary, then to the Holy Spirit. Next, to the angels and saints so that the words that issue from my heart and mouth will be a source of inspiration, knowledge and inspiration for my listeners. Try it! Even before converting individually, the Holy Spirit communicates fire—light and love!

8. LITANY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.  Litanies are great! The Litany is an extraordinary prayer tool that serves as a double means of sanctification. The Litany is a prayer, as well as an efficacious catechetical device. A Litany consists of a list and sequence of short phrases explaining in detail the virtues or perfections of that Person. Litanies are many: to Mary, Saint Joseph, Jesus, the Angels, the saints, but also to the Holy Spirit. Many of these short invocations are Biblical, poetic, symbolic, and Mystical. Therefore, by praying the Litany of the Holy Spirit, you are both getting to know various dimensions, attributes, and noble qualities of the Holy Spirit, but also getting to know Who He is!!!

9. RECOGNIZE YOUR DIGNITY: THE CHURCH AND SACRAMENTS.  Recognize the Presence of the Holy Spirit in your own personal life. Indeed, many actually have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in their very souls. When and how? In the very moment of Baptism, the Holy Spirit enters our very soul. Actually, the Blessed Trinity becomes the Guest of our soul. In all truth, the Sacrament of Baptism transforms us into Sons and Daughters of God the Father, Brothers or Sisters to Jesus Christ, and Intimate Friends of the Holy Spirit, as well as Living Tabernacles of the Blessed Trinity. For that reason, Pope Saint Leo the Great, in his Christmas homily exhorts us in these words: “Christians, recognize your great dignity.” Confirmation fortifies the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, challenging us to both spread the faith and defend our Catholic faith. Indeed we become Soldiers of Christ the King and Mary the Queen!

10. MARY AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.  There at Pentecost (Acts 2), the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary after a novena (nine days!!!) of prayer and penance. The powerful wind-like earthquake and the tongues of fire transformed these weak, ignorant and cowardly men into valiant soldiers of Christ, ready to shed their life’s blood for the sake of the Name and Person of Jesus Christ. The Blessed Virgin Mary can heighten our knowledge, love and awareness of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In fact, related to the Blessed Trinity, Mary is the Daughter of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son, and the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit—the living Tabernacle of the Blessed Trinity. Lift your eyes, mind, heart and soul to Mary and she will facilitate your union in knowledge and love for the Holy Spirit. Saint Louis de Montfort asserts:  “Those who love Mary, the Holy Spirit flings Himself into their souls.” May Our Lady precipitate an abundant down pouring of the Holy Spirit in your mind, heart, soul, and life and help you to become a saint—a Masterpiece of the Holy Spirit. Amen.