February 7th, 2012
SAINT MATTHEW
Matthew, also known as Levi, was a tax collector before responding to
the call of Jesus to follow him. Matthew's Gospel, one of the three synoptic
Gospels, shows the Jewish people how the promised one of the Old Testament
is indeed Jesus - whose good news of salvation was not just for them but the world.
Feast Day: September 21
February 4-6, 2012
AND NOW ABOUT PRAYER.
When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who pretend piety by praying
publicly on street corners and in church where everyone can see them. Truly,
that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by your self,
all alone, and shut the door behind your and pray to your Father secretly, and your
Father, who knows your secrets, will reward you.
February 1, 2012
SAINT BARTHOLOMEW
Also known as Nathanael, Bartholomew was brought
to Jesus by Philip. At their meeting, Bartholomew re-
cognized Jesus as the Son of God, and Jesus proclaimed
Bartholomew would see great things in his life(john 1:47)
According to tradition, Bartholomew preached in Ethiopia,
India, Persia and Armenia, where he ultimately was flayed
alive. According to legend he left the Gospel of Matthew
in India. Feast Day: August 24
January 29, 2012
SAINT ANDREW
Andrew was a fisherman from Capernaum who cast aside
his profession to become a "fisher of Men." First a disciple
of John the Baptist, Andrew was among the first of the apos-
tles to follow Jesus after hearing John the Baptist call Jesus
"the Lamb of God" (John 1:35). Upon spending time with
Jesus, Andrew declared to his brother Simon (Peter), "We
have found the Messiah" (John 1:41).
Feast Day: November 20
JANUARY 24, 2012
SAINT THOMAS
Thomas is the Greek form of the Aramaic T'oma, which literally means
"twin." Perhaps, allegorically, we all are Thomases in that our Faith is
confirmed through our Lord's physical presence. Thomas declared "My
Lord and my God" when Jesus appeared to him after the resurrection.
Our faith is emboldened each time we receive our Lord's body and blood
in the eucharist. Feast Day July 3
January 22, 2010
Saint James
James of Zebedee was a disciple of John
the Baptist and a fisherman before
becoming an Apostle. Also known as
James the Greater, he was among the
three witnesses at the Transfiguration
of Christ (Matthew 17:1) and the Agony
in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew
26:37). Jesus called James and his bro-
ther, St. John the Apostle, "Bonanerges,"
meaning "The sons of Thunder" (Mark 3:17).
James was the first of the Apostles to be
martyred, having been beheaded under
Herod Agrippa in 44. Feast Day July 25th
January 20, 22012
ST. SIMON (the Cananean)
Simon was called Simon the Cananite or Simon the Zealot. While facts of
his life are uncertain, Simon is thought to have evangelized in Egypt,
Mesopotamia and Persia, where he suffered martyrdom by being sawed in two.
January 17, 2012
SAINT JAMES THE LESS
James the Less, known as such to be distinguished
from James the Greater who was taller or older, was
the son of Alpheus and believed to be a cousin of
Jesus and a brother of St. Jude Thaddeus the Apostle;
in Semitic usage, the terms "brother" and "sister" are
applied not only to children of the same parents, but
to nephews, nieces, cousins, half brothers and half
sisters. His mother Mary was at the cross when Jesus
was crucified (Mark 15:40). One account of his death
states he was thrown from a pinnacle of a temple then
clubbed and stoned when the fall did not kill him, leading
to the common iconography of James holding a club.
Feast Day May 3
January 15, 2012
THE MOMENT THAT WILL BE THE LAST
To live each moment intensely is also the secret of knowing
how to live our last moment well. Paul VI wrote in his "Thoughts on Death";
I will no longer look back, but do willingly, simply,
humbly, and bravely the duties that come from the
circumstances in which I find myself, as your will. To
do quickly. To do everything. To do it well. To do it joy-
fully - whatever you want of me right now, even if it is
beyond my strength, even if it asks my life. Finally, at
this last hour.
January 12, 2012
"The Eucharist is the Sacrament of Love; It signifies Love, it produces Love."
St. Thomas Aquinas
January 9, 2012
ST. ELIZABETH ANN SETON
"God is everywhere, in the very air I breathe, yes everywhere, but in HIs
Sacrament of the Altar He is as present actually and really as my soul within my
body; in His Sacrifice daily offered as really as once offered on the Cross."
January 4th, 2012
When you find a penny - it is God reminding you to TRUST him. For on the penny it
says, " TRUST IN GOD!" So continue on .......God is with you.
January 1, 2012
January-- MONTH OF THE HOLY NAME
Quote from St. Teresa Benedicta -- Edith Stein
"The bread that we need each day to grow in eternal life, makes of
our will a docile instrument of the Divine Will; sets the Kingdom of
God within us; gives us pure lips, and a pure heart with which to
glorify his holy name.
December 25, 2011
GIVE GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND PEACE TO HIS PEOPLE ON EARTH, ALLELUIA!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
December 23, 2011
Thomas Merton - The Wisdom of the Desert
Abbot Macarius said: If, wishing to correct another, you are moved to anger,
you gratify your own passion. Do not lose yourself in order to save another!
December 21, 2011
One of the brethren questioned Abbot Isidore, the
elder of Scete, saying: Why is it that the demons
are so grievously afraid of you? The elder replied:
From the moment I became a monk I have striven
to prevent anger rising to my lips.
Wisdom of the Desert by Thomas Merton
December 17,2011
"Our Holy Father reminds us constantly that community is impossible
except in the Eucharistic Christ. It is by being in communion with
Christ in the Eucharist that we can commune with one another and
therefore become a community. We cannot form a community. We
are made into a community by the Eucharistic Christ."
John Cardinal O'Connor
December 15, 2011
POPE JOHN PAUL II, Crossing the Threshold of Hope
"Peoples of the entire world
need to hear these words.
Their conscience needs to
grow in the certainty that
Someone exists who holds in His Hands
the destiny of this passing world...
And this Someone is Love -
Love that became Man,
Love crucified and risen
Love unceasingly present among men.
It is the Eucharistic Love."
December 10,2011
St. Philip
Philip, born in Bethsaida, Palestine, was among the first of Jesus'
disciples and brought Bartholomew (Nathanael) to Jesus (John 1:43-46).
Philip is mentioned in connection with the feeding of the 5,000 (John
6:-5-7), Jesus' meeting with the Greeks (John 12:21-23) and with Jesus
discourse at the Last Supper (John 14:9). He is believed to have preached
in Greece and Asia Minor. Feast Day May 3
December 6th, 2011
SAINT PETER
Simon Peter, a fisherman from Galilee, was
let to Jesus by his brother Andrew. Jesus
gave him the Aramaic name kepa, meaning
rock, which was later translated from the
Greek Cephas to Peter (John 1:42). Peter
was the leader of the disciples and , with
James and John, part of the inner circle around
Jesus, despite denying Jesus three times
(Matthew 26:69-75). He spread the Gospel
to the Gentiles and is honored as the founder
of the See in Rome and first pope. He was
crucified upside down in or around the year
64 A.D. during the reign of Emperor Nero.
Feat day June 29
December 4, 2011
ST. SIMON (the Cananean)
Simon was called Simon the Canaanite or Simon the Zealot. While
facts of his life are uncertain, Simon is thought to have evangelized
in Egypt, Mesopotamia and Persia, where he suffered martyrdom by
being sawed in two. He was one of the twelve. Mark 3:16-19
December 1, 2011
The most convincing reason for loving Wisdom, says Saint Louis Marie de Montfort is:
"Among all the motives impelling us to love Jesus Christ, the Wisdom Incarnate, the
strongest, in my opinion is the suffering he chose to endure to prove his love for us.
"There is, "says St. Bernard, "one motive which excels all others which I feel most
keenly and which urges me to love Jesus. It is, dear Jesus, the bitter chalice which
you drank for our sakes, and the great work of our Redemption which makes you so
lovable to us. Indeed this supreme blessing and incomparable proof of your love
makes us want to return your love. This motive attracts us more agreeable, makes
most just demands upon us, moves us more pressingly and influences us more for-
cibly." And he gives the reason in a few words, "Our dear Savior has labored and
suffered much to accomplish our redemption. What pain and anguish he has en-
dured!"
November 24-30th, 2011
On this "Thanksgiving Day" let us remember what St. Thomas Aquinas said,
"The Eucharist is the consummation of the whole spiritual life."
November 21, 2011
"The Sacrament of the Eucharist is far more powerful for the sanctification of
souls than all other spiritual means of grace." St. Denis
November 17th, 2011
THE COMPLETION OF HE ROSARY, POPE JOHN PAUL II
WITH HIS APOSTOLIC LETTER, "Rosarium Virginis Martar" -- The Rosary of the Blessed
Virgin Mary --- October 16, 2002, Pope John Paul II added five new mysteries to the
traditional Dominican rosary. These so called "Luminous Mysteries," or "Mysteries of
Light," complete the rosary by emphasizing the public ministry of Jesus in the time be-
tween his baptism and passion. Thus the complete rosary of John Paul II consists of
twenty decades, divided into four parts, each part containing five decades.
November 15, 2011
THE DEVOTION OF THE THREE HAIL MARYS
This devotion also called "A little Key to Heaven: consists simply of saying
three Hail Marys each day, usually in the morning and at night, to obtain a
happy death. This devotion arose from a vision to Saint Matilde of Hacehborn
Germany, of Our Lady, who said to her, "I have a little key that will open the
door of heaven for you when you die. All you have to do is to say, in my honor,
three Hail Marys, every day."
November 14, 2011
TEACHING FROM "THE ESSENTIAL MARY HANDBOOK "
Mary is the perfect pray-er in her role as a symbol of the Church.
When we pray with her or to her we gather in the spirit of the beloved
disciples and follow with her and them the Father's plan of salvation,
the sending his Son to save us. We announce her as Jesus' mother, for
she has becom the mother of all of us who are yet on earth bound on the
journey of faith.
NOVEMBER 10-12, 2011
OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL
Located in Aylesford in Kent, this place of pilgrimage commemorates
the apparition of Our Lady to Saint Simon Stock, the prior general of
the Carmelite Order. In this vision, The Blessed Virgin handed Simon
Stock the Brown Scapular- the sign of her protection for all of her child-
ren. The Carmelite monastery was pulled down during the dissolution,
but the Carmelites regained possession in 1949. The chapel still holds
the relics of Saint Simon Stock.
Note: Scapular Medal. A medal that may be used in place of the cloth
scapular in recognition of the changes in modern life. Anyone invested
in any Scapular may substitute a scapular medal which need only be carri-
ed on the person. This is not intended as a new form of devotion, but
merely as a convenience for the faithful and to encourage its continued
practice.
November 7-9th, 2011
Prayer of St. Therese
"Veiled in the white Host, O my Well-beloved, how meek and humble of heart
dost Thou show Thyself to me! Thou couldst not stoop lower to teach me hu-
mility, and I to respond to Thy love, desire to put myself in the lowest place and
share thy humiliations, that I may have part with Thee in the kingdom of Heaven."
November 3, 2011
ST. MARTIN DE PORRES, RELIGIOUS
"St. Martin de Porres, apostle of mercy and charity, was born in 1579
in Lima, Peru, son of a Spanish nobleman and a black free woman. Martin
grew up in poverty and persecution. From a very young age St Martin would
spend many hours daily adoring Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. It was
in this great school of Eucharistic Love that Martin grew in love and understand-
ing of the poor, sick, lowly and needy. As a dominican brother, St. Martin was
either communing with Jesus Eucharistic or ministering to all who needed him
(from website at www. ACFP2000.com.
October 30-31, 2011
"We need not speak so much to pray well. We know the good God is in the holy
tabernacle. We open our hearts to him, and delight in his holy presence; that is
the best prayer. It reminds me of the first time I came to Ars...Listen to this, my
children; there was a man who never passed the church without entering it. in the
morning when he went to work, and in the evening when he returned, he left his
spade and his pickaxe at the door, and remained a long time in adoration before
the Blessed Sacrament. Oh! I used to like that!.... I asked him once what he said
to our Lord during the long visits he paid him. Do you know what he answered?
"Oh, I don't say anything to him, Monsieur le Cure, I look at Him and He looks at
me." How beautiful that is my children, how beautiful that is!....St. John Vianney
October 27, 2011
Praise God in his holy place,
Praise him in his mighty heavens
Praise him for his powerful deeds,
Praise his surpassing greatness.
Let everything that breathes give praise to the Lord, alleluia.
then.........you will have joy.
October 22, 2011
OUR LADY OF MT CARMEL
Located in Aylesford in Kent, this place of pilgrimage commemorates the
apparition of Our Lady to Saint Simon Stock, the prior general of the Carmelite
Order. In this vision, the Blessed Virgin handed Simon Stock the Brown Scapular-
the sign of her protection for all of her children. The Carmelite monastery was
pulled down during the dissolution, but the Carmelites regained possession in 1949,
The chapel still holds the relics of Saint Simon Stock.
October 18, 2011
"Be encouraged by the meaning of the miracle of the sun (at Fatima).
Seventy-thousand people saw it October 13, 1917.
It was raining hard. A sign of tears, the copious tears of man's inhumanity
to man. Mud was everywhere, like the corruption of everything we see today.
Then the sun started to spin with the splendor of many colors down upon the
earth. This foretells the coming glory of the Blessed Sacrament. The rain stops,
the mud disappears and everything is made radiant.
Seventy-thousand people witnessed it, while the whole world will see this:
' then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former
earth had passed away.....Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race....He
will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or
mourning or pain, for the old order has passed away. (Rev. 21:1-4.
"And Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament says: 'Behold, I make ALL things new."(Rev.21:5
Excerpt from the book "Letters to a Brother Priest."
October 2011
FEAST DAY OF ST. TERESA OF AVILA, VIRGIN AND DOCTOR
Pope Gregory XV said that St. Teresa of Avila "saw Our Lord Jesus Christ,
present in the Host so distinctly with the eyes of her spirit that she said
she did not begrudge the happy lot of the Blessed who behold the Lord
face to face in heaven."
October, 2011
"O my children, what is this Sacrament of Love!! Our dear Lord has there a heart
only to love us; streams of mercy and kindness flow forth from Him, in order to
blot out the sins of the world." St. John Vianney, the Cure D' Ars
October 7,2011
"We do not sin when we adore Christ in the Eucharist; we do sin when we do not
adore Christ in the Eucharist." St. Augustine
October 3, 2011
"My day must be one long prayer; prayer is the breath of my life. I propose to
recite all fifteen decades of the Rosary every day, if possible in the chapel before
the Blessed Sacrament.......Lord may I have the grace to do two things well; my visit
and the Rosary. All the rest will follow."
Bl. John XXlll, Pope
October 1, 2011
St. Therese of Lisieux is the patroness of missionaries, although she never left her
convent. She died at the early age of 24, yet accomplished great things through the
power of prayer before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The Church made her the
patroness of missionaries to emphasize this most important truth; one soul coming
before the Blessed Sacrament can change the would! St Therese said, "My mission is
to make God loved." May she intercede for us in the spreading of Perpetual Eucharistic
Adoration worldwide! (from the M.B.S. St Therese prayer card)
September 28, 2011
"Know also that you will probably gain more by praying fifteen minutes before
the Blessed Sacrament than by all the other spiritual exercises of the day. True,
Our Lord hears our prayers anywhere, for He has made the promise, "Ask, and
you shall receive," but He has revealed to His servants that those who visit Him
in the Blessed Sacrament will obtain a more abundant measure of grace."
Saint Alphonsus Liguori
September 24, 2011
FIRST SATURDAYS DEVOTION
A devotion whose origins are in the seventeenth century and which consists of the
setting aside of the first Saturday of each month as a day of reparation for all the
acts of blasphemy committed against the Blessed Virgin Mary. A form of this de-
votion was promoted first in Italy and consisted of receiving holy Communion, re-
ceiving the sacrament of reconciliation, and performing some act of reparation in
honor of Our Lady. Pope Pius X (d. 1914) decreed that all the faithful could receive
a plenary indulgence for the souls in purgatory provided they accomplished the pre-
ceding conditions.
September 20,2011
The Essential Mary Handbook
(cross-Rederenced to the Catechism of the Catholic Church)
Colors of Mary
The color traditionally associated with the Blessed Virgin
Mary in modern times is blue, perhaps because Saint Bernadette states that
Mary appeared to her at Lourdes wearing a blue sash. Blue is not used for
liturgical vestments except in Spain and Spanish Latin America where its
use is permitted. The color white (including gold and silver) is used for
vestments for feasts of Our Blessed Virgin Mary. The custom of fixing col-
ors for liturgical vestments is some what recent; in twelfth-century Jerusa-
lem, Augustinian canons assigned black to Our Blessed Lady.
September 16, 2011
"We need not speak so much to pray well. We know the good God is in the holy
tabernacle. We open our hearts to him, and delight in his holy presence; that is
the best prayer. It reminds me of the first time I came to Ars.....Listen to this, my
children; there was a man who never passed the church without entering it. In the
morning when he went to work, and in the evening when he returned, he left his
spade and his packaxe at the door, and remained a long time in adoration before
the Blessed Sacrament. Oh! I used to like that!... I asked him once what he said
to our Lord during the long visits he paid him. Do you know what he answered?
'Oh, I don't say anything to him, Monsieur le Cure, I look at him and he looks at
me' How beautiful that is, my children, how beautiful that is!.....(St. John Vianney
September 14, 2011
FEAST OF THE TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS
"WE ADORE THEE MOST HOLY LORD JESUS CHRIST, HERE IN ALL THY CHURCHES, WHICH ARE
IN THE WHOLE WORLD, BECAUSE BY THY HOLY CROSS, THOU HAS REDEEMED THE WORLD."
St. Francis of Assisi
September 12, 2011
LITANY
A litany is a prayer in the form of a series of invocations followed by
a petitionary response. Introductory and concluding prayers usually
accompany a litany. Examples are litanies of the Holy Name, All Saints,
Sacred Heart, and so on.
SEPTEMBER 10,2011
SCAPULAR
A garment that hangs down the front and back or the body and has a hole in the
middle for the head. This garb was part of the habit of older religious orders.
Gradually, lay members of religious orders took to wearing miniature decorated
scapulars connected by cords under their clothes to represent the larger scapular.
From this practice, wearing of the scapular spread to the laity at large. There are
more than fifteen scapulars approved for use by the Church but the most popular
and widely worn is the BROWN SCAPULAR.
September 6th, 2011
ST. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA, BISHOP AND DOCTOR
"He who receives Communion is made holy and Divinized in soul and body in the
same way that water, set over a fire, becomes boiling.... ...Communion works like
yeast that has been mixed into dough so that it leavens the whole mass...Just as by
melting two candles together you get one piece of wax, so, I think, one who receives
the Flesh and Blood of Jesus is fused together with Him by this Communion, and the
soul finds that he is in Christ and Christ is in him."
September 4-6, 2011
A small survey on:
WHY WOULD YOU GO TO MASS ON SUNDAY?
"I go to church for a sense of belonging, a sense of the meaning of life,
a sense of hope, and a sense that I am lovable," says a mother of four
children,(ages 21,19, 16, and 11).
"I go to Mass on Sun. because through the week I sometimes forget to pray,
and on Sunday it brings me into focus that I can pray, - that Jesus is near -
that I am OK," says a mother of 4 (3 boys 13,9, and 5 and one daughter 11)
"I go to Mass on Sunday to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, for He is my Love,
my Redeemer, My Savior, My Strength, My reason for being," says a 70 yr. old.
"I go to Mass on Sunday because it's a Holy Day." says 9 yr. old Brendan
September 1, 2011
"I am quite sure that if we could but once approach the Most Holy Sacrament with
great faith and love, it would suffice to make us rich. How much more so if we
approach it often!" St. Teresa of Avila
August 30, 2011
"FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI
St. Peter Julian Eymard
"Feast of the Body of Jesus Christ; a name as full of love as it is unpretentious
and well adapted to our misery! Our Lord asked for this feast so as to draw
still closer to us, just as a father is desirous of being wished a happy birthday
by his child in order to have a reason for giving him a more ardent proof of his
paternal affection, and for granting him some special favor. Let this feast therefor
be one of joy, and let us expect from it the most abundant blessings. All the Hymns
and canticles of this solemnity express the thought that on this day our Lord will show
Himself more graciously than ever."
August 28, 2011
BLESSED DAMIEN, APOSTLE OF THE LEPERS
"The Blessed Sacrament is indeed the stimulus for us all, for me as it should be
for you, to forsake all worldly ambitions. Without the constant presence of our
Divine Master upon the altar in my poor chapels, I never could have persevered
casting my lot with the lepers of Molokai; the foreseen consequence of which
begins now to appear on my skin, and is felt throughout the body. Holy
Communion being the daily bread of a priest, I feel myself happy, well pleased,
and resigned in the rather exceptional circumstances in which it has pleased Divine
Providence to put me."
August 26, 2011
MATERNITY OF OUR LADY
"It is Mary who teaches us to love, to appreciate and to adore the Incarnate Word
of God. In the Bible, 'The Word became flesh and dwelt among us,' through the
Blessed Mother. It is Mary, in her spiritual maternity, that gives birth to our faith,
our hope, our love, whereby we see in the Blessed Sacrament the continuation of
that same action of the Word becoming Flesh in the Blessed Sacrament and dwell-
ing among us in the Holy Eucharist." (from the M.B.S. tape " Why Perpetual Euchar-
istic Adoration?)
August 24,2011
THE HOUSE OF LORETO
On the Italian shore of the Adriatic in the small town of Loreto lies a shrine built over a small
house. According to tradition, this is the same house in which Mary was born and which was
used by the Holy Family during their life in Nazareth. It was transported to Loreto by angels
in 1291 after first being set down at Tersato in Dalmatia. A great basilica has been built around
this small house, and inside stands a statue of Our Lady of Loreto, commemorating Mary in her
role as mother of the Holy Family. Despite objections raised to the authenticity or the means of
transporting the house, the shrine is visited by many pilgrims, including Pope John XXIII and Pope PaulVI
August 20, 2011
When you find a penny it is God reminding you to TRUST HIM. Read the penny, it states,
"In God we Turst."
August 18, 2011
BIRTHDAY OF OUR LADY, FEAST OF THE......
Now observed on September 8, this is one of the three feasts of the liturgical cycle
that commemorates a temporal birth--the others being that of John the Baptist and
Jesus. The feast of Mary's birthday is thought to have originated in Jerusalem about
the sixth century. It made its way to Rome in the seventh century when Pope Sergius
I proclaimed its observance by a solemn procession leading to St. Mary Major from the
Roman Forum.
Scripture does not give an account of the birth of Mary but an apocryphal NATIVITY OF
MARY holds that her birth place is Jerusalem, in a house located near what is now St.
Stephen's Gate.
August 15, 2011
St. Therese of Lisieux is the patroness of missionaries, although she never left her
convent. She died at the early age of 24, yet accomplished great things through
the power of prayer before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The Church made her
the patroness of missionaries to emphasize this most important truth: one soul
coming before the Blessed Sacrament can change the world! St. Therese said,
"My mission is to make God loved." May she intercede for us in the spreading
of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration worldwide! From M.B.S. St. Therese prayer card
August 13, 2011
"When St. John Mary Vianney arrived at the obscure little village of Ars, someone
said to him with biterness, "Here there is nothing to do." Therefore, there is every-
thing to do, ' replied the Saint. And he began immediately to act. What did he do?
He arose at 2:00am in the morning and went to pray near the altar in the dark church.
He recited the Divine Office and prepared himself for Holy Mass. After the Holy Sacrifice
he made his thnksgiving; then he remained at prayer until noon. He would be always
kneeling on the floor without any support, with a Rosary in his hand and his eyes fixed
on the tabernacle."
Taken from "Our Eucharistic Love, Fr. Stefano Manelli, OFM
August 10,2011
FIRST SATURDAYS DEVOTION
A devotion whose origins are in the seventeenth
century and which consists of the setting aside of the first Saturday of each
month as a day of reparation for all the acts of blasphemy committed against
the Blessed Virgin Mary. A form of this devotion was promoted first in
Italy and consisted of receiving holy Communion, recieving the sacrament
of reconciliation, and performing some act of reparation in honor of Our
Lady. Pope Pius X (d. 1914) decreed that all the faithful could receive a
plenary indulgence for the souls in purgatory provided they accomplished
the preceding conditions.
The Essential Mary Handbook, A Redemptorist Pastoral Publcation
August 8th, 2011
Pope John Paul II
"Adoration is also a response that tries to repay that love immolated even to the
death on the cross; it is our 'Eucharist,' that is to say our giving Him thanks, our
praise of Him for having redeemed us by His death and made us shares in immortal
life through His resurrection."
August 4, 2011
Today is the Feast Day of St John Mary Vianney, Priest
here are some of his words:
"You are here alone to adore your God! His look rests on you alone!' Ah! if we
only had the angels' eyes! Seeing our Lord Jesus Christ here, on that altar, and
looking at us, how we should love him! We should want to stay always at his feet;
it would be a foretaste of heaven; everything else would become insipid to us."
July 31, 2011
Teaching of St. Peter Julian Eymard
"Love cannot triumph unless it becomes the one passion of our life. Without such
passion we may produce isolated acts of love; but our life is not really won over
or consecrated to an ideal. Until we have a passionate love for our Lord in the
Most Blessed Sacrament we shall accomplish nothing."
July 29, 2011
Thoughts of the Cure' D' Ars
on
love for one's Neighbour
If something ucharitable is said in your presence,
either speak in favour of the absent, or withdraw,
or if possible, stop the conversation.
July 27, 2011
Forgive one another as I have forgiven you, says the Lord.
When you do this you experience freedom and peace.
JULY 25, 2011
ON THE ROSARY
by St. Louis de Montfort
It is fascinating to reflect upon St. Louis de Montfort's insight, that the
Rosary is divided into three groups - as are the Psalms. These groups
bear the same names as the stages which St. John of the Cross used to
discribe the journey of the soul to God:PURGATIVE, ILLUMINATIVE AND
UNITIVE. The purgative is like our Baptism, where we are purified and
freed from sin; the illuminative like Holy Communion, where we become
one with Jesus - He lives in us and we in Him; and the unitive is like a
wedding, whereby our souls are espoused to Christ, the Divine Bride-
groom, for all eternity.
July 20-23, 2011
He said again; Malice will never drive out malice. But if someone does evil to you,
you should do good to him, so that by your good work you may destroy his malice.
The Wisdom of the Desert by Thomas Merton
July 17, 2011
THE WISDOM of the DESERT
by Thomas Merton
A certain brother came to Abbot Poemen and said:
What ought I to do Father? I am in gareat sadness.
The elder said to him:
"Never despise anybody,
Never condemn anybody,
Never speak evil of anyone,
and the Lord will give you peace."
July 15, 2011
The Rosary
Louis Kaczmarek expresses the relationship between the Holy Eucharist and
the Holy Rosary marvelously, writing,"The Blessed Sacrament is Jesus Christ;
the Rosary is the life of Christ-Christ lived the first Rosary." There is a 54
day Rosary novena, which generations of my family have prayed. Kaczmarek
refers to this 54 day Rosary novena as the "IRRESISTABLE NOVENA!" Many
miracles have resulted from its recitation, which consists of three novenas
in petition and three in thanksgiving. A wonderful little book of medittions
for this novena, has also been used in my family for many years. It is interes-
ting to note how the Holy Eucharist is mentioned in several of the reflictions
on the mysteries.
July 12th, 2011
THE WISDOM OF THE DESERT
Thomas Merton
A certain brother came to Abbot Poemen and said:
What ought I to do, Father? I am in great sadness.
The elder said to him: Never despise anybody,
never condemn anybody, never speak evil of
anyone, and the Lord will give you peace.
July 9, 2011
THE DEVOTION OF THE THREE HAIL MARYS
This devotion, also called "A Little Key to Heaven" consists simply of saying three
Hail Marys each day, usually in the morning and at night, to obtain a happy death.
This devotion arose from a vision to Saint Matilde of Hacehborn Germany, of Our Lady,
who said to her, "I have a little key that will open the door of heaven for you when you
die. All you have to do is to say, in my honor, three Hail Marys, every day.
JULY 6, 2011
CATHERINE D. DOHERTY, foundress of Madonna House, wrote these awesome
words about the Holy Rosary in her book BOGORODITZA;
The Rosary; a prayer of babies, youths, men, women-so simple that the illiterate can
pray it, so profound that geniuses have not begun to probe its depths.
The Rosary; a simple vocal prayer that can lead us into the realms of the highest mental
and contemplative prayer.
The Rosary is an answer to all our fears, our unrest, our dangers. It leads us back from the
desert of darkness where we now dwell, where, forever and ever, the prince of darkness temps
us to fall down and adore him. Yes, it is the answer. Our Lady in her many apparitions
has said so.
Why then, are we not listening? Why do so may Catholics leave the rosary unsaid? Why aren't
our days filled with endless rosaries, forming a chain to hold the hearts of men anchored to the
heart of God, through Mary his mother? it is time to begin praying the rosary daily!!!
We must understand that, if we don't our world will perish - and we with it. Thoes left,
will dwell in the catacombs perhaps with only the rosary of God - their ten fingers - weeping
because they know why they are underground.
Oh, let us pray the rosary, so that the children of light may continue to dwell in the light of
God's sun, so that the world may be restored to Christ, the Son of God.
Julyt 4, 2011
If you wish to know God. If you wish to have the life he offers, you can. Just turn
to him and reach out to him. He invites you
"I know the plans I have for you - plans for peace, not disaster, reserving a future
full of hope for you. When you call to me, and come and pray to me, I will listen
to you. When you seek me with all your heart you will find me."
Jer29:11-13
July 2, 2011
ST MAGARET MARY ALACOQUE VIRGIN
"One cnnot love without suffering. Jesus showed us this very clearly upon
the cross, where he was consumed for love of us. And it is still the same every
day in the Blessed sacrament of the Altar...........since love makes lovers one in
likness, if we love, let us model our lives on His."
June 30,2011
ST. TERESA OF AVILA, VIRGIN AND DOCTOR
Pope Gregory XV said that St. Teresa of Avila "saw Our Lord Jesus Christ,
present in the Host so distinctly with the eyes of her spirit tht she did not
begrudge the happy lot of the Blessed who behold the Lord face to face in heaven."
June 28, 2011
"The day's food for the day's march........that is what Holy Communion is ment to be."
Msgr. Ronals Knox
June 23,2011
SAINT LOUIS lX, KING OF FRANCE
St. Louis, King of France, had a great devotion to Jesus in the Most Blessed
Sacrament. In 1226, under his encouragement and leadership, Pepetual
Euharistic Adoration was established in Avignon, France. Shortly before his
death St. Louis prayed, "Lord I will enter into your house, worship in your holy
temple, and give glory to your name."
June 21, 2011
POPE JOHN PAUL II
"This is the wonderful truth, my dear friends; the Word, which became flesh two
thousand years ago, is present today in the Eucharist."
June 18, 2011
POPE ST. PIUS X
"The devotion to the Eucharist is the most noble because it has God as its object;
it is the most profitable for salvation, because it gives us the Author of Grace; it is
the sweetest, because the Lord is Swetness itself."
June 15, 2011
Pope John XXIII, Journal of a Soul
"Every time I hear anyone speak of the Sacred Heart of Jesus or of the
Blessed Sacrament I feel an indescribable joy. It is as if a wave of
precious memories, sweet affections and joyful hopes swept over my
poor person, making me tremble with happiness and filling my soul
with tenderness. These are loving appeals from Jesus who wants me
wholeheartedly there, at the source of all goodness, his Sacred Heart,
throbbing mysteriously behind the Eucharistic veils.....I love to rpeat
today 'Sweet Heart of my Jesus, make me love You more and more."
JUNE 13, 2011
TEACHING BY SAINT JEROME, PRIEST & DOCTOR
"If Christ did not want to dismiss the Jews withourt food in the desert
for fear that they would collapse on the way, it was to teach us that it
is dangerous to try to get to heaven withourt the BREAD OF HEAVEN."
June 7, 2011
THE MOST HOLY ROSARY
by Most Reverend Thomas Daily, Bishop of Brooklyn
"The Power of One Hail Mary can change the world. In all our efforts
and endeavors, we can never understimate the power of prayer, and
must always relay upon the help of God. In a special way we commend
our efforts to the Mother of God and our own Blessed Mother. The
Rosary, especially prayed in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, is
a powerful means of spiritual grace. In all of our efforts to promote
the sanctity of human life, prayer is our first and strongest resource.
May we relay upon the power of our Lod's presence in the Blessed
Sacrament and the intercession of His Blessed Mother to guide and
help us in fostering a greater respect for human life."
June 4th, 2011
There are thousands - millions - of people who die for lack of bread.
There are thousands - millions - of human beings who grow weak for
lack of a little love because they would like to be recognized, even if just a little.
Jesus becomes weak and dies in them.
June 1, 2011
"Oh Sacred Heart of Jesus, I put my trust in thee."
May 27,2011
SAINT AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY
Augustine of Canterbury comes across today as a very human saint,
one who would suffer like many of us from a failure of nerve.For
example, his first venture to England ended in a big U-turn back
to Rome. He made mistakes and met failure in his peacemaking attempts
with the Briton Christians. He often wrote to Rome on deisions on
matters he could have decided on his own had he been more self-assured.
He even received mild warnings against pride from Pope Gregory, who
cautioned him to "fear lest, amidst the wonders that are done; the
weak minded puffed up by self-esteem." Augustine's pereseverance amidst
obstacles and only partial success teaches today's apostles and pioneers
to struggle on despite frustrations and be satisfied with gradual advances.
Quote: In a leter to Augustine, Pope Gregory the Great wrote:"He who would
climb lofty heights must go by steps, not leaps
May 25,2011
St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi
"O Sisters, if we would only comprehend the fact that while the Eucharistic
Species remain within us, Jesus is there and working in us inseparabley with the
Father and the Holy Spirit and therefore the whole Holy Trinity is there............."
May 20-22, 2011
A Fact from Saint Alphonsus Liguorie
"Know also that you will probably gain more by praying fifteen minutes before
the Blessed Sacrament than by all the other spiritual exercises of the day. True,
Our Lord hears our prayeers anywhere, for He has made the Promise, "Ask, and
you shall receive, " but He has revealed to His servants that those who visit Him in
the Blessed Sacrament will obtain a more abundant measure of grace."
May 18,2011
POPE JOHN PAUL 11
The first Polish Pope ever, and the first non-Italian Pope since 1522.
Pope John Paul 11 is known as "the great communicator." He had
great devotion to the Blessed Mother and of the power of prayer. He
is one of the most influential men of the last 100 years. An example
of how to love our neighbor is when he forgave the man who shot him.
May 16, 2011
IN PRESENCE OF JESUS IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
What should we do in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacramen? How
should we behave? What should we be thinking?
Sister Briege McKenna writes, " I felt as though the Lord said to me, 'Well,
don't you know that you haven't got to say anything to Me? Just be with Me.
Come into My presence. It's not what you do for Me. It's what I want to do for you."
May 12th, 2011
Teaching on who YOU are by Mother Teresa
It happened once, when the Congregation
of the Missionary Brothers of Charity was first
established, that a young Brother caime to Mother
Teresa and said, "Motheer, I have a special vocation
to work with the lepers. I want to give my life to
them, my whole being. Nothing atracts me more than
that. Mother knew for a fact that he truly loved those
afflicted with leprosy.
Mother Teresa, in turn, answered him, "I think that you
are somewhat wrong, Brother. Our vocation consists in belong-
ing to Jesus. The work is nothing but a means to express our
love for him. That is why the work in itself is not important.
What is important is for you to BELONG to JESUS. And he is the
one who offers you the means to express that belonging."
May 10, 2011
Words from St. Peter Julian Eymard, Prist
"How happy I will be if I keep my heart free from attachment to anyone, and
chained to Jesus, my God, alone....I will devote all my efforts to this end.. I will
go before the Blessed Sacrament, and there sign these resolutions with my blood."
May 5th,2011
Mother Teresa on Dieing
To die in peace with God is the
culmination of any human life.
Of those who have died in our houses,
I have never seen anyone die in despair
or cursing. They have all died serenely.
I took a man I had picked up from the street
to our Home for the Dying in Calcutta.
When I was leaving, he told me, "I have
lived like an animal on the streets, but I am
going to die like an angel. I will die smiling."
He did die smiling, because he felt loved and
surrounded by care.
That is the greatness of our poor.
May 3rd, 2011
As long as we make the best effort we are
capable of, we cannot feel discouraged by
our failures. We cannot claim any successes
either. We should give God all the Credit and
be extremely sincere when we do so.
Mother Teresa
May 1st,2011
SAINT PETER JULIAN EYMARD, PRIST
"How happy I will be if I keep my heart free from attachment to anyone, and
chained to Jesus, my God, alone.....I will devote all my efforts to this end..I will
go before the Blessed Sacrament, and there sign these resolutions with my blood."
April 26-30, 2011
SAINT ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, BISHOP AND DOCTOR
"My Jesus ! What a lovable contrivance this holy Sacrament was - that You
would hide under the appearance of bread to make Yourself loved and to
be available for a visit by anyone who desires You."
April 22, 2011
SAINT DOMINIC SAVIO
"Do you want many graces? Go and visit the Blessed Sacrament
often. Do you want few graces? Visit the Blessed Sacrament raely.
Do you want none at all? Then never pay a visit to the Blesssed
Sacrament."
April 20, 2011
Saint Bonaventure
"There is no difficuly about Christ's presence in the
Eucharist as in a sign, but that He is truly present in
the Eucharist as He is in heaven, this is most difficult.
Therefore to believe this is especially meritorious."
April 18-20, 2011
"THE DAY'S FOOD FOR THE DAY'S MARCH.........That is what HOLY COMMUNION
IS MEANT TO BE." Msgr. Ronald Knox
April 16-17, 2011
"Saint Paul, expressed a wish to the Ephesians that, through the grace of the Father
from Whom proceeds every gift, they should know the charity of Jesus Christ for
men, 'which surpasseth all knowledge.' He could not wish them anything holier, or
better, or more important. To know the charity of Jesus Christ to be filled with the
fullness of it, that is the reign of God in man. And that reign is the fruit of devotion
to the Heart of Jesus, living - and loving us - in the Most Blessed Sacrament. This
devotion is the sovereign worship ot love. It is the soul and center of all religion;
for religion; for religion is merely the law, the virtue, and the perfection of love;
and the Sacred Heart is the grace, the model, and the life of it. Let us study this
love close to the fire where it consumes itself for us." St. Peter Julian Eymard.
April 14-15, 2011
"I desire that Adoration take place for the intention of imploring Mercy
for the world," words of Jesus to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska of The Blessed Sacrament.
April 12, 2011
St. Bernard
"The Eucharist is that love which surpasses all loves in Heaven and on earth."
April 9, 2011
SAINT LOUIS de MONTFORT
"Faithful adorers give so much glory to God here on earth but they are so few, for
even the very spiritual want to taste and see otherwise they lose interest and
slacken off. But 'faith alone suffices.' But you, faithful child of the Blessed Sacrament,
what profit, what wealth, what pleasure is yours kneeling at the feet of the generous and
inestimable Lord of Lords. Be brave, take courage, enrich yourself and REJOICE AS YOU
BURN YOURSELF OUR EACH DAY LIKE A LAMP. The more you give of yourself, the more
God will give of Himself to you." (St. Louis de Montfort)
April 6th, 2011
"The Holy Hour is not a devotion; it is a sharing in the work of redemption....In
the Garden, Our Lord contrasted two 'hours' - one was the evil hour, "This is
your hour' - with which Judas could turn out the lights of the world. In contrast,
our Lord asked; "Could you not watch one hour with Me?" In other works, He
asked for an hour of reparation to combat the hour of evil; an hour of victimal
union with the Cross to overcome the anti-love of sin.....The only time our Lord
asked the Apostles for anything was the night when He went into His agony. But
as often in the history of the church since that time, evil was awake, but the
disciples were asleep. That is why there came out of His anguished and lonely
Heart a sigh: "Could you not watch one hour with Me?" Not for an hour of
activity did he plead, but for an hour of friendship."
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
April 3, 2011
The Eucharist is connected with the Passion. If Jesus had not established the
Eucharist we would have forgotten the crucifixion. It would have faded into
the past and we would have forgotten that Jesus loved us. There is a saying
that to be far away from the eyes is to be far away from the heart. To make
sure that we do not forget, Jesus gave us the Eucharist as a memorial of his love.
Mother Teresa
March 31, 2011
"Recognize in this bread what hung on the cross, and in this chalice what flowed
from His side......whatever was in many and varied ways announced beforehand in
the sacrifices of the Old Testament pertains to this one sacrifice which is revealed
in the New Testament." St. Augustine.
March 29, 2001
"At the Last Supper, on the night he was berated, our Savior instituted the
Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate
the sacrifice of the Cross throughout the ages until he should come again and so
to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrec-
tion; a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet in which
Chirst is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge for future glory is given to us."
(Vatican Council ll)
March 27, 2011
OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY
"Throughout the history of the Church, The Blessed Sacrament and the Rosary
have brought about victories in seemingly hopeless times. One example is in the
battle of Lepanto. When forces sought to destroy Christianity in Europe, Pope
Pius V instructed all Churches to hold 40 hours devotions and recite the Rosary.
The Catholic faith was saved by people praying before our Lord in the Holy
Eucharist and offering the Holy Rosary. In light of this great triumph, the feast
of Our Lady of Victory was established. We now celebrate this feast as Our Lady
of the Rosary." The entire text may be viewed at the Newsletters section of
the M.B.S. website at www.ACFPE2000.com.
March 27, 2011
March 25, 2011
An elderly women was critized, at church when she told some
chuch goers that she had asked Jesus to find her shoes or she
would be late for Mass. The church goers told her that they
would never bother Jesus with anything so trite that He was
God and we should call upon Him for the Big things. The women
left church feeling embarrased and small thinking that she had
offended God. At home she begain to apoligise to God and in her
prayer she felt a Love whelming up within her giving her an un-
derstanding that NOTHING was to small or to big for God. That
in Matt. 11:28 it states,"Come to me all you who labor and are over-
burdened, shoulder my yoke and learn from me. For my yoke is easy
and my burden is light." God wants only are wellbeing, anything
that bothers us - bothers Him. If we don't turn to Him for help,
how can He help us? Small or big He wants it ALL so that we may
learn to Trust in Him and we can have the abundant life in Him.
March 21, 2011
Pope John XXIII, JOURNAL OF A SOUL
"O Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, I would like to be filled with love for You;
keep me closely united with You, may my heart be near to Yours. I want to be to
You like the apostle John. O Mary of the Rosary, keep me recollected when I say
these prayers of yours; bind me forever, with your rosary, to Jesus the Blessed
Sacrament. Blessed be Jesus, my love............."
March 19, 2011
You wonder why God, who is goodness itself,
allows us to suffer.....But, what would you
think of a doctor who lost his patient because
he was afraid to give him the necessary but
unpleasant treatment?
The Cure D'Ares
PS There will always be suffering in the world......
due to Sin.
March 17, 201
Often we Christians constitute the worst
obstacle for those who try to become closer to
Christ; we often preach a gospel we do not live.
This is the principle reason why people of the world
Don't believe.
Mother Teresa
MARCH 14, 2001
Thoughts for LENT
by Mother Teresa
Jesus continues to live his passion. He
continues to fall, poor and hungry, just
like he fell on the way to Calvary.
Are we at his side to volunteer to help him?
Do we walk next to him with our sacrifice, with
our piece of bread-real bread-to help him get
over his weakness?
March 10,2011
MOTHER TERESA
In My Own Words
On JOY
"I have said these things to you so that my joy
may be in you, and that your joy may be complete." John 15:11
We are talking about the joy that comes from
union with God, from living in his presence,
because living in his presence fills us with joy.
When I speak of joy, I do not identify it with
loud laughter or with noise. This is not true
happiness. Sometimes it hides other things.
When I speak of happiness, I refer to an inner and
deep peace, which shows itself in our eyes, on our
faces, in our attitudes, in our gestures,
in our promptness......
March 8th, 2011
Secret of the Rosary
by St. Louis de Montfort
"It was because our Lady wanted to help us in the great task of working
out our salvation that she ordered St. Dominic to teach the faithful to
meditate upon the sacred mysteries of the life of Jesus Christ. She did
this, not only that they might adore and glorify him, but chiefly that
they might pattern their lives and actions on his virtues."
March 6th, 2011
Fire symbolizes the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit's
actions...In the form of tongues "as of fire," the Holy Spirit
rests on the disciples on the morning of Pentecost and fills
them with himself. The spiritual tradition has retained this
symbolism of fire as one of the most expressive images of
the Holy Spirit's actions. "Do not quench the Spirit."
March 2, 2011
We should say every morning: "My God, send me thy Holy Spirit to
teach me what I am and what thou art!
Thoughts of the Cure'D'Ars
February 28, 2011
THOUGHTS OF THE CURE' D'ARS
GOD is like a mother who carries her child in her arms by the edge
of a precipice. While she is seeking all the time to keep him from
danger, he is doing his best to get into it.
Alas! if we put all our trust in God, how much happier we should be!
February 26, 2011
THE WISDOM OF THE DESERT
by Thomas Merton
Abbot Pastor said: A man must breathe humility
and the fear of God just as ceaselessly as he inhales
and exhales the air.
Abbot Alonius said: Humility is the land where
God wants us to go and offer sacrifice.
One of the elders was asked what was humility,
and he said: if you forgive a brother who has in-
juried you before he himself asks pardon.
February 24, 2011
THOUGHTS of the Cure'D'Ars
With what humility should we assist at Mass, if we
relized that our guardian angel was kneeling beside
us, prostrate before the majesty of God! With what
eagerness should we not ask him to offer our prayers
to Jesus Christ! - Sermon on the Feast of the Guardian Angels
February 20, 2011
God is not someone who lives far away in a place you can never
reach. Nor is He a heavenly warden, eager to punish you for doing
wrong. He is a father who loves you;
"I have loved you with an everlasting love, so I am constant in my affection for you."
February 18,2011
Words of Life
from FINDING NEW LIFE IN THE SPIRIT
Throughout the ages, prophets predicted that the day would
come when God would give his Spirit freely to men. Those who
turned to him and received his Spirit would be changed. They
would be new men with a new life.
"The Lord God says this: "I shall pour clean water
over you and you will be cleansed. I shall give you a
new heart, and put a new spirit in you; I shall re-
move the heart of stone from your bodies and give
you a heart of flesh instead. I shall put my spirit in
you. You shall be my people and I will be your God."
February 15, 2011
The Rosary is the powerful weapon Our Lady has given us to help us grow
in love with her Son, that we may serve Him with all our hearts. The Rosary
is the bond of love, that ties us to Him Who is Love.
February 12, 2011
Those who love themselves with a love that
seeks themselves and the world-that seeks
creatures more than God-are never satisfied
-never quiet. They are always uneasy, always
tormented, always upset.
While those who love God are able to find
peace in their lives.
February 10,2011
LOVE is the distinctive mark of those who
belong to God, as the mark of those who
reject Him is hatred. Cure' D " Ars
February 8, 2011
St. Jerone Emailliani
St. Jerome was born and raised in Venice.
He became a soldier, and as a prisoner of war,
was converted to Christ at the age of 25. He
devoted his life to the education of youth and
founded the Congregation of Somascha for this
purpose. He died in 1537 from the plague which
he contracted while hi;ping the sick and burying
the dead. He was heroic in Charity
from: Saint and Thought for Every Day
February 5th, 2011
GOD'S LOVE FOR YOU
God is not someone who lives far away in a place you can never
reach. Nor is he a heavenly warden, eager to punish you for doing
wrong. He is a father who love you. He says to you;
"I have loved you with an everlasting love, so I am constant in my
affection for you." Jer. 31:3
February 1-3, 2011
OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY
Throughout the history of the Church, the Blessed Sacrament and the Rosary
have brought about victories in seemingly hopeless times. One example is
in the battle of Lepanto. When forces sought to destroy Christianity in Europe,
Pope Pius V instructed all Churches to hold 40 hours devotions and recite the
Rosary. The Catholic faith was saved by people praying before our Lord in the
Holy Eucharist and offering the Holy Rosary. In light of this great triumph, the
feast of Our Lady of Victory was established. We now celebrate this feast as Our
Lady of the Rosary.
January 30, 2011
ST THERESE OF THE CHILD JESUS, VIRGIN
"You must open a little, or rather raise on high your corolla so that
the Bread of Angels may come as divine dew to strengthen you, and
to give you all that is wanting to you." St. Therese of Lisieux
January 27-30th, 2011
Spread the Rosary, the prayer so dear to the Virgin and so esteemed by Popes;
by it the faithful can best fulfill the command of Christ; "Ask and it shall be given;
seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you."Mt: 7-7. The Rosary
puts all who have trust in it into communication with Our Lady." Pope Paul VI
January 23, 2011
"It is Mary who teaches us to love, to appreciate and to adore the Incarnate Word
of God. In the Bible, "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us," through the
Blessed Mother. It is Mary, in her spiritual maternity, that gives birth to our faith,
our hope, our love, whereby we see in the Blessed Sacrament the continuation of
that same action of the Word becoming Flesh in the Blessed Sacrament and dwell-
ing among us in the Holy Eucharist." from "Why Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration?"
January 20th, 2011
MOTHER TERESA
THE JOY IN LOVING
It is easy to be proud and harsh
and selfish - so easy. But we have
been created for better things.
Each of us has plenty of good
as well as plenty of bad in us.
Let none glory in his or her success
but refer ALL to God.
January 18, 2011
MOTHER TERESA
Quotes from THE JOY IN LOVING
The future is not in our hands.
We have no power over it.
We can act only today.
We have a sentence in our
constitution that says:
We will allow the good God to
make plans for the future-----
for yesterday has gone,
tomorrow has not yet come and
we have only today to make Him
known, loved and served..
So we do not worry about
the future.
January 13-16, 2011
PROVERB 31:14
If you oppress poor people,
you insult the God who made them; but kindness
shown to the poor is an act of worship.
January 10, 2011
St Therese of Lisieux is the patroness of missionaries, although she never left the
convent. She died at the early are of 24, yet accomplished great things through
the power of prayer before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. The Church made her
the patroness of missionaries to emphasize this most important truth; one soul
coming before the Blessed Sacrament can change the world! St Therese said,
"My mission is to make God loved." May she intercede for us in the spreading
of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration worldwide!
January 8th, 2011
SOLEMNITY OF THE ASSUMPTION
"THIS MYSTERY ASSURES US OF THE FINAL VICTORY
OF JESUS AND MARY AND THE CHURCH.
BECAUSE THE CHURCH IS AN IMAGE OF JESUS AND MARY,
WHAT HAPPENS TO JESUS AND MARY WILL HAPPEN TO THE
WHOLE WHURCH. MARY IS THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN AND EARTH
A GREAT SIGN APPEARED IN THE SKY A WOMAN CLOTHED WITH
THE SUN, WITH THE MOON UNDER HER FEET, ON HER HEAD A
CROWN OF TWELVE STARS. to be continued on the 10th
January 6,2011
Church of Rome
In the first persecution against the Church, begun by the Emperor Nero
after the burning of Rome in 64, many of the faithful were tortured and
slain. The pagan writer Tacitus testifies to these events in his Annales,
as does Chement, bishop of Rome, in his letter to the Corinthians, chap-
ters 5 and 6.
January 4th 2011
THE SOLEMNITY OF THE ASSUMPTION
by Mary Bracy
"Mary is raised to the height of glory because she allowed God
to bring her to the depths of humility.
'Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled
but whoever humbles himself shall be exalted..........
to be continued.
January 2, 2011
If there is righteousness in the heart there will be beauty in the character.
If there be beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home.
If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation.
When there is order in the nation there will be peace in the world.
Anonymous
December 29th, 2010
THE MOMENT THAT WILL BE THE LAST
To live each moment intensely is also the secret of knowing how to live our last
moment well. Paul VI wrote in his "Thoughts on Death."
I will no longer look back, but do willingly, simply, humble, and bravely the
duties that come from the circumstances in which I find myself, as your will.
To do quickly. To do everything. To do it well. To do it joyfully =- whatever
you want of me right now, even if it is beyond my strength, even if it asks my
life. Finally, at this last hour."
Every word, every gesture, every telephone call, every decision we make should be
the most beautiful one of our life, giving our love and our smile to everyone, with-
out losing a second.
LET EVERY MOMENT OF OUR LIFE BE:
THE FIRST MOMENT,
THE LAST MOMENT,
THE ONLY MOMENT.
December 25, 2010
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!
December 23, 2010
The La Salette Cross
The distinctive crucifix with the hammer and the pincers was worn
by Our Lady during her appearance to two sheppard children at
La Salette in southeastern France on Sept. 19, 1846.
This crucifix is a unique symbol of Christ's passion and has become
the characteristic emblem of the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette.
As worn by the Blessed Virgin, the cross itself was of burnished gold
and hung from a light golden neck chain. The Christ on the cross was
the most brilliant object on Our Lady's person.
At either extremity of the crossbeam were the instruments of the crucifixion,
also of sparkling gold: on the right, a hammer; on the left, pincers. The pincers
were half open and the head of the hammer pointed inward.
Although never explained by Mary, there certainly is a relationship between this
particular crucifix and Mary's message at LaSalette. The hammer may indicate the
sins of humankind, which drove the nails into Jesus' hands and feet. The open
pincers may recall how these nails were mercifully extracted and remind us of our
obligation to Repent of our sins and become reconciled with Christ, Her Son.
December 20,2010
Intellect and will = Truth
Truth = Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ = I Am Who Am, have come to save you.
You = SURRENDER and have peace.
December 18, 2010
Trust can be a feeling, but for me,
trust is knowing the word of God,....
knowing that no matter what happens
ALL thins work to the good for those who
know and love Him.
December 16, 2010
When in doubt TRUST,
When you trust Pray,
When you pray Peace comes,
When Peace comes you experience the Presence,
When in the Presence your soul Rejoices,
When your soul rejoices your needs are met.
December 13, 2010
In this Glorious Season, let us pray with Saint Faustina,
"May every beat of my heart be a new hymn of
Praise to You, O Holy Trinity !!"
Saint Faustina
December 10,2010
Holy Mass is a daily Christmas ! The crib is the altar; the hands of our Lady,
the hands of the priest. Yes, in every Mass we can say, "Puer natus set nobis,"
a Child is born, a little Boy is born the Son of God and of Our Lady, far more
little than in the crib but still the same Christ. At the altar as in Bethlehem is
sung the same Gloria in excelsis, for the Savior is born, He is there on the altar,
there is but one Jesus.....Christmas, Incarnation, every day,"(Fa. Mateo Crawley-Boevey)
December 7, 2010
FOUR THINGS TO LEARN IN LIFE
1. TO THINK CLEARLY WITHOUT HURRY OR CONFUSION
2. TO LOVE EVERYBODY SINCERELY
3. TO ACT IN EVERYTHING WITH THE HIGHEST MOTIVES
4. TO TRUST GOD UNHESITATINGLY.
Helen Keller
December 1, 2010
December 1, 2010
St Maximus of Turin
"At Christmas He was born a man; today He is reborn sacramentally.
Then He was born from the Virgin; today He is born in mystery. When He
was born a man, His mother Mary held Him close to her heart; when He was
born in mystery, God the Father embraces Him with his voice when he says;
This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.The mother
caresses the tender babyt on her lap; the Father serves His Son by his loving
testimony. The mother holds the child for the Magi to adore; the Father re-
veals that his Son is to be worshiped by all the nations."
November 20,2010
Pope John Paul II says,
" Your lives cannot be lived in isolation,
and even in deciding your future you must
always keep in mind your responsibility
as a Christian toward others".
November 18,2010
MOTHER TERESA'S WORDS
If faith is scarce, it is because there is too
much selfishness in the world, too much.
egoism. Faith in order to be authentic,has to
be generous and giving.
Love and Faith go hand and hand.
November 13-16,2010
Prayer can change us so........we
1. Don't see the imperfections of others.
2. Keep silence (so as to listen to God)
3. Continually converse with God
November 12,2010
Thoughts of the Cure'D'Ars
"God does not require of us the martyrdom of the body;
He requires only the martydom of the heart and will."
November 2010
THOUGHTS OF THE CURE' D'ARS
"Those who run after the vanities of the world
which pass away like the wind give a great
deal for very little profit; they give their
eternity for the miserable smoke of the world."
November 7, 2010
Thoughts of Mother Teresa of Calcutta
In the Mass, God gives us the complete gift of Himself
in the Eucharist.
In Eucharistic Adoration, we give to God our gratitude
for this great gift.
Eucharistic Adoration is appreciation of God's friendship
extended to us through the gift of His total Presence
among us in the most Blessed Sacrament.
Friends treasure the moments that they spend together and
they make time for one another no matter how busy they are.
Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is our best and most faith-
ful Friend.
You are so infinitely important to Him that He makes
Himself completely available to you all the time.
Through Perpetual Adoration, we make time for Him that
we may have a better, closer relationship with God and
grow In Faith, Hope, and Love.
November 4,2010
Thought's from the Cure'D'Ars
LOVE for our neighbor consists of THREE things:
1. To desire the greater good of everyone;
2. To do what good we can when we can;
3. To bear, excuse and hide others' faults.
November 1,2010
Jesus Christ expressly tells us that it is im
possible to be for God and the World at the
same time,because when we want to please
the one, it means becoming the enemy of the
other. The Cure'D'Ars
October 28-31, 2010
All men desire peace, but so few do what it
takes to obtain true peace. Some think that they
will find it in financial security.Others seek it
in human friendship, or praise, or admiration.
These things are not the source of true peace.
A daily life of straight thinking,and unselfish
following of God's Will, is the one and only
source of true peace. Interior tranuility is God's
gift to thoes who love His truth and obey His
Will in their daily life.Resentment against some
circumstance or other, robs many people of their
peace of soul.I should learn to live with what I
cannot control or eliminate it in my daily life.
God will help me rise above such things if only
I will give Him a chance to share my life.
October 25,2010
Thoughts of the Cure'D'Ars
LOVE for our neighbour consists of three things;
1. To desire the greater good of everyone;
2. To do what good we can when we can;
3. To bear, excuse and hide others' faults.
October 22, 2010
Seek in resding and thou shalt find in meditation;
Knock in prayer and it shall be opened to thee in contemplation.
St. John of the Cross
October 20,2010
Mother Theresa, "In My Own Words"
When suffering comes into our lives, we
should accept it with a smile. This is the
greatest gift from God; to have the courage to
accept everything he gives us and asks of us
with a smile.
October 18,2010
Taken from "On the Sanctification of Daily Life
by the Cure' D' Ares
It is only the first step which is hard in the
way of abnegation. When we are once fairly
entered upon it, all goes smoothly; and when
we have this virtue, we have every other,
October 16,2010
Prayer by St John of the Cross
The characteristics of the solitary bird are five.
First, It soars as high as it is able.
Second, it can endure no companionship, even of its own kind.
Third, it has its beak in the air.
Fourth, it has no definite color.
Fifth, it sings sweetly.
These characteristics will belong to the contemplative soul.
It must soar above transitory things, paying no more heed than
if they were not. It must be so fond of solitude and silence that
it can endure the companionship of no other creature. Its beak
must be in the atmosphere of the Holy Spirit-that is, it must
respond to His inspirations, to the end that by so doing, it may
become more worthy of His companionship. It must have no definite
color-that is, it must desire to do no definite thing save that
which is the will of God. It must sing sweetly in the contem-
plation and love of its Spouse.
He that flees from prayer flees from all this is good. end of
Saint John of the Cross's words on Praayer
October 14,2010
Prayer by St John of the Cross
Look not at the imperfections of others, keep
silence and have continual converse with God.
These three will uproot great imperfection from
the soul and will make it the mistress of great
virtues. to be continued..............
October 11, 2010
Words from Mother Teresa
When suffering comes into our lives, we
should accept it with a smile. This is the
greatest gift from God; to have the courage
to accept everything He gives us and asks
of us with a smile.
October 9,2010
Thoughts of the Cure'D' Ars
We should say every morning: "My God,
send me thy Holy Spirit to teach me what I am
and what thou art!"
October 7, 2010
Prayer by The Cure' D' Ars
The whole world is not worthy of a man's
thought, for it is the work of God alone, and
whatever thought of ours is not centered upon
God is stolen from Him.
The faculties and senses must not be employed wholly
upon things, but only in so far as is unavoidable.
Whith this exception all must be left free for God.
to be continued..............
October 5,2010
CHRIST IS WITH US
by Pope Paul VI
Christ is truly Emmanuel, that is, "God is with us."
Day and night, He is in our midst; He dwells with us
full of grace and truth. He rstores morality, nour-
ishes virtue, consoles the afflicted, strengthens the
weak. He proposes His own example to those who
come to Him that they may learn to be like himself,
meek and humble of heart, and to seek not their own
interest, but the things of God
October 1,2010
If your religion is called in question by others,
listen to what is said, but take no notice what-
ever of their criticism and laughter. Be sorry
for those people.....and say a prayer for them.
"Thoughts of the Cure' D' Ars
September 29,2010
ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS......continued
The whole world is not worthy of a man's
thought, for it is the work of God alone, and what-
ever thought of ours is not centered upon God is
stolen from Him.
September 27, 2010
St. John of the Cross.....Continued
One word spake the Father, which Word was
His Son, and this Word He speaks ever in eternal
silence, and in silence must it be heard by the soul.
September 25, 2010
PRAYER by Saint John of the Cross
Be unwilling to admit into thy soul things that
have in themselves no spiritual substance, that
they make thee not to lose the desire for devo-
tion and reflection.
September 23, 2010
Continued.....PRAYER by St. John of the Cross
A great evil is to have an eye rather to the good
things of God than to God Himself,to prayer and
to detachment. to be continued.
September 21, 2010
Continued..from PRAYER by Saint John of the Cross
Behold that infinite knowledge and that hidden
secret. What peace, what love,what silence is in
the Divine Bosom! How lofty a science is that
which God there teaches- namly the silence of
what we call anagogical acts,which so greatly
enckindle the hear.,,,,,,to be continued
September 18, 2010
Prayer
St. John of the Cross
Seek in reading and thou shalt find in meditation;
knock in prayer and it shall be opened to thee in contemplation.
to be continued..........
September 16,2010
Thoughts of the Cure D Aars
Never let your home be without a crucifix upon
its walls, to the end that all who enter it
may know that you are a disciple of a Crucified
Lord, and that you are not ashamed to own it.
September 14,2010
ST. LOUIS IX, KING OF FRANCE
St. Louis, King of France, had a great devotion to Jesus in the
Most Blessed Sacrament. In 1226, under his encouragement and
leadership, Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration was established in
Avignon, France. Shortly before his death St. Louis prayed,
"Lord, I will enter into your house, worship in your holy temple
and give glory to your name."
September 10,2010
We must be like the shepherds in the fields
during the winter. They have a fire, but from
time to time they search about for sticks to
keep it alive. If we knew how to keep up the
fire of the love of God in our heart by prayers
and good workds, it would not go out.
Catechetical Illustration form Nature; The Cure D Ars.
September 7, 2010
Love for our neighbor consists of three things:
1. To desire the greater good of everyone;
2. To do what good we can when we can;
3. To bear, excuse and hide others' faults.
September 2010
Teaching on the 6th Commandment...The Cure D Ars
If you invoke the Blessed Virgin when you are tempted,
she will come at once to your help, and Satan will leave you.
August 30,2010
"This is the wonderful truth, my dear friends; the Word, which
became flesh two thousand years ago, is present today in the Eucharist."
"The Eurcharist is the Heart of the Church. Where Eucharistic life flour-
ishes, there the life of the Church will blossom."
Pope John Paul II
August 26,2010
What is FEAR of the LORD?
Fear of the Lord does not impley
physical fear in the presence of God's
terrifying power, but rather REVERENCE
and DEVOTED OBEDIENCE.
August 24, 2010
On Love
There is no limit,
because God is love and love is God.
And so you are really in love with God,
and God's love is infinite.
And that's why it's not
how much you do,
but how much love you put
into the action. Mother Teresa
August 22, 2010
THE JOY IN LOVING
Mother Teesa
Let us be very sincere in our
dealings with each other,
and have the courage to accept
each other as we are.
Do not be surprised or become
preoccupied at each other's
failures-rather, see and find in
each other the good,
for each one of us is created
in the Image of God.
August 20, 2010
A TEACHING FROM THE CURE'd'ARS
Every time we are able to give up our own
wishes in favour of those of other people,
so long as it is not contrary to the will of
God, we acquire great merit......On Mortifing Self Will
August 18,2010
THE JOY OF LOVING
by Mother Teresa
Every human being comes from God. We all know what is
the love of God for us. Whatever we believe, we know that
if we really want to love, we must learn to forgive. We must
radiate God's love.
August 10-17, 2010
"If you want to be true children of your heavenly
Father, then you must pray for those who persecute
you and speak all kinds of evil against you, says the Lord."
August 8th, 2010
ST. CLARE OF ASSISI, VIRGIN
"When the army of Frederick II was devatating the Valley of
Spoleto some of the soldiers placed a ladder against the convent
wall. St. Care caused herself to be carried to a window, and hold-
ing the monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament in sight of the enemies,
she prostrated herself before the Eucharistic God. Her prayer was heard
and the enemies, struck with a sudden panic, fled in terror." (Hoever)
August 1-6,2010
August the Month of the Assumption
"Our Lady and the Holy Eucharist are, by nature of things, united
inseparable 'even to the end of the world'(Mt28:20). For Mary with
her body and soul is the heavenly' tabernacle of God'(Rev. 31:3).She
is the incorruptible host, 'holy and immaculate' (Eph. 5:27),who of
herself clothes the Word of God made man. St. Germain came to call
her the 'sweet Paradise of God'...In some of the churches in France,
the tabernacle is used to be encased in a statue of Our Lady of the
Assumption. The significance is quite clear;it is always the Blessed
Virgin Mary who give us Jesus, who is the blessed Fruit of her
virginal womb and the Heart of her Immaculate Heart. And she will
forever continue to carry Jesus in the Holy Eucharist within her
breast so as to present Him for the joyful contemplation of the saints
in Heaven, to whom it is even now given to see His Divine Person in
the Eucharistic Species, according to the teaching of the Angelic
Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas." Fr. Stefano M. Manelli
July 30,2010
BLESSED KATERI TEKAKWITHA
How she loved the Blessed Sacrament
"Every morning, even in bitterest winter, she stood before the
chapel door until it opened at 4:00AM and remained there until
the last Mass."
(from the Catholic Network's biography of Blessed Kateri Tekarwitha.)
July 27, 2010
ST. MARIA GORETTI
"Ever since she wasvery little, St. Maria of Italy, couldn't
wait to make her First Communion. Whe wanted to receive Jesus
in the Holy Eucharist so that she could become more beautiful
and pure like Him; she wanted Him to live in her, close to her
heart. After she received Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament for the
first time, she stayed in Church for a long time after Mass to
talk to Him. She was the last person to leave. St. Maria prayed
for her family, friends and all of the people in the world. She
promised Jesus three things; that she would always keep her body
and soul pure for Him; that she would often ask Our Lady of Sorrows
to help sinners; and that she would pray three Hail Mary's each
morning and night asking Mother Mary to help her remain pure, strong,
and without sin."
July 25,2010
from the book Letters To A Brother Priest
"During our holy hour, those in most need of His mercy are
stampled and marked with the Precious Blood of Jesus. This
includes those who are to die that day. Stamped with the Precious
Blood of Jesus, they are saved....If we only knew th value of a
holy hour we would never miss a single day withour making one....
Because the Cross is infinite in merit, there is no limit to the
value of a holy hour."
July 23, 2010
Thoughts of the Cure' D' Ars
Our heart is the throne where God reposes;
Our thoughts
Our words,
Our actions, directed to Him,
are His Crown.
We place the Sceptre in His hands when we consecrate our will to Him;
Our love that we have for Him is His Purple-His royal Mantle....
July 21, 2010
"God conceives not love for the soul by considering it's greatness,
but by considering the greatness of its humility."
St. John of the Cross
July 19,2009
Love.....
heals,
delivers,
soothes,
nurishes,
forgives,
the answer to all.
July 16,2010
To preserve PURITY, three things are necessary;
1.the practice of the Presence of God,
2.prayer,
3.and the Sacraments;
and again, the reading of holy books-this nourishes the soul.
from: Thoughts of the Cure D'Ars
July 14,2010
VALUES
You don't get your values from what you do.
You get your values from loving God and
You do what you do to give glory to God.
July 8-12,2010
How can the leity follow Jesus?
It is simple(don't complicate it),
1. by putting Christ in the center of our lives.
2. by reading Scripture daily and learning who
Christ is.
3. by following what Scripture teaches us about
behavior.
4. by proclaim to others what you have learned
from Scripture
5. to put God first before all
6. to become detached from things
7. to seek Gods Will
July 6,2010
SELF-KNOWLEDGE - FROM ATTAINING SPIRITUAL MATURITY OR CONTEMPLATION
ACCORDING TO SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS
Self-knowledge plays a very important part in the first stage of the spiritual life, so
much so that the Holy Spirit Himself undertakes the task of enlightening the beginner.
As a person learns to be still in prayer and remain quite simply in God's presence, he
reaches deeper and deeper levels of the unconscious. Under the direction of the Holy
Spirit, the knowledge buried in the unconscious. Under the direction of the Holy Spirit
the knowledge buried in the unconscious is allowed to surface, bringing with it new in-
sights into the real self. It is these revelations that bring the pain spoken of here.
But we must not rule out the divine action that reveals to each individual, directly by
infused light, a humbling knowledge of himself.
July 1- 8,2010
Why say the Rosary?
For World Peace.
"Say the Rosary every day,to obtain peace for the world."
-Our Ladyof Fatima 1917
A means for preserving the home
"There is no surer means of calling down God's blessings.
upon the family....than the daily recitation of the Rosary."
-Pope Pius XII
For courage in the hardships of life.
"....a powerful means of renewing our courage will
undoubtedly be found in the Holy Rosary..."
-Pope Leo XIII
As a ready and easy means of preserving the Faith.
"....We have elsewhere brought it to the attention of the
devout Christian that not least among the advantages of
the Rosary is the ready means it puts in his hands to nur-
ture his faith, and to keep him from ignorance of his
religion and the danger of error."
-Pope Leo XIII
June 27,2010
TEACHINGS OF SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS
At the heart of the spiritual life,
as taught by St. John of the cross is LOVE.
As early as possible he urges the individual
to learn to love Him Who is Love.
Every stage of progress is marked
by a greater increase in love for the Beloved.
June 25,2010
THE SPECIAL INTENTIONS OF POPE BENEDICT XVI
During the month of June, we pray that the life of every
human being throughout the world will be respected. May
every national and international institution strive to guarantee
repect for human life from conception to natural death.
We also pray for the churches throughout Asia. May these
churches, which often constitute a "little flock" among non-
Christian populations, know how to communicate the Gospel of
Jesus Christ and give joyful witness as they cling to Christ.
June 19,2010
St Rita of Cascia
"How sweet is the moment in which poor humanity, wearied and
afflicted, may remain alone, with Jesus alone, in the Sacrament
of Love, for there the Lord, with His flaming heart open,calls unto ALL,
"You that are burdened and heavy laden, come unto Me and I will re-
fresh you." Happy are those hearts that know how to satisfy the unquench-
able hunger and thirst in this heavenly banquet! And in truth our Rita
had such a heart. So thoroughly was it inflamed with love for the Bread
of Angels that the more she partook of that Bread the more she felt new
desires to partake of it more often. (Fa. M. J. Corcoran,OSA, Our Own
St. Rita: A Life of the Saint of the Impossible)
June 15,2010
"There is no difficulty about Christ's presence
in the Eucharist as in a sign, but that He is
truly present in the Eucharist as He is in
Heaven, this is most fifficult. Therefore to believe
this is especially meritorious." St Bonaventure
June 13, 2010
When you pick up a penny, Remember!!!!
"the penny says Trust in God, and so
should you."
June 11,2010
Great humility is to be Silent while being
unfairly accused.
June 6,2009
St Peter Julian Eymard on the Feast of Corpus Christi
"This mystery is for us. There is a relation of life between
Jesus living in the Sacrament and ourselves living in the
midst of the world: a relation of body to body. For that re-
son this feast is not called simply the feast of our Lord,
but the Feast of the Body of our Lord: Corpus Christi. Through
this Body we touch Him; through it He is our Food, our Brother
and our Guest."
June 5,2010
This month we celebrate the feast day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Why do we celebrate Corpus Christi on Sunday and the feast of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus on Friday? Again this is because this is
what Our Blessed Lord specifically requested. Through His servent
Saint Margaret Mary. He requested a festday in honor of the Sacred
Heart, within the octave of the feast day of Corpus Christi, because
He wanted to spot light, high light, focus, emphasice, dramatize,the
Blessed Sacrament is the Sacred Heart of Jesus Living and Loving in
our midst today! (This continues a series of excerpts from the M.B.S.
audio tape "Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration")
June 2, 2010
"A visit to the Blessed Sacrament declares at once the
simple, hearty, practical befief in the real presence of
Christ, a plain conviction, a meeting with God face to face."
Cardinal Wiseman
May 28,2010
"Give thanks to the Lord
because He is good;
His love is eternal."
Psalm 106:1
When we give thanks it lifts US up for
God always rewards us when we do this
with His Peace, His love, His Happiness.
May 26,2010
Great Humility is to be silent while being unjustly accused.
May 24,2010
"Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and devotion to the
Blessed Virgin are not simplythe best way, but in fact
are the only way to conserve purity....Chastity is not
possible without the Eucharist." St Philip Neri
May 22, 2010
Mother Teresa said that our Holy Hours before the Blessed Sacrament
would "convert America and save the world." She wrote that "our time
in Eucharistic Adoration will bring about an everlasting peace on earth."
If we come before God, He will use the fires of destruction to make our
country whole. Peter Kreeft, a philosopher at Boston College, writes that,
"Adoration is more powerful for construction than nuclear bombs are for
destruction." Let us look upon Him Whom we have pierced, Who stays with
us always in the Holy Eucharist. May we call down the Blood of the Lamb,
Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist, Who is our Protection and peace.
Mary Beth Bracy
May 20,2010
THE SOLEMNITY OF THE ANNUNCIATION
"The 'yes' of Mary gave us the Holy Eucharist,
as the body of Jesus was formed from the Immaculate
Heart of His Mother, from whose flesh Jesus took the
flesh He gives us in the Blessed Sacrament..."
From the book Rosary Meditations from Mother Teresa of
Calcutta; Loving Jesus With the Heart of Mary)
May 18,2010
PRAY, PRAY, PRAY.
People say that "I am praying" Then
where is the change?
May 17,2010
"The Piety of the Christian peoplehas alsways very sensed
a profound link between devotion to the Blessed Virgin and
worship of the Eucharist this is a fact that can beseen in
the Liturgy of both the West and East. In the traditions
of youth and in the pastoral practice of Marian Shrines
Mary guides the faithful to the Eucharist."
Pope John Paul II
May 11, 2010
"PUT YOUR SINS IN THE CHALICE FOR THE PRECIOUS
BLOOD TO WASH AWAY. ONE DROP IS CAPABLE OF
WASHING AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD."
Mother Teresa
May 9,2010
"The roots of our faith-including our Eucharistic Faith-
go directly back to Our Lady's role in the Annunciation.
The Word was made flesh in Mary's virginal womb when she
consented to God's proposal that she should be the mother
of the Messiah-Redeemer."
Fa. Richard Foley,S.J.
May 6,2010
"O Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, and our dear Mother!
O all ye holy angels, who, by your adoration in our churches,
make up for the little love which your God and our Saviour
receives from men, obtain for us the grace to comprehend a
little the love of Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament."
St. Margaret Mary
May 4,2010
"Being born He gave Himself as our Companion,
Eating with us He gave Himself as Food.
Dying He became our Ransom.
Reigning He give himself as our Reward."
St Thomas Aquinas, Verbum Supernum
May 1,2010
Today is the feast day of St. Joseph the Worker!
Thoes who pray to Him will receive infinate wisdom,
peace, and guidence.
April 24-27,2010
We should say every morning:"My God
send me thy Holy Spirit to teach me
what I am and what thou art!"
Cure d' Ars
April 22,2010
Tid Bit's of Love
St. Therese donated her gold bracelet to be melted
down and used as partof amonstrance at Le Sacre Coeur
in Montmartre, France, where Jesus in the Sacred Host
is lifted up in love through Perpetual Eucharistic
Adoration to this Day!
April 20,2010
Reasons we Rebel Against God
Doubt - Don't go, don't do that.....is it
real or is it not?
Pride - I think my way Chose to disobey
Bitterness and Resentment - Not letting go of
wrongs done to you.
Selfishness - Thinking this is what I want and
deserve, not realizing that God
has a perfect plan for us.
Note: It boils down to not seeking or not thinking
the Will of God, is best for me.
Results of Rebellion:
Your relationship with God is broken
There is an Absence of Peace, Joy, Contentment.
My friend enjoy Him or suffer the consequences.
April 18,2010
".......There are five graces we receive each time
we visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. By His
glorious wounds we are the ones who are transfigu-
ed and changed through His healing love. Restoration,
sanctification, transformation,reparation,and salva-
tion are the graces being poured out graciously up-
on us with each holy hour we make." from the book,
Letters to A Brother Priest
April 16,2010
Thoughts of the Cure'd Ars
God only gave men ten Commandments, and
one of the ten has for its sole object the
reverence due to His name......Yet is there
anything nowadays that is treated with less
respect than the Sacred Name?
April 14,2010
"Being born He gave Himself as our Companion,
Eating with us He gave Himself as Food,
Dying He became our Ransom,
Reigning He gives Himself as our Reward."
St. Thomas Aquinas
April 9-12, 2010
THE LAMB IS RISEN- ALLELUIA!!!
The mission of proclaiming the life, death, resurrection
and future comming of the Lord is the mission of Christ's
Bride and Body of the Church. The mission is given to each
soul whom Jesus, the eternal lamb, has espoused to Himself.
This Wondrous Feast of Easter reminds us that we are called
to this everlasting union, as we see a glimpse of the Day in
the "NIGHT TRULY BLESSED WHEN HEAVEN IS WEDDED TO EARTH AND
MAN IS RECONCILED TO GOD!"
It is this personal presence of Jesus in the Most Blessed
Sacrament, the lamb in our midst,which we are called to joy-
fully sing. For all of the faithful, by virtue of their Bap-
tism, are anointed and commissioned to tell the world that
JESUS IS HERE, WAITING FOR US TO BEHOLD, LOVE AND ADORE HIM IN
THE SACRED HOST.
April 7, 2010
The Lamb is Risen- Alleluia!
Through the glory of Easter, we celebrate and enter into the
paschal mystery, proclaiming the life, death and rsurrection
of the Lord. We are reminded that Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist
is the lamb Who was slain, risen, and will come again. With exult-
ant hearts we are invited to look upon and sing the victory of
Jesus Hostia, our risen lamb and king.
April 4,2010
HAPPY EASTER!!
ALLELUIA! THE LORD IS RISEN, ALLELUIA!
GOOD FRIDAY
April 2,2010
He bore all our sins, and
left them on the Cross. Let
us leave them there too and
be filled with His love.
MARCH- THE MONTH OF SAINT JOSEPH
March 31,2010
"For three months the Blessed Virgin guarded her secret alone.
No one but her Knew that she bore her God within her womb. But
when Saint Joseph learned of it from the angel, his faith acquiesced
at once in blind submission. For six months he poured forth his
soul in sublime adoration to God Who dwelt within Mary."
St. Peter Julian Eymard
March 29,2010
Humility must be the dominant virtue of an adorer. He
adores Jesus far more humiliated in the Blessed Sacrament
than at Bethlehem or during His mortal life. He serves the
King of heaven and earth annihilated under the Sacred Species.
Like Saint Joseph the adorer must consider himself unworthy of
serving Jesus. He must honor Christ's Eucharistic abasements by
giving up all self-glory, all self-esteem, everything that might
draw admiration upon himself.
The great rule must be that St. Joseph who never appears when there
is question of glory in the service of Jesus, and that of St. John
the Baptist who, in answer to praise cried out: "He must become
more and more, I must become less and less." TO JESUS BE HONOR AND
GLORY; to me scorn and oblivion. St Peter Julian Eymard
"In the ensuing years his faith was to be frequently
put to the test. At Bethlehem he had to content him-
self with a stable for a home where the Incarnate Word
might be born. Soon after he was forced to flee into
exile in order to save the Infant God, and when later
he returned to the tiny village of Nazareth it was to
live there unknown and dire poverty."
"All these trials only tempered his faith. Although he
sees only the Child's wretchedness and poverty, his faith
pierces the shroud and uncovers the hidden God within this
weak baby frame. Because his faith was so strong, Joseph's
mind and heart bowed in perfect adoration."
"Imitate his faith as you kneel before the humble Christ
annihilated in the Eucharist. Pierce the veil which covers
this furnace of love and adore the hidden God. At the same
time respect this veil of love and make the immolation of
your mind and heart your most beautiful homage of faith."
"St Joseph, who Excelled in faith, obtain for us the gift of
loving faith in Jesus Eucharistic." St Peter Julian Eymard
March 25,2010
"We cannot help but marvel at the faith of Saint Joseph.
Tormenting doubts harass his sould and he is on the point
of leaving Mary. But an angel appears to him and all the
doubts and fears vanish. On the angel's word He accepts
the mystery of the Incarnation." St Peter Julian Eymard
March 23, 2010
"I will bear patiently whatever suffering may come my
way with an eye to the sufferings of Jesus,the victim
of Love. Who accepts irreverence, abuse, and outrage
without ever complaining or punishing, seeking on the
contrary to win the guilty back to their duties.....
"Saint Joseph, perfect image of the annihilated life of
Jesus in the Eucharist, pray for us." St Peter Julian Eymard
March 20,2010
THOUGHTS OF ST PETER JULIAN EYMARD
"Saint Joseph observed silenve of patience, in all his
trials seeking consolation only from our Lord and in the
thought that he was suffering for Christ.
In imitation of the silent Eucharistic Christ, I must be
faithful to the silence prescribed by my Rule so as to be
alsways ready to hear and execute the orders of the King.
I must be silent concerning my special graces, so that
Jesus who gives them may alone be glorified by them. to be
coninued.............
March 19,2010
"Saint Joseph is the perfect model of purity in our
Eucharistic service. Our Lord must be the end of all
our graces; our life must tend towards Him as toward
its end and must lose itself in Him as in its center.
Never lose sight of His adorable Person. All your
graces and gifts are given to purify and beautify your
soul and to enrich you with the talents demanded by such
a sublime service.
"Honor our Lord, but do so especially interiorly, in and
about His Person. You must see our Lord and live in Him.
He is light and heat; love shoots forth from His Heart like
a devouring flame. Unfortunate he who lives so close to Christ,
yet neither sees nor feels Him!" St. Peter Julian Eymard
March 17,2009
Saint Joseph adored, interiorly at least, everything
that Jesus said and thought. The Holy Spirit revealed
all to him, so that joining with these thoughts and words
he might glorify the Father in heaven together with the
Son, our divine Savior. In this way the life of Saint
Joseph was a life of perfect adoration.
"From close union with this holy adorer I shall learn to
adore our Lord and to live in intimacy with Him. I shall
then be the Joseph of the Eucharist as he was the Joseph
of Nazareth." St. Peter Julian Eymard
March 9-14, 2010
Continued facts about St. Joseph
Saint Joseph's adoration kept pace with every stage
of our Lord's life, drawing upon the grace, the spirit,
and the virtue of each mystery. In the Incarnation he
adored the self-annihilation of the Son of God; at Beth-
lehem, the poverty; at Nazareth, the silence, the apparent
weakness, the Obedience, and all the other virtues of Christ.
He knew them well and he grasped clearly the reason why Christ
practiced them - for the love and glory of His Heavenly Father.
St Peter Julian Eymard
March 7th, 2010
Continued facts of St Peter Julian Eymard on
SAINT JOSEPH
No saint ever vibrated with a more ardent faith or bowed down
in deeper humility; no angel ever glistened with brighter
purity; and as for his love, neither saint nor angel ever has
or ever will come within range of his burning charity which ex-
pressed itself so fully in devotedness.
"How greatly the Word incarnate was glorified by the adoration of
Mary and Joseph as they atoned for the indifference and ingratitude
of His creatures!
Saint Joseph joined with Mary in adoration and united himself to Christ,
whose heart surged with sentiments of adoration, love, and praise for
the Father and of charity for men."
March 3,2009
Aside from the Blessed Virgin, Saint Joseph was
the first and most perfect adore of our Lord.
Faith, humility, purity and love - these were
the keynotes of his adoration.
March 1,2010
Thoughts of CardinalVan Thuan
23. You have only one reward: God himself
When God asked Saint Thomas Aquinas: "You
have written well of me, Thomas, what reward
do you desire? " St. Thomas replied, "Only
you Lord."
February 27,2010
Thoughts of Cardinal Van Thuan
22. Have one way of becoming holy,the
Grace of God and your will to live by
grace(1Cor 15:10). God will never be lack-
ing with His grace: but is your will strong
enough?
February 24,2010
Thoughts of Cardinal Van Thuan
21. Have only one important objective: your
duty. It is not important if it is large or
small, because when you do your duty you are col-
laborating with the Heavenly Father, who has de-
termined that this is the work that you alone must
do to carry out his plan in history(cf. Lk2:49,Jn
17:4). Many people invent complicated ways of prac-
ticing virtue and then they complain how difficult
it is, but doing your duty is the most certain and
simplest path of virtue you can follow.
February 22,2010
Thoughts by Cardinal Van Thuan
20. Have one "magna carta": the Beatitudes
(Mt 5:3-12). Jesus proclaimed them in the
Sermon on the Mount. Live according to them
and you will experience a happiness which you
will then communicate to all whom you meet.t
February 20,2010
Thoughts of Cardinal Van Thaun
19. You have only one moment which is the
most beautiful; the present moment(cf.
Mt.6:34,Jas 4:13-15). Live it completely
in the love of God. If your life is build
up like a large crystal from millions of
such beautiful moments, it will be a wonder-
fully beautiful life. Do you see how easy
it is?
February 15-19,2010
Thoughts of Cardinal Van Thaun
Your only food: "The Father's will"(Jn 4:34);
that is, you live and grow by the will of God.
Your actions proceed from the will of God. The
will of God is like food which makes you live
strongly and happily;if you live apart from the
will of God, you will die.
February 12,2010
Thoughts form Cardinal Van Thaun
17. There is only one truly important thing:
"Mary chose the better part" when she sat at
the Lord's feet (Lk 10:41-42). If you are not
living an interior life, If Jesus is not the
very life and soul of your activities then...You
fully understand the consequences of such living
and so there is no need for me to repeat them here.
February 7-11,2010
16. For your apostolate use the one most ef-
fective means: pesonal contact. With this
you enter into the lives of others, you un-
derstand them and love them. Personal rela-
tionships are more effective than preaching
and writing books. Contact between people
and "heart to heart" exchanges will be the
secret of your perseverance and your success.
February 5,2010
Thoughts from Cardinal Van Thuan
15. There is only one thing lacking; "Go
home and sell all that belons to you; give
it to the poor, and so the treasure you shall
be in heaven; then come back and follow me."
(Mk 10:21). You have to make up your mind once
and for all. Our Lord wants volunteers free from
other attachments.
February 3,2010
Thoughts from Cardinal Van Thuan
14. Cherish one desire: "Thy kingdom come;
Thy will be done on earth as it is in
Heaven"(Mt 6:10, so that throughout the earth
all nations will know God as He is known in
heaven; so that on this earth everyone will begin
to love one another as in heaven; so that also
on this earth there will be the beatitude that
there is in heaven. Make the effort to spread this
desire. Begin now to bring the happiness of Hea-
ven to everyone in this world.
February 1, 2010
Continued Thoughts of Cardinal Van Thuan
13. There is only one thing you must fear:
sin. When the court of the Greek emperor
held a meeting to discuss the question of how to
take revenge on Saint John Chrysostom for his
forthright denunciation of the empress, the follow-
ing plans were suggested:
a) Cast him into prison. "But there he will have the
opportunity to pray and suffer for the Lord as he
has always desired."
b) Banishment, "But, for him, everywhere is the
Lord's country."
c) The death penalty. "But thus he will be a mar-
tyr and we will stisfy his aspirations to go to the
Lord. None of these plans will cause him to suffer:
on the contrary, he will joyfully accept them."
d) "There is only one thing of which he hates above
all else-sin; but it would be impossible to force
him to commit sin!"
Therefore, if your only fear is sin, no one will be
stronger than you.
January 30,2010
Cardinal Van Thuan
12. Have one ideal; to turn toward God the
Father, a Father who is all love. The whole
of our Lord's life, his every thought and deed, had
but one goal; :the would must know that I love the
Father, just as the Father has commanded me, that
is what I will do,"(Jn 14:31), and "I always do what
is pleasing to him."(Jn 8:29)
January 28,2010
Thoughts from Cardinal Van Thuan
11. Take as your one wisdom the science of
the cross(1Cor.2-2). Look to the cross
and you will find the solution to all the
problems that assail you. If the cross is
your criterion for making choices and de-
cisions, you will be at peace.
January 24,2010
Thoughts of Cardinal Van Thuan
10. Cultivate a special love for Mary, Saint
John Mary Vianney used to confide; "After
Jesus, my first love is Mary." If you listen to
Mary you will not lose your way. Whatever you under-
take in her name will not fail. Honor her and you
will gain eternal life." to be continued.....
January 22, 2010
Thoughts from Cardinal Van Thuan
9. Loyally follow one leader; Jesus Christ, and
his representatives on earth; the Holy Father
and the bishops, successors of the Apostles(Jn 20:22-23).
Live and die for the Church as Christ did. Do
not forget, however, that living for the Church entail
as much sacrifice as dying for the Church. to be cont....
January 20,2010
Thoughts from Cardinal Van Thuan
8. Observe one rule; the Gospel. This "Constitu-
tion" is superior to all others. It is the consti-
tution that Jesus left his apostles (Mt.4:23). It is
not difficult, complicated, or legalistic like others.
On the contrary, it is dynamic, gentle, and stimu-
lating for your soul. A saint separated from the
Gospel is a false saint!
January 18, 2010
Cont....from the thoughts of Cardinal Van Thuan
7. Hold firmly to one guiding principle prayer.
No one is stronger than the person who prays
because the Lord has promised to grant everything
to those who pray. When you are united in prayer
the Lord is present among you. I recommend this
to you with all my heart; in addition to times
of communal prayer, withdraw ever day for an hour,
or even better for two if you can, for personal
prayer. I assure you that it will not be time wasted
In my experience over all these years, I have confirmed
the words of St. Teresa of Avila:"Whoever does not pray
does not need the devil to lead him off the path: he
will throw himself into hell." to be cont.......
January 16,2010
cont......from the Thoughts of Cardinal Van Thuan
6. Wear one garment and speak one language:
charity. Charity is the sign that you are a dis-
ciple of the Lord (cf. Jn 13:35). It is the least ex-
pensive brand-name, but the hardest to find.
Charity is the principle "language." Saint Paul con-
sidered it more precious than "speaking the lan-
guages of men and angels." (cf.1Cor 13:1). It will
be the only language in heaven. to be cont.........
January 12,2010
5. Believe in one strength: the Eucharist, the
Body and Blood of the Lord that will give you
life. "I have come that they may have life, and have
it to the full"(Jn 10:100. As manna nourished the
Israelites on their journey to the Promised Land,
so the Eucharist will nourish you on your road of
hope.
January 10, 2010
4. Shout one message: "All one," that is unity
among Catholics, unity among Christians, and
unity among nations. "As the Father and the
Son are one." (Jn 17:22-23)
January 6,2010
Cont......The 24 Guides to Jesus
by Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan
3. Staay faithful to the ideal of the apostle:
"Give your life for your brothers and sisters." In
fact, "No one has greater love than this"(Jn 15:13.}
Spend all your energies without rest, and be ready
to give yourself to "conquer" your neighbor for God.
January 4th,2010
Continured: 24 Guides
2. Commit yourself to one campaign, the goal of
which is to make everyone happy. Sacrifice yourself
continually, with Jesus, so as to bring peace to hearts
and souls, and development and prosperity to peoples.
This will be your spirituality, discrete and concrete
at the same time.
January 2,2010
The 24 Guides on the Road to Jesus
by Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan
1. You want one revolution; to renew the world.
You will be able tofulfill this precious and
noblemission that God has entrusted to you only
with "the power of the Holy Spirit." Every day
where you live, prepare a new Pentecost.
December 30,2009
Proverb 24
Do not make friends with one who gives way to anger,
make no one quick-tempered a companion of yours,
for fear you learn such behaviour and in it find a
snare for yourself.
December 28,2009
God desires to fill us with Joy, Hope, and Love.
We just have to be.......and sit and ask Him for
His loving gifts.
Remember, He who asks gets, and he who doesn't, get's
nothing.
December 25-29,2009
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 23,2009
The Mind
Our thoughts effect our emotion and behavior. What
we eat, what we take for medicine, what we watch on
TV, what we watch in the movies, who we are friends
with and these are just a few, effect how we think!
The B team can get into our thoughts and bring on
wrong desires, thoughts and attitudes. We become
hard hearted, angry, stubbon, arrogant, boastfull
and other unpleasent attitudes. We have seconds to
control our thoughts by asking God to think through
us, He will bring our thoughts back in order. We have
seconds to act to get our minds in order and away from
the B team. Praise is one powerfull tool. By praising
we allow God to come to our aid immediately. He will
quiet us down and with His love restore us to healthy
thinking.
What do can we do to change what we take into our minds
and hearts?
1. Lift your medicine up to God and ask Him to remove any
side effects and let the meds bring only healing.
2. Change the station on the TV find another program
3. Choose less violent movies. Ask Jesus to pick the best
movie for you to see.
4. Ask Jesus to put the BEST people in your life. Just see
what happens.
5. Each day surrender yourself to God and let Him fill you
with His love
In doing these simple things we are putting God first in our
lives and when we do this.......AMAZINGLY GOOD THINGS HAPPEN
December 21,2009
The Blessed Trinity is three divine Persons in one God:
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
December 19,2009
What are angels?
Angels are created spirits, without bodies. The
angels can not be seen, or heard, or touched. They
have much greater power than man has and they know
much more.
December 17, 2009
What is meant by the word "AMEN" with
which we end our prayes?
By the word "AMEN," with which we end
all our prayers, is meant "So it is,"
and "So be it."
December 15,2009
What do we mean when we say that God is the Creator of
heaven and earth?
When we say that God is the Creator of heaven and earth
we mean that He made all things from nothing.
Man has to have some kind of material when he makes
something. He has to have stone to build a church. But
God can make something from nothing.
December 12,2009
Kindness this time of year, brings peace
to thoes who are stressed. Gentleness this
time of year, brings peace to thoes who
are racing. RJ
December 10,2009
HUMILITY is like a pair of scales; the lower
one side falls, the higher rises the other.
Let us humble ourselves like the Blessed Virgin
and we shall be exalted. Cure D'Ars
December 8, 2009
Our heart is the throne where God reposes;
our thoughts, our words,our actions,directed
to Him, are His Crown. We place the Sceptre
in His hands when we consecrate our will
to Him; the love that we have for Him is His
Purple - His Royal Mantle........
Cure D'Ars
December 6,2009
ON CHARITY TO NEIGHBOR
by the Cure D'Ars
"There is no great merit in doing good to one
who is loving and greatful to us in return."
December 3,2009
How not to get discouraged.
As long as we make the best effort we are
capable of, we cannot feel discouraged by
our failures. We cannot claim any success either.
We should give God all the credit and be extremely
sincere when we do so. Mother Teresa
December 1,2009
First Week in Advent
Love for our neighbour consists of three things;
1. To desire the greater good of everyone;
2. To do what goodwe can when we can;
3. To bear, excuse and hide others' faults.
Cure D'ares
November 29,2009
"Thoes who love riches or pleasures offer God
nothing but the languid remains of a heart
worn out in the service of the world."
Cure D'ars
November 23, 2009
In the time of Noah the ark was the instrument
used by God to save and protect the people. Today,
the Blessed Mother is the instrument of Peace
that God is using to bring us out of the Worlds
devistation.
Pray the Rosary and find protection and peace.
November 21, 2009
What do I do when I feel discouraged, because
the things around me are overwhelming?
Praise and Thank the Lord. Thats right,
start praising Him and thanking Him for the
situations. Sounds odd but it works. Praise and
thank Him until you feel and see the difference.
RB
November 19,2009
We must watch over our mind, our heart and
our senses, for these are the gates by which
the Devil enters in.
Cure D'Ars
November 17, 2009
Cure D'Ars
I often think that when we come to adore our
Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, we should
obtain everything we want, if we would ask for
it with a very lively faith and a very pure
heart.
November 14,2009
We must take great care never to do anything
before having said our Morning Prayers.....
The Devil once declared...that if he could
have the first moment of the day,he was sure
of all the rest.----Thoughts of the Cure D Ars
November 12,2009
The Conclusion of "THE HAIL MARY"
Bear In Mind.....
1. That each Hail Mary, well said, gives the
greatest joy to Our Lady
2. That each Hail Mary obtains for us wondrous
graces
3. That one Hail Mary well said is worth more
than many badly said. What graces then shall
we not receive if we say all our Hail Marys well!
4. All that we have to do in order to say the Hail
Mary well is to remember that we are offering
to our Sweet Mother the very same joys that
St. Gabriel offered her at the great moment
when she was made Mother of God.
5. In return, let us ask her fervently when saying the
Hail Mary, to pray for us now, that is, during our lives
and at the hour of our death.
6. Let us offer our Hail Marys in union with St. Gabriel
and all the millions of Hail Marys being said all over
the world.
November 10,2009
THE HAIL MARY CONT........
St. Gertrude tells us in the book of her
revelations that when we thank God for the
graces He has given to any saint, we get a great
share of these graces. What graces, then, do we
not receive when we say the Hail Mary, thanking
Jesus for all the graces He has given His Blessed
Mother?
November 5-9,2009
THE HAIL MARY CONT...
In England a parish priest was asked to see
a Protestant lady who was gravely ill. She
wished to become a Catholic. Asked if she had
ever entered a Catholic Church, or if she had
spoken to Catholics, or if she had read any
Catholic books, she replied "no." All she could
remember was that when a child she learned from
a little Catholic girl the Hail Mary, which she
said every night.
She was baptized and before dying, she converted
her husband and children.
November 3,2009
In Defense of Self
When people or a person is talking about you in a negitive way,
if you defend yourself ........... God will let you and He will allow you
to do it by yourself. However, if you pray and ask God to defend you
He will. Although, it might take longer the person or persons will be
"gotten good" and you will shine like a rose.
October 30,2009
THE HAIL MARY CONT....
A priest was called to the bedside of a
wretched sinner,who was dying in black
despair. He refused obstinately to go to
confession. As a last resort, the priest
asked him to say at least the Hail Mary,
after which the poor man made a sincere
confession and died a holy death.
October 28,2009
THE HAIL MARY
Dr. Hugh Lammer was a staunch Protestant.
One day he read an explanation of the Hail Mary.
He was so charmed with it that he began to say
it daily. Soon all his anti-Catholic animosity
began to disappear. He became a Catholic, a holy
priest and a professor of Catholic Theology in
Brelau.
October 26,2009
SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS
At the heart of the spiritual life, as taught by St. John
of the Cross, is LOVE. As early as possible he urges the
individual to learn to love Him Who is LOVE. Every stage
of progress is marked by a greater increase in love for
the Beloved.
October 24,2009
THE POWER OF THE HAIL MARY
Dr. Hugh Lammer was a staunch Protestant.
One day he read an explanation of the Hail Mary.
He was so charmed with it that he began to say
it daily. Soon all his anti-Catholic animosity
began to disappear. He became a Catholic, a holy
priest and a professor of Catholic Theology in
Breslau. to be continued.........
October 22, 2009
THE HAIL MARY CONT.............
We can show our love for Mary and win her
love and protection by simply saying the Hail
Mary well. Nothing is easier; nothing pleases
her more.
October 20-21,2009
The HAIL MARY CONT......
As children when in trouble run to their
mothers for help, so ought we run at once
with unbounded confidence to Mary.
St Bernard and all the saints say that it was
never heard, at any time or in any place, that
Mary refused to hear the prayers of her Children
on Earth. Oh, why don't we Catholics realize this
most consolation that God's Sweet Mother is offer-
ing us? Lamentable is the ignorance that deprives
us of such help and consolation.
To love and trust Mary is to be happy on earth and in
heaven.
October 18-19,2009
THE HAIL MARY CONT.....
LET US REMEMBER
Almighty God gave His Blessed Mother all the
dignity, greatness, and holiness necessary to make
her His own most perfect Mother. He also gave
her sweetness, love, tenderness, and affection
necessary to make her owr most loving Mother. All
the love of the mothers of this earth is nothing in
comparison to the love, tenderness, and affection of
Mary for each one of us......MARY IS TRULY AND REALLY
OUR MOTHER. to be cont......
October 15-16,2009
THE HAIL MARY CONT....
Now when we say the Hail Mary we offer
anew all these graces and joys to Our Lady, and
she accepts them with immense delight.
Once Our Lord asked St. Francis to give Him
something. The saint replied,"Dear Lord, I can
give You nothing for I have already given You all
----All my love.
Jesus smiled and said, "Francis, give it all again
and again. It will give Me the same pleasure."
So with our dearest Mother. She accepts from
us, each time we say the Hil Mary, the joys and
delights she received from the words of St. Gabriel.
October 12-14,2009
THE HAIL MARY CONT...
Why Has The Hail Mary Such Value?
Each time that we say the Hail Mary, we are
repeating the very same words with which
St Gabriel, The Archangel, saluted Mary on the
day of the Annunciation, when she was made
Mother of God and Queen of Heaven. Oceans of
graces and joys filled the soul of Mary at that
moment.
October 10, 2009
HAIL MARY CONT...(scroll down to other stories)
Cesarius recounts a similar incident. A
humble but holy lay brother lived in the
monastery. His poor mind and memory were
so weak that he could only repeat one
prayer, which was the "Hail Mary."
These facts and many others like the ones
we shared with you each time, show us
clearly how much Our Lady is pleased when
we say the Hail Mary. to be continued....
October 8,2009
THE HAIL MARY
A pious Catholic always found joy in saying
slowly the Hail Mary. The Blessed Virgin, in
return, appeared to him smiling and announced
to him the day and the hour that he should die,
granting him a most holy and happy death. After
his death, a beautiful white lily grew from his
mouth having on its petals the words "HAIL MARY".
...................to be coninued
October 5,2009
St.Mechtilde, that chosen lover of Our Lady,
was one day striving to compose a beautiful
prayer in honor of God's Mother. Our Lady
appeared to her, having written in golden
letters on her breast. "Hail Mary full of
Grace" saying to the saint: "Desist, dear
Child, from your labor; for no prayer you
could possiblymake would give me the joy
and delight of the Hail Mary." ....continued
October 1-8,2009
St. Thomas of Aquines, the prince of Theologians,
"the wisest of saints and the holiest of wise men,"
as Leo XIII called him, preched for 40 days in Rome
on the Hail Mary, filling his hearers with rapture.
Father Suarez, the holy and learned Jesuit, declared
when dying that he would willingly give all the many
learned books he wrote, all his life's labors, for
the merit of one Hail Mary. How well this great man
understood the priceless value of this beautiful
little prayer, which is so little understood by meny
Catholics. to be continued........................
September 28,2009
THE HAIL MARY
To say the Hail Mary well..is it difficult? Nothing is
easier. All we have to do is to know its value and under-
stand its beauties. St Jerome tells us that "the beauties
contained in the Hail Mary are so sublime, so wonderful,
that no man or angel could fully understand them." The
Hail Mary is like a mine of gold that we can always take
from but never exhaust. to be continued........
September 26,2009
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy monents, praise God
,
Difficult moments, seek God,
Quiet moments, worship God,
Painful moments, trust God,
Every moment, thank God.
September 23,2009
When I look around and see the poor
suffering from social and emotional
alienation, I understaand how Christ
can feel sad to see himself alienated
in them. The Alienation that the poor
suffer is the alienation that Christ
suffers.
Mother Teresa
September 21,2009
LONELINESS
"In the developed countries there is a poverty of intimacy,
a poverty of spirit,
of loneliness, of lack of love.
There is no greater sickness in the world today than that one."
Mother Teresa
September 18-21, 2009
To God be the Glory!!!
As long as we make the best effort we are
capable of, we cannot feel discouraged by our
failures. We cannot claim any successes either.
We should give God all the credit and be extreem-
ly sincere when we do so.
September 16, 2009
Pride continued
Good Christians fear the Lord; therefore they do not occupy
themselves with their body; they despise the affairs of this world;
they consider only their soul and how to unite it to God. Can
we be proud in the face of the examples of lowliness, of
humiliations, that Our Lord has given us, and is still giving
us every day? Jesus Christ came upon earth, became incarnate,
was born poor, lived in poverty, died on a gibbet, between two
thieves.....He instituted an admirable Sacrament, in which He
communicates Himself to us under the Eucharistic Veil; and in
this Sacrament He undergoes the most extraordinary humiliations.
Residing continually in our tabernacles, He is deserted, misunder-
stood by ungrateful men; and yet He continues to love us, to
serve us in the Sacrament of the Altar. We can rejoice at such
wonderful news. We are loved unconditionaly.....with our pride,
our selfishness. With Christ and His infinate love for us we'
can overcome our pride by accepting ALL that God allows to happen
to us.
September 14,2009
ON PRIDE
If we want to consider well what we are, hu-
mility would be easy to us, and the demon of
pride would no longer have any room in our hearts.
See our days are like grass- like the grass which
now flourishes in the meadows, and will presently
be withered: like an ear of corn which is fresh
only for a monent,and is parched by the sun.
In fact my children today we are full of life,
full of health; and tomorrow, death will perhaps
come to reap us and mow us down, as you reap
your corn and mow your meadows....Whatever
appears vigorous, whatever shines, whatever is
beautiful, is of short duration....The glory of this
world, yourth, honors, riches, all pass away quickly,
as quickly as the flower of grass, as the flower
of the field...Let us reflect that so we shall one
day be reduced to dust; that we shall be thrown
into fire like dry grass, if we do not fear the
good God. to be continued.........
SEPTEMBER 6-8,2009
ON PRIDE
The Cure of Ars
Pride is an untrue opinion of ourselves,
The proud man is always disparaging him-
self, that people may praise him the more.
The more the proud man lowers himself,the more
he seeks to raise his miserable nothingness. He
relates what he has done, and what he has not
done; he feeds his imagination with what has been
said in praise of him,and seeks by all possible
means for more; he is never satisfied with praise.
See, my children, if you only show some little
displeasure against a man given up to self-love,
he gets angry, and accuses you of ignorance or
injustice towards him....My children, we are in
reality only what we are in the eyes of God, and
nothing more. Is it not quite clear and evident
that we are nothing, that we can do nothing, that
we are very miserable? Can we lose sight of our
sins, and cease to humble ourselves? to be continued
Sept 2,2009
Prayer does not demand that we interrupt
our work,but that we continue working as
if it were a prayer.
It is not necessary to always be meditating,
nor to consciously experience the sensation
that we are talking to God, no matter how nice
this would be. What matters is being with Him,
living with Him, in His will. To love with a
pure heart, to love everybody, especially to love
the poor, is a twenty-four-hour prayer.
Mother Teresa
August 30-31,2009
Love is just like Christ himself showed with His
death, the greatest gift.
Mother Teresa
August 27-29,2009
Sometimes it is harder for us to smile at
those who live with us, the immediate memebers
of our families, than it is to smile at those who
are not so close to us.
Let us never forget: love begins at home.
Mother Teresa
August 25,2009
MANIFESTATIONS OF PRIDE
PRIDE ANGER
Root sin Ripple Effect
(contagious emotion)
Dictated by Jesus 3/93
Judging Others
Holding Grudges
Refusing to Let Go Of Our
Our Opinions Or Ideas
Wounded Ego
Discussing Others Faults
August 22-24,2009
If there were more love, more unity, more
peace,and more happiness within the family,
there wouldn't be so many alcoholics and drug
addicts.
Mother Teresa
August 19,2009
"In everything give Thanks." 1 Thrssalonians 5:18
Knowing that God can use all things for good
is more than enough reason to give thanks in
everything. Giving thanks in difficult cir-
cumstances is a small detail that makes a big
difference. Julie Ackerman Link
August 17,2009
In the Catholic tradition of the Sacrament of Reconciliation (confession),
there is a prayer called the "Act of Contrition." One line is highlighted
in my mind; "I firmly resolve with the help of God's grace...". Our healing
and restoration involves resolve and grace. We set our hearts on God's
will (resolve) and open to the ability of God (grace) working in us, en-
bling us to do what we can't do on our own.
August 13, 2009
Teaching on Prayer
by Audrey Age 9
In your mind picture with eyes closed that.........
God comes to you out of a shining light tunnel draped in a long white cloak
. Whatever is bothering you write it on a piece of paper for Him to see.
You may want a job or a friend or health. Then wrap the paper in your hand
and picture Jesus in front of you. Let Him take your wish and grant it for you.
Until you feel that he has received your need keep repeating it.
August 11,2009
Once in a time of mental confusion, Mom prayed, "Lord, think
through me today." Her thoughts were gently brought into order.
We need to be aware of the content of our minds. Our thoughts
create emotions and affect our behavior. As we ask God for help
(to think through us), we can gain control of our thoughts and
emotions. Without His help, the enemy will work in our minds to
create a stronghold of wrong attidudes, desires and thoughts. On
our own, we can become isolated, arrogant and stiff-necked.
We can harden our hearts(Heb 3:7) Every time we choose Jesus our
minds clear and the enemy loses power.
August 9,2009
The Wisdom of the Desert
Abbot Pastor said: The virtue of a monk is made manifest
by temtations.
August 7th,2009
St. John Damascus points out in his 6th century writings,
"THE BODY OF CHRIST IN THE HOLY EUCHARIST IS THE SAME BODY
OF THE VIRGIN MARY." Where we find the Son we find the Mother in adoration.
August 5,2009
The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated on October
7th when all are invited to meditate upon the mysteries of
Christ, following the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary
who was so particularly connected with the incarnation,
passion and glorious resurrection of the Son of God.
August 3, 2009
The Blessed Mother urged everyone to pray the Rosary
during her apparition at Fatima, Portugal. She called
herself the "Lady of the Rosary," and promised that the
Rosary would help people grow in their faith, convert
sinners and bring about world Peace. to be cont.....
July 31,2009
The word rosarius means a garland or bouquet of roses. An
early legend connected this word with a story of Our Lady who
was seen to take rosebuds from the lips of a young monk when he
was reciting Hail Marys and to weave them into a garland, which
she placed upon her head.
July 29,2009
THE ROSARY is an old prayer that is always new, leading us to
Jesus through Mary. We can trace the beginning of the Rosary to
the 12th century when people who could not read or write would
count their prayers on a string of beads. to be continued.....
July 27,2009
IS IT DIFFICULT.......
to say the Hail Mary well? Nothing is easier. All
we have to do is to know its value and understand
its beauties. St Jerome tells us that "the beauties
contained in the Hail Mary are so sublime, so won-
derful, that no man or angel could fully understand
them." The Hail Mary is like a mine of gold that
we can always take from but never exhaust.to be continued......
Thank you Lord for fixing the teaching file.
July 24,2009
THE HAIL MARY
HOW SAD!!!
Is it not sad that though millions of Catholics
are daily saying the Hail Mary, many of them say it
so badly? They repeat it hastily, not even thinking
the words they are saying. They thus deprive God's
Mother of the great joy they could so easily give
her and deprive themselves of the wonderous graces
that she wishes to give them.
One Hail Mary, well said, fills the heart of Our
Lady with delight and obtains for us indscribably
great graces. One Hail Mary, well said, gives us
more graces than a great many badly said.
July 16,2009
"He who endures to the end shall be saved." Mt.10:22
July 7,2009
We are to be "Priest, Prophet, & King" in our following of Jesus
Priest when we take care of the poor
Prophet when we proclaim our faith to the people we meet
& King when we control our anger, greed, and weakness.
May 28,2009
A mirror reflects a man's face, but what he is really
like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses.
Prov. 27:19
Jesus guide me in choosing my friends, ones who bring me closer
to You. May I be the kind of friend to others that You want me
to be.
May 25,2009
PRAISE, PRAISE GOD IN ALL CICUMSTANCES.
Praise Me in all things. Praise Me when things are bad
Praise Me when things are good. Praise brings you to Me,
where I can comfort you, heal you, enlighten you, and bring
you to peace and joy.
May 21,2009
Why do bad things happen to good people? SIN.
Praise be to Jesus Christ! Sin affects the whole world just as every
prayer affects the world. We will all suffer from sin but the good
news is that Jesus came that we may have life in abundance and have
His consolations during our trials. Follow Christ and live.
May 18,2009
FORGIVENESS..............CONT.
One of the final actions of the Mass is the thanksgiving after
Communion. This is the time to rest in His heart and absorb the
gentle, yet profound, power of His love. It is the time to express
gratitude and simply be thankful for saving grace.
May 14-17,2009
FORGIVENESS........CONT.
WE ARE INVITED TO PLACE IN THE CHALICE ALL UNFORGIVENESS, AS
WELL AS ALL OUR UNHEALED HURTS, UNMET NEEDS, AND CONFLICTS.
WE CANNOT TRUST IN OUR OWN STRENGTH, WHICH IS INSUFFICIENT. WE
DARE NOT RELY ON OUR FEEBLE HUMAN EFFORTS. OUR HOPE IS IN
CHRIST JESUS AND THE POWER OF HIS PERFECT GIFT.
May 11, 2009
FORGIVENESS, CONT.
As Eucharist invites us to that level of forgiveness and
mercy, it also impowers us to achieve it. Sin is forgiven in the
Sacrifice of Calvary, the very sacrifice we celebrate. The blood of
Christ is poured out for pardon and reconciliation - the very blood
we take at Eucharist.
May 7,2009
FORGIVINESS..............CONT.
The Eucharist invites us to deep forgiveness in the secret
places of the heart. In fact, the Eucharist demands it. It will
never allow hidden anger or unresolved resentment to divide the Body
and tear at the seamless garment of His love.
May 5,2009
FORGIVENESS...............CONT.
To take Communion is to enter intimately into Christ Jesus
and become one with Him in a profound and sacred union. As we
stand in that holy place, we are linked with all who are held in the
Heart of Christ. This is the meaning of the phrase that we are the
Body of Christ as Church and community. In Him there are no
distinctions or barriers, no divisions and no disunity. His mercy
embraces all in an equal measure of Love.
April 30,2009
FORGIVINESS..............cont.
When we receive Communion, we enter into that Heart of
Charity where all are rconciled and united by love and
forgiveness. To be divided by anger or resentment is to
negate the meaning of Communion and render it void.
April 28, 2009
Forgiveness..........
This is Jesus, forgiving, reconciling, embracing all in unity.
It is even Jesus excusing - "they know not what they do"-
understanding and compassion.
In His heart He holds all His people, the hurting and the
ones who inflict the hurt. He understands, more deeply than we
ever will, why people hurt others. His love embraces all in unity
and in peace.
April 26,2009
He takes our wounds and cleanses the poison of resentment
and anger. He imparts the Spirit, given "for the forgiveness
of sin" and pours out His redeeming blood shed for forgiveness
and reconciliation. Now the flow of forgiveness is no longer ours
alone,it is HIS.
April 23,2009
Each person is being claimed by Jesus as His very own. What you do
to this one, you do to me because we are one, He is saying.
Being one with Him and being united to Him is the healing grace
Our Hurts and Wounds have become HIS.
April 21,2009
FORGIVENESS.........
At the Consecration, the bread and wine become the Body
and Blood of Jesus, the Crucified One. Since we already have
identified with the bread and wine, we too are taken up, consecrated
and so become the Body of Christ. All that we surrendered at the
Offertory is now totally identified with Christ. Our Sufferings and
sorrows are now His. cont...
April 18, 2009
The bread and wine, food and drink, symbolize life itself.
We even call bread "the Staff of Life." Going more deeply into the
symbolism, we recognize that these common elements have rich
meaning. The bread is made from many grains of wheat, the wine
from many grapes. To produce bread and wine, both wheat and
grapes must be crushed and broken. Life is like that. Each one
comes with a history of crushing and bruising experiences. Bread
and wine symbolize, not simply life in the abstract, but life with all
its brusising, crushing, and painful experiences. Every person
offering the Eucharist has a share in the pain of life with all its
hurtful dimensions. It is these experiences that produce the need to
forgive so much, so deeply, and so often. Therefore, before we
reach for forgiveness, we offer our lives to the Father in union with
the broken and suffering Jesus, the Crucified. The Offertory of the
Mass takes on deeper meaning and becomes a healing moment;
there we surrender our brokenness, painful memories, and hurts.
They are let go, identified with the crushed grapes and broken wheat
being offered on the altar at the hands of the prist. As we offer
our lives in faith, we offer our need for healing and our desire to
forgive.
April 14,2009
FORGIVINESS....CONT
At the Offertory of the Mass, bread and wine are offered to
the Father. These gifts symbolize the life of each one who is
sharing in the sacrifice that is being offered. They are not simply
external symbols bing lifted up in a devotional way. Each person is
being offered. To participate means to join in personally by offering
one's own heart on the alter.
April 11-12,2009
HAPPY EASTER, May Gods' love surround
you, protect you, and bring you joy."
HAPPY EASTER!!!!!!!!
April 8-10-2009
FORGIVINESS......CONT....
When we offer ourselves to the Father in union with Jesus,
we seek the pure surrender of faith that characterized His self-
offering on the Cross. We offer this Eucharistic sacrifice frequently
because we need to grow, mature, and deepen in that faith surrender.
April 6,2009
When the Eucharist is appreciated as a sacrifice, and
celebrated authentically, each person who participates is invited to
offer his or her life in, along with, through, Jesus. One's life
involves all the struggles, hurts, needs, feelings and emotions that
make up life. It is not simply the virtues, gifts and blessings that we
offer but our basic humanity in all its frailty. That is the part of us
that is still unfinished and has its share of shadows and dark corners.
We offer ourselves just as we are.
April 2, 2009
Forgiveness......cont....
The Eucharist, with its many dimensions, brings us to
Calvary where we enter into Christ's Passion, are touched by it, and
are united to the Sacrifice of the Cross.
April 1, 2009
FORGIVENESS.......contin.
We know that the Lord Jesus is truly and fully present in the
Eucharist. We know, too, that celebrating the Mass is the Memorial
of Jesus' Passion. The Mass is the unbloody sacrifice of Calvary
rendered present in every time and place. When we celebarate the
Eucharist, "we proclaim the death of the Lord," St Paul says.
(1Cor 11:26)
March 29, 2009
FORGIVENESS
The perfect prayer that the Lord has given us is the
Eucharist. All of our spirituality flows from the Eucharist and
returns there as well. It is the highest from of union with the Lord
Jesus Christ. The Eucharist unites us to the suffering and to the
victory over suffering. It is Christ's life united to our own.
March 26,2009
FORGIVENESS.....CONT
His forgiveness returned love wher ever injury was received.
This is the spiritual victory taught by Jesus, but often beyond our
reach. We need to stretch ourselves with a love that lies beyond our
capacity. We find our strength in the Cross and suffering of Jesus.
When we unite to the Cross in our own suffering, we also experience
the victory of the Cross. Jesus suffered and died so that sins might
be forgiven. It is this victory of forgiveness that we want to taste
in our own lives. To unite to the Cross is to find healing in the
very act of mercy.
March 23, 2009
Forgiveness.....cont.
Jesus is no stranger to the human struggle. He led the way by His
suffering and Cross. Jesus is the man of suffering who experienced
every level of hurt, injustice, betrayal, abandonment and rejection.
Although deeply wounded and profoundly hurt, He won His victory
through forgiveness and love. His heart was so cushioned by love,
understanding, and compassion that poison from the wounds never festered
so as to embitter Him or destroy Him.
March 19, 2009
FORGIVENESS
In the process of forgiveness we see first, that the decisions we make are always centered
around the Father's Will. Secondly, we see that making this choice can involve the
agony of a spiritual battle within the soul.
It is always necessary to bring the struggle to prayer, and in prayer, to struggle with the
Father's Will just as Jesus did. Certainly there are other levels of emotions, memories
and feelings that are involved. These will be engaged as well. The most basic level of
the struggle, however, like the decision itself, is spiritual.
March 17,2009
HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY!!!!!!
Put your feet up and dwell on
all that Faith has done for you.
Relax in God's love.
March 14,2009
Forgiveness cont..........
The struggle ultimately is always a spiritual one and should
be done in prayer. Christ Himself went into prayer in His struggles,
as we see in the agony in the Garden. His example is for our
instruction and encouragement.
March 11, 2009
FORGIVENESS......ROLE OF THE EUCHARIST
The decision to forgive is often reached after much struggle.
The problem with forgiveness is that there is something to forgive-
hurt. Forgiving an injury, pardoning a wrong, letting go of a hurt
unjustly inflicted are all spiritual actions that can be wrung from
the depths of the soul. The work of forgiveness is not something to be
taken lightly. It is never glib; it must always come from the heart.
To forgive too easily or too quickly can be an escape from the real
soul struggle that is the price of forgiving. Facing the pain,
confronting the situation with honesty and choosing the path of
forgiveness are real works that engage the soul.
March 9, 2009
FORGIVENESS........cont.
There is an inner beauty of the human heart that love
uncovers and humility embraces. To forgive self and rejoice in
God's love is true holiness in human wholeness.
"I rejoice in God my Savior.
He who is mighty has done great things for me."
Luke 1:47-49
March 7, 2009 cont...from 2-26-09
FORGIVENESS
If we can say "I love God," and "I believe in Jesus Christ,
Son of God," God lives in our heart. To be able to see that spark
of God's light within is really the gateway to life. It is the
source of joy, inner peace, serenity and tranquility. I love what
God loves, see what God sees and accept what God accepts.
March 4,2009
Forgiveness, Sit and think of what you can forgive yourself for.
When you recall a memory ask the Holy Spirit to heal
you and forgive yourself. If you continue
to recall the memory, once again ask the Holy Spirit
to heal you and again forgive yourself. Remember,
we are not perfect and we will never be. However,
we know the one who is perfect and that makes us perfect.
So no obsessing.
February 26, 2009
cont...from Feb 24th
This is the way to inner peace. It is also the gateway to true
love for one's enemy, which can say to the other, "You may be a
miserable person, a sinner and a failure. I also see your humanity
and goodness and I love you." No one can do that with others
until it is done with oneself. If we can look at ourselves and see
both all that is dark and all that is beautiful and good and still love
ourselves, then we can look at another person, however vile, and do
the same. We will see mistakes, failure and sin in another, but we
will also see beauty. We learn to do it with first with ourselves,
then it is projected outward. To love oneself is the gateway to true
mercy for others. If we can love ourselves with our sin, we can
love another with their sin. We know our own sin, we must guess at
the state of the other's heart. We can understand something of the
true mercy of God when we recall that God, who certainly knows
the darkness and sin of the heart, still loves us. This is mercy;
forgiveness that is not merited. God looks at us and sees the beauty
and holiness in us as His people. He sees His image and loves what
He sees. to be cont.........
February 21-24,2009
That is the true completion of the journey; loving oneself is
the greatest of all humility. Somehow in our brokenness, we believe
that humility is to be found in self-rejection - putting down and
trampling on oneself and denying one's giftedness instead of
looking at and accepting one's own goodness even as the struggle
to be faithful continues. Actually, the greatest pride is self-rejection;
refusing love when God has already given it. It puts one at odds
with God. God loves, accepts, forgives and shows mercy. The
greatest humility is, that in the face of all our mistakes and failings,
hurt and pain, we can love and accept ourselves. Humility is to see
oneself as beautiful, good, holy and loving. Even though
in complete and imperfect, each of us radiates the image and likeness
of God and reflects His glory.
February 18,2009
Some years ago I read the book, The Diary of a Country Priest.
It was very popular during the time I was in the seminary. It is the
journal of a priest that chronicles his spiritual journey with all his
conflict and struggles along with the lessons he learned over the
years. In the last entry of the book, he records that he had finally
come to understand that the greatest pride is to hate oneself and the
greatest humility is to love oneself. His resolution that night was to
let go of all self-condemnation and self-rejection. It was the final
lesson that life taught him.
It is the last entry because that night he dies in his sleep. His
journey ended with self-acceptance and self-love.
February 16, 2009
FORGIVING THE WORST ENEMY
Finally, we have to forgive the worst enemy we have;
oneself. That is the hardest one to truly forgive. Toxic guilt is
terribly destructive. Lack of self - esteem, guilt and a sense of
worthlessness are endemic in our would. One reason is that we each
know how sinful we really are. That is the mystery of the
twistedness of the human spirit. When looking at self, one sees
mainly faults and failings rather than goodness and beauty. Looking
at faults, failings, mistakes and sin blocks the vision of the goodness,
beauty, holiness and truth that is also in each human heart. To get
beyond self-accusation, we need self-forgiveness. If God has
forgiven us, what right do we have to not forgive ourselves? If God
accepts us just the way we are, what right do we have not to accept
ourselves just as God does?
February 14, 2009
FORGIVENESS CONT........
Love keeps no record of wrong doing, no list of injury,
because forgiveness from the heart means always starting over again
withourt the burden of past injuries remembered and stored up.
Forgiveness, when real, is a freedomfor the heat and allows
relationships to grow. It is love made manifest.
next: Forgiving the Worst Enemy
February 11,2009
FORGIVENESS CONT.......
Forgiveness starts with letting go of that which we hold
against another. Love does not keep accounts. Paul tells us that
"love is patient, love is kind"......(1 Corinthians 13:4-7). The first
quality he mentions is patience. It is interesting that patience should
be first. There is nothing romantic there, just the realistic
understanding that people are hurt, hurt others and must be
forgiven patiently in love.
February 9,2009
Forgiveness......cont
Think of a marriage that ends in divorce. The Most painful
part is that on the altar, the two actually gave their hearts to one
another. Then one person takes the other's heart and breaks it.
That is a painful wound that heals slowly. It would not hurt as
much if one's heart were not entrusted to the other. This is the
vulnerability of love. One might say, "I'm not going to give you my
heart because you might hurt it," and thus form a relationship with
neither one giving the other anything meaningful, so as to be
protected from hurt. Then there really can be no love relationship.
If there is to be love, there has to be vulnerability; it is the nature
of love. We can only be hurt by people we truly love. Much of
forgiveness has to do with forgiving people we truly love. Much of
forgiveness has to do with forgiving people seven times a day, even
seventy times a day, as Jesus told Peter.(Matthew 18:22)
Such forgiveness is for people who live in community, in a marriage
or a family, sharing life. Forgiveness is required, it is neccessary
and it is demanded of us. Jesus says, "You must forgive your brother
or sister from your heart...." (Matthew 18:35). And do so many times.
February 7,2009
In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus faced both kinds of
hurt. One was active; the real betrayal of Judas, a man whom He
trusted and whom He chose as one of the Twelve. Judas, sold out
on his friend and with cruelty betrayed Jesus with a kiss. The
other hurt (and I do not know which was worse for Jesus) was what
was not done and did not happen. "Stay awake and pray with me. I
need you." They fell asleep on Him; later, they ran away and left
Him alone. Among those who abandoned Jesus were Peter, James and
John, the three men who were the closest to Him during his life.
They too, fell asleep; they were not there for Him. At the moment
of His arrest, they fled like all the others. Yet, more than anyone
else, they should have been there. If we need someone to be there
in a moment of need, we look to the people to whom we are close,to
those who we call our friends. We can only be hurt, truly and
deeply, by people we love and who love us.
February 1,2009
FORGIVENESS.......cont
Forgiving Others
Forgiving others is the part we all think about when
forgiveness is mentioned. We all know about being hurt and
needing toforgive. It isthe universal human experience.
The difficult truth is that forgiveness is necessary because
there is something to forgive. Because there is hurt, there is the
need to pardon hurt and forgive injuries. Although this may sound
strange, we must forgive injuries real or imagined. There are real
events and then there is what we feel happened. If we believe it
happened, then we deal with it and must let it go, whether it is real
or not. The event may be experienced in a distorted or exaggerated
way. But if something caused hurt, it is real enough. Forgiving is
for all things that were done or not done, actions and omissions,
injuries and indifferences. What was done, such as betrayal or
rejection, caused deep hurts, which requires deep forgiveness. What
was not done, as in abandonment by people who were not there -
words not spoken, support not given, care not shown- this also
needs to be forgiven. to be cont.......
January 30,2009
FORGIVENESS cont....
When things do not work out according to our own desires
or needs, we may feel that God let us down or did not answer. It
might seem that He was not there and did not show love. All these
things we can hold against God when we say, "Where were You.?"
We need to forgive God in these circumstances. This forgiveness is
actually an act of faith surrender. It imitates the agonized prayer of
Jesus in the Garden - "Not as I will, but as You will it." (Matthew
26:39) Our forgiveness is a humble acceptance of God's greater
wisdom and love.
January 28,2009
It is said in the Psalms, "The Lord is my bukler and my
shield" (Psalm 91:4), It does not say, "God is my butler," as in
"God, please do this. Thank you. Now do that. Thank you. The
following is a list of things I would like you to do tommorrow." That
is not the way it works; that is not the way of faith. Rather, in my
humanity and my smallness I come up against the Mystery of God
and I bow and say, "Your will be done." He is beyond my
understanding, beyond my comprehension. He is immense and
eternal, beyond my likes and dislikes and greater than what I can see
or not see. I must let God have His Mystery. When I die, I will see
it all and it may take an eternity to understand why some things
happened and others did not. Right now I cannot reduce God to
human size, nor can I enlarge my mind enough to fully comprehend
HIm. That is why there Faith. It is the only way to heal the fears
and anxieties of the human heart. Faith given peace. Surrender with
trust brings release and healing.
January 24,2009
FORGIVENESS cont.....
The problem with being God is that we always demand that
He prove His love. We can personally witness a miracle and two
days later say, "What have You done lately?" That is very human.
It is dust basic insecurity. I need to be rassured of His providence,
because anxiety is so deeply embedded in the human heart. Constant
reassurance is demanded.
We encounter, in this way, the Mystery of God, spelled with
a capital "M". We cannot explain God, where He was or why He
did not intervene. We do not know why a prayer was not answered
as expected. The frustration for the human mind is that we cannot
understand the Mystery of God, who is infinite. Anyone who
believes in God on any level of faith must accept one thing; God is
Mystery. God is beyond any human power to comprehend, understand,
manipulate or contrel. We all would like to control God, but His
ways are not our ways. He does not allow Himself to be reduced to
human terms. A God we can understand is too small. cont....
January 21,2009
"Where were you? Why didn't you answer my prayer?" A
little child prayed for his puppy and the dog died. Someone prayed
for a need and received no obvious answer. People go through hell
in a relationship and ask, "God why did you allow this? Where
were you? Why didn't you stop it? When I was growing up in this
horrible situation, where were you? When all this abuse was going
on where were you?" Thes cries of the heart, and many like them,
are all deeply felt and belong to the human condition.
These cries are rea; they affect us every time we pray. If we
can say, "God, you did not hear my prayer. We prayed for so and
so and they died anyway" or "We prayed about this and you didn't
seem to respond or intervene," then the next time we pray, these
experiences will influence the quality of the prayer. We will not be
able to pray with as much faith or fervor. We will harbor some
doubt, buried in a little corner of the mind, that says, "Well He is
probably not ging to listen anyway." There is a loss of expetancy
in prayer; a lessening of hope, and a weakening of trust in God's
Constant reassurance is demanded. to be continued.
January 19,2009
FORGIVING GOD
The first one that needs to be forgiven is God Himself. The
spiritual life of too many people is blocked form healing and growth
because they find it hard to trust or to forgive God. If we find it
difficult to trust God completely, we must consider the need to
forgive God. To encompass meaningful growth, it is neccessary to
struggle with God over a variety of issues. One may refuse to face
them so as to avoid a confrontation with God or to admit any
resentiment towards Him. To be angry with God seems to go
against piety and devotion. If someone chooses to ignore these
issues, deep conflicts will remain. They have to come to light and
be addressed if there is to be growth. When hurts are not resolved
but simply buried alive, they come back to haunt us in some way.
There are two universal cries of the humas heart that God
hears every day;
1. We demand of God; "Where are You? Where were You when I
needed You.?"
2 The other is the same thing in a different way: "Why did You
allow this to happen?"
to be continued.......
January 16,2009
Another important element of the unwillingness to forgive
is our deep desire to have someone recognize our pain and
understand our sufferijng. That is why some people keep talking
about their hurt; they want somewone to know how badly they feel
and how unjustly they were treated. They cannot let it go, but
they must let it go. That is the choice that is needed to make the
journey to wholeness.
Once that decision is made, the road to healing is open The journey
can begin.
Once we have ackknowledged the neccesssity to forgive, we proceed
to forgiveness of self, of the other, and of God. This process
will be the object of the next session on the 19th.
January 14,2009
Forgiveness is the gift of freedom that we hold in our hands.
We can choose to give or withhold it. We remember that what we
bind on earth will be bound in heaven. If does not just mean up
there in the sky, but into eternity, bound until we set it free.
On the day of the Resurrection Jesus gave His disciples the Holy
Spirit. He breathed on them and said:"Receive the Holy Spirit. Thoes
sins you forgive, they will be forgiven; those sins you hold bound they
will be held bound" (John 20:23). He gave them the freedom to
choose. We are not bound by God, but forgiven ourselves and
endowed with the grace and power of the Holy Spirit. We are then
free to make decisions. We cannot blame others or say, "Well I
wasn't free." We are free to make choices. "I don't want to hold
onto this; I want to choose to let it go. I want to begin the process
of untangling it." At the beginning, that is good enough. Choosing
forgiveness is the beginning of the journey to wholeness and life.
January 12,2009
THE DEEPEST AND THE WORST HURT
When we own the pain and hold it in our hands, we can
begin to own the forgiveness in a deep place. That is most difficult
when the hurt revolves around betrayal, the deepest and most
painful hurt. This is because we can only be betrayed by someone
we love. Betrayal is a broken trust. If we have loved someone and
trusted them and they broke that trust and used it against us, that is
betrayal. The effects are devastating because people who have
trusted and been hurt are very slow to ever trust again. Yet,if we
are going to move into forgiveness, we need to trust. it is a
moment of grace when we can rise above the pain and anger and
are able to offer mercy and forgiveness. When we speak of
forgiveness, we are involved in a profound process that must touch
all of the effects of betrayal and untangle them. It is not easy,
but it is always worthwhile.
January 10,2009
FORGIVENESS........CONTIN
Sometimes Christians will say, "Well, I forgive you. Let's just
let it go." This can be a surface forgiveness, for appearance's sake If is is shallow, it is not owned and does not go as deep as the hurt. If the hurt is deep, forgiveness has to go just as deep(Matt. 18:21-22).
It must reach to the depth where the pain is felt. We cannot
carry a deep hurt in our heart and simply offer a shallow forgiveness
that is glib and empty. That is not forgiveness, but denial. To say it
does not matter, when it does, is not truth. To forgive from the
heart is liberating. There is ackowledgement of the hurt, forgiveness,
release and freedom. Healing of the heart follows.
January 8,2009
Forgiveness......
The Gospel tells us that our choices have spiritual impact on
others. By extending forgiveness, we can set someone free to grow,
to love, to move in truth and seek forgiveness. Conversely, we can
bind people by refusing to forgive. In such a case, we always bind
two peole - the one we will not forgive and oneself for being
unforgiving. One ghing about unforgiveness is that there is no
positive outcome anywhere - the other person is not blessed, the
situation is not resolved, and we are not free as long as we carry
the grudge deep inside.
January 6,2009
Surrender to God all that you are; then,
All through the day do what you can.
God will do the rest.
January 3,2009
FORGIVENESS cont.............
Jesus told us that we have a choice and whatever we bind on
earth will be bound in heaven and what we loose will be set free.
Matthew 18:18. Choosing unforgiveness, can bind people and
hinder their spiritual journey. By choosing forgiveness they are
free to move towards life, conversion, and possible reconciliation.
Those who are unforgiven cannot grow until they are released. If
they are not forgiven until they show repentance and ask forgive-
ness, then there is a trap without escape. Mercy breaks open the
trap; mercey sets everyone free.
January 1,2009
Happy New Year!!!!
TRUST Jesus, and you will HAVE peace.
December 25-31,2008
Merry Christmas!!!!!!
Reconciliation requires a mutuality that forgiveness does
not. Forgiveness has to do with a choice of how to manage anger
and hurt. It is a personal decision. In the confessional, when a
person talks about resenting someone, often the priest might say,
"For your penance, pray for that person." That is both sound
spirituality and good psychology. How does one know when there
is forgiveness? When one can wish well and bless the enemy. The
heart forgives, blesses and is set free.
This is why Jesus says, forgive 7 x 70. He wants US FREE!!!!!!
December 18-22,2008
FROGIVENESS CONT........
FORGIVENESS IS A DECISION
Forgiveness is a decision that we make. It is a choice of the
will. It is not a feeling. We do not need to feel forgiving or loving.
We cannot expect that the next time we see the person we forgive
that we will like them and want to share a hug. If we are waiting to
forgive until we feel loving, we might wait a long time. Rather, we
choose to let go and we decide to forgive. It is a one-way process, a
matter of the will. It is not an emotion and it not neccessarily
reciprocal. Sometimes, reconciliation is not possible. Perhaps the other is closed and not responsive. Whatever the situation,
forgiveness is still called for and is necessary. Only forgiveness will
free the heart from the poison of resentment that threaten health,
both spiritual and physical.
December 16,2008
FORIVENESS cont.......
The second effect of unforgiveness, at least in some cases is
thatitcan cause sickness. Resentment is a poison in the soul that
ultimately infects one's whole being. These are the sicknesses that
begin in the spirit,influencethemind and emotions, and ultimately
manifest in the body. Bitterness, unforgiveness, unresolve anger
and resentment are all poisons. They eat away at our spiritual and
mental health, often developing, into physical illness as well. We
must be aware of the impact of unforgiveness on our bodies as we
seek healing. If illness has a psychological or spiritual origin, it
does not mean it is not a true sickness. It does mean that there is a
deeper source of the illness that needs to be touched first if there is
to be healing.
Thus, healing and forgiveness are deeply linked to one
another, first because unforgiveness blocks healing as it impedes the
flow of the love of God, and secondly because it can be the origin
of the disease.
December 11 -15,2008
Forgiveness continued........
The second effect of unforgiveness, at least in some cases, is
that it can cause sickness. Resentment is a poison in the soul that
ultimately infects one's whole being. These are the sicknesses that
begin in the spirit, influence the mind and emotions and ultimately
manifest in the body. Bitterness, unforgiveness, unresolved anger
and resentment are all poisons. They eat away at our spiritual and
mental health, often developing into physical illness as well. We
must be aware of the impact of unforgiveness on our bodies as we
seek healing. The spiritual and physical aspects of our being are
deeply interconnected and affect each other. Psychosomatic illness
is real sickness. If illness has a psychological or spiritual origin, it
does not mean it is not a true sickness. It does mean that there is a
deeper source of the illness that needs to be touched first if there is
to be healing.
Thus, healing and forgiveness are deeply linked to one
another, first because unforgiveness blocks healing as it impedes the
flow of the love of God, and secondly because it can be the origin
of disease. cont...........
December 9,2008
cont........
When I first started praying with people, a woman with
cancer came for healing. After talking with her it became evident
that she was a bitter person. She was estranged from her sister.
There had been a falling out over their inheritance. She came to the
healing Masses twice a week. At one point in the ministry, I said to
her, "you seem aangry at your sister."
She replied, "Yes, I hate her and I want to see her burn in
hell."
I told her, "you cannot be healed of this cancer unless you
forgive your sister."
She thought about that for a moment and said, "I'd rather
have cancer." She had a choice. She did not have to feel any great
love toward her sister, but she had to let go of the resentmen. She
eventually did, but it took her months. That was my first insight
into the fact that some people carry hurts that are so deep that
forgiveness might have to wait. In these cases, to say, "Certainly I
forgive you," is cheap and ineffective because it is shallow and glib.
It has to be worked through and owned. Forgiveness must be as
deep as the hurt. The woman was eventually healed of her cancer, once
she worked through her resentment and chose to forgive. It was a
process that required prayer and patience. to be continued.........
December 6,2008
FORGIVENESS AND HEALING cont.....
Forgiveness is very much a part of healing. There is
evidence that we cannot experience healing unless we forgive.
Christ instructs us when we stand before God in prayer to forgive
our brother/sister from our heart, letting go of any injury. if we do
not forgive, we cannot be forgiven; we block the movement of
grace. Unforgiveness has two significant effects. One is that it
blocks theflowof healing. If thereis resentment, bitterness, and
unresolved anger in my spiritual circulation, it clogs the spiritual
arteries and healing love can not flow. It is like a spiritual stroke and
it is deadly. If there is any unforgiveness in myheartorspirit then
healing cannot penetrate. We must choose to forgive deeply if we
are to experience the healing love of God. Love and anger cannot
occupy the same heart space at the same time. It is like darkness
and light, one contradicts the other. The greatest blockage to
healing is unforgiveness.
December 2, 2008
Forgiveness is not about rights or justice in human terms.
It is about MERCY. This is the Cross which is at the very heart of
Christianity. Showing mercy demands a stretching of the heart and
an enlargement of love. Mercy is the language that love speaks. It
is the victory of God's Love over justice and condemnation.
When we consider the impact of hurt, injury and sin on our
lives, we need the healing found in forgiveness. Mercy must be
brought to bear if there is to be growth and healing. cont.......
November 29,2008
Forgiveness is in response to an apology and there is no
measure to it. It must be abundant and from the heart. Mercy on
the other hand, goes beyond forgiveness, because it is unsolicited
and undeserved. It is grace and gift. Some things are actually
unforgivable, but are embraced by mercy. Sometimes, mercy is
required because the people to be forgiven never asked for it, would
not receive it, and would not appreciate it. Some actually do not
deserve it. When injury is deep and painful, the one injured could
claim justice and withhold forgiveness. Some things do seem
unforgivable. Some things actually are. Terrorism, with its senseless
violence and innocent victims, would seem to fall into this category.
November 27,2008
Is it possible to speak of mercy and forgiveness to
Holocaust survivors, to the victims of racism, to the oppressed,or
tothose who suffer unjustly from rash judgment, gossip and
rejection?Would such a message be recived? Could it be heard?
Yet, as difficult as it may be, there is still something in the
human heart that yearns for forgiveness. We instinctively know that
sin needs to be touched by mercy. We long for the balm that heals
and word that frees the heart.
The Good News of the Gospel is the proclamation that
God has forgiven us, freely and without reservation. In return, we
need to forgive. It is all free gift, unmerited and undeserved. It is
sheer grace and is called mercy. Mercy is deeper and richer than
forgiveness. The gift ofmercyis sweet; the demands of mercy are heavy.
November 24-25,2008
Many who are paralyzed by unforgiveness do not adequately
understand the grace of forgiveness. It is a gift,received only to be
given and shared. Something deep in the darkened soul still resists
forgiveness and demands justice and revenge, chastisement and
punishment. That is true also with one's self. Guilt, self-hatred and
feelings of unworthiness are all too common. At its core it is
simply a denial of forgiveness and mercy. Forgiveness is offered but
not received. Christianity is then emptied of the unique gift of grace
that constitutes its heart and soul.
To go into an intensely emotional situation such as
Northern Ireland, the Middle East or Serbia and preach forgiveness
could be foolhardy and dangerous. How would such a message be
received? Would the messenger survive? Two famous people were
killed in the Middle East - Anwar Sadat and Yitzhak Rabin. Both
were killed for the same thing. Each had chosen the path of peace
but rather by their own people. The path to peace, which lay down
the road of reconciliation and forgiveness, was abhorrent to some
people. War, violence, and retaliation were preferred. Two men
died violently because they believed in forgiveness and acted on it.
They each paid with their lives.
The vendetta dies hard. To speak of mercy and forgiveness
in clear and practical ways can be dangerous. It can lead to the
Cross - suffering, rejection, and even death.
November 22,2008
THE STICKING POINT
What was true in Jesus' day is still true today. For many,
consciously or unconsciously, the lavish mercy of God is a sticking
point in the whole Gospel message. Of course it is the central
message, not just a marginal part of the Gospel. Forgiveness is not
some optional devotion; it is the Good News itself. Jesus is the
Mercy of God.
In Jerusalem, I have had occasion to discuss Jesus and
Christianity with followers of Islam(Muslims). Mohammed and his
followers have a deep respect for Jesus. They regard Him as a great
prophet and accept many truths about Him. They believe, for
exambple, in the Annunciation by Gabriel to Mary and the Virgin
Birth of Jesus. They believe in His miracles and even the
Assension. What they do not accept is the forgiveness of sin. They
accept that Jesus was crucified, but not that it was for the remisssion
and pardon of sin. They would always come back to the same
point; "someone has to pay." If you sin, you must face the
consequences." Forgiveness, freely given, is not just. Justice
demands retribution and punishment. For them, a God who
forgives so freely is a god too weak and feeble. The Grace that is
merciful forgiveness becomes a scandal and a stumbling block.
This helps explain Middle East politics today. There can be
no mercy or forgiveness; an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
Justice can be harsh. Forgiveness is a weakness.
Of course the Christian answeris that someone did pay and
satisfy the demands of justice. It was not the sinful, however; it was
the Innocent. Jusus, as Redeemer, took upon Himself the sin of the
demans of the law and reconciled all humanity to the Father.
Because of His Cross and the shedding of His blood, sin is forgiven.
There are no preconditions. It is gift. It is called salvation,
the sheer grace of love it self. .......to be continued.
November 20,2008
Forgiveness....cont
Take the story of Zacchaeus in Jericho. He is the one who
climbed into a tree to see Jesus. As a chief tax collector and public
sinner, he was hated by the people. When Juesus passed by, he
showed Zacchaeus mercy, love, grace, and frogiveness. The people
were angry and murmured against Jesus. Meanwhile Zacchaeus,
faded into the background while Jesus bore the brunt of their anger.
Lk. 19:1-10
In another stroy Jesus was kind to a sinful woman. The self-
righteous were angered and asked themselves, "How could He let
this woman touch Him? Doesn't He know she is a sinner?" Lk 7:36-50.
There is more than surprise and dismay; there was an angry reponse
becaause mercy and forgiveness were given so freely. There was no
retribution. Grace and love became stumbling blocks, not causes for
rejoicing. The perversion of the human heart prefers punishment to
forgiveness. The heart of Jesus shows only mercy. to be cont....
November 15, 2008
Conflict Resolution - Jesus' Style
The only way to break this vicious cycle and bring healing
and peace is with forgiveness. Jesus preached forgiveness as a
sign of the presence of the Kingdom of God.
What issue so infuriated the Jewish leaders that they decided
Jesus had to die? Why did they want to get Him out of they way? It
was not because He cleansed the leper or headled the sick. It was not
because He multiplied bread and fed the crowds. The key issue was
that Jesus forgave sin. Remember that the charge against Him
before the Sanhedrin was blasphemy. "How can this man claim to
forgive sin? This is blasphemy!" (Matthew 9:23, 26:65-66). For the
Jewish people, forgiveness came from God and always came with a
price - chastisement and the punishment due to sin. Jesus,
acquits the quilty. He does not condemn. This was important
enough to infuriate the religious leaders. continued...........
November 14,2008
Forgiveness (Continued)
Here is a key to the Gospel and to healing. Yet it is often
the most overlooked and underappreciated part of the message of
Jesus.
There are good religious people who believe, practice their
faith and are very devout but who then miss the message of mercy.
Too many acts of violence are carried out in the name of God.
Many of the most serious conflicts in the world take place in
Christian countries between Christian people. Bosnia, Serbia and
Ireland are all current examples. It is as though the heart of the
Gospel message never penetrated the human heart or perhaps was
never truly preached. Certainly it never made a real difference in
daily life.
In these ongoing violent conflicts the issue is always
forgiveness/unforgiveness. Atrocities are usually in retaliation for a
previous atrocity; the cycle is self-perpetuating and so continues for
yeas and generations. Vendetta is hatred kept alive. This is true
not just in Ireland, Serbia and Bosnia, but also in places such as
Rwanda, Kosovo, the Middle Est, Sri Lanka and Cyprus, to name a few.
The United States experienced the horrors of September 11
because some people harbored hatred and nurtured revenge in
their hearts. It festered and grew until it gave birth to an act of
violence beyond our imagination. Can we imagine a response to
this tragedy that seeks justice without mindless revenge? Can the
Gospel of Jesus show us a different way to respond that brings
peace and not more hatred and violence?
The United Nations can send in peacekeepers to keep
people apart; they can build walls to sparate them and impose
sanctions to intimidate them. None of these are solutions because
they address neither the actual problem itself nor the cause of the
problem. Hatred, revenge, resentment, and retaliation are nurtured
and kept alive for generations. Forgiveness alone can bring healing,
reconciliation, and peace.
What is true for nation is also true, unfortunately, for
family relationships and communities. Too many friendships are
destroyed, families split apart and relationships ruined because of
unforgiveness. The fruit of unforgiveness is always bitter and has
no redeeming value. Everyone loses. Division and heartache are
the only lasting results of an unforgiving heart.
November 12, 2008
THE NECESSITY TO FORGIVE
Other than love, one of the most commonly used words in
the New Testament is forgiveness. It is aconsistentand basic
theme throughout the teachings of Jesus. In the Gospels, Jesus
usually links prayer with forgiveness. For example, in the Our
Father we pray, "Forgive us our sins, just as we forgive those who
sin aginst us" Matt. 6:12. In another place, Jesus said, "When-
ever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against
anyone," Mark 11:25 and "Go first and be reconciled, then offer
your gift on the alter," Matt.5:24. There is a severe warning "if
you do not forgive the Father will not be able to forgive you.
Matt 6:15.
Jesus proclaims the grace of forgiveness, then gives the
command to forgive and warns about unforgiveness in the heart.
If we block the flow of forgiviness by refusing to forgive,
we frustrate the movement of the Spirit. "What you receive as gift,
give as gift" Matt. 10:8. If the flow of forgiveness is blocked,
the flow of the spiritual life is blockedand the flow of healing as
well. The gift of mercy must be reflected outward if there is to be
spiritual life.
November 10,2008
Forgiveness is the key to peace. The book will be continued.....
November 7,2008
cont.....Forgiveness
God's gift to us is mercy and the challenge is to be merciful
First of all, we learn that forgiveness is a gift that we receive
freely from God in Jesus Christ. Secondly, forgiveness is a
command that we receive from Christ. It is out of the experience of
being forgiven that we reach out with forgiveness to others.
Other than love , one of the most commonly used words in
the New testament is forgiveness. It is a consistent and basic
theme throughout the teachings of Jesus. In the Gospels, Jesus
usually links prayer with forgiveness. For example in the Our
Father we pray, "Forgive us our sins, just as we forgive those who
sin against us"(Matt 6:12). In another place, Jesus said,
"Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against
anyon,"(Mart 11:25) and "Go first and be reconciled, then offer
your gift on the altar,"(Matt. 5:24). There is a severe warning, "If
you do not forgive, the Father will not be able to forgive
you." (Matt 6:15).
Jesus proclaims the grace of forgiveness, then gives the
command to forgive and warns about unforgiveness in the heart.
If we block the flow of forgiveness by refusing to forgive,
we frustrate the movement of the Spirit. "What you receive as gift,
give as gift" Matt 10:8. If the flow of forgiveness is blocked,
the flow of the spiritual life is blocked and the flow of healing as
well. The gift of mercy must be reflected outward if there is to be
spiritual life.
November 5,2008
cont.....Forgiveness by Fr.McAlear
The emotion of anger is part of the forgiveness process. It
is very important to remember that forgiveness is not a feeling.
Forgiveness begins with a decision, but it is incomplete until our
heart has the same felt mercy as Jesus' heart. This is where
feeling comes into the process of forgiveness. Like Jesus, we are
called to pray for the one who persecutes us.
The heart of forgiveness is that we have been forginen
first, thus we must forgive. We have to love ourselves enough to
forgive others, ourselves, and God. It may sound strange, but
without forgiveness, we are in emotional and spiritual bondage
and not free to love intimately. Until we forgive, we are limited in
our forgiveness from God and decide to forgive, we are released
from our emotional and spiritual bondage and we know we are
loved by the Lord. This knowledge is the basis of self love, and
all love flows from this knowledge. to be continued......
November 2,2008
(cont....)Forgiveness by Fr.Richard M. McAlear,O.M.I.
We need not allow ourselves to be vulnerable to the
offender until we have seen that they have owned their part
of the problem. Scripture talks about keeping boundaries with
someone until they own what they have done and produce "fruit
in keeping with repentance"(Matthew 3:8}. True repentance is
much more than saying "I'm sorry"; it is changing direction.
Even in relationship to God, we must choose to own up to
our sin and repent, then we will be open to receive God's love.
It does not necessarily follow that because you have forgiven,
you have to reconcile. You can offer reconciliation, but it
must be contingent upon the other person owning their behavior
and bringing forth trustworthy behavior.
The grieving process is equal to the process of forgiveness
when we allow God to walk with us through our grief. When God
is not in the grief process it tens to be become self-pity. When God
is a part of this process of forgiveness/grieving:
We stop denying the hurt(denial) and make clear statements
about our losses and related feelings which communicates our pain
We stop blaming others or God for our hurt(anger) and accept respon-
sibility for our pain.
We stop making forgiveness condition(bargaining).
We let go of self blame(depression-anger)and acceptGod;s gift of
growth by allowing ourselves to feel the hurt and move through the
pain, accepting it as a natural consequence of being in relationship
with others(Acceptance).
October 31, 2008
(continued) Foriveness
In the forgiveness process it is important to understand
that we do not always achieve reconciliation. God forgave the
world, but the whole world is not reconciled to Him. Although
He may have forgiven all people, all people have not owned their
sin and appropriated His forgiveness. That would be
reconciliation. Forgiveness takes one; reconciliation takes two.
October 28 to 31,2008
Forgiveness
Experiencing God's Mercy
by Fr. Richard M. McAlear,O.M.I.
Many people have a problem determining the differences
between the concepts of foriveness and reconciliation. This
unclear conceptualization contributes to the confusion that
forgiveness is "giving in" or letting down your boundaries one
more time and allowing the person who previously victimized you
to have the power to hurt you again.
FORGIVENESS is something that we do in our hearts; we re-
lease someone from a debt that they owe us. We write off the
person's debt and they no longer owe us. We no longer condemn
them. Only one party is needed for forgiveness; you. The person
does not need to ask for it; forgiveness is a work of the heart.
October 26,2008
TRUST
Trust in God always and you will find peace.
October 24,2008
"I know the plan I have for you, says the Lord.
They are plans for good and not for evil, to give
you a future full of hope. In those days when you
pray, I will listen. You will find me when you seek
me, if you look for me in earnest." Jeremiah 29:11-13
Gods plan for us is perfect. If we feel discouraged, let
us surrender to God our life, and see if we are off track.
God will let us know quickly if what we are doing is not
His will for us. With prayer and surrendering ourselves
to Him, we will be restored into the peace, the joy, and
the contentment He wills for us.
October 22, 2008
VOTING AND THE SIN OF OMMISSION
In an article entitled, "And what I have failed to do...."
Fr. Pavone reminds us that not voting in an election can be
a sin of omission. We have a reponsibility to infuluence the
outcome of an election, because a vote is "a transfer of pow-
er," not "a philosophical statement." In elections where we
may not have the best candidate, we are obliged to vote for
the better one in order to "limit the damage" and "create a
better outcome." This view is consistent with the U.S. Bishops'
Document FORMING CONSCIENCES OF FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP: a Call
to Political Responsibility." In it, the bishops remind us that
it is immoral to support a pro-abortion candidate because of
party loyalty. They also point out that abortion must always
be opposed and never grouped as equivalent to other issues.
The bishops cite Pope John Paul II's explanation,
"ABOVE ALL, THE COMMON OUT CRY, WHICH IS MADE ON
BEHALF OF HUMAN RIGHTS-FOR EXAMPLE,THE RIGHT TO
HEALTH, TO HOME, TO WORK, TO FAMILY, TO CULTURE-
IS FALSE AND ILLUSORY IF THE RIGHT TO LIFE, THE
MOST BASIC AND FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT AND THE CONDI-
TION FOR ALL OTHER PERSONAL RIGHTS, IS NOT DEFEN-
DED WITH MAXIMUM DETERMINATION.
(Christifideles Laici, no. 38)."
October 18,2008
OUR LADY OF OCOTLAN
THE CHURCH
Five popes: Clemente XII (1735), Benedicto XIV(1746),
Pius X (1906), and Pius XII (1941) have been involved in
granting approval of the apparition, giving devotional in-
dulgences, and elevating the Church of Ocotlan to a basilca.
The same miraculous statue of the Blessed Virgin continues to
enrich many souls even to this day. The Holy water from the
shrine still heals the sick and brings the loving interession
just as Our Lady Promised Juan Diego over 450 years ago.
BASILIC OF OUR LADY OF OCOTLAN
Rev. Alejandro Trejo Flores
P.O. Box #202
Phone: 246-462-1073
90000 Tlaxcala, Tlax. Mexico
October 16,2008
OUR LADY OF OCOTLALN
In 1987, Bishop Luis Munive Escobar of
Tlaxcala also gave witness to seeing the
face of the statue slowly turn from aple to a rose
color expression during a celebration held at
the shrine.
Through this miraculous image of Our Lady,
many blessings and graces are continuously
granted to God's people.
October 14,2008
OUR LADY OF OCOTLAN
The spring water that Juan brought
back to the village is still avalable
today. One may bring a bottle and fill
it and drink the water and expect healing.
Upon bringing it home all family and neighbors
may drink of it, and be healed.
Our Mother has always taken care of her
children.
October 10,2008
OUR LADY OF OCOTLAN
(cont......)
An extraordinary phenomenon regarding the
facial expression of the statue of Our Lady
of Ocotlan occurs during certain religious
activities and social events: the counten-
ance of the face changes color from red rose
to pale and back again. Many people through
the centuries have witnessed this miracle,
including fr. Loayzaga.
In addition, Fr. Loayzaga testified that the
statue had been seen sweating and Fr. Escobar
gathered the drops of water on a cloth. Fr.
Loayzaga also claimed that at times the statue
was as heavy as lead, and then at other times
as light as a feather. to be continued.......
October 8, 2008
Our Lady of Ocotlan
contnued........
"Father Bachill Manuel Laoyzaga, a renowned
historian of the Eighteenth Century describes
the appearance of the statue in these words,
spacious forehead,beautiful as a sun-lit
sky, lovely rosy cheeks, carmine lips and
her eyes a bluish green. Her gaze is firmly
set towards Tlaxcala."
October 6,2008
THE MIRACULOUS STATUE OF OUR LADY OF OCOTLAN
(cont........)
The magnificent statue of Our Lady of Ocotlan
is beautifully dressed and about 5 feet tall
(the average height for women of that region).
It is placed high above the altar on a silver
pedestal and enclosed in a glass case. A
silver mantle flows over her left shoulder.
Delicate pleats decorate her magnificent dress
The fine fingers of her hands can be seen
in a prayerfull position, held closely to her
breast. Her head leans slightly forward. Her
lips, straight nose, and beautiful eyes blend
into a simple expression of beauty. She has
a graceful neck and her hair falls gently to
her back. The luminous light in the case appears
as a heavenly aurora around her entire body.
October 4, 2008
THE MIRACULOUS STATUE OF OUR LADY OF OCT0LAN
The magnificent statue of Our Lady of Octolan
is beautifully dressed and about 5feet tall
(the average height for women of that
region).It is placed high above the alta on
a silver pedistal and enclosed in a glass
case. A silver mantle flows over her left
shoulder. Delicate pleats decorate her
magnificent dress. The fine fingers of her
hands can be seen in a prayerful position,
held closely to her breast. Her head leans
slightly forward. Her lips, straight nose,
and beautiful eyes blend into a simple
expression of beauty. She has a graceful neck
and her hair falls gently to her back. The
luminous light in the case appears as a
heavenly aurora around her entire body.
October 2, 2008
continued......
AMONG HER PEOPLE
A popular legend of Ocotlan is that one of
the chapel's sexton became very upset when
the statue of St. Lawrence was replaced by
the statue of Our Lady. At night, he would
remove the statue of Our Lady and return the
statue of St. Lawrence to its original place.
Three times he did this, and after each
exchange, the next morning revealed that the
statue of Our Lady was found to have been
returned to its original place. Legend
claims that the angels replaced the statue
each time.
This legend is said to demonstate how
determined the Mother of God was to have
a home in the midst of the blessed village of
Tlaxcala, from where, she could bring life,
grace, and hope to all who call on her.
September 30, 2008
OUR LADY OF OCOTLAN (continued)
The Franciscans carried the statue of Our Lady
on their shoulders to the nearby chapel of
St. Lawrence, accompanied by the jubilant people.
They placed it in the niche reserved for the
chapel's statue of St. Lawrence.....to be continued.
September 27, 2008
After carefully weighing what Juan told them,
the Franciscans, accompanied by a group of
people from the village, entered the forest
one night and headed towards the fountain of
water. Suddenly, they were blinded by a
great light spewing huge flames of fire into
the sky and onto the trees. Miraculously,
the trees in the forest did not burn. One
tree seemed to stand out from the rest. They
marked that tree and returned to the
monastery because it was late at night.
Early the next morning, the group, armed with
axes, returned to that particular pine tree
to split it open. Inside a cavity in the
tree, they found a wooden statue of the
Blessed Virgin Mary. It was BURNT into the
tree. The group was said to be filled with
enthusiasm, joy, and indescribable
admiration. to be continued...................
September 25, 2008
cont. from 9-22-08
The news of the miraculous healigs travelled
fast throughout the village and coutryside.
People came from all over the area to hear
Juan Diego tell about his encounter with Our
Lady, the Mother of God, and to benefit from
the Miraculous water.
Our Lady had also given Juan a message to bring
to the Franciscan monks at the nearby
monastery where he worked. She told Juan to:
"Tell the monks that in this place, they
shall find an image of me, which not only
will represent my perfection, but also,
through it, I will bring forth my Mercy and
Blessings. I want the image to be placed in
the chapel of Saint Lawrence."
to be continued..........
September 22,2008
OUR LADY OF OCOTLAN
continued from 9/20/08
Juan followed the lady along a path to the
peak of the hill next to a cliff where a
fountain of water was gushing forth. In his
many trips into that forest, Juan had never
before seen this particular fountain of
water.
"My heart always desires to help those who
are suffering," the Lady told Juan, "My heart
can not bear to see so much pain and anguish
among people without healing them. Drink
as much water as you desire. Upon drinking
just one drop, the sick will not only be
cured, but they will receive perfect health!"
Without hesitation Juan immediately emptied
his container and filled it with water from
the fountain and brought it to his village
where he distributed the water among the sick
afflicted by a plague. They immediately got
well as the beautiful lady had promised. Juan
Diego realized that the beautiful lady he met
in the forest was the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Mother of God.
to be continued.........9/24/08
September 20,2008
OUR LADY OF OCOTLAN
The Story Of Our Lady of Ocotlan
THE APPARITION
History relates that a lovely sunset filled
the sky with radiant colors on the evening of
February 27, 1541, when Juan Diego Bernardino
(no relation to Juan Diego of Guadalupe)
climbed the hill of San Lorenze that
overlooks the village of Tlaxcala, Mexico.
As he entered a forest next to a cliff, a
beautiful lady suddenly appeared and greeted
him: "God be with you, my son," she said with
a graceful and joyful smile. "Where are you
going?"
Stunned at the magnificent beauty and
splendor of the lady, Juan quietly replied,
"I am carrying water from the river for the
sick people of my village who are dying with
no hope of a cure.
Pleased at by the compassion and
charity Juan showed toward his people, the
lady said, "Come with me! I will give you a
different water that will cure the sicknesses
of your people. Not only your relatives and
friends will be healed, but all those
who drink it."
to be continued...............
September 17,2008
TRUST
When you see a penny on the street,
or on the floor. Pick it up. What
does it say? In God we trust,direct-
ly above Lincoln's head. This is God's
way of letting you know that He see's
what you are going through. He's remin-
ing you to TRUST IN HIM. He is never
far from you and He is always ready
to let you know how close He is to you.
His love for you is so great so Trust,
Trust,Trust He won't fail you.
September14, 2008
SAINT ALPHONSUS MARY DE LIGUORI
1696 - 1787
Born in Marianella, Italy, from a distinguished
family in 1696, Alphonsus became a lawyer but
soon abandoned his promising career to become a
priest against his father's wishes. He joined a
society of priests that engaged in cateechizing
peasants. This inspired him to found the Congregation
of the Most Holy Redeemer, known also as the Redemp-
torists. By order of the pope, Alphonsus became bishop
of San't Agata de' Goti in 1762. After 13 years, he was
compelled to resign the bishopric due to poor health
and returned to live with the members of his
oun congregation.
Throughout his long life, Saint Alphonsus wrote a
prodigious number of ascetical, theologicl and
historical works until his death in 1787,Pope
Gregory XVI canonized him in 1839 and Blessed
Pius IX declared him a Doctor of the Church in 1871.
September 13th
Forgiveness brings life to the soul and joy in ones heart.
Not forgiving brings bitterness. Bitterness brings resentment.
And Resentment brings death to the soul.
Ahaaaa.....the wise man forgives.
September 11, 2008
cont. from 9-9-08 FRATERNAL CRRECTION ON NATIONAL LEVEL
One candidate for V.P. is a Catholic and PRO-ABORTIONIST.
The majority leader of the Senate - herself a Catholic and PRO-
ABORTIONIST implied that you can be a practicing Catholic and a
Pro- Abortionist. Mrs. Pelosi,stated that the Catholic Church
is UNCERTAIN OF WHEN HUMAN LIFE BEGINS. That Is NOT TRUE,
NOT TRUE....NOT TRUE!!!!! Cardinals and Bishops throughout the
country reacted immediatley with "Fraternal Correction." Mrs.
Pelosi, they said, "MISREPRESENTED THE HISTORY AND NATURE OF
THE AUTHENTIC TEACHING OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON ABORTION. As
a catholic, she was WRONG and needed to be corrected publicly....
The Catechists of the Catholic Church makes this matter very clear:
Since the first century, the Church has affirmed the moral evil
of every procured abortion"(2271"). Formal cooperation in an
abortion constitutes a grave offense. This teaching has not
changed and remains UNCHANGEABLE ("2272").
What about voting for such a candidate??? Catholic or non-
Catholic??? In 1974 the Congregation for Doctrin of Faith was very
explicit: "It must be clearly understood that what ever may be
laid down by civil law in this matter - one can NEVER obey a law
which is itself IMMORAL, which admits in principle the legality
of abortion; nor can one take part in a propaganda campaign in
favor of such a law, or vote for it.
Those who through their political action and or their vote,
intentionally promote or perpetrate the crime of abortion, are
complicit in the SIN of Murder. This is definitly a matter of
conscience for us on Nov 4th.
Voting for the truth on the issue of life is a matter of
"Fraternal Correction" - when the law of our country is de-
cidedly IMMORAL!!!
September 9, 2008
Thus says the Lord,
"You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel;
when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me. If I tell the
wicked,"O wicked one, you shall surely die," and you do not speak out to
dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall DIE for his guilt, but
I will hold you reponsible for his death. But if you warn the wicked,
trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he
shall DIE for his guilt, but you shall save yourself." Ezekiel 33:7-9
This reading raises the delicate issue of Fraternal Correction: Do we have
an obligation to correct a brother, a friend,whose behavior is clearly
immoral?
ie. A person at a party has had too much to drink and insists on driving
home......What to do????
Our first reaction might be to excuse ourselves;
a) I should mind my own business......
b) I might embarass the percon if I say something......
c) Who am I to correct someone; I have my own faults....
The Question is: "Am I my brothers keeper? Jesus says "YES!"
Every Christian has a responsibility to intervene; to right a wrong,
to prevent further damage, to encourage required behavior......
Ezekiel used the image of a "watchman" Picture a "Watchman on a tower of
an Ancient city whose duty is to warn the people that an enemy is approach-
ing....If he should be asleep, and the enemy attacks, he is to blame!
POINT......If unacceptable behaviour occurs right before our very eyes,
we must act...if we do nothing, we are partly responsible.
How must we act?......Not from a position of superiority or self-right-
ousness, but out of respect and love, even if it ricks a friendship,
or being rejected. As in the case of the watchman, life itself might be
at stake.
A slightly different example of Franternal Correction occured nationally
this past week......which we will discuss next.
September 8, 2008
"Love your Neighbor as yourself!"
December 31st GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
PRAYER This is taken from the book FIVE LOVES AND TWO FISH(my favorite)
GOD AND GOD'S WORK
Because of your infinite love, Lord,
you called me to follow you,
to be your child and your disciple.
Then you entrusted me with a unique mission;
to be your apostle and witness.
Even so, experience has taught me
that I continue to confuse two realities;
God and the works of God.
God has given me the reponsibility
to carry out certain works-
some quite sublime,
others more modest,
some noble,
others more ordinary.
And so, with a commitment to pastoral work
in parishes and with young people in schools,
with artists and laborers,
in the world of the press, radio, and television,
I gave my entire energy to everything
and poured out all my ablilities,
I did not spare anything,
not even my life.
But while I was so passionately
immeersed in action,
I met the defeat of ingratitude,
the refusal to collaborate,
the incomprehension of friends,
the last of support from leaders,
illness and infirmity,
insufficient resources.....
And then when I happened to enjoy success,
when I was the object of everyone's approval,
'praise, and affection,
I was suddenly transferred to another position.
So there I was, dazed,
groping about as if in the dark of night.
Why, Lord, are you abandoning me?
I do not want to desert your work,
I want to complete it.
I must finish building the Church....
Why do others attack your work?
Why do they withdraw their support?
Kneeling before your altar
close to the Eucharist
I heard your answer, Lord:
"It is Me you are supposed to be following, not my work!
If I will it, you will finish the work entrusted to you.
It matters little who takes over your work after you;
that is my business.
Your business is to choose Me!"
This New Year let us choose Jesus!! God bless you. The web page has given
me great joy these last years, it was a pleasure to serve you in Christ. RB
IMITATION OF CHRIST--by Thomas A. Kempis
Chapter 7-ON AVOIDING VAIN HOPE AND PRIDE
It does you no harm to consider yourself worse than all men, but it does
you great harm to exalt yourself above even one.
The humble enjoy continual peace, but the hear tof the proud is full of
jealousy and frequent indignation.
December 29th SISTER MARIA FAUSTINA
The most solemn monent of my
life is the moment when I receive
Holy Communion. I long for each
Holy Communion, and for every
Holy Communion I give thanks to
the Most Holy Trinity.
Sister Maria Faustina of the Most Blessed Sacrament is the full name
of Saint Faustina. The Holy Eucharist was the center and key to her
life. Almost every page of her Diary makes a reference to the Eucharist.
Repeatedly, she is awed by the mystery of mercy in the Eucharist;
O What awesom mysteries take
place during Mass! One day we
will know what God is preparing
for us in each Mass, and what sort
of gift He is preparing in it for us.
December 27th THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS
Continued....Jesus also assures us that He will grant our prayers
if we ask in His name.
But we must never forget that God may refuse our request, not because
He does not love us. He may refuse our request either because what we
ask may be harmful to us, or because He has good reason for delaying to
grant our petition, or because He desires that we should ask it more
urgently. We should submissively adore the wisdom of our God if He
alteogether withholds the favor we implore.
December 25th MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS
How great is God's desire for intimacy with man! Jesus came as a Babe,
because no one is ever afraid to come close to a baby. A baby is lov-
able in its vulnerability. A baby reaching out for love with open
arms is irresistible. So gentle and humble, so loving and small and
vulnerable, the Blessed Sacrament is Jesus saying 'Come to Me.....
for I am gentle and humble of Heart. Mt 11:30 Reach out to Him this
day for He came so that He may show you how He loves you.
December 23rd THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS
In His last discourse with His Apostles He said, "I
go to the Father, and whatever you ask in My Name
I will do, so as to glorify the Father in the Son. Any-
thing you ask Me in My Name I will do." (Jn 14:12-13)
Our Lord's words are a consolation and encourage-
ment to persevere in prayer. It is good to know on
His own testimony that our heavenly Father never
grows weary of listening to our petitions. Jesus also
assures us that He will grant our prayers if we ask in
His Name. continued........
December 21st THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS
Faith in Jesus and in the power of His Name is the
greatest spiritual force in the world today. It is
a source of joy and inspiration in our youth; of
strength in our manhood, when only His Holy Name
and His grace can enable us to overcome temptation;
of hope, consolation, and confidence at the hour of
our death, when more than ever before, we realize
that the meaning of Jesus is "Lord, the Savior." We
should bow in reverence to His Name and submission
to His Holy Will. to be continued....
December 19 THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS
The Angel Gabriel said to Mary, "Do not fear, Mary. You have found
favor with God. You shall conceive and bear a Son and give Him the
name Jesus. Great will be His dignity and He will be called Son of
the Most High." Lk 1:30-31
The Angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph and said to him,
"Jodeph, son of David, have no fear about taking Mary as your wife.
It is by the Holy Spirit that she has conceived this Child. She is
to have a Son and You are to name Him Jesus because He will save His
people from their sins. Mt 1:20-21
Jesus taught the disciples to present their petitions to the Eternal
Father in His Name. "I give you My assurance, whatever you ask the
Father, He will give you in My Name. Until now you have not asked for
anything in My Name. Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be
full." Jn 16:23-24. Jesus assured them that by reason of the merits of
His redemption, the power of such prayer would be irresistible.
But the greatness of that power would depend largely on their loyalty
to and love for Him. Since those who love Jesus remain in Him, prayer
offered in His Name is, as it wsre His own.
December 17th THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS
Among the Jews a male child received his name
at the rite of circumcision. On the day that the
Divine Infant was circumcised. He received the
Name of Jesus, which signifies Savior, and which
had given Him by the Angel before He was conceived.
.......to be continued
December 15th OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE
The Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the image
of the Immaculate Conception. As patroness of Pan-
American unity, Our Lady of Guadalupe influences
her children to turn toward one another in common
love for her and her beloved Son. Because of the
close link between the Church in Mexico and the
Church in the United States this feast is also
celebrated in the United States on December 12.
December 13th OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE (CONT.)
In 1709, a rich and beautiful shrine was erected
near Mexico City; in 1904, it was made a basilica and
contains the picture ,of our Lady of Guadalupe.
Pilgrimages have been made to this shrine
almost uninterruptedly since 1531. A new
and much larger basilica was recently completed
Twenty Popes favored the shrine and its tradition.
The apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe is
Mary's only recorded appearance in North America
Pope Pius XII said, "We are certain that so long as
you - Our Lady of Guadalupe - are recognized as
Queen and Mother, America and Mexico are saved."
He proclaimed her the Patroness of the Americas.
The United States was dedicated to the Immaculate
Conception by the Third Plenary Council of Balti-
morein 1846. to be continued......
December 11th OUR LADY OFGUADALUPE (DEC.12(feast day)).
Our Lady would give the bishop a sign. She told
Juan to go up to the rocks and gather roses. He knew
it was neither the time nor the place for roses, but he
obeyed. Gathering the roses into the long cloak worn
by Mexican Indians, he returned to the Blessed
Mother who arranged them. When he arrived at the
bishops's home. Juan unfolded his cloak and the roses
fell out. Startled to see the bishop and his attendants
kneeling before him he looked at the cloak and saw
there the figure of the Virgin Mary, just as he had
described her. The picture was venerated in the bish-
op's chapel and soon after carried in procession to
the first church.
The picture that has aroused all this devotion is a
representation of the Immaculate Conception,with
the sun, moon, and stars, according to the text in the
Book of Revelation. Mary,clothed in a blue robe dot-
ted with stars, stands on the crescent moon. Under-
neath the cresent is a supporting Angel. The rays of
the sun shoot out on all sides from behind the
Blessed Mother. to be continued......
December 9th OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE (DEC. 12)
According to tradition the Blessed Virgin appeared
to a fify-five year -old Aztec Indian Juan
Diego, who was hurrying to Mass in Mexico City, on
Saturday, December 9, 1531. She sent him to Bishop
Zumaraga to ask that a church be built on the spot
where she stood. She was at the same place that eve-
ing and Sunday evening to get the bishop's answer.
After cross-questioning Juan, the bishop ordered
him to ask for a sign from the lady who had said she
was the Mother of God.
Mary spoke to Juan in these words: "Know and
take heed, my dear little son, that I am the holy Mary,
ever Virgin Mother of the true God for Whom we
live, the Creator of all the world, Maker of heaven
and earth. I urgently desire that a church should be
built here, to bear witness to my love, my compas-
sion, my help and protection. For I am a merciful
Mother to you and to all your people who love me
and trust in me and invoke my help." to be continued......
December 7th PRAYER THOUGHTS FROM Julian of Norwich
God wants us to understand prayer.
First, we must know through whom and how our prayer begins:
so He(God) told me: "I am the foudation."
Second, He wishes to teach us how to pray best:
our will should be conformed joyfully to God's will.
Third, he desires us to know the fruit and outcome
of our prayer:
to be united and similar to our Lord in all things.
God intends our prayer and trust to be magnanimous.
If we do not trust as much as we pray we do not honor
God fully,
and we place obstacles in our path.
This happens because we do not realize that
God himself is the ground of our praying.
Our very ability to pray is a gift of his loving grace.
We cannot ask for mercy and grace
unless they have first been extended to us.
Sometimes it seems after praying a long time
we have received no answer.
Do not let this get us down.
God simply wishes we should wait for a
more suitable time,
or more grace, or a better gift.
December 5th JOURNAL - A WAY OF PRAYING
Many people today journal as a way of praying. This way
of prayer goes back to St. Augustine in the West. In his
Confessions he told God his life story. We might also with a
stretch of the imagination see Danite's Divine Comedy as using
writing to foster his own converstion. Throughout the ages
writing to foster his own conversion. Throughourt the ages
people have used the journal to examine their spirtual life.
Today the primary guide to spiritual journaling is the
psychologist Ira Progoff. In his intensive journal program, he
sets up the journal using many different sections such as life
story, the key people in life, the key events, and God.
The heart of the process is the dialogue that can take place
between yourself and people, events almost anything in your
life. For the dialogue the person enters a peaceful and
receptive state and then begins writing something to the
object of the dialogue. Then in silence he or she awaits a
reponse from the other. There is no judging or censoring of
what comes up. With time and proctice this dialoguing can
open a person to his or her own depths as well as the depths
of God.
December 3rd RAMADAN
Our introduction page PRESENCE OF YAHWEH,
recites the Muslims traditional fasting
prayer: Here is their brief history.
Muslims fast during the holy month of
RAMADAN by refraining from food during the
daylight. They eat small meals before sunrise
and after sunset. They refrain from food
during the day.
December 1,2006 BLESSINGS
The spiritual world is a world of blessing. In blessing we call down
God's goodness on people and things. In blessing I wish you well- I
encourage you to flourish.
I cannot be a spiritual person without entering into this world of
blessing. I begin to turn outward to the world and to my neibhbor.
Their well being becomes important to me. I become more a perosn
for others- I grow selfless. And that selflessness is expressed at
least in part in the act of blessing.
"the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face to shine upon
you, and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up His countenance upon
you, and give you peace.
So they shall put my name on the
Israelites, and I will bless them."
High priestly blessing,
Numbers 6:24-27
November 29th Do you want your Faith to increse,
1. Pray more
2. Faith comes by hearing - be with
people of faith and listen.
November 27th FEAST OF THE TRNSFIGURATION
from the book of "Letters To A Brother Priest"
"Peter, James and John witnessed the Trnsfiguration of Christ on
Mount Tabor. The whole world will witness the glorious trnsfiguration
of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. It will have the exact opposite
effect of the bombing of Nagasaki. At the transfiguration of Christ in
the Blessed sacrament, there will be an explosion of divine energy which
will release the power of His love and renew the face of the earth.
Then the world will see Real Power! All will be made well. All will be-
long to His Heart. All will be made one."
November 25th QUOTE OF AUGUSTINE MARIA OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
"I traveled over the whole earth in order to become so happy, but found it
yields no happiness. In nature and in the theater, at splendid banquets
and in the most distinguished company, everywhere have I sought happiness;
where have I not sought it? - yet all in vain. But now I possess it. Yes
I am happy, perfectly happy; and do you wish to know where I find true happ-
iness? At the feet of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament."
November 23rd HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
When you feel stressed and on edge just say quietly,
in your head,the name above all names;
JESUS...JESUS....JESUS....JESUS.....JESUS.
Then the peace that you need comes and you can continue.
Repeat the name JESUS......JESUS......JESUS.........
If once again stress begins to take over, until you are in
the place you want to be.
It works!! R Johnson
November 21st Quotes from Pope Leo XIII
"All life and all good comes to us through Jesus Christ....The
fountain and origin of all this is chiefly the Holy Eucharist; It
even makes us partakers of the Divine nature......The Holy Eucharist
gives growth in virtue; It is the pledge of glory for body and soul...
The Holy Eucharist gives an increase of love - the love of God and the
love of our neighbor......"
November 19th SAINT JOSEPH
from the book Favorite Prayers to St Joseph
There are three reasons why St. Jospeph is a special
patron of the dying; 1. He is the foster father of the Eternal
Judge, who can refuse him no request. 2. He is terrible to
the demons; the Church calls him the TERROR OF DEMONS AND
THE CONQUEROR OF HELL. 3.His own death was most beautiful, for
he died in the arms of Jesus and Mary. This is the principal
reason why he is the patron of a happy death; the death of
no other Saint was so happy, so glorious. St Francis de
Sales was of the opinion that St. Joseph died of the love of
God; St Alphonsus Liguori considered this view most rea-
sonable. Ven. Mary of Agreda says that before his death St.
Joseph experienced a rapture which lasted 24 hours, dur-
ing which he beheld the Divine Essence, the Face of God,
His glory, which Moses had in vain asked to see.(Ex.
33:18,20). Jesus and Mary together closed St. Jeseph's
eyes in death and shed tears at his departure. If Jesus wept
over Lazarus, how must He have wept over St. Joseph!
November 15th and 17th from BREAD OF LIFE
"Our Lord came to the aid of each great tribulation with a special devo-
tion.The present and future tribulations of the Church and of nations are
greater than at any other period, and this persecution is more dangerous
than those of previous times. Hence, the devotion which God sends to
the succor of His Church and of the nations at the present time is the
devotion to the Most Holy Eucharist. It is the highest of all devotions."
Pope Leo XIII
November 13th from BREAD OF LIFE
One day, while meditating on the Passion, Matthew Carreri asked
our Lord to partake of His sufferings. He received the stigmata, in
the form of an arrow that pierced his heart. For the remainder of his
life, he suffered great pain form this wound.
Matthew died, in 1470, in a house composed entirely of religious
he had rescued from a life of laxity. His cult was confirmed twelve
years after his death, testifying to the great reputation for sanctity
he enjoyed among the people of northern Italy.
November 11th THE ESSENTIAL CATHOLIC HANDBOOK OF THE SACRAMENTS
By our Baptism, we partake in the baptism of Christ. He himself
baptizes, us, through the Spirit, calling us into the covenant sealed
with His blood. Christ meets the baptized, wanting to abide with us,
and to transform us into mirror images of His own solidarity and all-
embracing love. When we have learned to make our decisions and
to orient our lives around prayer -"What can I give to the Lord for
what He has given me?"- the happy awareness that Christ is with us
in our daily lives becomes more and more intense.
But it not just at the moment of the reception of the sacrament
that we meet Christ. He comes into our life to be with us and in us;
and to awaken our consciousness to the wonder of His abiding Pres-
ence and to gratitude for it.
November 9th IS GOD CLOSE ???
by Gerard Manley Hopkins
What happens when you are deeply wounded?
What happens with the anger at life's injustices?
Is it not ftting to bring these emotions before God?
OTHERWISE WE KEEP GOD AT A DISTANCE.
November 7th EXHORTATION
St. Alphnsus wrote a treatise on prayer containing this forcible
admoniton which is well suited for the conclusion of our little work.
"Among all the spiritual works I have published, the treatise on prayer
is certainly the most beneficial for the faithful, because PRAYER IS
AN INDISPENSABLE AND CERTAIN MEANS TO OBTAIN ENTERNAL HAPPINESS AND ALL
NECESSARY GRACES. I wish it were possible for me to have as many copies of
it printed as there are Christians on earth, in order that I could give
one to each, and all without exception might realize how important it is
to pray in order to be saved."
November 5th THE DIVINE MERCY MESSAGE AND DEVOTION(continued)
The Divine Mercy Message is one we can call to mind simply by
remembering the ABC:
A. Ask for His Mercy, God wants us to
approach Him in prayer constantly,
repenting of our sins and asking Him
to pour His mercy out upon us and
upon the whole world.
B. Be merciful, God wants us to
receive His mercy and let it flow
through us to others. He wants us
to extend love and forgiveness to
others just as He does to us.
C. Completely trust in Jesus. God
wants us to know that the graces of
His mercy are dependent upon our
trust. The more we trust in Jesus,
the more we will receive.
November 3rd THE DIVINE MERCY MESSAGE AND DEVOTION
The message of the Divine Mercy is simple. It is that God LOVES us-
all of us. And, he wants us to recognize that His mercy is greater
than our sins, so that we will call upon Him with Trust, receive HIS
mercy, and let it flow through us to others. Thus, all will come
to share HIS joy.
November 1st THE ESSENCE OF THE DIVINE MERCY DEVOTION(continued)
MERCY expresses the disposition we should have towards every human being.
Jesus tole Sister Faustina, I demand..deeds of mercy, which are to arise
out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and
everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve-
yourself from it. I am giving you three ways or exercising mercy toward
your neighbor; the first - by deed, the second - by word, the third by
prayer. In these three degrees is conained the fullness of mercy and it
is an unquestionnable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies
and pays reverence to My Mercy.
This Attitude of an active love of neighbor is also a condition for
obtaining graces. Jesus recalled the Gospel maxim when He said, If
a soul does not exercise mercy somehow or other, it will not obtain
My mercy on the day of judgement. Oh,if only souls knew how to gather
external treasure for themselves, they would not be judged, for they
would forestall My judgement with their mercy. The Lord desires that
those who worship Him perform at least one act of mercy every day. My
daughter, Jesus told Sister Faustina, know that My Heart is mercy
itself. From this sea of mercy, graces flow out upon the whole world....
I desire that your heart be an abiding place of My mercy. I desire that
this mercy flow out upon the whole world through your heart. Let no one
who approaches you go away without that trust in My Mercy which I so
ardently desire for souls.
October 30th The ESSENCE OF TRUST IN THE DIVINE MERCY DEVOTION
TRUST expresses the disposition we should have toward God. It includes not
only the virture of hope, but also a lively faith, humility, perseverance
and remorse for sins committed. it is simply the attitude of a child
who trusts boundlessly in the merciful love and omnipotence of the Heavenly
Father in every situation.
Trust is so essential to the Divine Mercy devotion that without it the
devotion cannot exist; this is because our worship of the Divine Mercy
is first and foremost an expression of trust. An attitude of trust alone
(even without the practice of other forms of the devotion) already assures
the trusting soul of grace that will receive God's mercy.
I desire, Jesus promised, to grant unimaginable graces to those souls who
trust in My mercy. Let them approach this sea of mercy with great trust.
Sinners will attain justification, and the just will be confirmed in good.
Whoever places his trust in My mercy will be filled with My divine peace
at the hour of death.
Trust is not only the essence or soul of this devotion but also the
condition for obtaining graces.
The graces of mercy, Jesus told Sister Fauatina, are drawn by means of
one vessel only and tha is TRUST. The more a soul trusts, the more it
will receive. Souls that trust boundleyssly are a great comfort to Me,
because I pour all the treasures of My graces into them. I rejoice
that they ask for much, because it is My desire to give much, very much.
The soul which will trust in My mercy is most fortunate, because I
Myself take cae of it. No soul that has called upon My Mercy has
been disappointed or brought to shame. I delight particularly in a
soul which has placed its trust in My goodness. (continued)
October 28th ACT OF LOVE
Sister Wendy Beckett
This is the very essence of prayer:
It is not we who address God, But God who
addresses us.
Prayer exposes to God what we are, all
our...pains, our weakness,
God always sees our heart, seeing there what
we have not yet seen ourselves:
God alone truly knows us, and whatever our
self-love, God's love is greater.
Nothing can put God off, no sin, no malice.
God loves us with total affection.
But in prayer we surrender to this love.
We actively open ourselves and allow him,
desire him, to flood us with his presence.
October 24th and 26th From the BREAD OF LIFE
The Saints spent their lives in constant adoration; befoe Mass
they prepared to receive Jesus with all of their hears by uniting
themselves to Him each moment, in the midst of their daily work.
After Mass they adored Him each moment, even when their duties
called them away from His Person, and they continued to offer each
moment in praise and thanksgiving to Jesus-Host.
"It was because our Lady wanted to help us in the great task of working
out our salvation that she ordered St. Dominic to teach the faithful to
meditate upon the sacred mysteries of the life of Jesus Christ. She did
this, not only that they might adore and glorify him, but chiefly that
they might pattern their lives and action on his virtues"(Secret of the
Rosary, deMontfort,66)
The Rosary is the powerful weapon Our Lady has given us to help us grow
in love with her Son, that we may serve Him with all of our hearts. The
Rosary is the Bond of love, that ties us to Him Who is love.
October 22 A SECRET OF SANCTITY
by Cardinal Mercier
I am going to reveal to you a secret of sanctity and happiness. If
every day during five minutes, you will keep your imagination quiet,
shut your eyes to all the things of sense, and close your ears to all
the sounds of earth, so as to be able to withdraw into the sanctuary
of your baptized soul, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, speaking
there to that Hoy spirit saying:
O HOLY SPIRIT, SOUL OF MY SOUL, I
ADORE YOU. ENLIGHTEN, GUIDE, STRENGTHEN,
AND CONSOLE ME. TELL ME WHAT I OUGHT TO
DO AND COMMAND ME TO DO IT. I PROMISE
TO BE SUBMISSIVE IN EVERYTHING THAT YOU
PERMIT TO HAPPEN TO ME, ONLY SHOW ME
WHAT IS YOUR WILL.
If you do this, your life will pass happily and serenely. Consolation
will abound even in the midst of trobles. Grace will be given in pro-
portion to the trial as well as strength to bear it, bringing you to
the gates of Paradise full of merit.
This submission to the Holy Spirit is the Secret of Sanctity.
October 20th Catherine Doherty, foundress of Madonna House, wrote
these awesome words about the Holy Rosary in her book
"Bogoroditza"
The rosary; a prayer of babies, youths, men,women-so simple that the
illierate can pray it, so profound that geniuses have not begun to
probe its depths.
The rosary; a simple vocal prayer that can lead us into the realms of
the highest mental and contemplative prayer.
The rosary; is an answer to all our fears, our unrest, our dangers.
It leads us back from the desert of darkness where we now dwell,
where, forever and ever the prince of darkness tempts us to fall
down and adore him. Yes, it is the answer Our Lady in her many
apparitions has said so.
Why, then, are we not listening? Why do so many Catholics leave the
rosary unsaid? Why aren't our days filled with endless rosaries,
forming a chain to hold the hearts of men anchored to the heart of
God, through Mary his mother? It is time to begin praying the rosary
daily.
We must understand that, if we don't, our world will perish-and we with
it. Those left will dwell in the catacombs, perhaps with only the
rosary of God-their ten fingers-weeping because they know why they
are underground.
Oh, let us pray the rosary, so that the children of light may
continue to dwell in the light of God's sun, so that the world may
be restored to Christ, the Son of God.
October 18th What do you find out when you take time to be with Jesus?
JESUS LOVES ME.
JESUS LOVES ME.
JESUS LOVES ME.
October 16th FASTING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT (CONTINUED)
We do not fast to impress other people. Fasting should not be a cause
for sadness; it should be an occasion for joy. Authentic fasting opens ourselves to receive God's graciousness. The Father bestows his
gifts on those who fast with pure hearts out of sheer love, not because
they are "earning" anything by their own efforts.
The only other time Jesus mentions fasting is in connection with the
healing of a possessed boy. When his disciples asked him why he was
able to cast the demon out of the boy but they could not, he replied,
"This kind can only come out through prayer and fasting."Mk9:29.
Prayer and fasting are linked once again because they are similar ways
to approach God.
October 14th FASTING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
The life and ministry of Jesus provide insight into the meaning of
authentic fasting. Early in his public ministry, Jesus, we are told
was led by the Spirit into the desert (Matt.4:1) and there fasted for
forty days. The source of Jesus desire to fast and the guarantee that
it is not simply a physical exercise or just another personal accomplish-
ment was the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
When tempted by the devil to give up his fasting and have his fill, Jesus
rebukes him, saying:
"One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes forth from
the mouth of God." Matt. 4:4
Fasting helps us become aware of Gods presence in the world around us,
but since Jesus' disciples were already in his presence, they did not
need to fast in the way we do.
Only once did Jesus instruct his disciples specifically on fasting. Dur-
ing the Sermon on the Mount in Mattew's Gospel, Jesus speaks of fasting
in the same context as almsgiving and prayer.
"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their
appearance,so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen. I say
to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your
head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except
to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will
repay you. "Matt 6:16-18" to be continued.........
October 12th RESPECT LIFE
Jesus came to bring life - and to help us live life to the fullest.
The Catholic Church has constantly reaffirmed that all life is a
wonderful, and precious gift from God. The Respect life Program of
the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is one way the Church
keeps before our eyes the importance of respecting the sacredness of
all life. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, throught
its pro-life activities helps all people fulfill their responsibilities
to respect the sacredness of human life at every stage of its existence.
Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, Archbishop of Chicago, reminded Catholics
in 1983 that respect for life means respect for all life. He used the image
of a "seamless garment" to teach vividly that every single human fife is
important and that our work on behalf of the unborn, disabled, elderly,
and dying cannot be separated one from the other.
October 10th "I Myself am the living bread come down from heaven"(Jn.6:51).
"Behold I am with you always until the end of the world"
Jesus gave His teachings on the Bread of Life- the Eucharist
-in John 6:25-64. After His teaching, many of His disciples
remarked, "How can anyone take it seriously?" Jesus did
not back down and say "Oh, I meant that this is all symbolic."
Some walked away and left Him, and He let them go. He
said to His twelve friends, "Do you want to leave me too?"
(Jn. 6:66-67). Later, Jesus said, "Blessed are those who
have not seen and yet believe"(Jn 20:29). "What is need-
ed is trust"(Mk.4:36)
October 8th TEACHING BY JONATHAN BOOTH, 17 YEARS OLD
Pray To God, asking in faith and you will get it.
Praying every day keeps the pain away.
October 6th FASTING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
The Old Testament makes clear that genuine fasting involves turning toward
God and away from evil. To save the city of Nineveh, the king proclaims a
fast, calling on the people to abandon wrongdoing and violence (Jonah 3:7-9).
Indeed, fasting which involves no such conversion of heart is useless.
Isaiah 58:3,4,6,7 suggests that fasting in the wrong spirit is worthless.
Merely external worship does not suffice; it must be joined to internal
sincserity, accompainied by a total conversion of the heart. Otherwise
it's a diet day.
October 4th FASTING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
Although fasting was an infrequently prescribed activity for the
Hebrew people,it was often employed as a sign of their repentance.
The Torah requires fasting for only one day - Yom Kippur, the Day
of Atonement- for twenty four hours. Later Jewish tradition added from
the fast days to commemorate the events leading to the destruction
of Jerusalem.
Samuel and the Israelites fasted as they put away their false gods
of Baal and Ashtaroth and returned to Yahweh. Fasting is a part of
the Isrelite army's preparation for battle. Daniel fasts as he prays
for God to grant him the ability to understand the Scriptures. In
allof thesecases, fasting is employed as part of the process of hum-
bling oneself before God, often with the entire community.
October 2nd ST CLARE OF ASSISI, VIRGIN
"When the army of Frederick II was devastating the valley of
Spoleto some of the soldiers placed a ladder against the convent
wall. St. Clare caused herself to be carried to a window,and hold-
ing the monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament in sight of the
enemies, she prostrated herself before the Eucharistic God. Her
prayer was heard, and the enemies, struck with a sudden panic,
fled in terror." Hoever
September 29th
In case you have never heard of the Venerable Charles de Foucauld,
he was the desert hermit who died in 1916, who was the inspiration
for the community known as the Little Brothers of Jesus.
A favorite quote
"O God tell me about hope! How can hopeful thoughts originate in this
poor world? Are they not bound to come from heaven? Everything we see,
all we experience, all we are, proves our nothingness to us. How can
we realize we were created to be Jesus' brothers and sisters and co-hairs,
and your children, unless you tell us so? Mother of beautiful love and
sacred hope, pray to you son Jesus for me and inspire in me the thoughts
I should have.
"The hope of being one day in heaven, at your feet my Lord, in the company
of the Holy virgin and the saints, gazing on you, loving you, possessing
you for all eternity....what vision of true peace...It is a hope far ab-
ove our dreams, and raises us far above our normal selves.....O God how
good you are!"
September 27th "Adult Life is not driven by instincts but guided by
the will. Mental health is possible through will
training." Dr. Abraham Low
September 25th "Do you want to know one of the best ways to win
people over, and lead them to God?
It consists in giving them joy, and making them
happy." St Francis of Assisi
September 21st to 23rd EROS AND AGAPE (CONTINUED)
Did Christianity really destroy eroa? Let us take a look at the Pre-
Christian world. the Greeks-not unlike other cultures-considered eros
principally as a kind of intoxication, the overpowering of reason
by a "divine madness" which tears man away from his finite exis-
tance and enables him, in the very process of being overwhelmed by
divine power, to experience supreme happiness. All other powers in
heaven and on earth thus appear secondary; "Omnia vincit amor," says
Virgil in the Bucolics-love conquers all - and he adds;"et nos cedamus
smori"-let us ,too, yield to love. In religions, this attitude found
expression in fertility cults, part of which was the "Sacred"
prositution which flourished in many temples. Eros was thus celebrated
as divine power, as fellowship with the Divine.
September 17th -19th THE UNITY OF LOVE IN CREATION (CONT.)
EROS AND AGAPE - difference and unity
That love between man and woman which is neither planned nor willed,
but somehow imposes itself upon human beings, was called eros by
the ancient Greeks. Let us note straightaway that the Greek Old
Testament uses the word eors only twice, while the New Testament
does not use it at all; of the three Greek words for love-eros,philia
(the love of friendship), and agape-New testament writers prefer the
last, which occurs rather infrequently in Greek usage. As for the term
Philia, the love of friendship, it is used with added depth of meaning
in Saint John's Gospel in order to express the relationship between
Jesus and His disciples. The tendency to avoid the word eros, together
with the new vision of love exprssed through the word agape, clearly
point to something new and distinct about the Christian understanding
of love. In the critique of Christianity which began with the Enlighten-
ment and grew progressively more radical, this new element was seen as
something thoroughly negative. According to Friedrich Nietzsche,
Christianity has poisoned eros, which for its part, while not completely
succumbing, gradually degeneerated into vice. Here the German Philos-
pher was expressing a widley-held perception; doesn't the Church, with all her commandments and prohibitions turn to bitterness the most precious thing
in life? Doesn't she blow the whistle just when the joy that is the
Chreator's gift offers us a happiness that is itself a certain fortaste
of the Divine? to be continued
September 13th - 15TH THE UNITY OF LOVE IN CREATION (CONT.)
Let us first of all bring to mind the vast semantic range of the word "love";
we speak of love of country, love of one's profession,love between friends, love of work,love between parents and children, love between family members. love of God. Amid this multifplicity of meanings, however, one in particular stands out; love between man and woman,where body and soul are inseparable joined and human beings glimpse an apparently irresistible promise of
happiness. This would seem to be the very epitome of love; all other kinds of love immediately seem to fade in comparison. So we need to ask; are all these forms of love basically one, so that love, in its many and varied manifestations, is ultimately a single reality, or are we merely using
the same word to designate totally different realities?
September 11th The Unity of Love in Creation and in Salvation
History by Pope Benedict XVI
God's love for us is fundamental for our lives, and it raises important
questions about who God is and who we are. In considering this, we immed-
iately find ourselves hampered by a problem of langauage. Today the term
love has become one of the most frequently used and misused of all words,
a word to which we attach quite different meanings. Even though this En-
cyclical will deal primarily with the understanding and practice of love
in sacred Scripture and in the Church's Tradition, we cannot simply prescind from the meaning of the word in the different cultures and in present
day usage. to be continued.....
September 7th and 9th HOLINESS
Holiness is not something that comes from doing good.
We do good because we are holy.
Holiness is not something we acquire by avoiding evil.
We avoid evil because we are holy.
Holiness is not the result of kindness.
We are kind because we are holy.
Holiness is not something that blossoms when we are courageous.
We are courageous because we are holy.
Holiness is not the result of character building.
We build character because we are holy.
Holiness is not a gift we obtain after a livetime of service.
We give a lifetime of service because we are holy.
Our holiness is God living in us, Emmanuel,
and while it is true that holiness carries with it,
both the cross and the Resurrection,
it is more a gift than a reward.
September 5th THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL
GRACES GIVEN TO THOSE WHO ASK FOR THEM
Our Lady said to St. Catherine, "Come to the foot of the altar....
There graces will be shed upon all, great and little, who ask for
them. Graces will be especially shed upon those who ask for them."
Some of the graces that St Catherine suggested that people should ask
of God included: The Grace of a cheerful disposition, the grace to
recognize and accept the trials of everyday life as blessings from
God; to be contented with one's state in life; to understand and
appreciate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and especially the grace to
love God as much as Our Lady wants me to.
September 3rd THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL (continued)
Within two years, having been given the approval of the Archbishop
of Paris, the first medals were made and distributed in France.
Immediately blessings began to shower down on thoes who wore it and
it quickly becaame known as the "Miraculous Medal". In just a few
years, millions were being distributed. No sacramental of the Church
had made such an impact on the Church since the Rosary had routed Al-
bigensians and the Turks. It works miracles, literally, and seems to
specialize in the impossible, the conversion of the hardened sinner, the
care of the hopelessly ill. With the excption of the Holy Cross, no other
Christian symbol was ever so widely multiplied, or was ever the instrument
of so many marvelous results. to be continued........
September 1st THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL (continued)
The front of the Medal represents Mary Most Holy standing on the
Earth. Her foot crushing the head of the serpent, and Her hands
outstretched in a gesture of motherly compassion to all who ask
Her assistaance. The prayer reflects Her title as the Immaculate
Conception defined infallibly twenty-four years later on Dec. 8,
1854, by Venerable Pope Pius IX in his encyclical Ineffabilis Deus.
The rays of light from Her hands symbolize the graces She is eager
to bestow on those who wear Her Medal and pray to Her.to be continued.
August 30th TURNING PEOPLE TO GOD
"Do you want to know one of the best ways to win
people over,and lead them to God?
It Consists in giving them joy, and making them happy."
St. Francis of Assisi
August 28th THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL
In 1830 Our Lady appeared three times at the motherhouse of the
Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul on the rue de Bac in Paris.
She manifested Herself to the humble postulant Sister(now Saint)
Catherine Laboure'. Here is how the Saint described the encounter
when the Medal of the Immaculate Conception was revealed:
"Her feet rested on a white globe...I saw three rings on each of Her
fingers, graduated in size, the largest one near the base of the finger
one of medium size in the middle, the smallest one at the tip, set with
gems of proportionate size, some larger and others smaller....The
larger gems emitted greated rays and the smaller gems smaller rays that
streamed upon the white glove at Her feet. I could not express...what
I saw the beauty and the brilliance of the dazzling rays...An oval frame
formed round the Blessed Virgin. Within it was writen in letter of gold;
"O Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to Thee"..
.At this instant the tableau seemed to turn and I beheld the reverse of the
Medal; a large M surmounted by a bar and a Cross; beneath the M were the
Hearts of Jesus and Mary, the one crowned with thorns, the other pierced
by a sword. Twelve stars encircled the whole. Then a voice said to me;
"have a medal struck after this model. All those who wear it will receive
great graces; they should wear it around the neck. Graces will abound for
thoes who wear it with confidence." to be continued.........
August 26th ST.ROSE OF LIMA
from the book Adoration for Children
by Linda Bracy
One day a band of pirates went to attack the village of St Rose of Lima
in Peru, South America. They were going to destroy the Church where Jesus
was present in the Holy Eucharist. St. Rose loved her friend Jesus in the
Sacred Host and did not want these mean men to hurt Him. Often she visited
Jesus, in the church, and talked to Him. Little Rose ran to the Church and
stood before the tabernacle.....She would not let the pirates get to
Jesus, she was ready to die before letting them hurt Him! When the village
people saw how brave she was they stood with her and prevented the pirates
from attacking Jesus! In addition to this act ofheroic bravery,she started
Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration at the Churches throughtout her village.
August 24th Thomas a' Kempis -THE IMITATION OF CHRIST
The Imitation of Christ has appealed equally to Catholics and Protestants.
Its devoted readers have included "Thomas More, Ignatius Loyola, John
Wesley, and George Herbert." The popularity of the work owes much to the
simple, lapidary directness of its style; "I would far rather feel con-
trition than be able to define it." But ultimately its power rests in its
classic definiton of the spiritual life as an effort to conform to Christ.
For this effort we should never deceive ourselves into believing that read-
ing books about spirituality is an adequate substitute. As Thomas notes:
"At the Day of Judgment we shall not be asked what we have read, but
what we have done."
August 21st THOMAS a' KEMPIS (continued)
Modern readers may recoil from Thomas's apparent contempt for the
world. With harsh language he exhorts his readers to kill their natural
desires and to withdraw their love from visible things. But it is not the
world of God's creation that he so vehemently condemns. What he rejects
is a set of values that renders the world opaque. When we become detached
from things as ends in themselves they become transparent; we see them
and love them in reference to their Creator, the source of all that is
good and beautiful. When we look with the eyes of faith, we see God all
around us. Otherwise, we see nothing but ourselves.
August 19th THOMAS a' KEMPIS (continued)
Thomas is particularly scathing with regard to those who seek to sub-
stitute knowledge or learning for true devotion: "A humble countryman
who serves God is more pleasing to Him than a conceited intellectual
who knows the course of the stars but neglects his own soul." Holiness
is more important than learning:"A humble knowledge of oneself is a surer
road to God than a deep searching of the sciences."
August 17th THOMAS a' KEMPIS (continued)
For Thomas the imitation of Christ does not mean emulating his external
deeds but adopting the inner pattern of his piety; humility detachment
from the world, prayer, and obedience to the will of God. Though it is
an exacting manual of spiritual perfection, The Imitation suggests that
the path to perfection is available to everyone, requiring no particular
setting, occupation, or station in life. Indeed, throughout,Thomas
emphasizes that the spiritual life is concerned not with one's outward
activities but with the spirit that underlies them. The world sees
and judges according to appearances; God sees what is in the heart. Thus,
"God regards the greatness of the love that prompts a man, rather than
the greatness of his achievement."
August 15th THOMAS a' Kempis
Spiritual Master (1380 - 1471)
"If you seek Jesus in all things you will surely find Jesus. And
if you seek yourself you will surely find yourself, but only to your
ruin."
Thomas a' Kempis was born in 1380 in the town of Kempen, near Dusseldorf.
His early spiritual formation came in the Brethren of the Commom Life.
with whom he and his brother John lived for a number of years. This
society, formed in 1376 by "Geert Groote, sought to gather lay people
and clergy in a religious brotherhood committed to living in the
spirit of the gospel. The Brethren were bound by no permanent vows,
but they lived under a common rule, shared all things in common, and
spported themselves by simple labor.
In 1399 Thomas entered an Augustinian monastery in Zwolle, where he was
professed a monk in 1406 and was ordained a priest in 1413. His life
as a monk was unremarkable. He occupied a numbeer of offices in the
monastery, copied manuscripts, and wrote various spiritual treatises.
He died on May 1, 1471, at the age of ninety-two. Thomas was by all
accounts a holy monk. But he is less remembered for his biography than
for his book The Imitation of Christ, probably the most influential
handbook of spiritual devotion ever written. Although addressed chiefly
to his brother monks, it essentially epitomized the spirtuality of Groote
and his brethren, showing how a life of religious devotion could be
lived in the world and not just in a monastery or convent.
August 13th A Moody Christian
How do I get out of feeling moody, sad, sorry for myself?
Start by Praising and Thanking God just as you are, continue
doing this even when you feel silly. Then read the palms or
proverbs. Then,Thank God for what you can do.Example' Thank you Lord,
I can walk, Thank you Lord, for I can sing, Thank you Lord, for
I can turn a door knob, etc, After all is said, prayed and
done......you will feel better.
August 11th LOSING THINGS
If you're like me, keeping track of gloves, glasses, wallets became a
major event. Finally, after losing one glove again, I decided to take
matters into my own hands.
After buying my new leather gloves, I went before God. I beseeched Him
to be in charge of my favorite lipstick, my new leather gloves, and
my wallet. My lipstick I found each day and used it until it was gone,
my leather gloves I had for ten years and finally bought a new pair and
once again put God in charge(I still have them), and my wallet.
I have to this day, and know exactly where it is.
God will guard and protect all that you give HIm. Thank you Lord for
caring for the things that are important to me.
August 9th MOTHER TO ALL PEOPLE
Standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's
sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw
his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he
said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son." Then he said to the
disciple, "Here is your mother." And from that hour the disciple
took her into her into his own home. John 19:25-27
By entrusting his mother to another's care, Jesus, the Church believes,
was making a statement about the univerality of Mary's motherhood.
Mary had fullilled her role as his human mother, and from this point
on she was to mother all humankind.
Mary accepted this role at the Annunciation, for her obedience to God
brought new life and joy to a world dying because of Eve's disobedience.
By supplanting the actions of the first Eve, Mary becoame the New Eve,
the New mother of all people.
August 7th MOTHER OF SORROWS
Sorrow was an integral part of Mary's being. Indeed her very name de-
rives from the Hebrew Marah, "bitterness" or "bitter sea," from the book
of Exodus (15:23). The word also appears in the Book of Ruth,when Naomi
whose mane means "pleasant," calls herself Mara(1:20) after her husband
and sons have died. Notably, Naomi was an ancestor of Mary's husband
Joseph. Given the heritage of her name - exuberance turning to grief -
it is no surprise that Mary's son was the Man of Sorrows(Isaiah 53:3)
and thus she the Mother of Sorrows.
Simeon's prophecy was the first of Mary's sorrows, and it predicted the
other traditional six - the family's escape to Egypt, the parents' loss
of the boy Jesus on their way home from the Temple, Mary's encounter
with her son on his way to Calvary, Jesus' crucifixion, her lowering
of the body from the cross, and the body's entombment. The Incarnation
gave Mary an understanding of her son's destiny that filled her with
sorrow and anointed her entire life with suffering. Time would only
intensify her grief as the moment of her son's death approached.
August 5th MARY'S SPIRITUALITY (cintinued)
Mary delivered this Joy into the world, sharing him with the sheperds
and wise men, presenting him at the Temple, raising him to be a child
of God, and encouraging his active ministry, including its ultimate
goal. Because of this selflessness, Christians have for two millennia
praised Mary as our Blessed Mother, a glorious yet human appellation.
And her example continues to challenge us to trust the Spirit to em-
brace our blessings, and to rejoice in the beauty of the persons God
created us to be.
Mary's beauty 1s her wholehearted gift of herself to GOD. She calls us
to her son so that we can share that same beauty, ourselves, by surrender-
ing to God.
August 3rd MARY'S SPIRITUALITY (continued)
Only after Mary's cousin Elizabeth had reaffirmed the angel's benediction
was Mary herself able to accept God's blessings and to prophesy, "From
this day forward all generations will call me blessed. For you , the
Almighty, have done great things for me"(Luke 1:48-49). The greatest
of these blessings was Mary's motherhood, marvelously conceived of the
Holy Spirit, Preserved on the way to Bethlehem, recognized at the tem-
ple, protected in Egypt, obeyed at Cana, and honored by her crucified son.
The blessedness of Mary's motherhood required not only submission
to God but also joyful proclamation of God's blessings, for obedience
withourt joy is mere drudgery. This joy is fundamental to the redemp-
tion story. Gabriel exhorted Mary to jefoice, and the heavenly hosts
annonced Jesus' birth to the shepherds as news of great joy. At the
temple, anna and Simeron joyoursly greeted the baby Jesus. As a grown
man and rabbi, Jesus offered the joys of health, faith, unconditional
love, and the promise of eternal life to all he encountered. Indeed,
Christians believe, he was and is the source of true joy.
August 1st MARY'S SPIRITUALITY
(The angel Gabriel)came to Mary and said,"Greetings, favored one! The
Lord is with you." But she was much perflexed by his words and ponder-
ed what sort of greting this might be. The Angel said to her."Do not
be afraid,Mary; for you have found favor with God. And now, you will
conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He
will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High..."Mary
said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The
angel said to her, " The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power
of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born
will be holy; he will be called Son of God....For nothing will be im-
possible with God." Then Mary said,"Here am I, the servant of the Lord,
let it be with me according to your word." Luke 1:28-38
God blessed Mary above all people, preparing her for this very
moment. Yet despite Gabriel's reassurances, she was terrified. No
one would believe this story! Was stoning to be her prize for devoted
service to God?
Somehow, Mary found within her young soul the fortitude to submit
to God's will. And her obedience was certainly blessed, as the angel
foretold, for without her assent God's designs for human redeption
would have been dislocated. To be continued..........
July 30th MARY, MOTHER OF JESUS
Mary - probably Miryam in Hebrew- was likely named after Moses'
sister, Miriam, an important Jewish prophet whose name can de-
note "Princess." The gospel writers emphasized the historical
relationship between these women. While Miriam left Egypt to
search, with Moses the Deliverer, for the Promised Land, Mary
left Egypt to return, with Jesus the Messiah, the New Moses, to
the Promised Land. Both women suffered because of their gifts
of prophecy; Miriam's vocal rebellion brought chastisement from
God, and Mary's obedient silence failed to prevent her extreme
grief.
According to the Gospel of John, just before dying, Jesus entrust-
ed his mother to the beloved disciple. One tradition claims that
Mary moved with the apostle John to Ephesus, on the western coast
of present-day Turkey. The existene of the Ephesian Church of the
Virgin, the first basilica dedicated to Mary, may indicaate that
she once resided there, as the early Church consecrated places of
worship only to persons who had lived or died locally. This tradi-
tion was so strong that a council was held at Ephesus in 431 to
proclaim her THEOTOKOS, or MOTHER of GOD.
The Church believes that having completed the course of her life,
Mary was assumed body and soul into heaven. No tomb marks her final
resting place, and this is fitting, for Mary, the Mother of Jesus,
belongs to no particular place or time but to all the people of God.
July 28th The Miraculous Medal
"All who wear this medal will receive great favors....
The favors will abound if it is worn with devotion."
Words of Our Lady to St. Catherine Laboure'
delivered on the 27th of November, 1830.
July 26th TEMPTATIONS OF A TEENAGER by Loren Burke
1. When all around you are using drugs and alcohol use the name of JESUS,
and know He is with you to help you. Keep moving from the people in front
of you so they can't taunt you into using.
2. Try not to put yourself into a situation that could be dangerous.
3.Pray daily and ask God to protect you.
4.Put on the armor of Christ, Helmet of salvation, the breast plate of right-,
ousness,the belt of truth, shoes to spred the good news of Christ, a shield to
ward off the enemy, and the sword of the spirit.
July 24th Spiritual Biography of The Blessed Mother
Little is known for certain of the life of
Mary, The Mother of Jesus. According to
the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, she
was the betrothed to Joseph of Bethlehem.
The Gospel of Mark mentions her by
name just once, and most translation of
the Gospel of John describe her only as the
mother of Jesus. She appears once in the
Acts of the Apostle. Symbolism and
myth overlie many of these references,
including the extracanonical stories,
which add that her parents were Anne and
Joachim of Nazareth.
Yet from these scant mentions has
developed a vast Mariology. Tradition
and dogma now proclaim her the Ever-
Virgin and the Immaculaate Conception.
The Church appeals to her as Advocate
and Mediatrix and entreats her aid as
Comforter of the Afflicted and Help of
Christians. We call her our Mother of
Good Counsel, of Grace, of Perpetual
Help, of Mercy. She is the New Eve, the
Ark of the New Covenant, The Morning
Star, the Mystical Rose, the Seat of Wis-
dom. By These and thousands of other
names is she known throughout the world.
To be coninued................
July 22nd O my Jesus, You have said; "Truly I say to you, if
you ask anthing of the Father in My Name, He will
give it to you." John 14; 12
God wants to please us for His love for us is infinate. When we come to Him
with expectant Faith He Will Answer us. Every prayer we utter He answers.
Our problem is, offten times, we want it instantly and when we don't see the
results immediately we become discouraged, angry, and feel God does'nt hear
us. Stay patient HE does hear us and HE will answer.
July 20th THE DANGER OF RICHES
"Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, How hard it is for
those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! The disciples
were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, "My children", he
said to them, "how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is
easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for
someone rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were more astonished
than ever, saying to one another, "In that case who can be saved?"
Jesus gazed at them and said, "By human resources it is impossisble,
but not for God; Because for God everything is possible."
Detachment from riches is what is desired. I know a lady who gave away
all her waterford crystal. God gave it back to her three fold. She
had double portion because of her desire to love God first and get rid
of anything that might distract her from putting God First. Look around
your home, and see if there aren't things that may be hard to part with,
that you may use to identify with if so, you have to make a desision as to
what to do about it. Ask God to point out what could be between you and He.
He loves you and will be pleased to see you trying to put Him first above
all things.
July 18th And to all he said, "if anyone wishes to be a follower of mine
he must leave self behind; day after day he must take up his
cross and come with ME." Luke 9:23
To that call we respond when we meditate every day. We
mislead ourselves and others if we try to play down the
extremity of the Christian vocation and the total demand it
makes. If we have been directed by the Spirit to undertake
this pilgrimage, and every Christian is chosen to do so, then
it must be with the mature understanding of what is at
stake. As we enter the silence within us, having allowed
ourselves to become aware of its presence in the first place,
we are entering a void in which we are unmade. We cannot
remain the person we were or thought we were. But we
are, in fact, mot being destroyed but awakened to the enter-
nally fresh source of our being. We become aware that we are
being created that we are springing from the Creator's hand
and returning to Him in love.