First Sunday of Lent Year C - Temptations & Rosary

 

In the Gospel today, Jesus goes out into the desert for 40 days, eating nothing nor drinking anything to tempted by the devil. The devil tempted Our Lord with food—to change a rock into bread to satisfy is hunger from fasting. He was to tempted to vain glory ---to show off His power—by jumping off a cliff. His third temptation was the desire for worldly riches and fame to have all the kingdoms of the world, so as to hold God in contempt.

Jesus overcomes all the devil’s temptations. We are all tempted in three different ways, the world, our self and from evil spirits. So not all temptations come from evil spirits.

Everyone is tempted. If Jesus was tempted, we are tempted too. Jesus, as God, overcame every temptation, and as God, we turn to Him to help us overcome ours.

The world and each of us are in a spiritual battle. And we need to take up our weapons for battle. The power from all these weapons comes from Jesus, who is God, and who overcame every temptation of the devil. He is like us in all things, but sin.

Jesus wants to help us. We need to turn Him often and remember He is always with us. When someone remains in mortal sin, people don’t realize it, but demons influence them because are not in the state of grace.

Confession is the most powerful way to turn away from temptations. In confession, we are washed in the blood of Jesus, our sins are forgiven and completely absolved, we receive sacramental graces to overcome sin, we receive advice from Jesus, through the priest to help us with our temptations.

Our Lord has also given us sacramentals to help us. We should pray when we under temptation, especially, the Holy Rosary. When we pray the Rosary, we pray the Our Father, 6 times asking Our Lord to deliver us evil and with each Hail Mary we the Virgin 53 times to pray for us. The Virgin Mary is the new sinless Eve and She is the one who is at enmity with Satan. She has tremendous power over all evil spirits. She is the queen of angels, which means, evil spirits, who are fallen angels, must submit to Her power and authority given to Her by God.

I published a book called Miracles of the Rosary & the Rosary of Miracles last year. Here is a true story from the book with regard to the Rosary, and overcoming evil.

“When Saint Dominic was preaching the Rosary near Carcassone an Albigensian was brought to him who was possessed by the devil. Saint Dominic exorcised him in the presence of a great crowd of people; it appears that over twelve thousand had come to hear him preach. The devils who were in possession of this wretched man were forced to answer Saint Dominic’s questions in spite of themselves. They said that:

1. There were fifteen thousand of them in the body of this poor man, because he had attacked the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary;

2. They went on to testify that by preaching the Rosary he put fear and horror into the very depths of Hell and that he was the man they hated most throughout the whole world, because of the souls which he snatched from them through devotion to the Holy Rosary;

3. They then revealed several other things.

Saint Dominic put his Rosary around the Albigensian’s neck and asked the devils to tell him who, of all the Saints in Heaven, was the one they feared the most, and who should therefore be the most loved and revered by men. At this they let out such unearthly screams that most of the people fell to the ground, faint from fear. Then, using all their cunning, so as not to answer, the devils wept and wailed in such a pitiful way that many of the people wept also, out of purely natural pity. The devils spoke through the mouth of the Albigensian, pleading in a heartrending voice:

“Dominic, Dominic, have mercy on us—we promise you that we will never hurt you. You have always had compassion for sinners and those in distress; have pity on us, for we are in grievous straits. We are suffering so very much already, so why do you delight in heightening our pains? Can’t you be satisfied with our suffering without adding to it? Have pity on us! Have pity on us!”

Saint Dominic was not one whit moved by the pathos of these wretched spirits and told them that he would not let them alone until they had answered his question. Then they said they would whisper the answer in such a way that only Saint Dominic would be able to hear. The latter firmly insisted upon their answering clearly and out loud. Then the devils kept quiet and refused to say another word, completely disregarding Saint Dominic’s orders—so he knelt down and prayed thus to Our Lady: “Oh, all powerful and wonderful Virgin Mary, I implore you by the power of the Most Holy Rosary, order these enemies of the human race to answer me.”

No sooner had he made this prayer than a glowing flame leaped out of the ears, nostrils and mouth of the Albigensian. Everyone shook with fear, but the fire did not hurt anyone. Then the devils cried: “Dominic, we beseech you, by the passion of Jesus Christ and by the merits of His Holy Mother and of all the Saints, let us leave the body of this man without speaking further—for the Angels will answer your question whenever you wish. After all, are we not liars? So why should you want to believe us? Please don’t torture us any more; have pity on us.”

“Woe unto you wretched spirits, who do not deserve to be heard,” Saint Dominic said, and kneeling down he prayed to Our Lady: “Oh most worthy Mother of Wisdom, I am praying for the people assembled here who have already learned how to say the Angelic Salutation properly. Please, I beg of you, force your enemies to proclaim the whole truth and nothing but the truth about this, here and now, before the multitude.”

Saint Dominic had hardly finished this prayer when he saw the Blessed Virgin near at hand, surrounded by a multitude of Angels. She struck the possessed man with a golden rod that She held and said: “Answer my servant Dominic at once.” (Remember, the people neither saw nor heard Our Lady, but only Saint Dominic.) Then the devils started screaming:“Oh you who are our enemy, our downfall and our destruction, why have you come from Heaven just to torture us so grievously? O Advocate of sinners, you who snatch them from the very jaws of Hell, you who are the very sure path to Heaven, must we, in spite of ourselves, tell the whole truth and confess before everyone who it is who is the cause of our shame and our ruin? Oh woe unto us, princes of darkness: Then listen well, you Christians: the Mother of Jesus Christ is all-powerful and She can save Her servants from falling into Hell. She is the Sun which destroys the darkness of our wiles and subtlety. It is She who uncovers our hidden plots, breaks our snares and makes our temptations useless and ineffectual.

We have to say, however reluctantly, that not a single soul who has really persevered in Her service has ever been damned with us; one single sigh that She offers to the Blessed Trinity is worth far more than all the prayers, desires and aspirations of all the Saints.

We fear Her more than all the other Saints in Heaven together and we have no success with Her faithful servants. Many Christians who call upon her when they are at the hour of death and who really ought to be damned according to our ordinary standards are saved by Her intercession.

Oh if only that Mary (it is thus in their fury that they called Her) had not pitted Her strength against ours and had not upset our plans, we should have conquered the Church and should have destroyed it long before this; and we would have seen to it that all the Orders in the Church fell into error and disorder.

Now that we are forced to speak we must also tell you this: nobody who perseveres in saying the Rosary will be damned, because She obtains for Her servants the grace of true contrition for their sins and by means of this they obtain God’s forgiveness and mercy.”

Then Saint Dominic had them all say the Rosary very slowly and with great devotion, and a wonderful thing happened: at each Hail Mary that he and the people said together a large group of devils issued forth from the wretched man’s body under the guise of red-hot coals.

When the devils had all been expelled and the heretic was at last entirely free of them, Our Lady (who was still invisible) gave Her blessing to the assembled company, and they were filled with joy because of this. A large number of heretics were converted because of this miracle and joined the Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary.”

My dear friends, if we stay in the state of grace, if we pray regularly, if we go to confession regularly, attend Mass regularly and receive Holy Communion often, pray the Rosary daily, while in the state of grace, we will be protected.

Jesus loves us and cares for us. He does not allow us to be tempted more than we can handle. By our successful fighting against them and overcoming them. Temptations can actually help us to grow in virtue and holiness. As we begin Lent, I encourage you to turn to Jesus and to His Blessed Mother. Pray the Holy Rosary every day and pray the Rosary together with your family at least once a week.

Ash Wednesday

 

We begin Lent with Ash Wednesday. Ashes are placed on our foreheads as a sign of repentance, remembering that we are dust and to dust we shall return. It is a reminder life is short and we need to live everyday for heaven.

Lent is time to turn away from sin and to be faithful to the Gospel. We are to draw close to Jesus, who helps us go through 40 days of temptations by the devil.

The Gospel reminds us to fast, pray, and give alms to the poor, as we renew our efforts to live a life of virtue and holiness. Lent is a time of self-examination, where we look in our hearts to discover things that prevent us from being close to Jesus and confess them to Our Lord in Confession.

During Lent we practice self-discipline and self-denial. We make sacrifices out of love of Jesus and for the conversion of sinners. What are going to give up? Candy, desserts, smoking, alcohol, technology such as video games, movies, computers, YouTube, Facebook.

We are especially called to do our daily duties to the best of our ability. To not complain when we are told do something. To keep our room clean or our house clean. To do our job to the best of our ability. To get up in the morning and go to bed on time.

When I visited the 3rd and 4th grade class last week, I asked them what they were going to give up for Lent. To my surprise, a boy said he was going to take a cold shower every day during Lent. A girl said she was going to take short showers to save money for her parents. A boy said he was going to sleep on the floor every day during Lent. Another boy said he was giving up all technology: video games and computers. I never suggested any of these things. They said these things on their own.

Adults, have you done any of these things? How inspiring to hear what children are doing. Shouldn’t adults do much more? Such as fasting twice a week, praying more, giving donations to the poor or an organization such as crisis pregnancy centers.

We should especially give us sin, such as gossip, lying, disobeying parents. If we fail to attend Mass regularly, we should renew our efforts to come to Mass every weekend and receive Jesus in Holy Communion.

As I mentioned last week, one of the best things we can do during Lent is to attend daily Mass during the week, if we are able. To receive Jesus in Holy Communion is the greatest joy and the most special graces we can receive in this life. But, we must do so, only in the state of grace. If we have any mortal sin on our soul, we must first go to Confession before we receive Holy Communion, otherwise we commit a sacrilegious communion, which is an additional mortal sin.

How powerful it would be to pray the Rosary every day and at least once a week pray the Rosary as a family.

Another wonderful thing to do during Lent is to grow in your relationship with Jesus by spending more time in prayer, most especially during Eucharistic Adoration, but also in your home or before Jesus in the tabernacle.

Read a short paragraph from the bible everyday. You can spiritual reading such as reading the book Miracles of the Rosary or a book on the lives of the saints.

How blessed will your lent be if you knelt down every day before a statue or picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary and asked Her Motherly intercession to help you in your needs.

Finally, one of the greatest things we can during Lent is to accept suffering for love of Jesus and offer it for the conversion of sinners. That is why we make sacrifices and give up things, out of love Jesus and for the conversion of sinners.

Conversion of sinners means we pray that they will turn away from sin and come to know and love Jesus and allow Him to lead their life.

May your Lent be grace filled and joyful, as you practice self-denial, self-discipline and acts of charity towards others. as we look forward to celebrating Easter, when Jesus comes out of the tomb conquering death in order to give us life with Him in heaven.

8th Sunday - Look at One's Own Faults before Others

Today, I would like to talk to you about three topics. The first topic is about the Gospel. The second topic is about Lent, which begins this week on Ash Wednesday. The final topic I would like to discuss with you is a Eucharistic Youth event for our parish.

In today’s Gospel Jesus gave teachings that remind us to look at ourselves more than others. Once we do that and achieve good changes and free ourselves of evil ways, we will bear much fruit.

Thus, bearing good fruit begins with making ourselves good. This requires much self- reflection, self-examination, and humility. And that is always the hardest part. We all have tendencies to look at everyone before we look at ourselves. It is the other who must be wrong not us. We have eagle eyes for the mistakes of others while being blind and neglectful of ourselves. We give ourselves all the benefits of the doubt. Understanding, patience, and mercy are always available to self. But we don't do that for others as we ought.

For Jesus, this attitude is not productive. Change, if needed will not happen. Why? Because the other who is the object of criticism is also looking at us and is doing the same. In other words, we see each others defects, but we do see our own? And when we do not see our own defects, change can't happen. Change begins with self. Rarely does one change because someone points out our sins or defects. In most cases, we are offended. If and when we admit our defects, change comes very gradually or minimally.

Religious brothers and sisters have meet once a month in what they call "Chapter of Faults". During the Chapter of Faults each one will tell the faults of others. And they enjoy being told their short comings, so they can grow in holiness. They want to grow in virtue and holiness by seeing their faults and overcoming them.

But if we heed Jesus’ call to focus more on ourselves, change can be immediate. If I look at myself, see my defects, admit their presence in me, understand the need to change them, and finally decide to address them, change will happen. 

Jesus did not mean that we cannot criticize each other. No one sees everything. We all have our blind side. Jesus was stressing the fact that humility is basic. Learning to humble ourselves opens ourselves to the concern of others. The combination of self-criticism and fraternal correction is a perfect recipe for becoming a good person. And, as the Gospel says, “A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good…”

    The second reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, reminds us why goodness should be maintained. The sting of death is sin. Goodness and holiness defeat death. Not that we will not die physically but life eternal is the fruit awaiting and if we don't attempt to be holy, we can lose our soul to eternal death. (Taken from Fr. Benny Tuazon)

The second topic is Lent. This coming Wednesday is Ash Wednesday. We have two Masses on Ash Wednesday 7am and 6:30pm, with Confessions before each Mass. Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and abstinence. We abstain from meat and also fast. We can eat one meal and if necessary two smaller meals that don’t equal a meal. Or we can fast on bread and water or perhaps eat a bowl of soup without meat. We will have Stations of the Cross at 6pm before Mass on Ash Wednesday.

I would like to encourage go to Confession at the beginning of Lent and then towards the end of Lent go to Confession again or even more often. Monthly confession or weekly Confession is very good for your soul. We have Confession before every Mass. Take seriously your Lent this year.

You will receive many graces if you attend Holy Mass during week and receive Holy Communion. There is nothing greater you can do during Lent than to receive Jesus in the Eucharist often.

During Lent, make a resolution to pray the Rosary every day. In the bulletin is a pamphlet on how to pray the Miracles Rosary.

The last topic is a Eucharistic Youth Festival here at Holy Trinity. With the permission and encouragement of Fr. Michael we can schedule, perhaps, Sunday, May 4th.

The youth event will include a Passion Play (which is really an outdoor Stations of the Cross for the public), a Eucharistic Procession, Eucharistic Adoration under the stars. We will watch the Eucharistic Video called “Jesus Thirsts.” Two priests will give talks. We will dinner for the youth.

We will need help in either making costumes or purchasing them. 8^th grade through high school will play actors play the parts of Jesus, Mary, John, Mary Magdalene, the weeping women, Simon, Pilate, Soldiers, good thieves. Its really much more simple than it sounds. Its really just the Stations of the Cross lived out in public-- with a few added scenes such as the crowning of Jesus with thorns and the scourging at the Pillar. We can practice the Stations during PSR time. Its a good way to learn our faith and to share our faith with others.

I think it will be fun for the youth and inspiring for the local people to watch. If you are willing to help, let me know. Let me know if there any objections to May 4^th for the Eucharistic Youth Festival.

Let’s bring Jesus to the community, so that others may fall in love with Him, who loved us so much He carried His cross and suffered His passion and rose from the dead, that we may have life with Him by giving Himself to us in the Eucharist.

May the Virgin Mary guide each of you to have a blessed Lent and inspire you to love our faith and be willing to share it with others.

7th Sunday, Reconciled to God and Father (Jeff Cavins)

In the first reading, Abishai proposed keeping with the ordinary notions of retributive justice (he asked David if he could kill Saul by nailing him to ground and thrusting his spear into him). But David knew that the Lord shows himself merciful with the merciful – that is to say, he understood that a compassionate and generous God wants his servants to be like him in returning good for evil.

What we see in David, however, is only a foreshadowing of what we find in Jesus of Nazareth, who revealed the full measure of God’s love for all humanity. Throughout the course of His earthly life Jesus was entirely devoted to the work of reconciliation that had been entrusted to him by his Heavenly Father. And his mission as Mediator between God and man was fully accomplished when He died upon the cross. As Saint Paul puts it: when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son. Indeed, when Jesus Christ laid down his life for our salvation, He not only restored our friendship with the Creator of world – as the last Adam, who came from Heaven – but even made us partakers of his own divine son-ship – as the true Son of the living God. Through baptism we become children of God the Father.

We can only be acknowledged as sons and daughters of the Most High if we in our turn are willing to reconcile ourselves with one another. How? – we might ask.

In today’s Gospel we are told that the only way to make our peace with all our brothers and sisters – with friend and foe alike – is to take God Himself and His only-begotten Son as the model for our dealings with others. In fact what Jesus really means when He exhorts us to do to others as we would have them do to us is that we should follow his example in imitating his Heavenly Father, who is kind even to the ungrateful and the wicked.

So we are asked to do good to those who hate us, because our Creator showed His love for us when were we were still his enemies. We are asked not to resist an evil person, because Christ was delivered into the hands of sinful men to be crucified. We are asked to lend and give freely, because God the Father did not spare his own Son but delivered him up for us all.

Jeff Cavins, was the former host of Life on the Rock on EWTN. He tells the story of his reconciliation with the Church and with his father. At the age of 18, he left the Catholic Church due to his rebellion against his father.

When he was 18, his father struck him in the face and he fell to the ground. While lying on the floor, he pointed to his father, and said, “I am no son of yours.”

When that happened he left home and also left the Catholic Church. He rebelled against the authority of his father and rebelled against the authority of the Church. He had poor Catechesis as a child. He never read the bible much as a Catholic.

He began to study the bible and eventually became a Protestant pastor. But, the more he studied scripture, the more he began to understand the Catholic faith in the bible. He saw scripture and tradition together, whereas non-Catholics only believed in the bible. The Jews believed in tradition and also scripture. He realized scripture alone was a problem. He saw how the Eucharist in the bible was Catholic. He came to understand the Jews would bring a lamb or buy a lamb and they had to be be sacrificed in the temple.

In the Old Testament Jews ate the lamb on Passover and he came to understand how we need to eat the lamb today, and that lamb is the Eucharist in the Passover of the Mass. He began to study more and more and was convinced that the Catholic Church was right, but one one of his issues was the papacy, and so began to study the papacy.

He discovered there are 28,000 denominations in the USA alone and each had their own authority. He realized as a non-Catholic pastor, he had the Word of God, but anyone could interpret the Bible to their own liking and each denomination and each person was their own authority.

He watched a video of Pope John Paul II at World Youth Day in Denver, and he said to his wife, “That is the vicar of Christ.” “That is my father”.

He realized he was being his own “pope” with his own authority, but that there was a real pope, who had authority given to Him by Christ. He realized he had to be reconciled with his father, who he had rebelled against.

A non-Catholic Lutheran pastor revealed to him he had a rebellious heart against his father and the Church. He thought he could prove it that he didn’t need a father.

After Jeff was convinced of his calling back to the Church, there were a series of events that happened. One day, when he was going out of town, his mother came to watch his daughter. But, that night his father had a heart attack. When he went to see his father, his father said to him, “I am sorry for hitting you. But, one thing really bothers me. You said, “I am no son of yours.” In response, Jeff embraced his father saying, “I am sorry. I am your son. I love you. You are my father.” He said when this event happened, there was a tremendous healing and reconciliation not only with the Catholic Church, but a healing with his father.

Over the years, he was running from his father. He was running from authority of the Church. But, once, he reconciled with his father, he was able to fully embrace the Church and saw the need for a spiritual father, the pope. He realized the Church was built on Peter, the rock. He recalled that Jesus said, “Peter, you are rock and on this rock, I will build my Church”. Jeff said, the keys were given to Peter, who was then given the authority of Jesus to lead the Church.

Jesus is our shepherd. He loves us. As a shepherd He made sure you would be taken care of by giving us a shepherd of the Church. He has a responsibility to feed us. Jesus feeds us with His body and blood. He feeds us with the teachings of the Church. Jesus established His Church and He established His authority in Rome.

Jeff said, at times, what comes out of Rome can be confusing. There has been a lot of goofy things over the years. But, it’s beautiful how Christ communicates to us, even through the goofy times. He said, “Look at Moses and David who were leaders of the Jewish people, and yet they were both murderers. But, God still worked through them”.

Jeff came back to the Catholic Church because he needed a father. When he saw Pope John Paul II, he knew he had come home back to the Catholic Church. He said the Catholic faith is there from the beginning of our life (through baptism) and to the end with the sacrament of the sick, Confession and the Eucharist for the Journey Home to heaven. He said in the Catholic Church there is certitude because of apostolic succession, the handing on of the deposit of faith (Scripture and Tradition). He said there is certitude because of the Pope, who is the vicar of Christ, whose job it is to lead the Church.

We see in this story how precious and beautiful our Catholic faith is. We see the importance of being reconciled with God and with others. We see Jesus as the example and hope for all of us. Today, let us resolve to be reconciled with God often through the sacrament of Confession and rejoice in God’s unfathomable mercy.

And let us pray for Pope Francis who is in critical condition that he may be reconciled with God his heavenly Father, if necessary, before he goes to his judgment.

Seven Servites, Feb 17th

 

Today, we celebrate the commemoration of the Seven Servites, a confraternity of religious men.

On the Feast of the Assumption, August, 15th 1233, these seven young men, with other members of the Laudesi, having confessed and received Holy Communion, were each and all making their thanksgiving after Mass. Each, unknown to those about them, fell into an ecstasy. Each seemed to himself surrounded by supernatural light, in the midst of which Our Lady appeared to them accompanied by angels, who spoke to each of them the words; “Leave the world, retire together into solitude, that you may fight against yourselves, and live wholly for God. You will thus experience heavenly consolations. My protection and assistance will never fail you.”

The vision faded, the congregation dispersed, only the Seven remained, each meditating what the vision might mean. Bonfilius Monaldi, as the eldest, broke the silence, telling what had befallen him, saying he was ready to obey Our Lady’s call.

Some of these men were engaged in business, some in offices of state, four had family ties, which it was not easy to break, especially since the Church suffers no married man or woman to enter into religion unless the other party to the marriage contract does so too. It is believed all social and worldly arrangements were made; and by the eighth of September, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, they were free to obey, they had stripped themselves of all that bound them to the world.

The director sketched out a plan of community life. They adopted a habit of gray wool, with a leather cincture, and found a house just outside the city walls, where they might pass much of their time in solitude and prayer, yet near enough to the city to give an example to those they had so lately left. All this was done with the approval of the Bishop; it was merely a question of certain men living a mortified life in community; the bishop granted permission to James to live with them as their chaplain, to celebrate Mass in their oratory, and to reserve the Blessed Sacrament.

Their appearance drew a crowd of sympathizers, who, recognizing their great renunciation and sanctity, pressed to touch their garments, to kiss their hands and entreat their blessing. Suddenly, from the midst of the crowd, were heard the voices of children who cried: “See, the Servants of Mary.” The same exclamation was made still more wonderfully on the following thirteenth of January, when a child only five months old, spoke for the first time in crying said, “Mother, those are Mary’s Servants, give them an alms.” The child’s name was Philip Benizi, who afterwards became one of the greatest Saints of the Order and its superior general.

The community became instrument in helping the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows to be added to the Church calendar as they prayed often the 7 Sorrows of Mary.

The seven sorrows are as follows: 1 The presentation of Jesus in the temple (when Mary was told a sword would pierce Her Heart); 2 the Flight into Egypt; 3 the Loss of Jesus for three days; 4 Mary meets Jesus on the way of the Cross; 5 Mary stands at the Foot of the Cross; 6 Jesus is taken down from the Cross and placed in Mary’s arms and 7 Jesus is placed into the tomb.

Today, I would like to encourage you to learn and pray the 7 Sorrows of Mary, also called the Servite Rosary. Many special graces are given to those who pray it.

6th Sunday, Beatitudes

 

Today the Church gives us the Beatitudes from the Gospel of Luke. The Beatitudes help us to have a positive view of life and seek the life to come.

As we now examine each Beatitude, think about how these words help us to accept life’s difficulties today and are means to seek heaven.

“Blessed are you, who are poor.” Some view being poor as though it were a curse or something to avoid for the sake of a better life. However, to be poor in spirit means that we come to understand and accept-- we truly own nothing because all we have is a gift from God. This beatitude reminds us to follow the stewardship way of life. As a steward of God’s gifts, we should use our time, talent and treasure as God desires. Am I giving my time, talent and treasure as well as I ought? When I become aware of my intelligence, wealth, success, gifts and talents-- do I give God the credit. If I have a financial hardship do I trust God to take care of all my needs and abandon myself to His care?

“Blessed are those who are hungry, for you will be satisfied.” Some are able to eat what they want, when the want it. As a child, I believed only rich people ate steaks or rich people went out to eat, because my family rarely went to a restaurant and if we did, our parents would order for us. We didn’t have a choice as to the foods, we could eat. But, we didn’t care, because we were just happy to eat out.

This beatitude also refers to those who hunger for righteousness. We hunger to be holy. How many of us wake up in the morning and pray to Jesus, “I want to become a saint!” “I desire to be holy and virtuous!” We can grow in holiness by coming to daily Mass, going to confession weekly or monthly, praying the Rosary everyday, daily reading a paragraph from one of the Gospels and meditating on the life of Jesus and spending an hour with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration. If you want to hunger and thirst for righteousness, wake up every morning and pray, “Jesus, help me to become a saint!”

“Blessed are those who are now weeping, for you will laugh”— As Christians we are to comfort those who suffer, especially the loss of a loved one. We should attend funerals and comfort those who mourn. We should pray for those who have died and offer Masses for the repose of their soul. We should also comfort those who go through difficult situations, such as illness, tragedies, divorce or family hardship. If we are parents with teens—we should listen to them—and support them during their difficult time as they mature into adulthood. In heaven, we will rejoice and laugh looking back at how we endured sadness in this life. We will laugh because it will make us smile, because the crosses we embraced at the time seemed so big, but were in fact, much smaller than we thought and the Lord helped us to carry the Cross, when we thought we were carrying it alone.

“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day. Behold your reward will be great in heaven.”

Not many of us are insulted for our faith, primarily because we don’t express it to others. Catholics suffer persecution when we express our faith among family and co-workers, and talk about topics such as abortion, contraception, the Blessed Virgin Mary or the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

Our Lord was spurned and avoided by men, we say that we want to follow Jesus and be like Him, but are we ready to embrace the difficult truth that imitating Christ means being acquainted with suffering?

If Jesus suffered, was rejected and persecuted, who are we to think, we are better than Him and can escape them? Rather, we should rejoice in sharing in Christ’s sufferings and be glad for we are more conformed to Christ, when we endure a small portion of His rejection and pain.

Jesus then give us the woes. “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

There is nothing wrong, with being rich, with being filled, with laughing, or when others speak well of us. Rather, we see these as warning signs.

The proclamations of woes are not condemnations; they are not an expression of hatred, or envy or of hostility. The point is not condemnation, but a warning that is intended to save.

They are warnings signs that if we are not living the beatitudes, we risk the loss of the deepest happiness found in God alone and in heaven.

It’s not that we should avoid hunger, poverty, tears and rejection. But, as Pope St. Gregory the Great warned, “Rather there is a danger that if the prosperous are not careful, they may love their pilgrimage more than their homeland and transform the supplies for their journey into an impediment for their arrival.”

Suffering, borne well, on the other hand, can increase our desire for heaven and help prepare us to receive the joy that is to come.

If we life our life, based upon the Beatitudes, God will give us a grace of true conversion of heart, by turning away from sin, turning toward God and opening our heart to our neighbor and we will remember, that we are on a journey, through a place that is not our home. But rather we heading toward our final destination of heaven, our true and lasting home.

Today, ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to help live the beatitudes. She is a good mother and will always watch over us and help us to through this valley of tears to reach the harbor of salvation.

Our Lady of Lourdes, Feb 11th

Today, we celebrate the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes. On February 11^th, 1858, when Bernadette was 14 yrs. old, she, her sister and a friend went looking for wood-- in a meadow, near “the River Gave". While in front of the Grotto of Massibiele she heard "a noise like a gust of wind", but "none of the trees were moving". Bernadette describes what she saw: “I saw a Lady in white. I was a little frightened, and thinking I was seeing things (an illusion), I rubbed my eyes, but in vain…. The Lady took up the Rosary, She held in her hands and She made the Sign of the Cross. I tried again to make it and this time I could. My great fear went “away” as soon as I made the Sign of the Cross. I knelt down, and said the Rosary before this beautiful Lady.” This was the first apparition of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes.

The Grotto was called the "pigs' shelter" because pigs fed in the area—and took shelter there. It was here the Virgin Mary, dressed in white, appeared as a sign of total purity.

During the third apparition Feb. 18^th, the Virgin Mary spoke the first time. Bernadette held out a sheet of paper and a pencil so she might write her name, but the Lady replied: "what I have to say to you does not have to be written down". This was an extraordinary statement which meant the Virgin Mary wanted a personal relationship with Her. Mary then said, "Would you do me the kindness of coming here for 15 days?" Bernadette was overwhelmed because it was the first time anyone addressed her in a formal way.

Our Lady then said, "I do not promise to make you happy in this world but in the other.” Mary was stating we cannot find true happiness in a world of violence, lies, impurity, greed, and war. But, someday we hope to enter the heavenly world of love, peace and joy.

During the first seven apparitions of the Virgin Mary, Bernadette had a radiant face with joy and happiness. However, between the eighth and twelfth apparitions her face became sad and sorrowful. She moved on her knees to the back of the Grotto, kissed the disgusting ground used by pigs, ate the grass, and took mud in her hands and smeared her face.

At the ninth Apparition, "the Lady" asked Bernadette again to scrape the ground in the "pigs’ shelter", saying, "Go to the spring, drink of it and wash yourself there". At first the water was muddy but then it became clear. The spring of water would prove to be miraculous.

Bernadette then told those around her that Our Lady said, "Penance, penance, penance, pray for sinners". By penance we understand to offer sacrifices for the conversion of sinners. We pray for sinners that they may turn away from sin and turn toward God.

During the 13^th apparition, Our Lady said to Bernadette: "Go, tell the priests to come here in procession and build a chapel here." Processions would begin because of the miracles and many people, who would come to be healed in the water. A chapel would be built in response to Our Lady’s request and to give people confession and the Holy Eucharist.

On March 25^th, the day of the sixteenth apparition, Bernadette went again to the Grotto. The parish priest asked her to ask the Lady her name. When she had done so, Our Lady said, ("I am the Immaculate Conception"). Bernadette did not understand, but repeated the words to the astonished priest. The words were a reminder of the proclamation of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception, proclaimed four years earlier in 1854.

Since the beginning of the apparitions until today, there have been over 7,000 miraculous recoveries attributed to Our Lady of Lourdes. However, the Church has only officially approved 70 medical miracles since 2018. The miracles have been dramatic ranging from paralytics who have walked, pilgrims cured of blindness, cancer tumors disappeared and multiple sclerosis healed.

More importantly, with the millions of pilgrims, who go there every year, there has been untold spiritual healings, which have occurred –causing deep and lasting conversions.

The apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes are reminder for us to be pure in imitation of Mary’s Immaculate Conception. To pray the rosary everyday. To pray for the conversion of sinners and to do penance for them. To live a life of humility as St. Bernadette who ate grass, washed her face in mud, and drank dirty water. They remind us that we can only find our true happiness in heaven—not in this world.

And they also remind us that Our Lady wants a personal relationship with Her. If we don’t have a relationship with Mary,---- , we should try to speak to Mary everyday as we would speak to Our Mother. She is really with us, loves us and wants to help us to get to heaven. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us, who have recourse to thee!

5th Sunday, Michelle Duppong - FOCUS Missionary

 

When Jesus was teaching the people from the shore of Lake Gennesaret, the crowd kept pressing upon Him, so much so, He got into a boat, so everyone could see and hear Him. After He finished speaking, Our Lord told Peter, “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Peter told Jesus they attempted to catch fish all night, but had caught nothing, yet He did as Jesus requested.

To the astonishment of the four disciples, Peter, his brother Andrew, James and his brother John, caught a great number of fish, so much so, the nets began to tear and the boats were filled and overflowing. They immediately understood Jesus placed the fish for them. He then said, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” They immediately began to follow Jesus as His disciples. Recall after the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles in the form of fire and wind, Peter boldly proclaimed, all needed to repent and be baptized when they had crucified Jesus. And that day, on the day of Pentecost, the apostles baptized three thousand and became fishers of men.

Our Lord used 12 apostles to establish His Church for the purpose of the salvation of souls.

At the moment of our baptism, we became a disciple of Jesus. We too are to make disciples by helping others to become followers of Jesus and to get to heaven.

When we think of missionaries, we think of Christians who go throughout the world evangelizing in places such as Africa, South America and China, where people still have not heard about Jesus.

In the United States, priest missionaries came from Ireland, to help immigrants. Spanish missionaries, such as saint Juniperra Serra came to convert American Indians in California. Saint Kateri Tekakwitha was converted by French Jesuit missionaries in New York.

Today, in the United States and in other countries, many have lost the faith and others don’t even know Jesus. Missionaries are needed to evangelize our own American citizens.

There is a young adult organization called FOCUS, which gathers students on college campuses to spread the gospel message to college students through on-campus outreach, Bible studies, discipleship, mission trips, national conferences and more. FOCUS encourages young people to pursue truth and meaning in their lives, to invest in relationships with Jesus Christ and their fellow students. They help young people to share the good news to everyone they meet, bringing Christ to the world and transforming the world through Christ. Morgan Konen from our parish is a FOCUS missionary in Pennsylvania.

Michelle Duppong a FOCUS missionary died in 2015 and may become a saint. Her childhood included farm chores such as gardening, mowing, pruning, weeding, harvesting and canning. If there were extra vegetable, she and her sisters sold them in town after Mass on Saturday mornings. They also herded sheep and bottle-fed lambs. She was happy to go with her family to Catholic conferences that included speakers, Mass and Eucharistic Adoration.

After she became the director of faith formation for the diocese of Bismark, she developed a Eucharistic Conference called “Thirst Conference.”

Prior to taking that job in 2012, she was a FOCUS missionary at four college campuses to mentor college students to draw them deeper into the faith.

It was in the fall of 2014 that Michelle began experiencing sharp pains in her abdomen. Ovarian cysts was the diagnosis. Out-patient surgery was scheduled for December 29 to remove the cysts. The surgeon opened Michelle and was shocked that her abdomen was full of cancer—stage four. The doctor just gave her two months to live. Michelle began her year-long journey, fighting for her life, with multiple surgeries, while accepting God’s will every step of the way. “Michelle was not one to blame anyone for anything,” Mary Ann, her mother, said. “Her attitude was, ‘If God wants me to go through this, I will go through this.’”

Months later, when she was finally told by the doctor, there was nothing more they could do, she paused and looked at the doctor saying, “How has your day been?” She thought of him before she thought of herself.
Not only was Michelle a great witness of her deep faith, she used that time to offer her suffering for others. Her mother shared that one of her most precious gifts from Michelle is a relic medal from the Shrine of the North American Martyrs in New York. “Michelle said that she believed a time was coming when we, too, should be ready if we would be asked by Our Lord to suffer martyrdom to pass on the faith. She told her that we need to be brave by putting on the armor of faith! This she did to her very last breath. She never talked about death or dying, just about hope of what the future might bring.”
One of the Carmelite sisters who helped during her last days, revealed that Michelle had told her that she would die on Christmas Day. Somehow, Michelle knew the date of her own death. Family members took turns gathering around her bed the evening of December 25, singing, praying and expressing their love. Michelle took her last breath at 11:23 pm on Christmas night.
Her father, Ken, said, “She gave everything...her whole year of suffering, the pain was non-stop. It was hard watching. But it wasn’t just that year. Her whole life was dedicated to whatever Jesus wanted.” When she was in the hospital, he said he would pray the rosary over the phone.
He said it was typical for hospital staff to be drawn to Michelle, sometimes sharing personal problems with her. “She would be concerned about their problems, not hers,” Someone was upset that her husband had left her. “Michelle told her, ‘Forgive him and pray for him because you maybe the only one who can help him.’”  The woman came back later with joy and shared that she had finally found peace, and could move on.
According to Ken, Michelle’s attitude was that we should do everything we can while on earth to make it to heaven. She would say to the other FOCUS missionaries, ‘Give everything you’ve got because it might be the only chance to save that person’s soul; you have to show them the way.’ Lisa Gray shared that Michelle’s example has shown her how to live an amazing life in ordinary ways. “She lived her life in conformity to Christ. When I saw her taking her last breath, I was so happy for her,” Lisa explained. “I was so proud of her. I had the feeling of her running to Jesus”.
Since then, the family has heard from many people who believe they had prayers answered through Michelle’s intercession after her death. One such person wrote a letter to the bishop of Bismark, North Dakota saying, she was healed of cancer through the prayers of Michelle. This caused the bishop of Bismark to open the cause for her canonization in 2022.

My friends, each of us are called to be holy. Holiness is for everyone and holiness is needed to get to heaven.

We should have the desire to help others to know and love Jesus and to help them to get to heaven, like Michelle, and all FOCUS missionaries, including Morgan, and all the missionaries who came to the US to help plant the faith in our hearts. May we, throw out the nets for a catch as a true disciple of Jesus making fishers of men by sharing our faith. 

For a limited time, you can watch Radiating Joy on EWTN. Click on this link: RADIATING JOY - THE MICHELLE DUPPONG STORY

5th Sunday, Year C "Fishers of Men"

In the Gospel today, Jesus got into a boat belonging to Simon Peter. And asked him to push the boat out onto the lake. Why would Jesus get into a boat and ask Peter to put out a short distance from the shore? It was a practical thing to do because of the large crowd. While on the shore, not everyone could see or hear Him, but by getting into a boat, it was much easier for all to see and hear.

Peter’s boat represents the Church, and Peter would become the head of the Church as the Vicar of Christ and helmsmen of the Church. We have heard the phrase, the bark of Peter. The bark is symbolic of the Church. After Jesus finished speaking, He asked Peter to throw out the nets into the deep water and they caught such a large number of fish the two boats were on the verge of sinking. When Peter saw this, he fell to his knees saying, “Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Jesus then told Peter, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed Jesus. Our Lord’s words that Peter would be catching men, would come to fruition especially on Pentecost.

Recall after the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles in the form of fire and wind, Peter boldly proclaimed, all needed to repent and be baptized, whom they had crucified. And that day, on the day of Pentecost, the apostles baptized three thousand souls. Through Peter many would be caught for the kingdom and become members of the church and so now the Church, the boat, is filled with men, women and children (the fish). The early Christians used the sign of a fish, as a secret way people new they were Christian.

Every priest is a sinner, who is trying to be a saint. Peter denied Jesus three times in the courtyard. Peter lacked courage to take a stand in public, which is why St. Paul corrected him for separating himself from the Gentiles.

Jesus chose Andrew, Peter’s brother. Before the multiplication of the loaves and fish, Andrew said to Jesus, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Andrew would still have much to learn about Jesus.

James and John wanted to call down fire and destroy those who rejected Jesus and they wanted to sit at the right hand of Jesus and the other apostles became jealous of them.

St. Matthew was a tax collector, and most likely cheated people out of their money before Jesus called him.

Jesus called Thomas, who doubted Jesus rose from the dead. He said “Unless I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe.” That’s where the expression “doubting Thomas” comes from.

Jesus called Simon the Zealot. Zealots wanted to achieve Palestinian independence from Roman occupation using military means. Simon did not know that violence achieves nothing but only encourages more violence. He would have much to learn.

Jesus called Judas Iscariot. He later plotted behind Jesus’ back. He wanted to force Jesus to bring about his kingdom. He wanted the kingdom on his terms instead of Jesus’ terms. He complained when Jesus’ feet were anointed not because he wanted to give that money to the poor, but so that he could steal it for himself.

Today Jesus calls us. He chooses human beings with faults and failings to do His divine work among us today. Like Peter we lack faith. Like Andrew we have much to learn. Like James and John we are selfish sometimes. Like Thomas we doubt sometimes. Seeing that the apostles of limited competence did so much for the Church gives confidence to us. If Jesus could use them, he can certainly use us. With the intercession of Jesus for us at the right hand of the Father and by our spending time in prayer with the Lord, we too can grow from strength to strength and accomplish great things for God and His kingdom.

A priest makes a difference in the world by helping people to get to heaven. The priesthood...what a beautiful and grace filled life of giving oneself in the service of God and His people. God continues to call young men to the priesthood. Jesus is saying to young boys, “Don’t be afraid! Come follow me and I will make you a fisher of men.” We have very outstanding and fine boys in our parish. Very virtuous. There are two boys from our parish who have told me they thought about becoming a priest. Pray for them, that they may discover God’s will for them.

Today, let us pray for vocations to the priesthood and to religious life, especially from our parish. Jesus is calling some young men and boys to be become fisher’s of men. Let us ask the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus, the eternal high priest and mother of priests, to open the hearts and minds of boys and young men to follow Jesus as one of His disciples.

Presentation of the Lord in the Temple, Feb 2nd

 

“And the Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter His Temple; and the angel of the covenant whom you are longing for, yes He is coming, says the Lord of hosts.”

Today Holy Mother Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Jesus, “the light to the nations and the glory of Israel” arrives in the Temple in the arms of His Mother Mary. According to Jewish law, the first-born male had to be presented to the Lord forty days after his birth.

It was also the rite of purification for mothers who had just given birth. After giving birth, women were considered unclean and could not worship in the temple or touch sacred objects until they were first purified by having a lamb or a pair of turtle doves or pigeons sacrificed. Since Mary and Joseph were poor they offered pigeons or turtle doves.

The circumstances of Mary’s Immaculate Conception and the miraculous birth of Jesus did not render Her impure, it would not have been necessary for Her to follow the purification law, but She obediently followed the law out of humility, waiting 40 days before She could go to the temple.

The presentation of Jesus in the temple was public redemption for any first born son of any other tribe other than the tribe of Levi. The parents would symbolically give their son to God and buy him back by a small monetary offering.

Due to action of the Holy Spirit, Simeon and Anna are the only people who recognize the Messiah in what appeared to be an ordinary Infant.

Simeon prophesied Jesus would be a sign of contradiction and that now was the time for Simeon to die, since he finally saw his salvation in the form of child who would someday bring about the salvation of all those who were longing for it. He sees Jesus as the light to the nations for the glory of the people Israel.

But with His glorious entry into the Temple, the sword of sorrow predicted for Mary announces Christ’s perfect and unique oblation on the Cross, which will impart the salvation God has “prepared in the presence of all peoples”. And so, as the Light came in the world, and departed the world, the tears of His Mother fell upon the ground in sorrow. The result of the sword piercing the Virgin Mary, would be the cause of the thoughts of many hearts to be revealed.

In today’s responsorial psalm the Church recalls, how the Jewish people celebrated the entrance of the Ark of the Covenant, and these words fitting apply to Jesus the New and Everlasting Covenant entering the Temple, “O gates lift up your heads; grow higher ancient doors. Let him enter, the king of glory.”

Today is also commonly called “Candle Mass Day” in which is customary to bless candles for the church and also for the faithful. Lit candles represent Jesus, the light of the world and light to the nations entering the temple for the first time in His sacred humanity as a child. The candles of wax remind us of Mary, whose spotless virginity gave forth to the world, the everlasting Light, Our Lord Jesus Christ. The flame from the candles therefore symbolizes Christ, who said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me walks not in darkness.” The lighted candles are a sign of the divine splendor, of the one who comes to expel the dark shadows of evil, and to make the whole universe, radiant with the brilliance of His eternal light. Our candles also show how bright our souls should be when we go to meet Christ. The Mother of God, the most Pure Virgin, carried the true light in Her arms and brought Him to those who lay in darkness.

As Holy Mother Church blesses the candles today, She prays that the Holy Spirit may enlighten all of us, and so inflamed with His charity, we may truly recognize, faithfully love, and courageously serve God.

Through Mary, the Mother of the Light, may we bring the light of Christ to the world, by all we meet and may the action of the sword that pierced Her soul reveal the thoughts of the hearts of many.