Oct 13th Miracle of Fatima

 

This generation is an evil generation, it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.

As humans, we are tempted to doubt and often times don’t go by faith, but rather we seek signs or proofs because of lack of faith. The sign of Jonah was the repentance of the people of Nineveh and that he would be survive three days in the belly of a whale, which is symbolic of our Lord’s three days in the tomb and then rising from the dead.

In one of the 1917 apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima to the children, Mary promised to give a sign to the people, so that they would believe She is appearing to the three children. Mary called the people to do penance, and to pray especially the Rosary.

On Oct. 13^th, 1917 a great miracle occurred in the little town of Fatima, Portugal. The miracle was witnessed by thousands of people, who came to the site in which the Blessed Virgin Mary was appearing to the three little children.

At noon, Our Lady was to appear. Minutes passed and She had not arrived. The crowd became impatient, when suddenly Our Lady appeared to the children. Lucia asked, "What do you want of me?" And Mary said, “I want a chapel built here in my honor. I want you to continue saying the Rosary every day. The war will end soon, and the soldiers will return to their homes.” Lucia said, "Yes. Yes." "Will you tell me your name?" The Virgin Mary replied, “I am the Lady of the Rosary. Lucia said, "I have many petitions from many people. Will you grant them?" Mary said, “Some I shall grant, and others I must deny. People must amend their lives and ask pardon for their sins. They must not offend our Lord any more, for He is already too much offended!” Lucia replied, "And is that all you have to ask?" Our Lady said, “There is nothing more.”

As the Lady of the Rosary rises toward the east she turns the palms of her hands toward the dark sky. While the rain had stopped, dark clouds continued to obscure the sun, which suddenly bursts through them and is seen to be a soft spinning disk of silver. Lucia cried out, "Look at the sun!"

From this point two distinct apparitions were seen, that of the phenomenon of the sun seen by the 70,000 or so spectators and that beheld by the children alone. Lucia describes the latter in her memoirs. She said, ‘After our Lady had disappeared into the immense distance of the firmament, we beheld St. Joseph with the Child Jesus and Our Lady robed in white with a blue mantle, beside the sun. St. Joseph and the Child Jesus seemed to bless the world, for they traced the Sign of the Cross with their hands. When, a little later, this apparition disappeared, I saw Our Lord and Our lady; it seemed to me to that it was Our Lady of Sorrows (Dolors). Our Lord appeared to bless the world in the same manner as St. Joseph had done. This apparition also vanished, and I saw Our Lady once more, this time resembling Our Lady of Carmel. [Only Lucia saw Our Lady of Mount Carmel, which some believe prophesied her entrance into Carmel some years later.]

Those who witnessed the event said the sun gradually grew pale and appeared as a silver disc, at which all could gaze directly at, without harm to their eyes. All present saw rays of multicolored light shoot in every direction. The sun began to spin madly on its axis like a gigantic wheel of fire. While the crowd fell to its knees in terror, it suddenly seemed to come down closer and closer to earth, as it zigzagged through the skies. People began to scream in horror, “It’s the end of the world.” Others said, “Please God don’t let me die in my sins.”

Suddenly it returned to its normal place, and once again no one was able to look at it. The ground and the people were suddenly dry as though it had never rained. The incredible miracle of the sun was witnessed by tens of thousands of people and reported in newspapers throughout Europe.

In Medjugorje many pilgrims have seen the miracle of the sun, including myself back in September of 1993. Just as in Fatima, Our Lady today is calling people to repentance and pray for peace in the world, in our hearts and families.

28th Sunday - Lepers (Confession - Eucharist)

 

In the Gospel today, ten lepers have an encounter with Jesus and are healed, but only one, who is a Samaritan (non-Jew), returned to thank Him.

Why would Jesus tell the lepers to go and show themselves to the priests? During the time of Jesus, when someone had a sore and if they thought it may be leprosy, they were required to show it to a priest, who would determine if it was leprosy or not. And if it was leprosy, he would be excluded from the community, to prevent the rest of the community from getting leprosy. Then if the sore went away, the leper would go and show himself to the priests, who would then re-admit them to the community. So the priest was responsible for excluding and re-admitting them to the community.

Leprosy caused the person to have open sores, often times puss oozed out. Lepers lose feeling in their hands and feet, and often times lose their fingers and toes, and have only stubs for hands and feet. Leprosy is contagious, and no one was permitted to touch a leper, for fear of getting the disease, and would therefore become unclean. Not only was the disease terrible to look at, they are unable to have personal contact with others. It must have been painful to not be able to be around family and friends and excluded from others.

Leprosy has been around for thousands of years and many saints, moved with pity, worked with lepers. St. Francis of Assisi worked with lepers, and even kissed their wounds. Saint Damien and Saint Mother Marie Cope ministered to lepers on Molokai, Hawaii. Later Father Damien would eventually succumb to the disease. Saint Mother of Teresa of Calcutta created homes for lepers and helped them to be employed.

During the year 2000, which was a Jubilee Year, I went on a mission trip to Calcutta India and helped Mother Teresa’s sisters take care of the poor. We went to a leper colony where hundreds of people lived who were missing hands and feet from disease.

On the same site they lived, they worked at a factory making clothing for the people of their country. Even though the disease is still around today, it is easily treatable, through antibiotics, but the poor, often times, do not have access to medical care.

Today, when people have a contagious disease while in the hospital, they are in what’s called “isolation”. And those who come into the room are to wear gloves, masks and a gown to protect not only the healthcare workers, but guests come to visit them.

Leprosy is also analogous to mortal sin. In the days of Jesus and even in recent times, lepers were separated from the community for fear that others would catch the disease. But once the disease was cured, as Jesus mentioned in today’s Gospel, the person was to go to the priest to show he was healed. The priest would then admit the person back into the community. Therefore, when someone commits mortal sin, the sin causes the person to be separated from the community (the mystical body of Christ), until he goes and shows his sins to the priest in confession. And once the priest gives absolution, all sins are washed away and the person immediately returns to the mystical body of Christ and is restored to the community.

Jesus Himself instituted the sacrament of confession on the day He rose from the dead and appeared to His apostles in the upper room. Christ told the apostles to follow His example: "As the Father has sent me, even so I send you". Just as the apostles were to carry Christ’s message to the whole world, so they were to carry his forgiveness: "Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven". “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Our Lord gave them authority and power to forgive sins, and this is has been passed down to the bishops and priests today through the sacrament of Holy Orders.

The Catholic Church, who speaks on behalf of Jesus tells us, if we commit a mortal sin, such as to purposely miss Mass on Sunday without a serious reason, or some other serious sin such as pornography, impurity adultery, or contraception, we are first to go to Confession before we receive Holy Communion. Otherwise, if we fail to go to Confession after committing a mortal sin, and receive Holy Communion when we shouldn’t, we commit an additional mortal sin called a sacrilegious Communion and we receive no grace whatsoever from Communion.

Jesus spoke about ingratitude and sacrilege with regard to the Eucharist, when He appeared to St. Margaret Mary revealing His Sacred Heart. He said, "Behold the Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify Its love; and in return, I receive from the greater part only ingratitude, by their irreverence and sacrilege, and by the coldness and contempt they have for Me in this Sacrament of Love.”

Our Lord was lamenting the fact that there is such ingratitude by those who receive Holy Communion and those who receive the Eucharist without reverence and in a sacrilegious manner.

Due to the Virgin Mary’s alleged apparitions in Medjugorje, where She is asking all Catholics to go to fast on bread and water on Wed and Friday, pray 3 rosaries a day, attend daily Mass, to read a short paragraph from the Bible and to Confess monthly. More and more people throughout the universal Church are confessing their sins monthly and some even more frequently. They are responding to Our Lady’s call.

They come to show their sins to the priest and Jesus with His tender compassion forgives. We were once lost, but are found when we come to Confession to receive the infinite mercy of Jesus. We joyfully return to the mystical body of Christ and therefore after we go to Confession, we return to Jesus by receiving Holy Communion in the state of grace. Recall that the word “Eucharist” means “thanksgiving.” And so every time we receive Holy Communion we are to give thanks to the Lord, who comes to dwell within us.

All of us are sinners, whom Jesus came to save, so let us resolve to quickly run to Jesus in Confession to show the priest our sins and let us return to thank Him for forgiving our sins and for receiving the grace of being able to receive Jesus in Holy Communion.

Deep down inside, we all desire to be healed from our sins. We know our sins are ugly to God, to others and to us, and we want our soul to be washed and made clean. We long to hear the words of Jesus, “Stand up and go, your faith has saved you.”

And so, we pray: Thank you Jesus for forgiving my sins and washing me, making me clean. Thank you Jesus for every grace and gift you give to me, especially my life, my faith and my friendship with you. Thank you for entering within me in Holy Communion. Thank you for the gift of Eucharistic Adoration, where I come to adore you and gaze upon you and be with you, because I love you. O Jesus, with every beat of my heart, I thank you and pray that others will be inspired to thank you and to love you. Amen.

27th Sunday - Faith

All the texts of this Sunday's Liturgy speak of faith, which is the foundation of the whole of Christian life. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us faith is “the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us” (CCC 1814).

All of us here today believe in Jesus Christ. We believe Jesus is God and that by the power of the Holy Spirit, He came down from heaven into the womb of Mary and was born in Bethlehem. We believe Jesus lived 33 years on this earth and during the last three years of His life, Our Lord worked miracles, He healed the sick, raised the dead, exorcised the possessed, walked on water, multiplied loaves and fish, calmed the storm, changed water into wine, and He proclaimed the Good News.

Jesus works miracles by faith. He told the blind man, “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

At the Last Supper Jesus changed wine into His blood and bread into His body. We believe Jesus suffered and died on the Cross and after three days He raised Himself from the dead with a new resurrected body. We believe He appeared to His apostles and many others and He ascended into heaven. We believe Jesus is at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Yet, though we cannot see Him, we believe Jesus is always at our side and that He loves us. Our faith tells us God is the author of the bible and used men to convey Himself to us through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.

We believe at every Mass the crucifixion event becomes present on the altar. We believe at Mass, heaven is opened and we join the angels and saints worshiping God. We believe at Mass, Jesus through the words of the priest changes bread and wine into His body and blood and then we receive Jesus in Holy Communion. We believe Jesus is united to us in Communion for at least 10 minutes.

We believe Jesus in the priest baptizes babies and adults. We believe Jesus unites couples in marriage. We believe Jesus anoints the sick and dying. We believe Jesus, through the priest, absolves our sins in confession. We believe Jesus sends the Holy Spirit upon us to confirm us at our Confirmation. We believe when a man is ordained by the bishop, Jesus configures his soul and acts through the priest sacramentally to pastor the people to heaven.

We believe in the Blessed Trinity, that there are three persons in one God. We believe Jesus has two natures, both human and divine and yet the person of Jesus is divine.

We believe in heaven, in hell and in purgatory. We believe at the moment of death, we will be judged. We believe at the end of the world is the general judgment and we will all rise from the dead at the general resurrection. We believe saints can intercede for us and obtain favors from us.

We believe Jesus loves us and hears our prayers even when they are not answered when and how we would like them to be answered.

In the first reading today the prophet Habakkuk had difficulty because his prayer was not answered, and so, he cried out to God, “How long, Lord, am I to cry for help while you will not listen?” But, by faith we believe, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

In the Gospel, the apostles realized they needed more faith, and so they said to Jesus, “Increase our faith!” and Jesus said, “Were your faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea’, and it would obey you.”

Pope Benedict XVI in a homily said, “Jesus taught his disciples to grow in faith, to believe and to entrust themselves increasingly to him, in order to build their own lives on the rock. For this reason they asked him "increase our faith!". What they asked the Lord for is beautiful, it is the fundamental request: disciples do not ask for material gifts, they do not ask for privileges but for the grace of faith, which guides and illumines the whole of life; they ask for the grace to recognize God and to be in a close relationship with him...”

All of us here today, have faith and we can always grow in our faith too. Faith is needed to help overcome life’s problems and difficulties. If we lack faith, we should ask God for the gift of faith and He we trust He will give it.

Some non-Catholics believe in faith alone. But, the early Christians (who were Catholic) believe in faith and works, as the Book of James, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James is stating something very simple, if we truly have faith, we will live by faith, causing us to show our love for our neighbor helping them in all their needs.

We cannot therefore say, “I believe in Jesus, and then don’t do what Jesus asks of us.” We can’t say we love Jesus, if we fail keep His commandments. He said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” If we don’t repent of our sins, (the times we failed to keep God’s commandments) our faith will be weakened and can be lost, as St. Paul said, “Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.“ (1 Timothy 1:9) Peter, our first Pope, helps us to see the joy that comes from believing in Jesus. He said, “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.” (1 Peter 1:8-9)

Jesus gives us a promise of never dying. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11: 25)

Our Lord said, if we believe in Him, we will have eternal life and be raised us on the last day. (John 6:40)

Jesus, I believe in you and because I believe in You, I will live my life as a Christian doing works of love for my neighbor, because that is what You want me to do. Out of faith, the Virgin Mary, said yes, to become your Mother, and when She stood at the foot of Your Cross, when all seemed lost, She believed you would rise from the dead, and so, I believe in You, O Lord, because I desire to be with you forever in heaven.

St. Francis of Assisi - Oct 4th - Prophecy

 

Yesterday was the memorial of St. Francis of Assisi. Bishop Kemme invited Franciscans to open a friary in Wichita, which has now been opened for several months. For these reasons, I decided to preach on St. Francis of Assisi.

Is St. Francis of Assisi the patron of Global Warming and Population Control? NO! But, he is the patron of nature because he preached the Word of God to birds, who listened to him. St. Francis literally took the words of Jesus to heart, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature”. (Mark 15:9) The birds, which landed on his shoulder would leave only after he made the sign of the Cross. God wants us to respect creation, and show us the power of God’s Word over creation.

Is there really climate change? Can the Church say there is or isn’t climate change? The short answer is its up to scientists to determine if there is climate change or not because the question deals with science. The Church has no authority to determine matters relating to science, but the Church has authority over faith and morals. This was true when Paul V in 1600’s wrongly condemned Galileo who believed the earth revolved around the sun. In 1992, Pope John Paul II, apologized for the error of Pope Paul V, 300 years earlier.

Some Globalists believe climate change is caused by an excessive number of people on earth, and to prevent it, they believe the world’s population must be reduced by lowering births through abortion, contraception and sterilization.

However, Cardinal Rigali, on Respect Life Sunday in 2009, said, “As used by population control advocates, the innocuous term ‘family planning’ includes abortifacient contraceptives, sterilization, and manual vacuum aspiration abortions. Death is not a solution to life’s problems. Only those who are blind to the transcendent reality and meaning of human life could support killing human beings to mitigate economic, social or environmental problems.”

Some have hijacked St. Francis Assisi’s love of nature, to make him the patron of the global movement, climate change and protecting “mother earth”, but this is really sacrilegious. “The Earth is, as St. Francis of Assisi explained, our Sister, not our Mother. That is, the earth is yet another part of God’s creation with no authority over us. It’s we who reign over the earth.” (National Catholic Register)

Who is the real St. Francis of Assisi? He is known as “the little beggar”. Born in 1182 in Assisi, Italy he received the baptismal name John, but his father renamed him Francesco, in honor of his love for France. The son of a wealthy merchant, Francis had time and money to host lavish banquets for young nobles. Parties and selling cloth left Francis little time for God. A charming and educated young man, he spent his early life leading young nobles to parties. He dreamed of knighthood and longed for the adventurous life of chivalry. In pursuit of that dream, he joined in the war between Assisi and Perugia at the age of 20. He was wounded and taken prisoner. While in a dungeon for a year, he contracted malaria. Ransomed by his father, a more reflective Francis returned to Assisi.

During his day, there was widespread confusion, scandals among the clergy and a decline in attendance threatened the Church.

One day, he walked inside San Damiano church falling down from old age. He knelt to pray, and asked God, what he wanted him to do, with his life. Jesus spoke to St. Francis from the cross, and said, “Build my Church, as you can see it is falling into ruin.” Francis thought the Lord wanted him to build the old church that was falling down, and so, he began to collect stones to repair it.

On the feast of St. Matthias, in 1209, he was revealed the way of life he was to follow. The Gospel of the Mass was Matthew 10: And going, preach, saying The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.... Freely have you received, freely give. Take neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses . . . nor two coats nor shoes nor a staff.... Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves.... These words suddenly became Christ's command to him. His doubts over, he cast off shoes, staff, and leather girdle, but kept his rough woolen coat, which he tied about him with a rope. Francis begged for food, wore old clothes, and preached peace. He began to speak to the people he met on the shortness of life, the need of repentance, and the love of God. His salutation to those he passed on the road was, "Our Lord give you peace." He came to discover God wanted him to start a religious order of men to spiritually build and repair Holy Mother Church.

He began to attract followers, and in 1209 with the papal blessing he founded the Friars Minor (Franciscans). Then in 1212 with St. Clare of Assisi he founded the foundation of the cloistered nuns called the “Poor Ladies," now known as the "Poor Clares." He also founded the "Third Order of Penance" (the Third Order) which included lay people. Thousands of people throughout the world began to follow his way of life, which renewed the Church.

St. Francis had a tremendous devotion to the Passion of Christ. One day, while praying, on or about the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross, he asked Jesus to allow himself to experience in a small way, what Our Lord experienced on the Cross. He then had a vision of a winged seraph, nailed to a cross, flying towards him; he also felt keen stabs of pain in hands, feet, and sides. When the vision vanished, he discovered on his body the stigmata of the crucified Christ. He is the first person (recorded) to receive the stigmata (the five wounds of Christ) in 1224. He believed his wounds were a sign of God’s love for him. The wounds given by God to St. Francis were an outward indication that St. Francis embraced his life of pain and suffering which he united to the Cross of Jesus for the salvation of souls.

One Christmas night, Francis created the first live Nativity scene, with an altar in which had real animals, a manger, and people dressed up like St. Joseph and the Virgin Mary. However, they didn’t have a child to play the baby Jesus. During the outdoor Mass, after the consecration, when the bread changed into the body of Christ, and when the priest raised the Eucharist, all present witnessed, the baby Jesus suddenly appear in the arms of St. Francis. Since then, nativity sets began to be created and placed in churches and homes.

Followers of St. Francis are also responsible for putting Stations of the Cross in churches. If it wasn’t for St. Francis, most likely churches wouldn’t have them today on their walls, nor have nativity sets at churches and in homes.

St. Francis and his followers lived a very poor life, not owning anything. He felt if he had any material objects, they would take his heart and mind away from Jesus. He had a nickname for poverty, he called it, Lady Poverty because he respected poverty as though it were a lady, who deserved respect. St. Francis saw his new way of life as rejecting riches, worldliness, and pride by living a life of poverty, penance and humility, preaching peace, conversion and repentance.

He had a great devotion to Mary. Here is one of his prayers: “Holy Virgin Mary, among women, there is no one like you born into the world, you are the daughter and the servant of the most high, and supreme King and Father of heaven, you are the Mother of our most holy Lord Jesus Christ, you are the spouse of the Holy Spirit. Pray for us, with St. Michael the archangel, and all the powers of heaven and all the saints, to your most holy and beloved Son, our Lord and Master, Amen.”

Because of Saint Francis’ devotion to the Eucharist, he wanted churches to be clean, in good repair, and beautiful to honor Jesus. He spent much of his time in prayer in the Church of San Damiano, and one of his early works of charity was to repair churches. Although he greatly valued poverty and did not spend money on himself, he wanted the best, most beautiful sacred vessels to be used in churches. He wrote, “Above everything else, I want this most Holy Sacrament to be honored and venerated and reserved in places which are richly ornamented.”

Highlighting his respect for priests, the Mass, and the Eucharist, he said, “Let the whole of mankind tremble, the whole world shake, and the heavens exalt, when Christ, the Son of the living God, is present on the altar, in the hands of the priest. O admirable heights, and sublime lowliness! O sublime humility! O humble sublimity! That the Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles Himself that for our salvation, He hides Himself under the little form of bread! Look brothers at the humility of God and pour out your hearts before Him!”

Besides introducing devotions to Catholicism, like the Nativity scene, the stations of the Cross, devotion to Mary, devotion to Christ’s Passion, he is also know for introducing Eucharistic Adoration, which began to blossom throughout the world because of him.

St. Francis is known for a prophecy. He said, “The time is fast approaching in which there will be great trials and afflictions; perplexities and dissensions, both spiritual and temporal, will abound; the charity of many will grow cold, and the malice of the wicked will increase. The devils will have unusual power, the immaculate purity of our Order, and of others, will be so much obscured that there will be very few Christians who will obey the true Sovereign Pontiff and the Roman Church with loyal hearts and perfect charity. At the time of this tribulation a man, not canonically elected, will be raised to the Pontificate, who, by his cunning, will endeavor to draw many into error and death. Then scandals will be multiplied, our Order will be divided, and many others will be entirely destroyed, because they will consent to error instead of opposing it. There will be such diversity of opinions and schisms among the people, the religious and the clergy, that, except those days were shortened, according to the words of the Gospel, even the elect would be led into error, were they not specially guided, amid such great confusion, by the immense mercy of God. Those who preserve in their fervor and adhere to virtue with love and zeal for the truth, will suffer injuries and, persecutions as rebels and schismatics. Choosing to obey God rather than man, they will fear nothing, and they will prefer to perish rather than consent to falsehood and perfidy. Some preachers will keep silence about the truth, and others will trample it under foot and deny it. The sanctity of life will be held in derision even by those who outwardly profess it, for in those days Jesus Christ will send them not a true pastor, but a destroyer."

Francis died at the age of 44 on October 3rd, 1226 at Assisi in church of Our Lady of the Angels called the Portiuncula. He was canonized by Pope Gregory IX less than two years later.

Today, let us grow in our devotion and love of St. Francis of Assisi. The next time you see a bird bath with St. Francis, don’t think of him as merely a nature lover, but think of him as one who repaired the Church, by living and preaching the Gospel, accepting suffering, meditating on the Passion of Christ, his devotion Mary and Jesus in the Eucharist and his life of penance, humility, conversion and peace, rejecting the world with its riches and pride.

St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us, and please help us repair the Church today, who as you can see is falling into ruin.

Guardian Angels Oct 2nd

 

I’m going to ask you a question, and most likely you have never done what I’m going to ask you. Have you ever told your guardian angel, “I love you!” Why not, he loves you! I would like to encourage you to do that today and also in the future.

“He has given His angels charge over you, to guard you in all your ways.” Today, we celebrate the memorial of the Guardian Angels.

There are three hierarchies of angels. The highest are angels, which offer continuous praise to God. The middle hierarchy of angels are those, which serve Him as messengers. And the lowest hierarchy is those who serve as guardians of men, here on earth.

Those who serve God as guardians and protectors of men on earth are called Guardian Angels. Jesus refers to guardian angels in today’s gospel. He said, “…for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”

As Catholics, we believe each person has a Guardian Angel, who watches over us during the whole course of our life.

There is a 7 minute video called “The Veil Removed.” It shows what mystics believe happens during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In the video, a pregnant woman is sitting in the pew and she suddenly sees two angels (one is her guardian angel and the other is the guardian angel of her unborn baby).

It is generally accepted doctrine that communities, the Church, dioceses, and nations also have angels which watch over them. For example, the angel, who appeared to the three children of Fatima, is believed to the angel of Portugal, who identified himself as the Angel of Peace.

Guardian angels defend us from the assaults of the demons, endeavoring to preserve us from sin and the occasions of sin. They strive to keep us on the right path; if we fall they will help us to rise back up again. They encourage us to be more and more virtuous. They suggest good thoughts and holy desires. They offer our prayers and actions to God and above all they assist us at the hour of death.

We know that some saints such as St. Padre Pio have seen their angels and had conversations with them. Padre Pio was assaulted by demons, but was also protected and comforted by his Guardian angel. He wrote a letter to his spiritual director in whom he speaks about his attacks from devils, but also mentions his guardian angel. After the attack happened, Padre Pio’s angel said to him, “I am always near you, dear friend. I will always walk near you…This love I have for you-- will not end, even when you die.”

By these words of St. Padre Pio, we can see that our angels are always near us, walk with us and that they love us, not only now but through all eternity.

As the book of Exodus states, “See I am sending an angel before you, to guard you on your way and bring you to the place I have prepared. Be attentive to Him and heed his voice.”

Today and every day, may we pray to our Guardian Angel in times of temptations, when we want to know what to do, and when we seek advice on how to grow in holiness. And may Our Lady, Queen of the Angels, send holy angels to care for our every need, that we ever draw closer to Her Son!

St. Therese of Lisieux Oct 1st (Follow Me!)

In the Gospel today, Jesus and His disciples were on a journey, when Jesus said, “Follow me”. The man wanted to do something else before following Jesus. But Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow, and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.” In other words, Jesus was telling him, he needs to follow Him now, not later.

When Jesus began to travel many different towns, as He traveled, He healed many, who were sick. Many would come to listen to His talks, and wanted to follow Him, and do what He would tell them to do. Some said they would do what He told them, but only after they did other things first. However, Jesus wanted them to follow right away, because He knew if they wouldn’t follow Him now, they would later change their mind and not follow Him at all.

Today is the memorial of St. Therese of Lisieux. From the young age of nine, St. Therese knew she was called to be a Carmelite nun, a spouse of Christ. Unlike the men in the Gospel who wanted to do other things before they followed Jesus, she had no intentions of delaying her call.

When she first sought permission at age 14, she was not granted entrance into the Convent. The priest-director did not want her to enter until she was twenty-one.

St. Therese then asked the bishop, to let her enter when she was fifteen. She even tried to appear more mature by putting her hair up. Her effort was once again unsuccessful. Therese’s father strongly believed in her calling that he decided to take her on a pilgrimage to Rome in hope of asking the pope for permission to pursue her calling.

In her book, Story of a Soul, St. Therese shares her memory of this day: “We entered the Vatican through the sovereign Pontiff’s chapel. Our emotion was profound when we saw him [Pope Leo XIII] enter to celebrate the Holy Mass.

After the Mass, the audience began… We passed in front of him in procession; each pilgrim knelt in turn, kissed the foot and hand of Leo XIII received his blessing, and two guards touched [the pilgrims] as a sign to rise. Before entering the pontifical apartment, I was really determined to speak, but I felt my courage weaken when I saw Father Reverony [leader of the pilgrimage] standing by the Holy Father’s right side. Almost at the same instant, they told us on the Pope’s behalf that is was forbidden to speak, as this would prolong the audience too much. I turned toward my (sister) dear Celine for advice: “Speak!”, she said. A moment later I was at the Holy Father’s feet. I kissed his slipper, and he presented his hand, but instead of kissing it I joined my own lifting my tear-filled eyes to his face, I cried out: “Most Holy Father, I have a great favor to ask you!” The Sovereign Pontiff lowered his head toward me and I saw his eyes… fixed on me and they seemed to penetrate to the depths of my soul. “Holy Father, in honor of your Jubilee, permit me to enter Carmel at the age of fifteen!” Emotion undoubtedly made my voice tremble. He turned to Father Reverony who was staring at me with surprise and displeasure and said: “I don’t understand very well.” “Most Holy Father,” answered the Vicar General, “this is a child who wants to enter Carmel at the age of fifteen, but the Superiors are considering the matter at the moment.” The Holy Father replied, looking kindly, “Well, my child,” “do what the Superiors tell you!” I made a final effort, stating in a suppliant voice: “Oh! Holy Father, if you say yes, everybody will agree!” He gazed at me steadily, speaking these words and stressing each syllable: “Go… go… You will enter if God wills it!” The two guards touched me politely to make me rise. As this was not enough, they took me by the arms and Father Reverony helped them lift me, for I stayed there with joined hands resting on the knees of Leo XIII. It was with force they dragged me from his feet. At that moment I was thus lifted, the Holy Father place his hands on my lips then raised it to bless me. The two guards literally carried me to the door.

On January 1, 1888, the bishop gave St. Therese the answer she was waiting for. She was granted permission to enter Le Carmel but had to wait three until after her sixteenth birthday. On April 9th, 1888, she began her life as a novice and lived as a religious sister in the convent for nine years, until her death at age twenty-four.

Today, pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life, may young people respond without delay to the voice of Jesus saying, “Follow Me!” taking vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

Michael, Gabriel, Raphael Archangels Sept 29th

 

Today is the feast of the Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.

The history of the former feast of the Apparition of St. Michael is very remarkable. In the year 404, a wealthy man had a large herd of cattle grazing on Monte Gargano in Italy, not far from the once famous city of Siponto. One day a steer went astray from the herd and did not return with the rest of the cattle at the usual time. The owner and his hired men went in search of the steer, and finally found him on the summit of the mountain, lying at the entrance of a cave. The animal refused to leave the spot. At length the owner, exasperated by its stubbornness, took up his bow and sent an arrow toward it. However, the arrow whirled about in the air, and, coming directly toward the archer, wounded him.

All were frightened at this strange incident, and no one ventured to approach the place. They went directly to the Bishop of Siponto and related the incident to him. The holy prelate, after serious reflection, decided that there must be some mystery connected with it. He therefore prayed fervently that God's holy will, might be revealed. Thereupon St. Michael appeared to him in great splendor and said: “I am Michael, the Archangel, whoever stand before the Lord. I am keeping this place under my special protection. By this strange occurrence, I wish to remind men to celebrate the Divine service in my honor and that of all the Angels."

After this revelation, the Bishop and all the inhabitants of the place went up the mountain in solemn procession, and prayed to the Lord through the intercession of St. Michael. When they arrived at the cave, they found an entrance which led down a stairway. No one, however, ventured to enter, and they performed their devotions at the opening. After that many pilgrimages came to this spot.

Meantime, the Neapolitans decided to make war upon the inhabitants of Siponto and Benevento. The latter, at the advice of their Bishop, kept a three days' fast and called upon the assistance of the holy Archangel. During the night preceding the attack, the Archangel again appeared to the Bishop and told him that God had listened to their petitions, that in the fourth hour of the day they should courageously meet the enemy, and they would gain the victory.

As soon as the attack began, all Monte Gargano was violently shaken. The entire summit was enveloped in dark clouds, from which flashes of lightning, like fiery arrows, flew toward the enemy, who, in consequence, took to flight. In joy and gratitude, and amid devout prayer, the conquerors entered the sacred spot. They found the cavern to be perfectly formed for a church, which could hold about five hundred persons.

This cave had evidently been a place of refuge in which the early Christians had secretly held their services during times of persecution.

From a crevice in the rock, which formed the ceiling of this sanctuary, water dripped down upon the rocks. This water was very refreshing and most pleasant to the taste, and possessed healing properties. Many sick persons were instantly cured after drinking this water; others found health through the intercession of St. Michael. Many other miracles proved this place to be under the special protection of Heaven. Besides this subterranean church the Bishop erected another, in which the services were conducted by Canons Regular. This church still exists.

Today, let us ask Our Lady Queen of the Angels, to send St. Michael frequently to throughout the day. May we trust in his protection and care, knowing he will help us, especially when we have concerns about evil spirits.

26th Sunday, Lazarus & Help the Poor

 

Today’s readings are about a failure to love and care for our neighbors, due to selfishness.

Failing to love and care for one’s neighbor results in condemnation as can be seen in the first reading from the prophet Amos-- to the leaders of the people of Israel. He said, “Woe to the complacent in Zion! Lying upon beds of ivory, stretched comfortably on their couches, they eat lambs taken from the flock, and calves from the stall!” Because their hearts were closed and ignored the needs of the poor, all the while living a sumptuous life, God would send the people Israel into exile as a punishment.

The Gospel has a similar message. The rich man lived a sumptuous life, all the while ignoring the needs of the poor man, Lazarus, because he was selfish and had an uncaring heart. When the poor man dies, he is taken to the bosom of Abraham, but when the rich man dies, he is taken to the netherworld for punishment, for his lack of love and concern for the poor man, Lazarus.

Pope John Paul II explains why the rich man was punished. In his homily at Yankee stadium in 1979, he said, “The rich man was condemned because he did not pay attention to the other man. Because he failed to take notice of Lazarus, the person who sat at his door and who longed to eat the scraps from his table. Nowhere does Christ condemn the mere possession of earthly goods as such. Instead, he pronounces very harsh words against those who use their possessions in a selfish way, without paying attention to the needs of others.”

Today’s readings are awake up call for us. Not out of fear of punishment, but to examine how we love our neighbor. We need to look into our heart, but also to look around us at the needs of others. Are we using the material goods that God has given us—to help others? Or are we selfish with our goods? Do pay attention only to our own desires and needs, while failing to pay attention to the needs of the poor?

Don’t most of us desire things merely because we want them, rather than because we need them? Couldn’t all of us do a better job at opening the door of our heart to Lazarus? If the door of heart is open and we pay attention-- we will see Lazarus everywhere.

Lazarus is in our poor relative, who lost his job and can’t afford to pay his gas and electric bills. He is in the young woman at the Crisis Pregnancy center. He is the single working mother with children. He is in the divorced who suffer from loneliness and poverty. Lazarus is the poor soul in purgatory, who no one prays. Lazarus is the sick who carries a heavy cross. Lazarus is in those mourning the loss of a loved one.

The Catholic Church has a teaching called the principle of subsidiarity, which states that matters should be handled at the lowest level first. For example, when we help others, we are obligated to first take care of our own family members, then those from our parish, then those in our local community, and those in our country and finally those in foreign countries.

Do we financially support our relatives, those in the parish and, those in our local community.

But, what if we have little money to help others, how can we help Lazarus at our door? We can volunteer at crisis pregnancy centers or volunteer to help other charitable organizations. One of the best things, we can do to help the poor, is to pray for them, and pray that God will inspire those that can help them, to open their hearts.

Who actually is Lazarus? Obviously, Lazarus is every poor person. But whom does Lazarus represent? Matthew Chap. 25 explains who the person is--- in the context of the obligation of helping the poor in the light of the final judgment. Jesus said, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him... He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me….., for what you did for the least of my brothers, you did for me. Then He will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.”

We see in this scripture, “Jesus is disguised in the poor”. Today, may we open our hearts to serve Jesus in the poor, by paying attention to the needs of others and helping them. And, when our earthly life will have ended, we will be carried by angels to rest in the bosom of God our Father in heaven, who will say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”, you paid attention to the needs of others, you have opened your heart and so have loved much, come and enjoy the banquet prepared for you by my Father.

24th Friday Eucharist - Medjugorje

 

What is the role of Our Lady? Always Her primary role is the bring Her spiritual children to Her Son Jesus.

After the Rosary on Apparition Hill yesterday, as I was climbing down the pathway from the top, Ivan came by and I said his name, “Ivan!” He stopped and I said, “May I give you a blessing?” He smiled and nodded his head. I gave him a priestly blessing and he said, “Come tonight to my house!” I said, “What time?” He said, “4:45pm”. I said, “Okay, I’ll see you there.” He smiled and went down the hill in the most rapid manner like a goat.

When I arrived later at 4:45pm, the chapel at Ivan’s house, was filled with priests and there were about 7 religious sisters and brothers. We prayed the Rosary then he had an apparition that lasted about 5 minutes. During the apparition, I prayed for all of you, for the people of my parish, my family and godchildren, for Ivanna and her family.

After the Virgin Mary, Our Lady Queen of Peace departed, he explained what our Lady said, he said she prayed over the priests and prayed over our parishes and for each diocese from where the priest is from. She then said to the priests, “Open your parishes to perpetual adoration and they will be renewed.” Ivan said when She spoke about priests and religious, she always said, “My dear children, by beloved.”

In the US, there are many perpetual adoration chapels. My diocese of Wichita most every parish has either perpetual adoration or extended adoration. Some parishes are too small to have perpetual. When I was assigned to my parish of Holy Trinity, a very small parish with 60 families, I preached on Eucharistic Adoration on Sundays and then we started adoration. In fact, today is the 5^th anniversary of Sept 19^th of starting continuous adoration. We have adoration from Sunday after the 8am Mass until Tuesday morning at 7am. The people signed up for 42 continuous hours of adoration. Over 70% of all families signed up for a Holy Hour.

In the Gospel today, the apostles and other women, Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna followed Jesus wherever He went. He preached the kingdom of God and proclaimed the Good News. Just as they wanted to be with Jesus, we too can be in His physical presence.

In the Eucharist is truly Jesus in His resurrected body. Do you spend time with Jesus in the Eucharist? Do you go to your church on a regular basis to be with Jesus? Find a parish near you that has perpetual adoration. Look to see if they have an opening that you can sign up to make a Holy Hour with Jesus every week. Jesus told Peter, James and John during His agony in the garden, “Will you not spend one hour with me?”

During adoration Jesus touches our soul and heals our wounds (spiritual, emotional, and physical). Untold graces are poured out upon us when we are sitting before Jesus in adoration.

The word adoration means “to gaze upon someone with love.” One day, St. John Vianney saw a man sitting in his church. He noticed the man sitting there every day for hours. He walked up to the man and said, “What are you saying to Jesus as you sit here all day?” The man said, “Nothing, I just look at Him and He looks at me!”

A saint said, “When you make a Holy Hour many souls go to heaven, who otherwise would have gone to hell.” St Carlo Acutis said, “The Eucharist is the highway to heaven.” He also said, “When we stand under the sun, we get sun tanned. If we spend time with Jesus before the Blessed Sacrament, we become holy.”

In the Eucharist Jesus longs for you to be with Him. When you go before Him, give Him your fears, worries and your heartaches. When are with Jesus ask Him for advice. Ask Him to touch the hearts of your family members, your friends and your enemies. And be sure to sit and listen to Jesus.

Pope Paul VI said, “When you make a Holy Hour, graces are poured out, not only on you, but your family, your parish and the entire world.”

When Our Lady comes as Queen of Peace, She wants to bring every person to Her Son, the King of Peace. Our Lady told priests when they start perpetual adoration their parishes will be renewed.

My friends, if you want peace in your heart, in your families and in the world, come and bow down in humble reverence before the King of Peace and allow yourself to be an instrument of peace. When you gaze upon the Eucharist you will gaze upon the humility of Christ. Jesus humbles Himself to take on the appearance of bread, but it's not bread at all. It is truly Jesus. St. Francis of Assisi said, “Let the world shake, let all mankind tremble, when the Son of God, God Himself becomes present in the hands of the priest. Look brothers at the humility of God! Humble yourself as Jesus humbled Himself. O sublime dignity. O humble sublimity.”

Finally, I would like to encourage you to give reverence to Jesus before Holy Communion by bowing your head, or genuflect or kneel. And pray about receiving Holy Communion on the tongue. Your tongue becomes a throne for the King and prevents Sacred Particles from falling to the ground when received on the hand. The Council of Trent taught that every particle of the Sacred Host is the true presence of Jesus.

Surely, the Virgin Mary received Jesus on the tongue from John the Apostle when She attended his Masses. After all, he took her into his home and as an apostle he offered Mass.

When we enter a Catholic Church, before going inside the pew, we are required to genuflect, not to the altar, but to Jesus in the tabernacle, because He as King of Heaven and Earth is truly present. We go down on our right knee, which by the way is reserved to God alone. When a man proposes to a girl to be his wife, he is to genuflect on his left knee, which is for human beings, but the right knee is reserved to God alone. Early Christians were killed for refusing to genuflect on their right knee to idols and/or images of the emperor, who claimed to be a god.

May Our Lady, help you to grow in love with Her Son in the Eucharist and spend time with Him in adoration and try to be with Him often as the apostles and the holy women in today’s Gospel.

Our Lady Queen of Peace, bring us to Jesus, You Son, the King of Peace, so as to receive Him daily at Mass and adore Him in Eucharistic Adoration. We have a tabernacle in the small chapel of Magnificat. There is Adoration next door at Oasis of Peace and there is a perpetual adoration chapel near St James Church, which has adoration from 2 to 4:30pm. How moving to see over 5000 pilgrims adore Jesus at night.

Let us give thanks to God for sending the Blessed Mother, the Queen of Peace, to us, here on earth, so as to draw all of us to Jesus, Her Son in the Eucharist, the King of Peace.

Triumph of the Cross (Sunday)

Today is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The public veneration of the Cross of Christ originated in the fourth century, beginning with the miraculous discovery of the cross on September 14, 326, by Saint Helena, mother of the emperor Constantine. Out of an aversion to Christianity, heathens had done all in their power to conceal the place where it lay, and where Jesus was buried. They heaped upon His sepulcher a great quantity of stones and rubbish, besides building a temple to Venus. They also erected a statue to Jupiter in the place where Jesus rose from the dead.

Helena ordered the profane building to be pulled down, the statues to be broken in pieces, and the rubbish to be removed; and upon digging to a great depth, they discovered the Holy Sepulcher, and near it three crosses; also the nails which had pierced our Savior’s body, and the title which had been affixed to his cross. By this discovery they understood that one of the three crosses was that of Jesus and that the other two belonged to the two who were crucified with Jesus. The title was found separate from the cross.

The three crosses were carried in procession to the bed of a woman, who was at the point of death. The touch of the first two had no effect, but when the woman was touched, with the last Cross, the woman suddenly got better. St. Helena wanted to check for herself if this was the True Cross, so she asked that a man, who was already dead and buried, be taken to the Cross. And when he came in contact with the Cross, he became alive.

St. John Chrysostom describes the incredible triumph of the Cross. He said, “You have observed His outstanding triumph, the splendid achievement of the cross. Now let me tell you something even more remarkable, the manner in which He gained His victory, and you will marvel all the more! Christ conquered the devil using the same means and the same weapons that the devil used to win. Let me tell you how this occurred.

The symbols of our fall were a virgin, a tree and death. The virgin was Eve (for she had not yet known man); then there was the tree; and death was Adam’s penalty. And again these three tokens of our destruction, the virgin, the tree and death, became the tokens of our victory. Instead of Eve there was Mary; instead of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the wood of the cross; instead of Adam’s death, the death of Christ.

Do you see then that the devil was defeated by the very means he used to conquer? By a tree the devil laid Adam low, and by a tree Christ defeated him... The first death condemned those who were born afterward, but the second death raised up even those who were born before… Do you now understand the victory and the way it was won?

Learn now how this victory was achieved without any labor or effort of our own. We bloodied no weapons, nor stood on the battle line, nor bore any wounds, nor saw any fighting, and yet we won the victory. It was the Lord’s combat, but ours was the crown. And since it is our victory, let us be like soldiers and raise joyous voices in song in praise of our achievement. Praising the Lord let us say: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’"

All this was the glorious result of the cross. The cross is our trophy raised against the demons, our sword against sin, and the sword Christ used to pierce the serpent. The cross is the Father’s will, the glory of the only-begotten, the joy of the Spirit, the pride of the angels, the guarantee of the Church, Paul’s boast, the bulwark of the saints, and the light of the entire world.”

Let us not forget, that His Mother Mary stood beneath Her Son’s Cross. May we contemplate in our heart what She endured gazing upon Her crucified Son.