1st Sunday of Advent - Roaring of the Seas

 

Today begins Advent a time for preparation for Christmas, but also a time in preparation for Our Lord’s Second Coming.

The second coming Jesus will come glory and majesty on the clouds of heaven for all to see. He will be escorted by an army of angels, and come as judge - the Lord our Justice.

In the Gospel, Jesus speaks about what will happen prior to His judgment. He said, “there will be signs in the sun, moon and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves”.

In other places in scripture, Jesus also mentions earthquakes, wars, famines and stars falling from the sky?

Are all of these literal events or not?

Scott Hahn in his St. Ignatius New Testament Bible commentary states the words: the sun being darkened, the moon not shedding it light etc.. are not to be taken as literal events, but rather events causing great shock in the world.

However, what are we to think about 1917 when the sun a zig zaged and then appeared to fall from the sky at Fatima? Or the comet that struck Jupiter in July 0f 1994. Or people who saw the sun dance in Medjugorje? And what about the tidal wave in Asia in 2004 that killed over a hundred thousand people or hurricane Katrina that devastated New Orleans in 2005? Or the earthquake that killed 10,000 in Iran in 2003? Are these signs that Jesus is coming to judge the world soon? And what about future prophecies?

Are these events indicating the Second Coming is near and in our life time?

Some saints take the words of Jesus as literal. For example, St. Patrick said 7 years before the day of judgment Ireland will be destroyed in the sea, because he said the people of Ireland will never be under the dominion of the Antichrist.

And Our Lady told Sister Sasagawa in 1973, at Akita Japan, “Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful. The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead.”

A small booklet called the Antichrist written by a priest who taught in the seminary in France in the late 1800’s is at odds with Scott Hahn. He describes these events prior to the second coming as both literal and symbolic. With regard to symbolism, he said, The earth represents the kingdom of Satan. The sun represents the Catholic Church the vehicle of God’s supernatural light. The moon symbolizes lawful civil government, which has as its light a reflection of the sun (the Church). Stars represent bishops of the Church. The fallen stars represent the apostasy of bishops. A diminution of the sun and moon would mean the Church would lose Her influence over the mankind. The government would become agents of the Antichrist and therefore not reflect the truth.” pg. 39 Antichrist. Fr. P. Huchede

Has not the Church lost her influence over mankind? For example, the body of US bishops failed to confront Catholic government leaders, who receive Holy Communion sacrilegiously due to their public support of abortion, embryonic stem research and same sex unions?

And throughout the world, is not apostasy (the loss of faith) spreading everywhere especially in Germany? Is not the moon, representing the civil government no longer reflecting the sun (the teachings of the Church), when government leaders are unwilling to live by and proclaim their faith publicly.

In another words, one source says we are to take these events as literal and symbolic and another source says we should take these events as only literal. The Church does not have a definitive statement one way or the other, so we can believe which ever we want. As symbolic only or both symbolic and literal.

But what matters is Our Lord wants us to be prepared when He will come on the clouds of heaven because no one knows the day nor the hour. Jesus said what we are to do, He said, “Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man?” “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.”

Even worse then fire falling from the sky or earthquakes, tidal waves, famines and war, is the state of our soul, if we are not prepared to die. We don’t want to have a mortal sin on our soul when we die or when Jesus comes to judge the living and the dead.

It would be horrible to hear of thousands of people dying by natural calamities, but not be afraid of what kills the body only what can kill the soul. We should be afraid of the state of our soul when we die or when at the Second Coming of Jesus.

Its natural to be afraid to die or afraid of pain that comes with dying, and especially the anguish of leaving loved ones behind. Most people would be afraid. But we are called to a supernatural way of viewing death.

The saints show us the way. The young girl, St. Agnes, was a Christian condemned to death for merely being Christian. When she was about to die, she guided the executioner’s hand to help him to cut her head off, which caused him to tremble at her faith in Jesus.

When St. Lawrence was being burned to death on a grid iron, he joked to the killers they could turn him over on the other side.

St Perpetua was ready and willing to be thrown to the wild beasts even though she was nursing her son, because she valued being with Jesus more than her child, her family and her life. The saints knew by their martyrdom, they had a straight shot to heaven and God is more important than everything else.

How many good deeds have we done for the poor? Have we given our time, talent and treasure for others? Have we read the bible to learn about who God is and what He has done for us? How often have we gone to confession? Do we pray the Rosary everyday? How many times did we receive Jesus in Holy Communion? How often do we pray? Did we pray for those who depend upon our prayers? Have we forgiven every one who has hurt us?

Many of you do very well with regard to prayer as you come to adore Jesus during your weekly Holy Hour. You pray the Rosary, read scripture and pray to Jesus for others.

But during Advent we reflect upon how we could do things even better such as not just going to confession twice a year, but rather monthly. Not to just pray the Rosary once a week, but to pray it daily. To use our time, talent and gifts for others especially our family and community and also the Church.

In a nutshell, we should do everything we can-- to be holy and to live a life of virtue and love? Even though we all fall short, God is merciful. Let us keep our heart and mind on heaven and not worry or be afraid of the signs preceding the 2^nd Coming. What do we have to fear if we have Jesus in this life and long to be with Him forever in heaven?

As St. Paul said, “May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His holy ones. Amen.”

Nov. 27th - Miraculous Medal

 

Today is the feast day of the Miraculous Medal. It was the second apparition of Mary to St. Catherine Laboure when she gave her the miraculous medal. It was Saturday November 27, 1830, the eve of the First Sunday of Advent, St Catherine saw our Lady with an aureole around her, on which was written in golden letters “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” Our Lady’s command was: “Have a medal struck on this model. Those who wear the medal around their neck will receive great graces; my graces will be very abundant for all those who trust in me.”

Sr Catherine with the help of her Spiritual director got the medal produced and it was originally called the "Medal of the Immaculate Conception". Since there was a plague in France at the time and there was many cures through the medal the people of France just called it the "Miraculous Medal".

On the front of the medal we see Mary standing with her heel crushing the head of the serpent, Satan who is on top of the world. Mary is showing us that she is the immaculate "New Eve" who was never conquered by Satan to sin. During the apparition Catherine could see rays coming from Mary's hands down onto the world. These are the graces that Mary obtains for us from her Divine Son Jesus to help us conquer Satan and his temptations for us to sin. This helps us to know that Mary is the "Mediatrix of all Graces".

Catherine saw gaps in the rays coming from Mary's hands and she asked Mary the reason for that and Mary told her the missing rays were to symbolize the graces she could get for people but they do not ask her to get them. Around the border of the medal during the apparition Sr Catherine saw the prayer "O Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to thee" which again shows that Mary is the sinless New Eve.

Around the border of the back of the medal we see 12 stars which symbolize the Church which Jesus founded on the 12 Apostles. It also represents Mary’s Queenship as we see in the book of Revelation in which Mary is crowned with 12 stars.

The center of the medal we see a Cross on top of an Altar with a large M underneath. The Cross reminds us of Our Lord’s suffering and death which brought about our redemption. The "M" beneath the Cross symbolizes Mary our Mother who stood and suffered at the foot of the Cross at Calvary as her Divine Son suffered for our sins. It symbolizes Mary’s co-redemption and this large "M" beneath the Cross also symbolizes Mary’s spiritual motherhood.

Underneath the large M there are two hearts burning with Love for mankind. On the left is the Sacred and Divine Heart of Jesus which is on fire with so much Love for mankind that he died on the Cross for all of us. His Heart is crowned with thorns by our sins but also by the pain He suffers because so many of us do not really believe that He loves us even though He suffered so much to prove that to us.

The Heart of Mary is also on fire with love for us because She became our Mother, when She became the Mother of Jesus. Her heart is pierced with the tremendous Sword of suffering and Sorrow of Calvary which was predicted to her by Saint Simeon when Jesus was presented as a child in the Temple. Mary loves us so much because Jesus Loves us so much.

Today, may we repeat the words of the miraculous medal often, seeking Mary’s intercession, “O Mary, Conceived without sin, pray for us, who have recourse to thee.”

34th Friday - Fig Tree

 

In the Gospel today, Jesus spoke of the fig tree, which was very common in the area in which the people lived at that time. He said, “When buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near, in the same way you see these things happening know that the Kingdom of God is near.” Our Lord uses this parable to explain that it should be easy to see the kingdom of God and natural to see it as well. If everyone can see a fig tree blossom, then everyone can see the kingdom of God among them and so come to realize the Kingdom of God is near.

The fruit of what Jesus was doing was proof that the Kingdom of God was very near. The healing of the sick, the expelling of demons, miracles, and His forgiving of sins, all were signs that the Kingdom of God was blossoming among them. But most importantly, they could come to understand that the Kingdom of God was very near, because He Himself was present among them.

Today, what are the signs that the Kingdom of God is among us? What is blossoming for all to see? Perhaps, we can point to the fact that we have continuous Eucharistic adoration is a sign that the Kingdom of God is near and among us. Our Lord’s true presence in the Eucharist is the ultimate sign that the Kingdom of God is near and among us.

People, who devote themselves to praying one hour before Our Lord’s true presence in the Eucharist, attest to this fact. Adorers are a sign that the Kingdom of God is near as they come to adore Jesus in the Eucharist, they bow down before the King and pray for their own needs, the needs of their family and friends, the needs of the parish, and the needs of the whole world. And people who come to know we are praying before Jesus in the Eucharist will see for themselves that the Kingdom of God is near. We become the blossoming fruit.

As we come to receive to Holy Communion, may all discover the Kingdom of God is among us, and is very near to us in the Eucharist, because God Himself is with us!

First Thanksgiving - St. Augustine Florida

      HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I’m so happy this is the first Thanksgiving I ever had with (Indians) Red Skins. Today, Americans gather with their families to thank God for all He has done for us. The first American Thanksgiving was not at Plymouth Rock in 1621 as we were taught in school. Rather, the first Thanksgiving was on September 8, 1565 at St. Augustine, Florida the oldest city of our present day United States, when the landing of Captain General Pedro Menendez and his fleet of soldiers and colonists.

In an official ceremony Don Pedro Menendez came ashore amid the sounding of trumpets, artillery salutes and the firing of cannons to claim the land for King Philip II and Spain. One of the priests on the boat, Fr. Francisco Lopez, who had gone ashore the previous day, advanced to meet Don Pedro, chanting the Te Deum carrying a cross which Menendez and those with him reverently kissed. Then the 500 soldiers, 200 sailors and 100 families and artisans, along with the Timucuan Indians from a nearby village, gathered at a makeshift altar, and a Mass in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary was offered. The Mass was followed by a feast shared by the Spanish and the Timucuan Indians. The Timucuans brought wild turkey, deer meat, oysters and giant clams, as well as maize, beans, squash, nuts and fruits. The Spaniards contribution was a stew made with pork, garbanzo beans and onions, along with biscuits, olive oil and red wine.

For Catholic Spaniards the Mass was the most important way of thanking God for arriving safely. The word “Eucharist” means thanksgiving. Whenever we come to Mass we thank God for the gift of being able to receive Jesus in Holy Communion and attend Holy Mass.

This year we should especially thank God for Eucharistic Adoration and the many faithful adorers who come to be with Jesus.

There are so many things we should be thankful for. We can thank the good Lord for all the gifts in our life and talents and the gift to be able to help others and love others. Not only should we thank God for the gift of the sun, moon, stars and all of His creation, we should thank Him for the gift of our life, the gift of our family. The gift of our jobs, home, food, clothing, our health and providing for all our needs. We should be thankful for the gift of being able to live in a free country and thankful for those who serve in the military and those who died for our country and all our country’s resources.

We should thank God for the gift of our faith, the gift of our baptism, the gift of confirmation, the gift of all the times God forgave us in Confession and all the Holy Masses we attended Communions received. For some the sacrament of marriage, for priests we thank God for the gift of holy priesthood.

We should even thank God for the gift of pain, suffering, disease and illnesses which are really gifts in disguise. God permits pain and suffering to purify our soul. It atones for our sins and the sins of others (reducing our purgatory time), draws us closer to God and can be used to bring about the conversion of sinners. We praise the Lord in the midst of our storms because He is with us through them. We thank the Lord because our help comes from the Lord, who wipes away our tears and gives us peace, no matter the circumstances of life. If we thank God for hardships, difficulties, pains and sufferings we enter into the mystery of the Holy Mass which is an offering up of the sacrifice of Jesus to the Father, in which we are eternally grateful --because through the suffering and death of Jesus, we have the opportunity to gain eternal life and we thank Jesus for coming to dwell within us in Holy Communion, where our heart is united to His.

And let us thank someone, rarely thanked, the Virgin Mary, who constantly intercedes for us before the throne of Her Son. Her magnificat is a prayer of thanksgiving for all God has done for Her and for us, through Her. Every generation calls Her blessed because every generation receives blessings through Her. Thank You, O Blessed Mother, for every grace and gift we have received through your hands, you are the Mediatrix of All Graces and please thank God for everything He has given us and will give us in the future especially the gift of eternal life. Amen.

 

Nov. 24th - St. Andrew Dung Lac & Companion Martyrs

 

Today, we celebrate the memorial of the martyrs, Andrew Dung-Lac, priest, and companions. In the beginning of the sixteenth century the first sowing of the Gospel of Christ began among the Vietnamese people. The seed of the Gospel grew through the blood of martyrs and the spiritual joy of the newly baptized faithful. During the 17^th, 18^th, and 19^th centuries, particularly during the reign of the Emperor Minh-Mang from 1820 to 1840, many Christians received the martyr’s crown.

These included, bishops, priests, men and women religious and members of the laity. All suffered torments of various kinds for their Christian faith and fidelity to the Cross of Christ and bore witness to Christ’s Church and the true religion established by Christ.

Some of the martyrs were decapitated, others hanged, others burned, or whipped to death, and others died during their imprisonment. In 1988, Pope John Paul II declared 117 Vietnamese martyrs-- as saints.

While in prison, St. Paul, one of the martyr companions of St. Andrew, wrote a letter. In his letter he writes: “The prison here is a true image of everlasting hell: to cruel tortures of every kind—shackles, iron chains, manacles—are added hatred, vengeance, calumnies, obscene speech, quarrels, evil acts, swearing, curses, as well as anguish and grief.

But, the God who once freed the three children from the fiery furnace is with me always; He has delivered me from these tribulations and made them sweet, for His mercy is forever. In the midst of these torments, which usually terrify others, I am, by the grace of God, full of joy and gladness, because I am not alone—Christ is with me.

Our Master bears the whole weight of the Cross, leaving me only the tiniest, last bit. He is not a mere on looker in my struggle, but a contestant, and the victor, and champion in the whole battle. Therefore, upon His head is placed the crown of victory, and His members also share in His glory.

I write these things to you in order that your faith and mine may be united. In the midst of this storm I cast my anchor toward the throne of God, the anchor that is the lively hope in my heart.”

Today, let us unite our prayers to those of St. Andrew Luc and companions, that no matter what happens in our daily struggles, whether there may be sufferings, trials, temptations and tribulations, we, like St. Andrew, will be filled with joy and gladness, knowing that we are not alone, because truly Our Lord carries our crosses leading us to His victory.

St. Faustina- Divine Mercy & the Second Coming

        Click: Second Coming Presentation 

Divine Mercy, St. Faustina, the Antichrist, Signs Preceding the Second Coming, Illumination of Conscience, Three Days of Darkness--- with Saints, Blesseds, Scripture & the "Catechism of the Catholic Church"

           Click: Sins Often Committed Rarely Confessed

   

                 

(Note: Alleged Apparitions at Garabandal and Medjugorje are not approved nor condemned by the Church and one may believe them at this time.)

                                   Medjugorje and the Vatican

 (Note: Saints, Blesseds and Apparitions are Private Revelation. We are not required to believe them. When someone is made blessed or made a saint their writings are examined by the Church and what is said does not contradict our faith. But writings may or may not be literal or true. For example some saints may say the opposite of another saint, but what each saint is saying does not contradict what we believe.)

                             

Nov. 23rd - Blessed Miguel Pro

“Vivo Christo Rey” “Long Live Christ the King”

Today, we celebrate the memorial of Blessed Miguel Pro, a priest martyr in Mexico, who valiantly proclaimed “Long Live Christ the King”, moments before he died.

He was one of eleven children and born in Guadalupe, Mexico. As a youth, he had a great sense of humor and was a practical joker. As a young man, he accidentally switched the letter of his girlfriend, with a letter to his mother. This providentially caused him to break up with his girlfriend, and resulted in him pursuing the priesthood. As a child, he would disguise himself as a priest, and went about preaching, which would later prove to be ironic.

Because he was forced to flee Mexico due to religious persecution, he was ordained as a Jesuit priest in Belgium in 1925. He returned a year later to minister to his native people. He had a great love for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and had great devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Despite his illness and the fierce persecution from the government, which forbid all worship, he continued to minister to the faithful with great courage and zeal.

He disguised himself as a layman, so he could administer the sacraments secretly. By wearing regular clothes, he was able to go about the city giving Holy Communion. He distributed Holy Communion to 1,300 people in a singe day. He said, “Preached on my brother’s bicycle, I go down these roads of God like a horse possessed by the devil, always in danger of death because the cabdrivers here in Mexico are extremely reckless.” Despite the danger of getting caught by the police, he continued to administer the sacraments and was arrested several times.

Jesus reminded His disciples of future persecutions to come, including the one in Mexico. Jesus said to His disciples, some will be put to death; others seized; and persecuted to be handed over; and put into prisons. Our Lord said, “I myself will give you wisdom in speaking, that all adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute”.

In 1927, after a bomb exploded, aimed at killing the president, Fr. Miguel was arrested but had nothing to do with it. He had no trial. And moments before he was shot, the Holy Spirit gave him wisdom to speak to his adversaries. A remarkable photograph was taken just before his death. With arms outstretched, his last words were, “Vivo Christo Rey”, “Long live Christ the King”.

Now, let us ask Mary, the Queen of Heaven, to help us receive Christ, the Eucharistic King, with great love and devotion, so that He may reign, as King of our Hearts!

"Catholic" Politicians Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, Larua Kelly, Dick Durbin, etc...

 

Nov. 22nd - St. Cecilia

St. Cecilia, the martyr and the patroness of music, whose memorial we celebrate, sings in heaven before Jesus, the Lamb of God.

A native of Rome, she made a vow of virginity as a child. Despite her vow of virginity, her parents forced her to marry a pagan nobleman named Valerian. After she told him of her vow of virginity, she was still able to maintain the vow while married. At her wedding, when the musicians played their instruments, she sang with all her heart to God, her divine spouse. She told her husband, that an angel is watching over her virginity, and that if he wanted to see the angel, he too should be baptized. Because of the deep love of Christ and her holy virtues, her husband and his brother became Christian. And once he was baptized, he saw the angel. From her childhood until her death, she bravely denied the worship of false gods. She helped the poor and did many deeds of mercy. Her husband and his brother were martyred, followed by St. Cecilia, a few days later. She was placed in hot steam for three days, but was miraculously not affected. The executioner struck her three times with the blade, but she did not die immediately. And do today, statues of the virgin martyr, show her lying down with a large gash on her throat. Although she died in the early 2^nd century, her body continues to be incorrupt and is located in a church in Rome. Her name is in the Roman Canon, which is Eucharistic prayer 1 of the Mass.

Just as St. Therese is patroness of the missions, although she was never a missionary, St. Cecilia, is the patroness of music, although she never played musical instruments. However, at the sound of musical instruments, the virgin, Cecilia, sang in her heart continually, as an outpouring of love to God, Her Divine Spouse.

Today, even though there are some of us who may never have played a musical instrument we can be just like St. Cecilia and do everything for the love of God and in this way, when we enter the gates of heaven, we will sing with the choir of angels forever.

 

Christ the King

 

This weekend is the Solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe. Jesus is king of heaven and earth. When we pray the Lord’s prayer, we pray that His kingdom come as it is in heaven. Jesus wants to rule over our hearts, our families, our lives, our parish, our nation and the whole world.

In this time of history, mankind is turning away for Jesus. Instead of allowing God to rule over us, mankind wants to rule over himself. We are created in the image and likeness of God. But today, man thinks we are created in the image and likeness of man. Man has chosen to be the center of the universe. Mankind turns to man or to the government or to science to solve all his problems and so what is happening man is glorifying himself.

We create babies in a test tube. We think we are the master of life and so we choose to kill unwanted unborn babies. If we don’t want to live anymore, we choose euthanasia. If we don’t like if we are a man, we become a woman, or a woman thinks she can become a man through transgender surgery. Parents want to choose the gender of their unborn child using ethical means. We think we can define what marriage is-- but God is the author of marriage between a man and woman. Not between 2 men or between 2 women. All of this is mankind’s rejection of God and making man as though he was a god. That he can choose his own morality and choose his own sex or define marriage and choose his own children or reject his children for the sake of economics for career purposes. By doing all this we reject God as our Lord and ruler over our life. But we have to remember God is God and we are not.

A few years ago Halstead won the state basketball championship. I was the pastor of Sacred Heart in Halstead. As the season started, due to the persuasion of a Catholic mother, whose son was a player, and altar server, the whole team mostly non-Catholics, came to the church with their non-Catholic coach and we consecrated the team to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. A year later, that same boy, whose mother persuaded the team to consecrate the team to the Heart of Jesus made the winning championship shot. But after the game he was missing. The family could not find where he went. Finally, he came home and his parents asked him where he had been. He said after the game he immediately went to church to thank Jesus in the tabernacle for their winning season and allowing him to make the winning basket at the game. He said Jesus deserves the credit. This is a remarkable illustration of how the team placed God first and the Lord rewarded them with winning the championship. What most people did not know is that at the beginning of the first year half of the players, mostly the star players quit, because they didn’t like their new coach. Everyone thought the team would never win any games. But the remaining boys trusted the Lord by handing the team over to Jesus and they were rewarded.

Here is another example. Let me ask you some questions. When you get covid, who do you go to first, your doctor. When you have a tooth ache, who do you go to first? A dentist. If you have martial problems, who do you go to first? A marriage counselor. When you need money who do you go to first? The banker.

But these are not the correct answers to all these questions. This is proof, mankind has rejected the need for God and does not allow the Lord to rule over us. Rather in all these cases we should go to God first, then we go to the doctor, the dentist, the banker, or the marriage counselor. All of these people are gifts from God: the doctor, the dentist, the banker, the marriage counselor, but God wants us to come to Him first. So who should we first go to--when we need anything? God!

If we are sick we should first ask God to heal us and then ask God to help the doctor to heal us.

When I did hospital ministry over the last four years, I would always ask patients to pray to God for healing. Some said they didn’t think they should pray to God to be healed because they thought it was selfish to pray for one self. But they didn’t have a problem going to a doctor and asking the doctor for help.

Since 1995 I have had lactose intolerance. My colon was damaged due to a reaction to an antibiotic eventually taken off the market. I went to many doctors, but to no avail. That is until 2 years ago, I decided to do what I told patients to do, to pray to God for healing. Not once in 25 yrs. did I ever ask God to heal my colon. But in Feb. of 2020, I prayed and God healed my colon. Now I can eat cheese or drink milk with no problem. Praise God! Thank you Jesus for healing me! Just think it took me 25 years to ask God to heal me. I had not allowed Him to be the Lord of my life and my health.

God wants to lavish His gifts on us and to use those gifts for His glory and honor and for the good of our neighbor. I encourage you to turn to God for everything and realize everything you have is a gift from God. And how will you use those gifts. Will you share them?

How can you and your family allow Jesus to be king of your family, home, life and health? Ask a priest to come to your house and bless it. Consecrate your family to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Pray together as a family everyday. It takes less than 5 min. Do it every day before going to bed. Put a Bible in a prominent place, perhaps near a statue of Mary with a Rosary on the table and that is where you will gather as a family to pray. Start by reading a short passage from the life of Jesus, then each person will say what they want to pray for, or what they are thankful for, then pray one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be. That’s all there is to it. But its powerful. As time goes on add a decade of the Rosary and then eventually do a daily Rosary together.

At the end of Mass everyone will receive a free New Testament bible. This is my gift to you. Our Lady wants us to daily read the bible, but we each need a bible to read. Everyone who can read should read a short bible story about Jesus every day. You will come to know Him better and you will love Him more.

Today allow Jesus to be the King and Lord of your life, your family, your heart, your health. Place God first and everything will be given to you. God will lavish His gifts upon you, so you can share your gifts with others.

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus, king of heaven and earth, I have failed to allow you to be king of my heart, my family and my life. But today, I hand everything over to you-- the championship game, money, health, my job, my marriage, my life. I want you to be the King and center of everything, help me to always first come to you no matter my needs and I ask Mary, the Queen of heaven and earth to grant me the grace to be faithful to you forever. Amen.

Examination of Conscience -- Illumination of Conscience

 

  

Printable Version: Illumination of Conscience - Deep Examination of Conscience

Sins commonly committed but rarely confessed. A Deep Examination of Conscience.

1. I am the Lord Your God, you shall not have strange gods before me. Superstitious is lack of trust in God’s providence. Even though you say you don’t believe in horoscope or astrology or fortune cookies, if you read them, you are still giving them credence. If you don’t believe them, why read them?

Not Protecting Your Children from movies, videos, games, books: from violence, murder, drugs, sexual activity

Wicca or White Magic or Movies with occult characters, Pokémon, or Baughman or children’s games with casting spells

Ougi board- is a channel for and opens the player up to demonic activity. Kids can now do ougi board on their i-phones. Games like Charlie Charlie are dangerous

Cardinal Ratzinger on Harry Potter Books- Kuby wrote a letter to Cardinal Ratzinger the head of the CDF, “the books corrupt the hearts of the young, preventing them from developing a properly ordered sense of good and evil, thus harming their relationship with God while that relationship is still in its infancy.” The cardinal, future Pope Benedict responded saying, “it is good that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are subtle seductions which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly.”

YOGA- Pope Benedict, Pope Francis, Fr. Mitch Pacwa, Johnette Bankevich condemn yoga– Bishop Carerra, the archbishop of Mexico city in a pastoral letter said, “However much proponents insist that these techniques are valuable as methods, and imply no teaching contrary to Christianity, the techniques in themselves . . . in their own context, the postures and exercises, are designed for their specific religious purpose. Even when they are carried out within a Christian atmosphere, the intrinsic meaning of these gestures remains intact.” So even if you think you’re stretching your back, if you’re using the Sun Stretch to do so, whether you intend to or not, you’re still posing in a position of worship to the Sun god because that’s what this pose was designed to do. It was never designed as a back stretch.

Genuflecting out of habit without thinking why we are doing so. We should intentionally look at the tabernacle and with love and respect to Jesus in the Eucharist say a prayer as we genuflect.

Receiving Holy Communion carelessly by allowing particles of the Sacred Host to fall to the ground when receiving on the hand. The normal way the Church desires everyone to receive Communion is on the tongue. It’s a permission to receive on the hand. It’s an indult. After receiving Communion on the hand we are to pick up the tiny particles on the hand and consume them. Every particle, no matter how small is the whole and entire person of Jesus Christ. And to purposely allow them to fall to the ground is sinful. Due to the pandemic bishops are recommending people receive in the hand. Church law is Communion on the tongue. Therefore we have a right to receive on the tongue.

Parents not helping your children to respect the Sacred Host when they receive Holy Communion. Parents are responsible for particles of the Host that fall to the ground when their child receives on the hand.

Not praying to Jesus or thanking Him after receiving Him in Holy Communion. Did you know according to Canon Law it’s a mortal sin for a priest to not make a thanksgiving after receiving Holy Communion? So what about lay people? What is your obligation? According to saints union with Jesus in Communion lasts 10 to 30 minutes. Leaving Mass early after receiving Jesus in Holy Communion is at least a venial sin. When you return to your pew --are praying to Jesus who just came inside your soul or are you texting someone or looking around in the church?

It is seriously sinful to not fast one hour before receiving Holy Communion such as such as drinking coffee or eating candy or chewing gum (diabetics serious reason can use food or juice to raise blood sugar and so food becomes medicine and so not sinful)

Spiritual Reading and Learning About the Faith.

Not reading the Bible or the Catechism or Spiritual reading. Not encouraging your children to read the bible or help them to know the faith. Not talking to your children about the faith.

Not giving God credit for all the good He does through us.

We are to use the talents and gifts He has given us and not using them wisely for His glory or to help others can be selfish.

Failing to daily pray to God. Adore, Confess, Thanks, Praying for your needs and the needs of others, praying with the heart, asking God for advice

2. Thou Shall Not Take God’s Name in Vain. Saying “Oh my God” is taking God’s name in vain and disrespectful to God. We can say “Oh God, I love you” out of devotion, but we should not say “O God” in vain manner offends God. Or saying the name of Jesus out of shock or as an expression rather than out of love is sinful. Any sort of cussing using foul language or saying dirty jokes. If we watch a movie or video or listen to the radio taking God’s name in vain, we share in its sinfulness.

3. Remember to Keep the Sabbath Holy. Missing Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. Why is about only 1/3 of Catholics or less come to Mass on Holy Days of obligation? And if that’s the case, why is it that only a handful come to confession before receiving Holy Communion? To purposely miss Mass without a serious reason on a Sunday or Holy day is mortally sinful (except during the pandemic)

If we fail to go to Mass, we fail to bring our children to Mass, preventing them from receiving Jesus in Holy Communion and being present at the Holy Sacrifice and hearing the Word of God. So if we miss Sunday Mass 5 times in a year, that’s 5 times we failed to allow our children to be present at the Holy Sacrifice, to the hear the Word of God and to receive Holy Communion.

Working on Sunday un-necessarily such as painting the house, mowing the yard, doing laundry or shopping. Going to youth sporting events instead of attending Mass.

4. Honor Your Father and Mother. Dishonor our parents by speaking negatively about them, by revealing their faults or sins to others. By not visiting them or calling them. Not taking care of them when they are no longer able to care for themselves.

Failing to teach children to pray or teach them about God or to live a moral life.

Men failing to be the spiritual head of the family and failing to lead the family in prayer. They are to protect the children from pornography, bad movies and videos, bad friendships, failing to be involved in the lives of our children. Fathers help their daughters to wear modest clothing and teach their sons to respect women.

Divorced fathers can fail to communicate with or spend time with their children.

Workaholics who spend unnecessary time working when they could be at home.

Failing to discipline children and let them do what they want can cause them to have behavior problems and not learn self-discipline.

5. Thou shall not Kill.

Abortion. While in seminary Bernard Nathanson, an abortionist, came to the seminary to give a talk. He admitted to killing over 60,000 babies and God forgave all his sins and the punishment due to his sins when he was baptized in into the Catholic faith. If God can forgive an abortionist who killed thousands of unborn children, He can forgive a young unwed mother who was confused and pushed into it by her boyfriend or parents and was told a lie, that it was just a blog of tissue, when in fact it was a baby. But God is infinitely merciful. He will forgive. After Confession, we can still feel guilty, which is called false guilt because confession washes away the sin and the guilt. The organization Project Rachel can help heal the after effects of abortion.

Voting for a pro-abortion candidate, while the candidate is pro-life is a serious sin, requiring confession before receiving Holy Communion. Failing to pray for an end to abortion and failing to help end abortion is sinful.

Husbands and wives who argue and fight --scandalize their children by fighting in their presence. Slamming doors, throwing things.

Verbally Abusive. Employers can be verbally abusive to employees or spouses to each other or to their children. Putting each other down, calling each other names.

Losing one’s temper, physically hitting a child or a spouse is seriously sinful. Spanking may not sinful, when it’s done without anger and if the child was warned in advance and if would not cause bruising.

It’s good to confess impatience, but be specific as to what you mean. Are you impatient by thoughts only or by being impatient with your words and so snap or yell at others (which should also be confessed).

Parents who scream at their children, rather than using self-control and discipline.

Lack of Thanksgiving- Not being grateful, complaining- negative attitude.

Gluttony- over eating food to gain so much weight to the point of causing serious health problems such as diabetes or high blood pressure is sinful. Eating foods that are not good for one’s health can be sinful.

Smoking,- harms your lungs and high risk of getting cancer.

Getting drunk or drinking in excess or driving while intoxicated.

Taking marijuana and drugs causes one to lose the ability to reason properly, which is sinful.

Driving Excessive Speeds in your vehicle places your life and others at risk. Road Rage.

To be selfish in conversation – Not Listening to other person speaking and talking excessively about yourself.

Vanity- Spending hours putting on makeup, doing fingernails, working one one’s hair. Excessive concern for one’s appearance. There was a hospital staff member who was hospitalized. When I entered her room, I didn’t recognize her because she had no makeup on. She honestly looked better without makeup.

It’s sinful to not accept our personal appearance. Some want to be taller, others shorter, others skinnier, others physically bigger. Some wish they had a different color of hair, or some don’t want to lose their hair etc… wearing toupees or wigs.

Did you know some cosmetics in European countries are made from aborted fetuses? As far as to whether or not these are sold in the USA, I don’t know. Wasting money on expensive hair styles, face lifts and cosmetic surgeries or implants is not God’s will and the money could be used to help those who have no food and the poor.

For men and women they can view physical appearance as an excessive desire to have attention, to feel loved and use their appearance to get attention. To gloat in the mirror or to be envious of the appearance of others is sinful. Wasting money on excessive clothes or taking protein supplements, for what purpose?

Not exercising or doing excessive exorcise. Our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and as St. Paul says does not belong to us, but to God. We are stewards of our body and our health. Some men and boys go to the gym to build muscles (rather than for exercise) for the sake of girls looking at them is vanity.

Un-forgiveness. Failing to forgive. Resentfulness.

Wishing bad things will happen to others.

Trying to control others, willfulness. Perfectionism. Some people think everything must done in a perfect way, which is prideful.

Pride manifests itself in so many ways, such as arrogance, self-righteousness, thinking oneself is better than others. Failing to forgive the bad behavior of others can be the result of pride too.

Self-hate. Putting oneself down.

Self-mutilation by excessive piercings or piercings of tongue and nose. Tattoos, (injecting ink into skin).

Self-pity, no one loves me, no one calls me, no pays attention to me

6. Thou Shall Not Commit Adultery, being unfaithful to spouse by texting or calling another person secretly, or being unfaithful to your marital vow by viewing pornography or looking with lust at anyone including your spouse. Unhealthy emotional attachment to another person, whom one is not married.

Cohabitation and sex before marriage is seriously sinful and also scandalous behavior because it can give young people the idea its okay.

Homosexual fantasies is sinful when one willfully embraces them. Homosexual actions or having a homosexual partner.

Selfishly using your spouse for your own sexual pleasure, rather than giving yourself to your spouse with the marital embrace so the experience is most pleasing to them. Birth Control causes men to use women for their own pleasure.

Watching movies with sexual activity.

Women who wear immodest clothing revealing cleavage, or tight clothing or short dresses or skirts and it is even more sinful to do so while at Church because the church is the house of God and because it can distract others from worshiping God and cause them to sin in their mind.

Men can wear inappropriate clothing -Tight shirts so ladies can see their muscles.

Men and Women Wearing shorts to Mass or Eucharistic adoration is inappropriate because it shows a lack respect and reverence towards Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and can distract others.

Watching soap operas and reading romance novels, can lead to lustful thoughts and fantasies.

Vasectomy or a tubal ligation. Tells no to God if He wants to bring a child into the world. It seriously harms healthy organs. The use of birth control and sterilization is a lack of trust in God and His plan for marriage.

Birth Control-- 98% of all Catholic women have used contraception sometime in their life. CDC says 65% of all women 15 to 49 currently use birth control. So if that’s the case, how is it nearly every woman from age 15 to 49, who attends Mass receives Holy Communion? Does that mean all women who use birth control do not attend Mass? Or does it mean all those who are using contraception are also receiving Communion. These are two grievous sins rarely confessed. If one is using Birth Control and fails to confess it in confession, then one is receiving Holy Communion sacrilegiously. If a woman is using contraception and attending Mass she should not receive Holy Communion until she discontinues using it.

Did you know the IUD, the patch and the pill can all cause the death of a baby? It takes about 5 days for a newly conceived child to move down the fallopian tube and into the womb. While using these forms of birth control, the tiny child will die because it is unable to attach to the womb due to irritation from the device or the chemical. So the mother conceives a child without even knowing it and has caused them to die by using birth control. If you have used birth control, you most likely unknowingly caused the death of some of your children. Even though we may not have known this was the case, we consented to all the effects of taking birth control when we began to use it. And we were knowingly doing something we know was against Church teaching. However, God is infinitely merciful and does not want to condemn us, rather He wants us to come to Him in confession and get that sin off our soul and give us peace. He desires we follow His plan of marriage for us by spacing children using Natural Family Planning, which is 99% effective and so more effective than birth control.

If you committed a mortal sin such as using birth control or missing Mass on Sunday or Holy days (outside of the pandemic), willfully watching pornography or masturbating or committing adultery or having sex before marriage, etc.. and did not confess the serious sin before you received Holy Communion, you committed a sacrilegious communion and did not receive any grace whatsoever from Communion. But rather deeply offend and hurt Jesus in the Eucharist.

Purposely withholding a serious sin in confession, none of your sins are forgiven and all confessions after that until that one sin is finally confessed and then one should confess all serious sins since that first invalid confession.

7. Thou shall not steal. Gambling in itself is not sinful, but when one wastes money that could be used for a better purpose such as helping the poor, it can become sinful.

Stealing objects of inheritance, money, furniture etc..

Cheating on taxes.

Laziness-- wasting time watching TV or the internet and phone when we could be spending more time in prayer or with others.

Failing to Help the Poor- especially own family and community

8. Thou shall not bare false witness. When we commit a white lie, we can do it because we don’t want to hurt another’s feelings, or the truth may make us look bad. But we forget, when we lie, we hurt the feelings of Jesus, and deny Him, who is the Truth.

Giving the silent treatment to spouse or relative can be grievous. Refusing to talk to someone for years.

9. Covet your neighbor’s wife. Wishing you were married to someone who is married already.

10. Covet your neighbors’ goods. Envying others rather than being grateful for their gifts or being jealous of others to their detriment.

Materialism. Wasting money on unnecessary items. Not helping the poor. Not donating to the Church and charitable organizations. Not using one’s time, talent and treasure for the glory and honor of God and for love of our neighbor.

God is infinitely merciful. The ordinary way God want us to forgive us-- is through the sacrament of Confession. We are required to confess all mortal sins at least once a year.

Some priests tell people they only need to confess mortal sins and this can cause some to think they don’t need to ever confess venial sins. But, the Catechism #1458 states, “Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church. Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins will help form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through this sacrament the gift of the Father's mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as He is merciful:”

To commit a mortal sin, three things must be present. It must be grave matter, we know its grave matter and we must give full consent. So if one of the three is lacking, then we don’t commit a mortal sin. But we still commit a venial sin.

Every sin hurts God, hurts our neighbor (the mystical body of Christ) and our own soul. We must see sin in light of our relationship with Jesus. When we sin, we hurt Jesus and so we should never willfully commit any sin, because we love Jesus and don’t want to hurt our relationship with Him. But if we do sin, we immediately tell Jesus we are sorry and will do better because we love Him.

God’s Mercy

“The greater the sinner, the greater one has right to God’s mercy” is what Jesus told St. Faustina. Jesus wants us to have confidence in His Mercy. We are to trust Him and pray for mercy for our self and the whole world. Once we confessed our sins, we should not repeat them again in confession because by doing so is a lack of trust in God’s mercy.

Divine Mercy Sunday

We can be confident, that if we make a good confession during Lent and receive Holy Communion, while in the state of grace on the Sunday after Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday), not only will God forgive all our sins, but the punishment due to all our sins. This past year, most could not receive Holy Communion on Divine Mercy Sunday.

We can also receive a plenary indulgence anytime during the year. But to gain a plenary indulgence, we must be detached from all sin, must go to confession and receive Holy Communion while in the state of grace and also perform a deed (as approved by the Church), such as making the Stations of the Cross, or praying the Rosary before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament or praying the Rosary as a group.

Regular Monthly Confession- God is infinitely merciful and wants to forgive our sins. We should go to confession at least monthly and if we commit a mortal sin to go to confession right away. By delaying confession after committing a serious sin, are we truly sorry we seriously offended Jesus?

Finally, I would like to encourage you to get “Fire Insurance” by wearing the Scapular. Because Our Lady promised, those who wear the scapular will not suffer eternal fire. We must also live a faithful Christian life of chastity, and daily pray the Rosary and be enrolled in the scapular. Our Lady promises those who die wearing the scapular the first Saturday after they die, will go to heaven.

And if we are dying or might die due to a serious illness or serious surgery, we should ask for the Apostolic Pardon which is part of anointing of the sick. It too washes away all punishment due to sin.

Daily Examine of Conscience

Daily examine your conscience, perhaps at the end of the day and then make an Act of Contrition.

A good way to prepare for confession is ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten you of our sins.

Regularly meditate on the Passion of Jesus, which will help you to be truly sorry for your sins and you will begin to understand how your sins hurt Jesus.

And if any time you realize you have sinned, tell Jesus right away, you are sorry, and this well help you to grow in your love and personal relationship with Him.

May we entrust our self, our temptations, the source of our sins and all our future confessions to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, because Simeon prophesied to Mary at the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, “a sword will pierce your own soul—so that the secret thoughts of many, will be laid bare.” And She will prepare us for our confessions and especially for the moment of our judgment when all will be revealed in the light of truth. She can and also will prepare us for an “Illumination of Conscience” if that would occur in our life.

33rd Friday

 

In the Gospel Jesus drove out those who were selling things in the temple area and He said it was making His Father’s house, a den of thieves. What was actually happening was people were selling doves and changing money from Jewish money to Roman money, so they could purchase animals that could be used for sacrifice, which was necessary. But they were doing it in the temple, rather than outside of the temple. The money changers were cheating the people during the exchange of money, which was repulsive to God and to even do so in His Father’s house.

Our Lord had just anger. An anger which is the result of an injustice. First it was an injustice to His Father, but it was also an injustice to the people who were being cheated.

If I had to imagine what kind of things Our Lord would be displeased with regard to churches today. I think the greatest offensive in God’s house are people who receive Holy Communion sacrilegiously, due to some mortal sin they committed, but out of fear, or out laziness, or don’t confess their moral sins before receiving Holy Communion.

Fridays are always a reminder for to make reparation for sins committed against the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus. Today, let us pray God will inspire all those who have offended Our Lord by receiving Holy Communion unworthily, will come to Jesus in confession and ask pardon and mercy.

And let us ask the Virgin Mary, to keep our hearts pure, so that they may be fitting temples for the King, who comes to dwell within our hearts in Holy Communion.

 

Jesus Wept

          

  "U.S. bishops dodge rebuke of Biden in statement on communion"The doctrine does not mention Joe Biden or any politician who supports abortion by name nor comment on whether public figures should receive communion." Politico

 “Catholic bishops approve document that falls short of denying Communion to Biden or other politicians who support abortion rights.” CNN

Today's Gospel

As Jesus drew near Jerusalem,
he saw the city and wept over it, saying,
“If this day you only knew what makes for peace–
but now it is hidden from your eyes.
For the days are coming upon you
when your enemies will raise a palisade against you;
they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides.
They will smash you to the ground and your children within you,
and they will not leave one stone upon another within you
 because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.” (Luke 19:41-44)

Can. 915 "Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion."

 Cardinal Ratzinger, in his memorandum entitled "Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion - General Principles," said without ambiguity: "The minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it" when warning and counsel given to the manifest sinner "have not had their effect."

 The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops voted overwhelmingly to accept the document “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church" during the morning session of the fall USCCB meeting on Nov. 17, 2021.The vote, which is held in a secret electronic ballot, was 222 in favor to eight against, with three abstentions. Catholic News Agency

                      222 to 8  (3 abstained)

 Luke 18:8 “But, when the Son of Man comes, will He find that faith on earth?”

"Catholic Bishops Avoid Confrontation With Biden Over Communion." New York Times

"U.S. Catholic bishops pass communion document without direct rebuke of Biden" Reuters

"U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops approves Communion document without singling out politicians who back abortion rights" Washington Post