Tuesday, November 29, 2016

November 29 - Weekday in Advent

+ Jesus wants to be known. He rejoices that the wonders of God – hidden to so many – “are revealed to the childlike.”

Children yearn for the Father, whom the Son in Mary’s womb even now reveals.

           “Blessed are the eyes that see” life this Advent way.

For one look at stumps, and roots, and wild animals – and every other unlikely thing – tells them that awesome miracles of grace of going to happen.

Another perspective to keep in mind is that we can see and sense the beautiful plant and shrub that is taking root in us and sprouting forth – like the stump of Jesse’s tree – in our hearts and minds – as they are being visited by the Most Blessed Trinity, as was Mary, the Mother of God.

Every day when we water our souls with prayer, praise and acts of service to the poor, suffering and needy – a little growth, a little change takes place – and we become more the person, the trusting, loving child, that God intended us to be all along.

He offers helps and aids at every turn – if we but look with the eyes and ears of faith!

Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever – and this will happen in our own lives this very day!





  

Monday, November 28, 2016

November 28 - St. Catherine Laboure

+ We keep our focus on rejoicing during the Advent Season:  rejoicing because we are indeed proceeding post haste to the house of the Lord.
The Prophet Isaiah tells us of the splendor that will be awaiting the survivors of the great Day, the great Test, the great challenge.

Yet, through it all the Lord God will be present and make himself known in a thousand different ways during the day: all emanating from the root and source of his glory – his light – his guidance – his providence!

We shall indeed be protection from the heat of the day, and shall have a cover for the storm and the rains of life that are inevitable right up to the very end.
Come and save us, Lord our God; let your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.

In the gospel passage Jesus marvels at the FAITH of a pagan Roman centurion. And he grants his request for healing. May our requests be granted as well because we ask ever for an increase of faith.

None are worthy to have the Lord enter under our roofs – the roofs of the Temples of our Hearts – except those who cry out in their BELIEF – COME LORD JESUS, COME HOLY SPIRIT – fill me and my loved ones with HEALTH, HEALING AND HAPPINESS. The Lord makes us worthy.
And our Holy Communion with him at this and every Mass seals the deal!
We thank him for such a marvelous and mysterious dynamic that is fanned into flame in our hearts every day at Mass.

Through the intercession of Blessed Mother Mary – from whom all graces flow – especially under the title of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal – whose promoter, St. Catherine Laboure (Daughter of Charity) we celebrate today.

O Mary, conceived without sin – pray for us – intercede for us – grant our requests – who have recourse to you.


Sunday, November 27, 2016

November 27 - First Sunday of Advent

1st Sunday of Advent – November 27, 2016

I  The Lord will father all nations into the eternal peace of the kingdom of God.
R –Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
II – Our salvation is nearer.
A – Show us, Lord, your love; and grant us your salvation.
G –Stay awake, that you may be prepared.

+ As the first word of Advent, Christ warns us, “Stay awake! You must be prepared.” This is not an off the cuff remark, but a deadly serious exhortation.

The impervious, unprepared people “in the days of Noah” were distracted by their “eating and drinking,” and various other sundry activities, to the imminent flood.

In what, then, does this Advent preparation consist? Putting on the Lord Jesus Christ through FAITH!

“Faith is…a liberation of my I from its preoccupation with self, a liberation that sets me free to respond to the Father, to speak the Yes of love that sets me free to say Yes to being…

Faith is… a breaking out of the isolation that is the malady of my I.

The act of faith is… a breaking open of the door of my subjectivity” (Pope Benedict XVI).

“Come, let us comb the Lord’s mountain, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.

LET US WALK IN THE LIGHT OF THE LORD.

As the Christmas, preparatory lights, sights, sounds and aromas of the Season begin to manifest themselves – let us welcome them as a timely aid in shortening the natural depressive time of cold, dark, days, and fill them with the ever strengthening, comforting and guiding Light of Christ himself.

And then, taking that Light into ourselves – let us be light for others -as we encounter them one by one throughout the day.

Show us, Lord, your love; and grant us your salvation!


Thursday, November 24, 2016

November 24 - Thanksgiving Day

+ Our responsorial refrain cries out today: Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb. On this Thanksgiving Day, 2016, we are called to reflect on the life of blessing that we do enjoy – being the recipient of God’s manifold gifts and graces.

Absolutely everything we are and have come from Him, are sustained by Him, and are directed to Him.

This is the priority that we must keep: we are all called to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb in the new heaven. Everything we think, say and do each day, must someway, somehow directed to that end.

Our forefathers were grounded in faith, and it was the steering factor, the great anchor for all they accomplished and planned for themselves and for future generations. Without God, without the aid of his Blessed Mother Mary, who is the Patroness of these United States – we are doomed to failure and devastation; but with them we set a course for true prosperity and greatness: here and hereafter.

And so, we are most grateful today for our FAITH, for the HOPE engendered by it, and by selfless acts of human helpfulness and LOVE – especially to the most wayward and forgotten, poor and lonely – which demonstrate it.
When the days of tribulation arrive and the signs begin to happen – let us stand erect with joyful, grateful hearts, raise our eyes to the Cross of Christ manifest in the skies and welcome the New Day which is full of promise, peace and prosperity beyond our wildest imaginings.


Our redemption is close at hand, and we are glad!

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

November 23 - Weekday in Ordinary Time

+ Today in the first reading we hear the magnificent song of Moses: “Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God almighty. Just and true are your ways, O king of the nations, Who will not fear you, Lord, or glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.

It seems imminent now that the nations of the world will at last encounter the true regent, the true Lord, the true Monarch of the ages – who has been ruling all along in authentic and genuine authority.

The great line of validly elected and installed kings, presidents and prime ministers witness to the fact that there is a channel of power emanating from the One Supernatural Source: The Father’s Will, through the Son’s Obedience, in the Spirit’s power.

It seems as though now there is, though not the first time, an anonymalous regent poised to take prime place in world politics – and this time – because the stakes are so high – global security, peace and truth – God will no doubt intervene in an unmistakable way. The presidency of the United States will not take down the rest of the world in a stolen act of PRIDE and PREJUDICE.
Truth and Justice will reign at last – in the Person of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.

For this we are eternally grateful at this Giving Thanks Time of Year.

It is time now to stand up behind the Banner of Christ – and march with him across the Bridge to the Kingdom! And the gospel passage reminds us very starkly that this army of Christ will be seized and persecuted; families will be in turmoil, hatred will be fierce for those fighting with Christ BUT BY OUR PERSEVERANCE we will secure our lives.

May the Body and Blood of Christ the Babe and King, we consume at this Mass, be indeed the daily bread, strength, rock, fortress and comfort that we need to ENDURE BRAVELY UNTIL THE END.

And may the weapon of the Rosary of our Dear Blessed Mother who is now weeping copious amounts of tears for those who are headed for destruction: though it is never too late to repent until our last breath. May we consecrate ourselves to her all the more and work for her, for the salvation of the world.

Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.



Tuesday, November 22, 2016

November 22 - St. Cecilia

+ Today we celebrate the feast of St. Cecilia who was born in the middle of the second century. She gave God a gift of virginity (even though she became married due to circumstances beyond her control), and God gave her the gift of martyrdom, the most sublime gift he could give in return. In the estimation of the early Church she was therefore considered doubly blessed with two very powerful expressions of love of God!

Martyrdom, of course, was seen as a tremendous gift from God – because the one called to be a martyr engaged in sufferings equal to that of Christ: they truly "carried their cross" as Christ carried his: and were thus deserving of the joys of the resurrection as he won them and first experienced them.

But when martyrdom waned in the history of the church virginity was seen as a substitute: "carrying the cross" by total renunciation of what life had to offer, especially in the area of sexual expression, so to focus completely on Christ the Groom – Christ the Goal – Christ the One who would come one day to take us to the Marriage Feast of Heaven – was considered on the same level as martyrdom.

And so, Cecelia was doubly blessed to be both a virgin and a martyr. She is the patroness of music because she is said to have heard heavenly music in her head when she was married to a pagan husband who would be baptized because of her insistence on remaining a virgin!

The readings today are suited to this feast: Cecilia was like one "led to the desert so that God could commune with her and she with God" – her life was very focused and oriented on the goal: eternal life on high with Jesus and his Father. The gospel passage relates how she certainly was one of the virgins who had their lamps full of the oil of gladness, the oil of prayer, the oil of attentiveness, the oil of expectation, the oil of welcome: so that when the Lord bid her come: she went forth immediately!

We are all invited to the Marriage Feast of heaven – it is never too late to become as single-minded and focused in vision as St. Cecilia! We may even hear heavenly music in our heads (and have it burst forth from our lips) as we come closer and closer to the object of our longing: JESUS, the CHRIST – KING OF THE UNIVERSE – KING OF OUR HEARTS!

The bridegroom is here; let us go out to meet Christ the Lord!




Monday, November 21, 2016

November 21 - The Presentation of Mary in the Temple

+ Today’s feast – of the Presentation of Mary in the temple by her parents - though not scripturally grounded - is believed to have happened because of the prescriptions that were part of Jewish family life.

At age three, supposedly, Mary was presented to the priests of the temple for education. It was also seen as an act of dedication of the girl-child to God: this, in contrast with the presentation of boy-children eight days after their birth for circumcision.

There was always a special consideration given to Mary’s presentation to the House of God, because she herself became a “house of God” – the Mother of God – who dwelt in her womb for nine months before being born into our world to save us! This feast was accepted more readily in the Eastern Church, and it is only in the 16th century did it become a feast of the universal church.

In any event, the important thing to note is the gospel passage’s insistence by Jesus that doing the will of God is always the most important activity of any given moment.

Sts. Joachim and Anne, Mary’s parents were obedient to his will by presenting Mary; Mary was obedient by remaining in the temple for her period of education; she was always obedient as Mother of the Savior – although this involved many deep sorrows on her part, but also many surpassing joys; and finally, any of us who do God’s will moment by moment belong to this divine family, a great company, indeed –and we will into eternity!

O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father!


Sunday, November 20, 2016

November 20 - Solemnity of Christ the King

+ Today is summation Sunday in the Catholic Church! It all comes down to Christ the Lord, Christ the King: Christ the Savior of the World! To think that the world is a random conglomeration of purposely non-interrelating parts and particles is to see things completely amiss!

Everything came from One source, and it is all returning there for sure and for certain!

All of creation knows this: the trees, the plants, the animals, the birds and the fish – it is the human species – with reason and free-will that seems to have the most problem getting some kind of grasp on the “larger picture” – the “major plan” – the Creator/Father’s “diary!”

God could have drawn us into the life of his unimagined beatitude and bliss simply, effortlessly and without a whimper from us – but he chose not to do it that way. He chose not to make us robot-like clones of his; rather, he wanted us to be graced, truly graced with his most cherished possession: personhood with freedom of will (freedom to love), and a rational mind, the ability to think and to plan the ways of our loving!

We were never meant to be “off on our own” in some fantasy existence apart from him! He is our Father, he is our Protector, he is our Defender and he is our Destiny! And this applies to every person on the earth. And to make this all very clear: he sent his own Son to become one of us, so that he can communicate very clearly of his love, his intentions and his plans. All we must do is to freely love to cooperate, and cooperate freely in loving one another as he loves us!

The only thing that really matters for humans is “love” – we are born to love, to interact, to be instruments of peace and joy in one another’s lives – in as selfless a way as possible. [Scientific proof of this: “The Brain” on TV PBS – our brains are wired to interact with and be in relation to other brains and persons – plain and simple].

And so Jesus came as the fullness and richness of God to lead us home; he is therefore Lord (as Son of the Father), he is King as the central figure of all human and created history, and he is Savior of the World – as no one else could ever be qualified to do the job: God was offended by man; only a Man-God could repair the damage!

Today then, we hail Christ Jesus not only as our Lord and King and Savior (though he truly is these for sure); but we also hail him as our Brother and Shepherd and Friend! The family that we belong to because of him is enormous and amazing! May we rejoice in our membership in the Kingdom today, and tout the fact that we are members of a truly Royal Family: the Celestial Family of God!


The Lord is King; he is robed in majesty – let all nations fall down and worship him sooner rather than later – it is only in this way that there will be peace on earth and good will towards all people, everywhere!

Saturday, November 19, 2016

November 19 - Weekday in Ordinary Time

+ These beautiful words come in the gospel passage on this Saturday morning: “Those deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead can no longer die.”

Even though people from every nation “gloat over” the corpses of the dead prophets, death is not the final power in the world.”

After three and a half days a breath of life entered them.”

A “loud voice from heaven” said to them, “Come up here.”

There is always reason to have hope.

God deems and desires all to be saved, to be seen through the final stages and battles and to a place of newness of life and resurrection.

Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Mother of the Savior and Mother of Grace – we will be triumphant. But the price is utter and complete consecration to her as Mother, Co-Redemptrix -and the distributer of all graces: including the graces of martyrdom both red and white.

As we live in intensely challenging times in our nation’s history – we obey Mary’s command to place everything at her feet, to let her lead us by the hand to her Son Jesus, and then his command to us to do whatever he tells us moment by moment through the highways and byways of this one day!

Hail, Mary, full of grace. Pray for us now and at the hour of our death.  Amen.




Friday, November 18, 2016

November 18 - Weekday in Ordinary Time

+ The house to which Jesus refers in the gospel passage is a triple temple. It is of course, the actual physical temple in Jerusalem which has transferred its focus from being absorbed in the true worship of the One God – to a place where profit and gouging the pilgrim is taking place.

Cheating, especially in the house of God, is not acceptable and a reason for the Lord’s justifiable anger.

But there is a second temple to which this refers: the temple of the Body of the Lord Jesus himself – which also must be approached with an undivided heart. We cannot peacefully exists with the Lord who is a temple of the Lord – the Word Made Flesh – if our minds, hearts, pocketbooks, allegiances and proclivities are directed anywhere except in him.

The third temple is our own bodies and hearts which – with our baptism are true temples of the Most Blessed Trinity – and therefore of the Lord – and the reflected Temple of Jerusalem.

It is here especially that our hearts and minds must be single, pure and holy. This we can only cooperate in doing – as the grace to actually be able to do it is entirely from without – entirely from the Lord God – who bestows it on the who simply ask – simply ask with childlike, dependent and trusting hearts.

This we do – placing it first at the feet of Mary – who will coordinate the proper transfer to the throne of God – and his abundant actual graces and blessings for the day.


We will be thus enriched and strengthened to do his Will! Amen.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

November 17 - Weekday in Ordinary Time

+ The gospel passage today speaks of victory and peace, though what must come first is death, destruction, decomposition, devastation and mayhem.

This is the Way of the Cross – this is the way of the Lord – this is the Way to Peace and Justice.

It is at times like we find ourselves in the world today that we are aware of the ferocious and terrifying presence of the devil in the world.

It is also at times like this when we can cling vigorously to the Person of Jesus, His Divine Presence and Indwelling, His unfailing promise of HOPE AND VICTORY that comes from grasping and clinging unflinchingly to HIS SACRED CROSS, HE CRUCIFIED BODY ON IT, and the Blood and Water flowing from it – which guarantees our victory with his – the unmerited yet gracious gift of redemption, reconciliation and peace.

JESUS WEPT OVER ANCIENT JERUSALEM because of their hardheartedness and obstinacy – he is weeping copious amounts over the dismal outlook of the political and moral fabric that is deteriorating before all our eyes which affects not only Americans but people of the global village on this planet.

And he pleads with us, to unite the devastation and impending doom to his Cross – and to BE WITH HIM PEACE wherever we go, to whomever he places in our path this day!

Today we know what makes for peace: it is falling in deep love with the Person of the Word Incarnate, the Son of Mary Immaculate and the foster-son of St. Joseph.

May they lead us by the hand through this day – into peace – hope – and joy – that will last unto eternity!



Tuesday, November 15, 2016

November 15 - St. Albert the Great

+ Albert the Great was born in 1200 in Swabia, near Ulm, Germany, the son of a military nobleman. He joined the Dominicans while studying at the University of Padua in 1223 and taught theology at Cologne Germany, and Paris France. He became an influential teacher, preacher and administrator. Against his will he was named bishop of Regensburg in 1260; and because of his inability to deal with the serious problems in the diocese, he resigned the see in 1262 to devote his time and energy once again to teaching and writing in Cologne. He partook of the Council of Lyons despite the shock of the announcement of the death of St. Thomas Aquinas on his own way to the council. Albert introduced Greek and Arabic science and philosophy to medieval Europe, and was known for his wide interest in what became known later as the natural sciences – botany, biology and the like.

He wrote and illustrated guides to his observations, and was considered on a par with Aristotle as an authority on these matters. Albert’s health began to fail him in 1278 as he lapsed into a form of dementia today called Alzheimer’s disease. He died on November 15, 1280 and was buried in the Dominican church in Cologne. He was beatified in 1622 and canonized and declared a Doctor of the Church and patron saint of students of the natural sciences in 1931.

As the Book of Sirach tells us in the first reading today, it is he who fears the Lord – who understands his dependent relationship with the almighty, loving, Creator, Father – who is given the gift of deep insight into the realities of both heaven and earth. Albert the Great must have then had a deep and real sense of fear of his Lord and God to reach the heights of understanding and knowledge that he did.
The gospel passage tells us that as we await the end, saints and sinners must coexist side by side, but as we try the best we can to be saints and influence sinners to turn away from sin, we trust God that, fearing him, and using the gifts he gives us will help the cause – as St. Albert the Great used his!


Lord, teach me your statutes.

Monday, November 14, 2016

November 14 - Weekday in OT

+ Jesus also asks us: What do you want me to do for you?”

He is always ready to ask the question, and he is always ready to give his answer – and it will always be a positive answer, a healing answer, a regenerative answer. Jesus always wants to make us more than what we are at any given moment. He wants to move us from one graced moment to the next.

Not only does the blind man know Jesus’ name, he knows the name that is his through his foster father Joseph, “Son of David.” We also know Jesus by the many names we have grown accustomed to calling him, especially in our need: Our Rock, Our Fortress, Our Savior, Our Redeemer, Our Friend.

He is one who has endurance, suffered for Jesus’ name, and not grown weary. When we suffer for Jesus’ name – then our suffering takes on a depth of meaning, and it can be the cause of our transformation into wellness and wholeness. But all in God’s time, in God’s good Will and Time: which is PERFECT.

Christ’s question is for all who live the love they had for him at first. What do you want me to do for you? Lord, we want to see you as you are, to see ourselves as we are in you, to experience your profound and overwhelming love!


Those who are victorious in the battle of earthly life, I will feed from the tree of life!

Sunday, November 13, 2016

November 13 - 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

The liturgy, prayers and readings of today are brief and to the point: and their point is this: we do not know when the Lord will come, and so we must be ready all the time! Not the kind of sitting around kind of waiting, but the “keep doing what you have been taught all along” kind of waiting. In a sense it is like a test. Is all of this “Jesus stuff “and religious stuff real or not? If it is then, the final day will not be terrible for those who are faithful and faith-filled; and looking forward in hope to eternal peace with God: they shall not be disappointed. But, as the first reading tells us, those who just don’t want to buy into the program, those who think they know better than Jesus and his religion, those who think they will slip through the cracks and land somehow in the same eternity as everyone else: they are mistaken. There are consequence to our choices regarding Jesus and his religion – and they shall suffer theirs!

The terrible persecutions that Christ tells us his followers should expect will lead to one great thing: “to your giving testimony.”

The ability to speak a word of wisdom that we do not prepare beforehand, that Jesus himself will give us, and that leave our adversaries powerless to resist is an irrefutable sign of the authority and majesty of Christ.

“The day is coming when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble.”

The words of wisdom of Jesus are what turn the wicked to stubble.
Bur for those who fear God’s name, “there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.”

Christ calls us to take very seriously his provident care of us: “Not a hair on your head will be destroyed.”


Saturday, November 12, 2016

November 12 - St. Josaphat

+ Josaphat was the first Eastern saint to be formally canonized by the Catholic Church. Born Ioann Kunceyvch in 1580, his father was a municipal counselor, and his mother known for her piety. He was raised in the Orthodox Ruthenian Church which, in 1595, in the Union of Brest, united with the Church of Rome. Trained as a merchant’s apprentice at Vilnius, Lithuania, he was offered partnership in the business and marriage to his partner’s daughter, but feeling the call to religious life, he declined both. He became a monk of the Ukrainian Order of St. Basil in Vilnius at age 20, taking the name Brother Josaphat. He then became a deacon and was ordained a Byzantine rite priest in 1609. Now Josaphat’s superior never accepted unity with Rome, and looked for a way to fight against Roman Catholicism. Josaphat, learning of the superior’s work, reported him to his superior, the archbishop of Kiev. The superior was removed and the post was given to Josaphat.

He became a famous preacher and worked to bring unity among the faithful and bringing strayed Christians back to the Church. He did this so well that he was named Bishop (of Vitebsk), and later Archbishop (of Polotsk), in Lithuania in 1617. The antagonism against those believing in Church unity and those who wanted nothing to do with Rome was severe. Josaphat did all he could to defend the unity, but in late 1623, a mob broke into his residence and killed Josaphat who was trying to insure the safety of his servants before fleeing himself. His death was a shock to both sides of the dispute and brought some sanity and a cooling off period to both sides of the conflict. Josaphat’s body was found incorrupt five years after his death. He was canonized by Pope Pius IX in 1876.

The Lord’s Prayer for Unity with his bishops, their successors and their flocks (in the gospel passage today) was a driving force for St. Josaphat: Father I pray for them, that they may be one in us. This dynamic and experience of deep unity of God, in his Church is truly beyond description if you really stop and consider it reflectively and prayerfully. St. Josaphat tried his very best to bring this experience of peace and inner strength and joy to his flock, and to be the instrument of unity with the source – the Roman Church – for those who were choosing not to be plugged in to this key vessel of grace!

May we today count ourselves blessed to be a part of the communion not only of saints, but also of those living today who see the one Church as Christ himself – and union with it as union with him – who leads us all safely to the heart’s embrace of his Father in heaven.

The just will flourish like the palm tree in the garden of the Lord.


Friday, November 11, 2016

November 11 - St. Martin of Tours

+ Martin of Tours was born to pagan parents in the early fourth century. His father was a Roman military officer and tribune. He discovered Christianity and became a catechumen in his early teens. He joined the Roman imperial army at age 15, serving in a ceremonial unit that acted as the emperor’s bodyguard, rarely exposing him to combat. Then he became a cavalry officer, and assigned to garrison duty in France. Martin was baptized into the Church at age 18.

Just before a battle, Martin announced that his faith prohibited him from fighting; circumstances had it that he was not forced into battle thereafter, most likely because of heavenly intervention. After his military service, Martin became a spiritual student of St. Hilary of Poitiers. He was abused by heretics because of his faith, but converted many of them. Soon Hilary and Martin formed what would become the Benedictine abbey of Liguge. They preached and evangelized through the French countryside.

When the bishop of Tours died in 371 Martin was the immediate choice to replace him; he declined but was declared bishop by popular acclamation and consecrated July 4, 372. As bishop, he lived in a hermit’s cell near Tours. Other monks joined him, and a new house, Marmoutier, soon formed. He rarely left his monastery or see city, but sometimes went to Trier, Germany to plead with the emperor for his city, his church, or his parishioners. When he died in 397, Martin was the first non-martyr to receive the ranking of a saint.

The first reading from Isaiah fits the feast: Martin of Tours was anointed by the Spirit of the Lord to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and release to prisoners. He did this by allowing the Spirit to work through him. We, each, in our own circumstances of life can do the same today because we are baptized into the life of Christ and possess the same vivifying Spirit.

The gospel passage confirms the ministry of the bishop of Tours: he cared for Christ’s little ones as he would care for Christ himself; and he is now being rewarded for his effort. We must follow Christ’s mandate and Martin’s example and do the same: remembering at all times that whatever we do to anyone, but especially the least brothers and sisters of Christ we do directly to him. We may even dream of Christ appearing to us wearing the clothes of the person we have helped – as he did to St. Martin of Tours.

I give you a new commandment; love one another as I have loved you.



Wednesday, November 9, 2016

November 9 - Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

+ Today we celebrate the feast of the oldest of the four major basilicas of Rome, The Achbasilica of St. John Lateran – whose official title is the Patriarchal Basilica of the Most Holy Savior and St. John the Baptist at the Lateran. It stands on the site of an ancient palace on the Celian Hill, which formerly belonged to the Laterani family. The Lateran Basilica, (not St. Peter’s), originally known as the Church of Savior, is the pope’s “cathedral church,” in his primary role as Bishop of Rome. It has within it the “chair – cathedra” from which he presides as Bishop of Rome and the world. It is considered “the mother and head of all churches of Rome and the world.” Five ecumenical councils were held there (in 1123, 1139, 1179, 1215 and 1512-17). The emperor Constantine received the palace as part of his wife’s dowry and then donated it to the Church about the year 312. Thereafter, it was the official residence of the popes until their departure for Avignon, France, in 1309. This feast commemorates the original dedication of the basilica by Pope Sylvester I on November 9, 324.

Any church, cathedral or basilica is meant to be first, last and in all ways, “a house of prayer” – and that according to the desire and formulations of Jesus himself as we see in the gospel passage. They are to be “awesome” places – which stir up a sense of wonder and awe from the most humble and small of expressions to the largest and grandest. Above all, the faithful that gather there must reflect on the fact that the building they are in represents themselves as spiritual dwelling places for God they themselves are God’s building, God’s temple, God’s church, with God dwelling in them in a much deeper way than he ever could in a compilation of stone, mortar and glass – beautiful though they may be. Ask this question of yourself right now – do I consider myself such a sacred and awesome dwelling place for God that I could be compared with a grand cathedral? Why or why not? It is not meant to be impossible at all!

Lastly, all of our church buildings are to meant to re-present and lead us to the most supreme awesome throne of God – where we will dwell in our spiritual home forever in Christ as One Body, One Temple, and One Church forever!

The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!



Tuesday, November 8, 2016

November 8 - Weekday in Ordinary Time

+ Christ wants to give us more than our fallen sense of entitlement expects.

Even once we have done what we have been commanded, we persist in insisting that “we are unprofitable servants” in order to remind ourselves that “the grace of God has appeared.”

Jesus Christ claims “for himself a people as his own” – us servants.

Today let us expect to be extravagantly blessed by God – who, so long as he perceives us as totally dependent on him will give us everything we need for the day.

He gives with our asking, but gives more so generously when our hearts cry out to him, because our words to us seem so insignificant and less powerful than they ought to be.

The Lord hears every cry of our spirit.

It is up to us then to place ourselves at his disposal so that he can bring joy and hope and peace to others using us!






Sunday, November 6, 2016

November 6 - 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

+ The seven brothers who bravely approach their martyrdom in the Second Book of Maccabees have a better sense of life after death than the Sadducees with their absurd hypothesis about seven deceased brothers.

One martyred brother filled with conviction, declares, “The King of the world will raise us up to live again forever.”

Jesus verifies this: “Those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age no longer die; they are like angels.”

God is not the God of the dead, “but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

Our faith, however, disintegrates when subjected to skepticism and doubt.

Saint Paul counsels us: “May our Lord Jesus Christ encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ.




Friday, November 4, 2016

November 4 - St. Charles Borromeo

+ Born into a noble family in northern Italy, Charles Borromeo was made a cardinal at a young age by his uncle the pope.
He considered entering a monastery, but a friend convinced him to remain in the world.

Charles threw himself into the work of the Counter-Reformation, helping to revise the breviary and the Roman Missal, and authorizing instructions on the Church’s architecture and the renewal of seminaries.

As archbishop of Milan, he promoted praying the rosary with children and fostered religious education.

Despite a speech impediment, he preached through the diocese.
Charles died in 1584. He is patron of catechists.

We have wonderful readings the coincide with this year’s feast. The first tells us that we await a savior who will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified Body.

Therefore, we must not conduct ourselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. Our minds must not be occupied primarily with earthly things. Our true citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus. He will change our lowly, decaying, heavily laden bodies to conform them fully with his glorified Body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself. And so, stand firm in the Lord.

And this especially in this very dangerous, chaotic and diabolic time in which we will: the enemy is ROARING LIKE A CHARGED-UP LION – ready to devour any who takes their eyes off the Cross of Christ. STAND FIRM and you will be saved. We are children of LIGHT, never forget this!

Thursday, November 3, 2016

November 3 - St. Martin de Porres

+ St Martin de Porres was the illegitimate son of a Spanish nobleman and a young freed black slave, born in Lima, Peru, in 1579. He grew up in poverty and spent part of his youth with a barber-surgeon from whom he learned medicine and care for the sick. At age 11 he became a servant in the Holy Rosary Dominican priory in Lima. He was soon promoted to almoner and begged more than $2000 a week from the rich to support the poor and sick of Lima. He was at the same time placed in charge of the Dominican’s infirmary. Martin was known for his tender care of the sick and for his spectacular cures. His superiors dropped the stipulation that “no black person may be received to the holy habit or profession of our Order” and Martin took vows as a Dominican brother in 1603.

He established an orphanage and children’s hospital for the poor children of the slums. He even set up a shelter for the stray cats and dogs and nursed them back to health. Martin lived in self-imposed austerity, never ate meat, fasted continuously, and spent much time in prayer and meditation with a great devotion to the Holy Eucharist. He died in 1639 in Lima, from a fever he no doubt contracted from the sick to whom he ministered. He was known by the august title of “the father of charity” and canonized by Pope John XXIII in 1962.

St Martin understood the gospel passage today entirely: there is only one commandment but it has two interlocking parts: the greatest commandment is loving God, but this cannot be separated in any way at all from loving our neighbors and ourselves for his sake. These two, form the one supreme commandment that we are all bound to learn about and follow – or nothing in life will ever really make sense for us!

Then, as St. Paul tells the Philippians in the first reading today, all of the excellent and charitable things that we do for others – especially for the poor – will produce in us a peace that is beyond anything that the world can give us: for it will be the peace which is Christ himself!

I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you.



Wednesday, November 2, 2016

November 2 - Commemoration of All Souls

+ Pope Benedict XVI tells us:  I would go so far as to say that if there was no purgatory, then, we would have to invent it, for who would dare say of himself that he was able to stand directly before God.

And yet we don’t want to be, to use an image from Scripture, ‘a pot that turned out wrong,’ that has to be thrown away; we want to be able to be put right.

Purgatory basically means that God can put the piece back together again.

That he can cleanse us in such a way that we are able to be with him and can stand there in the fullness of life.

Purgatory strips off from one person what is unbearable and from another the inability to bear certain things, so that in each of them a pure heart is revealed, and we can see that we all belong together in one enormous symphony of being.”

I, to complement this message from Pope Benedict, have this to add: purgatory is an instantaneous process of becoming fully configured to the Christ of our Baptism, our Confirmation, our Eucharist – so that the deceased enters now fully into the communion of saints in heaven because he is so configured to Chirst that the Father sees both Christ and the Person – this is what purgatory is the completion of a transformative process that actually is meant to take place our entire lives.

If we cooperate in our transformation through suffering in our lifetime – then our purgatorial process will be brief if necessary at all.
Another point is that those in the purgatorial state – they cannot pray for themselves – but we can pray for the completion of the process in them – and it counts very much.

How many souls will be released into heaven from purgatory by this very mass?


Happy New Year 202

  A Happy New Year to you all! I hope and pray I am able to keep this blog up to date now that we are entering into the New Year! I would li...