O Sacred Head Surrounded

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I can't imagine that it is too early to hear this, although in this point of the liturgical year, Christ is yet to even teach the significance of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes.

Since, however, we know the significance, let us meditate on his sacrifice, to become "Bread from Heaven" to us, even at every Mass,

and thus prepare our hearts to better try to know, love and serve him

in all that we do.

May our hearts cry tears of true sorrow for our sins, like that of the poor sinner turned saint, St. Mary Magdalene, and in true supplications, have the disposition to kneel at his feet when we next see him

at his holy Sacrifice.

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O sacred head, surrounded
by crown of piercing thorn!
O bleeding head, so wounded,
reviled and put to scorn!
Our sins have marred the glory
of thy most holy face,
yet angel hosts adore thee
and tremble as they gaze

I see thy strength and vigor
all fading in the strife,
and death with cruel rigor,
bereaving thee of life;
O agony and dying!
O love to sinners free!
Jesus, all grace supplying,
O turn thy face on me.

In this thy bitter passion,
Good Shepherd, think of me
with thy most sweet compassion,
unworthy though I be:
beneath thy cross abiding
for ever would I rest,
in thy dear love confiding,
and with thy presence blest.

---

Words: Henry Williams Baker (1821-1877), 1861;
after Bernard of Clairvaux (1091-1153);
and Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676)

Of Loving Jesus Above All Things

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Thirty-Second Day of the Preparation for Total Consecration

As taken from Thomas Kempis', Imitation of Christ, Book 2, Chapter 7

"Blessed is the man who knows what it is to love Jesus, and to despise himself for the sake of Jesus.  You must give up all other love for His, since He wishes to be loved alone above all.

Love of creatures is deceiving and constantly changing, but the love of Jesus is true and permanent.  If you hold on to creatures, you will fall with them; if you hold on to Jesus, you will remain firmly planted forever.

Love Him then keep Him as a friend.  He will not leave you as others do; nor will He permit you to suffer eternal death.  Separate yourself a little from everything, then.  Cling, therefore to Jesus in life and death; trust yourself to Him alone who can help you when all others fail you.

The nature of Christ's love is such that it will not admit a rival; He wants you for Himself alone.  He desires to sit on the throne of your heart as King; which is His right.  If you only knew how to free yourself of the love of creatures, how quickly would He come into your heart!"

Twelth Sunday After Pentecost, and St. Joseph Prayers

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+JMJ+

AMDG

Epistle: II Cor. 3:4-9 (an excerpt of this Sunday's Epistle below)

"BRETHERN: Such confdience we have through Christ towards God. Not that we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves, as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is from God."

Gospel: Lk. 10:23-37 (an excerpt of this Sundays' Gospel below)
"Blessed are the eyes that see the things which you see. For I say to you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them; and to hear, and have not heard them."

O BLESSED Joseph, happy man, to whom it was given not only to see and to hear that God Whom many kings longed to see, and saw not, to hear, and heard not; but also to carry Him in your arms, to embrace Him, to clothe Him, and guard and defend Him.

Latin Version: O FELICEM virum, beatum Ioseph, cui datum est Deum, quem multi reges voluerunt videre et non viderunt, audire et non audierunt, non solum videre et audire, sed portare, deosculari, vestire et custodire!

V. Pray for us, blessed Joseph.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
God, who hast conferred upon us a royal priesthood,we pray thee give us grace to minister at Thy holy altarswith hearts as clean and lives as blameless as that blessed Josephwho was found worthy to hold in his armsand with all reverence to carry Thy Only-Begotten Son, born of the Virgin Mary.Enable us this day to receive worthily the sacred Body and Blood of Thy Son,and fit us to win an everlasting reward in the world to come:through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Guardian of virgins, and holy father Joseph, to whose faithful custody Christ Jesus, Innocence itself, and Mary, Virgin of virgins, were committed; I pray and beseech thee, by these dear pledges, Jesus and Mary, that, being preserved from all uncleanness, I may with spotless mind, pure heart, and chaste body, ever serve Jesus and Mary most chastely all the days of my life.
Amen.

Latin version:Virginum custos et pater, sancte Ioseph, cuius fideli custodiae ipsa Innocentia Christus Iesus et Virgo virginum Maria commissa fuit; te per hoc utrumque carissimum pignus Iesum et Mariam obsecro et obtestor, ut me, ab omni immunditia praeservatum, mente incontaminata, puro corde et casto corpore Iesu et Mariae semper facias castissime famulari. Amen.

St. Joseph, help us to grow in purity of heart, that we may love in true charity, God alone, and our neighbor out of love of God.

(continuation from above of the Gospel Lk 10:23-37)

"And behold a certain lawyer stood up, tempting Him, and saying: Master, what must I do to possess eternal life? But he said to him: What is written in the law? How readest thou? He answering, said: Thou shalt love the Lord they God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And He said to him: Thou hast answered rightly: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said to Jesus: And who is my neighbor? And Jesus answering, said: A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who also stripped him, and having wounded him went away, leaving him half dead. And it chanced that a certain priest went down the same way, and seeing him, passed by. In like manner also a Levite, when he was near the place and saw him, passed by. But a certain Samaritan being on his journey, came near him, and seeing him, was moved with compassion, and going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine; and setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And the next day he took out two pence, and gave to the host, and said: Take care of him, and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I, at my return, will repay thee. Which of these three, in thine opinion, was neighbor to him that fell among robbers? But he said: He that showed mercy to him. And Jesus said to him: Go and do thou in like manner." +

Some Thursday Lessons from August, Divine Office

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Thurday of the Divine Office, Third Week of August

4th class

From the book of Wisdom
Lesson i Ch. 9:13-19
For what man knows God's counsel, or who can conceive what the Lord intends? For the deliberations of mortals are timid, and unsure are our plans. For the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns. And scare do we guess the things on earth, and what is within our grasp we find with difficulty; but when things are in heaven, who can search them out? Or who ever knew your counsel, except you had given Wisdom and sent your Holy Spirit from high? And thus were the paths of those on earth made straight, and men learned what was your pleasure. For it was by Wisdom that all those were saved who pleased you, Lord, from the beginning.

R. In the beginning, before God made the earth, before He established the depths, before He brought forth the spirngs of water, Before the mountains were settled into place, before all the hills, the Lord begot me.
V. When He established the heavens, I was there, I was beside Him as His craftsman. Before the mountains were settled into place, before all the hills, the Lord begot me.


Thurday of the Divine Office, Fourth Week of August

From the book of Ecclesiasticus
Ch. 3:22-26
What is too sublime for you, seek not; into things beyond your strength search not. But the things that God has commanded you, think about them always, and curb your curiosity about his many works; for what is hidden is not your concern. With what is too much for you meddle not, and curb your curiosity about his many works; for many things beyond human understanding have been shown you. Their own opinion has misled many, and false reasoning unbalanced their judgment.

R. In the beginning, before God made the earth, before He established the depths, before He brought forth the sprince of water, Before the mountains were settled into place, before all the hills, the Lord begot me.

V. When He established the heavens, I was there, I was beside Him as His craftsman. Before the mountains were settled into place, before all the hills, the Lord begot me.

Ch. 3:27-30
A stubborn man will fare badly in the end, adn he who loves danger will perish in it. A heart turned two ways will have no success, and he who is perverse of heart will find this duplicity a stumbling block. A stubborn man will be burdened with sorrow; a sinner will heap sin upon sin. For the assembly of the proud there will be no cure; for sin will take root in them without their perceiving it.

R. The vault of heaven I compassed alone; over the waves of the sea I walked; over every nation and people I held sway. By my own power I have trodden upon the necks of the proud and haughty. V. In the highest heavens I dwell, my throne on a pillar of cloud. By my own power I have trodden upon the necks of the proud and haughty.

Ch. 3:31-34
The heart of a sage makes itself known by his wisdom, and the ear of a good man will listen to wisdom with all eagerness. The wise and understanding heart will refrain from sin and succeed in the works of justice. Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins. God looks with favor on one who does a kindness, and remembers him afterward; when he falls he finds a support.

R. Send forth Wisdom, Lord, from Your glorious throne, that she may be with me and work with me, That I may know what is pleasing to You at all times.
V. Give me Wisdom, Lord, the attendant at Your throne, That I may know what is pleasing to You at all times. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

That I may know what is pleasing to You at all times.

Converts: A Special Sign of God's Mercy

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10th Sunday after Pentecost
Epistle: 1 Cor. 12:2-11
Gospel: Luke 18:9-14

This past Sunday, the 10th After Pentecost, Holy Mother Church* reminds us (*in the ancient liturgical rite based on the cycle of the Breviary) of the need for humility, in the fullness of the meaning of the word. As humility is seeing ourselves in light of Who God Is, then we see that we are nothing without His grace, and everything comes from Him to work for good. In the Gospel reading, we are reminded of the Pharisee and the Public, and how "Jesus spoke this parable to some who trusted inthemselves as just, and despised others."

Just as the Epistle of this day explains that we all who are in His grace, manifest the Holy Spirit by different works and paths.

This post are some thoughts on a particular path; that of the convert in the Roman Catholic church.

As you know, there are different types of graces, and among them, some of them are signal graces. Signal graces are graces that can be perceived by others. Whenever God permits a conversion, He bestows upon them number of signal graces. These signs usually stand out more in converts than in those that are already in His grace, or at least, have the habits that appear as grace cultivated by their environment and upbringing. When you see a rose grow in a garden of flowers, it is not as outstanding as when you see a rose grow where never any flowers thrived before. That is not a good example, though, because when we picture a rose in a plain environment, we think that the rose it somewhat out of place, and would prefer to see a rose in a garden. However, our Lord tells us that he came to live, suffer and die for the sinner, not for those that were already redeemed. Now, that is not to say that the person who was raised Catholic is necessarily living (and growing) in His grace, but from what I've learned and heard over and over again from those who have grown up Catholic, they often forget their "first charity" and fall into lukewarmness. They are tempted to think that that they are different because of their beliefs, when fundamentally, it was God's grace that they came to see and believe in them, and that everything in this life is given to us for to lead us to the Truth.

What I am really meaning to say is simply that God has given converts to the faith a special mission. This mission might be played out in many different ways, according to the path that God has chosen for each soul, but everyone is to be a sign of His Love who remains in His grace. The convert has a special role in the way that they are a reminder to all of one of the basic truths of the one, holy, Apostolic, true religion: that supernatural grace of God changes who we are to make us more into as he is.

Many times I've seen good Catholics fall in tiny steps into heresy. Frequently these are subtle but pervasive gnostic ideals, that they came to the Truth by knowledge, or Jansenism --- that they were preferred by Christ and were made more virtuous by their lineage. Each person is like a different type of flower, needing a different type of treatment for it to thrive. That is why we benefit from one another; because we are conduits of God's grace in different ways, as God intends to use us to help cultivate one another. Sometimes Catholics forget this. And I do not mean that some types, as I've described, necessarily have a higher purpose by this type, but their are lesser or greater signs according to His Will and the compliance of that soul.

St. John writes to the church at Ephesus in the Book of Revelation (*Book of the Apocalypse), "I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them that are evil, and thou hast tried them, who say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And thou hast patience, and hast endured for my name, and hast not fainted. But I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first charity. Be mindful therefore from whence thou art fallen: and do penance, and do the first works." (Rev.2:4-5). All these things that he afore mentioned are apparently not the "first works" of charity! Therefore, it must be that we must follow the laws of charity as they pertain to God and neighbor, not just live in a bubble for the sake of our own salvation. Even if one is to go into the cloister, they must be engaged heavily in the ministry of spiritual works for their neighbor, both within the walls of the convent and out in the world via frequent, intimate prayer. The Holy Spirit, through St. John, ties penance to the first works because it helps us to remember in our first thoughts who we are in respect to Who God Is (a short definition of humility). It is easier to remain humble when your sins are always before you, and remorse for our own past sins is an anecdote for pride.

Post Communion: We beseech Thee, O Lord, our God, that in They goodness Thou wilt not deprive of Thine aid those whom Thou dost not cease to renew with Thy divine Sacraments. Through our Lord.+

Discerning the Holy Will of God

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+OFTEN when we say to ourselves, "What should I do?" we are really only asking, "What could I do?" Even if we mean to ask, 'should', we barely truly ask the question when we exclude discerning the Holy Will of God. When should we discern the Will of God? The answer is simply: always. Since we are not (yet) saints, and are not united to Christ, discerning the Holy Will of God does not come automatically, nor does it usually come to us easily even through prayer. When, then, is it appropriate to discern through prayer? The truth of the matter is, it is always appropriate to discern through prayer. "But if the matter is light, how then can I be in the world and yet pray always?" Remember that the Holy Spirit tells us to "pray always". But how is this possible? This is known as the habit of recollection, and like all good habits, it must be acquired (at least in part), by much repeated effort on our part.

Recollection by habit requires the consistent practice of the following:

1.) Daily discovery of who JESUS is through meditation on scripture. This understanding is revealed to us through the teachings of Holy Mother Church. Just as scripture, itself, is part of Sacred Tradition that comes from God, so is all the Church's understanding of this as it has been passed on to us from the Apostles. Any new understanding is not authentic, because God revealed all to us necessary for our salvation through the teachings handed down through the Apostles. Our understanding, therefore, must be truly catholica: True for all people, all places, throughout all times. What a wonderful patrimony on which to rest!

One of the best ways to choose your daily meditation is to follow the readings for that day, or at least for the Sunday of that week. This is because the more we engage in the liturgical year, the more we avail ourselves to the particular graces that come through deeper engagement of that liturgical time. The Holy Ghost then permits the liturgy to become a part of our lives not just externally, but interiorly, intimately guiding our very souls.

2.) We must ask daily, "Who am I to God?" We must examine our consciences by conducting both general and particular examinations. General examinations consist in thinking through the 10 Commandments (not "the 10 Suggestions"), and looking not only at mortal offenses, but any offenses, even the small worms of deception known as venial sins. Was the sin deliberate? Semi-deliberate? What fault of mine was behind it? Is it common to me? This brings us to the particular examinations along with firm resolution of ammendment. The particular examin can and should be done at least 3 times throughout the day, to make sure that you are keeping your resolution to avoid the sin or fault (which leads to sin). The resolution must be concisely predefined in such a manner, "When such-and-such occurs and I am tempted to ____, I will rather do ____ in order to maintain my friendship with God and grow in His grace and Love." Then, according to the times that you fall, you have a predetermined penance for that day, something small, unless the sin is mortal*. (*If one is yet in the position to commit mortal sins, greater care must by done to sever a near occasions and prompt and close attention must be kept by a good, well-trained Confessor.) Any person serious at all about their spiritual life should have a regular, well-trained Confessor that they see at least once every 2 weeks. Faults and resolutions should be discussed during this time, in addition to any and all sins committed since the previous Confession.

3.) Daily discoursive prayers are also important, and often either over-looked, or to the other extreme --- they are relied upon as an end and not merely a means to the more involved prayers of mediation and contemplation. If examination is akin to looking at a road map and considering where we are, and meditation is akin to considering where we should be heading, discoursive prayer is one of the ways in which we put 'the pedal to the metal'. It is part of the practice of virtue, and helps us to strengthen our virtue 'muscles', as it were. Discoursive prayer is part of our daily routine, and without a routine we will not grow in the virtues and therefore nor in our relationship with God.

The most important daily, discoursive prayer is the Holy Rosary, or Our Lady's Psalter. This prayer, which was given to religious who could not either read the Psalms, or memorize them, was also given to the laity by Our Lady herself. She gave it to the laity by way of giving it to St. Dominic Guzman (whose feast is celebrated today, August 4).

Our Rosary is preparation of the other steps, so long as we are faithful to praying the Rosary daily. By this means, we enter daily into the mysteries of our Lord, both by mediation and discoursive devotion. Also, it aids in building the habit of virtue, both by invoking the aid of the Blessed Mother (asking through her for her Son's Divine aid), and daily proving our love and devotion through this simple prayer.

Faithful adherence to these practices will lead us to becoming more and more recollected in Christ, and lead us to detachment of created goods. Detachment from created goods leaves as we attach ourselves authentically to God will lead us to contemplative prayer --- where we received infused virtues and 'listen' to the Voice of God. The bottom line is the more we keep to these basics in greater devotion each day, the more readily we will be able to discern what we should do and not merely what we think we can.

St. Dominic, pray for us.+

"... heretics are more easily won over by examples of humility and virtue than by external display or a hail of words. Should we not rather arm ourselves with devout prayers and, carrying before us the standard of true humility, proceed in our bare feet against Goliath?" --- St. Dominic

Note: Please listen to Veni Creator on the first, top right video on this page. Invoke also St. Dominic to sing from Heaven with you, as he is especially likely to do, this having been one of his favorite songs which he often sang (along with the Ave Maris Stella). (The Veni Creator will be the first song played among the 2 others that follow also invoking the Holy Ghost.)

Words to "Veni Creator" here

Words to "Ave Maris Stella" here

Why hast Thou loved me? -- A THOUGHT FROM ST. ALPHONSUS

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+Consider that no one --- whether friend or brother, father or mother, lover or spouse -- loves you more than your God. And Divine Grace is the inestimable treasure through which vile creatures and servants like ourselves become dear friends of our Creator. "For she is an infinite treasure to men, which they that use become friends of God." It was for the purpose of increasing our confidence that "He emptied Himself," so to speak, humbling Himself to the point of becoming man in order to live in familiar converse with us. "He conversed with us." He went so far as to become a little Babe and to live in poverty and die on a Cross for our sake. He even placed Himself under the species of bread so as to be with us always and in the most intimate union. "He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My Blood abideth in Me and I in Him."

In short, so great is God's love for you that He seems to love no one but you. And therefore you should love no one but Him. You should be able to say to Him: "My Beloved to me and I to Him." My God has given Himself entirely to me, and I give my whole self to Him; He has chosen me for His beloved, and I choose Him from among all for my only love. "My Beloved is white and ruddy, chosen out of thousands."

Often, therefore, speak to God in these words: O my Lord, why hast Thou loved me so much? What good dost Thou find in my poor self? Hast Thou forgotten the injuries I have done Thee? But since Thou hast treated me with so much love --- for instead of condemning me to Hell, Thou hast given me graces without number --- I will henceforth love no one but Thee, my God and my All. What grieves me most in my past offences, O my loving God, is not so much the punishment I have desired, as the displeasure I have given Thee, Who art worthy of infinite love. But Thou dost never reject a repentant and humble heart. "A contrite and humble heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise." Now indeed I wish for no one else but Thee alone in this life and in the next. "What have I in Heaven? And besides Thee, what do I desire upon earth? Thou art the God of my heart and the God that is my portion forever." Thou alone art and wilt always be the only Lord of my heart and will; Thou alone my only good, my Heaven, my hope, my all. "The God of my heart and the God that is my portion forever."

In short, so great is God's love for you that He seems to love no one but you. And therefore you should love no one but Him. You should be able to say to Him: "My Beloved to me and I to Him." My God has given Himself entirely to me, and I give my whole self to Him; He has chosen me for His beloved, and I choose Him from among all for my only love. "My Beloved is white and ruddy, chosen out of thousands."

Often, therefore, speak to God in these words: O my Lord, why hast Thou loved me so much? What good dost Thou find in my poor self? Hast Thou forgotten the injuries I have done Thee? But since Thou hast treated me with so much love --- for instead of condemning me to Hell, Thou hast given me graces without number --- I will henceforth love no one but Thee, my God and my All. What grives me most in my past offences, O my loving God, is not so much the punishment I have desered, as the displeasure I have given Thee, Who art worthy of infinite love. But Thou dost never reject a repentant and humble heart. "A contrite and humble heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise." Now indeed I wish for no one else but Thee alone in this life and in the next. "What have I in Heaven? And besides Thee, what do I desire upon earth? Thou art the God of my heart and the God that is my portion forever." Thou alone art and wilt always be the only Lord of my heart and will; Thou alone my only good, my Heaven, my hope, my all. "The God of my heart and the God that is my portion forever." +

On the Feast of St. Alphonsus Liguori, 2009

Sancte Alphonsus, ora pro nobis.

4th Sunday of Pentecost

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Epistle: Romans 8:18-23
Gospel: Luke 5:1-11

"And having brought their ships to land, leaving all things, they followed him."

Last week, the message of the Epistle and Gospel focused on judging actions, but not people, rather being humble minded and reminded of the value of penance.

This Sunday, the message is about hope.

In the Epistle, St. Paul empathizes with the sufferings of his brethren, and to see their sufferings as a share in the punishment for sin. We don't know if our sufferings are for our own sins, or the sins of others, we only know for certain that God is fully loving and fully just.

"For the creature was made subject to vanity, nor willingly, but by reason of him that made it subject in hope; because the creature also itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption."

St. Paul refers to the concerns of this life as vanity because of the evil brought into the world due to original sin. Our suffering in this life, therefore, is due to having to serve in the context of things that are vain, meaning, that they do not fulfil the ultimate desire of one in who is in the Spirit of Christ, and because of the disorder of this life in which we must serve, suffering is inevitable.

"For we know that every creature groaneth, and travaileth in pain, even until now; and not only it, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves grown within ourselves, waiting for the adoption of the sons of God, the redemption of our body, in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Here St. Paul referes to the mystical "adoption" not as coming first into the Church, but the union of the created soul with God.

We then see in today's Gospel reading, Jesus suprising the apostles and other fishermen by giving them very unlikely fishing advice, which due to the miracle, turns out to be a success.

Our Lord commands Simon, "Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon, answering, said to Him: Master, we have labored all the night, and have taken nothing..." How often it is, in the midst of our sufferings, that we turn to Jesus and find that nothing seems to be working out? What then? Do we lose hope and trust during the night of our souls? Do we then say, "Master, we have labored all the night, and have taken nothing"?

This was a serious concern for them. Back then, it wasn't like fishing was a sport, but it was the means by which to feed their people. "All night" was no exaggeration, but a real description of their plight. These were expert fisherman who did this for a living, and worked all through the dark hours, with still nothing to show. It was a bit of a desperate situation. They'd not seen themselves as having given up, but that the situation itself was a lost cause. After the long night, they had brought in the boats and equipment and were washing their nets when our Lord called out to them.

Simon, in obedience to Jesus, followed his order to let down the net. When Simon saw the miraculous result of the multitude of fishes, he repented of his sin. What was the sin? The sin was that Simon did not ask Jesus for his assistance, and trust that he would, in some way, help him.

"And having brought their ships to land, leaving all things, they followed him."
____________________________________________________________________

Why is that we get ourselves often so bogged down in inward or outward complaints, even to the point of thinking too much of something as if it were such a cause to be it's own end (rather than a means to union with the Almighty) or even lose our peace all together? How do we, once and for all, bring our own ships to land and leave all things, in order to trust in Jesus above all else (even in the long, dark night)? Do we always need a miracle to grow in supernaturalized hope?

We grow in hope when we grow in love of Christ. We grow in love of Christ when we seek to know him in his actions revealed to us in the Gospels, and in faithful adherence to his Sacraments. And, we grow by the other essential requirement: by daily meditation on his life.
We must have a conversation with him, even outside of our daily prayer time, where we endeavor to share every moment with the aim to maintain his True Presence within bodies. The holiest place on the planet to each faithful Catholic should be his own heart --- not for its corruption, having been born of original sin, having suffered its effects, and itself having commited sin, but because it is the place where Jesus seeks to dwell. We don't need to "feel" that it is the holiest place, but rather, we must recognize this vocation of every faithful Catholic, to be the living tabernacle of the Lord. However, when we sin against hope, when we lose our peace over life's trials, we dissipate Christ within us.

The more we make a habit of regarding our Lord in our hearts more frequently after Holy Communion we can grow in the supernatural gifts.

If there were a burglar to come to your home tonight, and he knocked on the door, then said, "Hello, it's a strange man come to burgal your home!" would you open the door and let him in?
The answer is: No. Of course not. However, when we chose to let our peace be disturbed we do worse than opening the door to have our homes burgled, as we are talking about the home Christ looks to make in our hearts, at a very high price he paid for you.

We are creatures with emotions, and this makes it more challenging to grow impatient or fall into poor judgment. This is why the more we regard the Lord's Presence within us (after receiving Holy Communion), the more we will be readily apt to do whatever it takes to maintain that sanctuary within ourselves, where God can dwell more fully and peacefully. Also, we must chose to leave all things, in order to follow Him. When we see that even the necessities in life are only for the purpose of getting us by in this life in order that we may serve Him, we must use them as if they are just that: a means to a glorified end. We must have holy impatience only withourselves to endeavor to be always recollected, and always keep our hearts at peace to maintain Christ within us.

Our Time of Apostasy: Meditations on Pentecost

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+These thoughts I share now are nothing apart from the traditional teachings of the Catholic Church as handed down by the Apostles (the only teachers who were at the only Pentecost). Much of what I will say, however, is contrary to the popular false teachings of many modern "Catholic theologians", who although come from Catholic universities, are taught and espouse heresies which have been already condemned by Holy Mother Church even from as far back as the times of the Church Fathers.

Here are now some excerpts of the Gospel readings from this week, thus far:

Pentecost Sunday, Gospel according to St. John 1:23-31(excerpt) "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, do I give unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, or let it be afraid."

This is an excellent reminder to us to not be too overly embroiled in the news of the day so much that we lose our peace. That would be "tossing the baby out with the bath water," even if unintentionally, since we dissipate and even threaten to lose the holy grace of God in losing our peace.

Pentecost Monday, Gospel according to St. John 3:16-21
"At that time Jesus said to Necodemus: God so loved the world, as to give His only-begotten Son: that whosover believeth in Him may not perish, but may have life everlasting. For God sent not His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by Him. He that believeth in Him is not judged; but he that doth not believe is already judged: because he believeth not in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. And this is the judgment: because the light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light: for their works were evil. For every one that doth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, that his works may not be reproved; but he that doth truth, cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, because they are done in God."

So many people today will wrongly say that "God came not to judge the world", and that everything goes. But that is not what is meant by "judge"; as this obviously means that Jesus did not come to judge at once every soul within the world, but has He Himself explains that "whosoever believeth in Him may not perish, but may have life everlasting." But who is it that "believeth in Him"? The one that believes in Christ believes in ALL HIS WORDS, knowing that just as Christ is eternal, so are Christ's words. "For every one that doth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, that his works may not be reproved."

Pentecost Tuesday, Gospel according to St. John 10:1-10
(excerpt) "Jesus therefore said to them again: Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All others, as many as have come, are thieves and robbers, an the sheep heard them not. I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved: and he shall go in and go out, and shall fnd pastures. The theif cometh not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they may have life and may have it more abundantly."

Jesus here reveals that he is "the door of the sheep" and that "all others ... are theives and robbers." And then, what is the point of dialogue with those who do not profess the doctrines of Jesus Christ as true for all places, all peoples, and all times, except to harm our souls?

Ember Wednesday After Pentecost, Gospel according to St. John 5:44-52
"At that time Jesus said to the multitude of the Jews: No man can come to Me, except the Father, Who hath sent Me, draw him; and I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the Prophets: And they shall al be taught of God. Every one that hath heard of the Father, and hath learned, cometh to Me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, but He Who is of God, He hath seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say unto you: he that believeth in Me hath everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the desert, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven: that if any man eat of it, he may not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give, is My flesh for the life of the world."
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Some thoughts:
"Everyone who has heard of the Father, AND hath learned, cometh to Me." This presupposes that not all who would hear of the Father would necessarily would also have learned. Then our Lord further defines his Church and Bride by emphasing (yet again) the Dogma of the Holy Eucharist: "... the bread that I will give, is My flesh for the life of the world." The word he used when he clarified to the Apostles (after they returned from having separated from him by their incredulity on having to actually "eat" the Lord's Flesh) was similar to the word we use today meaning "to masticate". Our Lord makes it very clear that this Holy Communion wasn't only necessary to have eternal life, but also to recognize that by his own Authority, (as then given to the Apostles to hand down in the way that he handed it to them) that Holy Communion is TRULY his body (and fully his body, with his blood).

If we are to profess Christ, and seek true and everlasting peace, we are to believe in Christ, that is to say, we are to believe in his Words, as that are Life. His words gives us the doctrine of the one true Church, and supporting this are the doctrines of those who did not go astray from his Bride --- the Church Fathers and the Church Doctors.

Our inheritance of Christ is the Catholic faith, and if we have not only heard but also learned, we accept ALL the truths that have been handed down from the Apostles. These are truths that do not develop with the times, because God is timeless. Time is our experience in the human modality, and the human modality is a creature made by God. If we believe in Christ we are subservient to him in his true Church. When one says that the doctrines of His Bride can evolve, they deny Christ as Lord. The Light of Holy Ghost does not rest upon those who do not receive Christ from the Father as eternal, unchanging Truth Incarnate.

Christ served us by his suffering and death.

Society's duty is to serve under Christ, but for this to happen, since society places itself as a god, and refuses to serve, Christ must continue to suffer in his victim souls. Let us prepare to suffer together in the true Body of Christ, joined by His Flesh (Holy Communion). We prepare by constant prayer (the Mass, the rosary, meditative prayer), and not forgoing the Sacrament of Reconciliaton (Penance) as required to grow further in His Grace. Our peace and our joy is not of the world, but in Christ who is eternal. Keep peaceful, vigilant hearts by honoring our Lord in the Sacraments, exhort your neighbors, and keep confidence only in Jesus.+

Why Stand You Looking Up to Heaven?

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"Quid statis aspicientes in coelum?" - Acts 1:11

Today we as Catholics think of the Ascension of our Lord, and how its signficance to us is underlined with the events of the past week in the Church. Scandals abroad and in our own land threaten to haunt those that have taken their eyes off of our Lord.

Recall that even the disciples did not recognize the Resurrected Lord until "Jesus appeared to the eleven as they were at table". They would not recognize our Lord until the breaking of the bread. "... and He upbraided them with their incredulity and hardness of heart, because they did not believe them who had seen Him after He was risen again." And he said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned."

These were among the very last words of our Lord and Savior before He ascended into Heaven. The very words of our Lord are very different than what many people profess today, both within and without the Church, yet this is teachings of Christ, and therefore, the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Those that believe IN Him, believe not merely that He existed and still exists, but they believe Jesus' every word. Matters of dogma are not to be challenged by those who profess to believe in Jesus the Christ.

"And while they were beholding Him going up to heaven, behold two men stood by them in white garments, who also said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven?"

These men in white garments are the same as the angels that stand watch by our Lord in the Tabernacles. They, of the Church Triumphant, behold the True Presence constantly.

Do we not deserve to be upbraided by our Lord when He appears at the table and in every Tabernacle? Are we incredulous and hardened in heart, even while He remains with us?

"UNLESS you EAT of my body... you do not have life in you."

Prepare yourselves in the present moment that you may win Heaven. +

Blessed Feast of the Ascension, 2009