Day 5, Novena to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

Fifth Day – Trust Jesus Blindly

Thought for the day:
“Confidence in God can do all things. It is our emptiness and lowliness that God needs and not our plenitude.”


Ask for the grace to have an unshakeable trust in the God’s power and love for you and for all.
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, you allowed the thirsting love of Jesus on the Cross to become a living flame within you, and so became the light of His love to all.
Obtain from the Heart of Jesus (here make your request).
Teach me to allow Jesus to penetrate and possess my whole being so completely that my life, too, may radiate His light and love to others. Amen.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Cause of Our Joy, pray for me.
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, pray for me.

Day 4, Novena to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

Fourth Day – Our Lady Will Help You
Thought for the day:
“How close we must keep to Our Lady who understood what depth of Divine Love was being revealed as she stood at the foot of the Cross and heard Jesus cry out: ‘I thirst.’ ”


Ask for the grace to learn from Our Lady to quench Jesus’ thirst as she did.
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, you allowed the thirsting love of Jesus on the Cross to become a living flame within you, and so became the light  of His love to all.
Obtain from the Heart of Jesus (here make your request).
Teach me to allow Jesus to penetrate and possess my whole being so completely that my life, too, may radiate His light and love to others. Amen.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Cause of Our Joy, pray for me.
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, pray for me.

Day 3, Novena to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

Third Day – Hear Him Say to You: “I Thirst"
Thought for the day:
“Just think! God is thirsting for you and me to come forward to satiate His thirst.”


Ask for the grace to understand Jesus’ cry of thirst.
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, you allowed the thirsting love of Jesus on the Cross to become a living flame within you, and so became the light  of His love to all.
Obtain from the Heart of Jesus (here make your request).
Teach me to allow Jesus to penetrate and possess my whole being so completely that my life, too, may radiate His light and love to others. Amen.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Cause of Our Joy, pray for me.
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, pray for me.

Aug. 29, 2011 Monday: Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist

Martyrdom of John the Baptist


The drunken oath of a king with a shallow sense of honor, a seductive dance and the hateful heart of a queen combined to bring about the martyrdom of John the Baptist. The greatest of prophets suffered the fate of so many Old Testament prophets before him: rejection and martyrdom. The "voice crying in the desert" did not hesitate to accuse the guilty, did not hesitate to speak the truth. But why? What possesses a man that he would give up his very life?

This great religious reformer was sent by God to prepare the people for the Messiah. His vocation was one of selfless giving. The only power that he claimed was the Spirit of Yahweh. "I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matthew 3:11). Scripture tells us that many people followed John looking to him for hope, perhaps in anticipation of some great messianic power. John never allowed himself the false honor of receiving these people for his own glory. He knew his calling was one of preparation. When the time came, he led his disciples to Jesus: "The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God.' The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus" (John 1:35-37). It is John the Baptist who has pointed the way to Christ. John's life and death were a giving over of self for God and other people. His simple style of life was one of complete detachment from earthly possessions. His heart was centered on God and the call that he heard from the Spirit of God speaking to his heart. Confident of God's grace, he had the courage to speak words of condemnation or repentance, of salvation.

- from www.americancatholic.org

Day 2, Novena to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

Second Day –Jesus Loves You

Thought for the day:
“Do not be afraid - you are precious to Jesus. He loves you.”


Ask for the grace to be convinced of Jesus’ unconditional and personal love for you.
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, you allowed the thirsting love of Jesus on the Cross to become a living flame within you, and so became the light  of His love to all.
Obtain from the Heart of Jesus (here make your request).
Teach me to allow Jesus to penetrate and possess my whole being so completely that my life, too, may radiate His light and love to others. Amen.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Cause of Our Joy, pray for me.
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, pray for me.

Day 1, Novena to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

Official Novena to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta
First Day – Know the Living Jesus (Aug 27, 2011)
Thought for the day:
“Don’t search for Jesus in far lands; He is not there. He is close to you; He is in you.”


Ask for the grace of an intimate knowledge of Jesus.
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, you allowed the thirsting love of Jesus on the Cross to become a living flame within you, and so became the light of His love to all.
Obtain from the Heart of Jesus (here make your request).
Teach me to allow Jesus to penetrate and possess my whole being so completely that my life, too, may radiate His light and love to others. Amen.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Cause of Our Joy, pray for me.
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, pray for me.

Aug 28, 2011: 22nd Sunday in Ordinary (A)

Click to hear audio homily

A few weeks ago, my sister, mom, little nephews and niece, and a cousin from Korea came to visit me and they stayed with me at the rectory. When packing to come here, my sister and my mom loaded up the minivan to the top with food to bring to me. Believe me, my mom left me enough Korean food to last me through the winter (that's how mother's are, right?). On their way to Louisiana, they had to pick up my cousin at the airport, and once they saw the size of her luggage they went into a panic. There was no room in the minivan for her very large luggage. How many times do others tell us Americans that we pack much more than necessary when we travel? We all have been there, struggling to keep it simple. But we think to ourselves, 'I may need this.'

When we lose the battle for simplicity in our life, we lose the battle to carry out Heavenly Father's will for us. If you've watched shows such as "Hoarding: Buried Alive," then you have seen people who have lost the struggle to keep their homes simple because they could not let go of things they don't need--their trash. The TV cameras reveal mountains of trash inside a home, and also capture the owner's inability to let go of his belongings, all the while their children are pleading with him to break the habit. All of us watching the show are left with sadness in knowing that this person ceased struggling against self and is living a very self-absorbed life, preoccupied with their trash. It's not the kind of life God intended for him. Yet the person hoarding trash is thinking that he is submitting to God's will. What he is really doing is confusing his own will with God's will. 

Our Lord knows how we mistake our own self-will for the Heavenly Father's will. He had to remind Peter of the one who opposes the Father's will--Satan. Jesus also had to remind Peter that Peter himself was opposing the Father's will. Although Peter's desire was that his teacher and friend avoid suffering, Jesus' sharp remark was stinging for Peter when Jesus said, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." Jesus had to explain what was at stake in following the Father's will, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Jesus had to explain that in submitting our will to the Father, we would receive many rewards.

What does submitting our will to our Heavenly Father look like? I think Mother Teresa can teach us much about how to do this. She said our hearts need to be aware of the Divine Presence in our lives. For us to become aware His presence, we need interior silence, yet silence is very scarce in our culture. The other day as I was walking into Walmart, I heard loud thumping music coming from a car. A couple of young adults walking ahead of me began to dance to the beat. I remember when I was teenager, how I surrounded myself with music most of my waking hours. I wonder now, 'How did I even hear my own thoughts, let alone hear God's voice speaking to me when I gave myself no chance for silence?'

Mother Teresa instructed her sisters, "To achieve true interior silence, we shall practice:"
- Silence of the eyes, by seeking always the beauty and goodness of God everywhere, closing it to the faults of others and to all that is sinful and disturbing to the soul.
- Silence of the ears, by listening always to the voice of God and to the cry of the poor and the needy, closing it to all the other voices that come from the evil one or from fallen human nature: e.g. gossip, tale-bearing, and uncharitable words.
- Silence of the tongue, by praising God and speaking of the life-giving Word of God that is the Truth that enlightens and inspires, brings peace, hope, and joy and by refraining from self-defense and every word that causes darkness, turmoil, pain, and death.
- Silence of the mind, by opening it to the truth and knowledge of God in prayer and contemplation, like Mary who pondered the marvels of the Lord in her heart, and by closing it to all untruths, distractions, destructive thoughts, rash judgment, false suspicions of others, revengeful thoughts, and desires.
- Silence of the heart, by loving God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength and one another as God loves, desiring God alone and avoiding all selfishness, hatred, envy, jealousy, and greed.
Our silence is a joyful and God-centered silence; it demands of us constant self-denial and plunges us into the deep silence of God where aloneness with God becomes a reality.

Why do we avoid simplicity in life by filling our exterior life and interior life with busyness and distractions? Isn't it because we fear being alone with God? But what will we realize when we are alone with God? As is written in a Responsorial Psalm, "My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God." I realize that I have been thirsting and hungering for God all this time. Truly then in that silence we receive a great reward from God:
"O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you."

Aug. 26, 2011 Friday: 21st Week in Ordinary Time (A)

Imitation of Christ

THE INTIMATE FRIENDSHIP OF JESUS

WHEN Jesus is near, all is well and nothing seems difficult. When He is absent, all is hard. When Jesus does not speak within, all other comfort is empty, but if He says only a word, it brings great consolation.

Did not Mary Magdalen rise at once from her weeping when Martha said to her: "The Master is come, and calleth for thee"?[13] Happy is the hour when Jesus calls one from tears to joy of spirit.

How dry and hard you are without Jesus! How foolish and vain if you desire anything but Him! Is it not a greater loss than losing the whole world? For what, without Jesus, can the world give you? Life without Him is a relentless hell, but living with Him is a sweet paradise. If Jesus be with you, no enemy can harm you.

He who finds Jesus finds a rare treasure, indeed, a good above every good, whereas he who loses Him loses more than the whole world. The man who lives without Jesus is the poorest of the poor, whereas no one is so rich as the man who lives in His grace.

It is a great art to know how to converse with Jesus, and great wisdom to know how to keep Him. Be humble and peaceful, and Jesus will be with you. Be devout and calm, and He will remain with you. You may quickly drive Him away and lose His grace, if you turn back to the outside world. And, if you drive Him away and lose Him, to whom will you go and whom will you then seek as a friend? You cannot live well without a friend, and if Jesus be not your friend above all else, you will be very sad and desolate. Thus, you are acting foolishly if you trust or rejoice in any other. Choose the opposition of the whole world rather than offend Jesus. Of all those who are dear to you, let Him be your special love. Let all things be loved for the sake of Jesus, but Jesus for His own sake.

Jesus Christ must be loved alone with a special love for He alone, of all friends, is good and faithful. For Him and in Him you must love friends and foes alike, and pray to Him that all may know and love Him.

Never desire special praise or love, for that belongs to God alone Who has no equal. Never wish that anyone's affection be centered in you, nor let yourself be taken up with the love of anyone, but let Jesus be in you and in every good man. Be pure and free within, unentangled with any creature.

Aug. 25, 2011 Thursday: 21st Week in Ordinary Time(A)

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta


"Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so"

If sometimes we feel as if the Master is away, is it not because I have kept myself far from some Sister? One thing that will always secure heaven for us: acts of charity and kindness with which we have filled our lives. We will never know how much good just a simple smile can do. We tell people how kind, forgiving and understanding God is are we the living proof? Can they really see this kindness, this forgiveness, this understanding in us?

Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.

-Jesus, The Word to be spoken, 10th month, day 5 (ed. Br. Angelo Devanada Scolozzi)

Aug. 24, 2011 Wednesday: St. Bartholomew

Nathaniel-Bartholomew recognises the Messiah, the Son of God


By Pope Benedict XVI

The Evangelist John tells us that when Jesus sees Nathaniel approaching, he exclaims: "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile!" (Jn 1,47). This is praise reminiscent of the text of a Psalm: "Blessed is the man... in whose spirit there is no deceit" (Ps 32[31],2), but provokes the curiosity of Nathaniel who answers in amazement: "How do you know me?". Jesus' reply cannot immediately be understood. He says: "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you". We do not know what had happened under this fig tree. It is obvious that it had to do with a decisive moment in Nathaniel's life. His heart is moved by Jesus' words, he feels understood and he understands: "This man knows everything about me, he knows and is familiar with the road of life; I can truly trust this man". And so he answers with a clear and beautiful confession of faith: "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" In this confession is conveyed a first important step in the journey of attachment to Jesus. Nathaniel's words shed light on a twofold, complementary aspect of Jesus' identity: he is recognized both in his special relationship with God the Father, of whom he is the Only-begotten Son, and in his relationship with the People of Israel, of whom he is the declared King, precisely the description of the awaited Messiah. We must never lose sight of either of these two elements because if we only proclaim Jesus' heavenly dimension, we risk making him an ethereal and evanescent being; and if, on the contrary, we recognize only his concrete place in history, we end by neglecting the divine dimension that properly qualifies him.

General Audience of 04/10/06

Aug. 23, 2011 Tuesday: St. Rose of Lima

St. Rose of Lima

This South American saint was born in Lima, Peru, in 1586. Her real name was Isabel, but she was such a beautiful baby that she was called Rose. She received the Sacrament of Confirmation from St. Turibio, archbishop of Lima. We celebrate his feast on March 23. As Rose grew older, she became more and more beautiful. One day her mother put a wreath of flowers on her head to show off her loveliness to friends. But Rose was not impressed. She only wanted Jesus to notice her and love her.

Rose did not think she was special because of her physical beauty. She realized that appearance had nothing to do with what a person was on the inside. Because of this, Rose avoided being concerned with her looks and focused on the beauty of her soul. She knew that she would be spiritually beautiful with prayer, penance, and the practice of virtue.

St. Rose worked hard gardening and sewing to support her parents who were very poor. She humbly obeyed them, too, except when they tried to persuade her to marry. That she would not do. Her love for Jesus was so great that when she talked about him, her face glowed. Rose wanted to live for Jesus alone. She joined the Dominican Third Order and lived in a little hut on her parent’s property.

She had many temptations from the devil. There also were times when she had to suffer terrible loneliness and sadness. During those times, God seemed far away. Yet she cheerfully offered all these troubles to him. She kept praying for her trust to grow stronger. In her last long, painful sickness, this heroic young woman used to pray: “Lord, increase my sufferings, and with them increase your love in my heart.” She was just thirty-one when she died on August 24, 1617, in Lima.

St. Rose of Lima was proclaimed a saint by Pope Clement X in 1671. He also named her patroness of the Americas, Philippines, and West Indies.

-From Daughters of St. Paul

Aug. 22, 2011 Monday: Queenship of Mary

Queenship of Mary




Click to hear audio homily
Pius XII established this feast in 1954. But Mary's queenship has roots in Scripture. At the Annunciation, Gabriel announced that Mary's Son would receive the throne of David and rule forever. At the Visitation, Elizabeth calls Mary "mother of my Lord." As in all the mysteries of Mary's life, Mary is closely associated with Jesus: Her queenship is a share in Jesus' kingship. We can also recall that in the Old Testament the mother of the king has great influence in court.

In the fourth century St. Ephrem called Mary "Lady" and "Queen." Later Church fathers and doctors continued to use the title. Hymns of the 11th to 13th centuries address Mary as queen: "Hail, Holy Queen," "Hail, Queen of Heaven," "Queen of Heaven." The Dominican rosary and the Franciscan crown as well as numerous invocations in Mary's litany celebrate her queenship.

(From www.americancatholic.org)

We can think of today’s feast in connection with the Assumption of Mary, which we celebrated on August 15. Today we think of Mary united with her Son in heaven. She is there—body and soul.

Even though few governments today are monarchies, we can still understand the importance of kings and queens in the history of many countries. A good queen was greatly loved and served with joy. That is the kind of Queen we have in Mary. She is a kind and loving Queen. She is our Mother and Teacher, too.

As our Mother, Mary takes care of us. We never have to be ashamed to ask her for anything. She will give us spiritual gifts. She will help us with our physical needs. She is also our Teacher, because she left us an example of how to be true disciples of Jesus. If we invite Mary to be our Queen, she will teach us many wonderful things about the life of Jesus in us. She will lead us to her Son.

We can honor Mary every day in several ways. We can pray the Hail Mary during the day. We can spend some quiet time in prayer and say the Rosary. We can keep a little statue or picture of Mary nearby to remind us to honor her with prayer. This is the way we make Mary the center and Queen of our hearts.

(From Daughters of St Paul)

Aug. 21, 2011: 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time (A)

Click to hear audio homily
This week, the priests of our deanery met at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Pierre Part for a meeting. Before we had lunch at the rectory, some of us walked across the new foot bridge to the "Virgin Island." It's a tiny island dedicated by the people of Pierre Part to Blessed Mother in gratitude for saving lives in natural disasters. In recent months when the Mississippi River reached the flooding stage, people of the town came out to this island daily and prayed Rosary for Blessed Mother's intercession. I walked over to the statue of Mary and said to her, "Good afternoon, Mother." Looking over the bayou, I saw many houses with white sandbags piled on their yard to protect their homes. How fortunate for this town that this Mother's prayers were answered, and they did not need to use the sandbags. With prayers answered like that, people of Pierre Part certainly knew by heart who this Heavenly Mother was and what she meant to them.

In a small town like Pierre Part or Donaldsonville, it's helpful to know the right person to get things done. As a newcomer to Donaldsonville, I didn't know anyone who lived here, but in just a matter of weeks, many of the residents already seem to know me. The other day I went to Walgreens to pick up photos and I was not wearing my white collar. As I waited at the photo counter, a gentleman walked behind the counter, thumbed through the bin labeled XYZ and pulled out my photos. I was dumbfounded, and said to the man, "How did you know that those photos are mine?" He replied, "Father, I go to mass at 7 AM on Sunday."  A week later, I was at a hospital in Baton Rouge and the employee from Walgreens was in a hospital bed. I said to him, "I know you! You helped me with the photos. Now how may I help you?" I gave him the anointing of the sick.

To know someone means that we have a bond with them and this bond affects us. This past month and a half after arriving in Donaldsonville, I have presided at about 20 funerals. At each funeral, I have seen friends and neighbors, who knew the deceased personally, mourn and celebrate together with the family members. To know someone then is to share in their joys and sorrows.

So let me ask you, have you come to know Jesus in a way that His bond with you affects the way you live? If someone had asked this question to me when I was a high school senior, I would have answered, "Jesus? Who is that? I don't know him, and what does he have to do with my life? That's for the weak people." Some 19 years later, I have come to know Jesus as my Lord, my Savior, and my constant companion. He knew me first, even before I was born. It took me a good 20 plus years to get to know him to the point where I desire to share his joys and sorrows.

We know it's pleasant to celebrate the good times with people, but we find it difficult to share in the bad times with them. In the Gospel, Peter was excited to be a disciple of Christ who was the Son of God, a God-man who performed miracles and won great praise from people. Peter enjoyed sharing Our Lord's glory, but he was quite unprepared to share also Our Lord's humiliation, suffering and pain. Our Lord asked, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Later, Peter said, “Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be... Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you.” All the disciples spoke likewise, yet we know that Jesus was abandoned after the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus knew in his heart that this was going to happen, for he said, “This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken." If we reflect upon our lives, we will realize that this "dark night" happens to all of us. At times we doubt Our Lord's love for us. There are times where we feel we won't be able to bear the suffering, and there are times when we ignore our prayers, shun our responsibilities, and run away from our vocation.

What are we to do in times when we have feelings like these? Just as the people of Pierre Part gathered every night at Virgin Island as a potential disaster loomed, we are to cling to Blessed Mother in prayer and receive Jesus in the Eucharist at mass. In the dark night of our souls, it is our prayer and the mass that continues to sustain us and to help us grow closer to our Heavenly Father and His will for us. Our Heavenly Father has created each of us, and He loves each of us; therefore, we have nothing to fear. Our Lord's love will support us, our Heavenly Mother's love will support us, and all of our Heavenly Saints and deceased loved ones will support us. To know Jesus, then, is to have confidence in Him and thus we say, "Jesus I trust in you!"

Aug. 19, 2011 Friday: St. John Eudes

St. John Eudes

John Eudes was born in Normandy, France, in 1601. He was the oldest son of a farmer. Even as a child, he tried to copy the example of Jesus in the way he treated his family, friends, and neighbors. When he was only nine, another boy slapped his face. John felt himself becoming angry. Then he remembered Jesus’ words in the Gospel and offered his other cheek to the surprised boy.
John’s parents wanted him to marry and have a family. He gently but firmly convinced them that he had a priestly call. He joined the Congregation of the Oratory and studied for the priesthood. After John was a priest, the plague hit Normandy. It brought terrible suffering and death. Father Eudes volunteered to help the sick, caring for both their souls and bodies. Later, he became a popular preacher of missions in parishes. In fact, during his lifetime he preached 110 missions. St. John is responsible for the establishment of the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge. Father Eudes also started the Congregation of Jesus and Mary for priests. This Congregation was dedicated to training young men to become good parish priests.
St. John was very devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to the Holy Heart of Mary. He wrote a book about these devotions. John became sick after he preached an outdoor mission in very cold weather. He never fully recovered. John died in 1680. He was proclaimed blessed by Pope St. Pius X in 1908. This pope called John Eudes the apostle of devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. He was proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius XI in 1925.

-From Daughters of St. Paul

Aug. 18, 2011 Thursday: St. Jane Frances Chantal

St. Jane Frances de Chantal

Jane was born in Dijon, France, in 1572. Her father, the president of the Burgundy parliament, was a devout man. He brought up his children well, after the death of his wife. Jane, whom he dearly loved, married Christopher, the baron de Chantal. Jane and Christopher loved each other very much. God blessed them with six children. Jane showed her love for God by loving her husband and children with her whole heart. Then suddenly, a great sorrow fell upon that happy home. Baron Christopher was accidentally shot by a friend on a hunting trip. When he died, Jane was heartbroken. She forgave the man who had caused his death and even became his child’s godmother.
St. Jane began to ask the Lord to send a holy priest into her life for guidance. In the meantime, she prayed and brought up her children in the love of God. She visited the poor and the sick and comforted the dying. When she met St. Francis de Sales, she knew this was the holy man God had sent to guide her. We celebrate his feast on January 24.

Following his plan, Jane and three other young women started the Order of the Visitation. But first, she made sure that her children, now grown, were settled. She had other responsibilities and challenges too. But Jane tried to follow God’s plan as she saw it, no matter how difficult. St. Jane was courageous in all the difficulties she faced. She opened up many convents and struggled as well with her own temptations. “Despite all her suffering,” wrote St. Vincent de Paul, “her face never lost its peaceful look. And she was always faithful to God. So I consider her one of the holiest souls I have ever met.”

St. Jane died on December 13, 1641. She was proclaimed a saint by Pope Clement XIII in 1767.

-From Daughters of St. Paul

Aug. 16, 2011 Tuesday: 20th Week in Ordinary Time (A)

Spirit of ownership or poverty in the Spirit?

Seek for nothing, desiring to enter, for love of Jesus, upon detachment, emptiness and poverty in everything in this world. You will never have to do with necessities greater than those to which you made your heart yield itself: for the poor in spirit are most happy and joyful in a state of privation, and he who has set his heart on nothing finds satisfaction everywhere. The poor in spirit (Mt 5,3) give generously all they have and their pleasure consists in being thus deprived of everything for God's sake and out of love to their neighbor... Not only do temporal goods the delights and tastes of the sense hinder and thwart the way of God, but spiritual delights and consolations also, if sought for or clung to eagerly, disturb the way of virtue.

-St. John of the Cross

Spiritual maxims, nos. 352, 355,356, 364; 1693 edition (trans. David Lewis)

Aug. 15, 2011 Monday: Solemnity of Assumption of Our Lady

Click to hear audio homily

The Sacrifice of the Mass

Padre Pio awoke every morning at 3:30am and he prayed the Divine Office for the readings. He was a prayerful priest and lover of prayer. He would repeatedly say,  “Prayer is the bread and life of the soul; it is the breath of the heart. I do not want to be anything more than this, a friar who loves.” He celebrated the Holy Mass in the mornings accompanied by two religious. Everyone wanted to see him and touch him, but his presence inspired so much respect that no one dared to move in the slightest. Mass lasted almost two hours and all of those present would submerge in a particular way into the mystery of the sacrifice of Christ, multitudes would gather tightly around the altar holding their breath. Even though no essential difference exists in the celebration of the Holy Mass from any other priest because the priest and the victim is always Christ, with Padre Pio the image of the Savior, pierced in his hands, feet, and side, was more transparent.     

Padre Pio lived the Holy Mass, suffering the pains of the Crucified and giving a profound sense to the liturgical prayers of the Church. In the annals of the Church, Padre Pio is the first priest with stigmatas; he was in essence a priest, and his holiness was essentially priestly. All of his life revolved around this reality in which he offered his mouth, his hands, and his eyes to Christ. When he would say, “This is my Body…This is my Blood,” his countenance would transfigure. Waves of emotions would toss him, all of his body would project itself in a mute imploration.  “The Mass,” he said once to a spiritual son, “is Christ on the Cross, with Mary and John at the foot of the same one and the angels in adoration. Let us cry of love and adoration in this contemplation.”  Meanwhile the Father celebrated the Holy Sacrifice, time seemed to detain itself.  One time Padre Pio was asked how he could spend so much time standing on his wounds during the entire Holy Mass. To this he responded, “My daughter, during the Mass I am not standing, I am hung with Jesus on the Cross.”

Padre Pio loved Jesus with so much strength that he experienced in his own body a true hunger and thirst for Him.  “I have such a hunger and thirst before I receive Jesus that I could soon die of anguish. And precisely because I could not be without uniting myself to Jesus, I often, even with fevers, see myself obliged to go and nourish myself with his body.” Padre Pio would say that “the world can survive without the sun, but never without the Mass.” 

In one occasion, he was asked if the Blessed Virgin Mary was present during the Holy Mass and he responded,  “Yes, she places herself at a side, but I can see her, what a joy. She is always present. How can it be that the Mother of Jesus, present in Calvary at the foot of the Cross, who offered her Son as a victim for the salvation of our souls, not be present in the mystical calvary of the altar?”

Some insights into the role of God's Mother by the Fathers of the Church, the Popes, the Doctors of the Church, and  some of the Greatest Saints.

"Happy is he who lives and dies under the protection of the Blessed Virgin"- Saint Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney, the Cure D' Ars, ( 1786-1859)

"When our hands have touched spices, they give fragrance to all they handle.  Let us make our prayers pass through the hands of the Blessed Virgin. She will make them fragrant."- Saint John Vianney (1786 - 1859)

"Do you know  the surest way to learn the will of God ? It is the way of prayer to our good Mother Mary!"  -Saint John Vianney (1786 - 1859)

"Those who have great devotion to Mary not only will be saved, but also will, through her intercession, become great Saints. Furthermore, their holiness will grow from day to day ."- Saint Vincent Pallotti (1795 - 1850)

"We find ourselves on earth as in a tempestuous sea, a desert , and a vale of tears. But Mary is the Star of the Sea, the Solace of our desert, and the Light that guides us to Heaven."- Saint John Bosco. (1815 - 1888)

"Do not be afraid to love the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her enough. And Jesus will be very happy, because the Blessed Virgin is His Mother."- Saint Therese of Lisieux.
(1873 - 1897) ***

"Let us bind ourselves tightly to the Sorrowful Heart of Our Heavenly Mother and reflect on its boundless grief and how precious is our soul."  -  Saint Padre Pio. (1887 - 1968)

"Some people are foolish enough to believe that they can get through their whole life without any help from the Blessed Virgin Mary."  - Saint Padre Pio (1887 - 1968)

"Do not fear the enemy; he will not launch anything against the little ship of your spirit because Jesus is the helmsman and Mary is the star."  - Saint Padre Pio (1887 - 1968)

"Love Our Lady, make others love her. Always say your Rosary and say it well. Satan always tries to destroy this prayer, but he will never succeed. It is the prayer of her who triumphs over everything and everyone."  -Saint Padre Pio (1887 - 1968)

"Those who belong to Mary should do all they can to win the hearts of others to her. And Mary will enlighten those hearts , enkindle them with the love of her Maternal Heart, and inflame them with the fire of charity that burns in the Divine Heart of Jesus."-  Saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894 - 1941)

"Love the Immaculata! Confide in her and consecrate yourself to her without reservation. Strive to do everything that she herself would do it in your place, especially by loving God as she loves Him."  - Saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894 - 1941)

"If you want to grow in perfection, you cannot advance by yourselves - you need a guide. Hence, when you go to God, go through Mary and with Mary!"  - Saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894 -
1941)

"When, O Mother Immaculate, will you become Queen of each and every soul? When will all the souls in the entire world know the goodness and love of your Heart towards them? When will every soul show you its gratitude with ardent love, and not only by passing affection, but by total dedication of the will to you, so that you reign in each and every heart and be able to form them according to the pattern of the Most Sacred Heart of thy Son, to make them happy , to divinise them? When will this come about ?"  - Saint Maximilian Kolbe(1894 - 1941)

Aug. 14, 2011: 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Click to hear audio homily
On Friday, I was at a local jail to hear confessions of several inmates. I am thankful that one of our parishioners is actively involved in organizing spiritual growth opportunities for that jail and grateful that he arranged to have reconciliation available for the men and women. While waiting to be admitted into the cellblocks, a court appointed advocate was waiting to go inside to talk to a few inmates as well. He asked me, "Why are you here, Father?" "I'm hear to hear confessions," I said. He replied, "Whew, you're going to hear some confessions. These guys really need them." I replied, "Yes, but many outside of this jail need confession as much as these guys." His question reminded me of what Archbishop Fulton Sheen said to the inmates of a high-security prison when he was giving a talk. He said, “Gentlemen, there is one great difference between you and me. You have been caught; I was not. In other words, we are all sinners.”

Once inside the jail, I was aware that I was being watched from all sides by cameras because as I approached each heavy, steel bolted door along the way, the latch was automatically opened. It was a surreal experience. On one hand, a man in an orange jump-suit needed security clearance at each door to pass through, while I with this white collar passed through the doors without being questioned. This is a great metaphor of what really happens in a confession. As a priest, I’m given the privilege to enter through the “locked doors” of hurting hearts. I remember the first month after my priestly ordination, sitting in a confessional marveling at how the person opposite me was opening up his deepest pain and hurt to me, a stranger, because I was wearing a white collar.

Back at the prison, a young man in his late 20's came in, accompanied by a prison guard. We were left alone in a small, makeshift nurse's office. The medical equipment dangling from the wall gave the impression that I was a doctor, ready to examine a patient. He began, “Father, I haven’t been to confession since I made my First Communion, so I guess that was more than 20 years ago.” He put his head down, as in shame. He continued, “I really don’t know how to go to confession. All I want to tell you is that I’m really sorry for hurting my mom and dad and my friends, because I’ve done some hurtful things to them.” I felt as if his heart was fully open, humbly acknowledging his faults. A scripture came to my mind, “A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn …” (Psalm 51)

They say that a good penitent makes a good confessor. I have preached many times at masses about my life prior to being a priest. I have revealed that in my prior life I was selfish and self-absorbed, crying out to others, “What about me!” There were times that I was impure on the Internet and impure on my own. I was swept up by my desire for worldly things and careers, and it took pure grace of God and Blessed Mother to help me see that He was calling me to let go and follow Him. I also gained some positive life experiences prior to priesthood which are being used to help others. The other day when I was helping to prepare a couple for their marriage, the bride said, “Father, how do you know all these things about relationships?” I said, “Well, before taking that fateful trip to Medjugorje ten years ago when I felt the call to priesthood, I had been dating a girl for three years and was preparing to propose to her.”

As I reflect on my experience at the prison sitting across from that young man, I could almost hear his mother plead with me, just as the woman in the Gospel pleaded with Jesus, "Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon." That young man’s eyes welled up with tears, as he thought about his mom at home, worried sick over him. Would it be a stretch to imagine that his mom is constantly praying a Rosary for his safety and for conversion of his heart? I don’t think so. Who can understand the suffering of a mother over her child? I told him, “God who has created you in your mother’s womb, wants only one thing--that you freely choose to love Him...Say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to these two questions: Are you sorry for all your sins?” “Yes, Father.” “Do you love Jesus?” “Yes, Father.” “Repeat after me, as your act of contrition: Jesus, thank you for loving me and forgiving me.”  I then said to him, “for your penance: when you find a quiet time in your cell block, I want you to close your eyes and imagine that your mom is right in front of you. I want you to ask Blessed Mother to wrap your mother in her mantle. Ask Blessed Mother to look after your mother while you are here, OK?” He stared blankly at the wall in front of him with a deep sigh, shook my hand, and then left.

What about you? Who is praying for your safety and for your conversion of heart? Is it your mother on earth? Is it your Mother in Heaven? Just answer two questions for me in your heart: “Are you sorry for all your sins? Do you love Jesus?”

Aug. 12, 2011 Friday: 19th Week in Ordinary Time

Imitation of Christ
Book 3: Chap 49

THE DESIRE OF ETERNAL LIFE; THE GREAT REWARDS PROMISED TO THOSE WHO STRUGGLE

THE VOICE OF CHRIST

MY CHILD, when you feel the desire for everlasting happiness poured out upon you from above, and when you long to depart out of the tabernacle of the body that you may contemplate My glory without threat of change, open wide your heart and receive this holy inspiration with all eagerness. Give deepest thanks to the heavenly Goodness which deals with you so understandingly, visits you so mercifully, stirs you so fervently, and sustains you so powerfully lest under your own weight you sink down to earthly things. For you obtain this not by your own thought or effort, but simply by the condescension of heavenly grace and divine regard. And the purpose of it is that you may advance in virtue and in greater humility, that you may prepare yourself for future trials, that you may strive to cling to Me with all the affection of your heart, and may serve Me with a fervent will.

My child, often, when the fire is burning the flame does not ascend without smoke. Likewise, the desires of some burn toward heavenly things, and yet they are not free from temptations of carnal affection. Therefore, it is not altogether for the pure honor of God that they act when they petition Him so earnestly. Such, too, is often your desire which you profess to be so strong. For that which is alloyed with self-interest is not pure and perfect.

Ask, therefore, not for what is pleasing and convenient to yourself, but for what is acceptable to Me and is for My honor, because if you judge rightly, you ought to prefer and follow My will, not your own desire or whatever things you wish.

I know your longings and I have heard your frequent sighs. Already you wish to be in the liberty of the glory of the sons of God. Already you desire the delights of the eternal home, the heavenly land that is full of joy. But that hour is not yet come. There remains yet another hour, a time of war, of labor, and of trial. You long to be filled with the highest good, but you cannot attain it now. I am that sovereign Good. Await Me, until the kingdom of God shall come.

You must still be tried on earth, and exercised in many things. Consolation will sometimes be given you, but the complete fullness of it is not granted. Take courage, therefore, and be strong both to do and to suffer what is contrary to nature.

You must put on the new man. You must be changed into another man. You must often do the things you do not wish to do and forego those you do wish. What pleases others will succeed; what pleases you will not. The words of others will be heard; what you say will be accounted as nothing. Others will ask and receive; you will ask and not receive. Others will gain great fame among men; about you nothing will be said. To others the doing of this or that will be entrusted; you will be judged useless. At all this nature will sometimes be sad, and it will be a great thing if you bear this sadness in silence. For in these and many similar ways the faithful servant of the Lord is wont to be tried, to see how far he can deny himself and break himself in all things.

There is scarcely anything in which you so need to die to self as in seeing and suffering things that are against your will, especially when things that are commanded seem inconvenient or useless. Then, because you are under authority, and dare not resist the higher power, it seems hard to submit to the will of another and give up your own opinion entirely.

But consider, my child, the fruit of these labors, how soon they will end and how greatly they will be rewarded, and you will not be saddened by them, but your patience will receive the strongest consolation. For instead of the little will that you now readily give up, you shall always have your will in heaven. There, indeed, you shall find all that you could desire. There you shall have possession of every good without fear of losing it. There shall your will be forever one with Mine. It shall desire nothing outside of Me and nothing for itself. There no one shall oppose you, no one shall complain of you, no one hinder you, and nothing stand in your way. All that you desire will be present there, replenishing your affection and satisfying it to the full. There I shall render you glory for the reproach you have suffered here; for your sorrow I shall give you a garment of praise, and for the lowest place a seat of power forever. There the fruit of glory will appear, the labor of penance rejoice, and humble subjection be gloriously crowned.

Bow humbly, therefore, under the will of all, and do not heed who said this or commanded that. But let it be your special care when something is commanded, or even hinted at, whether by a superior or an inferior or an equal, that you take it in good part and try honestly to perform it. Let one person seek one thing and another something else. Let one glory in this, another in that, and both be praised a thousand times over. But as for you, rejoice neither in one or the other, but only in contempt of yourself and in My pleasure and honor. Let this be your wish: That whether in life or in death God may be glorified in you.

Aug. 11, 2011 Thursday: St. Clare

St. Clare

Clare was born around 1193 in Assisi, Italy. St. Francis of Assisi lived in the same town. Clare used to listen to Francis preach. Her heart burned with a great desire to imitate him. Like him, she wanted to live a poor, humble life for Jesus. But her parents would never agree to such a plan. So on the night of Palm Sunday, 1212, when she was eighteen years old, she left her comfortable home and her family whom she loved. In a little chapel outside Assisi, she gave herself to God. St. Francis cut off her hair and offered her a rough brown habit to wear. She stayed with the Benedictine nuns until more nuns would join her. Her parents tried in every way to make her return home, but Clare would not. Soon her fifteen-year-old sister Agnes joined her.

Other young women wanted to be “poor ladies” of Jesus, too. Before long there was a small religious community. They lived in a house at the church of San Damiano, which St. Francis himself had repaired. St. Clare and her nuns wore no shoes. They never ate meat. They lived in a poor house in an atmosphere of silent prayer. Yet they were very happy because they were living a life of poverty as Jesus had done. Once an army of rough soldiers came to attack the city of Assisi. Although very sick, St. Clare asked to be carried to the window. She had the Blessed Sacrament placed right where the soldiers could see it. Then she knelt and begged God to save the nuns and the city. “O Lord, protect these sisters whom I cannot protect now,” she prayed. And a voice within her seemed to say: “I will keep them always in my care.” At the same time, a sudden fright struck the attackers. They fled as fast as they could.

St. Clare was abbess of her convent for forty years. Twenty-nine of those years she was sick. But she said that she was joyful anyway because she was serving the Lord. Some people worried that the nuns were suffering because they were so poor. St. Clare spent most of her life defending what she called the “privilege of poverty.” The pope tried to soften her Rule’s requirement of poverty, but Clare convinced him that she and her nuns were called to live with no possessions, trusting completely in God. St. Clare died on August 11, 1253. Just two years later she was proclaimed a saint by Pope Alexander IV.

❦

Sometimes we forget to give time to the Lord. We might be so concerned about certain things that we allow them to drown out the voice of Jesus. That’s when we can ask St. Clare to show us how to keep Jesus as the center of our lives and hearts.

From
Daughters of St. Paul

Aug 10, 2011 Wednesday: St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr

St. Lawrence

This famous martyr of Rome lived in the third century. He was one of seven deacons who were in charge of giving help to the poor and the needy. When a persecution broke out, Pope St. Sixtus II was condemned to death. As he was led to execution, Lawrence followed him weeping. “Father, where are you going without your deacon?” “I am not leaving you, my son,” answered the pope. “In three days you will follow me.” Full of joy, Lawrence gave to the poor the rest of the money he had on hand. He even sold some of the Church’s possessions to have more to give away.

The prefect of Rome, a greedy man, thought the Church had a great fortune hidden away. He ordered Lawrence to bring the Church’s treasure to him. The saint said he would, in three days. Then he went through the city and gathered together all the poor and sick people who were being supported by the Church. He showed them to the prefect and said: “This is the Church’s treasure.” The prefect was furious. In his anger he condemned Lawrence to a slow, cruel death. The saint was tied on top of an iron grill over a slow fire that roasted him. God gave him so much strength and joy that Lawrence is said to have instructed his executioner, “Turn me over. I am broiled enough on this side.” Before he died, he prayed that the city of Rome might be converted to Jesus. He prayed that the Catholic faith would spread all over the world.

Lawrence died on August 10, 258. Devotion to him spread throughout Italy and northern Africa. Emperor Constantine built a beautiful basilica in Lawrence’s honor. St. Lawrence is among the saints mentioned in the First Eucharistic Prayer at Mass.

From
Daughters of St. Paul

Aug. 7, 2011: 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

 Click to hear audio homily
Often I get asked, "Father, may I tell you something that happened to me that I can't tell other people because they might think that I'm crazy if I were to tell them?" Many people experience miracles in their life, yet they are afraid to tell anyone about it. Sometimes people experience a miraculous healing or a prayer being answered after praying to Our Lord, Blessed Mother, or other saints. Sometimes they see or hear something that is of heavenly origin, but doubt creeps in--'was I hearing things, am I going crazy, or did what I see is real?'

The other night I was visiting a man whose wife died last year and he said, “Father, I don’t know if you will believe what I’m about to tell you, but I really think what I saw was real." He continued, "last month was the anniversary of my wife’s death, and on that day as I was sitting in the den, I saw what appeared to be heaven--dazzling bright light. I saw my wife and she was wearing a radiant white garment. She appeared to be younger than 20 years of age, and she looked so happy. Do you think what I saw was my wife in heaven?” He had tears glistening in his eyes as he shared this with me.



I assured him that many people who go through a near-death experience say that they saw their deceased loved ones but a very young version of them. In a recent book, “Heaven is for Real,” Todd Burpo, the author, recounts his 4-year old son’s near death experience. The son, Colton, had revealed his experience to his dad in a series of conversations. During one conversation, the little boy turned to his dad and said, “Dad, did you have a grandpa named Pop?” “Yeah,” his dad replied. Then Colton said, “He’s really nice!” With great perplexity, his dad replied, “How do you know him?” Colton replied, “While I was in heaven, Pop approached me and told me about how you spent time with him when you were young.” Colton has never seen Pop before because Pop died in an auto accident when Colton’s dad was a young child. When Colton was asked to pick out a photo that matched whom he saw, Colton picked a photo of Pop when he was just newly married--a very young Pop.


As you hear of these miracles, what is going through your mind? Does it give you hope or does it disturb you? I think the reaction of the disciples was the latter, in today’s Gospel. After Jesus miraculously feeds five thousand people with mere few loves of bread and fish, he performs another miracle. As the disciples were crossing the turbulent sea, Jesus appears to them, walking on the water. Peter was bold enough to ask permission to walk on water, only to find himself sinking after a few steps because of his fears. Jesus had to calm their fears as he said, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Often people ask for a miracle from God as sign that He truly exists or to prove that God loves them; however, what happens sometimes is that an extraordinary miracle is received with fear or doubt. So God many times gives us miracles in a more ordinary and subtle way so that the miracle will be received with serenity.

That’s what God is trying to teach us in today’s First Reading. Elijah was looking for a sign of the presence of God, but he realized that God was not in the forceful wind, powerful earthquake, or the blazing fire. Instead, God lets Elijah know that He was present in a tiny whispering sound. We may look for spectacular miracles from God as a sign of His presence, but I think the more incredible miracle that happens everyday is the miracle of our transformation from selfishness to self-giving and self-sacrificing. The miraculous change that God brings about in us is not heard in a loud wind, earthquake, or burning fire. The change that happens in and through us through as a result of praying our daily prayers, receiving the Eucharist, going to Reconciliation, or being Our Lord’s compassion to others is barely noticed by us. This transformation is the most spectacular of the miracles that Jesus performs, even at this very moment.

Aug 4, 2011 Thursday: St Jean Vianney, the Patron of Priests

(Incorrupt body of St. Jean Vianney, located in Ars, France)

Catechism on the Priesthood
By St. Jean Vianney

MY CHILDREN, we have come to the Sacrament of Orders. It is a Sacrament which seems to relate to no one among you, and which yet relates to everyone. This Sacrament raises man up to God. What is a priest! A man who holds the place of God -- a man who is invested with all the powers of God. "Go, " said Our Lord to the priest; "as My Father sent Me, I send you. All power has been given Me in Heaven and on earth. Go then, teach all nations...

He who listens to you, listens to Me; he who despises you despises Me. " When the priest remits sins, he does not say, "God pardons you"; he says, "I absolve you. " At the Consecration, he does not say, "This is the Body of Our Lord;" he says, "This is My Body. "

St. Bernard tells us that everything has come to us through Mary; and we may also say that everything has come to us through the priest; yes, all happiness, all graces, all heavenly gifts. If we had not the Sacrament of Orders, we should not have Our Lord. Who placed Him there, in that tabernacle? It was the priest. Who was it that received your soul, on its entrance into life? The priest. Who nourishes it, to give it strength to make its pilgrimage? The priest. Who will prepare it to appear before God, by washing that soul, for the last time, in the blood of Jesus Christ? The priest -- always the priest. And if that soul comes to the point of death, who will raise it up, who will restore it to calmness and peace? Again the priest. You cannot recall one single blessing from God without finding, side by side with this recollection, the image of the priest.

Go to confession to the Blessed Virgin, or to an angel; will they absolve you? No. Will they give you the Body and Blood of Our Lord? No. The Holy Virgin cannot make her Divine Son descend into the Host. You might have two hundred angels there, but they could not absolve you. A priest, however simple he may be, can do it; he can say to you, "Go in peace; I pardon you. " Oh, how great is a priest! The priest will not understand the greatness of his office till he is in Heaven. If he understood it on earth, he would die, not of fear, but of love. The other benefits of God would be of no avail to us without the priest. What would be the use of a house full of gold, if you had nobody to open you the door! The priest has the key of the heavenly treasures; it is he who opens the door; he is the steward of the good God, the distributor of His wealth. Without the priest, the Death and Passion of Our Lord would be of no avail. Look at the heathens: what has it availed them that Our Lord has died? Alas! they can have no share in the blessings of Redemption, while they have no priests to apply His Blood to their souls!

The priest is not a priest for himself; he does not give himself absolution; he does not administer the Sacraments to himself. He is not for himself, he is for you. After God, the priest is everything. Leave a parish twenty years without priests; they will worship beasts. If the missionary Father and I were to go away, you would say, "What can we do in this church? there is no Mass; Our Lord is no longer there: we may as well pray at home. " When people wish to destroy religion, they begin by attacking the priest, because where there is no longer any priest there is no sacrifice, and where there is no longer any sacrifice there is no religion.

When the bell calls you to church, if you were asked, "Where are you going?" you might answer, "I am going to feed my soul. " If someone were to ask you, pointing to the tabernacle, "What is that golden door?" "That is our storehouse, where the true Food of our souls is kept. " "Who has the key? Who lays in the provisions? Who makes ready the feast, and who serves the table?" "The priest. " "And what is the Food?" "The precious Body and Blood of Our Lord. " O God! O God! how Thou hast loved us! See the power of the priest; out of a piece of bread the word of a priest makes a God. It is more than creating the world...
Someone said, "Does St. Philomena, then, obey the Cure of Ars?" Indeed, she may well obey him, since God obeys him.

If I were to meet a priest and an angel, I should salute the priest before I saluted the angel. The latter is the friend of God; but the priest holds His place. St. Teresa kissed the ground where a priest had passed. When you see a priest, you should say, "There is he who made me a child of God, and opened Heaven to me by holy Baptism; he who purified me after I had sinned; who gives nourishment to my soul. " At the sight of a church tower, you may say, "What is there in that place?" "The Body of Our Lord. " "Why is He there?" "Because a priest has been there, and has said holy Mass. "

What joy did the Apostles feel after the Resurrection of Our Lord, at seeing the Master whom they had loved so much! The priest must feel the same joy, at seeing Our Lord whom he holds in his hands. Great value is attached to objects which have been laid in the drinking cup of the Blessed Virgin and of the Child Jesus, at Loretto. But the fingers of the priest, that have touched the adorable Flesh of Jesus Christ, that have been plunged into the chalice which contained His Blood, into the pyx where His Body has lain, are they not still more precious? The priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus. When you see the priest, think of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Aug. 2, 2011 Tuesday: 18th Week in Ordinary Time (A)

Medjugorje Message, August 2, 2012

“Dear children; Today I call you to be born anew in prayer and through the Holy Spirit, to become a new people with my Son; a people who knows that if they have lost God, they have lost themselves; a people who knows that, with God, despite all sufferings and trials, they are secure and saved. I call you to gather into God’s family and to be strengthened with the Father’s strength. As individuals, my children, you cannot stop the evil that wants to begin to rule in this world and to destroy it. But, according to God’s will, all together, with my Son, you can change everything and heal the world. I call you to pray with all your heart for your shepherds, because my Son chose them. Thank you. ” (Our Lady to Mirjana)