18th Sunday after Pentecost

Tomorrow is the 18th Sunday after Pentecost. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus heals the paralytic. He tells him his sins are forgiven, and to get up and go home, which he does. This causes a great scandal to those who oppose Him. "No man can forgive sins", they say. Well, Jesus wasn't just a man. And the man who is healed; is it just his body that is hurting, or is his soul in need of repair? The answer to both healings is to have Jesus in your life, and to get forgiveness through Him.

The priests of the Church since the days of Christ also have this power to forgive sins, because Jesus gave it to them and their successors til the end of time. Our beloved Abbot Gueranger explains it so much better than I ever could, so I refer to him once again:

"The Gospel which...at present for this Sunday equally directs our thoughts to the consideration of the superhuman powers of the priesthood, which are the common boon of regenerated humanity. The faithful, whose attention used formerly, on this Sunday, to be fixed on the right of teaching which is confided to the pastors of the Church, are now invited to meditate upon the prerogative which these same men have of forgiving sins and healing souls. Even if their conduct be in opposition to their teaching, it in nowise interferes with the authority of the sacred chair, from which, for the Church and in her name, they dispense the bread of doctrine to her children. Moreover, whatever unworthiness may happen to be in the soul of a priest, it does not in the least lessen the power of the keys which have been put into his hands to open heaven and to shut hell. For it is the SON OF MAN, Jesus who, by the priest, be he saint, or be he a sinner, rids of their sins His brethren and His creatures, whose miseries He has taken upon Himself, and whose crimes He has atoned for by His Blood.'

Now, all those who are of the One True Faith know this to be true. However, there are many in the Church, professing the Faith, who do not know it, or, to their punishment, act in ways which are contrary to the Truth. This includes a vast majority of those in the pews, as well as ones in authority, climbing high onto the ladder of hierarchy. These are the ones who are supposed to be teaching us the eternal Truth, NOT telling everyone they are going to heaven no matter what they do. These are the ones who SHOULD be announcing about the sins which cry out to heaven for vengeance, but instead, do not mention them in their sermons. These sins include homosexuality(with same-sex 'marriage'), abortion. We should be hearing that if one condones these sins, they have, in fact, excommunicated themselves from the fold of the Church. Do we hear this? NO! Even if we vote for someone who supports these sins, we have done the same for our souls! Do we hear this? NO!

Pray for these people in the pews and for the leaders of the Church, that they really try to save souls for the glory of God the Almighty. Amen.

17th Sunday after Pentecost

Tomorrow is the 17th Sunday after Pentecost. It has been given the name of the Sunday of the love of God. We hear about the two great Commandments. Love God, and love our neighbor. These two take in all of the Ten Commandments. According to the words of our beloved Abbot Gueranger, he says the following:

The judgments of God are always just, whether it be, in His justice, humbling the proud, or, in His mercy, exalting the humble. This day last week we saw this sovereign disposer of all things, alloting to each his place at the divine banquet. Let us recall to mind the behaviour of the guests, and the respective treatment shown to the humble and the proud. Adoring these judgments of our Lord, let us sing our Introit; and, as far as regards ourselves, let us throw ourselves entirely upon His mercy.

"Thou art just, O Lord, and Thy judgment is right; deal with Thy servant according to Thy Mercy. Blessed are the undefiled in the way; who walk in the law of the Lord."

The most hateful of all the obstacles which divine love has to encounter upon earth is the jealousy of satan, who endeavours, by an impious usurpation, that is, which were created by and for Him alone. Let us unite with holy Church in praying, in the Collect, for the supernatural assistance we require for avoiding the foul contact of the hideous serpent.

"Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that thy people may avoid all the contagions of the devil; and, with a pure mind, follow Thee, Who alone art God."

St. Alphonsus Liguori says: 'What is this one thing necessary? It is not necessary to acquire riches, nor to obtain dignities, nor to gain a great name. The only thing necessary is to love God.'

He makes it sound so simple, doesn't he? It is, if we really try.


Lord Jesus, help us in our endeavours to love Thee more, and make us the way you would have us be, so that we may be with you for all eternity.

The Stigmata of St. Francis of Assisi

Today is the day that is held for remembering when St. Francis of Assisi received the Stigmata of our Lord. He was the first to receive it, according to history. I think that St. Paul might have had it too, since he said that he bore the marks of the Lord. Anyway, Abbot Dom Gueranger, as usual, describes it best:


From the Commentaries of St. Bonaventure

Francis being indeed a faithful servant and minister of Christ, about the space of two years before he gave back his spirit to heaven, withdrew himself into an high mountain apart, even that mountain which is called Mount Alverno, and began to fast for forty days to the honour of the Archangel Michael. To think of the things above gave him sweeter comfort than beforetime he was wont, and the hot longing for heaven was kindled in him, so that he began to feel that the gifts from above were poured forth upon him in such fulness as he had never felt before. The burning of his desire made his heart rise towards God like the heart of a seraph, and his tender answering love yearned to be changed into the likeness of him who hath so loved us that he was content to bear the Cross. And it was so that one morning early, about the time of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, he was praying upon the side of the mountain, and there appeared to him as it had been one of the Seraphim, having six wings, glorious and fiery, flying to him from heaven. It came therefore very swiftly, and stood in the air, hard by the man of God. He beheld then the appearance thereof that it was not winged only, but crucified also. His hands and feet were stretched forth and nailed to a Cross. Twain of his wings were lifted up and joined one to the other over his head, and twain were stretched forth to fly withal, and with twain he wrapped around his body. When Francis saw it, he was sore amazed, and his soul was filled with sorrow and gladness, for the eyes of him that appeared were full of strange love and tenderness, so that he conceived great rejoicing thereat, but the nailing to the Cross was so exceedingly dreadful, that as he saw it, a sword of sorrow pierced his soul.

Then he whom he beheld with his bodily eyes, began to speak silently unto him in his heart, and he understood that albeit the deathless Séraphim cannot suffer or faint, this vision was nevertheless therefore set before him, that he might know that as a friend of Christ he was to be all changed into the likeness of Christ Jesus crucified, not by the martyrdom of the body, but by the fervour of the soul. Then they held together some sweet converse, as of a man with his friend, and the vision passed from him, but his heart was kindled inwardly with the fire of the Seraphim, and his body was outwardly changed into the likeness of him who was crucified, even as wax is softened by the fire and taketh the impression of the seal. From thenceforth there were in his hands and feet the marks of the nails. The heads of the nails were seen in the palms of his hands and on the insteps of his feet, and the points came out on the backs of his hands and the soles of his feet. In his right side also was a long raw wound, as though he had been pierced with a spear, from which wound his holy blood oftentimes ran and stained his shirt and breeches.

Thereafter Francis was a new creature, famous for a new and awful sign. The holy marks of the Lord Jesus, whereon living man for twelve centuries had not been allowed to look, were his adornment. He came down from the mount bearing in himself the form of Jesus Crucified, not pourtrayed upon tables of stone or wood by the hand of any earthly craftsman, but drawn upon his flesh by the finger of the living God. The dying Seraph knew well that it is good to keep close the secret of a king, and knowing the secret of his King, he strove as far as in him lay to keep the sacred marks hidden from men. Nevertheless, forasmuch as it is the will of the Lord God for his own glory to make manifest the greatness of his own works, he openly shewed forth divers wonders through these wounds which he had himself made in secret, so that the hidden and wondrous power of the marks might become known by the fame of the miracles. - The foregoing marvellous but thoroughly witnessed facts, which were already spoken of in Papal documents with especial praise and joy, were made, by the pleasure of Pope Benedict XI, the subject of a yearly memorial, which was afterwards extended by Paul V to the whole Church, in the hope of fanning in the hearts of the faithful the love of Christ Crucified.

The Roman Breviary

St. Francis of Assisi, for for us that we may accept what is sent our way.

16th Sunday after Pentecost

Tomorrow is the 16th Sunday after Pentecost. Again we hear about the Pharisees and the sin of pride. That's one on the left. Jesus said: "...every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." The 'ME' generation is in big trouble, if you ask me. Those people who shout out, "look what I'm doing" in giving to the needy, so that the world will know what a kind-hearted and generous person they are. Jesus knows if you're doing it to save your soul or just to get publicity. Good luck with that! Our beloved Abbot Gueranger states it best concerning humbleness:

'But, above all, it is to the constant attitude and exercise of humility that he must especially direct his attention who would secure a prominent place in the divine feast of the nuptials. All saints are ambitious for future glory of this best kind; but they are well aware that, in order to win it, they must go low down, during the present life, into their own nothingness; the higher in the world to come, the lower in this. Until the great day dawn, when each one is to receive according to his works, we shall lose nothing by putting ourselves, meanwhile, below everybody. The position reserved for us in the kingdom of heaven depends not, in the least, either upon our thoughts about ourselves, or upon the judgment passed on us by other people; it depends solely on the will of God, who exalteth the humble, and bringeth down the mighty from their seat. Let us hearken to Ecclesiasticus. 'The greater thou art, the more humble thyself in all things, and thou shalt find grace before God; for great is the power of God alone, and He is honoured by the humble.' (Ecclus. iii.20,21) were it only, then, from a motive of self-interest, let us follow the advice of the Gospel, and, in all things, claim, as our own, the last place. Humility is not sterling, and canot please God, unless, to the lowly estimation we have of ourselves, we join an esteem for others, preventing everyone with honour, gladly yielding to all in matters which do not affect our conscience; and all this, from a deep-rooted conviction of our own misery and the reins and heart. The surest test of our humility before God, is that practical charity for our neighbor, which, in the several circumstances of everyday life, induces us, and without affectation, to give him the precedence over ourselves.'

The Holy Name of Mary

Tomorrow is the 15th Sunday after Pentecost. We hear about the widow who is on her way to bury her only child, a son. Jesus takes pity on her and brings him back to life. Our lesson is this: How many of us have been brought back to life by Jesus. We either escape death, or have been given a second chance to repent and confess our sins before we die a second death. Let us all make good on the promise to forsake our past, and return to living as our blessed Lord wishes, so that we may be with Him and His Mother in the eternal life.

Now, on to a second thought for this day. Apparently, in times past, the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary was on the Sunday within the octave of her nativity. That would be this Sunday. This is what I would like to concentrate on. we won't hear about it otherwise. St. Bernard says the following, concerning Our Blessed Mother:

"And the Virgin's name was Mary. Let us speak a little about this name, which signifies star of the sea, and which so well befits the Virgin Mother. (Her name also signifies 'Mistress of the world'.) Rightly is she likened to a star: for as a star emits its ray without being dimmed so the Virgin brought forth her Son without receiving any injury; the ray takes nought from the brightness of the star, nor the Son from His Mother's integrity. This is the noble star risen out of Jacob, whose ray illumines the whole world, whose splendor shines in the heavens, penetrates the abyss, and, traversing the whole earth, gives warmth rather to souls than to bodies, cherishing virtues, withering vices. Mary, I say, is that bright and incomparable star, whom we need to see raised above this vast sea, shining by her merits, and giving us light by her example.

Oh! whosoever thou art that seest thyself, amid the tides of this world, tossed about by storms and tempests rather than walking on the land, turn not thine eyes away from the shining of this star if thou wouldst not be overwhelmed by the hurricane. If squalls of temptations arise, or thou fall upon the rocks of tribulation, look to the star, call upon Mary. If thou art tossed by the waves of pride or ambition, detraction or envy, look to the star, call upon Mary. If anger or avarice or the desires of the flesh dash against the ship of thy soul, turn thine eyes towards Mary. If, troubled by the enormity of thy crimes, ashamed of thy guilty conscience, terrified by dread of the judgment, thou beginnest to sink into the gulf of sadness or the abyss of despair, think of Mary. In dangers, in anguish, in doubt, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let her be ever on thy lips, ever in thy heart;and the better to obtain the help of her prayers, imitate the example of her life. Following her, thou strayest not; invoking her, thou despairest not; thinking of her, thou wanderest not; upheld by her, thou fallest not; shielded by her, thou fearest not; guided by her, thou growest not weary; favoured by her, thou reachest the goal. And thus dost thou experience in thyself how good is that saying: And the Virgin's name was Mary.'

Holy Mary, Mother of God and our mother, pray for us.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Let us rejoice and be glad. The Ark of the New Covenant has been born. The Gate of Heaven, our refuge in times of trouble and sorrow, Mother of God, the Mother of the Savior, and Mother of the Church has been born. Now we can have a sigh of relief, for we are about to receive our Savior.

Hail, star of the Sea! Blessed Mother of God, yet ever a Virgin! O happy gate of heaven!

Thou that didst receive the Ave from Gabriel's lips, confirm us in peace, and so let Eva be changed into an Ave of blessing for us.

Loose the sinner's chains, bring light to the blind, drive from us our evils, and ask all good things for us.

Show thyself a Mother, and offer our prayers to Him, Who would be born of thee, when born for us.

O incomparable Virgin, and meekest of the meek, obtain for us the forgiveness of our sins, and make us meek and chaste.

Obtain us purity of life, and a safe pilgrimage; that we may be united with thee in the blissful vision of Jesus.

According to our blessed Abbot Gueranger, he writes:

'The temple of Janus is closed; in the eternal city a mysterious fountain of oil has sprung up from the spot where the first sanctuary of the Mother of God is one day to be built; signs and portents are multiplied; the whole world is in expectation; the poet has sung: 'Behold the last age, foretold by the Sybil, is at hand; behold the great series of new worlds is beginning; behold the Virgin!' In Jud æa, the sceptre has been taken away from Juda; but the usurper of his power, Herod the Idumæan, is hastening to complete the splendid restoration, which will enable the second temple worthily to receive within its walls the Ark of the new Covenant.

It is the sabbatical month, the first of the civil year, the seventh of the sacred cycle; the month of Tisri which begins the repose of each seventh year, and in which is announced the holy year of Jubilee; the most joyous of months, with its solemn Neomenia celebrated with trumpets and singing, its feast of tabernacles, and the commemoration of the completion of Solomon's temple. . . . On earth, two obscure descendants of David, Joachim and Anne, are thanking God for having blessed their long-barren union.'

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us. Please?

14th Sunday after Pentecost

'Behold, O God, our protector, and look on the face of thy Christ.' These are the first words of the Introit for tomorrow, the 14th Sunday after Pentecost.

We hear about the two masters of the world, the spiritual and the sensual. I'd like to think that it is 2 worlds, the spiritual one and the sensual. It seems to me, at least, that we have those who have the True Faith and are really trying; and those who think they have a safe afterlife, pretty much by saying that Jesus is their Lord and that is all that is needed; and those who don't care for anything but themselves, thus not thinking one iota about an afterlife or afterdeath. As our beloved Abbot Gueranger says: "Two cities now divide the world between them; and the holy city, made up of vanquishers over the devil, the world, and the flesh, is full of admiration and joy at seeing that the noblest of the nations flock to her. The law which reigns supreme within her walls is love, for the Holy Spirit, who rules her happy citizens, takes them far beyond the injunctions or prohibitions of any law. Together with charity, there spring up joy, peace, and those other fruits, here enumerated by the apostle (Paul); they grow spontaneously from a soil which is saturated with the glad waters of a stream, which is no other than the sanctifying Spirit, who inundates the city of God..."

This is to be compared with those who have all the sensual luxuries of the world, but, being without God, what good will it do them?

St. Alphonsus Liguori, when speaking about people before they die, and what to do with their goods which they obtained in their journey of life. He says: "I say: If you dissipate the goods which you possess, and leave your children in poverty, you do wrong, and are guilty of sin. But will you lose your soul in order to leave your children comfortable? If you fall into Hell, perhaps they will come and release you from it? O folly! Listen to what David said: "I have not seen the just man forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread" Jesus Himself said: "What does it profit man to gain the whole world, and lose his soul?" St. Alphonsus goes on to say that we don't take these riches with us in our death, but if we gain the Faith, it will serve us well when we get judged and in eternity.

Lord, that we may learn the Faith and serve you faithfully.