First off, I would like to apologize for not blogging for awhile. I have been sick with the flu since Friday and have recently recovered. I will once again begin blogging at the start of the New Year when I get back on par with everything. I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!
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Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment at which the Son of God was born of a most pure Virgin at a stable at midnight in Bethlehem in the piercing cold at that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, To hear my prayers and grant my desires (mention request here).
Through Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother.
God’s Mercy Revealed In His Coming Down From Heaven To Save Us
Thought
Saint Paul says, “The goodness and kindness of God, our Savior, has appeared.” When the Son of God made Man appear on earth, then was it seen how great is God’s goodness towards us. Saint Bernard says that first God’s power was manifested in the creation of the world and His wisdom in its conservation, but His merciful goodness was especially manifested later in His taking human nature on Himself, in order to save fallen mankind by His sufferings and death. For what greater proof of His kindness towards us could the Son of God show us than in taking on Himself the punishment we had deserved?
See Him as a weak, newborn infant, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Unable to move or feed Himself, He has need of Mary to give Him a little milk to sustain His life.
Or see Him again in Pilate’s courtyard, tied with fast bonds to a column and there scourged from head to foot. Behold Him on the way to Calvary, falling down from weakness under weight of the cross that He must carry. Finally behold Him nailed to this tree of shame, on which He breathes His last amid pain and anguish. Because Jesus Christ wished that His love for us should win all the love of our hearts for Himself, He would not send an angel to redeem us, but chose to come Himself, to save us by His Passion and death. Had an angel been our redeemer, men would have had to divide their hearts in loving God as their Creator and an angel as their redeemer; but God, who desires men’s whole hearts, as He was already their Creator, wished also to be their Redeemer.
Prayer
O my Dear Redeemer! Where should I be now, if Thou hadst not borne with me so patiently, but hadst called me from life while I was in the state of sin? Since Thou hast waited for me till now, forgive me quickly, O my Jesus, before death finds me still guilty of so many offenses that I have committed against Thee . I am so sorry for having vilely despised Thee, my sovereign Good, that I could die of grief. But Thou canst not abandon a soul that seeks Thee.
If hitherto I have forsaken Thee, I now seek Thee and love Thee. Yes, my God, I love Thee above all else; I love Thee more than myself. Help me, Lord, to love Thee always during the rest of my life. Nothing else do I seek of Thee. But this I beg of Thee, this I hope to receive from Thee.
Mary, my hope, do thou pray for me. If thou prayest for me, I am sure of grace. Amen.
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Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment at which the Son of God was born of a most pure Virgin at a stable at midnight in Bethlehem in the piercing cold at that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, To hear my prayers and grant my desires (mention request here).
Through Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother.
The Life Of Sorrow Which Jesus Led From His Birth
Thought
Jesus Christ could have saved mankind without suffering and dying. Yet, in order to prove to us how much He loved us, He chose for Himself a life full of tribulations. Therefore the prophet Isaias called Him “a man of sorrows,” His whole life was filled with suffering. His Passion began, not merely a few hours before His death, but from the the first moment of His birth. He was born in a stable where everything served to torment Him. His sense of sight was hurt by seeing nothing but the rough, black walls of the cave; His sense of smell was hurt by the stench of the dung from the beasts in the stable; His sense of touch was hurt by the prickling straw on which He lay. Shortly after His birth He was forced to flee into Egypt, where He spent several years of His childhood in poverty and misery. His boyhood and early manhood in Nazareth were passed in hard work and obscurity. And finally, in Jerusalem, He died on a cross, exhausted with pain and anguish.
Thus, then, was the life of Jesus but one unbroken series of sufferings, which were doubly painful because He had ever before His eyes all the sufferings He would have to endure till His death. Yet, since our Lord had voluntarily chosen to bear these tribulations for our sake, they did not afflict Him as much as did the sight of our sins, by which we have so ungratefully repaid Him for His love towards us. When the confessor of Saint Margaret of Cortona saw that she never seemed satisfied with all the tears she had already shed for her past sins, he said to her, “Margaret, stop crying and cease your lamenting, for God has surely forgiven you your offenses against Him.” But she replied, “Father, how can I cease to weep, since I know that my sins kept my Lord Jesus in pain and suffering during all His life?”
Prayer
O Jesus, my sweet Love! I too have kept Thee suffering through all Thy life. Tell me, then, what I must do in order to win Thy forgiveness. I am ready to do all Thou askest of me. I am sorry, O sovereign Good, for all the offenses I have committed against Thee. I love Thee more than myself, or a least I feel a great desire to love Thee. Since it is Thou who hast given me this desire, do Thou also give me the strength to love Thee exceedingly.
It is only right that I, who have offended Thee so much, should love Thee very much. Always remind me of the love Thou hast borne me, in order that my soul may ever burn with love of Thee and long to please Thee alone. O God of love, I, who was once a slave of hell, now give myself all to Thee.
Graciously accept me and bind me to Thee with the bonds of Thy love. My Jesus, from this day and forever in loving Thee will I live, and in loving Thee will I die.
O Mary, my Mother and my hope, help me to love Thy dear God and mine. This is the only favor I ask of thee, and through thee I hope to receive it. Amen.
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Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment at which the Son of God was born of a most pure Virgin at a stable at midnight in Bethlehem in the piercing cold at that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, To hear my prayers and grant my desires (mention request here).
Through Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother.
The Life Of Poverty Which Jesus Led From His Birth
Thought
The Sign which the angel gave the shepherds to help them find the newborn Savior, points to His lowliness: “This shall be a sign to you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” No other newborn baby who was wrapped in poor swaddling clothes and lying in a manger, a feeding trough for animals, could be found anywhere else but in a stable. Thus in lowliness the King of heaven, the Son of God, chose to be born, because He came to destroy the pride that had been the cause of man’s ruin.
The prophets had already foretold that our Redeemer was to be treated as the vilest of men on earth and that He was to be overwhelmed with insults. How much contempt had not Jesus indeed to suffer from men! He was called a drunkard, a trickster, a blasphemer and a heretic. What ignominies He endured in His Passion! His own disciples abandoned Him; one of them sold Him for thirty pieces of silver, and another denied having ever known Him. He was led in bonds through the streets like a criminal; He was scourged like a slave, ridiculed as a fool, crowned with thorns as a mock king, buffeted and spit upon, and finally left to die, hanging on a cross between two thieves, as the worst criminal in the world. “The noblest of all,” says Saint Bernard, “is treated as the vilest of all.” But the Saint adds, “The viler Thou are treated, the dearer Thou art to me.” The more I see Thee, my Jesus, despised and put to shame, the more dear and worthy of my love dost Thou become to me.
Prayer
O Dearest Savior, Thou hast embraced so many outrages for love of me, yet I have not been able to bear one word of insult without at once being filled with resentful thought, I who have so often deserved to be trodden under foot by the demons in hell! I am ashamed to appear before Thee, sinful and proud as I am. Yet do not drive me from Thy presence, O Lord, even though that is what I deserve. Thou hast said that Thou wilt not spurn a contrite and humbled heart. I am sorry for the offenses I have committed against Thee. Forgive me, O Jesus. I will not offend Thee again.
For love of me Thou hast borne so many injuries; for love of Thee I will bear all the injuries that are done to me. I love Thee, Jesus, who was despised for love of me. I love Thee above every other good. Give me the grace to love Thee always and to bear every insult for love of Thee.
O Mary, recommend me to Thy Son; pray to Jesus for me.
Amen.
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Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment at which the Son of God was born of a most pure Virgin at a stable at midnight in Bethlehem in the piercing cold at that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, To hear my prayers and grant my desires (mention request here).
Through Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother.
The Life Of Poverty Which Jesus Led From His Birth
Thought
God so ordained that, at the time when His Son was to be born on this earth, the Roman emperor should issue a decree ordering everyone to go to the place of his origin and there be registered in the census. Thus it came about that, in obedience to this decree, Joseph went to Bethlehem together with his virgin wife when she was soon to have her Child.
Finding no lodging either in the poor inn or in the other houses of the town, they were forced to spend the night in a cave that was used as a stable for animals, and it was here that Mary gave birth to the King of heaven. If Jesus had been born in Nazareth, He would also, it is true, have been born in poverty; but there He would at least have had a dry room, a little fire, warm clothes and a more comfortable cradle. Yet He chose to be born in this cold, damp cave, and to have a manger for a cradle, with prickly straw for a mattress, in order that He might suffer for us.
Let us enter in spirit into this cave of Bethlehem, but let us enter in a spirit of lively faith. If we go there without faith, we shall see nothing but a poor infant, and the sight of this lovely child shivering and crying on his rough bed of straw may indeed move us to pity. But if we enter with faith and consider that this Babe is the very Son, God, who for love of us has come down on earth and suffers so much to pay the penalty for our sins, how can we help thanking and loving Him in return?
Prayer
O Dear Infant Jesus, how could I be so ungrateful and offend Thee so often, if I realized how much Thou hast suffered for me? But these tears which Thou sheddest, this poverty which Thou embracest for love of me, make me hope for the pardon of all the offenses I have committed against Thee.
My Jesus, I am sorry for having so often turned my back on Thee. But now I love Thee above all else. ”My God and my all!”
From now on Thou, O my God, shalt be my only treasure and my only good. With Saint Ignatius of Loyola I will say to Thee, “Give me the grace to love Thee; that is enough for me.” I long for nothing else; I want nothing else. Thou alone art enough for me, my Jesus, my life, my love.
O Mary, my Mother, obtain for me the grace that I may always love Jesus and always be loved by Him. Amen.
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Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment at which the Son of God was born of a most pure Virgin at a stable at midnight in Bethlehem in the piercing cold at that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, To hear my prayers and grant my desires (mention request here).
Through Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother.
God’s Love Revealed In His Being Born An Infant
Thought
When the Son of God became man for our sake, He could have come on earth as an adult man from the first moment of of His human existence, as Adam did when he was created. But since the sight of little children draws us with an especial attraction to love them, Jesus chose to make His first appearance on earth as a little infant, and indeed as the poorest and most pitiful infant that was ever born. ”God wished to be born as a little babe,” wrote Saint Peter Chrysologus, “in order that He might teach us to love and not to fear Him.” The prophet Isaias had long before foretold that the Son of God was to be born as an infant and thus give Himself to us on account of the love He bore us: ”A child is born to us, a son is given to us.”
My Jesus, supreme and true God! What has drawn Thee from heaven to be born in a cold stable, if not the love which Thou bearest us men? What has allured Thee from the bosom of Thy Father, to place Thee in a hard manger? What has brought Thee from Thy throne above the stars, to lay Thee down on a little straw? What has led Thee from the midst of the nine choirs of angels, to set Thee between two animals? Thou, who inflamest the seraphim with holy fire, art now shivering with cold in this stable! Thou, who settest the stars in the sky in motion, canst not now move unless others carry Thee in their arms! Thou, who givest men and beasts their food, has need now a little milk to sustain Thy life! Thou, who art the joy of heaven, dost now whimper and cry in suffering! Tell me, who has reduced Thee to such misery? ”Love has done it,” says Saint Bernard. The love which Thou bearest us men has brought all this on Thee.
Prayer
O Dearest Infant! Tell me, what hast Thou come on earth to do? Tell me, whom art Thou seeking? Yes, I already know. Thou has come to die for me, in order to save me from hell. Thou hast come to seek me, the lost sheep, so that, instead of fleeing from Thee any more, I may rest in Thy loving arms. Ah my Jesus, my treasure, my life, my love and my all! Whom will I love, if not Thee? Where can I find a father, a friend, a spouse more loving and lovable than Thou art?
I love Thee, my dear God; I love Thee, my only good. I regret the many years when I have not loved Thee, but rather spurned and offended Thee. Forgive me, O my beloved Redeemer; for I am sorry that I have thus treated Thee, and I regret it with all my heart. Pardon me, and give me the grace never more to withdraw from Thee, but constantly to love Thee in all the years that still lie before me in this life. My love, I give myself entirely to Thee; accept me, and do not reject me as I deserve.
O Mary, thou art my advocate. By thy prayers thou dost obtain whatever thou wilt from thy Son. Pray Him then to forgive me, and to grant me holy perseverance until death. Amen.
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Hail, and blessed be the hour and moment at which the Son of God was born of a most pure Virgin at a stable at midnight in Bethlehem in the piercing cold at that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, To hear my prayers and grant my desires (mention request here).
Through Jesus Christ and His most Blessed Mother.
God’s Love Revealed In His Becoming Man
Thought
Because our first parent Adam had rebelled against God, he was driven out of paradise and brought on himself and all his descendants the punishment of eternal death. But the son of God, seeing man thus lost and wishing to save him from death, offered to take upon Himself our human nature and to suffer death Himself, condemned as a criminal on a cross. “But, My Son,” we may imagine the eternal Father saying to Him, “think of what a life of humiliations and sufferings Thou wilt have to lead on earth. Thou wilt have to be born in a cold stable and laid in a manger, the feeding trough of beasts.
While still an infant, Thou wilt have to flee into Egypt, to escape the hands of Herod. After Thy return from Egypt, Thou wilt have to live and work in a shop as a lowly servant, poor and despised. And finally, worn out with sufferings, Thou wilt have to give up Thy life on a cross, put to shame and abandoned by everyone.” ”Father,” replies the Son, “all this matters not. I will gladly bear it all, if only I can save man.”
What should we say if a prince, out of compassion for a dead worm, were to choose to become a worm himself and give his own life blood in order to restore the worm to life? But the eternal Word has done infinitely more than this for us. Though He is the sovereign Lord of the world, He chose to become like us, who are immeasurably more beneath Him than a worm is beneath a prince, and He was willing to die for us, in order to win back for us the life of divine grace that we had lost by sin.
When He saw that all the other gifts which He had bestowed on us were not sufficient to induce us to pray His love with love, He became man Himself and gave Himself all to us. ”The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us;” “He loved us anddelivered Himself up for us.”
Prayer
O Great Son of God, Thou hast become man in order to make Thyself loved by men. But where is the love that men give Thee in return?
Thou hast given Thy life blood to save our souls. Why then are we so unappreciative that, instead of repaying Thee with love, we spurn Thee with ingratitude? And I, Lord, I myself more than others have thus ill treated Thee.
But Thy Passion is my hope. For the sake of that love which led Thee to take upon Thyself human nature and to die for me on the cross, forgive me all the offenses I have committed against Thee.
I love Thee, O Word Incarnate; I love Thee, O infinite goodness. Out of love for Thee, that I could die of grief for these offenses. Give me, O Jesus, Thy love. Let me no longer live in ungrateful forgetfulness of the love Thou bearest me. I
wish to love Thee always. Grant that I may always preserve in this holy desire.
O Mary, Mother of God and my Mother, pray for me that thy Son may give me the grace to love Him always, unto death.
Amen.
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Wonderful Youtube Video
I found this wonderful Youtube video for the 3rd Sunday of Advent. The first part is a bit weird but the rest is pretty cool.
Thoughts on Giving
“Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” – Philippians 4:6-7
St. Paul reminds us that our God is an abundant God, the ultimate giver of gifts. He promises to give us all that we need. When we trust that God will take care of us, it is easier for us to share what we have been given.
Taken from http://www.archstl.org/stewardship
Are you called?
“All were questioning in their hearts.” Are you considering a vocation as a priest, deacon or in the consecrated life? If you feel that you are called, please contact your parish priest so that they may help you discern your vocation.
Taken from http://arlingtondiocese.org/vocations/voc_bulletin.php
From Priests for Life
When the year 1000 was about to dawn, people fled to mountains, expecting the return of Christ. When 2000 came, people feared major computer — and hence societal — breakdowns. Neither happened. Yet both moments in history remind us of something deeper, the lesson of Advent. Advent means “coming.” The Lord wants us to anticipate and prepare for His coming, not as something that we hinge on a particular date or identify with a particular calamity, but as an ordinary aspect of our daily Christian living. On the one hand, we know He is coming; on the other, we don’t know when. Yet every moment is an opportunity to make that coming more central to our lives. Lord, may we welcome you daily in your Word, your Sacraments, and in all our brothers and sisters!
Taken from http://www.priestsforlife.org
Personal Reflection
Greetings brothers and sisters in Christ. Today, we celebrate the 3rd Sunday of Advent. You may notice that the pink candle of the Advent wreath has been lit. You may also notice that the liturgical decorations in the church are pink. Even the priest and any celebrating deacons may also be wearing pink! Is the Church getting cute? Are the clergy going “pimpin” ?
Of course not. The 3rd Sunday of Advent is also known as Gaudete Sunday. The meaning of gaudete is “let us rejoice.” We see in the first two readings, a theme of joy. Why should we be rejoicing? In a few weeks, we will be celebrating the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that my friends, is a joy to behold. But we are also joyfully awaiting the 2nd coming, of our Lord Jesus Christ. We hear those lines said by the priest at every Mass during the Lord’s Prayer.
In the 2nd reading, Saint Paul tells us to rejoice in the Lord always. And indeed we should. The Lord doesn’t want us to worry, and to have no anxiety at all. The Lord calls us to always be joyful, even in the midst of difficulties. The Lord always wants to listen to us, and to hear our requests. God will grant us our prayers and petitions that we need in His way and in His time. All we have to do as His children is continue to live His commandments, and follow His way all the time.
Today’s Gospel, St. John the Baptist tells the crowds to be more charitable and share with those who have none. He also tells the tax collectors to stop being greedy, the soldiers to stop abusing their authority and taking with force and be happy with their wages. Then St. John the Baptist tells everyone that someone mightier than he is coming.
I watched a DVD entitled Padre Pio: Miracle Man. It happened to be 3 hours and 34 minutes. It was about the miraculous of one of my favorite saints, St. Padre Pio. Padre Pio was addressing a group of women on forgiveness and how prayer is the key to forgiveness. He said, “Pray…but pray without sadness…don’t bore the Lord! Our God is the Lord of joy! Pray…pray with a smile.”
When we pray, how do we pray? Do we continue to bother the Lord with our sufferings, our hurts, and our complaints? It is a time of economic hardship that we live in these days. Bad news everywhere. Many people blame God for the hardships in the world. But God can’t be blamed for what is happening in our world. No…we are the ones to blame. Sin is prevalent in our society and when we as a society continue to sin and turn away from God…then much division and misery is the result of our selfish desires. Don’t blame God..because God did nothing wrong. In fact, He never does anything wrong. As human beings, we always fall. The Bible is filled with many examples. God is always telling us to go His way. When we go His way, then our life will be much more easier.
When we pray, we should be thanking God…for the many blessings and graces He has bestowed upon us. Don’t complain about not having the latest fashion trend…there are people halfway around the world who have barely any clothes. Don’t complain about not having the latest technological marvels…there are people out there who can’t even afford to buy a flashlight. Don’t complain about not being able to eat the most exquisite and most tasteful food…there are people starving to death out there. Instead, count your blessings and thank the Lord for all you have. Thank the Lord for the job that you have. Thank the Lord for the friends that you have. Thank the Lord for the family you have. Thank the Lord for everything! Talk to God about your day and the joys that you experienced throughout the day. Although He knows all, He would still like to hear you talk to Him. Why? Because He is our Father and our Eternal Daddy would like to hear your voice. ”An attitude of gratitude leads to beatitude.” -Fr. Fernando Suarez, C.C.
As Christians, we are called to give up our sinful ways. We cannot follow Christ, and at the same time live a life of sin. You can do one or the other. Although following Christ can be difficult at times, the Lord will bless you with joy, peace, and happiness in your life and the reward will be awesome: residence in the eternal kingdom…eternal joy and eternal happiness. Otherwise, if you choose to live a life of sin, of selfishness, and never giving it up, always getting your own way all the time and never being charitable, deep down you will be miserable, empty and unhappy and the reward is…eternal damnation, eternal suffering, eternal burning. John the Baptist is quite clear in the Gospels to be charitable and to give up evil inclinations.
Follow the Lord and rejoice always. The Lord will reward us for being faithful.
Additional Reflection
I would like to share something that happened to me on Tuesday, December 8. I have been out of a job since October 30, applied at many places, and have received no answer. I have been praying very hard to our Lord and doing many Memorare Novenas to our Blessed Mother. I was told by my brother to see an employment agency the night before. So I did the next morning. I applied and took the test. And at around 3:00 PM, the employment agency calls me back, to tell me that I am to start work the very next day. Tuesday, December 8 also happens to be the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. To this very day, I believe with my whole heart that Mary, our Blessed Mother, the Immaculate Conception, has interceded on my behalf and gave me a job. Thank you Mary!
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Pray to Our Lady of Guadalupe
(Pope John Paul II, January 25, 1979)
Mother of Mercy, teacher of hidden and silent sacrifice, to you … we dedicate on this day all our being and all our love. We also dedicate to you our life, our work, our joys, our infirmities, and our sorrows.
Grant peace, justice, and prosperity to our people, for we entrust to your care all that we have and all that we are, our Lady and Mother.
We wish to be entirely yours and to walk with you along the way of complete faithfulness to Jesus Christ and his Church: hold us always in your loving hand.
Virgin of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas, we pray to you for all the bishops, that they may lead the faithful along paths of intense Christian life, of love and humble service of God and souls. …
Grant to our homes the grace of loving and respecting life in its beginnings, with the same love with which you conceived in your womb the life of the Son of God. Blessed Virgin Mary, protect our families, so that they may always be united, and bless the upbringing of our children. …
Thus, Most Holy Mother, with the peace of God in our conscience, with our hearts free from evil and hatred, we will be able to bring to all true joy and true peace, which come to us from your son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.
Day Nine Prayers
Mother of our Savior, the conversion of your Aztec children brought an end to infant sacrifice in Mexico. Holy Mary, we implore your help to end the infant sacrifice by abortion throughout the Americas.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory Be …
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