Septuagesima  Sunday-Bishop Bonaventure, OFM

Septuagesima Sunday-Bishop Giles, OFM 
Bishop Giles, OFM Saturday January 26-Feast of St. Polycarp 

Septuagesima Sunday-Fr. Joseph, OFM 

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Septuagesima Sunday 27 January 2013

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends,

The last shall be first; and the first, last. There at first glance, appears to be an injustice in this teaching of Christ from today’s Gospel. There is no real injustice as we see later on, but our fallen nature is slow to see or understand the ways of God. The men who worked the whole day received exactly what they agreed upon. There was no injustice to them. They were expecting more because in their pride they felt deserving of greater reward and were fighting against the idea that others should be put on a equal standing with them. Jealously played its part also. These others have not labored or suffered as much as they did so they were jealous that they could work a short while and still receive the same reward. They perhaps wished that they had only entered the vineyard at the eleventh hour rather than in the first. They regretted working the whole day.

Our lives are represented by the one day. Some enter into the service and love of God early in their lives and thus spend their entire lives (day) in this service. Others come at various stages of their lives, with some even entering at the eleventh hour in the last moment. All receive the same reward of salvation. The greater part of mankind never enter, or quit or leave before their life (day) is ended so never receive payment of salvation.

It is not so important at what stage we enter the Church (vineyard), as it is that from the moment we enter that we persevere to the end. Our fallen nature seeks an easy way, or the way that demands the least from us. In this we show forth the depravity of our fallen nature. The service of God should be one of love and should be a joy. We should be eager to enter as soon as possible and to love and serve as long and as well as we can. It is an honor and privilege to enter into the Church (vineyard) and serve God and the longer we are privileged to serve so much greater should be our gratitude.

St Augustine bemoaned the fact that he entered the Church later in life. Paraphrasing his Confessions he says: “I have loved Thee late my God, but I love Thee now, and seek to love Thee more and more every day.” Love never seeks to do less, but always seeks to do more. True perfect love is unconcerned with any reward or recompense. It never counts the cost. Our fallen nature, however has given us an imperfect concept of love that seeks our own comfort and reward first or more than the giving of itself. When we work and sacrifice with love, the labors become a joy in themselves. The labors of love are their own reward. Christ has promised us that if we take up our crosses for the love of Him, He will make them light and sweet. (Matt 11:30) This love desires that everyone might enter into it also, but does not compare itself with them. True love only compares itself to the object of its love – God. In seeing how Jesus has loved us we feel shame for not loving Him more. We are humbled and see how unworthy we are and how good God is. No matter how long or how much we do, it will always be as nothing compared to God’s love for us. The grace of salvation will always seem to be a greater payment than we ever deserve. If the true lover looks to his neighbor and fellow workers he sees how much they do in the way of love or goodness. He does not focus upon his weaknesses but rather his strengths and humbles himself all the more seeing the good that others have done that he himself has not yet done. In this manner, he is not jealous of the other’s reward, but rather of the sacrifices and labors that others have done. In this holy jealousy we strive always to do more (not less) for God. We do not ever try to take away or destroy and tear down another to make ourselves appear better, rather true love seeks that God should be loved in greater and greater measure and thus rejoices and tries to inspire others to do more, and they mutually build up one another in sacrifices and love of God.

May we all strive for this true love, becoming unconcerned that others may enter heaven having done less than us, but rather may we always strive to do and love more, ever profoundly aware that salvation will always be a gift and more than we deserve.

SINCE THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE IS UNDER ATTACK, EVEN IN THE INAUGURAL SPEECH BY OUR PRESIDENT, LETS LOOK AT WHAT THE POPES HAVE TO SAY ABOUT MARRIAGE

CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE , by , POPE PIUS XI , December 31, 1930 . . .
alas, not secretly nor under cover, but openly, with all sense of shame put
aside, now by word again by writings, by theatrical productions of every
kind, by romantic fiction, by amorous and frivolous novels, by cinematographs
portraying in vivid scene, in addresses broadcast by radio telephony, in
short by all the inventions of modern science, the Sanctity of Marriage is
trampled upon and derided; divorce, adultery, all the basest vices either are
extolled or at least are depicted in such colors as to appear to be free
of all reproach and infamy. Books are not lacking which dare to pronounce
themselves as scientific but which in truth are merely coated with a veneer
of science in order that they may the more easily insinuate their ideas.
The doctrines defended in these are offered for sale as the productions of
modern genius, of that genius namely, which, anxious only for truth, is
considered to have emancipated itself from all those old-fashioned and immature
opinions of the ancients; and to the number of these antiquated opinions
they regulate the Traditional Doctrine of Christian Marriage.

(B)

Leo XIII, since the destruction of family life "and the loss of national
wealth is brought about more by the corruption of morals than by anything
else, it is easily seen that divorce, which is born of the perverted morals of
a people, and leads, as experiment shows, to vicious habits in public and
private life, is particularly opposed to the well-being of the family and
of the State. The serious nature of these evils will be the more clearly
recognized, when we remember that, once divorce has been allowed, there will
be no sufficient means of keeping it in check within any definite bounds.
Great is the force of example, greater still that of lust; and with such
incitements it cannot but happen that divorce and its consequent setting
loose of the passions should spread daily and attack the souls of many like a
contagious disease or a river bursting its banks and flooding the land."
(Encycl. Arcanun, 10 Febr. 1880.)

(C)

Leo XIII, attacked the doctrine of the naturalists in these words: "It
is a Divinely appointed Law that whatsoever things are constituted by God,
the Author of nature, these we find the more useful and salutary, the more
they remain in their natural state, unimpaired and unchanged; inasmuch as
God, the Creator of all things, intimately knows what is suited to the
constitution and the preservation of each, and by His Will and Mind has so
ordained all things that each may duly achieve its purpose. But if the boldness
and wickedness of men change and disturb this order of things, so
providentially disposed, then, indeed, things so wonderfully ordained, will begin to
be injurious, or will cease to be beneficial, either because, in the
change, they have lost their power to benefit, or because God Himself is thus
pleased to draw down chstisement on the pride and presumption of men.
(Encycl. Arcanum divinae sapientiae, 10 Febr. 1880.)
In order, therefore, to restore due order in this matter of Marriage, it
is necessary that all should bear in mind what is the Divine Plan and
strive to conform to it.

(D)

POPE PIUS XI, December 31, 1930 . . . Our Predecessor Leo XIII,
of happy memory, has already insisted upon, (Encycl. Rerum novarum, 15 May
1891.) namely, that in the State such economic and social methods should
be adopted as will enable every head of a family to earn as much as,
according to his station in life, is necessary for himself, his wife, and for the
rearing of his children, for "the laborer is worthy of his hire." (Luke
10, 7.) To deny this, or to make light of what is equitable, is a grave
injustice and is placed among the greatest sins by Holy Writ, (Deut. 24, 14,
15.) nor is it lawful to fix such a scanty wage as will be insufficient for
the upkeep of the family in the circumstances in which it is placed.
Care, however, must be taken that the parties themselves, for a
considerable time before entering upon Married life, should strive to dispose of, or
at least to diminish, the maternal(material) obstacles in their way. The
manner in which this may be done effectively and honestly must be pointed
out by those who are experienced. Provision must be made also, in the case
of those who are not self-supporting, for joint aid by private or public
guilds. (Leo XIII, Encycl. Rermu novarum, 15 May 1891.)

Bishop Giles, OFM - 2nd Sunday After Epiphany

Fr. Joseph, OFM - 2nd Sunday after Epiphany 

Audio Sermon-Bishop Bonaventure, OFM from Our Lady of the Rosary

Lucy's baptism

Last night I ran across the interesting tidbit about ladybugs.  Since Lucy's room is done in "lady bug" decor, I thought this was very timely:

Legends vary about how the Ladybug came to be named, but the most common (and enduring) is this: In Europe, during the Middle Ages, swarms of insects were destroying the crops. The farmers prayed to the Virgin Mary for help. Soon thereafter the Ladybugs came, devouring the plant-destroying pests and saving the crops! The farmers called these beautiful insects "The Beetles of Our Lady", and - over time - they eventually became popularly known as "Lady Beetles". The red wings were said to represent the Virgin's cloak and the black spots were symbolic of both her joys and her sorrows. 

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Second Sunday after the Epiphany 20 January 2013

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends,

We pray daily for “our daily bread” in the Lord’s Prayer. In doing this we remind ourselves that “man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” We need not only food for our bodies, but even more importantly food for our souls. The water turned into wine in today’s Gospel symbolizes for us this transformation of bodily food into spiritual nourishment.

The stone vessels often are considered cold and hard. The spiritual instruction for us is rather, that stone vessels are enduring. These vessels hold and carry to us the supernatural truths that at first appear as ordinary or natural. The Church is symbolized by these stone vessels – She is enduring; She holds and distributes supernatural truths (drink) to all who will come to the wedding feast of Heaven. This drink first begins as plain water so likewise the doctrines of the Church appear often common and simple. If we only look closer we discover that the simplest and humblest of doctrines are the most profound and beautiful – the water is turned into wine.

In all our various stages of spiritual life we will always find what we need in these stone vessels (The Church). For those outside the Church they see empty vessels and have nothing to sustain their souls. For the beginner in the Faith they find refreshing but simple water. As we mature in the Faith and spiritual life we find the beauty and joy of wine that feeds the soul. The Church has something for everyone and all are to find their “daily bread” in Her.

Many enter the Church and find empty vessels because their souls are as yet empty. We often wonder if such people have any faith at all, or why they even bother to come to the Church. The hollow emptiness of the empty stone vessels can be found in all the false churches, and many flock to big “mega” Protestant churches in search of this vanity (emptiness). These false faiths have fine looking buildings but they are empty of true spiritual nourishment. Many in the Church see no appreciable difference between the true Church and the many false ones because they are only looking at the superficial and vain emptiness of the structures.

Some enter the Church and only taste water. The spiritual development has passed the vain empty stage, and they find true refreshment in the doctrines as they find true refreshment in water, but the joy that comes from the wine never seems to reach them. There are many that have a superficial “knowledge” of the doctrines of the Church and often they say things like: “I know my faith.” These often see no need to study any further; the brief superficial surface of the children’s catechism seems to be enough to satisfy them. Their “knowledge” is not yet love and so while they think they are drinking the wine of doctrine all they truly have is the refreshing water which should only whet their appetite for stronger drink, but sadly they are content not to go any further. These are the “infants” of the Church that are not ready for stronger drink, and they are often and easily led astray by temptations and the allure of the empty vain teachings of heretics.

The good wine is reserved for the last, for the mature adults in the Faith. To reach this stage we must first pass by the vain emptiness of so many false religions and find the true doctrine of the true Church. Upon entering the true Faith we at first seek out the refreshing water because we are still quite worldly and materialistic – eager for worldly blessings. While we imagine this to be enough, it is not. Knowledge is not sufficient, we must love. As our faith grows within us so must love. The young adult seeks to taste of the wine (love). For these, Christ turns the water into wine. The greater the love the more joyful becomes the wine.

Many times in our spiritual life we find that the wine runs short. Often it runs short without us ever being aware of the fact. We reach a spiritual stagnation or plateau. The joys of the faith seem to become common or we develop contempt for them because we have become familiar with them in a worldly manner. The wine has run out for all who find themselves in this situation. It is a dangerous situation because when the doctrines of the faith fail to taste like wine we are in danger of losing them all. The Word of God ceases to nourish our souls.

The devils are ever eager to silence and extinguish this love and often succeed in tempting us to allow the wine to run out and return us to a faith that is nothing but a hollow empty vessel. Many times in the spiritual life we may find ourselves dry or dark with the wine running out. We often fail even to see it coming so we neglect to beg it from God. This is where the Mother of God steps in on our behalf. We must invite not only God into our lives (wedding feast) but, we must also invoke His Mother. If Mary is loved and honored by us and welcomed into our daily lives, She will see when our wine is running short even before we do. Before we know what is taking place in our hearts as this love (wine) is drying up, She will go to her Son for us and say: “They have no wine.”

HERE IS THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF BISHOP MADRIGAL'S FUNERAL SERMON

FEAST OF HOLY FAMILY-BISHOP GILES, OFM

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY-FR. JOSEPH, OFM 

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals The Holy Family 13 January 2013

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends, 

As we consider the beauty and majesty of the Holy Family we are inspired to draw as near as possible in our own lives to this grand ideal of family life. The Holy Family inspires us with the ideal of family life but also enlightens every individual life as well. Not only, father, mother, and child, but also, neighbor, friend, employee, employer, teacher, student, etc. are instructed by this Holy Family. Everyone can find inspiration in this Holy Family for every situation. In essence every station in this life is but an extension of the family. 

St. Paul in the Epistle for today spells out the virtues that are necessary for us to fulfill in our lives the ideal that we see in the Holy Family_ He does not hesitate to place the virtue of charity above them all. Humility, meekness, etc. are most wonderfully displayed in the Holy Family and inspire us with the need to practice them ourselves, but charity is the crown of them all. Love encompasses every virtue, and shines over them all giving each virtue some of its own luster. It is charity that animates St. Joseph as the head of the family. He has not only the right, but actually the duty to lead and to command. To command is an obligation and duty not just an honor Those in authority take the place of God and must do their best to be worthy of this position and must oversee with the charity of God. Those who fail to command and fulfill this duty as head are just as guilty as those who arrogate power that does not belong to them. Too often we see that people do not know how to properly execute their position of authority. There are many who want to arrogate to themselves authority that they do not have. Such arrogance is repulsive to everyone especially those who find themselves subject (either willingly, or by force or circumstances) to these "leaders" who do not have the grace to that vocation that they have stolen. There are others that God has called to this vocation and they fail to use God's grace and very often either act as tyrants, or inept bunglers. What is lacking in these various scenarios is the virtue of charity. Yes, they do need the other virtues such as: humility, faith, and the courage of their convictions etc. but above all if they would only love one another, each would find his proper station, as well as the true joy that is to be found in that station. 

St. Joseph, we might argue, is less in dignity than both Jesus and Mary, but it is he that God gave authority to. The grace and ability to head or lead has more to do with the grace of vocation than it has to do with intellect, or dignity. St. Francis once said that he would humbly and faithfully obey a novice of one day if he were placed over him, just as he would humbly and faithfully obey the oldest and wisest. It is not the person of the superior that is important. It is the office and the grace of the office that is important.

The ways of this world fly right in the face of this ideal. What the world thinks is necessary to head or to lead is contrary to what God sees as necessary. Superiors must first make sure that they have the grace of their vocation and have not stolen their way into power: and then they must develop and foster true love for all their subjects. When charity is firmly established they will not become tyrants nor will they be door mats. Charity will prevent pride, arrogance and all other abuses of power that may tempt us. 

Next in power and authority in the Holy Family we see Mary, both wife and mother. She gives the example for all women. There is no shame or weakness in being subject to another (even one that is perhaps less). Mary shines forth in all holiness, humility, patience, etc. In sacrificing her will to St. Joseph, she loses nothing, but rather gains much. When St. Joseph or any decent husband or head sees that his authority is not challenged but that his wife lovingly sacrifices her will to his, he invariably will ask of her nothing that she will find objectionable. He cannot help but reciprocate the love he receives from her. They form one body as head and heart working together as one. She obeys with love and willingly so he is inspired to command with kind and gentle love. 

This is of course easy when all is well. Our true spiritual development only shines forth when it is put to the test. In the heat of a trial or temptation; when it appears or actually is that the head is wrong or unfair or unjust, this is when we must as subjects humble ourselves in submission for the love of God and the head (obeying in all that is not sinful). It is this humbling that inspires those in charge with a greater necessity to command gently and lovingly. The harm that they do or cause those subject to them will if they cooperate with the grace, strike their consciences all the more, because even in the face of their own sufferings or hardships they obeyed so the responsibility of all the hardships lies with the head. In this manner wives can inspire and lead their husbands to God and His grace. 

This is even more perfectly seen in the obedience of the Christ Child. Jesus was subject to both Joseph and Mary. His obedience was prompt, willing, and lovingly given (The perfect example for us all) and in this manner He brought both of His parents to draw closer to God and love Him all the more. He obeyed with charity so they commanded with charity. 

If we seek to check or correct our heads we should first see if we are obeying as Jesus did. If we have obeyed in this manner we can then pray and hope for a change in those God has placed over us. There is no greater honor than to suffer injustice for the love of God, so likewise is there no greater means to change and convert others.

Bishop Bonaventure, OFM sharing a little down time with James Lentz, Jr. and Angela Lentz

Stephanie & James Lentz with Bishop Bonaventure, OFM

Bishop Giles, OFM Sunday after ChristmasBishop Giles, OFM Feast of Circumcision
Bishop Giles, OFM - January 5th
Bishop Giles, OFM Epiphany

Funeral Sermon by Bishop Bonaventure, OFM

Here are some pictures from the funeral of His Excellency Bishop Louis Vezelis, OFM, DD

Epiphany of Our Lord - Bishop Bonaventure, OFM
Epiphany of Our Lord-Fr. Bernard, OFM - The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

CHAPTER VIII
HOW ST FRANCIS, WALKING ONE DAY WITH BROTHER LEO, EXPLAINED TO HIM WHAT THINGS ARE PERFECT JOY
One day in winter, as St Francis was going with Brother Leo from Perugia to St Mary of the Angels, and was suffering greatly from the cold, he called to Brother Leo, who was walking on before him, and said to him: "Brother Leo, if it were to please God that the Friars Minor should give, in all lands, a great example of holiness and edification, write down, and note carefully, that this would not be perfect joy." A little further on, St Francis called to him a second time: "O Brother Leo, if the Friars Minor were to make the lame to walk, if they should make straight the crooked, chase away demons, give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb, and, what is even a far greater work, if they should raise the dead after four days, write that this would not be perfect joy." Shortly after, he cried out again: "O Brother Leo, if the Friars Minor knew all languages; if they were versed in all science; if they could explain all Scripture; if they had the gift of prophecy, and could reveal, not only all future things, but likewise the secrets of all consciences and all souls, write that this would not be perfect joy." After proceeding a few steps farther, he cried out again with a loud voice: "O Brother Leo, thou little lamb of God! if the Friars Minor could speak with the tongues of angels; if they could explain the course of the stars; if they knew the virtues of all plants; if all the treasures of the earth were revealed to them; if they were acquainted with the various qualities of all birds, of all fish, of all animals, of men, of trees, of stones, of roots, and of waters - write that this would not be perfect joy." Shortly after, he cried out again: "O Brother Leo, if the Friars Minor had the gift of preaching so as to convert all infidels to the faith of Christ, write that this would not be perfect joy." Now when this manner of discourse had lasted for the space of two miles, Brother Leo wondered much within himself; and, questioning the saint, he said: "Father, I pray thee teach me wherein is perfect joy." St Francis answered: "If, when we shall arrive at St Mary of the Angels, all drenched with rain and trembling with cold, all covered with mud and exhausted from hunger; if, when we knock at the convent-gate, the porter should come angrily and ask us who we are; if, after we have told him, `We are two of the brethren', he should answer angrily, `What ye say is not the truth; ye are but two impostors going about to deceive the world, and take away the alms of the poor; begone I say'; if then he refuse to open to us, and leave us outside, exposed to the snow and rain, suffering from cold and hunger till nightfall - then, if we accept such injustice, such cruelty and such contempt with patience, without being ruffled and without murmuring, believing with humility and charity that the porter really knows us, and that it is God who maketh him to speak thus against us, write down, O Brother Leo, that this is perfect joy. And if we knock again, and the porter come out in anger to drive us away with oaths and blows, as if we were vile impostors, saying, `Begone, miserable robbers! to to the hospital, for here you shall neither eat nor sleep!' - and if we accept all this with patience, with joy, and with charity, O Brother Leo, write that this indeed is perfect joy. And if, urged by cold and hunger, we knock again, calling to the porter and entreating him with many tears to open to us and give us shelter, for the love of God, and if he come out more angry than before, exclaiming, `These are but importunate rascals, I will deal with them as they deserve'; and taking a knotted stick, he seize us by the hood, throwing us on the ground, rolling us in the snow, and shall beat and wound us with the knots in the stick - if we bear all these injuries with patience and joy, thinking of the sufferings of our Blessed Lord, which we would share out of love for him, write, O Brother Leo, that here, finally, is perfect joy. And now, brother, listen to the conclusion. Above all the graces and all the gifts of the Holy Spirit which Christ grants to his friends, is the grace of overcoming oneself, and accepting willingly, out of love for Christ, all suffering, injury, discomfort and contempt; for in all other gifts of God we cannot glory, seeing they proceed not from ourselves but from God, according to the words of the Apostle, `What hast thou that thou hast not received from God? and if thou hast received it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it?' But in the cross of tribulation and affliction we may glory, because, as the Apostle says again, `I will not glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.' Amen."

SADLY, WE JUST LEARNED THAT OUR WONDERFUL BISHOP LOUIS VEZELIS, OFM HAS PASSED AWAY AROUND 1:00 AM ON THE FEAST OF THE CIRCUMCISM OF OUR LORD.

ETERNAL REST GRANT TO HIM , O LORD AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON HIM.  MAY HE REST IN PEACE AMEN.