THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost 30 September 2012

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends,

Let us consider today the man sick with the palsy and his bed. This man in his illness was confined to his bed and in this condition was completely reliant upon his friends. This man was truly blessed to have such friends who had faith in Jesus, because they carried him in his bed to Jesus. It was because of the faith of this sick man’s friends that Jesus forgave the sick man of his sins. Not only is the sick man dependent upon his friends for his physical needs, but we see that he is likewise dependent upon them for spiritual assistance also. It is therefore most often that sinners who receive the grace of repentance and accept penance do so due to the faith and merits of others. 

Sickness is often a sign of sin or bears some connection to sin, so we must in our own sicknesses seek first forgiveness for our sins and then the health of our bodies. Very often we are only concerned with our bodies and tend to forget our souls. Physical sickness too often focuses our attention only upon our flesh. We need to re-think our attitudes and priorities. We must begin to seek first the health of our souls and then concern ourselves with the health of our bodies, because Jesus healed this man’s soul before He healed his body.

The sick man is confined to his bed and is unable to help himself and is therefore dependent upon the charity of others. The person in mortal sin finds himself in this same situation because he can do nothing for himself to regain the grace he has lost. That grace of repentance is a gift from God often only given because of the faith and merits of others. The man in sin finds that he has lost control and is carried forth by his transgressions and goes where they lead him rather than where he would want to go, just as the sick man is carried in his bed where others wish to carry him rather than perhaps where he might desire to go. 

This bed also symbolizes our sins because so many of men’s sins are committed there. We are bound to our sins like the sick man is bound to his bed. Sinners are carried around by their sins just as this sick man was carried around on his bed. It is often within our own power to lie down on the bed when we are sick but very often it is no longer within our power to rise up again and we need the help of others. In like manner we can freely enter into sin by ourselves but, we are incapable of rising out of sin by ourselves – we need the grace of God and the help of others. It would be good for everyone to think when going to sleep in his bed that he will perhaps spend his last days or hours confined to bed and if the bed has been the place of many sins it will become a place of fear and torment in his last days. We should therefore sanctify this bed with prayers before and after entering it and often blessing it with holy water – resolving never to desecrate it with sin.  

If anything, our beds should become as the couch of David that he watered nightly with his tears of repentance. (Psalm 6,7) In this manner we can heal our souls from the bondage of sin and rise from sin as we rise from our beds. Instead of being held by our sins as the sick man was held by his bed we must with the grace of God; receive the forgiveness of our sins, and then rise from them and, take up this bed and carry it away rather than be carried away by it. This bed which was the occasion and/or source for sin, because of our spiritual sickness, now becomes our burden or cross, which we must carry in the spirit of penance. In taking up this cross, the constant reminder of our sins, we are always reminded of the weight of our sins and the mercy of God. We receive in this burden the opportunity to follow Christ: “Take up your cross daily and come follow Me.” (Luke 9, 23)

As bitter as the bed of sin was to us while we were in sin so much the more does it, as our daily cross of remorse and repentance, become to us a blessing and a joy. All that was bitter and heavy has become sweet and light. (Matt 11, 30) 

May we never forget the lessons and observations given to us today in the healing of this man sick with sin in the soul and also sick with palsy in the body. Christ heals first the soul and then the body, showing us that we must seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and then the things of this earth will be given us besides. (Matt 6, 33) We also find that the bed of sin is filled with suffering and misery, but once we rise from sin it becomes our cross in penance and though it is a source of many tears of remorse and penance it becomes a cross of sweetness and joy which we shall carry daily in imitation of Jesus. We should also always remember to show our gratitude to those known and unknown whose faith has merited for us from God the words: “Thy sins are forgiven thee” because it is due to the faithful prayers and sacrifices of others that we merit this grace.

St. John of the Cross

Dark Night of the Soul (2.2:3)...

"...the devil causes many to believe in vain visions and false prophecies; and strives to make them presume that God and the saints are speaking with them; and they often trust their own fancy. And the devil is also accustomed, in this state, to fill them with presumption and pride, so that they become attracted by vanity and arrogance, and allow themselves to be seen engaging in outward acts which appear holy, such as raptures and other manifestations. Thus they become bold with God, and lose holy fear, which is the key and the custodian of all the virtues; and in some of these souls so many are the falsehoods and deceits which tend to multiply, and so inveterate do they grow, that it is very doubtful if such souls will return to the pure road of virtue and true spirituality."

Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.

St. Francis de Sales - Feastday January 29

 "All the reprobate have been damned in consequence of their neglect of prayer; had they prayed they should not be lost; and all the saints have become saints by prayer; had they neglected prayer, they would not have become saints.  We must live in the persuasion, St. John Chrysostom says, that to neglect prayer, and to lose the grace of God, are one and the same thing." (St. Alphonsus:The True Spouse of Jesus Christ, p. 612)

 

Bishop Bonaventure, OFM Video Sermon for the 17th Sunday after Pentecost

Bishop Giles, OFM - September 22, 2012 
Bishop Giles, OFM - 17th Sunday after Pentecost 

Fr. Bernard, OFM- Our Lady of the Rosary-Holy Sacrifice of the Mass -17th Sunday after Pentecost 

Fr. Joseph, OFM - 17th Sunday after Pentecost 

We are lost on a raging sea, far from God, and buffeted at every moment by storms. We lie at the very jaws of spiritual death, and so we cry out: "Hail Mary. ..."
St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231AD)

Do you think daughters, that God comes to you all by Himself?... You may be sure that such a King is not left alone by the attendants of His courts; but they attend Him, praying to Him for us, and for our welfare, because they are full of love.

St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582AD) on the Communion of Saints

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost 23 September 2012

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends,

The Pharisee calls Christ “Master”; this is a deceptive lie. Only the son may call his father, “father”; and only student may call his teacher, “teacher”; so it follows that only the disciple may call his master, “master”. The Pharisee is not a disciple of Christ. He does not follow Christ nor is he seeking instruction from Christ. He therefore has not right to address Christ as “Master”. It is true that Christ is God and is therefore the Lord and Master of all, but those who refuse Him the love and obedience due to Him break off this relationship. The heretic, schismatic, pagan, and Jew have no true relationship with Christ and therefore have no relationship to God. He is their Creator but because of their rebellion against Him they are no longer sons of God but rather sons of the devils who now inspire and guide them in this life so that they will reach eternity and enter into Hell with them.

Religion to these people is nothing more than deceitful hypocrisy. It is a tool which they use to mislead others or even to manipulate and control others. This is why we see that Christ calls these people, “children of the devil” and a “brood of vipers.” (Matt 12, 34) It is in this hypocritical disposition that the Pharisee calls Jesus “Master”, in attempting by flattery to put Him off His guard, so as to trap Him. It is foolishness as Jesus is God and can see very clearly this man’s heart and intentions. The question of which is the greatest commandment was a disputed one, so this question is posed to put Jesus in the midst of the dispute where however He answers it will be offensive to someone. Jesus answers the man with a simple and direct answer showing clearly that the love of God is the greatest commandment and then the love of neighbor. After this Jesus silences these men by asking them a question. In their rebellion, against the grace of God, these men cannot see that Jesus is both God and Man. Therefore, they cannot explain how Christ is the Son of David and at the same time is David’s Lord. In posing this question Jesus silences these evil plotting hypocrite Pharisees.

These Pharisees live on today in all those who attack the Church which is the Mystical Body of Christ. The teachings of Christ’s Church (The Catholic Church) are the teachings of God; all those who reject the Church reject God. “He who hears you, hears Me and he who hears Me hears Him who sent Me.” (Luke 10, 16) It is clear then that all those outside of the Church who call upon Jesus do so falsely; they are not the children of God but rather the children of the devil because they reject Jesus in His Church and follow the inspiration of devils just as the Pharisees of old did.

These call upon Jesus as “Lord, Master, and God” but it is a lie because in their hearts they have rejected Him. It may be true that they search the scriptures, but they do so not to find God and love and serve Him, but rather to entrap Him (in His Mystical Body the Church) and so find a means or reason to reject and destroy Him. We must therefore always be on our guard when speaking of religious matters with those outside the Church; whether consciously or unconsciously these people are out to attack and destroy the Church and therefore Christ – God. No matter how well meaning or even how-pious they may appear; they are still children of Satan and not of God. It is Satan appearing as an angel of light that inspires and guides them. Just as the Pharisees could not believe that Jesus is the Christ and is therefore both God and Man, so those outside the Church cannot believe one or more teachings of Christ in His Church.

We are not Jesus so we cannot see this evil disposition in people’s wills and the devils are very clever in helping them disguise it, so we must ever be vigilant and cautious, in our discussions with them. Let us always remember our Morning Offering where we beg God’s help and guidance for the day, as well as the help and guidance of the angels and saints. Before we engage in a conversation with anyone outside the Church on matters of faith, let us first pray that they may be freed from the influence of these evil spirits that are guiding them, and ask God’s help in guiding us to lead them back to Him. We must always keep in mind that appearances are most often deceptive and be on our guard always to protect our standing as children of God who can truthfully call Jesus: “Master”.

The colored sunsets and starry heavens, the beautiful mountains and the shining seas, the fragrant woods and painted flowers, are not half so beautiful as a soul that is serving Jesus out of love in the wear and tear of common, unpoetic life. - Fr. Frederick William Faber

The demons are ever anxious in their pursuit of souls. However, they quickly abandon their prey at the sole Name of Mary.

St. Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373AD)

 I usually stay away from these things but I just couldn't resist!  You have
the former "Archbishop" of Rochester with the former "Archbishop " of Milwaukee!
Oh happy days!  Make sure you read the comments - they are very interesting!
 

Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Mother - given by Bishop Giles, OFM
Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost - given by Bishop Giles, OFM 
Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost - Video Sermon by Bishop Bonaventure, OFM 
 Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost - given by Fr. Joseph, OFM
Holy Mass - Our Lady of the Rosary - Fr. Bernard, OFM 

There are some who humble themselves... through a motive of being esteemed humble and of being praised for their humility. But, according to St. Bernard, to seek praise from voluntary humiliations is not humility, but the destruction of humility, for it changes humility into an object of pride.” (St. Alphonsus, The True Spouse of Jesus Christ, p. 320)

 

True devotion to Mary is something holy. It leads a soul to avoid sin and to imitate the virtues of Mary.

St. Louis Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716AD)

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost 16 September 2012

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends,

Jesus has a couple of very important things to teach us in today’s gospel. The first is the proper keeping of the Sabbath. The Israelites of the Old Testament were bound by a physical or material law and more often than not they were completely blind to the spiritual side of the law or how the physical acts were to carry over into spiritual ones. Christ has entered a home to eat bread on a Sabbath. The letter of the law forbids servile work on this day. They were eagerly waiting to see if Jesus would heal a man and ignore the law of the Sabbath or whether He would let pass an opportunity to perform a charitable work of mercy. Reading their hearts Jesus responds to their question. He asks them if they would not come to the aid of cattle on the Sabbath. The answer is obvious – every one of them would rescue a beast that was in need of aid even if it were the Sabbath. None of them stopped to consider that this diseased man is worth much more than their cattle or that charity is much more important than their avarice. (The need for saving cattle is because cattle are expensive and it would be a great loss to the owner to lose one.) There is not much selfish profit in helping one’s neighbor, but there is profit in saving and protecting one’s livestock. So they were all willing to break the letter of the law for avarice, but never for charity towards a fellow human being in need. Christ in healing this man shows them and us that charity knows no law nor does it need any law. There can be no law against loving our neighbors and always seeking to help them in any way we can.

Our society today is too often more like the Pharisees than like Christ. We are always finding reasons not to be charitable towards one another. There are always many “prudent” reasons for us not to help one another, but the most shocking is when we attempt to place the blame upon God as they did in today’s gospel. It was because of the law that God had given them that they did not wish to practice charity to the ill man. We see the same today. The temptation for many is to reason that God is the cause for our neighbor’s misfortune or need and therefore if we come to their aid we are going against God’s will. Not many people will verbalize this thought, just as the men in today’s gospel could not answer out loud and so remained silent. Nonetheless, we attempt to excuse our laziness, coldness or indifference with a cloak of religiosity and ultimately blame God for it all.

Such religiosity attempts to appear as scrupulous keepers of God’s law and therefore righteous in the eyes of all while at the same time not understanding the law at all and often abusing the law in a much worse way than the men that they condemn. We must therefore look to the spirit of the law rather than to the letter. It is only when we receive the law in all charity that we understand and can properly apply it. It is charity that distinguishes true obedience from servile obedience. Only those who love God and their neighbors know how to understand and apply the law of God.

The second lesson that Jesus has for us today is closely related to the first one. While charity allows us to comprehend and apply God’s words, it is humility that allows us to manifest this charity in all its beauty and simplicity. We often see people who strive very hard to appear humble while they are truly more proud than those around them. Such people will fight for the last place so that they may appear to be the humblest of all. In all actuality though they are truly the proudest of all. It does not matter if we are striving for the first or the last place they are both detrimental to us if we lack true humility and charity. The truly charitable and humble person does not desire to be seen in the first place or to draw attention to himself in the last place, but is rather desirous not to be seen or noticed so as to draw attention to himself. The humble do not desire or seek the attention of others for they truly consider everyone above them, and in their charity concern themselves only with serving God and leading others to God.

All the virtues come as a package; we cannot have one without possessing the others to some degree. Today we have been shown that charity and humility go hand in hand. We cannot humble ourselves to one another unless we truly love one another. We cannot love one another unless we are willing to humble ourselves to one another. In the pursuit of the greatest of virtues – charity – we will come to practice all of the others. May we always seek to grow in charity day by day and make ourselves more and more humble and therefore more and more pleasing to God and to one another.

 "Purity of intention consists in performing all our actions through the sole motive of pleasing God…In the life of St. Pachomius, Surius relates that a certain monk made two mats, whilst his companions made but one; he showed the two mats to St. Pachomius in order to receive praise, but the saint said to the other monks: ‘Behold, this monk worked till night, and has offered his work to the devil.'"

  St. Alphonsus (1755)
 St. Pachomius was born about 292 in the Upper Thebaid in Egypt and was inducted into the Emperor's army as a twenty-year-old. The great kindness of Christians at Thebes toward the soldiers became embedded in his mind and led to his conversion after his discharge. After being baptized, he became a disciple of an anchorite, Palemon, and took the habit. The two of them led a life of extreme austerity and total dedication to God; they combined manual labor with unceasing prayer both day and night. Later, Pachomius felt called to build a monastery on the banks of the Nile at Tabennisi; so about 318 Palemon helped him build a cell there and even remained with him for a while. In a short time some one hundred monks joined him and Pachomius organized them on principles of community living. So prevalent did the desire to emulate the life of Pachomius and his monks become, that the holy man was obliged to establish ten other monasteries for men and two convents for women. Before his death in 346, there were seven thousand monks in his houses, and his Order lasted in the East until the 11th century. St. Pachomius was the first monk to organize hermits into groups and write down a Rule for them. Both St. Basil and St. Benedict drew from his Rule in setting forth their own more famous ones. Hence, though St. Anthony is usually regarded as the founder of Christian monasticism, it was really St. Pachomius who began monasticism as we know it today. Other saints whose feast day is May 9th are St. Gregory Nazianzen and St. Beatus.

Here are some photos of the Consecration of Bishop Bonaventure, OFM from Bishop Madrigal's website.

“The third characteristic then of the obedience of Christ is that it was tried by suffering and humiliations. To accomplish the Will of His heavenly Father, the Infant Christ, with the full use of every faculty, consented to be enclosed for nine months in the dark prison of His Mother’s womb. Other infants feel not this privation as they have not the use of reason, but Christ had the use of reason and must have dreaded the confinement in the narrow womb, even of her whom He had chosen to be His Mother.
Through obedience to His Father, and from the love He bore to man, He overcame this dread, and the Church says: ‘When Thou didst take upon Thee to deliver Man, Thou didst not abhor the Virgin’s womb.’ Again, our dear Lord needed no small amount of patience and humility, to assume the manners and the weaknesses of a child, when He was not only wiser than Solomon, but was the Man ‘in Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.’ ” St. Robert Bellarmine, The Seven Words on the Cross

“Consider the painful life that Jesus Christ led in the womb of his Mother, and the long‑confined and dark imprisonment that he suffered there for nine months. Other infants are indeed in the same state; but they do not feel the miseries of it, because they do not know them. But Jesus knew them well, because from the first moment of his life he had the perfect use of reason….The womb of Mary was therefore, to our Redeemer a voluntary prison, because it was a prison of love. But it was also not an unjust prison: he was indeed innocent himself, but he had offered himself to pay our debts and to satisfy for our crimes. It was therefore only reasonable for the divine justice to keep him thus imprisoned, and so begin to exact from him the due satisfaction.
Behold the state to which the Son of God reduces himself for the love of men, he deprives himself of his liberty and puts himself in chains, to deliver us from the chains of hell.” St. Alphonsus de Liguori,The Incarnation, Birth and Infancy of Jesus Christ

 “Let no man say within himself: ‘I repent in secret to the Lord.  God, who has power to pardon me, knows the inmost sentiments of my heart.’  Was there, then, no reason for saying ‘whatsoever you loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.’ [Mt. 18:18] no reason why the keys were given to the Church of God?” (Lib. 1 Hom. 49.)

St. Augustine, on confession to priests

“As We have already mentioned, Venerable Brothers, according to ancient tradition and the sacred liturgy the main principle on which the royal dignity of Mary rests is without doubt her Divine Motherhood.
In Holy Writ, concerning the Son whom Mary will conceive, We read this sentence: “He shall be called the Son of the most High, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father, and he shall reign in the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end,”[Luke 1:32,33] and in addition Mary is called “Mother of the Lord”;[Luke 1:43] from this it is easily concluded that she is a Queen, since she bore a son who, at the very moment of His conception, because of the hypostatic union of the human nature with the Word, was also as man King and Lord of all things.
So with complete justice St. John Damascene could write: “When she became Mother of the Creator, she truly became Queen of every creature.” Likewise, it can be said that the heavenly voice of the Archangel Gabriel was the first to proclaim Mary’s royal office.”
AD CAELI REGINAM, ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS XII ON PROCLAIMING THE QUEENSHIP OF MARY, # 34

BISHOP BONAVENTURE - 15TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST-VIDEO SERMON
BISHOP GILES, OFM - FIRST FRIDAY SERMON 
BISHOP GILES, OFM - NATIVITY OF OUR BLESSED LADY 
BISHOP GILES, OFM - 15TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 
HOLY MASS - 15TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST-FR. BERNARD OFM  
FR. JOSEPH OFM - 15TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST 

Here are the 10 Principal Virtues of the Blessed Mother as related by Bishop Bonaventure on the radio show on Friday.  These are per St. Louis de Montfort:

1.  Profound Humility
2.  Lively Faith
3.  Unceasing Obedience
4.  Continual Prayer
5.  Universal Mortification
6.  Divine Purity
7.  Burning Charity
8.  Heroic Patience
9.  Angelical Sweetness
10.  Divine Wisdom

 LITTLE FLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS-FROM OUR THIRD ORDER MEETING TODAY:

CHAPTER IV
HOW THE ANGEL OF GOD PUT A QUESTION TO BROTHER ELIAS, GUARDIAN OF VAL DI SPOLETO, AND HOW, WHEN BROTHER ELIAS ANSWERED PROUDLY, THE ANGEL DEPARTED FROM HIM, AND TOOK THE ROAD TO SAN GIACOMO, WHERE HE MET BROTHER BERNARD AND TOLD HIM WHAT FOLLOWS
In the first beginning of the Order, when there was as yet but few brothers and no convents established, St Francis went, out of devotion, to San Giacomo di Galicia, taking with him Brother Bernard and one or two other brothers. As they traveled on together, they met by the way a poor sick man. St Francis, moved with compassion at the sight of his sufferings, said to Brother Bernard: "My son, I will that thou stay here, and take care of this sick man." And Brother Bernard, meekly falling on his knees, received the order of his revered father and remained behind, whilst St Francis and the others proceeded to San Giacomo. On arriving there, they spent the night in prayer in the Church of St James, and God revealed to St Francis how he would found many convents all over the world, and how his Order would increase and multiply into a great multitude of brethren. After this revelation St Francis began to found convents in that country. Then returning by the way he had come, and finding Brother Bernard with the sick man, who had quite recovered, he allowed him to go the following year to San Giacomo, whilst he himself returned to Val di Spoleto, and took up his abode in a desert place with Brother Masseo, Brother Elias, and others. All these were very careful never to interrupt St Francis in his devotions; and this they did out of the great reverence they bore him, and because they knew that God revealed to him great things in prayer. Now it chanced one day, as St Francis was praying in the forest, that a handsome young man, dressed for traveling, presented himself at the convent-gate, knocking thereat so loudly, so quickly, and so long, that the brothers marveled greatly at a way of knocking so strange and unusual. Brother Masseo, who went and opened the gate, thus addressed the young man: "Whence comest thou, my son? for the strange manner in which thou knockest makes me to think thou hast never been here before." At this the young man asked: "How then ought I to knock?" Brother Masseo answered: "Thou shouldst give three knocks, one after the other, and then wait time enough for a brother to say an `Our Father,' and come and open to thee; should he not arrive by that time, then thou mayest knock again." "I was in great haste," replied the stranger; "for I have made a long journey, and am come to speak with St Francis, who at this hour is praying in the forest, wherefore I would not interrupt him. I pray thee; then, to call Brother Elias; for I wish to put a question to him, having heard that he is full of wisdom." Then Brother Masseo going, called Brother Elias; but he, being angry, refused to go, so that Brother Masseo was at a loss what answer to make the stranger. For if he told him Brother Elias could not wait on him, he would say an untruth; while if he told how he spoke in anger, he feared to give scandal. Whilst Brother Masseo was hesitating how he should act, whether or no he should return with the message, the stranger knocked again as he had knocked before. On this Brother Masseo hastened back to the convent-gate, and said reproachfully: "Thou hast not observed what I said to thee as to how thou shouldst knock." To this the young man made answer: "Since Brother Elias will not come to me, go, tell Brother Francis that I came here to speak with him; but, not wishing to interrupt his prayers, I beg him to order Brother Elias to come to me." Then Brother Masseo went to St Francis, who was praying in the forest with his eyes lifted up to heaven, and gave him the message of the young man, with the answer of Brother Elias. Now the young man was the angel of God, under the form of a traveler. St Francis, without moving and still looking up to heaven, said to Brother Masseo: "Go, tell Brother Elias, in virtue of holy obedience, to go and speak with that young man." So Brother Elias, having received the order of St Francis, went to the convent-gate in an angry mood, and opening it with violence, asked of the young man what he wanted with Him. The latter answered: "Beware of being angry, as thou appearest to be; for anger woundeth the soul,j preventing it from discerning the truth." Brother Elias said again: "Tell me what thou wantest with me." "I wish to know," answered the stranger, "if it be permitted to such as follow the Holy Gospel to eat whatever is served before them, according to the words of Christ to his disciples; and I wish to ask thee, likewise, if it be lawful for any man to teach a doctrine contrary to the liberty preached in the Gospel." On this Brother Elias answered proudly: "I know what answer to make thee, but I am not inclined to give thee one. Be gone about thy business." The young man replied: "I know better than thou dost what answer to make to these questions." Then was Brother Elias much troubled; and, being very angry, he slammed to the door, and went his way. But afterwards, considering the questions which had been put to him, he doubted within himself whether he could answer them; for being Vicar of the Order, he had made a law which went beyond that of the Gospel, and passed the Rule of St Francis: to wit, that none of the brethren should eat flesh; so that the question was put expressly against himself. Not knowing in what way to clear his doubts, and being struck by the modest appearance of the young stranger, remembering also how he had said that he could answer the questions better than himself, he hurried back to the convent-gate in hopes of finding him. But he had disappeared, for the pride of Brother Elias made him unworthy to converse with an angel. In the meantime St Francis, to whom all had been revealed by God, returning from the forest, addressed himself reproachfully to Brother Elias, saying: "Thou doest wrong, proud Brother Elias; for thou hast sent away the holy angel of God, who came to instruct us. I tell thee that I greatly fear lest thy pride will make thee end thy days out of the Order." And so it happened even as St Francis said, for he died out of the Order. The same day and the same hour at which the angel had disappeared from the convent-gate, he appeared to Brother Bernard, who was making his way homewards from San Giacomo, along the bank of a great river. The angel, clad in the same guise as a traveler, greeted him with the words, "God give thee peace, good brother." Now Brother Bernard, considering the beauty of the young man, who with so sweet a look pronounced the salutation of peace, according to the custom of his own country, asked of him whence he came. "I come," answered the angel, "from the convent where dwells St Francis. I went thither to speak with him, but to do so I was not able, for he was in the forest contemplating divine things, and I would not disturb him. In the same convent were Brother Giles, and Brother Elias, with Brother Masseo, who taught me how to knock at the convent-gate according to the custom of the brethren. Brother Elias would not answer the questions I put to him; but afterwards he repented, seeking to see and hear me; but it was too late." After these words, the angel asked Brother Bernard why he did not cross the river. "Because," answered Brother Bernard, "I fear to perish in the waters, which are very deep." The angel said to him, "Let us cross together; fear naught." And, taking him by the hand, in an instant they were both on the other side of the river. Then Brother Bernard knew him for the angel of God, and with great joy and great reverence he exclaimed: "Blessed angel of God, tell me thy name." The angel answered: "Why dost thou ask my name, which is Wonderful?" Having said these words, he disappeared, leaving Brother Bernard greatly comforted; so that he ended his journey with much joy, noting the day and the hour when the angel had appeared. On arriving at the convent, where St Francis was with his favorite companions, he related to them word for word his adventure; and they knew with a certainty that it was the very angel who, on the same day and at the same hour, had appeared to them also.

St. Andrew of Crete puts this feast day, celebrated since the 5th century, in perspective for us when he says: “[In the great play of salvation] today’s festival, the birth of the Mother of God, is the joyful prelude, while the final act is the union of the Word [of God] with human flesh.  Through Mary’s birth we are led away from slavery and toward the Truth. We are led away from darkness and toward the Light. Therefore, let all creation sing and dance and unite to make a worthy contribution to the celebration of this day. Let there be one common festival for saints in heaven and people on earth. Let everything join in festive celebration, for today, [through the birth of Mary] this created world is raised to the dignity of a holy place for [her Son] who made all things. The creature is newly prepared to be a divine dwelling place for her Creator.”

BISHOP BONAVENTURE, OFM -CATHOLIC FAITH RADIO PROGRAM-THE NATIVITY OF THE BLESSED MOTHER 

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost 9 September 2012

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends,

In this life we often experience mystically or symbolically things that will take place on higher levels. The physical death that we see so very often in this life should waken our consciences to the terrible reality of the death of soul that takes place with the commission of mortal sin. The beauty and wonders of this life should excite within us a burning desire for the eternal beauty and wonder of eternal life in heaven. The pain, agony, and misery in this life should turn our thoughts to the suffering of the damned in hell or to the poor souls in Purgatory.

The occurrence in today’s gospel turns our thoughts to the Resurrection. It is interesting to note that the gospel tells us that Jesus had mercy on the widow mother (not so much the dead man). The dead man was given another chance in life, not because he deserved it, but rather because his mother’s misery touched the heart of God. Very often we receive a resurrection of sorts when we return from our sins to the life of grace. At this moment of our spiritual joy it would be good for us to recall the passages in today’s gospel. We who were dead in sin have done nothing to deserve or merit this grace. It is due to the prayers and sacrifices of others that God has had compassion on us and restored spiritual life to us so that we may begin again.

It is easy to become overwhelmed with the joy of clearing our consciences and forget to give thanks and praise to God; but perhaps even more often we forget to show our appreciation to those who truly love us and have seen us lost in the depths of sin and poured out their hearts to God in prayers and sacrifices on our behalf! More often than not we will discover that the saints in Heaven are there because of the prayers and sacrifices of others. The tears, prayers, and sacrifices of mothers and fathers greatly touch the heart of God. St. Augustine attributes his conversion to the merits of his sainted mother. If it were not for the constant prayers and tears of St. Monica, there never would have been a St. Augustine.

Pastors also as spiritual fathers often pray and sacrifice for their spiritual children and every penitent should realize the gratitude that they owe to their confessors and pastors. We also have religious orders dedicated to lives of prayer and sacrifice and have obtained many graces for sinners which will only be known in heaven. This listing of our spiritual benefactors that we owe so much gratitude to, will not be complete unless we also include our guardian angels, patron saints, other saints to whom we may have some spiritual tie to as well as relatives and loved ones who also may be interceding for us from eternity.

Returning to St. Augustine we learn that it is a duty for parents to offer these prayers and sacrifices for their children, and if they should fail in this their own salvation falls into jeopardy. This duty to pray and sacrifice for one another also applies to spiritual parents and in general to each and every one of us. We are all called upon to love one another and to be our brother’s keeper. We must seek and work for the salvation of all of God’s children. It is true that not all will be saved and perhaps even that it will only be a few, but if we neglect to love, pray and sacrifice for these souls we see going astray we may be found lacking on the day of judgment. To love our neighbor as we love ourselves implies that we pray and offer sacrifices for them as we would for ourselves. It may be that our greatest joy in heaven will be in the souls united with us to God in Heaven through the merits we have gained for them.

If we can think of no one personally that we should be praying and sacrificing for we can always make a general offering and prayer for sinners. A beautiful practice is to place all the merits of these prayers and sacrifices in the hands of our Blessed Mother, entrusting her to apply or distribute according to her good pleasure. Mary as our most loving and concerned mother, knows best where and how to make use of all our good works and prayers. Jesus could not refuse to show His mercy and kindness to the widow mother in today’s gospel, so much the more will He be inclined to show His mercy and kindness towards all whose cause His mother takes in hand.

May we always be grateful for the grace of penance and the restoration to spiritual life that has been merited for us by others, and let us never forget to do the same for each other.

No sooner, in fact, “is the Word made flesh” (John, 1:14) than he shows Himself to the world vested with a priestly office, making to the Eternal Father an act of submission which will continue uninterruptedly as long as He lives: “When He cometh into the world he saith. . . ‘behold I come . . . to do Thy Will. (Heb. 10:5-7) This act He was to consummate admirably in the bloody Sacrifice of the Cross:  “It is in this will we are sanctified by the oblation of the Body of Jesus Christ once.” (Heb.10:10)  Pope Pius XII, Mediator Dei #17

Almighty God did marvelous things in the soul of St. Rose. It appears that her parents gave her that name by divine inspiration, for it was symbolic of her entire career. As long as she lived, she bloomed like a sweet-scented rose in the garden of the Church, and in full bloom as she transplanted to Paradise. Before she was able to speak, Rose attempted to pronounce the sweet names of Jesus and Mary; and as soon as she had learned to walk, she asked to be taken to church and to other retired and quiet places to pray. When religious discourses were given, she would listen with great attention.

When Rose was only 3 years old, God showed how pleased He was with her in a most wonderful way. One of her maternal aunts died. The family were standing around the bier weeping aloud. Deeply moved by the sorrow of her relatives, little Rose went to the coffin, raised her eyes to heaven, and prayed silently. Then she placed her little hand on the body of her deceased aunt and called her by name. The dead woman immediately opened her eyes and reached out to embrace her little niece, who had raised her to life again.

The child entertained a great compassion for the poor; she always tried to save some food to give to the poor. One day when she left the house with some bread in her apron, she met her father, who asked her in curt fashion what she was carrying off now. The affrighted child opened her apron and fragrant roses were found in it.

When she was 7 years old, Rose retired to a little cell in her father's house. There she spent almost all her time in contemplation and in practicing rigorous penance. She prayed much for the conversion of sinners. Meanwhile our dear Lord was preparing her for an extraordinary mission.

Rose was not yet 10 years old when the Blessed Mother of God instructed her to join the Third Order of St. Francis. Shortly after, our Lord appeared to her on the Cross, wearing the crown of thorns on His head and bleeding profusely from all His wounds. Rose, aghast at the sight, called out: "O my Lord, who has reduced Thee to this state?" Our Lord replied, "My love, my deep love for men has done this." "But," asked Rose, "who has so pierced and torn Thee?" "The sins of men have done it," was our Lord's answer. "Sin, sin!" cried the saint, and she scourged herself to make atonement for the sins of the world.

By divine inspiration, Rose then took a cross in her hand and went up and down the streets and public squares of her city telling people of the terrible tortures our Lord suffered and of the heinousness of sin. Every now and then she would emerge from her solitude to entreat the people to do penance.

The town of Viterbo, which belonged to the Papal States, had revolted against the authority of the pope. Disregard for religion and moral degradation were the order of the day. But the sermons of this little missionary had marvelous results. the people came in crowds to hear her. The stone on which she stood was seen to rise in the air, and she was sustained there by a miracle while burning words issued from her lips. The greater part of the citizenry had already resolved to do penance and to return to the legitimate papal allegiance when Rose and her parents were repelled by the civil authorities.

The result was that she now had a wider field of activity. At Soriano and later at Vitorchiano, her preaching had the same blessed results. In the latter place, a sorceress had done much harm among the inhabitants. Fearing that after her departure this woman would undo the good effected there, Rose was desirous of her conversion. Her initial efforts failed. Then our saint had an immense pile of wood prepared in the public square; fire was set to it, and Rose stepped into the fire and mounted to the top of the pile. She remained untouched for three hours in the midst of the flames, singing the praises of God. The sorceress now cast herself at Rose's feet and was sincerely converted.

Meanwhile the rightful,authority of the pope had been re-established at Viterbo, and Rose could return. She was now 15 years old and anxious to enter the convent of the Poor Clares. As she had no dowry, she could not be admitted. "Well," said Rose, "you will not receive me while I am alive, but you will receive me after I am dead." She and several companions repaired to a secluded dwelling, where they intended to live as a community. The ecclesiastical authorities, however, did not approve of the plan, and Rose returned home. She died 2 years later, filled with the joyous desire of being united with her God.

Two and a half years after her death she appeared three times to Pope Alexander IV, who was in Viterbo at the time, told him to have her body removed to the convent of the Poor Clares. When this was done, her body was found incorrupt; and it has remained in that condition to this day. Miracles are constantly occurring at her tomb. Pope Callistus III canonized her in 1457.

ON THE OPERATIONS OF GOD IN MEN
1. Consider the marvelous operations of God in St. Rose. Entire cities that had fallen away from God and the Church and about whose conversion the greatest missionaries might have doubted, were won to a change of heart by means of a child, and a girl at that. It has often pleased God to reveal His might and wisdom by means of lowly and unimportant creatures. Thus at Milan in a trying period, when it seemed impossible to come to a decision regarding the choice of a bishop, an infant pointed out St. Ambrose as the chosen bishop; and his life story shows that none could have governed the Church at Milan in a more excellent manner. "But the foolish things of the world has God chosen, that He may confound the wise; and the weak things of the world has God chosen, that He may confound the strong. That no flesh shall glory in his sight. But that he who glories, may glory in the Lord" (1 Cor 1:27; 29; 31). -- Have you ever given thought to the fact that it is God who works through human beings?
2. Consider that the operations of grace which God manifests so extraordinarily in children are also effective, generally speaking, in adults. At such time God uses the natural powers and abilities of men in order to effect good. It is not man, however, who produces the good results, but God Himself. The Prophet speaks thus to the Lord: "For Thou hast wrought all our works for us" (Is 26:112). "God gives the increase" (1 Cor 3:7). Whatever good, therefore, is done by men, we must recognize as the work of God and thank Him for it. In like manner, we may not ascribe to ourselves the good that we do, nor think well of ourselves on that account, but we must rather give thanks to God who has done this good through us. -- Have you done this in the past?
3. Consider that in spite of the fact that God uses men to accomplish His works here on earth, He still leaves them free in their acts. If man resists, He gives him over to his own will. But he who submits himself as a useful instrument for anything God wants of him is "as the clay in the hands of the potter, who will fashion it according to his ordering" (Eccli 33:13). He will be an instrument of much blessing. Thus it was with St. Rose. When God called her to solitude, she withdrew to her little cell; when He sent her out, she went into the streets and the market places; when He commissioned her to teach others, she undertook the work; and when, despite the fact that He had formerly permitted her to work miracles, He opposed her pious design, she willingly withdrew. -- How often have we opposed the operation of God's grace, and instead of doing His holy will, used all our efforts to gain out own ends! Such a course is more apt to bring us to the curse of God than His blessing, and guilt instead of merit. May the intercession of St. Rose obtain pardon for us and her example convert us into more useful tools in the hands of God.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
O God, who didst deign to admit St. Rose to the company of Thy holy virgins, grant, we beseech Thee, that at her intercession and by her merits we may be cleansed from all guilt and may be admitted to the eternal presence of Thy majesty. Through Christ out Lord. Amen.

from: The Franciscan Book of Saints, ed. by Marion Habig, ofm., © 1959 Franciscan Herald Press

“All our tribulations were present to our merciful Saviour at the very first moment of His life and He resolved so firmly, ardently and steadfastly at that time to help us free ourselves from them and He so faithfully preserved this intention in His heart from the first to the last instant of His life, that all the most atrocious cruelties and tortures that wretched men, to whom Christ was so wonderfully good, caused Him to suffer while He was on earth, as well as all His prescience of the ingratitude, outrages and crimes with which we would repay His adorable mercy, were not capable of cooling even slightly the ardor and strength of His will to show mercy to mankind.”
The Admirable Heart of Mary by  St. John Eudes

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Blessed John of Perugia

Blessed John of Perugia

And Peter of Sassoferrato

Martyrs, First Order

The two Friars Minor, Blessed John of Perugia, a priest, and Peter of Sassoferrato, a lay brother, were sent to Spain with a large number of other friars by St Francis himself. There they were assigned to the kingdom of Aragon, where they built a small convent in the little town of Teruel, and reaped much fruit by their holy lives, their prayers, and their sermons on penance.

Their longing for the conversion of the infidels and the hope of obtaining the palm of martyrdom urged Friars John and Peter to go to the larger city of Valencia, which was governed at that time by the Moorish king Azotus. The friars began to preach in public that Jesus Christ is the true Son of God and that only through Him can we be saved. Azotus was a bitter enemy of the Christians.

Hearing of the activities of the friars, he had them seized and cast into prison. He used every possible means to force them to apostatize. But when promises and threats alike failed to shake their constancy, he condemned them to be beheaded. The friars thanked the king, praying fervently to God to enlighten their persecutor and in His mercy to grant him the grace of conversion to the true Faith. Then Blessed John of Perugia and Peter of Sassoferrato were beheaded. This occurred in the year 1231.

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A few years later James I, the Catholic king of Aragon, made war on Valencia. His army defeated the army of Azotus, who by this ill fortune and by the grace which the holy martyrs had won for him from God, recognized Mohammed as a false prophet, and Christ as the Savior of the world. King James rejoiced exceedingly when Azotus asked to be baptized. After his baptism Azotus offered the Friars Minor his former palace for a convent.

“When I was still an infidel,” he told them, “I caused your brethren to be executed at Teruel. I sincerely regret this crime and desire to make reparation for it. Accept my palace, in which the blood of many holy martyrs has been shed, and convert it into a convent.”

The palace was remodeled into a convent and, next to it, a church was erected in honor of the two martyrs. Pope Clement XI approved the public veneration which was paid to them.

*from The Franciscan Book of Saints, by Fr. Habig, OFM