Bishop Giles sermon for April 27, 2013
Bishop Giles OFM 4th Sunday after Easter

Video Sermon 4th Sunday after Easter - Bishop Bonaventure, OFM

Fourth Sunday After Easter - Fr. Joseph, OFM

Holy Mass from Our Lady of the Rosary-Fr. Bernard, OFM

 Father Bernard's Sermon this morning was on this wonderful saint! 

Luchesio Modestini

Blessed Luchesius of Poggibonsi, T.O.S.F.
The first Franciscan tertiary
Born	unknown Poggibonsi, Tuscany, Italy
Died	April 28, 1260
Honored in	Third Order of St. Francis, Roman Catholicism
Major shrine	Poggibonsi, Italy
Feast	April 28

Life

Luchesius Modestini (also Luchesio, Lucchese, Lucesio, Lucio) (ca. 1180-1260) was a native and merchant of the town of Poggibonsi in the Province of Siena around 1180-1182. His biographers state that, more than most merchants, he was so entirely and solely concerned with material success that he was generally reputed to be an avaricious man. His wife, Buonadonna, was said to be of a similar disposition.
At some point Luchesius had a moment of conversion and realized how foolish it is to strive only for worldly goods. He began to practice works of mercy and to perform his religious obligations with fidelity. After Luchesius had put on the gray tunic or attire of a penitent, he rapidly advanced toward perfect holiness. He practiced ascetic austerities: often fasting on bread and water and sleeping on the hard floor; at his work He bore God constantly in his heart.
With his wife joining him in following a life inspired by their faith, Luchesius and Buonadonna had the option of separating and each entering monasteries. This was an ancient and respectable way for husbands and wives to develop their spiritual aspirations, commonly practiced by married couples who felt a deep desire to follow God. Clearly they chose to remain a married couple. In this they revived a way of sanctity for married couples.
Since they had no one to care for but themselves, and Luchesius feared that in conducting his business he might relapse into covetousness, he gave up his business entirely. He and his wife divided everything among the poor and retained for themselves only so much land as would suffice for their support. Luchesius tilled this with his own hands and used the bounty that was beyond their need to the hungry.
About this time Saint Francis of Assisi came to Tuscany. After his sermon on penance, many people desired to leave all and to follow his way of life. But Saint Francis admonished them calmly to persevere in their vocation, for he had in mind soon to give them a guide by which they could serve God perfectly even in the world, without entering into Religious life.
At Poggibonsi Francis visited Luchesius, with whom he had become acquainted through former business transactions. Francis greatly rejoiced to find this avaricious man so altered, and Luchesius, who had already heard about the blessed activities of Francis, asked for special instructions for himself and his wife, so that they might lead a life in the world that would be pleasing to God. Saint Francis then explained to them his plans for the establishment of an Order for lay people; and Luchesius and Buonadonna asked to be received into it at once. Thus, according to tradition, they became the first members of the Order of Penance, which later came to be called the Third Order of St. Francis, which name, in 1976, was changed to the Secular Franciscan Order.
If Luchesius and Buonadonna were really the first Tertiaries (members of a Third Order), they must have become so not long after St. Francis founded his First Order in 1209. The first simple rule of life, which St. Francis gave to the first tertiaries at that time, was supplanted in 1221 by one which Cardinal Ugolino prepared in legal wording. And in the same year Pope Honorius III approved this rule verbally. For this reason the year 1221 is often given as the date of the founding of the Third Order of Saint Francis.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Fourth Sunday after Easter 28 April 2013

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends,

The liturgical seasons are once again about to change – from the Easter season to Pentecost. With each change we are reminded of the similar change in the life of Christ and of the Church. Jesus is preparing the Apostles for his Ascension into Heaven and the coming of the Holy Ghost.

Change always has an element of fear because of the unknown. Christ is removing some of this unknown for the Apostles. Our Holy Mother the Church likewise is preparing us for the unknown. We pass through the liturgical seasons year after year and this change is fairly well known so it has lost much of the unknown and therefore the fear of these changes. There is however, a change in our lives from year to year as we progress in our material lives, and more importantly in our spiritual lives.

As the Paschal season is drawing to a close the joy of Our Lord’s Resurrection is fading as we anticipate His glorious Ascension into Heaven. This loss of Christ’s visible human presence is not a little disconcerting, but it is necessary for the Apostles as well as us. We are to follow in a broad sense in our spiritual lives the development of the Apostles. We began with Advent and the longing for the Savior. This longing and desire came to fulfillment in the Birth of Our Lord. We are born in sin and fall miserably daily but, through baptism we receive the Christ Child into our lives. As we approach the Epiphany our Faith brings the revelation of Christ more clearly into focus and joy fills our hearts as we make these small steps increasing our joy and more importantly our love for God. We are then reminded of the loss of the Christ Child in the Temple, as we are allowed to fall and Christ begins in this early stage to strengthen us through hardships. He is not away long and then we find Him again to strengthen and renew our Love, Faith and Joy.

Then we approach the Lenten season and are shown the pain and suffering that we have caused Jesus because of His profound love of us. We see His suffering and then our focus is upon our sins, faults, and failings that were the very cause of His sufferings. We follow Him to Calvary in the spirit of penance and mortification, repenting and confessing our sins, and shedding tears of contrition. Then we experience the joy of having our sins forgiven as our Holy Mother Church speaks to us of the Resurrection.

Now once again Jesus is going to hide Himself from us. He is about to ascend into Heaven. We begin to feel this loss already even before He is gone. He has given us Himself in the Holy Eucharist and He has promised us the gift of the Holy Ghost. We have experienced sin and forgiveness several times and hopefully have learned from each fall and made good use of the evil by learning humility and a distrust of ourselves, and a greater and greater love for God should be filling our hearts. We are in a way being weaned from the spiritual milk and soft food and are beginning to take more solid spiritual food.

We fear this progress and are eager to hold on to the pleasures of childhood we have known; and fear the difficulties that spiritual maturity will bring. But our Faith promises us that God is with us, He will not ever give us more than we can handle. As He said to St. Paul: “My grace is sufficient for thee.”

As we approach Pentecost we make the spiritual transition from adolescence into adulthood. When the Holy Ghost comes to us in the sacrament of Confirmation, we leave many of the easy joys and consolations of our youth, the immature love of childhood transforms step by step into more mature love of spiritual adulthood. The fears of hardships and difficulties fade away as the grace of Charity fills us more and more. With the grace of God we are able to accept, embrace, and even love the crosses of this life. With this maturity we are inspired to follow Our Lord to Calvary and even shed our blood with His. Suffering, sacrifice and even death loses its sting as the God of Love fills our hearts more and more.

This God of love has convinced this world of sin, and of justice, and of judgment. As we are filled with this Holy Ghost we too see more and more clearly the sins of this world and resolve to turn away from this world of sin. We see the justice in all that God does, in the crosses, suffering and misery in this world, as well as the apparent success of evil. We judge this evil world and the devils that guide and lead so many of this world on their way to Hell. We see the temporary success of the evil in this world knowing that these poor people only seek material success at the expense of spiritual success. God is just and is good – He gives them what they desire here and now; but there is Hell to pay for it. They do not love Him or wish to be with Him so they will forever be separated from Him.

May this cycle of the liturgical seasons spur us onward in our spiritual growth and progress so that we mature and develop our love for God. We must never fear to take the next spiritual step but with Faith and Hope grow in Charity from day to day and season to season.

On the 17th of December, 1899, the fast mail on the way from
Bordeaux to Paris met with a collision. In the mail car was Gabriel
Gargam, a 30-year-old post office express clerk. At the time of the
wreck the train was going at the speed of fifty miles an hour. By the
crash Gargam was thrown fifty-two feet. He was terribly bruised and
broken and paralyzed from the waist down. He was barely alive when
lifted onto a stretcher. Taken to a hospital, his existence for some
time was a living death. After eight months he had wasted away to a
mere skeleton, weighing but seventy-eight pounds, although normally a
big man. His feet became gangrenous. He could take no solid food and
was obliged to take nourishment by a tube. Only once in twenty-four
hours could he be fed even that way.

Gargam's condition was pitiable in the extreme. He could not help
himself even in the most trifling needs. Two trained nurses were
needed day and night to assist him. Previous to the accident, Gargam
had not been to church for fifteen years. His aunt, who was a nun of
the Order of the Sacred Heart, begged him to go to Lourdes. He
refused. She continued her appeals to him to place himself in the
hands of Our Lady of Lourdes. He was deaf to all her prayers. After
continuous pleading of his mother he consented to go to Lourdes. It
was now two years since the accident, and not for a moment had he
left his bed all that time. He was carried on a stretcher to the
train. The exertion caused him to faint, and for a full hour he was
unconscious. They were on the point of abandoning the pilgrimage, as
it looked as if he would die on the way, but the mother insisted, and
the journey was made.

Arrived at Lourdes, he was carried to the miraculous pool and
tenderly placed in its waters with no effect. Rather a bad effect
resulted, for the exertion threw him into a swoon and he lay
apparently dead. On the way back they saw the procession of the
Blessed Sacrament approaching. They stood aside to let it pass,
having placed a cloth over the face of the man whom they supposed to
be dead.

As the priest passed carrying the Sacred Host, he pronounced
Benediction over the sorrowful group around the covered body. Soon
there was a movement from under the covering. To the amazement of the
bystanders, the body raised itself to a sitting posture. While the
family were looking dumbfounded and the spectators gazed in
amazement, Gargam said in a full, strong voice that he wanted to get
up. He got up and stood erect, walked a few paces and said that he
was cured. The multitude looked in wonder, and then fell on their
knees and thanked God for this new sign of His power at the shrine of
His Blessed Mother. For two years hardly any food had passed his lips
but now he sat down to the table and ate a hearty meal.

On August 20th, 1901, sixty prominent doctors examined Gargam.
Without stating the nature of the cure, they pronounced him entirely
cured. Gargam, out of gratitude to God in the Holy Eucharist and His
Blessed Mother, consecrated himself to the service of the invalids at
Lourdes. Fifteen years after his miraculous cure he was still engaged
in his strenuous and devoted work. He was for years a living, visible
testimony of the supernatural.

 Bishop Giles published this on facebook yesterday and it is so interesting and so worthy of our time that it's being posted here for you:



"I am in Atlanta and was reading St. Augustine. I find his interpretation of various scriptural numbers very interesting -- principally the numbers 7, 10, 40, 50. He states that there are many more interpretations that he does not have the time to mention. I began to wonder about the scourging of our Lord -- 40 less one. I know from other readings that to scourge more than 40 meant to scourge to death. It was considered the final death blow. Therefore, because they wanted to crucify Him, they limited the number to 39. There are ten commandments that we break in four ways (thought, word, deed, and -- the one everyone forgets -- omission) this makes a total of 40. Christ's scourging was not complete. His sacrifice (as St. Paul tells us) must be completed by us. Rather than have us die in making the necessary reparation for our sins, Jesus has taken 39 of our lashes leaving us to receive only one. This little bit of penance/sacrifice on our part fills up that which was lacking in Christ's sacrifice. Christ has died for us and offered a perfect sacrifice, but for that sacrifice to become applicable to us we must take the final blow ourselves. We must willingly (lovingly) embrace our daily crosses with Him. The sacrifices that God and the Church demand of us are nothing compared to what we actually deserve. Mathematically we might consider it 1/40th or a miniscule part. Considering this we are more convinced of the heinousness of our sins and the magnificent love of God for us. Truly we must see great cause for rejoicing in the wondrous life that God has given us, His love for us, and the ease that He creates for us to make reparation and return to Him."

• 
  

Sermon for April 20 - Bishop Giles, OFM
Third Sunday After Easter - Bishop Giles, OFM

Third Sunday After Easter - Bishop Bonaventure, OFM

Third Sunday after Easter - Holy Mass from Our Lady of the Rosary - Fr. Bernard, OFM

For a long time the parish priest of Moncada in Spain had
celebrated Mass without any scruples of conscience, when suddenly he
became the prey of a violent doubt as to whether he had been rightly
ordained. In his distress, to allay his doubts he determined to put
his case before his bishop. He immediately set out on foot and
journeyed to Valencia, the seat of the diocese. In this place it
pleased Almighty God to deliver him from his trouble, and to give him
light and peace by means of a very remarkable miracle.

The priest had been appointed to say Christmas Mass. He had reached
the awful moment of Consecration, and with trembling hands took the
host and pronounced the words of transubstantiation with a quivering
voice. As he raised the Sacred Host aloft, and knelt again in
trembling adoration, the cry of a little five-year-old child rang out
from the congregation: "O Mama, what a lovely child! See there, Mama!
He is up on the altar." A little lad nearby, apparently forgetful of
everything else, stood upon the chair and clapped his hands with joy.
The boy's mother was embarrassed and bade him hush, for no one else
had seen the vision of beauty; only the innocent child saw it when
the Sacred Host was raised on high. Again and again he entreated his
mother to look. "Such a beautiful child, Mama," he whispered, "just
like the little baby over there in the crib."

The mother and child awaited to hear a second Mass which was said by
the same priest at dawn, and again at the Elevation the little boy
exclaimed, "Oh, there he is again, Mama, don't you see? The priest is
holding him up in his hands and now he has laid him on the altar!" The
mother bade the child be silent; she could not see anything, the great
grace being granted only to her little son.

The priest completed the Christmas offering by saying the third Mass.
At the Elevation the boy was all excitement, and the same scene was
enacted as before. The happy mother repeated this strange occurrence
to others, and through them it reached the ears of the priest himself
who, it may be believed, was greatly comforted thereby. However, his
scruples were not entirely removed. He doubted whether the child
might not have been deceived, and therefore he requested that the
little boy be cross-examined by him. But the answers of the child
were so accurate that he found no reason to doubt the reality of the
manifestation. Full of joy and filled with gratitude towards God, he
invited the little boy and his mother to be present as often as
possible at his Mass, and on each occasion the miracle was renewed.
As doubts still lingered in his mind, he resolved to receive a final
convincing proof. Taking three particles with him to the altar, he
placed two upon the corporal and consecrated them, leaving the third
one unconsecrated but within reach. After Holy Mass was ended he
called the little boy to the altar, and asked him if he saw the
divine Infant in either of the particles, and, if so, in which. "Oh
yes, Father," said the boy, "there He is! See, He is stretching out
His hands." The little fellow seemed quite ravished with delight. On
pointing to the other host the priest asked: "And what about it? Is
the Divine Infant also in that other host?" The child answered, "No."
"But are you sure?" queried the priest. "Oh yes, Father, there is
nothing there." At the last manifestation the peace of the good
priest returned to him. Unrest and scruple vanished from his mind
forever, and for the remainder of his life he served God with greater
love and piety.

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Third Sunday after Easter 21 April 2013

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends,

“In a little while…” Our lives here on earth (no matter how long) are but a little while. We must constantly remind ourselves to think of life from God’s perspective – the eternal perspective. When we think of the fleeting days that we have before us in comparison with the forever of eternity, we begin to appreciate these words of Our Lord.

Jesus also, speaks of sorrow and suffering in today’s Gospel. Strangely enough it is in sorrow and suffering that time seems to drag on the longest. In pain and suffering time seems to just stand still. Joy and pleasure seem to have the opposite effect upon us. They say: “time flies when you are having fun.” There is probably some natural psychological reason for this, but what concerns us more at this point is the spiritual or supernatural aspect.

Our souls long for joy and pleasure that is only to be found in God. St. Augustine confirms this in his Confessions “Our hearts are restless, O Lord, until they rest in You.” Contrariwise our souls flee from the pain and suffering of being separated from God, which is manifested in Hell.

In the presence of joy our souls experience no satiety, and so the time appears to rush by as we never tire and are ever eager for more. In the presence of pain and suffering we are ever eager for the end of the pain or suffering and so the time appears to drag out. In eternity there is no time. God lives in an eternal present. This is a difficult concept for us to fathom, but in considering the little while of this earth it seems a little more approachable.

In Heaven there will be no end to the joys. There will be no anxiety for the necessary end to our pleasures that we experience here on earth. In Hell there will be no end to the suffering, and so time will cease. There will be the experience of being stuck and never having an end to the misery. In either situation there is a continual experience of the same situation without end. Hence there is no time.

When we consider this situation of the soul in Heaven or Hell, we can appreciate just how short time is here on earth. We can make a somewhat feeble attempt to compare the temporary joys and sufferings of this life with the eternal joys and sufferings of the next life. There is joy for us either here or there, and there is suffering for us either here or there. The question is: do we want a temporary joy here and now or a permanent one in eternity, or do we want a temporary suffering here and now or a permanent one in eternity?

There are in this life some times of joy and some times of suffering, but in eternity it is one or the other. If we embrace the cross and the suffering now as Jesus invites us (Take up your cross daily and come follow Me) then we will find the eternal joy in Heaven. If we refuse the cross now then we will find eternal suffering in Hell.

We must have suffering here or there and the choice is in our own hands. A relatively short and temporal cross for eternal joy; or a relatively short and temporal joy for an eternal misery.

Jesus of course was speaking to the Apostles of his Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, each of which was truly just a little while. To us, however, He is encouraging us to persevere and not grow weary in our labors carrying our crosses; nor to become complacent and satisfied with the fleeting pleasures of this world. We must keep both the passing joys and sorrows of this life in perspective by contemplating the eternal rewards or punishments that await every one of us in eternity.

We must daily seek to increase our love of God and our desires to be with Him, counting the burdens and crosses of this world as nothing. The greatest suffering in this life cannot be compared to the eternal joys of Heaven. And the greatest joys of this world cannot be compared to what it is like to suffer eternally in Hell.

 


In Valpariso, Chile, at the beginning of the 20th century, Fr.
Mateo Crawley-Boevey SS, CC., well known as the great Apostle of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus, was a young priest. Fr. Mateo told this story
wherever he preached and he found that where people were prepared to
earn "three golden coins" with love, many graces were obtained and
many conversions followed.
He relates that one day an 8 year old girl told him that Jesus spoke
to her every time she received Holy Communion. Father was somewhat
skeptical and requested her to ask Jesus to give him proof. The proof
Father requested was the sudden conversion of a certain man who was a
big sinner, a fallen away Catholic, and enemy of the Church ... and
also that this man should come to him for Confession.
About a week later when Fr. Mateo was hearing confessions, the young
girl told him that this sinner was coming up to the church. As the
priest was leaving the confessional, the fallen away Catholic came
into the church and walked over to Fr. Mateo and asked him to help
him with his confession. He said that it was the first one since he
was baptized. He did not know what came over him that morning but he
suddenly understood the necessity of going to confession. Father
realized that he had received the proof he requested.
The young girl told the priest that Our Lord revealed to her that He
would give the graces to repent and mend his ways to this fallen away
Catholic, and also to many other souls. He said, "Always ask Me for
souls and I will give them to you, and tell Father Mateo to ask Me
for souls. I will give them to him, too, but first you must become My
missionary."
She thought she was too young to be a missionary. Our Lord assured
her that He would make her His missionary and that she would have to
pay a certain price for souls. "I want you," said Jesus, "to earn
three golden coins a day." Our Lord then explained what He meant by
golden coins.
1) The first golden coin was her prayers to Him for souls.
2) The second golden coin was her little sacrifices, especially acts
of obedience.
3) The third golden coin was a promise: "never to miss Mass or Holy
Communion through your own fault and to visit Me often in the Blessed
Sacrament."

Yesterday, we laid to rest a most pious and devout Catholic man by the name of Victor Evans.  Our Catholic faith has the most beautiful  Mass for the day of burial but this particular Mass  had the most beautiful and touching sermon given by Father Bernard.  There wasn't a dry eye in the entire church.
In addition to this, we used for the first time a booklet that one of our parish members assembled for use by people who attend the Mass on the day of burial.  It has the entire service including the Mass in logical order and it was so easy to follow.  The one part that struck me the most was the translation of the "Dies Irae, Dies Illa".  This is one of my personal favorites but I think you wil be particularly impressed with this translation:

Sequence:

Day of wrath, that final day,

Shall the world in ashes lay;

David, Sibyl, this display.

Most intense will be the fear,

When the Judge shall reappear;

For a judgment most severe.

Then shall trumpet’s wondrous tone

Sound through death’s sepulchral zone,

Forcing all before the throne.

Death and nature too shall quake,

As humans from dust awake;

To their Judge reply to make.

Then will written book appear,

Which records all deeds done here;

For the judgment hour is near.

Now before the Judge’s Throne,

Will each secret sin be known;

For them all, one must atone.

Wretched one, what shall I say,

To what patron can I pray,

When the just are in dismay.

Thou majestic dreaded King,

Piety’s perennial spring;

Our salvation freely bring.

Think, O Jesus, it was I,

Brought Thee to this earth to die,

Save me on that day, I cry.

Seeking me though faint with pain,

Saving by the cross, now deign,

That such labor be not vain.

Judge to punish, just Thou art,

Thy forgiveness now impart;

Ere the time of vengeance start.

Trembling culprit full of tears

Red my face with shame appears;

God spare suppliant me, in tears.

Who absolved the Magdalen,

And the thief from blackest sin;

Give me also hope again.

Mid the sheep,

O bid me stand,

Far from that rejected band;

Safely placed at thy right hand.

When the cursed,

By Thee addressed,

Go to flames at thy behest;

Call me then to join the blest.

Suppliant in prayer I bend,

Contrite as my breast I rend;

Help me reach to my last end.

Sorrowful shall be the day,

When guilty raised from clay,

Called to judgment must obey;

Save us Lord,

From that doom’s day,

In thy mercy Jesus blest,

Grant thy servants endless rest.

Amen

 

Good Shepherd Sunday - Bishop Giles, OFM

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Second Sunday after Easter 14 April 2013

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends,

Jesus is the Good Shepherd by nature; His bishops must strive to be so by grace. Jesus told us Himself: “Only God is good.” Bishops are given the care of the Church and are to give an account of all the souls entrusted to them. They will have to render an account for our souls. We can easily witness the many faults and defects in our shepherds, and often are eager to be critical of their lives. History has shown us many who apparently were only interested in feeding off of the flock rather than feeding the flock. We have seen many who were completely indifferent as the demons of error and heresy destroyed and devoured; they remained indifferent never sounding a warning or fighting off these attacks. Our Lord greatly despises the lukewarm and indifferent, “I would that you were either hot or cold…”

Much of the destruction and desolation that we witness in the Church today is due to demonic-talmudic-masonic influences. We can easily see these wolves from hindsight as we survey the aftermath of the slaughter and the continuing destruction of souls. Previous to the attacks and often during the attacks we were deceived by the “sheep’s clothing” draped over the wolves. But, once the destruction has taken place we easily see what happened and who was behind the attack. Sadly, what we have easily observed from hindsight is still hidden from many who do not have the perspective that we were given and they still perceive the wolves in sheep’s clothing to be sheep.

It was and is the duty of the bishops to keep watch for these attacks; and not only to watch but, to warn and fight for these souls against every, and all forces of evil. The bishops themselves have often been devoured or have become the very wolves that they were to guard against. Their miserable souls will have all of eternity to regret their indifference, cowardice, laziness, or outright evil. This is truly not an enviable position to be in because as was mentioned above only God is good. It is however possible with the grace of God for bishops to be good shepherds.

God has promised to give His grace to the bishops as He taught St. Paul: “My Grace is sufficient for thee.” God has promised to remain with the Church until the end of time. Therefore, even with the hirelings, who have allowed the destruction, God has preserved and will continue to preserve the Church (and therefore a shepherd) -- often in spite of the weakness of these unenviable men. The flock may be a remnant of what once was, but She will continue to the end. The shepherds’ burden can be made light and sweet if they take it up for the love of God as He has promised, but the flock itself, can make this duty much easier if they will turn their hearts and ears in humble obedience to the earnest efforts of the shepherds that God has given them.

When the people love and therefore; obey, work, and pray for their bishop and the Church, everyone’s burden is easier and sweeter. If bishops have this obligation to work, watch, and pray for the people, then it likewise follows that the people have an obligation to humbly, obey, see and listen to the bishop. The bishop feeds and keeps a constant watch over the souls of the Church and so the people must reciprocate in supporting the body of the Church. The body and soul then work in harmony and both find their lots made better by the other. They march ever forward to the better and greener pastures of Heaven.

Parents have a similar obligation to their children as the bishops have to the Church. Children have a similar obligation to their parents as the people have to the bishops. However, we all are called upon to be shepherds of our own souls.

We must watch and pray keeping an ever vigilant eye for those who prey upon souls (the devils, the world, and our own passions). When we see our own souls in danger we must rise to the occasion in imitation of The Good Shepherd. We must flee from the occasions of sin. We must listen to the voice of our conscience and guardian angels, and resist all the attacks waged against our souls. We must fight the good fight. May we never allow carelessness, callousness, or laziness to make us lukewarm and indifferent to the life of our souls.

When temptations assail our bodies (flesh) let us choose to allow the flesh to suffer or even die rather than permit an assault upon our souls. We must resist evil in every place and not allow it the least entrance into our lives. The devils only need to get a toe in the door and then they have us. Every sin, no matter how small is an offense against God, and prevents us from entering Heaven (nothing stained can enter the Kingdom of Heaven). We must be as the Good Shepherd ever ready, willing and able to lay down our physical temporal lives for the salvation of our immortal spiritual lives.

St. Alphonsus in St. Peter's in Rome

 “Let us remember that the devil labors hard to disturb us in the time of meditation in order to make us abandon it. Let him, then, who omits mental prayer on account of distractions be persuaded that he gives delight to the devil. It is impossible, says Cassian, that our minds should be free from all distractions during prayer. Let us, then, never give up meditation, however great our distractions may be. St. Francis de Sales says that if in mental prayer we should do nothing else than continually banish distractions and temptations, the meditation is well made.” 

St. Alphonsus

 

Alison, Grace, Lucy, Bishop Bonaventure

Bishop Bonaventure, OFM - Low Sunday High Mass - Our Lady of the Rosary

CHAPTER XI
HOW ST FRANCIS MADE BROTHER MASSEO TURNROUND AND ROUND LIKE A CHILD, AND THEN TO GO TO SIENA
One day, as St Francis was travelling with Brother Masseo, who was walking in front, they arrived at a spot where three roads met, one leading to Florence, one to Siena, and one to Arezzo, and Brother Masseo asked of St Francis which road they should take. "The one which God wills," answered St Francis. Said brother Masseo: "And how are we to know the will of God?" "By the sign I shall show thee," answered St Francis; "I order thee, by the merit of holy obedience, on the spot where now thou art, to turn round and round, as children do in play, and not to stop or rest until I bid thee." On this Brother Masseo began to turn round and round, until his head became dizzy, as is wont to happen from such turning, and he fell down several times. But, as St Francis did not bid him to stop, he went on, out of obedience, till at last St Francis said: "Stand still, and move not; but tell me towards which of the three roads thou art turned?" "Towards that which leadeth to Siena," answered Brother Masseo. "That is the road," said St Francis, "which it pleaseth God we should take." As he went on his way, Brother Masseo wondered to himself why St Francis had made him turn round like a child, in the presence of all those who passed that way, but out of reverence to the saint he did not dare ask him. As they reached Siena, the people of that city, having heard that the saint was approaching, went, out of devotion, to meet him, and taking him and Brother Masseo on their shoulders, carried them to the Bishop's palace, so that their feet touched not the ground. In that same hour some of the inhabitants of Siena were fighting among themselves, and two of them had been killed. Then St Francis, hurrying to the spot, spoke to them so devoutly and in such holy words, that he constrained them all to make peace and give over quarrelling. The Bishop, having heard tell of the holy action of St Francis, invited him to his house, and received him with great honour, retaining him with him all that day and the following night. The next morning, St Francis, who in all his acts sought only the glory of God, rose very early with his companion, and went his way, without even taking leave of the Bishop; at which Brother Masseo murmured within himself, saying, as he went, "What is this that this good man has done? He has made me turn round and round like a child, and he leaves the Bishop, who has received him with such honour, without saying a word, or even thanking him"; for it seemed to Brother Masseo that St Francis had acted indiscreetly; but, inwardly checked by a divine inspiration, he thus reproached himself for indulging in such thoughts: "Thou art too proud who darest to judge the operation of divine grace; thine indiscreet pride makes thee worthy of hell; for Brother Francis yesterday performed such holy actions, that they could not be more wonderful had they been accomplished by an angel of God: so that even were he to order thee to throw stones, thou shouldst do so out of obedience; for that which he has done at Siena is the work of God, as the result proveth, for had he not pacified the men who were fighting together, not only would many have fallen victims, but the devil would have drawn many souls to hell. It is thy folly and thy pride which make thee to murmur at that which preceeds so manifestly from the will of God." Now all these things which Brother Masseo said in his heart were revealed to St Francis, who, coming up to him, said: "Hold fast the things which thou art thinking of at this moment, for they are good and useful, and inspired by God; but thy murmurings, which preceded them, were blind and vain and full of pride, being sent into thy soul by the devil." Then Brother Masseo clearly saw that St Francis knew the secrets of his heart, and understood of a certainty how the spirit of divine wisdom directed all the actions of his holy father.

 

First Friday in April - Bishop Giles, OFM
First Saturday in April - Bishop Giles, OFM
Low Sunday - Bishop Giles, OFM

THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Low Sunday 7 April 2013

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends,

Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene after His resurrection. It was she that was the one to bear this great news to the apostles. Mary’s heart was filled with sadness at the loss of the One she loved so greatly. It was therefore most fitting that God rewards her with resplendent joy. The apostles on the other hand were busy in a kind of war, if you will, with the Jews. They were locked away in hiding for fear of the Jews. Therefore, it is fitting that the first words and first gifts of Jesus to them were: “Peace be to you.”

God has a way of giving us exactly what we need when we need it. All too often we grow weary and/or despair of God’s graces. Every difficulty that God wills or permits to enter into our lives is truly a preparation for the great grace that He wishes to give us when He lifts this burden from us. It is therefore necessary that we persevere in the dark and difficult times of our lives so that we may receive greater graces and blessings later on.

Mary persevered in her sorrow and in her love of Jesus and was rewarded to be the first to see Him (even though she was not permitted to touch Him). The apostles persevered in prayer and in not betraying Jesus for a fleeting peace with the Jews. Both were rewarded, the one with joy and the other with peace. When Jesus appeared to the apostles He no longer forbid men to touch Him, but rather invited them to touch Him and see that He is real. I am reminded of this how the Sacred Body of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist is not to be touched by any except His priests. This is something that the Modernists have done away with. They must either, not believe that the Eucharist is truly Jesus Christ, true God and true Man, or else they believe that so many laity have reached a high level of holiness that they are now all worthy to touch Him, or are all now “priests.” (If they are all priests now perhaps they are the Protestant “priesthood of the faithful”) Either they deny transubstantiation or they deny the need for the anointing and consecrating of the hands of the priest so that he may handle the most Precious Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

It was not to the women or anyone else, but only to the apostles that Jesus breathed upon (imparting the Holy Ghost) and gave the power to forgive sins. “Whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven …” In the same manner it was only to the apostles after the Last Supper that Jesus commissioned to offer the Sacrifice of the Mass. We must always remember that there are different offices and gifts imparted by God to the various members of the Mystical Body of Christ. Not everyone is called to be His priests. It is not the priest that chooses God, but rather it is God that chooses His priests. In like manner the true faith is not something that we give to ourselves, but is rather a gift (grace) from God. Too often many are led to a heretical “rationalist” mode of thinking. In this condemned rationalism they think that if they present the right arguments and can show the rational logic of a truth of the Church and the Faith, then they can “make” themselves believe the truth. It is not so. Faith is a grace of God given when and where He wills. Conversions are not so much a matter of presenting the best argument in favor of the Faith, as it is a matter of cooperating with the grace of God. Believing not because we understand, but because God has said it is so. St. Thomas believed because he saw and understood. It is not faith on his part that he believes that Jesus really rose from the dead. This he saw and knew. His belief, is that Jesus in His humanity is truly God. This is borne out in his saying: “My Lord and My God.”

When God calls some to His priesthood and not others, we must not conclude that there is an injustice in this, but rather that He has chosen the best for His particular purposes. It is not a matter for debate. It is what it is, simply because God has made it that way. No one is cheated in any way. Each receives the graces that are necessary for himself or for God’s purposes. If we are each to make correct use of the particular graces that God has given to us we must focus upon that which He has given us, and not what He has given to others.

One grace is given to one but not another, just as joy is given to some and peace to others. Some are called upon to be heads and others to be hands or feet. Everyone must believe that God knows what He is doing and it is always the best. The True Faith demands of us that we believe all that God has revealed to us through The Church. (Who is the guardian and interpreter of both sources of His revelation – Scripture and Tradition.) We believe not because we understand or even have heard of all that has been revealed. We must believe all that Holy Mother Church sets forth for us simply because God the Holy Ghost speaks through Her – God has said it is so and therefore we must believe. And even though we must believe, faith is not something that we can give ourselves but is truly God’s gift to us.

Let us pray then, for the gift of faith or continuance and perseverance in grace. In this manner we may grow stronger as we cooperate with the graces that we already have. Our faithful cooperation with the graces and station of life God has given us will merit for us the Beatific Vision and understanding so that faith will no longer be necessary – we will see and know just as we are seen and known by God.

 

Bishop Giles, OFM Holy Thursday Audio Sermon
Bishop Giles, OFM Good Friday Sermon
Bishop Giles, OFM Holy Saturday Sermon
Bishop Giles, OFM Easter Sunday

Video Sermon - Bishop Bonaventure, OFM