St. Jude Thaddeus is a true relative of Jesus and Mary. But was justified not because he was their relative, or a cousin of Jesus. But because He believed in Him wholeheartedly, followed Him, gave up everything for Him by which he died an apostle and a martyr for our faith.
What a great faith St. Jude Thaddeus has! Dear Saint Jude Thaddeus, how deeply and willingly we honor thee. Pray for us to God, o good St. Jude, patron of hopeless and desperate cases. Lead us to Jesus. Show us and guide us the way that we may also spread God’s Word through our works, words and actions. Bring our impossible, desperate and hopeless cases to God who is our Permanent Hope in all things. May we imitate your faith to arrive in heaven our permanent home. St. Jude Thaddeus pray for us. St. Simon the Zealot pray for us. Amen. Amen.
We can all learn from Saint Monica especially at present times. She persevered in prayer so that her son Saint Augustine, a great saint we celebrate today, may be converted from the life of grave sinfulness. Nowadays, we see so many people in sin, yet we cannot always make them change immediately the way we want to. They may be a member of a family, a close friend, a co-worker, or anyone. What is left for us while we wait is a cross which we carry. The cross and the sword of sorrow, by which we suffer silently and alone, while we wait for this person to see the light of Christ again while there’s time. To constantly pray for this person as we wait, and to always remind them of truth with much love, compassion and patience. All these without giving up no matter how difficult and no matter how long it is.
It is easier to give up, right? It is easier to just consent and agree with the wrongs, because the sorrow for their sin feels heavy. Sometimes we cannot even admit that we are hurting along with them. That’s why we harbor resentment. That’s why sometimes we become angry and judgmental individuals instead of having the constant peace and hope for others born out of true lasting faith and trust in God that He hears our prayers. When we are tempted to hate them because of our unforgiveness and unjust judgments this becomes the block for them to receive God’s grace. For we also block the hope that should be within us to keep praying and fighting for people living in the dark of sin.
Saint Monica was none of these. She used prayer as her weapon. All throughout those years when tears fell from eyes at the altar of God for her son and husband – both pagans, she had an unwavering hope in God. All with love, not judgment or hatred. Yet, she was fighting – fighting and wrestling with the evil that plagues her family. She did not consent to any of it, yet she did not abandon them. She persevered in prayer and God gave her more than what she asked for. She asked for her son to be converted, to get away from his sinful life. Yet God had the best plans for Augustine. He made him a saint. Not just a saint, but a great saint who is one of the four (4) greatest doctors of the Church. If we persevere with no hate in our hearts, God will reward us. Pray for the conversion of the people around you, whoever they may be. Do not lose hope. Love always. Forgive always. Persevere with much patience. God answers our prayers more than what we asked for.
Mary, our Mother of Sorrows suffers for us, because of our sins that cause the wounds, bruises and cuts to the Sacred Body of her Son Jesus. Yet while we, the ones who shall love Him unceasingly are also His executioners because of our grievous sins, she never tires to pray for us and to attend to our needs from heaven. So we must also do the same for others. Amen. +
It is amazing how through these two women, the promise of God for salvation of mankind has been fulfilled. Our Mother Mary and St. Elizabeth were the white dawn for establishing the Kingdom of God. Christ is the Groom and St. John the Baptist is the best man in the wedding of Jesus with the Church. The role of a mother is indispensable to the continuing of the society. It is the will and plan of God. Our greatest and happiest memories can come from our families, and yet our deepest and most painful wound can also come from them. Which is why the devil never sleeps, and never misses a thing to destroy God’s plan in us for our peace and fulfillment in our life through healthy family ties. These healthy ties can be achieved through going back to the original design and plan of God of what family means; of what motherhood and what fatherhood means. What are their roles? These things became so blurred, and our society became a confused, a broken and wounded society crying out for healing but it comes out in many different ways.
Our Blessed Mother is exalted above all mothers from age to age for she is the mother of our Lord. She was the first who believed that God who is Almighty will come down on earth through a lowly maiden like her in the form of a helpless infant child. She believed because of her great faith. She believed till the end. God prepared her from the very beginning to be the Mother of our Savior. No mother could ever be prepared for what a mother will suffer to see her son rejected, disgraced, tortured, mocked, ridiculed, and insulted until death like Mary. All is by God’s grace of God who sustained her every moment of being a mother to Jesus Christ, our Lord. Therefore, we cannot say that she did not suffer enough like any other mother did.
In fact, the sorrow of our Mother Mary is far greater than any other sorrow of all mothers who lived on earth combined. Her pain is beyond any comprehension of any other human being. For she suffers also for our sins seeing how it affects her Son Jesus who died to save us. Yet humans whom He saved until death continue to reject Him. It is not only because she is the Mother of God but because she is our mother too. She is great not only because she is sinless from her conception but because she also listened to God’s word and obeyed from beginning, continuing until the end. No matter what the roads are. No matter if it’s seemingly endless nights of rejection from house to house in Bethlehem, or the way of the cross in the calvary on the way to Golgotha. Mary was there. Mary suffered with Jesus as her heart is ever united with Him more than any other.
It is sad that many unborn children are killed now in the womb of their mothers where they are supposed to be safe and loved. From the beginning, marriage comes first before sex. But sex is now treated like some other entertainment and pleasure available everywhere in the world with easy-access. But the price is the sin. And the cost of sin is breaking relationship with God. The consequence of this is death not only of body but of soul. Our souls which are created to be eternal. It may seem normal nowadays, wherever you look, there it is. Sin and sex everywhere which has lost is sacredness in the eyes of many even those who call themselves “practicing Catholics”. The society already lost sight of the precious gifts of doing it the “right way” of a civilized Christian society formed by the covenant between God and men – in the order where it was from the beginning of centuries in the year of the Lord.
Therefore, may we pray for families, parents, fathers, mothers under attack nowadays. As Ven. Fulton Sheen said, we have already fallen so low that we have already lost sight of where we have fallen. It is easier to think and pretend that everything’s alright, when it’s not. It is easier to escape and not mind these things but the growing restleness and godlessness of the world will always haunt us and our children. If we are an authentic practicing Catholic concerned about Truth who sees the way of life of our brothers and sisters, we will never be “ok” seeing the sight of normalized sin everywhere. But where are we? Caring with much judgment and disdain is also not good but to correct first ourselves then others with love. For us to search and defend Truth in our society, we must know the Truth and live it ourselves.
We must have known how Truth looks. A society that hasn’t seen Truth who is Jesus Christ will never see how much it is missing elsewhere. To find Him, we must be willing right now to get rid of the excesses of our life, to spend our time praying and nourishing our faith and all else is secondary. Until we fully realize Who is necessary in our lives, our agony with seemingly endless causes will multiply until it drowns us for we are made for Him. And will be at peace with Him only – He who is the Truth. He who is the Truth who is Christ. May God have mercy on us all and may our Blessed Mother, Queen Assumed into Heaven intercede for us. Amen. +
“GO AND TELL HIM HIS FAULT BETWEEN YOU AND HIM ALONE”
How to Reconcile with Others? | Gossip: The Filipino Way
Gospel Mt: 18:15-20
August 11, 2021.
Whenever someone hurts us, what do we do? How do we react? If we are in pain, burst of emotions usually come out of our hearts. It takes practice of silence, temperance, and patience to not just pour out our feelings in words at the heat of the moment. In times like these, it is imperative to endure the pain, wait until you are at peace, or at least calm before you speak. For words spoken at the height of emotions can be a trap. How many words are spoken like a sharp sword for others because we are not able to think first before speaking? Humans that we are and weighed down by our fallen nature, it is easier to be carried away by our weaknesses than to do what is right and just. What is right and just?
The Lord says that we should seek a conversation with the person alone to tell them what their fault is. The appropriate time to do this with less probability of sinning is anytime when we are already in a calm or peaceful disposition. After processing your own emotions, when you can already speak clearly, ask the person for a dialogue. Tell the person honestly the answer to these questions: “How did they hurt you?” “What is it that they said?” “What is it that they did?” “If they did and said those things, how did you feel?” “What is it in what was said and done that makes you feel pain?”
It is unfortunate when we are drowned with either pride or fear. So that it deprives us of following God’s word which will bring us true peace. Pride will blind us and will make us say “Why would I even seek a conversation with that person? He/she hurt me; therefore he/she must be the one to approach me.” Or pride will lead us to judgment saying “That person will never change. There’s no use in me speaking to that man/woman.” How sad if this is our mentality as it closes our hearts of possible graces that we could receive from obeying God. Therefore, in all these things, it will be good for us to ask for humility and patience from God for we cannot do this alone. Same thing with fear which entraps us so that we will not make any move nor try to do anything at all. Fear of hurting more, would deprive us of speaking to the person because of too much desire to protect ourselves. There’s also fear of “How will this person react?”. It takes the courage coming from God to go up to the person and ask for a real dialogue. Yes, at times or most times we need time. It is enough not to close our hearts and wait for the right time. Do not forget to do our part, also for the good of the person. If he/she listened, then we have helped the person. If not, then at least we have done our part according to God’s Word which is His will. All must be done with love.
One must also not be too concerned how the person will take it, for as long as you have done your part and have taken the steps said by our Lord, He will not hold us accountable for anything. Yet, whether the person listens or not, the Lord says to “treat him like a publican”. This means, it is not that we will cut-off the person right away. A person or a citizen still does the task of paying taxes to the tax collector or the publican. So therefore, whoever this person is, we must still, with love, do our duties to this person if she is a mother, a father or a friend, colleague, co-student or co-worker as what a good Christian will do. It does not mean that it is right to judge the person for not listening, for only God knows their heart.
What matters in the end for us, is not what other people do but what we do that is pleasing in the eyes of God. St. Faustina lists three acts of mercy. We can express mercy through prayer, word (to the person) or works (of mercy). Therefore, may we not cease to pray for this person. Do not take it against them but have a hope in your heart that if this is not the time, then they may realize and open their hearts to the truth. Praying for the person towards good is one of the indicators that there’s no judgment in your heart and that your heart is still open to God’s will which is the most important part. For we are not the judge, God is. Our task is to obey God, and show mercy as He does to us so that we too may also be shown mercy.
THE FILIPINO WAY: “Gossip”
In the Philippines, it’s sad that there are people who seem to have “gossip” as their past times. It seems usual for people to talk about other’s peoples lives. In my own experience, I can also see the downsides of being “communal” as opposed to “individualistic” mentality of some if not most western countries. Communal mindset is good if it creates unity as it shall be. However, when one thinks of another in the “community” not as a fellow but as a “subject”, then it breeds some more problems such as division. Sometimes we treat a fellow as a subject when we think, we know better than this person’s lives albeit based only on pieces of information we know especially from other people.
At times, people may think that they have the “right” to meddle into other’s people’s lives without knowing proper boundaries or proper channels to go to. One affair of one person may seem like “an affair of the whole barangay (town)” to others thinking they have right to say their unsolicited thoughts or opinions. It may happen also in some other countries, but I can only speak now as in an instance on my own. However unpleasant these things be, it may still create an atmosphere that is “civil”, while not revealing true selves of the persons involved. I think that aside from these, real wounds are created consciously or subconsciously, when people do not say their problems, hurts or pains to the person directly involved.
Through lack of love, compassion and also not enough courage, they say their problem to other persons. Persons who are not necessarily trusted ones and who, not knowing what to do, will usually act as the “police” to the other person. This person playing “police” will feel entitled or will act under the guise of “compassion” for the “victim” and say the fault of the other person starting with the sentence “I heard from…” or “Why do you…?”. This happens most of the time which almost do not fix broken friendships or relationships or even family ties. Instead, it gets worse. Or it may seem to get better on the surface if a reconciliation is forced. But deep within, another issue surfaced in the heart of the other.
Even though the other person is the one who caused the hurt, what do you think will the person feel? How will things be genuinely solved, knowing another “hurt” was done this time by the one who got offended first? When this happens, the offended person unbeknownst to him/her became another guilty whom he/she loathed. The question is “Why can you not tell it to the person who has hurt you?” Again, let us go back to potential cause #1: pride and potential cause #2: fear. There may be any other reasons, unique to the person which the conscience could tell.
Last thing, sometimes we also do this not to our fellow brother or sister. But we do this to God. When we have a problem with our life and we blame God. When we think He is the reason for the things happening in our life, we do not come up to Him directly saying. “Lord, I feel this way (…) about you”. What we do if we cannot be honest is just to suddenly change, become cold in faith or cease believing all together which breeds many atheists, agnostics and other forms of unbelievers. My answer to the situational thinking here is of course God is not to blame. We suffer the consequences of our own hardness of heart and selfishness. Even though we might not realize it at first. But, at the height of emotions, sometimes we even deprive God of answering us through His infinite wisdom, the understanding that we need. We just change and do our own way which usually leads to sin or another bad thing specifically if one results to vices or addictions where problem seem to get worse. It is easier to drop our faith than to hold on to it when times get rough. How many more problems will be less hard than it is if we only knew how to speak directly to God from the bottom of our hearts? For if we want an answer from Him, in Him we can find it. Wisdom, understanding and light of God are what we need because of how weak, fragile, and susceptible to temptations we are.
May we be courageous to follow the word of the Lord in the aspects of our lives. The seemingly ordinary or “little” things will what makes us a true Christian. We cannot do all this alone therefore; we must beg the Lord to give us the graces that we need in order to follow His will. May we pray always to have the courage to be honest to our brothers and sisters when we are hurt. May we pray always to have His wisdom and understanding in all things so that peace will reign in our hearts, no matter what happens in life. May we be free to love, and not enslaved by any hurt, pain or unforgiveness because of our openness to God who will give us all the graces we need to obey Him and do the right thing in spite of our hurts in life. Amen. +
In the Eucharistic Adoration, the Lord prepares so much graces for us. For He Himself is present there – flesh and blood. To maximize our time with the Lord, I have listed down several things we could do during an Adoration. This is in order of how I do it. Although you may pick what works for you best or what the Holy Spirit inspires you to do at the moment from no. 3 to 7. You do not have to do everything. Just pick anything or mix some of them together according to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit to you. No. 1 and 2 is how I start my adoration and no. 8 is how I usually end it. God bless!
1) In the beginning, adore the Lord who is most present in the Altar. Sing or recite “O Saving Victim” or “O Salutaris Hostia” (Latin Version). Do acts of reverence such as genuflecting or kneeling in front of the Lord. Accepting in your heart with belief that He is present in the Most Blessed Sacrament. We thank Him for calling us to spend time with Him face to face. We also ask His help to guide as how to please Him at the moment of being with Him and how to pray in the way He wills.
2) Offer this adoration for certain people – whether it’s a quarter of an hour, half an hour or an hour. Offer it to as many people as possible even the whole Church and the world. The Eucharistic Adoration is a treasure of graces and has a great value if we approach the Lord with sincere hearts.
It’s most recommended to adore the Lord for at least an hour. If you follow the practice I have written down below, and do it regularly, you will eventually find joy in spending time with the Lord. Soon enough, you will find one hour of adoration too short. In Jesus’ agony in the garden, He asked His disciples “so you could not keep watch over me for one hour?” But if is not possible, then do not worry. Just do whatever you can and approach Him in the Blessed Sacrament wholeheartedly. Remember that when we spend time with the Lord in the Adoration, we accompany Him in His sorrows. There in the agony in the garden where He needs most of our consolation. We know that His agony continues up to this day, wherein, man continues to sin in great indifference and ingratitude to the Lord. Therefore, let us also remember not only our loved ones, but also our enemies and the sinners especially those who hurt Jesus the most.
3) Pray the Liturgy of the Hours. Whether it’s morning, daytime or evening, or night. At any time of the day, there’s a corresponding universal prayer of the Church. If you do not have a physical copy of the Liturgy of the Hours, the app is available for you to download just search “iBreviary”. Once you are in the app, go to menu on the upper left side button and choose “Breviary” to browse the prayers.
4) Read the scriptures and meditate on them. Ponder on what it means for you and in your life with the Lord.
5) Silent prayer Just simply sitting and relaxing there, adoring the Lord.
6) Personal Prayer. You may also recite some personal prayers from time to time. Just pouring out your heart to the Lord. You may also use the following format (in no strict order). I just noticed that when they are put together, they can be remembered using their acronym “PASTE”:
a. Praises – offering a psalm or two for the Lord. Meditating on it. Or any parts of the scriptures or any prayer which recalls His goodness and offers Him praise.
b. Asking for Forgiveness and Acts of Reparation – we can offer our adoration to ask the Lord to forgive our sins and the whole world. Though technically, it is confession that cleanses us away our sins, we can also do an examination of conscience here or a preparation for confession as addition.
c. Supplication –our petitions and those of who asked prayers from us.
d. Thanksgiving – thank the Lord for everything, all the graces He has given you in your life. A good way to recall and remember even the recent happenings in your life with God. Also as an act of faith in seeing how faithful He has been for us.
e. Entrusting our concerns to the Lord – all our plans, hopes, dreams, desires and discernment. We can pour out to Him our feelings on the recent happenings in our life. It’s time to consult the Lord for concerns that fills our hearts and minds that we may surrender to Him everything and finally say “let thy will be done, Lord.”
7) Other vocal prayers for Jesus if any. Such as the Holy Hour booklet.
8) As closing, we ask the Lord for His blessing. Bless also the Lord, unless you have prayed the Holy Hour booklet. We may pray the Divine Praises. Or silently the “Sacrament Most Holy O Sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine”. We may also sing the “Tantum Ergo”. You may search these prayers as they are available online or even in Youtube to know the tunes.
Finally, feel the longing in your heart of wanting to go back again to the Lord just as we are leaving the Adoration. Make again an act of reverence and respect such as genuflecting and kneeling then the sign of the cross.
Now, how about praying other prayers such as those addressed through the saints and Mary? Such prayers including the rosary are allowed. However, I encourage you to focus in the Lord Himself who is most present there with You. We may pray other prayers in the altars of our homes or in some other places but when the Lord is exposed in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar even online, it is a good opportunity to just focus on Jesus Himself and deepen our personal relationship with Him. As in a meeting of a beloved friend, father, or spouse. Just heart to heart with the Lord.
This is just a simple list of things we can do during the Adoration. As to why it’s important, or the benefits of it, or the example of the saints who has practiced this regularly, I think they should be written in another article. For those who are new to iBreviary, I might write another article on how to start with it. It’s easy to pray. Anyone can do it and start praying it now. For a quick start, download the app, just go over the prayers, read the instructions in color red. If there are links “go to__” Just follow them. If there’s a sign of the cross, then make the sign of the cross. If there’s an asterisk then pause for a while to quickly reflect on that line and just let that sink in for a while – a second or two. God bless! Let me know if you have any questions, suggestions or comments. You may also share your own practice it you think it will be helpful to others.
Thanks and God bless! May the light and peace of Christ be with us all. Amen. +
Frances Mary Margaret of Jesus.
June 19, 2020. Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.
You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.
Why do this?
Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
Because it will help you focus your own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.
The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.
To help you get started, here are a few questions:
Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
What topics do you think you’ll write about?
Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?
You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.
Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.
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MARGARITA FIDEI 