The Days of Candles and Light

This week, we have 2 feast days that have to do with candles. Today is Candlemas. Many churches will bless any candles that you bring to Mass today.

Tomorrow is the Feast of St. Blaise when Catholics get their throats blessed using 2 crossed candles.

Thankfully the days are getting longer this time of year and Light seems to be on the horizon. The Church uses the seasons and physical symbols to remind us of greater truths.

The Beloved Disciple

Today is the Feast of Saint John the Evangelist--the Beloved Disciple. Saint John actually gave himself that title; he called himself The Disciple whom Jesus loved.  Imagine having the level of faith that allows you to say that about yourself!

Can we say that we are the "disciple whom Jesus loved"--because, it's true.  We are.

Something to meditate on today.

Sts. Cosmos and Damian

Today is the feast of Saints Cosmos and Damian, twin brothers who were born in Arabia in the third century. Because of their reputation for healing without accepting pay, they are called "the un-mercenary" in the Eastern Church and also "the silverless".

Sts. Cosmos and Damian, pray for those without access to healthcare. Pray for our politicians and our own individual hearts that they may be inspired to love as Christ loved.


Pray also, for those who chose to abort their children, especially in multiple pregnancies. May God inspire them to life.

The Sacred Heart--Burning with Radical Love

Look at this Heart which has loved men so much, and yet men do not want to love Me in return. Through you My divine Heart wishes to spread its love everywhere on earth.
~Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque

Today is the Feast of the Sacred Heart.

The Sacred Heart is one of the most necessary and important devotions in the Western Church today.  Jesus came to Saint Margaret Mary to give a crucial message to a world moving in the wrong direction.

Against Jansenism 

At the time of St. Margaret Mary's visions, Jansenism was gaining ground.  It taught that mankind had been radically corrupted by original sin and that Christ did not die for all, but only for those predestined to be saved.  Holy Communion was seen as a reward for the good rather than a remedy for the spiritually sick and could only be received, according to the Jansenists, after a long and severe preparation.  Jansenism was condemned by the Church in 1653. The message of Christ's deep love for all in His Sacred Heart was violently opposed in areas which were heavily Jansenist.

Love and Mercy

Jesus appeared to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque on June 13, 1675 and told her, "See this heart, which has loved men so much, to the point of exhausting and consuming itself to show them its love."  The Heart of Christ is shown aflame with love for each member of mankind.

Often seen today as a precursor of the Divine Mercy apparition, mercy is the central message of the Sacred Heart devotion.  It is more important than ever today to remember, preach and show others that Jesus came to the earth to show His love and mercy to mankind.

A Failed Witness

We are SO quick today, to feast on malicious gossip, often regarding people we have never met in person.  Rumors and scandals become an all-consuming fire in our souls and fodder for the latest in social media.  Even in our churches, we often let this tempting addiction from the devil take hold.  How many times recently has it not even occurred to us to be gentle, merciful and caring in our thoughts, actions and verbalizations, (both real and "virtual")?

Now, more than ever, we are a witness to others.  Our thoughts and opinions are everywhere and will even continue on  in cyber space and survive our mortal bodies!  More and more people today are turning away from mainstream Christian faiths because they do not see Christianity being lived out by its adherents.  Those who remain are often hounded and judged out of the Church by its well-meaning members.  Do not let this be you!

Be Love!

Jesus reserved his greatest condemnation for the spiritual leaders who should have known better, but were heaping burdens on people's backs that they themselves were unwilling to carry. (Matthew 23:4)  He told Martha that she worried about so many things when only one was necessary--sitting at His feet and feeding on His Words. (Luke 10:41)

He used the most hated group of his day, the Samaritans, (Jewish schismatics)  to illustrate what true love is--love for strangers, love for those otherwise thought to be "unclean" and not worth going out of one's way to help.  (Luke 10: 25-37)  He openly spoke to a woman who had been married 5 times, was living with a man, and was a Samaritan. She would not have been given the time of day by most religious people, but Jesus revealed to her that He was the Messiah.

Christ was truly a radical in how He showed His Love.

 He cared not one bit what was whispered about him--that he seemed to enjoy the company of others without regard for either their financial or spiritual poverty (the woman who washed His feet with her tears) or their standing in the community--either low or high .  (Zacheus, Joseph of Arimathea)  He preached that sacrificial love for humanity should come before all else--even religious rules. "The Sabbath is made for man, not man for the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27)

Sacred Heart of Jesus,

We beg you to pour out your Love onto us today and help us to be on fire with love for all your children, those who are easy for us to love and those who are not.  With your help, we can rein in our baser nature and live as true children of your Father.

Amen. 

Happy Feast of St. Rita

Today our priest gave out blessed roses--something I'd never seen before.

Today is the feast of St. Rita, our parish's patron and it is a tradition to bless roses on that day. The tradition comes from a story of Rita asking for a rose from her garden on her death bed.  It was winter and snow was on the ground.  Nevertheless, the attending sister went outside and found a single rose blooming in the garden.

Today, in honor of St. Rita, stop and smell the roses, and then, thank God for them!  

Feast of St. Gemma Galgani

Today is the feast day of St. Gemma Galgani, my patron saint.  Stop by St. Gemma Galgani  for lots of info and pictures of St. Gemma.

The web master has offers of St. Gemma prayer cards and medals.  Scroll down and look at the sidebar there for a great variety offers--some are free!

St. Gemma is the patron saint of pharmacists, those with back pain, migraine and head ache sufferers, those suffering from temptations and those seeking purity of heart. Her spirituality was mystical and deep. She was deeply devoted to Jesus' Passion and to the Sacred Heart and the Passionists consider her one of their own.

If all the world had only a small portion of the love that Gemma bore for Christ, we would all not only be at peace with each other but willing to die for the least of our brothers and sisters.

St. Gemma Galgani, pray for us!!

The Annunciation

Today is 9 months before the Feast of the Nativity and we celebrate the Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary.

This is one of my favorite songs of the Christmas Season--Gabriel's Message--a Basque Carol. The lyrics are below.



The angel Gabriel from heaven came
His wings as drifted snow his eyes as flame
"All hail," said he, "thou lowly maiden Mary,
Most highly favored lady." Gloria!

"For lo, a blessed mother thou shalt be,
All generations laud and honor thee,
Thy Son shall be Emanuel, by seers foretold
Most highly favored lady," Gloria!

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head
"To me be as it pleaseth God," she said,
"My soul shall laud and magnify his holy name."
Most highly favored lady. Gloria!

Of her, Emanuel, the Christ was born
In Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn
And Christian folk throughout the world will ever say:
"Most highly favored lady," Gloria!

Happy St. Valentine's Day

He prays always for the Holy Spirit to pour out on us His Gifts and His Graces. 

Our Lady of Lourdes--February 11th

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.  Mary said very few things to Bernadette at Lourdes.

She did tell Bernadette to pray to God for sinners, and that she didn't promise Bernadette happiness in this world but in the next.

This is one of the great paradoxes of Christianity.  There is much suffering in the world, but it serves a purpose. God uses it for our good and for others' good. Romans 8:28 tells us "Everything works together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose."

The feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes is also World Day of the Sick, instituted by Pope John Paul II (who will be Blessed John Paul on May 1) in 1992 as a "special time of prayer and sharing, of offering one's suffering."

Pray today for all those who are suffering that God may give them consolation.

The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple

Wednesday is the feast of the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple. While at the Temple with Joseph and the Child Jesus, Simeon tells Our Lady, "And your own soul, a sword shall pierce."

This gives us the image of Our Lady of Sorrows and of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, pierced by a sword.

Has your heart ever been pierced by a sword?  The sword of sadness or disappointment so commonly pierces our souls today.  The world has become a crass and vulgar place where persecution of believers is popular entertainment and  having deeply held religious beliefs is seen as passe.

Like Mary at the foot of the cross, we undergo much pain and suffering in this life.  Let's join our sufferings with hers and ask Christ to give us the strength to endure.

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us! 

Hat tip to John Michael Talbot. 

Heavenly Coincidence--John Michael Talbot on the Early Monastics

Today I was perusing the subscriptions on my Youtube channel when I came across the music of John Michael Talbot.  After listening to his beautiful playlist, Quiet Reflections, a series of his songs along with some inspirational readings, I heard the following 2009 teaching on St. Antony of the Desert come up on the playlist I had subsequently clicked.

I was struck by his words on not placing blame on others for our problems.  The current political situation in the United States is rife with blaming and this teaching really hit home for me. I know it is difficult, too, not to blame outside people and forces for our own personal problems.

I decided to post it today, wondering when the actual feast of St. Antony fell. I was shocked to realize it is January 17th, this coming Monday; surely a Heavenly coincidence!

Back to the Rosary

I keep coming back to the rosary.

As much as I try to travel down the road of prayer that is "off the top of my head", most of the time, I come back to the prayers of the Church--the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, Scripture reading and the Jesus Prayer.

I have discovered fervent, short prayer to be especially affective.  The fewer words I say, when praying "on my own", the better the outcome usually is.  For other times, though, my own prayers tend to be obsessive and too inwardly focused.  I find I do not benefit from setting aside time to worry as a spiritual practice.  The worries come.  God knows they are there.

Praying is necessary, however.  Praying is helpful.  Prayer is communion with God.  The rosary and other similar prayers are especially helpful when no words of my own will suffice, which, for me, is most of the time.

I also find pre-formulated prayer to be helpful in reining in spiritual pride. If I meditate on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, I am focusing on Jesus' sacrifice and not on my own mind. 

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary and October's devotion. 

Try praying this prayer with the Church this month

Hug an Animal Today

For today's feast of St. Francis of Assisi, click on the following link to give to Animal rescue.  It's free!

Animals are God's gift to show us unconditional love.