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Twenty-First Sunday After Pentecost

by Filed Under: Dom Gaspar Lefebvre, Time After Pentecost Leave a Comment

“That portion of the divine Word which we have in today’s Gospel (Matthew 18:23-35) sums up the whole Christian life in the practice of that virtue of charity which makes us treat our neighbor as almighty God has treated us.

He has forgiven us great sins; let us in turn, learn how to forgive our brethren their infinitely less important offenses against us.

The devil in his jealousy drives men to act like the wicked servant who seized by the throat one who owed him a trifling sum and cast him into prison because he could not pay at once. In the day of Judgment God will treat us as we have treated our neighbor. Of that day this Sunday’s Mass warns us in our Lord’s words:

“The kingdom of heaven is likened to a king who would take account of his servants.”

At that time of justice pure and simple, He will be merciless like us if, during this life when He is all mercy to us, we have not learned to be merciful like Him. The wicked servant was delivered to the torturers. “So,” says our Lord, “shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.”

The executioners to whom we shall be delivered by our Lord in His just anger against us, will be the powers of hell from whom He has protected us on earth, but whom He will then leave to indulge their hatred against us.
It is enough to recall their rage against holy Job.

Let us be on our guard against them, the more so, that this Sunday reminds us of the time when the devils will use their power against men with greater violence, since they will soon lose it altogether.

“O Lord, Thou hast been our refuge from generation to generation; from eternity and to eternity Thou art God” (Gradual).”

#domgasparlefebvre#domlefebvre

Nameday – St. Luke

by Filed Under: Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Another nameday celebration for us!

St. Luke, ora pro nobis.

The following is practical consideration from #frweninger

“Saint Luke bore always the mortification of the Cross in his body. He was always cheerful in his work and in his sufferings; never weary or desponding.

The love of Christ, and the hope of an eternal reward made everything light and easy to him.

If you love Christ with your whole heart, and think frequently on the future recompense, I am confident that you will not become weary at your work, that you will not despond while suffering.

Therefore, in future, think often how your Lord suffered for you, and how great a reward He has promised you for your labors and sufferings.”

St. Hedwig

by Filed Under: 10 October Saints, Fr. Francis Xavier Weninger, St, Hedwig Leave a Comment

We have always sought to take advantage of all opportunities to grow in Faith, grace, and simply foster camaraderie among others desiring to live radically as the Gospel proclaims.

There is no denying that there is a newfound urgency during these times.

Reading the lives of the saints is also a necessary daily practice of ours. We cling to their wisdom and seek ways to practically apply their maxims to our lives.

Today is the feast of St. Hedwig (10.16). The following is practical consideration offered by Fr. Weninger (1876).

“We must adore the decrees of the Almighty not only in happy days, but also in those of sorrow and bereavement,” said Saint Hedwig, when God deprived her of her beloved spouse, by an early death.

Equally heroic was she, when by the will of Divine Providence, she lost her first-born son.

How do you act in similar painful circumstances?

You will never possess peace of mind, if you do not submit to the will of the Most High. And why should you not do this?

The decrees of God are all just, although they are incomprehensible. Nothing that happens to you is unknown to the Almighty, or has not been permitted by His wisdom.

All that God permits or ordains, is intended for your welfare. The true faith teaches you this.

It also teaches you that you should not, under any circumstances, oppose the will of God. Hence, there remains nothing to do, but to make a virtue of necessity, to adore humbly the decrees of Providence, to submit to them willingly, and to unite your will with that of your God.

In this manner you will be calm and contented in all adverse circumstances of life, and, at the same time, you will gather a treasure of merits for heaven.

“Make of necessity a virtue,” writes Saint James of Nisibis,” and as you cannot escape the hand of the Almighty, but must submit to so great a Lord, humble yourself voluntarily under His overwhelming power.”

📸 my girls on a day hike with Sisters from a beloved order and Father

Consolation in Sickness

by Filed Under: Fr. Leonard Goffine, The Church’s Year, Time After Pentecost Leave a Comment

CONSOLATION IN SICKNESS

There was a certain ruler whose son was sick. (John IV. 16.)

As a consolation in sickness, you should consider that God sends you this affliction for the welfare of’ your soul, that you may know your sins; or if you be innocent, to practice patience, humility, charity, etc., and increase your merits.

Therefore a holy father said to one of his companions, who complained, because he was sick: “My son! if you are gold, then you will be proved by sickness, but if you are mixed with dross, then you will be purified.”

“Many are vicious in health,” says St. Augustine, “who would be virtuous in sickness;” and St. Bernard says: “It is better to arrive at salvation through sickness, than to have health and be damned.”

It is also a powerful means of consolation in sickness, to represent to ourselves the suffering Redeemer, who had no soundness from the top of His head to the sole of His foot, and contemplating whom St. Bonaventure used to cry out: “O Lord, I do not wish to live without sickness, since I see Thee wounded so much.”

When sick, we should carefully examine, whether we possess any ill-gotten goods, or have any other secret sin on our conscience; and if we are conscious of any, we should quickly free ourselves from it by a contrite, sincere confession, and by restoring the things belonging to others.

Sins are very often the cause of disease, and God does not bless the medicine unless the sickness effects its object, that is, the sinner’s amendment. Still less can we expect help, but rather temporal and eternal misfortune, if we have recourse to superstition, and spells, as the King Ochozias experienced, who was punished with death, because in sickness he had recourse to the idol Beelzebub. (IV Kings I.)

PRAYER O Jesus, Thou true physician of souls, who dost wound and heal us, yea, dost even permit sorrows and adversities to visit us that our souls may have health, grant us the grace to use every bodily pain according to Thy merciful designs for the promotion of our salvation.

#frleonardgoffine#twentiethsundayafterpentecost

Feast of the Most Holy Rosary

by Filed Under: 10 October Saints, Fr. Leonard Goffine, Our Lady of the Rosary, Rosary Leave a Comment

We did not grow up praying the daily rosary. We didn’t even adopt the devotion of the daily rosary as a family until we became right-ordered and I handed over the reins so my husband could take his proper place as the head of our family. It was a fruit of our Total Consecration (led by my husband). Since then, we have not turned back.

➕Is the Rosary a profitable method of prayer?

Yes; for by bringing before the eyes of the spirit the fundamental mysteries of Christianity it supplies us with the strongest motives to love God, to hate sin, to subdue the passions, to contemn the world and its vanity, and to strive after Christian perfection, in order that we may gain those happy mansions which Jesus prepares for us.

The Rosary, besides, brings before us living examples – Jesus and Mary – whom we must follow; and encourages us to good works by pointing to the all-powerful grace procured for us by Jesus, and the all-prevailing intercession of the gracious Mother of God.

Let us not be ashamed to carry the beads with us, for otherwise we might be ashamed of being Catholics; let us say the Rosary often – every evening – as was the custom with Catholics in former times, and we shall find that, as in St. Dominic’s day it was a wholesome check to error, so too In our times it will be, if said aright, a powerful weapon against heresy and unbelief, and will increase faith, piety, and virtue.

➕How should we say the Rosary?

1. Properly; as has been above described, and slowly, with a distinct pronunciation of the prayers and mysteries.

2. Devoutly, not only with the lips, but also with the heart.

More particularly we ought to meditate upon the mysteries that come before us;

at the joyful mysteries we should think of the infinite love of God to men and on His humiliation for us, thanking Him, and promising our love to Him in return;

at the sorrowful mysteries we should have compassion on the Saviour suffering for us, should from the heart detest the sins which were the cause of His sufferings, and make the most earnest resolutions for the future;

at the glorious mysteries we should remember the glory which awaits us also if we follow Jesus and Mary.➕

#frleonardgoffine

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