Blessed Virgin Mary

Blessed Candles and the Heart of Mary

DVRodriguez2020-02-18T06:40:12-05:00

The Christmas Season engrains in our minds Our Lady's great love for Jesus. This is what is characteristic of her heart. Mary teaches us to contemplate Jesus, for her eyes and ears were only focussed on Him. What about us? Today's feast also reminds us that Our Lady has a sorrowful suffering Heart. She suffers so that our hearts will be purified. In Christmastide, God is giving us the heart of His Blessed Mother, so that we may love, contemplate and suffer for Jesus after her example. Today is also Candlemas, the end of the Christmas season, when the Church uses [...]

Blessed Candles and the Heart of MaryDVRodriguez2020-02-18T06:40:12-05:00

Humility Heaven’s Stairway

DVRodriguez2020-01-27T09:03:19-05:00

The saints have often praised the humility of Our Lady, unsurpassed by no other human person. God finds humility irresistible. In fact, many saints have noted that it was the Blessed Virgin Mary's humility which drew the Lord down from Heaven. You see, God will not be outdone in humility. If our Lady humbled herself so greatly, God would humble Himself even more by taking on human nature within her so as to suffer for our sins. The teachings of St. John Climacus (+649), a desert monk, and of Bl. Mary of Jesus Crucified (+1878), a Carmelite nun, can help inspires [...]

Humility Heaven’s StairwayDVRodriguez2020-01-27T09:03:19-05:00

How to Begin the New Year

DVRodriguez2020-01-16T12:31:42-05:00

How important for Catholics to pray for the grace to grow in love for Jesus! There can be no greater new year's resolution. Let us use the privileged means given by God, namely devotion to Mary's Immaculate Heart. This devotion's end is to conform one's hearts to the Sacred Heart. Our Lady's Heart is strong and mighty to conquer all enemies, obtains from God whatever it asks, and showers men with many graces and blessings. Three ways to practice devotion to her Heart, as given by St. John Eudes, are: [1] Live a true conversion to God, fulfilling your baptismal promises. Pray [...]

How to Begin the New YearDVRodriguez2020-01-16T12:31:42-05:00

Love Jesus with the Heart of Mary

DVRodriguez2019-12-31T16:04:22-05:00

The Infant Jesus grants special graces during Christmastide. [1] Pray for these special graces and persevere in asking Baby Jesus for them. I urge you to put greater faith and trust in the Love of Our Savior Jesus Christ. [2] Especially pray for the grace to love God from this day forth with your whole heart. Now, it isn't just about loving Jesus "in our own way" because each one of us is a fallen human whose soul carries hurts, sorrows and scars. Amongst other things, this prevents us from truly loving after the example of our Savior Jesus Christ. Our love is all too [...]

Love Jesus with the Heart of MaryDVRodriguez2019-12-31T16:04:22-05:00

Rejoice and Prepare for Christ’s Advent

DVRodriguez2019-12-24T06:39:44-05:00

The great truth of Advent, which is our cause for rejoicing, is that Jesus Comes! He wants to come into our lives, to offer us His love and forgiveness, to redeem us from our sins. He comes in the Holy Eucharist, He comes at our death (particular judgment), and He will come at the General Judgment. The Church gives us Advent at the start of the year so that we will prepare well: now and throughout the year. The one who truly believes Jesus comes will prepare himself well, and his preparation is in proportion to how sincerely he believes. How do we [...]

Rejoice and Prepare for Christ’s AdventDVRodriguez2019-12-24T06:39:44-05:00

Mary is the Mediatrix

DVRodriguez2019-12-16T16:47:21-05:00

You may have heard that some are saying it is foolish to call Our Blessed Mother the Mediatrix of All Graces. Yet this teaching comes to us from many great saints, Fathers and Doctors of the Church! It makes perfect sense since Jesus chose to comes to us through Our Lady. We can also look to approved Marian apparitions like Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. St. Jerome taught, “death through Eve, life through Mary.” St. Bernadine of Siena professed that “every grace which is communicated to this world has a threefold origin: it flows from God to Christ, from Christ [...]

Mary is the MediatrixDVRodriguez2019-12-16T16:47:21-05:00

Special Graces of the Immaculate Conception

DVRodriguez2019-12-15T08:07:50-05:00

Pope Pius IX lists seven Old Testament types which support the great dogma of the Immaculate Conception. A natural question to ask is 'How does this dogma practically affect me?' Well, the practical applications are far more extensive than Catholics probably realize. Above all, this dogma draws one to turn to the Immaculate Conception with great confidence, whatever the need. Ask for her intercession in all dangers, difficulties, needs, doubts and fears. Also, frequently request from her the special graces that are particularly linked to the mystery of her Immaculate Conception. For example, [1] An intense hatred for sin; [2] A [...]

Special Graces of the Immaculate ConceptionDVRodriguez2019-12-15T08:07:50-05:00

Our Lady Prepares Us

DVRodriguez2019-12-15T08:00:20-05:00

The Blessed Virgin Mary is completely victorious over Satan and sin; she crushes the head of the dragon. And this overcoming sin is a reason why devotion to Our Lady is given so much importance at the start of the Church Year; in Advent, as we look to the Day of Judgment. God is holy and only reposes in holy places. If we wish Him to come to us, we must united to Our Lady.

Our Lady Prepares UsDVRodriguez2019-12-15T08:00:20-05:00

Immovable Column

DVRodriguez2019-12-15T07:55:15-05:00

In a Roman piazza near the famous Spanish Steps, stands a high and beautiful marble column of the Immaculate Conception. It is fittingly located in front of the office of the Propagation of the Faith. Right away we see a connection. If we want to preserve our faith, then be devoted to this Woman. The column was dedicated to honor Pius XI's proclamation of the Immaculate Conception and its prophetic statues and base reliefs provide a deeper explanation of the Church's teaching on this dogma. Yet there is more, for in ancient times this column had been dedicated to Minerva, the [...]

Immovable ColumnDVRodriguez2019-12-15T07:55:15-05:00

Pierced with Thorns

wpengine2023-09-01T19:09:16-04:00

At Calvary there were two altars: the Body of Christ and the Heart of Mary. Our Lady suffered more torments than ever endured by any mortal on earth. And all the sorrows of her Heart are ultimately due to man’s sins. At Pontevedra (1925), Sr. Lucia was given a vision of men’s blasphemies and ingratitude piercing the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart at every moment. Our reparation may help console her Heart (especially the First Saturday devotion). Our Lady revealed her Heart as the way that, in our time, will lead us to God.

Pierced with Thornswpengine2023-09-01T19:09:16-04:00