Shedding of Christ’s Blood
DVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:50-05:00Devotion to the Precious Blood is devotion to Jesus Christ who has redeemed us; to His sacred passion, death and five holy wounds. This is a central aspect of the mystery of Christ, essential to our knowing and loving Him. The shedding of our Savior’s Precious Blood [1] washes away our sins, [2] reconciles us to God, and [3] makes us holy. It provides abundant grace to help us hate sin and fight against sin with all our strength. Thou hast redeemed us O Lord in Thy Blood. The mercies of the Lord I will sing forever.
Prophecy is Difficult to Discern
DVRodriguez2020-04-15T10:15:49-04:00We have yet to suffer as the saints, despite what we are enduring. Considering the grave tribulations others have survived, helps us appreciate our tiresome duties and present difficulties. Men have a natural tendency to want to survive life's trials on their own terms and be in the know. Many look to prophecy, but easily misinterpret it thinking now is the time of fulfillment. Proceed with caution for prophecy is mysterious and very hard to understand. It helps when approved prophecies harmonize as that provides a clearer picture. For example, consider what we know of the Three Days of Darkness. Those [...]
Divine Fervor
DVRodriguez2020-04-10T05:02:52-04:00Two brief holy week sermons. Christ's sacrifice unto death is His greatest act of love for us. A responding act of fervent love by the faithful, in Mary Magdalene, is seen in today's gospel. May the sweet odor of our Christian charity fill the world. Every single grace that ever comes to us was merited by Christ in His Passion and Death. Pray for these five graces: (1) to hate sin, (2) to patiently endure wrong, (3) for meekness and humility in trails, (4) to love enemies, (5) and to pray for persecutors.
Radical Emphasis on the Supernatural
DVRodriguez2020-04-09T10:58:05-04:00One of the most outstanding characteristics of our Catholic Faith is its radical emphasis on the supernatural. For example, at this moment of crisis, what we most is God's grace, mercy and help. Now is not the time to be limiting or cancelling Sacraments! From the supernatural perspective, this makes absolutely no sense. Our Lord tells us that those who remain faithful, will suffer the cross and persecution. May God grant us the grace to not abandon Christ, the Mass or the Faith.
The Passion Keeps the Devil at Bay
DVRodriguez2020-03-15T08:32:46-04:00Christian meditation is reflecting upon a mystery of Christ and thereby making it real to ourselves. The devils do all they can to prevent us from such meditation as they can't easily find entrance into a soul unless they first deprive it of all holy thoughts. With the growing rise in the occult today, how much more important it is for us to increase such prayer. Christian meditation is most especially effective when focused on the Passion of Our Lord and Savior. For example, consider that at the end of time, the Cross and all the instruments of the Passion, will be carried by angles [...]
Trophies Spoils of War
DVRodriguez2019-12-07T05:46:08-05:00The dictionary tells us the meaning of 'trophy' from the ancient Greek and Latin is “the weapons and other spoils of a defeated army set up as a memorial of victory.” The Romans famously filled their capital with countless such trophies from all over the world. Pagan Rome tried to conquer Christianity, but failed when the Cross appeared in the Heavens above to Constantine, with the saying, 'In Hoc Signo Vinces'. Christianity conquered Rome and turned her into a Christian trophy case. Sadly this process is now reversing. Worse, many in the Church have welcomed a return to pre-Constanian times. Consider [...]
In the Cross of Christ God is Triumphalistic
svfonline2019-09-22T07:19:46-04:00In the Church's history, many miraculous triumphs have been accomplished with and through the Holy Cross. We marvel at these Triumphs because they are clearly by Heaven’s intervention. The Roman Breviary is very clear that this day is about the Holy Cross triumphing. Thus, we note that it is God Himself who is 'triumphalistic' - desiring man to see what Heaven has to offer to His faithful souls! As typology helps us meditate more deeply upon God's designs, let us consider the Message of Our Lady of Fatima in light of the Exaltation of the Cross.
What Our Lord Suffered Mary Suffered
svfonline2019-09-16T07:19:43-04:00Three brief daily sermons. These days are dedicated to meditating upon the sorrows of Our Lady, which means mediating upon the passion of Jesus Christ. Recall that no activity is more efficacious for one's sanctification than frequent meditation upon Our Lord's sufferings. What Our Lord suffered, Mary suffered; and what Mary suffered, Our Lord suffered. Like two parallel mirrors, the sufferings of each one mutually intensified and increased those of the other to a near infinite degree. In every danger of forfeiting divine grace we should think of Mary and invoke her holy Name together with that of Jesus, for these [...]
Five Reasons for the Five Wounds
svfonline2019-04-30T15:18:45-04:00On Good Friday, Our Lord suffered in every part of His Body and Soul in order to undo all the sins committed by man for all times and all places. The Scriptures (prophet Isaias) tell us that “His appearance was … marred, beyond human semblance.” Yet, on Easter Sunday, all the wounds were healed save the five wounds of the nails and the spear. These He glorified and chose to keep (they are the only man-made things we know of in Heaven at present). Why did He keep them? We can learn many lessons from five reasons provided by St. Thomas [...]