76 Pentecost 16th Sunday

Avarice of the Pharisees

DVRodriguez2025-10-07T10:19:49-04:00

In his gospel, St Luke often focuses on the sicknesses that afflict men. The various physical ailments also represent spiritual illnesses. For example, a withered hand represents the inability to persevere in good works, leprosy stands for heresy, and dropsy (edema) for avarice. The pharisees were watching Our Lord, trying to trap him. These pharisees would violate the sabbath to save their beast, not out of compassion or fidelity to the law, but on account of their avarice. (In the question Jesus poses, the ox represents the Jews and the donkey the Gentiles.) Their avarice reflects their pride. Hence, Our Lord [...]

Avarice of the PhariseesDVRodriguez2025-10-07T10:19:49-04:00

Fidelity to God’s Grace

DVRodriguez2024-11-11T07:58:05-05:00

Saintly mystics of the Church provide us with an account of Mary's birth, which we celebrate today. Our Lady was conceived without sin and with the ability to know and love God. Within St. Anne's womb, Mary was already faithfully corresponding to this first grace – and thus growing in grace. Let us be more aware of the graces God gives us and do our very best to correspond with them. Yet attachment to sin and to the world impedes our growth. We prefer what is easier and more comfortable. To counter this, grow in your devotion to Mary, especially Our [...]

Fidelity to God’s GraceDVRodriguez2024-11-11T07:58:05-05:00

Humility of Intellect and of Will

DVRodriguez2023-11-07T09:45:37-05:00

St. Francis is the first recorded instance of the stigmata. Suffering with Christ –the Cross!– is central to our faith. The Cross is the source of all blessings, the cause of all grace, and the only path to Heaven. Carrying our cross well is what it means to be Catholic. Yet pride leads us to reject the cross. So we must grow in humility. Humility of intellect (an honest acknowledgement of our total dependence on God and of our real incapability of doing anything good without His assistance) makes us faithful to prayer. Humility of will (the readiness of the heart [...]

Humility of Intellect and of WillDVRodriguez2023-11-07T09:45:37-05:00

To Undergo a Mystical Death

DVRodriguez2023-09-29T09:03:01-04:00

One who "walks in the Spirit of God" is not guided by the world or governed by his natural likes and inclinations, The Holy Ghost is always opposed to our three-fold concupiscence: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, of the pride of life. On a practical level, if I am not fighting constantly against these, then I am not being led by the Spirit of God. The Mass is meant to help us overcome this fallen tendency. Yet one must strive to have the same dispositions Christ had upon the cross. One must deny himself and freely do penance [...]

To Undergo a Mystical DeathDVRodriguez2023-09-29T09:03:01-04:00

Resist the Cultural Genocide in Our Church

DVRodriguez2023-09-24T05:57:19-04:00

Ireland, the land of saints and scholars, suffered under Britain terrible persecution meant to destroy their culture. The main aim of the French Revolution was to de-Christianize the nation. Cultural genocide is the effort to eradicate a people by destroying their culture. The modernists did not want another Church, they wanted a different Church. Catholic tradition was destroyed not by an invading army but from within. Now, we must rediscover and reestablish tradition. Abhor innovation and have a holy stubbornness. Show you will not surrender Catholic Tradition (in liturgy, spirituality, morality, catechesis, etc.). We must be willing to fight for our [...]

Resist the Cultural Genocide in Our ChurchDVRodriguez2023-09-24T05:57:19-04:00

Three Meanings of Holy Name of Mary

DVRodriguez2021-10-14T06:52:36-04:00

The holy name 'Mary' has many meanings. Three notable ones which demand our reflection are: Enlightener, Star of the sea, and Sea [of all graces]. Heed St. Bernard's advice: "In dangers, doubts, and difficulties, think of Mary. Call upon Mary. Let not her name depart from thy lips; never allow it to leave your heart." This continual reliance upon Our Lady is the hallmark of a good and faithful Catholic. An excellent aid for meditating more upon Our Lady is the Marian Creed written by St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows. Always do you best to pray the name of [...]

Three Meanings of Holy Name of MaryDVRodriguez2021-10-14T06:52:36-04:00