12 Christmas Octave Sunday

Tollite Hostias

DVRodriguez2024-01-18T08:48:50-05:00

A beautiful Christmas hymn is tollite hostias et adorate dominum, "Offer your gifts to the Divine Child and Adore Him" (Psalm 95:8-9). What will you offer Him? The most acceptable gift is a contrite and loving heart. Do you pray every day? Spend time before the manger and think about the incredible love of the Divine Child for you! Make an effort to think about and reject [hate] your sins, for your sins are what most offend Baby Jesus. Ask the Blessed Virgin to adore the Divine Child on your behalf. To truly love Him, seek to please Him in all [...]

Tollite HostiasDVRodriguez2024-01-18T08:48:50-05:00

Judas Has Plenty of Company This Christmas

DVRodriguez2022-01-13T15:17:01-05:00

There is much confusion over what it means to love Jesus. It is not primarily about feelings, thoughts, or scriptural interpretation. The Apostle of Love teaches us the essentials. To love Jesus we must keep His commandments and we must love our neighbor (emphasis on the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy). Ask Baby Jesus for the grace to love Him above everything. Far too many Catholics are willing to sacrifice Christ to maintain friendships and family ties. Even our Shepherds - those who should love Jesus most - are betraying Him. Given that belief in Christ means belief in the [...]

Judas Has Plenty of Company This ChristmasDVRodriguez2022-01-13T15:17:01-05:00

Apostle of Christmas

DVRodriguez2021-02-11T08:05:44-05:00

St. John helps us to believe in - and live - Christmas. More than anyone else, he provides profound insight into the [1] Incarnation and [2] Holy Eucharist, both mysteries which are central to Christmas. These two mysteries each elicit from us a more profound faith. St. John shows that faith and adoration go together. He presents Christ as the light and life of the world. He teaches us what it means to truly believe and love. St. John gives us an example of perfect devotion to Our Blessed Mother and to the Sacred Heart. He calls us to remain faithful [...]

Apostle of ChristmasDVRodriguez2021-02-11T08:05:44-05:00

Active Love is a Harsh and Fearful Thing

wpengine2021-01-26T08:04:54-05:00

At Christmas, we celebrate how God became man so that man might become god. The serpent tempted Eve with this good. Fallen man still wants to make himself god without God-made-man, without His Church, without Christmas. Yet to enter into Heaven, we can't bypass Christmas and the Mystery of Christ's Incarnate Love. So many think that they have the right answer (idealists). Clinging to this "love in dreams," man actually carves out a pit into which he falls once reality sets in. Active love is a hash and fearful thing as compared to love in dreams. One must humble himself, stop [...]

Active Love is a Harsh and Fearful Thingwpengine2021-01-26T08:04:54-05:00

The Grace of Divine Love

DVRodriguez2020-01-02T09:10:08-05:00

The greatest treasure, the most important thing in life, is to love Jesus. To love God above all things, to love the things of God, and to be able to sacrifice everything for Divine Love - no grace can be greater. God’s Love is an immense Mystery. Just consider the amazing condescension of God in coming down from Heaven. Meditate upon this as you gaze on the manger scene, recite the angelus, or hear the Last Gospel. If He has spent Himself entirely for me, I should spend myself entirely for Him. It is easy for man to get distracted and [...]

The Grace of Divine LoveDVRodriguez2020-01-02T09:10:08-05:00