Liturgical Year

The Mission of Husband and Wife

DVRodriguez2021-02-11T08:03:35-05:00

Keep your Nativity Scene up until Feb 2 so as to continue looking upon the Holy Family - our exemplar model. Families should also strive to imitate the Three Kings, who offered gifts of love, prayer and mortification. By the command of Christ, marriage is meant to give rise to a people, fellow citizens with the saints in Heaven, who render fitting worship to the true God. Marriage is a sacrament and it symbolizes exalted mysteries, such as the union of Christ and His Church. Husband and wife must strive to subject themselves to God and hold their passions check. Chastity, [...]

The Mission of Husband and WifeDVRodriguez2021-02-11T08:03:35-05:00

Christ Establishes Marriage and Blesses the Home

DVRodriguez2021-02-11T08:04:46-05:00

At the year’s start, for forty days, we look upon the Holy Family in the manger scene. At the Wedding at Cana, Christ establishes marriage as supremely sacred (man can’t alter it). A great tragedy is that so many misguidedly think they, or ‘their love,’ is the foundation of their marriage. Wrong! On account of our fallen condition, we have very little genuine and sincere love (symbolized by having no wine). Christ is the foundation of marriage; pray Him to bring His divine love into your marriage. Seek our Lady’s intercession, and keep her words in your heart throughout the year: [...]

Christ Establishes Marriage and Blesses the HomeDVRodriguez2021-02-11T08:04:46-05:00

Jesus is Inseparable from the Holy Family

DVRodriguez2021-02-11T08:05:14-05:00

Jesus brings us salvation — but He does not come alone. He comes as a member of the family. With His Incarnation and Nativity, He brings the model for all families. Through this Christmas feast, Christ teaches: [1] Marriage is something supremely sacred. It comes from God. He has willed it to be a primary instrument of our salvation and provides the laws which govern it. (Never fall into the deadly trap of thinking man can redefine marriage or determine how it ought to be lived.) [2] Marriage is meant by God to bring forth life — specifically life in Christ. [...]

Jesus is Inseparable from the Holy FamilyDVRodriguez2021-02-11T08:05:14-05:00

Jesus Deliver Us

DVRodriguez2021-02-11T08:05:32-05:00

God often exercises His power in hidden and mysteries ways that we do not expect. An example of this is His Holy Name. The Holy Name of Jesus inflames us with love for Jesus and protects us from evil. The devil is strong and cunning, so we must specifically invoke Jesus’ Name to deliver us from spiritual evils. To love Jesus is to imitate His love. Our love suffers from many defects and it must be purified and strengthened. That will only happen by God’s grace. Pray the Litany of the Most Holy Name, the Divine Praises, and brief aspirations devoutly [...]

Jesus Deliver UsDVRodriguez2021-02-11T08:05:32-05:00

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

Two Ways to Grow in Your Love for Jesus

DVRodriguez2021-01-25T06:15:36-05:00

Christmas brings new grace, specifically to love Jesus more and to adore Him more faithfully. We cannot live this reality without the help of the Holy Ghost. All the Saints had an immense love for and trust in the Name of Jesus. Therein they saw all His love, all His power, all He said and did while on earth. Two practical recommendations: [1] Invoke His Holy Name to overcome a specific sin you continue to struggle with — for only Jesus has the power to overcome sin. Children struggle with disobedience to parents, spouses repeatedly hurt each other, and everyone has habitual [...]

Two Ways to Grow in Your Love for JesusDVRodriguez2021-01-25T06:15:36-05:00

Laid in a Manger

wpengine2021-01-25T06:00:14-05:00

The astounding mystery of Christmas is that the Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. This marvelous mystery is prolonged in Holy Communion. The altar is the crib and there we go to feed ourselves on Godu2019s most Sacred Flesh.

Laid in a Mangerwpengine2021-01-25T06:00:14-05:00

Beauty of the Christmas Mystery

wpengine2023-12-23T07:46:36-05:00

The Holy Virgin Mary invites all to enter the cave of Bethlehem and to adore her new born Son. We owe Him our supreme obedience, love and adoration, but often fall short. However, on Christmas Day, not only is what God does perfect, but manu2019s first response - by our Blessed Mother - is also perfect. The Word was made flesh so that every single person might adore Him in Holy Communion, and yet u201cHis own received Him not.u201d If one truly believes Christ is God, how can one not do everything in his power to receive Him with profound love [...]

Beauty of the Christmas Mysterywpengine2023-12-23T07:46:36-05:00

The Priest is Called to Holiness

wpengine2023-12-07T07:59:18-05:00

Our Lady is immaculate and pure in every respect. Sin never touched the body or soul of most holy Mary. The Mystery of the Immaculate Conception instructs us in many ways, but let us focus on two foundational principles of the spiritual life. [1] When God elects a person to a certain office, He grants the person all the necessary graces for that office. [2] All things that are ordained for God should be holy and free from stain. We see these truths embodied in the Immaculate Conception. They also apply to the priesthood and to each of the faithful, especially [...]

The Priest is Called to Holinesswpengine2023-12-07T07:59:18-05:00

An Affirming and All-Inclusive church

wpengine2021-01-24T20:18:42-05:00

Our modern society prides itself on being welcoming, inclusive, and open to all ideas. This appeals to people who donu2019t feel comfortable with a u2018rule-based spirituality.u2019 Yet in such a welcoming u2018churchu2019 of the future - where the sinner and the sin are affirmed and made to feel safe - it is the Divine Child who is excluded and shunned. The worldly do not welcome the longed-for Messiah because the spirit of antichrist reigns over them and the serpent dwells in their midst. Do we really want Jesus to come? Are our hearts cold and distracted by worldly concerns or shall [...]

An Affirming and All-Inclusive churchwpengine2021-01-24T20:18:42-05:00