Liturgical Year

Humility Builds Great Things to Gods Glory

DVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:49-05:00

In today's gospel, the pharisee tithed and fasted, but all to no avail as his motivation was false. The pharisee prayed badly, looking instead to see what the publican was doing... and criticizing him. This is a tendency in sinful man. Avoid this at all costs for it stems from human pride and is destructive. The best way to contribute towards building up any community (including our families) is through a concerted effort to grow in the interior life; to grow in holiness. Pray with humility as did the publican. Bear in mind that God exalts the one who humbles himself. [...]

Humility Builds Great Things to Gods GloryDVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:49-05:00

Danger of Becomming Demoralized

DVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:49-05:00

In many ways, demoralization is the greatest enemy to the spiritual life. It is a great threat to the survival of a nation and of the Church Militant. It is one of the devil's greatest weapons against us: to depress us so that we lose all hope and give up. This is also a strategy of leftist marxist revolutionaries. They know that the first stage in collapsing a free society is to demoralize. People ashamed of their own culture won’t defend it when it is attacked. Many Americans—particularly younger ones—have been conditioned to believe that one belief system is as good as [...]

Danger of Becomming DemoralizedDVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:49-05:00

Fortress of the Valiant Woman

DVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:49-05:00

During Holy Week, Our Lord taught in Jerusalem every day, but ate and rested elsewhere - for example, in the house of Lazarus, Martha and Mary in Bethany. Jerusalem represents the world ruled by forces opposed to Christ, whereas Bethany is the Fortress of the Valiant Woman. It represents the Church and models our family home. Are our homes places for the Lord to rest? In commenting on Psalm 31, St. Albert the Great describes the many elements of this fortress. It has a moat of mortality. We must suffer and die because this saves us from pride and reminds us this [...]

Fortress of the Valiant WomanDVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:49-05:00

Athanasius Against the World

DVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:49-05:00

Once Constantine legalized Christianity (313 AD), the Church's exterior threats were largely eliminated - for a time. Yet the devil never rests and the threat of interior enemies, amongst the baptized, grew. In the 4th century, the heresy of Arianism (denial of Christ's divinity) infested the Church. More than 90% of bishops betrayed Christ by accepting an Arian or Semi-Arian creed. During this crisis, God raised up a true champion: St. Athanasius the Great, Patriarch of Alexandria and Champion of Orthodoxy. It seemed almost every civil and ecclesial institution was set against him. He was only supported by a small number [...]

Athanasius Against the WorldDVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:49-05:00

Six Means of Preserving Gods Grace

DVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:49-05:00

God wishes all men to be saved. Thus, He provides all the graces necessary for our salvation (this is infallible). However, man also has to cooperate with God's grace (this is often forgotten, unsaid, or not emphasized). St. Alphonsus Liguori, the great moral doctor of the Church, teaches there are six means of preserving God's grace: [1] Flee from occasions of sin; [2] Mental prayer; [3] Frequenting the Sacraments; [4] Hearing Mass; [5] Visiting the Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Virgin; [6] Prayer. He guarantees that the one who lives by them faithfully will be saved. This sermon includes a brief biographical sketch of St. Alphonsus and his prayer to [...]

Six Means of Preserving Gods GraceDVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:49-05:00

This Too Shall Pass

DVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:49-05:00

To be led by the Holy Ghost, you must repeatedly ask for His help. Come Holy Ghost! Enlighten my mind. Strengthen my will. Inflame my heart. The Holy Ghost is opposed by a three-fold source of evil: the devil, the world and the flesh. These spiritual enemies lead men's minds into error and enslave their wills to vice. On account of our fallen nature, our wills are weak and our hearts are selfish and self-seeking. We must take this seriously! To love in a proper and self-sacrificial way, we need the light and strength that comes from God. Pray especially for [...]

This Too Shall PassDVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:49-05:00

Impurity Unleashes Destructive Passions and Death

DVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:49-05:00

We must understand the root causes which plague our Church and society. When man indulges an unchaste desire, he starts down a trajectory of sin that leads to violence and destruction. Unbridled passions in man's interior life lead to confusion, anger, frustration and unleash external acts of uncontrolled passion. Impure people are easily manipulated by the powers that be. Revolutionaries, hardened criminals and satanists are able to commit terrible atrocities because they first desensitize themselves by violations of the Sixth Commandment. As we are living though an unhappy time of unbridled luxury, we should expect that riots, acts of senseless violence, destruction, and public murder [...]

Impurity Unleashes Destructive Passions and DeathDVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:49-05:00

Religion and Piety

DVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:50-05:00

We must ask the Holy Ghost for His light to enlighten our minds, strengthen our wills and inflame our hearts. Without the Holy Ghost we cannot love rightly (our love is self-centered, self-seeking and weak). In order to bring forth any good fruit, we need the Holy Ghost. Pray for an increase in the virtue of religion (i.e. rendering due honor and glory to God). Pray too for the corresponding virtue of piety (an interior disposition by which we truly love God as our Father). By religion we carry out our duties to God in an exterior way. This is certainly important and necessary. Yet [...]

Religion and PietyDVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:50-05:00

St Vladimir the Great

DVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:50-05:00

Before the coming of the Holy Ghost, the world was full of idolatry, superstition, tyranny, oppression and revolting practices. The poor and suffering were uncared for. Half the world was enslaved. Yet the Holy Ghost renewed the face of the earth! Civilization flourished and the world became a far better place, filled with truth and compassion. By way of example, we can look to Prince Vladimir of Kiev (+1015). He was a cruel, vice-ridden leader who even offered human sacrifice. Then he was baptized, married a Christian princess, destroyed idols, brought his nation to Christianity, and became a saint. Sadly in today's [...]

St Vladimir the GreatDVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:50-05:00

A Diabolical Campaign

DVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:50-05:00

Sister Lucia of Fatima: “It is necessary not to let yourself be drawn away by the doctrines of disorientated contradictors… The campaign is diabolical. We need to confront it, without getting into conflicts.” Today revolutionary marxists seek to use a dialectic as a catalyst for socio-political transformation (virus, masks, protests, racism). By dialectic we mean pushing two things to oppose each other - often in violent conflict - so as to work through them and advance one's own gain. Dialectics is the preferred method of the devil. These atheistic 'social organizers' pit people against each other so as to bring about a [...]

A Diabolical CampaignDVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:50-05:00