Liturgical Year

Purity of Heart and the Commandments

DVRodriguez2020-03-15T08:29:50-04:00

Lent is a time to turn away from sin (convert!) and to turn to God. Christ asks of us our heart and that we follow Him. Now is a time to strive after a clean heart, that we may see God! Many people mistakenly think the Ten Commandments are merely a list of "thou shalt nots" and they fail to see how the Commandments also call us to practice virtue, to do good, to love our neighbor, and to love God. In fact, the Commandments are a wondrous expression of God's love and the most basic means by which we can [...]

Purity of Heart and the CommandmentsDVRodriguez2020-03-15T08:29:50-04:00

Do Not Despair

DVRodriguez2020-03-07T19:22:15-05:00

Do you ever ask God to end your life now, thinking it be better to die than live? As man is a social being, without proper support from fellow men, he loses the will to live. Despair and depression are terrible things to struggle through. Worse, the devil preys upon it. Even great personages from the Bible struggled with this, such as Job, Elias, Tobit and Sarah. Three major points of commonality they had: [1] Living in a time of God's wrath; [2] None gave up on God; and [3] Despair was trigged by a failure in human relations (barbed words). These conditions are present today and [...]

Do Not DespairDVRodriguez2020-03-07T19:22:15-05:00

Get Serious About Your Salvation

DVRodriguez2020-03-07T05:48:24-05:00

Behold now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation! We exhort you that you receive not the grace of God in vain! God offers so many graces, always to either move us into a state of grace or to increase the grace we already have. The state of your soul - your salvation - is supremely important to Him; it must be for you too! If you faithfully reflect upon death, you will get more serious about your salvation. All of must die and leave everything behind. An eternity awaits each of us - an eternity of unspeakable happiness and delight or an eternity [...]

Get Serious About Your SalvationDVRodriguez2020-03-07T05:48:24-05:00

We Must Conquer Temptation

DVRodriguez2020-03-07T05:44:24-05:00

If you are already struggling this Lent - that is good! If its going along with ease, you probably aren't doing the penances you need. Lent is a time to fight temptation. God permits temptations to enable us to grow in virtue and holiness. The Devil's ultimate temptation against Christ was to come down from the Cross. This lies at the root of every temptation - to flee from the Cross. This is because it is through the Cross that God chooses to conquer. Christ allowed Himself to be tempted to: [1] Undo them temptation of our first parents; [2] Strengthen us against temptation; [...]

We Must Conquer TemptationDVRodriguez2020-03-07T05:44:24-05:00

Not for Destruction but for Ammendment

DVRodriguez2020-02-26T10:49:32-05:00

Are we not in a similar situation as the Israelites of old even who faced the seemingly invincible army of Holofernes? There are truly many forces arrayed about against us. For those with eyes to see, it is truly harrowing, and yet we have the weapons for victory: such as the prayer, fasting, the Holy Sacrifice and the priesthood, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. As Judith indicated, this is not for our destruction but for our amendment. These things are less than we deserve! Lent is now here. Let’s do our part, so she can do hers.

Not for Destruction but for AmmendmentDVRodriguez2020-02-26T10:49:32-05:00

Guardians of Chastity

DVRodriguez2020-02-26T08:55:06-05:00

One thing that greatly tarnishes mankind is the sin of impurity - lust. It darkens our intellect and stains our souls. It is thrust upon us everywhere we go and seemingly wherever we turn our eyes. We must practice the virtue of chastity. Yet our holy tradition reminds us that chastity is a fragile virtue. It is easily tarnished or broken. Chastity is like a precious vase that needs guardians to protect it. These guardians, the saints teach us, are other virtues, including humility, obedience, temperance, and love of Jesus and Mary.

Guardians of ChastityDVRodriguez2020-02-26T08:55:06-05:00

Idolatry of Natural Morality

DVRodriguez2020-02-26T08:39:03-05:00

Epicureanism, Stoicism and Pragmatism are each ethical systems that man have turned into a form of idolatry. Though some of these systems may be better than others, they all share a fundamental flaw: they are purely natural and lack a supernatural perspective. Christian morality, patterned upon Christ, is based on supernatural charity and is epitomized by a willingness to sacrifice for the good of another person. Lent is coming! This is a privileged time to grow in this sacrificial love. There will indeed by unexpected crosses and tests to help us fill up what is needed tp perfect our supernatural love.

Idolatry of Natural MoralityDVRodriguez2020-02-26T08:39:03-05:00

Chair of St. Peter

DVRodriguez2020-02-26T08:28:52-05:00

Two brief daily sermons. * The teaching office of St. Peter and his successors points us to Christ, for it is Christ who entrusted the Church with the mission of preserving, preaching and transmitting, until the end of time, His teaching - integrally and faithfully. By virtue of baptism, each one of us has the responsibility of persevering in this saving doctrine. Many Catholics are confused regarding the Church's dogma on the pope's teaching authority, so here we briefly review it. * Blessed ashes are a holy symbol of three spiritual exercises: [1] Sorrow and contrition for one's sins; [2] Penance and mortification; and [3] [...]

Chair of St. PeterDVRodriguez2020-02-26T08:28:52-05:00

Saint Simeon and a Faithful Servant

DVRodriguez2020-02-20T06:59:50-05:00

Tradition tells us that as St. Simeon translated the Scriptures, an angel prevented him from adjusting the word 'virgin' to 'young maiden' in Isaias' prophecy (7:14). The angel then revealed that Simeon would not die until he had seen the long-awaited Messiah (Lk 2:26). Upon that predestined day, though he was quite old, he hastened to the Temple with the spring of youth. Simeon’s eyes immediately noted the Child Jesus, he reverently approached the Holy Family, and falling to his knees, adored the Divine Child in Mary's arms. The old man then prayed to God to release him from this life (Nunc Dimittis). St. [...]

Saint Simeon and a Faithful ServantDVRodriguez2020-02-20T06:59:50-05:00

Blessed Candles and the Heart of Mary

DVRodriguez2020-02-18T06:40:12-05:00

The Christmas Season engrains in our minds Our Lady's great love for Jesus. This is what is characteristic of her heart. Mary teaches us to contemplate Jesus, for her eyes and ears were only focussed on Him. What about us? Today's feast also reminds us that Our Lady has a sorrowful suffering Heart. She suffers so that our hearts will be purified. In Christmastide, God is giving us the heart of His Blessed Mother, so that we may love, contemplate and suffer for Jesus after her example. Today is also Candlemas, the end of the Christmas season, when the Church uses [...]

Blessed Candles and the Heart of MaryDVRodriguez2020-02-18T06:40:12-05:00