Liturgical Year

Feminie Modesty

svfonline2019-07-09T06:36:26-04:00

We live in a time of great immodesty; yet it has not always been this way. Society reveals itself by the fashions it promotes. Modesty is connected to self-control and acts as a guardian for purity. There are objective standards for modesty provided by the Church, and to set our secular time of utter immodesty as any kind of standard is insanity. Women in the past lived far harder lives, raised larger families, on less income, without modern conveniences, and still managed to engage in all their activities in modest attire appropriate to their gender. Women have a duty to dress [...]

Feminie Modestysvfonline2019-07-09T06:36:26-04:00

You Draw Out What You Put In

svfonline2019-07-06T05:44:12-04:00

St. John of the Cross exclaims: “Where there is no love, put love and you will draw out love.” This is a simple way to understand the Sacred Heart. God looked upon the world and found it forsaken, without true and authentic love. Thus, Divine Charity, the Holy Ghost came down and formed the Sacred Heart in the womb of the Blessed Virgin. Yet this statement applies to many other things: Where there is no [anger, suspicion, immodesty, irreverence, etc.], put it in - and you will draw it out! Too often we act like the proverbial Trojan horse, claiming to [...]

You Draw Out What You Put Insvfonline2019-07-06T05:44:12-04:00

Humble Procession vs Pride Parade

svfonline2019-07-05T07:27:47-04:00

You can tell a lot about a society by its commemorations, awards and parades. Our society has opted to 'celebrate' perverse pride in the month of June. Our society's public sin, which calls down divine wrath, is far greater than that which existed in Sodom and Gomorrah or at the time of Noah. On the other hand, Holy Mother Church has for centuries dedicated June to the Sacred Heart and the Holy Eucharist. Her parades humbly process Our Eucharistic Lord through public spaces so that every knee may bend before Him. These liturgical processions not only pay Our King due honor, [...]

Humble Procession vs Pride Paradesvfonline2019-07-05T07:27:47-04:00

Hunger for the Most Blessed Sacrament

svfonline2019-07-05T06:34:45-04:00

Many great miracles were performed by St. Anthony of Padua. Yet perhaps the most notable is when a starving donkey preferred to adore its Creator in the Eucharist over eating fresh hay. St. Ignatius of Antioch (+107 AD) likewise longed for his Creator, writing "I hunger for the bread of God, the flesh of Jesus Christ ... I long to drink of his blood, the gift of unending love." Too many of us prefer to be satisfied by worldly passing things than by the Bread of Heaven. Let us instead long to consume Our Savior and to be consumed by Him [...]

Hunger for the Most Blessed Sacramentsvfonline2019-07-05T06:34:45-04:00

Power and Authority

svfonline2019-06-26T08:08:56-04:00

Lord Acton argued that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Yet his assessment was largely influenced by his historical understanding of Luther and Protestants, the Divine Right of Kings, Absolute Monarchs, and the Tyranny of State being deified - none of which are Catholic. In Christ, authority and power never corrupt, but rather bring about the common good, and even the salvation of men. Family, civil order, and the Church are all meant to be function according to the legitimate order and authority established by God, the Source of all Authority.

Power and Authoritysvfonline2019-06-26T08:08:56-04:00

Spirit of Truth vs Spirit of Teilhard

svfonline2019-06-26T07:55:13-04:00

The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Truth. He confirms the true teachings of Christ in our very souls. There is truth; hence the mind's primary function is to discover and to conform to Christ and the created order He has established. The human mind is not meant to create its own reality; it is not independent or alone. It has not license to create its own version of truth, for things are what they are. But in this modern world in which we dwell, the Spirit of Truth has been put aside in favor of the Spirit of Deception from [...]

Spirit of Truth vs Spirit of Teilhardsvfonline2019-06-26T07:55:13-04:00

Fruits of the Holy Ghost

svfonline2019-06-25T22:29:23-04:00

The Fruits of the Holy Ghost come about both by the Holy Ghost working in man, but also by man willingly cooperating with Him. Gold provides an analogy, since man does not produce gold, but he can cooperate with it to generate more. A man is known by his works (fruits) for the fruits are dispositions in man's soul (his higher faculties) which provide a proper orientation with regard to things that are good and evil. One ought to examine himself with regard to these fruits. Following Aquinas' division, we will look at the the first two sets: those ordering the [...]

Fruits of the Holy Ghostsvfonline2019-06-25T22:29:23-04:00

Heavenly vs Worldly Joy

svfonline2019-06-14T10:33:13-04:00

In relationships we often find four stages: infatuation, realization, despair and, if it endures, then true love. When the Apostles first knew Jesus, they thought of Him in worldly terms. In the forty days leading up to the Ascension, Christ dashed their illusions with a far better reality. We too must learn to have a spiritual joy. Our joy ought not be giddy, hasty, or without reason, like the fleeting glee of worldlings. The Christian's joy is serene, stable and tinged with sadness over spiritual causes. Sacred Gregorian chant is a wonderful example of true spiritual joy. Like the Apostles, our [...]

Heavenly vs Worldly Joysvfonline2019-06-14T10:33:13-04:00

Apostle of Rome vs Apostle of Modern Thought

svfonline2019-06-14T08:06:18-04:00

On this Pentecost, let us reflect upon two 'apostles' who were both filled with a spirit, albeit a different one. On the one hand, St. Philip Neri, known as the Apostle of Rome, who was inflamed with Divine Charity and helped Rome though the difficult and terrible times of Protestant revolution and Mohammedan invasions. On the other hand, the Jesuit Teilhard de Chardin, who preached a "Cosmic Christ" that is constantly evolving. His works were ambiguous and condemned, yet many modern prelates consider him the greatest theologian of the 20th century. Understanding his thought, and the spirit that imbued him, helps [...]

Apostle of Rome vs Apostle of Modern Thoughtsvfonline2019-06-14T08:06:18-04:00

City of God and the Ascension

svfonline2019-06-14T07:56:42-04:00

Our Lord had to ascend for many reasons. Among these are: [1] He is the Great Pioneer who blazed the path for us to follow. [2] He is the Great High Priest, eternally offering His Sacred Wounds and Precious Blood as intercession for men in the Divine Tabernacle not made by human hands. [3] He now provides us with His gifts from above, most notably the Holy Ghost. [4] It is not fitting that one Whose Body is glorified should remain below in a realm of physical decay and death. [5] His ascension enables the theological virtues (Faith, Hope, and Charity) [...]

City of God and the Ascensionsvfonline2019-06-14T07:56:42-04:00