73 Pentecost 13th Sunday

Only One of Ten Lepers Was Saved

DVRodriguez2026-10-06T06:34:43-04:00

Although today’s gospel is about gratitude, it is about much more. Jesus comes to heal our body and save our souls. All ten lepers were cleansed in body, but only one was told his faith had saved him. We must enter into the mystery hidden in this event. Then we see parallels between the Samaritan leper and both St. Paul and Cornelius the Centurion. Moreover, we see practical implications for how we must navigate the crisis in the Church today.

Only One of Ten Lepers Was SavedDVRodriguez2026-10-06T06:34:43-04:00

What She Treasured in Her Heart

DVRodriguez2026-10-06T06:34:19-04:00

Strive to foster a devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary; not just in externals but according to a true Catholic spirit. At bare minimum, practice the First Saturday devotion well. We can learn much from the teaching of the saints. Consider as well how the Scriptures present her Heart as a sacred depository and faithful guardian of all the mysteries of salvation, right dogma, and true liturgy.

What She Treasured in Her HeartDVRodriguez2026-10-06T06:34:19-04:00

We Must Give Thanks

DVRodriguez2026-09-13T20:11:30-04:00

The ten lepers had faith and hope. They went to Jesus and were willing to show themselves to the priest even though full of leprosy. All were full of joy but only one expressed gratitude for the gift. He had charity. What would you have done in their place? God has given us so many good things, yet we fail to thank Him. Have confidence in God. Pray for faith, hope and charity. Show gratitude to those closest to you, thank God for His sacraments, and strive to love what God commands.

We Must Give ThanksDVRodriguez2026-09-13T20:11:30-04:00

Four Kinds of Sin

DVRodriguez2026-03-01T17:44:01-05:00

God become man to save souls and destroy the works of the devil. In the Gospels, Christ works many healings but only sends cleansed lepers to the priests. The Old Testament priests can’t cure or forgive, merely declare the truth of a matter. The Old Law has no grace, it can merely identify sin. Leprosy represents sin which keeps us out of the community. There are sins of malice, of weakness, of passion and of ignorance. Christ is the one who forgives sins and He gives this power to His priests. All He requires is that we have contrition and confess.

Four Kinds of SinDVRodriguez2026-03-01T17:44:01-05:00

Our Lady’s Heart Serves as Our Model

DVRodriguez2025-12-11T15:05:55-05:00

Many prayers used by the Church at Holy Mass come from the Psalms. These reveal to us the heart of prayer and the Heart of Mary (e.g. today’s Offertory from Ps 30). Having true devotion to the Immaculate Heart means striving to model our heart after Mary’s. Seek to receive Holy Communion with her heart. Seek to pray with the dispositions of her heart. Seek to fulfill your daily duty with her mindset. Above all, accept trails and difficulties with the spirit of Our Lady.

Our Lady’s Heart Serves as Our ModelDVRodriguez2025-12-11T15:05:55-05:00

Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of Mary

DVRodriguez2023-10-24T14:08:33-04:00

Devotion to Our Lady's Immaculate Heart means to know and imitate her love and perfect charity: [1] her love for God, [2] for Jesus Christ, [3] and her maternal love for us, her spiritual children. These three loves lead us to reflect upon three stages of her life: [1] annunciation / incarnation; [2] passion and death of her Son; [3] Mediatrix and Queen in Heaven. Truly, her heart is sorrowful. The fact that she willingly suffers so much is one of the greatest signs of the immensity of her love. And by her suffering she gives us a perfect example of [...]

Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of MaryDVRodriguez2023-10-24T14:08:33-04:00

A Potent Collect Prayer

DVRodriguez2022-11-26T07:31:19-05:00

Draw your attention to the Church’s Collect Prayer in general and today in particular. We beg God for an increase of faith, hope and charity. We can’t grow in them based on our own will and effort. God promises them to us and they are His free gifts to us. Nevertheless, we must do our part to merit them. We also ask God to help us love His Commandments. Too often men erroneously view God’s law as burdensome; yet it is an expression of His love.

A Potent Collect PrayerDVRodriguez2022-11-26T07:31:19-05:00

Saintly Monarchs and Machiavellian Apostates

DVRodriguez2022-09-22T07:40:56-04:00

The Church recently celebrated two great monarchs: St. Louis IX of France and St Stephen of Hungary. What a great blessing for a nation to have a virtuous Catholic ruler! But what a curse it must be to have an bad [apostate] Catholic in power – as we do today. Apparently heeding Machiavelli's advice, he acts as if the ends justify the means and prefers to be feared than loved. He eschews natural and divine laws, following instead Alinsky's Rules for Radicals. His cruel methods serve to anger, hurt and polarize. Might this signal a twilight of 'The American Experiment?'

Saintly Monarchs and Machiavellian ApostatesDVRodriguez2022-09-22T07:40:56-04:00

Glowing Maternal Heart

DVRodriguez2021-09-06T08:11:02-04:00

There is a deep connection between Mary's Immaculate Heart and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Our Lady pondered and preserved in her heart all the wondrous events of her Son - especially His Passion (cf. Lk 2:19, 51). As a very real mother, Our Lady took note of the slightest details regarding her Son. Her heart is a sacred depository of God. Now Holy Mass makes all these mysteries - contained in her Immaculate Heart - present for us! We are meant to ponder and preserve the Passion, marvelous mysteries, and events of Christ's life. Imitate Mary thus and you [...]

Glowing Maternal HeartDVRodriguez2021-09-06T08:11:02-04:00

Nativity of Mary

svfonline2019-09-13T07:13:11-04:00

Holy Job, a grandson of Esau and a wealthy king of Edom, was blameless and upright for he feared God and shunned every sort of evil. We know of him through an ancient book authored by Moses. Job is best known for the suffering God allowed satan to inflict upon him, testing his faith and patience. He never spoke against God but did 'curse' the day he was born. In this vale of tears, many people can commiserate with him. Our Church in fact does not celebrate the natural birthdays of saints but their deaths, their birthdays into Heaven if you [...]

Nativity of Marysvfonline2019-09-13T07:13:11-04:00