The Life of Grace
DVRodriguez2023-09-16T09:43:27-04:00On the occasion of his niece's christening, Fr. Rodríguez invites us to consider the profound connection between Our Lady of Sorrows and the Sacrament of Baptism.
Easter, Baptism and Faith
DVRodriguez2021-04-26T08:33:41-04:00All the Gospels of the Easter Octave clearly have in common Our Lord's call to faith. This is of great significance. Christ exhorts us to truly place our faith in His passion, death and resurrection. In fact, with two words we can easily summarize the Church's focus during the Easter Season: Baptism and Faith. By Baptism we die and rise with Christ. What overcomes the world is our faith. A great danger is for the world to contaminate, and thereby overcome, our faith. To fight against such danger, pray for a lively faith and a greater devotion to Holy Communion. Know [...]
Baptism not Transhumanism
DVRodriguez2020-11-13T21:49:50-05:00Some elitist secular humanists are dreaming of a futuristic 'bionic man' who does not suffer, is filled with knowledge and has immortality. Yet this "transhuman" would not be divine; he'd be more like a 'walking smart phone.' The false promise of such an 'evolved being' reminds us of satan seducing Eve, 'You will be like gods.' No, such an artificial 'evolution' would make us more akin to preternatural demons. On the other hand, the baptized Catholic IS filled with the Holy Ghost and participates in the Divine Nature itself. Through grace, we don’t become simply spirits or angels, but we become divinized. At every Baptism, the Holy Ghost comes [...]
More Saving Patterns from Cana and Baptism
DVRodriguez2020-02-11T10:42:53-05:00Let us consider a few more patterns laid down by our Savior, as presented to us by Holy Mother Church, in Christmastide feasts: The Baptism of the Lord and the Wedding at Cana. (Both feasts are also part of the Mystery of Epiphany.) Note that Baptism [1] is the sure and clear way to Heaven; [2] brings about the indwelling of the Holy Ghost and habitual sanctifying grace; [3] and produces faith in the Triune God. The Wedding of Cana establishes patterns for validity in marriage, the purpose of marriage, and the importance of Our Lady and of sacrifice in marriage. [...]
Heresy of Apollinarianism and the Tilma
wpengine2024-12-20T12:26:04-05:00We have reason to rejoice in our Holy Mother: The Church and Our Lady. Mary is the perfect type of the Church. The miraculous tilma of Guadalupe points to numerous truths about the Church: She is divine, she is alive, Jesus lives in her, she is indestructible, she is sweet even as she corrects and reproves. We also recently celebrated Pope St. Damasus (+384), who battled an anti-pope, upheld the Sacred Scriptures, and condemned heresy. He defended the Person of Christ and His two natures. These truths dispel today's popular errors that animals may be resurrected, redeemed or have eternal souls.