Peter Judas and All Abandon Christ
DVRodriguez2023-04-17T07:04:04-04:00Meditation of the events once Our Lord is arrested. Peter's dilemma and denial. What of the other Apostles? Caiaphas rejection of God.
The Last Supper and Betrayal
DVRodriguez2023-04-17T07:04:40-04:00Meditation upon events from Holy Thursday. Friendship with our Lord and the Sacrament of Charity. Christ looks at Judas, the Betrayer. The agony in Gethsemane. The battle between Christ and satan.
When Is It Asking Too Much
DVRodriguez2023-04-03T14:37:27-04:00Things are now different in Passiontide. The Church covers up her saints? Why? She is merely following the spirit of her Master, who now covers up His glory. If Christ has nothing to give you, will you still follow Him? What are the limits of your love for Him? All that really matters is that we fall in love with Christ. This is the Catholic Faith. These two weeks define us as Catholics, how will you respond?
The Great Fast
DVRodriguez2023-03-13T07:50:24-04:00Consider the Transfiguration from the Apostles' point of the view. They perceive a coming struggle and prefer to stay where its comfortable. So Christ immediately ends the consolation. We want to be saints; we want great results; but, we flee from the struggle it requires. This is a natural problem, not just a spiritual one. We want everything to be fine and everyone to be nice. But there is no "ok" or "nice" when it comes to the Catholic soul. It takes hard men and women to break the Gates of Heaven. Lent is not so much a time to 'suffer' [...]
Key to the Beauty of Catholic Life
DVRodriguez2023-03-02T09:27:16-05:00For good or ill man desires that which is 'new.' This desire has lead to advances in civilization and destruction. Man also desires 'nostalgia.' The Greek root of this word means the pain from an old wound. Too often we look for what is new and avoid the old as we strive towards God. Yet the answers for the human soul lie not in something new but in the pain of a very old wound. You shall be restless until you rest in the Cross.
Will You Win the Battle Today?
DVRodriguez2023-02-05T12:43:15-05:00Preparation is the focal point of the Blessed Trinity's message to man. Christ first prepares His Apostles (come see where I live) and only afterwards does He send them out. The war is upon us (Islamic sword, the world, the devil). Yet wars are won in preparation. While you sit idle, the enemy prepares every day. You must have a relentless aggressive push against the world. Rest is not an option. Prepare and work continually. Only then will you be prepared to fight the battle.
The Difference Between Me and the Saints
DVRodriguez2022-11-29T12:55:59-05:00At the start of November we celebrate all the saints. For a time, they were ordinary men and women similar to us. They suffered from the same temptations, faults, discouragements, obstacles. So what did they do differently? Each of us has something we can get rid of that will make a huge difference. At our judgment, it's not about excuses or justifications. God keeps it simple: Why did you choose to not make that change. So examine yourself. You are supposed to be a saint. Decide now.
Be Bold
DVRodriguez2022-11-20T11:22:46-05:00We must be magnanimous souls! Three virtues that are so important for the Catholic in today's world are: [1] Humility. Dig into every detail of you life to see how you can serve God better. If you are not accusing yourself, you are excusing yourself. [2] Confidence in God. Catholic souls will only go out into the world, which we must do, when we know God is on our side. [3] Hope. Be ambitious in what you know God is asking you to do. Never look away from the mirror of self-sacrifice. Have the boldness to do things far greater than [...]
Concrete Spiritual Goals and Focus
DVRodriguez2022-11-07T12:39:23-05:00In the spiritual life, how clear are our goals and vision? These things define us; yet they require careful examination and determination. So often we are misdirected. We accept the devil’s lies that sanctity is not for me, that life is too unmanageable, and I can’t overcome my problems. What we need is passion: to love our vocation – even to the point of obsession.
What Price Are You Willing to Pay?
DVRodriguez2022-11-06T16:39:18-05:00What would you give to be with God? The reality is shocking, because most of us wouldn't give up much. Where are we going wrong? Do we misjudge the price or the prize or both? Is it because we don't perceive God with our senses? Is it because we lack true personal interaction? How God's heart must hurt on account of our hesitation. What will it take for us to want to be with God?