Fr. Michael Rodriguez

The Key of Divine Treasures

DVRodriguez2025-03-23T10:13:19-04:00

God’s grace is absolutely necessary to perform any good work towards obtaining eternal life. The ordinary means for obtaining this grace is prayer. In general, God only gives His grace to those who ask for it and are disposed to receive it. Through the prayers selected for Lent, the Church is teaching us how to pray and prayer's great value. In prayer one 'sets himself apart' so as to be with God. The goal of prayer is to transform the heart and mind (conversion). By prayer, one offers his heart and mind to God.

The Key of Divine TreasuresDVRodriguez2025-03-23T10:13:19-04:00

We Have to Persevere

DVRodriguez2025-03-24T17:47:06-04:00

God calls us to conversion (a change of heart, intellect, and will). This conversion is not easy. We absolutely need God’s grace. One also needs to have faith and to do penance (prayer, fasting, almsgiving). All this comes from grace; so one must ask for these graces and continue to ask. The great and mysterious work of the Holy Ghost is to sanctify men’s souls via divine grace. He shows us what is good and virtuous. He strengthens us to do the good and avoid evil. Don’t let up asking for His help during Lent!

We Have to PersevereDVRodriguez2025-03-24T17:47:06-04:00

Cooperar con las Gracias Actuales

DVRodriguez2025-03-16T17:08:15-04:00

No recibamos la gracia de Dios en vano. La gracia santificante -la vida de Dios- nos da la vida eterna. Pero la gracia actual es una ayuda sobrenatural que Dios nos concede cada día para realizar nuestra salvación. Cuando cooperamos con la gracia, merecemos más gracias. Pero el abuso de la gracia de Dios nos impide recibir más gracias. Hay una relación directa entre la cantidad de gracia en nuestra alma cuando morimos y el nivel en el que experimentaremos la visión beatífica de Dios por toda la eternidad. Cada uno puede llegar a ser santo, pero hay que cooperar con [...]

Cooperar con las Gracias ActualesDVRodriguez2025-03-16T17:08:15-04:00

Conviértete a Mí de Todo Corazón

DVRodriguez2025-03-16T14:30:20-04:00

Esforzaos durante la Cuaresma por ser más fieles y comprometeros en la oración, el ayuno y la limosna. Convertíos al Señor Dios nuestro con ayuno, lloro y llanto. Señor Dios, ayúdanos a cambiar nuestro corazón, nuestra inteligencia y nuestra voluntad. Ayúdanos a crecer en nuestra estima y amor por la lex orandi lex credeni de la Santa Iglesia. Así nos asemejaremos más al corazón inmaculado de María.

Conviértete a Mí de Todo CorazónDVRodriguez2025-03-16T14:30:20-04:00

Two Most Important Mysteries

DVRodriguez2025-03-11T21:04:56-04:00

First class in a course taught by Father Rodríguez on the Foundations of the Christian Faith. Father discusses the two most foundational truths of the Catholic Faith. Every Catholic should know them and really believe them. (Father tests all his first communicants on these two points.) These two truths have innumerable consequences for how we live and how we practice the Faith. Knowing these principles helps us rebut those who ask "Well, where is that in the Bible?" or "The pope said such and such, so you have to accept it."

Two Most Important MysteriesDVRodriguez2025-03-11T21:04:56-04:00

Three Images for the Whole Year

DVRodriguez2025-03-08T14:18:28-05:00

Jesus was born in order to die for us. Colossians 3:17 aptly describes our fitting response. Three 'Christmas' images which help us keep this response in mind are: [1] The Blessed Mother offering her Son in sacrifice in the temple. [2] Jesus teaching the truth in the temple. [3] Jesus the King teaching from His cathedra. It is necessary to hear and transmit the teaching of Christ and to worship God rightly. Keeping these three images in your mind and heart will help you be faithful to God's grace and to grow in His grace.

Three Images for the Whole YearDVRodriguez2025-03-08T14:18:28-05:00

Cooperate with Actual Graces

DVRodriguez2025-03-03T17:29:18-05:00

Each of us struggles mightily with conversion. Let us not receive the grace of God in vain. Sanctifying grace – the life of God – gives us eternal life. Actual grace is a supernatural help which God bestows upon us daily to work out our salvation. When we cooperate with grace we merit more graces. But the abuse of God's grace prevents us from receiving further graces. There is direct relationship between the amount of grace in our soul when we die and the level at which we will experience the beatific vision of God for all eternity. God is faithful. [...]

Cooperate with Actual GracesDVRodriguez2025-03-03T17:29:18-05:00

My Son, Give Me Thy Heart

DVRodriguez2025-03-03T21:04:32-05:00

Septuagesima season is another example of the great need for us to recover our Catholic Faith. God is calling each of us to be converted to Him with all our heart [intellect & will]. Penitential practices – such as prayer, fasting and almsgiving – are meant to bring about this conversion. To give God our heart, we must be less attached to our own will (that's the biggest problem in all relationships). We also give him our heart by being faithful to the Church's lex orandi, lex credendi. In all this, we look to imitate the Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of [...]

My Son, Give Me Thy HeartDVRodriguez2025-03-03T21:04:32-05:00

Cinco Misterios de la Candelaria

DVRodriguez2025-02-28T10:37:12-05:00

La fiesta de la Candelaria pone en relieve: [1] Jesús es la Luz y la Salvación para todos hombre. [2] El ejemplo de Simeón. [3] Jesús nació para ser sacrificado. [4] Esforzarnos en cumplir la voluntad de Dios. [5] El papel de la Santísima Virgen María. Cristo obvaimente es la Luz y la Verdad, pero Dios desea que la Virgen lo entregue a los brazos de Simeón y luego de Ana.

Cinco Misterios de la CandelariaDVRodriguez2025-02-28T10:37:12-05:00

Five Mysteries of Candlemas

DVRodriguez2025-02-28T10:29:31-05:00

Bringing the Christmas season to its glorious conclusion, the feast of Candlemas emphasizes: [1] Jesus is the Light and Salvation for all men. [2] Simeon's example. [3] Jesus was born to be sacrificed. [4] Strive to fulfill the will of God. [5] The Blessed Virgin Mary's role. Christ is obviously the Light, but it is God's will that she place Him into the arms of Simeon and then of Anna.

Five Mysteries of CandlemasDVRodriguez2025-02-28T10:29:31-05:00