Fr. Michael Rodriguez

Two brief daily Advent sermons. [1] St. Lucy is one of four Virgin Martyrs the Church honors at Advent begins. St Agatha appeared to her, cured her mother, and foretold her martyrdom. St. Lucy suffered terribly, as did St. Barbara St. Eulalia and St. Bibiana. During Advent, Holy Mother Church reminds us to keep watch, like the prudent virgins, for the coming of the Bridegroom. [2] On Ember Friday we hear, “Thou art near O Lord, and all Thy ways are truth” (Ps 118:151). Our Lord has willed to draw near to us through Mary, the “rod” of Isaias’ prophecy from [...]

The grace of Christmas is profound! May we always be in awe of God for the magnitude of this grace. Draw from this inexhaustible source of grace! - for we are all, in some way, weighed down by the darkness of sin. Seriously reflect [1] upon your own sin, [2] upon how Christ is the only true light, and [3] upon your need to pray for this light. I propose “twelve lights for Christmas” with the purpose of [1] helping you grow in the conviction that Jesus Christ is the light that you so much need, [2] and then to encourage you to [...]

Three brief daily sermons from the O Antiphon days In the beginning, before time began, when God decreed the ineffable mystery of the Incarnation of the Word, the Eternal Father also chose and prepared for His only-begotten Son, a mother. Thus we look to most holy Mary that we may imitate the same virtues with which she awaited the Word made flesh.. Let us consider Mary’s hope, which she had in the highest degree, by mediating upon the account of Mary and Joseph in the final days before the birth of the world’s Redeemer. When dangers best us, we take refuge [...]

Our Lord asks a most important question “What think you of Christ, whose Son is He?” Holy Mother Church answers “Thou art the Son of the Living God and the Son of Mary.” Invariably, every crisis, at its root, is Christological – a crisis in how one answers this question. One clear example is how many Catholics, including prelates, treat Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist without proper reverence, even blasphemously. Let us consider three points regarding Jesus as Son of Mary. [1] There is an unbreakable, intimate, extremely close union between Jesus and Mary. (2) This bond has been decreed by God from all eternity. [3] Jesus and Mary are inseparable. One can’t know Jesus or have a genuine relationship with Jesus apart [...]