Fr. Michael Rodriguez

A string of four brief daily sermons on: [1] Christian Sanctity; [2] St. Dominic; [3] Our Lady of the Snows; and [4] St. Jean Marie Vianney.

St. Lawrence, Archdeacon of Rome, was martyred in 258 AD under Emperor Valerian. Pope St. Sixtus II was martyred three days before him, and St. Romanus, a soldier he converted, one day before. Three internal fires burned within this wondrous martyr: (1) The greatness of his faith, (2) ardent love of God, and (3) a true and pure knowledge of God.

We can glean three very important, and truly Catholic, spiritual lessons from today’s gospel. These three spiritual truths are of great practical help in our personal sanctification and in facing the terrible crisis of faith within the Church today. [1] Fix your mind and heart on eternity. [2] Strive in all things to conform yourself to the holy will of God. [3] Meditate upon the grandeur and majesty of God and your own misery and nothingness. One of the distinguishing characteristics of society in our time is mockery and hostility towards the things of God. Our faith is opposed to the world and so we must be very wary of [...]

Four of the greatest disciples of the Sacred Heart are the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. John the Apostle, St. Gertrude the Great and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. The Sacred Heart is the principal sign of the infinite Love of our Savior. All devotion to the Sacred Heart is given to Christ Himself and we therefore ought to offer supreme worship to the Sacred Heart. The aim and purpose of such devotion is to make our hearts like unto His own. We wish to reciprocate the love of Our Lord and stir up in our souls appropriate acts enlivened by that Love, such as acts of adoration, thanksgiving, reparation, [...]

Devotion to the Sacred Heart is the devotion of all devotions. From 1673-1675, Our Lord disclosed the marvels and unfathomable secrets of His love to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. This devotion has seven principal aims: [1]Love; [2] Reparation; [3] Veneration; [4] Confidence; [5] Increase of Love for the Father, [6] Establish the Reign of His Sacred Heart; and [7] Pour out the Treasures of His Sacred Heart. The first four are affections to arouse within our own heart. The latter three are fruits of this devotion, its ultimate ends. Essential to this devotion is that we contemplate the Sacred Heart. Only thus will we grow in our love and reparation towards Him. We can learn the heart [...]

First Holy Communion Sermon. Using the examples of Bl. Jacinta Marto of Fatima and Mother Mariana of Quito, we recall fundamental truths regarding Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Our Lady, the Mother of God, brings her Son to us. In the love of Christ, we can endure all suffering. If we remain faithful to our baptismal vows, then by God's grace, we shall attain eternal salvation.

The Transfiguration in Lent. Seeing Christ’s glory is the promise that awaits those who do prayer and penance. It is love for our Lord that should drive our prayer and penance. To help motivate us during the season of Lent in furthering those two objectives, let us consider seven revelations of the glory of Our Lord: [1] to Ss. Peter, James and John, [2] to St. Paul, [3]to St. Catherine of Alexandria, [4] to St. Gertrude the Great, [5] to St. Catherine of Siena, [6] to St. Vincent Ferrer, [7] and to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque.

The three hallmarks of Lent are prayer, penance and conversion.Fundamentally, conversion means moving from love of self to love of God. It means renouncing one’s own senses, passions, judgments, and will. It is never easy because our strongest inclination is towards love of self. Yet the only thing that brings true joy is a real and ongoing conversion. And all of us are always in dire need of conversion. Conversion is a grace, for which we must pray and which is not possible without penance. Here are seven examples of true Christian joy that ought to inspire us toward conversion. Each [...]

In a particular way the month of March is dedicated to St. Joseph. It is a time when we should foster a more fervent devotion to him. We may consider six of his glorious offices, his primacy of office, and our reliance on him (exemplified by St. Teresa of Avila). Let us pray that he intercede for the Church and help us grow in the virtues of purity, charity, humility, obedience, love of silence and conformity to God’s will. Note: Four brief daily sermons are linked as one in this audio file.

A reflection upon the first two sorrows of our Blessed Mother: [1] The Prophecy of Simeon, 'thy own soul a sword shall pierce' and [2] The Flight into Egypt, when Joseph arose and escaped with the Child and His mother by night, for Herod enviously sought to destroy the Child. Note: Two brief daily reflections are linked as one in this audio file.