At the start of the year, it is especially appropriate to ask 'What have I been doing with all the time God has me? What have I been striving to attain?" God speaks to us, yet we are inundated in the world. We constantly face the temptation to live in a secular way. Pay attention to the liturgy at the start of the year. It provides four clear ways to correspond more faithfully to God's love.
Both Jesus' Name and the shedding of His Precious Blood manifest that Christ has come to save us. He gave His life for us, so as to gain our affection. The ingratitude of men is a great source of sorrow to Him and Our Blessed Mother. Consider how insufficient an effort we make to love Him in return. Resolve this new year to love Him more faithfully.
En el misterio de la epifanía Jesús revela su gloria: Él es Dios y nuestro Rey. El Divino Niño tambien se revela como nuestro Salvador derramando su Preciosa Sangre y dándonos la gracia de vivir y morir por Él. Como discípulos de Cristo, estamos llamados a creer en Él y a ser fieles a sus enseñanzas (que son las enseñanzas de la Iglesia). Todos los mártires dieron su sangre por la verdad; nosotros debemos estar dispuestos a sufrir por la verdad. La Iglesia honra a muchos mártires en este tiempo: SS. Pedro y Pablo, San Sebastián, Santa Inés, Santa Prisca, San [...]
La Navidad es gran fiesta del Corazón de María. De este corazón, mar vasto de gracias y un horno inmenso de amor, nació la Luz del mundo, el Salvador. El Niño Dios nos da el Corazón de su Santísima Madre para que podamos experimentar la inmensidad de su amor y corresponder a su amor a ejemplo de la Virgen María. Así tendremos compasión de los sufrimientos de Nuestro Señor, por ejemplo, los que padeció en los misterios de su infancia. Nuestro gran anhelo debe ser expresado por la oración de San Luis de Montfort: «Que no tenga otro corazón que el [...]
Durante la Navidad, hagamos el esfuerzo de considerar el amor inmenso que nuestro Salvador nos ha tenido al querer nacer pobre, rechazado y desconocido. A cambio, hagamos cuatro peticiones encaminadas a aumentar nuestro amor por Él. Pidamos la gracia de obedecer, agradar y desear sólo a Dios y de aceptar su voluntad en todos los asuntos. La Navidad es también una gran fiesta del corazón de María. Porque la Encarnación se debe en gran parte al amor, al deseo, a la humildad, a las oraciones y a la santidad del Corazón de María. Ahí tenemos el modelo de cómo debemos amar [...]
The Light of Christ comes to us through the Heart of Mary, which is a vast sea of grace and an immense furnace of love. As Christians, our mission is to love Jesus and His Church with the same love as Our Lady. So let us reflect – with Mary – upon the Divine Child in the mysteries of His infancy. In these mysteries, Christ offers us salvation and His divine love. Yet they are also filled with His sufferings. Contemplating them moves us to sorrow and compassion; to share in the love of Mary for Her Son. "O Mary, may [...]
God came unto His own and His own received Him not. Mary and Joseph spend these days in contemplation and expectation; what about the multitude? The vast majority of Catholics live the Christmas season in a pagan way. We are too busy in worldly affairs; Mary and Joseph were totally focused on Christ. If we reflect and focus on Jesus, with a sincere and holy disposition, He sanctifies us. In giving us His Mother, He is imprinting upon our souls love of Him after the example of the Heart of Mary.
This Christmas Season, make the same petitions as the saints. Thus will you better understand what it means to truly love Jesus. St. Alphonsus repeatedly prayed to obey God alone, to seek to please God alone, and to desire God more and more (even while others crave worldly goods and fortunes). May God dispose of me and my affairs as He wills. St. Louis de Montfort constantly prayed for the grace to imitate the Immaculate Heart of Mary. It was her heart which hastened the Incarnation, bringing the True Light to men. Reflect upon the fact that Christmas is a great [...]
We rejoice in the Lord because He is near. But we must also prepare for He is coming. God Himself teaches us that preparation is extremely important. The entire Old Testament is a great example of God's preparation. We could say preparation is one of the grand laws of the divine economy. This entire week, to prepare well, we beg God to move our hearts: "Stir up our hearts O Lord to prepare the ways of Thine Only Begotten Son." How well are we preparing?
Father Michael Rodríguez - 28th Ordination Anniversary Thou art a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. - Hebrews 7:17 8 December 2024. On this day, Father offered Our Blessed Mother, the Immaculate Conception, twenty-eight white roses. - One rose for each year of his priesthood; - White in honor of her perfect purity. Thou art all fair, O Mary, and the stain of Original Sin is not in thee. Thy garments are white as snow, and thy face is like the sun. Thou art the glory of Jerusalem; thou art the Joy of Israel; thou art the Honor of [...]
