Beggar for Heaven

Fr. Corpai

2011-06-18T16:36:00.000-07:00

This morning I discovered that Fr. John Corapi had made the decision to leave the priesthood and instead begin his new "career/ministry" under the name of "Black-Sheep-Dog". At first I thought it was some kind of sick joke, but after visiting several Catholic websites as well as several Catholic blogs, this sick joke, was apparently true!

I can specifically remember listening to one of Fr. Corapi's cd's where he spoke about spiritual warfare. He quoted a passage from the "Spiritual Combat" written by the Theatine priest, Lorenzo Scupoli. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Lorenzo Scuppoli, suffice it to say: he was a holy priest who was accused of some wrong doing, we dont know exactly what, but because of it he was imprisoned for a year. After being released from prison, Scupoli was exhonarated of any wrong doing, but his priestly faculties were suspended, therefore he became a lay brother within his Order. For ten years he served as a lay brother - he was obedient, zealous and was known to be a man of intense prayer. He never spoke out against those who accussed him of wrong doing nor complained of being a lay brother, rather he accepted his cross and offered it up to Christ Crucified. From this trial and suffering he wrote the "Spiritual Combat," a true spiritual classic.

What saddens me the most about this whole mess with Fr. Corapi is not how our Bishops handle those priests accussed of misconduct nor Fr. Corapi's nine minute eerie video, but the fact that he often encouraged us to "offer up" our daily crosses to Christ and to accept from the hands of Our Heavenly Father, come what may. Instead of following the example of Lorenzo Scupoli ,who was a faithful son of the Church, he followed the way of the world, which denies the cross and ignores the simple spiritual statement, "offer it up!"

God bless!

Good Friday

2010-04-02T19:25:00.000-07:00

The cross is the gateway to Heaven!

We adore you O' Christ and we praise You because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

Because of work I was not able to attend Good Friday services, but I was able to visit my local parish and spend some quiet time with the Lord. As I contemplated Christ on the Cross it became very clear to me why the saints regarded the Passion and the Cross as the ultimate school of love.

Through the crucifixion it is possible to learn everything about the spiritual life. Therefore, we
should frequently reflect upon the crucifixion and discover the power and beauty of the three theological virtues: faith, hope and charity.

God bless!

Holy Thursday

2010-04-01T19:09:00.000-07:00

Today we are called to celebrate the institution of the Holy Eucharist as well as the Priesthood.
Both are gifts from God!

Without the priesthood there can be no Eucharist and without the Eucharist we - that is Catholics - become another branch of Christianity amongst a see of denominations and sects. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life, we must never forget this.

Let us always give thanks to God for the gift of the Eucharist and Priesthood.

Most Holy Trinity I adore Thee, My God, my God, I love you in the Blessed Sacrament!

God bless!

Day 42 of Lent

2010-03-30T17:34:00.001-07:00

I cant believe that several days have past since I posted a "brief" on my blog.
Time seems to be accelerating quickly as we move from the season of Lent into the season of Easter.

I was reading an article this morning about the recent media attacks upon the Pope - dealing with the abuse scandals - and the Church. It's Holy Week so I guess one cant wonder too much as to why these attacks are happening now rather than later.

Christ promised that His Church would survive and how the gates of hell would not prevail against it. The way things are going in this world and within the Church, I wonder if we are not beginning to see an outbreak of persecution against the Pope and the Church on a scale that Catholics have not seen since the early 20th century, with the rise of fascism and communism.

Let us all pray for our Holy Father, Benedict 16th and holy Mother Church!

God bless.

Day 39 of Lent

2010-03-27T15:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was browsing through a book on the spiritual life. The author made an excellent point about prayer. He wrote that we should have a routine when praying. Not so much a schedule but rather a routine that one can stick by in order to maintain consistency within one's prayer life.

This is definitely sound advice. Having a routine eliminates confusion and wasting precious minutes determining what tools you will use to pray and in what manner you will pray.

God bless!

Day 38 of Lent

2010-03-26T21:12:00.000-07:00

Today I began my preparation of Total Consecration to Jesus thru Mary by St. Louis Marie de Montfort. I will make my consecration in the later part of April on St. Louis' feast day.

Today I reflected on Christ's command to be the salt of the earth and a light to the world. The only way I can be either is to remain in a state of grace. Without God's grace I become tasteless and lightless.

God bless!

Day 37 of Lent

2010-03-25T19:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Feast day Mother!

Today the Church and all Catholic's celebrate the feast of the Annunciation.
This is one of my favorite Marian feast day's, for it always reminds me that Mary + the Holy Spirit = Jesus. Our Lady's "yes" is a awesome example of how we are called to say "yes" to God's Will in our daily lives.

I have found it difficult to pray today. Since this morning I have been struggling with settling down and saying my prayers. Ignatius of Loyola says during times like these one needs to increase their prayers, unfortunately I usually remember spiritual advise such as this after the fact.

God bless!

Day 36 of Lent

2010-03-24T19:31:00.000-07:00

I believe it is true that we cannot blame our sins entirely on the devil or evil spirits. The saying, "the devil made me do it," holds some truth, but it is important to remember that we have been given "free will," by God.

I am a firm believer that the devil and his minions are real and active in our world today. But when it comes to sin we should first point the finger at ourselves before we put the blame on the devil.

Blaming everything on the devil can be an easy escape from looking deep within our hearts and souls and trying to discover why I committed the sin(s) I did. Unless we seek the light of the Holy Spirit we will never repent of the evil we have done nor will we truly seek God's mercy and forgiveness.

God bless!

Day 35 of Lent

2010-03-23T20:31:00.000-07:00

Its been one of those days!

You know the kind - fast paced, no time to sit down or take a deep breath, exhausting and with one goal in mind, place your head on a pillow. I know when I wake up tomorrow morning to meet the new day, hoping that it is the weekend and discovering it is not, I will get up regardless and make the sign of the cross.

I have had days like this over the Lenten season and will have more, nevertheless days like this are good, because they remind me that I must not put faith in myself, but faith in God.

God bless!

Day 34 of Lent

2010-03-22T21:22:00.000-07:00

The other night I watched a small segment of a television program which focused on people who hoard "things."

From what I watched this sickness has turned their lives upside down and their homes/apartments into a virtual junkyard. One thought that crossed my mind about the people highlighted on the episode I saw, was how hoarding "things" gave them a sense of security.

We all want to feel secure and safe. I know I do. But ultimately, I must remind myself that security and safety comes from God alone. No one else, or anything else, can give you the type of security that Our Heavenly Father can give you.

God bless!

day 32 of lent

2010-03-20T15:32:00.000-07:00

On this fifth Sunday of Lent, Our Lord once more has made me aware of His mercy and love. He has also reminded me that just as He is merciful, I too, as His disciple, am called to be merciful and forgiving.

It is not an easy task, but one I must embrace if I am to imitate Christ.

God bless!

Day 31 of Lent

2010-03-19T16:12:00.001-07:00

Due to unforeseen circumstances I was not able to write my blog yesterday, but since it is Friday and I have a few minutes of free time I thought I would go ahead and write.

Today is the feast day of St. Joseph! Happy Feast day St. Joseph!
I would like to clarify that it is not the feast day of St. Joseph the worker, as speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi believes - that feast day is May 1st. Today is the feast day of St. Joseph the husband of Mary.

I do wish speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi would confer with someone that has at least a grade school education in the Catholic faith to get her facts straight. This reminds me of her beautiful diatribe about how Americans should use contraceptives and limit family size which would supposedly help the economy. Take it from one who knows, kids are what makes the economy thrive - just ask out contractor, car sales man, the local Target store and everyone in between.

Calling upon St. Joseph to intercede for a health bill that willfully supports abortion and God knows what else is complete ignorance.

If there is a lesson to be learned it is this: study your faith, but more importantly practice it as it was meant to be practiced.

God bless!

Day 29 of Lent

2010-03-17T20:54:00.000-07:00

Today has been one of those non-stop days. Since there has been very little down time for me, I have had to momentarily pause here and there to speak with Jesus.

At various times today, I have offered Him my daily duty, at other times I have prayed for patience. and at other times I have given Him thanks. The spiritual term for this is, "practicing the presence of God."

There have been days, more than I care to remember, which have been hectic and I have not reached out to God. On such days, I normally have an emotional meltdown. But when I speak to Jesus, even briefly, as I did today, I receive the grace and courage to accept my cross - whatever form that may take - and live within His light and His love.

God bless.

Day 28 of Lent

2010-03-16T17:41:00.000-07:00

Right now I am reading about the events that took place at Fatima Portugal, over 90 years ago.

The message of Fatima, in my opinion, is the message of the Gospel in capsule form. Our Lady confirmed to the three shepherd children: that sin offends God, that the daily recitation of the Rosary is essential to growth in holiness, that hell is a reality, that offering God our daily duties, sacrifices and crosses can help save sinners and how in the end her Immaculate Heart will triumph.
This is Heaven's peace plan for the world!

The message delivered by Our Lady of the Rosary at Fatima, should remind us that the life we lead here on earth will determine where we spend eternity.

God bless!

Day 27 of Lent

2010-03-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

There is a culture war being waged against the disciples of Christ!

It's amazing to me, and even shocking, how those who profess to be followers of Christ have no issues regarding the books they read, the movies they watch, etc...

At this moment in history the culture we live in cannot be considered Christian friendly. The toxic moral waste that is spreading throughout society is sucking Christ's light right out of the hearts and minds of his disciples. This in turn is transforming many into apostles of mediocrity, rather than apostles of zeal and fire.

I don't believe there is an easy remedy to this problem, but possibly a good place to start is studying and praying the Apostles Creed!

God bless.

Day 26 of Lent

2010-03-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

4th Sunday of Lent -

At Mass today, I heard the beautiful parable of the Prodigal Son. This parable is a constant reminder of how much God love's me and how merciful He is. I truly am blessed to have such an awesome Father.

Our God is a merciful God!

God bless!

Day 25 of Lent

2010-03-13T12:39:00.000-08:00

From being wet and cold yesterday, this Saturday offers blue skies and semi-warm temperatures.
It's a glorious day, but it is still Lent!

One topic that has come to the forefront of my thoughts today has been that of, "truth versus lying." The eighth commandment warns us about "misrepresenting the truth in our relations with others." Since God is the source of all truth, "we His children are called to live in the truth."

Jesus Himself said, "I am the way, the truth and the life."
To live in Jesus and have Jesus live in us, we must be people of "truth." It is easy to lie and the more one lies, the easier it becomes.

I must remember that one of the titles, Jesus gives satan, is the "father of lies." To lie is to participate in satan's game plan. Its that simple!

To live in the light of Christ, is to live in His truth.
Jesus, bless me with the grace to tell the truth.

God bless!

Day 24 of Lent

2010-03-12T16:34:00.001-08:00

Its Friday and the weather man was right - wet and breezy.
During my lunch break I spent a bit of time reflecting upon the holy wounds of Jesus.

These wounds which shone like the bright sun when Jesus visited St. Margaret Mary in the 17th century, are flames of charity which reveal Christ's love for humanity.

The wounds made by the nails that were driven through Jesus' hands and feet, fastening Him to the cross, are doorways to holiness. Within these wounds you will find strength and virtue as well as a shield to repel the flaming arrows of the evil one.

I don't think many Catholics meditate or pray to the Holy Wounds these days, maybe it is considered outdated or old fashioned, but I guarantee you those who think so are totally off. The Holy Wounds are a spiritual treasure, full of power and light. Offered to the Father, the Holy Wounds rain upon sinful humanity the pardon and mercy of the Most Holy Trinity.

"Eternal Father, we offer you the wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to heal those of our souls."
"My Jesus pardon and mercy, through the merits, of Thy Holy Wounds."

God bless!

Day 23 of Lent

2010-03-11T17:14:00.000-08:00

I am currently reading a book on the life of St. Martin de Porres, published by TAN books.

Though I have only read the first 40 pages, I am amazed at St. Martin prayer life. On the one hand it seems so unreal, but on the other hand it is truly beautiful and holy.

I can see numerous similarities between Martin's prayer life and the prayer life practiced by St. Peter Claver.

One aspect of Martin's prayer life that stands out, and also stood out when I read the life of Peter Claver, is the nightly vigils they kept. Both saints slept very little because they spent hours praying during the quiet of the night into the early morning. Both saints were also blessed with the grace of contemplative prayer where they would be so wrapped up in God's love, that they were oblivious to what was happening around them.

Like the morning, praying at night is a awesome time to pray. What an great witness St. Martin is to the transforming power and glory of prayer.

God bless!

Day 22 of Lent

2010-03-10T16:53:00.000-08:00

Christ crucified can teach us many lessons about the spiritual life. One lesson in particular that the crucifixion can teach us is the value of "patience."

Our Lord, never lost His patience while He hung upon the cross, suspended between Heaven and earth. He was always in control!

While suffering the most humiliating and painful death, Jesus cried to the Father: "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do." He told the good thief, "Today, you will be with me in paradise." He also said to His mother and the beloved disciple, "behold your son, son behold your mother."

If Jesus could be patient throughout His crucifixion, why cant I within my home, my workplace and my social surroundings?

God bless!

Day 20 of Lent

2010-03-08T19:24:00.000-08:00

This morning, to my delightful surprise, I noticed that it was the feast day of St. John of God.

John lived a very interesting life. He served in the army, was a shepherd, sold catholic books and religious items and even spent time in a mental institution. In fact, he did not discover his true vocation until he was in his forties.

John's religious vocation took the form of helping the poor and sick in the city of Granada. Whenever I think of St. John, I think of (Jn. 13:3-16), where Jesus washes the feet of His disciples.

Like Jesus, John washed away the poverty and the sickness of those whom society rejected. He cared for, and loved, the sick and suffering in imitation of Jesus.

If there is one lesson St. John of God can teach me it is this: to stop thinking about myself and instead, to start thinking about my neighbor..

God bless!

Day 19 of Lent

2010-03-07T19:28:00.000-08:00

In today's Gospel Jesus tells a parable of the fig tree.

In this parable, the owner of the vineyard wants to cut down the fig tree because it is barren, it is not producing figs. But the "vine dresser" steps forward and intercedes for the fig tree by telling the owner he will care for it and help it bear fruit.

Long ago a priest once told me that he recognized in this parable, Christ as the "owner", and the Blessed Virgin Mary as the "vine dresser."

We should never forget the role that Our Lady/Mother plays in our salvation. She intercedes for us, and does her very best to cultivate virtue and holiness within our hearts and souls so that we, unlike the fig tree, may bear fruit for the Kingdom.

During this Lenten season I have tried, and will continue to try, to turn to Our Lady, begging her to help me repent and believe in the Gospel.

God Bless!

Day 18 of Lent

2010-03-06T15:30:00.000-08:00

Recently, I finished reading a book on "prayer." Though the majority of the book was a beautiful meditation on the Our Father, which is the greatest of prayers next to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the author responded to questions people normally have about the life of prayer.

One question he responded to, dealt with the relationship between work and prayer. In my opinion the author made a valid argument against those people who believe that daily labor or even the apostolate can substitute for authentic prayer.

It is very easy to fill our day with endless activities while neglecting to pray. This is one reason why many people who are engaged in apostolic activity or just the ordinary grind of daily life, lose steam and find themselves drifting far from the faith and far from God.

To grow closer to God and to set our hearts aflame with love for Jesus and neighbor one must spend ample time each day in prayer. Of course for many of us this is not easy, but then again who ever said being a disciple of the Lamb of God would ever be easy.

God bless!

Day 17 of Lent

2010-03-05T16:50:00.000-08:00

Today is the first Friday of the Month, a day which is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Early tomorrow morning I am scheduled to participate in Eucharistic adoration. I have been going to Eucharistic adoration for several years now and I am always looking forward to spending time with Jesus, even though I must admit that getting up in the early (am) can be a bit rough at times.

On Friday's, whether its Lent or not, I tend to make my daily reflection on the Crucifixion. There are many dimensions of the spiritual life that issue forth from Christ's suffering and death on the cross. The one dimension that I am drawn to, that never grows old, is that of charity.

With outstretched arms Christ bids all souls to come to Him and experience His love and mercy. The cross impels me to love God and neighbor and to recognize that love is not about feelings, but instead, love is about sacrifice.

God bless!

Day 16 of Lent

2010-03-04T17:44:00.000-08:00

This morning while getting my morning coffee, I pulled the curtains back in the kitchen and could immediately forecast a beautiful day. The sun was rising over the eastern mountain range and there was not a cloud in the sky. It would be a sunny and cool day. Awesome!

Little did I know what was awaiting me!

After saying goodbye to my wife, I closed the front door, got in my car, - ready for my day at work - put the key into the ignition, turned the key and nothing happened. I turned the key two more times and still nothing happened. I left my "dead" car in the driveway and took the family van to work.

On top of my car dying, my lower back has been aching me all day long and my day at the office was anything but peaceful. Its days like this that I must remember that Christ calls me to pick up my cross and follow Him.

Just like no one is exempt from the attacks of the devil, no Catholic is exempt from the cross.

In order for me to imitate Jesus, I must carry my cross daily with patient resignation and total faith.

Holy Mother of God, strengthen me to carry the crosses Jesus sends my way!

God bless!

Day 15 of Lent

2010-03-03T19:04:00.000-08:00

While visiting several of my favorite Catholic websites today, I came across an article that dealt with the chief exorcist of Rome, Fr. Gabriel Amorth. From what I read, Fr. Amorth, who recently published a book of his memoirs, wrote about satanic sects residing within the Vatican and how some priests, monsignors and cardinals were involved in these sects.

Of course this news item caught my attention and from what I read has caught the attention of many others. Whether the revelations are true or not, I do hope Fr. Amorth is mistaken about satanic cults existing within the Vatican, this story is a powerful reminder that 1) satan exists, and 2) no one is exempt from his attacks.

We should remember what St. Peter wrote, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."

God bless!

Day 14 of Lent

2010-03-02T15:56:00.000-08:00

The Second Vatican Council reminds the laity that they are a pilgrim people who are traveling toward the heavenly city!

Unfortunately, I am often guilty of forgetting that my true home is not here on earth, but rather is in Heaven. With the hustle and bustle of daily life I lose sight of the fact, that I am a pilgrim whose destination is not the next town or country, but my Father's heavenly home.

This Lenten journey 2010, has slowly opened my eyes to the realization that I cannot get so caught up with the events of daily life, as hard as that may be, but rather need to remind myself that my time on earth is a time of preparation for eternity with God.

God bless!

Day 13 of Lent

2010-03-01T16:43:00.000-08:00

There is nothing new to report today. It was a quiet Monday on the spiritual front!

Like all journey's there always seems to be days that are uneventful or just plain ordinary, and today was one of those days.

I am still trying to incorporate a little more silence into my prayer life. It's hard when time constraints seem to be a real issue. What can one do, except try! Silence is important and necessary. Prayer is not just about talking to God, but is also about listening to Him.

One word that I have encountered several times since Lent began is the word, "fidelity." Fidelity means, "the quality of being faithful." I have had to ask myself, and will continue to ask myself during Lent, whether my fidelity to Jesus Christ is authentic or needs improvement.

God bless!

Day 12 of Lent

2010-02-28T13:00:00.001-08:00

The Gospel reading for today: "The Transfiguration" was very profound and uplifting, but what really hit me was the reading from St. Paul's letter to the Phillipians, Chapter 3.

St. Paul writes about the enemies of the cross and how their "shame is their glory." When I heard that line, I could not help but think about people who are proud of their sinful lives. These same people boast about their sins as though God did not exist or that what they have done is in no way immoral.

The doorway to salvation is the cross. People forget that Good Friday comes before Easter Sunday. The same people who embrace their shame as their glory could be classified as enemies of the cross. And if they are enemies of cross they surely cannot be friends of the resurrection.

Our Lady of Fatima, requested that we pray for the conversion of poor sinners. During this Lenten season I will make an extra effort to pray for sinners especially those who boast of their sinfulness.

God bless!

Day 11 of Lent

2010-02-27T12:34:00.000-08:00

Today I will go to confession.

This morning I made a thorough examination of conscience, using as my guide the 10 commandments and 7 deadly sins. Even though two weeks has elapsed since I last went to confession, sins have a tendency to pile up, if you know what I mean.

Last night, my wife and I finished watching the movie, "Collision." We both enjoyed this BBC drama. In my opinion the theme of the movie was how one person's decision to act or decision not to act can cause a chain of events that affect the lives of others.

Is this not how sin works? So many people believe that sin is personal. They don't see how the sins they commit, affect others. When you commit sin it is like taking a stone and throwing it into the middle of a pond. Once the stone hits the water it causes a ripple effect. This same principle applies to sin.

Let us stop fooling ourselves and realize that sin affects not only ourselves, but others and even more importantly affects Jesus, who died on the cross for our salvation.

God bless.

Day 10 of Lent

2010-02-26T16:39:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning hoping against all hope that it was Saturday, but soon realized, as I shut off my alarm, that it was only Friday and I had to get up and get ready for work.

Every morning, after I get dressed and take a few large gulps of coffee to wake up, I pray the "morning offering." There are various versions of the offering that many Catholics use, but my favorite is the traditional morning offering, used by the "Apostleship of Prayer" which I am proud to be a member of. The prayer goes:

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, reparation for sin, and the reunion of all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our bishops and of all Apostles of Prayer, and in particular for those recommended by our Holy Father this month.

This beautiful prayer sustains me throughout the day and reminds me that everything I do, if done with the right attitude and disposition, will not only give glory to God, but help me become a saint.

If you do not pray the "morning offering" or some version of it, I recommend that you begin today. It will not only please Jesus, but will help you grow in the love and mercy of God.

God bless!

Day 9 of Lent

2010-02-25T18:51:00.000-08:00

My morning meditation focused on eternity!

One day St. Teresa explained to her nuns that, "we have but one soul, and if that is lost , all is lost,..." It is a hard truth to accept that once a soul steps into the realm of mortal sin, it not only becomes consumed by darkness, but has lost the chance at eternity with God, unless of course one repents and receives absolution through the sacrament of reconciliation.

One of the meditations that I reflect on periodically, calls me to recognize that all lives follow two paths, the first path leads to Heaven while the second path leads to Hell. This meditation is founded upon the words of Christ, who said, "Enter the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (Mt. 6:13-14)

In my opinion, focusing on eternity helps me understand the simple truth that "only" two roads exist, one will lead me to the beautific vision while the other to despair and darkness.

God bless!

Day 8 of Lent

2010-02-24T16:29:00.000-08:00

Today the Lord taught me a valuable lesson! What did I learn? I learned that less is better than more.

When it comes to prayer, I have the tendency to bite off more than I can chew. In other words, I want to pray a great deal without taking into consideration that my vocation and mission in life is not that of a monk or hermit.

Prayer is not about quantity, but quality!

Through several events, I wont bore you with the details, Jesus taught me that I should not take stock of how many prayers I say or meditations I make, but to make sure that when I do say my prayers and make my meditations I do so - slowly, attentively and reverently.

God bless!

Day 7 of Lent

2010-02-23T16:21:00.000-08:00

During my lunch break I went to the local Church and spent some time with Jesus.
The Church, which is on the small side, although not too small, was empty, which is usually the case when I visit Our Lord.

As I said my prayers and remained quiet in the presence of Jesus, I became aware of how privileged I was to be in the presence of the second person of the Holy Trinity. I know, at times, I take Jesus for granted, especially when visiting Him during the day. When entering a Church, I must be more aware of Who resides in the tabernacle and recognize what an awesome grace it is to spend time with the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

God bless!

Day 6 of Lent

2010-02-22T18:47:00.000-08:00

Since beginning my Lenten blog I have not given an update as to how I am living out my spiritual map, traveling over the 7 mountains I listed on Ash Wednesday.

Though I cannot take any credit for it, by God's grace, I am doing well. Over the past six days I have daily: made the stations of the cross, prayed the five Sorrowful mysteries, read the Gospel account - in small doses - of the Passion, and have also done my best to make a good examination of conscience.

Since listing the 7 spiritual mountains, I have been also been praying over the seven sorrows that pierced Our Lady's Immaculate Heart and have daily reflected upon the seven last words of Christ.

Of course my reflections and prayers are brief, nevertheless they are slowly helping me recognize how much Jesus and His Mother Mary love me and how I am called to live a life of fidelity, faith and charity.

God bless!

Day 5 of Lent

2010-02-21T14:31:00.001-08:00

Today is the 1st Sunday of Lent!

Like every Catholic who went to Mass today, or even last night, we heard the Gospel account of how Christ, before beginning His public ministry, was tempted in the desert by satan. The homily I heard was very good, the celebrant focused on the theme of faith/trust in God. Unfortunately, he never once referred to the Gospel story that was proclaimed nor made reference to the enemy of souls, nor temptation.

I guess more can be deduced from what is not said, than what is said.

In my opinion, every Catholic needs to be reminded that satan is a reality and not a figment of the medieval imagination. Satan is the father of lies and a murderer from the beginning. His whole game plan is focused on preventing souls from entering Heaven. By acknowledging the existence of satan and recognizing his mission we can take steps to remain friends with God and keep the "enemy" at bay.

I want to wish my new nephew, Frank, a Happy Birthday!
My prayer for you is:
May the holy angels watch over you.
May the Immaculate Heart of Mary, guide you.
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy upon you.
And may St. Peter Damien, intercede for you.
Amen!

Day 4 of Lent

2010-02-20T11:10:00.000-08:00

Today was a very special day because my eight year old daughter received the sacrament of reconciliation for the very first time. In May she will make her first communion.

As the children lined up to go to confession, I looked at the other parents sitting in the pews waiting anxiously. I wondered how many of the parents went to confession on a regular basis? Both my wife and I go at least once a month, I more frequently since I am the greater sinner. My wife and I definitely try to make the sacrament of reconciliation a priority in our spiritual lives.

I had a thought... In order to encourage more parents to go to confession regularly why not require them to go to confession prior to their children. Not only would it open the door for parents to receive God's mercy and love in a special way, but it would allow them to stand out as witnesses to the importance and relevance of this beautiful sacrament.

God bless!

Day 3 of Lent

2010-02-19T16:24:00.001-08:00

Today at work, my department, remembered a co-worker who passed away a year or so ago from cancer.

This day of remembrance also helped me reflect upon the first "reality" of what we Catholics would traditionally call the "Last Four Things," death.

If there is one thing in this world that is a sure bet, it is that each one of us will one day die. As Our Good Lord said, "no one knows the day nor the hour," therefore we should always be ready to meet God face to face.

One principle that has helped me prepare for death, is to live my day as though it were my last. As I have discovered, it is not an easy principle to put into practice, but on those rare occasions when I have, I tend to pray more devoutly, perform my daily duties with greater patience and resignation and practice a greater degree of charity.

Of course I have a long way to go before I can put this principle into motion on a regular basis, so maybe I should use this Lenten season as a spring board to consistently get into the habit of living my day as though it were my last?...

Day 2 of Lent

2010-02-18T18:09:00.000-08:00

Our God is a God of surprises and blessings!

This morning at work my supervisor approached me and handed me a beautiful medal of John Paul II. He received the medal when visiting St. Peter's square and later that same day the Pope blessed it. What a wonderful and awesome gift!

Of course I thanked my supervisor for the medal, which I am currently wearing around my neck, and pondered the spiritual significance behind it. After considerable reflection, I came to the conclusion that Jesus wants me to use John Paul II as another guide, beside St. Alphonsus Ligouri, for my Lenten journey.

I have now placed John Paul II, along with St. Alphonsus, upon the 4th mountain. As a wise man once said, "the more the merrier!"

Today, St. Alphonsus reminded me that Jesus' love for me is so great, that he offered Himself up to the Father for my redemption and salvation.

See you all tomorrow...

Ash Wednesday

2010-02-17T19:11:00.000-08:00

Day 1 -

In today's liturgical readings, the Church, reminds me of the three pillars of Lent:
1) Almsgiving
2) Fasting
3) Prayer
Of course they would be the three things I have most difficulty with, but with God's grace nothing is impossible!

During my lunch break I went to a local parish and visited Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
I asked the Lord to grant me a spiritual map to use as a guide during my Lenten journey, the map I received consisted of seven mountains --
Mountain number 1: pray the sorrowful mysteries each day.
Mountain number 2: make the stations of the cross.
Mountain number 3: read the Passion narrative from the Gospels.
Mountain number 4: have St. Alphonsus Ligouri be my guide.
Mountain number 5: Live in the present moment, not in the past and not in the future.
Mountain number 6: Have a special devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows.
Mountain number 7: Make a good examination of conscience every night.

So there you have it. My spiritual map for Lent.
More to follow...

40 days of Lent with Brian

2010-02-16T19:47:00.000-08:00

Spiritual Fragments --

For the next 40 days, starting tomorrow - February 17th - Ash Wednesday - I will daily jot down reflections, spiritual insights, happenings and everything in between about my spiritual journey through the season of Lent.

God bless and see you tomorrow!

The Spiritual Combat

2010-01-01T13:16:00.000-08:00

In our darkening and immoral society, Catholics must understand that they are in a war! This war, which began in Bethlehem when the Eternal Word became flesh and will end when the King of Kings and Lord of Lords returns with the Heavenly Host to judge the nations, pits the army of satan against the army of Our Heavenly Mother.

The question that each Catholic is confronted with at the beginning of this New Year is: What banner do you wish to fight under? The banner of the Immaculate Heart or the black banner with skull, crossbones and pitchfork.

Each one of us must decide! Not to decide is playing into the hands of the enemy.

Make this New Year a Holy Year! If you are a prisoner of war, wounded by serious sin, go to confession and once again take up the banner of Our Lady's Immaculate Heart. If you are a faithful soldier, keep fighting the good fight and remain in a state of grace. Souls depend upon it!

Happy New Year!

God bless,

Brian.

A New Year with the Mother of God

2010-01-01T11:21:00.000-08:00

Mary Most Holy

Reflection:

Holy Mother of God

My Mother

My Love

Fair and Pure

We pray to Thee:

Guide us this New Year

Lead us to Thy Son

Deliver us from all evil!

Strengthen us in faith, hope and charity

Make us into Living Flames of Love

Mother we love you!

Amen

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T08:30:00.000-08:00

I want to wish all my brothers and sisters in Christ a Merry Christmas!
Please don't forget amongst all the gift giving, eating and happiness this day brings, that the real meaning of Christmas is Jesus Christ!

Why did Jesus enter time and take on human nature? Three words - God loves us!

Merry Christmas!
God bless,

Brian.

A Christmas Reflection

2009-12-24T08:12:00.000-08:00

Eternal Word of the Father
Heavenly Light dispelling all darkness and gloom
Come, Come and enter our hearts

Holy baby of Bethlehem
God with us!
Pure and undefiled
Love Incarnate

We worship You!
We praise You!
We adore You!

Little One, lying in a manger
Poor and humble
Have mercy on us!

Baby Jesus, Son of Mary
Conquer our richness with Your Holy Poverty
Conquer our pride with Your Holy Humility

Light of the world
On Christmas Day
clothe us with peace, joy and hope!

Amen.

2009-11-14T09:34:00.001-08:00

I'm back. More posts to come...

Blessed Marie Celine of the Presentation (1878-1897)

2008-08-22T14:16:00.000-07:00

Recently I read a book entitled, “Blessed Marie Celine of the Presentation,” published by TAN books. After reading the phenomenal story of this Poor Clare nun who died at the age of nineteen, I could think of only one word to describe her life - “faithfulness.” Blessed Marie Celine, whose real name was Germaine Castang, was not a mystic nor someone who performed miracles, rather, she was a simple, humble girl, whose life was a litany of suffering.

From an early age, Christ asked Blessed Marie Celine to pick up her cross and follow Him. She carried five major crosses during her brief life. Her first cross came in the form of a disease she contracted at the age of four. It deformed her foot and made it both difficult and painful to walk. Her second cross came in the form of poverty when her family lost their home and possessions due to her father’s poor business dealings. The third cross was being separated from her family and placed in an orphanage. The fourth cross she had to bear was the passing of her mother and beloved brother, Louis. The fifth and final cross came when she was a novice in the Poor Clare monastery of “Ave Maria of Talence.” She contracted tuberculosis, which took her life.

From what I read, Bl. Marie Celine never uttered the words, “Why me?” or “This isn’t fair.” Nor did I come across anything that would suggest that she turned her back on Jesus or became self absorbed. Rather, when faced with these crosses, Bl. Marie Celine turned her heart and soul toward Christ and His Mother, clinging to them with all her strength.

Throughout her life, Bl. Marie Celine’s faithfulness radiated the light of Christ, while giving her the strength to carry her crosses and dispel the darkness and suffering that surrounded her. Her faithfulness never wavered even during the worst of times. Instead, it remained constant and steady.

Bl. Marie Celine’s faithfulness was not kept only within the interior of her soul, but it spilled over into her daily life. For instance, while at the orphanage she was often seen going on day pilgrimages to Marian shrines. In the Poor Clare monastery during the last months of her life fellow religious saw her carrying a small crucifix in the palm of her hand. These are just two examples, among many, which show how Bl. Marie Celine’s faithfulness manifested itself under the shadow of the cross.

The life of Bl. Marie Celine should be a constant reminder to us that we are not only called to bear our crosses, but that in bearing them, we should turn our hearts and souls outward, toward Jesus and Mary. If we do this, we will be led to greater faithfulness, which in turn will become a pipeline into the grace and mercy of God.

God bless.

Forty Years with Humane Vitae

2008-07-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

Because the encyclical Humane Vitae will celebrate its 40th anniversary this week, I thought I should write a few words on this timeless encyclical by Pope Paul VI. It was released in 1968 during a cultural storm that swept through America, as well as other regions in the world.

In a society that has made a god out of sex, Humane Vitae has become for numerous Catholics a bitter “pill to swallow,” forgive the pun. Unfortunately, the encyclical and its message have been rejected by many within the Church and outside it. This refusal to accept Humane Vitae has had a direct impact on the most basic cell of our society, the family.

By rejecting Humane Vitae, Catholics have rejected God’s plan for marriage and family life. It is easy from what one reads, watches on television and hears over the radio, to conclude that the breakdown of marriage and family life has taken its toll on countless souls. This in fact, was predicted by Pope Paul VI in the famous paragraph #17 where he specifically mentions four “grave consequences” that will occur if contraception is widely accepted.

For some Catholics, Humane Vitae has become a litmus test to discern whether a Catholic is orthodox or not. For others, it is the dividing line, which separates the men from the boys and the women from the girls. The Church teaches that separating the unitive from the procreative dimensions of the marital act is contrary to God’s plan for marriage and is gravely immoral. This is difficult for a large majority of Catholics to accept, but so is the cross. In a society that is being devoured by comfort and materialism, it is easy forget that to being a disciple of Christ means to pick up our cross daily and follow Him.

I have to admit that it’s hard to blame Catholic couples who use contraception when many have been poorly catechized and many have been brainwashed by the contraceptive mentality that permeates our society. This is why it is imperative that Catholic couples who are faithful to the teachings of the Church, especially in regards to birth regulation, share with others the beauty and truth of Humane Vitae when the opportunity arises.

I pray that all of you, whether you adhere to the Church’s teaching by rejecting contraception or not, read Humane Vitae to come to a deeper appreciation and understanding of what God’s plan is for marriage and family life and why the Church teaches what it does.

God bless.

Welcome

2008-07-16T15:55:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my new blog. New posts will be coming soon!