Got To Have Heart – His and Yours!

When God created us, He inserted a heart within our chest, the mechanism that He made to pump blood and oxygen throughout our bodies. We all have one. Most of us rarely take notice of its rhythmic beats. It’s there but we pay little or no conscious attention to it – much like many of us have done to God – we know He’s “there” but ignore Him. We take Him for granted.

Of course in the case of our physical heart that situation changes if something happens to it. In that instance, you bet we become much more attentive to and aware of it. We can’t live without it.

So where am I going with this? Let me explain.

The daily readings one summer day in 2008 included a passage from Ezekiel (3:23-28), in which God promised to transform the prophet and to give him a new heart and a new spirit so that Ezekiel would be able to lead others to Him.  Through this Scripture passage, the Lord let me recognize how frequently my words and actions may have caused others to walk away from the God I professed to love.

I asked Him right then and there for the grace to surrender my entire being to Him and to allow Him to use me as He willed. The very next day, I had a heart attack. He spared my life, opened three blocked arteries and gave me the new heart and spirit He promised Ezekiel and for which I had prayed the previous day. From time to time since then, I have asked myself: “What have I done with this new heart? Has anyone seen a difference in the way I have lived my life?” I am not always pleased with the answers these questions evoke.

Each of us also has a spiritual heart – one which God provides and sustains as well and which He intends we use to love Him and others on His behalf. This heart too is one often ignored and inadequately exercised. We cannot live eternally without it.

God had opened the blockages that impeded blood from reaching my physical heart, but knew my spiritual heart also needed some mending. Some time after my heart attack, through the writings of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, He reminded me, of two often forgotten truths: that His Sacred Heart is the source of all love and that He hungers to be loved in return:

“Behold this heart, which has loved men so much, that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming itself in order to testify to them its love; and in return I receive from the greater number nothing but ingratitude by reason of their irreverence and sacrileges, and by the coldness and contempt which they show me in the sacrament of love…”

Had I adequately expressed my gratitude to this loving God who had chosen to spare my earthly life? I knew that He wanted more than mere words. He wanted me to love Him and all whom He has created as I had never before loved Him or them. But how was I to do this? “Teach me to love,” I prayed. His response: repeated promptings to consecrate myself and my family to His Sacred Heart and to the Immaculate Heart of His Blessed Mother Mary. And, like I have done so many times in my life, I kept putting Him off. I knew He Who is Love deserved this. I knew my family and I would benefit from it. So why procrastinate? I had no valid answer. But our God is persistent and patient!

After much too long a delay, I did what God had requested me to do – my wife and I consecrated ourselves, our home and family to His Sacred Heart and to the Immaculate Heart of His Mother. This consecration is still a work in progress. But we have begun. We try to make our daily offering together and to renew our pledge of love and loyalty to Him everyday. The Lord of Lords and Kings of Kings and His Mother are now prominently enthroned in a place of honor in our home, immediately visible to all who enter – a constant and permanent reminder of the promises we made to Him and to Her.

Finally, I had obeyed! I was headed in the right direction. But He was not done with me.

The very day of this act of consecration, I went to spend some time before the Blessed Sacrament. As I was leaving my house, I was prompted to pick up a book I had not read in some time – Holy Hours by Concepcion Cabrera de Armida.

Instead of reciting a rosary after arriving at church as I had planned, I opened that book to a page I had never viewed and where several weeks earlier I had left a bookmark. What follows is (in part) what I read:

“Do you want to give Me what I ask you for today?...I want you to enter into My Heart…I want you to be there, hidden…silent…anonymous…drinking…absorbing its substance…living from its life…That is the waiting room to heaven…that is heaven itself…that is infinite LOVE…O Yes…tell me you are willing…tell me that from now on and without delay, you are going to learn to be humble…to be pure…to be crucified so as to assimilate yourself to Me. What do you answer Me? …”

I was dumbstruck. A tear or two fell down my cheeks. How could I say No? But how would I ever be able to do what He was asking of me? I had been unable or unwilling to do far less. How? I am going to rely on Him and try.

How about you? Do you hear His promptings as well?  Isn’t this Lent the perfect time to check out your heart and enter His?

(One of many places for more information about Sacred Heart Enthronement is the National Sacred Heart Enthronement Center.

Eucharistic Reflection

Prayer of After Communion

Lord, Father all-powerful, and ever-living God, I thank you, for even though I am a sinner, your unprofitable servant, not because of my worth, but in the kindness of your mercy, you have fed me with the precious body and blood of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

I pray that this Holy Communion may bring me not condemnation and punishment, but forgiveness and salvation. May it be a helmet of faith and a shield of good will. May it purify me from evil ways and put an end to my evil passions. May it bring me charity and patience, humility and obedience, and growth in the power to do good. May it be a strong defense against all my enemies, visible and invisible, and the perfect calming of all my evil impulses, bodily and spiritual. May it unite me more closely to you, the one true God, and lead me safely through death to everlasting happiness with you.

And I pray that you will lead me, a sinner, to the banquet where you, with your Son and Holy Spirit,are true and perfect light, total fulfillment, everlasting joy, gladness without end, and perfect happiness to your saints. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

(St. Thomas Aquinas)

Eucharistic Reflection

Prayer Before Communion

Almighty and ever living God, I approach the sacrament of your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. I come sick to the doctor of life, unclean to the fountain of mercy, blind to the radiance of eternal light, and poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth.

Lord, in your great generosity, heal my sickness, wash away my defilement, enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty, and clothe my nakedness. May I receive the bread of angels, the King of kings and Lord of lords, with humble reverence, with the purity and faith, the repentance and love, and the determined purpose that will help to bring me to salvation. May I receive the sacrament of the Lord’s body and blood and its reality and power.

King God, may I receive the body of your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, born from the womb of the Virgin Mary, and so be received into his mystical body, and numbered among his members.

Loving Father, as on my earthly pilgrimage I now receive your beloved Son under the veil of a sacrament, may I one day see him face to face in glory, who lives and reigns with you for ever. Amen.

(St. Thomas Aquinas)

A Lenten Reminder

Some nourishment for our minds and souls:


 

"...the Gospel of today's Mass reminds us that if we are to follow Christ we have to carry our own Cross...There is no such thing as a Christianity without the Cross, designed for soft and pusillanimous Christians with no sense of sacrifice...One of the clearest symptoms of lukewarmness having entered into a soul is...an abandonment of the Cross, a contempt for little mortifications, a scorning of anything that in some way involves sacrifice and self-denial...The Christian who goes through life systematically avoiding sacrifice will not find God, will not find happiness. What he will have been taking care to avoid is his own sanctity."

Quotes from From In Conversation With God

(Vol. 2: 2.1 and 2.3 by Francis Fernandez)

Are The Masses You Attend Celebrated Worthily and Holily - Part II

In a previous post, we reviewed the definition of a “worthily and holily celebrated Mass” that Father Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P. offered in his book ThePriest In Union with Christ - a book I again highly recommend.

As painful an exercise as the following may be, it would be worthwhile to take a look at two other types of Masses the good Friar describes – “the hurriedly said Mass” and the one that is “outwardly correct but lacks the spirit of faith” - neither of which has resurrected or can resurrect the sense of awe and amazement in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Eucharist to which Catholics are entitled and that Blessed John Paul II advocated and so longed for each of us to experience.

 This is, in part, what Father Reginald has to say about a “hurriedly said Mass”:

Visual Fuel For Contemplation - Fra Angelico

Some of us employ words to fuel our contemplation. Others like early Renaissance painter, Fra Angelico (Blessed John of Fiesole 1395-1455), whose feast day we Dominicans celebrate today, used paint brushes to nourish hungry souls.

1- (The Nativity)

2-(The Crucifixion)

3 - (The Christ Crucified)

                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
                                                          

4- (Lamentation)

                                                               
                        
His depiction of our Father Dominic in many of these scenes is a reminder of where we should also fruitfully place ourselves during times of meditation and contemplation.

And of course, we need to spend time with our Blessed Mother:

5- (The Madonna and Child)

                                                        
Fra Angelico pray for us!

(Sources: 1 and 2: Convent of San Marco, Florence; Images 3 and 4:Wikimedia Commons; and Image 5:Staatliche Museen, Berlin)

Eucharistic Reflection

"But I hear You complain, O my Sacramental Jesus: I was a stranger, and you took Me not in (Matt. xxv. 43); that You came on earth to be our guest for our good, and that we have not welcomed You. You are right, Lord, You are right; and I am one of these ungrateful creatures who have left You alone, without even visiting You. Chastise me as You please; but not by depriving me of Your presence, which is the chastisement I deserve. No, I will repair my fault, and the indignities which I have heaped upon You. From this day forward I will not only visit You often, but will remain with You for as long a time as I can."

(St. Alphonsus Liguori)

Who Is St. Claude de la Colombiere?

St. Claude de la Colombiere was a 17th century Jesuit whose life we recall today. He believed that one of "the most firmly established and consoling of the truths that have been revealed to us" is "that (apart from sin) nothing happens to us in life unless God wills it so." St. Claude became the spiritual director of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. He encouraged, supported and promoted her call to spread devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The saint was also a gifted spiritual writer, who has left a number of gems, including one of my favorite books, Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence (TSTDP). Blessed John Paul II canonized him in 1992.

Read and ponder what he has to say about earthly happiness and prayer:

Let me show you a good way to ask for happiness, even in this world. It is a way that will oblige God to listen to you. Say to Him earnestly: either give me so much money that my heart will be satisfied, or inspire me with such contempt for it that I no longer want it. Either free me from poverty, or make it so pleasant for me that I would not exchange it for all the wealth in the world. Either take away my suffering, or – which would be to Your greater glory – change it into delight for me, and instead of causing me affliction, let it become a source of joy. You can take away the burden of my cross, or You can leave it with me without my feeling its weight. You can extinguish the fire that burns me, or You can let it burn in such a way that it refreshes me as it did the three youths in the fiery furnace. I ask for either one thing or the other. What does it matter in what way I am happy? If I am happy through the possession of worldly goods, it is You I have to thank. If I am happy when deprived of them, it gives You greater glory and my thanks are all the greater.

This is the kind of prayer worthy of being offered to God by a true Christian. When you pray in this way, do you know what the effect of your prayers will be? First, you will be satisfied, whatever happens; and what else do those who most desire this world's goods want except to be satisfied? Secondly, you will not only obtain without fail, one of the two things you have asked for, but, as a rule, you will obtain both of them. – TSTDP (122-124)

You will find more of his wisdom and that of countless Popes, Bishops, priests, saints and regular folk in my recently released book, Forgotten Truths To Set Faith Afire! Words to Challenge, Inspire and Instruct, about which EWTN hostess and well-known, author Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle, had this to say: "I am very impressed with this book and the author's commitment to writing about the Catholic Faith in a very informational and inspirational manner. I have no doubt that this book will help others on their Faith journeys."

There Are No Loopholes

I am just a simple man. But even simple men must stand up for and defend Truth as best they can.

Let me first suggest that we stop and pray for our Bishops, our priests, our President, his staff, our elected officials, and all members of the judiciary.

Having made that request, I must admit it is disheartening to see how many still think there is some way for our political and religious leaders to compromise their way out of the recently promulgated unconstitutional infringement on the right to the free exercise of our religious beliefs.

There is such a thing as Absolute Truth – Truth that is not and cannot be subject to negotiation or compromise. Among these absolute Truths are that abortion (surgical and chemical), artificial contraception, and sterilization are, and always will be, intrinsically evil acts.

Our Creator demands that we stand up for the dignity of all human life, from the moment of conception to natural death. He offers no loopholes. No government can legitimately require any individual, directly or indirectly, to engage in, pay for or otherwise support any intrinsically evil act.  If people, in the exercise of their free will, choose to ignore God, let them do so at their eternal expense and with their own resources, not from the monies the government takes from you and me.

Bishop James Slattery recently emphasized a truth not often spoken of in this current debate: “The Constitution of the United States does not merely guarantee the freedom of religion to institutions but to every individual American.”

Are The Masses You Attend Celebrated Worthily and Holily?

For some time now, I have been reading The Priest In Union With Christ written by the late Father Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P., described by some as “probably the 20^th century’s greatest theologian” and “one of the Church’s all-time greatest authorities on the spiritual life.”

 

Given the on-going attack on the nature of the priesthood, our priests and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, this is a book you should read and gift to any priest you treasure.

In it, this gifted Dominican urges all of his readers to always remember “that the principal Priest in the sacrifice of the Mass is Christ, and that the celebrant must be striving for an actual and closer union with Him.”  Does this truth come as a surprise to you?

He then goes on to describe the different ways of celebrating Mass: the sacrilegious Mass, the Mass which is said hurriedly, the Mass which is outwardly correct but lacks the spirit of faith, the Mass which is faithfully and worthily celebrated, and the Mass of the Saints.

We would all do well to read, reflect and ponder these various descriptions. But I want to focus today on the Mass which is faithfully and worthily celebrated. – “a Mass offered in a spirit of faith, of confidence in God and of love for God and one’s neighbor”.

“In such a sacrifice, we witness the impulse and guidance of the Theological Virtues which inspire the virtue of religion. The Kyrie Eleison is a genuine prayer of petition; the Gloria in Excelsis Deo is an act of adoration of God on high; the Gospel of the day is read with keen belief in what it contains; the words of Consecration are pronounced by a minister in actual union with Christ the principal Offerer, by one who realizes to some extent the wide diffusion of the spiritual effects of his offering and sacramental immolation to the souls in this world and to those in Purgatory. The Agnus Dei is a sincere request for the forgiveness of sin; the priest’s Communion leaves nothing to be desired – it is always more fervent and more fruitful than the day before because of the daily growth in charity produced by the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The distribution of Holy Communion is not approached in any perfunctory spirit, but is treated as the means of bestowing on the faithful, superabundant life, of giving them an even greater share in the divine life…Afterwards the priest will make his private thanksgiving, which, if time permits, will be prolonged on certain feast days in the form of mental prayer. There is no more suitable time for intimate prayer than when Christ is sacramentally present within us, and when our soul, if recollected, is under His actual influence.”

But Michael, but Michael (imitating with great respect the literary style of Father Z) Father Garrigou-Lagrange wrote those words prior to the Mass changes implemented by Vatican II, so they have no relevancy to us today. An expert, I am not, but I do know this: Vatican II never mandated the removal of Latin from the Mass and never, and could never, change its supernatural nature or the reverence with which it must be celebrated. Man did this and we are now paying dearly for those errors.

In my simple layman’s mind and with the aid of Father Peter Girard, O.P.and other holy priests, I have come to understand that when we participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass we are really being transported spiritually beyond the realm of earthly time and space and enter into the on-going heavenly liturgy which someday we hope to enjoy. Please correct me if I am in error.

Is this how you experience Mass?

How blessed you are!

Forgotten Truths to Set Faith Afire! - A Bold Request

Would you indulge me in some selfish self-promotion?

I have been led to publish a book that I think you and those you know and love would appreciate. It’s called: Forgotten Truths to Set Faith Afire! – Words to Challenge, Inspire and Instruct.

May I ask you to do five simple things? First, go here and read a brief synopsis of the book. Second take a look at the reviews that have been posted on Amazon.com to date (more to follow) Third, Look Inside the book and see what it is all about. Fourth, consider purchasing a copy for yourself, a loved one or friend. Fifth, even if you chose not to purchase a copy, please pass this request onto your family, friends and business associates via your e-mail contacts, Facebook, Tweeter, LinkedIn and other social media networks and ask them to do exactly what I am asking of you.

If everyone who receives this bold request did as I am so selfishly requesting, thousands of people who might not otherwise have ever heard of this humble little effort will be aware of it and some, if it be God’s will, may read something in it that will touch their hearts and stir their souls. And isn’t that a goal worth pursuing?

Unless one asks, one never knows.

Thank you and God bless you for considering this request.

How Could I Not Share This?

With gratitude to the gifted Jeff B. Harris at the Sword of Peter

Eucharistic Reflection

In the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament I invariably find something that the world always hides from me, namely, knowledge of self. In the light of the Holy Eucharist all my faults and failings and all my sins, past and present, become clear to me; and then from the very depths of my heart there wells up a cleansing, purifying font of sorrow. Oh, how poor and miserable I appear to myself when in the presence of Jesus! And yet how sweet and salutary are the tears that I shed at the sight of transgressions!

If I cannot find it here, then where in the world can I find it – a little patch of earth, I mean, one to be watered by my tears so that thereon the tender blossoms of hope may germ and grow? Who, if not Jesus, can say to me, “Go in peace, thy sins are forgiven thee”?

(Eucharistic Whisperings, Father Winfrid Herbst, SDS)

One Can Never Pray, Share, Sing or Think About This Essential Truth Enough !!!

Video Credit to Chris Tomlin, YouTube and MusicforHISMission

Eucharistic Reflection

“Ah, how it hurts to see in what manner our Savior is treated! There He is in the tabernacle, the Prisoner of Love, waiting for souls to come and visit Him. But who ever gives Him even a thought, one only thought?...It would cause so very little trouble to go to Him...for just a sweet moment. It would be so very easy to cast a tender glance upon that tiny door...to send a loving thought a-speeding towards that tabernacle...to breathe a few whispered words of affection...but, alas! When it comes to doing something for Jesus that something, no matter how small, becomes at once irksome and grievous-so weak are we!”

(Eucharistic Whisperings, Father Winfrid Herbst, SDS)

On The Necessity of Adoration

"[Adoration] is as necessary to man's spiritual existence as the laws of logic are to the intellectual life or the spatial order is to his physical existence. Or, using a different analogy, we may say that adoration is to man's spiritual vision what light is to his physical eye.

Human existence is founded in truth, and the foundation of all truth is that God is God - unique, alone, and unto Himself; and that man is God's creature. By recognizing this fundamental truth and by acting in accordance with it man maintains his intergrity and his wholeness. Adoration is the act in which this truth continually rises resplendent, and in which it is acknowledged and consummated.

It is important that we practice adoration because normally we tend in our prayers to put too much emphasis on asking. Of course we should ask, but let us not forget what Christ said in the Sermon on the Mount: "For your Father knowweth what is needful for you, before you ask Him." More important than petition is adoration, for in it truth will come to us - the truth of life. Everyday cares will find their proper place and our standards will become rightly adjusted. This truth will comfort us; it will put in order what the entaglements and illusions of life have thrown into confusion. It will heal us spiritually so that we may begin anew."

The Art of Praying - Monsignor Romano Guardini