Mother Teresa – Yes to Life - No to Amendment 4
Since every person is made in the image and likeness of God, every person is deserving of a home and of the ability to mature as that person. For Mother Teresa, there were no barriers which prevented people from getting the care and nourishment which were their due. Such basic rights were not limited to any group or individuals. She was a strong proponent for the immigrant and when visiting Los Angeles in 1989 spoke of the plight of immigrants.
A Labor of Love
The beginning of September and Labor Day are a good opportunity to reflect upon the dignity of our labor and occupation in life, whatever that may be. From being a parent, a teacher, a lawyer, a farm worker, a nurse, a sales associate, whether our labor be considered "white collar" or "blue collar," our occupation and daily activities in life are part of the building of God's Kingdom and have a significant place in God's plan.
Perseverance
Living a vocation requires daily perseverance by which one bears the struggles, the heat, day in and day out and is willing to stand for a long period of time. Perseverance is a critical part of every vocation. Whether one is married, a priest or a religious, one has to be willing to stand for a long period of time... The Lord had much to say about perseverance and the fundamental call to be one of His followers.
The Assumption – A Feast of Hope
The importance of hope, as lived by Mary, is well summed up in the words of the prophet Isaiah, “They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength. ... They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint” (Is 40:31). These words make clear that God gives strength to those who hope and trust in him. Mary is the embodiment of this type of hope.
The Sacrament of Unity
At this time of Eucharist Revival and revival within our nation, it is essential for us to reflect upon the centrality of the Eucharist as followers of Jesus Christ. It is the Eucharist that is able to transform our lives and unite us more to Christ in the joys and sufferings of everyday life. Nothing else has the power of the Eucharist to help us experience the love of God and the meaning of life.
Apostle of the New and Greatest Hope
The decision of Pope Francis to raise the celebration of St. Mary Magdalene to that of a liturgical feast certainly confirms the reverence of the Church in regard to the position of Mary Magdalene as the first to witness the risen Christ and who was entrusted with the message of announcing His Resurrection to the apostles. It also confirms the importance of women in the Church, so essential in the ministry of the Lord Himself.
During this month of July, as we celebrate the freedom given to us in our great nation, it is well to reflect that the month of July is dedicated to the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. It is through the Precious Blood of the Lord that we are given true freedom — the freedom from the enslavement to sin.
Declaration of Independence and of human dignity
As we celebrate the Fourth of July this year, we give thanks to God that we are blessed to live in our great nation of the United States of America... It is so essential for our nation today to realize that the definition of the human person does not derive from the government. Good order in living in society entails the need for rules, laws and regulations, but not the essential definition of a human person. Political debate centers around the government’s right to supervise those governed by it, but not to define human nature as God created it.
Our World Needs a Heart
Through the human heart of Jesus, the very divine love of God has been made manifest in a manner that we can touch and experience. Just as June holds the center of the year and the brightest day, which was the first day of summer, June 20, so the Sacred Heart reveals the brightness of the center of Christ, both in His human and divine natures. His human heart is from where His Blood and life flowed, and that heart manifests the center of His divinity, which is love and mercy!
The Eucharist is the Highway to Heaven
The miracle of the Eucharist enables us to see that God is always acting in our lives at every moment in what seems to be the most ordinary of events. There is nothing more ordinary than bread and wine, and yet these become the Body and Blood of Christ, God’s presence in our midst.
The Spirit is Alive!
The Church is a family made up of individuals, and the Holy Spirit works through these individuals using their talents and abilities to build up the Body of Christ. All of us have different roles within the Church, but they all cooperate for one purpose under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
My Soul Proclaims the Greatness of the Lord
The Visitation of Our Lady is significant because, throughout the Gospels, whenever Mary is mentioned, it is always while she is doing some visitation. She is a woman who goes out in order to bring the joy of her Son to others.
Memorial Day: The Truce of God
Memorial Day is a special one that reminds us of courage and sacrifice on the part of our military personnel who gave their lives for our country. The witness of these men and women also calls for an end to war so much needed in our world today.
The Celebration of Easter Never Ends
Pentecost is the culmination of Easter, for the Holy Spirit continues the mission of Christ. Pentecost is not the end of what Christ has accomplished for us but merely the beginning. Just as the apostles were able to go forth and accomplish miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit, so does the Spirit work in our lives each day.
Priesthood – A Eucharistic Adventure
As Pope Francis expressed to the deacons to be ordained this year, your ministry will be a “Eucharistic adventure.” You are being ordained a priest during the course of the Eucharistic Revival within our nation. Eucharistic adventure describes well what your priesthood will be about.
