Having seen His authority firsthand, Simon probably spoke to Jesus about his mother-in-law, who was suffering from a severe fever.

Though Jesus, knew what Simon would one day become—the first pope entrusted with the spiritual authority of Heaven,

Simon himself could not have foreseen how radically his life was about to change.

Later in this Gospel passage, Jesus continues healing many who are sick and casting out demons.

-Once again, He rebukes the demons, silencing them and forbidding them to speak.

-Though they cry out, “You are the Son of God,” and again, Jesus does not permit them to bear witness to Him.

-He has no need of demons to proclaim His identity,

He needs people, He needs us, to proclaim faith in Who He really is!

-Jesus’ revelation will come in His time, by His own design, especially through the Cross and Resurrection.

-Jesus’ rebukes, whether by a word, expressed through a gesture, or conveyed by His mere presence, are divine actions against evil.

-Christ’s exercises authoritative, efficacious commands.

-What He speaks comes to be.

-His word is not just powerful; it accomplishes what it declares.

-Understanding this is foundational to our life of faith and our spiritual life in Christ.

When we turn to Christ with trust, we must believe that His word has the power to heal, to free, and to transform us!

His authority extends to every dimension of OUR lives, body, soul, and spirit, and He desires to restore us, and all that has wounded each of us, by our sins and sufferings.

One of the most tangible and powerful ways this takes place today is through the words of absolution spoken by the priest in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a spiritual authority, first given to Simon Peter, and passed down through apostolic succession.

-The words of absolution are Christ’s words, words that rebuke sin and its effects, restoring the soul to grace and peace in our lives!

-They are divine actions that accomplish what they signify.

Though the words of absolution may be the clearest example, every Sacrament—Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony—conveys God’s grace and power through the efficacious word and action of Jesus Christ.

Let’s all reflect today on our own trust in the power of Jesus’ word.

-Do we believe He can rebuke the disorders in our life with divine authority?

-Do we turn to Him with confidence in the Sacraments, knowing that what He speaks, He accomplishes?

-We need to surrender all that afflicts us to the power of His Word.

-We need to allow Jesus, to restore us to grace,

relying especially on the sacramental authority given to Simon Peter and exercised by the priests who have been given that same apostolic authority through power of their ordination.

So let us turn to Christ with trust and believe that His word has the power to heal, to free, and to transform us!

Sept. 8 — The Birth of the Queen

The Church celebrates only three earthly birthdays liturgically: Jesus, St. John the Baptist, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Mary’s birth matters because it signals the approaching dawn of salvation. Before Bethlehem, before Calvary, before the empty tomb, God quietly prepares a little girl who will one day say, “Let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

Mary teaches us that God’s greatest victories often begin hidden from the world. Her birth was not accompanied by armies, kings, or earthly spectacle. Yet hell had reason to tremble. The woman foretold in Genesis 3:15 had entered history. The Mother of the Redeemer was coming.

Sept. 14–15 — The Cross and the Mother

Then September places two feasts side by side: the Triumph of the Cross and Our Lady of Sorrows. This is no accident.

On September 14, the Church lifts high what the world considers defeat. The Cross—an instrument of torture and shame—becomes Christ’s throne of victory. Satan’s apparent triumph becomes his undoing. Death itself is conquered through death.

And standing beside that Cross is Mary.

The following day, September 15, the Church contemplates the sword foretold by Simeon: “You yourself a sword will pierce” (Luke 2:35). Mary does not run from Calvary. She stands there. Her fiat at Nazareth reaches its terrible maturity at Golgotha.

Mary therefore teaches Christians how to carry suffering: not without tears, but without abandoning God.

Sept. 29 — Heaven Fights With Us

Finally come Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.

Gabriel announces God’s plan to Mary. Michael battles the dragon who wages war against the Woman and her offspring in Revelation 12. Raphael reveals God’s healing and providential protection.

The Marian message of September is therefore profoundly powerful: we are not fighting alone.

Mary points us toward Jesus. The Cross reminds us that Christ has already won the decisive victory. Our Lady of Sorrows teaches us to remain faithful beneath our own crosses. And the Archangels remind us that an invisible kingdom surrounds and assists the children of God.

September whispers a message desperately needed in our age:

Stay close to Mary. Cling to the Cross. Do not waste your suffering. Call upon the angels. And never forget—the final victory belongs to Jesus Christ.

May the peace of Christ be with you,

Fr. Daniel Reehil +

At first glance, this interaction is surprising and jarring.

Jesus is performing an act of love toward the Canaanite woman, while at the same time offering an important lesson to His disciples and all of us.

-This Gospel for us, is a lesson in preserving in Faith, Trust and prayer.

-Jesus leads the woman through a threefold test, each one revealing the increasing depth of her faith.

The first test comes through Jesus’ silence.

The woman cries out from the depths of her heart.

-The disciples likely watched closely to see how Jesus would respond.

-The preserving woman does not turn away.

-She endures His silence, waiting patiently for Him to respond.

-This shows the first fruit of her faith—perseverance in the face of apparent rejection.

-Jesus’ next words seem to be a limitation of His mission.

-Yet she does not let this discourage her.

-Instead, she draws even nearer, does Him homage, and pleads all the more:

“Lord, help me.” Her faith perseveres, deepening with greater humility and trust.

-Finally, Jesus presents the most difficult challenge: “It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.”

- His harsh words are a further invitation to the woman to reveal her heart.

-Instead of taking offense or walking away, she accepts the image and turns it into a profession of faith and humility.

-She reveals a beautiful trust in God’s mercy, recognizing that even the smallest grace from Him is enough.

-This is precisely what Jesus was drawing out of her—a faith that is humble, bold, persistent, and filled with trust.

-Jesus honors the depth of her faith and boldly proclaims it for the disciples to hear:

“O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

-The Canaanite woman, moved by grace and guided by Jesus, navigates the trials He presents with perseverance, humility, and unwavering trust, ultimately receiving the fullness of God’s mercy.

-He saw the depth of her heart and, through this gift, skillfully drew that faith to the surface for her own good, for her daughter’s healing, and for the instruction of His disciples.

-We, too, are called to follow His example, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us.

-Let’s all reflect today and ask the Holy Spirit to deepen the Gift of Counsel within us,

so that we may always recognize God’s hand at work in moments of silence, testing, or delay,

and respond with faith, humility, and perseverance.

“Judge not, that you may not be judged”
— Matthew 7:1

A long time subscriber recently reached out to me and asked me if I could write an article on the concept of “judgment”, since he was both confused and concerned at the lack of clarity surrounding this term. I thought this was a great idea, because I’ve also seen a lot of people —both within and without the faith— misunderstanding what it means to “judge” someone.

You have probably also been faced with many who believe that the Christian command is to never “judge” anything, meaning that we shouldn’t make any moral judgments at all, because we are all sinners needing God’s grace. And while that is true, when Christ tells us not to judge, He doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t hold firm moral convictions (as is evident by the much more abundant examples of Him commanding us to live righteously and proclaim the Gospel), but rather saying that we should not take up a role that isn’t ours, as the final judges for someone’s fate or intentions.

This explains it best:

Matthew 7:1 is a passage that is used ad nauseam mostly by unbelievers or lukewarm Christians to try and guilt trip you into not correcting them or naming the sin they are committing. Ironically, it’s often those who despise religion who use this passage and this shallow understanding of one Gospel phrase as a sort of shield against any behavioral or moral critiques.

“Who are you to judge me? The Bible says ‘do not judge.’”

Yes, that is true, but the Bible also says about a million other things about judgment and correction, for example:

“Judge not according to the appearance, but judge just judgment.”
— John 7:24

“But if thy brother shall offend against thee, go, and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother.”
— Matthew 18:15

It’s problematic enough that the mainstream understanding of Christianity is that it’s a philosophy that calls us to “just let everyone do whatever they want”, but it’s even worse when so many Christians also believe this to be the case. At the core, this stems from a fundamental error that equates “judgment” with “condemnation”, and love with tolerance.

When you believe that the Christian duty is all about “tolerating”, you will naturally be led astray.

Tolerance is Not a Christian Virtue

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput explains why this misunderstanding can in fact even lead to grave sin:

Tolerance comes from the Latin words tolerare , which means to bear or sustain, and tollere , which means to lift up. It implies bearing other people and their beliefs the way we bear a burden or a really nasty migraine headache. It’s a negative. And it’s not a Christian virtue.

As Catholics we have a duty to treat all people, regardless of their beliefs, with justice, charity, mercy, prudence, patience, and understanding. We’re not asked to “tolerate” them but to love them, which is a much more demanding task. Obviously, tolerance is an important democratic working principle. Most of the time, it’s a good and vital thing. But tolerating lies about the nature of the human person is a sin. Tolerating grave evil in a society is an equally grave evil. And using “tolerance” as an excuse for not living and witnessing Jesus Christ in our private lives and in our public actions is not an act of civility. It’s a form of cowardice.

People who take the question of human truth, freedom and meaning seriously will never remain silent about it. They can’t. They’ll always act on what they believe, even at the cost of their reputations and lives. That’s the way it should be. Religious faith is always personal, but it’s never private. It always has social consequences, or it isn’t real. […].¹

The key point here is that we’re not called to merely tolerate others, but to love them. And love, understood as “willing the good of the other”², often requires a clear moral judgment of those actions that are causing them harm. It demands fraternal correction, and it demands speaking the truth boldly.

Now, none of this negates the fact that we ought to look at ourselves first and foremost, because it is wrong to focus exclusively on other people’s sins while remaining oblivious to yours. But it is not wrong to, in humility, look at the self-destructive vices of someone else and lovingly calling them out on it.

Hate the Sin, not the Sinner

It’s key to understand what the Church tradition clarifies about passing judgment. Perhaps the clearest interpretation of Matthew 7 comes from St. Thomas Aquinas, who explains:

“First, therefore, he ordains that there be not rash judgment, and he says, do not judge, i.e., out of the bitterness of hatred; you have turned judgment into bitterness (Amos 6:13). Or in this way: do not judge as regards those things which are not entrusted to our judgment. Judgment is the Lord’s; he has charged us to judge about exterior things, but he has reserved the interior things for himself. Therefore do not judge about these things. Therefore do not judge before the time (1 Cor 4:5); the heart is perverse above all things, and unsearchable, who can know it? (Jer 17:9–10), for no one should judge about another that he is a bad man; for the doubtful things should be interpreted on the good side. Likewise, judgment should be fitting as regards the person of the one judging. Hence if you are in the same sin, or a greater, you should not judge; for wherein you judge another, you condemn yourself (Rom 2:1).”³

A few important points here:

1. We are called not to judge out of bitterness or hatred, but out of love, meaning that any moral judgments we pass must come from a place of wanting what’s best for someone else.

2. Most importantly, we are called not to judge those things not entrusted to our judgment, like the heart or the intentions of someone else, which we do not and cannot ever know.

3. Additionally, we are not to judge the person as a whole, and those things which are negative we should try to interpret on the good side, meaning that we are called to give others the benefit of the doubt.

4. Finally, we are not to judge those who are in the same sin as us, as that would be hypocritical. Humility, understood as the proper understanding of one’s current position, serves us here to know when we are and aren’t qualified to offer advice and correction regarding particular sins or behaviors.

It is fitting, however, to judge actions, because we have a clear moral standard to compare them against: we can know if an action is sinful and it’s not judgmental in the negative sense to call it as such.

It’s not wrong to tell someone who cheats on their wife that they are doing something wrong. It is wrong, however, to condemn the person as a whole, because even though we can recognize, name, and attempt to correct a specific behavior, only God knows the person’s wounds, story, struggles, and heart.

As long as the judgments we make pass Aquinas’s four conditions (doing it out of love, judging only those things entrusted to our judgment, not judging the person as a whole, and not taking it upon ourselves to judge behaviors that we ourselves engage in), it’s not wrong to offer clarity as to the morality of a particular action, ideology, or mindset.

Like most theological principles, this requires nuance. It is not as simple as refusing to make moral claims and practicing unrestricted tolerance of sinful behavior in yourself and others. It’s also not as simple as the pharisaical position of judging and condemning everyone out of pride, resentment, or to prove a point.

The Christian call is neither cowardly silence nor prideful condemnation but love expressed through truth, which is a much more demanding standard than either.

In this age of relativism and rampant immorality, we need more loving judgment, more fraternal correction, and more moral clarity.

That is also a Christian duty.

from Simple Man and Juan Domínguez del Corral

Imagine being one of the Twelve.

-When each of them first encountered our Lord, he could never have imagined what would unfold.

-Eleven of them would become the foundation upon which the Messiah built His Church.

-Their words and actions have been recorded and proclaimed throughout the world and will continue to be until the end of time.

-By God’s will, they preached far and wide with divine authority.

-They celebrated the Holy Eucharist, transforming mere bread and wine into the Most Holy Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, of the Lamb of God.

-Through the laying on of hands, they imparted the Holy Spirit in fullness.

-They worked miracles in Jesus’ name, and most of them bore final witness to Christ by the shedding of their blood.

The reason their lives were so fruitful for God’s Kingdom is because they were chosen and sent by the Son of God. It was not their idea.

-They didn’t construct their own plan for eternal salvation.

-They did not map out their futures and execute a vision according to their own will.

-Instead, they felt the gravity of the mission for which they were chosen and acted when sent by the Savior.

-Their obedience to the divine will opened the floodgates of Divine Mercy, and grace poured forth upon the world.

When we consider our own life, what are our goals and ambitions?

-What plans have we made for the future?

-If we want to imitate the fruitfulness of the Apostles, then we are invited to discern for what God has chosen us and to be prepared to respond with generous obedience when He sends us.

It’s easy to come up with our own plans in life.

-With humility, we must continually seek His guidance, remain open to His promptings, and surrender our plans to the Christ, who knows what will truly bear fruit for eternity.

Reflecting on the radical change of life to which Jesus called the Twelve, invites us to consider whether Jesus also desires a radical change in our own lives.

-If married with children, God’s will surely includes loving and caring for one’s family.

-Within every vocation, however, there are ways in which we might be called to deeper conversion—a radical life of loving, serving, and building the Kingdom of God in ways we never imagined possible.

-Through prayer and conversion, we open the floodgates, and God begins lavishing upon us His grace.

-When this happens, our lives change—because God chooses us and then sends us on ever new and glorious missions.

Let us all reflect today on the spiritual truth that God has chosen you and I for some holy and sacred mission.

-It might not be glorious in the eyes of the world, but it will be glorious in Heaven. Be open.

-Beg for His grace.

-Accept our mission.

-Let’s go wherever He sends us, knowing that we cannot, now, fathom all that God has in store for us.

Homily on Saint Junípero Serra, Priest, USA Optional Memorial 1713–1784
Patron Saint of vocations, Hispanic-Americans, and California.
Canonized by Pope Francis on September 23, 2015

In 1776, when the American Revolution was beginning in the east, another part of the future United States was being born in California. That year a gray-robed Franciscan founded Mission San Juan Capistrano, now famous for its annually returning swallows. San Juan was the seventh of nine missions established under the direction of this indomitable Spaniard.

St. Junipero Serra statue is in U.S. Capitol, with all the other most venerated and famous US citizens in our nation’s history.

Miguel José Serra y Ferrer was born in the village of Petra, on the island of Majorca, Spain. As a youth, he worked on the family farm but often visited the Franciscan church where he attended school and where the friars encouraged him to join them in their vocation. Around age sixteen, Miguel moved to Palma, the capital of Majorca, and entered the Franciscan order. After taking his vows, he was given the name Junípero, in honor of one of Saint Francis of Assisi’s companions. At age twenty-four, Brother Junípero was ordained a priest.

Gifted as a scholar and preacher, Father Junípero served as a teacher at the University of Palma. Inspired by reading about Franciscan missionaries, he requested permission to go to New Spain, modern-day Mexico, as a missionary. In 1749, Father Junípero set out on a three-month voyage to Veracruz. After landing, he walked for a month through tropical forests, plains, and high mountain ranges, in extreme weather conditions, to reach Mexico City. During the journey, he was bitten by a bug or a snake, leaving him with a serious leg wound that would plague him for the rest of his life.

For twenty years, he served in missions north of Mexico City and then in the Baja missions from which the Jesuits had been expelled. Among the Pame people, he learned their language, evangelized, baptized, and taught European ways of farming, construction, and governance. In 1769, he realized his dream of preaching Christ to native people who had never heard the Gospel in modern-day California (Alta California). At age fifty-six, Father Junípero and his companions made a 900-mile journey north, arriving in July 1769 in what is now San Diego. They founded the Mission of San Diego de Alcalá, named for a fifteenth-century Franciscan missionary, the first of twenty-one missions founded along the California coast over the next fifteen years.

Father Junípero and his Franciscan companions established the California missions to evangelize, but the Kingdom of Spain installed military forts and towns for economic and political reasons. Natives who chose to join the mission lived on its lands in housing provided by the friars. They learned about the faith and prayer, as well as the raising and harvesting of crops, tending animals, and trades, such as weaving and construction.

Father Junípero’s diary and letters reveal a deep love for the native people. He once walked 1,800 miles to Mexico City to convince the Spanish Viceroy to enact a new bill of rights for the natives. This was the first of its kind, written more than 150 years before the United States government would guarantee Native Americans similar rights. It is estimated that Father Junípero baptized as many as 6,000 natives, with many more thousands baptized by the other friars at the missions he established.

Until his death in 1784, he founded 9 missions in California, including San Diego, San Francisco, Monterrey, and San Gabriel near the current-day city of Los Angeles.

He brought the Native Americans not only the gift of faith but also a decent standard of living. He won their love, as witnessed especially by their grief at his death.

He was buried at San Charles Borromeo Mission in Carmel, California. We should see him as an amazing example of faith, a man who accepted a call from God to bring the Gospel to others, who did so through great sacrifice and great joy. The state of California and the Catholic Church in the United States were impacted greatly by his missionary efforts.

As the psalmist says: “O Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.” Father Serra brought God’s love and mercy to the people of Mexico and California through his missionary work. We give thanks for Father Serra and the great missionaries who made many sacrifices to bring our Catholic faith to the world.

St Junipero Serra, pray for us.

Today we honor the memory of Saint Ephrem the Syrian, one of the greatest saints of the early Church, a humble deacon, theologian, Church Father, monk, poet, defender of the Orthodox faith, and Doctor of the Church. The only Doctor of the Church who was a permanent deacon. 1 of 8 Doctors of the Church that came from the East out of 38 Doctors of the Church.

Saint Ephrem (306 – 373). He lived in a time of great turmoil and heresy. Yet he did not fight error primarily with political power or earthly influence. Instead, he fought with prayer, holiness, Scripture, and sacred hymns. Through his writings and songs, he taught the faithful the truths of the Gospel and led countless souls closer to Christ.

St Ephrem lived an ascetic life of prayer, penance, and service.

-He used his many gifts for the glory of God. Ephrem’s enduring legacy is his writings. He was a prolific writer of hymns, poems, biblical commentaries, and homilies.

-It is believed that during his lifetime, he composed as many as 400 hymns and 3,000 poems that were tools for catechetics and worship.

-They were rich in imagery, theologically precise, insightful, melodic, and covered important topics such as the Incarnation, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the sacraments, and the purpose of the Christian life.

-St .Ephrem was considered one of the early Marian doctors of the Church because he was the first saint to give the theology to the dogma the Immaculate Conception of the BVM:

“Full of grace… all pure, all immaculate, all without fault, all without stain, all without reproach, all worthy of praise, all perfect, all blessed… virgin in soul, and in body, and in spirit… holy ark who delivered us from the flood of sin, beautiful by nature, sacred tabernacle which the Word, a new Bezalel, crafted with his divine hands… completely foreign to any stain or mark of sin.”

-His hymns and poems were also apologetical, meaning, a defense of the faith.

-At that time, numerous heresies abounded, and some heretics sought to push their beliefs on others by composing hymns, since a hymn was easily remembered.

-Ephrem took the same approach, only with orthodox poems and hymns that sought to dispel the heresies’ errors.

-Ephrem’s gifts of artistically presenting the deep truths of the faith led many over the centuries to refer to him as the “Harp of the Holy Spirit.”

What is remarkable about Saint Ephrem is his profound humility. Though revered as a teacher throughout the Christian world, he never sought ordination to the priesthood. He remained a deacon, content to serve Christ and His Church in whatever way God desired.

This humility is the hallmark of all the saints. The Lord tells us:

“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12)

Saint Ephrem understood that the greatest obstacle between ourselves and God is pride. Pride caused the fall of Lucifer. Pride led Adam and Eve into disobedience. Pride continues to wound our hearts today.

That is why the prayer most associated with Saint Ephrem has become one of the treasures of the Church:

“O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own sins and not to judge my brother.”

What a beautiful summary of the Christian life!

Notice that Saint Ephrem does not first ask God to change other people. He asks God to change him. He asks to see his own sins rather than the faults of others.

How much suffering would disappear from our families, our parishes, and our communities if we followed that prayer faithfully?

Saint Ephrem also reminds us of the fleeting nature of earthly life. He frequently wrote about death, judgment, and eternity—not to frighten people, but to awaken them. He knew that life is short and that every day is a gift from God.

The Psalmist says:

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)

Saint Ephrem numbered his days wisely. He used his life to glorify God, to serve the poor, and to teach the faith.

In fact, during a famine and plague in the city of Edessa, Saint Ephrem did not retreat into safety. He went among the suffering, organized relief for the needy, cared for the sick, and served those whom others had abandoned. His theology was not merely written in books; it was lived through sacrificial love.

As we honor this great saint, ponder especially the powerful effect that music has upon the human person. Consider following the example of Saint Ephrem by filling our minds with hymns that give praise and glory to God and do so in a clear and theologically rich way. Such a habit will certainly help us grow in holiness.

His example challenges us today.

Do we use our gifts for God’s glory or for our own praise?

Do we seek humility or recognition?

Do we pray for our own repentance before criticizing others?

Do we remember that our true homeland is not on earth but in the Kingdom of Heaven?

Saint Ephrem teaches us that genuine holiness begins with repentance. The path to joy is humility. The path to wisdom is prayer. The path to Christ is self-denial and love.

As we honor this great saint, let us make his prayer our own. Let us ask God to remove from us pride, judgment, and spiritual laziness. Let us ask for humility, patience, purity, and love.

And through the prayers of Saint Ephrem, may we grow in holiness and become faithful servants of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom belong all glory, honor, and worship, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.

Though Saint Ephrem died in the fourth century, he was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV. Saint Ephrem is the only Syrian Doctor of the Church and is not only highly revered in the Eastern Catholic Church but in the Orthodox Church as well. It might be that the 1920 declaration was done in part as a way of further bridging the gap between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church.

St. Ephrem, pray for us!

Every year on June 3, millions of pilgrims from various African nations gather at the Namugongo Martyrs’ Shrine in Uganda. The celebration is held at the site of the martyrdom of Saint Charles Lwanga and his twenty-one young companions on the day that most of the boys were killed.

In 1879, the White Fathers, a French Roman Catholic society of apostolic life, arrived at the court of King Mutesa I of Buganda, modern-day Uganda, and received permission to establish a mission to teach the Catholic faith. King Mutesa was tolerant of the Catholics, Protestants, and Muslims who sought Bugandan converts. When King Mutesa died in 1884, his son Mwanga inherited the throne at age sixteen. Initially tolerant, The new king grew convinced that the Christians threatened his throne and his sexually perverted way of life.

The Bugandan kings kept many young boys at court. Some as young as thirteen, carried out the daily royal household duties and were expected to consent to King Mwanga’s sexual advances. The king became infuriated when some boys invoked their faith and refused him, and he feared that Christians would overtake his kingdom.

On October 29, 1885, King Mwanga murdered Anglican bishop James Harrington and some of his companions, accusing them of plotting against the kingdom. Twenty-five-year-old Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe, the head of the king’s household and a catechist who taught the Catholic faith to many of the boys in the king’s household, rebuked the king. On November 5, the king beheaded Joseph and arrested his Catholic followers. He appointed the catechumen Charles Lwanga as head of his household. Charles received baptism by the White Fathers that same day, as did many of the boys he had been catechizing.

After King Mwanga murdered two more Christian members of his court, Charles Lwanga, fearing for his catechumens’ eternal salvation, baptized the rest of the boys himself. When the king ordered the members of his household to renounce the Christian faith or face torture and death, Charles courageously professed his faith, as did many of the boys. The outraged king ordered their deaths to take place at Namugongo, the traditional public execution site.

For the two-day journey on foot, the executioners bound the boys together with ropes and beat many of them as they walked. Three died along the way, one slain by his own father for refusing to renounce the faith. After reaching the execution site, the boys endured being bound, starved, and beaten for seven days as the preparations were made. Charles’ executioners lit a small fire under his feet so he would suffer longer. He said to them, “You’re burning me, but it’s like water you’re pouring to wash me. Please repent and become a Christian like me.” Consumed by flames, Charles cried out in imitation of our Lord, “My God! My God!” Tortured and killed in the same way, the boys died praying aloud the Lord’s Prayer. Twenty-two young men and boys were martyred and later declared saints in the Roman Catholic Church. Twenty-three Anglicans were martyred with them.

May these Ugandan Christian martyrs be an inspiration to all of us, to stand up and have the fortitude of being as faithful disciple of the Lord as they were.

St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, pray for us.

Today we gather to reflect upon the life and mission of Saint Augustine of Canterbury, a faithful servant of God who carried the light of the Gospel into the land of England and helped establish the Christian Church there. His story is one of obedience, courage, humility, and unwavering faith in Jesus Christ.

In the late sixth century, the Church in England had grown weak after years of war and pagan influence. Many people no longer knew the teachings of Christ. Seeing this great spiritual need, Pope Gregory I sent Augustine, a humble monk from Rome, on a dangerous mission to preach the Gospel to the English people.

Augustine did not seek fame or power. In fact, history tells us that he was afraid of the difficult journey ahead. Yet, through obedience to God and trust in the guidance of the Church, he continued forward. This reminds us that God often calls ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. Faith does not mean the absence of fear; it means trusting God even when fear is present.

When Augustine arrived in the kingdom of Kent in the year 597, he was welcomed by King Ethelbert. Through Augustine’s preaching, kindness, and holy example, the king accepted Christianity and was baptized. Soon many others followed. Churches were established, monasteries were built, and the Christian faith began to flourish once more throughout England.

Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury and worked tirelessly to organize the Church, teach the people, and guide new believers in the ways of Christ. He helped unite communities under the truth of the Gospel and laid the foundation for centuries of Christian worship and service.

What can we learn from Saint Augustine of Canterbury today?

First, we learn the importance of missionary spirit. Not all of us are called to travel to distant lands, but every Christian is called to share the love of Christ through words and actions. In our homes, schools, workplaces, and communities, we are to be witnesses of the Gospel.

Second, Augustine teaches us obedience and humility. He trusted God’s plan more than his own comfort. In a world that often encourages pride and self-interest, Augustine reminds us that true greatness comes through serving God and serving others.

Third, his life teaches perseverance. The mission was not easy. There were hardships, opposition, and uncertainty. Yet Augustine remained faithful. Likewise, we must remain faithful during trials, trusting that God can work through every difficulty for His glory.

My friends, the Church today still needs men and women with the courage and faith of Saint Augustine of Canterbury. The world longs for hope, truth, and the peace that only Christ can give. May we answer God’s call with willing hearts, just as Augustine did centuries ago.

Saint Augustine of Canterbury, pray for us.

The Name of Jesus is the refuge of the penitent sinner, a refuge full of meekness in which majesty effaces itself, tenderness becomes sweeter, Divine mercy appears in Its grandeur. The Name of God is awesome; in it is found the ardor of the flame which consumes, the wrath which chastises, the weight which crushes; but all these things have been tempered in the wellspring of mercy by Jesus Christ Who was smitten with love for us in the womb of the Virgin Mary. There, that ardor has lost its violence, that wrath has become forbearance, that overwhelming weight has become light . . . “O my God,” exclaims the Prophet, “say to my soul: I am thy salvation.” [Psalm 34: 3] May Thy Name be heard by my ears; Thy voice is full of sweetness and Thy face full of beauty.

The Name of Jesus is the banner of combatants . . . We have three kinds of enemies: the world, the flesh and the devil. If the devil rises up against you, do not be afraid, but lift the banner of salvation against him by invoking Jesus. “In My Name,” He says, “cast out devils.” [Mark 16: 17] The Prophet says, “Holy and awesome is His Name.” [Psalm 110: 9] Holy for the Angels, awesome for the devils and the godless. The flesh makes you feel its attacks? Well, in sorrow, may the Name of Jesus find place in your heart, may it rise from there to your lips, and by the light of that Name, every cloud shall scatter, serenity shall reappear. You have fallen into crime? Despair gets hold of you? Who, then, shall invoke that Name of life without breathing at once? Who, then, in the presence of that saving Name has not felt hardness of heart, dullness and laziness of soul disappear? Who, then, seeing his tears dry up, has not shed more abundant ones, wept sweeter ones, after invoking that Name? Nothing can halt the transport of wrath, nothing can contain the puffing up of pride, nothing can heal the wound of envy, nothing can resist the surge of sensuality, nothing can extinguish the flame of pleasure, nothing can temper the thirst of avarice, nothing can consume the rust of every dishonor like the Name of Jesus . . . The world declares itself against you; by a secret judgment of God, you are shipwrecked in the middle of the sea; you are exposed to its dangers; upon your path you find overflowing rivers, threatening enemies, ably hatched betrayals, thunder and lightning, ruination, accidents, unexpected fires? Invoke the Name of salvation, and may your heart and your mouth both call upon Jesus, hope in the help of the Most High. He Himself has said, “He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in distress.” [Psalm 90: 15] “I will deliver him; I will set him on high because he acknowledges My Name.” [Psalm 90: 14] Indeed, “the Name of the Lord is a strong tower; the just man runs to it and is safe.”
[Proverbs 18: 10]

The Name of Jesus is a remedy for our infirmities; it gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, nimbleness to the lame, speech to the mute, life to the dead . . . When you feel some suffering, you or yours, without neglecting natural remedies, have recourse to the Name of Jesus . . . I have learned from witnesses worthy of faith that in our days, many have laid their hands on the sick, according to the divine precept, and have invoked the Name of Jesus, and those illnesses were healed. As the Prophet says, “He saved them for His Name’s sake, to make known His power.” [Psalm 105: 7-8]

The Name of Jesus is the comfort of those who suffer. God does not let His servants fall in temptation, yet He exposes them to the pains of life. But then, far be it from us to despair! Let us not forget the sweet Name of Jesus, let us invoke it especially then. Saint Augustine says, “The Name of Jesus, written in the heart of the just, gives them an astonishing boldness to counter the blows of every woe.” Before her judge Saint Agatha exclaimed, “If you threaten me with ferocious beasts, they will become tame at the Name of Jesus; if you use fire against me, at that Name the Angels will surround me with life-giving dew.” By virtue of that Name, the Martyrs overcame every torment: “Through Your Name we trampled down Your adversaries; our help is in the Name of the Lord.” [Psalm 143: 6; 123:8]

The Name of Jesus is the glory of those who believe. The main base of the Faith is the Name of Jesus; that Name upholds the edifice; upon it the pillars rise; upon it the summit of the monument rests, and that summit is Heavenly beatitude. The Catholic Faith resides in the knowledge of Jesus Christ; He is the light of the soul, the gateway to life, the foundation of eternal salvation.

The Name of Jesus is the torch of the word of God. Saint Bernard says, “How can you believe that a light so great, so sudden, so bright, would have shone in the whole world, if not by the preaching of the Name of Jesus ?” When wheat is taken from a field and the fire is lit, dry grass, useless brambles and thorns are soon consumed; when the sun casts its bright rays upon rising and the darkness has disappeared, thieves and nighttime prowlers go and hide. Thus when the tongue of Paul, like a thunderclap, like the sun at its brightest, made itself heard by the nations, infidelity was consumed, falsehood vanished, the truth cast forth its splendor, the world was like wax exposed to the heat of a violent fire. Then the Apostle, by his writings, words, miracles and examples, made the Name of Jesus penetrate everywhere; he bore it in the presence of kings, of nations and of the children of Israel as a torch, and with it he lit up all the lands of the world . . .

The Name of Jesus is the help of the weary soul. Saint Bernard says, “Each time you remember the Name of Jesus, do you not feel your strength reborn?” Who restores our mind like this remembrance? Who repairs our weary senses, reconfirms our virtues, vitalizes our good and honest actions, gives warmth back to our pure affections as much as He?. . . May the Name of Jesus be always placed in your soul, always borne in your hands: in Him you will find a remedy for your indolence, a remedy to correct your evil acts and lift up those that are imperfect, a remedy to keep your senses from corruption and heal them if they become corrupted . . .

The Name of Jesus is the glory of the blessed in Heaven. Those who have loved that Name will enjoy in their mind, as the reward of their faith, the perfect vision of the truth manifested in all its splendor; in their memory, as a fruit of their hope, they will have the eternal possession of the Supreme Majesty, and in their will as a reward for their love, the enjoyment of the most ineffable good. “Thou art the joy of those who love Thy Name.” [Psalm 5: 12] Because of that Name of Jesus, the soul entirely shall live, entirely shall be endowed, entirely happy, entirely in its three powers made like unto God, Trinity and Unity, entirely united to Him, entirely enlightened, entirely plunged in peace. . .

O Name of Jesus lifted up above every name, triumphal Name, joy of the Angels, joy of the just, dread of Hell, in Thee lies all hope of forgiveness, all hope of grace, all hope of glory.
O most meek Name, from Thee we received forgiveness of sin, renewal of life; Thou fillest our souls with Divine delights, Thou takest away their vain imaginings.

O Name full of grace, by Thee the depths of miracles are disclosed to our sight; our hearts burn with Heavenly love, become strong in combat, escape every danger.

O glorious Name, delectable Name, admirable Name, Name worthy of our veneration, Name full of sweetness of Jesus our King, Thou doth transports above this earth by the abundance of grace, Thou ravisheth, in a way, the souls of Thy faithful even to Divine heights; may all who are devoted to Thee find salvation and glory in Thy virtue

Whenever you hear His Holy Name pronounced, bow your head; do so likewise every time you say His Sacred Name.

-Today we give thanks to God for St Bernardine who was raised up by the Holy Spirit in 14th-century Italy to speak in the name of the Lord.

-He was raised up by God as a prophet to his age to preach and proclaim and adore the Most Holy Name of Jesus, travelling throughout Italy to foster devotion to that Name by which all creation is saved – he spoke in God’s name about God’s Name.

-Bernardine threw himself into prayer and fasting, to discover what God wanted him to do.
And in 1403 he joined the Franciscans.

-After he joined the Franciscans, he spent 12 years mostly in prayer,
and spiritual conversion, and preparation.

-Along the way, he was ordained as a priest.

-Father Bernardine attended a mission preached by the itinerant famous Dominican preacher Saint Vincent Ferrer.

-During that mission, Saint Vincent prophesied to the congregation that someone present would take up his preaching mantle in Italy.

-That “someone” was Father Bernardine.

-God gave him such gifts that his preaching drew thousands and thousands of people, and his teaching was so admired that the Pope himself eventually encouraged St Bernardine to preach devotion to the Most Holy Name in the city of Rome itself.

-Under his influence the Most Holy Name of Jesus was inserted into the ‘Hail Mary’, so every time we pray this prayer, especially here in Mary’s House, we can give thanks for St Bernardine’s life and work.

-He was the greatest preacher of his time, journeying across Italy, calming strife-torn cities, attacking the paganism he found rampant, attracting crowds of 30,000.

-Thus began the missionary life of Bernardine, whom Pope Pius II called:

‘a second St Paul’.

-As usual, he gave his whole self, body and soul, into his mission.

-He crisscrossed Italy on foot, preaching for hours at a time.
-And sometimes he preached several times a day.

-The Lord gave him the spiritual gift of physically healing others.
But the spiritual healing of hearts and souls that came from his preaching,
and his life, was his most important gift.

- At times, his preaching was accompanied by miraculous prophecies and healings.

-He is even said to have raised four people from the dead.

-He preached about a conversion of life, and conversion of heart.
-He preached on punishment for sin, as well as reward for virtue.

-And at the end of his sermons, he would always focus on:
the mercy of Jesus, and the love of Mary.

He was especially known for his devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus, Saint Bernardine of Siena devised a symbol—IHS, the first three letters of the name of Jesus in Greek—in Gothic letters on a blazing sun.

-The devotion spread, and the symbol began to appear in churches, homes and public buildings.

-The Name of Jesus was the usual theme of the holy apostle’s addresses.

-As a child he had been taught to venerate it in a special manner.

-Later, on reading the epistles of Saint Paul, he had found the Divine Name on almost every line.

-He had seen Saint Peter answer the leaders of the Synagogue that only in this Name could man be saved.

-So his decision was made, to adopt the Name of Jesus as his standard and his sole weapon.

-In addition to IHS being the first 3 letters of Jesus’ name in Greek,
in Latin, the three letters are the first letter, of the three words:
Iesus hominum Salvator which means ‘Jesus, Savior of all mankind.’

-The Holy Father even offered to make him a bishop three times, but each time Bernadine turned the pope down.

He was elected the General of the Friars of the Strict Observance, a branch of the Franciscan Order, Saint Bernardine of Siena strongly emphasized scholarship and further study of theology.

-When he started there were 300 friars in the community; when he died there were 4,000.

-St. Bernardine’s tireless commitment to spreading the Good News remained until the very end of his life.

-In 1444 he set out to preach in Naples. On the way he fell ill with fever.

He died on the vigil of the Feast of the Ascension at age 64.

It was said once that he was the most influential person in Italy. When he died, miracles began to happen in Aquila where he was buried.

-Bernadine was canonized only 6 years after his death.

Let us, therefore, also honor the Most Holy Name of Jesus. In these times when Our Lord’s Name is often used flippantly and blasphemously, let us have the patient endurance of St Bernardine and recall that the Name of Jesus is in fact a prayer and an act of faith.

-For ‘Jesus’ means ‘the Lord saves’, so when we say his Name we profess our belief that God is faithful and will act to save us; and we’re also praying for God’s salvation and help.

-The irony is that people often swear – using the Lord’s Name in vain – when they’re frustrated or angered or in difficulty.

-But in fact what they need is to move from doing something in vain to doing it meaningfully. With humble faith, we need to call on the Lord’s Name reverently.

-All of us can reflect if we truly turn to God in our every need, or do we sometimes do futile things like worry or swear or gossip and complain?

-Rather, we should pray, trusting in the Name of Jesus, for “there is no other Name under heaven given to us by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

And another way we can honor the Holy Name is to show an external sign of reverence and honor every time Our Lord’s Name is said.

-This is why, in the rubrics of the Mass, we’re asked to make “a bow of the head” whenever the Most Holy Name of Jesus – and, incidentally, also of our Lady, and the saint of the day, and when the Blessed Trinity – is mentioned.

-It’s a little physical sign – a conscious act of love for Our Savior.

-So, for today’s feast, maybe we can begin to put this into practice.

St. Bernadine of Siena, pray for us!

But the question is this: if there really is a spiritual dimension to reality, shouldn’t we want to know the truth about it?

In every other area of life, we seek deeper knowledge about the things we think matter. If someone discovered evidence of intelligent life beyond earth, we wouldn’t say, “That’s interesting, but let’s avoid studying it too closely. I’d like to maintain my vague belief in aliens without knowing anything specific, thank you very much.”

No. We would investigate. Or at least expect other people to. We’d ask questions. We’d want answers.

The same should be true when it comes to God.

Christianity teaches not merely that spirituality exists, but that God exists and has revealed Himself to mankind. He didn’t merely leave vague clues about Himself scattered throughout creation. He entered history in the person of Jesus Christ.

That’s what separates Christianity from vague spirituality. Vague spirituality says there is “something out there.” Christianity says, “correct! And that something, it turns out is actually a someone, and this someone has made himself known.”

This is why vague spirituality is ultimately insufficient and unsatisfying. It acknowledges transcendence, but then loses interest the moment more definite knowledge is offered about the transcendent God and what He asks of us.

Imagine a man saying: “I believe my wife exists, but I don’t want to know anything specific about her. I don’t want commitment, communication, or relationship. I just want a vague feeling of affection.”

No one would call that love.

And yet many people approach God this way. They want spirituality without truth. Transcendence without obedience. Comfort without conversion.

But if God truly exists and loves us, then He would not merely want us to have vague spiritual feelings about Him. He would want us to know Him.

Jesus said, “this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

Notice that eternal life is described not merely as having spiritual sentiments, but as knowing God.

This is where religion becomes necessary. And I know some Christians bristle at that word, as if religion and relationship with God are opposites. But rightly understood, religion is simply the shape that love and worship take.

Religion, properly understood, is not man inventing arbitrary rituals to reach God. It is humanity responding to God’s self-revelation through worship, prayer, obedience, and love. Religion gives shape to our relationship with God just as vows, habits, and fidelity give shape to marriage. The problem, then, is not religion itself. The problem is false religion. Empty religion. Hypocritical religion.

Jesus condemned religious hypocrisy repeatedly, but He didn’t abolish religion. He founded a Church. He gave authority to the apostles. He instituted sacraments. He commanded worship.

I think, to be blunt about it, “I’m spiritual but not religious” really means: “I want God on my terms.”

But Christianity does not allow us to invent God according to our preferences. It calls us to receive Him as He truly is.

St. Augustine once wrote, “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”

I think that restlessness explains why vague spirituality so often fails to satisfy. Human beings are not merely seeking mystical feelings.

We are seeking God Himself.

And the Christian claim is that God has made Himself known.

Even Jesus’ closest companions, who spent three years with Him during His public ministry, could not bear the fullness of Truth without the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth.

Only through the supernatural gift of the Holy Spirit can we comprehend the deepest mysteries of faith.

-What happens to a soul who receives the Holy Spirit and is guided into “all truth?”

-That soul is transformed.

-We can say, the natural soul gives way to a supernaturally elevated soul, becoming a new creation in Christ.

-But this transformation requires something essential: the old self must die. (as my new sticker on my car says DIE TO SELF.

-We must surrender our fallen nature to receive the new life Christ offers.

-This requires great sacrifice because we must let go of our old ways and embrace God’s grace.

-But every sacrifice that leads to a life transformed by divine truth is worth it.

So as we prepare for the coming of the Holy Spirit that our Lord is sending us after he ascends to the Father, Christ decides 1900 yrs later, in His Divine Mercy, to send us the Spouse of the Holy Spirit, the Blessed Virgin Mary.

-On this day 109 yrs ago, in 1917, Our Lady appeared the 3 shepherd children with an urgent message:

A peace plan really.

The Blessed Virgin appeared to the children on the 13th day of each month.

Mary told them that Her Son has sent her, with a warning, but most importantly, a message hope!

Our Lady to them that God is much offended by the sins of humanity and they must turn back to God and pray!

The Fatima message says nothing new.

It’s the Message of the Gospel.

-Turn from sin and live for God!

God wants the world to come back to Him and live the Gospel!

In 1943, Our Lord appeared to Sister Lucia and told her that what He desired was the fulfillment of one’s duties in life and sacrifices that fell in accord with adherence to his Law.

-This type of penance, he said, was possible for everyone.

In 1948, Sister Lucia was interviewed by American Catholic author, John Haffert. She told him that the most important request of Fatima is the fulfillment of one’s daily duty and that praying the Rosary assists one in doing so.

She also told him, observance of the Five First Saturdays helps one to free oneself from sin and reawakens the commitment to fulfill one’s daily duties.

Why such emphasis on the fulfillment of one’s daily duties? It is by the conscientious attainment of those duties that we sanctify the world.

Each one of us has a specific God-given mission and particular duties that go along with that.

-Regardless of our accomplishments, weaknesses or state of life, we are valuable to God and therefore to Our Lady.

-When we approach our duties with an attitude of self-sacrifice and holiness, we honor Mary’s requests and glorify God.

-Doing even the smallest duty with great love and as perfectly as possible is a way of giving witness to our faith.

This is how we live the Fatima message; which is a message from Heaven for all us to embrace!

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.

Do you want to see God? Our faith teaches that those who die in a state of grace will enjoy the Beatific Vision, the clearest and most intense perception of God’s essence and glory.

-For those still in need of purification, God’s mercy provides the gift of Purgatory, preparing them to gaze upon Him for eternity.

-In Heaven, all will see God face-to-face and experience perfect happiness in communion with Him and all the saints.

-But the promise of seeing God does not begin only in Heaven.

-Through faith, we begin to see Him even now.

-Do you see the Father?

Jesus promises, “Whoever believes in me also believes in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.”

-On earth, Jesus revealed the Father as “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15).

-Though Jesus’ divinity was veiled within His humanity, faith allowed His followers to perceive the Father’s presence through Him.

-To look upon Jesus was truly to gaze upon God, even if God’s full glory was hidden.

Today, after Jesus’ Ascension, His presence remains with us, especially in the Eucharist.

-Though our senses perceive only bread and wine, faith reveals that we are gazing upon God.

-When we approach the Eucharist with faith, we see Jesus, and through Him, we see the Father.

Beyond the Eucharist, we encounter God’s presence every time we are touched by grace, perform an act of charity, receive the Sacraments, or prayerfully read His Word.

-God reveals Himself in hidden form through these moments, inviting us to recognize Him with the eyes of faith.

Jesus’ promises that when we see Him, we also see the Father.

-Is your spiritual vision clear? Do you perceive God’s presence daily? If not, seek Him in prayer, the sacraments, and the grace-filled moments of life.

-The more we form the habit of seeing and encountering God, the more attuned we will become to His presence.

-This habit prepares us for the glorious day when we will see Him face-to-face in Heaven, beholding Him in eternal joy and love.

----Today is the memorial of St. Catherine of Sienna. Mystic, doctor of the Church, and co-patron of Europe.

Catherine joined the Third Order of Saint Dominic, made up of lay people who wore a religious habit but lived at home, serving the poor and sick and performing charitable works.

Her last, and greatest, gift to the Church was her book I recommend, The Dialogue of Divine Providence. Dictated by Catherine while she was in ecstasy, it is a conversation between a soul and the Father in Heaven.

Here’s beautiful quote from her, “We are such value to God that he came to live among us … and to guide us home. He will go to any length to seek us, even to being lifted high upon the cross to draw us back to himself. We can only respond by loving God for his love.”

St. Catherine’s unquenchable desire for God is beautifully expressed in this prayer she wrote: I leave you with this prayer:

Eternal God, eternal Trinity, You have made the Blood of Christ so precious through His sharing in Your Divine nature. You are a mystery as deep as the sea; the more I search, the more I find, and the more I find, the more I search for You. But I can never be satisfied; what I receive will ever leave me desiring more. When You fill my soul, I have an ever greater hunger, and I grow more famished for Your light. I desire above all to see You, the true Light, as You really are. Amen. Saint Catherine of Siena, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

We are challenged to believe in Christ Jesus is who He says He is / The God-Man sent by God the Father AND, Belief that He is the Bread of Life; HE is present in the Holy Eucharist!

After proclaiming Himself to be the Bread of Life, Jesus reveals His unity with the Father in Heaven Who sent Him on His mission.

At that time, the people of Israel were used to listening to rabbis who interpreted the Law of Moses, the psalms, and the prophets for them.

These educated teachers often spoke clearly and with authority, but never like Jesus.

His clarity and authority were pronounced, and His message He taught was new. Not even the prophets of old spoke like Him.

When they prophesied, they usually began by saying, “Thus says the Lord…” Jesus’ teaching took a drastic shift by proclaiming, “I AM the Lord…”, the Father and I or one.

Saint John Vianney once said, “There is nothing so great as the Eucharist. If God had something more precious, He would have given it to us.”

Do we believe that? Of all the material possessions we might obtain in this life, nothing is more valuable, important, or precious than the Eucharist.

-Why? Because the Eucharist is Jesus Himself. He is the Bread of Life.

His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity enters our souls when we receive this precious gift.

Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, desiring to satisfy our souls’ every longing.

Let us remember today how Jesus concludes today’s Gospel with a declaration about the Father’s will and His mission:

“Everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day” (cf. John 6:37–40).

THIS IS THE GOOD NEWS we should be proclaiming for the rooftops!

That Jesus is the God-Man who came to give us eternal life and

Himself as spiritual food in the holy Eucharist.

Darkness makes it impossible for our eyes to see. Similarly, within the spiritual realm, the absence of God leaves us spiritually blind.

-In this spiritual darkness, we stumble, unable to discern good from evil or to find the path to holiness.

Yet, when we invite the divine light of Christ into our souls, the darkness dissipates and we begin to see clearly, walking confidently in God’s grace and truth.

Though God is a perfectly just Judge, Jesus’ earthly mission was to save us from condemnation, to set us free, to flood our souls with the light of truth, and to enable us to see God through faith in this life.

-How do we invite more light into our lives practically?

Focus on The Light: Jesus Christ! And everything he has given us:

Read His Word in Holy Scripture so to bring light to guide us.

-Live the Sacramental life faithfully: Going to Confession and receiving our Lord in Holy Communion.

_____________________________

-The Father Sent His Son to save the world through Him!

-To bring the light of grace, mercy, Truth, love and salvation.

-Yes, this fallen world still today prefers darkness rather than the light.

These are the effects of The Fall.

-We pick up our cross and follow Him who is the Light!

-He will guide us through believing and surrendering our lives to him every day.

-We live in the Light by being faithfully followers of the Lord.

-Another words we live in His Grace, Sanctifying grace!

Notice when we live in right relationship with God,

(in His Light/His Grace), we see our sins and vices better.

It is because when we live in the state of grace, we see ourselves in the light of how God sees us.

_______________________________

When we live in the Light, we become beacons of truth, love and charity, and people will see and be attracted to the Light we have.

People will ask why are you so joyful, and at peace and not full of anxiety.

-We should tell them: “We know Jesus Christ. He is THE way, THE Truth and the life!” Why don’t you join me at Holy Mass sometime?

__________________________

As with Nicodemus, Jesus is able to see any flickering flame of faith within our souls.

-When He sees it, He will engage us, challenge us, and seek to shine His light more fully within us.

-He wants not only a flickering flame of light but a radiant light, a soul set ablaze!

-The more clearly we see, the more firmly our feet are on the path to holiness.

Reflect today on the contrast of light and darkness within our soul.

-If you find yourself lost at times or confused about life, turn to Jesus and beg for light, more light more grace.

Turn to His Word and Sacraments!

-Invoke the His Holy Name in Prayer: Like praying the Jesus Prayer for example.

-Turn to his saints! Read their lives, and their inspired writings.

-Let us allow the light to shine brightly within us, so can bring the bright light of the Gospel to a dark world who needs to see.

Holy Scripture contains numerous parables and exhortations regarding the great power of prayer. This is entirely coherent both with the virtue of humility—most deeply involved in any authentic prayer—and with the demand to restore a living, complete and vivid relationship with God. In many moments of deep personal crisis, the necessity of imploring God becomes obvious to all of us. And yet, despite the naturalness of the biblical teaching about the crucial importance of prayer, a verse from the First Epistle to the Thessalonians by the Holy Apostle Paul perplexes us every time we read it:

Pray without ceasing (Sine intermissione orate – 1 Thessalonians 5:17).

How can anyone pray without ceasing? Is this possible? Is it realistic? The Holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church have already asked themselves this question. For example, the great Cappadocian saint, Basil, wonders whether “it is possible to obey such a command” from the Apostle. By exploring their responses, we may succeed in resolving the mystery of such an apparently impossible requirement.

One of the most brilliant Greek Fathers, Saint Athanasius the Great (c.296-373), interprets this verse by associating it with the two that accompany it:

Always rejoice. Pray without ceasing. In all things give thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18).

Taken together, these words point to the context of liturgical feasts, whose very essence is prayer directed by the entire community to God:

What is the feast, but the constant worship of God, and the recognition of godliness, and unceasing prayers, with concord, from the whole heart?¹

Liturgical cycles, repeated—on a micro level—weekly, and on a macro level, with every feast established by the Church calendar, are the best occasion to practice unceasing prayer. And since these liturgical cycles are perpetual, from this we can easily deduce the perpetuity of prayer as well. Let us also note the importance of unity in faith, the harmony among those engaged in such communal acts of worship. This, then, is a first answer to the demand made by the great missionary apostle that we pray without ceasing.

by Robert Lazu Kmita

Darkness makes it impossible for our eyes to see. Similarly, within the spiritual realm, the absence of God leaves us spiritually blind.

-In this spiritual darkness, we stumble, unable to discern good from evil or to find the path to holiness.

Yet, when we invite the divine light of Christ into our souls, the darkness dissipates and we begin to see clearly, walking confidently in God’s grace and truth.

Though God is a perfectly just Judge, Jesus’ earthly mission was to save us from condemnation, to set us free, to flood our souls with the light of truth, and to enable us to see God through faith in this life.

-How do we invite more light into our lives practically?

Focus on The Light: Jesus Christ! And everything he has given us:

Read His Word in Holy Scripture so to bring light to guide us.

-Live the Sacramental life faithfully: Going to Confession and receiving our Lord in Holy Communion.

_____________________________

-The Father Sent His Son to save the world through Him!

-To bring the light of grace, mercy, Truth, love and salvation.

-Yes, this fallen world still today prefers darkness rather than the light.

These are the effects of The Fall.

-We pick up our cross and follow Him who is the Light!

-He will guide us through believing and surrendering our lives to him every day.

-We live in the Light by being faithfully followers of the Lord.

-Another words we live in His Grace, Sanctifying grace!

Notice when we live in right relationship with God,

(in His Light/His Grace), we see our sins and vices better.

It is because when we live in the state of grace, we see ourselves in the light of how God sees us.

_______________________________

When we live in the Light, we become beacons of truth, love and charity, and people will see and be attracted to the Light we have.

People will ask why are you so joyful, and at peace and not full of anxiety.

-We should tell them: “We know Jesus Christ. He is THE way, THE Truth and the life!” Why don’t you join me at Holy Mass sometime?

__________________________

As with Nicodemus, Jesus is able to see any flickering flame of faith within our souls.

-When He sees it, He will engage us, challenge us, and seek to shine His light more fully within us.

-He wants not only a flickering flame of light but a radiant light, a soul set ablaze!

-The more clearly we see, the more firmly our feet are on the path to holiness.

Reflect today on the contrast of light and darkness within our soul.

-If you find yourself lost at times or confused about life, turn to Jesus and beg for light, more light more grace.

Turn to His Word and Sacraments!

Invoke the His Holy Name in Prayer: Like praying the Jesus Prayer for example.

Turn to his saints! Read their lives, and their inspired writings.

-Let us allow the light to shine brightly within us, so can bring the bright light of the Gospel to a dark world who needs to see.

The Last Supper was both a glorious moment of grace and a painful moment of betrayal.

-During that meal, Jesus instituted the Eucharist, the gift of His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity that perpetuates His saving sacrifice until the end of time.

-It was also at that holy meal that one of Jesus’ closest companions lied to His face and resolved to betray Him for thirty pieces of silver.

According to the Torah, if an ox killed a slave, the owner was required to pay the slave’s master thirty pieces of silver.

-The holy irony is that Judas betrayed Jesus for the price of a slave, even though Jesus came to set all people free from the slavery of sin.

When Jesus informs the Twelve that one of them would betray Him, He does so without anger or self-pity.

-His words reflect holy sorrow, accompanied by resignation, clarity, and gentleness.

-This sorrow is not merely sadness over His impending suffering but a loving sorrow for the lost soul of His betrayer.

-Deeply distressed, the disciples respond one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?”

The Greek word Kyrios, used here for “Lord,” denotes authority, mastery, and divine lordship.

-It appears frequently in the New Testament, primarily in reference to Jesus. In the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint), Kyrios replaces YHWH, the sacred and unspoken name of God, about 7,000 times.

-By addressing Jesus as Kyrios, the eleven recognize Him not only as their teacher but as the Messiah and Son of God.

-This title expresses a relationship of trust and reverence, acknowledging Jesus’ divine authority.

When Judas speaks, he replaces Kyrios with Rabbí—“Surely it is not I, Rabbi?”—a transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic term meaning “teacher.”

-While respectful, this address falls short of acknowledging Jesus as Kyrios, focusing on Him as a human teacher rather than as Lord, Messiah, and God.

-This distinction is subtle but significant, inviting us to reflect on how we approach Jesus during the Holy Mass, since this conversation took place at the Last Supper—the first Mass.

-Do we approach Him with the heart of Judas, recognizing Him only in an earthly sense, or with the faith of the other disciples, seeing Him as Lord?

Judas did not hate Jesus.

-Unlike the Pharisees who sought His death, Judas regretted his betrayal, tried to return the thirty pieces of silver, and tragically “went off and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:3–5).

-His greatest failure was that he could not look beyond Jesus’ humanity to perceive His divinity.

-His eyes were fixed on himself—particularly his greed and selfish desires.

-In a similar way, when we approach the Eucharist without faith, surrender, and adoration, we risk falling into Judas’ error: focusing more on ourselves than on Christ.

At Mass, we say, “Lord, have mercy,” not “Rabbi, have mercy.”

-This prayer must come from the depths of our hearts, recognizing our need for mercy with God as its source.

-When we kneel at the consecration, our hearts should cry out, “My Lord and my God!” Yet, how often are we distracted, thinking about our plans after Mass? When we neglect to approach Jesus in faith and reverence, we miss the opportunity to encounter Him as He truly is—our Lord and our God.

Let’s all reflect today on how we participate in Holy Mass.

-See ourselves at the Last Supper, uniting that moment with every Mass we attend.

-Pray that we may receive Jesus with love, devotion, and reverence, looking beyond the appearance of bread and wine to encounter our Lord.

As Holy Week begins in earnest, the Church presents us with the tender scene at Bethany. Mary anoints the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume—a lavish act of love and devotion. It is a prophetic gesture: she is preparing His body for burial, though she may not yet realize the full weight of her action.

Mary’s act teaches us how to approach these final days of Lent: with reverence, with total surrender, and with deep, personal love for Jesus. She offers something costly—“of great price”—and does so not with calculation but with abandon. So too should we offer to Jesus all that is costly within us: our pride, our attachments, our comforts, our sins, our time. Lent is about pouring out ourselves for Love.

Note also the presence of Lazarus—once dead, now alive, reclining at table with the Lord. It is a subtle foreshadowing of the Resurrection. Where Christ is, death cannot reign.

But there is also Judas. He protests this waste of money under the guise of concern for the poor. Scripture tells us it was not true concern, but greed. Let us beware the Judas within: the voice that seeks to rationalize mediocrity or that resents extravagant love. There is no middle ground in Holy Week—either we are moving toward the Cross in love like Mary, or we are slipping into cold betrayal like Judas.

Let us follow Mary’s example. Let us waste nothing of this Holy Week. Let us pour ourselves out in adoration and contrition. Let our tears, like her ointment, fall upon His feet in gratitude.

Spend time today in Eucharistic Adoration, or if you cannot, make a spiritual communion with the words, “Jesus, I adore You. I offer myself to You. Let my heart be the vessel of spikenard poured out in love.”

Examine your heart: what will you “pour out” for Jesus this week?

“The fragrance of the ointment filled the house—such is the fragrance of true devotion. When a soul loves Christ purely, its love fills the Church, giving joy to the faithful and honor to the Savior.” ~ St. Gregory the Great

Cross and Shield.