More wisdom from Fr. Andrew Apostoli

A beautiful illustration of this two-fold Eucharistic love, namely, for Christ and for our neighbor, is seen in the life of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She was once asked, ‘From where do you find the strength to take care of all the difficult cases that you encounter each day? The dying destitutes in the streets of Calcutta? The lepers? The abandoned babies? The AIDS victims? The homeless and the hungry?’ Mother answered with her simple yet profound wisdom, ‘I begin each day by going to Mass and receiving Jesus in Holy Communion, hidden under the simple form of bread. Then I go out into the streets and find the same Jesus hidden in the dying destitute people, in the lepers, in the abandoned babies, in the AIDS people, and in the homeless and the hungry. It is the same Jesus.’ So too for us, works of mercy must be the fruit of our Eucharistic love.

—Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR from What to Do When Jesus Is Hungry: A Practical Guide to the Works of Mercy

This brings loved ones back to the Church

From the Desk of Patrick Madrid I've spent decades travelling the globe explaining the Catholic faith. But some of my friends and relatives refuse to listen to even one word I say about it. If, like me, your heart breaks when someone close to you leaves the Church (or refuses to come back to it), then perhaps you'll be helped by what I've learned from my own failures, and from others across the world with whom I've spent long hours discussing the problem that troubles us all: How to bring our friends and family into — or back into — the Catholic Church. What about your sister Jennifer who left the Church in anger over a sermon she thought was too harsh? Or Bob from the office, who brings up religion at lunchtime, but whom you only seem to drive farther into Fundamentalism? Or even your spouse? You want to be closer, but your Catholicism gets between you. * Whether you're a wife or a welder, a poet or painter, a butcher, a baker, or candlestick maker, you can learn how to bring your loved ones into — or back into — the Catholic Church. And, contrary to what most people think, it doesn't take hard work or great learning to do so. (Most of the apostles were simple souls like you and me, as were the great majority of the saints.) To help you bring your loved ones into the Church, I've gathered into a modest book all I've learned over the years . . . . . . from the Church, from the saints, and from praying with and talking to folks like you all over the world — many of whom have actually succeeded in bringing their friends and relatives to Christ.   "Spiritually wise, morally honest, and psychologically sensitive advice about the most forgotten yet the most crucial dimension of Catholic evangelism, the personal. Don't evangelize without it!" —Peter Kreeft You see, successful evangelization has more to do with love and friendship than logic and rhetoric. Which is why, in Search and Rescue, I show you: Why, as you undertake this work, you can have absolute confidence that Christ will give you all that you need to succeed   How — in your own way — you're already equipped to accept Christ's urgent call to evangelize your friends and family   How you can overcome your embarrassment and the fear of failure   Why you must always let God do the talking — and how to be sure you do   Why questions are often better than statements — and the kinds of questions that have been found to be most effective   How you can redirect conversations into areas that do win converts   How to avoid hurtful arguments and keep conversations cordial   Common ground: why, like St. Paul, you must seek it (and how to find it)   Why God can't accept the excuses we use to avoid speaking about Him to friends and family   How to uncover the unspoken reasons why folks dislike the Church   Why, no matter what happens, you must never grow discouraged (and how to get free of it when you are)   How to suppress the egotism that afflicts so many apostles today (and that drives many people far from the Church) The three most common reasons why those you love may refuse to hear what you say — and how to deal with each   The three things you absolutely must be sure to do before you open your mouth the first time (and every time thereafter)   Why you must listen for what they are not saying — and how to do so   Why, reconciliation must remain ever foremost in your mind   What the Church really teaches (and has never taught): keys to answering many objections to the Catholic Faith   The Bible: why those who win souls read it and pray with it daily   How to ensure that your efforts are always for God, and never for victory   When you should share the Faith (and when stay silent) — and how to tell   Church history: how even a modest acquaintance with it will help you immeasurably   The central place of Confession in the life of every effective evangelist   The fundamental spiritual attitudes that win souls faster than words (and how you can cultivate them in your own soul)   Why, in approaching friends and relatives, you must never forget that you are no more than a junior partner with God . . . and much more! "How do you bring a friend or relative back into the Church? First, you pray. Then, you follow Patrick Madrid's advice in Search and Rescue." —Edward Cardinal Egan To better equip you for your task, I've also included the following in Search and Rescue: Hundreds of Bible verses  to help you see the deep Biblical roots of our Catholic Faith. Wise and consoling prayers to pray before you begin to speak of the Faith to others. Quotes from dozens of saints to help guide you, including St. Paul, St. Monica, St. Augustine, St. Basil the Great, St. Jerome, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Francis de Sales, St. John Vianney, St. Philip Neri, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, and many others. A 3-tiered Reading Plan  that, over time, will equip even the least-qualified apostles to present the Faith simply, intelligently, and persuasively. And even an Action Agenda  at the end of each chapter, listing simple steps you can take now to make the Faith more appealing to those you love. Search and Rescue: How to Bring Your Family and Friends Into — or Back into — The Catholic Church by Patrick Madrid Paperback — 288 pages List price: $18.95  Today's Sale Price: $14.99! BUY NOW Converts often bring to the Catholic Church an evangelical zeal that can renew and energize  even the most tired and battle weary among us. The Church is hurting for enthusiastic voices to proclaim her teachings on truth and morals. In Filling Our Father's House, Shaun McAfee, a convert from Evangelical Protestantism shows how we can take the best tools of evangelization and use them to reach countless souls with the fullness of the Christian Faith. With Shaun's help, you'll learn: Simple ways you can make the visitor in your parish more at home   How to speak compellingly about the Faith   Simple ways to integrate daily Scripture reading into your life   Why small groups are important for spiritual enrichment   How to communicate with souls who have never considered joining the Catholic Church   And much more! The simple steps Shaun outlines in these pages will also show priests and lay leaders how to more effectively engage modern society with our Catholic Faith. Our society is awash in secularism. It's eating away at the sense of God, and the emptying of the pews in our own parishes is its natural effects. We need a renewal of enthusiasm for the battle  against secularism. Filling Our Father's House is a beginner's guide to getting us back on track. Today's price: $19.99! List price: $33.90 BUY NOW Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com Save up to 40% when you join

More wisdom from Jason Evert

More than abstinence or self-restraint, piety is a deep reverence for all things sacred, including the body. If sin dulls our understanding of the meaning of the body and the value of seuxality, piety heightens our sensitivity to the dignity that the body possesses. It is the crowning of chastity, and according to John Paul, “turns out to be the most essential power for keeping the body ‘with holiness.’” It is the Holy Spirit who empowers each person to view his or her body—and the bodies of others—with such reverence.

—JASON EVERT from Theology of the Body in One Hour

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit,
That my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit,
That my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit,
That I love but what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit,
To defend all that is holy.
Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit,
That I always may be holy.

~ St. Augustine of Hippo

Wisdom from Jason Evert

The human body reveals that man is alone among all earthly creatures as a person. Unlike the animals, he is not an irrational beast, driven purely by instinct. He is a subject: a person with a conscience who is aware of himself and is capable of self-determination. Therefore, Adam’s solitude is a reference to his uniqueness as a person within creation.

—JASON EVERT from Theology of the Body in One Hour

More wisdom from Raymond Cardinal Burke

With the arrival of abortion, society has experienced an increase in violence. The murder of the smallest and most defenseless human beings is the root of social violence. Now, some people say that people with serious illnesses or the elderly are useless. That is truly horrible. You can see the profoundly selfish, individualistic logic that is behind this view of a human being and his dignity.

—Raymond Cardinal Burke from Hope for the World: To Unite All Things in Christ

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Cycle B May 27, 2018

First Reading
Deuteronomy 4:32-34,39-40
Moses teaches the people that Yahweh is the only God.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33:4-5,6,9,18-19,20,22
A prayer for the Lord's mercy

Second Reading
Romans 8:14-17
Through the Spirit, we have been adopted as children of God.

Gospel Reading
Matthew 28:16-20
Jesus sends his disciples to make disciples of all nations.

The eleven disciples went to Galilee,
to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.
When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approached and said to them,
"All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."


Background on the Gospel Reading
This week we return to the liturgical season of Ordinary Time. This Sunday
and next Sunday, however, are designated as solemnities, special days that
call our attention to the central mysteries of our faith. Today, on the
first Sunday after Pentecost, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy
Trinity. This feast invites us to consider what we believe about God, who
has revealed himself to us in the Trinity, one God in three Persons.The
Gospel for this Solemnity is taken from the Gospel of Matthew. In its
conclusion, Matthew's Gospel quickly moves from the disciples' discovery
of Jesus' empty tomb and Jesus' appearance to Mary Magdalene and the other
Mary to the commission that Jesus gives to his disciples in today's
Gospel.

The final commission, as this part of Matthew's Gospel is sometimes
called, is given on the mountaintop. Throughout Scripture, many of the
most important events happen on a mountaintop, and Matthew used this motif
often. Peter, James, and John saw Jesus transfigured on the mountaintop,
and Jesus taught the crowds from the mountaintop in the Sermon on the
Mount. In today's Gospel, the eleven disciples go the mountaintop in
Galilee, as Jesus had instructed them through Mary Magdalene and the other
Mary. They see Jesus, and they worship and doubt at the same time. Jesus
approaches them and commissions them to baptize and teach. It is a task
for which Jesus had previously prepared his disciples; recall that Jesus
had already sent the twelve apostles to preach the Kingdom of God and to
heal. Yet earlier, the Twelve were sent only to the House of Israel; in
this final commission, the eleven are told to go to all nations. The
mission of Jesus is now to be taken to all people, and the task is to
baptize and to teach.

Jesus commissions his disciples to baptize in the name of the Trinity;
this is one of the clearest attestations for Baptism in the name of the
Holy Trinity found in Scripture. Other New Testament references to Baptism
describe it as being celebrated in the name of Jesus. As we read this
Gospel on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, we are reminded that
this central mystery of faith is meant to be lived. As baptized
Christians, we share in the life of the blessed Trinity and seek to invite
others to share in God's love.

Family Connection
The Solemnity of the Holy Trinity invites us to remember that God has
revealed himself to us as one God in three Persons. As Jesus departed from
his disciples, he shared with them the power to make disciples of all
nations. He taught his disciples to invite others to share in the life of
the blessed Trinity by sharing with others the gift of Baptism. This
continues to be the mission of the Church. Each of us who has been
baptized shares in the life of the blessed Trinity and also shares in the
Church's mission of inviting others to share in God's love.

As you gather as a family, bring out pictures and other mementos of family
celebrations of the Sacrament of Baptism. Talk about the significance of
Baptism with your family. Read together today's Gospel, Matthew 28:16-20.
Notice that Jesus taught his disciples to baptize all nations in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. What else does this
remind you of? (the Sign of the Cross) Recall that whenever we pray the
Sign of the Cross, we are reminding ourselves that we are united with God
through our Baptism and share in the life of the blessed Trinity. Conclude
by thanking God for sharing his life with us. Pray together the Glory Be
to the Father.


Sources: Loyola Press; Sunday Readings

Wisdom from Raymond Cardinal Burke

We are citizens of our country, and our duty to society is to witness to the moral law, which is the prerequisite for peace in our life together.

—Raymond Cardinal Burke from Hope for the World: To Unite All Things in Christ

More wisdom from Dr. Scott Hahn

If Revelation is the toughest book of the Bible to translate and interpret, then chapter 20 and the millennium and the first six verses are the most difficult part of the most difficult book to interpret properly. Catholics don’t get involved in the millenium debate very much. This is largely a Protestant controversy. Few issues divide Protestants as divisively and violently as the millennium. Generally speaking, there are three positions, but careful analysis shows four. The millennium refers to the 1,000 year reign of Christ. The question is: When is the millenium? Is it the 1,000 years before Christ’s second coming, or is the millennium after Christ’s second coming? And that divides up pre-millennialists and post-millennialists. And there’s a third school of thought which says there is no literal millennium. They’re known as a-millennialists.

—DR. SCOTT HAHN from The End

Wisdom from Dr. Scott Hahn

What is the climax of the Book of Revelation? If we look at the last four chapters, Revelation 19, 20, 21, and 22, what happens in Revelation 19? Even if you only read the book once or twice, you could recall that in Revelation 19, a city described as a whore or a harlot is burned up with fire. Many scholars contend that is Rome, but the problem is, Rome is never called a harlot anywhere in Scripture. But Jerusalem is called a harlot by Ezekiel, and Jeremiah, and Isaiah, and many others as well. Second, Rome was not burned up in a fire. There was a small fire in a region of Rome set by Nero, but it didn’t consume the whole city the way it’s described in Revelation 19. There was a city, however, that was entirely burned down in fire: Jerusalem.

—DR. SCOTT HAHN from The End

Lessons from the Blessed Mother

Spiritual meditation is the surest way to grow in holiness . . . . . . and Our Lady is truly an example of perfection. With this combination, Meditations on Mary is a spiritual powerhouse that lifts your soul to God and helps you along the path to heaven. Meditations on Mary features 24 of the most powerful and moving meditations written by 17th Century Bishop Jacques-Benigne Bossuet . . . . . . widely considered to be one of the best homilists in the history of the Church! Bishop Bossuet has been admired for his piety and eloquence for over three hundred years! Now his meditations on Our Lady are available to you in English — for the very first time! In these pages, Bishop Bossuet takes you on a stunning pilgrimage through the principal mysteries of Our Lady's life. He masterfully blends what he's learned from Sacred Scripture with the spiritual traditions rooted in the heart of the Church, and illuminates it with his own theological reflections. Bishop Bossuet shows you how Jesus brings honor to Himself by honoring His mother . . . . . . and how Our Lady is extraordinary solely because of her alliance with Jesus. By following Bishop Bossuet's meditations, you'll learn how to . . .    Pray with great humility and perseverance — no matter how dry your spiritual life   Seek holiness through your daily work — no matter how mundane you feel your activities have become   Conform yourself to the will of God — no matter how many times you've fallen   And how to advance in perfection despite the many temptations and travails that beset you "Love our Lady. And she will obtain abundant grace to help you conquer in your daily struggle." St. Josemaria Escriva *  *  * "In trial or difficulty I have recourse to Mother Mary, whose glance alone is enough to dissipate every fear."  St. Therese of Lisieux *  *  * “Always stay close to this Heavenly Mother, because she is the sea to be crossed to reach the shores of Eternal Splendor.” St. Padre Pio Meditations on Mary by Bishop Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet Paperback — 144 pages List price: $14.95  Limited Time Sale Price: $9.99! BUY NOW In this new century, when each day brings us ever more salacious news about the evils of men and women, the life of Christ reminds us that goodness is not an illusion. In this modest little book, The Good Galilean, the holy bishop Alban Goodier highlights for us the quiet goodness of Our Lord, and in ways that place that goodness within our reach, too. In The Good Galilean, we walk with Jesus, see Him talking, answering questions, healing and consoling the men and women who are drawn to Him – and in ways that Bishop Goodier shows are possible for us, whoever we are and wherever we live. The saints demonstrate that it’s possible, by grace, to imitate the model of goodness Jesus has provided us; Bishop Goodier shows how to do it. With the help of The Good Galilean, it’s time for each of us to play our role in restoring to our suffering world the goodness purchased for it by Jesus. Today's price: $16.99! List price: $24.90 BUY NOW Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com Save up to 40% when you join