Lenten reading acclaimed by Mother Teresa, Benedict Groeschel, and Fr. Hardon

In Gethsemane, Jesus begged His disciples to "watch one hour" with Him.   This Lent will you finally manage to watch one hour with Jesus, or even grow closer to him in prayer? If you're uncertain, then consider this remarkable book, written in Jerusalem in the 1920s by a Dominican priest who lived there. It will make it easy for you to watch not just one hour with Jesus, but many. * "By means of this book," said Mother Teresa of Calcutta, "we enter right into the Heart of Jesus and discover how precious we are to Him and how much He longs for our love in return."   *  The late John Cardinal O'Connor called this book "beautiful, devotional, and insightful." * Fr. Benedict Groeschel proclaimed it "a powerful aid to meditation" and Dr. Alice von Hildebrand says "This book should be in the hands of every single Christian."  That's because its author, Rev. A.D. Sertillanges (1863-1948), wrote with the care of a scholar, the eye of a cinematographer, and the tenderness of a saint. In the pages of this book, What Jesus Saw from the Cross, you'll be jostled by crowds as you enter Jerusalem with Jesus, choke on the dust of the narrow streets, breathe the rich smells of the city at festival time, and share the Last Supper with the disciples.   You'll weep in Gethsemane, witness the kiss of Judas and the lying accusations made before Herod and Pilate. You'll stumble with Jesus through narrow streets, bumped by pack animals and hawkers selling wares to the thrill-seeking crowd, sneering at the Cross Jesus bears.   You'll weep as soldiers drive home the nails and tremble as darkness covers the earth when Jesus dies. So intense is Fr. Sertillanges' account of Jesus' last days --- and so faithful to the Gospel --- that generations of Catholics have used What Jesus Saw from the Cross to prepare themselves for Easter.   *  The late Fr. John Hardon said that: "Father Sertillanges' book immerses us into every detail, every event, and every emotion that accompanies the drama of Christ's suffering and sacrifice on the cross. After reading this book, every Christian will experience the vivid sense of being an eyewitness to the death of His Lord and view the Crucifixion as a personal event that touches his daily life. This is a book for all times, for all places, and for all people, especially our own age." * * *   Will your faith grow this Lent, or will you settle with "just getting by?"   Join Mother Teresa, Cardinal O'Connor, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Dr. Alice von Hildebrand, and countless other good Catholics who have nourished their faith with What Jesus Saw from the Cross. What Jesus Saw from the Cross  by Fr. A.G. Sertillanges 252 pages $18.95 Available in Paperback and Ebook Order online now or call toll-free: 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com Limited Time Offer: Save 20% on all orders of $50 or more! Your discount will be applied automatically at checkout! Also for Lent:                                              Save 20% on all orders of $50 or more! Your discount will be applied automatically at checkout. Limited time offer.  Cannot be combined with other discounts.   Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com

Today's Gospel Reading - January 27, 2013 with Reflection

1^ST READING - Nehemiah 8:2-4, 5-6, 8-10

P S A L M - Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15

R: Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

7 [8] The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul; the decree of the Lord is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. (R) 8 [9] The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eye. (R) 9 [10] The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true, all of them just. (R) 14 [15] Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (R)

2^ND READING - 1 Corinthians 12:12-30

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, and to proclaim liberty to captives.

Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

1 Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and  ministers of the word have handed them down to us, 3 I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received. 4: 14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news of him spread throughout the whole region. 15 He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all. 16 He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read 17 and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: 18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” 20 Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. 21 He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

SABBATH

YOU ARE THE ONE

One day, the employees of a large company were greeted with a sign on the front door that said: “Yesterday the person who has been hindering your growth in this company died. We invite you to join the wake in the gym.”

Everyone was sad to hear that one of their colleagues had died, but after a while, they started asking who this person might be. They went to the gym to pay their last respects, wondering, “Who is this person who was hindering my progress? Well, at least he’s no longer here!”

One by one, the employees got closer to the coffin. When they looked inside, they suddenly became speechless. They stood over the coffin, shocked and in silence, as if touched in the deepest part of their soul. Inside the coffin was a mirror. Everyone who looked inside it could see himself. And next to the mirror was a sign that said, “There is only one person who is capable of setting limits to your growth: YOU.”

Today’s Gospel is an occasion of induction, inauguration and anointing. Jesus came home to Nazareth, his hometown, and entered the synagogue. In the midst of everyone listening, Jesus embraced the mission He was sent to accomplish. After reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah, Jesus boldly declared, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” He was the one all the prophets and laws of the Old Testament spoke of. When everyone had fallen away on the sidelines, Jesus kept His hands on the reign, for He is the one.

Have you had that moment in your life when God confirmed you in your unique mission? Have you embraced that mission? Just like the story above, “you” are the only person who can really define your life and your happiness — not your circumstances, not your fortune.

Your life does not have to change when your boss changes, when your friends change, when your job changes. Your circumstances may change — they are beyond your control — but your response to these changes depends on you. Fr. Joel Jason

REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you just flowing or floating along the river of life? Swim with the opposite tide. Remember, only dead things float along the river.

Lord, thank You for the wonder of my being. Help me discover my uniqueness and summon the strength I have as a child of God. Guide me as I chart my destiny to the best of my abilities.

St. Angela Merici, virgin, pray for us.

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What the Church Fathers REALLY believed.

They were the Church’s first apologists, and her first martyrs.  They gave rise to the Christian Church, and defended her against heretics.   Their writings converted thousands, and continue to do so even in our day. The Early Church Fathers boldly spread the Truth of Christ throughout the known world, performing miracles, and converting countless sinners and wayward souls. And now, their most important writings have been collected and organized into one, easy-to-follow volume: The Fathers Know Best: Your Essential Guide to the Teachings of the Early Church. The Fathers Know Best: Your Essential Guide to the Teachings of the Early Church Edited by Jimmy Akin $24.95 - 450 Pages   This unique volume will introduce you to the teachings of the first Christians in a way no other work can.  It is specially designed to make it easy for you to find the information you want and need.  Key features in The Fathers Know Best include: More than 900 quotations from the writings of the early Church Fathers, as well as from rare and important documents dating back to the dawn of Christian history.   Mini-biographies of nearly 100 Fathers, as well as descriptions of dozens of key early councils and writings.   A concise history of the dramatic spread of Christianity after Jesus told his disciples to evangelize all nations.   Special maps showing you where the Fathers lived, including many little-known and long-vanished locations.   A guide to nearly 30 ancient heresies, many of which have returned to haunt the modern world.   The Fathers' teaching on nearly 50 topics, including modern controversial issues such as abortion, homosexuality, and divorce. This remarkable resource flings the door open on this crucial but little-known age covering the birth of Christianity and the triumphant march of the gospel throughout the ancient world.   The Fathers Know Best: Your Essential Guide to the Teachings of the Early Church Edited by Jimmy Akin $24.95 - 450 Pages Save 15% when you order the 2-book set:           Click here to order BOTH books Apply coupon code EarlyChurch at checkout   How can I pray better? How do I know God hears my prayers? How can I ‘pray always,’ as Jesus commands? Why must I ask for things God already knows I need? Such were the questions that perplexed a young North African man, Augustine Aurelius (354-430), whose intense yearning for God led him into a profound and lifelong encounter with Christ in prayer. There Augustine found answers to these questions and to countless more — answers not grounded in his own brilliance, but in prayer itself. In time, Augustine became a bishop and a Father of the Church, and has long been numbered among her saints. Yet of all the Church’s saints, not one expresses the longing for God more beautifully, or explores the nature of prayer more helpfully, than St. Augustine. His words speak to us today as freshly as they did to his contemporaries. St. Augustine wrote many books, but never one devoted to prayer alone. Indeed, his teachings on prayer are scattered in many places. So from over 200 works, Fr. Cliff Ermatinger has gathered and translated Augustine’s teachings on prayer, and now presents them here in a simple question-and-answer format. What emerges is nothing less than a rich new “catechism on prayer” by one of the Church’s greatest saints.    Save 15% Click here to order the 2-book set and apply coupon code EarlyChurch at checkout           (Shipping not included.  Not eligible for any other discount. Limited Time Offer.) Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com

Today's Gospel Reading - Sunday, January 20, 2013 with Reflection

Feast of the Sto. Niño

1^ST READING - Isaiah 9:1-6

P S A L M - Psalm 98: 1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6

R: All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

1 Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm.(R) 2 The Lord has made his salvation known in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. 3 He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel.(R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. 4 Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. (R) 5 Sing praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the Lord. (R)

2^nd READING - Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

Luke 2:41-52

41 Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, 42 and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. 43 After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, 47 and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. 48When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”50 But they did not understand what he said to them. 51 He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus advanced [in] wisdom and age and favor before God and man.

SABBATH

I’M GROWING UP In May 2012, a Filipina-Mexican named Jessica Sanchez made it to the finals of the world famous singing contest on TV, American Idol. It was the first time that a woman of Filipina lineage made it that far in the contest, going against a “WGWG,” i.e., a white guy with guitar. Rounds of jokes circulated that the winner was the American while Jessica was the Idol. A video of an American girl throwing a tantrum when Jessica did not win was posted on the Internet days after the contest. In all innocence and cuteness, the girl kept crying and shouting that Jessica was her idol. That video went viral and had almost a million hits on YouTube. We find it cute that children throw a tantrum when they don’t get what they want. But when an adult acts the same, it is as a sign of immaturity. The ability to give up one’s desire, will and caprice for a greater purpose has always been a mark of maturity and growth. To paraphrase what Jesus told Peter in the Gospel of John: “When you were young, you went and did as you pleased… When you grow old, someone will tie a belt round your waist and bring you where you would rather not go” (See John 21:18). Today is the Feast of the Sto. Niño, a local feast unique to the Philippine Church. Very little is known about the childhood of Jesus. It is interesting to note that the only adjective we know about the Christ-child is obedience. St. Luke narrates, “Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Obedience — the ability to set aside one’s wants in deference to another and to a higher value — is not a virtue to be found in adults alone. Let us not trivialize the feast of the Christ-child by turning it into a “dress up a Sto Niño” fashion craze. On this feast, let us develop in us the virtues of obedience, humility and receptivity. These virtues are what transform a child into an adult. Fr. Joel Jason REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you have a tendency to pamper little children and condone their every wish and fancy? Lord Jesus, may the obedience of Your youth accompany mine unto adulthood. Amen.

St. Sebastian, martyr, pray for us.

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Is THAT allowed at Mass?

Most of us have experienced liturgical abuses during Mass.  Sometimes we witness obvious innovations, but other times we are less certain—and we don't always know how to prudently proceed in addressing such problems. In Mass Revision, best-selling author and apologist Jimmy Akin carefully guides you through each step of the Mass, showing you exactly how the Church says it should be celebrated. Mass Revision by Jimmy Akin $17.95  -  435 Pages When you finish reading Mass Revision, you'll have a deeper understanding of the introductory rites, the liturgy of the word, the liturgy of the Eucharist, who can and cannot receive Communion, the concluding rites, liturgical furnishings and vestments, as well as proper postures and actions during Mass. This book also includes a list of common liturgical abuses, a step-by-step guide on what you should do when you witness such abuse, as well as a detailed guide and overview of the Church's liturgical documents.  Mass Revision also contains . . . A complete outline of the liturgy.   Detailed timeline of how the Mass has changed over the years.   The Holy See’s response to attempts to strip male terms out of the liturgy.   The U.S. bishops’ specific guidelines for receiving Holy Communion.   Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger's controversial memo on pro-abortion politicians receiving Communion.   A table of liturgical abuses ranked by how severe they are.   A glossary giving the definitions of more than 200 liturgical words (so you won’t be mystified by them anymore!). No other work comes close to delivering this amount of timely information in a concise, readable, and straightforward manner.  Mass Revision is an indispensable resource. No one interested in the liturgy can afford to miss this powerful, must-read volume and the eye-opening information it contains. Mass Revision by Jimmy Akin $17.95  -  435 Pages Save 20%  when you order the 2-book set:              Click here to order BOTH books Apply coupon code HolyMass at checkout   If going to Mass and taking Communion has become just another routine for you, don’t assume that indifference is an ordinary part of growing mature in the Faith. Your love of Communion should be growing stronger, and you can strengthen it now with this wise book from a little-known saint, Peter Julian Eymard. St. Peter shows you how surprisingly easy it is to break out of the dullness that can settle into your soul, obscuring the glory of meeting your Lord in Communion. You’ll learn from him how to approach Holy Communion not as a duty, but as a preparation for Heaven. You’ll find valuable directions about what to do when you feel unworthy to receive Communion, as well as useful — and unexpected — advice about how to make your post-Communion thanksgivings more fruitful. Through Scripture and holy logic, St. Peter Julian Eymard will impress upon you exactly how important Holy Communion is for growth in the spiritual life. Now is the time for you to take up this brief book and let this holy man show you how to transform your Communions into the bountiful sources of grace God wants them to be.  You'll learn: Why Holy Communion must be central to your prayer and work — and how it can be. How Holy Communion actually helps you grow in virtue and holiness.   What you must do — and must not do — after Holy Communion in order to maximize its effects in your soul.   How Communion helps you bring order and harmony to your human relationships.   Looking for happiness in this life? How Holy Communion is your key even to the most lasting worldly joys.   Eternal life: how Holy Communion plants its seed in your soul today.   Your spiritual life: why it quickly languishes without regular Communion.   How to avoid the common mistake people make that renders their Communions ineffective.   Not experiencing any spiritual joy in Communion? What you must do. Save 20% Click here to order the 2-book set and apply coupon code HolyMass at checkout                (Shipping not included.  Not eligible for any other discount. Limited Time Offer.) Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com

Dr Thomas Woods: The Catholic Church- Builder of Civilization, Ep 4: The Galileo Case

Today's Gospel Reading - Sunday, January 13, 2013 with Reflection

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

1^ST READING - Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 (or Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11)

P S A L M - Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 (or Psalm 104:1-2, 3-4, 24-25, 27-28, 29-30)

R: The Lord will bless his people with peace.

1 Give to the Lord, you sons of God, give to the Lord glory and praise, 2 give to the Lord the glory due his name; adore the Lord in holy attire. (R) 3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the Lord, over vast waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is mighty; the voice of the Lord is majestic. (R) The God of glory thunders, 9 and in his temple all say, “Glory!” 10 The Lord is enthroned above the flood; the Lord is enthroned as king forever. (R)

2^ND READING - Acts 10:34-38 (or Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7)

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered: This is my beloved Son, listen to him.

Luke 3:15-16.21-22 (or Luke 3:15-16)

15 The people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ. 16 John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” 21 After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

SABBATH

I AM YOURS, O GOD! A truck driver stopped by a bar in the middle of a long drive. He called the lady bartender and their eyes met. He smiled at her and she smiled back. After a few more furtive glances and some flirtatious exchanges, the woman scribbled her number on a napkin and slipped it under his bottle of beer. The man reached for his wallet to give her his card when he accidentally saw the picture of his wife and children inside. All of a sudden, the man stood up, left some money and headed back to his truck. Once seated, he shook his head, took the family picture out from his wallet, and placed it right on the front mirror of his truck.   It will make it less difficult to commit wrongdoing when we always have before us our identity, who we are and whose we are. With that picture, that man reminds himself daily, “I am a husband, I am a father, I am my family’s.” Today is the feast of the Lord’s baptism. At the beginning of His mission, Jesus’ identity was established: “This is my beloved Son. My favor rests on him” (Luke 3:22). His Sonship was always before Jesus. It was the mission that consumed Him. Jesus would declare, “My food is to do the will of my Father” (John 4:34). At our baptism, we were similarly invested with that undeserved identity as children of God. At the pouring of the water in the name of the Trinitarian God, we were claimed as God’s own. As a priest, I do not always go around dressed in my Mass vestments. But I always wear a ring with a miniature crucifix on it. I wear a little cross either on my collar or on my chest pocket. I make sure that I have something that will always set before me my identity as a priest of God. I have always followed this simple rule of life. Whenever I feel the need to “conceal” who I am, in whatever way or form, that’s an indication that I am treading dangerous paths. Fr. Joel Jason REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Have you ever felt the need to conceal who or whose you are? How do you remind your heart of your commitments to God and to your loved ones? Father, in gratitude I recognize Your Fatherhood over me, and in commitment I renew my childhood before You. Amen. St. Hilary, bishop and doctor of the Church, pray for us. Do you want to receive this in your email. To get Bo Sanchez to send it to you personally, register and log-on to http://kerygmafamily.com. Lots of surprises await.

Pro-Life Groups Ask Congress to Stop Abortion Biz Bailout

Pro-Life Groups Ask Congress to Stop Abortion Biz Bailout

The Antichrist in Muhammad: The Blessed Virgin Mary - International - Catholic Online

The Antichrist in Muhammad: The Blessed Virgin Mary - International - Catholic Online

Today's Gospel Reading - Sunday, January 6, 2013 with Reflection

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

1^ST READING - Isaiah 60:1-6

P S A L M - Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13

R: Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

1 O God, with your judgment endow the king, and with your justice, the king’s son; 2 he shall govern your people with justice and your afflicted ones with judgment. (R) 7 Justice shall flower in his days, and profound peace, till the moon be no more. 8 May he rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. (R) 10 The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute. 11 All kings shall pay him homage, all nations shall serve him. (R) 12 For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him. 13 He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor he shall save. (R)

2^ND READING - Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.

Matthew 2:1-12

1 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,2 saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” 3When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: 6‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I, too, may go and do him homage.” 9 After their audience with the king, they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 They were overjoyed at seeing the star, 11 and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him

homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.

SABBATH

DON’T JUST DO SOMETHING, STAND THERE! I don’t know who said the above line, but this is something we need now. Today is the solemn feast of the Epiphany. Epiphany literally means the unveiling, the revelation, the manifestation. Today, the Child Jesus is manifested as Savior of humanity. But what is the value of something unveiled, revealed and manifested if it will not be recognized and appreciated? God always manifests Himself: in the Scriptures, in the Sacraments, in the people we encounter, in the events of daily life. The problem is with humanity not being attuned to God’s many epiphanies. The Scriptures bid us, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Being still is not simply being passive; rather, it is an active engagement of the mind and the heart, orienting our inner senses to the essential. Our generation is fond of “chilling out,” a.k.a. “doing nothing.” Mr. Hahn (Jackie Chan) of the movie Karate Kidsaid it beautifully, “Being still and doing nothing are two totally different things.” When we do nothing, we achieve nothing. When we keep still, we get more out of life. One social experiment bears this out. A man was asked to play the violin in a busy subway in New York. In the 45 minutes that the musician played, only six people stopped and stayed for a while. When he finished playing, no one applauded. No one recognized that the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth $3.5 million. Two days before this, Joshua Bell sold out his concert at a Boston theater at an average of $100 a seat. The experiment proposed an insightful challenge: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing? Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment until it has become just a memory. Are you missing God’s epiphany in your life? Savor every moment of God’s epiphany. Don’t let Him fade into a distant memory. Don’t just do something, stand there (read: be still)! Fr. Joel Jason REFLECTION QUESTION: Are you paying enough attention to savor each moment before they become memories? Help me to put order in my life, Lord, that I may savor each moment, especially with You.

St. Andre Bessette, religious, pray for us.

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Hard Facts about the Virgin Mary

She's the simple peasant girl they call the Queen of Heaven.   She's the Lord's humble servant, yet an icon of womanly strength.   She's ever virgin and the mother of all.   Sinners fly to her . . .  but an angel bowed! *        *        * She's Mary, the mother of Jesus: the most recognized woman in history. And the most misunderstood!   Many Protestants grudgingly acknowledge that someone had to bear the Savior, but they otherwise regard Mary as an ordinary, sinful woman.   Even if you're a Catholic who grew up with a statue of Mary next to your bed, you probably don't understand her as well as you think—or should.  — Do you know the Church's five essential Marian doctrines? — Do you know how these doctrines are rooted in Scripture and Sacred Tradition? — Can you explain to others the difference between the Immaculate Conception and the Virgin Birth? — Can you share the messages and secrets of Mary's most famous apparitions?   Meet Mary: Getting to Know the Mother of God is a slim volume written by renowned Marian expert Mark Miravalle, and it will help you answer these questions--and more!   Meet Mary: Getting to Know the Mother of God by Mark Miravalle 144 pages - List Price: $13.95 After reading these pages, you'll know the faithful truth about this woman of contradictions: everything the Bible says about her, what the early Christians believed, and each of the key teachings the Church has proclaimed about her for 2,000 years! Even more important—for Mary herself desires to be known intimately, not academically—you'll learn how to enter into a personal relationshipwith her.  You'll come to regard her not as a distant and unapproachable figure in the heavens, but as a real friend and mother. Most of all, you'll become a better disciple of Jesus.  For the Son commands us to imitate Him in all things—including perfect love of His Mother. Click here to order Meet Mary now, or . . .    Save 15% when you order the 2-book set:            Meet Mary and The Little Book of the Blessed Virgin Mary Click here to order BOTH books Apply coupon code OurLady15 at checkout   Watching Jesus grow daily in wisdom and grace, the Blessed Virgin Mary pondered in her heart the secrets of her divine Son. Because Our Lady watched Christ grow each and every day, she created the most valuable manual of Christian perfection that can be had: her own heart. When from the Cross Jesus said, “Behold your mother,” He invited us to read that manual — the book of the heart of Mary — wherein are found the secrets of the King. Unfortunately, few of Mary’s words have come down to us, so we must read her heart as she read the heart of Jesus. We must ponder not only her words, but also the events of her life — her attitudes, her actions, and even her silence. By imitating Our Lady, our lives—like hers—may also come to be full of grace. In The Little Book of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Fr. Raoul Plus helps us do just that, opening for us the book of the heart of Mary in the simplest yet most vivid ways. In pages filled with great devotion and penetrating wisdom, he moves us past modern misunderstandings and clichés about Mary into an encounter with the woman who was so remarkable that God Himself made her His spouse! The Little Book of the Blessed Virgin Mary will awaken in you the thoughts and emotions that lead to deeper union with Mary and with her beloved son, Jesus. Click here to order the 2-book set and apply coupon code OurLady15 at checkout            (Shipping not included.  Not eligible for any other discount. Limited Time Offer.) Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com