Wisdom from Fr. Donald Haggerty

Hope not only makes all things possible, but grants a vivid sense of the realistic likelihood that God will indeed accomplish all things that he desires. And what he desires above all to complete is the surrender of our life to himself.

—FR. DONALD HAGGERTY from Conversion: Spiritual Insights Into an Essential Encounter with God

More wisdom on the Mass

One of the things that Jesus did say at the Last Supper is that from this evening on, God wants to be worshipped in this way. Let’s just pause for a moment. There are so many things that Jesus could have said at that moment. He could have said, God wants to be worshipped by us building beautiful buildings and sacrificing animals there. Or he could have said, God wants to be worshipped by us going up on a high place and building an altar and burning certain things on the altar. Or he could’ve said, God wants us to turn in a certain direction at certain times during the day and say particular prayers…. Instead, what Jesus told us is that God wants us to worship him by having a meal.

—FR. VICTOR INGALLS from The Mass

More Wisdom on the Mass from Dr. Scott Hahn

John seems to understand the coming of Jesus’s Kingdom in a way that’s almost ironic. Normally when we hear Jesus’s words, “I won’t taste the fruit of the vine until my kingdom is established,” we think of what? The second coming, his final advent at some point in the future when he returns to establish his Kingdom. But in John’s Gospel, you discover that Jesus’s Kingdom is not primarily a political or military institution, it is a manifestation of mercy and divine love. In other words, it’s when Jesus Christ is lifted up that the ruler of this world is cast out and Jesus is enthroned as King. This is the language that you find in John 12.

—DR. SCOTT HAHN from The Fourth Cup

Litany of the body and blood of Christ

Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

Blood of Christ, only-begotten Son of the Eternal Father, save us.
Blood of Christ, Incarnate Word of God, save us.
Blood of Christ, of the New and Eternal Testament, save us.
Blood of Christ, falling upon the earth in the Agony, save us.
Blood of Christ, shed profusely in the Scourging, save us.
Blood of Christ, flowing forth in the Crowning with Thorns,
save us.
Blood of Christ, poured out on the Cross, save us.
Blood of Christ, price of our salvation, save us.
Blood of Christ, without which there is no forgiveness, save us.
Blood of Christ, Eucharistic drink and refreshment of souls,
save us.
Blood of Christ, stream of mercy, save us.
Blood of Christ, victor over demons, save us.
Blood of Christ, courage of Martyrs, save us.
Blood of Christ, strength of Confessors, save us.
Blood of Christ, bringing forth Virgins, save us.
Blood of Christ, help of those in peril, save us.
Blood of Christ, relief of the burdened, save us.
Blood of Christ, solace in sorrow, save us.
Blood of Christ, hope of the penitent, save us.
Blood of Christ, consolation of the dying, save us.
Blood of Christ, peace and tenderness of hearts, save us.
Blood of Christ, pledge of eternal life, save us.
Blood of Christ, freeing souls from purgatory, save us.
Blood of Christ, most worthy of all glory and honor, save us.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord!.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord!.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us. .

V. You have redeemed us, O Lord, in your Blood.
R. And made us, for our God, a kingdom.

Let us pray.
Almighty and Eternal God, you have appointed your only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world, and willed to be appeased by His Blood. Grant we beg of You, that we may worthily adore this price of our salvation, and through its power be safeguarded from the evils of the present life, so that we may rejoice in its fruits forever in heaven. Through the same Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

A unique Rosary consecration to Jesus

St. Louis de Montfort insists that the Blessed Virgin Mary is the best path to Jesus.  At Fatima, Mary urged Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta to pray the Rosary daily. Therefore, reasons Fr. Ed Broom, we should combine the Marian wisdom of St. Louis de Montfort with the power of the Rosary . . . . . . which is exactly what Fr. Broom has done for years now in his immensely popular five-week Rosary Retreat that culminates in his retreatants’ Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary. Today, for the very first time, that retreat is available in book form for those who cannot attend one of Father’s retreats in person: Here you’ll find the entire retreat program  to bring you closer to Our Lady and to Our Lord:  Scripture readings keyed to each Rosary decade   Fr. Broom’s succinct meditations on each Mystery   Daily prayers   Practical steps to help you gain the most from each meditation as you draw daily closer to your retreat’s culmination in the fifth week:   Your own Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary. In one place, these pages bring you all you need to conduct your own private five-week Rosary retreat, and all it takes is a few moments each day! So how about it? Why not spend the next five weeks with Fr. Broom meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary from the Bible? Do so, and you’ll quickly come to appreciate  as never before the beautiful prayer that is the Rosary as well as Jesus and Mary, whom you will soon know better and love more. Total Consecration Through the Mysteries of the Rosary: Meditations to Prepare for Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary Paperback — 240 pages List price: $14.95  Today's Sale Price: $12.95! Order Now Get BOTH books for only $19.99! Order Now If you already say the Rosary, this book will help you pray it with greater devotion. If you don't say the Rosary, you'll discover why you should — and how to begin.  Unlike most Rosary books, The Rosary of Our Lady doesn't assume you already have a special love for Mary. Rather, it shows why such love is appropriate to all Christians who yearn to grow closer to Christ. In these pages, you'll learn how to pray the Rosary as it was meant to be prayed and to identify — and overcome — the bad habits that too easily develop in those of us who pray the Rosary often. Whether you've already spent many hours praying the Rosary or only want a simple, clear, and holy book to introduce the Rosary to a relative or friend, this book is the book for you. You'll also learn: How to take your daily concerns with you to the Rosary — and leave them there.   Who should — and shouldn't — pray the Rosary.   What makes up the Rosary? The beads? The thoughts behind them? Or must there be something deeper?   The paradox of the Rosary: Why is the Rosary both easy and difficult?   How much of the Rosary should you be praying?   How to pray the Rosary . . . even in times of exhaustion and stress.   The one petition you must make if you're going to pray the Rosary well.   The "paramount truth" that is the key to linking the words of your prayers to the mystery you're contemplating.   Three practical hints for those who have difficulty with the Rosary. Order Now Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com Save up to 40% when you join

Wisdom from Cardinal Robert Sarah

The Church is like the moon. She does not shine with her own light but reflects the light of Christ. Indeed, just as the moon without the sun is dark, opaque, and invisible, so too is the Church if she separates herself from Christ, true God and true man.

—CARDINAL ROBERT SARAH from God or Nothing

I'm a Christian

When I say "I'm a Christian",
I'm not shouting "I live a clean life"
I'm whispering "I was lost but now I'm found
and forgiven."

When I say "I'm a Christian",
I'm not bragging of success, but I'm
admitting I have failed and need God to clean
up my mess...

When I say "I'm a Christian",
I'm not holier than everyone, but I'm just
a sinner who received God's grace...

Wisdom on the Mass

What is the Mass? If it is what the Church says it is, it’s the most important thing that happens on the face of the earth. It’s the most intense and personal way to encounter the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. To wrap our minds around this whole thing we have to start with a very basic question: Why worship at all, in a place like this, with other people, when there’s so many other things in your life that you could be doing?

—FR. VICTOR INGALLS from The Mass

More wisdom from Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers

The more man freely chooses to sin and place his own truth above God’s truth, and the more sin becomes a habit and vice, the more man becomes enslaved to the fleeting goods of this world; he becomes bound to disordered love and constrained by disordered attachments. In this way sin establishes an addictive pattern that keeps men from conforming to the truth of their being. Herein lies the irony: a man becomes enslaved by the very same subjective and relativistic principles that he thinks makes him free. A man’s participation in pornography, masturbation, contraception, and his capitulation to greed and lust are just a few tangible examples of this reality.

—DEACON HAROLD BURKE-SIVERS from Behold the Man: A Catholic Vision of Male Spirituality

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion, Cycle B March 25, 2018

FIRST READING
Isaiah 50:4-7
The Lord's servant will stand firm, even when persecuted.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 22:8-9,17-18,19-20,23-24
A cry for help to the Lord in the face of evildoers.

SECOND READING
Philippians 2:6-11
Christ was obedient even to death, but God has exalted him.

GOSPEL READING
Jesus is sentenced to death and crucified. The centurion who witnessed
his death declared, "This man was the Son of God."

GOSPEL Mark 14:1--15:47 (shorter form: Mark 15:1-39)

As soon as morning came,
the chief priests with the elders and the scribes,
that is, the whole Sanhedrin held a council.
They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.
Pilate questioned him,
"Are you the king of the Jews?"
He said to him in reply, "You say so."
The chief priests accused him of many things.
Again Pilate questioned him,
"Have you no answer?
See how many things they accuse you of."
Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.

Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them
one prisoner whom they requested.
A man called Barabbas was then in prison
along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion.
The crowd came forward and began to ask him
to do for them as he was accustomed.
Pilate answered,
"Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?"
For he knew that it was out of envy
that the chief priests had handed him over.
But the chief priests stirred up the crowd
to have him release Barabbas for them instead.
Pilate again said to them in reply,
"Then what do you want me to do
with the man you call the king of the Jews?"
They shouted again, "Crucify him."
Pilate said to them, "Why? What evil has he done?"
They only shouted the louder, "Crucify him."
So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd,
released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged,
handed him over to be crucified.

The soldiers led him away inside the palace,
that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort.
They clothed him in purple and,
weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him.
They began to salute him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!"
and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him.
They knelt before him in homage.
And when they had mocked him,
they stripped him of the purple cloak,
dressed him in his own clothes,
and led him out to crucify him.

They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon,
a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country,
the father of Alexander and Rufus,
to carry his cross.

They brought him to the place of Golgotha
--which is translated Place of the Skull --
They gave him wine drugged with myrrh,
but he did not take it.
Then they crucified him and divided his garments
by casting lots for them to see what each should take.
It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him.
The inscription of the charge against him read,
"The King of the Jews."
With him they crucified two revolutionaries,
one on his right and one on his left.
Those passing by reviled him,
shaking their heads and saying,
"Aha! You who would destroy the temple
and rebuild it in three days,
save yourself by coming down from the cross."
Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes,
mocked him among themselves and said,
"He saved others; he cannot save himself.
Let the Christ, the King of Israel,
come down now from the cross
that we may see and believe."
Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him.

At noon darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon.
And at three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
"Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?"
which is translated,
"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Some of the bystanders who heard it said,
"Look, he is calling Elijah."
One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed
and gave it to him to drink saying,
"Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down."
Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.

(Here all kneel and pause for a short time.)

The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.
When the centurion who stood facing him
saw how he breathed his last he said,
"Truly this man was the Son of God!"

BACKGROUND ON THE GOSPEL READING

This Sunday, called Palm or Passion Sunday, is the first day of Holy
Week. Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday
are called the Triduum--three days that are the highlight of the Church
year. There are two Gospels proclaimed at today's Mass. The first
Gospel, proclaimed before the procession with palms, tells of Jesus'
triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. Riding on a borrowed colt, Jesus was
hailed by the crowds as they blessed God and shouted "Hosanna!" This
event is reported in each of the four Gospels.

At the Liturgy of the Word on Palm Sunday, the events of Jesus' passion
are proclaimed in their entirety. In Lectionary Cycle B, we read the
passion of Jesus as found in the Gospel of Mark. We will hear these
events proclaimed again when we celebrate the Triduum later in the week.
On Good Friday, we will read the passion of Jesus from the Gospel of
John.

In Mark's Gospel, Jesus' passion and death are presented as the
consequence of the tension between the Jewish authorities and Jesus that
had been building throughout his public ministry. This tension reached
its breaking point when Jesus drove the merchants and moneychangers from
the Temple. After this event, the chief priests and scribes began
seeking a way to put Jesus to death, and yet, this is only the surface
explanation for his death.

When Jesus was arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin--the council of
Jewish priests, scribes, and elders--he was charged with blasphemy,
citing his threat to the Temple. When he was brought before Pilate,
however, the religious authorities presented his crime as a political
one, charging that Jesus claimed to be king of the Jews. In continuity
with a theme of Mark's Gospel, the messianic claim of Jesus is widely
misunderstood.

In Mark's Gospel, Jesus' disciples are rarely models of faith and do
little to invoke confidence in their capacity to continue his ministry
after his death. They fare no better in Mark's narrative of Jesus'
passion and death. At the Last Supper, the disciples insisted that none
among them would betray Jesus. When Jesus predicted that their faith
would be shaken in the events ahead, Peter and the other disciples
protested vehemently. Yet in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus returned
three times to find them sleeping. Jesus prayed in agony over his
impending fate while his disciples slumbered through the night. Just as
Jesus predicted, Peter denied Jesus, and the disciples were absent
during Jesus' passion and death. Only the women who had been followers
of Jesus in Galilee are said to have been present at the Crucifixion,
but they remained at a distance.

Throughout this Gospel, Mark challenges the reader to consider the claim
with which the Gospel begins: Jesus is the Son of God. When we read
Mark's account of the passion, we begin to comprehend the deeper
theological statement being made about Jesus' death. In Mark's telling
of the passion narrative, Jesus understood his death to have been
preordained, and he accepted this death in obedience to God's will.
Jewish Scripture is quoted only once, but there are several references
to the fulfillment of the Scriptures. Jesus understood his anointing in
Bethany as an anticipation of his burial, and he announced that this
story would be told together with the Gospel throughout the world. Jesus
predicted his betrayal by Judas as well as Peter's denial. At his
arrest, Jesus acknowledged that the preordained time had arrived. Jesus
was both confident and silent before his accusers. After he was
sentenced to death, Jesus did not speak again until his final cry from
the cross. The bystanders misunderstood and believed that he was calling
for Elijah. The Roman centurion, however, affirmed what Mark has
presented throughout this Gospel: Jesus is the Son of God. Nowhere was
this revealed more fully than in his death on the cross.

During Holy Week, we prayerfully remember the events of Jesus' passion
and death. As we meditate on the cross, we ask again and anew what it
means to make the statement of faith that Jesus, in his obedient
suffering and dying, revealed himself to us as God's Son.

FAMILY CONNECTION

Palm Sunday, also called Passion Sunday, marks the beginning of Holy
Week. During this week, we prepare ourselves for Easter by prayerfully
reflecting on the events of Jesus' passion and death. During this week,
your family might display a crucifix in a prominent place as reminder of
the salvation that Christ won for us. This can also serve as the focal
point for family prayer during Holy Week.

Because of the length and complexity of the passion narrative, it is
difficult for children to remain attentive when it is proclaimed in its
entirety. Families can make it a tradition to read a portion of this
Sunday's Gospel each day of Holy Week, providing ample opportunity for
children to ask questions and respond to the events described there. In
this way, the entire week can become a "way of the cross."

Each day during Holy Week, the family can gather in a prayerful space
with a crucifix as its focal point. The passion as found in Mark's
Gospel might be read as follows throughout the week:

Sunday: Mark 11:1-10 (Gospel at the Procession with Palms)

Monday: Mark 14:1-11

Tuesday: Mark 14:12-26

Wednesday: Mark 14:27-52

Thursday: Mark 14:53-72

Friday: Mark 15:1-41

Saturday: Mark 15:42-47

After reading from the Gospel each night, the family might reflect on
the reading together. Conclude your prayer time together by praying the
Lord's Prayer or by singing an appropriate hymn such as "Jesus, Jesus,"
"Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?" or "What Wondrous Love is
This."

Sources: Loyola Press; Sunday Readings

Wisdom on the Sacrifice of the Mass from Dr. Scott Hahn

The Book of Revelation and the Baltimore Catechism both present Christ as the celebrant and the meal, the host and the victim. But he doesn’t bleed, he doesn’t suffer, he doesn’t die anymore. We receive the Body of the glorified lamb of God. Do we understand what we’ve been given or do we take it for granted?

—DR. SCOTT HAHN from The Fourth Cup

Behold the Lamb of GOD!

Wisdom of Msgr Ronald Knox

"We go to Holy Communion in order that those (proper) dispositions may be formed in us. Only, we must want them to be formed in us. The trouble, you know, about you and me is not that we aren't saints, but that we don't want to be saints. Lord, I am not worthy, because I am not humble; but I do want to be humble. Lord I am not worthy, because I am backward and slothful in your service; but I hate my backwardness, I hate my sloth. Lord, I am not worthy, because I am a bad sufferer; but how I wish it were otherwise! Let it be otherwise, Lord; speak the word only, and thy servant shall be healed."

—Msgr Ronald Knox

From Window in the Wall

Chapter XVI, The Challenge

Give it all to God!

Give it all to GOD:

your past regrets,
your present problems,
your future ambitions,
your fears,
your dreams,
your weaknesses,
your habits,
your hurts,
and hang-ups.

Put God in the driver's seat of your life.
Don't be afraid. Nothing under His drive
can ever be out of control!

Hell isn’t what you think it is

Today, most funeral sermons speak of Heaven . . . Few speak of Judgment . . . And almost none speak of Hell.   Yet Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell are the Four Last Things toward which you are moving each hour of the day and night. The Four Last Things are not meant to frighten you . . . They are meant to keep you upright when life’s problems and temptations threaten to capsize you or lead you into sin. For 2,000 years, Christians have kept the Faith by meditating on the Four Last Things. From them, we come to learn the nature of sin and its hateful consequences. By them, we are moved to penance and joyful reconciliation with God. Through them, we nourish a strong and abiding hope of Heaven. So our generation may reap these same eternal benefits, EWTN host Fr. Wade Menezes has now penned this modest book to help you . . . . . . understand the reality of Hell . . . . . . dispel sentimental notions about Heaven. . . . and bring to your attention key — but not so obvious — truths you need to know about Death and Judgment. It’s a great spiritual gift for anyone who longs for Heaven!    From these pages, you’ll learn, among many other things:    DEATH What you can expect beyond the mysterious gates of death. The five elements of a happy death (and how to ensure that yours will have all five). What “fear of the Lord” really means. How to vanquish crippling fear of death.   JUDGMENT  What really happens immediately after death. The twofold judgment each of us must face. Scores of scriptural passages that prove the reality of Purgatory. Why it makes sense to pray for the dead. Why even the most heinous sinner should place his hope in God.   THE REALITY, EXISTENCE, AND BEAUTY OF HEAVEN Scriptural details showing what Heaven is really like. The four amazing characteristics of our physical bodies in Heaven: can you name even one of them? That there will not be clouds and harps, but “a fulfillment of the deepest human longings that bring supreme happiness.”   THE REALITY, EXISTENCE, AND WICKEDNESS OF HELL What Hell is really like: it’s much worse than physical fire. Do you know how? Why the devil wants you to forget about Hell. How the reality of Hell affirms the dignity of human persons.  The person who condemns souls to hell (Hint: it’s not God!).   PLUS:  10 eminently practical steps to help you develop a strong spiritual life by means of the Four Last Things. A beautiful Litany to St. Joseph, the patron of a happy and holy death. Prayers to prepare you for Death and Judgment.   With the help of The Four Last Things, you’ll soon find yourself refreshingly conscious of the reality of eternity in your daily life. Better yet, you’ll gain from that consciousness the strength and wisdom you need to remain faithful to God in this life as you strive for salvation in the next.     The Four Last Things: help on your way to Heaven! The Four Last Things: A Catechetical Guide to Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell by Fr. Wade Menezes 128 pages — paperback List price: $14.95  Today's Sale Price: $12.99! Order Now "Fr. Wade calls us to the beauty of immortality in the image and likeness of God." Fr. Mitch Pacwa, SJ   "Concise and straightforward, this book filled me with hope and joyful anticipation of what is to come! May it do the same for you!" Johnnette S. Benkovic EWTN, Host and Author Founder and Director, Women of Grace®   "A wonderful guide for our preparation for eternal life with God." Most Rev. Robert J. Baker, S.T.D. Bishop of Birmingham, AL   "Fr. Wade takes the timeless truths of the faith and presents them in a new, joyful, fresh way that spurs us to accept the gift of salvation!" Fr. Frank Pavone National Director, Priests for Life   Get BOTH books for only $22.99! Order Now Christ came not to call saints but to make them — often out of weak, stupid, and sinful men. That’s why the saints are not only models of holiness for us to imitate; they’re reminders that God’s grace can outshine every human flaw. As Alban Goodier’s classic Saints for Sinnersshows us, even the greatest saints had to battle the same stubborn vices, temptations of the flesh, and bouts of spiritual dryness that afflict you and me today. In these pages, with a style that perfectly blends hagiographical detail, spiritual meditation, and a skilled storyteller’s touch, Archbishop Goodier brings us the tales of:   The mercenary fighting man and itinerant gambler who left behind his rough soldier's habits and founded a religious order to care for the sick   The backward, sickly teenager, disowned by his family and dogged by the Inquisition, who became a miraculous healer and paragon of humble simplicity   The willful Tuscan beauty with a bad reputation who forsook vanity and lust to answer God's call to live in poverty and penitence   The brilliant, brooding Spanish nobleman who gave up everything to be a missionary — only to see most of his efforts fail   The royal chaplain and daring Counter-Reformer who escaped the gallows but had to endure a lifelong interior martyrdom of doubt and discouragement   The hedonistic heretic and womanizer who traded worldly pleasure for divine happiness, and became one of the Church's greatest theologians   And other inspiring tales of imperfect souls "made perfect in infirmity" Read these stories and find in them delight and encouragement, as well as hope. You'll come to see that there is no one so sinful, weak, or desolate that God has not already raised another like him to the heights of glory. Order Now Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com Save up to 40% when you join

More wisdom from Dr. Scott Hahn

I want to read to you some quotations from early Church Fathers about the Eucharist to give to you an awareness that this is not some innovation, it’s not some novel invention of the Middle Ages. For instance, at the end of the first century, St. Ignatius of Antioch, a disciple of the beloved disciple, John, spoke of the heretics who were plaguing the Church in his day, ‘They abstain from the Eucharist because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior, Jesus Christ.’ It’s a perennial problem, isn’t it?

—DR. SCOTT HAHN from Answering Common Objections