More wisdom from Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange

We must mortify our hearts. The Lord is not pleased with a divided heart. He wants to reign in us. This certainly does not exclude or forbid other affections; indeed, it’s just the opposite. But every affection must be subordinated to His love, if it is to be truly supernatural and helpful for eternal salvation. Furthermore, we must mortify our own judgment, often defiled by prejudices and often a source of stubbornness, extravagant ideas, and singularity of conduct. Above all, we have to mortify our own will and egoism, which make us prisoners of our own selves. This is the worst type of slavery, often unconscious and therefore the more dangerous.

—FR. REGINALD GARRIGOU-LAGRANGE from Knowing the Love of God

More wisdom from Cardinal Christoph Schönborn

It is only when we look to the Eucharist, to the cross, to the death and Resurrection of Jesus, that sin is revealed to us. Perhaps this explains why Christianity speaks so much about sin: it is in fact only through Christ that sin is truly revealed. Before he came, one could tell oneself that things were not really so bad; at any rate, the full dimensions of the reality called sin were not yet known. It is only the cross that discloses the full weight of sin. My sin cost God his life—the sin of us all, the sin of the world, the whole weight of sin that the Lamb of God took upon himself.

—Christoph Cardinal Schönborn from Following Jesus Every Day

Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B July 29, 2018

First Reading
2 Kings 4:42-44
Elisha the prophet feeds 100 people with 20 barley loaves.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 145:10-11,15-16,17-18
The Lord feeds his people and answers their needs.

Second Reading
Ephesians 4:1-6
The Ephesians are encouraged to live the unity of their Baptism.

Gospel Reading
John 6:1-15
Jesus feeds the crowd of more than five thousand people with five barley
loaves and two fish.


Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.
A large crowd followed him,
because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain,
and there he sat down with his disciples.
The Jewish feast of Passover was near.
When Jesus raised his eyes
and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,
he said to Philip,
"Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?"
He said this to test him,
because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him,
"Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to have a little."
One of his disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,
"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?"
Jesus said, "Have the people recline."
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.
So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed them to those who were reclining,
and also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,
"Gather the fragments left over,
so that nothing will be wasted."
So they collected them,
and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments
from the five barley loaves
that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,
"This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world."
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king,
he withdrew again to the mountain alone.


Background on the Gospel Reading

Through most of Lectionary Cycle B, our Sunday Gospel readings are taken
from the Gospel of Mark. Over the past two Sundays, we heard how Jesus
sent his disciples to share in his mission. If we were to continue reading
Mark's Gospel, we would next hear his report of how Jesus feeds the crowds
in the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. Our
Lectionary, however, leaves Mark's Gospel for the next several weeks and
instead presents this event from the Gospel of John. In John's Gospel,
Jesus' multiplication of the loaves and the fishes is presented as a sign
of his authority and divinity. Jesus interprets the meaning and
significance of this miracle as a sharing of his Body and Blood. This
chapter is sometimes called the "Bread of Life Discourse."

In many important ways, John's Gospel uses the miracle of the
multiplication of the loaves and fishes to teach about the Eucharist. Like
the Last Supper, this miracle is said to have occurred near the time of
the Jewish feast of Passover. (In John's Gospel three Passovers are
identified.) Jesus' language is similar to the language he used at the
Last Supper as reported in the Synoptic Gospels. John's description of
this event also anticipates the Messianic banquet of heaven, as the crowd
reclines and all hungers are satisfied with abundance. This connection is
further amplified by the response of the crowd, who wants to make Jesus a
king. John is teaching us that each time we celebrate the Eucharist, we
are anticipating the eternal banquet of heaven.

Recall that John's Gospel tells the story of the Last Supper differently
than the Synoptic Gospels. Instead of describing the meal and Jesus'
actions with the bread and cup, John describes how Jesus washed his
disciples' feet. We hear this Gospel when we remember the Last Supper on
Holy Thursday. This recollection of Jesus' action at the Last Supper
complements the institution narrative of the Synoptic Gospels and Paul's
Letters that we hear repeated at each Mass.

In both stories about the Eucharist—the washing of the disciples' feet and
the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes—the Gospel of John teaches
us that the Eucharist is an action. Our word Eucharist is taken from the
Greek language and describes an action: "to give thanks." In the Eucharist
we are fed by Jesus himself, and we are sent to serve others.

John's Gospel notes the detail that the bread blessed and shared with the
crowd are barley loaves. This is the food of the poor. It reminds us that
God feeds and nourishes us, fulfilling our physical needs as well as our
spiritual ones. In the Eucharist, we are sent to serve the poorest among
us.

The story of the multiplication of the loaves and the fishes recalls a
particular aspect of the Mass. In this miracle, Jesus transforms a young
boy's offering of five barley loaves and two fish. In the offertory at
Mass, we present the fruits of our labors, represented by bread and wine.
These gifts, given to us first by God as grain and fruit, are returned to
God in our offering of thanksgiving. God in turn transforms our gifts,
making this bread and wine the very Body and Blood of Jesus. We also offer
ourselves in this exchange, and we, too, are transformed by the Eucharist.


Family Connection

Parents may sympathize with the disciples' protests when Jesus asks Philip
where food might be found for the crowd. In the responses of both Philip
and Andrew, we hear feelings of inadequacy as they survey their limited
resources in the face of such great need. We may sometimes share these
feelings about our own material possessions or our emotional and spiritual
resources in the face of our family's needs. This is a Gospel of hope for
these times, which are all too frequent in parenting and family life. As
Jesus made the five barley loaves and two fish sufficient to more than
meet the needs of over five thousand people, Jesus will also work with
what we have to provide for our family's needs. When we offer our efforts
to God, we ask him to transform them so that they will be more than
adequate to the tasks and needs before us.As you gather as a family, talk
together about the things that your family needs, starting with the
basics—food, shelter, safety, and so on. Continue by naming other things
that a family needs to be happy and healthy—time together, cooperation,
patience, and so on. Observe that sometimes we can feel like we don't have
enough of the things that we need or want. Read together today's Gospel,
John 6:1-15. Talk about how Jesus provided plenty of food for the crowd
with just five barley loaves and two fish. We have faith that Jesus will
also take what we have and make it enough to satisfy and fill all our
needs. We ask for this blessing when we offer to God the work of each day
in prayer in the Morning Offering. Pray together the Morning Offering,
asking God to bless and make fruitful the work of each of our days.


Sources: Loyola Press; Sunday Readings

Wisdom from Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange

The face-to-face vision of God will produce in us a love of God so strong, so absolute that nothing can ever destroy it nor even diminish it. It will produce a love built on admiration, respect, and gratitude, but above all on friendship, with the simplicity and familiarity that this love presupposes. Through such a love we will enjoy above all else that God is God, that He is infinitely holy, infinitely merciful, infinitely just.

—FR. REGINALD GARRIGOU-LAGRANGE from Knowing the Love of God

More wisdom from converts like Patrick Coffin and Matthew Leonard

I saw this over and over again: Christians constantly disagreeing about what the Bible says, but they both would be convinced they were right, and they both had Scripture verses to backup their claims. Again, I heard these statements like, ‘Well we Christians can agree to disagree on what our moral code says.’ No, you can’t, because if you say that this God you worship is the source of all that is good, then you do not have the luxury of disagreeing about what is good.

—JENNIFER FULWILER from Convinced

This ancient prayer to St. Joseph has “never been known to fail”

O St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interest and desires.

O St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.

O St. Joseph, I never weary of contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him close in my name and kiss His fine head for me and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for me. Amen.

Source

Defending the Church's Controversial Teachings on Marriage

“The Catholic Church saved my marriage and, quite possibly, my life.” So begins David Anders in a remarkably forthright telling of his conversion story. By the early 2000s, his marriage was so painful he actually longed for death. It wasn’t simple incompatibility; he and his wife had just one thing in common: contempt for each other. Today, David and his wife are happy together but not because of marriage therapy. They are happy together now because they came to know and fully embraced the Catholic Church’s teachings on marriage. Many people who encounter these teachings are shocked by their rigor. Yet the Church offers much more than rules about sexual restraint. She offers a way to make marriage into something supernatural, even mystical.    Here Dr. Anders shares his personal discovery of the Church’s teaching on marriage and offers a robust defense of the Church’s most controversial teachings, including divorce, remarriage, gay marriage, and contraception. Learn from Dr. Anders: Practical, time-tested ways to improve your marriage   How to live in peace despite an unhappy marriage   The value of suffering   Ways to overcome your reluctance to forgive grave offenses   In a culture that breaks apart marriages and undermines human dignity, Dr. David Anders offers a hope-filled alternative for those who live moral and spiritual lives in union with Christ and His Church. The Catholic Church Saved My Marriage:  Discovering Hidden Grace in the Sacrament of Matrimony by Dr. David Anders Paperback — 224 pages List price: $17.95  Limited Time Price: $14.99! BUY NOW What customers are saying: "Thank you Dr. Anders for this very personal testimony. What a powerful example of how God’s grace can transform us if we let it!" * "This is part conversion-testimonial and part doctrinal-catechism. It proves that Catholic teaching can indeed transform our families." * "This is part conversion-testimonial and part doctrinal-catechism. It proves that Catholic teaching can indeed transform our families."   Read the introduction to The Catholic Church Saved Marriage by clicking the button below. READ THE INTRODUCTION More Books on Holy Matrimony    SEE MORE Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com Get one book a month for only $15? Learn more:

Wisdom from Cardinal Christoph Schönborn

It is only when we look to the Eucharist, to the cross, to the death and Resurrection of Jesus, that sin is revealed to us. Perhaps this explains why Christianity speaks so much about sin: it is in fact only through Christ that sin is truly revealed. Before he came, one could tell oneself that things were not really so bad; at any rate, the full dimensions of the reality called sin were not yet known. It is only the cross that discloses the full weight of sin. My sin cost God his life—the sin of us all, the sin of the world, the whole weight of sin that the Lamb of God took upon himself.

—Christoph Cardinal Schönborn from Following Jesus Every Day

Key weapons for spiritual warfare

Since the beginning of time, a fierce spiritual battle has raged between the forces of good and evil. Today the spiritual entities of wickedness are winning, burdening countless souls in a world lacerated by evil. To claim victory, God is calling us to engage in spiritual warfare as the only way to save the world from the desolation that is sure to come.  In these pages, theologian Venatius Oforka explains that we are part of a spiritual web through which God acts to save souls. No longer does God create out of nothing. Instead, He achieves His purposes through the prayers and actions we pour in. To win such a sophisticated war, Oforka introduces us to the supernatural weapons of war and how we can shape the events that affect our earthly and eternal destiny. From Father Oforka, you will learn: How the ministry of intercession can bring salvation to millions of hopeless souls   Why God requires us to act before He steps in   The profound advantage you have over Satan and his works   How and why God needs intercessors to save souls   The two basic actions Christians must undertake to survive evil days   Why God needs our prayers to make His Kingdom come   The critical role of the angels and the saints in fighting evil   The importance of suffering in spiritual warfare The Art of Spiritual Warfare is the one book you need to awaken our world from its spiritual hibernation and to exercise the awesome privilege of working with God in the realization of His Kingdom. The Art of Spiritual Warfare: Secret Weapons Satan Can't Withstand by Fr. Venatius Oforka Paperback — 208 pages List price: $17.95  Today's Sale Price: $14.99! BUY NOW A key factor at play in spiritual warfare is temptation. Where does it come from? What does it mean? How can we defeat it? In this modest book, Fr. P.J. Michel shares his wisdom and common sense that have been forged by decades of ardent prayer and service to penitent souls in the confessional. Here Fr. Michel explains just where your temptations  come from and helps rid you of them —and your fear of them! You'll learn how best to respond to the different kinds of temptations that assail you . . . . . . and how to even profit spiritually from them, no matter how strong or frequent they may be! From these clear, succinct pages you'll also learn:   Why you, in particular, are still tempted and why God allows it   Whether the evil thoughts and impulses that afflict you regularly are merely temptations . . . or sins to which you have somehow consented   Whether your temptations are a test, a punishment, neither, or both   When it's better simply to ignore — rather than battle — certain temptations   How to arm yourself against temptations before they occur   The one, simple thing you can do when strong, persistent temptations occupy your mind   What makes it easier to fend off sensual temptations   Which temptations you must never reason with (as did poor Eve, to her sorrow — and ours!)   And why you must never yield to despair, especially after you've yielded to temptations (and what to do instead) Today's price: $24.99! List price: $29.90 BUY NOW Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com

Wisdom from converts like Jennifer Fulwiler and Scott Hahn

‘I always felt like, I’m almost happy, and I will be as soon as I get that next thing. We’ve got the travel, we’ve got the beautiful loft, but I just need to do this one thing in my career, and then I’m going to be completely happy. It was a never ending quest for the one last thing that was going to make me happy.’ ‘It’s a very cliche phrase, but I think I would describe myself as an 18-year-old as spiritual but not religious. In the sense that I vaguely felt a longing for something, I wanted some meaning, I felt like there had to be some meaning in the universe. There had to be, I just couldn’t figure out what it was.’

from Convinced

A prayer of exorcism taught by Saint Anthony

In the original Latin, the prayer says

Ecce Crucem Domini!

Fugite partes adversae!

Vicit Leo de tribu Juda,

Radix David! Alleluia!

And translated, it reads

Behold, the Cross of the Lord!

Begone, all evil powers!

The Lion of the tribe of Judah,

The Root of David, has conquered!

Alleluia, Alleluia!

Source

More wisdom from then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger

The man who puts to one side any consideration of the reality of God is a realist only in appearance.

—Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger from The Spirit of the Liturgy

Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B July 22, 2018

First Reading
Jeremiah 23:1-6
The Lord promises to shepherd his people Israel.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 23:1-3,3-4,5,6
The Lord is our shepherd.

Second Reading
Ephesians 2:13-18
Christ has reconciled us with God and united us in peace.

Gospel Reading
Mark 6:30-34
Jesus invites his disciples to rest after their ministry, and Jesus is
moved with pity for the crowds who pursue them.

The apostles gathered together with Jesus
and reported all they had done and taught.
He said to them,
"Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."
People were coming and going in great numbers,
and they had no opportunity even to eat.
So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.
They hastened there on foot from all the towns
and arrived at the place before them.

When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.


Background on the Gospel Reading

In this today's Gospel, we read the report of the return of the Twelve,
who were sent by Jesus to preach repentance, heal the sick, and drive out
demons. When the Twelve return to Jesus, he invites them to come away from
the crowds and rest. But the crowds will not give them peace. As the
Twelve have shared in Jesus' ministry, they now appear to share in his
popularity. The crowds continue to approach them, and Mark reports that
the disciples don't even have time to eat. In an effort to get away, Jesus
and his disciples board a boat in hopes of finding a deserted place. But
the crowds notice this and arrive ahead of them. The crowds are so
persistent that Jesus and his disciples cannot find a place to be alone.
Mark's Gospel tells us that Jesus is moved with pity and begins to teach
the crowds.

Our Gospel for today stops here, but Mark's report of the unyielding
demands of the crowd continues in the verses that follow. If we were to
continue reading from Mark's Gospel, we would hear Jesus instruct his
disciples to feed the crowd in the familiar miracle of the multiplication
of the loaves and fishes. The work of Jesus and his disciples appears to
be a round-the-clock job. In the next few weeks, we will hear the story of
Jesus' feeding of the multitude, but our Lectionary will turn to the sixth
chapter of the Gospel of John to report and reflect on this story.

In today's Gospel, we hear the Twelve referred to as "apostles." The word
apostle is a Greek word meaning "one who is sent." Jesus chose twelve men
from among his disciples whom he sent to share in his ministry of
preaching and healing. The first report of this is found in the third
chapter of Mark's Gospel, where the Twelve are also called apostles and
the names of this select group are listed.

We who are Jesus' disciples today have also been sent to share the Gospel
with others. Perhaps our commitment to following Jesus as his disciple
leaves us feeling tired and overwhelmed. In today's Gospel, we hear Jesus
affirm the importance of times of rest and renewal. Jesus wanted his
disciples to come away and spend time alone with him. This is what we seek
and find in our life of prayer and in our celebration of the Eucharist.


Family Connection
Family demands can make us feel like Jesus and the twelve apostles. We
wish for times of relaxation and renewal, but there are errands to do,
household chores to keep up with, volunteer commitments to keep. These are
all good things, but we can be left feeling drained and tired as we try to
keep up. Perhaps we might take the opportunity this week to give ourselves
permission to find the rest and relaxation that Jesus seeks for his
disciples in today's Gospel. One of the gifts we can give to one another
in our family life is assistance in finding the time and space to renew
ourselves through prayer.

When you gather together as a family this week, bring your family
calendar. Together review your family calendar and spend some time
reflecting on your family activities. In particular, ask if your family
has an appropriate amount of time for rest and relaxation. If not, discuss
ways in which this time for renewal might be included in the week ahead.
Read together today's Gospel, Mark 6:30-34. Notice how Jesus tried to find
time and space for his disciples to rest and relax after they returned
from their mission. Conclude in prayer together, asking God to help us
find time to renew ourselves so that we might be better disciples of
Jesus. Pray together the Lord's Prayer.


Sources: Loyola Press; Sunday Readings

More wisdom from Fr. Paul Scalia

Yes, God still works miracles. But He comes to us most frequently and powerfully through the common and familiar things: the Creed, the Mass, confession, the Rosary, the Ten Commandments, etc. These are the basics, the same old things. Our growing weary of them comes not from any defect on their part, but only from a lack of faith on ours.

—Fr. Paul Scalia from That Nothing May Be Lost

Prayer to St. Anthony of Padua

O Holy St. Anthony gentlest of Saints, your love for God and charity for His creatures, made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers. Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me (request).

O gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms. The gratitude of my heart will ever be yours. Amen.

Wisdom from then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger

All true human art is an assimilation to the artist, to Christ, to the mind of the Creator.

—Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger from The Spirit of the Liturgy

Wisdom from Fr. Paul Scalia

The exaltation of Christ crucified is of course a weapon against vice and the devil. The more we gaze upon the One Who died for us, the more we leave sin behind and cling to Him.

—Fr. Paul Scalia from That Nothing May Be Lost

Secret Weapons Satan Can't Withstand Inbox x

Since the beginning of time, a fierce spiritual battle has raged between the forces of good and evil. Today the spiritual entities of wickedness are winning, burdening countless souls in a world lacerated by evil. To claim victory, God is calling us to engage in spiritual warfare as the only way to save the world from the desolation that is sure to come.  In these pages, theologian Venatius Oforka explains that we are part of a spiritual web through which God acts to save souls. No longer does God create out of nothing. Instead, He achieves His purposes through the prayers and actions we pour in. To win such a sophisticated war, Oforka introduces us to the supernatural weapons of war and how we can shape the events that affect our earthly and eternal destiny. From Father Oforka, you will learn: How the ministry of intercession can bring salvation to millions of hopeless souls   Why God requires us to act before He steps in   The profound advantage you have over Satan and his works   How and why God needs intercessors to save souls   The two basic actions Christians must undertake to survive evil days   Why God needs our prayers to make His Kingdom come   The critical role of the angels and the saints in fighting evil   The importance of suffering in spiritual warfare The Art of Spiritual Warfare is the one book you need to awaken our world from its spiritual hibernation and to exercise the awesome privilege of working with God in the realization of His Kingdom. The Art of Spiritual Warfare: Secret Weapons Satan Can't Withstand by Fr. Venatius Oforka Paperback — 208 pages List price: $17.95  Today's Sale Price: $14.99! BUY NOW A key factor at play in spiritual warfare is temptation. Where does it come from? What does it mean? How can we defeat it? In this modest book, Fr. P.J. Michel shares his wisdom and common sense that have been forged by decades of ardent prayer and service to penitent souls in the confessional. Here Fr. Michel explains just where your temptations  come from and helps rid you of them —and your fear of them! You'll learn how best to respond to the different kinds of temptations that assail you . . . . . . and how to even profit spiritually from them, no matter how strong or frequent they may be! From these clear, succinct pages you'll also learn:   Why you, in particular, are still tempted and why God allows it   Whether the evil thoughts and impulses that afflict you regularly are merely temptations . . . or sins to which you have somehow consented   Whether your temptations are a test, a punishment, neither, or both   When it's better simply to ignore — rather than battle — certain temptations   How to arm yourself against temptations before they occur   The one, simple thing you can do when strong, persistent temptations occupy your mind   What makes it easier to fend off sensual temptations   Which temptations you must never reason with (as did poor Eve, to her sorrow — and ours!)   And why you must never yield to despair, especially after you've yielded to temptations (and what to do instead) Today's price: $24.99! List price: $29.90 BUY NOW Order online above, or call 1-800-888-9344 www.SophiaInstitute.com Save up to 40% when you join