"Ay, ay, ay ay,Cinco de moustache!
"Ay, ay, ay ay,Cinco de moustache!
Commentary: Wayback Machine '20 & Wayback Machine '19.
"Ay, ay, ay ay,Cinco de moustache!
"Ay, ay, ay ay,Cinco de moustache!
"¡Viva Cristo Rey!"
—Blessed Miguel Pro, S.J. (1891-1927, feast: 23 November)
"Ay, ay, ay ay, Cinco de moustache!
The kids that are hip, they grow hair on their lip,
They throw down their razors and don't give a shit,
Then grow and grow and grow,
So let your moustache go!
Oh yeah!"
"¡Viva Cristo Rey!"
—Blessed Miguel Pro, S.J. (1891-1927, feast: 23 November)
"I fell in love down in Mexico,Federales took it all,
She took me for everything I had,
Woke up in jail in Rosarito,
"…Aye, aye, aye aye,Cinco de moustache!
Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus declares that he must be lifted up to bring eternal life to believers.Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M. (U.S.C. of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.
Why would God’s salvation of the human race have to include something as horrifying as crucifixion? We live in a time when the human predicament is regularly denied, explained away, or ignored. Despite the massive counter-evidence from the moral disasters of the last century, we are still beguiled by the myth of progress: with just enough technical advancement, psychological insight, and personal liberation, we will solve our problems.
But with this sort of stupidity and superficiality the Bible has no truck. The scriptural authors understand sin not so much as a series of acts but as a condition in which we are stuck, something akin to an addiction or a contagious disease. No amount of merely human effort could possibly solve the problem.
With this biblical realism in mind, we can begin to comprehend why the Crucifixion of the Son of God was necessary. The just rapport between God and human beings could not be reestablished either through our moral effort or with simply a word of forgiveness. Something had to be done—and God alone could do it.
…so that He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God & Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.Commentary: The third chapter of 1 Thessalonians doesn't have sixteen verses; so, 3:13 is the closest approximation.
"When faith becomes the force that supports a person & the person relies entirely on God, then faith automatically becomes love. The great figures of faith—from Paul via Francis of Assisi down to Maximilian Kolbe & Mother Teresa—show us this."Saint Quote o' the Day
—Pope Benedict XVI (b. 1927, r. 2005-2013)
"How happy I am to see myself imperfect & be in need of God's mercy."
—St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast: 1 October)
After the tragic death of Jesus, sadness covered the Holy Land. It lasted until th crack of dawn on Easter Sunday. Then a shout was heard around all of Jerusalem: He is risen! Jesus is risen from the dead!Scripture of the Week
To this very day the same cry of joy is heard around the world. ALLELUIA!
Friends, our Easter Gospel is John’s startlingly concise account of the Resurrection.Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M. (U.S.C. of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.
The Easter declaration, properly understood, has always been and still is an explosion, an earthquake, a revolution. For the Easter faith—on clear display from the earliest days of the Christian movement—is that Jesus of Nazareth, a first-century Jew from the northern reaches of the Promised Land, who had been brutally put to death by the Roman authorities, is alive again through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Once we’ve come to some clarity about the Resurrection claim itself, we can begin to see why it still matters so massively. If the Resurrection is only a bland symbol or a projection of our desires, then tyrants have nothing to fear from it. But if it is a fact of history, an act of the living God in space and time, then sinners have real cause to repent.
A second great implication of the Resurrection is that heaven and earth are coming together. The hope of ancient Israel was not a jail break, not an escape from this world, but precisely the unification of heaven and earth in a great marriage. Recall a central line from the prayer that Jesus bequeathed to his Church: "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The bodily Resurrection of Jesus—"the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep"—is the powerful sign that the two orders are in fact coming together.
Reflect: Why is the Resurrection really the startling "Good News" of the Gospel? How does it give you hope to celebrate it today?
For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whomever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.Commentary: John, 3:16 is the inspiration for the whole, ludicrous 3:16 Project.
"How can we not sing? How can we not express the fullness of those feelings accumulated during our long Lenten journey & during the dramatic ritual of the Paschal Triduum?"Saint Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)
"O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who fallen asleep. To Him be glory & dominion unto ages of ages."
—St. John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church (347-407, feast: 13 September)
The first of these is the apparition of 11 February 1858, when fourteen-year-old [St.] Bernadette Soubirous [16 April] told her mother that a "lady" spoke to her in the cave of Massabielle while she was gathering firewood with her sister & a friend. Similar apparitions of the "Lady" were reported on eighteen occasions that year, until the climax revelation of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception took place.Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:
O Mary, you appeared to the humble young woman St. Bernadette Soubirous, to call us to conversion. Help me to respond to that call with generosity.Wikipedia-link Grotto of Massabielle, Wikipedia-link Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, Wikipedia-link Lourdes water, & Wikipedia-link Lourdes grottoes
Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus calls the Pharisees hypocrites because they "disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition."qorban’ (meaning, dedicated to God), you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother." If you claim to be a person of love, but fail to honor your parents, something is seriously off. Thus the hypocrisy of the Pharisees is a disregard of love.
For instance: "If someone says to father or mother, ‘Any support you might have had from me is
"Lourdes is a prophecy of justice & peace, where there is no room for pride & hardness of heart. Indeed, Lourdes is where this hardness is dissolved by one's witness of charity, mercy, serene resistance to evil, human solidarity, & sincere & moving generosity."Saint Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast day: 22 October)
"The closer we get to Christ, the less certain we are of any merit of our own. Just study the way St. Paul characterizes himself in his epistles, in intervals of four, five, & six years between the letters. At first he says, I am the chief of the apostles, I have labored more abundantly than any of them. He works a little longer & then he says, I am not worthy to be called a member of the Church, & the least worthy of all of the apostles. Finally he ends up by calling himself the chief of sinners. St. Peter, too became wiser, his first letter begins, Peter, apostle of Jesus Christ. Here's a clear-cut affirmation of what he is. A few years later, Peter changes & he begins his letter, Simon Peter. Simon, poor weak human nature—Simon Peter, apostle servant of Christ."Catholic Quote o' the Day
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)
"Science—the very instrument that's being used by modern atheists to say that there is no God—is screaming at us that there's a God! The discoveries of thermodynamics, the Hubble Space Telescope, & Einstein's Theories of Relativity have exploded in the scientific world & have led untold numbers of scientists to faith in God."
—Tim Staples (floruit 2020)
The Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with a Marian apparition & a venerated image enshrined with the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. The basilica is the most visited Catholic pilgrimage site in the world, & the worlds third most-visited site. Pope Leo XIII granted the venerated image a canonical coronation on 12 October 1895.Quoth Minute Meditations with the Popes:
Most Blessed Virgin, Mother of the Poor, teach me to fight for justice for those who are oppressed. Help me to identify with the humble ones of this world, as you did when you appeared to [St.] Juan Diego [9 December].Scripture of the Day
Friends, today’s Gospel declares the significance of Mary’sfiat. When Mary says, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word," she exhibits such faith and thereby undoes the refusal of Eve. And this fiat to the impossible made possible the Incarnation of God. In accepting the seduction of the alluring Mystery, she allowed God’s love to become enfleshed for the transformation of the world.
What great faith Mary had! Filled with the Holy Spirit, she was compelled to act. Her “yes” led to great rejoicing and joy. Perhaps in our own lives, we too felt compelled to speak up, but then grew afraid or self-conscious. Perhaps we felt moved to start a spiritual practice, like reading the Scriptures, but then we convinced ourselves that we were too busy. Perhaps you were inspired to give to a charity or donate your time to serving the poor, but then got distracted by the demands of life and work. While the times that we didn't follow through can weigh heavy on our hearts, we should resist being discouraged or ashamed. Instead, we can resolve right now to do what we were inspired to do. And if a particular opportunity has passed us by, we can be attentive for new opportunities that the Lord will give us to put our faith into action.Video homily by Bishop Robert Barron (en español): Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
Like Mary, who carried Jesus in her womb, Christ dwells within all of us. When the life of Christ grows in us, we will be promoted to quickly follow where He is leading. No matter how insignificant we feel or what struggles we may be facing, there is great joy and hope in knowing that Christ is living and working in us!
In this Gospel, Mary and Elizabeth display great peace and show us that it is possible to put aside our uncertainties and unite with one another in faith. We must be there to support, encourage and console one another. This enables us to be instruments of God’s love for others. Today on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, ask for the intercession of our Blessed Mother. She is our Mother and protector. Do not let your hearts be disturbed. Do not grieve or be saddened by anything, for we have a Mother in Heaven watching over and guiding us.
"Our Lady of Guadalupe is still the great sign of the nearness of Christ with Whom she invites every human being to enter into communion. She also invites all people into communion with one another in respect for each one's rights & in a just common sharing of the goods of this earth."Saint Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)
"The secret of happiness is to live moment by moment & to thank God for what He is sending us every day in his goodness."Chesterton Quote o' the Day
—St. Gianna Beretta Molla (1922-1962, feast day: 28 April)
"Little Child Jesus, Jesus dear Child,
Mary, His Mother ('twas Mary who smiled),
Joseph, dear Father, see we kneel here,
Tell us, oh tell us, may we draw near?"
—Frances Chesterton (1869-1938)
The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception celebrates the conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the womb of her mother, Saint Anne [26 July]. This conception is called "immaculate" because Mary was conceived without Original Sin.Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:
Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you. Pray especially for the enemies of the Church & those most in need of your mercy.Scripture of the Day
Friends, today’s Gospel shows how Mary became the mother of all the members of the Body of Christ.Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
From the cross, Jesus pronounced this word to St. John: "Son, behold your mother." He was giving Mary not only to John, but through John to the whole Church. Mary would be the mother of all the beloved disciples of Jesus up and down the centuries.
Then we recall that, at the Annunciation, the angel declared to the maiden of Nazareth: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God." The two persons required for the Incarnation were, in other words, the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Mother.
Now we can make the connection: in becoming the mother of Christ, Mary, by extension, would become mother of all of those members of Christ’s Mystical Body across space and time. Just as the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Mother were required to bring about the Incarnation in history, so those same two agents are required to bring about the birth of Christ in our souls.
Reflect: Who is Mary to you personally? What is her place in your life?
Today we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of Mary, conceived without original sin. Today’s Gospel celebrates Mary’s sinlessness. The angel's greeting, "Hail, Full of Grace" reveals two titles of Mary. She is a Queen and she is "Full of Grace," the one who is without any trace of sin, whether original or personal. She was also given the special gifts of immunity from ignorance and from concupiscence, the two gifts required for her to fulfill her vocation as the Mother of God. Since we still struggle with ignorance and concupiscence we cannot attain the holiness of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In fact, the holiness of all the saints do not equal hers. Nevertheless, we can learn from her example of holiness.Otherwise, 9 December would be the festival of Saint Valeria of Limoges, Martyr (third century), martyred in the reign of a Roman emperor, a cephalophore: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Cephalophore.
When Mary exclaims, "May it be done to me according to your word," we learn that holiness consists in a readiness to do God's will. And what is God's will for Mary? To bear Christ for the world and to be a herald of hope. As Mary proclaims in her Magnificat: "He has come to the help of His servant Israel
for He has remembered His promise of mercy." And so for us, holiness means bearing Christ for the world through our words and our life, and being messengers of hope in Jesus! The next line after today's Gospel is "Mary arose and went in haste" to visit her cousin Elizabeth. Bringing the Savior to the world and being a herald of hope is an urgent matter. We need to "make haste," for the world desperately needs the mercy and healing power of Jesus!
This Advent let us pray with Mary that we too may bear Christ in all that we do and bring hope and healing to a hurting world. Set aside time today to say the Rosary and ask for the intercession of Our Most Blessed Mother. May she be with us and guide us today and always as we continue on this journey this Advent of Hope towards her son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
"Mary Immaculate, she who has been redeemed in a privileged manner, is the sign of the beginning of God's project to mark all things new. It is she who unveils, with her singular grace, the new life introduced by God the Father into the most intimate depths of the human person."Church Father Quote o' the Day
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)
"This virgin mother of the Only-begotten of God is called Mary, Worthy of God, Immaculate of the Immaculate, one of the One."
—Origen of Alexandria, Father of the Church (184-253)
"The Christ-child stood on Mary's knee,
His hair was like a crown,
And all the flowers looked up at Him,
And all the stars looked down."
—G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936)