“O God, I give Thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men…” What’s the problem? Have you ever stopped to consider what it is that was really wrong with the prayer of the Pharisee? After all, it … Continue reading
Category: Spiritual Life
Annual Portiuncula Plenary Indulgence, First Sunday of August
This year the first Sunday of August is also the first day of the month. To gain the indulgence one must go to confession during the eight days before or after August 1. The usual conditions apply: visit the Blessed … Continue reading
The Eighth Sunday After Pentecost
We have an apparent contradiction between the Epistle and the Gospel today. St. Paul lays down the rule that if we live according to the flesh we shall die, but if by the spirit, we mortify the deeds of the … Continue reading
The Third Sunday after Pentecost
Today can be called the Sunday of Merciful Love. The Divine Mercy is brought before our eyes in manifold ways it the propers of the Third Sunday after Pentecost. This liturgy predates the feast of the Sacred Heart, so it … Continue reading
Second Sunday after Pentecost
“Come, for everything is now ready.” There is a common theme in the Epistle and the Gospel of today. It is that the same God who wants us to love Him in the Eucharist and to come to His heavenly … Continue reading
Holy Desires
The corruption of the flesh weighing upon us so heavily during our earthly sojourn, we often find ourselves desiring what is base and wicked. But our wills can be motivated to love what is truly good, and therefore to desire … Continue reading
The Joyful Heart of Mary
On the black habit our brothers wear, the capuche is signed with a blazon of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, surrounded by a chain. It is the emblem of holy slavery, and it comes from the seal of our Order. … Continue reading
On Holy __
1. When you have __, everyone wants your company. When you lose __, men want to avoid you. 2. When you have __, you cannot be mean if you tried. When you lose __, you are mean even to yourself. … Continue reading
Pentecost Sunday
Today is the anniversary of the Holy Ghost’s mission on earth. Because that mission is largely neglected, sorely misunderstood, and vitally important for the life of the Church and individuals, we should do our best to understand it so that … Continue reading
Sunday after the Ascension
Today we find ourselves liturgically between two great feasts, the Ascension and Pentecost. The Church has her mind on both of these mysteries. This is well illustrated by the two alleluia verses. The first points us back to Our Lord’s … Continue reading
Fifth Sunday after Easter
“If you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you.” As I have already pointed out, the Gospels we have been reading during these Sundays between Easter and the Ascension are from Our Lord’s discourse … Continue reading
Florilegium Sancti Ludovici Mariae
In medieval Latin, a florilegium (literally, a “gathering of flowers”) is a systematic collection of writings from larger works. Its literal Greek equivalent gives us the word anthology. In the Ages of Faith, works of the Church Fathers and other … Continue reading
Fourth Sunday after Easter
Today’s propers continue to give us practical instruction on living the “resurrected life” of Christ. The Gospel gives us our second notice that the Holy Ghost will soon come, and His mission will be to complete the work of Christ … Continue reading
Third Sunday after Easter
Today’s Gospel presents us with the first reference in the Easter Cycle to Our Lord’s Ascension. For three weeks now, we have enjoyed the sweetness of our resurrected Lord’s presence, as symbolized by the Paschal Candle in the sanctuary. In … Continue reading
In Praise of Triumphalism
“Triumphalism” is a bad word in some circles. That those circles have been influential in academic, ecclesiastical, and civil society in recent decades helps to explain our sad lot. I’ll not forget the perplexity that overcame me when I read … Continue reading
