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Video – Fr. Peter – Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord

apostolate — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 04:48:50 +0000

Homily #6 – Fr. Peter preaches the Homily for the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord >>> Play

Ave Maria!

While Fr. Peter preaches the homily for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, he points out that this feast is considered the continuation of the feast of the Epiphany where God the Father makes manifest His Son and this is a continuation of Christmas, which is the appearance of God on earth. He then discusses the meaning of appearance and perception and how we will one day perceive God in the beatific vision in heaven. He then points out that we will be made worthy to enter heaven through the waters of Baptism and how this is related to the pure water of Mary’s womb where Jesus first entered the world at the Annunciation. The Holy Spirit hovering over the water at both these events brings about the purity of a new creation and birth.

Ave Maria!

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Apr 5 – Homily – Fr Ignatius: Heaven as Mentioned in Fatima

apostolate — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 00:38:56 +0000

Homily Specials #080405 ( 15min) Play– In the end, only heaven and hell will remain. At this month’s First Saturday devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (which is?based on Fatima) Fr. Ignatius concentrates on heaven as explained by Our Lady and the need to pray for each other in order to get to heaven and avoid purgatory.
Ave Maria! Mass readings
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Apr 18 – Homily – Fr Ignatius: “I Am THE Way”

apostolate — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:00:34 +0000

Homily #080418 ( 07min) Play – “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Is Jesus Christ the only way to Heaven? Oprah Winfrey doesn’t think so – hear what Fr. Ignatius Manfredonia has to say about it.
Ave Maria! Mass readings
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May 22 – Homily – Fr Bonaventure: The Four Last Things

apostolate — Thu, 22 May 2008 12:04:19 +0000

Homily #080522 ( 00min) Play – In today’s Gospel Our Lord talks about the four last things: Death, Judgment, Heaven and? Hell. Here Jesus clearly tells us about the existence of Hell, a place of everlasting corporal punishment and so we have a strong admonition to avoid all occasions of sin.
Ave Maria! Mass readings
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Jun 20 – Homily – Fr Bonaventure: Light of Faith

apostolate — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:56:41 +0000

Homily #080620 ( 08min) Play – Fr. Bonaventure explains the Gospel passage “if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be.” And in this world of little faith we see how dark our society can be.
Ave Maria! Mass readings
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Poetry from St. Therese of the Child Jesus

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:00:39 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

October 1st: St. Therese of the Child Jesus

Heaven for Me!

written June 7th, 1896

To bear the exile of this valley of tears
I need the glance of my Divine Savior.
This glance full of love has revealed its charms to me.
It has made sense of the happiness of Heaven.
My Jesus smiles at me when I sigh to Him.
Then I no longer feel my trial of faith.
My God’s glance, His ravishing smile,
That is Heaven for me!

Heaven for me is to be able to draw down on souls
On the Church my mother and on all my sisters
Jesus’ graces and His Divine Flames
That can enkindle and rejoice hearts.
I can obtain everything when mysteriously
I speak heart to Heart with my Divine King.
That sweet prayer so near the Sanctuary,
That is Heaven for me!

Heaven for me is hidden in a little Host
Where Jesus, my Spouse, is veiled for love.
I go to that Divine Furnace to draw out life,
And there my Sweet Savior listens to me night and day.
“Oh! What a happy moment when in Your tenderness
You come, my Beloved, to transform me into Yourself.
That union of love, that ineffable intoxication,
That is Heaven for me!

Heaven for me is feeling within myself the resemblance
Of the God who created me with His Powerful Breath.
Heaven for me is remaining always in His Presence,
Calling Him my Father and being His child.
In His Divine arms, I don’t fear the storm.
Total abandonment is my only law.
Sleeping on His Heart, right next to His face,
That is Heaven for me!

I’ve found my Heaven in the Blessed Trinity
That dwells in my heart, my prisoner of love.
There, contemplating my God, I fearlessly tell Him
That I want to serve Him and love Him forever.
Heaven for me is smiling at this God Whom I adore
When He wants to hide to try my faith.
To suffer while waiting for Him to look at me again
That is Heaven for me!

Song of Gratitude to Our Lady of Mount Carmel

By St. Therese of Lisieux— July 16, 1894

From the first moments of my life,

You took me in your arms.

Ever since that day, dear Mother,

You’ve protected me here below.

To preserve my innocence,

You placed me in a soft nest.

You watched over my childhood

In the shade of a holy cloister.

Later, in the days of my youth,

I heard Jesus’ call!?

In your ineffable tenderness,

You showed Carmel to me.

“Come, my child, be generous,”

You sweetly said to me.

“Near me, you’ll be happy,

Come sacrifice yourself for your Savior.”

Close to you, 0 my loving Mother!

I’ve found rest for my heart.

I want nothing more on earth.

Jesus alone is all my happiness.

If sometimes I feel sadness

And fear coming to assail me,

Always supporting me in my weakness,

Mother, you deign to bless me.

Grant that I may be faithful

To my divine Spouse Jesus.

One day may his sweet voice call me

To flyaway among the elect.

Then, no more exile, no more suffering.

In Heaven I’ll keep repeating

The song of my gratitude,

Lovable Queen of Carmel!

My Song for Today

(written June 1, 1894)

My life is but an instant, a passing hour.
My life is but a day that escapes and flies away.
O my God! You know that to love you on earth
I only have today!…

Oh, I love you, Jesus! My soul yearns for you.
For just one day remain my sweet support.
Come reign in my heart, give me your smile
Just for today!

Lord, what does it matter if the future is gloomy?
To pray for tomorrow, oh no, I cannot!…
Keep my heart pure, cover me with your shadow
Just for today.

If I think about tomorrow, I fear my fickleness.
I feel sadness and worry rising up in my heart.
But I’m willing, my God, to accept trial and suffering
Just for today.

O Divine Pilot! whose hand guides me.
I’m soon to see you on the eternal shore.
Guide my little boat over the stormy waves in peace
Just for today.

Ah! Lord, let me hide in your Face.
There I’ll no longer hear the world’s vain noise.
Give me your love, keep me in your grace
Just for today.

Near your divine Heart, I forget all passing things.
I no longer dread the fears of the night.
Ah! Jesus, give me a place in your Heart
Just for today.

Deign to unite me to you, Holy and sacred Vine,
And my weak branch will give you its fruit,
And I’ll be able to offer you a cluster of golden grapes
Lord, from today on.

I’ve just this fleeting day to form
This cluster of love, whose seeds are souls.
Ah! give me, Jesus, the fire of an Apostle
Just for today.

O Immaculate Virgin! You ware my Sweet Star
Giving Jesus to me and uniting me to Him.
O Mother! Let me rest under your veil
Just for today.

My Holy Guardian Angel, cover me with your wing.
With your fire light the road that I’m taking.
Come direct my steps… help me, I call upon you
Just for today.

Lord, I want to see you without veils, without clouds,
But still exiled, far from you, I languish.
May your lovable face not be hidden from me
Just for today.

Soon I’ll fly away to speak your praises
When the day without sunset will dawn on my soul.
Then I’ll sing on the Angels’ lyre
The Eternal Today!…

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Oct 29 – Homily – Fr Angelo: Enter Through the Narrow Gate

apostolate — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:24:59 +0000

Homily #081029 ( 06min) Play – “Strive to enter through the narrow gate” as many are on the wide road to perdition. Ave Maria! Mass readings +++

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The Time is Now…to Love

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:00:16 +0000

LET US MAKE GOOD USE OF TIME

Ave Maria Mediations

PRESENCE OF GOD: I recollect myself in the presence of the Lord, to examine in the light of eternity the value of time.

Meditation:

Time passes and does not return. God has assigned to each of us a definite time in which to fulfill His divine plan for our soul; we have only this time and shall have no more. Time ill spent is lost forever. Our life is made up of this uninterrupted, continual flow of time, which never returns. In eternity, on the contrary, time will be no more; we shall be established forever in the degree of love which we have reached now, in time.

If we have attained a high degree of love, we shall be fixed forever in that degree of love and glory; if we possess only a slight degree, that is all we shall have throughout eternity. No further progress will be possible when time has ended. “Therefore, whilst we have time, let us work good to all “(Gal 6,10). “We must give every moment its full amount of love, and make each passing moment eternal, by giving it value for eternity” (Sr. Carmela of the Holy Spirit, O.C.D.).

This is the best way to use the time given us byGod. Charity allows us to adhere to God’s will with submission and love and thus at the close of life we shall have realized God’s plan for our soul; we shall have reached the degree of love which God expects from each one of us and with which we shall love and glorify Him for all eternity.

The growth of charity depends upon meritorious acts, that is, good works done under the influence of charity. Every good act merits an increase of charity, which may be given to the soul at once or withheld until the end of life, according to whether the act had been performed with all the love of which the soul was capable, or whether, on the contrary, it was performed with less vigor, generosity, and carefulness than was possible at that moment. In the first case, the increase of charity comes like interest which is immediately accrued to the capital, and which then bears interest together with it. In the second case, it is like interest which is kept separate from the capital and hence does not increase with it, even though it remains the property of the one who has acquired it.

In order that the merit of our good works, that is, the increase of charity which we have merited by them, be granted immediately, it is necessary that these good works be done with all the love possible, that is, with all the good will and generosity of which the soul is capable. Then it is as if the soul opens to receive the increase of love it has merited; and this is added at once to the capital of charity already possessed, immediately increasing its degree and intensity.

We have only the short day of this earthly life in which to grow in love, and if we wish to derive from it the greatest possible profit, we must overcome our natural inertia and carry out our good works with our whole heart. Then love will increase immeasurably and we shall be able to say to Our Lord like St. Therese of the .Child Jesus: “Your love has grown with me and now it is an abyss, the depth of which I am unable to sound”. We must, then, make haste while we still have time, for “the night cometh when no man can work” (Jn 9:4).

Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalene OCD

Ecclesiastes 3

2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

New Beginnings

The year (has ended). This means, as always, that we spend a few minutes in reflection. We draw up balance sheets and make an effort to anticipate what the future may bring. For a moment we become conscious of the strange thing called “time,” which otherwise we simply use without thinking about it. We feel both the melancholy and the consolation of our own transiency. Much that caused us distress, much that weighed us down and seemed to make progress impossible, has now passed and become quite unimportant.

As we look back, difficult days are transfigured in memory, and the now almost forgotten distress leaves us more peaceful and confident, more composed in the face of present threats, for these too will pass. The consolation of transiency: Nothing lasts, no matter how important it claims to be. But this consoling thought, which gives patience its character of promise, also has its discouraging and saddening aspect. Nothing lasts, and therefore along with the old year not only difficulties but much that is beautiful has passed away, and the more we move beyond the midpoint of our lives, the more poignantly we feel this change of what was once future and then present into something past. We cannot say to any moment: “Stay a while! You are so lovely!” Anything that is within time comes and then passes away.

Our feelings toward the new year show the same ambivalence as our feelings toward the old year. A new beginning is something precious; it brings hope and possibilities as yet undisclosed. “Every beginning has a magic about it that protects us and helps us live” (Herman Hesse) … What can we as Christians say at this moment of transition? First of all, we can do the very human thing the moment urges upon us: we can use the time of reflection in order to stand aside and widen our vision, thus gaining inner freedom and a patient readiness to move on again.

POPE BENEDICT XVI

Lord Jesus, you are the fulfillment of all time, the center of all history. We praise you for the wonder of your love. We thank you for your mercy and redemption. We bless you for your unfailing goodness. May we ‘love you with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We pray that you keep us awake and watchful. May we recognize your real presence in every moment of our lives. Transform our hearts from stone-blocked tombs into life-giving temples where we may find you, with the Blessed Virgin Mary, and live in your grace so that one day we may be with you for ever in paradise.

Fr. Peter John Cameron O.P.

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

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“I Will Draw All Men to Myself”

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:00:49 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

Jesus, hatred lifted You up on a cross; hut once on it You said You would lift all lovers up to Your Heart, which is Love, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to Myself”. (John 12: 32)

You are now fulfilling that promise, for You are drawing heaven to Yourself, as You hang on the Cross, to give me the possession of it, and God, to make me His child and friend again. Oh, draw also my poor heart, so cold and ungrateful, to Yourself to inflame it with Your own love and generosity; my sinful soul as well, to cleanse and save it. You are true to me till death.

Then draw me, Lord, and make me true to You forever, both in my innermost soul by faith in Your doctrine, hope in Your Divine promises and love of Your holy Person, and in my outward behavior by daily imitation of Your crucified life and by an unceasing union of my life with Your Sacrifice on the Cross.

Dear Savior, draw all the world to Your crucified Self, as You promised, that all men may find in Your broken Heart, peace, consolation, and joy here, and eternal life and bliss hereafter. Let me at last learn that the Crucifix does not teach pain but sacrifice, for sacrifice is pain with love. Let me mount the cross with You so that the pain I bear in life may be joined with Yours.

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May 21 – Homily – Fr Bonaventure: Ascension of Our Lord

apostolate — Thu, 21 May 2009 12:06:26 +0000

Homily #090521 ( 10min) Play – Fr. Bonaventure preaches on this Ascension Thursday about how it emphasizes that He is still present and even reigns on Earth in His Eucharistic Presence.
Ave Maria! Mass readings

Audio (MP3)

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