Sacrificial Love | AirMaria.com

Jul 01 – Homily – Fr Ignatius: Feast of the Most Precious Blood

apostolate — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:18:22 +0000

Homily #080701 ( 06min) Play – On the vigil of the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus, we lost two Knights of Lepanto – Thom Girard and his son Marc in a tragic drowning. Please keep them and their family in your prayers.

The Most Precious Blood of Jesus not only paid the price of our redemption but reminds us of God’s love for each of us. Let us respond to God’s love with a love willing to shed our blood for Christ. Ave Maria! +++

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Thoughts on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

Sr. JosephMary f.t.i. — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 19:00:06 +0000

Ave Maria Meditations

Some thoughts on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass:

The Holy Mass as renewal of the Covenant.

‘Behold, the days are coming?, says the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.? During the Last Supper, Jesus anticipated what shortly thereafter he was to accomplish in his death. He showed his disciples what he was anxious to do, what he was soon to carry out ?the sacrifice of his Body and Blood for everyone. The Last Supper is an anti?cipation of the sacrifice of the Cross. When, twenty-seven years later, Saint Paul would quote these words of Jesus in the First Letter to the Corinthians: ?This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me?.

The word commemoration harkens back to the Hebrew word which signifies the Jewish feast recalling the flight from Egypt and the Covenant made on Mount Sinai. During this feast the Jews not only remember the past event but they continued it generation after generation. When the Lord commands the Apostles, ?Do this in remembrance of me?, he is not just asking them to remember a single moment. He is asking. them to renew

the sacrifice of Calvary. ???????????

This Covenant is renewed each and every day throughout the entire world wherever the Holy Mass is celebrated. The priest performing each Mass re-presents, that is to say, he makes present once again, in a mysterious manner, the same sacrifice which Christ offered on Cal?vary. The work of our Redemption takes place here and now. It is as if the twenty centuries separating us from Cal?vary had disappeared. The New Covenant of the Eucharis?tic Sacrifice becomes especially manifest in the moment of Consecration. It is at this moment that we should make heartfelt acts of faith and love.

Let us take advantage of some guidelines given to pri?ests on how to celebrate the Mass, in order to help us live the sacrifice with ever greater devotion: After uttering the words which bring Christ down upon the altar, look at the sacramental species with the eyes of faith. As you kneel, see the legions of angels which surround Christ and adore him with profound reverence. This sight should make you exceedingly humble. In the elevation, contemplate Christ elevated on the Cross. Ask Him to bring all things to Him?self. Make fervent acts of faith, hope, love, adoration, humility, saying with the mind, ‘Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me! My Lord and my God! ?I love you, my God. I adore you with my whole heart and soul?.

You may also renew the intention of the Mass which you are celebrating, offering up the Eucharist according to its four ends. But when you lift up the chalice, make sure to remember in a very contrite way that the blood of Christ

has been shed for you, even though you have oftentimes despised it. Adore him so as to make up for your?past neglect. We have to fortify our faith and love in these moments of the Consecration.

Love for the Holy Sacrifice.

How lovely is thy dwelling place, 0 Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yea, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.

With what love and reverence we should approach Holy Mass! There, in this Holy Sacrifice, is to be found the sublime spring of grace to which every generation will repair for strength as man makes his way towards eternity. There we will find not only grace, but the Author of all grace.

Whenever we prepare to celebrate or participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the altar, we have to do so with an intensity that binds us closer and closer to Jesus Christ, the High Priest. As Saint Paul tells us: ?Have this mind among yourselves, which was in Christ Jesus . We offer the Supreme Sacrifice through him and with him and in him?. We offer up ourselves. ?One detail which will help us foster this union with Jesus Christ in the Mass has to do with our manner of participating in the Liturgy. We need to be serious, pious and active, recollected in spirit, our soul united with our body in prayerful harmony. We have to give our full attention to the readings and the acclama?tions. During the times reserved for silent prayer, we ought to make acts of faith and love. We should ask the Blessed Virgin to teach us how to be lovingly attentive at the moment of the consecration and when we receive Jesus in Communion.? Other details to keep in mind relate to our punctuality and the way we dress.

A man who fails to love the Mass, fails to love Christ!. We must make an effort to ‘live’ the Mass with calm and serenity, with devotion and affection. Those who love acquire a finesse, a sensitivity of soul that makes them notice details that are sometimes very small, but that are important because they express the love of a passionate heart. This is how we should attend the Holy Mass. And this is why I have always suspected that those who want the Mass to be over quickly show, with this insensitive attitude, that they have not yet realized what the sacrifice of the altar means.

Our time of thanksgiving after Mass sums up these very special moments of the day which can have such a decisive influence on our work, on our family life, on our cheerful dealings with others, on our peace and joy. Lived in this fashion, the Mass will never be an isolated event, but instead will serve us as real spiritual nourishment. The Mass will give to our actions an eternal meaning. The Mass will help us to live as children of God and co?redeemers with Christ.

We should try to be at the side of Our Lady during the holy Mass, just as she stood by her Son on Calvary. As we offer up Jesus to the Father, we offer ourselves with him through the intercession of Mary. Most Holy Father, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary I offer you Jesus, your beloved Son. I offer myself through him, with him and in him for all his intentions, in the name of all creatures.

Fr. Francis Fernandez (In Conversation with God)

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Video – A Day With Mary #130: The Eucharist and Sacrificial Love

Fra Cyprian — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 01:03:03 +0000

A Day With Mary #130 – The Eucharist and Sacrificial Love ( 18min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

Fr. Louis Maximilian speaks on the Eucharist during the “Day With Mary” held at St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Peppermint Grove, Western Australia on 7 March 2015.

Audio (MP3)

+++

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Video – Fr. Luedtke – 8 Day Retreat – 25/25 – To Attain the Love of God – CONF 357

apostolate — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 14:50:59 +0000

Ave Maria!

Fr. Ben Luedtke gives the last of twenty-five conferences for his Eight Day Ignatian Retreat. The subjects he covers are: What we must do to attain the love of God, prayer should be open expression of love. His sufferings to attain our love and our response. Love as activated charity. Infused virtues.

About the retreat: The retreat was conducted by Fr. Ben Luedtke who has condensed St. Ignatius’ classic thirty day spiritual exercises into an eight day retreat that makes this life changing spiritual experience more accessible to the average person. It consists of twenty-five conferences (recorded in this video series), which are used by those on retreat along with further reflections given to them as handouts to base their hour long meditations which they make after each conference. The typical day consists of three of these conferences, one in the morning, afternoon and evening. Fr. Ben also gave them private spiritual direction and Mass each day. The retreat took place at the Mother of the Redeemer Retreat Center in Bloomington, IN from Oct 9-17th, 2016. Father usually gives these retreats at this retreat center in the spring and fall of each year. See his website for other times and places or to arrange one near you.

Links:

Full Series of conferences on AirMaria: http://dev.airmaria.com/category/air-maria-shows/conferences/8-day-ignatian-retreat/

Fr. Ben Luedtke’s web site: http://www.godblessya.com/

Mother of the Redeemer Retreat Center: http://www.maryschildren.com/

Audio (MP3)

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May 22 – Homily: From Christ’s Passion to Compassion & Love

apostolate — Mon, 22 May 2017 11:52:52 +0000

St. Rita of Cascia united her love to that of Christ by contemplating his Passion. Christ endured his Passion, and Our Lady suffered with him at the foot of the cross, for the salvation of all men, even those whose kill God’s people, thinking they’re worshiping Him. We must seek to learn to love our persecutors, by contemplating the Trinitarian love of God, the Passion of Christ, and the Compassion of the Mother.

The President of the United States, recently in Saudi Arabia, had something to say about the twisted understanding of God that leads some to kill Christians: “Every time a terrorist murders an innocent person and falsely invokes the name of God, it should be an insult to every person of faith. Terrorists do not worship God. They worship death.” And yet, many today are of the mind that it is good to kill Christians.

Only in the Passion of Christ can we see the Trinitarian love which saves us, and which will enable us to love our persecutors, as Jesus loves them.

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Rita of Cascia – Opt Mem
Readings: Monday 6th Week of Easter
1st: Act 16:11-15
Resp: Ps 149:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 9 0
Gsp: Jn 15:26-16:4

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Catholic Manhood – May 01 – Homily – Fr Matthias

apostolate — Tue, 01 May 2018 13:09:09 +0000

On the Feast of St. Joseph Worker (May 01), Fr. Matthias focuses in the homily on how St. Joseph’s life is an eloquent example of Catholic manhood and fatherhood.

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Joseph the Worker – Opt Mem

Readings: Tuesday 5th Week of Easter
1st: Act 14:19-28
Resp: Ps 145:10-11, 12-13, 21
Gsp: Jn 14:27-31

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=1066&r=1802

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God is Love, Unconditional, Sacrificial, Sanctifying- Jan 05 – Homily – Fr Terrance

apostolate — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 16:30:54 +0000

Fr Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN on Jan 05, 2021, on how God is Love and this Love is unconditional, sacrificial, and sanctifying

Mass: St John Neumann – Mem
Readings: Wkdays before Epiphany – Jan 5 – http://usccb.org/bible/readings/010521.cfm
1st: 1jo 3:11-21
Resp: psa 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5 0
Gsp: joh 1:43-51

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=1339&r=1317

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Faith, Love, and the Path to Heaven – Apr 10 – Homily – Fr John Lawrence

apostolate — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 13:22:11 +0000

Fr John Lawrence gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Apr 10, 2024, on God’s unconditional love and the necessity of faith demonstrated through charity, inviting us to bring light to the darkness around us by following Christ.

In today’s homily, Father discusses the boundless love of God as shown in John 3:16, where it’s stated that God gave His only Son for the salvation of the world, highlighting the theme of sacrificial love and the necessity of faith for salvation. This love isn’t deterred by the world’s unworthiness but is an invitation to transformation through acceptance and belief in Jesus Christ. Father emphasizes that belief in Christ is not mere words but is manifested through acts of charity, as faith without works is dead, James 2:26. The rejection of Christ is due to a preference for sin and darkness over the light of Christ, who is the light of the world as per John 8:12, offering redemption and beauty to our fallen nature.

The homily also references the apostles’ miraculous liberation from prison, showcased as a testament to divine intervention and the folly of the Sadducees’ disbelief in angels, which contradicts Acts 5:19-20. This act of deliverance underscores God’s responsiveness to the suffering of the righteous and His capability to save, as echoed in Psalms, particularly Psalm 34:17. Father concludes with a call to emulate the apostles and Christ in bringing light to darkness and seeing beyond the sinfulness of our neighbors, recognizing their potential for transformation through God’s grace.

This narrative is intertwined with biblical references such as:

John 3:16 – God’s love demonstrated through the gift of His Son for the world’s salvation – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/3?16
James 2:26 – Faith without works is dead – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/james/2?26
John 8:12 – Jesus as the light of the world – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/8?12
Acts 5:19-20 – The angel freeing the apostles – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/5?19
Psalm 34:17 – The Lord hears the cry of the righteous – https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/34?17

For Further Reading from the Catechism:

CCC 161 – Faith is necessary for salvation. – http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/161.htm
CCC 1822 – Charity, the form of all virtues, binds everything together in perfect harmony. – http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/1822.htm
CCC 2447 – The spiritual works of mercy include comforting the sorrowful and forgiving injuries, reflecting Christ’s love for the unlovable. – http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/para/2447.htm

00:00 – Introduction to Jesus’ Message to Nicodemus
00:12 – The Gift of God’s Only Begotten Son for Salvation
00:31 – Embracing Sacrifice for Love and Salvation
01:39 – Faith as the Foundation of Christian Life
02:45 – The Human Struggle with Sin and Its Consequences
03:34 – Christ: The Light That Reveals and Transforms
04:33 – The Apostles’ Miraculous Deliverance and Witness
06:00 – Apostles Facing Darkness with Christ’s Light

Ave Maria!

Mass: Wednesday 2nd Week of Easter – Wkdy
Readings: – http://usccb.org/bible/readings/041024.cfm
1st: act 5:17-26
Resp: psa 34:2-9
Gsp: joh 3:16-21

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=1785

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St. Veronica’s Mystical, Obedient and Sacrificial Life – Jul 10 – Homily – Fr John Lawrence

apostolate — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 11:13:16 +0000

Fr John Lawrence gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Jul 10, 2024, on how St. Veronica Giuliani lived a life of profound faith, mystical experiences, and sacrificial love, embodying Christ’s sufferings and ultimate obedience.

St. Veronica Giuliani, born on December 27, 1660, in Mercatello, Italy, lived a life of profound faith and sacrifice. Her birthdate coincides with the Feast of St. John, who wrote, “By this we know love, that he, Christ, laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (1 John 3:16). Baptized Ursula on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, she was named after St. Ursula, a virgin martyr. Veronica desired to imitate Christ’s sacrificial love, aspiring to live a life of mystical suffering rather than physical martyrdom.

Veronica, the youngest of seven children, was greatly loved. She experienced visions of Jesus from a young age and was deeply influenced by stories of saints. Just before her mother’s death, she was entrusted to the wound in Jesus’ side, which symbolized her future mystical marriage to Christ. Veronica’s devotion led her to join the Capuchin nuns, despite her family’s wealth and comforts.

At 16, Veronica entered a monastery in Città di Castello, where she was tested by the bishop and miraculously read Latin. She was given the name Veronica, meaning “true image,” symbolizing her likeness to Christ. Despite initial struggles, she embraced the monastic life, guided by her superiors and divine voices. At 27, she became the novice mistress, and at 32, she was ordered to keep a diary, documenting her mystical experiences.

Her diary recorded her mystical marriage to Christ in 1694 and receiving the stigmata in 1697. She endured physical and spiritual sufferings, often facing demonic attacks. Despite skepticism and investigations by the Holy Office, she remained steadfast. Her sufferings intensified, moving from physical to profound interior pain.

In 1716, she became the abbess, guided by Our Lady, and continued her holy leadership until her death. Veronica’s stigmata bled for the last time on September 17, 1726. She endured a 33-day agony before her death on June 6, 1727. Her last words were, “I have found love. Love has let himself be seen.” She entered eternal glory with permission from her superior, embodying the ultimate obedience and love for Christ.

00:00 – Introduction
00:18 – Birth and Baptism
01:37 – Early Religious Experiences
02:15 – Entering the Monastery
03:04 – Becoming Sister Veronica
04:25 – Mystical Diary
05:50 – Demonic Oppositions
07:02 – Receiving the Stigmata
08:02 – Holy Office Investigation
09:02 – Final Years and Death

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Veronica Giuliani – http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=1954
Readings: Wednesday 14th Week of Ordinary Time – http://usccb.org/bible/readings/071024.cfm
1st: hos 10:1-3, 7-8, 12
Resp: psa 105:2-7
Gsp: mat 10:1-7

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=673&r=1645

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