Homily #090520 ( 08min) Play – St. Bernardine of Siena was a great reformer of the Franciscan Order, a  preacher who occasioned many conversions. He spread devotion to the Mother of God and to the Name of Jesus, IHS
Ave Maria! Mass readings

Audio (MP3)

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The Graces of Saint Joseph 

There is a general rule concerning all special graces granted to any human being. Whenever the divine favor chooses someone to receive a special grace, or to accept a lofty vocation, God adorns the person with all the gifts of the Spirit needed to fulfill the task at hand. This general rote is especially verified in the case of Saint Joseph, the foster-father of Our Lord and the husband of the Queen of our world, enthroned above the angels.

He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector of his greatest treasures, namely, his divine Son and Mary, Joseph’s wife. He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying: Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.

What then is Joseph’s position in the whole Church of Christ? Is he not a man chosen and set apart? Through him and, yes, under him, Christ was fitting­ly and honorably introduced into the world. Holy Church in its entirety is indebted to the Virgin Mother because through her it was judged worthy to receive Christ. But after her we undoubtedly owe special gratitude and reverence to Saint Joseph. 

In him the Old Testament finds its fitting close. He brought the noble line of patriarchs and prophets to its promised fulfillment. What the divine goodness had offered as a promise to them, he held in his arms. Obviously, Christ does not now deny to Joseph that intimacy, reverence and very high honor which he gave him on earth, as a son to his father. Rather we must say that in heaven Christ completes and perfects all that he gave at Nazareth. 

Now we can see how the last summoning words of the Lord appropriately apply to Saint Joseph: Enter into the joy of your Lord. In fact, although the joy of eternal happiness enters into the soul of a man, the Lord preferred to say to Joseph: Enter into joy. His intention was that the words should have a hidden spiritual meaning for us. They convey not only that this holy man possesses an inward joy, but also that it surrounds him and engulfs him like an infinite abyss. 

Remember us, Saint Joseph, and plead for us to your foster-child. Ask your most holy bride, the Virgin Mary, to look kindly upon us, since she is the mother of him who with the Father and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns eternally. Amen. 

+St. Bernardine of Siena

St. Joseph, the Spouse of Mary and foster father of Jesus was the silent part of the mystery of salvation. He accepted the will of God and recognized the role of Mary and Jesus in the redemption of mankind.  

He follows Mary in her suffering. From the birth of Jesus, Mary knew that every day of His life was a day closer to the Cross. Mary became the sorrowful Mother and Jesus the suffering Servant of the Lord who gave his life for us. Joseph was the spouse of the sorrowful Mother and the foster father of Jesus, “A man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity.” (Is 53, 3). With Jesus and Mary, Joseph lived, understood and accepted suffering for the salvation of the people of God. St. Joseph is the Father of the suffering and dying. His death was a holy death; he died in the arms of Jesus and Mary. 

Fr. Joseph Rinaldo SdC

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The heart of every Christian should respond to this invitation and exalt the most Holy Name of Our Savior, that is, His very Person, for the Name of Jesus expresses what  He is: Savior, Redeemer. This sacred Name, announced by the Angel to both Mary and Joseph, was given to Our Lord by God Himself. “Thou shalt call His Name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins” (Mt 1:21).

This Name expresses and synthesizes the great mysteries of the Incarnation and the Redemption; it is at the center of the universe like a point of contact, like a bridge between God and all mankind. Man can reach God only by means of Jesus and in the Name of Jesus : “for there is other Name under heaven whereby we must be saved”.

O glorious Name! Gracious Name! Name full of love and virtue! Through You, sins are forgiven, enemies overcome, the sick healed, and sufferers strengthened in adversity! You are the honor of believers, the Master of preachers, the comfort of those who toil, the support of the weak. Holy desires are nourished by the ardor of Your fire; and by it, necessary suffrages are obtained, contemplative souls are inebriated, and the triumphant are glorified in heavenly glory! By Your most Holy Name, O sweet Jesus, You make us reign with the Blessed, You, their glory, You who triumph gloriously with the Father and the Holy Spirit, in perfect Unity and Trinity, forever and ever.

O Name of Jesus, exalted above every other Name! O triumphant Name! O joy of Angels! O terror of hell! All hope of pardon, of grace and of glory is found in You! O sweetest Name, You pardon the guilty, You reform evil habits, You fill the timid with divine sweetness and drive away terrifying visions! O glorious Name! By You, the mysteries of eternal life are revealed, souls are inflamed with divine love, strengthened in time of struggle, and freed from all dangers. O desirable Name! Delightful Name! Admirable Name! Venerable Name! Little by little You raise the souls of the faithful by Your gifts and graces to the heights of heaven. All to whom You communicate Your ineffable grandeur, by Your power attain to salvation and glory!”

(St. Bernardine of Siena).

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Ave Maria Meditations

“From the fact of there being no mention made in the Gospel of the visit wherewith Christ consoled His Mother after His Resurrection, we are not to conclude that this most merciful Jesus, the source of all grace and consolation, Who was so anxious to gladden His disciples by His presence, forgot His Mother, Who He knew had drunk so deeply of the bitterness of His Passion. But it has pleased Divine Providence that the Gospel should be silent on this subject; and this for three reasons.

“In the first place, because of the firmness of Mary’s faith. The confidence which the Virgin-Mother had of Her Son’s rising again had never faltered, not even by the slightest doubt. This we can readily believe, if we reflect on the special grace wherewith She was filled, She the Mother of the Man-God, the Queen of the Angels, and the Mistress of the world. To a truly enlightened mind, the silence of Scripture on this subject says more than any affirmation could have done.

We have learned to know something of Mary by the visit She received from the Angel, when the Holy Ghost overshadowed Her. We met Her again at the foot of the Cross, where She, the Mother of Sorrows, stood nigh Her dying Son. If then the Apostle could say: As ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation (2 Cor. 1: 7), what share must not the Virgin-Mother have had in the joys of the Resurrection? We should hold it as a certain truth that Her most sweet Jesus, after His Resurrection, consoled Her first of all.

The Holy Roman Church would seem to express this, by celebrating at St. Mary Major’s the Station of Easter Sunday. Moreover, if from the silence of the Evangelists you would conclude that our Risen Lord did not appear to Her first, you must go farther, and say that He did not appear to Her at all, inasmuch as these same Evangelists, when relating the several apparitions, do not mention a single one as made to Her. Now, such a conclusion as this would savor of impiety.

“In the second place, the silence of the Gospel is explained by the incredulity of men. The object of the Holy Ghost, when dictating the Gospels, was to describe such apparitions as would remove all doubt from carnal-minded men with regard to the Resurrection of Christ. The fact of Mary’s being His Mother would have weakened Her testimony, at least in their own eyes. For this reason She was not brought forward as a witness, though most assuredly there never was or ever will be any creature (the Humanity of Her Son alone excepted) whose assertion better deserved the confidence of every truly pious soul. But the text of the Gospel was not to adduce any testimonies, save such as might be offered to the whole world. As to Jesus’ apparition to His Mother, the Holy Ghost has left it to be believed by those that are enlightened by His light.

“In the third place, this silence is explained by the sublime nature of the apparition itself. The Gospel says nothing regarding the Mother of Christ after the Resurrection; and the reason is, that Her interviews with Her Son were so sublime and ineffable that no words could have described them. There are two sorts of visions: one is merely corporal, and feeble in proportion; the other is mainly in the soul, and is granted only to such as have been transformed. Say, if you will, that St. Mary Magdalen was the first to have the merely corporal vision, provided that you admit that the Blessed Virgin saw, previously to Magdalen, and in a far sublimer way, Her Risen Jesus, that She recognised Him, and enjoyed His sweet embraces in Her soul, more even than in Her body.”

St. Bernardine of Siena (Feast Day is May 20th)

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Homily #150520b ( 11min) Play – Fr. Alan relates the life of St. Bernadine of Siena and how he fought against the impurity of the world in his day by his preaching and devotions to Jesus and Mary, all of which is much needed today.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Bernardine of Siena – Feast – Form: OF
Readings: 
1st: act 4:8-12
Resp: psa 145:1-6, 21
Gsp: joh 14:12-17

Audio (MP3)

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Contemporary culture languishes not only in religious ignorance, but is being ruined by positive profanation of the Holy Name of Jesus. Let us do justice to Our Savior and work to restore respect for His Holy Name, even among non-believers.

Ave Maria!

Mass: Holy Name of Jesus – Mem
Readings: 
1st: Phil 2:5-11
Resp: Ps 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 0
Gsp: Mt 1:18-23

Audio (MP3)

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The post Jan 03 – Homily – Converting the Culture in the Holy Name of Jesus first appeared on AirMaria.com.

On the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, Fr Matthias explains that the holiness of the Name of God demands we use it with love and reverence, not in vain or out of mere habit.

Ave Maria!

Mass: Holy Name of Jesus – Mem

Readings: 

1st: Phil 2:5-11
Resp: Ps  113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 0
Gsp: Mt  1:18-23

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=588

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The Life of Bl. Matthew of Girgenti, Bishop, Confessor, First Order (d. 1451) for the Franciscan Saint of the Day for Jan 3.  Matthew entered Franciscans at a young age and soon joined the reform of St Bernardine and followed him on his apostolic travels. He worked in Spain and Sicily to open new houses. He was appointed the bishop of his diocese in Palermo. Many miracles were attributed to him.

Reflection is on doing All for Jesus as did Bl. Matthew
To root out vices in ourselves and others as much as we can
Do all in our power to encourage everyone and ourselves to greater perfection in the virtues to get to heaven.

For more on Bl. Matthew of Girgenti
– https://www.roman-catholic-saints.com/blessed-matthew-of-girgenti.html

Also on Youtube: https://youtu.be/kGqcVtElDZM

Read by Fr. Ignatius Manfredonia, FI from Marion Habig’s ‘The Franciscan Book of Saints’ Revised Edition, Franciscan Herald Press, ISBN: 978-0819907516

Playlist of Franciscan Saints: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TxcAETrU_k&list=PLejh_e0-LN4wErRczZGry4TXytCZFiLCm

Ave Maria!

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Saint Joseph was chosen by the eternal Father as faithful provider and guardian of His principal treasures: His Son and His Spouse. And Joseph carried out this task most faithfully.

Is he not the chosen and singular person through whom and under whom Christ was introduced to the world in an ordered and honorable fashion? If, therefore, the whole Church is indebted to the Virgin Mother because through Mary she was made worthy of receiving Christ, it follows that after Mary, she also owes to Joseph a particular gratitude and reverence.

Indeed, Joseph is the terminus of the Old Testament in whom the dignity of the patriarchs and prophets attained the promised fruit. For he is the only one who possessed what the Divine Goodness promised to them. Now in heaven Christ completes and perfect the familiarity, reverence, and highest honors that He showed to Joseph on earth.

Saint  Bernardine of Siena (feast day is May 20th)

The post St. Bernardine Writing about St. Joseph first appeared on AirMaria.com.

The heart of every Christian should respond to this invitation and exalt the most Holy Name of Our Savior, that is, His very Person, for the Name of Jesus expresses what  He is: Savior, Redeemer. This sacred Name, announced by the Angel to both Mary and Joseph, was given to Our Lord by God Himself. “Thou shalt call His Name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins” (Mt 1:21).

This Name expresses and synthesizes the great mysteries of the Incarnation and the Redemption; it is at the center of the universe like a point of contact, like a bridge between God and all mankind. Man can reach God only by means of Jesus and in the Name of Jesus: “for there is other Name under heaven whereby we must be saved”.

O glorious Name! Gracious Name! Name full of love and virtue! Through You, sins are forgiven, enemies overcome, the sick healed, and sufferers strengthened in adversity! You are the honor of believers, the Master of preachers, the comfort of those who toil, the support of the weak. Holy desires are nourished by the ardor of Your fire; and by it, necessary suffrages are obtained, contemplative souls are inebriated, and the triumphant are glorified in heavenly glory! By Your most Holy Name, O sweet Jesus, You make us reign with the Blessed, You, their glory, You who triumph gloriously with the Father and the Holy Spirit, in perfect Unity and Trinity, forever and ever.

O Name of Jesus, exalted above every other Name! O triumphant Name! O joy of Angels! O terror of hell! All hope of pardon, of grace and of glory is found in You! O sweetest Name, You pardon the guilty, You reform evil habits, You fill the timid with divine sweetness and drive away terrifying visions! O glorious Name! By You, the mysteries of eternal life are revealed, souls are inflamed with divine love, strengthened in time of struggle, and freed from all dangers. O desirable Name! Delightful Name! Admirable Name! Venerable Name! Little by little You raise the souls of the faithful by Your gifts and graces to the heights of heaven. All to whom You communicate Your ineffable grandeur, by Your power attain to salvation and glory!”

(St. Bernardine of Siena).

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