Lord, I ask you for two graces before I die:  to experience in myself, as much as possible, the sufferings of your cruel Passion, and to feel for you the same love that drove you to sacrifice yourself for us.

My Lord Jesus Christ, I beg thee to grant me two graces before my death:  first, that for the rest of my life I may experience in my soul and in my body, as much as possible, the same pain that you suffered,  O sweet Jesus, during the time of thy most cruel Passion; and second, that I may feel in my heart, as much as possible, the same love which inflamed thee, the Son of God, and led thee to suffer thy passion gladly for us sinners.

+ St. Francis of Assisi

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On Holiness and Suffering for Christ:

In other parts of the world our brothers in Christ are suffering for their faith.   And here we are at ease, just undergoing a slight test and dividing our loyalty between Christ and the world.  We must realize in minds and hearts that this is a new age, that we will have to be a creative minority, and that the only argument that is left to convince others is holiness. The world has heard every other argument, and it is ready to reject them all, all except one: holiness

+ Servant of God, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

The post Stigmata of St. Francis first appeared on AirMaria.com.

The post Stigmata of St. Francis first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #140917b ( 08min) Play – Fr. Joachim gives an account of how St. Francis received the Stigmata, the visible wounds of Christ Crucified imprinted on his flesh. He then explains that this miraculous event is God’s way to give public attention to how much our devotion to the Cross and Christ Crucified is pleasing to Him.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Stigmata of St. Francis – Form: OF
Readings: 
1st: gal 6:14-18
Resp: gal 2:16, 20
Gsp: luk 9:23-26

Audio (MP3)

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The post Sep 17 – Homily – Fr Joachim: Stigmata of St. Francis, Seal of Devotion first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Fr Ignatius gives the homily at Bloomington, IN on Sep 14, 2019, on the feast of the triumph of the Cross and how we should not forget the works of the Lord especially His offering of Himself on the Cross. Father refers to the example St. Francis who was so devoted to Christ Crucified that Jesus gave him the stigmata of the wounds of His crucifixion, thus becoming a perfect image of Him. He mentions that the vertical beam of the Cross symbolizes the love for God and the horizontal beam symbolizes the love of neighbor and, being in the shape of a cross, this love will require sacrifice.

Ave Maria!

Mass: Triumph of the Holy Cross – Feast
Readings: 
1st: num 21:4-9
Resp: psa 78:1-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38
2nd: phi 2:6-11
Gsp: joh 3:13-17

More on the Readings: http://dev.airmaria.com/r?m=1153

Also on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/90378558559/videos/373613360246043
and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YigNfUdVN8

The post Do Not Forget the Cross – Sep 14 – Homily – Fr Ignatius first appeared on AirMaria.com.

The Stigmata of St. Francis of Assisi (1224) for the Franciscan Saint of the Day for Sep 17. It was an event in the life of St Francis when he was on a retreat on Mt. Alverna just two years before his death. An apparition of Christ Crucified with six wings appeared before him, setting his heart on fire, and the wounds of Christ were impressed on his hands, feet, and side.

Reflection is on looking up to the Cross. where Crist was wounded for our iniquities.

For more on The Stigmata of
– https://www.roman-catholic-saints.com/stigmatization-of-saint-francis.html

Also on Youtube: https://youtu.be/k61iLzBbcrM

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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The post Sep 17 – The Stigmata of St. Francis – Franciscan Saint of the Day first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Come, let us adore Christ our Crucified King who imprinted the stigmata on the body of St Francis.

Almighty God, You renewed the marks of the sufferings of Your Son in the body of our holy Father Francis in order to inflame our hearts with the fire of Your love. Through his prayers may we be made conformable to the death of Your Son and thus share also in His Resurrection. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever.

From the Liturgy of the Hours for September 17th

The post The Stigmata of St. Francis first appeared on AirMaria.com.