Ave Maria!

Fr. Angelo explains the five virtues of Chivalry: Faith (which is foremost), Honesty, Courtesy, Prowess and Generosity. In the process he underlines the need for God and the Catholic faith to promote the virtues and so any attempt based on secularity and paganism will never work.

Ave Maria!

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Homily #080707 ( 06min) Play – Works of charity lead ourselves and others to the salvation and sanctification of souls. But in performing works of charity, let us not keep the bad company of the world. Ave Maria! Mass readings +++

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Homily #080906 ( 11min) Play – On this Saturday in Ordinary Time, when traditionally in the Church Our Lady is honored by a Saturday Memorial, Fr. Ignatius gives a traditional homily in honor of Her.
Ave Maria! Mass readings
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THE MANTLE OF CHARITY

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PRESENCE OF GOD – 0 Lord, teach me to cover the defects and faults of others with the mantle of charity. ??

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MEDITATION

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1.?Do not speak against one another, my brethren. He that speaks against a brother … speaks against the law” (Jas.4:11), that is, he contradicts the evangelical law of fraternal charity. To speak evil of our neighbor does not necessarily mean that we spread unjust suspicions about him or accuse him of faults and wrong deeds which he has not committed. It is sufficient to mention needlessly the faults of others, even though they be real and known to all. To do this is to act contrary to charity, because it fixes our own attention and that of others, on the imperfections of the neighbor rather than on his good qualities. As a result, we lessen in ?the mind of the listener the esteem due to our neighbor.

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Quite different is the behavior of charity, which as Holy Scripture says, “covereth all sins” (Pv. 10:12) and tries to hide the failings of others rather than draw attention to them.? How instinctively we hide our own faults and blunders, not wishing them to be a subject of conversation. We should employ the same skill in concealing the faults of others. We are so sensitive about things said against us; how can we think that it is a wholly indifferent thing to speak with so much liberty about our neighbor’s faults under the pretext that what we say is true and already known? Are not our faults equally true, perhaps, and evident to all who approach us?

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Fraternal charity means loving our neighbor for God’s sake., because he belongs to God and is the work of His hands. As a mother does not care to have her children’s faults spoken of, nor an artist like to have his works criticized, neither is God pleased to have us talk about the faults of His creatures. Therefore, we must not only strictly refrain from speaking about the faults of others, but we must also avoid paying attention to those who do talk about them.

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St. John of the Cross says, ” Never listen to the weaknesses others and if anyone complains to thee of another, tell him humbly to say naught of it to thee”

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2. St. Teresa of Jesus wrote to her daughters: “To be?glad when your sisters’ virtues are praised is a great thing and when we see a fault in someone, we should be as sorry about it as if it were our own and try to conceal it from others”. ?This is the true attitude of a delicate fraternal charity. Besides, it is what we do spontaneously for our friends. Why should we not try to do it for every one since charity is universal. But, very often. the devil, the enemy of charity, stirs up conflicts within us and tries to make us?do the opposite. Even the saints have had temptations of?this kind; but whereas we succumb to them so frequently, they reacted courageously and made of them an opportunity to practice charity more zealously. This was the strategy which St. Therese of the Child Jesus used : “Should the devil bring before me the defects of a sister, I hasten to look for her virtues and good motives. I call to mind tat though I may have seen her fall once, she may have gained many victories over herself which in her humility she coceals and also that what appears to be a fault may very well, owing to the good intention that prompted it, be an an act of virtue”.

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If we feel a natural aversion toward any person, or if a certain person has done us some wrong, we see that person’s defects far more easily than we see his virtues; the former are magnified in our eyes and the latter minimized. It will also be easy for us to put a wrong interpretation on whatever he says or does. This is the time to be especially watchful to fight against the malevolent thoughts that spontaneously come into our mind, and not to permit ourselves to speak of?them to others. We should oppose these?thoughts by positive acts of charity: praying particularly for this?person, seizing every possible opportunity to render him service, and acting in an especially kind and friendly mnner toward him. The mantle of charity must be wide enough to cover not only the faults of our friends, but even that of our enemies, and those who annoy us. Charity makes no distinction of persons, but has equal good will for all because it sees and loves only God in all.

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COLLOQUY

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If I wish to know whether I possess true charity, 1 must examine myself and see if when I speak about any of my neighbors, if?I am more ready to mention his virtues than his faults. Even if I do not speak ill of him, it is very wrong, nevertheless, to listen to detraction, because by remaining silent, I show my approval of what I hear. There?fore, 0 my God, whenever anyone comes to tell me some fault of another, I will not listen, but will tell him to pray for that person, and for me-that I may correct my own faults. Then it will be easier to speak about it to the guilty person than to talk about it to others; otherwise, instead of remedying it, I would be committing many more faults, and graver ones than those of the person spoken about.

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If my eye were pure, 0 Lord, I would very easily see I ought to practice love toward my neighbor.? If I knew that both of us had the same fault, I should go to him and ask his advice as to how I could correct it. In order to advise correctly, he would think about this fault and would soon know that he too was guilty of it, and in this way we should both? learn how to correct it. One whose eye is pure knows how to deal lovingly with his neighbor.??????????????? (St. Mary Magdalen dei Pazzi).?

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Homily #090109 ( 07min) Play –

Ave Maria! Mass readings

“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,
“I do will it. Be made clean.”
And the leprosy left him immediately.

Fr. Angelo Geiger relates this miracle account to the three Theological Virtues of faith, hope and charity.

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May 18^th: St. Felix of Cantalice (1515-1587)

A Franciscan brother who served as a quester for the Order for over 40 years. His gratitude to God for everything led him to always say “Deo Gratias” such that he was called “Brother Deo Gratias”. This humble and almost uneducated brother was sought out for his advice. He had a great love for God, for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and for our Blessed Lady such that it is said she allowed him to hold the Christ Child in his arms.

PRAYER:

Make us, Lord Jesus, walk in the innocence and simplicity of our hearts, since for love of these virtues, Thou didst descend from the bosom of Thy Mother into the arms of Blessed Felix, Thy confessor. Who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen.

St. Felix, intercede for us that we may obtain pure and simple hearts filled with devotion for Jesus and Mary.

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Marycast Specials #58 ( 10min) Play – In this episode, Dr. Miravalle returns to the Patron of the Universal Church, St. Joseph, and discusses various devotions to him, especially his litany.  What’s the value of praying litanies?  What good can be found in them, and why should we pray them?  Dr. Miravalle reviews some of the titles in St. Joseph’s litany & how they can help us glorify God & live our lives in a holy way.

To ask questions regarding Mary, email Dr Mark Miravalle: marycast@airmaria.com

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)
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Marycast #98 ( 10min) Play – Dr. Mark introduces us to the glorious Nine Choirs of the Angels (Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels, and Angels)  and how Mary is their Queen by virtue of her Son.

To ask questions regarding Mary, email Dr Mark Miravalle: marycast@airmaria.com

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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Mother of the Redeemer Events #12 – Fr. Bill Casey ( 44min) >>> Play

Ave Maria!

In June, 2010, Fr. Bill Casey of the Fathers of Mercy preached a retreat at the Mother of the Redeemer Retreat Center on “Confidence in God”. This is the third conference in this retreat.  In this talk, Fr. Casey discusses the importance of the virtue of humility in the spiritual life.

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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