This prayer came to me before Mass this week. Jesus said that we are to be “the light of the world”, not hidden beneath a bushel basket. But it is precisely in becoming little, in dying to self, and in uniting oneself interiorly to Christ in humility, prayer, and total abandonment to His Will, that this Light shines forth.
“HOW do you hide a tree?” I thought for moment about my spiritual director’s question. “In a forest?” Indeed, he went on to say, “Likewise, Satan has raised a tumult of false voices in order to obscure the authentic voice of the Lord.”
Syrian refugees, Getty Images
“A MORAL tsunami has swept through the world,” I said ten years ago to the parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Violet, Louisiana. “But there is another wave coming—a spiritual tsunami, which will sweep many people out of these pews.” Two weeks later, a 35 foot wall of water swept through that church as Hurricane Katrina roared ashore.
Pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary
to obtain peace in the world…
for she alone can save it.
—apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, July 13, 1917
IT is long overdue to take these words seriously… words which require some sacrifice and perseverance. But if you do, I believe you will experience a release of graces in your spiritual life and beyond…
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Monday, September 21st, 2015
Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
Liturgical texts here
THERE is a model of the Church today that is long overdue for an overhaul. And it is this: that the pastor of the parish is the “minister” and the flock are mere sheep; that the priest is the “go to” for all ministry needs, and the laity have no real place in ministry; that there are the occasional “speakers” who come to teach, but we are mere passive listeners. But this model is not only unbiblical, it is harmful to the Body of Christ.
The Sinful Woman, by Jeff Hein
SHE wrote to apologize for being so rude.
We had been debating on a country music forum about excessive sexuality in music videos. She accused me of being rigid, frigid, and repressed. I, on the other hand, tried to defend the beauty of sexuality in sacramental marriage, of monogamy, and marital fidelity. I tried to be patient as her insults and anger mounted.
The Triumph of Christianity Over Paganism, Gustave Doré, (1899)
“WHAT do you mean that the Blessed Mother will “triumph”?” asked one puzzled reader recently. “I mean, the Scriptures say that out of the mouth of Jesus will come ‘a sharp sword to strike the nations’ (Rev 19:15) and that ‘the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and render powerless by the manifestation of his coming’ (2 Thess 2:8). Where do you see the Virgin Mary “triumphing” in all of this??”
A broader look at this question may help us understand not only what the “Triumph of the Immaculate Heart” means, but also, what the “Triumph of the Sacred Heart” is as well, and when they occur.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Thursday, September 3rd, 2015
Memorial of St. Gregory the Great
Liturgical texts here
“MASTER, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing.”
Those are the words of Simon Peter—and the words of perhaps many of us. Lord, I have tried and tried, but my struggles remain the same. Lord, I have prayed and prayed, but nothing has changed. Lord, I have cried and cried, but there seems to be only silence… what is the use? What is the use??
I WANT to give a message of hope—tremendous hope. I continue to receive letters in which readers are despairing as they watch the continual decline and exponential decay of society around them. We hurt because the world is in a downward spiral into a darkness unparalleled in history. We feel pangs because it reminds us that this is not our home, but Heaven is. So listen again to Jesus:
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6)
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Thursday, August 27th, 2015
Memorial of St. Monica
Liturgical texts here
“STAY AWAKE!” Those are the opening words in today’s Gospel. “For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.”
First published October 5th, 2006.
WITH my writings of late on the Pope, the Catholic Church, the Blessed Mother, and the understanding of how divine truth flows, not through personal interpretation, but through the teaching authority of Jesus, I received the expected emails and criticisms from non-Catholics (or rather, ex-Catholics). They have interpreted my defence of the hierarchy, established by Christ Himself, to mean that I do not have a personal relationship with Jesus; that somehow I believe I am saved, not by Jesus, but by the Pope or a bishop; that I am not filled with the Spirit, but an institutional “spirit” that has left me blind and bereft of salvation.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Wednesday, August 19th, 2015
Opt. Memorial of St. John Eudes
Liturgical texts here
IT is palpable: the body of Christ is tired. There are so many loads that many are carrying in this hour. For one, our own sins and the myriad temptations we face in a highly consumerist, sensual, and compulsive society. There is also the apprehension and anxiety about what the Great Storm has yet to bring. And then there are all the personal trials, most notably, family divisions, financial strain, sickness, and fatigue of the daily grind. All of these can begin to pile up, crushing and smothering and defusing the flame of God’s love that has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Tuesday, August 11th, 2015
Memorial of St. Clare
Liturgical texts here
PERHAPS the deepest trial many are experiencing today is the temptation to believe that prayer is futile, that God neither hears nor answers their prayers. To succumb to this temptation is the beginning of the shipwreck of one’s faith…
BEFORE the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord communicated a word so powerful, so pregnant with Mercy, that I left the church exhausted…
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Thursday, July 29th, 2015
Memorial of St. Martha
Liturgical texts here
I often hear both Catholics and Protestants say that our differences really don’t matter; that we believe in Jesus Christ, and that is all that matters. Certainly, we must recognize in this statement the authentic ground of true ecumenism, [1]cf. Authentic Ecumenism which is indeed the confession and commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord. As St. John says:
Footnotes
| ↑1 | cf. Authentic Ecumenism |
|---|
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Thursday, July 23rd, 2015
Opt. Memorial of St. Bridget
Liturgical texts here
THERE is a crisis coming—and it is already here—for our Protestant brothers and sisters in Christ. It was foretold by Jesus when He said,
…everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined. (Matt 7:26-27)
That is, whatever is built on sand: those interpretations of Scripture that depart from the Apostolic faith, those heresies and subjective errors that have divided Christ’s Church literally into tens of thousands of denominations—is going to be washed away in this present and coming Storm. In the end, Jesus foretold, “there will be one flock, one shepherd.” [1]cf. John 10:16
Footnotes
| ↑1 | cf. John 10:16 |
|---|
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Tuesday, July 21st, 2015
Opt. Memorial of St. Lawrence of Brindisi
Liturgical texts here
WHILE the story of Moses and the parting of the Red Sea has frequently been told in both film and otherwise, a small but significant detail is often left out: the moment when Pharaoh’s army is thrown into chaos—the moment when they are given the “glance of God.”
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Monday, July 20th, 2015
Opt. Memorial of St. Apollinaris
Liturgical texts here
THERE wasn’t always enmity between Pharaoh and the Israelites. Remember when Joseph was entrusted by Pharaoh to hand out grain to all of Egypt? At that time, the Israelites were seen as a benefit and blessing to the country.
So too, there was a time when the Church was perceived as a benefit to society, when her charitable works of building hospitals, schools, orphanages, and other charities were welcomed by the State. Moreover, religion was seen as a positive force in society that helped direct not only the conduct of the State, but formed and molded individuals, families, and communities resulting in a more peaceful and just society.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Thursday, July 16th, 2015
Opt. Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Liturgical texts here
SOMETIMES, in all of the controversies, the questions, and confusion of our times; in all of the moral crises, challenges, and trials we face… there is the risk that the most important thing, or rather, Person gets lost: Jesus. He, and His divine mission, that are at the very center of humanity’s future, can easily be sidelined in the important but secondary issues of our time. In fact, the greatest need facing the Church in this hour is a renewed vigour and urgency in her primary mission: the salvation and sanctification of human souls. For if we save the environment and the planet, the economy and the social order, but neglect to save souls, then we have utterly failed.
THE words were clear, intense, and repeated several times in my heart after Pope Benedict XVI resigned:
You have entered dangerous days…
It was the sense that great confusion was going to come upon the Church and the world. And oh, how the past year and a half has lived up to that word! The Synod, the Supreme Courts’ decisions in several countries, the spontaneous interviews with Pope Francis, the media spins… In fact, my writing apostolate since Benedict resigned has been devoted almost entirely to dealing with fear and confusion, for these are the modes by which the powers of darkness operate. As Archbishop Charles Chaput remarked after the Synod last Fall, “confusion is of the devil.”[1]cf. October 21st, 2014; RNS
WELL, I should be used to this by now. Whenever the Lord lays strong words on my heart, I am in for a battle—spiritually and materially. For days now, whenever I want to write, it is as though my radar is jammed, and forming a single sentence is nearly impossible. Sometimes it’s because the “word” is not ready to speak yet; other times—and I think this is one of them—it seems as though there is an all out war on my time.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Tuesday, June 30th, 2015
Opt. Memorial of The First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church
Liturgical texts here
“Peace Be Still” by Arnold Friberg
LAST week, I took some time off to take my family camping, something we rarely get to do. I set aside the Pope’s new encyclical, grabbed a fishing rod, and pushed away from shore. As I floated on the lake in a small boat, the words swam through my mind:
Keeper of the Storm…
A FEW days ago, an American wrote me in the wake of their Supreme Court’s decision to invent the right to same-sex “marriage”:
I have been weeping on and off a good part of this day… as I attempt to go to sleep I am wondering if you could help me understand just where we are in the timeline of events to come….
There are several thoughts on this that have come to me in the silence of this past week. And they are, in part, an answer to this question…
Expulsion from the Garden of Eden, Thomas Cole, c.1827-1828.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA, USA
First published March 4th, 2009…
SINCE mankind was barred from the Garden of Eden, he has longed for both communion with God and harmony with nature—whether man knows it or not. Through His Son, God has promised both. But through a lie, so has the ancient serpent.
NOT since Humanae Vitae has there perhaps been an encyclical letter that has generated more angst, more concern, more anticipation than Laudato si’. I have printed it off and will spend the weekend reading and meditating upon it.
Gideon, sifting his men, by James Tissot (1806-1932)
As we prepare for the release of a new encyclical this week, my thoughts have been drifting back to the Synod and the series of writings I did then, particularly The Five Corrections and this one below. What I find most notable in this pontificate of Pope Francis, is how it is drawing, in one way or another, fears, loyalties, and the depth of one’s faith into the light. That is, we are in a time of testing, or as St. Paul says in today’s first reading, this is a time “to test the genuineness of your love.”
The following was published October 22nd, 2014 shortly after the Synod…
FEW fully grasp what took place over the past couple weeks through the Synod on Family Life in Rome. It was not just a gathering of bishops; not only a discussion on pastoral issues: it was a test. It was a sifting. It was the New Gideon, Our Blessed Mother, further defining her army…
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Friday, June 5th, 2015
Memorial of St. Boniface, Bishop and Martyr
Liturgical texts here
St. Raphael, “Medicine of God”
IT was late dusk, and a blood moon was rising. I was entranced by its deep color as I wandered through the horses. I had just layed out their hay and they were quietly munching. The full moon, the fresh snow, the peaceful murmur of satisfied animals … it was a tranquil moment.
Until what felt like a bolt of lightning shot through my knee.
Loneliness by Hans Thoma (National Museum in Warsaw)
AS I sat down last night to finish writing Part II of this series on Human Sexuality and Freedom, the Holy Spirit put the brakes on. The grace was not there to continue. However, this morning as I resumed writing, an email came to me that put everything aside. It is a new documentary that summarizes the things I am writing you. While my series is not focused on homosexuality, but all forms of sexual expression, this short film is just too good not to share at this point.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Monday of the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time, June 1st, 2015
Memorial of St. Justin
Liturgical texts here
FEAR, brothers and sisters, is silencing the Church in many places and thus imprisoning truth. The cost of our trepidation can be counted in souls: men and women left to suffer and die in their sin. Do we even think in this way anymore, think of the spiritual health of one another? No, in many parishes we do not because we are more concerned with the status quo than quoting the state of our souls.
WHY? Why would the Catholic Church be against love?
That is the question many people ask when it comes to the Church’s prohibition against gay marriage. Two people want to get married because they love each other. Why not?
Dove released by Pope Francis attacked by a crow, January 27th, 2014; AP Photo
ALL over the world, hundreds of millions of Catholics gathered this past Pentecost Sunday and heard the Gospel proclaimed:
…when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. (John 16:13)
Jesus did not say “Spirit of joy” or “Spirit of peace”; He did not promise the “Spirit of love” or “Spirit of power”—although the Holy Spirit is all those. Rather, Jesus used the title Spirit of Truth. Why? Because it is truth that sets us free; it is truth which, when embraced, lived out, and shared produces the fruit of joy, peace, and love. And truth carries a power all on its own.
Come Holy Spirit by Lance Brown
PENTECOST SUNDAY
THE recipe for fearlessness is a simple one: join hands with the Blessed Mother and pray and wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. It worked 2000 years ago; it has worked throughout the centuries, and it continues to work today because it is by God’s design that perfect love cast out all fear. What do I mean by this? God is love; Jesus is God; and He is perfect love. It is the work of the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Mother to form in us that Perfect Love once again.
Belle
SHE’s my horse. She’s adorable. She tries so hard to please, to do the right thing… but Belle is scared of just about everything. Well, that makes two of us.
You see, almost thirty years ago, my only sister was killed in a car accident. From that day on, I began to be afraid of just about everything: afraid to lose those I love, afraid to fail, afraid that I wasn’t pleasing God, and the list goes on. Over the years, that underlying fear has continued to unfold in so many ways… afraid that I might lose my spouse, afraid my kids might be hurt, afraid that those close to me don’t love me, afraid of debt, afraid that I’m always making the wrong decisions… In my ministry, I’ve been afraid to lead others astray, afraid to fail the Lord, and yes, afraid too at times of the billowing black clouds quickly gathering over the world.
THERE are times when trials are so intense, temptations so fierce, emotions so embroiled, that recollection is very difficult. I want to pray, but my mind is spinning; I want to rest, but my body is reeling; I want to believe, but my soul is wrestling with a thousand doubts. Sometimes, these are moments of spiritual warfare—an attack by the enemy to discourage and drive the soul into sin and despair… but permitted nonetheless by God to allow the soul to see its weakness and constant need for Him, and thus draw nearer to the Source of its strength.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter, May 5th, 2015
Liturgical texts here
ARE you at peace? Scripture tells us that our God is a God of peace. And yet St. Paul also taught that:
It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God. (Today’s first reading)
If so, it would seem that the life of the Christian is destined to be anything but peaceful. But not only is peace possible, brothers and sisters, it is essential. If you cannot find peace in the present and coming Storm, then you will be carried away by it. Panic and fear will dominate rather than trust and charity. So then, how can we find true peace when a war is raging all about? Here are three simple steps to building a House of Peace.
I thought the traffic in Rome was wild. But I think Paris is crazier. We arrived in the center of the French capital with two full cars for a dinner with a member of the American Embassy. Parking spaces that night were as rare as snow in October, so myself and the other driver dropped off our human cargo, and began to drive around the block hoping for a space to open up. That’s when it happened. I lost site of the other car, took a wrong turn, and all of a sudden I was lost. Like an astronaut untethered in space, I began to be sucked away into the orbit of constant, unending, chaotic streams of Parisian traffic.
IT’S hard to put into words, but it is the sense that this ministry is entering a new phase. I’m not sure I understand what it is even, but there is a deep sense that God is pruning and preparing something new, even if it is only interior.
As such, I feel compelled this week to make some minor changes here. I have given this blog, once called “Spiritual Food for Thought”, a new name, simply: The Now Word. This isn’t by any means a new title to readers here, as I have used it to refer to meditations on the Mass Readings. However, I feel it is an even more apt description of what I feel the Lord is doing… that the “now word” needs to be spoken—whatever the cost—with the time that is left.
I have been flooded with emails the past two weeks, and will do my best to respond to them. Of note is that many of you are experiencing an increase in spiritual attacks and trials the likes of never before. This does not surprise me; it is why I felt the Lord urging me to share my trials with you, to confirm and strengthen you and remind you that you are not alone. Furthermore, these intense trials are a very good sign. Remember, towards the end of World War II, that’s when the most fierce fighting took place, when Hitler became the most desperate (and despicable) in his warfare.
Photo by Al Hayat, AFP-Getty
THE past two weeks, I have taken time, as I said I would, to ponder my ministry, its direction, and my personal journey. I’ve received many letters in that time filled with encouragement and prayer, and I am truly grateful for the love and support of many brothers and sisters, most of whom I’ve never met in person.
I’ve asked the Lord a question: am I doing what you want me to do? I felt the question was essential. As I wrote in On My Ministry, the cancellation of a major concert tour has had a big impact on my ability to provide for my family. My music is akin to St. Paul’s “tent-making.” And since my first vocation is my beloved wife and children and the spiritual and physical provision of their needs, I had to stop for a moment and ask Jesus again what His will is. What happened next, I did not expect…
THIS past Lent was a blessing for me to journey with tens of thousands of priests and laymen alike all over the world through the daily Mass meditations I wrote. It was exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. As such, I need to take some quiet time to reflect upon many things in my ministry and my own personal journey, and the direction God is calling me.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Easter Sunday, April 5th, 2015
The Resurrection of the Lord
Liturgical texts here
Oh Jesus! I love you Jesus!
YOU ARE LORD, THE RISEN LORD!
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Saturday of Holy Week, April 4th, 2015
Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter
Liturgical texts here
SO, you are loved. It is the most beautiful message a fallen world could ever hear. And there is no religion in the world with so remarkable a testimony… that God Himself, out of a passionate love for us, has descended to earth, taken on our flesh, and died to save us.
In memory of the prophetic witness
of the Christian martyrs of 2015
THERE is a strange cloud over the Church, especially in the Western world—one that is sapping the life and fruitfulness of the Body of Christ. And it is this: the inability to hear, recognize, or discern the prophetic voice of the Holy Spirit. As such, many are crucifying and sealing the “word of God” in the tomb all over again.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Friday of Holy Week, April 3rd, 2015
Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion
Liturgical texts here
YOU are loved.
Whoever you are, you are loved.
On this day, God declares in one solemn act that you are loved.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Thursday of Holy Week, April 2nd, 2015
Evening Mass of the Last Supper
Liturgical texts here
JESUS was stripped three times during His Passion. The first time was at the Last Supper; the second when they clothed Him in a military cloak; [1]cf. Matt 27:28 and the third time, when they hung Him naked upon the Cross. [2]cf. John 19:23 The difference between the last two and the first is that Jesus “took off his outer garments” Himself.
