LENTEN RETREAT
Day 11
THE third path, which opens the way to God’s presence and action in one’s life, is intrinsically tied to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. But here, it has to do, not with the mercy you receive, but the mercy you give.
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For those who are taking the Lenten Retreat, I made a boo-boo. There are 40 days in Lent, not counting Sundays (because they are the “Day of the Lord“). However, I did a meditation for last Sunday. So as of today, we are essentially caught up. I will resume Day 11 on Monday morning.
However, this provides a wonderful unintended pause for those who need a pause—that is, for those who are despairing as they look into the mirror, those who are discouraged, afraid, and disgusted to the point that they practically hate themselves. Self-knowledge must lead to the Savior—not self-hatred. I have two writings for you that are perhaps critical at this moment, otherwise, one could lose the most necessary perspective in the interior life: that of keeping one’s eyes always fixed upon Jesus and His mercy…
LENTEN RETREAT
Day 10
JUST as important as going to Confession on a regular basis, is knowing also how to make a good Confession. This is more important than many realize, since it is the truth which sets us free. What happens, then, when we obscure or hide the truth?
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LENTEN RETREAT
Day 9
THE first path by which the Lord can begin to transform a soul is opened when that person, seeing themselves in the light of truth, acknowledges their poverty and need for Him in a spirit of humility. This is a grace and gift initiated by the Lord Himself who loves the sinner so much, that He seeks him or her out, most especially when they are enclosed in the darkness of sin. As Matthew the Poor wrote…
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LENTEN RETREAT
Day 8
IT is one thing to have self-knowledge; to see clearly the reality of one’s spiritual poverty, lack of virtue, or deficit in charity—in a word, to see the abyss of one’s misery. But self-knowledge alone is not enough. It must be wed to humility in order for grace to take effect. Compare again Peter and Judas: both came face to face with the truth of their inner corruption, but in the first case self-knowledge was wed with humility, while in the latter, it was wed to pride. And as the Proverbs say, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” [1]Prov 16:18
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Footnotes
| ↑1 | Prov 16:18 |
|---|
LENTEN RETREAT
Day 7
MY brother and I used to share the same room growing up. There were some nights that we couldn’t stop giggling. Inevitably, we’d hear the footsteps of dad coming down the hallway, and we’d shrink beneath the covers pretending we were asleep. Then the door would open…
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LENTEN RETREAT
Day 6
Artist Unknown
AND so, the spiritual or “interior” life consists in co-operating with grace in order that Jesus’s divine life may live in and through me. So if Christianity consists in Jesus being formed in me, how will God make this possible? Here is a question for you: how did God make it possible the first time for Jesus to be formed in the flesh? The answer is through the Holy Spirit and Mary.
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LENTEN RETREAT
Day 5
ARE you still with me? It’s now Day 5 of our retreat, and I am certain many of you are struggling in these first days to stay committed. But take that, perhaps, as a sign that you might need this retreat more than you realize. I can say that this is the case for myself.
Today, we continue expanding the vision of what it means to be a Christian and who we are in Christ…
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LENTEN RETREAT
Day 4
IT says in Proverbs,
Without a vision the people lose restraint. (Prov 29:18)
In the first days of this Lenten Retreat, then, it is imperative that we have a vision of what it means to be a Christian, the vision of the Gospel. Or, as the prophet Hosea says:
My people perish for want of knowledge! (Hosea 4:6)
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St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow
IT came to me last summer like lightning, a bolt out of the blue.
Russia will be a refuge for God’s people.
This was at a time when tensions between Russia and the Ukraine were heightening. And so, I decided to simply sit on this “word” and “watch and pray.” As the days and weeks and now months have rolled by, it seems more and more that this may be a word from beneath la sacré bleu—the sacred blue mantle of Our Lady… that mantle of protection.
For where else in the world, at this time, is Christianity being protected as it is in Russia?
LENTEN RETREAT
Day 3
Dear friends, this is not the meditation I had planned for today. However, I have been dealing with one little crisis after another for the past two weeks and, in truth, have been writing these meditations after midnight, averaging only four hours sleep a night the past week. I am exhausted. And so, after putting out several little fires today, I prayed about what to do—and this writing came immediately to mind. It is, for me, one of the most important “words” on my heart this past year, as it has helped me through so many trials by simply reminding myself to “be faithful.” To be certain, this message is an important part of this Lenten Retreat. Thanks for understanding.
I apologize that there is no podcast for today… I’m simply out of gas, as it’s almost 2am. I have an important “word” on Russia that I will publish shortly… something I’ve been praying about since last summer. Thanks for your prayers…
LENTEN RETREAT
Day 2
NEW! I am now adding podcasts to this Lenten Retreat (including yesterday). Scroll to the bottom to listen through the media player.
BEFORE I can write further, I sense Our Lady saying that, unless we have faith in God, nothing in our spiritual lives will change. Or as St. Paul put it…
…without faith it is impossible to please Him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Heb 11:6)
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LENTEN RETREAT
Day 1
ASH WEDNESDAY
by Commander Richard Brehn, NOAA Corps
Scroll to the bottom to listen to the podcast of each meditation if you wish. Remember, you can find each day here: Prayer Retreat.
WE are living in extraordinary times.
And in the midst of them, here you are. No doubt, you probably feel powerless in the face of the many changes taking place in our world—an insignificant player, a person with little to no impact on the world around you, let alone the course of history. Perhaps you feel as though you are tied to the rope of history and being dragged behind the Great Ship of Time, tossing and turning helplessly in its wake. Continue reading
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DURING this “retreat” time this past week, the words “Colossians 2:1” flashed in my heart one morning.
by Shawn Van Deale
THERE is no other word to describe what is happening in our world today: madness. Sheer madness. Let us call a spade a spade, or as St. Paul says,
Take no part in the fruitless works of darkness; rather expose them… (Eph 5:11)
…or as St. John Paul II bluntly stated:
THERE once was a Great Ship that sat in the spiritual harbour of Jerusalem. Its Captain was Peter with eleven Lieutenants at his side. They had been given a Great Commission by their Admiral:
Photos courtesy of Reuters
THERE are many emotions sweeping through the Church in these days of confusion and trial. What is of primary importance is that we remain in communion with one another—being patient with, and bearing one another’s burdens—including the Holy Father. We are in a time of sifting, and many do not realize it (see The Testing). It is, I dare say, a time to choose sides. To choose whether we will trust Christ and the teachings of His Church… or to trust in ourselves and our own “calculations”. For Jesus placed Peter at the head of His Church when He gave him the keys of the Kingdom and, three times, instructed Peter: “Tend My sheep.” [1]John 21:17 Thus, the Church teaches:
Footnotes
| ↑1 | John 21:17 |
|---|
IS it wrong to criticize the Pope? Theologian, Rev. Joseph Iannuzzi, has answered the question in two documents:
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for January 22nd, 2016
Opt. Memorial of St. Vincent
Liturgical texts here
WHEN Jesus came upon Zacchaeus, a tax collecting thief, He asked to dine with him. In an instant, the narrowness of heart of the throngs was revealed. They despised Zacchaeus and scorned Jesus for making such a vague, ambiguous, scandalous gesture. Shouldn’t Zacchaeus be condemned? Isn’t Jesus sending the message that sin is okay? Likewise, Pope Francis’ call to acknowledge, first the dignity of the person and become truly present to others, is perhaps revealing our own narrowness of heart. For we have been firmly told that it is no longer enough to sit at our computers and Facebook nice Catholic links; it is not enough to hide in our rectories between homilies; it is not enough to say “God bless you,” and ignore the wounds, hunger, loneliness and pain of our brothers and sisters. This, at least, is how one Cardinal saw it.
FUNDAMENTALIST websites were quick to declare:
“POPE FRANCIS RELEASES A ONE WORLD RELIGION PRAYER VIDEO SAYING ALL FAITHS THE SAME”
An “end times” news website claims:
“POPE FRANCIS MAKES PROCLAMATION FOR A ONE WORLD RELIGION”
And ultra-conservative Catholic websites declared that Pope Francis is preaching “HERESY!”
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for January 11th – 16th, 2016
Liturgical texts here
THIS call “out of Babylon” into the desert, into the wilderness, into asceticism is truly a call into battle. For to leave Babylon is to resist temptation and to break at last with sin. And this presents a direct threat to the enemy of our souls. Continue reading
THE desert of the soul is that place where consolation has dried up, the flowers of delightful prayer have wilted, and the oasis of God’s presence seems but a mirage. At these times, you may feel as though God no longer approves of you, that you are falling away, lost in the vast wilderness of human weakness. When you try to pray, the sands of distraction fill your eyes, and you may feel utterly lost, completely abandoned… helpless.
HOW can we, as Christians, live in this world without being consumed by it? How can we remain pure of heart in a generation that is immersed in impurity? How can we become holy in an era of unholiness?
ON THE VIGIL OF THE SOLEMNITY
OF THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD
EVERY year, we see and hear again the familiar motto, “Keep Christ in Christmas!” as a counter to the political correctness that has neutered Christmas store displays, school plays, and public speeches. But one could be forgiven for wondering if the Church herself has not lost her focus and “raison d’être”? After all, what does keeping Christ in Christmas mean? Making sure we say “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays”? Putting up a manger as well as a tree? Going to midnight Mass? The words of Blessed Cardinal Newman have been lingering in my mind for several weeks:
DEAR brothers and sisters of the Lamb. I want to take a moment to thank so many of you for your prayers, love, and support this past year. Both my wife Lea and I have been incredibly blessed by your kindness, generosity, and the testimonies in how this little apostolate has touched your life. We are grateful to everyone who has donated, which has enabled me to continue my work that is now reaching hundreds of thousands of people each year.
I AM receiving many letters at this time asking me about Charlie Johnston, Locutions.org, and other “seers” who claim to receive messages from Our Lady, angels, or even Our Lord. I am frequently being asked, “What do you think of this prediction or that?” Perhaps this is a good moment, then, to speak on discernment…
Artist Unknown
ON the first night of my missions in Louisiana this past autumn, a woman approached me afterward, her eyes wide open, her mouth agape.
“I saw her,” she quietly whispered. “I saw the Blessed Mother.”
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 11th, 2015
Friday of the Second Week of Advent
Liturgical texts here
THE real danger at this hour in the world is not that there is so much confusion, but that we would get caught up in it ourselves. In fact, panic, fear, and compulsive reactions are part of the Great Deception. It removes the soul from its center, which is Christ. Peace leaves, and with it, wisdom and the ability to see clearly. This is the real danger.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 9th, 2015
Opt. Memorial of St. Juan Diego
Liturgical texts here
Elijah Fed by an Angel, by Ferdinand Bol (c. 1660 – 1663)
IN prayer this morning, a gentle Voice spoke to my heart:
Just enough to keep you going. Just enough to strengthen your heart. Just enough to pick you up. Just enough to keep you from falling… Just enough to keep you dependent on Me.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for December 8th, 2015
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
JUBILEE YEAR OF MERCY
Liturgical texts here
AS I collapsed into my wife’s arms this morning, I said, “I just need to rest for a moment. Too much evil…” It’s the first day of the Jubilee Year of Mercy—but I’m admittedly feeling a little physically drained and spiritually enervated. A lot’s happening in the world, one event upon the other, just as the Lord explained it would be (see The Seven Seals of Revolution). Still, keeping up to the demands of this writing apostolate means looking down the gaping mouth of darkness more than I desire. And I worry too much. Worry about my children; worry that I’m not doing God’s will; worry that I’m not giving my readers the right spiritual food, in the right doses, or the right content. I know I shouldn’t worry, I tell you not to, but I sometimes do. Just ask my spiritual director. Or my wife.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for November 29th-30th, 2015
Feast of Saint Andrew
Liturgical texts here
AS we begin this Advent, my heart is filled with wonder of the Lord’s desire to restore all things in Himself, to make the world beautiful again.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for November 23rd-28th, 2015
Liturgical texts here
THE Mass readings this week that address the signs of the “end times” will no doubt evoke the familiar, if not easy dismissal that “everyone thinks their times are the end times.” Right? We’ve all heard that repeated again and again. That was certainly true of the early Church, until Sts. Peter and Paul began to temper expectations:
A poster image cut from a magazine published after the French Revolution
SIGNS of this Global Revolution underway are everywhere, spreading like a black canopy over the entire globe. Taking all things into consideration, from the unprecedented apparitions of Mary throughout the world to the prophetic statements of the popes in the past century (see Why Aren’t the Popes Shouting?), it appears to be the beginning of the final labor pains of this era, of what Pope Pius XI called “one convulsion following upon another” throughout the centuries.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for November 9th-21st, 2015
Liturgical texts here
Dear brothers and sisters, this and the next writing deal with the Revolution spreading globally in our world. They are knowledge, important knowledge to understand what is taking place around us. As Jesus once said, “I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you.”[1]John 16:4 However, knowledge does not replace obedience; it does not substitute relationship with the Lord. So may these writings inspire you to more prayer, to more contact with the Sacraments, to a greater love for our families and neighbours, and to living more authentically in the present moment. You are loved.
THERE is a Great Revolution underway in our world. But many do not realize it. It is like an enormous oak tree. You don’t know how it was planted, how it grew, nor its stages as a sapling. Neither do you really see it continuing to grow, unless you stop and examine its branches and compare them to the year before. Nonetheless, it makes its presence known as it towers above, its branches blocking out the sun, its leaves obscuring the light.
So it is with this present Revolution. How it came to be, and where it is going, has been prophetically unfolded for us these past two weeks in the Mass readings.
Footnotes
| ↑1 | John 16:4 |
|---|
HE was a Muslim, and he was angry. As my fifteen minute cab ride unfolded, the young, stocky Islamic man at the wheel did not mince words.
Healing Touch by Frank P. Ordaz
BEHIND this writing apostolate is a whole other level of ministry that happens through my personal correspondence with souls from around the world. And lately, there is a consistent thread of fear, even though that fear is for different reasons.
All light in the heavens will be extinguished, and there will be great darkness over the whole earth. Then the sign of the cross will be seen in the sky, and from the openings where the hands and the feet of the Savior were nailed will come forth great lights which will light up the earth for a period of time. This will take place shortly before the last day. —Divine Mercy in My Soul, Jesus to St. Faustina, n. 83
AFTER the Sixth Seal is broken, the world experiences an “illumination of conscience”—a moment of reckoning (see The Seven Seals of Revolution). St. John then writes that the Seventh Seal is broken and there is silence in heaven “for about half an hour.” It is a pause before the Eye of the Storm passes over, and the winds of purification begin to blow again.
Silence in the presence of the Lord GOD! For near is the day of the LORD… (Zeph 1:7)
It is a pause of grace, of Divine Mercy, before the Day of Justice arrives…
WE are on the very cusp of some astounding events in the Church and the world. And among them, the return of the Jews to the fold of Christ.
This writing was first published March 24th, 2009.
“the smoke of Satan is seeping into the Church of God through the cracks in the walls.” —POPE PAUL VI, first quote: Homily during the Mass for Sts. Peter & Paul, June 29, 1972
THERE is an elephant in the living room. But few want to talk about it. Most choose to ignore it. The problem is that the elephant is trampling all of the furniture and soiling the carpet. And the elephant is this: the Church is polluted with apostasy—the falling away from the faith—and it has a name: “Wormwood”.
Judas dips into bowl, artist unknown
PAPAL palpitations are continuing to give way to anxious questions, conspiracies, and fear that the Barque of Peter is heading for rocky shoals. The fears tend to revolve around why the Pope gave some clerical positions to “liberals” or let them take key roles in the recent Synod on the Family.
Pope Francis in the Philippines (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
papalotry |pāpǝlätrē|: the belief or stance that everything the Pope says or does is without error.
I’VE been getting bagfuls of letters, very concerned letters, since the Synod on the Family began in Rome last year. That stream of worry didn’t let up the past few weeks as the closing sessions began to wrap up. At the center of these letters were consistent fears regarding the words and actions, or lack thereof, of his Holiness Pope Francis. And so, I did what any ex-news reporter would do: go to the sources. And without fail, ninety-nine percent of the time, I found that the links people sent me with heinous charges against the Holy Father were due to:
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Thursday, October 22nd, 2015
Opt. Memorial of St. John Paul II
Liturgical texts here
THE temptation many of us face today is to discouragement and despair: discouragement that evil seems to be winning; despair that there seems to be no humanly possibly way for the rapid decline in morals to be stopped nor the subsequent rising persecution against the faithful. Perhaps you can identify with St. Louis de Montfort’s cry…
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Wednesday, October 21st, 2015
Liturgical texts here
WHILE many Catholics are caving in to a certain panic as the Synod on the Family in Rome continues to swirl in controversy, I pray that others will see something else: God is revealing our sickness through it all. He is revealing to His Church our pride, our presumption, our rebellion, and perhaps above all, our lack of faith.
IT was a gorgeous deep-blue sky as our plane began the descent to the airport. As I peered out my little window, the brilliance of the cumulus clouds made me squint. It was a beautiful sight.
But as we plunged beneath the clouds, the world suddenly turned gray. Rain streaked across my window as the cities below seemed encamped by a foggy darkness and seemingly inescapable gloom. And yet, the reality of the warm sun and clear skies hadn’t changed. They were still there.
THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Sunday, October 18th, 2015
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Liturgical texts here
WE are not facing the end of the world. In fact, we are not even facing the last tribulations of the Church. What we are facing is the final confrontation in a long history of confrontations between Satan and Christ’s Church: a battle for one or the other to establish their kingdom on earth. St. John Paul II summed it up this way: