FASTING IN SPIRITUAL COMBAT (22:46) March 1, 2009 First Sunday in Lent We are either serving God - following Christ,

, living our life for Him - or we are falling under the dominion and sway of Satan. First and foremost we must recover the importance of fasting in our daily lives, and that is why I urge all of you we must recover the traditional practice of the Church: Lent, after the example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, forty days of fasting. It is our duty to make the life of grace in us grow - day by day, by meritorious action and to protect it from all destructive tendencies (the devil, the world, and the flesh). You and I, we carry an enemy of the life of God and the life of our grace, the salvation of our souls, we carry an enemy within us. And that is our concupiscence, thats the flesh. This is one of the reasons why fasting is so important. How are you going to be able to defeat the enemy that you carry within you? DEPTHS OF SINFULNESS, GRANDEUR OF DESTINY (21:37) March 8, 2009 Second Sunday in Lent Modern man in particular seems aware, neither of the depths of his sinfulness, nor of the grandeur of his destiny. So man is lost and completely disoriented. At the Transfiguration, the three Apostles get a glimpse of the glory of Jesus, of heaven a glimpse of the grandeur of their destiny. (Lord, it is good for us to be here!) Consider that you came from nothing and all you have or enjoy is on loan to
you from your Maker, for you of yourself, are nothing. Your being is on loan to you from Him and in justice all of your powers, faculties, being belongs to Him. You are guilty of a most crying injustice as often as you abuse any part of your being by employing it in the pursuit of vanity and sin. Stand astonished Christian soul at the bounty of Thy Creator in making Thee for so noble an end. And since thou has been made for God, be ashamed to content thyself with anything less than God. Learn then to show contempt for all that is earthly and temporal as beneath thee and unworthy of thy affection. Consider that all the powers and faculties of thy soul (intellect, will, memory, imagination) and all the senses and parts of thy body were given to thee by thy Creator as so many means to attend this end of thy creation.

The Transfiguration takes place six days after Jesus first prediction of His death. He tells His disciples they must carry their cross to follow Him. He gave them the great grace of beholding His glory so they would have the faith and strength to be able to follow Him. This is why we must always reflect on the grandeur of His glory; of our destiny. So we will know in this context why we must pray, fast, give alms, and do penance. You were made to be able to behold His glory! Never forget the glory and grandeur of the Transfiguration (Mt 17) Meditate upon it. Being at Mass, we are also able to see the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ!

God wants your sanctification (hence refrain from immorality). Not necessarily for you to be happy, because all too often, man is disoriented and confused with regard to happiness. We think of it in earthly terms (of the world, of the flesh) and not in eternal terms. MY EYES ARE FIXED ON THE LORD (18:06) March 15, 2009 Third Sunday in Lent My eyes are always fixed the Lord - Psalm 24 (from the introit). I lift up my eyes to the Lord who is in the heavens. - Psalm 122 (from the tract) As Catholics, our eyes should always be fixed on God; fixed on our final goal. This helps us resist the many temptations which continually assault us. One of the great errors of today: Everyone gets to heaven (it is easy). This is clearly contradicted by Christ, Tradition, Saints, & 2000 years of Catholicity. Dont forget Mt 7:13-14. We have to work hard in our faith. Getting to heaven is not easy, nor a given. It is very probably that many of those close to us are not going to make it to Heaven. The practice of mortification is necessary for salvation (it is essential). There is no other way to stay on the constricted road and enter through the narrow gate (e.g. mortify the tongue, the eyes). This is what the Catholic Church has always taught us! Having a good marriage is not easy. More than half get divorced, of the rest, how many have serious addictions (drugs, alcohol, and pornography), abuse, infidelity, lack of respect, honor, and obedience, etc? And of the few that do have this, do they remain focused on the primary purpose of marriage: to be absolutely open to having and raising children in the Faith with love, generosity, and gratitude? If it is not easy to have a good marriage (something of this world), requiring much sacrifice and effort, and yet is a great and tremendous good for us and the world. Consider how much more this is true of getting to heaven! KEEP YOUR HEART SET ON YOUR REAL HOME (19:07) March 22, 2009 Ltare (Fourth) Sunday in Lent The introit invites all those who love the heavenly Jerusalem to rejoice. Everything we do as Catholics (commandments, laws of the Church, pray, fasting, alms giving, etc.) is to help us get to heaven. We dont do it because there are rules or just for kicks. We must always keep our eyes fixed on our eternal destiny. Cure de Ars: Our home is heaven. On earth we are like travelers staying at a hotel. When one is away, one is always thinking of going home. So must we live as Catholics. Travelers must follow a particular road. We follow a narrow road. Few find it. We mortify our body so that our will can properly govern our faculties and be conformed to the Will of God.

Dont ever be fooled into a lax form of Catholicism. Dont try and follow Jesus according to your own way. For many will cry Lord, Lord and will not enter heaven. Three practical ways to stay on the Road: (1) Ten essential aspects of the daily prayer life of the Catholic (see bulletin). (2) Make a firm resolution to never commit a mortal sin - no matter what (Think Well On It). (3) Grow in the knowledge of your Catholic Faith (study it more and better). Lent is not just something that happens or comes around. God gives it to us as a grace, clearly speaking to us: Repent and Convert. He mercifully gives those souls pointed away from Him another chance. There is great rejoicing when one soul turns back to God. DEVOTION TO THE PASSION OF CHRIST (23:59) March 29, 2009 Passion Sunday in Lent Today, an authentic Catholic spirituality is disappearing from our Church. This means the vast majority of Catholics no longer understand what it means to be Catholic, how to practice their Catholic faith, and cant distinguish a worldly superficial spirituality from an authentically Catholic one. Devotion to the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ is essential to a Catholic spirituality. (No. 9 on the 16 Rules for Christian Living in Think Well On It). You will never find a Catholic saint without a great devotion to Christs passion. St. Augustine: There is nothing so salutary for us as to meditate every day on what Jesus, God and man, has endured for our sakes. Then we will grow in our appreciation for His love, our repugnancy to sin will grow, and we will be truly contrite. Jesus Crucified to the Heart of the Christian: I suffered a horrible death for love of thee, shed my blood and was scourged; can I then be accused of asking too much from thee? There are a vast array of devotions to the Passion in our Catholic Faith (its an immense treasure). Three that I will highlight are: Stations of the Cross: year round, not just Fridays in Lent; make it a weekly
practice. Pray them with sentiments of admiration and thanksgiving. true contrition for your sins, consoling and loving our Lord. Devotion to the Five Wounds: e.g. one by St. Alphonsus Making a Visit to the Crucifix: kiss the Crucifix. Prayer before the Crucifix, keep a Crucifix in a suitable place in the house and frequent it during the day

The Catholic Spirituality we are loosing is nourished by the Traditional Latin Mass, but includes so much more than just the Holy Mass. Many essential aspects of our Catholic life are falling by the wayside. Those who have young children (parents / grandparents) - make every effort to relearn these devotions, the Traditional Mass, and inculcate it in the little ones. JESUS BREATHES THE LIFE OF GRACE (23:24) April 19, 2009 Low Sunday

Why did Jesus rise from the dead? Primary: for the Glory of God (to manifest His absolute power) Secondary: to open the Gates of Heaven for us and give us the Life of Grace What transmits the Life of Grace? The Catholic Church, the Catholic Faith. Be faithful to this in order to have the Life of Grace. Read the Gospel Resurrection accounts (Easter homework). Burn their images into your mind and heart. Jesus breathes on the Apostles, imparting the Holy Spirit and Life of Grace. In these accounts we learn of three things which make up the Life of Grace: 1) Jesus gives POWER to His APOSTLES. Power to forgive sins (this is the power or the resurrection). Power to be His witnesses. 2) Bread (fish) and other tangible signs of His presence. He gives us the SACRAMENTAL LIFE. This is how we encounter the Risen Lord. 3) Jesus interprets the Scriptures. Later the Apostles do so. Notice, there is always an officinal interpretation (Jesus never just gives the NT or OT). Note also three special places, to which we must also continually return: 1) Mt. Calvary The Holy Mass brings us there! 2) Tomb The Altar; recall last weeks sermon, early in the morning go there 3) Upper Room the first Church (Last Supper, Resurrection, Prayer, Pentecost, the community gathers there under Jesus to worship God) Practical Recommendations See 10 essential aspects of daily prayer for every Catholic See 16 rules of Christian Living in Think Well On It by Bishop Challoner

KNOW, LISTEN TO, & FOLLOW THE GOOD SHEPHERD (25:45) April 26, 2009 2nd Sunday after Easter Like the Apostles, we must come to a full and true knowledge of Jesus Christ (at the time of the Resurrection, they were not there yet; we must focus on this during Easter) Out life as Catholics consists in knowing the Good Shepherd, listening to His voice (recognizing it), and following Him Many claim to know Jesus, but do not listen to His voice! Jesus will never lead anyone away from His Church! Every Catholic Priest (and in particular every Catholic father) must follow the example of the Good Shepherd: I must lay down my life for my sheep. To accomplish this, we must meditate on the Life of Christ. (1) Read and use the Imitation of Christ After the Resurrection, Jesus calls the Apostles to meditate on His life. He opens the Scriptures to them. Only this way can they know Him. (2) Use the Holy Rosary as well (to imitate the virtues of Jesus and Mary) Read The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis de Montfort (3) Use the Ignatian method of spiritual exercises i. Preparatory Prayer (ask for Gods grace) ii. Visualize the image iii. Present your petition (request) to God iv. Talk to our Lord: What have I done, am doing, ought I to do for you Lord? v. Make a resolution (be specific) vi. Conclude with Prayer (Anima Christi)