First Thursday of January 2010

I adore Thee, O Jesus, true God and true Man, here present in the Holy Eucharist, humbly kneeling before Thee and united in spirit with all the faithful on earth and all the blessed in heaven. In deepest gratitude for so great a blessing, I love Thee, my Jesus, with my whole heart, for Thou art all perfect and all worthy of love.

Give me grace nevermore in any way to offend Thee, and grant that I, being refreshed by Thy Eucharistic presence here on earth, may be found worthy to come to the enjoyment with Mary of Thine eternal and ever blessed presence in heaven.

Amen.

from the Raccolta

Te, Iesu, verum Deum et Hominem hic in sancta Eucharistia praesentem, in genue humillime provolutus, cum fidelibus terrae et Sanctis caeli mente coniunctus, adoro; ac pro tanto beneficio intime gratus, te, Iesu, infinite perfectum atque infinite amabilem ex toto corde diligo.

da mihi gratiam ne ullo modo te unquam offendam, atque ut, tua hac in terra eucharistica praesentia recreatus, ad tua aeterna ac beata in caelis praesentia una cum Maria perfruendum merear pervenire.

Amen.

Adore the Blessed Sacrament on the First Thursday of the month. Offer your adoration for the sanctification of priests.

Epiphany

The most famous Christmas décor in the Philippines today would most probably be the parol. This usually star-shaped lantern reminds us of that star in the heavens which led the wise men to the cradle of the newly born Savior. The magi saw this star and understood it to be the sign of the birth of the great King. And so they traveled from afar in search for him and when they saw him, what did they see? They saw that “He was not crowned with a diadem, nor resting on a gilded bed; but scarcely possessed a single tunic, and that served, not for the adorning of His Body, but to clothe his nakedness, and was such as the wife of a poor man, far from her home, could provide.” (St. John Chrysostom, ex Op. Imp.)

And why should he not be ashamed to be found so poorly clad great though he be? It was to reveal to the nations what and who it is that changes the course of the history of the world. “If he had chosen the great city of Rome, men would have said that the transformation of the world had been accomplished by the might of that people. Had he come as the son of the Emperor, they would attribute that gained to military power. But what did He? He chose only what was poor and humble, so that it would be seen that Divinity had changed the world. And so He chose a poor woman as His Mother, a poorer fatherland. He had no money and this crib makes it plain to you.” (Theodoretus, Sermon before the Council of Ephesus)

And true to their reputation of wisdom, the magi recognized what lay hidden beneath such poverty. They were not disheartened by what they saw. After all, they were not seeking for an earthly king. “Because they seek a heavenly king, though they saw in him nothing regal; yet satisfied by the testimony of a single star, their eyes were glad as they looked upon a poor little Child; for the Spirit within them showed that He was a Being of Awe. Hence: falling down they adored Him. They see man, but adore God.” (St. John Chrysostom, ex Op Imp.)

Recognizing the hidden greatness of this little Child, they offer him gifts: gold that symbolizes wisdom (There is desirable treasure in the mouth of the just – Prov. xxi, 20); frankincense which symbolizes the power of prayer (Let my prayer rise as incense in thy sight – Ps. cxl, 2); and myrrh which typifies the mortification of the flesh. These gifts express their homage and we can offer the same gifts as well: To the new born King we offer gold, if in His sight we shine in the light of wisdom; we offer incense when by the fervor of our prayer we offer up that which is agreeable to him; we offer myrrh when by abstinence we mortify the vices of our flesh (Gregory the Great, Homily 10).

When the shepherds saw the infant, they understood how God became so close to them as he shared in their poverty. When the magi saw the infant, they understood how far they have been from the place where God wanted to be found – in a manger. They were so rich but He, so poor. And so they bend low – for this is the only way by which they could recover the poverty that should have been theirs. And they had to recover this poverty if they wanted to be blessed. For Christ would later proclaim, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, the kingdom of heaven is theirs.” Acquiring such poverty of spirit, now they can truly kneel before this infant in whom is found the fullness of the Divinity, whose Kingdom will be without end, and in whose stripes, we will be healed.

De Publicatione Festorum Mobilium in Epiphania Domini

Know ye, beloved brethren, that as by God's favor we rejoiced in the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, so, too, we announce to you the glad tidings on the Resurrection of our Savior.

The Sunday of Septuagesima will fall on the 31st of January.

Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the most holy Lenten fast on the 17th of February.

On the 4th of April you shall celebrate with greatest joy

the holy Pasch of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ will occur on the 13th of May.

The Feast of Pentecost on the 23rd of May.

The Feast of Corpus Christi on the 3rd of June.

November 28 will usher in the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ,

to Whom be glory and honor eternally. Amen.

Thoughts on Epiphany

Ecclesiae tuae, quaesumus, Domine, dona propitius intuere: quibus non jam aurum, thus, et myrrha profertur: sed quod eisdem muneribus declaratur, immolatur, et sumitur Jesus Christus Filius tuus Dominus noster: Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Look graciously, we beseech Thee, O Lord, upon the offerings of Thy Church, in which are no longer offered gold, frankincense, and myrrh: but He, Who by these same gifts was signified, is sacrificed and received, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord: Who with Thee liveth and reigneth in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

The Secret for Epiphany ought to remind priests how extremely precious are the offerings placed in their hands. The magi prostrated before the Lord and adored Him. They opened their treasures and offered Him gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. However, at the Holy Sacrifice, the priest offers to the Lord a gift greater than what the magi offered in homage. He offers God's only Son upon the altar. He does not offer gold to symbolize the kingship of Christ. Rather, he offers the King of kings, the true Son of David whose reign is without end. He does not offer frankincense to symbolize the divinity of Christ. Rather, he offers the Son of God, consubstantial with the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God. He does not offer myrrh to symbolize the sacrifice of Christ. Rather, he offers in sacrifice the Lamb who was slain and who now lives for ever, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

How blessed are you, O priest of God, for unworthy you may be, you have been chosen to offer to God the very gifts He has bestowed upon us: "a pure Victim, a holy Victim, an immaculate Victim, the holy Bread of eternal life and the Chalice of everlasting salvation"!

Holy Name of Jesus

Hope again, O sinner; hope and despair not. Hope in Him whom you fear; fly to Him from Whom you fled; beseech Him with violence Whom you have offended.

Jesus, for Thy Name's sake, do that for me which Thy Name proclaims. Jesus pardon the pride that offended Thee. Look upon the unhappy one that forsakes Thy sweet Name; Name of delight, Name of blessed hope. For what does Thy Name mean Jesus, but Saviour. Therefore, for Thy Name's sake be for me Jesus, be to me, a Merciful Saviour.

St. Augustine, de contritione Cordis V

Holy Name of Jesus

"Christians are seen to draw their courage, not from incantations, but from the Name of Jesus, and from the commemoration of what He has done. For by His Name it has often happened that demons are put to flight from man, especially as often as they who invoke it, pronounce it with the right disposition, and with all trust. So great indeed is the power of the Name of Jesus, that sometimes it is efficacious even when spoken by the wicked. The Name of Jesus heals the afflicted in mind, puts to flight the spirits of darkness, and to the sick is an ever present remedy."

Origen, Ex Contra Celsus, Bk. 1

First Friday of the Year 2010

New Year's Day is also the First Friday of the Year.

To you, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, do we consecrate this year!

"O Heart of love, I put all my confidence in you,

for I fear everything

from all my wickedness and frailty,

but I hope for all things

from your goodness and bounty.

Remove from me

all that can displease you or resist your holy will;

let your pure love

imprint your image so deeply upon my heart

that I shall never be able to forget you

or to be separated from you.

May I obtain from your loving kindness

the grace of having my name written in your heart;

for in you I desire to place all my happiness and glory,

living and dying in bondage to you."

(St. Margaret Mary Alacoque)