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Pray for Your Shepherds

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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Wednesday, August 17th, 2016

Liturgical texts here

mother-of-priestsOur Lady of Grace and the Masters of the Order of Montesa
Spanish School (15th century)


I AM so blessed, in many ways, by the present mission Jesus has given me in writing you. One day, over tens years ago, the Lord nudged my heart saying, “Put your thoughts from your journal online.” And so I did… and now there are tens of thousands of you reading these words from all over the world. How mysterious are God’s ways! But not only that… as a result, I have been able to read your words in countless letters, emails, and notes. I hold every letter I get as precious, and feel very sad that I haven’t been able to respond to all of you. But every letter is read; every word is noted; every intention is lifted up daily in prayer.

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The Welcoming Church

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odoors3Pope Francis opening “doors of mercy”, December 8th, 2015, St. Peter’s, Rome
Photo: Maurizio Brambatti/European Pressphoto Agency

 

FROM the very beginning of his pontificate, when he refused the pomp that often accompanies the papal office, Francis has not failed to stir controversy. With deliberation, the Holy Father has purposely tried to model a different kind of priesthood to both the Church and the world: a priesthood that is more pastoral, compassionate, and unafraid to walk among the fringes of society to find the lost sheep. In so doing, he has not hesitated to sharply rebuke his confréres and threaten the comfort zones of “conservative” Catholics. And this to the glee of modernist clergy and the liberal media who intoned that Pope Francis was “changing” the Church to become more “welcoming” to gays and lesbians, divorcées, Protestants, etc. [1]eg. Vanity Fair, April 8th, 2016 The rebukes of the Pope toward the right, coupled with the assumptions of the left, has led to a cascade of downright anger and accusations toward the Vicar of Christ that he is attempting to alter 2000 years of Sacred Tradition. Orthodox media, such as LifeSiteNews and EWTN, have openly questioned the Holy Father’s judgment and rationale in certain statements. And many are the letters I’ve received from laymen and clergy alike who are exasperated with the Pope’s soft approach in the culture war.

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Footnotes

Footnotes
↑1 eg. Vanity Fair, April 8th, 2016

The Sacredness of Marriage

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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Friday, August 12th, 2016
Opt. Memorial of St. Frances de Chantal

Liturgical texts here

 

SEVERAL years ago during the pontificate of St. John Paul II, Cardinal Carlo Caffara (Archbishop of Bologna) received a letter from Fatima visionary, Sr. Lucia. In it, she described what the “Final Confrontation” would be over:

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The Crisis of the Refugee Crisis

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refugeeopp.jpg 

 

IT is a refugee crisis unseen in magnitude since World War II. It comes at a time when many Western nations have been or are in the midst of elections. That is to say, there is nothing like political rhetoric to cloud the real issues surrounding this crisis. That sounds cynical, but it is a sad reality, and a dangerous one at that. For this is no ordinary migration…

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Keeping One's Eyes on the Kingdom

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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Thursday, August 4th, 2016
Memorial of St. Jean Vianney, Priest

Liturgical texts here

 

EVERY day, I receive an email from someone who is upset by something Pope Francis has recently said. Every day. People aren’t sure how to cope with the constant flow of papal statements and perspectives that seem at odds with his predecessors, comments that are incomplete, or in need of greater qualification or context. [1]see That Pope Francis! Part II

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Footnotes

The Great Context

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clarawithgrandpaMy first grandchild, Clara Marian, born July 27th, 2016

 

IT was a long labor, but at last the ping of a text broke the silence. “It’s a girl!” And with that the long wait, and all the tension and worry that accompanies child birth, was over. My first grandchild was born.

My sons (the uncles) and I stood in the waiting room of the hospital as the nurses wrapped up their duties. In the room next to us, we could hear the wailing and cries of another mother in the throws of hard labor. “It hurts!” she exclaimed. “Why isn’t it coming out??” The young mother was in complete distress, her voice ringing with desperation. Then at last, after several more cries and groans, the sound of new life filled the corridor. Suddenly, all the pain of the previous moment evaporated… and I thought of the Gospel of St. John:

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Love Waits

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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Monday, July 25th, 2016
Feast of St. James

Liturgical texts here

magdalene tomb

 

Love waits. When we truly love someone, or some thing, we will wait for the object of our love. But when it comes to God, to waiting for His grace, His help, His peace… for Him… most of us do not wait. We take matters into our own hands, or we despair, or become angry and impatient, or we begin to medicate our internal pain and anxiety with busyness, noise, food, alcohol, shopping… and yet, it never lasts because there is only one medication for the human heart, and that is the Lord for whom we are made.

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The Christian Martyr-Witness

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saint-stephen-the-martyrSt. Stephen the Martyr, Bernardo Cavallino (d. 1656)

 

I am at the beginning of hay season for the next week or so, which leaves me little time to write. However, this week, I have sensed Our Lady urging me to republish several writings, including this one… 

 

WRITTEN ON THE FEAST OF ST. STEPHEN THE MARTYR

 

THIS past year has seen what Pope Francis has rightly called the “brutal persecution” of Christians, particularly in Syria, Iraq, and Nigeria by Islamic jihadists. [1]cf. nbcnews.com; December 24th, Christmas Message

In light of the “red” martyrdom occurring this very minute of our brothers and sisters in the East and elsewhere, and the frequent “white” martyrdom of the faithful in the West, something beautiful is coming to light from this evil: the contrast of the witness of the Christian martyrs to that of the so-called “martyrdom” of religious extremists.

In fact, in Christianity, the word martyr means “witness”…

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Footnotes

Footnotes
↑1 cf. nbcnews.com; December 24th, Christmas Message

Key to the Woman

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Knowledge of the true Catholic doctrine regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary will always be a key to the exact understanding of the mystery of Christ and of the Church. —POPE PAUL VI, Discourse, November 21st, 1964

 

THERE is a profound key that unlocks why and how the Blessed Mother has such a sublime and powerful role in the lives of mankind, but particularly believers. Once one grasps this, not only does Mary’s role make more sense in salvation history and her presence more understood, but I believe, it will leave you wanting to reach for her hand more than ever.

The key is this: Mary is a prototype of the Church.

 

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Why Mary…?

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The Madonna of the Roses (1903), by William-Adolphe Bouguereau

 

Watching Canada’s moral compass lose its needle, the American public square lose its peace, and other parts of the world lose their equilibrium as the Storm winds continue to pick up speed… the first thought on my heart this morning as a key to getting through these times is “the Rosary.” But that means nothing to someone who does not have a proper, biblical understanding of the ‘woman clothed in the sun’. After you read this, my wife and I want to give a gift to every one of our readers…Continue reading →

Joy in God's Law

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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Friday, July 1st, 2016
Opt. Memorial of St. Junípero Serra

Liturgical texts here

bread1

 

MUCH has been said in this Jubilee Year of Mercy about the love and mercy of God toward all sinners. One could say that Pope Francis has really pushed the limits in “welcoming” sinners into the bosom of the Church. [1]cf. The Thin Line Between Mercy and Heresy-Part I-III As Jesus says in today’s Gospel:

Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.

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Footnotes

The End of the Storm

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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Tuesday, June 28th, 2016
Memorial of St. Irenaeus
Liturgical texts here

stormend4

 

LOOKING over his shoulder at the past 2000 years, and then, the times directly ahead, John Paul II made a profound statement:

The world at the approach of a new millennium, for which the whole Church is preparing, is like a field ready for the harvest. —POPE JOHN PAUL II, World Youth Day, homily, August 15th, 1993

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Comfort in the Winds

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Yonhap/AFP/Getty Images

 

WHAT would it be like to stand in the winds of a hurricane as the eye of the storm approached? According to those who have been through it, there is a constant roar, debris and dust are flying everywhere, and you can barely keep your eyes open; it is hard to stand straight and keep one’s balance, and there is fear of the unknown, of what the storm could bring next in all the chaos.

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The House That Lasts

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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Thursday, June 23rd, 2016
Liturgical texts here


St. Therese de Liseux, by Michael D. O’Brien

 

I wrote this meditation after visiting the house of St. Thérèse in France seven years ago. It is a reminder and warning to the “new architects” of our times that a house built without God is a house doomed to collapse, as we hear in today’s Gospel….

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That Pope Francis!… A Short Story

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By
Mark Mallett

 

“THAT Pope Francis!”

Bill slammed his fist on the table, turning a few heads in the process. Fr. Gabriel smiled wryly. “What now Bill?”

“Splash! Did you hear that?” Kevin quipped, leaning across the table, his hand cupped over his ear. “Another Catholic jumping over the Barque of Peter!”

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Calling Down Mercy

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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for Tuesday, June 14th, 2016
Liturgical texts here

islamscales2

 

POPE Francis has thrown open wide the “doors” of the Church in this Jubilee of Mercy, which has passed the halfway mark as of last month. But we might be tempted to deep discouragement, if not fear, as we see not a repentance en masse, but the rapid degeneration of the nations into extreme violence, immorality, and really, a whole-hearted embrace of an anti-gospel.

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Depending on Providence

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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for June 7th, 2016
Liturgical texts here

Elijah SleepingElijah Sleeping, by Michael D. O’Brien

 

THESE are the days of Elijah, that is, the hour of a prophetic witness being called forth by the Holy Spirit. It is going to take on many facets—from the fulfillment of apparitions, to the prophetic witness of individuals who “in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation… shine like lights in the world.” [1]Phil 2:15 Here I am not speaking only of the hour of “prophets, seers, and visionaries”—though that is part of it—but of every day people like you and me.

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Footnotes

Footnotes
↑1 Phil 2:15

The Good Shepherd's Voice

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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for June 6th, 2016
Liturgical texts here 

shepherd3.jpg

 

TO the point: we are entering a period where the earth is plunging into a great darkness, where the light of truth is being eclipsed by the moon of moral relativism. In case one thinks such a statement is fantasy, I defer once again to our papal prophets:

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The Last Trumpet

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trumpet by Joel Bornzin3The Last Trumpet, photo by Joel Bornzin

 

I have been shaken today, literally, by the voice of the Lord speaking in the depths of my soul; shaken by His inexpressible grief; shaken by the deep concern He has for those in the Church who have utterly fallen asleep.

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Magnificat of the Woman

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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for May 31st, 2016
Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Liturgical texts here

magnif4Visitation, by Franz Anton Pmaulbertsch (1724-1796)

 

WHEN this present and coming Trial is over, a smaller but purified Church will emerge in a more purified world. There will rise from her soul a song of praise… the song of the Woman, who is a mirror and hope of the Church to come.

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Be Holy… in the Little Things

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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for May 24th, 2016
Liturgical texts here

campfire2

 

THE most daunting words in Scripture might be those in today’s first reading:

Be holy because I am holy.

Most of us look into the mirror and turn away with sadness if not disgust: “I am anything but holy. Furthermore, I will NEVER be holy!”

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The Age of Ministries is Ending

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posttsunamiAP Photo

 

THE events unfolding around the globe tend to set off a flurry of speculation and even panic among some Christians that now is the time to buy supplies and head for the hills. Without a doubt, the string of natural disasters around the globe, the looming food crisis with drought and the collapse of bee colonies, and the impending collapse of the dollar can not help but give pause to the practical mind. But brothers and sisters in Christ, God is doing something new among us. He is preparing the world for a tsunami of Mercy. He must shake old structures down to the foundations and raise new ones. He must strip away that which is of the flesh and reclothe us in His power. And He must place within our souls a new heart, a new wineskin, prepared to receive the New Wine He is about to pour out.

In other words,

The Age of Ministries is ending.

 

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The Collapse of Civil Discourse

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collapsediscoursePhoto by Mike Christy/Arizona, Daily Star, AP

 

IF “the restrainer” is being lifted at this time, such that lawlessness is spreading throughout society, governments, and the courts, it is no surprise, then, to see what amounts to a collapse in civil discourse. For what is under attack at this hour is the very dignity of the human person, made in the image of God.

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The Death of Logic – Part II

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WE are witnessing one of the greatest collapses of logic in human history—in real time. Having watched for and warned about this coming Spiritual Tsunami for several years now, seeing it arrive on humanity’s shores does not diminish the stunning nature of this “eclipse of reason”, as Pope Benedict called it. [1]Address to the Roman Curia, December 20th, 2010; cf. On the Eve  In The Death of Logic – Part I, I examined some of the mind-bending actions of governments and courts that break away from logic and reason. The wave of delusion continues…

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Footnotes

Footnotes
↑1 Address to the Roman Curia, December 20th, 2010; cf. On the Eve

More on Our Trials and Triumphs

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Two Deaths“Two Deaths”, by Michael D. O’Brien

 

IN a response to my article Fear, Fire, and a “Rescue”?, Charlie Johnston wrote At Sea with his perspective on future events, thereby sharing with readers more of the private dialogues we’ve had in the past. This provides, I think, a crucial opportunity to underscore some of the most important aspects of my own mission and calling that newer readers may not be aware of.

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The Coming Resurrection

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jesus-resurrection-life2

 

A question from a reader:

In Revelation 20, it says the beheaded, etc. will also come back to life and reign with Christ. What do you think that means? Or what might it look like? I believe it could be literal but wondered if you had more insight…

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Fear, Fire, and a “Rescue”?

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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for May 6th, 2016
Liturgical texts here

wildfire2Wildfire in Fort McMurray, Alberta (photo CBC)

 

SEVERAL of you have written asking if our family is okay, given the huge wildfire in northern Canada in and around Fort McMurray, Alberta. The fire is about 800km away… but the smoke darkening our skies here and turning the sun into a reddish burning ember, is a reminder that our world is much smaller than we think it is. It’s also a reminder of a what a man from there said to us several years ago…

So I leave you this weekend with a few random thoughts on the fire, Charlie Johnston, and fear, closing with a reflection on today’s powerful Mass readings.

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The Coming Judgment

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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for May 4th, 2016
Liturgical texts here

judgment

 

First, I want to tell you, my dear family of readers, that my wife and I are grateful for the hundreds of notes and letters we’ve received in support of this ministry. I made a brief appeal a few weeks ago that our ministry was in dire need of support to continue (as this is my full-time work), and your response has moved us to tears many times. Many of those “widow’s mites” have come our way; many sacrifices have been made to communicate your support, gratitude, and love. In a word, you have given me a resounding “yes” to continue on this path. It is a leap of faith for us. We have no savings, no retirement funds, no certainty (as do any of us) about tomorrow. But we accept that this is where Jesus wants us. In fact, He wants all of us to be in a place of utter and total abandonment. We are in the process still of writing emails and thank you’s to all of you. But let me say now… thank you for your filial love and support, which has strengthened and moved me deeply. And I am grateful for this encouragement, because I have many serious things to write you in the days ahead, beginning now….

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The Center of Truth

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I have received many letters asking me to comment on Amoris Laetitia, the Pope’s recent Apostolic Exhortation. I have done so in a new section in the greater context of this writing from July 29th, 2015. If I had a trumpet, I would blare this writing through it… 

 

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:

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Footnotes

Footnotes
↑1 cf. Authentic Ecumenism

More on the Gift of Tongues

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from Pentecost by El Greco (1596)

 

OF course, a reflection on the “gift of tongues” is going to stir controversy. And this doesn’t surprise me since it is probably the most misunderstood of all charisms. And so, I hope to answer some of the questions and comments I’ve received over the past few days on this subject, particularly as the popes continue to pray for a “new Pentecost”…[1]cf. Charismatic? – Part VI

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Footnotes

The Gift of Tongues

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THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS
for April 25th, 2016
Feast of St. Mark
Liturgical texts here

 

AT a Steubenville conference several years ago, Papal household preacher, Fr. Raneiro Cantalamessa, recounted the story of how St. John Paul II emerged one day from his chapel at the Vatican, excitedly exclaiming that he had received the “gift of tongues.” [1]Correction: I had initially thought it was Dr. Ralph Martin who told this story. Fr. Bob Bedard, the late founder of the Companions of the Cross, was one of the priests present to hear this testimony from Fr. Raneiro. Here we have a pope, one of the greatest theologians of our times, witnessing to the reality of a charism rarely seen or heard in the Church today that Jesus and St. Paul spoke of.

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Footnotes

Footnotes
↑1 Correction: I had initially thought it was Dr. Ralph Martin who told this story. Fr. Bob Bedard, the late founder of the Companions of the Cross, was one of the priests present to hear this testimony from Fr. Raneiro.

Words and Warnings

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Many new readers have come on board in the past few months. It is on my heart to republish this today. As I go back and read this, I am continually startled and even moved as I see that many of these “words”—often received in tears and many doubts—are coming to pass before our eyes…

 

IT has been on my heart for several months now to summarize for my readers the personal “words” and “warnings” I feel the Lord has communicated to me in the past decade, and that have shaped and inspired these writings. Everyday, there are several new subscribers coming on board who have no history with the over one thousand writings here. Before I summarize these “inspirations”, it is helpful to repeat what the Church says about “private” revelation:

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True Mercy

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jesusthiefChrist and the Good Thief, Titian (Tiziano Vecellio), c. 1566

 

THERE is so much confusion today as to what “love” and “mercy” and “compassion” mean. So much so that even the Church in many places has lost her clarity, the force of truth that at once beckons sinners and repels them. This is no more evident than at that moment on Calvary when God shares the shame of two thieves…

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Preparing for Reign

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rstorm3b

 

THERE is a far greater plan behind the Lenten Retreat which so many of you just participated in. The call at this hour to intense prayer, the renewal of the mind, and faithfulness to the Word of God is actually a preparation for Reign—the reign of the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.

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Thoughts from the Charcoal Fire

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ontheshore3

 

BASKING in the warmth of the charcoal fire Jesus has lit through our Lenten Retreat; sitting in the glow of His nearness and Presence; listening to the ripples of His ineffable Mercy gently caressing the shore of my heart… I have a few random thoughts left over from our forty days of reflection.

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Let Him Rise in You!

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Embracing Hope by Lea MallettEmbracing Hope, by Lea Mallett

 

JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN FROM THE TOMB!

…now let Him rise in you,

that again, He may walk among us,

that again, He may heal our wounds

that again, He may dry our tears

and that again, we may look into His eyes of love.

May the Risen Jesus rise in you. 

 

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Our Lady, Co-Pilot

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LENTEN RETREAT
Day 39

mothercrucified3

 

IT’s certainly possible to purchase a hot air balloon, set it all up, turn on the propane, and begin to inflate it, doing it all on one’s own. But with the help of another experienced aviator, it would become so much easier, quicker and safer to get into the skies.

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Untethering the Heart

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LENTEN RETREAT
 Day 36

tethered3

 

THE “hot air balloon” represents one’s heart; the “gondola basket” is the will of God; the “propane” is the Holy Spirit; and the two “burners” of love of God and neighbour, when lit by the “pilot light” of our desire, fill our hearts with the Flame of Love, enabling us to soar toward union with God. Or so it would seem. What is it that is still holding me back…?

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On Time and Distractions

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LENTEN RETREAT
Day 35

distractions5a

 

OF course, one of the great obstacles and seeming tensions between one’s interior life and the exterior demands of one’s vocation, is time. “I don’t have time to pray! I’m a mother! I don’t have time! I work all day! I’m a student! I travel! I run a company! I’m a priest with a big parish… I don’t have time!“

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The Second Burner

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LENTEN RETREAT
Day 34

double-burner2

 

NOW here is the thing, my dear brothers and sisters: the interior life, like a hot air balloon, has not one, but two burners. Our Lord was very clear about this when He said:

You shall love the Lord your God…[and]  You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Mark 12:33)

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