Christmas Homily - 12/25/2009

Homily given by Fr. Zachary of the Mother of God on Christmas morning, 2009.

CHRISTMAS IS ETERNAL

Originally posted on 12/26/2008

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JMJ+OBT

Omnia Pro Iesu Per Mariam!

CHRISTMAS IS ETERNAL! God, from all Eternity chose to give the gift of Himself, in Jesus, to all of mankind. JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON, and the season becomes eternal in the gift of Jesus. Open yourself to receive the gift of Jesus and share the gift of Jesus with all. The good news is that God's giving of Jesus is eternal, and we can receive Jesus eternally.

Remember to be thankful for your gifts. Remember to share your gifts. Every good parent wants their children to be thankful to the giver of the gifts, and every good parent wants their children to share their gifts. God who is Goodness Himself, desires that we, His beloved children, remain thankful for the gift of Jesus and share the gift of Jesus. We show our thanks in word and deed. We are to live the life of Jesus that we receive as a Divine Gift of Divine Love.

We are to share the gift of Jesus just as Our Heavenly Father shares the gift of Himself in His Only Begotten Son. We are to share the gift of Jesus just as Jesus shares Himself and gives us everything the Father has given Him. We are to share the gift of Jesus just as the Holy Spirit, Person-Gift and Person-Love, shares Himself and gives us the Spirit of the Father and the Son.

God's sharing of His Divine Life is the Christmas gift given to us at Christmas in Jesus. It is God's Plan from all eternity that we share in His Divine Life. It is also God's Plan that we share the Divine Life we have received with others. SIMPLY PUT, WE RECEIVE THE CHRISTMAS GIFT OF JESUS AND SHARE THE CHRISTMAS GIFT OF JESUS WITH ALL.

Christmas is not complete until Jesus is born into the lives of all mankind. CHRISTMAS IS FOR ALL! Christmas is for Catholics and our Christian brothers and sisters. Christmas is for Jews. Christmas is for Muslims. Christmas is for Hindus. Christmas is for Buddhists. Christmas is for Taoists. Christmas is for Agnostics. Christmas is for Atheists. CHRISTMAS IS FOR ALL WHEN WE RECEIVE THE GIFT OF JESUS AND SHARE THE GIFT OF JESUS!

Remember everyone was created to receive the gift of Jesus. Remember everyone longs, deep within, for the gift of Jesus. Help everyone receive the gift of Jesus. Learn from the manger scene how people were drawn to Jesus. Learn from the Holy Virgin Mary and St. Joseph how to share the gift of Jesus.

CHRISTMAS IS ETERNAL! We were created to receive the gift of Jesus. We were created to give the gift of Jesus. LET ALL ENTER INTO THE ETERNAL GIFT OF CHRIST SO THAT THE ETERNAL DAY OF CHRIST BRINGS THE LIGHT, HAPPINESS, PEACE AND JOY THAT IS GOD'S CHRISTMAS GIFT TO HIS CHILDREN.

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

GOD IS KNOCKING

Originally posted on 12/22/2008

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JMJ+OBT

Omnia Pro Iesu Per Mariam!

GOD IS KNOCKING on the door of your heart. Jesus, True God and True Man, is about to be born for us in a new and profound way THIS CHRISTMAS. Are you going to let Him enter the door of your heart or is there no room at the inn? Today, is just like 2008 years ago. There are those who are prepared to receive Jesus, and these will be blessed this Christmas. Then there are those who are too busy with their own affairs or the affairs of the world, and these will cry there is no room at the inn.

GOD IS KNOCKING on the door of your heart. He wants to enter your heart, soul, mind, body, life, family and community. However, He will never force Himself upon you or others. We see this in the Annunciation and Incarnation of Christ (St. Luke's Gospel 1:26-38). The Angel Gabriel appears to the Blessed Virgin Mary and announces the Divine Plan of God that Mary would become the Mother of God and the Word would become flesh and dwell among us. The Angel Gabriel, sent from God, awaits Our Blessed Mother's response. God desires to give the greatest gift to mankind, His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. However, God will not force Himself upon us. He will not give the great gift of Himself without our consent.

GOD IS KNOCKING on the door of your heart. Let Him enter and bring great blessings to your life and those you love. You only need to say "YES" or "FIAT" like Our Blessed Mother. Of course, you need to mean it! Humble yourself, like Our Lady, and with the eyes of faith see Jesus coming to you. The Plan of God has been announced to you in Sacred Scripture, Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church. Believe and receive the great gift of Jesus this Christmas.

GOD IS KNOCKING on the door of your heart. Learn from Mary, the Mother of God, to open yourself to the Plan of God. Journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem (the House of Bread, the Most Holy Eucharist) with St. Joseph and Our Lady with Jesus in the womb. See the wonders of God coming forth in this journey. See with the eyes of St. Joseph and Our Blessed Mother. Contemplate the goodness of God and enter into the mystery of Divine Love. Prayerfully prepare to receive Jesus.

GOD IS KNOCKING on the door of your heart. This fourth Sunday of the Holy Season of Advent, known as "Angelus Sunday" is a gift to remind us to immediately prepare for the entry of Christ into our lives this Christmas. Pray the Angelus and think about Who you are saying "YES" to and that your "YES" is to the fullness of the mystery of Christ. Think about how the mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary (which you should pray everyday) are contained in the closing prayer of the Angelus. PRAY AND PREPARE TO PLEASE JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH as the HOLY FAMILY looks for room at the inn of your heart and the hearts of those you love.

PRAY THE ANGELUS IN THE HOLY SPIRIT and ask the HOLY SPIRIT to come upon you as you UNITE YOURSELF WITH OUR LADY saying "FIAT" to the Plan of God. Here is the Angelus (traditionally prayed at 6 a.m., 12 noon, and 6 p.m.):

V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,

R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit...Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

R. Be it done unto me according to Thy word...Hail Mary....

V. And the Word was made flesh,

R. And dwelt among us...Hail Mary....

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that, we to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son, was made known by the message of an Angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS!

Originally posted on 12/16/2008

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JMJ+OBT
Omnia Pro Iesu Per Mariam!

REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS; again I say, rejoice! The Lord is near. (Phil 4:4,5)

Joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ, have asked God the Holy Spirit to come to us and prepare us to receive the joy of Christmas. The Holy Spirit reveals that the Lord is near, and when we recognize this Truth then our hearts leap up for joy.

The Holy Spirit is the One Who inspires Sacred Scripture. The Holy Spirit is the One who REVEALS the Eternal Word of the Father, Jesus the Christ. When the Holy Spirit reveals that Jesus is present then we REJOICE. Do you understand how REVELATION AND REJOICING GO TOGETHER? Ask the Holy Spirit for these gifts. Better yet, ask for a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit, Who is Person-Love, Person-Gift. A most efficacious (big word for effective) way to ask for a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit is to ask this grace from Our Blessed Mother, Mary, because the Immaculate Virgin Mary is the spouse of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit will help us fulfill all that He asks of us in Sacred Scripture. The Holy Spirit asks us through St. Paul to Rejoice, Pray and Give Thanks. We are called to Rejoice, Pray and Give Thanks ALWAYS! The Holy Spirit will teach us how!

We are to REJOICE IN THE LORD, ALWAYS! As we already noted, this rejoicing comes through recognizing that the Lord is near. Furthermore, we are to rejoice IN the Lord. True rejoicing comes from living our Baptism IN the Lord. True rejoicing comes from living IN the Most Holy Eucharist as Jesus is really, truly and substantially present. When we are in a state of grace and receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist we REJOICE. When we live our Baptism and the Eucharistic Life of Jesus we REJOICE.

We are to PRAY WITHOUT CEASING! The Holy Spirit teaches us how to pray. In fact we are told by the Holy Spirit in Sacred Scripture that "the Spirit also helps our weakness. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself pleads for us with unutterable groanings. And He who searches the hearts knows what the Spirit desires, that He pleads for the saints according to God." (Rom 8:26,27)

We are directed by the Holy Spirit: "IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES GIVE THANKS, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophetic utterances. Test everything; retain what is good. Refrain from every kind of evil." (1 Thes 5:18-22)

When we have a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit, we will REJOICE, PRAY AND GIVE THANKS! As the Holy Spirit and Our Lady help us prepare to receive Jesus in a new and profound way this Christmas, we pray: "May the God of peace make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ." Remembering "the One Who calls you is faithful, and He will also accomplish it." (1 Thes 5:23,24)

-- Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

PREPARE

Originally posted on 12/8/08

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JMJ+OBT

Pax et Bonum!

ADVENT is a joyful and holy time the Church gives us to PREPARE to receive Jesus in a new and profound way each Christmas. We must understand that since JESUS IS GOD the event of Christmas is an eternal reality. Simply put, WE CAN RECEIVE THE GIFT OF CHRIST IN A NEW WAY EACH AND EVERY CHRISTMAS. JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.

God cannot be constrained by time and space. Christmas is not just an historical event. CHRISTMAS IS ETERNAL. You will receive Jesus, the gift of the Father's Love, IF you prepare and are open to receive the gift. Thus, Advent is given to us to prepare to receive Jesus. This preparation includes prayer and penance (ALL are encouraged to come to the Sacrament of Peace and Reconciliation, known by many as Confession, so that the Holy Spirit can prepare the way for the Lord).

To help you prepare to receive the gift of Jesus we will provide you with some reflections. First, pray and ask your Guardian Angel, Patron Saints, St. Joseph and all the Holy Angels and Saints to intercede for you and help you prepare. Furthermore, ask Our Lady and the Holy Spirit to help you receive Jesus because Jesus came to us through Our Blessed Mother Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. Now, prayerfully consider the following:

Reflection #1: We need to be watching for Jesus and looking to see what path He is taking to come into our hearts.

· The Holy Spirit will reveal obstacles which need to be removed from His path. Ask the Holy Spirit to remove these obstacles.

· Empty ourselves of the limited ideas of Who God is—He is beyond all knowing and greater than our greatest desires—stop projecting yourself onto Him—He is limitless.

Reflection #2: Ask yourself: What is the PURPOSE Jesus has for coming into my soul? The Divine Child seeks to:

· Establish His Kingdom and rule His Kingdom in my soul.

· To govern my heart and soul.

· To transform me from within and give me peace.

· To help me become more childlike.

· To better know His Mother and our Mother, Mary.

How is He doing these things? What else is He doing? How can I cooperate with this Divine action in my soul?

Reflection #3: Learn to WATCH in the Eastern sense of the word. WATCH as a servant watches and serves his Master. As we are watching Jesus on this path to our hearts:

· Be attentive to Him.

· Try to please Him in all that you think and do.

· Try to anticipate His desires.

· Practice the tender hospitality of a loving and attentive servant whose only desire is to please the Master.

· Ask: What does He need to be happy in my soul?

· Ask: What does He want to find there in order to be comfortable and want to remain in my soul?

Know that Jesus has a PLAN for this journey into your heart which includes:

· A particular PATH.

· A certain PROGRAM.

· A definite PURPOSE.

· A perfect TIMING.

CHART THE PATH through journaling. Begin in the heart. See His arrival on Christmas and ask yourself how He will get there. Where is He right now on this journey into the very depths of your soul?

We want to meet and even exceed Our Lord's NEEDS and EXPECTATIONS and we want Him to find DELIGHT in our heart and soul when He arrives. Ask Our Lady how to live as the beloved and please the Beloved of our soul, Jesus. We are praying that you have the most fruitful Advent of your life and the greatest Christmas of your life. Please pray for us.

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

ADVENT

Originally posted 12/1/2008

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JMJ+OBT

MARANATHA! COME, LORD JESUS!

ADVENT is a Holy Season of joyful preparation for the coming of Christ. We are to have a burning desire for Christ to come and be born into our lives in a new and profound way this Christmas. At the same time, we are to have an expectant faith in Jesus' second coming in glory. We live between the two comings of Christ and are privileged to have Him come to us in the Mystery of the Most Holy Eucharist, the Living Word, and in others. Centering our lives in the Most Holy Eucharist, living the Eternal Word, and serving Christ in others are some of the most powerful ways we can prepare for the coming of Christ.

Jesus tells us in the Gospel to "WATCH" and pray so that we are not caught off guard. Advent is a time of prayer, penance and preparation. Jesus says "What I say to you, I say to all: Watch!" To "watch" or to "be on guard" means to be attentive. We are all servants awaiting the Master's return. We are to ask ourselves what is our beloved Master looking for upon His return? What are His needs? What are His expectations? We are to prepare well so that our beloved Master is pleased when He returns. We, as servants, stay focused on fulfilling the instructions given to us by our Master. Moreover, as beloved servants we seek to please the Beloved when He comes in His visitation.

We are called to cultivate the garden of our souls so that the Beloved will be pleased in His visitation. We ask the Holy Spirit to cultivate the garden with virtues, and to root up the weeds of selfishness and vice. When Jesus comes this Christmas we want there to be room at the inn of our hearts for Him. We want Jesus to be pleased to remain with us.

We are to "watch" and "be on guard" which also means we are to guard against the attacks of the evil one, the ways of the world, and the lusts of the flesh and eyes. Do not be deceived by the devil, the flesh and the world. Advent is not a time to be wasted with the anxieties of shopping and decorating. Advent is not a time to be given to "parties" and eating and drinking.

Advent is a time of prayer, penance and preparation. The degree to which we prepare will be the degree to which we receive the gift of Jesus in a new and profound way this Christmas. "WATCH" and "BE ON GUARD!"

I urge all of you to ask Our Blessed Mother Mary and St. Joseph to help you prepare for the birth of the Divine Child, Jesus, in a new and profound way this Christmas. Ask Our Lady and St. Joseph to help you stay focused, to watch and be on guard. Pray by attending daily Mass and living the Liturgy. Pray the Holy Rosary daily. Pray the Sacred Scriptures with your family. Fast so that your soul has room to receive the Christ Child. Do penance so that He will be pleased with the room that has been prepared. Come to the Sacrament of Peace and Reconciliation so that the obstacles to Jesus' coming are removed. MARANATHA! COME, LORD JESUS!

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

Advent Reflection - 11/29/2009

A reflection on Advent for 2009.

Solemnity of Christ the King - 11/22/2009

Homily given on the Solemnity of Christ the King, November 22, 2009.

Homily 10/11/2009

Homily given at the SOLT community in Bosque, NM.

Caritas in Veritate

JMJ+OBT

Omnia Pro Iesu Per Mariam!

JESUS looked at the crowd and his heart was moved with pity! The Sacred Heart of Jesus is moved with compassion and love for each and every one of us. The Holy Spirit moves the heart to reach out to our brothers and sisters in need all around the world. WE ARE ONE FAMILY OF OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN. Our Blessed Mother asks all of us to live as one family of the True God, the Most Holy Trinity.

To this end, Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, with the heart of the Good Shepherd in the anointing of the Holy Spirit has issued a new Encyclical "Caritas in veritate" (Charity in Truth) on integral human development in charity and truth. Given below is a summary, provided by the Vatican Information Service on July 9, 2009, of Benedict XVI's new Encyclical "Caritas in veritate" (Charity in Truth) on integral human development in charity and truth:

The Encyclical published today - which comprehends an introduction, six chapters and a conclusion - is dated 29 June 2009, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles.

A summary of the Encyclical released by the Holy See Press Office explains that in his introduction the Pope recalls how "charity is at the heart of the Church's social doctrine". Yet, given the risk of its being "misinterpreted and detached from ethical living", he warns how "a Christianity of charity without truth would be more or less interchangeable with a pool of good sentiments, helpful for social cohesion, but of little relevance".

The Holy Father makes it clear that development has need of truth. In this context he dwells on two "criteria that govern moral action": justice and the common good. All Christians are called to charity, also by the "institutional path" which affects the life of the "polis", that is, of social coexistence.

The first chapter of the Encyclical focuses on the message of Paul VI's "Populorum Progressio" which "underlined the indispensable importance of the Gospel for building a society according to freedom and justice. ... The Christian faith does not rely on privilege or positions of power, ... but only on Christ". Paul VI "pointed out that the causes of underdevelopment are not primarily of the material order". They lie above all in the will, in the mind and, even more so, in "the lack of brotherhood among individuals and peoples".

"Human Development in Our Time" is the theme of the second chapter. If profit, the Pope writes, "becomes the exclusive goal, if it is produced by improper means and without the common good as its ultimate end, it risks destroying wealth and creating poverty". In this context he enumerates certain "malfunctions" of development: financial dealings that are "largely speculative", migratory flows "often provoked by some particular circumstance and then given insufficient attention", and "the unregulated exploitation of the earth's resources". In the face of these interconnected problems, the Pope calls for "a new humanistic synthesis", noting how "development today has many overlapping layers: ... The world's wealth is growing in absolute terms, but inequalities are on the increase", and new forms of poverty are coming into being.

At a cultural level, the Encyclical proceeds, the possibilities for interaction open new prospects for dialogue, but a twofold danger exists: a "cultural eclecticism" in which cultures are viewed as "substantially equivalent", and the opposing danger of "cultural levelling and indiscriminate acceptance of types of conduct and lifestyles". In this context Pope Benedict also mentions the scandal of hunger and express his hope for "equitable agrarian reform in developing countries".

The Pontiff also dwells on the question of respect for life, "which cannot in any way be detached from questions concerning the development of peoples", affirming that "when a society moves towards the denial or suppression of life, it ends up no longer finding the necessary motivation and energy to strive for man's true good".

Another question associated with development is that of the right to religious freedom. "Violence", writes the Pope, "puts the brakes on authentic development", and "this applies especially to terrorism motivated by fundamentalism".

Chapter three of the Encyclical - "Fraternity, Economic Development and Civil Society" - opens with a passage praising the "experience of gift", often insufficiently recognised "because of a purely consumerist and utilitarian view of life". Yet development, "if it is to be authentically human, needs to make room for the principle of gratuitousness". As for the logic of the market, it "needs to be directed towards the pursuit of the common good, for which the political community in particular must also take responsibility".

Referring to "Centesimus Annus", this Encyclical highlights the "need for a system with three subjects: the market, the State and civil society" and encourages a "civilising of the economy". It highlights the importance of "economic forms based on solidarity" and indicates how "both market and politics need individuals who are open to reciprocal gift".

The chapter closes with a fresh evaluation of the phenomenon of globalisation, which must not be seen just as a "socio-economic process". Globalisation needs "to promote a person-based and community-oriented cultural process of world-wide integration that is open to transcendence" and able to correct its own malfunctions.

The fourth chapter of the Encyclical focuses on the theme: "The Development of People. Rights and Duties. The Environment". Governments and international organisations, says the Pope, cannot "lose sight of the objectivity and 'inviolability' of rights". In this context he also dedicates attention to "the problems associated with population growth".

He reaffirms that sexuality "cannot be reduced merely to pleasure or entertainment". States, he says, "are called to enact policies promoting the centrality and the integrity of the family".

"The economy needs ethics in order to function correctly", the Holy Father goes on, and "not any ethics whatsoever, but an ethics which is people-centred". This centrality of the human person must also be the guiding principle in "development programmes" and in international co-operation. "International organisations", he suggests, "might question the actual effectiveness of their bureaucratic and administrative machinery, which is often excessively costly".

The Holy Father also turns his attention to the energy problem, noting how "the fact that some States, power groups and companies hoard non-renewable energy resources represents a grave obstacle to development in poor countries. ... Technologically advanced societies can and must lower their domestic energy consumption", he says, at the same time encouraging "research into alternative forms of energy".

"The Co-operation of the Human Family" is the title and focus of chapter five, in which Pope Benedict highlights how "the development of peoples depends, above all, on a recognition that the human race is a single family". Hence Christianity and other religions "can offer their contribution to development only if God has a place in the public realm".

The Pope also makes reference to the principle of subsidiarity, which assists the human person "via the autonomy of intermediate bodies". Subsidiarity, he explains, "is the most effective antidote against any form of all-encompassing welfare state" and is "particularly well-suited to managing globalisation and directing it towards authentic human development".

Benedict XVI calls upon rich States "to allocate larger portions of their gross domestic product to development aid", thus respecting their obligations. He also express a hope for wider access to education and, even more so, for "complete formation of the person", affirming that yielding to relativism makes everyone poorer. One example of this, he writes, is that of the perverse phenomenon of sexual tourism. "It is sad to note that this activity often takes place with the support of local governments", he says.

The Pope then goes on to consider the "epoch-making" question of migration. "Every migrant", he says, "is a human person who, as such, possesses fundamental, inalienable rights that must be respected by everyone and in every circumstance".

The Pontiff dedicates the final paragraph of this chapter to the "strongly felt need" for a reform of the United Nations and of "economic institutions and international finance. ... There is", he says, "urgent need of a true world political authority" with "effective power".

The sixth and final chapter is entitled "The Development of Peoples and Technology". In it the Holy Father warns against the "Promethean presumption" of humanity thinking "it can re-create itself through the 'wonders' of technology". Technology, he says, cannot have "absolute freedom".

"A particularly crucial battleground in today's cultural struggle between the supremacy of technology and human moral responsibility is the field of bioethics", says Benedict XVI, and he adds: "Reason without faith is doomed to flounder in an illusion of its own omnipotence". The social question has, he says, become an anthropological question. Research on embryos and cloning is "being promoted in today's highly disillusioned culture which believes it has mastered every mystery". The Pope likewise expresses his concern over a possible "systematic eugenic programming of births".

In the conclusion to his Encyclical Benedict XVI highlights how "development needs Christians with their arms raised towards God in prayer", just as it needs "love and forgiveness, self-denial, acceptance of others, justice and peace".

--
Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Faustina, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. John Mary Vianney, St. Philomena, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

JMJ+OBT

O Beata Trinitas! Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity pray for us and teach us to contemplate, worship, adore, praise and thank the Triune God, Three Divine Persons, One God!

The One True God, the Most Holy Trinity is a Covenant of Communion of Three Divine Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This Covenant of Communion is Perfection in Love, Happiness, Relationship, Beatitude and Everything that is Good. Furthermore, in the overflowing Goodness and Generosity of the Triune God, Who is Love, we are created out of nothing to know, love and serve God and be happy with Him forever.

Our destiny, if we are faithful to God and live in a state of grace, is to participate in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity. The human person who lived and lives most perfectly in Communion with God is Our Blessed Mother, Mary. Look to Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity to discover the wonder and awe of life in Communion with the Most Holy Trinity.

Ask Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity to teach you how to contemplate, worship, adore, praise and thank the Most Holy Trinity for your call to Communion with God. Ask Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity to share with you her relationships with the Most Holy Trinity as daughter of the Father, mother and disciple of the Son, and spouse and sanctuary of the Holy Spirit. Also ask Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity to take you to the inner room of your soul and behold the Most Holy Trinity.

Ask Our Lady to bring you to the throne of the Most Holy Trinity. In fact, ask Our Lady to bring you into the presence of the Most Holy Eucharist and then ask for the Light to contemplate, worship, adore, praise and thank the Most Holy Trinity and to love God above all things just for Himself. Then, in this Sacred Place OPEN YOUR HEART AND PRAISE GOD as you prayerfully reflect upon the following antiphons from the Divine Office for Trinity Sunday:

"Glory to you, O Trinity, one God in three equal Persons, as in the beginning, so now, and for ever." "Praise to the Holy Trinity and undivided Unity. Let us praise God for he has shown us his mercy." "Glory and honor to God in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; glory and praise to him for endless ages." "We give you thanks, O God; we give you thanks, Trinity one and true, Divinity one and most high, Unity one and holy." "Come, let us worship the true God: One in Trinity, Trinity in One." "Come and stay with us, O God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit." "The Father is Love, the Son is grace, the Holy Spirit is their bond of fellowship; O blessed Trinity." "The Father utters the Truth, the Son is the Truth he utters, and the Holy Spirit is Truth; O Blessed Trinity." "To you, O blessed Trinity, be worship and honor, glory and power, praise and joyful adoration through eternal ages." "May all your creatures give you fitting praise, adoration and glory, O blessed Trinity." "All things are from him, through him, and in him; to him be glory for ever." "O holy, undivided Trinity, Creator and Ruler of all that exists, may all praise be yours now, for ever, and for ages unending." "We call upon you, we praise you, we worship you, O blessed Trinity." "In you are our hope, our salvation, our dignity, O blessed Trinity." "O Holy Trinity, we profess that for you to be, to live, to understand are all one." "O Trinity most high, eternal and true: Father, Son and Holy Spirit." "Save us, set us free and give us life, O blessed Trinity." "Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, the God who is, who was, and who is to come." "With our whole heart and voice we acclaim you, O God; we offer you our praise and worship, unbegotten Father, only-begotten Son, Holy Spirit, constant friend and guide; most holy and undivided Trinity, to you be glory for ever."

Now sing with Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, St. Joseph, and all the Holy Angels and Saints: "Praise the holy Trinity, Undivided Unity; Holy God, Mighty God, God Immortal, be adored." We pray: "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Alleluia!"

--
Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

The Holy Spirit Comes to Renew the Face of the Earth

JMJ+OBT

Veni, Creator Spiritus! Come, Holy Spirit, Come; Come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Your well Beloved Spouse! Thank You Holy Spirit! Praise You Holy Spirit!

We rejoice with Our Blessed Mother, the Apostles and all who have been in the Upper Room confidently awaiting a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes to renew the face of the earth principally by transforming hearts and minds. The Holy Spirit comes as a strong wind, which is the life giving breath of God. Jesus taught: "This is eternal life-to know the One True God and Jesus Christ Whom He has sent." Jesus fulfills His promise to send us the Holy Spirit Who will teach us the meaning of all that Jesus taught us and teaches us through the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church that Jesus established and sends the Holy Spirit upon. Thank You Holy Spirit! Praise You Holy Spirit!

The Holy Spirit comes as a consuming fire. The Holy Spirit comes to consume and transform us in the fires of Divine Love. Just as the Holy Spirit came as a fire to upon the salvific self-giving sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross, and just as the Holy Spirit comes as a fire upon the offering in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Holy Spirit comes as a fire upon those who offer themselves in union with Jesus. We urge you to renew the offering of yourself to the Most Holy Trinity through Our Blessed Mother, the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. Thank You Holy Spirit! Praise You Holy Spirit!

The Holy Spirit comes to empower us to continue the Mission of Jesus to proclaim the Truth of God's Love. We recognize that before we can be sent into Mission, we need to have a living relationship with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit empowers us to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord of lords and King of kings. It is only in the Holy Spirit that we can proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord. It is only in the Holy Spirit that we can call God "Our Father," Abba. Thank You Holy Spirit! Praise You Holy Spirit!

Before going into Mission we need to realize that we are children of God, created in the image and likeness of God, to witness to the family life of the Most Holy Trinity. It is a metaphysical truth that we must be in order to do. We were baptized into the Trinitarian family life by water and the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit that sends the Church into Mission, is the Holy One Who brought us to be children of God in our baptism. Thank You Holy Spirit! Praise You Holy Spirit!

The Holy Spirit is the Sanctifier! The Holy Spirit comes to make us holy. This means that the Holy Spirit consumes and transforms the WHOLE gift of one who offers himself or herself with the desire to be HOLY. The Holy Spirit opens the eyes to a faith vision that sees the majesty of God. The Holy Spirit opens the ears to hear the glory of the voice of God in Sacred Tradition, Sacred Scripture and the Magisterium of the Church. The Holy Spirit brings us Divine Wisdom which is Sapientia or a "Savory" science. Taste and see the Goodness of the Lord. The Holy Spirit comes with a beautiful fragrance which we enter into with prayer. The Holy Spirit prays deep within us with groanings and longings as He unites our innermost being with the deep things of God. The Holy Spirit touches us with the touch of Divine Love. The Holy Spirit is the finger of God Who touches our hearts to give us natural hearts that fulfill the commands of God. Thank You Holy Spirit! Praise You Holy Spirit!

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth that reveals the Truth, Jesus Christ, that sets us free. Jesus says: "You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free." The Holy Spirit enlightens our minds to recognize Divine Revelation AND to understand Divine Revelation. Revelation literally means to remove the veil that covers our minds. Jesus is the Revelation of the Father. The Holy Spirit is this Love and Union between the Father and the Son. This Love transforms our hearts in the Goodness of the Father which we see as we behold the face of Jesus Christ with unveiled faces so that we may live from grace to grace and glory to glory. Thank You Holy Spirit! Praise You Holy Spirit!

THANK YOU HOLY SPIRIT! PRAISE YOU HOLY SPIRIT! In fact, the ability to thank God and praise God is a gift that comes to us in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is Person-Love and Person-Gift. Start your prayer and end your prayer with praise and thanksgiving and your life will change for the better. God willing, in Eternity, we will be praising and thanking God for all Eternity. Since this is your destiny, start now. Ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother and live this relationship Our Lady has with the Divine Person of the Holy Spirit. Then you will live a life of praise and thanksgiving which is a taste of heaven.

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

50 Days in the Resurrection

JMJ+OBT
Omnia Pro Iesu Per Mariam!

THE LORD IS RISEN, ALLELUIA! HE IS RISEN INDEED, ALLELUIA!

Jesus, Our Great King and Victor has risen from the dead. Jesus comes forth from the tomb with the standard of the Holy Cross raised high and gifts us with new Life, new Light and a new Love. We are to RISE IN JESUS and embrace this new Life, new Light and new Love.

Jesus came to give us Life, abundant Life, and the eternal Life we received in our Baptism. We are to live our Baptism IN JESUS. In Baptism, the old man died and the new man has risen. Never go back to the old man of sin and death. Live in the new man and RISE IN JESUS!

Jesus came to give us Light. Jesus is the Light of the world. Jesus' Light leads us to the Father in Heaven. We embrace this Light and help the whole world see that they were created by God and are to live wholly for God. This Light empowers us to see that God has a wonderful plan for each of us and that we are to live as Church. We see everything by the Light of Faith.

Jesus came to give us Love. God is Love. Jesus is God. We enter into a new level of living in Love because we live in God. Jesus established the law of Grace and Love, and in the power of the Resurrection we receive the power to truly Love by living IN JESUS.

In the resurrection we are to RISE IN JESUS. Rise above the fears, doubts, worries and anxieties of this world. In the resurrection Jesus gifts us HIS VICTORIES over sin, satan, death, the flesh and the world. CLAIM HIS VICTORIES! We are to RISE IN JESUS!

Ask Our Lady to help you have a LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST in the resurrection. We see Jesus appearing to the Disciples and others in the resurrection. One LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST in the resurrection will change our life. We see this in the life of St. Paul who encountered Jesus in the resurrection.

Through this LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST in the resurrection, St. Paul found the grace and strength to share the LIFE, LIGHT AND LOVE that Jesus won for us in His Paschal Mystery. Like St. Paul we ask two questions everyday: 1. Lord, what is it you wish to do with me? and 2. Lord, what is it you want me to do for you? We live our Baptism IN JESUS and share the Good News of Jesus with all of the world.

In the school of Mary, the first and perfect Disciple of Jesus Christ, we learn to contemplate the face of the risen Christ and draw strength to live in the Paschal Mystery of Christ. For 50 days we will have a special grace to "CLAIM" the VICTORIES of CHRIST by learning to RISE IN JESUS. Temptations and trials will still present themselves, but we manifest the VICTORIES OF CHRIST and RISE IN JESUS.

May you learn to live a live of Faith, Hope and Charity. May you live your Baptism and RISE IN JESUS. May Our Blessed Mother, Mary, teach you to contemplate the face of Christ and sing with all your heart and soul the song of the resurrection: "ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA!"

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT.

Mid-Lent Reflection

JMJ+OBT
Omnia Pro Iesu Per Mariam!

Near the middle of the Lenten Journey to Holiness of Life in Christ, we take time to REJOICE "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal Life." (St. John 3:16). We REJOICE that our BELIEF IN JESUS, THE ONLY SON OF GOD, has grown and matured during this Holy Season of Lent. Yes, we have more maturity and growth ahead of us, but we REJOICE in this Lenten Journey of grace, favor and formation.

It is our BELIEF IN JESUS that has given us the victory over the many temptations that have appeared to us in this Lenten Journey in the desert. It is the Holy Spirit Who has LED us to LISTEN to the Word of God that tells us we can do all things IN CHRIST. It is the Holy Spirit Who has revealed that our relationship with the Most Holy Trinity is the most ESSENTIAL aspect of our lives. In fact, we have come to BELIEVE that We belong to God and everything else is incidental in our lives. It is the Holy Spirit Who has instructed us to DEPEND ON GOD. Coming to this BELIEF is cause for REJOICING.

We now renew our commitment to this Lenten Journey and our dedication to the holy practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We realize that prayer is a gift of God and true prayer is realized in a living relationship with the Divine Person of the Holy Spirit. We realize that fasting frees us from our narrow selves so that we may serve the All Holy, Just and Beautiful Will of God Our Father. We realize that the ultimate almsgiving is the gift of Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist, and Jesus teaches us to give all of ourselves to our brothers and sisters so that they, too, may find the Eucharistic mystery of Life.

As we live in the Immaculate Heart of Mary, let us learn in the School of Mary to keep our vision fixed upon the face of Christ. We are being LED by the Holy Spirit to empty ourselves (kenosis) so that we can be filled with Christ and have communion (koinonia) with God and all mankind in time and eternity. We are on a Lenten Journey to union with Christ in the Paschal Mystery. We are on our way to Holy Week and the Easter Triduum. Our Lady is here to help us BELIEVE IN JESUS. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

REJOICE that you have been called and chosen to join Jesus this Holy Season of Lent. Renew your BELIEF IN JESUS. Continue to be LED by the Holy Spirit in the process of kenosis and koinonia. Ask Our Blessed Mother to help you keep your vision fixed upon Jesus as we get nearer to the gift of the Cross of Christ and the fulfillment of the Divine Plan of Our Father.

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

THE HOLY SEASON OF LENT

JMJ+OBT
Omnia Pro Iesu Per Mariam!

THE HOLY SEASON OF LENT is a time of great grace and favor. We must keep our vision focused upon the Father and His Divine Will for each of us. Our Father loves us and desires that we come to the Oneness that He has with His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. This union between the Father and the Son is the Divine Person of the Holy Spirit.

We are gifted to be LED by the Holy Spirit into the desert for 40 days and nights in order that God can speak to our hearts and transform our hearts in the power of Divine Love. We are LED by the Holy Spirit just as Jesus was LED by the Holy Spirit into the desert to overcome temptations and to learn how to win the victories over sin, satan, the flesh and the world. It is by living IN JESUS who is LED by the Holy Spirit that we have the victories that Jesus desires to gift to us. The victories are Jesus victories.

We see Jesus LED by the Holy Spirit as He witnesses to us the blessing of OBEDIENCE to the Father's Holy Will. Jesus enters the desert to fulfill the command of the Father to show us that Jesus has the victory over satan. Some people think that satan is powerful but he has no more power than the ants when we live IN JESUS. The problem is when we try to fight the battle by ourselves. Jesus enters the desert to bestow the gift of Himself on us in HIS VICTORIES over satan, sin and the seeds of sin.

Jesus went into the desert to weaken the power of sin. Jesus teaches us the importance of destroying the seeds of sin. The seeds of sin are the capital sins which are pride, anger, greed, lust, envy, gluttony and sloth. We overcome IN JESUS and live a life of virtue. We embrace humility, meekness, generosity, purity, simplicity, fasting and diligence. We must avoid the occasion of sin and the proximate occasion of sin. We do not even get near sin because we have nothing to do with anything below our dignity. We must be careful of what we look at and what we read and what we listen to because we must guard the purity of our thoughts and heart.

Jesus asks us to be LED by the Holy Spirit. L stands for LISTEN TO GOD as He speaks His Divine Word to us in Sacred Scripture, in Sacred Tradition and in the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. Lent is a privileged time where God speaks to our hearts in a special way so please make time to LISTEN TO GOD.

E stands for ESSENTIAL. We pick up so many things that are not essential in our lives. Lent is a time to realize that God is Essential. We are created by God and we are created for God. We belong to God and everything else is incidental. Do we live this reality? Make the commitment during Lent to get closer to God and He will get closer to you. Also, remember another ESSENTIAL: THE MOST HOLY EUCHARIST. Try to participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass every day, if possible, and your life will be blessed.

D stands for DEPEND ON GOD. So many people depend on themselves or other people or the economy or other things and all of them leave us disappointed. WE MUST DEPEND ON GOD. God is our Father. He will protect us and provide for us and love us. When we DEPEND ON GOD our lives are blessed.

Ask Our Lady to obtain a better relationship for you with the Holy Spirit. All grace comes to us through Our Lady because she is the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. Since we are to be LED by the Holy Spirit it is most prudent to ask Our Lady to help you come to a deeper relationship with the Divine Person of the Holy Spirit. My prayer for you is that Our Lady and the Holy Spirit will bring forth Jesus in your lives so that you live the blessed life of Jesus and always fulfill the Father's Divine Will.

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

CHRIST IS OUR HOPE

JMJ+OBT
Omnia Pro Iesu Per Mariam!

CHRIST IS OUR HOPE! When we have a living and active faith in Jesus Christ, and come to Him with trust in His Divine Mercy, then He will raise us from the paralysis of fear, anxiety, worry, doubt and the other emotions and thoughts that disable us. Just as Jesus looked at the paralytic with love and said: "Rise, pick up your mat and go home" (St. Mark 2: 11), Jesus looks at those who approach Him with faith and lifts us up from the paralyses of sin and the consequences of sin.

The world in which we live is filled with fear, anxiety, worry, doubt and other forms of paralysis. Jesus came to heal us and set us free. Jesus wants us to have faith and place our Trust in Him because He loves us and we belong to Him. Jesus came to gift us life, abundant life and eternal life.

God is making all things new in Christ! CHRIST IS OUR HOPE! Christ has the victories over sin, Satan, death, the flesh and the world. Claim these victories in Christ. Do not let the enemies of our soul put you back into paralysis. Rather, live a life of faith in Jesus Christ and enjoy the freedom and fullness of life that Jesus has won for you.

We learn from Our Blessed Mother how to keep our vision fixed on Christ so that we can be made new in Christ and, God willing, realize the hope of our calling to holiness of life. Our Lady is our Mother and our model. Ask Our Lady how to live a life of faith, hope and Charity. It is through a living faith, an unwavering hope and a love of God and neighbor that we "Rise" IN CHRIST.

Remember CHRIST IS OUR HOPE and, thus, MARY IS THE MOTHER OF HOLY HOPE! We do not rely on ourselves as our hope. Furthermore, the economy is not our hope. Politicians are not our hope. The world is not our hope. CHRIST IS OUR HOPE!

I leave you to reflect on St. Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 6: 24-33, where Jesus continues the Sermon on the Mount: "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

Jesus continues: "Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. BUT SEEK FIRST HIS KINGDOM AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE YOURS AS WELL."

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

ULTIMATE HEALING

JMJ+OBT
Omnia Pro Iesu Per Mariam!

ULTIMATE HEALING comes when we arrive at our ULTIMATE DESTINY which is COMMUNION WITH THE MOST HOLY TRINITY. We were created in the image and likeness of God in order to have and enjoy COMMUNION WITH THE MOST HOLY TRINITY. Selfishness and sin causes a break in this COMMUNION WITH THE MOST HOLY TRINITY. Mortal sin causes a separation from God unto death. Thus, selfishness and sin is the root of all sickness, suffering and death.

Jesus came to heal us. Jesus came to save us. Jesus came to restore us to COMMUNION WITH THE MOST HOLY TRINITY. God willing, this healing, salvation and COMMUNION WITH THE MOST HOLY TRINITY will be fully realized when we arrive in Heaven. In Heaven, we will be filled with God. In Heaven, we will be filled with Love. In Heaven, we will realize the fullness of the Life, abundant Life and eternal Life that Jesus came to give us.

This Life, abundant Life and eternal Life that Jesus holds out to us requires us to accept Jesus in our hearts and to believe in Him. Believing in Jesus means a confidence and trust in His Goodness, and that He will fulfill His Covenant Promises. This goes far beyond a belief just in His existence and power. Even the enemy, the devil believes in the existence and power of Jesus. The existence and power of Jesus is a fact.

The belief in Jesus that heals and saves is one that accepts everything God has revealed to us in Jesus Christ and everything God proposes for our belief through the Holy Catholic Church that Jesus established as a Sacrament of Salvation. Our hope for heaven starts to be realized through a life of faith. We rely on the promises of Christ and the help of the Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide us on our journey to heaven. Our faith and hope are witnessed by a life of Charity in loving God above all things, just for Himself, and loving our neighbor as ourselves for the Love of God.

Let us look to Our Blessed Mother as the model of a life of faith, hope and Charity. Our Lady teaches us that it is important to keep our vision upon what God is doing, has done and will continue to do. This is key to our faith life. This is key to realizing our hope of heaven. This is key to living a life of Charity.

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

The CONVERSION of St. Paul

JMJ+OBT
Omnia Pro Iesu Per Mariam!

One LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST changed the life of Saul of Tarsus. The CONVERSION of St. Paul, formerly known as Saul of Tarsus, came as he was on the road nearing Damascus with the intention of persecuting Christians when suddenly a great light from heaven shone around him. Saul fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me?" Saul replied, "Who art Thou, Lord?" Then Our Risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, said, "I am Jesus, whom thou are persecuting. It is hard for thee to kick against the goad." Saul, trembling and amazed, said, "Lord what wilt Thou have me do?" And the Lord said to Saul, "Arise and go into the city, and it will be told thee what thou must do." (Review the three accounts of St. Paul's conversion in the Acts of the Apostles, Chapters 9, 22 and 26).

One LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST brought about the CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL. Yet, we discover that CONVERSION OF HEART AND MIND, is an ongoing process, and that the full meaning of the LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST is revealed gradually. We see this in the dynamics of St. Paul's conversion as described in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. In the first account, Chapter 9, the significance of the encounter is made known only to Ananias. In the second account, Chapter 22, the significance of the encounter is revealed to St. Paul indirectly and in vague terms through Ananias. In the third account, Chapter 26, the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ, reveals the significance of the encounter to St. Paul as the Lord reveals the nature and extent of the mission entrusted to St. Paul.

One LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST is so profound that the significance of the encounter takes a lifetime to unfold. One LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST leads to a path of CONVERSION, COMMUNION AND SOLIDARITY. Thus, this is the PROGRAM OF THE NEW EVANGELIZATION to bring people to a LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST.

We have a LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST at every Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We encounter Jesus Christ in the proclamation of the Living Word. We most especially encounter Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist where Jesus is really, truly and substantially present. The Most Holy Eucharist where Jesus gifts those in a state of grace with His very Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, is the most powerful LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST one can have on this earthly journey.

One LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST in the Most Holy Eucharist should change our lives just like one LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST changed the life of St. Paul. Draw strength from this encounter with Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist so that you can live the Word you hear proclaimed at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Go forth and share the Good News of your LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST.

Learn from St. Paul who never looked back. St. Paul came to a oneness with Jesus Christ so that he could say, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ Who lives in me." St. Paul could say, "I live for Him, Who died and rose for me." St. Paul could say, "In Him, I live and move and have my being." St. Paul could say, "I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me." St. Paul could say, "For me, life is Christ, and death is gain." St. Paul could say, "May I boast in nothing except the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ." St. Paul could say, "I know Whom I have believed, and I am certain that He is able to guard the trust committed to me against that day."

These are amazing statements revealing the oneness with Jesus that the Holy Spirit is bringing about in the lives of the faithful. This transformation took place in the life of St. Paul as he asked two questions each and every day: "Lord, what is it You wish to do with me?" and "Lord, what is it You want me to do for You?" These questions are in order. First, comes formation and then comes apostolic work. They are connected, in order, in a lifetime of transformation in the fires of Divine Love.

It is the Father's Divine Plan of Love that we come to a oneness with the Most Holy Trinity. Reflect upon the fact that God had a Plan for the life of St. Paul from all eternity as St. Paul was a chosen vessel, called and set apart, from his mother's womb. Reflect upon the amazing grace and mercy shown to St. Paul. Reflect that God has a Divine Plan of Love for your life, and that you are called to holiness.

One LIVING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST will change your life. Come to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with a new hope and expectation of having this life changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Come to the Lay Formation Program of Our Lady so that you can live the Trinitarian Relationships of Our Blessed Mother, and through a process of transformation you will come to a fruitfulness in Jesus Christ in the apostolic works God has prepared for you.

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

The Word of God

JMJ+OBT
Omnia Pro Iesu Per Mariam!

"Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening" should be our humble petition at every moment of our lives. We should have, at the same time, the disposition of heart to attentively respond to the Living Word that God speaks to us in His Divine Love. "Here I am, Lord, I come to do Your Will" is the disposition of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Just Heart of St. Joseph, and all the Holy Angels and Saints. We, who are created and called to be Saints, must have the same disposition of heart.

Jesus, Who is the Living Word, is God the Father's Word to us. God speaks to us in the Word of God. The Word is living and effective. Yes, the Word is living, and the Word is the Way, the Truth and the Life. In our Baptism we are united with the Word of God (see last week's reflection). The question is whether we have embraced the Word of God, and become one with the Word of God.

When we live our Baptism and embrace the Word of God, empowered by the Most Holy Eucharist, then the Word becomes effective in our lives. We learn from Our Blessed Mother how to embrace the Word so that it becomes effective in our lives. Our Lady embraced the Word with such dedication and devotion that by the power of the Holy Spirit the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

St. Augustine says that Our Lady conceived the Word in her heart before she conceived the Word in her womb. Our Lady shows us the effectiveness of the Word in the lives of a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Our Lady is the first and perfect disciple of Jesus Christ. We imitate Mary, become like Jesus, and live for the Triune God. We find in Mary the fruitfulness that a disciple of Jesus is to bring forth as we pray "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus..." Yes, indeed, blessed is the FRUIT of thy womb, JESUS.

Recently, I had the privilege of hearing a homily by a holy Bishop, who asked the people how many people owned a cell phone. Almost everyone raised their hands. Then he asked how many people owned a Bible, and thank God, most the people raised their hands. Then he asked how many people answered their cell phone or checked their messages everyday. Then he asked the very important question: HOW MANY PEOPLE OPEN THEIR BIBLE EVERYDAY AND HOW MANY PEOPLE CHECK GOD'S MESSAGE IN THE BIBLE EVERYDAY?

The holy Bishop went on to ask whether we would return home if we left the Bible at home, and other questions to emphasise the importance we place on our cell phones, but how we often fail to place the same emphasis on the Living Word of God. He went on to make the point that we can live without the cell phone, but we cannot live without God's Word.

Learn from Our Blessed Mother how to make the Living Word effective in your life. Live as a Disciple of Jesus and Mary. Invoke the Holy Spirit and pray "speak, Lord, Your servant is listening" and then enter into the Word of God. As God speaks to your heart say "here I am, Lord, I come to do Your Will."

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

THERE IS ONE BAPTISM

JMJ+OBT
Omnia Pro Iesu Per Mariam!

BAPTISM is derived from the Greek word, bapto, or baptizo, and it means to wash or to immerse. THERE IS ONE BAPTISM which is the Baptism of Jesus Christ, true God and true man, who went into the waters of the Jordan for us. Jesus did not need to be baptized because He is the One True God. Jesus went into the waters of the Jordan to fulfill all righteousness. Jesus went into the waters of the Jordan to sanctify the waters so that we could be baptized into Him. We need to be baptized into Jesus. We need to be immersed in Jesus.

Sacred Scripture states clearly that there is "one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4:4-6). The one body is the Body of Christ which subsists in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The one Spirit is the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is the soul of the Catholic Church. The one hope of your call is to live the Trinitarian life of God, received in the sacrament of baptism, for all eternity. The one Lord is Jesus Christ. The one faith is the Catholic faith, and all are invited to come to the fullness of the faith in the Catholic Church. The one baptism is in Jesus Christ so that we can live as children of the one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

DO YOU HEAR THE WORD OF GOD IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT? THERE IS ONE BAPTISM! Jesus was baptized so that we can live IN Him. IN Him we live and move and have our being. We are IMMERSED into Christ. We no longer live for ourselves. We live for Him Who died and rose for us. We have been baptized IN the ONE BAPTISM which is immersion IN JESUS CHRIST.

The primary point is that there is ONE BAPTISM and we are to be IMMERSED IN CHRIST so that we can bring about the ONENESS THAT THE FATHER DESIRES. WE ARE GIVEN THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR BAPTISM TO BRING FORTH THIS ONENESS IN THE DIVINE POWER OF LOVE.

We are to live our baptism by living the life of Jesus gifted to us in baptism. Jesus' life is the Trinitarian life which is a life of Communion. Jesus' spirituality is a Trinitarian-Marian Spirituality. To learn how to live this life of Jesus continue to let God form you in the Lay Formation Program of Our Lady. Help others to live their baptism by sharing the Call to Holiness with them as you provide the link to "ourladylovesyou.org".

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT

EPIPHANY

JMJ+OBT
Christ has appeared to us; come, let us adore Him!

EPIPHANY means appearance or manifestation. THE EPIPHANY is the appearance or manifestation of God in Jesus Christ who is the Eternal Word, God Himself, who in the fullness of time became man for us. The invisible God becomes visible to us to reveal God's Infinite Love for us. When we embrace this EPIPHANY our hearts leap for joy.

The three wise men were led by the star of Bethlehem to the manger where the Divine Child lay and Our Lady helped them recognize the human face of God and the Divine face of man in Jesus Christ. The star rose in the sky and the hope of the wise men rose within them as faith told them that their deepest longings would be fulfilled if they acted on the faith that arose in them with the rising of the star. The wise men were wise enough to be attentive to the signs of the presence of God. They showed their true wisdom by acting on their faith.

Wisdom is demonstrated when one lives a life of faith in God and acts on their faith in love of God and love of neighbor. Wisdom is demonstrated when one is willing to leave the earthly "kingdoms" we think we have established or belong to, and follow a path of faith, hope and charity to come to the Kingdom of God.

It is clear that God exists. Every rational and reasonable person must admit that there is a God. There is the Unmoved Mover Who is the One God. There is the Uncaused Cause Who is the One God. There is the Necessary Being Who is the One God. There is the Governor of the Universe Who is the One God. There is the Highest Perfection Who is the One God. Let us then ask for the light of faith to find the One True God Who is the Most Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

THE EPIPHANY of God made man in Jesus Christ is our joy. Come to Him, adore Him, and be transformed by Him. Let nothing stop you from finding Jesus and following Jesus. There will be opposition from the devil, the flesh and the world, but we have the victory over all our enemies when we live and move and have our being in Jesus Christ. Follow the light of faith and learn from Our Lady how to say "yes" to Jesus. Our Blessed Mother is the woman of faith and the Star of the New Evangelization. Ask her to help you recognize Jesus in the many EPIPHANIES of life. Ask her to help you grow in your faith and share your faith so that others may have an EPIPHANY.

The light of faith is brighter than the Star of Bethlehem. We walk by faith, not by sight, to come to the joys of the Everlasting Kingdom of God. We act on our faith and come to behold the King of kings and the Lord of lords in Jesus Christ. We behold Jesus, Our King, with the eyes of Mary, Our Blessed Mother, and learn to adore, worship and give the total gift of ourselves to Jesus. Just as the wise men gave the costliest gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, we give the gift most pleasing to God which is the gift of ourselves through obedience to God and the Catholic Church He established in His blood.

May this new calendar year bring you many blessings. May God smile upon you and show His face to you. May the EPIPHANY of God's real, true and substantial presence in the Most Holy Eucharist bring you joy, peace and the strength to build a world of peace by implementing the Holy Father's World Peace Message found at: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/peace/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20081208_xlii-world-day-peace_en.html

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Through the intercession of Our Lady, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. James, St. Therese, St. Rita, St. Philomena, St. Jude, St. Nicholas, St. Alphonsus, St. Peter Chrysologus, St. Zachary, St. Elizabeth, St. John the Baptist, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Francis, St. Veronica Guiliani, St. Joan of Arc, St. Louis, St. Joseph Calasanz, St. Padre Pio, St. Patrick, St. Bridget, St. Columban and all the Holy Angels and Saints may you be abundantly blessed in the Covenant of Communion of the Most Holy Trinity, with my Priestly blessing,

Father Zachary of the Mother of God, SOLT