The Progress of A Pilgrim- A Journey

I was traveling by a hill On the outskirts of the City There, I heard a dying Man cry to me. "Thirst I for my loved But gone is she far off Dos't thou know whither he went  Canst thou bring him hither?" I raised my head an saw, A Man crucified upon a Cross.  His tears flowing down the cheeks, His Body Fully torn, With all the Blood shed, He was out fully worn. I asked whom He sought.  "Thy soul thy soul my love." When I cried asked who He be! Replied the Man, "Jesus on Calvary" I wept, I mourned , I lamented for this Man's painful destiny.   Woe that from His face I didst flee Living Waters leaving, Putrid waters to drink.

 It is in our sufferings and our crosses, we truly see what this world really is. It's truly the vale of tears. To fall in love with the world would truly mean hating. In all things,  we must never attach ourselves to this dark dark world and its prince, The Devil.   Detachment is an ascetic virtue not just for monks and cloistered nuns or even The Priests. It is a necessity for us, the laity as well.  We should prefer nothing to God, says St. Benedict. As Christians,  we're all supposed to be monks and nuns. Not that everyone is called into the roof of the Monastery or given the Habit.  But all of us are called to be Alone in the world,  for God. My fellow Catholics, the more I look around,  I see how Satan has grasped the souls, even of those who were born elects. My friends and family in Christ,  look around you and you'll see the demons wreaking havoc in the world. Only through penance and strengthening of our Faith through the Sacra...

On one occasion, as St. Dominic was by night walking about the convent of S. Sabina, guarding his flock with the vigilance of a good shepherd, he met the enemy in the dormitory, going like a lion seeking whom he might devour; and recognizing him, he said, "Thou evil beast, what doest thou here?" "I do my office," replied the demon, "and attend to my gains." "And what gains dost thou make in the dormitory?" asked the saint. "Gain enough," returned the demon. "I disquiet the friars in many ways; for first, I take the sleep away from those who desire to sleep in order that they may rise promptly for matins; and then I give an excessive heaviness to others, so that when the bell sounds, either from weariness or idleness they do not rise; or, if they rise and go to choir, it is unwillingly, and they say their office without devotion." Then the saint took him to the church, and said, "And what dost thou gain here?" "M...

The Beautiful Vesperal Hymn to the Blessed Virgin, Salve Regina rightly proclaims this world as a "vale of sorrows". In this world,  we can never be too happy. If we are wealthy, we worry about our wealth being stolen.  If we're poor, we cry out, why we don't possess wealth. But the truth is, this world,  after the Fall of our First Parents were devoid of Happiness.  For man was made for God and God alone is the Happiness of Man. But the fallen man is so busy trying to seek Happiness in things that he's forgotten his Creator.  "He was sent to His Own, and they did not accept Him", says St. John The Evangelist and Apostle; in The Prologue of His Gospel. Man has always sought that Happiness but before God The Son came down only a few sought Him as He is. So the non-Israelites or the Gentiles sought Him in things and creation. And because God The Holy Ghost had yet not descended, Man had not the Truth and thus, made God's for themselves.  But as St. Pau...

O Thou Humblest of God's Creation,  Yet Queen Heavenly Realms,  Daughter of The Sorrowing Eva, Greater than her woeful self; Greater than The Saints in Glory, Mother the God Most High  How shall I sing Thy Praises, Of Thy Majesty? My Sinful soul knoweth how chant and sing, To Thee, The Great Mother of The Holy King Song I but through poor lips  Thy Glories Oh Glorious Glorious Queen, Help me never be parted from Thy Mantle, Never, in this Realms of Sin. O mortal man praise Thy Mother,  Sing Her Glories far and nigh. To God Her Creator,  Sing ye praise  Who reignest on High, For Greatest of His Creations, Most Blessed of them all, She alone by Her Humility safety Man from the Fall. Hail o Virgin refuge of our fallen race, HAIL Queen of Heavenly Realms, Queen of every Grace. Glory to Thee oh Sweetest Mother, Thou the delight of God, Thou, The God Bearer, Mother of Our Lord

  The more we live and listen to the worldlings,  the greater should we despise theworld. We live in a world which jolly well knows its Creator,  and realizes what Sin does but nonetheless despises the Sovereign Good over worthless "desires and goods" of this world. St. John The Evangelist in his Gospel, " And this is the judgment: because the light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light: for their works were evil. [20] For every one that doth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, that his works may not be reproved. "(St. John 3: 18-19) There's a reason why monks leave the world.  It is to run away from the three primary enemies to the soul, namely; the Devil,  The Flesh and The World. The Monastic Life isn't something new! It's pre-existed Christianity. Yet in Christianity,  it's fullest meaning is deciphered.  I have often felt this call, and I do not know how long I can stay away from it. For the Call of...

    "And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." -Matthew 23:12  Our Lady is the ultimate example of deep and profound Humility on the spiritual journey. Many who become spiritual and attain knowledge and wisdom are usually so quick to put themselves on a stage and preach to the nation with the selfish motivations of desiring praise, recognition, and fame in return.  The truly wise, never believe they're wise, as they have realized the deep understanding that all wisdom is God's and God's alone. God has a way of humbling people who attempt to steal the spotlight from his glory, and for good reason as its only when you're willing to become small do you actually realize freedom, from yourself.  Self-forgetfulness is something taught by many Catholic saints, Jesus also taught us that we need to lose ourselves in order to discover ourselves. Our true self is humble, gentle, kind and compassionate, it's...

Blessed Feast of The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ, every one! Epiphany or as is used in the Easter Church,  Theophany are one and the same word meaning one and the same thing; 'manifestation'.  On the Day of Annunciation,  the Archangel Gabriel preached the First Gospel to Our Lady, a simple Jewish Virgin Girl.   On announcing the Gospel about St. John The Baptist's Birth, He appears to a Priest; Zachariah.  To the doubting St. Joseph,  He appears in a dream to help the Saint make the right decision of taking "Mary as his wife".  On the fourth,  The Angels appear to the poor Jewish Shepherds to tell them, "this day, is born a Saviour..."  Until now God had favored the Sons of Abraham alone.  On Epiphany however, He chooses to speak to all the sons and daughters of Adam through the personage of the Magi. St. Matthew writes, "On entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother.  They prostrated themselves and did h...

The Birth of the One we recognize as the True Man and yet True God is not merely historical but also spiritual. He is not just a light out of many lights, He is the eternal dawn, the Divine Visitor, the True Light. He is new every time we see Him, yet He is eternal. Through His Incarnation in the silence of the night, He wakes the gloomy darkened world as He  reveals Himself, The Eternal light!  Paying homage on His Birthday however, does not excuse our denial of Him over 365 days. Celebrating Our Lord on the three-hundred-sixty-fifth day to comfort our indolence by praising him is not the pursuit of truth, but only the denial of responsibility.  A whole year passed and we did not acknowledge Him in action, but today, we acknowledge Him merely in praise and we expect redemption by a simple offering we make.  Did we not imprison and malign The One Who came to deliver us? Christmas Day is a day of rejoicing but also to feel ashamed to be called upon to perform formal d...

Blessed Feast of The Holy Innocents everyone.  The death of the Holy Innocents are a sign that even today there are Herods. Abortionists, pedophiles, satanists, heathens and more, who kill the Innocents either physically and/or psychologically.  On this Feast,  the Church reminds us to pray for these holy innocent children and their souls, to the Holy Innocents who are little Saints in Heaven that through Their Intercessions,  God may defend the childrenhere on earth.  COLLECT O God, the martyred innocents bore witness to Thee this day not by words but by laying down their lives. Destroy in us the evil of sin, so that our lives may bear witness to our faith in Thee, which we profess in words. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen. 

  The problem of the modern world is it loves to cast the very artist who made it to the sidelines.  It's a very strange sight if you ask me. A robot or an android remains a creation even if it has a thought of it's own. It's not a living thing right? To separate Michael Angelo from his artworks or Plato from his Philosophy doesn't change the fact that they exist only because of the ones who made them. In the same way,  Christmas can never be secularized ever.  Why?  Well, every decor we put in our homes resemble The "Word made Flesh" or the "God Incarnate,  Man Divine".  The candles resemble Christ who alone is "The Light of The World". The Green boughs of Holly or the Majestic Christmas Tree represents The Eternal Life. The Wreaths resemble The Omnipotence of The Blessed Trinity.  Santa Claus is St. Nicholas being the one of The Early Church Fathers known for his Charity for the poor.  Look at the stars, which resemble the Star of Bethleh...

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page."-Saint Augustine. Well, keeping this in mind, a Catholic would read this book to the fullest but "Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam"(all for the greater glory of God). Unlike a secular man, the Catholic man would consider if his trip would spiritually enhance his entity as a Child of God and His Spouse, The Church. His would be a Pilgrimage.  While he may find God in the silence of the vales and seas, he will never forget to visit a nearby Catholic Church and kneel before the awesome majesty of the Sacramental presence of his Master in The Tabernacle or the Altar. He will seek out these spiritual places not to satisfy the wanderlust, but to quench the thirst of a longing soul. The Catholic Traveller cannot be parted from his God in these trips. For he searches to fill his cup with the best wine and the plate with the best bread, that which goes beyond the worldly and takes him to the Divine. Are you traveling ...

With Quinquagesima Sunday and the last Sunday of the Shrovetide, God in today's readings speak of True Sight.  A Sight of conscience,  a Sight of looking within than without. Sometimes to look within we must realize, "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away the things of a child. "(1 Corinthians 13). It is in humility we must realize our inner blindness, like the butterflies or the bees which gather round flowers, we must gather round God. We must be like the poor Bartemeus. Sorrowing at our painful ignorance and horrifying sinfulness,  we too must cry out; "Jesus,son of David, have mercy on me." The world, the flesh and The Devil will try to hush us out just like the worldlings did to Bartemeus. But nonetheless we must crying out, "Son of David, have mercy on me."  But when it comes for us to desire what we ought to ask, may we like Bartemeus ask, "Lord, that I may...

  Mass is the supreme act of Prayer.  And the Holy Communion is the Reception of Jesus Christ both Body, Blood,  Soul and Divinity. It is essential to realize this fact. Prior to attending The Mass, one must be clear of Mortal Sins.  It is essential to realize that the hands of the  laity are not consecrated as in the case of a Priest.  It is therefore impossible for us to hold Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in our own hands.  Hence, we should rather worry ourselves lest we commit an act of sacrilege receiving Communion in the hands. I request every sane Catholic to stop receiving Communion in the hands. The Holy Council of Trent declared: THE COUNCIL OF TRENT Session XIII - The third under the Supreme Pontiff, Julius III, celebrated on the eleventh day of October, 1551 CHAPTER VII THE PREPARATION TO BE EMPLOYED THAT ONE MAY RECEIVE THE SACRED EUCHARIST WORTHILY If it is unbecoming for anyone to approach any of the sacred functions except in a spirit o...

God sometimes refrains from granting us consolation but this must not make us despair of God's Mercy.  It is indeed a Sin to despair.  Just as a father and a mother does not buy their child a particular toy at the child's request.  So is it for God. He sometimes keeps us without Divine Consolation but yet He loves us.  Let us therefore truly never despair of God's Mercy but with all our hearts, abandon ourselves to The Holy Will of God even when we have no Divine Consolation especially in our Spiritual Endeavours.  Pax Christe. 

  Out of the whole world one man, Peter, is chosen to preside at the calling of all nations, and to be set over all the apostles and all the fathers of the Church. Though there are in God’s people many shepherds, Peter is thus appointed to rule in his own person those whom Christ also rules as the original ruler. Beloved, how great and wonderful is this sharing of his power that God in his goodness has given to this man. Whatever Christ has willed to be shared in common by Peter and the other leaders of the Church, it is only through Peter that he has given to others what he has not refused to bestow on them. The Lord now asks the apostles as a whole what men think of him. As long as they are recounting the uncertainty born of human ignorance, their reply is always the same. But when he presses the disciples to say what they think themselves, the first to confess his faith in the Lord is the one who is first in rank among the apostles. Peter says: “You are the Christ, the Son of th...

  "And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." -Matthew 23:12  Our Lady is the ultimate example of deep and profound Humility on the spiritual journey. Many who become spiritual and attain knowledge and wisdom are usually so quick to put themselves on a stage and preach to the nation with the selfish motivations of desiring praise, recognition, and fame in return.  The truly wise, never believe they're wise, as they have realized the deep understanding that all wisdom is God's and God's alone. God has a way of humbling people who attempt to steal the spotlight from his glory, and for good reason as its only when you're willing to become small do you actually realize freedom, from yourself.  Self-forgetfulness is something taught by many Catholic saints, Jesus also taught us that we need to lose ourselves in order to discover ourselves. Our true self is humble, gentle, kind and compassionate, it's o...

  Christ is The Sun that illuminates everything but Mary is the moon and the pole star. On a dark night, She guides lost souls to Her Son.   When we loose our path, She; like the Gentle Mother She is, puts Her Hand in front and cries out; "not that way, this way my son/ my daughter". Praying to Mary is like talking to your Mother.  She's the gentle Moonlight who puts many a  worked out traveler to rest.  Ask yourself, "did you look towards that Wonderful Mother today? "

  Our Lady was a little "insignificant" and a Little Jewish Girl.  A Girl who cooked, who probably sang, who probably did everything a little girl Her age would do. But I believe Her Virtues surpassed the virtues even of the sons of Levi at the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. One day, An Angel's message changed everything for this Beautiful young humble Lady. She gained the dignity of being the new Eve, The New Mother of The Living.  She must have loved Her handsome Young Husband,  who after a dream of The Angel believed Her that She was The Mother of God The Son.  How She must have loved the Simple Carpenter, Joseph.  And how much St. Joseph loved His Immaculate Little Spouse.  And then, on a cold winter's night,  filling the whole world with Light, The Maker of light came into the world from the Immaculate Womb of Mary. How many Happy Birthdays, Mary and Joseph must have celebrated of the Son who Created words. How, Jesus might have played with His Mo...