Last Week’s ‘Food For The Journey’

“How great are the works of the Lord!” -Psalm 111

How generous and kind Our Lord is! How faithfully He overwhelms us with His goodness! On this pilgrimage homeward to Heaven, it is crucial to pause in awe and wonder at the grandeur of our God. From the magnificence of His creations, to the humility of His Eucharistic Love, to His precious presence in our brothers and sisters we are daily met with the gift of  genuflecting in gratitude at His greatness. Psalm 111 is a poignant reminder that we are to look at the fidelity of His works and the justice of His precepts. The unending and overwhelming depths of God’s love for us is trustworthy and eternal. May our lives bear humble witness to His greatness. May the words we speak give unceasing glory to Him. May our minds be open to reflect upon and contemplate all that is good, true, and beautiful-all that is of Heaven. May our hearts beat perpetually and solely with the burning fire to love Him more, so as to make His goodness known. 

St. Tarcisius -third century martyr

Holiness has no age limit.

During the hostile third century Roman persecution of the early Church, a young man by the name of Tarcisius gave His life in defense of the Most Holy Eucharist. Although he was only twelve years old, Tarcisius had a heart of courageous love and zeal for his faith. He was an acolyte that would risk and sacrifice his very life in order to bring the Eucharist to imprisoned Christians who were condemned to death.

Typically, aftet Holy Mass was offered in the catacombs, a deacon would then bring the Blessed Sacrament to imprisoned Christians who were awaiting their death. However, when a deacon was not available to do so, Tarcisius, who was an acolyte, was sent instead. Despite the danger of the modern day circumstances, Tarcisius was not afraid to carry out this heroic task for love of Christ and his persecuted brethren. 

During his travels to the prisons, a group of young playmates of Tarcisius who were not Christians, stopped him and asked Tarcisius to recreate with them. When Tarcisius declined and the young boys noticed he was carrying something closely to his chest, they began to question and eventually beat him in order to anxiously view the Precious Sacrament. Tarcisius was beaten down by their unjust blows and mockery. Eventually, a group of fellow Christian took note of what was occurring and rescued the young acolyte.

As he was being carried back to the refuge of the catacombs, Tarcisius died from his injuries which he had sustained while defending the Most Holy Eucharist. This humble altar boy gave his very life, out of courageous love for Jesus Eucharistic, in his holy effort to bring Christ to others. He was buried in the cemetery of St. Callistus and is the patron saint of altar servers.

His life, despite his age, should challenge our faith, most especially our fidelity to Christ’s Eucharistic Presence. Are we willing to love and cherish the Blessed Sacrament with the same ardor, faith, and courage as this young saint?

St. Tarcisius, pray for us!

Faith is one of the three theological virtues, endowed upon the human soul through the Sacrament of Baptism.  Our focus will be how this virtue bears fruit in relation to the gift of ‘reason‘.

Fides et Ratio sec. 17, demonstrates how the human that searches for truth,  is also the one who must learn to live by truth by discerning what to believe. ( this is where faith and reason are vital entities.) “There is thus no reason for competition of any kind between reason and faith: each contains the other, and each has its own scope for action. Again the Book of Proverbs points in this direction when it exclaims: “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out” (Prov 25:2). In their respective worlds, God and the human being are set within a unique relationship. In God there lies the origin of all things, in Him is found the fullness of the mystery, and in this His glory consists; to men and women there falls the task of exploring truth with their reason, and in this their nobility consists….. The desire for knowledge is so great and it works in such a way that the human heart, despite its experience of insurmountable limitation, yearns for the infinite riches which lie beyond, knowing that there is to be found the satisfying answer to every question as yet unanswered.” Thus, we see that realm of belief is inclusive of interpersonal relationships in the sense that it delves into the capacity to know while entrusting your growth to the knowledge of others. Nonetheless, when knowledge through belief is grounded on trust between individuals it is linked to the action of mankind entrusting himself to another, which in turn extends the opportunity to make a gift of self.

This is actually a fairly easy to observe in contemplating the martyrs. Because they were devoted to the pursuit of truth, they entrusted the growth of that desire to the point of actually shedding their own blood for Christ. It is the balance of faith and reason in the pursuit of truth that appeals to man’s ultimate desires.

Truth infuses into mankind a certain divine momentum to discover what he was authentically created for. It is through faith that man knows and loves God and it is through reason that he knows himself and understands how to engage with the world with virtuous order.

“Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.”-Psalm 100

Is your joy intact? Is your heart satisfied in God alone? Do you rejoice in His goodness over you? 

Just as any parent delights in witnessing the joy of their child, so too, does God the Father delight in the joy of His children. He invites us to come to Him and to sing joyfully. Such a joy is a stark contrast to the ‘happiness’ which the world encourages us to pursue. The happiness of the world is based upon chasing frivolity and satiation of the passions. However, God invites us to come into His presence with a joy that is not based upon the things of this world. The joy that we bear as Christians must come from a place of interior confidence and gratitude in knowing that we belong to The Author of all life. Authentic joy is a direct result of trusting and knowing that the Lord is God and rules over all things. More so, it means knowing that He has crafted us for, with, and in Love. We are His and He tends to our every need with perfect compassion and providence. Psalm 100 emphasizes for us that belonging to Christ as His beloved gives us every reason to proceed in this life and in to the next with a joy full of thanksgiving. We rejoice in His goodness, faithfulness, and kindness and the fruit of joy is part of the humble gift we are invited to give back to Him. What good is a joyless Christian or thankless heart? It is through our joy and gratitude that we come “into the presence of the Lord” in our everyday interactions and responsibilities. May the joy that radiates from your life give testimony to Whose you are and where you are going in the life to come. 

St . Imelda Lambertini 1322-1333

”Tell me, can anyone receive Jesus into his heart and not die?”

This was the question that reverberated in the heart and mind of little St. Imelda. Despite her young age, she now serves as a beautiful example of Eucharistic love and devotion. St. Imelda Lambertini was raised in a pious family that prioritized fidelity to the will of God and sacramental devotion. On the occasion of her fifth birthday, St. Imelda’s one request to her parents was to be a living monstrance for Christ by receiving Him in the Blessed Sacrament. Regardless of her great love and purity in such a request, she was denied because of her age. Although this was painfully devastating to the heart of such a young child, St. Imelda  was resolved to only love Christ Crucified more. 

At the age of nine she was granted permission to join the Domicans close to Bologna. While she devoted herself to an austere life within the walls of the convent, she could not receive the Blessed Sacrament until the age of twelve. No matter how many times she begged her convent chaplain to reconsider, St. Imelda was not granted permission to receive the Most Holy Eucharist. 

Finally, on May 12th, 1333, on vigil feast of the Ascension, St Imelda was so overcome by holy sorrow that she could not help cry as she watched her fellow Sisters partake in reception of the Eucharist. As Holy Mass concluded, she was left alone in the chapel, unnoticed in her anguish.  Soon after, the monastery became filled with the aroma of roses, the nuns followed the fragrance to the chapel and there, in utter shock, witnessed a Consecrated Host suspended in the air above the sorrowful little Imelda. The priest who had just finished celebrating Holy Mass obtained a paten and waited for The Host to descend. Finally, the Sacred Host rested on the paten, St. Imelda at last received Her Eucharistic Lord. 

The overwhelming joy which followed in the heart of this humble child was too much for her bear. She at last had received her Beloved One and in turn she fell into a state of ecstasy. Full of heavenly joy and thanksgiving, St. Imelda died in this state of ecstasy. Her hunger and devotion to the Eucharist is a robust model of living and longing for Christ alone. St. Imelda’s incorruptible body can be viewed in the Church of San Sigsmondo in Bologna. She is revered as patron of First Holy Communicants.

St. Imelda Lambertini, pray for us!

Prudence

Prudence is one of the four cardinal virtues, which serves as a foundational tool for growth In the interior life.  Every action that is in correspondence with healthy or holy growth is discerned and chosen by prudential navigation and consideration. Without prudence, one can never act in accordance with goodness, nonetheless understand and choose the right means for achieving goodness. Through the use of reason, which was endowed upon us when we are were crafted in the Imago Dei,  prudence ultimately assists us in governing  ourselves in accordance with that which is holy. It is through reason that we reflect the image of God, for our rational souls possess the ability to intellectually understand and choose that which is objectively good in every situation so that God is made known.

There are a multitude of scenarios that require proper prudential judgment.  Because every action, every word, every moment has the potential to glorify God, there is the vigilant need of virtue so as to cultivate holiness. One does no become holy by accident. All choices require prudence, from simple example of selecting healthy food to a more weighted scenario of choosing how to best assist someone challenged by a grave moral dilemma. 

Prudence is best exercised in patience. What I mean by this is that usually, when there is a lack a prudence, there is a lack of understanding, whether intentional or unintentional. It takes time and diligence to learn and understand so as to appreciate the fullness of the impact that our decisions, on this side of heaven, maintain. Having patience and persistence provides us with the grace and the compassion to approach every situation wisely and with the Heart of Christ.

 “And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is now at work in you who believe.” 1Thessalonians 2:13

In St. Paul’s address to the Thessalonians, he encourages them to give thanks unwaveringly and in every circumstance. God is ever deserving of prayers of thanksgiving due to the abundance of blessings and graces which He bestows upon us. More so, St. Paul emphasizes that what God has begun and is “at work” within us is further cause of unceasing praise and thanksgiving.

 It is in His humility that God gives and it is in humility which we are called to receive. The ’word of God’ that St. Paul is writing to the Thessalonians about is not merely the written word. Rather, we examine in John 1:1 that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Thus, the ‘word of God’ which St. Paul is raising to the awareness of the Thessalonians is God’s very gift of self. He gives Himself to us so that we may possess His love and truth. In turn, we are called to give of ourselves through lives that our good, true, and beautiful so as to reflect God’s own self gift. We are to give thanks unceasingly, not simply through verbal prayers. More so, we maintain the privilege and responsibility of giving thanks through the prayer of our very life, a life laid down out of love for God and neighbor. 

St José Sánchez del Rio

”Long live Christ the King! Long live the Virgin of Guadalupe!”

Born on March 28th, 1913, St José was born into a devout Catholic family in Sahuayo Michoacán, Mexico. He was raised with his three siblings on a cattle farm. Even as a young boy, he had a strong devotion to the rosary, attending daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and he would even encourage other young children in the faith.
St. José was only 12 years old when the Cristero War began. Despite his age, he pleaded with his mother to grant him permission to go fight with his older brothers. When his mother refused he said to her “ Mama, do not let me lose the opportunity to gain Heaven so easily and so soon.”

Even after after his mother gave in, José was met with opposition from Prudencio Mendoza, commander of the Cristeros. he questioned what contribution such a young boy could possibly make. José assured him that it did not matter if it was cleaning weapons or frying beans, he was willing to assist in any way possible. Upon seeing the resolve and zeal of José, Mendoza assigned young José to be the flag bearer and eventually aide General Rubén Guízar Morfin as the bugler. José was nicknamed “ Tarcisius” in reference to an early Christian martyr who gave his life for the Eucharist. 

On February 6, 1928, St. José was captured by federalist soldiers while assisting General Rubén in fleeing. 

In the midst of his captivity, St. José was a radiant example of complete trust and surrender to God’s providence. He even encouraged prisoners much older than him to remain hopeful in heaven and be joyful. This in turn, infuriated the federalists and they proceeded to torture him in numerous ways. Because of his refusal to denounce Christ, St José was cut with a machete and then shot several times. On February 10, 1928 St. José Sánchez del Rio died as a martyr of Christ at the age of fourteen. He was beatified in 2005 by Pope Benedict XVI and later canonized in 2016 by Pope Francis. 

St. José Sánchez del Rio, pray for us!

The Catholic Church is a mystery, it overflows with such velocity in its doctrines of truth and intricate teachings, yet in the same instance, the Church reverberates with profound simplicity. Christ’s message that He proclaimed over two thousand years ago is the foundation for such a simplicity, His message was love. Not the distorted twisted emotional love that the world has succeeded in formalizing; rather, a perfect gentle breath of love that is selfless. Jesus Christ accomplished the acme of love by sacrificing His very life upon a wooden throne, so that all of creation might have the opportunity to love as He did. This is the primary vocation for all, to love just as Christ loved. The cardinal virtues disposes mankind to participate in such a way that His love may be manifested in the simplicity of hearts. More specifically, the virtue of justice directs creation in such a way that every man relinquishes to God and neighbor the love that is due. Justice secures, protects, and expands the love that Christ cultivated when He accepted the flesh of man.

Justice is one of the four cardinal virtues contained within the teachings of the Catholic Church. All four, both singularly and collectively, play pivotal roles in stabilizing our attitudes, dispositions, habitual perfections regarding the intellect and will, and our passions in accordance to reason and faith. In the pages of Philippians 4:8 we are given a radical reminder to dwell upon these virtues saying, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

It is through justice that the  rights of man are established and respected. It is developed through the vigilant pursuit of harmony among all relations. Such an act promotes the common good and grants all their ius. Justice is not merely satisfied by the acquisition of deliberate acts done with the effort to dignify mankind but it is also the maintenance of moral balance. Christ was the greatest social worker that ever existed, he cared for the sick, healed the lame, fed the poor, admonished sinners, and saved souls from being stoned for their injustices. He showered upon humanity the gift of justice and protected many from injustice while he himself suffered immense agony unjustly. The life, death, and resurrection of Christ illustrates with profound humility that justice is not merely respecting others; rather, justice is the pursuit of mankind’s dignity.

This is the beauty of the teaching of the Catholic Church, instituted by Christ thousands of years ago. Christ came out of love for humanity, he served to teach us how to love, and he died upon the cross as love, and now he calls you and I to that very same vocation. A vocation that can only be fulfilled by loving others as you love yourself and giving to both God and man their proper due.

He put a new song into my mouth,
 a hymn to our God.
Many shall look on in awe
 and trust in the LORD.-Psalm 40:4

In a world where excessive noise is normalized and self reliance is placed on a pedestal, humble confidence in the goodness of the Lord has been gravely overlooked. Every morning, it is Christ who fills our hearts, minds, and souls, with the strength of a new song. A song of beauty and joy and one which bears the fruit that produces holiness and trust filled abandonment to His Divine Will. We are encouraged by societal standards and secular pressures to seek the things of the world so as to excite our hearts. Yet, so many hearts are miserable and unfulfilled. This is because our hearts were made for virtue-for God Himself.
Let us pray with this Scripture passage and ask for the grace to place our confidence in Christ alone and focus our gaze on the things of above. May our trust in the Lord yield an abundance of peace and humble contentment. 

St Juliana Falconieri

Welcomed into a prestigious family in Florence Italy, in 1270, St. Juliana Falconieri was born with a heart on fire for the Eucharist. She was an Italian mystic who would go on to participate heavily in the religious community known as the Servants of Mary. 

  Her years as a youth were filled with a desire to lay down her life in service to others and to embrace a lifestyle which was pious and generous.
While contributing to the founding of the Servite community in 1233, St Juliana entered the Third Order of St Francis. This permitted her to live an austere life at the service of those around her without taking formal religious vows. She spent her days tending to the spiritual and physical needs of the poor and became well known in Florence for her charitable heart.

St. Juliana was also a mystic who maintained a great love for the Eucharist. Towards the end of her life, she became very sick with a painful illness that took away her ability to consume food or water.  Despite her physical suffering, her greatest suffering was the privation of receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.

When the time of her earthly life was coming to an end, her one request was Jesus Eucharist. Although she could not receive Him, she was granted permission to adore Him in the Blessed Sacrament. The Most Holy Eucharist was then laid upon a corporal over her servant heart. As St. Juliana took her last breath, the Sacred Host disappeared into her bosom, no doubt imprinting itself upon her sanctified heart. St. Juliana Falconieri passed in 1341, and was canonized in 1737 by Pope Clement XII. She is the patron of those gravely ill and a resilient example of Eucharistic fervor and love.
St. Juliana Falconieri, pray for us!

Many of us hope for a new job or for a thrilling experience lurking just around the corner. Some of us hope that a person we love will get better or that our favorite sports team will win the next championship. The world uses the word “hope” to stir up an empty anticipation of the next “best thing” that is going to come our way.
However, the truth is, those things come and go and the happiness or high they brought with them soon passes. What does it then mean to truly hope? To truly recognize it as a virtue by which we live holy lives and not merely as a pregnant pause of waiting for what we want?
For the saints, to hope meant to not despair; rather, to place all their confidence in God. These holy men and women chose to believe in the goodness that He had willed for them and understood that to despair would be a direct contradiction to the love and mercy of His Sacred Heart.
The virtue of hope is one of the three theological virtues and carries upmost importance in the integrity of every Christian life.
The virtue of hope directs our every aspiration, concern, and need to those things which are eternal. St. Paul writes that “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen” Hebrews 11:1.