Friday, June 24, 2011

Lady & the Lab ...



What a difference Our Lady makes in a 'dog' and in us! Since the eye is the 'window to the soul' may we always gaze on Our Lady's loveliness. May our eyes always reflect her face, her love and her presence to others. Hers is the face of our life, our sweetness and our hope. Amen.

BEHOLD YOUR MOTHER ...




let Mary's reflection fill your eyes, and though they might still look angry for a while, only your MOTHER can heal the "wounded dog" and calm his soul. Yes, Fr. Corapi, now to be known only as, "John," remember Mary, behold her, and find peace, contentment and joy IN your trials, (legal) and spiritual. May God help you. May Mary, Mother of all priests, console you as only She can. Amen.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Regarding the man *formerly known as* Father Corapi


If you will not do violence to yourself and will not be indifferent as far as your own interests are concerned, as to who is your Superior, do not flatter yourself that you will ever become a spiritual man and a faithful observer of your vows.

----St. John of the Cross

St. Francis Borgia showed the greatest veneration for all Superiors, not only while in office, but after they had retired from it. And when St. Ignatius appointed a lay-brother to take charge of his health, he yielded the same obedience to him that he would have to the Saint himself.

'One who is repentant cannot be haughty, just as one who sins deliberately cannot be humble-minded.'

St. Mark the Ascetic

'One ought to obey a superior, not on account of his wisdom, goodness, or other qualities which God has given him, but only because he is God's representative and acts by His authority, who has said: " He that heareth you heareth Me; he that despiseth you despiseth Me."'

St. Ignatius of Loyola

'Any tempest which assails us and which we did not bring on ourselves through any fault of ours, foretells a consolation soon to follow it.'

St. Ignatius of Loyola

'Unlimited self-denial. Love for and fidelity to Jesus, my Spouse, until death.'

St. Bernadette Soubirous

Had there been some trace of humility as in St. Bernadette's words above, just something close to it in your Friday night nuclear bomb you dropped via your "global announcement" to us all, then all this nasty 'fall-out' would be much less disheartening. Get SOME HELP A.S.A.P. -- but stop the blame game. It's not becoming and it's not a good example and no priest who became a Saint EVER did it, or they'd not be Saints.

I'm praying for you and all priests, seminarians and religious to DO THE RIGHT THING, stay courageous and 'suck it up' when the assaults come, don't 'jump ship' and go off on some rogue new venture ... remember you are 'alter Christus' and I'll follow NO SHEPHERD that rants against the Church or his superiors. That dog's bite my be as bad as his bark!

God bless you and PLEASE, "RUN TO YOUR MOTHER, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and don't ignore her pleas!!!


Monday, February 28, 2011

There's Something Fishy Goin On ...

Christianity and the gospel cannot be reduced to a 'sound bite' or a 'bumper sticker' theology. Jesus is infinite. Truth is eternal. His religion is vast and deep. Jesus says to us, "go out to the deep and cast your nets." You can wade in the shallows if you want, but the *fish* Jesus wants us to catch aren't there. The fish that "feed" you and the ones you're to catch for the Kingdom are in the deep, so I'm rowing out there! Wanna come along?

Saturday, February 19, 2011

"Jesus yes. Church no." What's Wrong With That?

A slogan that was popular some years back: “Jesus yes, Church no” is totally inconceivable with the intention of Christ! This individualistically "chosen Jesus" is an *imaginary* Jesus. We cannot have Jesus without the reality He created and in which He communicates Himself! (Not 'fully' anyway.) Between the Son of God-made-flesh and His Church there is a profound, unbreakable and mysterious continuity by which Christ is present today in His people. He is always contemporary - with us, He is always contemporary with the Church, built on the foundation of the Apostles, and alive in the succession of the Apostles. And His very presence in the community, in which He Himself is always with us, is the reason for our joy.

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

The Crucifix...


This image at Richard Serrin Art

Should Christians use (i.e. wear or have artwork of) or have a crucifix in their churches or house? Read this and perhaps gain more appreciation for Christ and His Saving Work. What does it really say about us when we no longer 'want' to see Jesus on the Cross? He commanded us, if we want to be His disciples, if we want to follow Him, we're to 'take up our cross and follow Him.' When we can't even look at Him on the Cross or prefer a 'dressed and glorified Jesus' we must remember this: No Cross, No Crown! No Cross, No Resurrection! You can say, "But we're 'Easter People'" and I would say, "Yes, we are." However, HOW did we become Easter people? Was there a 'short cut' that didn't require a 'death' on the Cross?

Lest I forget Gethsemane,
Lest I forget thine agony,
Lest I forget thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.

“Keep your eyes on the crucifix, for Jesus without the Cross is a man without a mission, and the Cross without Jesus is a burden without the reliever.” -- Archbiship Fulton Sheen

More religious images by this master artist.