Sermon - Servants of the Holy Family

He Was Sent To Heal Us

January 15, 2012By Servants Of The Holy Family

2nd Sunday after Epiphany 2012
We are in a new season of the Church which connects the time of the Nativity to the Paschal Mystery. We must bring our attention, devotion, and especially fervent prayer to the Mass today. The Church continues to celebrate the fact that God has become a man. We have something the world lacks; we have hope. We know that despite all we endure, God can fix everything in an instant, and all that He permits us to endure is for our good. In the Gospel for today we see the power of the intercessory prayer of the Virgin Mary. She speaks to us when she says to “do whatever He says.” The transubstantiation which took place at Cana was not only a type of the Holy Eucharist, but also a foreshadowing of the transformation which must take place in each of our souls.
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The Care of the Holy Family

January 8, 2012By Servants Of The Holy Family

Feast of the Holy Family 2012
During this season the same gift given to the Gentile nations through the Magi is once again given to us. The divinity of Jesus Christ is demonstrated to each of us. The events and mysteries of Our Lord’s early life are made present once again, as if we were there to witness them firsthand.

When the Gospel says that Jesus “increased in wisdom, age, and grace,” it refers to Our Lord in His human nature. The human mind of Christ not only possessed the beatific vision but also all the secrets of nature. Along with this, in His human mind He also had acquired, experiential knowledge and was capable of increasing in this knowledge.

St. Joseph trustingly followed God’s guidance throughout his life. And just as he provided for all the needs of the Holy Family, St. Joseph has provided for the needs of our community which has put its special trust in him.
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The Historical Context of the Epiphany

January 6, 2012By Servants Of The Holy Family

First Friday Conference, January 2012

At the time of the Nativity of Christ many learned pagans were leaving the old, polytheistic beliefs. This was an era in which the pagan world was searching for truth. It was also soon after the time of the Babylonian captivity of the Hebrews. During this pivotal moment in history the Incarnation took place. There were two manifestations of the birth of Christ – one to the Jews by promise and the other to the Gentiles by privilege. God sent a message to the Wise Men in a way that they would understand, with the use of a star. Of all those who observed this mysterious star, only these few Magi had the courage to follow their vocation. The prophecies of the coming Messias were known to the people of the East because of the Babylonian captivity and their fulfillment was recognized by the Wise Men. The moment which changed the universe forever finally came, and the Savior was born. Soon after St. Joseph found a house where the Holy Family could live. It was here that the Magi met the Redeemer of the world and adored Him as representatives of all the Gentile nations.
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God’s Desires for Us this Year

January 1, 2012By Servants Of The Holy Family

Octave of the Nativity 2012

Although we see the wise men depicted in the nativity scene along with the shepherds, in truth, the Magi arrived many days later. The Star of Bethlehem is an example of how God accommodates Himself to the knowledge and beliefs of mankind. It was believed in ancient times that at the birth or death of great figures, their star would be seen in the heavens, so God accommodated His plan to those beliefs in order to lead the Magi to Our Lord. As the Gentile nations of the earth were represented by the wise men, all nations will praise their King in the end.

Our Lord was given the Holy Name of Jesus, through the authority of St. Joseph, so that we may have the privilege of calling Him by His name as one of His intimate friends.

This day is called the solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Circumcision of Our Lord because we honor her on this day as true Mother of God and perpetual virgin. We recall the rite which Our Lord underwent which acted as an anticipation of baptism. By circumcision Christ humbly took the posture of a sinner Who needed to be welcomed among the people of God.
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That We May Hope

December 4, 2011By Servants Of The Holy Family

^{Sermon From The}^{2nd Sunday of Advent 2011}The Holy Bible, and particularly the New Testament, was written primarily to strengthen the faith of those who already believe. It is meant to give continual education and guidance to the faithful. We should treat the word of God with the greatest reverence. If we read Holy Scripture regularly, the words will become imprinted in our hearts and come to mind when they are most needed.

Our Lord fulfilled His promise to the ancient Hebrews when He became man, but for the gentile nations, God had no promise or obligation. He came to us out of love alone. This should make us all the more humble and grateful. This season was given to us so that we might have a deeper gratitude for what our Redeemer has done for us. In order to appreciate how good Our Lord is, we must first appreciate the state of our wretchedness and the evil of sin – its cause. In this knowledge of ourselves we cry out, “If You will, Lord, You can make me clean!”
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Watch For The Signs

November 20, 2011By Servants Of The Holy Family

Last Sunday after Pentecost 2011
Death comes to us all, and at the moment of our death judgment is passed instantaneously. No longer distracted by the material world, the soul is given a direct intuition of its state in the eyes of God and its eternal abode is fixed forever. The Holy Souls thirst for our prayers, because they are utterly incapable of helping themselves anymore.

The end of the world is spoken of by Christ more than any other topic. No matter what happens in the times to come, we must maintain trust in God, knowing that He will not let anything happen to the souls of His friends. The reason there will be a General Judgment is because every sin has a public aspect to it, and God’s justice must be vindicated publicly. God gives us signs predicting the end of time to console the just and frighten the wicked, and we must be able to recognize these nine signs, so we may know when our judgment is at hand.
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