Will Of God

St. Monica and the Force of Will

May 4, 2012By Servants Of The Holy Family

Conference from
1st Friday May 2012
In the early Church, widowhood was considered a special vocation for women. Widows would dedicate themselves to the care of the church and looked to St. Monica as their special patron. The tears of St. Monica merited the conversion of her son, who left behind his dissolute life and became one of the greatest theologians and philosophers of the Church. St. Monica came from a Christian family in Northern Africa. As a young woman she was inclined to drink excessively. When this vice was discovered, in her shame, St. Monica vowed to never drink wine again and kept that promise for the rest of her life.

When the force of the human will is aided by divine assistance it is truly astounding what can be accomplished. If we want something enough, we do what is necessary to get it, but if we don’t want to do it, the least excuse will prevent us from trying. If we are forgetful of self, focused on our duty, and rely on divine assistance, we will overcome the greatest obstacles.
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A Vision of Hell

March 25, 2012By Servants Of The Holy Family

Passion Sunday 2012

The liturgical year reflects the life of Christ, and we now reach the fruition of His earthly life with the approach of Holy Week. All the images are veiled to remove all consolations so that we may better unite with the desolation Christ endured in those moments. The great mystic, Josefa Menéndez, received visions of Purgatory and Hell. Our Lord spoke of these punishments of the next life very often. Sister Josefa frequently spoke of the inability of the lost souls to love, and that if even the slightest act of love were permitted it would no longer be Hell. She saw that a soul which had gone to great lengths to deprive and mortify itself on Earth would not endure the sufferings of Hell. We should have an undying fear of this eternal punishment, practice the virtue of hope, and respond to the continual graces God offers.
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Dispel the Darkness of Our Minds

February 2, 2012By Servants Of The Holy Family

Feast of the Purification 2012
This is one of the most ancient feasts in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. God gave Moses the Law which instructed His chosen people to present their children to Him shortly after their birth. Although Our Lord and His Holy Mother were not subject to this law, He submitted Himself freely to it as an example for us. After Our Lord was presented to God, He was ritually ransomed back by His parents through the sacrifice they offered in the Temple. The beautiful sacramental of the candle, which is distributed today, is a means of ridding our souls of sin through God’s grace. As we pray that its light will dispel the darkness of our minds, we must continue to ask for the desire for Heaven and union with Our Lord.
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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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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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