The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friend,

Jesus Christ is true God and true Man. God really and truly entered Mary's womb. He took and formed His Human flesh from hers. She was a living tabernacle as Jesus lived within her for nine months. Mary gave birth to the Son of God on Christmas Day. Throughout His Life, Jesus always calls her His "Mother." Within the Gospel, we see that Elizabeth honors Mary as the Mother of The Lord. We find that everyone accepted that Mary was the Mother of Jesus.

The title of "mother" is perhaps one of the greatest titles on this earth. This title commands obedience, not with fear or threat of punishment, but rather with love and compassion. Mary is the perfect mother. She is like God in that she asks of us only what is for our own good. A mother forgets herself and thinks only of her child. Even when she must correct, admonish, or even punish her child, she is motivated out of love for the child. Many wayward children soon learn how to manipulate and take advantage of this love, and thus abuse their mothers. Yet, mothers rise from this humiliation or shame still loving their children.

God humbly and obediently submitted to Mary as a true Son. We are instructed to, likewise humbly and obediently obey our parents as Jesus did His. Our mothers may not be as perfect as Mary is, but we are not as holy and perfect as Jesus is either. Jesus has given us the perfect example of how to keep the Fourth Commandment of God. The entirety of the Hidden Life (the largest part of Jesus' life) is summed up by St. Luke: He was subject to them [His parents — Mary and Joseph].

As Jesus is Our Brother, so Mary has become our Mother. No matter how far we fall, Mary still loves us and desires only our salvation. She has put up with much abuse from us. Like any mother, Mary knows when to step in and when to patiently wait. She quietly awaits for us sinners to call out to her for help. She is ready to intercede for us. She is ready to clean and bandage our wounds. As long as we hold onto our sins, we refuse her help. She does not abandon us as we deserve, but she waits and prays for us to rise again. We may rightly fear to approach the door of Our Father's Home out of shame and humiliation, but Mary stands there calling to us and encouraging us. She can and will make everything right again between us and the Father. She is the Mediatrix of Grace assuring us of God's love and mercy.

In his Encyclical: "Lux Veritatis," December 25, 1931, Pope Pius XI says: "Wherefore let us be drawn to her by a certain powerful impulse and let us trust to her confidently all that is ours — joys, if we rejoice — woes, if we are in trial; hopes, if we endeavor to rise to nobler things. If the church falls into difficult times, if faith wanes, and charity grows cold, if morals, private and public, deteriorate, if any danger threatens the Catholic cause or civil society, let us have recourse to her begging help from heaven; in the supreme trial of death, when all hope, all help, is gone, let us lift up our eyes in tears and trembling, imploring through her pardon from her Son and eternal joy in heaven."

In all our personal sins, we need to call upon Mary's intercession. In all our crosses, we should beg her to teach us to make our own "Fiat" with hers. Then, may we imitate her and forget ourselves as we lovingly seek the salvation of others. Pope Pius XI was facing many problems in the world when he wrote the above lines. It appears that things have not gotten better but are much worse with the complete Modernist infiltration of the once Catholic Church. Faith has waned and charity has grown cold. Good vocations to both religious and clerical life are drying up. Now is the time, more than ever, to implore the aid of the Mother of God — for ourselves, for the Catholic Church, and for others.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, we fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To thee do we come, before thee we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer us. Amen

email: father@friarsminor.org Franciscan Benefactor Seraph Subscription Vocations Have you remembered God?

Would you like to make a donation?

Or, just log onto PayPal.com, after signing in you can send your donation to us at: Friars@friarsminor.org .

Blog with audio downloads

Return to Menu.

Return to Homepage.