THANKSGIVING FOR ANOTHER YEAR

 

Our Father who art in heaven, owner of Truth, of time and of eternity: Yours is today and tomorrow, the past and the future. As we end the year 2024, on behalf of myself and my family, we want to thank you for everything we received from you.

Thank you for the family you gave us, for life and love, air and sun, for joy and pain, for everything that was possible and for what could not be.

Thank you for welcoming us into your true Church. We offer you everything we did this year that is ending. The work we were able to do, the things that passed through our hands, and what we were able to build with them in a positive way.

Also, Lord, today we want to ask for your forgiveness.

Forgiveness for our sins, for the evil we have caused, for the time lost, for the money wasted, for the omissions, for the useless word and the wasted love.

Forgive me for empty works and for work poorly done. And forgive me for living without enthusiasm. Also for the prayer, which little by little, we were postponing and which until now we do to thank you for all that you have given us.

For all our forgetfulness, carelessness and silence. Once again we ask for your forgiveness, Lord.

We will begin a new year and we stop our life, before the new calendar still unused. We present to you these future 365 days, which only You know, who will get to live them completely. If we do not finish them... help us to die in You, in sanctifying grace, after having gone - sincerely contrite - to the tribunal of Confession.

Today we ask you for each one of us: peace and joy, strength and prudence, charity and wisdom, the effort to be faithful to you and always live in your Grace, because only in Grace is the safe path traveled. Only the fool does not understand this, so we ask you to remove any blindfold that prevents us from seeing our foolishness.

Lord, help us to be jealous of your glory and that of your Church, and to live only for You, in You and for You.

We want to live each day with optimism and goodness, carrying everywhere a heart full of understanding and peace that always seeks the Truth of your Word. Let nothing tear us away from it, for your faith is our greatest treasure.

Close our ears to all slander, to false doctrines against your Word. And our lips to lying, selfish, biting or hurtful words. Open, instead, our being to all that is good.

May our spirit be filled only with blessings, and spread them in our path. Fill us with goodness and joy, so that those who live with us, or those who come close to us, find a little bit of YOU in our lives.

Thank you, Lord, for everything and forgive our debts to you. Guide us all along the path of the narrow road that will allow us one day to enter through the narrow door and be in your eternal lap to bless you forever and ever. If for this it is necessary that you use your right hand to shake us, we accept in advance any pain and sorrow, however difficult they may be.

Give us a happy 2022 and teach us to love you, always living in your grace, and to follow you with complete fidelity. Thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of the past year, as well as for those that you will pour out in the year that begins.

Most Holy Virgin Mary, I commend my entire family to your Immaculate Heart.

Amen.

THE PRAISE THAT LIFTS US

How could man remain silent when time is renewed, and the Lord once again shows His mercy? As the night falls, closing one year and opening another, all of creation invites us to praise the Creator, to recognize in Him the source of all goodness and the fulfillment of all hope. “Great are You, Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is Your power, and Your wisdom is without measure,” says Saint Augustine, reminding us that praise is not just a duty but the natural response of a soul that has found its Creator.

To praise God at the beginning of a new year is far more than a tradition; it is a profoundly human and spiritual act. It acknowledges that time rests in His hands, that everything we are and everything we hope for depends on His providence. Saint Irenaeus of Lyon writes: “The glory of God is man fully alive, but the life of man is the vision of God.” In every act of praise, especially as a new cycle begins, the soul rises toward its eternal destiny, leaving behind fears and sorrows to enter the light of His presence. Praise is not an empty gesture but the echo of the truth within our hearts: the recognition that in Him we live, move, and have our being.

Looking back, the trials, joys, and struggles of life reveal His faithfulness. Every day He has upheld us is a testament to His love, even when we failed to perceive it. Saint Bernard declares: “The grateful soul never ceases to praise; whoever has tasted the love of God finds in praise their daily sustenance.” Thus, praise is not only gratitude for what has been received but also a trustful surrender to what lies ahead. On this threshold of a new year, praise becomes our most sincere response and our greatest act of hope.

All of creation proclaims the glory of God. As Saint Basil the Great says: “The heavens proclaim the glory of God, and the firmament shows forth the work of His hands. If creation praises Him, how much more should man, the masterpiece of His love?” The sun rising on the dawn of a new year, the stars twinkling on New Year’s Eve, and the wind blowing gently or fiercely—all are living hymns that proclaim the Lord’s goodness. But man, made in God’s image, has a higher duty. It is not enough to sing; we must live in praise, making each day, starting with this first sunrise of the year, a continuous hymn of love and fidelity.

Let us not live halfheartedly. On this New Year’s Eve and in the year that lies ahead, let us lift our hands, our voices, and our lives toward God. May every day of 2025 be an offering, every action a sacrifice, and every trial a cry of victory. “When the soul sings, the devil flees; when the soul trusts, heaven opens,” teaches Saint Cyprian. Let us hold nothing back, leave nothing unoffered. Let praise be our strength in battle, our banner on the journey, our lamp in the darkness. Let us praise God with all we are, proclaiming with the angels: “Worthy is the Lord of all praise and glory.”

At the end of our days, may our praise in this 2025 become a torch that lights the way to eternity. As Saint Gregory of Nyssa exclaims: “When we praise God, we anticipate eternity; our earthly voice joins the angelic choirs, and our hope becomes vision.”

“HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD OF HOSTS,” sing the angels. May this hymn be ours as well, today, in this new year that begins, and for all eternity.

OMO

Mary, the Burning Thornbush and the Mystery of the Consumed Flame

Oh Mary, you are not only the thornbush that burns without being consumed, but also the one that, in humility, allows itself to be consumed to give way to the Light. Your greatness lies not in preserving yourself, but in giving yourself entirely; not in resisting the fire, but in becoming the very flame that vanishes in the radiance of Christ.

You are that thornbush which, touched by the divine fire, consumes itself in silence—not to disappear, but to let the Word shine. Is this not your highest miracle, Mother? That, being full of grace, you make yourself small; that, being the throne of the Most High, you become His handmaid. You allow yourself to be consumed, Mary, not because God annuls you, but because you give yourself completely. Your will burns in the blaze of love, so that He alone remains visible, He alone is known and loved.

As we contemplate you, burning thornbush, we see how you are consumed to become the first altar where Christ, the Lamb, is offered to the world. Your flesh gives way to His flesh; your blood, to His blood. All of you, oh Mother, are the fertile field where the heavenly wheat sprouts and bears fruit. And though you burn in this offering, you are not destroyed but glorified, for in your surrender, the world finds the doorway to heaven.

Thus, in the burning of your being, you reveal the most sublime mystery: whoever gives everything gains everything; whoever is consumed by love is exalted to eternity. Like the burning thornbush of Sinai, which ceased to be a mere bush to become a sign of the eternal, so too do you, Mary, vanish before the eyes of man so that Christ may be the only one visible. Not because you are lost, but because in Him, you find your fullness.

Oh Mary, what more can we say of you? That you are consumed by love is not loss but gain; not extinction, but perfect communion with the eternal fire. You teach us that true greatness lies not in preserving ourselves, but in giving ourselves away. Let the thornbush burn so that the light may be seen; let the mother step aside so that the Son may reign. Thus, in your humility, Mary, you guide us to the ultimate mystery: only when we disappear into the fire of divine love do we reach eternity.

Blessed are you, thornbush consumed in the fullness of Christ. For in your burning, we find the highest lesson: that total self-giving is the purest form of glory. You, who were consumed in the most perfect yes, make us living flames, little burning thornbushes, ready to vanish in the splendor of God’s love. Amen.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

THE CHILD WHO CALLS US TO THE HEART: A REFLECTION ON THE INCARNATION

 THE MASTER OF PRAYER

Oh, souls thirsting for God, fix your gaze on the mystery we contemplate in the cave of Bethlehem. What do we see there? A Child, small, defenseless, lying in a manger. This Child is God Himself, the eternal Word, who does not disdain the weakness of our flesh but assumes it to save us. What could move Him to this if not an ineffable love, a burning desire for closeness with us? This is the mystery of the Incarnation: the almighty God who lowers Himself to the humblest state to draw us to His heart.

Contemplate Him. In His very littleness, the Child Jesus teaches us profound lessons. Saint Teresa of Jesus, in her heavenly wisdom, invites us to learn from Him: “Whoever lacks a master to teach him how to pray, let him take this Lord so human, and he will see how much he gains.” Who is more human than this Child? Who is closer? If clarity in prayer is lacking, if your spirit feels lost, turn your eyes to the manger. Look at His tiny hands outstretched, as if already calling us to rest in His love.

This Child, though He speaks no words, teaches through His very presence. His silence speaks louder than any sermon: prayer does not consist in multiplying words but in being in His presence with an open heart. He is the perfect master, who in the simplicity of His cradle shows us the path to communion with God.

THE PATH OF SPIRITUAL CHILDHOOD

Why did God choose to come as a child? Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus answers with luminous clarity: “Jesus chose to come as a child so that no one would fear to approach Him.” Here lies the reason for His littleness: He does not want us to fear Him but to trust Him completely. Just as a child extends his arms to his father, so He calls us to stretch our hearts toward Him.

Christmas invites us, as Thérèse understood so well, to live spiritual childhood. What does this mean? It means putting aside self-sufficiency, recognizing our dependence on God, and abandoning ourselves in His arms like a child who fully trusts the love of his father. The greatness of this path lies in that by making ourselves small, God takes us and raises us to Himself.

LOVE MADE SMALL

Consider this: the same God who holds the universe in His hand became a fragile and dependent child. What an abyss of love! He, who needed nothing, chose to need everything, so that we might learn not to fear Him. In His poverty, He offers us His riches; in His smallness, He reveals His greatness. Thus, by His very presence in the manger, He teaches us that there is nothing to fear when approaching Him.

Who could contemplate this mystery without being moved? God did not come as a powerful king to impose Himself but as a child to implore love. This Child calls us not with words but through His very littleness, and He says: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28). His very presence is rest for the soul, balm for the heart.

COME TO THE MANGER

Come, then, to the manger. Look upon the Child Jesus and let Him speak to you in the silence of His humility. Offer Him your love, however small, for this Child despises nothing; He came precisely to seek what is little and humble. If ever you feel unworthy to approach, remember that this Child came not for the righteous but for sinners. His love knows no limits or conditions.

Oh, entire nations, hear this call: Behold the Child, behold Love made flesh. This is the God who lowers Himself to raise us, who becomes small to conquer us. Look into His eyes, so full of tenderness; His smile, so full of peace. He is not a distant God but the God who takes our misery to fill us with His riches. His very littleness is a cry that resounds in the soul: “Come, fear not; I am your rest, your hope, your salvation.”

What excuse remains for not loving Him? What obstacle could stand between this Child and your heart? As you gaze upon this manger, the heavens open, and a voice seems to whisper to every soul: “Love Him, for He has already loved you first. Follow Him, for He has come to seek you.” Let this Child ignite in you a fire that will never be extinguished, a love that nothing can hinder.

Nations, souls, hearts: kneel before this God made Child, for in His weakness lies your strength, in His poverty your glory, and in His tenderness the fullness of all your longing. Come to Bethlehem, for there eternity begins. There, in the humility of a manger, is the King who will reign not from a throne but from your heart. Love Him, and you will be His forever.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Teresa of Jesus, The Book of Life, chap. 22.

• Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Manuscript A, 4v-5v.

• The Holy Bible, Mt 11:28; 2 Cor 8:9.

ADVENT: THE DESERT THAT BLOOMS

Advent is not merely a time of waiting; it is a profound path of transformation. In this season, the Church invites us to prepare our hearts to encounter Christ, not only in the commemoration of His birth in Bethlehem but also in His glorious Second Coming. Advent calls us to allow God to act in our lives, even when our souls feel like barren deserts—dry and lifeless. Because Advent is the time when the desert begins to bloom.

In biblical language, the desert holds deep significance: it is a place of trial and dryness but also of encounter with God. Israel journeyed for forty years through the wilderness, and there they experienced Yahweh’s faithful love. Similarly, during Advent, we are called to walk through this spiritual desert, trusting that divine grace can transform our barrenness into a flourishing garden of life.

The prophet Isaiah speaks words of hope: “The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom like the crocus” (Isaiah 35:1). This promise is not just poetic imagery but a reality: where our souls seem lifeless, where sin or lukewarmness has made our interior life dry, God can work wonders. But what must we do to make our desert bloom?

THE DESERT WITHIN US

At times, our hearts can feel like desolate places. The distractions of the world, the noise, sin, and lack of prayer can turn them into barren land where nothing beautiful seems to grow. Yet God does not need natural fertility to act. His grace is the living water that can make even the driest places bloom. St. Thérèse of Lisieux, in her simple wisdom, said: “The Lord does not reject our smallness; on the contrary, He transforms the smallest things into wonders.” Even our weaknesses and failures, when offered to Him, can become sources of life and hope.

Advent invites us to open our hearts, to remove the stones that hinder the growth of faith’s seed, and to trust that, even if we do not yet see the fruits, God is working in the hidden places.

THE LIVING WATER THAT TRANSFORMS EVERYTHING

In the Gospel, Jesus promises us the living water that wells up to eternal life. This water, a symbol of the Holy Spirit, can change our dryness into spiritual fertility. But to receive it, we must embrace the mystery of Advent: the mystery of active waiting, preparation, and conversion.

St. John of the Cross, a great teacher of the spiritual desert, reminds us: “In the silence of the desert, God speaks to the heart.” This holy season calls us to silence—not as an absence, but as a space of encounter. It is in this silence that God waters our souls and brings forth the flowers of faith, hope, and charity.

THE PROMISE OF A NEW BEGINNING

Advent is, ultimately, the promise that God can always bring something new into our lives. No matter how dry our souls may feel, what matters is that we trust Him and allow Him to act. Just as the desert blooms with rain, our lives will flourish with grace if we let Him be at the center of everything.

The prophet Isaiah concludes: “The wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy” (Isaiah 35:1-2). This is Advent: a time to transform our dryness into joy, our waiting into encounter, and our lives into perpetual praise of the God who comes.

OMO

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Story of a Soul, St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

2. The Ascent of Mount Carmel, St. John of the Cross.

THE LUTHERAN-MODERNIST EMOTIONALISM: ITS DESTRUCTIVE IMPACT ON FAITH AND CHRISTIAN ORDER

 

INTRODUCTION

Emotionalism, understood as the disordered exaltation of subjective experience in religious life, has deep roots in Luther’s doctrinal rupture and is consolidated through modern philosophies inspiring theological modernism. This phenomenon not only corrupts the faith but also disintegrates the social and political order founded on Christian principles. This article examines the destructive impact of emotionalism on spiritual, doctrinal, and political spheres, and proposes a restoration based on Catholic Tradition.

LUTHERAN EMOTIONALISM AND RELIGIOUS SUBJECTIVISM

Luther’s Protestant rupture marked a radical dissociation between faith and reason. By proclaiming sola fide and sola scriptura, Luther reduced faith to a subjective act of personal trust, detached from good works, sacramental mediation, and the Church’s authority.

The rejection of the objectivity of faith and the replacement of ecclesial authority with private interpretation of Scripture established a religious subjectivism that fragmented the doctrinal and social unity of Christendom. In this model, salvation is based solely on a “feeling of trust” rather than adherence to revealed truths lived within the Church.

In the political sphere, the Lutheran rupture subordinated religion to temporal power, fostering the rise of the modern state and the progressive secularization of society. This process stripped political order of its divine foundation and led to the proliferation of ideologies based on human autonomy.

MODERNISM AS THE HEIR OF LUTHERAN EMOTIONALISM

Modernism, defined as the tendency to reinterpret faith according to modern philosophical principles, is a direct continuation of the religious subjectivism initiated by Luther. Like Protestantism, modernism turns faith into a personal experience detached from objective truth, opening the door to relativism.

The main characteristics of modernism include the exaltation of individual religious experience as the criterion of truth, the denial of the immutability of dogmas, and the subordination of divine Revelation to human consciousness. From this perspective, dogma is no longer the expression of an eternal truth but a symbolic construction evolving with human needs.

These ideas have weakened the Church’s authority and introduced profound doctrinal confusion. Objective and supernatural faith is replaced by an anthropocentric sentimentalism that seeks to please man rather than glorify God.

THE POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES OF EMOTIONALISM AND MODERNISM

Emotionalism and modernism affect not only faith but also the social and political order. Religious subjectivism extends into the legal and political spheres, promoting the dissolution of a system based on natural and divine law.

In the legal realm, these currents foster a legislative relativism where laws are governed by the changing will of majorities, rather than seeking the common good according to universal principles. This has contributed to the destruction of natural community bonds such as family, parishes, and nations.

The anthropocentrism inherent in modernism denies God’s sovereignty in the political sphere and favors the establishment of a secular order centered on man. This secularization process has stripped society of its transcendent dimension, leading to the dominance of materialism and utilitarianism.

PROPOSAL FOR RESTORATION BASED ON TRADITION

To counteract the destructive impact of Lutheran-modernist emotionalism, a return to the immutable principles of Catholic Tradition is necessary.

First, it is essential to restore the spiritual and doctrinal unity of the Church, reaffirming the authority of the Magisterium and fidelity to traditional teaching. The Catholic faith cannot be adapted to the trends of the modern world but must be lived and defended in its integrity.

Second, the political and legal order must be re-founded on natural and divine law, recognizing that all legitimate authority comes from God. Laws must be oriented toward the common good and conform to objective truth.

Finally, the reconstruction of Christendom requires a collective effort to restore a social order where Christ is recognized as King. This ideal is not a utopia but the foundation upon which true Christian civilization was built.

CONCLUSION

Lutheran-modernist emotionalism has wreaked havoc both in the Church and in society. Its exaltation of subjectivity destroys objective faith and disintegrates the political order based on Christian principles. The solution to this crisis does not lie in adapting to the spirit of the world but in returning to the sources of Tradition.

Only a return to natural law, perennial doctrine, and the sovereignty of Christ can restore the order destroyed by subjectivism and relativism. True reform is one that, in the words of the saints, seeks to “restore all things in Christ.”

OMO

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Pascendi Dominici Gregis (1907).

2. Commonitorium, St. Vincent of Lérins.

3. Summa Theologiae, St. Thomas Aquinas.

4. Cornelio Fabro, entry “Modernism” in the Enciclopedia Cattolica.

5. Ernst von Lasaulx, Über die Verfassungsformen der Kirche.

6. Miguel Ayuso, El estado en su laberinto.

TRUE

 

What are the proximal occasions of sin?

By Jesus Urones and Yasmin Oré

It is said that the person who is in danger of offending God is because he is in a situation that leads him to sin; that is, in circumstances that make it easy for him and incite him to sin. The proximal occasion of sin can come from people who incite him with their bad example or from things that attract his will to evil.

Therefore, we should not always think that it is the result of bad company, they are also habits or places that we frequent that lead us down the wrong path. To understand this, we can use as an example those friends who invite us to participate in activities that incite lust, drunkenness, vanity, etc. or certain places that are not recommended for Catholics due to their high content of temptation towards vices or sins of the flesh such as discos, disco-pubs, taverns (bars), casinos, etc.

It is important to know that consenting to occasions of sin is similar to “loving danger,” because you are putting your soul at risk of falling into temptation. Approaching sin (a near occasion) is letting ourselves be bitten by the serpent. Scripture says:

The hardened heart will fear evil in the end, and he who loves danger will perish in it. Sirach 3:27

"Flee sin as a serpent, for if you come near it, it will bite you. Its teeth are like a lion's tooth, taking away the life of men." Sirach 21:2

Therefore, we must learn to avoid these occasions, or what is the same thing, "not put ourselves in temptation." Temptation is a request, instigation or encouragement, internal or external, to commit some sin. We say it is internal when it comes from our concupiscence (egoism, pride, impatience, the flesh). The apostle James teaches that: “Everyone is tempted by his own desires, which attract and entice him” (James 1:14). But there are also external temptations, in this sense they would coincide with the proximate occasions of sin: Suggestions from the world, or from the devil. Many of the temptations that we suffer in the course of our life come from the suggestions and insinuations of the devil and the world. In this case, the scripture itself recommends that we flee from what will cause sin:

And if your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. for it is better for you that one of your members should perish than that your whole body should be thrown into hell" Matthew 5: 29-30

This text should not be understood literally but the teaching that is derived from it is that when we are faced with an imminent occasion of sin, we must act quickly avoiding all dialogue with it or giving it pleasure, moving away from temptation, in short, cutting off all relationship with what is going to generate that temptation that will incite us to sin.

Evidently the division into the two types of temptations is due to the fact that there are three enemies of the soul: the devil, the flesh and the world. The three act together, they induce us to sin and condemnation, that is why it is essential to know who the enemies of man are in his spiritual progress and his path of holiness in order to be able to face them.

When in theology we speak of "occasion of sin", we usually differentiate between "proximate occasion" and "remote occasion". The proximate are those that put us in a serious and grave danger; that is, a danger such that One should prudently fear that it will cause the person in question to succumb. Those that involve a slight danger, which calls for caution, but which are assumed to be easily overcome, are remote.

Practical examples of proximate occasions of sin:

Let us give some examples of proximate occasions of sin: let us say that I have the habit of gossiping about people, talking behind their backs. Let us say that God gives me the grace to repent of this sin, to confess it and to feel a strong desire to break this habit. To do this, it will be helpful to avoid situations that tend to encourage gossip (these situations are the “occasions of sin” that we are considering). Perhaps having lunch at the tennis club is a situation in which gossip tends to dominate the conversation. Or perhaps going out for a drink with friends who have this bad habit and incite us to do so. Avoiding going to these places frequently or not spending much time with these people can be a good choice. They would help me avoid situations (occasions) in which I tend to give in to the temptation of gossip.

Another example, I know that temptation comes to me through sight, because men are tempted by the flesh, by sex, by excitement, through their senses, specifically through sight. If I know that I have this temptation, I will avoid buying magazines that generate this temptation, I will avoid watching films with erotic or sexual content, and even going to places where I will be tempted, such as discos, beaches, disco-pubs, etc. 

 How to avoid temptations and the immediate occasions of sin? 

 Finally, I leave you with some teachings from priests who have dealt with this subject more broadly: 

 Jose Maria Iraburu: 

 Temptation must be fought from the beginning, from the moment it appears. The spark of the fire must be extinguished immediately, before it starts a fire. The head of the tempting Serpent must be crushed as soon as it appears, immediately, without entering into dialogue, without giving it any option. 

 Royo Marin in his work “Theology of Christian Perfection”: 

 During temptation. - Practical conduct during temptation can be summed up in one word: resist. It is not enough to maintain a merely passive attitude (neither consent nor fail to consent), but positive resistance is necessary. But this positive resistance can be direct or indirect.

 a) DIRECT RESISTANCE is that which confronts the temptation itself and overcomes it by doing precisely the opposite of what it suggests. For example: starting to speak well of a person when we were tempted to criticize him, giving a splendid alms when stinginess tried to close our hand to a common alms, prolonging prayer when the enemy suggested shortening or suppressing it, making an act of public manifestation of faith when human respect tried to frighten us, etc. This direct resistance should be used in all kinds of temptations, except those that refer to faith or purity, as we will say later. 

 b) INDIRECT RESISTANCE is that which does not confront the temptation, but moves away from it, distracting the mind to another completely different object. It is particularly indicated in temptations against faith or chastity, in which direct struggle is not appropriate, which would perhaps increase the temptation due to the dangerous and slippery nature of the matter. 

 Adolfo Tanquerei in his work “Compendium of Ascetic and Mystical Theologies”: 

 To overcome temptations and make them redound to the benefit of our soul, we must strive for three main things: 1st prevent temptation; 2nd fight it bravely; 3rd thank God after the victory, or get up after the fall. 

 Source: ReL 

 Note: It is convenient to know and keep in mind that exposing oneself voluntarily and deliberately, AND WITHOUT ANY NECESSITY, to a proximate occasion of mortal sin (even if one does not incur in it), is already in itself a serious fault.

THE FIAT OF NAZARETH: THE YES THAT CHANGED THE DESTINY OF THE WORLD

The Angel of the Lord descended to the humble corner of Nazareth, where heaven and earth waited in expectant silence. There was Mary, Virgin and maiden, unknown to the world but chosen from all eternity. “Rejoice, full of grace,” proclaimed Gabriel, and in that moment, the divine words sought an echo in the heart of a creature.

The Fiat of Nazareth was not mere assent; it was an act of absolute love, a “let it be done” that tore the veil between the eternal and the temporal. Mary, the new Eve, offered her flesh to the Word, allowing the infinite to become incarnate in time. Oh, unfathomable mystery! In her “yes” echoed the cries of all the ages, and from that moment, human history was imbued with redemption. In her humility, Mary made the world a manger for the Savior.

THE FIAT OF CALVARY: THE YES AMID PAIN AND GLORY

But that first “yes” was not the only one. From Nazareth to Calvary, Mary lived her Fiat as a continuous offering. On the Mount of Olives, her heart prayed alongside her Son. During the trial, her eyes remained fixed on the Lamb. And at Calvary, standing at the foot of the Cross, her soul was pierced by Simeon’s sword.

In the Fiat of Calvary, Mary became the universal Mother. “Woman, behold your son,” said the Lord, and in that moment, she welcomed into her heart the beloved disciple and all of us. There, as the skies darkened, Mary gave her “yes” once again. It was not a triumphant Fiat but a silent and heartbreaking one, pronounced through tears. There, her spiritual motherhood was fulfilled; there, sorrow embraced hope.

THE FIAT OF TEPEYAC: THE YES THAT ENVELOPS THE NEW WORLD

Centuries later, the echo of Nazareth and Calvary resonated on Tepeyac Hill. Mary once again offered herself, now as the Mother of the New World. Clothed with the sun and with the moon under her feet, she came to console a wounded people, lost in the shadows of conquest and idolatry.

At Tepeyac, Mary’s Fiat became closeness. She spoke in Náhuatl, the language of the indigenous heart, and in her mestizo face was interwoven the promise of unity and hope. “Build me a little house,” she asked Juan Diego, not for herself but to gather her children under the starry mantle that reflects the heavens.

The tilma is not merely a miracle: it is the perpetual Fiat of the Virgin offered to her people. It is the Gospel woven in colors, the promise that the Son is with us until the end of time. On Tepeyac, Mary renewed her mission, leading us to the encounter with the True God for whom we live.

THE STABAT MATER: MOTHER OF SORROW, MOTHER OF HOPE

Mary, standing by the cross, Stabat Mater dolorosa, is the living image of the perfect Fiat. Her sorrow was not passive nor resigned; it was an act of total love. As she gazed upon the lifeless body of her Son, Mary offered her soul as an altar. Her Fiat was not extinguished by suffering but ignited by faith in the resurrection.

At every step of her life, from Nazareth to Tepeyac, Mary teaches us that the Fiat is not just a word but a daily response to God’s love. She invites us to live our own “let it be done,” transforming our lives into an echo of her obedience and faith.

“AM I NOT HERE, I WHO AM YOUR MOTHER?”

Today, as we contemplate Our Lady of Guadalupe, we once again hear the words that resounded in the heart of Juan Diego: “Am I not here, I who am your Mother?” Her eternal Fiat envelops us like a mantle of stars, reminding us that we are never alone.

Brothers and sisters, Mary’s Fiat invites us to look to heaven with hope, to embrace our crosses with faith, and to build our lives upon the firm rock of her Son. Before such immense love, let us respond as grateful children, joining our voices with that of the Queen:

Holy Mary of Guadalupe, pray for us!

THE PERSONAL FIAT: TO GOD THROUGH MARY IN THE ETERNAL FIAT, SIGN OF FILIATION AND PREDESTINATION

Brothers and sisters, Mary’s Fiat is not a distant echo nor an act reserved for the chosen. It is a call to each of us, beloved children of the Father, made His in Christ and sustained by the Holy Spirit. Our personal Fiat, the “let it be done” of our lives, is the free and loving response to God’s plan, which invites us to walk as His children in His light and as heirs of His glory.

Saying “yes” to God is not an imposition but the revelation of our true identity. We are adopted children of the Most High, predestined to partake in His grace and kingdom. Our Fiat is not an isolated word but the echo of that “yes” pronounced by Mary in Nazareth, confirmed at Calvary, and proclaimed at Tepeyac.

Today, as we contemplate Mary, Mother of the perfect Fiat, let us respond with her:

“Let it be done to me according to your word.”

Mother of the Eternal Fiat, Lady clothed with the sun, guide and refuge of your children, help us to live our Fiat with love, fidelity, and hope, until we reach the heavenly homeland, where united with you and Christ, we may praise His glory forever.

OMO

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MIDDLE AGES AND THE MODERN AGE IS FAITH IN GOD

The whole contrast that exists between the Middle Ages, which sought first causes, and the modern age, which pursues secondary causes, is exemplified in art: in the Middle Ages, no sculptor ever carved his name on a sculpture; and the reason was that he worked for God; and he acknowledged that it was God who gave him the ability to sculpt, and the mind of an artist; and when he left his work anonymously, it was God, the first cause, who brought the credit. Today, the sculptor carves his name on marble, because he works for man, and has forgotten the First Cause, the Cause of all causes, which is God. (... )

Medieval art is the art of a redeeming humanity. It is rooted in the Christian soul, on the shore of living waters, under the sky of theological virtues, and among the sweet marshmallows of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. For in the Middle Ages it was not a question of making Christian art, but of being Christian. If you were a Christian, your art was Christian. If you believed in eternal dogmas, your art would express eternal truths. The medieval artist used to say: "If you want to carve things of Christ, you must live with Christ." For medieval man, art required calm and meditation rather than excitement and feverish motorcycling. History tells us that the Blessed Angelic wept while painting the "Crucifixion" which is today in the Convent of San Marco in Florence.

(Fulton J. Sheen, from "Truth and Lies: A Prophetic Criticism of Modern Thought" Mimep editions)

THE «CHURCH» OF LIES, FROM BIRTH TO GRAVE

By Miguel Ángel Yáñez.

«The double-minded man shall not dwell in my house, and the liar shall not endure in my presence». From the Book of Psalms, 100-7.

Lies permeate everything around us today, they have penetrated [...] the faithful. Very little, very little, is saved from the downpour, it would seem that we live in a gigantic bubble from which it is impossible to escape. There exists a church of lies [the false church that the Holy Scripture warns us about] that today is overwhelmingly opposed to the Church of Truth.

As soon as a child is born, many lie in front of their children, when parents and/or godparents swear before the most sacred thing to educate and guard the Faith of the infant... without having the slightest intention of doing so, and with the sole purpose of using the sacred temple and the ceremony as a prelude to a private party for the presentation of their new child. In case there was any doubt, the priest had already previously taught us about the new Baptism, no original sin, it is a welcome party.

As soon as they teach us to pray they lie to us, showing us an Our Father in which the very words of Jesus Christ have been falsified... could there be greater audacity?

They deceive us when we go to catechism, instructing us in a Christianity alien to Catholic truth, to authentic sacramental life and to moral obligations... replacing it with a vague humanist and historical teaching of Christ, with no moral obligations. Of course, there is a thousand nonsense that is not lacking, from painting boats, doing theatre, to reminding us of urban planning and being "good" to the environment, but the children end up not even knowing how to make an act of contrition. Meanwhile, the parents completely wash their hands without assuming that it is not the "catechist", but that they are the main ones responsible for forming their children in a Christian way.

They lie to us at our first communion, when many parents take their children to catechism, not out of interest in them being catechized, but as a mere formality so that the priest on duty allows them to celebrate the beginning of their little "coming out" party... hours and hours preparing invitations and not a single one to see what education the child has. After communion, he does not appear again in the Church. A round of applause for consistency!

They cheat us in all kinds of "Catholic" groups, parish groups, choirs, prayer groups, renewal groups, communities... where in the end everything is encouraged, except a true sacramental and moral life in accordance with the traditional doctrine of the Church, and where the proper adoration and respect for the "weakest", the Eucharistic Jesus, is not promoted.

They falsify courtship when parents do not teach the values ​​of Christian commitment, and reduce everything to the search for perfect physical, economic and character attributes, but excluding spirituality and Christian values, tolerating, approving and applauding all the obvious immoralities that their children commit before their very eyes… parents apostatize to justify their children's apostasy.

They lie to us when we get married, selling us marriage as an open bar of concupiscence, where children are an object to be studied and dissected, rejecting full dedication and trust in God's Plan… responsible parenthood.

They mock us when we go to Mass, attending a ceremony in which the sacrificial reality of the Holy Mass has been camouflaged, concealed, hidden, to make us believe that it is a dinner of fraternal prayer… they want to sell us sugar wrapped in a packet of salt.

They deceive us with doctrine, when they try to pass off as Catholic what is nothing more than pure apostasy…

The Society does not only try to deceive us, but to make us lie, when they want us to call a man a woman, to call a woman a man, to call sodomy an orientation, to call the abnormal and aberrant normal and an option.

We are forced to agree with deception, when we have to dissimulate, remain silent, not say anything so as not to offend, the flood of nonsense, apostasies, immoralities and irrational acts that we never stop seeing in almost everything and everyone around us: concubinage, adultery, divorce, immorality, abortions, playing with embryonic life…

They deceive us even when we die, when they tell everyone who attends our funeral that we are already in heaven, when most likely, in the best of cases, we are in purgatory waiting for someone to pray for us to relieve us… but nobody does it, because a heartless man in a chasuble has taken it upon himself to tell everyone that it is not necessary, since I am saved.

They lie to us from birth to death and, what is worse, they try to force us to lie. They want us to believe that we live in a fairy tale, when it is a horror story, although wrapped in a giant smile. But do not forget, we cannot lie to God. He is filming the movie of our lives, in very slow motion, with all kinds of details, and He will ask us to account not only for what we have done, but for what we have failed to do... and say.

Who is not complicit in this great lie to a greater or lesser extent? The crisis of the Church and of society is, above all, a crisis of Saints, of brave people.

He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone.

TO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

 

With general applause

let everyone sing in unison:

You were conceived, Mary,

without original sin.

A voice of joy resounds

in the eternal holy city,

a voice of joy raises

the Church full of emotion:

Who, Virgin, does not alienate

your divine purity?

With general applause.....

Long live the Immaculate Conception!

Abandon yourself into the hands of the Lord

 

THE IDEA OF DEATH, by the Christian knight – By Manuel García Morente.

 

The Christian knight’s idea of ​​death can be condensed into his perception and attitude towards life. Because one of the things that best defines men is their relationship with death. The animal differs essentially from man in that he knows nothing of death. Now then; the conceptions that man has formed of death can be reduced to two types: those for which death is the end or the end and those for which death is the beginning or the beginning. There are men who consider death as the termination of life. For these men, life is this life that they now live and of which they have an immediate, full and unequivocal intuition. Death is, then, nothing but the negation of this immediate reality. What is there beyond death? Ah! They neither know nor want to know; there is probably nothing, according to them, and above all, it is not worth pondering what there is, since it is impossible to find out.

The other group of men, on the other hand, see in death a beginning, the initiation of a more truly living life, eternal life. For them, death does not close, but opens. It is not negation, but affirmation, and the moment when all hopes begin to be fulfilled. The Christian knight, because he is a Christian and because he is a knight, is resolutely part of this second group, that of men who conceive of death as dawn and not as dusk. But what consequences follow from this conception of death? First of all, a corresponding and equal conception of life. For it is clear that for those who see death as the end and the end of life, life must be something supremely positive, the most positive thing in existence and the highest value of all real values. On the other hand, the man who sees in death the beginning of eternal life, of true life, must consider this earthly human life—the life that death suppresses—as a mere transit or passage or ephemeral preparation for the other, decisive and eternal life. This life will therefore have a subordinate, conditioned, inferior value. And so, the former will be prepared to make their stay in life as pleasant, enjoyable and perfect as possible, while the latter will be mainly governed by the idea of ​​making everything in life converge towards the other life, towards eternal life.

For the Christian knight, life is nothing but the preparation for death, the narrow corridor that leads to eternal life, a simple transit, the shorter the better, towards the gate that opens onto infinity and eternity. The “I die because I do not die” of Saint Teresa perfectly expresses this feeling of imperfect life. On the other hand, there are human communities that have tended and tend rather to form a positive idea of ​​earthly life. They see life as something stable, lasting – although not enduring – that deserves all our attention and all our care. These people, who know how to savor the douceur de vivre, take good care to season and enhance the various forms of our earthly life; they apply their spirit and their effort to cultivating life; they transform, for example, food into an art, human commerce into a system of refined delights, and the holy depth of love into a complicated network of delicate subtleties. They are people who love life for itself and give it a value in itself, and they dress it, comb it, perfume it, adorn it, wrap it in music and rhetoric, sublimate it; in short, they pay it the supreme worship that is paid to a supreme value.

But the Christian knight feels in the depths of his soul disgust and disdain for all this worship of life. The Christian knight offers his life to something far superior, to something that begins just when life ends and when death opens the golden doors of infinity and eternity. The life of the Christian knight is not worth the trouble of being dressed, dressed, and perfumed. It is worth nothing, or it is worth it only insofar as it is put at the service of eternal value. It is fatigue, and labor, and hard fighting, and patient suffering, and longing hope. The knight wants all the work in this life for himself, precisely because this life is not a place to stay, but a passage to eternity.

And so, the conception of death as access to eternal life disqualifies or devalues, for the Christian knight, this earthly life, and reduces it to a mere step or transit, too long, alas!, for our yearnings for eternity. And this way of considering death and life ultimately explains the reason for the particularities that we have already enumerated in the character of the Spanish knight. In effect, a transit or step is not worth it in itself, but only for that to which it gives access. Thus, the knight's life is not worth anything in itself, but rather in the service of the ideal goal in which the knight has placed his paladin's arm. Thus, the knight will despise as petty any attachment to things and will cultivate in himself greatness, that is, the consciousness of his dedication to a great work. Thus, the knight will be brave and bold; far from fearing death, he will accept it with joy, because he sees in it the entrance into eternal life. The knight will not be servile; and in life, nothing but his eternal ideal will seem worthy of appreciation. The knight will live supported by his faith rather than by the calculations of reason and experience in this life. He will affirm his ideal personality, which is to live in the eternal, hiding modestly and with shame the real individuality, stained by sin, which it would be dishonorable to exhibit. In short, the Christian knight draws the entire series of his virtues - and defects - from his conception of death and life. Because he subordinates all life to what begins after death.

“IDEA OF HISPANICITY”