Did you ever wonder about this passage: “Every one who speaks a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven” (Lk12:10)?  St Mark, too, reports the Lord as saying that this blasphemy never has forgiveness and that one who offends in this way is guilty of an eternal sin.

St Matthew in his turn quotes these solemn words of Christ in a context that allows for a better understanding of their import. He relates that the people were astonished at Christ’s miracles, so much so that they wondered: Can this be the Son of David? Yet the Pharisees would not submit to the evidence of the many miracles performed before their very eyes. Their only explanation was to attribute Christ’s amazing signs, his divine works, to the agency of the devil. Such was the hardness of their hearts that they would not accept the obvious. It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, they said, that this man casts out demons. Precisely here do we find the unpardonable nature of the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. They exclude the sources of pardon itself. 

All sins can be forgiven, no matter how grave they might be. This is because God’s mercy is infinite. What is required that they be forgiven, of course, is that the sinner recog­nize his sin as sin and believe in the mercy of the Lord The hardness of the Pharisee’s hearts would certainly impede the powerful effect of divine grace. Jesus designates this attitude as sin against the Holy Spirit. It is unpardonable not because of its gravity and malice but for the closed disposition of the will against God. He who sins in this way deliberately places himself outside the scope of divine pardon. 

Pope John Paul II warns of the seriousness of this attitude towards grace. Blasphemy  against the Holy Spirit, then, is the sin committed by the person who claims to have a ‘right’ to persist in evil – in ~ sin at all – and. who thus rejects Redemption. One closes oneself up in sin, thus making impossible one’s conversion, and consequently the rem­ission of sins, which one considers not essential or not important for one’s life.

Today let us ask the Lord for a radical sincerity and true humility so that we may face up to our faults and sins. We pray that we may not become accustomed to our fail­ings, even in the area of venial sin. We should go to Jesus right away for pardon and for the life-giving action of the Holy Spirit. We should ask Our Lady for that holy fear of God so that we never lose our sense of sin and the neces­sary awareness of our weaknesses. When our vision is clouded, when our eyes have lost their clarity, we need to go to the light And Jesus Christ has told us that he is the Light of the world and that he has come to heal the sick. 

^{Fr. Francis Fernandez}

Homily #111216k ( 04min) Play – If we are to be wholly ready for the coming of Christ, we must be in union with the Holy Spirit.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Friday of Ember Week in Advent – Ferial – Form: EF, Prope es Tu
Readings:
1st: isa 11:1-5
Gsp: luk 1:39-47

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To Mary, Spouse of The Holy Spirit:

Daughter of the Most High, Mother of God, faithful Spouse of the Holy Spirit ­yet also Mary of Nazareth, Joseph’s wife, my mother- hear my prayer for grace, O Full of Grace.

Pray your Spouse, the Holy Spirit, to come upon me, to shelter me from all ill, to strengthen me to do what is right, to teach me all truth. Pray Him come to me and abide with me, and be within me a fountain springing up unto eternal life. May he sustain me in sorrow, sanctify me in life, and receive me at the hour of my death. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for me.

Our Lady of the Holy Spirit: Hear our prayer!

Through the Holy Spirit you became the Mother of Jesus; from the Holy Spirit may I too have Jesus.

Through the Holy Spirit your flesh conceived Jesus; through the same Spirit may my soul receive Jesus.

Through the Holy Spirit you were able to know Jesus, to possess Jesus, and bring him into the world; through the Holy Spirit may I too come to know your Jesus.

Imbued with the Spirit, Mary, you could say: “I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to your word”; in the Holy Spirit, lowly as I am, let me proclaim the great truths about Jesus.

In the Spirit you now adore Jesus as Lord and look on him as Son; in the same Spirit, Mary, let me love your Jesus.

Amen.

Homily #100528s ( 17min) Play – On the start of the Father-Son Encampment for the Knights of Lepanto during the Octave of Pentecost, Fr. Angelo preaches in the importance of grace in fulfilling the duty in the Christian life as we struggle against our fallen nature. This is chiefly given by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us when we were Baptized and who’s presence is increased during Confirmation. Father also talks about spending to much time on social sites on the internet.
Ave Maria! Ember Friday – Mass: EF, Repleatur Os Meum – Readings: 1st: joe 2:23-24, 26-27 – Gsp: luk 5:17-26

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Homily #100526 ( 03min) Play – We see in the Apostles and disciples  the power of the Holy Spirit working, and this is done through the gift of prayer; we must pray.
Ave Maria!

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Homily #100524 ( 08min) Play – On this Monday of the Octave of Pentecost Fr. Ignatius preaches on the true and most important fruits of the Holy Spirit. He compares thes with mere, natural enthusiasm and the lesser, charismatic gifts. The best way to discern this is to look at Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, at the foot of the Cross where she displayed heroic virtue. He further describes how to be disposed to the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Ave Maria! Pentecost Monday – Mass: EF, Cibavit Eos – Readings: 1st: act 10:34, 42-48 – Gsp: joh 3:16-21

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Homily #100523 ( 12min) Play – Today on Pentecost Sunday we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit on Mary and the Apostles. Fr. Angelo focuses on the fact that the Gospel reading for this feast are from the Last Supper where Our Lord institutes the Eucharist and thus the connection between the transformative power of the Holy Spirit and that of the priestly ministry, especially during the consecration of the bread into the Eucharist and, in turn, for the transformation of ourselves into His disciples.
Ave Maria! Pentecost – Mass: EF, Spiritus Domini – Readings: 1st: act 2:1-11 – Gsp: joh 14:23-31

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Homily #100522 ( 06min) Play – Today in the extraordinary form of the Mass we celebrate the Vigil of Pentecost. Fr. Angelo preaches on the readings which focus on the expectation of the coming of the Holy Spirit to give us inspiration, courage and fidelity. Let us ask Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, to give us this gift.
Ave Maria! Vigil Mass of Pentecost – Mass: EF, Cum Sanctificatus – Readings: 1st: act 19:1-8 – Gsp: joh 14:15-21

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Homily #100516 ( 17min) Play – On this Seventh Sunday of Easter, the last Sunday before Pentecost, Fr. Angelo preaches on the need to practice vigilance in prayer as the Apostles and Mary practiced between the Ascension of the Lord and the coming of the Holy Spirit during Pentecost. We remember this and follow their example in the liturgical season by praying the Novena, the nine days of prayer between the Ascension, last Thursday, through to Pentecost Sunday.
Ave Maria! Mass readings
1: Acts 1:1-11
R: Ps 47:2-3,6-9
2: Eph 1:17-23
G: Lk 24:46-53

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Homily #100512 ( 08min) Play – Fr. Bonaventure preaches on Today’s gospel where Our Lord says “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.” But Christ will send the Holy Spirit and He will strengthen them and further instruct them.
Ave Maria! Mass readings
1: Acts 17:15,22-18:1
R: Ps 148:1-2,11-14
G: Jn 16:12-15

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