Homily #120226 ( 15min) Play – On this first Sunday in Lent Fr. Dominic Murphy preaches on the fact that we will have temptations. As such we need to deal with these for our entire life by resisting as part of the test that God gives us to demonstrate our sincere love of Him.
Ave Maria!
Mass: Sunday 1st Week of Lent – Sunday – Form: OF
Readings: 
1st: gen 9:8-15
Resp: psa 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
2nd: 1pe 3:18-22
Gsp: mar 1:12-15

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Homily #111202k ( 05min) Play – For the joy of the company Jesus Christ we are willing to sacrifice everything.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. Bibiana, Virgin and Martyr – Form: EF, Me Exspectaverunt
Readings:
1st: sir 51:13-17
Gsp: mat 13:44-52

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Homily #110313 ( 13min) Play – On the First Sunday in Lent Fr. Dominic preaches on the nature of Lent as being a full immersion spiritual retreat where we fore go some pleasures. In the process we become aware of how severely we are tempted by such things. He relates this to Our Lord’s temptation in today’s Gospel where the Devil comes and tempts Him when he is very hungry, to chase after vain pleasures and glory.

Ave Maria!
Mass: First Sunday in Lent – Form: EF, Invocabit Me
Readings:
1st: 2co 6:1-10
Gsp: mat 4:1-11

Audio (MP3)

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Homily #100601 ( 08min) Play – Starting from the Gospel where the Pharisees approach our Lord with deceitful intent, Fr. Bonaventure preaches on the importance of approaching Our Lord in the state of grace. He stresses that we must resist the temptation to build a paradise on earth, since this inevitably leads to the loss of paradise in heaven.

Ave Maria! Mass readings
1: 2 Pet 3:12-15,17-18
R: Ps 90:2-4,10,14,16
G: Mk 12:13-17

Audio (MP3)

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The Greatness of the Power of Mary to defend those who invoke her when tempted by the Devil.

STORY
In Reichersperg, in Bavaria, there was a canon regular of the name of Arnold, surnamed the Pious on account of the sanctity of his life, and who had the most tender devotion to our Blessed Lady.  When at the point of death, and having received the last sacraments, he summoned his religious brethren, and begged that they would not abandon him in his last passage.  Scarcely had he uttered these words, when, in the presence of all, he began to tremble, to roll his eyes, and bathed in a cold sweat, with a faltering voice said, “Ah, do you not see the devils who are endeavouring to drag me to hell?” He then cried out, “Brothers, implore the aid of Mary for me; in her I confide; she will give me the victory.”  On hearing this his brethren recited the Litany of our Blessed Lady, and as they said “Holy Mary, pray for him,” the dying man exclaimed, “Repeat, repeat the name of Mary, for I am already before God’s tribunal.”  He was silent for a moment, and then added, “It is true that I did that, but I have done penance for it.”  And then turning to our Blessed Lady, he said, “O Mary, I shall be delivered if you help me.” Again the devils attacked him; but he defended himself with his crucifix and the name of Mary.  Thus was the night spent; but no sooner did morning dawn than Arnold exclaimed with the greatest calmness, and full of holy joy, “Mary my sovereign Lady, my refuge, has obtained me pardon and salvation.”  Then casting his eyes on that Blessed Virgin who was inviting him to follow her, he said, “I come, O Lady, I come!” and making an effort to do so even with his body, his soul fled after her to the realms of eternal bliss, as we trust, for he sweetly expired.

PRAYER
Behold at your feet, O Mary my hope, a poor sinner, who has so many times been by his own fault the slave of hell.  I know that by neglecting to have recourse to you, my refuge, I allowed myself to be overcome by the devil.  Had I always had recourse to you, had I always invoked you, I certainly should not have fallen.  I trust, O Lady most worthy of all our love, that through you I have already escaped from the hands of the devil, and that God has pardoned me.  But I tremble lest at some future period I may again fall into the same bonds.  I know that my enemies have not lost the hope of again overcoming me, and already they prepare new assaults and temptations for me.  Ah, my Queen and refuge, do you assist me.  Place me under your mantle; permit me not again to become their slave.  I know that you wilt help me and give me the victory, provided I invoke you; but I dread lest in my temptations I may forget you, and neglect to do so.  The favour, then, that I seek of you, and which you must grant me, O most holy Virgin, is that I may never forget you, and especially in time of temptation; grant that I may then repeatedly invoke you, saying, “O Mary, help me; O Mary, help me.”  And when my last struggle with hell comes, at the moment of death, ah then, my Queen, help me more than ever, and you yourself remind me to call on you more frequently either with my lips or in my heart; that, being thus filled with confidence, I may expire with your sweet name and that of your Son Jesus on my lips; that so I may be able to bless you and praise you, and not depart from your feet in Paradise for all eternity.  Amen.

Ave Maria!– July’s Theme: Temptation

“The fury of satan, from whom you sometimes hear so many threats, must not at all amaze you or frighten you. He, as you know, persecutes to the death the souls who do not want to listen to his pessimistic insinuations, and his hatred grows all the more when he sees his hopes vanish of possessing them and making them his. You, meanwhile, continue to not pay attention to him; strengthen yourself with prayer, with humility, and with unlimited trust in the Divine help.”

Ave Maria!– July’s Theme: Temptation

“Flee with all your might the perturbations and anxieties of the heart, otherwise, your every work will bear little or no fruit at all. Let us be sure that if our spirit is disturbed, are more and more frequent and direct are the assaults of the devil, who profits by this natural weakness of ours to be able to succeed in his intentions. Let us be on our guard about this point, which is not of little importance for us: as soon as we have realized that we have fallen into discouragement, let us renew our faith and abandon ourselves in the arms of the Divine Father, Who is always ready to welcome us, always to those who sincerely run to Him.”

Ave Maria!– July’s Theme: Temptation

28- “God does not want to lose a soul that has fallen and gets back up. If He wanted to lose it, as the soul would justly merit, He would not give it the grace to get back up. Therefore, take heart and muster up a little more courage and faith, and do not doubt that all the rest will serve for giving confusion to satan, who was relying on you; for giving glory to God; for your own benefit, and for the edification of others.”

29- “Never grow tired […] of asking the Divine Spouse, with the spouse in the sacred Canticles, the kiss of peace, which is a true paradise of joys: with it you will defy the vain fears of the world, the suggestions of the devil, the allurements of the flesh and, without losing a drop of your calm, you will ground them and be victorious over them.”

Ave Maria!– July’s Theme: Temptation

“How can you not rejoice in seeing yourself engaged in so many battles, knowing that for every victory you carry off, a degree of glory corresponds?”

Ave Maria!– July’s Theme: Temptation

“Jesus wants to agitate you, shake you, beat you and sift you like the grain, so that your soul arrives at that cleanness and purity that He desires. Could the grain ever be placed in the granary if it is not free of every darnel or chaff? Could the linen ever be conserved in the master’s chest if it has not first become candid? And thus it must also be for the elect soul. I understand that the temptations seem to stain rather than to purify the soul; but it is not thus.”