O lover of the Church for whom you offered your life, defending the saving truths of the faith against the evil tide engulfing humanity, proclaiming the Gospel of Christ and the light of the Lord to the ends of a desolate world drowning in a thousand false notions of love as man makes himself God and so knows only emptiness inside – pray that we will extricate ourselves from the embrace of the culture of death and find a civilization of love; pray especially the smoke of Satan will be blown by the Spirit from this House you love that She may be evangelized anew and come to contemplate the glory of God.

(1Pt.4:7-13; Ps.96:10-13; Mk.11:11-26) "The consummation of all is close at hand. Therefore, do not be perturbed; remain calm so that you will be able to pray." As at the time Jesus walks the earth the end of the Israelite nation is at hand – a consummation signified in "the fig tree withered to its roots" at His command, a consummation that will be fulfilled in the crucifixion of the Messiah but whose coming is already evident in the fact that the temple has been turned into "a den of thieves" – so at the time of Peter's writing, that end is about to be realized in the destruction of the temple. And more than this, the "trial by fire" occurring in the midst of the disciples refers greatly to the death of this world we face in becoming Christians, to the persecution faced by all His children and felt most genuinely at the hands of the Romans. But as all around is cast into the sea at the command of the Lord, we should not fear. This is the time to "put [our] trust in God," to pray in faith, to put [our] gifts at the service of one another" and "let [our] love for one another be constant." Rather than be sad, we must "rejoice instead, insofar as [we] share Christ's sufferings." For it should be our joy to see the temple cleansed, to have our hearts purified of all that is not holy – to witness the power of the hand of God at work. "For He governs the peoples with equity" as "He comes to rule the earth," so indeed "the heavens [should] be glad and the earth rejoice." "In all of you God is to be glorified through Jesus Christ." His "house is to be called a house of prayer for all peoples." We are His House now; we hold His promise – and we come to His glory as we share in the trials He has known. If the end is close at hand, if the world is already dead, if the devil's illusions are about to fade… what can this bring us but joy to know the Truth is about to be revealed and all His faithful ones are about to be gathered into His kingdom? Remain steadfast in love and prayer, and "a multitude of sins" shall indeed be covered; and the new life which has sprung from the withered roots of the fig tree shall soon be fulfilled in your sight. ******* 96 800x600 Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} O LORD, drive all evil from our midst that we might not wither to our roots. YHWH, you come to rule the earth with justice, to cast out all evildoers that your House might indeed be a house of prayer. And though such purgation bring suffering to our souls (for who is without sin?), uniting our trials to the sufferings of Christ and remaining true to His Word, we are indeed purged of all sin and made ready for the kingdom. O let us love this day! Let us place ourselves at the service of one another, freely sharing the gifts we have by the grace of your Son. It is in Him we find our home, in Him we know our salvation, and so let His chastisement be upon us for good, O LORD, as we seek to join Him in your eternal glory. All the earth shall rejoice at the coming of Jesus; the heavens shall sing praise at such wonder. For though the consummation of all be close at hand, O God, all who put their trust in you shall be remade in His image. Alleluia!

(1Pt.2:2-5,9-12; Ps.100:2-5; Mk.10:46-52) "Be as eager for milk as newborn babies – pure milk of the Spirit to make you grow unto salvation." Does not the "blind beggar Bartimaeus" show his eagerness for the milk of the Spirit, for the blood of Christ upon his soul, when he persistently calls out "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" despite those who "were scolding him to make him keep quiet"? And was his ready desire to meet with the Lord not revealed most clearly when "he threw aside his cloak, jumped up and came to Jesus." All else becomes as nothing as even in his blindness he strains forward to find the Lord. Brothers and sisters, should we not "come to Him, a living stone, rejected by men but approved, nonetheless, and precious in God's eyes," just as this beggar? Are we not "'a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people He claims for His own to proclaim the glorious works' of the One who called [us] from darkness into His marvelous light"? Is it not so that "once [we] were no people, but now [we] are God's people"? Once we were blind as Bartimaeus, without mercy for our souls, "but now [we] have found mercy." And oh how we should treasure such grace – even as a newborn child treasures its milk. Who better than Peter, our high priest, to let us know that we "too are living stones, built as an edifice of spirit, into a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ"? Having been cured of our own blindness, having been purged of our "carnal desires," we join this blessed Rock of the Church at the altar on high, sharing in the sacrifice of our Risen Christ. Should this thought not cause us to "serve the Lord with gladness"? Should it not make us ever eager to serve Him more, to draw ever closer to Him as He passes by? Is it not our desire to be with Him forever? "Get up! He is calling you!" Do not be afraid for "He made us" and we are "the flock He tends." The gentle Lord desires nothing more than to heal your troubled soul. See that you now "follow Him up the road" in joy, growing daily in the new life and light of the Spirit of God. ******* O LORD, in your great mercy you have saved us from our sins that we might see your glory – let us proclaim your marvelous works this day. YHWH, we praise you for the mercy you bring to our souls. We were once blind and begging by the roadside, but you have heard our cries and healed us; and now we walk with Jesus to Jerusalem. In His very sacrifice we share, offering ourselves and our works up in His Name. So generous you are that in His priesthood we now share. O LORD, though we are the poorest of sinners, though we have been so far from you and your mercy, mired in the deepest darkness, yet you have come to us, you have passed by the gutter in which we were splayed, and you have lifted us by your Word from our emptiness – you have given light to our eyes. Let us thank you now by following in your way, and so fulfill your grace at work in us. O LORD, let all our carnal desires be stripped from us like an old cloak and let us stand with you in white robes. Truly, O LORD, make us your own, that we might praise you forevermore.

O converter of peoples, called from the quiet of cloister walls you went obediently over seas to preach to the souls to whom you were sent, and the Lord worked through your obedience, spoke through the words you uttered to the nations… and so the light of holy faith banished the darkness of error and souls indeed were gathered into Christ's fold – pray, O shepherd, obedience shall be ours, too, and all whom the Father would hold unto His breast shall come indeed to that sacred place and there find their rest. May God's will be accomplished in His Church and we bear fruit in His name.

(1Pt.1:18-25; Ps.147:12-15,19-20; Mk.10:32-45) "The Son of Man has not come to be served but to serve – to give His life in ransom for the many." As Jesus and His apostles make their "way up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes," He tells them that these elders of the people "will condemn Him to death and hand Him over to the Gentiles, who will mock Him and spit at Him, flog Him, and finally kill Him." He then adds, "But three days later He will rise." Here is the Gospel in short. Here is "the living and enduring Word of God," the "indestructible seed" which brings us to life by our "faith and hope" centered upon it. Yes, "by Christ's blood" we "were delivered from the futile way of life" that sin wrought in us; this blood is "the blood of a spotless, unblemished lamb chosen before the world's foundation and revealed for [our] sake in these last days." Christ has died, Christ is risen, and in Him we come to life again. And we must "drink the cup" He drinks; we must "be baptized in the same bath of pain." There is no other way to His glory. Our lives on this earth must be joined in sacrifice with Him. Never are we to "lord it over" others; but always we "must serve the rest." So Jesus instructs His apostles in this most weighty moment filled with "wonderment" and "fear," as He stands at the precipice of His sacrifice. And Peter tells us the same when He counsels us to "love one another constantly from the heart." Jesus' blood is the greatest love and it is in this river we must swim; in this ocean we shall be cleansed – "by obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves for a genuine love of your brother," the Lord's principal apostle declares to all his faithful readers. "He has proclaimed His word to Jacob, His statutes and ordinances to Israel," and all these are summed up in the blood of the Lamb of God. "Swiftly runs His word" to all who seek redemption from God; swiftly it comes to pierce our hearts. And though by it we ourselves bleed with Him, by it "He has granted peace in [our] borders" – through Jesus we are "believers in… the God who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory," and His same glory is ours as we die with Him now. Let this Word be inscribed upon your heart. ******* O LORD, your Son is the Word spoken by your mouth that comes quickly to save us; may we share in the cup He raises to His blessed lips. YHWH, we are purified by the Word your Son speaks to us, by the Gospel preached in His Name – by His death and resurrection, which you desire us to share. Let His blood be upon us for good this day, that we might be thoroughly cleansed of our sins and come to serve you and one another. Our faith and our hope are in you, LORD; all our desire is to join you in glory. The blessing of your way be known to us – let us walk the path to Jerusalem with your Son. For if we die with Him, if we lay down our lives in service of one another for your sake, then we shall live with you, saved from the death that comes upon all flesh. Our lives are passing as the grass of the field; this you know, O LORD. But your Son has come to redeem our souls, to raise us from the dust that we might sit with Him in your kingdom. Let your will be done and we come by the drinking of His cup to the heavenly Jerusalem.

O priest of joy whose song of service rises unto the Lord until this day, whose delight in sacrifice inspires others to give themselves in freedom to the work of Christ – pray all God's priests and people will give themselves so completely in the love of the only Son that indeed a holy song might rise unto the heavens until He returns from there to carry us home forever. May the Lord's healing graces be poured forth through your generous intercession that all souls might be prepared to unite with their Creator and Redeemer, with the Spirit who inspires the Church even here with His glorious presence.

(1Pt.1:10-16; Ps.98:1-4; Mk.10:28-31) "Set all your hope on the gift to be conferred on you when Jesus Christ appears." "The Lord has made His salvation known: in the sight of the nations He has revealed His justice." That "which the prophets carefully searched out and examined" but was hidden from their eyes, that into which "angels long to search" is now indeed made known "by those who preach the Gospel to you, in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven." Yes, "the divine favor which was destined to be [ours]," "the sufferings destined for Christ and the glories that would follow" spoken of in all Scripture by the Spirit of Christ, are now come into our midst; and it is these we wait to see fulfilled. And as we await our salvation we must "become holy… after the likeness of the holy one who called" us. As we stay, we must share in His sufferings to find His glory. "Obedient sons" of the one Father, we must pattern ourselves after His only Son. "The desires that once shaped [us] in [our] ignorance" must be absolutely abandoned as we become holy as He. And the same Peter who instructs us in the salvation prepared for us from all ages and the holiness which alone befits it, exclaims to Jesus in our gospel today, "We have put aside everything to follow you!" as if to plead, "Have we done enough?" And the Lord assures him all that he gives up for the kingdom's sake shall return to him a hundredfold, and "in the age to come" he shall have "everlasting life." For indeed, as the Lord has been, so the apostles have followed, and in these same steps we must walk – to this same cross we must come. Here we stand at the end of salvation history, as the last in a long line of the children of God. But first we can be with the Spirit as our guide and conformed to the sufferings of Christ. Being at the end of this line we have the benefit of all the prophecy and teaching that has prepared this time; greater fullness of truth is ours than at any time before. And so, more so are we called to be like our Savior; impossible is it become for us to hide in ignorance. "All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God," the light of Christ has been cast upon all hearts, and to continue in sin becomes yet a greater torture – for our eyes are so much less blind. Now must the earth become obedient to His voice, calling so clearly in its soul; condemnation awaits otherwise. Now the simple word of truth spoken by God at the heart of Scripture must be our sure guide: "Be holy, for I am holy," and our expectations will soon be fulfilled in Him. ******* O LORD, your Son has come and now sends forth the Spirit; let us put all aside to follow Him in holiness of life. YHWH, your salvation you have made known to us; what the prophets declared has become so in our midst – your Son has walked among us and died for us that we might be saved. O let your salvation be fulfilled this day! O LORD, make us holy as you are holy, that we might be where you are. Help us to walk the path to glory by fully embracing the Cross your Son provides. Help us gladly to give up all things that we might find all things anew in your presence. What of this earth matters, O LORD? What is there we should put before our love for you? For all things are in your holy hands and only by you is anything blessed. And so, let us give ourselves to you who are holy, and you will make all things holy for us. Thank you, O LORD, for your kindness toward us. Thank you for the blood your Son has shed. Thank you for making your love known to us, for now by your grace this love we may share. Open our eyes and our hearts to the glory of your way, and let us walk that way with Jesus.

O humble soul whom the Lord blessed with mystical elevations to His heavenly presence, you who remained so faithful through all trials and encouraged others to seek such perfection as well – pray that this proud age which leans so distinctly from the truth, from the love of God, will be consumed as you were by the Holy Spirit, by desire for the Lord's overtaking of our lives, that all souls will turn from the false gods at their hands, idols that overshadow their spirits, and toward the humility known only in our Savior's blood. Only in Him is life eternal; pray all souls will come to His love.

O Shepherd and Father, defender of the faith and of holy MotherChurch against those who would rob her of her freedom, those who would rape her, stealing away her purity, those who would deny her singleness in the sight of God as the House which He has founded – those who would destroy the faith and bring to naught the Church, our Mother, and Peter, our Holy Father, do not relent in their efforts… and so we need still your prayers and your courage to aid us in standing strong against the tide the evil one stirs up in this world. Pray indeed, O Father, that all our shepherds and all God's people will tirelessly defend the truth in love.

O learned master whose life itself was as a monastery, consumed as you were by study and teaching and writing and prayer, who till the very end spoke the name of the Lord in all your words and deeds – pray that the incense of your life will rise unto the throne of God and intercede for us here below who are so far from His presence, from knowledge of His providence and remembrance of His sacrifice. How will we find ourselves one with the Lord of Creation and ascend to His glory if you do not pray for us, O blessed soul so united to His will, so held within His Hand and breathing forth His name?