Catholic Fire

"I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled." (Luke 12:29) We have approached the fire of the love of God. Let us allow that fire to burn our lives. Let us feed the desire to spread that divine fire throughout the world, making it known to all the people around us. They too can experience the peace of Christ and find happiness there. A Christian who lives united to Christ's heart can have no goals but these: peace in society, peace in the Church, peace in his soul, the peace of God which will reach its climax when his kingdom comes. ~ St. Josemaria Escriva Image Source

Today is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On this feast, we focus our attention on Jesus truly present in the Holy Eucharist and reflect on God’s unconditional love and boundless mercy as symbolized by His heart. Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus has as its dogmatic foundation the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. On account of the hypostatic union, every part of our Lord's Human Nature is worthy of adoration. Hence, therefore, we adore His bodily Heart, beating in His Bosom. We also honor the Heart of Jesus as a reminder, or symbol, of His love for us, and we are moved to make Him a return of love, because He has loved us and He is not loved by men. Love, consecration, and reparation are the characteristic acts of this devotion. In this form it is now solemnly approved by the Church. On the feast of the Sacred Heart celebrated on the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi an act of reparation is prescribed for recitation in every ch...

During his daily morning Mass at the Vatican, Pope Francis explained that God is a father who weeps for His children and never rejects them, not even the most rebellious. Pope Francis gave the example of King David, who cried when his son Absalon died. He also referenced Jairus, the head of a synagogue who cried to Jesus after losing his daughter. POPE FRANCIS "And with these two icons let’s say: ‘I believe in God the Father…’. And let’s ask the Holy Spirit, because it’s only He, the Holy Spirit, who teaches us to say  ‘Abba, Father!’ It’s a grace. To be able to say to God ‘Father’ with our hearts. Is a grace of the Holy Spirit. Let’s ask Him for this.” Pope Francis added that God waits for His children just like the father in the parable who waits for his prodigal son, in spite of behavior. He concluded that priest and bishops should embrace the same spiritual parenthood. SUMMARY OF THE POPE'S HOMILY (Source: Vatican Radio) "While he was walking away, he ...

(Vatican Radio) God’s love is good beyond comprehension: it repairs the damage caused by our sins and errors; it makes whole our personal stories after they have been broken by sin; it heals all of history. This was the focus of Pope Francis in his homily at Mass on Monday morning in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican. The Holy Father concentrated his comments on the Gospel reading of the day, which was taken from the Gospel according to St Mark (1:14-20), and which tells of Christ’s calling of the disciples, Andrew, Simon (who would be called Peter), James and John. “It seems [in this passage] that Simon, Andrew , James and John are chosen once-and-for-all: [and] yes , they were chosen! At this moment [in the story], however, they had not been faithful to the last. After being chosen, they went on to make mistakes. They proposed un-Christian things to the Lord. They denied the Lord – Peter most glaringly, and the others out of fear: they were afraid and they r...

During his daily morning Mass at the Vatican, Pope Francis described Christianity as something concrete that requires action and not just words. Reflecting on a reading from St. John, he said the love found in Christianity is unique. POPE FRANCIS "You see that the love John speaks of is not the love of soap operas! No, it is something else. Christian love has a particular quality: concreteness. Christian love is concrete. Jesus Himself, when He speaks of love, speaks to us about concrete things: feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, and many concrete things. Love is concrete. Christian concreteness.” The Pope then added that just like St. John says,  God is love, and those who remain in love- remain in God and God remains in them. EXCERPT OF THE POPE'S CATECHESIS IN ENGLISH Source: Vatican Radio "We are in God and God is in us: this is the Christian life. Not remaining in the spirit of the world, not remaining in superficiality, not remaining in idolatry, no...

(Romereports.com) More than 500 Catechumens from roughly 47 countries came to the Vatican, where Pope Francis presided over the Rite of Acceptance. As part of the tradition, the Pope personally greeted about 35 of them at the entrance of St. Peter's Basilica. As the group gets ready to join the Catholic Church, the Pope talked about the Sacrament of Baptism, adding that God created people precisely for an encounter. POPE FRANCIS “God did not create us to be alone, or closed off in ourselves. He created us so we could encounter Him, and through Him, He lead us towards others. God first comes to us. This is incredible! He comes to us!" The Pope also highlighted that God is always loyal and patient, even when rejected and betrayed. POPE FRANCIS “God comes out and searches. He often seeks us out precisely when we're going through the bitter and tragic experience of betraying Him and fleeing from Him. God doesn't wait. He begins His search immediately. He searc...

November 12, 2013. (Romereports.com) During his daily morning Mass at the Vatican, Pope Francis explained that God never abandons, not even when He scolds. God's hands, he said, never give a slap, but rather they give comfort.   POPE FRANCIS “Our God, like a father with his child, teaches us to walk, teaches us to walk along the path of life and salvation. It’s God’s hands who caress us in our moments of pain,comforting us. God caresses us! He loves us. Often times, in this caress we find forgiveness. Just thinking about this, personally gives me comfort.” The Pope also added that God's wounded hands accompany people throughout their lives. The Pope then said Christians must entrust themselves into God's hands, just like children do the same, when holding their fathers' hands. SUMMARY OF POPE'S HOMILY: Source: Vatican Radio Pope Francis reflected on the loving nature of God’s hands, saying even when scolding us, these hands never give a slap but instead...

June 12, 2013. (Romereports.com) During his weekly general audience, Pope Francis talked about the mission of the Church, describing it as the People of God. In his catechesis on the Creed, he explained that through Baptism, one is called to transmit God's love, hope and joy to others. CATECHESIS IN ENGLISH: Speaker: Dear Brothers and Sisters: In our continuing catechesis on the Creed, today we consider the Church as the People of God, called to new life in Christ.  We become part of this people through God’s gift of faith and spiritual rebirth in the waters of Baptism.  Our law is the twin commandment of love for God and neighbor.  Our mission is to be a leaven of the hope born of God’s love in our world wounded by sin and evil.  Amid the darkness that so frequently surrounds us, we are called to be so many points of light, illumining all reality and showing the way to a better future.  God’s goodness is stronger than any evil!  Our destination i...

“This is a lesson for all of us, but also for today's Church: if we know how to let ourselves be led by the Holy Spirit, if we know how to mortify our selfishness to make room for the Lord's love and his will, then we will find peace, then we will know how to be builders of peace and we will spread peace around us.” ~ Pope Francis, following the memorial Mass for Pope John XXIII at St. Peter's Basilica on June 3, 2013

St. Therese of the Child Jesus has said, "Love is repaid by love alone." Elsewhere it is said in simpler form: Love for love, meaning God first offers us His love in the hope that we will respond by giving Him ours. This principle of action and reaction is the heart of Bl. John Duns Scotus' teaching. God first acts by willing Christ, the God-man, and the God-man responds with His Heart aflame for the love and glory of the Father. We also see God's principle of action and reaction in the predestination of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Listen now as Father explains this eye-opening principle of Love for love, action and reaction, and how it plays out in all of creation, and in our lives. Ave Maria!

Only in complete silence, one starts to hear. Only when language resigns, one starts to see.

An excellent reflection by Fr. Leo Clifford, O.F.M. on handling our failures. He uses St. Peter and St. Paul as examples and also includes G.K. Chesterton, Francis Thompson, St. Margaret of Cortona, St. Augustine in his brief inspirational talk. Includes Psalm 63. Tune in to EWTN TV and radio for more of Fr. Clifford's "Reflections". You can also find 36 of Fr. Clifford's reflections online here.

Derika Testimony (Portuguese with English subtitles XL)