2TIMOTHY4: Recent Episodes
Fr. Joseph Bergida
"Preach the word, be urgent in season and out...be unfailing in patience and in teaching" Homilies, sermons, talks, and reflections to help you know, live, and love the truths of our Catholic Faith! (St. Timothy image by Mina Anton, used with permission)
The Eucharist builds up the Body "Communion of the Saints" and is the source of unity for Catholic Christians. Yet, unity can only be had when there is Charity and Truth. Sins against Charity and Truth are thus sins against Communion. What is the role of excommunication in this discussion? Listen and find out.
The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is an opportunity for us to ponder Mary's intimate connection with the Eucharist and how when we receive Holy Communion it ought to be in a Marian Manner. For those interested in seeing the documentation backing up the issue of Communion on the Hand disscussed in this podcast see the book by Juan Rodolfo Laise. The Book can be purchased athttps://www.pcpbooks.net/prestashop/books-in-print/89111-holy-communion-communion-in-the-hand-documents-and-history.htmland
https://www.amazon.com/Communion-Hand-Juan-Rodolfo-Laise/dp/0980208459
The way we receive Holy Communion matters: either it expresses a lively Faith in the True presence of Christ or unmasks a feeble Faith. St. Augustine speaking of the Eucharist says, “But no one eats that flesh unless he adores it [...] and not only do we not sin by adoring, we do sin by not adoring," Sermon on Psalm 98:9. Let us make sure that we adore the Lord with our posture, before welcoming him into bodies.
It matters what we do and how we act with our bodies in worshiping God. We are incarnate beings, meaning we are "enfleshed," not merely a spirit trapped or inhabiting a body. We not only have a body, but we are a body-soul composite. Thus we are to worship God with our bodies!
The Eucharist is the "Source and Summit of the Christian Life" (Vatican II). Yet, few Catholics really understand or treat the Eucharist as they should. Join us for five episodes to grow in Eucharistic Reverence for this greatest treasure of the Church.
The quotes from the saints on Heaven can be found at Aleteia.org "10 Quotes from the Saints on What Heaven Will Be Like".
I also draw and quote extensively from Dr. Ludwig Ott's Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, Tan Books, 1974.
I draw and quote extensively from Dr. Ludwig Ott's Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma,Tan Books, 1974.
See also Sr. Faustina's Diary, 741 for her vision of Hell. Also, her whole Diary can be view as a pdf. online.
3 spiritual weapons for Lent:
- Fasting
- Prayer
- Alms Giving
We are reminded of the secretiveness of using these weapons.
MSOT talk on the sin of Wrath / Anger. Father Schierer gives a wonderful and informative talk on this topic.Â
In the story, A Single Shard, "Tree-ear", an orphan boy, watches a master potter at his work. He sees the care the potter puts into forming the clay and how he is not satisfied with less then perfection. There is much in this story we can learn for how we need to be clay in the hands of our Heavenly Father, who is fashioning us for his heavenly palace. Advent is a chosen time; let us be maleable in His hands!
Father Stephen Schultz
Power without Grace
We don't know who we are so we do not act as we should. We are the only creature to choose to be or not to be who we are meant to be. We are meant to be FREE! God sees His love in each of us.
We begin to look at the saints mentioned in Eucharistic Prayer I after the consecration. These Eight Valiant Men are Saints: John the Baptist, Stephen, Matthias, Barnabas, Ignatius of Antioch (Church Father), Alexander I (pope), Marcellinus (priest), and Peter (exorcist).
The Liturgy is Christ's love song to the Father. Sacred Music is not something optional or superfluous to the liturgy, but necessary and essential. Gregorian Chant is particularly suited to the liturgy and is the standard by which to judge other music. Sacred music immitates and arouses the deeper sentiments and elevates our souls to contemplation and adoration.
In this homily Fr. Bergida deals with the feeling or attitude of boredom that many experience at Mass.  Part of the problem is that we expect the Mass to be something that its not.
The Roman Canon or Eucharistic Prayer I calls to mind or commemorates forty-one Saints: twenty-six of these come before the Consecration, fifteen afterwards. Here we begin to look at these holy men and women.
Father Bergida talking about the sin of pride and the virtue of humility at Marian Society of Teachers on October 22, 2017.
Father Bergida gives his second talk on the Mass discussing the 7 women martyrs remembered in Eucharistic Prayer I or the Roman Canon.
They are:Â Felicity, Perpetua, Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, Cecilia, and Anastasia.
The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins reminds us to be always ready for the Coming of Christ. Â It has liturgical implications as well. Â Each time we attend Mass, we participate in the Heavenly Liturgy -- the Wedding Feast of the Lamb! Â We must recover the concept of the Vigil, the importance of silence, and the reality that Christ comes to those, whose hearts' lamps are full.