Our Lady Of Lourdes Podcast

Listen to Father Brian's fascinating explanation of the prophetic book of Malachi, and its fulfillment in the book of Mark. May we be ready for the second coming of Christ, just as St. John the Baptist readied himself by following the example of Elijah.

Fr. Gama emphasizes the quality of Mary's trust in the Lord and how we should all strive to be so faithful. In return, we are granted grace and strength that surpasses all understanding. Happy Feast Day!

Father Brian explains the Christian view of the New Year in his analogy from The Lion King. :) We struggle with identity in this world, which is why we need to remember where we came from. "You have forgotten who you are, therefore you have forgotten me."--Mufasa! Bethlehem tells us who we are, because it is the birthplace of Christianity--the entire reason for our existence. You are loved, you come from somewhere, you are a member of the family of God, because of what happened in Bethlehem. The world starts the new year on January 1, whereas The Church's new year begins on the First Sunday of Advent, because we put our hope and faith in Christ, first, and not the material world. The world lives by the motto, "Eat Drink & Be Merry, because tomorrow we'll die." The difference between Christians and the rest of the world is, the world lives in frantic-mode, not knowing what to do because time will end, and The Church lives in hope, BECAUSE time will end. Don't rush Christmas--It isn't here, yet. Focus on Adven

Fr. Gama beautifully illustrates what it means to be sensitive to the voice of Christ, when others approach us for help. It may be in the most unexpected ways. With Christ's help, we can become God-sufficient, not self sufficient. Pay attention--you never know when you can serve as a person's saving grace. If we aren't living out our baptismal call to grow The Kingdom, we missed the point. Pray for awareness. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!

Deacon Darell talks about the important role of all husbands and aspiring husbands in this world. It is based on three steps: Be humbled by the dignity of women, be brave enough to protect The Garden, and be a holy man of great love. Were you a good steward of these things? Were you virtuous? When we are faithful in the small things, God will entrust us with larger things. Let us strive for these things so that, when our time is up, Christ can tell us, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

Matthew 25. The Bible is filled with stories about wedding and marriage. In fact, the Bible itself is a wedding story, beginning with Adam & Eve. God's bride is Israel in the OT, and The Church is His bride in the NT. Jesus is always talking about weddings, and how He came to lay down His life for His Bride--The Church. The Catholic Church is so rich, that you could spend your entire life studying it and never get to the bottom of it. Your relationship to God is supposed to be a desperate romance, like the moment a bride walks down the aisle. If we have not opened our hearts to that grace, we are missing something! Flannery O'Connor--"The only good Catholic is someone who says they're not." G.K. Chesterton. "Let your faith be less of a theory and more of a love story." When we love, we become obedient, and it isn't a struggle. That's what our faith should be like.

Imagine a priest at Starbucks, and the dilemma he faces when he has to tell them a name for the order. That is the life of a priest! Father Brian reveals the role of priests, and the giant misconception that the priesthood is a position of power, when in actuality it is a position of humility and laying down one's life--entirely--for Christ.

Celebrate the Feast of our Homeland! This is the feast that reminds us of what is more real than anything we've ever encountered. Let us strive to be like the saints who have pleased God throughout the ages! Amen!

As we inch closer and closer to the end of our Liturgical Season, Christ reveals that the two most important things for us to remember to do are to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart," and "Love your neighbor as yourself," though it is humbling to realize how hard this is to do. As we await the second coming, God moves us gradually towards grace. Who are the witnesses in your life who are leading you closer to Jesus Christ?

Deacon Darell highlights the importance of friends who are with you through the most trying times of your life. He illustrated Plebe Year at West Point with his fellow comrades, and what a bond they developed because of that difficult year at the bottom of the totem pole. He describes his 40th reunion at West Point New York, and how they did not focus on their accomplishments over the past 40 years, but on the bond they developed during that first treacherous year of training. Pray for all souls and the strength to turn away from sin. Pray for everyone's souls so they may be worthy and perfect gifts to return to Christ what is rightfully His. We are pilgrims of Christ, who are being tested every day. Grab an arm of a stranger on the way out of church, and strike up a conversation--then ask how you can pray for them. Then, do it. Pray for God to lighten that person's cross, because we all face them every day. Make it a habit to pray for the grace to turn your likeness back to God, because we are all on this j

Our hopes are not too big, actually, when it comes to finding your significant other. It's that our hopes are too small. Raise your standards. This Gospel is about hope, and hardening our heart with it. It is tempting to settle for things that are far less than what God has planned for us! Let us be joyful and content in where we are, because of the Hope of Christ.

To tithe is to obey the law of God, and to trust Him to provide all your needs according to His riches and glory. Even if you aren't in a spot to tithe right now, can you do better? Give to God first, then all else will fall into place, and you will be greatly blessed.

It is backwards to think we can only give our leftovers to God. Commitment weekend is next weekend, so go home, and pray about how much more you can give to back to God, not because He needs it, but because you do. Give in such a way that you trust that He will provide, even if it's just one day at a time.

The parable within Matthew 20 is not about money or greed or even equality--it's about the generosity of God. There is nothing we could possibly do in our human existence to deserve one iota of God's grace, and yet he still gives and gives and gives to us without expecting anything in return except to love him. Don't judge those who find their faith at the end of their, despite working on your faith for the entirety of yours. God's grace knows no bounds.

In order to understand the "good news," we have to understand the "bad news," first.

Do you have the ability to love someone enough to tell them when they are out of line? You should. Because that's part of being Christian, and part of growing the Kingdom. Listen as Father Brian explains why it is so important to not only accept criticism, but give criticism when it is needed.

When we are surrounded by luxuries consistently, we get used to them--we take them for granted. Jesus went from giving St. Peter the keys to the church to scolding him harshly for his doubt in who Christ was. We have a radical call to follow Jesus Christ--he calls us to die. To die to our selfish desires. It's painful, but there is life on the other side, and there is no other way to life than through The Cross.

21st Sunday In Ordinary Time, August 27th, 2017 by Lourdes Denver

As an Army Ranger, Deacon Darell learned what it meant to persevere, but he didn't really know how he did it--he just did. With God, all things are possible. Look to Romans 12:12 when you lose the desire to press on. Pray.

"Lord, help us to get out of the boat, today."