Loving God

Blessed Mother and Baby Jesus and Peruvian Saints - Window Kamiano Center

1 John 4: 19 - 21

We love, because he first loved us.

If any one says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

And this commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should love his brother also.

 EWTN

The above scriptural passage is from today's first reading.

How is it possible for us to say we love God if we do not love our neighbor.

We have two commandments that we must obey:  We must love God with our whole hearts and we must love our neighbor as ourselves.

If we do not love our neighbor then we cannot possibly love God.

How many times a day have we:

- been impatient with someone who is holding us up in a line or walking down the street or driving too slowly in front of us?

- been annoyed at a family member for little things.   However, if they had been a stranger, we would have treated them with more respect and patience?

- criticized someone behind their back?

-  said no to our children when they interrupt what we are doing and asked us to do something for them?

- walked by a homeless person without even a smile or greeting them, let alone helping them?

- getting angry at outspoken or pushy people.

- putting our wants and needs before those of our spouse or family member or even friends.

- been envious or unhappy when a friend gets more attention than we do?

- not keeping silent when someone says mean or unkind things to us or about us?

- not visited or called a lonely or sick friend?

If we have done any of the above, we are in danger of not loving God first but instead, loving ourselves more.

It is not easy to change our nature, habits or personalities just because we want to.  We need to pray for the grace to be more kind, more patient, more loving towards others.  We need to pray for the grace, to love others more and ourselves less.  We cannot do it alone. We need to be like little children who rely on their parents for everything.  We need to depend on God to help us love others more so that we can love Him more.

Movie Review - Gimme Shelter

On January 24th, the week of the infamous and deadly Roe v. Wade decision,  the movie Gimme Shelter will open in theaters around the country. For many of us pro-life people of faith, we were blessed to have the privilege of watching it last evening. Thanks to the producer of Bella, Jason Jones of Movement to Movement, more and more pro-life, pro-family, and faith-based films will be coming to a theater near us. Thanks to him, we have films like the aforementioned Bella, and also October Baby, Crescendo and pretty soon, you can see his latest project, Gimme Shelter.

Gimme Shelter is based on a true story of Kathy DiFiore, a woman in New Jersey who opened up her home to pregnant and unwed teens.  It is the story of a pregnant and unwed teenage girl trying to escape her drug addicted mother.

This movie has a very powerful beginning. The performances excellently portray violence and abuse due to drug addiction. It was heart-breaking having to see a teen girl feel so unloved, with no where to turn. Actress Vanessa Hudgens gives an amazing performance as Agnes "Apple" Bailey. Another powerful performance is given by Rosario Dawson. She was also the vet in the family film Zookeeper with Kevin James. It was hard to believe that she was the same actress in both films. In this new movie, she plays the drug addicted mother of "Apple".

There are a couple of other well-known actors in the film.  They too brought a lot of emotion to their respective roles.

There was a strong request from the people who brought us this film, to make sure we let others know about them so that they could have people fill the seats when it opens up.  We need to support these types of films.  We need to bring more quality films to our theaters that have a message of hope, a message of love and a message of God.

So please make plans to go to the movies and watch this beautifully filmed movie.

And, lastly, please support your local crisis pregnancy center by either making a monthly donation or volunteering.

On Oahu, there are two that need help: Aloha Pregnancy Care and Counseling Center and Pregnancy Problem Center of Hawaii

What Would have been birthday of St. Joan of Arc

Hermann Anton Stilke's Joan of Arc Burning at the Stake

Picture source

In honor of her birthday, please read Maid of Heaven's posts:

St. Joan of Arc and the Epiphany and St. Joan of Arc's Birthday

Traditional Date of the Arrival of the Three Kings

Most of Latin America celebrate the Feast of the Three Kings on January 6th.  It is the traditional day for exchanging Christmas gifts.

So, if you did not have an opportunity to bless your home for Epiphany, you can do so today.
Catholic Culture: Epiphany blessing for the home

First Saturday

Given to St. Theresa Co-Cathedral - Honolulu

Our Lady of Fatima has asked us to keep the First Five Saturday devotion not only for our own good and the good of the world, but more importantly, for reparation against the offenses to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  The following is what Michelle Laque Johnson of EWTN wrote:

The world is becoming increasingly de-Christianized. Abortion, now known as “womens’ rights.” Euthanasia, now known as “mercy killing.” Same-sex “marriage,” now considered a “civil right.” Violence, sexual perversity, body mutilation, seeking altered states of consciousness, the occult. What is a Christian to do?

The answer was given to us in 1917 by Our Lady at a little known place known as Fatima. She requested what are now known as the First Saturday Devotions to make reparation for blasphemies and offenses against her Immaculate Heart and for world peace...

“Many consider the First Five Saturdays to be a forgotten part of the Fatima message, and very few people observe them,” said EWTN Chaplain Father Joseph Mary...

“This devotion has four parts – all four should be made in a spirit of reparation for blasphemy and ingratitude and for peace in the world,” Fr. Joseph continued. “First, one should go to confession, generally eight days before or after the First Saturday of the month; Second, one should receive Holy Communion on the First Saturday of the month; Third, recite five decades of the Rosary; and fourth, meditate for 15 minutes on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary.”

There are great benefits for those who comply with this request. Our Lady told Sister Lucia she would “assist at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation, all those who on the first Saturdays of five consecutive months confess, receive Holy Communion, pray a rosary, and keep me company for a quarter of an hour meditating on the 15 mysteries with the intention of offering reparation.”

Many ask why Our Lady asked her children to observe FIVE first Saturdays. Our Lady told Sister Lucia the five Saturdays are to make reparation for the five kinds of offenses and blasphemies uttered against her Immaculate Heart. The offenses are 1.) against her Immaculate Conception, 2.) against her virginity, 3.) against her Divine maternity, 4.) by those who openly seek to foster in the hearts of children indifference, or even hatred, for this Immaculate Mother, and 5.) by those who directly outrage her holy images.

What if you’ve already made the Five First Saturdays? Should you do it again?

Said Father Joseph: “There is always a need for reparation. Although we can trust in the promises of Our Lady that we have satisfied her desires for ourselves personally, nonetheless, it will still be beneficial for us in making reparation for sins which continue against her Immaculate Heart and for obtaining world peace.”

The Most Holy Name of Jesus

Baby Jesus - Sts. Peter and Paul, Honolulu

Today the Catholic Church observes the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.  It is a good way to remember that whenever we say His name,  we should do it with all reverence and love.  It is also a good way to make reparation for those who take His Most Holy Name in vain.

"...God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians 2:10-12

Source

In a world where "OMG" is said or texted more often than the words"thank you", let us whenever we hear Jesus' name taken in vain, kindly correct that Jesus Holy Name should be said very reverently.  If we cannot do this then the very least the we should do is bow our heads when His name is taken in vain and pray softly: "ADMIRABLE IS THE NAME OF GOD."

Aspiration source: Our Lady of the Rosary Library

Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzan

Holy Family - Saints Peter and Paul, Honolulu

Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen.  They were good friends as well as staunch defenders of Holy Mother Church.  They fought the heretical Arians and this caused them much trouble and suffering.  Both were bishops.

We live in a world where not only are bishops and priests put in positions where they must defend the Church, but also ordinary Catholics.  What a blessing it is when we have a good friend who gives us moral support when we must speak out in defense of our beloved Church.

Sts.  Basil and Gregory, help us when we are called to defend attacks on the Catholic Church.  Help us to remember to be strong and not to be afraid as God will be there to support us.

Happy New Year! - 2014 - Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God - Resolutions

Our Lady of the Unborn - Blue Army Shrine, Washington, NJ

Today is the first day of the new year!  Attending Mass on a day dedicated to the Holy Mother of God is a beautiful way to start the new year!  We can also start anew not only with the New Year's resolutions most of us have already made but with daily resolutions we can make.  These daily resolutions will be easier to keep because it expires at the end of the day.  Then at night, when we make our examination of conscience, we can see the areas we need improving and it will facilitate making our resolution for the next day.

As always, we must rely on God for His help and guidance.  Alone we will surely fall and become discouraged.  So, make a resolution, pray for the grace to keep it and trust in God. Remember also to invoke the help our our dear Blessed Mother.  She will not let us down.  If we fail to keep our resolutions, let us not become discouraged and give up but focus instead on the Lord and resolve to try harder the next day.

May our Lord and Lady grant you and your families a very blessed new year.

Merry Christmas 2013

Diocese of Honolulu's display "Santa Would Go"

In a few hours Hawaii will celebrating the birth of the Savior of the World!

When I was a little girl, Christmas was a magical time.  A white Christmas was not unusual on the east coast.  We would be surrounded by family, warmth and good food.  People became friends as we all wished each other "Merry Christmas or Feliz Navidad!"

It was right after Thanksgiving that the Christmas decorations went up.  There would be lights on the front porch and living room windows, red and green paper chains decorated the doorways, silver and gold garland lined the banister.  Sometimes there was even a real tree to decorate, both inside and out!  But even the artificial trees we had were fun to decorate.  We also took special care to create a nice space for the Nativity set.  It was later as an adult who finally took more interest in her faith that I realized the Christmas decorations needed to wait until closer to Christmas.

It was then that the special Advent season would really be appreciated as a preparation for the Christ child. We made more attempts at sacrifices and mortifications.  We decorated with special care, the Advent wreath, with royal blues and purples.  We filled the Advent calendar drawers with slips of papers instructing us on which act of kindness to perform.  It was sad to think of how much we missed out growing up, in not celebrating the liturgical season of Advent.

When I was a child there were the Christmas carols we sang and listened to, both religious Christmas carols and secular Christmas songs.  Most of our favorite carols were taught in our public school:  Silent Night, O Christmas Tree, Joy to the World, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Angels We Have Heard on High, We Three Kings, are just a few of the Christmas carols we sang in school.  We learned the fun ones by listening to the radio as well as in school:  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and a personal favorite, Up on the Housetop.

It was a simpler time a few decades ago.  Children weren't burdened with maybe offending someone.  The children at our public school were mostly Christians and Jews.  The Jewish kids sang the Christmas carols and the Christian kids sang Hanukkah songs.  It was a fun learning experience. Somehow our difference had a way of bringing us closer together.

It is therefore such a shame that today's public school children are being cheated from experiencing the magic of Christmas.  It is tragic that they are not taught whose birthday it is we are celebrating.  Someone so important that it became a national holiday.

In Honolulu, the city council decided it was not appropriate to celebrate Christmas as it may offend someone who didn't believe.  The Christmas parade was changed to Honolulu City Lights parade.  It was offensive to put up a nativity but organizations/churches could enter a special lottery.  If they was lucky enough to be selected and they wanted to put up a nativity, one could be erected.  However, there had to be a disclaimer that it was not paid for by city funds.  Imagine that...  Luckily, the Diocese of Honolulu won a lottery slot this year.  It is a beautiful display of Santa Claus kneeling before the Christ Child.

Which brings me to the reason for the post.  The other day, we watched a movie on Netflix.   Last Ounce of Courage is an inspiring movie about the true meaning of Christmas and more importantly, religious freedom.  So if you want to watch an inspiring movie this Christmas, be sure to watch it with your family and friends.  It is available streaming from Netflix.

From our family to yours,

We wish you a very blessed and Merry Christmas. May God bless you abundantly!

With much aloha,
Esther

Our Lady of Guadalupe - Movie

Happy feast day!

Here is a movie I found online that you can watch in its entirety.  However, it is in Spanish.  I haven't seen it but it looks promising.