Father Marino's Meditations

  WORKOUT WEDNESDAY A Midweek Spiritual Workout  with  Fr. Marino H. Msigala, OFM Capuchin THE SHEEP LISTEN TO THE SHEPHERD’S VOICE Christ, the Good Shepherd, invites us to not only hear His voice but to listen to His voice. The image of the Good Shepherd recalls the faithful care and mercy that is available to us. It illustrates the intimate way that Christ knows each of us. We are the flock entrusted to His care, and like a faithful shepherd, Christ constantly watches over us and speaks to us. The challenge facing every Christian today is to listen for the Good Shepherd’s voice in the middle of competing voices and distractions that demand our attention. Conflicting noises assault our senses. Dissonant messages challenge our beliefs, values, and loyalties. What voices are we accustomed to hearing? What voices attract our attention? How can we distinguish the voice of the Good Shepherd amid this chaos? On this Spiritual Workout Wednesday let’s discern the voice of the Good S

OUR PERSONAL ROAD TO EMMAUS Next Sunday, we will hear the familiar Gospel story of the disciples traveling from Jerusalem TO Emmaus. They are disappointed, disheartened, and disturbed by all the events of the previous week of suffering, loss, and death. They lost hope in what they thought Jesus would do for them. They lost faith in what Jesus would be for them. They lost the future that they thought would be their inheritance. They lost Jesus. They didn’t know what to do. All they knew was that they had to get away, far away from Jerusalem. They had to get away from the pain, the suffering, the dashed hopes, and the fear… so ran away. They hit the road. They left Jerusalem and took the road TO Emmaus. Sometimes, we, too, may tend to seek a road TO Emmaus. Emmaus is where we might want to go when something unbelievable, painful, hurtful, or distressing has happened. Something that makes no sense. Something we can’t understand or wrap our heads around. Something that hurts us so

  WORKOUT WEDNESDAY A Midweek Spiritual Workout with  Fr. Marino H. Msigala, OFM Capuchin HOLY MASS: WE KNOW HIM IN THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD During the past Sundays at Holy Mass, we have read that after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to Peter and the Apostles, to Mary, His Mother, and His Mother’s sister, Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene, and to many other disciples. Now, this week we will read that Jesus joins two disciples, one unnamed and the other known as Cleopas as they travel from Jerusalem on the road to Emmaus, an unfamiliar village. This was not accidental. The travelers don’t recognize Jesus when He comes alongside them and joins their conversation. They show their surprise at His not knowing what happened during the last week in Jerusalem. So, they tell Him about all the events that occurred. They reveal their disappointment, their sadness, and their despair that their hope for the coming of the Messiah was dashed. They tell their unrecognized fellow

WORKOUT WEDNESDAY A Midweek Spiritual Workout with Fr. Marino H. Msigala, OFM Capuchin JESUS, I TRUST IN YOUR DIVINE MERCY On May 5, 2000, St. Pope John Paul II declared that the Sunday after Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday. St. Faustina Kowalska was a Polish nun who received messages and visions from Jesus, including an image of Jesus wearing a white garment with beams of red and white light coming from His heart, signifying blood and water flowing from the heart of Jesus. The blood recalls the sacrifice of the cross, and the Holy Eucharist and the water represents not only Baptism but also the gift of the Holy Spirit. This unique image is known as the Divine Mercy of Jesus. Jesus also revealed to St. Faustina the Divine Mercy Chaplet and its four promises: Defense: Jesus, in His mercy, will defend us from evil in the hour of death. Mercy: Jesus, in His mercy, will be our merciful Savior, not a judge at the hour of death. Hope: Jesus, in His mercy, will shower us with grace in the ho

WORKOUT WEDNESDAY A Midweek Spiritual Workout with Fr. Marino H. Msigala, OFM Capuchin WHO AM I DURING THIS HOLY WEEK? Holy Week is filled will various characters, personalities, and attitudes. To become immersed in the events of the week, select one of the characters that you can personally relate to.  Think about these folks:   Thomas, John, Peter, Mary Magdalen, Our Blessed Mother, Judas, and Andrew…each one provides a unique perspective on the events of Holy Week. Which one suits you? As an example, let’s focus on two very distinct, different men whom Jesus called to be His apostles: Judas and Peter. Consider Judas, the one who betrayed Christ. He was the treasurer, and the money-keeper, but he became fonder of the treasury than the King, who was the treasure. Think about Peter, the rock on whom the church was founded. He was impetuous, passionate, and dedicated. Yet, he denied Christ despite all his promises to follow Him no matter what. These two men, both called by

  WORKOUT WEDNESDAY A Midweek Spiritual Workout with Fr. Marino H. Msigala, OFM Capuchin THE CRUCIFIX: THE BOOK OF LIFE   If you want to love God, look at the Crucifix!   If you hope for eternal happiness, look at the Crucifix! If you wonder how much God loves you, look at the Crucifix! If you wonder how much God wants you in heaven, look at the Crucifix! If you wonder how God tries to save you from damnation, look at the Crucifix! If you wonder how much God wants to save your immortal soul, look at the Crucifix! If you wonder how much you should forgive others, look at the Crucifix! If you wonder how much your faith demands of you, look at the Crucifix! If you want to know what unselfishness and generosity are, look at the Crucifix! If you wonder how you can bring others to Christ, look at the Crucifix! If you want to understand the need for self-denial and mortification, look at the Crucifix! If you wish to live well, look at the Crucifix! If  I   If you wis

  WORKOUT WEDNESDAY A. Midweek Spiritual Workout with Fr. Marino H. Msigala,  OFM Capuchin PRAYER OF ST. AUGUSTINE  OF HIPPO Late Have I Loved You, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new. Late have I loved You!   You were within me, but I was outside myself,  and there I sought You! In my weakness, I ran after the beauty of the things You made. You were with, me, but I was not with You. The things You made kept me from You – Those things which would have no being unless they existed in You! You called. You shouted, and You pierced my deafness. You radiated forth. You flared, blazed, and banished my blindness. You sent forth Your fragrance. I breathed it in, and I long for You. I have tasted You, and now I hunger and thirst for You. You touched me, and I burn for Your peace.    ~ Confessions of St. Augustine, X, 27, 38, St. Augustine of Hippo (354 – 430) On this Spiritual Workout Wednesday , let’s enjoy the things we own without allowing the things we own

WORKOUT WEDNESDAY A Midweek Spiritual Workout with Fr. Marino H. Msigala, OFM Capuchin CHRIST HAS NO BODY BUT YOURS Christ has no body but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which He looks Compassionately upon this world. Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good, Yours are the hands, with which He blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, Yours are the eyes, you are His body. Christ has no body now but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassionately upon this world. Christ has no body now on earth but yours. On this Spiritual Workout Wednesday , let us continue our Lenten journey together inspired and motivated by these words attributed to St. Teresa Avila.

  WORKOUT WEDNESDAY A Midweek Spiritual Workout with Fr. Marino H. Msigala, OFM Capuchin BE A PELICAN Consider the pelican, a noble bird who returns exhausted to its nest from a long and fruitless search for food and sees its chicks crowding around to swallow the fish it will disgorge. The pelican sees their gaping mouths and hears their frantic gabbling. For a moment the pelican stands as though listening to some secret inner command. Then, suddenly it raises its beak above the young and arches its neck backward prepared for the strike. It is not the babies that it would harm, but itself.  The pelican punctures its own breast, ripping open its flesh until at last, it stands astride the nest offering its own flesh as food before it dies.   The pelican symbolizes Christ, our Redeemer, who was called the Pious Pelican in the hymn of St. Thomas Aquinas, "Adoro Te Devote." Christ suffered and died for our sins. And today He continues to feed us with His own Body and Blood in the

  WORKOUT WEDNESDAY A  Midweek Spiritual Workout with  Fr. Marino H. Msigala,  OFM Capuchin   YET HE WENT ON…   When I get depressed, when I have a hard time continuing to do good, when I feel alone, and nobody else seems to be on my side, I reflect on this… Jesus, from his childhood, had the deadliest of enemies. Yet, He went on. Jesus was ignored and passed over for thirty years. Yet, He went on. Jesus had the very worst interpretations put on His kindliest actions. Yet, He went on. Jesus had all His words warped, twisted, falsely reported, magnified, minimized, and made to mean the very opposite by men set expressly to catch Him. Yet, He went on. Jesus had no support from those in authority, only suspicion, heckling, and condemnation. Yet, He went on. Jesus received very little gratitude. Yet, He went on. Jesus had none to share His burden, none with whom he could talk. Yet, He went on. Jesus was slighted, even laughed to scorn when He gave His very best. Yet, He went on. Jesus had