6 Ways to Prepare for a baby Jesus Christmas

With Christmas being right around the corner, it’s crunch time to prepare. While you also might prepare last minute gifts (guilty), toss around some tinsel and hoard eggnog, let's take a moment or two to talk about spiritual preparation, not laying out cookies for a man in red who doesn't exist. Seriously, who needs Santa Claus (with the exception of St. Nicholas, ora pro nobis), when we have the birth of Jesus Christ? Christ, Who is the Son of the almighty and eternal God, humbled Himself to become man, more specifically, a little child, to save us from everlasting death through His infinite love, and that's only the tip of the iceberg. Yet instead we tell our children about an imaginary man who delivers toys once a year depending on their behavior... there's no comparison. To elevate Santa higher than Christ is like glorifying a chintzy pebble over all of the treasures in the world, magnified by a million times over, and that still doesn't compare to the greatness of God! If marriage is my vocation, my future spouse better be prepared to not teach our children about Santa, when we have Jesus Christ. Some may not agree with me, but I am staunchly Catholic in an increasingly secular world, after all. For an even more wonderfully controversial view of this topic, check out Matt Walsh's own blog post, click here to have your mind blown.

It's the season of Advent, which in Latin is adventus, which means arrival, so let's get ready for baby Jesus! I say specifically a baby Jesus Christmas, because it's a lost cause to try to turn Christmas into anything else. Take Christ out of Christmas and you have yourself something like a cheap knock-off that just isn't the same. These are only a few suggested ways to prepare, but before we move along, let's take a moment to appreciate just how sweet the child Jesus is portrayed here. Aww. 

1) Go to confession
I mentioned this in the my last post. Cleaning out your heart and soul is the best way to prepare to welcome baby Jesus into the manger of your heart, through Holy Communion on Christmas Day. There's nothing like a good, sacramental confession to open your heart to the graces waiting for you. Also, what's better than being united to Christ on His birthday?

2) Pray the Joyful Mysteries
The Joyful Mysteries of the rosary are the Annunciation, the Visitation, the birth of our Lord, the Presentation, and the finding of the child Jesus in the temple. These mysteries all rotate around joy, hence being the Joyful Mysteries. They are the joys of discovering, knowing, finding, meeting and having Christ near to us. There's no one who knows these joys better than His own Blessed Mother. With her intercession, meditate upon these mysteries to better know the joy Christ brings, especially during the season of Advent.

3) Go to adoration
Spend some quality time with the King Himself, He waits for you.

4) Read Sacred Scripture
Dust off that Bible, turn to Luke 2:1-20, and get that Lectio Divina rolling.

5) Go to mass
Daily, if possible. The more Jesus in our lives, the better. 

6) Be silent
Take some time to distance yourself from the noisiness of the consumerism, stress and even jingle bells. Silence is not only golden, but also simple. God has a way of speaking to us in the silence of our hearts, and remaining silent is our opportunity to listen. In the quiet, time could be taken to deeply examine the conscience for a good confession, to enter into mental prayer while praying the rosary, quiet time with Christ in adoration, stillness in reflecting on the account of Christ's birth, and reverent silence during mass, where He is truly made present. Virtues, beautiful mediations and prayers can be born through silence, just like the great saints before us.

Once more, I pray you all have a blessed remaining season of Advent, until next time, pax.

It's Rose, Not Pink

One minute I'm prancing around in my Lady of Mount Carmel costume, the next I'm panicking over black widows hiding behind the Christmas decoration boxes. True story. Unlike most of America, I didn't forget good ole' Thanksgiving, but the transition from October to December was fast. A little too fast, but we all say that every single year, don't we? Anywho, in my blogging absence* I've been busy with homework (aka penance), being continuously sick, and somehow hanging out with lots of brothers and seminarians. Cue the #CatholicGirlProblems. God truly does have the greatest sense of humor, praise be to Him. But in all seriousness, continue to pray for an increase in vocations... not to forget holy matrimony, because that's where religious vocations are fostered. Priests, brothers, sisters and nuns don't pop out of thin air, you know. Don't get me wrong, it's great that so many young men and women are courageously answering the call, but holy marriage is also a very important vocation that isn't to be forgotten. However, in the end of it all, whether or not these men and women become religious or not, the Church still gains a more faithful and stronger Catholic; win-win situation.

Moving along, we're all aware that it's Advent! Deo gratias, baby Jesus is on His way. On the third Sunday of Advent, we wear pink. I mean rose. In all honesty, at the Latin mass I went to this past Sunday, I was interiorly geeking out over the rose colored chasuble. So. Cool. With Christmas season comes the Christmas trees, Nativity Scenes, assortment of treats and pretending that empty wrapping paper tubes are didgeridoos. Aside from the preparation for the festivities, are we really ready for Christmas? I'm not talking about it in a material or decorative way. 

Are you really and truly ready to welcome baby Jesus into your heart? 

On Christmas Day we're remembering how Christ came to us in the utmost innocence and vulnerability; as a newborn baby. The little King of kings, lying in a manger wrapped up nice and snug by the Blessed Mother, with dear St. Joseph protecting the both of them. This is the analogy I gave my confirmation class: if you were to invite Christ into your home, would you want it to be spic and span or dirty and cluttered? Chances are, you'd want it to be immaculately clean. With that in mind, the best way to prepare for the coming of Christ is a good, sacramental confession. It might be scary or daunting, but by confessing all of your deepest and darkest sins, you're only opening up your soul to the love and mercy of Christ. You can either shut Him out like the inkeepers of Bethlehem, or make room from Him in the manger of your heart. 

I pray you all have a blessed Christmas season, filled with love and peace of Christ. Not happy holidays, or happy Festivus for the rest of us, but merry Christmas to each and every one of you, from the bottom of my heart.

* Just as a side note, since I'm not able to blog as much as I would like, you can follow me on Twitter, @AlwaysYvonne , to keep up with my Catholic shenanigans and whatnot. 

Suffering and Senioritis

Is "meh" an adjective? Probably not. But I've been feeling very meh lately. Perhaps it's partly because November is one of those months associated with what I just can't seem to forget. But I'll save that for my memoirs, in about 35 years or so. Anywho, health problems, senioritis, stress and what seems to be inevitable sleep deprivation, are all summed up in one almost non-existant word: meh. My Providential woes are not uncommon, and they too shall pass. But what are we to do in times of tribulations? Stay where we are and hope for the best, or get out to improve the situation? I'll let you know when I figure it out. Until then, I'll be beginning a novena to St. Maximilian Kolbe, because Lord knows I need heavenly intercession. Besides choking on incense during benediction and fresh holy water fonts, that's one of the many things I love about being Catholic. Even when we hit the wall, or cry alone in a fetal position until our eyes are painfully swollen, we are not alone. Better yet, we are never alone. Not with the multitude of angels and saints praying and cheering for us on this rocky road home, aka Heaven. 

There's also nothing to fear with Divine Providence (which is always perfection) in control. The difficult situations are the ones that can be the most purifying and strengthening, but only if we let them. They either make us or break us. Even when we want to give up or give in, difficult circumstances offer a priceless source of edification. Many a virtue has been born through tough times, the saints can attest to that. We're not going to be tested or tempted beyond our threshold, so we might as well come out stronger, and look back at woeful instances as times of strengthening and growth. It's either that or allow our souls to wither away in a corner, as the chalice of albeit painful yet sweet purification is wasted. Contrary to what the world says, sometimes we need to suffer in order to grow. Again, take a look at the saints. There's not one who didn't suffer. When accepted gracefully and with great love, suffering is a recipe for sainthood. For proof and holy examples, read the lives of St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Maria Goretti, or Bl. Chiara Badano. Suffering is sanctifying, so in order to be sanctified, we must suffer.

I don't know exactly when I'll move past this period of feeling mehish, but if it wasn't beneficial to my soul, then it wouldn't be happening. That's my sole comfort. At the end of the day, Divine Providence is still amazingly awesome and absolutely perfect, even in the hours of suffering. St. Maximilian Kolbe, ora pro nobis.

How's that for No-Shave November?

"For Jesus Christ I am prepared to suffer still more." -St. Maximilian Kolbe

The Saintly Celebration

Happy All-Saints Day! All you holy men and women, ora pro nobis! 
In a recent post, I said I wasn’t going to celebrate the mainstream version of Halloween. Instead I celebrated Holyween, in preparation for All-Saints Day. I don’t think I’ve ever had that much fun, and neither have my brothers or sisters. Putting together our costumes was so much better than buying costumes that we probably won’t remember in a few years. So without further ado, I present to you a glimpse of what my very Catholic Halloween looked like. 

Here I am with my youngest brother, as Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and Baby Jesus. Getting him to wear his costume was a huge accomplishment!

         From beginning to end is St. Francis Xavier, St. Rita of Cascia, and a wingless St. Michael the Archangel. 

St. Kateri Tekakwitha 

                                   The now-winged St. Michael!

Special thanks to my mom for sewing, creating and helping with our costumes! We love you mother dearest. 

For the past two years I’ve dressed up as Momma Mary, but my figurative and literal Papa Joseph is nowhere to be found. God really does have the best sense of humor. :)
I’m already thinking of what to be next year… but for now I’ll try to wrap my mind around the fact that this year is almost over. So, so much has happened in the past year, and I can’t believe this chapter is almost over! Praise the Lord. Anyway, have a blessed All-Saints Day… remember that it’s a holy day of obligation, so now you can’t say that you forgot or didn’t know. You’re very welcome. Pax. 

To Love and Be Loved

For the past few days, setting and keeping high standards has been mulling over in my mind. I have a list of 40-something non-negotiable standards that I  expect in my future spouse, if that is my vocation, God willing. Don't get me wrong, they're not anything fantastical, outlandish or impossible to live up to. Who knows, as time passes, I may even add more. The standards that I keep are my rock; if a guy doesn’t meet even one of them, out he goes. End of story. Ain’t nobody got time for anything else! It’s not that I’m asking for perfection, because I’m not perfect myself, but I know exactly what I want, and I won’t waste my time on someone I couldn’t see myself marrying. Yeah, I’m that kind of girl, praise the Lord most high.
Is having high standards hard? Yup.
At the end of the day, with my empty inbox in the morning and at night, is it even worth it? You bet.

I've never had one serious boyfriend, and that truly doesn't bother me because I'm content knowing that I'm saving my affections and the like for one man, even if I haven't met him yet. If anything, it saddens me that our society ambushes girls with the idea that if they don’t have a boyfriend, or multiple ex's, they're failing at life as a female. Not true! I’m no feminist, so I’m not going to hate on men, but you don’t absolutely have to have a man in your life, 24/7. In order for yourself to grow spiritually and emotionally, there needs to be a time of singleness, and there is nothing wrong or embarrassing about that, because you’re discovering who you are, and finding yourself before you find someone else. 

I’m constantly stressing that just because a guy is nice and says sweet things, it doesn’t mean you’re suddenly obliged to date him. In my book, being nice and smelling good aren't anything to be praised. Firstly because everyone should be genuinely nice, without ulterior motives. Secondly, no one should purposefully stink. Crazy, I know. However, if he can lead you to Heaven and ultimately closer to God than to himself, then that is to be praised. You go, guy.  

If all girls could see their true worth, there would be a change in the tide. My sisters, you are worth so, so much more than a guy who doesn't care about your soul, or respecting you as a whole person, instead of a collection of body parts. There's no such thing as the perfect man (at least on Earth), but the right man will be perfect for you. In the meantime, you don’t have to be bruising your precious heart over and over again. Patience is key.
In part, we girls are so eager for love, we can easily cling to the first thing that foggily resembles an ounce of love, and lie to ourselves that it’s the real deal. But I am begging and pleading you, from the bottom of my heart, to be strong and hold out for the true, chaste love that you deserve and desire. Why specifically chaste love? Bl. John Paul II put it perfectly when he said, "Only the chaste man and the chaste woman are capable of true love." Along with pure friendship, chastity is the foundation of authentic love, which I've talked about numerous times in previous posts. It's not bad that we long for love. I repeat, it is not bad or shameful that we long for love. It’s good. It shows that we desire to be unselfish, and give ourselves to another. It’s been wired into all of our dear hearts by our Heavenly Father, and the same goes for men, mingled with their desire to protect. 

To put it this way, what good ever comes out of impatience? Look at the Israelites in Sacred Scripture. God had the Promised Land laid out for them, yet they were increasingly impatient to get there. To parallel, think of yourself; are you trusting that God has a perfect plan for your desires of love, or are you taking the matter into your own hands and rushing it? 
God is good, and He has perfect plans for each and every one of us, but we are the ones who grow impatient and anxious. I won’t sit here and preach that I’ve never been tempted to settle for less, or have never grown anxious and lonely, or have never felt forever alone. The struggle is real. Despite the occasional rough patches, my desire for authentic love is stronger than the fleeting emotions and those are the times where I remind myself that God isn’t done yet. For all I know, it's only the beginning. At the end of the day, I have joy in the knowledge that Christ loves me much, much more, a million times more than any man ever could or can. This goes for everyone. If I've learned anything during this period of (technically, aside from family and friends) being on my own, it's that we will never be content with anything, until we allow ourselves to love and be loved by Christ. There is nothing on this Earth, that will truly and fully satisfy our yearning for love, but His. 

So my sisters, first love and be loved by Christ alone. Everything else will fall into place. It takes courage, but be those women of courage and trust Him completely, and give Him your heart. I can promise you that it will be the best decision you'll ever make. While you're at it, embrace your God-given femininity. No matter what the world says, it's beautiful and has the power to inspire men for the better. 
And for you manly men out there, continue to be true gentlemen, and don't be afraid of your masculinity. It's also God-given, and this world desperately needs masculine fathers, priests and men who aren't afraid to be men. Your future families, (or parishes) will thank you.

Not-So-Happy Halloween

Praise the Lord all ye nations. For a quick recap, I'm still alive and well but I've just been very busy with growing up, senior work, my community, family and teaching not one, but two catechism classes. Praise the Lord. I'm definitely not complaining because I like to see it as a joyful sort of chaos which Divine Providence has perfectly planned, even though I sometimes feel like I'm running around like a chicken without a cluck-cluck head. Hallelujah!

Moving on, obviously it's October. Cue the pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks and fabulous crisp air. Just kidding about Starbucks, I don't support them anymore because they stomp all over what I hold dear to my little heart and they don't want my business anyways. Now where was I? Oh yes, October.
Along with the pumpkin spice everything (guilty as charged) and wonderful weather, in comes the not-so-pleasant side of the month: the twisted celebration of the occult and culture of death. I'm not only pinpointing Halloween, because the (near) whole of society has embraced October as being creepy, crawly and flat-out demonic. To that, I shaketh my noggin with contempt. Perhaps I'm being extreme, but I don't think it's cute or festive to celebrate what I mentioned earlier; the occult and culture of death. And yet, the disturbing celebration of the occult (which is evil) and the culture of death (which is also evil, and yes, evil does indeed exist, but I suppose the media must have "forgotten" to mention that Pope Francis spoke of this often last week; evil existing, that is) happens year-round, just not so in our faces with the orange and black decor.

St. Jerome, pray for us

Take The Walking Dead, for example. I'll be honest and say that I've never really watched it, but I know enough about it by now. It just never peaked my interest and frankly, zombies aren't exactly visually appealing. Anyways, I find the series to be perturbing because not only does it glorify the C.o.D but it is also emotionally, morally and visually desensitizing to our modern culture. You know what I'm talking about if you've watched it; the gore, the deaths, the killings, the eating of flesh and so on with the savage violence  What happened to decency and our sense of decorum? I also find it disturbing that our nation is so enthralled with it, because that tells me that our country is literally looking to the dark to try and fill the void of the absence of God in this culture, but it is failing and failing miserably. However, that's not to say that there is no hope. This post isn't just to slam The Walking Dead, although it isn't beneficial to our souls in the slightest way, especially being Catholic. But I digress on The Walking Dead and will leave that as food for personal thought.

For October as a whole, I find it to be truly sad that instead of celebrating the lives of the great and holy saints in preparation for All-Saints Day, we choose to glorify what is dark and evil, instead of what is pure and holy. My sincere prayer is that instead of running away from the light, we can all one day embrace it... instead of embracing the wolves in sheep's clothing. 
But don't get me totally wrong; I enjoy dressing up for fun and eating charitably-given candy. But I do not enjoy the macabre and utterly demonic influence over the whole month. In fact, I have a disdain for it. I can hear it now; "Come on Yvonne, you're so uptight, it's just all fun and games." Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and my opinion is that if we are continuously inviting in the dark instead of the light, what will become of our souls?


To each his own, but I'm going to be the Halloween-Hipster and celebrate Holyween instead.. err.. Hipsterween? No, just Holyween. Pax fras.

If I don't dress up my future children as
little saints and holy people, they'll be food. Like cupcakes
or jelly-beans. Seriously.

A Mother's Tears: Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows

 Happy feast of Our Lady of Sorrows! I am delighted to finally say that earlier today I finished my Marian consecration using St. Louis de Montfort's formula, so I am now consecrated to Our Lady of Sorrows. *cue the hoorays and confetti in my mind* This was my first Marian consecration, and being consecrated to the Mater Dolorosa couldn't be anymore aligned with Divine Providence. Deo gratias! 

 For the remainder of this day, I strongly urge you to remember Our Lady's pains, sympathize with her and thank her. When she gave her fiat, not only did she say yes to joy, but also to sorrow. How selfless and loving is she to have said yes to suffering the most agonizing martyrdom of all.  
While most of us will naturally be inclined to shy away from suffering pains, our loving mother embraced them, just as her Divine Son embraced His own sorrowful Passion. One meditation that can be made on the Mater Dolorosa, is on her most pure tears, shed for her Divine Son. Bl. Catherine Anne Emmerich, who was granted visions of Our Lord's Passion, recounts in the Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, about Our Blessed Mother that during the Scourging at the Pillar: "She groaned feebly, and her eyes were red with weeping."

 Yes, her dolors were great; so great that if she had not been preserved by God, her soul would have departed her immaculate body. Yet, even though her sorrows are incomprehensible for us to fully understand, "Her one consolation at the sufferings of her Son was the knowledge that through His death we would be redeemed.*" Next to the Passion of her Divine Son, this is also an image of true love. And so, do not be afraid to approach Our Lady, because she loves you more than you can imagine. Her sorrows are evidence of this. Her Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart loves like no other; the Heart of a selfless, patient, understanding and beautiful mother, both inside and out. Go to her; she's waiting for you with open arms, so that she may gently guide you to her beloved Son.

"Can the human heart refrain from
partaking in her pain, in that Mother's pain untold?"
-from the Stabat Mater

Mater Dolorosa, ora pro nobis, now and always.
-Yvonne Gemma

*quoted from Devotion to the Sorrowful Mother (highly recommended for fostering a devotion to her)

Saint Spotlight: St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows

I am very, very excited about this particular saint spotlight, because St. Gabriel just happens to be my favorite male saint and patron. Since I like telling stories, here is the story of how I "met" St. Gabriel Possenti.

When I was about 11, I won a game at a church All Saints' Day party. My prize was a very small picture of St. Gabriel. Soon after I lost this image, and forgot his name. I wouldn't recognize his image again for years, but I'm sure that he had been praying for me since that day, and maybe even before then. Fast forward to mid-January of 2013. At the time I was sick, so I was resting in bed reading a book I had received for Christmas only a few weeks before. It was called, "Modern Saints: Their Lives and Faces". As I read about the lives of great saints and holy people, one young man stuck out to me the most. His name was St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows. As soon as I saw his picture, I remembered my own small image from years ago. From there I learned of his intercession with my own patron, St. Gemma, and the rest is history.

"Our perfection does not consist of
doing extraordinary things, but to do
the ordinary well."

St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows

Born: March 1st, 1838, Assisi, Italy

Died: February 27th, 1862, Gran Sasso, Kingdom of Italy

Occupation: Passionist seminarian 

Cause of holy death: At 24 years old, St. Gabriel died of tuberculosis before he could see his ordination. To the dismay of his novice master, he had previously prayed for the grace of a slow and early death, so that he could spiritually prepare himself.

He is a shining example to youth with religious vocations, because while he did put off his own religious vocation for some time, after Our Lady called him, he readily left his world of dancing, being fashionable, socializing and the sort, to fulfill his true calling, which was that of a religious brother. There are so many inspirations to draw to from his life; how he patiently fought for his vocation, the way he strived to perfect his state of life as a seminarian, but most of all, his love for Our Lady of Sorrows. St. Gabriel understood the pains of Our Lady, and the need to meditate upon them and compassionate with her. Through his ardent devotion to our Sorrowful Mother, St. Gabriel quickly reached the height of Christian perfection, and died a holy death. 

By loving Our Sorrowful Mother, not only do we sympathize with her dolors, but we also learn to see her beaten, battered Son through her own compassionate eyes; thus teaching us to better understand His dolorous Passion. By better understanding His Passion, we learn to greatly improve and heighten our love for Him, because we are no longer seeing the crucified Lord through our own eyes that are clouded with the effects of sin; but through the pure eyes of His most empathetic and loving mother, who witnessed the whole Passion in its real, full, achingly terrible and sanguinary entirety. 

Love Our Sorrowful Mother, who stood at the foot of the Holy Cross. Love her crucified Son, who by His Holy Cross, redeemed the world.

St. Gabriel Possenti, ora pro nobis,
Mater Dolorosa, ora pro nobis,

-Yvonne Gemma

Fasting for Peace: because Pope Francis said so

As many of you know, our Holy Father, Pope Francis, has declared tomorrow (September 7th) as a day of fasting and prayer, for peace in Syria. I am an advocate of peace through strength, however, this is not a war that we Americans should be involved in, but this isn't a political post, so I will leave it at that. 

Fasting is becoming a lost treasure in the Church, and it is Divine Providence that Pope Francis is shifting attention to it*. To fast is to deny the body of what it desires, such as eating for example, and through this we are are doing many things. Not only are we disciplining our bodily senses, but also detaching our soul from the bodily senses, so that it may be free to embrace a higher spirituality.

Is fasting fun? No. Is it easy? No. Should we complain during fasts? Even bigger no. To grumble and gripe while fasting is a sure-sign that the individual is still very attached to their bodily senses. To have such an attitude is to also lose sight of the bigger picture, because we should be focusing on the interior life, instead of the discomforts of the exterior senses. 

 So instead of fasting like this...

"And when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest anoint thy head and wash thy face; that thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father Who is in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee." Matt. 6:16-18 (DR)

   

                         We should be fasting something like this....

So, let us embrace tomorrows fast with a spirit of willingness to suffer, for the sake of peace and glory to God the Father.

 "Besides the ordinary effect of fasting in raising the mind, subduing the flesh, confirming goodness, and obtaining a heavenly reward, it is also a great matter to be able to control greediness, and to keep the sensual appetites and the whole body subject to the law of the Spirit; and although we may be able to do but little, the enemy nevertheless stands more in awe of those whom he knows can fast." -St. Francis de Sales

Happy fasting!

Our Lady, Queen of Peace, 
St. Gabriel Possenti,
Mater Dolorosa, ora pro nobis.

-Yvonne Gemma 

*This isn't to say that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI didn't put an emphasis on fasting, which he did strongly during Lent of 2009. 

September: the Mater Dolorosa

September has begun, so you know what that means. It's the month dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows! Being a Mater Dolorosa devotee, this is a very significant and distinct month. We should take this whole month to especially remember and meditate on Our Lady's Sorrows, specifically the seven the Church has appointed, although the true number of her dolors are innumerable. Her Seven Dolors are:

1. The Prophecy of Simeon
2. The Flight into Egypt
3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple
4. Mary meets Jesus carrying His Cross
5. Jesus dies on the Cross
6. Mary receives the dead body of Jesus in her arms
7. The burial of Jesus

Our Lady promised St. Bridget of Sweden, that those who remember her sorrows and daily pray seven Hail Mary's in honor of them, will be granted seven promises. 

1. "I will grant peace to their families."
2. "They will be enlightened about the divine mysteries."
3. "I will console them in their pains and accompany them in their work."
4. "I will give them as much as they ask for, as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son and or the sanctification of their souls."
5. "I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives."
6. "I will visibly help them at the moment of their death, they will see the face of their mother."
7. "I have obtained this grace from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son will be their eternal consolation and joy."

While Our Lord suffered greatly during His Passion, His mother suffered a lifelong, grievous martyrdom which began at the First Sorrow, the Prophecy of Simeon. 

"And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother: Behold this child is set for the fall, and resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; and thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed." -Luke 2:34-35 (DR)

For this reason, Our Lady is the Queen of Martyrs, because no other martyr suffered like our dear Mother. In the images of Our Lady of Sorrows, her heart is usually depicted being pierced by either one, or seven swords. Each sword represents one of her sorrows, which traces back to Simeon's prophecy. One cannot fully fathom the intense pain Our Lady felt as each sword thrust deeper into her heart, as she anticipated her Son's dolorous Passion, until the moment of His burial. How desolate and afflicted Our Lady must have been. Yet, even through her acute sorrows, she never once despaired, but rather, she remained constant. The whole time, her hope was in her beloved Son. From her perfect resignation to the will of God, even in times of distress, Our Lady teaches us how to perfectly die to ourselves, for the sake of His Divine Providence.

Fr. Chad Ripperger gave a very contemplative and insightful talk on Our Lady of Sorrows. I spent two hours listening to this one hour talk, because I had to keep pausing to reflect on his words. In short, listen to this talk to further know and love Our Sorrowful Mother.

Mater Dolorosa, ora pro nobis,

St. Gabriel Possenti, ora pro nobis,

-Yvonne Gemma

Heaven's Jubilee: the Assumption

Happy feast of the Assumption! It is indeed a Holy Day of Obligation, so yes, you have to go to mass. It is also a very important Marian feast day. Applying papal infallibility, on November 1st, 1950, in the Encyclical Munificentissimus Deus, Pope Pius XII stated that the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a dogma of the Church. Within Holy Mother Church, there are doctrines and dogmas. While they sound alike, they actually differ. A doctrine would be an official Church teaching, such as transubstantiation or the Communion of Saints. On the other holy-hand, a dogma is an article of faith that has been revealed by God, which Holy Mother Church presents as obligatory to believe. There are four Marian dogmas; the Assumption is one the them, along with her Divine Motherhood, Perpetual Virginity and Immaculate Conception. Our Blessed Mother was blessed bearing the truths of these four dogmas, because as the dogma of the Immaculate Conception reveals, she was completely preserved from all stain of Original Sin. Therefore, Our Blessed Mother was perfectly pure and holy in every way. It is fitting that one so clean and undefiled would carry the Son of God, the Word made Flesh; Jesus Christ, in her sacred womb and also be graced to be taken, body and soul, to Heaven, where nothing unclean enters. (See Rev. 21:27)

"the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary,
having completed the course of her earthly life,
was assumed, body and soul, into heavenly glory."
-Munificentissimus Deus

This day should be a celebration of love for the Blessed Mother and awe at the mighty works of God Almighty. How good and loving is Our Lord to have protected Our Blessed Mother from the bodily corruption that naturally follows after death. One cannot fully fathom the joy of Mother and Son being reunited for all eternity, as their Hearts beat as one. Another subject to meditate on is the jubilee which followed Immaculate Mary's entrance into Heaven; my thought of it is all nine choirs of angels singing and flying everywhere, while the Son embraces His Mother. As she is now in Heaven with God the Father, Her Son, and her spouse the Holy Spirit, she became our powerful yet gentle Queen, Mother, Advocate and Intercessor. 24 hours is not long enough to give all of the praise and thanksgiving the Feast of the Assumption totally deserves. However, while the feast itself cannot be prolonged (August 15th doesn't last forever), it can still be kept alive in our hearts by daily honoring Our Blessed Mother and giving thanks and praise to Our mighty God. 

On a side note, I am at the beginning of my Marian consecration to Our Lady of Sorrows, which will end on the September 15th, her solemnity. I would greatly appreciate prayers for perseverance and a fruitful consecration!

I sincerely hope that you have a joyous feast day with an increase of love for Our Blessed Mother! Salve Regina!

                    


Mater Dolorosa, ora pro nobis,
-Yvonne Gemma

Another One about Chastity

Happy feast of St. Dominic! Founder of the Dominican Order and patron of astronomers, pray for us! Our Lady gifted us with the Holy Rosary through him, so a wonderful way to celebrate his feast day would be to faithfully and devoutly pray one rosary, or two, or three. There's a huge difference between saying the rosary, and actually praying it. I have found that much more graces come from praying it, instead of flying through the beads. Concerning the rosary and Dominicans, Pope Pius XI said, "The Rosary of Mary is the principle and foundation on which the very Order of St. Dominic rests for making perfect the life of its members and obtaining the salvation of others."

St. Dominic, ora pro nobis!

Today's topic is emotional chastity. While we apply chastity to the flesh and our actions, it can also be applied to our emotions. Remember that chastity is not repression, nor is it the absence of carnal desires. Like I've said in my previous post about chastity, it is also not about being physically unattractive or having a neurotic outlook on the opposite gender. One of my favorite organizations, Made In His Image, defines chastity as, "the ordered approach to love." As the ordered approach to love, it calls for what it best for the beloved. I may have said it before, but chastity frees love to be authentic. To be physically chaste is one thing, but to be emotionally chaste is another. We all have emotions, and emotions are meant to be felt. However, we should not be entirely dictated by our emotions, because they are fleeting and can easily change from one way to another. This is where chastity comes in. Chastity allows us to control our emotions and desires, instead of letting them control us. 

Just as we use chastity to guard our most intimate beings, mind and heart, it can also be used to guard our emotions, which comes back around to guarding our hearts. One way of being emotionally chaste is to not begin fantasizing or imagining things about a person, whether it is sexual or not, because the bottom line is that the said person is being reduced to an object to be used. In plainer words, it is objectifying them. While some imaginings may be innocent, such as a handsome man bringing a single girl flowers or in more extreme cases, imagining what their children would look like, it is nonetheless objectifying the man, because whether she knows it or not, the woman is seeing him as a means to fulfill her emotional needs, and no longer as a whole person. Men can also fall into this trap, but in a different way, because they were created to be very visual. One solution is to remember/realize that every single person walking this earth has a soul, heart and mind, and they were not meant or created to be objectified, as if they were an inanimate object. Going back to our definition of love, objectifying the person is not what is best for them because it is depriving them of their humanity, so it is not chastely loving them. 

Emotional chastity also has relevance to our relationships with others. In a sense, to be chaste is to preserve a special part of ourselves that is only meant for one; either for your spouse, or for Christ, depending on what vocation you are called to. When we are emotionally unchaste, while we are not physically giving away ourselves, we are doing this emotionally. This is not healthy and can lead to heartaches, if we are unwise with the use of our emotions. Yes, we can have (chaste) relationships with others, because man is not meant to be alone, but we should go at it in a way that recognizes the dignity of ourselves and of the person next to us, as children of God.

Physical chastity demands discipline and the virtue of fortitude. Its emotional counterpart also requires these, but rather in the mind and thoughts. By practicing emotional chastity not only are we guarding our hearts, but also our souls. Through both physical, mental and emotional chastity; the virtue of chastity as a whole, we are opening the door for pure and authentic love to waltz in, of course in our Heavenly Father's time. Think about it; if nobody has regretted being chaste, why would anyone regret being emotionally chaste?
The ability to love is one of the sweetest gifts God has given us. Chastity is what trains and prepares us to give and receive the authentic love I have been speaking of. While practicing chastity may be difficult today or tomorrow, I can promise you that in His time, when your vocation is all figured out, and you are where you are meant to be, the struggles and triumphs will be worth it. Even in the now of things, it also greatly improves your relationships with others, both male and female. It's an armor of the mind. A perfect model of this virtue is St. Joseph, Our Blessed Mother's most chaste spouse. Through his example, we can draw inspiration and strength to fight the good fight, and come out victorious in Christ. 

I understand the struggle of remaining chaste in this modern society, but be rest assured that my prayers are with you. More importantly, all of Heaven is cheering you on. Go, be chaste and if you fall, get back up and try again! Remember that there is no such thing as too much perseverance. 

St. Joseph, pray for us,
Mater Dolorosa, ora pro nobis,
-Yvonne Gemma

-End of actual post, other small tidbits here-

I'm preparing to begin school again very soon, (senior year, class of '14). Although I don't have senioritis, I'm looking forward to graduating high school. I'm hoping to keep busy without becoming stressed out this year, since idleness can be spiritually dangerous. Please pray for me! 

Hiatus Over, Rants are Back

I'm back! I didn't go anywhere, but in the past two weeks I couldn't find time to sit with my coffee and type away. My apologies. However, my little hiatus has been very eventful. The most important is that my baby sister, Gianna Maria, was born healthy. Thank you baby Jesus and St. Gerard! She's such a little blessing, and she has my eyes. Double-win. Since we have not had a baby girl in my immediate family in 10 years, I'm soaking up the newborn baby smell, shades of pink, bows and cuddles. Life is grand. It's also good training for the future, Deo gratias.  
I have about a million things running through my mind for this post, so I'm just going to jot a few relevant ones down.

Firstly, happy feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola! Let's celebrate with an inspiring quote by him! 

"If God causes you to suffer much, it is a sign He has great designs for you, and He certainly intends to make you a saint. And if you wish to become a great saint, entreat Him yourself to give you much opportunity for suffering; for there is no wood better to kindle the fire of holy love than the wood of the cross, which Christ used for His own great sacrifice of boundless charity."

St. Ignatius, ora pro nobis!

Secondly, I recently completed a novena to Our Lady Undoer of Knots. The results were not what I expected, but my prayers were certainly answered. As St. Teresa of Avila said, "More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones." It was definitely tough love, but this beautiful novena taught me to really put trust in God's Divine Providence and to abandon myself to His will. I'm still a work in progress, but that's what perseverance is for! I highly recommend it to anyone that has "knots" in their life. It can be found here. 

Thirdly, the liberal media needs to stop taking what Pope Francis says, out of context, and Catholics need to stop believing what is being twisted. Because his quotes tend to be simple (yet still acute), the liberal media has taken advantage of their simplicity time and time again. For example, if the Huffington Post reports something that Pope Francis said, yet they try to decipher or add their spin on it, frankly, it's not worth believing. In fact, I won't believe anything any liberal news outlet says about the Pope's sayings or quotes, because they are not understanding them in the context which they are meant to be understood. Catholicism is already very misunderstood as it is, so why would/should we (Catholics) believe what the liberal media, the source of the corrupt agendas against our religion, has to say, especially when it comes to matters of faith? 

Lastly, I've had O Sacrum Convivium stuck in my head for the past three days. It's a recurring #CatholicProblem for me to get traditional hymns stuck in my head for days, but it really is great because I enjoy singing the soprano part. Thank you choir. This text was authored by St. Thomas Aquinas, in honor of the Blessed Sacrament. I find Latin hymns to be much more meaningful especially during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, because they are beautifully composed, the translations are equally beautiful and Latin is a powerful language. To sing is to pray twice, and to sing in a language the Enemy fears is the perfect storm. 

The translation is, "O Sacred banquet! in which Christ is received, the memory of His passion is renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory to us is given. Alleluia." 

That's all I've got for today, and now I'm off to enjoy some flapjacks and baby Gianna cuddles. 

Mater Dolorosa, ora pro nobis,
-Yvonne Gemma

5 Reasons I don't receive Holy Communion in the Hand

Since I like quotes, and I like Church teachings even more, let's begin this post with a very important one. 

The Council of Trent, Canon I: "If anyone denieth, that, in the sacrament of the most holy Eucharist, are contained, truly, really and substantially, the Body and Blood together with the Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and consequently the whole Christ; but saith that He is only therein as a sign, or in figure, or virtue; let him be anathema."

In simpler terms, this means that whoever denies that Jesus Christ is truly present in the Holy Eucharist, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, is to put it quite frankly, a heretic. One of the first to deny the Real Presence in the Eucharist was Martin Luther, the founder of Protestantism. However, this post is not about the Reformation or Martin Luther, so we will leave that behind for another day. This post is about Holy Communion, and how it is received. However, before I begin I must say this: this post is not about liturgical snobbery or having a hoity-toity, "I'm holier than thou" attitude. This is a sensitive topic for some, but I will do my best to go at it as charitably and honestly as possible. Disclaimer over, let the list-making begin!

Through my own personal decision, I never touch the Eucharist. This means that I don't receive Holy Communion in the hand, nor will I ever be a Eucharistic minister, even if my diocese allows both. But why not? 

1) I am not worthy to touch the Sacred Host. 

I'm only a layperson, not a priest. Therefore, my hands are unconsecrated and unworthy of ever touching the Blessed Sacrament. Also, because the Holy Eucharist comes from God, which makes it incredibly holy, hence it being the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, it is all the more another reason to not touch or receive it in the hand.

2) Philippians 2:9-11

"Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 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." 

As the priest (or in other cases, Eucharistic ministers, which are unnecessary by the way) says to the Communicant, "Body of Christ" it isn't very reverent to simply continue standing and only answer, "Amen" while taking the Host with their own hands and consuming it. In contrast, by kneeling to receive the Sacred Host and not taking Him into your own hands, not only are you honoring the name of Jesus, but also acknowledging His Divinity before you. This brings us to the next reason.

3) To kneel before receiving Christ in the Eucharist is to first adore and worship Him.

What do we do when we pass a Tabernacle or a monstrance containing Christ? We kneel (or genuflect) to honor Him and give Him His due worship. Why is receiving Him in Communion any different? It should not be, even more so because this time He is fully exposed and right in front of our noses. He is the King of kings and kings are showed honor, reverence, respect and humility when approached. Does the Divine King of kings deserve anything less, especially when He's right in front you? (no!)

4) Receiving Communion on the tongue diminishes chances of desecration.

Let's be honest. As unfortunate as it is, desecration of the Holy Eucharist happens. Sometimes it is by accident, sometimes it is not. I find it very risky to take Holy Communion in the hand, because there's always the possibility of dropping Him on the floor or fragments of the Host remaining on the hands... which results in desecration. Or even worse: the Host being stolen, followed by more desecration. This is why I am a firm advocate of altar rails and only allowing priests to distribute Holy Communion. Through these means, desecrations would nearly cease to exist. By the Eucharist being in the responsible (and consecrated) hands of only the priest, with a paten underneath the Communicant, Holy Communion would be restored to its sacred entirety. However, even though most parishes no longer have altar rails, do not let that stop or hinder you from receiving Christ in the Eucharist with all of the honor and reverence He fully deserves. 

5) Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI greatly encouraged receiving Holy Communion on the tongue while kneeling.

During his pontificate, Pope Emeritus Benedict only distributed Holy Communion to the faithful, on the tongue as they were kneeling. Our former Holy Father realized the importance and need to return to this traditional way of receiving Christ, otherwise he would not have made it a necessity. 


So there you have it. In no particular order, those are some of my reasons for receiving Holy Communion the traditional way. Not everyone will agree with these reasons, but oh well. Before I leave you, I ask of one thing; look deep into your relationship with Christ in the Eucharist, and meditate on that.  

                                  While you're at it, listen to this. It's beautiful!



Mater Dolorosa, ora pro nobis,
-Yvonne Gemma

My Veiling Story

While this blog is definitely not my diary or private spiritual journal, it recently dawned on me to tell a story about myself. My little story isn't extravagant or extraordinary. It's simply the story of how I began veiling. Recently at mass, I noticed a little girl wearing a cap veil. It reminded me of how I started my journey to discovering the veil. Like all journeys, there is a beginning. As a little girl, about 8 or 9 years old, I somehow became fascinated with chapel veils. This can only be accredited to Divine Providence, because I had never seen anyone wear them in person, and nobody in my family had one either. At a Catholic conference, I saw a vendor selling them. As soon as I saw the banner picturing a veiled girl, I instantly wanted one. However in my young shyness/awkwardness, I said nothing but kept glancing back at the booth every time we passed by. Finally, I asked my mom if I could have one. I don't remember her reaction, but we went to look at them. I really, really wanted a triangle shaped lace veil, like the girl in the picture. But since I had never veiled before and knew nothing about them, my wise mother decided it would be prudent to buy a small cap instead. So, I began to wear it to mass. Although I was still very young and didn't understand the mass, for the first time, my small veil made me feel that mass was holy and important. Amidst it slipping off and the weird looks, I continued to wear it. Looking back, I was probably the only one to wear a veil. 

However, somewhere along the lines, I stopped wearing it. Soon after, it became lost. Veiling diminished from my radar. It faded away, but not completely. Years passed before I considered veiling again. Prior to this, I was in a very dark place. While I was totally blinded, God was slowly but surely preparing me for my reversion. During this fiasco, veiling didn't cross my mind even once. I didn't understand the veil itself, or the meaning behind it. Didn't only old ladies wear it? I regularly went to adoration and mass without one. 

After being a lone ranger for some time, God brought me to my wonderful community. All of my girl friends veiled, and I remembered my little cap. I suddenly remembered how much I had liked veiling, so I got a new one. Thus, I began veiling again, and haven't stopped since then. Now that I was older and aching for true Catholicism, I finally learned and realized the significance and beauty behind the simple chapel veil. Throughout this, I was also in the middle of my reversion. It happened gradually, but God made sure that I wouldn't be lost forever. One night in quiet, reverent adoration, I came back to Him in a fruitful and beautiful way, more than ever before. After that, I was swimming in an ocean of grace. While I liked my little white veil, soon after I upgraded to a bigger one. Several months later, I upgraded once more, this time to the one I always wanted; a Spanish style mantilla. Jokingly, my parents have said that this is the last veil they'll ever give me, once I'm married and need a black one, I'll be on my own! 

One important tidbit I should mention is that the veil itself didn't single handedly cause my reversion, although it did help greatly. My reversion was brought about through painful experiences where the brilliant rays of God's mercy and love ultimately broke though. Just as when I was a little girl, the veil helped me remember that mass is sacred, holy and of great importance. It taught me to focus all of my attention on Him and most importantly how to have humility before Him, in all of His glory. The deep meaning behind it also reminded me of my self-worth, as a daughter of God. As an example, think of a Tabernacle with a veil over it. The Tabernacle holds life within it; Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. What is holy is veiled. Women also bear life, but through the womb. The womb is also a tabernacle of life; so therefore it is also holy. With women as co-creators of life, they too should be veiled. However, as I have said before, veiling is also an act of loving humility towards our Lord, to give all of the glory to Him, rather than ourselves. When a woman veils, not only is she deflecting attention from herself, but she is also wordlessly saying that she is a bride of Christ, preparing to be united with Him. 

I am deeply fond of veiling, and I'll never stop. Going into a church or adoration chapel without one feels one feels uncomfortable now, at least for me. In contrast when I do wear my veil, a sense of peace is nearby. While the idea of beginning to veil may be scary at first, I can say that from experience that it's totally and completely worth it. At the beginning you may be uncomfortable, people might just give you weird looks, and not everyone will understand. This brings to mind what Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said, "The world promises you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness."

If you are feeling a little tug to begin veiling, listen to that whisper, and be not afraid. Veiling might be scarce in your parish, but it is indeed making a slow but steady comeback. It takes courage to veil, but that's just what the Church needs; courageous souls! I hope you enjoyed my little story, and may the Holy Spirit be with you now and always.

Mater Dolorosa, ora pro nobis,
-Yvonne Gemma