Fr. Broom's Blog: FIGHT FOR THE SALVATION OF YOUR SOUL!

Our life is very short and the stakes are very high: salvation or condemnation! It is for eternity—forever and ever and ever! We will either be with God the angels and saints and Mary the Queen of the angels and saints in heaven forever! Or we will be lost forever in hell with the devil and his minions in the fire that is never extinguished, and the worm never dies.

Our Lady of Fatima made the sad but all too true comment that most souls are lost for all eternity in the fire of hell due to the sins of the flesh or the sins against the virtue of purity. Our Lady appeared to the three shepherd children—Jacinta, Francisco and Lucia in 1917.

Since then the world has descended into an almost endless swamp of immorality and impurity. Young people cohabiting, the legalization and promotion of homosexuality, adultery spreading like the wildfires of California, movies almost always portraying indecent scenes, immodest dress that provokes to no limits, addictions to pornography and masturbation, the sins against the sixth and ninth Commandments go on and on almost like an endless abyss. St. Teresa of Avila, woman Doctor of the Church made this wry comment: “Those who live in sin, we should not be surprised what they do but surprised what they do not do.” In other words this saint asserts that the ability to sin and its malicious creativity has no limits—like the infinite abyss!

However, in the midst of the world inundated by materialism, sensuality, hedonism and worse yet—moral relativism, which really means nothing is really wrong, but all is permissible—we should always have hope. Why? By nature we are the epitome of fragility and weakness. However, God is a strong, immovable Rock! The Archangel Gabriel said to Mary in the account of the Annunciation—“All is possible for God!”

To attain this virtue of purity, that all of us must strive for on a daily basis mastery is demanded, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church so clearly teaches. (CCC) I would like to suggest one simple practice: a loving, tender and growing devotion to Our Lady, consecrating our whole being to her, especially our purity! This love for Our Lady we should discover and cultivate and try to plant this deeply in the very heart of our families, our children and especially our youth who are assaulted constantly every day (almost every hour) with temptations against purity!

What can we do? I would like to suggest five simple but very powerful devotions directed to Mary. A side note! Never forget that the more we love Mary then the more we will love Jesus and the Blessed Trinity. Mary is the Daughter of God the Father, the Mother of God the Son and the Mystical Spouse of the Holy Spirit. She is also the Mother of the Church and our dear Mother in the order of grace!

1. CONSECRATION TO MARY. As soon as you hear the alarm clock, out of bed, on your knees and consecrate your whole being to Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Cure of Ars said that those who begin well will end well. The Founder of Opus Dei, St. Jose Maria Escriva Balaguer, calls the first moment of the day “the heroic moment”. If at first we conquer the flesh and give ourselves to Jesus through Mary then it will be easier to win the subsequent battles in the course of the day.

2. ANGELUS. Get in the habit of praying that beautiful Marian prayer that the Holy Father prays publically at noon every Sunday that is called the Angelus. If possible pray the Angelus three times a day: 9:00. A.m. to sanctify the morning hours through the aroma of Mary. Noon, to sanctify the afternoon through the breath of Mary; then 6:00 p.m. to sanctify the evening hours through the beautiful memory and fragrance of Mary!

3. TEMPTED? When tempted, especially against the virtue of purity, quickly but calmly, pray the HAIL MARY! By doing this, the most pure and Immaculate heart of Mary will expel the bad image or temptation. The devil has a mortal fear of the Holy Name of Mary and especially the prayer the HAIL MARY! Never was it known that anyone who fled to her protection was left unaided. (The Memorare)

4. LIVE IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS, MARY, AND ST. JOSEPH. St. Teresa of Avila asserts that we sin especially because we forget about the Presence of God. If we can strive to be constantly living in the Presence of Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph then the enemy and sin cannot get into our lives. It is highly recommended the reading of “Brother Lawrence and the Presence of God”. This humble lay brother achieved holiness by this one simple practice: living constantly in the Presence of God!

5. DAILY ROSARY! David had to confront a formidable enemy: Goliath! According to any military standards, David would have never been able to conquer this giant in battle. The odds were all against him, to say the least! Goliath was bigger; he had sword and spear and armour-bearer. Goliath had experience and age on his side. However, David went trusting God and with one launching of a small stone grounded the giant and finishes Goliath off by cutting off his head, with Goliath’s own sword(what irony!!!) With regard to sexuality and purity, on a daily basis we are surrounded not by one Goliath but by a huge army of Goliaths! Humanly speaking from all external appearances it seems as if we and our young ones are doomed! But no! If we can lift our minds, our hearts, our souls and trust to Our Lady by praying the most Holy Rosary on a daily basis, the victory will be ours! The Rosary is the sling shot and the stones the Hail Marys!

In conclusion, friends in Jesus, Mary, and St. Joseph, if we want to conquer the world, the flesh and the devil and attain the virtue of purity let us lift up our heart, mind, soul, and bodies to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the victory will be ours through her powerful intercession!