Saint Aloysius Gonzaga and the Plague
2020 New Year Message
Photo By: Flickr/Yasmin Elizabeth
We have a tradition to make New Year's resolutions at the first of each year, and we think that is a good idea. This year think about what is really important in your future.
God created us to know, love and serve Him here and spend eternity with Him in Heaven, sharing in His Divinity.
Let that soak in! It is not just words but central to our existence and purpose.
Store up Treasure in Heaven.
We are created to become Saints, Super Saints.
God created each of us with a unique purpose and path to Eternity with Him in Heaven.
God's will is that we become Saints. Now think about it. If God wills us to become Saints and He tells us that we should ask and we shall receive, then He will answer that prayer request.
Our first suggestion for 2020 is that we ask to become a Saint.
Now that we have decided to become a Saint, then we might want to consider a path to Sainthood recommended by Saint Pope John Paul II.
Saint Pope John Paul II recommended that we study the life of Saint Louis de Montfort in his encyclical Mater Redemptoris in 1987.
Saint Louis de Montfort wrote "To Jesus Through Mary". This is a book about the 33 day Consecration to Mary and outlines the path to Jesus through Mary.
It is fitting that we consider this, since January 1 is the Feast of the Solemnity of Mary.
I want to read to you the words Saint Louis de Montfort wrote about our times:
“....towards the end of the world, ....Almighty God and His holy Mother are to raise up saints who will surpass in holiness most other saints as much as the cedars of Lebanon tower above little shrubs.”
“These great souls filled with grace and zeal will be chosen to oppose the enemies of God who are raging on all sides. They will be exceptionally devoted to the Blessed Virgin. Illumined by her light, strengthened by her spirit, supported by her arms, sheltered under her protection, they will fight with one hand and build with the other.
With one hand they will give battle, overthrowing and crushing heretics and their heresies, schismatics and their schisms, idolaters and their idolatries, sinners and their wickedness. With the other hand they will build the temple of the true Solomon and the mystical city of God, namely, the Blessed Virgin... “
“They will be like thunderclouds flying through the air at the slightest breath of the Holy Spirit. Attached to nothing, surprised at nothing, they will shower down the rain of God’s word and of eternal life. They will thunder against sin; they will storm against the world; they will strike down the devil and his followers and for life and for death, they will pierce through and through with the two-edged sword of God’s word all those against whom they are sent by Almighty God.”
“They will be true apostles of the latter times to whom the Lord of Hosts will give eloquence and strength to work wonders and carry off glorious spoils from His enemies. They will sleep without gold or silver and, more important still, without concern in the midst of other priests, ecclesiastics and clerics. Yet they will have the silver wings of the dove enabling them to go wherever the Holy Spirit calls them, filled as they are, with the resolve to seek the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Wherever they preach, they will leave behind them nothing but the gold of love, which is the fulfillment of the whole law.”
“They will have the two-edged sword of the Word of God in their mouths and the bloodstained standard of the Cross on their shoulders. They will carry the Crucifix in their right hand and the rosary in their left, and the holy names of Jesus and Mary on their heart.
“Mary scarcely appeared in the first coming of Christ...
But in the second coming of Jesus Christ, Mary must be known and openly revealed by the Holy Spirit so that Jesus may be known, loved and served through her.”
Saint Teresa of Avila stated the path to Holiness was Heaven, Heaven, Heaven all the way to Heaven.
We understand that Holiness will not remove the Crosses of our lives but it will help us to carry them.
So there you have it!
God wants us to become Super Saints.
We simply have to ask and He will open the doors to guide us.
Saint Pope John Paul II recommended we study the life of Saint Louis de Montfort to Jesus through Mary..
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About the Author
Joseph Freyaldenhoven is the digital operations manager at Journeys of Faith, founded by Bob and Penny Lord.
He joined Journeys of Faith after 17 years as a Professional Chemical Engineer.
He has been with Journeys of Faith for over 30 years and traveled for 28 years with Bob and Penny Lord as they researched the Shrines all over the world.
He is responsible for all the book publishing, video production and digital media for Journeys of Faith
He enjoys writing about the Catholic Saints and adds some unique insights that he gathered at their Shrines.
He also adds excerpts from Bob and Penny Lord's extensive library on the Saints to the mix.
Website https://journeysoffaith.com
