CAPG's Blog 

Five minutes Sermons: Man's need of God

by VP


Posted on Sunday July 20, 2025 at 12:00AM in Sunday Sermons



-"And Jesus said to His disciples: I have compassion on the multitudes, because they have nothing to eat, and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way."-St. Matt. xv. 32.

If our Divine Lord were to reappear in the flesh to-day, walking amongst men, as He did nineteen centuries ago, He would, no doubt, have with Him again the multitudes, attracted by the sweetness of His divine personality. He would see at His feet amongst the miserable millions embodying mankind's collected woe not only the dumb, the blind, the lame and maimed, casting themselves down before Him to be healed, but crowding around Him a multitude of those who have nothing to eat. Compassion would again be dominant and rule supreme in His Sacred Heart, and who can doubt that the Healer of mankind would again, while healing the sick, not send away the others fasting?

I will not dwell here on the fact that in the present as in bygone times there is scarcely much difference as to the vastness in numbers of those who literally, in plain Gospel language, "have nothing to eat." I will only say, that if the percentage of the poor and needy, of those hungering for their daily bread, has remained unchanged, as great as in the past, it is owing to the prevalent, all but universal love of gain. If, then, the wretched become dependent upon others more fortunate than themselves, their relief is a means to make those who help them like Jesus Christ. But though without such help the wretched multitude must go away fasting and fainting, this sorrowful truth is not the whole truth. The real state of things is still worse. For if we consider likewise, as we ought to, the spiritual and moral condition of the greater number of those that have abundancethat is, that are filled with bread and meat and the other good things of this life-we find that in another sense of the divine text they have nothing to eat. If we only were able to read their souls, it would be seen that, in spite of their bodily fulness, they still are spiritually fasting owing to the void in their hearts.

In this world there is no food which can fill the desire of men's souls. There is, then, not only the danger of their fainting by the way, but there are in reality vast numbers of them who have fallen, who at every moment are falling, by the wayside, and away from true life. We then discover this fact, even more deplorable than the first, because having nothing to eat in the spiritual sense, so many fall away from all belief in God. In the truer and deeper, the mystical sense of the text, we see that there are millions to-day who have nothing to eat, who go about fasting, faint, and who even die in the way. The experience of past ages bears me out when I say that God alone can satisfy the necessities of the human heart and the aspirations of man's soul."

In vain has mankind attempted to live without its Creator. "Of old," says the venerable Father Lallemant, "the devil disguised himself as God, presenting himself to the heathen in idols, as the author and the end of everything in the world." Later on, in modern, in our times, men have tried to fill the void within by creatures which they substituted for God. But nobody has succeeded, nobody can succeed without God. The oft-repeated attempt of man to deceive his own heart and soul into the belief that anything but God will still his hunger, has caused only wretchedness and supreme misery.

The truth then is: Today, as of old, multitudes are without God, without Christ, by their own fault. They will not follow Him out to the desert, will not listen to His words, ponder upon them; will not ask for grace to believe and be filled with truth. No; in pride, in deluded self-satisfaction, in the bustle of life, in the entanglements of passion or business, they suffer life to run on in some faint, half-hearted way, desiring the truth but never, as the Apostle says, coming to the knowledge of it. But we, by God's mercy, have the truth, we have eaten and been filled; oh! let us prize it, let us above all be faithful to it—for our Lord says: Blessed are you, not because you know the truth, not solely because you possess it, but blessed are you if, knowing it, you live up to it."  The Five minute Sermons by the Paulist Fathers, 6th Sunday after Pentecost



St. Jerome Emiliani, CONFESSOR, A.D. 1537.

by VP


Posted on Sunday July 20, 2025 at 12:00AM in Saints



Dulcissime Jesu, ne sis mihi Judex, sed Salvator. ( My sweetest Jesus, be not Thou my Judge, but my Saviour.) St Jerome Emiliani The Raccolta page 50

"He was born of a noble family at Venice, and served in the army in very troublesome times. He commanded a castle, which was taken by the enemy, upon which he was cast into a dungeon, with fetters on his hands and feet. When destitute of all human help, he implored the protection of the Holy Mother of God, by whom he was miraculously delivered from prison, and conducted in safety beyond the reach of the enemy. Arriving at Tarviso, he hung up his chains before the altar of the Blessed Virgin, in grateful acknowledgment of the favour he had received.

Returning to Venice, he began more assiduously to cultivate piety, and particularly charity to the poor. But he had a particular compassion for poor children who were orphans, and wandered about the city without friends or home. These he received into a house which he hired at his own expense, and there maintained them and instructed them in Christian doctrine and piety. The saint was induced by St. Cajetan and Peter Carafa, afterwards Pope Paul IV., to reside in a hospital of incurables, where he continued to educate orphans, while he served the sick at the same time with unwearied charity.

He afterwards erected several institutions for orphans in various parts of Italy; and one also for female penitents. At length he settled at Somascha, on the frontiers of the Venetian territory, and there began the Congregation or Institute known by the name of Somascha, for the care of orphans, the favourite objects of his charity, and also for the education of youth in general, which was approved by St. Pius V., and received particular privileges from succeeding pontiffs.

He made a journey to Milan, and there and in other places he collected together a number of poor children, and provided for them by the assistance of certain wealthy and noble persons. Returning to Somascha, he became all to all, and refused no labour, which he considered likely to benefit his neighbour. He helped the labourers in the harvest, and as he worked with them, he took opportunities of instructing them in the mysteries of faith, and exhorting them to religion and virtue. He was also very charitable and patient in dressing the sores of poor suffering children and others, and was so successful in treating them, that he was considered to be gifted with a miraculous power of curing diseases. Having found a cave in the mountain of Somascha, he often retired thither, and spent whole days in fasting, severe disciplines, and prayer. At length he caught a distemper while serving the sick, and died a death precious in the sight of God, on the 8th of February, 1537, being fifty-six years old. Many miracles had been wrought by him before his death, and many happened after it, to attest the holiness of his life, and his glory after death." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother


Great Merit is Gained by offering Holy Mass

by VP


Posted on Sunday July 20, 2025 at 12:00AM in Books


Father Tyler Sparrow, Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral, Raleigh NC.


"Bear in mind that Holy Mass is the True and Supreme Sacrifice of the Christian religion and that all those who would assist at it correctly should join in offering it to the most high God. The Mass to the Christian is not merely a form of prayer; it is an act of worship and a sacrifice; for all who hear Mass offer the Divine Oblation together with the priest.

First of all, there is the great High Priest, the Chief Sacrificer, Christ, who Himself offers every Mass that is said to His heavenly Father. Then there is the officiating priest, who immolates the Divine Victim. Thirdly, there are the Faithful, who, present at the Holy Sacrifice, have also the power of offering it - and in fact, sometimes do so with greater profit that the priest himself. Fourthly, there are those who either "pay for the Mass" (ie. give the priest a stipend for offering it), or provide something necessary for celebrating it, such as the chalice of the vestments. Lastly, those too must be included who, unable to assist in person, unite themselves in spirit to the priest and join with him in his sacrificial act while remaining in their own homes. They also, since they participate in a certain measure in offering the Holy Sacrifice, participate in its fruits and may, if they so will, assign to others the benefit of those fruits.

Ponder well these truths, for they contain valuable instruction and comfort."

Source: The Incredible Catholic Mass by Fr. Martin Von Cochem


The Compassion of Christ

by VP


Posted on Sunday July 20, 2025 at 12:00AM in Sermons


Le retour de l'enfant prodigue, Jacques Tissot


"For some of them came from afar off.”—MARK 8. 3.

1. What drew that crowd to follow our Lord ?

2. In our days, who are those that are from afar off? Those who know not Christ, and those who have fallen away.

3. The danger of wandering afar off.

4. May the compassion of Christ win us back and keep us near Him.

"We wonder, as we read this Gospel, how this multitude had been drawn to our Blessed Lord; how they stayed with Him for three days, and some of them had come from afar off. What a divine attraction it must have been that made these men forget their comfort, their hunger, their weariness, to press round our Blessed Saviour, and listen to the words that fell from His divine lips! As our Lord drew the crowds to Himself in life, so now He is constantly, by His grace, drawing the hearts of men to His service. And as then, so now, "some come from afar off "; and it is for these that He shows His tenderest compassion, lest they faint on the way to their home - the Kingdom of heaven. Without His help no one can win their way to that blessed home.

Then who are those, in these days of ours, who come from afar off? Those who have not the Faith. Those who have never heard of Him, or been taught the wonders of His mercy. Prayers of others attract them: good example attracts them. The fair fame of holy Church, with its unity, its progressiveness, with its crowds of faithful worshippers, attracts them. Each of us can help, each of us is bound to help, some soul to follow Christ.

Others, again, from afar off, are children of bad parents, who have not been taught the practice of their religion; who have had no good example at home shown them: the leakage of the Church, who are swept along in the torrent of godlessness, sinfulness, and riotousness of the wicked world.

Others, again, who have fallen away. Once they were innocent children of God, but neglect and carelessness crept in; they wearied of the restriction of a good life; and at last they left their Father's house, and they were seen no more at Mass or the Sacraments. Many, thank God, have not wandered thus far from God; but how few of us have not fallen away to some degree! How few of us can say that we are as good and earnest as once we were as good as we should be!

The danger of wandering far off, or a little way off, from keeping close to our Lord, and listening to Him, and obeying Him, is this. Whatever the distance may be, it is far enough, and too far, for us to find our way back of ourselves. Many think that they can return to the good life of their early days when they choose, and so put God off. But this is a sad mistake. They cannot of themselves, but only if God in His mercy draws them.

What gratitude should be ours to remember that Christ's mercy and compassion are always seeking to attract us. Patiently and in many most varied ways He is seeking us out and drawing us to Himself. But it is all His merciful doing, and not our own doing. You will say, The prodigal son found his way back to his father, so why cannot I when I make up my mind?

Yes, the prodigal, happily for himself, did return, and was lovingly received by his father. But what prompted him? What gave him the impulse and the resolution "to arise and go to his father"? What sustained him on the long, hungry journey, and enabled him to face the shame of it, to be "a hired. servant" as he expected, where once he was a son? It was the memory, the sweet memory, of his loving, patient father! The poor boy never dreamed that his father, with yearning eyes, was looking for him time after time; he never dreamed of such an affectionate welcome; he only expected to be fed, to be under a roof, to be safe.

When our Blessed Lord was describing that loving father He was portraying Himself. For how many souls from afar off is the Redeemer looking this day! For some He has been waiting for years. The danger is, the longer we are away, the greater chance of forgetting the memory of our Father, of forgetting the compassion of the Sacred Heart of our Lord. If we forget His mercy, where is the power that can draw us back? If we are only beginning to slip away from fervour, let us be afraid; and pray that a loving memory of that compassion may ever live in our hearts.

Realize that kindness of Christ, and we should trust in Him more and more. See what He did, as recorded in the Gospel. He worked a miracle for those who had come from afar off, lest they should faint on the way. They had followed and listened to Him, and in return, in compassion, He worked the miracle. And for us as well, if we only come humbly back, He works the miracle of miracles, and nourishes us with the Bread from heaven, lest we should faint on the journey through life. How sad when our Blessed Lord is thus longing for us, and is prepared to receive us and strengthen us, that so many are kept back from entering again into His holy service, from attendance at Mass, from frequenting Holy Communion, by false shame and through human respect, for fear of what some carping neighbour may say! Oh, may the good God so strengthen us with the memory of His compassion, the confidence in His mercy, that we may arise, determined never to be far from Him again; but rather to cling to Him, cherishing His words, doing His holy Will, faithful to the end!" Short Sermons on the Epistles & Gospels of the Sundays of the Year By Rev. Fr.  Francis Paulinus Hickey OSB 1922 (6th Sunday after Pentecost)