Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint John of the Cross who is a Carmelite contemplative mystic born in 1542 in Spain. He was a close spiritual friend of Saint Teresa of Avila and with her guidance, he introduced the reform to the Carmelite Order of Friars. The reform consisted of reverting back to living the Carmelite vocation and the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience as they were formulated in the Rule of Saint Albert in the 1200's. 
Saint John was not only a contemplative but he was a poet and a writer. His works have inspired many generations of mystics both Christian and non-Christian. Popular among his writings are "The Spiritual Canticle" which is based on the Book of Song of Songs where the soul is depicted as the bride who is seeking to be reunited with her bridegroom who is God. Two of his other works which are also popular are "The Ascent to Mount Carmel" and "The Living Flames of Love" which discusses the soul seeking union with God.  Finally "The Dark Night of the Soul" was written by Saint John when he was in the prison during the time of inquisition. He was suspected of deviating from the Church teachings in introducing the reforms to the order which required strict observance of the Rules of Saint Albert and his own brothers of the Carmelite order locked him up in a cell for several months. In this book Saint John of the Cross writes about the soul that is unable to feel the presence of God but knows by faith that God is present. This leaves the soul is a spiritual dryness which is very painful spiritual suffering. God allows souls to experience the dark night for the strengthening and growth of the soul. 
Saint John of Cross eventually escaped from prison after nine months and was successful in implementing the reforms of Saint Teresa Avila among the friars. 
Saint John of the Cross pray for us, especially those who are going through the dark night of the soul at this moment!

Today we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In the year 1531 the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego who was of the Aztec tribe in Mexico. He was a recent convert to Christianity. Christian missionaries from Spain had arrived in South America but there was tremendous hostility between the natives and the missionaries because of the Spanish colonists who were hostile to the Natives. The Aztec people of Mexico followed certain ancient religions where it was common practice to offer human sacrifices to appease the pagan gods. The Christian missionaries tried hard to preach to the Aztec people and bring them to the realization of the Gospel of God's conditional love that was revealed in Jesus but were unsuccessful.
One day the Blessed Mother appeared to Juan Diego and requested him to go to the local Bishop and ask for a church to be built on the site of her apparition. However the Bishop asked Juan Diego to request the Lady for a sign so that he can comply to her request. When Juan Diego related this to the Blessed Mother at the next apparition, she showed him a rose bush which was covered with roses in winter and it was species of rose which is only found in Spain where the Bishop was from originally. So Juan Diego collected the roses in his tilma cloak and went back to the Bishop. When he opened the tilma to show the roses, the Bishop and his staff noticed that the image of the Blessed Mother was imprinted on the tilma. Even today the tilma is kept in Mexico city for pilgrims to observe.
The tilma made of cactus plant has miraculously not disintegrated even though several years have passed. Also the cloak of the Blessed Mother reflects the positions of the stars and constellations as they were exactly on the day of her appearance. Also recent studies reveal that the eye of the Blessed Mother reflects the image of the Bishop and the staff as they observed the miracle.
Immediately after this miracle nine million people became Christians in Mexico within just nine years. Innumerable human lives were thus saved because they abandoned the practice of human sacrifices. Today Our Lady of Guadalupe is also considered as the patroness of the innumerable unborn children and the patroness of the Americas.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us!

Each year on December 8th the Church celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. On this day we remember that the Blessed Virgin Mary was conceived in the womb of Saint Anne without the stain of original sin. The merits of Jesus' passion, death and resurrection which won victory over sin and death was applied to the Blessed Virgin Mary at the moment of her conception because she was chosen from the very beginning to become the Mother of God. 
In 1830 the Blessed Virgin appeared to Saint Catherine Laboure in Rue Du Bac, France and taught her this prayer: “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee”. Later Pope Pius IX confirmed the infallibility of the Immaculate Conception on 8 December 1854. Four years later in 1858 Our Lady appears to Saint Bernadette in Lourdes, France on the Feast of the Annunciation and when Bernadette asked her who she was the Blessed Virgin said "I am the Immaculate Conception". 
May we imitate the fiat of Our Blessed Mother in saying "Yes" to Jesus to be our savior and king! O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Ambrose who was a prolific orator of his time.  He was also the Bishop of Milan, when Saint Augustine met him. Due to their interaction Saint Augustine was converted to Christianity and the many years of prayers of his mother Saint Monica was heard. Saint Ambrose also was zealous for his faith and refuted the Arian heresy which denied the existence of the Word of God from before the creation of this world who became incarnate in the person of Jesus Christ. They believed that Jesus came to be only at the moment of his incarnation. This was confirmed to be an error during the First  Council of Nicaea.
Saint Ambrose pray for us to have a greater appreciation for our faith and belief in Jesus Christ, the one true God and true man!
​

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas is most popularly known around the world as Santa Claus. There are so many songs, movies and literary work on Santa Claus including some versions with Mrs. Claus. However we should all know that Santa Claus a.k.a Saint Nicholas was a Catholic priest and Bishop who lived in Myra which is in modern day Turkey.
Legend has it that Bishop Nicholas found out about a father of three daughters who was unable to marry them off because they were extremely poor and could not afford to pay the dowry. So he dropped a bag of gold for each daughter anonymously. That is how the tradition of Santa Claus delivering presents the night before Christmas began.
Saint Nicholas was full of zeal for the Church and her teachings and defended heresies of his time and suffered persecutions and imprisonment for his faith.
Saint Nicholas help us to be generous to those we meet today and prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ this Advent!
​

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Francis Xavier.
Saint Francis Xavier was born in 1506 in Spain. He went to study in the University of Paris and there he met Saint Ignatius of Loyola and his four companions and he was immediately drawn to join with them and together they formed the Society of Jesus and became a Jesuit.
In the year 1541 Saint Francis and five others were sent by the King of Portugal to preach the Gospel in Goa, India. Through his preaching the entire city of Goa came to believe in Jesus Christ and were baptized. His followers continued his mission in India and the Jesuits have become the main cause for the spread of Christianity not just in Goa but all of India even to this day. The Jesuits played an important role in my formation and that of my family members for many generations. My brother, father, grandparents and many cousins and uncles were all educated by Jesuits in the Southern part of India. My own spiritual director in India from the age of 18 to 25 was a Jesuit priest, Fr. Francis Rebello.
Saint Francis Xavier also preached in many other parts of Asia including Japan, Malaysia, and Indonesia. On his way to China he became ill and died at sea on December 2, 1552.
Saint Francis Xavier patron of missions please pray for us to have your zeal for evangelization!​