Today's Rosary | Holy Rosary University

Friends of the Rosary,

In the parable of the weeds in the field, the Lord Jesus explained — as we read today (St. Matthew 13:24-43):

"He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the evil one,
and the enemy who sows them is the devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear."

In another parable, Jesus answers the question of why God permits the evil and wicked to prosper.

“If you pull up the weeds,
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
"First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn."

In other words, the triumph of the wicked is short-lived, while the reward of the Christian who suffers from their wickedness is everlasting.

The very wickedness and injustices of evil-doers are one of the ways that God uses to perfect his elect. Only on a battlefield can a true soldier be proven.

In the parable, the weed does not destroy the wheat. It only makes it more difficult for wheat to reach maturity. So it is with the Christian.

If we succumb to this evil influence and give up the practice of our faith, the fault is ours. God can force no man to serve him.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Enhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:
Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Enhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:
Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

In today's main passage of the Gospel (Matthew 12:14-21), we read:

"The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.

When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many people followed him, and he cured them all, but he warned them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet"

Jesus knows the Pharisees' behavior, and instead of fighting for His reputation or forcing a public confrontation, He withdraws. That withdrawal is not weakness, but the strength of someone completely rooted in the Father’s will.

Matthew connects this moment to Isaiah’s prophecy about the Servant of the Lord: Jesus will not quarrel, shout, or crush what is already wounded.

He sees fragile people with tenderness. He does not exploit vulnerability. He heals, restores, and moves gently with souls that are already bent under pressure.

The contrast is sharp. While sinful power grabs, makes noise, and demands control, Christlike power heals.

It's not just about being nice. It is choosing the way of Jesus when you are misunderstood, opposed, or tempted to prove yourself. We treat someone fragile, tired, anxious, sick, guilty, or difficult the way Christ treats people, by bringing justice through humility, mercy, and faithfulness.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Our Lord desires mercy, not sacrifice, as He reveals in the Gospel today (Matthew 12:1–8). The Pharisees criticized His hungry disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath. He didn’t dismiss the Law; He revealed its heart, full of mercy.

The divine mercy is poured out without reservation upon us. It can’t be earned, and we don’t deserve his mercy. But God simply loves us, regardless of whether we are worthy or not, and pours His mercy unconditionally.

True holiness does not become harsh toward human weakness.

That was shown in the first reading, too, when Hezekiah turned to the Lord in tears when death was near, and God heard him. First and second readings point to the same truth: God is not distant from our hunger, fear, sickness, or weakness. He wants prayer that is honest and worship that becomes mercy.

Challenge for today: choose mercy in one concrete moment, especially where you are tempted to judge.

Prayer for today: Lord Jesus, make my heart merciful. Teach me to honor You not only with rules and words, but with compassion, prayer, and trust. St. Marcellina, on your saint’s day, pray for us!

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Enhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:
Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, July 16th, is the Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a feast instituted for the Carmelites in 1332 and extended to the whole Church by Benedict XIII in 1726. It’s the feast of the worldwide devotion to the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, also known as the Brown Scapular.

In Mount Carmel, the prophet Elijah defended the beauty and purity of Israel’s faith in the living God.

In the twelfth century, hermits withdrew to that mountain and later founded the Carmelite order, devoted to the contemplative life under the patronage of Mary, the holy Mother of God.

Today is the principal feast day of the Carmelite Order.

Since the Carmelites were still under constant harassment by the Saracens, the sixth General of the Order, St. Simon Stock, pleaded with the Blessed Virgin for some special sign of her protection. On July 16, 1251, she designated the scapular as the special mark of her maternal love.

The scapular is common to many religious Orders, but it is a special feature of the Carmelites. A smaller form of the scapular is given to lay persons in order that they may share in the great graces associated with it.

This sacramental is a sign of one's decision to follow Jesus, as Mary did, the perfect model for all the disciples of Christ. It’s also an expression of our belief that we will meet God in eternal life, aided by Mary's intercession and prayer.

While sacramentals prepare us to receive grace if we are in the right disposition, the Church emphasizes that only sacraments can confer sanctifying grace.

The Scapular is an external sign of the filial relationship established between the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Mount Carmel, and the faithful who entrust themselves totally to her protection, who have recourse to her maternal intercession.

In New York City, there is Our Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine in East Harlem, established in 1881 and home to one of the oldest festivals in America. Also, Williamsburg in Brooklyn, NY, annually holds the Festival of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and St. Paulinus of Nola (Festa Del Giglio).

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Enhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:
Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, July 15, is the Memorial Day of Saint and mystic Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (1221-1274), a thirteenth-century Italian saint, known as the Seraphic Doctor.

As the General of the Franciscan Order, he consolidated the institution and was even considered a second founder.

Teacher and preacher, he was a unique personality, beloved by God and men alike, who attracted everyone who saw him.

Unsurpassed in sanctity, wisdom, and eloquence, he was gifted, as with a skill of accomplishing things. St. Bonaventure had not only a winning disposition, but a heart full of love, pious, charitable, and rich in virtue and wisdom.

His contemporaries are said to have believed that no one was "more handsome, more holy, or more learned" than he.

In philosophy, he was the principal leader of the Platonic-Augustinian school of Franciscan thought; as such, he stood opposed to the Aristotelianism that was making its way into the schools of the time (represented by Thomas Aquinas).

Bonaventure's Life of St. Francis was a favorite book of the Middle Ages.

Dante had already included him among the inhabitants of his "Paradise."

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, July 14, the Catholic Church in the USA celebrates the Memorial of St. Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680), the "Lily of the Mohawks," the first native American to be declared "Blessed" and "Saint."

Kateri was born in 1656 near the town of Auriesville, New York. She refused to marry a Mohawk man and, at nineteen, finally got the courage to take the step of converting. One year later, she was baptized by a Jesuit missionary on Easter Sunday in 1676, given the name Kateri (Catherine).

She was devoted to the Eucharist and to Jesus Crucified, leading a life of prayer, penitential practices, and care for the sick.

Kateri incurred the hostility of her tribe because of her faith while praying for the conversion of her nation.

Witnesses said that her emaciated face changed color and became like that of a healthy child. The lines of suffering, even the pockmarks, disappeared, and the touch of a smile came upon her lips. She was beatified in 1980.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

In today's Gospel (Matthew 10:34-11:1), Jesus the Lord says, “Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.”

Christ must be first because only then do our other loves become rightly ordered. All creation is ordered to the Divine, so it's wise to recognize that our discipleship cannot be something added on the edges of life.

The first reading from Isaiah is just as direct. If we love God, that love has to show up in mercy, honesty, protection of the vulnerable, and a willingness to stop doing evil. “Wash yourselves clean… make justice your aim.” Prayer must become conversion.

The saint of the day, St. Henry II, Emperor II, regarded power as a responsibility before God, supporting reform and seeking to govern justly. His life reminds us that holiness is not only for churches and monasteries. It belongs in decisions, leadership, family duties, work, and public life.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 13:1-23), we are given the parable of the sower.

The seed — the Word of God — is good, but the soil — human response — dramatically differs.

Some hearts are hardened, some distracted and confused by anxiety and worldly lures, and some are ready to receive the Word deeply.

Jesus gently asks us what kind of soil we are today.

In the first reading, Isaiah says God’s word is like rain and snow: it does not return empty, but accomplishes what God sends it to do. Even when growth feels slow, grace is not wasted. God keeps working beneath the surface.

As a prayer for today, we ask the Lord to make our hearts good soil. Let His Word take root in us, bear fruit through us, and teach us mercy!

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today is the Memorial of St. Benedict (480-547), the father of Christian monasticism.

St. Benedict was born in Nursia, Italy, in 480 and, after being educated in Rome, left the world to live as a solitary hermit at Subiaco. He organized a form of monastic life in twelve small monasteries. Under his guidance, as abbot, the monks vowed to seek God and devoted themselves to work and prayer.

A few years later, St. Benedict left the district of Subiaco to found the abbey of Monte Cassino on the heights of Campania. There, he wrote his famous Rule, the monks' program of life, in which the Roman genius and the monastic wisdom of the Christian world are wonderfully combined.

His rule prescribed common sense, a life of moderate asceticism, prayer, study, and work, and community life under one superior. It stressed obedience, stability, and zeal, and made the Divine Office the center of monastic life; it would affect spiritual and monastic life in the West for centuries to come.

While ruling his monks (most of whom, including Benedict, were not ordained), he counseled rulers and Popes, ministered to the poor and destitute around him, and tried to repair the ravages of the Lombard invasion led by Totila.

For St. Benedict, the fundamental, and even more, the sole objective of existence is the search for God: "Quaerere Deum." He knew that when the believer enters into a profound relationship with God, he cannot be content with living in a mediocre way, with a minimalist ethic and superficial religiosity.

In this light, the faithful better the expression that Benedict took from St. Cyprian, and that is summarized in his Rule (IV, 21): Nihil amori Christi praeponere. Prefer nothing to the love of Christ.

Associated with the life of the saint and worn on a Rosary, the Saint Benedict Medal is used by many faithful as a sacramental for spiritual protection against evil and temptation, and as a prayer of exorcism against Satan. 

The primary prayer associated with the Saint Benedict medal is an exorcism prayer, often represented by initials on the medal, which translates to: "May the Holy Cross be my light; May the dragon never be my guide. Begone, Satan! Never tempt me with your vanities. What you offer is evil; Drink the poison yourself!". 

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today’s Gospel (Matthew 10:16-23) continues Jesus’ mission discourse, with apostles sent “like sheep in the midst of wolves,” so Christ calls them to be both wise and innocent. Catholic discipleship is not naivety. It is courage without fear.

In the first reading, "Return, O Israel, to the LORD," we observe that God does not merely demand repentance; He promises healing. “I will love them freely.” The Psalm answers with the prayer every sinner needs: “Create a clean heart in me, O God.” Before we can witness before others, we have to let God restore the heart within us.
Also, the martyr saints of today, Sts. Rufina and Secunda highlight the Gospel's message. These Roman Christian martyrs show us that fidelity and love for the Lord are costly.

So let's be gentle, not weak. Wise, but not calculating. If pressure comes, let's trust that the Spirit of the Father can speak through us at the hour we need Him.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

In today’s Gospel (Matthew 10:7-15), Jesus’ apostles are sent to proclaim that the Kingdom of heaven is near. They are also told to travel lightly: no gold, no extra tunic, no dependence on worldly security.

The lesson is clear: mission begins in trust. We give because we have first received.

The first reading shows the heart of God as a Father who loved Israel from childhood, taught him to walk, and drew him with “bands of love.” Even when Israel wanders, God’s mercy is not cold or distant. His holiness is revealed in justice and patient, wounded love.

Today’s honored saints, St. Augustine Zhao Rong, priest, and Companions, Chinese Martyrs, make this Gospel concrete. They witnessed to Christ in China through persecution, imprisonment, and martyrdom. Some were priests, many were laypeople, and many were native-born Chinese Catholics.

Their feast reminds us that the Kingdom is proclaimed not only by preaching but by fidelity when faith becomes costly.

The challenge for the faithful: give freely and carry peace into the house you enter. If that peace is rejected, do not become bitter. Leave the dust behind, but keep the Gospel alive in your own heart.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today’s Gospel (Matthew 10:1-7) shows Jesus summoning the Twelve and giving them authority to drive out demons and cure every disease.

"As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’"

Discipleship is an invitation to all of us. Christ calls, names, equips, and sends. And the mission begins close to home: “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Meanwhile, the first reading of the Gospel warns against a fruitful life that becomes divided from God. Israel grows prosperous, but the prosperity feeds false altars. The Catholic lesson is sharp: blessings are meant to deepen worship, not replace it. The Lord asks us to “sow justice” and “seek the Lord” while there is time.

Saints Aquila and Priscilla, the saints of the day, fit this Gospel beautifully. They were a married couple, coworkers of St. Paul, and their home became a place where the Church could gather and grow. Their witness reminds us that mission is not only for priests, apostles, or public preachers. A household can become a domestic church.

St. John Chrysostom wrote, “The home is a little church.”

Let Christ’s authority enter ordinary rooms, ordinary conversations, ordinary duties. The Kingdom is proclaimed not only by words, but by the shape of a faithful life.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

As we read today (Matthew 9:32-38), Jesus was driving out demons from possessed people; in today’s passage, He healed a man who was unable to speak.

But the Pharisees, full of pride and no mercy, rather than rejoicing when God works in unexpected ways, contrary to our expectations, responded with suspicion, accusing Jesus of acting by the power of demons. They said, “He drives out demons by the prince of demons.”

But the Son of God didn’t respond. He was going around to all the towns and villages in Israel, “teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness.”

We continue reading,
“At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.”

“Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.”

This Gospel shows the heart of Jesus in a very direct way. He does not look at the crowd as a problem to manage. He sees their wounds, confusion, fear, and spiritual hunger.

Christ's compassion is not a vague emotion; it becomes healing, teaching, and a mission. His love always moves toward the person who is suffering.

A final note: To pray for laborers is also to become willing to be sent by the Lord. People need shepherds, witnesses, teachers, confessors, parents, friends, and ordinary Christians who carry Christ's mercy into daily life.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, July 6, Catholics honor Maria Goretti (1890-1902) as the saint of the day, a paramount example of virtue, courage, and holiness who met a martyr's death.

St. Maria was born near Ancona (Italy), the daughter of a poor peasant family. Maria was well known to her neighbors for her cheerfulness and piety.

When she was twelve, she was a victim of assault; she preferred to die rather than to lose her virginity.

When she refused to submit to the attacker, Alessandro Serenellis, a 20-year-old farmer, stabbed her 14 times.

She was taken to the hospital, but she died while forgiving him.

During imprisonment, the assassin repented. He later became a lay brother in a Capuchin monastery.
Maria was beatified in 1947 and canonized in 1950. The repentant murderer sat next to her mother, Assunta, at the beatification, who also forgave him.

It was also the first time a parent was present for their own child's canonization.

With splendid courage, the virgin martyr surrendered herself to God and his grace and so gave her life to protect her virginity.
In the homily at the canonization of Saint Maria Goretti, Pope Pius XII said,"Let us all, with God's grace, strive to reach the goal that the example of the virgin martyr, Saint Maria Goretti, sets before us. Through her prayers to the Redeemer, may all of us, each in his own way, joyfully try to follow the inspiring example of Maria Goretti, who now enjoys eternal happiness in heaven."
We are all called to the pursuit of Christian virtue.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

As we read today (Matthew 11:25-30), Christ declares, "All things have been handed over to me by my Father."

Things of heaven are "revealed to little ones," while hiding them from the wise and the learned

Why is that? Because they are the ones who refuse to rely on themselves and are disposed to receive all that God is eager to give.

In addition, Our Lord invites us to rest on Him, bringing to Him all of our concerns and anxieties:

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves. 
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, July 4, the United States celebrates Independence Day. It’s an iconic day: the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

That day, the Congress issued a Declaration of Independence, announcing "that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states."

With France's help, the Americans defeated the British, and the English Parliament decided to make peace and accept American independence.

With independence won, the thirteen states set out to form a new nation.

This 4th of July, we recall the day when our country claimed its place among the family of nations, by being one country, under divine providence, sharing God’s blessings with all the peoples of the earth.

The Catholic Church in the U.S. incorporates into the liturgy a special Mass asking for peace, justice and truth, asking us to pray that God will strengthen and bless America and make this nation a haven of liberty and justice for all—born and unborn.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, July 3, we celebrate the Feast of St. Thomas, the Apostle, who at first did not believe, but immediately after became, for the Church, one of the first witnesses to her faith.

He expressed the fervor of his regained faith: "My Lord and my God."

Pope St. Gregory the Great said, "Thomas' unbelief has benefited our faith more than the belief of the other disciples."

The Lord permitted the apostle to doubt after the resurrection, but He did not abandon him in doubt. By his doubt and by his touching the sacred wounds, the apostle became a witness to the truth of the resurrection.

St. Thomas preached the Gospel in Asia beyond the frontiers of the Roman Empire, probably in Persia and possibly as far afield as India.

After he had converted numerous tribes to Christianity, at Calamina (near Madras in India) he suffered martyrdom by being pierced with lances at the king's command.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, in Matthew 9:1–8, the Gospel's main reading, Christ the Lord heals a paralytic after first forgiving his sins. 
"Your sins are forgiven."
The Son of God forgives our sins because he doesn't want us to be paralyzed by darkness. He is bringing us to a new future, a deeper life of peace, hope, and fulfillment. 
Sin is our nonsense refusal to live in accordance with the big plans that God has for us, in this present life or in the next one. We truly need to be liberated from our burden. 
After our sins are forgiven, we can move forward liberated, like the paralyzed man in today's passage.
"Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home." 

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, July 1, the Feast of St. Junípero Serra (1713–1784), we read in the Gospel (Matthew 8:28-34) how Jesus confronted the demonic torment of two possessed men.

The most unsettling part was not only the presence of evil but the reaction of the townspeople: after witnessing Christ’s power, they preferred that He leave. Grace has arrived, but they experience it as a disruption and prefer to remain attached to security and possessions.

Jesus came not to make our compromises more comfortable, but to save us.

Today’s saint, St. Junípero Serra, a Spanish Franciscan priest known as the "Apostle of California", lived with missionary urgency. His motto was: “Always forward, never back.” That is a fitting answer to this Gospel.

When Christ enters with authority, the Christian response is not retreat but movement toward Him, even when His grace unsettles what we have grown accustomed to.

Only Jesus can bring true peace, because only Jesus has authority over sin, fear, and evil.

St. Junípero Serra left Europe at age 35 to become a missionary. He founded the first nine of 21 Spanish missions in California, spanning from San Diego to San Francisco. His work helped spread Christianity and shape modern agriculture in California.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, June 30th, the Universal Church celebrates the Memorial of the First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church to honor the nameless followers of Christ brutally killed by the evil Emperor Nero as scapegoats for the fire in Rome.

Historians tell about a night of horror (August 15, 64 A.D.) when in the imperial parks Christians were brutally attacked and made into living torches to light the road for Nero's chariot.

According to Tacitus, a "great multitude" of Christians were put to death because of their "hatred of the human race." Peter and Paul were probably among the victims.

From 64 to 314, "Christian" was synonymous with "execution victim."

Threatened by an army revolt and condemned to death by the Senate, Nero committed suicide in A.D. 68 at the age of thirty-one.

Many of those who began to follow Jesus shared his suffering and death. The blood of martyrs has always been the seed of Christians.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, June 29th, the Universal Church celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, apostles. They are the solid rock, the principal pillars, on which the Church is built. Both apostles were martyred under the reign of Emperor Nero, in Rome, then the capital of the Empire, around the year 64.

Peter was crucified upside down, while Paul, a Roman citizen, was beheaded.

St. Peter was buried on the hill of the Vatican on the very site of today’s Basilica of St. Peter's. St. Paul was beheaded in the Via Ostia on the spot where now stands the basilica bearing his name.

Among the Twelve Apostles, Peter became the spokesman, declaring: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” At Pentecost, he delivered the first fiery sermon of the infant Church.

Although not one of the Twelve, Paul is also called an apostle (the thirteenth apostle, the apostle to the Gentiles) after encountering the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus while persecuting Christians.

Early church fathers, like St. Augustine, noted that even if they died on different days, they are celebrated together because of their intertwined legacies.

In the Catholic Church, it is a holy day of obligation in some regions and is marked by the Pope with a Grand Papal Mass at St. Peter's Basilica.

In many predominantly Catholic cities (especially in Rome, as well as in Latin America and Europe), the day is marked with local processions, traditional seafood feasts, and outdoor festivals.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

In today’s Sunday Gospel (Matthew 10:37-42), Jesus lays down the requirement for discipleship, for being a true Christian:

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,
and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
and whoever does not take up his cross
and follow after me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." "Whoever receives you receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."

If we truly want to enjoy a life in Christ with God, these are the conditions.

It's a fact that many people embrace darkness and reject the path of faith and charity. Sadly, they opt for their own damnation.

But we who freely and voluntarily have accepted the gift of faith, we must understand that we ourselves are temples of the Holy Spirit, and our Lord wants us to rejoice and have no fear. By embracing his teachings and commandments!

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

The centurion in Capernaum, whose servant was healed, said to the Lord, as we read today (Matthew 8:5-17), when we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Cyril of Alexandria, bishop and doctor of the Church

“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed."

Jesus responded to him:

“Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith."

Moreover, He announced:

"I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,
and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven,
but the children of the Kingdom
will be driven out into the outer darkness,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

The Church celebrates the Optional Memorial of St. Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975), founder of Opus Dei, which opened a new path of holiness based on carrying out ordinary work and daily duties with a Christian spirit.

He died on June 26, 1975, and was canonized a saint on October 6, 2002.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

As we read today (Matthew 7:21-29), Jesus said to his disciples:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

Not because we attend mass, receive the sacraments, and do deeds in the name of Jesus does it mean that we are holy and will attain salvation.

Our good Lord is abundant in grace and wants our salvation. But our hearts must be clean — and we know deep down when that is the case!

“Many will say to me on that day,
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?
Did we not drive out demons in your name?
Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’
Then I will declare to them solemnly,
‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.”

Difficulties and adversities will come, but if we live in communion with God, we will be able to withstand them.

“The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

"When Jesus finished these words,
The crowds were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority,
and not as their scribes."

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, June 24, the Universal Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, called the Precursor or Forerunner of the Lord in the three synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, as well as in the Book of John.

Like Mary, who already in the first moment of her existence, was free from original sin, John was cleansed of original sin in the womb of his mother.

Therefore, for John, the day of his birth is likewise sacred. He preceded the Redeemer, representing the Old Covenant and the Law and heralding a new dispensation of grace.

The nativity of John is observed six months earlier than the birth of Christ, at the time of the summer solstice. The popular custom, centered on "St. John's Fire," symbolizes Christ the Light. John was a lamp that burned and shone.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Three key messages from Our Lord in today's main reading of the Gospel (Matthew 7:6, 12-14) are still related to the Sermon on the Mount:

"Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine."

"Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the Law and the Prophets."

"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction."

The metaphor of the narrow gate means choosing a life of faith, humility, and obedience to God rather than following the easy, self-indulgent paths of the world.

Two paths, two distinct ways to live. One leads to life and the other to spiritual destruction.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, while we honor three prominent saints — John Fisher, Thomas More, and Paulinus of Nola — the Lord says to us in Matthew 7:1-5:

"Stop judging, that you may not be judged.
For as you judge, so will you be judged,
and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you."
Gossiping and criticizing others are a superextended psychological pastime.  
It's a result of pride and egotism to put people down, so we feel more elevated. Instead of turning the mirror on ourselves, we see annoying things in others. 
It's a moral failing we fall into. 
Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Happy Father's Day!

As we read today, Sunday (Matt 10:26-28), Jesus, the Lord, is asking each one of us to be fearless apostles.

To the Twelve, He revealed:

"Fear no one.”

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;
Rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy
both soul and body in Gehenna.”

“Even all the hairs of your head are counted.
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Everyone who acknowledges me before others
I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.
But whoever denies me before others,
I will deny before my heavenly Father."

What our Lord said to His Apostles applies to all Christians in the practice of their faith, by being always truthful and honest in all our dealings,

We must be a light shining in the darkness of our fallen world.

Today's Memorial of St. Aloysius Gonzaga is superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.
Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Anxious about the future? Trapped by preoccupations?

Christ the Lord reveals in today's Gospel (Matthew 6:24-34) how to face our non-stop concerns:

"Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sufficient for a day is its own evil."

Having faith is the answer. Entrusting our lives completely to God. Not worrying and depending on the Divinity for everything.

Faith means trust in the presence of the all-powerful, infinite, unconditionally loving God the Father. Serve him, and not the money, knowing we are not in control.

He says today,

"I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink,
or about your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?"

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

As we read today in the Gospel (Matthew 6:19–23), Christ the Lord revealed to us:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.
But store up treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”

Every one of us is made ex nihilo.

Bishop Barron writes, “Everything is haunted by nonbeing. No matter how good, beautiful, true, or exciting a thing or state of affairs is here below, it is destined to pass into nonbeing."

This is meant to redirect our attention precisely to the treasures of heaven, to the eternity of God."

"The lamp of the body is the eye.
If your eye is sound, your whole body will be filled with light;
but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be in darkness.
And if the light in you is darkness, how great will the darkness be."

"Once we see everything in light of God, we can learn to love the things of this world without clinging to them and without expecting too much of them. Think of how much disappointment and heartache could be avoided if we only learned this truth!"

As the saint of the day, today we honor Saint Romuald, Abbot.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Salvation means alignment between heaven and earth, with the Divinity reigning on earth as it does above. That should be our inner desire, and that's why we constantly say in the Lord's Prayer, which Jesus gives us in today's Gospel (Matthew 6:7–15): “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Heaven – the realm of God, angels, and saints — touches upon earth — the field of humans, animals, and plants, but they are two separate realities.

With our prayer, the veil of separation gets thinner. The prophet Isaiah was calling out, “The earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea.”

The first Christians saw the resurrection of Jesus as the commencement of the process by which earth and heaven were being reconciled.

Our prayer must come from the heart.

Jesus said:
“In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

In today’s Gospel (Matthew 6:1–6, 16–18), the Lord asks us to do three things — pray, fast, and give alms — without seeking praise from people.

"Take care not to perform righteous deeds
in order that people may see them;
otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.”

In the case of prayer, we do it very often, with faith and forgiveness, and in Jesus’s name.

Prayer, as an intimate communion and conversation with God, requires perseverance.

St. Augustine said that God sometimes delays in giving us what we want because he wants our hearts to expand.

“When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door,
and pray to your Father in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you."

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

In today's Gospel (Matthew 5:43–48), as part of the message of the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord commands us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, "that you may be children of your heavenly Father."
"Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect."
On Holy Thursday, before expiring on the Cross, the Lord said, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
Love is willing the good of the other as the other.
This also took place on the cross of Jesus. Jews, Romans, Pharisees, Sadducees, his own disciples—everyone betrayed him, ran from him, denied him, actively arranged for his death.
And yet these are the very people that he loves and brings peace, the very people for whom he gives his life.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

In today’s reading (Matthew 5:38-42), Christ the Lord, in the Sermon on the Mount, exhorts us to nonresistance to evil.

By the way, this passage deeply influenced Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

From a Catholic perspective, the ordinary way to face evil and resist demonic attacks is through a deeper union with Christ, and never through fear or engagement with the demonic powers.

The Church teaches that Jesus Christ has already conquered Satan through His death and Resurrection (cf. Colossians 2:15).

Our strongest spiritual protection is a life rooted in God’s grace, remaining in a state of grace.

• Pray daily and read the Scriptures and Catholic spiritual books. Prayer keeps us close to God and strengthens us against temptation. Especially, The Holy Rosary.
• Attend Mass regularly, especially on Sundays and, if possible, weekdays.
• Go to Confession frequently.
• Receive the Eucharist worthily and with devotion.
• Strive to avoid serious sin and occasions of sin.

Let's not forget that the sacraments are powerful channels of God’s grace.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states (863), the Church is, and remains, apostolic through the successors of St. Peter and the other apostles. All the faithful share a vocation to the apostolate of spreading Christianity on earth.

We read today (Matthew 9:36—10:8) how Christ the Lord summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority to cure the sick from any disease, raise the dead, drive out demons, and proclaim: “The kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

They were: “Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon from Cana, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.”

Also, this Sunday we see how Jesus’ heart — his sacred heart — “was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.”

The Lord was moved with pity because he wanted each person in that crowd to respond to his love.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, Saturday, June 13, the day after the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we celebrate the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The Immaculate Heart of Mary reminds us of purity, love, and devotion. It symbolizes Mary’s unwavering faith, compassion, and deep connection to God’s will.

Her heart, untouched by sin, is a model of holiness for all.

Through her heart, we find a perfect reflection of God’s mercy and grace, guiding us toward a deeper relationship. We seek Mary's intercession to live with love and humility and grow closer to Christ Our Savior.

The feast was established in 1944, in the midst of World War II, by Pope Pius XII, who consecrated the world and placed it under the special protection of the Virgin Mary.

Pius XII’s Decree of May 4, 1944. asked her intercession to obtain "peace among nations, freedom for the Church, the conversion of sinners, the love of purity and the practice of virtue."

But the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary wasn’t new.

Christians were early attracted by the love and virtues of the Heart of Mary.

Simeon's prophecy that Mary's heart would be pierced with a sword paved the way for this devotion. Moreover, Mary was not passive at the foot of the Cross; "she cooperated through charity," as St. Augustine says, "in the work of our redemption."

The meditations on the Ave Maria and the Salve Regina date back to the Eleventh century.

In the seventeenth century, St. John Eudes preached it together with that of the Sacred Heart.

In 1830, during the revelation of the "miraculous medal," the Virgin Mary showed to Catherine Laboure the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus united.

In the nineteenth century, Pius VII and Pius IX allowed several churches to celebrate a feast of the Pure Heart of Mary.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, June 12, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, a feast designated the Friday after the Second Sunday of Pentecost.

In the late 17th century, St. Marguerite Marie Alacoque, a cloistered nun of the Visitation Order, received several private revelations of the Sacred Heart.

The devotion to the Sacred Heart calls for an “attitude of conversion and reparation, of love and gratitude, apostolic commitment, and dedication to Christ and his saving work,” as the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy denotes.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states,
"Jesus knew and loved us each and all during his life, his agony and his Passion, and gave himself up for each one of us: "The Son of God. . . loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal 2:20). He has loved us all with a human heart. For this reason, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pierced by our sins and for our salvation (Cf. Jn 19:34), "is quite rightly considered the chief sign and symbol of that. . . love with which the divine Redeemer continually loves the eternal Father and all human beings" without exception (Pius XII, Enc. Haurietis aquas (1956): DS 3924; cf. DS 3812).

Pope Benedict XVI wrote, “The essential nucleus of Christianity is expressed in the Heart of Jesus; in Christ the whole of the revolutionary newness of the Gospel was revealed and given to us: the Love that saves us and already makes us live in God’s eternity. Even our shortcomings, our limitations, and our weaknesses must lead us back to the Heart of Jesus. His divine Heart calls to our hearts, inviting us to come out of ourselves, to abandon our human certainties to trust in him and, following his example, to make of ourselves a gift of love without reserve.”

Today is also the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests. The World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests takes place every year on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today is the Memorial of St. Barnabas, Apostle.

Born in Cyprus, he embraced the faith soon after Christ's death and became a member of the original Jerusalem community. He was a Hellenist, that is, a Jew who lived outside of Palestine and spoke Greek. His first name was Joseph; Barnabas (etymology: "son of consolation") was a surname.

Barnabas first noteworthy deed was to sell his belongings and place the money at the feet of the apostles.

He presented St. Paul to the other Apostles. He was Paul's companion and helper on his first missionary journey (about 45-48 A.D.)

He played an important role in the first expansion of Christianity beyond the Jewish world.

His name has been mentioned in the Canon of the Mass since ancient times.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today's Gospel presents (Matthew 5:17-19) Jesus saying to the disciples:

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven."

Moses went up Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments from God. Jesus, as the New Moses, went up a mountain and began to promulgate the definitive law.

And this law, which starts with “blessed,” “happy", is a new pattern of life that promises to make us joyful.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, the feast of Saint Ephrem, Deacon and Doctor of the Church, the Lord Jesus is saying in the Gospel of Matthew (Matt 5:13-16) to his disciples — and the entire world:

“You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.”

Saint Ephrem wrote, "God has surrendered his own Son for us so that we might believe in him; his Body is with us, his assurance is with us, he came and gave us his keys, since it is for us that his treasures lie waiting."

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 5:1-12) recounts the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus offers the Beatitudes, subverting worldly values.

Just as Moses went up the mountain to receive the Law, Jesus ascended the mountain to give the New Law: the Beatitudes—a roadmap for a complete change in mind and heart for spiritual peace. These teachings are meant for everyone, at all times.

Rather than giving a strict list of demands, the Lord calls blessed the poor in spirit, the meek, and the merciful, revealing that fulfillment and true happiness come from putting God first.

The Greek word for "blessed" (makarios) can also be translated as "happy" or "lucky."

Jesus tells us we are fortunate if we are not hopelessly attached to material things ("poor in spirit"), because we are placing our hope and security in God rather than passing worldly comforts.

The Beatitudes are about recognizing and relying on God, showing us how to radiate His grace even when we face hardship, persecution, or mourning.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, known as Corpus Christi, a feast honoring the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. It emphasizes the joy of the Eucharist, traditionally celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday

The feast dates back to the 13th century. It was instituted following the Eucharistic visions of St. Juliana of Liège in Belgium and the Eucharistic miracle of Bolsena, Italy, where a consecrated host reportedly began bleeding.

Pope Urban IV extended this celebration to the universal Church in 1264 and commissioned the renowned theologian St. Thomas Aquinas to compose special hymns and prayers for the feast day, including the Tantum Ergo and O Salutaris Hostia.

The significance of the feast is clear. While Holy Thursday recalls the institution of the Eucharist at the start of the Passion, the Corpus Christi provides a dedicated, joyful occasion for the Church to focus solely on adoration, thanksgiving, and belief in transubstantiation.

We celebrate this day with Eucharistic Processions. The Blessed Sacrament is placed in a monstrance and carried through the streets by the clergy, with the faithful walking alongside, praying, and singing. Celebrations often include solemn Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

For Catholics, the procession serves as a public declaration of faith and a visible reminder that Christ is with them in their daily lives.

We rejoice in this expression of our Eucharistic faith and devotion in order to deepen our attachment to the unique event that transforms our lives: the Blessed Sacrament.

[embed]https://youtu.be/WV7WQbdajJo?si=zhAVQj4tp1_AlJaJ[/embed]

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5Xi-Brli0g[/embed]

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, the Feast day of St. Norbert, Bishop, Saturday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time, and the eve of the Solemnity of the Corpus Christi, we see in the Gospel (Mark 12:38-44), the contrast between the religious show and the hidden, total self-gift of the poor widow who gives everything by love.

“Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood.”

St. Ambrose said, "No one gives more than she who has left nothing for herself."

St. John Chrysostom, "Almsgiving is that of the Widow who emptied out all her living."

St. Bede, "God does not weigh the property but the conscience of those who offer."

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, the Catholic Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Boniface (c. 673-680-754), Bishop and Martyr, a Benedictine monk in the Middle Ages who was chosen by divine Providence to become Germany's great apostle and patron. Catholic Germany still venerates him as its father in the faith. The famous abbey of Fulda, where his body lies, has remained the national shrine of Catholic Germany. When he was about to administer confirmation to a group of neophytes at Dockum, a band of barbarous pagans overpowered and put him to death.

In today's Gospel (John 10:11-16), we see Christ the Lord as the good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep – all of us – without hesitation.

"I am the good shepherd,
and I know mine and mine know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;
and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.
These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,
and there will be one flock, one shepherd."

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Christian love is an act of the willing – the willing of the good of the other. "Love your neighbor as yourself," as the Lord says, and we read today in the Gospel (Mark 12:28-34).

Love is not primarily a feeling or an instinct; it is a radical self-gift, living for the sake of the other.

It's moving beyond the black hole of oneself and, yes, it's acting for the glory of God as we participate in the love that the Lord is. Mind you, it's self-interest to treat someone justly in the interest of receiving something back.

When we love the Lord with all our heart, mind, understanding, and strength, then we will understand what true love is.

The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ is observed on the Thursday following the feast of the Most Blessed Trinity. However, as it is not observed as a Holy Day of obligation on Thursday, it is assigned to the Sunday after Trinity Sunday, which is then considered its proper day in the calendar.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs, we read in the Gospel (Mark 12:18-27) how Jesus answers the Sadducees’ trap about the resurrection by pointing them back to Scripture and to the living power of God: “He is not God of the dead but of the living.”

Christian hope is not vague optimism. It is confidence that God’s life is stronger than death.

And the resurrection is not an abstract doctrine; it is the truth that lets a Christian stand upright, love clearly, and suffer without being owned by suffering.

That fits beautifully with Saint Charles Lwanga and his martyred companions, the saints of today. Their martyrdom witnesses that faith is not merely an idea to defend, but a life entrusted to God even when earthly power threatens everything. They could face death because they believed Christ’s words. Their witness reaffirmed that trust that the body can be killed, but the life God gives cannot be taken away.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

At that time, as we read today (Mark 12-13-17), some Pharisees and Herodians tested Jesus by asking whether it was lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar. He amazed them:

“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God.”

Jesus went deep by putting every loyalty in its proper order: the coin bears Caesar’s image, so it may be returned to Caesar; the human person bears God’s image, so the whole person belongs to God.

Mind you, God’s image is stamped upon ourselves. The human soul bears God’s image. The self belongs wholly to God.

The main theological lesson: Civil duties have their place, but conscience, worship, truth, and the soul belong to God.

In this Gospel, Jesus does not merely escape a political ambush; he teaches that worldly power is limited. Caesar may receive the coin, but he cannot claim the heart, said St. John Chrysostom

St. Augustine said, To render to God what is God’s” means to return ourselves to him: our memory, intellect, will, body, conscience, and love. The coin goes back to Caesar; the soul must go back to God.

Today is the Optional Memorial of Saints and Roman martyrs Marcellinus and Peter (d. 304), who were an exorcist and a priest.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, the Feast of St. Justin, the Gospel (Mark 12:1-12) presents the parable of the landowner who leased a vineyard to tenants. This vineyard stands for Israel and the whole world. But God's people miserably failed in their duty.

The landowner sent his servants to the tenants to obtain the produce, and these were beaten, killed, and stoned. Then he sent his beloved son, but the tenant seized and killed him.
"What then will the owner of the vineyard do?
He will come, put the tenants to death,
and give the vineyard to others."

"The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?"

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York

Friends of the Rosary,

Today, Sunday, May 31, we observe the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, a dogma of faith which states that there is one God — eternal, incomprehensible — with three Divine Persons: Father, Son, the Holy Spirit.

The Father is not more God than the Son, nor is the Son more God than the Holy Spirit.

The Father is the first Divine Person; the Son is the second Divine Person, begotten from the nature of the Father from eternity; the Holy Spirit is the third Divine Person, proceeding from the Father and the Son.

All three Persons contributed to and shared in the work of redemption. The Father sent His Son to earth, for "God so loved the world as to give His only-begotten Son." The Son became man and died for us. He redeemed us and made us children of God. After Christ's ascension, the Holy Spirit became our Guide and Consoler.

In other words, the Father created and predestined us; on the first day of the week, He began the work of creation. The Son redeemed us; Sunday is the "Day of the Lord," the day of His resurrection. The Holy Spirit sanctified us, made us His temple; on Sunday, the Holy Spirit descended upon the infant Church. Sunday, therefore, is the day of the Most Holy Trinity.

The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is a synthesis of Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension, and Pentecost.

This feast of the triune God, which falls on the first Sunday after Pentecost, was introduced in the ninth century and was inserted into the General Roman Calendar of the Church only in the fourteenth century by Pope John XXII.

Today's solemnity supersedes the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Ave Maria!
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!

+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York