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The Presence of God

St. Basil said that the remedy for all temptations, trials, and troubles is to live in the presence of God.  By recalling that He is ever present we avoid sin, practice virtue, and become more closely united to God.  The thought of God’s presence is the most powerful means for controlling our passions and overcoming temptations.

Many other saints have affirmed this fact.  St. Thomas Aquinas said, “If at all times we were mindful of the presence of God, we would displease Him very seldom.”  “St. Jerome remarked that the thought of the presence of God closes the door to sin.  St. Teresa of Avila stated that all our sins arise from not thinking of God as present to us, but imagining Him as far away.”  (Fr. F. X. Lasance, Thoughts on the Religious Life, p. 183.)  King David also recognized this truth when he wrote, “God is not before… [the sinner’s] eyes; his ways are filthy at all times.”  (Psalm 9: 26.)

When we were children, Sister asked us, “Where is God?” and we answered, “God is everywhere.”  Our teacher then asked, “Does God see us?”  We said, “God sees us and watches over us with loving care.”  Then we were asked, “Does God know all things?”  We replied, “God knows all things, even our most secret thoughts, words, and actions.”  “If God is everywhere, why do we not see Him?”  “Although God is everywhere, we do not see Him because He is a spirit and cannot be seen with our eyes.”  (Baltimore Catechism, lesson 2)

“What matters it that we do not see Him with our corporal eyes?  We cannot see the atmosphere and yet we know for a certainty that it surrounds us on all sides.  Without it we could neither live nor breathe.  We cannot see God with the eyes of the body because He is a pure spirit; but holy faith teaches us that He is constantly present to us.”  (Lasance, 187.)

St. Augustine reminds us that God has a personal love for each person.  He sees me always and watches over me night and day with as much care as if in Heaven and on earth He had no other creature to govern but myself alone.  All my actions, thoughts, and desires lie open clearly before God.  Job said, “Are not all my ways under His eyes and does He not count all my steps?” (Job 31: 4.)  St. Luke has written, “He is not far from each one of us, since in Him we live and move and have our being.”  (Acts of the Apostles 17: 27-28.)

As an infinitely perfect Being, God is present everywhere throughout the entire universe.  As Creator of the world, God must be present with everything in order to preserve it.  God gives life to all living creatures, strength to all who have power, and being to all that exist.  

King David declared the omnipresence of God when he said, “Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy Face?  If I ascend into Heaven, Thou art there…  If I take wings early in the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there shall Thy Hand lead me and Thy right hand shall hold me.”  (Psalm 138, 7-11.)  King David also stated, “I kept the Lord ever before my eyes, because He is ever at my right hand that I may not slip.”(Psalm 25: 8.)

St. Jerome said, “The remembrance of God banishes all sins…  The remembrance of God and the walking in His presence is such an efficacious motive that we should never do anything to displease God if we remembered that He is present and beholds us.”  Jeremias represents God as saying: “Shall a man be hid in secret places, and I not see him?  Do I not fill the Heaven and the earth?”  (Jeremias 23: 23-24.)

Since God is everywhere, we can and should lift our minds and hearts to Him wherever we are—in our homes, at work, in society, in solitude, etc., not just in church.  Further, there is no place on earth, however remote, where we can sin unobserved.  We are justified in expecting an abundant reward for our good works, even though they may be done in secret. 

“If ever we are lonely and far from home, we may remember that God is everywhere, ready to help us…  Let us resolve never to allow our worldly interests to make us lose sight of God, but remind ourselves continually of His presence…  Let us carefully avoid all that might withdraw us from His presence, especially let us shun all evil [and sin] since whoever… [disobeys] God’s commandments is turning away from Him.”  (Canon Richter, Sunday School Sermonettes, p. 24.)

Every moment of life we experience the goodness and mercy of God.  Therefore, we should always try to live in His presence.  Father Alphonsus Rodriguez asks, “How are we to consider God as present?...  We can do no more than make an act of faith, presupposing that God is here present without seeking to know how or in what manner.”

“It is as when one converses [outside] with a friend at night, without dwelling on the manner of his presence… but simply rejoicing and delighting in the conversation and presence of such a friend.  In this manner we must consider God as present; it is enough to know that God is here as our Friend to rejoice in Him.  Stay not to look how He is present, a thing you will never make out, because it is now nighttime for us.”  (Alphonsus Rodriguez, S.J., Practice of Perfection and Christian Virtues, p. 409.)

The remembrance of the presence of God acts as a powerful incentive to moral courage and the practice of virtue.  During the Middle Ages, kings led their armies into battle.  This gave their knights the mettle and the courage to fight bravely alongside their king.  The fact that their king, who could reward or punish, was taking note of their valor, inspired great feats of heroism among the knights.

In modern times, employees perform their work more attentively and efficiently when they are in the presence of their boss.  They refrain from any levity or laxity that they might display in his absence.  We can always tell when the Highway Patrol is on the freeway because drivers instantaneously slow down, become quite cautious, and carefully observe the traffic laws.  We know that the officers are looking out for the general welfare and safety of everyone.  Sometimes they wait with cold calculation in order to catch persons violating the speeding law so that they can be punished immediately.
 
Whenever we are aware that surveillance cameras are watching us, whether in the bank, at an intersection, at a gas station, at the airport, at a department store, etc., we are more careful to make sure our behavior stays within the limits of the law.  Although it is wise for us to recall the consequences of our actions to avoid trouble with the law, it is even wiser for us to avoid sin by recalling the omnipresence of God and our future judgment.


Almighty God watches over us, always and everywhere, with loving, providential care.  Through the voice of conscience and the graces that He constantly sends to us, God reminds us of His laws, helps us to do good and avoid evil, gives us moral courage and support, and patiently awaits our love and obedience in return.  Just because the consequences of our sins do not fall upon us immediately does not mean that God does not see us at every moment and does not know exactly what we are thinking and planning to do.  We must keep this in mind so that it will spur us to turn away from sin and act more virtuously.  

Our morning and night prayers alone are not sufficient to establish a close union with God.  Just as boiling water soon regains a low temperature when removed from the heat, so also is it with the fervor or spiritual heat of the soul.  Our fervor must be kindled by frequent remembrance of the presence of God.

The exercise of the presence of God deepens the union of the soul with God since the presence of the beloved always increases love.  The better we know God and the more frequently we keep ourselves in His presence, the more goodness we discover in Him and the more powerfully are we drawn to love Him.  The greatest happiness in Heaven consists in loving and contemplating God.  Obviously, on earth we cannot see God face.  However, to a limited degree we can share in the happiness of Heaven by living in the presence of God, not by sight but by faith.  Thus did God appear to Moses in the cloud, not that he could see Him, but only believe that He was present.

After discussing the benefits of living in the presence of God, I will now explain how we can do so despite the numerous occupations and distractions of our busy lives.  The two powers of our soul are intellect or understanding and free-will.  We can recall the presence of God by using these two powers.
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The simplest way recall the presence of God throughout the day is by making frequent acts of faith.  We can simply say, “O God, I firmly believe that You are here present!”  This can be followed by an act of love of God, submission to His holy will, etc.  In addition, we are constantly reminded of the presence of God by the wonders of creation.  St. Augustine says, “Learn to love your Creator in the creature.  Do not become attached to those objects that God has created, that you may not lose Him who created them…  When holding lovely flower or some fruit in her hand, St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi used to be inflamed with the love of God, and would cry out, ‘From all eternity God has thought of creating this flower, this apple, for love of me, to give me a proof of His love.’”  (Lasance, 188) 

When we were baptized, God gave us a sharing in His life through sanctifying grace.  As long as we are in the state of grace, God dwells in our souls.  Our bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost.  God’s presence through grace in our souls far transcends His presence in the rest of creation.  Speaking of the presence of God in the soul through sanctifying grace, Saint Teresa of Avila stated, “I think that they who enclose themselves in the little heaven of their own soul, where is found the Almighty One Who created it, have taken an admirable way to perfection, because in a short time they will run a long course.”  By practicing the presence of God in their lives, the saints acquired great merit.


Although it is humanly impossible to preserve continuously the remembrance of God’s presence, we should make every effort in our power to enjoy the peace and tranquility of His presence by frequent short prayers or aspirations.  These may consist in acts of love of God, thanksgiving, trust, contrition, etc.  Priests counsel sick people to recite frequent aspirations, such as:
Jesus, Mary Joseph.
 My Jesus, mercy.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in Thee.
O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
Sweet Mother, I place this cause in thy hands.

Those in poor health cannot recite long prayers, yet they can recite short ones with ease.  The Fathers of the Church set great value on such short prayers since they are fervent, don’t fatigue the mind, ascend immediately to God, and leave the devil no time to distract us.  St. John Chrysostom said that he who frequently uses such short prayers closes the door to the devil so that he cannot torment him with bad thoughts. 

Another way to preserve the presence of God is by to frequently renew our purity of intention of performing all our actions for love of Him.  St. Paul has written, “Whether you eat or drink, or do anything else, do all for the glory of God.”  (I Cor. 10: 31.)  The exercise of living in the presence of God helps us to do our daily duties well because we are performing them before God and to express our love for Him. 

St. John Vianney said, “We must take great care never to do anything before having said our morning prayers.”  This begins with our Morning Offering prayer which we can say even before getting out of bed.  Our pure intention can be renewed throughout the day by saying, “O my Jesus it is for love of Thee, in reparation for the offenses committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary and for the conversion of poor sinners.”  This is a very easy way to recall the presence of God because it does not fatigue the mind.  Even the desire to please God is a loving remembrance of His presence.  “At the beginning of any business that has any danger in it, beg God to help you to come out well.”  (Rodriguez, 411.)

Since many of us are involved in various distracting duties and occupations, how can we recall the presence of God in the midst of such work?  We can turn to the example of St. Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Being poor, they had much to do.  Yet, even while engaged in their work, they thought of God and paused to renew their intention to perform their duties to the best of their ability for the love of Christ.

When St. John Climacus visited a certain monastery, he met one of the monks who was closely united to God even though he had a great deal of work to do.  This monk was the cook and had to prepare the meals for two hundred and thirty Religious.  In the labor, hurry and fatigue of his occupation, the good monk maintained remarkable interior recollection and peace of soul.  Astonished, the saint asked the cook how he managed to fulfill so well his difficult charge.  The Brother answered, “I never think that I am serving men, but God…  The sight of the material fire moves me to tears, since it suggests the eternal fires of Hell, the purity of God and the heinousness of sin.”  


Sometimes our distracting duties, sorrows, and worries may temporally overwhelm or paralyze us.  We must then find a quiet place to pray and recharge.  Just as a person who feels weak from hunger or fatigue must take some food and rest in order to regain his strength, so too must our souls, when dissipated and stressed out, be refreshed and strengthen by recollection with God.  Solitude, silence, and prayer are absolutely necessary for the health of the soul.

St. Basil simplifies the practice of recalling the divine presence.  He said, “Do you eat?  Give thanks to God.  Do you dress?  Give thanks to God.  Do you walk…  outside?  Bless God, Who has created it.  Do you look up to the sky?  Do you look at the sun and the rest?  Praise the Creator of it all.  When you sleep, every time you awake, bless God.”  (Rodriguez, 412.)

In summary, say nothing you would not like God to hear.  Do nothing you would not like God to see.  Write nothing you would not like God to read.  Go no place where you would not like God to find you.  Read no book and surf no website of which you would not like God to say, “Show it to Me.”  Never spend your time in a way that you would not like God to ask, “What are you doing?”
 
I will close with several very short stories and examples.  The thought of the omnipresence of God infused into the souls of the saints the strength and courage to conquer temptation.  It was this thought that made the chaste and beautiful Susanna of the Old Testament so courageous against the vile suggestions of two wicked old men.  Although threatened with calumny and death, she boldly answered them, “It is better for me to fall into your hands without sin, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.”  (Daniel 13: 23.)  At the trial, Susanna was declared innocent and her accusers were condemned.


Another story tells how the thought of the divine presence converted a miserable woman who had the… [shamelessness] to tempt St. Ephrem to sin.  In answer to her wicked suggestions, the saint told her that if she wanted to sin, it should be in the open marketplace.  ‘What!’ she exclaimed, ‘sin in the presence of so many people?”  The saint replied: ‘And how could you propose to sin in the presence of God, who behold us everywhere?’” 

“When the poor woman heard this admonition, she shed tears, fell on her knees and implored the saint’s pardon.  Then she begged him to show her how to work out her salvation.  The saint, touched by her tears and earnest entreaties, placed her in a convent where she led a most edifying life, never ceasing to bemoan her past.”  (Lasance, 184.)

A similar incident happened to the holy Abbot Paphnutius.  “A certain [notorious woman, a] sinner named Thais, tempted him to sin, assuring him that they were alone, that none but God could see them.  The saint addressed her in an earnest tone: ‘What!  You believe that God sees you, and yet you are willing to sin!’  Struck by the saint’s tone and words, Thais entered into herself and began to conceive intense hatred for her past disorder.” 

“Yielding to the impulse of grace, she gathered together her fine clothes, her jewels, and all the treasures gained by her evil way of living, made a fire of them in a public place, and retired into a convent.  There she lived for three years, fasting on bread and water, and constantly repeating this prayer: ‘O Thou Who has created me, have mercy on me!’  At the end of that time she died a holy death.  Soon afterward it was revealed to a disciple of St. Antony that the happy penitent had won a splendid throne of glory among the saints.”  (Lasance, 184.)

Another story is told of a young man who was often tormented with bad thoughts.  He went to a holy priest and said to him, “Father, I am constantly tormented with bad thoughts, and I am most anxious to banish them from my mind; tell me the best means of driving them away.”  The priest answered, “If your head were made of glass, so that everyone could see these thoughts, how long would you keep them in your mind?”  The young man answered, “Oh, I would put them away instantly, for I would be filled with shame if anyone knew that I was thinking about them.”

The priest replied, “God sees every one of your thoughts as clearly as if they were covered by thin transparent glass.  Therefore, when these wicked thoughts come to your mind, say to yourself, ‘God sees me, and God will judge me.’  If you say these words often, how virtuous and happy you would always be!  Also, be sure to keep in mind that Jesus, Who loves you dearly, is always near you.  Whenever you are tempted, say at once, “Jesus help me!’  He will immediately give you the grace to drive away the temptation, and thus you shall persevere in His grace.”  All these examples show how the thought of the presence of God can be a powerful weapon against sin.

Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Santa Clarita, California, is much like any Catholic church you might have attended before the Second Vatican Council occurred in the 1960's. This Council, supposedly intended to bring about a genuine spiritual renewal in the living of our Faith, inaugurated liturgical changes that broke drastically from the Church's sacred liturgy and traditions of nearly 2,000 years. It is because of these changes and the resultant universal loss of faith among so many bishops, priests, nuns and laity, that Queen of Angels and chapels like this one are drawing more and more interest from concerned Catholics all over the world. The pastor of Queen of Angels is Father Dominic Radecki, CMRI, a priest belonging to the religious Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen . The bishop and priests of the Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen (CMRI) offer only the Tridentine Latin Mass in all the churches and chapels they serve. Remaining faithful to all of the Church's venerable teachings and traditions, Queen of Angels Church reflects the stability and endurance of truths and doctrines that will never change with the times. The faithful receive Holy Communion on their tongues as they kneel at the communion rail in humble adoration of the Real Presence of God. Ladies wear head coverings and modest clothing out of respect. The reverent silence in the House of God indicates a living faith in Christ Who dwells in the tabernacle. We have a full schedule of activities at our church. The Sacraments are administered exactly the way they were before Vatican II: Baptism, Confirmation, Penance, the Holy Eucharist, Matrimony and Extreme Unction. Parish organizations who attend Queen of Angels, ranging from basic catechism instruction for the youth and converts to the Faith, to our Confraternity of Christian Mothers. For those who wish to lead a more dedicated spiritual life, we have the Confraternity of Mary Immaculate Queen. We invite you to check out all of our parish activities on this website. We at Queen of Angels welcome visitors to our parish at anytime of the year, but especially at Christmas and Easter. Although the number of parishioners has outgrown our small church, newcomers are always welcome. Each of our parishioners adds something unique to the family atmosphere we think is very special here at our church. Come and see it for yourself! If you have not been to a Latin Mass in many years, if you have never been to one at all, you will be pleasantly surprised at what you find at Queen of Angels. You will feel as if you have come home, as indeed you have. Queen of Angels Catholic Church Prayer to the August Queen of Heaven August Queen of Heaven, Sovereign Mistress of the Angels, who didst receive from the beginning the mission and the power to crush the serpent's head, we beseech thee to send thy holy angels, that under thy command and by thy power they may pursue the evil spirits, encounter them on every side, resist their bold attacks, and drive them hence into the abyss of woe. Most holy Mother, send thy angels to defend us and to drive the cruel enemy from us. All ye holy Angels and Archangels, keep and defend us. Amen O good and tender Mother Thou shalt ever be our love and our hope. Holy Angels and Archangels, keep and defend us. Amen Novena of Confidence to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (for family relations that have fallen away) O Lord Jesus Christ, to Thy Most Sacred Heart I confide this intention (silently mention here the names you are praying for). Only look upon me, then do what Thy Heart inspires. Let Thy Sacred Heart decide. I count on it. I trust in it. I throw myself on its mercy, Lord Jesus! Thou wilt not fail me. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee. Sacred Heart of Jesus, I believe in Thy love for me. Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy Kingdom come! O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I have asked Thee for many favors, but I earnestly implore this one. Take it, place it in Thy open, broken Heart, and when the Eternal Father looks upon it, covered with Thy Precious Blood, He will not refuse it.s It will no longer be my prayer but Thine, O Sacred Heart of Jesus. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in Thee. Let me never be confounded. Amen.	The following true story explains this well. The university professor challenged his students with this question.  “Did God create everything that exists?”  A student bravely replied, “Yes, he did!”  “God created everything?” the professor asked.  “Yes,” the student replied.  The professor answered, “If God created everything, then God created evil since evil exists, and according to the principle that our works define who we are, then God is evil.”  The student became quiet before such an answer.  The professor was quite pleased with himself and boasted to the students that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth.  At that point, another student raised his hand and said, “Can I ask you a question professor?”  “Of course,” replied the professor.  The student stood up and asked, “Professor does cold exist?”  “What kind of question is this?  Of course it exists.  Have you never been cold?” The students snickered at the young man’s question.  The young man replied, “In fact sir, cold does not exist.  According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat.  Absolute zero (-460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat; all matter becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature.  Cold does not exist.  We have created this word to describe “the absence of heat.”  The student continued.  “Professor, does darkness exist?”  The professor responded, “Of course it does.”  The student replied, “Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not exist either.  Darkness is in reality the absence of light.  You cannot measure darkness.  A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it.  How can you know how dark a certain space is?  You measure the amount of light present.  Isn’t this correct?  Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present.” Finally the young man asked the professor.  “Sir, does evil exist?”  Now uncertain, the professor responded, “Of course!  We see it every day.  It is in the daily example of man’s inhumanity to man.  It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world.  These manifestations are nothing else but evil.”  To this, the student replied, “Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist in itself.  Evil is simply the absence of God.  It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God.  God did not create evil.  Evil is not like faith, or love that exist just as does light and heat.  Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God’s love present in his heart.  It’s like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light.”  The professor sat down. The young man’s name – Albert Einstein. May Crowning Queen of Angels Easter Queen of Angels Altar Queen of Angels May Procession May Crowning Prayer The time may be delayed, the manner may be unexpected, but the answer is sure to come. Not a tear of sacred sorrow, not a breath of holy desire poured out to God will ever be lost, but in God's own time and way will be wafted back again in clouds of mercy and fall in showers of blessings on you and on those for whom you pray.	Weekly Sermons Latest Sermon: click_here List of Previous Sermons: click_here General Information Baptisms: One parent and the sponsors must be practicing Catholics who attend only the Traditional Latin Mass. Call the pastor to make arrangements. Confessions: Sundays - one hour before Mass. Weekdays - 10 minutes before Mass. 1st Friday and 1st Saturday - during the Rosary. Communion for the Sick: Inform Father if you are unable to attend Mass and wish to receive Holy Communion and/or Extreme Unction. Marriages For registered members of Queen of Angels parish only. Please contact the rectory at least six months prior to the wedding date for marriage instructions. Mass Intentions: If you would like to have Holy Mass offered for your intention, please use the envelopes provided in the back of the church. The customary offering is $25.00. Mass requests are honored in the order in which they are received. If you wish a Mass offered on a particular day, it must be submitted at least a month in advance. Mass requests for special days will be honored when possible. First Holy Communion Classes: Classes are held every Sunday at 9:30 AM. Confirmation Classes: For the children: on the first and third Sunday of the month at 9:30 AM. For the adults: on the second and fourth Sunday of the month at 9:30 AM. Prayers For Rain O God, in Whom we live, move and have our being, grant us seasonable rain, so that our temporal needs being sufficiently supplied, we may seek with greater confidence after things eternal. Be appeased, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by the gifts which we offer, and garnt us in season the blessing of sufficient rain. Grant us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, beneficial rain and deign to pour out showers from Heaven upon the parched face of the earth. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost. God, world without end. Amen

Summer Camp

Queen of Angels Catholic Church is located in Santa Clarita, California and draws parishioners to the Traditional Latin Mass (Tridentine Mass) from all over Southern CA and the Greater Los Angeles areas.