Morning Prayer of St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Doctor of the Church
Doctor zelantissimus (Most Zealous Doctor)
My most sweet Lord,
I offer and consecrate to You this morning
all that I am and have:
my senses,
my thoughts,
my affections,
my desires,
my pleasures,
my inclinations,
my liberty.
In a word,
I place my whole body and soul in Your hands.
Saint of the Day – 30 April – St Marie Guyart of the Incarnation O.S.U. (1599-1672) – Missionary, Mystic, Widow, Religious Nun, Foundress of the Ursuline Order in Canada. Also known as Marie Guyard, Marie Guyart of the Incarnation, Marie Guyart, Marie de l’Incarnation, Marie of the Ursulines, Mother of New France, Theresa of the New World. Saint Marie of the Incarnation, the most significant leader to establish the Ursuline Convent in Quebec.
She was born as Marie Guyart in Tours, France in 1599. At about 14 years of age she saw that she could join the convent, but she sensed her mother did not share the same vision. She ended up marrying a silk merchant named Claude Martin and together they had a son. Unfortunately, when their baby was only six-months-old, Marie became a widow. Called again by God, after much discerning, she got rid of the family business and entrusted her son to her sister and brother-in-law to take the Ursuline veil. Who was Marie of the Incarnation? Already very close to God as a young girl, she said she saw the heavens open and Jesus went to her and kissed her asking, “Will you be mine?” To which she replied, “Yes!” She is considered a mystic of the Church as she had extraordinary encounters with our Lord and our Lady, which directed her in the path to bring the Faith to the peoples of New France.
Among her many accomplishments, Saint Marie learned the languages in her surrounding areas and even developed dictionaries in Algonquin and Iroquois, a sacred history in Algonquin, and a catechism in Iroquois. She was among the first women missionaries in North America. Her life and her spirituality have inspired many people around the world, spanning from other regions of Quebec, Peru, Japan and the Philippines. In Quebec you can find the Marie of the Incarnation Centre. In June 22, 1980, Pope John Paul the II declared her Blessed. She was Canonised on 3 April 2014 by Pope Francis (equipollent canonisation)
3rd Sunday in Easter (2017)
St Marie Guyart of the Incarnation (Optional Memorial)
—
St Adjutor of Vernon
St Aimo of Savigny
St Amator of Córdoba
St Aphrodisius of Alexandria
St Cynwl
St Dedë Plani
St Diodoro of Aphrodisias
St Donatus of Euraea
St Erconwald of London
St Eutropius of Saintes
St Forannan
St Genistus of Limoges
St Giuse Tuân
Bl Gualfardus of Augsburg
Bl Hildegard the Empress
St Joseph Benedict Cottolengo
St Lawrence of Novara
St Louis of Córdoba
St Mariano of Acerenza
St Maximus of Ephesus
St Mercurialis of Forlì
St Peter of Córdoba
St Pomponius of Naples
St Quirinus of Rome
St Rodopiano of Aphrodisias
St Sophia of Fermo
St Swithbert the Younger
Bl Ventura of Spello
Bl William Southerne
Novena to St Joseph the Worker – Day Nine – 30 April
“It is we, men walking in the street, ordinary Christians immersed in the bloodstream of society, whom Our Lord wants to be saints and apostles, in the very midst of our professional work; that is, sanctifying our job in life, sanctifying ourselves in it and, through it, helping others to sanctify themselves as well. Be convinced that it is there that God awaits you, with all the love of a Father and Friend. Consider too that, by doing your daily work well and responsibly, not only will you be supporting yourselves financially; you will also be contributing in a very direct way to the development of society, you will be relieving the burdens of others and maintaining countless welfare projects, both local and international, on behalf of less privileged individuals and countries.” St Josemaria Escriva – Friends of God, 120
Let us Pray:
DAY NINE
Dear Saint Joseph,
you were yourself once faced
with the responsibility of providing
the necessities of life for Jesus and Mary.
Look down with fatherly compassion upon me
in my present need and with this my special intention
(make your intention)
Please help me to fulfil God’s plan for my life
please help me in my anxiety
so that this great burden of concern will be lifted from my heart .
Help me to guard against discouragement,
so that I may emerge from this trail spiritually enriched
and with even greater blessings from God. Amen.
“Love is the bond of life,
the mother of the poor
and the teacher of the rich.
It is the nurse of orphans,
the attendant of the elderly,
the treasure of the indigent
and the common port
of all the afflicted.”
Blest are they who have not seen and yet have believed……….John 20:29
REFLECTION – “This Gospel text certainly applies to us – but only if we confirm our faith by our works!
Those truly believe who carry out in practice what they believe.”………..St Gregory the Great
PRAYER – Jesus my Lord and my God, help me to believe in You with all my might. And let me translate that belief into practice by obeying Your commands each moment of each day. St Marie Guyart of the Incarnation you were truly a shining example to us all of how to confim our faith by our works! Please pray for us, amen.
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