Category: MORNING Prayers

Posted in Act of SPIRITUAL COMMUNION, JESUIT SJ, MARIAN PRAYERS, Our MORNING Offering, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Our Morning Offering – 22 March – Act of Spiritual Communion and A SPIRITUAL COMMUNION SERVICE Celebrated in the home

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Our Morning Offering – 22 March – Act of Spiritual Communion and A SPIRITUAL COMMUNION SERVICE Celebrated in the home

For those across the world who cannot attend Holy Mass today:

a spiritual communion service celebrated in the home - 22 march 2020

A SPIRITUAL COMMUNION SERVICE
Celebrated in the home

“If you practice the holy exercise
of Spiritual Communion,
a good many times each day,
within a month,
you will see yourself completely changed.”

St Leonard of Port Maurice OFM (1676-1751)

Act of Spiritual Communion
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church

My Jesus,
I believe that You art present
in the Blessed Sacrament.
I love You above all things
and I desire You in my soul.
Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally,
come at least, spiritually, into my heart.
As though You were already there,
I embrace You
and unite myself wholly to You,
permit not, that I should ever,
be separated from You.
Amenif-you-practice-the-holy-exercise-stleonardportmaurice-actofspiritualcomm-stalphonsus-27nov2018 and 22 march 2020 cornavirus

Guidelines / Reminders while participating in Spiritual Communion
– Prepare a table with appropriate cover, candles and crucifix or images of saints.
– Dress up appropriately as if you are physically participating in the Holy Eucharist.
– Turn off your cell phone and other devices.
– Refrain from doing household chores.
– Put yourself in the presence of God and focus on the celebration.

Introduction:
Leader: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
Leader: We are gathered here to love, honour and worship our heavenly Father.  Bearing in mind that the Word of the Lord is a lamp for our steps and a light for our
path, let us unite in listening to the message of eternal life.   Then with hearts
gladdened and filled with hope by his holy word, we pray that the Lord in his
merciful love will spiritually nourish us.
But first, let us spend a few moments in silence to repent of our sins and also
think of those with whom we should make our peace, those, whom we should
forgive.

After a few moments of silence, all say the I confess

Liturgy of the Word:
– The readings of the given Sunday, are now proclaimed.

An appropriate Homily or Reflection can then be shared.

We then make a profession of faith by reciting the Apostles’ Creed.

– Next follows Prayers of Intercession where we pray for
– the needs of the Church
– needs of the world
– those burdened in one way or another
– our local community
– the dead.
Conclude by saying the Our Father.

Now recite the Act of Spiritual Communion

– After a brief pause, together say:

The Anima Christi

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O Good Jesus, hear me.
Within your wounds hide me.
Permit me not to be separated from You.
From the wicked foe, defend me.
At the hour of my death,
call me and bid me
come to You
that with Your saints
I may praise You forever and ever.
Amenanima christi st ignatius loyola - 29 september 2019

Concluding Prayer

All:  As we contemplate Your presence
in our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
we pray, O God,
that You will protect us in these uncertain times
and keep us close to You
and be strengthened in the faith we share.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Leader:  May Almighty God bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen

(all make the sign of the cross while saying together)

All:  May we remain in the peace of Christ – In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

NOTE:   If so desired, families may sing appropriate hymns /chants.

Prayer to St Michael

St Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.
Be our safeguard against the
wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray
and do Thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God,
cast into hell, Satan
and all the evil spirits who prowl throughout the world
seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.

st michael the archangel defend us in battle 22 march 2020

Pope Francis’s Prayer to Mary during Coronavirus Pandemic

https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/21/our-morning-offering-21-march-prayer-to-mary-health-of-the-sick/

Posted in LENT 2020, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on SANCTITY, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 21 March – ‘…The basis for holiness…’

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One Minute Reflection – 21 March – Saturday of the Third Week of Lent, Readings: Hosea 6:1-6, Psalm 51:3-4, 18-21, Luke 18:9-14 and the Memorial of St Enda of Aran

“…For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled but he who humbles himself, will be exalted.”… Luke 18:14luke-18-14-everuone-who-exalts-himself-shall-be-humbled 21 March 2020

REFLECTION – “It is of capital importance that you emphasise what is the basis for holiness and the foundation of goodness.   I mean, to talk about the virtue of which Jesus presents himself explicitly as the model – humility (cf. Mt 11:29).
Inner humility, more inner than outward.
Recognise who you truly are – a nothing, something quite miserable, weak, full of defects, capable of turning good into bad, to let go the good, for the bad, to attribute to yourself the good and to justify yourself in doing bad and for love of evil, to despise the One who is the Supreme Good.
Never go to bed before having first examined your conscience to consider how you spent your day.   Turn all your thoughts towards the Lord and consecrate to Him your own person, as well as all Christians.   Then offer to His glory, the sleep you will get, without ever forgetting your guardian angel, who is always at your side.” … Saint Pio of Pietralcina “Padre Pio” (1887-1968) – Buona Giornatahumility - padre pio - 21 march 2020

PRAYER – We turn to You our God and Father and seek Your comfort and assurance. Jesus, our Lord, Your Son, taught us how to pray in humility and all we need to be and do, to reach You.   Be patient good Father, as we grow by Your grace.   May the prayers of St Enda, be heard together with the Mother of Christ and of Humility, as they pray on our behalf.   Through Jesus our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.st enda of aran pray for us 21 march 2020

Posted in MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 21 March – Prayer to Mary, Health of the Sick

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Our Morning Offering – 21 March – Saturday of the Third Week of Lent

Pope Francis Prayer recited by video on 11 March
asking Mary to protect Italy and the world during the coronavirus pandemic.

Prayer to Mary, Health of the Sick

Mary,
you always shine on our path
as a sign of salvation and of hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,
who at the cross took part in Jesus’ pain,
keeping your faith firm.
You, Salvation of the Roman People,
know what we need,
and we are sure you will provide
so that, as in Cana of Galilee,
we may return to joy and to feasting
after this time of trial.
Help us, Mother of Divine Love,
to conform to the will of the Father
and to do as we are told by Jesus,
who has taken upon Himself our sufferings
and carried our sorrows
to lead us, through the Cross,
to the joy of the Resurrection.
Amen

Under your protection, we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God.
Do not disdain the entreaties of we, who are in trial
but deliver us from every danger,
O glorious and blessed Virgin.prayer to mary health of the sick - pope francis - 21 march 2020

Posted in LENT 2020, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, SAINT of the DAY, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 20 March – ‘Seeing with the eyes of Christ …’

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One Minute Reflection – 20 March – Friday of the Third week of Lent, Readings: Hosea 14:1-9 (2-10), Psalm 81:6-11, 14, 17, Mark 12:28-34 and the Memorial of St Maria Josefa of the Heart of Jesus (1842-1912)

“…You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’   The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’   There is no other commandment greater than these.” …Mark 12:30-32mark 12 30-32 you shall love the lord your god - 20 march 2020

REFLECTION – “The love-story between God and man consists in the very fact that this communion of will, increases in a communion of thought and sentiment and thus our will and God’s will increasingly coincide – God’s will is no longer for me an alien will, something imposed on me from without, by the commandments but it is now, my own will, based on the realisation that God is, in fact, more deeply present to me, than I am to myself.   Then self- abandonment to God increases and God becomes our joy (cf. Ps 73 [72]:23-28).

Love of neighbour is thus shown to be possible, in the way proclaimed by the Bible, by Jesus.   It consists in the very fact that, in God and with God, I love even the person whom I do not like or even know.   This can only take place on the basis of an intimate encounter with God, an encounter which has become a communion of will, even affecting my feelings.   Then, I learn, to look on this other person not simply with my eyes and my feelings but from the perspective of Jesus Christ.   His friend is my friend… Seeing with the eyes of Christ, I can give to others much more, than their outward necessities, I can give them the look of love which they crave.”…Pope Benedict XVI – Encyclical “ Deus caritas est ”, # 17 – 18seeing-with-the-eyes-of-christ-pope-beneidct-29-march-2019 and 20 march 2020

PRAYER – Holy and eternal Father, we give praise to You for the radiant light You sent into the world, Your divine Son, Your Word made flesh.   For He guides our steps in a path of light and teaches us how to live.   May we love and glorify You and love our neighbour as ourselves.   Grant, we pray, that by the help of Your angels and saints and Mary, our Immaculate Mother, we may proceed to live Your Word of Truth.   St Maria Josefa of the Heart of Jesus please pray for us today.   Through Christ, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.immaculate-mary-poray-for-us 20 march 2020 and 29 march 2019st maria josefa of the heart of jesus pray for us 20 march 2020

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 20 March – I Beg You, O Lord

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Our Morning Offering – 20 March – Friday of the Third Week of Lent

I Beg You, O Lord
By St Peter Canisius SJ (1521-1597) Doctor of the Church

I beg You, O Lord
to remove anything
which separates me from You,
or You from me
Remove anything
that makes me unworthy of Your sight,
Your control,
Your reprehension,
of Your speech and conversation,
of Your benevolence and love.
Cast from me,
every evil that stands in the way
of my seeing You,
hearing, tasting,
savouring and touching You,
fearing and being mindful of You,
knowing, trusting, loving
and possessing You,
being conscious of Your Presence
and as far as maybe, enjoying You.
This is what I ask for myself
and earnestly desire from You.
Ameni beg you o lord - st peter canisius doctor of the church 20 march 2020

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, franciscan OFM, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, St JOSEPH, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 19 March – ‘Blessed Joseph, remember us …’

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One Minute Reflection – 19 March – The Solemnity of the Feast of St Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Patron of the Universal Church, Readings: 2 Samuel 7:4-5, 12-14, 16, Psalm 89:2-5, 27, 29, Romans 4:13, 16-18, 22, Matthew 1:16, 18-21, 24

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home … Matthew 1:24matthew 1 24 when joseph awoke he did as the angel commanded him - 19 march 2020

REFLECTION – “When the divine goodness chooses someone to receive a special grace, it gives him all the charisms he needs, which greatly increases his spiritual beauty.   This is wholly confirmed in the case of Saint Joseph, legal father of our Lord Jesus Christ and rightful husband of she, who is Queen of the world and Sovereign of angels.   The eternal Father chose him to be provider and faithful guardian to his chiefest treasures, namely His Son and His bride – a function he faithfully fulfilled  . That is why the Lord said: “Good and faithful servant, come, share your master’s joy” (Mt 25,21).
If you compare Joseph with all the rest of Christ’s Church, is he not the one who has been specially chosen, through whom Christ came into the world in regular and respectable fashion?   So, if the whole of holy Church is indebted to the Virgin Mary, because it was she who enabled it to welcome Christ, after her it is to Saint Joseph that it owes a recognition and honour without compare.
Indeed, it is he who brings the Old Testament to an end, it is in him that the dignity of patriarchs and prophets receives its promised fruit.   He alone possessed in reality what divine goodness had promised to them.   Nor indeed should we doubt that the closeness and respect Christ showed to Joseph during His earthly life, as a son to His father, were ever denied in heaven, rather, He enriched and completed them.   So, with reason, the Lord adds: “Enter into your master’s joy”.indeed it is he who brings the old testament to an end - st bernardine of siena sermon on st joseph - 19 march 2020
PRAYER – Blessed Joseph, remember us, intercede with the help of your prayers to your adopted Son and may you likewise make the blessed Virgin, your spouse, to be favourable towards us, for she is the mother of Him, who, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns world without end.” … St Bernadine of Siena (1380-1444) – Sermon on Saint Josephblessed joseph remember us - st bernardine of siena 19 march 2020

Posted in HYMNS, Our MORNING Offering, St JOSEPH

Our Morning Offering – 19 March – Saint Joseph, Be Our Guide

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Our Morning Offering – 19 March – The Solemnity of St Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Guardian of Jesus and Patron of the Universal Church, Patron of Fathers, Patron of the Dying, Patron of Workers.

Saint Joseph, Be Our Guide!
By Fr Michael Gannon (1927– 2017)

Look down to us, Saint Joseph,
Protector of Our Lord,
Who followed you through deserts,
And gave you blessed reward.
Our foes are yet about us,
Be strength now at our side,
Be light against the darkness.
Saint Joseph, be our guide!

We venerate your justice,
The gospels praise your name,
You are the Saint all humble,
Who gained eternal fame.
In your devoted family
Our souls in trust confide,
Direct our way to heaven.
Saint Joseph, be our guide.
Amenst joseph be our guide by fr michael gannon 19 march 2020

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2020, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY GHOST, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 18 March – ‘…it is in human hearts, that He writes’

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One Minute Reflection – 18 March – Wednesday of the Third week of Lent, Readings: Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9, Psalm 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20, Matthew 5:17-19 and the Memorial of St Cyril of Jerusalem (c 313-386) Father and Doctor of the Church

“Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them.”…Matthew 5:17

REFLECTION – “Grace, which was formerly veiled, so to speak, in the Old Testament, has been fully revealed in the Gospel of Christ by a harmonious disposition of the times, just as God usually disposes of everything with harmony…  But within this wonderful harmony we notice a great difference between the two ages.   On Sinai the people did not dare draw near the place where the Lord was giving His Law;  in the Upper Room, the Holy Spirit comes down on all those assembled there, while waiting for the fulfilment of the promise (Ex 19:23; Acts 2:1).   In the first instance, the finger of God inscribed the laws on tablets of stone but now, it is in human hearts, that He writes it (Ex 31:18; 2 Cor 3:3).   Formerly the Law was written without and brought fear to sinners but now, it has been given to them within, to make them righteous…

Indeed, as the apostle Paul says, everything written on the stone tablets, “you shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill…, you shall not covet” and whatever other commandments there may be, are summed up in this saying:  “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.   Love does no evil to the neighbour, hence, love is the fulfilment of the Law” (Rm 13:9f.; Lv 19:18)…   This charity has been “poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” (Rm 5:5)….St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor On the spirit and the letter, 28-30matthew-5-17-think-not-that-i-have-come-to-abolish-the-law-st-augustine-in-the-first-instance-27march2019-1 and 18 march 2020

PRAYER – Protect Your family, Lord and strengthen us with Your consoling presence. Help us in our way to follow Your commandments and live as disciples of love.   Look now on Your chosen people, grant us the light of Your Spirit and bring us forever to eternal life.   May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Your Son and our Mother, be ever our protective shield.   St Cyril of Jerusalem, pray for us all that we may always remain true to the Cross of Christ and our Holy Mother Church, amen.  Through Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.salve-regina-pray-for-us-mary-27-march-2019 and 18 march 2020

ST CYRIL OF JERUSALEM PRAY FOR US 18 MARCH 2020

Posted in Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 18 March – I Want to Love You, My God

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Our Morning Offering – 18 March – Wednesday of the Third week of Lent

I Want to Love You, My God
By St Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870)

I want to love You, my God,
with all my heart,
with all my being,
with all my strength.
I consecrate to You,
my thoughts, desires,
words and actions,
whatever I have
and whatever I can be.
Let me use what I have
for Your greater honour and glory,
according to Your will.
Amen

I WANT TO LOVE YOU MY GOD ST ANTHONY MARY CLARET - 18 MARCH 2020

Posted in LENT 2020, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on MERCY, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 18 March – 70 x 7

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One Minute Reflection – 18 March – Tuesday of the Third week of Lent, Readings: Daniel 3:25, 34-43, Psalm 25:4-9, Matthew 18:21-35 and the Memorial of Saint Jan Sarkander (1576-1620) Priest and Martyr of the Seal of Confession

“I forgave you all that debt because you besought me and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?”… Matthew 18:32-33

REFLECTION – “We must wash one another’s feet in the mutual daily service of love.   But we must also wash one another’s feet, in the sense, that we must forgive one another ever anew.   The debt for which the Lord has pardoned us is always infinitely greater than all the debts that others can owe us….not to allow resentment toward others to become a poison in the depths of the soul.   It urges us to purify our memory constantly, forgiving one another whole-heartedly, washing one another’s feet, to be able to go to God’s banquet together.”…Pope Benedict XVI (Holy Thursday homily 20 March 2008)

matthew-18-32-33-i-forgave-you-all-the-debt-the-debt-for-which-the-lord-has-pardoned-us-pope-benedict-26-march-2019 and 17 march 2020

PRAYER – Almighty God, we thank You for Your endless mercy.   We are sinners but trust in Your merciful forgiveness when we turn to You in sorrow.   Open our hearts, make them forgiving to our brother, teach us Your mercy.  May Mary, Mother of Sorrow, pray for us. Grant that the prayers of St Jan Sarkander may continue to defend us, as he did in the world.   We make our prayer through our forgiving Saviour, who even to those who killed Him, turned to them in love and mercy and asked You for their forgiveness.   In union with the Holy Spirit, one God, for all eternity, amen.our-lady-mother-of-sorrows-pray-for-us-26-march-2019 and 17 March 2020

st jan sarkander pray for us 17 march 2020

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, HYMNS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 17 March – Christ be Near

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Our Morning Offering – 17 March – Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

Excerpt from St Patrick’s Breastplate – Christ be Near
St Patrick (c 386 – 461)christ be near - st patrick - 17 march 2020

Christ be near, at either hand,
Christ behind, before me stand,
Christ with me, where’er I go,
Christ around, above, below.

Christ be in my heart and mind,
Christ within my soul enshrined,
Christ control, my wayward heart,
Christ abide and ne’er depart.

Christ my life and only way,
Christ my lantern, night and day,
Christ be my unchanging friend,
guide and shepherd to the end.

We have this prayer and his own story in one of the few certainly authentic writings of Patrick – his Confessio, which is above all an act of homage to God for having called Patrick, unworthy sinner, to the apostolate.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2020, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The PASSION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 16 March – “No prophet is accepted in his own country”

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One Minute Reflection – 16 March – Monday of the Third week of Lent, Readings: 2 Kings 5:1-15, Psalm 42:2-3; 43:3-4, Luke 4:24-30

“Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.” … Luke 4:24luke 4 24 i say to you no prophet is accepted in his own country 16 march 2020

REFLECTION – “A doctor came amongst us to restore us to health – our Lord Jesus Christ. He discovered blindness in our hearts and promised the light that “eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered the heart of man” (1Cor 2:9).
The humility of Jesus Christ is the cure for your pride.   Don’t scorn what will bring you healing, be humble, you for whom God humbled Himself.   Indeed, He knew that the medicine of humility would cure you, He who well understood your sickness and knew how to cure it.   While you were unable to run to the doctor’s house, the doctor in person came to your house…  He is coming, He wants to help you, He knows what you need.
God has come with humility precisely in order that man might imitate Him. If He had remained above you, how would you have been able to imitate Him?   And, without imitating Him, how could you be healed?   He came with humility because He knew the nature of the remedy He had to administer – a little bitter, it is true but healing.   And do you continue to scorn Him?   He who holds out the cup to you and you say:  “But what sort of God is this God of mine?   He was born, suffered, was covered with spittle, crowned with thorns, nailed on the cross!”   O miserable soul!   You see the doctor’s humility and not the cancer of your pride.   That is why humility displeases you…
It often happens that mentally ill people end up by beating their doctor.   When that happens, the unfortunate doctor is not only not distressed by the one who beat him but attempts to treat him…   As for our doctor, He did not fear being killed by sick people afflicted with madness, He turned His own death into their remedy.   Indeed, He died and rose again.”…St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Churcha doctor came amongst us - st augustine 16 march 2020

PRAYER – Lord our God, make us love You above all things and all our fellow-men, with a love that is worthy of You. May we look to Your Divine Son in love and imitation.   Grant we pray, that by the prayers of the Mother of our Lord and our Mother, we too may be granted the grace to follow Your only Son, no matter our sufferings.  We make our prayer, through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever amen.ianua caeli heaven's gate pray for us mary - 25 aug 2019

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, HYMNS, LENTEN PRAYERS & NOVENAS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS to the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 16 March – Now Let Us All with One Accord

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Our Morning Offering – 16 March – Monday of the Third week of Lent

Now Let Us All with One Accord
By St Gregory the Great (540-604)
Father & Doctor of the Church

Now let us all with one accord,
In fellowship with ages past,
Keep vigil with our heav’nly Lord,
In His temptation and his fast.

The covenant so long revealed
To faithful ones in former time,
Christ by His own example sealed,
The Lord of love, in love sublime.

Remember, Lord, though frail we be,
By Your own kind hand we were made
And help us, lest our frailty
Cause Your great name to be betrayed.

Hear us, O Trinity sublime,
And undivided unity.
So let this consecrated time
Bring forth its fruit abundantly.
Amennow-let-us-all-with-one-accord-by-st-gregory-the-great-14-march-2019 and 16 march 2020

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on GRACE, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 15 March – ‘The strength of Christ created you, the weakness of Christ created you anew.’

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One Minute Reflection – 15 March – The Third Sunday of Lent, Readings: Exodus 17:3-7, Psalm 95:1- 2, 6-9, Romans 5:1-2, 5-8, John 4:5-42 and the Memorial of Blessed Artemide Zatti SDB (1880-1951)

“Jesus, therefore, being wearied with His journey, sat thus on the well. It was about the sixth hour.” … John 4:6

REFLECTION – “Now begin the mysteries.   For it is not without a purpose that Jesus is weary, not indeed without a purpose that the strength of God is weary, not without a purpose that He is weary, by whom the wearied are refreshed, not without a purpose is He weary, by whose absence we are wearied, by whose presence we are strengthened.
Nevertheless, Jesus is weary and weary with His journey and He sits down and that, too, near a well and it is at the sixth hour that, being wearied, He sits down.
All these things hint something, are intended to intimate something, they make us eager, and encourage us to knock.   May Himself open to us and to you, He who has deigned to exhort us, so as to say, Knock and it shall be opened to you.   It was for you that Jesus was wearied with His journey.
We find Jesus to be strength and we find Jesus to be weak – we find a strong and a weak Jesus – strong, because in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God, the same was in the beginning with God.   Would you see how this Son of God is strong?   All things were made by Him and without Him was nothing made and without labour, too, were they made.  Then what can be stronger than He, by whom all things were made without labour?   Would you know Him weak?   The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.
The strength of Christ created you, the weakness of Christ created you anew.   The strength of Christ caused that to be which was not, the weakness of Christ caused that what was, should not perish.   He fashioned us by His strength, He sought us by His weakness.
But why at the sixth hour?   Because at the sixth age of the world.   In the Gospel, count up as an hour each, the first age from Adam to Noah;  the second, from Noah to Abraham;  the third, from Abraham to David; the fourth, from David to the removing to Babylon;  the fifth, from the removing to Babylon to the baptism of John – thence is the sixth being enacted.   Why do you marvel?   Jesus came and, by humbling Himself, came to a well.   He came wearied, because He carried weak flesh.   At the sixth hour, because in the sixth age of the world.   To a well, because to the depth of this our habitation.   For which reason it is said in the psalm – From the depth have I cried unto You, O Lord.   He sat, as I said, because He was humbled.” … St Augustine (354-430) – Father & Doctor of the Church – Tractate 15 (John 4:1-42)john 4 6 jesus therefore being - the strength of christ - st augustine - 15 march 2020

PRAYER – Lord our God, Your Son so loved the world that He gave Himself up to death for our sake.   Strengthen us by His weakness and Your grace and give us a heart willing to live by that same love.   We know His excuses for us and His broken heart at our neglect and sin, make us like unto Him O Father, that we might be holy and come to see His Face.   May the prayers of the angels, Blessed Artemide Zatti and the Blessed Virgin be of assistance to us.   We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever, amen.ave-maria-pray-for-us-28-sept-2018-and-24-march-2019-no-2 AND 15 MARCH 2020

bl artemide zatti pray for us 15 march 2020 (2)

 

 

 

Posted in Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Our Morning Offering – 15 March – Engrave on my heart, Your image

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 15 March – The Third Sunday of Lent, Year C

How Great is Your Goodness, Lord
By Archbishop Baldwin of Canterbury (c 1125-1190)

How great is Your goodness, Lord,
who does not shrink from letting
Your servant, place You upon his heart!
How great my own worth,
since You have chosen me
to have part in Yours,
to have You abiding in me,
to love You, as You deserve, above myself.
Lord, take from me this hard heart
and give me a new, clean heart
of flesh and blood.
You who make my heart pure,
take possession of mine
and make it Your home.
Hold it and fill it,
You who are higher than my topmost height,
more inward than my inward being.
You, the seal of holiness,
beauty of beauties,
engrave on my heart, Your image
and the imprint of Your mercy.
Be, O God, my eternal love
and my inheritance.
Amenhow great is your goodness lord archbishop baldwin of canterbury 24 march 2019 prayer before holy communion

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2020, MATER DOLOROSA - Mother of SORROWS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 14 March –  “Father, I have sinned!”

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 14 March – Saturday of the Second Week of Lent, Readings: Micah 7:14-15, 18-20, Psalm 103:1-4, 9-12, Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

“Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him” … Luke 15:22luke 15 22 quickly bring the finest robe - prodigal son 14 march 2020

REFLECTION – “How many there are who, through repentance, have been worthy to receive the love You hold for humankind.   You justified the anguished publican and the weeping woman who was a sinner (Lk 18:14; 7:50) for, through a predetermined design, You foresee and grant pardon.   Convert me also together with them, You who desire that all should be saved.

My soul was soiled as it put on the garment of its sins (Gn 3:21).   O let me make fountains flow from my eyes that I may purify it by repentance.   Clothe me with the shining robe worthy of your wedding (Mt 22:12), You who desire that all should be saved (…).

O heavenly Father, have compassion for my cry as You did for the prodigal son for I, too, am throwing myself at Your feet and crying aloud as he cried:   “Father, I have sinned!” Do not reject me, Your unworthy child, O my Saviour but cause Your angels to rejoice also on my behalf, O God of goodness who desire that all should be saved.

For You have made me Your child and Your own heir through grace (Rm 8,17).   Yet as for me, because I have offended You, am here a prisoner, an unhappy slave sold over to sin! Take pity on Your own image (Gn 1,26) and call it back from exile, O Saviour, You who desire that all should be saved…

Now is the time for repentance…  The words of Paul urge me to persevere in prayer (Col 4,2) and await You.   Therefore, with trust I pray, for I well know Your mercy, I know You come the first towards me and I am calling out for help.   Should You delay, it is to give me the reward for perseverance, You who desire that all should be saved.

Grant me always to extol You and give You glory by leading a life that is pure.   Grant that my deeds may be in accord with my words that I may sing to You, Almighty… with pure prayer, Christ alone who desires that all should be saved.” … St Romanos Melodios (c 490-c 556) 1 October Monk, Composer of Hymns, Poet – Hymn 55o have compassion for my cry as you did for the prodigal son - st romanos melodios 14 march 2020

PRAYER – Almighty God, whose healing grace even here on earth, brings us the gifts of heaven, guide us in this present life to constantly seek You and to know You and to love You.   Lead us to that Light in which You have Your dwelling.   By following Your Son, faithfully bearing our crosses, may we be His light here on earth  . And may Mary, the Blessed Mother of Sorrows, constantly be our succour and lead us to You.   We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God for all ages, amen.mater dolorosa blessed virgin holy mother pray for us 23 feb 2020

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, LENTEN PRAYERS & NOVENAS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN Saturdays, MATER DOLOROSA - Mother of SORROWS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS to the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 14 March – My Sorrowful Mother, Help Me to Bear My Crosses

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 14 March – Saturday of the Second Week of Lent and always a “Marian Saturday”

In his General Audience on Ash Wednesday, 5 March 2014, Pope Francis highlighted the special protection and help of the Blessed Virgin for the journey of Lent:

“Let us give thanks to God for the mystery of His crucified love, authentic faith, conversion and openness of heart to the brethren.   These are the essential elements for living the season of Lent.   On this journey, we want to invoke with special trust the protection and help of the Virgin Mary.

May she, who was the first to believe in Christ, accompany us in our days of intense prayer and penance, so that we might come to celebrate, purified and renewed in spirit, the great paschal mystery of her Son.”

These words of Pope Francis help us to appreciate one reason why Mary is the perfect companion for Lent   She is the model of the perfect disciple because she entrusted herself completely to God.   At the Annunciation, Mary tells the angel:  “I am the handmaid of the Lord.   May it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38).

In 1974, St Pope Paul VI taught that Mary is “worthy of imitation because she was the first and the most perfect of Christ’s disciples” (Marialis Cultus, No. 35).

Lent is a perfect time to renew our devotion to Mary as our spiritual mother who cares for us in the midst of challenges and difficulties.

My Sorrowful Mother,
Help Me to Bear My Crosses
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church

My sorrowful Mother,
by the merit of that grief
which you felt
at seeing your beloved Jesus
led to death,
obtain for me the grace
to bear with patience,
those crosses which God sends me.
I will be fortunate
if I also shall know how
to accompany you
with my cross until death.
You and Jesus,
both innocent,
have borne a heavy cross
and shall I,
a sinner who has merited hell,
refuse mine?
Immaculate Virgin,
I hope you will help me
to bear my crosses with patience.
Amenmy-sorrowful-mother-help-me-to-bear-my-crosses-st-alphonsus-liguori-23-march-2019 and 14 march 2020

Posted in LENT 2020, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on VIRTUE, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 13 March – ‘We ourselves are this house …’

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One Minute Reflection – 13 March – Friday of the Second Week of Lent, Readings: Genesis 37:3-4, 12 -13, 17-28, Psalm 105:16-21, Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

“Therefore, I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it.”...Matthew 21:43matthew 21 43 therefore i tell you the kingdom of god will be taken away from you 13 march 2020

REFLECTION – “The vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel” says the prophet (Is 5:7).   We ourselves are this house… and, since we are His Israel, we are the vineyard. So let us take good care that grapes of wrath (Rv 14:19) rather than sweetness do not grow from our branches, so that no-one may say to us:  “I expected grapes but it yielded wild grapes” (Is 5:4).   What fruitless soil!   The soil that should have presented its master with fruits of sweetness, pierced Him with its sharp thorns.
In the same way His enemies, who ought to have welcomed our Saviour with all the devotion of their faith, crowned Him with the thorns of His Passion.   In their eyes this crown expressed insult and abuse but in the Lord’s eyes it was the crown of virtue…

My brethren, take good care that no one says with regard to you: “He expected it to yield grapes but it yielded wild grapes” (Is 5:2)… Let us be careful that our evil deeds do not rub against our Lord’s head like thorns. ” … Saint Maximus of Turin (c 380-c 420) – Sermon for the feast of Saint Cyprian – CC Sermon 11the-soil-that-should-have-st-maximus-of-turin-22-march-2019-2nd-fri-lent and 13 march 2020

PRAYER – Almighty God, help us dear Father to produce fruits acceptable to You. Help us to reach out of our enclosed spaces in love to all. Even when the road is rocky, grant that we may not falter but always turn back to Your merciful gaze.ay the prayers of our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, who fearlessly withstood the fury of evil, be a help in our times of need and fear.   We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.blessed virgin mary pray for us 17 jan 2019

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning offering – 13 March – My Lord and my God

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Our Morning offering – 13 March – Friday of the Second Week of lent

My Lord and my God
By St Nicholas of Flue (1417-1487)

My Lord and my God,
take from me everything
that distances me from You.
My Lord and my God,
give me everything
that brings me closer to You.
My Lord and my God,
detach me from myself
to give my all to You.
Amen

The above prayer of St Nicholas, is cited in the Catechism of the Catholic Church in paragraph #226.
CCC 226 – It means making good use of created things – faith in God, the only One, leads us to use everything that is not God, only insofar as it brings us closer to Him and to detach ourselves from it, insofar, as it turns us away from Him.my lord and my god by st nicholas of lue ccc 226 13 march 2020

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2020, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRIDE

One Minute Reflection –12 March – “God resists the proud”

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One Minute Reflection –12 March – Thursday of the Second week of Lent, Readings: Jeremiah 17:5-10, Psalm 1:1-4, 6, Luke 16:19-31

The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom. … Luke 16:22-23luke 16 22-23 the poor man died - 29 sept 2019

REFLECTION – “Was that poor man welcomed by the angels solely on account of his poverty?   And the rich man, was he delivered up to torment by fault of his wealth alone? No.   Let us clearly understand that it was humility that was honoured in the poor man and pride condemned in the rich.

This is the proof, briefly, that it was not his wealth but his pride for which the rich man deserved his punishment.   So then, the poor man was carried into the bosom of Abraham, yet Scripture says of Abraham that he had much gold and silver and was rich on earth (Gn 13:2).   If every rich man is sent into torment, how is it that Abraham could precede the poor man so as to welcome him into his bosom?   It was because, in the midst of his wealth, Abraham was poor, humble, respectful and obedient to all God’s commands.   He held his riches in so little esteem that, when God asked it of him, he consented to offer in sacrifice the son for whom these riches were destined (Gn 22:4).

Learn to be poor and needy, then, whether you possess something in this world or whether you don’t possess anything.   Because we find beggars full of pride and rich people who confess their sins.   “God resists the proud” whether they are covered with silk or with rags but “he gives grace to the humble” (Jas 4:6) whether or not, they have possessions in this world.   God looks at what is within, it is there He assesses, there He examines.” … Saint Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Church – Discourses on the psalms, Ps 85 [86]; CCL 39, 1178god-resists-the-proud-god-looks-at-what-is-within-st-augustine-29-sept-2019 and 12 March 2020

PRAYER – Dear and Holy God, let us offer You all our daily struggles against sin and evil. Grant us the strength to resist all forms of idolatry, to seek only You and never to allow the material goods of this world to seduce us.   Sustain us ever more with Your word and help us to find in it, the source of life.   Grant that by the intercession of our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, may defend us during our life on earth and protect us from evil. Grant this, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amenmother-mary-trusted-guide-pray-for-us-1-nov-2018and 2019

Posted in LENTEN PRAYERS & NOVENAS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for SEASONS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 11 March – My Lord, I Offer You Myself

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Our Morning Offering – 11 March – Thursday of the Second week of Lent

My Lord, I Offer You Myself
By St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

My Lord,
I offer You myself in turn,
as a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
You have died for me,
And I in turn make myself over to You.
I am not my own.
You have bought me:
I will, by my own act and deed,
complete the purchase.
My wish is to be separated
from everything of this world;
To cleanse myself simply from sin;
To put away from me even what is innocent,
If used for its own sake
and not for Yours.
I put away reputation and honour
and influence and power,
For my praise and strength,
shall be in You.
Enable me to carry out what I profess
Amenmy-lord-i-offer-you-myself-by-john-henry-newman-21-march-2019-thurs2ndweeklent and 12 march 2020

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, LENT 2020, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, The WORD, Uncategorized

One Minute Reflection – 11 March – Imitation of the Lord.

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 11 March – Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent, Readings: Jeremiah 18:18-20, Psalm 31:5-6, 14-16, Matthew 20:17-28

“You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” … the Son of Man came not to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” ... Matthew 20:22,28matthew 20 22, 28 the sone of man came not to serve 11 march 2020

REFLECTION – “It is our task and, in our case, an obligation, to make of you the object of all our care, our zeal, our ministrations, by word and deed, by warnings, encouragement, admonitions and incitement, (…) so that, in this way, we might insert you into the rhythm of the divine will and face you towards the goal set before us – to give pleasure to God. …

He who is immortal, voluntarily shed His blood.   He who created the host of angels, was
bound at the hands of soldiers and He who is to judge the living and the dead, was dragged to justice (cf. Acts 10:42; 2 Tm 4:1).   Truth was exposed to false witnesses, was slandered, struck, covered with spittle, hung on the wood of the cross – the Lord of glory (cf. 1 Cor 2:8) endured every outrage and suffering without Himself needing these trials. How could this have happened to Him who, even as man, was without sin and who, to the contrary, snatched us away from the tyranny of the sin through which death came into the world and falsely took possession of our first father?

So there is nothing surprising about it, if we submit to even one of these trials since such is our condition (…).   Therefore, we too have to be offended and tempted, afflicted by the cutting off of our wills.  According to the interpretation of our Fathers, there is in this, a shedding of blood for this is what it means to be a monk.   And we must gain the Kingdom of heaven in that way, by spending our lives in imitation of the Lord. (…)  Apply yourselves zealously to your duties in the thought that by means of them, far from being slaves of men, you are serving God.” … St Theodore the Studite (759- 826) Monk at Constantinople – Catecheses 1 (load shedding about to happen – image to follow and rest of posts).he who is immortal voluntarily - st theodore the studite 11 march 2020

PRAYER – Protect Your family, Lord, trained as it is by the constant exercise of good works.   Renew our spirit with the grace that teaches us how to imitate You, strengthen us with Your consoling presence and lead us, to the joys of heaven.   May the intercession of our Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary keep us on the path of Your kingdom’s glory. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.mary most holy pray for us - 9 nov 2018

Posted in LENTEN PRAYERS & NOVENAS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 11 March – Thy Grace

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Our Morning Offering – 11 March – Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent

Thy Grace – a Lenten Prayer
By St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

O my God,
suffer me still,
bear with me in spite of my
waywardness,
perverseness
and ingratitude!
I improve very slowly
but really, I am moving onto heaven,
or at least I wish to move.
Only give me Thy grace
meet me with Thy grace,
I will, through Thy grace, do what I can
and Thou shall perfect it for me.
Then shall I have happy days, in Thy Presence
and in the sight and adoration of
Thy five Sacred Wounds.
Amenthy grace by st john henry newman lenten prayer - 11 march 2020

Posted in LENT 2020, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRAYER

One Minute Reflection – 10 March –  ‘The greatest humiliation …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 10 March – Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent, Readings: Isaiah 1:10, 16- 20, Psalm 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23, Matthew 23:1-12

“Whoever exalts himself will be humble
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” … Matthew 23:12

REFLECTION – “I don’t think there is anyone who needs God’s help and grace as much as I do.   Sometimes I feel so helpless and weak.   I think that is why God uses me.   Because I cannot depend on my own strength, I rely on Him twenty-four hours a day.   If the day had even more hours, then I would need His help and grace during those hours as well. All of us must cling to God through prayer.   My secret is very simple – I pray.   Through prayer I become one in love with Christ.   I realise that praying to Him is loving Him. (…)

People are hungry for the Word of God that will give peace, that will give unity, that will give joy.   But you cannot give what you don’t have.   That’s why it is necessary to deepen your life of prayer.   Be sincere in your prayers.   Sincerity is humility and you acquire humility only by accepting humiliations.
All that has been said about humility, is not enough to teach you humility.   All that you have read about humility, is not enough to teach you humility.   You learn humility only by accepting humiliations.   And you will meet humiliation all through your life.   The greatest humiliation is to know that you are nothing.   This you come to know, when you face God in prayer.

Often a deep and fervent look at Christ is the best prayer.   I look at Him and He looks at me.   When you come face to face with God, you cannot but know that you are nothing, that you have nothing.” … St Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997) – No Greater Lovematthew 23 12 whoever exalts himself - alll that has been said about humility is not enough - st mother teresa 10 march 2020

PRAYER – God our Father, help us to teach others about You by our example as well as our words.   Teach us Lord to accept the humiliations we suffer, to take the lowest place, to offer our nothingness to You, that we may become like Your divine Son.   May His Mother and ours, the Blessed Virgin Mary clothe us in her gentleness and humility. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God for all eternity, amen.blessed virgin holy mother mary pray for us 14 oct 2018

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, HYMNS, LENTEN PRAYERS & NOVENAS, Our MORNING Offering

Our Morning Offering – 10 March – This Is Our Accepted Time

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Our Morning Offering – 10 March – Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent

This Is Our Accepted Time
By Fr Michael Gannon (1927– 2017)

This is our accepted time,
This is our salvation.
Prayer and fasting are our hope,
Penance, our vocation.

God of pardon and of love,
Mercy past all measure,
You alone can grant us peace,
You, our holy treasure.

Lord, look down upon Your sons,
Look upon their yearning.
Man is dust and unto dust
He shall be returning,

Lift him up, O Lord of life,
Flesh has gained him sadness,
Hear his plea, bestow on him
Everlasting gladness.

This is Our Accepted Time was written in 1955 by Sulpician Priest, Fr Michael Gannon. It is set to the 1609 tune, Weimar (Vulpius) by composer, Melchior Vulpius (c.1560-1615). this is our accepted time - fr michael gannon lenten prayer hymn

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2020, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ENVY, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on JUSTICE, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 9 March – ‘O envious one, you injure yourself…’

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One Minute Reflection – 9 March – Monday of the Second Week of Lent, Year A, Readings: Daniel 9:4- 10, Psalm 79:8-9, 11, 13, Luke 6:36-38 and the Memorial of St Pacian of Barcelona (c 310–391) Father of the Church.

“Judge not and you will not be judged;  condemn not and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven;  give and it will be given to you;  good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.   For the measure you give, will be the measure you get back.”...Luke 6:37-38luke 6 37-38 judge not and you will not be judged 9 march 2020

REFLECTION – “O envious one, you injure yourself more than he whom you would injure and the sword with which you wound will recoil and wound yourself.   What harm did Cain do to Abel?   Contrary to his intention he did him the greatest good, for he caused him to pass to a better and a blessed life and he himself was plunged into an abyss of woe.   In what did Esau injure Jacob?   Did not his envy prevent him from being enriched in the place in which he lived and, losing the inheritance and the blessing of his
father, did he not die a miserable death?   What harm did the brothers of Joseph do to Joseph, whose envy went so far as to wish to shed his blood?   Were they not driven to the last extremity and well-nigh perishing with hunger, whilst their brother reigned all through Egypt?   It is ever thus, the more you envy your brother, the greater good you confer upon him. God, who sees all, takes the cause of the innocent in hand and, irritated by the injury you inflict, deigns to raise up him whom you wish to lower and will punish you to the full extent of your crime.   If God usually punishes those who rejoice at the
misfortunes of their enemies, how much more will He punish those who, excited by envy, seek to do an injury to those who have never injured them?”… Saint John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor of the Churchit is ever thus the more you envy your brother the greater good - st john chrysostom luke 6 36-38 9 march 2020

PRAYER – We beseech Your mercy Lord, let Your Spirit come upon us in power and fill us with His gifts, to render our minds and hearts pleasing to You and make us docile and merciful as Your Son has taught us.   May our Lord Jesus, Your Son, guide us and may the prayers of St Pacian of Barcelona teach us Your precepts.   Through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.st pacian of barcelona pray for us 9 march 2020

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, HYMNS, LENTEN PRAYERS & NOVENAS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering -9 March – Lord Jesus, Think on Me

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Our Morning Offering -9 March – Monday of the Second Week of Lent, Year A

Lord Jesus, Think on Me
By St Synesius of Cyrene (375-430), Bishop of Ptolemais

Lord Jesus, think on me,
and purge away my sin,
from earth-born passions set me free,
and make me pure within.
Lord Jesus, think on me,
With care and woe oppressed,
let me Thy loving servant be,
and taste Thy promised rest.
Lord Jesus, think on me,
nor let me go astray,
through darkness and perplexity
point Thou the heav’nly way.
Lord Jesus, think on me,
that, when the flood is past,
I may eternal brightness see,
and share Thy joy at last.

St Synesius, a native of Cyrene, born circa 375. His descent was illustrious. His pedigree extended through seventeen centuries and in the words of Gibbon, “could not be equaled in the history of mankind.” He became distinguished for his eloquence and philosophy and as a statesman and patriot he took a noble stand. When the Goths were threatening his country he went to the court of Arcadius and for three years, tried to rouse it to the dangers that were coming on the empire. But Gibbon says, ”The court of Arcadius indulged the zeal, applauded the eloquence and neglected the advice of Synesius.” In 410 he was made Bishop of Ptolemaïs (modern Libya) but much against his will. He died in 430.

lord jesus think of me - st synesius - 9 march 2020

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 24 February – “I do believe, help my unbelief!”

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One Minute Reflection – 24 February – Monday of the Seventh Week of Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: : James 3:13-18, Psalm 19:8-10, 15, Mark 9:14-29 and the Memorial of Blessed Ascensión of the Heart of Jesus OP (1868-1940)

“I do believe, help my unbelief!” … Mark 9:25

REFLECTION – “Cast off doubt from yourself and do not hesitate at all to ask God for anything, or say in yourself, “How can I ask anything from the Lord and receive it, when I have sinned so much against Him?”   Do not reason thus but turn to the Lord with your whole heart and ask of Him undoubtingly and you will come to know His great mercy, that He will not desert you but will fulfil the request of your soul.   For God is not like us, who hold grudges but He is forgiving and feels pity for what He has made.   So cleanse your heart of all the vanities of this world, of evil and sin and ask the Lord and you will receive everything, (…) if you ask the Lord without doubting.

But if you doubt in your heart, you will receive none of your requests.   For those who doubt in their relation to God are the waverers and do not get any of their requests at all. (…)   For anyone who wavers, if they do not repent, can be saved only with difficulty.   So cleanse your heart of wavering and clothe yourself in faith, for it is strong and trust God that you will receive all that you ask for and if ever, when you have asked the Lord for something, you are somewhat slow in receiving it, do not doubt, because you did not receive your soul’s request quickly, for surely, it is on account of some temptation or some transgression of which you are unaware, that you are slow in getting what you asked for.   So do not stop making your soul’s request (…)   Beware of such wavering, for it is wicked and foolish and uproots many from the faith, even those who are very faithful and strong (…)  Clothe yourself in strong and powerful faith, for faith promises all things and accomplishes all things but doubt distrusts itself and fails in everything it undertakes.” … St Hermas (2nd century) The Shepherd (*SEE NOTE ON ST HERMAS BELOW).mark 9 25 i do believe, help my unbelief - so cleanse your heart st hermas 24 feb 2020

PRAYER – King of heaven and earth, Lord God, rule over our hearts and bodies this day. Sanctify us and guide our every thought, word and deed, according to the commandments of Your law.   Grant us the grace of true faith and a steadfast trust, so that now and forever, Your grace may free and save us.   May the prayers of all your saints and Blessed Ascension of the Heart of Jesus for her intercession, be a help to keep us ever strong in faith, hope and love.   Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God now and for all eternity, amen.bl ascensionof the heart of jesus pray for us 24 feb 2020

It has been written that St Hermas was one of the 72 followers mentioned in Luke 10 that Jesus sent out to preach.    He was a well-to-do freedman and earnest Christian, who lived in Ancient Rome.   He was the brother of Pope Pius I, Bishop of Rome about the middle of the 2nd century.   Some later writers confuse him with Hermas of Dalmatia, mentioned in Romans 16:14.   Hermas, the freedman, was the character and the author of the work titled The Shepherd of Hermas (or just The Shepherd), which, by some of the early Church fathers such as St Irenaeus, was sometimes classed among the canonical “Scriptures.”

Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers who are with them. ―Romans 16:14

Posted in LENTEN PRAYERS & NOVENAS, Our MORNING Offering, POETRY, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on SILENCE

Our Morning Offering – 24 February – I Stand and Listen

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 24 February – Monday of the Seventh Week of Ordinary Time, Year A

I Stand and Listen
By St Columban (543-615)

Sometimes in a lowly cell,
in the presence of my God,
I stand and listen.
In the silence of my heart
I can hear His will,
When I listen,
despairing people flock to me,
They expect that I can see the answers,
They ask my advice,
they say I am wise.
I answer that nothing can deceive me,
If I stand alone and silently listen.
For, I am but a servant
who is guided by his King, when I listen.
Sometimes in a lowly cell
in the presence of my God
I stand and listen.
Amen

St Columban here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/23/saint-of-the-day-23-november-st-columban-543-615/

I stand and listen by st columban 24 Feb 2020 a prelude to Lent

Posted in MATER DOLOROSA - Mother of SORROWS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on VIOLENCE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 23 February – ‘The magna carta of Christian non-violence.’ 

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 23 February – Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18, Psalm 103:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13, 1 Corinthians 3:16-23, Matthew 5:38-48

“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” … Matthew 5:44matthew-5-44-but-i-say-to-you-love-your-enemies-4-aug-2018

REFLECTION – “But what do his words mean?   Why does Jesus ask us to love precisely our enemies, that is, a love which exceeds human capacities?
Actually, Christ’s proposal is realistic, because it takes into account that in the world there is too much violence, too much injustice and, therefore, that this situation cannot be overcome except by countering it with more love, with more goodness.   This “more” comes from God, it is His mercy which was made flesh in Jesus and which alone can “tip the balance” of the world from evil to good, starting with that small and decisive “world” which is the human heart.
This Gospel passage is rightly considered the magna carta of Christian non-violence.   It does not consist in succumbing to evil, as a false interpretation of “turning the other cheek” (cf. Lk 6: 29) claims but in responding to evil with good (cf. Rom 12: 17-21) and thereby breaking the chain of injustice.
One then understands that for Christians, non-violence is not merely tactical behaviour but a person’s way of being, the attitude of one who is so convinced of God’s love and power that, he is not afraid to tackle evil with the weapons of love and truth alone.
… Here is the newness of the Gospel which silently changes the world!   Here is the heroism of the “lowly” who believe in God’s love and spread it, even at the cost of their lives.
Dear brothers and sisters, Lent, which will begin this Wednesday with the Rite of Ashes, is the favourable season in which all Christians are asked to convert ever more deeply to Christ’s love.
Let us ask the Virgin Mary, docile disciple of the Redeemer, who helps us to allow ourselves to be won over without reserve by that love, to learn to love as He loved us, to be merciful as Our Father in Heaven is merciful (cf. Lk 6: 36).” … Pope Benedict XVI – Angelus, St Peter’s Square, Sunday, 18 February 2007matthew 5 44 but i say to you love your enemies this gospel passage magna carta - pope benedict 23 feb 2020

PRAYER – O Lord my God, give me the strength to endure with patience the sufferings I encounter in my life.  Teach me to do my daily work for You alone and to do more than that in every way I can, for your greater glory.   Teach me, Holy Father, to obey the words of Your Son, to pray for those who persecute me and to suffer for the glory of the Kingdom.   May our Blessed and loving Mother, who had to bear the pain and forgive those who killed her Son, be at our side to help us to forgive, to pray for our enemies and offer our pain in reparation for our sins and those of the world. Amenmater dolorosa blessed virgin holy mother pray for us 23 feb 2020