When you have done all you have been commanded to do, say “We are useless servants. We have done no more than our duty.”…………Luke 17:9-10
REFLECTION – “Lord, what do you want me to do?” ……St Norbert
PRAYER – Holy Father, you made the Bishop St Norbert, an outstanding minister of Your Church,
renowned for his preaching and pastoral zeal. for his love of the Blessed Sacrament and for his love of the priesthood. Grant to Your Church faithful shepherds to lead your people to eternal salvation.
St Norbert, help us hear the answer to our prayer “Lord what do you want me to do?” and please pray for us and for the whole Church of our Lord Jesus Christ,amen.
On my knees before the multitude of heavenly witnesses,
I offer myself, soul and body, to You, eternal Spirit of God.
I adore the brightness of Your purity,
the unerring keeness of Your justice,
and the power of Your love.
You are the strength and light of my soul,
In You I live and move and have my being.
I desire never to grieve You by infidelity to Your grace,
and I pray wholeheartedly to be preserved
from the slightest sin against You.
Make me faithful in my every thought,
and grant that I may always listen to Your voice,
watch for Your light
and follow Your gracious inspirations.
I cling to You
and beg You, in Your compassion,
to watch over me in my weakness.
Holding the pierced feet of Jesus,
gazing as His five wounds,
trusting to His Precious Blood
and adoring His open side and stricken Heart,
I implore You, adorable Spirit,
so to keep me in Your grace
that I may never sin against You.
Grant me the grace,
O Holy Spirit of the Father and the Son,
to say to You always and everywhere:
“Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.”
Amen.
St Anthony of Padua Novena for all our needs – Day Two – 5 June
DAY TWO
O miracle-working St. Anthony,
remember that it never has been heard,
that you left without help or relief anyone
who in his need had recourse to you.
Animated now with the most lively confidence,
even with full conviction of not being refused,
I fly for refuge to thee, O most favoured friend of the Infant Jesus.
O eloquent preacher of the divine mercy,
despise not my supplications
but, bringing them before the throne of God,
strengthen them by your intercession
and obtain for me the favour I seek in this novena
(State your intention).
One Our Father, one Hail Mary, and Glory Be to the Father, in honor of Saint Anthony.
An excerpt from a letter by St. Boniface, bishop and martyr:
“Let us stand fast in what is right and prepare our souls for trial. Let us wait upon God’s strengthening aid and say to Him: “O Lord, you have been our refuge in all generations.” Let us trust in Him who has placed this burden upon us. What we ourselves cannot bear, let us bear with the help of Christ. For He is all-powerful and He tells us: “My yoke is easy and my burden light.” Let us continue the fight on the day of the Lord. The days of anguish and of tribulation have overtaken us; if God so wills, “let us die for the holy laws of our fathers”, so that we may deserve to obtain an eternal inheritance with them. Let us be neither dogs that do not bark nor silent onlookers nor paid servants who run away before the wolf. Instead let us be careful shepherds watching over Christ’s flock. Let us preach the whole of God’s plan to the powerful and to the humble, to rich and to poor, to men of every rank and age, as far as God gives us the strength, in season and out of season.”
“Boniface, known as the apostle of the Germans, was an English Benedictine monk who gave up being elected abbot to devote his life to the conversion of the Germanic tribes. Two characteristics stand out: his Christian orthodoxy and his fidelity to the pope of Rome.
How absolutely necessary this orthodoxy and fidelity were, is borne out by the conditions Boniface found on his first missionary journey in 719 at the request of Pope Gregory II. Paganism was a way of life. What Christianity he did find had either lapsed into paganism or was mixed with error. The clergy were mainly responsible for these latter conditions since they were in many instances uneducated, lax and questionably obedient to their bishops. In particular instances their very ordinations were questionable.
These are the conditions that Boniface was to report in 722 on his first return visit to Rome. The Holy Father instructed him to reform the German Church. The pope sent letters of recommendation to religious and civil leaders. Boniface later admitted that his work would have been unsuccessful, from a human viewpoint, without a letter of safe-conduct from Charles Martel, the powerful Frankish ruler, grandfather of Charlemagne. Boniface was finally made a regional bishop and authorized to organize the whole German Church. He was eminently successful.
Boniface bears out the Christian rule: To follow Christ is to follow the way of the cross.
For Boniface, it was not only physical suffering or death but the painful, thankless, bewildering task of Church reform.
Missionary glory is often thought of in terms of bringing new persons to Christ”, which he did in the thousands too.
“It seems—but is not—less glorious to heal the household of the faith.” (Fr Don Miller OFM)
So those little deeds we do in our lives and in our ‘online lives’ – they too can be seen – where we remain true to the Church and to the Holy Father and Magisterium – as following St Boniface in orthodoxy and faithfulness and contributing to the teaching of the faith.
“Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”………….Luke 10:16
REFLECTION – “In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life’s different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship but to keep her on her course.”……….St Boniface
PRAYER – Lord Jesus, help me to remain ever faithful to Your Church. Let me aid, build up and defend her. Let me never be a cause of division and schism – for in denying the direction we receive, that is exactly what we do. Help me always Lord to remain true to the Your representative in our world. St Boniface, pray for us all and for the whole world, amen.
Eternal God,
the refuge and help of all Your children,
we praise You for all You have given us,
for all You have done for us,
for all that You are to us.
In our weakness, You are strength,
in our darkness, You are light,
in our sorrow, You are comfort and peace.
We cannot number Your blessings,
we cannot declare Your love:
For all Your blessings we bless You.
May we live as in Your presence,
and love the things that You love,
and serve You in our daily lives;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
“The Church of Christ is always,
so to speak, in a situation of Pentecost:
she is always gathered in the Upper Room in prayer
and at the same time,
driven by the powerful wind of the Spirit,
she is always on the streets preaching”……….St John Paul June 8, 2003
“The Pentecost of the Upper Room
in Jerusalem is THE BEGINNING
a beginning which endures.”……………Pope Francis – Pentecost 2013
“Pentecost is the moment
when a heart of stone is
shattered and a heart of
flesh takes its place.”…………………Fr Raneiro Cantalamessa (Preacher to the Papal Household)
“If the damned were asked: Why are you in Hell? they would answer: ‘For having resisted the Holy Spirit.’
And if the saints were asked: Why are you in Heaven? they would answer: ‘For having listened to the Holy Spirit.’
When good thoughts come into our minds, it is the Holy Spirit who is visiting us.
The Holy Spirit is a power.
The Holy Spirit …. sustained the martyrs. Without the Holy Spirit, the martyrs would have fallen like the leaves from the trees. When the fires were lighted under them, the Holy Spirit extinguished the heat of the fire by the heat of divine love.
The good God, in sending us the Holy Spirit, has treated us like a great king who should send his minister to guide one of his subjects, saying, “You will accompany this man everywhere and you will bring him back to me safe and sound.”
How beautiful it is, my children, to be accompanied by the Holy Spirit!
He is indeed a good Guide; and to think that there are some who will not follow Him!
The Holy Spirit is like a man with a carriage and horse, who should want to take us to Pans. We should only have to say “yes,” and to get into it. It is indeed an easy matter to say “yes”!… Well, the Holy Spirit wants to take us to Heaven; we have only to say “yes,” and to let Him take us there.“…St John Vianney
“O Divine Spirit, draw us to the highest heaven where Jesus lives forever, interceding for us. Come, fill our hearts with Your fire, show us the way to the Lord that we may find Him shining with beauty and love. Amen”
“The Spirit of truth…remain with you and will be within you…….John 14:17
REFLECTION – The Holy Spirit does not remain inactive in us: He wipes away sins, purifies hearts, revivifies the tepid and enlightens the ignorant.
His inspirations suggest to us what we ought and what we ought not to do. There exists an infinite variety of His commandments…….St Anthony of Padua
PRAYER – Come, Holy Spirit, fill the heart of Your servant and kindle in me the fire of Your gifts! Be with me, in me and lead me to the light, amen.
We beg the all-merciful Father through You,
His only-begotten Son made man for our sake,
crucified and glorified for us,
to send upon us from His treasure-house,
the Spirit of sevenfold grace,
who rested upon You in all His fullness:
the spirit of wisdom:
enabling us to relish the fruit of the tree of life,
which is indeed Yourself;
the gift of understanding: to enlighten our perceptions;
the gift of prudence, enabling us to follow in Your footsteps;
the gift of strength: to withstand our adversary’s onslaught;
the gift of knowledge: to distinguish good from evil
by the light of thy holy teaching;
the gift of piety: to clothe ourselves with charity and mercy;
the gift of fear: to withdraw from all ill-doing
and live quietly in awe of Your eternal majesty.
These are the things for which petition.
Grant them for the honour of Your Holy Name,
to which, with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
be all honour and glory,
thanksgiving, renown and lordship for ever and ever. Amen
“VENI SANCTE SPIRITUS” (Come, Holy Spirit) – (chant – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pU34vUoO9g)
One of the most widely used hymns in the Church, Veni, Creator Spiritus, is attributed to Blessed Rabanus Maurus (776-856), Archbishop of Mainz. It is commonly sung in the feast of Pentecost liturgy and other occasions when the Holy Spirit is solemnly invoked. The Veni Creator is also the official opening prayer for Church councils and synods. A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who devoutly recite the hymn and a plenary indulgence if recited publicly in church on the 1st of January and on the feast of Pentecost. There are many translations of this beautiful Hymn which all differ slightly just as the Holy Scriptures do in it’s various translations.
Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest,
and in our souls take up Thy rest;
come with Thy grace and heavenly aid
to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
O comforter, to Thee we cry,
O heavenly gift of God Most High,
O fount of life and fire of love,
and sweet anointing from above.
Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known;
Thou, finger of God’s hand we own;
Thou, promise of the Father, Thou
Who dost the tongue with power imbue.
Kindle our sense from above,
and make our hearts o’erflow with love;
with patience firm and virtue high
the weakness of our flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread,
and grant us Thy peace instead;
so shall we not, with Thee for guide,
turn from the path of life aside.
Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow
the Father and the Son to know;
and Thee, through endless times confessed,
of both the eternal Spirit blest.
Now to the Father and the Son,
Who rose from death, be glory given,
with Thou, O Holy Comforter,
henceforth by all in earth and heaven.
Amen
Solemnity of Pentecost – 4 June 2017 – Wishing you all a Holy, Blessed and inspired Pentecost!
The Solemnity of Pentecost is the birthday of the Church:
The Church was made manifest to the world on the day of Pentecost by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Spirit ushers in a new era in the “dispensation of the mystery” the age of the Church, during which Christ manifests, makes present, and communicates his work of salvation through the liturgy of His Church, “until he comes.” (CCC, #1076)
Pentecost is not just an isolated feast of the Holy Spirit but an integral feast of the Easter season. Pentecost is also an elementary feast — not as in getting to back to the basics or beginnings of the Catholic Church but can be described elementary as in the four elements of Aristotle: earth, wind, fire and water.
Red Easter: Pentecost closes the Easter season and not in an anticlimactic fashion but in a grand finale. We so often tend to look at this feast as a separate entity for the Holy Spirit but the Church integrates this feast into the Easter season as a whole. there is significance in the number of days and weeks during the Easter season and in the eyes of the Church, the 50 days are viewed as “one feast day.” The Italian name for Pentecost, Pasqua rossa (Red Easter) is a great reminder of this connection.
22. The fifty days from the Sunday of the Resurrection to Pentecost Sunday are celebrated in joy and exultation as one feast day, indeed as one “great Sunday.” These are the days above all others in which the Alleluia is sung.
23. The Sundays of this time of year are considered to be Sundays of Easter and are called, after Easter Sunday itself, the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Sundays of Easter. This sacred period of fifty days concludes with Pentecost Sunday. (From the General Norms of the Liturgical Year and Calendar).
The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is closely linked to the feast of the Resurrection, our Passover Feast:
On the day of Pentecost when the seven weeks of Easter had come to an end, Christ’s Passover is fulfilled in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, manifested, given and communicated as a divine person: of his fullness, Christ, the Lord, pours out the Spirit in abundance. On that day, the Holy Trinity is fully revealed. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #731-732)
In reading the account of Pentecost in the Acts of the Apostles, there is very pronounced imagery. It is easy to recognise the wind and fire but all four classic elements of Greek philosopher, Aristotle, are present at Pentecost, earth, wind, fire and water.
Wind
First in the account of Pentecost from Acts 2:1-11 came the wind: “And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.”
Most Biblical renderings of the God or the Holy Spirit is through a gentle breath, such as Jesus breathing on the Apostles in the Resurrection appearance in the Upper Room. At Pentecost it is the same room, but here the Holy Spirit comes as wind of strength and power.
There is nothing subtler than the wind, which manages to penetrate everywhere, even to reach inanimate bodies and give them a life of their own. The rushing wind of the day of Pentecost expresses the new force with which divine love invades the Church and souls (p. 592, In Conversation with God, Volume 2, by Francis Fernandez).
Fire
Next came the fire: “Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them.” It is this combination of wind and fire that is the gift of tongues. One of the optional readings for Pentecost is the story of the Tower of Babel. Pius Parsch, as quoted on the Catholic Culture’s Pentecost page, explains that is was the sin of pride that separated and divided those at Babel. The Holy Spirit brings unity and love, which allows those languages to be spoken and understood by all.
The liturgical color for Pentecost is red, the color of fire and blood and the symbol of love. The last time we have seen red vestments outside of the feasts of martyrs or apostles is Palm Sunday and Good Friday. The red for those days recalled the blood of Christ. Today the red recalls the tongues of fire and we ask the Holy Spirit to ignite our hearts, just as we pray:
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy Faithful; and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love….
“In medieval times, many churches had a “Holy Ghost Hole”, a small circular opening in the ceiling of the church. The holes would be decorated on Pentecost, with various items symbolising the Holy Spirit lowered through the hole. This practice calls to mind the elements of wind and fire. Father Francis Weiser describes the tradition (emphasis mine):
In medieval times the figure of a dove was widely used to enact in a dramatic way the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday. When the priest had arrived at the sequence, he sang the first words in a loud and solemn voice: Veni Sancte Spiritus (Come, Holy Ghost). Immediately there arose in the church a sound “as of a violent wind blowing” (Acts 2, 2). This noise was produced in some countries, like France, by the blowing of trumpets; in others by the choir boys, who hissed, hummed, pressed windbags, and rattled the benches. All eyes turned toward the ceiling of the church where from an opening called the “Holy Ghost Hole” there appeared a disc the size of a cart wheel, which slowly descended in horizontal position, swinging in ever-widening circles. Upon a blue background, broken by bundles of golden rays, it bore on its underside the figure of a white dove.
Meanwhile the choir sang the sequence. At its conclusion the dove came to rest, hanging suspended in the middle of the church. There followed a “rain” of flowers indicating the gifts of the Holy Spirit and of water symbolizing baptism. In some towns of central Europe people even went so far as to drop pieces of burning wick or straw from the Holy Ghost Hole, to represent the flaming tongues of Pentecost. This practice, however, was eventually stopped because it tended to put the people on fire externally, instead of internally as the Holy Spirit had done at Jerusalem. In the thirteenth century in many cathedrals of France real white pigeons were released during the singing of the sequence and new around in the church while roses were dropped from the Holy Ghost Hole (Weiser, Holyday Book).
Except for the burning bits, some of these practices have been revived in these older churches. In parts of Italy and Sicily, red rose petals are dropped through the hole. This is an especially spectacular sight in the church in Rome dedicated to St. Mary and the Martyrs that was formerly the Pantheon. There is an opening in the dome and the rose petals are dropped, filling the church and covering the floor.
Rose Petals raining down on Pentecost Sunday in St Mary and the Martyrs (Pantheon), Rome
Red and fire are the dominant images used in Pentecost celebrations. In many places of the Northern Hemisphere, this is height of strawberry season and the red fruits shapes like tongues of fire seem perfect for the feast day that falls in the warmer months.”
Earth
The earth element doesn’t seem to be as obvious with the connection more as it relates to God’s creation. Pentecost, which means “Fiftieth Day” in Greek, was a Jewish festival marking the 7 weeks or 50 days after the Passover. It was a harvest festival, offering the first fruits in thanksgiving to God. Later the feast also commemorated the giving of the Law or Ten Commandments to Moses at Sinai. Our civilization has become less agrarian but this “earth element” should be a universal reminder to us as respect and thanksgiving for creation. Pope Benedict explains and elaborates:
“From its earliest prehistory [Pentecost] has been a feast of harvest. In Palestine the crops were ripe in May; Pentecost was the thanksgiving for the grain harvest. Man sees the fruitfulness which results from the interplay of heaven and earth as the miracle by which he lives and he acknowledges that gratitude is the appropriate response to this miracle….Has this become meaningless today? If we think of “Holy Spirit” only in terms of Christian inwardness and of “harvest” only in terms of technology and commerce, our view of the world has become schizophrenic. At Pentecost the church prays a verse from the psalms which runs: Send forth your Spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth. Initially this refers to the creative Spirit which has called the world into being and maintains it in being. It is important to have a new reality of this at Pentecost: the Holy Spirit who came down upon the apostles is the same Spirit who fashioned the world….”
Against this background we must also understand that, in Israel, Pentecost was the remembrance of the arrival at Sinai and the celebration of the Covenant which had set out a path for Israel to travel in the form of the law. Christians have always seen their Pentecost as a continuation of this idea: the New Law is love, breaking down barriers and uniting people in the New Covenant. Love, too, is not formless or arbitrary; it is a formation from within, a wakefulness of the heart which takes up the rhythm of creation and perfects it. (Seek That Which is Above, 79-81)”
Water
The final element, water, is not an image of the Holy Spirit but a direct result of the coming of the Paraclete upon the Disciples. After they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they left the Upper Room and began to proclaim the Gospel. And on hearing their words, 3000 were baptised that day. The matter of baptism is water.
From the very day of Pentecost the Church has celebrated and administered holy Baptism. Indeed St. Peter declares to the crowd astounded by his preaching: “Repent, and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
26. The apostles and their collaborators offer Baptism to anyone who believed in Jesus: Jews, the God-fearing, pagans. 27 Always, Baptism is seen as connected with faith: “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household,” St. Paul declared to his jailer in Philippi. And the narrative continues, the jailer “was baptised at once, with all his family” (CCC, #1226)
With every baptism comes the reminders of the first Pentecost. Today is also a good feast to celebrate our reception of the sacraments of baptism and confirmation. ( Jennifer Gregory Miller)
“Jesus was born in cave in Bethlehem because, Sacred Scripture tells us, “there was no room for them in the inn.” I am not departing from theological truth when I say that Jesus is still looking for shelter in your heart.”
Such courage! These young men went courageously to their deaths, filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, so happy in their newfound faith, something completely baffling to the African chief. To St Charles Lwanga and his companions, their faith was the greatest treasure and they were willing and happy to die for it. Would that we too, graced by this great gift of faith, though we may never be called upon to die for it, it should be luminously clear to all that we are witnesses to Christ.
St Charles Lwanga and companions, Martyrs of Uganda, Pray for us!
Come, most gracious Spirit, come!
Come, Mercy beyond all words
and Grace beyond all comparing.
Come, everlasting Fire, Dove unchangeable.
come down, in pity and never leave us,
inbreathe, inpour Yourself to fill and enliven
us with Your Spirit.
You are our union, You are our Uniter.
Let Your fire join and keep us joined.
Feed Your new chicks, most holy Dive
and lead them forth.
Lead them through to the eternal nest,
where with God the Father
and the Son You abide for all eternity. Amen
NOVENA from ASCENSION to PENTECOST DAY EIGHT – Friday 2 June 2017
The Holy Spirit Only one thing is important: eternal salvation. Only one thing, therefore, is to be feared: sin. Sin is the result of ignorance, weakness and indifference. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Light, of Strength and of Love. With His sevenfold gifts He enlightens the mind, strengthens the will and inflames the heart with the love of God. To ensure our salvation we ought to invoke the Divine Spirit daily, because the Spirit comes to us in our needs. When we don’t know what to say, it is the Spirit who speaks within us.
The Gift of Wisdom
Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. Of wisdom it is written “all good things came to me with her, and innumerable riches through her hands.” It is the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity and promotes the practice of virtue in the highest degree. Wisdom enlightens the mind to discern and relish things divine, in the appreciation of which earthly joys loose their attraction, while the Cross of Christ reveals a certain divine attraction according to the words of the Saviour: “Take up your cross and follow me, for my yoke is sweet and my burden light.”
Prayer
Come and fill me, O Spirit of Wisdom and reveal to my soul the mysteries of heavenly things, in their exceeding greatness, power and beauty. Teach me to love them above and beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth and to prefer your wisdom over the so-called wisdom of this world. Help me to grow in your wisdom, especially during temptations, trials and all the daily challenges that I face. Amen.
O God, who in Your love and mercy
was pleased to send missionaries to Uganda
to bring the light of Christ to all the peoples,
we thank You for the gift of the
Holy Martyrs of Uganda, our ancestors in faith,
whom You gave the strength to overcome sin and the
anguish of torture and to bear witness to the truth.
Mary, Mother of Sorrows!
Look with mercy on those who suffer.
Be close to the victims of violence and terror,
and console those who mourn.
May Jesus your Son grant comfort
and peace to all the sick and dying,
and may he strengthen those
devoted to their physical and spiritual care.
To the Holy Martyrs, we beg for intercession,
be pleased to hear our prayer and pray for us that this,
our special request may be granted
(make your intention)
Holy Martyrs of Uganda, we honour and praise you!
Please pray for us!
O heavenly Father, we make our prayer
through our Lord, Jesus Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit,
one God forever and ever, amen.
Why are these men included in our Eucharistic prayer and given their own feast day, in spite of the fact that almost nothing is known about them?
Probably because the Church respects its collective memory. They once sent an impulse of encouragement through the whole Church. They made the ultimate step of faith……Fr. Don Miller, OFM
The foundation of our faith rests on the lives of these holy men and women of the early Church who willingly gave themselves over to the faith, courageous and joyful in their martyrdom. When we consider the struggles of today and our own personal difficulties in daily life, we might pause to consider the sacrifice of these early martyrs and be inspired to greater faith, trust and love and be filled with that impulse of encouragement!
“If anyone would serve me. let him follow me”………John 12:26
REFLECTION – “Do you wish to receive grace upon grace and to grow from virtue to virtue?
The make the Stations of the Cross every day!”………..St Bonaventure
PRAYER – Lord Jesus, help me to make the Stations of the Cross frequently and even everyday if possible. Grant that in following You by this devotion, I may obtain the grace and courage to follow You in all the events of my life. Sts Marcellinus and Peter, you followed Christ in all things, giving your lives for love of Him, please pray for us all, amen!
Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit,
That my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit,
That my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit,
That I love but what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit,
To defend all that is holy.
Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit,
That I always may be holy.
The Month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart.
The Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the Friday following the second Sunday after Pentecost.
In addition to the liturgical celebration, many devotional exercises are connected with the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Of all devotions, devotion to the Sacred Heart was, and remains, one of the most widespread and popular in the Church.
Understood in the light of the Scriptures, the term “Sacred Heart of Jesus” denotes the entire mystery of Christ, the totality of His being and His person considered in its most intimate essential: Son of God, uncreated wisdom; infinite charity, principal of the salvation and sanctification of mankind. The “Sacred Heart” is Christ, the Word Incarnate, Saviour, intrinsically containing, in the Spirit, an infinite divine-human love for the Father and for His brothers. Excerpted from the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy
Devotion to the Sacred Heart was also an essential component of Pope John Paul II’s hopes for the “new evangelisation” called for by the Church.
“For evangelisation today,” he said, “the Heart of Christ must be recognized as the heart of the Church: It is He who calls us to conversion, to reconciliation. It is He who leads pure hearts and those hungering for justice along the way of the Beatitudes. It is He who achieves the warm communion of the members of the one Body. It is He who enables us to adhere to the Good News and to accept the promise of eternal life . It is He who sends us out on mission. The heart-to-heart with Jesus broadens the human heart on a global scale.”
Here are some of the relevant documents: Leo XIII in his Encyclical Letter Annum sacrum (1889) on the consecration of mankind to the Sacred Heart; Pius XI in Caritate Christi Compulsi (On The Sacred Heart) and Miserentissimus Redemptor (On Reparation To The Sacred Heart); Pius XII in his Encyclical Letter Haurietis aquas; Paul VI in his Apostolic Letter Investigabiles divitias Christi (1965) and John Paul II in Message on the centenary of the consecration of mankind to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (1999), in L’Osservatore Romano, 12 June 1999.
NOVENA from ASCENSION to PENTECOST DAY SEVEN – THURSDAY 1 JUNE
The Holy Spirit Only one thing is important: eternal salvation. Only one thing, therefore, is to be feared: sin. Sin is the result of ignorance, weakness and indifference. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Light, of Strength and of Love. With His sevenfold gifts He enlightens the mind, strengthens the will and inflames the heart with the love of God. To ensure our salvation we ought to invoke the Divine Spirit daily, because the Spirit comes to us in our needs. When we don’t know what to say, it is the Spirit who speaks within us.
The Gift of Counsel
The gift of Counsel fills the soul with supernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must done, especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel applies the principles furnished by Knowledge and Understanding to the innumerable concrete cases that confront us in the course of our daily duty as parents, teachers, priests, public servants and Christian citizens. Counsel is supernatural common sense, a priceless treasure in the quest of salvation. “Above all these things, pray to the Most High, that He may direct your way in truth.”
Prayer
Come and fill me, O Spirit of Counsel. Help me and guide me in all my ways, that I may always do your holy will. Transform my heart to prefer only what is good; turn it away from all that is evil and direct me by the straight path of your commandments to that goal of eternal life for which I long. Amen.
O God, who in Your love and mercy
was pleased to send missionaries to Uganda
to bring the light of Christ to all the peoples,
we thank You for the gift of the
Holy Martyrs of Uganda, our ancestors in faith,
whom You gave the strength to overcome sin and the
anguish of torture and to bear witness to the truth.
Mary, Queen of Peace!
To you we commend the men,
women and children of Uganda.
Through your prayers,
may the Spirit of God grant lasting peace
and prosperity to their nation.
May the light of Christ cast out the spiritual darkness
which breeds selfishness,
violence, hatred for others
and contempt for their rights.
May all hearts be opened to the power of God’s love.
May those divided by ethnic or political antagonisms
learn to work together
in order to build a society of justice,
peace and freedom for their children.
To the Holy Martyrs, we beg for intercession,
be pleased to hear our prayer and pray for us that this,
our special request may be granted
(make your intention)
Holy Martyrs of Uganda, we honour and praise you!
Please pray for us!
O heavenly Father, we make our prayer
through our Lord, Jesus Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit,
one God forever and ever, amen.
In about 165, Justin was arrested for being a Christian but refused to give up his faith. The judge asked him, “Do you have an idea that you will go to heaven and receive some suitable rewards?” Justin answered, “It is not an idea that I have; it is something that I know well and hold to be most certain.” The judge ordered him killed. He was beheaded along with his companions for refusing to offer sacrifice to the Roman gods. St. Justin gave his life for Christ and died for the Saviour whom he loved above all else. St Justin reminds us never to sacrifice to the false gods of our age. That includes the materialism, hedonism and nihilism that are ever present. We have received the gift of faith with little labour of our own. Let us learn how to value it from those who reached it after long search and lived in the misery of a world which did not know God, not much different to our times. Let us fear, as St. Justin did, the account we shall have to render for the gift of God. We have been chosen as St Justin was, to do the work of Christ – to make Him known regardless of the consequences! I am drawn to the thought “would I be open to changing my surname to ‘Martyr’ do I have the courage, the love for God to accept such a change?”
“Many spirits are abroad in the world and the church
and the credentials they display are splendid gifts of
eloquence and ability.
Christian – look carefully – for the Print of the nails!”
“We used to hate and destroy one another
and refused to associate with people
of another race or country.
Now, because of Christ, we live together
with such people and pray for our enemies ”
“Let it be understood
that those who are not found living
as He taught,
are NOT Christian- even though they profess
with the lips the teaching of Christ.”
“Not as common bread or as common drink do we receive these…..
We have been taught that the food that has been Eucharistized
by the word of prayer, that food which by assimilation nourishes
our flesh and blood, is the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus.”
“The world suffers nothing from Christians
but hates them because they reject its pleasures.”
“You can kill us
but you cannot do us any real harm.”
St Justin Martyr
St. Justin Martyr on the Eucharist
“No one may share the Eucharist with us unless he believes that what we teach is true, unless he is washed in the regenerating waters of baptism for the remission of his sins, and unless he lives in accordance with the principles given us by Christ.
We do not consume the eucharistic bread and wine as if it were ordinary food and drink, for we have been taught that as Jesus Christ our Saviour became a man of flesh and blood by the power of the Word of God, so also the food that our flesh and blood assimilates for its nourishment becomes the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus by the power of his own words contained in the prayer of thanksgiving.
The apostles, in their recollections, which are called gospels, handed down to us what Jesus commanded them to do. They tell us that he took bread, gave thanks and said: Do this in memory of me. This is my body. In the same way he took the cup, he gave thanks and said:This is my blood. The Lord gave this command to them alone. Ever since then we have constantly reminded one another of these things. The rich among us help the poor and we are always united. For all that we receive we praise the Creator of the universe through his Son Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit.
On Sunday we have a common assembly of all our members, whether they live in the city or the outlying districts. The recollections of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as there is time. When the reader has finished, the president of the assembly speaks to us; he urges everyone to imitate the examples of virtue we have heard in the readings. Then we all stand up together and pray.
On the conclusion of our prayer, bread and wine and water are brought forward. The president offers prayers and gives thanks to the best of his ability and the people give assent by saying, “Amen”. The eucharist is distributed, everyone present communicates, and the deacons take it to those who are absent.
The wealthy, if they wish, may make a contribution and they themselves decide the amount. The collection is placed in the custody of the president, who uses it to help the orphans and widows and all who for any reason are in distress, whether because they are sick, in prison, or away from home. In a word, he takes care of all who are in need.
We hold our common assembly on Sunday because it is the first day of the week, the day on which God put darkness and chaos to flight and created the world and because on that same day our savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead. For he was crucified on Friday and on Sunday he appeared to his apostles and disciples and taught them the things that we have passed on for your consideration.” Here is a video of the Mass in 155 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-FwgO_s5_A
The words I spoke to you are spirit and life………John 6:64
REFLECTION – “Make sure that you never spurn the Saviour’s words.
They have in themselves such tremendous majesty that they can instil fear into those who have wandered from the path of righteousness, whereas they ever remain a great solace to those who heed them.”……..St Justin
PRAYER – Lord Jesus, my Saviour, let me daily take to my heart and my soul Your words. Grant that they may lead me to penance and also provide needed consolation amid the troubles of live St Justin, when you discovered the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, your life was completely changed and given to Him so that you could heed His command to go forth and spread the good news to all. Please pray for us, that we may be inspired with your courage and zeal, amen.
ACT OF LOVE TO THE SACRED HEART By Cardinal Merry del Val
Reveal Your Sacred Heart to me, O Jesus
and show me Its attractions.
Unite me to It for ever.
Grant that all my aspirations
and all the beats of my heart,
which cease not even while I sleep,
may be a testimonial to You of my love for You
and may say to You:
“Yes, Lord, I am all Yours;
pledge of my allegiance to You rests forever in my heart
and will never cease to be there.
May You accept the slight amount of good that I do
and be graciously pleased to repair all my wrong-doing;
so that I may be able to bless You in time and in eternity.” Amen.
Mary remained with Elizabeth
about three months
and then returned home……….Luke 1:56
REFLECTION – “The heart of our good mother Mary is all love and mercy. She desires nothing else but our happiness. We need only have recourse to her and we will be heard.”………..
“Whoever opens his or her heart to the Mother encounters and welcomes the Son and is pervaded by His joy. True Marian devotion never obscures or diminishes faith and love for Jesus Christ Our Saviour, the one Mediator between God and humankind. On the contrary, entrustment to Our Lady is a privileged path, tested by numerous saints, for a more faithful following of the Lord. Consequently, let us entrust ourselves to her with filial abandonment!” ……….Pope Benedict XVI (2006)
PRAYER – Heavenly Father, let me constantly have recourse to Mary. May she lead me to the happiness of heavenly glory which You shar with Your Son in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, lead us, teach us and care for us, now and at the hour of our death, amen.
ARISE MARY, MOTHER OF GOD! Blessed Cardinal JOHN HENRY NEWMAN (1801-1890)
It is the time for your Visitation.
Arise Mary, and go forth in your strength
into that north country,
which once was your own,
and take possession of a land
which knows you not.
Arise, Mother of God,
and with your thrilling voice,
speak to those who labour with child,
and are in pain,
till the babe of grace leaps within them!
Amen
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