Category: PRAYERS of the CHURCH

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CHRISTMASTIDE!, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY NAME

Monthly Catholic Devotions: JANUARY is the Month of THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS

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1 January – Catholic Devotion of the Month – The Most Holy Name of Jesus

In Philippians 2, St Paul tells us that “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth, and things under the earth and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”   From the earliest days of Christianity, Christians have known the great power of Jesus’ Holy Name.   As the once-popular hymn commanded:

All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ Name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all.

Small wonder, then, that the Church sets aside the first month of the year in honour of the Holy Name of Jesus. hrough this devotion, the Church reminds us of the power of Christ’s Name and encourages us to pray in His Name.  In our society, of course, we hear His Name uttered quite often but all too frequently, it is used in a curse or blasphemy.  In the past, Christians would often make the Sign of the Cross when they heard Christ’s Name uttered in such a manner and that’s a practice that would be worthwhile to revive.   

What has happened to the tradition of honouring the Holy Name of Jesus?

By way of concretising respect for the name of Jesus in a formal way the Second Council of Lyons in 1274 decreed that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow; whenever that glorious name is recalled, especially during the sacred mysteries of the Mass, everyone should bow the knees of his heart, which he can do even by a bow of his head”.
As regards what is to be done in Mass today, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal says: “A bow of the head is made when the three Divine Persons are named together and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the saint in whose honour Mass is being celebrated” (GIRM 275).
The importance of honouring the holy name of Jesus is seen too in the feast of that name, which has been celebrated, at least at the local level, since the end of the 15th century.   The feast was inserted into the universal calendar by Pope Innocent XIII in 1721 and is now celebrated on 3 January.

Given the widespread misuse of the names of God and Jesus today in ordinary life, as well as on television, in films and in other forms of entertainment, it is especially important to do all we can to restore respect for the name of God.
Bowing our head when we pronounce or hear the name of Jesus is a good way to do this.
Also important is to make an internal act of reparation whenever we hear the name of God or Jesus blasphemed.
It should hurt us that the object of our love is mistreated in this way.
It may very well be that the custom of bowing the head at the name of Jesus will pass out of general use, as have other laudable customs in recent times but that does not prevent us personally from continuing to live it and passing on to our children this ancient custom.

LET US EACH ONE BRING IT BACK for the very Angels in Heaven bow at the name of Jesus. And even the demons in Hell.BOW YOUR HEAD!

1 january 2018 - the most holy name

Another good practice that we could take to heart during this Month of the Holy Name of Jesus is the recitation of the Jesus Prayer. his prayer is as popular among Eastern Christians, both Catholic and Orthodox, as the rosary is among Roman Catholics but it’s not as well known in the West.   This month, why not take a few minutes to memorise the Jesus Prayer and pray it during those moments of the day when you are between activities, or travelling, or simply taking a rest?   Keeping Christ’s Name always on our lips is a good way to ensure that we draw ever nearer to Him.

THE JESUS PRAYER
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinnerthe jesus prayer - 1 jan 2018

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CHRISTMASTIDE!, HYMNS, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 29 December – Fifth Day of the Octave and the Memorial of St Thomas a Becket

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Our Morning Offering – 29 December – Fifth Day of the Octave and the Memorial of St Thomas a Becket

Hymn/Prayer from the Common of Martyrs

The martyrs living now with Christ
in suffering were tried,
their anguish overcome by love,
when on His cross they died.
Across the centuries they come,
in constancy unmoved,
their loving hearts make no complaint,
in silence they are proved.
No man has ever measured love,
or weighed it in his hand
but God who knows the inmost heart,
gives them the promised land.
Prais Father, Son and Spirit blest
who guide us through the night,
in ways that reach beyond the stars
to everlasting light.
Amenthe martyrs living now with christ - 29 dec - st thomas a becket - 2017

 

 

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 28 December – The Feast of the Holy Innocents – The 4th Octave Day of Christmas

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One Minute Reflection – 28 December – The Feast of the Holy Innocents – The 4th Octave Day of Christmas

We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the white-robed army of martyrs praise you. (from the Te Deum)we praise you o god - te deum - 28 dec 2017

REFLECTION – “These then, whom Herod’s cruelty tore as sucklings from their mothers’ bosom, are justly hailed as “infant martyr flowers”;   they were the Church’s first blossoms, matured by the frost of persecution during the cold winter of unbelief.”… St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Churchthese then - 28 dec 2017

PRAYER – O God, whom the Holy Innocents confessed and proclaimed on this day, not by speaking but by dying, grant, we pray, that the faith in You which we confess with our lips may also speak through our manner of life.   Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Holy Innocents Pray for us! amenholy innocents - pray for us - 28 dec 2017

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Our Morning Offering – 23 December – Saturday of the Third Week of Advent 2017

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Our Morning Offering – 23 December – Saturday of the Third Week of Advent 2017

As we draw to the end of this very short Advent-time, it is appropriate that we adopt the practice of praying this great prayer, EVERY DAY!

The Benedictus was the song of thanksgiving uttered by Zechariah on the occasion of the birth of his son, John the Baptist.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the Benedictus is part of Lauds because it is the song of thanksgiving for the coming of the Redeemer in the first part of the canticle.
It is believed to have been first introduced by Benedict of Nursia.   According to Durandus, the allusion to Christ’s coming under the figure of the rising sun had also some influence on its adoption.   It also features in various other liturgical offices, notably at a funeral, at the moment of interment, when words of thanksgiving for the Redemption are specially in place as an expression of Christian hope.

The Benedictus

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
He has come to His people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,
born of the house of His servant David.
Through His holy prophets He promised of old
that He would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember His holy covenant.
This was the oath He swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship Him without fear,
holy and righteous in His sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called
the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare His way,
to give His people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever, amenTHE BENEDICTUS - 22 DEC 2017 VERSION FOR 2017

Posted in ADVENT, CHRISTMASTIDE!, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The CHRIST CHILD, The WORD

Wednesday of Gaudete Week – 20 December 2017

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Wednesday of Gaudete Week – 20 December 2017

“The Lord is at hand, come let us adore Him.”

Daily Meditation:
He will receive blessing from the Lord
and vindication from the God of his salvation.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob….Psalm 24:5-6

We have heard the promises and we have begged for more hope.
Today we pray for His saving help and hear His personal invitation
to turn to Him, to find our safety in Him alone.

How might I yet place my trust in God’s love for me?
How might I yet surrender my independence?
How might my heart grow in anticipation and welcome
of the fullness of His coming to me this year?

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High;
and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever;
and of his kingdom there will be no end…Luke 1:32-33

Today’s Daily Reflection – Intercessions:
The Word of God humbled himself to dwell with us so
that we might see his glory.
Rejoicing in hope, let us call upon him:
Emmanuel, be with us.
Ruler, just and righteous,
– bring justice to the poor and the oppressed.
King of peace, You beat swords into plowshares and spears
into pruning hooks,
– turn hatred into love and our grievances into forgiveness.
You do not judge by appearances,
– recognize those who are Your own.
When You come with power and might upon the clouds,
– grant that we may come before You without shame.

O KEY OF DAVID,
and Sceptre of the House of Israel,
who opens and no one shuts,
who shuts and no one opens:
Come and bring forth the captive from his prison,
he who sits in darkness and in the shadow of death.o key of david - 20 dec 2017

Closing Prayer:
Dearest Lord,
Your invitation settles in my soul:
“Turn to me and be safe.”
Something lets go inside when I take those words into my heart.
They are an invitation for me to rest.
So many moments of my life are filled with my own needs.
“Turn to me and be safe,” You say to me again.
Give me the great grace to let go from the depths of my soul.
Help me to be released
from the demons I cling to with so much fear.
I hear Your invitation to ask for help
and I begin to list all the places in my life that need healing.
“Turn to me and be safe.”
You promise Your saving help
and I know it is the only thing that can heal me.
I feel Your presence in my life
and am aware of the growing joy I feel
as I anticipate celebrating the birth of Your son.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.wednesday of the third week - 20 dec 2017

 

Posted in ADVENT, CHRISTMASTIDE!, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The CHRIST CHILD, The INCARNATION, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 19 December – Tuesday of Gaudete Week

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Thought for the Day – 19 December – Tuesday of Gaudete Week

St Irenaeus of Lyons (c 130-202) on the Incarnation, the Word of God born for us as Emmanuel, Jesus Christ, Son of Man, the sign of our salvation.   He comes to restore God’s likeness in us and lead us to glory.

God is man’s glory.   Man is the vessel which receives God’s action and all his wisdom and power.

Just as a doctor is judged in his care for the sick, so God is revealed in his conduct with men.   That is Paul’s reason for saying:   God has made the whole world prisoner of unbelief that he may have mercy on all.   He was speaking of man, who was disobedient to God and cast off from immortality and then found mercy, receiving through the Son of God the adoption he brings.

If man, without being puffed up or boastful, has a right belief regarding created things and their divine Creator, who, having given them being, holds them all in his power and if man perseveres in God’s love and in obedience and gratitude to him, he will receive greater glory from him.   It will be a glory which will grow ever brighter until he takes on the likeness of the one who died for him.

He it was who took on the likeness of sinful flesh, to condemn sin and rid the flesh of sin, as now condemned.   He wanted to invite man to take on his likeness, appointing man an imitator of God, establishing man in a way of life in obedience to the Father that would lead to the vision of God and endowing man with power to receive the Father.   He is the Word of God who dwelt with man and became the Son of Man to open the way for man to receive God, for God to dwell with man, according to the will of the Father.

For this reason the Lord himself gave as the sign of our salvation, the one who was born of the Virgin, Emmanuel.  It was the Lord himself who saved them, for of themselves they had no power to be saved.   For this reason Paul speaks of the weakness of man and says:  I know that no good dwells in my flesh, meaning that the blessing of our salvation comes not from us but from God.   Again, he says: I am a wretched man;  who will free me from this body doomed to die?   Then he speaks of a liberator, thanks to Jesus Christ our Lord.

Isaiah says the same:  Hands that are feeble, grow strong!   Knees that are weak, take courage!   Hearts that are faint, grow strong!   Fear not; see, our God is judgement and he will repay.   He himself will come and save us.   He means that we could not be saved of ourselves but only with God’s help.

This excerpt from St Irenaeus’ monumental work, Against Heresies (Lib 3,20, 2-3; SC 34, 342-344) speaks of the incarnation, the birth of the Word of God as Son of Man, as the sign of our salvation.   It is used in the Roman Office of Readings for 19 December one of the last days of Advent.   It was originally written around 185 AD.

St Irenaeus of Lyons
Born about 130, St Irenaeus was one of the most important of the Early Church Fathers of the 2nd Century.   His life reveals the cosmopolitan nature of the Roman Empire at the height of its power.   Though Irenaeus ultimately became bishop of what is now Lyons, in Southern France, he grew up and was educated in Smyrna, located in modern-day Turkey.   There Irenaeus had personal contact with St Polycarp, one of the Apostolic Fathers who in turn knew the Apostle John, son of Zebedee.   Before becoming bishop, Saint Irenaeus apparently studied in Rome where he was influenced by St Justin Martyr. His major work, Against Heresies, which appeared around the year 185 exposed the absurdities of the Gnostic cults of the day and included a strong presentation and defense of Catholic Christianity.   It is the earliest compendium of Christian theology surviving from ancient times and is the first work that cites virtually every book of the Christian writings that we now call the New Testament.   Irenaeus is said to have won the crown of martyrdom around the year 200 AD.   He is honoured in the Roman liturgy on 28 June.he is the word of god - st irenaeus - 19 dec 2017

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Our Morning Offering – 19 December – Tuesday of Gaudete Week

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Our Morning Offering – 19 December – Tuesday of Gaudete Week

Hail, Heavenly Beam
9th Century Catholic Advent Prayer
By Cynewulf tr Israel Gollanz

Hail, heavenly beam,
brightest of angels Thou,
sent unto men upon this middle-earth.
Thou art the true refulgence of the sun,
radiant above the stars
and from Thyself illuminest
forever, all the tides of time.
And as Thou, God indeed,
begotten of God,
Thou Son of the true Father,
wast from aye,
without beginning, in the heaven’s glory,
so now Thy handiwork in its sore need
prayeth Thee boldy, that Thou send to us
the radiant sun
and that Thou come Thyself
to enlighten those who for so long a time
went wrapt around with darkness
and here in gloom
have sat the livelong night,
shrouded in sin.hail heavenly beam - cynewulf - 19 dec 2017

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Thought for the Day – 17 December – Gaudete Sunday and the “O Antiphons” (17-24 December)

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Thought for the Day – 17 December – Gaudete Sunday and the “O Antiphons” (17-24 December)

17 December marks the beginning of the “O” Antiphons an ancient part of our liturgy, dating back to the fourth century, one for each day until Christmas Eve.   These antiphons address Christ with seven magnificent Messianic titles, based on the Old Testament prophecies and types of Christ.   The Church recalls the variety of the ills of man before the coming of the Redeemer.   The antiphons beg God with mounting impatience to come and save His people.   The order of the antiphons climb climatically through our history of Redemption.

In the first, O Sapientia, O Wisdom, we take a backward flight into the recesses of eternity to address Wisdom, the Word of God.
In the second, O Adonai, O Lord of Israel, we have leaped from eternity to the time of Moses and the Law of Moses (about 1400 B.C.).
In the third, O Radix Jesse, O Root of Jesse, we have come to the time when God was preparing the line of David (about 1100 B.C.).
In the fourth, O Clavis David, O Key of David, we have come to the year 1000.
In the fifth, O Oriens, O Radiant Dawn, we see that the line of David is elevated so that the peoples may look on a rising star in the east and hence in the sixth, O Rex Gentium, O King of All Nations, we know that He is king of all the world of man.
This brings us to the evening before the vigil
and before coming to the town limits of Bethlehem,
we salute Him with the last Great O, O Emmanuel, God-with-us (from He Cometh by Fr McGarry).o antiphons

As Elsa Chaney in Twelve Days of Christmas states, “They seem to sum up all our Advent longing as they paint in vivid terms the wretched condition of mankind and his need of a Saviour.”

The “O” Antiphons are the verses for the ancient hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
The first letter of the Messianic titles:
Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia—spell out Latin words ERO CRAS, meaning, “Tomorrow, I will come.”

A small and simple way to celebrate the great tradition of the “O Antiphons” is to add them to the your Advent Wreath prayer with your family.

O Come, o Come Emmanuel! – “Tomorrow, I will come.”ero cras - tomororow i will come - 17 dec 2017

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Our Morning Offering – 17 December – Gaudete Sunday

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Our Morning Offering – 17 December – Gaudete Sunday

Alma Redemptoris Mater
(Loving Mother of the Redeemer)

Loving mother of the Redeemer,
gate of heaven,
star of the sea,
assist your people
who have fallen
yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature
you bore your Creator,
Yet remained a virgin
after as before.
You who received
Gabriel’s joyful greeting,
have pity on us poor sinners.

Marian Antiphon Traditionally Said from Advent to CandlemasALMA REDEMPTORIS MATER - 17 DEC 2017

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Gaudete Sunday – the Third Sunday of Advent – 17 December 2017

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Gaudete Sunday – the Third Sunday of Advent – 17 December 2017

“The Lord is at hand: come, let us adore him.”

Gaudete Week
Our week begins with “Gaudete Sunday.” Gaudete means “rejoice” in Latin.   It comes from the first word of the Entrance antiphon on Sunday.   The spirit of joy that begins this week comes from the words of Paul, “The Lord is near.”   This joyful spirit is marked by the third candle of our Advent wreath, which is rose coloured, and the rose coloured vestments often used at the Eucharist.
The second part of Advent begins on 17 December each year.   For the last eight days before Christmas, the plan of the readings changes.   The first readings are still from the prophesies but now the gospels are from the infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke. We read the stories of faithful women and men who prepared the way for our salvation. We enter into the story of how Jesus’ life began.   These stories are filled with hints of what His life will mean for us.   Faith and generosity overcome impossibility.   Poverty and persecution reveal glory.gaudete sunday

Mary said:
“My being proclaims
the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit finds joy
in God my saviour,
For he has looked upon
his servant in her lowliness;
all ages to come shall
call me blessed.
God who is mighty
has done great things for me,
holy is his name;
His mercy is from age to age
on those who fear him.
He has shown
might with his arm;
he has confused the proud
in their inmost thoughts.
He has deposed the mighty
from their thrones
and raised the lowly
to high places.
The hungry he has given
every good thing,
while the rich
he has sent empty away.
He has upheld Israel his servant,
ever mindful of his mercy;
Even as he promised our fathers,
promised Abraham and
his descendants forever.”
Luke 1:46-50

Daily Meditation:

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.
In all circumstances give thanks…1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

We begin this third week of Advent asking to feel the joy
that comes from knowing our Lord’s coming to us is near.
In these precious days ahead, we are praying, longing, hoping
in the background of our everyday lives.
His mission is to the poor, the brokenhearted, prisoners and captives.
His mission is for us.
It is “good news,” full of healing, liberty and release.
We can smile today as we imagine the freedom He has won for us
and how liberating it will be to live it, with Him, for others.
It is right to give our God thanks and praise.

The one who calls you is faithful,
and he will also accomplish it… 1 Thessalonians 5:24

As the earth brings forth its plants,
and a garden makes its growth spring up,
so will the Lord GOD make justice and praise
spring up before all the nations. Isaiah 61:19-11

Today’s Daily Reflection – Intercessions:
To God our Father, who has given us the grace
to wait in graceful hope for the revelation of
our Lord Jesus Christ, let us make our prayer:
Show us your mercy, Lord.
Sanctify us in mind and body,
– keep us without sin until the coming of Your Son.
Make us walk this day in holiness,
– and live upright and devout lives in this world.
May we be clothed in our Lord Jesus Christ,
– and filled with the Holy Spirit.
Lord, help us to stand watchful and ready,
– until Your Son is revealed in all His glory.

O WISDOM
You came forth from the mouth of the Most High
and reaching from beginning to end,
You ordered all things mightily and sweetly.
Come and teach us the way of prudenceO WISDOM - 17 DEC 2017

Closing Prayer:
I lift my heart up to You, Lord,
to thank You for the blessings
You shower on me each day.
You are the ‘joy of my soul.’
I know that in Your great love,
I am held and protected by You.
I pray and listen to the good news You send;
I ask and feel the healing.
I am freed by You
from the things in this world
that let me hide from You.
I rejoice, I rejoice, down to my soul.
Help me to prepare my heart
to be open and able to receive Your immense love.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.gaudete sunday - 17 dec 2017

Posted in MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH

Happy 81st Birthday Papa Francis! 17 December 2017

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Happy 81st Birthday Papa Francis! 17 December 2017

O God, the Shepherd and Ruler of all the faithful, look down, in Your mercy, upon Your servant, Pope Francis, whom You have appointed to preside over Your Church and grant, we beseech You, that today on his 81st Birthday, You will bless him and protect him.

May he, both by word and example, edify all those under his charge; so that, with the flock entrusted to him, he may arrive at length unto life everlasting. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Congratulations Pope Francis!81 today PAPA FRANCIS- 17 dec 2017

Before ending his visit to Myanmar on 30 November this year, Pope Francis turned to the nation’s young Catholics, urging them to pursue lives of faith, hope and love.

Celebrating Mass in Yangon’s St Mary’s Cathedral, the pope asked the youth to serve their tiny church and their struggling nation with prayer, solidarity and a defense of human rights.

The cathedral was packed full of teenagers and young adults, many of whom were wearing traditional outfits.   Despite their numbers, the atmosphere was hushed except for the chirping of birds in the trees outside the open windows.   Thousands of young people also filled the gardens surrounding the cathedral, hoping for a close-up encounter with the pope.

In his homily, Pope Francis, whose 81st birthday is less than three weeks away, said he wanted to speak to the young as a grandfather.   The Bible, he told them, “asks us to think about our place in God’s plan” and to proclaim God’s love and mercy.

“As messengers of this good news, you are ready to bring a word of hope to the church, to your own country and to the wider world.” he said. “You are ready to bring good news to your suffering brothers and sisters who need your prayers and your solidarity but also your enthusiasm for human rights, for justice and for the growth of that love and peace which Jesus brings.”

Pope Francis’ grandfatherly advice to them was to find a place away from the noise and distractions of modern life where they could learn to listen to God in prayer.   And he encouraged them to rely on the help of the saints, who were men and women who made mistakes but learned to trust in God’s mercy.

“You know that Jesus is full of mercy,” the pope told the young people. “So share with him all that you hold in your hearts: your fears and your worries, as well as your dreams and your hopes.

“Cultivate your interior life, as you would tend a garden or a field,” the pope continued. “This takes time;  it takes patience.    But like a farmer who waits for the crops to grow, if you wait the Lord will make you bear much fruit, a fruit you can then share with others.”

Finally, Pope Francis told them, be young and be bold.

“Do not be afraid to make a ruckus, to ask questions that make people think,” he said. “And don’t worry if sometimes you feel that you are few and far between.   The Gospel always grows from small beginnings.   So make yourselves heard.”

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Our Morning Offering – 16 December – Saturday of the Second Week of Advent

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Our Morning Offering – 16 December – Saturday of the Second Week of Advent

A 10th Century Catholic Advent Prayer

Unknown Author

You are our eternal salvation,
The unfailing light of the world.
Light everlasting,
You are truly our redemption.
Grieving that the human race was perishing
through the tempter’s power,
without leaving the heights
You came to the depths
in Your loving kindness.
Readily taking our humanity
by Your gracious will,
You saved all earthly creatures,
long since lost,
Restoring joy to the world.
Redeem our souls and bodies, O Christ,
and so possess us as Your shining dwellings.
By Your first coming, make us righteous;
At Your second coming, set us free:
So that, when the world is filled with light
and You judge all things,
We may be clad in spotless robes
and follow in Your steps, O King,
Into the heavenly hall.   Amen10th cent advent prayer - you are our eternal salvation - 16 dec 2017

 

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Our Morning Offering – 11 December – Monday of the Second Week of Adve

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Our Morning Offering – 11 December – Monday of the Second Week of Advent

Come, Sun and Saviour
8th Century Catholic Advent Prayer/Hymn

Come, Sun and Saviour,
to embrace Our gloomy world,
its weary race,
As groom to bride, as bride to groom:
The wedding chamber, Mary’s womb.
At your great Name, O Jesus, now
All knees must bend, all hearts must bow;
All things on earth with one accord,
Like those in heaven, shall call you Lord.
Come in Your holy might, we pray,
Redeem us for eternal day;
Defend us while we dwell below,
From all assaults of our dread foe.come sun and saviour - 8th cent advent hymn - 11 dec 2017

Posted in ADVENT, BREVIARY Prayers, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, HYMNS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, POETRY, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 10 December – The Second Sunday of Advent and the Memorial of Our Lady and the Holy House of Loreto

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Our Morning Offering – 10 December – The Second Sunday of Advent and the Memorial of Our Lady and the Holy House of Loreto

Maiden yet a Mother
By Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)
Tr Msgr Ronald A Knox (1888-1957)

Maiden yet a mother,
daughter of thy Son,
high beyond all other,
lowlier is none;
thou the consummation
planned by God’s decree,
when our lost creation
nobler rose in thee!

Thus His place prepared,
he who all things made
‘mid his creatures tarried,
in thy bosom laid;
there His love He nourished,
warmth that gave increase
to the root whence flourished
our eternal peace.

Nor alone thou hearest
When thy name we hail;
Often thou art nearest
When our voices fail;
Mirrored in thy fashion
All creation’s gird,
Mercy, might compassion
Grace thy womanhood.

Lady, let our vision
Striving heavenward, fail,
Still let thy petition
With thy Son prevail,
Unto whom all merit,
prayer and majesty,
With the Holy Spirit
And the Father be.

Maiden Yet A Mother is a translation of a poem by Durante (Dante) degli Alighieri (c 1265–1321).    It is based upon the opening verses of Canto 33 of the Paradiso from his Divine Comedy in which St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153) praises and prays to the Virgin Mother on behalf of Dante.   It was translated from the original Italian into English by the Catholic convert, Monsignior Ronald A Knox (1888-1957).maiden yet a mother - dante - 10 dec 2017

Posted in ADVENT, DEVOTIO, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The CHRIST CHILD

Our Morning Offering – 9 December 2017- Saturday of the First Week of Advent

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Our Morning Offering – 9 December 2017- Saturday of the First Week of Advent

A 10th Century Advent Prayer to Our Lord Jesus
Unknown author

You are our eternal salvation,
The unfailing light of the world.
Light everlasting,
You are truly our redemption.
Grieving that the human race was perishing
through the tempter’s power,
without leaving the heights You came to the depths
in Your loving kindness.
Readily taking our humanity by Your gracious will,
You saved all earthly creatures, long since lost,
Restoring joy to the world.
Redeem our souls and bodies, O Christ,
and so possess us as Your shining dwellings.
By Your first coming, make us righteous;
At Your second coming, set us free:
So that, when the world is filled with light
and You judge all things,
We may be clad in spotless robes
and follow in Your steps, O King,
Into the heavenly hall.
Amena 10th century advent prayer - 9 dec 2017

Posted in ADVENT, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CHRISTMASTIDE!, MORNING Prayers, NOVENAS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, The CHRIST CHILD, The WORD

ANNOUNCING a Novena to the Christ Child in preparation for Christmas

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ANNOUNCING a Novena to the Christ Child in preparation for Christmas

In the birth of Jesus, God comes to us and asks us to receive Him, so that He can be born in our lives and transform them and our world, by the power of His love.    The Christmas liturgy also invites us to contemplate Christ’s birth against the backdrop of His paschal mystery.   Christmas points beyond itself, to the redemption won for us on the Cross and the glory of the Resurrection.   May this Christmas fill you with joy in the knowledge that God has drawn near to us and is with us, at every moment of our lives”. …Pope Benedict XVI

Join us for the Christmas Novena to the Christ Child beginning 9 days before Christmas on 16 December.   Each day will feature a Scripture Reflection and prayer.   Let us dispose ourselves to receive the coming Lord.   With great desire, with joy full of hope, with a heart that is free and capable of great love, for after all, we are made in His image and likeness and He is love!ANNOUNCING - CHRISTMAS NOVENA TO THE CHRIST CHILD begins 16 DEC - 2017

Posted in ADVENT, CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CONSECRATION Prayers, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Conception – 8 December, The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

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Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Conception 
On The Feast of the Immaculate Conceptionact of consecration - 8 dec 2017

In the presence of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and with heaven and earth as our witness, we prostrate ourselves at your feet, O Mary, Our Lady.

We acknowledge you as our Mother, as the Immaculate Conception, living tabernacle of the Divinity, as Queen of angels and of men, as Mother of the Church and of the Catholic priesthood and as refuge of the afflicted.   That is why, small and weak as we are, we wish to consecrate to you our families, our persons, our works, our future, all that pertains to us and is in us and which God, in His immeasurable goodness, has entrusted to us for our good use.

We also consecrate to you the value of our good actions, past, present and future, leaving to you the entire and full right of disposing of us and all that belongs to us.   Mary, be our Mother:  sanctify us, purify us, correct us, guide us, pray for us and protect us.

Help us to perfectly fulfill the duties of our state of life.
Extinguish in us all self-love, which prevents your Divine Son, King and Sovereign Priest, from reigning in and around us.

Cover abundantly with your maternal protection all the parishes, chapels, schools, works and missions and may you forever impede the devil from reigning, in any manner in the Church which desires to be entirely yours for the greater glory of God, the protection of our Holy Father and the exaltation of our Mother, the Holy Catholic Church and for the conversion of sinners. Amen.in the presence of god almight - act of consecration immaculate conception - 8 dec 2017

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Our Morning Offering – 8 December – The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

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Our Morning Offering – 8 December – The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

Holy light on earth’s horizon,
star of hope to those who fall,
light amid a world of shadows,
dawn of God’s design for all,
chosen from eternal ages,
you alone of all our race,
by your Son’s atoning merits
were conceived in perfect grace.

Mother of the world’s Redeemer,
promised from the dawn of time:
how could one so highly favoured
share the guilt of Adam’s crime?
Sun and moon and stars adorn you,
sinless Eve, triumphant sign;
you it is who crushed the serpent,
Mary, pledge of life divine.

Earth below and highest heaven,
praise the splendour of your state,
you who now are crowned in glory
were conceived immaculate.
Hail, beloved of the Father,
Mother of his only Son,
mystic bride of Love eternal,
hail, O fair and spotless one!
Fr Edward Caswall (1814-1878)

holy light on earth's horizon - for the solemnity of the Immaculate Con - 8 dec 2017

PRAYER OF THE HOLY FATHER
POPE JOHN PAUL II
FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Tuesday, 8 December 1998

1. O Mary!
Here we are again at your feet on the day we celebrate your Immaculate Conception
and we beg you, as the beloved daughter of the Father,
during this year of preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000,
to teach us to walk in unity to the Father’s house, to make all humanity one family.

2. O Mary!
From the very first moment of life,
you were preserved from original sin
through the merits of Jesus,
whose Mother you were to become.
Sin and death have no power over you.
From the moment you were conceived,
you have enjoyed the unique privilege of being filled
with the grace of your blessed Son,
to be holy as he is holy.
For this reason the heavenly messenger,
sent to announce the divine plan to you, greeted you saying:
“Hail, full of grace” (Lk 1:28).
Yes, O Mary, you are full of grace;
you are the Immaculate Conception.
In you is fulfilled the promise made to our first parents,
the primordial Gospel of hope at the tragic moment of the fall:
“I will put enmity between you and the woman
and between your seed and her seed” (Gn 3:15).
Your seed, O Mary, is the blessed Son of your womb, Jesus, the immaculate Lamb who took upon Himself
the sin of the world, our sin. Your Son, O Mother, has preserved you, to offer all humanity the gift of salvation.
For this reason, from generation to generation, the redeemed ceaselessly repeat the angel’s words:
“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you” (Lk 1:28).

3. O Mary!
From East to West, from the very beginning, the People of God profess with faith that you are the all pure, the all holy, the sublime Mother of the Redeemer. The Fathers of the Church unanimously attest to it: pastors, theologians and the greatest confessors of the faith proclaim it. Then, in 1854 my venerable Predecessor, Pope Pius IX, officially recognised the truth of this your privilege.
In everlasting memory of that event, this column was erected here, in the heart of Rome, from where you watch over the city with a mother’s love.
Every year since then, on this solemn feast, the Church and the city of Rome come here with their Bishop to Piazza di Spagna, to honour you, a sign of sure hope for all men and women.
With this annual act of veneration, we profess that we want to return to the original, eternal plan of our Creator and Father, and with the Apostle Paul we repeat:
“Blessed be God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…. He chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him” (Eph 13-4).

4. O Mary!
You are the witness to this primordial choice.
Guide us, O Mother, who know the Way!
Today the People of God and the whole city of Rome
entrust themselves to you, the Immaculate Conception.
Protect us always and lead us all on the ways of holiness. Amen!

Posted in ADVENT, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The WORD

Friday of the First Week of Advent – 8 December

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Friday of the First Week of Advent – 8 December

“Let us adore the Lord, the King who is to come.”

Daily Meditation:
In him we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of our trespasses,
according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us…Ephesians 1:6

In the busiest of times, it is often difficult to realise
that our worst enemy is our own sinfulness.
When we do realise that, however, we can really beg God to save us.
Today, let’s say the prayer Jesus gave us,
devoutly and as a real Advent prayer.

Our Father, in heaven,
may Your name be holy;
may Your kingdom come;
may Your will be done,
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us today, Your faithful bread for the journey.
Forgive us our sins,
the way we forgive the sins of others.
Don’t let us be overcome by temptation,
but deliver us from all evil.

Today’s Daily Reflection – Intercessions:
Through His Son, God the Father revealed His glory to
men and women. Therefore, let our joyful cry resound:
Lord, may Your name be glorified.

Teach us, Lord, to love each other,
– as Christ loved us for God’s glory.

Fill us with all joy and peace in faith,
– that we may walk in the hope and strength of the Holy Spirit.

Help all mankind, Lord, in Your loving mercy,
– be near to those who seek You without knowing it.

You call and sanctify the elect,
– though we are sinners, crown us with eternal happiness.

Closing Prayer:
Jesus, protector,
I long for Your coming.
The promise of new light is there
if only I can believe.
Protect me from dangers
and lead me through the gloom and darkness
to the joy I so long to find in You.
Lift me from my lowly sins
and give me the promise of salvation
with no more shame,
only the light and saving grace of Your love.
Let the ancient dream be fulfilled in You
and peace come to this life and world.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

“Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus.”friday of the first week of advent - 8 december 2017

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Our Morning Offering – Wednesday of the First Week of Advent

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Our Morning Offering – Wednesday of the First Week of Advent

ADVENT PRAYER – GOD OF HOPE

God of hope, who brought love into this world,
be the love that dwells between us.
God of hope, who brought peace into this world,
be the peace that dwells between us.
God of hope, who brought joy into this world,
be the joy that dwells between us.
God of hope, the rock we stand upon,
be the centre, the focus of our lives
always and particularly this Advent time.
Through Him who is our hope, our joy, our love, our peace,
in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.advent prayer - 6 dec 2017

Posted in ADVENT, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH

Our Morning Offering – 5 December – Tuesday of the First Week of Advent

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Our Morning Offering – 5 December – Tuesday of the First Week of Advent

An Advent Prayer
From the Book of Common Prayer

Almighty God,
give us grace,
that we may cast away
the works of darkness
and put upon us,
the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life,
in which Your Son, Jesus Christ,
came to visit us in great humility.
That in the last day when He shall come again
in His glorious majesty
to judge both the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal,
through Him who lives and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit,
now and forever, amen.an advent prayer - 5 dec 2017

Posted in ADVENT, CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, PRAYERS of the CHURCH

THE ADVENT WREATH

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THE ADVENT WREATH

The Advent wreath is part of our long-standing Catholic tradition. However, the actual origins are uncertain. There is evidence of pre-Christian Germanic peoples using wreathes with lit candles during the cold and dark December days as a sign of hope in the future warm and extended-sunlight days of Spring. In Scandinavia during Winter, lighted candles were placed around a wheel and prayers were offered to the god of light to turn “the wheel of the earth” back toward the sun to lengthen the days and restore warmth.

By the Middle Ages, the Christians adapted this tradition and used Advent wreathes as part of their spiritual preparation for Christmas. After all, Christ is “the Light that came into the world” to dispel the darkness of sin and to radiate the truth and love of God (John 3:19-21). By 1600, both Catholics and Lutherans had more formal practices surrounding the Advent wreath.

The symbolism of the Advent wreath is beautiful. The wreath is made of various evergreens, signifying continuous life. The circle of the wreath, which has no beginning or end, symbolises the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul and the everlasting life found in Christ. All together, the wreath of evergreens depicts the immortality of our soul and the new, everlasting life promised to us through Christ, the eternal Word of the Father, who entered our world becoming true man and who was victorious over sin and death through His own passion, death and resurrection.

The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent. A tradition is that each week represents one thousand years, to sum to the 4,000 years from Adam and Eve until the Birth of the Saviour.

Three candles are purple and one is rose. The purple candles in particular symbolise the prayer, penance and preparatory sacrifices and goods works undertaken at this time. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, when the priest also wears rose vestments at Mass; Gaudete Sunday is the Sunday of rejoicing, because the faithful have arrived at the midpoint of Advent, when their preparation is now half over and they are close to Christmas.

The progressive lighting of the candles is the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the anticipation of His second coming to judge the living and the dead. The light again signifies Christ, the Light of the world. The unlighted candles represent the dark ages before the coming of Christ. Some modern day adaptions include a white candle placed in the middle of the wreath, which represents Christ and is lit on Christmas Eve.

In family practice, the Advent wreath is most appropriately lit at dinner time after the blessing of the food. A traditional prayer devotion using the Advent wreath proceeds as follows:

Today the First Sunday of Advent, the father of the family blesses the wreath, praying: O God, by whose word all things are sanctified, pour forth Your blessing upon this wreath and grant that we, who use it, may prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ and may receive from You abundant graces. Who lives and reigns forever. Amen.” He then continues for each of the days of the first week of Advent: “O Lord, stir up Your might, we beg You and come, that by Your protection we may deserve to be rescued from the threatening dangers of our sins and saved by Your deliverance. Who lives and reigns forever. Amen.” The youngest child then lights one purple candle.

During the second week of Advent, the father prays: “O Lord, stir up our hearts that we may prepare for Your only begotten Son, that through His coming we may be made worthy to serve You with pure minds. Who lives and reigns forever. Amen.” The oldest child then lights the purple candle from the first week plus one more purple candle.

During the third week of Advent, the father prays: “O Lord, we beg You, incline Your ear to our prayers and enlighten the darkness of our minds by the grace of Your visitation. Who lives and reigns forever. Amen.” The mother then lights the two previously lit purple candles plus the rose candle.

Finally, the father prays during the fourth week of Advent, “O Lord, stir up Your power, we pray You and come. With great might help us, that with the help of Your grace, Your merciful forgiveness may hasten what our sins impede. Who lives and reigns forever. Amen.” The father then lights all of the candles of the wreath.

Since Advent is a time to reignite, refresh and renew our faith, the wreath and its prayers provide us a way to augment this special preparation for Christmas.
There are many beautiful booklets and prayers available to augment your Advent devotions with the family, which include short Scripture texts and Reflections – it is a lovely practice in Catholic families to nominate a different child and/or member of the family for each of the four weeks, to prepare and read these devotions. Moreover, this good tradition helps us to remain vigilant in our homes and not lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas.

 

USING THE ADVENT WREATH DURING THE CHRISTMAS SEASON
Advent ends, of course, with Christmas Eve but that’s no reason to put the Advent wreath away.   Many people add a large white candle to the centre of the wreath and light it, along with the other four, starting on Christmas and going all the way through Epiphany. It’s a good way to remind ourselves that Christ is the reason for the preparations we made during Advent and it also helps us remember that Christmas doesn’t end on Christmas morning after all the presents have been opened.THE ADVENT WREATH - HISTORY, MEANING AND DAILY PRAYERS - 3 DEC 2017

DAILY ADVENT PRAYER
Henri J M Nouwen

Lord Jesus,
Master of both the light and the darkness,
send Your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas.
We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces
to hear Your voice each day.
We who are anxious over many things
look forward to Your coming among us.
We who are blessed in so many ways
long for the complete joy of Your kingdom.
We whose hearts are heavy
seek the joy of Your presence.
We are Your people,
walking in darkness,
yet seeking the light.
To You we say, “Come Lord Jesus!”daily advent prayer by henri nouwen

 

Posted in ADVENT, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CHRISTMASTIDE!, MORNING Prayers, NOVENAS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH

St Andrew’s Christmas Novena – Getting Ready for the arrival of our King!

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St Andrew’s Christmas Novena – Getting Ready for the arrival of our King!BE READY AND WAITING - ST ANDREW'S CHRISTMAS NOVENA begins 30 nov - 2017 pic

While a Novena is normally a nine-day prayer, the term is sometimes used for any prayer that is repeated over a series of days.   The Saint Andrew Christmas Novena is often called simply the “Christmas Novena” or the “Christmas Anticipation Prayer,” because it is prayed 15 times every day from the Feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle (30 November) until Christmas.   It is an ideal Advent devotion;   the First Sunday of Advent is the Sunday closest to the Feast of Saint Andrew.

The novena is not actually addressed to Saint Andrew but to God Himself, asking Him to grant our request in honour of the birth of His Son at Christmas.   You can say the prayer all 15 times, all at once; or divide up the recitation as necessary (perhaps five times at each meal).

Prayed as a family, the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena is a very good way to help focus the attention of your family and children on the Advent season.

This is a very meditative prayer that helps us increase our awareness of the real focus of Christmas and helps us prepare ourselves for the Lord’s coming.

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment
in which the Son of God was born
of the most pure Virgin Mary,
at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God,
to hear my prayer and grant my desires,
………………… [here mention your request]
through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ
and of His blessed Mother. Amenst andrew's prayer - christmas novena no 1

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CHRIST the KING, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 26 November – The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe 

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Our Morning Offering – 26 November – The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

From the Psalter Hymn or Prayer to Christ our King

Alone with none but Thee, my God,
I journey on my way.
What need I fear, when Thou art near,
O King of night and day?
More safe am I within Thy hand,
than if a host did round me stand.

My destined time is fixed by Thee
and death doth know his hour.
Did warriors strong around me throng,
they could not stay His power.
No walls of stone can man defend,
when Thou Thy messenger dost send.

My life I yield to Thy decree
and bow to Thy control.
In peaceful calm, for from Thine arm,
no power can wrest my soul.
Could earthly omens e’er appal,
a man that heeds the heavenly call!

The child of God, can fear no ill,
His chosen dread no foe,
we leave our fate with Thee and wait,
Thy bidding when to go.
‘Tis not from chance our comfort springs,
Thou art our trust, O King of kings!Prayer - christ the king - from the Psalter - 26 Nov 2017

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, Uncategorized

Our Morning Offering – 25 November

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Our Morning Offering – 25 November

Father, Teach us to love
A Traditional Catholic Pray

Father, You love with an everlasting love
because You are love itself
Your love sustains the sun
and the other stars.
You are the loving life of all that is.
In love You call us into being,
You sustain us in our freedom,
even when we exercise that freedom
to turn our backs on You.
Teach us to love as You love,
to love without limit or reserve.
Teach us to love with love
that sets the loved one free.
To love with love
that seeks to give, not to take.
Teach us to love
not only those who love us
but also those who hate or are
indifferent to us.
Teach us to be patient
when our love is not returned
and teach us to love and trust You
even when we feel Your absence
and fear You are not there.
AmenFasther, teach us to love - trad catholic prayer - 25 nov 2017

 

Posted in MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 24 November

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Our Morning Offering – 24 November – The Memorial of St Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions/The Martyrs of Vietnam

By Your Holy Cross – An 11th Century Catholic Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ
For the sake of Your Holy Cross,
Be with me to shield me.

Lord Jesus Christ,
By the memory of Your Blessed Cross,
Be within to strengthen me.

Lord Jesus Christ,
For Your Glorious Cross,
Go before me to direct my steps.

Lord Jesus Christ,
For Your Noble Cross,
Be You in me to lead me to Your kingdom.
Amenby-your-holy-cross-11th-century-prayer-23-nov-2017

Posted in CATHOLIC Quotes, MARIAN PRAYERS, MORNING Prayers, PAPAL MESSAGES, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on MERCY, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 19 November – The First World Day of the Poor

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Thought for the Day – 19 November – The First World Day of the Poor

When it became clear that Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, SJ, would succeed Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Claudio Hummes of Brazil, seated next to Cardinal Bergoglio in the March 2013 conclave, comforted the Argentine cardinal and told him, “Don’t forget the poor.”
The future Pope Francis took those words to heart.
“That’s always been a characteristic of his spirituality and his ministry,” Bishop da Cunha said the first World Day of the Poor, 19 November, which the pontiff announced in his November 2016 closing letter for the Jubilee Year of Mercy, is an opportunity for the whole Church to reflect, pray and think about how it serves the poor the world over.

“During the Jubilee for Socially Excluded People, as the Holy Doors of Mercy were being closed in all the cathedrals and shrines of the world, I had the idea that, as yet another tangible sign of this Extraordinary Holy Year, the entire Church might celebrate, on the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, the World Day of the Poor.   This would be the worthiest way to prepare for the celebration of the solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, who identified with the little ones and the poor and who will judge us on our works of mercy (cf. Mt 25:31-46).   It would be a day to help communities and each of the baptised to reflect on how poverty is at the very heart of the Gospel and that, as long as Lazarus lies at the door of our homes (cf. Lk 16:19-21), there can be no justice or social peace.   This day will also represent a genuine form of New Evangelisation (cf. Mt 11:5) which can renew the face of the Church as she perseveres in her perennial activity of pastoral conversion and witness to mercy.” …Pope Francis in his November 2016 apostolic letter Misericordia et Misera, closing the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy.

Prayer of intercession to the Blessed Virgin Mary
for Migrants and Refugees

O Blessed Mary, Mother of Mercy,
you fled into exile in the moonlight,
carrying your son, our Lord Jesus.
You shared His journey to the Cross,
and are now robed in the light of peace.
Mary, Mother of the Poor,
watch over migrants and refugees
holding their families close on fearful journeys.
Comfort and protect them, we pray,
as they walk beneath the shining stars.
Bless our communities, loving Mary,
fill our hearts with compassion,
help us to shelter the stranger,
and share the goodness
of God’s consoling love
with all our neighbours.
Hail Mary…prayer to the blessed virgin for migrants and refugees - 19 nov 2017 - world day of the poor

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, SAINT of the DAY, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 18 November – The Feast of the Dediciation of the Basilicas of Sts Peter and Paul

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One Minute Reflection – 18 November – The Feast of the Dediciation of the Basilicas of Sts Peter and Paul

To you all, God’s beloved in Rome, called to be his holy people…..Romans 1:7romans 1 - 7

REFLECTION – “The present feast therefore deserves to be more than a local solemnity;  its extension to the Universal Church is a subject for the world’s gratitude.   Thanks to this Feast we can all make together in spirit today the pilgrimage, which our ancestors performed with such fatigue and danger, yet never thought they purchased at too high a price its holy joys and blessings. “Heavenly mountains, glittering heights of the new Sion!”  There are the gates of our true country, the two lights of the immense world.   There Paul’s voice is heard like thunder;   there Peter withholds or hurls the bolt.   The former opens the hearts of men, the latter opens Heaven.   Peter is the foundation-stone, Paul the architect of the temple where stands the altar by which God is propitiated.   Both together from a single fountain, which pours out its healing and refreshing waters” …Bishop Venantius Fortunatus (c 530 – c 609).there are the gares of our true country - Bishop Venantius Fortunatus (c 530 - c 609). - 18 nov 2017

PRAYER –  Lord God, give Your Church the help of the Apostles Peter and Paul, who first brought it the knowledge of the faith;  may they always obtain for it an increase of grace and continue to run with us on our journey home to You.   Through Jesus Christ our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.sts peter and paul pray for us - 18 nov 2017

Posted in CHRIST the KING, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, NOVENAS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS

NOVENA TO CHRIST KING in preparation for the Liturgical Feast of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

Posted on by AnaStpaul

NOVENA TO CHRIST KING
in preparation for the Liturgical Feast
of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Written by Prince Cardinal Adam Stefan Sapieha, Archbishop of Krakow (Mentor and hero of St John Paul).

prince cardinal adam sapieha.jpgDay One
With God the Father

Antiphon to the Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.

Luke 11:2

He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come”.
“Jesus of Nazareth, Son of Man, born of the Holy Virgin, came to reveal the fatherhood of God to mankind.   He came to reveal the fatherhood that only he himself knows as the Son who is of one substance with the Father.   So he came to lead mankind into the eternal and Divine dimension of all fatherhood and parenthood in the world created by God.   Also, of all order and harmony, for which the family dimension is essential.
Does to reveal mean only to remind?   More than that, to reveal means to restore. Christ came torestore the Divine fatherhood to mankind, this great human family. Only He could accomplish the restoration in a complete way.   In order to restore the Divine fatherhood to people, Christ had to bring back the people to God as Father.   This was his vital mission…”….(John Paul II, Homily delivered during the Mass at Masłów Aero Club in Kielce, 3 June 1991)

God, Father of mankind, we thank You for making us Your adopted children in Christ and letting us know about this great honour.   You have revealed that being a child of God means essentially acting with truth and simplicity, without a touch of duplicity and egoism.   Jesus Christ, our King and Lord, let all people know the kindness of God, Father of all creation and His care of those who fear Him.   Let us worship and praise the name of our King so that we may be brought to the glory of eternal life, where You live and reign, world without end. Amen

Prayer to Jesus Christ King of the Universe
by Adam Stefan Cardinal Sapieha (1927)

O Jesus, Lord of our hearts and immortal King of centuries, we hereby solemnly swear to You to stand faithfully by Your throne and by You.    We swear never to blemish Your standard with unbelief, sectarianism or any other apostasy.   We vow to You to persevere in the holy Catholic faith until we die.
May our posterity engrave it on our tombstones that we were never embarrassed because of our faith in You, Jesus the King and Your Gospel.   May You reign in our hearts through grace.   May You reign in our families through family virtues.   May You reign in our schools through genuine Catholic upbringing.
May You reign in our society through justice and concord.   May You reign everywhere, always and forever. May Your standard be a guide for us all, may Your Kingdom extend to every corner of the earth!   Amen

Let us pray. Almighty God, the powerful King of all creation, we humbly beseech You to send the hosts of angels for our protection so that we may serve You with devotion, with no hindrance and in peace.   We beseech You through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amenday-one-novena-christ-the-king-17-nov-2017

 

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, franciscan OFM, HYMNS, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 17 November – St Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 17 November – St Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231)

Blest are the Pure in Heart” – From the Breviary
(A perfect hymn/prayer for the Feast of St Elizabeth of Hungary)

Blest are the pure in heart,
for they shall see our God,
the secret of the Lord is theirs,
their soul is Christ’s abode.

The Lord, who left the heavens,
our life and peace to bring,
to dwell in lowliness with men,
their pattern and their King.

Still to the lowly soul,
He does Himself impart
and for His dwelling and His throne,
chooses the pure in heart.

Lord, we Thy presence seek,
May ours this blessing be:
give us a pure and lowly heart,
a temple fit for Theeblest are the pure in heart - on feast of st elizabeth of hungary - 17 nov 2017