Category: The WORD

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 26 January

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Thought for the Day – 26 January

St Paul makes it clear to Timothy that he is to proclaim the Word with persistence BUT “through all patience.”   This is the most important part of these instructions!   Growth in the Spirit is a lifelong journey, in which great patience is needed.   The one who proclaims the Word needs patience in dealing with the one being taught.   This is a human enterprise and humans are notoriously slow to understand, accept and implement the Word of God in their lives.   Christians are to proclaim the Word without being judgmental.   So, as Paul tells Timothy so he tells you and me to go forth, proclaim the Word, live your faith, treat others with respect and kindness and do it all with patience and love.   Thus faith is the centre of the Christian’s life and from that centre he radiates Christ’s love to all whom he meets. (Msgr. Bernard Bourgeois)

In these letters, we get another glimpse of life in the early Church: great zeal in the apostolate, great communion in Christ, great friendship.   Yet always there is the problem of human nature and the unglamorous details of daily life: the need for charity and patience in “quarrels with others, fears within myself,” as Paul says.   Through it all, the love of Christ sustained them.   At the end of the Letter to Titus, Paul says that when the temporary substitute comes, “hurry to me.”

Sts Timothy and Titus Pray for us!

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Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

Quote of the Day – 26 January

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Quote of the Day – 26 January

“Proclaim the word;
be persistent
whether it is convenient or inconvenient;
convince,
reprimand,
encourage,
through all patience and teaching.” …………..St Paul (2 Tm 4:2)

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Posted in CATHOLIC Quotes, DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 26 January

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One Minute Reflection – 26 January

So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord,
nor of me, a prisoner for his sake;
but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel
with the strength that comes from God………..2 Tm 1:1-8
…….to Titus, my true child in our common faith:
grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our saviour.
For this reason I left you in Crete
so that you might set right what remains to be done…………Ti 1:1-5

REFLECTION – …. we consider together the two figures of Timothy and Titus, we are aware of certain very significant facts………. it clearly appears that (Paul) he did not do everything on his own but relied on trustworthy people who shared in his endeavours and responsibilities.   The sources concerning Timothy and Titus highlight their readiness to take on various offices that also often consisted in representing Paul in circumstances far from easy.   In a word, they teach us to serve the Gospel with generosity realizing that this also entails a service to the Church herself..”………………Pope Benedict XVI

PRAYER – Father of light, let my life be illumined by the light of Christ and enable me to radiate the Gospel to others.  Teach me, like Sts Timothy and Titus to give my all to the service of the Bride of Christ, His Mystical Body, the Church.   Sts Timothy and Titus, pray for us. amen.

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Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

Our Morning Offering – 25 January

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Our Morning Offering – 25 January

Saint Paul’s Prayer (Ephesians 3: 14-21)

This, then, is what I pray,
kneeling before the Father,
from whom every fatherhood,
in heaven or on earth takes its name.
In the abundance of his glory may he,
through his Spirit,
enable you to grow firm
in power with regard to your inner self
so that Christ may live
in your hearts through faith
and then, planted in love
and built on love,
with all God’s holy people
you will have the strength
to grasp the breadth and the length,
the height and the depth,
so that, knowing the love of Christ
which is beyond knowledge,
you may be filled
with the utter fullness of God.
Glory be to him whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine;
glory be to him
from generation to generation
in the Church and in Christ Jesus
for ever and ever. Amen

st-pauls-prayer

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 23 January

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One Minute Reflection – 23 January

Do not grow slack but be fervent in spirit;
he whom you serve is the Lord………….Romans 12:11

REFLECTION – “Let us make the very best use of the precious moments and do all in our power for His dear sake and for His greater honour and glory…………I do not think of reward; I am working for God and do so cheerfully.”….St Marianne Cope (Saint of the Day)

PRAYER – Loving Father, grant me to have a true fervour in Your service. Help me to become a zealous worker for Your honour and glory, in imitation of your Son and of your holy saints. St Marianne Cope, ntercede for us all, that we may go forth unafraid to serve the most needy of our Father’s children. Please pray for us, amen!

romans-12-11let-us-makest-marianne-pray-for-us

Posted in MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD
Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 22 January

In him who is the source of my strength, I have strength for everything…………Phil 4:13

REFLECTION – “Remember that the Christian life is one of action; not of speech and daydreams. Let there be few words and many deeds and let them be done well ………….By myself I can do nothing but in union with God, I can do all things. Out of love for God, I want to do all things”
~~~ St Vincent Pallotti (Saint of the Day)

PRAYER – God of all might, grant that I may place myself in Your hands and never despair. Let me not shrink from even the hardest of tasks – for with Your help I can do anything. St Vincent Pallotti, you who accomplished so much for the Glory of the Kingdom of God, please pray for us, amen!

phil-4-13st-vincent-pallotti-remember-that-the-christian-lifest-vincent-pallotti-pray-for-us

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 21 January

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One Minute Reflection – 21 January

After I have been with you all this time, you still do not know me?……….John 14:9

REFLECTION – Jesus Christ is very little known by those who claim to be His friends.
We observe them seeking in Him – not His sorrows – but their own consolation……St John of the Cross

PRAYER – Lord Jesus, let me know myself and know You. Grant me the grace to follow You in Your sorrows, accepting all the sorrows of my life for Your sake. Help me to learn from this child Martyr, Agnes, who understood so much more than I do, who joined her pain to Yours, accepting them for love of You. St Agnes, teach me and pray for us all, amen!

john-14-9

quote-st-john-of-the-cross-21-janbernardo-lorente-german-sevilla-1680-sevilla-1759-saint-agnes-jpg-pray-for-us

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 20 January

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One Minute Reflection – 20 January

May the Lord….make you overflow with love for one another and for all……….1 Thes 3:12

REFLECTION – “The means for attaining perfect love is to accomplish frequent acts of love.
Fire is kindled by the wood that we cast into it and love is enkindled by acts of love.”……..St Alphonsus Liguori

PRAYER – Loving Father, grant me the grace to strive after perfect love. Help me to bring forth frequent acts of love so that I may grow in this greatest of virtues, even if, like St Sebastian, through my love for others, I should suffer and die for You. St Sebastian Pray for us, amen!
1-thes-3-12the-means-for-attaining-perfect-lovepray-for-us-st-sebastian

Posted in NOVENAS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The WORD

Novena to St Paul – Day Four – 19 January

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January 25 – The Conversion of St Paul

Novena to St Paul – 19 January

Day FOUR

For St John Paul, conversion means returning to God “through evaluating earthly realities in the unfailing light of His truth.”   The proof of St Paul’s conversion is his profession:  “For me to live is Christ” (Phil 1:21).   Conversion is a conversion to the will and design of God:  It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20).

Let us Pray:

Glorious St Paul,
your conversion is a powerful witness to the world
that God loves us and does not give up on us,
no matter how far we stray.
Help me to live a life of ongoing conversion.
True conversion means converting my life to the
design of God, the plan He has for me right now.
Pray that I will love God’s will and providence for me.
May I learn to truly surrender myself to wisdom and tenderness of God.
Pray that I may love God’s will and providence for me.
In this confidence, I entrust to you, St Paul,
these, my intentions
(mention your request)
I ask this through Christ, Our Lord, amen.
St Paul Pray for us!

day-4-novena-st-paul

 

Posted in MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 19 January

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One Minute Reflection – 19 January

Each one has his own gift from God……….1 Cor 7:7

REFLECTION – All the faithful of every state and condition are armed with a great deal of wondrous means of salvation. They are thus called by the Lord – each in his or her own way – to attain that perfection of holiness with which the heavenly Father is perfect….Vatican II Constituion on the Church No 11

PRAYER – Heavenly Father, help me to be holy in the way that You have laid out for me. Let me carry out the duties of my state in life to the full and so attain the holiness proper to me. St Canute, as a King you offered your life to the King of Kings and died for love of Him, please pray for us, amen.

1-cor-7-7vatican-ii-constitution-on-the-church-no-11st-canute-pray-for-us

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 18 January

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One Minute Reflection – 18 January

Above all, let your love for one another be intense because love covers a multitude of sins…………….1 Peter 4:8

REFLECTION – “Your eyes, O Lord, have a true view of people. This is what they really are and nothing more.”…………..St Francis de Sales

PRAYER – All-knowing Lord, let me realise that my real self is only what I am in Your eyes. All my weaknesses and sins You know but true too, You know the love I bear for You and for Your children.   Grant me Your grace to love more and more, so that I may become a saint and join St Margaret in heaven, she who is a true example of immense love.   St Margaret of Hungary pray for us, amen.

1-peter-4-8your-eyes-o-lordpray-for-us-st-margaret

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 17 January

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One Minute Reflection – 17 January

What can a man offer in exchange for his very life?……..Mt 16:26

REFLECTION – Everything of this world is sold at its price or exchanged for another equivalently priced. But the promise of life eternal is purchased at a bargain price!……St Anthony Abbot (Saint of the Day)

PRAYER – Lord of all, help me to be willing to pay the price of receiving eternal life. Let me offer myself to You in all that I do and say each day. St Anthony Abbot, Pray for us, amen.

matthew-16-26everything-of-this-worldagostinocarracci_thetemptationofstanthonyabbot-detail-jpg-pray-for-us

Posted in CATHOLIC Quotes, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 16 January

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One Minute Reflection – 16 January

May I never boast of anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ………Gal 6:14

REFLECTION – “Devout souls cling wholeheartedly to the cross with Christ. They thus acquire the most abundant fruits of the Redemption for themselves and for others.”…….Pope Pius XI

PRAYER – Lord Jesus, You endured crucifxion for the salvation of the world. Grant that I may love and share Your Cross on earth so that I may join You in glory in heaven. Saints Berard, Peter, Adjute, Accurs, Odo and Vitalis, Pray for us, amen!

galatians-6-14quote-pope-pius-xi

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Posted in MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The WORD

One Minute Relection – 15 January

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One Minute Relection – 15 January

On the way of duty I walk, along the paths of justice, granting wealth to those who love me…………Prv 8:20-21

REFLECTION – “Mary’s grace has given glory to heaven: a God to earth: and faith to the nations. She has conferred death on vices, order on life and a rule on morals.”………St Peter Chrysologus

PRAYER – Heavenly Father, grant me the grace to have Mary as my constant intercessor. In all difficulties, let me call on her aid, for she is Your beloved Daughter and our Blessed Mother. Holy Mother of Banneux, Pray for us, amen!

proverbs-8-20-21

st-peter-chrysologus-marys-graceour-lady-of-banneux-pray-for-us

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 14 January

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One Minute Reflection – 14 January

Then will I go to the altar of God, the God of my gladness and youth……….Ps 43:4

REFLECTION – “We must strive to place ourselves completely in God’s hands.   Then He will cause us to feel the effects of His goodness and protection – which are, at times extraordinary.”………St John Baptist de la Salle

PRAYER – Holy Lord God, let me live constantly in Your presence.   Grant that I may possess a spirit of joy and gladness because of the firm knowledge that You are always with me and in You and through You and with You, the extraordinary is commonplace!   St Felix of Nola, you did no immense deed but in 1800 years we have not forgotten your extraordinary love.  Please pray for us, amen.

psalm-43-4we-must-strive-stjohnbaptistdelasallest-felix-of-nola-pray-for-us

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 13 January

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One Minute Reflection – 13 January

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not….Prv 3:5

REFLECTION – “In our attempt to penetrate God’s truth, we are held within the bonds of ignorance, by the weakness of our minds.
We comprehend Divine ideas by earnest attention to God’s teaching and by obedience to the faith, which carries us beyond mere human apprehension.”……St Hilary of Poitiers (Saint of the Day)

PRAYER – All-knowing God, grant me the grace to come to a better understanding of Your truths. Let me not only believe them but also carry them out daily in my life. St Hilary of Poitiers, Pray for us, amen!

proverbs-3-5one-min-st-hilaryst-hilary-pray-for-us

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 12 January

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One Minute Reflection – 12 January

May the Lord ….make you overflow with love for one another and for all……..1 Thes 3:12

REFLECTION – “It seems to me that we do not pay enough attention to prayer, for unless it arises from the heart which ought to be its centre, it is no more than a fruitless dream. Prayer ought to carry over into our thoughts, our words and our actions…..It is true that all I have ever desired most deeply and what I still most ardently wish is that the great precept of the love of God above all things and of the neighbour as oneself be written in every heart.”……..St Marguerite Bourgeoys (Saint of the Day)

PRAYER – Loving Father, grant me the grace to strive after perfect love.  Help me to bring forth frequent acts of love for my neighbour and in this, to grow each day in love for You.St Marguerite Bourgeoys Pray for us, amen.

1-thes-3-12st-marguerite-quotepray-for-us

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 11 January

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One Minute Reflection – 11 January

If you lavish your food on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom shall become like midday; then the LORD will guide you always and satisfy your thirst in parched places, HE will give strength to your bones and you shall be like a watered garden, like a flowing spring whose waters never fail…….Isaiah 58:10-11

REFLECTION – “Love is the bond of life, the mother of the poor and the teacher of the rich.
It is the nurse of orphans, the attendant of the elderly, the treasure of the indigent and the common port of all the afflicted.”……..St Gregory of Nyssa.

PRAYER – O God, whose blessed Son became poor that we through His poverty might be rich, deliver us from an inordinate love of this world, that we, inspired, by the devotion of Your servant St Theodosius the Cenobiarch, may serve You with singleness of heart and attain to the riches of the age to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. St Theodosius the Cenobiarch. Pray for us! Amen

isiah-58-10-11quote-gregory-nyssapray-for-us-st-theodosius

 

Posted in CATHOLIC Quotes, CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 9 January

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Thought for the Day – 9 January

The same Spirit, that descended on the water of the River Jordan wafted over the waters during the first creation (Gen 1:2). Therefore, the Baptism in the Jordan presents yet another truth: that Jesus has started a new creation. He is the second man (1 Cor 15:47) or the last Adam (1 Cor 15:45), that comes to repair the first Adam’s guilt. He does this as the Lamb of God that takes away our sins.

‘Looking at the events in light of the Cross and Resurrection, the Christian people realised what happened: Jesus loaded the burden of all mankind’s guilt upon His shoulders; He bore it down into the depths of the Jordan. He inaugurated His public activity by stepping into the place of sinners’ (Joseph Ratzinger, Jesus of Nazareth, Bloomsbury 2007, p 18).

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Posted in CATHOLIC Quotes, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 9 January

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One Minute Reflection – 9 January

“You are my beloved Son”……….Luke 3: 22

REFLECTION – “Jesus entered into contact with the Father, Heaven opened above Him. At this moment we can think that Heaven has also opened here, above these children of ours who, through the Sacrament of Baptism, come into contact with Jesus. Heaven opens above us in the Sacrament.   The more we live in contact with Jesus in the reality of our Baptism, the more Heaven will open above us.”.Pope Benedict XVI (Feast of the Baptism of the Lord – 7 January 2007)

PRAYER – Heavenly Father, I pray to live each day in Your shadow, living out my Baptismal Vows and following Your Son on my journey home to You. Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us, that we may faithfully live as true Christians each moment of our lives, amen.

luke-3-22pope-benedicthelp-of-title-pic-angels

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, The WORD

Celebrating the CHRISTMAS SEASON The Third Week: SOLEMNITY of EPHIPHANY – 8 January 2017

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Celebrating the
CHRISTMAS SEASON
The Third Week
SOLEMNITY of EPHIPHANY
8 January 2017

“Lord, open my lips,and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

Daily Meditation:

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. …
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear
because fear has to do with punishment,
and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love. 1 John 4

“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”
He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were (completely) astounded.
They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened. Mark 6

How often fear takes away our ability to love!
But, love drives out fear.
It appears that the key is to “understand the incident of the loaves.”
If Jesus has power, then it is foolish for us to fear.
If we won’t let Jesus have power in our lives,
then our hearts are still hardened.

Let us surrender our hearts to the Lord,
that we might let him love us
and take away all our fears,
that we might love more courageously, more completely.

Closing Prayer:
Lord.give me the joy of lasting peace
and fill my heart with so much love
that there is no more room for the worry and dread.

Teach me too, to follow Your Star and thus to become a shining star in the world.

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

sunday-third-week-epiphany

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 8 January

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One Minute Reflection – 8 January

…..and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. …………..Mt 2:11

REFLECTION – If we approach with faith, we too will see Jesus….; for the Eucharistic table takes the place of the crib.
Here the Body of the Lord is present, wrapped not in swaddling clothes but in the rays of the Holy Spirit……………..St John Chrysostum

PRAYER – Lord, God, teach me to see the living presence of Your Divine Son in the Eucharist. Make my faith so vivid that I will gladly come to encounter Jesus in every Mass.
Holy Christ Child, intercede for us, amen.

matthew-2-11if-we-approachepiphany-feast

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, The WORD

Celebrating the CHRISTMAS SEASON:The Second Week – Saturday 7 January 2017

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Celebrating the
CHRISTMAS SEASON
The Second Week
Saturday 7 January 2017

“Lord, open my lips,and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

Daily Meditation:

In this is love: not that we have loved God,
but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. 1 John 4

O God, give your judgment to the king; your justice to the son of kings;
That he may govern your people with justice, your oppressed with right judgment, …
That he may defend the oppressed among the people, save the poor and crush the oppressor. Psalm 72

His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
They all ate and were satisfied. Mark 4

Jesus is full of compassion for us in His unconditional love for us.
Even when it seems impossible, He still shows us the way
and nourishes us with His love.

May we be grateful for His love for us
May we be like Him in our love for one another.

Closing Prayer:
Jesus, You became one of us on this earth.
What I want now is to be more like You:
more compassionate and patient,
more guided by Your Holy Spirit.

‘In this is love.’ It is impossible to believe
in the kind of love You have for me.
If only I believed it – how different my life would be!
It seems impossible that You could love me as You do
and yet You are the very centre of that impossible love.

Help me to be more grateful for all You have given me
so that my response might be one of generosity
to You and those You have placed in my life..

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

sat-second-week

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 7 January

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One Minute Reflection – 7 January

…….while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of our faith.
For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame
and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God………..Heb 12:2

REFLECTION – “Look then on Jesus, the author and preserver of faith: in complete sinlessness He suffered, and at the hands of those who were His own, and was numbered among the wicked.  As you drink the cup of the Lord Jesus (how glorious it is!), give thanks to the Lord, the iver of all blessings.”………….St Raymond of Peñafort

PRAYER – O Lord, help me always to keep my eyes on You. Teach me too to endure and offer You all the sufferings and hardships of this earthly life, for Your greater Glory. St Raymond, your life is an example to us all of the practise of keeping our eyes on the Lord. Please pray for us, amen!

hebrews-12-2look-then-on-jesusst-raymond-pray-for-us

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, The WORD

Celebrating the CHRISTMAS SEASON FRIDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK 6 January 2017 – EPIPHANY of the LORD

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Celebrating the
CHRISTMAS SEASON
FRIDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK
6 January 2017 – EPIPHANY of the LORD

“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

Daily Meditation:
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. …
There is no fear in love but perfect love drives out fear
because fear has to do with punishment,
and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love………… 1 John 4

“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”
He got into the boat with them and the wind died down.
They were astounded.
They had not understood the incident of the loaves.
On the contrary, their hearts were hardened”………….. Mark 6

How often fear takes away our ability to love!
But, love drives out fear.
It appears that the key is to “understand the incident of the loaves.”
If Jesus has power, then it is foolish for us to fear.
If we won’t let Jesus have power in our lives,
then our hearts are still hardened.

Let us surrender our hearts to the Lord,
that we might let Him love us
and take away all our fears,
that we might love more courageously, more completely.

Closing Prayer:
My love for You is so imperfect, Lord.
I know I am filled with fear
and yet I long to taste the depths of Your love.

Give me the joy of lasting peace
and fill my heart with so much love
that there is no more room for the worry and dread.

Open my eyes to those around me
and give me the courage to act in justice
to help make their lives better,
to share Your love with all.

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

epiphany-friday-6-jan

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 6 January

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One Minute Reflection – 6 January

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home…..Mt 1:24

REFLECTION – “When you invoke St Joseph, you don’t have to say much.
Say, “if you were in my place, St Joseph, what would you do? Well, pray for this on my behalf.”……..St André Bessette

PRAYER – Heavenly Father, You constantly provide us with examples of holy life. St André Bessette is a wonderful example of service, as was his hero, the foster Father of Your Divine Son, St Joseph. May both be intercessors and examples to me, to give to You my all. St André Bessette, Pray for us, amen!

matthew-1-2467ceeace4e8396c1b436adb5136cecfeOil painting of Brother Andre on wall of St Patrick's Basilica, Montreal

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 4 January

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One Minute Reflection – 4 January

When the Shepherd appears
you will win for yourselves
the unfading crown of glory………1 Pt 5:4

REFLECTION – You are children of eternity. Your immortal crown awaits you and the best of Fathers waits there to reward your duty and love. You may indeed sow here in tears but you may be sure there to reap in joy……St Elizabeth Ann Seton (Saint of the Day)

PRAYER – Heavenly Father, thank You for making me a child of eternity. Help me to live each day in such a way that I may deserve to be a child of Yours forever. St Elizabeth Ann Seton Pray for us, amen.

your-immortal-crown

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, The WORD

Celebrating CHRISTMAS: THE SECOND WEEK – Wednesday 4 January 2017

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Celebrating CHRISTMAS
THE SECOND WEEK:
Wednesday 4 January 2017

“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

Daily Meditation:
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. …
There is no fear in love,but perfect love drives out fear
because fear has to do with punishment,
and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love. 1 John 4

“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”
He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were (completely) astounded.
They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened. Mark 6

How often fear takes away our ability to love!
But, love drives out fear.
It appears that the key is to “understand the incident of the loaves.”
If Jesus has power, then it is foolish for us to fear.
If we won’t let Jesus have power in our lives,
then our hearts are still hardened.

Let us surrender our hearts to the Lord,
that we might let Him love us
and take away all our fears,
that we might love more courageously, more completely.

Closing Prayer:
My love for You is so imperfect, Lord.
I know I am filled with fear
and yet I long to taste the depths of Your love.

Give me the joy of lasting peace
and fill my heart with so much love
that there is no more room for the worry and dread.

Open my eyes to those around me
and give me the courage to act in justice
to make try to improve their lives by my love
as You would do.

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

wed-second-week

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, The WORD

Celebrating CHRISTMAS The Second Week Tuesday 3 January 2017

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Celebrating CHRISTMAS
The Second Week
Tuesday 3 January 2017

“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

Daily Meditation:
In this is love: not that we have loved God,
but that he loved us and sent his Son
as expiation for our sins. ….1 John 4

O God, give your judgment to the king; your justice to the son of kings;
That he may govern your people with justice, your oppressed with right judgment, …
That he may defend the oppressed among the people, save the poor and crush the oppressor. Psalm 72

His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things. …
They all ate and were satisfied. Mark 6

Jesus is full of compassion for us in His unconditional love for us.
Even when it seems impossible, He still shows us the way
and nourishes us with His love.

May we be grateful for His love for us.
May we be like Him in our love for one another.

Closing Prayer:
Jesus, You became one of us on this earth.
What I want now is to be more like You:
more compassionate and patient,
more guided by Your Holy Spirit.

‘In this is love.’ It is impossible to believe
in the kind of love You have for me.
If only I believed it – how different my life would be!
It seems impossible that You could love me as You do
and yet You are the very center of that impossible love.

Help me to be more grateful for all You have given me
so that my response might be one of generosity
to You and those You have placed in my life.

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

tues-of-the-second-week

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, JESUIT SJ, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 3 January

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 3 January

I planted the seed and Apollos watered it but God made it grow…………1 Cor 3:6

REFLECTION – We must work as if success depended upon us alone.

At the same time, we must be wholeheartedly convinced that we are doing nothing –  it is God Who is doing everything………St Ignatius Loyola

PRAYER – All-powerful God, let me realise that no matter what I do, it is only through You that I do it.  Help me to work as if all depended on me and pray as if all depended on You.  St Genevieve you were a sure example of working as if all dependd on you, please pray for us.  St Ignatius and all the great saints of the Society of Jesus, pray for us unceasingly, amen!

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