For the Feast of St. Leo I

 St. Leo I is honored by Holy Mother Church with a feast day on April 11. St. Leo is one of  four Popes given the title of the Great.  The other three popes are St. Basil, St. Gregory, and St. Nicholas.  A great defender of the Church, St. Leo, whose name means lion, protected the Faith from two heresies against the Incarnation-- the Nestorian Heresy and the Eutychian Heresy.  This holy Pontiff governed the Church during the time of Attila the Hun's rule.  Known as the Scourge of God, Attila, marching toward Rome, was met by Pope Leo I.  Speaking with calm eloquence, Pope Leo awed Attila, who agreed to spare Rome.  Attila not only admired the Pontiff, but he also feared him, recognizing a heavenly power on the side of the virtuous Pope. The following hymn was written to honor Pope Leo I on his feast day. 

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Hymn Honoring Pope Leo I

O happy Pontiff! glorious Leo! thou hast been made companion of the faithful Priests and martyrs; for thou wast most invincible in battle, and immovable as a tower and fortress of religion.  Thou proclaimedst with most perfect orthodoxy and wisdom, the unspeakable generation of Christ.

O ruler of Orthodoxy, teacher of religion and holiness, light of the whole earth, divinely inspired glory of true believers, wise Leo!  thou enlightenest all men by thy teachings, O harp of the Holy Ghost!

Heir of the See of Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, thou presidedst over the Church: thou hadst his spirit and was inflamed with zeal for the Faith.

Beaming with most bright light, thou, O holy Leo, didst admirable preach the ineffable and divine incarnation, teaching the two Natures, and the two Wills of the Incarnate God.

Resplendent with the knowledge of divine truths, thou scatteredst on all sides the brightness of orthodoxy, and dispelledst the darkness of heresy.  Departing this life, thou, O blessed one! now dwellest in the Light that knows no setting.

O inspired Minister of God's mysteries, thou admirably preachedst that Christ is the Only son and Lord, begotten of the Father before all ages, born for us of the Virgin, and dwelling on earth like unto us.

Seated with glory upon the throne of the Pontificate, thou didst stop the mouths of lions, and madest to shine upon thy flock the light of the knowledge of God, by proclaiming the divine dogma of the adorable Trinity.  Therefore hast thou been glorified as a holy Pontiff initiated in the grace of God.

Thou as a dazzling sun, didst rise in the west: thou wisely dispelledst the error of Eutyches, who mingled and confused the two Natures, and that of Nestorius, who divided them as though they were two Persons.  Thou taughtest us to adore one Christ in two Natures, inseparably, unchangeably, unconfusedly united.  

Inspired of God, thou appearedst to the people of God as another Moses, showing them the commandments of religion written, as it were on tables.  Thou exclaimedst in the assembly of the venerable Masters:  "Praise, O ye Priests! and bless, and extol Christ forever."

Now, O Priest of Christ! thou art brightly decked with a crown of beauty.  As a faithful Priest, thou hast put on justice. Pray unceasingly for thy flock, now that thou hast entered into the admirable joy of the Paradise of delights.

Thou, O most blessed Leo! hast worthily entered the abode where are the seats and thrones and ranks of the Patriarchs; thou hast entered as a  true Patriarch, all resplendent with faith and grace.  Therefore do we all celebrate thy name forever.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Free Lenten Devotional

  Blessed Lent to all!  

I pray this solemn season is finding you growing in love of our Lord and his most blessed Mother.  May we adore our Lord, meditating on His Passion, and honor our Lady, pierced with swords of sorrow as she stands at the foot of His Cross.

During Lent of last year for my family, I created a devotional to our Lady of Sorrows.  While my children and I focused on one of the sorrows of our Lady each week of Lent, this devotional could be prayed all at once as well.  Lent is a most fitting time to meditate on our Lady of Sorrows and her most tender heart, but this devotion can also be prayed anytime throughout the year.  I love the devotion to our Lady of Sorrows and strive to pray her chaplet daily.  

I hope this simple devotional helps you truly honor and love our Lady of Sorrows this year during your Lenten journey or whenever you choose to pray it.  It is a useful devotional for adults, children, or families.  This devotional is free for your use.  I simply ask if you post about or share this devotional or one of my other ideas, that you please be kind enough to link back to my original post. My ideas are not to be used for profit, and are to be used for personal use by individuals, families, and teachers.

I do have it available for download at the following link:  Seven Sorrows of Mary.  If you have difficulty with the link or prefer to receive it by email, please leave me a message with your email address, and I can send you the document for free.  I will NOT post your email online.  If you would rather receive a printed copy in the mail, I would have to charge a small fee for printing cost (ink and paper) and postage.  If you prefer that method, please message me again with your email, and I will email you back to set it up.  I am looking for other reliable method for downloads, but I have not decided on one yet.  If you have any reliable suggestions, please let me know.

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God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayers in Honor of the Holy Face of our Lord

The practice of honoring our Lord's Holy Face is not new.  During Jesus' life on earth, this devotion was seen through St. Joseph, the Blessed Mother, the Magi, and the Apostles.  We also recognize this devotion in St. Veronica's veil.  However, it was not until much later that a formal devotion began.  

In the 19th century Jesus expressed His wishes to Sister Mary of St. Peter, a Carmelite Nun in Tours, France, that a devotion to His Holy Face be established. Our Lord wanted this devotion in reparation for blasphemies against Him and His Holy Name, as well as for the profanation of Sunday. In August of 1843, Jesus dictated to her the well-known Golden Arrow Prayer, saying that those who would recite this prayer would pierce Him delightfully, and they also would heal those other wounds inflicted on Him by the malice of sinners. After receiving this prayer, Sister Mary of St. Peter was given a vision in which she saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus delightfully wounded by this "Golden Arrow" as torrents of graces streamed from It for the conversion of sinners. 

In 1885 Pope Leo XIII granted Ecclesiastical approval of the Devotion to the Holy Face and established an Archconfraternity for its honor.  It was of this Archconfraternity that St. Therese of Lisieux's entire family became members.  As a nun, St. Therese speaks of the image of the Holy Face, saying, “How well Our Lord did lower His eyes when He gave us His portrait! Since the eyes are the mirror of the soul, if we had seen His soul, we would have died from joy. Oh how much good that Holy Face has done in my life!”

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Years later during Lent of 1936, Jesus appeared to Blessed Maria Pierina De Micheli, a religious sister with the order of the Daughters of the Immaculate Conception, and told her, "I wish that My Face, which reflects the intimate sorrow of My soul, and the suffering and love of My Heart, be better honoured. He who contemplates Me consoles Me." On the Tuesday following Passion Sunday, Jesus returned to her and said: "Each time My Face is contemplated I will pour My love into hearts, and through My Holy Face the salvation of many souls will be obtained."  In 1958  Pope Pius XII formally declared Shrove Tuesday, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, to be the Feast of the Holy Face of Jesus.

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The celebration of the Feast of the Holy Face of Jesus is a wonderful way to prepare ourselves for the season of Lent, which begins the next day.  Remembering this devotion throughout Lent, is a method to help us remain focused on our Lenten penances, striving for reparation for our sins and the sins of the world.  The following prayers are a few that can be used to honor our Lord in this devotion.  May we employ these prayers as means to love our Lord and to help us grow in holiness as He desires. 

The Golden Arrow Prayer

May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most incomprehensible and unutterable Name of God be always praised, blessed, loved, adored and glorified, in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth, by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Amen. 

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Prayer of St. Therese of Jesus to the Holy Face

O Jesus, Who in Thy bitter Passion didst become "the most abject of men, a man of sorrows," I venerate Thy Sacred Face whereon there once did shine the beauty and sweetness of the Godhead; but now it has become for me as if it were the face of a leper! Nevertheless, under those disfigured features, I recognize Thy infinite Love and I am consumed with with the desire to love Thee and make Thee loved by all men. The tears which well abundantly in Thy sacred eyes appear to me as so many precious pearls that I love to gather up, in order to purchase the souls of poor sinners by means of their infinite value. O Jesus, Whose adorable Face ravishes my heart, I implore Thee to fix deep within me Thy Divine Image and to set me on fire with Thy Love, that I may be found worthy to come to the contemplation of Thy glorious Face in Heaven. Amen. 

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Holy Face Prayer for Sinners

Eternal Father, since Thou hast given me for my inheritance the Adorable Face of Thy Divine Son, I offer that face to Thee and I beg Thee, in exchange for this coin of infinite value, to forget the ingratitude of souls dedicated to Thee and to pardon all poor sinners.

--by St. Therese of Lisieux

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An Aspiration to the Eternal Father to be  Frequently Recited During the Day

Eternal Father, we offer You the Holy Face of Jesus, covered with blood, sweat, dust and spittle, in reparation for the crimes of communists, blasphemers, and for the profaners of the Holy Name and of the Holy Day. Amen. 

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Prayer to Reproduce the Image of God in our Souls

I salute Thee, I adore Thee, and I love Thee, Oh adorable Face of my Beloved Jesus, as the noble stamp of Divinity!  Completely surrendering my soul to Thee, I most humbly beg Thee to stamp this seal upon us all, so that the Image of God may once more be reproduced by Its imprint in our souls.  Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Novena to Our Lady of Altagracia

On January 21, Holy Mother Church honors Mary under the title of Our Lady of Altagracia, also known as Our Lady of High Grace.  She is the patroness of the Dominican Order and the Dominican Republic.  The history of Mary under this title dates to the 1500s when two Spanish brothers brought her image to the island of Santo Domingo.  Later they offered it to the parish church in the city of Higuey so that all the parishioners might honor Mary.  

Popular piety states that the devout daughter of a wealthy merchant asked her father to bring her an image of Our Lady of Altagracia from Santo Domingo, but her father could not find one.  While he was at a friend's house relating his story, and elderly man passed by.  He took a rolled image from his pack, suggesting it was the image of which the merchant searched; it was in fact the image of Our Lady of Altagracia.  The two men eventually returned the painting to the church in Higuey, since the image refused to remain in the house, miraculously transporting itself outside each time it was taken inside.  The elderly man was never seen again.  

This 15th century Spanish painting depicts a nativity scene with Mary looking upon Infant Jesus with love and gentleness.  She is clothed with a blue mantle, which is covered in gold stars.  The image has been crowned by both Pope Pius XI and Pope John Paul II.

The following novena is a beautiful prayer to the Blessed Virgin under the title of Our Lady of Altagracia.  Although, as a novena, the prayer would be prayed from January 12- January 20, it can also be recited anytime as a prayer to honor Our Lady and ask for her intercession.

Novena in Honor of Our Lady of Altagracia 

Preparatory Prayer 

O Dear Mother, Most Sweet Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness! Look at us here, prostrated in your presence wishing to offer you this novena in testimony of our love, and in thanksgiving for the innumerable favors we have received from your hands. You are our Advocate and, like beggars, we come to present our needs to you. You are our Teacher, and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all the love of our hearts. Receive, Dearest Mother, our praise and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen. 

Supplications 

1.- O Sweetest Mother of Altagracia, pure and immaculate since your conception! We beg you to bless our children, preserving their innocence and increasing their love for purity. (Hail Mary…) 

 2.- O Sweetest Mother of Altagracia, Admirable Mother, who in your little house of Nazareth, served as a model for Christian mothers and wives. We ask you to bless our homes so that the sanctity and holiness of marriage will flourish in them. (Hail Mary…) 

3. O Sweetest Mother of Altagracia, you who had the joy of receiving in your arms the body of your Most Holy Son who died on the cross for us, we beg you to come to our aid at the our of our death, so that by dying with the name of Jesus on our lips and hearts, we can fly to the glory of your maternal arms. (Hail Mary...)

Final Prayer 

Most Holy Virgin of Altagracia, from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for the continuous blessings you pour down on us. From your hands and from your maternal heart we receive, each day, the sustenance given to us by our Heavenly Father. You are our defender when we are in danger, our aid when we are in need, and our hope in the sacrifices proper of our Christian life. Through your Immaculate Heart we want to sing a song of thanksgiving to God for all the blessings he has given us. We promise you, O Mother, gratitude and fidelity. You will reign forever in our homes and our town where we will venerate you as our Lady and Mother by growing in all your virtues. Make us worthy of being called your children so that serving God and you in this world, we will obtain the highest grace you bring to us: a holy death that will open to us the gates of heaven.  Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer to the Name of Jesus

 

Prayer to the Name of Jesus 

 O good Jesus, O most compassionate Jesus, O Jesus Son of God and of the Virgin Mary, full of mercy and of pity; O sweet Jesus, have mercy on me according to Thy great mercy. O most clement Jesus, I implore Thee, by that Thy Precious Blood which Thou hast shed for sinners, that Thou wouldst wash away all my iniquities, and look down upon me, wretched and unworthy, humbly seeking Thy forgiveness and invoking this holy Name of Jesus. 

O Name of Jesus, name of sweetness! Name of Jesus, name most full of delight! Name of Jesus, name most lovely! For what is Jesus but Saviour? Wherefore, O Jesus, for Thy holy Name's sake, be to me Jesus, and save me. Suffer me not to be lost, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood. O good Jesus, let not mine iniquity destroy me, the work of Thine almighty goodness. O Jesus most benignant, have mercy on me in this day of mercy, that Thou condemn me not in the day of judgment. 

O most compassionate Jesus, if Thy stern justice incline to condemn me, I make my appeal and my refuge in Thy most pitiful mercy. O most loving Jesus, Jesus most ardently longed for, Jesus most gentle and meek, O Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, receive me into the number of Thy chosen. O Jesus, the salvation of those who believe in Thee; O Jesus, the trust of those who flee for refuge unto Thee; O Jesus, the sweetness of those who love Thee; grant that I may love Thee, and cleave faithfully to Thee, and after this most miserable life come to Thee in peace. Amen. 

 --St. Gertrude the Great 

 God bless! 

+JMJ+

During Advent

Saint Anselm stated, "Come now, insignificant man, fly for a moment from your affairs, escape for a little while from the tumult of your thoughts. Put aside now your weighty cares and leave your wearisome toils. Abandon yourself for a little to God and rest for a little in Him. Enter into the inner chamber of your soul, shut out everything save God and what can be of help in your quest for Him, and having locked the door, seek Him out..."

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Throughout Advent, although the world tries in every way to distract us from the approaching birth of Jesus, may we hold tight to St. Anselm's words, abandoning ourselves to God and making ready our hearts for Him. May we journey with Joseph and Mary, who, while fulfilling their necessary tasks, prepared each moment for the coming of the Lord, their Infant Son. During this season of Advent, may we remember to pause, remaining still and silent, and listen for God's voice guiding us as he guided Mary and Joseph on their road to Bethlehem. 

During the Advent season, let us also meditate on the beautiful Marian hymn below.  Believed to have been written during the Middle Ages, this hymn illuminates the link from Mary to Jesus.  Let us strive to keep our gaze upon Our Lady throughout Advent that she may lead us to her Infant Son.

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Mary the Dawn, Christ the Perfect Day

Mary the dawn, Christ the Perfect Day; 

Mary the gate, Christ the Heavenly Way! 

Mary the root, Christ the Mystic Vine; 

Mary the grape, Christ the Sacred Wine! 

Mary the wheat, Christ the Living Bread; 

Mary the stem, Christ the Rose blood-red! 

Mary the font, Christ the Cleansing Flood; 

Mary the cup, Christ the Saving Blood! 

Mary the temple, Christ the temple’s Lord; 

Mary the shrine, Christ the God adored! 

Mary the beacon, Christ the Haven’s Rest; 

Mary the mirror, Christ the Vision Blest! 

Mary the mother, Christ the mother’s Son 

By all things blest while endless ages run. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Commendation to the Sacred Heart

 On October 17 Holy Mother Church honors St. Margaret Mary Alocoque.  At the age of twenty-two, St. Margaret Mary made her profession at the convent of the Visitation at Paray-le-Monial, and after a few quiet years in the convent, St. Margaret Mary began receiving revelations from Our Lord Who informed her of His great desire to be loved by all men. He also wanted devotion to His Sacred Heart to be spread, making twelve promises to those who practiced a true devotion to his Sacred Heart. Through these revelations and her zeal and love for Our Lord, devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus spread throughout the world.  She spoke of the Sacred Heart, saying, 

"Behold this Heart which has so loved men that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming itself, in order to testify its love."

The following prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was found in the writings of St. Margaret Mary.

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Commendation to the Sacred Heart 

O Lord, I elect Thy Sacred Heart my abiding-place. May it be my strength in combat, my support in weakness, my light and guide in darkness; may it supply for my defects and sanctify all my intentions and actions. In union with Thine Own I offer them up that I may be prepared to receive Thee. 

Strengthen and support, O most sacred Heart, the purpose and desire of loving and serving Thee with which Thou didst inspire me, and grant that I perform all the good that according to Thy will I should. 

Be Thou, O God, my strength; do Thou support and defend me, for I am and intend to be forever Thine.

God bless!

+JMJ+