Prayer after Holy Communion by St. Bonaventure

 Holy Mother Church honors St. Bonaventure with a feast day on July 14. Born in Italy in 1221, as a young child Bonaventure was saved from death through the intercession of St. Francis of Assisi, to whom Bonaventure’s mother had prayed, vowing to give her son to the Saint’s Order if he was healed. Later Bonaventure did join the order of his intercessor, the Order of Friars Minor. In his studies St. Bonaventure quickly portrayed qualities of great intelligence, wisdom, and virtue. What St. Thomas Aquinas was for the Dominican Order, so, too, St. Bonaventure was for the Franciscan Order.

St. Bonaventure not only inspired through preaching; his written works were great sources of knowledge as well. Included in his writings were works about the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Francis of Assisi, and love of God. St. Bonaventure desired always to love God through each action and thought he had and to inflame the hearts of others with that same intense love of God he possessed. Later named the Seraphic Doctor, St. Bonaventure died at age 53 and was canonized by Pope Sixtus IV. The following prayer written by the Saint illustrates this love of God that St. Bonaventure strove to live each moment. 

 Prayer after Holy Communion

Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee, may yearn for Thee and for thy courts, may long to be dissolved and to be with Thee. Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the Bread of Angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and super substantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delightful taste. 

May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, Whom the angels desire to look upon, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fullness of the house of God; may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverance to the end; and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably. Amen.

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+

Devotions for Divine Mercy

 "I am Love and Mercy Itself. There is no misery that could be a match for My mercy, neither will misery exhaust it, because as it is being granted – it increases. The soul that trusts in My mercy is most fortunate, because I Myself take care of it." –Jesus to St. Faustina 

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In 1933, God gave Saint Faustina a striking vision of His Mercy. Sister wrote, "I saw a great light, with God the Father in the midst of it. Between this light and the earth, I saw Jesus nailed to the Cross and in such a way that God, wanting to look upon the earth, had to look through Our Lord's wounds, and I understood that God blessed the earth for the sake of Jesus." The following day St. Faustina was taught the prayers we know as the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Jesus said later to Sister Faustina, "Say unceasingly this chaplet that I have taught you. He also requested that as “often as you hear the clock strike the third hour, immerse yourself completely in My mercy, adoring and glorifying it; invoke Its omnipotence for the whole world, and particularly for poor sinners, for at that moment mercy was opened wide for every soul” (1320). We can honor Him and fulfill His request, then, on Divine Mercy Sunday and daily at 3:00 p.m., by praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet our Lord taught St. Faustina or by using other similar devotions. One example, given below, originates from the journals of St. Faustina. 

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 The Praises of the Divine Mercy 

Divine Mercy, gushing forth from the bosom of the Father, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, greatest attribute of God, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, incomprehensible mystery, I trust in Thee.

Divine Mercy, fount gushing forth from the mystery of the Most Blessed Trinity, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, unfathomed by any intellect, human or angelic, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, from which wells forth all life and happiness, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, better than the heavens, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, source of miracles and wonders, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, encompassing the whole universe, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, descending to earth in the Person of the Incarnate Word, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, which flowed out from the open wound of the Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, enclosed in the Heart of Jesus for us, and especially for sinners, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, unfathomed in the institution of the Sacred Host, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, in the founding of Holy Church, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, in our justification through Jesus Christ, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, accompanying us through our whole life, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, embracing us especially at the hour of death, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, endowing us with immortal life, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, accompanying us at every moment of our life, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, shielding us from the fire of Hell, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, in the conversion of hardened sinners, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, astonishment for Angels, incomprehensible to Saints, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, unfathomed in all the mysteries of God, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, lifting us out of every misery, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, source of our happiness and joy, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, in calling us forth from nothingness to existence, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, embracing all the works of His hands, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, crown of all of God's handiwork, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, in which we are all immersed, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, sweet relief for anguished hearts, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, only hope of despairing souls, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, repose of hearts, peace amidst fear, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, delight and ecstasy of holy souls, I trust in Thee. 

Divine Mercy, inspiring hope against all hope, I trust in Thee. 

Eternal God, in Whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Thy mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Thy holy will, which is Love and Mercy Itself (950).

God bless!

+JMJ+

Seven Prayers of St. Gregory on the Passion of the Lord

Holy Mother Church honors Pope St. Gregory the Great with a feast on March 12.  Well-educated and pious, St. Gregory worked tirelessly for the Church.  He was chosen Pope in 590 and reigned until 604.  During that time he fought against heresies, sent missionaries to convert pagans, including to England, and took care of the poor and sick.  He watched over the priests and the sacred traditions of the Church, and he is also well-known for his influence over the Church's music with Gregorian Chant. From the words from an antiphon in his office, he was called, "the Father of the City, the joy of the World."

The following prayer, penned by St. Gregory the Great, was a well-known medieval prayer often found in prayer books containing the Hours.  Pious tradition holds that one day while St. Gregory was celebrating Mass, Christ Himself appeared during the Consecration as a sign of His True Presence in the Eucharist. Thus, often accompanying the prayer in these prayer books was a picture of St. Gregory, genuflecting at the Consecration, with Christ appearing on the Crucifix in front of the Altar.

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 Seven Prayers of St. Gregory on the Passion of the Lord

I. O Lord Jesus, I adore Thee hanging on the Cross, wearing a crown of thorns upon Thy head. I beg Thee that Thy Cross may free me from the deceiving Angel. Amen. 
1 Our Father. 1 Hail Mary. 

II.  O Lord Jesus, I adore Thee hanging wounded on the Cross, given vinegar and gall to drink. I beg Thee that Thy wounds may be the remedy of my soul. Amen. 

1 Our Father. 1 Hail Mary.

III. O Lord Jesus, I ask by the bitterness of Thy Passion, which Thou didst undergo in the hour of Thy death, so much so when Thy most holy soul left Thy blessed body, have mercy upon my soul when it leaves my body, and lead it to eternal life. Amen. 

1 Our Father. 1 Hail Mary.

 
IV. O Lord Jesus, I adore Thee placed in Thy tomb, anointed with myrrh and aromatic spices. I beg Thee that Thy death may be my life. Amen. 

1 Our Father. 1 Hail Mary. 

V.  O Lord Jesus, I adore Thee descending into hell and freeing the captives from there. I beg Thee, that Thou mayest never permit me to enter there. Amen.  

1 Our Father. 1 Hail Mary. 

VI. O Lord Jesus, I adore Thee rising from the dead, ascending into heaven, and sitting at the right hand of the Father. I beg Thee that I may be worthy to follow Thee and be with Thee. Amen. 

1 Our Father. 1 Hail Mary. 

VII. O Lord Jesus, O good Shepherd, preserver of the just, justifier of sinners, have mercy upon all the faithful and be gracious to me, a wretched and unworthy sinner. Amen. 

1 Our Father. 1 Hail Mary. 

Prayer:  I beseech Thee, Lord Jesus Christ, that Thy Passion may be a strength to me by which I may be strengthened, protected and defended. May Thy wounds be to me food and drink by which I may be nourished, inebriated, and delighted. May the sprinkling of Thy Blood be to me an ablution for all my sins. May Thy death be eternal glory to me. In these may my refreshment, joy, health, zeal, delight, and desire of my body and soul, now and forever. Amen. 

Prayer: O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, place Thy Passion, Cross, and Death between Thy judgment and my soul, now and in the hour of my death. Deign to grant me grace and mercy, pardon to the living, eternal rest to the dead, peace to Thy Church, and life and eternal glory to all sinners. Thou who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen

--from the Paradisus Animae (1670)

God bless!

+JMJ+

For the Feast of St. Cyril of Alexandria

 St. Cyril of Alexandria is honored by Holy Mother Church with a feast day on February 9.  Even at a young age, Cyril's intelligence shone.  St. Cyril possessed a great zeal for the salvation of souls and for the defense of Holy Mother Church.  He later became bishop of Alexandria, a position he held for 32 years.  He worked tirelessly against heresy and is especially known for his defense against the Nestorian heresy.  

Preached by Nestorius, who at the time was the bishop of Constantinople, the Nestorian heresy taught that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary as man only; thus, he called our Lady Christokos, meaning mother of Christ, as opposed to Theotokos, meaning mother of God.  While  Nestorius believed in Christ's two natures, he heretically explained this as two separate persons, teaching only the human person of Christ suffered and died.  At the Council of Ephesus, over which St. Cyril presided, the Nestorian heresy was entirely condemned, as was Nestorius himself.  The doctrine of the Incarnation of Our Lord, as well as the truth of Christ's two natures united in one Divine Person  The Council of Ephesus also defined the dogma of Mary as Theotokos, Mother of God.  St. Cyril of Alexandria is known as the Defender of the Incarnation.  He died in 444 and was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1881 by Pope Leo XIII.

Hail, O Mary, Mother of God 
By St Cyril of Alexandria 

 

Hail, Mother and Virgin, 

eternal Temple of the Godhead, 
Venerable Treasure of Creation, 
crown of virginity, 
support of the true faith, 
on which the Church is founded, throughout the world. 
Mother of God, 
who contained the infinite God under your heart, 
whom no space can contain. 

Through you, the most Holy Trinity, is revealed, 
adored and glorified, 
demons are vanquished, 
Satan cast down from heaven into hell
and our fallen nature again assumed into heaven. 

Through you, the human race, 
held captive in the bonds of idolatry, 
arrives at the knowledge of Truth. 
What more shall I say of you? 

Hail, through whom kings rule, 
through whom the Only-Begotten Son of God 
has become the Star of Light to those sitting in darkness 
and in the shadow of death. 
Amen

God bless!

+JMJ+

Wreath of Gems

 Holy Mother Church devotes the entire month of January to give honor to the Holy Name of Jesus with a specific feast day on January 2.  May we use the entire month to honor our Blessed Lord's Name, expressing love and delight in it and making reparation for the blasphemies against it.

The Wreath of Gems is a prayer composed by St. Gertrude the Great.  It is made of three beads of gold and fifteen of silver. In the prayer book Preces Gertrudianae : Prayers of St. Gertrude and St. Mechtilde of the Order of St. Benedict, we read, 

"While St. Gertrude was offering this wreath of salutations in honour of the name of Jesus, she seemed to see them under the form of roses hung around with golden bells, the fragrance and tuneful harmony of which touched the Sacred Heart with ineffable delight. Those which had been recited with devout intention gave forth a most ravishing melody, while those which had been said carelessly uttered a low and wailing sound. And the Lord said to her: Whenever anyone prays to Me, Hail, sweetest Jesus,..., the depth of the sweetness of My Godhead is stirred within Me, and there spreads itself before Me all odour of wondrous fragrance, which I shed down on him who repeats these words."

Wreath of Gems

First Golden Bead:  Hail, most loving Jesus, life-giving Germ of the Divine Honour, unfading flower of human dignity, my consummate and my only salvation. Thou art my Creator and my Redeemer, and Thou hast so loved me as to leave all Thy bliss and Thy glory, and to purchase me for Thyself with the anguish of Thy death. 

Five Silver Beads:

1. Hail, sweetest Jesus, most precious pearl of the most holy Trinity, with Whose price the world has been redeemed. 

2. Hail, most tender Jesus, refulgent splendour of the Father's glory, Who with the light of Thy countenance dost enlighten and quicken Thine elect in the heavenly country. 

3. Hail, most amiable Jesus, flashing effulgence from the sun of Justice, Who dost inflame the hearts of Angels and Saints with the fire of Thy love. 

4. Hail, most noble Jesus, living Image of Thy Father's substance, Who dost make all those who cleave to Thee partakers of Thy Divine nature. 

5. Hail, most renowned Jesus, Morning Star of Thy Church, Who enlightenest the darkness of the world, and scatterest all the thick darkness of sin. 

Second Golden Bead:  Hail, Jesus, Bridegroom most beauteous in the charm of Thy Divinity; I salute Thee and embrace Thee with the affection of all Thy creatures, and kiss Thee with my mouth, Thou Wound of love. 

Five Silver Beads:

1. Hail, Jesus, fairer than the sons of men, Orient pearl born in the ocean of the Godhead of the Father, Whose generation no created intelligence can declare. 

2. Hail, Jesus, sweeter than honey and the honeycomb, heavenly manna of wondrous sweetness, Who dost refresh and satisfy every hungry soul. 

3. Hail, Jesus most resplendent, glowing Fire of uncreated love, Who dost lighten and bear the burden of human toil and misery. 

4. Hail, Jesus, most gentle, sweet channel of heavenly streams, Who dost take away the bitterness of every soul in anguish. 

5. Hail, priceless Jesus, treasure-house of the Divine Essence, Who dost enrich the poverty of our nature. Amen. 

Third Golden Bead:  Hail, Jesus, full of grace, mercy is with Thee, and Thou art blessed among the sons of men; and blessed be Thy most Holy Name, Thy Life and Thy Passion. O sweet Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners now and in the hour of our death. Amen. 

Five Silver Beads:

1. Hail, Jesus, Spouse and Crown of Virgins, we praise Thee for ever, Whose love made Thee Son of the Virgin. 

2. Hail, Jesus, Ruler of all things, fairer in Thy beauty than the sons of men, we acknowledge and worship Thee as our most clement Lord. 

3. Hail, Jesus, wondrous splendour of the Godhead, wonder of wonders, Who dost blot out all the sins of the world. 

4. Hail, Jesus, our consolation, Who dost lay open to us the treasury of the riches of God, Thou true refuge of the poor, and comfort of the afflicted. 

5. Hail, Jesus, glory of Angels, living Fountain, light of all minds, Who dost transcend all joy and all desire. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle

 On December 21 Holy Mother Church honors the martyr and apostle, St. Thomas.  While St. Thomas is most often recognized as "doubting Thomas," this Apostle of our Lord lived and worked tirelessly for Christ and His Church.  He was honored with the title Apostle of India.  After Pentecost, St. Thomas taught the Faith in many countries, including in Persia, in Medea, and finally in India.  Inspired by St. Thomas' holiness, love, and devotion to the Faith, the number of converts to the Church was great, which angered the king of that land.  Therefore, he ordered St. Thomas to be killed with spears, allowing the Saint to gain the crown of martyrdom. 

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The feast of St. Thomas is the last Feast the Church celebrates until the Feast of  the Birth of our Lord on Christmas Day.  The remaining days of Advent are called the Greater Ferias.  Dom Gueranger writes in The Liturgical Year,

"To none of the Apostles could this day have been so fittingly assigned as to St. Thomas. It was St. Thomas whom we needed; St. Thomas, whose festal patronage would aid us to believe and hope in that God whom we see not, and who comes to us in silence and humility... Let us pray to him with confidence. In that heaven of Light and Vision, where his repentance and love have placed him, he will intercede for us, and gain for us that docility of mind and heart, which will enable us to see and recognize Him, who is the Expected of Nations, and who, though the King of the world, will give no other signs of His majesty, than the swaddling-clothes and tears of a Babe."

"Doubting Thomas" by Caravaggio

The following prayer, also found in The Liturgical Year, is to be prayed on the feast of St. Thomas the Apostle.  May we seek his intercession for an increased faith in and love of our Lord, the Infant King for whom we long.

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Prayer on the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle

O glorious Apostle Thomas! who didst lead to Christ so many unbelieving nations, hear now the prayers of the faithful, who beseech thee to lead them to that same Jesus, who, in five days, will have shown Himself to His Church. That we may merit to appear in His divine Presence, we need, before all other graces, the light which leads to Him. That light is Faith; then, pray that we may have Faith. 

Heretofore, our Saviour had compassion on thy weakness, and deigned to remove from thee the doubt of His having risen from the grave; pray to Him for us, that He will mercifully come to our assistance, and make Himself felt by our heart. We ask not, O holy Apostle, to see Him with the eyes of our body, but with those of our faith, for He said to thee, when He showed Himself to thee: Blessed are they who have not seen, and have believed! Of this happy number, we desire to be. 

We beseech thee, therefore, pray that we may obtain the Faith of the heart and will, that so, when we behold the divine Infant wrapped in swaddling-clothes and laid in a manger, we may cry out: My Lord! and my God! Pray, O holy Apostle, for the nations thou didst evangelize, but which have fallen back again into the shades of death. May the day soon come, when the Sun of Justice will once more shine upon them. Bless the efforts of those apostolic men, who have devoted their labours and their very lives to the work of the Missions; pray that the days of darkness may be shortened, and that the countries, which were watered by thy blood, may at length see that kingdom of God established amongst them, which thou didst preach to them, and for which we also are in waiting.  Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

An Act of Consecration to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

  On November 27 Holy Mother Church honors Mary under the title of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, and the following day, November 28, St. Catherine Laboure, to whom Our Lady appeared, is remembered.  It was in 1830 during the second of three visits to St. Catherine, who at that time was a novice for the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, that Mary instructed St. Catherine to have a medal made and distributed with the  revealed image.  St. Catherine described the image, saying,"

“The Blessed Virgin was standing on a globe, and her face was beautiful beyond words. Her fingers were covered with pre­cious jewels whose light dazzled me. And I heard: ‘Behold the symbol of the graces I shed upon those who ask for them!’ Then an oval frame formed around the Blessed Virgin and I read in let­ters of gold: ‘O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.’ The vi­sion reversed and I beheld the letter ‘M’ surmounted by a cross, at the foot of the cross, a bar, and below all, the Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns, and the Heart of Mary pierced with a sword. A voice said to me, ‘Have a medal struck after this model. Persons who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around the neck.'”

St. Catherine obeyed our Lady, and the Miraculous Medal, as it eventually became known, gained popularity with the Faithful; many miraculous conversions were connected to wearing this sacramental.  Years later St. Maximilian Kolbe made this medal honoring our Lady a significant aspect of his Militia Immaculatae, a sign of consecration to Mary.  May we also imitate these Saints and honor our Mother through the title of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, simply by wearing the medal.  Two prayers are given below for this devotion.

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Daily Miraculous Medal Prayer of St. Maximilian Kolbe

 

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you, and for all who do not have recourse to you, especially the enemies of the Church and those recommended to you.

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An Act of Consecration to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal 

O Virgin Mother of God, Mary Immaculate, we dedicate and consecrate ourselves to you under the title of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. May this Medal be for each one of us a sure sign of your affection for us and a constant reminder of our duties toward you. Ever while wearing it, may we be blessed by your loving protection and preserved in the grace of your Son. 

O most powerful Virgin, Mother of our Savior, keep us close to you every moment of our lives. Obtain for us, your children, the grace of a happy death; so that, in union with you, we may enjoy the bliss of heaven forever. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer in Honor of St. Raphael Archangel

 "Angelus Domini Raphael apprehendit et ligavit daemonem.  Magnus Dominus noster, et magna virtus ejus." ("The angel of the Lord, Raphael, took and bound the devil.  Great is our Lord, and great is His power." --Tobias 8:3)  

Holy Mother Church celebrates the feast of St. Raphael the Archangel on October 24.  As is revealed to us in the Bible, St. Raphael is one of the seven who stand before the throne of God; he is the angel who accompanied young Tobias on his journey, who bound the demon in the desert, and who healed the blind Tobit.  In fact, St. Raphael the Archangel's name means 'God heals.'  May we thank God for all of our heavenly helpers, and may we especially remember St. Raphael on his feast day.

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Prayer in Honor of St. Raphael the Archangel 

Vouchsafe, O Lord God, to send unto our assistance Saint Raphael the Archangel: and may he, who, we believe, evermore standeth before the throne of Thy Majesty, offer unto Thee our humble petitions to be blessed by Thee; through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

 Let us pray: O glorious Archangel, St. Raphael, great Prince of the heavenly Court, illustrious for thy gifts of wisdom and grace, guide of those who journey by land or sea, consoler of the afflicted and of sinners: I beg thee to assist me in all my needs and in suffering of this life, as once thou didst help the young Tobias in his travels. And because thou art the “Medicine of God,” I pray thee to heal the many infirmities of my soul, and the ills which afflict my body, if it be for my greater good. I especially ask of thee an angelic purity, which may fit me to be the temple of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Christe, Sanctorum 

(taken from Vespers of the feast of St. Raphael) 

Christ, Thou glory of the holy Angels, The Creator and Redeemer of the human race,  Grant that we may ascend to the happy abodes  Of the Blessed.  As the physician of our salvation  May the Angel Raphael come down from heaven,  That he may heal all who are sick,  And give guidance in the uncertain affairs of life.  May the Virgin, Queen of Peace,  May the Mother of the Light  May the sacred choir of Angels  And also the court of radiant heaven ever assist us.  Grant us this, Blessed Godhead  Of the Father, And Son, and likewise of the Holy Spirit,  Whose glory resounds  Throughout the whole world.			Christe,  sanctorum decus Angelorum  Gentis humanae Sator et Redemptor  Caelitum nobis tribuas beatas  Scandere sedes.  Angelus nostrae medicus salutis,  Adsit e caelo Raphael, ut omnes  Sanet aegrotos, dubiosque vitae  Dirigat actus.  Virgo dux pacis Genitrix-que lucis,  Et sacer nobis chorus Angelorum  Semper assistat, simul et micantis  Regia caeli.  Praestet hoc nobis Deitas beata  Patris, ac Nati, pariterque Sancti  Spiritus, cujus resonat per omnem  Gloria mundum.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Novena for the Feast of St. Therese of Lisieux

  Holy Mother Church honors St. Therese of Lisieux, also known as the Little Flower, on October 3.  She is well-known for her life of simplicity, her love of serving God, and her zeal for souls.  The following prayer is a novena asking for the intercession of St. Therese.  To end the novena on the vigil of her feast day, October 2, one should begin praying it on September 24.

"You know well enough that our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them."--St. Therese of Lisieux

"I have given nothing but love to God, and He will repay with love.  After my death, I will let fall a shower of roses."  --St. Therese of Lisieux

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Novena in Honor of the Little Flower

 After the Special Prayer for each day, say the Concluding Prayers given at the end of the Novena. Thoughts for the day are taken from the words of the Little Flower. 

 Prayers to be said each day:

+ Holy Ghost, come and fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Divine love. V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created. R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.  

+ Let Us Pray: O God, Who hast instructed the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Spirit, we may be ever truly wise and rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen. O my God! I believe in Thee: do Thou strengthen my faith. All my hopes are in. Thee: do Thou secure them. I love Thee: teach me to love Thee daily more and more. 

+ Then make an Act of Contrition.

+ Prayer:  O Lord Who hast said: Unless you become as little children you shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven, grant us, we beseech Thee, so to follow, in humility and simplicity of heart, the footsteps of the virgin, blessed Therese, that we may attain to an everlasting reward. Amen. 

SPECIAL PRAYERS FOR EACH DAY

First Day:

St. Therese, privileged Little Flower of Jesus and Mary, I approach thee with childlike confidence and deep humility. I lay before thee my desires, and beg that through thine intercession they may be realized. Did thou not promise to spend thy Heaven doing good upon earth? Grant me according to this promise the favors I am asking from thee. Intercede for us all the days of our life, but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen. 

Thought for the day: CONFIDENCE IN GOD. "We can never have too much confidence in the good God Who is so powerful and so merciful. We obtain from Him as much as we hope for. What offends Jesus, what wounds His Sacred Heart, is lack of confidence in Him. If you are nothing, do you forget that Jesus is everything? You have only to lose your nothingness in His Infinity and think only of loving Him."

Second Day:  O dear little Saint, now that thou seest the crucified Jesus in Heaven, still bearing the wounds caused by sin, thou knowest still more clearly than thou didst upon earth the value of souls, and the priceless worth of that Precious Blood which He shed to save them. As I am one of those children for whom Christ died, obtain for me all the graces I need in order to profit by that Precious Blood. Use thy great power with our Divine Lord and pray for me. Intercede for us all the days of our life, but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen. 

Thought for the day: SIN. "The only grace I ask, O Jesus, is never to offend Thee. By love and not by fear, does a soul avoid committing the least voluntary fault. Yes, even if I had on my conscience a possible crime, I should lose none of my confidence; my heart breaking with sorrow should go and throw myself into the arm of my Saviour. The remembrance of my faults humbles and makes me afraid to rely on my strength. which is nothing but weakness." 

Third Day:  Dear Little Flower, make all things lead me to Heaven and God. Whether I look at the sun, the moon, the stars and the vast expanse in which they float, or whether I look at the flowers of the field, the trees of the forest, the beauties of the earth so full of color and so glorious, may they speak to me of the love and power of God; may they all sing His praises in my ear. Like thee may I daily love Him more and more in return for His gifts. Teach me often to deny myself in my dealings with others, that I may offer to Jesus many little sacrifices. Intercede for us all the days of our life, but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen. 

Thought for the day: THE USE OF GOD'S GIFTS. "How much benefit have I received from the beauties of nature, bestowed in such abundance. How they raise me to Him Who placed such wonders in this land of exile which is only to last a day. O sparkling nature, if I did not see God in thee, thou wouldst be naught but a great tomb. With Thy little hand which caresses Mary, Thou sustaineth the universe and bestow life; and Thou thinkest of me, O Jesus my little King. I do not wish creatures to have one atom of my love. I wish to give all to Jesus, since He has shown me that He alone is perfect happiness."

Fourth Day:  Dear Little Flower of Carmel, bearing so patiently the disappointments and delays allowed by God, and preserving in the depths of thy soul an unchanging peace because thou didst seek only God's Will, ask for me complete conformity to that adorable Will in all the trials and disappointments of life. If the favors I am asking during this Novena are pleasing to God, obtain them for me. If not, it is true I shall feel the refusal keenly, but I too wish only God's Will, and pray in the words thou didst use, that it "may ever be perfectly fulfilled in me." Intercede for us all the days of our life, but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen. 

Thought for the day: ABANDONMENT TO GOD. "I fear only one thing -- to keep my own will; take it, my God, for I choose all that Thou choosest. The only happiness here below is to strive to be always content with what Jesus gives us. I can demand nothing with fervor, except the perfect accomplishment of God's will in my soul. O my Beloved, I offer myself to Thee, that Thou may perfectly accomplisheth in me Thy holy designs, and I will not allow anything created to be an obstacle in their path."

Fifth Day:  Little Flower of Jesus, from the very first moment of thy religious life thou didst think only of denying thyself in all things so as to follow Jesus perfectly; help me to bear patiently the trials of my daily life. Teach me to make use of the trials, the sufferings, the humiliations, that come my way, to learn to know myself better and to love God more. Intercede for us all the days of our life but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen. 

Thought for the day: PATIENCE IN SUFFERINGS. "I do not fear trials sent by Jesus, for even in the most bitter suffering we can see that it is His loving hand which causes it. When we are expecting nothing but suffering, we are quite surprised at the least joy; but then suffering itself becomes the greatest of joys when we seek it as a precious treasure. Far from resembling those beautiful Saints who practiced all sorts of austerities from childhood, my penance consisted in breaking my self-will, in keeping back a sharp reply, in doing little kindnesses to those about me, but considering these deeds as nothing."

Sixth Day:  St. Therese, Patroness of the Missions, be a great missionary throughout the world to the end of time. Remind our Master of His Own words, "The harvest is great, but the laborers are few." Thy zeal for souls was so great, obtain a like zeal for those now working for souls, and beg God to multiply their numbers, that the millions to whom Jesus is yet unknown, may be brought to know, love and follow Him. Intercede for us all the days of our life but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen. 

Thought for the day: ZEAL FOR SOULS. "Let us work together for the salvation of souls. We have only the day of this life to save souls and to give them to the Lord as proofs of our love. I tell Jesus that I am glad not to be able to see, with the eyes of my soul, this beautiful Heaven which awaits me, in order that He may vouchsafe to open it forever to poor unbelievers. I cannot perform brilliant works; I cannot preach the Gospel or shed my blood. But what matter? My brothers work in place of me, and I, a little child, keep very close to the royal throne. I love for those who are carrying on the warfare. My deeds, my little sufferings, can make God loved all over the world."

Seventh Day:  O little martyr of Love, thou knowest now even better than in the days of thy pilgrimage that Love embraces all vocations; that it is Love alone which counts, which unites us perfectly to God and conforms our will with His. All thou didst seek on earth was love; to love Jesus as He had never yet been loved. Use thy power in Heaven to make us love Him. If only we love Him we shall desire to make Him loved by others; we shall pray much for souls. We shall no longer fear death, for it will unite us to Him forever. Obtain for us the grace to do all for the love of God, to give Him pleasure, to love Him so well that He may be pleased with us as He was with thee. Intercede for us all the days of our life but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen. 

Thought for the day: LOVE OF GOD. "I will love God alone and will not have the misfortune of attaching myself to creatures, now that my heart perceives what He has in store for those who love Him. What attracts me to the Kingdom of Heaven is the call of our Lord, the hope of loving Him as I have so desired and the thought that I shall be able to make Him loved by a great number of souls who will bless Him forever. When Christ said, 'Give Me to drink,' it was the love of His poor creatures that He, the Creator of all things, desired. He thirsted for love. Remember that the dear Jesus is there in the Tabernacle expressly for you, for you alone. Remember that He is consumed with a desire to come into your heart."

Eighth Day:  Dear St. Therese, like thee I have to die one day. I beseech thee, obtain from God, by reminding Him of thine own precious death, that I may have a holy death, strengthened by the Sacraments of the Church, entirely resigned to the most holy Will of God, and burning with love for Him. May my last words on earth be "My God, I love Thee." Intercede for us all the days of our life but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen. 

Thought for the day: DEATH. "It says in the catechism that death is nothing but the separation of the soul and body. Well, I have no fear of a separation which will unite me forever with the good God. I am happy to die because I shall be able to help souls who are dear to me, far more than I can here below. Life is not sad; it is very joyous. If you say, "This exile is sad," I understand you. We are wrong to give the name "life" to something which will end; it is only to the things of Heaven that we should apply this beautiful name."

Ninth Day:  Dear little St. Therese, by love and suffering while on earth, thou didst win the power with God which thou doth now enjoy in Heaven. Since thy life there began, thou hast showered down countless blessings on this poor world; thou hast been the instrument made use of by thy Divine Spouse to work countless miracles. I beg of thee to remember all my wants. Sufferings must come to me also, may I use them to love God more, and follow my Jesus better. Thou art especially the little missionary of love. Make me love Jesus more, and all others for His sake. With all my heart I thank the most Holy Trinity for the wonderful blessings conferred on thee, and upon the world through thee. Intercede for us all the days of our life but especially during this Novena and obtain for us from God the graces and favors we ask through thine intercession. Amen. 

Thought for the day: THE MISSION OF THE LITTLE FLOWER. "I do not intend to remain inactive in Heaven. I want to work for the Church and for souls. I have asked this of God and I am certain that He will grant my request. I will spend my Heaven doing good upon earth. This is not impossible, since the Angels, though always enjoying the Beatific Vision, watch over us. No, I cannot be at rest until the end of the world. I beseech Thee, O Jesus, to cast Thy Divine glance on a great number of little souls. I beg Thee to choose in this world a legion of little victims, worthy of Thy Love." 

CONCLUDING PRAYERS 

We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God. Despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious and blessed Virgin. V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray: Grant O Lord God, we beseech Thee that we Thy servants may rejoice in continual health of mind and body; and through the glorious intercession of blessed Mary, ever Virgin, may be freed from present sorrow and enjoy eternal gladness, through Christ our Lord. Amen. O God, Who didst inflame with Thy Spirit of Love, the soul of Thy Servant, Therese of the Child Jesus, grant that we also may love Thee and make Thee much loved. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

For the Feast of St. John Vianney

 Holy Mother Church celebrates the feast of St. John Mary Vianney on August 8.  Also known as the Cure D'Ars, St. John Vianney is the patron Saint of parish priests.  Born in France in 1786, St. John was ordained to the priesthood on August 13, 1815 and sent to the little town of Ars to be the pastor to the people there, most who lacked the true Faith.  

He provided his parishioners with an example of a true love of God, the Faith, and zeal for souls.  St. John Vianney offered many penances for his parishioners, and he spent long hours in prayer before our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  The Saint told his parishioners, “One need not say much to pray well...  We know that Jesus is there in the Tabernacle. Let us open our hearts to Him, let us rejoice in His sacred presence. That is the best prayer.”

St. John became known as "a great hospital of souls," spending up to 16 hours a day in the confessional, hearing the confessions of people from all over Europe.  God granted the Cure D'Ars the ability to read souls, which allowed him to bring many stubborn hearts back to the Faith.  He also had a great devotion to St. Philomena, whose feast day is August 11, and many miracles worked through him were at the same time through her intercession.

With the good being accomplished through him, St. John Vianney was at times tormented by the devil.  Once, while the Saint was praying his Office at the end of a long day, the devil kept extinguishing his candle, thus making it too dark to read the prayers.  Finally St. John, relighting the candle again, handed it to the devil, making him hold it for him until he finished. 

Act of Love of the Holy Cure D'Ars 

I love Thee, O my God. 

My only desire is to love Thee, 

until the last breath of my life. 

I love Thee, O infinitely loveable God, 

and I prefer to die loving Thee, 

rather than to live for an instant without Thee. 

I love Thee, O my God, 

and I desire only to go to Heaven, 

to have the happiness of loving Thee perfectly. 

I love Thee, O my God, 

and my only fear is to go to Hell, 

because one will never have the sweet 

solace of loving Thee there. 

O my God, if my tongue cannot say

at all times that I love Thee, 

at least I want my heart to repeat it to Thee! 

as many times as I breathe. Ah! Do me the grace 

to suffer while loving Thee, 

to love Thee while suffering, 

and, that when I die: 

I not only will love Thee, 

but experience it in my heart. 

I beg Thee that: the closer I come to my final end, 

Thou wilt increase and perfect my love for Thee.   Amen.

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Just as God worked much good through the life of St. John Vianney, likewise He continues to work through our own priests.  May we daily remember to pray for our priests and the priests throughout the world, thanking God for them and begging His graces to be bestowed abundantly upon them.

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A Prayer for Priests 

O Jesus, Eternal Priest, keep Thy priests within the shelter of Thy Sacred Heart, where none may touch them. Keep unstained their anointed hands, which daily touch Thy Sacred Body. Keep unsullied their lips, daily purpled with Thy Precious Blood. Keep pure and unworldly their hearts, sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood. Let Thy Holy Love surround them from the world's contagion. Bless their labors with abundant fruit, and may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and their everlasting crown hereafter. Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us: obtain for us numerous and holy priests. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

St. Catherine of Siena's Constant Prayer to the Precious Blood of Jesus

                                                              

 A short, but beautiful prayer that would be wonderful to make into a daily recitation especially during the month of July would be the following prayer, "Constant Prayer of St. Catherine of Siena to the Precious Blood of Jesus." During this month may we remember the awesome power of the Precious Blood of our Lord to obtain for us forgiveness of our sins and relief of the Poor Souls in Purgatory. May we implore Jesus daily to offer His Most Precious Blood to our Heavenly Father, sending down mercy and divine Love upon us, our families, and the world. May we always remember the necessity of daily prayer and sacrifice for reparation of sin and conversion of the world; no matter our vocation it is our duty to pray and do penance for these intentions.

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Constant Prayer of St. Catherine of Siena to the Precious Blood of Jesus 

Precious Blood, 

ocean of divine mercy: 

Flow upon us! 

Precious Blood, 

most pure offering: 

Procure us every grace! 

Precious Blood, 

hope and refuge of sinners: 

Atone for us! 

Precious Blood, 

delight of holy souls: 

Draw us! Amen. 

 - St. Catherine of Siena

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer to the Most Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ

 The month of July is dedicated to the Precious Blood of Jesus, with a particular feast celebrated on July 1.  The following prayer adores our Lord who shed His Blood, His Life for our salvation.  May we always strive to perform acts of reparation in honor of our Lord's Passion.  May we love Him continually as our Lord, our Savior, and our God.

Prayer for July, the Month of the Most Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ

Most Precious Blood of life eternal! price and ransom of the whole universe! drink and bath of the soul! ever pleading the cause of man before the throne of heavenly Mercy; I adore Thee most profoundly: I would, if I were able, make Thee some compensation for the outrages and wrongs Thou dost ever suffer from men, and especially from those who in their rashness dare to blaspheme Thee. Who will not bless this Blood of value infinite? Who does not feel himself inflamed with the love of Jesus, who shed it all for us? What should I be but for this Blood, which hath redeemed me? And who drew it out of the veins of my Lord, even unto the last drop? It was love. 

O immense love, which gave to us this saving Balsam! O Balsam beyond all price, streaming forth from the Fount of immeasurable love! Give to all hearts, all tongues, power to praise, celebrate, and thank Thee, now and ever, and throughout all eternity. Amen. 

Almighty and Everlasting God, who hast appointed Thine only-begotten Son the Savior of the world, and hast willed to be appeased with His Blood; grant us, we beseech Thee, so to venerate this Blood, the price of our salvation, and so to be defended by its power upon earth from the evils of this present life, that in heaven we may enjoy its everlasting fruit. Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the Unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Traditional Prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

 June 27 is the historical feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Succour.  The devotion to the Blessed Virgin under this title stems from a miraculous image painted in the thirteenth century in Crete.  At one point the painting was stolen by a merchant, who brought it to Rome.  On his deathbed he asked a local Roman to place it in a church where it could be venerated by many people.  The Roman and his wife decided to keep the painting instead.

Our Mother Mary appeared to the Roman's six-year old daughter, asking her to take the icon to St. Matthew's Church; the family then obeyed.  This miraculous image remained in the Church of St. Matthew for nearly 300 years where many graces were obtained through our Lady's intercession.  However, in 1798 Napoleon invaded Rome and ordered the destruction of the churches.  At this time in history, the icon disappeared.

Nearly half a century later a young altar boy was told by an old religious sacristan that the old image hanging in their chapel had been  rescued from destruction; it once hung in St. Matthew's Church.  He wanted the boy to remember, so the story would not be lost.  Later that same boy became a Redemptorist in Rome.  When the order took over St. Matthew's Church, which was now in ruins, the Redemptorists read of a beautiful, old icon that once hung in the church.  The former altar boy remembered the sacristan's story, and he and the other Redemptorists appealed to Pope Pius IX for permission to restore the image to the grounds of St. Matthew Church as Mary had originally wished.  The pope, who had prayed before the image in St. Matthew's as a boy agreed to their request, but with St. Matthew Church in ruins, the icon was placed in the newly built church of the Holy Redeemer and St. Alphonsus, which was located near the old church grounds.  Pope Pius IX gave the Redemptorist Order as their mission to spread devotion to the icon and Mary under the title of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The icon depicts our Lady with a loving, but sorrowful, gaze upon us, encouraging us to ponder her Son and His passion.  In this image she is also known as Virgin of the Passion.  The Greek letters above her tell us she is the Mother of God, while the other Greek letters reveal the names of Baby Jesus, St. Michael, and St. Gabriel.  The Christ Child's gaze is resting upon something in the distance that has made Him afraid.  One sandal is slipping off as He hastily went to His Mother for protection.  He is also gripping her thumb with both hands for comfort and safety.  What did our Lord see that frightened Him so?  His gazed recognized His future Passion, His Sufferings for our redemption.  The angels also reveal His Passion; St. Michael holds the lance, the urn filled with gall, and the reed and sponge.  St. Gabriel carries a cross and four nails.

Just as our Lord in this image sought His Mother and clung to her for protection, may we also imitate Him.  May we turn to our Lady in all our needs, with love and devotion, trusting her to protect us and guide us to her Son.  May we ponder this beautiful image of our Lady of Perpetual Help, remembering our Lord's Passion and Mary's sorrows all done out of love for us.  The prayer below invokes Mary under this title, begging her for help and showering her with words of devotion.

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Prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour 

O Mother of Perpetual Succour, grant that I may always invoke thy most powerful name, for thy name is help in life, salvation in death. Ah, Mary most pure, Mary most sweet, let thy name henceforth be the breath of my life. Tarry not, O Lady, to come to my succour, whenever I call upon thee, for in all the wants which shall befall me, I wilt never cease to call upon thee, and to repeat again and again: Mary, Mary! 

What comfort, what sweetness, what confidence, what tenderness, does my soul feel in the mere mention of thy name, in the very thought of thee! I thank the Lord for having given thee, for my good, this name so sweet, so amiable, so powerful. But merely to pronounce thy name is not enough for me. I wish to do so out of love: I wish that love may remind me to call thee always, Mother of Perpetual Succour. Amen. 

Pater Noster … Ave Maria … Gloria Patri (For the intentions of the Holy Father)

God bless!

+JMJ+

For the Great Feast of the Ascension of our Lord

                                       

From a sermon by Pope Leo the Great, we read, “Christ's Ascension has given us greater privileges and joys than the devil had taken from us. Accordingly, dearly-beloved, throughout this time which elapsed between the Lord's Resurrection and Ascension, God's Providence had this in view, to teach and impress upon both the eyes and hearts of His own people that the Lord Jesus Christ might be acknowledged to have as truly risen, as He was truly born, suffered, and died. And hence the most blessed Apostles and all the disciples, … were so strengthened by the clearness of the truth that when the Lord entered the heights of heaven, not only were they affected with no sadness, but were even filled with great joy. And truly great and unspeakable was their cause for joy, when in the sight of the holy multitude, above the dignity of all heavenly creatures, the Nature of mankind went up, to pass above the angels' ranks and to rise beyond the archangels' heights, and to have Its uplifting limited by no elevation until, received to sit with the Eternal Father, It should be associated on the throne with His glory, to Whose Nature It was united in the Son. Since then Christ's Ascension is our uplifting, and the hope of the Body is raised, whither the glory of the Head has gone before, let us exult, dearly-beloved, with worthy joy and delight in the loyal paying of thanks. For today not only are we confirmed as possessors of paradise, but have also in Christ penetrated the heights of heaven, and have gained still greater things through Christ's unspeakable grace than we had lost through the devil's malice. For us, whom our virulent enemy had driven out from the bliss of our first abode, the Son of God has made members of Himself and placed at the right hand of the Father, with Whom He lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.”

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The following prayer is one of adoration and thanksgiving to God. The prayer recognizes God's work in our whole life, and adores Him, thanks Him, and humbly seeks His mercy. Our lives are filled with God's love in every aspect of our day and night, and it is important to recognize His presence and love in each moment, even the most ordinary. Sometimes this requires slowing down and giving our heart to Almighty God. May we always remember to thank Him for His great gifts to us. However, as the great feast of the Ascension of our Lord draws near, let us especially thank our Lord for His Ascension into heaven, praising Him with immense joy as Pope Leo suggested in his sermon. 

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An Act of Adoration and Thanksgiving

O Eternal God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost; the beginning and end of all things, in Whom we live and move and have our being; prostrate before Thee in body and soul, I adore Thee with the most profound humility. I bless Thee and give Thee thanks for all the benefits Thou has conferred upon me, especially that Thou hast created me out of nothing, made me after Thine own image and likeness, redeemed me with the Precious Blood of Thy Son, and sanctified me with Thy Holy Ghost. I thank Thee that Thou hast called me into Thy Church, helped me by Thy grace, admitted me to Thy Sacraments, watched over me by Thy special Providence, blessed me, notwithstanding my sins and unworthiness, with Thy continuing and gracious protection, and for all the innumerable blessings which I owe to Thy undeserved bounty. I thank Thee especially for having preserved me during the past night and for bringing me in safety to the beginning of another day. What return can I make to Thee, O my God, for all that Thou hast done for me? I will bless Thy Holy Name and serve Thee all the days of my life. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let all that is within me praise His Holy Name. Amen. 

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The following hymn is from the 7th or 8th century and is for Vespers of the feast of the Ascension of our Lord.

Hail, Thou who man’s Redeemer Art 

Hail, Thou who man’s Redeemer art, 

Jesu, the joy of every heart; 

Great Maker of the world’s wide frame,

 And purest love’s delight and flame: 

What nameless mercy Thee o’ercame, 

To bear our load of sin and shame? 

For guiltless, Thou Thy life didst give, 

That sinful erring man might live. 

The realms of woe are forced by Thee, 

Its captives from their chains set free; 

And Thou, amid Thy ransomed train, 

At God’s right hand dost victor reign. 

Let mercy sweet with Thee prevail, 

To cure the wounds we now bewail; 

Oh, bless us with Thy holy sight, 

And fill us with eternal light. 

Our guide, our way to heavenly rest, 

Be Thou the aim of every breast; 

Be Thou the soother of our tears, 

Our sweet reward above the spheres.

God bless!

+JMJ+