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+

Little Chaplet of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

 Jesus spoke to St. Margaret Mary, saying, "Behold this Heart, which has so loved men, as that it has spared nothing, even to the exhausting and wearing itself out, in order to show them its love; and instead of acknowledgment I receive, from the greater number, nothing but ingratitude, by their irreverences and sacrileges, and by the coldness and contempt wherewith they treat Me, in this Sacrament of love."  

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Holy Mother Church especially honors our Lord under the title of the Sacred Heart with a feast day on the Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi, which took place last Friday.  The Sacred Heart of Jesus is also honored throughout the month of June.  With the words of our Lord to St. Margaret before us, may we strive throughout this month and always to love our Lord with our whole being, offering Him adoration and thanksgiving for His love and sacrifice for us. We can honor our Lord through prayers, enthronement of His Image in our homes, and fulfilling the First Friday devotion.  Our Lord yearns to give us His Heart, waiting in silence for us to give ourselves in return. St. Margaret Mary spoke of our Lord's Sacred Heart, saying, "This divine heart is an abyss filled with all blessings, and into it the poor should submerge all their needs. It is an abyss of joy in which all of us can immerse our sorrows. It is an abyss of lowliness to counteract our foolishness, an abyss of mercy for the wretched, an abyss of love to meet our every need."

Little Chaplet of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Composed by St. Gertrude

V. O God, come to my assistance.
R. O Lord, make haste to help me.

1. O My most loving Jesus! when I meditate upon Thy Sacred Heart, and behold it full of mercy and tenderness for us poor sinners, my own heart leaps for joy and is filled with trust and confidence that Thou wilt graciously accept it. Alas! how many and how great my sins! But I now bewail and detest them all with Peter and Magdalen, because they offend Thee, the highest good. Grant me, O grant me, a full and entire forgiveness! And this I entreat Thee, for the sake of Thy Sacred Heart. May I rather die than offend Thee again, yes, grant me rather to die than sin against Thee anymore! May I live only to return Thy love, now and forever and ever. Say one Our Father, and five Glory Be to the Fathers, then say:

Thee, Sacred Heart of Jesus, I adore.
Make me, O Lord, to love Thee more and more.

2. My Jesus, I praise and bless Thy, most humble Heart, and I thank Thee that Thou hast given it to me as a model, and that not alone Thou dost urge me by earnest pleadings to imitate it, but that by the many humiliations Thou didst Thyself undergo, Thou hast prepared and smoothed the way for me. Foolish and ungrateful that I am! I have wandered far, far away from Thee! Forgive me, sweetest Lord, only forgive me! Pride and worldly honor will never tempt me again. With an heart through the furnace of humiliation, I will follow Thee, my Jesus, and strive for peace and salvation. Strengthen Thou me, O Lord, my God, and I will praise Thy Sacred Heart forever. Say one Our Father, and five Glory Be to the Fathers, then say:

Thee, Sacred Heart of Jesus, I adore.
Make me, O Lord, to love Thee more and more.

3. My Jesus! I can but wonder at the marvelous patience of Thy Sacred Heart, and I thank Thee for the admirable examples of invincible long suffering which Thou hast set before us. I am sorry that on account of my great sensitiveness I still incur the reproach of not being able to bear the slightest pain. Ah, dear Jesus! pour into my heart an ardent and enduring love for suffering, for the cross, for mortification, for penance, that following Thee to the Mount of Calvary, I may with Thee attain to the glory and joys of Paradise. Say one Our Father, and five Glory Be to the Fathers, then say:

Thee, Sacred Heart of Jesus, I adore.
Make me, O Lord, to love Thee more and more.

4. Dearest Jesus! I shudder at my own heart, when I place it beside Thine, which is all meekness, gentleness, and love. Mine is so unlike! A shadow, a gesture, a contradictory word, can, at any time make me restless and fretful. O pardon me the outbursts of my anger and impatience, and give me the grace for the future to follow the example of Thine unvaried meekness whenever I encounter a contradiction, that so I may at length enjoy a holy, everlasting peace. Say one Our Father, and five Glory Be to the Fathers, then say:

Thee, Sacred Heart of Jesus, I adore.
Make me, O Lord, to love Thee more and more.

5. Our praises shall resound, O Jesus, to Thee, the conqueror of death and Hell! for to Thee all praise is due. I am more than ever overwhelmed with shame, when I consider my own coward heart, which dreads every untoward word or injurious taunt. It shall be so no more. Therefore, I beseech Thee, O Lord Jesus, for courage and strength, that by fighting and conquering self on earth, I may one day rejoice and triumph with Thee in Heaven. Say one Our Father, and five Glory Be to the Fathers, then say:

Thee, Sacred Heart of Jesus, I adore.
Make me, O Lord, to love Thee more and more.

Let us now turn to Mary. consecrate ourselves more and more to her, and confiding in her maternal heart, say to her:  By the high privileges of thy sweetest Heart, we beg of thee, great Mother of God, and my mother, Mary! a true and lasting devotion to the Sacred Heart of thy Son Jesus, that bound in every thought and affection to that heart, I may fulfill all the duties of my state in life and serve Jesus faithfully, but especially this day.

O Saviour Heart! burning with love for me.
Inflame my languid heart with love for Thee.

Lord, I beseech Thee, let Thy Holy Spirit kindle within my heart that fire of love which our Lord Jesus Christ sent forth from the sanctuary of His Heart upon the earth, and which He so longingly desired should burn exceedingly: Who with Thee liveth and reigneth in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer of Saint John Eudes

Oh, how good and delightful it is to dwell in the Heart of Jesus!

Thy Heart, O good Jesus, is a precious treasure, a precious pearl

which we have found by digging the field of Thy Body.

Who will cast aside this pearl? Nay, rather I will give all I have,

I will exchange all my thoughts and desires and purchase it.

I will cast all my care on the Heart of the Lord Jesus and He will

provide for me without fail. I will adore in this temple,

this Holy of Holies, this Ark of the Testament, and I will praise the name

of the Lord, saying with David, "I have found my heart that I may pray

to my God. And I have found the heart of my King, my Brother, my Friend,

the benign Jesus, and why shall I not adore?" Assuredly I shall pray.

For His Heart is mine. I will say it boldly, for Christ is my Head,

is not what belongs to my Head mine? Therefore as the eyes of my corporal

head are truly my eyes, so is my spiritual heart my heart.

Therefore, it is well with me: truly I have but one Heart with Jesus

and what wonder that there should be but one heart with the multitude of believers.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Chaplet to the Precious Blood

 “Whenever anything disagreeable or displeasing happens to you, remember Christ crucified and be silent.” --St. John of the Cross

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The following devotion consists of seven mysteries in which one meditates on the seven main sheddings of the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. The Our Father is said five times after each mystery except for the last, when it is said three times------in all thirty-three times in honor of the thirty-three years of Our Savior's life on earth.

Chaplet of the Precious Blood of Jesus

V. O God, come to my assistance!
R. Lord, make haste to help me!
V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost,
R. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

First Mystery
Jesus shed His Blood in the Circumcision.
Let us ask for chastity of soul and body.
Our Father five times, Glory be to the Father once.

V. We pray Thee, Lord, help Thy servants!
R. Whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood!

Second Mystery
Jesus shed His Blood in the Agony while praying in the Garden of Olives.
Let us ask for the spirit of prayer.
Our Father five times, Glory be to the Father once.

V. We pray Thee, Lord, help Thy servants!
R. Whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood!

Third Mystery
Jesus shed His Blood in the Scourging at the Pillar.
Let us ask for patience and self control.
Our Father five times, Glory be to the Father once.

V. We pray Thee, Lord, help Thy servants!
R. Whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood!

Fourth Mystery
Jesus shed His Blood in the Crowning with Thorns.
Let us ask for humility to atone for pride.
Our Father five times, Glory be to the Father once.

V. We pray Thee, Lord, help Thy servants!
R. Whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood!

Fifth Mystery
Jesus shed His Blood while carrying His Cross to Calvary.
Let us ask for acceptance of our daily crosses.
Our Father five times, Glory be to the Father once.

V. We pray Thee, Lord, help Thy servants!
R. Whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood!

Sixth Mystery
Jesus shed His Blood in the terrible Crucifixion.
Let us ask for contrition.
Our Father five times, Glory be to the Father once.

V. We pray Thee, Lord, help Thy servants!
R. Whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood!

Seventh Mystery
Jesus shed Blood and water from His side pierced by the Lance.
Let us ask for perseverance.
Our Father three times, Glory be to the Father once.

V. We pray Thee, Lord, help Thy servants!
R. Whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy Precious Blood!

God bless!

+JMJ+

For Divine Mercy Sunday

 "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

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."

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Of another vision on Sept. 13, 1935, she wrote:
"I saw an Angel, the executor of God's wrath... about to strike the earth...I began to beg God earnestly for the world with words which I heard interiorly. As I prayed in this way, I saw the Angel's helplessness, and he could not carry out the just punishment...."

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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. Anyone who says it will receive great Mercy at the hour of death. Priests will recommend it to sinners as the last hope. Even the most hardened sinner, if he recites this Chaplet even once, will receive grace from My Infinite Mercy. I want the whole world to know My Infinite Mercy. I want to give unimaginable graces to those who trust in My Mercy... .  When they say this Chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person not as the just judge but as the Merciful Savior."

Divine Mercy Chaplet

***On rosary beads begin with the Sign of the Cross, 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary and The Apostles Creed.

***Then on the Our Father Bead recite the following prayer:
Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.

***On the 10 Hail Mary Beads recite:
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
(Repeat step 2 and 3 for all five decades).

Conclude by reciting three times:
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Chaplet of the Holy Spirit

                                     I pray you have a blessed Feast of the Ascension!!!

With Ascension Thursday fast approaching, our thoughts should soon turn toward Pentecost Sunday.  Like the Apostles who remained in the Upper Room, praying and awaiting the promised Holy Spirit, we  also should spend the days after Ascension Thursday, praying to the Holy Spirit, imploring Him to shower us with His abundant graces.

One fitting prayer to recite especially during this time of year is the Chaplet of the Holy Spirit.  The Chaplet of the Holy Spirit was composed in 1892 by a Franciscan Capuchin missionary in order to provide the faithful an easy way to honor the Holy Ghost. The chaplet was approved by Pope Leo XIII in 1902.  This prayer is intended to be in regard to the Holy Ghost what the Rosary is in regard to the Blessed Virgin.

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*The Chaplet of the Holy Spirit begins with three beads; on these three beads, make the Sign of the Cross, recite an Act of Contrition, and recite or sing the hymn "Come Holy Ghost." (see below for the hymn).

*Following these first three prayers, the chaplet consists of five groups of seven beads each. Before and after each group there are two large beads.

*There is a mystery for each of the five groups with meditations and applications following each mystery. Begin each group with recitation of the mystery, the meditation, and the application.  Then recite an Our Father on one of the large beads and a Hail Mary on the other large bead.  On the seven small beads recite the Glory Be.

*On the remaining two large beads after the last set of seven beads, recite an Apostles Creed on one of the beads.  On the final bead recite an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be for the intention of the Holy Father.

Chaplet of the Holy Spirit

***Sign of the Cross.
***Act of Contrition.

***Veni, Creator Spiritus VENI, Creator Spiritus,           mentes tuorum visita,           imple superna gratia quae tu creasti pectora. Qui diceris Paraclitus, altissimi donum Dei, fons vivus, ignis, caritas, et spiritalis unctio. Tu, septiformis munere, digitus paternae dexterae, Tu rite promissum Patris, sermone ditans guttura. Accende lumen sensibus: infunde amorem cordibus: infirma nostri corporis virtute firmans perpeti. Hostem repellas longius, pacemque dones protinus: ductore sic te praevio vitemus omne noxium. Per te sciamus da Patrem, noscamus atque Filium; Teque utriusque Spiritum credamus omni tempore. Deo Patri sit gloria, et Filio, qui a mortuis surrexit, ac Paraclito, in saeculorum saecula.  Amen.

Come Holy Ghost COME, Holy Ghost Creator blest, And in our souls take up Thy rest, Come with Thy grace and heavenly aid, And fill the hearts which Thou hast made. To Thee, the Comforter, we cry, To Thee, the gift of God most high, The fount of life, the fire of love, The soul's anointing from above. The sevenfold gifts of grace are Thine, O Finger of the hand Divine; True promise of the Father Thou, Who dost the tongue with speech endow. Thy light to every thought impart, And shed Thy love in every heart; Our body's poor infirmity With strength perpetual fortify. Our mortal foe afar repel, Grant us henceforth in peace to dwell; If Thou be our preventing guide, No evil can our steps betide. Make Thou to us the Father known; Teach us the Eternal Son to own, And Thee, Whose name we ever bless, Of Both the Spirit to confess. All glory while the ages run Be to the Father and the Son, Who rose from death; the same to Thee, O Holy Ghost, eternally. Amen.

***The First Mystery:  By the Holy Ghost is Jesus conceived of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Meditation: "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the Power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: and therefore also the holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35).

Application: Pray earnestly for the assistance of the Spirit of God and the intercession of Mary to imitate the virtues of Jesus Christ who is the pattern of every virtue, in order that you may be conformed to the image of the Son of God.

***Our Father once, Hail Mary once, and Glory Be 7 times

***The Second Mystery:  The Spirit of the Lord rested upon Jesus

The Meditation: "Now Jesus being baptized went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened unto Him; and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon Him.  (Matthew 3:16).

Application:  Hold in the highest esteem the precious gift of sanctifying grace which was infused into your soul by  the Holy Ghost in Baptism. Keep the promises to whose observance you then bound yourself. By continual exercise increase your Faith, your Hope, your Charity.  Ever live as becometh a child of God and a member of the true Church of God, so that after this life you may receive heaven as your inheritance.

***Our Father once, Hail Mary once, and Glory Be 7 times

***The Third Mystery:  By the Spirit is Jesus led into the desert

The Meditation: "And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from the Jordan:  and was led by the Spirit into the desert for the space of forty days, and was tempted by the devil (Luke 4:1, 2).

Application: Be ever thankful for the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit given to you in Confirmation, for the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and fortitude, of knowledge and piety, and of the fear of the Lord.  Faithfully obey your divine Guide, so that you may act manfully in all the perils of this life and in all temptations, as becomes a perfect Christian and a strong athlete of Jesus Christ.

***Our Father once, Hail Mary once, and Glory Be 7 times

***The Fourth Mystery:  The Holy Ghost in the Church

The Meditation: "And suddenly there came from Heaven a sound as of a mighty wind coming, where they were sitting; and they were filled with the Holy Ghost, speaking the wonderful works of God" (Acts 2:2, 4, 11).

Application: Give thanks to God that He has made you a child of His Church which is always quickened and governed by His divine Spirit, who was sent into the world on the day of Pentecost.  Hear and follow the sovereign Pontiff who teaches infallibly through the Holy Spirit, and the Church which is the pillar and ground of truth.  Hold fast her doctrines, maintain her cause, defend her rights.

***Our Father once, Hail Mary once, and Glory Be 7 times

***The Fifth Mystery:  The Holy Ghost in the soul of the just man

The Meditation: "Know ye not that your members are the temple of the Holy Ghost, Who is in you?" (I Cor. 6:19). "Extinguish not the Spirit:" (1 Thess. 5:19). "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God in Whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption:" (Eph. 4:30).

Application: Be ever mindful of the Holy Ghost Who is within you, and make every effort to be pure in mind and body.  Faithfully obey His divine inspirations, that you may bring forth the fruits of the Spirit:  which are charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, long-suffering, meekness, faith, moderation, continence, and chastity.

***Our Father once, Hail Mary once, and Glory Be 7 times

***Conclude with the Apostles' Creed.

***Recite one Our Father and one Hail Mary and Glory be to the Father for the intentions of the Pope.

God bless!

+JMJ+