Friday, February 24, 2017 (Repost)

A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, such as he who fears God finds; For he who fears God behaves accordingly, and his friend will be like himself.

Deuteronomy, Chapter 5, Verse 29

Would that they might always be of such a mind, to fear me and to keep all my commandments! Then they and their descendants would prosper forever.

Our loving God knew Israel would become full of hubris and haughtiness and forget the commandments that He enjoined them and they needed a savior. Let us not be like the Angels of God who fell from heaven by an act of pride and rebellion by refusing to honor Mary the Mother of God. Let us be like unto Gabriel who on announcing the conception of Christ said to Mary:

"Hail" "Full of Grace" "The Lord is with you"[1]

Let us this day emulate Christ’s mother and ours: Mary and never weary of union with Christ through the most Holy Eucharist. This day try to spend some time in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.

As you prepare for the season of lent; let His light radiate through you.

Faithful Friendship Trusts[2]

As human beings, we long for connection with others, a sense that we belong to each other. The greatest obstacle to this, many times, is that we have difficulty trusting others. Embracing trust comes when we trust in God. Not only are we called to trust in God, but as stewards of God’s mysteries, we are called to be found trustworthy (1 Cor. 4:2). How do we navigate this course? How do we protect our hearts from the fears and anxieties that threaten to close them? St. Francis de Sales would say, “We shall steer safely through every storm, so long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our courage steadfast, and our trust fixed on God.”

NOVENA TO THE HOLY FACE

DAILY PREPARATORY PRAYER

O Most Holy and Blessed Trinity, through the intercession of Holy Mary, whose soul was pierced through by a sword of sorrow at the sight of the passion of her Divine Son, we ask your help in making a perfect Novena of reparation with Jesus, united with all His sorrows, love and total abandonment.

We now implore all the Angels and Saints to intercede for us as we pray this Holy Novena to the Most Holy Face of Jesus and for the glory of the most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

(Start novena)

Sixth Day

Psalm 51, 12-13.
A pure heart create for us O God, put a steadfast spirit within us. Do not cast us away from your presence nor deprive us of your Holy Spirit.

May our hearts be cleansed, O Lord, by the inpouring of the Holy Spirit, and may He render them fruitful by watering them with His heavenly dew, Mary, the most chaste spouse of the Holy Spirit, intercede for us, Saint Joseph pray for us.

Through the merits of your precious blood and your Holy Face, O Jesus, grant us our petition, Pardon and Mercy.

Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel
O Victorious Prince, most humble guardian of the Church of God and of faithful souls, who with such charity and zeal took part in so many conflicts and gained such great victories over the enemy, for the conservation and protection of the honor and glory we all owe to God, as well as for the promotion of our salvation, come, we pray Thee, to our assistance, for we are continually besieged with such great perils by our enemies, the flesh, the world and the devil; and as Thou was a leader for the people of God through the desert, so also be our faithful leader, and companion through the desert of this world, until Thou conduct us safely into the happy land of the living, in that blessed fatherland from which we are all exiles. Amen. (St. Aloysius)

Pray one (1) Our Father, (3) Hail Mary’s, (1) Glory Be.

O Bleeding Face, O Face Divine, be every adoration Thine. (Three times)[3]