Sunday, August 23, 2020

 

DAY 9 - MOTHER UNDEFILED, PRAY THAT WE RECEIVE THE GIFT OF WISDOM!

GOD'S WORD

"Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant." (Psalm 25:8-10).
HEROES' WORDS
"Dost thou hold wisdom to be anything other than truth, wherein we behold and embrace the supreme good?" -St. Augustine

"Let your old age be childlike, and your childhood like old age; that is, so that neither may your wisdom be with pride, nor your humility without wisdom." -St. Augustine

"God gives each one of us sufficient grace ever to know his holy will, and to do it fully." -St. Ignatius of Loyola

"We are to love God for himself, because of a twofold reason; nothing is more reasonable, nothing more profitable." -St. Bernard of Clairvaux
MEDITATION
The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They belong in their fullness to Christ, Son of David. They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations. "Let your good spirit lead me on a level path" (Ps 143:10). "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God" (Rom 8:14). (CCC 1831)

The Gift of Wisdom: The first and highest gift of the Holy Spirit. It makes the soul responsive to God in the contemplation of divine things. Where faith is a simple knowledge of the articles of Christian belief, wisdom goes on to a certain divine penetration of the truths themselves. Built into wisdom is the element of love, which inspires contemplative reflection on these divine mysteries, rejoices dwelling on them, and directs the mind to judge all things according to their principles. (Fr. John Hardon, Modern Catholic Dictionary)
PRAY A ROSARY
Choose either:
  1. Rosary of the Day: Glorious Mysteries
  2. Traditional 54 Day Rotation: Glorious Mysteries
PRAYERS FOR TRADITIONAL 54 DAY NOVENA

THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY

Prayer before the recitation: Sign of the cross. Hail Mary.

In petition (first 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I humbly kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses, full-blown white roses, tinged with the red of the passion, to remind thee of thy glories, fruits of the sufferings of thy Son and thee, each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery, each 10 bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God's graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition; from thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother!

In thanksgiving (last 27 days):Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I gratefully kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses full blown white roses, tinged with the red of the passion, to remind thee of thy glories, fruits of the sufferings of thy Son and thee each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery; each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving; from thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I despaired not of what I asked of thee, and thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother.

Say: The Apostles' Creed, Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be.

For each of the following Mysteries, say: Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.

The Resurrection - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.

Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of faith and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.

The Ascension - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.

Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of hope and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.

The Descent of the Holy Spirit - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.

Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of charity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.

The Assumption of Mary - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.

Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of union with Christ and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.

The Coronation of the Blessed Mother - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.

Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of union with thee and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.

Say: The Hail Holy Queen.

Spiritual Communion: My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

In petition (first 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request, see below). Hail Mary ...

In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request, see below) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me. Hail, Mary, etc.

PETITION: For the protection and provision for the USA and the world. Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us!
 

All of the daily Novena Prayers and Reflections are also posted at usgraceforce.com

Spanish language Novena prayers and reflections are available at https://rosarycoasttocoast.com/nfon-espanol/.

Those who would like to pray with others via The Telephone Rosary, call 1-951-799-9866 daily at 6 pm Eastern.

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (21st S. Ord. Time)

 

Luke, Chapter 22, Verse 1-2

1 Now the feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was drawing near, 2 and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way to put him to death, for they were AFRAID of the people.

 

Fear is the eighth deadly sin and the Jewish authorities were absolutely controlled by fear. Naturally when fear rules your life you instinctively run or fight. They chose the death of one man to save the people, which was their rationalization to have Christ killed. Judas was their answer.

 

Amoris Lætitia[1] Looking to Jesus: The Vocation of the Family- The sacrament of Matrimony (71-75)

 

The truth of the love of man and woman is fully illuminated only in the love of the crucified Christ. He stressed that ‘marriage based on an exclusive and definitive love becomes an icon of the relationship between God and his people, and vice versa.

 

The family is the image of God, who is a communion of persons. Jesus, who reconciled all things in himself and redeemed us from sin, not only returned marriage and the family to their original form, but also raised marriage to the sacramental sign of his love for the Church. In the human family, gathered by Christ, ‘the image and likeness’ of the Most Holy Trinity has been restored, the mystery from which all true love flows.

 

The sacrament of marriage is not a social convention, an empty ritual or merely the outward sign of a commitment. The sacrament is a gift given for the sanctification and salvation of the spouses, since “their mutual belonging is a real representation, through the sacramental sign, of the same relationship between Christ and the Church.

 

In accepting each other, and with Christ’s grace, the engaged couple promise each other total self-giving, faithfulness and openness to new life. The sacrament is not a “thing” or a “power”, for in it Christ himself “now encounters Christian spouses... He dwells with them, gives them the strength to take up their crosses.

 

Sexual union, lovingly experienced and sanctified by the sacrament, is in turn a path of growth in the life of grace for the couple. The sacrament of marriage flows from the incarnation and the paschal mystery, whereby God showed the fullness of his love for humanity by becoming one with us.

 

In the Church’s Latin tradition, the ministers of the sacrament of marriage are the man and the woman who marry; by manifesting their consent and expressing it physically, they receive a great gift. Their consent and their bodily union are the divinely appointed means whereby they become “one flesh”.

 

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost[2]

 

Focus: True and laudable service as we run to attain the eternal promises and increase in faith, hope, and love

Introit of the Mass to-day is the prayer of an afflicted soul entreating God for assistance. “Incline to my aid, O God; O Lord, make haste to help me; let my enemies be con founded and ashamed who seek my soul. Let them be turned backwards, and blush for shame, who desire evils to me.”

Prayer. O almighty and merciful God, from Whose gift it comes that Thou art worthily and laudably served by the faithful, grant us, we beseech Thee, to run without offence to the attainment of Thy promises.

EPISTLE, ii. Cor. iii. 4-9.

Brethren: Such confidence we have through Christ towards God : not that we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves, as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is from God: Who also hath made us fit ministers of the New Testament, not in the letter, but in the spirit: for the letter killeth: but the spirit quickeneth. Now if the ministration of death, engraven with letters upon stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance, which is made void: how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather in glory? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory: much more the ministration of justice aboundeth in glory.

Explanation.

St. Paul here introduces a comparison between the priest hood of the Old and that of the New Law, in order to show that the dignity of the priesthood under the New Law (and consequently the respect and confidence due to it) as far excels the dignity of the priesthood under the Old as the spirit does the letter the truth the figure. For if the ministry of Moses, which consisted in the service of the letter, and imparted no grace, was so glorious, how much more glorious is that priest hood of the New Law, through which is conveyed the sanctifying grace of God! And how much more veneration and obedience should accordingly be paid to the priests of the New Law!

 

GOSPEL Luke x 23-37


 

At that time Jesus said to His disciples: Blessed are the eyes that see the things which you see. For I say to you that many prophets and kings have desired to see the things that you see and have not seen them; and to hear the things that you hear and have not heard them. And behold a certain lawyer stood up, tempting Him, and saying: Master, what must I do to possess eternal life? But He said to him: What is written in the law? How readest thou?

 

He answering, said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: and thy neighbor as thyself. And He said to him: Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said to Jesus: And who is my neighbor?

 

And Jesus answering, said: A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who also stripped him: and, having wounded him, went away leaving him half dead. And it chanced that a certain priest went down the same way: and seeing him, passed by. In like manner also a Levite, when he was near the place and saw him, passed by. But a certain Samaritan being on his journey came near him: and seeing him, was moved with compassion. And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine: and setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And the next day he took out two pence (worth two days wages), and gave to the host, and said: Take care of him: and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I at my return will repay thee. Which of these three in thy opinion was neighbor to him that fell among the robbers? But he said: He that showed mercy to him. And Jesus said to him: Go and do thou in like manner.

 

Why does Jesus call His disciples blessed? Because they had the happiness which so many kings, patriarchs, and prophets had desired in vain of seeing the Savior of the world, and of hearing His teaching.

 

What is it to love God? To acknowledge God as the highest and most perfect good; to desire that He should be known, honored, loved, by all men; that His will should be fulfilled by all; and so zealously to observe His commandments that we would lose all the goods of life, and even life itself, rather than transgress these commands and be separated from God.

 

What does it mean to love God with the whole heart, etc.? “With thy whole heart”, signifies with all the motions and inclinations of the heart “with thy whole soul”, with all the thoughts, conceptions of the soul, “with thy whole mind”, with all the desires, wishes, and determination of the will; “with all thy strength”, with all the powers and faculties of body and soul with all the acts and motions of the senses. All these should be directed to God alone, as the last object and end of man.

 

How can this be done? By doing whatever we do, whether it be mental or manual labor, eating, drinking, or recreation, with the intention of doing the will of God and what is pleasing to Him. By this it is understood that idle talk, intemperance in meat and drink, and in general all sinful works, cannot be offered to God, because they are contrary to His will and therefore deserve punishment.

 

Is that true love which loves God because He does us good? That love is truly good and praiseworthy, but not perfect, for self-interest creeps in with it.

 

What, then, is the perfect love of God? When we love God only because He is in Himself the highest good and most worthy of love. In such manner must we endeavor to love God; not out of self-interest, not from the expectation of reward, nor yet from fear of punishment.

 

Can everyone thus love God? Yes, for there is no state of life in which we cannot refer everything to God. Love does not require great deeds, but that we should avoid evil, and refer everything to God; and all can do this.

Aspiration. O Jesus, rich in love, Who hast so earnestly exhorted us to the love of God and of our neighbor, engrave deep in our hearts, we pray Thee, this commandment of love, that whatever we do or leave undone, all our thoughts, words, and works, may begin and end in love of Thee; and that no tribulation, temptation, or danger, nor even death itself, may ever separate us from Thee. Grant, also, that out of love to Thee we may love our neighbor, whether friend or enemy, as ourselves, and by this love may deserve to have Thee as a Savior and merciful Judge.

Who is our neighbor? Every man be he a foreigner or a fellow-countryman, poor or rich, of our own religion or of any other, a friend or an enemy.

How are we to love our neighbor? We must love our neighbor as ourselves; that is, we must wish for him and do for him what in similar circumstances we should desire for ourselves, and not wish for him or do to him what we would not wish done to ourselves (Matt. vii. 12).

In what way are we particularly to practice the love of our neighbor?

1. By heartily rejoicing over the gifts and graces which our neighbor has received from God, and by sympathizing with him in misfortune.

2. By praying God to grant to our neighbor such gifts as St. Paul, on his knees, besought for the Ephesians, the fulness of the knowledge of God, and of all perfection.

3. By overlooking and patiently bearing our neighbor’s faults, disorders, and infirmities of every kind, as St. Paul says: “Bear ye one another’s burdens and so you shall fulfil the law of Christ”.

4. In general, by both the spiritual and the corporal works of mercy.

With what intention should we love our neighbor? We must love our neighbor in God, and for God s sake, because He commands it, and because such love is pleasing to Him.

 

35 Promises of God[3] be unafraid, confident in God, and focus on receiving these promises for a month and see what happens!

 1.      “Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

-Ps 50:15

Daily Devotions

·         Today in honor of the Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no shopping after 3pm till Monday. Don’t forget the internet.

·         Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

·         Make reparations to the Holy Face

·         Drops of Christ’s Blood

·         Rosary



[1] Pope Francis, Encyclical on Love.

[2]Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.

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