"FIAT NOVENA" - NOVENA OF DAYS FROM CHRIST'S CONCEPTION TO DEATH
Let Freedom Ring: Freedom from Presumption
At a word from You the devil and his minions flee in terror.
You are the source of all truth. You are the source of all strength.
By the power of your Cross and Resurrection, we beseech You, O Lord
To extend Your saving arm and to send Your holy angels
To defend us as we do battle with Satan and his demonic forces.
Exorcise, we pray, that which oppresses Your Bride, The Church,
So that within ourselves, our families, our parishes, our dioceses, and our nation
We may turn fully back to You in all fidelity and trust.
Lord, we know if You will it, it will be done.
Give us the perseverance for this mission, we pray.
Amen
St. Joseph...pray for us
St. Michael the Archangel...pray for us
(the patron of your parish )... pray for us
(your confirmation saint)...pray for us
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us.
Heart of Mary, like unto the Heart of God, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, united to the Heart of Jesus, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, instrument of the Holy Ghost, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, sanctuary of the Divine Trinity, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, tabernacle of God Incarnate, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, immaculate from thy creation, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, full of grace, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, blessed among all hearts, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, throne of glory, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, most humble, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, holocaust of Divine Love, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, fastened to the Cross with Jesus Crucified, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, comfort of the afflicted, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, refuge of sinners, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, hope of the agonizing, Pray for us.
Heart of Mary, seat of mercy, Pray for us.
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
Make our hearts like unto the Heart of Jesus.
O most merciful God, Who, for the salvation of sinners and the refuge of the miserable, wast pleased that the Most Pure Heart of Mary should be most like in charity and pity to the Divine Heart of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, grant that we, who commemorate this sweet and loving Heart, by the merits and intercession of the same Blessed Virgin, may merit to be found like unto the Heart of Jesus, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.
__ Daily reflection and prayers
__ Litany of the day
__ Pray a Rosary
__ Divine Mercy Chaplet
__ Spiritual or corporal work of mercy
__ Fast/abstain (according to level)
__ Exercise (according to level/ability)
__ Refrain from conventional media (only 1 hr. of social)
__ Examination of conscience (confession 1x this week)
Saturday of The Fifth Week of Lent
Deuteronomy, Chapter 20, Verse
1
When you go out to war against your enemies and you see horses and chariots and an army greater than your own, you shall not be AFRAID of them, for the Lord, your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, will be with you.
God imagines the world without war; this is why He sent His
son to bring peace to the world. Yet, we are still at war for our enemy is not
just evil men but the devil and his cohort. Therefore, when our enemy brings
forth horse and chariot and all manner of evils; do not be afraid for the
victory has already been won! Trust in Jesus who will send St. Michael the
Archangel to defend us and cover us with his strong shield and lead us safely
through the midst of our enemy. Our prayer then is having fought the good fight
and having a lifetime of devotion to the Blood of Jesus that when the last hour
of our earthly life draws near and we await the awful moment when our soul must
leave our bodies it will be St. Michael that will defend us in our most
vulnerable moments protecting us from the satanic hosts when they make their
final assault upon our souls.
Prayer for Help against
Spiritual Enemies[1]
Glorious Saint Michael, Prince of the heavenly hosts, who
stands always ready to give assistance to the people of God; who fought with the
dragon, the old serpent, and cast him out of heaven, and now valiantly defends
the Church of God that the gates of hell may never prevail against her, I
earnestly entreat you to assist me also, in the painful and dangerous conflict
which I sustain against the same formidable foe. Be with me, O mighty Prince! That
I may courageously fight and vanquish that proud spirit, whom you, by the
Divine Power, gloriously overthrew, and whom our powerful King, Jesus Christ,
has, in our nature, completely overcome; so having triumphed over the enemy of
my salvation, I may with you and the holy angels, praise the clemency of God
who, having refused mercy to the rebellious angels after their fall, has
granted repentance and forgiveness to fallen man. Amen.
“Why are you afraid? Have you no faith? [2]Prayer one year ago
Pope Francis then picked
up the thread of Jesus’ question: “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” He
said we have all gone ahead “at breakneck speed”, ignoring the wars, injustice,
and cries of the poor and our ailing planet. “We carried on regardless,
thinking we would stay healthy in a world that was sick.” In our stormy sea, we
now cry out: “Wake up, Lord!”
Now is the time of
choosing
Really, said Pope Francis,
it is Jesus calling out to us to be converted, calling us to faith. “You are
calling on us to seize this time of trial as a time of choosing,” he
said. Now is not the time of God’s judgment, but of our own: “a time to choose
what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from
what is not.” The Pope said we can draw lessons from the many people who – even
though fearful – have reacted by giving their lives, including medical
personnel, supermarket clerks, cleaners, priests, police officers, and volunteers.
This, he said, “is the force of the Spirit poured out and fashioned in
courageous and generous self-denial.”
Stripped of our
self-sufficiency
Pope Francis said faith
begins “when we realize we are in need of salvation” and are not
self-sufficient. If we turn to Jesus and hand Him our fears, said the Pope, He
will conquer them. “Because this is God’s strength: turning to the good
everything that happens to us, even the bad things. He brings serenity into our
storms, because with God life never dies.” So, God asks us now, in the midst of
the tempest, “to reawaken and put into practice that solidarity and hope
capable of giving strength, support and meaning to these hours when everything
seems to be floundering.”
His cross is our
hope
Jesus’ cross, said Pope
Francis, is the anchor that has saved us, the rudder that has redeemed us, and
our hope, because “by His cross we have been healed and embraced so that
nothing and no one can separate us from His redeeming love.” “In the midst of
isolation when we are suffering from a lack of tenderness and chances to meet
up, and we experience the loss of so many things,” he said, “let us once again
listen to the proclamation that saves us: He is risen and is living by our
side.” So, we embrace His cross in the hardships of the present time, and make
room in our hearts “for the creativity that only the Spirit is capable of
inspiring.” “Embracing the Lord in order to embrace hope: that is the strength
of faith, which frees us from fear and gives us hope.”
Turning to the
Lord
“Dear brothers and
sisters, from this place that tells of Peter’s rock-solid faith, I would like
this evening to entrust all of you to the Lord, through the intercession of
Mary, Health of the People and Star of the stormy Sea. From this colonnade that
embraces Rome and the whole world, may God’s blessing come down upon you as a
consoling embrace. Lord, may you bless the world, give health to our bodies and
comfort our hearts. You ask us not to be afraid. Yet our faith is weak, and we
are fearful. But you, Lord, will not leave us at the mercy of the storm. Tell
us again: ‘Do not be afraid’ (Mt 28:5). And we, together with Peter, ‘cast all
our anxieties onto you, for you care about us’ (cf. 1Pet 5:7).”
Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent[3]
Prayer. MAY Thy right hand defend Thy
suppliant people, we beseech Thee, O Lord, and worthily instruct them, being
purified in Thy sight, that by present consolation it may profit for future
good things.
EPISTLE. Jer. xviii.
18-23.
In
those days the impious Jews said: Come, and let us invent devices against
Jeremias: for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the
wise, nor the word from the prophet: come, and let us strike him with the
tongue, and let us give no heed to all his words. Give heed to me, O Lord, and
hear the voice of my adversaries. Shall evil be rendered for good, because they
have digged a pit for my soul?
Remember
that I have stood in Thy sight, to speak good for them, and to turn away Thy
indignation from them. Therefore, deliver up their children to famine, and
bring them into the hands of the sword: let their wives be bereaved of
children, and widows: and let the husbands be slain by death: let their young
men be stabbed with the sword in battle. Let a cry be heard out of their houses:
for Thou shalt bring the robber upon them suddenly: because they have digged a
pit to take me, and have hid snares for my feet. But Thou, O Lord, knowest all
their counsel against me unto death: forgive not their iniquity, and let not
their sin be blotted out from Thy sight: let them be overthrown before Thy eyes;
in the time of Thy wrath do Thou destroy them, O Lord our God.
GOSPEL. John xii.
10-36.
At that time a
great multitude, that was come to the festival-day, when they had heard that
Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm-trees and went forth to.
meet Him, and cried: Hosanna, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the
Lord, the King of Israel. And Jesus found a young ass, and sat upon it, as it
is written; Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold thy King cometh sitting on an
ass’s colt. These things His disciples did not know at the first: but when Jesus
was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and
that they had done these things to Him. The multitude therefore gave testimony,
which was with Him when He called Lazarus out of the grave, and raised him from
the dead. For which reason also the people came to meet Him: because they heard
that He had done this miracle The Pharisees therefore said among themselves: Do
you see that we prevail nothing? behold, the whole world is gone after Him, Now
there were certain gentiles among them who came up to adore on the
festival-day. These therefore came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee,
and desired him, saying: Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew.
Again, Andrew and Philip told Jesus. But Jesus answered them, saying: The hour
is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, itself remaineth alone.
But if it dies, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall
lose it: and he that hateth his life in this world, keepeth it unto life
eternal. If any man minister to Me, let him follow Me: and where I am, there
also shall My minister be. If any man minister to Me, him will My Father honor.
Now is My soul troubled. And what shall I say?
Father save Me
from this hour. But for this cause I came unto this hour. Father glorify Thy
name. A voice therefore came from heaven: I have both glorified it and will
glorify it again. The multitude therefore that stood and heard said that it
thundered. Others said, an angel spoke to Him. Jesus answered, and said: This
voice came not because of Me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of the
world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up
from the earth, will draw all things to Myself. (Now this He said, signifying
what death He should die.) The multitude answered Him: We have heard out of the
law, that Christ abideth forever: and how sayest Thou: The Son of man must be
lifted up? Who is this Son of man?
Jesus therefore
said to them: Yet a little while the light is among you. Walk whilst you have
the light, that the darkness overtake you not. And he that walketh in darkness
knoweth not whither he goeth. Whilst you have the light, believe in the light,
that you may be the children of light. These things Jesus spoke, and He went
away, and hid Himself from them.
Passover[1]
Passover (Hebrew: פסח) is a seven-day Jewish festival which celebrates the Israelites fleeing from Egypt about 3300 years ago. Passover is called such because the Israelites marked their door frames with a sign. It is believed because of this sign God passed over their houses during the plague of the firstborn. The Israelites were servants from the days of Jacob until Moses. They lived through famine in most of Mesopotamia, including Israel. The Israelites built store cities for grain in Egypt (possibly, the pyramids). After 210 years of servitude in Egypt, the Israelites had become 'servant-minded' and did not believe that they could flee. They fled via the Wilderness of Sinai, where they resided for forty years.
Passover Facts
·
Traditionally, in accordance
with Biblical Law, all Orthodox Jews remove all leaven bread, cakes,
flour-containing products, and flour-derived products from the Jewish home in
the weeks before Passover. These
products include beer, whiskey, flour, and all patisseries produce. Any products remaining on the Eve of Passover
are given away to non-Jews, sold or burnt.
·
On Passover, Jews are to eat
only unleavened bread (Matzah), baked from flour and water and prepared (mixed
and baked) within eighteen minutes.
Unleavened bread symbolizes Israelites leaving Egypt in such haste they
could not wait for their bread dough to rise.
·
On the first day of Passover, it
is customary to hold a Seder Night celebration with family and friends. During this celebration, the Haggadah is
typically read and sang. The Haggadah includes telling the story of fleeing of
the Israelite slaves from Egypt, the fact that their dough could not rise due
to the hurried exit, blessings over Matzah, and songs of praise and happiness.
·
Traditionally, for Seder a plate
is prepared containing the following: an egg - symbolizing the Chaggigah
sacrifice; a shankbone, symbolizing
Passover Lamb; salt water, symbolizing
the tears of the Israelite slaves; a
bitter herb, symbolizing the bitterness of enslavement; charoset (a mixture of ground apple,
cinnamon, wine and sugar) signifying the cement used in the building
works; a vegetable to be dipped in the
salt water.
· The first and seventh days of Passover are considered festivals in which work is not permitted. The intermediate days are Chol Hamoed in which families typically go on hikes and tours or visit friends.
Passover Top Events and Things to Do
·
Attend a Seder dinner or learn
how to make your own Seder.
·
Make Matzahs. You can watch how to make Matzahs on youtube.
· Watch a movie that depicts Passover. Our picks: The Ten Commandments (1956) and The Prince of Egypt (1998).
Timeline of Holy Week[2]
·
Saturday Before Palm Sunday: Jesus arrives in Bethany Six Days Before
Passover (Jn12:1)
·
Stays with Lazarus, Mary and Martha (His Judean Home)
·
Possibly the Supper and Anointing in Bethany At the Home
of Simon The Leper Where Jesus Is Anointed by Mary. (Mt 26:6-13; Mk 14:3-9; Jn
12:1-8)
Mary of Bethany and Judas[3]
Let us examine the two noteworthy characters
who play dissimilar roles in the Lord's passion. One fills us with solace and
comfort, the other with uneasiness and wholesome fear. Their juxtaposition
produces a powerful effect by way of contrast. The two characters are Mary of
Bethany and Judas. Jesus is in the house of Lazarus, at dinner. Mary
approaches, anoints the feet of her Savior for His burial and dries them with
her hair. Judas resents her action and resolves upon his evil course. These two
persons typify man's relation to Christ. He gives His Body to two types of
individuals: to Magdalene’s to be anointed, to Judases to be kissed; to good persons
who repay Him with love and service, to foes who crucify Him. How movingly this
is expressed in the Lesson: "I gave My body to those who beat Me, and My
cheeks to those who plucked them. I did not turn away My face from those who
cursed and spit upon Me." The same must hold true of His mystical Body.
Down through the ages Christ is enduring an endless round of suffering, giving
His body to other Mary’s for anointing and to other Judases to be kissed,
beaten, and mistreated. St. Augustine explains how we can anoint Christ's body:
Anoint
Jesus' feet by a life pleasing to God. Follow in His footsteps; if you have an
abundance, give it to the poor. In this way you can wipe the feet of the Lord.
The poor are, as it were, the feet of
the mystical Christ. By aiding them we can comfort our Lord in His mystical
life, where He receives Judas' kisses on all sides-the sins of Christians. The
Gospel account may be understood in a very personal way. In everyone's heart,
in my own too, there dwell two souls: a Judas-soul and a Mary-soul. The former
is the cause of Jesus' suffering, it is always ready to apostatize, always
ready to give the traitor's kiss. Are you full master over this Judas-soul
within you?
Your Magdalen-soul is a source of
comfort to Christ in His sufferings. May the holy season of Lent, which with
God's help we are about to bring to a successful conclusion, bring victory over
the Judas-soul and strengthen the Magdalen-soul within our breasts.
[1]http://www.wincalendar.com/Passover
[2]https://www.catholicconvert.com/wp-content/uploads/Timeline-of-Holy-Week.pdf
[3]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2018-03-26
Daily Devotions
·
Saturday Litany of the Hours
Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary
·
Manhood of
the Master-week 6 day 4
·
Offering
to the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Make
reparations to the Holy Face
·
Rosary
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