Auxilium Christianorum - Praying for Persecuted Priests
R. Who made heaven and earth.
Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy.
Christ hear us.
Christ graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Blood of Christ, only-begotten Son of the Eternal Father, save us.
Blood of Christ, Incarnate Word of God, save us.
Blood of Christ, of the New and Eternal Testament, save us.
Blood of Christ, falling upon the earth in the Agony, save us.
Blood of Christ, shed profusely in the Scourging, save us.
Blood of Christ, flowing forth in the Crowning with Thorns, save us.
Blood of Christ, poured out on the Cross, save us.
Blood of Christ, price of our salvation, save us.
Blood of Christ, without which there is no forgiveness, save us.
Blood of Christ, Eucharistic drink and refreshment of souls, save us.
Blood of Christ, stream of mercy, save us.
Blood of Christ, victor over demons, save us.
Blood of Christ, courage of Martyrs, save us.
Blood of Christ, strength of Confessors, save us.
Blood of Christ, bringing forth Virgins, save us.
Blood of Christ, help of those in peril, save us.
Blood of Christ, relief of the burdened, save us.
Blood of Christ, solace in sorrow, save us.
Blood of Christ, hope of the penitent, save us.
Blood of Christ, consolation of the dying, save us.
Blood of Christ, peace and tenderness of hearts, save us.
Blood of Christ, pledge of eternal life, save us.
Blood of Christ, freeing souls from purgatory, save us.
Blood of Christ, most worthy of all glory and honor, save us.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
R. And made of us a kingdom for our God.
From hatred, fornication, and envy - We implore Thee, deliver us, O Lord.
From thoughts of jealousy, rage, and death - We implore Thee, deliver us, O Lord.
From every thought of suicide and abortion - We implore Thee, deliver us, O Lord.
From every form of sinful sexuality - We implore Thee, deliver us, O Lord.
From every division in our family, and every harmful friendship - We implore Thee, deliver us, O Lord.
From every sort of spell, malefice, witchcraft, and every form of the occult - We implore Thee, deliver us, O Lord.
From the desire of being esteemed, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, deliver me, Jesus. From the desire of being consulted, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us.
Virgin Most Powerful, pray for us.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
St. Michael the Archangel, pray for us.
All You Holy Angels, pray for us.
Friday after Pentecost-Ember Day
SAINT
BERNARD
1 Samuel, Chapter 28, Verse 20
Christ is the strength of the weak and
the humble and the confidence of those who trust in him. Christ says to us, “My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.
(Jn. 10:27) Saul was in great fear because the spirit of God had long ago left
him, and he no longer heard the voice of God. In desperation now that Samuel
had died was to have the witch of Endor act as a medium to conjure up the
spirit of Samuel to help save him from the Philistines. Saul broke his own laws
by seeking the aid of a sorcerer. The Israelites were a Holy people and Saul
could not understand the Ends never
justify the means. No, we must be calm and listen to the voice of he that
was the epitome of fairness and justice that took upon Himself our sins to the
cross and thus bearing our guilt to make us a Holy people.
Apostolic Exhortation[1]
Veneremur
Cernui – Down in Adoration Falling
of The Most Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of
Phoenix,
to Priests, Deacons, Religious and the Lay Faithful of the Diocese of Phoenix
on the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
My
beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Part II
I. The Graces of Holy Communion
i. Holy Communion changes and
transforms us into “Alter Christus”
33. The Eucharistic presence of Jesus
is not only to be with us, but also to be our strength and nourishment. Jesus
does this by choosing the elements of nature – bread and wine – the food and
drink that man must consume to maintain his life. The Eucharist is precisely
this food and drink for they contain in themselves all the power of the
Redemption wrought by Christ. The Eucharist is the only nourishment that brings
us true, lasting happiness and leads us to eternal life. It is capable of
transforming man’s life and open before him the way to eternal life. How is
this possible?
34. While going through a period of
conversion, one day Saint Augustine was granted a vision in which a voice said
to him: “I am the food of the mature: grow, then, and you shall eat me. You
will not change me into yourself like bodily food; but you will be changed into
me” (Confessions, VII, 10, 18). There is a popular saying that goes, “You
are what you eat.” How true this is when we apply this to the Eucharist.
Ordinary food is absorbed by us and becomes a part of our bodies. But when we
receive the Eucharist, it absorbs us; a Christian becomes truly what he eats;
he is transformed into Christ. Centuries ago, Saint Leo the Great wrote: “Our
partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ tends only to make us become what we
eat”.
35. The Fathers of the Church took the
example of physical food to explain this mystery. We know that the stronger
form of life normally assimilates the weaker and not vice versa. The vegetative
world assimilates the minerals, and the animals assimilate the vegetables, and
the spiritual assimilates the material. When we receive the Body of Christ, we
do not change Christ into our own substance. Instead, we are changed into
Christ Himself. The normal food that we eat is not a living thing and therefore
cannot give us life. It is a source of life only because it sustains the life
we have. Instead, the Bread of Life, that is Jesus, is the living Bread and
those who receive it, live by it. So, while the normal food that nourishes the
body is assimilated by the body and becomes a part of it, the complete opposite
takes place with the Bread of Life.
To be continued…
Devotions for Holy Communion[2]
PRAYER BEFORE COMMUNION.
O
compassionate Lord Jesus Christ, I, a sinner, nothing presuming on my own
merits, but trusting in Thy mercy and goodness, draw near with awe and
trembling to the table of Thy sweetest banquet. For my heart and my body are
stained with many sins, my mind and my tongue have not been kept with fitting
diligence and circumspection. "Wherefore, O compassion ate Godhead, O
dread and awful Majesty, I, Thy wretched creature, who am fallen into a great
strait, betake myself to Thee, the Fountain of mercy; to Thee I hasten that I
may be healed; beneath Thy protection I make my refuge; I long to have Thee for
my Savior, before Whom I can in no wise stand as my Judge. To Thee, O Lord, I
now show my wounds; before Thee I lay bare all this my shame. I know my sins,
so many and so great, by reason of which I am afraid. I hope in Thy mercies,
which are past numbering. Look on me with the eyes of Thy mercy, O Lord Jesus
Christ, everlasting King, God and man, Who wast crucified for man. Graciously
hear me who hope in Thee; have mercy on me who am full of miseries and of sins,
O Thou full and over-flowing Fountain of pity and of mercy. Hail, Thou saving Victim,
offered for me and all mankind upon the tree of the cross. Hail, thou noble and
precious blood, which dost ever flow forth from the wounds of my crucified Lord
Jesus Christ, and wash away the sins of the whole world. Remember Thy creature,
O Lord, whom Thou hast redeemed with Thine own blood. I grieve that I have
sinned; I do earnestly desire to amend what I have done amiss. Wherefore, O
most merciful Father, take away from me all my iniquities and my sins, that,
being cleansed in soul and in body, I may worthily receive the holy food of the
holy ; and grant that the sacred taste of Thy body and blood, which I unworthy
am about to receive, may be to me the remission of my sins, the perfect
expiation and cleansing of all my faults, and the putting to flight of evil
thoughts, the quickening and renewal of all good feelings, the healthful energy
of all good works, the most assured protection of my body and soul from all the
snares of my enemies. Amen.
Friday after
Pentecost-Ember Day[3]
EPISTLE.
Joel ii. 23-27.
THUS,
saith the Lord God: O children of Sion, rejoice, and be joyful, in the Lord
your God: because He hath given you a teacher of justice, and He will make the
early and the latter rain to come down for you as in the beginning. And the
floors shall be filled with wheat, and the presses shall overflow with wine and
oil. And I will restore to you the years which the locust, and the bruchus
(beetle), and the mildew, and the palmerworm have eaten: My great host which I
sent upon you. And you shall eat in plenty, and shall be filled: and you shall
praise the name of the Lord your God, Who hath done wonders with you, and My
people shall not be confounded forever. And you shall know that I am in the
midst of Israel: and I am the Lord your God, and there is none besides: and My
people shall not be confounded forever, saith the Lord Almighty.
GOSPEL.
Luke v. 17-26.
At that time: It came to
pass on a certain day, as Jesus sat teaching, that there were Pharisees and
doctors of the law sitting by, that were come out of every town of Galilee, and
Judea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was to heal them. And behold
men brought in a bed a man who had the palsy: and they sought means to bring
him in, and to lay him before Him. And when they could not find by what way
they might bring him in, because of the multitude, they went up upon the roof,
and let him down through the tiles with his bed, into the midst before Jesus.
Whose faith when He saw, He said: Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the
scribes and Pharisees began to think, saying: Who is this Who speaketh
blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?
And when Jesus knew their
thoughts, answering He said to them: What is it you think in your hearts? Which
is easier to say, thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk?
But that you may know that
the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins (He saith to the sick of the
palsy): I say to thee, Arise, take up thy bed and go into thy house. And
immediately rising up before them, he took up the bed on which he lay; and he
went away to his own house, glorifying God. And all were astonished; and they
glorified God. And they were filled with fear, saying: We have seen wonderful
things to-day.
Ember Friday-Meditation
on the Crucifixion[4]
Another Form of Prayers for The
Stations
(For
Private Use.)
PREPARATORY PRAYER.
RECEIVE, O holy Trinity, this my dutiful service, which I offer unto Thee
in union with the merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Virgin, and
all the saints, to the glory of Thy divine majesty, in satisfaction for my sins,
in remembrance of our redemption, and to obtain for the departed rest, for the
living grace, and for all everlasting glory. To Thee be praise, and honor, and
glory, O blessed Trinity, forever and ever. Amen.
FIRST STATION.
CHRIST IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH. He willingly submitted to that unjust
judgment, that He might deliver thee from the sentence of everlasting
damnation.
·
The wicked have said, reasoning with themselves, but
not right: Let us lie in wait for the just, for He is contrary to our doing: He
boasteth that He hath the knowledge of God, and calleth God His Father. Let us
see if His words be true. If He be indeed the Son of God, He will deliver Him
out of our hands. Let us condemn Him to a most shameful death.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
God spared not His own Son. But delivered Him up for us all. He was
offered up, because He Himself desired it. And He opened not His mouth.
O Lord, hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
Prayer.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who out
of the bosom of the Father didst descend from heaven to earth, and didst shed
Thy most precious blood for the remission of our sins, we humbly beseech Thee
that in the day of judgment we may be found worthy to stand at Thy right hand,
and to hear Thee say unto us, “Come, ye blessed” Amen.
SECOND STATION.
THE CROSS IS LAID UPON CHRIST. “The wicked have wrought upon my back”
(Ps. cxxviii.). Hail, our King! Thou only hadst pity on our sins, and wast led,
in obedience to Thy Father, to be crucified, and as a gentle lamb to the
slaughter. To Thee be glory, hosanna; to Thee be triumph and victory; to Thee
the crown of highest praise and honor.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
The chastisement of our peace was upon Him. And by His bruises we are
healed. The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. For the wickedness of
His people hath He struck Him.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
THIRD STATION.
CHRIST FALLS THE FIRST TIME UNDER THE CROSS. How great must be the weight
of our sins, under which He fell, Who bears all things by the word of His
power!
·
Our Lord Jesus Christ humbled Himself unto death,
even the death of the cross; for which cause God also hath exalted Him, and
hath given Him a name which is above all names.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
Surely, He hath borne our infirmities. And carried our sorrows. He was
branded for our iniquities. He was bruised for our sins.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
FOURTH STATION.
CHRIST IS MET ON HIS WAY BY HIS BLESSED MOTHER AND ST. JOHN. Oh, how
sharp a sword of grief must have pierced the heart of His Mother and of His
loving disciple when they met Jesus thus! Dost thou, too, share with them their
sorrow and grief?
·
Oh, all ye that pass by, attend and see if there be
any sorrow like to my sorrow: therefore, do I weep, and my eyes run down with
water, because the Comforter, the relief of my soul, is far from me. My eyes
have failed for weeping, my bowels are troubled, my heart is turned within me,
for the desolation of my Son, because the enemy hath prevailed.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
Great as the sea is thy grief. Who shall heal thee? A sword of grief hath
pierced thine own soul. That out of many hearts’ thoughts may be revealed.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
FIFTH STATION.
THE CROSS IS LAID UPON SIMON OF CYRENE. This man was compelled to carry
the cross after Jesus. How great an honor to have carried it willingly! Art
thou ready to bear the cross of Christ?
·
It behooveth us to glory in the cross of Our Lord
Jesus Christ, in Whom is our salvation, who is our life and resurrection, and
through Whom we are saved and delivered.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of Our Lord Jesus
Christ. By Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. O
faithful cross, thou peerless tree! No forest yields the like of thee, leaf,
flower, or bud.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
SIXTH STATION.
CHRIST IS MET BY VERONICA. How excellent a mirror did Veronica obtain in
the image of the face of Christ! Do thou ever contemplate thyself in that
mirror?
·
Behold, we have seen Him without beauty or
comeliness, despised and the most abject of men, a man of sorrows and
acquainted with infirmity, and His look was as it were hidden and despised;
whereupon we esteemed Him not. His appearance is without honor among the
living, and His beauty among the sons of men; yet He is beautiful above all the
children of men, by Whose bruises we are healed.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
O Lord God of hosts correct us. Show us Thy face, and we shall be saved.
Turn not away Thy face from us. Neither leave Thy servants in displeasure.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
SEVENTH STATION.
CHRIST FALLS DOWN AT THE GATE OF JUDGMENT. How wilt thou be able to stand
before Him in the day of judgment?
·
They delivered Me into the hands of the ungodly, and
thrust Me among the wicked, and did not spare My soul. The strong men gathered
themselves against Me. and stood over Me like giants, gazing upon Me with
fierce looks; and, beating Me with cruel stripes, they mocked Me.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
But I am a worm, and no man. The scorn of men and the outcast of the
people. All they that see Me laugh at Me. They spoke against Me with their
lips, and wagged their heads.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
EIGHTH STATION.
WOMEN LAMENT OVER CHRIST. Where are the tears with which thou dost bewail
thy sins rather than the loss of any earthly good?
·
Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep
for yourselves and for your children. For, behold, the days shall come in which
they say, blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the
paps that have not given suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains,
fall upon us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if in the green wood they do
these things, what shall be done in the dry?
Our Father. Hail Mary.
The breath of our nostrils, Christ the Lord. Is taken in our sins. The
crown of our head hath fallen. Woe unto us, for we have sinned.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
NINTH STATION.
CHRIST FALLS FOR THE LAST TIME AT MOUNT CALVARY. Oh, how often is Christ
pressed down by the weight of our sins!
·
My people, what have I done to thee, or wherein have
I molested thee? Answer thou Me. I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt,
and thou hast prepared for Me a cross; I led thee through the wilderness forty
years, and fed thee with manna, and thou hast beaten Me with buffets and
scourges; I gave thee a royal sceptre, and thou hast given My head a crown of
thorns. What could I have done more for thee that I have not done?
Our Father. Hail Mary.
He is led like a sheep to the slaughter. And, as a lamb before His
shearers, He is dumb. He delivered His soul unto death. That He might give life
unto His people.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
TENTH STATION.
CHRIST IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS, AND IS GIVEN VINEGAR AND GALL TO
DRINK. Art thou unkind and inconsiderate to the poor? What thou dost to them
thou dost to Christ.
·
My people, what have I done to thee, or wherein have
I molested thee? Answer thou Me. I brought thee out from the house of bondage
to the promised land; and when I came to thee from the bosom of My Father, thou
didst lead Me to the death of the cross. I planted thee My choicest vine, and
thou wast made unto Me exceeding bitter; I gave thee to drink out of the rock
the water of salvation, and thou madest Me to drink vinegar and gall. What
could I have done more for thee that I have not done?
Our Father. Hail Mary.
My strength hath dried up like a potsherd. And my tongue hath cleaved to
My jaws. They gave Me gall to eat. And when I was thirsty, they gave Me vinegar
to drink.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
ELEVENTH STATION.
CHRIST IS FASTENED TO THE CROSS WITH DREADFUL NAILS. How strong are the
bands of love with which Jesus hath bound Himself unto thee! How dost thou bind
thyself in return unto Him?
·
My people, what have I done unto thee? I exalted
thee with great power, and thou didst hang Me on the gibbet of the cross; I
made thee higher than all nations, and thou hast loaded Me with reproaches and
curses; I opened before thee the Red Sea, and thou hast opened My side with a
spear. What could I have done more for thee that I have not done?
Our Father. Hail Mary.
What are these wounds in the middle of Thy hands? With them was I wounded
in the house of those that loved Me. They have pierced My hands and My feet.
And have numbered all My bones.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
TWELFTH STATION.
CHRIST DIES UPON THE CROSS. Consider what Jesus said and did when He was
dying. Oh, that thou too mayst die like Him!
·
Behold how the just man dieth, and no man layeth it
to heart; and the righteous are taken away, and no one considereth. The just
man is taken away from before the face of evil, and the memory of him shall be
in peace.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
Christ became obedient unto death for us. Even the death of the cross. We
adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast
redeemed the world.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
THIRTEENTH STATION.
THE BODY OF CHRIST IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS, AND LAID UPON THE KNEES
OF HIS MOTHER. Consider the vehement anguish of Mary’s soul when she received
in her arms the dead body of her Son taken down from the cross, and laid Him on
her knees. Love caused her so great grief, and made her truly a martyr. What
love and sympathy dost thou feel for thy Savior?
·
To what shall I compare thee, or to whom shall I
liken thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? To what shall I equal thee, O virgin
daughter of Sion? Great as the sea is thy desolation. O mother of mercy make me
to share with thee the death of Christ; make me a partaker of His passion.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
Through thee, O Virgin Mary, may we obtain salvation. From the wounds of
Christ. O holy Jesus, grant me to obtain, through Thy Mother, The crown of victory.
FOURTEENTH STATION.
THE BODY OF JESUS IS BURIED. Consider, O my soul, how the body of Jesus
was wrapped in spices, and laid in a new tomb. With what honor dost thou
receive Jesus thy Redeemer daily, either sacramentally or spiritually? Art thou
always endeavoring to be, as it were, a new tomb for the reception of Jesus,
bright with the beautiful ornaments of virtue?
·
I am counted among them that go down to the pit; I
am become as a man without help, free among the dead. O good Jesus, I come here
with the women to Thy tomb, sorrowing and lamenting that hitherto I have shown
myself so unworthy: confirm and establish the kingdom of Thy grace in my heart.
Our Father. Hail Mary.
My flesh shall rest in hope. Thou wilt not give Thy holy one to see
corruption. Arise, O Lord, and help me. And deliver me from my sins.
O Lord hear my prayer. And
let my cry come unto Thee.
Prayer. O Lord Jesus Christ, etc.
COMMENDATION.
Look down, O Lord, we beseech Thee, upon this Thy family, for which Our
Lord Jesus Christ did not refuse to be delivered into the hands of wicked men,
and to endure the torment of the cross. Amen.
PRAYER ON THE HOLY WINDING-SHEET OF CHRIST’S BODY.
O Lord Jesus Christ, “Who didst leave the marks of
Thy passion on the holy winding-sheet in which Thy most sacred body was wrapped
by Joseph when taken down from the cross, mercifully grant that through Thy
death and burial we may be brought to the glory of the resurrection. Amen.
MEDITATIONS ON THE
LITURGY FROM THE EXTRAORDINARY FORM FOR EACH OF THE EMBER DAYS AFTER PENTECOST.
Written by Monsignor Martin B. Hellriegel, originally
published in the journal Orate Fratres Vol. XVIII, May 14, 1944, No. 7, pp.
299-305, later reprinted in Vine and Branches, Pio Decimo Press, 1948.
These
meditations are attached to the 1962 Extraordinary Form liturgy. The current
lectionary has different readings and prayers not specific to the Ember Days.
Prayer:
EMBER
FRIDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Station "With the Twelve Apostles"
They
found them clean vessels and one in love (response).
We
are resting upon the blessed Apostles, the twelve pillars of the Church of God.
May we never depart from them. The Church prays today for that grace: "We
who by the Holy Ghost have been gathered within the (apostolic) fold,
may we in no wise be disturbed by any attack of the foe."
Yesterday's
response to the first lesson is a beautiful tribute to the apostolic protectors
on this ember Friday. "The fire of God," so reads the response,
"came not to destroy, but to enlighten; not to consume, but to shine, and
found the hearts of the disciples’ clean vessels. And the Holy Ghost gave them
the gifts of His grace. He found them one in love, and the overflowing grace of
the Godhead shone through them, alleluia."
He
found their hearts clean vessels full of charity and love. No wonder the Holy
Spirit replenished such hearts with the gifts of His grace. Where purity is,
there is the vision of God; where charity and love are, there is God Himself.
Purity and charity, these are the jewels that adorn the twelve apostolic
pillars upon whom we rest. Purity and charity, these are the two channels
through which flows freely the transforming life of the Godhead.
"O
children of Sion, rejoice and be joyful in the Lord your God, because He hath
given you a teacher of justice, and He will make the early and the latter rain
to come down to you, as in the beginning" (epistle).
The
holy apostles with whom we celebrate this day are indeed our "teachers of
justice." If we adhere to them, if we absorb their purity and charity, the
dew of the Holy Ghost will descend upon us, as it did in the beginning--on the
day when "He found their hearts clean vessels and one in love."
In
many ways we resemble the sick man in today's gospel; the palsy of human
affections and uncharitableness is responsible for our lameness in the things
of God. May these twelve strong apostolic men take hold of us this morning and
"let us down into the midst before Jesus" that we may obtain from Him
health of mind and heart and a new infusion of His Spirit of purity and
charity.
May
the eucharistic fire of God make our hearts clean vessels, and fill them with
such a degree of love that the Holy Ghost will also give to us His gifts and
the overflowing grace of His Godhead.
Prayer Source: Orate
Fratres/Worship: A Review Devoted to the Liturgical Apostolate , The
Liturgical Press
St. Bernard of Montjoux-Patron of Mountaineers[5]
Historically
today is the feast of St. Bernard of Montjoux, an Italian churchman, founder of
the Alpine hospices of Saint Bernard. He is most famous for the hospices he
built on the summits of passes over the Alps. Many pilgrims from France and
Germany would travel over the Alps on their way to Rome, but it was always a
possibility that one would die from freezing along the way. In the 9th century
a system of hospices had been attempted but had lapsed long before Bernard's
time. Bernard's hospices in the 11th century were placed under the care of
clerics and laymen and were well equipped for the reception of all travelers. A
now-famous breed of dogs, known for its endurance in high altitude and cold,
was named in honor of this saint. Bernard's life has been the focus of many
romantic plays and stories. Many of us may remember childhood stories of St. Bernard’s
dogs coming to the rescue of stranded or injured victims on Alpine slopes. The
dogs almost always seem to have a cask of Brandy attached to their collars and
when the victims were revived by a good drink the dogs would lead them to
safety.
Things
to Do
·
Read
History of the Grand St Bernard pass for background.
·
If
you like dogs, you might find this history of the Saint Bernard Dog interesting.
Memorial Day Build Up
Every day from now to Memorial Day I
ask your prayers for each service and all of our defenders to include police
and fire on Memorial Day.
The U.S. Space Force (USSF) is a new
branch of the Armed Forces. It was established on December 20, 2019 with
enactment of the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act and will
be stood-up over the next 18 months. The USSF was established within the
Department of the Air Force, meaning the Secretary of the Air
Force has overall responsibility for the USSF, under the guidance
and direction of the Secretary of Defense. Additionally, a four-star general
known as the Chief of Space
Operations (CSO) serves as the senior military
member of the USSF. The CSO is a full member of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff.
Mission
The USSF is a military service that
organizes, trains, and equips space forces in order to protect U.S. and allied
interests in space and to provide space capabilities to the joint force. USSF
responsibilities include developing military space professionals, acquiring
military space systems, maturing the military doctrine for space power, and
organizing space forces to present to our Combatant Commands.
Space
Capabilities
The new, independent U.S. Space
Force will maintain and enhance the competitive edge in space while adapting to
new strategic challenges. Spacelift operations at the East and West Coast
launch bases provide services, facilities and range safety control for the
conduct of NASA and commercial space launches. Through the command and control
of all defense satellites, satellite operators provide force-multiplying
effects – continuous global coverage, low vulnerability and
autonomous operations. Satellites provide essential in-theater secure
communications, weather and navigational data for ground, air and fleet
operations and threat warning. Ground-based and space-based systems
monitor ballistic missile launches around the world to guard against a surprise
missile attack on North America. A global network of space surveillance sensors
provides vital information on the location of satellites and space debris for
the nation and the world. Maintaining space superiority is an emerging
capability required to protect U.S. space assets from hostile attacks.
Daily Devotions
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
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