Let Freedom Ring: Freedom from Lust
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)
Tobit, Chapter 5,
Verse 16
This
is the angel Raphael who says to do not fear. It is interesting to note that
Raphael name and function means the medicine of God.
One of
the Seven[1]
Raphael is one of the seven archangels who bring prayers before God (Tobit xii. 15), although he was not one of the six who buried Moses. In Enoch, xx. 1-7 he is the second among the six or seven angels, Michael, as the most prominent, being placed in the Middle. In the lists of planetary angels given in the Jewish calendar, Raphael presides over the sun and over Sunday (ib. p. 56). The four angels Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel appear much more often in works of Jewish mysticism. From heaven they behold all the bloodshed on earth and bring the laments of souls before the Lord (Enoch, ix. 1-3). From out of the darkness, they lead souls to God (Sibyllines, ii. 214 et seq.). They are the four angels of the Presence, and stand on the four sides of the Lord, whom they glorify (Enoch, xl., where the fourth angel is Phanuel). Each has his own host of angels for the praising of God, around the four sides of whose throne are the four groups of angels. In accordance with their position in heaven, they are the four leaders of the camp of Israel in the wilderness: Michael on the east, opposite the tribe of Levi; Raphael on the west, opposite Ephraim; Gabriel on the south, facing Reuben and Judah; Uriel on the north, facing Dan. In like manner, the four rivers of paradise are divided among these four angels ("Seder Gan 'Eden," in Jellinek, "B. H." iii. 138). Raphael, like every other angel, can assume any form he will (Tobit); a tablet on his breast bears the name of God (Pesiḳ. R. 108b); according to the Zohar, he is the chief of the "ofannim." Arealization of the foreign character of this angel is inferred in the statement of Simeon ben Laüish (in 250 C.E.) to the effect that the names of the angels originated in Babylon, meaning among the Parthians who ruled there (Gen. R. xlviii. 9). Raphael, as his name implies, is the angel of healing diseases and wounds (Enoch, xc. 9); he overcomes Asmodeus, the evil spirit; he binds even Azazel, and throws him into a pit (Enoch, x. 4). He cures blindness (Tobit l.c.; Midrash of the Ten Commandments, in Jellinek, "B. H." i. 80), and because of his healing powers he is represented as a serpent (Origen, l.c.). Raphael, as the third in rank, appeared with Michael and Gabriel to cure Abraham (Yoma 37a; B. M. 86b; Gen. R. xlviii. 10). He cures also moral evil (Pasiḳ. R. 46 [ed. Friedmann, p. 188a]).
Raphael was a favorite
figure in Christian as well as in Jewish angelology, and early Christian
amulets, encolpions, tombstones, and other monuments have been found bearing
the names of the angels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. A small, gold
tablet discovered in the grave of Maria, the wife of the emperor Honorius,
bears a similar inscription. The names of the same angels occur on Basilidian
gems, and Origen likewise mentions them.
His name occurs in
Judæo-Babylonian conjuring texts, and is conspicuous in the liturgy—as in the
evening prayer, where he is mentioned together with the three other angels, at
whose head stands God, exactly as in the Christian version of Zechariah.
Tobit[2]
- Tobias went out
to look for someone to accompany him and who should he run into but
Raphael, the angel!
- When asked if
he knew the way to Media, Raphael replied that he often stayed there with
Gabael (who just happened to be the guy holding the bag of money) because
they were kinsmen. (Though this seems to be an amazing stroke of
luck, it, of course, reflects the providence of God.)
- Tobit wanted
to meet him and when pressed for a name, Raphael said it was Azariah,
which means “Yahweh has helped.”
- Both Tobit and
Tobias had no clue as to Azariah’s true identity even though he told Tobit
he would soon be healed.
- Tobit wished
them a safe journey, saying, “May [God’s] angel accompany you both and
protect you!” (Another example of great irony!)
Love endures
Today is my 17th wedding anniversary. On the marriage of my oldest son his little brother was asked to say something at the reception. Vincent got up (he is 6’6”) and while all eyes were on him stated, “First Chris called Kate and there was the telephone ring: then there was a bond establish and the trust ring began: then after some time came the engagement ring: and naturally followed the wedding ring: but Chris I have to warn you that after today there is one more ring; for now, begins the suffer ring. Pope Francis tells us about “Love” in marriage.
Amoris Lætitia[3] Love in Marriage
(89-94)
Love grows from the path of fidelity and mutual
self-giving and thus encourages the growth, strengthening and deepening of
conjugal and family love. Indeed, the grace of the sacrament of marriage is
intended before all else “to perfect the couple’s love.” Love is experienced
and nurtured in the daily life of couples and their children. Daily love
strives to accomplish what Paul describes in his letter to the Corinthians.
“Love is patient, love is kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not
arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or
resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong but rejoices in the right. Love bears
all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor
13:4-7). Love is patient which is expressed in the quality of one who does not
act on impulse and avoids giving offense. We find this quality in the God of
the Covenant, who calls us to imitate him also within the life of the family.
God’s “patience”, shown in his mercy towards sinners, is a sign of his real
power. Being patient does not mean letting ourselves be constantly mistreated,
tolerating physical aggression or allowing other people to use us. Unless we
cultivate an understanding and patience of others; we will always find excuses
for responding angrily. We will end up incapable of living together,
antisocial, unable to control our impulses, and our families will become
battlegrounds. Patience takes root when I recognize that other people also have
a right to live in this world, just as they are. Love is always at the service
of others. Paul wants to make it clear that “patience” is not a completely
passive attitude, but one accompanied by activity, by a dynamic and creative
interaction with others. The word indicates that love benefits and helps
others. For this reason, it is translated as “kind”; love is ever ready to be
of assistance. Love is more than a mere feeling. Rather, it should be
understood along the lines of the Hebrew verb “to love”; it is “to do good” for
the other.
Novena
of St. Ann[4]
Although Saint Anne is not mentioned in the
Bible, she is the holy mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus. When we pray
the St. Anne Novena, we are asking help from our Blessed Mother’s mother! Saint
Anne’s feast day is on July 26th, so the St. Anne Novena is traditionally started
on July 17th — but you can pray it anytime. Devotion to St. Anne began early in
the history of the Catholic Church. As she was favored by God to become the
mother of the holy Virgin Mary, she is often invoked as the Patron of mothers
as well as for relationships, among other things.
Daily Prayer to Saint Ann
O
glorious St. Ann, you are filled with compassion for those who invoke you and
with love for those who suffer! Heavily burdened with the weight of my
troubles, I cast myself at your feet and humbly beg of you to take the present
intention which I recommend to you in your special care.
Please recommend it to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and place it
before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue. Continue
to intercede for me until my request is granted. But, above all, obtain for me
the grace one day to see my God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the
saints to praise and bless Him for all eternity. Amen.
Our
Father, . . . Hail Mary . . .
O
Jesus, Holy Mary, St. Ann, help me now and at the hour of my death. Good St.
Ann, intercede for me.
Dear St. Ann, though I am but a prodigal child,
I appeal to you and place myself under your great motherly care. Please listen
to my prayers and grant my requests. See my contrite heart and show me your
unfailing goodness.
Deign to be my advocate and recommend me to
God’s infinite mercy. Obtain for me forgiveness of my sins and the strength to
begin a new life that will last forever.
Blessed St. Ann, I also beg of you the grace to
love, to serve, and to honor your daughter, the most holy Virgin Mary. Please
recommend me to her and pray to her for me. She refuses none your requests but
welcomes with loving kindness all those for whom you intercede.
Good Jesus be merciful to the faithful servants
of Your grandmother St. Ann.
Daily Devotions
·
Saturday Litany of the Hours
Invoking the Aid of Mother Mary
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
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