Thursday, September 30, 2021

 

DAY 47 - MARY, QUEEN OF THE MOST HOLY ROSARY, PRAY FOR US

PLEASE NOTE: Please read this article:

THE GREAT OCTOBER BATTLE IS UPON US! ST. MICHAEL, DEFEND US IN BATTLE!

BORN FOR COMBAT 

Prophet: Bishop Robert Barron says, "A prophet is someone who speaks for God. Their task is to speak God's word, in season and out (whether that word is popular or not). It means you should be a reader of theology and spirituality that you might, as St. Peter put it, 'give a reason for the hope that is in you.' We're living in a time when religion is under attack. If someone challenged you, could you give a reason for the hope that is in you?"

For Pope Leo XIII, to be a prophet means we are "born for combat": "To recoil before an enemy, or to keep silence when from all sides such clamors are raised against truth, is the part of a man either devoid of character or who entertains doubt as to the truth of what he professes to believe. The only ones who win when Christians stay quiet" he says, "are the enemies of truth. The silence of Catholics is particularly disturbing because frequently a few bold words would have vanquished the false ideas." 

"Christians are," Leo continues, "born for combat." It is part of their nature to follow Christ by espousing unpopular ideas and by defending the truth at great cost to themselves.

The element of surprise often catches us off-guard when faced with an opportunity to defend the faith from attacks or share why our faith is so important to us. Those moments often come and go rather quickly. These can be seen as "teaching moments" as they teach us to be better prepared the next time it happens. This is why it is essential for us to make the necessary preparations by developing short but impactful statements or quotes that really leave, in a brief moment, a spiritual mark on the recipients. In the public relations world, these are called talking points or, as Pope Leo XIII called them, "a few bold words." A talking point in debate or discourse is a succinct statement designed to persuasively support one side taken on an issue. Such statements can either be free standing or created as retorts to the opposition's talking points. Yes, you should study theology and spirituality, but like arrows in your quiver, you must have these talking points prepared and memorized, ready to fire (Excerpt from Church Militant Field Manual).

PRAY A ROSARY

Choose either:

1. Rosary of the Day: Luminous Mysteries
2. Traditional 54 Day Rotation: Sorrowful Mysteries

PRAYERS FOR TRADITIONAL 54 DAY NOVENA

THE SORROWFUL 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, blood red roses to remind thee of the passion of thy divine Son, with Whom thou didst so fully partake of its bitterness, 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 blood red roses to remind thee of the passion of thy divine Son, with Whom thou didst so fully partake of its bitterness 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.

The Agony in the Garden - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.

Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of resignation to the will of God and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.

The Scourging at the Pillar - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.

Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of mortification and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.

The Crowning with Thorns - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.

Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of humility and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.

The Carrying of the Cross - Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.

Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of patience in adversity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.

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

Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of love of our enemies 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 of and Provision for the Church, the Family and our Nation. Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us!

 

All of the daily Novena Prayers and Reflections are found in this book: 54 Day Basic Training in Holiness 

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.

"One day through the Rosary and the Scapular, I will save the world."  The Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Dominic  www.ConfraternityCommunity.com

 

Join us for the world premiere of "Bridge of Roses." Go to MovieMissionaries.org

Here's the link to this poster HERE

BRIDGE OF ROSES TRAILER

The Great October Battle is Upon Us! St. Michael, Defend Us in Battle!

The United States Grace Force was launched in the lead up to the 2016 Presidential election. We knew our Church and our country were becoming more and more vulnerable to the attack of Satan and his minions, especially after the devastating 2015 SCOTUS decision to redefine marriage for the first time in all of civilization. Sister Lucia (Fatima seer) wrote, "The final battle between the Lord and the reign of Satan will be about marriage and the family."

The Latin phrase, motus in fine velocior, is commonly used to indicate the faster passing of the time at the end of an historical period. It also means, "Things accelerate toward the end." We realized we are living through an historical hour which is not necessarily the end of times, but certainly could be marked as the end of an era. I wrote about the significance of the 100 years since Fatima, which many believe to be the "100 years of Satan." I am among those who believe the 100 years of Satan began with Our Lady's 1917 warning in Fatima. It was on October 13, 1884 -- precisely 33 years before the 1917 "Miracle of the Sun" by Our Lady of Fatima -- Pope Leo XIII had his vision about Satan given 100 years to destroy the Church. This was when Pope Leo XIII wrote the St. Michael prayer and ordered all to pray it after every Low Mass (Read about this HERE).

Just as we were heading into the final year (2017) of the "100 years of Satan," the unlikely Presidential candidate was elected, and we were given our Constantine (See what that means HERE). As Blaise Joseph wrote, "American doesn't need a President to make arguments for us. America just needs a president to give us the freedom to make our arguments without fear of being shouted down by the politically correct brigade."

Christianity now felt supported, protected and empowered. We, boldly, professed we were, in fact, "One Nation, Under God!"

But, as we have seen, since then, the forces of evil knew they were losing and went into full blown panic mode ... totally unhinged. We watched a 24/7 campaign to destroy the President, while Big Media, literally, "trained" the nation to hate him. We saw high level politicians inciting racial division and domestic terrorism, setting the nation in turmoil, in order to shift public opinion to seek "hope and change." The fear mongering, especially by way of this virus, has reached historic proportions. Many believe the 2020 election was replete with fraud. We saw witches around the nation join forces, every month, to cast a spell against President Trump. We even discovered that evil planted the Arch of Baal on the grounds of our Nation's Capitol. Truly, the demonic has been in overdrive!!

In the Church, anyone who is tuned-in finds themselves exceedingly concerned with the sexual abuse crisis and, what seems to be, the seizing of control by the progressive wing of the Church's prelates. And, as a result, the "devout" of our Church are being persecuted. The last verse of Revelation 12 could not speak more clearly about these days: "Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring-those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus" (The Devout) -Revelation 12:17.

It's unavoidable ... Spiritual Warfare is Upon Us! And, I believe the battle of our lives is coming to a head in October. The reason I say this is because, in Satan's panic to regain power, I believe he and his minions have overplayed their hand. We are now watching them being exposed. They have become so aggressive and arrogant that they turned a multitude of hearts against them. As a result, I believe we are very close to a collapse of this diabolical tyrannical regime. This is why we must act and pray as though EVERYTHING depends upon it!

October 7, 2021 is the 450th anniversary of the Battle of Lepanto. This was when, in 1571, the Turks saw an opportunity to invade and wipe out Christianity, as it was weak and divided at the time. What does that sound like? Of course, it is very much like our times. We were, as the expression goes, "Ripe for the picking," and radical secularism is throwing everything at us to move in and wipe us out.

I can't predict whether this collapse will occur in October, but I believe it is coming very soon. For our part, we must do what Pope Pius V was called to do in 1571. We must gather the remnant forces and be willing to make whatever sacrifices God is calling us to make, based on our present state in life. This, while we call upon our Lady and the power of the rosary, to intercede on our behalf. 

Let's accept our call to be God's "Holy League!"

PLEASE NOTE: Thank you opening this article and choosing to read it. I would like to express my gratitude by offering you free Epiphany Holy Water. This is offered to the first 1,000. You can order your free Epiphany Holy Water here: romancatholicgear.com.

Please read on...

 

The Strategy

In the lead up to Fr. Ripperger's talk in my parish, I asked if he could speak on this: "What does it look like if someone really wants to go all in - totally serious and committed - as a kind of "Navy Seal of Spiritual Warfare?"  That's when he offered the topic of "Different Levels of Spiritual Warfare" (See Fr. Ripperger's talk below).

This is the approach we are taking. Depending upon your state in life, you will be able to choose which of these 5 levels of spiritual warfare (below) you are willing to accept. We want to be sure everyone is, at least, praying the Glorious Mysteries together at 3:00pm CST on October 10 (Level One).

Choose Your Level of Spiritual Warfare:

LEVEL ONE

1. Pray in a State of Grace (Go to Confession)
2. Believe God will answer our prayers
3. October 10: Pray Glorious Mysteries at 3:00pm CST (In a public group, if possible. See RosaryCoasttoCoast.com)
4. October 10: Act of Marian Consecration
5. October 1 - 31: Pray the Rosary Daily

LEVEL TWO

1. Pray in a State of Grace (Go to Confession)
2. Believe God will answer our prayers
3. October 10: Pray Glorious Mysteries at 3:00pm CST (In a public group, if possible. See RosaryCoasttoCoast.com)
4. October 10: Act of Marian Consecration
5. October 1 - 31: Pray the Rosary Daily
6. Add Fasting or Penance (recommend some healthy challenge)

LEVEL THREE

1. Pray in a State of Grace (Go to Confession)
2. Believe God will answer our prayers
3. October 10: Pray Glorious Mysteries at 3:00pm CST (In a public group, if possible. See RosaryCoasttoCoast.com)
4. October 10: Act of Marian Consecration
5. October 1 - 31: Pray the Rosary Daily
6. Add Fasting or Penance (recommend some healthy challenge)
7. September 29 - October 7: Pray the Chaplet of St. Michael, asking St. Michael and the Nine Choirs of Angels to join us in prayer through the month of October.

LEVEL FOUR

1. Pray in a State of Grace (Go to Confession)
2. Believe God will answer our prayers
3. October 10: Pray Glorious Mysteries at 3:00pm CST (In a public group, if possible. See RosaryCoasttoCoast.com)
4. October 10: Act of Marian Consecration
5. October 1 - 31: Pray the Rosary Daily
6. Add Fasting or Penance (recommend some healthy challenge)
7. September 29 - October 7: Pray the Chaplet of St. Michael, asking St. Michael and the Nine Choirs of Angels to join us in prayer through the month of October.
8. October 8 - October 31: Pray the Sacred Heart Novena Prayer

LEVEL FIVE

1. Pray in a State of Grace (Go to Confession)
2. Believe God will answer our prayers
3. October 10: Pray Glorious Mysteries at 3:00pm CST (In a public group, if possible. See RosaryCoasttoCoast.com)
4. October 10: Act of Marian Consecration
5. October 1 - 31: Pray the Rosary Daily
6. Add Fasting or Penance (recommend some healthy challenge)
7. September 29 - October 7: Pray the Chaplet of St. Michael, asking St. Michael and the Nine Choirs of Angels to join us in prayer through the month of October.
8. October 8 - October 31: Pray the Sacred Heart Novena Prayer
9. Pray the Chaplet of St. Michael throughout October

We will add one more powerful novena to our arsenal, as the month of October concludes: Novena to St. Jude:

October 20-28: Novena to St. Jude

Say once a day for 9 days, especially beginning on 20 October and ending on 28 October. When the Novena is finished, you must publicly thank St. Jude for his prayers for you. This can be done by posting your "thank you" on social media.

To Saint Jude, Holy Saint Jude, Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke thy special patronage in time of need. To thee I have recourse from the depths of my heart and humbly beg to whom God has given such great power to come to my assistance. Help me in my present and urgent petition, in return I promise to make thy name known and cause thee to be invoked. Saint Jude pray for us and all who invoke thy aid. Amen. 

 

Recite an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be (3 times). Keep your promise to St. Jude and make his name known.

 

I'M GOING IN!

SIGN-UP TO BE A GRACE FORCE PRAYER WARRIOR HERE:
(Click on this Prayer Warrior medallion below)

 

Here are the foundational Supernatural Strength Practices of the Grace Force:

• Believe in the Supernatural Power of God (Expect Miracles)
• Protect (or quickly recover) Your "State of Grace" (No USGF operations without a state of grace)
• Absolute Obedience: Adhere to "all" teachings of the Church, and respect legitimate authority
• Morning Offering
• Go to Mass (Daily Mass, if at all possible)
• Frequent Confession (Keep your Confessions no more than one month apart)
• Fasting (Fasting is a way in which the Lord gives the underdog victory)
• Eucharistic Adoration (Dedicate some time each week for Adoration)
• Mental Prayer
• Sacred Reading (Lectio Divina)
• Pray at Every Meal (Make the Sign of the Cross, say the "Bless us, O Lord" prayer)
• Daily Rosary
• Wear the Brown Scapular (or Scapular Medal)
• Pray the Angelus (6:00 a.m., noon, 6:00 p.m. daily)
• Marian Consecration
• Large-scale Use of Approved Sacramentals and Devotions
• Examine Your Conscience Before Going to Sleep (Take a few minutes just before bed to review your day asking, "How have I behaved as a child of God?" It's also a great time to look at that "dominant fault" you need to improve upon in order to become a saint. Conclude these few minutes of reflection by praying three Hail Marys for purity and then pray the "Act of Contrition")

 

Learn about the United States Grace Force HERE.

Get all of your US GRACE FORCE spiritual warfare weapons at RomanCatholicGear.com

 

Fr. Chad Ripperger speaks at St. Mary of Pine Bluff on "Levels of Spiritual Warfare."

HOT MULLED CIDER DAY

Job, Chapter 33, Verse 7

Therefore, FEAR of me should not dismay you, nor should I weigh heavily upon you.

 

Although this is the young man Elihu speaking to Job and contradicting him, yet if we just look at the verse alone; could it be Christ is speaking to our hearts? Are you afraid to believe? Are you unsure of your ability to carry the burden of true religious convictions? Mull over these things will hot cider.

 

Hot Mulled Cider Day[1]

 

The winter will be short, the summer long, the autumn amber-hued, sunny and hot, Tasting of cider and of scuppernong; All seasons sweet, but autumn best of all. The squirrels in their silver fur will fall Like falling leaves, like fruit, before your shot. Elinor Wylie

 

The chilly seasons welcome a delicious drink called hot mulled cider, a traditional drink made from heated apple cider with various spices added, including citrus orange, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. It is a perfect drink on chilly days whether you are home alone by your fireplace reading a book, or having a party serving this drink with your friends. The history of hot mulled cider is bears remarkable similarities to the old pagan tradition called Wassailing. The word ‘wassail’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon phrase ‘waes hael’, which means ‘good health’. The wassail was a drink made of mulled ale, curdled cream, roasted apples, eggs, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and sugar. It was served from huge, 10-gallon bowls, often made of silver or pewter. This originally came from a story about a young beautiful maiden presenting the drink to Prince Vortigen, saying the words “waes hael” in a toast. The term wassailing refers to the act of the bowl being carried into the room with great splendor, a traditional carol about wassailing and then the beverage was served. Nowadays, hot mulled cider is generally referred to non-alcoholic, fermented apple juice. Hard cider would be the alcoholic version of apple cider. This drink can be served during the fall and winter seasons, and it is similar to Mulled wine, which is essentially hot, sweetened red wine made aromatic with the addition of citrus fruits and warming spices such as cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. However, people these days have been gravitating towards mulled apple cider as a drink that anyone can have.

How to celebrate Hot Mulled Cider Day

 

One of the best ways to celebrate this holiday is to find a recipe and make mulled cider yourself! It’s a very easy and simple drink with a lot of flavor. In a large pot, add brown sugar to apple cider over medium heat. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved. Then add other ingredients such as nutmeg, allspice, orange juice, and lemon juice, and bring to a boil. When serving, strain out the spices, pour into a mug, and enjoy! Add a cinnamon stick to your mug if you’d like or make it fancy and add rum into your mixture.

35 Promises of God[2] cont.

“Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.”-Deut 31:6

Daily Devotions

·         Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: The lonely and destitute.

·         do a personal eucharistic stations of the cross.

·         Iceman’s Total Consecration to Mary-Day 20

·         Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

·         Total Consecration to St. Joseph Day 2

·         Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

·         "Faith cannot save without virtue"

·         Drops of Christ’s Blood

·         Iceman’s 40 devotion

·         Universal Man Plan

·         Rosary

  

OCTOBER

TREES DECLARE THEIR OWN SERMON in brief autumn's painted landscape. We note their size and type and variety and beauty. Trees serve as symbols of the gift-giving aspects of our lives. Trees provide fruit, wood, climatic modification, wind and sun protection, prevention of soil erosion, and a host of other benefits. This is the time to plant trees and to prepare them for winter. Should we not give more attention to how our lives can bear fruit in Christ and in the protection of our forests?

 

Overview of October[3]

 

The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary. The Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated on October 7. October falls during the liturgical season known as Ordinary Time, which is represented by the liturgical color green. During October, as in all of Ordinary Time (formerly known as Time After Pentecost), the Liturgy does not focus on one particular mystery of Christ but views the mystery of Christ in all its aspects. We follow the life of Christ through the Gospels and focus on the teachings and parables of Jesus and what it means for each of us to be a follower of Christ.

 

Autumn Festivities

 

October usually is an enjoyable time of the year in the United States. The autumn season manifests itself with wonderful fall foliage in many parts of the country. The temperatures are cooler, inviting people outdoors for nature walks, apple or pumpkin picking. The celebrations of the Church for the month of October are also wonderful and unique. The feasts of some of the most popular saints of the universal Church are celebrated during this month: St. Therese the Little Flower (France), St. Francis of Assisi (Italy) and St. Teresa of Avila (Spain). These saints come from different countries, and in honoring these saints we can include cultural dishes or activities from each country to make the feast day even more special. Read more about the lives of these saints. Perhaps the family can pick one virtue that each saint practiced well and try to implement it.

 

The feasts in October also include two of the most popular, time-honored devotions of Catholics, the devotion to the Holy Rosary (October 7) and the Guardian Angels (October 2). In October 2002 our Holy Father John Paul II wrote the Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae (the Rosary of the Virgin Mary)." This letter introduced five new mysteries, called the Luminous or Mysteries of Light, which are (1) Jesus' Baptism in the Jordan, (2) Jesus' self-manifestation at the wedding of Cana, (3) Proclamation of the Kingdom of God, with the call to conversion, (4) the Transfiguration, and (5) the Institution of the Eucharist. Try to make a more concerted effort to pray the Rosary together as a family during the month of October, read the Apostolic Letter to understand the beauty of this devotion more deeply, and pray the new Luminous mysteries. October 16 is known as "Pope Day" on which we celebrate the gift of the papacy and our current pope.

 

Every person has a guardian angel assigned to them, and October 2 the Church celebrates the role of these Guardian Angels. We should show devout gratitude to God for placing these angels at our service. Having a guardian should give us confidence during all of life's difficulties. Every Catholic should know the Angele Dei (Angel of God) prayer and pray it often. The Directory on Popular Piety suggests that families pray it at morning and evening prayers or after the Angelus.

 

All Hallows' Eve or Halloween heralds the month of November with emphasis on the Communion of Saints, especially the Church Suffering (the Poor Souls in Purgatory) and the second coming of Christ or parousia. This last day of October on the secular calendar is second only to Christmas in commercial preparations. The secular festivities center on ghouls, witches and devils, but the Christian counterpart focus on the communion of saints. As Christians living a "Catholic Culture", we should try to explore the Christian roots of the Halloween festivities.

 

October: Respect Life Month[4]

We mark the month of October as Respect Life Month. Looking back over the last year, there's been a lot of uncertainty, suffering, and heartache. Between tragedies that occur in the public eye and trials that take place in our personal lives, there's no shortage of reasons we cry out to God. At such times, we may feel alone and unequipped to handle the circumstances. But we have an anchor of hope to cling to. With words that echo through thousands of years into the corners of our hearts, God says to us, "Do not fear: I am with you" (Isaiah 41:10). God isn't a detached, distant observer to our pain; the Eternal Son became man and Himself experienced immense suffering—for you and for me. His wounds indicate the very essence of our identity and worth: we are loved by God. There are times we may doubt the value of our own lives or falter at the thought of welcoming and embracing the life of another. But reflecting on the healed wounds of the Risen Christ, we can see that even our most difficult trials can be the place where God manifests his victory. He makes all things beautiful. He makes all things new. He is the God of redemption. That's powerful. That's something to hold onto. And, He is always with us. Jesus promised this when he gave the disciples the same mission, he gives to each of us: Go. As followers of Jesus Christ, we know that our identity and our mission are two sides of the same coin; like the apostles, we are called to be missionary disciples. We are not only invited to follow and take refuge in God, our stronghold, but we are also commissioned to reach out to one another, especially to the weak and vulnerable. Building a culture of life isn't something we just do one month of the year, or with one event or initiative—it's essential to who we are. It happens through our daily actions, how we treat one another, and how we live our lives. How do we respond when our aging parents are in failing health? Do they know how much we love them and cherish each day given? Do we ensure they know they are never a burden to us? In our own challenging times, do we ask for support? When others offer a helping hand, do we receive it? When our friend becomes pregnant in difficult circumstances, do we show compassion that tangibly supports her and helps her welcome the life of her new little one? Sometimes, we may not be sure exactly what to do, but let's not allow the fear of doing the wrong thing or saying the wrong thing keep us from living out our missionary call. We don't need to have everything figured out all at once. Let's remember the guidance of Our Blessed Mother, the first disciple: "Do whatever he tells you" (John 2:5). https://www.usccb.org/prolife

Respect Life Month[5]

From the time we are knit together in our mothers’ wombs until we take our final breaths, each moment of our lives is a gift from God. While every season of life brings its own challenges and trials, each season also gives us new opportunities to grow in our relationship with God. Today the gift of life is threatened in countless ways. Those who are most vulnerable, rather than receiving the protection they deserve, are all too often seen as a burden and as expendable. As new attacks on human life continue to emerge, we can be tempted to despair, but Christ instead offers us unfailing hope. Hope is not false optimism or empty positivity. Christian hope is something much more profound and goes to the very depths of our identity as followers of Christ. Hope is the virtue “by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit” (CCC, 1817).

Like us, Christ entered the world through the womb of a woman. He willingly experienced the fullness of human suffering. He breathed his last on the Cross at Calvary in order that He might save us. Therefore, “God is the foundation of hope: not any god, but the God who has a human face and who has loved us to the end” (Spe salvi 31).

Christians know “they have a future: it is not that they know the details of what awaits them, but they know in general terms that their life will not end in emptiness” (SS 2).

For this reason, a woman experiencing a difficult pregnancy can find the strength to welcome her precious child into the world. A man facing a terminal diagnosis can see that the end of his earthly life is only the beginning of eternal life with Christ. The Church teaches us that “the one who has hope lives differently” (SS 2).

Christ’s promise of salvation does not mean that we will be spared from suffering. Rather, the promise of salvation ensures that even in the darkest moments of our lives, we will be given the strength to persevere. By virtue of this Christian hope, we can face any challenge or trial. When the seas of life swell and we are battered by the waves, hope allows us to remain anchored in the heart of God. May we hold fast to Christ our hope, from the beginning of life to its very end.

---

[1]https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/hot-mulled-cider-day/

[2]http://www.aggiecatholicblog.org/2014/12/35-promises-of-god/

[3]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10.cfm

[4]http://www.usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities/respect-life-program/2017/2017-respect-life-statement.cfm

[5]https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/20d9f7_6b7f9951fc3b4422bd2ddcce9a234d47.pdf?index=true