Monday, October 2, 2023
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Denys Arcand, Barbarian Invasions, 2003
DAY 49 - MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE, PRAY FOR US
Join us for Rosary Coast to Coast!
In the Battle of Lepanto, the Turks believed Christianity had become so weak, it was time to move in and "deal the last blow." Outnumbered, Pope St. Pius V called upon the world to pray the rosary. Miraculously, victory was won on October 7, 1571, which brought the Feast of Our Lady of Victory.
Here we are again, my brothers and sisters. The enemy appears to be attempting to "deal the last blow." There is no doubt we are living in diabolically influenced times. This, while Godless leaders and influencers in our nation have usurped the phrase, “This is a battle for the soul of America,” as their evil abominations unto God easily become a “new normal” in the lives of our loved ones?! Those who choose to stand in the “Spirit of Truth” are mocked, persecuted, abandoned and put out?! The time is now to do the "Lepanto thing!"
PLEASE join us for Rosary Coast to Coast on the Feast of Our Lady of Victory, October 7, 2023 at 3:00pm CST to pray the Glorious Mysteries as a nation. It simply means to gather with a group of 2 or more outside (if possible) as we call upon the powerful intercession of Our Lady to Heal Our Land!!
Go to RosaryCoasttoCoast.com to find more information and register your group.
Let’s … UNITE AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS!!
LIVE A SUPERNATURAL LIFE
Surveys by Gallup, the National Opinion Research Center, and the Pew Organization conclude that spiritually committed people are twice as likely to report being “very happy” than the least religiously committed people. Secular analysts seem to be doing back flips trying to explain away the simple reality that there is no other authentic and fulfilling way to live other than a supernatural life.
St. Paul writes, “The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor 2:14). This is the person who acts only by using his or her human faculties (intelligence and will) and who therefore can be wise only in the things of the world. He remains superficial and worldly. This is a heart that has hardened to the presence of God. The prophet Jeremiah writes “Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, but stands in a lava waste, a salt land and empty earth” (Jer 17:5-6).
However, throughout the Bible (e.g., Ps 1, Jer 17, Rev 22) we are told that the blessed ones are those who trust God and his ordinances; they are like trees planted beside streams of water. These trees are full of life (their leaves stay green) and they fulfill their purpose (produce fruit) even in the face of life’s challenges. The commentary on 1 Corinthians in the Navarre Bible states, “The spiritual man is the Christian reborn by the grace of God; grace elevates his faculties to enable him to perform actions which have a supernatural value — acts of faith, hope, and charity. A person who is in the state of grace is able to perceive the things of God, because he carries with him the Spirit in his soul in grace, and he has Christ’s mind, Christ’s attitude. ‘We have no alternative,’ St. Josemaria Escriva teaches, ‘there are only two possible ways of living on this earth: either we live a supernatural life, or we live an animal life. And you and I can only live the life of God, a supernatural life’ (Friends of God).” (Excerpt from Church Militant Field Manual).
PRAYERS FOR TRADITIONAL 54 DAY NOVENA
THE JOYFUL 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, snow white buds to remind thee of thy joys, each bud 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 snow white buds to remind thee of thy joys, each bud 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 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 Annunciation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of humility and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Visitation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of charity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Nativity – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of detachment from the world and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Presentation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of purity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of obedience to the will of God 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: May our Church and our country find hope as we unite at the foot of the cross. (Please add your own petitions to this powerful novena)
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
You can join the United State Grace Force Facebook group HERE, to receive the reflections each day.
Spanish language Novena prayers and reflections are available at https://rosarycoasttocoast.
Those who would like to pray with others via The Telephone Rosary, call 1-951-799-9866 daily at 6 pm Eastern.
Enroll in the worldwide Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary! Click here: https://championshrine.
GET YOUR GROUP TOGETHER AND JOIN US WHEREVER YOU ARE ON OCTOBER 7!!
Sign your group up at https://rosarycoasttocoast.
HOLY
GUARDIAN ANGELS
“Are
any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them
pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of
faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has
committed sins will be forgiven.” -James 5:14-15
Psalm 91, verse 5-6
5 You shall not FEAR the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that roams in darkness, nor the plague that ravages at noon.
The Warrior Ethos
In
the military, units of archers are men who are expert at hitting a mark or
target.
Sin
is the act of violating God's will. Sin can also be viewed as anything that
violates the ideal relationship between an individual and God; or as any
diversion from the ideal order for human living. To sin has been defined as
"to miss the mark" to have a hardened heart, a loss of love for God,
a disposition of the heart to depart from God because of inordinate self-love.
We need to live the Shema Israel. Every day, every action of ours should be metaphorically speaking target practice aiming to love God with our whole heart, mind, soul and strength. We should exemplify this with the proper attitude toward wealth and be completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving.
Leaders Organize not Hesitate[1]
He that hesitates is lost. Yet, to act too quickly is also to be
rash. Paul wrote to bring order to a church in chaos. Like our modern world,
churches can be in chaos when there is no leadership. The Corinthian’s were
abusing their gifts and calling attention to themselves rather than to Christ.
Paul therefore suggests for them to do everything “decently and in order.” John
Maxwell submits that there is a leadership lesson that can bring peace to
chaos.
- Identify
and pursue your top priorities (v.1).
- Seek
to practice what will benefit the most people (v.2-12).
- Communicate
clearly (v. 7-8).
- See
things through the eyes of an outsider (v. 23-25).
- Order
activities simply for the purpose of adding value to others (v. 26-33).
- Make sure everything is done in an appropriate manner (v. 40).
Feast of our Holy Guardian Angels[2]
THIS feast was instituted:
1. To thank God that to each one of us He has given a guardian angel to conduct him unharmed through the dangers of this world.
2. To inspire us with gratitude to the angels who do us such great good, and to incite us to efforts to render ourselves worthy of their guardianship.
What is the office of a guardian angel?
To guard men against dangers of soul and body. The Psalmist says: He hath given His angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways; in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone (Ps. xc. 11); that is, that thou mayest neither fall into sin nor misfortune. Oh, what great regard for us, hereupon exclaims St. Bernard, what wonderful love!
Who is it that has given charge?
God.
To whom has He given charge?
The angels, those noble spirits of His own household.
What charge has He given them?
To guard and defend us, poor men. O Lord, what is man, that Thou art mindful of him? St. Paul calls the angels ministering spirits sent to minister to them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation (Heb. i. 14). In innumerable other places in the Bible they are represented as friends of children, guides of youth, defenders of innocence, promoters of good deeds, monitors against evil, guardians of the pious, protectors against misfortune, comforters in need, deliverers in danger, helpers in combat, companions of the souls in everlasting joy.
What should we do every day, but particularly this day?
We should thank God for having given us guardians so holy and powerful, and our guardian angel himself for the help he has rendered us; should think of and call upon him often, especially in the hour of temptation; finally, we should promise fidelity and obedience to his admonitions. Whatever in this regard is at any time binding upon us should especially be done today.
Prayer to the Guardian Angel
Angel of God, my
guardian dear,
To whom His love commits
me here,
Ever this day be at my
side,
To light and guard, to
rule and guide. Amen.
(100 days indulgence each time).
EPISTLE. Exodus xxiii. 20-23.
Thus saith the Lord: Behold I will send My angel, who shall go before thee, and keep thee in thy journey, and bring thee into the place that I have prepared. Take notice of him, and hear his voice, and do not think him one to be contemned; for he will not forgive when thou hast sinned, and My name is in him. But if thou wilt hear his voice, and do all that I speak, I will be an enemy to thy enemies, and will afflict them that afflict thee. And My angel shall go before thee.
Gospel,
Matt, xviii. 1-10.
At that time
the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who thinkest Thou is the greater in the
kingdom of heaven? And Jesus calling unto Him a little child, set him in the
midst of them, and said: Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become
as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever
therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the
kingdom of heaven. And he that shall receive one such little child in My name
receiveth Me. But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that
believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about
his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea. Wo to the
world because of scandals. For it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless,
wo to that man by whom the scandal cometh. And if thy hand or thy foot
scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to go
into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into
everlasting fire. And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it
from thee. It is better for thee having one eye to enter into life, than having
two eyes to be cast into hell fire. See that you despise not one of these
little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face
of My Father Who is in heaven.
Things to do[3]
- Memorize
and pray the Angel of God prayer.
- Bake
an angel food cake, serve angel hair pasta, and/or make angel kisses
(meringue cookies).
- Read
from the Catholic Culture Library:
- Our Guardian Angels by Fr. Joseph Ventura, C.P.
- Sermon on the Holy Guardian Angels by St. Bernard of
Clairvaux.
- Guardian Angels
- Meditation for the Feast of the Guardian Angels by Pope
John XXIII.
- Role of Guardian Angels in our Lives by George Huber.
- Paschal Parente's chapters on Angels.
- Read
the section on angels in the Directory on Popular Piety and Liturgy. The
document examines the doctrine and devotions of the angels. Devotion to
angels is good, but also can have deviations:
“Devotion to the Holy Angels gives rise to a certain form of
the Christian life which is characterized by:
- devout gratitude to God for having placed these heavenly
spirits of great sanctity and dignity at the service of man.
- an attitude of devotion deriving from the knowledge of living
constantly in the presence of the Holy Angels of God — serenity and
confidence in facing difficult situations, since the Lord guides and
protects the faithful in the way of justice through the ministry of His
Holy Angels. Among the prayers to the Guardian Angels the Angele Dei is
especially popular and is often recited by families at morning and
evening prayers, or at the recitation of the Angelus.
“217. Popular devotion to the Holy
Angels [which is legitimate and good] can, however, also give rise to possible
deviations:
- when, as sometimes can happen, the faithful are taken by the
idea that the world is subject to demiurgical struggles, or an incessant
battle between good and evil spirits, or Angels and daemons, in which man
is left at the mercy of superior forces and over which he is helpless;
such cosmologies bear little relation to the true Gospel vision of the
struggle to overcome the Devil, which requires moral commitment, a
fundamental option for the Gospel, humility and prayer;
- when the daily events of life, which have nothing or little
to do with our progressive maturing on the journey towards Christ are
read schematically or simplistically, indeed childishly, so as to ascribe
all setbacks to the Devil and all success to the Guardian Angels. The
practice of assigning names to the Holy Angels should be discouraged,
except in the cases of Gabriel, Raphael and Michael whose names are
contained in Holy Scripture.”
- Also
read All About the Angels.
- Read
about saints and others who had a great devotion to their guardian angel (St. Josemaria Escriva; St. Padre Pio; Blessed John XXIII).
- Think
about how you can develop a greater devotion and depend on your guardian
angel every day.
Redwood National Park Establish 1968
Think of the giant Redwoods, they are the largest trees in
the world. These trees survive by intertwining their roots because the ground
is so hard the Redwood cannot strike a taproot to hold itself up but by
supporting each other they become the largest trees in the world.
World Farm
Animals Day[4]
Farm animals are cute, and they also
play an important role in modern society. Take some time to appreciate them
this World Farm Animals Day. Created in memory of Ghandi, who believed in
treating all living beings with respect, World Farm Animals Day was founded to highlight the poor
conditions suffered by some farm animals and promote awareness in the hope
something may be done to improve their lives.
While World Farm Animals Day has an
important, and sad, origin, in the sense it was created to raise awareness of
suffering, it can be celebrated in different ways with children. Taking
children for a visit to a farm is a great way to teach them about farm animals,
and it’s a good chance to instill in them the message of treating animals with
respect. Another great way to celebrate is by donating to an animal protection
charity of your choice.
Catechism of the Catholic
Church
PART TWO: THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN
MYSTERY
SECTION TWO-THE SEVEN
SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH
CHAPTER ONE-THE SACRAMENTS OF CHRISTIAN
INITIATION
IN BRIEF
1315
"Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the
word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for
them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any
of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then
they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit" (Acts
8:14-17).
1316
Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace; it is the sacrament which gives the Holy
Spirit in order to root us more deeply in the divine filiation, incorporate us
more firmly into Christ, strengthen our bond with the Church, associate us more
closely with her mission, and help us bear witness to the Christian faith in
words accompanied by deeds.
1317
Confirmation, like Baptism, imprints a spiritual mark or indelible character on
the Christian's soul; for this reason one can receive this sacrament only once
in one's life.
1318 In
the East this sacrament is administered immediately after Baptism and is
followed by participation in the Eucharist; this tradition highlights the unity
of the three sacraments of Christian initiation. In the Latin Church this
sacrament is administered when the age of reason has been reached, and its celebration
is ordinarily reserved to the bishop, thus signifying that this sacrament
strengthens the ecclesial bond.
1319 A
candidate for Confirmation who has attained the age of reason must profess the
faith, be in the state of grace, have the intention of receiving the sacrament,
and be prepared to assume the role of disciple and witness to Christ, both
within the ecclesial community and in temporal affairs.
1320 The
essential rite of Confirmation is anointing the forehead of the baptized with
sacred chrism (in the East other sense-organs as well), together with the
laying on of the minister's hand and the words: "Accipe signaculum doni
Spiritus Sancti" (Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.) in the
Roman Rite, or "The seal of the gift that is the Holy Spirit" in the
Byzantine rite.
1321 When
Confirmation is celebrated separately from Baptism, its connection with Baptism
is expressed, among other ways, by the renewal of baptismal promises. the
celebration of Confirmation during the Eucharist helps underline the unity of
the sacraments of Christian initiation.
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: The Pope
· Eat waffles
and Pray for the assistance of the Angels
·
Religion
in the Home for Preschool: October
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
· Monday: Litany of
Humility
·
Rosary
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