Tuesday, September 19, 2023
DAY 36 - MARY, COMFORTER OF THE AFFLICTED, 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!!
SUPERIOR IDEAL
Among the ways we have just let Coach Vince Lombardi inspire us, let’s focus on the most important one: He went to Mass and received Communion every day of his life. Pope John Paul II said the Holy Eucharist “contains the Church’s entire spiritual wealth: Christ Himself.”
Precisely during a time when our culture was becoming disconnected from their True Source, Vince Lombardi remained firmly and wholly connected to his. No matter what Lombardi dedicated himself to, he never abandoned his true self as a child of God and devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. More than anything, he understood the necessity of receiving God’s Divine Life, as he brought himself, daily, to the altar of our Lord to receive him — body, blood, soul, and divinity — as the real source of power in his life. This was where his energy, his very life came from. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen once said, “As a man must be born before he can begin to lead his physical life, so he must be born to lead a Divine Life. That birth occurs in the Sacrament of Baptism. To survive, he must be nourished by Divine Life; that is done in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.”
There is no other authentic way to strive for perfection. Lombardi recognized this as the superior ideal that must never be abandoned, but interwoven into all of our pursuits, whether it is as a businessman or parent or professor or coach.
Vince Lombardi lived profoundly by God at the exact time our culture was unraveling and when it was all too easy to abandon God (as it continues to be today). How easy it was (and is) for so many to follow the crowd through the wide gate (Mt 7:13) of the many fads and trends of immorality, self-gratification, and anti-authority in the 1960s and up to today. Lombardi is yet another reminder that the real heroes of every age are those brave souls who courageously accept the challenge of integrity by ignoring the trends of their times while remaining true to themselves, even if it means being a signum cui contradicetur, a sign of contradiction, in the world (Lk 2:34). (Excerpt from Church Militant Field Manual).
PRAYERS FOR TRADITIONAL 54 DAY NOVENA
THE GLORIOUS 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, full-blown white roses, tinged with the red of the passion, to remind thee of thy glories, fruits of the sufferings of thy Son and thee, 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 full blown white roses, tinged with the red of the passion, to remind thee of thy glories, fruits of the sufferings of thy Son and thee 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 bast 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.
For each of the following Mysteries, say: Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
The Resurrection – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of faith and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Ascension – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of hope and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Descent of the Holy Spirit – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of charity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Assumption of Mary – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of union with Christ and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet.
The Coronation of the Blessed Mother – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be.
Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of union with thee 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.
OUR LADY OF LA SALETTE-ST.
JANUARIUS
Tobit, Chapter 6,
Verse 18
As soon as the demon
smells the odor, it will flee and never again show itself near her. Then when
you are about to have intercourse with her, both of you must first get up to
pray. Beg
the Lord of heaven that mercy and protection be granted you. Do not be AFRAID, for she was set apart for you
before the world existed. You will save her, and she will go with you. And I
assume that you will have children by her, and they will be like brothers for
you. So do not worry.”
One wonders can we dispel demons.
Tobit[1]
- The angel told
him to burn the liver and heart of the fish in the bridal chamber.
The smell would chase the demon away. At that moment, Tobias fell in
love with Sarah, sight unseen.
- Both parents
were delighted to meet Tobias and happy that he wanted to marry their
daughter.
- The parties
drew up a legal marriage document according to the decree of Moses.
- Nonetheless,
Edna, Sarah’s mother, cried uncontrollably, and Raguel told his servants
to go quietly to dig a grave for the young man. Both parents were
convinced the outcome would be the same for the eighth husband – and they
really liked this one.
- Edna’s name
means “Pleasure.”
- As soon as the
couple reached the bridal chamber, Tobias did what Azariah told him to
do. He burned the heart and liver of the fish.
- The stench so
repelled the demon that he fled to the northern part of Egypt where
Azariah followed him and bound him hand and foot. He would never
trouble Sarah again.
- Then Sarah and Tobias prayed that the Lord would
keep them safe. Afterwards, they lay down to sleep. It is not
known whether the marriage was consummated that night.
How to fight and remove evil
spirits[2]
In the lives of dozens of Saints and Mystics one
quickly discovers the role that God allows the demons to play for example in
the lives of the mystic-saints. God Himself explains it when He said to St
Gemma Galgani:
“You will be trampled
underfoot by the devils. Prepare yourself, my daughter, the demon at My orders
will be the one that will add the last touch to my plan that I will accomplish
in you, that is, your sanctification."
-And what an incredibly hellish war the devil waged against Gemma! Literally
every mystic that I have read have been assailed by the evil spirits through
the express permission of God. But then, why would God allow the demons to
attack the mystics or anyone for that matter?
It is to
draw us closer to Himself.
God permits, at times, the devils to assail us, that we might turn to Him in
prayer, with a renewed trust in His love and concern for us. The extraordinary
priest St John Vianney, who's straw bed the devil tried to burn when he was
sleeping in it, once remarked that "the devil is like a dog on a chain.
He can only go so far as God permits." So the first rule to remember
is that God is always in absolute control, and the devil can do nothing
without God's permission. God always seeks to draw good out of everything, and
He can draw good even out of evil, if we let Him. An excellent example of how
God draws good out of evil is the Passion and Death of Jesus Himself. The
Gospel of John says that at the last supper Satan entered Judas and he then
went and betrayed Jesus. -You certainly know the story--Jesus was captured,
tortured, and was nailed to a Cross, and died a torturous death. But was the
death of the Son of God, this at act of pure evil, a victory for Satan and the demons?
No!
-it was in fact Satan’s defeat, because through Jesus' death on the cross we
can be forgiven of our sins if we desire to be. So, we can readily see how God
can and does transform evil into good.
So,
how does all this correlate to those who are battling with demons, and want to
rid themselves of the evil spirits?
Firstly,
we need to look at how Jesus fought and expelled and cast out the demons. Among
others you will certainly want to read Mark 5:1, Mark 1:23, and perhaps the
most telling is Mark 9:29 in which the apostles were unsuccessful in driving a
demon out of a boy. So afterwards they asked Jesus why they could not drive the
demon out, and Jesus replies: "This kind can only be driven out by
prayer and fasting." Prayer and fasting! Therein lies the primary
spiritual weapons to be used to get rid of demons and evil spirits. Jesus said
prayer first, because prayer is the
first and most important weapon
to be used against the devil. This cannot be emphasized enough! Prayer unites
us to God, and draws us closer to Him, and it is God alone who can free us from
the demonic presences. We can do nothing without He Whom sustains us! The other
weapon against the devil that Jesus mentions is fasting. This is
self-explanatory, but what is sometimes forgotten is the spirit that must
accompany fasting. We are too fast from food in a spirit of sacrifice in
reparation for our sins. Our sins are what separate us from God, so we are to
fast in a spirit of penance and reparation for our sins, to put us in the
proper disposition that God might forgive us of these sins. So, firstly prayer,
and then fasting done in a spirit of reparation for our sins, is the primary
recourse against evil spirits. The demons have no power over those who are
closely united to God in prayer, and who are in a state of grace.
The devil
does not make peace treaties.
God loves us. And because
God loves us, the devil and the demons hate us, because they hate God. "Cast all your worries upon him because
he cares for you. Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling
around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1
Peter 5:7) Satan and the demons do not make any peace treaties. They know only
war. They prowl about the world constantly seeking to ruin our souls, to cause
us to despair of God's mercy, and to drag us to hell. So, we need to follow in
Jesus' holy example and face the evil spirits head on, with courage. We must do battle and fight the good fight.
Eucharist/Confession/Rosary/Sacramentals
Catholics are in a
privileged position in the battle against the evil spirits, because the
Catholic Church has been fighting against the powers of hell since Jesus
instituted the Church upon Peter, the first Pope, and the Apostles (the
Bishops) some 2000 years ago. For in the Holy Gospel Jesus says: "You
are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell
will not prevail against it." (Matt 3:16) Along with prayer and
fasting Catholics have powerful weapons to be used in the fight against evil
presences. The most important of
these is Sacramental Confession (also known as the Sacrament of Reconciliation)
where sins are confessed to God, and forgiveness of sins is obtained. A soul free from sin is in a state of grace
and has nothing to fear from the
devil! Along with Confession,
Mass and the frequent reception of the Eucharist are the most efficacious means
of battling evil. Also, prayers before the Blessed Sacrament
(Eucharistic adoration) is exceedingly powerful, because then one is praying
right at the feet of the Lord.
Crucifixes
The devil flees from Jesus
on the cross so if you do not already have one, get a Crucifix and have it
blessed by a priest, and place it in an appropriate and worthy place in your
home--and most especially, pray to Jesus before it each day. Also, if you do
not have one, get a crucifix on a necklace, get it blessed and wear it with
devotion and prayer.
Prayers
to the Virgin Mary, the Saints and Angels
By the express power and
will of God, the most Blessed Virgin Mary, the Angels and the Saints assist us
in our battle with evil. Jesus gave us His Mother while He was dying, hanging
between heaven and earth upon the Cross (John 19:26). And next to Jesus, our
Mother in heaven is our greatest help and advocate against the devil and his
minions. And the greatest prayer asking for our Blessed Mothers help is the
most Holy Rosary. The Rosary is a chain
that binds evil spirits. Along with the Blessed Virgin Mary certain
Saints and Angels are especially powerful against the wickedness of the devil.
St Michael the Archangel for example---the prayer to him has been recited for
over a century and is exceedingly powerful---
"St
Michael the archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the
wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do
thou, O' Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell
Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of
souls. Amen."
Throughout the centuries,
the relics of the Saints have shown to be exceedingly powerful against the
demons. Pray to the Saints, and if possible, keep a relic on your person.
Catholic
sacramental
Sacramentals, especially
holy water and blessed salt should be sprinkled in the affected areas of the
home, and the holy water and blessed salt should be sprinkled on one's food and
drink to protect from within. Along with the relics of the Saints, blessed
medals and holy cards carry with them the blessing of the Catholic Church, and
the protection of the Saint whose image is on the medal or holy card. Also, the
burning of blessed candles and blessed
incense is recognized to be a very powerful weapon against the demons.
And so, to summarize the spiritual weapons needed to rid oneself or
one's home of evil spirits: First and foremost is prayer which draws us closer
to God; fasting in a spirit of reparation for one's sins; Confession; Holy
Communion; Eucharistic adoration; Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the
Angels and Saints, asking for their heavenly help and intercession; and the
usage of Sacramentals (holy water, blessed salt, holy cards, medals, burning of
blessed candles and blessed incense etc.). Abandon and renounce any sin in your
life. Additionally, if your home appears to be the source of the demonic
infestation, then it would be very prudent to get it blessed by a priest.
Additional important considerations
in closing, those oppressed by evil spirits should remember that faith, hope
and love--most especially love, will help disarm the demons that plague them or
their dwelling. The devil seeks to drive us to the opposite of faith, hope and
love--that is doubt, despair and hatred---most especially despair. Do not
despair! Love and trust in Jesus and He will conquer and cast out the evil
spirits. Also, those who have ever engaged in dark practices such as demonic
worship, invoking and calling upon the dead (thru ouija boards, medium and
psychic practices etc) the occult, dark forms of witchcraft and wicca, black
magic etc. MUST RENOUNCE THESE PAST PRACTICES before God and sincerely repent
and ask for forgiveness for having engaged in them. Such practices offend God
and open a portal to the demonic, and therefore the portal must be closed through sincere repentance and the desire for the
mercy and forgiveness of God. Finally, ask Jesus to pour out His precious blood
upon you and your loved ones because the precious blood of Jesus is infinitely
powerful.
On September 19, 1846, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Maximin Giraud and Melanie Calvat on the mountain of La Salette, France. After thorough investigation the Catholic Church gave approval to the message and secret of La Salette as written by Melanie. The account was published in Lecce on November 15, 1879, with the imprimatur of Bishop Zola of Lecce. Mary's message was much the same as at Fatima, "If my people do not wish to submit themselves, I am forced to let go of the hand of my Son. It is so heavy and weighs me down so much I can no longer keep hold of it." She lamented with tears those who do not keep Sunday holy and who take the name of the Lord in vain. She indicated that if men did not stop offending Our Lord the potato crop would fail. She gave Maximin his secret which he never revealed. She then turned to Melanie and gave her a secret which Melanie revealed 30 years later only to the Holy Father, who gave orders that it was never to be revealed.
St. Januarius[3]
Little is known about St. Januarius. He was Bishop of Benevento in Campania. He died near Naples, about the year 305, martyred under the persecution of Emperor Diocletian. Around the year 400 the relics of St. Januarius were moved to Naples, which honors Januarius as a patron saint. He supposedly protected Naples from a threatened eruption of the volcano Mt. Vesuvius. The "miracle of Januarius" has world-wide fame. At least three times a year—on his feast day, December 16 and the first Sunday of May—the sealed vial with congealed blood of the saint liquifies, froths and bubbles up. This miraculous event has occurred every year, with rare exceptions. Popular tradition holds that the liquefaction is a sign that the year will be preserved from disasters. (In 1939, the beginning of World War II, the blood did not bubble up.)
Things to Do:
·
Find
out more about this "miracle of Januarius", including pictures.
·
Have
an Italian dinner.
·
If
you live close to New York city you can participate in The Feast of San Gennaro celebrated in lower Manhattan.
·
Read
more about St. Januarius at EWTN.
Tuesday-Family
Holy Hour
This family Holy Hour is an answer
to the need of generous souls who desire to live more perfectly the spirit of
the Enthronement, and who wish to do more (we might say much more) for the Most
Sacred Heart having a weekly family holy hour. Why Tuesday. To make reparations
to the sacred heart for betrayals; for it was Tuesday of Holy week that Judas
first made a deal with the Sanhedrin.
HOUR OF ADORATION OF THE SACRED HEART.[4]
Prayer.
"What a happiness is mine, O my Savior, to hold communion with Thee, to thank Thee for the immense love of Thy heart for mankind, to offer Thee some reparation for the outrages unceasingly committed against Thee. But, sinner as I am, how can I worthily acquit myself of so holy a duty? O Jesus, unite my prayers to Thine, offer to Thy heavenly Father the holy dispositions of Thy divine heart in order to supply for my deficiencies, Holy Virgin, lead me to the heart of thy divine Son, that sanctuary of grace and virtue. I unite myself to the homage rendered Him by thy immaculate heart. Ye blessed spirits, ever humbly prostrate before that adorable heart, I unite myself to your profound adorations; communicate to me your love and recollection, present to Him my prayers; and ye saints of heaven and just ones of the earth, come and let us adore together the heart of our Redeemer.
Place yourself in the presence of God, make an act of faith? and -say with the prodigal son:
My Father, I have sinned against heaven and in Thy sight. 1 am no longer worthy to be called Thy child. Make me as one of Thy hired servants. I desire nothing more.
Place yourself in spirit near the heart of Jesus, at the foot of the throne of mercy; approach with confidence, listen to the loving words Our Lord addresses to you, and pray to Him with earnestness and devotion.
Jesus Christ. Open to Me thy heart, My spouse, My beloved.
The Disciple. O my God, is it to me that Thou dost address these words? My soul is but an abyss of misery, and Thou callest me Thy beloved; I presume not to raise my eyes towards Thy heart so pure and holy, yet as soon as I present myself to Thee Thou dost lavish on me Thy most signal favors. What a glory and happiness for me, my God, to be noticed by Thee, to know that Thou disdainest not a creature so guilty as myself! Ah, since Thou sufferest me in Thy presence, since Thou even commandest me to open to Thee my heart, I obey. Depart from thence, all earthly thoughts; leave me to converse with my God, that from His heart I may draw forth true love.
Jesus Christ. Thou hast wounded My heart, My beloved; thou hast wounded My heart.
The Disciple. O God, how can it be that Thy love should have made Thee take a heart like unto mine? Ah, Thou hast taken this heart in order that Thou mayst feel all my miseries; but what a prodigy of love to have assumed this heart only to allow it to be pierced in favor of one so ungrateful! Thou hast allowed it to be pierced on the cross in the face of the whole world, so that none should be ignorant of the excess of Thy tenderness. Thou bearest in heaven this glorious wound. The opening in Thy heart shall never be closed up; it shall always bear the triumphant mark of Thy love. O divine heart, wound this heart of mine; inflict so deep a wound that it shall open entirely to Thee; pierce it with the same lance with which Thine own was pierced, so that the waters of a sincere repentance may flow from thence. Alas! this heart has wounded Thee a thousand times more by its ingratitude, infidelity, and obduracy. I have pierced it by my offences. O my Savior, pardon me; banish sin from my heart, making Thy holy love reign there in its place.
Jesus Christ. My beloved, let there be no division; give Me entire possession of thy heart. The Disciple. O Lord, how dost Thou abase Thyself, disdaining not to ask for the heart of one who has not blushed to refuse it to Thee in order to resign it up to sin? What tenderness on Thy part! But, O my God, what has this heart become which Thou demandest of me? Alas! it is sullied with a thousand stains. How canst Thou endure it, Thou Who art sanctity itself? Ah, my God, how much that is wrong is there in this heart! what love of self-attachment to my own thoughts and will! what worldly inclinations, distaste for heaven, tepidity in Thy service, and solicitude for this perishing body! However, since Thou deignest to demand it, I offer it Thee. O Jesus, the only object of my love, receive me now in Thy sacred heart, so that I may be all Thine; receive me into that ardent furnace in order that I may be wholly consumed in Thy love. There, my sweet Savior, I shall know the value of the blood which has redeemed me, and shall comprehend how I ought to love Thee. O love of my Savior, thou art that living water for which I thirst; my heart tends only towards Thee. Open to me Thy loving heart. My heart is Thine for eternity; bestow upon me Thine, O Jesus.
Jesus Christ. Yes, my beloved, I give thee My heart; set it it as a seal upon thine own, study its sentiments, copy faithfully its virtues.
The Disciple. O my soul, receive this heart burning with love, respond to its adorable designs over thee, endeavor to make them thine own. Adorable Jesus, my heart was formed to be Thy habitation, Thy throne, Thy altar, Thy tabernacle. Enter, O divine Savior, into this habitation, and purify it from all that is unworthy of Thee. Command it as a sovereign upon his throne, and give me the docility necessary to obey Thee. Receive upon this altar the sacrifice I make Thee of my heart, and dwell as a God of majesty and holiness in that living tabernacle which Thou hast chosen for Thyself. O my soul, regard attentively thy divine model; see Him raised upon the mount, nailed to the cross; behold His bleeding hands, those eyes dim, the mouth livid, those pierced hands and feet. Content thyself not with the exterior; look in spirit at His heart; it has been opened by the lance in order that thou mayst pass therein. Imitate His love, meekness, humility, and charity. Then cast down thine eyes on the ground around Calvary; it is watered with His blood. At the sight of that blood understand that love shows itself more by actions than by words. Thou desirest, O my Savior, that I should place Thee as a seal upon my heart by the imitation of Thy virtues and Thy example. I ardently wish to do so. Give me grace to execute what Thou commandest. O Jesus, Thy heart is pure, let mine be pure; Thine is humble, let mine be humble; Thine is patient and docile, let mine be patient and docile; Thy heart is all love let mine also be inflamed with Thy love. Ah! hence forth O my Savior, I wish only to have in my heart what Thou hast in Thine: humility, patience, gentleness, meekness, charity. I desire no more to bestow my heart on creatures, but to give it all to Thee. Alas! it has not always been devoted to Thy service. Through Thy grace, O my God, it is now all Thine, and I hope it will ever remain so.
Jesus Christ. Love is strong as death; its lamps are lamps of fire, which the greatest waters cannot extinguish.
The Disciple. Thy love for me, O my Savior, is more powerful than hell, since it has broken its gates in order to deliver me and open to me those of heaven. It is stronger than death, since Thou hast disarmed it in order to give me life. Oh, wondrous strength of love! All-invincible as Thou art, my God, it disarms Thee; it stays Thy arm raised to strike the sinner; it saves him from Thy avenging justice in order to give to him Thy infinite mercy. I acknowledge that it is through love for us that Thy supreme majesty is humbled even to vouch safe to unite itself to our nature; and it is through the strength of this same love that the creature can ascend unto Thee, and enjoy the privilege of entering into Thy sacred heart. Behold, my soul, how Jesus hath loved thee! Behold the humiliations and sufferings, the thorns, the nails, the cross, and the effusion of His blood! These are the proofs of His love. The flames of this love are so ardent that all the waters of our iniquities cannot extinguish them. But O my soul, where are the marks of thy love for Jesus? What hast thou done for Him? Where are thy victories over thy evil inclinations? Where the labors thou hast undertaken, the sufferings thou hast endured, for His glory? Alas! my God, my zeal is weak, my love is languishing. Thy interests are more than ever abandoned. Thy enemies increase daily. Have I ever fought in defense of Thy cause?
Jesus Christ. O my beloved, is there any sorrow like unto Mine? How much have I done for My children, and how have they rebelled against Me! I have carried them in My heart, and they have lacerated, outraged, and forsaken it. The sorrows of death have compassed Me, and the perils of hell are unchained against Me.
The Disciple. O my Lord and my God, sorrow seizes on my soul, affliction and sadness press on my heart, at the sight of Thy grief. Prostrate in the dust before Thy adorable heart, I make reparation to Thee before heaven and earth. Pardon, divine Jesus, all the outrages which were committed during the course of Thy mortal life ; pardon the impieties, the irreverence’s, the sacrileges which have been committed against Thee in the sacrament of Thy love ; pardon especially the sorrows which I have caused to Thy divine heart by my irreverence in Thy holy temples, by my tepid communions made without due preparation, and by the abuse which I have made of Thy graces and of Thy precious blood. Ah! why cannot I by my repentance and my adoration restore Thee the glory of which so many offences have deprived Thee? Why cannot I by my words and my example lead back so many hearts which have withdrawn themselves from Thee? Why cannot I by my prayers and tears cause a cessation to so many scandals, and draw unto Thee worshippers in spirit and in truth?
Jesus Christ. I suffer on the part of Jews, pagans, and heretics. They have contemned Me; but that those who ought to be devoted to Me should regard Me with indifference, and treat Me with such neglect, pierces My heart with sorrow.
The Disciple. Ah, my sweet Savior, can I think of this, and not die with sorrow? Heavenly spirits, angels of peace, weep bitterly for the indignities with which your Lord is visited; weep over our ingratitude to a heart which has loved us so much. Divine Jesus, Thou hast come into this world in order to seek and to save mankind; and those ungrateful ones fly from Thee arid abandon Thee. Thou loadest them with benefits, and they abuse them; they turn them against the giver, and against themselves. Thou art always in the midst of them, and they seem to be ignorant of Thy presence, or only to know Thee in order to offer Thee some new outrage. Thou openest to them Thy heart, and they enter therein only to pierce it with a thousand arrows. Alas! my loving Savior, am I not myself one of these ungrateful souls? Ah, what sorrow have I not occasioned to Thy sacred heart? I, Thy beloved one! Why does not Thy outraged heart close itself, so as to forget and reject us? Why does not Thy avenging arm raise itself against Thy guilty servants in order to exterminate them? Shouldst Thou not at least deprive us of Thy loving presence, forsake our temples so frequently profaned, and remain in heaven, where the angels and saints forever sing Thy praises? But remain Thou still, O Lord, in the midst of us: what would become of us if Thou didst abandon the earth? Thy Father, beholding no longer the only object of His complacency, would visit us with His avenging justice. How, then, could we escape His wrath? Heart of Jesus, avenge Thyself as befits the God of mercy. Do Thou pardon and convert our souls to Thee.
Jesus Christ. I have promised to remain in the midst of you until the consummation of the world, but in the sorrow which afflicts Me have I not a right to expect to meet with some who will compassionate My sufferings? Nevertheless, I am left alone in My sorrow.
The Disciple. My beloved Savior, Thou shalt no longer be forsaken; I will make it a duty to visit and adore Thee. heart of Jesus, always burning with love for us, always ready to show mercy, pardon me my guilty forgetfulness of Thee; pardon me my unfaithfulness in Thy service, my want of zeal in making Thee known and loved; let my heart cease to be if it is to be again insensible to Thee. Heart of Jesus, I consecrate to Thee the remainder of my life. I wish that all creatures had the hearts of seraphim in order to love Thee; that every mouth would sing Thy praises; that every mind should be occupied only with Thy greatness. I unite my praises to those which Thou receivest from all the angels and saints, and just souls on earth. I wish that all who love and adore Thee were multiplied, and would freely sacrifice all that I possess, my life itself, if necessary, in order to prevent a single offence against Thee.
Jesus Christ. My beloved, I accept thy desires; ask My Father in My name, and all that you desire He will grant you.
The Disciple. O Jesus, my only hope, make me faithful to the devotion I have vowed to Thy adorable heart. Signalize Thy mercy by allowing me to regain, by the ardor of my love, the time which has been passed in Thy service, with so much tepidity. I desire to make reparation, by continual praise, for the ingratitude of mankind, and to give Thee every moment fresh proofs of my love. Thy love for me keeps Thy heart always open, so that I may dwell there forever. Let love lead me and forever fix my dwelling-place therein, and receive my last sigh. I beg the same grace, O my God, for all for whom I am particularly bound to pray. May those who have the happiness to belong to the association of Thy divine heart, spread throughout the world, have a special share in Thy mercy. Grant, O Lord, that this confraternity may extend and perpetuate itself in all times and in every place, that it may honor Thee by the practice of every virtue, and an indefatigable zeal for the conversion of souls. And since my merciful God wearies not of listening to me, I will still continue to speak to Him I, who am only dust and ashes. God of my heart, lend an ear to my voice; love those who love Thee not; open Thy heart to those who do not knock at the gate; and vouchsafe to cure those who, far from asking Thee to heal them, take a pleasure in adding fresh venom to Thy wounds. Thou hast said, my Savior, that Thou didst come upon the earth in order to seek sinners. O my Jesus, these then are truly sinners. Ah! do not consider our ingratitude, our blindness; remember only the blood which Thou hast shed for our salvation. Make manifest Thy mercy; regard us as the work of Thy hands. Save us by Thy mercy; our evils are extreme. Arise, O Lord, behold the progress made by Thine enemies; stay them, O my Jesus. Since they will not go to Thee, go Thyself to them. I beseech of Thee to grant this grace through Thy sacred wounds and by Thy precious blood. O my Savior, put an end to my sins and those of all mankind. Let Thy voice make itself heard, and restore life to so many hardened sinners. Call them from the deep abyss into which they have fallen. Lazarus asked Thee not to raise him from the dead. Thou didst work this miracle in behalf of a sinner. O Lord, look also on me; I beseech Thee to hear my prayer. I ask it through the tears Thou didst shed over the grave of Lazarus; remember that Thy tears have flowed for all sinners who sleep in sin. Through Thy precious blood I ask it, for Thou hast pardoned those who shed it; pardon us, O Savior of the world. O Jesus, make Thy Church triumph over all her enemies, increase the number of her children, give peace unto her, and grant that she may ever bless Thy holy name and revere Thy Sacred heart O merciful Redeemer, have pity also on the souls in purgatory; be touched by their sufferings ; they are the price of Thy blood; open to them Thy heart ; listen to their fomentations, and grant them, with release from their sufferings, the happiness of glorifying Thee in heaven. Remember also, O merciful Jesus, in a special manner, those souls who when on earth devoted themselves to Thy sacred heart, and were zealous for the glory of Thy blessed Mother. Suffer them not to be deprived longer of Thy presence for they are very dear to Thee; and through this same merciful heart I beseech Thee to put them in possession of eternal happiness.
PRAYER AFTER THE HOUR OF ADORATION.
Pardon me, my
God, the distractions into which I have fallen during this hour. Alas! mayst
Thou not reproach me as Thou didst Thy three disciples with not being able to
watch one hour with Thee? One hour with Thee, O loving heart of Jesus, has
appeared to me too long. Ah, should it not be my delight to be ever with Thee?
O heart ever full of love, why has mine been so cold, so languishing in Thy
presence? Pardon me, O Lord; for I desire to breathe only for Thee, to make my
whole life a perpetual adoration of Thy sacred heart. Amen.
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
Article 1-THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
II. Baptism in the Economy of Salvation
Prefiguration’s of Baptism in
the Old Covenant
1217 In the liturgy of the
Easter Vigil, during the blessing of the baptismal water, the Church solemnly
commemorates the great events in salvation history that already prefigured the
mystery of Baptism:
Father, you
give us grace through sacramental signs which tell us of the wonders of your
unseen power.
In Baptism
we use your gift of water, which you have made a rich symbol of the grace you
give us in this sacrament.
1218 Since the beginning of the
world, water, so humble and wonderful a creature, has been the source of life
and fruitfulness. Sacred Scripture sees it as "overshadowed" by the
Spirit of God:
At the very
dawn of creation
your Spirit
breathed on the waters,
making them
the wellspring of all holiness.
1219 The Church has seen in
Noah's ark a prefiguring of salvation by Baptism, for by it "a few, that
is, eight persons, were saved through water":
The waters
of the great flood
you made a
sign of the waters of Baptism,
that make an
end of sin and a new beginning of goodness.
1220 If water springing up from
the earth symbolizes life, the water of the sea is a symbol of death and so can
represent the mystery of the cross. By this symbolism Baptism signifies
communion with Christ's death.
1221 But above all, the
crossing of the Red Sea, literally the liberation of Israel from the slavery of
Egypt, announces the liberation wrought by Baptism:
You freed
the children of Abraham from the slavery of Pharaoh,
bringing
them dry-shod through the waters of the Red Sea,
to be an
image of the people set free in Baptism.
1222 Finally, Baptism is
prefigured in the crossing of the Jordan River by which the People of God
received the gift of the land promised to Abraham's descendants, an image of
eternal life. The promise of this blessed inheritance is fulfilled in the New
Covenant.
Christ's Baptism
1223 All the Old Covenant
prefiguration’s find their fulfillment in Christ Jesus. He begins his public
life after having himself baptized by St. John the Baptist in the
Jordan. After his resurrection Christ gives this mission to his apostles:
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all that I have commanded you."
1224 Our Lord voluntarily
submitted himself to the baptism of St. John, intended for sinners, in order to
"fulfill all righteousness." Jesus' gesture is a manifestation
of his self-emptying. The Spirit who had hovered over the waters of the
first creation descended then on the Christ as a prelude of the new creation,
and the Father revealed Jesus as his "beloved Son."
1225 In his Passover Christ
opened to all men the fountain of Baptism. He had already spoken of his
Passion, which he was about to suffer in Jerusalem, as a "Baptism"
with which he had to be baptized. The blood and water that flowed from the
pierced side of the crucified Jesus are types of Baptism and the Eucharist, the
sacraments of new life. From then on, it is possible "to be born of
water and the Spirit" in order to enter the Kingdom of God.
See where
you are baptized, see where Baptism comes from, if not from the cross of
Christ, from his death. There is the whole mystery: he died for you. In him you
are redeemed, in him you are saved.
Baptism in the Church
1226 From the very day of
Pentecost the Church has celebrated and administered holy Baptism. Indeed St.
Peter declares to the crowd astounded by his preaching: "Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of
your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." The
apostles and their collaborators offer Baptism to anyone who believed in Jesus:
Jews, the God-fearing, pagans. Always, Baptism is seen as connected with
faith: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your
household," St. Paul declared to his jailer in Philippi. and the narrative
continues, the jailer "was baptized at once, with all his family."
1227 According to the Apostle
Paul, the believer enters through Baptism into communion with Christ's death,
is buried with him, and rises with him:
Do you not
know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into
his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as
Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk
in newness of life.
The baptized have "put on
Christ." Through the Holy Spirit, Baptism is a bath that purifies,
justifies, and sanctifies.
1228 Hence Baptism is a bath of
water in which the "imperishable seed" of the Word of God produces
its life-giving effect. St. Augustine says of Baptism: "The word is
brought to the material element, and it becomes a sacrament."
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Conversion
of Sinners
·
Make
reparations to the Holy Face-Tuesday
Devotion
·
Pray Day 1 of
the Novena for our Pope and Bishops
·
Religion
in the Home for Preschool: September
·
Tuesday:
Litany of St. Michael the Archangel
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
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