Saints, Feast, Family
- Traditions passed down with Cooking, Crafting, & Caring -
The month of Mary: A Marian Month
Saint of the day:
Saint Rita of Cascia
Patron Saint of Difficult Marriages, Impossible Causes, Infertility, Parenthood
Ember Wednesday
ST. RITA OF CASSIA-BIO Day
Exodus,
Chapter 14, Verse 13
But Moses answered the people, “Do not FEAR! Stand your ground and see the victory the LORD will win for you today. For these Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again.
At Christ’s transfiguration Moses along with Elijah appeared with Him. The purpose of the transfiguration was to fortify Peter and the other apostle’s faith for pain and hopelessness they must have felt at the loss of their friend Jesus on Good Friday. They must have felt much like the throng with Moses, noted in this verse, standing by the Red Sea awaiting the certain death by the Egyptians.
I wonder did the apostles hear a quiet voice saying in their soul-Do not fear; stand your ground and see the victory of the Lord.
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven. (Mt. 5:3)
Wednesday
after Pentecost-Ember Day[1]
EPISTLE.
Acts v. 12-16.
IN
those days: By the hands of the apostles were many signs - and wonders wrought
among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. But of
the rest no man durst join himself unto them; but the people magnified them.
And the multitude of men and women who believed in the Lord was more increased:
insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on
beds and couches, that when Peter came, his shadow at the least might overshadow
any of them, and they might be delivered from their infirmities. And there came
also together to Jerusalem a multitude out of the neighboring cities, bringing
sick persons, and such as were troubled with unclean spirits, who were all
healed.
GOSPEL.
John vi. 44-52.
At that time Jesus said to
the multitudes of the Jews: No
man can come to Me, except the Father, Who hath sent Me, draw him, and I will
raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets: And they shall all
be taught of God. Everyone that hath heard of the Father, and hath learned,
cometh to Me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, but He Who
is of God, He hath seen the Father. Amen, amen, I say unto you: He that
believeth in Me hath everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers did
eat manna in the desert, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from
heaven; that if any man eat of it he may not die. I am the living bread, which
came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread he shall live forever: and
the bread that I will give is My flesh for the life of the world.
What Are Ember Days?[2]
The term “Ember Days” is derived from the
Latin term Quatuor Tempora, which literally means “four times.” There
are four sets of Ember Days each calendar year: three days each – Wednesday,
Friday, and Saturday. Ember Days fall at the start of a new season and they are
ordered as days of fast and abstinence. The significance of the days of the
week are that Wednesday was the day Christ was betrayed, Friday was the day He
was crucified, and Saturday was the day He was entombed.
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the
purpose of Ember Days, “besides
the general one intended by all prayer and fasting, was to thank God for the
gifts of nature, to teach men to make use of them in moderation, and to assist
the needy.”
Ember
Wednesday Mediation on Betrayal[3]
Why
is the Devil still in action? God is
infinitely more powerful than the Devil and his hosts. So why doesn’t God
prevent them from their evildoing on planet earth?
We could ask a similar question about why God
doesn’t stop human beings from committing wicked deeds. Evil’s continuing
presence among us is a mystery we can’t fully figure out in this life.
Nevertheless, we can say this much: God allows evil because He’s powerful
enough to bring out of even the greatest evil a much greater good. The
crucifixion of Jesus Christ provides a vivid illustration of this reality.
According to the Gospel, when “Satan entered into Judas,” one of the twelve
Apostles, he went out to betray Jesus (see Lk 22:3–4). So, the worst evil we
can imagine—the torture and murder of God’s innocent Son—occurred through the
Devil’s influence. Yet the triumph of the empty tomb transformed the horror of
the Cross. Satan was thwarted. When Jesus rose from the dead, He displayed
God’s power to bring out of the greatest of evils an even greater good: the
world’s redemption.
THREE
MEDITATIONS ON THE LITURGY FROM THE EXTRAORDINARY FORM FOR EACH OF THE EMBER
DAYS AFTER PENTECOST.
Written
by Monsignor Martin B. Hellriegel, originally published in the journal Orate
Fratres Vol. XVIII, May 14, 1944, No. 7, pp. 299-305, later reprinted in Vine
and Branches, Pio Decimo Press, 1948.
These meditations are attached to
the 1962 Extraordinary Form liturgy. The current lectionary has different
readings and prayers not specific to the Ember Days.
Prayer: EMBER WEDNESDAY AFTER PENTECOST
Station "With St. Mary Major"
All these were persevering with one
mind in prayer with the women, and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and with the
brethren (Acts 1:14).
What a splendid group! What a
wonderful beginning of the Church! Persevering in prayer, united in mind and
heart, gathered about Mary, the Mother of Jesus and their Mother, such were the
dispositions in the one hundred and twenty disciples of the Lord on the day
when the Holy Ghost began His vivifying and sanctifying works in the Church.
Alleluia! A fertile soil for His seed of light and love; a joyous spectacle for
the Author of joy to find such precious stones for the building of the Temple
of the Church.
Perseverance in prayer, unity of mind
and heart and "station" with Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our
Mother, such must be the dispositions in our heart if the mysteries of this
ember Wednesday are to bear fruits for eternity. May the pure spouse of the
Holy Spirit, the golden lamp on which burnt the brightest Pentecostal flame
pray for us, that the Spirit of the Lord may fill our hearts, and enkindle them
with the fire of His love.
In the first lesson St. Peter
shows that the prophet of Joel and the longing of the Old Law are fulfilled:
"I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh...and it shall come to pass that
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Let not the
spirit of perseverance be broken. What God has promised He will keep. "May
the Paraclete enlighten our minds and lead us into all truth, as Thy Son has
promised" (first collect).
The second lesson speaks of
unity of mind and heart, "And they were all with one accord in Solomon's
porch." Fellowship with Christ and with one another was the glory of the
infant Church. "See how they love each other!" Without this bond of
union, Christ the Vine cannot bear fruit; without this Christian fellowship,
the Spirit of unity cannot work; without unity of mind and heart, the temple of
God cannot be built. "Grant that the coming of the Holy Ghost may, by
dwelling in us, make us temple of His glory" (second collect).
"No man can come to Me, except
the Father who hath sent Me, draw him." So today's gospel, Who was drawn
more by the Father and who had herself drawn more than our blessed Mother? She
was "taught of God" (gospel). She is the richest fruit of the
blessed Vine, she is the most perfect temple of the Holy Spirit, she is the
first and noblest member of the Church. Around this all-holy Mother we gather
and keep this ember Wednesday.
Accompany us, O holy Mother, to the
eucharistic Table where we shall "eat the living bread that came down from
heaven" (gospel). May the power of this life-giving bread perfect
in us perseverance in prayer, intensify in us unity of mind and heart, and make
us in a fuller measure thy children, O Mother of Jesus and our Mother!
Prayer Source: Orate Fratres/Worship: A Review
Devoted to the Liturgical Apostolate, The Liturgical Press
Devotions for Holy Communion[4]
ACTS BEFORE
COMMUNION.
Act of Faith "
Behold he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping over the hills"
(Cant. ii. 8). Ah, my most amiable Savior, over how many, what rough and craggy
mountains hast Thou had to pass in order to come and unite Thyself to me by the
means of this most holy sacrament! Thou, from being God, hadst to become man;
from being immense, to become a babe; from being Lord, to become a servant.
Thou hadst to pass from the bosom of Thy Eternal Father to the womb of a
virgin: from heaven into a stable; from a throne of glory to the gibbet of a
criminal. And on this very morning Thou wilt come from Thy seat in heaven to
dwell in my bosom.
Behold he standeth behind
our wall, looking through the windows, looking through the lattices"
(Cant. ii. 9). Behold, my soul, thy loving Jesus, burning with the same love
with which He loved thee when dying for thee on the cross, is now concealed in
the Most Blessed Sacrament under the sacred species; and what doing? "
Looking through the lattices." As an ardent lover, desirous of seeing His
love corresponded with, from the host, as from within closed lattices, whence
He sees without being seen, He is looking at you, who are this morning about to
feed upon His divine flesh; He observes your thoughts, what it is that you
love, what you desire, what you seek for, and what offerings you are about to
make Him.
Awake then, my soul, and prepare to receive thy
Jesus; and, in the first place, by faith, say to Him: So then, my beloved
Redeemer, in a few moments Thou art coming to me? O hidden God, unknown to the
greater part of men, I believe, I confess, 1 adore Thee in Thy Most Holy
Sacrament as my Lord and Savior! And in acknowledgment of this truth, I would
willingly lay down my life. Thou comest to enrich me with Thy graces, and to
unite Thyself all to me; how great, then, should be my confidence in this Thy so
loving visit!
Act of Confidence. My soul, expand thy heart.
Thy Jesus can do thee every good, and, indeed, loves thee. Hope thou for great
things from this thy Lord, Who, urged by love, comes all love to thee. Yes, my
dear Jesus, my hope, I trust in Thy goodness, that, in giving Thyself to me
this morning, Thou wilt enkindle in my poor heart the beautiful flame of Thy
pure love, and a real desire to please Thee; so that, from this day forward, I
may never will anything but what Thou wiliest.
Act of Love. Ah, my
God, my God, true and only love of my soul, and what more couldst Thou have
done to be loved by me? To die for me was not enough for Thee, my Lord; Thou
wast pleased to institute this great sacrament in order to give Thyself all to
me, and thus bind and unite thyself heart to heart with so loathsome and
ungrateful a creature as I am. And what is more, Thou Thyself invitest me to
receive Thee, and desirest so much that I should do so! O boundless love,
incomprehensible love, infinite love, a God would give Himself all to me!
My soul, believest thou this? And what doest thou?
what sayest thou? O God, O God, O infinite amiability, only worthy object of
all loves, I love Thee with my whole heart, I love Thee above all things, I
love Thee more than myself, more than my life! Oh, could I but see Thee loved
by all! Oh, could I but cause Thee to be loved by all hearts as much as Thou
deservest! I love Thee, O most amiable God, and I unite my miserable heart in
loving Thee to the hearts of the seraphim, to the heart of the most blessed
Virgin Mary, to the heart of Jesus, Thy most loving and beloved Son. So that, O
Infinite Good, I love Thee with the love with which the saints, with which
Mary, with which Jesus love Thee. And I love Thee only because Thou art worthy
of it, and to give Thee pleasure. Depart, all earthly affections, which are not
for God, depart from my heart. Mother of fair love, most holy Virgin Mary, help
me to love that God Whom thou dost so ardently desire to see loved!
Act of Humility. Then,
my soul, thou art even now about to feed on the most sacred flesh of Jesus! And
art thou worthy? My God, who am I, and who art Thou? I indeed know and confess
Who Thou art Who givest Thyself to me; but dost Thou know what I am, who am
about to receive Thee?
And is it possible, O my Jesus, that Thou, Who art
infinite purity, desirest to come and reside in this soul of mine, which has
been so many times the dwelling of Thy enemy, and soiled with so many sins? I
know, O my Lord, Thy great majesty and my misery; I am ashamed to appear before
Thee. Reverence would induce me to keep at a distance from" Thee; but if I
depart from Thee, O my life, whither shall I go? to whom shall I have recourse?
and what will become of me? No, never will I depart from Thee; nay, even I will
ever draw nearer and nearer to Thee. Thou art satisfied that I should receive
Thee as food, Thou even invitest me to this. I come then, O my amiable Savior,
I come to receive Thee this morning, all humbled and confused at the sight of
my defects; but full of confidence in Thy tender mercy, and in the love which
Thou bearest me.
Act of Contrition. I am indeed grieved, O God
of my soul, for not having loved Thee during the time past; still worse, so far
from loving Thee, and to gratify my own inclinations, I have greatly offended
and outraged Thy infinite goodness: I have turned my back against Thee, I have
despised Thy grace and friendship; in fine, O my God, I was deliberately in the
will to lose Thee. Lord, I am sorry, and grieve for it with my whole heart. I
detest the sins which I have committed, be they great or small, as the greatest
of all my misfortunes, because I have thereby offended Thee, O Infinite
Goodness. I trust that Thou hast already forgiven me; but if Thou hast not yet
pardoned me, oh, do so before I receive Thee: wash with Thy blood this soul of
mine, in which Thou art so soon about to dwell.
Act of Desire. And
now, my soul, the blessed hour has arrived in which Jesus will come and take up
His dwelling in thy poor heart. Behold the King of heaven, behold thy Redeemer
and God, Who is even now coming; prepare thyself to receive Him with love,
invite Him with the ardor of thy desire; come, O my Jesus, come to my soul,
which desires Thee. Before Thou givest Thyself to me, I desire to give Thee,
and I now give Thee, my miserable heart; do Thou accept it, and come quickly to
take possession of it.
Come, my God, hasten; delay
no longer. My only and infinite good, my treasure, my life, my paradise, my
love, my all, my wish is to receive Thee with the love with which the most holy
and loving souls have received Thee; with that with which the most blessed
Virgin Mary received Thee; with their communions I unite this one of mine.
Most holy Virgin and my
Mother Mary, behold, I already approach to receive thy Son. Would that I had
the heart and love with which thou didst communicate! Give me this morning thy
Jesus, as thou didst give Him to the shepherds and to the kings. I intend to
receive Him from thy most pure hands. Tell Him that I am thy servant and thy
client; for He will thus look upon me with a more loving eye, and, now that He
is coming, will press me more closely to Himself.
St. Rita of Cassia[5]
Rita's childhood was one of happiness
to her parents. To satisfy her desire of a life of union with God by prayer,
her parents fitted up a little room in their home as an oratory, where she
spent all her spare moments. At the age of twelve, however, she desired to
consecrate herself to God in the religious state. Pious though her parents
were, their tearful pleadings to postpone her noble purpose prevailed on Rita,
and they gave her in marriage, at the age of eighteen, to an impulsive,
irascible young man, who was well fitted to try the patience and virtue of the
holy girl.
Two sons were born to them, each
inheriting their father's quarrelsome temperament. Rita continued her
accustomed devotions, and her sanctity and prayers finally won her husband's
heart so that he willingly consented that she continue her acts of devotion.
Eighteen years had elapsed since her marriage, when her husband was murdered by
an old enemy; both of her sons died shortly after. Rita's former desire to
consecrate herself to God again took possession of her.
Three times she sought admittance
among the Augustinian Nuns in Cascia, but her request was refused each time,
and she returned to her home in Rocca Porrena. God Himself, however, supported
her cause. One night as Rita was praying earnestly in her humble home, she
heard herself called by name, while someone knocked at the door. In a
miraculous way she was conducted to the monastic enclosure, no entrance having
been opened. Astonished at the miracle, the Nuns received Rita, and soon
enrolled her among their number.
St. Rita's hidden, simple life in
religion was distinguished by obedience and charity; she performed many extreme
penances. After hearing a sermon on the Passion of Christ she returned to her
cell; kneeling before her crucifix, she implored: "Let me, my Jesus share
in Thy suffering, at least of one of Thy thorns". Her prayer was answered.
Suddenly one of the thorns detached and fastened itself in her forehead so
deeply that she could not remove it. The wound became worse, and gangrene set
in. Because of the foul odor emanating from the wound, she was denied the
companionship of the other Sisters, and this for fifteen years. Miraculous
power was soon recognized in Rita. When Pope Nicholas IV proclaimed a jubilee
at Rome, Rita desired to attend. Permission was granted on condition that her
wound would be healed. This came about only for the duration of the trip. Upon
her return to the monastery the wound from the thorn reappeared and remained
until her death. As St. Rita was dying, she requested a relative to bring her a
rose from her old home at Rocca Porrena. Although it was not the season for
roses, the relative went and found a rose in full bloom. For this reason, roses
are blessed in the Saint's honor.
After St. Rita's death, in 1457, her
face became beautifully radiant, while the odor from her wound was as fragrant
as that of the roses she loved so much. The sweet odor spread through the
convent and into the church, where it has continued ever since. Her body has
remained incorrupt to this day; the face is beautiful and well preserved. When
St. Rita died the lowly cell was aglow with heavenly light, while the great
bell of the monastery rang of itself. A relative with a paralyzed arm, upon
touching the sacred remains, was cured. A carpenter, who had known the Saint,
offered to make the coffin. Immediately he recovered the use of his long-stiffened
hands.
As one of the solemn acts of his
jubilee, Pope Leo XIII canonized St. Rita on the Feast of the Ascension, May
24, 1900.
Patron: Abuse victims; against loneliness; against sterility;
bodily ills; DESPERATE CAUSES; difficult marriages; forgotten causes; IMPOSSIBLE
CAUSES; infertility; lost causes; parenthood; sick people; sickness; sterility;
victims of physical spouse abuse; widows; wounds.
Things to Do:
- From
the Catholic Culture library: St.
Rita of Cascia and A
Life of Heroic Humility and Obedience.
- Visit
the National
Shrine of St. Rita of Cassia and read this life
of St. Rita
- Watch
this videos of St. Rita's life here and here
- Visit the Shrine of Santa Rita in the Desert in Vail, Arizona
International Day for Biological Diversity[6]
The International Day for Biological Diversity aims to raise
awareness and understanding of biological diversity and issues surrounding it.
The day also serves to highlight possible strategies to protect biodiversity,
which refers to the variety of life on the planet. Today, habitats are
degrading and leading to a reduction in biodiversity, a problem that directly
affects human well-being, poverty reduction and global sustainable development.
The International Day for Biological Diversity was proclaimed in December of
2000 by the United
Nations General Assembly. It is celebrated annually on May 22, a day that
commemorates the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992.
International Day
for Biological Diversity Facts & Quotes
·
According
to the UN, more than 3 billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity
for their livelihoods and 1.6 billion people rely on forests and non-timber
forest products for their livelihoods.
·
Habitat
degradation and the loss of biodiversity are currently threatening the
livelihood of over 1 billion people who live in dry and subhumid climates.
·
Over
50% of the world’s plant species and 42% of all terrestrial vertebrate species
are native to a specific country and do not naturally exist elsewhere.
·
We
should preserve every scrap of biodiversity as priceless while we learn to use
it and come to understand what it means to humanity. – E. O. Wilson, American
biologist, researcher, theorist and author.
Day for Biological
Diversity Top Events and Things to Do
·
Watch
a movie or documentary on the importance and irreplaceability of the world’s
biodiversity. Some suggestions are: The Cove, Oceans, Plastic Planet and the
11th hour.
·
Spread
awareness on social media by using the hashtags
#InternationalDayForBiologicalDiversity, #IDBD and #BiologicalDiversity.
·
Join
the international Day for Biological Diversity Google Hangout where you can
video stream yourself and with other people to discuss biological diversity
with like-minded individuals.
·
Organize
or participate in a local cleanup effort. Biodiversity is very negatively
impacted by human trash and pollution.
·
Donate
to the center for biological diversity. All funds are put towards securing a
future for all species hovering on the brink of extinction with a focus on
protecting lands, waters
and climate that species need to survive. Consider funds like WWF, the Animal
Project and Defenders of Wildlife.
·
Visit
Biosphere
2 is an American
Earth system science research facility located in Oracle, Arizona.
Why should
Catholics care?[7]
The Church’s social teaching calls
on Catholics to uphold the life and dignity of every human person, to be in
solidarity with our brothers and sisters worldwide, and to care for God’s
creation. Since the extraction of oil, gas, minerals, and timber affects the
poor most acutely, the Church has been addressing issues related to extractive
industries around the world. Catholic agencies and affected people have been
engaged in advocacy with their own governments, international financial
institutions, and extractives companies, urging them to become more
transparent, to reduce the negative impacts of resource extraction on people
and the environment, and to increase benefits for the poor most especially.
In the U.S. bishops’ first
statement on environmental matters, renewing the Earth (1991), they draw
attention to the ethical dimensions of the ecological crisis, exploring the
link between ecology and poverty and the implications for human life and dignity.
Bishops of every part of the world have expressed concern regarding extractive
industries. Indeed, Pope Benedict XVI, expanding on the issue of the
environment in Caritas in Veritate, stated: Let us hope that the international
community and individual governments will succeed in countering harmful ways of
treating the environment. It is likewise incumbent upon the competent
authorities to make every effort to ensure that the economic and social costs
of using up shared environmental resources are recognized with transparency and
fully borne by those who incur them, not by other peoples or future
generations: the protection of the environment, of resources and of the climate
obliges all international leaders to act jointly and to show a readiness to work
in good faith, respecting the law and promoting solidarity with the weakest
regions of the planet (No. 50).
Catechism of the Catholic Church
PART FOUR: CHRISTIAN PRAYER
SECTION TWO-THE LORD'S PRAYER
Article 2-"OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN"
IV. "Who Art in Heaven"
2794 This biblical expression
does not mean a place (“space"), but a way of being; it does not mean that
God is distant, but majestic. Our Father is not "elsewhere": he
transcends everything we can conceive of his holiness. It is precisely because
he is thrice holy that he is so close to the humble and contrite heart.
"Our
Father who art in heaven" is rightly understood to mean that God is in the
hearts of the just, as in his holy temple. At the same time, it means that
those who pray should desire the one they invoke to dwell in them.
"Heaven" could also be those who bear the image of the heavenly
world, and in whom God dwells and tarries.
2795 The symbol of the heavens
refers us back to the mystery of the covenant we are living when we pray to our
Father. He is in heaven, his dwelling place; the Father's house is our
homeland. Sin has exiled us from the land of the covenant, but conversion
of heart enables us to return to the Father, to heaven. Jn Christ, then,
heaven and earth are reconciled, for the Son alone "descended from
heaven" and causes us to ascend there with him, by his Cross,
Resurrection, and Ascension.
2796 When the Church prays
"our Father who art in heaven," she is professing that we are the
People of God, already seated "with him in the heavenly places in Christ
Jesus" and "hidden with Christ in God;" yet at the same
time, "here indeed we groan, and long to put on our heavenly
dwelling."
[Christians]
are in the flesh, but do not live according to the flesh. They spend their
lives on earth but are citizens of heaven.
Apostolic Exhortation[8]
Veneremur
Cernui – Down in Adoration Falling
of The Most
Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix,
to Priests, Deacons, Religious and the Lay Faithful of the Diocese of Phoenix
on the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist
My beloved Brothers and
Sisters in Christ,
Part II
Hold Nothing Back from Christ
30. In the Sequence “Lauda
Sion Salvatorem” for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, Saint Thomas
Aquinas invites us to hold back nothing as the most appropriate response to the
gift of Jesus Himself in the Eucharist: “Quantum potes, tantum aude, quia
maior omni laude nec laudare sufficis. Dare as much as you can: because He is
greater than any praise, nor can you praise him enough.” “Quantum
potes” means “however much you can” and “tantum aude”, which
means “as much as you dare.” This is the most appropriate response to such an
awesome gift, to go all out in our response to Jesus’ most extravagant gift of
Himself.
31. In response to this great
gift, many missionaries throughout history have given up everything, even
having a family of their own and left their homeland to bring the message of
God’s love and the Eucharist to so many parts of the world. In response, many
men and women religious have consecrated their lives to adoring Jesus in the
Blessed Sacrament within the four walls of their convent and monastery. In
response, countless martyrs throughout the centuries, like the ones of early
third-century persecution at Abitina in Tunisia, were willing to submit to
tortures and death rather than deny the Real Presence of Jesus in the
Eucharist. And in response, many believers, even those of today, have made a
commitment to come to daily Mass and even to adoration to be with Jesus in the
Eucharist. The question we must ask ourselves is: What is our response?
32. “Quantum potes,
tantum aude, quia maior omni laude nec laudare sufficis”. Indeed, we are to
hold back nothing, but in turn, give ourselves completely to the Lord who has
given Himself entirely to us in the Eucharist. The only appropriate response to
this great gift is to order our whole life, first, on receiving the gift and then
imitating it, offering our own body and blood, our sweat and tears, our whole
heart, all we have and are to Jesus in the service and love for our brothers
and sisters as Jesus has done for us.
Devotions for Holy Communion[9]
SHORTER
ACTS BEFORE COMMUNION.
My beloved Jesus, true Son
of God, Who didst die for me on the cross in a sea of sorrows and ignominy, I
firmly believe that Thou art present in the Most Holy Sacrament; and for this
faith I am ready to give up my life.
My dear Redeemer, I hope by
Thy goodness, and through the merits of Thy blood, that when Thou dost come to
me this morning Thou wilt inflame me with Thy holy love, and wilt give me all
those graces which I need to keep me obedient and faithful to Thee till death.
Ah, my God, true and only
lover of my soul, what couldst Thou do more to oblige me to love Thee? Thou
wast not satisfied, my Love, with dying for me, but Thou wouldst also institute
the Most Holy Sacrament, making Thyself my food, and giving Thyself all to me,
thus uniting Thyself most closely to such a miserable and ungrateful creature.
Thou dost Thyself invite me to receive Thee, and dost greatly desire that I
should receive Thee. O infinite love! A God gives Himself all to me! O my God,
O Infinite Love, worthy of infinite love, I love Thee above all things; I love
Thee with all my heart; I love Thee more than myself, more than my life; I love
Thee because Thou art worthy of being loved; and I love Thee also to please
Thee, since Thou dost desire my love. Depart from my soul, all ye earthly
affections; to Thee alone, my Jesus, my treasure, my all, will I give all my
love. This morning Thou dost give Thyself all to me, and I give myself all to
Thee. Permit me to love Thee; for I desire none but Thee, and nothing but what
is pleasing to Thee. I love Thee, O my Savior, and I unite my poor love to the
love of all the angels and saints, and of Thy Mother Mary, and the love of Thy
Eternal Father. Oh, that I could see Thee loved by all! Oh, that I could make
Thee loved by all men, and loved as much as Thou dost deserve!
Behold, O my Jesus, I am now
about to draw near to feed on Thy most sacred flesh! Ah, my God, who am I? and
"Who art Thou? Thou art a Lord of infinite goodness, and I am a loathsome
worm, defiled by so many sins, and who have driven Thee out of my soul so
often.
Lord, I am not worthy to
remain in Thy presence; I ought to be in hell forever, far away, and abandoned
by Thee. But out of Thy goodness Thou callest me to receive Thee; behold, I
come, I come humbled and in confusion for the great displeasure I have given
Thee, but trusting entirely to Thy mercy and to the love Thou hast for me. I am
exceedingly sorry, O my loving Redeemer, for having so often offended Thee in
time past. Thou didst even give Thy life for me; and I have so often despised
Thy grace and Thy love, and have exchanged Thee for nothing. I repent, and am
sorry with all my heart for every offence which I have offered Thee, whether
grievous or light, because it was an offence against Thee, "Who art
infinite goodness. I hope Thou hast already pardoned me; but if Thou hast not
yet forgiven me, pardon me, my Jesus, before I receive Thee. Ah, receive me
quickly into Thy grace, since it is Thy will soon to come and dwell within me.
Come, then, my Jesus, come
into my soul, which sighs after Thee. My only and infinite good, my life, my
love, my all, I would desire to receive Thee this morning with the same love
with which those souls who love Thee most have received Thee, and with the same
fervor with which Thy most holy Mother received Thee; to her communions I wish
to unite this one of mine. O Blessed Virgin and my Mother Mary, give me thy
Son; I intend to receive Him from thy hands! Tell Him that I am thy servant,
and thus will He press me more lovingly to His heart, now that He is coming to
me.
Every Wednesday is
Dedicated to St. Joseph
The Italian culture has
always had a close association with St. Joseph perhaps you could make
Wednesdays centered around Jesus’s Papa. Plan an Italian dinner of pizza or
spaghetti after attending Mass as most parishes have a Wednesday evening Mass.
You could even do carry out to help restaurants. If you are adventurous, you
could do the Universal Man Plan: St. Joseph style. Make the evening a family
night perhaps it could be a game night. Whatever you do make the day special.
·
Devotion to the 7 Joys and Sorrows of St.
Joseph
·
Do the St.
Joseph Universal Man Plan.
Dara’s
Corner-Bored kids? Make a Volcano
Spring Arizona Restaurant Week
Friday through Sunday
The 2024 Spring Arizona Restaurant
Week (ARW), which offers the culinary community endless opportunities to dine
on a deal, kicked off Friday, May 17 and runs through Sunday, May 26. The ARW
menus are a departure from the restaurants’ regular menus, allowing diners to
get a new taste of even their favorite restaurants’ culinary breadth — at a
fraction of typical costs.
Pets are fabulous
Which are the fruits of the Holy Ghost? They are the twelve following:
1. Charity.
2.
Joy.
3. Peace.
4. Patience.
5. Benignity.
6. Goodness.
7. Longsuffering.
8. Mildness.
9. Faith.
10. Modesty.
11.
Continency.
12.
Chastity.
These fruits
should be visible in the Christian, for thereby men shall know that the Holy
Ghost dwells in him, as the tree is known by its fruit.
Notice I have placed the Fruits of the Holy Spirit in stairstep fashion so we may reflect on them seeing that by concentrating on each step of our growth in the spirit we may progress closer and closer to our heavenly Father. Today we will be focusing on the second step which is modesty.
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Increase
of Vocations to the Holy Priesthood.
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[1] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.
[2]http://www.aquinasandmore.com/catholic-articles/ember-days-in-the-catholic-liturgical-year/article/236
[3] Thigpen, Paul. Manual for Spiritual Warfare.
[4] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896
[5]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2019-05-22
[7]http://www.usccb.org/about/justice-peace-and-human-development/catholic-social-ministry-gathering/upload/2012-02ExtractivesBackgrounder-final.pdf
[9] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896
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FEAST OF THE VISITATION OF MARY
Feast of the Visitation of Mary[6] May 31st
THIS day is called the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, because on it Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, whom, as the angel had told her, God had blessed with a son in her old age. In the Introit of the Mass the Church sings: “Hail, holy parent, who didst bring forth the King Who rules heaven and earth forever. My heart hath uttered a good word; I speak of my works for the King.”
Prayer. Vouchsafe, O Lord, we beseech Thee, unto us Thy servants the gift of Thy heavenly grace, that, as in the childbirth of the Blessed Virgin our salvation began, so from the votive solemnity of her visitation we may obtain an increase of peace. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, etc. Amen.
EPISTLE. Cant. ii. 8-14.
Behold I cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping over the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart; behold he standeth behind our wall, looking through the windows, looking through the lattices. Behold my beloved speaketh to me: Arise, make haste, my love, my dove, my beautiful one, and come. For winter is now past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers have appeared in our land, the time of pruning is come: the voice of the turtle is heard in our land: the fig-tree hath put forth her green figs: the vines in flower yield their sweet smell. Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come: my dove in the cliffs of the rock, in the hollow places of the wall, show me thy face, let thy voice sound in my ears: for thy voice is sweet, and thy face comely.
GOSPEL. Luke i. 39-47.
At that time: Mary rising up went into the hill-country with haste, into a city of Juda: and she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: and she cried out with a loud voice and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?
For behold, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord. And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord; and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
1. As soon as Mary heard that Elizabeth was with child, she hastened to her. The alacrity of the Blessed Virgin teaches us that we should take part with gladness in the happiness of our fellowmen, and quickly make ourselves ready to discharge our duties, sacrificing for that object, if necessary, even our own much-loved retirement, our devotions and other exercises of piety.
2. Mary visited her cousin out of real love, not out of unmeaning ceremony. Would that her example were followed in our visits!
3. By the visit of the Blessed Virgin John was sanctified in his mother’s womb, and Elizabeth, enlightened by the Holy Ghost, knew, by the miraculous movements of her child, that Mary was the Mother of the Lord. Such effects did this visit produce. What would Jesus effect in us if we received Him with due preparation!
EXPLANATION OF THE CANTICLE “MAGNIFICAT”
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