From the Handbook of Prayers: Student Edition, by the Midwest Theological Forum...we continue. :)
May 16th
Mary: At the Foot of the Cross
"We find her on Calvary, at the foot of the cross, praying. This is nothing new for Mary. She has always acted like this, in fulfilling her duties and looking after her home. As she went about the things of this earth, she kept her attention on God."
Let us offer to Our Mother today: An act of contrition, said many times, asking her to offer our sorrow for our sins to Jesus crucified.
Mmm. Be Holy!
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
I apologize again for my sporadic postings of this Devotion! I don't usually make it to a computer on the weekends, and yesterday, I was on a Pilgrimage to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in La Crosse, WI. A beautiful trip with Mass, Reconciliation, a tour of the Shrine, and lunch. God had some nice surprises with who we ran into while there, as well. :) The Catholic world is so small!!
I will post today's reflection, as well as yesterday's offering to Mary, because I think that it should still definitely be done!
May 14th - Let us offer our Mother: A good, sincere, sorrowful confession of our sins and failures, in the sacrament of Reconciliation.
May 15th - Mary: At Cana
"In his Gospel, St. John as recorded a wonderful phrase of our Lady. At the wedding of Cana she turned to the waiters and said: 'Do whatever He tells you.' That is what it is all about - getting people to face Jesus and ask Him: 'Lord, what do you want me to do?"
Let us offer our Mother today: Prompt obedience, when we are called or asked to do some errand or some act of service.
Reconciliation and Service...Praise the Lord! What wonderful ways to experience and then share the Love and Divine Mercy of Christ our Lord! What wonderful ways to grow in Holiness!
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| An outside view of the Shrine |
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| The main altar of the Shrine Church |
I will post today's reflection, as well as yesterday's offering to Mary, because I think that it should still definitely be done!
May 14th - Let us offer our Mother: A good, sincere, sorrowful confession of our sins and failures, in the sacrament of Reconciliation.
May 15th - Mary: At Cana
"In his Gospel, St. John as recorded a wonderful phrase of our Lady. At the wedding of Cana she turned to the waiters and said: 'Do whatever He tells you.' That is what it is all about - getting people to face Jesus and ask Him: 'Lord, what do you want me to do?"
Let us offer our Mother today: Prompt obedience, when we are called or asked to do some errand or some act of service.
Reconciliation and Service...Praise the Lord! What wonderful ways to experience and then share the Love and Divine Mercy of Christ our Lord! What wonderful ways to grow in Holiness!
Friday, May 11, 2012
It's Friday!
Again, from the Handbook of Prayer's: Student Edition, by the Midwest Theological Forum
May 11: Welcoming the Magi
"'Going into the house, they saw the child with Mary, His mother.' Our Lady is always near her Son. The Magi are not received by a king on a high throne, but by a child in the arms of His Mother. Let us ask the Mother of God, who is our mother, to prepare for us the way that leads to the fullness of love...Her sweet heart knows the surest path for finding Christ."
Let us offer to our Mother today: A visit to a poor person to communicate our Lady's concern for that person.
In this offering today, remember that a poor person may not necessarily be one who is only "without money." There can be many different kinds of poverty. Material goods, spiritual poverty, poverty of love, of joy, etc. Seek someone who may be depressed, or unloved, or lonely, and let them know that Mary loves them, and is praying for them. :)
And have a wonderful weekend!
Be Holy!
Again, from the Handbook of Prayer's: Student Edition, by the Midwest Theological Forum
May 11: Welcoming the Magi
"'Going into the house, they saw the child with Mary, His mother.' Our Lady is always near her Son. The Magi are not received by a king on a high throne, but by a child in the arms of His Mother. Let us ask the Mother of God, who is our mother, to prepare for us the way that leads to the fullness of love...Her sweet heart knows the surest path for finding Christ."
Let us offer to our Mother today: A visit to a poor person to communicate our Lady's concern for that person.
In this offering today, remember that a poor person may not necessarily be one who is only "without money." There can be many different kinds of poverty. Material goods, spiritual poverty, poverty of love, of joy, etc. Seek someone who may be depressed, or unloved, or lonely, and let them know that Mary loves them, and is praying for them. :)
And have a wonderful weekend!
Be Holy!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
The website Integrated Catholic Life has a very encouraging article "What Every Mother needs to know about Raising Catholic Kids." If this is you, check it out! (Dad's can read it too) :)
http://www.integratedcatholiclife.org/2012/05/thomas-style-what-every-mother-needs-to-know-about-raising-catholic-kids/
Also, I apologize for not keeping up with our reflections yesterday! Here are yesterday's and today's offerings for Mary, as well as today's reflection:
May 8th - Offer Mary today: Jesus himself, when we receive Him in holy Communion
May 9th - Mary: Welcoming to the Shepards
"You must look at the Child in the manger. He is our Love. Look at him, realizing the whole thing is a mystery. We need to accept this mystery on faith and use our faith to explore it very deeply. To do this, we must have the humble attitude of a Christian soul."
"Let us offer to our Mother today: Small hidden sacrifices, especially those that go against the grain."
Be Holy!
- First, parents should know that the world, generally, will not support their efforts to raise their children in the Catholic faith. That’s not being negative. It’s stating a fact, which is also nothing new. Since the time Jesus walked the earth Christian beliefs and Christians themselves have been persecuted. We need to arm ourselves with a joyful demeanor and live the Christian live fully without expecting it to be easy or to be applauded.
- The world will frequently contradict our desires to be modest, chaste, kinad, generous, patient, temperate, and holy. We must be modest, chaste, kind, generous, patient, temperate and holy anyway.
http://www.integratedcatholiclife.org/2012/05/thomas-style-what-every-mother-needs-to-know-about-raising-catholic-kids/
Also, I apologize for not keeping up with our reflections yesterday! Here are yesterday's and today's offerings for Mary, as well as today's reflection:
May 8th - Offer Mary today: Jesus himself, when we receive Him in holy Communion
May 9th - Mary: Welcoming to the Shepards
"You must look at the Child in the manger. He is our Love. Look at him, realizing the whole thing is a mystery. We need to accept this mystery on faith and use our faith to explore it very deeply. To do this, we must have the humble attitude of a Christian soul."
"Let us offer to our Mother today: Small hidden sacrifices, especially those that go against the grain."
Be Holy!
Monday, May 7, 2012
Monday May 7th...
We are all called to Holiness. But as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta often said, that doesn't necessarily mean doing huge, great things! But rather, that we would do all things, big or small, with great love. "We cannot to great things, only small things with great love!" - Mother Teresa.
We are all called to Holiness. But as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta often said, that doesn't necessarily mean doing huge, great things! But rather, that we would do all things, big or small, with great love. "We cannot to great things, only small things with great love!" - Mother Teresa.
Mary shows us this as well in today's reflection - again from the Handbook of Prayers: Student Edition, by MTF:
"Mary: Our Model in Ordinary Life
"We can't forget that Mary spent nearly every day of her life just like millions of other women who look after their families, bring up their children, and take care of their houses. Mary sanctifies the ordinary, everyday things - what some people wrongly regard as unimportant and insignificant: everyday work, looking after those closest to you, visits to friends and relatives. What a blessed ordinariness, that can be so full of love of God."
"We can't forget that Mary spent nearly every day of her life just like millions of other women who look after their families, bring up their children, and take care of their houses. Mary sanctifies the ordinary, everyday things - what some people wrongly regard as unimportant and insignificant: everyday work, looking after those closest to you, visits to friends and relatives. What a blessed ordinariness, that can be so full of love of God."
Let us offer Mary today - Affectionate details of service and attention to those closest to us.
What a wonderful model of love and holiness we have in our Blessed Mother. :)
Praise God!
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Continuing our Month of Mary devotion:
May 3rd - Mary and the Blessed Trinity
"'Through the Incarnation of our Lord in her immaculate womb, Mary, the Daughter of God the Father, is also the Spouse of God the Holy Spirit and the Mother of God the Son.'
Let us offer to our Mother today: A "Hail Mary" each time the clock strikes another hour."
Amen!
May 3rd - Mary and the Blessed Trinity
"'Through the Incarnation of our Lord in her immaculate womb, Mary, the Daughter of God the Father, is also the Spouse of God the Holy Spirit and the Mother of God the Son.'
Let us offer to our Mother today: A "Hail Mary" each time the clock strikes another hour."
Amen!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
In the tradition of the Catholic Church, the month of May is a month devoted to Mary, our Blessed Mother. This is a time in which we can offer her special presents: visits to churches dedicated to her(St. Mary's Chapel at the hospital, for example), studying about her or miracles associated with her, and a more devoted practice of praying the rosary. Find some way to honor the Mother of God during this month.
On this blog, I will be posting daily meditations of Mary that you may reflect on, and then remember throughout the day. Since it is May 2nd, we'll start there! These come from the "Handbook of Prayers: Student Edition" published by the Midwest Theological Forum.
Mary: The Most Perfect Creature
"She who is full of grace, the object of God's pleasure, exalted above all the angels and the saints, lived an ordinary life.
"Mary is as much a creature as we are, with a heart like ours, made for joy and mirth as well as suffering and tears. Before Gabriel communicates to her God's plan, our Lady does not know that she has been chosen from all eternity to be the mother of the Messiah. She sees herself as a lowly creature. That is why she can acknowledge, with full humility, that 'he who is might has done great things' for her."
Today, let us offer our Mother: Many glances of affection and many words of love, when we see her image or picture in our home, in the church, or anywhere.
Be Holy!
On this blog, I will be posting daily meditations of Mary that you may reflect on, and then remember throughout the day. Since it is May 2nd, we'll start there! These come from the "Handbook of Prayers: Student Edition" published by the Midwest Theological Forum.
Mary: The Most Perfect Creature
"She who is full of grace, the object of God's pleasure, exalted above all the angels and the saints, lived an ordinary life.
"Mary is as much a creature as we are, with a heart like ours, made for joy and mirth as well as suffering and tears. Before Gabriel communicates to her God's plan, our Lady does not know that she has been chosen from all eternity to be the mother of the Messiah. She sees herself as a lowly creature. That is why she can acknowledge, with full humility, that 'he who is might has done great things' for her."
Today, let us offer our Mother: Many glances of affection and many words of love, when we see her image or picture in our home, in the church, or anywhere.
Be Holy!
Monday, April 30, 2012
I pray that the JOY of the Resurrection and the peace of Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior is with you and your family as we continue this Easter Season!
Yesterday, April 29th, was the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. A day to pray that both the young and the old of the world would still their hearts in order to hear that special way in which God is calling them. Marriage, Priesthood, Religious sister or brother, or consecrated single...our hearts and lives were made for a purpose...let's listen! God knows us better than we know ourselves!
On this day, Pope Benedict has a special message for all young people.
The Holy Father asked people to pray "that all young people may be attentive to the inner voice of God, which speaks to their hearts and calls them to abandon everything in order to serve Him". Addressing faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square for the Regina Coeli Benedict XVI affirmed that "the Lord calls always, but often we are not listening.
"We are distracted by many things, by other more superficial voices", he added. "We are afraid to listen to the voice of the Lord because we believe it can detract from our freedom. The truth is that each of us is the fruit of love; the love of our parents, of course, but also and more profoundly the love of God. ... When we become aware of this our lives change; they become a response to that love which is greater than any other, and thus our freedom is fully realised".
April 29th was also the Feast Day of Saint Catherine of Siena. Here is a quote from her regarding our call from God:
Be holy!
Yesterday, April 29th, was the World Day of Prayer for Vocations. A day to pray that both the young and the old of the world would still their hearts in order to hear that special way in which God is calling them. Marriage, Priesthood, Religious sister or brother, or consecrated single...our hearts and lives were made for a purpose...let's listen! God knows us better than we know ourselves!
On this day, Pope Benedict has a special message for all young people.
The Holy Father asked people to pray "that all young people may be attentive to the inner voice of God, which speaks to their hearts and calls them to abandon everything in order to serve Him". Addressing faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square for the Regina Coeli Benedict XVI affirmed that "the Lord calls always, but often we are not listening.
"We are distracted by many things, by other more superficial voices", he added. "We are afraid to listen to the voice of the Lord because we believe it can detract from our freedom. The truth is that each of us is the fruit of love; the love of our parents, of course, but also and more profoundly the love of God. ... When we become aware of this our lives change; they become a response to that love which is greater than any other, and thus our freedom is fully realised".
April 29th was also the Feast Day of Saint Catherine of Siena. Here is a quote from her regarding our call from God:
"If you are what you
should be, you will set the whole world on fire.
Let the Truth be your delight...proclaim it...but with a certain congeniality"
Let the Truth be your delight...proclaim it...but with a certain congeniality"
Be holy!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Cardinal Dolan on Holy Week and Easter
Holy Week is upon us!! Only a few short days from now, we will celebrate Palm Sunday!
We are incredibly blessed here in Rochester this year, as it will again be the location for the Chrism Mass, the annual Mass which involves the blessing of the Holy Oils used for the Sacraments such as Baptism, Ordination, Confirmation, and Anointing of the Sick. It is a beautiful Mass! I encourage you to attend. St. Pius X Catholic Church at 7:00pm.
Also this week, we have the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, the Celebration of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday, and Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. Again, I encourage you and your family to attend all of these Mass times if you can. It is a beautiful way of embracing even more the death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Mass times for St. Francis are:
Holy Thursday April 5 - Mass of the Lord's Supper - 7:00pm (Multi-cultural Mass)
Good Friday April 6 - Celebration of the Lord's Passion - 3:00pm, 6:30pm(Spanish)
Holy Saturday April 7 - Easter Vigil - 8:30pm
And finally, check out this Great message from Cardinal Dolan on Easter and Holy Week! And while you're at it, say a prayer for him as well. :)
We are incredibly blessed here in Rochester this year, as it will again be the location for the Chrism Mass, the annual Mass which involves the blessing of the Holy Oils used for the Sacraments such as Baptism, Ordination, Confirmation, and Anointing of the Sick. It is a beautiful Mass! I encourage you to attend. St. Pius X Catholic Church at 7:00pm.
Also this week, we have the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, the Celebration of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday, and Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. Again, I encourage you and your family to attend all of these Mass times if you can. It is a beautiful way of embracing even more the death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Mass times for St. Francis are:
Holy Thursday April 5 - Mass of the Lord's Supper - 7:00pm (Multi-cultural Mass)
Good Friday April 6 - Celebration of the Lord's Passion - 3:00pm, 6:30pm(Spanish)
Holy Saturday April 7 - Easter Vigil - 8:30pm
And finally, check out this Great message from Cardinal Dolan on Easter and Holy Week! And while you're at it, say a prayer for him as well. :)
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