"...Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the LORD is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10)

St. Thomas Aquinas Pray for Us!

Grant me, O Lord my God,
a mind to know you,
 a heart to seek you,
wisdom to find you,
 conduct pleasing to you,
 faithful perseverance in waiting for you,
 and a hope of finally embracing you.
 Amen.

Sts. Timothy & Titus Pray for Us!

"God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather power and love." (2Timothy 1:7)

 

Lord Jesus,
I give you my hands to do your work.
I give you my feet to go your way.
I give you my eyes to see as you do.
I give you my tongue to speak your words.
I give you my mind that you may think in me.
I give you my spirit that you may pray in me.
Above all, I give you my heart that you may love in me all that you have created.
I give you my whole self that you may grow in me,
so that it is you, Lord Jesus, who live and work and pray in me.
Amen.

~Lancelot Andrewes
Living With Christ

"For some life lasts a short while, but the memories it holds last forever."  ~Laura Swenson

Seat Saved

I was asked the other day about my relationship with Mary. Like I mentioned back in October, in my post, Goodbye Lisa, I didn't always have a relationship with our Blessed Mother. Over the years though, I have grown to be open to her love and look to her in so many ways...as a source of strength and guidance, a model of beauty and grace, as a women who said yes and gave her whole life to Christ. I think Mary found me before I even knew it and fully realized it!

 

I was given a rosary when I graduated high school. I didn't learn how to pray the rosary until years later when I began to pray vigils for 40 Days For Life. I was given a Miraculous Medal at the Church of Cana by sisters at the church. Wearing the medal over the years I knew it was special, but did not know much about the devotion until a colleague at work gave me prayer card for St. Catherine Laboure and I began to learn more. And the saints! How they speak and write of Mary. Like St. Alphonsus Liguori or St. Maximilian Kolbe. Then there were the roses...on a couple occasions I have found myself smelling roses without roses (or lady clad in rose perfume) in sight. And then I was given the book The True Devotion to Mary by Saint Louis de Montfort as a gift ...hope to finish it soon so I can plan for total consecration.

 

Our Lady found me I believe. She found me over the years when I lay at the cross weeping and grieving. She embraced me and brought me to her son, to heal me,  protect me from evil, to intercede on my behalf. And she still does today.

 

The day after I was asked this question about my relationship with Mary (and no I wasn't able to answer the question this poignantly).  I was attending a bereavement group where I was going to help.  A different perspective/role than 3.5 years ago when I was attending the group after Michael's death. I was a little nervous, curious I guess how things were going to go; how I would feel, react, act. Would I choke up, ramble on (I can do that you know) say the wrong thing, or just clam up not say anything? Through the day I prayed about this and before I left I said prayers and you better bet Mary was on my prayer list. When I got to our room my seat was assigned. Who was I seated next to? Mary of course! I couldn't think of anywhere else I would have wanted to sit than beside Our Lady. My seat was saved and I felt at peace...as for the rambling, no gaurantees.

 

“May the Mother of Jesus and our Mother, always smile on your spirit, obtaining for it, from her Most Holy Son, every heavenly blessing.”

~St. Padre Pio

 

 

My Evening Prayer

God, You alone I desire. You alone I love. Fill my heart with your desire. Fill me with your love. Amen

Govern all by your wisdom, O Lord, so that I may always be serving you as you desire and not as I choose. Do not punish me, I ask, by granting what I wish or ask, if it offend your love that would always live in me. Let me die to myself that I may serve you. Let me live to you who in yourself are the true life. Amen. ~St. Teresa of Ávila

Day of Prayer for Unborn Children

God, our Father, give us courage to stand up for the dignity of all human life.  

Help us to remember that a child is not a burden, but a great gift from God.  

Give us the courage to stand up for the innocent lives that are lost to abortion. 

Amen.

www.oblatesusa.org

The Wedding at Cana

 

His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you." John 2:5

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Blooms

A couple new blooms on my outdoor rose bush!

 

 

Here's a one of them

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.
Psalm 139:23-24

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

January 22nd will mark the 40th Anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. The Church  established this day as a day of penance for abortion, or officially titled “Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.” Join this movement and check-out what others are doing to pray for protection of the unborn.

Nine Days of Prayer, Penance and Pilgrimage

More Stuff!
March for Life
American Life League
Priests for Life

 

Mark your calendars for the 40 Days for Life campaign starting this spring!

February 13 – March 24. The world needs YOU!

Wake-up!

Not having a homeroom I do not have my own class to sit by during weekly mass so I usually scatter around and sit by different grades/students each week. This is usually quite interesting and enjoyable. The students at school are reverent and well behaved. Before mass today a teacher asked if I would sit by a particular student who sometimes has a tough time paying attention. So I took my assigned spot in church and all started out well until I noticed him nodding off. I gently woke him the first time and he politely told me he was up late and tired. Then it happened again and I tried to give him some pointers like move your legs, keep tapping your feet, move something...just stay awake! I felt bad for him because he wasn't being disruptive during this mass, he was just sleepy. After the third time I was trying to think of what else I could do to help him...and then it struck me...my rosary! I pulled out my rosary and handed it to him quietly and just as I was ready to say a Hail Mary and pray for some divine assistance, he blurted out, "You made this?" with such enthusiasm and excitement in his voice (a bit louder than I would have preferred) I thought the plan was going to totally backfire. But instead a simple "no" to his question and instructions to hold the rosary, or pray was suffice. I prayed a silent prayer myself  and asked Mother Mary to please keep this student awake (and quiet :).

The rest of mass went well. He held on to the rosary the whole mass and I even heard him participating a little with some of the prayers. He gave it back to me at the end of mass and said he felt better.

"In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Don't let her name depart from your lips; never allow it to leave your heart. And that you may more surely obtain the assistance of her prayer, don't neglect to walk in her footsteps."

~St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Baptism - take 2

One summer day as I was riding in the car with two of my friends, they started taking about their baptism and asked if I knew the date of my baptism. Not only did I not know the date, I didn't even know where I was baptised. They told me I should look up the date and celebrate it each year, just like a birthday. Funny. Never thought of my baptism quite like a birthday before, but they are right because our baptism is when we are born into eternal life.  I started thinking about this on Sunday as we celebrated the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord and then I read this article, A Universal Call to Party online.

 

Of course God always has more to add to a story. When I did look up my baptismal certificate I found out the date; May 29th. I was baptised at a church that is about a mile away from the school where I am now teaching. (So that's only about 15 minutes from where I live). I go graduate school and work with a Sister who is the DRE at the parish! How amazing is God. So how am I going to celebrate this year? I will go to mass at the parish I was baptised. Thank my parents for gifting  me with this eternal gift; best gift I ever received (well, next to my life...). Thanks mom and dad!! Thanks be to God!

 

"Holiness does not demand anything great, beyond the ability of the person. It depends on God’s Love; every daily act can be transformed into an act of love."
~Saint Ursula Ledochowska (feast day 5/29)

God's Gift to Us Many of us don’t realize that the call to intimacy with God is possible, or that we are good enough or holy enough for God to love us in this personal way. Yet the Scriptures remind us over and over again that God’s love is not earned: it is a gift.

American's Catholic Minute Mediation ~from Weaving Faith and Experience   Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 Beloved: The grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good. When the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, He saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.

Baptism

The Gospel According to Luke 3:15-16, 21-22

The people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” After all the people had been baptized
and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,
heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven,
“You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased.”

National Vocation Awareness Week begins today...what a terrific day as it also is the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. While we were all consecrated in our baptism to follow Christ. Religious, are in a special state of consecrated life, they have a special commitment.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church(CCC) explains;

1213 Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua),4 and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: “Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water and in the word.”5

 
Pretty powerful and challenging words! Either as a one who is baptised in Christ or one who is also a parent, or Godparent of a child, it is good to reflect upon these words and ask how we are sharing in her mission.

So what about the religious? Or those seeking a vocation?

916 The state of consecrated life is thus one way of experiencing a “more intimate” consecration, rooted in Baptism and dedicated totally to God.⁴⁵⁵ In the consecrated life, Christ’s faithful, moved by the Holy Spirit, propose to follow Christ more nearly, to give themselves to God who is loved above all and, pursuing the perfection of charity in the service of the Kingdom, to signify and proclaim in the Church the glory of the world to come.⁴⁵⁶ (2687, 933)
 

During National Vocation Awareness Week learn more about the religious life and vocations, pray for our priests, seminarians, consecrated religious. Check-out these resources on the USCCB site. This week and always may we ask Our Lord for more dedicated, holy priests, deacons and consecrated men and women. May they be inspired by Jesus Christ, supported by our faith community, and respond generously to God’s gift of a vocation.

Thank You Cards

It's lesson planning time for me. As I was digging through my school bag I found some thank you cards that I received last week that I tossed in my bag in haste. In the busyiness of the week I forgot to open them!  So tonight I sat and opened the cards. The messages were kind and beautiful. The final card I opened is what prompted me to write this. What a gift! I remember receiving this card actually now. The other cards came earlier in the week...probably on our 1st day back, this one was later in the week. It wasn't a thank you card, but a prayer card! On the front of the card is Jesus kneeling and the prayer;

Lord,

You care about every detail in our lives.

You know how many hairs are on our heads

and how many cares are in our hearts.

So I ask You to be espcially near to Your beloved child

Give peace, renew strength, restore hope,

and guide the way to better, brighter days ahead.

Amen

And inside it reads; Mary you are on my heart and in my prayers. It is an anonymous card, no signature. It is awesome just knowing someone is thinking and praying for me...not sure what I did to deserve their prayers, but how beautiful.

Kind of gives a new meaning to a  "Thank You" card. Instead of it being a card where someone is thanking me, I'm giving thanks to God for receiving this card and for the person who gifted me with it and is praying for me. It's moments like this I just stop in awe and thank God and smile. 

The Guardian of the People

I shall lift my eyes to the hills:

where is my help to come from?

My help will come from the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip:

he will not doze, your guardian.

Behold, he will not doze or sleep,

the guardian of Israel.

The Lord is your guardian, the Lord is your shade;

he is at your right hand.

By day the sun will not strike you;

nor the moon by night.

The Lord will guard you from all harm;

the Lord will guard your life.

The Lord will guard your coming and your going

both now and for ever.

 

http://universalis.com/terce.htm

"He must increase; I must decrease.” John 3:30

God be in my head and in my understanding. God be in my eyes and in my looking. God be in my mouth and in my speaking. God be in my heart and in my thinking. God be at my end and at my departing. - Sarum Primer

www.livingwithchrist.us

Notre Dame

Rally sons of Notre Dame

Sing her glory and sound her fame

Raise her Gold and Blue

And cheer with voices true:

Rah, rah, for Notre Dame

We will fight in every game,

Strong of heart and true to her name

We will ne'er forget her

And will cheer her ever

Loyal to Notre Dame.

 

Cheer, cheer for Old Notre Dame,

Wake up the echoes cheering her name,

Send a volley cheer on high,

Shake down the thunder from the sky!

What though the odds be great or small,

Old Notre Dame will win over all,

While her loyal sons are marching

Onward to victory!

 

Couple fun facts about ND's fight song:

1. Mike used to chant (or whistle) it unmercifully all through college football season (okay, let's be honest...any time of year, but especially during college football season). 

2. It was 1st played in 1908 on Easter Sunday!

3. The song was written by brothers who graduated from ND.

What a great way to get pumped up for a game...singing Our Lady's praises! 

"Our Lady of Victory, Pray for Us!"

Go Irish!

Union With God
In our daily lives we need to be conscious that we are going to live forever. We want that eternal life to be with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This is the one goal, the one prize, for the Christian: union with God. Don’t allow anything, no matter how good, how exciting in this world, sidetrack you from that.
from Minute Meditations @ AmericanCatholic.org

The Epiphany of the Lord

Thou, O Lord, art the Star of truth, that riseth out of Jacob, and the man that springeth from Israel. In the new Star thou showest thyself as God, and lying in the Crib God and Man, we confess thee to be the one Christ. In thy great mercy grant us the grace of seeing thee, and show unto us the radiant sign of thy light, whereby all the darkness of our sins may be put to flight: that so we who now languish with the desire of seeing thee, may be refreshed with the enjoyment of that blissful vision.
Amen.

Saint John Neumann, Pray for Us!

Merciful Father, help me to be more aware of the needs of others, and to follow the example of St. John Neumann. Give me the grace to direct my thoughts, actions and words to the service of You and of others. May I live as St. John Neumann lived, persevering in every difficulty in order to know and do Your will. Amen.

www.oblatesusa.org.

I saw this commercial last night & this caught my eye...as an educator for 13+ years, an aunt, Godmother, sister, daughter, friend...and even been there personally in a lot of respects too (unfortunately). Thought what a good message to send to young girls and women. I don't think it's a new trend, but definitely something to be aware of and conscientious. Maybe there is a way to get involved or help a young girl or woman learn about herself and her true value in life.

 

 

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Pray for Us!

"O Jesus, sure joy of my soul, give me but a true love of you. Let me seek you as my only good." ~St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

 

USCCB Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious

 



Father of Mercy Chapel, Toronto, OH



Lord Jesus, Who was born for us in a stable, lived for us a life of pain and sorrow, and died for us upon a cross; say for us in the hour of death, Father, forgive, and to Your Mother, Behold your child. Say to us, This day you shall be with Me in paradise.

Dear Savior, leave us not, forsake us not. We thirst for You, Fountain of Living Water. Our days pass quickly along, soon all will be consummated for us. To Your hands we commend our spirits, now and forever. Amen.

IHS

It’s likely that no name in Western history has been spoken more often and in so many forms as the name of Jesus. In medieval Europe, where Latin was the norm in church usage, the most common abbreviation for Jesus was IHS (sometimes rendered IHC), which stood for the first three letters in Latin of the Greek name of Jesus, iota-eta-sigma. The letters took on additional meanings over time, such as Iesus Hominum Salvator (Jesus, Savior of mankind) and has even been adapted to English to mean “In His Service.” To help cultivate a relationship of deep respect and trust with the living God behind the name, write IHS on a small slip of paper and carry it with you.

from: http://www.preparetheword.com/

Most Holy Name of Jesus

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)

 

 

 

Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

Lord, have mercy. 
Christ, have mercy. 
Lord, have mercy. 
Jesus, hear us. 
Jesus, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us . 
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. 
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us. 
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, Splendor of the Father, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, Brightness of eternal Light, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, King of Glory, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, Sun of Justice, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, most amiable, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, most admirable, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, the mighty God, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, Father of the world to come, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, angel of great counsel, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, most powerful, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, most patient, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, most obedient, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, Lover of Chastity, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, our Lover, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, God of Peace, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, Author of Life, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, Model of Virtues, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, zealous for souls, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, our God, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, our Refuge, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, Father of the Poor, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, Treasure of the Faithful, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, good Shepherd, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, true Light, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, eternal Wisdom, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, infinite Goodness, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, our Way and our Life, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, joy of the Angels, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, King of the Patriarchs, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, Master of the Apostles, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, Teacher of the Evangelists, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, Strength of Martyrs, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, Light of Confessors, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, Purity of Virgins, have mercy on us . 
Jesus, Crown of all Saints, have mercy on us .

Be merciful, spare us, O Jesus! 
Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Jesus!

From all evil, deliver us, O Jesus . 
From all sin, deliver us, O Jesus . 
From your wrath, deliver us, O Jesus . 
From the snares of the devil, deliver us, O Jesus . 
From the spirit of fornication, deliver us, O Jesus . 
From everlasting death, deliver us, O Jesus . 
From the neglect of your inspirations, deliver us, O Jesus . 
Through the mystery of your holy Incarnation, deliver us, O Jesus . 
Through your Nativity, deliver us, O Jesus . 
Through your Infancy, deliver us, O Jesus . 
Through your most divine Life, deliver us, O Jesus . 
Through your Labors, deliver us, O Jesus . 
Through your Agony and Passion, deliver us, O Jesus. 
Through your Cross and Dereliction, deliver us, O Jesus. 
Through your Sufferings, deliver us, O Jesus. 
Through your Death and Burial, deliver us, O Jesus. 
Through your Resurrection, deliver us, O Jesus. 
Through your Ascension, deliver us, O Jesus. 
Through your Institution of the Most Holy Eucharist, deliver us, O Jesus. 
Through your Joys, deliver us, O Jesus. 
Through your Glory, deliver us, O Jesus.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, spare us, O Jesus! 
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Jesus! 
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Jesus!

Jesus, hear us. 
Jesus, graciously hear us.

Let us pray.

O Lord Jesus Christ, you have said, "Ask and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you"; mercifully attend to our supplications, and grant us the grace of your most divine love, that we may love you with all our hearts, and in all our words and actions, and never cease to praise you.

Make us, O Lord, to have a perpetual fear and love of your holy name, for you never fail to govern those whom you solidly establish in your love. You, who live and reign forever and ever. R. Amen.

Sts. Basil The Great And Gregory Of Nazianzus

"Everyone looks for the good, therefore everyone looks for God."
~ St. Basil the Great

 

O Lord,
the helper of the helpless,
the hope of those who are past hope,
the savior of the tempest-tossed,
the harbor of the voyagers,
the physician of the sick.
You know each soul and our prayer,
each home and its need.
Become to each one of us
what we most dearly desire,
receiving us all into your kingdom,
making us children of the light.
Pour on us your peace and love,
O Lord our God.

Amen.

- Orthodox Liturgy of St. Basil

www.livingwithchrist.us

Happy New Year

“We have begun a new year and I wish that it will be for all peaceful and prosperous. I commend it to the heavenly protection of the Virgin, to whom the liturgy invokes today with the most important title, the Mother of God. With her ‘yes’ to the angel, on the day of the Annunciation, the Virgin conceived in her womb through the Holy Spirit, the eternal Word, and she brought Him forth on the night of the Nativity.”

~Pope Benedict XVI, January 1, 2007

 

www.oblatesusa.org

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

Collect: O God, who through the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary bestowed on the human race the grace of eternal salvation, grant, we pray, that we may experience the intercession of her, through whom we were found worthy to receive the author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

 

 

 

 "We never give more honour to Jesus than when we honour his Mother, and we honour her simply and solely to honour him all the more perfectly. We go to her only as a way leading to the goal we seek - Jesus, her Son." ~Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

 

Read more: 9 Things You Should Know About How the Church Celebrates January 1

 

Mary, The Holy Mother Of God

Mary, I love you.
Mary, make me live in God,
with God, and for God.
Draw me after you, holy mother.
Mary, may your children persevere
in loving you.
Mary, mother of God
and mother of mercy,
pray for me and for the departed.
Mary, holy mother of God, be our helper.
In every difficulty and distress,
come to our aid, O Mary.
O queen of heaven,
lead us to eternal life with God.
Mother of God, remember me,
and help me always to remember you.
O Mary, conceived without sin,
pray for us who have recourse to you.
Pray for us, O holy mother of God,
that we may be made worthy
of the promises of Christ.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
pray to Jesus for me.

~ St. Philip Neri

www.livingwithchrist.us