How He Loves Us

"This word of the Lord of host came: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am intensely jealous for Zion, stirred to jealous wrath for her....They shall be my people, and I will be their God, with faithfulness and justice." (Zechariah 8:1-2, 8)

St. Michael

St. Michael, glorious prince  of the heavenly hosts and victor over rebellious spirits, be mindful of me  who am so weak and sinful and yet so prone to pride and ambition. Lend me, I pray, your powerful aid  in every temptation and difficulty, and above all do not forsake me in my daily struggle  with the powers of evil.  Amen

The Angels Are Our Invisible Friends

St. Wenceslaus, pray for us!

A Christmas carol in September?? We haven't even celebrated Halloween yet...is that what you are thinking!?! Today is the feast day of St. Wenceslaus, the good King whom this song was written about who lived a life of generous love and service to the poor. Listen to the song and read the lyrics and ask the Lord in what ways can we be inspired to be more generous, grow in charity and further serve those in need. 

Prayer to Saints Cosmas and Damian

Oh glorious martyrs of Christ, Saints Cosmas and Damian, you gave your lives for the love of God, benefiting your fellow man, and crowning your martyrdom with an open and loyal profession of your faith. You taught us to love God above all things, and to love our fellow man as ourselves, professing always, and without fear, the religion of Jesus.

Augmenting amongst the faithful populace many miracles, you are glorious indeed. Through your intercession, which brings about deliverance of these miracles, we pray to you for your aid in all things. May your patronage never be far from us in the illness of our body and soul.

Oh great protectors, Saints Cosmas & Damian, assist us with your love and free us from all evils. Amen

Letting Go

For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah29:11)
 

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Catholic Prayer: Prayer Before a Crucifix

Description: "A plenary indulgence is granted on each Friday of Lent and Passiontide to the faithful who, after Communion, piously recite the above prayer before an image of Christ crucified; on other days of the year the indulgence is partial." — Enchiridion of Indulgences, No. 22

Prayer: Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, while before Thy face I humbly kneel, and with burning soul I pray and beseech Thee to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity, true contrition for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment; while I contemplate with great love and tender pity Thy five wounds, pondering over them within me, having in mind the words which David Thy prophet said of Thee, my Jesus: "They have pierced my hands and my feet; they have numbered all my bones."

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be for the Holy Father's intentions

The Gift I was Blessed With Today

(There's so many layers to this story when the time is right I will write further to explain more). For tonight I want to share the basic story and how blessed I feel at this moment, having a hard time putting it into words...hope this makes sense. :)

 

About a month ago I went to see a neurologist again because my migraines had intensified and the medication was no longer having an impact on the frequency nor intensity. The neurologist referred me for a bunch of tests, including an MRI. The MRI showed a pineal cyst in my brain so he referred me to a neurosurgeon for a 2nd opinion and to discuss treatment options. The neurosurgeon reviewed the MRI and confirmed there was a cyst, but wanted to have another MRI done on a better quality machine to verify it was a cyst and not a tumor. After many prayers, much family and friends' support and prayers, hours in chapel... I went today for the MRI review. Get this...NO cyst, NO tumor! There is nothing!! The neurosurgeon said to pretend like this never happened. While I know what he meant, I don't want to pretend like it never happened. During this month of waiting, praying; a lot of beautiful things have transpired and if I pretended it didn't happen that means I wouldn't be able to share it and tell how good our God is! Call it a miracle, call it a bad MRI scan first time around, whatever you will, I call it a gift and I want to share this gift and I hope it offers others faith and hope.

 

In praise and thanksgiving for all of the prayers and for the gift I was blessed with today. Thanks be to God for all of his goodness and mercy.

 

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.

Amen  

Jesus, open the eyes of my heart, that I may hear your word and understand and do your will. Open the eyes of my mind to the understanding of your Gospel teachings. Speak to me the hidden and secret things of your wisdom. Enlighten my mind and understanding with the light of your knowledge, not only to cherish those things that are written, but to do them. Amen.

- St. John Chrysostom

www.livingwithchrist.us

Heavenly Father, grant me patience. I have a tendency to want things done now, and I get frustrated when I have to wait. Help me to calm myself and trust in Your love. Amen

 

Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate

Litany of the Holy Name of Mary

Description: The Feast of the Holy Name of Mary was established by Pope Innocent XI upon the victory of Christian forces against the Moslems beseiging Vienna in 1683. This litany, reflecting the nature of the feast, is for private devotion.

Prayer:

Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Son of Mary, hear us.
Son of Mary, graciously hear us.

Heavenly Father, of Whom Mary is the Daughter, have mercy on us.
Eternal Word, of Whom Mary is the Mother, have mercy on us.
Holy Spirit, of Whom Mary is the spouse, have mercy on us.
Divine Trinity, of Whom Mary is the Handmaid, have mercy on us.

Mary, Mother of the Living God, pray for us
Mary, daughter of the Light Eternal, pray for us
Mary, our light, pray for us
Mary, our sister, pray for us
Mary, flower of Jesse, pray for us
Mary, issue of kings, pray for us
Mary, chief work of God, pray for us
Mary, the beloved of God, pray for us
Mary, Immaculate Virgin, pray for us
Mary, all fair, pray for us
Mary, light in darkness, pray for us
Mary, our sure rest, pray for us
Mary, house of God, pray for us
Mary, sanctuary of the Lord, pray for us
Mary, altar of the Divinity, pray for us
Mary, Virgin Mother, pray for us
Mary, embracing your Infant God, pray for us
Mary, reposing with Eternal Wisdom, pray for us
Mary, ocean of bitterness, pray for us
Mary, Star of the Sea, pray for us
Mary, suffering with your only Son, pray for us
Mary, pierced with a sword of sorrow, pray for us
Mary, torn with a cruel wound, pray for us
Mary, sorrowful even unto death, pray for us
Mary, bereft of all consolation, pray for us
Mary, submissive to the law of God, pray for us
Mary, standing by the Cross of Jesus, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady, pray for us
Mary, Our Queen, pray for us
Mary, Queen of glory, pray for us
Mary glory of the Church Triumphant, pray for us
Mary, Blessed Queen, pray for us
Mary, advocate of the Church Militant, pray for us
Mary, Queen of Mercy, pray for us
Mary, consoler of the Church Suffering, pray for us
Mary, exalted above the angels, pray for us
Mary, crowned with twelve stars, pray for us
Mary, fair as the moon, pray for us
Mary, bright as the sun, pray for us
Mary, distinguished above all, pray for us
Mary, seated at the right hand of Jesus, pray for us
Mary, our hope, pray for us
Mary, our sweetness, pray for us
Mary, glory of Jerusalem, pray for us
Mary, joy of Israel, pray for us
Mary, honor of our people, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of the Assumption, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Loreto, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Czestochowa, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of the Angels, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Dolors, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Mercy, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Victory, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of La Trappe, pray for us
Mary, Our Lady of Divine Providence, pray for us

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Lord Jesus.

Son of Mary, hear us.
Son of Mary, graciously hear us.

I will declare your name unto my brethren.
I will praise you in the assembly of the faithful.

Let Us Pray (Oremus) 
O Almighty God, Who beholds Thy servants earnestly desiring to place themselves under the shadow of the name and protection of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, grant, we beseech You, that by her charitable intercession, we may be delivered from all evil on earth, and may arrive at everlasting joys in Heaven, through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Prayer Source: Prayers from Various Websites

First Week of Classes

When I  interviewed for my present teaching position (computers K-8) I will never forget that  the priest followed me out into the parking lot afterwards, called after me and told me, "Mary teach the faith in all that you do." That moment impacted me, the words he spoke to me, and how he must have found it so pressing to tell me those words that he followed me out into the parking lot. You might wonder how I teach the faith when I do not have a homeroom, and teach a special-subject like computers but with the administration, staff, faculty and clergy that I work with...it is easy! Daily I actually feel like I am challenged to be a better person, Christian, but challenged in good loving ways. I am taught so much by both the adults and children I encounter each day.  I just wanted to share some of these moments after completing my first full week of classes.

 

Morning Prayer
Every morning we have announcements. Before our announcements our principal reads the Gospel for the day as well as a prayer. When kids are in the lab with me I have them stop what they are working on, stand and pray reverently. When I am in the hall I stop and pray when I hear the announcements (no matter where I am in the building). Well last week, there was a worker in my lab performing maintenance on the phone line. During the announcements I stood, signed myself, bowed my head and prayed. When prayer was over I saw him raise his head and put his baseball cap back on and go back to work. It just struck me that this man also stopped his work to pray with us. His witness and devoutness to the gospel really struck me. He could have kept working instead he stopped to give thanks and praise to God too.

Gifts

During my 4th grade class we started out the school year watching a YouTube video Created to Be Happy. I like to watch this with the kids because of several reasons...first the video is funny so we get to laugh together. Second, it is good for vocation reasons. The video is put together by seminarians and priests and I actually had a couple students last year who didn't believe that it was a real video because the priests were too funny! So that opened the floor to a whole other discussion about vocations and if a priest or religious sister can laugh and have fun or if there is a stereotype. The reason why I show this video primarily though is to so the kids understand that God created all of  us and everything that is good in the world so that we can be happy and because he loves us. At the end I asked the kids...how does this relate to computer class? And one child raised his hand and said, "because computers and technology are gifts from God."  Bingo! I ran over and gave him a high-five and my heart melted. Just the answer I was looking for, couldn't have been planned more perfectly. "Yes. I reiterated. Computers are a gift from God. Just like all other things that are good in this world...our lives, every breathe we take, the food we eat, etc." Then we began to discuss how we could use these gifts; computers and technology, to spread the love of Christ and the Gospel vs. inappropriate ways or unloving ways (spreading rumors, posting inappropriate photos, etc). (We continue to visit this through the year, and this remains our premise and theme).


 

Our Lady

We had an impromptu visit from The International Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima. Our school was invited to church to go and pray the rosary. Our lessons and day were put on hold so we could  pray as a school community together. The children (and adults) were able to write prayer petitions too. As we were leaving church each person was given an Our Lady of Fatima Prayer book!

 

May Our Lady of Fatima pray for us and protect us!

 

Creatures of God

My 2nd graders and I read this story, Who Me?, which is a great story to kick-off the school year. It is about a monster that goes to school with humans. The monster does not know how to behave and makes some choices that are not good and gets into trouble. At one point in the story I asked the kids if they would like  to have a classmate who behaves like this. One child raised his hand and said, "Yes. The monster is still a creature of God and maybe I can teach him how to act right." Humility at it's finest right there....I was expecting a different answer when I asked the question. But he was right in his response. I smiled and told the child how right he was and how beautiful his words were. We continued to read the story and were able to see at the end that the monster did learn how to make better choices and behave better...but not on his own, with help from his friends and teacher.

 

 

Where's Jesus?
 

During my Kindergarten class I was sitting on the floor with the kids getting to know them and talking about the lab, rules, etc. I asked them if they were in a classroom and after some hesitation they came to a group consensus "yes". But then one little girl asked (after looking frantically around the room), "but where is Jesus?" And I knew what she meant, she meant the crucifix. So I told her, "Oh, Jesus is here in our room. See if you can find him." So their eyes looked all over. They found the crucifix, they  also found him by Mary, they found him in every place that I have a photo or image and they smiled each time as they pointed and said, "there's Jesus." Now that I'm writing this I should have said he's in each one of you too...and pointed to their heart. (I'll do this next class...thank you Holy Spirit for that impromptu lesson extension). What I thought was such a testimony of their faith was how the students wanted to be certain that Jesus was in this classroom too....that was important to them and they wanted to be certain it was important to me too. I think they are going to have high expectations of me!!

Such a blessed week at school all praise and thanks be to God!

 

 

 

Prayer to Saint Thomas Aquinas for Catholic Schools
Saint Thomas Aquinas, you are called by Holy Mother Church, the Angel of the Schools. Your wisdom, gathered through long meditation from the source of all wisdom, the most holy Trinity, has long been a shining light in the Catholic Church. Ignorance of the things of God is a darkness now enveloping the minds of many of our countrymen. In this darkness, we need an angel like you who will protect, foster, and nourish the schools we have, and guide and strengthen us in establishing and building newer and more adequate schools for the instruction of our children in the ways of Christ. Help and bless the generous sisters, brothers, and priests who labor so unselfishly in the classroom to spread the knowledge of Christ. Inspire our Catholic men and women to be most generous in the support of the schools we have. Grant to parents the wise generosity they need to give their child back to God when that child wishes to follow a priestly or religious vocation. Help us, Saint Thomas, Angel of the Schools, to understand what you taught, and to follow your example. Amen.

 

Turn your ear, O Lord, and answer me; save the servant who trusts in you my God. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I cry to you all the day long. (9/6/13 Entrance Antiphon Psalm 86)

Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” (Mark 10:27)

Incline your ear oh Lord and hear me for I am poor and needy. You are my God. Save your servant to trust in you. What you ask is a difficult thing and yet I know nothing is impossible with you. If you will but call me by name i will answer & obey. Speak Lord I am listening.

Psalm 86