"Saints are experimental proofs that the world has things upside down." ~Fr. Thomas Dubay, Fire Within

My Hope is in The Lord

Beloved: Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. (Second Reading, 1 Peter 3:15-18)

St. Rita Pray for Us!

Dear St. Rita, during your entire life on earth you found your happiness by following the will of our heavenly Father. Help me to be as trusting of God in all his designs for me. Help me this day to give myself to him as you did, without limit, without fear, without counting the cost. Help me to be generous in serving the needs of others, patient in all difficulties, forgiving toward all who injure me. Help me to learn more deeply the great mystery of the cross of Jesus, so that by embracing it as you did, I may come to experience its power to heal and to save. Amen.

Prayer Source: Prayers from Various Holy Cards

Hold You Up

Ave Maria!

The month of May is dedicated to The Blessed Virgin Mary, but today was especially a day where Mary was talked about in the computer lab at school...not to my doing, it was the kids of course.

During my 2nd grade class the kids were more talkative than normal (just excited for a program they were performing in later that afternoon and evening I'm sure) and I had to tell them a couple times to quiet down. One last time I said to them, "Boys and Girls I'm waiting for something." and before I could finish and say that I was waiting for listening ears and eyes, one boy said, "oh, that we should pray." I smiled at his response (even better!) and told him he could lead the prayer, and he did with a prayer to our Blessed Mother. We all prayed "Hail Mary" and then began class. Thank you Mother Mary for interceding just when needed!

Later that day I had a 1st grade class. As we were getting ready to begin class a little boy said to me, "Ms. Belz one night I prayed 30 Hail Marys!"

I replied, "Wow! Why? Were you afraid or you couldn't sleep?" I thought with the recent storms maybe he called upon Mary for help or to protect him.

He responded, "No. I just wanted Jesus and Mary to know how much I love them."

"Let us run to Mary, and, as her little children, cast ourselves into her arms with a perfect confidence." ~Saint Francis de Sales

Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death. Amen

Come Holy Spirit

"I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me" (Phil. 4:13).

"Dear friends, sometimes we may be tempted to allow ourselves be overtaken by laziness or despondency, especially when faced with the hardships and trials of life. In these cases, do not lose heart, but invoke the Holy Spirit, so that with the gift of fortitude He can lift our hearts and communicate new vigor and enthusiasm to our lives and our following Jesus." 
~Pope Francis, 5/14/14 Audience

Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful.

And kindle in them the fire of your love.

Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.

And you will renew the face of the earth. 

Lord, 

by the light of the Holy Spirit 

you have taught the hearts of your faithful.

In the same Spirit 

help us to relish what is right 

and always rejoice in your consolation.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

Litany of Humility

O Jesus! meek and humble of heart, Hear me.

From the desire of being esteemed,
Deliver me, Jesus.

From the desire of being loved...
From the desire of being extolled ...
From the desire of being honored ...
From the desire of being praised ...
From the desire of being preferred to others...
From the desire of being consulted ...
From the desire of being approved ...
From the fear of being humiliated ...
From the fear of being despised...
From the fear of suffering rebukes ...
From the fear of being calumniated ...
From the fear of being forgotten ...
From the fear of being ridiculed ...
From the fear of being wronged ...
From the fear of being suspected ...

That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.

That others may be esteemed more than I ...
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease ...
That others may be chosen and I set aside ...
That others may be praised and I unnoticed ...
That others may be preferred to me in everything...
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should…

Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930),
Secretary of State for Pope Saint Pius X

Our Lady of Sorrows

“Truly, O Blessed Mother, a sword has pierced your heart.... He died in body through a love greater than anyone had known. She died in spirit through a love unlike any other since His” 

(De duodecim praerogatativs BVM St. Bernard (d. 1153)

O most holy Virgin, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ: by the overwhelming grief you experienced when you witnessed the martyrdom, the crucifixion, and death of your divine Son, look upon me with eyes of compassion, and awaken in my heart a tender commiseration for those sufferings, as well as a sincere detestation of my sins, in order that being disengaged from all undue affection for the passing joys of this earth, I may sigh after the eternal Jerusalem, and that henceforward all my thoughts and all my actions may be directed towards this one most desirable object. Honor, glory, and love to our divine Lord Jesus, and to the holy and immaculate Mother of God. 

Amen.

World Day of Prayer for Vocations

"Pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into his harvest" (Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2).

Hail Mary, full of grace;
all generations call you blessed.
Hail Mother of God; when asked by the angel
to bear the Son of the Most High,
filled with faith, you responded:
"Let it be done unto me."

Holy Mother of Jesus, at the wedding feast at Cana,
you prompted your Son to perform his first sign.

Be with us as we discern our life's work
and guide us in the way we are called to follow
in the footsteps of your Son.

Holy Mother of the Savior, at the foot of the cross
you mourned the death of your only Son.

Bless and embrace the loving parents of all priests,
deacons, brothers and sisters.

Holy Mother of the Good Shepherd,
turn your motherly care to this nation.

Intercede for us to the Lord of the harvest
to send more laborers to the harvest
in this land dedicated to your honor.

Queen of Peace, Mirror of Justice, Health of the Sick,
inspire vocations in our time.

Let the word of your Son be made flesh anew
in the lives of persons anxious to proclaim
the good news of everlasting life.
Amen.

USCCB World Day of Prayer Resources

Father,

I abandon myself into your hands;

do with me what you will.

Whatever you may do, I thank you:

I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only your will be done in me,

and in all your creatures - 

I wish no more than this, O Lord.

Into your hands I commend my soul:

I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,

for I love you, Lord,

and so need to give myself,

to surrender myself into your hands

without reserve, and with boundless

confidence, for you are my Father.

- Charles de Foucauld

Lost Without You