Thursday, December 29, 2011

Prayer of Thanksgiving for Graces
Received From the Infant Jesus

The Infant Jesus is our best friend. Go to Him in prayer as Saint Therese of the Child Jesus did, saying: O Little Child Jesus! My only Treasure. I abandon myself to Your Divine whims. I want no other joy than that of making You smile. Imprint on me Your childish virtues and graces so that on the day of my birth into heaven, the angels and saints may recognize Your little bride.





Thanksgiving for Graces Received From the Infant Jesus

I prostrate myself before Thy Holy Image, O most gracious Infant Jesus, to offer thee my most fervant thanks for the blessings Thou hast bestowed upon me. I shall incessantly praise Thine ineffable mercy and confess that Thou alone art my God, my Helper and my Protector. Henceforth, my entire confidence shall be placed in Thee! Everywhere, I shall proclaim aloud Thy mercy and generosity, so that Thy great Love and the great deeds which Thou dost perform through this miraculous image may be acknowledged by all. May devotion to Thy Holy Infancy increase more and more in the hearts of all Christians, and may all who experience Thine assistance persevere with me in showing unceasing gratitude to Thy Most Holy Infancy, to which be praise and glory forever. Amen.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Faustina, Our Intercessor

Our Lord gave Saint Faustina extraordinary gifts and grace. She is The Secretary of Divine Mercy, a title chosen by God, that is revered on earth as it is in heaven. Go to her for help, especially when seeking God's mercy, goodness and kindness in your life. From Saint Faustina's diary: On one occasion, after a person had asked me for prayer, when I met the Lord I said to Him, "Jesus, I especially love those souls whom You love." And Jesus answered, And as for Me, I bestow special graces on those souls for whom you intercede. (Diary entry 599)

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Novena to Saint Joseph

Let us invoke the powerful intercession of Saint Joseph, the foster father of Jesus who sacrificed so much during his time on earth, at this Holy and special feast of Christmas week.

O blessed Joseph, faithful guardian of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ, protector of thy chaste spouse, the Virgin Mother of God, I choose thee this day to be my special patron and advocate and I firmly resolve to honor thee all the days of my life. Therefore I humbly beseech thee to receive me as thy client, to instruct me in every doubt, to comfort me in every affliction, to obtain for me and for all the knowledge and love of the Heart of Jesus, and finally to defend and protect me at the hour of my death. Amen.

Unite Yourself Through God's Love

The Infant Jesus is waiting for us with abundant love and grace. Seek His peace and unite yourself to Him by attending Mass, especially today. What you must do is say, Lord, I love you. I give myself wholly to you. Do with me what You will.

Our Lord said to Saint Faustina, "When you lower and empty yourself before My majesty, I then pursue you with My graces and make use of My omnipotence to exalt you." 

From Saint Faustina's Diary, Christmas Day, 1935

Midnight Mass. During Holy Mass, I again saw the little Infant Jesus, extremely beautiful, joyfully stretching out His little arms to me. After Holy Communion, I heard the words: I am always in your heart; not only when you receive Me in Holy Communion, but always. I spent these holydays in great joy. (Diary entry 575)

O Holy Trinity, Eternal God, my spirit is drowned in Your beauty. The ages are as nothing in Your sight. You are always the same. Oh, how great is Your majesty. Jesus, why do You conceal Your majesty, why have You left Your heavenly throne and dwelt among us? The Lord answered me, My daughter, love has brought Me here, and love keeps Me here. My daughter, if you knew what great merit and reward is earned by one act of pure love for Me, you would die of joy. I am saying this that you may constantly unite yourself with Me through love, for this is the goal of the life of your soul. This act is an act of the will. Know that a pure soul is humble. When you lower and empty yourself before My majesty, I then pursue you with My graces and make use of My omnipotence to exalt you. (Diary entry 576)

Sunday, December 18, 2011

We Echo Mary

In today's Gospel reading we hear Mary's "yes" to God's divine plan. Let us obediently acknowledge God's will by echoing Mary's words, "May it be done to me according to your word."

Luke 1:26-38
The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."

But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

"Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."

But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?"

And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God."

Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.

Monday, December 12, 2011

John Paul II’s Prayer
To Our Lady of Guadalupe

O Immaculate Virgin, Mother of the true God and Mother of the Church, who from this place reveal your clemency and your pity to all those who ask for your protection, hear the prayer that we address to you with filial trust, and present it to your Son Jesus, our sole Redeemer.

Mother of Mercy, Teacher of hidden and silent sacrifice, to you, who come to meet us sinners, we dedicate on this day all our being and all our love. We also dedicate to you our life, our work, our joys, our infirmities and our sorrows. Grant peace, justice and prosperity to our peoples; for we entrust to your care all that we have and all that we are, our Lady and Mother. We wish to be entirely yours and to walk with you along the way of complete faithfulness to Jesus Christ in His Church; hold us always with your loving hand.

Virgin of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas, we pray to you for all the Bishops, that they may lead the faithful along paths of intense Christian life, of love and humble service of God and souls.

Contemplate this immense harvest, and intercede with the Lord that He may instill a hunger for holiness in the whole people of  God, and grant abundant vocations of priests and religious, strong in the faith and zealous dispensers of God’s mysteries.

Grant to our homes the grace of loving and respecting life in its beginnings, with the same love with which you conceived in your womb the life of the Son of God. Blessed Virgin Mary, protect our families, so that they may always be united, and bless the upbringing of our children.

Our Hope, look upon us with compassion, teach us to go continually to Jesus and, if we fall, help us to rise again, to return to Him, by means of the confession of our faults and sins in the Sacrament of Penance, which gives peace to the soul.

We beg you to grant us a great love for all the holy Sacraments, which are, as it were, the signs that your Son left us on earth.

Thus, Most Holy Mother, with the peace of God in our conscience, with our hearts free from evil and hatred, we will be able to bring to all true joy and true peace, which come to us from your son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

Pope John Paul II
Mexico, January 1979. Visiting the Basilica during his first foreign trip.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Prayer for Preparation for Mass

This beautiful prayer reminds us of why we need the Holy Eucharist: "Gracious God of majesty and awe, I seek your protection, I look for your healing, poor troubled sinner that I am, I appeal to you, the fountain of all mercy."

Prayer of St. Ambrose

Lord, Jesus Christ, I approach your banquet table in fear and trembling, for I am a sinner, and dare not rely on my own worth but only on your goodness and mercy. I am defiled by many sins in body and soul, and by my unguarded thoughts and words. Gracious God of majesty and awe, I seek your protection, I look for your healing, poor troubled sinner that I am, I appeal to you, the fountain of all mercy.

I cannot bear your judgment, but I trust in your salvation. Lord, I show my wounds to you and uncover my shame before you. I know my sins are many and great, and they fill me with fear, but I hope in your mercies, for they cannot be numbered. Lord Jesus Christ, eternal King, God and man, crucified for mankind, look upon me with mercy and hear my prayer, for I trust in you. Have mercy on me, full of sorrow and sin, for the depth of your compassion never ends.

Praise to you, saving sacrifice, offered on the wood of the cross for me and for all mankind. Praise to the noble and precious blood, flowing from the wounds of my crucified Lord Jesus Christ and washing away the sins of the whole world. Remember, Lord, your creature, whom you have redeemed with your blood. I repent my sins, and I long to put right what I have done.

Merciful Father, take away all my offenses and sins; purify me in body and soul, and make me worthy to taste the holy of holies.

May your body and blood, which I intend to receive, although I am unworthy, be for me the remission of my sins, the washing away of my guilt, the end of my evil thoughts, and the rebirth of my better instincts. May it incite me to do the works pleasing to you and profitable to my health in body and soul, and be a firm defense against the wiles of my enemies. Amen.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Today's Gift: Consecration to
The Immacuate Heart of Mary

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, is a special gift of Heaven to Earth. Make this solemn act of consecration to honor Our Blessed Mother and receive her grace, goodness and mercy in your life.

Solemn Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Most Holy Virgin Mary, tender Mother of men, to fulfill the desires of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the request of the Vicar of Your Son on earth, we consecrate ourselves and our families to your Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart, O Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, and we recommend to You, all the people of our country and all the world.

Please accept our consecration, dearest Mother, and use us as You wish to accomplish Your designs in the world.

O Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, and Queen of the World, rule over us, together with the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, Our King. Save us from the spreading flood of modern paganism; kindle in our hearts and homes the love of purity, the practice of a virtuous life, an ardent zeal for souls, and a desire to pray the Rosary more faithfully.

We come with confidence to You, O Throne of Grace and Mother of Fair Love. Inflame us with the same Divine Fire which has inflamed Your own Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart. Make our hearts and homes Your shrine, and through us, make the Heart of Jesus, together with your rule, triumph in every heart and home.

Amen.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Gospel Reflection: I Am Not Worthy

Matthew 8:5-11

When Jesus entered Capernaum,
a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,
"Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully."
He said to him, "I will come and cure him."
The centurion said in reply,
"Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, "Go," and he goes;
and to another, "Come here," and he comes;
and to my slave, "Do this," and he does it."
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
"Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,
and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven."

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Our Lady of The Holy Rosary Novena Prayer

Powerful and holy novena prayer that honors Our Mother.

My dearest Mother Mary, behold me, your child, in prayer at your feet. Accept this Holy Rosary, which I offer you in accordance with your requests at Fatima, as a proof of my tender love for you, for the intentions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in atonement for the offenses committed against your Immaculate Heart, and for this special favor which I earnestly request in my Rosary Novena:  (Mention your request).

I beg you to present my petition to your Divine Son. If you will pray for me, I cannot be refused. I know, dearest Mother, that you want me to seek God's holy Will concerning my request. If what I ask for should not be granted, pray that I may receive that which will be of greater benefit to my soul.

I offer you this spiritual Bouquet of Roses because I love you. I put all my confidence in you, since your prayers before God are most powerful. For the greater glory of God and for the sake of Jesus, your loving Son, hear and grant my prayer. Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation. Amen.

Pray The Rosary online with other faithful people http://www.comepraytherosary.org/

Friday, December 2, 2011

Pope JPII's Divine Mercy Message

Pope John Paul II visited and prayed at the Shrine
of Divine Mercy in Krakow, Poland, June 7, 1997.
Blessed Pope John Paul II visited the Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Poland in June 1997. The shrine is operated by Saint Faustina Kowalska's congregation, the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy. The Holy Father prayed at the shrine and gave a personal reflection on Divine Mercy. Here's an excerpt from the Vatican website. Read the pope's reflection in full.

ADDRESS OF JOHN PAUL II
I have come to this shrine as a pilgrim to take part in the unending hymn in honour of Divine Mercy. The Psalmist of the Lord had intoned it, expressing what every generation preserved and will continue to preserve as a most precious fruit of faith. There is nothing that man needs more than Divine Mercy — that love which is benevolent, which is compassionate, which raises man above his weakness to the infinite heights of the holiness of God. In this place we become particularly aware of this. From here, in fact, went out the Message of Divine Mercy that Christ himself chose to pass on to our generation through Blessed Faustina. And it is a message that is clear and understandable for everyone. Anyone can come here, look at this picture of the Merciful Jesus, his Heart radiating grace, and hear in the depths of his own soul what Blessed Faustina heard: "Fear nothing. I am with you always" (Diary, q. II). And if this person responds with a sincere heart: "Jesus, I trust in you!", he will find comfort in all his anxieties and fears. In this dialogue of abandonment, there is established between man and Christ a special bond that sets love free. And "there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" (1 Jn 4:18).

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Gospel Reflection: See and Hear

Luke 10:21-24

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
"I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."

Turning to the disciples in private he said,
"Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Novena to St. Andrew

It is piously believed that whoever recites the Prayer to St. Andrew, saying it 15 times each day from the feast of St. Andrew, November 30, until Christmas Day, will obtain what is asked.

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Miraculous Medal

O Mary, Conceived Without Sin, Pray for Us Who Have Recourse to Thee.

This week, let us consider the Virgin Mary's beautiful and powerful gift of the Miraculous Medal. Please consider wearing it and praying the novena.



Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving

Today, not only give thanks to God but share the blessings that He has given to you.

Reflection on Jude 1:2
May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Glorious Goodness, Merciful Love

Saint Faustina wrote in her diary beautiful words of trust and mercy that Jesus told her.

On one occasion, the Lord said to me, Why are you fearful and why do you tremble when you are united to Me? I am displeased when a soul yields to vain terror. Who will dare to touch you when you are with Me? Most dear to Me is the soul that strongly believes in My goodness and has complete trust in Me. I heap My confidence upon it and give it all it asks. (Diary entry 453)

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Call on Saint Gertrude

Today, we honor a powerful saint. Gertrude was born at Eisleben in Saxony in 1221.She was characterized by great devotion to Our Lord in His Passion and in the Blessed Eucharist, and by a tender love for the Blessed Virgin. Gertrude was a mystic. By fasting, abstinence, perfect obedience and the denial of her own will, she subdued whatever could oppose the reign of the most holy will of God in her soul. She died in 1302.

Gertrude the Great is invoked for souls in purgatory and for living sinners. Our Lord told Saint Gertrude that the following prayer would release 1,000 souls from purgatory each time it is said. The prayer was extended to include living sinners as well. Pray it daily.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Jesus, Son of David,
Have Pity on Me!

Today's Gospel reading teaches us to call on Jesus for mercy no matter how others tell us to be quiet or how remote healing may seem. Jesus hears us. Don't be afraid. Trust in Him.


Luke 18:35-43

As Jesus approached Jericho
a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging,
and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.
They told him,
"Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."
He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!"
The people walking in front rebuked him,
telling him to be silent,
but he kept calling out all the more,
"Son of David, have pity on me!"
Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him;
and when he came near, Jesus asked him,
"What do you want me to do for you?"
He replied, "Lord, please let me see."
Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you."
He immediately received his sight
and followed him, giving glory to God.
When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Jesus's Gift of The Chaplet
Of Divine Mercy

The Divine Mercy Chaplet is a special gift that Our Lord Himself gave to Saint Faustina to share with all of us to aid the world and to save souls. Let's pray the Chaplet with the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Persevere in Prayer

Keep asking, seeking and knocking. The Lord hears and answers.

Luke 18:1-8

Jesus told his disciples a parable
about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.
He said, "There was a judge in a certain town
who neither feared God nor respected any human being.
And a widow in that town used to come to him and say,
"Render a just decision for me against my adversary."
For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,
"While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,
because this widow keeps bothering me
I shall deliver a just decision for her
lest she finally come and strike me.""
The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.
Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night?
Will he be slow to answer them?
I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.
But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

Friday, November 11, 2011

Jesus, Speak to My Heart

In this passage from Saint Faustina's diary we see how we should act in the face of trouble and realize that we must not despair no matter how great the darkness. Go to the Blessed Sacrament for healing and comfort.

O my Jesus, despite the deep night that is all around me and the dark clouds which hide the horizon, I know that the sun never goes out. O Lord, though I cannot comprehend You and do not understand Your ways, I nonetheless trust in Your mercy. If it is Your will, Lord, that I live always in such darkness, may You be blessed. I ask You only one thing, Jesus: do not allow me to offend You in any way. O my Jesus, You alone know the longings and the sufferings of my heart. I am glad I can suffer for You, however little. When I feel that the suffering is more than I can bear, I take refuge in the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, and I speak to Him with profound silence. (Diary entry 73)

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Trust in the Passion of the Lord

Let us learn from Saint Faustina how to call upon God and seek His Most Abundant Mercy.

O Jesus, eternal Truth, our Life, I call upon You and I beg Your mercy for poor sinners. O sweetest Heart of my Lord, full of pity and unfathomable mercy, I plead with You for poor sinners. O Most Sacred Heart, Fount of Mercy from which gush forth rays of inconceivable graces upon the entire human race, I beg of You light for poor sinners. O Jesus, be mindful of Your own bitter Passion and do not permit the loss of souls redeemed at so dear a price of Your most precious Blood. O Jesus, when I consider the great price of Your Blood, I rejoice at its immensity, for one drop alone would have been enough for the salvation of all sinners. Although sin is an abyss of wickedness and ingratitude, the price paid for us can never be equalled. Therefore, let every soul trust in the Passion of the Lord, and place its hope in His mercy. God will not deny His mercy to anyone. Heaven and earth may change, but God's mercy will never be exhausted. Oh, what immense joy burns in my heart when I contemplate Your incomprehensible goodness, O Jesus! I desire to bring all sinners to Your feet that they may glorify Your mercy throughout endless ages. (Diary entry 72)


Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Today's Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19

R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.

R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
The LORD has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.

R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.

R. I will bless the Lord at all times.

Full of Goodness

Romans 15:14-21

I myself am convinced about you, my brothers and sisters,
that you yourselves are full of goodness,
filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish one another.
But I have written to you rather boldly in some respects to remind you,
because of the grace given me by God
to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles
in performing the priestly service of the Gospel of God,
so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable,
sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast in what pertains to God.
For I will not dare to speak of anything
except what Christ has accomplished through me
to lead the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,
by the power of signs and wonders,
by the power of the Spirit of God,
so that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum
I have finished preaching the Gospel of Christ.
Thus I aspire to proclaim the Gospel
not where Christ has already been named,
so that I do not build on another's foundation,
but as it is written:

Those who have never been told of him shall see,
and those who have never heard of him shall understand.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Prayer for Divine Mercy

O Greatly Merciful God, Infinite Goodness, today all mankind calls out from the abyss of its misery to Your mercy – to Your compassion, O God; and it is with its mighty voice of misery that it cries out Gracious God, do not reject the prayer of this earth's exiles! O Lord, Goodness beyond our understanding, Who are acquainted with our misery through and through, and know that by our power we cannot ascend to You, we implore You, anticipate us with Your grace and keep on increasing Your mercy in us, that we may faithfully do Your holy will all through our life and at death's hour, Let the omnipotence of Your mercy shield us from the darts of our salvation's enemies, that we may with confidence, as Your children, await Your final coming – that day known to You alone. And we expect to obtain everything promised us by Jesus in spite of all our wretchedness. For Jesus is our Hope: Through His merciful Heart as through an open gate we pass through to heaven. Amen.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Prayer for Souls

From the beautiful Pieta Prayer Book

There are more souls released from purgatory during the Consecration of the Mass than at any time.  Christmas is the day of the year when most souls are delivered; then feast days of Our Lord, Our Lady and great saints.

Souls receive much grace from prayers offered for them on their birthdays, day of baptism, anniversary of death.

Our Lady asked that we pray very much for the poor souls; that we pray:

5 I believe in God . . .
1 Hail Holy Queen . . .
1 Our Father . . .
1 Hail Mary . . .
1 Glory be to the Father . . .
1 Requiem (Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them and may they rest in peace.  Amen.)

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Prayer to Release Souls
From Purgatory

St. Gertrude the Great is invoked for souls in purgatory and for living sinners. Our Lord told St. Gertrude that the following prayer would release 1,000 souls from purgatory each time it is said. The prayer was extended to include living sinners as well. Pray it daily.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Litany for All Saints Day

Litany of Saints

Lord, have mercy on us. (Lord have mercy on us)
Christ, have mercy on us. (Christ have mercy on us)
Lord, have mercy on us. (Lord, have mercy on us)

Christ, hear us. (Christ, hear us)
Christ, graciously hear us. (Christ, 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)
Holy Mary, Holy Mother of God, (pray for us*)
Holy Virgin of virgins,*
St. Michael,*
St. Gabriel,*
St. Raphael,*
All you holy Angels and Archangels,*
All you holy orders of blessed Spirits,*
St. John the Baptist,*
St. Joseph,*
All you holy Patriarchs and Prophets,*
St. Peter,*
St. Paul,*
St. Andrew,*
St. James,*
St. John,*
St. Thomas,*
St. Philip,*
St. Bartholomew,*
St. Matthew,*
St. Simon,*
St. Thaddeus,*
St. Matthias,*
St. Barnabas,*
St. Luke,*
St. Mark,*
All you holy Apostles and Evangelists,*
All you holy Disciples of the Lord,*
All you holy Innocents,*
St. Stephen,*
St. Lawrence,*
St. Vincent,*
SS. Fabian and Sebastian,*
SS. John and Paul,*
SS. Cosmas and Damian,*
SS. Gervase and Protase,*
All you holy Martyrs,*
St. Sylvester,*
St. Gregory,*
St. Ambrose,*
St. Augustine,*
St. Jerome,*
St. Martin,*
St. Nicholas,*
All you holy Bishops and Confessors,*
All you holy Doctors,*
St. Anthony,*
St. Benedict,*
St. Bernard,*
St. Dominic,*
St. Francis,*
All you holy Priests and Levites,*
All you holy Monks and Hermits,*
St. Mary Magdalen,*
St. Agatha,*
St. Lucy,*
St. Agnes,*
St. Cecilia,*
St. Catherine,*
St. Anastasia,*
All you holy Virgins and Widows,*

All you holy Saints of God, (make intercession for us.)
Be merciful, (spare us, O Lord.)
Be merciful, (graciously hear us, O Lord.)
From all evil, O Lord (deliver us*)
From all sin,*
From Your wrath,*
From sudden and unlooked for death,*
From the snares of the devil,*
From anger, and hatred, and every evil will,*
From the spirit of fornication,*
From lightning and tempest,*
From the scourge of earthquakes,*
From plague, famine and war,*
From everlasting death,*
Through the mystery of Your holy Incarnation,*
Through Your Coming,*
Through Your Birth,*
Through Your Baptism and holy Fasting,*
Through Your Cross and Passion,*
Through Your Death and Burial,*
Through Your holy Resurrection,*
Through Your admirable Ascension,*
Through the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.*
In the day of judgment.*

We sinners, (We implore you to hear us*)
That You would spare us,*
That You would pardon us,*
That You would bring us to true penance,*
That You would vouchsafe to govern and preserve Your holy Church,*
That You would vouchsafe to preserve our Apostolic Prelate,
and all orders of the Church in holy religion,*
That You would vouchsafe to humble the enemies of holy Church,*
That You would vouchsafe to give peace and true concord to Christian kings and princes,*
That You would vouchsafe to grant peace and unity to the whole Christian world,*
That You would call back to the unity of the Church all who have
strayed from her fold, and to guide all unbelievers into the light of the Gospel,*
That You would vouchsafe to confirm and preserve us in Your holy service,*
That You would lift up our minds to heavenly desires,*
That You would render eternal blessings to all our benefactors,*
That You would deliver our souls, and the souls of our brethren,
relations, and benefactors, from eternal damnation,*
That You would vouchsafe to give and preserve the fruits of the earth,*
That You would vouchsafe to grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed,*
That You would vouchsafe graciously to hear us,*
Son of God,*

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, (spare us, O Lord.)
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, (graciously hear us, O Lord.)
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, (have mercy on us.)

Christ, (hear us)
Christ, (graciously hear us)
Lord, have mercy, (Lord, have mercy)
Christ, have mercy, (Christ, have mercy)
Lord, have mercy, (Lord, have mercy)
Finally say the Our Father inaudibly.

Virtue of Mercy Shown to You

1 Romans 11:29-36

Brothers and sisters:
The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.

Just as you once disobeyed God
but have now received mercy
because of their disobedience,
so they have now disobeyed in order that,
by virtue of the mercy shown to you,
they too may now receive mercy.
For God delivered all to disobedience,
that he might have mercy upon all.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!

For who has known the mind of the Lord
or who has been his counselor?
Or who has given him anything
that he may be repaid?

For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To God be glory forever. Amen.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Consecration to Jesus Through
The Immaculate Heart of Mary

O Eternal and Incarnate Wisdom! O sweetest and most adorable Jesus! True God and true Man, only Son of the Eternal Father and of Mary ever virgin! I adore Thee profoundly in the bosom and splendors of Thy Father during eternity, and I adore Thee also in the virginal bosom of Mary, Thy most worthy Mother, in the time of Thine Incarnation.

I give Thee thanks for that Thou hast annihilated Thyself, taking the form of a slave, in order to rescue me from the cruel slavery of the devil. I praise and glorify Thee because Thou hast been pleased to submit Thyself to Mary, Thy holy Mother, in all things, in order to make me Thy faithful slave through her. But, alas! Ungrateful and faithless as I have been, I have not kept the promises which I made so solemnly to Thee in my Baptism; I have not fulfilled my obligations; I do not deserve to be called Thy child, nor yet Thy slave; and as there is nothing in me which does not merit Thine anger and Thy repulse, I dare not come by myself before Thy most holy and august Majesty. It is on this account that I have recourse to the intercession of Thy most holy Mother, whom Thou hast given me for a mediatrix with Thee. It is through her that I hope to obtain of Thee contrition, the pardon of my sins, and the acquisition and preservation of wisdom.

Hail, then, O Immaculate Mary, living tabernacle of the Divinity, where the Eternal Wisdom willed to be hidden and to be adored by Angels and by men! Hail, O Queen of Heaven and earth, to whose empire everything is subject which is under God. Hail, O sure refuge of sinners, whose mercy fails no one. Hear the desires which I have of the Divine Wisdom; and for that end receive the vows and offerings which in my lowliness I present to thee.

I, (name), a faithless sinner, renew and ratify today in thy hands the vows of my Baptism; I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before.

In the presence of all the Heavenly Court, I choose thee this day for my Mother and mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions -- past, present and future -- leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God, in time and in eternity.

Receive, O benignant Virgin, this little offering of my slavery, in honor of and in union with that subjection which the Eternal Wisdom deigned to have to thy maternity, in homage to the power which both of you have over this poor sinner and in thanksgiving for the privileges with which the Holy Trinity has favored thee. I declare that I wish henceforth, as thy true slave, to seek thy honor and to obey thee in all things.

O admirable Mother, present me to thy dear Son as His eternal slave, so that as He has redeemed me by thee, by thee He may receive me! O Mother of Mercy, grant me the grace to obtain the true Wisdom of God, arid for that end receive me among those whom thou dost love and teach, whom thou dost lead, nourish and protect as thy children and thy slaves.

O faithful Virgin, make me in all things so perfect a disciple, imitator and slave of the Incarnate Wisdom, Jesus Christ thy Son, that I may attain, by thine intercession and by thine example, to the fullness of His age on earth and of His glory in Heaven. Amen.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

I Want to Tell Souls
Of Your Goodness

A passage from Saint Faustina's diary helps us understand her mission and ours -- they are the same:

+ J. M. J.
Cracow, October 20, 1937.

Fifth Notebook

O my God, let everything that is in me praise You, my Lord and Creator; and with every beat of my heart I want to praise Your unfathomable mercy. I want to tell souls of Your goodness and encourage them to trust in Your mercy. That is my mission, which You yourself have entrusted to me, O Lord, in this life and in the life to come. (Diary entry 1325)

Friday, October 28, 2011

Feast of Saint Jude


Nothing is impossible with God. 

Saint Jude was one of the twelve Apostles, and today he intercedes on our behalf before God's Heavenly Throne for what we think are hopeless, desperate causes. But they are not hopeless or desperate at all because Jude listens and acts for us. Go to him and seek his help, which never fails.


Novena of Hope

O glorious apostle St. Jude, faithful servant and friend of Jesus, the name of the traitor who delivered thy beloved Master into the hands of His enemies has caused thee to be forgotten by many, but the Church honors and invokes thee universally as the patron of hopeless cases -- of things despaired of. Pray for me who am so miserable; make use, I implore thee, of that particular privilege accorded thee of bringing visible and speedy help where help is almost despaired of. Come to my assistance in this great need, that I may receive the consolations and succor of heaven in all my necessities, tribulations and sufferings, particularly (mention your request), and that I may bless God with thee and all the elect throughout eternity. I promise thee, O blessed St. Jude, to be ever mindful of this great favor, and I will never cease to honor thee as my special and powerful patron, and to do all in my power to encourage devotion to thee. Amen.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Today's Responsorial Psalm

 Psalm 109:21-22, 26-27, 30-31

R. Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.
Do you, O GOD, my Lord, deal kindly with me for your name's sake;
in your generous mercy rescue me;
For I am wretched and poor,
and my heart is pierced within me.

R. Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.
Help me, O LORD, my God;
save me, in your mercy,
And let them know that this is your hand;
that you, O LORD, have done this.

R. Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.
I will speak my thanks earnestly to the LORD,
and in the midst of the throng I will praise him,
For he stood at the right hand of the poor man,
to save him from those who would condemn his soul.

R. Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.

Trust and Ask the Holy Spirit

Reading 1 Romans 8:26-30

Brothers and sisters:
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the one who searches hearts
knows what is the intention of the Spirit,
because he intercedes for the holy ones
according to God's will.

We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
so that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers.
And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Today's Readings

Responsorial Psalm 
Psalm 13:4-5, 6

R. All my hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.
Look, answer me, O LORD, my God!
Give light to my eyes that I may not sleep in death
lest my enemy say, "I have overcome him;
lest my foes rejoice at my downfall.


R. All my hope, O Lord, is in your loving kindness.
Though I trusted in your mercy,
Let my heart rejoice in your salvation;
let me sing of the LORD, "He has been good to me."


R. All my hope, O Lord, is in your loving kindness.

Gospel 
Luke 13:22-30

Jesus passed through towns and villages,
teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
Someone asked him,
"Lord, will only a few people be saved?"
He answered them,
"Strive to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter
but will not be strong enough.
After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door,
then will you stand outside knocking and saying,
"Lord, open the door for us."
He will say to you in reply,
"I do not know where you are from."
And you will say,
"We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets."
Then he will say to you,
"I do not know where you are from.
Depart from me, all you evildoers!"
And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth
when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God
and you yourselves cast out.
And people will come from the east and the west
and from the north and the south
and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God.
For behold, some are last who will be first,
and some are first who will be last."

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Fear Nothing, Dear Soul

Saint Faustina, in this section of her diary, directs us on how to trust in God's Mercy, which is endless. 

Oh, how ardently I desire that every soul would praise Your mercy. Happy is the soul that calls upon the mercy of the Lord. It will see that the Lord will defend it as His glory, as He said. And who would dare fight against God? All you souls, praise the Lord's mercy by trusting in His mercy all your life and especially at the hour of your death. And fear nothing, dear soul, whoever you are; the greater the sinner, the greater his right to Your mercy, O Lord. O incomprehensible goodness! God is the first to stoop to the sinner. O Jesus, I wish to glorify Your mercy on behalf of thousands of souls. I know very well, O my Jesus, that I am to keep telling souls about Your goodness, about Your incomprehensible mercy. (Diary entry 598)

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Prayer for Mercy of John Paul II

On this first feast day of Blessed Pope John Paul II, let us ask God for peace and mercy for our aching hearts. 

Reflection
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God…We preach Christ crucified,…Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 1 Corinthians 1:18, 23-25


Beneath the Cross of the Crucified King - Prayer of Pope John Paul II
And behold: we who… are standing… beneath the cross of the ages, wish, through Your cross and passion, O Christ, to cry out today that mercy [which] has irreversibly entered in to the history of man, into our whole human history—and which in spite of the appearances of weakness is stronger than evil. It is the greatest power and force upon which man can sustain himself, threatened as he is from so many sides…

Holy is God.

Holy and strong.

Holy immortal One, have mercy on us.

Have mercy: eleison: misere.

May the power of Your love once more be shown to be greater than the evil that threatens it. May it be shown to be greater than sin…

May the power of Your cross, O Christ, be shown to be greater than the author of sin, who is called "the prince of this world."

For by your blood and Your passion You have redeemed the world!

Monday, October 17, 2011

Our Lady of Guadalupe Prayer

Perfect, Ever Holy Virgin Mary, 

Mother of the True God for whom we live.

You, who are truly our Compassionate Mother,
we seek You, we beseech You.

Mercifully heed our cries and our sadness.

Heal our sorrow, our afflictions and our pain.

Gentle and loving Mother, shelter us in the hollow
of your mantle, in the fold of your arms.

Let nothing distress nor disturb our hearts.

Reveal to us your beloved Son, so that with Him
and in Him we may find our salvation and the salvation of the world.

Most Holy Virgin Mary of Guadalupe, make us your messengers,
messengers of the Word and of the will of God. Amen. 

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Today's Gospel Reading

Matthew 22:15-21

The Pharisees went off
and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech.
They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying,
"Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion,
for you do not regard a person's status.
Tell us, then, what is your opinion:
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?"
Knowing their malice, Jesus said,
"Why are you testing me, you hypocrites?
Show me the coin that pays the census tax."
Then they handed him the Roman coin.
He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?"
They replied, "Caesar's."
At that he said to them,
"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God."

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Prayer for Mercy
On the Souls in Purgatory

My Jesus, by the sorrows Thou didst suffer in Thine agony in the Garden, in Thy scourging and crowning with thorns, in the way to Calvary, in Thy crucifixion and death, have mercy on the souls in purgatory, and especially on those that are most forsaken; do Thou deliver them from the dire torments they endure; call them and admit them to Thy most sweet embrace in paradise. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Eternal Rest prayer.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Run to Jesus

Jesus allowed Saint Faustina to know how much He loves us and waits for us to return to Him in the Sacrament of Confession and through prayerful remorse.


Write: I am Thrice Holy, and I detest the smallest sin. I cannot love a soul which is stained with sin; but when it repents, there is no limit to My generosity toward it. My mercy embraces and justifies it. With My mercy, I pursue sinners along all their paths, and My Heart rejoices when they return to Me. I forget the bitterness with which they fed My Heart and rejoice at their return.


Tell sinners that no one shall escape My Hand; if they run away from My Merciful Heart, they will fall into My Just Hands. Tell sinners that I am always waiting for them, that I listen intently to the beating of their heart... when it beat for Me? Write, that I am speaking to them through their remorse of conscience, through their failures and sufferings, through thunderstorms, through the voice of the Church. And if they bring all My graces to naught, I begin to be angry with them, leaving them alone and giving them what they want. (Diary entry 1728)

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

The Blessed Sacrament


In April 1933, Saint Faustina wrote in her diary:

In the evening, the Lord said to me, My daughter, let nothing frighten or disconcert you. Remain deeply at peace. Everything is in My hands. I will give you to understand everything through Father Andrasz. Be like a child towards him.

A Moment Before the Blessed Sacrament.

O my eternal Lord and Creator, how am I going to thank You for this great favor; namely, that You have deigned to choose miserable me to be Your betrothed and that You are to unite me to yourself in an eternal bond? O dearest Treasure of my heart, I offer You all the adoration and thanksgiving of the Saints and of all the choirs of Angels, and I unite myself in a special way with Your Mother. O Mary, my Mother, I humbly beg of You, cover my soul with Your virginal cloak at this very important moment of my life, so that thus I may become dearer to Your Son and may worthily praise Your Son's mercy before the whole world and throughout all eternity. (Diary entries 219 and 220)

Friday, October 7, 2011

Our Lady of the Rosary, Pray for Us

Celebrate the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, Our Lady of Victory, with a rosary offering to Our Mother and reflection on this entry from Saint Faustina's diary.

August 5, 1935. The Feast of Our Lady of Mercy.

I prepared for this feast with greater zeal than in previous years. On the morning of the feast itself, I experienced an inner struggle at the thought that I must leave this Congregation which enjoys such special protection from Mary. This struggle lasted through the meditation and through the first Mass as well. During the second Mass, I turned to our Holy Mother, telling Her that is was difficult for me to separate myself from this Congregation.... "which is under Your special protection, O Mary." Then I saw the Blessed Virgin, unspeakably beautiful. She came down from the altar to my kneeler, held me close to Herself and said to me, I am Mother to you all, thanks to the unfathomable mercy of God. Most pleasing to Me is that soul which faithfully carries out the will of God. She gave me to understand that I had faithfully fulfilled the will of God and had thus found favor in His eyes. Be courageous. Do not fear apparent obstacles, but fix your gaze upon the Passion of My Son, and in this way you will be victorious. (Diary entry 449)

Thursday, October 6, 2011

For Everyone Who Asks, Receives

Today's Gospel Reading Luke 11:5-13

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
"Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,"
and he says in reply from within,
"Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything."
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.

"And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?"

Cardinals Petition for Saint Faustina To Be a Doctor of the Church

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Happy Feast Day, Saint Faustina

Today, let us approach Saint Faustina, whom remember for her love of God and her brave spirit in the face of sacrifice. In her diary, she wrote about how she prays for those who ask her, and how Jesus gives special love to those for whom she prays.

On one occasion, after a person had asked me for prayer, when I met the Lord, I said to Him, "Jesus, I especially love those souls whom you love." And Jesus answered, And as for Me, I bestow special graces on those souls for whom you intercede.
(Diary entry 599)

Today's Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 86:3-4, 5-6, 9-10

R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.

Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for to you I call all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.

R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.

All the nations you have made shall come
and worship you, O Lord,
and glorify your name.
For you are great, and you do wondrous deeds;
you alone are God.

R. Lord, you are merciful and gracious.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

The Power of Confession

Saint Faustina took comfort in Our Lord's words to her about the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the power of a good confession. Don't be afraid to go to confession and receive the Lord's peace for your mind, heart and soul.

Faustina wrote in her diary in April 1933:
Before confession, I heard these words in my soul, My daughter, tell him [the priest] everything and reveal your soul to him as you do before Me. Do not fear anything. It is to keep you in peace that I place this priest between your soul and Myself. The words he will speak to you are My words. Reveal to him your soul's greatest secrets. I will give him light to know your soul. (Diary entry 232)

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Our Friends in Heaven,
Saints Therese and Faustina

Let us today reflect on Saint Therese, the Little Flower, and her spiritual connection to Saint Faustina. In her diary, Saint Faustina tells us about her devotion to Saint Therese and how much a novena is a powerful tool to invoke help and grace from Heaven. Our trust in God is needed to complete the Father's help for us. From Faustina's diary:

I want to write down a dream that I had about Saint Therese of the Child Jesus. I was still a novice at the time and was going through some difficulties which I did not know how to overcome. They were interior difficulties connected with exterior ones. I made novenas to various saints, but the situation grew more and more difficult. The sufferings it caused me were so great that I did not know how to go on living, but suddenly the thought occurred to me that I should pray to Saint Therese of the Child Jesus. I started a novena to this Saint, because before entering the convent I had had a great devotion to her. Lately I had somewhat neglected this devotion, but in my need I began again to pray with great fervor.

On the fifth day of the novena, I dreamed of Saint Therese, but it was as if she were still living on earth. She hid from me the fact that she was a saint and began to comfort me, saying that I should not be worried about this matter, but should trust more in God. She said, "I suffered greatly, too," but I did not quite believe her and said, "It seems to me that you have not suffered at all." But Saint Therese answered me in a convincing manner that she had suffered very much indeed and said to me, "Sister, know that in three days the difficulty will come to a happy conclusion." When I was not very willing to believe her, she revealed to me that she was a saint. At that moment, a great joy filled my soul, and I said to her, "You are a saint?" "Yes," she answered, "I am a saint. Trust that this matter will be resolved in three days:" And I said, "Dear sweet Therese, tell me, shall I go to heaven?" And she answered, "Yes, you will go to heaven, Sister." "And will I be a saint?" To which she replied, "Yes, you will be a saint." "But, little Therese, shall I be a saint as you are, raised to the altar?" And she answered, "Yes, you will be a saint just as I am, but you must trust in the Lord Jesus." I then asked her if my mother and father would go to heaven, will [unfinished sentence] And she replied that they would. I further asked, "And will my brothers and sisters go to heaven?" She told me to pray hard for them, but gave me no definite answer. I understood that they were in need of much prayer.

This was a dream. And as the proverb goes, dreams are phantoms; God is faith. Nevertheless, three days later the difficulty was solved very easily, just as she had said. And everything in this affair turned out exactly as she said it would. It was a dream, but it had its significance. (Diary entry 150)


NOVENA TO SAINT THERESE
O Little Therese of the Child Jesus, please pick for me a rose from the heavenly gardens and send it to me as a message of love.

O Little Flower of Jesus, ask God today to grant the favors I now place with confidence in your hands.... (Ask for mercy and make a petition).

Saint Therese, help me to always believe as you did, in God's great love for me, so that I might imitate your "Little Way" each day. Amen.

Friday, September 30, 2011

The Vine and the Branches

John 15:1-12
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.

Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.

I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.

Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned.

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.

By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

The Salve Regina

Prayer to honor our Most Blessed Mother Mary.

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to you do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the Most Blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Prayer to Honor Pope John Paul II

Make a special intercessory prayer to Pope John Paul II for healing and hope. He is a champion of Divine Mercy here on Earth, and our dear friend in Heaven.

O Eternal Father, You gave to us the gift of John Paul II as Your shepherd to shine light on the world. A diplomat of the Church and messenger of Your holy presence, he comforted all children of the Church in times of chaos and political uncertainty. Grant us, through his intercession, a love for all mankind and the radiance of his most holy Lord, Jesus. Amen.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy offered by the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy in Dorchester, Mass.

Psalm 22: A Prayer of Trust

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.
In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
“He trusts in the LORD,” they say,
“let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”

Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
From birth I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.

Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
Roaring lions that tear their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me.
My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.

Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce my hands and my feet.
All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me.
They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.

But you, LORD, do not be far from me.
You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
Deliver me from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly I will praise you.
You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
For he has not despised or scorned
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.

From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.
The poor will eat and be satisfied;
those who seek the LORD will praise him—
may your hearts live forever!

All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
for dominion belongs to the LORD
and he rules over the nations.

All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Prayer for Holy Souls in Purgatory

Saint Gertrude the Great is invoked for souls in purgatory and for living sinners. Our Lord told Saint Gertrude that the following prayer would release 1,000 souls from purgatory each time it is said. The prayer was extended to include living sinners as well. Pray it daily.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Prayer to Know One's Vocation

Lord Jesus, up until now You have been quietly preparing me to be Your disciple. Now the time of preparation is ending. I seem to hear You say to me as once to Peter: "Will you also go away?" You were saddened then by friends who failed You. But Peter did not fail. "Lord," he said, "to whom shall we go? You have the words of Eternal Life."

I stand with Peter. Through prayer and counsel, show me, Lord, where it is in Your vineyard that You want me to serve. Then give me strength to be faithful.

Mary, Mother and Model, help me to respond in generous love to the call of Your Divine Son. Amen.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Today's Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12

R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Trust in God's Most Holy Goodness

On one occasion, the Lord said to [Saint Faustina], Why are you fearful and why do you tremble when you are united to Me? I am displeased when a soul yields to vain terror. Who will dare to touch you when you are with Me? Most dear to Me is the soul that strongly believes in My goodness and has complete trust in Me. I heap My confidence upon it and give it all it asks. (Diary entry 453)

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Today's Readings

1 Colossians 2:6-15

Brothers and sisters:
As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him,
rooted in him and built upon him
and established in the faith as you were taught,
abounding in thanksgiving.
See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy
according to the tradition of men,
according to the elemental powers of the world
and not according to Christ.

For in him dwells the whole fullness of the deity bodily,
and you share in this fullness in him,
who is the head of every principality and power.
In him you were also circumcised
with a circumcision not administered by hand,
by stripping off the carnal body, with the circumcision of Christ.
You were buried with him in baptism,
in which you were also raised with him
through faith in the power of God,
who raised him from the dead.
And even when you were dead in transgressions
and the uncircumcision of your flesh,
he brought you to life along with him,
having forgiven us all our transgressions;
obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims,
which was opposed to us,
he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross;
despoiling the principalities and the powers,
he made a public spectacle of them,
leading them away in triumph by it.


Responsorial Psalm 
Psalm 145:1b-2, 8-9, 10-11

R. (9) The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.

R. The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.

R. The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.

R. The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.

Gospel 
Luke 6:12-19

Jesus departed to the mountain to pray,
and he spent the night in prayer to God.
When day came, he called his disciples to himself,
and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:
Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,
James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,
Simon who was called a Zealot,
and Judas the son of James,
and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground.
A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people
from all Judea and Jerusalem
and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon
came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases;
and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured.
Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him
because power came forth from him and healed them all.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Lord God, I thank You through the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who is pleased to offer You on our behalf continuous thanksgiving in the Eucharist.

Thank you for all Your benefits, general as well as special: for creation, redemption, the sacraments; and especially for the Holy Eucharist, and for all the graces You have given me.

I wish to thank You, Lord Jesus, on behalf of myself and of all creatures, and to make amends to You, as far as I am able, for the ingratitude of many, of which You complain so vehemently. I wish that I were able to direct the hearts and minds of all to You and, together with them and for them, love You perfectly in return just as You rightly expect. Amen.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Overflowing With Mercy

In June 1938, Sister Faustina wrote in her diary:

Today, in the course of a long conversation, the Lord said to me, How very much I desire the salvation of souls! My dearest secretary, write that I want to pour out My divine life into human souls and sanctify them, if only they were willing to accept My grace. The greatest sinners would achieve great sanctity, if only they would trust in My mercy. The very inner depths of My being are filled to overflowing with mercy, and it is being poured out upon all I have created. My delight is to act in a human soul and to fill it with My mercy and to justify it. My kingdom on earth is My life in the human soul. Write, My secretary, that I Myself am the spiritual guide of souls -- and I guide them indirectly through the priest, and lead each one to sanctity by a road known to Me alone. (Diary entry 1784)

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Today's Readings


Responsorial Psalm 52:10, 11

R. (10) I trust in the mercy of God for ever.
I, like a green olive tree
in the house of God,
Trust in the mercy of God
forever and ever.
R. I trust in the mercy of God for ever.
I will thank you always for what you have done,
and proclaim the goodness of your name
before your faithful ones.
R. I trust in the mercy of God for ever.


Gospel of Luke 4:38-44

After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon.
Simon's mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever,
and they interceded with him about her.
He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her.
She got up immediately and waited on them.

At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him.
He laid his hands on each of them and cured them.
And demons also came out from many, shouting, "You are the Son of God."
But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak
because they knew that he was the Christ.

At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place.
The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him,
they tried to prevent him from leaving them.
But he said to them, "To the other towns also
I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God,
because for this purpose I have been sent."
And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Prayer to Protect Against Storms

Jesus Christ a King of Glory has come in Peace. † God became man, † and the Word was made flesh. † Christ was born of a Virgin. † Christ suffered. † Christ was crucified. † Christ died. † Christ rose from the dead. † Christ ascended into Heaven. † Christ conquers. † Christ reigns. † Christ orders. † May Christ protect us from all storms and lightning † Christ went through their midst in Peace, † and the word was made flesh. † Christ is with us with Mary. † Flee you enemy spirits because the Lion of the Generation of Judah, the Root David, has won. † Holy God! † Holy Powerful God! † Holy Immortal God! † Have mercy on us. Amen!
(From the Pieta Prayer Booklet)

Friday, August 26, 2011

Prayer to Our Lady of Czestochowa



Holy Mother of Czestochowa, you are full of grace, goodness and mercy. I consecrate to you all my thoughts, words and actions - my soul and body. I beseech your blessings and especially prayers for my salvation.

Today I consecrate myself to you, good Mother, totally - with body and soul amid joy and sufferings, to obtain for myself and others your blessings on this earth and eternal life in heaven. Amen.

Our Lady of Czestochowa, Queen of Poland, pray for us.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Happy Birthday, Saint Faustina

Today is the anniversary of Saint Faustina's birthday. Read more about her life and God's mission for her.

Let us reflect on this entry of Sister Faustina's diary from fall 1935:
O God, how I desire that souls come to know You and to see that You have created them because of Your unfathomable love. O my Creator and Lord, I feel that I am going to remove the veil of heaven so that earth will not doubt Your goodness.

Make of me, Jesus, a pure and agreeable offering before the Face of Your Father. Jesus, transform me, miserable and sinful as I am, into Your own self (for You can do all things), and give me to Your Eternal Father. I want to become a sacrificial host before You, but an ordinary wafer to people. I want the fragrance of my sacrifice be known to You alone. O Eternal God, an unquenchable fire of supplication for Your mercy burns within me. I know and understand that this is my task here and in eternity. You yourself have told me to speak about this great mercy and about Your goodness. (Diary entry 483)

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Byzantine Communion Prayer

I believe, Lord, and profess that You are indeed the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And so I pray to You, have mercy on me and pardon my offenses, deliberate and indeliberate, remembered and long-forgotten. For I will not betray you, as did Judas; but like the good thief, I acknowledge You. Remember me, O Lord, when You come into Your Kingdom. Remember me, O Lord, when You come into Your Kingdom. Remember me, O Lord, when You come into Your Kingdom. Amen.

Monday, August 22, 2011

The Queenship of Mother Mary

Today is the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary through the Most Holy Trinity. Let us meditate on her prayer of praise, the Magnificat.

My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden,
For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm:
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich He has sent empty away.
He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy;
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His posterity forever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Prayer to Defeat the Work of Satan

O Divine Eternal Father, in union with Your Divine Son and the Holy Spirit, and through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg You to destroy the power of Your greatest enemy -- the evil spirits.

Cast them into the deepest recesses of hell and chain them there forever! Take possession of Your Kingdom which You have created and which is rightfully Yours.

Heavenly Father, give us the reign of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

I repeat this prayer out of pure love for You and with every beat of my heart and with every breath I take. Amen. (Please pray three times)

Friday, August 19, 2011

Heal Our Wounds With Thine

Taken from the 15 Prayers of Saint Bridget.

O Jesus! Heavenly Physician, raised aloft on the Cross to heal our wounds with Thine, remember the bruises which Thou didst suffer and the weakness of all Thy Members which were distended to such a degree that never was there pain like unto Thine. From the crown of Thy Head to the soles of Thy Feet, there was not one spot on Thy Body that was not in torment, and yet, forgetting all Thy sufferings, Thou didst not cease to pray to Thy Heavenly Father for Thy enemies, saying: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."

Through this great Mercy, and in memory of this suffering, grant that the remembrance of Thy Most Bitter Passion may effect in us a perfect contrition and the remission of all our sins. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be to the Father.


Monday, August 15, 2011

Loving Mother of the Redeemer


Prayer for the Feast of Our Lady's Assumption Into Heaven.


Loving Mother of the Redeemer,
Gate of heaven, star of the sea,
Assist your people
who have fallen yet strive to rise again.
To the wonderment of nature you bore your Creator,
yet remained a virgin after as before.
You who received Gabriel's joyful greeting,
have pity on us, poor sinners. Amen.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Have Mercy on Us, Eternal God

Most compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love let these tepid souls, who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love, and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.

Eternal Father, turn your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: Let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy. Amen.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Holy Martyr, Saint Philomena

Today is the feast of holy martyr and wonder worker Saint Philomena. She is so very powerful. Allow her to lead you to Jesus, Our Lord, with the Most Holy Virgin Mary.

Novena Prayer

O great St. Philomena, glorious Virgin and Martyr, wonder-worker of our age, I return most fervent thanks to God for the miraculous gifts bestowed on thee, and beseech thee to impart to me a share in the graces and blessings of which thou hast been the channel to so many souls.

Through the heroic fortitude with which thou didst confront the fury of tyrants and brave the frowns of the mighty rather than swerve from thy allegiance to the King of Heaven, obtain for me purity of body and soul, purity of heart and desire, purity of thought and affection.

Through thy patience under multiplied sufferings, obtain for me a submissive acceptance of all the afflictions it may please God to send me and as thou didst miraculously escape unhurt from the waters of the Tiber, into which thou wert cast by order of thy persecutor, so may I pass through the waters of tribulation without detriment to my soul. In addition to these favors, obtain for me, O faithful spouse of Jesus, the particular intention I earnestly recommend to thee at this moment.

O pure Virgin and holy Martyr, deign to cast a look of pity from Heaven on thy devoted servant, comfort me in affliction, assist me in danger, above all come to my aid in the hour of death. Watch over the interests of the Church of God, pray for its exaltation and prosperity, the extension of the faith, for the Sovereign Pontiff, for the clergy, for the perseverance of the just, the conversion of sinners, and the relief of the souls in purgatory, especially those dear to me.

O great Saint, whose triumph we celebrate on earth, intercede for me, that I may one day behold the crown of glory bestowed on thee in Heaven, and eternally bless Him who so liberally rewards for all eternity the sufferings endured for His love during this short life. Amen.


Read more at the Universal Living Rosary Association